Chapter 27: Shore Leave
Yggdrasill paced back and forth in the main chamber of Derris Kharlan Castle…the exact same room that he had been in when the worlds were separated 4000 years previous. Kratos and Yuan walked in and knelt before him.
"You summoned us, Lord Yggdrasill?" Kratos asked, misery and anguish still lacing his voice, even though at least two years had passed.
"Yes. I need you to do something for me."
"What do you wish, my lord?" Yuan asked.
"Bring me the Eternal Sword." Yggdrasill said to Yuan. Then, the blonde Seraph turned to Kratos. He waited until Yuan had left to speak. "Kratos…you've disappointed me. I thought maybe after two years, you'd be over it."
"What makes you believe that, my lord? It has been 4000 years, yet you still grieve for your sister."
"Kratos, that really makes no difference. I do not grieve for Martel, I have devised a way to revive her…you, on the other hand, sit in silence and mull over your memories of her and dream of what could have been. You sit in despair and do nothing. This is why I believe that you have mourned long enough."
"My lord…" Yuan walked back in and knelt again before Yggdrasill and presented the Eternal Sword. Yggdrasill took it, and slashed through the air. A portal appeared, a swirling violet rip in space and time. The Cruxis leader gestured for Kratos to stand, then pointed to the portal.
"What does this mean, my lord?" Kratos asked, eyes narrowing in confusion.
"Yuan has requested that you be allowed to return to Sylvarant for one month. If you have not finished grieving by then, you will have more work around Derris Kharlan to keep your mind off things."
"Thank you, my lord." Kratos bowed, then stepped through the portal.
Sylvarant had not changed much in the past couple of years, and it was nice to be back, but it didn't do anything for Kratos. He couldn't go into any towns because he had been to all of them with Anna…he couldn't visit Lake Umacy because that's where he had proposed to her…he refused to go anywhere near the Human Ranches, because of what had happened to Anna. There was nothing for him here.
Iselia brought back memories of her death, Triet reminded him of having to leave her in favor of loyalty to Cruxis. Palmacosta and Izoold were just as painful for him to pass by or through. Hakonesia Peak and the entire northern part of Sylvarant were forbidden territory because of all that had happened there…Hima especially. Thoda Dock was the only place that they had never gone, and he found solace there.