Thank you all for your reviews. I'm glad to know my first real story has made such a good start...

Although it could be better.

Are you ever going to be quiet?

Not as long as you're alive.

Sigh... I don't own ToS

Chapter 15: Decisions, Decisions

Morning came over the beleaguered troop of heroes. Chris cheered it on from his position on the window ledge. He hadn't slept a wink. Not since the attack… He had lost it in his sleep, he knew that now. The beast had broken loose, and that started the whole hellish charade. He stumbled off the ledge and down the stairs towards the infirmary, which was the unofficial meeting place these days. Regal was awake already, and he was tending to Genis, trying to get him to respond to stimuli. Chris watched the poking and prodding for a few moments. Regal stood with a sigh, and Chris took this as an opportunity to interject. "How is he?" he said with an accompanying yawn.

"Not good," Regal grimly replied. "None of them are… I just can't say for the life of me what caused these wounds. They won't heal properly…"

Chris's palms started sweating, but he kept his composure, frowning along with Regal.

"I don't suppose you saw what hit you?" Regal turned, facing Chris for the first time.

"Euh… Not really…" Chris squirmed under Regal's gaze. "I just was walking, and my lights went out. I didn't even know what I got hit with."

Regal nodded, looking towards the door as it opened once more. Colette was coming in, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She sat next to Chris, yawning widely. "Good morning," she uttered, still managing to sound cheery despite everything.

"How so?" Chris grimly muttered. Colette seemed a little put out by this, her small smile fading. "Sorry," Chris continued, feeling guilty. "I didn't mean that, it's just this whole thing… I just wish I could do something about it."

"But you can do something about it…" a little voice popped into Chris's head. "End it; it's not worth doing this." Chris groaned. He walked from the room to consult this new mental invader.

He walked over to his room, shutting the door behind him. "Who are you?" he said to nobody in particular.

"No," the voice said back. "Who are you? Are you Chris, friend of friends, dependable, trusting? Or are you the wolf, savage, strong, and merciless?"

"I'm both," Chris replied, head in his hands. "But I don't want to be… It's killing me."

"What is killing you?" The voice challenged. "Is it your inability to complete your mission? Or do you wish you never had this wolf side? It's your choice…" The voice faded, leaving a troubled, split mind in its wake.

Kratos finally discovered the path in the early morning. He followed Cain's trail, losing it several times. He grimaced, knowing each second was precious. Walking, walking, walking, it ached him. How he longed to fly… He spread his wings, indulging in the sentiment, if not the action. "Aren't those pretty," he heard the snarl. Then Cain was upon him.

Chris sat in the garden, fighting his inner demons, debating, questioning, but most of all, worrying. There were so many variables. Everything was wrong; nothing made sense, twisted, crazy… His mental battle was interrupted by the rest of the group joining him. Regal simply said, "If we want to survive we must stick together." He realized Chris wasn't really listening, so he sat down, and Colette, Raine, and Presea followed suit. Then they were interrupted by all hell breaking loose.

Kratos leaped, finding a clearing and sticking in the middle. He had a gash in his face from where Cain had ambushed him, but he was otherwise unharmed. He dimly realized that he was in Mizuho. So Lloyd was here… His thoughts were interrupted by not one, but two werewolves leaping out of the brush. Great. He twirled in a pirouette that dodged the swiping claws and jaws, and still managed to look cool. Despite the fact that it was a pirouette. Regardless, it is Kratos, after all. Speaking of whom, he had only just regained his balance when the lycanthropes came back for another disemboweling or perhaps decapitating attempt. Seemed to be both, as they were targeting separately. Stacked in tandem, they catapulted themselves towards him, slobbering nastily. Kratos pulled another quick dodge, and slammed the silver blade into one of the beasts. It turned out to be Cain, as the rapid de-transformation caused by the silver took affect. But the other was coming back already… there was no time. Kratos spun, tracking the other beast with his eyes. It took a wide loop, and came charging back. Kratos parried a killing strike to the chest, and for a moment, the eyes of the beast came very close to his. Kratos looked, unable to help himself. They were Lloyd's eyes… The sword shook, and dropped. The wolf seemed to have similar thoughts, whimpering and shrinking into a small ball.

Silence. Kratos was stunned. A novel experience for everyone present. It was all too much for the people present. Except for one. Regal sprinted over to the downed man. "Cain!" he roared, closing the distance quickly. Cain heard the voice, getting up slowly.

"Hello, Mr. Bryant," the older man quietly responded. Then, he was knocked out instantly by a flying foot.

Regal looked down at the old man, utter contempt in his eyes. "Now…" he said quietly, "You DIE!"

"NO!!!" came the entirely unexpected scream. Chris came flying out of nowhere, cracking Regal over the head with his helmeted one. Regal dropped like a stone.

The group was awestruck. Colette had tears in her eyes already. "Chris," she screamed out, "What did you do?"

Chris looked back at the silent group. "I'm sorry," he whispered out. "I'm not who you think I am."

And the transformation began…

Thank you again for reading. Please review. For your information... The next chapter will be the final one. Give me all your advice, criticism and praise, so I can make it the most epic chapter yet.