Yeah, I decided to keep the title the same. Yay for descriptive filler chapters! Well, not exactly a filler, more like a recap chapter. You'll see. Enjoy.

I do not own Tales of Symphonia, but I will if Santa comes through for me on Christmas this year ♥ That would be an awesome present, wouldn't it?

Chapter Three:

Father Seraph

Upon reaching the Tower of Salvation, Yuan ascended the transparent steps, placed his hand on the magitechnology scanner near the entrance, and waited for the door to open. Walking down the only path, he disregarded the spiral row of coffins hovering in the air and continued to the next room.

Great stone pillars surrounded the opening. Two sets of curved stairs lead to the end of many innocent lives; the sacrifice of the Chosen. A sword lie in the middle of the room on the lower section, emitting an aura of immense power, yet immune to those who lacked the right.

"But we all know HE does not possess the right," Yuan said as he took the teleport up.

Welgaia. City without a soul. Hundreds of lifeless beings floated above ground. Their eyes were emotionless: a deep shade of red. True to Yggdrasill's wishes, there was no discrimination in this city, but there was also no life. In order to achieve it, he sacrificed their humanity. They were unable to feel hunger, express joy, or form opinions of their own. Were they truly angels? Or demons with wings?

"Lord Yuan." A monotone voice broke the silence. Yuan looked up to see a familiar man standing before him, wearing his purple uniform. His auburn hair defied the laws of gravity.

"Hm. Kratos." Yuan didn't look pleased to see him.

"Here for the meeting?" Kratos asked, rhetorically.

"What do you think?"

Kratos ignored Yuan's hostility. "I was sent to fetch you. The meeting has been postponed."

"For what reason?"

"An urgent matter has come up and requires Lord Yggdrasill's immediate attention."

"What type of matters?" Concern for his secret actions rose in the back of his mind, but he did his best to keep them hidden. Kratos knew nothing about the Renegade's leader, and Yuan wished to keep it that way.

"That is not of your concern nor was it mentioned. Lord Yggdrasill has rescheduled the meeting. It will be soon."

"Fine. I'll be in the library." The half elf Seraph sashayed off.

Folding his arms, Kratos watched Yuan walk off. He began to ask a question, but voted against it. There was no use. "Hmm."

Welgaia had a prominent library; it easily rivaled those in Sybak, Meltokio, and Palmacosta. Millions of books spread across the floor plan containing no less than three hundred shelves, each holding close to two thousand books. Many of them were filled with information on the Ancient Kharlan War. Yggdrasill wrote some himself and everyone else had no choice but to believe him. Editing the contents was forbidden by anyone but Mithos himself. The way he figured, the lifeless beings lacked the capacity to even question the historical accuracy of the literature cluttering the library.

Yuan walked through the door of the library calmly.

"Identification please." A guard asked without even looking up.

"Am I really required to show it?" Yuan asked without moving.

"Oh, Lord Yuan! I was unaware of your presence," he apologized in a drone voice. "Please proceed."

Lord Yuan walked off while saying, "I shall."

He knew exactly what he was looking for and flew to the back of the library, a section that was quickly collecting dust. He scanned the books with his angelic eyes and ran his fingers over the rims of the books until he spotted one. Carefully, he peeled it away from its location before finding a seat back on ground level.

The Seraph pulled his seat back and sat down. "Alright," he said to himself. "Let's see." His fingers flipped through the pages. Pictures and diagrams flashed by quickly.

No one else cared for what Yuan was doing. Actually, he was alone in the back of the library. Most of the books in that sections were left to rot: they held no information needed or substantial to the Age of Lifeless Beings. Plus, crossing any of the Three Seraphim was like playing with fire while being covered in oil and paper; one would most likely get burned, and not just burned, destroyed beyond the point of no return, even if one was able to return, they wouldn't want to.

Yuan read the contents quietly, yet slowly, in an attempt to retain as much as possible. Some of the information was new to him. That was surprising, due to the fact that he had four thousand years of data in his head. Probably more than he should have acquired.

Crackling sounds disturbed his concentration. He moaned in annoyance and looked to the side, where a communicator had been installed. The library had several of them; actually, Welgaia was filled with communicators. The angel city had the best magitechnology, though the Renegades were quickly catching up, thanks to their leader.

A few seconds later, Yggdrasill's figure appeared in a holographic form. "Yuan," he said in a deep, adult tone of voice; one that demanded authority. Surely enough, when Lord Yggdrasill spoke, people listened. "The meeting will now begin. Please report to my castle immediately."

"As you wish, Lord Yggdrasill." Obediently, he stood up and pushed in his seat while hiding the book he was reading.

"Very good," the leader replied. "Hmm. . . Yuan. Why are you in the library? Kratos told me I would find you here."

Yuan turned to the communicator and swallowed before speaking. "Merely passing the time with reading."

"Interesting hobby." Mithos laughed. "Regardless, report for the meeting now."

"Yes, My Lord."

Yggdrasill disappeared and the area went dark again once the communicator turned off. Yuan sighed to himself, pulling back his cerulean hair and folding his arms under the long, black cape. "Can't let him see this book."

Before leaving, he left the book he had been reading at the first desk to keep on reserve. Not like anyone would take the book, but still: better safe than sorry. The receptionist didn't look at the title, fearing he would anger Lord Yuan for being curious in the Seraph's personal reading habits.

"I will keep this book on reserve for you, Lord Yuan. Please enjoy your meeting." He placed the book in a compartment out of view from the position were Yuan stood.

"Thank you," before walking off.

Derris-Kharlan was the location of the misdirected leader's castle. It was under heavy security; the Derris Emblem sealed off the route and only members of the High Cruxis Order could approach it. Though, no one was brave enough to attempt to overrule Yggdrasill.

Inside the castle were an endless supply of hallways and stairwells. The stairwells were something of a pun though; everyone in Welgaia had wings. The main room arched off into a different paths that would seemed sempiternal to any new comer, each leading to another room filled with books, windows showing the dazzling view of two worlds splits apart, and lifeless beings. A great dragon guarded the door to Mithos' private quarters; absolutely no one was allowed in that room. Yet absolutely no one had the key to enter even if they were brave enough to defy orders.

"Glad you could make it." A sarcastic Pronyma greeted.

Yuan stepped into a room after a slight hesitation and ignored Pronyma. A long table sat in the center along with chairs. He directed himself to the arrangement and took a seat, carefully positioning himself the farthest away from everyone else.

"Is that how you speak to a Seraph, Pronyma?" Yuan retorted with his eye closed.

"Forgive me," she apologized, with the same sardonic tone. "Glad you could make it, Lord Yuan."

"Insolence will be your downfall. Your lack of respect is merely mirrored back to you." Kratos' voice appeared behind Yuan until he seated himself near the end of the table.

"Interesting hearing that from a traitor, Lord Kratos." Pronyma slotted her eyes, which went unheeded by Kratos. She gave no respect to anyone but Yggdrasill and in return, received none. Even as the leader of the Five Desian Grand Cardinals, none valued her life. "Running away and abandoning Lord Yggdrasill. Then coming back like a lost pet after your family was killed. That disgusting host body; she took off with things that did not belong to her. Even worse, she produced a child. Filthy humans."

Kratos balled his fist under the table and resisted the urge to bit his lip. He didn't want to show her his irritation. Those scars had not yet healed."Do not speak ill of the dead. Regardless, my past is of no matter to you."

"The only reason he prolonged your life is because of Origin; your life IS the seal. Still, it amazes me why he'd chose you as a life seal. I think a dog would have been a more reliable choice, as they are loyal to their masters."

"Maybe he should have chosen a dog then, but you resemble a werewolf more than a dog." Yuan defended Kratos; she had no right to speak of his supposedly dead wife and child.

Pronyma growled angrily. "You l-"

"Pronyma, silence." Lord Yggdrasill entered the room. Those who were sitting stood up to bow and those standing knelt down in respect. "Treat those with higher ranks than you with respect."

"Yes, Lord Yggdrasill," Pronyma replied submissively.

"Rise and be seated. The meeting will now begin." Mithos seated himself at the end of the table in the largest chair, specially reserved for himself. "Now," he said after all three were seated, "I have matters to discuss."

"Is all well, Lord Yggdrasill?"

"Yes, all is well," he responded, slightly annoyed with being interrupted. "I am happy to report that Sylvarant's Chosen is showing signs of having the closest mana signature to Martel."

"Hmm."

"Because of this, I want to heighten the security around the Chosen."

"Security?" Yuan asked. "Her crystal will not awaken if she is not in danger." He set his mind into bad guy mode; right now, he had to think like a Seraph, not a Renegade.

"I know, Yuan." Yggdrasill nodded. "The Desians know of this as well and all those plans will remain the same."

"So the Desians will continue to reek havoc in Sylvarant around the time the Oracle is conveyed?" Kratos implied.

"Yes, Kratos. When I give the signal, they'll carry out my orders."

"Then what good will security do?" Pronyma joined the conversation. "If she feels safe, then her crystal will not awaken and she can not merge with Martel."

"My concern is those filthy Renegades that seem to get in my way at the worst of times. I can not wait for the day I finally wipe them out, once and for all." Yggdrasill rubbed his temples. "Therefore, I want added security around this Chosen. To keep her away from the Renegades and speed up the process of World Regeneration. If they get her, who knows how long it would take to make another vessel?"

"Ah, I see. A wise decision, Lord Yggdrasill."

"Are there any objections?" Even if there were, Mithos wouldn't care. They all knew that. None of them could combat his almighty power. Not yet, anyway.

"None," Pronyma said first.

"None." Yuan was second.

"None." Kratos was last.

Yggdrasill smiled with a smile that would scare the devil himself. His plans were coming into action. "Good," he replied as he entwined his fingers together. "If there are no more questi-"

"Lord Yuan." Pronyma peered down the table; her eyes glued to Yuan's cape. "Is that. . . ." She got up from her seat and walked over to him. Her sudden outburst caught the room's attention. Mithos figured she had a good reason for rudely interrupting him twice in the same meeting. "What is this peculiar substance soiling your expensive cloak?" Her fingers grabbed the cape violently and she revealed the tip where a stain had set in.

"What?" Yuan turned around and inspected the mark. It had indeed deeply stained his cloak, discoloring a circular section of the material.

"It appears to be. . . . . ." Kratos raised an eyebrow suspiciously, "regurgitated."

Yggdrasill looked at Yuan; half amused, half confused. "Yuan, did you throw up on yourself?"

"Impossible. He has not eaten in four thousand years," Pronyma stated.

Kratos examined it closer. The unpleasant smell reached his nose. "It seems to have come from a child. Infant most likely." He was once a father. Memories of his son throwing up on his uniform during feedings and of Anna laughing as she cleaned him up were still in his mind.

"What?!" the Seraph repeated. Then he realized: Genis must have thrown up on him before he left. Yuan shook his head and sighed. "Children," he whispered under his breath.

"Yuan, do you have a child? Speak now; I may let him live." Mithos was not about to let history repeat itself; Kratos was the one and only Seraphim who interrupted and jeopardized his plan due to a family. "If I find him on my own, there is no guarantee what will happen."

"No, I do not have a child, Lord Yggdrasill. There is no way I could hide one from you."

Yggdrasill wasn't satisfied, but put the issue to the back of his mind for another time. His sister was more important than a child. "Hmph. Very well. Meeting over for now. Expect to hear from me again soon."

Kratos was the first to leave, followed by Pronyma. But Yuan didn't get out of the room fast enough.

"Yuan," Yggdrasill called before Yuan even touched the doorknob.

Sighing, Yuan turned around to face his superior. "Yes, My Lord?"

Mithos moved in closer, locking eye contact with the Seraph. "I would have hoped you learned from Kratos' mistake, which he paid for with his family's lives." His tone was malicious in itself, despite knowing of the half elf's past. "It is unwise to oppose me."

Yuan tried his best to remain calm. "I know of Kratos' betrayal, Lord Yggdrasill. I have no intentions of opposing. If I did, surely I would have done it already."

"Hmm," he said in a train of thought.

He saw the opportunity to leave and caught it. "Please excuse me, My Lord. I must wash my cape." With that, Yuan made his escape.

Oh noes! Genis threw up on Yuan's Cape of Intense Awesomeness! Bad Genis; no dinner! Hmm, looks like Lord Yggdrasil is rather suspicious of Yuan, but he's more concerned with the Chosen. And that Pronyma; grr, what a (insert a variety of words I can not add without raising the rating of this story). What will happen next? Tune in for the next chapter most likely going to be titled Melancholy.