Chapter 17: To Find Anna
When Lloyd and Aura didn't come back by sundown, Kratos began to get agitated. He was pacing back and forth on the terrace, wondering where they could have gotten to, when Genis suddenly came stumbling up the stairs to Lloyd's bedroom.
"Kratos!" he cried. "It's Lloyd! Come quick!" Kratos stared at the young half-elf, trying to figure out if the news was good or bad.
"What happened?" he asked, following him.
"I don't know!" Genis said worriedly. "He won't say a word to anyone except, 'I need to tell him, I need to tell Kratos.'" The two hurried downstairs and outside, to where Lloyd was laying on the ground, face down. Kratos ran over and knelt next to him.
"Lloyd, what happened?" he asked. Lloyd's shoulders shook and he let out a strangled sob. Without lifting his head, he gasped,
"She's gone, we were too late, she disappeared, and she can't come back!" The rest of the group stared at the young swordsman, trying to figure out who he was talking about, but Kratos knew exactly who.
"Anna…" he muttered. Lloyd slowly got up so he was kneeling, then looked up at his father with red eyes. The seraphim remained motionless as his son did so. Lloyd, unable to control himself anymore, allowed the tears to come freely, and Kratos felt as if his heart was about to break. He studied his son for a moment, then, despite the fact that he never liked to show his emotions, reached out and hugged him tightly. After several minutes of sobbing into his father's chest, Lloyd mumbled,
"We've got to find her, Dad! We've got to bring her the exsphere!" Kratos nodded.
"I know." he said. "But we don't have to look far." Lloyd looked up at him.
"Why?"
"Because I know where she is."