It's a little later than I plan, but here is the next chapter. Thanks again to oursolemnhour49 for checking this chapter and to all to you for reading this story.

Anyway, onward to the chapter.

Chapter 34: Childbirth

Kratos had fought in many battles over the years. He had also fought on many types of battlegrounds. However this was the first time he had ever fought on a boat. When he traveled with Yuan, all the sailors were experienced soldiers who were able to take down even the biggest sea monsters with little help. So there was little need to get involved in battle.

Now it was his duty to defend this ship with his life. However his lack of experience at sea battles hindered him. He kept slipping on the deck and the manitou was fast and agile. He also had trouble seeing it because of the heavy rain.

Thomas shot a spear at it, but it was like a toothpick to the sea serpent.

"That toy gun of yours is doing nothing," Aifread complained as he dodged a swipe from the monster. He jabbed his sword into its skin, but did little damage.

"A little damage is better than none," Thomas said as he attempted to hit it in its eye.

Since melee attacks were proven to be ineffective, Kratos decided to try a different route. He quickly began to cast a spell. "Thunder Blade!"

A sword of lightning stuck the monster, causing it to scream in pain. It then retreated back into the water.

"What the hell! You can use magic!" Aifread exclaimed. "What are you, a half-elf?"

"Who gives a damn," Thomas said. "He stopped that monster."

"It's not over yet," Kratos said. He could feel the sea monster stirring beneath them. It seemed he had only managed to anger it.

The boat suddenly lunged upwards. As they were all holding on for dear life it hit the sea again, hard. Kratos could feel his entire body shake as he stood back up. The manitou resurfaced again and growled at them.

Thomas rose and shot his spear gun once again at the monster. The monster charged again, but Aifread was ready for it and cut into its throat. It pulled away and shook its head violently, knocking Aifread down.

Kratos charged another spell. "Super Lightning Blade!" He thrust his sword into the monster's eye and it screamed as it pulled back. Unlike Aifread, however, Kratos was able to dodge its wild thrashing.

The monster then pulled back, but before it could attack again, a cannon rang out and hit it square in the chest.

"We got it!" Aifread cheered.

He spoke a little too soon as the manitou charged again, this time from the side of the ship. The vessel almost capsized, and everyone was knocked over. Jason, however, managed to keep them afloat.

"We won't be able to keep this up!" Jason yelled "You need to finish it now."

"We're trying!" Aifread yelled.

Thomas slowly stood up and looked around. "Where is it?"

Kratos looked in all directions and could not find it. He opened all his senses, but still had problems tracking it. It was below the boat again and if that monster were to lift it up again, he doubted any of them would survive. Nonetheless, he still had an advantage over the monster.

"Move aside!" Kratos ordered as he went to the side of the ship. He chanted another spell and put nearly all his mana into it. He had never cast this spell before, but he had to risk it.

"Indignation!" Kratos screamed as a giant bolt of lightning came out of the heavens and struck the sea. The entire area lit up and the screams of the sea monster could be heard, echoing through the sky.

Once the spell was finished, Kratos collapsed to one knee.

Thomas ran to Kratos' side. "Are you all right?"

Kratos shakily got to his feet. "I am fine." He felt foolish for not bringing an orange gel.

Aifread stared at Kratos for a moment. "I...I've never seen anything like that before. Who are you?"

Before Kratos could comment, Jason's voice got everyone attention. "Wave to port side!" Jason yelled.

Kratos looked over the side and saw a huge wave of water heading towards them. It would seem in the manitou's dying breath it had unleashed its revenge against them.

"Damn, it heading straight for us!" Aifread yelled.

"By the Goddess," Thomas whispered.

"Prepare for impact!" Jason yelled as everyone grabbed a hold of something.

Kratos did the same as he watched the wave. He would not die here. For once, he had something to live for. The wave stuck the ship and they all disappeared from sight.

Anna gave another scream as she thrashed in the bed. It hurt more than she could ever have imagined. She was willing to do almost anything to make the pain stop. Where the hell was Kratos? She needed him. Their child needed him.

"Be strong," Iris said as she checked under the covers. "Your water still has not broken." She then looked outside and frowned when she saw the storm had not abated.

"I need to get another batch of hot water," Iris said. "I will be back in a moment." She then ran out of the room.

Noishe nuzzled Anna. "Whine, whine."

Anna put her hand on Noishe's head and stroked the soft fur. "I know. I know he will be here." Another shot of pain ran through her body. The pain on her hand was also getting worst. It was like the two were connected.

Within a couple of minutes, Iris returned to the room with a bowl of streaming water. She put the bowl by a nearby table and proceeded to water a rag. Thunder roared through the sky, followed by flashes of light which illuminated the room.

"Please, Kratos. Hurry," Anna begged through her pain.

Kratos groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He saw nothing but darkness and he was drenched. At least that told him he was not dead.

"Hey, he is regaining consciousness," a voice he recognized as Thomas' said.

Someone put a lantern in his face, causing him to cringe in pain.

"Thought we lost you there for a second," Jason said. He felt cold hands touch his forehead. "Looks like your only injury is that cut on your head. It seems that the Goddess smiled on you."

Kratos slowly stood up as his vision cleared. "How many were lost?" It had been a long time since he had asked that question.

"We lost almost half our crew," Jason said in a solemn voice. "We are lucky that we all didn't join them, but the ship held strong."

Kratos finally got a chance to look around and was amazed at what he saw. The ship was a mess, to put it lightly. Several of the boards were torn out, leaving the inside of the ship open to the elements. From what he saw, however, the sails were undamaged.

"Can we still make shore?" Kratos asked.

"Not sure," Jason answered honestly. "That wave gave us a big push, but we don't know in what direction. Our compass was badly damaged and the storm clouds block the stars."

Kratos sighed. This was not good. They could be stuck at sea for hours and they might not have long with the condition of the ship.

Thomas shook his head. "It would cruel for the Goddess to spare us from that wave only for us to slowly sink."

"I think I got something," Aifread said as he walked towards the group. He was holding something in his hand.

"Your compass was not damage," Jason sighed in relief.

Aifread nodded. "From what I can tell, we are now going eastwest."

Thomas' eyes lit up. "By the Goddess, we're still heading towards Palmacosta. We may be saved yet."

"Don't get too excited," Jason said as he grabbed the wheel. "We're still in the middle of the sea with a storm. Don't lower your guard yet."

"I don't intend to die out here," Aifread said stubbornly. "Just handle the steering and we'll take care of the rest."

"It will be much harder now without a full crew," Kratos said. There was indeed only a handful of them left.

"Don't worry. We can still man the ship," Thomas assured. "We all are going to make it home."

Kratos knew he had no choice but to trust them. Whether he liked it or not, his life were in their hands.

It was a quiet trip, with only the strikes of lightening and thunder to keep them company. Kratos kept his senses open just in case another sea creature was near. In their current condition another sea battle would seal their fates.

It didn't help that the ship was slowly sinking. Kratos noticed it by looking down one of the many opens holes in the ship. The water level was rising, and the ship was becoming more sluggish. The waves were making things much worse. At this rate, he estimated the ship would be unable to sail within another two hours. He had to agree with Thomas. It would be cruel to survive this long just to sink.

Aifread shook his head. "We're not going to make it. Unless we see that lighthouse soon, we're going to have to write our final words."

"Have faith, Aifread," Thomas encouraged. "We are close. I can feel it."

Kratos did everything he could to lessen the water by helping to throw some of it into the sea. He knew it was a hopeless act, but maybe it would buy them some time. He contemplated using his wings to fly himself to safety. He could fly above the storm and make his way back to Palmacosta.

He got rid of that thought the moment it came to him. Fleeing was a coward's way out. When he took this job he had made a pledge to lead the ship and its crew to safety. To abandon them now would be the ultimate dishonor. He would stay with them until the end.

"I have no choice," Kratos heard Jason whispered to himself. What could he be planning? "I am opening the sails!"

Kratos' heart froze. He was going to what?

"That's suicide!" Aifread yelled. "Opening the sails in the middle of a storm could cause us to capsize."

"We have no choice!" Jason yelled back. "Unless we reach shore within another hour, all our lives will be forfeit." There was a long pause on board the ship.

"Whatever you chose, we'll support you till the end, Jason," Thomas spoke up. A cry went up in agreement.

"Better to die trying then to simply sit here and drown like rats!" someone else yelled. Another cheer went up.

Kratos' admiration for the crew rose. These simple sailors had courage that rivaled the best during the Kharlan War. He would see to it that all of them made it home.

"Open the sails!" Jason ordered.

Kratos felt the boat jolt hard as the sails were opened. The boat lunged forward for a second before it began to stabilize. He also felt the boat beginning to speed up.

He went on deck to see things for himself and saw the sails being pushed to their limits. The storm was just as merciless as ever and did everything it could to stop them. Several bolts of lightning nearly hit the ship.

Aifread shook his head. "It is like the heavens themselves are trying to stop us."

If Kratos didn't know better, he would have believed Mithos himself summoned this storm. He knew it was impossible, but it was still a thought. Maybe he had been foolish to take this job so close to the end of Anna's pregnancy. It was like this storm was teaching him a lesson.

Within twenty minutes it seemed their prayers were answered.

"I can see it! The lighthouse!" Thomas yelled excitedly. In the distance a small dote of light could be seen. Who would have thought something so simple could bring such a beam of hope?

"We just might make it," Aifread said.

However it seemed fate was not done with them. The boat began to slow down. To Kratos' horror, he could see that the lower level was nearly filled with water.

Anna felt another surge of pain, and Iris put a hand on her stomach. She had been in labor for nearly six hours. The pain was becoming more and more unbearable. A part of her wanted this to be over and finally give birth. However, she was still trying to wait for Kratos. As unlikely it seemed that he would return, she still held out hope.

Anna then felt something warm and wet running down her legs. She at first thought she had wet herself, but the liquid felt too sticky.

Iris noticed the now-damp covers and lifted them up. "Your water finally broke. It won't be long now."

"No!" Anna screamed, causing Noishe to flinch. "I have to wait for Kratos."

Iris shook her head. "In this storm I doubt he would make it in time."

"But he promised to be here," Anna moaned. "He never breaks a promise."

"If it is the Goddess Martel's will, he will be here," Iris said firmly. "For now, think about giving birth to your child."

For the first time in months, Anna found herself praying to Martel or any entity to intervene. Kratos had to make it on time. He would never forgive himself if he missed the birth of their child.

"Damn, not now!" Jason cursed. "Just a little more!"

They were so close, but the boat was quickly reaching its limits. If Kratos was going to do something, he had to do it fast. He looked up into the sails and knew that they needed more wind to make it. It was dangerous and could kill all of them, but they had no choice now.

He moved to the side of the boat, knowing he had to time this correctly. Otherwise he would be handing everyone a death sentence. His mana was also still low and he knew that he only had one chance at this.

Kratos began a spell under his breath and released it. "Air Thrust!"

The blades of wind appeared over the ship and flew past them without touching the sails. The sudden gust caused the ship to fly forward, nearly knocking everyone down.

"What was that!" Thomas yelled.

"I have no idea, but it couldn't come at a better time!" Jason yelled as he fought for control. The lighthouse grew ever closer and brighter much to everyone's relief. Kratos soon could see the outlines of the city.

"Come on, baby, don't give up on me now," Jason encouraged the ship as he sailed towards port. He quickly realized, however, that they were coming in much too fast. "Close the sails!"

"What?" Aifread questioned.

"We're coming in too fast!" Thomas yelled. "At this rate, we will crash into the port!"

Within seconds everyone was hustling to get the sails up. Kratos was able to use his increased strength to get the job done, despite the resistance he was encountering. However, they might have been too late by the way they were approaching port.

"Prepare for impact!" Jason warned. He used the last bit of his strength to keep the ship under control. It wasn't quite enough, and they crashed into the port.

Kratos could hear wood breaking. The ship shook violently. Some of the sailors were thrown like rag dolls. After a few minutes, the ship came to slow. It then sat there unmoving.

Jason stood there dumbfounded as the realization of what happened hit him. "We...we made it."

"WE MADE IT!" A cheer went up. The remaining sailors were jumping around and dancing on the ship. By some miracle they had made it home.

Aifread leaned heavily against the ship's rails. "Too damn close."

Thomas fell to his knees in prayer. "Thank you, Martel! Thank you!"

Kratos could feel himself relax before he remembered Anna. "I have to get home."

This got Thomas' attention. "In the middle of this storm?"

"I should have been there to begin with," Kratos said as he jumped off the ship. He slipped a little since the entire deck was soaked. The rain still didn't let up.

"Kratos!" Jason yelled. "Give Anna my regards!"

Kratos gave a short wave before he ran off. The city was unrecognizable because of the heavy rain. There was also no soul around, given the place a forbidding look. He hardly let that stop him as he ran through the streets.

It took him a couple minutes, but he finally made it back. He knocked on the door eagerly and waited for an answer. It took a couple of minutes for the face of Iris to appear at the crack of the door, which flew open when she recognized who he was.

"Mr. Kratos!" Iris exclaimed in shock.

"Sorry it took so long," Kratos said as he went inside. He hadn't noticed how cold he was until the warmth of the fireplace hit him.

"This is indeed Martel's will," Iris said in awe. "To think you would had made it in time on such a miserable night."

"What do you mean?" Kratos asked.

"Your wife went into labor nearly sever hours ago," Iris said. Before she could say anything else, he was already dashing towards the bedroom.

He looked into the room to see Anna lying in bed with Noishe by her side. Noishe barked happily when he saw him and Anna turned to face him.

"Kratos!" Anna exclaimed.

He ran to his wife and hugged her. "I am so sorry, Anna. I am sorry I almost missed this."

"It's okay, my love," Anna whispered. "You're here now." She screamed as another wave of pain hit her.

"She is not fully dilated yet," Iris said as she walked into the room. "You should change into some dry clothes before you make yourself sick."

Kratos did not want to leave Anna's side, but he knew Iris was right. Although there was no chance of him becoming sick, he did not feel comfortable wearing his current clothes. Within a few minutes he had changed and was back in the room.

"It is almost time, Miss Anna," Iris said. "Just keep breathing."

Anna went into rhythmic breathing as she attempted to control her pain. Kratos squeezed her hand and whispered encouragement.

After another hour, Iris looked under the sheets. "You're now fully dilated. Okay, I want you to give me one big push."

Anna sat up and screamed as she attempted to push the baby out of her. Iris patiently counted to ten before telling Anna to stop.

"Here comes another contraction. Push as hard as you can," Iris said.

Anna moaned in exhaustion, but used all her strength to push again before stopping. "Damn, this hurts!"

"Be strong, Anna," Kratos said as he wrapped her forehead with a cool rag. "You're doing great."

"That is easy for you to say!" Anna yelled. "You're not the one pushing several pounds of meat through your body!"

"Just think about the baby," Kratos said calmly.

Before she could snap at him again, another contraction hit her.

"This is it, push!" Iris ordered.

Anna once again used her remaining strength to push out the baby. She felt her exsphere beginning to burn badly now. It literally felt like her hand was on fire.

"Keep going I can see the head!" Iris yelled.

Anna gave one big scream and squeezed Kratos' hand so hard that he thought she was going to break it. Through his own pain, however, he could see the light of her exsphere glowing through her wrappings. What could this mean?

A huge wave of relief hit Anna when she felt the baby fully leave her body. The exsphere also stopped burning, although the echoes of pain were still there.

Iris caught the child and pulled it over to the side. She then began to rapidly clean it and cut the cord. However the silence that hit them left them all scared to their core.

"Why...why isn't the baby crying?" Anna asked in a panic.

Kratos walked over to Iris. "Is something wrong?"

Iris was rubbing the baby's back. "He's not breathing."

A cold stab of panic hit Kratos.

"Not breathing," Anna whispered. "No...no! Please Goddess Martel, no!"

Iris continued to rub the baby and clear its airway.

Kratos could feel himself shaking. This couldn't be happening. After everything, fate couldn't be that cruel. If someone was to die this day, it should have let the sea take him. Not his child.

Iris continued her attempts to revive the child until a weak cough caught everyone's ear. She continued to rub the baby's back until the faint sounds of crying filled the house. He continued to wail as Iris straightened him up.

"Happy birthday, little one," Iris said as he wrapped the child in a small blanket. She then turned to face Kratos. "Congratulations, it is a boy." She then handed the baby to him.

Kratos felt numb as he took the baby into his arms. He could hardly believe that he was holding his son. A child that was truly his own.

He walked Anna and presented her with their baby. Anna gently took the child out of his arms and looked down at him.

Kratos smiled as he watched Anna put her finger into the baby's small hands and he could clearly see his face for the first time. His eyes were a deep brown and they appeared to be a mix of Anna's and his mother's. His hair was all Anna's, however. It was a rich brown from the little specks visible on his nearly bald head. From what he could see of his son's chubby face, it looked a little like him from the baby pictures he remembered of himself. He saw nothing of his father in his child's face, which was probably for the best.

"Look at what we have created, Kratos," Anna whispered. "It's our child. Our first baby boy."

Noishe got closer to the couple and attempted to sniff the baby. Kratos pushed him away, not wanting Noishe to touch the baby yet.

"What shall we name him?" Anna asked.

Normally in his family, all the boys were given warrior names. However, that was ill-suited now. This child would be no warrior and there was no war to fight. He wanted him to have a simple, peaceful name.

"How about we name him after your father?' Kratos asked.

This shocked Anna. "Are you sure?"

Kratos smiled. "I think he would had wanted it that way." Anna deserved to still have a piece of him.

Anna nodded as he looked down at the baby. "From this day on, your name will be Lloyd. Lloyd Irving Aurion."

Iris walked up to them. "Please fill this out."

"What is that?" Kratos questioned.

"It is a birth certificate," Iris said. "It is required for everyone born within Palmacosta."

Kratos really did not want to sign the birth certificate. Cruxis could track it and his last name was not exactly common. However, he knew it was impossible to get out of it, so he signed Anna and his name down along with the full name of their child.

"Thank you," Iris said. "I will leave you in peace." She then walked out of the room.

The cries of his son got Kratos' attention again and he walked to join his new family. He could honestly say that this was the happiest day of his life.

The storm continued to roar outside, but the young family paid it little mind.

At long last, our hero is born. It really took me forever to reach this point, but I am more than happy that I finally got this chapter done. It was also a nice change of pace to have Kratos and Anna living a more normal life and to be able to take a break from the main story. Of course, that won't last much longer, especially with the chapters I have plan ahead.

Thanks for reading and remember to click the review button. Until next time.