Angels of Cruxis
By: Fehize

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"Daddy...? Who is Auntie Martel?"
Silence for a few mere seconds as the world around fell towards its normal rhythm of never-ending.
"Daddy?"
Silence still preserved, never allowing itself to be broken by a certain man.
"Daddy? Um, Daddy? Who is...Auntie Martel? Uncle Yuan once mentioned her but..."
"She's no longer here, Lloyd. She's elsewhere and deserves some rest."
"Oh."
There was some more silence as the brown puff-ball moved closer to his father and held on tight. It was late night, and he was already beginning to get sleepy. His bright, brown eyes were glazed with sleep as they tried their hardest to stay open. Each passing second sent forth a flutter of eye movement as the calm and reassuring voice of his father filled his ear. His Daddy knew everything. His Daddy was the best. His Daddy was his hero.
"Uncle Yuan said she died..."
That came out suddenly and unexpectedly, like a backstab from your best friend. Except, this was different. It wasn't a backstabbing feeling, per say, but to think that the child already understood something like the concept of death...
"Uncle Yuan said that Auntie Martel wasn't in Heaven..." Though the child's body was trying to let it rest, the voice refused to abide. "He said that she...should be. Daddy, Mommy's in Heaven, right? Is...she an angel like...you, except with...prettier wings 'cause she's a girl? But, if we are...angels...why isn't Mommy here?
"Where's Mommy?"

------

There were small pieces of snow beginning to fall down upon the mountain pass that separated one large continent into two parts. The northern part, where the many areas of wilderness still roamed free and far, and the southern part, where the largest and biggest city in this world existed. In between was nothing but an endless prairie of grass and tall weeds moving gently with the slightest puff of wind.

One by one, the smallest of the snowflakes began to pile on top of each other. Winter had just begun into full force, and the ground was beginning to stay frozen for longer and longer periods of time. The golden colors on everything left for a sense of what was; a sense that stated that the death of many things were upon them again. There had been mutterings that this winter was never to come at all, for there was not enough Mana to suffice for frozen precipitations. Others were pointing out that such Mana would make this winter last longer than ever thought possible. There were still the few others who believed that the winter would be different, but they would adapt and pray for the Chosen to lead them out of their hardships and woes.

Night had already settled down within the two small buildings upon the mountain top. Little orbs of light were being emitted from windows that had yet to have curtains cover their panes, but the light showed that the heat was still staying indoors. Unlike the small candles that left many flickers and large shadows upon the ground, a fireplace kept the general glow of red.

Sitting upon the dining table were the figures of six people and one Protozoan. Each were wearing their regular outfits, giving each other a toast for what was to come. Well, all except for two. One was a woman who was sitting on one edge of the table, in the darker corner, sulking silently, and the other was the purple-clad mercenary, who was just staying put next to his son. The majority of the talking was between the four people sitting in the middle; the orange robed Professor, the white gowned Chosen, the blueberry genius, and the bright-red, duel swordsman. Each one had happy, excited eyes. There was only one more seal left to go, and everything was going better than they thought it was going to! With the coming of this last elemental seal, there was the last trek towards the Tower of Salvation.

One more seal...and then... Then, my body will become an angel to help the journey or regeneration. This is the Chosen's life. A sacrifice to save the world.

On her pale face, outlined with her long, golden hair, she carried that fake smile with that fake happy look in her eyes. Oh, yes, she was happy that the world was to be soon regenerated, but there also came much inner sadness. She could no longer sleep at night, and her taste was beginning to fade away. Another thing was the lack of feeling. She had cut herself with the knife, trying to help prepare the meal, but...nothing. It was...horrible.

Yet, once Lloyd had discovered she was injured, he ran over to help her and then patted her down, telling her not to be so clumsy. He was always doing that with that happy attitude of his. His eyes kept that look of innocence and hope that it made her feel more confident. She wanted to help people in need, and to do that, it meant sacrifice. But, many others were suffering because of her. She simply couldn't let that slide pass.

The food was coming passed yet again, being brought in by that Martel woman, who seemed like struggling with an internal conscious. Colette tried to smile at her, but the gesture remained unseen for the long, green lock prevented sight. Turning her head, she couldn't help notice that the brown-haired, son of Kratos, was smiling at her, too. It was a nice smile, one that said: 'It's ok, Colette!'

She picked up her fork as she played around with her food. No one had yet to guess that she had stopped eating, for she always found hidden ways to hide her food in her napkin. From there, it would go towards those poor, cold animals outside who were always hungry. Even the field mice were becoming thin from the lack of Mana. Oh, Martel. Please let me be successful in my Journey. If not just for the world's sake, then for Lloyd as well. His mother had no need to suffer that way, and I think I see him still suffer whenever we pass a family with both parents.

"Here you go, Colette! Put some of this hot sauce on your food! You'll REALLY taste stuff then, for SURE!" yelled Lloyd excitedly as he handed her a big red bottle that was labeled: 'HOTNESS'. Smiling, she accepted the token, unaware of what to do with it. With a gentle squeeze, she placed a bit on a small grain of rice and then began to nibble at it. It wasn't as if she could...

"H...Hottt!" she moaned for a bit as everyone stopped for a moment to look at her. "This is so-so HOT!"

"Ah!" cried Lloyd and Genis at the same time. The elf ran off to get some milk while Lloyd gave her an apologetic look. But it didn't matter wither or not he hurt her, for she could taste the sauce.

Lloyd...you are always so kind to me. Yet, I am unable to try to place my feelings. Sometimes, I feel really connected to you, but other times it seems that you see me only as a friend. Perhaps that is for the best, for becoming an angel is my destiny, and once that happens, we shall never meet again. Still...my one wish...

No...she thought sadly as the two best friends were having a salad fight. (Lloyd was throwing a squash at Genis, and the small child, a tomato.) I cannot think selfish thoughts like that. Think of the poor people of Iselia and the Iselia Ranch. If I try to get into a relation...would I choose life over...the world?

"Chosen One, I believe it is time for all of us to get some rest. It's a long way to Palmacosta."

"Of course!" Colette responded, smiling with her eyes closed. Her hands were held up in a prayer position as she stood up out of the chair. "The Journey is almost over. And then, Sylvarant will be saved!"

---

There was ice in those empty, black eyes.

All of those eyes, in fact.

His red hair flowed gently as he took steps towards this place where that floating Pronyma chick had stated: 'lies the answer to your questions' as well as 'the possibility of you removal of Chosen status.'

Yet, she didn't say what he would be met with an endless amount of mindless dolls. Everywhere he looked, there were the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen - minus himself - yet, all were aimlessly going around, with no purpose other than listening. The strangest of all was that they had wings coming from behind their backs, like angels.

They couldn't, could they?

"Now, Chosen, please step inside where we can discuss the many things needed to make sure that you get what you desire, and I claim what I desire." With a small turn, her floating body took a look directly at the man who was also known as Zelos.

"Chosen, you do know, as I am sure of it, that when the Journey of Regeneration occurs in Sylvarant, your body will be sent off towards the four temples for 'trials' and whatnot." There was something in the way she placed her words that intrigued him most of all. It was as if she was mocking the church that was Cruxis, which was odd indeed. "I know you did what I asked and got some vague information about Rodyle, did you not?" It was technically true. When this weird woman had appeared in front of him, he had seen that old man walk around afterwards in a few days, muttering something about a 'Cannon'.

"No sweat, Sugar. I told you what I knew already. An old coot who hangs around three girls dressed in metal armor, running around and muttering something that sounded like 'Cannon'. No big deal, right?" Zelos sighed inwardly and outwardly, and continued in a sarcastic and mocking tune. "I mean, he sounded like some pervert right about then, if you ask me."

"Ah, yes, Chosen. You should know that definition, naturally. No matter, the fact that you got that information interested us in much delight."

"You should be proud of yourself, Zelos," came a much DIFFERENT voice. Surprised, he turned around to see...

There was a man, standing right behind him, with long, blond hair. He was wearing skin-tight clothing of some type, with golden trims. Such trims all seemed to be connected towards that one jewel-like thing on the collarbone: a genuine Cruxis Crystal. But that was not what stunned the pink and white clothed adult. What shock and stunned him the most was that he was floating above the ground, decked with SERAPHIM wings made from pure Mana.

A...Seraph? WHOAH! This girly-dude is an ANGEL?

His large, pink wings fluttered as the angel-man floated near Zelos before tilting his head a bit towards his side. "Proynma, this is the Zelos Wilder, I presume. The one who wishes to no longer be a Chosen, right?"

Zelos was the man that was ready for almost anything and could speak back at any moment. Yet, for once, his train-of-thought was frozen. It was something between awe, shock, wonder, amazement, confusion, and disbelief. THIS person, RIGHT in front of him, looked exactly like the Hero, Mithos, in the ancient texts!

"My name is Yggdrasill, and learn it well, Zelos. From here on out, you listen to what Proynma and I have to say. Any disobedience, and..." It was as if that Seraph had just placed an icicle down his heart when he smiled that smile. It was not a friendship smile, or a caring one; it was a cold smile. A sinister one if Zelos ever saw that anywhere.

"'Course I'll listen," laughed Zelos, however, as he twirled his little dagger with his hands. "Seles can become the Chosen afterwards, and I'm free to go, right? Hey, if I gotta sell my body and mind to do it for a few months, by all means. Sure as hell beats death!"

The man, Yggdrasill, floated higher while turning his head around to look at Proynma. "Give the 'Crystal' to Rodyle, as 'promised', and make sure to kill him." Then, with a bright burst of light, the Seraph left with hoards of floating feathers. Is it just me, or does Cruxis no longer seem all Cruxis-y?

Apparently, that was the only reason as to why the lax-looking fighter was to come to the 'base of the angels', for the floating woman warped Zelos back towards his room, before vanishing as well. He rested his body down upon the silk and satin bed, admiring the framework of leaves carved deeply into it, before turning onto his side. Digging with his hands, he pulled out a small mechanism from underneath the many pillows that dotted the top. Clicking a small button, there was some static noises until one voice came through loud and clear.

"Well, what is it that you report, Zelos?"

He sighed; with his light, egg-white headband holding back the rest of his hair from moving down, before addressing back. "Looks like you were right, eh, Yuan? Yggdrasill IS the leader of Cruxis, and the Cannon is most definitely housed near Rodyle's place. If it wasn't, why are they trying to kill him?" Zelos couldn't believe it, at first. Yuan had stated that the leader was making his family suffer was a man called Yggdrasil. This man, the leader of Cruxis, was 'someone important', but to think that he COULD be the ancient hero...Wait. He'll have to be an old geezer, or something. Cousin? Whatever...

"Good work. Unfortunately, the same good news can't be said on this side. Sheena has failed her mission once because of many complications that have arrived from the Aurions. If only we had some other weakness that we could exploit that was not a damn angel. If only I had...

"Zelos! Are you still there?!?"

"Yeah, duh," came the sarcastic reply. Why the hell was he working for the Renegades again? Oh yeah, 'cause the underdogs always win'; something like that.

"I need you to go to Altessa - a dwarf who lives just outside of Ozette - and ask him this…"

Zelos WAS lying down, but then propped up to his side at the mention of certain words that the leader of the Renegades was saying. Such words were preposterous, yet...if one thought about it. However, it was also sickening that such objects were made that way to begin with.

"Do that, Zelos, and I'll make certain that there would BE no more Cruxis within three or two months."

---

It was dark blue.

Navy blue, like the color of the night before fading into darkness. Like the color of the sky when clouds were near.

Lloyd was sitting on the white-covered roof, with his gloves off, staring right at the navy blue gem that resided on his upper palm. It was dull, for now, but when he was fighting, he was sure it glowed every once in a while. It was only a shade lighter blue yesterday or so, but now...NOW it was darker.

Placing his glove back on to hide it from the rest of the world, like normal, his brown hair wafted in the breeze as he turned to see the stars hanging high in the sky. It had bugged him throughout his life. One moment, it was a lavender color - a color between the blood and the sky - and the next, a soft aquamarine. That was when he had gained his wings. Aquamarine to soft blue: the loss of taste. Soft blue to sky blue: the loss of feeling. Sky blue to light blue: the loss of breathing. Light blue to blue: the halt of metabolism. His father's, however, remained red all the time, no matter what. The Chosen's Cruxis Crystals remained red, too, and they followed the same, if more painful, process.

What made his special?

What made it different?

He sighed, thinking hard about it. He was positive it was a Cruxis Crystal of SOME form, for it made him into a Seraph! But, it wasn't the textbook thing! Mithos' was red, his dad's was red, Yuan's was red, Colette's was red, and that Zelos guy's was red too! "Why in the world are you blue?" he asked randomly to the world, not expecting an answer.

What made his special? What?

This question, which he usually dismissed after ten minutes or so, stayed with him until the end of the night.

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OK! Here is one thing: Zelos says he recgonizes Yggd. from the ancient texts. I'm going by the OVA status here and saying that the ancient texts had pictures of geneticaly enhanced Mithos. -nods- Nothing major, anyways. Just some clarification.
Also, I am unsure of what color Kratos' exsphere is. In some art, it's red, but in the others, it has a blue-ish tint. (I've seen more red, however.) So, I took the freedom of going red. Yay red. XD

I'm just saying even small reviews would be really nice. I have to juggle this with college and life and video games, so PLEASE. It takes HOURS to make one chapter, but it takes only one MINUTE of your time to make those hours worth it in my opinion!
And MUCCCCH thanks to those five reviewers of the last one! -bow bow bow- -gives chibi plushies-

End 'Rant'

Yup! I made this chapter have something of EVERYTHING! It has some fluffy (if a bit emo-like XDDD) scenes, Zelos (for those Zelos fans out there), Yuan (ditto), Colette (thinking about stuff), and, more importantly, LLOYD!
Ok, so it DIDN'T have a fight scene, but the past chapters had at least ONE a chapter, so I'm taking a break off of that.
Yeah, and I think I messed up on how Colette acted. Bleh. I'm not good at writing her because I am not the type that thinks along the lines that she does...If you guys think I did good/decently, give a hollar!

COMMENT FOR FEHIZE MONSTAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!
And for a possible Kranna past-chapter? -puppy-eyed look-
Or a Kharlan War one, but that doesn't really fit. (If it's this one, it'll be labeled FILLER 'cause it'll have almost nothing to do with the storyline. -nods-)

P.S.
Did you know...?
That each chapter averages seven Microsoft Word pages long on single-spaced, Times New Roman, size 12 font?
In total, Angels of Cruxis is now approximately...
252 LETTER sized pages long
and
504 pages long if it was in a traditional paper-back style?
O.o Sure did shock me!

Much kudos to all those other stories that beat mine in length! Let our fingers go to finger hospital, TOGETHER!