Yay! I managed to post up another chapter! Hmm... I hope it isn't too bad.

Oh well

Enjoy!

Time of Reflection

There was no way out. Everyone was panicking. Lloyd and Zelos drew out their swords, staring at the darkness behind them. Everyone was preparing for a battle.

"Lloyd! Zelos! Can you buy me some time?" Regal shouted.

"Yea, we can try. But do you have a plan?" Lloyd asked.

"Try and buy me as much time as possible. The narrow alleyway that we had passed should be a suitable place for you, now go!" Regal shouted. Lloyd and Zelos quickly ran ahead.

"I'll go help them, with my help, I think we can buy more time," Raine suggested.

"Sure thing," Regal answered. Raine also followed Lloyd and the others.

Regal stared out at the door. "Colette, if you take out your angel wings, how many people can you carry?"

"Me? I don't know… but I don't think I can carry more than one person. Maybe two people if we have to carry you out, one person will have to carry Presea's axe out as well" Colette answered.

"Good enough," Regal answered. He walked up to the door and breathed in deeply. He pulled his hand back slowly. "HAAA!!" Regal shouted.

"BANG!" There was a loud noise. Regal used his hand and smacked the wall. The whole floor seemed to shake. But the wall didn't break.

"Presea, Genis. I think I'll need your help," Regal shouted. "We don't need to make too big of a hole. Just enough for a Rehierd to fit through,"

Everyone rushed beside Regal. Presea swung her huge axe on exactly the same spot that Regal hit. Genis also was casting his spell at the wall. Sheena and Colette quickly took out the Rehierd, preparing them for flight.

There wasn't a crack on the wall for the first 5 minutes of attack. The clashed of swords were heard down the hall. But they didn't give up. Sheena and Colette joined them and started to rapidly attack the wall.

There was a small crack on the wall after 8 minutes. The crack grew bigger by the second, until it finally fell apart. Regal acted quick and kicked out all the rocks off the hold to make a clearing for the Rehierds. "You first!" Regal shouted, as he pointed at Sheena. Sheena quickly got on the Rehierd and took off. Genis, Preasea and Colette followed afterwards. Regal was alone. He quickly took out one more Rehierd and dashed toward the others fending off the monsters.

"Raine! I'll take things here now, so get on the Rehierd I've prepared and run! We'll follow shortly," Regal shouted, desperately.

Raine nodded gently and rushed off.

"Are you guys okay?" Regal asked.

"There's just too many of them. I don't think we can last much longer," Lloyd shouted. They were already pushed back almost to the end of the narrow hall. Regal glanced back quickly and checked that Raine was gone.

"On the count of three, turn back and run," Regal shouted.

"Gotcha," Zelos answered.

"One… two… THREE!!" Regal shouted. Three of them turned around without hesitation and sprinted for the door. Regal, Zelos and Lloyd jumped off the exit. Lloyd and Zelos quickly materialized their wings and grabbed on to Regal, slowly decelerating their fall. They couldn't fly too far. They landed on the soft grassy floor safely and looked back at the tower.

The tower was huge. It was completely black. It was nothing like the temple of darkness that they remember. But they didn't have time to look back and think. Monsters were rushing out the front door, and the group quickly made their escape.

They were back in Zelos' mansion. Regal and Zelos wasn't there. Zelos went to the king to report what had happened and Regal went to contact with his company. The room was gloomy. Nobody spoke.

"This really may be the end of the world," Genis sighed.

"Don't say that Genis. Be careful of what you say," Raine warned. There was a long silence. The entrance door burst open and in came Zelos.

"So how was it?" Lloyd asked.

"I told the king and he said that he'll put up guards around the town and prepare for a battle if he has to," Zelos answered.

"Hmm… I see..." Raine answered. No one said anything. They knew that this castle wall wouldn't hold very long. There were just too many of them if they struck.

Soon after, Regal came in. "Come down to the research lab. The scientists there I think, have something to say," He stated. "Come on!" He left the house. Everyone followed.

They were standing in front of the research lab. A young female scientist came up to them and started to explain what he knew. "So the cursed book had unleashed itself at last," She sighed. She took out a book from behind her.

"This book was stored in the Sybak library also. I have found it interesting and borrowed it some time ago," She flipped the book open. There was a picture of a small ring. "This is a sorcerer's ring, and it has the ability to unleash 'soul fire'. This is the only think that can destroy the cursed book for all eternity," She stated.

"Yea… but there is no point in destroying that book anymore… right? The seal is already broken and it is too late to burn the book right now.

"Their mechanism is still the same I believe. Somewhere in the tower, there should be a place where you should be able to burn the 'soul fire' just as the book did," She answered.

"So… we got to go back in there… right?" Zelos asked.

"Yes. But it won't be as easy as before. You'll need to have at least 10 times as many 'soul fire' to destroy them all," She stated.

"But that's not possible!" Lloyd protested.

"Yes… it's not. But luckily, there a dwarf who said that he can enhance the ability of the sorcerer's ring so that it can," She smiled.

"A dwarf?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes… he was living by Ozette, but said that he had come to help after hearing the news," The lady explained.

"It's Altessa!" Colette shouted. "Can we see him?"

"He is busy at the moment. But I think you'll be able to see him soon. If you leave your ring here for two days, I think we'll be able to finish it by then," She answered. Lloyd took off his rings and placed in on her hand.

"Thank you." He answered.

"It's for the world," She answered.

Lloyd was walking down the Meltokio streets. The sun had already set and there were only few people walking around. He heard laughing noises inside the houses, people shouting excitedly at the pub. He slowly walked down the staircase to the first floor to where the slum once was.

There was a huge park there and brand new houses. Lloyd had strived himself to the fullest in order to achieve this much.

"Lloyd. For the next project, we'll need 1 billion gald," Regal told him. "I know this is much more than the amount that we have invested last time to revive Luin, but my elites calculated that we'll need that much gald to succeed our project,"

Lloyd had traveled all over the world. He went into the temple of earth for weeks, moved through the forests and dungeons without sleep for days. He even searched for herbs in the forest for days that turned out to be useless. He wanted this world to become a better place. He didn't want anybody to suffer anymore.

Lloyd stared lightly and clutched his fist. The project was a success. Meltokio was a better place than before. Palmacosta was rebuilt, and Exile had become a floating paradise. Everything went well. He did it with his own hands.

"I don't want to see anyone suffer anymore. I won't let this world crumble down so easily," Lloyd shouted as he bit his lower lip tightly. He walked down to park and saw a fountain and sat on its ledge. He took something down from his back, something wrapped in cloth. He slowly unwrapped it and there was a pair of swords in its sheth. The swords were rattling by themselves as if they were alive. He knew that it was time to use these, his devil's arms.

Regal told him not to use these weapons again. They had become far too strong for one to handle he had said. But there was no other choice.

Lloyd sighed. He wrapped them back and helt them in his hands. He was going to use it, for everyone's sake. Lloyd lay down on the ledge. He was tired of all the thinking. He closed his eyes for a little nap.

"Hey!" Came a voice. Lloyd opened his eyes and realized that Sheena was sitting beside him. "What are you doing here all alone?" Sheena asked.

"Nothing. Just needed some freash air," Lloyd replied.

"I see..." Sheena answered. There was a moment of silence. "So this is it... isn't it?" Sheena asked.

"Yeah... but don't worry, we can win," Lloyd smiled. He held on to his wrapped swords tightly with his fingers.

"I'm not worrying. We've gone through harder time than this before. I'm sure we can do it," Sheena smiled. Lloyd smiled back at her.

"Sheena, I'm sorry I've hidden everything from you..." Lloyd muttered.

"It's okay. Just don't do that again the next time," Sheena smiled. Lloyd smiled slightly. He stared at the down at the ground He knew that this was the last chance to tell her.

"I didn't want you to be worried about me. I was going to appear before you after everything was done... and give you this," Lloyd muttered as he reached into his pocket and took out a small box. He lifted the case and opened it in front of Sheena.

"This is..." Sheena muttered.

"You don't have to answer me now. But when we come back, can you tell me then?" Lloyd asked.

Sheena smiled. "Of course," Nobody said anything afterwards.

"Sheena, It's getting cold. I think you should go inside," Lloyd suggested.

"But how about you?" Sheena asked.

"I'll be going back soon too. Don't worry about it." Lloyd smiled.

"Well... if you say so..." Sheena answered. She jumped up from her seat and waved good bye at Lloyd and took off. Lloyd smiled and waved back at her.

He was alone again. He smiled meekly but it didn't go very far. He looked down at his wrapped swords one more time.

"Lloyd, these swords have become too powerful. I don't know how much you have developed them, but you shouldn't use them anymore. You body will not be able to withstand it. It won't be surprising if you lose an arm or two the next time you use it not to mention your life," Regal had warned after he gained a severe injury in his arm after just wielding the swords.

"I may be able to make everyone else in this world happy, but I'm not to sure if that will go the same for one girl," Lloyd smiled meekly. Tears were rolling down his cheeks onto the swords that were resting on his lap.

Almost done I think... a bit longer than usual I think... hmm oh well.

Please R&R