A Grand Homecoming
"Dwarven Vow #1: Let's all work together for a peaceful world."
Near Iselia ForestThe wind blew the water and created small waves that beat gently against the shore below. There was nothing on the horizon except water as far as the eye could see. It was here, just north of his house, that Lloyd would bring Colette and together they enjoyed a peaceful day without school, without responsibilities, and without those stupid dwarven vows his father insisted he memorize.
Lloyd sat on the shore with his bare feet partially covered in the sand. In front of him Colette laughed and played fetch with his dog Noishe. Lloyd felt relaxed and soaked in the afternoon's warm rays of sunshine. Back at his house, the forest blocked out a lot of the sunshine, so the young warrior enjoyed it while he had the chance.
"Come on, Lloyd! Come join us!" Colette giggled as Noishe brought back the stick she'd thrown and whined sadly.
Lloyd laughed at how cute she looked. Instead of that white and blue coat and pants she insisted on wearing all the time, conforming to the regulations of the Temple of Martel, she wore a pink tank top and blue shorts. "I think Noishe would get jealous if I butted in!"
Colette scratched the green and white furred dog behind his oversized ears before throwing the stick again and skipping to Lloyd's side. She plopped down next to him and grabbed one of the sandwiches Dirk had prepared for them earlier. "You're no fun!"
Lloyd smiled and leaned forward on one elbow as he lost himself in her sea blue eyes. "When did I agree to that?"
Taking a bite of the sandwich, Colette looked curiously at her friend and frowned. "Agree? Did we promise something?"
He laughed at her ignorance. "When did I agree to have fun with you? I'm just here to baby-sit for Phaidra." He winked and laughed when she got a horrified look on her face. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Gosh, you are so gullible! Did anyone ever tell you that?"
She playfully punched him in the arm and turned her gaze to the open ocean. "Do you cherish times like these, Lloyd?"
"Huh?" Lloyd sat back up and pulled up his knees so he could rest his arms on them and shrugged. "I guess so, but we do this all the time."
"I do. I cherish everyday I'm blessed to live. I don't want to be someone who takes all that for granted." She said mostly to herself. Then smiling, she turned back to him. "So promise me now, Lloyd. We'll always be friends, right? No matter what?"
"What are you talking about, you dork?" He ruffled up her hair a little bit. "Of course we will."
She held up her pinky finger. "No matter what? Promise?" She still held her smile, but something about it seemed fake.
Lloyd nodded and interlaced his pinky with hers. "Yeah, promise."
HeimdallMoaning, Lloyd rolled onto his back, still imagining the beach when he opened his eyes and found himself not exactly there. He blinked a few times, finally recognizing that he was staring at a wooden roof and frowned. "W-where…?"
"He's awake!" He heard Colette next to him and turned his head, still confused. "Lloyd, you're alright!" Her eyes misted up with tears of joy and relief as she clasped his hand in both of hers. "You had me worried!"
Coming up behind her, Sheena and Zelos smiled. "She means you had us worried." The ninja corrected.
"Maybe them, but I knew you'd make it." Zelos crossed his arms confidently, then narrowed his eyes at the fallen warrior. "But I still haven't forgiven you for almost taking out the future Zelos Wilders!"
"What?" That only succeeded in further confusing the youth.
"Ignore him, he's a little feisty this morning." Sheena said, escorting the Chosen out of the way so others of the group could approach.
"Though I couldn't be of much help, it appears everything's over and you're back to normal." Raine reported sadly.
Genis was at his side and forced a smile for his friend, even though he wanted to cry out of relief much as Colette was. "I knew you'd pull through! You're too stubborn to go down without a fight!"
Lloyd tried to sit up, but felt horribly weak and needed to have assistance from the others. "What happened? The last thing I remember is seeing the Goddess Martel and naming the mana tree…Where am I now?"
"You're at Heimdall." Colette explained. "You collapsed shortly after everything and we brought you here." She lowered her head in sadness. "I didn't know what else to do."
"She is withholding the truth." Presea said in a straight tone. "She instructed us all in the best path of advancement and brought Altessa and both your parents here to oversee your safety."
"She showed great leadership skills under pressure." Regal agreed behind the small girl.
Looking at the base of the bed, Lloyd saw the two dwarfs and his father looking at him. The size difference between Kratos and the two dwarves was almost comical, had they not all worn such serious expressions. "Somehow I don't think you guys are done explaining everything, are you?"
Altessa cleared his throat and began the explanation. "Do you remember how you germinated the Great Seed Lloyd?"
Thinking back, Lloyd nodded. "I heard mom's voice and somehow grew wings to fly into the air." It surprised him he was just thinking about it now, but then again, the entire world was at stake, so action had been needed more than thought.
"You heard…Anna?" Kratos asked in shock.
Lifting up his left hand, Lloyd looked curiously at his exsphere. "I heard her voice and then my exsphere activated."
"Her spirit continues to protect ya, Lloyd." Dirk said softly.
"Except it is no longer an exsphere, but a cruxis crystal." Kratos explained. "And the wings can be easily explained…"
"It's because of you, huh?" Lloyd interrupted. He saw his father's downtrodden face, but smiled. "Guess I owe ya one, huh?"
The light tone made Kratos scoff, but he too held a smile. "Call it what you will."
"Lloyd, this is very important." Altessa drew his attention back to the problem. "The crystal gave you angelic abilities and because of the angel blood from your father, you were able to survive the transformation, but past that I can't guarantee you won't feel other residual effects. If you're gonna be using your abilities, use them with caution."
Lloyd nodded. "I understand."
Raine pulled the covers down and began to check Lloyd's injuries while the others caught up with the patient.
"Do you remember anything after the tree to now?" Colette asked.
"Not really, it's all a blur." He admitted.
"That's probably for the best." Kratos commented.
When Raine unraveled the last bandage around his leg, she gasped in shock.
"What? What's wrong?" Lloyd asked, worriedly.
When she removed the bandages around his head, she received the same result. "His wounds have completely healed themselves." Try as she might, and even with the power of the unicorn horn, she had been unable to do anything but stop the bleeding of the massive injuries and now it was like they'd never been there.
"Wounds? Was I in a battle?" Lloyd looked around at everybody.
Zelos smirked and held up a thumb. "You sure were man! You ran out of the hut and – ow!" He rubbed his head where Sheena had smacked him. "What!?"
"Idiot." She murmured, then went back to leaning up against the wall.
Kratos cleared his throat and spoke up. "Perhaps it is wise we decide where we plan to go next. I doubt the village elder will tolerate our presence for much longer."
Lloyd nodded understandingly. "So where are we gonna go next?" Usually their next destination was pretty much decided for them, but with the world finally at peace, or so he assumed, the choices were infinite.
"The king will probably want to hear a report from me soon anyways." Zelos spoke up, then crossed his arms with a smile. "And of course he'll want to throw a party in my honor."
Sheena threw a punch at his arm, but this time he was ready and caught it. "What do you mean your honor?"
Laughing nervously, Zelos released her, but made sure to keep his distance.
"It's a place to start. If I remember correctly, Meltokio is close by and we can all decide how to proceed from there." Regal agreed with the overzealous chosen.
"Agreed. As soon as Lloyd can walk, we'll be on our way." Kratos agreed.
Throwing his legs over the side, Lloyd stood up and bent his arms to show his strength. "I feel great! We can leave right away."
Colette blushed as he stood up next to her and tried to keep her eyes on his head. "Um…Lloyd?"
He looked at her as he lowered his arms. "Huh?"
"You may require additional clothing before going outside." Presea pointed to his chest and looking down, Lloyd immediately noticed he didn't have a shirt on.
Blushing bright red, Lloyd quickly grabbed the shirt Raine had knowingly held out for him and threw it on. Genis was busting up and Colette followed in with giggles of her own as soon as she overcame her shock.
Being the first outside, Kratos waited patiently by the parked rheairds as the rest of the group filed out of the hut. The sky was clear of any rain clouds and the trees sparkled with dew, filling the village with a pleasant, refreshed scent. The angel had long ago decided what he was going to do, but had yet to bring it up to Lloyd. As much as it seemed that all was said and done, there was far more that had yet to occur, but Kratos knew and he needed to be ready. Of course, if Lloyd found out it would be difficult to convince him of Kratos' actions, so the angel had to tread cautiously.
As Lloyd sheathed his swords and adjusted his suspenders, Colette stayed behind and looked strangely at her friend. Noticing her gaze, Lloyd frowned. "What's up, Colette?"
Sighing sadly, Colette looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry, Lloyd. When everything started happening, I froze up. I didn't know what to do." She felt her throat tightened up at the memory but refused to cry. "You just started bleeding for no reason and I…"
Coming up to her, Lloyd lifted her chin and smiled softly. "Hey, don't worry. You did good. I'm still here, aren't I?" It was easy for him to take it lightly because he still didn't remember everything.
Colette clasped her hands in front of her. "But I didn't do anything to help!"
Lloyd cupped his hands around hers and looked directly into her worried eyes. "Sometimes just being there for a person helps them more than anything else."
Colette frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Without breaking his gaze, Lloyd thought back to his dream. "You were the first person I saw when I woke up, and that's something I'll never forget. Not taking moments like that for granted…you're the one that taught me that, Colette."
Smiling, the angel-girl felt ten times better and wrapped her arms around him. "Thanks Lloyd. I'm sorry for making you worry about nothing."
He rolled his eyes, but returned the hug. "We gotta work on that bad habit of yours. Besides, I should be the one apologizing. It sounds like I gave everyone a big scare last night."
She laughed and said, "Only Zelos." Then she pulled away and together they exited the hut to join the others, hand in hand.
Outside, Colette and Lloyd were met with not only their friends, but also the elder and a good portion of the village. "Has…something happened?" She wondered aloud.
"Chosen One, we have discussed your words and have come to a decision." The elder said first. "When the king begins organizing the new government for the regenerated world, let him know that an envoy from the village of Heimdall would also like to be present."
Gasping, Colette looked from Lloyd back to the elder. "You're not going to stay in hiding anymore?"
Shaking his head, the elder smiled. "If we are to eliminate the barriers between humans, elves, and half-elves, we cannot stay hidden within the forests. Discrimination will continue unless we educate others of our history and customs, therefore eliminating their fear of the unknown with what we hope will be an acceptance of our culture. Only then will the hatred diminish and the Great Viscus Tree flourish, as you so strongly put it."
Colette laughed nervously but nodded with joy at the decision. "I will happily take it upon myself to forward your message."
Kratos turned to Dirk and Altessa suspiciously. "Will you two be joining us at Meltokio?"
Dirk shook his head and replied, "No, Altessa and myself would like to see how the change affected tha other dwarves down below. We're going to return to the capital and check up on tha others." Altessa nodded in agreement.
"I can't say I want to go either. Being from Mizuho, I'm not exactly "welcomed" in the capital anyway." Even though eliminating hatred and discrimination was the goal of everyone in the group, Sheena needed to discuss it with the council and see what they thought.
Throwing an arm over her shoulders Zelos asked, "Aw, come on, baby. For me? I'll talk to the king personally and I'm sure you'll be able to come."
Blushing profusely as he smiled at her, Sheena turned her gaze nervously towards the ground. "Ah well…when you put it that way." Since when did Zelos become so convincing? She wondered.
"Alright! Let's get going then!" Zelos let go of her and hopped onto a rheaird, smirking victoriously at Sheena. "Sorry, babe, I got the controls this time."
She rolled her eyes but smiled and got on behind him. Slowly she wrapped her arms around him and together they took off.
The others said their goodbyes and sped off after them. Hopefully when they reached Meltokio, they would be welcomed with open arms and not closed gates.
Meltokio
As soon as they had reached the castle within the high stonewalls of Meltokio, the king and his daughter came out to happily greet the saviors of the known world. His Majesty Tethe'alla the 18th, now fully recovered from the Pope's slow acting poison, gave his apologies in person to everyone in the group and announced that measures had already been put into effect for a festival to be held that night in their name. Everyone, including Sheena, was warmly welcomed and even requested to be present.
"Festival" was an understatement because by dusk, the entire town was decorated with multiple colors from banners, balloons, flags and the joyous music could be heard all the way in Sybak. Never before had any of the group, minus Zelos, seen so many stands and activities. Having grown up in small villages the most activity they'd seen was back in Palmacosta. This was unbelievable!
Colette insisted in trying all the different foods offered and dragged Lloyd from stand to stand, completely engrossed in the spirit and celebrations. "Oh look! They're stuffed animal doggies!" She pointed at the shelf that held the prizes.
Lloyd took another bite of his candy apple and smiled. "I'll win it for ya!" Quickly stuffing his mouth with the rest of the treat, he approached the game table.
Upon seeing his next players, the game attendant visibly paled. "Y-you're from the Chosen group!" He pointed almost accusingly at Colette. "I-I couldn't possibly charge you! Here, try as many times as you like!" He handed Lloyd the rings and stepped off to the side.
Shrugging, Lloyd decided the man's reaction wasn't due to the fact that they were the Chosen group alone, but probably because of the tall tales started by the pope's personal guard. It'd be a long time before they lived that one down.
Licking his lips, Lloyd took aim at the small spikes behind the counter and threw the round rings one after the other. Growling when they hit the poles and flew off to the side, he continued to try and win that toy for Colette. This was his big chance to impress her with more than his meager cooking skills or even worse…his lack of math skills.
After half an hour, Colette began feeling sorry for her friend and quietly took the rings away from him. Taking almost no time to aim, Colette threw the three rings and managed to land them on the same spike.
"We have a winner!" The man exclaimed, finally over his initial fear of the girl and handed her the toy she'd pointed out earlier. "That was some impressive show of skill."
Colette blushed at the compliment and cuddled her new toy. "It was nothing."
Groaning pathetically off to the side, Lloyd hung his head sadly. "I should've known you'd do better at a ring toss game than I would. Ah man, when am I gonna learn?"
Feeling sorry for him, Colette wrapped her arms around one of his and smiled sympathetically. "Don't worry Lloyd. It was the thought that counts." Then she reached up and gave him a peck on the cheek.
The feathery touch of her lips on his skin was enough to turn the warrior's head into a shade of red similar to the apple he'd just eaten and he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Um…thanks."
Looking over, Colette gasped and pointed. "There's Professor Sage and Genis!" Pulling Lloyd over, Colette approached her friends. "I see you guys didn't waste anytime eating the food they have here! I've eaten a little bit of everything and it's all so delicious!"
Genis, a roasted corn on the cob in his hand, nodded and smiled in agreement. "It's amazing the king threw all this together in less than a day!"
Raine stood at her brother's side and looked around. "Everyone's so excited about the new appearance of the mana tree that no one's even noticed we're…"
"And they won't." Lloyd cut her off with a smile. "We're gonna make them all see how cool you guys are and you'll never have to worry about it again. So just have fun tonight. You've earned it." He understood his teacher's uneasiness, knowing that those who'd grown up in Tethe'alla would retain a stronger hatred for half-elves than those in Sylvarant, but without the pope around to make laws discriminating against half-elves, others like Raine and Genis should have a easier time building their new lives.
Sighing, Raine smiled and dropped her shoulders, forcing herself to relax. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Waving goodbye, she and Genis went off in the direction of another food stand, leaving Lloyd and Colette once again alone.
Colette tugged on his sleeve and, taking his hand, led him to the outskirts of the enclosed city where it was a little bit more private and quiet. The grassy area just outside the gate served her purposes well enough and together they sat and watched the fireflies gather near the creek's entrance.
Lloyd didn't know what Colette had on her mind. He was just happy being with her. To be honest, he'd gotten over the celebrations, getting bored with a lot of things rather quickly, and was thankful for the break.
"Lloyd, do you still plan to go on another journey to rid the world of exspheres?" Colette asked rather suddenly. She sat with her knees up against her chest and her arms wrapped around them.
Lloyd shrugged and replied. "Of course. Knowing that the souls of the victims are still trapped inside, I can't just sit back and let people continue to use them carelessly. Their spirits deserve to be free." He said sadly.
"What about Kratos? Do you think he'll want to come along?" The angel-girl asked. "He doesn't have Mithos to give him orders anymore, and with Origin now connected with you, he doesn't have to worry about someone breaking the seal."
Lloyd paused for a moment, not really knowing how to answer. In truth, he always got a little nervous when Dirk and his biological father were in the same room together. So Kratos living with him would be uncomfortable for a while at least. "I…don't know." He said quietly. "I still think of Dirk as my father, but Kratos is my father too. I haven't really talked to either of them to see how they felt about it."
"Well I'm sure it'll all work out for the best." Colette smiled and turned to Lloyd. "Don't worry about it. Remember, you just have two fathers now. You should consider yourself lucky for having more than most people do."
Lloyd knuckled her side, making her giggle as he said accusingly. "Hey, I told you that. You can't steal it from me." But quite honestly, it made him feel better about the whole thing. Funny how hearing it from someone else always changed the perspective.
Regal and Presea had also found a quiet spot away from all the commotion. The two had actually decided to relax in the lower city slums to the side of the castle. Even the misfortunate had been invited to join in the festivities so the streets were pretty much empty.
It had been Presea's suggestion to come here and Regal followed without question. Climbing to one of the roofs of the houses, both received a pretty unique view of the festival above. They could still hear the music, but it was not as loud.
Finally, after some time of sitting in silence, Regal turned to the girl next to him. "Was there something you wanted to speak to me about?"
Presea looked Regal right in the eye and asked him. "What was it you said you would do after we avenged Alicia?"
Regal's back straightened and he replied in a deep voice. "I swore I would aide the Chosen group in defeating cruxis." The answer was simple, but where was she going with this?
"And we succeeded in that, did we not?" She asked again with a straight face.
Nodding, Regal frowned in growing concern over the path of the questions. "Yes, the worlds have been reunited and Mithos is no longer a threat to the people."
Nodding, Presea looked down at his bound hands and wrapped her hands around his wrists. "Then why do you still wear these?"
Shocked at the question, Regal opened his mouth to respond, but it clamped shut and he looked away sadly. "Well…" Before he knew what was happening, Presea gave one good yank and pulled his wrists apart shattering the cuffs, spewing shards of metal in all directions. None of it cut them and Regal was left speechless.
"You no longer have any reason to believe you're a criminal or a threat to those around you." She said releasing his hands.
Lifting them up, Regal stared at the pale skin that had been hidden from the sun for so long, yet still could say nothing.
Looking back towards the festival, Presea locked her eyes on a particularly beautiful red flag, remembering the color of the exsphere Alicia's spirit had been trapped within – patiently awaiting the return of her master and lover. "It is time for you to begin to believe in yourself the way everyone else believes in you…the way I believe in you." Before he could respond, Presea looked up and stared into his pale hazel eyes. "I know Alicia would not want you to punish yourself anymore for her death. She would want you to live."
Regal sat still for a moment, before smiling and nodding. The wisdom this child possesses is incredible. "Yes, I suppose you're right." He wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her close, joining her in watching the festival. "Shall we head back?"
Presea closed her eyes and snuggled closer like a child would their father. "Perhaps we could stay here…for a little while longer…"
Regal's eyes softened and he nodded, staying just the way they were. He would always love Alicia, but he knew she would be saddened if he refused to enjoy the new life he had been granted in a world he helped to create. May you rest in peace…Alicia…
Zelos sat just outside his mansion dressed in an uncharacteristic dark blue and black outfit. Sheena stood with him in her regular clothes and for the most part neither said anything. The streets were just as emptied as the rest of town, so the two were pretty much alone. Sheena's heart was racing and she couldn't being herself to say anything to the man besides her. Over the last few months, she'd seen a side of him most people never saw. She felt guilty for naming him a pervert after she found out about his home life and upbringing.
Sure being raised in secret with others of her village who were generally not accepted within society and working mostly behind the scenes could be hard growing up. On the flip side of the coin, Zelos had been raised in the spotlight, others looking to him as their savior, even though that meant him becoming a sacrifice. Sheena understood how Zelos would create one personality for others, while keeping the real him, with real dreams and ambitions, a secret.
While they had been trapped inside Derris-Kharlan, Sheena had seen Zelos' fear, his reaction to his little sister reprimanding him and demanding he give up his title to someone "more suited". Sheena felt bad for thinking the worse from a man who hadn't been given the chance to really prove himself.
Now that she was beginning to get to know that Zelos, she felt herself more flustered all the time; unable to look him in the eye or stay close for more than necessary. She almost felt she'd faint on the trip from Heimdall to Meltokio because of her arms wrapped around his waist. He didn't show it on the outside, but he had fine chiseled abs and Sheena almost wondered what he looked like without the shirt…or pants for that matter.
Zelos, mighty woman pleaser extraordinaire, was panicking for the first time that he could remember. For most woman Zelos always used rehearsed lines to sweep them off their feet and it had given him quite the reputation over the years. But for the woman standing before him now, he strangely didn't want to use any of those tactics.
Sheena was strong-willed, even if she didn't see it, and could hold her own in any situation. Other woman Zelos had known couldn't lift a box of hay if their life depended on it for fear of chipping a nail. Sheena was a fierce fighter, and could probably give the self-righteous Chosen a run for his money if not sorely kick his butt in the process.
That was what intrigued Zelos and made him want to treat her differently. But by the Goddess Martel above he couldn't come up with anything to say! Here she was, attending a shallow party because of him, and he couldn't even thank her. Even as plain as she was in her battle robe, she still appeared amazingly exotic, and with the way the moonlight fell upon her raven black hair, she seemed to glow with an inner light.
Clearing his throat, Zelos looked down nervously. "Um…Sheena?" She turned to look at him. "Thanks…you know for coming to the festival and all." His breath catching in his throat, Zelos looked up and immediately regretted it when the two locked eyes.
Sheena was the first to break the intense gaze and instead turned to look at a nearby plant. "Well, you know, since I did kinda helped in the whole saving-the-world thing, I guess I should be here to enjoy it too." Then she froze and her head shot up, surprising Zelos, but he managed to hide his shock. "Not that I don't owe ya for getting me in here. Thanks for talking to the king."
Smiling, Zelos put his arms behind his head and tried his best to hide his nervousness. "No problemo. The king's really taken a 180 on the whole discrimination idea. He already took off most of the bounties and warrants that were issued on the Mizuho ninjas. You guys are in the clear."
Sheena gasped. "You serious?" Then she slugged his side just hard enough to make him wince. "And when were you gonna tell me this? Sometime after I left!?"
Zelos forced a smile through the pain. "It'd be an excuse to go see ya, wouldn't it?"
The comment got Sheena blushing and she quickly turned away. "Yeah well, it's a huge weight off my shoulders…that and of the whole clan so…"
"What is she doing with Master Zelos?" An increasingly annoying voice asked from the side.
Turning, Sheena saw three girls covered in so much lace and frills the summoner almost got dizzy. "W-who are you?"
The middle girl, who wore a palm tree colored dress, scoffed and brought a fan up to cover part of her face. The fan was the same color as the dress and covered in just as much lace. "I should be asking you that question. Aren't you that dirty mercenary from the forest? You shouldn't even be allowed to stand within the same city as Master Zelos!" Her friends laughed and regarded Sheena as if she were some disgusting farm animal.
Zelos rolled his eyes. "Come on now don't…"
"Where the hell do you get off calling me a dirty mercenary?" Sheena asked angrily, stepping forward. "I am a ninja from the Mizuho village and as far as I can tell, I've got more skill and brain in one little finger than you have make-up on right now. Which by the way, doesn't hide the nastiness that is your face, so if I were you I would go back home to daddy and tell him to put me out of my misery. If you hadn't noticed, I was talking to Zelos, okay? Not you, me. So butt out!"
The girl couldn't believe Sheena's words and scoffed with a roll of her eyes. "Come on girls. Master Zelos has obviously lost his taste in women." And with that, the three girls returned to the main hobnob of festivities.
Sheena crossed her arms and sat down on the stones steps. "Man those noble girls really piss me off!"
Behind her, Zelos had his mouth wide open in shock. Usually he had a hell of a time getting rid of air headed girls like that. And yet Sheena had completely insulted their very way of life in two little sentences. "That was…" He paused, trying to think of the right word. "Unexpected."
Turning to glare at him, Sheena demanded, "What? You think I'd let them talk crap about me and get away with it? Not on your life."
Zelos laughed shortly and sat down next to the summoner. Though his feelings for her only grew at that moment, something about the interruption made him rethink his plans. He had all the time in the world, now that he wasn't the Chosen, to tell her how he felt. He'd leave it for another…more appropriate night.
It was a good thing that he did because another interruption came in the form of the royal guard. "Master Zelos?"
Standing up, Zelos took point in front of Sheena. With all the run-ins they had with the Papal Knights, armored soldiers usually meant trouble. "Yes?" He replied carefully.
"The king would like to make an announcement and asked that those from the Chosen group be present. Most of them have already gathered in front of the castle." The guard reported.
Blinking, Zelos eased up a little and nodded. "Of course. We'll be right there."
The soldier bowed curtly and returned to his post.
Sheena swallowed hard and took an uneasy step back. "You…don't think he'll make some big announcement…do you?"
Frowning, Zelos turned around. "Probably. Why?"
Sheena laughed nervously and continued to step backwards. "Well you know, living in hiding, you get used to people not recognizing you, hence the whole disappearing into a crowd thing…"
Smirking, Zelos took a few steps forward, making Sheena more nervous. "Don't tell me you get stage fright." Being in front of people was the way Zelos had been raised and was a daily part of his life, so naturally he'd grown used to it.
"No…of course not." The ninja said unconvincingly. "It's just that, I really didn't do much at all and the rest of you can take my share of the credit…"
Zelos rubbed his chin in thought. "But just a moment ago you said that you did help and should be allowed to enjoy the festival with everyone else."
"I didn't say that." Sheena stuttered, eyes flashing back and forth for a quick exit.
Zelos took one last step forward and scooped up Sheena, throwing her over his shoulder. "Oh, but I insist you come anyways! It wouldn't be fair for you to miss out!" He began making his way back across the overpass towards the castle.
Sheena struggled and tried to break free of his grasp. "Zelos, what do you think you're doing! Put me down!" She fussed. "I can walk there on my own thank you very much!"
"Yeah, but you might run out of me too. And no one runs from Zelos and gets away with it." He laughed, completely enjoying her torture and kept a firm grip on her waist.
"Zelos! Let go!" She continued to struggle. "I mean it!" He suddenly threw her forward and dropped her back down on the ground. Straightening her outfit, she took a deep breath to calm herself. "Thank you."
"Dang Sheena, I never thought he'd have to resort to dragging you here."
Gasping, Sheena turned around and saw Lloyd, along with everyone from the group, the royal family, and behind them was the majority of the citizens of Meltokio. "Oh crap…" The ninja visibly paled.
The group laughed and Sheena ducked behind Zelos, avoiding the curious onlookers as much as possible.
Thankfully, the king cleared his throat and got everyone's attention back on him. "Citizens of Meltokio, I am pleased to present to you a group of warriors who overcame great adversity both within their numbers and against them. They fought against a force that rivaled the Goddess Martel herself in order to save not only the former world of Tethe'alla, but that of its sister world: Sylvarant."
The crowd had a mixed reaction of cheers and hushed voices from those who knew of the other world and those who didn't.
"Their success was due to the fact that they overlooked their differences, whether it be the half-elves or the mysterious Mizuho ninja…" When the king said this, Zelos elbowed Sheena and winked, getting her to swallow nervously. "They managed to work together in order to revive the Great Kharlan Tree, now deemed the Great Viscus Tree, in order to save everyone of all races." The king allowed the crowd to cheer before continuing. "I tell you now we must make the same effort in dissolving the hatred that has grown between us and follow in their footsteps. Only then will the mana tree continue to flourish!"
"Chosen! Chosen! Chosen!" The crowd began to cheer, wishing to hear from both Zelos and Colette.
Smiling, the two chosen exchanged looks and Zelos waved a hand, allowing Colette to take the floor first. The angel girl waited for the people to quiet down before speaking. "During our struggle against the opposition that faced us," Colette restrained from calling it Mithos because the people still clung to the myth of Mithos the hero. That lesson would be for another day. "Many people died for our cause and I don't want their efforts to go unnoticed. For Marble, Dorr, Clara and Kilia, I pray they are able to witness this joyous moment and see this new world full of love and friendship."
Zelos took that moment to step forward. "The Goddess Martel is reawakened and will continue to protect us if we learn to look out for one another. The light we possess within us can make even the tiniest bit of difference and combining that light, will spread our feelings to every corner of the new world. And in doing so, we are capable of anything. No more will there be an age of prosperity and one of desecration. Together, we will make a Golden Age to remember!"
The crowd cheered and clapped, caught up in the new path that had been set before them. The strength and effort a few individuals had shown them would soon reflect in what others did, they would be their role models and teachers. Nothing was impossible with the power of love.
The king held up a goblet and smiled for all to see. "To Martel and the Great Viscus Tree!"
"To Martel!" The crowd echoed and celebrated.
Lloyd smiled, but soon noticed someone was missing. "Hey, I wonder where Dad went…" Walking off to the side, he left the rest of the group to enjoy the spotlight, even though Sheena stayed hidden behind Zelos for most of the time.
Colette saw him leave out of the corner of her eye, but let him go. She knew he needed some alone time and instead turned to chat with the princess. Good luck Lloyd…
Lloyd wondered off away from the town square, expecting that if Kratos wanted to be alone, he definitely wouldn't be there. Lloyd closed his eyes and tried to pick up Kratos' mana signature, like the way Genis could sense mana. He frowned as he tried to focus on which direction the angel had run off too. He knew he wouldn't be able to master the skill the first time, but he wanted to try anyway.
Finally he picked up a flicker to his left and started walking in that direction. Craning his neck he saw just the tip of his father's hair swaying lightly on the evening breeze, high atop the coliseum. Bending his legs, Lloyd jumped from rooftop to rooftop until he landed by his father's side. He made sure not to approach him from behind, because last time he did…he almost lost his life.
Kratos, having sensed Lloyd long before, didn't jump at his abrupt arrival. The angel sat with his legs bent in front of him, enjoying the view of the ocean that could be seen just near the horizon. The full moon shined enough light that it made the dark ocean sparkle with a light blue glow. Without turning to his son, Kratos said, "You do know you can fly now, correct? It would have been easier than jumping."
Taking a seat next to the warrior, Lloyd shrugged, "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I have to misuse them all the time." The answer sounded odd coming from the youth, but he blew it off as maturity finally kicking in. "Altessa did say to be careful and all."
Kratos, when he heard this, raised an eyebrow and looked at Lloyd critically. "What's this? Listening to your elders? You really have changed since I first saw you." Kratos remembered the first time he'd heard Lloyd's name and looked upon the son he thought he'd lost for the very first time. He'd hidden his shock well, but later when he had returned to Derris-Kharlan for his first report back to Mithos, his legs gave out and his hands wouldn't stop shaking.
His son was alive and well. It was more than Kratos could have ever dreamed. But on the negative side, he was now a part of the angel's mission and since he could not reveal his identity without putting the boy in danger, he had to keep it a secret. But through it all, breaking each of the seals and fighting the desians, Kratos made sure his son was safe. Administering first aide and whatever healing arts he could when the boy was injured due to battling monsters.
He was hard on the boy, true, always telling him he was sloppy and had room for improvement, but it was only to make him stronger so that in the long run, he would not fall by another's hand. He owed it to his son to at least teach him how to defend himself…even if it would, in the end, be against him. Kratos struggled with his conscious for a long time, whether to carry out Mithos' mission or not.
It was the same as it was every cycle. Remiel would implant the cruxis crystal and slowly turn the Chosen into an angel, and Kratos would help lead the group and make sure they completed their journey. The cycles between worlds were far enough apart that those who knew Kratos would pass away before it came time for the next Chosen, thus leaving his identity a secret. Yet every time the Chosen did not meet with Martel's specific mana signature, and Mithos' attempt to revive her failed, Kratos had to watch mere children perish before his eyes.
"I've got you to thank for a lot of it." Lloyd replied to Kratos' scrutinizing remark with a smile. "If you hadn't spared with me all those times, I don't think I would've been able to defeat any of the desians, let alone Mithos himself." Sighing, he turned to looking at the ocean along with his father. "I'm sorry it had to come to that…Mithos and all. Genis tried to talk to him but…"
"No, it's alright." Kratos cut him off. "In the beginning, the four of us would've died to protect any one of the others. When Martel passed away, Mithos changed and although Yuan and myself remained by his side, it was obvious his motives had changed as well." The angel paused, thinking he was revealing too much, and changed the subject. "Anyways, what happened was for the best."
"Sometimes I wonder…" Lloyd said sadly. "I swore after Iselia no more people would have to die. But there were so many other victims, Mithos included…I feel like I somehow failed."
"Death comes for everyone and it's not always clear why." Kratos explained. "You cannot prevent all death, but through your actions and those of your companions, you have saved infinitely more than you know." Kratos suddenly stood and looked down at Lloyd seriously. "With the Tower of Salvation gone, I'm going to need you to use the Eternal Sword to send me to Derris Kharlan."
Mouth dropping open, Lloyd jumped to his feet. "What? Why?" He hadn't even gotten to asking his father about joining his journey yet.
"There are things that I must take care of there. You needn't worry about draining your mana while using the sword anymore, now that you are a half-angel. And when I am finished, I will send you word and you can bring me back." Kratos placed a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "This will not be forever, but it is something I must do."
Lloyd's head drooped for a moment before he raised it again and forced a smile. "I know and I can come visit you anytime as long as I have the sword, right?"
Kratos nodded. "Of course, but won't you be busy with your own mission?"
Lloyd shrugged. "It'll take a while to hunt down all the exspheres, especially since Tethe'alla used them so abundantly." Craning up, Lloyd looked his father in the eye and asked nervously. "W-when you're done, you know on Derris-Kharlan, do you think…?"
"I would be honored." Kratos smiled and turned back towards the festival. "I believe you're missing out on all the festivities."
"Nah, I've had my share. Besides, I'd rather be here with you." Lloyd admitted before sitting back down.
Kratos was shocked and regarded his son carefully. Though the angel would once again be forced to withhold the truth from his son, something told him everything would work out just fine. Lloyd depended on Kratos and accepted him despite everything, something the former Angel of Cruxis was infinitely grateful for. After fifteen years, Kratos doubted the boy would want anything to do with him, but Lloyd had shown him differently, and he would not waste his second chance.
If Kratos did his part right, and Lloyd did his, the threat that Kratos feared would be easily dealt with and he could spend the rest of his life making it up to his son. He would be the true father he always wanted to be… not only for himself, but for Anna as well.
Author's Notes: I went back and did a little editing to chapter one and Kratos' flashback. With what they give you in the game, it's hard to piece together everything. So, they way I figure it: Kratos finds out about Mithos' Age of Lifeless Beings and comes down to Earth. He meets Anna and they evade Cruxis for three plus years. Later Anna is captured and Lloyd is kept hidden with Kratos while the angel figures out a way to free her. He visits her as Kratos: the Angel of Cruxis and plans to escape with her when Kvar finds Lloyd and removes Anna's exsphere prematurely. Later scenes will reveal more of the in between, but that's pretty much the timeline as I understand it.