Chapter Nine, The Asgard Human Ranch
The next day, before they packed up the camp, Kratos told everyone else what Crystal had told him the night before. He made Crystal agree to tell parts of the story and he would tell the rest. By the time Kratos told them all of the repeated murder of each of her family members, Crystal turned her back to her companions. She hated to see sadness or pity directed at her. When Kratos finished, Raine asked what Crystal intended to do.
''I have no home, no family, and nothing worthwhile waiting for me,'' Crystal answered turning back to face them. ''All I ask is that I may help restore this world, so that the suffering may end.''
Raine looked to the blonde. ''What do you say, Colette?''
''Of course you can stay. Right Lloyd?''
Lloyd nodded. ''It's not like we're gonna turn you away now.''
''Thank you,'' Crystal bowed.
It was decided they would cut through a small forest, and head to Luin, The City of Hope. The sunlight shone through the leaves, dancing around in little pretty spots of light.
''What's Luin like?'' Lloyd asked.
''It's a nice place,'' Said Kratos with a softened look in his eyes. ''The town is warm and inviting.''
''Have you been there before Kratos?'' Crystal asked.
Kratos' expression returned to boredom. ''I passed through it once before, that's all.''
Crystal could sense something odd, and hidden in his voice, but didn't pry. Eventually they saw the top of a house in the distance.
''Hey guys, I think I can see Luin!'' Lloyd said.
''Wait…Kratos; do you sense something…strange?'' Crystal asked, turning to the auburn-haired man.
''Be on guard,'' He whispered to her, so he wouldn't alarm the others.
They soon arrived at the entrance of the city. If you could call it that.
''Wha…what's this?'' Lloyd gasped.
''It's…horrible,'' Colette said forlorn.
The once beautiful town was completely destroyed. The bridge was half gone, the houses burned down, blood and traces of a battle were everywhere. The group walked to the fountain, to find the assassin from the ossa trail, bloody and half dead.
''Oh…It's you guys,'' The assassin said weakly. ''If you want to finish me off now's your chance. I don't have the strength left to fight.''
Lloyd kneeled beside her. ''What happened? You're badly wounded.''
''Look around you. Everything in this town was reduced to ruins. The Desians…ugh…attacked. And the survivors were…taken to the ranch.''
The assassin closed her eyes in pain.
''Professor, can you heal her?'' Lloyd asked.
Raine stared at him as if he were crazy. ''Lloyd, are you serious?''
''Professor please!'' Colette pleaded.
''Fine,'' The healer said, shaking her head. ''But I swear, you're all way to softhearted for your own good.''
Raine bent down and help her staff over the purple-clad girl.
''Wh-Why did you save me?'' She asked.
''Because,'' Lloyd started. ''You obviously fought for this town, rather than yourself. If you tried to save Luin, then you can't be that bad.''
The girl looked embarrassed. ''But…I'm trying to kill you…''
''You don't seem like a Desian, so you must have reasons right?'' Crystal said.
''Th-Thanks,'' Said the assassin.
''What should we do about the Desians?'' Kratos asked.
''We have to save them,'' Colette said.
''So we'll raid the ranch,'' Crystal said simply.
''Lloyd? What do you say?'' Raine turned to look at the smaller swordsman.
Lloyd gripped the hilt of his Katana. ''I said it before didn't I? I'm going to destroy them all. The entire ranch!''
''So hotheaded…'' Raine sighed.
Colette turned to the assassin. ''What's your name?''
''It's Sheena. And I have a favor to ask. Please, take me with you.''
''Of course you can,'' Lloyd said. Raine, narrowed her eyes, but she didn't protest, nor did any of the others. The seven people, made there way to the Desian human ranch, all the while formulating a plan. They would ambush a couple of Desians, steal their clothes, and infiltrate the base.
Once they got there, everything went according to plan, right until they got inside the control room. Within seconds of their arrival, an alarm went off and they ended up cornered by a few Desian guards.
''Well, well, well,'' Came a sneering voice from behind one of the Desian lackeys. ''It seems a few rats have gotten into my ranch.''
The owner of the voice stepped out in fount of the cornered group. He had short blond hair and narrow, squinty, mistrustful eyes. He was wearing a smirk to match his ridiculous blue suit.
''Who are you?'' Lloyd asked, with his cocky tone.
''He is Kvar. One of the five Desian grand cardinals,'' Kratos answered. Crystal thought it was strange that Kratos knew something like that, but brushed it aside.
''How amusing,'' Kvar laughed. ''The inferior being asked for my name, after invading my ranch. You're more reckless than I thought. It matters not. Finish them off!'' Kvar commanded the spell caster next to him, whom performed a fire spell aimed at Lloyd.
''Guardian!'' Lloyd shouted, also bracing himself with his arms. The fire ball got nullified by the shield and Kvar's beady eyes caught on something. Lloyd's peculiar Exsphere.
''That Exsphere..! It can't be…'' Kvar said. ''I see. You're, Lloyd Irving. The son of that Exsphere subject!''
Whatever tension the room held before, increased a hundred fold with that one sentence. Lloyd was stunned, Kratos went pale, and everyone else was confused. Crystal's mind went into overdrive. But…That might mean…no it couldn't be…Irving is a usual name…isn't it?
''Exsphere subject?'' Lloyd said slowly. ''You don't mean…''
''That Exsphere belonged to host body 0034, Human name Anna,'' Kvar gave another sneer. ''Your mother.''
Lloyd's eyes were wide. ''Wh…what?''
''When your mother escaped with you, she took that Exsphere with her.''
''So, you killed her!''
''Now, now, I wasn't the one who killed her. Your father did.''
''What?''
''After escaping, her Exsphere went out of control and she turned into a monster,'' A twisted grin appeared on Kvar's mouth. ''And your father killed her. Pathetic, wouldn't you say?''
Kratos' fist clenched into a ball. ''Do not speak ill of the dead!''
''Well ether way,'' Kvar said. ''That Exsphere was part of my angelus project! It belongs to me.''
The Desians moved forward on the group, cornering them even more.
''Let me handle this,'' Sheena said lightly stepping forward. She held up a piece of paper and a large sprit appeared and transported them out of the ranch. They fled to Luin.
That night, tension ran high for everyone, as they tried to figure out a way to save everyone at the ranch without being detected. Lloyd was having a hard time dealing with his new found trauma. Crystal didn't notice much of what was going on. She was wrapped up in her own thoughts.
The next day Sheena told them of a friend she made in Hima, which escaped the ranch. They went to visit him and found out how to infiltrate the ranch. They did just that, freed the prisoners, and made it to Kvar where they fought him. He was a formidable opponent, but his arrogance was his undoing, and thanks to the teamwork of Lloyd, Crystal, and Kratos, he was quickly taken down.
What Crystal couldn't help but notice was, in addition to Lloyd's normal passion for defeating a Desian, Kratos seemed extremely angry. She couldn't begin to understand why. When they left the ranch and returned to Asgard to rest, Crystal opened the door to Kratos' room, holding bandages and medicine.
''Krat-oh! Excuse me!'' She squeaked, and slammed the door shut. She hadn't realized she didn't knock before coming in, and caught a glimpse of Kratos wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. Unluckily for her, he noticed and opened the door again.
''What do you want?'' he asked.
She turned bright red. ''R-Raine asked m-me to see if you needed help with your wounds. The forest we went though on the way b-back here was poisonous, so magic healing doesn't work on w-wounds.''
''Just a minute,'' He said before shutting the door again. Crystal heard footsteps move around the room and less than a minute later he opened the door again and let her in.
She sat down on the bed and started unpacking the bag, but Kratos stopped her.
''There's no need, I'll do it myself.'' He said coldly.
''Are you sure? It's better if someone else dresses your wounds for you.''
''Yes its fine. Now please, leave me alone.''
Crystal felt a little hurt by his tone with her but ignored it.
''Okay then. Good night,'' She stood up and left.
The next day they got to the Tower of Mana, and made their way though the temple. A hard fight awaited them at the top. The teamwork Crystal had with Kratos the last few fights dispersed by this time. He was distracted and angry. He made plenty more mistakes then he ever had before and he even missed with his magic attack.
''Kratos, Calm down!'' Crystal shouted while guarding against a barrage of razor spikes.
He didn't seem to hear her. She ran forward to try and get through to him, but she ran at the wrong moment. He brought his blade backwards at the very moment Crystal was behind him. She felt the sharp steel got through her gut, and gasped in surprise. Kratos turned around and saw the brunette start to fall backwards.
''That's…it…'' She muttered and caught herself. Her white wings sprouted forth, out of her back and she rose into the air, her sword held high. The blood dripped out of her wound like red rose petals. A few drops landed on Kratos' forehead as he watched her rise into the dark sky. Crystal began to focus her mana and chanted.
''O Angels of judgment, fill my blade with your purifying light. Rain upon my enemies!''
She flew forward with her Sword aimed for the beast's forehead.
''Heaven's Blade!''
She plunged the blade into the beast and released her mana. Her opponent gave a loud cry, fell to the ground and disappeared. At the same time Crystal sheathed her sword, and her wings disappeared, while she was still high in the sky. She fell, limply to the ground, her consciousness slipping away. Kratos walked forward a few steps and caught her easily. Raine ran forward.
''Crysta, are you okay?'' Raine asked.
The brunette angel opened her eyes slightly. ''Yes…I'm just…a little tired…''
''I will take care of her,'' Kratos said to Raine, who looked at him and nodded. She saw something in his expression that she somehow understood. She walked to Lloyd and the others, while Colette offered her prayers at the alter.
As they walked out of the temple Kratos carried Crystal in his arms, holding her close, and tightly. He was stony faced the whole way.
Once they were outside the temple it was discovered that Colette lost her voice. They set up camp once again and while Raine, Genis, Sheena, Lloyd, and Colette, sat on one side of the camp holding a discussion, Kratos carried Crystal over to a tree and laid her down, with her head resting on his lap.
Crystal opened her eyes slightly. She could feel something warm under her, and the pain was subsiding. She could see auburn above her.
''Ugh…what happened?'' She asked, disoriented.
The voice of Kratos answered. ''After you killed the guardian of the seal, you fainted from loss of blood.''
She realized that he was bandaging her wounds.
''You look so serious,'' She said softly. He didn't say anything. ''Fine, don't talk.''
Crystal slowly sat up, flinching at the pain on her stomach. She looked at Kratos, who was avoiding her eye. There was something like…shame, in his face.
''Why so gloomy?'' She asked.
Kratos twitched at the question.
''You can't hide it. Tell me,'' The little angel insisted.
''I…forgive me,'' He said quickly.
''Forgive you?''
''For the…'' He looked pained at his next words. ''For inflicting such a serious wound. I almost…hit your vitals.''
Crystal was shocked at the mercenary's discomfort. He was being so…thoughtful.
''I-it's okay, I'm fine aren't I?'' She said, suddenly very self aware.
''Yes, you're right.''
He looked up and gave her a small smile. She turned a delicate shade of pink.
''I'm going to go see Genis,'' Crystal said, but she stood up too quickly. She felt slightly lightheaded and lost her balance, falling right on top of Kratos.She ended up straddling him and her face was an inch away from his.
''Maybe I should help you stand next time,'' Kratos said, ignoring the blush that covered his face.
Crystal slowly got up and he walked her over to the others. Genis made soup again and had a bowl ready for her and Kratos.
''Why are you two flushed?'' Genis asked, handing a bowl to Kratos.
''Shut up Genis.''
The two didn't mean to, but they said it at the same time. They looked at each other quickly, and then looked away, both the shade of a cherry.
