A/N Thanks again to all my reviewers. Bit of a short explanation kind of chapter here, if I leave any unanswered questions, let me know!

'Calm down...' Kratos placed a hand on Lloyd's shoulder as he tried to force himself up, wide eyed. The boy had just woken up and panicked slightly before his senses stepped in. Lloyd relaxed and Kratos allowed him to sit up and swing his legs round so he was perched on the side of the bed. The twin swordsman placed his palms over his eyes and rested his elbows on his knees.

'How are you feeling?' Kratos asked quietly, watching intently as his son rubbed his eyes.

'Alright.' Lloyd's voice strained and he coughed quietly, 'How long have I-'

'Not long. An hour? Maybe two?' The Seraph interrupted, 'Yuan has gone to Iselia.' Lloyd's eyes snapped up and met Kratos's, 'Don't worry, he said he was only going to speak to Raine and Dirk. We figured it was best to give you some time to recover first.'

Lloyd nodded slowly, 'I'm sorry.'

'Sorry? Sorry for what?' Kratos asked, voice more stern than comforting. He would not allow Lloyd to feel remorse for his actions as he had his whole life.

'I was sure I was gone for good. I would have left you and the others here alone,' he twiddled his thumbs on his lap, 'I know how much me and mum meant to you and Mithos...' Lloyd trailed off, his voice caught in his throat.

Kratos turned his head, narrowing his eyes quizzically, 'Mithos?'

Lloyd bit his lip, took a deep breath and decided to tell the story. 'Mithos was talking to me the whole time, through my Exsphere, I think.' He ran his fingers over the stone absent-mindedly, 'he said that losing me would...would break you. But I went through with it anyway, not knowing what I would leave behind...'

'Hmph...' Kratos almost laughed, a small smile forming on his face, 'You thought about what I would feel if you were gone? You are just as much like your mother as you are me.'

'Mum told me to do it,' the teenager replied flatly. Kratos nearly flinched, 'She spoke to me through the Exsphere, told me she would protect my mana as best she could. Mithos egged me on too, as if he wanted me to finish it.'

'To finish it?' Kratos croaked, 'He wanted you to defeat him?'

'Mum said...said that he was tired.' Lloyd answered, squeezing his eyes shut to avoid any tears from escaping as he thought of his mother, 'You know what I think?'

Lloyd looked up into Kratos's tired eyes.

'I think Mum was right. Mithos did want it to finish.'

Kratos sat down next to Lloyd on the bed, placing a cupped hand behind his neck. He smiled.

'You know what? I think you might be right.'

'He what?'

'He had the suitable key crest in a tin. It didn't disappear with him.'

The voice causd Lloyd and Kratos's heads to snap to the door. Yuan had returned from Iselia and was digging for something in his pocket, 'It was with...this.'

Yuan produced the creased photo from his pocket and handed it to Kratos. The Seraph sat back down next to the pale-faced Lloyd and stared at the picture. A grin split across Lloyd's face.

'That's a great photo,' He commented, 'You look really happy.'

'Heh...we were. It was a strange group wasn't it? We ran into them so unexpectedly...' Kratos mused, holding out the photo for Yuan to take back. The half elf was still searching in his pocket, before a small, dull-grey stone was produced.

'What?' Yuan let the stone lie flat in his hand and Kratos lowered his arm, 'Mithos's Exsphere...'

'It's gone.' Kratos confirmed, 'The mana from it has disappeared. Mithos is...finally resting.'

The three sat in silence, a heartbeat echoing in Lloyd's ears. He knew where Mithos's mana had ended up.

'He did it for me...' Lloyd murmured, snapping Kratos out of his trance.

'He did what?'

'He kick-started my mana supply.' Lloyd replied, causing both heroes of the Kharlan war to scrunch up their faces, confused. Lloyd proceeded to tell the story of what had happened in his mother's memory. He told them how Mithos had spoken to him.

'He said that it was his 'intention' that I woke back up, that his mana was to start the regeneration process.'

Kratos nodded, 'He wishes for you to reunite the worlds with the power of the eternal sword. It seems he did want for you to defeat him...so proud, he was always so proud.'

'So the key crest was purposeful?' Yuan asked.

'It is my belief that Mithos left it there for one of us to find and place on Lloyd's Exsphere.'

Lloyd hesitated, before opening his mouth to speak.

'He really-'

'Lloyd Irving, you astound me.'

Three pairs of eyes snapped to the door as Raine Sage placed her hands on her hips. Her pale face and bloodshot eyes shone in the dim light and a small smirk appeared on her face.

'Professor! I-'

'Looks like you can't get out of that assignment I set you after all! Although, I must say this was one of your more...ingenious excuses.'

Lloyd placed a hand behind the back of his head and laughed.

'Wow...It's so great to be back.' He laughed sarcastiacally.

'You will do your assignment, Lloyd.' Kratos said, firmly.

The teen gaped at him, 'Are you scolding me for not doing my homework?!'

Yuan shuffled towards the door and squeezed past Raine into the other room.

'I'm getting out of the way of this one...' He whispered in her ear as he went past.

A/N Reunion time! What do you think the reactions of each of the characters will me? Let me know your suggestions and ideas! R&R!