While I'm looking at cuddle piccy of oyako-ness…
1st Friend: (accusingly) I knew it! You saw yaoi pictures!!!
Me: What?? Hell no!! They're father and son!
2nd Friend: That's his Daddy?
1st Friend: ……(went catatonic state)
2nd Friend: The Daddy looked young…
Me: He's ageless, he's even over 4000 years old!
1st Friend: The Daddy is… so bishounen…
Kratos: …
Me: Well, his look was exotic...
---
Meltokio
The city was crowded from it's populations and so was Kratos' mind.
This feeling…guilt, dilemma, doubt… those weren't supposed to exist. This mission was supposed to keep Lloyd out of trouble. But instead he was befriending with the pair, and one of them had been trying to kill his only son.
He shifted his hand uncomfortably to his pocket, where Lumen lies. The only thing he would use to against them.
Kratos failed to notice Emil's gasp, since he never went to a big city than Palmacosta. Fortunately for him, the group wasn't taking his behavior as something uncommon. Silence is one of Kratos' famous characteristic.
After the unsuccessful attempt to obtain Galcies' Core from the shop, they decided to meet the King of Thethe'alla. Even more surprises, Emil and Marta had discovered that Regal came from aristocrat family. They affirmed that all of Lloyd's friends are great people…thankfully they still hadn't knew Kratos' identity.
By the time they reach the hall of the city, Kratos finally called the Centurion.
"Tenebrae…"
"What is it, Lord Aurion?" Tenebrae spoke, still in his invincible mode to prevent attraction.
"There's some important things that I wanted to discuss with you…" he eyed to the Centurion Core's hunters, "…alone."
"Oh okay, we leave you two right here while we're looking for the King of Meltokio. We're going back as soon as we know anything about Glacie's Core whereabouts." Emil spoke.
When the group walked to the stairs of Meltokio's Castle, Kratos was left with Tenebrae alone. Thankfully, there wasn't much crowd on that area, so Tenebrae didn't have to be invisible, or else Kratos would look like talking to himself.
"Is there something on your mind, Lord Aurion?"
"I want to talk to you about our last conversation from the Ice Temple."
"Oh, and that would be-?"
He took out the Lumen's Core, as Tenebrae's eyes widened.
"That's…that's…"
"-Lumen's Core." Kratos answered.
"What is the meaning of this!?" the centurion of darkness snarled, "You've been deceiving us from the start??"
"Tenebrae…" Kratos sighed, "This isn't what it seems."
"Of course it is!" he hissed, "Master was right. We shouldn't trust any human again."
"I had my reasons. I stole this from Lloyd."
This time he earn a raised eyebrow from the centurion, "Stole? You didn't cooperate with each other? But you were so eager to save his life from the start. Yet, from the looks of yours you wouldn't likely to surrender the Lumen's Core."
"True…but, that doesn't mean I want to betray all of you. Once Ratatosk had the rest of the other cores, I would surrender the Lumen's Core."
"Pray tell what your true intention is?"
For the first time in 4000 years knowing Kratos, Tenebrae suddenly saw something a he never saw from him.
Desperation…
"I just want him unharmed..."
The centurion took a deep breath for a while, debating his next move, "I do not know to whom I should believe, Lord Aurion."
His words suddenly cut by a chaotic voice upstairs near the Castle. Forgetting the tensed quarrel, both Kratos and Tenebrae looked up to the stairs.
"There's a fight on the top"
"I-I sense Emil is in danger!!"
---
When they reach upstairs, it was what Kratos and Tenebrae feared their friends are engaged in a fierce battle. To make it worse, Alice was the culprit, she released more deadlier monsters this time. The sadist casually sat on the edge of the stairs as if this matter of life and death are playful things for her. Though so, Emil's group seemed to be winning. All the small those small training with Kratos and Regal had changed the boy.
"Emil!" he called in worry.
"Stop worrying stiffed old man, we got this covered!" Ratatosk mode Emil answered.
"Yeah Emil, show that sadist what we got!" Marta yelled, before she cast another spell.
Regal and Sheena seemed enjoying this. Their fighting days had been deceased since the Regeneration Journey.
This was the first battle that Kratos didn't join in. While he was watching carefully at the heroes, Tenebrae laughed in pride, somehow forgetting their last argument, "Perhaps Emil did not require any monsters this time."
"I am not certain about that…" Kratos' grip tighter to his sword's handle.
The centurion raised an eyebrow suspiciously, "And why's that?"
"The girl… I know those kinds of people. They are stubborn being that hate to lose. If she knew that her monsters are going to be defeated why she is smiling?"
Now Tenebrae's smile faded, he narrowed his eyes suspiciously to Alice.
It was not long until the last monster, the golem fell to the ground with loud thud colliding with the hard pavement of Meltokio's streets. Kratos and Tenebrae joined the group from behind, facing the most disturbing girl who was sitting on the street's edge.
Emil had become himself, but he still had confidence left from his Ratatosk mode, declaring their triumph to Alice.
"Give up Alice! You lost…"
But Alice didn't disturb at all. She just giggled while sitting there, bobbing her head like a playful child, "Oh, I don't think so…"
Without warning the Golem that died was actually rise and caught Emil by surprise, "AARGH!!"
The group circling the Golem, they thought that the Golem was only giving a surprise attack. But it just held Emil tightly and strangely glowing…
"This…"
"I've rigged the little darling with a special collar that self-destruct if he gets defeated. Pretty clever if I say so myself!" Alice explained happily, another disturbing giggle surpass her lips.
The group startled, Sheena then cursed, "What the hell!?"
Alice finally stood, "Bye bye Martmart! I'll be sure to let Commander Brute know that you're dead!!" On cue, a monster flied to her side as she skipped to its back and then fled.
Kratos usually knew how to control things, but this was one of the most inopportune procedures that he cannot control; using a monster as a bomb was foreign to him. All the group had given all they got to liberate Emil. Marta yelled, commanded the monster to release him. Sheena was more to physical approach pulling the monster's hand with no effort. Regal finally stepped in, lending her hand.
But even Regal's un-cuffed hands cannot release Emil's from the Golem's grip…Now this is GETTING serious.
"N-no…please! I don't want to die! Let go of me!!"
"Emil!!" Marta cried his name, afraid that this was his last.
Kratos then called Tenebrae who was debating on their next move, "What should we do?"
"I could…do something."
"Then? Why hesitate?" Kratos growled in frustration he never seen the Centurion was in doubt.
"Because if I do that, then nobody will watch over Emil."
Kratos paused for a while, "-you don't mean…?"
"Yet, if I don't…Emil will die." Tenebrae took a deep breath while closing his eyes, he opened it then decided, "Allow me!"
Tenebrae floated on top of the Monster's head, with his hand-like tail he held the monster's head slowly.
"Servant of Darkness…bend to my will!!" his voice echoed, a sign that Tenebrae released his hypnotic power.
Gradually, the monster complied, it release Emil who just suffered from suffocating. The entire group watched in awe when Tenebrae somehow had the power to float the monster as well from the ground. The centurion of darkness floated higher…away from that place.
Emil cried the centurion's name quickly after he recovered, "Tenebrae!!!"
When he and Marta run forward to follow the Centurion, Tenebrae warned, "Please stay back!!"
Kratos immediately pulled the two preventing them to pursue him. Emil and Marta struggled, "N-no, what will happen to Tenebrae!!?"
The higher Tenebrae float the faster glow that monster gave. Finally, without warning it exploded…
BOOOM!!
"TENEBRAE!!!" Marta shrieked as Kratos released her and Emil.
"Tenebrae!! Answer me Tenebrae!! He isn't dead is he?" Emil whimpered weakly, still watching the raining parts of Golem.
Kratos wasn't sure…even though he used to know Tenebrae a long time ago. He never knew if they're mortals or not.
"He can't be…" Marta's lips trembled.
"I-it's just like what happen with Corinne…" Sheena faintly whispered, relishing her dreaded memory.
Emil cried his name once again…but there was no sign of him. Marta then lost hope, kneeling and crying bitterly, and suddenly her forehead shun. Two of the Centurion's core came out from her.
Regal stammered, "What? What is this?"
"The Centurions…"
"-still not completely return to their original state but they're awake." Kratos finished the explanation.
The Centurion Core's floated as both of their voices choired:
Centurions will rise time and time again…
All that is needed is the power of Lord Ratatosk.
Unexpectedly, both of the Centurion Cores entered Emil's head, radiated brightly in process.
Emil regained consciousness…but he didn't exactly the one who was awake…
"Ugh…" he grunted stepped to gain his balance, "This is the reason why I should be the one in control…"
Kratos' wine eyes narrowed slightly. He recognized the rough voice immediately. It was unlikely that 'the other Emil' came out on not in fighting stance. He slowly gripped his handle sword carefully, just in case his tantrum rage again…but 'the other Emil' just walk nonchalantly to his front.
"Emil…?" Marta called him, he finally stopped.
"Don't worry…" he assured her, "The Centurion told me that Tenebrae is only asleep… I'm gonna go after him."
Somehow deep inside Kratos' void silence he wondered, does this means?
"What do you mean go after him?? Where…??"
Emil looked back to his front, answering her question with full of confidence, "The temple of Darkness… If it's the same as the other Centurions we've encountered, there should be an entrance to the altar in there…"
"That's where we'll find Tenebrae!" Marta beamed with hope.
"Now I understand I'll go with you…" Sheena volunteered, she then asked to the other males, "What about you Regal? Kratos?"
"Kratos…?" Emil finally looked back to the stoic man. The most stand out of the three adults since he had an outstanding auburn hair.
His ruby red eyes watched the man with confusion…as if he was trying to remember something.
After a short inner debate, Kratos then answered, "Yes… Do you recognize me?"
"…" the red-eyed Emil still watch him again with curiousity.
Kratos wait, but he had a slight fear...Had he figured it out?
Emil suddenly scoffed, "Of course I do! You're the stiffed old man. What am I? Amnesia?"
Ironically…yes.
But Kratos slightly relaxed, Emil didn't have to know who he was. Even though he had to endure more frequent insult at least his secret was safe, "I'll go with you…"
Regal then followed, saying that he needed to meet the Majesty in seeking of Glacies' Core. He chose to disperse from the group.
---
Temple of Darkness
Hence the name, the temple of Darkness was the darkest temple among the other. Although it was lighter than the last time the Regeneration form a pact with Shadow…
Apparently even Kratos (the supposed eldest of the group) did not know all parts of this mysterious temple. After the long search Emil finally discovered another path deeper to the lower and darker side of the temple.
"I never knew any of that place." He confessed to the ninja which stammered her since Kratos was relied to know it all.
"Y-you didn't?" she had carefully
"Apparently not." Kratos narrowed his wine eyes to the lower stairs, "I assume this was the original temple of darkness…before Yggdrasil build a temple for Shadow." He whispered stroking the old walls which perhaps are older than the Seraph's age.
To Kratos' standard, the red-eyed Emil was awfully quiet. Perhaps he was too concentrated on getting Tenebrae. He still had those usual ill habit on provoking either Sheena or Kratos. But he had a soft eye to Marta, reassuring her that Tenebrae was all right. Whenever she doubted this journey again, Emil comforted her.
"Relax… I can sense his presence."
"Really?" she approach him, her blue eyes shimmered with hope.
"Yes. Trust me. I'm your guardian, a knight of Ratatosk."
"Yeah…" she blushed her voice was slightly cherry than the last time she saw Tenebrae.
The group discovered a switch noticed by Emil. They hear a loud sound of moving rocks above them. When they got back to the hidden wall, it was finally opened.
"It's open!"
"Apparently the switched was linked to this wall." Kratos spoke scolding himself mentally, of course, that switch was the first place that Yggdrasil build.
"I wonder if Tenebrae is up ahead…?" Marta bit her lips.
"Probably…Though I'm sure we'll find some enemies waiting for us as well…"
"-the voices that we heard earlier…" Kratos muttered.
"The only people with any business in a place like this would be Lloyd or the Vanguard."
Kratos chocked, Lloyd…in this temple? With red-eyed Emil? Tenebrae wasn't here to between them. Not…good…
Marta yelled, waking Kratos from his thoughts, "We can't let them take Tenebrae! Let's go!!"
---
As they walk further to inside of that hidden wall, the light suddenly shone routinely.
"I sense… I sense Aqua!"
What they found was not Lloyd…but Richter and Aqua instead.
Something that Kratos was grateful of, but still a bad news to all of them. And yet, there's a strange darkness aura within Richter…Kratos felt that. Something was wrong…
Tenebrae was there…not fully but as a Core state helplessly under the mercy of the Avenger.
"So that energy I felt was Tenebrae returning to core form…" Aqua spoke, neither she or Richter noticed their presence.
"How convenient. If we destroy him here-"
Now Emil was out of patient, he yelled, "NOT SO FAST!!"
"Emil…" Richter looked back.
"You're not taking Tenebrae!!"
After Marta's warning the entire group unsheathed their weapons. Emil flipped his sword. Marta, on the other side, unfold her spinner. Sheena, in the middle, took out her cards while Kratos beside her unsheathed Flamberge as it raging the heat with fury.
"For someone who had resort to a cheap trick in Flanoir, you seem pretty sure of yourself." Richter spoke calmly approaching them.
"For someone who thinks that trick was cheap…you fell for it as well…" Kratos stated, resulting a grunt from Richter. Why this man was so confident? Didn't Kratos defeat him before?
"Just accept the fact you were beaten!"
Unexpectedly Richter chuckled darkly, "Yes, you're right."
Something's wrong…I felt darkness presence from him…
Before Kratos think further, Richter suddenly ran to him and Sheena. With a single kick…note SINGLE kick to Sheena. Kratos was unfortunately was right behind her, colliding as both of them were thrown aside. Richter them seized Marta and Emil's attack with both of his weapon while Kratos who recovered quickly helped Sheena.
Since when did he become powerful?
"Sheena, are you all right?" he helped the ninja stand on her feet.
"What the hell?" she complied, "He just thrown us with a single kick!"
"Something was not right Sheena… I-I felt a strange darkness presence within Richter!"
Somehow Richter was merciful to Emil…as usual, "Stop interfering. I don't want to fight you!"
To his disappointment, instead the awkward Emil he faced the blood thirst one, "That's too bad! Because I can't wait to kill you!"
Thus the battle begins…
Kratos was assured that this wasn't the last Richter he met from the first encounter. The last time when he protected Colette, he can defeat him quickly. But now that role seemed to reverse. When the girls had fell in exhaustion, it was Kratos and Emil left to stand…it's not a good sign.
But suddenly Emil presented a strange artes that they haven't witness before. His sword was glowing in strange radiant colors, Emil positioned himself to attack. Now Kratos took a deep breath he recognized this Artes.
"Ain…Soph…AUR!!!" (1)
The glow from his sword emerged into a large mast of power, thrown right into Richter's direction.
Apparently Richter recognized it as well…
"That…artes is…"
SWOOOOSH!!
"ARGH!"
The massive power crashed with Richter, as he shouted surprisingly. Besides the red eyed Emil, all of them watched in dread. But when the enormous deceased…the half-elf survived. Miraculously, Richter blocked it…something that nor humans and not even elves manage to do that.
The temple suddenly crumbled shaken by the massive energy.
"Sheena…" Kratos looked up watching some of the rocks rained.
"The temple!" the ninja yelled, understood Krato's worry.
"Guess you're tougher than I thought. Looks like I'll just have to hit you with another one!" Emil chuckled as he performed it again.
Richter stammered, "Emil…you're-- I just can't believe it!!"
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about."
"Emil…listen to me." Somehow Richter sounded…begging, "You must ceased being the knight of Ratatosk. If you won't, then I'll…then I'll have to…"
He refused to listen, "Quit your pointless whining! Die!!"
Sheena quickly stood between them, "Wait Emil!! Calm Down! Return back to normal. You're destroying the whole temple!"
"Shut up! Get out of my way!" He shoved her aside roughly and Kratos once again ran off to help her.
The problem was… when Emil cried his mystic Artes, Kratos' attention was too fixed on helping Sheena that he forgot Emil's in danger, or somebody else.
Richter block it again, this time he didn't just held it…he thrown it back!!
"Eternal Recurrence!!"
"W-what??"
Too late, the massive energy came back to hit Emil.
"Emil, look out!!!"
Kratos wine eyes widen when he realized who that voice belong too. There's a slight phrase that he remembered from Yuan a slight flash back, 'Teenagers never do what we say. They do the opposite.'
Marta, whatever you do…don't get yourself killed.
The beam hit her, and knocked some sense to Emil as well, "Marta…?"
If not…Emil will suffer.
"MARTAAA!!!"
Emil yelled her name frustratingly. He fell on his knees buried his face to both of his palm believing she was killed. He them scream his inner agony resulting another violent effect to the temple. The ceiling was shacking ferociously from his energy. Richter and Aqua realized that it's time to flee.
Kratos quickly rushed to Marta's side, ignoring Emil's scream painfully ringing to his sensitive hearing.
Marta was alive… She was hurt but unbelievably survived.
"Emil…Marta is fi-"
Too late, the whole places are crumbling. And the ground had finally broken.
Spontaneously, he released his wings. Marta was on his arms while he managed to catch Sheena slumped to his back. But he didn't manage to get Emil.
"EMIL!!" he cried his name but he was unconscious.
Was Emil fainted because of exhaustion of one of the falling rocks knocked him out, Kratos never knew. All he realized that the sorrowed boy fell to depths of darkness. Kratos then fly downwards. He can't fly carelessly because he had wounded comrades.
He just hoped that boy survived.
---
Emil was found on the place where he discovered the switch. When he landed there, the Seraph put aside the girls first few meters from the crumbled rocks. It took hours for Kratos to clean the wreckage rocks just to find the blond boy…and thankfully he was unharmed. Kratos assumed that the Centurions protected him. Then it hit him…what happened to Tenebrae's Core? (2)
Beside him…there was a hibernated Core laid.
And Kratos drew a long breath in relief.
Emil's state was better than Marta and Sheena, so Kratos decided to take care of girls first and leave Emil for a while.
The first who awake was Sheena, it was a hazy wakening. In seconds she was widely awake remembering the attack, "Kratos! What ha- Ouch!!"
"Calm down…" he ordered, "The places broke, Emil fall…but he survived. His injury was far more minor than both of you."
"That's a relief. W-wait you mean both of us? M-Marta!" She realized the fainted girl beside Kratos.
"Do not worry, she was fainted, but survived nonetheless."
As if on cue, the girl mumbled, "Uhm…Kratos…?"
"Marta you're all right!!" Sheena hugged her, "We were so worried."
"Marta…" Kratos sighed, "What did I told you about not getting yourself killed?"
"I…wait… Where's Emil?" Amazingly the girl still had strength to stand.
"He's on the lower side. He's fine." Even though with that information Marta was still worried, she walked down to the stairs until Kratos seized one of her shoulder, "Look…Please, heal yourself first. My 'first aid' is only enough for Sheena." (3)
She nodded as she walked further to find Emil.
"Do you think it's okay to leave Marta like that?"
"Honestly I don't." Kratos confessed while he treated one of her injured arm, "But she would rebel if I do,"
Sheena chuckled, "Hopefully Emil wakes up."
When Kratos had done his treatment she stood up immediately. Proceed on trailed down the stairs.
They met Marta who had Emil on her lap. She was continuously raising Tenebrae's Core but he won't woke up.
"Kratos what should I do??" She cried when she saw them coming.
"What happened?" The Seraph kneeled beside her.
"Tenebrae…Tenebrae won't wake up…"
Kratos grunted, he knew this would happen, "Wait until Emil wakes up. Ask him to touch it."
"What? What does it have anything to do with Emil?"
It was not long until Emil quickly awake, "W-where am I?"
This time his voice is timid, it was the orginal Emil.
He stood quickly and faced her.
"Emil…you're finally back."
"Back?"
Sheena then took the first approach, "Are you okay?"
"Sheena! Sheena you're okay too!"
"Yeah, I'm glad both of you and Marta is saved but…"
"But…?"
"Tenebrae…won't wake up."
"Tenebrae? So Richter didn't get him after all!"
The ninja raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about? You grabbed the Core yourself!"
"Huh?"
Marta then performed the same ritual to wake Tenebrae, yet the Core was still immobile, "Look! I've been doing the same thing I always do to hatch Centurions, but Tenebrae won't wake up… Kratos said you should touch it."
"What? Why?" Even so he touched it without any hesitation.
"Whoa!!" The Core suddenly reacted…then came out Tenebrae!
"Emil, Marta… My humble apologies for worrying you so…"
And the pair cheered hug the Centurion almost suffocating him. They suddenly were forgetting the reason why Emil can wake him. But Krato knew it all along…
"I guess Richter was right"…He sighed, "It is him."
---
"Lord Aurion…" Tenebrae called, "I-I must thank you for watching Emil while I'm gone."
Kratos gave a slight wry smile, "I cannot leave them like this, can I?"
"I… Please, forgive me for accusing you."
"There's nothing to forgive, you're only concern on Marta and Emil."
"Indeed… Will you promise to return Lumen's Core once this quarrel between Emil was settled? I will find away to convince Ratatosk if you keep Lloyd away from us."
"Of course, I will do that without any hesitation."
"Though so I cannot forgive one thing from you…"
"-and that would be?"
"You…you from Cruxis aren't you? What have you done to my altar!!?"
"It seemed that Yggdrasil had ordered the angels to build an altar from here. Is this fact was unacceptable."
"Yes! You've ruin the quality of my lovely darkness!!!"
"What is the difference?"
"Difference?? Can't you see the difference? The quality of my darkness had changed without my permission, this is dreadful!!"
Kratos sighed. This had proven that Tenebrae lived longer than he was. Old living beings are grouchy indeed…
---
When the group met Regal on the mouth gate of the temple, informing that Zelos sister was the one who bought Ignis. Kratos hoped that their journey will be safe and sound once they reached Zelos' mansion and…
"I-It's Lady Seles!! Lady Seles had been kidnapped by Sir Lloyd!!"
Oh Martel…
"What?! Sir Bud kidnapped Lady Seles?"
"Sir Bud?"
"Are you talking about Lloyd?"
"W-well explain later!! Which way did he go?"
"Out the second window."
Without any hesitation, Kratos ran outside.
"Wait, Kratos!!" Emil yelled but he was running further.
---
He spotted Lloyd with Seles on his shoulder… Now why would Lloyd do something drastic like that?
Then again he felt his mana was different. Kratos shook his head, Yuan really messed up his mana tracks.
…but he somehow scented horrible stench from him…
Lloyd suddenly stopped on the end of the stairs fast enough for Kratos to catch up, but he encountered Emil as well. He thought he saw Zelos, but he wasn't quite sure.
"Lloyd Irving…I-" Emil's eyes turned into red, "I've been waiting for you!"
This is definitely one of the most unfortunate times…
Thankfully Lloyd ran off further, and Kratos was the only one who still chasing him. He thought Emil would do it too. But he was prevented by Zelos or something like that.
---
Lloyd's chase had taken Kratos further away from Meltokio. He then lost his son on the base that fitted enough for a villain. This must've been the Vanguard's base. When Kratos reached to the last floor he saw many of them, but none are dangerous enough. Some accompanied by monsters from vicious wolf into dust bunny.
As he reached the lower base, he saw someone emerge from the Darkness.
"Lloyd…" Kratos spoke barely a whisper.
Both of the two were standing there in silence, neither of them moved.
Kratos would've asked explanation from Lloyd, but he seemed lost his voice, one of the rarities from him.
Lloyd walked further he then asked a strange question, "Do you trust me?"
"I- what…?" The seraph stammered. He didn't expect this question out of these circumstances.
"Do you trust me?" he repeated the question again.
"Lloyd I do not understa-"
"I said… Do YOU trust me?"
Kratos paused. His wine eyes misted, whispering weakly, "I want to…more than anything."
Lloyd somehow smiled…a strange smile, "Thank you."
He charged at him without warning.
He was about to attack him…again.
---
Currently the editor is busy, so the edited version will come soon...
Sorry guys :P until now. Try to guess if it's the real Lloyd or not who charged at Kratos.
1) Ain = me or one, Soph = wisdom, Aur = Gold. So Ain Soph Aur means: "My Golden Wisdom"?? O.o
2) Welcome to the most confusing part of ToS KOR. Like, how the heck did Emil get way down there? How on earth did Marta survived and…stand? Apparently with Kratos I try to make this as reasonable as possible.
3) As far as I know that's the only healing magic that Kratos had. If there's any please let me know.