Yuan's communicator had been burning a hole in Rai's pocket for the last…well, who knew how long. As soon as he needed to find an excuse to get away from the rest of the party, it suddenly became very difficult. He glanced towards the door for what felt like the tenth time in the last hour. Kratos shot him a suspicious look and Rai cursed inwardly even as he nodded to the mercenary, forcing himself to look away again.

Unlike what he could remember from the game, each House of Salvation was slightly different. Rai shifted slightly where he sat on the floor, his back to the wall and his legs stretched out in front of him, and glanced over to the altar, where a large Spiritua statue replica could be seen. Huge stained glass windows took up every wall from almost ceiling to floor, depicting various scenes - a human girl, rising to the heavens with large angel wings; a hero with golden hair facing a horde of beasts; green forests lush with rivers and fruits…

"…what do you think, Rai?"

He blinked at Raine. "Sorry - I didn't quite catch that."

She shook her head, something he couldn't quite place glimmering in her blue eyes. She'd been acting a bit off around him since they'd left Palmacosta. She crossed her legs and placed her hands on her knees, closing her eyes for a moment as if gathering herself. "Our next steps. It seems we need to make our way towards Asgard, but the best way to get there isn't clear. We need to cross Hakonesia Peak, but different factions have controlled that area at times. Sometimes travelers are able to freely pass, but that is not always the case. And according to the priest here…we may not have an easy time gaining passage."

Rai shrugged. "That's still pretty much the only route we can take, isn't it? I don't think ships really land near Asgard - it's too far inland. I'm sure if we get to Hakonesia Peak, we can…persuade them to let us through, if needed."

Raine was looking at him in a way he still didn't know how to interpret. After a moment, she sighed. "I'm sure you're right."

Seated behind her, Lloyd and Colette were whispering among themselves. Rai felt a twinge of annoyance, then tempered himself. It was actually good - they needed to remain close, especially if he was trying to steer things to follow the original plot. He'd been getting much too close with Lloyd as of late.

"Well…I need some air," Rai said after a pause. He pushed himself to his feet and strode out the door before anyone could protest, or suggest that they join him.

Outside, he spent a good amount of time walking around, pretending to enjoy the scenery, before stealing off a good way away from the House and into the woods. He listened carefully, feeling with his mana sense, until he was satisfied that nobody was nearby. Only then did he dial Yuan on the communicator, fumbling a bit with the buttons.

The seraph picked up instantly. "It took you long enough," his voice came through dryly, distorted slightly through the device. After a slight delay, his image flickered up into the air too, letting Rai see the man. His blue hair was as sleek as ever, but there were shadows under his eyes and he looked slightly harried.

He'd called and talked to Yuan quite a few times now, even after the revelation that the seraph was truly his father. Initially the interactions had been brief and clinical - Rai updating Yuan on the group's activities. He'd held back on pressing his father too much on other details he wanted to know, but they both knew it would eventually need to be addressed…

"Is something going on?" Rai asked. Yuan sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Something's always going on. More importantly - how is progress going toward the seals?"

"We're headed towards Asgard now," Rai conceded. There was a pause. "And when am I going to get my questions answered?"

Yuan glanced over his shoulder for a moment. "Well. I don't have long, but I suppose… now is as good a time as any."

The kinds of questions that came to Rai's mind first, he couldn't bring himself to verbalize. Who was my mother? Why didn't you want me? Instead, he said evenly, "I want to know about the angel transformation. It's taken you long enough."

Yuan raked his hand through his hair again. "I suppose the topic had to come up eventually. Tell me, what is it you know already?"

Rai thought back to the sparse conversation with Kratos. "That some of the side effects still remain for half-elves even with the key crest, like not being able to taste. And that there might be some sort of mental effects, like rigid thinking and mood issues. That I'd be frozen at my current age forever. I think that's about it."

Yuan let out a breath. "Kratos, I take it?" He continued without waiting for Rai to reply. "I think he's gotten this view on mental effects from observing Mithos. Who…" Yuan grimaced. "Regardless. It's not completely wrong. In my experience, the transformation does seem to do what he stated, at least indirectly. The reality is, as a half-elf you can also lose the ability to sleep regardless of a key crest. I felt that with that, it became harder and harder to process events, or to forget very specific details...it can be enough to drive one mad." Yuan's face was shadowed, but he blinked a few times and seemed to rally. "However, it's not that clear. Each individual's mana, each key crest, each exsphere…they can resonate differently. In terms of truly studying the effects…" His nostrils flared. "Actually, Yggdrasil has been studying the transformation for the last few decades. On elves."

Now this was a surprise. Rai leaned forward. "And?"

Yuan shook his head. "The results are classified, even to me. I can try to find out more, but it will take time. One thing, though, I can tell you…" He hesitated. "But before I do, I need to know. Why are you asking?"

There was a pregnant pause. Rai said finally, "I want to give myself the highest chances of survival as possible. The enhanced strength - hearing - power of flight…Aren't they obvious advantages? But… more importantly…this journey, this world…they're dangerous. I'm constantly at risk of dying." He grit his teeth. "And constantly… a liability to my companions." Even if this wasn't his primary reason for seeking the transformation, it wasn't a lie. "I at least want to know what my options are. If not for now, maybe even for the future."

Yuan had been staring at him intently, but it was hard to tell what he was thinking. When Rai mentioned survival, there may even have been a glint of pain in his eyes, though quick enough that Rai wondered whether he had imagined it. There were several beats of silence during which Yuan seemed about to say something, thought better of it, and then finally spoke. "All right. I must warn you, even if you somehow manage to gain a Cruxis crystal and a suitable key crest, don't try to undergo the transformation alone, without support. You'll likely be incapacitated for at least days, and possibly weeks."

"Noted."

"Well..." Yuan hesitated. "The reality is, the idea that the transformation would freeze you at your current age - it isn't entirely accurate."

Rai waited.

"The truth is," Yuan continued finally, "one gains more power over one's own biological clock. You are able to age or de-age yourself...or even stop the clock altogether."

Rai felt a thrill of warmth rush down his spine. "You mean - I could age myself several years? Give myself the strength and stature I'm going to have as I grow?"

"Careful," Yuan said sharply. "In a sense, yes - but if you don't grow through those years naturally, you will not gain the strength and muscle that you would have had you gone through those years normally, training all the while."

Rai considered this. "And you think you'll be able to find out more about the elves who underwent the transformation?" he pressed, changing the subject. "Who are they, anyway? I assume they're not in on it willingly. Or are they?"

Yuan was glancing over his shoulder again at a flurry of activity in the background. Rai could make out the outline of a man dressed in green who had just barreled through the door, gesturing something rapidly to the seraph. "Damn it. There was something else we needed to discuss, but I - I have to go. One thing I must tell you - one of my undercover associates within the Desians will make contact with you soon. You'll know by his communicator. He'll be able to tell you more details. I'll look into things on the transformation front. Until next time. "

"Wait - " Rai shook his head. Yuan had already hung up.

Rai palmed the communicator and tucked it back into his inner pocket. This only made it even more imperative that he undergo the transformation, and as soon as possible. He needed to make sure he kept pressing Yuan on this. On top of that, elves... Rai narrowed his eyes. He wasn't sure where Sylvaranti elves lived, but there was only one place he knew of where elves lived in Tethe'alla. How had Ygdrassil gotten elves to experiment on? But then...more importantly...who was this associate of Yuan's who was going to be contacting Rai? And for what reason...?

Lost in thought, he had managed to make his way back to the House of Salvation. He didn't see any of his other party members around, but something else did catch his eye - a small traveling stall that had been set up in a corner. He was surprised he hadn't noticed it before; it stood out, with its purple and gold hues. Behind the table sat a figure clothed in dark robes and a hood which obscured their features. If there had been any question as to what the purpose of the stall was, the large, luminous crystal ball set on the table left no room for doubt. As though they had noticed Rai's gaze, the fortune teller turned to look at him, and then beckoned with their pale fingertips. A bit nonplussed, Rai made his way toward the stall.

When the fortuneteller said nothing, Rai took a seat at the stall. After a moment, they looked up to meet his gaze, but he wasn't quite able to make out their features or gender. Their eyes were dark.

"Would you like to know what lies in store for you?" The voice was smooth and even-pitched.

Rai pushed down the sense of unease. He wasn't sure why this was unsettling. "What will it cost me?"

To his surprise, the shadowy figure shook their head. "For this? No cost – at least not monetarily."

He swallowed. He really wasn't sure what to make of this now. But…

"Please tell me."

The fortuneteller stared for a moment into the crystal ball that lay before them on the table. Rai wasn't sure if he was imagining it, or whether there was something swirling in the depths of the sphere. After a brief pause, the hooded figure said, "There is a terrible doom in store for you. If something is not done, you will lose that of yourself which you value most. After seeing this, I felt that I must warn you."

Fuck, Akira said in his head. Could he be talking about what we think he's talking about?

Rai felt that he was breathing a little too fast and forced himself to slow down. He leaned in slightly towards the fortuneteller. "Can't you tell me any more details?"

From a slightly closer vantage point, he was able to see some of the fortuneteller's face. They were surprisingly young, eyes a deep black. There was a worried expression on the face. A male, perhaps? His mana felt very unique - dark and roiling, but candid. It was strong enough that he likely had more elven blood than not. "You may be healthy now," he said, "but from what is written in your fate, that is not what is in store for you. In terms of your body, perhaps, but your mind…" He shook his head, eyes clouded. "I have rarely seen warning signs this clear in the fates. It's possible that this is still avoidable, but at least from what I see… Your sanity, one way, or another, will be taken away from you. Whether it is your mental faculty - your ability to reason - or whether it is your morality, your emotional stability… This is truly an awful doom."

Chills were now running down Rai's spine. "Are you saying there's nothing I can do to prevent this?"

"Be careful, young man," the fortuneteller warned. "That which is written in the fates is often misleading in certain ways. I cannot be sure. But from what I see… You will be damned in one way...or the other."

He swallowed. "Thank you for telling me this. Are you sure you do not require compensation?"

"That, too, I see in the fates. In telling you of this, I will get that which I am owed in return."

Rai inclined his head and stood from the stall, ignoring the fact that his legs suddenly felt like jelly. As he walked away back towards the House, focusing on each step, he tuned back into Akira and heard his other self ranting in his mind. Not again, not again, not again, not again…Somehow, this actually made him feel a bit more grounded, stronger.

Get ahold of yourself, Akira, Rai thought sharply at his alter ego. We need to think about what this means - not devolve into hysterics.

Akira was silent for a while. Rai opened the door of the House of Salvation a little more forcefully than strictly necessary, then took a little more care when closing it, keeping his footfalls light as he ascended to the upper level. As he reached the landing, Akira said finally, I don't know what else he could have meant. To go over what he said...we'll lose our mind. No matter what we do.

Rai carefully let himself into the room. Most of his companions seemed to be asleep, but Raine stirred slightly as he made his way over to the remaining empty cot in one corner, near where Lloyd and Genis were sprawled. He said the fates are never completely certain, Rai pointed out.

That sounds like a cop-out if I've ever heard one, Akira spat.

The thin linen he had drawn over himself was unexpectedly cool against his skin, and Rai shivered. If we're to believe this man - which somehow, I have a hard time not doing - it sounded to me like I'm either going to lose my ability to think rationally, or I'm going to lose my emotional stability. That depending on the path I take, it'd be one or the other. Does any of this sound like...whatever disease you'd developed?

I mean...Akira hesitated. Not necessarily. I mean, I guess I would think more of the loss of rationality - but I think if it progressed enough over time, the disease would have taken both...

So what could he have meant? Rai rolled over on his side, facing the wall, and curled his body a bit. Could it be true that it's the disease, but that whatever I try to do to stave it off comes with its own costs?

He felt a sudden burst of some emotion from his other self. Wait. Maybe it's that. What you were just talking to Yuan about.

Rai caught his meaning immediately. The angel transformation and its side effects?

Yeah. This might confirm that, if we don't do anything, your mind will deteriorate. Maybe with the transformation, we can avoid that, but...

But then I'd have to deal with the side effects of the transformation, Rai completed. Well. It's still not really much of a conundrum, is it? I mean - the effects of the transformation might not be great, but it's still infinitely better than losing my ability to think, to reason...

Yeah. Akira sounded subdued. But is there some other way? A way to cure what's going to happen without undergoing the transformation?

I don't know. Rai massaged his temples, rolling onto his other side and adjusting the covers over himself. Maybe more honesty with Yuan is in order? See what he knows? But...He sighed. He'll never believe it if I tell him the whole truth. About you? The most I can tell him is what the fortune teller said. Which...is vague at best.

The question is, Akira said after a moment, will you be able to handle the effects of the transformation? Yuan basically said you can never sleep and it drives you mad. I don't know how he himself overcame it, but...

Rai said nothing, staring at the blank coolness behind his closed eyelids. Well, Yuan had said that he would find out more about the experiments on elves. Maybe the decision would be easier after finding out that information...Plus, could he even trust this mysterious fortune-teller? Obviously, the man knew more than he was letting on, but that didn't mean he was being entirely truthful with Rai. What could his motives be?

He almost jumped when a warm arm suddenly thumped across his chest. He opened his eyes and could make out the outline of Lloyd, still very much asleep, mouth slightly open, who had rolled over towards Rai. He tried to gently push the arm off, but Lloyd just rolled further toward him. Rai rolled his eyes.

At that moment, he felt a warm thrill of mana from the communicator in his pocket. Palming it, he glanced down at it over the covers and felt his heart stutter. Meet me outside. There was no identification for the sender.

Quietly, Rai extricated himself from Lloyd and stole out of the room.

Outside, it was now darker, every edge of the clearing cloaked in shadow. There was nobody around now - even the fortune-teller seemed to have cleaned up his tent and left for the night. The only light came from the half-moon in the sky and the distant lights of glow-bugs. Rai blinked as his eyes adjusted to the gloom.

He wasn't sure who he'd been expecting to meet, but…

He'd been wandering around outside for quite a bit when he finally identified the individual skulking in a corner of underbrush, cloaked in black. He swallowed. Why didn't I sense him earlier? The dark hood hid most of his features, but surprisingly, on seeing him the man pulled it back slightly, revealing angular features and stunning purple hair that cascaded down his shoulders, bright even by the light of the moon. He gave a grin with a bit of an edge to it. "You came."

Rai didn't respond, letting his fingers inch closer to the hidden dagger in his sleeve, and shifting slightly, hearing the slight rustle of the leaves beneath his feet as he moved. Something about this man was oddly familiar, but he couldn't quite place him. His eyes gleamed red and his long ears were adorned with a frankly ridiculous amount of silver jewelry. But the smile... the voice...

"What's wrong?" The man stepped closer, ignoring Rai's discomfort and not seeming to care about the crunch of the leaves under his own feet. "Don't trust me?"

Akira? Rai tried, keeping a close eye on the man as he turned his body sideways. His other self was silent. Of all the times to go on break...

The half-elf grinned again, even sharper this time. "You've got good instincts." Before Rai was even fully aware of it, let alone able to respond, the man had blurred into motion. A split second later Rai found himself pressed against the rough side wall of the House of Salvation, cold metal pressed to his throat. He immediately started to pool mana into his fingertips, but the man made a tsk of disapproval and Rai gasped at the sharp answering bite at his neck, the warmth of blood spilling down his neck. "Careful," the man purred. "Start preparing your mana like that, and you can make a fellow nervous." He leaned closer; Rai could see strands of that long hair out of the corner of his eye, feel the man's warmth and mana pressing at his back. "No hard feelings, right?"

He didn't trust himself to speak, not with the knife still at his throat. He could feel his heart racing in his chest, his breaths coming fast and shallow against his will, condensing in the cold air. Shit shit shit shit...

"Calm down." The man flicked an object into Rai's vision. He blinked a few times, nonplussed. Round, sleek, and with colored buttons - a communicator, identical to the one Rai himself carried.

"You're the… associate Yuan mentioned," Rai hissed through his teeth, trying not to let his neck move lest the blade cut deeper. He felt more than heard his assailant's hum of assent.

"Don't worry," the man breathed, his breath hot on Rai's ear. "This assault is for the benefit of our audience - nothing more, nothing less."

Before Rai could ask what the hell he meant, the man whirled him away from the wall, still keeping the painful vice grip around his neck, pulling Rai's back flush against his chest. To Rai's shock, a few paces ahead of them was none other than...

Lloyd.

The youth's hand was clenched hard around his sword-hilt, his stance already battle-ready. "Who are you?!" He slowly slid his sword out of its sheath. "Let go of my friend!"

"Sorry," Rai heard from behind him. The voice was colder now, no hint of the playfulness he'd heard before. "This one, Lord Magnius has got business with. If you want him, you'll have to come find him!"

Rai widened his eyes at Lloyd, trying to signal something - anything to indicate all was not as it seemed - but before he could assess if the swordsman had understood, the lightheadedness swelled until everything had faded to blackness.

AN: Thank you to Demonfan50 and AmaroqLycanphoenix for your reviews! It's always great to hear people's input. Any thoughts on this fotune-teller, the mysterious kidnapper or what might happen next?