Once Alai was finally out of the Desian base after situating Magnius - that had taken far too long - he raced into the woods, masked his mana and waited, barely breathing, making sure there was no sound, sign or hint of mana surrounding him. Finally, he made his way to the temporary warp point he'd stashed nearby and used it to teleport to the Palmacosta-area Rheiard hangar.

He finally allowed himself to breathe, collapsing onto one of the nearby benches. He was alone here - no other Renegade operatives for the moment. Fuck - was Rai still okay? He palmed his communicator and saw a message from the new operative - I'm out. Location 3. Standby. It was from fifteen minutes ago. The letters gave no hint as to how Rai must be feeling, or what kind of shape he might be in physically. I'd better pick him up before he collapses of mana exhaustion...

Alai had to admit that even for him, he'd been a bit too impulsive this time. He didn't know much about Rai, but it was obvious Yuan valued him highly for whatever reason. Risking his life to that degree on a test mission - while he was also impaired by the influence of an experimental drug...that had probably been a bit much. Hopefully Rai was fine. He hadn't expected the younger half-elf to play the Desian role that well - to seem to relish the chance to oppress humans, to rile up his companions to that extent...

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, Alai, he growled to himself internally as he strode over to his Rheiard. If he couldn't return Rai safely to the Renegade base, he'd lose a great deal of the goodwill he'd built up with Yuan over the years. And then the Sylvari family -

Well, there was no point in speculating. He finished up all the checks on the Rheiard, making sure the mana shield was engaged before he took flight. He felt the now-familiar drain on his mana as it fed the device, allowing both him and it to fade from visual inspection as they vaulted into the skies. He had his childhood training to thank - without his ridiculous mana stores, there would have been no way he'd have had enough left for this, after the day he'd had. As he zipped through the skies, ignoring the cold air stinging his cheeks, he felt another signal from the communicator and glanced at it.

Hurry. Mana exhaustion.

He cursed internally. Rai's control had been shot due to the enhancer, and he'd overtaxed himself. Alai should have been more cautious - no matter how fun it was to test the young prodigy. And he was one, there was no doubt about that - but even a prodigy had limits. And that fight Rai had had with Lloyd -

The Rheiard angled down as Alai identified the predetermined meeting spot in the distance, diving swiftly. That was another thing he needed to report to Lord Yuan. That boy's strength had been unnatural. That exsphere...could it be...?

That thought was abandoned for the moment as Alai alighted, racing into the cave. He let out a breath as his mission partner finally came into view - leaning against the wall, his cheeks parchment-white. Rai's mouth moved into a wry smile and his eyes fluttered open, fixing on Alai. "Finally decided to show up, eh?" His voice was barely audible, and Alai realized in sudden alarm that he couldn't feel Rai's mana at all. Before he could think more on this, he'd stumbled forward automatically, just in time to stabilize Rai as he attempted to sit up and nearly tipped over onto the floor. The other half-elf's head hit Alai's chest, hard enough to knock the breath out of him, but he realized with relief that at this range, he could feel Rai's mana, that warm trickle of power, resonating between their skin. Thank Martel.

Without thinking, he clasped a hand on Rai's bare arm and let some of his own mana rush into the other. Normally, that would have beyond dangerous, but due to the lingering effects of the enhancer they'd both taken, their mana was more resonant than usual, and Rai's body accepted him. He had to break contact as more of his mana than he'd intended tried to race away, Rai's system hungry for it. Rai managed to struggle upright more successfully this time, though he still looked exhausted. Some of the color had come back into his cheeks, but he was looking at Alai with an odd expression. He knew why. What he'd just done was almost unheard of, especially between non-family. But that tiny trickle of mana...it just hadn't been enough. And he knew from personal experiences what the consequences of that level of depletion could be like.

When Rai spoke, though, all he said was, "Thanks for what you did back there. Lloyd would have killed me."

Alai didn't doubt it. He leapt back to his feet and put a hand out to Rai, and after a moment of hesitation the other half-elf accepted, letting Alai pull him to his feet. He staggered and Alai put an arm around his shoulders. Neither of them spoke again for some time, even as they boarded the Rheiard, Rai slumped behind him as they glided back in the direction of the Renegade base, Alai lost in thought. Finally Alai said, "Who is he to you? The amount you were holding back, even in the face of lethal force..."

He realized too late it probably wasn't a good time to be asking personal questions - Rai probably didn't have his full abilities to be discerning, and if he ended up revealing things he didn't want to reveal in this context, it might destroy whatever alliance they were building. At first he thought Rai might be asleep, but then the answer came, murmured, almost as if he was hardly aware of what he was saying.

"...I just couldn't."

For once, Alai was at a loss for words, but thankfully, Rai didn't seem to need a response, his warm breath on Alai's neck evening out as he fell asleep.

The rest of the journey was silent, but Alai's mind was anything but.

When Rai came to again, it took him a moment to remember where he was. The now-familiar humming noise fell on his ears first, and then memories came rushing back. The Palmacosta attack, the fight with Lloyd, the confrontation with Aalissi, and finally making it back to the Renegade base. He definitely recalled arriving at the base, but things were somewhat of a blank after that.

He opened his eyes and realized as he sat up that he was in the same room he'd been in before, plush carpet and all. And...there sat Alai.

Deja vu, much? Akira snipped. Rai ignored him.

Somewhat surprisingly, Alai seemed to have nodded off in the chair, his face braced against one propped-up hand. His breathing was slow and regular. The ever-striking purple locks were tied up and back, and he was in a simple tank top, with no sign of his sword in sight.

You want to wake him up, or just keep staring?

Rai shifted a bit, averting his gaze. The room seemed otherwise unchanged. Rai's gear lay at the bedside, on the opposite side from Alai.

"So, our sleeping beauty finally awakens," Alai's voice said. Rai's eyes snapped back to him. The half-elf's eyes remained closed, but as Rai looked, he opened them lazily. He smirked, but there was an element of relief.

"How long was I out?" Rai demanded. He felt unnecessarily irritable. His mana inside him felt muted, and Alai seemed different, no longer an iridescent well of cool power. Instead, only a hollow echo of it was left. Alai's red eyes were knowing.

"Not long," he said, standing from the chair and stretching. "About a day. Don't worry - one of my associates in Palmacosta indicates your group is still there, helping them rebuild before they set out for Magnius's ranch. Still - seems they weren't in a hurry to race straight off to the ranch after you, were they? Even after that performance we put on." His voice was somewhat teasing, but there was something different underlying it.

Rai ignored his mana sense pricking at his skin, sure that it should be able to feel Alai, his movements as he strode across the room. "Sounds like we're on the same page - that I need to be at the ranch by the time the group gets there."

Alai grinned suddenly, pausing where he had been reaching down for his sword-belt. "Well, of course. My loud mention of Lord Magnius was done for a reason, after all. I imagine your value to Lord Yuan is higher from within the Chosen's group rather than stuck at our base."

Rai swung his legs over the side of the bed, reaching for his own gear as well. "And when will I finally get to meet with...Lord Yuan?"

"Now, if you're up to it." Alai crossed his arms. "He arrived this morning. Said he wanted an audience with you as soon as you recovered. He's already in his audience chamber, I think just catching up on some work while he waits. Botta is probably meeting with him right now."

Botta - right, the figurehead leader of the Renegades. Rai felt an odd mixture of excitement and apprehension at the thought of meeting Yuan in person again. They'd had many more virtual meetings since the last time - the cold fury had mostly worn off, and now Rai was just...curious, somewhat resentful, and awkward about how to talk to his father.

Rai took a moment to freshen up in the adjoining washroom. Fascinatingly, the base even had running water - a luxury unheard of to the Sylvaranti at large. As he emerged, he found Alai waiting for him, now dressed. His shoulders remained bare, but his sword was strapped at his waist and gauntlets were strapped to his forearms, gleaming with (probably magical) gems.

Alai's expression betrayed nothing. "Ready?"

Shortly after, they found themselves walking down an ornate hallway. Rai hadn't pinned Yuan as someone with a flair for elegance or decoration, but he supposed you could never really know. He was still thinking along these lines when they reached a large door, glowing with blue energy. Alai stopped, and Rai mirrored him.

"This is where I leave you," Alai said, turning to face him. "I already notified Lord Yuan, and his meeting with Lord Botta should have ended by now. Past this door is an anteroom of sorts - just helps us make sure there're no nasty little devices or magic that could compromise security. Once you're in the room with Lord Yuan, you should be able to speak freely." His expression was mostly blank, but there had been a flicker of something - irritation? - in his eyes when he had first started speaking.

"So you're not tagging along this time, hmm?" Rai pressed. Alai grinned, but there was still a hint of tightness around his eyes. He folded his arms across his chest again, muscles flexing.

"Suppose he wants to discuss something private with you. Hey, we've spent enough quality time together." The smile faded a little bit, expression looking more serious. "Honestly, though - I've been pleasantly surprised by you overall. Looking forward to working with you again - and seeing what you can do with that new weapon of yours." He winked, and was gone.

Somewhat nonplussed, Rai turned back towards the door. There was no obvious mechanism to open it. Now what?

Akira's voice sounded in his mind. What, now you need help?

He reached forward and touched the door tentatively. It was cool and smooth, with no obvious mechanism he could feel. It didn't seem to react to his touch. Experimentally, he let mana flood his fingertips. He felt a warmth as the door changed color to a brilliant green before spiraling open. Carefully, he walked forward into the blue-lit room within.

An odd sensation rushed over him as some type of magic activated, scanning his body. He waited, tense and aware that the door behind him had already closed. After what felt like far too long, the door in front him opened to reveal a much larger chamber, brightly lit. Large floor-to-ceiling windows lined the walls, providing a brilliant view of the desert and further back, the green hills, forests, and streams of Sylvarant. Further out, the shimmering ocean could be seen. It was a deceptively open environment, he noted as he stepped out of the clinical anteroom. The windows were likely enchanted to appear different from the outside.

As he stepped forward, his footfalls silenced by the plush carpet, he noticed Yuan seated on a couch adjoining one of the windows, staring out over the landscape. There was also a large table with numerous surrounding chairs, as though meant for meetings, and he could see some devices laid out there, as though Yuan had recently been busy at work. He made his way towards where the other man was and Yuan glanced at him. His blue hair was tied back at the nape of his head as always, but he wasn't in his characteristic cape and red-and-black armor, wearing simply an off-white shirt and pants.

"Lord Yuan," Rai intoned by way of acknowledgement. He wasn't quite sure how to address the man at this point.

Yuan looked weary, his face uncharacteristically lined. "Hello, Rai. Please, sit. And please feel free to leave the formalities behind. I don't have the right to ask you to call me Father, but you may use whatever is comfortable. I'm not truly in charge of you at this point, nor do I want to be."

He sat on the sofa opposite Yuan, leaning back and looking directly at the man. "I understand...Father."

Complex emotion flitted across Yuan's face - surprise, and perhaps even sorrow - but was quickly masked. "What did you think of my base?" Yuan asked instead. "Did Alai give you a good overview of things? He can be a bit of a wildcard, that one, but he's sharp - and loyal."

There was a short silence as Rai thought about how best to respond. "Before that - you seem tired," he said finally. "Is there a lot going on? Anything I can help with?"

That surprise flitted across his father's expression again, and then to Rai's chagrin, he laughed slightly, leaning back further on the couch and looking more directly at Rai. "I never quite know what to expect from you. Perhaps I should have anticipated that from my own son." Before Rai could say anything to this, Yuan continued, "You're right to point it out. Frankly, I have been somewhat overloaded as of late. It's to be expected, with such a Chosen candidate now in play."

"It seems more than just that," Rai pointed out. "You've been sabotaging the Chosen's Journey for decades. Have I played a part in...the level of stress you're under? Or is there some change with Cruxis?" How much had I told Yuan about what I know, anyway?

We'd called him a four-thousand year-old seraph and leader in both Cruxis and the Renegades, Akira said wryly. And that we were against Cruxis and could potentially help prevent the resurrection of Martel. But we never really told him how we know all this.

Yuan's gaze sharpened slightly. "It may be time for us to be more open with each other, my son," he said, as though he had heard Akira's comment. "It is not clear to me what you recall of your time in Cruxis, how you know what you know, or how you ended up where you did. For my part, I can tell you about things I'm sure you are curious about." He hesitated, gaze shadowed. "About your mother's legacy, for example."

Rai sighed. "It's honestly hard for me to say. Most of the memories of my time in Cruxis really aren't accessible to me at this point. And I have odd dreams of events I don't fully understand. I do have a lot of knowledge about this world, yes - and living in Cruxis would be the obvious answer as to how I know those things. But I really can't know for sure." Even if it wasn't the whole truth, it was true.

Yuan studied him. There was some regret in his gaze. "I may be able to shed some light on your time in Cruxis," he admitted. "Though admittedly, Kratos would know more. Regrettably, I shirked my responsibility to you during those years. Though I may have had my reasons...I am truly sorry for that."

There was an odd feeling in Rai's chest, a warmth, and a simultaneous tightness in his throat. He swallowed, unsure exactly how to respond. "I'm sure it was a difficult situation," he acknowledged finally, voice tight. "I have some sense that...something...happened with Yggdrasil when I was in Cruxis. Something bad. And I haven't been entirely honest with Kratos either, about how much I really remember from that - which is very little. I don't know if I should ask you to explain it or try to remember it on my own, in due time."

Yuan hesitated. "It's up to you how much you would like me to reveal. Might I propose I tell you from the beginning? About your mother, how you came to be in Cruxis - and what I broadly know of how you left."

Rai met his gaze evenly, then nodded once.

The seraph leaned forward a little, bracing his elbows. "I hope your chair is comfortable, then. It will be a bit of a long story." He seemed to deliberate for a moment, then reached into his pocket. "Is there anything I can offer you? Water? Tea?" Rai was still pondering this when another half-elf made their entry through the large door, their presence first announced by a bell-like sound.

There was a large platter in his arms, with two glasses and pitchers of water and juice as well as a teapot, and various refreshments. As he set it down on the table between them, Yuan said, "Thank you, Jari." The half-elf inclined his head and left as swiftly as he had come.

Yuan made an inviting gesture and Rai agreeably poured himself some tea as his father continued, "What do you know about elves in Sylvarant?"

He focused on keeping the pour smooth, unaffected. "Not much. I've surmised there must be at least one elven settlement, and probably a secret one, but that's about all I know."

"I suppose it's not surprising you've deduced that much," Yuan admitted, pouring himself some juice, seemingly at odds with his sophisticated appearance. "You have a Sylvaranti elf in your party, after all."

Yes, and? Outwardly, he kept his features calm, receptive. "So my story begins in this elven settlement in some way?"

Yuan nodded, his gaze clouded, the juice forgotten on the table as he stared out the window again. "Yes. You see..."

Rai found himself leaning forward in his seat, rapt with attention, as Yuan continued. "Your mother was an elf - a brilliant elf. She grew up in Ymir, the main Sylvaranti elven settlement."

When it seemed Yuan wasn't going to continue on his own, Rai prodded, "And how did you meet her?"

"I was sent as a diplomat to the elven settlement at the time," Yuan revealed. "Mithos had been keen to establish a relationship with them for some time - the elves have long-had their own secret magical techniques, and in hindsight...he also wanted to use elves for lifeless being experimentation."

Rai swallowed. Somehow, that tidbit hit harder when it was contextualized by his mother having been amongst the elves.

"Around that same time, a new Elven chieftain had taken over," Yuan continued. "It was why I could visit in the first place - the prior chieftain had wanted nothing to do with Cruxis. Before I'd even managed to find the village for the first time, I ran into your mother. She ambushed me in the woods." There was a glimmer of fondness, amusement in his eyes, but it was sharpened with sadness. Rai's throat was still inexplicably dry. "She wanted to warn me away from the elven settlement - not knowing I was a diplomat from Cruxis, but sensing I was a half-elf, she wanted to protect me."

Yuan smiled wistfully, still staring out the window over the landscape. "When she realized who I really was, she wasn't too happy. She confronted me, angrily - challenging why I would be part of Cruxis, and also why I would work with Thalendir - the elven chieftain. He was a reformist in many ways, but Althaea - that was your mother's name - was part of a faction within elven society that strongly disagreed with his methods." The seraph shook his head, reaching over to the table to grasp his goblet of juice, but ended up staring into it, not drinking. "Despite our differences, we were...drawn to each other. But our relationship remained taboo, secret. An elf and a half-elf - that's a tale as old as time. And it never ends well."

Rai realized he was holding his breath and forced himself to relax, leaning back on the sofa. He managed to take a sip of tea, though it felt suffocating.

"Our relationship lasted only a few short months," Yuan continued. "Kratos had met her during that time as well - that was actually during an odd time for him as well, when he was away from Cruxis. I don't want to reveal too much, but...Kratos may have had a forbidden relationship of his own. And it ended badly. It was a stark reminder for Althaea and I of what could happen. So, even though we loved each other...we ended things. And I ended my role as the ambassador, wanting to distance myself. I immersed myself in other work. But in hindsight...I think that was a mistake."

Yuan did take a sip of his juice now, but his eyes were glimmering with pain, his grip a little too white-knuckled on the glass. "Even though I'd been the one to initially talk with Thalendir, I had no idea of Mithos's ultimate plans for the elves. Ultimately, it turns out they made a deal for Thalendir to turn over some elves to Cruxis for experimentation - usually those who opposed Thalendir's regime. In return, I believe Cruxis provided information on magitechnology, powerful artifacts...and hollow promises of protection under the new world order."

Rai found his voice. "And what -" He cleared his throat. "What was Thalendir's regime, exactly?"

"He was - is - a modernist. I don't know how much you know about elves - they have an ancient, simple way of life, and strong customs around the use of magic - using it only to sustain life, for simple tasks, to smooth interaction with others, or perhaps in your own self-defense. The idea of magitechnology has historically been anathema to them - and part of why they've hated half-elves as much as they have. But Thalendir wanted to change that. He saw elven society falling by the wayside, tied to their old ways. And unlike prior chieftains, who had ignored and remained distant from Cruxis, he wanted an alliance. He wanted the elves to use their magical prowess to develop technology of their own. As you can imagine, not all the elves agreed with him." Yuan's grip tightened on the arm of the sofa. "But those who disagreed were quickly silenced. I found out later that eventually, they would often disappear - made an example of, turned over to Cruxis. And though I didn't know it at the time...your mother was one of them."

Fuck. Akira's voice in his mind was somber. We'd already assumed she was probably dead, but...

Rai ignored him. "So she was experimented on?" He thought his voice was remarkably even, all things considered. Yuan met his gaze, deep pain evident in the lines of his face.

"I didn't know it at the time, but yes. I was a coward - abandoning our relationship, not wanting to deal with the pain. So I put all issues of the elves out of my mind, and didn't prod much into what Mithos was doing in that arena. When I heard some elves were part of exsphere experiments, I didn't initially connect that and realize they weren't just helping with experimentation - they were themselves test subjects. And I never would have expected something like that to happen to Althaea - she was a leading researcher, well-known and well-liked. Then one day Kratos came to me, and suddenly a series of harsh truths - things that had happened despite my trying to put my head in the sand - crashed over me all at once."

"What did he tell you?" Rai asked without preamble. Braced for the worst.

Yuan's next words were strained, halting. He suddenly sounded much older. "Althaea had - she - she had been part of experimentation. Exsphere experimentation. And - unbeknownst to me - she had been with child. She gave birth alone, as a Cruxis test subject, and died in the process. But before she did, she managed to get one of the angels to fetch Kratos, who recognized her. She told him that you were my son, and asked that he protect you with her dying breaths. Kratos managed to convince Mithos to let him take you under his wing, and Mithos, knowing Kratos had recently lost his wife and child, surprisingly acquiesced. Kratos came to me with the news, and Althaea's exsphere in hand. But I - I couldn't handle the revelations. I hadn't even known she was with child, or her dire situation. If I hadn't run away, I would have known - and been able to stop what happened to her. But I did, and I didn't. I could hardly process that I had a son, and to the extent I could, I didn't feel...worthy of being your father. So I distanced myself, left you to Kratos. I put your mother's exsphere in a safe box and couldn't bring myself to look at it again."

Rai's chest felt heavy, but he forced himself to continue breathing normally, regularly. It was a tragic story, but he couldn't even bring himself to be angry with Yuan. There was a hollow recognition somewhere inside him that he himself might have done the same. But...it just seemed too sad. A brilliant researcher...his mother...gone, just like that. Could he even hate Mithos for it? It hadn't been personal. Just clinical, cold. A sacrifice for the greater good. Mithos hadn't even known about Yuan's tryst, presumably, or that Rai was Yuan's son.

It's okay to feel something about this, you know, Akira said. Sad about your mom - angry at Yuan or Mithos. It would be completely reasonable.

Rai ignored his other self again, though he wasn't wrong. "I understand," he told Yuan, the simplicity of the words belying their heaviness. And he did.

The seraph's expression changed, tightened. There was shock, grief. "Rai - it's okay to be angry at me - "

"I know," Rai said. "And for a while, I think I was. The idea that you hadn't been bothered to be involved - that I had a father this whole time, a powerful one, and not Kratos but you - I was probably hurt. Resentful. But...after hearing what happened. I think I understand. It was a horrible situation. In hindsight, could you have done things differently? We always can. But it makes sense why you distanced yourself. You couldn't have known things would take this turn."

Yuan's jaw was clenched. "Maybe so - but that doesn't excuse what I did once I knew. I found out about you - and I ran away."

"You did," Rai admitted immediately, not sugarcoating it. He heard Yuan's intake of breath. "But...even if it may not have been right...I can understand why. I... I can't get away from the fact that, had I been in your shoes, facing that horrible reality...I can imagine myself doing the same."

"I..." Yuan seemed at a loss for words, but quickly rallied. "Rai - I don't deserve this level of - "

"I don't care what you deserve," Rai snapped. "I'm not here to provide whatever punishment or retribution you feel you need. I'm just honestly reacting to these revelations. Do I not have that right?"

There was silence for a moment, then Yuan sighed, some of the tension leaving him. "How has my son become so much wiser than I?"

He decided to take this olive branch for what it was. "Maybe my dad's just a bit dense," he said lightly, leaning back.

Yuan smiled slightly, and Rai for some reason felt a bit of relief. "You may not be wrong," the seraph said. "Well - perhaps that's enough monologuing from me for the moment. Do you have any questions?"

Do we? Akira's voice was incredulous. He drops all that new lore on us, with loads of branching off points to other crazy topics, and then asks if we have ANY QUESTIONS?

Calm down, Akira. Think. Questions...what happened in my early childhood? What was my mom researching? Why was Kratos not in Cruxis when Yuan met Althaea - was it because of the whole Anna thing? Also, does Yuan realize he just revealed that Kratos had a wife and son? What experimentation was being done on my mom and the other elves? How could that have affected me? Do you still have her exsphere? Could we use her exsphere? Is Thalendir still in place and are the elven experiments still going on? Why finally tell us all this now? If Kratos was on the run with Anna when Yuan met Althea, and they were only together a few months, shouldn't I be closer to the same age as Lloyd?

"Questions is an understatement," he said aloud. "But, and forgive me if this sounds like a strange one. How old am I?"

Yuan did look a bit puzzled, brow furrowing. "Well- it's currently the year 4000 CM - and back then it would have been around 3984. So that would make you around 16 years old. Why?"

Huh. Multiple questions bubbled up, but the first to burst out was, "Wait - there's a calendar?"

Yuan actually chuckled at that. "I suppose the Sylvaranti these days don't put much energy into counting dates - but yes. It's based on the number of years since the Church of Martel was established."

"I...see," Rai said, mind whirling. So he was only about a year younger than Lloyd, give or take. With the gaps in his memory from his time in Cruxis, maybe he'd mistaken his own age. Before Yuan could say anything else, Rai changed the subject. "Do you know what ended up happening to me in Cruxis, then?"

He was almost sorry he'd asked when that glint of pain reappeared in Yuan's eyes. "Mithos not only allowed Kratos to take you on, apparently he developed quite an interest in you himself. Your capabilities with mana were apparently something that interested him. I think he may have been playing with the idea of grooming you as...somewhat of a successor. But apparently, as part of that he had you do things that were damaging, especially at your age. Kratos would know more of the details, but..." Yuan hesitated. "Are you sure you want to know?"

Rai's voice seemed to have left him, but he managed a nod, not breaking eye contact with Yuan. His father seemed to accept this and continued haltingly, "I... I think Mithos may have had you... kill one of the human prisoners as part of some kind of test or lesson. Kratos felt he had gone too far, and ended up faking your death - not even I knew you were still alive until recently."

As Yuan was saying this, Rai felt strong panic and guilt emanating from that part of himself he had previously been calling "W". This time, instead of pushing it aside, he rode out the emotions, letting the guilt wash over him, acknowledging it. Accepting it. It's okay to feel bad about this. To feel scared. But also...it wasn't your fault. As he sat there, though the feelings didn't go away, he felt that part of himself soften slightly, calm, the tension in his chest easing slightly. From another part of him, he felt Akira's wordless approval.

Through the pain, he said, "Ah. I suppose that explains some memory suppression, then."

Yuan inclined his head. "Again...I am sorry, my son."

He might not have sounded as composed as he'd intended. He reached for his teacup, then aborted the movement when he realized his hand was shaking, against his will.
"What will we do when - and not if - Mithos finds out I'm actually alive? If I stay with the Chosen's group, he's bound to. If he hasn't already."

Yuan had no doubt caught onto the obvious pivot, but he didn't object. "You're right," he said. "I do know that when you supposedly died, the story was that you had been killed by an anti-half elf group of humans while you and Kratos were on a field mission near Palmacosta. We could imply that you must have been kidnapped but somehow escaped the group at that time, which is when you were found by...Raine, was it?"

"Yes. I suppose that's as good an idea as any. I'll have to bring it up to Kratos, too."

Yuan nodded. That hint of amusement had returned to his eyes. "Are all your questions answered now, then?"

Not even close! "I do have a couple more," Rai said aloud, more diplomatically. "Did you ask Alai to test me?"

Yuan drank from his juice at length before answering. "I may have implied he could do so, yes," he admitted. "I was curious what conclusions he might arrive at."

"And who is he, exactly?"

"...A sophisticated and trusted operative," Yuan said carefully. "He comes from an old half-elven lineage...one that disagrees with the Desians stated goals of an age of half-elves, and the subjugation of humans - and emphasizes old elven ways more strongly."

Rai felt that raw curiosity flare up again, that hunger to know more. No wonder Alai had made those comments about not all half-elves in Sylvarant siding with the Desians. Were there half-elven settlements hidden away, just as there were elven? But there was another question he needed to ask. He pushed his curiosity aside.

"I see," he said. "One more thing...my mother's exsphere. Do you still have it?"

"...Yes," Yuan admitted, jaw tensing again. "It...it's in a safe place. And...it's yours, if that is what you desire."

"Is there something that worries you?" Rai asked, after a pause.

Yuan hesitated. "I...at this point, we don't know what capabilities it possesses. It was experimental, after all - and its host was an elf, not a human. What might that mean? And I must admit that the knowledge that Althaea...that her life energy went into the device...I can't bring myself to use it. But perhaps she wouldn't want her life, her efforts to go to waste...if anyone were to make use of the power she left us, perhaps it should be you, the one she wanted to protect with her dying breath."

Swallowing was painful again. "I'd like to have it," he managed softly. "I already have an extra key crest I can use that should allow me to equip it safely - and I think I can trust Lloyd to help with whether the crest is adequate without asking too many questions. I'll keep it...her...safe."

Yuan put a hand over his eyes, silent for a moment, but when he removed it, his face was calm again. "Thank you, son."

Rai wondered if they should stop here. He was exhausted, and Yuan probably was, too. They hadn't yet established their long-term goals, and to what extent they overlapped.

...That might be a conversation for another day.

Rai took a deep breath, closing his eyes and focusing on his mana. He ignored his surroundings - the fact that he was seated near the edge of a Renegade training ground, cross-legged on the floor, the sounds of swords clanging in the background - and did his best to feel the mana frequency of the communicator, to bring it perfectly in line with his own, to let it meld -

A presence made itself known, the footfalls that came up to him accompanied by a now-familiar crisp scent, distracting him. Damn it!

He opened his eyes, doing best not to glare at Alai, who was standing nearby, stance casual. His hair was down again, slightly damp, and he grinned as Rai looked at him. "Harder than you'd think, isn't it?"

"Unnecessarily so," Rai admitted. He leaned back on his hands. "Especially when I have so little time to master it."

Alai settled onto the ground next to him, pulling his hair over one shoulder. "Well. A little bird told me your friends will be arriving at Magnius's ranch around afternoon tomorrow. You'll have to make an early morning of it."

"Not much time to gather intel before I slip in amongst the prisoners," Rai noted. "But I suppose too much time spent skulking around the base would be a bit suspicious, anyway."

Alai pivoted so that he was facing Rai. "I'll be nearby as well. I'll be attending a meeting with Magnius and some of his associates tomorrow. If you need a diversion."

"Hopefully I'll be okay," Rai said. "If anything, I might have made myself too high profile as a Desian with that performance in Palmacosta. Unlikely they'll suspect I'm not loyal, but I might attract attention or conversation if anyone recognizes me before I make the switch to prisoner. And I'll have to mask my mana quite well to avoid them noticing I'm not a human, once I switch. I'll have to wait until things are in disarray from Lloyd's group breaking in..."

"Shouldn't be too bad," Alai said, easily, but the intensity of his gaze belied the light tone. "You enjoy your status as the hot new Desian, and then when everyone's scrambling to respond to the intruders, you slip quietly into the prisoner area."

"I'm not sure I can mask my mana well enough."

Alai seemed to consider this a moment, then grinned, his gaze sharpening. "Maybe you'll find it's a bit easier now - after exerting the impressive control you did while the enhancer was still in your system. Try suppressing it."

Rai sighed, but did as he was told, keeping his eyes open this time as he focused his energy, this time suppressing it, keeping it calm and focused in his core, not allowing any to escape. He started slightly when Alai shifted closer, the other's eyes closing in concentration, but managed to maintain control over his mana. A few moments later, Alai grinned, eyes opening again. Rai let out a breath.

"You seem human enough to me," Alai said, sounding pleased and disappointed all at once. "Where did all that power go?"

"Still," Rai said, focusing on keeping his mana controlled and ignoring his heart beating faster for no reason. "Seems we're taking some gambles."

Alai shrugged, bending one knee up and resting his arm on it. "You risk some to win some. Worst case, a Desian notices you among the prisoners. I'm sure you can think of several ways of talking yourself out of that one."

"...True," Rai admitted. "We're also assuming the group can successfully 'rescue' me, though."

"You don't have faith in your Lloyd's power?" Alai said. He looked deceptively innocent.

He decided to ignore the implication. "He may be powerful, but he's not exactly the world's greatest tactician."

"Hmm. Well, if the group fails, maybe I'll have to play your knight in shining armor instead."

Rai rolled his eyes. "Right. After kidnapping me in the first place."

Alai grinned. "...details. Is there anything else that worries you about the mission?"

"Plenty of things. But I think I'm just going to have to go with the flow, here."

"Now you're learning." Alai unexpectedly reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, the touch cool and warm at the same time. "And no hint of your mana, even with contact. I told you - you're a natural at this."

What's his game? Rai wondered. Is he just following Yuan's orders, or does he have his own plans? Unbidden, the part of his psyche he had previously called "CO" surfaced with Yuan's words from before - He comes from an old half-elven lineage...one that disagrees with the Desians stated goals of an age of half-elves, and the subjugation of humans - and emphasizes old elven ways more strongly.

"If I'm a natural, so are you," Rai pointed out. "You alluded to there being more to half-elven politics in Sylvarant than just the Desians...do you come from a special family or something? One that focuses on mana control, perhaps?" He kept his tone light.

Alai had removed his hand from Rai. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Lord Yuan said something, didn't he?"

"Nothing specific. I'm just curious."

"...Does the name 'Sylvari' mean anything to you?" Alai asked after a pause. Rai was surprised he was entertaining the question despite the initial reaction.

"No," he said honestly. "But I can't help but notice the similarity to 'Sylvarant'. Is it connected to the Sylvarant Dynasty somehow, perhaps?"

There was respect in Alai's gaze. "You know your history."

"Well - I don't know much. Just that they ruled for a time, long ago. It's the main connection I can think of to the name."

Alai let out a breath. "It's not exactly a secret, anyway. I'm not open with the Desians about my background - but Sylvari is my family name."

Rai decided not to press too much. "I'm intrigued. Sounds like you have a mysterious heritage," he said lightly. "Adds to that 'bad boy' aesthetic you have going."

Alai chuckled as though it'd been startled out of him. "I'm not the only mysterious one. I still have no idea what your connection is to Lord Yuan."

"I don't know that I should tell you if he hasn't already," Rai admitted. "What has he said?"

"Essentially nothing," Alai said, his red eyes flashing with irritation. Then his expression relaxed again as he looked past Rai. "But I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to learn more." He paused, standing. "Anyway. Do you want to stay in your own little corner practicing, or come meet some of the others?" Without waiting for an answer, he had taken a few steps forward. "Leina. Good to see you, as always."

Rai got to his feet slowly, his movements not betraying the sudden chill in his chest. The name. Surely unrelated. He turned and saw a slender half-elf, nearly a foot shorter than he was. Her blue hair extended nearly past her hips. Her eyes were cool as she looked at him.

"Who's the new face?" she asked. She put a hand on one hip.

Alai grinned easily. "A new associate. He reports directly to Lord Yuan, and his affiliation with us is...classified. I trust you to be discretionary."

She continued to look at him, assessing. "I didn't hear a name."

He supposed he should use his real one. The Renegades were all undercover, after all - acting as "Desians". It wouldn't be in their interest to go around exposing the identities of their operatives. And she already knew his face.

"Rai," he said, before the pause could extend too long. He inclined his head politely. I really need to figure out if there are traditional ways of greeting people in elven and half-elven society so I can stop looking like such a buffoon.

She nodded back, her gaze sharpening. "Leina. I nearly had you pinned for an elf." Her mana signature was strong and simmering, like a fire.

"I am three-quarters elven," he admitted. "But you know how it is. Any human lineage makes you a half-elf."

"I've never seen you around before," she continued. "But you don't act like one of those who grew up with the elves. Abandoned as a child?" Her gaze was unwavering, pinning him.

Damn. She really isn't holding any punches, is she? Akira sounded half annoyed and half impressed. Rai kept his expression even, though the words did hit a bit close to home after the discussion with Yuan not too long ago. "I certainly wasn't raised by the elves," he said. "And I suspect, neither were you."

She shrugged, a slight smirk forming on her face. She shifted her weight, flipping her hair over one shoulder and crossing her arms under her ample chest. "So you report directly to Lord Yuan, eh? I suppose that places you on Lord Botta's level. Are you Lord Rai, then?"

He sensed trouble. "Rai is fine. I'm not really part of your hierarchy, anyway. Think of me as a...consultant."

There was a flash of surprise across her face, and then she smiled, though there was still an edge of danger to it. She uncrossed her arms, one hand returning to her hip. "Looking forward to working with you, Rai."

As she walked away again, Alai murmured, "Not all Renegades know about Lord Yuan. She's relatively high-ranking, though - one of Botta's highest-ranking operatives. When you go lower on the totem pole, people just think of Botta as the leader. Other than you and I, she's one of probably three other people in the know."

"Sounds like I can count on her not to expose me, then," Rai mused. His voice sharpened. "Still - a heads up would have been nice."

Alai grinned that maddening grin. "I thought you navigated it fine."

"After I return to the party after infiltrating the ranch, what then?" Rai asked, changing the subject. "I hope you don't plan on kidnapping me every time you want to talk."

"As delightful as that would be, no," Alai answered, not skipping a beat. "We can coordinate a bit more. I think I've done enough testing for now..." He grinned, but continued before Rai could say anything. "Lord Yuan does want to meet you again, but I believe he'll be returning to Cruxis for some time after today, so it'll be some time before you can meet in person. I get around more, so be on the lookout."

Rai sighed. When had this all become so complicated? "I'm sure we have some great times ahead," he said simply. "Well - back to communicator practice. I've got to become proficient enough to keep it integrated with my mana while also masking my mana signature."

Alai clapped him on the shoulder again; this time Rai was more prepared for it. "Good luck."

AN: So - some lore drops. Thoughts? Also, thanks to anyone who's somehow still around reading this. If you are, feel free to drop a review – lets me know to keep posting!