Chapter Two: To the Dark Fortress

"I know where we can train and become the heroes," Zelos said after everyone thought for a while.

"Where?" Lloyd questioned, wanting to know.

"The Dark Fortress of the hidden side of Katz Village," Zelos said.

"Oh, I know that place, it's really dark there, and there are many demons there. Perfect for training for fighting the demons of the underworld," Raine said.

"I see, let us rest for now and go tomorrow," Kratos then left.

"So, we will fight the devil himself," Regal said sitting down.

"Yes, the dark lord himself," Presea said.

"We need our rest, goodnight everyone," Raine said and everyone left.

Lloyd was having a problem sleeping so he left to the roof.

"Hm…Mithos, Klopan, father, this is all messed up," Lloyd had a hard time accepting the fact that evil was a foot after only one month.

Then he heard someone climb up to the roof. It was Sheena, she too was a bit worried.

"Hey," She said sitting right next to him, "I guess you're worried too. But don't worry, just some practice then we can go through the underworld and destroy Abbysion. Just wait and see."

Lloyd faced her with a determined look, "Sheena, I don't think I'm strong enough. I'm too weak, I wasn't able to protect you, you had to risk your life. I was such an idiot."

Sheena frowned at this "No Lloyd, you have always protected me, and all of us. You aren't weak."

Lloyd then turned away from her, "No Sheena, I am a weakling, I can never become like my father, I defeated Mithos just because of luck."

"No, not with luck, it's because we worked together," Sheena tried to face him, but he didn't turn around.

"But Sheena, I-I want to protect you, and I won't forgive myself if you or anyone else die," He turned to her and his eyes sort of watered.

Sheena blushed at the fact that he wanted to protect her. "Lloyd…It's ok, you're strong, you have to accept that, each of us are strong, just don't make yourself weak."

"Sheena…" He then took her hand, she turned faintly pink. "I promise, to protect you, I won't let you down," He then hugged her, and she turned all red.

"Lloyd…Thank you," She hugged him back and he let her go. She was a bit disappointed, but at least she knows that she means something to him. If only she could tell him how she feels. But he left. She sighed 'He does care, but he's still oblivious to every time I express my feelings, I bet he doesn't know why he goes red or if anyone else does. Don't worry Sheena, believe in him, he'll get it.' With that she went to sleep.

The next day they headed for Katz Island.

"Whoa, it sure is spooky…"Colette shivered.

They traveled down a dark path, the girls were shaking and Colette yelled twice after seeing a rat. There was water dripping, and bats flying around.

"EEEK!" Sheena shrieked and jumped, fortunately instead of landing in the puddles, she jumped into Lloyd's arms.

Lloyd smiled at her, "Haha, don't be afraid, the bats won't hurt you, I told you I'll protect you."

"th-thanks Lloyd," Sheena stood up again and was red all over.

Lloyd continued to walk and so did Regal, Presea, Kratos, and Raine continued walking. Zelos and Colette went right next to Sheena.

"Hey Sheena are you okay? You're lucky Lloyd caught you," Colette said scanning Sheena making sure there was no sign of injury. And with that she caught up to them and so did Genis who stopped to look at a bat.

"Yeah Sheena, you're LUCKY and you're RED hehehe," Zelos said with his eyes looking straight at her beet red face.

"Wha-what do you mean…"Sheena said beginning to walk.

"You know, it's written all over your face. You like him don't you. I knew it, you've always had a thing for him," Zelos then stared at her and waited for a reply.

Sheena was still at her red state, "Promise not to tell?"

"Yes," Then Sheena positioned herself to his ear, "I do." Zelos smiled as she ran to them "Thought so."

Finally they had reached the fortress, it was huge. It was made of rock and was in the shape of a bat.

"Great," Sheena said, "More bats…"

"Hmm…So there are demons here right?" Lloyd asked Zelos.

"Yep, they had captured some of the Katz exploration team. We just need to find them," Zelos said as they walked towards the rock thing.

"Where is the entrance?" Presea asked.

"Yeah, where?" Genis continued after Presea.

"Don't worry," Regal then kicked a random area and it broke open.

"Wow, then let's go you guys," Colette said and led them in.

It was a huge and eerie room. It was all dark with only two torches for light. One on each side. The walls were rock, and had one picture with a symbol of a stick person in a fire. These demons aren't very artistic, but they sure are well hidden, there was no sight of them.

"Hey, I don't see any monsters. What's going on?" Genis asked while looking at his surroundings.

They all looked around the room, nothing seemed different or really evil.

Presea then looked down, she saw a huge symbol, it looked like the devil. And it looked kind of suspicious.

Colette, being her clumsy self tripped over a rock while heading for Presea, "Oops…"

This time Colette had triggered something, everyone went to help her, and as they did the symbol rose and turned into a ring.

"Muhahahahahahaha!" They heard a strangely deep voice, coming from above!

A huge thump can be heard, it was huge, it was a huge dragon winged, goat headed, snake tailed, lion bodied thing.

"It's so cute!" Colette said about to hug it.

Raine and Genis grabbed her before she did, "Colette! It's not cute, it's an enemy ok?"

"How dare you come here?" The goat thingy said. He roared and the whole ground shook.

Zelos and Lloyd took out their swords, "Zelos, you ready?"

Zelos pulled his hair back and winked, "As ready as I'll ever be!"

Kratos also was ready to strike, "Boys don't disappoint me."

First as Lloyd counted, Raine casted field barrier on all of them just incase and she also sharpened their offence.

So the two struck the beast, it moaned in pain but it wasn't over yet. Genis cast spread and Raine cast Holy lance. Sheena also changed Zelos' and Lloyd's attacks into light ones. Kratos bombarded it with attacks. Regal did a couple of rising falcons, and Presea just kept on swinging her axe.

The thing moaned in great pain, but he yelled out, "You can't defeat me!" And then it hit them each with a fire breath attack.

Lloyd was the only one paying attention and cast guardian on himself. Raine and Genis were too far away so they weren't affected.

"Save this soul from purgatory, resurrection!" Raine resurrected all of them except for Sheena, she ran out of mana.

Raine had no more mana and was helpless, so Genis stood before her and just kept launching magic attacks so the monster won't reach her.

Presea did devastation, and Zelos kept on slashing. Lloyd finished it off with a psi tempest.

It moaned as it began to fade away, "You bastards!1At least you won't be able to defeat my other three brothers…"

Genis tended to Raine and looked for some pineapple gel. Regal, Presea, and Zelos rested on the floor

Kratos frowned at their close defeat and rested on the ground.

Lloyd went to Sheena's side and gave her a bottle of life. She slowly awakened. She's the only one who is burned.

Raine stood up and declared "We should go back, Lloyd carry Sheena, we need to head back to treat our injuries."

Lloyd picked up Sheena and cradled her in his arms, he frowned at what had happened, "Yes, let's go, it's too dangerous to keep on going, let's think of a plan then destroy the next demon."

So everyone walked, or limped out of the cave, "Sheena, I'm sorry, I let everyone get hurt, I'm not doing that again…"

The trip back was both slow and agonizing, Raine was able to heal them only as much as to let them reach Iselia in time.

They split up, Raine, Genis, Presea and Lloyd and Sheena were at Genis' house and the rest at Colette's.

COLETTE'S HOUSE (Please wipe your feet)

They were all exhausted, no one spoke a word. But Colette still had to say something, "Ouch, that hurt didn't it, if we get injured just from that, how can we survive in the underworld?" She sat down right next to Zelos.

Zelos put his head down, disappointed in their close defeat, "We had it good in the beginning, we let it attack, that was our biggest mistake. We got it mad, and then we got cocky, we have to be careful."

Regal nodded in agreement, "Yes, Zelos is right. We got overconfident. We must remember, main priority, protect Raine and Lloyd, we need Raine to heal us, and Lloyd, well, he has the strength none of us can ever posses."

It was true, when Lloyd is strong, and when he has faith in his own powers, he can do his best, Colette had to agree, "Yeah, it's just that Lloyd sometimes thinks that he's too weak, and doesn't believe in his strength. He has to realize that he is the strongest out of us and even Kratos, and he has to remember that we are here for him."

Kratos was listening, "My son…Please believe in yourself, Anna would've wanted it…"

They all nodded and drifted to sleep.

THE SAGE RESIDENCE

Genis sat beside Presea and blushed a lot because she put her head on his shoulder, "Pre-Presea?"

She sighed and looked up to him, "Genis, I'm, I'm tired, please let me rest," And she fell asleep on him.

He paled then turned all red, but then he smiled and rested his head on her head and drifted to sleep.

Raine was sitting on a chair reading a book on deformed monsters, "sigh this is so strange, I'm too tired."

Lloyd looked at her and the book she was reading, "Professor, just rest, you need it, and so do we, please just take a nap…"

She looked at him and smiled, "Thanks for your concern Lloyd, you're right, we all need our rest, you never know what tomorrow might bring."

Lloyd looked at Sheena, she had a couple of burns, now they were healing because of Raine, but they still needed to rest. Lloyd was angry at himself, how could he let that happen? "Argh, Lloyd, you let them down again, I can't believe it. It was going so well, maybe, next time I'll try to fight like an angel. Maybe, I won't mess up again. But no, I can't keep on making mistakes, I just can't," He then looked down at the sleeping Sheena, looking peaceful, 'Hm, even with her burns she still looks as beautiful as usual.'

Sheena slowly awoke to see Lloyd, she heard everything he said, "Lloyd, you're not weak, you're the strongest guy I ever knew, in spirit and strength. You don't have to worry, you just have to-" She then felt a sting of pain and frowned.

"Sheena are you okay?"

Sheena smiled at him, "Don't worry I'm fine, let's kick some ass tomorrow!"

"Kratos I mean dad, he must be disappointed," Lloyd said frowning and slouching on the couch.

"No, he's probably proud, you dealt with that guy well and dodged his attack," She said trying to cheer him up, he was so sad, "You can't put yourself down, what happened to the Lloyd that was always confident and fought with all his heart?"

Lloyd tried to cheer up, he did need to believe in himself again, but he seemed to have been changing lately, "I'm sorry, I just, I'm too weak to help, I have gotten weak."

"But Lloyd, you're an angel, you have your friends, even your dad is with us, why?"

"Sheena, thanks for cheering me up, but I can't forgive myself for letting you get hurt, if we nearly died from that thing, how can we fight Klopan? I'm going to let you all down, I was supposed to be a hero, but I'm to afraid, of losing you all…"

"Lloyd get a hold of yourself, stop acting so sorry, you did your best, you are the greatest in our group. Don't forget, you defeated Mithos, just believe in yourself." Sheena hugged him and they both turned red, but Lloyd hugged her back.

"Thanks Sheena, you're the greatest, I promise, to protect you, and everyone."