A/N: We're about halfway through, so another few chappy's and we'll be done!
It had all gone too fast. He'd simply started by telling Mithos he wasn't happy with what he was doing, and now Lloyd was lying on his bed unconcious.
Kratos sighed, running a hand through his hair. As soon as Mithos started poisoning Lloyd, he'd headed out, but he didn't know how it had spread so far. When he'd found him like that, half delirious and looking weak as Noishe had when he first found him, he'd almost panicked. He'd used a spell that would hopefully counteract the poison and stop it from spreading, but he didn't know how effective it was or how long it would last.
Noishe lay on the bed beside Lloyd, trying to provide him with even a little comfort. Kratos gazed at the boy, then reached out, gently feathering his hair.
Maybe he should take him back to his friends. They were probably worried, and maybe he wanted to spend whatever time he seemed to have left with them rather than someone who had abandoned them.
He lifted his hand, intending to go search for them, when a hand gently grabbed his. He paused, looking back in surprise. Lloyd slowly opened his eyes, not moving.
"...Don't go. It feels nice," he mumbled.
Kratos hesitated then lowered himself again, continuing. Lloyd gave a happy sigh, his eyes sliding shut again.
"...How long have you been awake?" Kratos asked finally.
"Not long...just kinda woke up and you were doing that," Lloyd replied quietly, leaning into the motion slightly. He gave a small frown, opening his eyes again. "What's happening to me? You know, right?"
Kratos gazed at him a moment, then nodded. "I do," he replied.
"So?"
"...Mithos has been using the pendants forged with your scales to harm and poison you," he said flatly.
Lloyd sighed. "Figures it'd be something like that." He looked at Kratos. "Is there a way to reverse the poison?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. There's nothing down here, that much is certain, but there may be something above ground that can help."
Lloyd noticed the hesitant way he'd replied. "We don't have time to find anything, do we," he realised.
Kratos shook his head. "No. Even with my spell temporarily stopping the poison, it will fully spread within a few days. It would be impossible to check everywhere for an antidote in that time. And if you leave the water, my spell will stop working and you will likely die instantly."
"...Guess my only option is to take Yggdrasil down before it spreads, then," Lloyd decided.
"Even stopping him won't-"
"I know. I just want to get rid of him before I can't."
Kratos blinked, then lowered his gaze. "...You are very much like your mother," he said.
Lloyd suddenly remembered something, and looked at him. "Oh yeah, I realised something...You said my mum was called Anna, right?"
"Yes."
"Your wife was called Anna too, right? And she was a human, and drowned, and had a baby who you thought drowned too?"
Kratos went still, then frowned. "How do you know that?"
"Noishe told me, when we got separated by the waterspout."
Kratos glared at Noishe, who lowered his gaze, then closed his eyes. "All coincidence."
"No it's not. You're my dad, aren't you."
Kratos hesitated, then sighed. "...Possibly, yes. I can't fully confirm it, especially if you don't know who your mother was, but you are very much like her and were also raised around where she drowned, so I would imagine the likelihood is high."
Lloyd lay back, grinning. "That's great. I always wondered who my parents were," he said happily.
Kratos glanced at him, then his gaze softened slightly and he closed his eyes. "I was considering finding your friends and explaining what had happened."
"Don't. They don't need to know," Lloyd said quickly.
Kratos frowned. "This is not something you should keep from them, Lloyd."
"I know, but I...I don't want them to know."
Kratos paused, then sat back. "Very well," he murmured, and Lloyd smiled before relaxing again, gently stroking Noishe.
Kratos easily swam through the water, heading towards the island Lloyd's friends had set up camp before. He'd left Noishe watching over the sleeping Lloyd, so that if anything happened he could contact him easily.
He knew Lloyd didn't want his friends to know, but frankly, that was pointless. They needed to. And, as his father, Kratos decided it was up to him rather than Lloyd whether they should know or not.
He broke the surface, swimming towards the island. He could see the light from their fire, and them all sitting around it.
"I hope he's alright..." Colette said quietly.
"There's not much that's exactly dangerous around this area. He probably just got distracted or something," Sheena reassured.
"Or he could have gotten lost. I do that all the time," Zelos added, smirking.
"That's not something to be proud of," Genis said flatly.
"Still...shouldn't we go find him?" Colette asked hesitantly.
"I can save you some trouble," Kratos said suddenly, and the group leapt up, turning to him. Genis and Raine relaxed a little as they spotted him, wandering over.
"What do you mean? Where's Lloyd?" asked Genis.
"He didn't wish you to know, but I felt it was my duty to inform you; Lloyd is not...well. To put bluntly, he only has a few days left to live."
Several of them gasped, eyes widening. Colette came forward hesitantly, kneeling.
"What happened?" she asked.
Kratos pulled himself up a little, turning to her. "Mithos has been using the pendants he stole from Raine and Genis to hurt Lloyd. Because of his unusual circumstances, his scales are much different from a normal mermaid's; when made into crystals like the ones you use, they are linked, in a way. This link is duller than if they were just pure scales, such as the ones you wear around your neck - likely how he knew that you were alright, child."
Colette looked upset. "So it's because of us that he's hurt now?" she mumbled, gazing down at her hands.
"Not entirely. You all take very little of the blame, actually. It is due to Mithos that he is like this now."
"But what's wrong with him? And why did he run off?" asked Zelos.
"I believe it may be because he didn't want you to see that his tail is slowly turning black and dying, due to a poison Mithos has used on him."
"Can we help?" asked Colette quickly.
Kratos paused. "...So far as I know, there's nothing we can do to stop it. I've only delayed it. However, the land-livers may know of a way to heal poison, though it would have to be found quickly."
Colette and Genis shared a glance, trying to think of anything they'd heard of that could heal poison. Finally they shook their heads. "I...I can't think of anything," Genis said slowly.
"I know of something," Raine said suddenly, and everyone turned to her.
"What is it?" asked Presea, tilting her head slightly.
"They're really just things which can cure everything, but I only know of two things. One is the Medical Herb, the other a Unicorn's horn."
"Do you know where to find them?" asked Sheena.
"..Only the Unicorn's horn, and it's not close. I'm not sure how long it will take us to get there. Genis, go fetch the map," Raine said quickly.
Genis hurried over to the packs, quickly grabbing the map and returning with it. He spread it on the sand, everyone gathering around it.
"Do any of you know approximately where we are?" asked Raine, looking around the group.
A few of them frowned, then Kratos pointed. "We're here," he said.
Raine nodded, considering. "We need to get here, to Lake Umacy. If I'm correct...it would take us just over two days to get there."
Kratos frowned. "Would it have to be in direct contact with Lloyd?"
"For effectiveness, yes, probably."
"Then it won't work. Although I told him he couldn't leave the water, it's more that if his tail changes to legs then my spell won't be effective anymore and he'll die instantly."
The group went quiet, trying to think of a way around the problem. Finally Genis blinked. "What if I made some sort of bubble for him? That way he would be in water still."
"But keeping that up for three days will put extreme strain on you, Genis. It's too risky," Raine replied, shaking her head.
"But-!"
"The boy has a point. However, if I did it instead, giving his tail a thin layer of water that will keep it present..." Kratos said, looking up.
Raine frowned. "That might work. Plus, it won't be as tiring. Still, how are you going to cope without legs?"
"I'll think of something. I better get back, but I'll bring him early tomorrow and we can start off."
The others nodded, and Kratos slipped back into the water, soon gone from their sight.
"I can't believe Lloyd hid this from us.." Colette murmured, hugging herself.
"That explains why he's looked so ill the last few days. I wish we'd found out sooner though," Genis sighed, looking downcast.
"Well, we'll help him. Don't worry," Sheena soothed, the others nodding as they headed back to their camp.
A/N: Poor Lloyd :( Oh well.
This isn't even the main storyline. Wait, I don't have one. It's just little weird bits with the main bit being 'gotta beat Mithos'.
Review?