A/N: Again, sorry for the long period of non-updating. I've been really busy and have exams in two weeks.

Only Hope

Chapter 2: Colette's Rescue and Opposing Mithos

Colette struggled against the lifeless angels holding onto her arms and trying to force her into the strange chamber near the Great Seed. She wasn't going to give up. As long as Lloyd was alive, there was still hope! ((A/N: Sorry to interrupt…again, but Colette doesn't know that Lloyd is dead yet. Anyway, on with the story!)) She heard footsteps and thought she was telling Mithos, "Yggdrassil-sama, I'm not giving up my body to the Goddess Martel. If I do, everyone will be sad. And the last thing I want is to make Lloyd sad."

Kratos smirked as he walked in, "Nice speech, Colette…" He then sighed and said, "But useless. Lloyd is dead. Zelos killed him so that Seles could be Tethe'alla's Chosen. Don't you worry, Lloyd has been avenged. Get down; I'll take care of the lifeless ones."

Colette gasped. No, it couldn't be true! Zelos was their friend! Why would he stab Lloyd in the back and work with Cruxis? "But…how? Why did he kill Lloyd? I thought Zelos was our friend!" She then nodded and ducked as Kratos jumped in and killed all of the lifeless angels in the chamber.

Yuan sighed and told her, "He was deceiving you this entire time. He works for Mithos now, or rather, would. As Kratos said, he avenged Lloyd and killed Zelos."

Colette nodded and looked down, seeming sad at the moment.

Kratos told her, "Colette, there will be time to grieve for Lloyd later. Right now, we must get you out of here." He was also wrestling to keep his emotions at bay, as he was deeply grieved by the loss of the last of his family. First, I was unable to save Anna…now, I couldn't save Lloyd.

As if hearing his thoughts, Yuan turned to him, "Don't you even call yourself pathetic. You had no idea how deep Zelos's treachery ran, and I'm sure you thought he was sincere in wanting to be Lloyd's friend."

Kratos nodded, "…You're probably right. Anyway, we should get going with Colette before Mithos finds out."

Colette responded, "Yeah…let's…go." She said this slowly, as she was gulping back tears.

Yuan replied, "Colette, don't you start blaming yourself for Lloyd's death either. You know he wouldn't want that. There was nothing you could do about it since the angels took you away."

Colette looked to Yuan, "…You're right, but…I should've tried to stay longer, fought back somehow."

Yuan asked, "And risked Zelos killing you as well? He was serving Yggdrassil in every fashion. And killing you would've sent your soul to heaven. He would've healed your body once your spirit had left, so Martel's vessel would be complete and unharmed, but you wouldn't be you anymore. You would've just been an empty shell."

Colette sighed, "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry."

Kratos told her, "Never mind. Let's just go now before we get caught. I'll be the last one to leave, so that if Mithos catches anyone it will be me and he won't do anything to kill me. I am too valuable to him since I am Origin's Seal."

Yuan nodded, "You're right, of course, but…there are worse things than death. He could torture you until you tell him where Lloyd's companions are."

Kratos turned to his old friend and said, "Perhaps, but I will never tell him that. I'd die first."

Colette smiled, even if it was only a small one, "Thank you, Kratos."

Kratos gave her a small smile back and nodded, "Let's get going."

The two seraphim escorted Colette out of the Great Seed chamber.

As they were making their way through Welgaia, they came across Mithos talking to one of his angelic commanders.

Yuan told Colette quietly, "Do your best to hide your mana. We can't have him knowing we're helping you escape."

Colette nodded. She then looked to Kratos, "How do I do that? Can I do that?"

Kratos nodded, "It's an ability all Chosen are given. Usually, it's only used in dire situations, but I think this qualifies."

Colette told him, "Okay then, I'll do it. How do I do it, though?"

Kratos told her, "Just think of your mana as being nonexistent and it will hide itself."

Colette blinked, "…That sounds easy. Okay." She closed her eyes and tried to think of not having mana. The thought made her pale a bit in fright, but she managed to hide her mana signature.

Yuan nodded, "Good job, Chosen. Now, stay behind me and you should be fine."

Kratos noticed that Mithos was now walking toward them. He gulped and moved to stand to Colette's right, so that it would appear that he and Yuan were the only non-lifeless ones out and about.

Mithos smirked, "Hi, Kratos. Nice job back there with Tethe'alla's Chosen. His body would not have suited Martel at all."

Kratos replied, "Yes…you're right, Mithos. So what were you talking about with that commander?"

Mithos told him, "Oh, just making plans to get rid of Lloyd's friends. It's nothing you need concern yourself with."

Yuan tensed, his right hand going into a fist. He then relaxed, sighing, "Mithos, Kratos and I really should be going. We have things to discuss."

Mithos grumbled, "Fine. You two have way too much to handle nowadays. Are you sure you want to do it all by yourselves? I mean, I could have one of my commanders do it all for you if it's paperwork."

Yuan bit his lip as he tried not to laugh at what Mithos said. He then added, "We're sure, Mithos. Bye now." He quickly walked away; motioning to Kratos to stand behind him so that Colette would be hidden from view as Mithos was getting to be more behind them now.

They got to the teleporter that led to Tethe'alla and stepped onto it. Just as they were being teleported away, they heard Mithos shout, "Damn you, Kratos!"

Kratos chuckled, "Serves you right…" He muttered as the teleporter whisked him off to Yuan's base in Flanoir.

Yuan sighed, "Well, we're away. I'm glad we got away without him noticing anything strange. Colette, you can stop hiding your mana now. It's safe."

Colette smiled, "Heh…sorry. I just think it's so cool I can do that!" She thought of her mana brimming over and her signature became apparent again, but only to those on Tethe'alla. She asked, "So…where is everyone?"

Kratos told her, "They were headed to Sybak, last I heard. I have one question for you, Colette."

Colette blinked, "Oh…okay. What is it?"

Yuan asked, "Do you think you could wield the Eternal Sword?"

Colette shook her head, "No…I've never lifted a sword in my entire life. If anyone could handle that sword, it'd be Lloyd. But…as we all know, he's dead."

Yuan looked to Kratos, "…Perhaps you could. You may be a human, but you have some elven blood in you because of the Aionis."

Kratos sighed, "…Maybe I could, but I'm one of the people who caused the world to be like this in the first place. Yuan, you're a half-elf. You should be able to wield the sword and you've opposed Mithos from the very beginning. If anyone has the right to it, you do."

Yuan told him, "…But that would endanger your life, if you were to release Origin now. Let's wait until Raine and the others get here, then we'll discuss what we should do."

Colette nodded, "I agree with Yuan, Kratos. Let's wait for Raine and everyone else. I'm sure we can come up with something if we work together!" She smiled.

Kratos replied, "Okay, we'll wait."

A/N: So, that's it for this chapter. Next chapter will probably be Releasing Origin and Continuing a Dream. Not sure though. Still thinking on it. R/R!