Secrets

Yuan sighed and leaned to his desk, a part of his hair falling over his shoulder as he did. The scenario that had just taken place in the base of Sylvarant rolled over in his mind as he thought what to do next.

Botta, along with some of the Renegades, had come to the Tower of Salvation in the last minute to take the Chosen away from Yggdrasill, preventing him to revive Martel. As Yuan had tried to capture Lloyd, he had fled along with the rest of the group, stealing some Rheairds as they went to Tethe'alla. Yuan had soon ordered his men to leave for the other world as well.

But it was not the fact that they had escaped that worried the seraphim. He could find them anytime he wanted to, and he was pretty damn sure that Lloyd wouldn't go near the Tower of Salvation with his precious Colette again for a long time, and the revival of Martel would be delayed for some time.

But the fact that bothered Yuan was his state of operating. It was a dangerous game, he knew that. Acting to be with the Cruxis, when in fact he was leading their most opposing force, the Renegades. He was tired of living in both ways. Soon he had to come out against Mithos, show him really what he thought. But not yet, he knew, for now things were too fresh. He had to find out more about the Chosen's intentions and of Yggdrasill's.

He looked up as he saw one of his workers standing in the hallway. The Seraphim immediately got to his feet and reached for a dagger under his cape, as the 'Desian' had a terrified expression in his face, and a thin sword was pointed to his neck.

'My lord Yuan…' the worker stammered forth, as if begging for mercy. It was then Yuan recognised the sword. He exhaled and sheathed the dagger into his clothing once again.

'You sure pick your timing good,' he said, his voice back to its chilly tone. The one holding the sword revealed herself into the doorway as she kicked the so to be 'Desian' out of her way. He stumbled down the stairs, running away, and she looked after him.

'What were you planning to do with him, anyway?' Yuan asked her. Tatheya sheathed her sword.

'Well, you can't be too sure about your 'security',' she added and now turned her face to the Renegade leader. He surveyed her as she stood in the doorway, arms crossed. Her dark red hair fell lightly upon her shoulders, and he noticed that she had cut it short around her forehead to make it wilder. Probably to make her more different from her father, he added with a bitter thought.

On her feet she wore a pair of thin leather boots and a rather tight pair of beige pants. She only had a vest that covered her chest, revealing her flat stomach bare, with only a dark blue jacket as warmth. Yuan wondered how she avoided freezing to death in this landscape. But then, he couldn't feel the cold, so he gave up in wondering the temperature.

'I've seen you've freshen up before paying a visit to us,' he mentioned ironic to her untidy hair and the cut in her side from the wolf.

'Oh, just give up,' she said and walked into the room, tossing her sword towards a chair. Yuan turned his back to her, facing his desk.

'Well, for what it's worth,' he sighed, 'it's nice to see you again, Tath.'

He could feel her freeze in her movements, feel her rage.

'I thought I told you never to call me by that!'

He turned to her.

'It is your right name, no? Or are you too ashamed of your origin to accept it?'

She looked at him, her eyes filled with cold ice.

'Yes.'

He paused. She could feel him putting up an emotionless express in his face.

Indeed Tath was her real name. Tath Eya. Tatheya was a combination of the name, a name she used to those she did not trust, which was everyone. Only a few knew of her real name, including Yuan.

'Well,' he looked at her, 'what is your purpose here? Simply insulting me?'

She grinned.

'Ha, no, that wouldn't be worth the long trip here.'

'Indeed, but I assume it's a lot easier since you stole that Rheaird from us,' he added in a meaning tone.

'Perhaps,' she looked at him, 'Well, I need some information.'

Yuan gave a snort.

'Ah, yes, as always. Is it for your precious leader Ian?'

Tath sighed.

'Actually, this is for my own.'

'Hmm, yes, you've always wanted to know everything.'

She rolled her eyes at him as he walked towards the hall.

'Come with me and I'll tell you,' he added as he descended from his office, his black cape following his movements. She reluctantly followed him.

'As a matter of fact, the Chosen and her group was in our facility in Sylvarant not too long ago.'
Tath stopped.

'What? So Yggdrasill didn't make it with the Revival?'

'Obviously not. And stop calling him Yggdrasill.'

'As you wish,' she grunted. 'So what happened?'

'We attempted to capture Lloyd Irving, but failed as he escaped with four of our Rheairds.'

Tath grinned behind his back at his failure, but then a question popped up in her head.

'Why this obsession with that Lloyd? He is just a companion with the Chosen.'

'You're one to talk. You always ask of Kratos. Why this obsession with him?'

Tath looked up. Yuan knew she wanted to know about the angel. She snorted.

'Hmm, you have your secrets, I have mine. Now tell me.'

Yuan sighed.

'As they reached the Tower of Salvation, Kratos revealed himself as a traitor to them and fought them.'

Tath was silent, waiting for more.

'He won,' he gave a glance to Tath as if stating that is was an obvious end. Tath sighed.

'And? He didn't kill them?'

'Indeed Kratos fought the sword out of Lloyd's hands, but in that moment Mithos appeared, ready to kill them himself, but that is where Botta came.'

'Aw, to spoil the end,' Tath added sarcastically but Yuan took no notice.

'Why didn't you just kill the Chosen?' Tath asked.

'No, we needed Lloyd and he would probably kill us if we were to eliminate his precious Chosen.'

'Once again this obsession with Lloyd.' Tath looked at him. 'When are you going to tell what is so special about that boy?'

'Someday. It is information to important to leak out.'

Tath gave a sigh, but accepted his demand.

'So where is the Chosen now?'

'Somewhere in Tethe'alla. My guesses are they are heading towards Meltokio.' Yuan walked into a big room with several monitors in it. It was the hangar of the Rheairds.

Tath stopped by a machine, suddenly leaning for support, as her vision blacked for a moment again.

Yuan looked at her, recognising the symptoms.

'You should go to Altessa.'

She immediately stood up. 'I know when it's time,' she snapped back.

Yuan fell silent.

'Just not too late,' he added and turned his gaze to her, 'you have a habit of being late.' His voice was actually worried.

'Hmpf,' Tath merely grunted for answer.

'Anything else I need to know?' she then continued with a sigh. Yuan knew she wanted to leave as fast as she could, but before that she wanted every information.

Nothing that I want you to know, Yuan thought and sighed, as he knew that she wouldn't take that for an answer.

'Hmpf,' he merely grunted for answer. He could feel Tath's eyes in his back as he walked over to a monitor.

'Mithos is trying to find someone to accompany the Chosen and give him information about it.'

Tath was silent, waiting for more.

'I am going to talk that someone into give the Renegades information too.'

'But you are like the highlight of Cruxis,' Tath raised an eyebrow, 'Just go to the stupid meetings with Yggdra…Mithos, and find out whatever you need.' She looked at the seraphim, who was silent.

'I know.' Then he turned to Tath. 'Things are changing, I can sense it. It is soon time for me to reveal my true self to Mithos.'

Tath looked at him, sighing. 'And it only took you twenty years to do it,' she added ironic under her breath, knowing that Yuan would hear it with his improved hearing and all. The Seraphim sighed, well aware of his troubles.

Six Years old.

'My Goodness, what has happened?'

'That doesn't matter, what matters is if you can help her.'

Altessa looked up at the cloaked man, then looked down at the child he was holding in his arms, immediately located the exsphere on her hand.

'Hmm, I need to know more,' the dwarf put his words, trying to figure out why the man in front of him would bother of such a child, 'she is from on of the ranches in… Sylvarant, no?'

The hooded man nodded as he walked past the dwarf, into his home.

'Kvar made some horrible tests on her.' The man put the child down on one of the beds.

Altessa looked at the child; silence ruled the home for a minute.

'This exsphere was not being made from her, was it?'

The hooded man looked up from kneeling by the bed, upon Altessa.

'No. Kvar equipped it on her, together with this.' He carefully lifted one of the sleeves by the child's upper chest. Altessa mentally gasped but his face remained silent.

'…A Cruxis Crystal. The Angelus Project?'

The hooded man nodded.

Altessa frowned. 'But with an exsphere equipped together with the Crystal should only give the effect of more strength and the Cruxis Crystal should…'

'Indeed the exsphere is equipped to give strength, but the Cruxis Crystal has not evolved, it is being made from her.'

Altessa looked puzzled.

'Forgive me, Lord…'

'Do not say my name!' the man hissed and Altessa jerked in surprise of the man's secrecy, but continued.

'…But I do not understand. This exsphere should, if I carve a Key Crest, give enough strength to suppress the life draining effect from the Cruxis Crystal…' he looked up to the hooded man, 'but you should already know this.'

'I do and I could carve a temporary one myself, but there's more.'

'More?'

'Kvar believed, and was right, that the strength of the exsphere could be improved if he linked the exsphere directly to the body.'

'What do you mean? The exsphere is directly contacted to the body if you attach it to your skin.'

A hint of pain filled the hooded man's eyes.

'Indeed, but Kvar found a way to improve it.'

'How?'

The hooded man was silent for a while, looking at the child.

'He rearranged all her blood veins to link it through the exsphere.'

Altessa gasped, and was forced to sit down on the next bed, looking in shock at the girl.

'My Goodness, how did she survive that?'

The hooded man looked down in the floor.

'He used healing spells on her. It kept her with conscious, enough to see what he was doing.'

'…That sick man!'

'…Indeed.'

The hooded man found himself again and continued his explanation.

'With a Key Crest that method did improve her strength, but he tried the same method with the Cruxis Crystal so that it would evolve faster. That, however,' he looked at the glowing orb attached to the chest of the girl, 'did not work.'

'It had the opposite effect, draining her life, while the exsphere strengthened it. It worked as neutralising pools…for a while.'

Altessa could do nothing but hear the explanation of the man, staring in shock.

'As you know, a Cruxis Crystal is stronger than an exsphere, it is used to evolve people into…angels.'

Altessa nodded.

'…and the Crystal eventually grew too strong for the Key Crest, and started to absorb both the Crest and the exsphere. Now, as you heard that her entire vein system was linked to it and took her life quicker, and…more painful, than another Cruxis Crystal. It resulted in that her Key Crest was to be replaced every month, to suppress the effect of the Crystal.'

Altessa was silent, trying to take in what the man had just told him.

'…Why did Kvar do this?'

The man looked down in the ground.

'As always, he wanted a higher order. If the child would evolve the Cruxis Crystal together with the strength of the exsphere to become a more powerful Crystal than already existed, he would have the power to control Cruxis.'

'…But the experiment failed,' Altessa finished.

Silence ruled for a minute. The child twitched in her unconsciousness.

'Is there anything you can do?'

Altessa thought for a minute, a minute that seemed for an eternity.

'The only way I see it is to…' he looked up, 'evolve the Cruxis Crystal so that they both provide her with strength.'

'But then it will absorb the Exsphere… turning her into an angel, living on forever.'

Sadness ruled the man's face, as if he knew what it meant.

'I cannot carve a Key Crest strong enough to suppress the negative effects of the Crystal,' Altessa said, as to declare that there was no other option. 'If the Crystal is evolves, she will at least survive.'

The hooded man looked down in the ground, pain in his eyes. An incredible difficult decision. Both options were, in different ways of killing the child. Die, or to live on forever, not being able to feel anything?

'My Lord?'

He looked up. 'Alright. Evolve it.'

Altessa nodded, looking down at the child.