A/N Thanks for all the support I got for the first chapter guys! Also, thanks to Zelda's Fox 38 for pointing out I forgot Presea and Regal from the last chapter. -facepalm-
Anyways, onwards with the second chapter!
The sun was rising over the Triet desert when Lloyd touched down on the Rhieard. When he had finally managed to comandeer one without much use of his left hand, Lloyd was left stumped as to what options he had. Silently travelling the skies of Sylverant, he tried to recall everything he knew about the Angelus Project. All he had picked up from the journey was that his Exphere was particularly more powerful than the rest as it was designed for Lord Yggdrasill's use, and that his mother had acted as the host body for it until she died. He needed more concrete proof as to what the makeup of his Exphere was, but too many of the desian ranches had been obliterated by Raine, so he decided to place his luck with the Renegades and Yuan to have some information he could make use of.
Dropping off the Rhieard as silently as he could, he crept in the shadows towards the base. To Lloyd's surprise, there were no Renegades actually guarding the large doors of the base. To the left of the door was a small watchroom, where the dim light glowing from the windows signalled to the teenager that there were a handful of 'guards' supposedly keeping watch.
Creeping as quietly as he could, Lloyd made his way to the left side of the door, not far from the watchroom, and pressed himself up against the cold metal of the silo. Congratulating himself for not wearing his traditional red outfit, the young swordsman tiptoed his way around the silo to the front, next to the door. He could hear the sounds of talking in the watchroom, but breathed a sigh of relief as he realised none of those inhabiting it had heard any commotion from outside.
Lloyd took a deep breath and assessed the situation. The large blue doors can't just be left open to every Tom, Dick and Harry to walk through, surely. The only other method of entry that Lloyd saw was a small, circular air vent around 5 metres closer to the door, that was just about big enough for him to fit through. Crouching, Lloyd snuck his way over to the air vent, and used the tip of one of his swords to turn the screws surrounding the metal grating. After removing the last screw, the grating fell to the sandy ground with a clatter, causing Lloyd to back himself up against the metal once again, but breathe a sigh of relief when noone emerged from the watchroom.
Replacing his sword, Lloyd half-heartedly pulled himself into the air vent, taking note of the sign that lay beneath it; 'Rhieard launch exhaust tube'
Lloyd cursed himself as the tight walls of the exhaust tube scraped against his injured arm, praying nobody decided to take a trip on a Rhieard this time in the morning. Trying to take his mind off the situation, he tried to recall the word Raine had taught him for someone who didnt like tight spaces. Lloyd had a problem with being stuffed in the stationary cupboard at school one day, and Raine had told him it was a phobia.
Castro...Crastie...Josto...Blosto...Claustrophobia! Claustrophobia!
Pleased with himself and delighted to see the end of the tube before him had no cover on it, Lloyd sped up his crawl slightly. As the size of the tube was lacking somewhat, he had to drop himself out of the tube at the other end head first. Putting his right hand out in front of him to slow his fall, Lloyd found himself in the Rhieard launch room he and his companions had escaped from before. Wiping the dust from his black jacket and black trousers, Lloyd was alerted to sounds from outside, and quickly opened the nearest door to hide himself.
He found himself in a rather familiar corridor, and had a quick scan left and right to see if the coast was clear. He knew that Yuan's office was not far down to the left, but he needed information on the Angelus Project rather than to talk to Yuan himself.
Yuan has worked with Yggdrasill... Lloyd thought to himself, so he should have information about the Angeuls Project on the Welgaia computer system.
Remembering how Raine got information from the Welgaia terminals, Lloyd went out in search of a similar computer system in the base. Some quick thinking got him round the patrolling guards and he found himself in a small control room, next door to Yuan's office. He sat on the small blue chair next to the terminals, shocked slightly as he realised he rembered how Raine had used the terminals, and began working his way through the meny sub-menus.
Welgaia Terminals...Cruxis...Expheres...The Angelus Project...
Please input designated access password...
'Shit...' Lloyd whispered. He racked his brains for a suitable password that he would know of. Trying a few out, he could feel desperation building up inside him. How on earth was he supposed to guess Yuan's password? Using his right hand to adjust the angle of his left elbow to make himself more comfortable, Lloyd thought of others that would be able to gain access to the files.
Kratos.
'Well this code shouldn't be too hard...' Lloyd told himself with a smile, as the input screen faded to the information files after he had inputted the word 'Anna' into the designated spot. He screwed up his face in digust as he scrolled down the mass of text. Half of the words Lloyd didn't even understand, but he ignored the large section at the top over the aims of the project and tried to understand the nitty gritty makeup of the Exphere. One particular sentence caught his eye...
...Key Crest, which is forged from the rare rock Aionis, and...
Lloyd was interrupted from his reading by the sound of the door behind him sliding open. He jumped up and turned to see 5 members of the Renegade guard standing before him.
'What the...' One of the guards stammered as Lloyd drew his sword, used to the fact that he would now have to learn how to only use one while his left hand was out of action. However, there were too many guards for Lloyd to cope with in his current situation and he begn to be overpowered.
'Aprehend him and take him to Lord Yuan.' One of the guards shouted as he struck Lloyd with a spell and sent him crashing to the floor.
'Yessir!'
Lloyd was breathing heavily and the shooting pains up his left arm into his shoulder had returned. Ego bruised, he was content to let the guards take him to Yuan who, Lloyd hoped, would tell him where he could find some Aionis ore.
Yuan winced as the sunlight shone in his eyes through the window. Truth be told, he felt like he had a cracking hangover without the fun night out. As soon as he was sure Kratos wasn't going to fall over and die on anyone the previous afternoon, he made his way back to the base and jumped straight on his bed for a rest. Afer losing so much mana to save his friend of 4000 years, he felt he deserved a rest. He was rudely woken from his daze by a rapping at the door and the call of 'Lord Yuan, sir!' coming from the other side. Trying to hold back the profanities, Yuan pulled himself off his bed and shuffled towards the door, adjusting his bed-hair as he went.
'What do you want?'
'Someone has broken into the base...sir,' said the guard, faltering slightly at the glare he got from Yuan as the door was opened, 'he was trying to access the Welgaia information banks when we found him. He won't give his name.'
Yuan sighed. 'Bring him up to my office in 10 minutes.'
'Of course, sir.'
Leaning against the door after he shut it, Yuan shook his head to try and wake himself up. He pulled his blue, knee length boots over his baggy white trousers, did them up tightly and walked the short distance to his office. He threw himself on the chair behind his desk, folded his arms and closed his eyes. Who the hell was trying to pull this kind of stunt at this time in the morning?
A knock on the door sounded and Yuan opened his eyes to see a black-clad Lloyd be pushed into the room, his pale face glaring at the Renegade guards behind him. Yuan sat up straight and rested his elbows on the desk.
'I should have known it would be an Aurion.'
Yuan motioned for the guards to leave, one of them putting Lloyd's swords and rucksack by the door. Lloyd rubbed his left-arm and stepped forward.
'What do you want, Lloyd?'
Yuan's voice reinstated Lloyd's focus and the young swordsman decided to get right down to the point.
'I need some Aionis.' He spat, staring straight into Yuan's eyes. Yuan sat back in his chair, a quizzical look playing across his face.
'Now why would you want some of that?'
Lloyd ignored him and went over to the door to pick up his rucksack and swords. He struggled to pull the straps of his rucksack over his left shoulder and tie the buckle of his sword belt, but controlled the pain and headed towards the door.
'If you aren't going to tell me, I am just going to leave.'
'Where do you think you can get some without going to Derris-Kharlan, Lloyd?' Yuan asked, now smiling at the stoic tone to the young boy's voice.
Lloyd glared at him, obviously taking offense at the half-elf's mocking tone.
'You seriously think you can waltz into Derris-Kharlan, take some Aionis, and waltz out?' Yuan said, not waiting for an answer. He was now standing and resting his hands on the table. 'There is no way I can let you do that. Why do you need it? Did Kratos send you?'
'...Thanks for nothing, Yuan.' Lloyd replied as he turned and left the room. Yuan assumed that meant Lloyd had come of his own will.
Slumping back on his chair, Yuan told the guards at the main doors to authorise Lloyd's exit from the base, he didn't want any fuss. Despite not knowing him too well, Yuan felt an element of duty to the boy, he was Kratos's son after all. Seems as though he couldn't just sweep this one under the carpet.
'Bloody Aurions...' He mumbled as he pulled himself to his feet.
'What do you MEAN you didn't hear him leave?!' Raine yelled at the exasperated Genis in Dirk's front room. Zelos's laugh was cut short by a glare from the older half-elf.
'I didn't mean to, Raine!' Genis whined, 'You can't expect me to stay awake to keep an eye on Lloyd, we were all tired.'
'Well why didn't you tell us he had gone when you woke?'
'I didn't realise he had gone!' Genis yelled back at his sister, 'I figured he had woken before me or something...'
'C'mon Raine, you didn't realise he had gone either! It was only when Regal went to check on the Rhieards did we realise he was REALLY gone' Zelos said, smiling and placing his left arm behind his head.
'DON'T EVEN TRY TO PUT THE BLAME ON ME, CHOSEN!' Raine yelled, causing most of the members of the party to jump where they were standing. Zelos took a second to regain his composure and the hut was left in silence.
'...That'll do, Raine.' Kratos was sat on a chair by a table, his head resting on his left hand, his palm on his forehead. Zelos was right, everyone had just assumed Lloyd had gone for a walk before Regal returned from the Rhieards. It had been over 2 hours since Regal had returned, and the realisation that Lloyd may not just have gone for a bit of time for himself was beginning to sink in. Kratos scolded himself for not pushing Lloyd to find out what was wrong the night before, and felt the familiar sense of guilt rising up within him.
'He hasn't taken anything but his rucksack, a change of clothes and his swords,' came the voice of Collette as she walked down the stairs, pale-faced and looking understandably worried about her friend.
'We will search for him then...' Regal said, stepping forward. The statement was said to the group, but aimed mainly at Kratos. Presea walked and stood next to the ex-con.
'I'll go too.' Presea said, face set, 'myself and Regal will head to Tethe'alla. We will check all of the likely places and...'
'Likely places?' Zelos interrupted, 'Likely places? Where, exactly, is Lloyd expected to go in Tethe'alla? You can't just check the whole world in the hope that you will bump into him!'
'Zelos don't be so harsh, they are just trying to help!' Sheena yelled desperately, squaring up to the magic swordsman, 'What else can we do?'
'I hate to say it but I agree with the Chosen,' Kratos broke the argument once again, eyes still staring at the wood on the table, his right hand fiddling with the handle of his sword, 'An aimless chase around two worlds is not going to come to anything. We must formulate the possible places he could have gone too and go from there.'
'But...' Collette began, but was cut off by the door opening and Dirk striding in.
'He has not been seen in Iselia. The Mayor has said they will contact me if they see him.' Kratos nodded at the Dwarf in thanks, aware that Dirk has as much right to be feeling as worried as he was.
'Lloyd always tends to zone back after running away,' Genis said, 'we will find him. I'll go and get ready to go, while having a think as to what clues he may have said to me.'
Kratos nodded again, this time at the half-elf, as the murmurs of agreement flowed around the room and the members of the party began to disperse. Kratos sat still for a second, before he was alerted to the sound of engines near the hut. Glancing up quickly, he bolted out of the door towards the clearing where the Rhieards sat, closely followed by the rest of the party.
Kratos skidded to a halt as he saw the rider of the Rhieard leap off onto the grass, stumbling slightly as he landed. the Seraph could hear the sighs of dissapointment from behind him, the rider was not Lloyd. Not deterred by his stumble, the rider strided towards Kratos quickly and stopped but a metre away.
'Dear friend, can you tell me for what reason your son would be searching for some Aoinis ore?' Yuan said, watching Kratos's face darken on the conclusion of his question.
'...What are you talking about, Yuan?' was all Kratos could muster in reply.
A/N Sheesh, long chappie. Maybe a bit too long? :S I hope it doesnt put people off. Not quite as good as the first I reckon, but i've gotta establish the basis of the story I guess! Please leave any comments and suggestions! Especially title suggestions because I am really stumped!
PP18