Wow…my first flamer. They kind of suck, don't they? Oh, well, what will be, will be. Sometimes, people won't like you or something about you. Ick, I'm beginning to sound like a philosopher. No more outta me. On with the show!

Syphonian freak: whoa! That went kind of fast! Thanks for reading my story. You'll just hafta wait and see who the bad guy is…

Vocalsama: I meant that I sounded corny, not you! Thanks again for the niceness! (is that a word?)

RoGuE-WhItE-DrAgOn: like the pen name! Thanks for reviewing. Was it really suspenseful? Cool!

Melody of Shadows: I agree completely! Cliffhangers are a good invention. I still haven't fully decided on the villain, but I think I've just about got it narrowed down…(all-knowing look on face)

Rowena Raven: I've never finished the whole devils arms thing, so I don't know much about Abyssion. Sorry to disappoint! Thanks for reviewing, though! (I've started a new file, and that'll be one of the things I'll do.)

Mooncannon: not a fan of Gesea, huh? Like I said, there'll be some couplings, but not much. Wait and see; I almost got the villain decided!

GoldenSunGeek: I don't get it either, It just suddenly popped into my head. Thanks for reviewing, glad you like it.

Jacco2008: I'm sorry if you don't like the game, but if you don't like it, then why'd you read my story? Think before you act!

Well, enough of the formalities. Here we go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia, Namco does. Lucky!

Chapter 3

After staying in Altamira another day, they had decided that , instead of sending Regal's messengers, Lloyd and Kratos would go get Genis, Raine and Colette, while regal would track down the other three. After a brief departure (Lloyd being forced to rise early again), they went their separate ways to find their friends.

Two days later found Lloyd and Kratos camped out in a field, next to a small rocky outcrop. The sun was just beginning to set, painting the sky with differing shades of yellow, red, and violet.

They sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the night animals as they stirred from their day-long slumbers. Lloyd was preparing a dinner of meat stew over a small fire, while Kratos studied the map they had brought along.

"Hmm… If I remember correctly, then Heimdall should be somewhere around here," he said, pointing to a spot east of Triet. Looking up from the dinner he was preparing, Lloyd glanced at the spot Kratos was pointing at. "how far away are we from there?" he asked, returning to stirring the stew.

After thinking for a while, Kratos pointed to a spot on the map Southwest of where Meltokio supposedly stood. "we should be somewhere near Palmacosta," he said, "We might be able to see if a boat can take us over to the Iselia continent."

After dinner, they sat around the fire, contentedly silent for a while. Looking around at the grassy vegetation, Lloyd noticed a forest off in the distance. He glanced at it, turned away, then did a double-take.

Even though it was far away, the faint glow of a fire could be seen coming from between the trees. "Hey, guys" he said, pointing to the spot, "look over there." Looking over, Kratos saw the distant flames as well. Drawing their weapons, they got up slowly and headed for the spot.

As they drew closer, they could see that a tent had been set up near the fire. It was a lot

bigger than either of them had ever seen. They couldn't see who owned the tent, so they guessed he or she was inside.

When they reached the outskirts of the campsite, they stopped and scoped the place for any signs of danger. Kratos, having seen none, was about to enter the firelight when he heard Lloyd laughing quietly. "What is so funny?" he asked, turning towards his son.

Lloyd could barely answer for laughing. "Do you notice, hahahahaha…do you notice anything special about that tent! Hahahahaha!"

Looking back at the tent, Kratos realized just how pink the tent was. He was hard-pressed to not burst out laughing himself. "When did he learn to pitch a tent?" Lloyd said, chuckling while he spoke. Kratos smiled and walked into the firelight, followed by Lloyd, who by now had managed to control his mirth.

"Let's see if that trick you pulled on me will work here," said Lloyd, a evil glint in his eyes. Kratos nodded, and went about building up the fire. "someone may need to stop him from running out into the woods in panic," he said, a small smile on his face.

Inside the tent, Lloyd looked down on the former-chosen of Tethe'alla. Only his head stook out of the sleeping bag he was using. Zelos Wilder looked just the way he did during the journey, though his red hair was now down to his waist.

As he drew his sword, an Idea crossed Lloyd's mind, and he resheathed it. Leaning down so he was right next to Zelos' ear, he spoke in a soft voice. "Zelos, wake up. There's a whole bunch of girls in bikinis outside waiting for you."

ZOOOM! Zelos tore out of the sleeping bag, plowed through Lloyd, and literally dived out of the tent. "Come to me, my hunnies!" he yelled, before his face found dirt with a THUD.

Lloyd had fallen over from laughing. Even Kratos was chuckling as he helped up a bemused Zelos. "Are you… alright?" he asked, a smile spread across his face. Zelos looked around the campsite, hoping to see any sign of a hot girl in a two-piece. "Yeah, I guess so…" he turned to Lloyd, who was still lying on the ground, laughing. "Why didn't you just wake me up like a normal human being?" he asked, annoyed.

"What, and not have any fun?" Lloyd said, finally controlling his mirth enough for him to stand up. Zelos, in his traditional pink vest and white pants, sat down by the fire, muttering something about hoping a meteor would hit them all.

"So, what brings the chosen all the way out here?" Kratos said, leaning his back against a tree. He didn't really like sitting, it took too long to get into a battle stance. Zelos looked up from the fire.

"Well, I don't know if you knew this, but a little while ago, I was attacked by some…" he began, but was interrupted by Lloyd." Yeah, we know, Regal showed us the letter. We were also attacked by the same guys." He said.

Zelos looked surprised, but recovered quickly. "Oh, ok then, saves me the time to explain that. Anyway, I got a little worried when I didn't hear anythin', so I decided to go meet up with everyone."

Kratos and Lloyd exchanged glances, then Lloyd asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "really, you were gonna come meet up with us?" Zelos nodded, then he seemed to enter a daydream. "yeah. I was gonna start with Sheena, then go get Colette. From there, we'd go get Presea, then Raine and the brat… I mean, Genis." He looked up at them to see them shaking their heads.

Figures he'd start with all the women in the group, Lloyd thought. While he explained what they were doing out here, Kratos silently crept behind the tree and out of sight from the camp.

As he took a short walk through the woods, he argued with himself. "she is just a friend, no one could replace Anna," he said aloud, swishing at the grass with his sword.

Then why did your heart beat so much faster when he said her name?

Kratos stopped for a minute to think of a reply, but none came. Finally, out of irritation, he swung his sword at a nearby bush. It sliced right through it, startling a fox that was using it for cover. As he watched the creature run off through the underbrush, the voice spoke again.

All those nights you stayed up talking to her, you developed feelings for her. When she slept, you would stare at her, wishing you could be at her side, holding her, running your fingers through that long, silver hair…

"leave me alone!" he said, softly but dripping with menace.

Fine, I'll leave. But, you know, you'll never be rid of me until you find out how she feels.

He stood there a moment longer, contemplating what the voice had said. Then, he walked slowly back to the campsite, where he was able to slip in unnoticed. Lloyd and Zelos had evidently been deep in conversation about the armored soldiers, and hadn't even seen Kratos leave.

"…Well," said Lloyd, yawning wide, "We won't learn anything more until we see them again." He stood up, stretched, then looked at Kratos. "we need to go get our tent. We left it back there a ways."

Kratos nodded, then followed him towards their tent, while Zelos stumbled sleepily into his own.

Far away, in the tall tower in the remote mountains, the tall man sat in his throne, watching the figure of Kazanjian kneeling in front of him. With a flick of his wrist, he beckoned the captain to rise. "make your report," he said, in a bored voice.

"My lord," Kazanjian began, a bead of sweat running down his face, "my soldiers and I encountered Zelos wilder, Lloyd Irving and Kratos Aurion, but we weren't able to capture them. The chosen was almost beaten, but he managed to defeat us with the help of his butler. As for the other two , we ambushed them twice, but they detected us and beat us both times. Please forgive me, my lord." He finished, looking very scared.

The man gazed down at the quivering captain for a second, then stood up slowly. Walking down the set of stairs that led to his throne, he stood over Kazanjian, an unreadable expression on his face. Kazanjian braced himself, prepared for the worst.

After what seemed like an eternity, the tall man spoke. "I did not expect you to capture Lloyd and Kratos," he said, fingering the reddish-black medallion that always hung from his neck, "those two are much more powerful than you." Kazanjian swallowed, relieved to not be punished.

"However," said the man towering over him, causing him to freeze once more, "I had thought you more than capable to bring in the chosen." His voice was dripping with anger and disgust.

Raising his left hand, he watched as it began to glow red hot. Looking back down, he spoke, his voice working itself into a shout, "that's twice you've failed me now. The first time, I left you with a warning, one that you swore I would never have to fulfill. This time, however, I think I'll make the message a little more clear!" lunging down, he grabbed the captain's upper arm with his still-glowing left hand.

Kazanjian screamed as his master's hand burned through his arm, leaving a stump and a disembodied appendage as the aftermath. Turning away, he walked over to the projector, speaking as he went. "This time, I took your arm. The next time you fail me, I'll take much more. Go now, leave me in peace."

Eyes screwed up in pain, he bowed low to his master then stumbled out of the room, clutching his severed arm with his remaining one.

As he listened to the soldier exit the room, he switched on the projector and located the two tents in the small forest clearing. He watched for a while, then spoke to the form of Kratos, once again on sentry duty.

"Rest easy, Kratos. Soon, you will be begging me for forgiveness, begging me not send you to hell, the very place which I escaped, but death will not come. I will leave you, your son, all of them, I will make them suffer until death becomes a dream to them!"

wow, wasn't expecting that evil guy to be so violent. Tell me watcha think, ladies and germs… and, please, no flamers!