Emil took a deep breath and reached a shaking hand up to knock on the door. This was the first time he had seen Aunt Flora and Uncle Alba since he left Luin with Marta at the beginning of their journey. Alba opened the door and scowled at him.

"What are you doing here you demonic little brat?"

Emil took a shaking breath and explained about Raine giving everyone time off and the others telling him to come here.

Alba sneered and dragged him into the house. He threw Emil into the table in the middle of the room. "You think you can just come back here and expect us to be sorry? You think we did anything wrong? You're a freak! We did nothing wrong! We didn't ask for you! We didn't want you! You're a burden." He raised fist and punched Emil in the side of his head.

Months of training with no memories of anything before had Emil automatically curling into a ball and taking whatever his Uncle threw at him.

Marta looked round the group. "Where's Emil? He's two days late. He didn't even show up when we arranged to meet in Altamira."

Lloyd frowned and looked around. "I'm worried. I don't know Emil as well as the rest of you but I didn't take him for the type to stand up Marta or to run away like this. I'm worried something happened."

Raine shook her head. "Nothing could have happened. He was only going to Luin to see his Aunt and Uncle."

Zelos stiffened. "Wait... what did you just say? We have to get to Luin. NOW!" He turned and ran, pulling out a rheaird as soon as it was safe and took to the sky. The others quickly followed suit.

About an hour later they were touching down near Luin. Zelos jumped off his rheaird and ran into the city. He grabbed the nearest person by the arm. "Emil's house. Where is it?"

The boy looked at him suspiciously. "Why do you want to know?"

Zelos glared at him. "He's a friend and I'm worried. He was supposed to meet us two days ago. Where is his house?"

The boy sighed and pointed at the inn. "Upstairs there."

Zelos ran to the inn, ran up the steps and kicked the door in, the others still following close behind. He glared at the woman at the table and stalked deeper into the house, looking for Emil's room. The other's looked and Flora and apologised for Zelos before they heard the red headed chosen call out. Raine ran to where he was calling from and froze in the doorway.

Emil forced his eyes to open and looked at the blurry figure above him. Red... "R-Richter?" he whispered.

"Nah... sorry Emil. Just me."

"Zelos..."

"Yeah... Emil... why... why didn't you fight back? Why did you let him hurt you like this?"

Emil sighed. "I'm... sorry." He took a few shuddering breaths and felt the spear wobble. He was vaguely aware of people talking but he could only hear Zelos. He was the only one close enough.

He felt a sharp pain in his stomach as Alba's spear was removed and felt the cool relief of healing spells fly over his body.

He sighed in contentment and closed his eyes. At least someone cared...

Marta let tears drop from her eyes and land on the little red orb in her hands...

How could they let this happen?

They were all so concerned about Richter killing Emil that it never crossed their minds that someone else might do it first.

Zelos sighed from the other side of the fire. I turned out that Emil had told him about how Alba treated him. Zelos could relate in a way.

Why did it have to be like this?

Why did bad things always happen to good people?