Long Ago

The Tale Of A Dead Mother

Inspired completely by a fanfic entitled "Thoughts On A Forbidden Romance" by Lady Nephenee Ranulf. I must give this writer credit. Just from reading this story it has given me the inspiration to write this fanfic. I don't own Tales Of Symphonia or its characters, just wanted to write something about them. SPOILERS IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED THE GAME DO NOT READ THIS FANFIC! Finish the game first and be a good little fan. SPECIAL THANKS TO LADY NEPHENEE RANULF, TAKAMINEROCKS, KRATOS WILDER, Lyra the Sorceress of Scholars, Scaff, Sunfrost, Vincent's Angel of Chaos, Tabatha is Martel, Fehize, WindRyu Hyroko, Servant of Mother Earth, Sapphire-luna232, kopakanuvafan20, RedDiamondWarrior, Lloyd-forever, ToS.Lover5, kaiaurion, burnstar, Alaia Skyhawk, Kranna 25, -SnapAshandarei-, Twilight Ilia, SilverFinDragon, Sarinna, Brendan Aurabolt, CBK, andy, Hiddenwaveprincess, Rydia Asuka, Ashyx, eyes of the infinite galaxy, Arisu Tsuranu, Goddess of Lunar, High Priest of Ducky, Shining Peridot Moon, KratosManiac AND CLEARHEART FOR REVIEWING!!

Chapter 26---Fears

Storms were coming, Anna could feel it in the hot afternoon air. She was tending to the crops when she could feel the air become humid, glancing up through the mountainside and spotting the dark clouds growing even in the sunlight. She covered her eyes with her hand as her eyes watched the waving plants, trying to figure out how fast the clouds were moving towards her and if she would have time pruning the dead leaves from the crops.

Noishe poked his head and large ears through the plants, putting his wet nose against the back of Anna's neck to catch her attention. She set her hand on his head, pulling off a few more leaves from the tall farm plants to make sure they would grow properly.

She picked up the basket filled with herbs, walking out of the patch of tall crops and making her way to the front door, the basket set on her hip. Anna peeked in the front door slowly. Listening for Kratos and Lloyd, Anna heard Kratos' voice, low and mellow coming from the nursery. Anna set the basket on the ground, shutting the front door and turning back to the large green and white dog following on her toes.

"Can you take me higher onto the mountainside?" She questioned. Noishe barked once, jumping up next to her and letting her crawl onto his back.

They road up the steep, grassy mountain, Anna beginning to feel the hot wind coming from the south as the storm continued forward. It was sticky and smelled of water and dirt, brushing across her skin like wet sand. This was going to be a bad one, she thought carefully to herself as they reached the edge of where the grasses grew.

Noishe panted a little, Anna sighing heavily before her sights set out away from the mountain and valley.

There, far off but in sight was smoke, a fire, perhaps a camp just coming from what looked to be the edge of the desert border.

"Home, Noishe," Anna said urgently, feeling the fear in her gut rise to the surface of her mouth. "Hurry."

Noishe was back down the grass like an arrow, running through the trees and grassland as if the ground underneath his paws were made of coals and soon the Inn was in sight. Before Noishe could actually stop, Anna was off and running into the front door.

"Kratos!" Anna yelled into the Inn. Kratos scrambled out of the nursery, Lloyd having just been put down for his nap, undisturbed by his mother's yelp. Kratos shut the nursery door behind him and gave Anna a questioning look. Her distressed face did not calm his nerves.

"What is it?" Kratos asked, grasping hold on Anna's arms as she suddenly moved closer to him.

"There might be a group of people—just outside the grassland," she responded urgently.

"Are they heading this way?" Kratos asked in a straight order.

"No, no it looks like they're camping," Anna answered. "But there's a storm coming, and who knows if they'll come this way for shelter in the trees."

"Noishe," Kratos said in a stern tone. Noishe's ears perking up as he heard his name. Kratos jerked his head towards the nursery. "Stay with Lloyd."

Noishe scurried into the nursery, opening the door with his nose.

Kratos made his way out the front door with Anna close behind him, walking out into the windy environment before his wings appeared and he flew up high next to a tree. He observed the shifting grasses, trying to stretch his sight farther and farther from their sanctuary. Anna jumped for the lowest branch on the tall evergreen, swinging herself onto its sturdy arm before climbing up higher and higher, trying to reach where her husband's wings sparkled in the falling sunlight as clouds began to grow closer still.

Kratos' eyes caught them, a good ways from them but still close for comfort and if they traveled this way they would find Drien's old house. What would happen if they got curious about looking…?

Kratos counted the men, realizing then that this wasn't a camp of them, this was a division, a raiding party of soldiers sent out to take humans from their families and towns. What were they doing so close to no civilization?

Anna stood on the branch closest to him, looking out at the tall landscape before watching Kratos' eyes.

"Do you see them?" She questioned.

"Yes," Kratos answered, still hovering in the air.

"If they get closer the monster will—"

"The monster cannot handle that many if he could not handle the group before," Kratos interrupted softly, flying onto the branch and letting his weight down onto it slowly. Anna's head fell slightly as she placed her hand on the thick trunk; she didn't want to realize the inevitable.

"It is a raiding party, Desians who are well trained—"

"I know what that is, Kratos," Anna replied in the same, soft tone.

"It is possible they are close for no real reason, or for a very specific one," Kratos said in a darker tone. "I would guess that they do not know we are here, simply for the fact that they exposed their camp to this mountainside."

"But you will have to go," Anna replied, looking towards him as he had his focus set on her.

"You need to keep Lloyd safe," Kratos ordered in a stable voice. "I will ask for aid from the beast, and you will not try to help me. You will stay up here where it is safe."

Anna gave him a scolding look, not responding either way. Kratos looked upon her solely.

"Promise me," Kratos commanded Anna. Anna's eyes looked farther from his and didn't give him the answer he wanted. "You cannot come with me—"

"And why not?" Anna demanded, turning back to him with stubborn and determined eyes.

"There is no chance you will not get hurt—"

"And you're mister invincible?" Anna half yelled, catching her tone as she turned from his face.

"Anna," Kratos said in an airy tone, grabbing her hands and forcing them against his chest and forcing her eyes to look at him. "You cannot expect me to watch you get hurt and what of Lloyd? What if—"

"Don't say it," Anna mumbled. Kratos' eyes said it, no matter how much Anna tried to push them away. "I'll give you until the storm is over, and if you're not back by then, I'm coming to get you myself."

Kratos' eyes strained a better answer from her mouth.

"That's the best you're going to get," Anna replied to him as the thunder now rumbled over the mountain side. Kratos wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted the both of them from the branch, Anna holding to him closely and letting the ground come closer into view.

She felt her feet hit before she let go, kissing Kratos lightly when the first drop of rain hit.

"Get inside," Kratos ordered in a quiet tone, looking into Anna's pleading eyes before his wings whisked him off over the valley and towards the monsters lair.

Anna sat there, wrapping her arms around herself as the rain began to pick up, a flash of lightning spreading over the ruins and thunder beginning to echo from high above. She heard Lloyd crying from inside, the pitter-patter of rain still increasing as she ran back inside. Anna made her way into the nursery as Noishe tried to lick Lloyd in comfort, Lloyd crying heavily as the thunder boomed above, making his tears worsen.

"Oh, baby, it's alright," Anna said lightly, walking towards the crib and picking Lloyd up slowly. The rain increased heavily, the downpour looking as if the world were trying to drown itself just outside the windows.

"Noishe," Anna stated, bouncing Lloyd lightly. "Kratos might need your help…I want you to go and help him…as best you can."

Noishe whined, not really understanding what she had just said but he heard his friend's name and the tone she had said it in. Anna made her way to the door with Lloyd still trying to understand why the storm was after him, opening it and letting Noishe run out into the rain, the lightning crashing in the hazing water and scaring Lloyd further.

"Shhh," Anna replied to Lloyd as she shut the door, rocking him back and forth in the hallway. "It's only rain, it can't hurt you."

Lloyd was frustrated and scared and his mother's words did not seem to want to sink in.

Kratos was soaked beyond his bones, so much rain came pouring down it seemed as though he were made of water himself. His flight towards the cavern where the monster slept came to a halt as he flew in just under the cave entrance to shake his hair free of water.

"Lord," the monster's voice echoed from far back in the dark cavern.

"I need your strength," Kratos stated. "And your teeth."

The monster stepped closer to Kratos, a strange smirk on its rocky mouth.

Anna was still trying to calm Lloyd down, his fear of the storm proving to take over his mind rather than his mother's attempts. The rain on the rooftop echoed in the Inn strangely, Anna hearing it, listening as the drops from the leaves outside hit the roof in a familiar manner. She began to hum suddenly, Lloyd still screaming as she continued louder, the rain making a rhythm and a strange tune along the trees that she could hear. Lloyd only heard the thunder again as a scary monster trying to get into the house, why was he so afraid of this noise when the beast living there practically made the same? The lightning and the rain didn't help his nerves, giving him the impression that this wasn't his large rock friend.

The thunder just made Anna's humming swim, using it as a sort of drum like sound to try and convince her son that there was nothing to fear, it was just a part of her song.

Kratos zoomed through the rain, it piercing his face like needles as his wings made him travel faster and faster, the monster running just behind him as the ground shook under his large weight. The storm had spanned all the way towards the grassy fields far down the mountainside, the rain water rising in the river that traveled down from the creek in the valley. Kratos' hearing was being muted by the thunder and pounding rain no matter how hard he tried to strain to hear for voices.

That was when he heard the clanking of metal, running of footsteps. He knew where they were as their own search for safety from the rain gave them away. He pulled his fiery blade from his side and veered slightly, the monster following his movement as he knew he would come upon them fast, hoping the element of pure surprise would be enough to over-take them quickly so he would be able to get home to his wife and son.

That was when through the wall of rain he saw the group, and they stalled their running and talking as the ground shook under them.

"What is that?!" one called as the monster was blurred and hazy in the rain, before the glow of Kratos' blade pierced their eyes and Kratos swung his blade down onto their leader.

Anna's voice suddenly rung out in the nursery, Lloyd's eyes still leaking tears but his ears were listening to her.

"I know that you're hiding things, using gentle words to shelter me…"

The thunder growled outside, but it sounded on purpose to Lloyd, his crying beginning to quiet.

"Your words were like a dream, but dream could never fool me…"

Kratos jumped back from the rock spell, it nearly shooting up under his feet as the monster charged and threw three of them at least twenty feet into the wall of rain. Kratos darted forward, sending his own spell of fire through the rain, it steaming into the air and burning against the chest of the magician, steam erupting around them as well as a burst of fire.
"Not that easily…"

Lloyd watched the lightning but his eyes were wide, still frightened but his tears had stopped.

"I acted so distant then, didn't say goodbye before you left…"

Anna carried her son towards the window, opening it slowly and sticking her hand out into the cool rain to show she wasn't afraid.

"But I was listening…"

Lloyd watched the rain carefully as Anna drew her hand back into the Inn and let him touch the plain water.

"You'll fight your battles far from me…far too easily…"

Kratos was thrown back hard, the guard swinging his sword around as Kratos quickly caught the edge of the enemy sword just above his face. Kratos threw his strength into his arm and tossed the Desian back. Not that many were left now, but Kratos was beginning to feel weighed down from all the rain streaming into his clothes and across his face.
"Save your tears 'cause I'll come back, I could hear you whisper as you walked through that door…"

Anna shut the window and wandered into the hallway, her son still mesmerized by her voice as the thunder shook the Inn, Lloyd now almost unnoticing that it was even still there.

"But still I swore, to hide the pain when I turned back the pages…

"Shouting might've been the answer, what if I cried my eyes out and begged you not to depart…"

Kratos ducked as the monster swung his tail around, knocking the Desians casting spells over. Kratos quickly ran the first one through as the other stood, Kratos sending gusts of wind surrounding them.
"But now I'm not afraid to say what's in my heart…"

The rain was pounding harder and harder, the thunder and lightning much more frequent than before but inside the Inn, as Anna's voice rose, was the most intense of the storm.

"Cause 1000 words—call out through the ages—they'll fly to you—"

Kratos swung his sword covered in blood around, clashing with an archer.
"Ever though I can't see I know they're reaching you—"

Lloyd blinked almost sleepily as Anna's voice calmed him.

"Suspended on silver wings…"

A blast of thunder rumbled down the mountainside, Anna's eyes closed as she hoped somehow, some way that Kratos wouldn't be hurt, that he could hear her words.

"Oh 1000 words, 1000 embraces, they'll cradle you—making all of your weary days seem far away—they'll hold you forever…"

The last word rung out so loud even the storm's attempts at wind and rain could not mask it.

Kratos watched as the monster stomped away the remaining standing, holding his ground as he steadied his heaving breaths to try to regain some air rather than water. His shoulders hung heavily as the beast roared in triumph over the victory. Kratos, saturated in rain, sweat and blood began to feel more relieved as the rain diluted the spilled blood. He heard Noishe howling not far off as the lightning crashed again, looking in the direction of the creature and sheathing his sword.

That was when something felt strange, pain erupted through his side, burning and warm. The monster roared loudly,

"LORD!"

Kratos looked down to see one of the spell casters, a staff in his broken arm and hand jamming the sharp, dagger end into his side.

"Oh 1000 words, have never been spoken, they'll fly to you and carry you home and back into my arms—suspended on silver wings…"
"Here ends, Kratos the Seraphim…" The mage croaked out even in the hard rain as Kratos' blood poured down the staff's long handle.
"Oh 1000 words—call out through the ages—they'll cradle you—and all of your lonely days seem far away—they'll hold you forever…"
Kratos fell to the side, the blade yanked from him as Noishe made his way quickly towards Kratos, the monster did as well.

"Bring…bring…me…home…"

Lloyd was relaxing in Anna's arms, his eyes closed as he listened to the dying storm just outside as well as his mother's voice. Anna placed him back into his crib, pulling the blanket up to his shoulders and letting his body sleep finally again.

"1000 words…"

She shut the door behind her as the rain began to only tap at the rooftop.

She heard Noishe howl painfully, running to the door and out into the timid rain. Kratos was limp on Noishe's back, the green and white fur stained slightly pink in blood. Anna wanted to scream, she wanted to fall on her knees and beg that what she was seeing wasn't true. She didn't have time to do so.

She ran forward, calling to Noishe and guiding him inside to take Kratos to the basement, there had to be something she could do, Kratos still had to be holding on. He was an angel, he couldn't die…he couldn't leave her and Lloyd…not like this…

End Chapter 26

Pre-Author's Note: Since the reviews started, I've gotten the question "couldn't Kratos heal himself?" My answer is: He's too tired from fighting and was in too much pain to think of it.

Author's Note: Sorry its been a while, but here ya go! I had to try and find the right song. BTW the song isn't mine, its from FFX and Jade sings it. NOT MY WORDS but I felt liek it fit the part I needed to write. Thanx for letting me borrow it!