A/N:
I'm going to upload two chapters again today – the last chapter is basically an epilogue, and only about a page long. You can expect it to be up shortly.
Let's fight Yggdrassil – again! I wonder how it'll go this time around.
"Of course", Lloyd said. "His soul lived on inside the Cruxis Crystal, just like Alicia's!"
"Mithos, please listen to me!", Genis called. "We don't have to fight! Just return the Great Seed, so we can save the worlds!"
"Saving the two worlds means nothing to me."
"So, this is really just about your sister, eh?", Lloyd asked. "How incredibly selfish you are. No wonder Origin was fed up with people."
"Mithos... Martel is already dead", Genis said quietly.
Mithos merely laughed. "Dead? My sister isn't dead! She's alive, just as I survived inside the crystal!"
"You call that alive? Being taken over by a lifeless being?", Lloyd asked in disbelief.
"What good did our bodies ever bring us? In our veins flows the blood of humans and elves – that is why they despise us. It would be much better to leave this all behind and become lifeless beings. I told you before – the only way to end discrimination is for everyone to become the same race."
"That is not true", Alice argued. "It is the many differences that make life so enjoyable and interesting! Every single person has different likes and dislikes, dreams and wishes... Can you really imagine all to be the same – and still think that would be better?"
"Indeed. Besides, being a lifeless being has other advantages, too... advantages you very well know about. We can change our appearance. We are immortal. You – me – your beloved father..."
Mithos switched to his younger self as to underline what he was saying.
"You got it all wrong, Mithos", Lloyd said quietly. "Discrimination doesn't come from us being different."
"'Discrimination comes from people's hearts, if we are too weak to accept those who are different'", Kratos quoted. "Alice wrote that in her dissertation at the Palmacosta Institute. And I know it to be true."
"Kratos – I can't believe that you, of all people, would betray me", Mithos spat. "How dare you!"
"I do not mean to betray you. I am full of regret – regret that I could not stop you!"
"I always believed that all humans were full of prejudice", Genis said. "But Lloyd and his friends are different. People can change."
"And turning everyone into lifeless beings wouldn't vanquish discrimination, either", Regal said. "Because it would live on inside people's hearts."
"But – then where should we half-elves go?", Mithos asked, sadness in his eyes. "Where can we live?"
"Anywhere you want", Lloyd replied.
Mithos' chin jerked upwards. "Don't make fun of me!"
"I'm serious! As long as you don't do anything bad, you can live anywhere you want!"
Mithos started to laugh. It was a humourless, cold laugh.
"I have lived in this world for 4.014 years. What you say is nonsense!" He spread a pair of rainbow-coloured wings. "That is why I wanted a place where I belong. A world for us half-elves."
"You're pretty good at playing the victim", Zelos observed. "But that doesn't justify what you have done."
"Mithos!", Colette called. "The goddess known as conscience is within you, too! Please, stop this!"
"Hah! There is no goddess! So I won't stop, either! If there's no place where I can live, and if I've been denied my Age of Lifeless Beings, that all that's left for me is to build a new world on Derris-Kharlan! A world just for my sister and me!"
"So, you wanna say that you would let the entire world die just to save your sister?!", Lloyd shouted.
"My sister is all I need. A world like this – a world like this can vanish!"
He raised his hand and shot a series of energy balls at them. Lloyd and the others threw up shields to protect themselves.
"Trying to talk to him any longer would be a waste of time!", Rína called. "I hate to say it, but killing him is our only option!"
Alice, Lloyd, Elerína and Kratos drew their blades.
"We have barely space to fight, so leave this to us", Alice told the others. "Aurion family business."
Lloyd rushed at his enemy, Alice close on his heels. Elerína and Kratos would support them with magic.
Mithos created a sword out of light to stop the twins. Alice spread her wings to make sure he would stay within Lloyd's reach, while Rína and Kratos attacked from the distance.
Alice hissed when Mithos managed to cut her left arm. However, she continued to fight with just one hand while waiting for Kratos to cast a healing spell on her. Mithos sent a weaker spell in Rína's direction to stop her from casting, but it didn't do him much good.
"This time, we'll pull this off, Mea!"
"We will, Sári. Let's put an end to this."
Kratos cast Thunder Blade, shortly followed by Elerína's Bloody Howling. Alice knocked the blade out of Mithos' hand, and Lloyd stabbed Mithos.
Mithos gasped as Vorpal went right through his body. Just as before, his body dissolved into mana, but his soul was held in place by the Cruxis Crystal.
"He'll continue to live as long as that crystal exists", Presea said quietly.
"Yes. And eventually, I will be taken over by the crystal. I'm tired of playing your game of good-and-evil – I'm tired of it all. Hurry up and destroy the crystal. If you don't, Derris-Kharlan will continue to drift away."
"Mithos - ", Lloyd began.
"Do it now! Before I, too, am no longer myself."
"Lloyd! Please! Help him! Let him die while he is still himself!", Genis begged.
"All right..."
"Farewell, my shadow...", Mithos said as Lloyd slowly advanced on him, his right arm raised. "You who stand at the end of the path I chose not to follow... I wanted my own world, so I don't regret my choice. I would make the same choice all over again... I will continue to choose this path..."
Lloyd brought his arm down. His sword cut clean through the crystal. Mithos' soul faded away.
The remnants of the Cruxis Crystal – tiny sparkling stars – suddenly surrounded Lloyd and were absorbed by his Exsphere. Surprised, Lloyd raised his left hand to take a closer look. It was a warm feeling...
"You could have – you could have lived with us – in our world! Damn it!"
"Lloyd!"
Alice's voice made him jump.
"It's not over yet! We have to return to the surface before Derris-Kharlan drifts too far away!"
"We're lucky the Great Seed is still within the gravitational field of the planet", Rína added.
Lloyd used the Eternal Sword to take them back to the Tower of Salvation – or what was left of it.
"Eternal Sword, I need your help again!"
The two balls of light detached themselves from his swords, and the Eternal Sword appeared before him.
"What is your desire?"
"Restore the true form of our two worlds!"
"Acknowledged."
As Lloyd lifted the sword high over his head, it sent out a wave of light. The ground shook, and Lloyd could feel the power he was using.
Then, it was over. But just as Lloyd was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the shaking started again, but this time, it was much stronger. At the same time, all nine elemental Summon Spirits appeared in a circle around them.
"W-whats happening?!", Lloyd shouted while trying to keep his balance.
"Your wish is granted. However, there is no link. Without a link, the land will die – as it did 4.000 years ago."
"Just as I thought", Kratos muttered.
"The world was originally separated into two in order to prevent its destruction. If it returns to its true form, the worlds lacks the mana to support itself. The land – is dying."
"I don't need to know why it's dying!", Lloyd shouted at Origin. "I wanna know what we need to do to stop it!"
"Support the two worlds by linking them with the Great Tree. That is the only way to stop the destruction of the land."
"We need to restore the Giant Kharlan Tree", Kratos added.
"I get it!", Lloyd replied.
"Lloyd, quickly! Before Derris-Kharlan drifts off into the far reaches of space, use its mana to awaken the Great Seed!", Rína ordered. "That's the only way to revive it."
"All right, then! I'm counting on you, Eternal Sword!"
"Derris-Kharlan is already at the edge of the gravitational field. Not even Yggdrassil – Mithos – could stop that from happening. Do you still intend to try?"
"Yeah."
"Even strengthened by your Exsphere, it is likely that your body will not withstand those forces. Are you certain of your decision?"
"I said I'm doing it, so I'm doing it! Besides, this time, there really is no other way!"
"Very well."
Lloyd used the sword to direct Derris-Kharlan's mana at the Great Seed, which was continuing to drift away. However, something wasn't right. The mana was deflected by a barrier surrounding the seed.
"It's not working!", Lloyd shouted, frustrated.
The Eternal Sword vanished.
"The Great Seed is – already dead", Colette said quietly.
Lloyd couldn't believe this. Had all of his efforts been for nothing? No. He wouldn't allow this. There had to be a way!
Lloyd's Exsphere started to flash in a bright blue light, it seemed different from before. He felt a wave of power rush though his body as the glowing intensified.
"Wait! Don't go! Please wake up!", he cried out desperately.
Feathers whirled around him, and the next moment, huge green and blue wings burst from his shoulders. Each wing was about twice the size he was.
He could hear the surprised shouts of his companions, but he really had other things to worry about. Someone would come up with an explanation for this eventually.
Lloyd kicked off hard and soared into the air, toward the Great Seed. Colette followed.
As he approached the seed, the same sparkling stars from before burst from his Exsphere. They surrounded the Great Seed, and dispelled the barrier.
Colette had caught up with him by now and took his left hand.
"It looks like Derris-Kharlan stopped moving away", she observed.
"Yeah, but why? The Eternal Sword is gone..."
The next moment, it reappeared in front of them. Lloyd grabbed the hilt.
"Thank goodness!", Colette exclaimed.
"This is my final wish, Eternal Sword..."
"Please! Awaken the Great Seed!"
"I beg you, please, wake up!"
"Please!"
Raising the sword high above his head, Lloyd swung it forwards with both arms.
"Rise, Giant Kharlan Tree!"
Slowly, Tabatha made her way across the plains where the Tower of Salvation had stood. She paid Alice and the others, who had remained on the surface, no heed. She was only interested in the Great Seed.
The giant lotus flower was descending at high speed, right toward her, and Tabatha raised her arms to catch it. The flower dissolved and the petals whirled around her. Tabatha could see many souls moving within the Great Seed, and she recognised one – Mithos Yggdrassil. Smiling happily, he was holding the hand of a young woman.
Suddenly, the souls converged on a spot a few feet away from Tabatha and fused into a new one. The woman strongly resembled Martel Yggdrassil, she was carrying a staff and leaves were growing from her ears. The woman moved closer, smiling gently. She reached out to touch Tabatha's face, then, she embraced her. Tabatha could feel them fuse together.
So, I've finally found my purpose...
Martel opened her eyes.
Lloyd and Colette alighted and ran toward the spot where the Great Seed had landed, closely followed by Alice, Kratos and Elerína. They were surprised to see a woman standing amongst the remains of the tower.
As they moved closer, she knelt down to gently touch the tiny leaves of a small seedling that was growing at her feet. Noticing their approach, she rose and turned to face them.
Colette reached for Lloyd's hand. The stranger smiled.
"I am Martel, and also the incarnation of the Great Seed itself. Lloyd, your hope, as well as the hope of many others, resurrected me."
"So, you're Mithos' sister?", Lloyd asked, surprised.
"No, Mithos' sister Martel is only one of the many souls within me. I am mana, and I am the Giant Tree. I am the symbol of the many souls sacrificed to the Great Seed. I am the new spirit born to accompany this new tree. And now, the seed has awakened along with me."
The next moment, the seedling seemed to grow right in front of their very eyes until it had become a gigantic tree, each branch covered in dark green leaves.
"The Great Tree", Alice whispered in awe. "We actually did it!"
"This is the future form of the Great Tree", Martel explained. "Right now, it is only a small seedling. In its current state, the tree will wither and die."
"Well then, how do we protect it?", Lloyd asked.
"You must provide the tree with love and adoration. As long as those conditions are met, I shall always protect the seedling."
"I promise! If the tree ever starts to wither – I'll make sure! I won't let it die!"
"And I'll help you", Alice added. "We won't repeat the mistakes our ancestors made!"
"In that case, I will make your family the guardians of the Giant Tree. I trust you will be worthy of this task."
The four Aurions nodded solemnly.
"Then, Lloyd, on behalf of all living beings, I want you to give this tree a new name, as a proof of the pact."
"Huh?"
"The Giant Kharlan Tree was planted by the elves when they first came to this land, as a guardian, to watch over and protect them. This newly born tree protects the lives of elves, humans and all those caught in between. Therefore, this tree requires a new name."
Lloyd thought about that for a while.
So, this tree is the link that holds the world together...
"All right, I got it! Your name is – Yggdrassil!"
Not long after, the companions gathered to discuss their new situation.
"If we want to protect Yggdrassil, I suggest we build a house for us to live in here", Rína suggested.
"I agree", Alice said. "But why just one house? We should found a village – a village where everyone can live, regardless of blood, race, or social status. A village of unity. And Dad, you'll stay with us, of course. It's about time we started establishing some kind of family life."
Kratos was clever enough not to try and object to that. Everyone else thought Alice's suggestion to be great.
"Hey, I have another idea", Rína said. "There's seven of us – seven angels. We could create something like the 'Seven Seraphim' and watch over the world, as the vassals of the Goddess Martel, so to speak. Or else we'll have the same problems again – if the development of magi-technology gets out of hand or worse – we get another war – our new tree won't survive it."
"Good idea", Alice said. "But who should be our leader?"
Rína, Kratos, Yuan, Zelos, Lloyd and Colette turned to look at her.
"Er – what?"
Lloyd tilted his head to the side.
"Um, I think it's a pretty obvious choice", he said, emphasising his words.
"M-me? But why?"
"Because you're the most powerful", Lloyd replied.
"That's not really a good argument, you know."
"You're also the most reasonable, and you have a kind heart", Elerína added. "And I very much doubt you'd ever abuse your power. You'd be a good leader – after all, I raised you", she added, winking.
"I – I'll have to think this over. This is a big responsibility, after all."
Seles moved over to the window to look outside. She had heard voices, and wanted to know what all the commotion was about. She was surprised to see the same people who had been with him during his last visit, but her brother himself was nowhere in sight...
The door creaked and Seles spun round. Zelos was leaning against the door frame.
"Why did you come here?"
"I just felt like I ought to visit you every now and then. After all, this abbey is very remote, and I doubt that any news gets here fast... My friend Lloyd reunited Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, and Sylvarant now has a king, some guy called Neil. Besides, the world regeneration system has been abolished, there are no chosen any longer. Which means the title can't be transferred to you any more."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I've been thinking about how I could transfer that status to you, and so I tried to get myself killed... but it didn't really work out, and so - "
Seles stared at him in disbelief, then, she rushed at him and slapped him across the face.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"How can you say something like that?! If you die – if you die, brother, then I would be all alone!"
Zelos gaped at her, clearly surprised.
"But I thought, since you hated me anyway, you'd be happier if you became the Chosen. And you would be finally able to leave this abbey..."
"But I never wanted to be the Chosen! And how on earth did you come to believe that I hated you?"
"Well, it was because of me that your mother attacked me, and she killed my mother in the process... and my mother's last words to me were that I should have never been born, so – I was the reason your mother got executed."
Seles looked at him, horrified. "Your mother said what?! But that wasn't your fault... It wasn't your fault that father fell in love with my mother – and it most certainly wasn't your fault that my mother tried to murder you! I never had a reason to hate you... You, on the other hand - "
"Wait, what are you saying?"
"We kept father away from you. And eventually, he couldn't stand it any longer and committed suicide... And then, my mother killed your mother..."
"But none of that was your fault, Seles", Zelos replied softly. "When they started talking about sending you away, I protested against it... I tried to stop them, but couldn't..."
"I – didn't know."
"Well, anyway. Things have changed – I am now a member of the Seven Seraphim, the guardians. The king can no longer order me around. My manor in Meltokio is rather big, and I was thinking – that you could move in."
"I – should come and live with you?", Seles asked in disbelief.
"Yes – only if you want to, of course. It's just an offer, you don't have to - "
"That would be wonderful, big brother!"
She threw her arms around his neck. He laughed in surprise and whirled her through the air.
"Well, then, come, little sister. I want to introduce you to my friends. And then, we'll go home."
"Home... yes. To our home."
With a soft sigh, Alice closed the door and regarded the two half-elves who had been eagerly anticipating her return.
"Well? How did it go?", Raine asked tentatively.
"I believe I've made some progress at last", Alice replied, pulling out a chair and sitting down. "I've been prompting her with things your father told me about, like your time in Sybak. She was very reluctant to even try and remember at first, especially whenever I mentioned something that triggered unhappy memories. However – it seems that she's become aware of the fact that time has passed, that she isn't as young as she remembers being. It confused her at first, but eventually, she started asking questions. I tried gently steering her in the right direction, but she'd still shy away from unpleasant memories. I suppose it's to be expected."
"So – do you think you'll be able to heal her?", Genis asked.
"I am cautiously optimistic at present", Alice replied. "I believe that part of her has realised that the 'child' she's been caring for is actually just a doll – a replacement – but I think she's too scared to delve into her memories beyond that, terrified of what this implies. However – I don't think she's ever going to dare go beyond this point if we don't give her a nudge. I would like to bring you two along the next time I go to see her, if that's all right with you."
The siblings exchanged a glance before nodding.
Wringing her hands, Virginia restlessly paced in the small confines of her house. She had been somewhat shocked when she'd realised that a couple of years' worth of memories were missing from her mind, that she had been too wrapped up in an illusion of her own making to realise that much time had passed, and that she couldn't possibly be pregnant with her younger child.
She hardly dared looking at the doll she'd been holding all those years, but not having anything to hold on to stressed her to no end.
Where was her daughter? What had happened to the other child? Had she managed to carry it to term? If yes, then where was the child? Where was Kloitz? Virginia had a hunch that she knew the answer to these questions, but there was a wall between her and those memories – and Virginia couldn't shake the feeling that she had done something terrible. And she didn't want to know what, precisely, she had done.
Virginia looked up as the door was opened. By now, the young woman who entered had become a familiar face.
"Hello, Alice", Virginia said with a tired smile.
"May the Great Tree watch over you", Alice replied. "How are you feeling today?"
"Um. Fine", Virginia replied, fisting her hands into the skirt of her dress to keep them still.
Despite her best efforts, Alice picked up on her mood. The human woman moved closer while fishing a bottle out of a hidden pocket.
"Here, have a swig", she said. "It'll help you relax."
"Th-thank you. I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me today."
"It's fine."
Virginia took a swig and handed the bottle back. Almost immediately, she could feel herself calm down.
"Did you remember anything while I was gone? Any new memories pop up?"
"Not really. To tell you the truth – part of me is terrified. I – I know I did something. I'm frightened of the truth."
"What if I told you that there was no need for that?"
"Do you – do you know what happened?"
"Yes. You left a diary with the mayor, and I also managed to speak to some people who remember what happened. Objectively speaking, the truth isn't very terrible – though I can assume, based on experience, that you will likely see things differently, and may place a lot of blame on yourself, even if it is misplaced."
"I – don't understand."
"Have you ever met my father?"
"Kratos? I think I've seen him once or twice."
"Hm. That was before he met my mother – and lost her. He's been a wreck for these past 15 years, hating and blaming himself for things that were beyond his control. He's recently started getting better, though, most likely due to the fact that Rína, Lloyd and I have shown him that we don't hold his past actions against him. I believe the same thing might work for you, too."
"Um. If you say so."
Alice tilted her head to the side, a slight smile on her face. "I am glad you agree with me. I didn't come alone this time, you see – you have visitors. They're waiting outside. Shall we?"
"Visitors? Come to see me? No one's ever come to see me before..."
"Don't worry", Alice said soothingly, placing a hand on Virginia's shoulder. "I will be beside you all the time, you have nothing to fear. And they are both quite eager to meet you."
"I-is that so? Very well, then. I shall meet with them."
Alice gave her another probing look before nodding and leading the way.
Virginia had barely left her house during her time in Exire, as she had been unable to put down Raine – the doll. Thankfully, the other villagers had provided her with food, or she would have probably starved. Now, Virginia blinked into the afternoon sun as she surveyed the small platform her house had been built on.
Two people were waiting for her. A woman, older than Alice, with white hair and blue eyes, and a boy in his early teens at best, who sported the same looks. Confused, Virginia regarded them, head titled to the side. Then, with a jolt, she realised that she'd seen them before – though she couldn't remember how long ago that had been. However, she was certain that it hadn't been a pleasant encounter, and her mind immediately shied away from the memory.
Alice reached over and gently squeezed her shoulder.
"It's all right", she murmured. "They understand why you acted the way you did."
Virginia slowly raised her gaze from the ground and regarded the two of them. Then, with a start, she realised that they were half-elves.
"No", she gasped, her knees suddenly giving out. "It can't be!"
Alice was there immediately, supporting her, while the woman took a few steps in her direction, alarmed.
"You're not – you can't be – what have I done?!", Virginia whispered, feeling the wall crack and the repressed memories surfacing.
"Don't push yourself", Alice urged her. "Focus on the present. Your children are here, they're safe. You managed to protect them from the king's men."
"But at what cost?", Virginia wailed. "And where's Kloitz?"
When Alice didn't reply, Virginia's heart sank.
"No", she whispered. "How? When?"
"He died shortly after you sent your children to Sylvarant", Alice replied quietly. "The mayor of Exire found you both and took you in, but couldn't do anything to save your husband. I'm sorry."
Virginia squeezed her eyes shut, trying to keep her tears at bay. She really shouldn't cry in front of her children – it would only make them think even less of her.
"Don't try to hold it in", Alice chided. "Let it out. It's more healthy this way. I'll hold you, if you want me to."
Virginia just shook her head, but allowed herself to weep openly. Alice stayed within arm's reach the entire time.
After a while, Virginia felt somewhat calmer. After using her sleeves to wipe her face, she looked up at her children.
"I'm sorry", she croaked. "For everything."
The woman – Raine – bit her lip, while her brother – Genis? – gave her a questioning look. He seemed to be looking for a cue on how to act. When he didn't get one, he inched closer to Raine and fixed his attention on his mother instead.
"I can't say that I can just forget all the bad things that happened to us after you sent us to Sylvarant, or how hard it was to raise a baby all by myself", Raine said at length. "However, knowing what I do, I can't say that things would have turned out better for us if you'd kept us – different, yes, but not necessarily better. I can't say if you made the right choice – you will have to figure that out for yourself – but I won't hold your actions against you. You acted with the best of intentions."
"I – see. Thank you. That is more than I dared hope for."
Her gaze darted back to the boy – her son – and her heart clenched. Alice had given her a rough timeline, and, as a result, Virginia knew that she had never got to know her son, that she had sent her children to Sylvarant when he had not yet been a year old. Raine ought to have memories of their time together – even though they were probably not happy ones – but to Genis, she was a stranger.
Raine was watching them like a hawk, but neither Genis nor Virginia managed to break the silence that hung oppressively between them.
"Genis?", she managed at length, startling the boy.
"Uh – yes?"
"I'm sorry. I wasn't sure if this was the right name, or if we changed our minds at one point... I just – wanted to make sure."
"Do you – still not remember everything?"
"No. I remember bits and pieces – and the memories that I do have are all jumbled. I have a hard time making sense of them."
"I see. Well, at least you seem to be doing a lot better than the last time we were here", he observed. "You wouldn't listen to a word we said."
"I'm sorry."
"It's – fine. A similar thing happened to Raine, you know – she couldn't remember anything from before we came to Sylvarant, either. But she's managed to get that sorted – and I'm sure you will, too."
"That's reassuring", Virginia replied, though it worried her deeply that her daughter had responded to everything in a manner very similar to her own.
"Say, Alice, how exactly did you find them?", Virginia asked, turning to face Alice. "You never told me how you three met."
"Well, that is a very, very long story", Alice replied with a chuckle. "Though the gist of it is that Genis is my brother's best friend – and Raine was their teacher. Because of that, they got tangled up in the Journey of World Regeneration. I later joined their group because I wanted to keep my father and brother safe. Though I can't tell you much about what their life was like before that – you would have to ask them."
Virginia cast a questioning look in her children's direction and was surprised to find that they seemed quite eager to oblige her.
The three Sages were sitting in front of Virginia's house, enjoying the gentle light of the setting sun. Genis and Raine had spent hours telling their mother about their life, and Virginia was amazed at how strong they had become.
"So, what are you going to do now?", she asked.
"We'll go on a journey to help half-elves around the world to get adjusted to the new situation and overcome discrimination. We know it's possible, we want to encourage them", Raine said.
"That is a very good idea. You'll come visit me from time to time, won't you?"
"Of course!", Genis exclaimed.
"We will", his sister agreed.
Virginia smiled happily.
"Alicia, did you see? We did it. We stopped Cruxis. Regal left to oversee the destruction of the Exsphere mine, and the others are travelling the world, collecting Exspheres. Lloyd is going to send them to Derris-Kharlan while it's still close enough, and after that, we'll either bury them deep within the mountains or sink them into the sea. We're determined to make sure that there'll be no more victims like us. Actually, Seles Wilder was the first person to hand her Exsphere in – even though she can barely function without it..." Presea paused for a moment. "Time has finally started flowing for me again, too – I can't get back the years that were stolen from me, but I will keep moving forward, alongside my friends. And Regal has offered me a partnership – his company is going to advertise and sell my charms and figurines. I prefer that to him giving me money. I understand his desire to take care of me, but I wouldn't want to receive alms."
Presea turned when she heard footsteps, recognising the gait.
"Welcome back, Regal."
"Presea. Were you talking to Alicia?"
"Yes. I wanted to tell her the news."
"I see. Well, it is done. With this, I feel that I have fulfilled my promise to you both."
"Wait, does that mean - "
"Indeed. Would you like to do the honours?", he asked, holding out a small key.
"Of course."
Presea approached him and took the key in order to unlock the shackles. They fell to the ground, and Regal immediately started rubbing his wrists. George appeared seemingly out of nowhere to collect the shackles and key.
"Master Regal, may I implore you to put on some proper clothes?"
Regal chuckled. "You may. I should be getting back to work, after all."
"I'm sure Alicia will be pleased", Presea said.
Regal hummed in agreement.
„Absolutely not."
"Please! I am begging you!"
"No amount of begging will be able to sway me."
"But you run errands for everyone else!"
"Do not mistake me for some kind of servant, my lady. I don't run errands – I do favours. And you haven't earned yourself one yet."
"But – "
"Listen, I understand your desire to make amends, but Zelos is currently in the process of getting his life back on track – he is busy building a relationship with his sister, and getting used to the fact that he has a girlfriend. I will not do anything that might jeopardise his progress, or maybe send him spiralling into self-hatred and doubt again."
"If you could just tell him that I love him – "
"Perhaps you should have done that, back when you were still alive."
"I know I made mistakes, but you have to understand my situation! I was trapped in a marriage with a man who never cared for me nor our child, who would instead spend all his time with his mistress!"
"You should have taken out your frustration on your husband, then, and not on your son, who never asked to be born – like so many other children! Do you know what my father said to my brother after he had saved him from an attack that would have certainly killed him? 'Are you all right' is what he said, and I daresay that they had a more strained relationship than you and Zelos. And then there's you, telling a little boy that he shouldn't have been born."
"But then – if you refuse to help me, I will never be able to make amends – he's immortal now, after all, so, I might never get to talk to him again!"
"Hm… that's not certain. I mean, right now, he's happy to be alive – for the first time in a decade, I might add. However, only time will tell if he's ever going to get tired of living. Maybe, one day, he'll join you in the afterlife, and maybe, he'll want to speak to you then."
"So, am I supposed to hope for his death, then?!"
"Seeing how you already wished that he shouldn't have been born, I don't quite understand why you're getting so worked up about this."
"How dare you – "
"However – should Zelos ever approach me and ask about you, I wouldn't mind acting as a liaison between the two of you. That is, after all, why people like me exist. But the decision will be his, and his alone. I will not budge on that, my lady."
"I – see. That is – acceptable."
"Very well. Then I shall be taking my leave now."
Hearing some kind of commotion outside, Larkin rose from his chair and approached the window. However, when he pulled the curtain aside, he nearly jumped out of his skin with a startled yelp when he found himself face-to-face with a female half-elf with pale-blonde hair, who had apparently tried to look inside at the same time.
"Rína!"
A male half-elf with turquoise hair appeared behind the girl, a disapproving frown on his face, his voice slightly muffled by the glass.
"Don't go around scaring people like this! Seriously, what were you thinking? Why can't you act like a normal person?"
"I'm sorry, dad!", the girl retorted, sticking out her tongue for good measure. She cast an apologetic glance in Larkin's direction before turning away.
Larkin was still trying to make sense of this when the door connecting the living room to the hall was opened rather forcefully. Larkin spun around.
"Grandfather!", Alice exulted before wrapping her arms around him.
Larkin blinked, having been caught slightly off-guard. Behind Alice, Aodhan entered, giving Larkin an apologetic smile.
"Alice! This is a surprise. Are you well?"
"I can't complain. Grandfather, there is so much we need to tell you…"
"Hey, you two", Aodhan said to someone in the hall. "Would you quit worrying and get in here? I doubt he's going to eat you."
Someone grumbled a reply and then, Lloyd and Kratos came shuffling into the room. Surprised, Larkin freed himself from Alice's embrace and shot them a questioning look.
"Lloyd, meet your grandfather – properly this time", Alice said with a grin.
"Uh – hi", the teen said with an awkward wave. "I'm Lloyd – but I guess you already knew that. Um."
Next to him, Kratos looked just as uncomfortable. It was kind of adorable just how similar they were in this manner.
"Lloyd", Larkin said with a smile. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything the last time you were here, but Alice left me with some very detailed instructions on what to do if you should show up together with your father."
"That's fine", Lloyd replied. "Thank you for looking out for us."
"Kratos, could you please move out of the way?", another voice asked from the hallway.
"Ah, sorry."
Kratos moved a couple of steps further into the room, and the two half-elves Larkin had seen earlier stepped inside. The girl was almost bouncing with excitement, earning herself an exasperated look from Kratos.
"Grandfather, these are Elerína Aurion, my sister, and Yuan Ka-Fai, an old friend of dad's, who took care of Rína for a couple of years. He's from Asgard originally, though the city had a different name back then."
"Hello", Rína said softly. "It's so nice to finally be able to meet you. Alice always spoke fondly of you."
"Ah, I feel the same. It seems that I owe you a lot for having taken her in."
"Don't mention it. I just – I wish I had found out about everything sooner – I might have been able to do something. When I realised that I couldn't help Anna any more, I decided to make sure that Alice, at least, would have a good life."
"I see. Still, thank you."
"Um – can I call you 'grandfather'?"
"I – what?"
"I won't insist if it makes you uncomfortable", she immediately assured him, taking half a step backwards, looking unsure.
"No, that's not – I was just surprised. I don't mind, really."
"Great! I never got to meet my grandparents, so, finally having a grandfather is almost like a dream come true."
Larkin chuckled.
"So, an old friend of Kratos', are you", he observed, turning to Yuan. "How old are we talking, exactly?"
"A couple of years younger than Kratos", Yuan replied with a slight smile.
"Ah, another angel, then."
"Say, is it true that you admonished Kratos the last time he was here?", Rína asked with a grin. "While knowing that he was an angel and could very easily kill you?"
"Yes and yes – though I wasn't really thinking about the latter part, to be honest. Despite everything, Kratos is still my son-in-law, and in that particular moment, he was trying to act as if he was fine when he clearly wasn't. So, yes, I told him off."
"Hilarious. And pretty amazing, too."
"I had absolutely no clue what was going on at the time", Lloyd added. "Thinking back, this whole thing looks very different."
"It was pretty mortifying and stressful", Kratos muttered, inspecting the floor in a very thorough manner. "I was terribly worried you two would figure out you were related. That would have been a disaster."
"Well, lucky for you, then, that I already knew about Lloyd", Larkin observed.
Part of him was glad Kratos had finally decided to say something, though he would certainly prefer it if he'd also look at him while speaking to him.
Larkin frowned, and turned to Alice.
"How is he doing on the self-loathing front?"
"It's got better. He still gets those phases where he starts spiralling out of control, but it's not as bad as it used to be about a year ago."
"Alice usually starts yelling at him whenever he gets like that", Lloyd added.
"Hm. Kratos, could you come over here for a moment?"
Kratos hesitated, looking very much like he'd prefer to stay precisely where he was.
"Kratos, don't tell me you're actually scared of him", Yuan said in disbelief.
"He's my father-in-law, of course I'm scared of him", Kratos snapped, giving his friend an exasperated look. "And besides, I – "
"Don't say it!", Alice warned, earning herself an exasperated look as well.
"Go on", Lloyd said softly, nudging his father with his elbow. "Having a conversation across an entire room is a bit weird, you know."
Kratos huffed and started forward at a slow, measured pace. Lloyd hesitated for a moment before following him, as though he thought that Kratos might need the emotional support.
He was probably right, all things considered.
Kratos stopped a few feet away, and Larkin briefly wondered why everyone in this family had to be so freaking tall. Then again, this meant that it would be much harder for Kratos to stare at the floor right now.
"Alice told me about how Anna died when she came to see me a few weeks before you arrived", Larkin said softly. "She explained everything to me and then begged me – rather tearfully – not to blame you for that, since you had already spent the last 14 years hating yourself. I'm going to tell you now what I told her back then: That I don't blame you. Rather, I pity you."
Kratos decided at that point that maintaining eye contact was no longer an option and glanced away, the muscles in his jaw working.
"I mean it!", Larkin implored, grabbing hold of Kratos' upper arms, startling the other man. "I don't know what I would have done in your position – I don't even want to think about it – and I most certainly don't hate you for the choice you made. Besides, I can't imagine that Anna would have wanted me to, either. She would have asked me to forgive you instead – and would have told you off for being so hard on yourself, too."
Kratos let out a gusty sigh.
"I suppose", he admitted. "Still, it is a bit hard for me to believe that you don't hold a grudge against me. My inability to protect my family cost you your daughter and your grandchildren, or so I thought. I could, to some extent, understand why Alice refused to hate me. But you – and Lloyd – you had so many reasons to hate me…"
"Whether or not we choose to hate you is our business", Larkin replied. "You don't get a say in this. And I think it is about time you learned to forgive yourself, too. You're not a bad person. Anna would have never fallen in love with you, much less married you otherwise."
"It's just – I do understand where you're coming from, but it's not easy to get rid of this mindset."
"That's all right. We're all here to help you along. You're not alone any more."
Kratos actually smiled at that – it was a faint, tentative smile, but a smile nonetheless.
With a grin, Lloyd thumped his father on the back.
"See? I told you it would be fine!"
"Says the guy who was a nervous wreck just a short while back", Kratos retorted.
"Well, yeah, but that's not because I expected him to hate me, but because this was kinda awkward", Lloyd replied. "If my grandfather turned out to be someone I'd never met before, I guess it would have been easier for me."
"Really, both of you", Larkin said, feeling slightly exasperated. "There's no need for any of that. I'm just glad I got all of you back. For good this time, I hope."
"Yes", Alice said. "We defeated Cruxis. It's over."
"I'm very relieved to hear that. I was terribly worried about you all. Now – why don't we sit down and I make us something nice to eat? You'll have to tell me all about your adventures. And I would really like to know how the four of you managed to end up on the same page after all – it seemed a rather unrealistic outcome, from what Alice told me the last time we met…"
Alice volunteered to help with the cooking while the others gathered around the table.
"You seem happy", Larkin observed.
"Hm. Getting my family back had been my biggest wish those last 15 years. And I finally got my wish. I couldn't be happier if I tried."
"I'm glad."
Once the food was ready, Larkin and Alice joined the others. It took them some time to decide on who should start, but eventually, they agreed that Yuan and Kratos should go first. They briefly mentioned the Kharlan War, but seemed unwilling to dwell on those memories too long. Yuan told the story of how he founded the Renegades and tried to stop Cruxis, Kratos spoke of his first wife and raising Rína. Larkin was a bit shocked when they got to the part where Yuan had almost killed Elerína while trying to kill Kratos – given how close Rína and Yuan appeared to be, this seemed almost unbelievable. Rína then added her view of things, and how she and Yuan had sorted things out. Her stories of her travels across both Tethe'alla and Sylvarant were fascinating, and Larkin soaked up her words like a sponge.
Things got a bit more tense when they started getting to more recent events. Kratos had a hard time talking about Anna's death, and Alice had to take over at one point. She then spoke of her childhood in Heimdall, while Lloyd told them about growing up with a dwarf as a father.
Kratos' stories from that time were a lot less light and funny – he didn't hold back when he told them how he'd struggled with severe depression and self-loathing. Alice – who had insisted she wanted to sit next to him – scooted over to wrap an arm around him, and Kratos rested his head against hers.
Alice briefly outlined the things she'd told Larkin during her first visit before Lloyd took over and started explaining the events at Iselia. Alice hadn't gone into detail when she'd mentioned that, and Larkin was quite shocked to hear what the Desians had done. He'd seen his fair share of Desian cruelty, naturally, but it was a harrowing tale nonetheless.
Lloyd and Kratos took turns telling of their journey together, Alice later added bits from her point of view. Kratos told of the joy and despair he had felt having Lloyd around, as well as his fear of most likely having to kill his own son later on. Then his immense relief when Lloyd got away, and his plans thereafter. Lloyd told of his journey all across Tethe'alla, and making new friends. Rína told of the attack on Heimdall and how they'd forced Yggdrassil to retreat, though the fact that she'd actually threatened to kill Kratos upset Lloyd.
When they got to the part where Yuan had taken Lloyd hostage to blackmail Kratos, Larkin shot the other half-elf an angry glare. Yuan had the decency to look ashamed.
They wrapped up the story by recounting the events at the Tower of Salvation, Martel's brief resurrection and the fight for Origin's power. The thought that Kratos and Lloyd had almost wound up killing each other was chilling, and Larkin was profoundly glad it hadn't come to that. Alice then told him about how they all joined forces to save Colette and defeat Yggdrassil once and for all.
"Lloyd managed to revive the Great Seed, and we're currently in the process of establishing a village there, so we can protect the tree – Yggdrassil", Alice explained. "Anyone is welcome to live there – you could come live with us, if you want to. Aodhan has already moved in with us, and Colette will as soon as she returns from her trip to Iselia."
"That's a nice thought", Larkin said. "I'll have to think about it, though – this place holds a lot of memories for me, after all. Though I can't deny that it would be lovely to have a large family."
"How is the reconstruction of Luin coming along?"
"It's going very well, which is largely due to you and your brother", Larkin replied with a smile.
"Huh?", Lloyd asked, confused. "I don't think we did all that much – I know I didn't."
"It was thanks to you that the Asgard Ranch was destroyed, and you killed Kvar. The shadow of the Desian threat had been hanging over this town for a long time – and you dispelled it."
"I didn't kill Kvar. Kratos did."
"The wound you gave him would have killed him eventually", Kratos pointed out. "I merely sped things up, since I wanted a piece of him myself."
"I don't think the people care much about those particularities", Larkin said with a laugh. "They've erected statues of you two, and Sheena."
Alice stared at him with a look you could only describe as "horrified".
"That – is weird", Lloyd muttered.
"It's pretty normal, really", Yuan said with a shrug. "You become a hero, you get a statue or two. Or a town named after yourself."
"It's still weird", Lloyd insisted.
Alice nodded vigorously.
"I think it's nice", Rína said. "I want to see them."
"Go by yourself, then", Alice replied. "If I'd known, I'd have changed my appearance before coming here. It's a miracle no one recognised us."
"I could show you to the statues, if you like", Larkin offered Rína.
"That would be great. You know, I would have never guessed that my baby siblings would ever be considered heroes, or that someone would erect statues in their honour. It's kinda awesome."
The twins exchanged a look that spoke volumes.
"I've heard that the Goddess Martel has abolished Cruxis since their purpose has been fulfilled", Larkin said. "What's up with that?"
"Well, the goddess is actually a summon spirit", Alice replied. "And she's not interested in politics – her only concern is keeping Yggdrassil alive. Cruxis no longer exists because Yggdrassil – Mithos Yggdrassil, that is – destroyed their base and killed almost all of his followers. We routed the survivors after taking care of him. We were a bit worried it might cause a panic if we were to tell people that Cruxis had been manipulating everyone from behind the scenes. The world just changed drastically, after all, and people need some sort of stability – which is why we kept the Church of Martel. Some reforms will have to be implemented, of course, but we used the church to spread the news that the true purpose of World Regeneration has been fulfilled – the reunification of the two worlds and the revival of Martel and the Great Seed. This also took the pressure off Colette and Zelos – the former Chosen of Tethe'alla. There will be no more chosen from now on."
"I see. That seems like a good compromise."
"We know it's not going to be easy just because we saved the world", Lloyd added. "There's bound to be new challenges and problems up ahead, but we'll just take things in stride. Mithos – he was trying to do the right thing but went about it the wrong way. I intend to learn from that – make sure I don't make the same mistakes, and stay true to the path I've chosen. And I'll never forget his last words."
Alice reached over and placed a comforting hand over his.
"Mithos was the leader of Cruxis, yes?", Larkin asked.
"Mhm. Part of me wished that we would have been able to save him... In the end, all that was left was his sadness. He was done with life, but still convinced that there had only ever been one path for him."
"I could emphasise with him, you know", Alice said quietly. "I understood the pain he'd gone through, which was one of the reasons I tried to negotiate with him. However, he was unwilling to let go of the past."
"Is that why you made that vow?", Kratos asked. "Because you were worried that your compassion for him might compromise your sense of justice?"
"Yes. I wanted to make sure that I would never waver, never question whether what I was doing was right or not. I'd already made that decision before going to Vinheim, and I was going to stick by it. Kill him or die trying. And besides – part of me wanted him to pay for what he did. Just like Kvar, he was responsible for Mum's death. And he felt no remorse when I confronted him about that."
"Wait, I thought he didn't know who you were?", Lloyd asked, confused.
"He didn't. I'm not sure when, exactly, he figured it out, but when I came to Vinheim, I was just a random human, far beneath his notice. I did, however, tell him that my mother had died because of him. He didn't care."
"I see. Well, I can understand why you didn't want to spare him. I still wished we could have found a way to sort things out, even at that point."
"However short this time may have been, Mithos had been your friend once", Alice replied quietly. "You learned to care for him. I never did. That may be why our views on the matter differ so much."
"I guess so. Well, anyway, there's no use in dwelling on this. We have to move forward. For the sake of the world we believe in."
A/N:
Yes, Alice just bullied Kratos into sticking around – there'll be none of that "Kratos exiles himself to Derris-Kharlan because Reasons and Lloyd being Totally Fine With It" crap with me around. Nope. I never understood their reasoning behind just writing Kratos out of that story – Kratos isn't a half-elf, and only a handful of people know that he was a member of Cruxis – I don't see how his continued presence would affect half-elves – especially considering that Yuan gets to stay! Who's an actual half-elf of Cruxis. WTF.
The manga is even worse in this regard. Kratos literally tells Lloyd that Yuan (who doesn't have a kid on this planet) is going to stay and "take responsibility", whereas Kratos (who has a kid on this planet) has to leave since "the half-elves of Cruxis have been a bad influence". Ugh. Send Yuan, instead.
Also, in the previous chapter, Yuan considered mentioning that Lloyd's Exsphere is evolving and that he might be able to obtain immortality on his own, but then decided not to, since he couldn't really give them any kind of concrete information and didn't want to get their hopes up.
There is a skit in the game during with Mithos talks to Noishe while travelling with Lloyd's group, mentioning how he was tired of being alive. I think that only his desire to see Martel again kept him going, and, when that didn't work out as planned, he made one last desperate effort to see his wishes fulfilled before accepting death. "Save everyone" is Lloyd's solution to everything. Mithos is the only person Lloyd failed to save because he refused to be saved.
More family reunions! I really wanted to write a happy ending for the Sages, since they deserve one – while you can find Virginia in-game, she vanishes after the confrontation with Raine and Genis, and is only seen again during the hallucinatory sequence in Welgaia.
Neither Alice nor Mylene actually knew what was going on with Zelos until he confessed it all to Sheena – Alice never bothered to find out since she didn't approve of Zelos' comping mechanisms and his behaviour irritated her to no end. She knew something was up with him, obviously, but had no motivation to dig. Mylene, on the other hand, never realised that her words had caused Zelos to spiral out of control like that, and attributed his change in behaviour to other things, which was why she never sought out Alice. She only did so after hearing Zelos' words to Sheena. Alice was, understandably, not happy.
Even though this story ignores events from DotNW, I did take some inspiration from the game. Most notably, I made sure Lloyd & Co. came up with a good story to explain what had happened to the public, one that didn't involve Colette getting blamed for the destruction of Palmacosta (and her going along with it, sheesh).
Co-Author's Commentary
Mithos merely laughed. "Dead? My sister isn't dead! She's alive, just as I survived inside the crystal!" (And I thought I was the queen of denial…)
"I told you before – the only way to end discrimination is for everyone to become the same race." (right, because genocide has always been a great way to eliminate discrimination)
"But – then where should we half-elves go?", Mithos asked, sadness in his eyes. "Where can we live?" (that is actually a valid point)
"Anywhere you want", Lloyd replied. (I mean yeah, fuck everyone else, if they can't accept you fuck em.)
He spread a pair of rainbow-coloured wings. (Mithos would fit in great at a Pride Parade)
"We have barely space to fight, so leave this to us", she called to the others. "Aurion family business." (Aww, I love this)
"Do it now! Before I, too, am no longer myself." (this line always makes me sad)
"Farewell, my shadow... You who stand at the end of the path I chose not to follow... I wanted my own world, so I don't regret my choice. I would make the same choice all over again... I will continue to choose this path..." (and this line always makes me sadder)
"All right, I got it! Your name is – Yggdrassil!" (Here's to the many many norse mythology enthusiasts in the background who are collectively facepalming)
"Good idea", Alice said. "But who should be our leader?" Rína, Kratos, Yuan, Zelos, Lloyd and Colette turned to look at her. (lol)
"You're also the most reasonable, (lol, I mean, compared to Ele"I'll kill my dad"rina, Kratos "everything is my fault" Aurion, Yuan "I have created at least half of this mess and see no fault of mine here" Ka Fai, Zelos "fake it til you make it" Wilder, Lloyd "misses the obvious" Aurion and Colette "falls through a brick wall, is somehow fine, gets up and falls on her face" (I forgot her last name), you, Alice, are definitely the most reasonable, but I'm not sure how much of a compliment that is) and you have a kind heart", Elerína added.
"Ow! What was that for?!" (Oh come on, you definitely deserved that for being a suicidal asshat!)
"How can you say something like that?! If you die – if you die, brother, then I would be all alone..." (aww *heart eyes*)
She threw her arms around his neck. He laughed in surprise and whirled her through the air. (aww, yay, hugs for Zelos!)
"Have you ever met my father?" (lol, Kratos, the epitome of putting misplaced blame on oneself)
"He's been a wreck (understatement of the last 4 millennia) for these past 15 years, hating and blaming himself for things that were beyond his control. He's recently started getting better, though, most likely due to the fact that Rína, Lloyd and I have shown him that we don't hold his past actions against him." (awww, Rina too? yay!)
"But you run errands for everyone else!" (Whatever this conversation is, I am fucking loving it!)
"Listen, I understand your desire to make amends, but Zelos (omg) is currently in the process of getting his life back on track – he is busy building a relationship with his sister and getting used to the fact that he has a girlfriend. I will not do anything that might jeopardise his progress, or maybe send him spiralling into self-hatred and doubt again." (yes, please don't, no spiralling allowed!)
"If you could just tell him that I love him – " (now that I know who this is: MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE FUCKING DONE THAT YOURSELF!)
"Perhaps you should have done that, back when you were still alive." (See, Alice agrees with me!)
"I was trapped in a marriage with a man who never cared for me or our child, who would instead spend all his time with his mistress!" (Yes, we all make mistakes, but to most of us, the obvious solution is NOT "oh, I'm going to make my child hate himself so much he wants to die")
"Do you know what my father said to my brother after he had saved him from an attack that would have certainly killed him? 'Are you all right' is what he said, and I daresay that they had a more strained relationship than you and Zelos. (More strained is the understatement of the century, but do go on) And then there's you, telling a little boy that he shouldn't have been born." (This seems familiar… I think I shouted this when I was throwing a tantrum about this… I remember I was carrying plates into the kitchen…)
"Seeing how you already wished that he shouldn't have been born, I don't quite understand why you're getting so worked up about this." (lol, Alice, I understand you, but I think you're being a bit too cruel right now…)
"Why can't you act like a normal person?" (Have you met this family? What makes you think any of them even know how to function like normal people?)
"I'm sorry, dad!", the girl retorted, sticking out her tongue for good measure. (Well, I see someone hasn't grown up in the past 2000 years)
"Would you quit worrying and get in there? I doubt he's going to eat you." (lol, I am somehow doubtful that eased Kratos' concerns…)
"So, an old friend of Kratos', are you", he observed, turning to Yuan. "How old are we talking, exactly?" (lol)
"Despite everything, Kratos is still my son-in-law, and in that particular moment, he was trying to act as if he was fine when he clearly wasn't. So, yes, I told him off." (Yes, Kratos was being a very naughty boy who didn't want to sit still and drink his tea…)
"I was terribly worried you two would figure out you were related. That would have been a disaster." (right… horrible disaster… just awful)
"How is he doing on the self-loathing front?" (It's Kratos, so the answer is "He is the world champion of hating Kratos" not that anyone asked him to participate in the competition…)
"Alice usually starts yelling at him (Well, SOMEONE FUCKING HAS TO, and he can't bloody well hear me when I'm doing it) whenever he gets like that", Lloyd added.
Kratos hesitated, looking very much like he'd prefer to stay precisely where he was. (aww)
"Kratos, don't tell me you're actually scared of him", Yuan said in disbelief. (yeah, says the guy who's terrified of this man's granddaughter…)
"He's my father-in-law (and I killed his daughter,) of course I'm scared of him", Kratos snapped, giving his friend an exasperated look. "And besides, I – " (oh, there it is…)
"She would have asked me to forgive you instead – and would have told you off for being so hard on yourself, too." (YES; SHE FUCKING WOULD HAVE!)
"And I think it is about time you learned to forgive yourself, too." (YES IT FUCKING IS!)
"Getting my family back had been my biggest wish those last 15 years. And I finally got my wish. I couldn't be happier if I tried." (aww, I think Aodhan might have something to say about you being happier though)
Alice – who had insisted she wanted to sit next to him – scooted over to wrap an arm around him, (awwwwwwwwww) and Kratos rested his head against hers. (awwww)
Rína told of the attack on Heimdall and how they'd forced Yggdrassil to retreat, though the fact that she'd actually threatened to kill Kratos upset Lloyd. (lol, aww)
Yuan had the decency to look ashamed. (Yeah, you'd better fucking be ashamed of yourself!)
"Aodhan has already moved in with us (of course he fucking has! *smiles happily*), and Colette will as soon as she returns from her trip to Iselia."
"You know, I would have never guessed that my little siblings would ever be considered heroes, or that someone would erect statues in their honour. It's kinda awesome." (Introducing Rina, the current president of the Aurion Power Twins Fanclub)