To Achieve Salvation

Part 1—Changes

Chapter 3: Return of the Renegades

As it was early enough in the day, everyone decided they had enough energy to scout out the Temple of Lightening before nightfall. They commenced with another rheaird ride, and Zelos once took position near Presea, as she was least likely to pry. They spent most of the journey in silence, with Zelos asking an occasional question and receiving a succinct reply from Presea. The chosen used the sporadic chatter to distract himself from the uneasiness he felt. The situation with the dying mana tree had shaken him. In typical fashion, Zelos had done his best to ignore the sensation, but the event at the mana tree had forced him to acknowledge that something was indeed wrong. Now, all he could hope for was for the group to solve whatever problem this was quickly so he could forget all of this and get back to normal. Whatever his normal was.

It was early afternoon when the group landed their rheairds a short distance from the lightening temple and concealed them in bushes—after all, as Raine had reminded them, they never knew who could be watching.

They began the short trek to the ancient shrine. Zelos hung near the back, and was quite alert despite the casual way in which he rested his arms behind his head. Years of living as the chosen had made him an expert at appearing relaxed while being observant. Sweeping his eyes over the party, his gaze lingered on Sheena. He noticed that her usual fiery stance was subdued, and she appeared to stare at nothing, lost in thought. Feeling as though he was doing enough brooding for the both of them, he waltzed up to her and put his arm around her waist, flashing her a debonair smile.

"Penny for your thoughts, darlin'?" he asked, strolling alongside her at a smooth pace.

The ninja glanced upwards towards him, shaken out of her reverie. She then noticed the arm around her, and she extricated herself from the offending limb with a nimbleness known only to those of Mizuho—and promptly tripped over a tree root sticking out from the ground. Zelos caught her and hauled her up in a dramatic fashion.

"Ah, my sexy summoner," he cooed, hugging her in her temporary vulnerability, "I just knew that you couldn't stay away from me for long."

He was about to elaborate further, but a slap to the face cut him off. His smile only grew broader. "Aaaaaannnd there's my violent demonic banshee. So what ails you today, Sheenuts?"

Sheena snorted in dry amusement. "So now you're interested in talking about feelings?"

"Ouch, hunny," Zelos replied, clutching his hands to his heart, "That was harsh. But we could talk about plenty of other more—substantial topics, like the way your robe emphasizes your wondrous —"

"Pervert," she huffed, rolling her eyes. "But if you really must know, I was just reflecting. After all, so many things have changed. I've become stronger, and we saved the world…" she trailed off, glancing towards a small charm she kept attached to her belongings—Corinne's bell. She ran her fingertips over the smooth metal surface, and then returned to her thought, saying, "But it feels like we're back to square one again. Was anything we did worthwhile?"

Zelos sighed, contemplating his words before he responded. It was an issue he had been struggling with as well. "Yes, things are different, and things are still the same. The world may be reunited, but the threat of trouble is still there. Cruxis and the Desians are gone, as well as the pope, but racism, pain and suffering still exist."

Sheena glanced up at him, surprised by the seriousness of his insightful response. She tried to speak, but Zelos continued, in a bit of a lighter tone, "You may be the master summoner that has forged a pack with every summon spirit, but you are still the ninja that trips over her own feet."

He then glanced down towards where the bell lay visible. "And Corinne may have died, but you still love him to this day. Yes, things are different, but things also stay the same. Is it good? Bad? I don't know. But it's part of being alive."

Sheena stared back at him, slowing her pace. "Zelos…" she murmured as her expression softened. Her gaze became warmer, almost tender.

The chosen seized up. Close. She was too close. "Also, I may have become an angel, but that doesn't mean my sexual prowess is in any way stifled. I've never been one for the church doctrines."

Her gentle expression morphed into an indignant scowl. "Idiot," she hissed, stalking ahead.

However, before she resumed her place near the front, she turned back. "…Thanks," she said, and then immediately faced away from him and struck up a conversation with Lloyd, looking much more like her normal self.

Zelos smiled to himself, and, just for a little bit, the emptiness lifted and the life that was Sheena filled his soul.

As the group neared the temple, they were shaken from their pattern of comfortable conversation by the crackling of twigs underfoot, coming from a hidden area of the forest. Startled, they readied their weapons and stared towards the source of the noise with baited breath.

A dozen or so figures suddenly jumped out of the woods and lunged towards them with their weapons raised.

"Halt! Who goes there?" one said, pointing a staff at the party, "Access in this area is strictly forbidden." However, Zelos wasn't too focused on the weapon; instead, he took in their outfits, coming to a conclusion when he heard Lloyd speak.

"Renegades? What—what are you doing here?" Lloyd asked. Zelos rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to face palm. The duel swordsman may have been the inspirational driving force behind saving the world, but he was still kind of an idiot. Acknowledging that you know a hostile enemy that is trying to stay hidden was generally not the best way to handle this sort of situation, a concept that remained elusive to Lloyd.

"Lloyd!" Raine hissed in irritation, catching his mistake as well. But it was too late.

The leader of the Renegade group growled in anger. "They know who we are. They must die! Don't hold back!" And with that, the battle began.

In all honesty, it wasn't much of a skirmish. The group was outnumbered, but they had battled Lord Yggdrasil and come out victorious; although that it had been a year, a dozen renegades was no real challenge. Zelos hacked and slashed on autopilot, stabbing a figure or two with his sword and defending almost lazily with his shield. The fight was over in less than a minute, Colette having finished off the last enemy with Angel Feathers. Staring at the unconscious figures on the ground, everyone regrouped.

"Lloyd," Regal said, choosing his words carefully, "Perhaps, in the future, you could handle a situation like that more…delicately."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Lloyd asked, sounding rather affronted, "They are Renegades, right?"

"Well, Bud, what Pops here means is that you were an idiot," Zelos added in his jovial tone as he cleaned his blade.

"Hey! What's the big deal?"

Genis shook his head and sighed. "Lloyd, if an enemy's trying to remain secretive, blabbing what you know about them is not the best way to confront them."

Lloyd raised his hands in exasperation. "Okay, okay! I get it! Sheesh."

All this time Raine had been circling the bodies, leaving the scolding in the hands of the others. "Interesting," she murmured, rubbing her chin, "It appears as if these really are the Renegades. But what on earth are they doing here? I though Yuan disbanded them."

"He probably does not know about it," Presea said, her hands folded over the hilt of her axe. "And I'm sure he can't investigate it himself. The task falls to us."

The group nodded in agreement. Glancing around at the immobile figures that littered the forest floor, Sheena piped in, "Hey, why don't we do what we did at the Asgard ranch—you know, take their clothes and infiltrate. We could just take a look around to see what's going on."

Regal clasped his hands in front of him, appearing thoughtful. "Yes, that could work. But who shall go in, and who should remain here?"

"Let's take a look at the clothes to see what's useful," Colette suggested, and the party began to look over the Renegades. After a few minutes, Raine had come to some conclusions.

"Only a few of these outfits are usable. One for a women, and one for a shorter man. I will take the women's clothing; after all, I am a half elf, so I would blend in more naturally. Now, which guy should we take?" She held up the remaining outfit, and Zelos noticed that it looked rather…small. It was practically diminutive.

"While I'm all for having tight clothes to show off my body, I don't think that an infiltration mission will have the necessary appreciative audience for me," he drawled, leaning against a nearby tree, "But I think it might fit pipsqueak over there." He waved his arm in Genis' direction.

Genis scrunched his face. "Don't call me that, you stupid chosen!" He then turned and addressed his sister, his temper cooled. "I think it would be good for me to come along. That way, I could help assess the source of the mana drainage."

Raine nodded in agreement. "Very well. At least this way I can keep an eye on you."

After a bit of general shuffling and fidgeting, Raine and Genis managed to worm their way into the outfits, appearing to pass as Renegades.

"Are you sure you'll be all right?" Colette implored, her brow wrinkled with worry. It was a very Colette expression, Zelos thought. That girl was impossibly selfless.

"We'll be fine," Genis said, "We've dealt with worse."

"Still, be careful," Presea added, addressing the siblings with slight concern, "It is unwise to underestimate your foes."

A red blush spread across the young half-elf"s face at her words. "Of c-course, Presea," he stammered.

The Tethe'allan chosen grinned at the mage's embarrassment. "Ah, young love," he cooed, patting Genis on the back and earning a scowl from the aforementioned half-elf, who attempted to push the redhead away.

Raine ignored their antics and addressed the group with her usual, no-nonsense attitude. "I expect us to be back shortly. Genis and I will take a quick look around and gather any information we can about the Renegade's activities, as well as investigate the source of the drain on the Yggdrasil Tree. You should all remain here."

"A reasonable plan," Regal assented, "But how are we to know if there is any trouble?"

"Hmm…" Raine contemplated, biting her lip, "If we are not back here in an hour or so, that would be a sign of a problem."

"That sounds pretty good," Lloyd agreed, "But if we hear anything weird, we'll go in and fight."

"All right. We'll be back soon, and hopefully with some answers," the healer stated, and with that, the siblings turned and headed towards the direction of the temple. Zelos watched them leave, noting how their receding forms stood closely together, drawing nearer to one another for strength and comfort. The image, though restrained as to not arouse enemy suspicions, showed a gentle tenderness in the cool grey light. In fact, when he tilted his head slightly and squinted, a distant memory struck. He and Seles were exploring the yard, making the confines of the mansion grounds seem like the wilderness of their dreams, and his sister was so happy and carefree, looking up at him lovingly—

Zelos halted his train of thought. Those times were far behind him, and they would never return. Trying to avoid dwelling on his unpleasantly pleasant memory, he directed his thoughts to the task at hand. He leaned against a tree with a sigh. All he had to do was wait for the the siblings to find out what was wrong and report it with them to Yuan. Then he could stop this irritating charade.

Genis stumbled over another pebble and sighed. The renegade outfit fit him for the most part, but the boots were at least a size too big. He tried to control his flailing the best he could, but the shoes were making him almost as clumsy as Colette. At least Presea wasn't around to see this. And it was a good thing that Zelos wasn't around either. That idiot would never let him live it down.

At the thought of the redhead, the young half-elf gave a slight frown, his mood dampening. Why did every interaction they share turn into an argument? As tempting as it was to blame it all on Zelos, Genis knew that wasn't fair. He had been no saint either, and his snide comments never helped smooth things over.

He never knew what to think about the Tethe'allan chosen. In spite of how much they argued, he didn't hate the man. On the contrary, he had developed a bit of begrudging respect for him. He was a competent fighter and surprisingly clever, with a math talent that surpassed his own and a penchant for quick thinking. Even though Zelos had been prejudiced against half-elves, he had freely admitted it, not hiding behind the empty lies most humans and elves did. He was a fine person until he opened his big mouth.

Then came his betrayal at the tower. Genis had been so hurt and angry at the time, even though Zelos had chosen Lloyd's group over Cruxis. Although by now, well over a year later, Zelos had more than proved his loyalty to them, he couldn't help but be hurt, and he lashed out at the chosen accordingly.

But perhaps he wasn't being fair. If there was one thing the tower taught him, it was that there was more to Zelos than meets the eye. Maybe if he just—

"Oof!" the mage cried, this time tripping over a twig. He reached for the arm of his sister but missed, and crashed to the forest floor. He scrambled quickly to get up, hoping Raine hadn't noticed, but he had no such luck. His face reddened as she knelt down beside him, examining the minor cuts and scratches from his fall.

"Oh, Genis," she murmured, her voice chiding yet gentle, "You really should be more careful." She muttered a quick incantation, and he felt his wounds heal over.

"I wasn't trying to fall over, sis," he scowled, crossing his arms, "It's these stupid shoes."

At that, Raine glanced down at his oversized shoes. Stifling a gentle laugh, she removed the offending objects from his feet and set them near her. "Here," she said, ripping off some leaves from a nearby tree and stuffing them in the toe of his shoes. "It's not perfect, but it should help."

Genis slid the boots back on his feet, taking a few experimental steps. The shoes were still a little loose, but at least he wasn't falling flat on his face every few steps. He smiled shyly at Raine. "Thanks, sis."

As they started to walk forward again, Raine continued, her light blue eyes piercing, "Why do I feel like that's not the only thing bothering you?"

When he didn't answer, she spoke again, a little more forceful, "Come on, Genis, you know better than to hide things from me."

The mage rolled his eyes but replied to her. "You never let up, do you?" he asked, and was met with a cool glare. He decided it was in his best interest to answer her.

"It's Zelos," he finally said, voice halting. "Don't you get the feeling that something's…off?"

At this, Raine's expression turned downcast, her eyes betraying a hint of sadness and unease. "I know what you mean," she replied with a heavy sigh, "And it worries me, too. He almost reminds me of how he was before the tower."

Genis took her silence as a cue to continue. "He's always kind of pushed us away. But he's doing it now more so than before. And he just feels so…empty. I don't know how to act around him, or what to say. After his betrayal, there was a whole side to him that none of us had ever seen. Now he just feels like a stranger. I don't even know him."

The healer nodded, her gaze showing her understanding. Genis looked her in the eye, desperate. "How do we fix this?" he asked, appearing for once his thirteen years of age.

"I—I don't know," she admitted. Genis dropped his gaze in sad understanding, and grabbed his sister's hand. She smiled at him, sadly, and they once again walked toward the temple.

Lloyd and Colette were seated on the forest floor, next to each other, with Presea nearby. Lloyd was carving a small charm while Colette looked on in excitement. Presea was observing his activities with mild interest, being a woodcarver herself. Sheena also watched from a ways back, while Regal kept an eye over the group, on the lookout for any more surprise attacks. Zelos stood off to one side, leaning against large, rough tree. He figured there were probably splinters digging into his back, but his angel durability left him unable to feel it. He tried not to dwell on the thought, but his efforts were fruitless.

It was the little things that plagued him. He would try to forget that he was an angel, and he often succeeded in pushing the thoughts of the bigger problems, like agelessness and immortality, to the back of his mind. But all of the minor quirks—the lack of sensitivity, the heightened visual and auditory senses, the ability to stay awake for long periods of time and eat very little—that forced him from his fantasies and made him face the harsh realities of his condition.

He looked over towards the group of people on the forest floor. Lloyd seemed to have finished his carving and had presented it to Colette, who accepted it in delight. She beamed and gave Lloyd a hug, causing the teen to fidget, although he made no effort to escape her grip. Sheena and Regal looked on with bemused grins, and even Presea gave a small smile.

Zelos couldn't help but feel like an outsider. This group was so strong and close, able to be honest and trust each other. Each member had a purpose, a place they were headed, a goal to achieve. Zelos had none of that. Back when the world was split, at least he had been fighting for something—to avoid the fate of the chosen and for Seles' freedom. But now, he might still be the chosen, but at least he was free of Cruxis, and Seles had gained her liberty. He felt like he lacked a purpose, a reason to live. He drifted more aimlessly than ever before. The incident with the tree had only heightened his awareness of this fact. In fact, even now, close to the temple, he felt a bit of the hollowing sensation that had occurred earlier. His lips upturned into a bitter smirk, and he let himself fade a little. He was tired of fighting back against the numbing sensation. Perhaps it would just be easier if he gave in. Finally disappearing like in his mother's dearest wish.

"Hey, Zelos," came a voice to his left, and the chosen opened his eyes and turned his head. Lloyd had made his way next to him, having left Colette and Sheena observing Presea take her turn at carving.

"What's up, Bud?" Zelos replied, leaning further against the tree. To any outward observer, he would appear relaxed. But for as dense as Lloyd could be, he had a special way of understanding people. Zelos' disguise wasn't fooling him today.

"You know, you don't have to hide around us," Lloyd remarked, crossing his arms and leaning against the tree next to him.

"What makes you say that?" Zelos inquired, playing with the material of his pink vest. He must be slipping if so many people appeared concerned for him today. He would have to work on that.

Lloyd exhaled in irritation. "You know what I mean."

He continued, this time more gently, "But I also know that I can't force you to tell me anything. For all that you talk, you really don't say much at all. Whenever you're ready, we're waiting."

With those words, he walked off, rejoining the group on the forest floor. He kneeled down next to Colette, bumping their shoulders together as they both watched Presea carving. He glanced up to Zelos and tilted his head, gesticulating for the chosen to join them. Zelos caught the swordsman's gaze and quickly looked away, going back to picking at his clothing. Part of him wanted to join, yearned for their acceptance. But the larger voice in the back of his mind stopped him, freezing his feet in place, reminding him that he didn't belong. So he once again resigned himself to the numbness and waited for Raine and Genis' return.

As the entrance came in sight, both brother and sister adopted a brisk pace, standing up straight and making sure the helmets obscured most of their faces. Several Renegades streamed in and out of the opening, directed by an imposing senior officer in the middle.

"Private, over there!" he shouted, waving his arms furiously at a soldier as his booming voice echoed, "I want you to get me a status update from that scouting report. And you! See to the inventory. I want to know how much iron we have and when the next shipment is due!"

As the officer barked orders, Raine and Genis blended in with the crowds, making their way into the temple as fast as they could without arousing suspicion. Just as they were about to set foot inside of the shrine, an even louder shout caught their attention.

"Hey you! Tall one and shorty by the entrance. Get over here, pronto!" the commander yelled, placing his hands on his hips and bending his arms in such a way that emphasized his bulging muscles.

Genis started and spared a quick glance towards his sister, worried by this latest development. She made eye contact with him and gave him a small, reassuring smile, though she was also concerned. Reaching a silent agreement, they both walked over the the Renegade leader, albeit with a tight grip on their weapons.

However, they needn't have worried. As soon as they came within arm's length of the officer, stacks of paper were thrust into their hands. Genis nearly dropped his in surprise, but caught it just in time, wobbling only a little.

The officer didn't bother looking at them. "Take this to the chief mechanic, and tell him I want a status report ASAP for the commander's visit. I need to know how long these repairs will take."

Genis nodded, not daring to speak, and he and Raine once again made their way to the entrance, successfully making it inside this time. The siblings attempted to find a small, secluded area where they could glance at the paperwork, but were unable to slip out of sight in the cavernous area. Aware of the many eyes upon them, the half-elves observed as much as they could while continuing onward as to not arouse suspicion.

The first room of the temple appeared much as normal, the lightening rods set in the purple stone untouched. Lightning continued to flash every so often, but its striking range was contained to the rods.

Genis gave Raine a nudge and whispered, "Do you feel that, sis?"

Raine nodded in agreement, and they continued deeper into the temple. The half-elves could sense the mana flowing further and further into the monument, the current becoming stronger the deeper they went. Finally, the reached the inner sanctum and the alter to Volt, and were met with a sight that caused Genis to stop dead in his tracks.

"What the—" he exclaimed, cut off by his sister grabbing him and pulling him into an alcove among the shadows.

"Quiet, Genis," she chided, her voice a fraction of its normal volume.

Genis simply nodded, never tearing his gaze away from center of the room. Near the far edge of the cavern stood volt's platform, much as it had when they had visited the temple in their earlier journeys. But the location of the platform was the only constant from before.

There, placed in the exact spot Volt had appeared, was a vast, imposing structure. In a way, it looked similar to a grand cathedral, much like the one in Flanoir with its pointed towers and glass panels. But the resemblance only extended as far as the physical structure was concerned. The snowy city's building gave off an aura of warmth and comfort, the perfect place for a weary soul to rest after being exposed to the cold. The object that stood in front of Genis did no such thing. It was a cruel parody of a holy sanctuary, with twisted metal towers that flashed in the light. Odd bits of pipes ran across the surface, which seemed to mimic the intricate carving of the holy buildings. Interspersed across the facade were glass panels, which drew attention to the complex and somehow sinister inner workings of the mystery contraption. In the center of the machine, near the top where a grand rose window would appear in a cathedral, was a circular chamber black as the darkest storm. In the middle of the darkness, a tiny red light was suspended, like a devilish incarnation of a flickering candle.

Genis could feel the mana flow being funneled into the ominous red light. So this was the source of the mana drainage. But what was this—this thing? What purpose could it possibly serve? The thought made the half-elf angry. That beautiful young tree everyone had worked so hard to restore was being destroyed by this monstrosity. Forcing himself to control his anger, he focused once again on the machine, trying to learn as much as he could. He could discern the mana funneled to the red light with a surprising amount of force. It was being shot at some distant object in forceful bursts, like it was slowly trying to chip away at its goal. But this observation served nothing to further his understanding; in fact, it confused him more.

"So, what' s your estimate for the repair time? We need to get this thing running at full capacity as soon as possible," the renegade from earlier stated, his strong voice echoing around the cavern. The loud words cause the siblings to jump, breaking them from the observation of the machine. The officer was accompanied by a female who, though smaller in stature, seemed more intimidating. She was of about average height in half-elves, with deep purple hair cropped around her head, a no-nonsense style. Her Renegade uniform was more adorned, with extra details that hinted at her high status. Everything about her, her sharp, clever face, her imposing stance, the powerful lance in her grasp, perpetuated an aura of command. Although she said nothing, it was clear who was in charge based on the nervous glances the burly officer gave her.

A Renegade who must have been the mechanic wiped his hands off with a rag and approached the senior officials. He looked at first to be annoyed, but when he caught sight of who was accompanying the normal officer he immediately stiffened, transforming into the picture of a perfect soldier.

"In all due respect, sir and madam, I need the repair plans before I can give you an accurate estimate," the mechanic stated, his tone as stilted as his posture.

"Nonsense! I'm sure that I sent those documents out with someone. They should have arrived!"

Raine gasped in horror and looked down at the stack of papers she was holding. Sure enough, the title said, "Repairs."

"Genis," she hissed, tightening her grip on his shoulder to grab his attention, "We need to leave. Now."

Her brother nodded in agreement, and the siblings quietly made their way to the exit. However, they were knocked out of the way by a harried soldier, who burst into the room.

"Sir! Sir!" the soldier yelled, making his way to where the officers were gathered.

The male officer growled. "This is an important meeting. It will have to wait."

The soldier persisted, "But sir, the the scouting party…they're not back yet," he huffed, catching his breath.

"So? What about it?"

"Well, another group caught site of armed intruders entering the same area of the forest. If they ran into the scouting party, then—"

"You. Gather a larger group of Renegades and send them in the area. We need to keep our activities secret," The women commanded to the lesser officer, her voice quiet but powerful.

She went to issue other commands, but Raine and Genis had heard enough. They leaned further back into the shadows, slinking along the back wall towards the exit. They inched towards the doorway, closer and closer to freedom. Raine had rounded the corner and was waiting, stone-still, for Genis, the papers clenched tightly in her hands. He stepped outwards to join her, and—

CRASH!

Genis landed on the stone floor, crashing onto his elbow with a loud hiss and a wince. The helmet disguising his face rolled away with a dull clatter. Grabbing the pile of papers he had spilled in his fall, he then looked in front of him, hoping to find his camouflage. Instead, he noticed the bulky figure of the commanding half-elf sprawled out in front of him.

"Watch where you're going, you little…" the burly man said, rubbing his head where a decent-sized welt was forming from his impact with the floor. He looked towards Genis to finish his curse, but the words died on his lips as he made eye-contact with the mage.

"Who the—who the hell are you?" he asked, advancing towards Genis with a quickness that belied his size. He reached the young half-elf and leaned over him, pinning him to the ground by his sore elbow, causing the youth to cry out in protest. "You're too young to be a Renegade. Are you some sort of mini-spy?"

Genis froze, unable to move in his fear. He looked around desperately, searching for Raine. He found her panicked eyes near the far wall, as she had been pushed away in the commotion. There was no way to reach her in time, and if she tried to cast a spell, her disguise would be uncovered and she'd be swiftly outnumbered as well.

"All right. You're coming with me. We're going to have a little meeting with the commander, to see if she suddenly started recruiting pipsqueaks like you." The officer grabbed him by his sore elbow and made to drag him to his feet, his grip like a vice around the aching tendon. With no time left to cast, Genis did the only thing he could do. He took his free arm and brought it to his side, whipping out his kendama before the larger man could react. Using all of his might, he yanked the toy back and bopped him in the nose.

"Ow! You stupid little—" the officer yelled, putting his hand on the aching skin. Taking advantage of this momentary distraction, Genis twisted himself from his grip, running towards Raine as fast as he could. As he raced across the room, she reached out towards him, her hand like a lifeline. He entwined his fingers within her grasp, and they both ran from the room as fast as they could.

"Everyone! After them!" they heard the booming voice echo behind them, but they wasted no time to turn around. They kept running and running, dodging confused renegades left and right. Genis panted in exertion but forced himself to keep going, clutching at the crumpled stack of papers like his life depended on it. He and Raine may have been discovered, but hopefully their efforts did not go to waste. He could only pray that they would make it to the others before they were caught.

Over half an hour later, Zelos was still leaning against the same tree, staring into space. He'd forgotten how dull traveling to save the world could be. He'd quickly tired of watching Lloyd and Colette ooze their cuteness everywhere, but there was nothing else to do. Other than his normal obnoxious quips, he saw no reason to talk to the others. He gave a sigh and readjusted himself, folding his arms behind his head and closing his eyes. The dull droning of insects and the chittering of birds rushed over his senses, as well as less discernible sounds like the rustling of a caterpillar as it crawled over a leaf. He groaned. He couldn't get some peace and quiet even in his own head.

As he grumbled in irritation, he heard another noise. A crunch-crunching sound, rapid and getting louder by the second, filled his ears. Startled, he glanced toward Colette, who met his gaze with wide blue eyes. She had heard it, too.

"Everyone, quick!," she cried, standing up with a start, "Get your weapons out. Something's coming!"

Everyone scrambled into fighting position, a tight circular formation that left no end exposed. Zelos was preparing to cast a small spell as an ambush when the intruders came into view.

"Genis! Professor!" Lloyd asked, lowering his swords slightly. "What's wrong? What's going on?"

The two half elves kept bolting ahead, not sparing a glance behind them. "Everyone! To the rheairds, now!" Raine shouted, panting.

With that worrisome statement, the group broke into a fast run as well, following the fleeing siblings. They made decent time, but Zelos could hear more and more footsteps approaching. He didn't dare look back, but he cursed silently. They had to be close.

"We're almost there!" Sheena yelled, a purple blur, "We can make it!"

Zelos caught site of the rheairds ahead. A little more. Just a little more, and they'd be—

"Huah!" came a shout from behind him, and he felt the tip of a weapon graze his arm. He cried out, more so out of shock than pain. He twirled around, his hair swirling around his face in a halo red, using his sword to move the object—some sort of lance—away from him.

He was face-to-face with a purple-haired half-elf that sported a calculated grin. Her eyes, so deep a purple that they were nearly black, matched her hair. Everything about her—the teal-purple armor, the sharpened lance, her powerful stance and poisonous expression—screamed danger.

"Well, well, well," She simpered, moving to attack him again, "Look what we have here."

Zelos snorted. "Cliched much, sweetheart?" he replied, emphasizing the fake endearment with a slash of a blade, one she nimbly avoided like it was second nature.

"Say what you will," she stated, examining him with interest, "But I never expected to find you here. It is rather convenient, though. So I'll need you to come with me."

The chosen chuckled. "I like a spirited women as much as the next guy, but I have a feeling you're not after a date. So yeah. Not happening."

This time, it was the half-elf that laughed. "It's so amusing that you think you have a choice."

She lunged towards him again, the tip of her spear narrowly missing his side as he jumped out of the way, last second. He fought her off, edging towards the rheairds. He could hear the low rumble of their engines, and he knew that everyone else was waiting for him to make it over. But this women was a formidable opponent. Making it to the flying machines would hardly be simple.

"But I'm tired of your silly games," the women declared, eyes flashing. She was vicious. Dangerous. "While I need you alive, I don't need you in pristine condition. If I have to ruin that pretty face, so be it."

She slapped his shield away, preparing for the strike that would end their duel. Before Zelos could react to defend himself, he heard an incantation.

"I call upon the maiden of the mist. Come, Undine!"

Violent torrents of water appeared around his opponent, raining down upon her with crushing force. Taking his opportunity, Zelos turned around and scrambled onto his rheaird, starting it up and flying into the sky. The swish of a weapon by his ear told him he made it just in time.

He flew forward, as fast as he could, noticing the seven other vehicles around him. So everyone else had escaped as well. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Zelos. Are you okay?" Sheena asked, shaken.

The chosen cracked into a grin and nodded. "You know it takes more than that to get rid of me! Besides, the more attractive hunnies were over here."

Sheena rolled her eyes but gave a small smile. With that, the group rode off towards the tree, hoping for answers to the series of rapidly building questions.

"And what do you make of this, officer?"

Back in the temple of lightening, the purple-haired commander addressed the lower-ranking official, playing with the tip of her spear. Her tone was quiet, calm, but only a fool would lower their guard. She stood in front of the grotesque machine, illuminated by the occasional flash of lightening, making her appear all the more dangerous.

The burly soldier tried not to move, but he couldn't suppress the involuntary shudder that came from the way she spoke. Choosing his words carefully, he answered, "The suspected spies…have escaped."

"I know that, you fool!" she hissed, turning away from him in a sharp movement, making the officer jolt. She continued, in a more even tone, "But what do you make of that little group of spies as a whole?"

"They looked…familiar…" the officer stated. He hated when she pulled these games on him.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course they looked familiar. They were the regeneration group themselves! Do you understand what this means?"

The soldier's eyes widened. "The regeneration group? If they—if they find out about our plans, surely they'll try to stop us!"

"So you do have some brain power after all. Pity it came too late to be of any use." The powerful women spat, eyeing him with the same disgust one would show a repulsive insect. "But it appears I overestimated you. You are demoted from the head of operations here. Leave my sight at once."

"Of course, ma'm," the now former-officer saluted, hastily making his way out of the room.

The women waited until she heard the scuttling footsteps fade into the distance, then broke into a crooked smile, one that did not come close to reaching her eyes. "So we were unable to remain hidden for as long as I'd hoped. But it is no matter," she whispered, approaching the machine with a cool, calculated stride, her shadow a sharp and sinister shape behind her.

"That Tethe'allan Chosen is far too weak to hope to stop us."

AN: Sorry for the wait. A month in China leaves little time for writing. Now I'm home and adjusting back, so my writing should be able to resume shortly. Thank you to everyone reading this story, and once again, I don't own Tales of Symphonia.