Copyright: I own nothing.

"Colette..." Raine called from outside before opening the door, "It's time for us to...

"Professor..." Lloyd felt his blood rush to his face due to Raine's subdued shock from when she saw Lloyd and Colette in the same bed with Colette wrapped around Lloyd, "It's not what it..."

"Figures..." Raine quietly stated while exhaling, "Lloyd...I was honestly wondering why this didn't happen earlier-"

"Can you be keep it down...she's still asleep..."

"Lloyd..." Raine rubbed her hand over her face, "I trust you...but it's close to dawn, we need to get to the ruins before the heat picks up."

"Just five minutes?" Lloyd asked, "Please?"

"Alright..." Raine conceeded, "I'll tell Genis and Kratos that you were going through your morning exercise."

"Thanks professor." Raine nodded as she slowly closed the door behind her while Lloyd felt Collete's face nuzzle his shoulder, "You...you were awake?"

"I wanted to stay with you for a while..." Colette replied as she opened her eyes, "We haven't done this since we were kids..."

"I remember that night...You snuck out to my house one night just before it stormed. Was it...four..three years ago?"

"Three years...five months...and twenty days..." Colette numbered off, "It...it was when I was told what would happen to me..."

"They told you that you would die." Colette nodded as Lloyd fought down a surge of anger, "I remember, it was the only time that you ever yelled at me. I was asking what was wrong and why you were crying. Then you told me to be quiet and then cried as you apologized...I was...kind of confused then..."

"I was scared Lloyd." Colette admitted, "I didn't want to die...and didn't want to go home...I hated my life and myself for being so selfish...I just couldn't handle it...not then."

"But there's no need now." Lloyd reminded her, "Now we'll find our own way, a way to save the worlds without having you die. And we'll make Cruxis pay for everything that they've done to Sylvarant."

"What about the seal? How will I face Remiel? What about the people who want their Chosen?"

"You won't face him alone." Lloyd reminded his angel, "Professor Sage will be there, Genis, Noishe, and me. Just don't take off the-"

"I won't," Colette held her hand over the pendent, "Even if I die...I'll never take this off."

"And since I'm here...It won't come to that, I promise."

"I know...Alright! Let's wake up!"

"We are awake..."

"I know...But no one else knows that we're awake."

"Guess not..."

A guardian stood at attention before his master.

He had lost care and meaning in keeping up with how long he had served the Lord of Derris Kharlan or how long he had lived in the castle of Vinhelm.

All that mattered was the will of Yggdrassial.

Therefore, his face betrayed neither annoyance as the child to his right was nor fear as the woman to his left. And he certainly did not exhibit excessive pride and pompous arrogance as the current guardian of the Chosen was. The guardian watched him gracefully land after being teleported to his master's throne and stand erect as though he himself were the Lord of Cruxis.

"You summoned me Lord Yggdrassial?"

"Yes," The Lord of Cruxis said to the angel before addressing him and all others who had come, "My four Arc-Angels: Remiel; Peliel; Kutiel; and Camael. You have served me faithfully for the past four thousand years. The time has now come for the vassel of Martel to take the first step in her journey."

"Of course, Lord Yggdrassial." Remiel produly declared, "With the first seal, she shall become more alike to us. Until finally she becomes a vassal fit for the goddess."

"If I may inquire..." Peliel said hesitantly, Yggdrassial nodded, allowing the blue haired angel to continue, "Why have all four of us been summoned? It is Remiel's turn to oversee the Chosen of this cycle in order to ensure the transfer of mana from Tethe'alla to Sylverant. Why are all four of us here?"

"Because there is a disturbance." Yggdrasial replied as Peliel lowered her head, "Someone amongst my Seraphim is acting against me. They seek to betray our goal for a New Age. I will require the four of you to do your part in dealing with them."

"What must we do?"

"The Chosen has already left for the Triet Ruins, Remiel." Yggdrassial said to the proud Arc-Angel, "Go there and await the Chosen. Ensure that this is nothing more than an overestimation."

"I shall my lord." Remiel answered, giving an arrogant glance across to Camael as he did. The fool was clearly planning to use the Chosen to advance his own position, not that he stood a chance.

"If the Chosen has indeed diverted from her path." Yggdrasial added, "You have my permission to do whatever is necessary to get her back on track. After all, she is supposed to be a good girl."

"As you wish...Lord Yggdrassial." Remiel bowed while smiling as a portal of mana appeared around him and siphoned him out of Yggdrassial's throneroom. Leaving only three of the Arc-angels present.

"You did not tell him everything." Camael said, knowing from his master's unsurprise that he had chosen the right words to say, "You do not know yourself, my lord?"

"Admittingly, I don't." Yggdrassial confessed to the tall Camael with flowing black hair, "One of the Grand Cardinal's encountered the Chosen's primary protector. It is clear that the boy has the Angelus Crystal."

"The Angelus Crystal?" Kutiel repeated in confusion, "I thought it was lost when Kratos' whore-"

"Isn't it obvious?" Yggdrassial asked the child-like orange haired Kutiel, "This protector is Kratos' long-lost son...an inheritor of that which his mother stole. But he's still just a human, how could possibly harness it's power?"

"It's not a question of how, but when." Camael finished, "He utilized this power against Forcystus and defeated him in combat."

"What concern is this to us-" Kutiel was cut off when he felt a pulse of gravitational mana form a ring around him and crush his body from all sides, "Lord...Lord Yggdrassial..."

"Do not question me, Kutiel." Yggdrassial waved his hand and dispelled the Gravity Well, leaving Kutiel to stand on his shaken feet gasping for breath, "He's found a way to unlock it's power and from a reliable source, he may be a hinderance to the Chosen's path."

"How so?"

"He gave the Chosen a Rune Crest." Peliel gasped in alarm, "As long as she wears it when she activates the seal...her soul and heart will remain intact...as will her will and humanity. While still gaining the divine power of Cruxis to use as she wills."

"That will ruin the entire cycle..." Camael realized, "And by the time she comes to the Tower..."

"She'll be more powerful than any of you." Yggdrassial said as he stood up from his throne and walked amongst the three of them, "If Remiel should fail, you will await at each of the four seals and do whatever you must to stop the Chosen."

"Even if we must kill her-"

"NO!" Camael did not stir from the wrathful voice of his master. Kutiel was already on his knees while Peliel stood in fear of what Yggdrassial's retribution would bring. Instead, Camael saw his master calm himself, "She is still the Chosen...we shall allow the goddess to decide that...but you are allowed to cripple, maim or seriously injure her to death's door if you have to. Once the key crest is removed and destroyed, there won't be any way for her to get another one. If you must remove it later in her journey so be it, her humanity will give way to the will of the goddess...it is the key crest that above all else must be destroyed."

"What about this protector and her companions?"

"Kill them." Yggdrassial said to Peliel, "They are a detracting influence on her obedience and faith. Recover the protector's Angelus Crystal if you are able, but kill the protector."

"And Kratos?"

"Ah...Kratos..." Camael saw the smirk on his lord's face, Camael now realized who the traitor was, "Leave him to me...dismissed."

"Yes my lord." Peliel was teleported from the throneroom along with Kutiel as Camael knelt before his master.

"What is it Camael?"

"I would beg a question or two...Mithos..."

"Very well, old friend." Yggdrassial consented, "Speak your questions."

"If I might observe, you spoke to us as though Remiel had already failed."

"In all honesty, I really hope that he does." Mithos confessed to Camael who also smirked at the thought, "The fool believes that he can rise above his set place and become a Seraph. You have no idea about how much I regret even making him an Arc-Angel."

"Then why not kill him?" Camael inquired as Mithos laughed, "Or command me?"

"Why bother?" Mithos continued to laugh, his voice echoed through Vinhelm as the laughing dogs of old, "It would just be a waste of time. Let someone else dirty their hands and besides..."

"Besides what?"

"I'm rather enjoying this...disturbance." Mithos said, his laugh subdued to a joyful smile, "I haven't had a real adventure in four thousand years. This might be exactly what I needed."

"This is strange."

"What?"

"I was expecting more resistance." Kratos said to the curious Genis, "The entire ruins seem...quiet."

"Nothing out of the ordinary." Raine figured after finally relaxing out of her "mania ruin mode", "These are ruins after all...at worst it means that we'll be in more trouble when we come deeper into the ruins."

"The Professor has a point." Lloyd agreed, "Who you expect to see in a ruin in the middle of the desert?"

"Treasure hunters?" Colette offered, causing Lloyd and Genis to lightly laugh, "Wouldn't ruins have treasure in them? Gold?"

"Or adventurers who are looking for a thrill..." Raine suggested casually, "Maybe the fanfare about the Chosen's Journey caused them to delay their plans."

"What fanfare?"

"Ever since the last chosen was killed during her journey, the people have prayed to the heavens for a new chosen to come soon." Kratos explained, "Once word is out that the Chosen has begun her journey, the people will rejoice...quietly in some areas such as Triet, but they will rejoice for the coming renewal."

"Renewal..." Colette said to herself, "What is it Genis?"

"Nothing..." Genis lied as Lloyd saw the young elf's eyes already observing Colette, "You just seem...different somehow."

"How's Colette different?"

"Well..." Genis thought for a moment while Lloyd eyed his friend, "I haven't heard you say sorry since we left Dirk's house, that's one of your favorite words, right?"

"Oh..." Colette glanced to Lloyd for a second and answered happily, "Why be sorry when there's nothing to be sorry for? Otherwise, it just becomes a bad habit..."

"Yeah, guess you're right." Genis replied, "It was silly anyway..."

"Lloyd, if I could borrow you and Kratos for a moment." Raine asked, "I spotted something with my elven eyes."

"Better you than me brother."

"Genis..." Lloyd could tell from Raine's tone as to why Genis was glad that it wasn't him, "Noishe, stay with them alright?"

"We're not going to be far from the Chosen-" Kratos rolled his eyes from Lloyd's accusing face, "From Colette, do not worry."

"Have fun!"

"I will," Lloyd replied to Colette as he and Kratos followed Raine through an apparent field of lightly covered debris, "So you really can see farther than humans?"

"Not farther, I can just pick out small details more easily," Raine clarified as she motioned for the two of them to get behind cover, "Like...a desian..."

"Where did he come from?" Lloyd asked as he spotted the desian who crawled along the ground, "Why didn't you say this before?"

"I didn't want to scare Genis and Colette," Raine explained, "Anyway, it's just one man right now...I didn't want to frighten them unreasonably."

"Where there's one, there are sure to be more nearby." Kratos figured, "Notice anything about him?"

"He's hurt..." Raine replied, pointing out how the desian was holding himself with one arm while leaving a thin trail of blood, "Badly."

"Someone attacked the desians? About time..."

"I wouldn't celebrate yet Lloyd." Raine lightly rebuked, "Whoever did this, they may be trying to attack Colette."

"Maybe...Kratos...stay on look-out for any more, alright?"

"Very well." The Mercenary agreed, "Are you sure that you can do what needs to be done?"

"Yeah..." Lloyd answered without hesitation, "Professor."

"Understood." Raine agreed as she and Lloyd moved through the debris to close in on the desian, "What will you do?"

"I have no idea," Lloyd admitted as he arrived first to the desian and knelt down to the man, "Hi there, you look like you're having a bad day-"

"Obviously!" The desian yelled as he managed to place his back against a piece of stone and growled when he saw Lloyd, "Get away from me...filthy human..."

"His wounds are serious," Raine noticed after checking over the desian, "But I should be able to patch them up-"

"Not yet," Lloyd said to Raine while putting his face up to the desian's, "If you want my friend to heal you, you'll tell me what happened you."

"Damn you! Human!" The desian spat in Lloyd's face before noticing Raine, "You too? You're with him?"

"Remember what I said?" Lloyd asked while holding up his sword stabbing it into the desian's wound, "If you want to die, that's on you...but I promise that it won't end quickly..."

"Lloyd..."

"Lloyd...Lloyd Irving?" The desian repeated, "You're the one who fought Forcystus...your days are numbered."

"I'm human, what do you expect?" Lloyd asked again while twisting the sword and widening the wound that the blade was sticking into, "And your's will be numbered further down if you don't talk."

"Alright!" The desian cried as Lloyd pulled out the sword, "We were attacked...an outlandish woman attacked us...she used magic infused within cards and broke into the base. We tried to find her...but she eluded most of us and those who did find her were found dead."

"So why are you out here?"

"I was to deliver a message to Lord Magnius..." The desian answered Raine, "But I was..."

"Sealed..." Raine observed, placing her hand next to the desian's injury, "His mana signature is being blocked by this wound to his rib cage...was this the woman?"

"No...it was one of ours." The desian answered, "He...took my sword and told me that I could crawl away in gratitude for it...and then I came out here..."

"He doesn't know anything else." Raine figured as she turned to the focused Lloyd, "Lloyd..."

"Just one more question-"

"Lloyd!" Raine shouted, breaking him out of his glare, "Don't become like them..."

"Alright..." Lloyd concented, pulling back his arm and allowing Raine to cast First Aid on the injured desian, "Now then, you owe us your life. Answer just a few more questions for us."

"Alright..." The desian answered if he stood upon his feet hesitantly and tiredly, "If I answer...will you let me go?"

"Yeah," Lloyd answered when he also stood up, "Who are the three cardinals? You mentioned Forcystus and Magnius...who are the others? And whose Yggdrassial?"

"Yggdrassial..." The desian said to himself, "The other cardinals are Kvar, Rodyle and Pronyma..."

"Where are they stationed?"

"I don't know about Rodyle...his ranch is only known to the higher ranks," The desian fearfully reported, glancing from Lloyd to Raine, "Pronyma is the leader of the other cardinals...but she comes to them, my group only saw her in passing...Kvar is located close to Luin...Magnius is north of Palmacosta...and Forcystus...well you know that one."

"Whatever...whose Yggdrassial?"

"I don't know for certain." The desian went on, "I heard that he was the overlord of our organization, the one who chooses the new cardinal when the old man dies or is disgraced. But it's only a rumor and I don't know anything else...please...I just wanted to get back at you humans!"

"For what?" Raine asked when the desian wiped tears from his eyes, "You're a half-elf...aren't you?"

"What's it to you!" The desian shouted, "Filthy traitor...I don't want your pity!"

"Then leave it!" Lloyd shouted while holding up his blade, "The ocean's south of here, you'll make it if you run."

"Fine..." The desian said as he turned and started running haphazardly, even tripping over a stone in the ruins.

"Ha! Look at him run!" Lloyd laughed, "Come on...let's back to the others."

"Agreed..." Raine said as she noticed that desian stop and pick something up from the debris, "He stopped...what is he holding-" Raine felt the empty sleeve of her jacket blow with the gust that was created from Lloyd slashing his blade as he turned and sending a faint mana slash in the desian's direction that practically blew down the desian while leaving a swath in the ground.

"You fool!" Lloyd shouted as he ran over to his latest victim and stood in front of him, his arm shaking with remorse at what he had done to the man, "Why didn't you just run..."

"Lloyd..." Raine walked to Lloyd's side and saw the young man's mangled body inside the swatch the Lloyd had cut. It was...terrible...the corpse didn't even look human with all of the blood and the distortion that had been created, "Lloyd! Why did you do that?"

"He was going to attack you professor!" Lloyd used his sword to point to a crossbow that had been broken in the attack, "We spared and saved his life, gave him a chance to flee and then he turns around and tries to shoot you in the back...he deserved it."

"That doesn't make what you did right!"

"Those bastards have oppressed people all over Sylvarant." Lloyd shouted with rising anger, "He was lucky that I even gave him a chance, but I'm going to let you suffer any more by being careless and naive. They are the enemy, professor."

"I know that..." Raine said, knowing that Lloyd was right. But it pained her to see this young man killed by another young man...did he have a family? Does he have a mother will now wait for a son who would never return? "But you didn't have to...kill him..."

"Maybe not," Lloyd replied bitterly yet regretfully, "Least now, he can't report back to anyone whose left."

"If anyone is left." Kratos added in while standing on a piece of debrise, "As ruthless as your methods were, at least you kept your guard up. Though, I wouldn't have allowed him to flee in the first place."

"Fine, you're both right." Raine conceded reluctantly as she gave a last glance at the corpse of the desian, "But try not to use so much mana next time Lloyd. It leaves a mess and it'll tire you out unnecessarily."

"Yes, ma'am."

Author's Notes:

INCOMING MAJOR DIVERGENCE! In the next chapter, of course.

Behold Lloyd's first truly chaotic action in the story. Or is it chaotic at all? You decide. It's on the border as far as I'm concerned, not to mention his interrogation methods.

Raine's response came more from shock at Lloyd's character and his "ruthless" actions as well as a bit of pity and remorse due to something that she and that desian have in common.

As you can see, Yggdrassial has his bases covered for future seals if Remiel fails. Will Remiel fail? How will Colette respond when directly confronted by this messenger of Cruxis? What are the intentions of Sheena and her new companion? Will Kyros ever find another adequate sword?