Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia but I own my interpretation of one of its characters.
Spoilers: Some normal storyline spoilers, spoilers about Mithos, and spoilers about the main villain.
Me: Well folks, because I'm feeling lazy, I'm skipping all the way to Kratos' Flanoir scene! Also sorry to say folks but I'm ending the fic right here with this chapter. Hope you enjoy it.
In the Snowy City of Flanoir, Lloyd was trying to figure out everything that he had found out.
"Kratos is… my father. One of the Ancient heroes of the Kharlan War, one of the four Seraphim, the man who betrayed us… is my father. And not only that but Mithos, who we thought was our friend is actually Yggdrasill." Lloyd thought out loud
The truth of both former companions mentally shook Lloyd up. Especially the truth about Kratos. The boy looked at his Exsphere with sad eyes.
"Mom? What should I do? I don't know if I should forgive Kratos."
Even though there was no spoken answer, Lloyd knew that his mother would've wanted him to give his father a chance to explain everything.
It was then that Lloyd heard a voice calling out to him. The boy sat up in his bed and looked around. Then Lloyd left the building and walked to a small balcony in the city. He looked around again and shrugged his shoulders.
"Heh, I guess I'm just hearing things."
"Lloyd…"
The boy turned around and saw Kratos and Noishe. The red-haired Seraphim then walked towards his son.
'Well… now or never I guess…' Lloyd thought
He was tired of being lied to. This time Lloyd wanted the truth and nothing else.
"Did you know that I was your son the whole time?"
"I realized it when I saw Anna's grave at your house…"
"How did mom die? You know don't you?"
Kratos sighed and started to explain everything to Lloyd.
"Like Presea, Anna was a research subject for the Angelus Project. They were trying to create a Cruxis Crystal inside her body. When I learned of Mithos' plans to create an Age of Lifeless Beings, I turned against him and descended upon this land… where I met Anna. After meeting her, I realized my mistake in believing that accepting Mithos' vision would be the fastest route to reunite the two worlds. I began to search for a way for a human to wield the Eternal Sword."
"So you could unite the two worlds?"
"Yes. But Anna and I were pursued by Cruxis. We traveled from place to place and when you were born, with you as well. But we were finally caught by Kvar…"
"And then… mom turned into a monster."
"Her Exsphere was removed. Lacking a Keycrest, the mana in her body went out of control, and she transformed into a monster. When it tried to devour you, Noishe protected you, and Anna regained control of herself… momentarily."
Lloyd looked at the cowardly but loyal creature with a surprised look.
"Noishe saved me?"
"That was probably when Noishe became sensitive to monsters. Both Noishe and Anna were injured… your mother begged me to kill her."
"…I've heard enough."
'No you haven't you idiot! You need to know the truth!' Lloyd mentally told himself
"Anna went out of control and tried to attack you again then…"
"That's enough!"
Kratos then turned away from Lloyd, not wanting to see his son's face.
"…I… killed her."
"I said that's enough!"
"After that, Kvar attacked, then you and Noishe fell down the cliff along with the Exsphere. I fought off Kvar and his men, and descended down the cliff. But all that was left were half-eaten Desian corpses. I thought that there was no way you were still alive."
"… Is that when you returned to Cruxis?"
"I am the Origin Seal itself. Since killing me would break the seal, Yggdrasill couldn't just leave me alone."
"And you were okay with this? Even though you opposed what he was doing?"
"Everything felt meaningless. Mithos said he would reunite the worlds as soon as Martel was revived. I came to think that as long as the land was returned to normal, that would be enough…"
When Lloyd heard this, he looked to the ground and bit his lower lip. Everything felt meaningless?
'Did Kratos really feel that way when he lost me and mom?'
Lloyd was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Kratos continuing speaking.
"…Until I met you"
"Me?"
"You remind me of Mithos. Just like you, Mithos was desperately trying to save the world. He didn't give up, no matter how much he was oppressed, he was hopeful… until the day Martel died."
"A hero… that's what people called him." Lloyd thought out loud
"Yes but there is a clear difference between you and Mithos."
"Our race?"
"No not that. You realize that you are capable of making mistakes. Or rather, if you make a mistake, you are capable of acknowledging it. That takes courage. Mithos as well as I… were unable to do that. We were incapable of correcting our flawed path. We gave up on correcting our mistakes. You didn't give up."
"If you feel that way, then you must have realized it by now! Mistakes can be corrected! It's not too late. Let's look for a way to release Origin's Seal without sacrificing your life!"
Silently, Lloyd added, "… together."
Kratos sadly shook his head.
"… I still have something I must do. Until I am able to entrust it to you, I cannot fight alongside you. Until then… don't die Lloyd."
With that Kratos started to walk away, Lloyd just stood there even though he wanted to follow his father.
"Kratos! Where are you going?"
"…Do not allow Yggdrasill to continue as he pleases. He is capable of sacrificing any number of lives. Stop Yggdrasill… stop Mithos… before Colette is taken from you again."
As Lloyd continued to watch Kratos leave, the boy clenched his fist.
"I'll stop him. I'll head to Derris-Kharlan and put an end to this."
Lloyd returned to the inn after he spoke with Kratos and fell asleep soon as he came back to his room.
The boy looked around, this was the same place where the first two dreams took place. Except that nothing was blurry anymore, he saw everything clearly now. The trees, the grass, the sky, and the woman and her son.
"You did such a good job! Wait until your father sees what you can do."
The little boy giggled at the sight of his mother smiling. Lloyd smiled as well but then he noticed someone coming near the woman and when he saw whom it was, Lloyd couldn't believe it.
'Da… Kratos?'
Indeed the person behind the woman was Kratos but if he was here then that meant…
'That woman… is she… is it possible that she's… Mom? And that little boy… it's me.'
"Anna…"
The woman gasped and looked up. She sighed with relief when she saw who it was.
"Don't do that I was afraid you were a Desian."
"My apologizes."
Anna picked up the little Lloyd and wore a goofy grin.
"Before I forget. Our son has a special surprise for you."
"Hm?"
Little Lloyd smiled and laughed at the sight of his father and shouted out, "Daddy!"
Kratos looked surprised when he heard his son say that.
"Did-did he just say?…"
Anna nodded and gave little Lloyd to Kratos. The baby grabbed onto the older man's clothing, and cuddled against his father.
"Daddy."
As Lloyd continued to watch the scene, he recalled something he said when he first started having these dreams.
'It's just a dream. It's not like they're trying to tell me something important. Heh, I guess they were. They were telling me to remember my family.'
Lloyd woke up with the sunlight blinding him. He moaned as he covered his eyes and got up. The first thing to greet Lloyd outside the inn was Noishe and the Protozoan had something golden in its mouth.
"Hm? What do you have here Noishe?"
Lloyd took the item and saw that it was a golden locket. He opened it up and saw an old picture.
"It's Kratos… and mom. Then this baby must be me…"
In the picture was Anna, Kratos, and a one-year-old Lloyd. All three smiled as Anna held her husbands arm, as Kratos held his son close, and as little Lloyd looked up at both his parents.
Lloyd felt tears in his eyes and smiled, as he looked at the picture from better days.
Me: And that's all folks! This fic is done! I want to thank my wonderful reviewers…Lloyd: Yeah all two of them.
Me: Not now Lloyd! Anyway don't worry, this won't be my last ToS fic. Keep a close eye on my next work. See ya later everyone!