I'm glad that everyone liked the plot twist. I don't think that they'll get married in this story, but at least they're engaged. Anyway, this story is wrapping up, I'm looking at about 4-5 chapters. I'm not sure, I might add more or take some out. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter, I hope it shows something about Storm that no one really knew.
Chapter 19: Still Family
"Kvar has failed to kill Storm while she was ill," Pronyma explained to an army of Desians being led my Magnius and Forcystus, "I say that it's time to start this war. Our armies will charge into Symphonia, search everyone and destroy everything in your path. We will find and kill Storm. Let the time of the prophecy begin!" she screamed to her army as they cheered.
"Man, I can't believe we have to wait until tomorrow until the doctor will see Storm," Lloyd complained for about the hundredth time since they arrived at the inn in Flanoir.
"Lloyd, just shut up and be patient, at least we're finally here," Sheena yelled back at him.
"When has he ever been patient about anything," Genis muttered to Sheena who was sitting next to him.
After a brief silence in the group, Lloyd finally looked up and saw Zelos and Storm cuddled up next to each other on the couch. Storm hated the cold and was trying to warm up with Zelos, but she was still shivering. Lloyd looked at his sister and Zelos, still trying to get used to the fact that they were now engaged. Heck, he didn't even know that they loved each other that way, they were very discreteabout that.
"Hey Storm, I bet that you're happy now that you're out of Cruxis, huh?" Lloyd asked.
"I guess...," she replied hesitantly.
"I mean, it must have been awful having to grow up with Mithos, he didn't seem like he treated you very well. I would have hated that," Lloyd replied.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Storm asked, very agitated by his sudden remarks.
"I mean, we all saw the way that he treated you, and having to put up with that your whole life must have been hell compared to what life's like for you now," he replied.
"You don't even understand what my life was like Lloyd. Mithos was not always like that. He was really great to me when I was little. It was after I met you guys that he started to get like that," she replied angrily.
"Wait, so you liked Mithos? Would you have stayed with him, or did you really want to join us. You always seemed like you couldn't decide," Lloyd asked.
"Do you want the truth Lloyd?" she asked as she got off the couch and stood over him, "The truth is that everyday I wonder if I made the right choice. I don't think I would have joined your group if Dad would have stayed with Mithos. Mithos was more like a family than you were. I won't have you saying bad things about the man who helped raise me," she yelled.
Lloyd got to his feet and stared her in the face. "So, you would still go along with someone who would sacrifice someone for their ideals?" Lloyd asked.
"It's no different than what you did," she replied.
"Storm!" Kratos yelled out, trying to stop her.
"Dad, I can take care of myself, he needs to be taught how to respect the dead," she replied to her father.
"I never did anything like that!" Lloyd yelled back.
"What do you call what you did to Magnius, Kvar, Pronyma, Forcystus, and Mithos? What do you call what you were doing when you tried to kill Yuan and Dad? They stood in the way of what you thought was right. But, of course, they thought that their ideals were just. When they got in your way, you killed them. That's no different than what Mithos did," she replied.
"It was different!" Lloyd yelled back. "I can't believe that you're going to back them all up. Are you with us or against us?" Lloyd asked angrily, drawing his two swords at her.
"Lloyd, stop it right now," Raine yelled at him.
"I was on your side, but now I'm not too sure," Storm replied as she drew her sword and revealed her wings.
"Storm, relax," Zelos yelled at her, trying to talk some sense in her.
Lloyd ran at her, but she easily dodged him and teleported herself behind him, blasting him with a small amount of mana, knocking him against the wall.
"Lucky shot," Lloyd mumbled trying to pull himself up from the floor. Just then, Storm's sword flew into the wooden wall, right by Lloyd's arm. She ran out of the inn, with Zelos close behind her.
"Damn, I wish Lloyd could use a sword that well," Kratos said to Raine who was standing next to him.
"Why? She missed me," Lloyd replied.
"She wasn't aiming at you," Sheena pointed out as Lloyd attempted to get up, but found that his sleeve was caught where Storm's sword attached to the wall.
"You should apologize to her," Kratos said calmly as he helped Lloyd free himself from the wall.
"Why? She's the one who's acting like the enemy here, not me," Lloyd asked.
"Because, she's right when she says that Mithos was kind to her when she was growing up. It wasn't until the Chosen's journey began that he started getting violent with her. He was always like family to her. I can understand how she feels, he was one of my good friends. It was hard to betray him when I first left him, before I met Anna," Kratos replied.
"Well...Professor! You understand where I'm coming from, don't you?" Lloyd asked.
Raine replied by slapping upside the head. "Lloyd, you were a real jerk! How would you feel if Storm insulted Dirk?" she asked.
"I'd be angry and upset," he replied.
"Exactly, that's how she viewed Mithos. Now, you need to go and apologize to her," Raine replied.
"I suppose I should, I shouldn't have judged someone I never really got to know," Lloyd replied as he went to the door.
He walked around Flanoir until he found Storm and Zelos standing in the same spot where Lloyd once heard the entire story of his father's past over a year ago. Storm was crying, and Zelos was trying his best to comfort her with her wrapped in his arms. Lloyd had never seen that side of Storm, she usually stayed strong and tried not to cry in front of others. Storm saw him and hid her face from him. Zelos walked up to Lloyd, attempting to protect Storm from anymore pain.
"I hope you're not planning on hurting her any more than you already have," Zelos said.
"No, I came here to apologize to Storm, can I talk to her?" he asked.
"Go ahead, but be kind," Zelos said as he walked to Storm and whispered something in her ear and headed back to the inn.
Lloyd cautiously walked over to Storm and stood next to her, trying to figure out the right thing to say. Finally, he decided to break the silence between them.
"Storm, I'm sorry I was such a jerk, I really didn't mean to hurt you. I'm not a very good big brother, all I do is make you cry," Lloyd said.
"I...I wasn't crying," Storm replied as she shivered a little in the cold air. "I'm sorry too, I let my emotions get the best of me, and I didn't even think about what it was like for you to meet Mithos. I just wish that it could have all turned out different and we all could have lived together. You really would have liked Mithos," she replied.
"I wish it could have turned out different too. It was hard to kill him, it's hard to kill anyone and I really don't enjoy taking someone else's life. I'm sorry, you must hate me," he replied.
"I don't hate you, you're the best big brother anyone could ask for. If it wasn't for you I never would have began to open up. After I betrayed you guys, I couldn't help but think about you all the time, and it always killed me to be fighting against you. I don't know why, but I've always had a strong relationship with you, even from the beginning," Storm said.
"Hey, I felt that way too. It really hurt when you left us, and I always had a strong connection to you, it's like I always knew we were related," Lloyd replied. He looked over at Storm who had her arms wrapped around her chest, trying to get warm. He could tell that she really despised the cold. He wrapped her up in a hug. "Let's go back inside before you freeze," he said as they walked back to the inn together.
The next day, the group went to the doctor in Flanoir, who actually had the antidote to the poison. It was a relatively common type of poison that Forcystus had used, and she was able to identifyit quickly and treat it just as quickly. After resting for the rest of the day, the group decided to head to Heimdall the next day to see if the elder had any more ideas on what to do next.
The next day, the group took the Rheihards to Heimdall and were shocked at the scene that awaited them. The elven city was ablaze and there was a large army of Desians destroying the entire city, killing anyone who was getting in the way. Storm was enraged at the sight and any strength that had yet to come back to her, immediately returned. She saw Pronyma standing back and watching the destruction, and Storm screamed out at her.
"If you were looking for me, I'm over here Pronyma. Leave the elves alone and let's take this battle somewhere else," she yelled as she pulled out her communicator.
"Ah, Storm. Just who I was looking for. I believe that the hour of the prophecy is upon us. I will meet you in the field outside of this city or else this city will be completely destroyed," she said as she led her army out of the city. The rest of the group ran over to help any elves who were injured in the attack.
Storm took her communicator and called in a few favors, then went to prepare for the final battle with Pronyma. She walked over to Zelos and stared at the wreckage that Pronyma had left. She grabbed his hand as he rubbed her back soothingly.
"It's all my fault," Storm said sadly.
"No, it's Pronyma's, but you can stop her, I believe in you," Zelos said.
"We all believe in you," Lloyd said as he walked over to her and gave her back her sword from the other day. "You might need this," he said.
"Thank you. I will try my best," she said.
Well, that's it here. Next, the battle will begin. What will be the outcome and who will be the reincarnate of Spiritua and fulfill the prophecy. If you've forgotten the prophecy, I suggest you go back so you know what will be going on. I hope you liked this chapter and I hope you'll enjoy the battle. It should be pretty cool, hopefully. Please review!