Lightning to the Symphonia

by Afrodestinyfan

Self-insert. Dean is a boy who woke up at a young age near Iselia. The locals found him and raised him as one of them. Having learnt how to fight with a sword and pocessing lightning and wind magic, what else can the boy do but go on The Journey of Regeneration?

14. The Renegade Base

Hello there my fellow fanfiction writers and/or readers.

After the Tower of Salvation I wanted improvise for a little bit and let Dean not take the same path of the others. I didn't realise that this improvisation would last an entire chapter... I am glad with the end result. I have used up my inspiration and my motivation the last few days, so I'm going to take it slow for a little while.

Like always, enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: You still don't get that I don't own Tales of Symphonia? I'm not that good a writer.

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"Don't you think it is a fitting end for you?" Kvar asked Dean while he was laughing and had that mad look in his eyes again.

"A fitting end?" Dean asked the dead Desian Leader.

"Poor boy, doesn't realise he is dead." Magnius said. He hadn't been there before. The other dead Desian Leader just popped up. "That's what happens to those who defy the leader of the Desians, Lord Yggdrasill."

"I'm dead?" Dean looked at his own body and saw that his chest body was slashed open and that some of his organs were hanging outside of his body. He didn't feel pain nor any emotions. He just felt empty.

"Yes… You're dead, just like us. Although it is no surprise your journey ended in this way. Your companions are dead, the Chosen will be revived as Martel and the world will move on towards an new era." Dean remembered it all. His beloved one had turned into an angel. They had confronted Remiel who revealed to them that Colette would be sacrificed to take the place of the Goddess Martel. The angel then attacked them. They had defeated the angel, but then Kratos came along and fought them as well, as they weren't planning on letting Colette go. Finally after defeating Kratos just barely, the leader of both Cruxis and the Desians, Lord Yggdrasill had showed up. He had just been too powerful and everyone was dead now. Yet Dean didn't feel hate, sadness or anything of the sort. He just felt empty. The only thing he felt was that he was sorry and disappointed in himself. He had wanted to avoid this scenario at all costs, but even though he had tried so hard, it had all been in vain.

"So what happens now?" Dean asked the other dead warriors.

"The afterlife of course." A unknown voice said in the head of Dean. "But not the peaceful one you had in mind. No, not that my boy. You've killed many people in your life and now you'll have to pay for that. Only Hell awaits you!" Dean was warped away towards a hot fiery place. He was quickly coming closer to that place and the heat only increased with every moment. What seemed to be a red dot in a white open place continued to grow into a place of fire and screaming. Dean was thrown into a pit of magma and he could feel himself burning alive, but he didn't actually burn away. Only the pain was there and it kept on increasing, but he didn't lose conscious or anything. The pain just kept on going on and on and on and on and on. "Suffer like you've never suffered before…" the voice said once again in his head.

Dean woke up while his body was covered in cold sweat. He was lying in the most comfortable bed he had been until now, but it wasn't comfortable due to the wet sheets full of sweat. Dean pushed the blankets away from him and wanted to get up, but when he moved his whole body screamed out in pain. Carefully moving himself to the end of the bed and sitting there, Dean took a look around himself. The room he was in was the most luxurious he had ever been. The bed was made for two people, but four people could sleep in it with easy. It was that big. The walls were painted white and there were several paintings on the walls. A expensive small tables with chairs which were covered with clothing to increase comfort. On the small table there was a vase from a material Dean had never seen before. The vase was white and there was a painting in it. Beautiful flowers were placed in the vase. There was a mirror in the room as well. Dean got up and looked into the mirror. He almost didn't recognise the person who was in the mirror. His eyes had a wild look, his hair had gotten wild and was in a mess. For some reason there was no sign of a beard, but his face looked like one from a prisoner in a Human Ranch. Below his neck were numerous scars and as Dean looked down at his own body he saw it was wrapped in bandage. He was also naked, but he hadn't realised that he had been until now. Now that he had seen himself and the terrible state he was in, he really wanted to take a shower. As he checked the room he saw there were two doors. When he got closer to one door it showed there wasn't a handle on it and it wouldn't open even when Dean tried to force it open. The door was made of metal. There was a small panel on the wall next to the door to the left of it and it showed several numbers and signs on it. Dean would need some kind of code in order to open this door. When he walked towards the other door, the door opened by itself. The other room had white tiles on the walls. There was a white tub which felt cold and smooth when Dean touched it. It appeared to be a bathtub, but only really rich people and expensive hotels had these in Sylvarant, but the bathtubs there were made out of wood and people had to fill it with warm water by themselves. Dean had used one of those bathtubs back in Asgard when they had rescued the people from the Human Ranch. This bathtub wasn't made out of wood nor out of stone. It was made of a material Dean had never seen before. He wondered in what kind of room he had ended up in. Sure it was nothing he had ever seen before and really comfortable, but he still was locked up inside. Maybe it was a prison for the noble people? Dean didn't know and didn't care. On the other side of the room there was something that was made of the same material as the bathtub. There was a small closet hanging above it and on the outside it also functioned as a mirror. There was something made of metal hanging above the white unknown floating object. It had two buttons at the backside, a blue one and a red one. When Dean accidently turned one of the 'buttons' water started to flow out of the metal object. The water fell into the white object, which was partially open from above. Dean had turned the red one and the water that flowed out was warm. Dean figured that people could use this thing to wash their hands. What a strange thing. Did the people of Tethe'alla have things like this? When Dean inspected the bathtub again he noticed that there was also a blue and red turning 'button' with a metal thing, where water seemed to come out of, was at the bathtub as well. Next to the bathtub there was a door made out of glass. When Dean opened the door he saw another two of those 'buttons' or switches. A red switch and an blue switch. When Dean turned the red switch hot water fell from another metal thing that was located above him. The water was too hot and Dean turned back the switch. The blue switch produced cold water. Dean wondered what would happen if he turned both the switches. The water was now a bit warm. When Dean turned the red switch a bit further the water went a bit warmer. Experimenting with this until the water was a comfortable temperature, Dean stepped under the flowing water in order to wash his whole body. He had only used his arms to feel the temperature of the water until now. Dean washed himself and removed the bandages from his body, as them seemed to get off partially when they got wet. There were several wounds from slashes of a sharp object like a sword or an arrow on his body. It was painful when the warm water touched his skin on those places, but the dirt and dried up blood were washed away. This way of washing oneself was really comfortable. When Dean felt clean again he turned off the water. When he opened the door there were towels lying on a white chair. He hadn't seen the chair before, because it was white and the walls were white as well. Dean dried his body with the towels, although it was kind of painful with all the wounds that were still healing. His muscles also felt sore. At that moment Dean remembered that he could use healing magic. He took a deep breath and relaxed while gathering the mana, preparing for the spell. A magic circle appeared beneath him, like all those times where he wasn't moving while preparing a spell. He used a more advanced healing spell on himself. Some of the scratches from the wounds disappeared, but the bigger ones only got smaller. His muscles didn't hurt that much anymore and he could move more easily right now. He did notice that the amount of mana he had left was little and the spell had taken up more mana from him than he had guessed beforehand. It didn't matter. A good night's sleep and his mana should be restored to normal levels. When he got back into the room with the bed there were clothes lying on one of the chairs. Those clothes hadn't been there before, Dean was sure of that. Happy that he wouldn't need to walk around naked the whole day, Dean got dressed. The clothes were travelling clothes from the look of it. Dark brown pants, a brown shirt, a light brown vest, leather travelling boots, black leather gloves, a belt and a cape were on the chair. Except for the cape, the clothes were almost identical to the ones Dean used the wear beforehand. Dean looked like a regular traveller compared the rest of the members of his group. They all wore clothing that really stood out. As a hunter, one had to blend in with nature and would also need to be able to keep a low profile in villages and towns. Dean had always wondered whether the clothes the people he was travelling didn't shout out too much that they were a special kind of group, but people always guessed that they were a group of people with a unique taste of clothing. Dean would have said that himself if he would see the group if he wasn't a part of it. Although the people with a bit more money in town did wear clothing which looked a bit more expensive and colourful as well. While thinking of this Dean wondered how the others were doing. He was isolated from them, but from the last thing that he remembered, they weren't dead. A cold shiver went through Dean. The dream had been unique. Maybe that would have been his reality if he had truly died as well as the others. He did wonder if there truly was an afterlife though. There was one thing in common with the dream though, he felt empty. He was devoid of emotions even when thinking of Colette. He wondered whether his emotions had been overloaded and that he could not feel anything for a while because of that. He had no other explanation for it. Strangely enough Dean didn't mind it. He knew that only sadness and hate would fill him if his feelings would return to him. Maybe this was partly how Colette must have felt when she released the third seal. She did say that her emotions were more dull compared to before releasing the seal.

When Dean looked into the mirror again he saw no longer the wild man looking back at him, but a face that was familiar, although it could be seen that he needed to eat a bit more as there was almost no fat in the face itself. His hair was still a mess though and he really needed to go get a haircut again. Dean wondered why the hair of Lloyd hadn't grown that much. Just when Dean wondered what he should do next the door that couldn't be opened, did open and a woman dressed in the clothes of the base of Triet walked in, although she wasn't wearing her helmet. Dean thought that the woman looked familiar, but he could not remember why she looked familiar and who she resembled. Still, the feeling stayed.

"I see you have finally woken up Dean. So, how are you feeling?" the female 'Desian' asked Dean. Her voice was really girlish and sounded young. She had green eyes and brown straight hair that reached her shoulders, but it was her gaze that was awake and piercing. She had a neutral expression that didn't betray how she was feeling.

"A bit sore and low on mana, but fine considering the circumstances. How do you know my name?" Dean asked the woman standing in front of him.

"That doesn't matter how I know your name, I just know it." The woman said. She then walked towards the small table and sat down on one of the chairs. "I'm here to answer any questions you have as far as I am capable of doing. I recon it's going to take some take, let's make ourselves comfortable instead of standing the whole time." The thought progress of the woman was logical and Dean observed her more closely as he sat down, but he could find nothing more than he already noticed about the woman.

"I don't really know where to begin, so I'll just ask random questions that pop in my mind." Dean said to the woman. She just nodded. "First, may I know your name? I don't plan on calling 'Hey you' to you this whole time. Since you know my name, it should be fair if I know yours too." The woman smiled when he asked that question.

"You weren't kidding when you would say you would ask any question that would pop up in your head. My name is Alice." Dean wanted to ask something more, but Alice interrupted him. "I'm not here to talk about me. I have more things to do. If you're only going to ask questions about me, I'm leaving." Alice was planning on getting up.

"Please sit down Alice. I'm sorry if I offended you at any point. I just don't feel like myself at this moment."

"Well, we did drug you a bit, so it might be to the side effects of those drugs that you're not feeling yourself." When Dean looked confused at Alice, the female 'Desian' continued to explain. "Believe it or not, but you've been here longer than a week already. You had a huge fever, was wounded all over your body and seemed to be pain. In order to calm you down and help you recover we didn't also use magic, but also some kind of drug in order to calm you down. What the effects of that drug are, I don't know." Dean nodded.

"Well, that's explains that. Then where am I? I'm suspecting that this is the base of Triet Desert."

"That is correct. You are now in the Base of the Triet Desert. When we saved you from Yggdrasill we brought you here. You do remember that, don't you?" Dean nodded again.

"Then where are the others? Are they kept here as well?" Dean asked his question.

"One of the questions I expected you to ask first. Your friends were brought here as well, but they are here no longer. They escaped this base and have fled into Tethe'alla. It seems they are now heading towards the capital of Tethe'alla called Meltokio."

"Did they know that I was alive?"

"They suspected as much, but as they couldn't find you when they were trying to escape, they were forced to leave without you."

"So I'm the only one from the group you rescued who is still here?"

"That is correct. We have several agents of us keeping close watch on the group however. That way we can keep close watch on them and intervene if they plan on doing something too stupid for their own good."

"You're keeping taps on them and will help them in case of an emergency. It seems that you are willing to help them, but at the same time you're not working together with them. Just who are you people? You dress like Desians, but you stole things from the Human Ranch in Luin. You were also the ones that attacked Colette on the day of the Oracle. You also saved us from Yggdrasill, so it seems you're not on his side. What are your objectives?" Alice wanted until Dean was done talking before she started her explanation.

"We are the Renegades. We're an underground resistance dedicated to fighting the Desians… or rather, the Cruxis."

"So your enemy is our enemy. Yggdrasill did say that he was the leader of both the Desians and of Cruxis. Does that mean they're the same organisation?"

"That is correct. Cruxis controls the Church of Martel in the open and operates the Desians from behind the scenes. The Desians are a subordinate organisation within Cruxis. The Church of Martel is nothing more than an instrument created by Cruxis to rule the world. Those who call themselves angels are half-elves, who've evolved by using a special type of Exsphere called Cruxis Crystals. They aren't gods or anything of the sort. Of course, the Church of Martel and the Chosen know nothing about that." Dean thought for a little bit before asking a bit more.

"So my hunches have been right this whole time… The Church of Martel has taught us nothing but lies in all those years, but it seemed they were told the same lies as the truth as well. I know that the Journey of Salvation is to reverse the mana flow between Sylvarant and Tethe'alla and as well to revive the Goddess Martel. However, you just said that the angels are half-elves who use Cruxis Crystals… Does that mean that the Goddess Martel is fake as well? Is there no Goddess at all, just like I originally thought?"

"As far as I know does the Goddess Martel exist, but she is no Goddess. I don't know the details on this subject."

"Mmm… Fair enough, but I assume that the revival of Martel isn't necessary in order to restore peace and order to both worlds."

"I believe that the revival of the Goddess Martel is a personal goal of Lord Yggdrasill, but most of his followers don't believe or know this. They've been told that the revival of the Goddess Martel is crucial and of great importance. This is the conclusion I came to myself. I'm not certain of this."

"I see…" Dean thought for a little while before he came up with his next question.

"Are there any other questions you have?" Alice asked Dean after a minute.

"Yes. There are. Is there a way how to cure Colette and make her normal again? And if there is, do you or the Renegades know how?"

"There is a way, but I'm not allowed to say it to you." Dean raised his eyebrow at this. "But I think you can solve the answer to your question. I did say that angels use Cruxis Crystals which are an evolved product of the Exspheres."

"And Exspheres are harmful to people, unless they wear a Key Crest… Is it really that simple? Is all she need a Key Crest?" Dean thought out loud.

"Like I said, I'm not allowed to answer that." Alice said, but Dean could see in her eyes that and the way that she suddenly had a smile on her face that he had come to the right conclusion. Now Dean thought of another thing. The experiment that they put him under… Dean suddenly remembered that the purpose of the experiment was to create a Cruxis Crystal. After the last fever his sight and hearing had improved, just like Colette's. Dean looked at his own Exsphere. It did look a bit different from the last time he had looked upon it. Was it still evolving? Or was it complete now? Dean wondered about that.

"Is something the matter?" Alice asked when she noticed how Dean was observing his Exsphere.

"No, it's nothing." Dean took a deep breath. He would have to test his battle capabilities sometime soon. "So my friends have escaped and I'm not allowed to leave this place. Am I your prisoner? For what reason are you keeping me here and what do you want from me?"

"I'm afraid that is another question that I cannot answer." Dean looked at the woman doubtfully. "Don't worry. We mean you no harm. The fact that the door is locked is to make sure that you won't escape and chase down your friends. We want to talk to you first."

"So who will answer the question about what you want from me?"

"Our leader will answer that question. Do you have any other questions?"

"No, I don't. You've answered them all." Alice stood up and turned to the door.

"I hope I have informed you enough. Until next time." the woman said as she saluted Dean, entered the code in such a way that Dean could not see what the code was and left the door. Dean had hoped to chat for a little bit more, but the woman was doing her job like she was some kind of robot or machine. This Alice didn't seem to have at least resemblance to the sweet little Alice that Dean had met in Asgard. He hoped that the little girl was fine. Well, the monsters were probably looking after her, so she should be alright. He still was worried. Trying to shake off those thought Dean looked around the room again in order to find something to do. If he had a book to read, then he would know something to do, but there was nothing in the room. A luxury room, but with nothing to do. Dean considered taking a bath, but the shower had been enough. With nothing to do Dean studied the locked door and the mechanism behind it. He considered the option of frying the controls of the door, hoping it would open that way, but if that failed the door would be stuck and the ones who run this base would have to force it open or he would have to force it open himself. They would immediately know that he would have tried to escape once they saw the broken controls. The relationship between Dean and the Renegades would get worse like that. Well, the relationship between the two of them wasn't that good already, since that his friends escaped. In order to prevent him from escaping they had locked him up. He would have agreed to speak with them even if they had told him that his friends had escaped. Dean did feel a bit disappointed that they had left without him, but they wouldn't do such a thing unless they were cornered. Dean then stopped thinking. Did he just feel something? Were his emotions returning? A feeling of relief and content flowed through him as soon as he asked himself that. And with that his emotions returned to him, like a waterfall. First came the sadness as he thought of Colette. Then came the hate as he thought about Kratos. Then the concern for the rest of his friends. With the return of his emotions Dean realised that he was wasting his time here. He had to go after his friends. He walked towards the door, determined to force it open from. As he walked towards it the door opened again. A broad man was standing in it.

"Ah Dean. I'm glad to see that you're safe." the Renegade said to Dean. It then took off its helm.

"Thomas? You're alive?" In front of Dean was standing a man who was supposed to be dead. Behind him Alice was walking to him.

"Alive and breathing! What are you so surprised about? Didn't Alice tell you about me?" the man asked Dean.

"Thomas! Wait! I told you not to go directly to him. We have to await orders." Alice said to the broad man as she walked into the room as well. The door closed behind her.

"Come on now Alice. Do you hear what you're saying? You were the one who was burning to see Dean again." This made the woman blush a bit. Dean didn't know what to say or to think. Thomas was acting and implying that this Alice was the Alice from Asgard, but this woman was fully grown, didn't have any paintings on her body and acted totally different. That was not all. The little girl Alice had blue eyes and blond hair, not brown eyes and brown hair. As Dean looked confused at the duo, Alice kept silent as well. "Wait… You don't mean to tell him you haven't told him yet? I thought you wanted to tell him?" Thomas sighed. Alice then turned to Dean.

"Can you close your eyes?" the woman then asked.

"What?" Dean asked, even more confused now.

"Just close your eyes until I say you can open them." The woman was all flustered now. Dean looked at her for a little while, then looked at Thomas who nodded to him and closed his eyes. He heard some strange noises, but he didn't open his eyes. "Okay, you can open them." the familiar voice of a girl said. Dean opened his eyes and saw the little girl Alice back from Asgard looking at him. Her skin wasn't painted this time, but it was her alright. She was wearing a sweater that the grown-up Alice had been wearing just now that was part of the uniform of the Renegades. It was way too big for her. The pants were lying on the ground.

"Alice? Wait… Can you just explain to me what just happened? I understand that the grown-up Alice and the Alice I met in Asgard are the same, but how?" Alice picked up the pants and held them up and then somehow began to change. Her face intensified and Dean thought he could see glowing red eyes for a little while, before Alice closed them. The strange sound was there again and in front of Dean the little girl Alice changed. The colour of her hair changed, her length changed and before Dean knew it the grown-up Alice was standing in front of him. She was breathing heavily and seemed to be in pain. When she opened her eyes again, they were still glowing a bit in the same red colour, but after a second the colour of her eyes had the same brown colour again. "Well, that is something I have never seen before. How painful is it?"

"Quite painful." Alice answered. "You're not going to freak out?" She then asked surprised.

"Well, it's more than I'm really curious about that whole transformation than that it freaks me out." Alice then looked at Dean with a blank expression. "Look, I've seen angel wings appear on the girl of my dreams, I've learned that the whole Church of Martel is a lie and then Cruxis and the Desians are the same organisation. Something like this doesn't scare me. Besides, we live in a world filled with magic. I'm more surprised about something if it is something that isn't possible, except for maybe returning the dead to the world of the living. That is something that is just impossible."

"See? I told you we could trust this guy." Thomas said to Alice. She then began to cry.

"Don't mind me, I'm just happy." She said while tears were still flowing down her face. Thomas put his arm on her shoulder to support her. Alice then wept her tears away. "I'm okay." She smiled again and her eyes seemed alive again. This was the Alice that Dean knew. The one who showed her emotions. Dean smiled at her. "I can tell you the reason why I can do that."

"You don't need to tell me if you don't want to." Dean said to the Renegade woman. She just shook her head.

"No, I want to tell you." Alice took a deep breath and her face became neutral and distant again. "I'm a product of an experiment of the Cruxis." Alice started to tell. She did her best to distance herself from the story, but Dean knew it would still hurt her. "They were curious what would happen if the cells of monsters and humans would be combined. I don't know how they did this, but they did manage to create a being that was part monster and part human, but still looked human. I know that this took many, many years, but they finally succeeded. The result was me." She put her hand on her chest as she said the last sentence. "I was raised there in that cold environment without love. They gave me what I needed, but there wasn't any love behind their actions, only logic. When I was hurt and crying over it, they healed it, but could not understand why I was still crying after the pain was gone and the wound was healed. Oh, I forgot to tell you, but I was raised by angels. The only ones who did show emotions were Yggdrasill and sometimes guests who came, but that was seldom. They also did several experiments on me and most of them weren't pleasant and some of them were extreme. One time I changed my appearance in order to escape the next experiment, but as soon as they found out I could that, they just focused on this ability of mine. In the end I became as heartless, emotionless and as logical as them. I even did several missions for them. One day on one of my missions I got hurt. Monsters tried to attack me and that's when I learnt that I could communicate with monsters. Somehow I convinced the monsters that I was not an enemy of them by transforming. I changed myself into a creature that like a monster. Although I could understand them, I did not know their language. The monsters took me into their group as one of theirs and looked after me, allowing my wounds to heal. In that time I learned how to speak their language. Fascinated by the way these monsters were living, I decided to stay a little longer with them. I even hunted together with them and I do have to admit that I killed humans as well and ate their flesh. During my missions for Cruxis I had killed a lot and the thought that eating your own kind was revolting, didn't occur to me. Besides, I had learned that I was part monster and part human. That explained my ability to transform and to able to communicate with monsters. One day I came across the Renegades together with the pack of monsters I was living with at that time. We were hunting and humans, half-elves and elves were part of our prey. So we ambushed them, not realising the mistake we had made. My fellow monsters were slaughtered and an emotion and feeling I had not experienced for a long time came over me, that feeling being fear. I tried to escape, but it seemed that the roles of hunter and prey had been reversed. I was now the prey and the Renegades were the hunters. In my fear I transformed into a human and begged for mercy. They captured me and brought me to their base. In the beginning I was their prisoner. They interrogated me, but I had calmed down and had found back my stubbornness and logical thinking. I also blamed them for killing those monsters, who had become family in my eyes. Even though I was their prisoner, they didn't torture me. Time passed as I was their prisoner and I was starving myself to death, determined to take my secrets into the grave. In those days it was that I met Thomas. He entered my cell one day and tried to feed me. I refused to eat and drink and he left me after trying for a little while. I thought at the time it was just one of their new tricks into trying to convince me to trust them. The next day the man came again and tried to feed me again. I refused again of course. The following day he was there again. This went on until I was too weak to resist. He let me drink and chewed my food, so it was easier for me to swallow it. He visited me several times a day, but left me alone for hours when he left. Slowly my strength returned. I still did not trust this man who was feeding me. One day I attacked him and bit him, but he just hugged me and embraced me until I calmed down. It was only until I had calmed down that I realised that I was crying. I was confused at my own emotions and did not understand them. The man did not show hostility and only tried to comfort me and let me feel save. After that I started to look forward to the visit of the man. He introduced himself as Thomas. From then on we started to talk little by little. He told a bit about himself and the reason why he was with the Renegades. I told him about myself and about my past. When he started to cry when he heard about my past, I did not understand why he was crying. What I did not realise was that I was crying myself as well. Slowly by talking to Thomas the wall I had built around my heart was starting to break and disappear. After some time Thomas introduced me to the leader of the Renegades. He asked me if I wanted to join them. Not wanting to be torn apart from Thomas I accepted his offer. Ever since then I have been together with the Renegades. Thomas and I have confessed our love for each other in the meantime as well." Alice now looked at Thomas with love and tenderness. He held her hand and squeezed it gently. Dean was overwhelmed by the story. This woman had been through even more than himself. She had been born as an experiment of the Cruxis and they had done so many terrifying experiments to her. Compared to what he himself had been through, it was nothing. Seeing Alice and Thomas together and so happy filled Dean with joy and also with jealousy. Now he really longed for Colette. Feeling the pain of the woman in the time she was with Cruxis, Dean started to cry.

"I'm sorry. Your story is just so overwhelming." Dean dried his tears. Thomas was smiling at him. The man had stayed silent the whole time Alice had told her story. He stood by her with love and support.

"To be honest, we have watched you, the Chosen and the others from the beginning." Thomas said, his face and voice now serious. "Ever since Lloyd escaped the Triet Base of ours Alice and I have been commanded to keep watch over you. The two of us are a special force that is specialised in spying. We kept our distance from you and didn't help you in any situation. However, the capture of you by the Desians wasn't seen by us. Until they rescued you from the Human Ranch in the area of Palmacosta, we didn't even know that you were part of the group. Curious about this new member of the group and what he was like, we went to Asgard. We disguised ourselves as the shop keeper of the weapon shop and his daughter. The people of Asgard got to know us as that and Alice wasn't really accepted by the town because of her appearance, but that was part of our group. We wanted to know if the Chosen and her companions would be able to accept those who were different. To our surprise you accepted Alice as soon as you 'rescued' her from those monsters. You see, you arrived in Asgard sooner than we had expected. Alice had noticed the unrest of the monsters in the area and had decided to investigate. When you entered the shop I acted as the concerned father who wanted to save his daughter. It was really hard to put up with that act, but we managed well. When we found out that all of you were able to accept people who were different, we wanted to thank you. So we gave you those weapons. The silver sword I gave you was my own weapon to be honest. It had been passed down in my own family."

"I'm sorry Thomas. The sword was destroyed in the fight with Yggdrasill." Dean apologised to the man. Thomas shook his head.

"It's okay. Weapons can be replaced and it served its goal well. I'm more happy that you and the others are alive. If we hadn't rescued you just in time…" Thomas didn't finish his sentence. He then shook his head. "I'm sorry, I have said too much. It's about time to introduce you to our leader." At that moment another Renegade walked into the room.

"Our leader wants to see you. Please follow me." the Regenade said to Dean.

"We'll see you after the meeting with our leader. So see you soon." Thomas said.

"Yes, see you soon." Alice said. Dean didn't say anything, unable to find the right words. He just waved them goodbye as he followed the Renegade through the base. Dean was led from one part of the base to the other, until he lost sense of direction. The base itself was similar to a Human Ranch. The doors were mechanical and all made out of steel. The hallways were plain and it seemed the whole base was made out of stone and steel, making it very sturdy. There were all kind of devices everywhere and the base was filled with other Renegades who all wore the same uniform. They also wore helmets, making it hard to distinguish one Renegade from another, just like it was with the Desians. Every Renegade was armed with a weapon. Dean saw mostly swords, hammers and magical wands and staffs, but other Renegades had equipped other weapons as well. While he was observing his surrounding, he reached his destination. He walked into a room. The doors opened automatically, using a technology Dean was unfamiliar with. This room was luxurious as well, but different from the room Dean was been in. The room was smaller, filled with paintings and there was a desk in the at the end of the room. Dean recognised the room. It was the same room they had fought Botta when they were trying to rescue Lloyd from which they thought it would be Desians. It had been the Renegade Base after all. Botta wasn't in the room this time, but a different person. A man with long blue hair which was hold into a ponytail and blue eyes were sitting at the desk. He was wearing a cape the partly hid his clothes beneath. Beneath the cape there was a body chest armour which was red, black and adorned with gold, white pants and boots the same colour of the chest armour. The armour seemed sturdy, but didn't restricts his movements. He was also wearing gloves that reached to his elbow. He had an aura of authority and superiority around him. In a way the man reminded Dean of Yggdrasill and Remiel. Those two also seemed to look down on others.

"Ah, you have finally woken up." the man said to Dean. Dean could sense it. This man was strong as well. His pose seemed relaxed, but Dean could tell that the man would instantly react if somebody would attack. The skill and strength of the man should be the same of Kratos. He still was nothing compared to the strength of Yggdrasill. The leader of the Desians had also looked down on Lloyd, him and the others, but Dean knew that Yggdrasill strength was so enormous, that he could easily crush down his enemies like they were just bugs getting in his way. The man seemed to notice how Dean was observing him in a short instance and he smiled.

"So you are the leader of the Renegades. May I have your name since you already know mine?" Dean asked the man and bowed down a little, not wanting to insult this man. He was in enemy territory after all. It was wise to behave himself at this time, if he didn't want to be thrown back into a cell.

"So you've been taught manners. My name is Yuan and as you said, I am the leader of the Renegades."

"So Cruxis is your enemy, as well it is ours. However, it seems our ways of defying Yggdrasill is different." Dean knew who these men were. They had attacked Colette in Iselia and had abducted Lloyd in Triet. He had attacked two of his best friends. He wasn't sure what to expect from this Yuan.

"Haha, you're also quite direct. I like that. It seems we'll be able to get along fine. Please drop your guard and relax. Let me explain my actions."

"You trust me that much?" Dean asked surprised. He hadn't expected to get answers that easily.

"We've already told you much. We're not about to let you go and do as you please." Dean eyed the man carefully. "But as you are in this situation it would only be fair to tell you the truth." Dean let out a sigh. He wanted to go after Colette and the others, but it seemed he had to be patient and wait for the right time, although he did wonder if that time would come. They didn't trust him and they had enough reasons for that. He would have to work hard in order for them to trust him.

"Well, now I know in what kind of situation I am in. Now please tell me, you attacked Colette back in Iselia and you attacked Lloyd in Iselia. Why?" The man continued to smile and watch Dean carefully. It seemed he had observed in the same way as Dean had observed the man and it seemed he liked what he had seen.

"We want to prevent the revival of Martel and the Chosen, who would become her vessel, was an obstacle. Unfortunately, the Chosen has completed the angel transformation. She is now a lethal weapon whose only goal is self-preservation." Dean clanged his fists. He didn't like the way they were talking about his beloved. "Don't worry, we wouldn't dare to lay a hand on her now. So that's the reason why we attacked Colette. As for why we attacked Lloyd, that is a little bit more complicated." Dean raised his eyebrow, showing he was interested. "You know that besides Sylvarant there lies another world called Tethe'alla. Believe it or not, these two worlds were once one. The people of Sylvarant and the people of Tethe'alla belong to two countries who were at war with each other during the grand kharlan war. Yggdrasill separated the two countries from each other, thus ending the long war. Yggdrasill knew that the cause that the Great withered and died is because of the enormous use of magitechnology."

"So in order from preventing that magitechnology would rise once again, he let one world prosper and one world wither." Dean figured out himself. That did make sense.

"Correct"

"But still. I know that Yggdrasill is strong, but how did he create another world? I'm not saying it's impossible, but how?" Dean asked.

"There is the King of the Summon Spirits in this world who can create a sword that can grant wishes. The Eternal Sword. Yggdrasill used that sword to create the two swords and it is also a great source of his power. He cannot die if he has the sword in his possession. We also need the sword to fuse the two worlds together."

"So the pact with the King of the Summon Spirits is needed in order to defeat Yggdrasill and turn everything back to normal. What about the mana shortage?"

"What do you think yourself? Where does the mana come from?" Dean thought for a little while. He knew that Sylvarant's mana was flowing towards Tethe'alla, but at the same time that mana has to have a source. The Great Tree was no more.

"There is no more Great Tree that produces mana, but still there is a source that creates mana. Or else the system of the two worlds who vie for each other's mana wouldn't be possible. Every form of life needs mana to live and even though a piece of mana is released when things die, mana is consumed more than it is released. I just don't know what that source of mana is."

"Just before the Great Tree died, he released a seed. We call it the Great Seed. It lies between the two worlds and supplies the flourishing world of its mana. However, this system will not last forever. We intend to restore the worlds into one and then let the seed take root, so another tree can be born."

"Why doesn't let Yggdrasill let the seed take root. I know he wants to uphold this twisted system, but he too should know that it won't last forever."

"Martel still lives within the seed. He wants to revive Martel. He is obsessed with it. If he lets the Great Seed take root, Martel will die."

"Just who is Martel?"

"That is for another time." There was a silence now. A lot of things made so much more sense to Dean, although he still had enough questions.

"Still… How does Lloyd fit with this?" Dean asked.

"The one who has a pact with the King of Summon Spirits, with Origin, is Kratos."

"Are Kratos and Lloyd related then?"

"Haven't you noticed?" Dean was confused. "Kratos is the father of Lloyd." Now that was a surprise. Dean knew that Kratos always treated Lloyd different, but still…

"Kratos tried to murder his own son? He betrayed not only Colette, me and the others, but also his own son? What kind of a father would do such a horrible thing?!" Dean asked angrily. His hate for Kratos had just increased even more.

"Still, Kratos cares for Lloyd. He was doubting to take down Lloyd during the fight. It was only because he fears Yggdrasill that he didn't take action to save his son. Believe it or not, but Kratos is acting on his own and trying to defy Yggdrasill in his own way." Dean didn't know what to believe. Kratos was a horrible father. Paul would jump in front of Yggdrasill if it meant saving Dean. That was how much Paul loved Dean, even though Dean was not his real son. If Kratos loved Lloyd and cared for Lloyd, he did so in a very twisted way.

"So you were planning on capturing Lloyd in order to convince Kratos to release his pact with Origin, the King of Summon Spirits. Why go so far? Can't Kratos just release the pact with Origin if he really wants to defy Yggdrasill?"

"That is because the pact is linked to his life. If Kratos releases the pact, he will die." Dean didn't care. If that traitor had to die in order to restore the world back to normal and bring peace to everything, then that was a sacrifice that had to be made. Even though Kratos had betrayed them all and Dean hated the man so much, he still wondered why. What were the reasons behind the actions of the man?

"Yggdrasill needs to be stopped. If Kratos needs to die, so be it." Somehow Yuan was a bit shocked when Dean told him that. Dean found this strange. It was the plan of the man himself to capture Lloyd and make Kratos release the pact.

"Now you know the truth." Yuan said to Dean, done with talking.

"Do Lloyd and the others know this?" Dean asked. Yuan looked Dean in the eye and shook his head. Dean realised that he had been thrown into a trap. Now that he knew so much, he was a threat. He wouldn't be able to go back to his friends that easily. Dean thought about Colette and a tear ran over his face with now that the thought of never seeing her again crossed his mind. "Just tell me one more thing!" Dean said with tears still flowing over his face. "Can Colette be cured? Is there a way to return her back to normal?"

"What do you think yourself? We've told you before. Cruxis Crystals are evolved Exspheres. What do Exspheres need if you don't want them to be harmful?"

"A Key Crest…" Dean softly said. "Is it really that simple?" Dean asked the leader of the Renegades.

"I have to admit, it will probably not be easy no. Only a Key Crest that is made by a dwarf can probably restore the Chosen back to her normal self. As you know, dwarves are a dying race. There aren't many left in this world. As far as I know only Cruxis has living dwarves." Dean knew that wasn't true.

"Dirk… The dwarf that raised Lloyd. He can help us." Dean said. Yuan looked at Dean mockingly.

"Do you really think we're just going to ask the help of the dwarf and ask nothing in return from you. If you truly wish to return the Chosen back to normal and we have the means to make that happen, then work for us." So that was the deal. They knew that Dean wouldn't refuse. That was probably why they told him all of that. They wanted him as an ally, but why? Dean closed his eyes for a moment and apologised to his friends. He then opened them again and looked Yuan with great determination in the eyes.

"Deal." Dean said to the offer of Yuan. The man smiled again. Things were working out exactly like he had planned and Dean knew this.

"Good. Somebody will show you around the base. I'll fill you in later with what tasks await you. Just rest for the time being. I see that you haven't fully recovered just yet." Yuan called in the same Renegade that escorted Dean to this room, although Dean thought it was the same man. Dean couldn't see for sure.

"I don't why the boss wants you to join our cause so badly, but still… Welcome to the Renegades." The man had stopped just outside the room and Dean had wondered what he had wanted. The man wanted to shake hands with Dean, his hand was floating in the air, ready to be grabbed. Dean smiled at the man and shook hands with him. The man seemed to be in a little pain as Dean grabbed his hand a bit too firmly. It seemed that Dean still didn't know his strength.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you with that. I'm just happy for making me feel welcome here."

"Ah, don't worry about it. I like a person with a firm handshake. Let me first give you this." The man put some kind of device on the wrist of Dean. It was a strange sort of device. It had several buttons on it and it was showing numbers as well. Dean looked confused at the device. That made the man laugh. "I'm sorry, I forgot that you were from Sylvarant and haven't even seen such a device ever before. The numbers on it show the time, but it also has other functions." Dean looked at the numbers, but don't understand what they meant. They number 14:05 was showing on it.

"I'm sorry, but what time is it then? I've never heard of the hour fourteen." Dean just didn't get it. Somehow this made the man laugh again. Dean looked at him offended.

"Don't mind me. It's just common sense for someone like me. It's strange that someone is asking these kind of answers. Then allow me to explain. You know that there is a day and a night, right?" Dean nodded. "Well, we have found out that one day has twenty-four hours. After those twenty-four hours are over, a new day begins. In the middle of the night a new day begins. When the sun rises in this region, it's around six hours in the morning. Right now it is two hour and six minutes in the afternoon. After midday we are used to start over with counting from one to twelve again. I'm sure you are used to this system. This watch just keeps on counting until the twenty-four hour." Dean understood right now. This system made more sense than using two times twelve hours. He had always found that system a bit strange.

"I see. This system makes more sense than the old system."

"I'm glad you figured it out so quickly. Now then, back the other functions of the watch. A watch is a device that tells the time by the way. Under the numbers there are two buttons. If you press the left button a map of the base will be shown." Dean pressed the button and a holographic image of the base was shown. It was the same like when Raine had brought out the map in the Human Ranch in the area around Luin, except that this map was much smaller. The Renegade then explained what all the different rooms were. Dean now knew why everyone knew their way around this big place. They had a map with them the whole time. "The other button lets you communicate with others on the base. Everyone is giving a number when they start here. Now, press the button." Dean pressed the right button now as well. Another image appeared above the device which showed the numbers zero till nine. "Now, my number is zero, five, seven, nine. I'm going to walk a bit further ahead. You stay right here. When I've turned around the next corner, press the right numbers and you'll be in for a surprise." This didn't really made sense to Dean, but he did as he was told. The Renegade walked a bit further away and then turned left at the next corner. Dean pressed the right button again as the screen had disappeared again and pressed the numbers zero, five, seven and nine. After he pressed the number he could suddenly hear the Renegade talking again.

"So it's a communicating device as well." Dean softly said while he was still looking at the watch.

"Ah, good. I was worried you pressed the wrong buttons." the voice of the Renegade came from the device. "As you had figured out, the watch lets us communicate with us each, but it has its limits. You can contact everyone in the base if you know their numbers, but it only has a range of ten meters outside of the base. It also happens that you get your commands through the watch, so make sure you always carry the watch with you. Now, come over here. It's strange explaining things like this." Dean walked over towards where the Renegade was. There was still one thing bothering Dean and that was the fact that he didn't know the name of the Renegade. When he reached the Renegade he introduced himself and asked for his name.

"Ah, I already knew your name Dean. You're quite well known in the base already. I don't know if that is a good thing. Just call me Steve. Now let's go to the dining hall. I'm sure you're hungry by now." Dean hadn't realised it, but Steve was right. He was famished. His stomach let out a growl to confirm the suspicion Steve had and the man laughed as he heard the voice. Steve laughed a lot at Dean, but Dean still liked the man. He had welcomed him and was acting really friendly to him. Dean could see in the eyes of the man that he wasn´t acting this way because of orders. Steve was just acting like himself. This made Dean smile. It seemed that a lot of good people were working as Renegades. Alice and Thomas were good people as well. Still, Dean missed his friends and silently wished he could be with them. It was quite a walk until they reached the dining hall and Steve meanwhile asked Dean what it had been to fight Yggdrasill. The man seemed to be really interested in his last fight against the angels.

"What about you? Are you a good fighter?" Dean asked with his mouth full after Dean had told him the kind of artes and magic he could do. They had reached the dining hall already and Dean was eating like crazy. He couldn't remember a time where he had been this hungry.

"Me? I know my way around a sword, but I'm not such a good fighter and you and your friends. Combat has never been my strong point."

"I'm sure you could defeat me as I am right now. I may not let it show, but my body still hurts and my mana is really low right now." Steve looked a bit surprised at Dean when he said that. Dean hadn't been lying. Walking around was painful and he was walking on purpose in a pace where it didn't hurt that much.

"Even after that much rest?" Steve asked bewildered.

"Well, I did gave it my all that fight, quite literally. When I disarmed Kratos at the end of the fight I used up all of my remaining mana and I probably forced some of my life force into that attack as well. I couldn't move at all after that anymore. If Lloyd hadn't gotten up and dealt the finishing blow, I would have been at the mercy of that traitor. When Yggdrasill arrived I was already done for. By willpower alone I managed to throw my sword at Yggdrasill. I was surprised myself that my sword flew that far. I merely wanted to distract him." Dean then remembered that Yggdrasill had known him. Maybe Yuan knew a bit more about that. Dean decided he would ask the leader the next time he saw him. Dean finished eating in record time and when he was full he was content and could just fall asleep if he wanted to. Steve had looked at him in wonder this whole time, not believing his eyes that a human being could eat so fast and so much in such a short time.

"Do you always eat like that?" Steve asked when Dean was ready. This made Dean laugh.

"No. Normally I'm faster." Dean jokingly said. The eyes of Steve even became even larger. "I'm just kidding. It was a joke. I was famished this time. I'm even surprised myself that I managed to do such a thing. I'm used to have table manners, but they just disappeared as soon as I saw that plate of food." Steve laughed again.

"It's really fun to hang around with you Dean. You're an interesting fellow."

"The others aren't?" Dean asked curious. Steve thought for a while.

"Well, some of them are, but most of the people here are quite serious. They are way too focused on their jobs or have had a rough past and just don't know how to fully relax anymore."

"We all have had our past, but that isn't a reason for making a joke from time to time."

"I know, right?" Dean smiled. Being with Steve cheered him up as well. He seemed like a carefree person, but he knew what he was talking about. Now that Dean was done eating, he took a look around him. There weren't many people in the dining hall. It seemed that the people who prepared the food were working every moment of the day preparing food for the amount of people that stayed in this base. This wasn't a little organisation. It was quite big and it needed to be if they wanted to have a chance against Yggdrasill. In the big room there were several quite large tables positioned in a neat order. Dean guessed that around five hundred people could eat here at the same time. Steve said that during lunch and dinner that the place was packed and that they actually needed an even bigger room. Dean was really surprised when he heard that. He also heard that several people worked here in the night as well. Most of those people were on night's watch and there was always one chef awake who would prepare food for those people. It was like the base was a living being that functioned twenty-four hours a day.

"So, do you want to go to the armoury next? You need a new weapon right?" Steve asked Dean. Dean's eyes lighted up when Steve asked that and the man knew enough. Dean checked his map several times in order to check where they were going. On the map there was a dot which represented the location of Dean on the map. This made it really much easier to find the way in this base. Dean noticed that while going towards the armoury that some of the rooms had locked doors and that some rooms had a puzzle in it that needed to be unlocked before they could enter the next room. There were three rooms like this after each other. Steve explained that these rooms were extra security in order to keep intruders out. You also needed some other device to electrify some security machines who were floating around at an exact location on the room in order to open the room. Dean used his magic to help with this, but he wished that he hadn't done that. Even the little use of magic drained his strength even further. Steve even asked if Dean was okay after Dean had used his magic to electrify the floating security drone. Steve had called the machines drones. Dean just said that he was more tired than he had expected. Steve looked at him with a look that said that he didn't trust what Dean had said. Dean smiled when he saw that look on the face of the Renegade. When Dean entered the armoury he understood all the security reasons. The place was huge and there were tons of weapons stored in the room. They were stored next to each other in storage stands that seemed to be designed just for the storage of the weapons. Mass produced weapons were kept together neatly in separate sections. In one section there were only swords, another sections for spears and another for axes. It went on and on like this. Steve walked by all of these sections further into the room. Dean didn't know where to look while he was walking behind Steve. There were weapons everywhere. He thought he saw even some sort of cannon as they had walked even further into the room. Dean also couldn't even see the end of the room. The cause for this was that Steve was carrying a lantern and the lights weren't turned on. When they reached the end of the room, there were special storage units against the wall. These units were closed and Dean could see that you needed to press some kind of code if you wanted to open these units.

"Your strength has increased even more, right?" Steve asked Dean.

"How do you?" Dean asked the man. The Renegade knew more than he showed. His behaviour hadn't been an act, but still it acted as a cover for the things that he did know and his true position. At first Steve looked seriously at Dean, but then showed a smile that Dean had seen the whole day.

"Our leader Yuan thinks highly of you and after what I have heard from you, I agree with him. These storage units are special, but you had guessed that already. That axe you were carrying, the old axe that Magnius had used, is now being kept in one of the storage units as well. Most of the weapons here are enhanced by Exspheres or are improved by magic." Steve walked towards one of the storage units, looking at the numbers above the units. Dean followed him until the man had apparently found what he had been looking for. "We don't have a magical weapon like the Eternal Sword in here, the strength of that weapon is just way too great, but we do have weapons whose strength cannot be replicated by any weapon that the technology of this era can create." Steve pressed a code at the unit, then pulled out of key out of nowhere and unlocked the unit. Slowly the unit opened and revealed its content. Inside was a silver sword. Its blade was quite broad. The sword's length was about the height of Dean, minus his head. It somehow looked like a sword that needed to be held with both hands, a two-handed blade. "Go on." Steve said and Dean grabbed the sword. As Dean expected, the sword was much heavier than the katana swords he had used before. The swords he had used before relied more on the technique of the user and not on its weight in order to defeat the opponents. This sword was more suited for someone like Kratos. Kratos used one-handed swords that relied on its weight in order to overpower its opponent. It could still be used to perform difficult techniques and in the same way Dean was used to fight, but due to the weight of the sword this was way more difficult to perform. Dean felt the weight of the sword, stepped out of the range of Steve and swung it around for a little bit. He tried his more difficult manoeuvres and evading with the sword in hand. Even though it was a big sword, Dean was able to use it as a one-handed sword, although he had to get used to the length of the blade. Steve looked impressed at him.

"I must say, it is quite an impressive sword, but besides it being a huge sword, what is so special about it?" Dean asked Steve.

"Oh, you'll figure it out eventually. With eventually, I mean tomorrow. I'll guide you around for a little more and I'll show you our training area. Tomorrow at ten o'clock in the morning, come at the training ground and I'll bring that sword. We'll test it out then." Dean really wanted to try it out at that moment, but he knew that he shouldn't and he couldn't. Steve grabbed something from the unit and gave it to Dean. It was a belt with the sheath of the sword. The belt was too much for Dean to put on normally, so he put it on in such a way that he could put the sword on his back. He was used to put his sword at his back and not at his side. It was a bit uncomfortable while sitting down like that, but Dean just preferred this over putting the sword at his side. Besides, people would think that the blade would need to be held two-handed and not one-handed. Dean could surprise them with this. Satisfied, the two of them left the armoury. Steve showed Dean around the base for a little bit longer, showing the training ground and some other rooms. Time flew by like this while Steve and Dean chatted about all kinds of things. During dinner Dean ate together with Alice, Thomas and Steve and it seemed that the four of them could get along just fine. Alice and Thomas were a bit surprised that Steve was showing Dean around, but when Dean asked them about Steve they dodged around the question and didn't really answer it. The whole case was getting a bit suspicious. Steve kept his helmet on the whole time, even though most of the people didn't do that. Dean didn't want to think too much about it, but it was a thing that stood out. After dinner Dean was feeling really tired. Alice and Thomas guided him back to his 'room'. He wasn't giving the code for getting outside the room just yet, but Dean knew he had to be patient about that. He expected that now that they had given him a formidable weapon they had somehow indebted him to them. All of their actions seemed to be out of kindness, but Dean could sense a superior motive behind all of these actions. It was all a bit suspicious, but the people were nice and honest, although they held back information from him. He was told a lot, but it still seemed that there was a lot that he still didn't know about. While he was lying in bed, he wondered how the others were doing and if they would find a way to turn Colette back to normal. With these thoughts he fell into a dreamless sleep.

In the middle of the night Dean woke up, his body was covered in cold sweat although he was feeling hot. Unable to get back to sleep Dean filled the bath with warm water. He found new sheets so that he could replace those which were covered in sweat. After he was done with cleaning his bed the bath was filled with warm water. He stepped into the bath. He then used some kind of soap to fill the bath with bubbles so he wasn't forced to look at his ugly scars. From the moment he had woken up he was fully awake. Now that he was relaxing in the warm water, he could feel himself getting sleepy again. He was glad that he did, because he was still confined in this room. With nothing to do his thoughts would go back to Colette and the things that had happened in the past. He would drive himself insane like that. He needed to be able to do something or else he would go mad. Even while he was relaxing in this soothing bath, his thoughts went back to all the things that had happened the last weeks. Dean concentrated on his breathing in order to empty his mind. Like this he went into a state of meditation that calmed his mind and soul. After awakening from his meditation the water was already getting cold. He flushed away the water, dried his body and went back to sleep. Due to the state of meditation he had been in, he was able to get back to sleep easily.

When Dean woke up again it was early in the morning. He looked at his watch and saw that it was a bit past five o'clock. This was the time he would normally wake up and go hunting or practise his swordsmanship. Not knowing what to do, he got out of bed and got dressed. He walked around the room, not knowing what to do. As he got closer to the door it opened on its own. There wasn't a guard or anything of the sort nearby, so Dean decided to wander around the base for a little while. The hallways were lighted by magitechnology during the day and the night as the Base was closed off from any form of daylight. Dean didn't feel at ease being in this Renegade Base. It was way too similar to a Human Ranch of the Desians. Memories of that horrible past came back to him now that he was walking alone in the hallways. Wanting to escape this feeling Dean fled towards the training ground. This room looked similar to the other rooms, but the big difference was the ground. That was made out of sand instead of the metal the whole Base was built from. There was also an equipment room with wooden weapons and targets that people could use to practise with. Dean didn't have his new sword with him. Steve had brought it with him, saying it needed some modifications. Dean grabbed a wooden sword and placed several targets around the room. Like all of the general rooms in the base, the training ground room was huge. It took some time before you would reach the other side of the room. The sand and the size of the room made sure that the room felt like some kind of arena. There were even spots at the sides where people could sit and watch. Dean visualised that he was some kind of gladiator and he was fighting in an arena as he was striking one target after another. He had reinforced the wooden sword with magic, so that it wouldn't break. He had done the same with some of the targets as he noticed when he kicked them that they flew through the room and became rather damaged of it. The sword also felt way too light for Dean and he needed to hold back and fight mostly with technique than with strength. He was dancing around the room like that, striking one target after another. After Dean was content with this, he put back the targets in the equipment room. When everything was put back Dean stepped back into the training room. He wanted to try a technique. It would become his most powerful attack if he managed to master it completely, but the attack put a huge pressure on his body and it drained his mana. In order to practice it, he would need a lot of room as well. This training ground was perfect. Dean spend his time in the training room until he was too tired to go on. He was also getting really hungry. He went back to his room, took a shower, changed clothes and ate a good meal at the dining hall. As time passed, more and more people entered the dining hall to eat. Dean had passed a few Renegades while walking around the base, but none of them had paid him any attention. It seemed that had gotten their orders to leave Dean alone. Just as Dean was done with eating and was about to put his dishes at the designated table, he came across Alice and Thomas. As usual, the two of them were together. They also saw him and greeted him. He waved back and the two of them approached him. It wasn't hard to spot Dean. He was the only one who wasn't wearing the typical Renegade uniform. Dean had noticed yesterday that there were slight differences between some of the uniforms. He figured that the difference showed the rank of the person. The Renegades were still some kind of rebel army. The whole base was a military on its own.

"Good morning Dean. You're up early." Alice greeted him with a smile. Dean was glad that he had heard the story behind the woman. She was being herself around him now and she could greet him with a warm smile. It was hard to imagine that this was the same cold woman he had met before.

"Good morning Alice. I'm always up early in the morning." Dean said back to her and showed her a smile as well.

"Oh, at what time do you wake up normally?" Thomas asked Dean. The three were searching for a place where they could sit. It seemed the whole base was awake right now and everyone wanted to eat. Finding a spot for three people wasn't as easy as one might think.

"Well, I've never had a watch before, but if I get up as early as I did today… Well, then it was a bit after five o'clock in the morning."

"That early?" Alice asked in wonder.

"Well, I'm used to go hunting in the morning or I joined Lloyd and Kratos with morning practice. Just when the sun rises the rest would wake up, we would eat breakfast and then continue travelling. That is the rhythm I'm used to." Dean wanted to sound cheerful, but as he mentioned Lloyd and Kratos he could feel a sting in his heart.

"So you are a morning person." Thomas concluded. This made Dean smile.

"Well, I wasn't when I was child. Even back then I got early in the morning to practise my swordsmanship with my dad, but it took about a year before I was able to get up on my own. My dad had to wake me up until that and even after I was able to get up on my own, it always took an hour before I was fully awake. During the years I finally got used to waking up early in the morning." Thinking about the past made Dean happy and a nostalgic feeling came over him. "Ah, there is a spot over there." Dean pointed at a spot where the three of them could sit. They quickly headed over there and sat down.

"Hey, we saw that spot first." A Renegade behind Dean said as soon as the three of them had sat down. Dean turned around to look at the Renegade. He noticed that the man was wearing a different uniform than most people. The Renegade also had a smug smile on his face and an arrogant look. It reminded Dean too much of a Desian. He didn't like the man.

"So what are you going to do about it?" Dean asked the Renegade as he looked at him with a murderous intent. Feeling uneasy the man stepped back.

"N-nothing." The man stammered. "Come on, let's find another spot." The Renegade said to his companions. Satisfied, Dean returned his attention to his new friends. The two of them just looked at him blankly.

"What? You have to fight for a spot over here, don't you?"

"Yes… It's just… What did you do?" Thomas asked him.

"That man reminded me too much of a Desian. He had that smug smile on his face and I could feel he was looking down on us. All of the Desians looked at me like that back in the Human Ranch. So I gave him a look that would make a baby cry." Dean explained.

"I guess you don't want to get stuck in a fight with you." Alice said. For some reason she was smiling at Dean.

"Well, I guess I could have taken the three of them out and say it was self-defence, but I wanted to know if he really had the guts and the experience to go into a fight. I guess he doesn't, but don't mind me. Eat up, your food is going to get cold." Following his advice, Thomas and Alice began eating. The two of them were eating totally different things. Thomas had already several pieces of meat on his plate and only a little bit of vegetables. Alice had mostly salad and fruit on her plate. It was strange that one's preferences in breakfast could differ that much.

"Well, I'm curious. Can you replicate the look you had on your face?" Thomas asked after he had swallowed his food and was ready to take another bite.

"I can try…" Dean closed his eyes. He thought of Kratos and Yggdrasill, the things he had done to him. Then his thoughts went towards the Desians and lastly towards the dead Desian Grand Kardinal Kvar. He let all of his anger and rage fill him up. When he opened his eyes again he looked at Alice and Thomas with such an intense and murderous look that it startled them and made them stop eating. Then slowly Dean relaxed and let the hate flow out of him. He closed his eyes again and he smiled at the couple that were gazing with an open mouth at him.

"I think that almost everyone would flee if they saw someone looking at them like that…" Thomas confessed.

"I've never felt so much hate and murderous intent before…" Alice softly said.

"Well, that gaze was probably the most hateful gaze I ever gave someone. Don't worry, I'm not planning on looking like that at everyone. Besides, I didn't like that guy."

"Am I glad that I'm not your enemy." Thomas then said. Alice agreed with him. It made Dean feel all awkward. People had never looked at him with fear before. He also wasn't planning on becoming a person that people should fear. He let out of sigh.

"So what have you been doing with your time up until now?" Alice asked Dean, wanting to change the subject.

"Well, the door opened as soon as I had gotten dressed, so that was nice." Dean said.

"Oh, we forgot to tell you yesterday. The door is locked during the night. It's just a precaution that assures us that you won't escape in the middle of the night. I don't know why the door opened that early in the morning, but it is set to open in the morning. Maybe it registers when you wake up? I'm not that technical." Alice explained. "So what did you do after that?"

"I wandered around the base for a while, but as I walked around it reminded me too much of a Human Ranch. This place really looks way too similar to such a place, you know? In order to escape from that feeling, I spend my time in the training ground. It was abandoned, so I could do whatever I wanted in there. I might have broken some things though… After that I was really hungry, but I took a shower before coming here. Just as I was done eating I met you guys."

"You broke some of the equipment at the training ground? Are you sure? That stuff is really sturdy."

"Well, it seems my strength has increased even more since last time I had such a fever. I wonder if it is related…"

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" Alice asked Dean.

"Well, Steve did say to meet him at ten o'clock. Why do you ask?"

"You met up with Steve?" Thomas asked him bewildered.

"Is he an important person?" Dean asked confused, not knowing what the fuss was about.

"Well, I guess you'll find out for yourself." Alice answered. It seemed that were planning on keeping Dean in the dark about Steve. "Well, you can go with us until then."

"Sounds like a good plan." Thomas added. "What do you say?"

"Sure, I don't have anything else to do." The two of them were happy to hear that. Dean had wondered about it before, but it seemed that both Alice and Thomas were by themselves most of the time. It seems they were glad to have gained a new friend as well. "So, what do you guys need to do?"

"Oh, nothing special. We've got some reports that we need to give to several people. We'll be doing that most of the time this morning. This base is kind of big."

"Then it's settled!" Thomas slapped me on the shoulder. "You'll be stuck with us." He showed me his broad smile. Thomas himself was kind of a big man. He was both taller and broader than Dean. Even though his colossus size, he was a kind man that cared for the well-being of his friends and beloved one. Alice and Thomas were done eating at that moment and the three of them left the dining hall together. They first went to the room Alice and Thomas were staying. Compared to the room Dean was staying, their room was kind of sober. It was designed in the same way as the hallways of the base. There were two beds in the room, a desk for working on and a closet for their clothing and personal belongings. The two of them did have that hand-washing thing, Alice called it a sink, and a shower in a small room that was linked to their room. There were no paintings on the walls and everything was a of standard quality, used throughout the entire base. One thing Dean noticed was that there was a picture of Alice and Thomas in their uniforms, smiling at each other, on the desk. Alice grabbed some kind of plates which looked all technical and made of magitechnology. She explained that they were electronic devices which showed information. On those were the reports that Thomas and she wrote. Dean couldn't follow what she said and it was all magic and hocus-pocus to him. When Alice noticed that he didn't understand for one bit, she stopped explaining and just smiled at him. Thomas did remark that Dean was from an underdeveloped world, a remark that seemed to be similar to the one Steve had made the day before. Somehow this annoyed Dean. It wasn't his fault that Sylvarant was nearly on the brink of destruction. Thomas somehow noticed this and said that he shouldn't worry about it. Dean walked with them as the duo delivered one report after another to several other Renegades in the base. They talked while they were making their delivery. Dean kept a careful eye on his watch, making sure he wouldn't lose track of time. When it was nearly time, Dean said goodbye to the duo and quickly went to the training ground.

Steve was already waiting for him with the new sword for Dean. Dean didn't recognise him at first. He wasn't wearing his helmet and Steve finally revealed his face to Dean. He looked like a man who was in his late twenties. He had silver hair and blue eyes. He was smiling in the way Dean was used to see. There were three scars on his face. A small one next to his left eye, a cross-shaped one on his cheek and one on the right side of his forehead. The scars somehow suited the man. The uniform he was wearing was different today as well. Dean hadn't seen this variation of the uniform before. It looked Steve was actually a very important person, but Dean had figured something like that. Standing on the ground next to him was an impressive spear. That seemed to be the weapon of Steve.

"Ah, you're right on time. How are you feeling, ready to test out your new weapon?" Steve asked Dean in a casual way.

"I'm feeling much better. Somehow all of my wounds have healed and my mana supply is much better as well." Dean answered.

"You're not surprised at my get-up?" Dean shook his head.

"Not really. You let out yesterday that you weren't an ordinary soldier." That made Steve laugh.

"Ah, sorry for that. If I wore the same uniform as today and if I didn't wear a helmet we wouldn't have been able to walk around so carefree yesterday. I'm actually one of the generals and I'm the best teacher of this base. I wasn't lying yesterday that I'm not that good with a sword. I just didn't say that my primary weapon is a spear." Steve grinned. "So, you ready to spar?" He tossed the weapon with an effort to Dean, who caught it effortlessly. The sword was still in its sheath and the belt was attached to it as well. Dean put the weapon on his body. He unsheathed the weapon and got into a battle pose. Steve had picked up his spear as well and was ready to fight Dean.

"Isn't it a bit too dangerous to fight like this?" Dean asked. He didn't want to attack and accidentally inflict a lethal wound on his new friend.

"You shouldn't underestimate me, but you're right… I was getting carried away." He got out of his battle position and put the spear to the ground with the edge of the weapon pointing at the ceiling. "Mages!" he then shouted. Some of the Renegades who were sparring a moment ago now quickly ran towards Steve and saluted him. "Put up the best defensive barrier you can on me and that young man over there." Without questioning the point of the order, the mages immediately started to concentrate. They worked together and put quite a big barrier on both Steve and Dean. Dean was impressed by it. By the feeling of the barrier that was around him, a lethal wound would be prevented and only a small wound would be created instead. Dean could tell that Steve was wearing strong armour. At that moment Dean wasn't wearing any armour. This made sure that he could move around freely, but it also put him at a disadvantage compared to Steve. Wielding a spear, Steve had to make sure that he could move his arms around freely. The rest of his body could be equipped with armour as long it didn't restrict moving around too much. Dean eyed his opponent carefully before attacking. It was Steve who dashed towards him and took the initiative. He used the length of his weapon to keep Dean away in an effective way, making sure Dean couldn't get closer to him. Dean first only defended himself, making sure that he got a bit more accustomed to his new weapon. It was easier to defend against the long ranged attacked of the spear with his new broad blade. Steve was smiling at Dean. The man was probably not even showing his true strength. This made Dean more excited. He parried the spear away with quite a bit more force this time, making sure that the spear was clashed away and that Dean could get closer to the man. Steve used the force of the parry to turn around and attack Dean again, but with his strength and this sword Dean could block that attack as well and strike Steve. The Barrier took the hit and even though Steve jumped back to dodge the attack, the sword sliced through his clothing and revealed the armour hidden beneath.

"It seems that I have go all out against you like I thought." Steve said to me and his smile made place for a serious look on his face. Dean liked the look on the face. The battlefield wasn't a place for words. It was a place where only actions mattered. Dean took the initiative this time and dashed forward, but it seemed that Steve had been waiting for that. "One-hundred-Trust!" Steve shouted. The edge of his spear started to glow as Steve was about to unleash his arte.

"Wind Gale!" Dean shouted as he unleashed one of his artes in response to the attack of his opponent. This time the arte was different. It felt different. Just like it was the case of the spear of Steve, the blade of the sword of Dean glowed as well and the arte that he unleashed was more powerful as before. A blast of wind erupted from the arte of Dean and Steve was blown backwards and the arte of Steve was cancelled. Dean didn't pay any heeds to the effect of his attack and kept going forward towards Steve. The spear user found ground back at his feet and didn't lose his balance. He blocked the attack of Dean, but Dean kept on attacking his opponent, not giving him a chance to get away from Dean. At close range Steve was at a disadvantage and the man knew this. The spear wielder still held his ground even with this disadvantage. It was time for Dean to try out one of his new artes in a real battle. "Flame Spear!" Dean spun around with his sword as flames set the blade on fire and he jumped up in the air, forming half a helix with this attack, but Dean used the element of wind to jump again in the middle of the air, continued with his attack. At the peak of the jump, where Dean wasn't going up or down anymore, he unleashed another powerful spin with his sword, which was still set ablaze. The arte was a combination of fire and wind. At the beginning of the arte a blast of wind launched Steve up into the air at the same pace as Dean was jumping up, making sure that Steve was hit at least three time with this attack. The spear wielder was knocked against the ground. The magical barrier had prevented most of the damage, just like it was supposed to. The arte that Dean had performed was similar to an arte of Kratos and was based on that arte. The arte Light Spear of Kratos was a rising spinning attack in the air, it was just that the arte Light Spear did a single spin and not a triple spin like the arte Flame Spear.

Steve was breathing heavily as the barrier was also powered by the mana of the man himself. Even though he had suffered such a powerful attack, he wasn't ready to give up just yet. Dean had blown him away with his arte and there was a distance between them again, which was an advantage to Steve. The two of them knew that without the barrier, the fight would have been settled, but it wasn't right now. The fight had gathered quite a crowd right now. Most of the people who had been training were now watching the fight. There was a big circle around Dean and Steve, filled with spectators, but the two of them paid no attention to it. They only had eyes for each other. Steve lifted his spear above his head with a rising spin.

"Wind Slash!" Steve brought down the spear again and a slash of wind moved at incredible speed at Dean.

"Wind Barrier!" Dean shouted as he unleashed a new barrier around him. The barrier absorbed the wind attack, nullifying the effect of it. Dean carefully walked around Steve, observing him as he moved around him in a circle. Of course this was a distraction. Dean was gathering mana in the meantime and preparing for a spell. Dean smiled as he noticed that Steve was doing the same thing. It was now only a matter of time before one of them was done with preparing their spell.

"Air Blast!" Steve shouted. It seemed that he was the faster spellcaster out of the two of them. Dean knew this attack and it headed straight for him, making it easy to dodge. "Air Slash, times ten!" This had been the plan of Steve after all. He would first attack with a magic spell that was easy to evade and then attack with a distance attack which would hit for certain.

"Spiral Flare!" Dean unleashed his spell. This was a spell that was the same as Air Blast, but it had both the element of fire and wind. The spell and the artes clashed with each other, nullifying each other. Dean had run behind his own spell, knowing that this would happen and ran towards Steve and clashed with the spear wielder.

"One-hundred-trust!" Steve shouted as he unleashed the same trusting attack again.

"Super Lightning Blade!" Dean shouted as he too unleashed a trusting attack. The trusts of the attack of Steve were quick and many, but they weren't powerful. About five of those attacks hit Dean before Dean's attack struck Steve. The arte of Dean hit the spear wielder head on. The blast of wind that erupted at the tip of the sword pushed him backwards and the bolt of lightning that followed after that struck him dead-on. Steve was brought on his knees.

"I admit defeat." Steve said after panting for some time. Dean was tired as well, but he could have gone on. A silence followed after that and then slowly people started to clap their hands. After that the shouting began. It was only then that Dean realised that so many had gathered around him. He smiled. He had focused so much on his fight with Steve that he had lost track of his surroundings. He then looked at this new sword. The weapon had made his artes more powerful and the time he needed to prepare for a spell was less as well as he wielded the weapon. He had been using some spells as well that morning, so he could tell the difference. This wasn't just a weapon. It also amplified all of his attacks. Dean now understood the reason why this sword was so special. It wasn't because the sword was so big, it was because of its effect. Dean walked towards Steve and pulled him up as he still was on his knees. The two men then smiled at each other.

"So you like your new weapon?" Steve asked.

"Like it? I love it!" Dean said back with a smile on his face. The two of them then bowed to their audience, which provided for even more applause and cheering. Dean used his magic to heal himself and Steve. He had only a few scratches on his body as only the last attack of Steve had hit him. Dean was still impressed. Even though there had been a powerful barrier around him, that last attack of Steve had still inflicted wounds on him. After some time Steve got bored of the applause and ordered the men and women around him to get back to training. He then walked towards the side-lines together with Dean.

"I must say, I'm quite impressed. I can now understand how you managed to fight on almost equal ground with Kratos."

"Well, if I would have had this sword at that time, I might have had more chance to take him out."

"You think you can take him out right now?" Dean shook his head.

"His attacks were strong, but he wasn't aiming at any lethal spots. If he would have wanted, he could have killed all of us back then. In that regard, he was still holding back."

"He is quite a fearful opponent."

"That, he is… His guard is perfect and even if you break through that guard, he is protected by a magical barrier and his armour. His stamina is much greater than mine. Even though I know more advanced spells than him by now, his magic spells are still more powerful than mine. He knows several combinations of artes that are impossible to block and even if you block or evade those artes, there is no space for a counterattack. He has no openings. He is like the ultimate swordsman who is even gifted with magic." Dean spoke out of experience. He had fought the man in many practice fights and at the Tower of Salvation. He had found no weaknesses. One on one he was invincible and even when fighting with a group he is able to take his enemies out one by one.

"So, he is the enemy you have to defeat?" Steve asked Dean. Dean shook his head again.

"No… Even if I was able to defeat Kratos, there is one enemy who is far more powerful than Kratos."

"Yggdrasill…" Steve answered the question of who that enemy was. Dean nodded.

"The skill of Kratos is probably much better than Yggdrasill, but even without fighting him I know that Yggdrasill is much more powerful than Kratos. If that angel gets serious, he only needs to land one attack on you and you're dead. All of his attacks are lethal, even the ones that can hit multiple targets at one time. He probably knows magic as well and I guess the same applies for those magic spells of his. From what I've heard of Yuan is that as long he has the power of the Eternal Sword, he cannot die as well." Dean took a pause with his story. "Kratos is powerful yes, but with enough time and practise a talented person can become as strong or even stronger than him. Yggdrasill is different. His power is like that of a god. All who defy him will be utterly destroyed."

"You survived an encounter with him." Steve pointed out. That made Dean smile for some reason.

"Yeah, that's true, but that's only because he was playing with us. He wasn't interested in killing me as well. Somehow, he knew who I was."

"You've met with Yggdrasill before?" Steve asked bewildered.

"No, but somehow he knew me. He knew about Lloyd as well. Just who is he?"

"That, I don't know. I only know that he is our enemy."

"We shouldn't have picked an enemy who we can defeat." Dean said as a joke.

"Unfortunately, we didn't. I guess we have to become even stronger." Dean sighed. He then looked Steve seriously in the eye.

"Yes, we have to…"

"Enough of this serious talk. I'm thirsty. Care for a drink?"

"As long as it isn't an adult drink, I'm fine."

"What? You've never had alcohol before?" Dean looked at Steve with doubt.

"I don't know how old you think I am, but I am still not of age that I'm allowed to drink yet."

"Just how old are you then?"

"Um… Considering the time that has passed during the journey… I guess I am seventeen right now." Steve then kept looking at Dean. "Is there something wrong?"

"No… It's just that… I was beaten by a seventeen year old boy…"

"Together with the others, we did defeat Kvar and he was an old magician. How old are you then?"

"Mmm… Just as I guessed. You're human, aren't you Dean?"

"Yes, I am. You're not?"

"No, most of the Renegades are half-elves. I am one too. You didn't know." Dean shook his head. "Hmm… I may not look like it, but I'm one hundred and thirty years old." Now it was Dean's time to stare at Steve.

"But you look like someone who is in his late twenties."

"Time flows different for elves and half-elves. I have fought Yggdrasill all of my life. Did you know that it is rare for humans to be able to use magic?"

"Yes, I've heard that only half-elves and elves are supposed to use magic. Kratos can use magic, just like me."

"Hmm…"

"What, do you know why I can use magic? Because I don't." Steve shook his head this time.

"No. Elves and half-elves can sense their own kind and whether someone is gifted with the power of magic. I can feel that from you as well, but it feels different. You've got the feeling of someone who had the power of magic and at the same time you feel like any other human."

"So you can feel the presence of other half-elves, elves and the presence of magic? I can't feel anything like that."

"Another sign that you indeed are human."

"How about Colette? After she transformed into an angel she was able to use magic as well."

"Ah, that. One of the effects of a Cruxis Crystal is that it allows everyone who equips it can use angelic magic. That magic is always of the element of light."

"I see… Thanks. I didn't know those things." Steve then looked at the hand of Dean and then at Dean.

"Are you sure that you're not carrying a Cruxis Crystal instead of an Exsphere?" Steve asked Dean after a while. The two of them were now walking towards the end of the training hall. There was supposed to be a room nearby where people could get something to drink.

"I've wondered about that myself as well. It is true that at the time I was captured by the Desians they were trying to create a Cruxis Crystal. It seems that the Cruxis Crystal wasn't yet completed. My hearing, eyesight and strength have increased, but I can't grow any wings or use angelic magic just yet."

"Have you tried then? To turn into an angel, I mean."

"I don't know how. With Colette it happened spontaneous when she released the first Seal I've heard. Since then she knew how to grow those wings and to put them back again. I never asked her about how she did it myself, since that I didn't know that a Cruxis Crystal is responsible for the transformation and that Cruxis Crystals are an evolved form of Exspheres." They had reached the other room and Steve had grabbed two bottles of water. Grateful, Dean drank some of the water. He should have known that Steve was kidding about drinking alcohol.

"Well… I've been told that our leader Lord Yuan will be gone for some time this morning. He instructed me to keep you busy. Sometimes his orders are more of a pain in the ass than helpful." Steve sighed.

"Don't complain, it makes you sound like an old man." Dean joked around and laughed for a bit.

"Watch your tongue now. You may have beaten me, but I'm still a general. I can still order to throw you into jail just like that, you know?" Dean knew that Steve was joking around, because the half-elf had a smile on his face. "You know, I had expected this much, but you don't bear any grudge against half-elves, do you?" Steve asked, suddenly changing the subject. Dean looked surprised at the man.

"Um… No? Why should I? Is a person evil just because they are a half-elf? I think that way of thinking is bullshit. Excuse my language, but what I think what matters is that the actions of a person count. I don't really care if they are human, half-elves or elves or even something different than that. If there was a friendly monster who would not eat humans or attack them without a reason and who did good things for others, then I wouldn't mind having such a monster as my friend."

"I see. That's good to hear, but that's quite a grey area in deciding who is evil and who is good. I mean, even if you look at Yggdrasill. He is the one who created this twisted system and he makes many people suffer through his actions, but he also supports many others. Many half-elves are rejected by society and are the victim of discrimination. Yggdrasill welcomes those half-elves and offers them a home, food and a purpose. In the eyes of those people he is the good guy."

"I don't really think there is an absolute evil or an absolute good in this world. Like you said, it's all a matter of perception. The surviving Desians of the Human Ranch of Luin probably think that I am evil as well. After all, I've killed many of their companions and helped slay the leader of their ranch."

"So you see the world as it is…" Steve muttered to himself. Dean pretended that he hadn't heard it.

"So, general Steve. What am I supposed to do until Yuan returns?" Dean asked half joking, half serious.

"Well, you're a battle crazy fighter." Dean raised one of his eyebrows at that. "So I'm ordering you to help me train these soldiers. You've become this strong by fighting many monsters and strong opponents. Several of the soldiers that we train here don't have that kind of experience. We let them practice with fighting against targets and at each other with wooden weapons. The more experienced fighters are out on field missions most of the time. I used to do that too, but Lord Yuan commanded me to train these soldiers. I'm also in charge if we get attacked by Cruxis. There are other tasks that I have to do as well. In other words, I need help training these soldiers. Will you help me with that?" Steve was looking serious the whole time. Dean had stopped smiling as well. It was a serious request.

"Well, it's better than hanging around with nothing to do." Dean said joking. Steve stared annoyed at him. "You can count on me Steve. I'll help you train these soldiers."

"Good. You can practice as much as you want early in the morning. I had read in the report that you wake up early, so I had the doors unlocked that early. You don't need to thank me. I was watching you through the cameras this morning. It got me even more excited to fight you in person."

"So you saw my technique…" Dean said with a serious tone. Steve wasn't there in person in the morning. He must have used some kind of magitechnology to spy on him. He used the word cameras…

"Yes, but I don't know how you did that. I don't care as well. As soon as I realised what you were doing, I stopped watching. I won't watch you in the morning from now on. I'll also make sure that the door to your chamber is unlocked from now on, so you can have a stroll if you wake up in the middle of the night." Dean wanted to say something, but Steve interrupted him. "Yes, we are keeping a close watch on you. Your friends weren't cooperative, so we will keep an eye on you the whole time you are here. I'm warning you. Don't escape. I don't want to fight you as my enemy." Dean had expected this much, but he wasn't glad to hear this. Steve noticed his change in mood. "Look, I trust you, but I still have my orders." Dean shook his head.

"No, don't trust me on that matter Steve. If I find an opportunity to escape and get back to my friends, even if it means fighting you, I will take that opportunity." Dean said to his new friend in honesty. Now it was Steve's time to look strangely at Dean.

"You're something special, you know that?"

"No, I'm just a guy who is trying his best to protect his beloved one against the enemy of the world." Dean whispered. Steve was walking towards the training ground again and probably didn't hear him.

"Also." Steve stopped and turned around to face Dean again. "I said that you are allowed to train in the morning, but if you want to spar with someone, you have to fight with a wooden weapon and you also have to take your Exsphere off. One of your kicks can prove to be lethal if they hit the right spot if you're equipped with that Exsphere of yours. I watched you this morning. I know what you're capable of."

"I guess I can understand that. Anything else you want to tell me?"

"No, that was all. Now let's grab something to eat. It's lunch time already." Dean spend the rest of his time with Steve that day. He was forced to wear a Renegade uniform, which Dean didn't like at all. He preferred those travelling clothes better. He also liked that he didn't look like the rest with them, but Steve explained that it was part of the rules after all. If he didn't like it, he could just stay in his room day in, day out. Dean preferred wearing a stupid uniform comparing to having nothing to do the whole day and that for an undetermined time. His orders were to help train the soldiers from nine in the morning until five in the evening. He had lunch break from twelve till one and was allowed to do as he pleased for the rest of the time as long as he didn't break any rules. Dean didn't mind training the soldiers. What he did mind was that he was stuck with doing this for an undetermined time. He wanted to get reunited with his friends as soon as possible, but he was stuck here. The problem was that his friends were in Tethe'alla and he was still in Sylvarant. He didn't know how to get to Tethe'alla. There should be a way, because his friends made it to Tethe'alla as well. If he had known how to and was able to, he would escape at this moment. He didn't care if Steve and the other Renegades would come after him. Even if Alice and Thomas would stand in his way, he would knock them unconscious and then proceed towards his friends, towards Colette. For now, staying with the Renegades wasn't such a bad thing. They shared a common enemy, so in an indirect way, Dean was working towards one of his goals.

Helping people getting better at fighting, teaching them how to improve was something that Dean was better at than he had expected at first. He wasn't good at giving instructions to big groups of people, he left that to Steve. What Dean was good at, was giving pointers to individuals. He could see how their guard could be improved, if they needed to improve their footwork, if they left themselves open too much or something else in that direction. Even if they were using a weapon Dean wasn't familiar with, he could point out their mistakes and then demonstrate how they could improve. Several times he had been challenged by people to spar with them. Most of those people were those who had seen him fight and were looking forward to fighting a strong opponent. Dean fought with a wooden sword and without his Exsphere, just like Steve had instructed. His opponents did use an Exsphere, but this didn't really put Dean to a disadvantage. Like Steve had explained to him before, most of these soldiers didn't really have much fighting experience. Even without his Exsphere Dean could rely on his experience fighting all kind of opponents. His practice fights with Kratos and Lloyd helped him as well in this regard. After fighting the soldiers Dean could even better point out on which they could improve. He also encouraged them to keep on going. Even after two weeks of training these soldiers he noticed improvements. Some of them challenged him again a week or so later and they had taken up his advice quite well. Dean was satisfied with the overall progress. He also knew that if one of these Renegade soldiers would come across an angel, that they still didn't stand a chance. With this in his mind Dean did not only set his mind on individual progress, but tried to improve the teamwork between the soldiers. He would let a group of four people fight another group of four people. They had to organise their own group themselves, choose a leader and they were allowed to use magic in these mock battles as well, but only basic spells and healing artes. Even if the individuals were strong, they were worthless if they couldn't work well together. They would only get in each other's way and a group that was individually less strong, but had better teamwork, would win from these individual strong teams. Little by little the soldiers were improving on both the individual and the teamwork scale. Dean was satisfied with his work and Steve complimented him on his work.

"Hey, you human! I want you to fight me!" a Renegade said to Dean on the third week since he had started to train the Renegade soldiers. Dean really like the attitude of this Renegade, but he didn't really put any mind to it.

"Could you please wait your turn? These two requested a fight with me first." Dean calmly explained. A male and a female Renegade who liked to work together and always fought together had asked Dean to take them on at the same time. It was an unusual request, but they wanted to test how much their teamwork had improved. They had duty in the afternoon. Today the team fights were going to take place after lunch. Dean didn't really mind the request. Just as the two challengers had gotten back with their wooden weapons, a hand was put on the shoulder of Dean. Dean looked behind his back to see who had put that hand there and it was the other Renegade.

"I don't really think that you got the point, puny human. It was a demand. I am an honourable half-elf Renegade and you should feel pleased that I am willing to test my strength against some human like you." Dean now remembered who this Renegade was. It was the same Renegade that had approached him, Thomas and Alice and told them that he and his two companions had seen those seats first. In a way, he was then demanding that they should move aside for him. Dean turned around to face the Renegade, trying to hide his emotions from this man.

"Do you have a grudge of some sort?" He asked the Renegade. When the man looked confused at him, Dean realised that this half-elf didn't remember him. "Look, I don't really care if you're a half-elf or not and if your of some sort of royal blood or not. These two came to me first. You'll just have to wait patiently until it is your turn. You can't demand anything from me." Dean wanted to leave it at that and wanted to turn around, but he suddenly felt hostility from the man. He apparently wasn't used to get turned down like that. The Renegade drew his weapon, a steel weapon and got into a battle position. Dean was holding a wooden sword in his hand, he had gotten used to carrying one around the entire time he was training the soldiers, because he got challenged almost every hour.

"Don't you know who I am?" the Renegade shouted out. Some of the surrounding soldiers had noticed that something was going on and were now watching the scene that was taking place.

"Like I said before, I don't really care who you are. Please put away your weapon and calm down." Dean was holding back his emotions. This man really infuriating him as the behaviour was way too similar to that of a Desian.

"I am Zylros and I don't take orders from inferior humans like you. Now prepare yourself!" Dean was now pissed off and didn't care that the man was attacking him and that other soldiers were watching him. Zylros attacked with his sword in a careless way. Dean easily dodged the attack, dropped his wooden sword and gave a chop at the throat of the half-elf. Zylros grabbed to his throat, as he was unable to breathe for a short while. In this time Dean swept the man to the floor, used one of his feet to stomp on the wrist of his right hand, which was his sword hand, thus disarming the man effectively. Dean kicked the sword away and stepped back to watch what this Zylros was going to do. The half-elf got back on his feet and looked aggressive at Dean.

"How dare you? How dare you mock me?" Zylros charged at Dean in a wild attempt.

"Thunder Punch!" Dean slammed his fist right in the face of the assaulting half-elf, sending him flying to the ground. As Dean walked closer, the man crawled away.

"Get away from me you monster!" The man was now afraid of Dean, knowing that he was no match for the human he had challenged. Dean also knew that he was once again giving that look full of murderous intent at the man. How this Zylros enraged him! He really wanted to punch some sense into the spoiled half-elf.

"Monster? Me? So I am the monster right now?" Dean was slowly walking closer to the half-elf, while he kept of crawling away from him. "You act all high and mighty, but when things don't go your way, you just crawl away and start calling people monsters. You make me sick. You look down on others and see yourself as a superior being and you think that everyone else should see you that way as well. Just like a Desian. Now, tell me. What makes you different from a Desian when you act the same way as they do? Huh? TELL ME?!"

"Help me!" The man had gotten to his feet and was trying to run away. A lot of spectators had formed a circle around Dean and Zylros and the half-elf was now blocked by the crowd. The crowd didn't want him to run away that easily. Dean just slowly walked towards the man, pulled him back and slammed him in the face as hard as he could, knocking the man out. He then let out a sigh and prepare for a spell. Everyone could see that he was preparing a spell and they were expecting that he would now finish the half-elf off, that he would unleash a spell of destruction. Dean did no such thing.

"First Aid…" Dean healed the unconscious half-elf. Dean then looked all around him and focused his attention to the crowd around him. None of these soldiers had tried to stop him or had tried to stop the fight. It might have been because they were scared of him, but it also might have been because this was some sort of entertainment to them. "Listen up you soldiers!" Dean shouted to the crowd while he was looking around. "I have two things I wish to tell you. The first one is about my past and the second is one of the reasons why we are fighting." Dean shouted to the crowd, making sure everyone could hear him. They needed to hear this. "As you all know or have realised by now, I am a human who is gifted with the power of magic. I was also one of the companions of the Chosen One and I helped her on the road of Regeneration. During that journey I was captured by Desians. I was thrown into a prison, tortured and all sorts of experiments were done on me. That is one of the reasons why I hate Desians. Another big reason why I hate Desians is the way they look down on others. They see themselves as superior beings and the rest as inferior. They don't value the life of humans and treat them like trash. I have been treated that way as well. Now, I know that most of the Desians are half-elves and that most of you too are half-elves. Does that make me hate you too?" People were murmuring and talking to each other right now. "The answer to that question is… No! I do not hate half-elves. I don't really care of your human, half-elf or an elf, but if you see yourself as a superior being and look down on others, then you are no better than our enemy Yggdrasill. Our enemy, the great angel Yggdrasill also looks down on others and sees himself as superior. If you look down on others, you are no different from Yggdrasill himself." Shocked noises were heard from the crowd right now. Dean was making his point and it was having its effect. Dean took a pause and his throat was starting to hurt. He let the people talk to each other for a while. He then clapped his hands three times to get the attention of everyone again. "Now, for one of the reasons why we are fighting. We all know that Yggdrasill is our enemy and that he has to be stopped. But that is not the only reason why I am fighting. What I am fighting against, is discrimination! In Sylvarant humans are treated like trash by the Desians. The humans know that the Desians are half-elves and therefore hate half-elves instantly. The half-elves are casted away by the humans, end up with the Desians and their hate for the humans start to grow even more, eventually making sure that the half-elves look down on the humans. This completes the cycle of hate and only hate will spring forth. I don't know what the situation in Tethe'alla is, but I don't think humans treat half-elves very well. What my goal is, is not only the destruction of the angel Yggdrasill, but the end of discrimination as well. Are you with me?!" Dean asked the crowd. He could feel the emotions of the people and the agreement to his story. The whole crowd cheered when he had asked that final question. Dean smiled and looked around, glad with what he had accomplished. He waited for a little bit until the crowd was done with cheering. "Now I want you to be patient. Continue with your training and grow stronger, not only as an individual, but as a team. Alone we are powerless against the might of Yggdrasill and the angels, but together we are strong. One day we will strike the angels. Until then, we will prepare. Dismissed!" The crowd faded away and Dean waited until most of them were gone. Zylros was still lying on the ground and Dean wasn't sure what to do what the man. In the end, two people came towards Zylros and checked how he was doing. The two of them then approached Dean.

"Please forgive him! We'll try to talk and reason with him and make him understand where he was wrong. He too is a victim of discrimination. Please don't punish him any further." The two were now bowing down to him and they would have kissed the floor of they wanted to.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on punishing him any further. I am counting on you too to try and reason with him. If he wants to challenge me to a fight again in order to improve, he may do that, but I won't go easy on him if he acts like that again."

"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!" The two of them then picked up Zylros and carried him away. Dean walked over to the sidelines and sat down. He was tired. The fight and the pep talk to the crowd had drained him. He had always been scared in the past when he needed to do a presentation in front of the class. This time it had felt so natural. He knew it wouldn't be so easy the next time he would try something like that again. Dean watched from a distance how the soldiers were fighting. Some of the soldiers were still talking with each other and weren't training. Normally, Dean would go to those people and get them to work, but this time he didn't mind. The male and female Renegade that had approached him earlier didn't come to him anymore. Dean was glad they hadn't. He wasn't really in a mood for a practice fight. He was glad when it was lunch time. Although the dining hall was full of people, he was glad that he could sit somewhere alone. He could hear the whispering of his speech all around him and he often felt the gaze of numerous people on his back. Halfway his lunch, someone sat in front of him. When he looked up to see who it was, Steve was smiling at him. Dean gave a weak smile back.

"I must say, you keep on impressing me Dean." Steve said with a proud smile on his face. He hadn't been at the training ground that morning. Dean figured he must have heard from a soldier what had happened. "I watched the recording of that speech you gave after the fight with that Zylros guy. It was the finest speech I have ever heard. Do you realise that if you asked those soldiers into a battle that you would likely not win, that all of them would follow you? If Lord Yuan hears this, you'll be able to become a Commander and climb up the ranks in no time." Steve was almost beaming with pride. It was like he had seen Dean as his pupil that kept on growing.

"You and I both know that isn't my objective. I just wanted to let those soldiers know that I don't tolerate discrimination."

"And now they won't do that. Discrimination is something that is really hard to fight against, but you managed to convince every soldier in this base, because that speech will be told to every soldier in this base, that discrimination is our enemy. Everyone will do their best not to judge a person on its race from now on and judge people based on their actions and behaviour."

"That's just the first step of a long journey." Dean said. "Besides, right now I just want to relax for a little bit, before I go back there. I'm not used to stand before a crowd like that you know? It really drains my energy."

"Then I think these following weeks will be hard on you, because everyone will look up to you from now on." Dean didn't expect that his actions would have this kind of effect, but Steve was right. That afternoon just kept on coming over to him and talk with him. Of course Dean talked to everyone and kept smiling and be polite, but after dinner he was glad he could just relax and be alone for a while. He just lay on his bed for a little while as his head felt empty. He was feeling even more tired compared to a whole day of fighting through hordes of enemies at the Tower of Mana. Dean wasn't a born leader. Besides, he just wanted to live a simple life after the world was as it was supposed to be, but he knew he was too tangled up in the whole situation.

"Colette… My love… When will I see you again?" Dean softly asked no one. The door opened at that moment. Alice and Thomas came inside.

"Um… Do you want to be left alone?" Alice asked as she saw how Dean was lying on his bed. Dean hadn't realised it, but tears were flowing down from his face. He wiped down away and smiled at his two friends.

"No, that's alright. I just miss Colette and the others. That's all."

"You know, sometimes I forget that you're one of the companions of the Chosen One of Sylvarant." Alice confessed. "You blend in so well and the people here respect you. It's like you've been here for years instead of almost a month."

"Though I can understand that you miss Colette. I can't stand it when Alice and I are apart as well." Thomas said. Dean smiled at them. These two were his friends as well. He wished that Lloyd and the others weren't on such bad terms as the Renegades. Dean didn't blame them. He had learnt the truth how Lloyd and the others had been treated by Yuan. Dean knew that Kratos was the father of Lloyd, but of course the boy didn't and Yuan hadn't told him as well. Yuan had tried to capture Lloyd by force, but had somehow failed at that and allowed them to escape. Dean knew that Yuan was still keeping a close eye on Lloyd and the others.

"We've come to tell you that Lord Yuan will be back here in a couple of days. I thought you wanted to know that."

"He's finally coming back?" Dean sighed out of relief. "Thank the Goddess."

"I didn't expect you to say something like that?" Thomas said surprised.

"Something like that?" Dean asked confused.

"You know. Thank the Goddess."

"Oh, that. It's just a matter of saying things. There is nothing behind it."

"We've also come to tell you that we've got new orders. In three days we will be going on another mission."

"I see. I hope that I'll be gone from this base as well. It's going to get lonely without you guys."

"Well, you always got Steve. The general and you seem to get along just fine."

"Yeah, he's fun to hang out with as well. Still, now that everyone will keep looking at me with some new kind of respect, it's hard to have a normal conversation with anyone." Dean sighed again. "It's tiring to go on like this. Just let me travel around the world, fighting monsters, trying to save the world."

"Don't you want to be a leader?" Thomas asked, half curious, half joking around.

"Me? A leader? Don't assume that's a good role for me. I just know how to fight and am good at pointing out the weak points in the way someone is fighting. That speech was one of a kind and I'm planning on not giving another speech for the rest of my life."

"If you say so." Dean didn't know what to think of that remark. He was going to get reunited with his friends, they were going to cure Colette, grow stronger together and find a way how to defeat Yggdrasill. After the world was regenerated, Dean wanted to travel around and put an end to the discrimination. After that, he would settle back in some small village and start a family with Colette. Starting a family in Iselia didn't sound bad. Dean smiled at that thought. Seeing how he was, Thomas and Alice bid him goodbye. Dean quickly fell into a peaceful sleep.

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Yep, Dean still isn't reunited with the others, but he will be shortly. I promise that. Just what Yuan has in store for him and if Dean will be able to break away entirely from the Renegades is the question. Just wait patiently for the next chapter to find out.

Btw... Reviews are welcome, even from grammar nazi's. Until next time~