The Evil Stone

Claude arrives at Alen's house, but finds that the front door is locked. Yuki appears from behind the house and shows his another way in. In the house, Alen explains to a tied up Rena that he is not the same man he was before. He holds out his and a purple stone appears, floating just above his palm. Alen has been reborn through the power of the stone. Alen begins the ceremony, but Claude enters then and tells him to stop. Alen explains that he and Rena have loved each other since childhood; but when he asks, Rena won't look at him. He turns her head, but all he sees in her eyes is pitty. When Rena begins to cry, Alen is shocked and steps back. In his anger, Alen turns into a monster. Claude and Yuki rush to Rena and free her. As they get ready to leave, Alen blocks their path. Claude prepares to use his pistol, but Rena tells him not to, causing a moment of cunfusion in which Alen hits Claude, hurting him and damaging the gun. Rena remembers what Alen said about the stone and tells Claude that if he can destroy it, maybe they can free Alen from its power. Rena pleads with Alen and causes him to let his guard down for a moment, in which Claude slips by and uses his sword to destroy the stone. Back in Arlia, they meet with the elder and explain what happened. They come to the conclusion that the stone must have had something to do with the Sorcery Globe. Claude is more determined now than ever to get to the Sorcery Globe. As Claude walks with the elder back to his house, the elder explains that Rena is actually not Westa's daughter. In fact, nobody really knows anything about Rena. The only clue is the pendant she wears, which she was wearing when she waas found. The elder wants Claude to take Rena with him when he leaves. But, Claude is not so sure. That night, as Claude thinks about things, Rena shows up and asks Claude to take her. He afixes Rena's hairpiece back on her and tells her that it will be too dangerous and she cannot come. The next day as Claude is about to leave, Rena comes up to him. He tells her it will be a hard journey, if she can live with that. Then Alen shows up and offers to take them to Cross. And so they begin their journey to the Sorcery Globe.