This took longer than expected! I hurt my wrist in Gymnastics so I can't write much these days. It sucks! But I'll still keep the story alive, so keep on reading! And Reviews make me happy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Tos.

Chapter Ten. Crimson Village.

Raine said it would be a good idea to try to get to the tower of salvation by foot, so everyone packed up and set out. The track proved to be exhausting, with the weather changing suddenly to cold, and the monsters being tougher, and more annoying than ever. Raine and Kratos soon got tired from healing and they were running low on Gels. Suddenly Genis shouted happily.

''Sis! Look, look, there's a village up ahead! Let's go, let's go!''

Raine looked at Kratos who nodded. ''We need rest, desperately. We should see if there's food and lodgings.''

''I agree,'' Lloyd said, breathless from killing yet another monster.

They walked towards the small village. It was shabby, somewhat like Izoold, with peeling paint on the houses, and patched-up roof tops and windows. The village was made of four houses and a tavern in the middle. A wooden sign hung that that read: Lamberth. The chosen's group walked to the tavern first.

Inside, it was quiet and warm. A little old lady walked up to them.

''Welcome to Lamberth. Y'all be needing' a place to stay?'' She wheezed.

''Yes please,'' Raine answered. ''We need three rooms if you have them.''

''Ay, sorry to say, we only got one. Y'all are welcome to share, if ya don't mind. I got some extra blankets.''

Raine sighed. ''It'll have to do. Anybody object to that?''

They were all too tired to complain, so Raine paid the lady, and she led them to the room. It was a tiny, cramped room with a single window. Crystal dropped her bag on the floor.

''No point in being old fashioned now.''

The old lady popped back in the room making everybody jump. ''Dinner is in a few minutes, so Y'all should wash up and git down here to eat somethin.''

She disappeared again, and everybody put down their bags, and walked back downstairs. At first they wondered if they walked into a different room altogether. The small tavern was filled with people drinking and talking. Raine led the way to a table and they all sat down, looking around them at the chatter.

Crystal couldn't put her finger on it but something was wrong with Lamberth. It seemed fake somehow. The people around them just didn't seem…right. They talked and laughed, but there was something twitchy about the atmosphere. Crystal didn't want to alarm the others so she didn't say a word.

The food wasn't so bad and after Lloyd finally finished his last bowl of rice, they walked back upstairs. There was only two beds in the room and Crystal insisted that she could sleep on the floor. Raine, Colette, and Sheena, pushed the beds together and managed to barely fit onto the bed.

''Well I'll have to do,'' Raine said getting a blanket out and laying it on the bed.

''Hey Colette's trying to say something,'' Lloyd said, while Colette was tracing words on his hand.

''Why don't you take the bed Crystal? I can't sleep anyway,'' Lloyd translated.

''Don't worry Colette. I don't mind sleeping on floor. Besides…'' Crystal grinned and put a hand on Kratos shoulder. ''I want to keep the boys company.''

Everyone turned to look at her, and She could feel Kratos freeze, next to her. The three girls got into bed and Lloyd and Genis, retreated to one side of the room, while Crystal and Kratos were left alone in the corner.

''Ever notice, we always seem to get paired together?'' Crystal said, with a small laugh.

Kratos sighed a got a blanket. There was only one. Figures, He thought, Crystal sat down just far enough from the others, so no one would overhear them. Kratos looked at her and she patted the ground next to her, asking him to sit.

''Are you going to tell me? Or do I have to ask?'' Kratos said, sitting down.

''Never miss a beat, do you?'' Crystal kept her voice low. ''Did you notice anything…strange about this place?''

''If you mean the people's jumpy attitude among other things, yes I did.''

''What do you think it is?''

''I'm not sure. Tomorrow I think we should make a haste and leave. I don't think we'll get to the Tower of Salvation by foot anyway.''

''You're right,'' Crystal said. ''I don't like this place at all. It's made me slightly jumpy all night.''

''For now the best thing we can do is get some rest,'' Kratos stood up again and walked a few steps away from Crystal leaving the blanket with her. Crystal however, grabbed the hem of his cape. He felt the tug and turned around.

''What is it?''

''Stay.''

Kratos looked at her for a moment. She was looking up at him, pleadingly, like an adorable little kitten. Her head was tilted to the side slightly and she was still on her knees. The auburn-haired man knew he couldn't say no.

''This is unlike you,'' He said sitting down next to her.

''Well…I just don't really want to…spend the night in this place alone,'' She turned a light shade of pink.

''You're acting like a little girl.''

''Well if I'm bugging you so much, you can go,'' She pouted before turning away from him.

''Whatever you say,'' He shrugged, but he didn't move. He simply sat there, while she brought her knees to her chest and closed her eyes.

After a few minutes he noticed her shoulders starting to shake.

''Crystal?'' He whispered. ''Are you cold?''

She opened her eyes and nodded. He unfolded the blanket and wrapped it around her. The brunette however, unwrapped one side and put it around Kratos. He looked at her with an odd expression.

''Don't take it the wrong way,'' She said. ''I just don't want to be the reason you catch a cold.''

''T-Thanks,'' He said back, wondering why he felt a little embarrassed.

''Let's try to get some sleep,'' Crystal said, sliding down the wall a little, to get more comfortable.

A few more minutes passed, and Kratos heard Crystal's soft breathing, telling him that she had gone to sleep. He sat there and thought about the girl next to him. What would she say if she knew more about him? How would she react? After hearing her story, he wasn't sure he would end up doing the right thing. He would just be hurting someone once again.

Something warm pressed against his side.

He turned to look at the girl. Crystal had slid sideways, and her head came to rest on Kratos' shoulder.

The mercenary gazed at her, a warm smile curling his lips. Her hair was flowing down her back in waves and her lips were as red as a rose.

Hold on, I can't be thinking those things, Kratos thought to himself. He shook his head, as if trying to dislodge the thoughts going through it. He looked back at Crystal. She seemed to be having a hard time getting comfortable, since she was fidgeting quite a bit. He gently put an arm around her and shifted, so she could lean on him less awkwardly. Finally she stopped moving about, and Kratos closed his eyes as well.

The next day Crystal awoke to the sound of a soft heartbeat. She felt warmth all around her, and looked up. She met two garnet eyes looking down at her.

''Are you awake?'' Kratos asked.

The brunette blinked a few times, just to make sure she was really awake. She realized that the warmth she was wrapped in was Kratos arms, and she had somehow fallen asleep against his chest. Her legs were in between his.

''Um…s-sorry,'' She said, turning pink.

''For what?''

''For…hanging on you,'' She said pulling away from him.

Kratos let her go. ''It's okay, I didn't mind so much.''

Crystal felt her face get hotter. He smiled at her, obviously amused.

''AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!''

Kratos and Crystal jumped, instantly alert. They grabbed their swords and ran down the steps. The scream had come from outside. They burst out the door, and onto an extremely surreal scene.

Bloody, dismembered, corpses lay strewn across the dusty ground. Grotesque monsters, at least thirty of them, all around the tiny village, some killing the remainder of humans, others being restrained by the Desians. Sheena, Raine, Genis, Lloyd and Colette, all standing in fount of Kratos and Crystal. Apparently they had gone down stairs before the two.

''What is this?'' Lloyd said, sounding sick to his stomach.

In the center of the chaos, was a man with glasses and a green cape. He, like Kvar, had a sneering voice

''Hear me inferior beings!'' The man called out. ''I am Rodyle! One of the five Desian Grand Cardinals!''

Crystal looked back at Colette. The tiny blonde looked absolutely terrified. Her eyes were wide and round, and her mouth was agape in a silent scream. Crystal noticed Lloyd step forward.

''You bastard!'' Lloyd shouted. ''What do want?!''

''I have no need to explain myself to you filthy creatures,'' Rodyle sneered. ''Besides, the only business I have is with that young lady there.''

Crystal froze. Rodyle was looking straight at her, and now all her companions were looking at her too. She fixed her face into the bravest expression she could muster and spoke.

''Me? What could you want with an "Inferior being" such as I?''

''Just come with me and all will be explained,'' He said.

Lloyd drew his swords. ''We won't let you take anyone!''

Rodyle gave a cold laugh. ''If she doesn't come quietly I have to take her by force.''

''Just try it!'' Genis called out.

''I'm afraid I'll have to order these monsters to attack.''

Crystal felt her heart leap to her throat.

''I'm sure you know who these monsters are…Don't you, Crystal?'' Rodyle continued.

She was absolutely stunned. Those monsters used to be humans….They still had the souls of a human…But they're attacking the other villagers.

''Crystal, snap out of it,'' Raine said.

The angel shook her head, and saw that Lloyd and Kratos were now on the verge of charging Rodyle.

''Wait,'' Crystal said, putting a hand on their shoulders. ''I'll handle this myself.''

''Are you crazy? You can't take on that many on your own!'' Lloyd said.

''I can. You haven't seen half my power.''

''But Lloyd is right,'' Kratos said. ''You mustn't do this on your own.''

''No. I must.''

Kratos looked at her. Like so many times before now, he could tell her feelings by her eyes. This time her eyes were determined, icy and resigned. Kratos nodded.

''You can't be serious,'' Lloyd said. Kratos held Lloyd back and Crystal walked towards Rodyle.

''So,'' The Grand Cardinal sneered. ''You've decided to come along.''

Crystal unsheathed her sword.

''I refuse.''

The look on Rodyle's face changed from an all-knowing smile, to an expression of mangled fury and hatred. He lifted a hand, ready to give his command.

''GET HER!!!''

The Desians let the monsters loose at the same time. The Desian spell casters started chanting. A few other Desians charged Crystal with a sword held high. Crystal stayed in the center of it all, calm as can be.

''Hey! Look out!'' Genis called.

''What is she doing?'' Raine gasped.

''She's gonna get hurt!'' Colette exclaimed.

''Crystal! Watch out!'' Lloyd yelled.

''She's not going to…'' Sheena said softly.

Kratos could feel his pulse quicken with each split second Crystal stayed still. ''Don't die,'' He whispered.

Crystal closed her eyes and concentrated. She focused her mana. The monsters were almost a foot away now.

A little more…

More…

There!

''Whirlwind light blades!!''

Light mana spilled out of her body and danced in a spiral around her. From out of the spinning light, a thousand tiny spikes of pure mana killing the enemies around her. The monsters exploded gruesomely, blood going everywhere. The Desians fell were they stood. Only Rodyle managed to block the attack.

The light around Crystal dispersed, and she stood in a pool of blood. There was crimson all over her body but it wasn't hers. It was the Exsphere monsters blood.

Innocent blood.

Rodyle started laughing maniacally. ''Hahahaha! You may have stopped me but at what cost? You've killed so many innocents!''

Rodyle looked at Crystal. He didn't like the look in her eyes.

''Haha…so defiant, I'll leave you today but you will see me again. Until next time Crystal…My little angel.''

With that, Rodyle disappeared, leaving nothing behind. No survivors, no enemies. Nothing. Just the chosen's group and Crystal.

And a Crimson Village.