Night went high and the desert was completely silenced. Nocturnal creatures had yet to come out their nests, providing the two watchmen easier time. The campfire had been lit early, as anticipation for whatever things that could accidentally or even worse, consciously approaching their camp. One of the night watch plucking a stick on the burning ember, readjusting the fire to more comfortable position. He didn't actually need it, but it would be quite a problem if the others felt it too cold or too hot and couldn't sleep through the night. It would slow down their journey at least half a day if there was a sleepy one amongst them. He couldn't take the risk. Tomorrow they would be heading to the next seal.

A faint creak and footsteps broke the silence. His partner had come back, and from her calm pace he supposed nothing happened inside, all peace and bliss and good sleep. Good grief. Though she suspected he had known, she delivered the report, anyway.

"The children are asleep." She sat on a log they found earlier. The makeshift chair wasn't any better than sitting on the ground, but she quickly dismissed the though. The journey they were going to was not a simple picnic, and asking for luxury was foolish.

"Good." The stoic man stood, leaning himself to a big rock near their camp. His face showed that he had no interest on starting conversation, much to Raine's dismay, but she tried. It would be ridiculous if she spent the whole time in silence. Anything trivial was enough, as long as it kept them awake.

"Where are you from?"

"Somewhere far away."He didn't lie. Tethe'alla was no longer there, wasn't it?

"Do you...also believe in Martelism?"

It was simple and straightforward, but none that he couldn't predict. They had this running for 4000 years already, and he had accompany at least 50 Chosens (he lost count since 2000 years ago) and their companions.

"To some extent."For Mithos, she was unarguably a goddess. For Yuan, she was also one. For him...she was dear friend, and he had no difficulty in imagining her as a goddess. She was always be one.

Raine was annoyed. She chose to talk to him since it would seem very silly if she talked to herself, but talking to the mercenary was almost if she asked a bouncing wall. Fine, then. She didn't care. She would start it by herself. It was something she had kept for months, ever since she appointed herself as Colette's guardian.

"Do you think we'd succeed on this journey?"

It surprised her that he was slightly piqued by her question. He raised his eyebrows.

"Tell me what you're thinking of."

"You are old enough to know what I meant. I like Colette and while I think she shouldn't be burdened by something so heavy like the world itself at her age, I couldn't do anything than ensure her safety until the end."

"I'm listening. So what do you think we should do? She is the Chosen after all."

"She's human being, Kratos! She is still too young! And you know that everyone in Sylvarant relies on her for the Regeneration, and now, twice hopeful than ever!" she unconsciously glancing at the camp, realizing her voice was too loud a note.

"She is young indeed...I think Chosens above her went on the journey when they'd matured enough, and..."

"Yeah. Having someone to ensure the Chosen lineage continues in case she or he died. Look, Sylvarant is now in its worst condition of all time-so bad that we should send a little girl to a journey, one that probably killed her easily."

"A little girl without siblings or child." Came to think of it now, Tethe'alla's Chosen did have a sibling to replace him. The girl wasn't born from the church arranged marriage, but luckily her mana signature did possess the quality.

Raine sighed. She had heard whispers about the exact same thing since a few years ago, but they had no other option. Had the situation was not that worse, they would do it the usual way. Send the Chosen off when she/he had married and the next Chosen had been born. By doing it now meant they threw the last Chosen they had, the last one off down the cliff.

"You didn't need to emphasize it. I'm not really into Martelism, but Sylvarant is currently in such a chaos that I feel like any random goddess that could do the salvation is okay. It's just...how if she fails? I bet the whole world would condemn her without even knowing the hardships she had endured."

"Human is selfish. You know that by yourself. We send her expectantly, transferring the weigh of our burdens on her fragile body, then treat her like garbage when she proves herself not powerful enough to carry everything alone."

"You're human."

"I was."

"Was?"

Kratos winced.

"Being a mercenary means throwing off your humanity," he coldly replied. It was not entirely wrong, after all, though it did different than what he actually thought.

"I suppose. Okay, I digress. Anyway, I don't think I can do this any longer. You know, watching her with her friends like that. She deserves the right to live."

"You say something like that when we're ready to release second to final seal?"

"I've wanted to do this for a long time now."

"She does deserve the right to live, if only she is not the Chosen. Chosens live for their people's sake. Nothing could change it."

"I thought you're more than a taciturn, arrogant mercenary. I see that my expectations are too high. You're a cold blooded soldier, indeed."

"Thank you for your clarification."

The fire went off, as it ember turned into coal. Darkness once again shrouded the camp. Raine sighed; the creaking fire signed the end of their hopeless conversation.

"I'm going back to the camp. Lloyd will be the next on watch. I'll wake him now."

"It's okay. I can do this by myself."

For once, she didn't have the urge to argue. Her mind nagged for her attention, to review everything she had done till that day. Collete. Was keeping her secrets the entire time the best thing to do? Was accompanying her on this journey the best option? Was she doing the right thing by letting her die on questionable salvation? She was in need of a quality sleep.

Meanwhile, her companion was aimlessly staring at the burnt firewood, thinking the exact same thing he had though of back then, 4000 years ago.

Would Martel be happy to see such sacrifice was being made for her?

But the night didn't answer.

A/N: Lame opening, i guess. Sigh.