A/N: Hello! Okay, so here's the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews, by the way! Yah. So, this isn't as long as other chapters but I was fighting against Writer's Block and homewok and well... it was sooo hard >. U I really didn't like this chapter... Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 7
I'm Sorry
After two weeks of training with his bare hands, Lloyd had finally got it.
Kick. Kick. Punch. Dodge. Jump. Kick. Punch. Dodge.
He had definitely learned how to fight, and Kratos was happy that he had managed to literally knock him out.
"I guess you got it at last," he said smiling.
"Yeah… Phew! Man, I'm beat!" Lloyd said falling to the ground where he stood staring at the sky. He yawned and sat up, "What do we have to eat?"
"Some eggs, meat and vegetables." He answered checking their bag.
"Do we have beef?" Lloyd asked.
"Uh… no. We have cheap meat… I think that will do." He said casting Fire Ball on a pile of wood.
Lloyd stared at the fire for a few minutes, while Kratos prepared their lunch. Then stood up and walked toward the forest.
"Where are you going?" asked Kratos.
"Um, just for a walk…" he said and walked away.
"Fine… Just don't do anything foolish."
"Sure…"
He couldn't believe that just a while ago, his father had thought of leaving the world, leaving him. And never come back.
But now, they were getting along pretty well. Better, in fact, than when they traveled before Kratos 'betrayed' them.
Suddenly, the ground started shaking slightly and a moment later a huge dragon emerged from the forest.
It was a blue and brown dragon, with a huge crooked horn on top of his snout-like nose. It was walking slowly towards Lloyd who just stood still staring at the gigantic creature approaching him…
"It's a Blue Dragon, it's one of the most dangerous species of dragon. Their sharp claws can cut almost anything," said a voice nearby. Lloyd turned around and found Kratos standing there with two sheaths, "Here, you forgot them."
Kratos gave him his twin blades after two weeks of living without them. Once Lloyd had them in his hands he felt the need to use them. He turned around and ran towards the dragon.
Kratos's eyes widened in horror and yelled, "NO!"
But it was too late; Lloyd had already unsheathed his blades and was attacking the creature. In a blink of an eye, the gargantuan monster used his enormous claw to get Lloyd out of the way.
Lloyd flew and landed a few yards away, but the dragon was so big that it approached to give the last strike. The young man couldn't move, his left leg and right arm were broken, he prepared for the strike…
A figure appeared before him and everything went black.
vvvvv
Lloyd woke up with every inch of his body hurting. He had such a headache he got dizzy just for trying to remember what had happened. He sat up with a tremendous effort and noticed he had his father's cloak on.
"Ugh…"
"…So you're awake." Kratos said while staring at a fire he had set.
"What… happened?"
"I told you not to do anything foolish," Kratos said in a harsh tone.
"I'm sorry."
"If I hadn't stepped in, you would be dead."
"I already told I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do it…"
"You don't understand! You could have died," he said angrily.
Lloyd sat there, thinking; he touched his right arm and felt it okay now. "I thought… I thought the dragon had broken my arm…"
"I've been using first aid since then." The angel said, still annoyed.
"Since then? How long have I been unconscious?"
"Three days."
Lloyd felt really mad at him for attacking the dragon: his father had told him it was one of the most dangerous dragons, and yet, he had attacked it. Stupid.
Lloyd walked slowly and sat down next to his father, still feeling angry at himself.
A few minutes passed and none of them talked. Then, suddenly, Kratos turned to look at his son and embraced him.
"I-I thought I had lost you, Lloyd." He said, between sobs. Lloyd's eyes widened: Kratos was crying, crying for him.
"I'm sorry, Dad. I'm so sorry," he said returning the hug.
"Don't ever do this to me again. I wouldn't be able to… "
Tears ran across his face. If he lost him once more, he wouldn't be able to handle it. He would definitely die.
"I won't, Dad, I promise…"
vvvvv
"…The King had ordered every male above eighteen to fight in the war. Elves were slaves in Human territories and Humans were slaves in Elves' territories, as well. Half-elves were caught in the middle, being slaves on both sides."
The mood had lightened splendidly and now Kratos had started telling Lloyd about his childhood.
"That's awful! It's as if Genis was my slave!" Lloyd listened to him bemused.
"Exactly. I had just turned eighteen when the King ordered me to join the army and fight." He said nostalgically.
"How did you get the order?"
"It's a long story…"
"Well, it's a long journey." Lloyd replied.
"Very clever."
"Aw, c'mon, Dad! Haven't you noticed I want to know all about you?" he said with a false pout, "We could only travel for a few months, and that was before I knew you were my father."
"…Are you still angry at me.. For not telling you?"
"Of course not! I understand why you didn't. I would have been really happy at first, but then, at the Tower of Salvation, with your… 'Betrayal', I don't think I would've gotten over it…" he said, stretching his arms over his head.
"…" Kratos wondered what would have happened f he had told Lloyd the truth earlier, but didn't like the outcomes.
"Don't worry about it anymore." He said after seeing the mercenary's face.
There was a pause.
"Are you going to tell me?"
Kratos smiled.
"Oh, Kratos, please take care!" Elena, Kratos's mother, said between sobs.
She had long dark red hair kept loose. She wore a plain light green dress and leather boots.
"Don't worry, Mum." He said hugging her mother warmly. The eighteen-year-old Kratos had long spiky hair tied in a loose ponytail. He wore gray clothes and black boots, along with black gloves. A silver amulet hung from his neck.
"Mummy! Mummy! When will Kratts come back?" said an eight-year-old girl with bright red hair. Apparently, she was Kratos's younger sister.
"Soon, dear, soon." Elena didn't dare tell her daughter that it could be the last time both of them saw him.
"Don't worry, Hummingbird. I'll come back soon, I promise." He shuffled the little girl's hair.
"But how soon is soon, brother?" she said, beginning to cry.
Kratos watched her with a sad smile, "You know what? I'll give you this."
The teen took off his silver amulet and gave it to Cora, his younger sister.
Cora watched in awe as Kratos placed the amulet in her tiny hands.
"Thanks you, big brother!" she hugged him, Kratos returned the hug.
"Kratts, come here!" a loud and strong voice said.
"Coming, sir." Kratos said obediently.
He arrived at a small room entirely made of concrete, except for a few wooden desks and chairs.
A tall man wearing a light blue, navy and white outfit, strapped with brown belts, had his back at Kratos.
"Son, the time has come for you to join the army and pledge your allegiance to the King." He said in a matter-of-fact voice.
"Yes, sir." Kratos answered.
"From now on, you are to call me General Kyrios. Understood?" he continued.
"Yes, sir."
The man turned around to reveal a handsome face, masked by a stern look.
Kratos couldn't help but stare at his father, once General. Kratos's eyes began watering but he didn't dare blink for that was a sign of weakness.
Kyrios's cold stare melted into a warm smile.
He walked over to his son, limping. It was now evident why he had left the army. Even though he was in great shape, with his strong arms, wide chest and hard fists, he couldn't walk properly, and that was always a cont when in wars.
Once he was face to face with Kratos, the resemblance could be noticed: it seemed Kratos had earned his father's good looks and hair color, though it wasn't exactly noticeable yet.
"Son, I have something for you." He said briskly.
"What is it?" Kratos asked, and remembering his manners, he added, "General Kyrios?"
The elder turned around and took a strange shaped sheath: it was larger than usual.
"This," he raised the sheath, "is my first and favorite sword."
Kyrios unsheathed the sword, and as it glided out of the sheath, fire sparks flew out of it.
"Its name is Flamberge," he explained. The crimson and golden sword glittered in a red aura.
"But… Sir, it's a magic sword. Only elves and half-elves can wield them."
"I know, but I haven't told you about your grandfather. He was a half-elf. So technically, you have some elven blood in your body… though it's not much." He said with a wink.
"Me? Are you saying that… this sword…?" he hesitated.
"That's right. I'm giving you my old sword." Kyrios declared proudly and was about to give it to Kratos but took it away the last second, "But only if you promise me something."
"Yes, sir. What is it?"
"You have to take good care of it and treat it with respect. Oh, and don't forget to pass it on to your son… When you get married." He grinned.
"Yes, sir." Answered Kratos again, feeling his face pink.
"Good. Now, Flamberge is yours." Kyrios placed the flame sword on his son's hands carefully. The moment the blade touched Kratos's fingers, he felt its warmth and power taking control over him. A moment later, all he wanted to do was use it to slay monsters.
"Thank you, Dad," he said, fighting his necessity to kill and sheathing the blade.
Kyrios's smile faded. He closed his eyes and a single tear slipped down his cheek.
"What happened after that?" said Lloyd, who had sat under a tree listening to his father as he narrated his past.
"Well, I left… And that was the last time I saw them…" Kratos said sadly. "I returned once the war was over, but it seemed someone had attacked the village and destroyed my parent's home…"
There was a pause.
"There's something I don't understand." The teenage boy said after a while.
"What is it?"
"Why did you call your sister 'Hummingbird'?"
"Well, the name 'Cora' means 'Hummingbird'." He explained.
End of Chapter 7
Did you like it? Don't worry, the next chapter will continue with Kratos's childhood.
Oh, please review!
