Black Hearts
I am A little bit of loneliness A little bit of disregard A handful of complaints But I can't help the fact That everyone can see these scars
Chapter Four
"H-How is he, professor?"
"He's still not awake."
"Still. But it's been four days! He should be up at least!"
"Lloyd please, Kratos's body took in a lot of poison it'll be sometime before he comes around. Don't worry, he'll be fine." Raine said soothingly looking at the back of the boy who now faced the sun steamed window.
Do I really want to…"One day Kratos, this'll all be yours!" a man with long shiny black hair exclaimed extending his arms up to the sky trying to encompass the vast plot of open spacious land before he and his auburn haired son.
Wake up.
The young boy smiled sheepishly at his father's back.
"Heehee that means I'll become a king just like you, right father!" his father turned to him and he tried looking up but the over hanging sun blared into his eyes, he squinted and he felt his fathers large hand rustle his hair, he laughed as he almost fell backwards off the wood fence he was sitting on. His father turned to the field again.
"Promise me Kratos. You'll never leave this side." The young boy stopped laughing and looked curiously at his father, who had a strange glint in his eye.
"O-Of course father! I'd never betray you."
"Good. That's what I'd like to hear."
I guess I have to face my demons sometime…right? But what's the use I can't do it.
"Concentrate! Follow my sword with your whole body, not just your eyes what good are your eyes if your hands aren't ready!" he saw his father slash down and he dove to the side as he heard the sword thump into the ground. He sighed brushing away a loose strand of black hair.
"Kratos you can't just keep defending you need to attack." The boy nodded his spiky messy auburn hair, which had specks of brown dirt in it and fresh grass from the field. He jumped up dragging his sword through the dirt till it was in front of his sweat-streaked face. He rushed towards his father sword out to his right.
"Hi-ya!" he cried slashing across, his father side stepped him though, and stuck his foot out he went crashing to the dirt as his sword was sent flying out from his hands, into the dirt a few feet away from him. He spun around supported by his elbows; his auburn bangs covered one eye neatly although he was panting and dirty. His father put the point of his sword to his son's exposed throat, Kratos's eyes widened a bit and he backed up a little. He looked up at his father the sun behind him gave him an almost holy look, the sun's beams danced off his father's blade.
"Never, ever trust the enemy to play fair. Understood. Never trust half elf's, because no matter who you are, or how old they'll kill you." He stood back and sheathed his sword. There was a long hiatus between the two as the wind swept past them both, causing thin strands of black hair to escape his father's neat ponytail, and his own hair flew to one side as well. Kratos yawned, and his father sighed resting a hand over his face and shaking his head.
"All right, I get it you're tired we'll stop for today. But you better be ready for tomorrow, early."
"Awww dad! I hate practicing! Why so early! It's so boring." His father narrowed his eyes.
"Is that all you do you little brat, complain." He said jokingly as he picked Kratos up and put him on his shoulder. The young boy pouted, he could tell even if he didn't see his face.
"I don't complain." His father laughed he'd always remembered it to a powerful yet gentle laugh one you could always join in with or just smile along to.
Go back to when it started. Go back to when it began. How do I change it? What, What do I…
He cracked open an eye, and this time he didn't shut it, he looked up at the whitewashed ceiling with its hard oak embroidery and sighed. His lifted a numb left arm, and ran a hand down across his greasy unwashed hair, he cringed. How long had he been out for? His one eye darted to the door as it opened with a small miniscule creak.
"D-Dad…you're…you're alright!" he heard the boots of his son bound up to his bed side and he looked up his one eye taking in more emotions from his son then he'd ever seen with both. Lloyd rubbed his eyes and smiled.
"I thought you wouldn't…you weren't going to."
"I'm fine." He whispered his voice sounding unnatural and alien to him. Lloyd nodded.
"I'll get you something to drink, and maybe a little food." He stated walking briskly to the door a jump in his step. Kratos smiled.
"At least one person is happy with me."
"Well you did give everyone quite a scare, oh Mr. Mysterious I think I'll wander out by myself and try to fight an unknown person who called me out." Kratos sighed and tried to sit up, his back shot out a wave of pain and rejection to his sudden movement and he immediately lied back down complying with his body's wishes.
"What're you doing here…Yuan." The ending of his sentence ended with a wince as he pulled the sheets up over his head to reveal his nightclothes but underneath them were bloodied bandages wrapped around his torso. His head dropped back onto the soft down pillow with its mild fragrance of some unknown flower. He looked at Yuan, who stood there showing no signs of emotion at all. Kratos propped himself up.
"Yuan…" the half elf blinked and looked at the auburn haired man who gave him a look of concern. Yuan's eyes returned to their normal sheen, he looked at Kratos vaguely and then turned his glance to the window.
"I should be asking you the same question." Kratos inclined his head looking at his childhood friend questioningly.
"What's that suppose to…" Yuan whirled on his friend.
"You damn well know what it means Kratos, don't give me that bullshit!" Yuan yelled his eyes burning with anger as he cut off Kratos mid sentence.
"What the hell were you thinking, please I'd love to know. Did you just decide not to fight, or what? Who is he Kratos…tell me." Yuan asked his eyes shifting from the floor to his friend who sat silently in the bed propped up on two white snowy pillows.
"I never saw you get hurt in a fight with a stranger before. So, what makes this one different? Why the hell didn't you attack him!" Yuan asked walking a bit closer to the bed. Kratos looked at the whitewashed wall, not saying a word.
"Answer me!" he heard his friend cry out almost in a voice of desperation.
"I won't," he paused then turned to Yuan "I can't! I can't tell you! Any of you! If I did…who knows what he'd…what he would…do." Kratos bit his lip and returned to his dead silence.
"Do you really think you can go on like this? Keeping secrets from everyone! You're not a mercenary any more Kratos! You have a son! One that's willing to help, and by you not telling him a single damn thing…!" Kratos's eyes bolted to Yuan he narrowed them in anger.
"Don't you think I know that? You don't know him like I do Yuan, and for your information he really wouldn't care who Lloyd is, the fact that he saw him at that party has already put his life in jeopardy."
"Well of course I don't know who he is, because you never told me! And you probably won't, you think you can carry the whole world on your shoulders and you can't, you're just too…we're just too tired, damn it Kratos what the hell are you proposing then!"
"Just…get off my case damn it! I know you're trying to help protect me, but not now, now isn't the time for this!" Kratos yelled sweeping his hand in front of him in a cutting motion, Yuan crossed his arms over his chest and turned a cold shoulder to his auburn haired friend. The door of the room clicked, and both men turned towards it, Lloyd stepped into the room carrying a tray of food and pitcher of water. He stopped and the room remained eerily quiet, he sensed the tension in the air, but forgot all about it as Yuan began coughing doubling over in pain, Lloyd ran over, placing the platter down first and he put an arm around the hunched half elf's shoulder.
"I-I'm fine!" Yuan whispered in a voice that sounded anything but fine, but Lloyd backed away as the half elf stood straight glaring at Kratos as he turned to him.
"I'm leaving and don't think you'll get sympathy from me Kratos." He said in a whisper, and then he disappeared leaving both father and son looking at one another.
:Luin:
She heard the lock from the cellar door click as the person outside of it unlocked it. She shuddered and prayed that it was someone other than the person she thought it was. But it seemed as if the Goddess turned a deaf ear to her prayer and her pleas.
"Oh. You're up so early, but then again that's what I'd expect from a hard working girl such as yourself." He smiled as he bent down onto one knee and cupped her face in one of his pale thin hands. His eyes flashed as she looked directly into their deep black pits. She flinched and moved, as much as possible, away from him he scoffed and stood up looking down at her. They were in one of the cellars beneath one of Luin's many storage houses, storage houses that were built just in case the town was destroyed again.
"I told you I wouldn't hurt you, you're oh so important to me." He stated looking at his hand as if mesmerized by its smoothness; he turned to the girl named Chocolat who was chained, across the waist holding her arms in place, and her legs underneath her chained and bound neatly as well, against a support beam of the storage house. She muffled a cry of either pleading or fear he didn't care though.
"I need something of yours, do you know what it is?" he asked she felt an odd presence fill the room; the shadows on the walls began to move like tiny blobs in creature like forms. She shook her head knowing that this wasn't good. The half elf bent down again so he was eye level with her, his black glossy hair with its auburn streaks falling over his left shoulder as he traced a design on her exposed cheek.
"I need, something very valuable to you, you have revenge in your heart as much as you would want to deny it, but…sadly all humans seek revenge. All humans have hearts of pure black coal, and you my young lady are no exception." He smiled, "and thus begins the beginning of the second war I'll kill you all I swear. Humans are so dispensable. So easily manipulated their hearts are, that's because they all become blinded by their hatred, and fear. Such a sad fate for man, don't you think." She nodded tentatively, fearing that if she disagreed he'd most likely kill her.
"The human heart…is so…black." He whispered as his right hand was engulfed in a black flame, Chocolat tried to scream but she knew it was muffled and no one would come.
"No one can hear you cry, you're all alone. What a pity, Lloyd and his friend never saved you how sad." He laughed as he pressed his hand into her chest, white-hot pain flashed before her eyes as she struggled to break free. The searing red hot pain washed over her like a giant wave, inescapable, insurmountable the dreaded pain of her heart being torn into two. She shook her head her brown hair falling over her face pale ghost white face; his hand went in deeper until all of it was in her skin up to his wrist, his eyes sparkled as he felt the tips of his fingers brush against a solid mass.
"Perfect." He whispered as his fingers wrapped around it, he tugged and Chocolat let out a muffled cry of pain trying to break his grip. He smirked as his hand came out and within his palm was a white iridescent heart. Chocolat immediately fell unconscious before him. He looked at her.
"Awaken." He said blandly without emotions and the girl's eyes opened they flashed red, as a black shadow from the room flew into the place where her heart was.
"How do you feel?"
"Fine my lord, what does thou wish for me to do?" she asked staring at him as he unchained her, her eyes never leaving his figure.
"Nothing yet, we have to secure this town first, I should have enough lifeless beings after that. Then…then I shall begin my…"
"Excuse me…is anyone in there!" he spun around, at the sound of an older woman's voice, snarling, "Damn, someone must've heard." He shot his arm out in front of him.
"Satra! Bring her to me." A loud hiss replied to the half elf's command as a black gaseous serpent flowed from the shadowed filled floorboards. The woman at the top of the stairs backed away.
"Wh-What are you! Who, who are you!" he smiled as he looked behind him to the red eyed girl, and then back to the woman at the stairs.
"I'm your worst nightmare…" she heard him reply as she let out a scream, it sounded so muffled and foreign to her, as the shadows filled her vision and the last thing she saw was the blue sky behind her, the blue sky with its pure white clouds and crystal blue expanse.
He went ridged as a twig nearby in the surrounding brush cracked he let out a sigh, and let go of the small sword resting against his right side, as he saw a rabbit hop out of the under brush. His brown eyes narrowed as he heard three more snaps, he spun around taking in his surroundings, and the whole forest had gone extremely quiet. His father had warned him of the dangers of venturing in there by himself, wolves, giant plants, even bears could've attacked him but it was all so unnaturally quiet and that scared him more than any beast would.
"W-Whose there!" his voice rang out thrumming through the silent forest like a beacon of light helping stray ships. No one answered.
"Hello! Anyone out there!" he asked again his voice quavering as he spun around, as more twigs cracked and a wave of light air brushed up against his cheek. His eyes darted upward, as he heard laughter.
"My, my aren't you a bit young to be wandering around Gaoracchia forest by yourself?" a mysterious voice asked it's source unknown. Kratos narrowed his eyes.
"I'm not young, and you're just a coward! Show yourself!" the voice erupted in laughter, and the whole forest seemed to erupt in laughter as well the animals the plants all-laughing at him. He blushed as he drew his sword. He cried out as someone or something twisted his wrist making him drop his sword to the ground, and then all he realized was that he was being held up by the collar of his blue and white shirt.
"Ack!" he gasped as his tiny hands wrapped around an unforeseen force which was holding him up, they felt like hands, but he wasn't sure, he closed his eyes against the pain.
"What bad manners you have, boy. I'll have to teach you a lesson or two on respecting your elders." The voice hissed letting go of Kratos' shirt and he fell to the floor his hands immediately going to his sore throat as it throbbed in pain, he curled up a little bringing his knees close to him as he coughed. He looked up his eyes widening in horror as he scrambled to his feet searching around him for his sword.
"H-Half elf…" he whispered as the figure before him turned around to look at him, the half elf was thin, firmly built, and he had long white hair riding down to about his knees it was tinted blue as well. He was wearing an outfit of pure white, a long sleeved shirt with two light blue stripes running down the sleeves outer lining. A white sash in the middle with two long thick bands falling out behind him, separated his pants from his shirt and he wore white pants as well, his boots which went up to a little past his ankle were white as well, and they looked like bandages wrapped about his feet rather then boots. His eyes were different though, they were cat like golden like a crown and black slit pupils, and his ears were long thin and pointed. He could've sworn that they twitched when a deer appeared out of the underbrush that surrounded their current wide-open patch of dirt and trees. The half elf smiled as the deer trotted over, he ran a thin fingered hand along the deer's head, he sat on a nearby rock and the deer laid down to rest next to him. Kratos was breathless as he watched the half elf gaze up at the blue sky, birds flew over head singing their rapture of musical tunes which only they understood, and maybe the elf as well. Kratos straightened and cleared his throat he looked at the half elf with determination; the half elf broke his gaze with the sky and looked at the auburn haired boy before him.
"What's your name boy?" the half elf asked in a kind melodious tune of a voice, it sounded like the birds dashing above them.
"K-Kratos Pallas." He stuttered blushing at how juvenile he felt. He half elf smiled.
"Well, that's quite an interesting name you have." The half elf responded plucking two apples from a nearby tree. Kratos nodded not knowing he was agreeing with the enemy, he shook his head and glared at the half elf's back.
"I'm going to be the next future king of this land!" he cried out pointing his thumb at himself, the half elf let out a hearty laugh.
"Oh and it that supposed to mean anything to me, oh lord Kratos?" Kratos shook with anger as the half elf mocked him right before his eyes. He ran to his sword and grabbed it; he pointed it at the half elf, who blinked in confusion as the young boy pointed the sword tip in his general direction.
"I'm going to defeat you right now!" Kratos said anger tinged in his voice, the half elf sighed rubbing the back of his head.
"Your defense is wide open, and you're letting your anger get the best of you." Kratos gasped as the half elf appeared right in front of him and kneed him in his stomach, he fell to the floor gasping, dizzy and quavering his sword was still in his grip though, he looked up and saw a white object fly towards him, the half elf's foot.
He groaned as pain filled his head like an open crack in a container surrounded by water. He sat up and his temples throbbed he massaged them with his hands; he shook his head and opened his eyes.
"Here. Drink this it'll help." The half elf replied holding out a stinking bowl of some concoction.
"Augh god it's horrible! What is it? Poison?" Kratos asked pushing it away as he scooted up to a tree trunk. The half elf smiled as he sniffed it, he blinked eyes tearing.
"Gods, you're right it does smell horrible. But, it tastes better then it smells if that's any consolation."
"You mean you drank it before!" Kratos asked gagging as the aroma wafted its way over to him on a silent wind.
"Oh, quit whining and drink it." The half elf snapped, shoving the red clay bowl into the young boy's hands. Kratos sniffed it once more and grimaced the pain in his head was almost as bad, and making him nauseous as well. He sighed, took a deep breath and downed the contents in one giant gulp. He dropped the bowl and tried to keep his stomach from turning inside out as the acidic medication coursed through his stomach. He hadn't paid much attention to the time and realized it was just before dark he jumped up his head turning to the red indigo streaked horizon of sunset.
"It's…it's almost night time! Father's going to kill me if he finds out I snuck out!" the half elf chuckled.
"Sneaking out, eh?" Kratos turned on the half elf who was lying lazily on his side, eyes closed, near the fire he'd made, obviously while Kratos was knocked out.
"Oh shut it! You're the reason as to why I'm in this mess! If you hadn't knocked me out!" The half elf cracked open one golden eye.
"If you hadn't lost your temper I wouldn't of had to use self defense." Kratos looked at him confused.
"But! I couldn't have done anything to you anyway!" he replied hands balled into fists, the half elf yawned.
"Yep. But, you had a weapon."
"You're weird."
"And you sneak out of a giant castle to go gallivanting in the forest. Which you knew was filled with all sorts of dangers." Kratos sighed as he looked around the fire for his sword and pack he'd brought with him. The half elf had shut his eyes again.
"Why did you sneak out?" Kratos grunted as he moved a large log checking behind it for his things.
"Didn't…want to study."
"Oh. What're you learning about?" the half elf asked. Kratos fumed at the questions the half elf kept pestering him with. He saw a glint of metal coming from nearby the fire.
"Herb lore or something. Really boring stuff." He replied picking up his pack, his hand reached for his sword, then a white thin fingered hand wrapped around his wrist. Kratos fell onto the ground.
"How do you do that!" he asked angry that the half elf caught him off guard, again. He released the boy and sat down cross-legged, gazing into the fire.
"Practice, many many years of practice." Kratos growled as he got up and dusted himself off.
"Why didn't you kill me?" the half elf turned to him, staring dully, Kratos looked away.
"Not all half elf's are evil genocidal maniacs you know." He stated Kratos scrunched up his face in confusion.
"Well, I'll defeat you! I swear it! Just you wait! I'll get stronger and beat you!" Kratos exclaimed pointing to the half elf, who was roasting some sort of food. He looked up to find the boy staring determinedly at the sky. The half elf smirked, looking back into the fire.
"Stronger…huh? We'll see." Kratos ran then, as fast as he could until his legs burned as if being engulfed in fire, he saw the opening at the edge of the forest. The half elf's words blaring through his mind like sirens. Not all evil…then why, why are we having this war?
"Master Kratos! Where have you been all day!" he cringed as he heard Martha's loud scraggly voice break his concentration.
"My goddess you're all filthy! Where have you been!" she asked again dragging him by the ear.
"I went to the forest, herb lore is so boring!" he whined, fully realizing just how childish he sounded.
"Well we'll see what your father has to say about this, after we get you cleaned up." Kratos wasn't paying attention though his head was turned to the forest, where he'd return for several years, to learn about the strange half elf and his ways.
Mmm well, I decided a new approach as to why Kratos likes and accept half elfs...it makes sense, right? In a demented, twisted, what the hell kind of way, yeah why is he living the forest (the half elf I mean)? You'll find out, soon I promise.I like the half elf, he's going to be an awsome character, he's so cool I heart him...anywho lots of flashbacking? Yeah, flashbacking (if you count it as a word and you will because this is my author note and it's supposed to sound somewhat intelligent) in this chapter...I kinda wanted to make Kratos like Lloyd when he's little it's cute...come on you know it is, he hates studying hates praticing with his daddy aaaand he doesn't like Herb lore XD Where did I get that from! Herbal Essence...mmm fresh and clean XD I'm going to stop this chapter is already friggen long and then you have this long winded authoress note, which really...doesn't make any sense because my head hurts and I want a cookie...mmmm cookie. Read and Review...please? I only have one...READ IT! NOW: ) Oh yeah...lyrics are from Faint by Linkin Park.