[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]
Hello! After stalling for time with other stories, really, I got chapter eight done. And I only had two reviews for chapter seven. I was really hoping that chapter would have been the best so far. Oh well! No need to get upset about it! Everyone's got a life to live. Just a heads up; this chapter contains Forcystus/Lloyd friendship and it might be a little shorter. Also, there's some swearing in here, so yeah.
I don't own Tales of Symphonia because I just don't. I also don't own the story picture. I can't find the original artist, sadly. So kudos to them whoever did the picture. I tried searching for a couple of days, honest to my heart.
Enjoy!
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The Goddess's Son of Mana
Chapter 8: Forcystus and the Chosen's Banishment
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Next morning in Iselia came quite well at the Brunel's house as well as the rest of Iselia. Lloyd woke up earlier than normal, showering and dressing as he did, getting his bag together again. He packed in his toothbrush after brushing them, and obviously his special comb to run through his wild locks of brown hair. When everything was set, he made up his bed neatly and looked over to the mercenary who had been waiting patiently in his room. Lloyd smiled to Kratos as they exited the room, still remembering last night and how the purple-clad swordsman wound up in his room. Outside the house, they were met by Raine, who got up early to prepare herself. After explaining the situation to the elven woman, she agreed and went along with them.
-x-x-x-
Last Night
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"Colette, Lloyd! You're back!" Frank smiled as he welcomed his children into his arms. The teens blushed in embarrassment to their father's parental expression but laughed lightly after sharing the embrace. The older blond looked up and noticed Kratos had been standing by the closed door, looking at them with his straight, emotionless face. "Ah, Kratos. Welcome back as well. Thank you for looking after Colette and Lloyd. I hope they weren't any trouble for you."
"No, they weren't." The auburn replied smoothly.
"All right. Well, dinner's being served." Frank turned to Lloyd, smiling. "Since it's your birthday, Lloyd, I cooked your favorite today; baked chicken and steamed broccoli!"
The brunet's face lit up in delight. "Really? Thanks Dad!"
Colette giggled. "I knew you'd like it! That's why I was hoping you wouldn't miss dinner. Come on, Lloyd. Let's wash our hands!" The siblings quickly make their way to the downstairs restroom to do just that. When they were out of sight for the moment, Phaidra came in with the plate of steamed broccoli and then another with the chicken. Frank looked at Kratos, noticing the mercenary had been staring in the direction Lloyd had gone.
"Kratos?"
"…?" Aforementioned male turned to meet the gaze of Frank. "Yes?"
"Are you worried for Lloyd?"
"…A little." He admitted. "Do you know what will become of your son when he completes his journey?"
Frank closed his eyes and tensed lightly. Of course he knew! That was something he wanted to avoid talking about, ever mentioning it around Lloyd. The boy would grow terrified and never go on the journey. Frank, of course, as much as he loved the world and wished for it to be saved, his little boy was worth much more than the world's decline of mana. "Yes, I do know. I was told about the true meaning of it when he reached nine years old…" The blond sighed heavily. "Sometimes I wish there was another way, but there isn't…"
Internally, Kratos was hoping for the same thing and cursing Cruxis even more for putting his son into this mess. Not just Cruxis, but Yggdrasil. Instead of openly admitting what it felt like, the mercenary remained silent, observing the reactions of Frank. "Kratos, I don't know if they've told Lloyd this, but for him to die for the goddess…I don't want him to ever know about it. He'll lose his will to go on the journey. As a man to another man, would you keep this a secret?" Ah, another secret to keep, despite the Chosen himself already knowing of this. But Frank didn't know Lloyd already knew, so what was the harm in keeping this little secret?
"Very well. I shall not tell him." Kratos replied honestly, letting the other parent smile.
"…Thank you."
"Father! We're back and with clean hands!" Colette chirped as she and Lloyd returned from washing their hands. The siblings took seats next to each other, with Lloyd prodding on one of Kratos' swallow tails.
"Kratos, eat with us!" the boy said, staring up into the mercenary's eyes with his own. Aforesaid seraph glanced down to meet the Chosen's gaze, cringing mentally. He was instantly reminded of the boy himself when he was younger, asking him a very similar thing when he turned three. It was the same exact phrase, the same exact begging eyes and that smile with it. As much as he couldn't stomach food as much as he used to, he couldn't refuse those eyes of his son. "If it is the Chosen's wish…" Kratos said, still biting himself in the ass for referring to Lloyd as an object.
"Yeah, it is my wish that you sit with us and eat." Lloyd said with a small laugh. Kratos said nothing but complied, taking a seat next to Lloyd. His red eyes found themselves staring at the brunet, who was staring back, still smiling. If Kratos had lost any sense of himself, he would have shouted, "Lloyd, stop looking at me that way!" or "My son!" and hugged him tightly. But, being stoic and respectful as he was, and that he fought the inner father within him, he didn't budge on it. However, those eyes and that smile were creeping up on him. How much longer would he have to go through this torture until he could reveal who he truly was to the boy?
Frank and Phaidra took a seat next after putting out a plate of sweetened corn bread and rice. "Since it's Lloyd's birthday today, we'll let him say the grace." Phaidra said as she smiled to the birthday boy. "But before that…" The elderly woman and her son presented two wrapped boxes to the sixteen-year old, who stared in wonder and bewilderment. "Lloyd, while today was the day of the oracle, it is still your birthday, son. We only want the best for you. We haven't forgotten, either."
Lloyd sat there, wide-eyed and trembling. The whole village didn't seem to care about his birthday except his friends and family. His brown eyes caught the sight of Colette presenting a wrapped gift as well to him. She, Frank and Phaidra were smiling as he took the presents from them, slowly. Kratos watched the interaction of his son with these people the boy knew well and was stunned beyond words when he saw the traces of tears running down the boy's face. Why was Lloyd crying? Wouldn't someone be happy they received gifts from their family? The swordsman was about to say something when Frank cut in first. "Lloyd? What's wrong?"
"Are you not happy?" Phaidra wondered next.
Lloyd shook his head. Yes, he was truly happy! Happy that people remembered it was his freaking sixteenth birthday and not a day to shower him with Martel's preaching word. "Y-yeah, I'm happy." The brunet Chosen replied steadily. "I'm…just truly happy you all remembered my birthday was today. Colette and Genis did earlier and we had some chocolate cake. But I thought everyone had forgotten it. Every year it was always inside the temple with ceremonies being held in there. No one else was allowed there except the priests." His audience grew quiet as he went on. "I felt so lonely and so depressed. It was like nobody cared I existed as a person, as a human being. They only wanted me to do as the goddess' will and everything. I never got a birthday party or anything…" Kratos flinched, but hid it. They holed up the poor boy in the temple for every birthday? They did that to his son? No parties? No friends? What kind of child cruelty were they placing this kid in?
"I don't care about the gifts or anything like that. Just some acknowledgement that I'm still me, that I'm Lloyd Brunel—" Aurion. Kratos wanted to remind him, but of course, he couldn't. "—and a person just like them. I should be able to deserve birthdays like any other kid."
"Lloyd…" Frank trailed, unable to finish.
"Dad, Lady Phaidra, Colette… Thank-you." Lloyd said truthfully with that Martel-shaped smile of his that made Kratos shudder every time. "You three, Genis, the Professor and Dirk make me feel like I'm actually alive and not some object…That makes me happy and that's why I…suddenly started crying. I'm sorry."
Colette hugged her adopted brother tightly. "Lloyd, don't apologize. We're all here for you, okay? You're never going to be alone." She gave him a reassuring smile.
"Yeah, thanks Colette."
Lloyd set the presents down beside him, drying his tears. "All that…made me hungry. Let's eat."
The family, with Kratos, all nod, and after saying grace, they ate merrily, recalling memories and telling stories to Kratos, who actually paid attention to them. After all, they revolved around his son's life as a child, and though he missed majority of the boy's life, he wanted to get to know him more than where he came from. After all, he knew where he came from; him and Martel. The mercenary ate slowly as to not upset his body's unnecessary need for food, but to make it believable, he'd have to stomach something. He noticed Lloyd eating very little, but it was enough to fool even the Brunel family. After dinner, the family were readying themselves to sleep; Frank prodded Kratos with a question of where he would sleep. The mercenary simply told them he would rest in a chair near the living room's wall.
"Wouldn't that be uncomfortable?" Frank asked.
"I am fine with just sleeping in the chair." Kratos told him. "As a mercenary, we're trained to sleep wherever, even in uncomfortable positions." It wasn't a total lie, as Kratos could literally sleep anywhere, and the fact he didn't really needed sleep anyway.
Sighing in defeat, the blond-haired father relented. "All right then. Do you need a blanket then?"
"I will be fine without it."
"It usually gets cold down here at night…" Frank began objecting.
"Hey, Kratos, you can sleep in my room!" The two fathers turned to meet the voice's owner, Lloyd. He was in his pajamas, which were simply red in color; red long sleeve, button-up shirt, red pants and had darker red trimming along the hems of the attire. The button-up shirt covered the brunet's Cruxis Crystal almost completely. "Don't sleep down here in the cold. Come up to my room. It's warm and well, we're both guys."
"Well, Lloyd…I don't think Kratos would want…" Frank started again but the teen persisted.
"I trust Kratos. He won't do anything bad to me, Dad. Besides, it gets cold down here and lonely."
"…If Kratos wants to." Frank said, almost sighing in defeat again.
Kratos looked at Frank, then to Lloyd and his Martel-induced smile. Damn that smile always got him, if it the boy's eyes didn't. He closed his eyes and sighed, nodding. "If you would like for me to, Chosen, then I will." He actually didn't mind being in the same room as his son. In fact, it thrilled him. However, he had to hide it as with other things he discovered about the boy. He couldn't let his fatherly emotions best him. "Great! Well, come on up!" Lloyd offered, turning to hurry up the stairs. Frank and Kratos exchanged glances before they headed upstairs as well, with Frank turning the candle-lights off. When the mercenary reached the Chosen's bedroom, as he remembered it, the boy closed his door and shuffled to his bed, sitting on it.
"Hey, Kratos." The teenager addressed the man by name, who presumably took the desk's chair as his place to rest for the night in the boy's room.
"Yes, Chosen?" That still irked him to say that.
Lloyd didn't seem to catch on with that but went on anyway. "Uh, thanks for having dinner with us. And, thank you for looking out for me and Colette. You know, you should really take that payment my Dad and Lady Phaidra offered to you…"
Again, being paid to watch over my son is foolish. You are not worth the amount of money they offered me—you're more than that. "I do not need to be paid to watch and protect you. Your safety is worth more than money." Kratos replied truthfully, staring at the teen. "However, the food…was good. You're welcome." Lloyd chuckled at the man's response before bringing his knees to his chest, still sitting on the bed. He was watching the mercenary intently, as if he had figured out the man's motives. Of course, he hadn't, but something in the back of his mind clued him in about the silent sellsword. Just, what was it? Something about him seemed almost familiar, but Lloyd was sure he'd never met this man before until earlier. But, what harm could it do to ask him?
"Kratos…"
"Yes, Lloyd?" The mercenary answered, forgetting the title and addressing him by his name.
"Another thing…I can't help but feel that…you're familiar." The auburn turned to face the Chosen with his usual expression but deep down, he was holding his breath. Did he already figure it out? "Ever since I turned into an angel, I guess, and all, I could see energy emitting off everyone that I see. It's mana, I know, but it's weird. I've been able to see it when I was younger, before experiencing those weird symptoms." He looked up to the ceiling randomly before facing Kratos again. Thankfully, the boy was nowhere near as close as the seraph thought. "J-just between you and me… I'm…not full human."
"You're not?" Kratos asked, though he already knew why, and not for the angelic reasons.
"No…remember me mentioning Forcystus, the grand cardinal of the human ranch near here?"
Kratos sighed inwardly as he felt he knew where this was going, though decided to inquire upon it for the boy's sake. "Yes. What about him?"
"Well, the couple of times I met and spent time with him, he told me I was a half-elf, or rather, I had half-elf blood in me." Lloyd flinched a little, wondering what Kratos' reaction to this revelation would be. He was expecting to be yelled and scorned at, hated and thrown out with nothing to call his home. But, instead of that, the mercenary was giving him that sad, yet soft look again. What was with that look? It almost seemed like a face of longing and want. As if he were found something he lost. What did Kratos lose, anyway? "…You're…not mad?"
"Why would I be upset at you for having half-elven blood?" The mercenary answered with his own question.
Lloyd was taken aback but answered the man's question anyhow. "…Well…half-elves aren't really welcomed around here because of the Desians. And, well, if they found out I was of half-elf descent, they'd disregard me as the Chosen and then I'd have nowhere to go…" He turned towards the window, watching as the moon shifted towards his window slightly, allowing the moon's light into the room. "I was…afraid you'd reject me. Forcystus didn't because we're most likely alike. He knew what I was and spared me. And…I admit…there were a few times I went near the ranch when I wasn't supposed to, like when I was eight. He saved me from getting hurt, again, like the first time. But after that, he appeared to make some time to spend with me a couple other times when I left the village to be on my own."
He sighed deeply, but held a contented smile. "I know Forcystus isn't the greatest person to be friends with and I'm sure he doesn't think of me as his friend, but…he's not…so bad, you know? I know I'm not supposed to and it's dangerous and it risked the village… but he never hurt me."
That's because he couldn't if he didn't want to be on the receiving end of Yggdrasil's wrath. Kratos said, only to himself though and remained silent, waiting for the teen to finish.
"He said he couldn't hurt me because I was the Chosen and that I was a half-elf, even if it was…diluted, I guess." Lloyd ran a hand through his hair. "He said it like he cared about me. I don't know why he wants to torture humans in that ranch place. It's wrong. I tried to tell him that but he doesn't budge. He only tells me that the humans deserved it for making half-elves suffer."
He's a half-elf who resents humans. Not only that, he is serving Cruxis into developing Exspheres. Kratos wanted to say, but as usual, he couldn't. "Lloyd, I do not know what I can tell you about this, as I've stayed clear of the human ranches…" The mercenary said, though it was a lie. He had to observe the ranches as they were literally under his thumb's command. The boy bought the lie and nodded slowly. "It's okay… I actually just needed to…let out something that had been on my mind. I'm not sure how I'm a half-elf, but I guess one of my parents had to have been one…most likely my mother. And then, my father's obviously an angel." Kratos sighed inwardly again. The teen had no idea how close he was to the realization of his heritage. Yes, his mother was a half-elf and his father was an angel, but it was not the angel they met today. Kratos heard Lloyd shuffle and move, going underneath his covers of his bed.
"Thanks for listening and understanding me, Kratos. I'm sure you didn't want to…hear all that."
The auburn shook his head. "It's fine, Lloyd. I don't mind. It actually helps build trust if you share such with someone you wish to trust."
"Yeah, and I definitely want you to trust me as I trust you, Kratos."
"Verily. You should get some rest, even if you can't…sleep."
"I can manage some form of sleep though. But yeah, you're right. Good night, Kratos." The brunet blew out his lighted candle that was on his dresser and fell into the heap of his blankets. The only light in the room was the moon's and it beamed down upon Lloyd's young face. The silence carried on until aforesaid boy sat up slightly, eyeing the mercenary, who had his arms crossed over his chest. His head was down somewhat, eyes closed and was breathing slowly. "…Kratos?" Lloyd tested, making sure the swordsman was awake or sleep. The sound of the teen's voice instantly awoke the mercenary; not that he was really sleep, of course.
"Yes, Lloyd?"
"…Am I annoying to you or anything?"
Random question was random. While the boy's rapid-fire questions were a little irritating, he admitted, he couldn't find anything annoying about his child. He would eventually get used to questions he had, but no. He was not annoyed by Lloyd, and he never could. "No, Lloyd. You're not annoying. What ever made you think or say of that?" The auburn asked, his unsuppressed fatherly tone half driving the question.
"…No reason. Just wanted to know. That's all. Good night, now." Lloyd chuckled in embarrassment, laying his head down on his pillow quickly. Kratos stared at the boy for a moment longer after seeing his reaction and sighed. This would be a long night.
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This morning, Lloyd woke up and wanted to go straight to Dirk's to pick up his swords and the hand crafted sheathes he was promised. After asking for Kratos' company—which the mercenary would have gone anyway—and Frank's permission, the two left the Brunel's house, with Raine along. Not many villagers were up at the time, and those that were had greeted their Chosen when he passed by them. However, upon entering the forest of Iselia, a strange green and white dog looking creature greeted them and tackled Lloyd down! "Aaah!" Lloyd cried as he was being assaulted by multiple affectionate licks of the creature—a protozoan. Kratos almost raised his sword on the beast but realized who it was and shook his head. "Wh-what is this thing?!" The brunet Chosen cried.
"What in the world?" Raine wondered, already on guard to hurt the poor creature.
"Noishe…" Kratos said, glaring at the creature. The protozoan by name got off the poor teenager and lowered his head sadly. But, he was excited! He finally found his master's son and was overjoyed! It had taken him ages to get the stupid angels to realize their little Lloyd was in this forest the whole time, but they hadn't even listened to him those years ago. In fact, Noishe gave Kratos an "I-told-you-so" look which the seraph sighed as his response. Kratos watched as Lloyd got up eyes widening at the green and white dog-wolf thing sitting near the mercenary, wagging his tail happily. As much as the purple-clad swordsman wanted Lloyd to react excitedly about Noishe's presence, he didn't get it. Instead, the brunet was confused.
"Wh…who's that, Kratos? Do you know him?" Lloyd asked, which resulted in Noishe frowning, lowering his head and whimpering. That didn't go by unnoticed by Lloyd. "Wh-what? Why's he sad? Did I say something?"
"It would seem his feelings are hurt." Raine said after lowering her staff. "What do you think, Kratos? This…dog seems to know you."
"…He believes you may be someone he knew, Chosen." Kratos explained, eyeing the teacher next. "Don't worry, Noishe is well behaved and trained."
"Okay—wait you said Noishe?" Lloyd repeated, his mouth agape like an idiot. Uh-oh, this is something Kratos half-worried about his son. Hoping the teen wouldn't remember, and then wanting him to remember. The former would make things easier for the mercenary, though. "…Huh, must have imagined it. I thought I remembered something but then I didn't. Weird." Whew, close call. "Well then…Noishe, I guess if you're a friend of Kratos' then you can be with us." The protozoan smiled as much as a dog could at the boy's words.
Raine shook her head. "Well, let's get on to Dirk's, and then we'll finish stocking up in Iselia." She said after. When the brunet and his teacher were a little ways off, Kratos petted the dog's head lightly.
"Noishe…I know he's…Lloyd, but right now, he can't know it…not until the right time."
The protozoan sadly understood and kept by the seraph as they caught up to Lloyd and Raine.
Back at the village, when a good thirty minutes passed, Colette woke up, stretching from her rest. The first thing she did was check her adopted brother's bedroom; it was unfortunately empty. She gasped lightly and hurried down the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her, almost running into her father in the process. "Oh, Colette. Good morning." Frank greeted her.
"G-Good morning, Father." She answered back hastily. "Where's Lloyd?" Oh no, did he leave for the journey already? And without me and Genis telling him goodbye?
"Oh, he left earlier this morning, about thirty minutes ago, with Kratos and Raine—" Frank began. Colette's heart stopped momentarily as he continued. "—to Dirk's house. He said he needed to pick up his swords and sheathes he asked Dirk to make him." A sigh of utter relief escaped the blonde girl's mouth. "I know you wanted to see him off, but he said he'd come back to stock up on a few items before leaving."
"Y-yes, I did. Genis and I both want to." The girl admitted. "I-I'll go get ready now. I bet he'll be back by the time I'm done!"
Before she could let her father respond, Colette thundered up the stairs so fast she was like a yellow and pink blur—pink being the color of her pajamas. What seemed like five minutes later, Colette emerged from her room, fully dressed in her usual white robes, dark navy blue leggings and white boots appeal—as she was in training to become a priestess like her grandmother—and rushed out of the house after grabbing a piece of toast. "Thank you, Father!" She blurted out unladylike and zoomed out. The man blinked as he looked out from the kitchen, only seeing a blur of yellow and the door shutting behind it. "Erm, see you later, Colette." He said, knowing she didn't hear that.
Once outside, nibbling on her toast, she soon spotted Genis coming towards her in a mad dash, no pun intended. "Colette!" The elf mage called out to her, stopping when he got close. "Did…Did Lloyd leave already?"
"Yeah." The girl said as she finished her toast, noticing the sad expression on the young mage's face. "Oh, don't worry Genis. My father said he left for Dirk's to get his sheathes then he was coming right back to stock up. So, we'll actually see him again and be able to see him off." This brightened up the silver-haired boy's mood, but he still felt a little down.
"Y-yeah… I still wish we could go with him."
"Me too."
"…Hey, how about we go to Dirk's? You said he left for his house half an hour ago? He might still be there, or on his way back. We might catch up with him." Genis suggested, smiling, hoping. "You know…we can spend a little more time with him before he really goes…"
Colette smiled warmly at the idea. "Oh, good idea, Genis. Let's go, then."
"Okay!"
The two friends eagerly leave the Brunel's house area and head through the village on the eastward path, looping back around to the front of the village. The guards warned them again about Desians and the ranch, which the two young teens nod to. However, just as they were five miles away from Iselia, they spot a small group of men dressed in red and armed with whips, swords and battle armor. "…De-Desians!" Genis gaped. "Let's hide, Colette! Hurry!" They wasted no time rushing into the nearby shrubbery, staying out of sight and out of the way, holding their breath as much as they could. Sure enough, the Desians of the human ranch were storming their way towards Iselia!
"…Oh no…this is bad." Genis whispered to Colette. "Th-they're going for the village…"
"We have to find Lloyd and tell him." Colette said, urgency in her voice. "Let's go when there's a chance."
A few moments pass and the group of half-elves were gone far enough for the two friends to emerge from their hiding spots and booked it towards the Iselia forest. There was no time to lose—they had to find Lloyd and fast!
-x-x-x-
"Thanks Dirk!" Lloyd says as he straps his new sheathes to his belt, one on each side of his waistline. His stolen swords fit comfortably in them, and they weren't a hassle nor a hindrance to him when he walked. "They fit just right and everything."
"Aye, no problem, Lloyd m'boy." The dwarf said with a hearty smile. "Also, take this." Lloyd tilted his head slightly as the short man gave him a bracelet—one that would assist as the key crest replacement. The brunet's widened as he stared at the dwarf.
"…Dirk? You…made it anyway?"
"Do what you want with it, but don't do anything rash, ya hear?"
Lloyd nodded, smiling. "I won't Dirk. Thank you." Now he could save Marble and then all his troubles, for now, would be at ease.
"I suppose this wraps this up, does it?" Raine asked as she sat up from the table in Dirk's house, setting her coffee cup down. "Are you ready to go, Lloyd?"
"Yeah, I am. I need to go back to the village and finish stocking up on items we'll need. That and I…want to say goodbye to Colette and Genis."
"…All right." The silver-haired woman complied. "Well, Dirk, thank you again for your hospitality. We'll see you."
"Aye. Take care of th'lad. He's a good kid, with a good head on 'is shoulders but he can be a bit rash on decisions, ha-ha." Dirk said, giving his friendly laugh after. The brunet grumbled but smiled anyways. After all, the dwarf meant well. The three bid him farewell again, leaving the dwarf to his duties and exiting his house. Noishe was sitting outside watching nature as he patiently waited for them. "We're going now, Noishe." Kratos told the protozoan who chirped—somehow—in delight. Raine and Lloyd exchanged odd glances with one another before heading after Kratos. They managed to get across the bridge of the forest when they heard voices nearing them. Could it be Desians? As the mercenary was preparing his sword, Lloyd stopped him.
"Chosen…?"
"No, those sounds aren't Desians or monsters." Lloyd said. "It…sounds like…"
"Lloyd!"
Genis and Colette! The two friends, out of breath, rushed towards them, panting heavily. It was noticeable they had been running awhile, and from something it seemed. The brunet was the first to jump on this. "What happened? What are you guys running from? Are you okay?"
"W…We're fine…" Genis panted. "B-But we saw them, Lloyd!"
"Saw who?"
Colette recovered a little of her breath and spoke, "Desians."
The group froze on the name, though Raine was able to press further. "What about the Desians?"
"They're heading right for the village!" Genis blurted out. "Colette and I… we were going to find you Lloyd and catch up with you before you set off but then we saw them coming towards us. We hid but…" They didn't need to say anything more. Lloyd's face already grew with fury, and his hands instinctively went upon the hilts of his swords.
"There's no time. We have to save them." He said, being the irrational teenager he was.
"Lloyd!" The elven woman tried but he refused.
"No, we have to save the villagers. It's my fault and I have to take responsibility. I can't let the village burn down!" With that, the determined Chosen raced along the path that led towards Iselia, not caring if the others followed him or not. With his angelic strengthened hearing, he did hear the rest of them follow behind him. But, his mind was on the Desians, and more importantly, the one who was in charge of them. Forcystus…I'm sorry. I have to apologize to you and make you stop whatever you're planning. Lloyd thought, urging himself to hurry. There was no time to waste while innocent lives were on the line.
-x-x-x-
Eight Years Ago
-x-x-x-
Lloyd, seven years old and going on eight soon, was strolling through the forest of Iselia by his lonesome. The day was partially cloudy, but the young Chosen didn't mind. He stayed away from monster's eyes and kept to himself. Days like these, he just wanted to go see the dwarf, Dirk and spend time with him. Learning about the Dwarven Vows and dwarven technology excited him the most out of his young life, and today was one of those days he'd set aside for the short man's attention. He was dressed in a short sleeve-turtle neck like red shirt, tan colored shorts, long white socks and brown shoes. As usual, Lloyd's wild mop of hair remained the same style as it normally was, though it was growing a few inches longer in the back. As he neared the usual T-intersection of the forest, he overheard some voices.
"Damn bastard! Get back in line!" One voice shouted. After that, cracks of a whip lashed against flesh and a man's moan bellowed out. It continued for several moments until it stopped for some reason. The next voice that Lloyd heard was "Damn inferior beings! They're always doing something stupid!" Inferior beings? Who were those? And why were these voices swearing so much? Curious, the brunet Chosen walked carefully on the east path, looking around for whoever was the owner of the last voice. As Lloyd drew closer, he didn't see the three Desian guards that were, well, guarding the human ranch's entrance. They all spotted the inferior being brat and growled.
"Hey! Brat, what the hell are you doing here?!" One shouted as he and his cohorts ushered themselves upon the seven-year-old boy. Lloyd gasped, looking up as he was caught unintentionally. His large, brown eyes met with each of the taller men's forms, becoming terrified.
"Damnit, it's a human! Must be from that stupid village Lord Forcystus arranged some treaty with!" another said.
"Well, if this kid is here, then he's breaking the treaty!" the third rants. He narrowed his eyes—that were hidden under his helmet—at the brown-haired boy, growling. "You're in some deep shit, you son of a bitch."
Lloyd, too scared and frozen to babble anything, watched as the men rounded on him. He could feel the warm tears in his eyes forming and rolling down his face. What were these guys going to do to him? "It's just a kid, though. There's no need to charge into the village and kill all those human. I say we slap the hell out of this brat and then drag him into the ranch as a prize for Lord Forcystus." The second said, also eyeing Lloyd like a hungry lion. "Yes, we'll see what he thinks of trespassers!"
"Come on! Get him!" the first says, reaching out to grab Lloyd. The boy barely backed away, still in shock, but the instant the Desian grabbed him by the locks of his hair forcefully, the child wailed loudly. It was an ear-shattering screech that could have broken glass windows if it could. In fact, on the inside of the ranch, many glass containers were cracking and the indoor windows were beginning to split apart. Those that were handling radio transmissions of sorts were groaning in pain when the echoed cry rung through their sensors. "What the hell was that?!" The fourth Desian, being indoors, asked out of the blue.
"It was a cry, that's what!" another answered.
"Dumbass, I know that! But from where?"
"I don't know! It couldn't have been from one of those blasted humans, could it?"
"Go check." A voice interrupted their conversation. It was a half-elf man with aquamarine hair, wearing an eye-patch over his left eye and a cannon over his left arm. "Round up those pathetic nuisances and find the culprit."
"Y-yes Lord Forcystus!" A desian saluted as she scurried out, yelling out the orders to everyone else in the ranch. Soon, the entire ranch guards herded the human slaves out like sheep and glared them down. Once they were all gathered, one of the Desians shouted at them. "Who is causing that entire racket?" The humans stayed silent, trembling in fear. They all knew they didn't scream like that, but they couldn't admit that or they'd be at fault for admitting they weren't at fault. Only thing to do was to not talk at all. After a moment of silence, the Desian roared again. "WELL!? Who is going to speak up? Or shall all of you suffer? Stop trying to hide the bloke!"
One brave soul stepped forward. "…It…It wasn't us."
"Oh? And how do you think we'll believe you, inferior wench?"
The woman who spoke up recoiled. "…I… It was from outside the ranch, I-I swear." She defended.
"Hmph! And you think we'll believe the likes of you? Get her!" The Desian ordered other guards to grab her. The woman's eyes shrunk as she was grabbed roughly. "N-No, I…I was only trying to…!" She tried but couldn't finish. The sound of that loud, glass-breaking scream cried out again, nearly shaking the foundation.
"What on earth!" Another half-elf soldier gawked. The woman wench was right after all, it was coming outside of the gates! And just at that time, Forcystus stepped out, making both humans and Desians stand back and make room for him. "Open the damn gates!" He roared in command. Just as he spoke, the electronic, metal gates opened and the half-elf grand cardinal stormed out. He had sensed it the moment he ordered those buffoons to round up the humans to interrogate. Admitting he was wrong was one thing, but this, what he sensed, was another. It was a half-elf's cry of help, and not just any half-elf. He knew who it belonged to; the unique mana he felt only had one master.
Lloyd.
The aquamarine-haired cardinal scowled when he saw one of his men grab the young Chosen by the hair, making the child scream and then hit him. The nerve of his dumbass men. Before the others could strike the child, Forcystus growled. "Fools!" He snapped, almost feeling like he was repeating himself with this. "What the hell are you doing!?" The Desians who were beating on Lloyd dropped the child in a hurry, stammering and trying to get into attention.
"Lord F-Forcystus! This human child approached the ranch and broke the treaty! We were teaching him a lesson, sir and then we would present him to you." The first Desian spoke.
"We thought you'd want to know about a human trespasser." The second added.
Now, if this were any normal, human child, the half-elf grand cardinal wouldn't have minded. In fact, he probably would've had his men skewer the child with their sword or something, then go make hell in the nearby village. But, this wasn't just any child. This boy was not only the Chosen but a fellow half-elf! Diluted as it may be, he was still one of them. Why hadn't his men sensed his mana, he couldn't ever fathom why. Maybe they were dull and idiotic. "You idiots! Can't you see straight?!"
"…H-however do you mean, sir?" the third Desian wondered.
"This child you just tried beating down is the Chosen!" Forcystus snapped. "No less, a half-elf!" He knew they would question how he was a half-elf so he continued on. "It doesn't matter if he doesn't look it, his mana tells no lies. Put your eyes back in your damn sockets and focus you dullards! You know how human's manas feel like! Does this boy's mana feel ANYTHING like it?" Yup, you could tell Forcystus was pissed. The Desians flinch at the deathly tone of their cardinal, looking over to the still trembling and wailing Lloyd, taking a closer inspection upon his mana. True to their superior's words, the boy's mana didn't match the humans. It was like a half-elf's, but diluted by the human mana wrapped around. Regardless, they felt it and now they were in deep shit.
"…Y-yes…Sir, you're r-right." the first Desian uttered under his breath.
"Good. Now get in gear and tell every damn soldier in this ranch; the Chosen is Lloyd Brunel. NO ONE is to harm him and if they are caught doing so, I will personally end their pathetic lives. Got it?" The grand cardinal growled lowly.
"Y-y-yessir!" The Desians panicked and scurried off, running like pansies if one could squint hard enough. When they were gone, Forcystus approached the crying Lloyd, annoyed by his wailing, but seemingly was used to it. He used his right hand to nudge the young Chosen and stop his unnecessary tears. "Are you hurt?" The grand cardinal asks, a hint of softness in his voice, but still masked the stern complexion in tone.
Lloyd reduced himself to sniffling, shaking his head. "My face hurts a little and my head." And he began whining.
Forcystus hides a growl under his breath and raises his right hand near Lloyd. A small amount of mana gathered and formed into magic, a whitish green ball of light forming. "Stay still, now." The older half-elf commands then says, "First Aid." The healing art surrounds the boy, easing his pain away as if he were sleeping on a feathery pillow. "Now does it hurt anywhere?"
"No." Lloyd replies quietly.
"Good." Forcystus stands up and helps the boy Chosen to his feet, sighing. "What were you doing here?"
"I…I heard voices and I was curious—"
"You could have been hurt far worse than what you received today." The older man snapped, interrupting Lloyd. "You need to be careful." Lloyd looked down on the ground as Forcystus continued. "I can't keep waving these instances off like this all the time. You have technically broken the treaty again, Lloyd."
"…I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"
The grand cardinal sighed again, putting his hand on the seven-year-old's shoulder. "Listen, kid. You can't come over here by the ranch. It's dangerous for you, and it'll sever the non-aggression treaty I've made with those humans in the nearby village. They made it to protect you." Lloyd looked into the man's eyes—or rather the only eye that was visible—and frowned. "You're important to them, as much as I regret it. Now, can you do me a favor?"
"…What is it?"
"I want you to promise to never come back to this ranch. Never come back here again. Can you do that for me?" Forcystus asked, trying his hardest not to scowl at the child. In a way, Lloyd reminded him of his younger days, and empathized with the child. "I need your word on this, Lloyd."
"…I…I promise, Forcystus."
"It's Lord Forcystus." He corrected softly as he ruffled the child's hair. Just because he was a fellow half-elf didn't mean he couldn't be corrected to respect him. "Good boy. Now, run along now. Go home. I'll let this slide again." He stood to his full height. "Remember the promise now, and don't tell anyone of this encounter or they'll think we're going soft on them."
"Uh-huh." Lloyd says, feeling less scared. He turns around and hurries off, disappearing after he makes a left, going to the dwarf's house he promised himself earlier he'd go to. Once he was gone and out of sight, Forcystus turns back into the ranch, sighing.
"Why do I get the feeling I'll be seeing that kid again soon?" He grumbled to himself. "Forcystus, you can't be a babysitter for that kid…Don't get attached. He is just a pawn in Lord Yggdrasil's plans."
Unfortunately for the half-elf cardinal, Lloyd had gone up to the ranch several times after that incident, requesting to see the man every other time. For some reason he himself didn't know, Forcystus was able to spare a few minutes with the child. If it kept him from the ranch, then it would have to do. His stubbornness was irritating the half-elf cardinal, but in a way, it was starting to grow on him. The more time they spent together, the closer Lloyd got to him. Forcystus was unsure if he could allow the boy to keep randomly visiting him like this, and so, when Lloyd's tenth birthday came around, the grand cardinal forbade and banned the child from coming near the ranch. He simply ordered his men to keep the brunet Chosen away and if they came in contact with him, to not harm him but inform him.
Apparently, the "threat" worked and the man hadn't seen or heard of Lloyd for years.
But deep down, he was beginning to miss that kid…
-x-x-x-
"Forcystus…" Lloyd breathed out as he and his friends entered Iselia, which was set ablaze. The Desians came and was burning the houses down, just like he said he would. But, that was if he found out if the villagers were mistreating him. Regardless, he broke the trust he had built with the grand cardinal anyway. This was his fault, even if Genis blamed himself.
"This is awful!" Genis cried.
"No…" Colette gasped.
Just then, they heard a man's voice, and it was ever so clear; "You humans have been found guilty of mistreating the Chosen!" Lloyd knew that voice! He hurried towards the source, looking on with horror as Desians had rounded up the villagers and pointing sharp swords at them. They all were scared, of course. The mayor was standing in the midst of them, fists clenched.
"Wh-what?" The mayor gawked. "We've never harmed the Chosen! He was treated well! He was fed, clothed, housed and respected! H-How can you say we've mistreated the Chosen!?"
"SILENCE!" the man's voice, Forcystus, yelled in anger. Of course, he knew it wasn't true. He knew Lloyd was fine here in the village, but he couldn't let them know that. The grand cardinal was stuck in a hard place yesterday; Lloyd had broken the treaty for the third time, and his men had enough of the intrusions of humans. He was exposed to an Exsphere host in the ranch, and slew a few of his men. Even with that, he couldn't touch Lloyd. He was the Chosen, and Yggdrasil's precious vessel. If he dared harmed the Chosen in any way, he would be slain on the spot by many angels of Cruxis. However, he recalled one memory he spent with the boy.
"Lloyd, why are you here?" Forcystus wondered as a nine-year-old Lloyd was crying, standing near him. The guards had summoned him from his office when his soldiers told them the Chosen requested his presence. Unable to turn from the boy, he got up from his desk and proceeded to meet with the brown-haired child. However, instead of being met with his usual happy face, Forcystus was greeted with the boy in tears.
"…So…Some kids were being mean to me." The young Lloyd sobbed. "They saw me doing magic and said I was…was a freak." While physically Forcystus didn't budge, internally he was raising hell.
"Lloyd…"
"I…I'm sorry, Fo—Lord Forcystus, but I have no one else to talk to. Colette and Genis are busy doing homework, s-so I don't want to bother them. I know I'm not supposed to be here but I…"
That one memory he would play upon. He had informed his lord of angels that the village the Chosen had resided in, the villagers were trying to kill him, so he volunteered to kill them instead of sending others down to do the task. The lie worked well, as it allowed Forcystus' men to wreck as much havoc as they wanted without actually hurting the Chosen himself. Not only that, he was told the boy left the village, so it was as good as his. "I was told by my sources that you pathetic human roaches were harming the Chosen! For this, you shall all pay the price with your lives!" Forcystus bellowed out next.
"No, th-that's not right!" the mayor tried to defend them, but it was much too late. Forcystus summoned a strange green skinned creature into sight and ordered it to attack the villagers. They screamed in fear as it neared them. It was about to raise its long, mutated claw against them when a shout of "Fire Ball!" roared out. Three flaming balls of magic struck the monster, stopping it. This bought the villagers rounded up near the Desians to flee. The green skinned creature turned around to find its assailant; it was a silver-haired elf boy with a kendama. Forcystus saw the boy appear and scowled.
"Forcystus, stop this!" Lloyd shouted, entering the scene. Unlike most people, Lloyd stopped directly in front of the grand cardinal, surprising his friends and the villagers. Kratos, however, knew too well about the relationship between the grand cardinal and Lloyd. Forcystus' eye widened in shock to see the brunet right here and in the village, to boot! Damn, he was ruining his plan he lied to have vengeance for his fallen men, since he couldn't do a thing to hurt the brown-haired swordsman. "Lloyd, what are you doing here?"
"I'm stopping you from killing innocent people!" The Chosen shot back. "You can't…do this!"
"I can!" Forcystus argued back. "And I will! Move aside, Lloyd. I rather not hurt you in this."
"No, Forcystus, I won't move—!"
"That's LORD Forcystus to you, human scum!" One of the Desian guards nearby growled as he rounded up on Lloyd to hit him. However, before he got within another inch closer, Kratos had stabbed him through his abdomen, drawing his sword out of the flesh wound and set his glare upon the grand cardinal. "Lloyd, get out of here, I'm serious…" Forcystus hissed under his breath but the young angel refused.
"No… Why are you doing this?!"
"Chosen! Wh…What is the meaning of this?!" the mayor roared, having seen the close interaction the brunet had with the Desian. Lloyd didn't have much of a response, so the half-elf man had to move in and do something. He wasn't much for protecting others but when it came to the Chosen, well, it was something worth his time. He glanced at Lloyd, muttering, "I'm sorry for this" before turning his attention to the graying-haired leader of this supposed village.
"Hmph, you fool. Did you not realize something?" Forcystus began, with Lloyd wondering what was going on.
"What are you talking about?"
"Didn't you realize that the Chosen would leave the village for long periods of time, in his youth?"
Lloyd froze. He had an inkling of where this was going and his eyes widened in fear. No, no, Forcystus promised him! "…No… Don't…" He begged, his voice just above a hushed whisper. However, it didn't reach the half-elf man's attention at all. The mayor was still struggling to piece together the cardinal's words. "Lloyd…?" Genis glanced up to him, noticing the brunet's pale expression.
"Heh, you're an idiot for not noticing it sooner. Your dear Chosen would visit my ranch." He earned a mouthful of gasps and continued. "He would visit me sometimes and tell me things you idiots would do to him. I told you bastards years ago, if you did anything to mistreat him, I'd burn your village to ashes!" He jabbed an accusing finger at the mayor, who went wide-eyed with fear but glared at Lloyd in the process.
"Y-You stupid Chosen! You stupid boy! Look at what you've done!" He roared.
Raine was shocked, Genis and Colette were surprised, Noishe growled, Lloyd paled even more, and Kratos was well over pissed. How dare this fat, irresponsible man call his son "stupid"?! If the others hadn't been there, he would have unleashed hell in the form of Judgment upon him.
"Did your precious Chosen One ever tell you—"
"No…Fo-Forcystus…"
"—that he—"
"…no, stop…!"
"—is a half-elf!?"
Silence.
Then sudden gasps of shock.
Nearly all eyes fell on Lloyd, the brunet feeling the tears he thought were closed up falling from his eyes, the memory flashing before his very mind.
"Lord Forcystus." A nine-year-old, soon to be ten years old, Lloyd said as he sat by the ledge next to the half-elf cardinal.
"What is it, Lloyd?" the tall man wondered, eyeing the child. "And you know you shouldn't be here."
"…I know." The boy Chosen said, twiddling his thumbs. "But, I just…wanted to tell you something." Forcystus looked at him again, a questionable eyebrow raised.
"And that would be?"
"Uh…D-don't tell anyone my mommy's a half-elf. That I'm a half-elf…uh…kid." Lloyd squeaked out. "I don't want the village people to be mad at me. Promise me?"
"What on earth are you—?"
"If I promise to leave your ranch alone, you have to promise not to tell anyone. Please?"
A moment of silence fell between the two, and the grand cardinal broke it with a low sigh. "Very well, Lloyd. It shall stay between us. No go home before I change my mind." A smile crept up on the brunet's face as he stood up and lightly hugged the half-elf man. Forcystus didn't even recoil or anything, just let it happen. "Thank-you. I'll be good and never come here again."
"Good."
With that, the boy trotted off happily, and the grand cardinal watching his every move.
"Half-elf…!?" The mayor repeated the word like it was venom, enraged as he glared at Lloyd again. The brunet dropped to his knees, his hands rushing to his face. No, he couldn't cry, but the weight, the gravity of the situation was too much for him. But, in the end, he deserved it. He broke his promise, his trust with Forcystus first. It was 'only fair' that he would receive the same punishment. Even turned against by his family and friends. Unfortunately, Frank and Phaidra had been in the crowd and overheard every detail. They were in complete shock as were his friends—except Kratos. The mercenary stepped in front of the Chosen protectively, his sword gripped tightly. If anyone even attempted to hurt his son, he would kill them on the spot.
Forcystus glanced at the crushed form of Lloyd and chided himself mentally. I'm sorry Lloyd. I have to get you out of this village and if breaking your promise will do that, then I have no other choice. "Now, to you pathetic human roaches! You will die! Attack!" The Desians he ordered and the monster all gathered around the villagers again, ready to kill them all. The Iselians cried out again, backing up or trying to escape from their inevitable doom. "No!" Genis cried, gathering mana together and casting Fireball again on a few Desians. Colette followed through with a Ray Thrust and Kratos rushed in to deliver a Demon Fang. Raine put a hand on Lloyd's shoulder, causing the sobbing teen to look up and face her.
She was not scowling at him as he feared she would. Instead, her face read sympathy, no empathy. Why did she look that way? "Lloyd, get up. We have to defend the villagers." The silver-haired woman said softly.
"But, Professor. I'm…a half-elf. My mother was. They don't want a freak like me to save them."
"Cut it out, Lloyd." The elder Sage sibling reprimanded. "It doesn't matter who you are, remember? You're still you, Lloyd Brunel, also the Chosen. Now stand up and fight with us." Lloyd closed his eyes and rose to his feet slowly, absorbing his teacher's words. She was right in every way, and he couldn't sit there and do nothing while the villagers were suffering. He had to stand up for them even if they didn't want to. He was taught many wouldn't approve of the Chosen regardless, and if this was the case, so be it.
"…You're right, Professor. I can't let this bother me. I'm still me."
"Good…Now come on."
"Lord Forcystus?"
Lloyd thrust one of his blades through a Desian as he ducked under a whiplash attack and dodged an arrow from a crossbow.
"What is it, Lloyd?"
Colette and Genis teamed up to take down two more Desians with Flaming Thrust, their Unison Attack.
"Are you my friend?"
Kratos approached the monster—an Exbula—and drove his sword through its right shoulder, blocking its attack with his shield and moving away to avoid being hit again.
"What are you talking about, kid?"
Raine chanted the spell for First Aid as the others rounded on the green-skinned creature to fight it. Lloyd and Kratos shared sword blows while Colette stayed back and struck with her chakrams. Genis continued summoning up magic to hit from a distance.
"Well, since we talk a lot, that makes us friends, right?"
The monster roared as it flung its arms in a three-hundred and sixty degree spin, knocking Lloyd and Kratos away. The two swordsman stood up and nodded to one another. "Get ready." Kratos told Lloyd as they prepared their move.
"…Kid…You're taking this too far."
"No I'm not, Forcystus!"
"It's Lord Forcystus."
"Yeah, yeah! You sound so serious when you say that but you don't mean it around me anymore."
"…Lloyd."
"Yeah?"
"Go home."
"You don't mean that, do you?"
"Yes. Go home. You're not supposed to be here at the ranch anyway. I still don't understand why I'm bothering to wave you off each time you intrude."
"I don't either, but does this mean we're friends?"
"…If it'll make you go home faster, then yes, we are 'friends' Lloyd."
"Cross Thrust!" Lloyd and Kratos shouted as they drove their swords in an X-shape, felling the beastly Exbula. However, before it went down completely, it was lunging at the grand cardinal himself! The monster moaned and grabbed the half-elf man tightly. This forced the surviving Desians nearby to gasp in fear. "L-Lord Forcystus!" One exclaimed.
"What is that thing doing?" Colette wondered.
"I…I don't know. Turning on its master…" Genis breathed out.
"…G-Genis…!" An old woman's voice croaked out, calling the elven mage. His eyes widened as he recognized who it belonged to. No, it couldn't be…! "C-Colette… Chosen One, Lloyd… please escape…While I have control of myself, please…!" The three teens by name gasp, exchanging looks with one another and then back to the Exbula whom had Forcystus trapped. "Unhand me, you vermin! I am your master!" The aquamarine-haired half-elf bellowed as he tried to squirm his way free.
"M-Marble…?" Genis gaped.
"G-Genis… You… you were like a grandson to me… I'll never forget your kindness…" Marble's voice echoed. "F-Farewell, Genis…" With all the strength and power it could muster, the Exbula monster—Marble—initiated some form of self-destruct upon herself and her target. Forcystus screamed in pain as his body felt like it was on fire from the implode-explosion of the creature. A small, red jewel rolled down from nowhere, right next to Genis' feet. In utter shock, the boy barely glanced down, forcing his body to pick up the abandoned Exsphere. Tears were rolling down his eyes. "No…It…Marble…No!" He cried in denial. His only other friend beside Lloyd and Colette—gone!
Forcystus panted, noticing he was tremendously weakened in his state. He couldn't carry out with his plan, and not with four soldiers left, either. He was just about to stand when he noticed Kratos was coming straight for him! The grand cardinal growled, but only because he knew his end was near. "Kratos! No, stop!" the mercenary heard Lloyd yell at him but he chose to ignore the boy. The man responsible for his son's mistreatment was the cardinal himself. Just as he was readying his sword to slash—he moved forward and swung!
But it was not Forcystus' flesh he cut into.
His red eyes widened in absolute shock.
Lloyd had moved himself between the mercenary's blade and the half-elf, barely, if one called it that. The Chosen held the half-elf grand cardinal by his head, his left shoulder having suffered the fatal blow that would have decapitated Forcystus. Kratos, unfortunately, was going through stages of turmoil, the image of his dear, lovely Martel being stabbed by the Tethe'allan replayed in his mind. Seeing Lloyd jump to protect the half-elf reminded him of his failure to protect Martel, and worse of it all, he struck his only son! That attack meant to behead someone was blocked, and in its stead, was Lloyd's shoulder. The brunet's arm was still tact; only half of the sword cleaved into his skin. Blood decorated the ground below them and tainted his red jacket where it had been shredded due to the attack.
"Lloyd!" Colette and Genis cried.
"…" Kratos was silent, but his eyes grew fearful as he scanned the boy feverishly. "Lloyd…"
"…I'm…I'm okay." The brunet lied. "Aaaugh!"
Forcystus, having been frozen there, couldn't move. He was spared and not only by fate. Lloyd had jumped in front of him, literally, and shielded him. HIM! Of all people, it was him! Why? He was in a mix of emotions, one being anger. He was angry at himself for the failing of the village raid, and angry at Lloyd for protecting him! The foolish boy. "Lloyd…you…idiot, why?" Forcystus choked out. The teenaged Chosen weakly glanced back at him, smiling. "You're my friend…Forcystus…I can't…let you die, no matter what…"
"That was stupid of you—"
"Forcystus… just go. Don't let my…shielding of you be in vain."
The two stare at one another before the grand cardinal complied. He was in no condition to sit and argue with a child, no less the Chosen. He could barely stand, and thankfully his subordinates rushed to his aid. "Lord Forcystus!" they all spoke in worry.
"…Very well, Lloyd. I will leave this time, but next time, I will not refuse." Forcystus told the boy, allowing his men to help him out of the damaged, beyond repair village. When they were gone, Lloyd collapsed, falling right into the arms of the ever-so protective Kratos. The man quickly shook out of his trance and casted a First Aid upon him, hoping the teen didn't lose too much blood. Noishe, Raine, Genis and Colette hurried over, worried. Everything was in chaos, simply put. No amount of mending could heal this scar, emotionally and physically. Lloyd slowly opened his eyes to find his friends around him, but they were blurry. Kratos was holding him up, apparently, and the brunet didn't mind it at all.
"…I'm sorry." He apologized.
"Why are you apologizing?" Genis looked at him. "Lloyd…if anything, we should be sorry to you."
"I put the village in danger." The Chosen spoke up. "It's my fault all of this happened—"
"You're damn right it is!" Uh-oh, the mayor. A few other angered villagers approached them, glaring down at the boy they knew as the Chosen. "Look at what you did, you stupid child! How many times have we told you not to go to the ranch? Hm? How many!?" Lloyd didn't answer, merely looked away and saw some houses burning down slowly. "We made that damn treaty to protect your ass, but you go and break it! I knew you were up to something! You Desian-lover Chosen!" Lloyd closed his eyes, hiding the anger and hurt that was surfacing. Kratos was about to skewer this man to silence when Genis stood up.
"Lloyd's not a Desian-lover! He's nothing like them!" The elf tried to defend.
"Didn't you hear that bastard Desian leader? He said that Lloyd was a half-elf! All Desians are half-elves!"
"Th-that's not true…" Colette spoke up next. "Lloyd…he may be a half-elf, but he's good hearted. He's been so nice and always helps."
"That's because he was plotting with them Desians, that's why! There's no other way to explain it—!"
"If you feel that way about me, then get rid of me." All eyes turned to the injured brunet who was staring up in the sky. "If you want to get rid of me to save your village, or what's left of it, then just get rid of me. I've caused you so much trouble…I deserve it." Lloyd turned to face the mayor. "But I will still do my duty as the Chosen. I will regenerate the world…and save all of you from suffering, even if you don't like me."
The mayor scowled as did the villagers who agreed with him. "So be it then. From this moment on, Lloyd Brunel, you are banished from Iselia!" He yelled.
"Y-you can't do that!" Genis bellowed.
"I just did!" The mayor countered. "If you're so bent up about it, then the rest of you are banished as well! Go, worship your Desian-loving Chosen for all the hell I care because I don't!" Oh, if Kratos wasn't holding Lloyd right now, he would have long since silenced this worm's tongue. How dare him…It wasn't like this everyday, the mercenary would get riled up in his emotions. But, this man was bad mouthing his son. Before Kratos could react in a wild manner that was not suited as a father or a gentleman, he helped Lloyd to his feet, who was now staring at the ground.
"Lloyd…" Colette tried but was cut off.
"…We have a long road ahead of us. We should go now." Lloyd told his friends. In this moment, Frank and Phaidra were approaching them as the mayor's group departed. Lloyd saw them out of the corner of his eyes but didn't face them.
"Lloyd." Frank began softly.
"You must think of me as a freak huh?"
"…What are you saying? Of course I don't."
"You must hate me…something!"
The blond-haired man shook his head. "Lloyd, it doesn't matter who you are. You're still my son. I just wish I could do something more to help you…" The brunet looked up and turned to man he had known to be his adoptive father. He simply nodded, falling into a hug with him one more time, along with Colette. "I'm sorry…Dad, Lady Phaidra."
"…Do what you must, Lloyd. We'll be rooting for you. Don't apologize." Frank said, ruffling the boy's hair. "Colette, will you…look after your brother for me?"
The girl nodded, wiping a few tears from her face. "I…I will, Father."
"May the goddess Martel keep you safe." Phaidra wishes to them, watching the group sadly depart from the once village of oracles, Iselia. It would be a long journey ahead of them, yes, and they would take it one step at a time. Lloyd, for once in his life, was glad to leave Iselia. While it was his home and he had been raised there, the tension he felt every day was killing him. So, it was partially a win-win situation to him. Good riddance.
Galdr: And now they're out of Iselia! Yay! Toldja they would be. xD
Review responses for Chapter 7!
Marina Ka-Fai: Yes, poor Kratos! He does need a hug! And I need to fix that shoe issue. It was supposed to be blue in chapter 3. I fail! Or rather, Microsoft Office fails! Yes. I'll blame it.
LeaStar: Well, by reading chapter 8, you have seen what Forcystus has done. XD I gotta admit, altering the story is fun. Thanks much, my dear, for enjoying my long chapters. I hope you enjoyed this one.
Holy cow, this is over 11,000 words, so much for being a short chapter. Ah well! I'm mega tired. I stayed up from 8pm to 4:24am typing all this in one setting again. Huzzoh! Review if you like!