Angels of Cruxis
by: Fehize

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Outside from the outskirts of the pale blue clay tiles rested a world of sun. This sun was actually the same sun that hit the floating ex-elven world high above called Darris Kharlan, but like the sky, it was fake. In truth, the real sky would have been a purple one, full of wondrous colors that would scare one into the deepest parts of their minds. However, the sky that was there, though fake, was still as awe inspiring as the real one. The rays gently fell down through the particles of air. It was becoming to be mid-beginning-winter already, but even then there were still signs of greenness among the floor of the world. Small flowers, red, yellow, violet, and pink, could be seen sprouting, being coaxed by the many people that dwelled there and decided to grow. There were many streets that were paved with cobblestones, a sharp contrast than that of small villages. Surely, this was something akin to a large town, or perhaps a small city. Deep inside the heart of the city rested the actually wonders, however. This wonder was the fact that even though the city of Luin seemed to be very stable and tied down, the heart and soul of the community was on a small island connected by many wooden bridges. It was a triumphant of Luinian engineering that such wooden bridges stayed around for more then five generations before a single plank of wood had to be replaced.

A certain red head man was walking past a certain blonde hair teenager girl. Her blue eyes searched around the country side seeing many of the people whose lives she had to save... at the terrible cost of her own. That small thought lowered her eyes down, but she knew that she had to do this for the sake of everyone. That way, everyone would be happy, the evil Desians would be gone, and the world would be safe for everyone. Lloyd and Kratos will be able to live and go back to wherever they came from, Raine would be allowed to have more ancient ruins to explore as well as keep a note on the new technology; Genis would be able to have a nice time with his sister, doing things whatever elves do best. Everyone was... going to be... happy... Yet... she was not going to be there long enough to see all of the happiness in the world. She would be gone far away, perhaps in a different world, but at least she was going to help people. Maybe right before she was to die, maybe she just might... just might, see Martel. What would the great Goddess say to her?

Sighing, she shook her had as she turned around to face the red head, which seemed more relieved now that Lloyd was awake. Seemed, mainly because his expression was more or less the same, but deep down inside she was sure he was relieved. Even she had to smile once she found that out. Lloyd was such a nice person to hang around with, always cheerful and putting on a smile. She was happy hanging around with Lloyd, for he also made her feel safe. Now, she guessed, was perhaps the best time to talk with him. For a while, she was a little bit afraid that he liked Sheena, but apparently, she left them. She knew that this was going against her greater judgment, but she wanted to talk alone with Lloyd for a while, without his father hanging around.

The water splashing in from the lake was a nice one, and she was happy that she could still feel it. As she was walking back towards the blue-tiled roofed inn, she walked passed small and little carts filled with lots of fish. There were many different types, all of different colors like the rainbow. The sizes of such creatures also ranged from small and midget towards large ones that fell just short of monsters. She allowed her eyes to look at each and every single one, trying to take in what her stomach could not. It seemed like only a little while ago when could eat them, but at least she remembered eating such good foods in her lifetime before she was going to...

Colette opened the door in front of her and walked by many people who never gave her more than a second look. Kratos had wisely said that it was best that no one said that she was the Chosen One, otherwise they will be filled with so many admirers that they wouldn't be able to move around enough. He seemed to be a very smart person! Well, knowledged in many things that even Raine knew little about.

Speaking of Raine, she was sitting down on a little chair off the side of the main entrance hall of the inn, staring at the door that led towards the outside. Her hands held nothing, like as if she was trying to grip the air, and a book was messily plopped down upon her lap. It was one of the few books that the elder elf claimed that she borrowed from the Temple of Martel, though for some reason she never heard of her teacher borrowing any book. "Professor Raine? What are you looking at?" she asked out loud, trying to get her attention.

Raine still stared out of the door frame that was covered by the door at that moment. It took a little bit before she turned her head around to face Colette with a kinda normal face. Well... actually it was the face that Genis had stated appeared when Raine found something she thought was 'shiny'. But, for a Professor... what could be dubbed that from her? Eventually, her white hair turned around as her face met the teen's one. "Ah, Colette. I didn't really notice you were there for a few moments. I am sorry. I was... thinking about certain things that have just recently come up to my observation. Please forgive me...

"Ah... what are you doing back so soon, Colette. I thought you wanted to go outside and see the sights of Luin. Did something happen? Or maybe you are just tired?"

Colette shook her head, wondering what Raine could be thinking about, but decided to put it off anyways. It probably was something that only Raine found fascinating. "Actually, Professor, I am sorry that I disturbed you. It seemed that you were really busy thinking about something. I just wanted to come back in and check up on Lloyd. I heard he was awake, and I wanted to make sure that he was going to be ok."

"Lloyd... what an interesting specimen I could look at..." Colette heard as she was about to enter Lloyd's room by using her new found powers of insanely good hearing. Of course, it was just a mutter from Raine, but that made the blonde wonder in her mind. "Interesting... specimen"? That's an odd thing to say, Professor Raine. I wonder if Lloyd's ok then, for usually she doesn't talk about things like that unless someone had something new...

Her white gloved hand went over the doorknob that was the color of bronze with small, little metal screws. Slowly, she turned it and then pulled the door open, stepping into a small room where, until recently, Kratos stayed in almost all the time. There were light rays from the sun hitting the air around, making for a nice shadow and reflection in the ways that the dust from the air dances around. Patterns were made down upon the floor because of that, nice patterns that she could spot fairly easily now. She brought up her blue eyes to see Lloyd sitting up on the small bed that had white linen covers with a large blanket to protect someone from the cold. His brown eyes were looking at her in his usual happy sort of way, and his hair was spiked up here and there, claiming that he had yet to brush his hair back. On his front was a plain white t-shirt that was given to him because his other red one was ruined. Kratos said he was going to either fix it or buy him something new. This white shirt was only to be something temporary, but it seemed like he was fine with it anyways, despite the fact that it did not look like he was cold or anything. Luin was cold at the moment, but Lloyd seemed fine enough. It made her feel sort of bad that here he was, getting the most of the damage from an attack, when she was still safe. Only when she Regenerated the world would bad stuff like this stop happening to her friends... and Lloyd.

"Ah! Colette! It's nice seeing you today!" he exclaimed happily with a slightly different smile upon his face. The Chosen of Mana could not exactly place the emotions from which the smile derived from, but she was happy on receiving a smile in the first place. "Dad said I got hurt on some..."

"Desians, Lloyd. Remember?" she asked quietly. Kratos had said that Lloyd had received a few bonks on the head (though she was sure 'bonks' was not the word term he used...), and may or may not remember that nights events all that well. Somehow, it seemed Kratos was still angry by that fact. Did he really want to know who did this to his son that bad...? Then again, now that she thought about it, it was her fault. If she didn't drag Kratos into protecting her... then Lloyd wouldn't have been brought in. And if Lloyd wasn't brought in, then he wouldn't have been hurt trying to make sure that she stayed protected by splitting apart from each other.

The brown headed teenager smiled and then raised his arm to the back of his head, rubbing it up and down. "Ahh... that's right... Desians. Heh... Man... What a night..."

She was curious of what Lloyd remembered. "What happened, Lloyd? When we arrived towards the area that Kratos ran off towards, Raine was about ready to murder him, but right before she was going to, we noticed that you were being held by your father. Genis was being hysterical, claiming that Sheena attacked you guys before something big smacked him on the head, or something along those lines. Raine and I were so worried..." Carefully, she placed her hands down on her lap as she sat down on the small inn bed, looking over at Lloyd. "I... I thought you were dead... I was so afraid... You seemed so... still..."

"Eh... Well, I feel much better now! Actually, I can't seem to recall much after... Sheena... But I do remember lots of Drakes." As if to prove he felt better, he pulled out his body from under the covers and began to jump around the room. He had little light blue pants on, and they ruffled like the surrounding port air. "See? All better!" There were no cuts or bruises upon his body. There were some bad cuts when she last took a good glance at Lloyd before Kratos patched him up with some bandages and Raine healed what she could (however, Kratos seemed to have healed him already as much as he could as well). Now, they seemed to be all gone, as if they never existed. Wow. I'm so happy that he heals up so fast! It's almost magical! Thank you, Goddess Martel, for bringing him back!

Colette was going to talk a little bit more, but then she remember that she was sent around Luin to take a look at some goods as Kratos was not about to do much of anything right then. (He said something about getting some alone time.) She also had to check out the Church of Martel that was there in town, trying to get some more evidence of the next seal. Maybe there were some books in angelic that she could read through and look through to see where it was. Raine said there might be one in Asgard, but what if there was another one?

"Bye, Lloyd. I'll be seeing you soon, ok? I'm sorry about everything though..."

---

There was a lake effect wind coming in, but it was not yet strong enough to make any form of strong rainstorms for the next three hours. A certain red head had three hours to spare, and more if he needed to do so. Some would claim him to be immortal, but in truth, he was something that just had a lot of stamina, loss of most humanity... a Seraphim or highest regard.

And at this current moment, he was cursing himself.

Luin. Luin was a town that brought in memories. It was a town that also brought in his figure a long time ago... He cherished and hated this city, wished it could burn to the ground, wished it could bring back the times long past; wished that maybe his life was not at the place where it was now. Granted, at least he still had his son, but the memories of a different time still flew and haunted his mind whenever he saw his son or thought hard about life and its meaning.

It was never a smart idea, personally, to stay in Luin more than an afternoon. However, he couldn't tell everyone that this was where she came from. No, everyone else needed to rest and regain their strength before they enter the Tower of Mana, the ancient library filled with texts with ages ranging from a thousand years younger to him to five hundred years ago.

He brought his head back towards his son, Lloyd. What he had said had sent shivers, yet understanding, up his mind.

"Lloyd, are you alright?" he asked, worried and it faintly showed in his voice as he stared down at his son, who was just beginning to open his eyes up for the first time in a week.

"Dad...?"

The red headed mercenary-Seraphim sighed slightly in relief. "Thank goodness you are OK."

They discussed how one was doing, and the other, doing typical things that family do after one is hurt in such a way. It was only after a few more minutes - almost half an hour - that Kratos decided to bring forth the question about who did this to him.

Lloyd was silent as his face fell. "Dad... it was... Uncle Yuan... he... he attacked me."

Yuan. The leader of the Renegades? He remembers that was what Botta said. The leader was going to go after his son.

He didn't know what to say himself either, and left the topic silent. But... he did not want to tell Mithos either. Yuan was a thorn on Cruxis's side, nearly hurt Lloyd once, hurting him on the second try, after him by the ways of his son...

Yet they were against Cruxis. Somehow, Kratos couldn't find something really wrong enough with that, even though he knew he should.

As a compromise, he will attack the Renegades, personally. That way, Mithos wouldn't need to know, and Kratos will still be able to give the Renegades no mercy.

It was there at the wharf, where his face was seeing the sun dip down into the sky very slightly signifying the start of late afternoon, when there was a shadow that resided behind him, casting him away from his thoughts. Rather, the shadow reached halfway through him, and the other half portrayed itself on the wooden panels, making its shape hit the floor below before reaching out towards the inner waters of the lake. The mercenary with top notch sword skills had already heard the person arrive with the passing of their feet, but thought nothing of it.

"Excuse, sir?" came the talk from an elder, woman's voice that seemed to have a strange mix of emotions such as confusion and a little bit of hope. "Excuse me..." she asked again, this time being a little bit quieter with her request - it must have been a her, for she had a female voice that did not resonate from an elder man.

Slowly, Kratos turned his head around to see the elder woman who had called down upon him with such a voice. She was one of the townspeople, no doubt, and was wearing a sky blue outfit and a little green apron that had little flowers embroidered on it. Her hair was umber with small streaks of grey, but her complexion was not that one of a woman who stayed indoors often. She was not fat or skinny, but more on the lines of slightly chubby. Her eyes were brown umber as well, closer towards bark wood than anything else around this city. "Yes, madam?" he asked, just as his own face with his red eyes turned around to face the women at her eyesight level.

Needless to say, she screamed.

For a rather long time.

Kratos stood there, standing up with a wonder thought passing thorugh his head. It makes it seem like I killed her slowly... which I know I have not. Inside, he wished he could slightly sigh, for even though it was almost a minute already, she was still standing in that gasping position with a little 'o' of a mouth. She was no longer screaming, much to the pleasure of his ears, but Kratos was wondering what was wrong with her. "Madam, is something wrong?" he asked calmly, bring his hand up in a gesture saying he meant no harm upon her.

"You... You... You're..." she began with a stammer, messing up over words and phrases that made her words from then on illegible, even for an angel's point of view. Her hand went up towards her chest, and she took a few steps back towards the edge of the railing, bonking her back upon those wooden parts that protected one from falling in towards the deeper end. It was a good thing she was not further on the wharf, else she becomes part of the lake instead of just by the protective railings. Kratos could see her gulping, and he believed she was having some sort of spams. "You're-" she croaked out, and now some sort of tears were coming into her eyes, almost at the point where they were about to fall down into her cheeks. "You're... K-Kratos!"

Kratos was taken aback, but only blinked once as his outer self took it like nothing. Inside, his mind was thinking. Who was this person? How did this person know him? He has never returned to Luin in more than seventeen or eighteen years, so who was this person? Her figure did not strike up a memory from anywhere at all... Most importantly, he made it his business to make sure that anyone who knew his name was silent about it, or was already silenced by time. "Madam, is there something you wish to talk about?" he asked, keeping his voice level.

"Well!?!" she now screamed out as he hands flew in the air; her bodily figure still tense with some sort of shock. "Are you or are you NOT Kratos Aurion?!?" She was now flailing, almost like she has seen a ghost from an ancient past. Tears were literally coming down her cheek, splashing upon the ground like little spheres filled with rainbows. Her apron was getting wet with small, little splotches, and her head was swinging back and forth so her hair got slightly messed up. "Tell me!!!" she continued, hitting hysteria.

The red headed adult didn't know what to say aside from nodding his head in a yes fashion. Who was this woman and why did she want him? He, no doubtly, wanted to find out. "Yes, madam, my name is Kratos Aurion. How is it that you-"

He was going to finish his sentence, but then was cut off as the figure of the elder woman rose up to meet his eye with something between a glare and a stare. She tried to raise her body up towards the 'immense height' that was needed to intimidate people, but she failed upon trying to that towards Kratos. Rather, the four thousand year old Seraphim was intrigued. "YOU!" she began, with her finger pointing at his face. "You! How... How DARE you say things like that! 'Yes, madam' my ass! What did you do to my poor little girl?!?"

His red hair stayed still as he took a stare back at her. It was his stare that he gave Cruxis underlings when they dared raised their voices up to his level to challenge him. Unlike in Cruxis though, Kratos did not send this woman to Mithos or dealt with her himself. Instead, he stated the facts. "I know of no little girl that I have hurt with in my life as of this moment that could be related to you."

That only got the woman angrier, but she was undoubtedly fazed down by the coldness of the glare that was being given to her by one of the Grand High Seraphim. "Stop playing coy with me, Kratos," she hissed. "What did you do to my little Anna?!? Or did you forget your own mother-in-law?!?"

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[Edited Old Notes]
I do not believe that Luin was attacked earlier than when in the game, leading me to believe that Anna might have been traveling around the outskirts when she was kidnapped (or whatever) to the Asgard Ranch. So, this could mean that her parents are alive, old, and most defiantly would have seen "The Wedding." (You know what I mean, people.)
No, Mrs. Irving is not going to be a major character. She's just here for a few chapters (one or two more) then she's gone too. But, let's face it, if Kratos married Anna... SOMEONE would have to recognize him. Seriously. It's not like everyone who saw them died within those seventeen or eighteen years. Sesh. Desians don't get EVERYONE...

Retouched - [5.02.2009]