Me: And here is Chapter/Part Thirty-seven! And I have to sincerely apologize for the late update -bows head in apology-

April: Ah yes, you do don't you? What happened again?

Me: Oh, my computer--the one that I typed this on--is fine. But the Internet connection on my dads computer--the only computer with Internet access--decided to die this past weekend, and it decided to stay that way until Tuesday (today's Thursday) and yesterday it wasn't working too well either (it was really slow). So, yeah, I'm updating on Thanksgiving.

April: Well, it's better late than never--like you always say--right?

Me: Right!

To Understand: Part Thirty-seven

Meeting the Darkness I

Reviews:

Takokinoko-Yes Raine will need more time to think over Genis and Mithos' relationship—but she'll, hopefully, come to see some reason and accept it. Now then, yes part of the reason they go to Exire is to escape from the castle, but it mostly has to do with something you—hopefully—find out at the end of this chapter. As for what that is…well, you said you didn't want to spoil yourself too much so I'll just say that it has to do with Maxwell and Martel. And I'm glad you liked the ending—and thanks for the good luck yet again! Anyway, here's the next chapter—enjoy!

Mizuki hikari-Yes Genis and Mithos are so cute together! Now you said to update, so I update! Enjoy!

Hiranieas-Yes, picturing Mithos laughing…well, yes—it'd be so adorable to see! And you want an update? So I update! Here's the next chapter—enjoy!

Alaia Skyhawk-Yes that's basically what happened to Lloyd. I re-read the last chapter and yeah, I was being a bit vague on what exactly happened (though it was in Mithos' POV and he didn't see them fall). But yeah, I'm glad you liked the chapter and here's the next one!

Viaroura Fox-Eh-heh-heh I'm glad you liked the whole cradling scene at the end, and I'm glad you could picture it perfectly! And yes, Raine is a tad bit overprotective of Genis, but yes, you do have to take into consideration that he is Raines only family left.

DraNKa-I'm really glad you liked you liked that line! After I finished writing that chapter I didn't think it had much in it. But I forgot that I put that line in there. Now then, here's the next chapter--enjoy!

April: …well you certainly did take a while to start writing this…

Me: Eh, well I actually kinda didn't feel like it, the cold weather puts me in a bad/sad uncreative mood and it's been cold since Sunday. And of course, the aforementioned Internet problem kinda slowed me down as well since I didn't know when it was going to be fixed.

April: Oh I see. Hmm, well I'll do the disclaimer now: Harmony283 does own ToS or any of its characters; Namco does. She does, however, own Feral any other OC's the Plot and me!

Authors Note: That's good. Now then, in this chapter it shows Lloyd, Mithos, Genis and co trying to escape from Venheim. But of course that doesn't go as planned and they end up running into Pronyma and Mitosu--who want Genis! And, yeah, Mithos isn't planning on letting go of Genis anytime soon, so he teleports away right before the fight and goes to, well, Exire! (It doesn't say that's where he goes, but it is where he goes)

April: I see…so basically you're deciding to have Mithos and Genis go to Exire earlier than everyone else?

Me: Yeah because when they actually get to Exire Raine would seem very OOC if she just left him alone with Mithos.

April: Hmm, well that is a good point. But how will Lloyd and everyone else know where they went?

Me: Don't worry about it, they'll figure it out.

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Mithos' POV

I ignored the people surrounding me, or rather, the way they looked at me with shock and confusion--too afraid to speak.

They didn't know what was going on, so of course they'd be confused as to why I'm carrying a sleeping Genis out of the room.

Who wouldn't be?

They have no idea what's going on. And I'm sure they won't until we get somewhere safer than this. Especially since Pronyma isn't dead.

I'm wondering now why they hadn't run into her in the lobby. After all, that's the fastest way they would have come, and it was the room that housed the warp ring that led back down to Derris Kharlan.

And now we have to get there.

I just hope we won't run into her again…or Mitosu.

I'm sure Lloyd and the others are more than strong enough to take on Pronyma…but Mitosu, well, he's almost my equal in strength, they might not be able to defeat him and if they went up against both of them at the same time—

Even with my, and Kratos', help it would still be hard.

I sighed softly to myself maneuvering down the stairs, trying not to trip and fall like Lloyd had most likely done only minutes ago.

I then made my way towards the door that led out into the main room…

And I knew something was, well, not right.

"Wait a second Mithos!"

It was Lloyd.

What did he want?

I stopped and waited for the brunette to catch up, he seemed slightly worn out, but then again, what did I expect? He's probably been running round all day.

First finding his friends, then running after Raine--and falling in the process--and now running after me.

"What?"

"You…Genis…"

"I said that I wanted to find a better place to talk about that now didn't I? Besides, Pronyma isn't dead, and neither is her accomplice."

"But we can take them on and beat them if they show up! I wanna know now! I mean, how can you expect us not to worry--?"

"I'm not expecting you not to worry, I'm just saying I don't want to tell you here." I paused, sighing and shaking my head, "Besides--though I don't have a doubt that you can beat Pronyma…her accomplice is almost at equal strength to my own…and his dark magic--it's unlike any in Sylvarant or Tethe'alla."

I looked up to see what his expression would be.

And it was determined, "So? We can still beat him!"

Well…he was Lloyd, did I really expect him to bow down so easily? I mean, he used to be my enemy so I knew he didn't give up easily.

"Though your bravery is cunning--"

"--It is not wise." Kratos, who had walked up behind Lloyd in an almost stiff manner, finished for me, his eyes showing as much worry as his posture did.

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen Kratos look so nervous before.

And something told me it wasn't just about the situation at hand.

"And why is it not wise?! If we go up against them now then we can beat the crap outta them and then we won't have to deal with them anymore!" Lloyd cried out, staring at Kratos with a childlike pout on his face, his hands clenched into fists.

"Because Mithos is right, earlier…earlier Zelos showed me the locket that you found…"

A locket?

Lloyd look just about as clueless as I did, then he seemed to understand, "Oh you mean right before we got Colette and Sheena back?"

Kratos nodded his head, "Yes. It had an…ominous aura to it and it seemed to be soaked through with a type of darkness that not only can be seen, but felt as well." Kratos' auburn gaze searched the room briefly, "And that same dark feeling is here, though it is…extremely faint now." He then turned to face me, hoping that I would know at least somewhat of what he was talking about.

And thankfully for him, I did.

"I don't know about this locket that you found, but yes, Pronyma used some of this dark magic--the darkness that can also be felt. That's--" I looked down at Genis, who was sleeping peacefully in my arms, "how she hurt Genis."

Needless to say, Kratos seemed surprised, "Pronyma wields this type of power as well?"

I nodded my head, "Yes, she does. I don't know how she obtained that ability, but she did." I turned to walk away once more, but another pair of footsteps coming up behind me, and a worried voice stopped me.

"She used this dark power to hurt Genis?" Raine--the bearer of the worried voice--asked softly from her position next to Kratos. April was standing right next to her, a worried expression on her face as well.

"Was it, like this locket, in a certain shape?" Zelos suddenly butted in, pulling out a black locket from his pants pocket.

And the first thing that hit me was how…potent the darkness smelled. So darkness had a smell now too? I shook my head, "That…yes…it did have a shape."

"What was it?"

"Chains."

"…Chains…?" April asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Yes, chains. She used Chains to bind, and try to choke, Genis. They were resistant to all forms of physical attacks, and magic, except for light magic…" I trailed off when I noticed Raines pale--or should I say paler--complexion.

"Wh-what…? She tried to…torture him…? Why?"

I stared at her, "Because he is the key. He has something she wants. Now I really would like to get out of here before Pronyma and Mitosu decide to come and find us."

"Mitosu?"

"My look-alike: Pronyma's accomplice. Now let's go." I turned back around, hurrying back down the stairs to the main room.

Soon after I heard the others, reluctantly at first, follow me.

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Lloyds POV

I watched as Mithos continued on, walking down the stairs towards the lobby. I had heard the recent conversation and it was just starting to sink into my head.

Genis was…Pronyma had…tortured him?

That seemed, well, hard to believe.

And Genis was the key? I think I remember Pronyma saying something like that back in Heimdall, but what kind of 'key' was Genis?

Well I knew a key was used to unlock something, and that something was usually very important or valuable.

So it must be something that Pronyma wants.

But what could someone like Pronyma want?

"What'cha thinkin' about?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin at this soft question voiced in my ear. I turned to face Zelos, who grinned.

"Z-Zelos…don't do that!"

"Well what were you thinking of?" he asked as we continued walking down the stairs, "You seemed to be thinkin' really hard because, as you can see, we're behind."

That was true, "Well, um, I guess you could say that I was wondering what type of 'key' Genis is."

Zelos threw me a questioning glance, "What?"

"I mean, you know how keys unlock doors or chests or something?"

Zelos nodded his head.

"Well what does Genis unlock?"

Zelos tilted his head to the side, thinking this over, "Hmm, good question. But as you know, Genis's out like a light, and Mithos refuses to tell us anything until we get out of this place."

"But where will we go when we get out? Won't Pronyma--assuming she'll still be alive after this--come after us again?"

"I guess he wants to take us somewhere safe. And besides, he also needs to tell us about this 'other way' of reviving Martel."

"ah! You're right! The other way Genis found!"

"Yeah…it's amazing that he actually did find a way. That and that he can read in ancient elvish."

"…? What?"

"Those old documents that the elder had given him to read, I got a chance to look through them and it was in ancient elvish--I couldn't even read it."

"And you know how to read elvish?"

Zelos sweatdropped, "Ah, well, I know some."

"Really? That's cool. But I guess Raine's the one who taught him--since she knows how to as well."

"True, True."

Then we saw the exit.

And everyone was standing there waiting for us.

"Wow you two sure took your time." Sheena remarked off handedly.

"Eh, well we were just talkin. We can go now."

Mithos, who was at the head of the group, with Genis still in his arms, nodded his head, "Yes," And walked out through the door.

And that's when I felt it.

This really…strange…black feeling.

That and Rachel was no where to be seen.

"Huh?"

Soon enough I was out in the lobby as well, and needless to say, Mithos wasn't wasting any time, he was already half-way across to the teleporter, with Raine and April close behind.

"And where do you think you're going?" A voice--that sounded so much like Mithos and yet so much like someone else, someone more evil than Mithos, at the same time--asked in a curious tone that echoed off the walls of the room.

Mithos froze, and turned around, "Mitosu…" he growled, looking around for the person he had told us was his counterpart.

"You know I'm not too thrilled about you hitting me in the head earlier." The voice was now much closer.

And it was coming from a black orb that was floating down from the ceiling.

Once it reached the ground it solidified, changing its shape into that of a human--or half-elven, elf--boy around the same height as Mithos.

"Wha--?"

And there standing before us was an almost direct replica of Mithos--only black.

And…and…that feeling of darkness seemed to intensify.

"So you…are Mitosu." Kratos stated, moving forward first. He gave one quick glance at Mithos, as if telling him to go on through with Mithos.

And Mithos gave a quick nod in return, backing up slowly.

"And I'll ask this again, where do you think you're going with that boy?"

Mitosu had now teleported closer to Mithos, though Kratos drawing his blade captured his attention.

"You don't honestly believe that you can beat me?" a devilish smirk played across his lips, "You might have been Mithos' teacher all those thousands of years ago, but he did beat you. And since he is me, in a sense, and I am him, what makes you think you can beat me?"

Kratos' eyes widened slightly, and even I had to wonder how Mitosu knew that.

I mean, they obviously weren't the same person, and I highly doubt Mithos would give away any information about himself for free so…how did he know that?

"So that's what you…found out…?" Mithos murmured under his breath, backing up slowly once more.

Now he was on the very edge of the teleporting ring.

"Yes that is what I found out. But you have yet to tell me what you found out about me."

Now Mithos had a smirk on his lips, mimicking exactly to the one on his dark counterparts face, "You mean the one with Neo or the one of that family?"

Mitosu's eyes widened, "Wha--?"

And then Mithos took one last step backwards, now in the center of the teleport ring, and teleported away.

…Wait as second! He was leaving us here to--

"Dammit! Pronyma get down here!" Mitosu shouted, sounding, well, generally pissed off.

"What is it, Mitosu?" Now Pronymas voice echoed off the walls.

"It's Mithos…he got away with Genis."

"What?"

"Yes he got away, and yes I know Neo's going to be mad. But--"

Pronyma cut him off, "Yes Neo's going to be mad. What do you propose we do about it?"

"Look! I have no idea what we're going to do about it but what makes this whole situation worse is that he knows--he's seen what Neo looks like! And he also knows about, or rather he's seen what--argh! Never mind!" He then turned back to face us, and that's when I noticed the color of his eyes.

Blood red.

"We have to take care of you first."

"And then going after Genis will be easier."

"But why do you want Genis?" I asked, glaring at them while drawing my swords.

"Why do we want him? I thought I already said why."

"Well if you did then I just wasn't listening."

"Well that's too bad."

"But we do know that he's the key to something."

Pronyma blinked, and looked down, "So you did decide to come, April."

"Yes I did."

"Then you met mother, right?"

"Yes I did. But she said she had to go back."

"Of course she did. There's a price to pay for keeping her alive when she was supposed to die."

"Then let her die. She's not even…she's not even human anymore. She's just a ghost."

Pronyma shook her head, "I won't kill her unless she wants me to, and she doesn't want to die."

"But she can't say that she's happy either."

"That's true."

"Pronyma."

"Fine, fine," she then closed her eyes, a black magic circle unlike any I had ever seen before appeared below her, turning into a kind of shield.

"Faors Darkness Technique--Darkness Mana Chain!" she called out, and suddenly the shield melted into the ground, then it rose back up into a…chain.

So that's what she used on Genis.

"Wha--"

"Bind our enemies!"

Crap.

What was it that Mithos said…?

Oh yeah, this chain was resistant to all forms of physical attacks. So only magic is effective against it.

"Photon!"

"Judgement!"

"Judgement!"

Raine, Kratos, and Colette managed to block some of the chain from reaching us. But it just regenerated.

Well that wasn't good.

That and the fact the Raine just collapsed.

"Raine! Healing Circle!" April cried out, a green magic circle appeared underneath Raine, healing her in an instant.

Just as she finished casting that spell, the chain--which had somehow split into about nine different chains--came out from under her, once piece wrapping itself around her and dragging her up into the air.

"April--!"

Then Presea screamed out as another chain wrapped around her waist, dragging her up as well.

Dammit!

"What do we do?!?" I cried out, gripping the hilts of my swords in my hand.

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Me: And there it is, Chapter/Part Thirty-seven! Yes I know it's a bit short than the last few chapters, but I really couldn't put much else in this chapter without it ruining the flow.

April: -nods head-yes, flow is very important. But I'm surprised that you added in the part with the chain so soon…

Me: There is a reason for that, but you'll figure it out a bit later on in the fight. And yet again, I don't think I do too well with the fighting scenes but, meh, this has to happen so yeah, I have to write it.

April: True, true.

Me: Now then, R&R Please! Hopefully the Internet connection'll be better by the time I update next (which'll probably be sometime during the weekend or early next week)--so yeah, you won't have to wait as long! Besides, reviews make me want to update faster! Ra!

April: No truly, they do…