Shards of Regneration

by Kasan Soulblade

Religion is a panel of fine stain glass window, but when that glass is broken it is among the shards that you must look. Each shard is a soul, and if you put them all together perhaps the truth will be seen and all illusions lifted.

13. Paths of many and light

(First attempt at lengthy travel-lengthy travel equal lengthy chapter you have been warned-... hope it works out well, if you pay very close attention to when you walk around Sylvarant you should be able to trace the path of the characters in my fic. If the style goes over well then I'll continue with it, if not then I'll use the old David Edding's travel tactic -skip travleing and only focus on the main events in a town unless combat's involved-)

AN: Seven days equal a holy span, a holy span is not a week -that's important there is a difference i'll explain it if I ever find a way to do so in the fic-... just so you understand Kratos later on... Oh and the grass coment... that's from a z-skit imitation, it alludes to one of my fav comedy skits on a TOS forum, don't know the artest's name but I have to give them credit (else it's plagurizing).

Chapter 13

Paths

They walked across the road, Lloyd kicked up a sizable amount of dust, his head was bowed, and for good reason. He'd started the same game he had played on Kratos in the Martel temple. His choice of victum however had been a bad one, he started to play that game with Raine, asking when they'd get there. The mercenaries response had been eventually when Lloyd had put the question to the elf teacher for the third time her response had been a firm smack. Grumbling Lloyd rubbed his head with one hand, then slowly he striaghtened, shook his head sharply and picked up his pace. One hand hung limp at his side while he walked, the other seemed to be pernamently hovering over the hilt of his sword. While no one else seemed to notice, or care Kratos had picked up on it, and felt a flickure of pride. Lloyd may still have a large number of childish tendencies, one of them being to push the adults patience around him to the limit, but he was slowly growing up. He recalled in Iselia how Lloyd had forgotten he wore swords in his fight with the Desians, then how in Triet he had walked with them but paid them little heed, now he was understanding, paying attention. If only the same could be said for the others. Riane lectured, Genis asked questions, as did the Chosen, yet Lloyd gave the conversation half an ear and the rest of his attention was focused on the road about him. He started when the grass about them stirred, but when a rabbit popped out he relaxed, laughed at himself, and went back to his inexperienced scanning of the terrain. There were lessons to be learned on the road, more important then the elf teachers endless chat about history, lessons on reality. He left his place at the rear of the part, brushed past the teacher and her pupils and easily matched pace with the younger swordsman. Lloyd checked over his shoulder, gave him a wan smile, and looked at his Iselian friends a wistful look in his eyes.

"If you want to join them feel free, I do not need any help." Kratos offered, understanding that look for he had worn it himself from time to time.

"Nah, it's not fair for you to have to do this all the time, you should be able to hang with Noishe sometimes you know?"

Kratos smiled, he seemed capable of the gesture more often these days then he had in most of his life. They walked in companionable silence, and he was aware of the glare of death that Raine was favoring with him while Lloyd seemed all but ignorant of it. Lloyd was becoming an influence for him, he realized as he came to know his own thoughts, 'glare of death' indeed, he was starting to think in what the elf child called Lloyd-isms. Perhaps he should limit his time around the young man, else he start to really pick up on the boy's juvinal habbits and sayings. Still if glares could kill he'd be a dead man by now so Lloyd's words while childish certianly captured the spirit of animosity between himself and the elven professor. He awaited in quiet dread the day Colette's clumbsyness brushed off onto him or the others, he also waited for the elven sibs arrogence to also prove catchy, but such were the dangers of traveling with others, traits brushed off, personalities clashed together like steel on steel. In some cases wood on steel, or hand on skull, he looked Lloyd over from the corner of his eye, mentally wincing at the bruise that chestnut colored hair hid. Lloyd seemed to be ignoring the pain of his latest smack, but honestly such an attack seemed grossly dispraportionate to the young man's actions. A spark of anger ignited in the wasteland of his soul, a soul that had until this journey had really begun, been empty of emotion.

"Why do you allow her to hit you?" Kratos asked, they were far enough ahead that if they kept there voices down Raine would not hear them. Lloyd shrugged, did not seem to wish to answer, Kratos however was not going to keep his peace, he'd kept it long enough already. "I can understand if you were enemies, or if your actions unchecked would genuinely put us in danger, in those cases I could see where a physical repremand would be aproprite. In no other situations could I begin to understand why you would tolerate such treatment."

"She's just making sure I'm not bad, that's all."

"There are other ways to insure good behavior from a child." Kratos growled, Lloyd passive response only stoked the spark and let it catch and turn into a small flame. "Verbal scolding, explaining, the latter is a marvel she has yet to pick up on it seems."

Lloyd frowned, scuffed his boot and looked to the area around them, forsaking his watch for thought. Kratos easily picked it up, set his eyes to drifting. They walked on the back of a dusty stretch of ground that rolled to the northern mountains. They would walk this road to the first of the cliffs, undernieth a canopy of stone they would camp and break away from the dusty boot worn path where grass did not grow. Alongside it, soft and alluring to weary feet, were slender slips of green, they lapped against the road that would rise and fall in small hills, hills would bleed into mountain, and it ws in the shadows of the mountain they would travel to keep from the eyes of those one the road. Well they would if he could persuade them after dinner that the threat of staying on road warrented the extended amount of time going off road would entail. Up ahead Kratos could make out the dust that heralded a wagon, the wagon was making a good clip away from them, perhaps there camp site would have the merchant caravan, the thought of being able to share the fires of another without wasting there rationed firewood was a pleasing one. The merchants and others with the caravan could be company, a final break he could take from those in the group around him before going into the wilds bound them all together for the sake of survival. It would be nice to just talk to someone else, or even eavsedrop on conversations not related to the damned Regeneration. He swore that if he heard one more prayer in angelic before nightfall he was going to scream. Every meal, every rest the girl prayed, it was a gratting pracitce that the younger of the elf sibs participated in and the elder from time to time joined in. In that he and Lloyd were outcaste from the group, Kratos would not break the tenates of his own religion for the sake of even being polite, and Lloyd would grow uncomfortable and tend to Noishe's fur or paws during the spans of prayer. Taking a deep breath he gathered his annoyence and dispelled it with a slow out take of his life's breath.

"Well... you know when a little kid gets all excited and is about to go stick there hand in a fire, Raine's smacks are like that."

"No, they aren not." Kratos argued. "There is an immediate danger that the child would inflict upon themselves if not reprimanded, yet there is no danger from you being annoying."

"Oh gee, thanks..." Lloyd grumbled, rubbing his head, there talk of it was making him focus on his pain. Well and good, it would drive Kratos' words home and hopefully make the boy think about what Raine was doing. "I don't think she means to hit hard."

"She still does." Kratos pointed out, his eyes bore into Lloyd with just a sliver of hope that the young man would see what he was trying to say. "In this case intent is totally divorced from action." Lloyd looked at him in helpless confusion and the mercenary sighed. "It does not matter, the intent, the action. What is achieved and what is intended mean nothing." Still more confusion, yes he would definatly be tutoring Lloyd while they traveled, the boy should have enough knowledge to follow such a basic idea to completion. "Even though she does not mean to hurt you she still does despite the fact that she does not mean to. She continues to hurt you without meaning to, and in that she is wrong."

"Oh, now I follow, but why'd you say all that other junk before it?"

If Kratos did not rip out all of his hair in frusteration before they were done first it was going to be gray, he'd age and look older then Raine if this was a sign of how under educated Lloyd really was.

"We shall discuss that later. How does it make you feel?"

Genis and Colette were now gosiping, catching a few words in dwarven he realized they must be discussing who would be cooking, certianly if Lloyd could make up that code he was intellegent enough to learn something more academic. For now though, he scolded himself seeing that if he followed his own thoughts he'd be teaching Lloyd twenty things at once and getting no where, focus on the lessons that held the highest impact at the moment. He smiled, only to himself and only in his mind, when he could feel Raine's glare lose some of it's anger and turn curious.

"Kinda rotten."

"Elaborate if you would."

"Well it hurts, and throbs for a while."

"You always say, or almost seem to say 'what did I do', certainly your expression says that." Kratos decided to give the young man a bit of a argumentative push so to speak, to nudge him into saying his mind freely.

"I... think that every time." Lloyd blushed. "I really don't know what I did, and if I say that she gives me this... look like I should know."

"If she told you, would you stop?"

He could almost feel Raine's curiousity disolve into shame as she eavesdropped on the conversation and realized the topic.

"Most of the time, yeah."

"Have you ever told her 'to' stop, to explain?"

Lloyd went quiet, and his voice dropped down to a so soft a whisper that Kratos had to strain to hear it.

"I didn't quite catch that.." Kratos leaned towards Lloyd, as if to better hear the words. He was well aware of the curious gazes that Colette and Genis were favoring him with, and he hoped and recieved the answer he so wanted.

"Do you 'think' I want her to skin me alive!" Lloyd flared, then blushed and looked behind them at the others. Genis and Colette both looked baffled and Raine, much to Kratos imense satisfaction, was looking very embarresed. Lloyd turned to the road, picked up his pace a bit and again Kratos kept in step with the youngster. "You pushed me into saying that didn't you?"

"The only thing I pushed you into saying, or rather reveiling, were your feelings on a matter that you were not tending to yourself. You don't think about it Lloyd, you push it away in this pretense of stupidity and it gnaws on you with acid fangs. You claim to speak your mind, and certianly you do on surface subjects, but when your feelings are involved you become mute."

Lloyd gave him a long flat look that made Kratos sigh, this time he allowed the sound to be heard aloud instead of echoing in the darkness of his mind.

"If you wish to join your friends go right ahead." The mercenary focused on the road, could not look at Lloyd just yet.

"Just... because you make me mad doesn't mean we aren't friends." Lloyd said in a tight voice. "I'm still pissed that you... made me get angry... but that doesn't make us not friends." Lloyd continued to walk along side him, did not slow his gait any, but then faced with staying with the surly mercenary or the teacher who had just over heard something that had would compramise her very honor... Perhaps he was seen as the lesser of two evils. Lloyd managed to hold onto the bulk of his anger for almost an hour, Raine kicked up a impromptu lecture about the history of Hakonesi Peak, and Colette and Genis fast forgot Lloyd's out burst. When the anger seemed to abate enough Kratos would begin the other lessons, survival, hunting, tracking, Lloyd had some aptitude but there was more he could learn. And while they traveled together Kratos intended to impart all the knowledge he could.

xxx xxx

"Look professor, people!" Colette chirped, pointing to the wagons that were stained red from the camp fires and the setting son. Genis moaned as he watched Colette rush ahead. Lloyd did not follow, he was rubbing his head talking to Kratos about something softly, not argueing but trying to pick something out between words maybe. I t had to be something complicated like that or else Lloyd wouldn't have had that strange pre-occupied expression on his face. Raine hearing his pain gently patted his head, and he looked up and smiled a bit. He knew she couldn't heal cramped muscles, blisters, or aching bones, so he'd just have to suffer, but when she put her hand on his head the pain went away a little. Kratos, he had learned, could walk very fast. He thought that Riane was fast, that Lloyd was fast, and they were, over short spans. Kratos was fast and was fast over long spans. He had a inexhastable stanima, only pausing to rest when Colette looked to needed it, or when someone signaled that they thought Colette needed it. She never siad when she got tired, but Lloyd had seen the disspirited expression before they set up for a pre-lunch snack, and Genis had caught Colette's empty eyed gaze on the road right after there lunch stop. Noishe had even once just stopped, right in the middle of the road and laid down indicating he wasn't going any farther. If Genis were making them stop it would have been for longer spans of time, and much more frequently, and when he'd openly whined about hurting Kratos had ordered Noishe to carry him. Noishe had tried to bite Kratos for that, then had carried him for a few miles then had abruptly sat and Genis had tumbled off of the dog's shoulders.

"Stupid dog..." He grumbled, staring at Noishe who now had padded up to Lloyd and was now getting his ears scritched.

"Yeah bet you're eager to have some nice warm dinner aren't ya boy?"

"Bark!"

"Chosen! Get back here!" Kratos growled, sounding more fierce then any wolf of dog Genis had ever seen before.

"Sorry Mr. Krato- opps!" She tripped mid-appologie and smashed into the earth. They all winced at the by now, very familiar sight, and Lloyd like all the other times before ran up to Colette and pulled her to her feet.

"You could be just a little nicer to Colette you know." Lloyd snapped glaring at the mercenary.

Kratos only sighed.

"You both are guilty of this flaw, you presume everyone you see and meet is a friend. Not everyone is a kind person Lloyd, not every camp fire is a sanctuary, bandits too set fires on the side of the road."

"I've yet to see a bandit, or hear of one that has a wagon Mr. Aurion." Raine said coldly.

"You aren't very well traveled Ms. Sage."

"It's illogical, wagons stand out, the main goal of a thief would be to blend in." Genis poined out. "Even though we aren't well traveled we aren't stupid enough to not know that!"

"Here we go again..." Lloyd rolled his eyes. "I'm feeling like a parent..."

Kratos blushed, Raine cringed, and both adults looked very uncomfortable. Genis opened his mouth intending to say something, when Raine put a hand on his shoulder and fell silent under the gentle presure she exerted.

"Come on, we need to get going, a warm meal does sound nice."

"Hurmph... I shall take point, just in case it turns out to be dangerous of course."

xxx xxx xxx

It wasn't dangerous, as Genis later parroted Kratos' words back at him with heavy sarcasm laced through the whole statement. Both elves declared the mercenary parinoid, and Lloyd just stayed out of the fighting between his oldest friends and his newest. Colette stayed with Raine and the travelers -they called themselves zoologists whatever that was- and while Colette played with the children while Raine and Genis talked to the parents. Lloyd just hung out with Noishe. He'd trapped himself with the dog just so the guy named Noah would leave poor Noishe alone. The second he'd left, just to go to the privys, he'd come back to a panicked Noishe trying to scramble up a tree to get away from the man who was holding a piece of glass and tweezers saying he wanted a hair sample for research. Poor Noishe, the Professor and Genis had caught the spirit, and they'd tried to steal Noishe to make some notes for a spiece study...

Lloyd had taken Noishe for a walk at that point, just so they had an excuse to get away from it for a few minuets. When he'd come back he'd pointedly joined the sleeping Kratos, drawn his sword, and stood watch over his dog while many pairs of bright inquisitive eyes bore into him... or rather Noishe. Finally they went back to sharing reames of paper and he could relax. Lloyd patted his dogs head, lay his sword on his lap, and lay against the mass of silver green warmth and fuz. He watched the stars as they came out, no longer obscured by a mess of trees he could see and count them all it seemed. But you could only really appreciate the stars laying on your back, so he scooted away from Noishe and drapped a blanket over himself. Warm, comforted by the winking stars, Lloyd let out a yawn that Noishe mimiced. They were of the same mind it seemed. Noishe rolled over, stretched his paws into the air, and through half closed eyes stared at the silver streaks that flashed across the back of the sky.

"They say that when Aska lets fall the crown of fiery heaven from his weary head, at his flights conclution, the color of the world abandon his wings. The colors of all caress the skies and fly to the most northern region to sit in the great creators eye. Drained from his duties Aska seeks his rest on the highest mountain, his fire falling behind him, scorching the clouds as he ascends to the roost of heaven. His lover, Luna, takes up that crown and begins her walk across the length and width of the worlds skies, but so jealous is Shadow the entity of the great dark, that the envoy of the abyss paces behind Luna forever seeking that which he can never have."

Lloyd smiled, trust Kratos to say some random story like that.

"Sorry I woke you." Lloyd yawned, 'you' sounding more like 'uhh' then anything else because of that yawn.

"No problem, it's my turn for watch anyways."

"So.. why'd you tell it?"

"Must I have a reason for everything?" Kratos though sounding annoyed had a slight smile on his lips.

"Humph." Lloyd shifted under the blanket. "Guess not."

"Go to sleep, my reasons aren't important." Lloyd stared at Kratos, a pleading look in his eyes and with a sigh Kratos submited. "I like having someone who doesn't scream 'heratic' everytime I open my mouth."

So they had a like of the stars, and stories, and they both had the same reason for telling and not telling those stories. Lloyd smiled, closed his eyes, and scooted closer to his dog.

"Not dangerous my ass." Lloyd grumbled, patting Noishe's side, the dog's tail wagged, though it was a slow swish that indicated the dog was falling asleep.

"Indeed." Kratos chuckled. "I almost wish it were bandits rather then zoologists, though I'd never think myself to be saying that."

"Mmm..." Lloyd was struggling to stay awake. "That was a good story 'bout Shadow and all, where'd you hear it?"

"A friend told me, long ago."

"Oh..." Lloyd felt the world fadding away. "That's... inter.." He yawned, tried to talk again but his eyes were getting so heavy.

"Go to sleep Lloyd, I'll wake you at dawn." Kratos drew his sword and lay in on his lap, eyes scanning the terrain.

Lloyd's response was a gental snore.

xx xx xx

"North is the path of heavens heart, bathed in the light of Aska's crown.

South the world of darkness lies, the lair of Shadow he of the blooded eye.

The west lies the wind's wily heart,

go to the east and see were the mountians start.

Between dark and wind lies the pure maiden with a restless soul.

Between dark and earth lays a kingdom topped with a throne of cold.

Red line of the forges fire splits sky from light,

as purple lines cuts a sky burning path that keeps earth from light."

Lloyd rolled the compass in his hands, while he spoke he pointed to each direction, speaking the words to recall direction, to explain why the letter was painted a certain hue in this and all compasses. Colette found it interesing, Genis teased him for telling one of his tall tales, and Raine began to compare the story to some other one she'd heard in the Martel church and proceeded to do a cross analisis between the two. It was just a story, sheesh, he hadn't ment to trigger the Professor's ruin mode. Well it wasn't a real bad case of ruin mode so he kept his peace. Colette slowed down til she was in step with Noishe and covered the dog in kisses, pettings, and baby talk. Genis hung with him while they both kept a healthy distance from Raine.

"If I ever get like that Raine-smack me back to my senses please."

"How about we make a pact." Lloyd offered. "If ever one of us shows signs of 'anything' mode the sane one must deliver a smack."

They shook on that and continued at what Kratos was now sarcastically calling a snails pace. They'd travled one day at Kratos' rate of speed, the next morning it was all the Iseilan's could do to walk. They'd all given the mercenary such venom filled glances that he agreed to let them set the pace, and now if his words were to be believed they were going at a mere crawl. Everyone, the sane ones if you asked Raine, ignored his grumbles and refused to have anything to do with him, even Noishe. They'd spent the morning after meeting up with the zoologist Noah, walking alongside a wall of green choked earth. It was a cliff that over looked no path, no ocean, and poking out of it was a wierd asortments of roots, rocks, and a few shots of grass that looked for all the world like stubs of hair on a balding head. Firmly dragging the protesting elf professor who was howling that she must take samples and conduct research, the mercenary had made them all but run past that span, they'd followed it until it ran out, and walked across hilly earth with ankle high grass, stoping to have lunch with mountains jutting out on the horizen. Kratos then had spread a map across the napping Noishe's back and had told them his plans, they were to be at the feet of that mountian by tonight. They'd spent three days keeping the mountains on there right hand side, and follow the path between the Palma peaks and the unnamed mountians that cut travelers off from going to Thodia save through a small valley. They'd go pass the valley, stick to the Palma's. By following the Palma's they'd come to the main road a goodly way closer to Hakonese, they'd skip by the house of salvation and make the last leg of the journet in three days time. A weeks journey by his estimate. They'd stared at the near eighty mile hike on that map, stared at Kratos, and then had a vote about Kratos' insanity right there in front of him. Even Lloyd had agreed the mercenary was nuts. They had made it to the mountian as planned, however the next day they had not been able to travel even a fifth of that distance. It was then, while Kratos was there main navigator, Lloyd was there pace setter.

"He's more sensitive to us then you are, you hardly noticed when Colette almost colapsed." Riane had growled over breakfast when Kratos had protested the third day.

"Twenty miles a day is not a fast pace." Kratos snarled at Raine, a map in hands that he read whilst walking.

"Is to." Lloyd growled.

"It's more then we are used to Mr. Aurion, we are simple villigers. Out of all of us I'm the only one who's ever even been outside Iselia and that was a very long time ago."

Kratos growled, given them all this look that was a mix of pity, scorn, and was mercifully silent while they continued on there way. Finally around noon he folded up the map, slid it into his packs, and decided it was time to seperate Lloyd from his friends so he could give some of his lessons. He picked up his pace, caught up with Colette, Genis and Lloyd while they talked in there pidgin language of common and dwarven, and the fact he could follow none of it told him that they were probably discussing him, a fact that was confirmed when he joined them and they fell silent giving him a long look.

"Hey Kratos, what's up?" Lloyd smiled at him, but he normally smiled at everyone and everything, there was much of Colette in him.

"Do you remember that talk we had in PalmaCosta?"

"N- I mean yeah..." Lloyd squeaked when Kratos' eyes narrowed. "About the lessons... you remembered huh?"

"That remindes me Mr. Aurion, but don't you and my brother have something to tend to to see if you are even remaining in our company?"

Kratos' expresion was something like a flinch, a wince, and grimace all rolled up into one. In short he wore the exact same expression Lloyd was just wearing.

"Tonight Ms. Sage, if your brother agrees."

"Ummm... wouldn't it be kina hard to make him go away now? I mean he's the only one who knows where we're going..." Lloyd pointed out, Genis and Raine glared at him and he cringed under the venom filled gazes.

"I am more then capable of leading us Lloyd." Raine said at last.

"Ms. Sage, if you think that is reality you need to let go of that delusion before it kills the rest of this group."

"I'm going to hang with Noishe..." Lloyd turned and went to his dog.

"I'm going to stay with Lloyd." Genis muttered over his shoulder, already abandoning the adults to yet what looked to be another fight.

"I'll keep Mr. Kratos company!" Colette chirped, waving to her friends who were looking at her kinda funny.

"Colette, why don't you join the boys for a little bit, Mr. Aurion and I have something to... discuss."

"I'd like to stay with Kratos, pretty please Professor."

Raine rose an eyebrow, Kratos looked startled, even though the tone was as sweet natured as always there was a hint of steel under the softness. From his place in the back Lloyd whistled, he knew that tone having heard it twice before. Colette would get what she wanted, she'd stay even if Raine and Kratos started yelling at each other. Noishe having heard it once before as well let out a fast breath that caught in his fangs and mimed a human's whistle. The adults gave the swordsman and dog a long look.

"If it were me I'd come." Was all Lloyd said to Raine's intense gaze.

"Lloyd, why don't you, Genis and Colette take a break and we'll go off a ways to have our conversation." Raine sugested in a tone that was more order then sugestion.

Colette clasped her hands in front of her, and met Raine's gaze.

"You're going to have another arguement." Colette accused.

"It's just a matter between Mr. Aur-"

"You're going to have an argument." Colette did not accuse, merely stated a fact. "I don't like it when you fight and if I stay with Kratos you wont so I am staying with him."

Both adults stared at the Chosen, who by all acounts in there minds an innocent child.

"Colette..." Raine began.

"I'm sorry Professor, but I'm not letting you fight so I'm staying with Kratos."

"How did you get your claws into her Kratos?" Raine hissed, eyes turning to slits.

Kratos snarled, his hand clenched the hilt of his sword. "What kind of monster do you take me for Ms. Sage, I could throw that very accusation back in-"

"We're gunna just go back a little ways." Lloyd called to them, knowing by the glint in Colette's eyes she'd handle the whole thing by herself. He took Genis' arm and firmly lead the protesting elf somewhere less heated.

xxx xxx xxx

"I'd of given a lot of gald to know what she said." Genis muttered as he set up the fire while the sun was setting behind him.

"She yelled at Ivan once when she found him beating me up." Lloyd shivered. "It's not what she says, rather how she says it. She just gets this tough look on her face and she doesn't yell or anything, but you do what she says."

Both children looked up at the very quiet adults. Kratos and Raine hadn't said a thing after Colette's talk. It had been hours since one of the adult had even opened there mouths and they were both looking very embaressed. They almost looked like two people who'd just been Raine'd. As matter of fact the only words that Kratos had even spoken after whatever Colette had told him were, "we'll set up camp here, it's secure" and all Raine had siad was a word they weren't supposed to say after she Colette stepped on a rock. It was wierd everything being this quiet, and Genis talked quite a bit to fill in the stillness.

"It's just a little scary, I never knew Colette could yell at anyone before." Genis admited, and since no one seemed to be talking or scolding him he wiggled his fingers and set the pile of wood on fire with a spell.

"If you think about it how often does she have to yell, ever, normally people just do what she wants you know?" Lloyd dragged the pot of beef stew over by the flames and put the lid on top so it'd cook faster.

Both boys gave a long glance at Colette who was now praying over a closed book, saying those wierd words and waving her hand up and down. Lloyd looked away, it was wired, he probably shouldn't even be here because of it, but whenever Colette called on the angels to protect them he just got this cold lump in his gut. Genis though smiled, comforted by Colette praying, and maybe he found it normal and comfortable, but Lloyd just couldn't. He decided not to tell Genis of the time Colette had spoken to him in the same tone she'd used on the mercenary and teacher. It had been about his lack of belief, and if there was something between them that they'd never see eye to eye on it was that. He was, to his knowledge, the only person who'd ever sucsessfully argued with Colette when she took up that quiet steely tone. Even the memory of that talk between him and her made him go cold all over. Colette was tough, strong, so much stronger then him in this way. Lloyd scooted closer to the fire so he'd warm up faster and the cold pit would go away. Genis walked by him, popped open the lid and stared at the stew.

"Yuck Lloyd do we have to have all of this meat?"

"I make good stew." Lloyd grumbled, not looking away from the fire, thinking, of all things, about Salamanders.

"Haven't you heard of onion, spices, potatoes, or carrots?"

Lloyd didn't bother to reply, he was staring at the fires blue heart, wondering if the sly twinkling of the flame was indeed scales catching on the moonlight and the humored winking of slitted reptilian eyes.

So intent was he in his thoughts he did not see Kratos gaze settle on him with something much like fondness glittering in his eyes.

xxx xxx

They didn't check the threads until morning. Genis hastily gulped down his breakfast of scrambled eggs, and decided to grit his teeth and get it over with. He sat crosslegged in the soft long grass, buried up to his waist in flowing natural threads of green. Kratos sat three feet away facing the small elf his cape spread beneath him, like an extension of his shadow. Kratos' dark eyes were clossed and his body was so tense you'd think he was going into a fight. The only person who was even hanging about him was Noishe, who looked to be little more then an extension of the grass. He lay, curled about the mercenary with a familiarity that once would have sparked Lloyd's jealousy. Now it wasn't, Lloyd was too worried to be jealous or think of anything but his worry. Genis held his sister's hand in a one handed white knuckle grip and Colette's with the other. Lloyd sat between Raine and Noishe, rattling the steel sword in it's sheath, he'd have bit his nails but they were in there usual finger covering crimson gloves.

"Lloyd, stop it, your all antsy." Genis muttered, not bothering to open his eyes.

"I'm sitting as still as I can!"

"No your threads are all twisted up, could you get them to sit still I can't focus on Kratos until they are."

"What?"

Genis opened his eyes and gave him a long look.

"When they move they pulse with light and it hurts to look at it could you... you have to calm down."

"Think of the guardian spell Lloyd, don't call the energy just think of the images that came with the energy." Kratos advised.

Sighing Lloyd tried, though of the chilled air, warm embrace, and star light as best he could.

"Alright, I'm going to use my Sight on you and then I'm going to Reach like before."

"Let's just get this over with." Kratos growled.

xxx

It was cold, a jagged wall of ice and steel that gleamed crimson, red seeped out from the spears of silver blue, seeped out along the edges and if they were not the quills of a porcipine but shards jabbed into the fleash. There was a numbing cold that sucked the very warmth from him, warned him off from reaching and he heeded the warning for now anyways. He looked up, seemed to slid along side those walls only to find that they were in truth walls. He swept over them and could see those soft seductive looking threads that looked like fur and were not. He knew to reach there was to be cut again so he held off the reaching. He looked up, suprised that unlike with the wall of silver in red he did not go up as his gaze went up. He could see from far away thing threads of gold shimmering with a strange life, they wove through the mess off false softness, drifted over the wall, and went off to other places. He decided since he was here to follow one of those threads.

He picked a gold thread that thrummed with like a slow heart beat. He watched it roll underneath him, and suddenly he felt a blanket over him, a warm presence by his side...

A thin finger traced the tear streaks running down his face, they held a promise that everything was going to be alright, a promise that he now knew, for once in his life he knew that for truth.

"He's turning into quite the talker isn't he?"

"He takes after you in that." Kratos voice, his voice, was tight.

"Oh gee, thanks, I love you too Mr. Aurion."

"Hush my love, we need to be quiet he needs his sleep. He's had a busy day."

"You know if you actually put him in the crib we could talk above a whisper."

"Like Hell I'm letting him go, and if you want to take it up with him I wouldn't bother. His hands are gripping my tunic so tight we'll need a crow bar come morning."

"He's strong, just like his father."

"And his mother," Kratos said promptly. "If I had been in your shoes for a month I'd have gone mad, that bastard, hurting you like he did."

"That's then, this is now. This is truth my love." A woman's hand took his/their hand and layed in on a warm soft lump that he could not see. The golden thread slithered under his gaze then fell away and bound itself to nothing. Where there should have been another there was a looming darkness that echoed in it's emptyness and set rivlets of pain and loss that was not his own...

xxx

Genis made a noise, a squeaky gasp, and jerked. Raine was going to stand, attack the mercenary, but Kratos too made a noise of such unbearable pain that she froze. He was shaking, pale, a mere ghost of a man, and his hand clenched on nothing, clawed at nothing. then they both went still, it was as if they both were bing controled by whatever they saw.

xxx xxx

He felt a gust of icy wind smash into him, his grip on the thread wavered snapped and he found himself at the wall. He knew, without knowing how he knew, that Kratos had cut him off from seeing the rest from going deeper. Shamed he would have blushed, he hadn't ment to see that, but he had not blood to rish to his cheeks, was nothing but a pair of eyes. Grimly he went up, selected another thread, walked again the golden road.

Steel rang out across steel. Flashed through the air and sliced down, turning a few moments and the flat smashed against a red clad rump. The jolt of the sword's hilt in his arm was familiar, his very skin had grown tough around his hands to adjust it was so familiar.

"Ouch, Kratos!" Lloyd looked up at him in frusteration. "Why don't you just put on a wig and start yapping about ruins or something and I woudln't be able to tell the difference between you and Riane!"

"Would you like me to conect with the edge?"

"No..." Lloyd coughed. "But damn that was emberrasing!"

"If your guard is that bad..."

"Yeah yeah... I get you... I asked for it blah blah insert serious lecture about lack of skill here."

"Are you jealous?"

"No... I was, now I'm not."

"Why not?" Kratos dipped his blade down and Lloyd relaxed, leaned against a tree. The scent of sea and quick view he glimpsed around him told Genis that he was seeing a sparing match in Izoold.

"You spent your life doing this, probably since you were little you know? Me, I only started when I was thirteen, I've got all of four years of on and off pracitce. I'll probably never get as good as you."

"Humility is a becoming trait, but do not sell yourself short. You have potential, you just need more practice that is all."

"Woah who are you and what did you do to Kratos?"

"I stuffed him under the bed before I took his form and voice." Kratos grinned slightly at his bad joke and Lloyd chuckled.

"Well you need to glare more and make growling noises instead of scentances or no one's going to be fooled."

Warm emotions boiled in him, pride, respect, and something deep, so deep it shook Genis out of the trance within a trance. He did not need to follow the thread all the way back, he knew it would lead to fiery writhing energy that was Lloyd. Shaken, he retreated to the wall, stood in front of the mess of writhing silver blue. He took a step forward and wiated for the daggers to pull him in.

xxx xxx

"Did he just giggle?" Lloyd asked, having this funny kind of tug in his head and chest. He wondered what Genis had siad and why he'd been in on it. "That dork he's snickering, I wonder what he's seeing that's so funny and he wont tell the rest of us?"

"Lloyd hush." Raine smiled slightly at him, relieved Genis wasn't as pale as before.

"What's taking him so long professor?" Colette asked. "He said it was pretty quick before."

"Genis told me that he was going to check a few things, he was going to make absolutely sure that Kratos was safe to trust, I imagine he's just being his thurough self and going over everything a few times. Now be quiet, he'll tell us when he wakes up."

xxx xxx

Nothing was happening, it wasn't parting it wasn't dragging him in. He Reached and it was hard, sharp, but did not draw blood. It would not open for him, he could not pass. He could feel Kratos anger pound on him, he was aware of Kratos' eyes upon him, and realized with a start that Kratos was seeing as he Saw.

"What are you hiding, how can you see this!"

I am aware, came the words without voice they were ideas dropped in his mind, aware of all I am and have been. This is merely an aspect of my awareness, for being aware is being in control and what lies back there is not for your eyes child. It is for the eyes of no one save my own. The world within is the soul within and in that relm you have no right to tresspass.

xxx xxx

Genis opened his eyes, stared at Kratos numbly, boy and man met each other's gaze in there eyes a mystery no one could read. It was creepy seeing them both that still, that distant, the could have been mirror images of each other despite there differences in apperence, size, and race.

"If you ever do that again know I will not hold back as I did in PalmaCosta."

Genis nodded, though he had no fear about him.

"I didn't know, I'm sorry."

"Do you know, really, I find that interesting." Kratos stood, though he staggered just a little. Noishe hopped to his paws, and the mercenary leaned against the dog for a long moment before reaching for his cloak. He put it on, oblivious to the grass stains, then tottered off, waving Lloyd's offer of assistence off.

"I need some time alone to clear my head, we'll leave at noon."

Noishe padded behind the mercenary, silent as the wind over the earth.

Raine stared at the man, he was making a very large asumption that he was staying.

"You OK Genis?" Lloyd knelt down in front of his friend.

"I need to... be alone for a little... with Raine." Genis whispered.

"Alright." Lloyd fondly ruffled his small friends hair. "We'll set up a kinda mini camp over behind that rock. That way if you need us you can find us."

Genis nodded, curled into Raine's embrace and sighed a heavy sigh filled with unshed tears.

"Go ahead Lloyd, I know what I'm doing." Raine smiled wanely.

Taking Colette's hand in his own Lloyd walked off, where they sat and wondered.

xxx xxx

Well he was staying, for all that ment. He shivered, the ghost of that touch, that innocent's touch in his mind made him feel sick. The horrors that he knew lay in his mind must pale before the horrors that enshrounded his soul. He'd never hear of it however, Genis had told Raine and Raine had looked so ill he'd not pressed her for details. He rubbed the scars that ran down his back, an absent gesture that was nearly as old as he was. He sat apart from them, stared at the stars and those thousand and one eyes of his ancestors stared back in blazing scutiny. Genis was as skitish as ever, but not possessed of the blinding terror, the animal fear, and that was some small iota of comfort. He rolled the hilt of a dagger in his hands, used the comfort of cold steel to banish whatever horrors lurked in the shadowed corners of his mind. He spared a glance for the children, Colette and Raine were weaving a near visible cacoon of suport and warmth around Genis, one member of there little support group however was missing. Lloyd, he'd been there in the begining and had wandered off.

"Hey," something clinked together in Lloyd's hands, Kratos turned, surprised when Lloyd strolled up to him twin glasses in steed of two swords in hand. "Taking first watch again?"

"Of course." He did not smile, only stated a fact. Lloyd however was not one to be spooked so easily by his lack of open friendliness. The young man sat besides the mercenary and offered a glass... of coffee. Thoughtful of him, but if he was drinking a glass as well it held a meaning. "So who asigned double watch?"

"Huh?"

"I thought... Coffee after nightfall Lloyd, again?"

"It tastes good." Lloyd sniffed. "And I only made me a half a cup."

"So Raine is half as likely to beat you senseless for being antsy at night."

"Exactly." Lloyd grinned, folded his legs under him and offered the glass to the older swordsman.

They both sat, sipped there cups, and said nothing for a long time. The brew was bitter, rough, and strong enough to make the hairs on Kratos' neck prick up. Oh it all but garenteed his wakefulness for the next few days it was that strong. Lloyd, Kratos knew, would probably be sharing all the watches quite against his will, even for partaking in only half a cup. Still it was good, he could taste the milk and sugar mixed in, it muffled the true harshness that took the Trietian delicacy. He rolled the liquid on his tongue even as Lloyd lay against the grass and crossed his arms in front of him. He seemed this night to defy the very stars he admired. Setting aside his cup for the moment Kratos stared at the sky, his mind twisting to it's old paterns as fast as a man's legs take to a twisted road troden on too long.

"What do you think about when you stare at the stars?" Lloyd said, there was no real prompt, he'd spoken on some random whim it seemed. Kratos pulled himself from his thoughts, his worries and made a noise in his throat that could have served as an answer. Lloyd made a noise of his own, he snorted and turned to face his elder. "Oh yeah like I'm supposed to believe it when you say nothing."

"My thoughts are my buisness."

"Fine." Lloyd went back to staring at the stars above, he managed to remain silent for all of ten seconds, a sign the caffine was preying with his mind. "Sooo... I've been thinking about the Martel buisness and I think it's kinda sad, how they see things."

"Such dangerous thoughts for one on this pilgramige."

"They're dangerous anywhere."

Kratos said nothing, and Lloyd looked to him to see if he had finally pushed the older man's tolerance too far. The younger swordsman blinked, Kratos was paying him the compliment of his complete undivided attention.

"I used to ask all these questions when I was little, and all the priests would answer but after a bit they'd get annoyed and all they'd ever say is Martel. Martel is the answer to everything, why does it rain? Martel. What's beauty, Martel? Why's the sky blue? Martel. They don't... think once that word comes in. They'd never see Salamanders or Wind Spirits. When they look like now, I dunno what you see when you look up and I'd bet it's different from what I see, but all they'd see is Martel."

"So then a spider would be..."

"Martel." Lloyd answered with a curl of his lips.

"Then I've stepped on a number of Martel's in my life."

They both shared a chuckle.

"It seems horrible that they don't see this stuff, the stories, or look for anything new in something they think they know. All because of that one word."

"Words can be damning things." Kratos said, and he lay back against the cool grass, a night breeze set the grass to caressing them both. It made the fire and those around it shiver and start at the thin threads of dark that caressed the edges of the light. "They can bind and destroy so much. Consider a man who can not read, a man of power writes some law that leads to the death of the ignorant innocent, that is the power of words."

"But... if no one follows that man and he writes down the law nothing happens."

"Those who control words normally have power."

"I read and write and I'm not powerful, Raine reads and writes and she couldn't do that with her words."

"You use words, you don't control them. Words are a tool that you haphazardly apply to the world around you to explain what you experience. When you control words you pick each phraise with care, and that care is directed by a feeling you wish others to experience, and if you are good enough you can do so."

"That's hard to believe."

"You have an example behind you and you don't see it?"

"Wha-" Lloyd looked to see Genis, still in Raines amrs, and Colette talking. "There just hanging out and gossiping."

"If you were to go in there and talk of... Ivan what would that do to the mood?"

"Probably kill it, I don-"

"Then let me finish and if understanding has not come to you I shall try again. There is a mood of cheer, and your words, or the subject you center on them, can adversly affect the mood. That is a kind of power, you can, by offering your opinion, a subject, even a few noises that aren't even full words, you can affect your friends mood. A man with a strength in words and control over himself could very possible sway strangers, could command legions and never pick up a sword to do so."

Lloyd frowned, eyes thoughtful, but then Kratos had a way of doing that to him.

"That must be a really powerful thing to have that kind of strength." Lloyd said after a long while.

"All strength is is power Lloyd. Strength is just another word for power."

"I never figured, well I kinda did but I never thought about it you know?"

"No, I do not know, since you are being very vague with your words."

Lloyd scrunched up his face, tried to think of another way to put it that would make sense.

"Normally when I think of strength I think of how tough a person is in there body, or I'd think how brave they are when things look bad."

"So strength is then physical stanama and courage?"

"No... It might just be something more then that."

"Good." Kratos closed his eyes, and lay back against the ground, looking for all the world as if he was going to just take a nap. "If you question the nature of strength then you undoutably will become stronger. If I may ask you something on the lines of a personal question?"

"Go ahead, not like I haven't put you through twenty some questions already." Lloyd stared at the stars and it seemed as if they were staring back.

"Why do you desire strength?"

"To protect my friends and family." Lloyd said without so much of a seconds hesitation.

"How will you do that Lloyd? Build walls about them and keep them from all the world? That would be the best course for there saftey."

"If they're with me and they're in danger then all I want is to be able to keep them safe. I can't change what happens when I'm not there, but if something horrible's happening around me I want just enough strength to be able to do something, to do the right thing."

"To do... something, and to to the right thing are not the same. And the idea of what is right is a fickel thing at that. You did the right thing once in a ranch, it was a stupid thing to do but at the moment it was the right thing, you had that power to step in and protect someone and you did. Your intents in all there purity did not save a life, but cost lives, how could that be the right thing."?

"And the right thing was to just turn away!" Lloyd snarled, his hands clenching into fists.

"For the whole, yes."

"But not for Marble it wasn't!" Lloyd growled.

"One person's life, is it worth the lives of a village?"

Lloyd flinched, Kratos might as well just stab him in the back and get it over with. He writhed a bit at the old pain, his concience burned and the pain made his eyes smart. Gritting his teeth Lloyd shoved down the tears, glared at the sky, and told himself not to look at Kratos. Because if he did he'd probably hit the man.

"You weren't there, you couldn't hear it or see it or anything, so how can you even THINK to say anything like that?"

"Do you think I am ignorant as to what happens in the Ranches Lloyd? If so that is a grave mistake on your part. I have heard the screams of those under the boot of the strong and unjust, I have seen peole 'die' because some pure hearted person went into a fight and didn't consider the consequences."

"I didn't think of the consequences yeah, but I can't just turn away when someones getting hurt right in front of me!"

"Then you must grow strong Lloyd, stronger then you may wish, stronger then more then one way. To know why you draw a blade and when to do so is more important then any skill that you can possess in weilding it."

Lloyd took a long deep breath, ordered himself not to pound Kratos into a bloody pulp though the thought was tempting.

"Your playing with my head again." Was all Lloyd whispered, he was shaking with rage.

"You are allowing me to do so." Came Kratos counter. "And I am not manipulating you Lloyd, you have already made your decisions on the matter, I do not force you or comand you to break away from those, only consider them. If you change your course because you have found a flaw because my words have made you look inside yourself know that the looking, the listening to my words, and the change, that is all your action. If ever I force you to do anything, if ever I manipulate you, then you would be totally justified in your anger and it would be your place to rebuke me or strike me down."

"I'm going for a walk." Was all Lloyd said, picking himself up from the grass covered earth.

"Lloyd." Kratos' voice was a soft sigh on the night wind, and the swordsman turned, stared at his elder. "Though you go off alone to dwell upon my words know that you are not fully alone. They say that the night wind is the surest messenger, and that when the need is great it will take your need to the person who may best aid you. I think it is not mere circumstance or even convention that we speak the most during the darkest hours."

Like, like in stories, like in beliefs, and sometimes in thought, he would not break that no matter how mad he got.

"Maybe your right, I dunno, but then I don't know a lot."

"You'll learn, knowledge and strength will come in time."

"I hope so."

"I know so."

To that he had no response, so he turned and went off a ways to clear his head, to think, wonder, and worry alone. And when it came too much, perhaps, just perhaps the night winds would help him.

xxx xxx xxx

Colette hummed as she walked, enjoying the green grass tipped in golden sunlight. She skipped, which was really tricky in the grass, but was in such a good mood that she didn't notice. Genis was riding Noshy and Lloyd was keeping step besides his cute dog and talking to them both. Ocasionally Noshy's barks and howls carried to her ears, and once Genis' laughter did too. It was good to hear Genis laugh he had seemed so scared, but now he wasn't and everything was alright again. Raine and Kratos still weren't very nice to each other, but they didn't yell anymore and that made colette even happier, though she wished she could make them be friends. It was just a matter of time and patience, if you waited long enough and hoped long enough eventually everyone would stop being angry with each other, and she planned to do just that. Something glittered on the road, flashed between the strands of long tickly green, so she bent and picked it up. It was a darker green then Noshy's fur, the size of her palm, and glittered in the sun light like her cruxis crystal would. She lifted it up, frowned, it wasn't exactly a rock and on really close examination (She loved using Raine's Ruin words!) saw that though it looked smooth it possessed several small bumps and ridges that caught the light and flashed. It wasn't a rock, it wasn't a animal, she had no clue what it was, so she walked back to the others.

"Professor... I found something for your scientific journal!"

"You did!" Raine smiled, her blue eyes warming. "Let's see it dear."

Mr. Kratos did not smile when he saw it, he frowned and got a scary look on his face.

"Chosen, did you remember where this came from."

"Over there..." Colette pointed back the way she'd came and frowned. "Well it was more over there..." This was so confusing everthing looked so much the same, she pointed now in what she hoped was the right direction. "Do you know what it is Mr. Kratos?"

"A scale." The mercenary scowled and looked very scary. "From a venomous insect shapped creature that's the size of a horse."

"Mr. Kratos... what's a horse?" Colette asked.

The black clad mercenary made a choking noise in his throat, stared at her then muttered a not so nice word under his breath.

"Iselia's a self sufficenit village Mr. Aurion, we don't go anywhere outside our own borders for anything if we can help it. We don't have horses, part of the non-agression treaty was that all the war animals were to be killed and just to be safe all the horses that Iselia used to have were slaughtered."

"The only way you can sell and buy things to Iselia if you are an outsider is by going in during the days that we've set aside for selling forign merchandise." Genis added, slidding down off Noishe and taking the scale to look at it.

"Talk about a pain in the butt." Lloyd grumbled. "Do you know how many trips I'd have to make the night before one of those things with Noishe in the forrest just to make sure Dad had stuff to sell?"

Noishe shuddered and Lloyd did so as well.

"Did you see any tracks?"

"No Mr. Kratos, just the scale."

"Wonderful," Kratos eyes grew distant. "Chosen, Genis, I want you to keep pace with Raine. Lloyd keep a little ahead of Raine. The dog and I will scout ahead."

"Whine!" Noishe slicked his ears back and bolted.

"Or I could just scout ahead." Kratos muttered, Colette giggled, Kratos was pretty silly sometimes.

"You know the last time he bolted there was a monster right on top of us." Lloyd pointed out.

"I don't hear a bloody thing however."

"Oh look!" A thin slip of white poked out from the grass,two thin slips of fluffy white and it hopped towards them. "A rabbit!" Colette squealed.

"Oh boy... Colette maybe you shouldn't..." Lloyd began half heartedly.

Too late Colette ran up to it to pick it up. She tripped on a rock and sprawled out, crushing the grass around her right in front of it. The rabbit was snowy white with glittering red eyes. It squeaked, hopped back, and seeing Colette wasn't moving nibbled on her hair. It was the lowest kind of monster Sylvarant had to offer, one of the smallest in size, and it could with some effort be actually tamed. This one, as it gleefully chewed Colette's hair showed itself not to be a tame one.

"Your turn." Genis and Lloyd said to each other simutaniously.

"I did it last time!" Genis whinned.

"Fine fine..." Lloyd took a deep breath and went forward. He walked on silent feet, up to the animal-monster and when he was alongside it hit it in a tackle. It squealed, thrashed in his grip, but having done this since he was ten he knew how to fight a rabbit. He pinned the comically long legs being careful of the claws, turned it's head away from him and carried it a few feet off. He dropped it on the ground, gave it a sharp punt, and told it to scram. With an offended squeal the small monster did so.

"You're far too soft hearted Lloyd." Raine scolded, though a smile curled her lips.

"It's just a rabbit Professor, anyways Colette likes them so I try not to hurt it."

Colette stood with Genis' help.

"Ow... I'm sorry I thought it was a nice rabbit."

"Are there any other monsters she runs up to, happy to see it?" Kratos muttered, giving Colette an annoyed look.

"Anything that looks like a dog." Genis told him and the blonde Chosen smiled.

"You never know it could be a doggie."

"I believe your generosity has gone unapreciated Lloyd."

"Huh?"

There was a crunch of grass behind him, he turned, a blur of white smashed into his face twice and he staggered back and tripped, landing on his rump. Perched on his knees the rabit monster hissed, showing off it's small needle like teeth. With a squeal it threw itself forward, smashing into Lloyd's chest and knocking him down so that he was obscured by the grass. His cried of pain and for help were not muffled in the slightest by the plant life.

"He's being beaten by a rabbit..." Kratos shielded his face with a hand.

"Two rabbits." Genis pointed to a new pair of ears with a snickure in his voice.

"Oh look even more rabbits are comming!" Colette giggled. "They must really like him."

Kratos counted another three pairs of ears going Lloyd's way.

Raine was laughing, leaning against he staff and laughing so hard tears were comming to her eyes and Genis wasn't in much better shape.

"Chosen, stay with the elves." Kratos muttered drawing his blade.

The mercenary walked over to Lloyd, who was now being nipped and kicked by a small gang of rabbits, and he frowned, Lloyd should have been able to get up on his own the attacks weren't that serious... Kratos only wondered about why for all of ten seconds when something rose out of the ground and grabbed his ankle and two furry wieghts of white smashed into him and knocked him from his feet. His sword went flying. Another length of something bound both his ankle and one of the rabbits hopped onto his chest and let out a triumphent squeak. It managed a pained squeal when he punched it with his fist and it disapeared into the foilage. There was a hiss, a flash of silvered steel, Kratos watched as Lloyd's blade hacked at something he couldn't see. the sense of something holding his left foot was gone. he sat up, tucked his leg under him and pulled out his knife. He was already sawing at the vine that held his right leg, free he stabbed one of the more offensive rabbits, ripped the small animals carcass from his blade, and went to work on the vines that Lloyd couldn't reach that pinned the young man down. The second he was free Lloyd scrambled back, away from the rabbits and the ground that had so suddenly sprouted vines, by now the elves and even the Chosen were looking concerned.

A little late for that, Kratos thought.

"Kratos over there." Lloyd pointed with his sword and the mercenary turned and stared at a woman who had for all intents and purposes risen out of the greenery. She glared at them with flat unfriendly green eyes, was garbed in leaves and had thin vines serving as her hair and a large pink flower tucked behind her pointed ear.

"A wood nymph... in a plain?" Raine muttered, comming to her senses as the animals cordinated attacks and wildly high intellegence suddenly had a very deadly reason.

The creature stared at Raine, opened her bow shapped mouth and sang a few bird notes. The song was stragnely omunious, and Kratos joined Lloyd in his retreat, or rather meant to. Seeing his sword the mercenary decided to dare a quick run and snatch. Something screached, clawed at his head and he ducked, and rolled, the grass parted around him as more vines slithered just under the earth to try to grab him again. He stabbed one of the green roots, the other wound itself around his wrist. Snarling a string of profanities Kratos ripped the root out of the earth, the move numbed his hand for as he pulled it tightened it's grip. Still he wanted his damned sword, he was going to keep it, he endured the pain and snatched up his blade and retreated. Lloyd joined up with him, sending waves of silver energy into the ground and ripping up more grass and earth then conecting with any of there foes.

"Professor duck!" Colette called, the elf cringed behind her staff, and by the bloody talloned bird and the thin marks that ran down her arms the elf woman had already taken a few hits. A ring hissed over the elf's head and slashed into the bird, and turned it into a mess of blood and feathers. She caught the ring with far more grace then Kratos had ever seen her use before and looked forlornly at the crimson liquid that dripped down the side. "I'm sorry Mr. Bird, I didn't want to do that..."

The mercenary ignored those laments, he had no time for them. He blocked the first rabbit that so that the kicking paws smashed against the flat of his weapon, the second he skewered before it could begin it's attack. Grimly gripping the swordsmans arm Kratos dragged the young man behind him as they ran. Seeing his intent Raine snatched Colette's arm in one hand and Genis' in the other. And still behind them the nymph sung her song of lament with it's ominous notes blended in, and the birds from the sky began to swoop down at them. The attacks became less and less frequent as they got farther away, the small elfs lightinging bolts might have had something to do with that.

"That was... highly uncommon..." Raine gasped, clutching her side.

"Welcome to the joys of travel Ms. Sage." Kratos snarled, rubbing his arm. "Monsters of legend that the church scoffles at are a grim reality to any who take a step off the road."

"See staying on the road would have been..."

"Do you want to fight mobs of fanatic worshipers instead? How about bandits, do you favor those?" Raine fell silent, then gestured for Kratos to offer her his hand. Kratos unwond the length of green and Raine stared at the bruising and made a sympathtic noise which the mercenary ignored. "And by looks of it that wasn't the worst we shall be facing." Kratos looked meaningfully at the scale Colette had hooked to her belt.

"Great..." Lloyd rubbed one of his bites and hissed in pain. "Now what?"

"We start taking this seriously." He gave them all a firm look. "This is not a game, this is not a childs romp and I can not catter to any of your lack of experience for long."

"I didn't see you doing all that good out there." Genis pointed out.

"At least I acted and did not point and laugh." Kratos countered, making the elves flinch.

"Umm Professor..." Lloyd's voice had a hint of pain to it. "One of them got my hand good."

Raine left the mercenary, took Lloyd's hand in her own, and both ignored the look that Kratos pinned on them. It could have been jelousy, anger, Lloyd wasn't sure what, he just wanted the pain to stop. Tisking the teacher scolded him for not saying something sooner, and spread his fingers of the hand he was cradeling. Besides the scar that ran a path down between the space between his thumb and first finger, was a very deep looking red skinless span. Warmth and light filled it and Lloyd sighed when it faded, the only sign he bore from that injury was the large rip in his glove.

"Thanks Professor, your the best!"

Raine smiled at the praise, patted his head fondly and went back to stand by her brother.

"Alright Mr. Aurion, obviously our conduct for that situation was not the best." Raine cooly met the man's gaze. "Tell us what we can do better in the future."

"That could take a while."

"It's not like we have anything else that's as pressing." Raine pointed out grimly.

"That would imply that you trust me, alone with yourself and with your brother. Do you?"

"No." Raine's hands tightened around her staff. "I don't."

"Oh I have an idea!" Colette chirped her lips curled into a wide smile. "Kratos can teach Lloyd and Lloyd can teach us!"

"I... don't like it much." Raine said slowly. "But it is Lloyd's decision whether to take these lessons not mine."

Lloyd's mouth hung open in total shock. He had half expected Raine to say no, to stand in front of him staff drawn, ready to pound Kratos to bits if the mercenary took so much as a step in his direction.

"Well Lloyd?" Kratos stared at him, his face a mask as distant as it had been in Triet after there first lesson, that same need in his voice was before.

And it was to that need that he answered.

"Sure," Lloyd smiled. "Though I bet I'm so good at tracking and stuff already you'll be asking me how to hunt stuff by time we're done."

And as before there came that glint of cold humor, sharp as steel, and it glimmered in the mercenaries eyes.

"We shall see. Come, we should look for your dog that will be your first test."

"Easyest thing ever." Lloyd smirked, not catching the look.

xxx xxx xxx

For something easy it took an hour. Kratos said nothing, pateintly waited until they found the dog, and the second Lloyd was done with his emotional reunion with Noishe cleared his throat. Lloyd looked up at him, still pleased with himself and his acomplishment. Kratos preceeded to trim that over weening pride till nothing was left. At least this time Lloyd didn't sulk, he took the lessons graciously, questioned, and Kratos made him use those lessons to find there way back to the camp, or rather where it should have been.

"No one's here!"

"They moved," Kratos frowned, only a little worried, if the elf had moved it was probably for a good reason. Lesson time, he decided, was over. They both crouched, scanned the ground for clues, and it was the strange square tracks that were large then his palm caught and held Kratos' attention. They looked, almost like an insects legs. Recalling the scale he cursed, drew his blade and after a few moments of looking about nodded. Yes something had happened, the mess of human and insect tracks told him that.

"I think they went that way, but what the heck were the running from? I don't see any tracks but theres."

Well at least they were running in the right direction to get them farther along thier path, that was a small relief however.

"No time, come on!" Kratos barked, and seeing the blade and grim expression Lloyd paled but followed suit, and they both ran following the faint blurs that Kratos could glimpse between the tangled greenry.

xxx

Colette shrieked, ducked, a gust of wind filled the birds wings and forced it to over shoot it's target. Genis closed his eyes, tapped his kendama in it's old rythm, his lips moved and his fingers twitched. He was doing good, warm pride filled her, banished the cold of fear. She whipped her staff through the air, smashed it into the armored flank of the large mantis shapped creature. It squeaked, spun on it's skelital legs and reguarded her. It's fore paws were bent in reverence, a silent prayer that if voiced came in soft chitters and clicks of fangs tapping together. It had no eyes, no soft points which she could bruise, or poke, but then the skin itslef was armor and all softness lay underneath. That softness muffled her pumeting strikes, lessoned the damage and pain, and the skin was far too hard to be broken by her gem tipped staff.

...Goddes Martel help us!" There was a shriek, a sickening rip and tearing sound, and the avian that had been chasing after them, pulling at there hair, fell to the earth in pieces. glimmers of red and pink caught in the shoulder joints, where the monster had lost it's wings. A minor voctory to be sure, but now that the last of the winged monsters were gone.

"Sis!" Raine blocked the twin claws that reached for her, her staff shuddered as it took the hit. She ignored the black liquid that dripped from the two holes in her weapon, was not startled that it's bite was venomous, she had seen the poisen sacks swell when it spotted her in the begining of thier flight.

She shrieked, smashed her staff into it's skull and the monster staggered back and made a noise much like a whimper. It shook it's head sharply and she took a few steps back, lifted her weapon for another strike. It hissed, clicked it's teeth, dlack liquid dripped from it's teeth, and it reached with four of it's arms insteed of the two fore. She blocked the amrs that slid under the stream of venom for a heart beat before thrusting forward, but the legs that sported no claws managed to shoved her forward, taking away all that distance that she'd stolen back. She brought her staff around, jammed it into the mouth and the beast withdrew, clicking it's teeth and made little gagging noises while it retreated.

"Didn't like the taste of that?" She quiped, ramming the staff between those chattering mandibles. The monster scrambled back a little more. "Genis, use your spread spell!"

"On it... Maiden of purity help expell this abomination from the face of the world..."

"Halt!"

The beast turned in response to the raw challenge in the human's voice, it shrieked as if in pain and Raine caught a glimmer of silver in it's side.

"Light of the Goddess..." Colette muttered, drawing the symbol of the crossing mortal destinies with devine holyness over her heart, her wings shivered at her sides.

Hte beast charged Kratos, went right out of the range of Genis' spell. Cursing Raine smashed the bests' back legs and it turned, was going to charge her. She ran, the monster took a few steps after her, and Genis' spell went off too soon. The monster took the brunt of the hit, but as the water fell back down it revieled the insect split in twain from it's fall and the stabbing of Colette's feathers. Raine was also revieled, she was dripping wet, having been clipped by the spell.

"Man, I didn't even get to do anything..." Lloyd whined, Raine was not caring for Lloyd at the moment, her eyes locked onto Genis.

"I didn't mean to miss!" He whimpered, cringing back from her glare.

"Genis Sage you are in so much trouble!"

"Eep..."

He didn't run, but he knew better then to run. She firmly scooped him up and he hung limply in her arms. At least until the first stinging smack connected to his rump.

"How many times have I told you..." Smack. "To be careful when using your mana that might not have been..." Smack. "A water spell you could have hit me with!" Smack.

Colette covered her eyes and ears best she could, Lloyd gulped and looked away and covered his ears, Kratos looked on radiating his disgust.

Raine put her brother down, knelt besides him and look him straight in the eyes.

"Do you know why I did that?"

Genis nodded, sniffled.

"What you did was very dangerous, hitting me with that spell, if you couldn't have been able to hit one without the other then what should you have done?"

"Canceled the spell..." Genis sniffed, rubbed his eyes. "I wont let it happen again Raine, I promise."

"Good," She held him. "Don't you ever do anything that dangerous ever again!"

"Is she done yet?" Lloyd whispered to Kratos.

"I think so." Kratos looked disgusted.

Raine ignored them both, stroked Genis' hair.

"I don't like when I have to do that, but until you stop doing dangerous things, like hitting other people with spells without thinking about it, I'm going to have to keep doing that."

"It wont happen again." Genis gulped, stared at the ground.

Making a noise of scorn Kratos finally caught her attention, Raine stood, stared at the man's black brown eyes.

"I raise my brother as best I can, you raised your child as best you could, you have no right to criticize."

There was no scorn in the man now only a fiery rage.

"What did you say?"

Raine met those fire flecked eyes cooly, and repeated herself. She stood outwardly calm against the storm of hatred in Kratos. His calm so easily shattered by such a simple comment what could have been... Then she realized how deep her rebutale had hit the heart, and mentally cursed herself. Her words would be tantamount to her insulting Dirk for caring for a human son. No parent worth anything would not become angry at the intuendos those words could hold.

She would have appologized, but he ordered them to go ahead, he was going to scout the area behind them for pursuit and deal with it. his tone and eyes promised that every monster he did find would die a painful death for his rage. Rage she had so thoughtlessly triggered.

Rage, she knew, that if she triggered too often would lead to him ignoring her danger, her needs. How easily she could be 'left behind' or 'forgotten' in a battle. And in his eyes while he promised the death of any beast he encountered there was a glimmer in the dark orbs that told her that the next fight he would be very indifferent to her needs.

No it wasn't something he told, it was something he promised.

xxx xxx xxx

She had called on him at dinner. Using words no other could speak, no other knew, she had called and to not answer would be to break his oath to her. He could not do that, so he risked Kratos anger but suddenly anouncing he was not sharing watch with the mercenary. The man had protested but Lloyd had to answer that call, and he would answer it, no matter what. He ate, aware of the glare of death that was boring into him. He nibbled on his sandwich, it was a cold dinner, the first in a long time, and though it was kinda warm outside he missed his fire cooked food. He didn't protest, didn't whine, and really didn't even talk to anyone. He worried, wondered, Raine had used the highest emergency code that he had set up for her in his private oath. He could not deny that need, her fear, and he wouldn't, though answering it caused him no little of his own.

"I do not understand..." Kratos began, sounding just a bit sulky, it was kinda funny, normally he was the sulky one.

"I can't explain." Lloyd shrugged, rolled out his blankets. "I'm sorry, but I just can't, don't worry Colette's pretty good at doing watches anyways, she used to do them lots when we'd camp out at Dad's."

Kratos stared at him, his black brown eyes seemed frusterated, and were by no means defeated yet.

"Still..."

Lloyd knew what Kratos was going to do, he was going to keep talking, or just stare at him till Lloyd gave in, Lloyd had a defense against that.

"Noshy, make Kratos go away!" Lloyd growled into the earth, he did not look up when there was a growl and a startled noise on Kratos' part. He looked up only once to meet the startled man's eyes. "I need my sleep for last watch, I'm gunna get my sleep." Lloyd yawned hugely, rolled over. "And if you don't let me I'll make Noshy sit on you."

There were no more attempts on Kratos' part to keep him up.

xxx xxx xxx

Raine sighed, tucked her hair behind her pointed ears, drew her rumpled orange coat about her to ward the chill. She sighed, the dark seemed a physical wieght, a light with a hundred silver suns above there heads that radiated so little light they only streaked the night with hints of there color. Lloyd looked into that familiar darkness, but she knew he was paying strict attention to her, he was capable sometimes of an amazing ability to give two demanding jobs his complete attention and comming out with the best results for both. He was using that skill now, listening to her and the world about him. She had not liked this, she was to guild, that was her job and love, and now she must look to her student for guildance. It made her vernable, made her feel week, and also gave her an insight perhaps into Lloyd's mind. She had no way to explain these feelings, they were not measurable, there were no clear examples, and for that she flet much like her formidable mind was useless. She did not like this feeling, it made her feel as if she was nothing.

It is impossible to compare something to it's like, if you hold a piece of mirror and look into it and have another same sized and shaped mirror and you strive to compare them there is nothing. They reflect the same thing, they throw the same questions that you press upon them as surely as they reflect your own image for they are same or so much the same that there is no way to differenciate, and with no differenciation you might as well as compare on reflection to another and strive to see a difference for all good that will do.

The old writings of the philosophers of olden days came to her and offered no answers, nor did the stars, but perhaps this child, her student, and by his oath an extended member of her family, could.

"He doesn't like you, and I hate to say it but you're probably right. I could see him doing that." Lloyd gripped the hilt of his sword. "He did it to me, and to Genis in Iselia, or tried, when he could finally see how much we ment to Colette he started protecting us as much as her."

"I am improtant to Colette." Raine's tone made it more a question then a statement.

"Of course you are, but he probably doesn't see that, and until he does..." Lloyd grimaced. "I'll stay by you as much as I can, if I'm there he might move to protect me and protect you if something bad happens." Lloyd let out a deep breath. "He's really pissing me off with this. I hate it as much as Colette does when everyone's fighting."

"Why do you like him?" Raine asked, rolling the wooden staff in her hand. She had scrubbed it clean of poison hours ago but now worried over the twin holes in the middle of the weapon making it weak.

"He, needs me to." Lloyd said slowly, she could feel his frown more then see it. "I need, and he needs, if that makes any sense."

"It doesn't." Raine said cooly. "But then a lot of you doens't make sense, and while you tend to take a strange route you normally come to the right or even better end then any expect."

Lloyd laughed. "I so did not get that, but I think it means that I'm cool right, so thanks!"

Raine chuckled, shook her head, Lloyd would never learn, but then that was part of who he was. His firm stuborness and faith nearly as strong as Colette's but put in utterly alien things such as others, and ideas... It was as alien to them as there faith in a 'bunch of feathered peoples' -as he'd termed it when he was eleven years old- was to him. She had a fond image of making him apply that stuborness to school work, held that fantasy for a few moments, and let it go in it's proper place of where all day dreams lay.

"He's not one of us." Raine said at last.

"No, but that's only because we both keep him from being that. We don't let him in he doesn't try to come in, we don't push he doesn't shove, so nothing happens."

The teacher looked to her pupil surprised by his sudden bout of eloquence.

"If I hadn't pushed, and kept pushing how many friends do you think I'd have?" Lloyd said more to the sky then her. "I kept pushing, and my pushing made a ton of people mad. I can't go back Professor, I can't go back home now."

Raine gently held him, his voice had broken only the smallest bit, but she knew him so well. How could she not, she who was for all intents and purposes his Aunt? He'd never cried, not when Ivan ramed a sword into him, even through the painful wounds he'd gotten in PalmaCosta, Triet, or anywhere else. He had never cried and once when he had been about to had whipped his face and looked up at her pain and pride on his small face. He'd looked up at her and in that high pitched voice normally shrieking laughter or jokes had said.

'No more tears now, see?'

He shivered, swallowed once, and smiled at her.

"Yuck Professor, you're a girl and you're hugging me!"

And though while the words were childish, and the tone disgusted she could see past his one mask, the only mask he'd ever worn in all his life. She saw his gratitude and smiled wanly, slid a hand through his hair.

"Your Aunt can't hug her little nephew?"

"I'm taller then you are." He grinned at her, the smile so familiar was back, but still those eyes glittered with heavy choking tears. She wondered, for a heartbeat if they ever released a few of those tears they housed.

"Are not." She drew him near and he leaned against her, his head resting on her shoulder.

"Are too."

"Are not, and stop treating me like my brother, I wont play your game all day like he will."

"Heh, sorry." He looked up, stared at the stars and smiled, and the whole of the night sky seemed to roost in his eyes. "I'll keep you guys safe, like I'll keep Colette safe, like I tried to for Genis in Triet, I promise."

"You don't have to make that promise Lloyd." Raine said softly, her voice little more then a breeze on the night air to him.

"Yes, I do. If I didn't I wouldn't be me, I protect my family, no matter what."

xxx xxx xxx

Some of what Raine siad made more sense that day. He noticed of course, the intense glare from under a mask of hair. Who couldn't... well except Colette who was in a chreeful mood. They would be in the pass with mountains on either side come noon, but for now they followed the rolling hills, the sea to thier right, the mountains to there left, and Kratos eyes boring a hole in his back. Lloyd kept his mouth shut, Genis seemed thrilled that he was hanging with his sister, and kept easy pace with them both while Colette and Noishe were trying to match thier skipping. Kratos hung in the back, talking to no one, no one talking to him. His eyes said more then enough however. Lloyd kept his mouth shut, though the glare felt like a silent accusation at his back. It nagged, hovered over him almost like a threat, except the anger behind it was grazing him and settling on Raine. Suddenly he turned on his heel, and for once surpirse flashed across Kratos' face as Lloyd favored the mercenary with the harshest glare he could muster.

"Stop it!" Lloyd growled.

"Stop what?" The mask was in place, but Lloyd had seen something, panic, pain? Lloyd wasn't sure what it was and he didn't care all that much.

"Staring, you're gunna glare Professor Sage to death if you keep it up, so just stop."

Kratos said nothing, only looked at Lloyd with unblinking black pool eyes. Lloyd returned the stare, though he felt like a small bird in the gaze of a snake. He kept his shivering to himself, a long moment dragged out and Kratos looked at him with disapointment writen on every inch of his somber face. The mercenary flicked his gaze off to the side, glared at the grass about him, and Lloyd wondered absently as he fell in line, making himself as much of a physical screen between her and the mercenart as he could, if they'd leave paths of withered grass every step they traveled with the guy. He wouldn't of been surprised.

It was as they traveled through the pass between the Plama's and the Water Wall range (Raine had found an anchient name for the mountains in her history book) that Lloyd learned the nature of that glare.

When Genis hung with him the small elf got the nastiest glare, Raine got the second nastiest, Colette got a wierd intense look that both adults would give them and as if on some unspoken pact they'd be seperated if they so much as hold hands. The only person who wouldn't be glared at was Noishe, Kratos liked it when they were together for some reason.

No amount of protesting, waiting, or telling Raine to tell Katos to stop it, was working. He'd get the glares if he hung out with any of his friends. Lloyd decided he didn't like it, and was so mad at Kratos that he skipped evening swords practice for two nights in a row. He took long walks away from the camp, used hunting as his excuse, and took a protesting Noishe with him both times. By the time they made it through the narrow valley that lead to the main road tensions were so high Genis said to his sister while setting up thier first fire in a few days, that if you put Kratos real close to the wood and Lloyd real close to the wood the fire would spark all on it's own. Raine had agreed, set up the pot of water that Lloyd had filled for them at the very edge of the flames and wiated for it to boil so that they could re-fill thier dwindling water skins with pureified water.

"You know I wanted them to have a disagreement in the begning, just so I could say that I was right about Kratos, but now I feel sick. Part of me want them to yell so it goes away a little, I know if Lloyd yells at Kratos at least he will calm down in a few hours after and act like he normally does. The other part really doesn't want to see Kratos and Lloyd fight, becuase I get this sinking feeling that Kratos might hold a grudge over it like Ivan."

"Couldn't you tell that from your... Sight, from Kratos' Threads?" Raine asked, setting the lid over the pot.

"He has a long memory, doesn't forget all that much, but I don't know if that's becuase he he's vindictive or not. There was some stuff I couldn't look at."

Raine nodded, picked a piece of wood up and tossed in on the blazing pile.

"Don't worry Genis, I imagine everything will be alright."

Genis nodded, beliving her, she wished she could believe herself.

xxx xxx xxx

Kratos was cooking, much to everyone's surprise. Normally he threw together a sandwich or a mess of cooked meat and potatoes when it was his turn, the food was normally so bland that they only asigned him the task when everyone else (excluding Raine) wasn't feeling up to it. Heck they'd had Lloyd do the cooking over Kratos because at least Lloyd tried to add spices to his food and asked Genis for suggestions whilst cooking. Lloyd peered over the man's shoulder, stared at the mess of brown bubbling sludge with small lumps running through it and made a gagging noise.

"It looks aweful what is it?"

"Chilli," Kratos sniffed, gave the mess of brown beans a thoughtful look. He pulled out a vial of cinimin, and sprinked a little on and went to mixing it in.

"Chill-y?" Lloyd frowned.

"Someone has to cook with the beans who knows what they are, and we have a plentiful source of water as well as herbs and spices." Kratos lectured, the only person who was appreciating that lecture however was Genis, who had dropped his distrust of Kratos and was now sitting a few yards away loyally writing down evrey ingredient and pelting Kratos with questions about why he put every spice in. "Chilli seemed a logical choice."

"It's a Trietian dish." Raine siad, for Lloyd's benifit. "The clime makes beans and certain spices comon there and that dish is a good way to use a little bit of everything all at once."

"Oh," Lloyd stared at the bubbling brown sludge. "Are you going to put meat in that or is it just gunna be beans and spices?"

"No." Kratos was considering the pot, then went through there packs and fished out a long wooden board, he took some of the meat that Lloyd had caught on one of his impromptu hunts, and drew a knife from his belt.

"Eww you cook with your fighting knives?"

"I clean them." Kratos sounded just a mite offended.

"Do you know just how unsanitary that is?" Raine shrilled, Kratos ignored her comment.

"Yuck, that's nasty!" Genis made a face. "It'd be like Lloyd cooking with a sword!"

"Do you want to borrow my cooking knife Mr. Kratos?" Colette offered meekly.

"I clean my knives." Kratos growled.

Noishe met Kratos' eyes and mimed gagging.

"For the love of Or-" Whatever Kratos was swearing off of turned into a low growl. "Fine, fetch me a knife if it makes you all comfortable."

"Bark!" Noishe wagged his tail, seemed as happy about the situation, though why he'd care about it Lloyd had no clue. It wasn't like the dog was going to be eating any of this. Well, maybe he would, Lloyd could probably sneak his dog his bowl. The young swordsman stared at the mess of brown, and felt just a tiny be sorry for Noishe.

"So," Genis almost had curled around Kratos, the look on the small elf's face brough chilling images of Raine at a ruin. "Where'd you learn to cut meat like that? The technique's a lot more effective then mine."

"Practice." Kratos said coldly, his knife seeming to blur as it rose and fell into the mess of red, making the rabit's flesh into thin slivers and then cutting those into small tiny pieces.

"Oh so you cook a lot when your on your own?"

"Something like that."

"Genis," Lloyd hissed, coming up with the answer before his friend for once. "Think about what Kratos does for a living."

"Oh..." Genis went pale. "You mean..."

"A knife isn't all that much different from a sword." Kratos added with a hint of amusement at the boy's expence. "So I posess a great deal of practice so to say."

Still in cooking mode Genis was not repulsed in the slightest. Recalling there promise about modes Lloyd toyed with the idea of delivering a smack, he decided against it, Genis was nearby knives and fire, and all sorts of other dangerous cooking impliments in this mode of his. Lloyd would wait until a less dangeorus mode apeared before doing anything. He's smack Genis if say the elf developed 'volcano mode' or something. He let them both go at it, hung with Raine, who was making notes -more like guesses- about how Kratos was cooking. Unable to take it he joined Colette, who was as interested in Kratos' cooking as Raine was. He let them both make thier guesses with each other and decided to stick with Noishe till dinner was done. At least the dog wouldn't start yapping about spices and meat and cooking junk. Leaning agianst the warm side of his dog, drapping an arm across Noishe's back, he looked up at the darkening sky. They'd be out of the pass in by tomorrow, three more days on the road and then they'd leave the region and go to some place called Hako... Huka... Something or other pass and look at that book. Raine was looking forward to it, so was Colette, Lloyd and Genis were bracing for the rush of Ruin mode that was to come. Colette's gasp of shock and Raine's gasp of appreciation made Lloyd look to Kratos, and see the man dump a heck of a lot of a lot of green pepers into the "chilli". Maybe, just maybe, Noishe would take Colette's bowl too. He'd like that.

As if to agree the massive green tipped tail smacked into the earth.

xxx xxx xxx

Noishe was champion that night, he siddled up to Lloyd and when the Iselian petted him the dog bowed his head and licked the spicy food from his 'owners' bowl. Lloyd had given up his second bowl with no protests after that. Oh it looked nasty, Noishe would completely agree with that, brown beans in brown sludge with hints of red and green floating though it was not a pretty sight, but it tasted wonderful, at least that was Lloyd's term. Noishe got to add his own words however to it, his tail wagged as he finished off the bowl and eyed Colette's.

"No, bad dog!" Lloyd growled, and tried to tackle Noishe down, the dog gracefully sidestepped the clumbsy attack, padded up to the Chosen and unleashed his most devistating weapon.

Colette met his gaze, patted his head, and gave the sad puppy her food. Ignoring that the puppy was taller and bigger then she was, and the fact that the puppy had already eaten a bowlful of human food.

Ah the power of the puppy eye gaze with a well timed whimper.

Genis scumbled to the might of a pinning paw and watched as his remains of his third serving disappeared behind a wall of glittering fangs. As for Raine, well it was then Noishe met his match. He slicked his ears back and scrambled away from the elf and her staff of doom, slinked to the fire seeing the pot left all alone and undefended. His eyes brightened and he snagged the lid with his teeth and threw it aside.

"Stop him, he'll eat all of our breakfast!" Lloyd howled.

Already Genis and Raine were on their feet kendama and staff at the ready. They were too slow however, he dipped his head down, his tongue began to slip between his teeth. And a black gloved hand closed over his snout, keeping him from opening his mouth. He was shoved, firmly, away from the food. Kratos stood arms crossed, eyes blazing, glaring down at him with black pit eyes. Noishe tried to defend himself, honest it was just a bite to tide him over till breakfast, he wasn't going to eat the whole thing, just a nibble. Before he could get past the third whine Noishe was firmly smacked.

"Stay out of our food Noishe." Kratos growled.

Noishe tried his puppy eye gaze, and those eyes didn't give an inch.

"Whine?"

Try moving stone with a whine? It would have gone farther then Kratos did in pity's direction.

"Since you have eaten so much of our food," Kratos said in a soft leathal voice. "You can hunt for us in the morning."

"Kratos Noishe is a total coward, he can't hunt!" Genis protested, and if Noishe had the ability he'd of hugged and kissed the boy there and then.

"He will, or he can find out what other very unpleasent tasks I will asign to him and will if he refuses to do so or comes up with nothing."

"Mr. Aurion," Raine snorted. "He's incapable of understanding you, he's an animal for Martel's sake!"

"He understands," Lloyd gave him a pitying look. "Look at him, he totally gets it."

Noishe looked up at Kratos, eyes wide, ears slicked back, a pleading whimper gargled in his throat and died.

"If I do not see three rabits here come dawn you will find out quite painfully what 'unpleasent task' means."

"Whine..." Noishe sighed, scuffed a paw across the earth.

"Nice knowing you Noishe." Lloyd muttered, then looking at all the dishes heaved his own sigh. "Dish call!"

"Dish call?" Kratos rose an eyebrow.

Colette took his bowl, spoon, took Raine's, and Genis took everything from Colette and walked to Lloyd,m handing it all over to the young swordsman.

"Dish call." Genis repeated, offering towl and soap to the young swordsman. "New order by the way, Lloyd, you, me, then Raine."

"Why does the Chosen not do the dishes?" Kratos wondered, it was more to himself then to anyone else but Genis answered him anyway.

"Colette would drop them."

"I break them every time I try." The blonde haired girl admited with a blush.

Kratos only shook his head in wonder at the thousand and one rituals and sayings all of these Iselians harbored, it was farther prof he had much to learn. Noishe met the mercenary's eyes, and winked, showing he had faith that Kratos would catch on. Eventually.

xxx xxx xxx

Five Noishe lengths ahead was the rest of the group, for once it was Kratos and Lloyd who had trouble keeping pace wiht everyone. Such was the price of failed hunting. Having slept in and missing his time to hunt the dog was now being punished. He carried all the suplies, the elf sibs and the Chosen all at once. They were making beter time to be sure. The mercenary was able to keep pace so long as Noishe didn't break into a run, and Lloyd was somewhat able to keep pace. Clutching his side, gasping a few profanities about how his legs were killing him. Still Lloyd limped after the two, too stuborn to complain all that much.

"Mr. Kratos maybe we should stop for a tiny bit." Colette said weakly, her friend's suffering was pulling at her all too vernible heartstrings.

Shame that such a trait left the heart so open to steel. Kratos waved the girl into silence with a gesture, Lloyd wasn't as bad off as to need a rest yet, if the boy actually spent half the energy walking as he did cursing he'd be suffering a little less. Still it was not spite, or rather not wholy spite that made Kratos push them this hard. Lloyd had been avoiding him, had been scheduling his watches so he'd not be with Kratos, the mercenary had tried to coax Lloyd nicely, had tried to strike up conversation with the boy to see what was wrong. He'd been avoided, ignored, and once told to go bother Raine. It was obvious that nice wasn't working, so nasty would have to serve. Kratos would offer to take last watch, the only watch Lloyd was going to be able to sit through. He'd get his questions answered tonight, and just to make sure Lloyd would be tired enough that his nighttime habbit of coffee would not keep him awake...

"Try to conserve your energy for this evening."

"Wha- yeah I'm suposed to share watch with Genis huh?"

"You were?" Kratos' tone was innocent, he kept from glaring by the thinist of margins. "Well and good, but that it is not what I was talking of. We will be sparing before dinner."

"We will?" Lloyd's eyes went wide in horror. "No way, I'm so not up to..."

"You can talk, you can spar."

Lloyd gave him a long look, as if to say in a thousand ways no, to pile a hundred protests at the mercenaries feet. Kratos ignored those words though they were as clear as the first words he had heard his child spoken to him so long ago. He continued to walk, ignored the rest of those unspoken and spoken words, picked up his pace, and Lloyd had no choice but to grit his teeth and follow. They traveled til the sun sank to it's fiery end, trailing shawls of color behind it

"I've always wanted to supervise one of these sparing matches of your anyways." Raine said as she took a sip from her water pouch.

She sat on the rocky expanse that covered this bend in the road. This was the last of the twisting path, where dust lapped agianst the feet of stone. The stone would soon become an unpaved path, would replace the gentle grass and be thier road til they got through Hakonesi peak. Then once past the natural gateway they would cross the level plains and their eternally green, wind stroked, and utterly wild pathless paths. He looked forward to it, liked the open region despite the fact it housed some very dangerous spiece of monster and a few mad men who were willing to bond with and have those monsters serve as mounts. The region was a pleasure to travel, all seasons were gentle, harsher snows rarely crossed over the mountain barrier during the winter, the endless drizzle that spanned the latter half of spring was little more then a caress from the maidens hand and even the most pampered of clients could only grumble that it was a slight inconvience. The summer was perhaps the only real dangerous season, and it was only that because a certain plant bloomed that set off his alergies. Because the plains were so gentle it took only a month to reach Luin at the most leasurly pace, and he had plans to go there for a span. Even if the Chosen's journey didn't exactly make such a stop nessicary he could make a number of feasable excuses for that stop and planed to. But that was for the future, he shook his head to banish cloud dreams and focus on the here and now. How bitter the here and now was, or rather the company of the moment. He stared at the woman, her dark blue eyes bore into him, calculating, planing, as always. He at least had some insight of those plans, and a bitter taste filled his mouth.

I bet you would, wouldn't you, the second I draw so much as a bead of blood on the boy you're going to stop it and ban this activity.

Kratos thought at the woman, a silent reply to her words, words he wisely kept to himself.

"Our sparing is by no means to entertain you or your sibling Ms. Sage, and as a request I'd like you to keep a leash on your brothers tongue."

"Genis will behave." Raine promised, a little too quickly for Kratos' liking. Either she had no reason to see why such a chaining of her brother's ego deflaiting coments was nessicary, or perhaps had set up her brother to make such comments. It would be a cold day in Hell before he let some youngsters comments drive him to action, but those words could hurt Lloyd. Might persuade Lloyd to abandon all forms of training. That was not something Kratos wanted, he... charished that time and wasn't going to give it up without a fight.

"Do you know anything of my craft Ms. Sage?"

"I can't say I do." Her tone told him why she didn't, and he nearly laughed at her in scorn.

"Training is very dangerous, we work with live steel at all times so I want you to keep your brother and the Chosen out of it as much as you can."

"Live steel, sharpened weapons?" Raine's voice went shrill with protest. "If you think for a miniute that I'm going to let..."

Kratos forsook his seat upon a boulder, stood, and faced her in unflinching silence as her terade rolled over him when at last she paused he spoke in a cold whisper.

"No matter how sharp you make the quill Ms. Sage there are things it will not cut through. That is the place of the sword, that is the place of my expertise. Do not question it, ever."

Much to Kratos' satisfaction she flinched back from his tone, shamed, thoughtful, or in fear, he hardly cared. So long as she listened and obayed.

"If you had any reguard for his life or welfare you'd at the very least practice with wooden weapons."

"I have a great care for his life." Kratos hissed, hands clenching into fists at his side. "Which is why I teach him how to protect himself with the tools he will use everyday of his life. Never presume that I am indifferent."

Kratos looked past her, looked at the camp that Lloyd and Genis were setting up, already the fire pit was dug and the fuel was layed out to be lite. Noishe lay panting amongst a nest of packs, Colette filling his ears with baby talk and is mouth with pieces of sweetened bread. Happy for the company and the treat Noishe was greedily wolfing down his pre-meal meal. No tents had been constructed, but bed rolls had been left scatered about the clearing, and they seemed lonley desolate ghosts with no one in them. Lloyd finaly sat, waved at Genis, and the small elf smiled, pleased about something. The child pulled out a tattered book, the spin proudly declaired itself as "Genis' Cookbook! Don't write in this, this means you Raine!". Scanning it with sky blue eyes and ran a finger over a page. Tapping something he chirped out whatever they were going to be having for dinner, Lloyd moaned, Colette clapped her hands in glee.

One word crossed the distance, cut through the dwindling day with the force of a knife in his gut.

"Tomato soup!"

Alright two words, but still it wasn't good news, the only ones who seemed happy were Colette and Noishe.

Tonight, he sighed to himself, was going to be a very long night.

xxx xxx xxx

She coud barely follow it, her eyes keyed to seeing flaw could not see the errors. Words that would hold meaning were lost in the ring of steel on steel, obscured as they gained a second and even third meaning. Lloyd did spend a lot of time picking himself from the ground, he was nursing a number of bruises and small cuts by the time Kratos broke it off. Colette had stopped chearing for Lloyd after the tenth fall, Genis after the third, Lloyd had stoped talking after the first.

"Ung Genis could you take watch on your own?" Lloyd groaned as he sheathed his blades. "I need to lie down..."

"Noishe can share it with him." Kratos offered, and the dog, if an animal could, looked offended.

"I will." Raine offered, before Lloyd could agree. Raine did not like the idea of an animal standing guard with her brother over the camp. "And really Mr. Aurion, it's not as if a dog could honestly hold watch. It's an animal for Martel's sake, and the fact that you're only adding to the delusion that it is sentient is not the thing Lloyd needs right now."

"Hurmph!"

Raine turned, Kratos did not posess such a low pitched voice. She was unaware that Kratos, Lloyd, and everyone else was turning to the sound of that voice. Tail tucked into a ball at his side, face scrunched up, and mane bristled Lloyd's dog did not look very dogish as he stared at Raine. Noishe's eyes were brown slits, and the snout was curled into something like a soundless snarl. He reguarded them all, then opened his snout and let out a sound no dog could make.

"Hurmph!"

Noishe found his paws, shook himself vigerously, then padded up to Lloyd. He paused only once to kick a bit of sand in Raine's direction, then taking Lloyd's sleeve between his fangs gently lead his owner to the only red blankets in the clearing. He then proceeded to pull the blankets over Lloyd and curl around his owner and settle for the night. But not before meeting her gaze and lolling his tongue out in something that was not a pant, and had it not been a dog Raine would have sworn Noishe was sticking his tongue out at her.

"mmm Night Noshy..." Lloyd seemed to be drifting off, he absently patted the huge green and silver head.

Noishe's response was a quiet bark and to lick Lloyd on the forehead.

"Perhaps." Kratos said with mockery running through every sylible of his next words. "Things are not as they seem with that one, I would think it obvious after this little demenstration, wouldn't you?"

Raine had no response for that, stared at them both for a long time wondering, then joined her brother, and they prepared themselves for a long night's watch.

xxx xxx xxx

"Raine, colette didn't eat all that much tonight, didn't you notice... I always thought that she liked my tomatoe soup..."

Raine scooped her brother up, smiled at him, thier watch was almost over so it hardly mattered that they talked now, she could hear Kratos stirring in his sleeping roll, he was perhaps shaking off some mercenarish dream or something.

"Do you remember my lecture about human biology and how physical strain, changing enviroments, stress, and natural process can have effects on the metabolism?"

"Yeah, the class where Lloyd asked what a 'period' was?"

Raine chuckled, it was sad how Genis was more aware of certian things then Lloyd was, exspecially on that topic. Still Dirk had promised to educate him on the matter, and there had been no more difficulties so she imagined the matter resolved.

"Yes that day, well travel is taxing physically, emotionally, it drains on so many levels plus with Colette going through her Angelic Transformation now, I'm not surprised that she isn't all that hungry. Don't worry, she'll feel beter soon, it had nothing to do with your cooking. You make the best tomatoe soup you know."

"Yeah!" He smiled, cheered almsot instantly, and that was the true case of his worry really. No one had praised him for his cooking and he was feeling bad because of it. "Lloyd's just weird, and who wants that Kratos' guys opinion anyways? Kratos can just keep eatting grass everytime I make tomatoe soup!" Genis lost some of his glee and grew somber. "I hope Colette feels better though."

"She will, just give it time." Raine smiled, smothed back his hair, though he was a boy and most children his age despised being touched and fussed over he had no qualms about his sister doing so. He liked it when they hugged and talked after dinner, these little fire side moments where they could do that were something they both looked forward to.

"When Colette's an angel, after she'd done regenerating the world, do you think she's going to move back to Iselia?"

Raine's stroking hand faultered in it's motions for only a heartbeat, the hesitance was so slight as was it in her words, and only those with keen ears could pick it up. Genis for all his intellegence just didn't have the wisdom yet to understand why she hesitated for that one second.

"...Of course she will, I can't imagine her living anywhere else."

"That's good, I hope when we're all done we can just all go back to Iselia and have things like they were. Travelings interesting, but... I want to go back home even if we don't have much of one left."

"We will." Raine promised with a smile on her lips, she gently kissed his head. "We will go home when we're done."

"Good, I'm going to wake Lloyd up now." Genis cackled, and Raine smiled, she knew just how Genis was going to wake up poor Lloyd.

"No ice bigger then the first joint of your pinky." She ordered, recalling a time when Genis had made a chunk the size of an apple and pelted Lloyd with it. Lloyd had slithered out of the chair, eyes glazed, and had not woken up til hours later after Raine's lessons were over. That was the last time Genis ever used an ice spell to wake Lloyd up in her class ever again.

"Me?" He laughed and skipped off into the dark to wake up Lloyd in the traditional magi fassion of pouring ice cold water down his back.

xxx xxx xxx

Shivering Lloyd curled against a much weter Noishe. Genis had soaked them both for good measure, and they'd both hopped around the clearing -thankfully not walking Colette- shaking off ice and wringing out water while a baffled Kratos watched. To the man's questions Lloyd had growled something like 'shut it' and dog and owner had scooted themselves as close to the fire as they dared. Sword laying on his lap, Kratos stared out into the night, all but blending in with his black clothes. His attention though did not exactly follow the direction of his eyes. Lloyd could feel the man's scrutiny, his attention, and hung out by the fire until Noishe firmly headbutted him to the darkness. Firmly being lead and pushed by his dog Lloyd was herded to a rock right besides the mercenaries. He hissed a protest, but the glare Noishe gave him made him sit, his dog then laid his head across his lap. No help in getting away there. Still if couldn't be too bad, three hours sitting besides Kratos max, if the man was his normal quiet buisness oriented self they'd say all of five words to each other.

"You've been avoiding me for almost a holy span now." Kratos said the second Lloyd had stopped trying to shove Noishe off of him. "You've been avoiding sparing, sharing watches, and talking to me."

Well there went the hope that he could avoid talking now.

"Have I done something to offend you?"

Damn damn damn damn... Tonight was not going to be a good night.

"Whine!" Noishe nudged him, all but ordering him to respond.

"Stupid dog... I think you planed this!" His hissed to Noishe, who only looked at him expectantly.

"What was that?" Kratos was staring at him.

"Nothing! We should probably you know watch for more of those bug things and stuff..." Lloyd said in a hurried tone. "And not, you know, talk..."

Kratos stared at him, it was a long stare, and it seemed as if something in those eyes broke then the man stiffened and glared into the night.

"As you will."

"Grr!" Noishe glared at him.

"Oh shut up Noishe!"

"If you are going to be that noisy..." Kratos stood, "I will take myself to the other side of the camp where it's a little quieter."

Well if that's what Kratos had planned he changed them abruptly. Noishe stood, snagged the man's belts in his teeth, and with a sharp yank forced the mercenary to sit on the rock right next to Lloyd. Actually he landed -was thrown- on Lloyd's lap. It was then Lloyd learned how nice chairs with backs were, and how not nice rocks with no back rests were. He slid under the wieght, slipped back and landed on his back Kratos falling with him onto his chest. Gasping out a few threats to Noishe, who was looking down at them, tail wagging, Lloyd was effectively pinned by the mercenary and therefore helpless to carry out those threats. Kratos got up, sprung to his feet with his usual cat like grace and turned to the downed adolecent. The man offered his hand, more out of habbit then expectancy that Lloyd would take it. As it was Lloyd was too busy gasping, trying to figure how many ribs were broken, and thinking of how to get even with Noishe, to make himself get up.

"You're getting a flea bath next stream you hear me!" Lloyd wanted to yell, it came out as a gaspy little squeak that ended in a cough, seeing a faint blue glow about Kratos hands Lloyd took a deep breath and ordered himself to talk kinda normal. "I'm fine!" He croaked. "No healing, fine!"

Kratos only stared at him with brooding eyes, then knelt and gently applied his hands over the front of Lloyd's tunic. Cold pierced him, made him cough, and he shivered as he could almost imagine Kratos shifting through his brain looking for what was wrong... He squirmed away, broke the contact off with his squirming and it sent a sharp stab that went from one temple through his brain to pound at the other. That hurt, real bad, he blinked sharply, took a deep breath, and sat up.

"I'm fine." He sounded a bit more like himself though his head was really killing him. The pain throbed in time with his pulse, and was not letting up. "Well mostly fine." He corrected, rubbing at his head with a grimace.

"Whine?" A tongue passed over the back of his head, Noishe is seemed hadn't ment for things to go this way. That didn't mean he wasn't in trouble however.

The touch was back, he felt Kratos pass a hand through his hair, a bitterly cold hand. The pain eased out of him, and Lloyd let out a soft sigh of relief. The swordsman muttered a quiet thanks, and took the offered hand. His legs decided to not like him, and while he would have rathered to stand for a while those rocks looked really comfortable. As he sat Kratos stared at him, the black clad man's eyes thoughtful. He was probably going over every nausince of Lloyd's behavior, thinking his out there hard to follow thoughts.

"I would say, the only thing this has done is make it that we will have to have this discussion. I would rather have you tell me of it on your own, but circumstance has forced both our hands. I dare not leave you alone until you are capable of defending yourself, and I will not be able to hold back my questions any longer if I spend much time in your company."

Oh great, just great. Lloyd closed his eyes, and groaned. He cracked an eye open, looked at the mercenary who despite being concerned was still very imposing in his sinister black garb and aura of power. He was going to kill Noihse for this, forget flea bath, he'd eat burned, over salted, or otherwise ruined human food for a month for this.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Lloyd toyed with one of the buttons on his tunic to avoid meeting the mercenary's eyes.

It was Kratos' turn to sigh.

"What have I done to offend you so much that you treat me worse then you did in Iselia?"

"What haven't you done?" Lloyd snapped, then mentally hit himself for even opening his mouth. He'd not meant to say that. He waited, staring at the button like it'd magically shield him from Kratos' rage. The iselian knew just how touchy Kratos was about respect and his tone and words had been anything but. He half expected a harsher version of a Raineing from the man, and despite himself cringed.

"Explain."

Lloyd looked up, shocked, Kratos wasn't angry? He sounded...pained? Weird, too wierd even for Kratos.

"Wha?"

"If I've done something to offend you this severly then we need to discuss it."

"Discuss?" Lloyd repeated, feeling like someone just womped him over the head with Raine's staff.

"Are you telling me that your dwarven father is as bad as Raine is?" Kratos tilted his head to the side, was giving him a pitying look that Lloyd was becoming all too familiar with. "Certianly when maters of import crop up you talk them over, or do you calmly just let everything sit in the hands of your suposed betters?"

"We talk!" Lloyd snarled, wanting to hop to his feet and storm off, saying that he didn't want anything to do with Kratos after that comment. But he felt weak, his legs were still twitchy from the healing and all the walking he had done earlier. "And I'm not stupid, alright!"

"I never said you were." Came that maddening calm counter.

Noishe firmly put his head down on Lloyd's lap, gave him that warm happy look he always wore. Tail wagging it thumped against nothing but air, and those liquid brown eyes were filled with an appologie and love. The swordsman set his hand between those huge ears and began to scritch, the motions of petting Noishe calmed him as much as anything did when he was really angry. He stared at the sky, the silver lights above, and it was to them he talked.

"I'm not your pet, you've been treating me like a damn dog, trying to leash me to you and I don't like it."

"I have not been treating you like a..."

"Yes, you have." Lloyd snapped, putting more energy in his stroking then was nessicary. "Everytime I hang out with anyone besides you you try to push me away from them! You're trying to control me."

"I am trying to protect you." Kratos said after a long silence had passed. "Your attachments to the Chosen and her friends are dangerous."

"They're my friends, they'e been my friends since I was little." Lloyd hissed, his teeth felt like they would snap he was gritting them together to hard. "And how's being close to you any safer. No one here's emorten... imor... whatever, you know what I mean! What makes you safe, and my oldest friends suddenly not safe?"

"Eight hundred years Lloyd, it's been eight hundred years since a Chosen's group has successeded. The others didn't just give up halfway through, they died Lloyd." Kratos' hand gripped his shoulder, somehow the man had come to kneel right in front of him. "A chosen goes on this journey every fourty some years, do you know how many people dead that is?"

"The tower..."

"Appeares every hundred, regardless if it falls in a Chosen's life time or not. And reguardless of the age of a living Chosen the youngest of that blood is sent to go on the Regeneration. Infants have been sent on this journey, babes in arms." Lloyd wanted to look away, to protest, but those burning black eyes were locked onto him. It was all he could do to breath. "Despite all the holyness ascribed to this journey and all the hopes that the people hold for a Chosen no one from any of those groups save Spirtuia has ever made it back alive. You could pave a path from every seal in the bones and the blood and tears of those who have died for this ritual could be what holds it all together. It is almost fore ordained that they will die, it is best to distance yourself from that pain."

Gathering his courage Lloyd tried to match the intensity of that stare.

"That's my choice, not yours."

"I do not agree with you, and will not follow that path myself... But in your case, for yourself, you are correct. Forgive me for inflicting this pain upon you."

"Just don't do it again." Was Lloyd's terse reply, Noishe nipped him for that tone of voice, but Lloyd hardly felt it.

"If... no when they die in the course of this journey I hope you do not regret your decision."

"I'm Colette's friend, I wont let her die. Genis, Raine, they're my friends, I wont let them die."

Kratos stared at him, seemed to be waiting.

"And despite the fact that you royally tick me off you're my friend, so I'll try not to kill you... I mean not let you die."

Kratos' lip curled sightly, he released Lloyd's shoulder and stood.

"You would need an army to defeat me Lloyd."

"Got one." Lloyd patted Noishe's flank and Kratos chuckled.

"No arguments here, that's by all acounts a very formidable army."

Noishe loked at Kratos and lolled his tongue out in dog like laughter.

Kratos favored the rocks with a brooding stare, and for once Lloyd figured what the man was thinking.

"Despite getting pissed easily, I don't bite, much." Lloyd grinned, albiet wearily. "Normally I get Noishe to do it."

Kratos took the offer as it was ment to be taken, though he did make a point of sitting on Noishe's non-pointy side.

xxx xxx xxx

"No, I wont hear of it, I've waited fifteen years for this book to get in my hands and that's final."

"Could we just read it here then?" Lloyd asked.

The balding wrinkled head shapped forward one inch in front of his face. The teeth, or what was left of them, were bared.

"No, get out!"

The staff went up, a threat that was too familiar. Cringing back Lloyd gripped the hilts of his sword and made a hasty retreat outside to his friends. Colette was leaning on a fence staring at a small windmill like device. She watched it go 'round and round while Noishe sat at her feet following it with his head and made himself dizzy. Raine and Genis were having some sort of talk about history, well that's what Raine's over bright eyes and Genis' glazed eyes told him. Kratos was standing a few feet away from his client, frowning at some wierd block with runes all over it, the guards at the entrence of the gate were in turn frowning at the mercenary.

"What an avaricious bastard!" Lloyd flared, telling them all that he'd failed. But then he wasn't the first, Genis had tried before him, as had Kratos. Kratos had to be dragged out of the room by the guards, he'd gone so far in his threatening to draw blade on the old man. The shrill screams of help and a twang from a well concieled crossbow had hearlded the fact that mercenary's welcome had run out. "He'll hold onto that book till the world ends."

"If this regeneration is not sucsessful then it wont be much of a wait." Kratos growled, his black cloaths still streaked in the dust from the road, or rather the forced contact with it. Lloyd still couldn't shake the image of Kratos arms pinned behind him, legs held up and pinned together by those huge guards, being man handled out of that crumbling shack. He snickered, seeing again in his head Kratos face first in the road, dust boiling around him. It was hilarious considering the composed and utterly controlled facade the man was holding onto now. "Short of breaking in, commiting murder, and stealing the book does anyone have any ideas?"

"We could do that without the murder part." Genis suggested brightly, and was firmly smacked by his sister.

"I dunno, I like the second part." Lloyd cocked his head to the side. "I'm really liking the second part cuz that means we wont have to pay him five gazillion gald for road passes."

"Five million." Kratos corrected, his lips curled into a smile. "Gods I must be rubbing off on you if you're liking the idea of killing that old man."

"You're not the only one who he pointed a cross bow at."

"If we were to say Colette was the Chosen..." Genis offered, looking hesitantly at his sister. No smack forthcomming he relaxed and went on. "I bet If Colette showed her wings to that guy he'd give us the book."

"If the other groups been here then it is safe to asume that they have already told this Koton lies about a false Chosen group, so that 's probably not a good idea." Raine said, and gave the swordsmen a long look like she was contemplating smacking them but didn't quite dare.

"If we had a lot of winged peop- erm angels do you think that Koton would listen to us?"

"Probably," Kratos frowned. "But where exactly would we get them?"

"Colette could... I dunno pray and then they could come?"

"Lloyd angels aren't exactly something that come at a person's beek and call." Raine sighed. "If you had ever read a page of the holy text or gone to church once, you'd know. In the face of your ignorance about something so simple in religious matters doesn't that make you want to study just a tiny bit?"

"No, why?"

"Raine, he worries about how angels get thier clothes on with there wings and how they manage doors." Genis sighed. "I think it's a little late to make him learn it now."

"Really?" Kratos' lips curled, out of all of them he did not seemed shamed at his 'pupil's lack of knowledge, only interested.

"Ung and when the tower appeared that speal about a huge angel should of plunked it into the ground..."

"Oh come on, it would have been cool!"

Kratos began to quietly chuckle at that. "That is a sight I would have liked to see myself."

"Kratos..." Colette gave him a look filled with conern. "You worship Martel don't you?"

"No Chosen," Kratos bowed, albiet mockingly, "I do not."

"That explains it, birds of a feather..." Genis muttered under his breath.

Raine was turning red in anger. "But... If... What of the angels then, the Regeneration? It has feasable results, we see the world improve when the Regeneration sucseeds and know that it dwindles when it fails, certainly such logic would sway you Kratos. I can understand Lloyd's dogged denial of the Martel church but with such proof before you a reasonable, cool headed, and rational person such as yourself..."

"I believe in whatever I wish." Kratos shrugged off Raine's protests. "It's a poor faith that needs to confirm itself every other day with orcales and angelic visitations. If I need confirmation all I need to do is look at the world about me and watch it's workings. I know how to look at things properly, to see that which lies beyond the eyes, and there lies all conviction I need. As for the Regeneration... it is a process, a ritual that when followed to completion has positive results. That is all."

"I'm sorry you feel that way Kratos, taht you don't see." Raine said with pure sympathy threaded through her tone.

"I'll pray that you do see Kratos." Colette said softly, looking at the mercenary in pity. "That the light of the Goddess cleanses you. That the sins of your pain, passions, and anger that makes you look away from the light fall away and you are Regenerated."

Lloyd just shook his head, he'd gone through this when he was little from the whole village. From his own experience talk like this made you feel like an ant, like you'd hurt a lot of people by saying no, by picking a different road. He did not join his friends in this, could not, would not. He watched in surprise as Noishe picked himself up from resting by Colette, and silently padded up to Kratos. He sat by the mercenary, stared at Raine, Genis, and Colette, and there was something defiant about him standing against the pity, the gentle coaxing that Kratos change. Before he could think about it Lloyd joined Noishe, looked at his closest friends and felt familiar wrench in his gut. It was just like being six again and facing down Marche, in finding the courage to pull away from croud of people all but dragging him to the baptism and calling on the names that rested in stories that no one knew but him.

'In service of the Goddess you will sacrifice all excessive passions. You will discard that which is not of Martel, all persons who do not bow to the Goddess, for they are too lowly to be sacrificed. Bow down your head and let the water, the Light, cleanse you of these sins. Join us in Her light, in Her pasture where peace is granted for all eternity."

'No!' he thrashed, small teeth sinking into the hands of his captors, small fists pounding on the adults who held him down. 'Luna, Aska, please help! Help me!'

'All sacriligous thoughts fall away from this child, flee away darkest thoughts, torment this soul no more with the echoing lies he has been told. To the waters thus we offer the sinner and in his place accept the enlightened one whom shall rise...'

'Daddy help! help me!'

'By the hand of the Goddess in her infinite mercy we bring light to the benighted, purity to the tainted...' There was a rustle of robes, the ringing of a small gong, and a strong smell of incense drifted over him.

'Marche! What the Hell do you think you're doing!'

'Tylor don't you dare to intervine! This child has fallen from the light, this has occured by your hand and so it is by mine that I rectify it!'

'You have no right!' Tylor roared, a startling counter part to the bells that rang chearily from his boots. 'It is his decision and that of his father's.'

'A dwarf, a half man, and a child, none are capable of seeing the corruption, of turning to the light...'

'Put him down Marche, call off your people now!'

'Take him to the waters.' Marche said coldly, then there was the sound of flesh striking flesh, Marche grunted in pain.

He found himself in Tylor's protectave arms, being held, a wall of sad and angry eyes boring into him...'

The same wall he faced now...

Sick, he wanted to get ill staring at Colette's sad eyes, at Genis' pitying eyes, and at Raine's anger. He wanted to cringe back from those gazes. He gripped the hilts of his sword to hide the fact that his hands were trembling. Kratos grimly took a step forward, looked Colette in the eyes.

"You may be the Chosen, and you may be an angel, but you are not a Goddess. Perhaps that is to be your destiny, that you will for a time surpass a mortal's lot and become something that is beyond our comprehension, perhaps not. But know that your goals, your ethos, are not mine nor are they everyone else's."

"I will pray..."

"Then will you accept the prayers of my Gods, Gods that demand no sacrifice save that you wish to freely offer them? Gods that are flawed, that bicker and fight and wage wars across the heavens? These Gods who are not all powerful nor complete, who serve as instraments of peace and war, who are not human, nor animal, nor element, but something inbetween all three? Will you acept the blessing of the keeper of light and in the same breath accept it from the envoy of the abyss? Will you take upon yourself the extreams as well as the middle path?"

"In the Writ there is only one path, that of the tranquil light..." Colette whispered, drawing the path of the mortal a horizontal line across her heart, and then rose and brought that hand to signify the holy guildence of heaven upon that pre-determined path. To call upon that guildance and light to protect herself from Kratos' words

"In my faith there is a path that man and the Gods makes for themselves, and it is the choice of those who live and think to pick which path they want." The mercenary shrugged, they all looked offended. "Do not call upon your goddess to shield and protect me from the workings of my own Gods until you have looked upon them truly and known them as well as yours to be truth. Find some means to get the book I'll be off aways." Kratos turned, began to walk off.

"Why are you here Kratos?" Raine's voice was a challange, it demanded an answer.

"Because I saw a light and I saw three children rushing into it oblivious to the death that hovered about that light."

'Join us in Her light, in Her pasture where peace is granted for all eternity...'

'The Goddess has one path the tranquil light...'

They looked at him, seemed to call to him, beg him to join them, to make them right. He turned, Raine's call of his name went unheeded. So much for tranquil and peaceful. Noishe padded up to him, rubbed against him like a giant cat and purred into his ear. Grinning Lloyd slung an arm over Noishe's shoulder and while his path was simular to Kratos' it wasn't the same, just a little different. But it got him where he wanted, away from those staring eyes, away from the judgement and from the light. They could read the book without him, after all it was paper and binding, and there were a hundred more interesting things to learn from away from all of that.

Review response:

E-mailed all I could.. since you have no e-mail I know of FalconCrest I'll answer your questions reall quick. Yes there will be side quests, I already started them with the monster on Ossa actually... I don't understand your thing about twelve books actually, was it a game walk through magna thing? If you could clarify that it would help me better understand you. Also not all books are three hundred pages, one of my fav "ColdFire trilogy" was well over two thousand. and as for humor. This fic is a mix of many things, humor is one of the things that I touch up on this fic but the fact is I use so much of everything I have to keep it in the "General" ranking. Hope that answers everything.