Hi.

First of all, I must apologise for just how much (in my opinion) this chapter sucks. I'm working, I've been rather ill and I have Chemistry Coursework to do that's worth a third of my A-level. Whilst it's no excuse, the chapter was a little rushed. I might (if I have time) go back and make it better in the future.

Don't worry. Forcystus IS in this chapter.

And OhMyGod I do not understand half of what I'm doing for my Chemistry. I am going to fail But I will try to keep updating. And better (GAH!) than this chapter.

That said, don't let my general angsty-emo-despairing mood put you off. ^^

Book 2! Yaaaay!

Does the title give anything away? XD

Book Two: Water and Wind

Chapter one: Desians in Palmacosta

Colette and Genis rode on Noishe, who was happy to take them, and Lloyd got the Rheaird out for Raine, he himself running alongside Kratos, who told him it would be a long run and he'd better be prepared. Lloyd, determined to prove himself, had simply agreed. As they approached Palmacosta, he was sorely regretting it, wondering how Kratos could possibly run all that way and not show the smallest amount of tiredness.

"…That… Was longer… Than I expected…" He panted as he put the Rheaird back in the Wing Pack. Kratos gave him a look.

"…You kept up," he murmured, not sounding impressed, but not sounding scolding either. Lloyd glared at him as they made their way into the town, Noishe staying outside and whining.

They walked to the main square, Lloyd glancing around him at the scenery of Palmacosta as they went. The town was new to him, and large too. In the square, some Desians had set up a gallows, and a human woman had a rope around her neck.

"Cacao!" Colette exclaimed, horrified. Lloyd recoiled as though he'd been bitten.

"That's barbaric!" He exclaimed, horrified.

"Out of the way! Lord Magnius approaches!" A Desian called out, and a large half-elf with flame-red hair walked up. Lloyd could tell just from those few seconds that this Desian was definitely different to Forcystus, and also that he was clearly Grand Cardinal material. He carried himself with an easy self-confidence that bordered on the cocky; he wore an imposing piece of magitechnology on his back that Lloyd supposed would turn into something much larger and equally imposing. His eyes regarded the humans of the town with nothing but contempt and distaste.

"…Magnius…" He murmured. The one Cardinal he hadn't had the pleasure of meeting.

There were a few gasps and cries of terror from the intimidated crowd, one man doing what Lloyd had made an easy habit of during his time in the Ranch and forgetting to use a title. With a snarl, the Desian turned on him, hauling him up by the collar like he was diseased.

"That's Lord Magnius, vermin!" He spat, snapping his neck instantly with a sickeningly easy jerk of his hand. Lloyd winced at the sound. Colette gasped as the man was thrown to the floor, landing like a rag doll, dead and beyond salvation. Lloyd paled.

If Forcystus had been like that… He thought, swallowing nervously. How different they all were! But the one thing, the thing that stood out above all the other little petty differences, was that Forcystus seemed to be the only one amongst them with anything resembling a conscience.

"This woman defied the wishes of the great Lord Magnius!" A Desian announced, gesturing towards the woman on the gallows. Lloyd found it very hard to believe that someone so frail and sad-looking could have in any way been an offender. "Therefore, while the designated death count has been exceeded, Lord Magnius has allowed us to carry out this woman's execution!" Lloyd gritted his teeth in anger. What gave them the right to take lives like this? Outside the Ranch, no less!

"That's… Disgusting, that's…" He growled. "Why aren't the city militia doing anything about this? Surely the city has a militia!" He glanced around, checking for signs of soldiers. Not one. Kratos gave him an unreadable look.

"They're all out training right now," a townsperson told Lloyd sadly as a rope was lowered around Cacao's neck. Lloyd hissed through his teeth.

"I cannot believe that a city militia would be so stupid as to leave the town undefended," he muttered. "This is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous! If this were-" He cut himself off and piped down, biting his lip. On no account mention the Ranch.

"The Desians waited for this opportunity… Slimy jerks!" Genis exclaimed angrily, watching the gallows with a look of frustrated anger. Lloyd glared too, but at Magnius, one hand going to his sword.

"Mom!" A girl about Lloyd's age ran up, tears in her eyes and desperation clear on her face. The Desians blocked her way, looking as though they'd rather not touch her.

"Interfere, and we'll leave you begging for death," one told her, sneering. "Inferior maggot…" Lloyd drew a sword at the insult. Nobody insulted his race like that, nobody could abuse people like they were doing and get away with it… Yes, Forcystus had told him to forget, to leave it behind, but how could he ignore it when it was happening right in front of him?

He couldn't.

"Governor-General Dorr will never let you get away with this!" The girl screamed, running against their arm-blockade and desperately trying to reach the woman on the gallows. Her mother, perhaps?

"Dorr?" Magnius repeated with a derisive laugh, a cold, scheming look in his eyes. "Don't get your hopes up…" He trailed off and stopped as a stone was thrown at him, hitting him on the arm. It was a poor throw by all means, but Lloyd appreciated the interruption. It let him draw his second sword.

"Careful," Kratos told him softly, a cautioning hand in his shoulder. "Don't do anything you'll regret."

"I don't intend to," Lloyd growled. "I can't see myself regretting any course of action besides doing nothing, personally." Kratos sighed in resignation.

"Foolish…" He murmured. The Desian at the gallows froze in the action of pulling the gallows lever, unable to believe what he'd seen. Those on the floor also took a few seconds to get past the shock. "You… You little vermin!" Magnius spat, approaching the young boy who had thrown the offending stone, hand out. The intent was clear. He cared as much for the child's life as he did for the man who had been so carelessly killed and tossed aside, he viewed all of them as nothing but vermin, animals. They were not people to him. Not like they were to Forcystus. Lloyd's gaze hardened, and he shook himself free of Kratos and charged.

"Demon Fang!" He cried, throwing his energy forwards through the blades, slamming the light into Magnius. The Cardinal staggered back slightly, outraged.

"Lloyd!" Raine cried, horrified. "Don't incite the Desians!"

"This isn't Iselia. They don't have a non-aggression treaty," Lloyd muttered, jaw set. If Magnius were here alone, did that mean that Forcystus had already returned to Iselia? He hoped so… "The Desians will just do as they please here! They've already killed one man! How can you say you're on a journey of regeneration if we can't even save these people here… The people right in front of us?" He demanded. A fleeting look appeared on Kratos' face for a second – pride? He shook his head slightly, that wasn't important. Saving the lives of the people around him – especially the woman with the noose around her neck – was.

"Lloyd's right!" Genis agreed suddenly, brandishing his Kendama. "We can't let them do as they wish!" The Cardinal's gaze flicked straight to Lloyd, a look of amusement and triumph in his eyes. Lloyd swallowed. That couldn't be good.

"Ah… So you're Lloyd," Magnius murmured. "L025, I presume? Lord Yggdrasill will reward me handsomely if I bring him to you!" Lloyd froze. Yggdrasill?

"Wh-what do you mean?" He demanded. If Yggdrasill wanted him… What did that mean for Forcystus? No, no, he was an escapee, of course Yggdrasill would want him. Forcystus wouldn't try too hard…

Kratos had almost frozen in shock at the words. Almost. However, years of training himself not to react had helped him stop himself. He would not give himself away.

"Lord Yggdrasill wants your Exsphere, boy, and when I bring it to him, I'll be promoted above Pronyma for sure! Get them!" Magnius declared. Lloyd sighed inwardly. Did all inherently evil people come with a strange desire to reveal their secret motives to the world?

A Sorcerer made to cast a spell, but Genis blocked it expertly with Magic. Lloyd didn't even need to bother raising his swords, much to the sorcerer's dismay.

"Amateurs," Genis declared, a victorious look on his face. Lloyd grinned at him. A high five was clearly on the horizon.

"Worthless dogs!" Magnius spat, looking like he wanted to boil Lloyd in hot oil. "Deal with the woman!" The Desian at the gallows nodded, going for the lever.

"No!" Colette cried, horrified, and she threw a Chakram at the rope, cutting it in two so Cacao fell to wooden floor. Before Magnius could protest, Kratos had his sword at his throat.

"You will respect the will of the Chosen," he snapped. Lloyd glanced from him to Magnius.

"Desians don't kill the Chosen, they harass her. It promotes the growth of the Cruxis Crystal…" All around them, the citizens of the town were talking in awed voices about Colette. Lloyd looked from Colette, to Kratos, to Magnius, seeing the look of what seemed like awed recognition… Perhaps even fear? In the Cardinal's face.

"Do you all realise what you're doing?" Raine demanded of them. "If you aren't careful, this village will become another Iselia."

But Forcystus didn't want what occurred there to occur. Magnius wants this, Lloyd thought. "I know," he murmured. "And… I won't let it happen again. I'll… I'll destroy them all, the entire Ranch!" He didn't care about Forcystus' words any more. This was too much, too much. He could not sit by and let people suffer whilst he watched! With any luck, Forcystus would be back at Iselia anyway. He didn't need to know…

"That's insanity," Raine remarked frankly. Lloyd's grip on his swords tightened.

"…They're only after me," he murmured. At least, they are now. "And besides…" He turned to look at Colette, who still had her chakrams in hand. "We have Colette on our side! The Chosen who will regenerate the world! Right, Colette?" Colette smiled brightly, not worried about the surrounding Desians.

"Yep!" She agreed happily. Lloyd smiled back at her. How could this be evil?

The townspeople set up muttering again – Lloyd couldn't help but be reminded of when Forcystus had yelled at the prisoners of the Ranch.

"Grr… I've had enough of this crap! Put an end to them!" Magnius demanded. Lloyd frowned. That wasn't right! They weren't meant to go after Colette! Forcystus had specifically stated that they would leave Colette alive, had called him foolish for believing otherwise. Had he been lying?

He slashed out at a Desian who tried to go for Colette as Kratos killed the one closest to him, then followed through with a stab through the chest of the one remaining Desian.

Just like Forcystus taught me.

Raine went over to the woman who had nearly been hung, helping her up, and Kratos glanced at Lloyd, apparently satisfied with the way he had fought.

"…I'll have to teach you some defensive techniques, in case we come up against any stronger Desians," he murmured. Lloyd shook his head.

"Nah, I'm fine. Forcystus taught me Guardian," he replied, smiling broadly. Kratos frowned.

"…Forcystus did, did he?" He murmured. Lloyd bit his lip at the slip.

Stupid, stupid, he scolded himself. He had to forget Forcystus… But how could he, after all the half-elf had done for him?

"…Very well. So long as you do not prove to be a liability," Kratos murmured, letting the matter slide. Genis and Colette were talking with the girl – they had clearly met her before. Raine had healed the woman, and she was on her feet.

"Allow me to help you back to your home," Raine offered. "I am sure you've been caused a lot of distress." Cacao – at least, Lloyd presumed it was Cacao – nodded gratefully, her eyes weary and worn, and they all filed back to her house, a store along the waterfront.

"Thank you so much!" The girl – Lloyd had been told her name was Chocolat – told them all. "I don't know what I would've done if they'd murdered my mom as well…"

"As well?" Lloyd asked. Did the Desians have no respect for human life at all? Lloyd shook his head swiftly to clear it. Of course they didn't, they were Desians. Forcystus was a rare exception. Cacao sighed.

"My husband volunteered for the town's army… He was killed by Desians," she explained softly, her voice tired and heavy. "And my mother… was taken to the Ranch." Lloyd winced. That was not a death he would wish on anyone, not now he knew what went on.

He would have to take care to keep the silence he had promised.

"Grandma was the one who founded our shop," Chocolat added. Lloyd's breath caught in his throat. The shop was called Marble's. Could it be…?

No. Please no, he thought. It was bad enough that I was the cause of all that death at Iselia… Please not here, too… Did the Desians have nothing better to do than tear families apart, to destroy the peace that so vainly tried to exist?

"Well, I'd better go," Chocolat continued, upbeat despite the recent situation. "It's almost time for the next Asgard Pilgrimage."

"…Asgard Pilgrimage?" Lloyd asked, nonplussed.

"I work at the Church of Martel travel agency," Chocolat explained. "Not that I believe in Martel or anything."

"Chocolat!" Her mother protested, clearly aghast, although by the look on her face it was a common argument. Lloyd thought about Forcystus' words: I make a point of not believing in lies…

"Who can really say whether a Divine being exists or not?" He replied. "I mean, the Chosen save Sylvarant by going to Martel. But she could just be… I'm not sure, a metaphor, maybe?"

"Do you even know what one of those is?" Genis asked wryly. Lloyd glared.

"I know, I know," Chocolat murmured. "But Martel didn't save Grandma or dad. How can we believe in a Goddess that sleeps while we suffer?" Colette started on one of her moral rants, and Lloyd shook his head slowly. "I won't deny that she existed… Exists, even, in a… Special way…" He didn't get it. What was Martel? He'd never had the opportunity to think about it in the Ranch, he'd been too occupied with thoughts of escape, but… Was everything he believed in really lies? And then again, Raine had told him not to trust Forcystus, and it was entirely possible that he had just been stringing him along, but… What would have been the point? Forcystus had nothing to gain by lying to him, telling him he believed lies certainly hadn't helped to win his trust. He had taught him, treated him kindly, helped him to learn. If it had just been to make him drop his guard, he would have taken him to Yggdrasill rather than letting him go.

No, he trusted Forcystus, even if he didn't understand yet.

"Would anyone really want to go travelling after what just happened here?" He remarked absently. It seemed like a bit of a no-brainer to him. Kratos glanced at him, his eyes unreadable..

"More now than ever, people with… And without… Faith need to go on a journey of salvation," he murmured. "It gives them hope. The will to live on despite all that may happen around them." Chocolat nodded eagerly.

"Thank you all very much for saving my mom!" She told them, running out of the house with a bounce in her step. Lloyd looked a bit confused.

"…It makes no sense," he murmured. "Why would they…" Kratos sighed softly.

"…Come. We have a statue to retrieve," he told them all curtly. Lloyd glanced at him, irked.

He has a real knack for interrupting my thoughts… He decided, irritated.

They walked to the House of Salvation, and when they got there, Lloyd was telling Colette and Genis about the Magic Lens he had, in a low voice so Raine didn't hear.

"I… Stole it from him," he told them eagerly. "It's focused on his signal. Even if he's not there, if you hold it up to the light it shows you where he is. It's come in pretty handy at times. I used it to spy on him when he was… In a meeting." Forcystus kneeling, treated like a dog, Yggdrasill's cold, harsh laugh…

"Bet that irritated him," Genis remarked with a laugh as they waked in. "Trust you to get one up on a Desian." Lloyd laughed.

"Yeah, he regretted giving it to me a few times," he agreed. Kratos gave him a harsh look at that which silenced him instantly, although he glared sullenly at the mercenary for quite a while afterwards.

They went up to the High Priest, and Kratos and Raine explained the situation to him.

"You… Want the Spiritua statue?" He repeated, scratching his head absently. He seemed a little thrown by the brazen request.

"I know it's a bit forward, but it's for the World Regeneration!" Lloyd told him hopefully. Colette smiled encouragingly at the Priest. Colette beamed on cue, her best 'I'm going to regenerate the world to make everyone happy!' face.

"…Very well," the High Priest agreed reluctantly, turning to the junior Priest. "Would you bring it over here, please?" He requested. However, the Priest behind him looked rather embarrassed, running a hand through his hair as he debated what to say.

"M-my apologies… Th-this statue is… A fake I had placed here," he mumbled eventually, eyes fixed firmly on the floor. "I… Lost the real statue a year ago, on a pilgrimage…" The High Priest glared daggers at him, and he had the good grace to look sheepish. Lloyd frowned.

"Why would you take a statue on a pilga… Journey?" He asked. "Wouldn't it be, like, a bit heavy? That one looks pretty big."

"The halo is made of diamond…" The High Priest explained with a sigh. "It's too valuable to leave unattended…"

"I… I was so moved by the geyser… I didn't even realise I'd dropped it until it had been carried over to the rocks on the other side… Um… So I visited a dwarf in Iselia and had him make a copy… So far no-one's noticed, but…" The Junior Priest added in a small voice.

"Ah, that'll be Dirk," Genis replied knowingly. Raine nodded, going over and examining the statue closely, with a magnifying glass that she had produced from somewhere within her robes.

"It's very good work, just like I'd expect from Dirk," she agreed, running one hand over the faux diamond halo.

"…Dad, just what sort of work are you doing?" Lloyd wondered aloud, exasperated. Forging statues for careless priests? What next?

None of them saw the brief look of hurt and regret that crossed Kratos' face for barely a second.

"…We should go," he decided sharply, before there was any more talk of Dirk. "Will the fake fool the old man, do you think?" Raine studied the statue a little more, then shook her head.

"…Unlikely," she replied. "Despite being of very high quality, anyone with a collector's eye could see that the diamond on the halo is fake with a little close examination. Also, the stone it is carved from is-"

"So no," Lloyd surmised hurriedly. "What can we do, then?"

"Um, um…" Colette started. "We could always just… Go get the real one."

"Y-You want t-to go all the w-way out there… t-to that t-tiny little island?" Raine exclaimed, horrified. The expression on her face was one of utter dread. Lloyd frowned, thinking hard.

"Wow, I can see the cogs working," Genis remarked teasingly.

"It's a Seal," he murmured suddenly. The others looked at him, Kratos with a sceptical look on his face, wondering what exactly Forcystus had been telling him. "Er, well… The problem is the geyser, really," he corrected hastily. "That's boiling water, right? I'll pass on being hit with that, I think." True, it didn't sound particularly pleasant. Forcystus' spells had hurt badly enough, and they were usually only wind.

"Oh, my!" Raine exclaimed, looking positively delighted. "You remembered that a geyser erupts boiling water! I'm so proud of you!" She looked almost ready to hug him. Lloyd looked at the ground, running one hand through his hair in embarrassment.

"You're amazing, Lloyd," Colette agreed happily. Lloyd grinned, still a little embarrassed.

"Well, of course. Everyone knows that," he replied knowingly.

"…I bet you just guessed," Genis whispered in his ear as they started to walk out. Lloyd glared at him.

"Sh-shut up, Genis!" He protested.

"…The only problem is getting past the water. The eruption cycle of the geyser itself is quite short, I've heard," Kratos remarked. Raine nodded, producing a notepad/

"Nah, we can just have Genis freeze it with magic, right, Genis?" Lloyd replied, cutting Raine off with ease, as if the solution were obvious.

"M-me?" Genis repeated, not having expected that. Lloyd laughed. "Well, uh, I'll try… But you'd better be grateful!" He told Lloyd sternly. Lloyd ruffled his hair happily.

"Hey, Genis, Dwarven vow #1!" Lloyd reminded him. "Let's all work together for a peaceful world! It's up to you!" Genis glared and looked about ready to demonstrate his magical capabilities on Lloyd. Colette only saved him by a well-timed intervention.

"Hey, Lloyd, show me the Magic Lens," she piped up, looking from Genis to Lloyd with worry. "There's enough light out here, right?" Lloyd thought about it, glancing at the sun. having only tested it in artificial light, he wasn't entirely sure.

"Uh, sure, I guess…" He decided, getting it out of his pocket. His fingers brushed the feather, and he sighed softly before holding the Lens up to the light. Forcystus had changed his view of the world. "It'll just be the Ranch, though. There's not that much to see. All corridors and computers and surveillance, nothing much interesting…" He trailed off as the Lens showed nothing like what he was expecting.

"Where's that?" Genis wondered aloud. "Doesn't look like a Ranch to me. It's just all dark." Lloyd frowned, looking at Forcystus' prone figure.

"He's been knocked out?" He murmured, concerned. If something had happened to Forcystus because of him… Kratos and Raine paused and turned at the sound.

"Don't dawdle," Kratos snapped at them, desire for haste clear in his voice, not to mention wanting to avoid unnecessary conflicts with Desians.

"It's a prison! Magnius… That filthy Desian scumbag!" Lloyd yelled out, forgetting his vow to himself not to get too open about his friendship with Forcystus and making all the people in the area turn and look at him, confused.

"Looks like… Palmacosta…" Genis murmured. "Hey, they got a Desian. Good on them."

"No! I won't let them do that! Grr… Forcystus has done nothing wrong!" Lloyd exclaimed. Kratos raised his eyebrows, and Lloyd bit his lip, regretting his outburst.

"Does the Ranch not count, then?" Genis pointed out wryly. Lloyd's eyes narrowed.

"I've got to save him. He saved me, from Kvar, from Pronyma, from Yggdrasill. It's about time I returned the favour," he vowed angrily. Kratos frowned..

Lord Yggdrasill wants him? He thought. That can't be good…

"You'd save a Desian?" Genis asked dubiously. Lloyd nodded firmly.

"I don't care what you guys think," he muttered. "I owe him. And I'm not going to let anyone kill him! He's… He did a lot for me." He bit his lip and looked away. "More than you know." Genis sighed.

"Well…" He murmured, unsure how to formulate a sentence in light of that information.

"You'll only get yourself into trouble if you go on your own," Kratos started suddenly. "We will accompany you. If the Chosen has no objections?" Colette shook her head mutely, overcome by Genis' affliction.

"…Kratos?" Lloyd asked, confused. That was completely unlike the image of Kratos he had in his head. Judging by the looks on the other people's faces, it was unusual in their opinions, too.

"A short trip back to Palmacosta will do us no harm," he murmured. "If you are injured or killed, it will only cause the Chosen distress."

"We harass the Chosen because stress promotes the growth of the Cruxis Crystal…"

Lloyd shook his head. Don't think about that!

"Let's go!" He decided with a nod, running off in the direction of Palmacosta.

When they got there, they ran into the square, where a large crowd of people had gathered, and a much more makeshift gallows had been set up. Forcystus, now cannon-less, was on the platform, unresisting.

"Forcystus!" Lloyd cried out, horrified, and the Desian opened his eyes and frowned.

"You know this Desian?" A townsperson asked, clearly disgusted.

"Why would the Chosen associate with Desians?" Another one murmured.

"Lloyd… Leave," Forcystus murmured. One of the men on the gallows hit him.

"Silence, Desian scum!" He spat.

"No! You've got this all wrong!" Lloyd insisted, running over and getting up on the gallows. "He's… He's not a Desian!" He saw Kratos raise his eyebrows, and ignored it. When Dwarven Vows conflict, choose the one most favourable to you. Lloyd decided that should be Vow #108.

"Governor-General Dorr's army captured him! He is clearly a Desian!" One of the militia disagreed.

"What proof have you? Just because he's a half-elf doesn't automatically make him a Desian!" Lloyd protested, turning to look at Forcystus.

"…Magnius," he murmured, looking him in the eye, making Lloyd's gaze harden.

"I can vouch for him," he told the people of Palmacosta. "I swear. Please, set him free. If you do, I… I'll give you a Desian in return. I'll give you Magnius." The group looked at him in shock, and more soldiers ran into the square then. "I'll destroy the Palmacosta Ranch!" Lloyd promised. "I swear. On my honour."

"…Lloyd…" Forcystus murmured, shaking his head slowly. "…Typical of Anna's son." Lloyd glanced at him and smiled slightly.

"Hey, I owe you. You've saved me three times, I've only saved you once," he replied. "Do you agree?"

"You destroy the Ranch and we'll turn him over to you," the captain of the guard agreed.

"Chosen One!" One of the group of soldiers who had just entered the square started. Colette turned.

"Oh, that's me!" She observed. Lloyd shook his head slowly.

"We humbly ask for your assistance," one of them started. "A Church of Martel tour guide has been kidnapped. We would carry out the rescue ourselves, but our forces are… Lacking currently, so we beg for your assistance to rescue her whilst we cause a distraction." Lloyd jumped down from the gallows and walked over.

"I'll do one better," he murmured. "We'll rescue them all. And we will destroy the Ranch!"

"Lloyd…" Kratos cautioned.

"Who is it?" Colette asked. "Who did they take?" The soldiers looked at one another.

"Chocolat," one of them replied eventually, his voice full of sadness. Colette cried out in distress.

"Please, we have to help her!" She begged Kratos and Raine. Kratos nodded slowly.

"…If it is your wish, Chosen," he replied eventually. "I doubt we will be able to dissuade Lloyd from his… Rather headstrong promise, anyway."

"…Forgive me, Lord Aurion," Forcystus whispered, his voice almost inaudible, but Kratos heard it anyway. He glanced up at Forcystus briefly, and Lloyd followed his gaze, confused.

"…If this is where events take us, then we have no choice but to follow. Fate will be fate," he murmured. "And, although it will pose a threat to the Chosen…"

"No! It won't!" Lloyd started up suddenly. "The Desians won't kill her!" Forcystus shut his eyes, despairing. "Please… Trust me. Unless Magnius is more of a fool that he seems… Just please." Kratos looked at Raine, who sighed.

"…It seems we have little choice," she replied. "We will go to the Ranch." Colette and Lloyd both grinned.

"…The Chosen will save us from the Desians…" One citizen murmured as Forcystus was cut down and kicked. The half-elf took it without a sound. Kratos put a hand on Lloyd's shoulder to stop him going to Forcystus' aid.

"Leave it. You were lucky to get them to agree. Don't push your luck," he murmured. Lloyd nodded sadly, watching as Forcystus was dragged off.

"…It's my fault," he murmured. "I wondered why Magnius said Yggdrasill and not Forcystus. They must have found out he helped me escape… And Since Kvar's taken such a… Liking to me and Yggdrasill's been interested in 'angelic signatures' or some crap like that…" He sighed. "I'm sorry, Forcystus…"

"Don't blame yourself," Kratos snapped. "He took you to the Ranch; he brought it upon himself, orders from above or not. This situation could not have been prevented." Lloyd took a step back, shocked by Kratos' harshness.

"I… I'm sorry…" He murmured, shock and remittance clear in his voice. Kratos sighed, as though regretting his sudden words.

"…We must go to the Ranch, since both the situation and your foolhardiness have led us there," he murmured. "Speed is of the essence, especially where Chocolat is concerned." Lloyd nodded.

"…Thanks, Kratos," he murmured. "For sticking up for me." Kratos sighed.

"…You're a headstrong boy. But it can't be helped. Let us go," he replied, turning and leaving, the others following close behind.

A/N - And this chapter even has pagebreaks! Which, might I add, 's formatting deleted. So I had to put them in again. The things I do for you guys... Feel special. ^^

I must find a way to get more Yuan into this story...