Alright, Tower time. For the sake of story movement, I'm glazing over the Unicorn and going straight to Hima. Don't hate me, I wanted to get to the Tower before school started, when my update schedule will become even less frequent again.

So, here's the Tower chapter. Enjoy.

Okay, I think it's time to make one more announcement, something I've been hesitating at doing, but here it is: This fic is going to contain character deaths. The one today is minor, admittedly, but there are going to be more, and they are going to be bigger. At this point, I don't intend to do anything graphically, and have no intention of upping the rating, but this is fair warning.

I want this to be a darker fic, and I've had this planned for awhile now, hope it doesn't dissuade anyone, but I knew I should forewarn. Enough of my babbling, onto the story.

Hima at sunset was glorious; the already red stone of the mountains was lit with the blood red sky. The small inn, set into the side of an outcropping of stone, was currently holding the Chosen's group as they prepared to fly to the Tower of Salvation the next day. Lloyd felt as though it had all happened very quickly, as if he had blinked and suddenly he was no longer in Iselia, panicking about how he was going to learn to act like his old, younger self, but trying to prepare himself to stand aside as hell broke loose, they were betrayed, and Colette lost her soul.

As the group sat quietly around the inn's lobby, he watched each of his friends. Colette sat off by herself, blue eyes closed and pale lips pulled unhappily downward. Kratos was deep in thought, but his face was as emotionless as always. Raine and Genis were sitting together, murmuring over some of Raine's research notes, or perhaps she was teaching her brother a lesson. Sheena was hiding up in her room, a habit she had developed since Raine had discovered that even her new healing abilities and the power of the Unicorn horn could not save her face.

Lloyd had to look away from his friends, eyes focusing down on Noishe, whom he was absently petting. He felt as though he'd let his friends down, like they had been so much closer at this point last time than now. In some ways, he felt divided from them. Genis barely spoke to him, and when he did is wasn't as if they were best friends, but acquaintances. Raine was suspicious of him; she knew that he was keeping secrets, but she trustedhim. Perhaps that was what hurt most of all. Kratos' secret may have come out, but Lloyd could only find himself worrying about what that would bring at the Tower.

It was Colette, though, that terrified him. She hated Lloyd for telling her secret, and, in her way, she had completely ignored him for weeks. Colette never got outright angry, only gave the cold shoulder, which was particularly easy when one could not speak. All the same, Lloyd wished desperately that she wouldn't lose her soul hating him.

Without really thinking about what he was doing, Lloyd pushed Noishe's head off of his lap and walked over to Colette. Her face hardened as she realized who it was who had come to talk to her. "Colette," Lloyd said quietly, "let's go for a walk. I wanna talk…" He realized how insensitive that sounded as soon as the words left his mouth and he immediately scrambled to correct himself. "I-I…what I mean is I… I wanted to apologize…" He felt his cheeks heat up.

Colette seemed to soften and she rose to join him. The Chosen led the way out of the inn and into the darkening evening. She started toward the hiking path that began behind the inn and lead to the top of the mountain, where they would be taking off the next morning.

At first, Lloyd couldn't seem to gather his thoughts, he stumbled over his words several times before finally gasping out, "Gods, Colette, I'm so sorry!" The red-gloved fingers that clutched the hilt of Lloyd's sword trembled slightly and he wished he could bring himself to look up at her, to see what she was thinking. "I shouldn't have said anything to Raine," he continued softly. "I was just thinking that maybe her new healing powers could help you, and it somehow came out and—and I totally get why you hate me, really, I do…"

The crunch of Colette's shoes on gravel ceased and Lloyd stopped mid-step, his eyes moving up automatically to see why she had stopped. The Chosen was simply standing there, looking at him. Her blue eyes were filled with sorrow and Colette held out her hand. Lloyd, fully expecting her to start writing him a message, gave her his hand palm up, but she turned it over and held it in hers. Colette continued to walk up the mountain path, Lloyd's hand clasped in hers.

His stomach seemed to drop slightly, but it was better than nothing, Lloyd reasoned as they took their first steps out onto the twilight-lit mountaintop. It flattened into a plateau that offered a grand look over all of the hills and mountains that surrounded Hima. The red stone glowed in the dim light and the first hints of stars in the eastern sky were brilliant. Far across the wastelands between Hima and the Tower, rocks and mountain ranges dotted the land. The Tower of Salvation stood tall against the final reached of the sun; the sky was still pink and filled with clouds, a striking sight.

"…it's beautiful…" Lloyd whispered. "Even dying, Sylvarant is glorious."

Colette nodded beside him and without taking her eyes from the scene before them, she took his hand and flipped it palm-up, and with her other hand, wrote slowly, I…forgive you…Lloyd…

"Colette…" Lloyd smiled down at her, "…thank you so much…I didn't want to see our journey end while we were fighting…"

Me neither…we've come…so far together…I can hardly…believe it…

"Yeah," Lloyd sighed, his eyes moving back out to the scene. "You know, Colette? You're my best friend. I'm glad I was able to come along on your journey, I'm glad I get to see it to the end and watch as you Regenerate the World…" He paused, waiting to see if Colette would respond to his words. This was a conversation—this part at least—that was vivid in his memory, and in this setting, it was not hard to recall his emotions, his thoughts.

When Colette failed to say anything, Lloyd took initiative again, "Colette…I wanna keep protecting you, so please, whatever happens tomorrow, be safe…"

Lloyd met Colette's eyes and saw the deep sadness in them, saw the regret she felt, and the determination. A smile lit her face and Colette nodded and her finger wrote without shaking at the blatant lie she was telling him. Of course, Lloyd! I'll stay safe and Regenerate the World for you!

"Thanks Colette." He could have let on that he knew what was going to happen to her, he could have hinted at his knowledge, but he could see her hopefulness, her wish that he would stay blissfully ignorant for one more day, and he couldn't bring himself to destroy her only happy thought.

Lloyd was awoken by the soft sound of a closing door the next morning and, quickly blinking the sleep from his eyes, he rose silently and followed his father out of the room, leaving his friends asleep on the ground behind him. Kratos would be out talking to Noishe, and then Yuan would show up and…what if he tried to kill Kratos again? After what had happened in Asgard, Lloyd's trust of Yuan had plummeted, and he wouldn't put it past his uncle to try to kill Kratos again.

But as he slipped out of the inn, he saw the last thing he had expected to see, Kratos and Yuan sitting and talking.

"I'm telling you, Kratos, you can't go into that Tower," Yuan snapped, "the bastard is up to something, and if there's anyone he'd want to get revenge on, it's you." The half-elf sounded angry and he looked it. His pale face was whiter than usual and his hands were clenched at his sides.

The Eternal Swordsman slipped around the side of the inn so he could listen to their conversation without being spotted.

"Yuan, that is ridiculous. Whatever you believe Kvar is doing, with Mithos around, what can he possibly hope to accomplish?" Lloyd couldn't see Kratos' face, but he knew his father was frowning angrily.

"More than you would think," Yuan contradicted him. "Pronyma is dead."

There was a pause as both Kratos and Lloyd took this unpleasant piece of information in. While Lloyd had never liked Pronyma, the idea that she was dead…

"Is there any proof that it was Kvar?" Kratos asked, but he now sounded slightly haunted.

"Kvar did not shy away from the blame," Yuan said bluntly, "he came before Yggdrasill and outright said he had done it. He's made himself an army of the Desians, Rodyle and Myrrh are both working for him as well, and we can hardly rule out Forcystus as well, though I've heard nothing. The Desians would have waged war on Cruxis had Mithos done anything. They are at a stalemate, and it would do Kvar an infinite amount of good if he could capture the Chosen. I would not put it past him to storm the Tower."

So this was Kvar's plan. He had let them get this far, only to set a trap. No, Lloyd backtracked, Mithos would have suspected this, there would be guards, there was no way Kvar could take the Tower. At the same time, though, it would be difficult for Yuan to sneak in… He was shaking now, his thoughts scattering, and it was Kratos' voice that brought him back.

"Then the only thing to do is prevail and get the Chosen to Yggdrasill successfully; we manage that, Kvar would hold little over us…"

Yuan shook his head, "I don't like it, but I also can't think of a better alternative. All that comes to mind is getting her to Yggdrasill at a different location, but to try to sway an age-old tradition, and the explanations…too thick, it would be nearly impossible…"

"My thoughts exactly," Kratos sighed, "We take it head-on and hope for the best. If anything, we make it though the Tower and worry about what will happen when it happens."

"The Aurion way," Yuan jested sardonically. "…are you worried about Lloyd?"'''

Kratos sighed again, "…of course I am."

Lloyd couldn't listen anymore, and he backed away from where his father and Yuan were still talking. He knew Kratos was right in saying that they could only take what was coming head-on, but he wished he could have some forewarning. He sighed and leaned against the side of the inn as Noishe rounded the corner and gently nudged Lloyd's leg with his nose.

"…thanks, Noshy," Lloyd smiled down at his oldest friend. "…why couldn't things be easier?"

Noishe gave him a look that plainly said that he didn't care for Lloyd's numerous problems as long as he got his breakfast.

It was midday when the dragons they were to ride to the Tower were ready, and Lloyd found himself sitting with Raine perched behind him. Her arms encircled his middle and Raine said quietly, "Are you alright, Lloyd? You seem distracted…"

Lloyd, whose mind had been everywhere but focused on the back of the dragon's head before him, jumped slightly at her sudden intimacy and voice. He turned slightly to look at her, then sighed, "I'm okay, I guess…just worried…"

"…what did Colette—"

Raine couldn't finish her question as at that moment, the man who was lending them the dragons swatted the behind of Lloyd's and the beast waddled awkwardly forward before leaping off of the top of Hima's mountain and gracefully gliding into the empty air before them. Kratos and Colette's dragon was already almost a mile in front of them. Lloyd struggled to stay balanced as the beast's wings beat, and he was only able to look behind at Raine, and further in the distance Genis and Sheena, as their dragon followed behind.

"What else did Colette tell you?" Raine repeated her question, this time loudly so as to be heard over the wind.

"What do you mean?" Lloyd called back to her. He had an unfortunate feeling he knew where this conversation is going.

"…has she told you what will happen after she is made a full angel?"

No. No she hadn't, but that didn't stop Lloyd from knowing. It never did, and that was perhaps why he felt so sick. He shook his head, "No," he said only as loudly as it would take for her to catch the words as the wind blew them away, "but I know…"

"Then you understand that she has to go through with this, despite our…wishes to the contrary. For the sake of all the world—all of Sylvarant—Colette must sacrifice herself. She will be taken to heaven with Remiel, she will become a true angel…"

"…Raine…" Lloyd hesitated a moment, "…I know. I just wonder…that's a lot of pressure to put on a kid…"

Professor Sage remained silent, and Lloyd glanced back at her after a moment, only to see the top of her head as she stared down at her lap and his lower back. He knew she was deep in thought; from the beginning, Raine had questioned the implications of forcing a young woman, or any person, to sacrifice themselves for the world. What Goddess would ask such a thing? But Raine had always been a believer in Martel, had never felt the need to question the Goddess before the Journey, and it was against the grain to begin now.

They rode in silence for several minutes; Lloyd tried to keep all of his senses open, his hearing above the wind, in case Kvar decided to attack. Nothing came at him, nothing was heard, and Lloyd almost wanted to believe that Yuan was simply worrying too much, or that Yggdrasill's angels were able to hold off whatever Desian forces were approaching. They began to lose altitude and Lloyd's ears popped as Kratos and Colette's dragon flew past them with a shriek.

The dragon landed awkwardly, hobbling across the flat area before the Tower of Salvation like a one-legged crow. Lloyd leapt off, then helped Raine down before their dragon turned tail and returned to the skies as well. Raine ran off toward the stairs that wound up to the Tower of Salvation's entrance, but Lloyd stayed still for a moment, listening for the sounds of war echoing over the crags and hills, but the only sound was that of the wind.

He turned hesitantly to follow his teacher toward the Tower. Kratos and Colette were nowhere to be found, but Lloyd was not surprised. Kratos knew that Kvar may be attacking, and had taken the Chosen into, bizarrely, the safest haven available. Lloyd watched Sheena and Genis land and join them at the top of the stairs.

"Where are Colette and Kratos?" Genis panted.

"The door is open; they must have already gone inside. Come, let's follow them." Raine led the way into the Tower of Salvation, Lloyd brining up the rear. He looked behind him at the empty, open field and felt a sense of…nothing. The field was empty, there were no signs of hostile mana thought the Tower, everything was silent. Part of him screamed that it must have meant something worse was coming, but…

"…come what may, I guess…" Lloyd whispered to the air.

They hurried up the stairs, Lloyd keeping all of his senses open as they did so, but there was quite literally nothing that was coming after them. The Tower was as massive on the inside as it was on the outside. The emptiness seemed to stretch upward forever, the emerald steps that the group followed upward were suspended in the nothingness. Lloyd didn't let himself look down even as his friends exclaimed in shock over the coffins that floated below them

He pushed though his stopped friends toward the warp that would take him to Colette and Kratos. Lloyd left the others behind as he continued up the stairs and warped into the altar room.

The scene that met him was an image that was forever burned into his mind; Colette knelt on the raised altar, her hands clasped before her and her head bowed. Remiel floated above her. The angel's blue eyes were no longer filled with concern, but excitement and greed.

"Colette!" Lloyd shouted and Colette started and looked over her shoulder. Every line on her face was filled with sorrow as she silently shook her head and returned her gaze to Remiel. "Colette…" he sighed her name.

"Chosen One," Remiel boomed, "it is time for you to make the ultimate sacrifice—the loss of your heart and memory—and become a true angel. In doing so, you will begin the Regeneration of your world!" The angel was full of confidence and the smile he sent down at Colette was merciless.

"…what do you mean Colette's going to lose her heart and memory…?" Genis gasped from behind. Lloyd had been so focused on Colette and Remiel that he had not noticed the entrance of the others. "But…that makes it sound like Colette's going to forget us…"

"Genis," hissed Raine, "that's enough! Colette has to go through with this, it will save the world…" Despite her words, even Raine sounded unsure.

"It seems so cruel…" Sheena whispered. "…does this mean…does this mean Colette's going to die?"

"It is not cruel if you remember what it is she is doing with her sacrifice. The Chosen will regenerate the World, the Desians will flee, and Martel will awaken again…" His smile became more twisted.

Genis gasped as Raine nodded solemnly, "Becoming an angel means giving up one's human existence… To become an angel, Colette must die."

Sheena and Genis both roared in horror, but Lloyd stayed silent. "How could you let this happen, Raine?" Genis cried, "Colette's our friend! We can't ask her to do this! Lloyd, help!"

Lloyd only shook his head and Genis looked away, horrified.

"…Lord Remiel," Raine spoke up, "We have heard that a world called Tethe'alla lies adjacent to Sylvarant, and that it will decline as Sylvarant did if Colette completes the Regeneration. Is there a way to save both worlds?"

This, it appeared, was not a hitch that Remiel had prepared for as his face reddened slightly and his smile widened brutally. "…these are not affairs for mortals…however…" Remiel hesitated, as if thinking over his answer, "If the revival of both worlds is what the Chosen wishes, then Martel will surely listen to her wishes and give mana to both worlds."

Below Remiel, Colette gasped softly and the angel looked down at her. "Is this true, you ask? You may well be capable of convincing Martel, but you must," he stressed the word, "become a true angel in order for your wishes to be recognized."

There was no hesitation as Colette nodded this time. The Chosen pulled out her wings and rose to meet Remiel. The other angel reached out and prodded Colette's key crest, and even as Colette looked over her shoulder to see her friends one last time, the light died from her eyes and her eyelids closed.

I'm sorry, Lloyd…please, take care of this world in my place…

Her voice echoed in his head and, for the first time since deciding to take this journey back in time, Lloyd felt tears of sorrow slip down his cheeks. Colette's body flapped its wings rhythmically and, but it was only that movement that spoke of it still living. In that moment, watching his best friend flutter mindlessly, something in Lloyd broke. He had let his friend lose her soul a second time; he had truly gone through with this.

Never before had he admitted it, never before had he realized that he would really let this happen. To watch nameless people be taken to Ranches and murdered, even to see most of Iselia destroyed, was one thing. He had somehow managed to part himself from reality. But this, to have let this happen to his friend once again, was unacceptable.

He was a monster, willing to make any sacrifice as long as he reached his end.

Lloyd felt as lifeless as Colette. Remiel was speaking, his tone no longer the soothing sounds of an angel, but threatening. Lloyd felt his hands grasp his swords, pull them from their sheaths, he even heard himself say something, but he could hardly hear himself.

It took Kratos stepping out onto the altar prematurely to bring him back. "Enough, Remiel," Kratos hissed and for a very surreal moment, Lloyd was the naïve, innocent boy who had first stepped into the Tower of Salvation, thanking the powers above that Kratos had stepped in to save them. Then reality reared its head and Lloyd realized with horror that whatever was coming, it was only going to damn them further.

"Enough," Kratos hissed, his blade pressed into Remiel's back. The burst of light mana at the angel's fingertips flickered out. "Your stupidity puts the Chosen in danger. You know the risk posed by the Desians, we cannot afford to waste time." The commanding tone came naturally to Kratos, and Remiel seemed to shrink beneath his gaze.

"I-I apologize, Lord Kratos…" whispered Remiel, clearly shaken.

"Kratos?" Raine asked slowly, "What do you think you are doing…?" Despite that Kratos had clearly saved them from battling Remiel, Raine could see that the mercenary was changing sides.

"Now is not the time for apologies," the Seraph snapped, completely ignoring Raine. "Your usefulness has reached its end."

Kratos' expression never changed as his sword blossomed from Remiel's chest. His holy robes were stained scarlet and his mouth opened into a wide o. He had clearly not guessed that Kratos would end him, at least not like this. The last things that the angel saw before the light left his eyes were Colette's own, soulless eyes.

Genis was screaming and Sheena shouted in shock behind Lloyd. He jerked, blinking, still feeling as if he had been in a trance. He and Raine both only looked up at Kratos, questions written across his face. Or were there? Lloyd had accepted this death long ago, but he knew he should be surprised and forced his mouth to drop too late.

"What is going on, Kratos?" Raine asked loudly over the continued exclamations of Raine and Genis. "What have you done?"

The Seraph's eyes closed and Lloyd heard him sigh. Exhaustion flickered though his face, but it was so quick that Lloyd would have believed he had imagined it had he not known his father as well as he did. Kratos' red eyes opened and they were emotionless. "I am an angel of Cruxis," he said in substitute of an answer, "one of the Four Seraphim who rule over the world. I was sent to guard the Chosen in her Journey."

Kratos sighed and his silver-blue wings unfurled from his back. They lit his features hauntingly and he looked at the group with pure contempt. Genis, Sheena, and Raine gasped loudly, all, suddenly, incoherent.

Raine finally managed coherency, "And yet you killed Lord Remiel; your motives make no sense…"

"My motives are my own. What matters now is that I am taking the Chosen to Derris-Kharlan, where she will be used as a vessel for Martel." Suddenly, Kratos' eyes were on Lloyd, begging him to understand what he was doing. Lloyd realized that he had to say something.

"D-Kratos, you can't do this; you can't take Colette!" His hands were still on his swords and he stepped forward almost aggressively. "We won't let you! Martel, the angels, these Seals, it's all just a bunch of shit, isn't it? I'm not gonna let you take Colette off somewhere I don't know and hurt her!"

Even as Kratos focused his sword on Lloyd, his shoulders seemed to slump. "That is not possible, Lloyd…" They were going to have to fight, even if they had avoided Remiel, Kratos would never allow them to take Colette without a fight. And this was the way it had been last time... Lloyd's father seemed to realize this as well as he leapt lightly to the floor. "I cannot allow it."

Lloyd focused his swords on Kratos and, no longer able to stand the suspense, charged. Their swords met with a clang and Lloyd found himself shoved back several feet. He ran at Kratos again only to dodge several precise swings that nicked his shoulders and upper arms. Lloyd stumbled backward, then gasped as he felt mana crackle over his head and he flung himself out of the way as lightning fell around Kratos. Lloyd was blinded for a moment, but when Genis' lightning attack and his vision had cleared, he saw that Kratos had simply cast Guardian and was totally unharmed.

Sheena dashed around Lloyd, a seal in each hand. She dodged his first attack, but Kratos' sword met its mark on her hip. A red gash bled through the black fabric that sheathed the ninja's legs and she stumbled backward. As she retreated, Lloyd furiously took up the attack. His swings weren't so skilled as Kratos', but all of the pent up frustration he had been building for weeks made his attacks stronger and he was soon giving as many nicks as he received.

He got lucky, a slash across Kratos' back as the Seraph dodged both Sheena's attack and Genis' Cyclone spell. He gasped in pain and rounded on Lloyd even as Lloyd's eyes widened and he gasped "Sorry!" Lloyd's apology only registered as Kratos' sword cut into his neck and shoulder. Lloyd dropped his swords; his uninjured hand jumped to the wound and he stumbled backward once again.

Raine raced forward, gels in her hands and healing magic at her fingertips, but even as she did so, Kratos artfully side-stepped another attack from Genis and put a jagged slice in Sheena's back. Raine's concentration and her healing spells fell apart as Kratos charged at Genis who, mid-way though a spell, was completely unable to defend himself.

"Genis!" the Professor screamed. Lloyd wasn't sure how, but her scream reached Genis' ears and his eyes flew open and he stumbled backward in time to miss the swing that could have beheaded him. Lloyd was moving without thought as he tackled Kratos away from his friend, but his arm was still useless and Kratos threw him off and when Lloyd's eyes opened next, the first thing he saw was Kratos' sword at his chest. Kratos' eyes widened as he realized what he would have to do. He looked about to put his sword down when Yggdrasill spoke from behind.

"I should have known better than to expect you to be able to finish this, you always were too soft." His words were somewhere between teasing and scathing. How long he had been watching, Lloyd couldn't have said, but his shock was profound.

Kratos' face went pale, "Lord Yggdrasill…" A dozen emotions were crammed into two emotionless words. "What are you doing here?"

"Reminding you of your own words, old friend…" Yggdrasill's perfect lips pulled upward into an ironic little smile. He was beautiful, even Lloyd had to admit it, but it was a dark, terrifying beauty. There was a slightly feminine sway to his gait as he walked forward to where Colette fluttered lifelessly. He reached out and caressed her cheek, "Remember, Kratos, we are threatened, we do not have time to fight…"

"Who the hell's this guy? Another angel?" Sheena hissed from across the room where she was nursing her leg.

From the floor, Lloyd couldn't help but chuckle, "That's a good question, who the hell are you?"

Yggdrasill's sharp, blue eyes focused on Lloyd, who was still looking up his father's sword. "…I take it you are Lloyd…the resemblance is just as Yuan said—uncanny. But you are not my concern today. Kratos, come, we have work to do."

"But, my Lord, you haven't answered their questions yet! How rude, to send your guests away with unanswered questions…" Kvar warped into the room looking entirely relaxed. "Honestly, did you think your little army could stop me? I have ways around these things, though I'm sure only Lloyd understands just how powerful I've become."

All eyes were on Lloyd now and he carefully slipped from under his father's sword and sat up, "Son of a bitch…" he sighed, but Lloyd could help but smile slightly. He hadn't been wrong to worry about Kvar showing up, he hadn't just been stupid and jumpy, and that was a real comfort. Yes, he was faced with Kvar again, but this was another chance to destroy him, and, theoretically, he now had Kratos and Yggdrasill to help him.

Yet, as Lloyd pulled himself to his feet, he realized he had no swords and there was still a large wound in his shoulder. He was in worse condition than he had been last time they had faced off.

"You shouldn't have come, Kvar," Yggdrasill snapped, all the composure that he portrayed fell apart when faced with the man who intended to stop Martel's revival and end his reign. "Surely you must know better than to try to face me."

"On the contrary, my Lord Yggdrasill, you should know better than to toy with me when I control more than half of your Desian troops. My men—mortal men—have utterly destroyed your angels. Your power is collapsing, I would suggest giving in while you have the chance, or you and your precious sister will meet again in the afterlife."

Before even Lloyd could register what was happening, Mithos had sent a blast of light mana at Kvar who had somehow managed to doge and send lightning back at the leader of Cruxis. Kratos roared with fury and slashed through the lightning. Suddenly, Lloyd found himself in the middle of a massive war between three immense powers. He thought he heard screaming somewhere—perhaps Genis' screaming, or Mithos' screams of rage…

He forced himself down and tried to crawl under the battle, but his shoulder pulled and stung, begging to be allowed to give in. Lloyd was about ready to do just that, the energy that he had pulled from some tiny corner of his being had already depleted. His eyes began to close as exhaustion from stress and adrenaline crash took over his limbs when he heard his name being screamed over the explosions of lightning and light over his head.

"Dammit! Where the hell is he?" It was an accent Lloyd had thought he would never hear again, after that awful day at the Remote Island Human Ranch, he had known he would never hear the bold, calming sound of Botta's voice…

"Sir! Sir, look, there!" This voice was totally unfamiliar, "I think that's him!"

"…Gods, he's a mess. Borns, assist the others, I'll grab the boy. Pull back the first chance you get, and for mana's sake don't get yourself killed!"

To Lloyd's dazed mind, this sounded like nonsense, utter dibble, and he could only lay there, pondering the orders that Botta's ghost had given. He felt strong hands under his shoulders as he was hefted into an upright position, "Damn, boy, you've gotten yourself into trouble this time," Botta grunted, feeling very far from ghost-like next to Lloyd. "Come on, Lord Yuan's expecting you. Head up, can't have you passing out on us, now can we?"

Despite the chaos around them, Botta sounded completely calm as he dragged Lloyd toward some sort of portal. A small thought registered in the back of his head that he couldn't help but voice, "My…friends…?"

"Got them already," Botta grunted.

This worry answered, Lloyd let himself slip into black oblivion.

Can't believe I actually managed to get through this chapter. And before school started too! Can't guarantee when the next chapter will be up, but I'll do my best to update every two weeks, as always!

~Yoshi