Sorry that it took so long to update. Actually, I should be studying for a test right now, but I'm going to update. Yes, I have been busy, but I don't think this would get done tomorrow because I have a club meeting tomorrow after classes. Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying this story, and I'd like to tell everyone that I had an idea for another story. I don't know if everyone will like it, actually, I don't know if I'll like it but I know that it's something I'm going to do. It's something I've been debating about for awhile, but now I know how to go about doing it, and I finally decided. I know this is confusing because you all have no idea what I'm talking about. Anyway, here's the next chapter for this story and thanks for putting up with my lack of updating. Sorry.

------------------------------------------

Chapter 14: A Father's Wishes

He couldn't believe it. They had actually managed to defeat Mithos. Zelos looked over at Storm who was apparently still having a hard time betraying someone who was obviously still close to her. He could understand her predicament much better than some of the others in the group. She had let out more of her secrets to him than she had even let out to her own brother. Of course, he had let out a lot more about himself to her than he had ever done to anyone in his life.

He saw a Storm looked at the place where Mithos had stood, where he had been before the final blow was delivered and he disappeared in front of them. She had a strange look on her face. At first she looked relieved, but in her eyes he could see the pain and depression most likely caused by her betrayal. He knew that eventually she would realize that it was better for both Mithos and her this way.

Storm caught Zelos looking at her as she quickly shifted her gaze from the ground in front of her to him. She flashed him a small smile which he knew was only a cover up for her true feelings, but he was satisfied. Everyone in the group seemed happy at their victory, but the joy didn't last long when Kratos finally made his announcement to the group.

"What...but you'll..." Lloyd started, but he didn't want to finish his statement, knowing full well what would happen to his father if he won the battle that Kratos was planning.

"No Dad you can't," Storm cried out as she shook her head in protest.

Zelos knew that she and Lloyd had already lost a mother and he knew how that felt, but he didn't want to see Storm lose her father, especially if it was going to be by her brother's hand. Plus, he didn't want to watch his friend Lloyd have to take down his newly found father. This was a tricky situation they were in. The only way to save the two worlds was to use the Eternal Sword, but they had to release the seal that was already there. Unfortunately, Kratos was the seal and giving up his life was the only way to allow Lloyd access to Origin and the Eternal Sword.

"I must do this to atone for my sins. Besides, there is no other way to save the two worlds. Meet me in the forest near Heimdall," he stated before quickly making his exit, most likely so Storm couldn't pursue him.

"Storm...wait!" Zelos and Lloyd both called as Storm soon began to make her way after her father. She spun around quickly, pain written all over her face as she faced them.

"I can't lose him! He's all I've got now, I'm sorry Lloyd," she said as she ran out of the building.

"Damn it...isn't there any other way?" Lloyd asked as he looked out to where both Storm and Kratos had run out. Zelos could only hope that there was someway to prevent what was about to happen.

----------------------------------------

The group soon found themselves lodged in Heimdall. In the morning Lloyd would be facing his father in a duel to the death, and Storm would be there to watch the outcome. There was nothing anyone could do, and it killed him to know that she was going to lose a family member.

He had no idea what had happened to Storm after she ran off, but he hoped that she was okay. He decided to go to bed early so he would be awake for whatever came in the morning. Of course, he didn't think that he'd sleep very well that night with everything else running through his head.

About halfway through the night Zelos woke up when he heard someone moving through the village. He got up and looked out the window and saw Kratos. He was surprised at his appearance, but he was even more surprised at who else was there. Kratos was walking to the elder's house with Storm in his arms. At first he was worried that she had been hurt, but he knew that Kratos would have looked a little more concerned if that was the case. He knew that must have been sleeping, and he was taking her somewhere to stay while he ran off once again.

Zelos continued to watch as the door to the elder's home opened and the man inside allowed Kratos entrance. Once Kratos was in and the door had been closed, Zelos left his room and went outside so he could meet him on his way out of the village. Soon enough, the door opened and Kratos was met by the red-head.

"So, where do you think you're going now?" Zelos asked as he crossed his arms to stare at the mercenary.

"I must do this, for the both of them. It is the only way," Kratos simply stated before attempting to get by Zelos. Unfortunately for the mercenary Zelos wasn't going to let him get away with an answer like that.

"How do you think you're helping them? You're killing them right now , you know that? I can see it Lloyd's eyes, and I can see it in her eyes too," Zelos said, glancing over at the elder's house when he mentioned Storm.

Kratos glanced at the house over his shoulder before looking back at Zelos and sighing. "I know they don't understand now, but it's the only way. They will be fine without me anyway," he said as he stared at Zelos with his classic stoic look, but Zelos knew that there were other emotions behind his cold exterior. He knew that same fake look like Storm always used to give him.

Kratos managed to make his way past Zelos, but on his way Zelos thought he heard the seraph whisper as he passed him. "Please, take good care of her..."

Zelos spun around to make sure he wasn't hearing wrong, but when he did Kratos had already disappeared.

"Could he know how we really feel about each other? Or does he just want her to be protected by someone?" Zelos wondered, but soon he heard someone else moving around outside. Not wanting to be questioned by one of the elves or by his friends, Zelos snuck back into his room for the night.

------------------------------------------

The next morning Zelos woke up when Sheena angrily pounded on his door.

"Wake up Zelos, we've all been waiting for you!" she screamed as Zelos slowly rolled out of bed and rubbed his eyes. He looked out the window and squinted as the morning sun met his eyes.

"I'm coming, give me a second," he yelled back as he threw on some clothes before emerging from his room.

"It's about time, everyone is outside waiting," Sheena yelled at him.

Once the group was outside, Zelos looked over to the elder's home and wondered if Storm was still inside sleeping. If she was she would miss the battle, something that might be good for her. He didn't want to see her as the two battled to the death.

Before long, the group headed into the woods to find Kratos, moving through the maze of trees and shrubbery. Zelos began to wonder if anyone really wanted to find the person they were looking for.

Soon, the group came upon a clearing and Kratos stood in front of them with his sword ready at his side.

"So, you came," he simply stated as he looked at Lloyd.

"Isn't there any other way?" Lloyd asked desperately, praying for some way to prevent what was bound to happen.

"Are you still thinking that way? You'll die if you think like that when you fight me," Kratos told him sternly. He wasn't allowing Lloyd to worry about him.

"Fine, I'm ready to fight you," Lloyd said as he pulled out his swords.

"You're going to fight alone?" Kratos asked when he saw that no one else was preparing for battle.

"You want to atone for your sins, then it's my duty as your son to see it through," Lloyd calmly stated.

The two began to fight and Zelos wasn't sure if he could even watch the duel to the death. Father versus son, and yet Storm was missing. She would lose someone today and she wasn't even around to try and stop it.

After a lot of fighting, Lloyd seemed to be gaining the upper hand. He was getting the hang of dodging Kratos' Air Thrust and Grave attacks, but Kratos could never really tell what Lloyd was going to do. Kratos had a battle plan, but Lloyd usually ran off instincts, which was what was leading him to victory in this case. Suddenly, Kratos fell to one knee as Lloyd pointed one of his swords in his direction to give the final blow.

"You've grown strong," Kratos managed to utter.

"Thanks to you," Lloyd sighed.

"Aren't you going to finish me off?" Kratos weakly asked.

All of a sudden, Storm burst through the woods before jumping in between the two swordsmen. Zelos couldn't believe it. She had actually made it, and she came when she needed to. The next question was, how was she going to stop what was already happening?

"Don't do it Lloyd! Please don't, I don't know what I would do without Dad," she yelled at him as she protected Kratos with arms stretched out in front of him. Kratos looked up at his daughter from his place on the ground.

Lloyd took a few steps towards Kratos before putting his swords back at his sides. Everyone sighed, knowing that Lloyd was not going to finish him off.

"I defeated Kratos, the angel, the one who betrayed us. And I forgive Kratos, the hero of the Ancient War, the one who helped us. That's all," he stated.

"And I thought I'd finally earned the right to die, but you're as soft-hearted as ever," Kratos said as he got up weakly and began to walk towards the seal.

"What are you doing? You...you're not going to break the seal are you?" Lloyd asked as he watched him get closer to the seal stone.

"Dad...what are you...?" Storm asked anxiously as she watched her father.

"This is what you desire, is it not?" Kratos asked as he looked back at the both of them. He didn't give them the chance to answer his question before he began to release all his mana in front of them, his life force slowly leaving him.

Storm would have run out to stop him and give him some mana, but after her fight with Mithos and Pronyma, and after giving some to Zelos all in one day, she wasn't sure if she could spare anymore, even if she managed to make it to him in time.

What happened next, Zelos wasn't even sure himself. All he saw was Kratos falling, but soon Yuan was there, preventing him from hitting the ground. The rest of the group looked at him, hoping that Kratos hadn't already passed on.

"Is he...?" Lloyd asked cautiously, afraid of what the answer could be.

"He'll be okay, I gave him some of my mana," Yuan stated as Kratos began to stir. Zelos had to admit that he was relieved to see the mercenary alive and well, and to see Storm happy once again. Soon, they were in the heat of battle against Origin himself, fighting for the right to wield the Eternal Sword.

----------------------------------------

Soon, the seal with Origin was made and everyone was relaxing before deciding what to do next. Genis walked over to Lloyd to congratulate him on the victory, but as he came up to him something strange happened

Something, it looked like an exsphere began glowing on Genis' chest before it moved away from the half-elf and flew at Lloyd. Soon, it seemed as if Lloyd was having trouble moving his own body, and Mithos appeared in front of him.

"I'll just take your body," Mithos said as he attempted to control Lloyd.

Zelos didn't know where she came from, but Storm pushed Lloyd out of the way quickly and allowed the crystal attach to her instead.

"Damn, you interfered again Storm, but this will work too," he said as he revealed Storm's wings, ready to take off with her. Zelos was horrified that she was about to go back with that insane man.

"Mithos let her go," Kratos ordered the half-elf.

"You would betray me again Kratos?" Mithos asked before he flew into the sky inside Storm's body.

"Storm!" Zelos cried out as he watched her disappear in the distance.

"Don't worry, we'll get her back," Lloyd assured everyone. "I'll make sure of that," he finished as he began to walk out of the forest with the others close behind.

-------------------------------------------

Well, that's the end of this chapter. Sorry if it sucked, but I really did try. Oh well, forgive me for being so late with my updating. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think. Thanks!