Chapter 24: A Final, Desperate Plea

My friend Stephan Garza gave me the title for this chapter...

These next few chapters are tear-jerkers...but of course, you already knew that, didn't you? "I swear, if you touch them…" Kratos yelled as he burst into the room, but was interrupted by the sight before him.

"You'll do what?" Yggdrasill asked, smiling evilly at Kratos as two of his most powerful angels held Anna and Lloyd.

"Yggdrasill! Let them go! It's me you want!"

"No, dear Kratos." Yggdrasill sneered. "I want the Angelus Project." He turned to his angels. "Take them outside. I have a promise to keep."

"Since when have you kept your promises, Yggdrasill?" Kratos growled.

"Hold your tongue, Kratos. Or else…"

"Or else what?" Kratos narrowed his eyes at his leader. "You can't kill me; otherwise, Origin's seal will be released."

"Duly noted." Yggdrasill followed his angels out, Kratos scowled and followed as well.

As soon as they were outside, Yggdrasill motioned to his angels. The one holding Anna threw her on the ground at Kvar's feet. The one holding Lloyd just dropped him. Noishe growled at the angels and picked up Lloyd and brought him into an alcove near the house.

"Give me one good reason, Kratos, why I shouldn't kill them right here."

"Yggdrasill…you are cold and heartless."

"I'm waiting, Kratos."

"If you even touch my wife and child again, I'll kill you." Kratos iced.

"Wife and child, huh?" Yggdrasill shrugged and turned to Kvar. "My end of the deal is fulfilled. Take her, but leave Kratos to me."

"What? No!" Kratos drew his sword and ran at Kvar and Yggdrasill and started hacking and slashing at them.

"Kratos! Help!" Anna cried. Using a Double Demon Fang to push them back, he ran to his wife's side. "Where's Lloyd?"

"Noishe took him to safety." Kratos said, then kissed her softly. "Lloyd is fine."

"How touching." Kvar said, recovering and stepping toward them.

"Don't touch her." Kratos warned, standing and pointing his sword at the Desian.

"I don't want her…I want her EXsphere." Kvar laughed.

"You can't have it! It's mine!" Anna screamed.

"Anna…let me handle it." Kratos whispered.

"Playing tough won't save you!" Yggdrasill called. "It won't save you, and it won't save your family!"

"Your tough act didn't save Martel, either." Kratos retorted.

"What did I tell you? Don't mention her name in front of me!"

"Why not? She was your sister!"

"Kratos…how do you know that?" Anna whispered.

"I knew Martel. She was as kind as you are. She was a good friend," he whispered back. Yggdrasill advanced on Kratos while Kvar approached from behind.

"During all our time as friends…I've noticed that you never watch your back." Yggdrasill mocked as Kvar grabbed Anna and she screamed. Kratos turned slowly, sword at his side.

"Let her go." He emphasized each word with the authority he held as a Seraphim of Cruxis.

"Why should I? She has something I want." Kvar snickered as he pulled a device out of his cloak. Anna's eyes widened when she saw it and she immediately started struggling. "Now, now. None of that," the Desian laughed as he tightened his grip.

"No! No, please!" Anna begged, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "No…"

"Don't you dare!" Kratos warned, realizing what was happening. Kvar didn't seem to be listening, though, because he did it anyway. There was a scream, a flash of light, and another, more painful and heart wrenching scream.

When the light faded, Kvar was on the ground, out cold, and Yggdrasill was staring in horror at the thing before him. Kratos' jaw dropped and he gasped.

"Anna…" he whispered.

"Kratos…" she responded, though her lips didn't move.

"What's happened to you?" he asked, stepping closer.

"My EXsphere was removed…this is what happened to all the people at the Ranch who outlived their usefulness. This is what would have happened to me that day, had you not been there."

"Anna…I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let this happen."

"Kratos, darling, it's not your fault." Anna moved closer. "Really, it isn't."

"Yes it is. If I would have killed Kvar when I had the chance…"

"There's no use blaming yourself. There was nothing you could have done…not without hurting me…" her voice cut off abruptly and her posture changed drastically. She turned her head to look at the small boy who had gotten away from the family pet. Then, unexplainably, she went after him. Noishe immediately jumped up to protect Lloyd.

"Anna? What are you doing?" Kratos called, rushing forward. As he reached her side once again, another change took place. She seemed to almost return to normal.

"Kratos…I…I'm sorry! I can't control anything!" she cried.

"What's going on here?" Yggdrasill called, clearly angry.

"It's your fault!" Kratos rounded on his leader. "If you hadn't brought Kvar along, this would never have happened!" he started a charge on his leader when Anna spoke again and stopped him.

"Kratos…please…I don't want to hurt anyone…especially not you or Lloyd." He turned to face his wife. "I have one thing to ask of you…promise me you'll do it."

"Anything! Anna, I'll do anything for you. You know I would."

"Please…kill me."

cries Please review? Kratty-sama starts crying Oh...it's OK, Kratos...don't cry.