Well, well. Can you believe it? I actually COMPLETED a story. Yup yup, this story is completely written out already. I'll just post the chapters little by little and see how the reaction goes. Don't worry; you can trust me on this one. :D

I know, I scrapped "Healing Light." But I think it was crap anyway. This, in a way, is a reworked version of it, but not quite. So... I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia.

Also... for Kratos/Raine fans, I have to warn you -- this story focuses on Kratos and Raine, but contains no romance. That's right. Just some mild interactions, but no romantic feelings. Yes.

Patience
She crossed her arms and cursed at herself silently for letting her guard down. Periwinkle eyes penetrated the atmosphere like cold needles, but after four-thousand years of life, one got used to stares such as those. So he stared back. Retaining his mask, he shot her a look of cold indifference that rivaled her own fiery glare.

Moments passed, with only the ocean breezes of Altamira sweeping through the silence. Neither of them were willing to speak the first word. Unfortunately, however, Raine's suspicion finally burned a hole through her stubbornness.

"… Kratos." Her voice was hesitant, but held not the slightest quiver. The gears in her brain were cranking at lightning speed, searching for just the right words to be used in questioning the mysterious seraph.

He crossed his arms into their signature "I-am-stronger-than-you" position and snorted.

That alone was enough to fuel her suspicion into rage, but she refused to let her feelings surpass her cool demeanor. Calmly, she repeated, "Kratos. It is obvious that you have been trying to help us, so I must inform you that it would be in our benefit to know what exactly you are planning. First of all, why are you in Altamira?"

He remained completely unfazed, not even blinking before he answered. "I have no reason to reveal my purposes to you. I am an angel of Cruxis." His mind wove his next sentence flawlessly into place, successfully patching the hole of doubt that was his search for Aionis. "Telling the enemy of one's mindset is a foolish action. I thought you, of all people, would know that."

She raised an eyebrow. It wasn't as if she hadn't been expecting that kind of an answer from him.

"Please." After all, her scholarly intuition was incredibly sharp, as were her skills of observation. "Do you think I haven't noticed? You've spared us countless times. Even when you had the perfect chance to finish us, right there at the Tower of Salvation, you didn't. Now, the only question that remains unanswered the question of whose side you are on."

Stifling all his surprise with a snort, Kratos turned his head away, an act that might seem like arrogance to those who didn't know him, but was simply typical Kratos. More of his shaggy auburn bangs fell onto his face, almost completely covering his eyes, as well as any sign of emotion that was visible within them. It was an old trick of his, coupling well with his emotionless façade.

"Well, do you honestly think I would betray Lord Yggdrasill?" Yes.

The teacher's silvery-white hair swayed lazily in the tropical wind. Kratos' unreadable face was grating on her last nerve. Pursing her lips, she inquired, "That is precisely what I am trying to figure out. When Yggdrasill wants us dead, why would you spare us? Why are you wandering Tethe'alla? And my first question – why are you here?"

"Cruxis needs the Chosen for Martel to awaken." His answer was straightforward and shadowed nothing of his motives, yet, he thought to himself, this is the only bit of truth you will get.

If she had had her staff, she would've gripped it. She didn't bother to mask the frustration lingering in her eyes.

In a single moment of impatience, she let her carefully thought out words slip out faster then she had planned. "Then why won't you kill the rest of us? We cannot be of use. The only thing we are is a bother to Yggdrasill."

A sliver of disappointment lurked in a crevice of her exasperation; her patience had been sliced through in a conversation lasting less than five minutes.

Her irritation amused Kratos though, who subconsciously acknowledged the fact that his four-thousand years of experience was far greater than that of a twenty-three year old half elf. "I merely act under Lord Yggdrasill's orders. If he needs you eliminated, then that is what I shall do." Dismissing her futile attempts with yet another snort, he unfolded his arms and turned around. A faint blue-green glow emitted from his back as he sprouted his wings.

Although she hadn't expected to learn much from him, her natural craving for knowledge left her dissatisfied with her lack of answers. Squeezing in a final fruitless question, she asked, in her iciest tone, "And just where are you going now?"

Not bothering to turn around, he grunted softly and replied, "It is not for you to know."

Crystalline feathers spread, and his brooding figure soon disappeared into the sun-lined horizon.