Hi guys!! So sorry for the long wait, but I have been extremely busy with school, football and such... Anyway, here's the next chapter, enjoy!

Dawn of the Sun

'Impossible.'

The word slipped from his mouth almost immediately, but not before Tath had the satisfaction to see the Seraphim's face in complete shock.

'Is it really?' she asked him, studying him.

'Well, for one thing, I know Yuan never loved any other woman than Martel. He could not have had another woman.'

Tath gave a weak grin. 'Ah, yes, Martel. Well, that didn't stop him from falling for my mother. I knew he may not have loved her, but at least he set her free.'

'Free?' Kratos echoed, his face puzzled.

Tath looked up, suddenly a lump in her heart. 'My mother, was a prisoner at the Asgard Ranch, that's why Kvar killed her. When he found us.'

Suddenly Kratos' gaze turned intense. 'Your mother… was a prisoner at a ranch?'

Tath nodded, knowing little of Kratos' own past. Then he focused on the new shocking fact she just told him.

'But you are human. Yuan is a half-elf.'

'Yes, I'm human,' Tath replied, a slight grin on her face to actually be explaining something to the know-it-all, Kratos. 'But I have half-elven blood in me. You may not have seen me in battle, but how else could I be able do magic attacks?'

Kratos fell silent, processing the new fact.

'Yuan had a child. You are that child.'

Tath gave a sigh. 'Yes,' she said, as if admitting it to herself, 'I am that child.'

---

16 years old.

'Tath,' Yuan said slowly, recognising his daughter standing in the doorway. It had been another year since they had seen each other, when he had left her at the Palmacosta Ranch.

'Don't call me that,' she spat, 'I don't ever want to hear that name again.'

'What are you doing here?' he asked cautiously, taking a step towards her, causing her to raise her sword.

'I'm not entirely sure,' she said, her eyes still focusing at him with a dangerous sparkle. 'I thought I came her to see if you really don't care about me, but hey, surprise, you don't. So maybe,' she said, her every tone dripping with sarcasm but suddenly turning deadly serious, 'I'll just settle for hurting you the way you hurt me.'

And without warning, she suddenly attacked him, but not before he unsheathed his own sword, or rather two swords, that were connected with a handle between them, that he used like a pole, swinging it around himself before dodging his daughter.

'And what,' he said as they fought for the upper hand a moment, 'do you hope to accomplish with this?'

'I don't know,' she breathed, her eyes still alit with the mad dangerous sparkle, 'revenge, I hope. I don't know, I guess I'll improvise.'

And with that, she managed to get the upper hand of Yuan, but he gave her a kick, sending her flying into the wall.

'I don't want to fight you,' he said, lowering his weapon, panting slightly from the battle.

'Why not!?' she shrieked, suddenly tears blazing in her eyes.

'Why!? Why do you not care?! Why do I always have to seek you out, but never do you actually seem to CARE!?' she was shrieking her heart out, all her pain and misery showing on the outside for once. 'I am you daughter! But never, never ONCE have you even thought of seeking me out! Never to see how I am doing! No, because you are part of the organisation that tried to kill me, and then I just don't matter anymore, is that so!?'

Yuan looked shocked, and Tath immediately felt mortified to have shouted at him like a little girl, but that was the way it was, and he just did not understand. How could he have simply left her?

'That's…' he started, 'not entirely true.'

Tath's eyes widened, and she let her arm with the sword fall to her side. She suddenly felt exhausted. 'What?'

'I am part of Cruxis, but not the way you think. And I do care about you. Because that was why…' he paused, 'why I started the Renegades.'

---

19 years old.

'Kratos? Tath? What are you doing here?'

Altessa's deep and raspy voice felt warm and familiar in Tath's ears, and she suddenly felt very tired.

'No reason, Altessa,' she replied, 'I'm just here about my Key Crest.'

His eyes widened worriedly. 'Is there a problem with it?'

'No, no,' Tath smiled wearily, 'it just needs a check up, I'll be right in.'

Altessa sighed to himself, and then entered his house again.

Tath turned to Kratos again. They both looked at each other for a moment, the few days they spent together resulting in that they both knew things about each other they never thought they would.

'Are you going back to Mithos?' Tath finally asked.

'I have not been to Derris-Kharlan for two weeks, I have to report to him,' the Seraphim replied, stealing a glance to the sky before looking back at Tath, who could for her life not think of something to say. Luckily, it was Kratos who broke the silence.

'You are lucky to have only your Key Crest to rely on when it comes to your life. When treated right, they never fail. People, though…' he fell silent, taking the moment to unleash his wings. '…can never be trusted.'

And with that, he was off, leaving Tath standing alone, pondering his words.

'So true,' she whispered, more to herself than the Seraphim.

Sighing, she paused for a while before entering Alstessa's. Now free from Kratos, what was she supposed to do? Suddenly, but not unexpectedly, her thoughts wandered into Lloyd's group. Whether she liked it or not, they were after all on the same side. They were fighting Cruxis, the exact same mission Tath had appointed herself.

And the Renegades…

Tath sighed. As little as she wanted to, she realised that working alone would make absolute no difference at all, but she had never been a team player. Many people were fighting Cruxis, only… who would she join? Would she join any one at all?

But before she could do anything about that, she had to do something else. And forgetting Altessa, she ran off to the Gaorrachia Forest, where she had left her Rheaird.

---

16 years old.

For once, Tath had left her father, out of the three times she had met him, filled with a strange hope. Yuan was working against it all. She had heard of the Renegades around her time in the Ranch, as a small opposing force, but now it had grown larger and larger to be Cruxis most opposing force. And Yuan, her father, was their leader.

But still, she hadn't left being on friendly terms with her father. God forbid. She wondered if she would ever forgive him. But… he had information. And information was what she craved the most. She had always been curious, and whenever she'd been at Altessa's, interrogating him for whatever information he had regarding the latest around Cruxis.

Tath sighed, sensing she hadn't seen the last of her father.

She walked into Asgard, to find food and lodging over the night, and distracted by her thoughts, found herself walking straight into a group of Desians. But they had appeared not to notice her, as they were terrorising a small child for having done something innocent, like walking past them.

'You think you're tough, kid, huh? Well, I've got news for you, we're the Desians and…'

Tath tuned them out as she continued walking. She had gotten used to seeing Desians almost everywhere she went, she no longer jumped in surprise, reliving the four years of terror in the Ranch in her mind whenever they came within sight.

Out of the corner of her eye she suddenly noticed someone. All the people in Asgard had fled when the Desians had shown up, saved for that little boy, and, as Tath noticed now, someone up on the roof of a building. She stopped, studying the black clad person creeping over the roof tiles, eyes on the Desians. The person brought out a small crossbow, aiming at the Desians.

Tath gave an impressed grin to herself. An assassin. Well, that's something you don't see everyday. How refreshing, she grinned to herself and started walking again, when she suddenly felt someone grip her upper arm. Hard.

'Where do you think you're going, lass?'

She recognised the voice as the one belonging to the leader of the Desian group who had talked to the boy. Apparently they were done terrorising him.

Tath gave a tired sigh. 'What?' she snapped, not even turning.

The Desian growled. 'What kind of talk is that? Don't you know who we are?'

'I know perfectly well who you are,' Tath replied coolly, turning to face him, her face alit with cool rage. 'And I would appreciate of you would get your filthy hand of my jacket. That's leather, you know.'

'Why you…' another Desian started, but was interrupted by the one still gripping Tath's arm.

'Silence!' Then he turned to Tath again, 'As for you, lucky we actually have a shortage of humans in the Asgard Ranch, maybe you'd like-argh!'

He didn't finish the sentence as Tath's sword was already out and cut of his arm holding Tath, and it fell to the ground like a numb fish.

He gasped in pain, backing backwards into the very angry-looking Desians. Tath narrowed her eyes towards him. 'I am never going back there.'

A heartbeat later, all the Desians rushed her.

Tath, alit with rage, which caused her exsphere to feed her with unlimited power, dodged the first Desians with a simple parry with her sword, then, without turning, thrust it though the back of one of them. Then she turned and grabbed the second one, using him as a shield when another Desian attacked her, causing him to ram the sword through her 'shield'. Then she used her own sword to slit the throat of the Desian that had attacked her. It continued in this fashion, until two minutes later, when they were all dead.

Tath, hardly exhausted at all, merely brushed the dirt of her pants and wiped her sword clean. It was then she noticed the black clad figure from the roof standing in front of her. It was a man, with plain features, who stood there looking at her.

'Impressive,' he then said, referring to the destroyed Desians.

'Drop it,' she said, eyeing him, 'who are you?' she snapped.

'Someone who wants to help you.'

Tath gave an amused chuckle, looking around the streets of Asgard, that were still empty. 'Help me? What makes you think I need any help?'

The assassin cracked a smile. 'Maybe not. But we sure need you.'

''We'?' Tath echoed. 'Who are 'we'?'

But they were suddenly interrupted by what seemed like an army of Desians, rushing into the town, apparently having heard what had happened.

'No time to explain. If you want to live, come with me,' the man said and grabbed Tath's arm. And for once, Tath let herself be pulled away.

The assassin led her to a hidden cave, which led deep underground. Once inside, the man led her to a dimly lit room, and then vanished himself. Instead, Tath found herself face to face with a middle-aged man.

'Hello,' he said with a friendly smile, 'and welcome.'

Tath narrowed her eyes. 'Who are you?'

The man smiled again, looking very friendly. 'My name…' he started, motioning for her to sit, 'is Ian.'

And so it came that Tath started working for the small but effective opposing force, led by Ian. She also travelled frequently to Yuan, to learn about Mithos, Kratos, and Cruxis, and eventually, the reasons to why he had started the Renegades. For he had started them, for her. When he had learned that her mother was awaiting his child, Tath, he had finally decided to something about it. He wanted his child to grow up in a world in peace, not one terrorised by Desians or Mithos.

Only Tath didn't believe him. At least not until years later.

---

19 years old.

'Yuan!'

Tath stormed into the Seraphim's office. He looked up at her.

'Tath, to what do I own the pleasure?' he said, but his voice not as warm as the phrase suggested.

'What is it?' she asked.

'What is what?' he asked, puzzled, his eyebrows knitted together.

'What is the secret about Kratos?' she asked, meeting his gaze so intense that he had to drop his own. 'Why is he helping Lloyd? Why?'

'I do not know what you are talking about,' he said with a perfectly serious face, but not before Tath saw the sudden tension in his face that inclined that he was lying. She unsheathed a dagger and held it to his face. 'Tell me. Now.'

Yuan sighed, backing away from his daughter. 'Well, I recently found out that Kratos… is not the emotionless angel he poses to be. He recently… had a wife.'

Tath took a step backwards, eyes widened in surprise. Kratos… had a wife?

'What happened to her?'

'She died. Fourteen years ago.'

Tath looked up at her father, suddenly remembering something.

'How… long is it since you've slept?'

'Fourteen years.'

Kratos voice echoed inside her head, from that night she'd been in his custody.

'And there's more,' Yuan continued, somewhat reluctantly. 'They had a child. A son.'

Tath almost dropped her sword. She could not believe that the Seraphim had a wife, and what's more, a son! She had to sit down, and found a nearby chair.

'So this…son, do I know him?'

'You should,' Yuan said, looking out through the window in his office.

'It's Lloyd.'

Tath's eyes widened again. Well, Yuan hadn't been kidding when he said it was information to important to leak out. She was just about to ask how he knew this, when a Desian suddenly stormed through the doors to the Seraphim's office.

'My Lord Yuan, we have intruders.'

Yuan looked up from Tath to the guard, and then back to Tath. 'It's Lloyd.' Then he looked away. 'He's come for the Rheairds, just like I predicted. Wait here,' he said, as he grabbed his weapon and stormed out, nodding to his worked. 'Find Botta and alert him.'

Tath watched him leave with a raised eyebrow. Her? Wait here? She scoffed, and grabbing her sword, she followed him, to the hangar of the Rheairds. Just in time, too, since just as soon as she'd hid up on a pair of machines, Lloyd's group walked through the doors.

Tath saw Yuan and Botta advancing on the group from both sides.

'So you've come, like moths to the flame,' her father said grudgingly. Tath grimaced. What was it with her father and delivering lines?

She grinned as Lloyd put her thoughts into words. 'Don't you…ever say anything original?'

Zelos turned to them, and Tath raised an eyebrow. Zelos…huh, she caught herself feeling funny when she watched him.

'You gotta admit, that line is seriously clichéd,' he said. Tath almost laughed out loud, as she could see Yuan's face grow more angry.

'I see your attitudes haven't changed. But your impudence ends here. Prepare to die!'

Tath looked at her father. Wasn't that a bit… harsh? Seeming as Lloyd was know the child of Kratos and all. Wouldn't it be good to have Lloyd as a leverage? She made a note to herself to tell Yuan that later.

'I'll show you the differences of our strength,' Yuan hissed to Lloyd as the boy rushed him. And not that he didn't try. Yuan knocked Lloyd well out of his senses several times, but once Lloyd's group had defeated Botta, there was really nothing Yuan could do, and Tath watched as her father got defeated. She snorted, as least she had been able to defeat them, and fainted afterwards. She gave a why smile.

Then she was suddenly forced to grab hold to the machine she was sitting on as the ground started to shake. Lloyd and the others took the chance to steal the Rheairds, and escaped. As soon as the earthquake calmed down, Botta turned to Yuan.

'Sir! The earthquake! Could a mana link have been destroyed?'

Yuan fell into thoughts, looking after the escaping group. '…Possibly. Investigate the matter immediately.'

Botta followed his gaze to the where the group had been.

'What about Lloyd and the others?'

Yuan motioned for Botta to leave. 'It doesn't matter. Our little friend can tell us where they are at any time.'

And with those words, Botta left, along with another worker.

Yuan gave a frustrated sigh. One day, he would get Lloyd, but he always escaped. His attention was suddenly turned upwards, as he heard Tath clearing her throat, and he heaved a tired sigh. What does she want now?

'So,' she said, casually, regarding her nails on her right hand, 'who's this "little friend" of yours?'

---

Tath sat on her Rheaird, in the air. She was still shocked, she guessed, once she had the time to process the facts she'd learned at Yuan's. Lloyd was Kratos' son. No wonder she had thought their eyes were kind of similar. Sighing, she buried her face in her hands, bringing the Rheaird to a stop. So what the hell was she supposed to do now?

She knew Lloyd and the others were at the Temple of Darkness, forging another pact. Yuan had told her that after he had fought them. Tath did not know what had made her ask where Lloyd was now, but she had done it.

She looked up again, finally making up her mind. She had to see Lloyd and the group again.

---

'Phew,' Genis said, mirroring the thoughts of everyone in the party, 'that was some tough Summon Spirit.'

'You said it, little guy,' Zelos said, pausing to lean at a column. It was true, the Temple of Darkness had been the hardest yet. The party were out of gels and life bottles, and both Colette and Presea had passed out from the battle with Shadow, and the rest of the party were exhausted, from the fight with Shadow and other fights.

'Alright, guys,' Lloyd said, getting to his feet, 'we better get out of here and then rest.'

'Gah, I don't think I can take another step,' Sheena said, grunting, but started walking after Lloyd. But as they reached up from the long walk from Shadow's Seal, Raine suddenly broke the silence.

'Oh no, looks like we got company,' she said, pointing to a monster suddenly heading their way. Too tired to run away, Lloyd brought out his swords.

'Alright… let's go.'

It was a huge snake, fangs filled with poison, glaring at them through yellow eyes. Lloyd, Sheena, Zelos and Regal went to battle, leaving the others to collapse behind them.

All the snake had to do was take one blow at Regal, and the strong man was knocked out cold.

'Aw, crap,' Sheena said, sighing, 'this is not going to go well for us, I can tell.'

'But we have to try,' Lloyd said, nevertheless, and they put up a good fight, but they were just too tired. They had managed to injure the snake, but it was simply too strong. Sheena fell to her knees, beside Zelos who was already lying down, panting. 'I just… can't take it anymore,' he said, glancing towards Lloyd, who was still thrusting his sword at the snake, who kept dodging him easily.

'I will not lose!' the boy cried, before his legs gave with under him and he collapsed.

The snake gave a hiss, ready to sink his fangs into Lloyd, when suddenly a knife, out of nowhere, whined through the air, and pierced itself through the snake's throat, who shrieking fell to the ground, dead, and vanished.

Sheena and Zelos, those with enough presence of the mind, looked up to the stairs, and found Tath standing there by the entrance, hands on hips, a slight grin on her lips.

'I took that as a cry for help.'

And then she swiftly jumped down the cliff and landed by the party. As she stood by Lloyd, who was still lying on the ground, he opened his eyes to set them upon the dark flaming hair.

'Eya…' he panted, '…if you'd come to fight us again, you don't have to try… '

'…consider us beaten,' Sheena finished for him, trying to get to her feet, but failed.

Tath gave a light laugh at their statement. The sweet sound of her voice seemed to rouse the party a little.

'No need to worry about that,' she said, smiling, walking over to Sheena who was still struggling, offering her a hand, 'I'm not here to fight you.'

'Then why are you here, Eya?' Sheena questioned, hesitating slightly before taking her hand and getting to her feet, 'or should I say Tatheya?'

'So you did recognise me!' Tath, who was now kneeling over the passed out Regal, said in a falsely overly-cheery tone. 'And I thought you had forgotten all about me.' She gave a smug smile.

'Yes,' Sheena sniffed, 'I did recognise you.' She walked over to the siblings Sage, helping them to their feet.

Tath, still the smug grin on her face, kneeled over Zelos, who appeared to be passed out as well, did not reply to Sheena, as the man in front of her suddenly opened his eyes, clearly awake.

'Why, hello, beautiful, what brings you to our humble quarters?'

'Hello, Zelos,' Tath said, surprising herself by giving him a smile that was perfectly honest. She mentally raised an eyebrow. What was this? Was she actually glad to see him?

But then she offered him a hand, and as he took it he surprised her by standing up too close to her for her comfort. That couldn't possibly be it, she thought, answering her own question.

Still, she was suddenly very aware of the fact that he was taller than her, and the way his blue eyes glinted with that special light she'd remembered from the time she'd known him. And, deep in those eyes were that soft and different Zelos, the Zelos Tath had somehow been determined to draw out.

'So you missed me, right?' His deep voice suddenly broke the silence between them, and Tath was reminded that this was Zelos she was standing with.

Clearing her throat dismissively, she took a step away from him, and then walked over to Lloyd, not bothering to answer the man.

'So why are you here?' Lloyd asked, as she helped him sit up, his honest dark brown eyes that Tath now knew where they come from, narrowed in suspicion.

'I'm here to help you guys,' she said, giving a slight smile to the group, as they all turned to look at her.