On My Honor

by Yamato795

A Regal musing fic that gives you a look at the game from how he saw it, and a better look at his past

11. Eleven

Title: On my Honor

Author: Yamato795

Pairing: Lots of mentions of RegalxAlicia, but no other ones planned at the moment…

Rating: Let's go PG-13 to be safe, since they do swear in the game, and the violence.

Status: Chapter 11 out of ? parts. Lots planned, but a number is not clear just yet.

Disclaimer: Don't own Tales of Symphonia. Please don't sue me.

Spoilers: A TON, mostly for Regal. I'd say this story is better suited for those who have beaten the game if you ask me. Read at your own risk of spoiling anything. Since it starts where Regal comes in, it should spoil quite a bit of the game after that, don't you think?

Summary: Take a look through Regal's eyes as well as a look into his past.

Author notes: I have to apologize for how long this too, but I am a college student, so you'll have to forgive me. Getting closer to the end of the game and had some fun with the last scene. You'll see. Enjoy!

On my Honor

Chapter eleven

Upon returning to the surface, we spent the night recuperating at Altessa's while he prepared the Rune Crest for Colette. Lloyd was very concerned for her, and barely ate any of the food that had been prepared until we received word that she would recover. She had passed out before we had left the Tower of Salvation, so we all had been worried for her. Fortunately, the cure had been prepared in time. Everything seemed fine when we had gone to bed, but that was far from the truth.

Yuan came with the Renegades, slipping in to entice Lloyd out of the house with the promise of introducing him to his father. The young swordsman had gone only to be detained at the end of a blade while the half elf double-agent spoke to Kratos, his other prisoner, about releasing Origin's seal. Yuan told Kratos that if he refused his son would die. It seemed that Lloyd was Kratos' son, that perhaps all of this time the man that had betrayed him was his father.

But that was not the only surprise in store for us. Mithos left the house during the commotion, revealing that he was actually Mithos Yggdrasill, the leader of Cruxis. He had known about Yuan, and he had pretended to be our friend. Angry, he injured Tabatha, Yuan, and Altessa before Pronyma appeared. She left a group of angels for us to deal with, insisting Yggdrasill return with her, to which he agreed and they took Kratos with them. After defeating the angels, we were left in the wake of this twist of fate.

Tabatha would more than likely be fine, as she was more of an automated doll, but the dwarf was severely injured. Raine's healing powers would not do much for him because he was not equipped with an Exsphere. To help him, we left for Flanoir to seek the doctor there in the hopes of saving Altessa's life.

In the snowy city, it took the promise of paying the doctor whatever he billed us for his services to get him agree to help. He was to take Lloyd's Rheaird there and had requested that Sheena, Raine, Genis, and Zelos accompany him. The rest of us were going to spend the night at the inn with the promise that in the morning the others would return to update us on Altessa's health. Lloyd had gone to his room, probably needing the chance to clear his head after all that he had learned, and I could see by the blonde Chosen's expression that she was going to go after him. I wanted to as well, I wanted to try to comfort the young swordsman, but my instincts told me that perhaps, for now, Colette would help him more.

There was also a bit of a selfish motive behind that decision. As the others were all occupied now, it gave me an opportune time to speak with Presea. The circumstances were far less enough than ideal as Altessa had been injured because he'd thrown himself in front of the pink haired girl, taking the blow for her. Yet I had sworn to myself that the next chance I had I would take it.

On the surface, it seemed simple enough to do, but as dread twisted and coiled in my gut I began to doubt that the outcome of this could be anything but horrible. I found that Presea had gone outside to sit on the steps of the inn, and I was hesitant to follow, but I forced my legs to carry me there, for my hand to turn the knob of the door.

She didn't look up as I sat down next to her. As usual her face was a mask of indifference, untouched by any emotions that might be stirring within her. I watched as her fingers curled deeper into the blanket she had draped over her shoulders for warmth and how her gaze drifted over the snow that was falling down upon the city. Cursing myself for bad timing and possibly intruding upon whatever privacy she might have sought outside, I realized that the only way that this was going to begin was if I started the conversation. It was most likely anxiety that had chased that idea away from me before.

"Presea? May I speak with you?" The question was simple enough while the reasons behind it were horribly complicated and causing my stomach to twist. "If you would rather be alone, I'll go…"

"Is something wrong, Regal?" Presea asked softly, watching me from the corner of her eye. It had to have been the tone of my voice that gave away my nervousness. For someone who had trouble understanding her emotions, she read mine easily enough. I wanted to believe it was because in a way we were close, but that was probably just my wishful thinking.

"No, nothing is wrong…" Nothing that she didn't already know of, at least. I bit my lip for a moment, considering my words carefully. I was nervous, I was anxious, but I was not about to let that dictate how this went. Even if the outcome was not what I hoped, I had to know that I had tried. "I've been meaning to speak to you about something…for a while now actually."

She turned her head to meet my gaze, a flicker of curiosity passing over her young features for an instant. "What is it, then?"

My hands clenched and unclenched rhythmically as my eyes dropped down to the shackles on my wrists, the constant reminder of my crime and my lost love. It seemed a very long time before I could find my voice again, and my answer came out just above a whisper, "I know that I am possibly the last person you would want to talk to about this…and I will in no way pressure you into it, but…I wanted you to know that I will tell you about Alicia…if you'd like me to."

Her large blue eyes widened a bit and her hands clenched tighter into the wool blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She seemed confused instead of angry or horrified, so the stirring of dread in my stomach calmed a bit. "I…don't understand…"

I took a deep breath. "Presea, what I am trying to do…is offer you the chance to know Alicia better. The two of you…lost contact…and for that I am deeply sorry. I wish I could give you so much more…but I was close to her…I loved her like you do…and I'm willing to tell you about her if you would like me to."

There, I had done it. I had put the suggestion in front of her. No matter how terrible or insensitive she found it, I had attempted to give her the only thing I had left of my lover and her sister. My memories of Alicia were something I could share with Presea to give her an idea of the young woman her sister had grown into. The ax woman could turn me away and I would have to understand, especially since I had been the one to take Alicia's life. She might not to want to hear such things from me.

Presea chewed on her lower lip, a gesture she was not prone to. I took it as a bad sign.

"I would not force you into anything of the sort…and I am sorry if my suggestion has hurt you, Presea," I murmured softly, having to look away. While I had doubted that she would take my offer well, I had hoped, deep down, that she might. As much as I was her connection to Alicia, she was mine, and it was a bond that I wanted to explore.

"You…will tell me…about Alicia?" Her voice was hushed, almost secretive.

I nodded even though my gaze was focused again on the metal encasing my wrists. "Yes, I…will tell you. All you have to do is ask…when you're ready."

"Regal?"

The sound of my name caused me to instinctively lift my head, bringing our gazes back together. This was not the first time that I had seen her expression completely unreachable, but I suddenly felt she might close herself off from me. "…Yes?"

"Thank you." A hint of a smile then tugged at the corners of her mouth, curling them just enough to be noticeable. "I…do not know when I might ask to talk to you about Alicia…but I appreciate your offer."

I returned her smile, slowly rising to my feet. "Perhaps another time then? It is late, and we will be leaving first thing in the morning. We should both get some rest. And…Presea?"

She raised an eyebrow at me as she stood, shaking snowflakes from the blanket draped over her and from her hair. "Yes?"

"You don't have to thank me." I said softly while holding the door open for her. She only glanced back once on her way through the lobby, and it was very briefly, making me wonder if she had even heard me. In some way, I suppose it didn't matter, but by now it should have been obvious who should be grateful to whom. Presea would never owe me a thing, but I would always be indebted to her.

Lloyd's first instinct had been that we should go back to the Tower of Salvation, back to Derris Kharlan and the city of Welgaia, but Raine thought it would be wise to give ourselves some time to prepare for what could well be the final battle. Reluctantly our young leader agreed to it, especially since it seemed that Altessa would recover from his injuries. I suspected that the Professor wanted to also buy Colette some time to heal from her sickness and the rest of us from any injury we had sustained in the last few days. She was trying to insure that we would all be in the best of health when we fought Yggdrasill again.

Unfortunately, we spent the next few days following our venture to Flanoir doing more than resting like she'd intended. While our first stop had been Altamira, Colette and Loyd ended up offering our help to a woman whose children had wandered off. Since she rewarded us all with swimsuits though, we did end up spending at least the afternoon relaxing. What complicated things the most was when we stopped in Meltokio and found the King had been trying to contact Zelos. It seemed that the Pope had kidnapped Princess Hilda and was holding her hostage, hoping to trade the girl for Zelos.

The trade had been a ruse with Kate being forced to impersonate the Princess. She had even been poisoned, so we left her in the care of Zelos' butler and went of to track down the Pope.

Surprisingly enough, we found him easily, and the soldiers he'd hired were no match for us. By rescuing the Princess, we had again filed the Pope's dreams of taking the throne. Hilda was grateful for our assistance, as was her father and they insisted on having the chance to throw a party in honor of her rescuer, the Chosen, and of course the rest of us but it seemed more specifically to thank Zelos. I thought that perhaps it was also a way of apologizing to Zelos for having believed the Pope's lies, but I didn't mention that theory.

The invitation to the party, considering we would be the guests of honor, kept us in Meltokio for another day, as the party would be in the evening. His Majesty was even having clothes made for each of us, but when it came time to get ready it seemed that everyone's outfits but Lloyd's had been brought from the palace. While the swordsman hurried off to the castle to get his clothes, the rest of us were left to prepare with the help of a few hand maidens His Majesty had sent to aid us.

I couldn't convince them that my hair did not need styling, and while my suit had been cleverly designed so that I could put it on and take it off wearing my shackles, I still had to argue with them that I was not about to remove them to change. Once I was ready and certain I looked ridiculous I met the others at the front entrance of the Chosen's mansion. Lloyd had not returned yet, but we were certain that he would meet us at the party shortly.

As soon as we arrived Hilda rushed to greet Zelos, who seemed all too happy to receive her attention as well as that of most of the women in the room. I was more than content to fade into the background even though Hilda and her father had begun to express their gratitude to our entire group.

There was good reason for me to feel out of place. Even dressed in a fine suit, one could still see I was a criminal, and that was reason enough for them to stare. A good deal of the nobles attending the party knew I who was, or had heard of me after my conviction, and it seemed they wondered why the King would go to so much trouble to invite, even clothe, a murderer. I couldn't really deny they had a valid reason to look, to watch me, but it was still unnerving when I was honest with myself. I knew many of these nobles, had seen them a great deal in court, but I was no longer the man I had once been. I thought it best if I stayed off to the side away from the others for the evening.

If my suit was not uncomfortable enough, the eyes on me only served to make me feel as if I were being observed behind glass. For years I had allowed the opinions others had of me to roll off my back, never touching me so that I could be who I actually wanted to be. Now, while I did not truly care what anyone thought of me, I could not truly dispute what they thought of me either. The only thought that brought me any comfort was that this would only be for one night. In the morning we were headed for the Tower of Salvation to possibly make our last stand, which would make this evening seem almost trivial in comparison.

"Regal?" Presea's soft voice brought me out of my train of thoughts. While her expression was indifferent, her gaze held a troubled light.

"Presea, is something wrong?" I asked her gently, noting that the palace hand maidens seemed to have made her up like a doll. Out of all of the outfits that had been made for the group, Presea's had the most lace and frills, something that didn't appear to please her even if she'd worn it. Formal wear obviously did not suit her tastes either.

"Nothing specifically. I am just not used to a function like this…or being addressed as 'little madam'," she replied after a moment, glancing over the crowd once before looking back up at me. I couldn't help but think in that moment that I would always wonder what she saw when she looked at me, even though she was probably just observing the differences in my appearance as I had been with her. "I suppose the only ones from our group that are used to these sorts of parties are you and Zelos."

I shook my head with a sigh. "It's been a long time for me actually."

"Oh." Her eyes trailed down to the shackles I still wore, finding her explanation in them. "I apologize."

"There's no need." Why would she apologize to me for that, for anything? The reason I wore the shackles was so that I would not forget what I had done, so there was no reason for me to take offense for being reminded of my time in prison. Again I shook my head, a small smile crossing my lips. I wanted to reassure her that it was all right, which was probably why I added without thinking, "Actually…the last party like this that I attended…was with your sister."

Instantly I froze, my body going rigid. Why did I say that? How could I keep rubbing salt in her wounds? Yes, in Flanoir I had offered to talk to her about Alicia, to share my memories of her sister with her, but I had said I would wait for her to come to me for that sort of conversation. Saying that had just brought it up again, something that I had not wanted to do.

Presea did no say anything for a few unbearably long moments. It was as if she were taking in my words, measuring them. Her blue eyes scanned the party guests for a moment before they rose to meet mine. "You…brought Alicia…to something like this?"

She didn't sound angry, in fact, she sounded almost curious. When Zelos had been told about the party in his honor, the pink haired ax woman and Colette had questioned if they would even be allowed to attend because they were not of noble birth. Perhaps she found the idea of my bringing Alicia to a party like the one we were at curious for the same reason. Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "Yes, but only once. It…was a masquerade ball at the palace."

Again, she took her time to reply. I suspected that she was weighing my response and trying to decide how to feel about it. Sixteen years had been stolen from her, sixteen years that would have given her more reference for how to respond, how to feel, when something happened to her, and now she was learning it all over again. With everything else that I owed her, most of it I could never give her no matter how much I wanted to, the least I could give her was a little extra time to collect her thoughts. When the corners of her lips were tugged upwards in the smallest hint of a smile, I blinked in surprise. "Will you…tell me about it?"

"…Of course." I smiled down at her, relieved and warmed by the chance to share one of my most treasured memories of Alicia with her. "There is an annual masquerade ball that the King holds at the palace every year. I convinced Alicia to come with me."

"She did not want to go?" Presea questioned, her head tilted to the side.

"Our relationship was a secret…even though I insisted that I did not care about the repercussions, I just wanted to be with her. Alicia was worried about hurting my image, my company, though, so we kept our relationship secret," I explained with a small sigh at the memory. I had never really wanted my being with Alicia kept quiet, but I had agreed to it for the sake of my beloved and being close to her. "She was worried if she came with me our secret would be revealed."

"You said it was a masquerade…how would someone have known it was her?" the girl questioned with a slightly raised eyebrow. She toyed with some of the lace on the end of her sleeve for a moment, not comfortable with it but trapped within it like I was in my suit for the evening. "Would anyone have even recognized her?"

"Those were some of the things I said to her as well. As I said before, I had to convince her to accompany me," I chuckled, nodding. "She was nervous, but I assured her that everything would be fine that night."

"Did she have a good time?" Presea asked with a small smile.

"I believe she did." The smile that crossed my lips was from my reminiscing, from the images that came from the past, and that I could tell Presea about that wonderful night. "I know I will never forget it."

She had tried desperately to convince him that it was a bad idea, that too many things could go wrong, but she always had trouble saying no to the Duke. The way he had looked at her when he first asked had been enough to make her melt, and against her better judgment, she found the invitation tempting. In spite of herself as well as the fact that she was sure that the night would turn into a disaster, she agreed to accompany him to the King's masquerade ball.

Sure, they had been on numerous dates now. Alicia was more than comfortable with Regal, more than happy to sneak out of the mansion in the middle of the night with him. But at masquerade ball, a royal masquerade ball, they would be among the very people she had been trying to prevent from learning of their relationship. She did not want to cause her master trouble; even if he had adamantly told her that the stigma would not matter to him. Several times Regal had to assure her that since she would be wearing a mask the entire night no one would recognize her.

"I can show the world that I love you and still keep our secret."

It was when he'd said that, with such tenderness, his arms wrapped around her waist from behind and his warm breath gliding over her ear that she had given in. Alicia would never say no to something that would make the Duke happy. She did not regret agreeing to his request until the night of the ball while she was staying at the Meltokio inn with Sanji, and her gown had arrived.

That wasn't to say it wasn't beautiful, for the dress Regal had sent to her was gorgeous beyond words, it was just she had never worn anything like it before. She was simple girl, from a common family, and she had never attended a party of this stature even in her dreams. As Sanji held the gown out to her, it still fold neatly in the box he'd picked it up in, he grinned at her knowing she was nervous. "Don't stand there with your jaw on the floor, girl! We have lot of work to do if you're going to meet Master Regal at the palace on time!"

"Sanji, I don't think I can do this." Her hand was absent mindedly running over the silk of the beautiful dress. "I know how much this means to Regal, but I don't want to show up and have everyone see right through me. The last thing I want to do him is make him regret--"

"Now stop talking like that." The chef who took credit for fixing her up with their employer cut her off gently, still wearing that knowing grin. He began to push her into the next room where two women were waiting for them impatiently. "Master Regal was very insistent that we make you look the part and these two lovely ladies were appointed by the Duke himself to ensure you look lovelier than ever tonight."

"Sanji…" Alicia started, grinning even with the tears in the corners of her azure eyes. Had she ever gotten to thank him for assigning her to deliver Regal his lunches three years ago?

"Thank me later." He laughed handing the box that held her dress to her and shoving her forward as if presenting her to the two women Regal had hired to make her look believable. "There's quite a bit we need to get done, and we can save the sentimentality for later after you go meet your prince charming for an evening of romance, all right?"

Even after the painstaking amount of time they spent preparing her, Alicia had never felt so awkward as when she walked up the steps of the palace, Sanji on one arm, whether that was to help her keep her balance until she adjusted to the heels she wore on her feet or because Regal had not wanted her to make the small trip from the inn to the palace alone. The chef gave her a small wave as he left once she was near the entrance of the ballroom, surrounded by lords and ladies in dazzling attire and all sorts of masks.

She wanted to call out to him, to tell Sanji what a mistake this was, that she should just go home to Altamira and back to her chores, but he was gone before she could even utter a sound. Maybe he had hurried out of the castle for that purpose alone. Again lifting her skirts so she wouldn't trip, as well as squaring her shoulders, Alicia glanced around and found that the main area of the ballroom was actually down a wide flight of carpeted stairs. On the lower floor was where most of the guests congregated, chatting in groups along the sides of the enormous room, or gracefully dancing on the polished floor in the center. After a deep breath, she steeled herself even more, hoping that the way she walked in her new heels didn't point out to anyone who might be watching her that she didn't belong in the beautiful garments she now wore.

It wasn't until she had descended the first few stairs that she spotted him. Regal Bryant was in the element he'd been born and raised to inhabit, among royals and nobles from all across Tethe'alla. But she had never seen him dressed as elegantly as he was tonight, in a glorious white suit trimmed in gold that stood out among some of the more flashy suits worn by various other nobles. His was tasteful, handsome, but not tacky. Alicia guessed he'd lost the battle with whoever had helped prepare him for the evening about not tying his hair back as well as slicking back his long bangs. He preferred not to tie back his blue hair, to let his bangs hang in his eyes, but he had been raised to be a proper noble, and that meant on most occasions his hair was not going to be loose as much as he would have liked. She could not believe how perfect he looked, as if the silken fabrics were molded onto his muscular build, as if he had stepped out of the fairytales she remembered reading with her sister.

Pausing on the steps, she had to stop to watch him for a moment. There were times when she wondered how Regal could practically be two people. She had watched him work, watched him speak with nobles before, but then there were the times when she watched him in the dojo while he was training. When he was practicing his martial arts he seemed so tranquil, so free, even though he never seemed trapped when he talked to other lords and ladies. He just always seemed so much more at ease when he was in the dojo than when he was attending to the occasional guest of noble blood at the Bryant estate.

He must have sensed her eyes on him, or just that someone was watching. Even though an elderly woman had her hand on his shoulder and was speaking to him rather animatedly, his gaze still turned to over his shoulder, and then up. It landed right on her, and the smile that curled his lips caused one to curl her own. She was a bit surprised that unlike most of the other guests, Regal had gone with a tasteful half mask that was white until the gold trim around all of the edges, including around his right eye. He probably was well known enough anyway that he could get away with wearing a whole mask and still be recognized, but the flame like shape of the fabric around just his right eye and most of that side of his forehead made him seem even more elegant than before.

She saw him murmur something to the woman talking to him, and pull away from the small crowd that had been gathered around him, moving for the end of the staircase. Now he was looking at her, now he could see her in the gown he'd sent to her, how the women he'd hired had done her hair. She'd never felt more vulnerable than she was under his gaze at that moment.

Alicia had always retained the power to take his breath away. Regal had always thought she was beautiful, exquisite, but he had never had his breath stolen so effortlessly as when he stood at the bottom of the staircase gazing up at her that night. He could see that she seemed unsteady on the high heeled shoes, which probably explained why she kept one hand on the marble railing while the other held up her long skirt. The Duke couldn't help but think that he had chosen the best style of dress for her, that he'd managed to find the perfect gown out of all the ones he'd been shown that seemed to make her glow.

It was sleeveless, hugging her torso, accentuating her slender frame down to her hips where the dress then flared out to almost pool around her feet. While most of the silk that encased her lithe figure was white, around the top of the dress was an intricate pattern of ripples of gold that steamed down the left side only, and then cascaded around the hem of the dress. The ripples of gold that were on the gown were added to with a golden lace shall that she had strewn out over her shoulders and hanging down to nearly her knees. Her pink hair was styled in spiraled curls that bobbed with each step she took, with one pink strand gelled to curl on her forehead to the side. Almost in the shape of a butterfly, her mask was also white with gold edges, and it was not until she was close enough that he could take her hand that he found that around her eyes was a dust of gold powder to bring out her azure gaze even more.

Only a few steps below her, he went down on one knee before her, placing a chaste kiss on the back of her hand. When he stood he was stilling smiling that dashing smile that made her cheeks flare and her insides melt. "You look absolutely stunning, my lady."

Alicia had insisted that if she were going to attend in disguise it would be wise for him not to call her by name. Regal had merely smirked a little when he asked how he should address her the entire evening, and when she hadn't come up with anything he assured her that he would play by her rules. Now that he'd given her a new title for the night, she felt her breath hitch in her throat almost stopping her from replying. "And you look unbelievably handsome, Duke Bryant."

"Thank you, my lady." There was a mischievous glint to his gaze as he took her arm in his, guiding them both down the rest of the steps. With her side now pressed to his, he felt her relax and couldn't help but chuckle in her ear secretively, "And you look utterly ravishing. I may have to buy you hundreds of gowns just so that I can see you in them like this."

If it was possible, the young woman blushed even more, hissing in reply, "I don't think I could ever get used to something like this."

"Someday you might." He whispered to her, leaning down so that he could press his lips to hers for just a moment, attempting to soothe her nervousness. The Duke was unconcerned with the gazes of the people that he knew were on them, he was only focused on Alicia, wanting desperately for her to enjoy this party. There were times that he tired of hiding everything that was important to him, times he exhausted of sneaking out of his own home whether it was to spend time with Alicia or to train in the art of Dragakendo. But tonight he could use his role as Duke to be with the one person that mattered to him, and as much as that meant to him, he did not want her to regret attending with him. For a moment, he watched her carefully before commenting thoughtfully, "I've never seen your hair down before."

"You don't like it?" she asked with wide eyes.

"Of course I do. I…I'm sorry. I should not have said it like that." Turning her in his embrace he wrapped one arm around her waist and allowed his other hand to cup her cheek. "You really do look beautiful, my lady. I meant no offense. Perhaps…there is a way that I can make it up to you?"

She knew what he was doing, other than apologizing. He was trying to find a way to make her more comfortable. And in this room with so many pairs of eyes on them, watching, trying to discover just who this girl was to have Duke Bryant falling all over himself for her, Regal wanted to do everything he could to put her at ease. Alicia had to wonder what she had done to deserve such a sweet man, grinning up at him after a moment. "I suppose a dance would do, Duke Bryant."

"As my lady wishes…" That same playful smirk had returned instantly, and keeping his arm around her waist the young nobleman led her over to the huge dance floor. It wasn't until he tried to take her hand so that they could fall into step with the other couples that he realized she had probably never done this before. Gently taking her hand, he leaned down to rasp in her ear, "Just relax and follow me."

Doing her best to forget everything but the way he had taken her hand, keeping their gazes locked, Alicia allowed him to lead her into her first dance. She hoped that in their close proximity that he couldn't feel the way her heart was pounding in her chest, threatening to drown out the soft music being played by an orchestra on the terrace above the dance floor. Somehow, after the first few minutes, she managed to find the rhythm to his movements, which kept her from stepping on his feet.

The Duke seemed to be losing himself in the melody, his steps still graceful and calculated, but a look in his eyes that Alicia could only describe as dreamy. The times that this expression filled his azure hues she had to wonder what he was thinking of, because he would stare at her as if there was nothing left in the world but the two of them. Even though she felt sluggish dancing with him, even though she felt so out of place, she still flashed him a brilliant smile because she didn't know what else to give him when he was risking his reputation to dress her up like a princess and bring her to this party.

He pulled her closer suddenly, telling her in a hushed but playful tone, "Even His Majesty is watching us, my lovely lady."

Without thinking she'd squeezed his hand, tensing up. "Please don't tease me!"

"I'm not. He is watching us right now, with his daughter and the Pope." Regal insisted his voice calm and like a balm to her nerves. The laugh that sprouted from his throat a minute later put her even more at ease, and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I can already imagine the questions when I next come to court. Everyone will want to know your name. I will be hounded for months by every courtier here tonight!"

"They'll really ask about me?" She couldn't imagine any noble, let alone the King, noticing her enough to actually interrogate Regal to find out her identity. The idea of it was almost frightening, considering she had done so much to make sure the Duke would not suffer any repercussions of their relationship and now she might have done something he wouldn't be able to escape from. Would the whole court really want to know just who the young president of the Lezareno Company was dancing with that badly?

"I'm afraid so, my lady. You'll be gossip in the Royal Court for quite some time just for all the attention I am lavishing on you tonight." He told her almost sounding amused. With a small sigh he added, "Perhaps I should have told you…it's something I do not dwell on all that much…but for many years now a lot of the older women here tonight have been trying to…pair me off with their daughters."

"Oh…" She had never even imagined that, but now it seemed so obvious. Of course there were courtiers probably lined up either to pair off their daughter with the young successful Duke, or to marry him themselves. She probably had never wanted to think about the fact that one day Regal could have just gone off to wed his pick of any lady in the upper class. He had already reached the age where it should have been expected of him, and like his parents, he would need to procure an heir or two to continue the Bryant legacy. She wondered if that was why there were so many women staring at them now, behind masks and fans lined with bright colored feathers, whispering about them. Alicia held a little tighter to her dance partner, thinking that perhaps that had been the reason that elderly woman had been talking so animatedly with Regal when she first arrived. Perhaps there would be a time when he would forget about her to continue on with his duties as a nobleman, and he would marry a woman of caliber and prime breeding.

"You may have to endure some jealousy from quite a few women for a while, my lady, as I plan on staying with you as long as you'll have me." Regal remarked with that small smirk, pulling back from her as the orchestra paused to select another piece to play. He took a step back from her giving her a small bow, and since he doubted anyone would see, a wink too. And then before she knew it he was holding her hand, taking her away from the dance floor, not that she minded, but now he was leading her away from the entire party it seemed.

No, he'd taken her to a balcony that was just unoccupied at the moment. She didn't have time to question his sudden need to have her alone, as he drew her closer, holding her hand up against his cheek, watching for her reaction. His playfulness suddenly seemed gone now that they were alone without so many eyes scrutinizing their every move.

"I love you." For a moment, it was almost just like the first time he'd said it. The happiness that swelled in her chest nearly caused it to burst, and she was so stricken by the gentleness of his azure eyes that she couldn't find a way to reply. With his free hand now on her hip, he pressed his body flush to hers, his gaze now half lidded, his voice dropping to nothing more than a whisper as he insisted, "You know I love you."

"I love you too." Alicia replied at the same breathless volume, her arms curling up around his neck now, needing to be closer to him. Was he trying to reassure her now that he'd told her about all of the ladies vying for his hand? Oh, what had she done to deserve this amazing man who seemed to do everything in his power to make her happy? Leaning up, she gave him a real kiss, one that wasn't chaste, or for show, but a real one full of the passion she held for him. A kiss that would assure him that she was in no way upset with him.

Now she could truly see what this night meant to him. After so many years of hiding his true self from the world that had shaped him to be a certain man, he had one chance to assert himself as the man he wanted to be, and show everyone that he wasn't going to follow all of their rules. He had wanted her to accompany him not only because he loved her, he wanted her there to show all of Tethe'alla that he loved her.

"My lovely lady…" The way he laughed that in her ear made her shiver with delight, holding him close. This was perfect. She wanted to stay like this forever, just in his embrace, listening to his heart beat. But then he pulled back a bit, cocking his head to the side to look at her again. "I should thank you…for tonight."

"But--" He didn't need to thank her, he had to have known that. She would have done anything to make him happy, even if it would have meant letting him go off to marry one of the other women down in the ball room. All she wanted was for Regal to be free, to be content.

He put a finger to her lips, effectively cutting her off. "I want to thank you. Even if you feel I don't have to. I…this night…"

Gently pushing his hand away from her mouth, she beamed up at him. "I know."

When we came to the Tower of Salvation, we walked right into a trap. None of us had been prepared for it, for it had been Zelos who had set it. He had been spying for both Cruxis and the Renegades to choose which side of three to be on, and in the end he had chosen to fight for Yggdrasill because he believed our enemy to be the strongest. The red headed swordsman hated his place as the Chosen of Tethe'alla so much he had helped Pronyma ensnare Colette and then left with the Grand Cardinal.

Angels tried to prevent us from following them into the upper levels of the tower, but with the surprise aid of some people of Mizuho we managed to find a way to collect ourselves and defeat them. Using the same warp ring as Pronyma, as it was still active after her departure, we made it into the depths of Cruxis' lair yet the female Grand Cardianl, Zelos, and Colette were nowhere in sight. They had to have gone through the corridors, further in, to where Yggdrasill waited, utilizing the time that had lapsed before we managed to give chase, and we would have to fight our way through every obstacle to reach them. There was no way of knowing just how many levels we would have to scale or what sort of foes we would face along the way, but we had to stop them from turning Colette into Martel's vessel.

Each of us was hurt by Zelos' betrayal, and it lingered in our minds as we searched for a way through the first level where a broken bridge could be our only passage to the next floor if we could manage to weigh it down enough. I had had no idea that Zelos had hated being the Chosen enough to turn on all of us. From what I had seen, and from the time I had spent with the red headed swordsman myself, he had seemed close to every member of the group. Except, if he had been spying on us from the beginning, had he just gotten close so that he could get whatever information Cruxis wanted about us?

Lloyd had seemed shaken, but it was as if he pushed it to the back of his mind to focus on rescuing our captured friend. Perhaps we all had to do that as we fought the monsters and angels that waited around nearly every corridor, make ourselves temporarily forget what Zelos had done so that we could keep moving.

It wasn't as if we could just erase what had happened in our minds, but we could not risk becoming distracted by it. Our prospects of success were grim. The tower was most likely fraught with traps, and there was no way to know how many, just as we had no way of knowing how many angels or monsters would try to block our path. Remnants of the Giant Tree littering the corridors also slowed us down, and it was only with the Sorcerer's ring that we managed to get past the twisted roots growing out of the walls.

"I need to discuss something with you," Raine murmured to me softly, privately, while slowing her pace slightly to drop to the back of the group. I could see that her jaw was set and her grip on the new staff she had found along our way was so firm that her knuckles were white.

I mimicked her movements, skipping a few steps so I was shoulder to shoulder with her and if we spoke softly enough the others might not hear us. While I had no idea what she might wish to speak to me about alone, my curiosity gave way to worry instead from the way it appeared she was controlling her expression to keep it blank, unreadable to anyone who might glance over their shoulder. I raised one eyebrow when I held her gaze. "…With me?"

"It's because you look like the most rational member of this group," the Professor continued with a slight nod. She was keeping her voice down, not wanting our friends to even notice that we were speaking, and it was because of this I became concerned. What did my rationality have to do with this? When her shoulders suddenly slumped her gaze fell as well, the weight of what she wished to discuss breaking her mask to reveal the burden she was carrying. "…We're heading into great danger. We need to decide in advance on whose lives take priority."

My breath caught in my throat, her words acting more like a slap in the face. Of course she couldn't talk to the others about this especially since we were all emotionally frazzled by Zelos' actions, and even if I didn't want to, I could look at this exactly how Raine wanted me to, with logic and a practical mind. I grimaced at the thought of measuring the worth of each of my friend's lives as if this were some sort of game of strategy. "I see. That's the sort of discussion that would likely anger Lloyd."

He'd be furious if he knew we were discussing sacrifices.

Do we have a choice though? It would be unrealistic at best to believe we'll all make it through this…

The fact was we were deep in enemy territory. The odds were stacked against us, especially as Zelos could have been gathering intelligence about all of our strengths and weaknesses too so our enemy could know us as well as he did. Yggdrasill was more powerful than any force we had ever faced, and even together we could not defeat him before. If only a few of us, or worse, only one of us made it to face him, then who had the best odds of victory?

"Lloyd…we must protect no matter what," Raine remarked, glancing at the red clad swordsman, the sadness carefully veiled in her gaze. "The only force that can hope to challenge Mithos' inhuman power is…"

"Lloyd special Expshere," I finished for her. Colette, and even Lloyd himself, had told me about the stone on the back of the boy's hand. It had been part of the Angelus Project, the same project Presea and even Alicia had been victims of, and when we had beaten Yuan in the Tethe'alla Base the leader of the Renegades had mentioned that the teen's stone was evolving. How much potential it held still remained to be seen.

"Yes. I don't know what kind of power it holds, but we must bet on the course with the highest odds of winning." The Professor's tone was flat. With or without my input, she had already made her choice, and it was one I understood.

"…Understood." If our only chance was to lay down our own lives for Lloyd's, if it came to that, then I was ready to do so. How could my life be worth more than any of their's when I was a murderer? I squared my shoulders, filled with a new source of determination. I would protect my friends, no matter what, and do everything I could to see that Lloyd and as many of the others made it. "Let us do what we must to protect Lloyd."

Raine met my eyes for a moment, and then sprung forward to catch up with the others. Soon enough we had dislodged a trapped boulder from tree roots to weigh down the broken bridge and allow us to cross. The warp pad took us into a large room with a domed ceiling, a flight of stairs led down to a dirt floor, and across the vast enclosure was a passageway that had large stone pillars standing at the entrance.

"Hey, there's another warp pad over there…" Lloyd remarked, pointing to the furthest end of the nearly hidden corridor. He started forward, the others having already started down the steps and I was walking beside him.

A bell began to ring the moment we had reached the bottom of the steps, causing us all to stop and look around for the source. Was it an alarm? Had we stumbled into an ambush? We had had no choice but to take the warp pad, so Cruxis would know we were coming this way and could have easily just waited for us to appear to sound an attack.

"Wh…what's going on?" our young leader asked as he kept his eyes focused on the space above us.

There was a ledge high above us, and even with the bell ringing, I could make out the hum that made me think doors were opening. The sound of wings fluttering was the only warning we had before almost a dozen of Cruxis' minions appeared, hovering above us menacingly. The ones that were closest, watching us, were Angel Swordians, female angels that looked more like living dolls than the half elves they were once.

"Angels!" Lloyd gasped, his hands going to his sides to grip the hilts of his swords.

I saw two of the Angel Swordians dip their wings to swoop down on us, their sabers poised for battle. "Here they come!"

"Die!" the first one cried out as she slashed at Sheena and Presea with her blades, barely giving them the chance to defend. Her lifeless eyes remained locked on the pair, and she swung at the pink haired ax woman again with one of her swords to try to slice the girl open.

Presea lifted her Ogre Ax once again to defend. "No."

"We can't let them slow us down. Power Seal Pinion!" Sheena tossed her Asura cards out at the angel, catching her in the side and stunning her. Her timing couldn't have been better, for as soon as our attackers had started their descent Raine had raised her staff and began to prepare a spell. The second the ninja's attack was complete, the Professor unleashed a Photon spell upon the Angel Swordian, adding to the damage it had taken.

The other Cruxis minion had gone speeding toward Lloyd, but the brunette swordsman had leapt up into the air in a forwards somersault with his swords out to rotate with him. "Omega Tempest!"

When the angel was stunned, barely hovering over the ground, and Lloyd had landed safely behind her, I rushed forward, throwing out my left leg and catching the lifeless being in the jaw. "Swallow Kick!"

After knocking her back, I spun on my left leg throwing out my right in three strong kicks and then going into a back flip with my left leg extended to catch the angel under her chin. "Crescent Dark Moon!"

"Ugh!" the angel grunted when she hit the dirt floor.

Genis had been powering up for one of his spells, waving his kendama as a circle of purple light spun beneath his feet. His eyes were closed in concentration, the light growing as he targeted the same angel that had attacked Presea. When he opened his eyes, he nodded to her. "Now, Presea! Thunder Blade!"

"Dual Punishment!" Presea cried out as she lunged at the angel, spinning around with her ax out to strike.

"Lightning Punishment!" they called out together as a pillar of lightning appeared, crackling with power as it electrified the lifeless being and Presea continued to rotate, hitting her again and again with that large ax. When the magic dissipated, Presea hopped back, watching as the angel collapsed, and then she turned her gaze back up to the other angels that were flying close to the top of the dome.

Rushing at the angel I had knocked down, Lloyd planted his feet and slashed out with his swords creating a manifestation of mana that looked like a lion's head, the blow sending our opponent tumbling. "Beast!"

"How could this have happened?" the lifeless being murmured in disbelief before she stopped moving, her expressionless eyes falling shut.

Lloyd grit his teeth as he turned his eyes up when that familiar hum rang throughout the room again, signaling that even more of the lifeless being were on their way in addition to the ones already hovering near the dome. There was no way of knowing how many were up on that ledge, and we couldn't even see it from so far below. "Dammit, there's no end in sight."

Sheena's right…we can't let this delay us.

But if we make a move for that warp pad, they'll follow us…unless…

Unless one of us stays behind and makes it so they can't.

I set my jaw, bracing myself for what I knew had to be done. There wasn't time to find another way, and I wasn't about to let someone else risk themselves when I could ensure their safe escape. Jerking my head in the direction of the hallway, I shouted, "Make a break for that passage!"

"All right!" He had no reason to suspect my intentions, no way of knowing what I planned to do was against what he stood for, and I hated that I was using his trust. He sprinted forward with Sheena not far behind him. Genis, Presea, and Raine took a moment to respond but soon they ran between the pillars towards the teleporter without looking back.

Lloyd…I'm sorry…

I followed behind them, waiting until they had all made it to safety before I stopped, planted my feet, and then kicked out at the closest pillar with all my might. A loud rumble filled the vast room as the stone column I'd hit snapped, the upper half slamming into its twin bringing them both tumbling down. The passage was almost completely blocked off by the debris with only a few holes large enough for me to see my friends whirl around startled. I turned to face the gathering angels and to try to prevent myself from being overcome with guilt.

"Regal!" Lloyd called out from behind the rubble. He sounded worried, and confused, and it made my heart clench at the fact that I was only going to add to the pain he was in. But if I gave my life so that he could keep fighting perhaps one day he would understand why I'd done it.

"I'll hold them off here. Hurry!" I insisted, not even looking over my shoulder at them, keeping my focus on the Cruxis minions who hovered high above me. They seemed to be assessing the situation as more of them emerged from on top of the ledge.

"You know I can't leave you behind!" the swordsman exclaimed.

"There's no time. You know that," I replied in the same firm tone. I wasn't about to back down, not this time. I could make sure that the others kept on going, give them a chance to stop Cruxis, and it didn't matter what it cost me. Out of all of us, there was no way that my life took priority over theirs. Even now, doing this, it would not absolve me of my sins, but at least I would not be making the same mistake I had before. "You're the only one that can save Colette."

"I know that! But I can't just leave my friend!" Lloyd shouted in protest, his voice nearly shaking. He sounded frantic almost, as if he couldn't believe I was going to leave myself behind to face numerous enemies.

"That's not what you're doing. I…" Flinching slightly, I cut off, unable to finish what I'd been about to say because of everything it brought to mind. Determined, I pushed the rest of it away focusing on what had to be done for all my friends to keep going. They were what mattered now. If I could keep Cruxis from pursuing them from behind then it was worth any risk. "I once wasn't able to protect someone very important to me. So this time, I'm going to succeed. I'm going to protect my friends."

"Regal…" Lloyd murmured, torn between what he wanted to do and what he knew had to be done even though I had made that decision for him.

"Lloyd." All I could do was hope he would listen, hope he wouldn't waste anymore time arguing with me, and pray that what I was doing would not be in vain. Years ago, I had failed to protect Alicia. She had fallen into Vharley's hands and her death was on my head, so I could not bear for the same thing to happen with my friends. "Save Colette."

"All right." The sound of footsteps followed, but soon stopped. The swordsman's voice was gentle and yet held the most serious edge I had ever heard from him. "Regal, don't die. Don't make me go through the same pain you did. You hear me?"

The same pain…no, I don't want anyone else to feel this…

When the group used the warp pad there was a soft hum that lessened the tension in my limbs, the knowledge that they had escaped for now calming the rapid beating of my heart. I had to sigh though. Lloyd had done it again without really even trying, using the fact that I always kept my word, fulfilled my promises, against me. While I hadn't wanted to cause him pain, I would have if I laid down my life for his, and now I couldn't because he'd asked me to live.

"Heh. You sure don't make things easy, Lloyd." I closed my eyes, trying to relax further, to prepare myself to fight. In that fleeting moment though, I saw the face of my beloved and my chest ached in the familiar way it had since the fateful day I had tired to trade the mines for her return. I hung my head a little, wishing for a moment I had the right to ask her for strength. "I'm sorry, Alicia. It looks like it's still going to be a while before I join you."

Taking one last deep breath, I swiftly ran forward, giving myself room away from the debris of the columns, glaring up at the angels as I took my usual Traubel stance. Whether or not I could keep my promise to Lloyd would still remain to be seen, but I knew what I had to do now, and I would do everything in my power to keep the lifeless beings at bay.

"You shall not pass!" I cried out my azure eyes narrowing on the flock of them moving to swoop down and strike.

An Angel Swordian dropped down with merely a tip of her wings, both blades sweeping out in front of her. I quickly sidestepped the blow, so she swung again with her left in an attempt to give me no room to dodge. "Away!"

Lifting my right leg to block with my greave, I took the hit just so that she would be in close range for me to counter. Traubel was not a long range fighting art, I needed to have my opponents within reach to strike. Throwing my right leg out into a spinning kick, I pivoted on my left leg to repeat the motion two more times before leaping into a back flip where my left leg was extended to catch the angel under her chin. "Crescent Dark Moon!"

Before the angel could recover, I ducked low to sweep my leg around and hit her low before springing up into a rotating kick. "Dragon Rage!"

If it had been strategy or not I couldn't be sure, but while I had been exchanging blows with one Angel Swordian, the other lifeless beings had moved in. A male one wearing armor and carrying a spear slashed at me with his weapon, catching me in the shoulder. He was flanked by others, and soon it was all I could do to avoid several swords and spears swinging at me at once.

There were so many of them I didn't have time to block. I ducked underneath a sword only to be caught in the back with a spear. It had been careless, but the wound wasn't deep. I kicked out, trying to gain more room now that the winged minions of Cruxis were swarming me, but all I managed was to ward them off for a moment and earned myself a glimpse of the Angel Swordian off to the side preparing a spell. My eyes widened. I was surrounded; there was no way to get out of her range.

"Now die!" the sword carrying angel snapped as she unleashed the magic with a wave of her blades.

A whirlwind of ice suddenly whipped around me, the cold shards slashing my skin as I was lifted off my feet. Before I could even regain my senses after being bombarded with a sharp flurry of ice, one of the Angel Spearmen swung out with his weapon, hitting me in the side of the head making me see stars for an instant. I stumbled back, scrambling a bit for balance as an Angel Commander whirled around with his staff to strike me again. With what meager footing I gained, I jumped at the staff bearing lifeless being throwing out my left leg to kick him in the face and then swept my foot back and forth a few times to increase the damage. "Swallow Dance!"

By sending that angel to the ground I had just left room for more to swoop in, their weapons waving around to cut me down. Frantically I jumped, weaved, ducked, and blocked, trying to keep from being injured or worse, already cut in several places. There wasn't much more that I could take. To break free from their onslaught, I charged at the nearest three angels, stringing out my mana and passing right through them as if I were some kind of phantom, then planting my feet and shoving my elbow into one of their backs to topple them in the other direction. "Heaven's Charge!"

The trio crashed into a few of the others, tangling them up in each other on the ground. One of the spearmen flew after me, not about to let up, but I sprung up to meet him, kicking him hard in the gut and the face before pivoting in the air to slam him into the dirt with my feet. "Eagle Dive!"

No matter how many angels I brought down with my attacks though it was not enough, more kept coming. Standing my ground, I continued to fight, countering their blows with my own to stop them from reaching the debris and busting through the stone to get to the warp pad. The toll it was taking on me though was increasing as I suffered more and more blows from their spells and their weapons. Even when an Angel Swordian slashed my side open I didn't give up.

I had promised myself I would protect my friends, and that was what I had to do, while keeping my word to Lloyd as well. No matter what I had to keep going. But no matter how much my mind was set to push me through this battle, my body disobeyed and began to shut down, the blood loss causing most of the fatigue.

"Die…" one of the Angel Commanders murmured without emotion, quickly unleashing an Eruption spell under my feet, the lava gushing upwards, hurling me to the ground in a heap, singed.

"Ah…" Burnt, bleeding, and with shackled wrists, it was hard to get up off my side and to my knees. I was shaking slightly, gritting my teeth, trying to muster the strength to stand. I could not give in, not now I had to keep my word. Hissing at the wave of pain that threatened to topple me, I rose to my feet taking my traditional stance once again.

The eerie blank face of one of the female angels did not even flicker with malice before she dove at me, swords already a blur in strokes that went to slice my body in the most vicious ways possible. When one blade was raised up to come down upon my head, I lifted my shackled wrists to catch it, metal crashing into metal, and then I kicked out with my right leg catching her in the stomach. The force sent her sprawling back, but she swiped out with one of her swords in that split second tearing into my thigh.

"…Damn!" I hissed through my teeth, my leg starting to give beneath my weight no matter how much I willed it to hold me. At the same time another angel lunged at me, spinning around to gain momentum before his staff slammed into the side of my head.

Thrown through the air, I didn't have the chance to right myself, landing on my bleeding side. Clamping my jaw shut was the only reason I did not cry out. Gasping for breath, I tried to get back up, to rise to my feet and continue to fight them off, but the second I put pressure on my injured leg the outraged fire that leapt up it had me reeling. I couldn't stand on it. My mind might still be ready to continue the fight, but my body couldn't take any more.

I don't' have time…for a healing spell…

They won't allow me time…

I…can't get up…

At the thought of surrender, something deep inside of my very being panicked violently flooding my veins with adrenaline, a last ditch effort to get me off the ground, and yet when I went to put weight on my wounded leg I merely collapsed back into the dirt. The tear in my thigh was too deep, I'd expended too much energy in battle, and I'd lost too much blood. The sound of wings flapping told me that the lifeless beings were merely waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

"Are you ready for this?" The exclamation echoed off the stone walls abruptly, seeming to come from everywhere at once. My head snapped up, blue eyes wide, for I knew that voice all too well. While I was stunned with disbelief, denying what I had thought I'd heard as a trick of my desperate mind, the angels paused remaining still. It seemed they were either unsure of what to do or reevaluating the situation now that someone else was there. "Healing Stream!"

Zelos…?

No…he betrayed us…

A light began to swirl and shimmer beneath me, a blue circle that rippled with energy and sent a wave of calm through my limbs. I saw as cuts on my arms began to close, felt the wounds I had suffered mend in seconds, and gradually felt some of my fatigue fade. The spell was one that the red headed Chosen had just learned recently, an upper level spell, but I could not bring myself to really believe the swordsman had come to my aid. It was foolish to think my rescuer could be anyone else when I knew of no one else that knew the spell and it had sounded like the Chosen of Tethe'alla though.

The hesitance of the minions of Cruxis to act was cut short when they seemed to realize what had occurred. While my leg still throbbed, I scrambled up, backing away from them to gain myself another moment before they were upon me. Their weapons poised, a few of the angels began to approach, their wings fluttering only enough to keep them above the ground.

"Regal! Look out!" Again, Zelos' voice echoed around me, and it was a second later I spotted him across the room. There was a rune circle glowing under his feet, the only reason I did not question how he'd managed to suddenly appear, and he gestured for me to dart in his direction before he lifted on hand in the air. "Don't run! Thunder Blade!"

Even as the pained cries of angels erupted behind me, my eyes narrowed upon the young man who had given Colette to our enemies. "What are you doing here, Zelos?"

"Saving you, El Presidente! Thank me later!" There was already another rune circle spinning beneath him as a smirk crossed his lips. I looked over my shoulder just in time to see jagged spires of earth jut out of the ground into the crowd of angels that had tried to follow after me. "Ready for this? Grave!"

An Angel Swordian dove at me from the side, having made it through the destructive forces the Chosen was conjuring, her swords swiping out in front of her. Not slowing for an instant, I leapt at her, pivoting to through my right leg into her face before she could strike me, tossing her into the air while I rushed to Zelos' side. I had no idea how the swordsman had found me, or why he was helping me, but he seemed to be a better companion than the angels at the moment.

When I stood next to him, I spun on my heels so my back was to the wall and I could see the lifeless beings beginning to regroup. Clenching my jaw, I watched the red headed man from the corner of my eye. "Why?"

"Do you really wanna chat now, or do you want to get out of here?" Zelos demanded as he pressed one hand to the wall behind him. A slab of rock slid away to reveal a door, how he had to have entered before, and he jerked his head at it. "Come on."

He betrayed us…but…he's helping me now.

What is going on?

I glanced between the gather swarm of angels and the man who had been playing not only with us, but Cruxis and the Renegades as well. If anything, while Zelos had betrayed the group, he had healed me, and while he could just be taking me to a far more dangerous situation, there was a part of me that doubted that his intentions were malicious. I darted into the passageway quickly, hearing Zelos follow and the slab slide back into place behind him.

"Regal…you don't have to trust me ever again…but the others are in trouble. We have to help them…and then we have to be there when Lloyd faces Yggdrasill," the swordsman told me as he rushed past me down the dark corridor that stretched out before us.

"But, you--" I started, following him without thinking.

"It's all part of the plan, okay? There's no time for me to explain. This whole place is littered with traps, and you're not the only one that's ready to let Lloyd keep going and stay behind!" Zelos shouted cutting me off firmly. I couldn't remember ever seeing him so serious before.

Whatever was going on, whatever Zelos was trying to do, the fact that the others could be in danger was more than enough to get me to follow him. The rest could be sorted out when I knew that our friends were safe.

I've kept my word, Lloyd, and I'm going to see to it that you keep yours.

To be continued

End notes: I don't have much to say this time except thank you for reading, and for waiting patiently for this update. I'm very happy to be getting close to the end of the game as well as this story.