I bring you this chapter much earlier than normal because I love all of you so much! You make me feel so loved.

I have put a poll up on my profile as to which of my four current stories I should make my main focus. The others will still have their monthly updates but I would like to have one that is my main focus. Please, let me know what you think.

If any of you have any questions about anything in the story, ask. If you can't understand it, other people might not either. I will answer any questions at the start of each chapter, to help clear up any misunderstandings.

Now, my dear readers. I'm not going to bore you with the next two years, they were rather boring (the six months I spent in the school most especially) so instead I am going to give you a quick summery of them and get right onto the part you are actually interested in. If you are interested in these little stories then you may read the side story I am putting up alongside this one, Learning the Art of Belonging.

For now, a quick explanation will suffice.

I arrived in Sylvarant on January the 20th year 4002. I arrived in Iselia on April the 4th, moved in with Lloyd the next day and enrolled in the school in Iselia the day after. I spent six months in the school learning how to read and write Hume (the common language spoken and written by humans) and anything I could about Sylvarant. After I dropped out of school I joined the town guard and started helping them get better.

I carried on manipulating mana and Lloyd caught me one day. When he tried it he accidentally cast fireball so he took instruction from Genis on how to cast spells. Genis then learned some spells he didn't learn until much later in the game.

A few weeks after I moved in with them, Dirk made me three swords to replace the ones destroyed by the storm. A 37.5" Katana, a 28" Wakisashi and an 18" Tanto. A link to a picture of them is on my profile.

Lloyd soon started joining me in going out to train in the ungodly hours of the morning and we both improved a lot.

A year after I moved in with them Lloyd and Dirk both gave me a gift each. Dirk gave me a dress and Lloyd gave me a necklace. I then showed Dirk a design for a dress for both Raine and Colette and Dirk decided to design something for Lloyd and Genis too. I put them all straight into my Wingpack.

During the first year I was in Iselia Raine tried to teach me healing artes but we quickly figured out I couldn't. I figured out how heal by channelling mana with my hands (think medical-ninjutsu from Naruto). Lloyd tried to learn healing artes and was very pleased to learn that he could. This inspired Raine to learn some more healing artes.

During my experimenting with mana I figured out how to select targets. I accidentally figured out that I could affect the pull of gravity using earth mana and set out to learn how to fly without telling anyone about it.

One day I was staring at a fly on the wall and wondered if I could ninja walk on walls like Naruto. I tried and failed. Lloyd caught me and tried, he did it on his first try (this made me very jealous). This made sense since channelling mana was normal to him, he did it all the time. After he masters tree climbing I showed him water walking. Genis could walk on water but he didn't have the strength to walk up a tree and not end up hanging upside down by his feet.

One year six months after I moved into Iselia I caught Lloyd out way too early in the morning. I cornered him and he confessed to not being able to sleep anymore and didn't really get hungry either. I noticed his Exsphere was glowing slightly and figured out he had been channelling mana into it. His logic was that since his Exsphere made him stronger then maybe if he channelled more mana into it then he would get even stronger. Unfortunately the side effect of this was kick starting the angel transformation process.

Around that time Genis met Marble. I confronted him and told him to be careful. I accidentally let slip that I know he and Raine are half-elves. Raine confronted me one day about it but I assured her that I didn't give even the slightest damn.

It was two weeks before Colette's birthday that I was going through my bag and emptied out my wingpack (mostly, it was so full I wasn't sure if half the stuff in there would even fit in Dirk's house). A black plastic thing fell on the floor. I picked it up.

My phone.

I forgot I even had one.

I had forgotten I was from earth.

In two weeks Colette would be going on the journey of world regeneration and after that we would all go to Tethe'alla. After that... I would be asking Origin to send me back to earth.

But did I want to go back?

Here on Sylvarant I had friends. I had a job with the town guard, occasionally doing other things around town for extra money. I was learning to use magic. I was actually enjoying life. I wasn't scared of people any more, I wasn't falling into depths of depression and I wasn't scared of life. I was enjoying myself more here than I ever had back on earth.

Did I want to go back?

The day of Colette's birthday arrived! Also, the day of Prophesy but I didn't really care that much about it, other than what would be happening and when.

I had given Colette her present from Dirk earlier. A brand new set of chakrams. Several of them actually, so if she lost one she wouldn't have to buy more. I told her that Lloyd and I had been working on her presents and we were nearly done, we just had to do a few finishing touches and wrap them. I was on edge all day. I knew what would be happening. I sensed them before anyone else.

Renegades.

I was not letting them storm Iselia and attack the temple. Too many people had died, although they didn't explicitly say so in the game, apart from 'the priests that were to accompany her, fell at the hands of the Desians'.

I was not letting anyone die needlessly.

It was just my bad luck that there had been a fire yesterday in one of the barns. Most of the town guard was either recovering from burns, smoke inhalation, adrenalin crash or some other kind of injury. There was barely half the guard able for duty today and most of them were off duty in the further parts of town.

I drew my sword and stepped forwards. The other guard on duty with me on the front gate readied his spear but couldn't see what had gotten my attention for another minute.

The renegades charged in from the south. I met the charge head on and managed to hold my own against many of the foot soldiers. Many of them ran past me with Botta but some stayed. They all went down quickly enough until it was just me and Vidarr left standing.

I glanced behind me to find my companion lying on the ground. He gave me a weak thumbs up but stayed down. I noticed a small group of spectators hanging out close to the village entrance. Someone carefully moved forwards and dragged Lucas into the village. I assumed they would take him to the hospital. I turned back to Vidarr and glared at him.

I Sherlocked him for a moment. Tall, heavily muscled. Thick limbs. Relies on brute strength, not agility but leg strength is not to be underestimated. Helmet with horns. Helmet protects the head, horns are protecting the sides of his neck, aiming there will be tricky. Body armour on his chest, none on his midsection. Confident in his ability to defend himself but cautious enough to wear some armour. Heavy armoured boots reaching his knees with knee guards. Shorts. Legs might be a weakness but I would have to attack them from behind.

Hammer in one hand and mace in the other sword on his back. Wielding both hammer and mace with no issue. Strong. Skilled with his weapons.

How to defeat him?

Speed. Get behind him to attack his legs. Aim for his midsection or the front of his neck. I braced myself. A bright light shone from the sky behind to the north and the both of us were blinded. As soon as the light faded I dashed forwards.

He swung the ball of the mace at me and aimed the hammer. I dodged both and went in again. After a few repetitions of this I was fairly confident about his speed and reflexes. This was going to be hard. I dashed forwards and stopped suddenly in front of him, swinging my sword up and using some mana to easily cut through the chain of his mace. He needed to take better care of his weapons. The chain was rusted and covered in dried blood. I narrowly avoided the hammer and kept an eye on the ball. I didn't land near anyone so I focused my full attention on my opponent.

Unfortunately, my watching the ball had caused me to lose a moment of distraction and he had already drawn his sword by the time I turned back to him.

The hammer quickly followed the mace after I used super-charged fire to incinerate the handle which was also poorly cared for.

The sword was another matter entirely. He and I traded blows several times but I knew I couldn't draw this out too long. The others were probably already at the temple. I wanted to help them with Botta.

I narrowed my eyes. There was only one way I was going to end this stalemate within the next few moments. I took a deep breath and steadied myself. I dashed forwards and swung my sword out wide. Vidarr took advantage of the opening that created and swung at me. I managed to avoid most of the blow and swung my sword around from behind him, running him though from behind.

While he had a chest plate on his front, he had no such protection on his back.

I looked over my shoulder as he dropped to the ground and pulled my sword out of him, flicking it clean before sheathing it. I placed a hand over the large and very painful gash in my side and healed it up as best I could. I turned around and dashed through the village, ignoring the calls to come back from many of the villagers who had been watching me.

When I get there Lloyd, Genis and Colette are standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Guys. Wait up!" I stopped next to them. "There are Desians up there."

Lloyd nodded grimly. "Yeah. We figured. Let's go."

When we get to the top of the stairs I look around. There are a number of priests injured but luckily no one seems dead yet. Lloyd immediately started throwing healing artes at them. I look Botta over. "Hmmm. So, you must be Botta. Leader of the Triet Desian ranch. The only one of the Desian ranches that does not 'cultivate' humans." I made quotation marks over cultivate.

Genis looked at me. "There's no Desian ranch near Triet."

I smiled down at him. "Not as far as you are aware."

Lloyd growled. "That doesn't matter. Their still Desians. They still broke the non aggression treaty."

I shook my head. "We have a non-aggression treaty with the Iselia ranch. We don't have one with the other ranches. They didn't break the treaty because there is no treaty to break."

Botta smirked at me. "You are very well informed."

I smirk back. "I get around."

Botta snorted. "No matter. My mission has not changed." He turned back to the priests. "Where is the chosen?"

"I'm here." Colette called out. I face palm.

"Lord Botta. There she is." Desian soldier #1 called out.

Botta face palmed. "I can see that you idiot." He took his hand away from his face. "Chosen one. Your life is mine."

Lloyd drew one of his swords. "I won't let you Desians get away with anything."

Desian soldier #1 smirked at us. "Desians? HAHAHAHA!"

Genis glared. "What's so funny?"

Desian soldier #2 said. "Well then, die at the hands of the Desians you so hate. Get them!"

Botta glared at him but spoke in a very casual 'couldn't be bothered' tone. "I believe I am in charge here. None the less you are quite correct. Kill them all."

The four foot soldiers charged at us. Lloyd and I charged forwards and ended up in the middle of the Desian formation with two of them on either side of us. We stood back to back and I pulled out my Wakisashi in my right hand and my tanto in my left. Lloyd drew his other sword and we swung at the Desians. I channelled wind mana down my blades and slashed them both with the mana even though they both jumped back and avoided the blade itself.

Behind me I heard a shout of pain so I assumed Lloyd hit one. I threw my tanto and nailed one of the Desians right in the face. The other one got a fireball to the face. I heard another two shouts of pain from behind me. I lunged forwards and quickly stabbed the Desian in the neck while he was distracted by the burn on his face. I turn and crouch down just as Lloyd spins around and uses tempest. I step backwards in my crouch and pull my tanto out of the guys face. Lloyd had taken both of his Desians out. One had a slash on his face that I assume came from Colette's chakrams.

I straighten up and the four of us turn to Botta.

He sighed. "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."

I nod. "It is never best to rely on others to get things done right. Especially uncouth cads like these."

"Quite, quite. Well then, shall we?"

"Oh, come now. There must be something we can do to sort this out. What exactly is your agenda here?" I was quite enjoying being British with Botta.

"I have come to kill the chosen." He drew his sword.

"Is that your goal? Or is there something else? Do you truly wish to assassinate a sixteen year old girl, or is it more that you do not wish for her to complete the journey of world regeneration?"

Botta glared at me. "It is the same thing."

I smirk. "Not necessarily." Damn it Kratos where in the nine hells are you?

"Enough of this idle chatter. Prepare yourself!" Botta charged towards me.

Since he had his sword in his right I dodged to my right and slashed with my tanto which was in my left hand. I managed to just scrape his shirt as he dodged so I didn't do anything. He smirked at me. "Hmm. That is better than anyone has done in a while."

I narrow my eyes. I was going to need a little help with this. Focus on mana and move it so the wind stops affecting me and I use gravity to pull myself faster.

I was so much faster this time. He barely avoided my attack but he didn't see Lloyd coming towards him from behind until it was nearly too late. He managed to dodge again but not in time to avoid damage. We looked down at the shallow cut on his shirt and a saw a glint of metal armour underneath it. I charged round to the same side Lloyd was on. This left Genis and Colette unguarded but that was my plan. "Behind you!" I shouted.

Botta turned around on instinct and got nailed right in the crotch with Genis' Stone blast. I laugh for a moment and Colette chuckled. Lloyd and Genis both wince in sympathy. I close one eye and stare at the ground beneath him. I smirk.

"Bet that hurt, but how 'bout this? Stalagmite!" The ground beneath him burst upwards and nailed him in the crotch again. I laughed harder. I couldn't use spells but there was no reason to let him know that so it was probably best to pretend I could and make the same effects as the spells using my method.

Laughing proved to be a mistake as Botta turned to me and charged. Never mind he was closer to his target and the only one between them was a twelve year old mage.

I used the Wakisashi to block and held the Tanto behind his blade keeping it in place. Lloyd took that opportunity to stab him in the side.

He managed to break free from my grip and I jumped backwards to avoid his slash. Of course since I was nearly against the wall the only place for me to go was half way up the wall. I didn't have a problem with that (since I could hover in the air just fine) but apparently Botta did since he let his guard down long enough to be hit with a fire ball, a chakram and a demon fang at the same time. I sent an azure edge at him. Demon fang only worked if it had ground to travel on. Lloyd and I learned azure edge to compensate for this. I dropped down from the wall and charged him while he was busy charging at Lloyd.

This hit-and-run-tag-team tactic was working but we didn't seem to be doing much damage. He was wearing patches of metal armour so our attacks weren't doing much damage since we kept hitting the metal.

Botta caught me off guard and threw me to the ground I was about to throw fire in his face when a purple blur jumped in front of me and slashed at Botta. I did not like having a grown man stand over me. Not at all.

I kicked him in the nuts and did a backwards roll with a hand spring to get away from him. I panted heavily. I had been channelling way too much mana during this battle. Clearly Botta wasn't holding back.

And clearly Botta knew this purple clad newcomer. "Hm. I didn't think you would show up. No matter. I'll retreat for now. You, boy, what is your name?"

"Drake." I answered.

"Drake, the next time we meet you will perish by my blade."

I smirk at him. "Sir, should we ever meet in armed combat again, I will ensure you do not emerge from it alive. But I invite you to give it your best shot."

"Till we meet again then." He turned and fled.

I blink. "Huh. Not even a threat to Colette. He must really hate me."

Lloyd blinked. "You hit him in the nuts with a stalagmite. Of course he hates you."

I sighed, "Ah, details, details." I turn to the purple clad man. "Sorry for kicking you in the nards. Battle mode and all. I didn't appreciate you standing over me like that. It was a reflex to kick at you." Kratos grunted at me which I took to mean 'do it again and I will kill you' "Thanks for the save anyway."

Kratos nods respectfully at me "Is everyone alright?" I nod and healed the few injuries I got as Lloyd casts a few first aids at himself. Genis and Colette had managed to get out of the battle unscathed. "Hmm. No one seems to be hurt." I rolled my eyes. Yes, because we just healed ourselves.

Kratos put his hand on the pommel of his sword and the light from the sun and the temple glint of his Exsphere.

Lloyd blinked. "Is that an Exsphere?"

I nod. "Looks like it."

Lady Phaidra walked over. "How can I ever thank you for saving the chosen?"

"I see. So this girl is the next chosen." Kratos looked sideways at us.

"That's right! I have to go accept the oracle! Grandmother. I'm going to undergo the trial now." She turned to us. "Come on guys."

Lloyd grins and fist pumps.

I nodded and looked at the temple. "Let's be careful guys. I sense monsters inside the temple. It is hard to tell because of the huge amount of mana on the roof but I'm sure of it. Once we're inside I might be able to get a better reading."

Lloyd nodded. "Right. We'll stay on guard."

Phaidra looked up at us. "Lloyd? Are you sure you wish to go inside? It will be dangerous. I would be uneasy with just you and Drake."

Kratos looked at Lloyd sceptically. "Your name is Lloyd?"

"Yeah, but who are you to ask for my name?"

"I am Kratos, a mercenary." He turned to Phaidra. "As long as you can pay me, I'll accept the job of guarding the chosen."

Phaidra frowned and considered it for a moment. For a scary second I was sure she would refuse. "Very well then. I do not wish to send these children into the temple alone."

I twitch. "Lloyd is eighteen and I am twenty two. We are not children."

Kratos flinched backwards. "You're twenty two?"

I sigh. "How old did you think I was?"

"Seventeen."

I sigh. "Damn. Why do I have such a baby face?"

Genis laughed.

I glare weakly at him. "Thank you." I said sarcastically. I sigh. "Anyway, welcome to the team, Kratos. My name is Drake Rise, this is Lloyd Irving and Genis sage and the chosen one here is Colette Brunel."

Kratos hmm'ed. "You three should stay at home. This is no place for children."

My eye twitched. "Not a child."

Lloyd glared at him. "What did you say?"

"You heard me. You're a burden. Go home."

I glare it him. "Not going to happen. We are going with Colette into the Temple. No way are we letting Colette go through this without someone she knows beside her. Besides, we don't know who you are or anything about you and Botta, who is the leader of the Triet Desian ranch, seemed rather reluctant to fight you. If you were some world famous mercenary we would have heard of you."

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah, how can we trust you?"

Kratos glared at us but seemed to give up. "Fine. Do as you wish." He turned and walked into the temple.

"Well he's a barrel full of sunshine." I sigh.

Lloyd looked at me. "You say some weird things sometimes."

I nod. "Yes I do. Onward!" I point to the temple and walk forwards. Lloyd laughed and followed me with Genis and Colette. We met up with Kratos in the main entrance room of the temple.

Kratos glared at us. "This isn't a field trip you know."

We look around the entrance room. Lloyd hummed. "So this is what the inside of the temple looks like."

Genis turned to Colette. "Colette. You've been inside the temple many times, right?"

Colette turned around to look at Genis. "Yeah, but it seems different than usual."

Kratos hmm'ed lightly. "I sense the presence of monsters. Don't let your guard down."

Lloyd turned his head away from the ceiling. "Drake told us there were monsters in here when we were outside. Try to pay attention. Drake what can you sense?"

I close my eyes. "A couple of zombies, a few Acromantula, some of those demon jellies, a few ghouls and... something I have never seen before."

Lloyd nodded. "Nothing we can't handle?"

I think for a moment. "Set fire to everything except the new one. It's an earth element so water spells would do the most damage. Try using aqua fang."

Lloyd nodded and grinned. "I've been wanting to use that in a real fight. Where do we go first?"

I look around. "The largest concentration of mana other than the ceiling is in that direction." I point to the path in front of us. "Let's go see. We might not have to fight anything anyway."

Lloyd, Genis and Colette nodded and we headed towards the central pathway.

"Wait. Lloyd, Drake... Are your sword techniques self-taught?" Kratos asked.

We look back at him. I tilted my head to one side. "For the most part, yes. We did build them up from a base of skills I learned from the soldiers in Luin. Since Lloyd is a dual swordsman and I interchange three different swords depending on the situation we can't use the same style most people use. We have worked to get as many openings closed as we can but there are still gaps that neither of us can see. My fight against the Desian General before I came over to the temple was an eye opener."

Lloyd frowned. "Desian General?"

I nodded. "I think his name was Vidarr. I fought him over by the south-western entrance to the village before I came rushing over here. That was why Botta had so few troops with him. Not many got past me before I cut them down. I was fighting Vidarr for a while but he was matching me blow for blow. I almost had to use a special last resort technique. While you and I have been sparing we have been covering our weaknesses but we haven't really been improving. We are going to have to train harder."

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah... we got lucky today... we need to improve..."

Kratos frowned. "I see. Then you might find this useful." He walked over and handed Lloyd a training manual. Lloyd and I both just looked at him and arched an eyebrow. (A habit Lloyd picked up from me.) "If you are going to get stronger you will need to cover the basics."

Lloyd and I sweat-dropped. I shook my head. "I just told you we covered the basics. We only need someone more experienced than us to point out the flaws in our techniques so we can work on covering them."

Lloyd gave the book to me and I stashed it in my bag. We turned and headed back to the pathway. I hadn't noticed how little Kratos paid attention. It was annoying to have to repeat myself for his sake.

We walk up to the door and find it sealed. "It's sealed." Kratos said quite blankly.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." I said sarcastically. "How do you think we can open it? Any ideas Colette?"

"The sorcerer's ring can probably open it. It's enshrined in this temple."

Genis shrugged with one arm. "Where is it?"

Lloyd nodded. "Let's hurry up and go get it."

Colette clasped her hands in front of her chest. "...Um... I don't know. I'm sorry."

I sigh. "That's alright Colette. At least you know what we need to find and that it is somewhere in the temple. I can sense a source of mana below us. Past all the monsters. That might be it. It is the only thing in the temple that isn't alive, past this or above us so that has to be it." Sensing mana was weird. It had been two years already and I still wasn't quite used to it.

Lloyd nodded. "Alright. To the basement then."

We walk around and head down the pathway to our left, the path on the right when you come in. We came across some giant spiders and a zombie. Lloyd, Genis and I all throw a fire ball at them and they go down quickly enough.

We walk along the passageway and come across another zombie and some demon jelly. We burnt them too.

Kratos looked at me sceptically. "When you said to set fire to everything I didn't think you meant it literally."

I look up at him. Damn it, why am I so short? Why is he so tall? "Fire is the answer to all of life's problems."

Kratos stares at me like I'm insane but the rest of us were already moving forwards. We come across another giant spider, a jelly and a ghost and they are quickly reduced to ash too.

I hummed. "I wonder what the actual name for those giant spiders is."

Lloyd looked at me. "They're not called Acromantula?"

I shook my head. "That is what I've always called them. I don't know if that is their actual name or not. Knowing how simple most of the other monster's names are it will probably be something like 'giant spider'."

Lloyd blinked. "Acromantula sounds cooler."

I nodded. "Yeah, it does. And more dangerous."

Genis nodded. "It sounds more like a 'proper name' too."

We get to a staircase and there is a ghost at the top which Genis sets fire to and we head down the stair case.

We come down into a room with a hanging glass floor with square holes at the bottom. I look at the ground beneath us and I notice holes in the floor in the same places. Wait... this puzzle actually exists? That's tedious.

"So that's the sorcerers ring?" I look over at Lloyd and follow his line of vision. Yup. Sorcerers ring.

I turn my head. "Golem. That must be what I sensed before." The others turned around and see it crouched down. "It's dormant at the moment. Most likely touch activated, considering the holes in the floor below match up almost completely with the holes on this glass floor I'm guessing we have to push something down it to complete the pathway. Since golems are enchanted earth I'm guessing that has something to do with the puzzle."

Genis nodded. "Let's just get rid of the golem and see what happens."

I nod. "Stick to water spells. Colette, only aim at the weak spots, cracks that we make. Your chakrams would be useless against it."

Colette nodded and Genis and I start casting. Out of the corner of my eye I see Kratos start casting too. Simultaneously Lloyd uses Aqua Fang, Kratos cast aqua edge, I cast an imitation of it and Genis uses aqua laser. I blink as the golem goes down as soon as the combined attacks hit.

I blink. "Huh. That was easy. I guess we've been doing so much training that we are just that much more powerful than whoever made this challenge was expecting."

The golem morphed into a giant cube. I walk up to it and give it a gentle push towards the hole behind it. It glides easily across the floor and into the hole. I smirk. Oh yeah. No pushing and shoving required.

I look down the hole at the cube, floating in the gap between the two sections of path. I grin at Lloyd and Genis. We turn around and I spot another golem appearing. "Let's do this."

It takes us all of five minutes to complete the puzzle. In the end I sent Colette down and she pushed the blocks into place when we couldn't get them down strait away. It was really easy. Even though it required a lot more blocks than in the game. They had to make the gap big enough that you couldn't just jump over it.

We walk down the steps and join Colette at the bottom. I am not really surprised there wasn't a save point at the bottom. You can't save real life.

We head up to the altar and see the sorcerers ring floating above it. Genis shrugged one arm. "So this is the sorcerers ring! I've heard about it before. It's a holy artefact of the Church of Martel!"

Kratos nodded a little bit. "We should be able to deal with most traps and obstacles with this."

Lloyd grinned. "Wow. Let me try it."

Colette smiled. "Okay Lloyd."

I smile at him. Such a child. "Don't aim it at anyone."

Lloyd put it on and shot the sorcerers ring. It shot a tiny fire ball at the wall. "Well that was disappointing."

Genis sighed. "Lloyd. You get bored with everything way too quickly."

Lloyd sighed. "With a name like 'The Sorcerer's Ring' I was expecting something a little more impressive. That felt no different than casting fire ball and the flame was even weaker than the ones Drake sometimes flicks at me."

I nod. "It was rather anti-climactic. Nevertheless, it was necessary to get. Unless one of us cast fire ball at the barrier and it dissolves. Then I will be annoyed with this useless toy."

Kratos looked at me. "You flick fireballs at him?"

I nod. "Yeah. Only little ones though." To prove my point I flicked a fireball at Lloyd. It was only a little one. About a third of the size of my fist and I have tiny hands. Lloyd just casually tilted his head to the side to avoid it.

Genis and Colette nod as if this is completely normal. Kratos looked at us as if we were all crazy.

We head back up to the main entrance and go back to the door to the alter room. I threw a quick fireball at the barrier and it dissolved. "Ok. Well that was an exercise in futility. The ring is useless. Why use a ring to cast a spell you can already cast?" I asked sarcastically.

Kratos stared at me. "Most humans cannot cast magic."

I quirk my eyebrow at him. "So sais the magic swordsman. If humans can't use magic what do you call what you can do?"

Kratos glared at me. "My ability to use magic is none of your concern."

I shrug. "No need to get defensive. Lloyd and I are humans who can use magic too. You could just say 'it's personal' and we'll leave it at that. I'm not going to pry into your personal life. I don't know you, we're not friends. I have no right to ask you for personal information."

Lloyd nodded. "Everyone is entitled to their secrets as long as they don't hurt the people around them by keeping it."

I nod, feeling slightly bad about knowing so many secrets. Genis and Raine are half-elves, Colette is going to die soon, Lloyd is becoming an angel, Kratos works for Cruxis and is secretly Lloyd's father. So many secrets, and we are only at the start of our journey. "Anyway, oracle awaiting. Conversations later." We all move towards the warp pad. "Gimme a sec." I step onto the warp pad. It felt really weird. Like I was being stretched in all different directions at once. When I get to the alter room I look around. Nothing. I step back on the warp pad. "All clear. Come on." I step back on the warp pad again. I felt quite sick now. Note to self. Don't go through three warp points consecutively. Not good.

When the others are all inside the alter room Colette walked up to the altar. I stood on one side of her and Lloyd stood on the other. Kratos stood on the far side of the room being all broody and mysterious and Genis stood near a window next to the warp point.

"This appears to be the top floor." Kratos observed.

"Thank you again, Captain Obvious. We never would have figured that out." I said, dripping sarcasm. Did he always have to point out the obvious? "What gave it away? The domed roof, the fact that the building only has two floors, or the lack of anything else here?"

Kratos looked at me like I had just kicked a puppy.

"That's the altar." Colette said, completely ignoring me and Kratos.

Lloyd nodded. "Then that shining thing there must be the Cruxis crystal."

Colette nodded. "That's right. They say I was born with that in my hand."

Genis looked up and gasped. "Look at that light."

A bright light shone down from the ceiling. A glowing golden ball of light detached itself from it and floated down. I looked down just as the light seemed to explode and I glanced back up to see Remiel. Oh how I hated him.

Lloyd looked up in awe. "Woah. An angel!"

I glance between Remiel and Colette. "Huh. Guess the rumours that Colette is descended from angels are false. Her mana is nothing like this guy's. They're clearly not related."

Angel-mc-pissy-pants looked down at us. "I am Remiel. I am an angel of judgment. I am here to guide Colette, daughter of the mana lineage, on her journey to heaven as the seventh chosen." Colette's Cruxis crystal started floating and glowing brighter and Remiel drifted down to hover just above the altar. "The time has come to awaken the goddess Martel who sleeps in the centre of the world."

Genis looked over at Colette. "Awaken the goddess Martel... it's just like the legend Raine told us about."

Colette's Cruxis crystal slowly made its way through the air towards us. I gently gripped Colette's hand. She must be so scared right now. Could it not move any faster?! God damn it. The wait was killing me, what was it doing to Colette? I could see Lloyd, Genis and Kratos were unaffected by it. Lloyd and Genis didn't know and Kratos simply didn't care anymore.

The crystal finally reached Colette and fixed itself to her neck with a bright flash of light. For a second, as the gem fixed itself to her, her eyes turned a dull, lifeless red. It only lasted for a second but I noticed. It passed as quickly as it came. She reached up to it with her other hand and I could see the sadness in her eyes as the light faded. Poor Colette. She knew that as of this moment, she was a dead girl walking.

She quickly put her happy mask back on and turned to look up at Remiel.

"From this moment, Colette becomes the Chosen of Regeneration. We of Cruxis bless this event and hereby bestow the Tower of Salvation upon Sylvarant."

We looked out the window and see a tower materialise out of nothing. It looks thin but the fact that we can see it from here must mean it is huge. It disappeared up into the clouds. Overcompensating for something Mithos? That spandex must be difficult to pull off with something between your legs.

Lloyd breathed a sigh of awe. "So that's the Tower of Salvation."

Genis grinned. "Now the world will be saved!"

Remiel looked like he wanted to sneer at us until we had all turned around to look at him. "Colette, the Chosen of Regeneration. Unlock the seals that guard the Tower of Salvation and climb its stairs to heaven in distant lands."

I heard Colette sigh quietly. "I humbly accept this task."

Remiel smiled. "Very good. We of Cruxis shall grant you the power of the angels with each seal you unlock. Once you are reborn as an angel the eroded world shall be regenerated."

Colette slipped her hand out of mine so she could grasp them both in front of her chest. "Thank you. I swear on my life I will regenerate the world." Kind of a meaningless promise if you know you're going to die.

Remiel nodded. "First head south to the seal of fire. Offer your prayers and that distant land."

"Yes lord Remiel." Colette looked down slightly.

Remiel flew upwards and was encased in a bright golden light just as he was about to disappear he said, "First head to the seal of fire. I will await you there, Chosen of Regeneration."

I glared at the ceiling for a second before I turned to Colette and grinned.

Kratos huffed and stepped away from the wall. "You've received the oracle. Then let us leave now, Chosen."

Colette seemed to come out of deep thoughts. "Oh. Yes. Come on guys, let's go to my house."

We nod and the five of us all leave the room.