I swear, I didn't die. The holidays are just crazy for me. But I am back! Alive! Alliiiiiiive!

This chapter went in a different direction than I originally intended. As always, I hope you enjoy, and a happy new year to everyone reading!

Forcystus had never met Lord Yggdrasill in person.

Most of the Desians' orders were passed down from Pronyma, the leader of the Grand Cardinals. There wasn't any reason to meet any of the upper echelon of Cruxis. He'd only ever heard Yuan's voice over transmissions before, and he'd never so much as seen a picture of Kratos, the supposed overseer of Sylvarant.

He actually preferred it that way. Forcystus was a soldier; units worked best when the commanding officers stayed out of the fray. No micromanaging, no watchful eyes prying. Let the best man for the job, do the job.

It was late, nearly midnight. Forcystus had been finishing up some reports before he went to sleep. His eyes were starting to ache from the harsh lights of the computers, his head throbbing as he tried to focus. So when a man came into the office, an ethereal figure in the dark, his pale hair drifting in the air behind him, Forcystus had to rub his eyes before he realized the man wasn't just a sleep-deprived hallucination.

It must be him. Yggdrasill, the leader of Cruxis. The mana that hung in the air changed when he walked in. It was powerful and strong, an almost overwhelming feeling. It set Forcystus' nerves on edge, like an electric current running across his skin.

"Forcystus." Yggdrasill nodded to him as he stood up and bowed. "I am Lord Yggdrasill, leader of Cruxis."

"Welcome, my lord," Forcystus said. "What brings you here?"

"Curiosity." Yggdrasill paced around the room, craning his neck to investigate all the monitors and folders. "I'm sure you've heard that Kratos has betrayed us."

"Coward." Forcystus had no use for deserters and traitors. "Flighty inferior being. He'll be lucky if he never meets me."

"…You have been near the village for almost three decades, correct?" Yggdrasill was looking through the window now, out onto Iselia. In the darkness, the only thing visible was the twinkling lights of the candles. "So you must know of Lloyd."

Forcystus shrugged. "I didn't get much into the affairs of humans," he admitted. "I brokered the treaty to protect the Chosen, as requested, but never bothered with their pathetic lives."

"Your ranch is barely ten minutes away from the dwarf's house." Yggdrasill gave him a cold look. It was unnerving. "How did you not know he was alive?"

"I don't know how I would, sir." Forcystus had been raised polite: "yes, sir", "no, ma'am". He had also been raised to stand up for himself. Yggdrasill seemed impressed, but still annoyed. "My job is not to chase after long-lost children."

"You need to pay better attention to your surroundings." He sighed. "But I suppose it's of little consequence. Tell me, is there anything you do know about Lloyd?"

Forcystus tapped his chin. "…He has the angelus project," he replied. "I only saw him use it once, but it is powerful. Kvar knew what he was doing."

"What about him as a person?" Yggdrasill questioned. "Is he intelligent? Kind? Easy to anger?"

"A typical teenager, I suppose," Forcystus said dully. "As I said, I hardly ever interacted with the villagers. The only time I dealt with him was when we tried to apprehend him in the village. He and the half-elven boy fought one of the Exebulas."

Oddly enough, this seemed to be what Yggdrasill was waiting for; he nodded, unsurprised, and folded his arms. "What about the boy?" he questioned. "Himself and his sister live there, correct?"

"Mmhmm." Forcystus didn't know exactly where Yggdrasill was going, but he humored the man anyway. "The boy had been interacting with one of the prisoners. Bringing food, books, medicine sometimes." Forcystus hadn't worried about it until they'd attacked some of his men. "But I don't know anything else about them."

"…" Yggdrasill looked pensive for a moment, then abruptly turned for the door. "This has been…enlightening. Continue operations as usual, Forcystus. I'll be in touch."

Forcystus watched him leave. He wasn't sure why, but he felt…uneasy. Off-balance, as if he were in danger. It was a soldier's instinct, his commander had always said. That gut feeling that you had just barely managed to avoid danger.

He chocked it up to a lack of sleep. After all, he thought as he shut down the monitors and flipped the lights off, it wasn't as if he had anything to fear from Lord Yggdrasill.

It was early when Lloyd woke up, stretching in the borrowed bed in Zelos' mansion. He, Kratos, and Genis had been sharing one of the guest rooms, which all had nice, comfy beds and soft, warm blankets.

As he sat up, Lloyd glanced over. Genis was curled up in a ball on his bed, gently snoring into the pillows. He turned to see Kratos' bed, empty and perfectly made, the sheets tucked tightly and the blankets folded neatly on top.

Lloyd rolled out of bed and rubbed his eyes. He guessed he shouldn't be surprised; it wasn't like Kratos needed to sleep. He dressed himself, yawning as he slipped on his jacket and boots and swept his hair out of his eyes.

The mansion was quiet this early in the morning. Lloyd's footsteps echoed as he walked down the grand staircase. It was sort of…eerie. Too empty, too…lifeless. How did Zelos live like this?

"You're awake early."

Lloyd was yanked from his thoughts by Kratos, who was sitting on the couch with one of his thick books. The teenager went over and plopped down next to him.

"Yeah, I guess I just wasn't tired anymore." Lloyd craned his neck over Kratos' shoulder. "Huh? 'As a body's mana is exhausted, organ failure and rapid body mutilation may occur. Total mana depletion causes the body to cease all vital functions immediately, leading the subject to an almost instantaneous death.'" Lloyd made a face. "Geez, I don't know what that's about, but it doesn't sound great."

"It's what happens when a person's mana is exhausted." Kratos closed the book, marking his page by turning the corner down. "Your body begins to shut down and…change, then you simply…die."

Lloyd frowned. "Wait, change? You mean, like Marble and Clara and…?"

He didn't finish the question, but he didn't have to; Kratos knew he was thinking of his mother. "Not exactly. The victims of the Exspheres had their mana fluctuate rapidly, which caused their bodies to transform. Losing mana causes abrasions and bruising, as well as internal injuries. More like a battle."

"That…doesn't sound good." Lloyd gave him an uncertain look. "Is this what you were doing, sitting up all night reading creepy stuff like this?"

"I was simply bored." Kratos set the book aside and glanced at a large clock on the wall. "We'd best start getting ready. I'm sure Zelos will be up soon."

Lloyd jumped off the couch. "Hey! I know. Let's go find something for breakfast. I'm starving." He gave Kratos a wide smile. "I'll bet Genis has some of those cookies from the other day left over."

"Make sure you eat something substantial," Kratos said sternly, gesturing towards the kitchen. "Not just sweets. You'll be complaining before we even get there."

"Aw, come on!" Lloyd begrudgingly started dragging his feet towards the kitchen. "You sound like the Professor."

"And make sure it's—"

"—Something hot, I got it, Kratos." Lloyd grinned at him. "You know, for a guy who doesn't have to eat, you sure do harp on me about it."

"Hmph. That's because you whine when you're hungry." Kratos followed his son into the kitchen. The room was large and pristine, with gleaming marble counters and several stove tops. Lloyd blinked as he stared around in wonder.

"Whoa." He walked around, heading for a pantry. "This place is huge!"

"Well, he is the Chosen, after all." Kratos watched as Lloyd opened the heavy pantry door and jumped back. Kratos raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"It's…cold…" Lloyd peered inside hesitantly. "And it has food in it!"

"Oh. That's to keep perishable food from going bad, Lloyd." Kratos followed him into the icebox, glancing around at the food. "Find something rich in protein. Maybe some eggs."

Lloyd grabbed a few eggs from a shelf, along with some cheese and bacon. Kratos reached up and pulled down a bundle of green onions and some spinach, throwing them on the pile. "Vegetables," Kratos added. "I'm not letting you just eat meat and cheese for breakfast."

"Okay, okay. You're gonna eat some, too, right?"

"I don't need to. Make some for yourself and Zelos."

"C'mon," Lloyd urged. "You might not need to, but don't you at least want to try some? I make the best omelets."

"Hmph." Kratos couldn't help the way his lips curled up slightly. "The best, huh?"

Lloyd grinned. "Yep! Just ask Genis, he's the one who taught me."

Kratos helped his son carry the food to the stove. "So, technically, Genis would make the best omelets, correct?"

"Whatever," Lloyd grumbled sourly. "You're eating some, though, right?"

Kratos conceded with a nod. "Very well. Here, I'll start cracking the eggs."

They got to work making breakfast, scrambling eggs and frying bacon. It was pleasant, Kratos thought, as Lloyd prattled on about how he expertly made omelets. Such a nice, normal thing to do. The sort of thing he and Lloyd should do more often. He gave Lloyd a fond smile as he handed the boy a bowl of scrambled eggs.

"I always put bacon on my omelets," Lloyd was saying. "And cheese, too. What do you want on yours?"

"Whatever is fine," he replied. "I'm not picky."

He watched while Lloyd poured the eggs into the pan. Satisfied, Kratos picked up a kitchen knife and started to chop some green onions. Lloyd looked over and watched his movements. "Hey. Can you cut things with your left hand?"

Kratos raised his eyebrows. "Why ask that all of the sudden?" he asked.

Lloyd rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah…nothing, I just…I was curious. When I was a kid, the Professor told me that I was…amphibious, I think she called it."

"Amphi—? Lloyd. That means you're a frog. Try again."

He shrugged. "Whatever it was. She said I kept switching hands when I wrote."

"I think you mean ambidextrous."

"Yeah!" Lloyd confirmed. "That's it. She said most people only use one hand for stuff."

"Hmph. It makes sense," Kratos commented. "If you are naturally ambidextrous, it explains your preference for dual swords."

Lloyd blinked, then grinned. "Hey, I never thought of that!"

"It could also be a learned behavior," the older man continued. "My wife was left-handed, but because most of the world is right-handed, she had trouble finding objects suitable for her."

"Like scissors?" Lloyd added the filling to the omelet and flipped it. "They hurt if I try to use them with my left hand."

Kratos nodded as he cracked another egg into the bowl. "It's called right-hand bias. Most tools are designed for people who use their right hand. Therefore, she was forced to use her non-dominant hand a lot." His lips quirked up as his memories came back. "She used to complain about the clasps on jewelry being backwards."

It was why he'd had to get the locket specially made. She'd never worn bracelets or necklaces because it was a hassle to try and work the clasp. He could still remember the little gasp of delight when she first put it on.

"…You must have loved her a lot."

Kratos turned slightly to look at Lloyd, realizing he must have been smiling at the memory. "I did," he said slowly. "I still do. Love like that…it doesn't go away so easily. Even death doesn't stop you from loving someone."

He suddenly felt a pressure in his chest, like he couldn't breathe. He closed his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts.

He missed her. Like a wound ripped open, the loss of Anna was suddenly fresh and raw, emotion threatening to spill out like blood onto the floor.

She should be here, he thought, laughing with the two of them as they cooked breakfast. She should be chastising Kratos for obsessing about Lloyd's swordsmanship, reminding her son that he had homework due, sitting at the table and eating an omelet with them.

"Hey. You okay?"

Kratos opened his eyes again. Lloyd was staring up at him, face full of concern. "You look kind of upset."

"I'm fine," Kratos said quietly. Lloyd clearly didn't believe him. "Really, Lloyd. I was simply reminiscing about her."

Lloyd winced. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"It's not a problem," Kratos assured him. "Just having a bout of foolish sentimentality."

Lloyd frowned. "I don't think it's foolish."

Kratos didn't really have an answer to that, but it didn't matter: their conversation was cut off by the arrival of Zelos.

"What's cookin', good lookin'?" he said as he breezed into the kitchen. He wrinkled his nose at the pair when he saw them. "Ew, I thought one of the girls would be in here, too. Ah, well, 'tis not meant to be." He went over and leaned casually against the kitchen counter.

"Here, Zelos," Lloyd said, handing him some eggs. "Crack these, will you?"

"Ugh, making me do work." Zelos sighed, but did as his friend asked him. "This is why I hire servants, bud! You should have just asked Sebastian to wake up a chef, they'd have made you breakfast."

Lloyd rolled his eyes. "You're so spoiled. Come on, just crack the eggs."

They finished cooking and sat down to eat. Lloyd, of course, ate with his usual gusto, inhaling his eggs like a starving man. Kratos gave him a stern glare.

"Lloyd, slow down. You're going to get a stomach ache."

"It's fine," he grumbled, swallowing a bite. "I just want to hurry up and go train! I'm getting kind of bored here." He scratched the back of his head. Kratos sighed.

"Relax, bud," Zelos said, leaning back in his chair. "The last thing anyone wants is for you to puke while trying to fight."

Lloyd made a disgusted face and slowed down. Once they were done eating and cleaning up, Kratos told them to start preparing for their training session. He directed both of them to bring healing supplies.

"Just in case," he assured Lloyd. "There are monsters about."

"Ugh, but you and Zelos can both do first aid," Lloyd complained, hauling the heavy bag over his shoulder. "Why do we need all this stuff?"

Kratos ignored his question. In truth, it wasn't monsters he was worried about. However, he didn't want to tip Zelos off or make Lloyd worry. It was better, he decided, to keep his concerns to himself.

"Ready?" He nodded at both of them. "Good. Let's go."

Zelos led them to a clearing to the east of Meltokio.

Kratos didn't waste any time; he set Zelos and Lloyd to sparring each other as a warm up. His dark eyes tracked the movement around them, instead of focusing on the sparring. There were a few living creatures about: a flock of birds overhead, a rabbit in the brush. But he didn't sense any human mana nearby. Satisfied for the moment, he looked back at the pair fighting.

Lloyd was getting better, Kratos thought to himself. He was being a bit more deliberate in his movements, more careful of how he fought. He was no longer flinging his swords wildly around, like a child with a toy, but using them to his advantage.

"Stop." Lloyd obeyed immediately and Kratos nodded, pleased. "Very good. You're making progress."

Lloyd grinned. "Heh, I am, aren't I?"

"But don't get cocky," Kratos added sternly. "All swordsmen can improve on their work. You're making progress, but you can always make more."

"Yeah, I know." Lloyd swung his arms back and forth, still pleased from Kratos' compliment. "So, now what? I can do the slash for light spear."

"Now we talk about the dismount," Zelos said as he unsheathed his sword. "After the spin of light spear, you have one slash downward."

"A downward slash," Lloyd repeated. "Got it."

"Be careful," Kratos warned. "The ending strike leaves you completely vulnerable from the sides or behind. It's easy to forget that when you're in the middle of a battle."

"Get in the habit of spinning around after you land," Zelos suggested. "That way you can hit anyone who's behind you before they hit you."

"Got it." Lloyd got into his starting stance. "Tell me when."

Kratos nodded. "Very well…ready? Go!"

Lloyd wasn't bad, Kratos mused to himself. He kept stumbling on the landing, though, which was concerning. It would be easy for an enemy to catch him off guard. Kratos frowned.

"Stop." He moved forward and readjusted Lloyd's shoulders. "Keep your shoulders aligned with your hips. Widen your stance when you land."

Lloyd nodded. He tried again, doing an elegant spiral and a downward strike. He landed solidly, then grinned. "How was that?"

"Better," Zelos replied. "You need be more nimble, though. Lighter on your feet."

He tried a few more times, improving his technique each time. With practice, he was able to perform light spear correctly, followed by a quick spin around to engage the enemy behind him.

"Excellent job." Kratos gave him a smile and he grinned back. He unsheathed his own sword. "Now get ready. A technique is no good if you can't use it in battle."

Lloyd set his shoulders. "Let's do this!"

They attacked at the same time, their swords clashing together, metal on metal ringing through the trees. Off to the side, Zelos watched, arms folded.

Kratos was pleased to see that his son had been paying attention during the training sessions. Lloyd kept trying to get an opening where he could use light spear, but the older man certainly wouldn't make it easy. Every time Lloyd tried to move into the air, Kratos would cut him off with a quick downward slash. Lloyd growled, annoyed.

"Oh, come…on!" He managed to knock Kratos' sword and shield away, then ducked around before Kratos could cut him off. "Aha!"

Lloyd laughed triumphantly as he twisted in the air. Kratos ducked and rolled away from him, springing to his feet before Lloyd could strike him on the way down. And then, suddenly, Lloyd froze in midair.

The world went gray.

Kratos' breath caught in his chest. He recognized that spell: one of Mithos' specialties. He'd always been partial to magic on time and space. His favorite was Time Stop. The one he was using now to freeze Lloyd and Zelos in time.

He slowly turned around. The only other being in the still, frozen world was Mithos, in his child-like form, walking towards him with a blank look on his face. Kratos tightened his grip on this sword.

"What are you doing here?" he asked harshly. Mithos gave him a cold smile. "What do you want?"

"What do you think I want?" Mithos, surprisingly, walked past Kratos and headed for Lloyd. Kratos watched him, ready to attack at the slightest threat. His muscles tensed as Mithos stared at the young man. "Hmm. You know, the more I see of him, the more I see the resemblance. Especially his nose."

Mithos reached up and gently stroked Lloyd's cheek where he was, mid-spin. Kratos growled low in his throat. "Don't touch him."

"Fine." Mithos pulled away and sauntered towards Kratos. "I'm not going to hurt him. Geez, Kratos, you really don't trust me anymore, do you?"

"...Why are you here?"

"I'm here for you, Kratos." Mithos pointed his finger at Kratos' chest. "You're still Origin's seal. Without you, all we worked for is gone. Do you really want all of it—Martel, the human ranches, even your wife—to be wasted?"

Kratos pushed Mithos' hand away. "This is not what we have worked for. You may have deluded yourself into thinking this is what we once wanted, but it's not."

"Isn't it?" Mithos tilted his head and Kratos felt his heart lurch with familiarity. His memories flashed in front of him—a charismatic boy with a disarming smile and a sharp wit—and he averted his eyes, looking at Lloyd instead. "A world without discrimination. A home for all people. We could have it, Kratos, you and me and Martel."

Kratos ignored that he completely left out Yuan in this scenario. Instead, he just replied, "This is not what she would want, Mithos. And you know it." He moved closer to Lloyd, still uneasy with Mithos being near his son.

"I don't want to argue with you, Kratos. And I don't want to fight you." Mithos' face darkened, and any sense of nostalgia that Kratos felt fell away. "But I will if I have to. I'll hunt you down and take you back."

"Why not just take me now?" Kratos challenged. "I'm right here. You have Zelos and Lloyd frozen in time. It would just be me and you." He raised his sword in anticipation, but Mithos just smirked.

"In due time." The boy continued his pacing around the clearing. "I have no use for you at the moment."

"Of course you don't." Kratos noticed that Mithos didn't make any movements for his weapon. No surprise attacks, then. "Why have you come here, if not to take me back to Cruxis?"

"To give you a warning. Nothing will stop me." Mitho nodded to the frozen Lloyd and smirked. "Not even him. Be careful, Kratos, or you just might lose something important."

With those words, Mithos disappeared, breaking the spell around them.

Lloyd's attack came down on Kratos, but he didn't move to block or dodge the attack, still in shock. Lloyd's swords slashed across him, sending him back quite a few feet. He landed against a tree with a crash and laid there for a moment, stunned.

"Kratos?! Geez, I'm sorry, I thought you were guarding!" Lloyd came running over, while Zelos just watched from behind him. "Are you alright?"

"…" Kratos stared up at his son for a moment before turning away. "I'm fine."

He stood up, all previous traces of good humor gone. "We should head back."

"Wh…but Kratos, we were having fun!" Lloyd went to grab his arm, but Kratos gave him a stern glare. "What's wrong?"

"Fun...? This is not a game," he said in a deadly voice. "You are training to protect yourself. I won't always be around to save you. If you value your life at all, you'll take this training seriously."

Kratos whipped around, his cape slicing through the air behind him. As he walked away, he heard Lloyd and Zelos talking.

"Grr…What was that about? What did I do to him?!"

"Bud…I don't think you did anything. I think that's all him and his problems."