Me: And here it is! Chapter/Part 39!

April: Yup! And since it took such a long time uploading Part 38 you got to work on this one early!

Me: That's true

To Understand: Part Thirty-nine

Meeting the Darkness III

Reviews:

Takokinoko-Yup Genis finally woke up! I was actually planning on having him wake up while Mithos was having his laughing fit--but then I realized I didn't so…yeah he wakes up in this chapter. I also realized that Mithos had to get his Cruxis Crystal back--he needs to use his wings soon--so yeah, that helped with that problem too! And I'm glad you like the plot twist--I actually wasn't supposed to put this whole fighting scene in, or at least I didn't want to, but I did so yeah, this still didn't go as planned. And here's the next chapter--enjoy!

DraNKa-I'm a life saver? Well I guess I am if you've been studying for exams/reading really hard books for the past--well--whenever you started studying/reading. And you had an exam yesterday? We don't have ours till mid-December, but I guess I should say I hope you did well! And is Yuan going to come to the rescue? I think it's safe to say that yes, he will--or at least he'll show up! Now here's the next chapter--enjoy!

Alaia Skyhawk-Ah yeah, things are just starting to heat up with Lloyd and Co. fighting Mitosu. As for if he'll use that paralyzing technique--you'll just have to see. But since that is under his arsenal of attacks, you can kinda expect him to do that (though unlike Pronyma, who used her best attack first, he'll most likely save it for last).

LittleLinor-Yeah, basically I do update if I get lots of positive feedback--or at least it helps me with writing it faster since I either might not get any computer time that day (which happens a lot) or something happens and the Internet is down (I really hope I don't jinx it like I did last time - -; ). But yeah, about the Mithos/Genis fluff--you'll see some starting in TU 40—and in Exire. Now then, here's the next chapter--enjoy!

Hiranieas-Yeah the thing kept saying 'error send report insert web address that didn't work please and this will be logged'. That really annoyed me. - -; And, I'm sure you already know this by now, but yes I have read over your fanfic--and yes I reviewed for it. And yeah, I said Pronyma's going to die--and she will. I just don't know when that's going to happen. It'll probably happen after they get done with Exire--however many chapters long that'll be--but just remember--there's a reason she's being kept alive (basically it's because Mithos is the one who kills her, and since he's not there with Lloyd and Co then he can't kill her)! And here's the next chapter--enjoy!

Viaroura Fox—Hmm, yes I wonder what did/will Mitosu do now? Obviously nothing good. And yes, Genis does seem to faint/sleep a lot, but then again I'm assuming anyone who's been under stress/had almost all their mana drained out of them would be. But yeah, when they reach Exire (or right before they go to Exire) he'll be 'awake' for the most part. Now then, I'm glad you liked the chapter, and here's the next one—enjoy!

Whoever-I-am—Ah, yeah, I noticed that too when I went back and re-read the chapter—like I always do in case there's anything that absolutely has to be changed. But it's not too major of an error (IMO at least) and cast/summoning is kinda-sorta the same (in a really round-about way). But thanks for pointing it out (I might change it some time in the future) and I'm glad you reviewed the chapter!

Liebchen-chan-I'm really glad you liked this chapter—and that you thought the Zelos-saving-Lloyd thing was cute! And yes, Mithos and Genis are adorable—and they always will be! Now then, here's the next chapter—enjoy!


April: So…in this chapter Genis and Mithos should get out of Derris Kharlan right?

Me: -nods head-right! And you'll also figure out where you and Presea went.

April: Hmm…I hope so. And I hope we're okay. And Lloyd and the others…

Me: Don't worry about them! They'll be fine…

April: Fine, whatever you say! Okay then, Harmony283 doesn't own ToS or any of its characters--they all belong to Namco! She does, however, own Feral, the plot, any OC's that happen to show up, and me!

Authors Note: Okay that's good. Now like I said, in this chapter Genis and Mithos make their way out of Derris Kharlan--but before they get anywhere, they run into Yuan. Also Presea and April, as you know, got captured by the dark mana chains and disappeared somewhere. Where exactly did they go? And will Lloyd and the others be okay while facing off against Mitosu?

April: No really, will we be okay? And will Raine be okay? She's still hurt you know…

Me: I'm not allowed to tell…sorry.

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Mithos' POV

I watched silently as Genis' chest rose and fell with each intake of air. I couldn't describe how…elated I felt that he was okay…that I didn't have to worry about him being caught between unconsciousness and sleep.

I held the sleeping half-elven boy closer to me, nuzzling my face into his hair, emitting a soft content sigh from the back of his throat. This made me smile.

He was only twelve now--not even a teenager yet--but I'm sure that soon he would start growing. That certain things would change about him once he experienced those teen fazes that I had gone through long ago.

I'm sure he would have…problems. But I planned on being there to help.

I chuckled lightly, I'm getting ahead of myself aren't I? After all, the only real way to ensure that Genis even grows up--that he survives this ordeal now--is to make sure that Pronyma is dead and that Mitosu leaves.

It made me nervous that I couldn't kill my dark counterpart, but I had a strange feeling that I would later…

Though when 'later' was, I didn't know.

After all, how can one know these things? I may have lived for four thousand years, but that in no respects made me psychic.

No one could ever find out the future. If they did--and if they already knew what happened in their lives--then they'd either selfishly try to change it, or try to strive towards that goal—in a way, changing their future by their already knowing it.

And even if they didn't do that--it wouldn't be as much fun living life if you always knew what would happen the next day.

I sighed softly, tangling my free hand in his hair once more--it seemed to have a soothing affect on me.

Because another thing hit me.

One can't bring back the dead.

If they could, the changes would be just about as drastic as knowing ones future.

And…and…I wanted Martel back so…what I was doing was extremely dangerous. But it was only one person so…so hopefully it wouldn't be that bad.

But as for how I would bring her back.

Maxwell…I already knew that he was the Summon Spirit of Birth. So going to him about reviving someone seemed natural enough, right?

So I guess I should head for Exire.

But I needed someone…I needed Sheena to make a pact with Maxwell. Though I hadn't technically broken mine, I'm sure the old man wouldn't be happy to see me. And I'd also have to steer clear of him during their fight for the pact.

I guess I could spend that time watching over Genis, but when the fight was over and Maxwell was under a new pact--and the pact maker states that he cannot harm me--then I'll be able to voice my question.

But would he have the answer?

There was no way of knowing that now. But it was worth a try. Not trying would just mean doing nothing.

Then there was also the matter of getting that Mana Crest made. I'm sure…if the others somehow convinced Altessa--no. He was hurt. But if he got better then maybe he could…

And…and Dirk--Lloyds foster father--was a dwarf as well! That might be the easier solution since Lloyd would have an easy time convincing him to do something.

But then again, Dirk might not have the skills.

I shook my head, maneuvering so that I could stand up without falling or waking Genis up.

"That doesn't matter now. But…how will I tell the others to meet me in Exire?"

I could leave a note--which would be a plausible answer. But they might not even see it.

And what's worse, Pronyma or Mitosu could find it and they'd know where we were. They could possibly even try to attack Exire--or at least I knew Mitosu would since he didn't know the towns' population was made up of half-elves.

I sighed softly to myself.

Hopefully…hopefully they would just figure it out--

Huh? Was that--

"Yuan?"

Yuan froze, his swishing cape coming to a halt as well as he turned to face me, "Lord Ygg-Mithos?"

"Yes it's me. What are…what are you doing here?"

Yuan shook his head, "I came to assist Kratos."

"really?"

"Yes. I told him I would come shortly after the problem…at the…" he trailed off, not meeting my gaze.

"There was a problem at the Renegade base? Well with your second hand man gone, it makes sense that you're busier." I said, trying my hardest to smile. It still angered me that Yuan--Martels fiancee and the man who would have been my brother in law--had created the sole group that had gone against me…keeping me from reviving Martel.

"Mithos…" He sounded apologetic.

"It's fine. You can tell me about it later. But in return I need you to tell the others--Lloyd and everyone there--something."

"And that would be?"

"I'm going to Exire."

"Wha--? Exire? Why would you go there? The only thing of importance there is Maxwell and after the whole Origin incident four thousand years ago, he refuses to see you--like any of the other Summon Spirits. You know that."

"Yes I know that Yuan. That's the whole reason why I want you to tell everyone where I'm going."

Yuan gave me a blank stare and then he caught on, "Sheena."

"Correct. She's the one who has been making pacts with the Summon Spirits. They listen to her now. So hopefully…hopefully Maxwell will listen to her and not attack me."

"And why would you want to…talk with him in the first place?"

"He holds information on the…on how to revive the dead. Or at least how to revive ones body back into existence."

"You mean you're--"

"--It wasn't my original idea." I said, cutting him off. Which, like every other time I did that, annoyed him.

"Then whose idea was it?"

I looked down at the sleeping boy in my arms, "His."

"Hmm, really?"

"Yes really. So can you please tell every--"

"Yes I will tell everyone where you went." Yuan stated, cutting me off in a familiar fashion as I had done him.

And then he turned and walked towards the warp ring that led to Venheim, leaving me standing here.

After he disappeared from view I turned back around and started walking. I knew that the next part of Derris Kharlan was filled with monsters, so I should hurry.

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Aprils POV

"Oww…" I shakily sat up as my voice echoed around the heavy expanse of the room.

Then I realized it.

I was alone.

Where was Presea?

"P-Presea?" I looked around only to see that I was…in some type of cave. But what would a cave be doing…or was I even in Derris Kharlan?

But if I wasn't in Derris Kharlan then where…?

I stood up slowly, trying to get my eyes adjusted to the little light that filtered in through the ceiling.

After I could see well enough I started to look around, to see if I could see an exit.

"Well there's one on the far side of the room, and then--" I turned around, and gasped.

"Wha--?"

Behind me was a huge glass wall, much like the one in the trap I had escaped from, but…but behind that glass wall…

There were millions and millions of Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals.

"Where…where…?" I fell silent, my eyes growing huge as I just stared in awe. It was almost like an entire crystallized wall.

The only place that I knew of that had this many exspheres was the Toize Valley mine. But I wasn't in Tethe'alla…was I?

No I didn't think I was. It still had this…swell of mana that I felt when I was in Venheim.

So I was still in Venheim/Derris Kharlan?

I didn't know.

But…

I had to stop staring at this wall! I shook my head violently, turning away from the shimmering of the many exspheres, back to the relatively dark and unexciting room I was in.

Though now I couldn't help but notice the various pools of…well, it looked like water but…

"April!"

I jumped as my name echoed off the walls.

I turned around facing—where I assumed—the voice to be. And lo-and-behold.

"Pr-Presea?"

Presea was on the other side of the glass wall, somehow, and she looked scared.

"April can you help me? My…my…" she touched the base of her neck, covering the red Cruxis Crystal that lay there, in its Key Crest.

"How did you get back there? I mean, is there a door?"

She shook her head; "I…don't know…but it hurts…burns…" she looked like she was close to tears.

"But why is it—"

"I do not know…but I think it's because of the…" she trailed off, biting her lip as if that would help her not cry out.

Then an idea hit me, "If I can't find the door—or you can't—then you can use your ax!"

She blinked, "I…yes…I could but…" she glanced off somewhere behind her—to where I assumed her ax was—with a slightly worried look on her face.

"But what?"

"I do not think this wall is…breakable. And even if it was." "I know protection spells. I'll be fine." I reassured the pink haired girl.

"Ah…well if that…fine I will try." She winced in pain as she unclasped her hand from the red jewel at the base of her neck before turning and walking back to where her ax was, picking it up, and walking back over to me.

She lifted the said ax, gave me one last glance—resulting in me readying my staff and chanting a quick spell, which produced a green shield around me—before swing her ax forward.

When the sharpened blade met with the glass a kind of ringing noise emitted from the place of contact—echoing throughout the room, reminding me of the sweet melody my mother used to play on her harp as a wake up call in the morning.

But the fact that I thought of that, or rather thought of the sound as a 'wake up call' unnerved me.

After all, I didn't know what else resided in this…cave. This might not have been the best idea, but it was the quickest.

And I wanted to get out of here quick.

Though at first it didn't seem like the clanging of steel against glass did much but make noise—I soon saw a crack forming.

And that crack grew.

And Presea kept on whacking at the barrier between us.

Soon enough, or what I hoped was soon—there were no means to tell time in this place so it actually might have been a shorter time, or a longer time—the glass fell away, much like the glass dome did in that mysterious trap Raine and I had been trapped in earlier.

"I…this…it worked…but…"

Then I realized that Presea hadn't seen glass disappear like that before.

"Don't worry about how the glass disappeared, let's just worry about getting out of here."

The pink haired girl just nodded her head, her stormy blue eyes wavering in pain as she reached back up to cover her Cruxis Crystal.

She then proceeded to step through where the glass had been towards me.

And once she did that…she promptly fell to her knees, giving out a short 'gasp' as her face twisted in brief pain, before she collapsed in a dead faint.

"Presea!"

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Raines POV

I watched as Mitosu walked forward in an eerily casual way—much like Mithos had done the day we found out that he had betrayed us.

I shivered at the thought. Though Mithos was on our side now, the fact that we were fighting against his counter part—his counter part that seemed so much more, well, evil, unnerved me.

I had always thought that, when I had found out who the real enemy was that he was the most evil person in the world.

But…but Mitosu…seemed to be much worse than Mithos had been.

I shuddered once more a Mitosu came to a halt mere feet in front of us. His gaze traveled between us, a smirk forming on his lips-revealing slightly pointed teeth.

His eyes then stopped on me, "Hmm, so you're that boy—Genis'—sister?" He seemed almost amused by this.

"Yes, I am." I stated, trying to keep my voice strong even though I felt incredibly weak at the moment.

His smirk only grew, but the look in his eyes—it was only fleeting but I had seen it—showed disgust.

"Do you know—do you have even the faintest idea of how much trouble that boy has caused us?"

I glared at him, "No I haven't. I'm curious as to why you wanted him in the first place," I paused, looking around us, "But right now isn't the time for conversation."

He chuckled, "No I suppose not."

"Yeah, and y'know what?" Lloyd called out from his position behind me. I sighed—though not out loud—knowing that he was going to say something, well, only Lloyd would say.

"You're not gonna even be able to talk when we're done with you!"

I knew it.

Mitosus eyes narrowed, giving him an almost predatory look, "Oh really?" his voice was thick with hidden threats as well as well controlled, but highly dangerous anger. Something that I knew…all to well of…

Because of that man.

I shook my head of these thoughts, knowing that any form of distraction could lead to my death.

After all, we didn't know how strong this…this 'look alike'—this new enemy—was.

"Sure as hell really!" Lloyd practically shouted, raising his blades and, well, he would have charged if both Zelos and Kratos hadn't put their hands on either of his shoulders.

"Lloyd calm down."

"Remember, take a deep breath."

Lloyd only grimaced, but he did seem to calm down.

"Hnn, you know it would be wise to take their advice. But that does not mean you will get away with saying something…like that." Mitosu said, his voice eerily calm, making me turn quickly to him.

I saw his lips moving, but the words he spoke were barely over a whisper. And then, all too soon afterwards, a sword…a sword made of some sort of dark flame--or at least patterned to look like a flame--appeared in his hand.

He then smirked--right after that Lloyd cried out.

"I-I--"

"Lloyd what's wrong?" Zelos asked, looking shocked and worried at the distraught looking on his face.

"Lloyd…?"

"I-I can't move!"

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Me: And there ya go! Part 39 is now finished!

April: …that was…your readers aren't going to be happy with you for leaving another cliffhanger.

Me: Meh, I can't help it--I'm soooo good at it!

April: Well yes, I suppose you are but…that means you'll have to work on Part Forty even sooner than you expected--not that that's a bad thing.

Me: no it's not a bad thing--and thanks to Alaia Skyhawk for reminding me of that oh so horrible paralyzing technique. I was actually going to use another technique, but this one's more fun to deal with.

April: The fact that you think that it's fun…scares me…

Me: I scare myself sometimes too. Now then R&R and I'll post up the next chapter! The more reviews the more likely I'll update it! (and yes I'm finished with TU 40--so no waiting!) :D