Warning: There might be mentioned spoilers, as this takes place after the ending.

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After the Ending

Ch.1

The Chosen's work was done. After so long, this carelessness seemed almost unreal. Mithos was dead, and the Kharlan Tree, which they had renamed Yggdrasil, was growing rapidly. The whole group now lay dozing in a circle of sleeping bags, camping out in the wilderness, as was usual.

Being the warriors and travelers that they were, sleeping in the open was, for the most part, unavoidable. By the end of the journey, everyone was used to it. Even Zelos had gotten over the first sleepless night lying on the hard ground of the plains.

Lloyd opened his eyes slowly. He savored the peaceful feeling he felt now, free of all duties and responsibilities. He glanced over at Colette, curled up by Presea, Raine and Genis. Sheena was sitting up against a tree, her eyes closed in slumber. Regal was nowhere to be seen. Zelos was humming as he stirred a pot of soup.

Lloyd attempted to roll out of his sleeping bag, and, sleepy as he was, ended up tangled up in layers of cloth. Struggling, he rolled around the camp wound up in his sleeping bag, shouting war cries. Small animals were now gathering around the edge of the camp to watch.

Zelos stared blankly at the unstoppable juggernaut. "Bud, need some help there?"

Lloyd was oblivious to this offer, concentrating more on dealing with the problem at hand. Still rolling, he headed straight into the campfire, where Zelos was cooking.

"YAARGH!" He jumped up as his sleeping bag caught fire, and half ran, half tumbled around the camp tangled in the blazing inferno. Zelos blinked, and quickly grabbed a canteen that he had been using for the soup. Trying to hold Lloyd still while he doused him with water was a difficult task. It took three tries to put the fire out. By this time, Lloyd's sleeping bag had endured much punishment. First rolled in dirt, then set on fire, and then having had water poured over it, it bore much resemblance to a black bear that had been rolling around in a mud hole.

Lloyd stood panting in trauma beside a soaked Zelos, whose lovely red hair was hanging limply. Dripping wet, the pair stood in shock as Sheena stared and started laughing. Raine, Genis, Colette, and Presea woke with a start. As they joined in the laughter, Presea tugged on Raine's sleeve.

"Yes, Presea?" Raine asked.

"This is…funny?" Presea wondered. Raine nodded while laughing. Presea looked over at Regal, who was chuckling softly, and started giggling as well. Soon even Zelos himself was laughing, as gracefully as he could manage. Lloyd pouted, and, like the emotional teenager he was, stomped into the tent to dry off.

As soon as the laughing calmed down, Zelos called out that Breakfast was ready. The group sat down around the fire to eat. The meal passed in silence, for the most part. That is, until Kratos arrived.

He appeared amidst a cloud of sparkles, and walked over to Lloyd immediately. Lloyd jumped up, his hand on one of his swords.

"Kratos! Why are you here?"

Kratos brushed a lock of copper colored hair out of his eyes.

"I need to warn you of a new threat…a very dangerous one." He paused. Lloyd nodded.

"Go on."

Kratos glanced at all of them as he spoke.

"There is a half-elf that has been gathering warriors. He's up to no good. It seems he is building a castle for himself, using technology he salvaged from the remains of the Desians."

Presea gasped, Colette fell over, and the others shook their heads in disbelief.

"Unfortunately, he has managed to set up a magical barrier…cutting him off from the rest of the world. It seems that to destroy the barrier, you must defeat the monsters he has placed in temples around Tethe'alla. Are you ready for this new challenge?"

Lloyd scowled at Kratos.

"Of course we are! We have to stop this guy, agreed?"

"Agreed." Chorused the rest of the group. Kratos handed them a map with the locations of the temples, and took off. Genis seemed to be lost in thought.

"What's the matter, Genis?" Asked Lloyd, wondering at his friend's sudden silence.

"Nothing, I just wonder where Kratos got all this information…" Genis pondered.

"That is strange…..I'll ask him the next time I see him." Lloyd confidentally stated.

---

The next day, they set off for the nearest temple. With the Rheairds, it only took an hour to reach the first temple. They got off the Rheairds, and walked in cautiously. The familiar sight of stone floors and pillars of rock greeted their eyes.

"It looks pretty empty…" Lloyd said blandly, his enthusiasm already burnt out.

They walked down the hall, and found a plain wooden door. Hands on their weapons, they opened it quickly, in order to ambush any monsters awaiting their arrival. They let out sighs of relief. It was just a small room. There didn't appear to be any hidden traps. Lloyd rushed ahead, almost tripping over a gnomelette, who had been patiently waiting to be noticed. Lloyd rolled his eyes.

"Oh no, it's another of these things!"

The gnomelette ignored this blatant disregard of manners.

"Show me a lie!"

Lloyd blinked. Everyone else had also approached.

"Uh…Zelos…is…gay?" Lloyd conjured up a lie. The gnomelette blinked. Zelos blinked. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Lloyd!" shouted Raine, whacking him on the head with her staff.

"Show me gay." Squeaked the gnomelette. Lloyd face-faulted. Apparently, it's vocabulary did not extend to the more slang and inappropriate words.

"Uh…..never mind. Can I give you another lie?" Asked Lloyd quickly.

"Show me gay." The gnomelette said, unwavering.

"Who wants to be the examples?" Lloyd asked hesitantly, after it was obvious that the gnomelette would not accept any other lie now. Lloyd mentally hit himself for choosing a lie like that. Zelos, on the other hand, didn't appear to get what 'show me gay' meant. After all, he had to be the straightest man in the two worlds, based on his favorite hobbies.

"Oh, me! Choose me!" Lloyd sweat-dropped as Zelos jumped up and down.

"Alright. Just one more volunteer…" Lloyd said nervously.

"I will volunteer." Said Presea calmly. She, also, had no idea what the word meant.

"I'm sorry Presea. We need another guy." He sighed. And looked around. Genis, who was currently nowhere to be seen, would never do it, and Regal was hiding behind Raine. In a different situation the image would have been funny, but now it added more anxiousness to Lloyd's expression. That would mean-

"Guess you're stuck being the other volunteer, Lloyd!" said Zelos cheerily.

"Uh oh." Lloyd groaned. Zelos raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

"Did you even listen to what you were volunteering for!"

"No. What is it?" Zelos stared blankly. Naturally, volunteering in general was a good thing to do, especially when there was a reward.

"We have to show the Gnomelette what 'gay' is." Lloyd said 'gay' with apprehension, as few straight men of Sylvarant should be heard saying that particular word.

"Oh. No problem!" smiled Tethe'alla's Chosen, who seemed to have no shame at all.

Zelos made a great show of picking up Lloyd in his arms and kissing him. On the mouth. Lloyd struggled and kicked at Zelos until he was finally put down, and then he spluttered and wiped his mouth on his clothes with utter distaste.

"BLEH!" Exclaimed Lloyd, expressing his now twice in one day traumatic feelings.

"Gosh, bud, I was just doing my job!" Zelos retorted, rubbing a sore shoulder. The rest of the group was staring, wide-eyed, in shock. Lloyd was still shaking.

"I have a feeling I'm going to hate this temple." And he fell unceremoniously to the floor.