A/N: Well, here is chapter 2. I hope that you enjoy it.
The mile long walk to the Temple had so far been exceptionally quiet. Lloyd had only been attacked one time, and that had been by an abnormal sized skull before he even left the village gate. Having walked the areas outside of Iselia several times before, Lloyd knew quite well how many monsters to expect as he made his way to the temple. Surprisingly though, Lloyd had not seen any.
"What the hell…" Lloyd wondered aloud. "Shouldn't there be at least a few monsters around here? It's almost like there is something that has scared them all away."
Walking about a hundred more yards, Lloyd's ears picked up on the sound of a battle. 'Sounds pretty intense, I'd better check it out,' he told himself. Picking up his pace Lloyd began running as quickly as his legs would carry him. He was slowed some yards later by having to climb a rather large hill. He also didn't realize just how close to the battle he was until he reached the top of the hill. What he saw made his blood run cold. At the bottom of the hill was a young woman about his age dressed in a large purple, sleeveless robe, skin tight black pants, purple gloves/sleeves that extended up to the middle of her upper arms and a wearing a large pink sash tied in a bow around her waist. That wasn't what had him frightened though, it was what she was fighting. In front of the woman was a gigantic four-armed skeleton wielding a massive sword in each hand, and it was radiating an evil aura. It was also screaming of untapped power. Turning his attention back to the woman, he noticed that she seemed to be holding her own with those weird cards she was using, but he was unsure of how long that would last. Deciding that now was definitely not the time to be admiring her fighting style Lloyd drew the blades that his father had given him two years ago after his return from wherever it is they went every year, and rushed down to give the woman his assistance.
'How the hell do I keep getting myself into these things?' the young woman asked herself as she dodged the demon's flurry of sword swipes, retaliating with her own attacks. 'I'm barely even damaging this thing! If I don't find a way out of this soon, I'm going to be in trouble….'
"Ahhh…" she screamed out, pain lancing through her body as the demonic creature caught her with the flat of one of its blades, sending her flying through the air. "Ungh," she let out the piercing wail as her body slammed into the hard ground. Struggling to get to her feet proved to be futile as the impact had left her dizzy and disoriented. She was able only to watch as the unknown enemy prepared to issue the final strike. Fully expecting to meet her end at the hands of this beast, she was shocked when a rage filled voice broke through the battlefield.
"GET AWAY FROM HER," Lloyd shouted, an inexplicable rage filling him at the thought of this creature stealing the woman's life. Leaping into the fray before the demon could identify the new threat; Lloyd launched himself into the air and attacked the enemy's exposed back. Twisting while in mid-air, Lloyd spun like a top delivering several powerful blows to its spine. Landing on the same part that he had just attacked as the demonic skeleton hunched forward from the pain, he ran up to its head. Jumping back into the air once on top of its head, Lloyd did a 180° twist and flip, readying himself for the sword-first dive into the thing's skull.
The young woman watched in awe as the young man who was in the process of saving her perform what would surely be a killing blow to whatever this thing is. The sound that was made from the beasts shattering skull was almost sickening, as was seeing the thing's black blood spew out with the swordsman as he exited through the bottom of the demon's mouth. Miraculously though, the swordsman didn't seem to have any blood coating him, almost as though there was some sort of mystic barrier preventing it from settling on him. Her awe soon turned to panic though as she realized that the thing was going to collapse directly on top of her.
Knowing what would happen even before his attack was executed; Lloyd quickly sheathed both his swords and did another twist in mid-air to bring him facing the direction of the immobile woman. Landing in a roll, Lloyd was almost immediately on his feet. Rushing to the woman, he quickly gathered her in his arms and dove out of the way only seconds before the beaten demon crashed down right where they had been. Coming out of the dive in a crouch facing the thing, Lloyd and the young woman were able to catch the words it spoke.
"…stronger…fight…again…" whispered the skeleton, its voice dark and foreboding sending chills down both of their bodies. Then, as if being pulled into another realm, the creature slowly faded away.
Shocked at what they had just witnessed, neither person moved for several seconds. Finally, Lloyd broke out of his stupor and spoke.
"Well, you certainly don't see something like that everyday," he said, racking his brain to try and figure out where the thing had disappeared to.
"No, you don't," she agreed. "At least, not where I come from," she stated as an afterthought.
"I wonder what it meant by it's words?" he asked aloud, another mystery replacing the one that he had decided to ask the Professor about.
"My guess would be that we haven't seen the last of that thing yet," she replied, giving him her thoughts.
"You're probably right miss…" he said, finally taking his eyes from the spot where the thing had fallen, only to find his breath stolen from him as he got his first good look at who he held in his arms. 'Beautiful…' he heard his mind say.
"Oh, sorry; it's Sheena, Sheena Fujibayashi. And you are…" she asked, stopping mid sentence as she looked up at him, only to find herself quickly lost in his soulful brown eyes.
Neither one knew how long they stared at each other, nor did they care. Finally though, Lloyd's mind processed what she had said.
"Yeah, right; I'm Lloyd Aurion. It's a pleasure to meet you Sheena," he answered, a warm smile spreading across his face, his mind unable to believe how comfortable he felt like this.
"Likewise," she said, her own soft smile finding its way onto her face. She, too, was amazed at how…right…it felt.
"Can you stand?" Lloyd asked her gently.
"I'm not sure," she answered hesitantly. "But there is only one way to find out, right."
Nodding once in agreement, Lloyd slowly stood up and gently placed Sheena on her feet. Steadying her by placing his hands on her waist, Lloyd did not fully release her until he was positive that she would not fall over.
"Well, at least you can stand," he said to her. "Care to try walking?"
Taking a single step forward, Sheena immediately regretted it as a new wave of pain struck. Falling forward, she was quickly caught in the safety of Lloyd's arms.
"Easy there, I got you," he whispered as she clutched her side in a vain attempt to dull the pain.
"Dammit," she cursed, bringing an amused smile to Lloyd' face. "I think some of my ribs are broken."
"Then we'd better get you to the temple," Lloyd told her, his voice becoming firm, leaving no room for argument. "Here, get on my back. I'll carry you," he ordered, turning slowly so that she would not lose her balance.
"Guess I don't have a choice," she muttered, wrapping her arms around his neck as he placed his hands under her thighs and slowly picked her up.
"Now let's just hope that no monsters decide to attack us," Lloyd said as he began walking in the direction of the temple.
"No worries, got that covered," she replied smirking. "Corrine!"
Before Lloyd had the chance to ask what she meant by that, he saw a large puff of smoke appear beside him. Somewhat wary of what this could be, he completely deadpanned whenever the smoke cleared. Standing beside him, was what appeared to be a small fox-like creature with three fluffy green tails.
"Uh, Sheena?" he asked, completely confused at this new creature.
"Lloyd, meet Corrine. He's Summon Spirit," she said to him, feeling unusually proud at her ability to summon.
"A Summon Spirit?" he exclaimed. "That can't be right. The Summon Spirits are located at the seals, and even if he was then that would make you a Summoner. But those arts were lost ages ago."
"Corrine's an artificial Summon Spirit. He was made in a lab. And technically, I'm a Guardian User, it just so happens that I can also Summon," she explained to him.
"That still doesn't explain how you can use arts that were lost a long time ago," he stated, slightly turning his head to look at her.
"Well, I'm not exactly from anywhere around here," she said, hoping to get around the mess she had gotten herself into.
"Then what brings you here to Iselia?" he questioned, respecting her wish to not elaborate further on her homeland.
"It's a long story, not one I wish to get into. At least, not right now anyway," she whispered, sounding almost ashamed.
"Then I won't pressure you," he said gently.
"Sheena, I sense a monster nearby, want me to go get rid of it?" asked Corrine.
"Yeah, go do that any time you sense one," she commanded.
"That's going to take some getting used to," said Lloyd as he watched the little spirit run off in the direction of whatever it was he sensed.
"Yeah, guess you've never seen anything like him before have you?" she asked laughingly. "hiss Remind me not to laugh, would you."
"Sure," he told her, nodding his head once. "And no, I can't say that I have. Are things like him normal where you come from?"
"First, Corrine's not a 'thing', he's my best friend," she told him curtly. "And no, he's completely unique."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," he apologized. "I just couldn't think of another way to word it."
"I'm sorry, too," she said, somewhat dejectedly. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It's just, that happens a lot and it hurts his feelings."
"I understand," he told her. "If I were him, it would probably hurt my feelings, too…look were almost there."
"So that's the Martel Temple, huh," she said. "I thought it would be bigger."
"Is this where you were headed before that thing attacked you?" he asked calmly.
"Yeah, for the moment anyway," she replied. "Corrine said he could feel 'himself' in there; whatever that means."
"He could feel himself?" Lloyd repeated, looking back at Sheena once again. "Maybe he's not as artificial as you think," he offered, turning his attention back to their approaching destination.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked him, utterly confused.
"Well, I'd imagine that it would pretty hard to try and create something like a Summon Spirit. Maybe he all ready existed and was just, I don't know, reformed or something," he reasoned.
"You know, now that you mention it, it just doesn't seem possible to create anything, let alone something as complex as a Summon Spirit," she said, wondering why she had never thought of that before.
"You mean you've never thought about that before?" he questioned, unable to believe that she hadn't.
"No, I haven't," she answered, shaking her head. "He was just there, and he was my friend so I never questioned it. Friends aren't something I have an abundant supply of," she added, instinctively hugging herself closer to him.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked gently, slightly embarrassed by her closeness, though defiantly not uncomfortable from it.
"Forget it," she said. "It's not important."
"Well, I don't know what all's happened in your past, but I'd like to be your friend, too, if you'll let me," Lloyd said to her as he stopped in front of the stairs that lead to the temple, his voice warm and gentle.
"Do you really mean that?" she asked him, her voice hopeful at the thought of having another friend.
"If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have said it," he told her, his voice still warm and gentle.
"Thank you," she whispered, wanting to hug him tightly, but afraid that it could cause further damage if she did. "You have no idea how much that means to me."
"Maybe not," he replied. "But now, we need to focus on getting you to the priests so they can check your wounds. Are you ready?"
"Yeah, just don't bounce too much," she told him, somewhat weakly.
"Here I go then," he said gently, as he began what was sure to be a slow climb up the steps.
After about five minutes of slow, cautious steps, they reached the top of the stairs and were greeted by Collette's grandmother, Phaidra.
"My heavens!" she exclaimed upon seeing Lloyd carrying the injured Sheena. "What on earth happened?"
"She was attacked by some giant demonic skeleton," he answered calmly. "As tall as it was, I'm surprised that you didn't see it from here."
"No, child, we've been awaiting your arrival," she stated, light anxiousness seeping into her voice. "What became of it?"
"We're not really sure," Sheena replied, drawing Phaidra's attention to her. "It just disappeared after Lloyd drilled through its skull."
"Drilled through its skull?" she repeated, not bothering to hide her shock at the brutality of his actions.
"It was the only way I could think of to dispose of it quickly," Lloyd stated in his defense.
"Even so…" she started, her voice chiding.
"I don't want to be rude, Phaidra," Lloyd interrupted. "But we think that that thing broke some of Sheena's ribs, can you check and be sure?"
"Of course," she agreed, temporarily setting aside her desire to chide the young man. "Bring her into the temple and we will see about checking her injuries."
"Oh, hey Sheena?" asked Lloyd as he followed Phaidra into the temple.
"Yeah," she replied.
"Where's Corrine?"
"Oh, he's probably back to wherever it is Summon Spirits stay when they're not needed," she answered. "Why?"
"Well, it's just that I figured that he would have met back up with us once we reached the temple, that's all," he replied, beating down his urge to shrug his shoulders.
"Bring her inside here Lloyd," said Phaidra, opening a hidden doorway at the other end of the entry room, ending Lloyd and Sheena's conversation.
Nodding wordlessly, Lloyd entered the room, which turned out to be a small infirmary.
"Set her on the bed," Phaidra told him from the doorway.
The bed, Lloyd noticed, was actually more of a raised cot, though he didn't comment on this. Walking over to it, he stopped when his legs were touching it and turned around. Slowly crouching down, Lloyd released his hold on Sheena when he felt that she was securely on the bed. Sheena, however, was slightly more hesitant to let go and held on for a couple of seconds more. Standing back up, Lloyd turned to look at Phaidra.
"What now?" he asked her, wondering if it would really be proper for him to be in the room with them.
"Go directly across from this door," she told him. "There is another door at that spot, inside you will find a priest who will inform you of your duties and responsibilities when the Oracle arrives."
"All right, thanks," he said before turning back to Sheena.
'Oh god…' she thought to herself, her face becoming pale. 'What am I going to do? Lloyd obviously knows the Chosen of Mana and I'm here to kill her!'
"Sheena, you okay?" he asked, concerned at the paleness of her face.
"Ye...yeah, I'm fine. Just a fresh wave of pain, that's all," she lied, hating that she had to. 'It's not like I have a choice in the matter," she thought bitterly. 'Everyone back home is counting on me.'
"Guess I'd better leave so you can get checked out then," he said, walking to the door. Stopping at Phaidra he continued. "Let me know what you find, if it's too bad I'll take you to see the Professor and she can use her healing arts on you, okay."
"Yeah, sure," she answered timidly. "I'll see you later then."
"Yeah," he agreed, nodding his head once before leaving the room and closing the door.
"Now dear, let's check those ribs of yours," stated Phaidra as she walked up to Sheena. "Please take off that robe."
Nodding her head once, Sheena undid her sash and let her robe fall off her arms.
"This may hurt a bit…Sheena, was it?" she asked, wanting to be sure she had heard correctly.
"Yeah, it's Sheena," Sheena replied. "And go ahead, this won't be the first time and it probably won't be the last."
"Very well," complied Phaidra before reaching out to check Sheena's ribs.
"hiss…that one's definitely broke," Sheena said as Phaidra checked her fourth rib on her injured side.
"Yes, it is," Phaidra agreed. "And it seems to be a nasty one at that. We'll definitely have to let Raine heal you. But don't worry; she should be here to check on Lloyd in a couple of hours."
"What is it he's doing…if you don't mind my asking," asked Sheena as she tried to ignore the pain in her side, curious as to how he would be involved in the Oracle.
"Hmm, well…I see no harm in it," stated Phaidra. "Lloyd will be guarding Collette as she goes through the trial to accept the Oracle. Therefore, he must become aware of the rules that must be followed, lest Collette be refused."
"So…the Chosen's name is Collette?" questioned Sheena curiously.
"That is correct," answered Phaidra. "My dear granddaughter is such a sweet child, and she's like a sister to Lloyd. Though I would have felt better if Kratos had been here to take Lloyd's place, Lloyd will guard her with his life," she continued, not knowing that she was only increasing Sheena's plight.
"Who…?" she asked, trying to not think about what she had gotten herself into.
"Oh, forgive me. Kratos is Lloyd's father. He is amazingly strong and taught Lloyd all that he knows about fighting," said Phaidra.
"Is there any reason why he can't guard her?" asked Sheena, hoping that she might be able to get out of having to possibly fight Lloyd.
"Perhaps, but only if the Oracle delays longer than expected. Kratos left with his wife, Lloyd's mother Anna, earlier today to visit a friend."
"Wait, if the Oracle is going to be appearing soon, shouldn't he have postponed his trip?" asked Sheena incredulously.
"He doesn't know that the Oracle will soon arrive. We didn't want him to be forced to delay his trip, so we didn't tell him," Phaidra said, understanding how what she had said could upset the young woman in front of her. "Enough of that though, tell me dear, how old are you?"
"Huh…oh, I'm nineteen, why?" answered, confused by the sudden question.
"You're the same age as Lloyd. You all grow up so fast. I can remember when he was nothing but a babe as if it were yesterday," she stated, becoming nostalgic. "Such a good boy, mischievous, but good nonetheless…oh, but I'm becoming nostalgic aren't I? I'm sure that you don't want to hear my ramblings."
"No, no…it's okay," Sheena said reassuringly. "I really don't mind. It's something to pass the time until this Raine person gets here."
"Well, if you're sure…" Phaidra started, waiting for Sheena's agreement before continuing. "Let me tell you about the time that he…"
Listening attentively to Phaidra's memories of Lloyd's childhood antics, Sheena was unable to stop the growth of the feelings of betrayal that she was feeling. The knowledge that she was going to have to assassinate the girl who was so much Lloyd's sister was beginning to eat her alive, from the inside out. And if she had to be perfectly honest with herself, she was almost positive that she would find that she would be unable to carry out her assignment.
…
Closing the door behind him, Lloyd walked over to other side of the room and quickly found the door that Phaidra had told him about. Rapping gently on the closed door, Lloyd waited until it opened.
"Ah, Lloyd," said the priest who opened the door. "I've been expecting you, please come in and we will get started. You have several things you need to learn and we may have only minimal time to cover them," he added as he stepped aside and motioned for Lloyd to sit in the chair on that side of the desk.
Nodding once, Lloyd walked in and took his place in the offered seat. He then watched the priest make his way back over to the seat opposite him and sit down, resting his elbows on the desk and his chin on his fists.
"Let's begin," the priest stated. "The first thing that you need to know is that excessive violence is prohibited. This is a temple, not a slaughter-house. The next thing you need to know is that though it will be your job to guard Collette, it is not your job to fight for her. The trial she will undergo is for her. You are merely support. The third thing…"
'I can feel it now,' Lloyd thought to himself. 'I'm going to be here for a while. Guess I better get situated and memorize these rules,' he continued, quickly storing each rule in his mind, though occasionally having to stop the priest and make him repeat one. 'Yep, definitely going to take a while.'
Two hours later…
As soon as her classes had ended for the day, Raine Sage had immediately set off for the temple to check up on Lloyd. Though she had no doubt that he would know everything he needed to know by the time the Oracle arrived, she also knew that Lloyd had some rather uncommon learning habits; ones that she was sure only Lloyd himself, his parents, and she knew about. Actually, if it had not been for the help of Anna, she was quite sure that she would never have found them. Though Lloyd Aurion was anything but dumb, his greatest talents most assuredly lay on the battlefield, and that showed in his learning style.
'I've never seen anyone treat so many things like they were battles,' she thought to herself as she neared the Martel Temple. 'Though I will admit that it does work quite well for him.'
Several minutes later, Raine found herself standing in front of the temple doors. Shoving aside her desire to thoroughly study it, she entered the temple and walked to the hidden door that Phaidra had shown her. Raising her hand to knock, she was more than surprised when the door suddenly opened.
"Whoa," Lloyd called out, not expecting to find someone on the other side of the door.
"I take it that you are finished?" Raine asked, quickly regaining her composure from the shock.
"Yeah, I am," he replied, still standing in the doorway.
"Would you mind closing the door Lloyd?" questioned the priest irritably. "These rooms are hidden for a reason you know."
"Wha…oh, right. Sorry about that," he said, apologizing as he left the room and closed the door.
"It seems as though my trip here was wasted," Raine stated calmly.
"Maybe not," Lloyd told her as he began walking to the other hidden room.
"And what, exactly, do you mean by that?" she asked, curious at why her presence in the temple might be required.
"Come on and you'll see," he answered as he opened the other door.
Her curiosity peaked by his mysterious words, Raine followed wordlessly and entered the room.
"Hey Sheena," greeted Lloyd as he made his way over to her. "How are your ribs?"
"Broken and painful," she replied dryly.
"Well now, is this what you meant Lloyd?" asked Raine, seemingly unconcerned by what she had just heard.
"Yeah, it was Professor. Do you think you could heal her?" he questioned, his voice slightly pleading for her to agree.
"sigh I suppose," she answered with mock exasperation. "Please move away from her," she commanded, pulling out her Rod.
Watching as both Lloyd and Phaidra moved away from the woman in question, she walked over to her when they were both a suitable distance away.
"Lie down and relax," Raine said softly, watching as Sheena gingerly lay down on the cot.
Once Sheena was relaxed, Raine held her Rod over Sheena's chest and closed her eyes in concentration. Slowly, the top of the Rod began to glow a faint green. Then, after several seconds, the glow passed from her Rod down into Sheena's body, mending the damage that had been caused. About thirty seconds later, the glow subsided and Raine stepped back.
Sitting up, Sheena gently touched her ribs and found that they were completely healed. Smiling brightly, she looked up at the woman who had healed her and thanked her.
"Thanks, um…Raine?" she said, unsure if this was the woman that Phaidra had talked about.
"That's right," she replied, a small smile working its way onto her face. "And you're welcome. But how exactly were you injured?"
Casting a glance over at Lloyd, Sheena told Raine about how she had been attacked by the giant demonic skeleton and how she would most likely be dead if it weren't for Lloyd's surprise assault on the beast.
"Hmm…I wonder…" whispered Raine, bringing her left hand up to her chin.
"You wonder what?" Lloyd asked curiously.
"Nothing, never mind; I'll need to actually see it before I can make a conjecture as to what it might be," she told him, waving her hand as if trying to physically dismiss the subject. "And at any rate, it would probably be in our best interests for you to head on over to Dirk's. We'll need you back in Iselia shortly after dawn in preparation for the Oracle."
"If that the case, then wouldn't it just be better for me to stay at home?" Lloyd asked. "After all, it's not like I'm ten anymore."
"He makes a good point Raine," said Phaidra. "And besides that, since there is no inn in Iselia Sheena will need someplace to stay."
"Huh…oh, no, I'm perfectly capable of camping out," Sheena told them, embarrassed at Phaidra's suggestion. "Besides, I really don't want to be a bother to anyone."
"It's no bother Sheena," Lloyd said gently, somewhat embarrassed himself. "There's plenty of room, and not only that, I think it might rain tonight so it would be best if you stayed with someone."
"The question that this situation poses is… can the two of you behave yourselves without supervision?" Raine questioned, thoroughly enjoying their embarrassment at the suggestion.
"Professor!" "Raine!" shouted Lloyd and Sheena, both flushed a very nice shade of crimson.
"Do your reactions mean that there is something forming between the two of you?" she asked, continuing her assault on the two.
"We just met Professor!" Lloyd said indignantly. "How can there be anything between us?"
"Yeah, what he said," agreed Sheena.
"Calm down you two, I'm only teasing," she told them, laughing to herself. "I also think that it's a good idea."
"Well," Lloyd stated, turning to face Sheena. "Is that okay with you?"
"I… guess," she replied slowly. "If you're sure that my staying won't be bothersome."
"Haven't I all ready commented on that?" he asked playfully, his blush severely lightening.
"Yeah, you did," she replied, her voice lightly tinged with worry.
"Now that that has been settled, I will assume that our business here is concluded," Raine stated, returning to her usual indifference.
"I require nothing else, if Lloyd has finished what he came here for," commented Phaidra.
"Then I suppose that we will be on our way then…come along you two," commanded Raine, motioning for Lloyd and Sheena to follow her as she walked out of the room.
"Have a safe trip back," Phaidra said, watching as Lloyd and Sheena turned and waved goodbye.
"What a nice young woman," Phaidra said to herself. "Though I can't help but feel that she is hiding something," she added, hoping that whatever it was would not cause them any trouble.
…
"Finally," exclaimed Anna, as she and Kratos entered the Triet Ranch. "I swear, it takes longer to get here each time."
"That would be because the monsters grow more numerous with each year, Anna," Kratos told her.
"It is so odd," started Anna quietly.
"What is?" Kratos asked when she didn't elaborate.
"You would think that there would be fewer monsters as the mana supply lessened, not more," she told him, curious as to why she had never thought of it before. "So why is the opposite true?"
"…You know, I'm afraid that I don't have an answer to that," he replied, completely at a loss for once.
"Maybe Mithos knows," she stated calmly.
"Perhaps," agreed Kratos. "But is it really necessary to know?"
"It doesn't bother you?" she asked incredulously.
"Not especially, no," he said, somewhat indifferently.
"I…" Anna started.
"Lord Kratos, and Lady Anna," interrupted Forcystus. "A pleasure to see you again."
"Likewise," returned Kratos.
"I shall inform Lord Yggdrasill that you are here," Forcystus told them, before turning on his heel and walking down the corridor.
"I really do not like that man," seethed Anna, glaring at the spot the Grand Cardinal had occupied moments before.
"I can't quite say that I do either," Kratos stated, his voice harboring the lightest tinge of crossness. "But he is one of Mithos' Cardinals, so there is not much that we can do about him."
"That doesn't make me like him any more," she huffed, stepping into her husband's side so she could lean against him.
"I know, Anna," he whispered softly. "But we won't have to be around him for very long."
"Speaking of which, why is it taking them so long?" she asked curiously, raising her face to look at Kratos.
"Knowing Mithos, he is probably in the containment room with Martel so they will have to relay the message of our arrival," he explained.
"You're probably right," she replied, sighing with boredom as they waited to be transported to Derris Kharlan.
…
"I don't understand why Lord Yggdrasill allows those inferior humans such privileges," muttered Forcystus as he strode into the communications room. "I don't care if Kratos was his companion from 4000 years ago. He is still noting but a retched human."
Walking over to the holo com-link, Forcystus opened the signal to Derris Kharlan. Almost immediately, he was confronted by the image of Pronyma.
"Tell Lord Yggdrasill that the humans are here," he said curtly, ignoring the rank difference between them.
"Watch your tongue Forcystus," she spat acidly. "One of those 'humans' is one of the four Seraphim."
"You act as if I do not know that Pronyma," he replied dryly. "I am well aware of Lord Kratos' position. But he is still nothing more that a miserable human."
"I will warn you Forcystus, never allow Lord Yggdrasill to here you utter those words. For if he does, I can guarantee that you will be wishing for death," she said calmly, before ending the transmission.
"You may be right Pronyma," he said to himself as he turned off the machine. "But that doesn't make me any less right," he added, before turning and leaving the room to attend to his duties as the head of the ranch.
…
'Where does Forcystus get off, speaking in such ways of Lord Kratos and Lady Anna?' she questioned herself as she strode to the containment room. 'If he wasn't such a powerful figurehead to half-elves I would report him to Lord Yggdrasill.'
Finally reaching her destination after several minutes, Pronyma disengaged the lock on the room and entered.
"Have Kratos and Anna arrived?" he asked, not even turning to look at her.
"They have, Lord Yggdrasill," she answered calmly. "Shall I have the meal prepared, or do you wish to wait?"
"Have them begin the meal, I'm sure that Anna and Kratos will be ready to eat by the time it is finished," he told her.
"Yes, Lord Yggdrasill," she said, bowing slightly even though his back was turned to her before making her way to the kitchen.
Raising his right arm up to chest level, Yggdrasill silently called the Eternal Sword to him.
"What does the pact-maker wish?" the sword asked upon its arrival.
"Please transport Kratos and Anna to me," requested Yggdrasill.
"It shall be done," it replied as it began to glow brightly.
Seconds later, the Eternal Sword was gone and both Kratos and Anna Aurion were standing only a few feet from Yggdrasill.
"Kratos, Anna," he greeted them warmly. "How have you been?"
Glaring lightly at the High Seraphim, Anna gave no answer to his question.
"Oh, of course; just a moment," he stated, as he shifted his body back into its original state. "There, is that better," he asked smiling.
"Much," Anna said smiling, before giving Mithos a warm hug. "And we're just fine," she added, answering his earlier question.
"That's good to know," he told them. "Oh, and before I forget, I wasn't sure if you would be hungry or not so there is a meal being prepared as we speak."
"Is there time for me to put away our things?" asked Kratos.
"There is, it probably won't be ready for at least a half-hour," answered Mithos, smiling up at his oldest friend.
"Then I'll take the opportunity to do just that, and leave the two of you talk about whatever it is you wish to talk about," Kratos said to them, kissing his wife's forehead before leaving to their designated room.
"So Anna, how is your son doing?" asked Mithos happily.
"Lloyd is doing just fine," she replied wistfully. "I honestly don't know why most mothers complain about their teenage sons. Lloyd has never been anything but good, albeit a little mischievous."
"Maybe he's just an exception to the normal," Mithos stated carefully, not wanting to make Anna angry.
"That just makes my little boy all the more special," she said joyfully.
"Oh," started Mithos. "I was wondering, has he shown any angelic traits?" he asked curiously.
"No, he hasn't," she answered, somewhat confusedly. "Should he be?"
"To tell you the truth, I'm not really sure," he told her. "Kratos is the first angel to have ever had a child, so none of us are really sure what to expect."
"Why haven't you ever asked about it before?" she questioned, going into full protective-mother mode.
"Well, I thought that if it had happened then you would have mentioned it," he answered quickly, taking an unconscious step backwards. "I guess my curiosity just got the better of me this time. That's all."
"Well, as long as that is all it is," she told him, sated by his answer.
"I promise, that's all," he continued.
"Good," she said, smiling warmly. "So has anything happened up here in the past year?"
"Not particularly, no," he said slightly shaking his head.
"Stop lying Mithos," she chided lightly. "You're about as good at it as Kratos and Lloyd are,"
"I'm not lying, honest," he responded unconvincingly.
"Mithos," Anna warned, glaring at the 4000 year old angel.
"All right, all right," he said, bowing his head and raising his hands in defeat. "There's a group of apparent insiders calling themselves the 'Renegades' that has been giving me trouble. I have no idea who's leading them or what there ultimate goal is but I do know that they have alerted Tethe'alla about Sylvarant and the Mana connection."
"What?" she exclaimed loudly. "Can they cross the barrier?" she asked worriedly, largely concerned for the safety of her 'daughter'.
"I'm afraid so," he said quietly. "And from what my sources tell me, an assassin has been sent to stop Collette."
"We have to warn them," she stated quickly, growing more and more anxious with each second.
"I've all ready sent forces out to take care of him/her," he told her gently, hoping to calm her down. "There's nothing for you to be worried about Anna."
"You have?" she questioned softly, watching as he nodded his head in affirmation. "Thank you," she said, relieved that the problem would be resolved without harm to Collette.
"Come on, let's go ahead and go to the dining hall. I'll send an angel to tell Kratos," he said, walking up to her.
"All right, let's go," she agreed, turning around and walking out of the room.
Walking down the long hallways to the teleportation pad that would send them to Welgaia they spoke very little, both of their minds being too preoccupied with their thoughts to converse properly. Anna's thoughts revolved mostly around her children while Mithos' thoughts were centered on the actions that could very well cost him his two dearest friends.
"You," Mithos commanded to the first angel they saw upon reaching Welgaia. "Go and tell Kratos that his wife and I will be waiting in the dining hall."
"Yes my lord," the angel responded emotionlessly, giving a low bow before setting off to fulfill his task.
Turning back to look at Anna, Mithos wordlessly asked if she was ready to continue. Seeing her nod her head once, they continued on their way coming to the dining hall several minutes later.
…
"Lord Kratos, Lord Yggdrasill sent me to inform you that he and Lady Anna will be waiting for you in the dining hall," said the angel upon reaching Kratos' room.
"Thank you," Kratos replied, looking up from their clothing. "But before you leave, when is the Oracle to be sent to Sylvarant's Chosen?"
"I am afraid I do not know, my lord," the angel told him. "But if you wish I will look into it."
"No, that won't be necessary," said Kratos, shaking his head. "You may leave."
"Yes my lord," the angel said, bowing and then leaving.
"Best to ask Mithos, I suppose," Kratos whispered as he turned his attention back to putting their clothes away.
Twenty minutes later…
"Ah, Kratos, there you are," said Mithos happily as Kratos entered the dining hall. "Dinner will be ready shortly."
"I was wondering Mithos, when will Remiel descend to the Martel Temple?" Kratos questioned curiously, moving to take his seat next to Anna.
"Barring any unforeseen difficulties, Remiel will be sent the day after you return to Iselia," Mithos lied. "I'm sure that you'll want to be there to protect her on her journey, correct?"
"Yes, both Anna and myself would fell better if I were with her, and I'm sure that Collette would welcome my presence as well," he said to the young man that he had trained so long ago.
"That doesn't just apply to us," added Anna, brushing off the nagging feeling in her mind as nothing but paranoia. "All of Iselia would rest easier with Kratos accompanying her."
"That's what I thought," Mithos told them. "Just try to keep her away from the Desians, especially Magnius and Kvar."
"I'll do what I can, but there's a large possibility that Collette will want to stop them, and if she gets that mind-set then there will be no stopping her," replied Kratos, sighing.
"I understand, and it's not like any of them are a match for you so there's not really much to worry about," Mithos said, grinning childishly.
"True, but I'd just as soon not have to fight the ranches as that could very well cause a mutiny," Kratos said to them, his voice firm and serious.
"Of course," agreed Mithos, nodding his head. "I'll send orders for them to keep to their ranches while the journey takes place."
"That would be appreciated," Kratos told him, offering him a small smile as he slid back in his chair.
"The meal is ready," said a voice from the door, stopping any further conversation.
All three of their heads turned to the direction the voice came from and watched as several angels brought the many different dishes in. Dishes ranging from roasted duck marinated with white wine, to an herbed tomato pasta salad, a walnut spice cake with lemon glaze, and many things in-between.
"This looks absolutely delicious," stated an obviously impressed Anna, who had not been expecting such a feast.
"It does, doesn't it," agreed Mithos as the angels who had brought the food in left. "Well, shall we?"
Needing no other incentive, the three began to fill their plates with the succulent food. Once their plates were either filled to their heart's content, they started eating and quickly found out that the food was every bit as good as it looked and smelled.
Forty-five minutes later all three of the hall's occupants were completely sated. Sitting in peaceful silence, it was only broken when Anna spoke.
"Kratos," she said weakly. "I'm suddenly feeling very tired, would you please take me to our room so I can lie down?"
"Of course," he told her gently. Standing from his seat, he had only taken one step towards his wife when he, too, was hit with a powerful wave of drowsiness.
"Kratos?" Mithos asked in fake alarm, getting up to help his friend. "Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not," Kratos told him, trying hard to fight off the sleepiness. "Someone must have… drugged… the… food…" was all he managed to get out before the drugs effects rendered him unconscious.
Looking over to Anna to see if she, too, had fallen under the effects of the sleep-inducing drug that had been intentionally placed in the food, he saw the she was indeed sleeping peacefully. Shifting his body back into his older form, he then pulled out a compact communicator and told Pronyma to send some angels in to take Kratos and Anna into the holding room. Receiving her affirmative response, Yggdrasill ended the transmission and looked back on the sleeping forms of his two best friends.
"I apologize for the measures I have been forced to take," he started sadly. "But my sister means the world to me and this is most likely the best chance that I will ever have to revive her. Please forgive me," he finished quietly, just in time to see two angels enter the room and approach the sleeping forms.
"Take them to the special holding chamber and be very careful with them," he told the angels sternly. "No harm is to come to either of them, am I clear?"
"Yes my lord," the two said simultaneously, bowing deeply and then gently lifting the still forms of Kratos and Anna Aurion. Once the two had sufficient hold on the unconscious humans, they left the dining hall and headed in the direction of the holding room.
Shortly after the angels left, Remiel entered the dining hall and spoke to Yggdrasill.
"Will everything be proceeding as planned, my lord?" asked the Angel of Judgment.
"Yes, you will leave for the Martel Temple in Sylvarant at noon tomorrow," he told the arrogant angel. "Now leave me, I have things that I must take care of."
"As you wish, Lord Yggdrasill," Remiel said with a bow before doing as he was told.
"Now all that remains is to make sure that Collette breaks the seals and reaches the Tower of Salvation," Yggdrasill said, speaking his thoughts aloud. "Soon Martel, very soon," he added quietly as he left the dining hall to make sure that the Desians would not over step their boundaries and kill his Chosen.
A/N: Whew, finally done. And on the 21st page. This was definitely longer than I expected, and Genis didn't get slapped. Oh well, can't have everything. Anyway, there are some things I need to point out. First, yes, that was the Sword Dancer that Lloyd dispatched. Please note that it was also a new encounter and it will still be in all three original locals. Having said that, it is obvious that I plan on including some side-quests. The Sword Dancer being the most prominent one in my mind at this moment. Also, please note that that 'romance-ie' part right after the victory is nothing but heavy foreshadowing. I plan to start the actual relationship somewhere Volt-ish.
As of right now, I also have no intention of having Sheena try to assassinate Collette, but if enough people bug me about it, I might change my mind. Might, being the key word there. Either way, Lloyd will learn about Tethe'alla considerably earlier than everyone else. That will not change. Sheena trusts him and will tell him, and only him. Thanks for reading and please review.