Tiamatt raised her sword to block a blow from Dsanios' bladestaff and forced his weapon away. Kratos took his chance to attack instantly and tried to keep Tiamatt behind him. Dsanios noticed this and growled as a Materia glowed in his arm before he sped off in a blur. Turning, Tiamatt blocked but the Remnant twisted the staff slightly and one of the bladed ends came towards her. Her eyes widened and she tried to teleport out of the way but the braclet on her wrist only warmed and nothing happened. She closed her eyes, preparing for the attack, but the blow never hit. Instead, Dsanios cried out as Jo knocked him out of the way.
"You will pay for that!" Dsanios snarled, transforming into his red and black dragon form.
He slashed at Jo with his claws, forcing the serpent to block with his fake arm. The pseudo limb didn't stand a chance against the Remnants claws but it gave Nightfire and Marth their own oppertunities to attack as Kratos looked at his startled wife.
"Are you alright?" Kratos asked. Tiamatt nodded. "Reno, get Tiamatt out of here!"
The red head blinked in shock but nodded and grabbed her arm, causing Tiamatt to glare at him. "I'm not leaving!"
"Come on Tia! The guy is after you. We gotta get you outta here!" Reno told her, trying to pull her from the battle as Kratos returned to fighting. Tiamatt glared at the Turk, her eyes dilated. "That trick don't work on me, yo. Now come on!" Reno turned back towards the exit but Dsanios blocked his path.
"I'm afraid I can't let you take Sister." The Remnant growled, knocking Reno to the side with his bladestaff and slashing at Tiamatt before she could raise the Oblivion Blade. The Cetra's eyes widened as Dsanios grinned and she looked at the wound across her stomach in shock. "Oh I'm sorry, Sister. My hand must have slipped."
Tiamatt looked back at the Remnant, her eyes completely dilated and her fangs bared. "You will pay!"
Dsanios' eyes widened this time as the Cetra charged at him, Oblivion Blade ready to strike but before she could attack, he laughed and disappeared into shadows. Still growling, Tiamatt looked around for the Remnant, paying no attention to the blood that was pouring from her stomach until Kratos put a hand on her shoulder and she collapsed.
"Tiamatt!" Kratos looked worried by her collapse but when he saw the gash across her stomach, his eyes widened in panic and he immediately put his hands over her stomach. "First Aid!" The wound glowed for a moment and closed up, stopping the bleeding.
"Is she alright?" Marth asked, concerned for his friend and the amount of blood she seemed to have lost.
The Seraph sighed as he picked her up. "Hopefully. You four try to complete the mission while I get Tia somewhere safe."
"Are you sure? What if Dsanios comes back?" Nightfire asked as Kratos started walking back to the main part of town.
Kratos stopped for a second, glaring over his shoulder. "I will not lose Tiamatt!" The others nodded in understanding and allowed the Seraph to continue walking. It was only once he got to the square that he spread his wings and took to the air. "I will not allow someone I love to be taken from me again due to my inability to protect them..."
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"Something just doesn't seem right." Hiro said quietly, causing those that possessed angelic hearing to look at him.
"What do you mean?" Colette asked as Hiro watched Terran. The spirit was sitting quietly, looking around the house from where he sat while Noishe sat beside him, his head in Terran's lap.
"Its not like Terran to forget stuff and how could he forget Tia? She's his daughter!" Hiro pointed out, unsure to think about the confused spirit. "Not only that but he seems to remember being a Guide but can't remember any of the spirits that I know he had connections with."
Yuan nodded. 'Yes and not to mention the fact that he is supposed to be locking in Ryukinogami. I was told that he could never return unless something happened to the sword or the Keeper."
"I wonder what is going on..." Lloyd sighed. "So when are the kids getting back?"
"I believe they borrowed some rhierds and should be back soon." Raine told him. Lloyd nodded and smiled at the thought of seeing his daughter again even though it had only been a few days since they had left.
"What about Tiamatt and Kratos?" Aya asked.
Kayla sighed. "Excious said that they were on a mission and couldn't be contacted till after it was complete. Apparently Galbadia is causing problems and they went to try and solve it."
"Damn, Tia's the one who really needs to be here too." Hiro said, turning towards the others. "Maybe I should go see if I can find her and tell her."
"Hiro, they'll be back soon enough. Don't worry." Sheena reassured him as he started to stand up but stopped at the sound of rhierds outside. "Guess the kids are back."
Sure enough, the door opened and the group of teenagers entered, most of them being crushed by their parents almost immediately. Eria and Terrance looked confused as to why their parents weren't there and wondered who the stranger was but their attention was soon directed towards Lloyd and Colette as Kit pulled Anna towards them.
"Mom! Dad! Look!" Kit said excitedly. Lloyd's mouth dropped instantly as Anna smiled at her son. The others watched slightly confused as to what was going on as Yuan too, recognized Anna.
"It can't be..." The blue haired Seraph gasped. "You're supposed to be dead."
Anna laughed. "Yes, I guess I am but something is wrong with the planet and I was allowed back." She looked over at Terran, looking confused. "Aren't you from Gaia?"
"What are you talking about?" Terran asked, looking as confused as Anna and the teens.
"Mom?" Anna looked back at Lloyd. "You're really here aren't you?" Anna nodded, and Lloyd hugged her. "I missed you!"
"I missed you too Lloyd. I can't believe how much you've grown." the woman smiled, returning the hug before letting go. 'But please, don't tell your father."
"Why not? I know he misses you too!"
Anna nodded and sighed. "Exactly and I don't want to cause any tension between him and Tiamatt when they've been together for so long now and they have Eria and Terrance."
"Oh..." Lloyd said quietly. "What are you going to do then? You can't really hide."
"Anna can stay with us." Yuan offered, smiling at the brown haired woman. Raine nodded in agreement.
"Thank you." Anna smiled as Lloyd's GS went off.
The small holoprojector opened and Excious appeared on the screen. "Lloyd, Kratos and Tiamatt are on their way back."
'So soon?" Hiro asked, shocked by the speed of their return till it hit him. "Something happened didn't it?"
Excious sighed and nodded. "Yes, unfortunately. They were to confront Deiling and try to convince him to order the retreat of his troops from Timber. When they reached the presidental residence, they encountered Odine and Dsanios and Tiamatt was severely injured."
"What?! Is she ok?" Aya asked, concerned for her long time friend.
"She's alive but she's lost a large amount of blood from the wound on her stomach. Kratos decided it would be best to bring her home and let her recover." the Remnant explained. Eria and Terrance's eyes went wide. "I suspect they should be there anytime."
"I see, thank you." Lloyd said. Excious nodded and the line closed. "Tia must really be hurt if Dad wanted to bring her home instead of letting her recover at Garden."
Anna nodded before turning towards Raine, Yuan, and Lisea. "Prehaps we should go while we can." Raine nodded and Yuan started towards the door as Anna hugged Lloyd again. "I'll see you later, alright?"
"Ok mom! Take care!" Lloyd grinned. Anna smiled at him before Kit latched herself onto Anna and hugged her.
"Can I go with Grandma?" Kit asked, looking at her parents with pleading eyes. Lloyd and Colette looked over at Raine and Yuan who both nodded. Lisea looked happy to have her friends come too. "Thank you!"
"We gotta go too." Genis sighed. "Ryan has to be in Palmacosta in a couple hours for classes." Presea nodded in agreement as Ryan looked down and sighed.
Sheena nodded in agreement to the idea of leaving. "I need to return to Mizuho before Orochi throws a fit and starts sending search parties after us." Zelos laughed and put an arm around her waist, leading her towards the door as Seth walked on the other side of his mother. "Bye!"
It didn't take long till mostly everyone had gone home except for Nick, Eria, Terrance, Hiro, Aya, and Arx. Lloyd and Colette were trying to make sure everyone was confortable and were still recovering from the shock that not only was Terran sitting in their living room, but Anna had also been there only a little while ago.
"Lloyd! Colette!" Someone yelled outside.
Lloyd quickly ran to the door to let Kratos in, Tiamatt still unconscious in his arms, her clothes stained with the blood from her wound. Colette lead the angel to a spare room where he set Tiamatt down. After checking her wound once more, Kratos left the room to let her rest and returned to the living room. Terran gave him a curious look as the Seraph sat down.
"Who was that woman?" Kratos looked up at Terran, his eyes widening in shock. "What happened to her?"
"Terran? How can you be here?" Kratos gasped, shocked at the sight of his father-in-law before more confusion clouded his features. "And what do you mean 'who was that woman'?"
'Kratos, Terran doesn't remember anything. He didn't even know his name till Lloyd told him." Hiro explained. Kratos continued to look at the spirit in disbelief. "He doesn't even remember Tiamatt."
"Dad, who is this guy?" Eria asked, still confused about who the strange was. Terrance nodded, wanting to know the same thing.
Kratos looked at the confused Terran, wondering if he should actually tell his children that this was their grandfather but he didn't have to as unsteady footsteps were heard along with a gasp of pain and shock. Kratos turned to see Tiamatt leaning against the wall for support, one arm across her stomach. The Seraph was instantly at his wife's side, helping her into the room and sitting beside her.
"That is Terran, my father and therefore, your grandfather." Tiamatt explained, looking at Terran. The spirit looked at her confused for a moment before his eyes brightened and he looked concerned. 'You remember me now?"
"Yes, I'm sorry. I don't know how I forgot my own daughter." Terran nodded before turning towards Eria and Terrance and smiling at them. "And these are my grandchildren?"
"Yes they are." Kratos nodded. Eria and Terrance continued to look at the spirit in curiousity, not really sure what to think of him since only moments ago, he didn't even know who Tiamatt was and now he was call them his grandkids. "Terran, why are you back?"
"I don't know. I don't remember much. Only the white void that is where Ryu took me and Jenova. That woman has issues." Terran sighed.
'Don't we all?" Tiamatt laughed only to gasp in pain. Kratos looked concerned by the way she continued to hold her stomach but figured that why his spell had stopped the bleeding, the wound still needed to heal on its own. "Maybe we should see if we can contact the Keeper?"
Nick looked up. "About the Keepers, we ran into one. The Keeper of Truth."
Arx nodded. "Yeah, he was real smart ass."
"But he did tell us why the monsters were so aggresive." Eria added. "Apparently the Lifestream is malfuctioning and spiting people out."
"The same thing is happening to Gaia..." Tiamatt sighed. "But Dad isn't apart of the Lifestream. Why is he back?"
"Ryukinogami was stolen." The entire group turned to look at a black haired woman that had appeared suddenly into the room. She had the same swirling green eyes that the Keeper of Balance had but they also had streaks of yellow in them. She wore silver kimino with a light blue sash.
"Who are you?" Lloyd asked, ready to call the Eternal Sword if nessacary.
"I am the Keeper of Prophecy." the woman explained, stepping lightly towards the center of the room.
Tiamatt's eyes widened as she looked at the spirit. "So you're the one that wrote the my prophecy all those years ago!"
Prophecy nodded. "Correct. And a new one has been written though not for you. It concerns all of you."
"Then you know whats going on?" Hiro asked.
"Yes but no. Only the Master knows that. Now would you like me to explain as to why the Guide has returned?" Prophecy asked, indicating Terran. The entire group nodded, all of them curious. "As I said before Ryukinogami was stolen from Balance. He released Terran in the hopes that he could act as a messenger to what is happening but something happened and his memory was erased instead. At least he seems to be recovering."
"So you came because the Keeper of Balance screwed up? Don't you guys run everything? How can you make mistakes?" Nick asked.
Prophecy laughed. "True that we do control everything that you know of and even things that you don't but like you, we spirits also make mistakes. Isn't that right Terran?" Terran looked confused for a moment before he lowered his head in guilt.
"I'm sorry...I should have never left..." the spirit said quietly. Tiamatt gave her father a sympathetic smile.
"Dad, I forgive you. You at least came back to try to correct some of your mistakes and you saved not only me but Symphonia too." Tiamatt told him. Terran looked up and returned the small smile.
"Ahem, as I was saying." Everyone looked back at the Keeper. "A new prophecy has come. Materials are being gathered and worlds disrupted. Darkness will reign where light once lived. The swords are the keys to salvation..."
"What do you mean?" Kratos asked but the Keeper suddenly disappeared, her words echoing through the air, leaving everyone confused...
Hehe! This is fun! I like writing this though I'm still confused...oh well, that what I'm good at. Screwing things up and sorting them all out! Hehe!