1All right everyone, it's the moment you've all been waiting for. It's time for chapter 18. Thanks to everyone who read and/or reviewed the last chapter. Well, here we go.

Chapter 18: A Hidden Past

She didn't want to do it, but she knew that she had to if she was going to save the worlds, and even Lloyd.

There's no way that they'll be able to save the worlds, using the Chosen is the only way and I'll just have to convince Lloyd to think the same, Storm thought as she approached the Toize Valley Mine.

She landed outside of the mine and made her way towards the entrance where the group was coming out, just successful in their recent mission to collect inhibitor ore.

"Storm, I thought you were waiting in Ozette for us, did something happen?" Lloyd asked. Storm didn't reply but seemed to be lost in thought. In fact, she was fighting her thoughts in her mind trying to decide what to do. She finally seemed to reach a conclusion.

I must do this...for Lloyd...

"Lloyd, it's over," Storm said.

"What are you talking about? What's over?" Lloyd questioned at Storm's odd behavior.

"This silly quest is over, it ends here," Storm replied her face emotionless.

"What are you talking about all of a sudden? You're not acting like yourself," Lloyd replied.

"Hand over the Chosen, it's time I took her back," Storm said.

"You can't be serious, this is some sort of a joke, right?" Sheena asked.

"No, you see Kratos was not the only one who was deceiving you all this time. I am also an angel of Cruxis and I'm here to reclaim the Chosen. Now, hand her over," Storm replied as pain began to express itself in her voice.

"Storm, you can't be serious, you wouldn't betray us too," Lloyd replied shocked at what he had just heard.

"Yes, Lloyd it's true," Storm said as she revealed her beautiful blue wings. "I can't hide it anymore."

"No, it's not true!" Lloyd yelled as he took a few steps backward. "You wouldn't do this, I trusted you! You of all people should see by now that what you're doing is wrong!" Lloyd yelled trying to bring back the girl he thought he had once known.

"Lloyd, right and wrong are only points of view. Don't you understand that my whole life I have been taught that what you're doing is wrong and sacrificing the Chosen is the right thing to do. Did you ever think about how you're prolonging the suffering of the people of Sylverant as you go on your little adventure. Do you really want me to believe that your little group will somehow find a way to help them?" Storm replied angrily.

"There is a way to save everyone. There should be no sacrifices. Everyone deserves the right to live. It doesn't matter who you are," Lloyd replied.

"Okay, and where in your world are you going to fit me? Me, my parents were both human, but I can somehow use magic. Not only that but I am also an angel and use angelic powers without ever once equipping an exsphere or a cruxis crystal. Where in your ideal world will I belong in this world of yours? Where can I go where I won't be sacrificed or persecuted?" Storm replied her voice filled with pain.

"Well...I..." Lloyd stumbled with his words.

"That's what I thought. Now, if you don't mind I would like to take the Chosen back with me and I'll do it by force if necessary," Storm said asa she drew her sword.

"I won't let you take her without a fight," Lloyd replied as he and the others prepared to fight.

The entire party ran towards Storm with their weapons out ready to bring down their former companion. Storm stood still and watched them rush at her. Once they were close enough to attack, Storm teleported herself behind them and attacked.

"Lightning blade, super lightning blade," Storm yelled as she attacked Sheena with her magic. Meanwhile Raine and Genis were cooking up some magic of their own.

"Grave," Genis yelled, but Storm heard the attack in time and managed to fly above the attack, but left herself open to Raine's Ray attack which hit her head on slamming her to the ground. Storm seemed to be purposely missing Collette and Lloyd. She didn't want to harm the Chosen but seemed unable to attack her former friend. Lloyd was quick to notice this and began to rush at her ready to make the first strike. He wanted to find out just what the angel was made of. With tears streaming down his face at the recent betrayal, Lloyd ran up to Storm and sliced her arm with his sword.

Storm jumped back from the pain and was upset to see that Lloyd was the source of it. She held back the pain that she felt in her arm and in her heart as she began to swing her sword at Lloyd. She soon noticed that the rest of the party was closing around her and she decided she needed to make some personal space for herself. She created a huge wave of mana that knocked the entire group backwards, off their feet with her Outburst attack .

The battle continued for what seemed like hours with no signs of slowing up. Storm was giving the group a run for their money. While Storm was preparing a Holy Lance attack Lloyd snuck up behind her and managed to attack her directly with his Rising Falcon attack. The attack sent excruciating pain through her back as she was slammed into a wall.

She was beginning to get up and continue her fight when Pronyma suddenly appeared in the sky.

"Hey runt, Lord Yggdrassil says to forget about the Chosen for now and to come back to Derris-Kharlan. It's not worth get killed over, at least not yet. Now come on unless you want to die, it really doesn't bother me either way," Pronyma smirked.

A look of anger rose in Storm's eyes from Pronyma's harsh words but were soon replaced with a barely noticeable look of joy in her eyes. Unfortunately for Storm, Pronyma had become very good at reading Storm's emotions over the years and she didn't seem pleased.

"Yes Pronyma," Storm replied as she began to fly away from the battle, "This is not the last time we meet Lloyd Irving." With that Storm flew into the horizon back towards her homeland of Derris-Kharlan.

Later that day in a room in Welgaia...

"So Storm what exactly took you so long to get to the Chosen's group? You seemed a little distracted and confused before you got there," Pronyma asked Storm who was being held by two angels.

"Nothing, I was just thinking..." Storm began before being cut off my Pronyma.

"I hope you were thinking exactly what Lord Yggdrassil told you to think! How many times must I tell you that those are the only things you are allowed to think?" Pronyma yelled I Storm's face.

"Yes, Pronyma," Storm replied.

"Also, were you showing emotions back there? You know that those only lead to trouble. You didn't want to fight them did you? You let your emotions get in the way once again didn't you? I can see it in your eyes. Your eyes give away so much about you," Pronyma said. "I suppose it's been awhile since I reminded you about what happens when you display emotion. When you show emotion it will only result in pain," Pronyma said as she kicked Storm in the stomach causing her to collapse to the ground.

Storm clenched her stomach from the pain of Pronyma's attack. The next thing Storm knew she was lying on the ground with her head in immense pain. All she could see were spots and the light from the room caused her head to throb. She could feel a small trickle of blood roll down her face from where Pronyma kicked her and felt another puddle forming where her head had met the floor. Pronyma seemed satisfied with what she had done and abruptly left the room, leaving Storm on the ground.

I guess this is what I get for almost betraying Cruxis. I can't believe that I almost went along with Lloyd's ideas. They do cause pain. Not just from Pronyma but also inside my heart, Storm thought.

Not long after Storm's "lesson" Kratos returned to Derris-Kharlan with the news that his daughter was finally back. He rounded a corner and entered the room he was told that she would be at. What he saw inside made his heart skip a beat. His daughter was lying unconscious on the floor surrounded by a puddle of blood. He ran over to her and cradled her head in his lap. He immediately noticed the dried blood on two spots on her head causing him to believe that she had been left there for quite a while. Suddenly Storm opened her eyes and squinted at the light. She saw her father and tried her best to tell him something. She finally managed to say it, "Dad, I'm sorry I let my emotions get in the way. Please don't be disappointed," she said before she blacked out again.

Kratos began to let the tears fall silently down his cheeks as he picked up his daughter to take her to rest in her room.

Well, sorry if it was sad but I had to get it out eventually. I never said that it would be happy. So, I bet everyone's next question is "When will Lloyd and Storm discover they're siblings?" Well, I can't tell you because...well...I don't even know. So, I hope you liked this chapter and I plan to update as soon as I figure out what to write for the next chapter (writer's block) . Any suggestions would be helpful. Review please.