Thanks for all the reviews and I hope I didn't miss anyone when I replied to reviews, I was so swamped after the stupid website wouldn't let me read them. I got about ten at once. Thanks for all the support so far in this story, this chapter won't be very dark, but things will be getting darker as the story progresses. Thanks again and enjoy!

Chapter 4: The Ways of the World

Kratos was very impressed with how well Storm could wield her sword, especially since she had only been using one for a year. He decided that it was finally time to move away from the wooden sword and move to the heavy, metal sword. When Storm and Kratos went out for lessons that day, Kratos had her fight against him to see how well she could handle herself. Obviously he didn't use his full strength, but he wanted to see how much she had improved from when they first started.

Six year old Storm stood facing her father, her sword in hand, with a very determined and focused look on her face. She came at her father and swung her sword at him, he blocked the attack. She spun around, bringing the sword over her head. Kratos was thrown off by her quick actions and barely avoided getting knocked in the head by her sword. He had underestimated her skill and decided to take it up another notch. His movements became quicker and he made her push herself even harder. She managed to block several of his own attacks. Finally, Kratos found an open spot in her movements and managed to trip her, sending her crashing to the ground.

Storm was very upset that she still wasn't able to defeat her father. She had practiced for hours at a time trying to improve her skills. She wouldn't be satisfied until she was one day stronger than her father. He went to help her off her back but she batted his hand away angrily. Her feelings had been hurt, he had made all of her long hours of hard work seem pointless. She felt as if she had let him down.

"Storm, you're doing great, especially for your age," Kratos told her, trying to cheer her up as she got to her feet.

Storm rolled her eyes, "But I'm still not good enough, am I?" Storm shot back angrily.

"Storm, you have to remember that you haven't been using a sword for very long, but that doesn't mean that you're horrible. You have a lot of natural skill and I know that someday you will be amazing with a sword," Kratos reassured her, telling her nothing but the truth.

"I'll never be as good as you though," Storm yelled angrily.

Kratos walked over to her, knowing that he had unfortunately given her, his temper. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her the large metal sword that he had been using. It was a practice sword just like the wooden sword, but to Storm it let her know that her father had finally acknowledged that she was becoming better. Kratos smiled at his daughter who was able to hold up the sword as she swung it around a few times to get the feel of it. She looked back at her father and smiled at him while he looked down at her proudly.

Mithos had called Storm in to talk to her. It was finally time that he taught her about the way the world worked. If she was going to be one of them, he had to make her understand Cruxis' ideals. Storm entered the room and walked over to Mithos, smiling up at him happily.

"What's up Uncle Mithos?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Storm, I think it's about time that I warn you about the world and everyone who lives there," he began as he sat down, she sat in front of him on the floor, staring up in wonder.

"Everyone here seems nice, what's wrong with the angels?" she questioned him with a puzzled look on her face.

"You see Storm, Derris Kharlan is not the only world. There is also Sylverant and Tethe'alla. These two worlds have many elves, half-elves, and humans who live there. But, you see, all of the people down there are evil, that is why someday we will rule over them," he answered .

"Wow! Can I be a princess?" Storm asked as she clapped her hands in excitement.

"You can be whatever you want Storm as long as you do your part to help us rule those worlds. Once we have power over them we can make them all into angels," he replied with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, the angels are all really friendly," Storm added. She had always been used to the angels, and figured that that was the way everyone was supposed to act. She also knew that her Uncle Yuan, her Uncle Mithos, and her father were all their leaders so they should obviously act differently from the angels. To Storm, everything that Mithos said made complete and perfect sense.

"But, what's wrong with the people on Sly...Syl...on Tef...Te.., the two worlds?" Storm struggled to ask.

Mithos smiled at her inability to pronounce any of the names. "The humans down there are evil. They kill others just because they are different. They kill and torture half-elves just because they are different. Storm, never trust a human down there, they will always turn against you," Mithos answered, looking at her seriously, pained at the thought of his sister lost at the hands of humans.

"But Daddy and me are human," Storm pointed out.

"Well, you and Kratos are not from the two worlds so you are not evil," Mithos reassured her.

"How will we get to rule the worlds?" Storm asked.

"If we sacrifice the Chosen's life on Sylverant, we will be able to finally take over the two worlds and end the killing and the hatred," Mithos answered casually.

"What does sacwifice mean?" she questioned, scratching her head in confusion.

"It means that you kill someone for a greater good," Mithos remarked.

"They have to die, like my mommy and my brother," Storm asked sadly.

"No, your mother and brother were killed for no purpose, but the Chosen's death will help everyone in the end. Remember, it doesn't matter how we get the Chosen to be sacrificed as long as our goal is realized. There are many people who will try to stop it, those people are evil and should be stopped. I trust that when you become a strong a fighter that you will help stop those who oppose the Chosen's sacrifice?" Mithos questioned, already knowing her answer.

"Yeah Uncle Mithos! You can count on me!" she said happily as she gave him an adorable salute.

"All right! Now, go back to your dad, I need to speak with Pronyma a little while," he said as she ran out of the room, past Pronyma who sneered at her in disgust as she ran by.

"Well Pronyma? What did you discover about the Chosen of Mana in Sylverant?" Mithos demanded.

"The Chosen's mana signature matches that of Martel's," she elucidated.

"Perfect, perhaps this time Martel will be revived, we must begin to train Storm even more. Soon, Pronyma we will begin to take away her emotion and humanity, not yet, but soon," he said as Pronyma smiled at the thought of training the young human.

"You actually believed everything that he said!" Zelos exclaimed, not wanting to believe that Storm had once believed that it was okay to sacrifice a Chosen.

"I didn't know any better Zelos! I would never think like that anymore," she fired back.

He looked at her and saw that she was indeed telling the truth. He grabbed her and hugged her.

"I never realized how horrible that things really were for you," he whispered into her ear.

"I'm not even done yet, it gets worse," she replied as she held on to him tightly.

Well, that leads into the next chapter where Storm will begin her training. This is where it begins to get a little darker, be prepared. Look everyone, I figured out how to put lines into the story, cool!