Author's Notes: This is Part one of Secret. I will post part two at a later date and make this dark little one-shot a two-shot. Yes, it is far darker than my usual works, but you can blame Marinamaxwellyuy for that. She inspired me to write this by making that video on youtube called 'Kratos and Yuan Secret'. It certainly was rather interesting.

Disclaimer: I don't own the idea, nor Tales of Symphonia. This was inspired by Marinamaxwellyuy from one of her video's.

A Secret Shared

"Yuan," the blue-haired half-elf approached the man cautiously, knowing just how dangerous he could be.

"You said there was something you wished to tell me?" Yuan asked guardedly, watching the man through the little moonlight that filtered through the trees. "I am here now, so what is it Kratos?"

"I've got a secret to share. All I wanted to know is if I can trust you with this one," Kratos, murmured softly, not facing Yuan, and instead gazing down at something cradled gently in his arms, out of Yuan's range of sight. "You must tell no one of this, take it to your grave."

Yuan frowned, this time more in concern. "I won't breathe a word of it to anyone if that's what you would like to hear," to Kratos, that was as good as an oath sworn in blood.

He turned around to face the half-elf, and for the first time Yuan could plainly see the little bundle of cloth held aloft in the man's arms. Kratos took a few steps forward and placed the small bundle in the other man's arms. "His name is Lloyd."

A sharp intake of breath, and Yuan gently stroked one of the chubby cheeks with his index finger, causing the babe to yawn, and open his eyes briefly. Yuan caught a glimpse of the boy's russet eyes; just like his father's. His lips curled into a smile, his countenance softening greatly. He carefully handed the boy back to Kratos.

"He has your eyes," the half-elf said gently. Kratos smiled, grateful for his friend's approval.

"Thank you. He looks more like his mother, though Anna says differently," the red-haired man said serenely.

Yuan smirked. "You should listen to her. She has more sense then you do I'm sure," he teased lightly, turning on heel. "I have to go Kratos," he said, suddenly serious.

"Goodbye Yuan," Kratos called, not looking up from the infant in his arms.

Yuan stiffened, dread and horror flooding through him all at once. He had a sudden insight that this would be the last time he saw his old friend. "Goodbye Kratos."

Yuan slammed into the wall with such force; he felt that his body was being broken. Blood ran down the side of his face, beneath his hair as his ponytail had long come undone. A blonde haired man towered over the mangled form below, forest green eyes narrowed into a cruel, malicious glare.

"To think, all this time you were the traitor among us," perfectly white clothes adorned the man's body, open near the top, fully displaying the Cruxis Crystal that covered the majority of his chest. Pale, slender, clean hands snatched up a handful of Yuan's loose locks, pulling him away from the wall, and causing him to gasp in pain as his injuries were jarred in the process. "You know where Kratos is don't you?" Yggdrasill asked in an almost sickly sweet tone, his expression haughty, and superior.

Yuan's bloodied, cracked lip tightened into a thin line, and he glared up at the lord of Cruxis with his one good eye. The other was swollen, having been blackened by the blonde seraphim's fist previously. Yggdrasill's face contorted into a scowl filled with hatred and anger. He shook the man like a ragdoll, and he threw Yuan across the room into the desk, smashing it on impact.

Yuan gave a small, pain-filled cry, now certain that at least some of his bones had been broken. "Too stubborn to talk then? A pity, I might have spared your life had you told me where to find the Origin's Seal out of respect for the former companionship we shared. A tragedy really, considering I will find Kratos and the Angelus Project and then they shall both be returned to their rightful places," a deep laugh emanated from the man, and a manic glint was in his eyes. "But you," he spat spitefully, "you will die alone and then I shall finish off your precious Renegades," Yuan's eyes widened in horror.

"No…" he whispered, voice barely audible.

Yggdrasill gave a snort of derision and scoffed lightly at the downed man, approaching slowly, as if to draw out his last moments of life. "What did you expect? That I would just let a bunch of filthy traitors of the Goddess Martel live? I could hardly do that, not when they could just as easily turn on the goddess again; I must make an example of them after all."

Yggdrasill stopped a few feet from him, and raised his hand. A ball of white energy began to form in his upraised palm, aimed directly at Yuan. It grew and grew until at last the energy confined within it was too great, and shot out at the half-elf.

The last sound heard throughout the dead silent Renegade base was a bloodcurdling scream emanating from their leader's office.

Kratos send no tears when he heard the news. The man just stared off into space with a blank, unreadable expression, hold the sleeping baby that was his son. He didn't remember bow long he sat there holding his child, the last thing he had shared with his friend.

Kratos had heard that a 'desian base' out in the Triet desert had been destroyed by angels from heaven. He knew better than the followers of Martel. When he had heard about it, he had gone there himself, flew all the way from Iselia to Triet without stopping. Nothing was left aside from the corpses of Renegades; no angels were present among the dead, a clear testament that they had been taken by surprise.

And Yuan… Yuan had rested against the wall. Dried blood covered his face and hair, a many burns varying in severity littered across his entire body. Bruises were still quite visible against his pale skin. Decay had not quite yet set in; the place was too sterile for it to happen quickly.

In its entirety it had been a rout. The Renegades were no more. Yggdrasill was sure to win this time, and Kratos knew he couldn't hide out forever.

Still, every time he looked at his son, he couldn't help but remember the last time he had seen his friend alive. 'I've got a secret to share… take this to your grave.' With that thought, Kratos's resolve broke down and a few tears slipped passed his barrier. A bittersweet smile appeared on his lips. Yuan truly did take it to his grave.

Endnotes: I feel so bad for killing Yuan, but it was necessary for this little story.