Chapter 12: Within Tears and Rage, Final Part

It was nearly noon the time Lloyd opened his sleepy eyes facing the newly arisen sun. He was too excited to sleep last night and Shane had finished his birthday present for Colette.

Lloyd had held the necklace all night in his sleep. "Time to head off to town." Lloyd said to himself walking downstairs. Dirk wasn't tending the cooking pot as he usually was. Walking outside, Lloyd found his foster father next to the grave site of his mother.

"Dad…" Lloyd said approaching him slowly "About yesterday, I just…"

Dirk didn't say anything, instead turned around and held out his hand. "Here, that's the Key Crest you wanted. That's what your friend Shane said"

"Where is Shane anyways?"

"Went off on his own again. Has some issues of his own or something." Dirk placed the Key crest in Lloyd's hands "You can use it however you like, just remember I did try to stop you."

"Dad…" Lloyd said unable to speak

"Dwarven Vow #2." Dirk said in a hushed but strong tone "Never abandon someone in need. I'm going along with the teachings."

"Thank you." Lloyd said nearly shedding a tear

"And take this stuff with ya." Dirk said handing Lloyd a small bag of supplies including a map of Sylvarant.

"Are you forgiving me?" Lloyd asked

"Yes, but always remember this is your home. You are my son regardless of blood and you are welcome to come back whenever you're tired. And remember Dwarven Vow #7!"

"Goodness and Love will always win am I right?"

Lloyd turned his head around to find Shane standing along side Noishe

"Just had a feeling you'd be up." Shane said smiling

"That is such a cheesy line now…' Lloyd groaned

"Also Genis has something to say…"

"Huh?" Lloyd wondered as the small half elf appeared behind Noishe

"Lloyd! What are you doing?" Genis asked in a mildly panicked tone

"I… was going to join Colette after getting the Key Crest. Why?"

"Colette and the group left already." Shane said under his voice.

"Wha… What!?" Lloyd said utterly confused "Are you kidding me!?"

Lloyd didn't stand around for an answer, he just bolted pass the two other boys and Noishe.

"Genis go after him." Shane said "I got some unfinished business here."

"Unfinished business?" Genis questioned

"Just catch up with him before he does something he's going to regret."

"Good thinking. Catch up with us when you're done."

Genis turned around and sped straight out following Lloyd's trail.

"Is the thing giving you problems?" Dirk asked Shane after they we're alone with only Noishe to listen.

"No. It's fine" Shane said opening a part of his vest to reveal a small round emblem like contraption on his chest, covering the exsphere. "I don't know if my body can take it though."

"The speeds you reach lad are not normally attained using your regular strength. If you continue using strength you no longer have, then you will tear or own muscles apart!"

"I know, but I will need those powers at some point." Shane sighed "How long can I even release the seal?"

"Depends on the output of the exosphere of yours." Dirk said "I'd say a couple minutes at most. Any more will render the device unusable."

"Thanks…" Shane said shaking the dwarf's hand "You're lucky to have a boy like Lloyd."

"He's a good kid." Dirk said smiling back "I know he'll do the right thing."

"Agreed, I need to head to the village, however… I need you to do something."

"What is it?"

"Iselia is going to be attacked by more Desians.'

"What!?"

"I know, but I saw the ranch prepare a force and marched straight to the town.'

"Lloyd and Genis…"

"They'll be fine, I'll make sure of it and they will join Colette on her journey. Just go help the village once the skirmish is over."

"Al-alright then." Dirk huffed

"Right… I have get moving." Shane said patting Noishe as he exited. "I'll send Noishe when it's over…"

Iselia Village, Brunel Residence

"WHAT!?" Lloyd gasped as Phaidra answered him "but why? She told me to come at noon!"

"Yes indeed." Phaidra said calmly "She told me to give this too you."

Phaidra pulls out a small letter out from her pocket and hands it to Lloyd:

Dear Lloyd,

By the time you read this, I will have already left on my journey. I'm sorry for lying to you. The world regeneration journey is full of peril—many Chosens have failed. I care about you too deeply to let you get involved. I'm going to do my best to stop the monsters and the Desians, so I want you to live a happy and peaceful life in the regenerated world. Thank you so much for your friendship and kindness all these years. I'm really lucky to have met you.

Farewell, Colette

"This sounds almost… like a will…" Lloyd mumbled obviously depressed after reading the letter.

"Why does Colette want to do exactly?" Genis asked wondering about Colette's suspicious behavior ever since the Temple incident.

"Well you see Colette, no the Chosen is-" Phaidra was going to finish when a muffled explosion is heard from the outside. The force of explosion was enough to blow out the front windows.

"What was that!?" Lloyd said after the debris in the house had fallen

Suddenly the door was smashed opened and several Desian guards stood in the entry way.

"Ah-ha!" the ringleader said with a grin. "More mice!"

"What do you want?" Genis asked pulling out his weapon

"Out of my way!"

Several guards moved so the entry way was opening revealing a tall cyborg like Desian with cyan hair standing outside in the open yard.

"Lloyd Irving!!!" One of the Desians call from a distance "Come forth!"

Lloyd already suitably pissed about the letter stomped outside of the house.

"You Desians come to attack the village again!? I've had enough of this!"

"What are you talking about you blithering child?" the guard pointed at Lloyd

"He's speaks only nonsense." The tall cyan haired Desian walked up front. "Nothing to worry about."

"Listen up inferior beings of Iselia Village. I am Forcystus, one of the Five Desian Grand Cardinals, a superior half elf who rules over the Ranch where we cultivate you humans…"

"Half elf…?" Genis said under his breath

"Lloyd!" Forcystus proclaimed "You, a human, an inferior being are found guilty of violating the non aggression treaty! Therefore your village shall face judgement.

"You violated the treaty already!" Genis yelled out "You tried to kill the Chosen!"

"Us?" One of the guards laughed "Oh I guess THEY are after the chosen now…'

"Are you saying you didn't try to kill Colette!?" Lloyd asked in disbelief, this day was getting more paranoid by the moment.

"We have no need to explain ourselves to you." Forcystus said "The only thing that matters that you have been in contact with host body F192, damaged our facility and attacked our guards."

"What!?" The mayor of the town had finally risen from his place from the ground alongside many other villagers. "You attacked them!?"

"The main fault isn't theirs!!!"

The large group of Humans and Desians turned their heads towards the north gate. Shane had finally arrived and had beaten up nearly half the guards who we're still burning and pillaging the town.

"I caused the damage at the ranch." Shane declared dropping a Desian corpse onto the ground "Not them."

"Inferior being…!" One of the guards said angrily

"It doesn't matter. You are included in the crime!" Forcystus said rather unfazed by the loss of several of his men. "I have a particular interest in you."

"What? Impressed that an 'inferior being' is really superior to you?" Shane mocked back

"Why you miserable little brat…!" One of the guards screamed lunging at Shane, weapons raised

"Shut it!" Shane roared back sending his fist into the Desian's stomach and then slamming his head into the ground.

"I will discover your strengths." Forcystus declared still unconvinced "We have prepared an appropriate opponent for you all."

With a heavy thud and drag a giant twisted green abomination waddled it's away towards Lloyd and Genis.

"What is that thing!?" Lloyd said looking up at this grotesque beast.

Damn it… Marble…! Shane said to himself

"Now receive your punishment!" Forcystus declared causing the monster to raise one of its long hands to attack.

"Lloyd, Genis wait!"

Too late, Lloyd had already begun his assault on the thing with Genis alongside him.

Shane could only watch as the two boys unsuspectingly beat down the beast that was Marble.

"Genis, Lloyd stop fighting it!" Shane yelled once more

"What are you saying?" Genis screamed back but he was smacked down by a flying backhand.

"That thing is…"

"Aah!" Genis screamed as the giant monster beckoned to crush him with a two handed smash. Lloyd stood in between them.

"God freaking DAMN IT!!!" Shane finally let out, pulling out his blade and cutting the monster through the chest before its enormous hands came down on the two boys.

For a few moments the beast groaned from the slice it took with its hands raised and after a few seconds fell backwards landing with a heavy thud.

Through the entire fight, one of the Desians had noticed Lloyd's exsphere in the firelight.

"Lord Forcystus, that boy does indeed have an exsphere!"

"…It must be one from the Angelus Project that we've been searching for! Does that other boy have an exsphere?" Forcystus demanded

"Yes sir, but it's different. It looks like he sealed it!"

"Sealed? Hmm…" Forcystus turned his head back at Lloyd "Give it to me! We will have both of those examined!"

"No!" Lloyd yelled "This is a memento of my mom's who you Desian's murdered!"

"What are you talking about? Your mother was nothing but a-"

*CLUMP* The giant beast which was just defeated squirmed itself right onto the Desian's leader's back.

*pant* "Run… all of you… Shane… Lloyd, Genis…!"

"It… speaks!?" Lloyd said stepping back in shock

"That voice…" Genis said at first wondering and then nearly trying to break off the tiny thought

"It's Marble…" Shane said grimly

"No…! It can't be!!!" Lloyd said nearly dropping his swords.

*pant* "Get away… hurry!" Marble was barely retaining her consciousness within the beast.

"Marble…" Shane said looking away

"Genis…" Marble said in her final pant "You we're like a grandson to me, Thank you and goodbye."

Marble gave one final croak before self destructing in a flash of light on the Desian she grappled. Her exsphere was the only thing that survived as it flew out of the resulting explosion to the feet of Lloyd and Genis.

"…No! Protect Lord Forcystus!" A Desian soldier shouted causing the majority of guards to surround him

"…Lloyd. We will always come after you as long as you possess that Exsphere. Always!" He gasped one more time "And you… the one called Shane, we will find out where you get your strength and we will take it from you."

Genis finally looked down at the fallen exsphere that had been Marble's. "M…Marble…!" He studdered weakly dropping to his knees."Marble! No!!!" and broke down into tears.

"I've had just enough crap from you!!!" Shane let out shedding one tear for Marble's sake and charging into the crowd of Desians. They raised their weapons in retaliation but in an eye blink Shane had bull rushed through the battalion and kicked Forcystus out of the range of his guards.

Standing over the weakened Desian Cardinal, Shane's mind welled up with anger and a familiar dark force seeped behind it. Before Forcystus could even mount up a defense for himself Shane took out blade once more and cut off his mechanical arm.

"Lord Forcystus!!!"One of the guards exclaimed with fright. The human residents of Iselia watching in awe and fear, Lloyd and Genis included.

Before Shane could cut off another limb a stroke of thought hit him.

Don't do it… It could ruin everything…

Slowly Shane drew back his sword and let the Desian drag himself up from the ground.

"Get out of my sight before I do the same thing to your other arm…!" Shane taunted with a growling tone.

They didn't wait to see if Shane was bluffing or not, the Desian guards took their severely injured leader and left the village still burning.

Soon after the mayor turned his anger and attention on to the boys.

"Look what you have done! Look at what happened to the Village! It's all your fault."

"I'm sorry…" Lloyd said guilty, nodding his head down, Genis still crying over Marble's sacrifice.

"Do you think apologizing will fix any of this!? The Desian's marked you as their enemy. You cannot stay in this village any longer. You are a danger to all of us!"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!!" Shane roared turning away from the Village enterance.

"You…" The Mayor said though taunted "You have only trouble sent you came here! I trusted the dwarf by offering you our hospitality but… neither of you can stay any longer…!"

"You can't just exile them!' Genis finally said standing up still clenching the exsphere

"You can't, they just wanted to save Marble!"

"There are no exceptions with involvement in the ranch!"

"So it's ok then for humans to die at the ranch?"

"The people of the ranch are just going to rot there anyways…" One of the townsfolk spoke up

"Exactly…" The mayor said grimly "If you hadn't done something so stupid, they would be the only ones who died."

Shane took several steps towards the Mayor. "What… did you say…?"

"You… you heard me!"

Shane grabbed the Mayor by the collar "Who do you think you are!?" he demanded

"Shane!" Lloyd said trying to stop him

"You humans are all the same…" Genis muttered

"No Genis…" Shane said firmly still holding the Mayor "You are blind man guided only by fear. Too think that you and the entire village can sacrifice those at the ranch because they are going to rot like rats.

Shane loosed his grip and dropped the Mayor back on the floor. "None of you are any better than those Desians!" He declared to the entire village residence as place still burned.

"I don't care if you exile us… I refuse to be in a village that is filled with…" Shane paused for a moment for the right word. "That's right… inferior beings…"

Shane turned around and quietly walked out of the village.

"Lloyd, Genis… Let's go…"

"Yeah, Genis it is our fault." Lloyd said putting his hand on Genis's shoulder "We'll leave."

"Mayor… surely you don't have to be so strict on these children…" One of the female townsfolk asked in pity.

"What are you saying!? Do realize how many people have died because of them!?" Another angered village said

Shane turned his head "You want me to add another casualty!?"

"Shane no...!" Genis said quickly "I'm the one who lead them there, I'm just as guilty as there is. Beside's I agreed with Shane on living with inferior beings…'

"F-Fine. Now leave…!" the Mayor commanded.

Lloyd and Genis left, passing Shane as they walked towards the village entrance.

Phaidra stood at the broken gate. "Go and catch up with the Chosen, once the world is regenerated the people will change their opinions about you."

"Thank you Phaidra…" Lloyd said bowing his head in respect "I will. Shane you coming?

"I am." Shane said sternly

"Ok then. Genis… I"

"Don't worry Lloyd." Genis said confidently "I'm banished too and I'll stick by your side no matter what!"

"Why don't you use that exsphere then? It's Marble's memento to you."

Genis loosened his grip on the tiny object. "Alright"

"I'll explain to you how to use the Key Crest later. After all, it looks like it's going to be a long journey. Noishe?" Lloyd said patting his dog thing on the head. He had been hiding behind some bushes during the entire thing.

"Lloyd I need Noishe for a moment." Shane said

"Ok, catch up with us at the edge of the forest!"

"You got it." Shane said as the two boys walked out of sight.

"Noishe…" Shane said patting its head. Give this to Dirk and head back to us okay?

Noishe gave a whine and took the piece of parchment in its mouth and ran out the same direction.

"Hear me Iselia Village!" Shane announced "If I ever hear such words from any of your mouths again. I'll kill you myself."

The entire village population froze for a moment looking at Shane who had his hand gripping his sword.

"I sent word for Dirk to help clean up… Now pick yourselves up and get to it…"

*DOUBLE CHAPTER ENTRY*

Geez I'm bushed now.