[What-if] What if Martel was Lloyd's mother? What if he was born a few years before the Kharlan War? What if Lloyd unintentionally became the next Chosen? Tales of Symphonia "what-if", partially follows the game/manga/OVA. [AU]

Sorry if I left off at a cliffhanger on Chapter 5. It was unintentional and I was rushed for time, as usual. I don't own Tales of Symphonia; if I did, Dan Green would have voiced Kratos instead. Anyone who doesn't know, the guy voiced Yami Yugi from Yu-Gi-Oh (Atem), Grovyle from the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon episodes and Knuckles from Sonic X. If you didn't know, then that's Dan Green's voice. I'm sure the guy voiced several other characters, but those are the only three I know well enough. Anyway, sadly as it may be, enough of Dan Green and onto the story. Review responses are the bottom as per usual.

I'm so happy this story is getting attention. –sheds tear of happiness–

Enjoy.

-x-x-x-

The Goddess's Son of Mana

Chapter 6: The Voice in His Memory

-x-x-x-

"Come on Lloyd, run!"

Lloyd saw himself, only younger, possibly about three or four, running as fast as his legs could take him. A woman's voice urged him to run, but he couldn't figure out what they were running from. He noticed the child's hand was being held by another's, but couldn't make out fully who she was. Her back was turned; all he saw was the light green of her hair as the toddler looked up, worry and fear mixed on his face. The woman was wearing black and green, and she held a staff in her other unoccupied hand. The skies were dark, clouded, and it would most likely rain soon. Lloyd stared down at his younger self, easily recognizing the clothes the child wore; it was a long, white sleeve shirt, dark blue shorts, socks and shoes. "…Weren't…those…? Wasn't I wearing those when I came to Iselia…?" He wondered to himself, watching the dream or whatever this was continued. It was familiar; he had this dream before several times, but every time it felt foreign.

"Mommy! My…My legs hurt!" The little Lloyd wailed. His legs were hurting? Had they been running for a long time? It wasn't long until Lloyd saw himself trip over a tree stump, wailing as his face hit the ground rather hard, scraping his knee in the process. "Owwie!" He heard the child cry. The woman urgently rushed to the boy's side, picking him up and continued running. Soon, he heard shouts, voices he couldn't understand what was going on. He couldn't put faces on the voices; the noise was too loud for him to figure anything out. Suddenly, he heard himself cry out, "Mommy!" The world seemed to have frozen right then and there, but Lloyd's vision clouded. All he could see was a blur of someone's body, a deep shade of red and someone crying out "Martel!" in the distance. Was it in the distance? Lloyd spun around to see three people standing, having seen whatever just happened.

"Why…Why am I dreaming about…the goddess Martel?" He wondered, clutching his head. "This…This doesn't make any sense! This dream! Not again!"

"Why?!" He shouted at nothing, his glowing, blue wings bursting from his back in his mad panic. The teen covered his face with his hands, closing his eyes and growling at himself. Why did this dream appear every time? Why was it haunting him? He knew he was the Chosen and one day he would have to die for the goddess, but this wasn't normal! Or was it? Did every Chosen before him have these dreams? Or, was he the only one? "Someone…tell me why this dream keeps coming back…!"

"Lloyd."

There it was again. That soft, tenderly, motherly voice that would always speak when he was sleeping or day-dreaming. Lloyd wasn't asleep, he figured. He snapped his head up at the very sound, looking around everywhere. Even with his enhanced sight, he couldn't find whoever called his name. Panic entered his heart, his breathing echoed this as it was rapidly heaving and grasping for air every second. His chest felt like it was burning, but he ignored it. "Who…? Who's calling me?"

"Lloyd…"

"Who ARE you?!"

An image appeared before him, and shaped into what was a woman. She had light green hair, wearing a black and green outfit, her pale gold eyes finding his. They stared, transfixed on one another, however, the woman simply held a soft smile while Lloyd was gawking at her appearance. Now he was dreaming of women? What kind of Chosen was he? He paled, but had a feeling he knew this woman, whoever she was. The fact was he was still curious, and now wondered how he was dreaming of someone he had never even met before.

Or had he?

"Lloyd… Please…" It was the woman's voice again, but it sounded so much closer. In fact, it echoed within his heart. "Don't… Give in." What was she saying? "My son…" Son!? Before he could utter a question, darkness surrounded them, and then it consumed him. He watched as the image of the woman was fading away, him being dragged down like quicksand.

"No, wait!" Lloyd called out, terrified. "Wait! Who are you? What do you mean?!" He got no answer; only clouded vision. All the brunet could think now was 'what the hell was happening?'.

-x-x-x-

"Lloyd!"

The brunet heard the panicking of his friend's, Colette's voice, enter his mind and he suddenly opened his eyes. Wait, since when did he fall asleep? He clearly remembered being awake. His eyes adjusted to the near sobbing blue eyes of the blonde's, and to the worried blue shades of Genis'. Lloyd internally scolded himself for making his friends worry for him and also wondered what he did to cause them such. "Oh, you're awake! Oh, Lloyd!" Colette wrapped her arms around him as he sat up, the teen returning the affection. He was still clueless as to what happened.

"What happened?" Lloyd asked, dumbfounded.

"You…passed out." Genis answered. "A Desian named Vidarr was about to assault you, but this mercenary came and saved you. After he defended you, you just went blank and passed out." The elven boy sighed in relief, knowing his friend was okay. "Colette and I…we thought…"

"It's okay, Genis. I'm sorry for worrying you both." Lloyd said with an assuring smile. After all, it was his fault they were worried. Colette and Genis allowed their friend his space as he stood up slowly, shaking out his light daze when on both of his feet. His eyes traveled from the smiling expression of his two friends to Phaidra, and then lastly to the mercenary, who had been staring at him for quite a long time. Lloyd had once read that mercenaries usually never showed any affection or emotion to their clients or other people. They lived by money and that was it. However, the gaze this man was giving him was nothing short of that. He almost looked at him sadly. Why was this guy sad?

"This is the person who saved us?" Lloyd asked.

"Yup! He's really strong!" Colette chirped. "You should have seen how he moved so quickly with his sword and killed those Desians!" She stopped when she noticed the frown on Lloyd's face and frowned herself. "Oh, I'm sorry Lloyd…"

"That's fine." He said softly, mentally sighing.

"Yeah, he's very strong. It was like almost watching a blur of movements." Genis added.

"I'll bet…" Lloyd mumbled under his breath. His gaze looked up to man in purple, a mixture of a grim and sad expression on his features. Before he could ask, the swordsman spoke first, almost trembling.

"…Your…name is Lloyd?" He half breathed out the question with almost uncertainty, but it was as if he had realized something. That was the expression Lloyd was reading off him.

"Yeah, it is. Who are you?" The brunet asked half politely.

"…My name is Kratos. I'm a traveling mercenary." He began. "I was coming to Iselia to visit for old time's sake and overheard that Desians were attacking the temple. I was approached by a villager and he asked me to come to your aid." It wasn't entirely a lie. "The man looked like you." He now directed this at Colette, who blinked in curiosity.

"Oh! Th-that was my father!" She realized. "He…he sent you to help us?"

"…Quite frankly, yes."

"Oh…Father…" Colette sighed in relief.

Phaidra approached the mercenary, smiling. "Oh, how can I ever thank you for protecting the Chosen?" Kratos looked from her to focus his gaze upon Lloyd again, connecting the dots. Yes, this was Lloyd Brunel, the next Chosen, as Yggdrasil told him. It was also true, that he held an uncanny resemblance to his son. This reincarnate even had the same, unusual hairstyle as his young son, and the mana that poured out of him was enormous. In fact, it felt like an angel's mana. Internally, Kratos was shuddering. This child, this reincarnate of his once dead son, had every appearance and likeness of his boy, he could have called him his son, only older. It was terrifying, and yet, at the same time, almost comforting. The shattered remains of his fatherhood slowly began rebuilding itself. He so deeply wanted to touch this child, to make sure he was real.

No. Kratos reprimanded himself. He's…Just the Chosen. He's not my son. He is…just a reincarnate. Of course he would look like him and have the same mana signature. Still, the father in him couldn't resist. Was Martel really blessing him with this chance? Reincarnates usually gain the memories of their past lives, so what would happen if he managed to grab a hold of the past Lloyd's life and figure out he was his father? Or rather, he was the other Lloyd's father? What if he figured out he would become the very vessel for his dead mother's soul? He was demand answers to questions the auburn was unsure he wouldn't be able to answer. Not in this state, no. Now that he opened his mind to the realization, what would he, Kratos, do in such a situation? Yggdrasil must have known it would happen; he was trying to put the man in a guilt trip with his reincarnated son. To torture him for his failure for not protecting his sister, his beloved wife, all those years ago.

Damn it, Yggdrasil. You did this on purpose. Kratos growled to himself, dismissing the thoughts. "So, this boy is the Chosen?" He asked monotonously, already knowing he was, but had to put up an act for these people.

"Yeah, he is!" chirped Colette. "He's going to receive the oracle from within the temple."

"I see." Kratos turned from the peppy girl, his eyes locked onto Phaidra. "I'll take on the job of guarding and protecting the Chosen if you're willing to pay me."

"I…I see. The priests that were supposed to be escorting and guiding the Chosen fell at the hands of the Desians. Under the circumstances of this and if there is really no other way…" The priestess began softly. "Very well, then. We shall make an agreement at my house later." Her aged blue eyes found the brunet's, softening. "Lloyd, please be careful in there."

"I will Lady Phaidra. Thank you."

As he began to walk ahead into the temple, followed by Kratos, Genis called out to him, hopeful. "Wait, Lloyd! Can Colette and I come, too?" The brunet stopped, turning to his friends. A simple smile crossed his face, though before he could answer, Kratos spoke up first.

"I would advise against taking them. I sense dangers inside the chapel, meaning monsters will most likely lurk inside." The mercenary said.

"What?" The elf boy blinked. "We can handle ourselves! Right, Colette?"

"Yeah!" The girl agreed happily. "We want to come with you, Lloyd."

"Sure." Lloyd replied. "I'll feel safer and less nervous with you two coming with me, no offense Mr. Kratos." The swordsman let a small sigh escape his mouth before closing his eyes.

"If it's your wish to take them, Chosen, then I'll respect your decision."

"All right!" Genis beamed brightly. "Come on, Colette! Lloyd!" the silver-haired mage hurried into the temple first, Kratos following after him.

"This isn't a field trip, you know." The auburn reminded the boy, who was way ahead of them. Colette caught up to Lloyd, smiling as brightly as her blonde hair. The brunet smiled back, feeling that safety he had mentioned moments ago surfacing in his heart. Yes, he felt better around his friends, around familiar faces. Kratos seemed like a trustworthy man, but it was nothing compared to the friendship he had with Colette and Genis. "Thank-you, Lloyd, for letting us come with you." She said as they were entering the temple.

"It's no trouble, Colette. But I meant it. I feel better with you and Genis with me." He admitted as they disappeared into the temple, leaving Phaidra behind.

-x-x-x-

"What!?" A man shouted, his fist slamming onto his desk. He had long, electric blue hair that was tied in a ponytail, bangs parted to the right side of his face. He had emerald green eyes which were now firing up with anger. "Are you sure you saw him there?"

"Yes, I'm very sure of it." Botta said, closing his eyes. "Kratos appeared and slaughtered the rest of my men. I had no choice but to retreat with the remainders. I apologize, Lord Yuan." The scowling half-elf by name sighed in exasperation, calming himself down. There was no reason to be angry with his second-in-command, but he hadn't counted on Kratos' meddling, or rather, his appearance. That Chosen was as good as his, but then he had to show up and ruin things. This also changed his plans. While he was in deep thought, Botta continued. "Sir, our target's name is Lloyd Brunel—" That's as far as Botta had gotten when Yuan snapped his eyes wider.

"…Did…Did you say Lloyd Brunel?" He repeated, slowly and almost deathly.

Botta nervously nodded, but kept his composure. "Y-yes sir. When we encountered him at the temple, we overheard his name being shouted simply as "Lloyd". Then, the villagers of Iselia fully whispered "Lloyd Brunel" as we left the area and hurried here in our retreat."

"No…it's…impossible." Yuan grimaced, his mind roving. He suddenly thought of something, and then began piecing things together. No, it couldn't be! He was dead. They couldn't find him all those centuries ago! And yet, if it was true, then that means… "Kratos may want to kill someone soon if he figures it out." The blue-haired half elf deduced. Yggdrasil said they had a new Chosen on the way and that this Chosen had an exact match of Martel's mana signature, it was as if Martel had blessed them with a new one. Like the hell she did. Yuan muttered to himself in-thought, growling. He overheard the new Chosen looked like an exact replica of their Lloyd; he was a reincarnate. It was sickening, that Yggdrasil would be using his nephew—or at least, his nephew's reincarnate—to revive his dead mother, his sister. That blasted fool! What if during the journey, the reincarnate regained memories of the past Lloyd? Kratos would be there with no answers to his millions of questions!

"This…changes a lot of things." Yuan told Botta, staring at nothing in particular. One thing was for sure, he had to get a closer look at the boy. Maybe Yggdrasil was playing them for a fool, or maybe he had been trying to find ways to torment Kratos. After all, that man had abandoned Cruxis at one point, where he met a human named Anna. The man tried to revive his sense of humanity, but it was all destroyed two years after their relationship. That poor man, I almost feel bad for him. Losing his wife and child, then having to kill his nearly second wife… Yuan thought again, sighing. Now, he had to think on more important things, like that Lloyd Brunel, the new Chosen of Sylvarant.

"No…this doesn't change my plans by much…" The blue-haired half elf said again, staring at the dark brown-haired half-elf near. "Botta…"

"Yes, Lord Yuan?"

"Station some men in Triet. They'll eventually have to come to the desert town and restock. Make sure Kratos is nowhere around and capture Lloyd and bring him here to me."

"Yes sir." Botta replied, bowing before leaving the man alone to his thoughts again.

Yuan sat in his rotating chair, pondering. He wasn't stupid to not think of the connections this new Lloyd would most likely have with the Lloyd he had known for only four years. Of course he would grow suspicious of this. A boy reincarnate of the one who died would definitely be a split image of their past life. Yuan knew how this would work out; the reincarnate would eventually start remembering their past lives' memories, remembering places they had once visited, believing they themselves had gone there but in actuality, they hadn't. They would recall any form of relationship with the people they had once known, or realize there was a connection to them. Kratos being near this new Lloyd would trigger the boy's memory into recalling the past Lloyd's own, and soon recognizing him as his father. If Yuan appeared on the scene, he may remember him to boot.

"That would be…terrible." The half-elf angel mumbled to himself at the thought of his godson's reincarnate remembering him if they met. But, then, it would be worth it all. He had a plan and needed to put it in motion while the new Lloyd didn't recall Kratos at all. It was a risk worth taking, in order to bring Yggdrasil and Cruxis down and let Martel's soul rest in peace once and for all.

Martel, even though I loved you but never said anything, this is my gift to you. To set you free from the Great Seed.

-x-x-x-

"Wow, the interior of the temple is impressive!" Genis gawked, eyeing the details of the painted carvings upon the walls, the floors and how huge the place was inside. "Man, if Raine was here, she'd go crazy." The other two teens chuckled at Genis' indication of his sister. "So, Lloyd, this is what the temple looks like all the time?"

"Yeah, it's usually dark like this." The brunet replied. "Not much light to go on."

"It's sort of depressing, but nonetheless, this is great!"

"I agree." Colette grinned truthfully.

They were standing in the center of the foyer of the temple's middle level, the two Iselians finding the interior of the temple amazing. There was a gate with a blue electric-like barrier around it, possibly to keep out intruders or the like. When Genis pointed to it, Lloyd replied they would need an item called the Sorcerer's Ring to unlock it. Well, they better get on with it! Since the leftmost path was cut off abruptly by large, fallen chucks of debris, they proceeded to the right path, up the small set of stairs and down the hall. Along the way, Kratos eyed Lloyd closely, trying to pick out anything in the boy that told him his son existed in this reincarnate. Other than the hairstyle, the eyes, and that smile of his that reminded him of his sweet Martel, he couldn't find anything on the teen that would otherwise speak of his dead son.

"Chosen—" Kratos began but…

"His name is Lloyd." Genis cut in, correcting the older man.

The mercenary sighed internally but continued with his query anyway as he got Lloyd's attention anyhow. "Are you good with your blades?"

"Hm? Yes, I am. Why?"

"I was merely asking if you knew the basics of swordplay."

"I know some, enough to protect myself. Basic thrusting, horizontal and vertical slashes, countering and parrying." The teen Chosen replied. Kratos nodded; thankful the boy had some form of self-protection. Not that he would have minded protecting the teenager from danger if he didn't have any sort of fighting power, but he didn't want to babysit. "To be honest, I stole these swords from those Desians. Iselia doesn't have…real swords." The mercenary raised a questionable gaze but didn't pry into it further. Then again, he wasn't too surprised; Iselia four thousand years ago didn't carry real weapons back then, either. Another thing that caught Kratos' attention…

"Chosen—"

"Lloyd." Genis butted in again, frowning.

"—is there any reason you use two swords…?"

Lloyd looked up for a moment, blinking, then faced the auburn, smiling. "Well, when I was nine, I was sitting in class one day, and Professor Raine had been teaching us math. Normally, I don't like math or anything too hard, but what she said that day made me want to try it."

"…And what would that be?" Kratos inquired, getting suspicious of the boy's near-answer.

"Well, she taught us that one apple plus another apple equaled two apples. You'd have two more than one to eat. So I thought, 'what if I used two swords, then I'd be twice as strong'." The brunet grinned brightly, giving Kratos the scare of his life mentally. That smile…so much Martel was in it, it was terrifying Kratos and made every fiber of his being shudder. This boy seemed more than a reincarnate of his son; it almost felt like he was the boy himself, only older. Just as his fatherly temptations tried to reach out for him, the angel within him struck the feeling down, remembering Yggdrasil's exact words:

"I don't want you getting attached to this boy, Kratos. He is not your son. He may be a reincarnation, but he isn't our same little Lloyd. Don't forget and don't allow your emotions to best you."

Of course he wasn't. There was no way. Kratos closed his eyes momentarily, looking ahead of the path. He needed to drown out whatever father was left in him and destroy it fast before it revived itself. Lloyd Brunel was not his Lloyd Aurion, simply put. Up ahead, there were stairs which lead down into another part of the temple, which revealed to be a puzzle. Colette and Genis quizzically stared at the glass-looking floor and what appeared to be block-shaped holes in the floor. "Whoa!" the mage gasped. "This must be a puzzle of sorts."

"Yeah, it is." Lloyd said, frowning. He didn't like puzzles that much; they gave him a headache.

"Don't worry about it too much, Lloyd." Colette smiled.

"Yeah…Hey, look over there!" Genis pointed out to a large, stone golem creature that was walking around aimlessly like a robot. The group stared at the creature then looked at one another. Lloyd eventually realized what they needed to do and grinned. Despite he didn't like being drilled on things while being half-sheltered the rest of his young life in the temple, it would surely pay off. "We have to defeat it." He told them.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. That's…all I know, though." The others sighed comically at Lloyd's answer, but decided to go with it. What was there to lose, anyway? Weapons out, they charged the golem beast head on, albeit carefully. The golem noticed the humans—and elves, if that mattered—nearing it, and reacted by spinning its huge arms in perfect three-hundred and sixty degrees rapidly. The impact struck Genis and Lloyd off, allowing Kratos to dive in and attack with a diagonal slash. Colette, being towards the back—as Lloyd told her and Genis to be, despite the elf boy refusing at the moment—twirled her chakrams, throwing them skillfully as she possibly could while aiming for the living statue.

"Demon Fang!" Lloyd shouted as he sent the technical attack at the golem, hoping it would do some damage. However, the living statue shrugged it off as if the attack tickled or something! This lightly infuriated Lloyd, but he couldn't get angrier than that. Damn suppressed emotions! The golem reared its left fist back, slamming it down towards the brunet, who crossed his blades over him in defense, blocking the attack. The stinging of the clash made his arms feel like jello for a few seconds, though he managed to roll out of the way when its second fist came down, crashing into the ground.

Genis, having been off to the side had been gathering mana and chanting his spell, finally raised his kendama as the magic filled it. "Fire Ball!" He yelled, sending the flaming balls of fire towards the rock golem. The magic connected, doing a decent amount of damage, but it still persisted! The elf mage echoed Lloyd's frustration fury, diving to the right when the golem attempted to attack him. "This thing is impossible! How are we going to beat this?"

"We have to try!" Colette called over, spinning her discs as she caught them in mid-air, preparing to throw them again. "Ray Thrust!" She chucked the bladed Frisbees, which accurately cut into the golem's rocky shoulders. Sensing the attack that hit, the rock statue loomed towards Colette, spinning its arms to hit the girl. She paled, standing there horrified, and her eyes wide. "Ah!" She squeaked, raising her arms over her in light defense.

"Colette!" Lloyd raced over to her aid, using his swords to block the attacks of the golem that were meant for his friend.

Just as it was occupied with Lloyd and Colette, Kratos flew behind it, almost literally, and drove his longsword through it, somehow, calling out, "Sonic Thrust!" The beastly golem reacted, trying to hit the mercenary, and didn't succeed as the man had already bounded away and leapt again to strike. His auburn eyes narrowed in a semi-deathly gaze, keeping his sword near his face vertically as he charged tow swing horizontally. Lloyd, on the opposite side of the golem, charged as well, both swords in hand. Both swordsmen clashed with the rock being simultaneously, three swords toppling over it in unison. It gurgled out something unintelligible, before transforming into a stone block. What?

"It…it turned into a rock?" Genis questioned, confused as they gathered around it.

"Well, it was a rock to begin with." Lloyd added.

Colette smiled, moving towards it but tripped, knocking into the block accidentally! "Oops!" she squeaked, being caught by Lloyd before she hit the ground. The blonde looked up, blushing lightly when she saw the brunet holding and helping her up. "Th-thank you, Lloyd."

"No problem, Colette. You have to be careful, you know?"

"Yeah…"

The stone block that Colette "pushed" lightly reacted, sliding over into an opening on the tile, glass floor—that seemingly hadn't been damaged even after their fight with the golem. It fell through the square hole, falling into place with the bottom floor and creating a sort of pathway, now accessible. The four looked down, two questionable and the other two figuring it out the puzzle.

"I see…" Kratos mused.

"…Yeah, I get it now." Genis said to himself.

"Wait, what?" Lloyd blinked, dumbfounded. What were they talking about?

"Did you figure out how the puzzle works?" Colette asked, mainly to Genis.

"Yeah." The elf boy replied.

"If our hunch is correct then…" Kratos trailed as another golem seemingly appeared out of nowhere, Genis noticing it first.

"There!" He pointed out to the group, who all turned simultaneously. Lloyd stared, Colette gasped and Kratos was Kratos; he didn't seem to put on any expression at all.

"What…? I've never seen this in the temple before." The brunet sighed, exasperating. In fact, he hadn't seen monsters inside the temple, either.

"Hm, Genis, what just happened? Why is there another one?" The blond female wondered, looking at the silver-haired mage.

"Well, see, when we defeated that stone golem, it turned into a block, right? Then, when you pushed it down, it fell through the hole here," he paused to point so the girl understood, "making an accessible walkway, which the stairs leading to such are here and there." He then pointed out the obvious set of stairs on the left and right of the glass tile. "And, watching that happen, I instantly thought the process would need to repeat itself in order for us to complete the walkway below us. That's why another golem appeared."

"Oh, I see now." Colette said, smiling as she absorbed the information like a sponge.

"I sort of get it now." Lloyd added, having listened to Genis' explanation. As much as he hated puzzles, he couldn't sit out on how they worked.

"We have to defeat that one and then another will appear." Genis added. "Then, it'll keep repeating itself until the passage is completed."

"Right." The brown-haired Chosen replied, getting his swords ready. "Let's get this over with." The quad found themselves approaching the stone golem, which had been walking around aimlessly, engaging in another bout with it. Kratos sighed internally yet again; already, this journey was becoming a hassle.

-x-x-x-

"Lloyd… Please don't give in…my son."

"That voice again…"

"You mustn't…"

"What? What is that supposed to mean?"

The image of the woman reappeared in the darkness of his mind again, looking upon the teen with her pale gold eyes. She reached out, touching his shoulder, smiling. "This journey…will give you vast knowledge. However…" She paused, locking eyes with the boy. "I fear the worse will come when you…" She trailed.

"Huh? 'When I' what?" Lloyd wondered, curiosity rising. What was she trying not to tell him? What information was she keeping from him? "If you mean I must die for the goddess Martel, then I know that already. I already knew that since I was little." The woman looked down at him with sadness in her eyes, as if she were to cry if she furthered herself to. "I… I'm willing to do that if it means saving this world. I know I'll worry my friends, and I wish I wouldn't, but there's no other way without me sacrificing everything I have, my own body, to do this…saving that was bestowed upon me." Lloyd shook his head. "I know of no other way. The angels chose me, and I must follow."

"Lloyd…You're a brave boy."

"…Thank…you." Suddenly, his question from earlier rose to his mind; he questionably glanced in the woman's direction, watching as her eyes closed, still filled with sadness. "Who are you, though? What is your name? Why do you appear to me in every dream? And, why do you keep referring me to your son?" He almost had a hunch, but he wanted to be certain of it.

The woman paused momentarily, soaking in the boy's rapid fire questions, ordering them which she should answer. After a while, she looked up, finally, that emotion she tried to keep away, fell down her face in the form of tears. "I am…the spirit of Martel. There is mana within you that she had sealed within you, is reacting. It is…giving this form of her to reside in you." Lloyd, shocked, looked at her, paling if he could be. This was Martel? This was the goddess that everyone revered so much? The same one in the legend of the Kharlan War? And she was here, apparently "holed up" in his body the entire time? Well, part of her was. There was no doubt; he was definitely the Chosen if the spirit of Martel resided in him.

"…I…I had no idea…" Lloyd babbled under his breath, still surprised. "But, then those dreams, were they just dreams or memories…"

"You will discover your true self, Lloyd. I appear to you every night to make sure you are safe. Martel would…I would…be devastated if something were to happen to you."

"Is it because I'm the Chosen? You don't want me to fail, right?" The brunet asked, frowning. "I've heard several Chosens before me failing because Desians killed them."

However, instead of nodding, the woman shook her head. "It has nothing to do with you being the Chosen, Lloyd. It is something much deeper than that."

"Okay, so what is it?" He pushed on, but the woman's image was fading! No, not again! "Wait! No, don't leave, Martel! …Or Martel's spirit! Whoever you are, come back! I still have questions!" It was all for nothing. He sighed heavily, feeling left in the dark. Well, not that was literal, but it was. He was in an area surrounded by nothing but perpetual darkness. He finally learned something about this woman who appeared to him. She was the spirit of Martel, therefore residing in him. If she and Martel weren't worried for his well-being because he was the Chosen, what could be deeper than that?

"…oyd!"

The boy was growing a headache, and unnaturally so. Those dreams he kept having if he ever closed his eyes, they were haunting him. How could he learn of those? Perhaps the Spirit of Martel could answer those questions the next time he saw her. In fact, there were several other questions he had and he wanted to know the answers to them; answers that only she could give to him and to sate his appetite for knowledge and for his mind's sake. If the journey wouldn't throw him into insanity, then never knowing the answer to a question would for sure. "I have to find the truth." He told himself.

"Lloyd!"

A voice was trying to enter his mind, and he snapped his head up. He was being called by someone, and he knew who it was. "Colette…"

-x-x-x-

"Lloyd…"

He turned his head in the direction of Colette, looking into her worried eyes, followed by Genis' and then seeing Kratos' glance as well.

"I would rather you turn back and never go on this…journey."

They got the Sorcerer's Ring, and finally heading back to the main entrance, near the barrier-guarded gate.

"I know…what will happen to you, should you continue to do this."

Genis grinned happily as Lloyd gave him the ring to try it out. He aimed with the ring, firing the small ball of fire towards the barrier, making it disappear. "That worked out well." The mage boy said, giving the ring back to Lloyd. "It looks like it's open, so let's go!" The others nod as the gate opened and a few steps forward, they found a purple, glowing ring of a circle, light emitting from it.

"That is why…I will see you when you unlock each seal. To be there for you when you need me."

"What is that?" Colette wondered, curious.

"It's the portal to the altar. We have to go through there." Lloyd answered.

"Oh, that's so neat!" she chirped afterwards.

"Kratos…You do not realize it fully, but I know you sense it in your heart. Please protect our son. Please…"

They used the portal to enter the altar of the temple, the light from outside reduced to mere sparkles. However, upon the altar was a blue gem, glowing with an alluring aura. Lloyd stared transfixed at the marble-sized jewel, knowing what it was. He knew his friends didn't know what it was. "Hey, what's…that?" Genis asked, his eyes never leaving the crystal. Colette stared as well, amazed.

"It's…the Cruxis Crystal." Lloyd replied. "They—I was found holding it in my hand when I was younger. I'm not sure how it got in my possession, though. The priests say I was born with it before I was abandoned by my parents." This struck Kratos in the heart; regardless if this boy was his son's reincarnate, how could the child's own parents leave him to suffer by his lonesome? "Also," he heard Lloyd continuing and focused on the child incarnate, "they told me I may be the reincarnation of the goddess's son." Another heart strike to Kratos. Did…did this Lloyd already know!? "The goddess Martel had a son also named Lloyd. The goddess bore him with a human man, but the man's name was never in the legend." Thank goodness, then. "The passages say the son of the goddess was really young but very smart and was an angel. He allowed the sacrificing of his life for his mother in the war to become an enormous amount of mana to help Mithos, the Hero and his companions end the war. His sacrifice made a huge difference in the Great Kharlan War."

If you mean he was encased in a solidified encasement of mana, then he was spared. Kratos wanted to say, but didn't. He had his arms crossed, staring at the Lloyd-alike. He was taught by priests that he was incarnate of his Lloyd, and even Yggdrasil said so. The boy didn't mention anything of his relation to the goddess, so therefore, his memories of the past Lloyd hadn't triggered yet. So far so good; the auburn was in the clear for now. "Wow, Lloyd! I didn't know that!" Colette said with happily, although astounded. "So you'll become an angel and meet the Lloyd's mother in heaven!"

"Y-yeah." Lloyd chuckled.

"That's awesome!" Genis gaped in delight. "I know we learned of the goddess having a child in class, but it was never explained completely…"

"Because it's only in passages of the books here in the temple. They wouldn't let just anyone know about that. Imagine if the world knew who I was…The reincarnation of the angel Lloyd." He sighed. "I'd be hunted…"

And I would have killed them. Kratos thought dangerously, but remained quiet. His fatherly instincts kicked in again, though he controlled it. The chattering teens continued chatting for a minute until Lloyd stopped, stepping towards the glowing altar. The light from it lit up brighter, flashing and stunning the children. From the beacon of light, formed a ball of mana, stretching out and expanding to take shape into a human being with pure, white wings. Lloyd gasped at the vast amount of mana he felt and so did Genis. Colette, being the human she was, could only see the brilliant light and Kratos, even though he could feel it, didn't express any emotion to this. Descending upon the altar was a winged man, dressed in green robes, a hat over his short, blond locks and had deep, blue eyes. He scanned the chamber, eyes first falling upon Lloyd, as he stood there, half gaping and half expectantly, then to Genis and Colette's amazement expressions, and lastly, upon the mercenary who stood in the back. They locked gazes for only a few seconds before breaking their glances off.

"Wh-what is that…?" Genis whispered softly, mostly to himself.

With his supernatural angelic-enhanced hearing, Kratos replied. "An angel, I assume…" The elf mage glanced his way, surprised. How had the man heard his question? He was barely above a whisper!

"…Is this…Lloyd's real father, then?" Colette wondered next.

The mercenary gave a glance to the girl, not knowing himself. In fact, he was unsure if this reincarnate of Lloyd's parents looked anything like him or Martel for that matter. They were most likely normal human beings.

"I am Remiel," the angel man began, his voice being deep and warmly as possible. "I am an angel of judgment, here to guide Lloyd, son of the mana lineage, on his journey to heaven as the seventh Chosen." He descended further, the blue crystal that had been hovering whimsically on the altar for years floated to his grasp, albeit still afloat. The angel was also mid-air, his wings providing this. "The time has come to awaken the Goddess Martel, who sleeps at the center of the world."

"…Awaken the goddess Martel…" Genis gasped in realization. "It's…just like the legend Raine taught us in class." Colette glanced his way, nodding happily. They were both excited they could see this, the legend unfolding right before their very eyes. They glanced back towards Lloyd, who stood there as if he were trained to do so. The name Martel struck him again, though he held it back. The angel nodded to Lloyd, who nodded back, buttoning down the top portion of his red coat to expose his neck. This was how the priests mentioned it would happen, if he wore something over his neck. Once that was done, Remiel allowed the crystal to leave his grasp, floating down towards the brunet. Within its golden aura, it illuminated Lloyd's face before flashing brightly. It blinded him for a second, revealing itself on the base of his neck like a necklace. The small, blue jewel had transformed into a larger-scaled crystal in the shape of a diamond within a crest. The boy gasped in awe, needless to say, as well as his friends.

"From this moment, Lloyd becomes the Chosen of Regeneration," Remiel began, smiling warmly at the three, but darkly in Kratos' direction. The mercenary wondered why the angel was testing his patience. Thankfully, the children didn't see the side glance of the angel. "We of Cruxis bless this event, and hereby bestow the Tower of Salvation upon Sylvarant." The winged man stared out the window and everyone, except Kratos, stared outside it. There, in the farthest distance of Sylvarant, was a tall, beautiful structure; it appeared to be a white pillar to them, but that was no doubt the Tower in which was spoken in legend. Colette clasped her hands together, Genis stared and Lloyd was even in awe, but deep within, he wondered if he could do this. Could he? Would he give himself up for his friends? No, I have to! I have to protect them, no matter what. The world needs to be freed of Desians. I'll make sure of it…And make sure to save the lives of everyone. He thought, pushing all his doubt off the table as if they were useless material on a desk. I have to be brave until the end. I must go through every trial.

"That's…the Tower of Salvation!" Colette chirped.

"Now the world will be saved!" Genis chimed in.

Lloyd smiled internally at his friends then turned back to Remiel. "Lloyd, Chosen of Regeneration," Remiel spoke again as he looked down upon the boy. "Unlock the seals that guard the Tower of Salvation and climb its stairs to heaven in distant lands."

The brunet nodded, closing his eyes. "I humbly accept this task bestowed before and on me."

The angel man nodded, continuing. "Very good. We of Cruxis shall grant you the power of the angels with each seal you unlock. Once you are reborn as an angel, this eroded world shall be regenerated." Lloyd opened his eyes, staring at Remiel. He was already an angel, so what would happen at each seal? Would he go through the symptoms again? The very thought of it made the boy shudder internally, and then he pushed them away again as soon as he felt them building again. No, if he had to do it, then he would. Everyone was counting on him to finish this task. Their world hung in the balance; everyone's lives were virtually at stake. "I swear upon my life that I will regenerate the world, Lord Remiel." Lloyd replied, his pale-gold and brown mixed eyes locking gazes with the angel's blue ones.

"First, head south, to the Seal of Fire," Remiel began again, still with his deep voice. "Offer your prayers there in that distant land."

"Yes, Lord Remiel."

The angel nodded and began ascending, the flap of his wings gently making the air around them whisper. Before he got any higher, Lloyd gazed questionably at him. He was also told that Chosens were angel-born children, that their true parents were actually angels. Maybe, maybe Remiel was…? "Wait, Lord Remiel!" Lloyd called to him, his brown eyes staring transfixed upon the angel. "I…Are you…really my fath—?" He didn't get to finish.

"First, head south to the Seal of Fire." Remiel interrupted, looking at the boy. "My beloved son, Lloyd."

The words sunk deeply into Lloyd, his eyes nearly watering but he kept it to himself. Kratos, however, wanted to shank someone with his sword, and that person was a particular angel with wings; he was starting to get on his nerves.

"…You…You really are my father?" Lloyd looked down, trying to blink his tears away. So, why had he abandoned him in that forest if he was his father? Why didn't he come to him when he was all alone, looking for him? However, deep down, he felt the angel had no choice, that if he were to become the next Chosen, he would have to be raised normally and learn of everything he needed to know. In a twisted sense of things, Lloyd slowly began understanding. He was the goddess Martel's son's reincarnation; the original Lloyd was an angel, so therefore, it made sense that he would be the son of one, too. He looked up one more time, watching as the smiling Remiel ascended further, and in a spiral of feathers, he vanished within the light. The children missed the glares the angel and Kratos shared momentarily before his departure.

A few moments after everything calmed down, with Lloyd staring at the altar, Genis and Colette picked up in conversation.

"So that was the oracle, huh? Raine would have loved to see him. I wish she could have been here." The elf mage said, half sadly.

"Yeah, me too." The girl replied, then gazed over to the brunet. She approached her friend, her adopted brother, looking at him. His expression was a mix of happiness, confusion, acceptance and fear. "Lloyd…? Are you all right?"

The teen by name looked at her, smiling. "I'm all right… I'm just in shock." He replied, though looked sadly. "I…just can't believe Remiel is my real father. But it makes sense. If I'm the reincarnation of the Angel Lloyd, then I'd be a descendant of one, too. I mean, there's no other way to explain it, right?"

"I can't see any other way." The blonde chirped happily, rubbing his shoulder affectionately. Their peaceful moment was interrupted by none other than the silent mercenary.

"You've received the oracle. Let us leave now, Chosen—"

"Lloyd." Genis corrected him again. Kratos dismissed his third correction of the day, and headed towards the portal.

"We're going on ahead."

"Oh…right…" Lloyd said in a disappointed tone. He really wanted to be with his friends. He stepped over to the portal as well with Kratos, looking at Genis and Colette. "Guys, thanks for coming with me, really. Come by the house later, Genis. Colette, don't be late or Frank will be worried about you."

"Okay then, see you later!" The girl chirped.

After that, the two warped away, leaving the two Iselians by their lonesome. A moment later and Genis struck up another conversation with the blonde. "Wow, I guess the rumors were true. That Lloyd was a descendant of an angel. But from what he's told us about the Angel Lloyd from the war, it was possible."

"Yeah. It sure surprised me, too." Colette agreed. "But, I wonder where his real parents are…? Well, at least his mother, I mean. He was adopted into my family a couple years before I was born."

"So, Lloyd's not your real brother, then?"

"No, but I wish he was." The girl said. "But, I believe it doesn't matter if were not related by blood. We're family anyway."

"That's true." The elf boy agreed. "Well, we should get going before we get in trouble."

"Oh, right!"

The two friends headed over to the portal in which Kratos and Lloyd used minutes earlier, warping back to the main floor of the temple. Once out, they walked past the opened gate, down the stairs and— "Genis, Colette! What are you two doing here!?" Uh-oh. They flinched, turning to see Raine coming from nowhere, really, and glaring down at them. They were in trouble now. However, they saw Lloyd and Kratos still inside the building, both were stopped by the professor when she came in earlier. This wasn't looking good.

"Uh…Sis, I can explain!" Genis defended as the tall woman neared him.

"Wait, Professor! Don't hit Genis." Lloyd intervened. "I…I asked if he and Colette could come with me. Please, punish me if you have to, but don't hurt Genis. He's not at fault." The silver-haired elf woman in orange looked down at her brother, then to Colette and lastly to Lloyd. She sighed heavily as the Chosen was willing to put himself in the total blame to save Genis' ass, more or less.

"Very well, then. Lloyd, when you're done here, I'll assign three months worth of homework that you will do alone."

"All right, I can…take it." He accepted his punishment.

"As for you…" Raine glanced over to her still panicking brother. "You'll be getting harder assignments."

Genis sighed. "Awwh…"

Colette shook her head. "Wait, what about me? I'm just as guilty." Raine turned to the blonde's direction, arms crossed, pondering on a suitable punishment for the girl. "If you're going to punish them, then I should—"

"I'll think of something for you later, Colette." The elder Sage sibling said. "Now, if you've all learned your lesson, return to the village. Class is dismissed for the rest of the day."

"What about you, Raine?" Genis wondered.

"I've received permission from Phaidra to study this temple a little while longer." The woman replied, smiling. "It's not often that ordinary citizens have the opportunity to enter this place." She looked at each of her students and even Kratos before heading down the right-hand path. They watched her as she disappeared down the hall. They were spared a severe punishment, thankfully. Genis and Colette joined up with Kratos and Lloyd again, deciding it would be safer with them than staying there, dumbfounded.

"Uh, yeah, we can go now." The elf boy said.

The four left the temple, heading down the set of stairs they once traversed hours before. When they were on the last step and nearly exiting the vicinity of the temple, they heard a long, drawn out, hysterical laugh and a shout of "MARVELOUS!" too. They stopped, wondering what was going on; even Kratos was wondering. "What was that?" Lloyd asked out of the blue, nearly jumping out of his skin.

"You're better off not knowing…" Genis told him quickly, ending the conversation as quickly as it came.

Shrugging, they left the chapel's area, now heading back to the village. However, Lloyd had been in deep thought ever since he received the oracle. That angel, Remiel, was his father. His father was an angel! So, who was his mother? As the thoughts traveled through his mind, one thing flashed to reason; the Spirit of Martel. She had spoken to him before, and even mentioned "son", referring to him. Was it possible, the goddess was his mother? But, if that was so, then how come he never saw her when he was younger? Or maybe, his birth mother was human and the goddess was only calling him such because she cared about him? "I…should stop worrying about it…" He mumbled to himself, catching the concerning eyes of Kratos. Lloyd looked up from his muttering, noticing the mercenary was staring at him. His friends were a little farther ahead, he noticed, though they were already in the village's gates anyway.

"…Yes Kratos? What is it?" Lloyd asked, blinking. "Why do you keep staring at me that way?" It was that sad expression the man gave him before. What was up with it?

Kratos chided himself for allowing his emotions to best him even in the slightest again. The boy was perceptive, and could see right through him already. But, he couldn't stop looking at the boy. He mentally pictured his young son, side by side with this Lloyd. Their eyes, their hair, the way they walked, and even that smile; they were a perfect match. The father in him was struggling to break free, to say 'fuck Cruxis, I'm taking my son!' but he wouldn't allow it. This was the reincarnate, not the real thing. But, something urged him to press on, to maybe find out more about the teenager. Perhaps it would relax him in knowing about him. "I was merely wondering…" The auburn began, finally answering Lloyd's question.

"Wondering? About what?"

"Where are you from, Lloyd?"

The brunet stopped abruptly, looking at Kratos, then down at the ground. Where was he from? He hadn't a clue, either. One moment he was sleeping in a giant, golden case of things with darkness all around him and the next thing he knew, he was in a forest while the night prowled. It was strange; he was like some mysterious being that existed only for something he didn't know about. "I…I don't know." He answered truthfully. Kratos gave him a skeptical gaze, being patient with the teen, waiting for him to continue, and continue he did. "I…I was found in the forest of Iselia when I was four—" Kratos griped internally. His son was four years old when Martel sent him away. Was it…coincidence? "—and then, some Desians tried attacking me." The auburn growled under his breath, but it went unheard by the brunet.

"Before the Desians could hurt me, another one came to my rescue. He's the leader of them, the ones that keep humans in that ranch. Forcystus."

Now, this was something new. Why would Forcystus save a human child's life? That man was a half-elf grand cardinal that despised humans. Why not throw the child in the ranch with all the others? What made him so special? "Forcystus said that I…couldn't go with him. He took me to the village and demanded them to take me in." The boy closed his eyes, sighing deeply. "Then, they noticed this gem in my hand. They asked if I was…the Chosen…and well…" He paused, wondering why he was telling this man everything. It felt right, he supposed. Something within him was telling him that telling Kratos everything was right. "I was with Frank's family after that."

"They adopted you?"

"Yeah. Then it was strange…after that. I suddenly stopped aging for a few years."

"…Stopped…aging?" Kratos asked, curiosity sparked.

"Yes. I was brought into the family before Colette was born. I didn't grow up like the other kids, and I stayed the same age for three years. So, after Colette was born and three years passed, I was technically seven, but remained four years of age. I started growing up after that…"

Kratos nodded, but then, something didn't add up. Yggdrasil told him that he bred for the new Chosen sixteen years ago. However, from the sound of Lloyd's story, it appeared different than that. If Lloyd was already four by the time he had a Cruxis Crystal in his possession…then…no, this didn't make any sense. Lloyd would be… "How old are you, Lloyd?" He pressed on further. The teenager quizzically glanced up to him, thinking for a moment.

"Well, if you want to count the ageless gap, I would be most likely nineteen now."

Kratos froze. The ages didn't add up to Yggdrasil's math. He told him it was sixteen years ago, but yet, if Lloyd stopped aging—which only angels stopped growing after a certain age—then it had to have been twelve years prior—! "No…" Kratos growled, then looked at the curious Lloyd. Kratos knew he wasn't Remiel's son, but if Lloyd was the reincarnation of his son, then perhaps, he inherited the abilities of the child, as well. Then, that would mean another thing. It was speculation, but he had to know right now. "Lloyd…if you're truly the reincarnation of the Angel Lloyd from the war, then you would most likely have wings." The man stared hard at the teen who was taken aback in shock. He figured the boy was wondering, in the back of his mind, how the mercenary knew. He never shared the information with anyone.

"Wh…How did you?"

"Incarnates naturally share the same abilities of their past lives, it's only speculation." He half lied.

"…But I never told anyone that I had—"

"Show them to me, Lloyd."

The brunet trembled slightly. The auburn was just being curious, he kept telling himself, but every word he spoke felt like he knew Lloyd more than he knew himself. Was this guy becoming obsessive of him? No, that couldn't be. He was merely wondering, that's all! It took everything in his might calm down, closing his eyes. Mana welled up from within his body, giving him that tickling sensation again as he normally felt when pulling his wings out of the mana. Amplified with the Cruxis Crystal, the light bursting from his back was larger scaled than normal, giving the light the shape they needed to be. Kratos' eyes widened as he watched the purely white wings of light shade into the dove-like blue gradient wings, outstretched from behind the boy. He eyed every detail of the wings; they had the same, green shades of gradient within the center, and faded to white at the tips. They even shared the same diamond-like pattern betwixt each layering feather that carefully colored over each other. The auburn immediately went down memory lane, recalling these exact wings, only smaller. He stayed there, staring, almost quivering. The father in him was beginning to grow again, reacting to the sight.

How…How could Yggdrasil do this to him? Make him guard this boy, this Chosen, who was every little thing like his son? Not only that, but condemn him to death at the end of this journey?

"Kr-Kratos?" Lloyd whispered, hoping the man wasn't terrified of this revelation.

"Lloyd…How long have you been hiding them?"

That was an unexpected response. "I've had them since I was about five…I guess. I experienced these weird…pains before they grew, I suppose. But it felt like I knew they were there to begin with. I knew how to draw them back in my body to hide them as soon as they extended from my back. Like… I guess like the Angel Lloyd was telling me how."

Kratos remained silent as his thoughts were calculating and absorbing the information. With a low sigh, he simply nodded. "I see then."

"Please, Kratos. Don't tell anyone. Don't tell them about my wings… And don't tell them…about the end of this journey. I know I'll…die for the goddess, but if it's to regenerate the world, then I'm willing."

The mercenary froze on the spot; the very thought his son's incarnate would die scared him. However, he hid it well and agreed with the teen. "I won't, Lloyd." It was a promising phrase; the teen recognized it and sighed in relief. He withdrew his wings, smiling.

"Thank you, Kratos. Let's…go. I don't want to worry them."

As Lloyd took off towards the village, with the sun still blazing in the sky, Kratos followed along behind him. He was angry at himself for several things; one, he failed to protect Martel, two, he failed to protect and find Lloyd all those years ago, three, he failed to recognize this situation with Yggdrasil, and lastly, he failed to protect this Lloyd from falling into the clutches of Cruxis. He was also angry for allowing the father in him to break free for only a while, but he knew he was curious about the whereabouts of the new Lloyd's upcoming. He sighed deeper, a hand upon his forehead as he walked slower.

Martel… How can I save this boy, this reincarnation of our son, when he is condemned to die and become your vessel?

If he would have listened as he walked on, he could have heard an answer in the wind…

I will protect him, Kratos…He is not alone. He will be with us.

Galdr: Ah, the end of this chapter. And no, Kratos hasn't figured it out yet, but Yuan will. :D Wow, this chapter is over 9,000 words, too! Awesome sauce! Man, I'm so mean.

Review responses to chapter five!

Marina Ka-Fai: Yay, you're back on your account. XD Lol, no worries, mate! I sometimes review stories when I'm not signed in, either. Thanks for liking chapter five, and I hope you like this one, too! Thanks for the review/comment!

WakaBakaLaka (Guest): Ah thanks for your review! Yeah, things are different. I like being different. (I also like torturing Lloyd.) Well, chapter six is here, so I hope you've enjoyed it!

SailorMint (Guest): Ah, well chapter six is here, so I hope you enjoyed it, too. Thank-you!

Kenta Diamond: Yep. Dirk will get his appearance next chapter, don't worry if you were worrying. As for why Forcystus took Lloyd to the village… hmm, I'll let you ponder on that. But, one thing, if you recall in chapter four, Forcystus had noticed Lloyd's half-elven blood, even though it was diluted. He's very sensitive to other half-elves, as I've read other stories with this indication and everything else. I thought he would be sympathetic to Lloyd as a kinsman, and at the same time, as the Chosen. But who knows? Maybe it'll hit Yggdrasil hard later on. :)

LeaStar: Hello! A new reviewer, yay! Thanks for your review! I'm glad you're liking it so far and liking how things are differently portrayed. In fact, I'm glad those who take time to read this are finding it likable. Even if they don't like it, then I'm still glad they bothered looking at it. Yes, Martel's death was very sad indeed. The emotion had to be put into that scene. Yes, Mithos is very cruel, using his own nephew for his scheming plans. Hopefully I portrayed every character correctly or close enough to it.

Thank-you all for your kindly reviews, favorites and stalking—I mean story follows! xD I deeply appreciate it. Also, if you're curious about the famous Kvar scene, it'll still happen, albeit differently. Leave a review if you like! See you next chapter.