They never showed. Tancred and Mio waited along with the Desians for hours and there was no sign of them at all. After four a small girl appeared. She had pink pigtails and clutched a large axe. Tancred figured she might be the leader of the group but only because the Desians seemed to be treating her with some respect. She seemed to be directing the Desians to different positions. Tancred figured it was to better cover the escape routes of the chosen's group if they ever came out. Eventually Tancred thought he heard something coming from the shrine's entrance. The little girl with the pigtails gave one more order to the second in command and ran away.

Tancred listened closer and he thought he could hear a little of the conversation that was going on inside the shrine.

"And this pillar is marble, easily at least five hundred years old."

"Raine…please…can we go?"

"As soon I look at this wall….oooooh ancient runes."

'Raine…Lloyd is right…at this rate, you'll be seventeen before we get anywhere."

'Fine Mithos….you people have no respect for…what is that?"

"Awwwwww man!"

"Look at this! It appears to be some kind of artifact."

"Well…in that case, Lloyd I'm gonna go outside."

"Wait Mithos! Don't leave me here with her!"

The little blonde kid ran outside followed by Lloyd. They both stopped as they saw the Desians waiting for them. A look of absolute surprise came over Lloyd's face. What he assumed to be the leader spoke to them.

"Well, you look surprised little boy. Where is the chosen?"

"Why should you care? What's your name anyways?"

"Give me your name and I shall give you mine young one."

"That really sounds arrogant."

"Well…deal wit! Now hand over the chosen or I will be forced to harm all of you."

"What do you want the Chosen for?"

"That doesn't concern you."

"Well…even if I wanted to give her to you, I cant she wont leave the shrine until she looks at everything….she's kind of a ruin fanatic."

"Ohhh…that's just dandy! Now we have to wait for her to get bored with a five hundred year old ruin…why does every chosen have some problem?"

Lloyd stood there. Finally, Raine emerged with a sheet of paper she was recording notes on to. She was recording the details of the ruins onto it. She finally looked up and saw the Desians and Lloyd staring at her. She dropped the paper and grinned sheepishly.

"Opps, I guess I spent too long in there huh?"

"Now, I will take you all into custody."

"Oh, yeah? Over Mithos' dead body."

"hey, that's no too nice!"

"Well then hel pe protect Raine from these people!"

Tancred was still looking out at the scene unfolding before him. He ducked back into the woods as Lloyd took a swing at a Desian near him. Mio was leaning against a tree looking bored.

"So whats happening?"

'Well, Lloyd seems to be normal. Raine is still a ruins fanatic, but she doesn't look as old as she did the first time around…"

'Well remember, Colette looks older too."

"Good point. I wonder if this is a constant throughout?"

"I doubt it. You nevere really manage to do anything the same way twice."

"Good point…so when do you think Kratos will show up?"

"I wouldn't know…I'm guessing whatever's causing all that commotion would be him."

"Oooooh I wanna peek!"

Tancred peered back at the fights going on and fell back laughing.

"What? What is it?"

"Oh…look! Look at who replaced Kratos!"

"Who…oh my god…"

"Its him, it's really him that pervert chosen from Tethe'alla!"

It was true. Zelos leapt at a Desian with a swing on his sword. He fell another one with a sheild bash. The commander backed away from him.

"Damn it's him."

"Lord Rodyle, we don't have the forces to take them now he's here."

"Rrrrr…everyone pull out!"

"Yes sir."

Rodyle and the remaining Desian troops ran away. Zelos sheathed his sword and looked over at Lloyd and Mithos, Raine had not participated in the fight.

"Are you two okay?'

"Yeah…thanks for the help."

"No problem…I'm sorry I didn't get your name."

"Lloyd."

"Lloyd huh? Name's Zelos…I was actually looking for the Chosen."

"Well you found her. She's up there."

"Oh…well she doenst look like what I pictured…I figured she would be shorter."

"Well we had better get back to school, thanks for the help Zelos."

"No problem se you later good lookin"

Zelos strode away. Lloyd stood there with his mouth open.

"Did…did he just…?"

"I think so…Raine are you gonna take that?"

"Well, not normally but he's already gone and he did help."

"Yeah, unlike you Raine."

"Hey!"

Raine slapped Mithos across the face. He fell over and gave a yelp of pain.

"Ow! Why did you do that?"

"Because you were being disrespectful!"

"You cant blame him Raine you weren't really helping…Ow!"

"There that should teach you both!"

"Ow….ow….oh…this isn't good…"

"What are you doing out here Mithos?"

"Oh…sis…ummmm…we were looking for you."

"I've been back at class for the last two hours, raine noticed the oracle had happened and then all of a sudden, you all got up and left in the middle of my lecture…"

"Oh…did we professor? I didn't realize…"

"Sorry professor."

"Yeah…sorry Sis."

"well…don't do it again, please."

"Okay but now don't we have to go on the Journey of Regeneration?"

"Yes, of course but I don't think you two should go, Lloyd."

"Why not, Mithos and I got her here."

"It's gonna be dangerous I cant take the risk of you getting hurt Lloyd."

"But…"

"That means no Mithos."

"okay…"

They walked back to Iselia, Lloyd and Mithos in lowered spirits. When they returned to the schoolhouse, Lloyd went back to his desk with Mithos for lunch, Mithos was looking guilty about something while they ate, and he finished quickly then got up. Lloyd followed him to find out what he was up to. Mithos went out of the school and back to his and Colette's house. He went inside for a few minutes and then came back outside.

"What are you doing Mithos?"

"Whoa! Lloyd! I didn't think you were here."

"I figured that…what are you doing with all that food?"

"Oh…I'm really, really, really hungry so I'm just getting some more lunch."

"You aren't a very good liar, Mithos."

"Well…okay, okay I'm going to that human ranch…"

"Why, Mithos if the Renegades catch you…"

"I know but I've been doing this for weeks now. I haven't been caught yet."

"Well…I'll go with you, make sure you're safe."

"Well…okay then."

They both walked into the woods. The renegades were a group of people that legends say robbed mana from the declining world. They had recently taken up kidnapping people and forcing them into slave labor. Lloyd and Mithos were in the middle of the woods when Lloyd heard rustling in the bushes and a figure jumped out at them. It was Zelos.

"Hi guys, what are you doing?

"Well…nothing…why are you here still?"

"I was just looking around for food and happened to see you guys go by."

"Oh…we're of to the human ranch."

"The one owned by renegades?"

"Yeah…"

"Oh good I'll come with you!"

Lloyd rolled his eyes at Mithos, who shook his head. They let Zelos tag along through the woods. When they reached the edge of the woods, they saw the human ranch Mithos ran to the side of the gates that was nearby. Lloyd saw a man standing there almost as though he was wating for him.

"Mithos there you are, I was wondering."

"Hi Pierto I was a little held up."

"Oh, and you've brought friends, how nice."

"Yeah this is Zelos, and this is Lloyd."

"Oh, hi."

"Well here you go…be care…uh, oh guys duck!"

Mithos ducked down and Lloyd followed suit. Zelos was looking around confusedly until Lloyd pulled him down with them. Several armed men came toward where Pierto stood.

"You, why are you not working?"

"Well, I was..."

"If you don't get back to work, Alicia will have your head."

"Alright, alright."

Pierto went back to the mining area. The guards went back to oversee the workers. Mithos sat up looking depressed.

"See that's why I bring food here."

"I don't blame you Mithos."

"Thanks Lloyd."

"Well then lets beat it before…"

"Hey! You three! What are you doing?"

"Uh oh, they've seen us!"

"Run guys!"

Mithos and Zelos got up and tore off into the woods, Lloyd was scrambling after them when he was stopped by a renegade soldier. He had no choice so he drew his weapons, with a great leap he slashed at the soldier who fell limp. He left him and ran after Mithos. The two other guards ran to their fallen comrade.

"Are you okay?"

"Does it look like he's okay, he's dead you idiot!"

"Oh…do you suppose our security cameras git the attacker face?"

"I doubt it unless we turned them on recently."

"Oh great now we have to tell Alicia that we've lost a man and we have no idea who did it!"

"Great."

The two guards hoisted the guards body and walked back to the ranch. A few miles down in the woods, Lloyd was catching his breath. Mithos and Zelos lay panting hard.

"Why did they not follow us?"

"Probably because we went so fast that they cant give chase now."

"Oh…great."

"So now what Lloyd?"

"Lets get back to Iselia before anyone realizes we've been gone too long."

"Right."

They all trekked back to the town where the mayor greeted them.

"And what the hell are you doing out of school?"

"Well, see this guy tried to come on to Mithos…"

"Hey! I was not!"

"So Mithos ran off in terror."

"But I didn't…"

"And then I followed and worked things out."

"But…but…"

"So anyways the renegades noticed us and then we had to hightail it."

"Well, if they come here, you all are in real trouble."

"Fine."

"And I'm telling your father Lloyd!"

"Nooooooooooo! Please he'll kill me!"

"Well then I guess you'd better get your coffin ready."

They mayor walked away. Zelos went to the inn and Mithos and Lloyd walked back to school. Lloyd worried to himself about what he was going to say to Professor Brunel and more importantly, what was he going to tell his father Altessa to avoid pain beyond comprehension?