A/N's: Hello again! Thank you very much for reviewing! It made me so happy that I've decided to get as much into this chapter as I can so I hope that you're in a reading mood!
Lloyd: Hey can Yuan do the cheer next chapter? I'm still not done…
Me: Okay! (Evil glare) but it be better done by next chapter.
Yuan: (Silent: YES!) o well, I guess we'll all just have to wait.
Kratos: So just what are you scheming for this chapter, Ana?
Me: Scheming? Whatever do you mean, Kratos?
Colette: (shows up out of nowhere) Hi everyone! What are you all doing here?
Yuan and Kratos: …
Me: Colette, how'd you get in here? We're like on a small Island near the Flanoir continent and you would need an EC to get here.
Colette: O I saw a really flower and I really wanted to pick it and I was just flying around Flanoir so I went down to look at it and then I saw this really big door and-
Me: (puts hand up to stop Colette) OK! We understand now… Sheesh is there anyway to make sure no one else will come?
Yuan: Nope.
Me: aw, oh well. Ok then let's get on with the story!
Colette: Lloyd-forever does not own TOS or any of its characters except her dragons and her own unique characters.
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Chapter 8: Execution
Lloyd and Kratos charged at her with angelic speed. Kratos was the first to attack as he unsheathed his sword and thrust it towards the dragon. Fonirto ignored the angel and focused on Lloyd whose blades she worried about. They were lightning elemented. She stepped back suddenly as Lloyd tried an aerial attack with his twin blades. He missed but he quickly recovered by jumping and charging at her again. One of his swords connected to her chest as she felt a jolt of electricity go through her. She roared in pain. She lunged for the swordsman with one of her claws and managed to knock him aside. He landed on his feet near Kratos.
"It's not working!" he exclaimed as Lloyd looked towards the brown bag with the other sword still inside it. Then a light went off in Lloyd's mind.
"Dad, I have an idea. You go back a little and try to get her out of the water. Chant a lightning or lightning blade spell while I go get that other sword. I think that only blades that are charged with electricity can harm her," Lloyd told him as he ran for the brown bag. Kratos ran with him and then stopped a little ways from the bag.
"Take this, Thunder Blade!" Kratos shouted as a large blade appeared over Fonirto. It came down at lightning speed and struck the dragon as she roared in great pain. It then sent large amount of electrical energy through the water that she was standing in. She roared even louder as one of the bubbles surrounding her was launched towards Kratos. The angel, remembering Venforfte's words, dodged it easily but soon regretted not stopping it entirely as it was now headed towards Lloyd.
"Lloyd, behind you!" he shouted with all of his might. He would seriously kill himself if something happened to Lloyd and he could have prevented it. Lloyd turned with the other blade in his hand.
"Dad, catch!" he called out as he tossed the blade to Kratos who caught it by its hilt. He watched with worry as Lloyd sidestepped the bubble then tripped over the bag, dropping his twin blades. The bubble floated over him but then turned before it reached the end of the cavern. Lloyd picked up his twin blades with his back to on coming danger. Kratos ran up to Lloyd with all of the speed he could muster, even though he knew that the bubble would get to Lloyd first.
Lloyd shouted in surprise as he felt himself being lifted off the ground by his feet. Soon he found himself upside down with him hacking away at the bubble that was slowly swallowing him. Just as the bubble had gotten to Lloyd's chest with one of his arms Kratos grabbed his other arm. Lloyd's swords were the floor once again. Kratos was soon making progress as Fonirto launched another bubble with an angry roar. This bubble grabbed Kratos by the legs. The attack took him by surprise and he let go of Lloyd's hand just as Lloyd's head was almost completely taken by the bubble.
"Dad!" Lloyd managed to shout just before he was completely overwhelmed by the bubble. Kratos' bubble didn't really feel like waiting so it overwhelmed him even faster than Lloyd's bubble did. Kratos had dropped his sword as well as the sword that Lloyd had passed him. Kratos realized that the bubble was made completely out of water when he tried to breathe and found that he couldn't. He'd never felt so helpless and weak before as he watched his son struggle as well.
"Feel that, fools? That's the pain of drowning. Those bubbles are made of water. Once you're trapped in them, only the purest mana can save you and unfortunately, magic doesn't count!" Fonirto told them as she laughed. Her high pitched and shrill laughter sent chills up Kratos spine as Lloyd began to grow frustrated. He didn't exactly like the idea of dieing.
"We're not going to be defeated here!" Lloyd shouted as he expanded his large wings. Suddenly the bubble around him burst and dropped Lloyd to the ground. Kratos, seeing this strange phenomenon unfold before him tried the same. He released his wings and the bubble burst, dropping Kratos to the floor. Both of them lay on the floor, coughing up water and trying to gain back their consciousness. Lloyd's sight had almost gone black. Kratos was a little luckier seeing se he got caught by the bubble last he had been able stand up faster and grabbed the sword that Mikel had left in the bag. He slashed the last bubble into two before it got him.
As soon as Lloyd got his air and sight back he picked up his twin blades and charged at the dragon as Kratos followed suit.
"Lightning Blade!" Lloyd shouted as he attacked with a move similar to Tiger Blade except that it was with a lightning elemented blade. Fonirto's grin seemed to vanish from her face. She was still in shock from the fact that the two Aurions had wings. She was also surprised at how great the Eternal Swordsman's wings were. Both of them still had their wings out as they attacked her furiously. She finally decided to fight back on her own. She stood up on her hind legs as she spread out her wings and tossed her tail at them. They easily dodged as she clawed at them in the air. She soon dropped to all fours again, in pain and severely agitated.
"Stop moving around, you butterflies! If I had known you had wings I would have killed you earlier instead of playing with you!" she yelled angrily at them as they soared above her head, preparing for a Unison Attack.
"Sonic Thrust!" Lloyd and Kratos chorused as they attacked her with full strength.
"Ready? Follow it up!" Kratos called out to Lloyd as they prepared for their combination move.
"Cross Thrust!" Lloyd shouted as they attack Fonirto again with Sonic Thrust except this time they cross each other making an 'x' like pattern on her chest. Fonirto fell to the floor.
"How could I lose?" she whispered as Lloyd and Kratos landed on the ground. Fonirto looked at them with kind eyes.
"I'm impressed with your power. You're the first besides Undine who's ever beaten my water bubbles. You are truly powerful. I entrust my power to the both of you. I will be here waiting for you to summon me. Please remember that you both have the ability to summon me… Lloyd Irving Aurion and Kratos Aurion. Also, if you ever need to ask a question, just ask me. I'm very knowledgeable," Fonirto told them as Lloyd decided to speak up.
"Actually it's been bugging me for a while. Helious said that we had killed her family, even though haven't and then you said earlier that you'd put the past behind you. What are you both talking about?" Fonirto lifted her head slightly.
"Well you see, over four thousand years ago, we dragons had the ability to figure out someone's name just by looking into their soul. We still have that ability though. Back then there were dragon hunters who were led by a powerful man named Alex Aurion. Kratos, he is your grandfather," she told them quietly as Lloyd and Kratos gasped lightly.
"My grandfather led a group of dragon hunters?" Kratos asked slowly as Fonirto nodded slowly.
"This was far before you were born. Your father was still a child at that time. Now you see this group of dragon hunters killed my family as well as Helious'. I do believe Treeforte lost his mother but I don't think he knows that she was killed by humans. Anyway, Helious cursed your family in anger. I simply just forgave them just as my parents had taught me. Now, I feel so proud of myself for giving into the hate of the world otherwise I would just be acting weak hearted. I told Helious that and she attacked me. It was strange. I didn't really feel any pain for she just bit me. Then that was the last time I saw her." All three of them were silent for a little while.
"So my great grandfather killed some dragons," Lloyd commented as Kratos nodded.
"That's probably where my father got the idea to become a mercenary," Kratos replied as Fonirto sighed.
"The past is the past, Kratos Aurion. You cannot change it unless Origin feels that it should be changed…" she whispered as both of them nodded and turned to leave.
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Selena stood before the temple wall again. She bit her lips with fear as she approached it. She knew she was going to be punished for her failure of not only bringing Mikel back but of also failing to kill the Rider whom she seriously couldn't seem to figure out. She knew it was one of the angels but she couldn't figure out which one.
"Selena… you foolish human, you are still too blind to see the Rider right before you!"
"What is this you speak of? I can't tell who is the Rider or not!"
"All you have to do is follow them to Treeforte's cavern. Treeforte's cavern has the original legend! All you need to do is get Mikel to listen in on everything. Trust me if you threaten to hurt her friend then she will listen and obey," the voice of the wall told her.
"So then you are forgiving me?"
"Yes. I, Goddess, forgive you. If you fail once more, I shall take away that exosphere of yours and you will die!" Selena kneeled.
"Yes, Goddess."
"Good. Now listen to me. If you still can't get Mikel to listen in on everything just separate them from Mikel and kill them all. You are dismissed." Selena turned and left without another word. She bit her lips again this time with stress and worry. Working for two bosses could be very difficult sometimes.
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Nikila walked into the sickly boy's room. She softly closed the door behind her as the boy slowly sat up.
"Nikila, where is Selena?" he asked quietly as Nikila sat in a chair next to the boy's bed.
"She is meeting with Goddess," Nikila replied.
"Ah so I see. Is Goddess still ordering the both of you around so much that it interferes with my orders?" Nikila nodded as the boy sighed. "If that is so, then she must be destroyed."
"But how? Everything we've tried has been meaningless so far!"
"Capture Lloyd Irving Aurion," the boy whispered. "Capture him, the one who has won a fight against Venforfte and Fonirto. Capture him and bring him to Goddess for an execution."
"But why just Lloyd?" The boy snickered.
"Because he appears to be the most valuable. He carries the Eternal Sword with him. The entire group will come after him to save him including those foolish dragons. If they get to Goddess before she kills Lloyd Irving Aurion then they shall kill Goddess for us instead. The dragons would make sure of that anyways."
"Ah, I understand now." The boy smiled.
"As the leader of Dragon Fang, I dismiss you." Nikila nodded as she left to meet Selena in their meeting spot. As Nikila closed the door behind her she stood there for a minute. Capturing Lloyd could result in either her death or Selena's or maybe even both.
"This is going to be difficult…" she whispered as she headed down the hall of the large house."
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The group landed in front of the Temple of Earth and went down the slope towards the Seal of Earth. After Lloyd and Kratos had successfully defeated Fonirto they decided to head to Treeforte's cavern and defeat him. Mikel soon caught up with them after having to go and see something. They stopped before Gnome's seal only to see a large green lump. Around the lump was bits of green rock.
"Whoa, what is that thing?" Zelos asked as Raine examined the green rock on the floor.
"Professor, is something wrong?" Presea asked as Raine gasped.
"This rock is made of the same material as the platforms from the other seals!" she exclaimed.
"So then does that mean that the platform here collapsed somehow?" Regal asked.
"I'm not sure but this is definitely the same type of rock despite it's color. Oh well, at least I have a sample of it now," she commented as the green lump suddenly stood up.
"It's a dragon!" Sheena exclaimed as the dragon turned to face them.
"Who are you? What is it that you want with me, Treeforte? I seek no battle unless Fonirto is with you," he told them as a large hole appeared in the ceiling above them and he began to reach up to climb it.
"Please wait, Treeforte!" Colette called out to him as he lowered his head to look at them.
"We already have defeated Fonirto," Genis told him as Treeforte shook his head.
"I shall not believe you until you bring her with you," he said as he continued to reach from the hole in the ceiling.
"So now what?" Lloyd said as Kratos stepped forward.
"The one bonded to Undine, the one who powers all of this world's water, Fonirto, I summon thee!" Kratos chanted as Treeforte came down on all fours as the ceiling collapsed. When the dust cleared Fonirto stood before Treeforte.
"Let them fight," she whispered to him dangerously.
"Fonirto, my love, is it truly you?" he sang out as he stepped forward to give her a hug only get tail whipped in the face.
"You stupid pervert, just sight them, lose and get it over with. I can't being near you," Fonirto told him as Treeforte shook his head.
"I don't fight." He looked to the group of humans before him. "Look I'll stick with you ok? Only because you let me see my darling, Fonirto again!" he told them happily. Fonirto sighed.
"Show them the legend Treeforte." The group gasped as Treeforte looked at the water dragon innocently but before he could say anything Fonirto cut him off. "Show them the legend now. Since you destroyed your own platform you carry half of the group up and I'll carry the other half." Treeforte nodded.
"Well, I'll choose who I'm taking since it's my cavern." A magic circle appeared beneath Genis, Raine, Sheena, Presea, and Regal. "Ok then! You five come with me the others can go with Fonirto." They boarded the dragons and the dragons began to climb up the hole in the ceiling with Treeforte leading. Treeforte muttered something about not carrying angels on his back as Presea sensed something hostile about him.
"Treeforte, is there a reason you didn't pick Lloyd and the others?" she asked him as he snorted.
"Obviously! I don't like their mana. It reeks of that pathetic Mithos Yggdrasill. Their mana is the same except for Lloyd Irving Aurion. He appears to only be half-angel. Still, either way I don't like anyone whose had connections with that foolish child."
"But that isn't anything they can change. Colette and Zelos only gained wings because they were the Chosens and Kratos used to work with Mithos but he turned against him and helped us defeat him because of Lloyd and I doubt Lloyd can help that he's a half-angel either. Your logic is wrong," Presea countered as Treeforte avoided her eyes.
"I don't care. I don't like them either way."
With Fonirto, a similar conversation was going on.
"I apologize for Treeforte. He can't stand anyone whose mana is similar to Yggdrasill. He discriminates against you. I'm sorry," Fonirto told the group (not meaning Mikel) as Colette shook her head.
"You don't need to apologize, Fonirto. It isn't your fault but what do you mean that our mana is similar to Mithos'?" Colette asked.
"Kratos Aurion, Zelos Wilder and Colette Brunel, you are all angels because of your Cruxis Crystals. Lloyd Irving Aurion, you a half-angel," she told them.
"Half-angel? What do you mean?" Lloyd asked this time.
"Mithos Yggdrasill did not fully understand what his new exspheres could do. He thought that once you became an angel that you could not have children. Little did he know that you could and that many of the angelic traits are hereditary. So, because your father is a full angel, and your mother was a human, you are a half-angel." Lloyd nodded even though he still didn't fully understand the details.
"Why do you dragon dudes always say our full name? Doesn't that get kind of annoying especially when you can just say our first name?" Zelos commented. Fonirto shook her head.
"It's a rule of respect for dragons. We call everyone by their full name if we feel that they deserve respect. If they do not deserve respect for a decent reason then we call them by their last names."
"Fonirto, what angelic traits are hereditary?" Kratos spoke up for the first time since he had summoned the dragon.
"Even that I do not know. It may or may not vary for I am not sure. This is the first time it has happened. But I do know that from some research that Yggdrasill did that half-angels are more than likely to be stronger than full angels."
"Wow Lloyd! You're amazing!" Colette chirped.
"Hey lucky you, Lloyd," Zelos whispered to him. Both groups soon reached Treeforte's cavern. The group stared at the size of it.
"This is place is even bigger than both Venforfte's and Fonirto's caverns combined!" Lloyd exclaimed.
"Treeforte only has the third biggest cavern while Venforfte has the smallest and Helious doesn't have one at all," Fonirto explained as Treeforte pointed to a wall with strange writing on it.
"There's the legend. It's written in angelic language so I don't understand it."
"Oh, I'll read it then!" Colette said as she walked up to the wall with everyone else following her. She examined it for a few minutes before she cleared her throat and began.
"Long ago, when the Giant Knarlan Tree was still thriving and peace flowed over the world, magitechnology erupted and created war. The precious dragons of the land, the dragons that had not only helped to protect the summon spirits when this mana using weapon was used, they also helped to protect the Tree so that it wouldn't wither away. But it was too much. The magitechnology consumed too much mana for the dragons and Summon Spirits and the tree began to wither. The world began to die.
"During this time, when the dragons had given up completely on the world, Olympian's only human friend appeared and made a proposal. This young boy was a human but he had some traces of elven blood so he was able to use some magic. This boy had overheard three half-elves and a human speaking about how they would split the world in two in order to save it.
"Not knowing if it was true or not he had followed them and witnessed the murder of one of the half-elves. He had over heard one of them say how the worlds would have to be split in order to keep Martel's last wish alive. After that he reported what he knew to Olympian. Olympian merely acknowledged the fact that the world would be destroyed. But the boy brought back his fighting spirit and the boy told him that he would fight with him to help save the last remaining dragons, for many had died when trying to protect the Tree.
"Both, the dragon and the Rider of Olympian, ventured through the dying land sealing the last remaining dragons. These dragons had been saved by their bonded Summon Spirits. Out of thousands of dragons, with great mana, magitechnology had killed almost all, leaving only 12 dragons in the dying world that was being destroyed by hate, lust and gluttony. When they ventured to seal Hellk who opposed them and fled, they fought in his only cave with not only him but his Rider, Solez. Ldyol (pronounced Lid-dee-all), Olympian's Rider fought with him as Olympian fought with Hellk. Olympian came out victorious with only a single scale missing from his front leg. Ldyol came out of battle in a terrible condition.
"Solez had been a great swordsman and he also knew much more magic than Ldyol since he was a half-elf. Solez had lost that single battle with Ldyol but Ldyol would lose the battle against his wounds. He had been stabbed through the chest. Olympian noticed this and tried to save him. With almost all of the mana gone from the land, he only had enough power to allow the boy to live for a few more hours. Ldyol sealed away Hellk and boarded Olympian's back for the final time. He had to seal Olympian before he died. As Olympian's only human friend he wanted Olympian to be safe, far, far away from a world of anger and discrimination. He wanted to save Olympian.
"At Olympian's chosen place, with his own final strength, Ldyol sealed Olympian. Before Olympian was completely sealed he told him 'One day a new Rider shall arrive. He will be human but he will have some tiny traces of elven blood. Save him, and let him be your new Rider in my place. If Hellk returns defeat him with the Rider.'
"'But how shall I know if he is the Rider or not?' Olympian asked desperately as the sealing power closed around him. Olympian only heard the word 'twin' as Ldyol's last breath faded into the wind, only to bring back a new Rider when Hellk threatens to rise again." The cavern was silent save for a few sobs, from Sheena, Presea and Raine. It truly was a sad story, like that of the Fallen Hero. Colette's eyes brimmed with tears that threatened to fall as Treeforte clenched his teeth.
"See what that pathetic angel has brought upon us? Death!" Treeforte whispered in a very hostile manner. Fonirto gave him a warning glance but Treeforte ignored her and instead glared daggers at the angels that stood around Colette. He took one step and growled deeply.
"Treeforte-" Colette started but Treeforte cut her off as he smashed his claws against the cavern floor in pure anger and hatred.
"Shut up! Ldyol… Ldyol was a great person. He was courageous and strong. He died for the world. He died for the dragons. He died as a sacrifice to that stupid pathetic half-elf, Yggdrasill and then you four… you all come here acting as if you don't know anything? I don't buy it! You knew what he was doing all along! Yet you didn't stop him? Why didn't you just let the world die? Why… why couldn't you have at least saved him? He saved such a worthless and pathetic dragon like me when… when…" Treeforte, who suddenly began weeping, fell to the floor and clenched his teeth tighter. He closed his eyes tight as Fonirto walked towards the hole that led down to the Seal of Earth.
"Let us leave. The pact is complete. You may summon him when you wish but for now let us leave. I will carry all of you," Fonirto told them softly as they all climbed onto her back. Mikel and Colette took their time as they watched the poor earth dragon fall to pieces. But even they couldn't stand there and watch him. It was too painful to watch for they didn't have any comfort words for him.
The group left in utter silence No one said anything, even Zelos kept his big mouth shut. Once they had gone outside and sat in a clearing of the forest everyone took a deep breath of fresh air. The tension grew thinner as everyone relaxed.
"Now we finally understand," Sheena said as everyone nodded.
"We need to get to Olympian before the others can get to Hellk," Regal commented.
"Yes, for not only the sake of the world but for Olympian, Ldyol and Treeforte as well," Presea said as Lloyd jumped up.
"Yeah, so let's stop sitting around here and let's get out butts moving to the closest temple!" he told him boldly as everyone stood up with nods and prepared to leave. While everyone was preparing Mikel sat on the ground lost in her thoughts but muttered them out loud carelessly or was she expecting to be heard?
"So then, we had the legend wrong. Hellk did have a Rider. Strange, I somehow feel happy…" she whispered to herself as Lloyd wandered off by himself just to get small walk. As he wandered past the trees he suddenly stopped as if something was following him. He hadn't heard a single sound. Lloyd unsheathed his sword. That was the problem. Not a single animal was within miles of him. His angelic hearing could only pick up the shuffling of his friends as they checked their packs and the Rheairds. He ran back to them in a panic.
"We need to get out of here now!" Kratos suddenly exclaimed, taking the words right out of Lloyd's mouth. No one questioned him but instead began to move faster.
"Is everyone ready? Lloyd asked as everyone nodded and stood by their Rheairds ready to board. Lloyd nodded and began to walk back to his Rheaird when the ground began glow beneath him and a magic circle appeared. Lloyd couldn't move his body as Selena and Nikila suddenly appeared out of no where.
"We're taking Lloyd with us right now," Selena said as the magic circle beneath Lloyd began to glow brighter. It soon warped Lloyd to who knows where leaving the others to freak out.
"Lloyd!" They all shouted as Kratos clenched his teeth and unsheathed his sword. He swung at the two girls but they vanished.
"Holograms?" Kratos muttered as he soon realized that there was no trace of either of them.
"No!" Colette exclaimed as she sunk to the ground and fell to her knees. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes as she buried her face in her hands. Mikel put a hand on her shoulder. Suddenly the ground around them shook with a great ferocity as three dragons landed around them. Venforfte, Fonirto and Treeforte all stared down at the group, with anger burning in their eyes. Treeforte roared into the sky then spread his great wings and took to the sky.
"Split in two groups and board us now. Treeforte can follow the Dragon Fang's mana signature," Venforfte said and they did as they were told. Soon enough they were headed to rescue Lloyd, much sooner than they thought.
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Selena and Nikila kicked a paralyzed Lloyd to floor. He lay there unmoving. They were in the temple with the strange wall again. Lloyd looked up to the wall that was glowing brightly. When the light wore off, an old woman appeared before it.
"It's you! The one who gave me the scale!" Lloyd exclaimed as the old lady smiled and walked up to him. She placed her hand on his back as a warm feeling passed through him. She helped Lloyd stand then held his face in her hands.
"Uh, thanks, Lady," Lloyd said meekly as the old lady's hands began to glow. She whispered something to him, but her voice didn't sound old and sweet, it sounded cold, full of pure hatred of that a teenager.
"Give me my beauty," she told him as Lloyd cried out in pain. He gripped her hands but they only held his face tighter as they took his mana from his body. She gripped even tighter as Lloyd slowly sank to the ground, crying out in pain. Her face slowly changed as the wrinkles disappeared. Her features changed to make her look much younger. She suddenly let go of Lloyd who fell to the floor suddenly gasping for air. Selena tossed a mirror to the lady who now appeared to be 18. She let her fingers wove through her now silky, brown hair and twirled around like an excited child. Then she looked towards Lloyd, who began coughing from a low amount of mana in his body. Nikila looked towards him in concern.
"Goddess, if you leave him like that he'll die," she told her quietly while still looking at Lloyd. Goddess laughed out loud. It wasn't a warm laugh but a bitter, cold laugh that sent chills up both girls' spines.
"That will be his punishment for being born," she replied she walked towards the wall and a chair appeared. She sat down as Selena stepped forward.
"What do you mean, Goddess?" she asked as Goddess glared at the two girls.
"So you are still blind," she growled as she stood and lifted the palm of her hand towards them. Selena and Nikila gasped as they each took a few steps backward.
"Goddess, what are you doing?" Selena yelled as a dark red ball of mana appeared in Goddesses palm that was aimed at them.
"Die!" she exclaimed as she launched the ball of mana at them. Selena rushed up to the attack while in the meanwhile shoving Nikila away. The deadly ball of mana hit her square in the chest as Selena fell to ground, dead.
"SELENA!"
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Me:…
Lloyd: did you just kill your own character?
Yuan: Obviously she did…
Colette: Oh no! Ana, is Lloyd going to be ok?
Me: …
Kratos: something is brothering you.
Me: … I apologize but I am going to be away for a little while. Something terrible has happened and any updates will be delayed. That includes Angel Soul, my latest Kranna story. If you want you can go read it and review it. I will probably be back in a week or two.
Lloyd: so what happened?
Me: … I will explain it later. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It took me hours to finish it. Review hopefully I'll be back soon.
