Me: Sorry about the wait guys. This long, I repeat, absence has been as traumatizing to me as it was to you. So, I believe an apology is in order. Sorry guys, assuming you 'guys' are still reading this. You've probably all forgotten about me, but just in case, there's the apology. And, as a consolation, I'm going to try, try, to get somewhere between Aurora and Kratos, so, please read and review. This chapter should be review worthy; at least, I hope it will. Oh, and I'm thinking about getting an account on deviant art so I can give you some kind of image of what Aurora and Delia look like. And, during all this time, I've realized that I need this. Fanfiction. It helps me vent since all of my classes are academically based. Well, I'm typing this chapter on the, might I say, rainy ride to Florida. This is a crappy time to drive, but I guess it would be more dangerous to ride on an airplane. I've got… until my batteries run out so..., on with the fic!

Lloyd: … Uh… hi?

Me: He needed something to say ^.^ And no… this chapter does not start out with Delia and Genis. LOL I am evil XD

Aurora slowed her pace as she sensed that something was missing. The natural rhythm of her everyday life had been disrupted. Involuntarily, she turned around, despite the fact that she could see nothing. She frowned slightly, the corner of her mouth bending slightly into a pout. She opened her mouth to speak, but she felt the breath leave her chest and into the stale air of the ruins. She choked a little on her spit before regaining her composure. "Where are Genis and, Delia?" Her voice had a barely detectable pitch change when she said Delia's name.

Kratos was surprised that he didn't notice this beforehand, even though he shouldn't have. For the last hour and a half, Kratos had been mentally castigating himself.

This behavior is unacceptable. Fraternizing with the enemy, no, the target could get you either incarcerated or killed. There is no explanation for this behavior. She is only an ordinary half-elf, one adopted by a different species by that. Yggdrassil would have no pity for you or the girl. That's it. A girl. Barely into her adult years. What could she, what would she want with you. Sure, she's gotten a little closer, but now that Delia is out of a life-threatening situation, she's more than likely going to reject you if you tried to get anywhere near her. You'd make a pedophile out of yourself. And that other half-elf, Raine, she seems to have a thing for you, no need in causing more animosity amongst the group members than there already is. And, what about Lloyd, if he ever found out you are his father? What would he think of you if you fell in love with Aurora, and Anna. Anna… What would she think, if she could see you from the afterlife? What would she think if you lusted after Aurora or even… took her. No, do not even think of doing that with her. Just look at her. Look at her and see what it is about her that is so special. Look.

He forced himself to stare her down, starting from the top. Her face, it was pale, and fragile, like the reflection of moonlight shimmering on a still lake, so easily disrupted from the lightest of touches. Maybe even his touch. The touch of an angel.

Her neck curved inward at a pleasing angle. A crescent that cut through her throat sharply, yet softly. A brilliant sapphire necklace would lay so delicately on above her cleavage.

Her cleavage… She harbored two larger than decent lumps in her breast. They must be soft, for it is the skin of a mortal woman. Kratos felt himself swallow as he let his insatiable eyes linger on her chest. His hands longed to squeeze them gently. A finger that peered out of his glove twitched. He blinked and forced himself to move on before the tightness in his pants got tenser.

But, then he hit the area where her legs, voluptuous and curvaceous, gloriously met. Expurgate worthy thoughts ran rampant in his head. He had to spread his legs out a little bit, but it just caused more discomfort. Her womanhood. How tight, how wet, how warm-hot-

He immediately dismissed these thoughts, and blamed them on the lack of sexual release he'd had in the past twenty years or so. After a while he cooled down and was able to realize that, Aurora shouldn't have been turned around in the first place. Weren't they walking?

"Where are Genis and Delia." She was panicking. The tone was evident in her voice. She began to take a step forward. "I don't hear them, where are they?!" Her facial features spread out across her face in an expression of worry. The rest of the group turned to face her.

"You're right!" Colette exclaimed. "How did we not see them go?!"

Raine hurriedly pushed past Colette and started to dash down the hall, but much to her dismay, Kratos stopped her when he roughly jerked her back by the arm. "Don't be a fool. Rushing into things will get you killed. Now," He calmly let go of her upper arm. Blood circulated painfully when he let go, and the half-elf doubled over and grabbed her arm. What was up with him? Did he go around fighting monsters every day? Oh wait… he was a mercenary, of course he does. Well, he's got one crazy strong grip.

"Man, this bites. We gotta go all the way back there to find them? Can't we just come back after we beak the seal? They'll be okay until then, right?" Lloyd made an awkward frown and tilted his head to the side as his gloved hand scratched the back of his head.

"That would be very unwise. These temples are known reputably for their traps, obstacles, and monsters. And with that assassin still loose-"

Nobody had time to stop Aurora as she instinctively dashed back the way they came. "DELIA! DELIA YOU BETTER ANSWER ME THIS MINUTE!!! DO YOU HEAR ME?!?!?! DELIA!" Her feet pounded relentlessly on the damp stone floor. Her whole head vibrated from yelling Delia's name so loudly and often.

Kratos was the first to react to her precipitate action, the rest followed in his pursuit. Aurora carelessly forgot to watch her step, and ended up setting off a trap. A large stone wall made an unbearable screeching sound of stone grinding against stone. Kratos flinched but didn't break his stride. The others came to an abrupt halt, pushing their hands against their ears as if they would fill their ear holes and block out all other sounds. The six foot two inch tall Seraphim had to bend, tuck, and finally roll and managed to just barely clear the ever decreasing space left between the floor and the wall. As soon as he hit the other side though, his feet deftly sprang up and began another stride, longer than the previous to catch up with the blind woman.

And poor Aurora, she was too preoccupied beckoning for Delia that she didn't listen to her surroundings and…

WHAM!

She ran smack dab into the middle of a wall. She let out a cry of pain as she slid painfully onto the floor. Despite her pain stricken body screaming bloody murder trying to tell her to stop, she pushed, or, tried to push herself up. Kratos arrived in time to offer his aid. She attempted to shrug him off, but he was too strong for her to refuse. He put his arms under her elbows securely and gently helped to pull her up.

"That was completely idiotic and unnecessary. I hope you're glad to know that all you've managed to do is separate the group more than it was in the first place. Before you go running off next time, try to make it known to everyone else first. That trap you just set off, I had to steer everyone away from the first time, and you just ruined it." Kratos ranted. Aurora's lips quivered as she leaned limply against the temple trying to catch her breath. They stood there for a moment, in an angry silence until Kratos finished up with. "Don't ever try that again."

"Yes sir." She muttered facetiously.

A woman, about only five feet tall, sat cross legged seat adjacent to her sweetheart. Her foot twitched impatiently as her seemingly glow-in-the-dark red eyes scanned the off-white room. Seriously, it was like being stuck in a solitary confinement cell inside a mental facility. The corner of her mouth curved into a frown from time to time. She swallowed nervously as the mounting emotions inside her began to become overwhelming.

A smooth hand that lay over hers began to rub the back of her palm in calm, soothing circles. His hair, jet black, partly spiked up, but also sat flat so that it came off in the front of his face in short bangs. His large chest heaved with an exasperated sigh. He had a wide expanse of knowledge of torture methods due to all of the books he read, and he believed that this should be in the top ten. Sitting in a stiff chair across from the creator of all things while your child is out somewhere with limited access to her true powers, no doubt in a dangerous situation and being able to do nothing except stare at a blank wall could definitely be stressful.

Soon enough, the woman's breathing became choppy and uneven. Anxiousness built up from her heart to her throat. Her thoughts had led her to awful conclusions about her daughter's fate, and she couldn't stop herself. After all, there was nothing else to do in that mad room. Said room suddenly felt as dry and hot as the arid deserts that plagued the Triet area. She could feel her airways constricting and her nose clotting up with drying mucus. Nervous sweat formed on her brow, and this cause her spouse to look both concerned and a little frightened.

"Sweetheart-" He began to try and soothe her.

"NO!" She jerked her hand roughly away from his. Her ribcage felt stretched to its limits the heart caged within pounded against it. The girl threw herself to the nearest wall and began to try and make an escape. "Let me out! I can't stand it in this godforsaken hellhole! Please! Please!" She cried, and tear streaks created rivers down her cheeks. The man quickly grabbed her from behind and tried to sedate her.

"Sh,sh… It'll be alright. Just wait." He cooed into her ear, his voice a warm, deep tenor.

She began to say something, but all was lost under the contrasting pitches and wavering whines in her voice, and it all ended up like listening to a little kid try to make a point while he was crying.

Origin rolled his eyes and opened up the door for them. The man's eyes looked over to the god's in a silent 'thank you' in which he received a glare that said 'go, before my generosity runs out'. He sighed as he pulled his wife closer to him and half walked, half carried her to a spot on the monstrous balcony that they were led into. It easily cleared fifty feet in height, and it took them a solid minute to reach the edge embroidered with intricate stone handrails. It overlooked and expanse of water with no end. It was like being stuck on a deserted island, a deserted island with a mansion, that is. The moon made the waves seem to shimmer on the surface of the ocean, and the man took the time to appreciate the view, since escaping that mind-numbing room would probably be a scarce event.

They sat down about five feet from the edge, just on the floor. There were no chairs on the immense hunk of rock surprisingly. The woman sat with her face buried in her husband's chest, and wet the entire front of his outfit. His calloused hands rubbed up and down her back, still failing to do anything about calming her.

"What is wrong my dear. Please, share your sorrow with me." He moved his hands to pet the top of her brunette head.

"A-Aurora, out baby, s-she's out there all alone. I-I want to see her. I-"

"You know that any interaction with her is forbidden."

"But-"

"Shh." He mashed her face to him, the pain of loosing a child to the world apparent in his shining purple eyes. "Shh." He repeated. "What brought all this up?"

"I was thinking." Her voice was muffled by his well toned chest. He cupped his hands around her chin and forced her to face him.

"And what might you be thinking of?" He caught a free tear with the tip of his thumb, caressing her cheek caringly.

"Our baby, she, she's out there, and-and" She choked on her saliva as the waterworks began to start up again. "And- w-without her powers, she can't defend herself. She looks like a half elf. A half-elf! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO TO HALF-ELVES!?!?" She screamed, and it hurt his ears. "They-they-they beat them, and kill them and kidnap and with the women they r-r-ahhhhhhhhhhh-ah-ah" She was reduced to a mourning pile. It saddened his heart to see his dearly beloved in so much pain. A few tears of his own formed at the corners of his eyes which he promptly wiped away.

"I know, I know…" He stroked the side of her face lovingly. She had no idea how much both herself and their little girl meant to him. He'd never forgive himself if anything happened to them. He wouldn't allow it. Not even Origin himself could touch a hair on their heads. He wouldn't allow it. Once again, he made his woman look at him. "Listen." He asserted. "Everything, and I mean everything is going to be taken care of. As soon as the Regeneration Journey is over, I'm going to get our child and bring her home. We'll be a family, just like you've always wanted."

"…" She was speechless. She knew he could do what he claimed, but she was a mother. She always had doubts. What she wanted, more than anything in the world, was to see and hold her child. "Ne-r got –ho-er." She whimpered.

He knew how touchy a subject Aurora's birth was to her mother. She had only never once got to hold her nor look at her. He, however, was lucky. As soon as tiny Aurora left the womb, he had to quickly take her, and hide her away. He could still remember the first and only time her touched her. She was so tiny, since she was premature. She had a hard time controlling her new set of limbs as she sobbed, all covered in blood and vaginal fluid. Her mother went unconscious immediately after the delivery, but there was not time to waste. After using a towel to clean his new offspring off, she ceased the crying. Her tiny red lips opened to form a teeny tiny hole, and closed over and over. She made little noises and when he picked her up, her long eyelashes fluttered open to reveal the most gorgeous set of deep blue eyes he had ever seen. They were open wide, staring at her new surroundings. Her mother in a small, one person cot, a table, and an oil lamp which gave off an eerie glow. Then, she stared right into the loving, tear filled purple eyes of her loving father. Her hand, which could fit ten times over in his, reached up endearingly to touch his face. He can still feel her tiny limbs tremble across his closed lids.

That was the only bonding moment they ever had, and he cherished it just as much as the day it happened. His heart was instantly split in half when he felt her reach for him. One half for her mother, and one half for Aurora herself.

Aurora's mother had always envied it, but she never told him. It wouldn't have been fair. He couldn't help that she fell asleep, that she was in labor for two day with no one to help deliver Aurora except her husband.

He sighed.

"What?" She asked apprehensively.

"You're so beautiful, and I can't take you here."

Kratos and Aurora backtracked to the closest turn, and it had been a while since they had started on the trek down the "never-ending" hallway. Of course, Kratos seemed to be in a cheerful mood… Aurora could imagine the thunder clouds above him, or well, the image of him she conjured up in her mind. If it wasn't for the solid stone ground, Kratos' loud footsteps probably would've broken the floor. He kept eyeing the girl beside him to make sure she didn't go ballistic again. No need in having her disappear, as much as the kids loved her… as much as he- no.

Aurora however, was frantic with worry. Every other step she would rush forward, and then awkwardly move back when receiving a nasty glare from her companion. Her right hand constantly fingered the hilt of her sword, in case something should occur. Her kip twitched, anxious to argue with Kratos to let her go ahead. Somehow, she knew that Delia was in the hallway up ahead, she just knew.

Kratos.

Kratos heard… Anna?

Kratos, Kratos please, come to me. It's been so long.

No, it wasn't Anna. He knew of this trap. It made you hear what you wanted to hear most in the world, draw you towards it, and then ensnare you in some kind of trap. He shook his head and increased his pace, totally forgetting that Aurora was just as vulnerable to the trap as he was.

Aurora! Help!

"Delia!" Aurora jerked her head towards the voice. Once again, Kratos had to chase the woman down. It didn't take long though. He does have angelic speed, remember? And, angelic strength too, remember? And, despite his efforts to avoid the trap, he ran straight into her and caused both of them to topple over into the trap.

They both fell down a hole about twenty feet deep, and at the bottom, landing in a claustrophobic room surrounded by four solid walls of whatever kind of stone the temple was made of. Kratos ended up on top of Aurora with barely an inch separating their faces. Aurora barely breathed in and out, but Kratos ceased all breathing whatsoever. He reluctantly lowered his head to hers, first their noses touching, and as they slid further down, their lips barely brushed against each other. Both could feel a hot tingling feel running up their spines towards their privates. Kratos realized just how close they were. Her heat seemed intense, and it was like having a fever of 110. His own face grew red from the heat and closeness. Muscles tensed in both people, and as Kratos went to deepen the 'almost' kiss, Aurora could feel his erection through his pants on her thigh. Her eyes flew wide open as she attempted to kick him off.

"Get off me you pervert!" She backed up as far as she could, but their feet still touched. She frowned disapprovingly. "What did you think you were doing?" She asked as her voice skipped octaves.

Kratos paused has he searched for an acceptable explanation. "I was merely being a man. And did you not react according to your gender?" He inquired.

Aurora could feel the heat and dampness between her legs. Her face turned a tomato red as she quickly closed her spread legs. It was so easy for her to react to any kind of interaction with a male after the events she faced in the past. A tear slid down one cheek.

"I-I" She stuttered. "You wouldn't understand." She said, and then turned away from him. Kratos caught her arms before she could get for though.

"What made you this way?" He asked, really concerned. "Why are you afraid to love?" Well if that wasn't the epitome of hypocrisy if he'd ever heard it. It wasn't like he was afraid of the subject himself. But, he was a four thousand year old Seraph, he figured. She shouldn't be like this.

"Nothing." She tried to resist his gripping hands.

"Tell me." He ordered softly.

Aurora sighed, tear threatening to fall from her obsolete eyes. "Well…"

Kratos raised his head in anticipation for an answer.

"I guess we have enough time." Her shoulder's drooped , and she began her story.

"A few years ago, I met a man named Ryudo."

"The one we met in Palmacoasta?" He asked, or rather, interrupted.

"Yes."

…

"Anyway, he was the son of a wealthy couple in Asgard. I met him while I was still having a hard time traveling, still relying upon the kindness of strangers and nature's mercy. It was somewhere near the altar. He approached me and offered me a place to live. His family, of course, had plentiful rooms in their house."

Kratos couldn't help but wonder if she meant the two story house on one of the steeper parts of the gorge. It made his stomach churn to think she walked along that scrawny piece of land that the house left behind. He pushed the thought of her falling off far from his mind.

"I lived there for quite a while, and fell in…" She hesitated. "Love with Ryudo." She swallowed as her own stomach became sick at the thought that she ever had feelings for that man. "After he "proposed" to me, he took me to the local doctor to check my fertility. The doctor said that there was something blocking the way to my womb, and there was nothing he could do about it." A few more tears slid down her cheeks. "As much as I wanted a child, I moved on, and for a time, I was happy. All around us were people wishing us a long and happy marriage. Ryudo's parent s gave him enough money to go to Palmacoasta with me for the actual marriage ceremony. But, as soon as we stepped into Palmacoasta, Ryudo became a different person. He began to drag me to unpleasant places, started seeing people, who in my opinion, had no moral character, and we never got married. Not once did he speak of our engagement. It didn't take long to figure out his real intentions for me. I became his prostitute." She curled up, pressing her knees against her chest and wrapping her hands around them. "He would tell the clients to 'do what you want with her'. Most of them were drunks, and ended up raping me harshly then beating me, cursing like sailors. I-I still have scars from some of them." Her head tilted down.

Kratos could feel his temper flare up. He couldn't imagine the awful things she'd been through, especially when she told him 'raping me harshly'. He couldn't fathom how or why someone would want to do that to her. In his mind, he could see Aurora's tiny, frail body being pounded by other men, and her having to sit there and endure it, teeth clenched.

Even now, Aurora felt violated, obscene, vulgar. Harsh memories flooded her mind took her back to the first time she was forced to have sex with some strange man. A cold spell swept through here womanhood as if cold fingers were feeling around it. A slight whimper escaped her lips as she shivered.

"Let me see them." Kratos ordered involuntarily.

"See what?"

"The scars."

Slowly and cautiously, Aurora spread her legs and gently lifted up her shirt up to the bottom of her bra. Even in the limited light, Kratos could see that dark bruises that adorned her stomach. He gasped silently. With gentle hands, he ran a few cool fingers across the warm purple stop. It was about the size of a foot and he could tell it had done some damage to her internal organs.

"That one's from Ryudo, actually." She spoke softly, as if she was reminiscing. She sighed. His hands felt so good on her skin. "He'd brought me back from a meeting with a 'client', and when he began to force me to undress again, I refused. He pushed me down onto the carpet, on my side, and began to kick me, over and over again, cursing me to hell for my disobedience. I was so scared then…" She laid her hand on his, and then removed it from her stomach. "That's why I can't eat as much as you guys do."

Let that man be damned. Kratos balled up his fists. He would kill that man if it was the last thing he ever did.

…

"How did-"

"Don't tell anyone." Aurora pleaded.

"What?" Kratos furrowed his fiery brows.

"Don't tell the others."

He was a little reluctant to comply, but, "Alright…" And he waited for her to fall asleep before carrying her back up the shaft. He thanked whoever was listening that Aurora didn't discover the human remains in the corner.

"Delia! Help! You have to do something! Use your daggers! Anything!" Genis covered his head with his scrawny white arms in a petty attempt to block the oncoming birds' razor sharp beaks.

"B-But! You're a bad guy!" She frowned, confused and upset. She had too much pressure on her to be so little. How was she supposed to judge the situation when she could barely judge her own actions? But, she knew what to do as soon as millions of tiny bleeding slits appeared on the now screaming Genis' face and arms. The little girl quickly grabbed at one of her knives and tugged on it. It was stuck, so she went to another and pulled it out with better results. She had it in a vice grip and began to hack and slash at the birds. Horrible screeching sounds created a resounding cacophony throughout the room as she madly flailed the knife in front of her. She kept doing this until only a few were left, and then she actually began to aim before she hit.

Her hands shook as she dropped the knife and it clattered to the floor. Her own blood mingled with that of Genis and birds. In one motion she fell back on her butt and propped her hands up under her. She lazily turned her head to stare at Genis, and her bright green eyes widened when she saw him unconscious and bleeding profusely on the floor. Her knees and hands scuffed across the floor as fast as they could to reach him.

"Genis!" She pushed him. "Wake up Genis! We gotta go get Aurora and Raine! Wake up!" She kept pushing him until he rolled over on his stomach and revealed a golden hair band that had been under him the whole time. And from the band came… voices?

Delia…

..Delia.

.Delia..

Delia…

Come, come and take us.

They whispered and cooed into her ears. She glared at it curiously, and the longer she did, the louder were the voices.

Pick it up.

Go ahead.

This… is where your destiny begins…

"Destiny?" She asked to no one, the air. She flinched when she grabbed it, expecting some kind of something to, well, do something. The voices ceased as she slipped it onto her head. The metal, forged into a vine and leaf design, flattered the curvy dome of her shiny black hair. Then she turned back to Genis. He coughed up some blood as he awakened.

"Genis!" She exclaimed. "Genis! C'mon! We gotta go. We gotta get Raine to fix you! Come on!" She tugged obstinately on his arm, but to no avail.

"Go Delia." His voice was hoarse and he coughed up even more blood. "You have to go. There's no way I'll be able to-" More blood spilled from his mouth before he could finish the sentence.

"No! You have to come too." She frowned, crossing her arms in a cute fashion.

"Go Delia, now, or I will die."

The words were harsh to a child, but he had no other choice. She would stay here and perish as well if she didn't go. With tears streaming down her face, Delia got up.

"I'm sorry I called you bad." She cried. "I-I didn't mean it." She begged forgiveness.

"It's okay Delia. I promise. Now go and get Raine. I'll be fine." He took short, sharp breaths in between each of his sentences, as if emphasizing his weariness.

"Promise?" She asked.

"Promise. Oh, and Delia."

"What?"

"You did well out there, but those knives are for throwing." He chuckled.

"Oh." She put a finger to her lip. And with that, Delia dashed away from him.

"Ah Lloyd." Genis sighed. "If only I were like you, then I could get up and go as well." The broken half-elf turned on his side and curled into a ball, awaiting his rescue.

Delia started into a hallway and after a few steps, arrows shot out of the wall as fast as any bullet could manage. She shrieked in surprise. As soon as the shock wore off though, she was at it again. After spying holes in the walls, she sprinted past them before the arrows could pierce her tiny body. It took as few minutes, and her body was drained of its energy by then. She collapsed against the wall, then her a loud crash from the opposite side of the room. Her eyes flew wide.

"Genis!" She called, and then the tears came pouring out. The door that had let the birds in, closed with a loud bang, and Genis' fate was quite literally, sealed. But this released a mechanism that opened the door for Delia to escape. The girl fell into the other side, yelling, screaming, crying, and calling for Genis. It was her fault and she just knew it. She caught the Colette Disease and started shouting random 'I'm sorry's" as she rolled on her back. Guilt had filled to the brim, and now, spilt from her eyes.

Raine's head snapped up and her whole frame froze. Her eyes showed white all around her iris and glazed over as if she were a deer in headlights. "Genis." She barely whispered.

"Professor?" Lloyd asked concernedly.

"Something, something's wrong with Genis. I know it. We-We've got to hurry. Genis. Genis!" And the once mighty professor finally broke down and was reduced to a pile of clothes, sweat and tears.

"Oh professor." Colette cried along with her teacher. She apologized seven fold for something she didn't do, and wasn't even sure had really happened. But, she felt that she was obligated to apologize. She was the Chosen after all, and she was used to having all of the blame put on her anyway. Besides, if it could make Raine feel any better, she would be more than happy to comply with anything that making her happy required her to do.

Me: LOL! Another cliff hanger! Will Genis die? Will Genis live? What's with that random part with Aurora's parents for? What is that freaky head band? Why did the chicken cross the road? What is the square root of pi? Why am I asking these stupid questions?! I HAVE NO IDEA!

Lloyd: Seriously, you should consider going to a psychiatrist.

Me: How do you even know what a psychiatrist is? It has more than five letters so its strictly out of your vocabulary.

Lloyd: … Good point.

Me: Well, anyway, I'm in Florida, and this is my last night over at my grandparent's 23rd floor condo. It's very nice. They have a window wall that looks right over the Tampa Bay. It's amazing, and they even have binocular I can spy on people with. We just got back from the Nutcracker ballet, and it was wonderful. It was showing at the Performing Arts Center in Tampa; it's one of the finest in the world too. Please consider this chapter my Christmas present to you. And what I want for Christmas is reviews! ^.^ I know you guys think asking sounds rude, but it gives me motivation as a writer to know that people find this story worthwhile. Also, I tried to improve my writing over the past few months, so I hope this chapter is a little better than the others. Feel free to comment, complain, and criticize. I'm ready for all the advice I can get so I can make this story more enjoyable for everyone. Thanks again for taking the time to read the new chapter, and have a very Merry Christmas!!!