Sealed Fates

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Lloyd looked around. Lloyd was Animeus and Animeus was he, and if Animeus was to Caelestis just as the name christened, then Lloyd…

It seemed little to no time had passed since he had regained himself in Martel's presence. He was back in the body he was most familiar with, but there seemed to be a few new buttons and gears that were his for the taking. And oh, how he loved tinkering.

"Caelestis—sir," he inadvertently hesitated, taking in one of the new changes not so gracefully.

"Call me what you like. There is no need for formalities… not anymore." He smiled, the glints and traces of cruelty near faded entirely from his façade.

Lloyd returned his grace. He had come to a chilling conclusion—one that he would surely not look forward to later on, be it correct—but as for the moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of confidence—he was serene, unruffled; his mind filled with wonder and awe—as he directed a chink of conversation towards his near-equal, articulated for a last time as a student to his sire.

"Sir, before we head out, there is one more thing I need from you." He said, "It is essential."

"Yes…?"

Lloyd looked to the azure-scape overhead with yearning eyes. "To soar just below the heavens… or perhaps alongside them… one needs a form fit to graze the clouds." He paused. All of this fancy-speak was hard to come up with on a whim. "I need instruction only from the best! How I might go about the simple transformation from one live to another?"

Caelestis seemed openly puzzled with this request. Animeus should know the answer quite well, so why must he repeat himself? He just dubbed it a fluke and proceeded. "Simple. Now that you are as you should be, you can assume any form you know to be true. The process should be without explanation, but if you insist… Gather all the energy you can muster towards the center of your body. Then, once you've collected all you can reach, let that energy expand outward into the form of your choosing."

Shortly thereafter, the golden-eyed man disappeared into a small sphere of light, and then not a second later reappeared in the form of a great bird with feathers as dark as night and a wingspan to cover the sky. He kept himself hovering over the ground with periodic beats of his wings.

"If you are indecisive, you will alter into your most native form. Because you and I are the same—born under the moon of Potentinfusco—that is what you see before you. More commonly known to this earth as the… raven."

"…So," Lloyd said, doing just as Caelestis had taught and no later found himself in a form not dissimilar at all to the being beside him.

"Very good," he commended mirthlessly, preoccupied with the next objective. "Now all that's left is to find and overtake Origin."

Lloyd lifted himself higher in the air, impatiently saying, "Origin? I know exactly where he is! Follow me!" With that, he turned and took off hastily in pursuit of the Summon Spirit.

Although, he planned on making a few stops along the way…

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Lloyd soon found that flying as this was much different than he was used to when he had flown before, for obvious reasons. Though very different through timing and energy consumed, the basic dynamics were essentially the same; he adapted fairly quickly.

Flying at a rather fast speed was nothing new for the shape-shifter Caelestis, so as they flew over repetitious land forms, he became slightly jaded as he tailed Animeus, letting his mind drift. Looking down at the open plains reminded him of the carefree days that were long gone to his mind.

Those were good days, he thought to himself. Being what he was now was always respectively interesting in its own ways, but he'd trade it all in a heartbeat for what he had had and lost long, long ago.

Within his distraction, a memory flashed before his eyes—they were his premonitions of sorts, and what had gotten him through quite a lot back on his warring planet. His eyes stayed focused on the ground below, but of it he saw none. He saw those who had believed in his crazy ideals—those who had fled a dying world with him in hopes of salvation—dealt the cards of death before his eyes. One by one their souls scattered in the air and were thrown back into the vacuum of space, home bound to start anew.

All of them: Caecus, Celer, Fervidus, Gnartias, Alacer, Nidor, Malefiden, Procella, two from this world who had opted to change… there was one more. One more to add to the death toll, but as sudden as the memory had come, as did it depart. It left him with only one avowal that chilled his whole being.

From disparity and necessity spawn spite and iniquity—all beings who have a will to live are subject to that creed; the nature is inevitable. Never forget that, for it shall someday bring about your own demise.

He could place neither a time nor a name to the doctrine or from whom it was given.

Caelestis brought his mind back to the perturbing images brought to light from the great depths of his memory. All of them had been first hand. He had killed them long ago.

Lloyd grinned within his mind as he dove. He gathered his energy, changing from the raven to his human-esque form, letting the wind push back his locks of black as his great wings took the air and propelled him downward.

Caelestis cursed; sometimes, he hated when his memory served to be right.

He abandoned his flight, transforming, as well, to his own dark, human shape. He drew the weathered sword that hung at his hip, bringing it upward as to face the cold metal for a last time. He looked at his reflection upon the blade's once smooth surface—a pair of fiery golden eyes stared right back at him. It had been millennias since he had last a need for this weapon, so needless to say the metal hadn't fared well against time, he understood that. But…

Caelestis sliced his sword through the air, slashing the image into pieces.

"No more light shines on this blade, as no more does upon my actions. What I have done…" he closed his eyes; a smirk forms, and he laughs in spite of himself. "But now, the least I can do is fight for what I've come to believe. Whether just or corrupt, perhaps it will finally set straight that of which I've come to accept as my… twisted… fate."

He opened his wings fully behind him and, with a clap of thunder, he charged after his once trusted accomplice. "Animeus… no, Lloyd… you have betrayed me for the last time."

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"Heads up!"

A frustrated Kratos perked from battle as Caecus continually eluded his attacks, fluttering this way and that at the last minute. It had driven the usually patient mercenary to the edge of his rope and back again. At this interrupting cry, the giant lemur-bat landed on its favorite branch of the tree and looked to the source. He may look like a total ditz, but Caecus had learned to recognize the energy signature of a kinsman, at the least.

The creature beamed, revealing a polished set of sharp canines, and pointed towards the source of the voice. "Frater novus!" it exclaimed in a shrill squeal. It turned back to its assailants, now pointing a clawed finger at them. "Dead! Dead! You gonna dead! De—!"

The air was ripped from its living body as one swing of a sword sliced through its furry body, just above its shoulders. Blood spilled down from the tree as Caecus' dislocated head fell limply to the ground like an apple from the tree, both bulging eyes wide open as dirt collected freely on their wet films. In its moment of surprise before death, its wings had spread. Like a shameful flee, its limp body fell to the ground, but its wings still caught the air and flew the headless corpse into a thicket of smaller trees.

Raine looked up from her casting to see a dark figure rest atop the branch once held by Caecus. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the two Summon Spirits still tense, telling her the battle wasn't over.

The figure turned to face them.

She could tell for herself that, for the moment, it was over. She could pick out that childish grin anywhere, though she didn't quite recognize the form otherwise, she knew that goofy feature belonged only to…

"Lloyd!" she called. "You're alive?!"

He continued to grin from where he was, shooting one of his infamous trademark poses. "I'm back," he declared audaciously, "to finish what I started!"

Kratos, though both perplexed and relieved at Lloyd's return, caught glimpse of a black through the sky and shouted, "Lloyd! Behind you!"

Metal howled in a dying roar as he turned quickly to block Caelestis' strike, however, with his inadequate footing, he lost balance and was forced backward until he slammed into the ground—though this time learning to avoid smashing his wing joints in the process.

Calestis' eyes burned with hatred and rage as he ceaselessly forced his sword towards his former pupil. Then, with a cruel smirk of deceit, he pulled backward as to free one hand, with which he drew another sword. The first sword still in hand, he called, "Demon Fang!" bringing it down just before Lloyd's shoulder before the boy could muster the nerve to narrowly evade his strike.

Without a second to spare, he rolled aside of the shock wave and pulled himself onto his feet, reaching to his right hip. He grasped air.

"Damn," he cursed, placing both hands awkwardly on his lone sword as Caelestis straightened up to face him properly. Ever since discovering the wonder of two swords in battle, he'd never gone back to just one. It had been so long since he'd trained single-handed, so to speak.

Eyes as hard as steel, Caelestis glanced sideways at Kratos and Raine. The Seraph held his sword in a ready position while Raine appeared caught off guard with one hand behind her back. There was a light circle of mana traced out beneath her, glowing ever so slightly.

"Don't even think of interfering." He warned the two gruffly. He knew full well he had no real way of hurting them, but that didn't matter so long as they didn't know that.

But Lloyd did. Though he would be grateful for any help in taking down this man, he guiltily knew he had to keep things on task. Protecting the Summon Spirits came first.

"Luna! Aska! Disperse!" Lloyd shouted, "Kratos; Raine! Go to Shadow's place! Quickly!"

"Acting as Grand Ringleader, are we?" Caelestis questioned dangerously. "That ends now… Double Demon Fang!"

"Guardian!"

Kratos sheathed his sword reluctantly. "Origin! Please take us to Shadow's Temple!"

Origin appeared overhead, as requested. A light shone from one of his four hands as he nodded. "As you wish."

"Raging Beast!" Caelestis yelled, before turning to face the two once more. He exclaimed in rage. "Origin, you…!"

The Summon Spirit shook his head. "…Child from the Heavens, Maxwell has told me of your fate. Your tribulations are nearing an end, the end at which your pursuit only then begins. Do not be foolish."

"What?!" he hissed.

Meanwhile, Lloyd recovered from his stagger due to Caelestis attack. He jerked his head to see a small light flash from the tips of Raine's fingers. All around him, green mana swirled. He smiled slightly. "Thank you, Raine."

"You stubborn idiot." That said, Raine disappeared.

Kratos paused before following in her footsteps. He looked directly into the eyes of his son; though he could not see the auburn eyes they shared, or the locks of brown from his mother that often obscured the boy's view, he saw the man his son had grown up to be. Regardless of the situation, he was proud of him. He was proud of his recklessness, stupidity, and everything in between. But most of all… his sense of responsibility.

"Lloyd… Don't die."

Kratos vanished.

Lloyd nodded, a genuine smile gracing his features. Wordlessly, he transformed into a raven—as he knew time was of the essence, and he could get their fastest in said form—and took to the skies with great haste. He knew in no time Caelestis would be on his trail, if not at on riding his heels launching various aerial attacks, but for now he flew solo alongside the winds.

"Don't worry, Dad… I won't. …I promise."

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Post-Note: I originally intended for this to include much more, but I guess I got caught up… I suppose that's good news, seeing as I'll need yet ANOTHER chapter to fill in everything before the ending chapter and epilogue-chapter.

And on a side note, did anyone else not like the ToS OVA? I was utterly disappointed…. Oh well.

Please review.