1All right everyone, this is like my favorite part of the game so I hope that I can make this part of the story good as well. I'm glad that everyone enjoyed the last chapter and I hope that you will all enjoy this one as well. Oh, to let everyone know, I started to write the first chapter of the sequel last night. I had a great idea for the beginning and I wanted to write it down before I forgot it. Anyway, time for responses.
luigidog: I'm happy that you liked the last chapter and I hope that you continue to read this story as well as the sequel after this story's complete. Yeah, I wasn't going to let anything too bad happen to Storm...yet...
inuyahsa fangirl: Cool, a new move! I can't wait to see what it is. If it's good I'll use it in the sequel, cause I was trying to think of a cool new move for her to learn. It has to be really strong though. I really love how Storm keeps beating the crap out of Mithos, but I wish that Pronyma would show up because I want her face to get punched in a couple times. Thanks for the review as always.
Judgement Flame: Yeah, I didn't just want her to be better right away like in the game, because I always thought that it was kind of lame. It always seemed like the person there never really needed Lloyd to help them, that's why I changed it.
blackflame: I'm happy that you guys are so eager for me to update. Sorry that it took me so long but my weekend was really booked. Thank you as always for reviewing. There is another fanfic based on Storm written by wavemasterkaz, you should read that one too.
Ana Paula92: I agree with you that Kratos is very cute. He is a great dad, I think. I thought that it would be a good touch to have him refer back to Anna's death with Storm's situation. Thank you for your review and I hope to keep hearing from you.
jayseeen: Yeah, I love the next part as well. I also think that I will like the chapter two after this one because I have a surprise in store for Storm. I'm glad that you liked the last chapter. Thanks for the review.
Kratos Wilder: I liked the last chapter pretty well too but I'm hoping that my favorite will be either the one after the next one. Prepare for the next three, lots of strong emotions. I'm so excited about where this is going and how it is going to end. I want you to know that there is no way that I can thank you enough for all the support you have given me during this entire story.
TsukiharaKitty: Wow, I can't believe that you wrote reviews for all the chapters. You definitely made my day with them all. Yeah, I really haven't figured out why Storm is different yet, the elder's ahead of me on that one. I think that the answer will be in the sequel. Thanks for all the wonderful, and at the same time hilarious reviews.
Anonymous Reviewer: Well, I'm glad that you reviewed again. I'm also glad that you enjoyed the last chapter. Thanks a lot for your review, you don't know how much they mean to me.
PotatoPuff: Well, not to fear! The sequel will come out within a few days of this story ending. Hopefully all the reviews, including you, will read and enjoy it too. It will include a lot about why Storm is so different and what happens after Mithos is gone. I hope that you will enjoy it too. Thanks for all your support and your review.
Mez10000: You know what, you're probably right about why Storm and the story is popular. I never really thought of it like that. I'm glad that you liked the last chapter and I'm so sorry that this one didn't get up as fast, I really am trying hard. Do you think I've expressed Storm's feelings and personality well enough? Well, thanks for the review and your honesty.
Chapter 33: Challenges of Life Part I
Lloyd, Storm, and Kratos were making their way through Welgaia, trying to find their lost friends. Suddenly, as they were walking, they were sucked into a small vortex which sent them to an area where, above they could see Zelos, Sheena, and Colette standing above them.
"Look, there they are," Storm said as she pointed up towards the others.
"Yeah, but what are they doing up there," Lloyd replied.
"I really have a bad feeling about this," Kratos added.
Suddenly, the same kind of vortex appeared below their friends, drawing them towards the area where Lloyd, Storm, and Kratos were all standing. Sheena, Zelos, and Colette all began to run as fast as they could in order to escape the pull of the vortex.
As the others stared up they noticed that an image of Kuchinawa, a ninja from the Mizuho tribe; Seles, Zelos' sister; and Frank, Colette's father, standing in front of their friends. The three of them began to listen to the conversation that was taking place.
"Do you want me to help you Zelos?" Seles said to her brother.
"Seles? What's going on?" Zelos asked no one in particular.
"Keep running Sheena, there's no escape," Kuchinawa said to the young ninja.
"Kuchinawa? You can't be...it must be some sort of illusion," Sheena replied.
"What a fitting end to such a pathetic Chosen," Frank said to his daughter.
"No...I don't think..." Colette was at a loss for words.
"You are such a pathetic person, you betray your friends and then come crawling back for their forgiveness," Seles said to her brother.
"You live in Mizuho and you think I'm an illusion? You really are pathetic," Kuchinawa said to Sheena.
"You betrayed the hopes of everyone in Sylverant, because you were afraid. How pathetic is that?" Frank said angrily.
The three were at a loss for words. Suddenly Mithos appeared above the group, happily looking down at the circumstance the three were in.
"If you look below you, you can see a monster. If you're swallowed by that monster, you will neither live nor die. You will exist there forever in pain. If you join me, and help defeat Lloyd, I will spare your lives," Mithos replied.
"I can't help you," Zelos replied defiantly.
"Zelos, think about it, you said yourself that your entire life was a joke. Isn't that why you tried to die before anyway? It was a good choice on your part, you should have never been born anyway. Just end the pain and join Mithos. Mithos has promised me that he would take away your title of the Chosen, he'll give it to me," Seles said.
"You brought misfortune upon the people of Mizuho. If it weren't for you my parents would still be alive, as well as many of the other people in Mizuho. Join Mithos, if you do I'll forgive you for everything you've brought upon Mizuho. You know, you never should have been born anyway, so why even bother saving the worlds, you'd probably just cause pain to Lloyd and his group," Kuchinawa said to Sheena.
"My own daughter betrays her people. You were supposed to bring peace to the people of Sylverant and all you did was raise their hopes and eventually bring them all misfortune. You were too afraid to sacrifice yourself and because of it everyone you love is suffering. I thought that you would have been a better Chosen, you never should have been born. There should have been a different Chosen. If you join Mithos he'll forgive you for what you've done and allow you to help save Sylverant again," Frank told Colette.
"I'll lose my title of the Chosen?" Zelos asked with hope in his voice.
"The people of Mizuho will forgive me?" Sheena asked.
"I can still help the people of Sylverant," Colette thought.
Storm and Lloyd had heard just about enough of Mithos' illusions and decided it was time for their opinions to be heard. Unfortunately, they looked like the monster to the other three above which would make their coaxing a lot more difficult.
"Colette, don't forget about what Mithos will really do if you sacrifice yourself. You won't be helping anybody, only him. You shouldn't have to sacrifice yourself, no one should have to be sacrificed. Everyone has a right to live," Lloyd said to Collette.
"Lloyd?" Colette questioned.
"That isn't Lloyd, that monster is just mimicking his voice," Mithos said.
"Zelos, don't you dare believe a word that Seles says, if you could even call that thing Seles. You know your sister wouldn't say something like that. Don't forget, there's someone down here who is glad that you were born, and that would be heartbroken if you were out of their life. Don't forget about me Zelos," Storm told him.
"Sheena, you know that your summoning skills are what got us this far. Without you we would have never have been able to help anyone. You made one mistake, but I have too. That doesn't mean that you never should have been born. Everyone's life has value," Lloyd told her.
"My life...has value?" Sheena asked.
"No ones life has value, especially not a worthless Chosen, a traitor, and a murderer," Mithos said.
"Shut up! They all have value because they're my friends," Lloyd said angrily to Mithos.
"Yeah, I know about feeling like I never should have been born. Pronyma used to tell me that all the time, she always wanted me dead. I never really fit in anywhere and I betrayed my friends and family, both families and I always felt like it just would have been easier to run away from my problems and think that I never should have been born. The day I fought back against Pronyma was the day that I finally decided to embrace the fact that I was alive. Now, you all need to do the same, you need to stop running away," Storm said.
"You really are Storm and Lloyd," Sheena said.
"Well, being friends with Lloyd is pretty pathetic as far a being valuable, but I'll take it. Hang on Storm here I come," Zelos said.
"Your life will just be a big joke again," Seles told him.
"Yeah, but I know that there is one person who doesn't think of me as a joke," Zelos said as he let himself fall into the vortex.
"Looks like he beat me to it," Sheena said.
"You're running away again?" Kuchinawa asked.
"I am not running! Letting down the people of Mizuho by joining Mithos would truly be running away," Sheena replied.
"I'll raze the entire village of Mizuho," Mithos warned.
Ignoring his comment, Sheena proceeded to let herself be swallowed by the vortex. "Salvation or damnation, only one way to find out," she said.
"I guess I'm left," Colette said.
"You're going to betray your people again?" Frank asked.
"No, by helping Lloyd, I'm going to find a way to save both worlds and make sure no one else feels as if they need to be sacrificed," Colette said as she too plunged into the unknown.
Once the group was reunited at the bottom they all began to greet their friends. Zelos immediately ran to Storm and gave her a huge hug. "I'm glad that you decided to help us," Storm said.
"Well, it's not like I can really run away from the fact that I was born. Thanks for your help, I don't know where I would be without you," he said. Kratos glanced over at his daughter and Zelos and began to understand what was going on between the two.
"Thanks you guys for helping us, I can't believe that we almost helped Mithos," Sheena said.
"It's okay, we're just happy that you came back to us," Lloyd replied.
"We need to find the others," Colette said as the rest of the group agreed with her and they all began to continue their journey through Welgaia.
While they were walking, Kratos pulled Zelos to the back of the group to speak in private with him.
"Zelos, I can see that you like my daughter a lot," Kratos said.
Zelos glanced over at Storm who was walking a short distance ahead of them. "Yeah, I do, she really understands me," he replied.
"I'm glad that you two are happy together, but let me warn you. You had better not hurt Storm, she has been through enough in her life to have to go through a heartbreak," Kratos said threateningly.
"Okay," Zelos said as he moved slightly farther away from the seraphim.
"Good," Kratos replied as he moved back up with the group.
"Man, Kratos sure is protective. Note to self: don't make Kratos angry," Zelos said to himself as he moved ahead in the group towards Storm.
Well, how was it? I was going to put all three in one chapter but it was getting pretty long so maybe I'll do one for each scenario or maybe I'll put two on the next one I dunno. Tell me what you thought. I didn't get exact wording for the characters but that just makes it original right? Anywho, tell me what you think.