Okay, it's time for the next chapter of this story. I really hope that everyone has been enjoying this story so far. Remember, this is the last story for the Dark Age. Anyway, I just saw Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and it was awesome! Everyone who liked the first one, or likes Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom should see this movie. Well, enough of my rambling, on with the chapter!

Chapter 5: Regained Trust

Storm was feeling a bit more confident about her friends' real feelings towards her. She was finally ready to talk to someone that had actually once told her that they hated her and what she did. She was very hesitant to talk to him, but after reforming lost bonds with her father and Yuan she felt better. She went in search of Lloyd.

Storm wandered around the village, feeling a little better about the residents and their thoughts. She knew that they were upset, but she also had a feeling that they were searching to regain their trust in her, and she wouldn't let them down. She vowed to never act against any of the elves anymore, not after all of their kindness towards her even after what she had done. Soon, Storm saw Lloyd sitting on the porch of the inn, lost in thought.

Storm chuckled at the sight, her brother was actually lost in thought. She couldn't help but be worried that he might hurt himself if he kept it up for too long. She walked up to the stairs of the inn and sat down at the bottom of the stairs and looked up at him in wonder. She sat there, seeing how long it would take him to figure out she was there, she also wondered what exactly he was thinking about. She stared up at her big brother and hoped that he really didn't hate her, she loved him too much.

Suddenly, Lloyd felt the pair of eyes on him as he looked up and opened his eyes to stare down at Storm. He cocked his head in confusion, wondering what she was doing and how long she had been there.

"What are you doing?" Storm asked him.

"Thinking...," Lloyd stated simply.

"I can see that," Storm sighed, "About what?" she asked him.

"About how we're going to find Kagerou and Martel," he told her as he looked up towards the sky with hope in his eyes. "I know they're still out there and I'm going to find them and save them from Mithos," he told her.

"Lloyd...?" Storm asked hesitantly.

"What is it?" he questioned, his voice becoming gentler towards his sister.

"Are you glad that we're siblings? Or have I only been trouble for you?" she asked him cautiously, afraid to hear the answer.

"I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to be my sister," Lloyd told her as he smiled down at her. "And I'll protect you like a big brother should everyday for the rest of my life. But...you have to trust me for me to do that," he told her as he continued to stare down at her, waiting for her answer.

Storm looked at Lloyd, trying to decide what to do. He had once told her he hated her and that they weren't related in his heart. She held his children hostage and would have killed them if Mithos would have wanted it. He was the Eternal Swordsman and could probably kill her and they had each tried to kill one another before. Could she really trust him?

A few silent moments passed by before Storm finally stood up and sat down next to Lloyd.

"I do trust you," she finally told him. "Martel and Kagerou are at Meltokio. Mithos has a new fortress built there underneath the ruins of the castle. He's keeping them prisoners there still I'm sure. After all, he still thinks I'm dead," she revealed to Lloyd who looked at her with deep appreciation and joy in his eyes.

"Thank you Storm. Will you help us bring them back? Everyone else will help too," Lloyd offered as he stood up and offered her his hand.

Storm looked at him and made her biggest decision yet. Was she going to trust everyone that she had been taught to hate? Would they allow her to fight alongside them against Mithos? Did she really want to fight Mithos again? All of these questions ran through her mind, but her answer was clear.

"I will help you, lead the way," she told him as she took his extended hand while he helped her up.

"So, we're going to Meltokio then?" Lloyd asked her.

"It seems that we are," Storm replied with a small giggle.

Meanwhile, Mithos was becoming very desperate back at Meltokio as he attempted to come up with a plan to once again recover the Eternal Sword. He wasn't sure if Origin would let him have the sword for a third time, but he was sure that he had let Lloyd's group have it once again. Mithos walked up and down the halls of his dungeon as the plans in his mind began to come together. Once he saw Martel and Kagerou huddled in a corner of one of the cells he knew exactly what he had to do.

"I have one more thing that I need you two for," he stated as he looked at the two terrified children trapped in the prison.

If he couldn't get the Eternal Sword, he would at least get his revenge on the one who kept stealing it from him.

Storm was sitting under a tree next to the river while she waited for the others to get ready to head out. She felt so relieved that she could trust her entire group again...even Zelos. She wasn't about to talk to him though, he still seemed like he didn't want her around. She knew that he wouldn't hurt her, but he probably didn't want to be with her. It broke her heart, but she knew that she couldn't let him know that. She had to stay strong, being with her wasn't the best thing for Zelos anyway. He would be happier without her, no matter how much it pained her. All of the insecurities that had been built up over the years faded away when her trust was reformed with her friends. She no longer had any doubts about them, and if she did it wouldn't bother her.

A gentle breeze blew by as Storm's hair gently waved in it. She tucked the stray hairs behind her ear and gently sighed, staring out onto the river with a small smile forming on her face. She was finally content and confident.

"Soon it will be time Storm...,"

Storm looked around as jerked up, looking for the strange voice she heard. It had sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on where she'd heard it before. What had it said? She didn't quite understand who it was or what they were talking about. Suddenly, she felt a chill run through her body as she heard the haunting voice again.

"Come to me Storm...,"

What would be calling to her, or was something really calling her at all? She was beginning to doubt that she'd even heard anything at all. Besides, she could barely understand whatever it was saying. She figured that it was most likely just the wind moving through the trees. Of course, the trees had never sounded like that before...

"Hey Storm, are you ready to go or what?" Sutra asked with a cocky grin on her face. She was surrounded by everyone else from their group as they motioned for her to hurry up so they could leave. Storm looked around her once more before deciding to just forget that she had ever even heard a strange voice. She got up and swiftly ran towards her group as they headed out for Meltokio.

Well, that's it for this chapter. I hope that it was good and that I left you in psuedo-suspense. I don't want you in a major cliffhanger. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews from the last chapter and I told you that I would reply to them once again. Hopefully I can do that for this one as well. Thanks, and don't forget to review and tell me what you think!