Me: Okay, I know it's been six months, and I can't apologize enough. Between prep for AP tests and trying to get ahold of a copy of Tales of Symphonia to replay it and see about fixing a plot hole I set up, it hasn't exactly been easy to try and figure it out.
Lloyd: So in other words, you just weren't trying hard enough.
Me: Shut up Lloyd. Anyway, instead of making the story rough as I attempt to fix the plot hole, I'm just going to go back and edit the passing time and distance travelled in the last couple chapters, as well as all the mistakes my beta didn't catch. I own nothing. I'm also going to do the mature thing and head past chapter thirteen.
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Chapter Twenty-One: Truth"Those who do not have the Assets of Truth - how can they find peace? By dealing their deals of falsehood, their minds and bodies become false. Like the deer caught in the trap, they suffer in terrible agony; they continually cry out in pain." -Sri Guru Granth Sahib
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Late the Next Day
The newly allied group finally made it close enough to the vast forest they were heading toward to see a large structure peaking over the top of the trees. Evil, ominous waves radiated off the dark stone of the facility. It was none other than the Asgard Human Ranch. "How did you know where it was?" Selean asked her brother in disbelief. She had been sure they would wind up anywhere but their current location.
"Well..." Lloyd trailed, pointing to the river they had followed up to get to where they were. The rest of the group turned to look at what he was gesturing at to find the Tower of Mana. "Before we went in to fight you guys again, I noticed this place. I figured it had to be it." The teen grinned, proud of his accomplishment.
"Now that we're here, we'll have to figure out some way to infiltrate. After such a large raid, security is bound to be tight." Raine pointed out.
"Indeed. We cannot just charge in blindly." Kratos agreed.
"I believe the safest course of action would be—" Raine started.
"Would be to ambush a patrol and take their uniforms, right?" Lloyd interrupted.
"Wow Lloyd. I'm surprised you came up with that yourself." Sheena commented.
"Hey!"
"I'm sure Lloyd comes up with good ideas all the time." Colette defended. Lloyd beamed.
"At least some people have faith in me." He said.
"It's going to be dark soon. If we're going to do this tonight, then we need to go now." Genis stated.
"Genis is right. We should hurry so that we have the night to make preparations. Let's be on our way." Raine said. And with that, they headed for the forest, trading conversation for listening for the approach of any monsters or Desians.
It soon became apparent, however, that the Desians must have purged the forest of monsters when they built the Ranch: the woods were completely silent. The sun had reached the horizon by the time they reached the other side of the trees, but to their luck, a patrol was on its way.
"Be careful not to damage their uniforms." Anna whispered. "If this is to work, then their uniforms have to be unscathed."
"Get ready." Kratos commanded before they sprang into action.
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At Camp
The sun had set an hour ago, but the group had managed to dispatch the Desians, take their uniforms, and retreat far into the woods to set up camp for the night. The campfire provided Raine with light as she carefully looked over the Desian uniforms, checking for any tears or blood stains.
"There are a few small tears, but it's nothing that can't be fixed before morning." Raine finally concluded, standing up. "Our next course of action should be to decide who will wear the uniforms and who shall act as prisoners."
"Me! Me! I wanna be the Desian!" Lloyd exclaimed. Kratos glared at him.
"This isn't a game." He growled. Lloyd flinched.
"Yeah, I know. Sorry." The teen grimaced.
"We also need to keep in mind who would give us the best chance of getting to Kvar by acting as prisoners." Raine stated.
"They're after me because I'm the Chosen, right? Then I guess I'll be a prisoner." Colette volunteered. Raine nodded to show her agreement.
"We gave them a hell of a time in Luin, and they know that I know where Pietro is. We'll act as prisoners as well." Sheena said. Lloyd silently groaned in disappointment, but he also knew Sheena had a point.
"I wasn't planning on being a Desian anyway. The uniform's way too big for me." Selean commented.
"Then that leaves Anna and myself to wear the female uniforms." Raine said. Anna's eyes widened briefly, but she slowly nodded.
"The uniform's too big for me as well, so that leaves either Kratos or Taiyo to wear the male uniform." Genis stated.
"Since Kratos completely kicked their asses at the Martel Temple, wouldn't they want him for revenge?" Taiyo wondered.
"Indeed... The Desians do not like being bested. Do you mind playing the Desian?" Kratos asked. Taiyo shook his head.
"I'll do it." He decided.
"Now that we have that sorted out, would you help me mend the uniforms Anna?" Raine requested. Anna nodded, joining Raine by the fire.
"So we're really infiltrating the Desians. It's about time we paid them back for destroying our village."
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The Next DayAt the edge of the forest next to the entrance of the Ranch, Raine stopped the group. "If we're going to make this convincing, then we're going to have to take your weapons and tie your hands so you'll look like actual prisoners." Raine informed them.
"What?" Selean asked. "This place is crawling with Desians! What if we have to defend ourselves?"
"I understand your concern, but Miss Raine is right. It would look suspicious for us to bring in a group of armed, unbound people. It won't be permanent. As soon as we are safely inside, we will untie you guys and give you your weapons back. Besides, I won't let them touch any of you." Anna told her.
"I changed my mind. Can I be a Desian?" Selean requested.
"We already discussed this last night, remember? I'm not too thrilled about the idea myself, but it has to be done. Do any of you have some rope?" Sheena asked.
"I brought some in preparation for this. I knew you guys wouldn't like it, so I didn't mention it until now." Raine informed them, removing a coil of rope from the small pack that came with the armor. Sheena reached into her boot, removing a dagger and handing it to Raine.
The woman took it, cutting the rope into six segments and giving two pieces to the other two acting as Desians. "Everyone, leave your packs here. Genis, Colette, I'll take care of you two." Raine commanded. Genis muttered an 'okay' while Colette merely nodded, closing the distance between her and the healer before offering her chakrams and holding out her hands to be tied.
Anna, having already been beside her husband, waited as he undid the belt that held his sword to his waist before turning it over to his wife. She strapped it around her hips before binding Kratos' hands with a slipknot, then turned to Lloyd, the next closest to her.
Selean slowly removed her Kamas from her obi, hesitantly handing them to Taiyo. He slipped the handles into his belt while waiting for Selean to hold up her hands. "Come on, it's not so bad." He tried to assure her as he wound the rope around her wrists.
"Easy for you to say. Unlike you, I'm not used to being helpless." Selean retaliated. Taiyo's hand jerked without his consent, tightening the bindings around Selean's wrist into her skin. "Ouch! Jeez, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you, okay?"
"Good. Glad we straightened that out." Taiyo said automatically, loosening the rope a tad before knotting it. Then he turned to Sheena, the last of the 'prisoners' that had not yet been tied. "Where's your weapon?"
"I think I'll be fine with keeping mine. They won't see my cards in my obi." Sheena responded, lifting her hands. Taiyo shrugged before binding her hands.
'Mommy, I want to come with you.' Selean spun to see Kirona appear at the edge of the trees. 'Though I would prefer not to be tied. Would one of you carry me while I pretend to be unconscious?'
"W-what was that?" Taiyo, Anna, and Raine asked in unison. Selean smiled sheepishly.
"That was Kirona. Kirona, unless it's absolutely necessary, please speak out loud to them." The girl turned to the three 'Desians' in their group. "He could help us get in. He attacked the Desians in Luin. They should remember him."
"Very well. I'll carry him then." Anna responded. She approached the Hygren, kneeling in front of him. He reared up, placing his front paws on her knees so the woman could lift him. "You know little guy, you're kinda cute." She cooed, ruffling the fur on his head before going down his neck, then to the middle of his chest, scratching it.
Kirona looked back as his rear leg suddenly started kicking. He could not stop it, but after figuring it originated from the wonderful sensation in his chest that came from Anna scratching him, he decided he did not want to. 'Mommy, she's nice. I like her.'
Selean laughed. "He likes you Anna." She revealed. Anna smiled in response before she stopped her ministrations, positioning the Hygren so that he could act his part.
"Is everyone ready now?" Raine asked. After receiving a 'yeah' or nod from everyone, Raine led them into the clearing while Taiyo walked beside the 'prisoners' and Anna brought up the rear.
"Halt! Who goes?" One of the Desian guards asked, taking a step forward. His partner remained in place, leaning on a cane. His leg was heavily bandaged.
"We've done it!" Raine declared. "We've captured the Chosen's group, as well as the insolent worms who dared to defy us in Luin! Step aside so I can turn them over to the Grand Cardinals."
The guards looked the group over. "So it appears. You even got them all alive. Good job. Very well, proceed." The guards moved to the side, opening the gate to allow them to pass through. As Anna passed between the guards, the one with the cane stopped her.
"What is that?" He asked. Anna moved Kirona so the man could see him better.
"This strange creature was with the trouble makers from Luin." She told him, making a conscious effort to make her voice louder and harsher. The Desian guard flinched away from her.
"I hope Lord Kvar shows no mercy to that monster." The guard spat. Anna stiffened, frozen momentarily before she scurried after her companions. Her heart beat faster than her friends' as they passed various Desians watching over prisoners in the yard before they finally made it to the building.
Raine scanned the room quickly before leading them through the only unguarded door. Inside, after she was sure they were alone, Raine removed her helmet. "Alright, we should be safe now." She concluded. Kratos pulled the excess rope around his hands, releasing his bindings as Anna set Kirona on the floor.
"Pull the string sticking out Lloyd." Anna told the teen as she unbuckled her husband's sword from her waist, returning it to him. Sheena watched as Selean knelt down, pulling her pant leg up. She frowned, grunting in frustration at being unable to slip her hand into her boot.
Kirona padded over to her, using his paw to drag the top of her boot down, grasping the hilt of the dagger with his teeth before pulling it out. Selean took it from him, slipping the blade carefully between her wrists and slicing up through the ropes. She pulled her hands apart before freeing Sheena from her bindings.
"What is this?" Genis asked from the window. Everyone else gathered around him as Raine, Anna, and Taiyo returned everyone's weapons to their owners. Lloyd got even closer to the window, squinting at the containers passing by on a conveyor belt.
"Are those all Exspheres?" He asked.
"It would appear so." Kratos confirmed as Colette's eyes widened.
"Shh... I hear voices coming from the next room." Colette whispered.
"I don't hear anything." Taiyo told her right as the door on the far end of the room opened. A tall man with spiky brown hair walked in, flanked by two soldiers.
"Botta?" Lloyd asked, running over to the man. "What are you doing here?"
"Do I know you?" Botta asked, giving the teen a hard glare.
"Sir." One of the soldiers said from beside him. "The Chosen is with them. This could be our chance!"
"Are you looking for a fight?" Kratos asked, stepping forward to stand in front of Colette.
"Damn, Kratos is with them. We'll retreat for now." Botta continued on, barely giving Colette, Genis, and Anna enough time to move aside and let them through.
"Wait, you know each other?" Lloyd asked, turning to face Kratos as Colette hesitantly followed after Botta and his men.
"He attacked the Chosen at the Martel Temple." Kratos explained.
"Look out!" Sheena warned as the other door audibly unlocked. Kratos rushed for Colette, unsheathing his sword as the door opened and a barrage of fireballs sailed in.
"Guardian!" A green barrier sprang up, barely covering Colette and Kratos in time to deflect the fireballs. The door the group had originally came in slid shut behind Botta as he made his escape.
"I'm okay." Colette said as if shocked by the fact.
"No time for that! Look behind you!" Kratos yelled as a blond haired, red eyed man came in.
"K-Kvar..." Anna gasped, shrinking back, eyes wide in terror.
"Well this is a surprise." Kvar sneered. "When they said we had rats, I assumed it was the Renegade Botta. I wasn't expecting to find the Chosen and the maggots from Luin. I certainly wasn't expecting to find you, Anna."
Lloyd stepped in front of the trembling woman, his fist clenching as he blocked Kvar's view of Anna. "Who the hell are you?" Lloyd growled.
"How disrespectful. You barge into my Ranch and demand my name?" Kvar spat, his eyes narrowing as he studied Lloyd's hand.
"He's Kvar, Lloyd, one of the five Desian Grand Cardinals."
"Ah, I see some of you know me." Kvar smiled before his eyes suddenly widened. "You pathetic inferior being! That's without a doubt my Angelous Project!" The door behind them slid open as three more Desians rushed in.
"Get ready everyone!" Colette said as she threw both her chakrams at Kvar. The man jumped to avoid the attack, landing by his soldiers.
"Let's go guys!" Lloyd yelled as he ran for the door. Colette was the last to follow after she caught her returning chakrams. They ran on the wide path momentarily before skidding to a halt at the head of the conveyer belt system.
"What are all these people doing in there?" Taiyo asked as they watched the people disappear behind a wall right before another container popped out onto the conveyer belt.
"They all have Exspheres." Anna observed sadly.
"This is where the Exspheres are removed from the host bodies." The party spun around as Kvar and a platoon of Desians blocked off their only exit.
"Do you mean to say that Exspheres are made from... human bodies?" Raine managed to ask.
"Not exactly. Exspheres are dormant at first. They awaken by extracting nourishment from humans. Human Ranches are Exsphere manufacturing plants. Why else would we waste our time raising and taking care of these pathetic creatures?"
"That's terrible!" Genis cried. "How could you do that?"
"Terrible? Terrible is what you've done, stealing and using the Exspheres we spent so much time and care to create. You deserve to be punished." With that, Kvar and the Desians advanced on them, forcing the group further back.
"Lloyd, your Exsphere was to be an offering to Lord Yggdrasil. I demand you give it back!" He took a step towards the teen.
"Yggdrasil... I suppose that's the name of your leader." Raine mused.
"You are correct. Now, for the sake of our glorious leader and for my own success, I need your Exsphere!"
"Whoa, wait a minute. The Desians that attacked our village years ago were interested in our Exspheres. What's so special about them?" Kvar halted in his advance, a wicked grin crawling across his face.
"That Exsphere is the result of years of time-consuming research. I can finally reclaim what was stolen by that filthy female host body."
"Hold on... We were told these Exspheres were mementos of our parents. Are you talking about… our mom?" Selean asked slowly, a feeling of sinking dread clamping onto her heart. Kvar looked at her, studying her for the first time.
"You're a naive, ignorant fool, aren't you? Those Exspheres were cultured on subject A012. The resemblance is uncanny. She could be none other than your pathetic children's mother. But of course, she paid for her crime with her life." Selean started shaking, rage building up as realization finally hit her.
"You bastard!" She yelled, angry tears leaking from her eyes as she grabbed her Kamas from her obi belt and charged at Kvar. Kvar smiled, waiting until she was about to strike him before he knocked her weapons out of her hands with a bolt of lightning. Selean yelped as Lloyd started after her, halting in his tracks as Kvar took advantage of the girl's shock and fear to grab her by the throat and yank her up to his eye level.
Immediately Selean's hands went to Kvar's, trying to loosen his grip. Kvar eyed her Exsphere before studying her face. "So it really is you two. I do wonder how you managed to hide these past four years." Selean growled, her thoughts quickly making a false connection between his words and Anjin.
She kicked at his stomach the same instant a staff materialized in Kvar's hand, which he used to block her attack. Thinking he saw an opening, Kirona launched himself at the man holding his Mommy captive, fangs bore as his wings propelled him forward. Kvar did not hesitate for a second to strike the Hygren down with his staff, knocking him back the direction he came. "Kirona!" Selean yelled, clawing vigorously at Kvar's hand, struggling more frantically to break free. Sheena rushed to the creature, keeping a weary eye on Kvar as she knelt next to Kirona.
"Let her go Kvar!" Lloyd growled at him, hand tense on his sword. Kvar lifted his staff, laying the sharp blade of the ring adorning the top of the weapon beneath Selean's left eye.
"She needs to be taught a lesson. How about I take out your other eye, little girl?" Selean stiffened, ceasing her struggles.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She gasped. Kvar chuckled.
"You don't think I'm as ignorant as your friends, do you? I know my men's attack on your pathetic village years ago blinded your right eye." Kvar added pressure to his weapon, creating a small cut beneath Selean's left eye before he tossed the girl back towards her companions.
She grabbed her Kamas as she slid on her back past them. Lloyd quickly knelt down by her as she came to a stop, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Men, seize them!" Kvar ordered.
Sheena stepped in between the group and the advancing Desians. "I'll handle this." She told them, removing a card from her obi. "I'm gonna use the last one, Grandpa..." She took a deep breath as she broke the card in half.
A large guardian appeared in front of her, and with a loud screech it warped the party away.
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At LuinThe group reappeared on the outskirts of the dilapidated town. Sheena sighed in relief. "Thank you Sheena!" Colette smiled. Sheena looked at the blonde angel, rubbing the back of her head.
"Don't mention it. It was the least I could do after everything we put you guys through." The kunoichi turned to Selean, who was crying into her brother's chest. After healing the wound Kirona sustained from his attempted assault on Kvar, Raine slowly approached the siblings, hesitantly placing a hand on the auburn haired girl's shoulder.
Selean jumped, looking up at the healer before quickly wiping her eyes. "I'm going to heal that cut." Raine told her as she moved her hand to the incision beneath the young girl's eye.
Raine's hand briefly glowed green with healing mana before the small cut sealed up. Selean mumbled a thanks as she wiped the blood from her cheek. "Sis, what Kvar said..." Lloyd trailed, looking down at her.
She flinched before sighing. "I've got a lot to explain, don't I?"
"Yeah." Sheena said, closing the distance between them. "Why didn't you ever tell us?"
"Because you wouldn't have let me do anything. It was bad enough barely being allowed just outside of the village." Selean sighed again to prepare herself to spill. "Like he said, it was when the Desians invaded years ago. Before we left, Anjin wanted to check on it."
"Wait, what did you just say?" Taiyo interrupted. Selean gave him a quizzical look.
"I said Anjin wanted to check on my eye. Why?" Taiyo hesitated for a second before answering.
"It's nothing. Continue on."
"Anyway, when he had me open my eye, I couldn't see anything, and he said that he could tell. I asked him to not say anything since I might have been able to see again once it healed, and he agreed."
"I haven't kept my bangs long because Anjin's been gone, Sheena. It was so I could keep my eye covered so you guys couldn't see it. And the cut I got from the Ossa trail wasn't healing because I kept re-opening it so I could keep it covered up with the bandages. Then, when Raine healed the cut, she found out. I don't know how, but she did. And for some reason, she didn't rat me out. Raine... thank you."
"You can feel what's wrong with a person when you heal them. I could tell the optic nerve had been severed, though not for how long. It wasn't my secret to tell, so I figured if you wanted us to know, you would tell us on your own." Raine responded.
"But you can see now, right?" Lloyd asked with hope in his voice.
"Not out of my right eye. Haven't been able to for four years. Oh, and to honestly answer your question from before Sheena, that's why I didn't dodge Colette's chakrams. Kirona wasn't there to watch my blind spot for me."
"I'm sorry..." Colette frowned, bowing her head.
"Don't be. We were trying to kill you, after all. Anyway, I need some time to think by myself." Before anyone could protest, Selean jumped up and set off at a sprint for the river surrounding Luin, disappearing behind one of the destroyed bridges.
"Is she going to be okay?" Colette asked, concern clouding her features.
"Yeah, she'll be fine. She's a tough kid." Sheena answered.
"We should go ahead and set up camp." Kratos suggested. "We can rest and decide on our next course of action after that."
"I agree. We'll also have to figure out where to resupply. Our packs are still in the woods outside the Ranch." Raine stated.
"Corrine and I can take care of that." Sheena offered. "Just give us a moment and we'll be back." After receiving a nod from the healer, Sheena disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Taiyo glanced at the bridge Selean had disappeared behind, then back at the rest of the group. "I'll be right back." He finally decided. "I think I can cheer her up."
"Watch out for fireballs." Lloyd called after the younger teen after he took a few steps away from them. Taiyo flinched.
"You don't have to remind me." He responded before breaking into a jog, the Desian armor he had on clinking with each step. When he finally made it to the other side of the ridge, he spotted Kirona lying beside Selean's green pull-over, brown pants, and gray boots on the shore.
He peered into the river, finding the girl in her black undershirt and a pair of black shorts submerged to her neck. As he finished closing the distance between them, Selean started, glancing up to see him before she dove completely beneath the surface of the water, re-emerging a second later and scrubbing her face with her hands. "Hey," Taiyo greeted, taking a seat on the riverbank.
"What do you want?" She asked, no traces of hostility in her voice.
"I was just thinking... You're half blind, right?" Selean looked up at him, both her eyes open. The right was a light milky brown. One would not have been able to tell it had once been red-brown like its partner.
"Yeah..." She answered slowly.
"So that means you have skill after all."
"Huh?" He had completely caught the young girl off guard.
"I mean you're half blind and what, twelve years old? It doesn't look like you've hit your growth spurt yet, if Lloyd is any indication of how tall you could be."
"Wait, what does my size have to do with anything?" Taiyo flushed deep red, looking away from the young girl.
"Umm... It's some of the other stuff that goes with it. A-ask Raine or Sheena about it. Anna could probably help too. But for me, since I have already hit one of my big growth spurts, it also means that my muscles have developed more and become stronger. So in spite of me not having any handicaps and being physically stronger, you still beat me, twice, despite you being half blind and under-developed." He explained.
"Since when am I under-developed?" Selean demanded, shifting restlessly in the water. Where was this even going anyway, she wondered.
"Wait, are you seriously that confused about all this? Did they never give you… the talk?" Taiyo was honestly surprised he was able to talk through his embarrassment at this point.
"I'm so confused. What do you mean by the talk?" Selean asked him.
"Ask one of the other girls. They can explain it better than me." Taiyo took a deep breath before looking back up at Selean. "Enough of that. All I wanted to say is that I can see why whoever wanted to kill Colette picked you." It took a moment before his compliment sank in, but once it did, Selean smiled.
"Thanks. I really mean it." She paused taking a deep breath. "Say, getting your butt kicked over and over has to be tough, right? Wouldn't it make you sore?"
Although a bit indignant, Taiyo just decided to go along with it. "Yeah. Why?"
"They say a hot bath is good for sore muscles."
"That doesn't sound bad. But I heard the only place you can get a hot bath is Palmacosta."
"I think you're forgetting something..." She paused for a moment before crying, "Fireball!" Taiyo saw a flash of orange beneath the water's surface as the fire appeared. It disappeared as the water started bubbling and steam wafted off the surface. "Come on."
"A-are you sure that's okay? I m-mean for both of us to be in the water at the same time?" The teen's earlier intense blushing returned.
"I used to do this with my best friend all the time before he..." Selean looked away this time, unable to maintain eye contact as memories of relaxing in the spring with Anjin played through her mind.
"I'm sorry..." Selean shook her head.
"He's not dead. He's still out there somewhere. I know he is. Anjin can't be dead. There's no way he would have let those monsters kill him. Anyway, you coming in or not? I might not make this offer again."
Taiyo slowly started removing the Desian armor until he was left in just his hoodie and shorts. He removed the dark blue garment before he slowly lowered himself into the water. Resting back against the wall of the river, he had to admit, the hot water did feel good. "So tell me: why did you react when I said Anjin's name earlier?"
"It's not every day I hear an unusual name like mine." Selean gave him one last look before she closed her eyes, laying her head against the dirt wall.
"There's a word in the old language that the people in my village used to speak that sounds exactly like your name. It means sun. For not being from our village, your name is unusual." Selean told him.
"Yeah. My dad said that my mom was obsessed with this fairy tale land she heard of in legends. He told me she got my name from those stories. Maybe there's some truth to them after all." Taiyo mused.
Selean opened her eyes again, concern clouding them. "Was… Taiyo, is your mom…"
"My mom's not around anymore, but my dad refuses to tell me why or what happened to her." Taiyo returned her eye contact, doing his best not to outright stare at her discolored iris. Selean wanted to say something, to offer some sort of condolence, but she could not find the words.
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Later On, After Nightfall"I can't believe Exspheres are made from human lives." Sheena finally said, voicing the concern they all had but had tried to push off until now. The entire group, minus Colette, Kratos, Anna, and Genis, had been staring at their Exspheres.
"Our mom would still be alive if it weren't for these stupid things." Selean growled from her spot by the campfire. Rage burned in Lloyd's eyes before he took his Exsphere off its Key Crest, holding it above his head, arm tensed to throw it.
"Arrgh! This... thing!" He yelled. Everyone's gaze snapped up to look at him.
"Lloyd, wait." Colette said, walking up to him. "What will you accomplish by taking that off? It's not just an Exsphere, it's also your mother's life, remember?"
"But these... these damned things make a mockery of human life!" Lloyd yelled, rounding on the blonde.
"But where would you be without it?" Kratos asked coldly, bluntly. "Would you have survived the Desian's invasion on your village years ago? Would you have survived against us or the Desians that invaded Luin?"
"Don't you think I know that?" Lloyd snapped.
"Do you really? Do you think if you throw away that Exsphere now you'll be able to avenge your mother?" Lloyd's expression softened considerably.
"Yeah, I know. Without this, I'm no different from any other human." He responded. "They told me all about the strength this thing grants when I was growing up. I'd be nothing without it."
"That's not true. You're strong, Lloyd." Sheena whispered so quietly that no one heard her.
"But Exspheres exist as a result of taking someone else's life! How the hell is that right?" Lloyd growled, his anger boiling up again.
"And? You think those people wanted to be sacrificed? I doubt they would want to be thrown away when their life could still make a difference. Would you?" Kratos retorted.
"My opinion may not matter because I don't use an Exsphere, but I believe if you guys throw them away now, the Desians will defeat us. And if that happens, more people will lose their lives to these stones." Colette reasoned.
"Colette is right. We can throw away the Exspheres at any time, but for now, we must bear the burden of these people's hopes and dreams and fight on for the life they did not get to have." Kratos told him.
Lloyd sighed. "You're right. I know you are, but for now... just let me think, alright?" Kratos nodded to the teen.
"Very well." As they watched the brunet walk away, Selean stood.
"I'm... going to go after some more firewood." She said before she too walked off.
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Lloyd continued looking at his Exsphere, almost hoping his mother would emerge from it and that this was all just a nightmare. But he knew that was not the case. "Mom, did it hurt? When this thing... took your life?" He sighed. "Is it okay that I've used this Exsphere all these years? Is it still okay for me to use it?"
"How would you feel?" Lloyd spun around to see Kratos approaching him. "If it were you that were turned into an Exsphere, how would you feel?"
"Well... I guess I'd want to be useful." Lloyd answered.
"If it were me, I would want to lend my strength to a person with the will to break this tragic cycle. Then, perhaps, I could atone for some of my sins."
"Your sins? Like what?" Kratos shook his head.
"Don't worry about that, it's not important. What is important is your decision about the Exspheres. I'll leave you alone now." The mercenary said before he started walking away.
"Hey... Kratos?" The mercenary paused, looking over his shoulder. "Thank you."
"..." Unsure of what to say, Kratos continued on.
"What would you know?" Lloyd heard Selean yell. He looked over to where Anna had approached the young girl. "Huh, what would you know? Is your mother dead? Is the only remaining fragment of her life on the back of you and your brother's hands?"
"I know more than you would think." Anna said softly. "I... was a prisoner a few years back at the Asgard Ranch. Kratos helped me escape, but... my mother and sister were killed... turned into Exspheres, I suppose. Then, after Kratos and I thought we were safe, we started a family..."
"We had two children. But the Desians found us, and they killed our children in front of us." Anna's brown eyes were misted over with tears as she looked down. Selean reached out, grabbing the older woman's hand.
"Anna... I'm so sorry... I never actually knew my parents, but... I'll help you avenge your mom, sister, and kids if you'll help me avenge my parents." Anna looked up at her, a sad smile on her face.
"I... Yes... I'll help you avenge your parents."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Me: Well, I was gonna make this longer, but I think 5,000+ words and 15 pages are enough for now.
Kratos: Please review.
Me: And I swear, the next update will not take six months, especially since I have the next couple chapters outlined. Also, the fan art contest is still going (and will be until I can give away all five places x.x) Review or PM me for details.
Next Chapter: Avenge
Edited: 5-30-16 Gave this chapter several consistency and quality of life updates, changed a conversation to make it less awkward (to read, not to be one of the participants in) and fixed the grammatical errors.