Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/4197762.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Underage
  Category:
      Gen, M/M
  Fandom:
      Tales_of_Xillia
  Relationship:
      Alvin/Jude_Mathis, Gaius/Ludger_Will_Kresnik
  Character:
      Alvin_(Tales_of_Xillia), Jude_Mathis, Ludger_Will_Kresnik, Leia_Rolando,
      Presa, Gaius_(Tales_of_Xillia)
  Additional Tags:
      Slow_Build, Post-Traumatic_Stress_Disorder_-_PTSD, Psychological_Trauma,
      Hurt/Comfort, Emotional_Hurt/Comfort, Violence, Blood, Major_Character
      Injury, Slow_Burn
  Stats:
      Published: 2015-06-24 Completed: 2015-10-26 Chapters: 18/18 Words: 77694
****** The Healer's Guard ******
by RottenAdel
Summary
     After an assassin takes the life of his mentor, Jude's employer hires
     him a bodyguard to assure he's not the next target. But there's more
     to Alvin than meets the eye, and Exodus isn't about to give up the
     chase.
***** Chapter 1 *****
Chapter Notes
     The following work deals heavily with PTSD and racially-motivated
     terrorism as described in both Xillia and Xillia 2. I have done my
     best to handle these topics respectfully while still remaining canon-
     compliant. Events written in this story are not related to any real
     world happenings, and any similarities are coincidental. If you are
     sensitive to these subjects, this may not be the best fic to read.
     That being said, if you have any suggestions on how I can handle
     these differently, please feel free to contact me.
             He’d never seen this many people in one place in his entire life.
             Jude Mathis peeked between the red velvet curtains and surveyed
the crowd; hundreds of people wearing fine suits and elaborate dresses were
chatting among themselves in the darkened room. The fact that a vast majority
of them were established doctors and scientists only added to the knot of
nerves forming in his stomach.
             I don’t think this many people even came to my graduation... Jude
thought, taking a step from the curtains and retreating further backstage. He
took a slow, soothing breath to calm the butterflies threatening to force his
dinner from his stomach and onto his freshly polished shoes. It wasn’t as if he
was the one that had to go out on stage and give a speech; he only had to stand
behind his mentor and try not to look too dazzled by his presence.
             Right out of medical school, Jude had been recruited by the famous
Professor Haus, a prolific researcher of Spirit Artes and their applied healing
properties. A great man, and an even greater scientist, he was someone that
Jude had idolized since beginning his education in the big city of Fennmont. It
came as no surprise that Professor Haus had been chosen to receive the Howe
Prize for his achievements in the field, but Jude still couldn’t figure out why
he was being taken along to the ceremony. Research assistants normally didn’t
get that sort of luxury.
             Then again, Professor Haus often spoke of his potential, to him
and his colleagues. Not only had he completed an accelerated doctorate course
at sixteen, but he had been one of only a handful of students chosen to attend
university in Trigleph so he could continue his education while working. This
would have meant little if it were not for his race.
             Up until a year ago, his homeland of Rieze Maxia had been
completely cut off from the neighboring country of Elympios, citing stark
differences in religion and scientific views. The no-contact treaty allowed the
two countries to develop separately, many completely unaware of the other’s
existence just a few hundred miles away.
             That was until recently, when an energy shortage and declining
environmental health forced the governing bodies of Elympios to seek aid from
their neighbors. Their way of life was declining rapidly, and if they didn’t
come to a resolution soon their entire country would die out. The ruler of
Rieze Maxia was sympathetic to their plight and agreed to the open sharing of
technology and skill, hoping to build goodwill between the two worlds for the
mutual benefit for both.
             Unfortunately, many Elympions didn’t see it that way.
             Racial tension had been a hot topic of conversation since the
opening of the border. Jude had faced it many times, being one of the few Rieze
Maxian students on an almost entirely Elympion campus. It was unnerving, to say
the least, to have his views and abilities scrutinized simply for his place of
birth. He had even been accused of cheating his way into the university, his
acceptance dependent on his heritage alone. Jude ignored it as well as he
could, but the comments still stung.
             But all that didn’t matter in the end. He couldn’t change the way
others looked at him, he could only continue his work.
             “Hey, Jude!”
             Startled out of his reverie, Jude whirled around to see who had
decided to sneak up on him, “L-Leia…! What are you doing here?” Bright-eyed and
dressed in the latest Elympion trends was his best friend, Leia Rolando. They
had grown up together in the mining town of Leronde, playing with each other
every day before he left for school in Fennmont. When he had started medical
school, Leia had worked as a nurse’s assistant to his mother in hopes of
joining her friend one day. But after Jude took the job as a research assistant
and moved to Trigleph, Leia lost interest in the field, and began pursuing her
“true calling” as a journalist.
             “I’m covering the Howe Prize Ceremony, of course! This is the
first time it’s been held in Trigleph, so of course it’s going to be big news.”
             “Your boss sent you to cover it?” Jude asked, honestly surprised.
Leia was dedicated to her craft, but her writing left a lot to be desired. Her
articles read more like opinion columns than actual news, something that her
boss often scolded her on. But she did have a knack for sniffing out big news,
and using her connections like a real pro. That explained her presence at the
private event such as this; Jude was just one of many of said connections.
             Leia’s grin faltered only briefly before scribbling more notes on
the paper, “Not exactly, but I couldn’t pass this up! And since you’re here,
you can give me a firsthand account of the presentation! It’ll be a big hit!”
             He admired her for her enthusiasm, but Jude wasn’t quite in the
state needed to offer a proper interview. “Wouldn’t it be better to interview
Professor Haus? He’s the one receiving the award…”
             The grin returned with renewed vigor and instantly Jude regretted
saying anything. “That’s a great idea, Jude! You can get me a sit-down
interview with Professor Haus after this is all done!”
             “What? I didn’t say that!”
             “Oh, c’mon, Jude!” She crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks. “This
could be my big break! Won’t you help me out?” The puppy eyes, she was giving
him the puppy eyes and Jude could only groan inwardly at her antics. Leave it
to Leia to twist his arm into helping her out. It wasn’t like he particularly
minded most of the time, it just became a hassle when he had to jump through
hoops for her sake. But then again, Leia would do the same for him if it came
down to something she could get, so in the end, Jude conceded.
             “Fine, I’ll ask him, but I make no promises. Professor Haus is a
busy man and this is a big night for him.”
             “Ask me what, Jude?”
             Finally, the man of the hour emerged from the dressing room, a
kind smile upon his aged features. Immediately Jude straightened up, addressing
the man with a proper nod, “Sorry, sir. My friend here is a reporter, and she
wanted to do an interview with you after the award ceremony.”
             “An interview, you say?” Professor Haus seemed to consider this
for a second, glancing between Leia’s hopeful expression and Jude’s apologetic
one. After a moment of deliberation, he nodded, “I think I can spare a bit of
time if it’s for a friend of Jude’s. Come find me after the ceremony and we’ll
talk.”
             Leia was absolutely beaming, her notebook clutched so hard in her
fist that Jude was sure the poor, abused paper would never recover. “Thank you,
Professor Haus! I’ll write an article so mind-blowingly good that it’ll make
front page!”
             “See that you do. Now, I must be going.” He waved to her before
heading to the opposite end of the stage to speak to the announcer.
             Jude breathed a sigh of relief, glad his mentor was a generous
man, then returned his gaze to Leia. “You’re going to give me a heart attack
one day. Don’t put me on the spot like that when I’m at work.” A warning, and
one he intended to make good on by ignoring text messages and phone calls if
Leia tried anything again. That was about all he could do; after so long, Leia
knew just about everything about him, from his favorite foods to his deepest
fears. That, and writing a juicy exposé about him and publishing it in the only
major paper in Trigleph wasn’t completely beyond her.
             Leia could be scary at times, but at least she was always at his
side when he needed someone.
             The lights dimmed beyond the curtain and the chattering crowd
began applauding. The ceremony was about to begin. “I have to go,” he said to
Leia, waving to her as he went to stand at Professor Haus’s side, “Come find me
after this and we’ll get that interview done.”
             “Thanks, Jude!” She called back, flitting off to find her own
seat. Once she was gone, Jude was all nerves again. Maybe it was his upbringing
in Leronde, or maybe it was years of insufficient social stimuli as he shut
himself away with books and papers, but the mere prospect of standing up in
front of a crowd and giving a presentation always rattled him so badly he
thought he would vomit. He was grateful when Professor Haus approached him
again, hoping the man’s glowing presence would calm him at least a little.
             “Jude, I’ve a favor to ask of you.” The professor began, placing a
firm hand on his assistant’s shoulder. Another favor, but coming from Professor
Haus it was more of a privilege than a chore (unlike Leila’s demands).
             “Sure, professor, what is it?” Jude asked, curious. The man placed
a great deal of trust in his young assistant, even charging him with taking
care of his clinic’s patients when he had to attend a meeting. A great
responsibility, but a task he was more than willing to do to prove himself to
his idol. That is, until the health board put a stop to it. Jude was still a
student, after all, and though he had earned his doctorate in Rieze Maxia, the
standards for education didn’t carry over to Elympios.
             “After tonight, I’ll be taking a bit of a vacation from the
spotlight. I’ve something I need to take care of elsewhere, and I would like
you to hold down the lab while I’m away.”
             “A vacation? Now?” They had only recently begun a new project, and
had even been given laboratory space at the Elympion military base, Helioborg.
They were only a few weeks into their work and now the professor was intending
to drop it all in the lap of his assistant?
             Professor Haus nodded, his face sullen, almost grim. “It’s
something I need to do. I trust you to continue our work in my absence, Jude.
You have what it takes to complete this task.” And just like that, the somber
frown was gone, replaced with the professor’s usual, fatherly smile, “Besides,
you’ll still have Balan and Mary to help you. You’ll do just fine with one less
head in the mix.”
             Jude couldn’t help the feeling that he was being duped into
covering for his boss so he could gallivant off to some sunny destination, but
being allowed to lead the project in his absence was an honor all the same. He
offered an awkward bow, a show of thanks that was typical of his fellow Rieze
Maxian when before their superiors. “I’d be honored, sir.”
             “Wonderful. We shall discuss our next steps in the morning.”
             The announcer on the other side of the curtains finished his pre-
prepared speech, the crowd erupting into applause once again. Professor Haus
said nothing as he walked onto the stage with the confidence expected of a
well-established scientist, Jude following stiffly after. He accepted the gold,
egg-shaped award graciously, shaking the announcers hand before setting the
mounted piece upon the podium. Jude stood to his left, hands awkwardly at his
sides as he tried not to sweat too much in the presence of all the glory packed
into one room.
             Professor Haus began his speech, thanking the attendees for their
warm response. All the while, Jude surveyed the room, attempting to pick out
anyone he recognized from school or otherwise. He saw Leia towards the back,
pressed against the stage exit door and hastily scribbling notes as Professor
Haus spoke. There was another student from his class, one he recognized as the
son of a prolific businessman in Drillan, and his father sandwiched between him
and what he could assume was his wife. A small group of school children, youth
ambassadors, he assumed, sat towards the front center to offer a better view of
the precedings. And at the rear exits, a group of guards wearing full regalia,
sent to oversee the event and maintain order.
             But what caught his eye was not the guards at the exits, but the
ones stationed above the audience, standing upon the scaffolding over the light
fixtures. Strange that they would station anyone up there, Jude thought. Did
they expect some kind of trouble? He couldn’t imagine anyone would cause a
scene at an elite gathering such as this…
             He was wrong. So very, very wrong.
             It was only minor at first; a sudden glint out of his peripheral,
the lights from the stage lamps reflecting off a metallic surface. Jude barely
had time to register what it was before he shouted his mentor’s name, a warning
that came too late.
             A shot rang out, then another, and another. Jude could only watch
in horror as his mentor fell to the ground with a sickening thud, limbs
twitching, the split in his skull leaking grotesquely onto the polished wood.
The audience burst into shrill screams and panicked cries as everyone began
running, trying to flee the scene before they too met the same fate as the
professor.
             Except for Jude.
             Jude did the only thing he could; he flew into action, his years
of training telling him to act fast, heal what he could. He could save a life,
he could save the professor, the man who took him under his wing and treated
him like a son above all else. His hands were pressed against the gaping wound
on the back of the man’s skull and he concentrated all of his mana on trying to
seal the wound, repair the damage to the man’s brain. Yet no matter how much
energy he dumped into the healing circle, the man didn’t move, just stared
lifelessly up at him.
             “Come on, Professor! Wake up!” He screamed, voice cracking in his
panic. Part of him said he could still save him if he tried just a little
harder, if he had just a little more power, but logically he knew that the man
was already dead, too far gone for even his spirit artes to recover him.
             That didn’t mean Jude couldn’t try, concentrating until his head
ached and his arms shook with the sheer effort of dumping his energy into a
wound that was untreatable. More shots, a small explosion, and the hall began
to fill with a thick, acrid smoke, adding to the terror of the crowd that was
trying to push through the exit doors all at once. Were they shooting at the
crowd? Was the building on fire? He couldn’t think straight, the smoke burning
his eyes and lungs, his body heavy with the absence of energy.
             What do I do? The professor… The professor is…!
             “Jude!” Suddenly he was being tugged upwards, and through the fog
of his mind he realized Leia was there and looked just as panicked as he felt.
“Jude, we have to get out of here!”
             “But the professor…!” He tugged away, taking his position next to
Professor Haus once more, dumping mana he couldn’t afford to spare into his
already lifeless body. “Help me, Leia! We can still save him!”
             “He’s already gone, Jude!” Leia shouted, half-leading, half-
dragging Jude away from the corpse of his mentor and towards the emergency
exit, “We need to get out of here! They’re shooting at people!”
             Jude knew she was right. Maxwell above, she was right, and he had
never felt like more of a failure than in that moment.
             And he was left to wonder why anyone would want to end the life of
someone who was only doing good in the world.
***** Chapter 2 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             Most people take a sabbatical after being involved in a terrorist
attack. It was offered to him, of course, but Jude had steadfastly refused the
time off. Whether it’d be called commitment or just plain stubborn
determination, Jude was back at Helioborg the next day, insisting he be allowed
to pick up Professor Haus’s research and continue where he left off. It was his
way of coping with the loss of his mentor, an opportunity to make good on the
promise of keeping their work going in the man’s absence.
             His superiors were certain this wasn’t a good idea, especially
when news broke of who was responsible for the attack: an anti-Rieze Maxian
extremist group called Exodus. From the way the news painted it, they were a
puritan group set on keeping the merger of the worlds from happening, and
strongly opposed the aid offered by their benevolent neighbors.
             Yet if you changed the channel, they were just considered a
strongly opinionated party that thought it better for the people of Elympios to
resolve their own issues without involving another country. Jude found it
strange how one reportedly bi-partisan station could have such a conflicting
view from another. He supposed that was just an Elympion thing; Rieze Maxia
didn’t have much in the way of public broadcasts outside from notices
circulated by courier around the trade routes.
             But having a name to the face didn’t diminish the danger that Jude
was apparently in. After the incident, he had been taken in for questioning.
Did Haus have any enemies? Would anyone want him dead? Was he using funding
improperly? Was he receiving bribes? All questions he didn’t know the answer
to, because they all seemed so far off-base from what he had come to expect of
his mentor. Yes, Professor Haus could be a little eccentric, but what scientist
wasn’t? Even their superior in the lab, Balan, tended to be a little on the odd
side, even going so far as to use his own body for new spyrix prototypes.
             Thankfully, the both of them had been cleared of all wrongdoing
and sent on their way, and Jude had been buried in work ever since.
             The police’s orders were clear: stay away from windows, unlocked
doors, open areas. Have someone with you at all times, just in case something
were to happen. It was clear to them that Jude was a likely secondary target if
the assassination was anything beyond racially motivated. So having Jude show
up to the lab Monday morning was more than a little alarming.
             “I admire your dedication,” Balan stood before him, pushing up his
glasses with a perturbed expression usually reserved for unpaid interns and
overzealous coffee-runners, “But is it really wise to be here right now? They
still haven’t caught the shooters.”
             Being confronted with the same declaration for the third time that
day was really beginning to get to Jude. To hear it from Balan, the man who
would live in the lab if his boss would allow it, was especially irritating. He
knew it was just because they were worried, not only for him but for
themselves. If there was another attack at Helioborg like the one at the event
hall, the civilian casualties would be doubled from the patients in treatment
alone. No one wanted that, especially not Jude.
             But work was the only thing keeping him sane, and Balan knew this,
yet continued to badger him about taking a break.
             “Look, I know you want to finish Haus’s research into spyrix
stabilization, but consider your health and safety for once.”
             Big words coming from the man with the unstable prototype strapped
to his leg… Jude grimaced, wrapping an arm around his middle, lowering his
gaze. “I get that, but after what happened… I feel like the only thing I can do
is keep working. Professor Haus put everything he had into this research. I
don’t want to waste it.”
             Balan shook his head, planting a hand on his hip, “Be that as it
may, you’re risking everyone by being here. Until this dies down, you need to
lay low, maybe get out of town for a while. Perhaps go see your parents?”
             His parents… They were the last people he wanted to see. Jude had
no doubt they had caught wind of the incident by now, especially with how much
Leia and his mother talked on their GHS’s. His mother would be worried sick,
while his dad insisted that this was too big for him and to just give up and
move on.  His relationship with his dad had been strained at best recently; his
harsh and critical nature was one of the big reasons he wanted to pursue his
education elsewhere and not near his family.
             Yet in spite of this, going back to Leronde would be a good idea.
Hell, getting out of Elympios was a good idea, but he couldn’t bring himself to
do it.
             There was so much that needed to be done, so many leads left
unchecked. If he left now, he’d probably go stir-crazy just thinking about all
that he had left behind.
             “Listen, Jude, I’d hate to have to do this, but if you don’t take
a break, I’ll have to revoke your clearance…” A serious threat, especially from
Balan who admired progress above all else.
             Jude was about to go on the defensive, when the door to the lab
slid open with a mechanical whir, “That won’t be necessary, Balan.”
             Pressed suit, tanned skin, white hair with a stunning smile. Jude
had only met the man once, but his presence alone resonated with power and
money. A real man of status, and one not to be trifled with, the CEO of
Spirius, “President Bakur…”
             The prestigious man aimed a smile Jude’s way, hands tucked behind
his back as he spoke, “Your resolve is commendable, Dr. Mathis, even if it is a
bit unwise.”
             “That…” Wasn’t really a compliment… Jude thinks, but lowered his
gaze respectfully at the man standing before him. Without President Bakur’s
interest in his and Professor Haus’s skills, they never would have had the
opportunity to work in a technologically advanced lab like Helioborg. Not only
that, but it was his influence that allowed him to be admitted into the
university in Trigleph as well. He owed a lot to this man and his faith in
their research.
             “I understand the strain that the tragic incident at the award
ceremony must have caused you. Therefore, I have arranged for you to
telecommute your research for the time-being.” Telecommuting, another concept
foreign to him. Elympions possessed the technology to have information and
materials transferred via wires and prompters, something Jude had never
experienced before the border was opened. He knew Balan had several pieces of
equipment at his apartment for this purpose, so he could continue to
participate in work on days where his leg was especially bothering him.
             Jude knew well what this meant, “So you’re also saying that I
shouldn’t return to the lab…”
             Bakur nodded, “You must understand our position, Dr. Mathis. While
we appreciate the work you are doing for the good of Elympion citizens, until
the issue of the assassination is resolved, we need to prioritize the safety of
others on base.”
             So I’m a liability… Great… The worry must have been apparent on
his face, because Bakur did not stop there. “Ah, but it isn’t as if we are
completely abandoning you in your time of need. Come, there is someone I would
like you to meet.”
             His words were far from comforting. Jude wasn’t looking to be
coddled or treated like an unfortunate victim damaged during a horrific event.
He just wanted to continue working quietly, even if his ideals were enough to
put a target on his back. But he couldn’t very well deny his boss’s requests of
staying clear of the facility, nor could he turn down virtually anything
offered to him. Doing so would be career suicide and Jude knew it.
             Jude silently followed Bakur as he lead him from the lab and out
to the main entrance, all the while wondering just who he was supposed to meet
and for what reason.
             At the front gate there stood a man, tall with a muscular build,
chestnut hair slicked away from coppery eyes. He wore a finely tailored suit of
navy blue and bold violet, a yellow scarf around his neck in place of a tie. He
looked his way only when Bakur approached, offering a cocky grin to the two of
them. “There you are.” He exclaimed with a playful grin to the president, “Took
you long enough. Did he fight or something?”
             “Hardly, I was merely explaining the situation.” Bakur turned to
Jude, motioning to the strange man, “Dr. Mathis, this is Alvin Svent. Your new
bodyguard.”
             “Bodyguard?” He wouldn’t have guessed that was the reason he was
being brought here. His research was important to Spirius that much he knew,
but Jude had no idea that Bakur held so much stock in it that he’d go out of
his way to hire a personal guard for him. He’s flattered, but still very, very
confused.
             The guard, Alvin, wasted no time in getting friendly with his new
charge. A hand was offered to Jude to shake, a broad smile on the man’s face.
“Just call me Alvin. Pleasure to meet you, kid.”
             Jude grimaced at the nickname, but took the hand with only minor
hesitance. “Jude is fine, and… I wasn’t expecting this, sorry.” He returns the
shake firmly if only to prove that his height was not an indication of how
skilled or intelligent he was. Jude had always been a little on the scrawny
side.
             Bakur clears his throat, catching the men’s attention, “Until
further notice, Alvin is to remain at your side at all times to assure your
continued safety. Given that these extremists have already taken the life of
one of our most valued researchers, we are sparing no expense for your
protection.”
             It was strange to hear his importance validated by this man, and
even stranger to hear that his work was important enough to garner around the
clock protection. Jude did stop to wonder why Balan wasn’t being extended the
same courtesy, but the answer to that seemed clear; he was Rieze Maxian, and
Balan wasn’t. Exodus had no interest in executing their own, just the
“monsters” that lived just over the border.
             In the end, he could only thank him. “I appreciate your concern
for me, President Bakur. I hope that this is cleared up quickly so I don’t
trouble you further.”
             “Worry not, Dr. Mathis. Everything will become clear in due time.
For now, you are to stay indoors and continue working from the safety of your
home.” He glanced to Alvin, who offered up a wave, one Bakur did not bother to
return, “Alvin will see you onto the train. I expect a report on your progress
by week’s end.”
             “Yes, sir.”
 
===============================================================================
 
             “Do you really have to follow me everywhere?”
             “Yep, that’s my job,” Alvin answered with a shrug, clearly taking
amusement in Jude’s embarrassment. “Wherever you go, I go, that’s the rules.”
             Jude was very much against these rules.
             They had been in each other’s company for under an hour and Jude
was already finding Alvin’s constant presence irritating. It wasn’t just that
he was a complete stranger, he’d get used to that eventually. It was more that
he had been hired to be within a certain radius wherever Jude went. Alvin had
sat in the seat beside him on the train, kept close as they wove through the
busy crowds at the Trigleph station, and even stood next to him when he ducked
into the restroom to relieve himself. For someone who valued his privacy as
much as Jude, having Alvin glued to his side was becoming very frustrating,
very fast.
             To make matters worse, Alvin was supposed to stay with him at his
apartment. His very small, very messy apartment.
             Jude unlocked the sliding door and carefully navigated the
cluttered entryway into his apartment. He was hardly ever home, and when he
was, he was either too tired from work to bother cleaning up, or too busy
studying to care. Bringing Alvin into the chaos that was his quarters marked
the first time a stranger had come into his home, which only served to add to
Jude’s already frayed nerves.
             “Sorry, I don’t have a guest bedroom. It’s a pretty small place.”
Jude commented as he stepped over a collection of unread research papers piled
in the living room, taking a moment to clear the mass amount of books from the
couch. The least he could do was offer his guest a place to sit; the table was
already overtaken with books stacked higher than he was tall. He’d tackle those
another day.
             Alvin looked around the living space with mild curiosity, noting
the overstuffed shelves, the absence of anything that could be considered a
luxury. Save for the old television set sandwiched between two of the shelves,
Jude’s apartment looked less like a home and more like a catchall for his
research materials. “I thought researchers made a lot of gald?”
             Jude merely shrugged, trying to organize the books into a cohesive
order before setting them aside. He’d alphabetize them properly later. “Most of
my funds go to procuring research materials outside of the lab’s budget. I
barely have enough to cover this place as it is.”
             “And here I thought I was assigned to watch over a prolific
researcher and live in the lap of luxury while doing it.”
             There was a distinct twitch in Jude’s left eye as he tossed yet
another stack of books onto the growing assortment on the table. “I didn’t
become a researcher for the money.”
             “Why not?” Alvin asked, genuinely curious, “Most researchers I’ve
met are either obsessed with glory or gald. I didn’t peg you for the mad
scientist type, so...”
             “It’s not about that. Did you become a bodyguard for the money?”
             Alvin cocked a brow, “Yes, I did.”
             And there went Jude’s argument. Of course, why would someone put
their life on the line for something other than cash? It wasn’t like everyone
had some true and pure motivation to pursue their careers, especially not
Elympions…
             It was that train of thought that brought him to a halt.
Generalizations like that were what extremist groups like Exodus used to
justified their actions. He couldn’t think the same as them.
             With the couch sufficiently cleared, Jude turned to the desk to
begin clearing it as well. The equipment for his job was to be delivered in the
morning, and he was going to need room for all of it. “Anyway, I’ve got some
studying to do. You can watch television or something…”
             Alvin flopped onto the couch and began fiddling with the remote,
“All right. Let me know when you need to go out so I can go with you.”
             “Is that really necessary?”
             Jude was cut off by a wave of Alvin’s hand before he could protest
further. “Bakur’s orders were  protect you from any potential attackers,” he
repeated for what felt like the sixth time since leaving Helioborg. “So, yes,
I’m going with you wherever you go. Whether it’d be the store, the lab, on a
walk,” his voice dipped lower, “or on a date…”
             “D-date?”
             Alvin gave him a playful wink, which only served to make the heat
rise in Jude’s cheeks, “Even on a date. Where you go, I go. That’s my job.”
             Something told him he wasn’t going to like this. Not one bit. But
before he could voice this, Alvin interrupted, as if he too sensed the
discomfort in the boy’s mind. “Look, the guy who did that to Professor Haus is
still out there. Until we find him, I’m sticking to you like a shadow.”
             “But… How do we know they actually want me dead?” That was another
thing Jude couldn’t wrap his head around. If he was a target as well, would
they have not taken the opportunity presented at the event hall? He was right
there, completely unguarded and too exhausted from trying to save his mentor to
heal himself had he been hit. Would it not be an opportune time for an assassin
to strike?
             Again, Alvin seemed to have the answer, “That’s just it, we don’t
know. They wanted Haus dead, and Haus and you were partners in your field, so
it serves to reason they would want you out of the picture, too.”
             He was right. Damn Alvin and his logic.
             “Fine, but please leave me be while we’re here. I’ll have to work
double-time if I’m going to pick up where Professor Haus left off.” And with
that he flopped upon his desk chair and went to work, efficiently shutting out
Alvin and his stupid logic. He didn’t have time for this; there was so much
work to be done and not being in the lab made it harder to complete.
             The conversation came to the end, Alvin flicking on the aged
television set that he was sure came with the already run-down apartment. For a
time the only noise to fill the room was the quiet ramblings of the news
broadcast and Jude’s hasty scribbling. As usual, the lackluster happenings of
the world hardly held his attention, and soon his focus drifted to the boy
sitting at the desk across the room.
              “You sure do work hard, don’t you?” He asked, attempting
conversation if only to ease the tension between them.
             The interruption had the opposite effect, Jude’s shoulder’s
stiffening as soon as he spoke, “I’m the only one who can continue this line of
research. No one in Elympios has the ability to.”
             “Huh… Is it because you’re some kind of super genius, or
something?”
             “Uh… Well…”
             “How old are you anyway?” Jude wasn’t small, nor was he
particularly muscular. His slight build was accented by lithe muscles and
calloused hands, his youthful amber eyes darting across the paper with each
line written. Young was a fair way to describe him, far younger than someone
claiming the title of doctor should be.
             Jude gave up on writing notes for the time being and turned his
chair to face Alvin properly. It was only polite if they were to have a
conversation, after all. “I’m sixteen, and I’m still in school. But by Rieze
Maxian standards, I’ve already earned my PhD.”
             “Sixteen and a doctor?” Alvin was impressed and it showed.
             “Yes, Dr. Jude Mathis… But like I said, the criteria for being a
doctor by Elympion standards are higher, probably because of the differences in
technology.”
             “Oh yeah, that’s right… Is it true that doctors in Rieze Maxia can
heal people using just the power of spirits?” He wasn’t trying to be rude,
Alvin was just genuinely curious. He had met so few Rieze Maxians that had a
proper grasp of the spirits around them, and even fewer who were willing to
answer a simple Elympion’s questions about them. Jude seemed willing enough, at
least.
             “Not all of them, but yes, with the proper training someone who is
well-versed in Spirit Artes can heal anything from cavities  to sprains to
broken bones.”
             “But not gunshot wounds.”
             The proclamation shook Jude, his gaze lowering to the floor. It
was a harmless comment, he knew, but the timing… It hurt, it really did. “I… I
tried to save him, you know.” He sighed, tucking a bit of stray hair behind his
ear. It was getting too long again. “But the wound to his head… I wasn’t able
to…”
             “You were lucky to get out alive.” Alvin interjected before Jude
could deprecate himself further, “Be grateful for that.”
             “But Dr. Haus…”
             Alvin shook his head, “You’re continuing his work, aren’t you?
That has to count for something.”
             As harsh as the words were, Jude couldn’t help the somber smile on
his face.
Chapter End Notes
     And that's chapter 2. Action picks up a bit in the next one. Thank
     you for reading! As usual, a big thank you to LividLillies for
     editing my 3AM rambling writing style. See you next week!
***** Chapter 3 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             “Uh, Jude? Don’t look now, but there’s a shady looking guy who’s
been tailing you since we left physics…”
             Jude sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Dennis wasn’t wrong;
Alvin did look shady, and he was tailing him, but he was also being paid to do
so. No matter how much he protested, Alvin had insisted on coming to school
with him, even if it was horridly embarrassing to have a grown man following
him around all day.
             “Yeah, that’s just Alvin. My boss hired him to be my bodyguard.”
Even just saying it was taking some getting used to. It had only been a few
days since Alvin had come to stay with him, and so far it had been just as
awkward as the first. Jude had lived alone for years, staying in dorms and
student housing since he left home at the tender age of ten. Having someone
suddenly in his private space at all hours only served to make him feel anxious
in his own home. He knew Alvin was only there to keep him safe, but Jude was
beginning to wonder if that was worth his mental discomfort.
             “Oh, right…” Dennis, ever the observant one, finally realized just
what happened to merit his classmate having a bodyguard. He shuffled awkwardly
closer, extending a cautious hand to Jude’s shoulder,  “Hey, are you doing
okay? It’s only been a few days… I’d take a vacation”
             “I’m fine,” Jude insisted. “I’m just focusing on my research for
now.”
             Four days in and he was already sick of people asking if he was
okay. He wasn’t, and that was to be expected, yet he was doing his best not to
focus on it. Jude didn’t want everyone to pity him for the loss of his mentor,
or for witnessing such a heinous crime. He just wanted to move on, to continue
his studies and not think about how he saw one of the most influential men in
his life murdered in cold blood.
             But everyone around him continued to bring it up.
             Dennis was less than convinced, but let it drop either way. “Well,
all right… But if you need someone to talk to, you have my number.”
             “Right… Thanks, Dennis.”
             The older student made a show of checking his watch before waving
at his classmate. “I have to head to Anatomy. I’ll see you later, Jude. Nice
meeting you, Alvin!”
             Alvin gave a sort of half wave with a smile, “Take it easy,
Dennis.”
             Dennis disappeared down the hall and once again Jude sighed in
defeat. He turned to face his bodyguard, brow furrowed, “Look, don’t take this
the wrong way, but can’t you make yourself less conspicuous?”
             Alvin shook his head, crossing his arms across his chest, “No can
do, kid. The purpose of a bodyguard is to, you know, stand guard. It’s supposed
to make people think twice before messing with you.”
             Jude quirked a brow, “I’m at school. No one is going to mess with
me.” Well, at least not in the sense that Alvin was likely thinking. Being one
of a handful of Rieze Maxian students on campus didn’t award him the luxury of
popularity. In fact, he had already been a forced participant in his fair share
of fist-fights. It wasn’t like he wanted to get into a brawl, but when it was
three-on-one and the teachers had decided to look the other way, he wasn’t
going to go down without throwing a few punches.
             Thankfully, much of his childhood had been spent sparring with
Leia and learning martial arts from her mother. Although, knowing Sonia, she
would have beaten his rear with a broom handle if she knew he instigated a
fight. That was just her way.
             “How can you be so sure?” Alvin slung an arm around his shoulder,
a playful grin upon his face, “For all you know, an assassin could be
masquerading as one of your classmates!”
             Jude’s eyes grew wide; he hadn’t considered that a possibility.
Was Exodus really the type to recruit teenagers into their ranks? If the only
requirement was want for coin and a disdain for any race other than their own,
then there were plenty of potential candidates. The thought alone was enough to
send a shiver down his spine. “You don’t think they’d actually do that, do
you?”
             Alvin gave his shoulders a squeeze. “Who knows?” He was teasing,
Jude knew, but that didn’t settle the sudden sinking feeling he felt in his
stomach. “But don’t worry, you won’t die on my watch. I’m a professional.”
             “Oh?” That’s right, Bakur said he trusted this guy... “So you’ve
been a bodyguard for a while?”
             “Yeah, I’ve had a few steady clients.”
             “How did it go? Any references you could share?”
             Alvin went quiet, taking a sudden interest in the school’s choice
of billboard décor.
             Not exactly the reaction Jude was looking for, “No references?”
             Alvin shook his head, throwing up his hands in defeat, “Hey, I’m
not responsible for what happens after my assignment is done.”
             The answer only served to make Jude even more nervous than before.
He knew Alvin was a guard for hire, but he hadn’t considered what would happen
to him if Bakur suddenly stopped paying him, or decided Jude wasn’t worth
protecting. It was disconcerting to know that his life was only worth as much
as his weight in gald to Alvin, and probably only worth his research abilities
to Bakur. It was all about what he could do for them, and not much else.
             Self-worth sufficiently in the toilet, Jude shook off whatever
nervousness he felt and faced Alvin properly. “Anyway, I have chem lab next.
It’s dangerous for outsiders, so I’ll need you to wait outside.”
             “After all that, you still want me to stay away?” Alvin seemed
honestly shocked. Jude could understand why; most people wouldn't dream of
telling their bodyguards to wait outside if they knew they were being targeted.
To anyone else, he must have looked like he was incredibly brave, or had a
deathwish.
             Jude shook his head, offering a nervous smile to his bodyguard,
“It’s fine. Honestly, I know everyone in that class. They’re all nice enough.
I’ll be out by three.”
             In the end, it wasn't courage or a death wish; it was just Jude
being far too trusting of the people he thought he knew. A rookie mistake, but
he wasn't going to let Alvin convince him otherwise either.
             Alvin shook his head with a heavy sigh. “Fair enough, but
disclaimer, not responsible and all that.”
             From Alvin’s pocket came a jaunty tune, one Jude recognized as the
default ringer for the latest GHS model. The device was pulled from his pocket
and Alvin frowned as soon as he looked at the display.
             “I have to take this. Wait at your classroom when you’re done and
don’t wander off.” And with that, he was gone, leaving Jude alone in the
rapidly clearing hallway.
             He lectures me, then he up and leaves anyway. For all the
questions Alvin had asked of Jude since coming to stay with him, he still
hadn’t talked much about himself. So far all Jude had gathered was that he was
your typical mercenary, that he was a born and raised Elympion, and that he had
an inordinate amount of scarves that took up one full drawer of the already
overstuffed dresser that Alvin insisted on cramming into the corner of Jude’s
bedroom. In fact, his fashion sense was about the most detailed thing Jude knew
of Alvin. The rest was a mystery… And something told him Alvin wasn’t the type
to openly talk about himself, either.
             Nothing for it, Jude decided, and headed to his next class.
 
             The chemistry teacher wasn’t particularly fond of Jude. It wasn’t
because he was a poor student; on the contrary, of all his pupils Jude put in
the most effort in learning the course material. It was more that Jude had a
knack for asking questions; too many, in fact. Chemistry courses in Rieze Maxia
were primarily about compounding herbs and minerals to make various medicines
and healing salves. When he started courses in Elympios, he was bombarded with
complex elements and reactions that were completely foreign to him. Jude often
compared the lab setups to the traditional alchemist rigs he had fiddled with
back in Fennmont, except these were far more complex and had many more parts
that could be damaged if not handled carefully.
             Thankfully, his lab partners were more concerned about their own
grade than his participation, so they usually took to setting up the
experiments on their own while Jude documented the process.
             He listened as the lecture covered various solvents and their
reactions, scribbling fervently into his notebook and copying diagrams onto the
edges. They were to perform a simple experiment as an example of the course
material they had studied earlier in the day.
             Before he began handing out materials, the teacher took the time
to go over safety and emergency procedures. “There’s always at least one.” He
said, pointing to the lab safety poster on the white board.
             But as Jude’s team donned their smocks and began setting up the
experiment, he was having a hard time keeping focused.
             For all you know, an assassin could be masquerading as one of your
classmates!
             Alvin’s words echoed in the back of his mind. It seemed farfetched
for Exodus to go so far for a student, but the more he thought about it, the
more nervous he became. Jude started to look over his classmates, trying to
discern any differences in their stance, their attire, anything that felt off.
Shanna was wearing her hair differently, Mikael didn’t have his usual
wristband, Toby kept sloshing the florescent liquid in the tube with an amount
of fascination no man should have for a chemical…
             No, this is stupid. Jude shook his head, choosing to scrutinize
his notes instead of his classmates. I’m being paranoid… There’s no reason for
me to act like this. Nothing is happening.
             “Jude, you in there?” Mikael was looking at him, brow quirked,
test tubes held aloft in both hands.
             “Oh, sorry, what did you say?”
             “I asked how much of each…”
             Jude hastily went through his notes, finding the quantities
specified and reciting them out loud. The group continued their work, side-
eyeing Jude from time to time. “You know Jude, chem lab isn’t the best place to
space off. Maybe you should sit this one out?”
             Mikael had a point, and as much as it pained him to admit, he
wasn’t in the best state of mind to be messing with dangerous chemicals.
             “Right, sorry…” He set his notebook next to the rig and gave an
awkward bow before heading to the back of the class. He pulled his textbook
from his bag and propped himself next to the window, figuring going over the
lab outline was about as close as he was getting to conducting the experiment
himself.
             Maybe it is too soon to go back to class… Jude sighed, flipping
through the book in hopes of a distraction.
             “What the hell are you doing?”
             “Put that thing down!”
             There was a loud pop, like a firecracker being set off, sparks
flying from one of the front lab tables. Several curses were hurled as one of
the lab beakers started billowing a thick, black smoke into the air, more
sparks and material shooting out of it.
             The fire alarm sounded and the class erupted into a panic.
“Everyone out!”  the teacher shouted before he bailed with little regard for
the safety of his pupils. It was like a stampede after, hundreds of students
fleeing into the halls to escape the smoke and presumable fire that had
occurred in the lab. More popping, more screams, everyone panicking and running
into the halls.
             Except for Jude.
             Students and teachers pushed against the exit doors, trying to
escape all at once, stepping over each other in sheer terror as the room filled
with smoke. Shouting, pleas for escape, the telltale pop-pop-pop of explosions
from Maxwell knew what. And all the while Jude stood still, frozen in place
while chaos whirled around him.
             The acrid smoke that burned his eyes and nose, the sounds of
explosions and screaming… the broken glass, the polished wood floors, the
curtains behind him, and the blood on his hands. Suddenly Jude wasn’t in chem
lab anymore, he was back at the event hall with a broken body in front of him
and there was blood, so much blood and they were shooting at him.
             He couldn’t see straight, he couldn’t catch his breath. There were
alarm bells all around him and within his head but he couldn’t will his body to
respond. Jude felt like he was going to die and he couldn’t even find the
strength to cry out. They were coming for him, they were going to kill him.
             Arms wrapped around his waist and he lashed out, finally finding
his voice as he started yelling. Jude tried to twist around and strike his
adversary, but his eyes wouldn't focus, he couldn't concentrate. He couldn’t
even hear his own voice properly as he struggled, everything sounded so
distant, as if he wasn’t really there at all and this was all a nightmare
conjured by too little sleep and too much stress.
             Hands gripped his wrists almost painfully, forcing them to his
sides and Jude wished he could think clear enough to remember any of the self-
defense moves that Sonia had taught him when he was younger.  His throat burned
from the smoke, the effort of screaming. Even breathing hurt and he was quickly
losing the battle between himself and his unknown assailant.
             “Jude, get ahold of yourself!”
             It was the first clear sentence he could comprehend and his
struggling ceased. Jude registered rather belatedly that he was being lifted
off the floor and into someone’s arms.  Alvin’s arms. Alvin, who looked just as
frightened as Jude. He ran to the nearest window and tore it open, pausing long
enough for Jude to get a look at the crowd gathering in the courtyard below,
the long drop below.
             Jude could only hold on as Alvin jumped from the second floor down
to the ground below, landing gracefully with Jude firmly in his arms.
             It was then that Jude realized he was definitely not okay, and
that Alvin knew it too.
 
===============================================================================
 
               
             When Jude came to, he was in a makeshift medical tent being looked
over by emergency personnel for any signs of poisoning. They asked him
questions, poked and prodded his eyes and tongue, checked for any signs of
inflammation or burns. He had been in the lab quite a bit longer than his
classmates, inhaling what he was informed was toxic smoke created by an
improper mixture of leftover chemicals. By the end of it, he had been cleared
to leave and told to go to the hospital if he started to feel ill.
             He only realized once they were off campus that he hadn’t spoken a
word; that Alvin had been the one answering the paramedics and asking all the
follow up questions.
                Back at the apartment, he sat upon his bed with his knees to
his chest, a blanket draped around his shoulders. From the kitchen he could
hear the sound of clattering pans and running water, Alvin having said
something about making them some grub while he rested.
               Alvin… After all the grief I gave him, he still ran in to save
me…
                It should have come as no surprise, Jude realized. Alvin was
hired to protect him, and had run in to rescue him from a dangerous situation,
just as a bodyguard should.
             It wasn’t an assassin or an Exodus agent, it was just some dumb
kid messing with the wrong chemicals. Yet Jude had been overtaken by a fear he
couldn’t describe, completely unable to move.
             He had read this in a book before; when people experienced
something traumatizing, similar noises or smells could cause mental distress.
It felt so much more complex than that, but giving it a name somehow made him
feel better about his actions, as if a title could justify being so terrified
that he couldn’t escape a fire.
             That didn’t do much for his current state, however.
             There was a soft knock, the door to his room sliding open to
reveal Alvin with a tray of food. “I made soup.” He announced, “Or at least
tried. Half your pantry is expired.”
             Jude said nothing as Alvin set the tray on the nightstand, taking
a seat next to him on the bed. “Well the good news is, classes are canceled for
the rest of the week. Guess you’re getting that vacation after all.”
             Jude could only nod, staring at the book-covered floor in front of
him.
             “…You okay, kid?”
             He wasn’t, they both knew this, but something told him that Alvin
wanted to hear it voiced.
             “I… I thought they came for me…” He muttered, voice still hoarse
from the smoke, “When it happened… I thought I was done for… And I was so
scared that I couldn’t move…” He was shaking again, his eyes burning not from
smoke but from tears he was so desperately trying not to shed. Not in front of
Alvin, anyone but Alvin…
             He regretted it. Jude regretted telling Alvin to leave him be, for
giving him such a hard time. He was there to keep him safe, right? Maybe not
from Exodus, but from the terrors conjured in his own head.
             “I just… I felt like I was there again… I could hear the gunshots,
I could feel Dr. Haus’s blood on my skin and I just…”
             Alvin wrapped an arm around his shoulder and for a split second
Jude was frozen up again, terrified. But Alvin’s embrace was warm, gentle, and
the panic slowly eased from his mind. Finally he lifted his head to meet his
bodyguard’s gaze, noting the bruise on his cheek from where he had been struck
during Jude’s episode.
             “Look, Jude… You don’t need to put on a strong face. Literally no
one expects that of you except you, and… bottling this kind of thing up isn’t
healthy.” Alvin shook his head, his free hand coming up to run through his
slickened locks. With a sigh he tugged Jude just a bit closer, holding him a
little tighter. “I guess what I’m trying to say is… If you need to cry, go
ahead and cry. I won’t tell anyone. Promise.”
             “Alvin…” Those words, the warm embrace, they alone let the
floodgates open. Jude buried his face in his knees and let out a shaking sob,
wishing he could go back in time so that none of this had ever happened.
             It was impossible, but at least Alvin was there to assure him he
was safe.
Chapter End Notes
     It's a Monday, and I figured what better way to end a Monday than
     with a fic update? This one gave me a bit of trouble to write, but I
     hope I conveyed what both Jude and Alvin were feeling properly! As
     always, a big thanks go to LividLillies for being an awesome editor
     and keeping me motivated. Thank you for reading!
***** Chapter 4 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             After almost two weeks of staying with him, Alvin figured out a
couple things about Jude.
             First was that he was terrible at sleeping like a normal person.
He spent a vast amount of time hunched over his desk, researching, studying, or
tinkering with prototypes sent over from the lab. This would continue into the
wee hours of the morning, when Jude would finally take note of the time and
toddle off to bed.
             More than once Alvin had woken from his light sleep to a distinct
thunk and he’d look up to see a book, device, or Jude’s own head dropped upon
the desk. The first few times Alvin had gotten up to tell him to go lay down,
but after the fifth he had given up; Jude would go on his own eventually.
             To make matters worse, Jude was not a morning person. Alvin always
woke with ample time to shower, shave, style his hair, and dress for the day.
Jude, however, would sleep past his alarms (all three of them) and continually
beg for “five more minutes” until Alvin threatened to flip the mattress with
him still on it. How this kid managed to not get kicked out of class for being
late was completely beyond him.
             The second thing he noted was just how abhorrent his diet was.
Jude claimed to know how to cook, and to be actually skilled at it, and yet his
pantry was barren and his fridge lacking much beyond canned coffee and instant
meals. The only time he seemed to eat anything proper was when his friend Leia
came knocking, carrying bags of takeout and chattering excitedly about the
latest news around town.
             That was the third thing; his best friend Leia. From what he had
gathered, or rather what he had been told by the subject herself, Leia and Jude
had grown up in the same town back in Rieze Maxia. She had introduced herself
straight away, offering a hand to shake and taking note of his contact
information, just so she could check up on things. She was a bright, cheerful
girl, but a bit pushy. The two of them tended to bicker like siblings and more
often than not it would end with Leia pouting for a few moments before changing
the subject, completely forgetting why they were arguing in the first place.
             Yet, in spite of their quarrels, they were obviously close. Alvin
would venture a guess that she was one of the few friends he had, and likely
the only one in the city.
             And there was the fourth; Jude was, inexcusably, a recluse. He was
intelligent, gifted even, but since Alvin had come to stay with him he had not
asked to go anywhere, meet anyone, or even leave the apartment outside of
attending classes. Jude was sixteen, yet his life focus was so far off from
what a typical boy his age should have that Alvin was beginning to wonder if
all geniuses were this stunted.
             Had he always been like this? Or was this a new development, a
characteristic gained after the incident? He thought to ask Leia about it, but
figured it was information he didn’t really need to know. Less going out meant
less work, and a slimmer chance that anything would happen.
             It also meant he was incredibly bored.
             Alvin wasn’t the type to sit idly all day; all his previous jobs
involved a level of danger, of physical prowess and constant vigilance. But
this gig… Aside from the incident at the school, Alvin’s days had been filled
with bad television dramas and trashy fashion magazines. These could only
capture his attention for so long, and so Alvin began trying to talk to Jude,
seeking a cure for the monotony of sitting on the couch all day.
             “So what were you and Haus researching anyway?”
             At his desk across the room, Jude paused in his thoughtful
scribbles to look over his shoulder at Alvin. “You don’t know?”
             Alvin gave a half-hearted shrug, “I don’t subscribe to scientific
journals. Enlighten me.”
             Jude seemed to give up on his work for the time being and turned
his chair to face Alvin proper. “We were researching a way to make spyrixes
safer.”
             Spyrix, the machines used to power a vast majority of the
technology used in Elympios. Up until the open border, it had been completely
unheard of in Rieze Maxia, which only served to confuse Alvin further. “What do
you mean?”
             “You know how spyrixes work, right?”
             Alvin shook his head. Jude sighed.
             “Basically, spyrixes consume the energy of spirits. Once that
power is gone, the spirit dies, just like any other creature. Because of this
process, spirits have been gradually dying out in Elympios, affecting the
climate and causing the wildlife to gradually die out along with the spirits.”
             Alvin vaguely recalled hearing about this in the paper; the
discovery of the existence of spirits and their connection to the recent
shortage of energy was a shock to many Elympions, who had gone their entire
lives without knowing such fanciful things existed. It was the primary cause of
the recent energy price hike, and the main driver for the open border treaties
with Rieze Maxia.
             “In Rieze Maxia,” Jude continued, “Most of the population
possesses what’s called a mana lobe, which allows us to give up a bit of our
own energy in exchange for borrowing the power of the spirits. It’s nearly a
completely green cycle when it comes to conservation, and our society has grown
without the use of spyrixes.”
             “So you intend to apply this to spyrixes?” Alvin inquired, somehow
more interested in the subject now that Jude was explaining it instead of
simply being a headline for a propaganda poster.
             Jude nodded with a slight grin, “Elympions don’t have mana lobes,
and spirit channeling obviously can’t be utilized for things like medical
devices and GHS’s, so we’re trying to figure a way to combine the two theories
without bringing harm to spirits.”
             “Without harming spirits… That’s a mighty pragmatic goal there,
Jude.” A joke, one that Jude seemed to take far too seriously.
             “It’s important!” he countered, nearly hopping up out of his seat.
Alvin could not help but wonder how many times Jude had had to defend his views
on this matter, and just who was giving him such grief in the first place.
“You’ve seen the effects of spyrix use. If all the spirits die, the land
withers, lakes dry up, food becomes scarce, and illness runs rampant! I have to
find a way to make these machines work without hurting anyone, before Rieze
Maxia starts to look like Elympios…”
             So that was it. It wasn’t just because of some benevolent desire
to help Elympions, it was also because the same would eventually happen to his
own world, too. The kid had fire, that was fore sure, and Alvin couldn’t help
the smile that crept across his face as Jude spoke passionately about his
goals. Seeing him get all sparkly-eyed about it almost brought a laugh to his
lips, but he refrained. No need to make Jude feel like the butt of a joke.
             Almost like he was half expecting to be belittled for his
convictions, Jude turned around in his chair and began hastily writing again,
as if the conversation had renewed his vigor in his research.
             A glance at the clock above the television noted that it was past
noon, and neither of them had eaten more than toast and coffee for breakfast.
Alvin stood and headed for the kitchen, hoping to dig up something he could
claim as sustenance for the two of them.
             After going through what remained of the pantry, Alvin laid out
his findings on the laminated countertop; a bag of crisps, a bottle of cayenne
pepper, half a tin of instant coffee, and an expired can of soup. Nothing that
could even be remotely considered a meal. When was the last time Jude had gone
grocery shopping? Perhaps he was the type to just pick up meals on his way
home; he was living alone, after all.
             “Jeez, no wonder you’re so small… You don’t get any nutrition at
all, do you?” Alvin quipped, a laugh in his voice.
             Jude didn’t even bother turning around, “Har, har, funny. If
you’re hungry, go to the store or something.”
             Alvin rounded the kitchen counter and stood behind Jude’s chair,
bracing both hands against the wooden back, “No good, Judy. We gotta stick
together, remember?”
             “I’m busy, Alvin,” he stated flatly, barely acknowledging the man
hovering over him, “And don’t call me Judy.”
             The guard waved his hand flippantly, “Take a break. You’ve been at
it all day. Besides, isn’t today your day off?”
             “I’m studying.”
             “Jude,” Alvin braced a hand against the desk, leaning into Jude’s
field of vision, “You need to eat.”
             Finally Jude’s pencil stilled and he sighed, his eyes rising up to
his bodyguards with a vague hint of disdain in his gaze. “Fine… Let’s just be
quick, okay?”
             “As quick as a bullet.”
             Jude visibly shuddered at the analogy.
 
             The open air market in Trigleph was close to Jude’s apartment. It
stocked fresh fish, fruits, vegetables, meats; anything one could wish for when
it came to a home-cooked meal. It was often crowded with locals, making it
difficult to navigate at times, but it was the best place to get food without
having to trek all the way to Marksburg.
             Alvin led Jude through the throng of shoppers in search of
something quick they could fix up for their lunch. So far, they had come across
a stall selling dried bricks of what they were told was mabo curry. “Just add
water and boil!” the merchant had said. Somehow Alvin wasn’t entirely convinced
that was all it took to make the famous Rieze Maxian dish.
             “It needs vegetables,” Jude had mentioned after eyeing the brown
packet. “And rice. They sell at some at the stall down the way.”
             The fifth thing; in spite of the lack of supplies in his kitchen,
Jude was apparently a decent cook. He cited his time living in Leronde, where
he would play house with Leia and learn to cook alongside her father. The craft
was perfected in the most unusual ways when he moved to Fennmont, where he
mastered the art of cooking with instant ingredients and fire-spirit powered
hot plates.
             Alvin allowed Jude to lead the way, the boy clinging to his side
like a magnet. It was then that Alvin noticed something amiss; not with the
people around them, but with Jude. His eyes were constantly darting around his
surroundings, as if surveying each and every person for any potential threat.
Alvin noted the slight tremble to his hands as he picked through the pile of
carrots and potatoes at the market stall, the way he stood almost too erect and
refused to meet the merchant’s gaze when he spoke.
             All at once Alvin realized just how little they had been outside
since coming to stay with him. They had ventured to and from the school once,
and not again since the accident at the chem lab.
             Jude was terrified, and Alvin was kicking himself for not
realizing sooner.
             He slung an arm around the shivering boy’s shoulder and leaned
closer to his face, “Here, let’s pick up some onion, too.” He suggested,
plucking the white vegetable from the pile of produce, “You Rieze Maxians are
partial to spicy foods, right? We can put that cayenne back at the apartment in
it as well.”
             Jude almost smiled as he nodded, the shaking in his small frame
ceasing altogether.
 
===============================================================================
 
 
             After two weeks and much time arguing, Jude was allowed back into
Helioborg.
             He was ecstatic, a clear spring in his step as he marched down the
dirt trail leading from Trigleph to the military outpost. It was almost strange
to see someone so excited about returning to work, but then again, Alvin’s job
wasn’t exactly his passion. Jude’s obviously was.
             Once they arrived, Jude signed in at the gate and headed inside,
stopping to talk animatedly to one of the patients who waved him down. It
brought a bit of a smile to Alvin’s face to see the boy so upbeat for once; the
past few weeks had been rough on Jude, and this was just another step towards
recovery.
             But once they reached the elevator, Alvin was barred from entry.
             “What do you mean I can’t come up with him?” Alvin confronted the
guard, convinced he couldn’t see properly with the ridiculous helmet he was
required to wear.
             “Sorry, sir. Authorized personnel only on the upper floor.”
             Alvin scowled at the soldier, “I have to be authorized!” he
insisted, “I’ve been hired to watch the kid!”
             “Alvin…” Jude stepped over to him, his hands raised in the
defensive, “It… It’s fine. It’s a secured area, so I should be okay, right?”
             You don’t know that… Alvin thought, but saw no reason to alarm
Jude needlessly. He growled in the general direction of the soldier and crossed
his arms, “Go straight to the lab. I’ll be up there in a bit.”
             “But sir!” the soldier protested, but before he could go into
another speech about authorization, Alvin turned on him again, “Get Bakur down
here. He’ll give you the authorization.”
             The soldier visibly tensed before radioing to his commander for
clarification. Alvin took this time to give a more relaxed smile to Jude, “Go
on, I’ll catch up.”
             Jude nodded silently before shuffling into the elevator, leaving
Alvin behind.
             What a nuisance.
             “Sir,” the soldier was on his back again and Alvin had to actively
resist the urge to knock his stupid helmet off his head, “You need to wait
outside for my commanding officer to arrive.”
             Alvin quirked a brow, “And just how long is that going to take?”
             “He is en route from Marksburg.”
             “Marksburg, huh.” Alvin sighed, scrubbing his hands against his
face. No need to make a scene, he’d just have to leave for now.
             Or so he wanted the soldier to believe.
             No sooner did he exit the gate was he running down the corridors
once again, surveying the outside of the base. That’s one thing he never
understood about Helioborg and its design; so many footholds, so many
freestanding cables. It would be so easy to break into, even more so for
someone who had been trained to do so. It was all too easy to scale the
exterior of the first and second floors, and even easier to find an unlocked
door on one of the terraces.
             Ten flights of stairs later, Alvin had managed to make his way
unnoticed to the hall labeled Spyrix Research and Development. Obviously, he
was in the right place, but which of the doors had Jude, and which held certain
ejection from the base and possibly his job? He lucked out, it would seem, when
he overheard a familiar voice from down the hall.
             “Have they tracked down the data that Professor Haus collected?”
             It was Jude, obviously. He could recognize his Rieze Maxian
inflections easily. But the second voice also proved recognizable, if only
vaguely. Alvin crept closer to the door, sticking to the wall to avoid being
spotted.
             “Not so far. We’re waiting for his family to finish clearing his
estate. He refused to put a lot of his personal research on the computers here.
Apparently he didn’t trust them. I think he carried a disc on his person that
had a lot of it.”
             “That sounds like Professor Haus. Still, it’s strange that it’s
taking them so long.” A pause, a slight sizzle of electricity against metal,
“Did they… Did they find it when they recovered his…”
             “No, he didn’t have anything important, apparently. He probably
hid it somewhere, knowing him.”
             Professor Haus’s research… He had found the right door, but…
             “Sir?”
             So engrossed in his eavesdropping, Alvin hadn’t even notice the
click of heels approaching. Before him stood a woman with dark hair and
glasses, dressed in the business casualwear so stereotypical of the Helioborg
scientists.
             “What are you doing here?” Then she gasped, taking a half step
back, “You’re not here to trouble Dr. Mathis, are you?”
             “Whoa, whoa, hold on. I’m not here to trouble him…” His hand slid
towards the keypad, hoping to open the door long enough for him to make his
escape into the lab and leave the woman behind before she could make a stink.
             Too late. She grabbed for his arm, tugging it away from the keypad
in a vain attempt to stop him,.“Sir, you can’t go in there! Please leave!” she
shouted, surely catching the attention of every guard on the floor. Alvin
yanked his arm away, managing to smack his elbow against the keypad at just the
right angle, the door sliding open behind him.
             “Dr. Balan! Dr. Mathis! Help!” she shouted as Alvin made a break
for the lab, running straight for Jude. But before he could get there, another
person blocked his path and he was forced to stop short to avoid colliding with
him
             “Alfred? What are you doing here?” The source of the familiar
voice suddenly became apparent as Alvin stared blankly at the man smirking at
him, arms crossed. Suddenly it made sense why Haus and Jude had ended up
setting up shop in Helioborg.
             “Balan…” Alvin breathed, his stress level suddenly shooting
through the roof, and not entirely for the reason one would expect.
             The older man smirked and planted a hand on his hips, “Surprised
to see me? It has been quite a while since you stopped by.”
             “Balan, do you know Alvin?” Jude, of course, was ever the
observant one. Alvin groaned inwardly, wishing he had waited for the commander
to arrive just so he could avoid the awkward reunion.
             He crossed his arms, expression less-than-pleased, “Yes,
regrettably. He’s my cousin.”
             And then, to make matters worse, Balan started to laugh. Not just
a chuckle, but a knee-slapping guffaw. “Oh, this is rich! So the bodyguard Jude
was assigned was you, Alfred? What a small world!” His attention turned to
Jude, almost completely unable to stop laughing, “Hey, Jude, you remember the
little cousin I was talking about that cried whenever he had a stomachache?”
             “Balan, I swear to Maxwell…”
             Jude snorted, a hand quickly coming up to cover his mouth, “You’re
joking! The Alfred you keep talking about is Alvin?”
             Alvin buried his face in his hand, sighing morosely. “Spare me,
please.”
             He couldn’t escape, not when Balan continued to laugh and began
telling more embarrassing stories about their shared childhood. Balan was
family, and someone who had stuck by him even with the ongoing feud surrounding
them, but more than once Alvin was tempted to toss the crippled man out into
the hall just to spare himself the embarrassment.
             Yet in the end, he couldn’t do it, and the reason being was the
laughter they brought Jude. Even if it was at his expense, it was… strangely
nice to see the boy actually smiling and laughing.
             And somehow, that made the humiliation worth it.
            
             Surprisingly, Balan left the lab at a decent hour. He had implored
Jude to do the same, and Jude had agreed, yet somehow it was nearly one in the
morning and Jude was still tinkering away at his worktable.
             At that point, Alvin had taken up the couch, keeping himself
occupied with the discarded magazines, courtesy of the very apologetic
researcher Mary that had tried to bar his entry earlier in the day. She, too,
had left the building, leaving just him and Jude in the lab. It was almost
eerie to be hanging out in the military base with no one in sight; Alvin was
fairly certain most of the guards had left for the evening, or had taken up
posts outside. Were they even aware he was up there? The commander hadn’t found
him, so he assumed that his access to the upper floors was still very much
unauthorized.
             Oh well, I’ll sort it in the morning.
             Alvin tossed the well-read magazine onto the floor before sitting
up, stretching languidly upon the worn couch before seeking out Jude in the dim
light. As expected, the boy genius was still at his desk, head nodding to the
side, a soldering iron in one hand, a roll of filament in another. Alvin’s eyes
rolled as he stood, plucking the tool from Jude’s hand and turning it off. “Did
Balan ever tell you not to deal with dangerous tools while you’re impaired?”
             “I’m not impaired. I’m just repairing.” Jude protest, rubbing his
eyes as he blindly reached for the misplaced soldering iron.
             Alvin set it aside, reaching to turn Jude’s chair and hoist him
up. “C’mon, smartass. If you stay up all night working on that thing, you’ll
become weird and creepy like Balan.”
             Jude stood almost too easily, swaying slightly before Alvin
steadied him, “Balan isn’t creepy. He’s just… No, that’s a lie, he’s a little
creepy.”
             The guard snorted at the comment and lead Jude over to the couch.
“Right, see my point? Now get some sleep. We have to walk back to Trigleph
tomorrow morning so you can shower before class.”
             Jude made something of a non-committal groan before curling up on
the couch, not even bothering to remove his coat or shoes. Alvin wasn’t about
to wrestle them off him; he merely pulled the knitted blanket from the back of
the couch over the sleepy researcher.
             For a moment, Alvin just stood, watching, observing Jude. The boy
was only sixteen, yet he was already a full-fledged doctor working to better
the lives of millions. And yet, even with the degree under his belt, he was
still a kid unaware of the world and how it worked. Alvin wished he could live
like Jude did; constantly striving to better his work, persevering through
ridicule and racism alike for the sake of a common goal. He was naïve, yet
knowing this, he continued on the path he believed in, and people believed in
him.
             He envied him.
             Alvin’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and a glance at the display
brought a scowl to his face. He stepped out of the lab and into the empty hall,
the sound of his steps echoing among the faint hum of the emergency lights.
             A number was dialed and after only a brief pause, the line
connected. 
             “Report.” A stern voice, one he knew well, but wish he hadn’t.
             “Yeah, I’ve got it under control.”
             “And his progress?”
             “He hasn’t found anything… It looks like the data wasn’t on him or
with---“
             “Are you certain? He’s unaware?”
             “No, J---” Alvin almost slipped, “The target knows nothing. He’s
having to start again…”
             “And you know what needs to be done if he finds anything.”
             “I’m well aware, but…”
             “Good. Tomorrow, a group of radicals intend to start a disturbance
in the square in Trigleph. Make sure you and the boy are there.”
             “What? ” Another attack? “You’re shi--- Is that reallynecessary?”
             “It is imperative that he trusts you entirely, Alfred, lest he
never reveal if he knows anything. If you cannot handle at least this, then
I’ll be forced to terminate him and bring in a new researcher. Is that clear?”
             A harsh ultimatum indeed. Alvin pinched the bridge of his nose in
frustration, “…Yes. Send the coordinates so I can prepare…”
             “Good. I expect a report afterwards on his condition.”
             “…Understood, Uncle.”
             The phone was snapped closed and Alvin had to resist the urge to
throw it against a wall.
Chapter End Notes
     Hello and thank you for reading! I had some trouble making this
     chapter work from Jude's POV, so I decided to make an interlude
     chapter from Alvin's side this time. As always, a big thank you goes
     out to LividLillies for keeping me motivated and being a fantastic
     editor. The action picks up again in the next chapter. Please look
     forward to it! See you next week!
***** Chapter 5 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             Since they had left the lab at dawn, Alvin had been messaging
someone almost constantly. His phone would buzz, he’d flash a brief smile or
frown, type a quick message, then pocket his phone, only to do it all again a
few minutes later. Jude felt it strange for him to be so avidly interested in a
GHS conversation when they were out in the open; shouldn’t he be keeping an eye
out for any potential attackers? Or did he feel they were both safe at the
moment and they could relax?
             It’d be great if he could convey that to me soIcould relax… Jude
sighed and took a seat on one of the benches overlooking the ship’s deck,
watching the currents flow around the vessel.
             Commuting to and from Helioborg had become easier recently. With
the Spyrius Corporation funding all the new projects, the increase in workers
prompted a new seahaven to be constructed. It was small, with space for only
two commuter ferries and a supply ship, but it was far easier than hiring the
amount of guards needed to escort the civilian workers through Torbalan. That,
and the ferry cut down the commute time significantly; Jude could get across
the bay in under an hour, as opposed to taking two hours or longer depending on
the level of beast activity.
             It was less dangerous as well, for which Jude was grateful. He was
dedicated to his job, but that dedication meant late hours, and traversing the
highroad late at night often left him with cuts and bruises from run-ins with
hungry monsters. Nothing a good healing spell couldn’t fix, but it was the
principal of the thing.
             Jude’s eyes drifted to Alvin, who was still messaging someone, and
his disgruntled face and hectic typing cued him on the current mood of the
conversation. Was he having an argument with someone? His boss? A friend? A
lover?
             His eye twitched at the last possibility, but for what reason he
couldn’t tell.
             Fed up with the silence, Jude spoke up. “Hey, Alvin? Who are you
talking to?”
             Alvin’s hand stilled and his head whipped around, his eyes falling
on Jude who was, at the moment, staring up at him, arms crossed. Alvin gave a
weak chuckle and pocketed his phone, ignoring the next two buzzes as he
responded. “Don’t you worry your little head about it, Jude. It’s just boring
adult stuff.”
             Jude quirked a brow. “Boring adult stuff? I’m not a kid, you
know.”
             To that, Alvin chuckled again, and turned to lean his back against
the railing, propping his elbows on the metal bar. “With a reaction like that,
I’d say you are. It’s nothing, really. Just a debate with someone.”
             “A debate? With who?” He looked far too into the conversation for
it to be someone he didn’t care about. This was something Jude didn’t like
about Alvin; he avoided anything even remotely close to his personal life. Even
after they had spent this much time together, Jude hadn’t learned anything past
his love for fashion and good booze. Anytime the topic ventured in the
direction of his life, Alvin would expertly reroute the conversation to
something else. Jude was unsure if this was due to his line of work, or for
personal reasons, but it was a bit daunting knowing so little about someone
that was living with him.
             At his inquiry, Alvin merely shrugged. “A man is entitled to his
secrets.”
             There he goes again. “I bet it’s a woman,” Jude accused, shaking
his head.
             Even Alvin had to laugh at that. “What, are you jealous, Jude?
Should I message you more?”
             “Messaging me would be pointless if you’re standing next to me!”
Jude countered. “And besides, any woman who dates you must have poor taste.”
             “Ouch!” Alvin gripped his chest. “You wound me, Jude. However will
I recover from that sick burn? I may need to see a doctor!” He nudged at Jude’s
side just for affect, grinning mischievously.
             Jude gave an exasperated sigh and returned to the railing.
“Whatever, I need to shower when we get back then head out. I have a lecture
this afternoon.”
             “No time for a nap?”
             “I want to get there early.” Jude shook his head, though the man’s
sentiment was noted. Was Alvin really all that concerned about his sleeping
habits? He got a few hours last night, he’d be fine…
             Alvin shrugged and sighed. “All right, but you should go to bed at
a decent hour tonight. Kids your age should enjoy their free time, not spend
all of it glued to books and paperwork.”
             A glare was cast his way. “Stop calling me a kid. I’m old enough
to attend university and hold a high-profile job, you can at least treat me
like an adult.”
             “That’s a pretty childish thing to say.”
             Jude frowned deeply and was about to retort when his own GHS
buzzed. He pulled it from his pocket and flipped the screen open. Two messages
from Leia.
                                       tell alvin he DOES look like that
frog!!!! >:[
                                       it has his droopy eyes and
everything!!!!
             Attached was a cartoon depiction of a frog, and suddenly Jude was
snickering. “Have you been talking to Leia all this time?”
             Now it was Alvin’s turn to frown. “She asked for my number when
she came over the first time. Why?”
             “She says you look like a frog.” Jude turned the device around for
Alvin to see the message. “I agree.”
             Alvin groaned inwardly and scrubbed his face. “I can’t handle you
kids.”
             “Serves you right.”
 
===============================================================================
 
 
             Trigleph was just as busy as one would expect on a weekday
morning. The commuters were making their way to and from the station and docks,
ready for the day. Save for Jude, of course, who trudged along beside Alvin
with bleary eyes and unkempt hair. Adrenaline kept him upright on the ferry
ride in, but that had long since worn off once they arrived in the city.
             “How’re people so active this early in the morning…” Jude asked,
bringing a hand up to stifle a yawn before glancing Alvin’s way. “What time is
it anyhow?”
             Alvin pulled his phone from his pocket, checking the time before
tucking it away again. “I wouldn’t call it early. It’s half past nine.”
             “That’s early, Alvin.” Jude groused, running his hands through his
dark locks. He winced when his fingers caught on a tangle. I really need to
shower… Perhaps Alvin was right about his sleeping habits; Jude did tend to
keep odd hours, and he caught himself dozing off more and more during the day.
Not for not trying, of course. Jude had made an effort to get more sleep, even
just an hour or two, yet somehow time always managed to get away from him when
he was in the middle of his work.
             It was an unexpected benefit of Alvin’s constant presence; having
him around meant an alarm clock he couldn’t sleep through and a constant
reminder that he required sleep. It was like having a roommate. A roommate that
somehow had his life together far better than Jude did.
             Once they arrived at the apartment, Jude shed his shoes and lab
coat, tossing them onto the couch before shutting himself in the bathroom. It
was one of the few places in his home that Alvin did not follow. It wasn’t for
his privacy; Alvin had followed him into public bathrooms on a number of
occasions, citing it was one of the best places for Jude to be attacked. But at
home, without any windows and only one door, it was merely unnecessary.
             For a long moment, Jude stood beneath the steady stream of hot
water and collected himself. The heat relaxed his weary joints and tense
muscles. With a sigh, he allowed his mind to decompress. He had been doing
better lately; he didn’t feel so scared of going out, and he found he wasn’t
constantly on the lookout either. It felt like things were finally starting to
calm down around him, the excitement of the attack just a few weeks ago dying
off, leaving those involved to pick up the pieces.
             Yet there was a strange sort of peace with that; with Alvin
around, Jude didn’t feel as if he needed to worry about the dangers of another
attempt on his life. He supposed that was the intended purpose of having a
bodyguard; to make you feel safe while you went about your daily life. That
lead Jude to wonder what would happen after Alvin was released from his duty.
Would he still be safe? Would they wait for the attackers to be apprehended? Or
just for his project to be finished? Jude supposed if he finished and went home
to Leronde he’d be all right, but… What if they didn’t stop at the border? What
if they continued chasing him simply for finishing his work? If Alvin wasn’t
getting paid, he wouldn’t follow him, wouldn’t protect him…
             Jude pressed his back against the cheap tile of the standing
shower and he forced himself to take a slow, deep breath. I can’t do this… he
thought. If I finish then Alvin will leave, and I’ll have to go back to looking
over my shoulder… What do I do? Will I ever be safe?
             A sudden knock on the door startled him out of his reverie and
Jude nearly jumped out of his skin, his hand knocking over the small array of
soap bottles on the shelf. His mind flashed to all the possibilities of who
could be on the other side of the door, who could be coming for him, until—
             “Hey, kid, you okay in there?” Alvin. Of course it was Alvin. Who
else would it be?
Jude took a second to calm his erratic breathing before sliding the shower door
open to answer. “Yeah, I’m fine.” His voice cracked slightly and he grimaced,
clearing his throat. “What’s up?”
             “Are you sure you don’t want to take a nap or something?” Alvin
asked, his concerned voice muffled by the door. “You didn’t sleep much last
night.”
             A nap does sound nice, but… Jude shook his head even though Alvin
couldn’t see it. “No, it’s better that I just power through it and sleep when I
get back. If I nap, I’ll sleep right through the lecture.”
             “You can always skip lecture, you know.” It was a weak, but valid
argument, yet Jude wasn’t inclined to play hooky just because he worked too
late the night before. Even though he had been tardy a number of times, he
never actually missed a class. Many of his professors docked points if you
missed more than a few days, and Jude wanted to save those for emergencies.
             That didn’t mean he wasn’t tempted.
             Jude slid the glass door shut again and went about his bathing
regiment, effectively cutting off any means of protest Alvin could offer.
                         Somehow the square seemed more crowded than usual, not
even with the usual businessmen and commuters, but with visitors as well. It
was one of the biggest cities in Elympios, yet even knowing this there seemed
to be an unreasonable amount of people wandering around it.
             Balan had mentioned that Trigleph had one of the highest cost-of-
living rates in the area, and that many people chose to live in the outlying
towns and made the commute to save money. It would definitely save him a good
chunk of gald, but the convenience of being within walking distance of school
and just a ferry away from work beat riding a train multiple times a day.
             “Is there an event going on?” He asked of Alvin, who pulled out
his phone and brought up the calendar.
             “I think today was supposed to be the United Market in Marksburg.”
             “Oh, that was today?” With all the goings-on, Jude had completely
lost track. The monthly United Market allowed vendors from both sides of the
border to sell within Marksburg without having to pay the international tariffs
normally imposed to regulate trade. The increase in variety and decrease in
cost brought shoppers from all around to stock up on goods they couldn’t
normally obtain. These crowds often spilled further inland, with Trigleph
becoming a hotspot for the newest fashion trends not found in Rieze Maxia.
             Jude himself usually took advantage of this to buy produce only
available in his homeland. His mouth watered at the thought of fresh napples
and poranges from the orchards in Hamil, and the fresh caught fish that only
swam off the coast of Sharilton and served over rice…
             “Jude, you’re drooling.”
             Jude jumped, quickly wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve,
only to find it completely dry. He aimed a pout Alvin’s way, cheeks lightly
flushed. “Jerk.”
Alvin gave a chuckle and clapped him on the back. “You sure you don’t want to
skip class? We could go to the market before they close up for the day.”
             Tempted, sorely tempted. “No, I’ll---“
             Jude was cut off mid-retort when he suddenly smacked face-first
into the back of another pedestrian, falling back with an indignant squawk. “S-
sorry, I…” He froze when his eyes met with whom he had run into; a tall man,
pale with silvery hair accented with crimson streaks. He wore a suit of indigo
and black, one Jude recognized as a designer brand that he had caught Alvin,
and carry a briefcase in each hand. But perhaps what struck him speechless was
his eyes, barely visible beneath his locks and glaring almost hatefully down at
Jude. He said nothing, not even a remark on his clumsiness, before turning away
and disappearing into the crowd.
             A shudder ran through his thin frame. Scary…
             “You all right, kid?” Alvin knelt at his side, picking up his
books that spilled onto the sidewalk when he fell.
             “Yeah, I…”
             “It’s not too late to go back and sleep,” Alvin said, and there
was no play in his voice, only concern. “You’re really out of it today.”
             Jude sighed and carefully stood, dusting off his pants. Maybe I
should consider going back… He took his bag back from Alvin and slung it over
his shoulder. “Maybe, but…”
             There was a startled yelp somewhere behind him, and the clamor of
footsteps against pavement as a group of men pushed their way to the center of
the square. A dozen of them, all with sunglasses, medical masks, black
fatigues… and guns.
             “Listen up, Rieze Maxians!” shouted a man from the center of the
group, drawing the attention of the mass of visitors. “Your fool king may
believe that peace can reign between monsters and men, but we proud Elympions
will not stand to have the heathens tainting our land!”
             Jude stared, the feeling of dread filing his chest as he looked to
Alvin for answers. “A protest?” He asked quietly, but something told him these
were not mere demonstrators exercising their right to picket.
             Alvin’s angered expression confirmed this. “Jude, we need to go.”
             “What?”
             There was a collective gasp as the guns were lifted into place,
pointed directly at the people gathered around the square. “We of Exodus will
purge the filth from these lands! Men, destroy the Rieze Maxian scum that
plagues us!”
             Exodus.
             Jude felt his blood go cold, frozen in fear. Exodus, the anti-
Rieze Maxian group. Exodus, the terrorists. Exodus, the ones that killed
Professor Haus.
             “Jude!”
             All at once he was forced onto the ground as the terrorists opened
fire, Alvin shielding him with his body as bullets sprayed into the crowd.
Their leader cackled insanely as people yelled and screamed around him. Jude
couldn’t see, but he could hear the cries of pain, the men and women alike
crumpling to the cobblestone as others climbed over them to escape the chaos.
He wanted to scream, he wanted to run, but Alvin was holding him down and even
if he hadn’t been, he would’ve been too terrified to move.
             More gunfire, more shouts of dismay, calls for the guards, for
anyone to stop the madness. And through it all was Alvin, his voice stern, lips
pressed against the crown of his head. “When I say go, I’m going to let you up,
and you’re going to run as fast as you can back to the apartment.”
             “What about you?” In spite of his fears, Jude’s first thought was
not of himself, but of others, of Alvin. “And these people… We have to help
them!”
             “Don’t worry about them!” Alvin scolded, his arms bracing on
either side of Jude as someone stepped on the man’s back, tripped, then
scampered away. Not once did he allow any weight on Jude, using his own body as
a shield from anything that might bring him to harm. “These guys aren’t messing
around. We need to get you out of here.”
             “But…”
             Another scream, this time closer, and from beneath the fabric of
Alvin’s jacket Jude could see a man collapsing to the ground, his blood seeping
onto the stone. Dead.
             Jude squeezed his eyes shut, and Alvin’s grip only tightened.
             “You’re too important,” Alvin whispered, almost too quiet for Jude
to hear. He nodded silently against his chest.
             The weight left him entirely and suddenly Alvin was towering over
him, gun cocked and aimed straight ahead. He fired two bullets, both landing
into the chest of the proclaimed ringleader of the attack. An opening.
“Run! Now!”
             Jude scrambled to his feet and broke into a sprint, pushing his
way through the mass of horrified pedestrians making their escape. More shots
in the distance, more of his fellow countrymen shrieking, begging for mercy.
And all he could do was keep running, because if he didn’t, he’d be next.
             But that was it, wasn’t it? Those people, Exodus… They weren’t
just after Rieze Maxians in general. They had killed Professor Haus, and the
entire reason why Bakur hired a bodyguard for him was because he was a target,
not just the people of his country.
             It was this thought that stopped Jude in his tracks.
             They’re after me.
             The guilt that struck him was unlike any he had felt before.
             These people are getting hurt, because of me.
             Another round of gunfire in the distance; streams of bloodied and
injured civilians limping their way to safety. Jude watched as a woman hobbled
along, unable to keep up with the crowd, a gash along her leg. She made it only
a few more steps before collapsing mere feet from him, sobbing in agony as
others bashed into her, caring not for her injuries as they fled.
             She was Elympion, Jude realized. Exodus had fired indiscriminately
into the crowd, not even caring if their own people were caught in the fray.
             Because of me.
His body moved without thinking, crouching before the woman, pressing his hands
against her wounded leg. Jude took a deep, steadying breath, and focused his
mana, willing the skin to mend. For a moment the woman stared, eyes filled with
tears and fright both.
             “What are you doing?” She asked, voice shaking. Had she not seen
Spirit Artes before?
             “Don’t worry, I’m a doctor,” he said, trying for the most clinical
voice he could muster under such pressure.
             Somehow, she looked even more frightened, “You’re… You’re one of
them, aren’t you? Rieze Maxian.”
             There was really no denying it, not when he was already pouring
energy into healing her injuries. “Please hold still, I’ll have you fixed in no
time.” A small smile graced his features when the tear in the skin began to
slowly stitch together. I can do something. I can help.
             His hand was smacked away before he could finish.
             “Don’t touch me, you monster!” She shrieked. “It’s because of you
that this happened!”
             Jude stared at her, stunned, as she forced herself to her feet
again, caring little of the freshly closed wound tearing open again from her
struggles. She pushed past Jude, as if he was the enemy all along. As if he was
something to fear.
             All the while Jude could only stare, his heart sinking in his
chest.
             Because of you this happened.
             Because of you!
             “Because of… me…”
             A bullet whizzed over his head and Jude hardly had time to duck
before another barrage came his way. He couldn’t tell if the fire was coming
from Exodus, the guards, or both, but they had moved beyond the square and into
the streets. How long would this go on before the authorities got it under
control? Jude didn’t know; he could only crouch on the ground with his hands
over his head, begging for it to be over.
             Jude was grabbed roughly by the back of his shirt and wrenched
upright. With a gasp he was dragged to his feet by none other than Alvin, and
if looks could kill, he’d be dead upon impact.
             “The hell did you stop running for?! Do you have a death wish?!”
             Jude blinked rapidly, a mix of relief and renewed fear filling his
chest, “I-I was trying to help and…”
             A group of black-clad men rounded the corner, stopping when they
spotted the pair. Alvin cursed openly and fired a warning shot in their
direction, running in the other, forcing Jude along with him.
             “Go, go, go!”
             The two sprinted onward, weaving through the escaping mob, Alvin
at Jude’s back, putting himself between him and any danger that could come his
way. A shot sounded, this one too close for comfort, and Alvin stumbled,
muttering another colorful phrase before firing a shot behind him. It quickly
became clear that just running wasn’t going to get them to safety, not with
this many people and more agents coming their way. Alvin dragged hold of Jude’s
shirt again and ducked into an alleyway, pulling him into the darkness.
             Alvin pressed Jude against the wall and waited, watching like a
hawk as the assailants rushed past the entry, pursued by the military.
             Safe, for now.
             Jude let a sigh of relief, the tension leaving his limbs all at
once. “We made it…”
             His rest was short-lived; Alvin grabbed ahold of his collar and
gave him a firm shake, rage flashing across his eyes. “What the hell were you
trying to pull back there? Why did you stop running?!” he shouted, mere inches
from Jude’s face. “Those guys were out for your blood and you just stop halfway
down the street?!”
             “I was trying to help!” he protested, pushing the man off as best
as he could. But Alvin remained close, his anger practically radiating off his
skin.
             “They don’t want your help!” Alvin shook him again. “You’re the
reason they’re in this mess, don’t you get that?!”
             “I’m… That’s not…!” Jude shoved Alvin back, holding him at arm’s
length. “How can you say that?!” he shouted, shaking his head, the beginnings
of tears pricking at his eyes. “I didn’t do anything! Are you saying Exodus
attacked all those people because of me!?”
             Those words caused Alvin to falter, his gaze falling away from
Jude. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
             Jude scowled, clutching at the silk of Alvin’s shirt. “Then how
did you mean it, Alvin?!”
             For a long moment, Alvin refused to look at him, brows furrowed,
teeth grit.  Finally his hands came up and tugged at Jude’s, loosening them
from his lapels. “It’s not you, but the Rieze Maxians,” Alvin said, voice low,
his vermillion eyes finally connecting with Jude’s amber. “The Elympion people
will see this as another reason to hate your people. Exodus is just a group of
people; they can’t single handedly stop Rieze Maxians from coming to their
land, so they incite unrest with their actions.”
             Suddenly there was some sense to Alvin’s words. “And if they make
the Elympions hate Rieze Maxians…” The woman’s words echoed in his head.
‘Because of you… This wouldn’t have happened…’
             Alvin nodded, leaning heavily against the brick opposite Jude.
“Then Rieze Maxians eventually stop coming to Elympios for fear that they’ll be
next.”
             It made sense, yet somehow something didn’t feel right. Yes, they
came from different worlds, but their people were not all that different. That,
and researchers like Jude were brought over to help Elympios, to solve their
energy crisis. And the participants of the United Market brought fresh fruits
and vegetables that couldn’t grow in the dying region for everyone to enjoy.
Why? Why did they insist on driving his people out?
             ‘Monster!’
             “They’re afraid of us, because of what we can do with the help of
spirits.” Jude murmured, his gaze falling to his hands, the sticky red that was
there.
             Blood? From that woman? Or…
             His eyes darted to Alvin as the man ambled towards the opposite
entrance, leaning heavily to his left, “Let’s go back to the apartment. The
police should have things under control…” He staggered, barely catching himself
on the brick before he could fall.
             “Alvin!” Jude rushed to his side, steadying him as best as he
could. It was then he saw it; the blood seeping onto Alvin’s shirt, a tear just
beneath his ribs, a bullet wound. “You idiot! Why didn’t you say anything?”
             “I’m fine.” Alvin waved him off, pushing away from the wall again.
“Let’s just get to the apartment, I have a first aid kit in my stuff.”
             Jude pressed his hands against the wound, provoking a pained curse
from Alvin. He didn’t ask permission, he didn’t try to offer the clinical
comfort he was taught to give his patients when performing emergency first aid;
he just focused on healing Alvin, even as his mana lobe strained, out of
practice from months of disuse.
             All the while, Alvin stared awe at the boy before him. “Jude,
you…”
             “We’re not monsters,” Jude muttered, voice trembling, breathless.
The alley around them started to move of its own accord, a fog filling his head
from the sudden outpouring of mana, but Jude refused to stop until the wound
was completely closed. “We’re people, too, and we just want to help.”
             The boy let a shaky breath and pulled away, bracing a hand against
the brick to steady himself. He watched with a vague sense of satisfaction as
Alvin gingerly lifted his shirt, finding the skin there coated in blood, but
otherwise unmarred.
             “I didn’t know you could do that.” Alvin’s mesmerized gaze
returned to Jude, who smiled in return.
             “I told you before,” he chuckled, scrubbing at his eyes with the
back of his sleeve. “I’m a doctor, and I want to help people.” In spite of his
efforts, the tears finally slid down his cheeks.
             Alvin clutched Jude’s shoulder, trying to get a better look at his
face. “What are you crying for?”
             Jude shook his head, smiling through his tears. “I’m just…
relieved. I was able to heal you just fine, even though I’m not that strong.”
He wasn’t able to save Professor Haus, or help the woman at the square, but he
was able to help Alvin, heal him fully. He hadn’t failed, and for that he felt
so happy he wanted to cry.
             A hand came to rest upon his head, gently ruffling his hair, an
action he was quickly coming to associate with Alvin. He brought his teary gaze
up to meet the Alvin’s, who smiled in return.
             “You did good, Jude.”
Chapter End Notes
     Happy Monday everyone! Thank you for reading the latest chapter! I
     had a hard time getting it out and it ended up being a bit lengthier
     than normal, but I hope you enjoyed it all the same. I want to
     especially thank my editor LividLillies for helping me even though
     she's been sick. If you enjoyed the read, leave a kudos or a comment.
     I'd love to hear from you!
***** Chapter 6 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             “Are you sure you’re up for work?” Jude asked, casting a worried
gaze up at Alvin as they traversed the short distance from the ferry docks to
Helioborg. In spite of the chaos around them, things had returned to normal the
following morning. This was due almost entirely to Alvin’s insistence that he
was fine, and that Jude had healed him enough that he didn’t need to take any
days off. Jude wasn’t so inclined to believe him; he had found out firsthand
just how much Alvin liked to play down his injuries, even critical ones. He
wondered if this was due to his line of work, or some other conviction
engrained in the snarky mercenary.
             Jude didn’t feel it his place to ask.
             “I’m fine, Jude.” Alvin said, casting him a spirited grin in
return and patting him on the back. “I’m not the type of guy that a bullet can
take down.”
             “A bullet can take anyone down if aimed right, Alvin.” Jude
groused, giving Alvin a jab in the side, causing the man to wince. “And just
because I healed you doesn’t give you the excuse to act reckless.”
             Alvin mocked offense, a hand pressed to his chest. “Me? Reckless?
Perish the thought!”
             Jude groaned at his antics. He was glad that he was able to help
Alvin, there was no doubting that, but there were things weighing on his mind
now, things he hadn’t considered.
             Exodus, the terrorists that claimed they wished to purify the land
of Rieze Maxians, had openly attacked one of the busiest cities on their home
turf. Not only that, but there had been dozens of casualties from both sides of
the border, yet the anger and outrage from the people didn’t seem to change a
thing. Wouldn’t an attack on a public space like that call for more guards to
be put on patrol? Why did it take them so long to arrive at the square? And why
hadn’t the parliament made a statement?
             It must have been a media nightmare to have a terrorist attack a
public venue, and even more so when a second attack took place in only a few
weeks. But Jude couldn’t help but wonder why everyone seemed so relaxed about
it. If something like that had occurred in Rashugal, the chief of staff would
have the military lock down every port and highroad to make sure the culprits
didn’t escape. Hell, if it happened in Auj Oule, the King’s personal army would
have been dispatched to remedy the situation.
             Yet, the Elympion Parliament was completely silent. The attack
made the news, but no public officials had made a statement. It was odd, and
unsettling, and Jude knew it was because the attacks were directly related to
the presence of his people in Trigleph.
             It left a poor taste in his mouth, especially Alvin’s words the
day before.
             ‘You’re the reason they’re in this mess.’
             The comment was directed at Rieze Maxians as a whole, but it still
hurt. The death of his mentor, the attack on the square… Jude blamed himself
for them, even though he knew it was useless to think that way. The sinking
feeling he felt whenever he thought about those incidents, the gripping fear,
the guilt, it all made him want to curl up in a corner and vomit. But at the
same time he knew if he did, it’d only make things worse. What if I can’t
complete Haus’s work? What if I’m not smart enough to figure it out? What if
all these people reallydiddie because of me? What if the attacks just get more
violent and eventually…
             “Jude.”
             Jude physically jumped when his name was spoken, breaking him from
his nihilistic thoughts. Before he could properly answer, Alvin draped an arm
around his shoulder and pulled him close, leaning close to his face. “You’re
thinking too much. Just focus on your work, yeah?” Alvin winked, and Jude
fought the blush on his cheeks from having him so close.
             Yet another thing plaguing his mind; Alvin. How could he be so
calm when he could have died the day before? When he saw his own brethren shot
just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Jude admired his strength,
his ability to keep going even when Jude himself wanted to hide in the lab
until his research was complete or the world stopped turning, whichever came
first.
             “Right, sorry.” Jude was, however, grateful that Alvin didn’t pry.
These were things he wasn’t ready to share with anyone, let alone the seemingly
care-free bodyguard that had been thrust upon him.
             I just hope this is all over soon.
            
 
             The lab was in an uproar when they arrived. Balan was hastily
rifling through a large crate of papers while Mary skittered about the room,
pinning pages to corkboards and displays in an attempt to organize it all. Jude
would have been surprised if this level of excitement wasn’t normal for the
team whenever either of them made a breakthrough.
             “This is a goldmine! Why did it take so long to arrive?” Balan
shouted, pulling another stack from the box and flipping through the contents.
“There’s so much in here! The old codger really was holding out on us!”
             “What’s going on?” Jude finally made his presence known, tugging
on his labcoat as he approached his colleague.
             Balan grinned brightly and held up a binder labeled Spirit
Channeling in relevance to the size of the Channeler’s Mana Lobe. “They just
arrived from Professor Haus’s estate! It’s all his research material that was
missing from the lab!”
             “The professor’s research?”
             Jude nearly knocked Balan off his feet in his excitement, leaning
over the edge of the crate and pulling stacks of papers and notebooks and
piling them onto the table. Research notes, theses, unpublished theories, hand
drawn diagrams… It was a mountain of knowledge that might have been lost to the
world if these materials never made it to the lab. A gift, a blessing, a chance
to finally get their research on the road.
             The binders were all neatly labeled, but the contents were messy,
a smatter of ideas across multiple pages of rambling theories and charts. It
wasn’t the first time Jude had come across the professor’s notes; the man was
brilliant, but like many brilliant minds, he left the cleanup and organization
to his assistants, Jude included. His first two weeks of internship were spent
putting these very binders together, tidying all the pages into content-
specific books to be used for reference later.
             It had been time-consuming, and at the time he had almost
regretted taking the position, but seeing all of their hard work again after so
long made him feel nostalgic. It felt like he was holding a piece of his past,
a simpler time, where all he wanted to do was learn and follow in Haus’s
footsteps.
             Jude missed that, he really did.
             “This is brilliant stuff.” Balan pulled another notebook from the
crate, skimming over the pages. “But… None of it seems to be related to his
most recent research…”
             Jude continued his dig into the crate, finding more notebooks, and
sadly, recognizing a majority of them. “This must be the research work he had
done before coming to Elympios.” Jude said, setting another binder onto the
worktable. “Most of these I had to put together myself, actually. It was a good
way to learn the material when we first started working together.”
             One of the notebooks was plucked from the pile by Alvin, who
looked over it with mild curiosity. “So none of this stuff is even worth having
here, huh?”
             “I wouldn’t say that, exactly.” Jude leaned over the edge of the
crate, having to stand on his tip toes to reach further in. “A lot of this
stuff is unknown to Elympions, so maybe it’d be worth look---” He paused,
spotting something near the bottom of the box, a stack of binders he didn’t
recognize. “What’s this?” He reached for it, scooting the other binders out of
the way to reveal a small stack of notebooks, new ones, with printouts with
Elympion writing sticking out of them.
             “Hey, Balan, I think I found someth---“ Jude slipped from the edge
of the crate and fell headfirst into the materials, landing with an startled
yelp. He managed to right himself among the papers as both Balan and Alvin
peered down at him, trying not to laugh. Embarrassed, Jude held up the stack of
notebooks with a sheepish grin. “Uh… here.”
             The notebooks were handed over to Balan, who immediately began
scouring the numerous pages. The grin on his face widened and he held their
findings aloft, “This is it!” Balan proclaimed. “These are his research notes!”
He took the papers over to Mary, who began pulling down unneeded notes and
replacing them with the new ones.
             Jude struggled to escape the metal prison that was the shipping
crate, finding his height to be a disadvantage, as usual. Thankfully, Alvin was
there to offer a helping hand, or in this case, grab him under the arms and
pulling him bodily from the crate. Once again he was grinning to mask his
embarrassment. “T-thanks…”
             “Got a little excited there, huh?” Alvin teased, setting him on
his feet. “Is the stuff in that notebook really what you’re looking for?”
             “It has to be.” Jude affirmed with a nod, heading over to where
Balan was working. “Professor Haus’s notes could be the difference between
completing our research in a year or ten years. It’s very important!”
             The notes were messy, and numerous, as expected of his mentor, but
as he and Balan went over the contents, something wasn’t quite right. With each
new page, the notes became messier, as if written hastily or under duress. The
further they went, the more things seemed less coherent and pieceier, confused.
It took the both of them a moment to realize.
             “Balan.”
             “Yes, I see it, too.”
             “But why?”
             Concerned, Mary peered at the notes. “What’s wrong?
             Jude pulled the file from Balan’s hands and began sifting through
them more thoroughly. “There are pages missing. A lot of pages.”
             “Are they still in the crate?”
             Jude shook his head, pointing to the spine, the scraps of paper
still clinging to the metal coil. “Look here. The pages were ripped out…” His
gaze rose to meet Balan, who appeared lost in thought. “Balan, is it possible
that someone went through the crate before we got it?”
             “The crate had the security tape still on it when it arrived. I
imagine that they would have searched it before sending it up here.”
             That makes sense but… Security wouldn’t have taken pages from the
bottom of the pile, right? Jude fiddled with a stray strand of hair, evaluating
their next steps. Having just a little research was better than none at all,
but one had to wonder how useful those notes would be. They could try finding
the extra pages, but…
             A hand laid heavily on his shoulder. Alvin. “Jude, did Haus give
you anything before he passed? Any papers or discs?”
             He glanced to his bodyguard, shaking his head. “No, not a thing. I
didn’t think he was doing any work at home either… Usually he’d have me help if
he was onto something…”
             There was a collective sigh from the occupants of the room. Balan
shook his head, one hand on his hip. “Well, at any rate, see what you can make
if this, Jude. Perhaps we can fill the gaps with what we already know.”
             Jude gave a determined nod and crossed the room to his desk,
setting the notebook down and getting to work. There was a lot of material,
much of it that didn’t make sense. What was going on in Professor Haus’s head
when he was writing all of this? When did he write all this? Shouldn’t he have
called me or Balan if he had made a breakthrough?
             The more he thought about it, the more it didn’t add up.
Everything seemed so normal up until the night of the attack, what could
possibly…
             The night of the attack... What the professor had said… He said he
was going away for a while after the event…
             Realization dawned on him; the notes, the research… What if the
professor knew he was in danger? That his research had landed him in some sort
of trouble and he was going to be a target? Jude flipped through the notebook
again, noting the missing pages, the hurried, frantic scribbling.
             What did you find, professor?
             “Jude.” Balan’s voice derailed his train of thought and Jude
whirled around to face him. “You’re the only one who was close enough to the
professor to decipher his notes. It’s imperative we find out the missing pieces
sooner, rather than later.”
             “Right, sorry…” I can’t tell Balan about this, Jude thought. If I
do, then he could become a target, too…
             The stress must have shown on his face, because as soon as the
apology left his lips, Alvin was on the defensive. “Give him a break, Balan.”
He scolded. “The kid has been working his ass off, even when he’s at home.”
             A blush rose to his cheeks for the third time in less than an hour
as Jude stared up at Alvin, honestly surprised that he was coming to his
defense. It was… nice, to have someone stand up for him like that. Somehow
having Alvin do it was even better.
             Balan, however, didn’t agree. He crossed his arms, the lights from
the lab equipment shining off his glasses. “Jude, did I ever tell you about the
time Alvin ate an entire bag of cheese crisps, and cried in the bathroom for
two hours?”
             Alvin recoiled. “W-what?! Balan, don’t tell him about that!”
             Balan completely ignored his cousin, instead turning his attention
to Jude. “He thought he was going to die, so he wrote his last will and
testament in crayon on the back of a magazine.”
             Jude quickly covered his mouth, trying his best not to laugh. “W-
what? You can’t be serious.”
             “Balan…” A warning from Alvin, one that went entirely ignored.
             “He left all of his toys to the little girl down the street that
he fancied, and demanded peach pie be served at his funeral. He was five.”
             “Spare me, please.”
             Jude couldn’t hold it in anymore. He started laughing, harder than
he had in a long time. It was the sort of contagious laugh that had the rest of
the group holding their sides. At first, Jude felt bad for laughing so hard at
Alvin’s expense, but then he realized Alvin was chuckling along with him, his
ears red from either embarrassment, rage, or both.
             It was nice, Jude thought, laughing with everyone like this. It
made it easier to forget the madness that had occurred just a day before.
             When the guffaws died down, Jude wiped the beginnings of tears
from his face, casting a brilliant smile to the group. “Thanks, guys. I really
needed that.” He looked up at Alvin, his smile suddenly apologetic. “You must
have been a really cute kid, Alvin.”
             Alvin clapped him on the back with a grin. “Yeah, well. Remind me
to tell you about the time Balan got stuck in a tree.”
             “Do not tell him about that,” Balan warned.
             Alvin just waved him off, dipping low so he could whisper in
Jude’s ear. “I have to make a call, wait here.”
             “Huh? Oh, okay.” Jude watched him leave the lab, curious. But
before he could dwell on it too long, Balan had pulled him into another
discussion about their schedule and the new materials they had acquired. They
had a lot of work to do.
 
 
             “Dinner?” Jude echoed, bewildered.
             The two had just left the base when Alvin popped the question.
Casually, of course; it was rare that Alvin said anything without a joke in his
voice or a sultry wink in Jude’s direction. But this one seemed at least
somewhat serious, if only for the fact that Alvin was avoiding his gaze.
             “Yeah, dinner. There’s a place in Duval I go to a lot. The food
isn’t the greatest, but it’s quiet. I usually go there with my friends during
off-time.”
             Jude didn’t know what was more shocking; the fact that Alvin was
asking him to dinner, or the fact that he wanted to take him to a place he
frequented with friends. Did Alvin consider him a friend? Weren’t they in a
strictly working relationship?
             He was blushing before he knew it, and Jude glued his eyes to the
ground just to avoid showing his red face to Alvin. “What, is this a date?”
             Alvin stifled a laugh. “I was thinking more of a ‘Thank you for
not letting me bleed to death in an alley’ type of dinner.” He pat Jude on the
back, an odd offering of comfort.
             Then, a pause, as if Alvin finally realized the stipulations of
his offer.“…Do you want it to be a date?”
             Did he? Jude had to wonder. Alvin was kind, strong, attractive,
and he put up with all of Jude’s quirks that Leia always said would keep him
single forever. Hell, even Leia liked him, which was rare; she was a great
judge of character, or so she claimed. And it was true that he did enjoy
Alvin’s company, probably more than he should for someone that was being paid
to stay with him.
            Jude realized he knew very little about him, but… going on a date
with Alvin… That’s part of getting to know someone you like, right? But what if
he just wants to be friendly? A friend date? It’s just dinner. He reminded
himself. And he was hired to keep an eye on me, so I shouldn’t make it awkward,
but… Jude swallowed thickly, his face burning up. He somehow couldn’t manage
the words. What am I thinking? Do I seriously want this to be a date?
             Jude stopped dead in his tracks. Oh, no… Do I… Do I actually like
Alvin like that? Suddenly Jude was hyperaware of the heat in his face. He had
known for a long time that he didn’t care if the person he liked was a man or a
woman, and the guys back in Fennmont always teased him for acting like a
nervous git whenever he talked to the secretary at the hospital. He knew he
liked her, but… Alvin. He didn’t feel nervous around Alvin. Alvin made him feel
safe, not just because he was his bodyguard, but just his presence, the way he
carried himself. It felt like… Just being near him, things were going to be
okay. Alvin didn’t have to try to comfort him when he was scared, but he did.
He didn’t have to go out of his way to get Jude food or to carry him to bed
when he was too exhausted to leave his desk. None of those things were required
of a bodyguard, right? But Alvin did all that… Does he likemelike that?
             Neither spoke, and Jude hoped he hadn’t just made things difficult
for Alvin. What would he do if he couldn’t continue his work because Jude had
made him uncomfortable? How would that look on his resignation to Bakur? Sorry,
can’t keep this job, the kid has a crush on me.
             The arm that was wrapped around his shoulders pulled him from his
self-deprecating reverie, and Alvin was there, his face far too close for Jude
to be comfortable with given his realization. “How about I take you on a date
then?”
             Jude didn’t know his face could get any redder, but it somehow
did. “Y-you’re sure?”
             And Alvin winked at him, erasing any insecurities he had on the
matter. “Sure. This Friday, let’s go on a date, Judy.”
             Jude glowered at the nickname. “Don’t call me that.”
             It was going to be an interesting weekend.
Chapter End Notes
     It's Monday, and here we are again! Not much going on in this chapter
     aside from Jude's self-rhetoric. Next chapter is... date night! A
     huge, huge thank you to LividLillies for putting up with my lateness
     and editing this on time. And a big thank you to everyone who left a
     kudos or a review! You keep this story going! See you all next week!
***** Chapter 7 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             Jude had been to Duval before.
             At one point, Jude had considered living there, if only because it
was easily the cheapest place to rent an apartment. But once Professor Haus had
heard of this plan, he pushed for higher pay if only to keep him out of the
slums. He was grateful after seeing it once; the dilapidated buildings stacked
high and too close together spoke of the way people lived. The crime rate
didn’t help either; one of the highest in the area, even compared to Trigleph.
             Alvin, on the other hand, didn’t seem to mind the state of the
town. “Duval’s one of the best places to get work,” he said, pointing out the
job board littered with sheets of paper of varying colors. “If you don’t mind
getting your hands dirty with monster extermination, you can make a decent
living.”
             “Monster extermination?” Jude knew the area had an unusually high
population of feral creatures, but he hadn’t pictured Alvin as the type to go
out and fight them. “Isn’t that dangerous?”
             Alvin shrugged. “Of course, why else would people pay so much for
it? So long as you don’t die, you can make enough money to actually get out of
Duval.”He draped an arm around Jude’s shoulder, tugging him close as a group of
people pushed by them. “Speaking of, keep a hand on your wallet or you’ll be
the one stuck in Duval.”
             Jude didn’t know if he was blushing because Alvin was practically
hugging him, or because he was spaced out enough to get pickpocketed. He put
his wallet in his front pocket, just in case.
             The two made their way through the winding streets towards a small
tavern. Alvin had mentioned that it was a place he went to a lot with friends,
and somehow it made sense that it’d be a bar instead of an actual restaurant.
He just seemed the type. That did make him wonder what his friends were like;
were they all smooth-talking mercenaries like Alvin?
             His question seemed to be answered once they arrived at Film Noir.
“Alvin, is that you?” A man dressed in typical Auj Oule garb approached them, a
friendly grin upon his face.
             “Yurgen!” Alvin seemed just as surprised, but pleasantly so. He
pulled away from Jude long enough to give the stranger’s hand a shake,
returning the smile in kind. “What are the odds? Did you just get in?”
             The man, Yurgen, shook his head briefly. “No, heading out
actually. The proprietor of Film Noir wants to start carrying Twilight Shochu,
so we were finalizing the delivery schedule.”
             “Oh, so you’ll be in town more often now,” said Alvin, returning
to Jude’s side. “You’ll have to swing by Trigleph and have a drink with me
sometime.”
             “That’s right, you took a job in Trigleph.” Yurgen’s gaze fell to
Jude, who suddenly felt self-conscious. Just who was this guy?
             Thankfully, Alvin filled the blanks for him. “Yep, this is Jude.”
He stated, tugging the boy close again. “He’s the studious type, so I’m making
sure he goes to bed on time.” A grin, a wink, and Jude had to fight the urge to
swat his bodyguard.
             “A-Alvin!” Jude’s face turned beet red. Why did he have to put it
that way?
             Yurgen seemed to take this in stride, offering a hand to Jude.
“It’s nice to meet you, Jude. Alvin’s a good friend of mine.”
             Jude accepted it stiffly, his curious gaze rising to Yurgen’s. “L…
Likewise…”
             A friend of Alvin’s… He was definitely not what Jude expected. He
had imagined a group of rough and tumble mercenaries that spent their wages on
booze and women, not a humble Rieze Maxian merchant. For a while Jude watched
them talk, marveling at how naturally it came to the two of them. It seemed
like they hadn’t seen each other in some time, yet they retained the closeness
of their friendship even at a distance. It reminded Jude of himself and Leia,
how they often would go weeks without seeing each other but could catch up in a
matter of minutes like they’d never been apart.
             Jude smiled at the thought.
             Eventually, Alvin steered the conversation back to their outing.
“Anyhow, we’re about to get some grub. Are you heading back to Xian Du
tonight?”
             Yurgen nodded, picking up his satchel from the ground. “Yes, but
I’ll be back later this month with more goods.” His eyes darted to Jude, before
returning to Alvin’s. “If you’re available, I could use some help getting
shipments delivered. It always goes faster with you around.”
             Alvin gave Jude’s shoulder a squeeze, a silent reassurance. “I’ll
have to get back to you on that. Jude and I are going to be together for a
while, so my schedule is booked.”
             “Fair enough. I’ll keep in touch.” He offered a bow to the two of
them, slinging his pack over his shoulder. “It was nice seeing you, Alvin.
Jude.”
             “Say hello to Isla for me.” Alvin threw up a wave and watched as
the man left, smiling fondly to himself. Before Jude could ask any questions,
he was led into the bar.
             Film Noir was only slightly bigger on the inside. One entire wall
encompassed tightly packed shelves filled with bottles of varying sizes and
shapes. The counter was before it, stretching across a majority of the bar
itself, with small groups of tables and chairs pushed against the adjacent
wall. A smooth jazz accompaniment played on the jukebox across the room, making
Jude feel like he had just stepped into an old detective film. He supposed that
was the purpose of the atmosphere; a feel to match the name.
             The bartender barely acknowledged the two as they walked in,
hitching a thumb in the direction of the corner table. Alvin tugged Jude along,
pulling his chair out first, then his own. Chivalrous, Jude thought with a
grin, and took his seat.
             Remarkably, it was Jude who attempted conversation first. “So, you
used to work for that guy? Yurgen?”
             Alvin nodded, picking up the drink menu from its placeholder on
the table. “I used to spend a lot of time in Xian Du, so we ran into each other
a lot. When he decided to try his hand at the courier biz, he asked me to help
out.”
             “You make it sound like you traveled a lot.” Jude said, picking up
his own menu. Most of it was finger food, it seemed, with only a handful of
actual entrees among the appetizers. The rest of the menu was all alcohol, and
Jude wondered if he was even allowed to be in there at all without being of
age.
             “I did, with my work. Wherever one job ended, I’d pick up a new
one. You tend to bounce between areas a lot that way.” Alvin waved over to a
server waiting behind the counter, and she scuttled over with a notepad and
paper. Alvin ordered scotch on the rocks, Jude ordered iced tea.
             Jude was surprised; he figured that Alvin had moved around quite a
bit, but he never stopped to consider just how much he had traveled. “Do you
have a house somewhere? Or do you just go from job to job?”
             “I have a few places to crash, but I guess my home base is in
Trigleph. It’s more for storage than anything.” Alvin tucked the menu back into
its placeholder and turned his attentions to Jude. “What about you? What part
of Rieze Maxia are you from?”
             “Oh.” Had he never mentioned it before? “I’m from Leronde.”
             “No kidding?” The waitress brought over their drinks and Alvin
thanked her briefly before turning his attentions back to Jude. “I had a few
jobs take me there, but I’ve never seen you around.”
             Jude shrugged nonchalantly. “That’s because I haven’t been there
in a while.” He took a sip of his own drink; cool, bitter, with a hint of
lemon. He thought about adding a packet of sugar, but didn’t want to feel more
like a kid in a place that was clearly meant for adults. “When I was ten I left
for school in Fennmont, I haven’t really gone back since.”
             “When you were ten? Do Rieze Maxians push kids into the workforce
that quickly?”
             Jude was quick to correct him, hands up in defense. “N-no, it’s
not like that. Most kids stay in primary until they’re fifteen, and pick up
their university courses after that. I was a special case.” He didn’t want to
make it seem like he was bragging, but he was. Jude had mastered all the
coursework before he reached the double digits in age, and was the pride of
Leronde. The townspeople even pooled their money together so he could attend
school in Fennmont and follow in his parents’ footsteps. It wasn’t his ideal
outcome, especially since he had all but abandoned the medical field in favor
of spyrix research. His father hadn’t been happy.
             “So that’s how you managed to become a doctor already. I’m
impressed.” Alvin took a sip of his scotch, making a bit of a face before
setting it aside. “Your parents must be proud.”
             Oh, that was a sore subject. “Not… really.” Jude fiddled with a
strand of hair, avoiding Alvin’s gaze. “Honestly, when my dad found out I was
moving to Trigleph to pursue a research career, he was furious. He still sends
letters demanding I return home and help out at the clinic, use my degree
towards something useful. Leia’s family is more supportive.”
             “That’s right, you said you and Leia grew up together.” Alvin
pulled the menu out again and began looking over the drink choices, scooting
the scotch glass further away with one hand. Jude tried not to laugh.
             “Yeah, Leia was originally in school to become a nurse so we could
stick together, but when I moved to Trigleph, she decided to pursue journalism
instead. She just got hired on with a local paper, actually.” Jude tipped his
glass to his lips, taking a long sip.
             “Are you two dating?”
             And Jude almost spat out his drink. He managed to gulp it back,
coughing with his hand over his mouth. “N-no way! Leia and I… We’ve been like
brother and sister for so long, we’re just close!”
             Alvin was trying not to laugh at his reaction, and in spite of his
previous aversion to his drink, knocked it back anyway. “So that means I have a
chance.”
             What? Had he heard him right?
             Before he could query further, the door to the bar swung open
again. Curious, Alvin leaned in his chair to see who had entered, and blinked
in surprise. “Is that…?”
             Jude turned around in his chair to see what had caught Alvin’s
attention. Two men, the first tall, pale, with white hair with accents of black
on his bangs. The second stuck close behind him, his dark features a stark
contrast to the other; black hair, crimson eyes. His stance was commanding, yet
it would seem he was there on a personal matter, given the close proximity to
his dining partner.
             The first approached the barkeep and asked for a table, and as the
waitress was setting it up, he spotted Alvin across the room and waved
sheepishly. Alvin grinned in return, giving the pale man a thumbs up.
             “Do you know them?” Jude asked, perplexed.
             Alvin nodded, watching as the two others were seated at the
opposite corner of the restaurant. “Yeah, old friends. Never expected that
though.” That, likely referring to the fact that the men were clearly on a very
private date.
             But weren’t they on a date as well?
             Jude decided not to inquire about Alvin’s friends, and instead
buried his nose in the menu.
             The waitress came to them soon after, taking their food orders.
Alvin decided on a seasoned steak, and after a moment of deliberation, Jude
decided on a pasta dish that was apparently the house special.
             They fell into a silence after that, Jude anxiously stirring his
tea, Alvin taking an abstract interest in the drink selection. It seemed that
both were struggling for some sort of topic of conversation, or in Jude’s case,
any topic that wasn’t the fact that he was on a date with his bodyguard. He had
been doing so well up until the other men came into the bar, as if their
presence reminded him that he too was having dinner with a very attractive
older man.
             “Hey, can I ask you something?”
             The silence was broke by Alvin and Jude answered almost too
quickly. “Sure, what is it?”
             The waitress brought another drink, this one in a taller glass
lacking ice. Beer, probably. Alvin took a swig before continuing. “The other
day, you used spirit artes on me to close up that hole in my stomach…”
             Oh, that… Why did Alvin have to bring up that of all things? Jude
nodded, taking another sip of his tea.
             “What’s it like? Being able to do…” Alvin made a vague gesture
with his hand. “The Mana Lobe thing. What’s it like having one?”
             Oh.
             “What do you mean? Like, the physical attributes?”
             Jude finally met his gaze and Alvin was watching him, leaning his
chin thoughtfully against his palm. “More like, does it feel different? All
Rieze Maxians have them, right?”
             That was a good question; Jude had lived his entire life with a
mana lobe, as did everyone around him. Having one was just so normal that it
was difficult to pin-point what was different about it, if there was anything
at all.  “It’s hard to say,” he admitted, playing with a strand of hair at his
temple. “It’s just a part of you, like your arm. I’ve never gone without it, so
I can’t really say what it’s like to not have one.”
             “Yeah, well our arms can’t talk to spirits,” he offered with a
grin, having another sip of his beer.
             Jude had a little laugh at Alvin’s quip, but he raised a valid
point. Had there ever been a time that he had gone completely without?
             He recalled a time when he had first arrived in Fennmont, when he
was homesick and running on fumes from too many nights of endless studying and
lack of proper food. He ended up falling ill and missing almost a week’s worth
of classes because he was too exhausted to move.
             He remembered how quiet it was, how uncomfortable that silence
made him.
             “It’s like… A hum.”
             Alvin quirked a brow. “A hum?”
             Jude nodded, “Well, maybe not a hum, but… A chatter, like
listening to people talking in the distance. There’s a presence that you can’t
quite pinpoint, but it’s not frightening like a stranger, but like… an old
friend.”
             “And that chatter comes from the spirits?”
             “I think so, yes. It’s a sort of background noise that lets you
know the spirits are there, that you’re not alone and that you can call on them
if you need help.”
             “Do you still hear them now that you’re in Elympios?” Alvin asked,
curious. “Spirits are scarce here, right?”
             Again, Jude gave a nod, thinking back to when he first arrived.
There were so few spirits in Trigleph that Jude felt he was walking into a
ghost town, yet it was fully populated with living people. It was eerie,
uncomfortable, and made channeling even more difficult. “It took me a couple of
days to adjust to the quietness. The spirits that are here are eager to help,
but almost have no energy to do so. They seem to like me well enough, though.”
             “That’s because you give them mana, right?” Alvin supplied, and
Jude grinned. He must have been reading the reports that were shipped from
Professor Haus’s estate. It was nice to know that Alvin was taking an interest
in his work, even remotely. Jude always felt like he was boring him whenever he
talked about his findings in the lab.
             The waitress arrived with another glass of iced tea for Jude, and
she paused to look the boy over, as if she wanted to ask something. Instead of
addressing Jude, she leaned down to whisper something into Alvin’s ear, casting
an incredulous glance the boy’s way. Alvin chuckled and whispered back, waving
her off. Odd. Before Jude could ask, Alvin was speaking again.
             “So… You exchange mana for power from the spirits. That’s how you
fixed me up, right?” He paused, taking a gulp of his beer. “What happens if you
use it too much?”
             “That…” He paused, wondering if there was a subtle way to put it,
and quickly found that there wasn’t. “Well… Mana is finite, and if the
channeler runs low, there are side effects.” Jude’s gaze returned to his glass
and he wrapped his hands the cool surface. The condensation wet his fingers, a
calming sensation, grounding. “It’s the same as if someone were to lack food or
sleep. They quickly become dizzy and can even faint. It’s not uncommon for
first-year medical students to collapse from overexertion when they begin their
artes training.”
             “So there’s a limit?”
             “Of course.” Jude nodded at the curious man’s inquiry. “Just like
any activity, doing it too much can hurt you. As for me… When I lived in
Fennmont, I used to fill in for Professor Haus at the clinic. Healing things
like sprained ankles or cavities didn’t take much, but serious injuries…”
Jude’s eyes ghosted to Alvin for a brief moment and the guard looked away,
unwilling to meet his gaze. “It takes a lot more mana. I’d have to leave those
to the more experienced doctors.”
             “What if you go past that limit?”
             “Huh?”
             Alvin locked eyes with him as he repeated himself. “What happens
if you keep going after you’re already fatigued from channeling?”
             It was something Jude had never witnessed, nor did he ever wish
to. He had read about it in his school books, the dangers of pushing your mana
lobe too far, cases where surgeons on the battlefield fell into comas from
repeatedly straining their Mana Lobes past the breaking point. Jude nearly
shuddered at the thought.
             “You could die.” He said plainly, and it felt as if the weight of
the conversation took a tangible form. It was clear why Alvin was asking all
this; he felt guilty for getting hurt, even if it was an accident. He must have
noticed Jude’s symptoms after, how he felt tired, breathless, even though he
did his best to hide it.
             In the end, it was all out of concern for his charge, and so Jude
attempted to inject a little positivity into the conversation. “I don’t mind
healing you, but try not to get so injured that I collapse in the process, all
right, Alvin?”
             Alvin nearly choked on his beer, and Jude had to stifle a laugh.
The guilt was still there, but Alvin was at least smiling a little now. That
alone made Jude feel better about his confession.
             The waitress returned to their table with a platter of food and
drinks. She set their meals before them and another beer for Alvin. He was on
his third drink now. Was that why he was talking so openly? Jude had to wonder…
             Well, they do call it liquid courage.
             “Hey, Alvin?” He gestured to the pint. “What’s the drinking age in
Elympios?”
             Alvin quirked a brow. “Twenty-one, why? What’s the drinking age in
Rieze Maxia?”
             “It’s sixteen if you’re at home or with a guardian.” He said, very
matter of fact.
             It seemed Alvin knew what he was getting at, and the brow only
quirked higher. “Are you asking me to let you drink?”
             Jude nodded firmly. “It’s legal back home, and it’s not like I
haven’t before, so…” He lied; Jude had never tried alcohol, always too busy
with his studies to bother with the stuff. But Alvin didn’t need to know that.
             The mercenary deliberated a brief moment before passing the drink
menu his way. “Well, looks like I’m your guardian tonight.”
             The expression on Jude’s face was nothing short of a pout. “Don’t
say it like that. You sound like a dirty old man.”
             Alvin winked. Jude blushed, but he had already made his decision.
He spent all of thirty seconds looking over the drink selection before calling
the waitress over, ordering a strawberry daiquiri with a triumphant grin. She
gave a worried glance to Alvin, then to the barkeep. Both shrugged and she
sighed. No one was going to stop the underage drinking tonight. It was legal in
his homeland, so no harm, right? Or at least, that’s what Jude told himself.
             The waitress set down the frothy red drink before him and Jude
wasted no time in taking a sip. It was sweet, yet bitter, and the liquid burned
his throat all the way down. He made a sour face before taking a bite of pasta,
hoping to mask the taste with tomatoes and garlic.
             “I thought you said you drank before?”
             “Shut up.”
             The rest of their meal went without a hitch. As the amount of
alcohol in Jude’s glass lessened, so did his anxiety, until he was talking
about anything and everything with Alvin over their meal. He spoke animatedly
about his time in Trigleph, how he first met Balan and Mary, and how hard of a
time he had making friends among his peers. He confessed how much he missed
home, how Leia served as a reminder of Leronde, yet he loved having her around
because she was always so supportive of everything he did. Alvin listened
intently to all of it, asking questions here and there, seemingly content with
hearing Jude talk.
             It was about when Jude started talking about his attraction to
both sexes that Alvin suggested that they head out, his alcohol-addled mind
forgetting what filters were entirely.
             Their meal was paid for and Alvin led Jude from the bar and into
the neon-lit streets of Duval. It was late, Jude thought as he leaned heavily
against Alvin. All the lights around him felt disorienting, made him dizzy, but
he could only giggle to himself along the way.
             “I thought you said you drank before,” Alvin said, tugging Jude a
bit closer as they walked to keep him upright. He didn’t sound mad so much as
worried.
             Jude let a soft giggle, leaning heavily to the other side, forcing
Alvin to follow to keep him from falling. “I lied.”
             “You brat!” Alvin reeled him back in with an exasperated sigh. “I
can’t take you on the train like this. They’ll think me some sort of pervert.”
             Jude looked up at him like a deer in headlights. “Why would they
think that?”
             Alvin groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Let’s just crash
at the inn tonight. We’ll head back to Trigleph tomorrow.”
             “No train?”
             “No train.”
             Jude blinked, confused, but allowed Alvin to lead him down another
street towards the inn.
 
             The whole ‘don’t ask questions’ mentality seemed to be commonplace
in Duval. The lady at the counter barely spared Jude a passing glance as Alvin
handed over the gald for a room, even when Jude nearly fell asleep standing up.
If he was sober, he’d probably wonder why that was, and why a man taking a
clearly intoxicated underage boy into a hotel wasn’t raising any red flags.
             But he was drunk, and such complex thinking was put on the
backburner in favor of watching Alvin sign his name in neat handwriting he
didn’t expect the man to possess.
             Their room was at the far corner of the inn, or at least Jude
thought it was. It felt like they were walking forever, the hall shifting and
twisting beneath his feet. How was Alvin standing so easily when the floor was
moving? He voiced this, but it came out incoherent, garbled to his own ears.
Alvin just squeezed his shoulders and moved a little faster.
             One moment he was in the hall trying to decipher what kind of
contraption could cause the entire hotel to move, and the next he was laying
upon cool sheets, staring up at the amber lights over his head. Jude blinked
owlishly, his mind fighting to catch up on the events of just a few minutes
prior. And then Alvin was there standing over him, his face shadowed by the
lights shining behind him.
             He was pulled upright and supported by a strong arm, a glass
pressed to his lips. “Drink this.” He heard Alvin say, and Jude obeyed,
swallowing, welcoming the pure water into his alcohol-laden system
             Jude laid back onto the sheets, curling onto his side. He felt
sleepy yet energetic at the same time, body and mind conflicting. He wanted to
go out again, see more of Duval, but if the streets spun like the room was, he
was certain he wouldn’t get very far. Not that Alvin would let him try if he
asked.
             Alvin.
             Jude’s gaze fell to Alvin, who stood at the window a mere meter
away, the neon lights shining onto him in the darkness. Jude laughed, and Alvin
turned to face him.
             “You brought a boy to your room.” Jude giggled, grinning coyly up
at his bodyguard. He wasn’t sure if it was his words or expression that made
Alvin laugh, but he did, and suddenly Jude was laughing too.
             Alvin came to sit at the edge of the bed, grinning at his charge.
“Yeah, I guess I did.”
             Jude scooted closer until his knees were pressed against Alvin’s
back. The other man didn’t budge. The room went quiet, Alvin watching the neon
lights flicker and flash in elaborate patterns, Jude staring at the man’s broad
back in fascination. He felt the urge to sleep again, yet his mind jumped and
wandered from topic to topic, refusing to give him peace.
             Ultimately it was Alvin to bring his focus back.
             “Hey… Why do you keep this up, anyhow?” Alvin asked, his gaze
still firmly fixated out the window, as if he was afraid to look at Jude as he
spoke. “All the studying and research… What’s keeping you from jumping ship and
going back home?”
             That gave Jude pause. He hadn’t given it much thought before. All
this time, he had been solely focused on completing his work that he never
considered what would happen if he just dropped it all and ran. Exodus would
have preferred it that way, wouldn’t they? And his parents for that matter…
             His parents…
             That was why…
             “My mom… She’s Rieze Maxian.” Jude began, curling closer towards
Alvin like a cat seeking warmth. “But my dad… I didn’t find out til I was
older, but he’s Elympion.”
             “Your dad’s Elympion?” Alvin sounded shocked at this fact. It was
rare that an Elympion made it past the border before the treaty was in place,
that much Jude knew, but he never stopped to question why or how his father had
managed to get to Leronde.
             Jude nodded, continuing his story. “Both of them are doctors. My
mother uses Spirit Artes, and my dad has to use practical medicine like
spyrixes. Both are effective, but neither are perfect… But they keep everyone
in Leronde happy and healthy.”
             Alvin scooted closer to him, and Jude could plainly see the smile
playing upon his face. It made Jude feel warm.
             “My parents are proof that Rieze Maxians and Elympions can work
together for the greater good…” He chuckled, his eyelids feeling heavier, the
spinning slowly starting to cease. “When I found out about Professor Haus’s
research… I thought… I could do so much good with this. I could help people
live happier lives and restore Elympios… I could make both worlds a better
place.”
             He felt a warm hand ghost across his forehead, brushing the hair
from his eyes. Alvin gently stroked his hair, smiling, eyes filled with…
something Jude couldn’t quite comprehend. Too tired, too drunk.
             “Get some sleep, Jude,” was the last thing he heard before
drifting off, that warm hand lulling him into a deep slumber.
Chapter End Notes
     Hello again everyone! Thank you for reading, and thank you for the
     lovely comments you've left on the last chapters! They all really
     made my day.
     I'm working on some new projects with my roommate, so expect some new
     fiction coming up soon. As always, thank you to LividLillies for
     editing my work. See you next week!
***** Chapter 8 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             Jude couldn’t remember the last time his head hurt this badly.
             He awoke the next morning with what he quickly discerned as a
hangover and only a vague recollection of what happened after his third
daiquiri. Everything after had been a blur of lights and sounds, muffled by the
fog of his alcohol-laden mind. Jude could vaguely recall the sensation of being
half-carried half-dragged, the image of neon signs, and a shadowy figure
leaning over him, speaking softly and touching his hair.
             It was the makings of every PSA flyer Jude had seen since he was
old enough to venture out on his own, and for a brief second he feared for his
virtue. But when he awoke his clothing was intact and Alvin had already been to
the breakfast buffet.
             Too bad that the very idea of scrambled eggs and bacon was enough
to turn his stomach and send Jude scuttling to the bathroom.
             The trip back home didn’t go much better. The overhead lights were
far too bright for his liking and the clatter of wheels on the train tracks
were enough to make his head spin. Looking back, Jude wondered what possessed
him to order not one, but three of those drinks.
             No, he knew why, and looking back it had been a stupid reason to
begin with. The only reprieve came from pressing his face into Alvin’s
shoulder, affectively blocking out the offending light.
             “Was that your first time drinking?”
             Alvin asked, a chuckle in his voice that was equal parts
embarrassing and painful. Jude had lied about drinking before, and for that he
ended up getting completely drunk on the “liquid courage” that was supposed to
make talking with his date easier. Now he was paying for it with the hangover
from Hell.
             Jude grumbled something along the lines of “shut up” and “too
loud”, but it came out as an unintelligible whine. Alvin chuckled again,
shifting so he could drape his arm around Jude’s shoulder, allowing him to bury
his face in his coat. Unlike the scent of food from earlier, the musky cologne
Alvin wore was far less detrimental on his stomach.
             The train slowed to a halt outside of Trigleph station and Jude
was eased from his seat by Alvin. “C’mon, kid. We’ll get you something for that
headache when we get back.”
             “I’m not a kid, Alvin.” But he allowed himself to be led by his
guard, keeping his eyes closed as much as possible. Jude was grateful not to
have class, but he did intend to get some work done. That wasn’t going to
happen if he couldn’t read a page without going cross-eyed.
             “What time is it?” Jude muttered in his haze, fumbling for his GHS
in his pocket. He flipped it open, fully prepared for his overly sensitive eyes
to be blinded by the LED, only to be met with a blank screen. “Oh, it’s dead…”
An astute observation.
             “Forget to charge it?” Alvin shifted closer to him, removing his
own GHS and flipping it open. “It’s just before t---” He paused, pressing a few
buttons, his expression growing dark.
             “What is it?” Jude sat up and ventured a peek, trying to see what
had caught Alvin’s attention. Seventeen missed calls from Leia. That alone set
alarm bells off; Leia preferred texting, reserving calls for emergency
situations. One glance at the messages she had sent confirmed his fears.
                                      alvin is jude with you???
                                      and hes not home!!!!
                                      the police are EVERYWHERE where are you
guys?!!?!?!
                                      I AM FREAKING OUT ANSWER YOUR PHONE
ALVIN!!!!!!!
             “Police? I told her where I was going!” Jude protested. He was
young and he trusted Alvin, but years of date safety lectures from his mother
taught him to always tell someone where he was going. That, and as soon as he
let it slip that he was going to Duval with Alvin, Leia had demanded to know
the details of his prospective night out.
             It only took one ring for Leia to answer. “Alvin! Where’s Jude?!”
Her voice was nearly deafening to Jude’s sensitive hearing, but her panic
remained clear none the less.
             “Calm down, he’s right here. We’re on our way back to Trigleph
right now.”
             “Oh, thank goodness… I’m at his apartment now. You guys need to
get back here!”
             At my apartment? Jude grabbed for the phone, missing it entirely
twice before Alvin just handed it to him. Jude pressed the speaker to his ear,
bracing himself for assault against his sensitized hearing. “Leia, what’s going
on? What happened?”
             “Jude! Someone broke into your complex last night! I went to see
if you were okay but your apartment door was kicked in!”
             “What?!” Someone broke in? But that meant…
             Jude took off, running ahead with Alvin’s phone still clutched in
his fist. He didn’t care that the street was swirling around him still, making
his stomach want to turn itself inside out. He didn’t care that Alvin was
following close behind, telling him to slow down, that he was going to hurt
himself and that they needed to stay together while they were out. He just
needed to get home, and fast.
 
===============================================================================
 
             Standing before the crumpled metal that was once his door, Jude
looked into his ransacked apartment in horror. Shattered glass and sparking
wires. Overturned shelves and a broken desk. Papers strewn around the room,
some torn, some missing. His heart dropped out of his chest, heady bile rising
into his throat. “No…” He took a wobbling step forward, eyes darting between
the broken desk, the tipped shelves, the smashed computer monitor. His work,
his research…
             Jude dropped to his knees in the middle of the wreckage that was
once his living room, trying to collect as many papers into his arms as
possible. “This can’t be… My work… All my work!” He cried, eyes darting around
the room, what remained of months of his own research and years of his
mentor’s.
             He just barely heard his name called from behind him. Alvin. Jude
didn’t wait for the man to speak again, didn’t look his way, too absorbed in
the cleanup.
             “Don’t just stand there!” Jude shouted, his voice cracking as he
tried desperately not to cry. “All the progress, everything I’ve found…”
             Alvin knelt beside him wordlessly, glancing around the vandalized
apartment as if taking stock of the damage. Many other apartments had been
kicked in too and a few had been looted, but none so badly as this one. It was
easy to see why Leia had panicked so badly upon seeing the wreckage; the
perpetrators were clearly out to do damage.
             “Could they have been looking for something…?” Alvin observed,
picking up a torn file, noting the numbered pages; none missing, but many torn.
             “What could they have been looking for, Alvin?” Jude shouted,
quickly losing the battle against his own emotions. He had spent hours, no,
weeks, months of his time dedicated to his work not only for Spirius but for
his own projects. He had done everything he could to progress quickly, so he
could complete his task, all for the betterment of mankind as a whole. And what
had it gotten him?
             The first few tears slipped from his eyes not of sadness, but
frustration, and Jude quickly wiped them away. No, he couldn’t cry. Not in
front of Alvin. Not again. “All I’ve wanted to do was to use my research to
help Elympions, but every time I take a step, I get pushed back.” His voice
cracked as it rose in volume, his teary gaze aimed at his bodyguard, looking
for answers. “Why does this keep happening, Alvin? Why… When I’m only trying to
help!”
             Alvin said nothing at first, only stood and carefully righted the
bookshelf, looking anywhere but Jude in that moment. “People do things out of
fear and hate, greed and power. Even if what you’re doing is for the greater
good, a lot of people can’t look past their own agenda.”
             His words were telling, and immediately Jude knew what he was
getting at. “You… You think Exodus did this, don’t you?” It all made sense. The
same people who had killed Professor Haus, attacked those people in the square…
This thought only managed to compound the anger and sorrow he felt. “I… I can’t
figure it out. Why would they want the professor dead? Why… When we were both
working so hard to make their lives better?”
             Jude stood and surveyed the room again, thousands of pages filled
with diagrams and research findings scattered about. His grip on the paltry
stack of notes tightening, eyes falling to the sea of white at his feet; it
would take days to organize them all again, and that was if there was nothing
missing. “Wasn’t it the Elympion government that brought us here? Didn’t they
want our help? Then why…” His voice rose with every word, Jude quickly losing
his grip on his emotions. “Why do they continue to torment us? Why squander all
our findings over some stupid grudge?!”
             The papers were thrown down as the dam finally broke, and Jude
cried, the frustration, fear, and anger all too much to hold in any longer. It
wasn’t fair. None of it was fair. Why? Why continue if all he’d meet were
roadblocks set by those he wanted to help? Never before had he felt the urge to
give up so strongly. He had always told himself to keep going, that things
would get better, but every time he felt things were looking up, something
horrible would happen and send him straight to the bottom again. It was such a
feeling of hopelessness that Jude didn’t know what to do with himself; he could
only stand in the middle of his destroyed apartment, wrap his arms around
himself and cry.
             Maybe this is what they wanted… To break me, to make me feel like
this wasn’t worth pursuing at all. The logic only served to make him cry harder
as he realized their tactics were workingand it was all he could to keep
himself upright while reality crumbled around him.
             And then, Alvin’s arms were around him, pulling him into a warm
embrace. Alvin. Alvin was there. But his comfort only served to make Jude feel
more weak, vulnerable, as the visage of the mature doctor melted away to that
of a trembling sobbing child. “I don’t understand…” He muttered, burying his
face into Alvin’s shirt. “What have I done to deserve all this, Alvin?”
             Alvin just shook his head, running his fingers through Jude’s
hair. There was nothing he could say to make this better. Not now, not with
months of research scattered at their feet and Jude barely clinging to his
resolve.
             In the back of his mind Jude registered Alvin’s phone buzzing, yet
he remained, holding him close.
 
===============================================================================
 
             They agreed that staying at the apartment wasn’t in Jude’s best
interest. The door needed to be repaired, and the police needed to investigate
the scene for any clues as to who exactly was behind the crime. It was a
fruitless effort; Jude was already certain who had torn his place apart, and
the fact that they were virtually untouchable only made things worse for him.
             Leia had volunteered her apartment first; it was small, but
centrally located, and the familiar face would certainly make him feel better.
But Jude couldn’t find it in himself to accept her offer. Leia meant well, but
with all that had happened recently, Jude knew staying with her would only put
her in danger. That, and Alvin would have to stay in the apartment as well, and
Leia’s place was hardly equipped for one person, let alone three.
             The option of going home was suggested again, and Jude immediately
shot it down. Running home and giving up… As much as he wanted to, Jude
couldn’t bring himself to abandon all the progress he had made. It was what
Exodus’s wanted, and Jude wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction of
breaking him down.
             Even if they were already succeeding.
             In the end, Jude had packed up his clothing and what books he
could fit in a duffel bag and went to Alvin’s apartment.
             It was larger than he expected, but sparsely decorated. The living
room had a couch and a television, the bedrooms furnished with beds and
dressers both. It reminded Jude of the dormitories he stayed in while living in
Fennmont, before he had moved all his belongings in. Alvin had reiterated on
the way over that he hadn’t actively lived there in a long time, mostly because
his work took him to far off destinations on the regular. But it was quiet,
safe, and most importantly, gated. Jude wondered if his apartment would have
been vandalized if he had lived in a place like this, with surveilled entries
and security guards.
             Almost immediately Jude threw himself back into his work. Over the
course of a few days, the collection of books and materials piled up in the
spare bedroom of Alvin’s apartment. Files from the lab, what books he could
bring over in boxes with Alvin’s help, stacks of notes from Haus’s research and
his own, anything that could help speed up his progress. They all ended up in
his borrowed bedroom, scattered about in an order that only made sense to Jude.
             Haus’s notes did bear some fruit; his research had discovered a
new correlation between spirit fossils and spyrix technology. The research was
vague, harried, but it was something and Jude wasn’t about to let any potential
leads go to waste.
             He hardly slept, keeping himself up with coffee pilfered from
Alvin’s kitchen and sheer will-power. Empty dishes and containers piled up next
to the door for Alvin to retrieve while Jude remained hunched over his desk,
filtering through note after note of loosely related material. Each passing
hour yielded more leads, more studies to look into, a never ending trail of
research and theories.
             But they weren’t more than just that, theories. Things they had
covered before weeks ago and had lead nowhere. But Jude didn’t want to let
anything go to chance. Had they missed something before? Could a lead have gone
elsewhere? He had to know.
             Jude was going down a bad path, and he knew this, yet he couldn’t
bring himself to slow down, let alone stop.
             By day three, Alvin had enough.
             “Jude, give it a rest.” Alvin was leaning against the doorframe,
arms crossed. “You’re gonna burn out at this rate.” He was concerned, and why
wouldn’t he be? Jude had hardly left his room save for rummaging for snacks in
the fridge, and even that was a rarity now. But he couldn’t stop, not when he
was making so much headway with his research.
             Jude waved him off, not even looking up from his notes. “I’m onto
something here, I’ll sleep later.”
             “You said that this morning.” Alvin came to lean on the back of
Jude’s chair, forcing Jude backwards, away from his notes. “What good is your
research going to do if you’re laid-up in bed from exhaustion?”
             Jude gave a tired pout before swatting Alvin away, annoyed. “I
have to do something, Alvin. If I can just complete my research and present my
findings to Spirius, then maybe…”
             “You think it’s going to stop.” Alvin finished for him, staring
him down. “You think if you crack down and turn in your findings, Exodus will
leave you alone.”
             Jude refused to look his way. He knew he was right. Fear,
frustration, self-doubt… He couldn’t run back home without finishing his job,
but continuing for the sake of his own moral code was becoming harder with each
day. If he could just turn in his work, appease his employers, then maybe he
could live peacefully.
             His silence was all the answer Alvin needed.
             Without warning Alvin lifted him bodily from the chair, provoking
a yelp of protest from Jude. “A-Alvin! Put me down!” He shouted, flailing his
arms and legs in an effort to get away from his guard. “I said, put me down!”
             Alvin refused, carefully stepping over the piles of books and
discarded papers that had overtaken the floor of his spare bedroom. Jude
continued to squirm, pushing, swatting at Alvin, screaming and demanding to be
let down so he could go back to his work. None of which had any effect, save
for Alvin looking increasingly fed up with his tantrum.
             Jude’s fist connected with Alvin’s nose with a spectacular crack.
Alvin shout a string of curses in Old Elympion, just barely dodging a pile of
books as he stumbled the rest of the way to the bed. He tossed Jude
unceremoniously on the mattress, bracing both hands on either side of his head,
effectively pinning him down.
             “Look, I’ve been lenient with your crazy, self-destructive
tendencies, but I’m drawing the line.” Alvin all but spat, a trickle of blood
dripping from his nose. Furious was an understatement. “I don’t give a damn if
you’re on a roll, you’re going to end up sick in the hospital if you don’t take
care of yourself! And who the hell taught you how to punch like that, huh? Are
you trying to break my nose?!”
             It was probably the first time Alvin had yelled at him, and Jude
was at a complete loss on how to counter. He was right, damn it, he was always
right. All at once Jude realized how much of a fool he had been; going over the
same notes over and over, retracing all his research and meeting the same dead
ends… He was only placating himself with the illusion of progress if only to
prove that he was still together, that he could still complete his job. But at
this rate, he’d end up too far gone to recover.
             And Alvin was only looking out for him, but instead of thanking
him for being so supportive, Jude had hit him instead.
             “I…” Jude tried to mutter an apology, but stopped short, realizing
just what sort of position they were in. His mind drifted back to their date,
the soft utterance of Alvin having a chance with him that he thought Jude
didn’t hear. He’d attribute the blush that crept across his cheeks to
exhaustion, hormones, curiosity, anything other than the fact that Alvin had
him pinned to the bed and was glaring at him with such ferocity that his heart
skipped a beat.
             It was as if Alvin realized this as well, and only then did he
back away, crossing the room to turn off the lamp and close the blinds. “Take a
nap.” He muttered, hand over his face to stem the flow of blood. Alvin quickly
exited the room and shut the door behind him, leaving Jude to his thoughts.
            
             The passage of time gave the impression of sleep, yet Jude felt
he’d only laid in silence for several hours instead of actually resting. He’d
close his eyes for a moment, only for his tumultuous thoughts to bring him back
to waking in what felt like moments. It wasn’t until the sun had set that Jude
finally pulled himself from his borrowed bed, spurred by his hunger and the
desire to see his friend.
             I need to apologize, at least. Jude thought, sitting up slowly. A
quick glance at the clock denoted the late hour, and Jude felt a small wave of
relief when he realized he had slept at least a little.
             Peeking out into the living area, Jude could see the flicker of
lights from the television set illuminating the room. On the couch lay Alvin,
remote in one hand, tissues stuffed up both nostrils. Jude had to stifle a
laugh at that; he really did a number on him.
             Jude came to sit on the floor before the couch, his eyes drifting
from Alvin’s pensive sleeping face, the bruises that had formed around his
nose. Alvin always woke up before Jude, and waited for him to fall asleep
before bedding down himself. During his craze, had Alvin slept just as little
as he had? How many times had he walked in to check on him, only for Jude to
ignore him in favor of his futile efforts?
             Alvin… He really does care, doesn’t he?
             He pressed his hand gently to Alvin’s face, drawing mana from the
few spirits around him to heal the damage he had caused. Alvin winced, eyelids
fluttering as he came back into conscious to a glow of blue and a wave of
relief. Their eyes met, and Jude smiled.
             “Sonya.” Jude said, a soft chuckle in his voice. “Leia’s mother.
She’s a martial arts master. She taught both of us how to fight to defend
ourselves.”
             Alvin blinked, then grinned. “Remind me to never piss her off.” He
sat up, plucking the tissues from his nose and tossing them onto the coffee
table to be taken care of later. His gaze returned to Jude, and he pat the
cushion next to him. “Did you sleep?”
             Jude came to sit next to him, sinking into the plush warmth. “I
think I did… I hope I did…” He sighed, letting his eyes slip closed. “I’m… I’m
sorry for hitting you. You were only trying to help and…”
             “I get it.” Alvin cut him off, and Jude turned to look at him,
surprised. “You’re doing what you can to keep going, Jude. But you can’t keep
at this pace, you know?”
             “Yeah…” Jude sighed, rubbing at his sore eyes. He really was
tired. “Thanks, Alvin.”
             “Don’t mention it, kid. Just try not to hit my face next time. If
you ruin my dashingly good looks, what will I do when this job is done?”
             Jude snort, rolling his eyes. “Right, there goes your dream of
being a trophy husband.”
             “I’d remain a lonely bachelor with too many cats for the rest of
my days. What will my mother think?” That earned Alvin a swat to the head, and
they both laughed for the first time in days.
             As the laughter died off Alvin wrapped an arm around Jude’s
shoulder, pulling him closer, making him feel safe, warm. “Get some sleep,
kid.” He said quietly, his hand coming up to idly play with Jude’s hair.
             Jude gave a slight nod, allowing his eyes to slip closed once
again.
Chapter End Notes
     Hello again everyone! A lot happened this week which made getting
     this chapter out really difficult. I may skip next week so I can
     build up a buffer of chapters so I'm not rushing next time.
     Thankfully, I'm on vacation for that week so I'll have plenty of time
     to write! I would like to thank Amavi, my lovely friend (and an
     amazing_Jude_roleplayer!) for betaing and editing this chapter.
     As always, thank you all for reading and leaving lovely comments.
     You're all wonderful and you make this story a joy to write. See you
     later!
***** Chapter 9 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             Jude was eternally grateful for the silence of Helioborg at night.
How the security team ever allowed him to stay so late, he’d never know. It was
probably Bakur’s doing, or some unspoken rule that allowed obsessed researchers
to stay locked down in base after hours to continue their work.
             It was nice, Jude thought, to be able to continue without any
interruptions in the dead of night when his brain seemed to be the most
productive. Even Alvin hadn’t nagged him about it, so long as he went to sleep
at some point. They had reached a bit of an understanding after their last spat
about his sleeping habits, and for that he was grateful. Alvin really was only
trying to help.
             Alvin.
             Jude leaned back in his chair and sought Alvin in the dim-
lighting. He was exactly where he left him three hours ago: on the couch, GHS
in hand, nodding in and out of sleep while texting. The scene brought a smile
to Jude’s face; when he didn’t sleep, Alvin didn’t either just so he could keep
an eye on him. Another rule of being a bodyguard, he supposed, but it was
appreciated. Sometimes Helioborg got to be a little creepy at night, and having
someone else around to keep him company made things easier.
             “Alvin, if you want to take a nap, I’ll wake you.” Jude offered to
the tired man.
             Alvin paused in his half-asleep texting to look his way, blinking
rapidly before grinning. “Shouldn’t I be the one saying that? You’re going on
twenty hours, aren’t you?” And he was right, but once again, Jude was on a roll
and didn’t want to leave before finishing his current task.
             Jude pushed back from his desk and stood, stretching with arms
high above his head. “I know. I’m almost done scanning and cataloguing the
files we got from Professor Haus’s lab so we can find them easier.” He walked
over to the worktable and began shuffling through the mountain of paperwork
Mary and he had sorted into piles based off their dates in hopes of making the
process easier. So far it was still a mess, but they were making progress.
             Alvin stood as well, arching his back with an audible pop from his
spine. “How much longer do you think?”
             “Four, maybe five hours.”
             “Jude.” A tone of warning; he knew what was coming.
             “I know, I know. I just don’t want to leave it all for Mary to do,
okay?” Jude sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. It was a battle he knew
he couldn’t win, and it was for the best that he conceded this one. He was
tired after all.
             Alvin shook his head with a hefty sigh of his own. “I’ll give you
two more hours, but after that you’re sleeping for at least five, you got
that?”
             “Three and four.” Jude countered.
             “One and six.” Alvin wasn’t budging.
             The battle was lost. Jude bowed his head. “Fine, two hours, then
I’ll sleep. But wake me, okay? I want to keep working on this.”
             Seemingly satisfied with their compromise, Alvin gave him a tired
smile. “Deal. But if we’re going another two hours, I need some coffee. Do you
want any?”
             “Please.” The smile was returned in full. At least Alvin was
trying to work with him on the whole sleep schedule nonsense.
             Alvin  pocketed his GHS and headed for the door, pausing at the
entry to glance back at his charge. “Don’t leave this room until I get back.”
             “I know, I know.” It was the same warning as always, but a
necessary one. Jude felt a little safer being left alone in the lab alone since
the gates were locked and guards posted on the parameter, but the paranoia
remained. Alvin never tried to disprove it, either, which was both comforting
and not. Jude was never safe alone, but he was safe with Alvin, or at least it
felt that way.
             Perhaps he was becoming too dependent on the man. Alvin was, and
remained, his hired bodyguard. Eventually, his contract would end and Jude
would be left to fend for himself. When that would happen, he was unsure. It
could be when his project was done or when Exodus was gone, or even when Bakur
decided he was no longer needed. What would he do when he no longer had Alvin
to watch his back? To make sure he ate and slept properly and kept him company
in the lab on late nights?
             But Alvin wasn’t just his bodyguard now… Right?
             Since their tiff at Alvin’s apartment, things began to feel
different. Not in a bad way, far from it. They just seemed closer somehow.
Alvin would often come to check on him while he worked, his hands lingering on
his shoulders long after their brief conversations had ended, as if he had more
to say but did not know how to bring it up.
             When they were alone it was much the same, prolonged touches,
longing gazes aimed his way when Alvin thought Jude wouldn’t notice. But he
was, and what Alvin didn’t know was that they were being returned, shyly, by
Jude himself.
             There was something there, but it felt like Alvin was unwilling to
act. It was frustrating for Jude, but he could hardly blame him either. Even he
was unsure where to start, or if he even should. Their relationship was a
professional one, and he could call him a friend at best. And yet more than
once he had caught himself staring, his heart hammering in his chest at the
mere thought of having the man closer.
             Leia had noticed it too.
             In fact, they had met up with her earlier in the day, an impromptu
lunch date between friends. With his schedule being so packed (by his own
doing, he’d admit) they hardly had time to see each other. Leia demanded lunch
for being ignored so long, saying it was unacceptable for Alvin to talk to her
more than he did.
             Jude had to agree, but that did leave him to wonder what the two
were chatting about constantly. He even made Alvin wait at the entrance, for
safety, and so he could talk privately with his best friend.
             “Are you doing okay, Jude?” She asked as soon as they were seated,
the menus placed before them before the waitress scurried off to help another
patron at the busy diner. “We haven’t talked much since the break-in.”
             He may not always show it, but Jude was eternally grateful for her
concern. When they were kids, he often shrugged it off as her being nosy,
meddling. He was a boy and he should be able to take care of himself, that’s
what his father would say. But Leia had never tried to change him. She’d say
that Jude didn’t need to avoid things like cooking or reading just so the
others would like him better, just like she wouldn’t avoid training with her
mother just to seem more like a girl. The unequivocal acceptance made Jude feel
better, even when his own father would often belittle him for not living up to
expectations.
             As they grew older, Jude continued to appreciate the eternal ray
of sunshine that was his best friend. Even when things were rough for her, she
always offered all the support that Jude could ever ask for, even when she
herself needed it more. Selfless was a good way to describe Leia, to the point
that it hindered her own progress in life.
             When they moved to Trigleph, they vowed to do their best, and in
spite of all the insane things that had happened, Leia had already held up her
end of the deal. She had made friends, got her own place, and truly grown
independent.
             Jude envied that of her. She had managed to keep things going for
herself while Jude remained stagnant. He had to wonder if he’d always be this
way, too afraid to move without someone pushing him.
             But at least the people who pushed him remained, always willing to
pick him up off the ground when he fell. Leia, Balan, Mary… Even Alvin. He
didn’t know where he’d be without them.
             Well, he knew where, but he didn’t want to think about that just
then.
             “Things are going better.” Jude said with a small smile. “I feel
like I’m making progress again at the lab, even if it’s slower than normal.”
             Leia shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. “No, I mean
you personally. You’ve gone through a lot in just a couple of months, and…” She
deflated slightly. “And I’m worried. I know how you get when you’re stressed.”
             All too well, Jude reminded himself. Even when he was a kid he had
a tendency to push himself past his limit, to the point that he’d end up sick
from exhaustion. Even more recently, when his board exams were upon him and he
had procrastinated to the point of cramming for four days straight, Leia was
the one he called when he felt too tired to crawl from his desk to his bed. It
was a wonder she didn’t hop the first boat to Fennmont back then, but she did
stay on the phone with Jude until he had gotten into bed and demanded he sleep
until he was fully rested.
             But this time… It wasn’t Leia that dragged him to bed, but Alvin.
             Jude grinned sheepishly, idly playing with a strand of hair. “Ah…
I did go a little overboard right after, but Alvin’s been keeping me in line.
He makes sure I don’t go too long without food or sleep.”
             “I’m glad for it! You need a good kick in the right direction
sometimes. You end up stuck otherwise.”
             She had him pinned, Jude had to admit. Leia wasn’t his best friend
for nothing.
             The waitress delivered their drinks, and Jude wondered if he
should bring Alvin over so he could participate in the meal. It was only fair,
but the next words out of Leia’s mouth reminded him as to why he was left at
the door.
             “Speaking of, just what is up with you and Alvin?”
             Jude almost choked on his tea. He really shouldn’t try drinking
when someone is talking to him.
             “W-what do you mean?” Jude coughed and he was sure Alvin was
staring at him from across the room.
             “Oh, don’t play dumb, Jude. You guys went on a date, right? I
never got the details out of you from that.”
             Right, he had promised details. Jude felt his face grow hot with
embarrassment. He couldn’t tell her that he had gotten piss-drunk in Duval and
didn’t remember half the night; Leia would never let him live it down. But
lying was just as bad.
             Better to just come clean about it.
             Jude idly stirred his drink, unable to meet her incredulous gaze.
“I… Well it was nice, and Alvin is…” He never imagined putting it into words
would be so difficult. “Alvin is very kind, and considerate, and supportive…
And I… Well…”
             “You have a thing for him.” Leia added, grinning slyly.
             And Jude was wholly unable to disagree. “Yeah… I think I do, but…”
             “But you think he doesn’t have a thing for you.”
             Leia was a mind reader, he was sure of it. That, or Jude was
horribly obvious.
             The drink was set down and Jude gave a heavy sigh. “He’s my
bodyguard. He’s paid to be around me at all times. Dating me isn’t in his job
description.” Jude continued to tell himself that, and yet it always left him
feeling just a little more depressed than before.
             Of course, Leia had a quip for that mindset as well.
             “Have you asked him about it?”
             “Why would I do that? It’d only make things awkward!”
             “Jude, you’re awkward.” She wasn’t wrong. “What if he has a thing
for you too? Have you noticed any signs?”
             “Signs?” What did she mean signs? Knowing himself, the only sign
he’d readily notice would have been a neon banner over Alvin’s head saying “I
like you”.
             But… Thinking back, hadn’t there been hints that Alvin might be
interested? The lingering touches, the longing looks, the way he paused during
conversations as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.
Fixing him meals, checking on him throughout the day, inviting him to watch his
favorite TV programs with Alvin’s arm around his shoulder just so Jude would do
something other than work and study, and carrying him to his room when he
inevitably fell asleep.
             Protecting him, holding him when things got to be too much, not
shaming him for crying, telling him things would be okay, that he was safe,
that he’d protect him.
             Were those things really in the job description of a bodyguard?
             And then there was Duval, their “date”, the words muttered into
Alvin’s glass when he thought Jude couldn’t hear them. “Maybe I have a chance.”
             His face was lit a brilliant red.
             Leia grinned smugly, as if she just witnessed the pieces coming
together first hand with her help. “You should talk to him about it sometime.
Who knows how much longer you two will be working together. You don’t want to
miss your chance!”
             “You’re right, but… How do I even ask Alvin about it?”
             “Ask me about what, Jude?”
             Jude almost ejected from his chair when he heard the older man’s
voice. Whirling around his eyes lay upon Alvin, who could only grin and offer
him a nonchalant wave. “Hey, didn’t your mom tell you it’s impolite to talk
about someone behind their back?” He winked playfully and Jude’s face turned a
spectacular shade of pink. Just how much had he heard?
             Thankfully, Leia was there to bail him out.
             “Alvin, come sit with us! We’re about to order our food!” She
patted the seat between herself and Jude, which Alvin took graciously.
             The conversation seemed to recover from there, Leia leading the
topic away from Jude’s obvious crush on his bodyguard and more towards safe
waters. Her work, the latest fashion, what they intended to do that weekend.
Once again Jude was grateful to have her around; Maxwell knew he’d never
survive in social situations without her.
             The flutter of papers and folders broke him from his reverie, one
of the files having toppled over onto the lab floor. Jude muttered a soft curse
before kneeling to pick them up, hoping they hadn’t gotten mixed together. It
was one of the newer stacks, one filled with handwritten documents and
incoherent diagrams left by his late mentor.
             His eyes fell to one page in particular. A white sheet of paper
with row after row of black boxes, arranged in no particular fashion, creating
a strange design that covered the entire page. It was printed, that much Jude
knew, but its purpose was completely foreign to him. But if it is part of the
files that Professor Haus kept, then it must have some sort of importance.
             Jude carried the pile to the scanner and began feeding pages
through, watching as they came up on the monitor one after another. One of the
many benefits of Elympion technology; items could be transcribed into
searchable indexes within minutes, making the search for materials in the lab
much quicker than digging through endless piles of paper. That, and there was a
shortage of trees in Elympios, so any technology that could be used instead of
traditional pen on paper was greatly desired.
             One after another, the pages appeared on the screen, a dialogue
box transcribing them and saving into a file. The words would appear in a
separate file, leaving the scanned image attached just in case there was a
mistake in transcription. With how messy Haus’s notes could get, having the
originals intact was essential.
             The computer suddenly played a horrid buzzing through the tinny
speakers, several beeps following immediately after. It was enough to startle
Jude into dropping the remaining files as several dialogue boxes appeared on
the computer screen in rapid succession. Jude stood at the keyboard, trying to
get the computer to respond, only for it to continue flickering through pages
and displays until finally going black.
             “Oh, great.” Jude grumbled. “I broke it.”
             Jude glanced to the scanner, noting the most recent page to be
sent through; the bizarre, black squared paper. It must have freaked the
software out,Jude mused with a sigh. He reached behind the tower to turn off
the system, only to pause as another beep echoed through the empty lab. A new
dialogue box appeared against the blank screen.
                         HAUS.ARC REQUIRES PASSWORD_
             “Password…?” Jude’s eyes drifted from the screen to the scanner.
The last page to filter through was the one covered in strange boxes. Did that
have something to do with it?
             Curious, Jude sat down before the keyboard, wondering what
password the machine was prompting for. Judging by the file name, it must have
been something to do with Haus, or else created by the man himself.
             Jude tried to think back to the passwords that Professor Haus used
often, coming up with only a handful. The man wasn’t entirely fond of the
computers he was given to use, and often called on Jude to help with the work.
             The only thing he could do was try.
             He tried the most common one; HOWE1
                         INVALID PASSWORD_
             Jude frowned, making another attempt. MAXWELL
                         INVALID PASSWORD_
             Still nothing. Another. EGGPRINCIPLE
                         INVALID PASSWORD_
             “Damn it!” Jude growled, frustrated. Why did Professor Haus wait
until he got to this file to get creative with his passwords? He leaned back in
the chair, scrubbing his hands across his face. Password, password… What was
the password… Jude racked his brain for any sort of clue, any idea of what his
mentor would have used to lock this particular file.
             He leaned over the keyboard again, typing in another shot at the
required word.
                         SPIRITARTES
                         INVALID PASSWORD_
                         RASHUGAL
                         INVALID PASSWORD_
                         FENNMONT
                         INVALID PASSWORD_
             Nothing. None of the obvious passwords were working. Jude stared
at the screen, as if waiting for the answer to pop out at him. What would be
easy for Haus to remember, but difficult for anyone else to guess?
             An idea occurred to him, one that felt conceited, and yet it might
be simple enough to work.
             Carefully he typed the new attempt, hoping for the best.
                         JUDEMATHIS
                         PASSWORD ACCEPTED_
             The screen flickered to black again before a dozen new windows
appeared, filled with documents and scanned notes. They didn’t appear to be
anything of Haus’s, why would they be in the archive?
             The foremost article caught his eye, the bold print reading
“Otherworld Reactor Plan”, the date from ten years back. Jude began scanning
over the lines, trying to ascertain the purpose of the document
             He immediately wished he hadn’t.
             ‘We the citizens of Elympios recognize that our continued survival
as a civilization depends on the energy harnessed from spirits. With the
recently acknowledged shortage of spirits, we recognize that we must harness
more mana from other means in order to assure the livelihood of our country. We
of Exodus… Exodus, Jude paused at the name, his heart skipping a beat. …propose
the reinstatement of the Otherworld Reactor Plan in order to harness the
spirits residing in other lands.’
             The spirits in other lands… It didn’t take a genius to figure out
which land the document was referring to. While that alone instilled a sense of
panic in the pit of his stomach, Jude forced himself to continue.
             ‘The recently proposed mana-siphoning device, EX-02-A (informally
known as the Lance of Kresnik, see article 193) would allow the necessary mana
to be drawn from sources outside of Elympios in order to power the technology
needed to sustain our way of life.’
             Jude clicked over to the aforementioned article, a diagram showing
a strange looking canon. The Lance of Kresnik, Jude realized. Large red print
at the top stating, quite plainly, that the information was confidential and
not for public release. His eyes glanced between the diagrams and the article
as it went into more detail of the cannon’s mechanisms. How it was powered, how
the energy was to be stored. From what he could gather, it seemed the plan had
been deemed a failure due to the team’s inability to properly power the
equipment. The spyrix just couldn’t handle it without melting down and the
article cited several accidents that resulted in loss of life.
             In the end, the plan was dropped completely. ‘Any further
development of EX-02-A was formally ceased as of 10/02/2279. Any and all
documents pertaining to EX-02-A are to be taken out of circulation.’
             And yet, these documents remained. Exodus, the Otherworld Reactor
Plan, the Lance of Kresnik… Jude realized that these were the plans set in
motion long before Haus and he were brought into the picture. But why did
Professor Haus have all these? Where did they come from?
             There must have been a reason, Jude thought.
             Jude plucked the sheet of paper from the scanner. Whatever it was,
it must have been what brought up the archive, with the file itself being on
the hard drive hidden away. I better get these together to show Balan. It looks
like these were circulated publically at one point. Maybe he’ll know why Haus
had them saved?
            He clicked the file menu, selecting the export option. It was
better to have these on a disc than buried in the hard drive and only
accessible with a coded sheet. The dialogue prompted for a disc, and Jude
grabbed on from the pile atop the tower and inserted it into the slot. The
countdown began, 1%... 2%...  It wouldn’t take too long.
             While he waited, Jude continued to browse through the documents.
More schematics, the proposals from Exodus, and rejections from the Elympion
government. All of them seemed to prolong the inevitable instead of solving the
problem. He moused over to another article, and the color drained from his face
as he took in the words. It appeared to be an internal memo of sorts,
circulated via electronic mail. And the crowd it was addressing only served to
make Jude feel ill.
             ‘With the opening of the border, we of Exodus feel we can no
longer stand aside and watch our own kind live in squalor in order to appease
the government of Rieze Maxia. As we have established private support and have
invited outside researchers for the task of resolving issues that previous
halted our progress, I, Gilandor Yul Svent, formally reinstate the Otherworld
Reactor Plan under privatized development.’
             That name.
             Gilandor Yul Svent.
             Svent.
             Svent.
             Alvin Svent.
             Before Jude had even a second to process this thought, he heard a
distinctive metallic click. He froze, breath hitching in his throat, before
slowly turning around. He found himself staring down the barrel of a gun.
Alvin’s gun.
             “Alvin, what is this…?” Jude’s voice was small, frightened,
looking to the man for answers.
             The pistol remained pointed at his head, Alvin’s finger on the
trigger, his expression flat, emotionless. “Just give me the disc, Jude, and
I’ll forget I saw anything.”
             “Alvin, what’s happening?” Jude asked, taking a step back, trying
to put some distance between himself and the gun aimed his way. “What are all
these documents? Does Exodus… Do they have something to do with Haus? Is that
why…?”
             “Stop talking, Jude.” Alvin demanded, voice stern, angry. This
wasn’t the Alvin he knew. “This is not for you to know.”
             Jude braved a glance at the monitor, noting the export dialogue in
the corner. 95%... 96%... “Alvin… Please tell me you’re not part of Exodus.” He
needed answers, but he also needed to stall. Just a minute more, and then he
could take the disc and run. “Please tell me you’re not working with these
murderers!”
             A shot rang out, ricocheting off the metal casing of the computer
just inches from his head. Jude stifled a scream, eyes locking with the man he
had trusted to protect him, now the one after his life. “Alvin, what are you
doing?!” He shouted, hand inching towards the eject button. Just a couple more
seconds...
             “I don’t want to do this, Jude, but you leave me no choice.” Alvin
pulled the hammer back again, another bullet entering the chamber, ready to
fire again.
             Jude knew he had to do something, anything, to save himself, and
something told him just complying with Alvin’s order wasn’t going to spare him
Exodus’s wrath. And Alvin… Alvin wasn’t going to protect him this time.
             The electronic beep from behind him was his cue. Jude shot
forward, using one arm to knock Alvin’s gun away, the other to connect fully
with the man’s jaw. While the man was staggered Jude grabbed the disc and made
a break for the door, running as fast as his legs would carry him. He could
hear Alvin shouting for him to stop, the sound of footsteps close behind, but
Jude kept running, taking every corner he could just to keep himself out of the
line of sight.
             Jude took the steps two at a time, trying put as much distance as
possible between him and his assailant. He stopped at the ground floor, pushing
against the main entry door, only to find it locked. Jude cursed under his
breath, quickly looking for the emergency signs. If he ran out one of those
doors, the alarms would go off and the guards would come. That may be just what
he needed.
             Before he could take another step, another shot hit the door near
his face, causing him to jump back. “Stop running, Jude!” Alvin shouted from
the stairwell. How had he caught up so fast?! “You’re only making this harder
on yourself!”
             Why?
             Why was this happening?
             Jude took off again, bolting for the nearest exit, praying it lead
to freedom. But Alvin was always right behind, through every twist and turn,
even as Jude began to lose his breath, his steps becoming haggard, labored.
Just a bit further, just a little more…!
             Alvin caught him around the shoulders as soon as his hands hit the
emergency door, the two of them falling through the exit as alarms sounded
throughout the base. Jude screamed, lashing out with fists and feet, anything
to get Alvin off of him. A hard right to the side of the head dizzied his
opponent, his grip loosening just enough to let Jude up. But it was short-
lived, Alvin was on his feet again and ready to take him down.
             Fists couldn’t outdo a gun, but that didn’t mean Jude wasn’t going
to try. But he was matched hit-for-hit, Alvin backing Jude into a corner of the
yard. Jude went in for another blow to the head, needing a distraction so he
could make a break for the gate, but Alvin seemed to anticipate this, bringing
one hand up to block the hit while smacking the grip of the gun against Jude’s
temple with the other.
             Jude staggered back, bracing one hand against the concrete wall to
get his bearings. Before he could come to his senses, he was knocked to the
ground once again, Alvin straddling his hips, pinning him firmly to the ground.
             Another punch was thrown, connecting squarely with Alvin’s jaw,
splitting his lip. He growled almost ferally and gripped Jude’s neck, the
muzzle of his gun pressed against the boy’s forehead. “I warned you, but you
didn’t listen.” Alvin scathed, glaring down as he clawed at his arm, trying to
get more air. “You could have backed down and gone home, but you had to play
the damn meddling do-gooder. Now it’s come to this.”
             Pinned down, gun to his head, Jude felt completely helpless. Alvin
was too heavy to push off, and the hand around his neck only served to make him
feel weaker and weaker. “A… Al… Don’t…” He pleaded, tears brimming at the edges
of his vision as he stared up at the man he had grown so close to. “Pl…ease… A-
Al…vin…!”
             The hand was pulled back from his neck, only to press painfully
against his mouth. There was something different in Alvin’s eyes. It wasn’t
just anger or rage, but sorrow, regret. But as soon as it came, it left,
leaving nothing but coldness in his gaze to match the metal of the gun digging
into the flesh of his forehead.
             “I’m sorry, Jude.” Alvin said softly, almost an apology, before
pulling the trigger.
Chapter End Notes
     Hello hello! I know I said I was taking a break, but I didn't want to
     wait on this chapter! I really hope you all enjoyed it as much as I
     did writing it. Things are about to get a lot more intense in Jude's
     life, but for now, I'll say I will be taking a break this next week
     for sure, and will return around the 24th with the next chapter. I
     want to thank Amavi/Strawberry-Healer for being amazing and betaing
     this for me. I love to hear from you guys, so feel free to drop me a
     line here or on tumblr! See you in two weeks!
***** Chapter 10 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             In those moments, he remembered his family.
             Jude remembered his mother in Leronde, tearfully hugging him as he
stood at the dock waiting for the ship to take him to Fennmont for the first
time.. His father, not far off, turning away just when Jude thought he was
tearing up as well, as if he didn’t want to reveal how misty-eyed he was
getting over his young son leaving home. There was Leia, who demanded he write
her as much as possible and not forget to visit when he had breaks, and a
promise that she would catch up to him someday.
             Then the first time he met Professor Haus, how the esteemed
researcher took him under his wing, allowed him to work far beyond what the
other instructors were qualified. Jude could clearly hear his words of praise;
“Even with your smaller than average mana lobe, you’re proving to be the ideal
student.” And Jude felt like he was never deserving of such praise, but he
accepted it only because his mentor would not allow him to deny it.
             He recalled the harsh words of his father when he told him he was
leaving Fennmont for Elympios. He called him a disappointment, that he was
chasing a fool’s dream by helping that dying world. It was hopeless, he
reiterated again and again. The only way to reverse the damage done was to
completely change their way of living. And Jude said he knew that, and that was
why he was going. To change things.
             Jude remembered taking that first, unsteady step onto the soil of
Trigleph, looking at the dying city with a mix of anxiety and wonder. He
recalled the weight of his suitcase in his hand, the tug of his backpack on his
shoulders as he followed his mentor through the bustling streets that smelled
of soot and decay. He was frightened back then, but the prospect of making a
difference overrode any fears and spurred him onward.
             His memory then shifted to that night, the look in the professor’s
eyes as he said he was going away for a while, that he wanted Jude to continue
in his absence. If only he had known back then what would become of him, then
maybe Jude would have known to leave while he was still ahead.
             But he didn’t.
             He didn’t and now it had come to this.
             For a long moment, the only sound he could hear was the ringing in
his ears, that and the quieter sound of his own ragged breathing. Eyes squeezed
shut, frightened tears streaming down his face, Jude braced for the end. He
waited for a splitting pain, the shattering of bone as the world would go quiet
around him. And yet it only seemed to grow louder, even long after the trigger
was pulled.
             Slowly, tentatively, Jude opened his eyes. The ringing had
subsided, replaced only with the echoes of fire alarms throughout the base. His
trembling breath matched with Alvin’s own, faint panting.
             No pain, no hole in his head, just the thundering of his heart in
his chest as that strong hand remained firmly gripping his jaw, silencing him.
Jude locked eyes with Alvin only briefly before the man reached into the front
pocket of his lab coat, plucking the GHS and quickly dialing a number. The line
rang only twice before someone picked up, silence greeting him. Alvin didn’t
wait for the other party to speak.
             “It’s done.” He stated, blunt, emotionless. The phone was dropped
to the concrete and in one swift motion two bullets were fired, shattering the
device beyond repair.
             Alvin breathed a slow, steadying breath, before finally letting go
of Jude’s mouth. “Are you all ri---“
             A fist collided with Alvin’s nose as soon as Jude was released,
hard enough to knock the man off his lap. Jude wasted no time in turning the
tables, grabbing Alvin by his scarf and pinning him against the cold concrete
much the same as the man had done to him moments before. “You asshole!” He
shouted, arm coming up to sock Alvin across the jaw again. A cheap shot, but to
Jude, it felt more than justified.
             Alvin reeled from the punch, but took it all the same. “Okay, I
deserved that.” He groaned, flashing a haughty grin Jude’s way. It was enough
to make the boy want to punch him again.
             “What the hell was that about?!” Jude’s voice was shaking, the
adrenaline rapidly leaving his system, leaving him feeling dizzy, worn. “Why
are you doing this?! Who are you working for?!”
             Alvin spat blood onto the concrete before gently tugging at Jude’s
wrists, trying to coax him to let go. “We can’t talk here.” He said softly,
more blood dribbling from his split lip. “We need to get somewhere safe.”
             Somewhere safe? Jude almost laughed. The ‘somewhere safe’ had been
wherever Alvin had led him. All this time, he felt protected because Alvin had
been there, because Alvin was at his side, keeping any danger, real or
imagined, at bay. But now… “You say this after trying to kill me?!”
             “Damn it, Jude, there’s no time!” Alvin grabbed his wrists more
roughly now, tearing his grip away. “We need to go before the others get here!”
             “Others?!”
             Alvin pulled Jude brusquely to his feet, taking hold of his wrists
and pulling him along. “We’ve got less than two hours before they realize I
don’t have a body to dump. We need to find a place to hole up before they catch
us.”
             “They? Exodus?!”
             “Less talking, more running!”
 
===============================================================================
 
             The trip to Duval went by like a blur.
             Alvin had been running almost the entire time, keeping to the
shadows of the side streets and alleys, his hand gripping Jude’s the entire
time. Always moving, constantly looking over their shoulders. It was as if
Alvin thought they were already being pursued, but not once did Jude ask if
this was true. He didn’t want the answer.
             They only barely caught the last train leaving Trigleph, the
third-shift workers cramming into cars for final leg of their trip home. Alvin
went along with the crowd, paying for one pass and using the last-train rush to
mask his unticketed companion from the train’s guards. Jude would protest if
he'd noticed, but given the circumstances it would only fall on deaf ears. That
aside, his GHS was gone; he had no way to pay for it anyway.
             The whole trip Alvin kept his back to the wall, with Jude pulled
close to his side as he hammered out text after text to a name Jude only
vaguely recognized. Jude continued to watch Alvin, not speaking a word, as if
the very mention of the group that was after him would make them appear. Jude
was grateful for the amount of people around them; easier to hide, easier to
blend in a crowd just in case Jude needed to make a run for it.
             When they got off the train, Alvin led him down a familiar path
once filled with fond memories of a night out, now clouded by anxiety and
confusion. Alvin paid no mind to the Sorry, We’re Closed sign posted in the
window of Film Noir and pushed the door open, pulling Jude inside behind him.
There, standing at the counter was a familiar pale man. Two-toned hair, smartly
dressed in a blue jacket with suspenders and slacks, a pair of sizeable daggers
strapped to his hips.
             Jude knew this man, but only in passing. His name was…
             “Ludger.” Alvin wasted no time approaching the man, throwing
formalities to the wayside. The other nodded, regarding Jude only briefly
before pocketing his phone.
             “I’m glad you made it safely.” Ludger responded, his voice far
different than what Jude would have expected. Soft, welcoming to his ears, a
reprieve from the vibrato that Alvin always exuded. “I just got the broadcast.
It’s… It’s not pretty, Alvin.” He passed his GHS Alvin’s way, letting him read
over the mass text. “Julius has a team heading to Helioborg to intercept, but
Rideaux’s team is heading this way.”
             “Damn it… Breaking out the big guns for some kid.” Alvin was
becoming agitated again, and Jude couldn’t quite understand why. Who were all
these people? Were they all part of Exodus as well? Was he being led to his
death? Jude wanted to ask, but Alvin continued before he could even form the
question. “Does Julius know you’re here?” He queried, handing the phone back.
             Ludger shook his head, black fringe falling into his eyes. “No, I
haven’t spoken to him yet.” He sighed, carefully tucking his hair back again
before fiddling with the feathered charm of his GHS. “Even so, this is above
both our heads, Alvin. The order is coming down from the board.”
             Alvin gave a short laugh at that, bringing a hand up to squeeze
Jude’s shoulder. “Figures. It’s never easy, is it?”
             Once again Ludger’s gaze fell to the young researcher, eyes filled
with worry and pity both. Jude was sure he looked just as petrified as he felt,
standing there like a lost child hugging his lab coat close to his body like a
security blanket. There was empathy in Ludger’s gaze as a warm smile crossed
his lips before disappearing completely, replaced with a determined frown.
“This way.” He hitched a thumb towards the back of the bar and motioned for the
other two to follow.
             With strength Jude wouldn’t guess the slender man possessed,
Ludger pulled one of the liquor displays to the side, revealing an old steel
door. A single key was pulled from Ludger’s pocket and jammed into the rusted
lock, all the pins clicking audibly before the rusted door gave way to a narrow
staircase. Ludger made the descent first, Alvin urging Jude to follow before
heading down himself.
             A thin chain was pulled overhead, the fluorescent panels
flickering to life and illuminating the basement of Film Noir. It was small,
the air around them damp and chilly. The furniture was scant, comprised of two
single beds pushed into the far corners of the room, a worn dining set stacked
near the entrance with a TV atop it.
             “No one knows about this place except the barkeep and a few anti-
governmentalists here in Duval. They won’t look for you here.”
             “Thanks, Luds. I owe you one.” Alvin clapped a hand on the other’s
shoulder, his expression almost triumphant.
             Ludger, however, didn’t appear so convinced. The friendly hand was
brushed away and Ludger leveled a look towards Alvin. “You owe me an
explanation, but that’s it. If they’re sending Julius and Rideaux your way, you
really got on Spirius’s bad side.”
             Alvin shook his head, shrugging. “Not Spirius, I’m afraid. Not
quite. I’ll explain later.”
             Ludger’s phone chimed and he pulled it from his pocket, frowning
as he read over the text. “Stay down here. I’ll signal if there’s trouble.”
             Alvin nodded and Ludger disappeared up the steps, shutting the
door behind him. It was then that his bodyguard finally turned to address him.
             Former bodyguard, Jude reminded. Bodyguards don’t try to kill
their charges.
             “We should be safe for now.” Alvin took a seat one of the beds,
shrugging off his jacket and tossing it aside. “You should try and get some
sleep. You had your two hours.”
             Jude crinkled his nose at the off-handed remark. How could Alvin
be so calm at a time like this? There were soldiers hunting for him, Spirius
agents even, and Exodus on top of that. Not only that, but Alvin had just tried
to kill him, even if it was presumably an act to throw off their pursuers. The
bruises from their scuffle remained on both their bodies, Jude far too shaken
to focus on healing himself. There were too many questions to be asked, and
they all started with Alvin.
             “…You owe me an explanation, too.” Jude muttered, eyes locking
with Alvin’s for the first time since he had pinned the man against the ground
at Helioborg. He wanted, no, needed answers, and Alvin was going to give them
to him.
             Alvin only held his gaze for only a brief second before looking
away with a soft sigh. “You’re probably wondering what’s really going on.”
             “That’s an understatement.” Jude’s anger beginning to bubble to
the surface once again. He wasn’t normally one to lose his cool. But this… This
was an exception, and a big one at that.
             “Fair enough.” Alvin patted the spot next to him on the old
mattress, inviting Jude to sit. Jude refused to go near him and instead pressed
further against the cement wall. After what just happened, he didn’t want to
get near the man, let alone sit with him.
             “Who are you?” He began. “Is Alvin even your real name?”
             Alvin’s expression faltered before falling completely. “You’re not
going to make this easy, are you?” He muttered before lifting his head to face
Jude again. “My name is Alfred Vint Svent. I’m a mercenary and informant.”
             “And who hired you to watch after me?”
             “Bisley Bakur of Spirius.”
             “And who else?”
             Alvin didn’t respond. Jude took a step forward, as if to threaten
him. “Who else, Alvin?”
             A moment later, Alvin answered, voice low and laced with what Jude
hoped was genuine guilt. “Exodus as well.”
             Jude breathed a soft gasp as his fears were confirmed. The man who
had been hired to protect him had been working for his pursuers all along. Then
why---
             “I know what you’re thinking.” Alvin interrupted his thoughts.
“No, I’m not some crazy terrorist, and I’ve got nothing really against Rieze
Maxians.”
             “But you do work for them, don’t you?” Jude countered, voice
shaking. He was afraid. Afraid of the man who for so long had been his constant
source of comfort, now little more than a murderer out for his blood. “You work
for the people who have been trying to kill me… To kill my people!”
             “It’s not that simple, Jude.”
             “Then simplify it!” Jude spat, bordering on losing it entirely.
             Alvin was on his feet and before Jude in a flash, and he backed
away, wanting as much distance between himself and the purported murderer as
the cramped basement would allow. At the very least Alvin seemed to take the
hint, allowing Jude his space.
             After a tense few moments, Alvin finally spoke. “I was hired
initially by Spirius to keep an eye on you and make sure you kept up your
research.”
             “And… What did Exodus want you to do?” Jude asked weakly, almost
afraid to hear the truth.
             “I was also ordered by Exodus to get close to you, earn your
trust, and make sure you stayed out of their hair.”
             Jude gulped thickly, hugging himself tighter, wishing he could
curl up and disappear. “You knew, didn’t you? About everything?” He muttered,
eyes glued to the floor, afraid to face Alvin in that moment, as if locking
eyes with the man would end with a pistol to his head again.
             “Yeah…” Alvin answered quietly. “Yeah, I did.”
             Jude squeezed his eyes shut, fighting back angry tears as he
continued. “The attack at the square…”
             “I got tipped off.”
             “And… And the break in at my apartment?”
             “They planned to interrogate you for information on Haus’s file.”
             “The chem lab?”
             “That one wasn’t me.” Alvin chuckled bleakly. “That was some
freshman messing with dangerous chemicals.”
             Jude went quiet once again, the new information making his head
spin. All those horrible things that had happened to him, Alvin had known about
beforehand. He could have prevented them entirely, and yet he put Jude through
more hell than he ever had to endure in his short life. And to what end? To get
his unwavering trust? To make him so afraid of the outside world that Jude
would have no choice but to rely on Alvin?
             It was sick. Alvin was sick and the room felt too small for the
two of them. His chest felt tight, the musty air clogging his lungs as he
absorbed the evidence he was given. Jude’s limbs shook even more as he uttered
another question, this one deciding whether or not he could ever trust Alvin
again.
             “…Professor Haus…” He mumbled, eyes slowly coming up to stare
Alvin down. Frightened, yet determined. “Did you…”
             “No.” Alvin answered flat out, voice stern. “I wasn’t part of
that.”
             There was a soft sigh of relief with that knowledge, but not
enough to uncoil the tightness in his chest. Jude continued, willing himself to
keep his eyes on the older man. “So what was the point of all of it? Scare me
until I gave up and went home?”
             “Not quite.” Alvin crossed his arms over his chest, appearing
thoughtful whilst he spoke. “The idea was to keep you motivated. You were the
closest to Haus, and the higher-ups in Spirius needed his research completed.
But their reasons aren’t as altruistic as they make them out to be.” Another
pause, as if Alvin was mulling over whether to let Jude know the next bit of
info. “…Exodus also has a use for your work.”
             It all clicked.
             “The Lance of Kresnik.” Jude realized all at once why there was so
much pressure on Haus and himself to finish their work. “Exodus wanted us to
fix the Spyrix issue to power the Lance of Kresnik, is that it?”
             Alvin was silent, but Jude couldn’t take this sitting down. Jude
sprung forward and grabbed Alvin by his scarf, yanking him down to his level.
“Tell me, is my research going towards the Otherworld Reactor Plan?” Jude gave
him a rough shake. “Are they going to use it to take the spirits from Rieze
Maxia and use them as fuel?! Do they want me dead because I know about it?!”
             There it was, that look of guilt again. Alvin couldn’t meet his
gaze, instead staring at the wall while gritting his teeth.
             “It’s better you don’t know.” He finally mumbled, but Jude wasn’t
hearing it.
             “Like hell it’s better!” Jude shook him again and Alvin finally
looked his way.
             “Easy, kid!” Alvin gently gripped his wrists, trying to get Jude
to ease up on his neck. “You need to calm down.”
             Something inside Jude snapped and he wanted nothing more than to
give Alvin another bloody lip for even daring to rebuke him in such a way.
“Calm down? Calm down?!” Each sentence was accentuated with another firm shake
to Alvin’s person. “My research is being used by a terrorist group and my
bodyguard works for them! How am I supposed to calm down!”
             Alvin growled angrily before roughly grabbing Jude by his
shoulders and shoving him, the other only barely managing to stop himself
before his head collided with the wall. “If you’re so worried about it, go home
and forget about what you saw!”
             “And then what, wait for Spirius to hire someone else to finish
the job? Wait for Balan to figure out the loose ends? Is that what you want?!”
He was shouting again, and didn’t care. Too much, too much. “I came to Elympios
to help your people. I can’t just go home and wait for Exodus to destroy it!”
             There’s a knock on the ceiling tiles, a heeled boot dragged across
the wooden floor of the bar above them. Alvin only took a split second to act,
grabbing the cord for the lamps and killing the lights, enveloping them both in
darkness.
             “What are you---“ Jude felt himself tugged towards Alvin, throwing
him into a panic. He desperately pushed at the man’s chest, struggling to get
free of his grip. “Let me go!” Jude demanded, voice cracking with a desperate
fear as he continued to fight against his restraints.
             A hand clapped over his mouth and for a brief moment he froze,
waiting for the pistol to press against his forehead again. But no such action
came. Instead he felt Alvin’s breath against his skin, shushing him quietly.
             There was a parade of footfalls above their heads, knocking dust
down from the ceiling and onto them. He could hear someone shouting demands,
threats, and he realized that the team Ludger mentioned had barged into the
bar, and that the thin man was up there alone.
             More threats were made, commands that Jude could barely make out.
Then, the sound of gunfire and shattering glass, the pounding of feet and cries
of pain. Jude’s heart dropped into the pit of his stomach at the scene he
imagined was playing out a mere meter above their heads..
             Jude tugged away from his mouth, “We have to help him!” He
whispered harshly, only to have Alvin shush him again.
             “Ludger can handle it.” Alvin muttered into his ear. “He doesn’t
look it, but he’s a Spirius Agent.”
             “But Spirius Agents are after us, aren’t they?”
             The brush of hair against his skin gave the illusion of Alvin
nodding. “This situation goes deeper than you can imagine, kid. Just remember
that Spirius is the one pursuing you right now, not Exodus.”
             “That…” There was another shout from above, cutting off Jude’s
line of thought. The scuffle seemed to intensify before reaching a crescendo,
then fell completely silent. Alvin and Jude waited silently as the boots filed
out, leaving just the scraping of broken glass against old wood floors.
             Another tap of boots overhead, then a drag, same as before. Alvin
breathed a short sigh of relief before clicking the lights on again. No sooner
did the room illuminate than Jude became keenly aware of how close Alvin was,
his back pressing against Alvin’s chest, arms wrapped tightly around his
shoulders. Jude glanced up at him, almost shyly as the lights flickered just
above Alvin’s head, giving him an almost angelic glow as he smirked down at his
young charge. A calloused hand came up to gently rub at the reddened patch left
by Alvin gripping his mouth so suddenly, a sort of apology shared by touch.
Jude allowed himself to lean into it, eyes fluttering closed, comforted by the
tender touch.
             For a glimmer of a second Jude felt at ease, Alvin holding him
close, bringing him a sense of comfort, just like before. But the feeling left
as soon as it had come, replaced with the dread stemming from too many lies
revealed all at once. Jude roughly pushed away, backing himself against the
wall again. No, this tenderness, the kindness bestowed upon him, it was all an
act. It had been an act from the beginning so Jude would trust Alvin
incontestably.
             And this fact hurt just as much as the bullet would have.
             “I can’t believe this…” Jude breathed, pressed against the
concrete wall as if it was the only thing holding him up. “All this time…
Everything you did was just pretend, wasn’t it?”
             There was no confirmation nor denial, just the sound of Jude
trying to keep his emotions in check and failing miserably.
             And then, there was a touch, soft against his crown. “Jude,
listen… I…”
             Alvin’s hand was smacked away, the fire in Jude’s eyes only
countered by the tears threatening to fall.
             “Don’t touch me!” He spat venomously, his voice sounding foreign
to even himself. “I trusted you, and all this time you’ve been lying to me! You
made me think that you… Actually…” he trailed off, unable to say what had hurt
him the most. Everything Alvin had done, all those smiles, the longing touches,
the unspoken words… You made me think you actually cared…
             Jude’s shoulders shook as the dam finally broke, tears cascading
down his face as he sunk to the floor.
             And Alvin said nothing, even as Jude sobbed into his knees. Too
much… He played the part of the mature adult, but deep down… Jude knew he was
still a child. He was vulnerable to the madness of this world, and it was
because of this madness that he had reached out so desperately to Alvin when he
offered his hand. He had relied on him fully, trusted him with his life and
then some, only to have all of that crushed. And even now he couldn’t
understand why Exodus was going through such lengths to keep him on edge, or
why Spirius chose to send people to take him back. What had he done? What was
happening behind the closed doors of Spirius HQ? And… Why did Alvin choose to
spare him?
             Jude looked back to the events leading up to that moment,
realizing who it was that had saved him at risk of his own life; Alvin had,
each time. He ran in head first into a chemical fire to get Jude out safely.
Alvin had gotten shot trying to get them away from the clash at the square. He
even held him as he cried, lamenting over the destruction in his home. One
could argue that this was inconsequential, that Alvin was doing it as part of
the massive farce that was their budding relationship. An act, and nothing
more.
             But…
             Alvin had asked him to go to dinner that night knowing that agents
were coming for him. He had repeatedly urged Jude to stay home the day of the
attack, yet he refused and went to class anyway. And the chem lab… Even if he
didn’t know about it, Alvin had still insisted on staying with him.
             Was it all part of the plan? Or did Alvin legitimately care about
him? Jude could know nothing unless he asked, and yet he was afraid of the
answer he may receive.
             He just couldn’t bring himself to ask.
             Finally, Alvin sighed and walked past him, presumably heading for
the stairs. “I’m gonna check on Ludger. You wait here.” And with that, he
disappeared up the steps, the opening and closing of the door signaling that
Jude was alone.
             He wondered if it was better this way.
Chapter End Notes
     Hey everyone! Did you miss me? Probably not, especially not after
     that last chapter :3c Well, at least you're getting this chapter a
     little early! This chapter is pretty dialogue heavy, but a lot has
     been revealed! What will happen next? Only time will tell! A big
     thanks goes to Amavi for editing this and giving me pointers (I wrote
     too much of this at odd hours with little sleep). Thanks again for
     sticking with me so far with this. If you like the story, let me
     know! I always love hearing from you!
***** Chapter 11 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             It felt like hours had passed, but the old clock on the wall
begged to differ.
             Jude had managed to pull himself up from the floor and onto one of
the musty beds in a meager attempt at sleep. The bar above was quiet, Alvin and
Ludger having left some time ago, leaving him alone in the dank basement. Part
of him wondered if it was easier that way; for Alvin to leave him alone, give
him the space he needed after what happened. Maybe Alvin wouldn’t come back,
maybe he’d take the opportunity to hightail it out of town and onto his next
job.
             Or maybe he was going with Ludger to turn him in. Wouldn’t it be
fitting, to Alvin turn him in alongside an enemy agent. Given all that had
happened, Jude wasn’t beyond believing it either. It hurt to think that the man
he had entrusted his life to was one of the bad guys all along. Was it really
only a matter of time before he outlived his usefulness and ended up with a
bullet in his head?
             But…If my research was helping Exodus… That makes me a bad guy
too, doesn’t it?
             He didn’t know anymore. How much of his hard work had gone towards
their mad scheme? How many days, weeks, hell, monthsof his work had ended up in
Exodus’s hands, and at what cost? And above all, how had he not figured it out
sooner?
             Jude curled in on himself, pulling his knees to his chest. I’m
such an idiot… I thought all this time that I could help the Elympions… But
everything I’ve done… The urge to cry came over him again, but Jude vehemently
fought it off. Crying wasn’t going to reverse what had happened. And yet Jude
didn’t know what he could do, or if there was even anything he could do. He was
just one person going up against a terrorist group and possibly the biggest
corporation this side of the border. If Professor Haus couldn’t stand against
them, how was Jude expected to last? It wasn’t just one lone gunman, but
several groups of trained agents, all after his head and the information he had
discovered.
             But… It dawned on Jude. If they’re allocating all those resources
to capture me, then…
             Jude sat up, his hand patting the front pocket of his lab coat,
once a pristine white, now muddied and bloodied beyond repair. The disc from
the lab remained there, unscratched, safe. These documents… They could easily
get the archive from the lab computer, but they’re still chasing me. That
means…
             The door at the head of the stairs slammed open and Jude was on
high alert again. Had Spirius come for him? Had Exodus? He flung the musty
sheets off and flew to his feet, fist raised in the stance that had been
engrained in his mind since childhood. If he was going down, he was going down
fighting with everything he had.
             But there was no stamping of steel-toed boots coming down the
stairs, no threats for Jude to surrender, just two sets of footfalls making
their way slowly down the steps.
             “You awake, kid?”
             From around the corner came Alvin and Ludger, both looking like
they had just come out of a lengthy brawl. Judging from the number of soldiers
that had broken into the bar earlier, Jude wouldn’t be surprised if there had
been a brawl. But by the looks of it, they had made it out on the winning side.
             Relief flickered across Alvin’s features when he caught sight of
Jude, but he came no closer than the entry, as if sensing the tension from a
distance. Ludger, however, took a seat at the old table with some effort. It
appeared he had taken quite the beating, his arms and face bruised, dried blood
caking his hair. Jude’s first instinct was to go over and heal them both, but
given the circumstances, he remained.
             It was Alvin that spoke first. “Spirius is out in full-force
looking for you.” An obvious statement, but it confirmed Jude’s theory never
the less. “Ludger slipped one of Rideaux’s cronies some false intel to throw
them off, but we can’t stay here much longer. We need a plan.”
             Questions remained, and with the grip on his emotions ever
tightening, he decided to get down to business. “Alvin, how is Spirius involved
in all this?” Jude queried, stance relaxing only slightly. His gaze trailed
over to Ludger, suspicious of the soft-spoken man. Ludger was sitting quietly,
gently massaging his right arm with his left, avoiding eye-contact. One had to
wonder how many soldiers he fought through just to get back to the bar, and to
what end. “Are they connected with Exodus?”
             “Spirius as a whole? No, at least not that I know of. Some bigwigs
in Spirius with a lot of gald to throw around? Yes, definitely.” Alvin brushed
past him and took a seat on the old bed opposite of Jude. Only then did he note
the deep bruises on the mercenary’s face, the tears in his clothing. How much
was from their scuffle at Helioborg? Jude hadn’t taken stock of either of their
conditions as they were running, far too preoccupied with keeping his head down
and out of sight. “Since you accessed restricted information at the lab and
ran, they’re using that as an excuse to take you in. It’ll probably be on the
news in the morning.”
             Jude lowered his arms fully, his face falling. “So that’s how
they’re going to play it… Make me out to be some AWOL scientist trying to run
with their corporate secrets.”
             “You don’t sound surprised.”
             “Should I be?” Jude crossed his arms over his chest, frowning
deeply. “It’s obvious that my having that information jeopardizes their
operation in some way.”
             Alvin shook his head with a bit of a sardonic chuckle. “So, you’ve
already figured it out. Balan was right, you area genius.”
             The off comment would have once given him butterflies. Now, it
only earned Alvin a deadpan stare. “Save it, Alvin.” He ordered. It was about
time he got the man to talk. He owed Jude at least that much. “You know
something about that archive. I need you to come clean.”
             Just like that, Alvin’s expression fell and appeared to take a
particular interest in the color of his boots. He was being avoidant, just as
Jude expected, but he wasn’t going to allow it for long.
             “I…” Alvin sighed. “I don’t know the specifics. They keep people
like me in the dark on things like that.” Their eyes met, but Alvin seemed to
have trouble holding his gaze. It was as if he were… remorseful. But as soon as
Jude noticed, the mask was on again and Alvin playing the part of the care-
free, cocky mercenary.
             “Yeah, initially I was ordered to put a bullet between your eyes
if you found out what Haus’s research was going towards---“
             “So it is going towards the Otherworld Reactor Plan.” Jude had
already figured this much, but he needed Alvin to confirm it. He needed Alvin
to tell him the truth.
             On the other end of the room, Ludger’s head snapped to attention
with a soft gasp. Jude looked his way, surprised. “Do you know about it?” He
asked of the pale man, and Jude realized it was the first time he had spoken
directly to him.
             At his question, Ludger shook his head sheepishly. “It was shut
down when I was an infant. Nationalists continue to try and lobby it to resolve
the energy crisis, but they’re rejected due to the open border treaties.”
             “Even with the border restriction lifted, there are still people
who think just taking our spirits is the best option?” It was hard to conceive.
Did the nationalists not understand how vital spirits were to Rieze Maxians? It
was a virtuous cycle, one that allowed the citizens and spirits to co-exist
peacefully and indefinitely. “If they remove the spirits, then Rieze Maxia will
end up barren just like Elympios!”
             “They don’t care.”
             Jude and Ludger turned to face Alvin as he spoke, the older man’s
eyes glued to the ground once again. “If it helps them, they don’t care
whatever the cost. If it keeps Elympios going for another thousand years, then
they’ve achieved their goal.”
             “But my people rely on spirits! If you kill them---“
             “You think I don’t know that? You think I like going along with
this plan?” Alvin was on his feet and towering over him, as if his height alone
would be enough to intimidate Jude into backing off.
             Jude wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction. “You haven’t told
me otherwise, have you? When it comes down to it, who are you siding with?
Spirius, Exodus?” He locked eyes with Alvin, staring, showing he wasn’t going
to back down. He couldn’t, not if he wanted to make things right again.
             Alvin gritted his teeth and tore his gaze away, raking his hands
through his hair. He was struggling with something, that much Jude knew. But
what it was continued to be a mystery, one that didn’t sit well with the young
researcher. Even if Alvin claimed not to know specifics, he was still part of
Exodus, and that put him closer to the heart of this scheme than anyone he
knew.
             And in that same vein, Ludger was just as close.
             The pale man stood, steadying himself against the old table that
creaked in protest. “I need to call Julius.” He muttered, swaying slightly as
he pushed away from the worn furniture. Without hesitation Jude caught him by
his forearm, coaxing him back into his seat. Their eyes met, Ludger’s full of
confusion, Jude’s with worry.
             “Let me look at your wounds.” Jude insisted, gently lifting the
dyed bangs from Ludger’s eyes to reveal a sizable gash on his forehead. The
bleeding had stopped, but it was bruised pretty badly. Ludger gave a soft
noise, something between an agreement and a gasp as Jude cast the healing arte.
             The room went silent as Jude put his skills to use. Every now and
again Ludger would give a soft sigh of relief as the damage disappeared from
his skinny limbs, leaving nothing to indicate he had been in a struggle at all.
             “Ludger, was it?” Jude spoke while he continued to work. “You work
for Spirius, right? Why are you helping us?”
             At first, Ludger seemed perplexed by his question. Was it really
so strange to ask? Or was it because he didn’t know, himself?
             It took him a moment to answer, but when he did, it surprised
Alvin and Jude both.
             “I’m a Spirius Agent, yes, but…” He shook his head, flecks of
dried blood falling from his hair. “After hearing what was happening from
Alvin, it didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t just blindly follow orders and
take the life of an innocent.” This man was kind, Jude could tell. In spite of
the training that Spirius Agents were known to endure, it would seem this man
maintained the sense of morality that many others lacked. Ludger could have
easily ended Jude’s life and receive honors from his peers, and yet he was
hiding along with them, helping the target that he was ordered to eliminate.
             Jude wondered if, given different circumstances, Ludger and he
could have been close. Perhaps even as close as he and Alvin were.
             “You’d really go against everyone just to help some runaway
researcher?” Jude asked, a little breathless from the exertion of healing
already. “Even if it causes you trouble?”
             Ludger smiled, a little shaky, but his resolve remained. “You’re
the one they called to help us, aren’t you? You’re trying to fix things for us
Elympions. That’s enough for me to consider your side.”
             It felt like the first time someone outside his circle of friends
had acknowledged his efforts, and that alone made his chest feel infinitely
lighter.
             “Yeah… Yeah, I am.”
             Jude sat back on his haunches and smiled, feeling slightly dizzied
from the exertion of healing so many injuries. Once again he was reminded of
how difficult it was to use artes in a land with so few spirits to call on. The
spell ended up being more of his own mana being poured into the patient’s body
than the spirits’. Alvin’s injuries would have to wait.
             After several moments, Jude stood, taking a deep breath to calm
his shaking limbs. “Alvin.” He turned to face his former bodyguard fully,
pinning him down with a gaze. “I know you know what that disc means to Exodus.
I need you to tell me.”
             Alvin sighed, raking his hand through his hair, looking everywhere
but Jude. Again he seemed conflicted, struggling with the right words. Jude
could only speculate why. “I don’t know the specifics, but what I do know is
that the information on that disc is enough to shut down their plans for good.”
             Just as Jude suspected. He hadn’t a chance to go through the files
thoroughly, but he imagined there was more to that archive than just internal
memos and publically circulated research papers. Haus had gathered those files
with the express purpose of doing somethingwith them… But he must have known
something would have happened to him, or else he would have gone public right
away.
             Except, he hadn’t. Haus had intended to run, and as much as it
hurt Jude to consider, leave him holding the bag as well. Had he been
threatened beforehand? Did he know what he had gotten into?
             It didn’t do him much good to dwell on it now. Exodus was after
him now, and they did intend on killing him. It was only a matter of time
before they tracked him down, and none of them could stay in that basement for
the rest of their lives. They needed a plan.
             But… What?
             Alvin seemed to have the answer this time.
             “We have two choices.” Alvin was before him before he could blink,
holding the disc from the lab before Jude’s nose. When did he get it? “We can
either destroy this thing, pretend you never saw anything, and you seek asylum
in Rieze Maxia. You give up your research and your goal, but you live the rest
of your life relatively safe from Exodus’s wrath.”
             He paused, and for a moment Jude wondered if he had heard Alvin’s
voice waver, or if it was just his imagination. “Or, we face them head on, blow
this thing wide open. We take a stand against Exodus and the Board members
funding them at the risk of our own lives.”
             Alvin took his hand, and Jude almost yanked it away, but before
the fear could spur the action the disc was pressed against his palm.
             “Which do you choose, Jude?”
             Jude stared up at Alvin, unsure of which path he should choose. On
the one hand there was the means to escape; he could go home, take up work at
the clinic like his father wanted him to, and let Elympios deal with the
problem they created. He could live peacefully and help people in much the same
way his parents had, by supporting their tiny island community as their doctor.
             But even if he ran, even if he claimed asylum, it wouldn’t end.
He’d spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder, mistrusting every
person he met with ill-conceived notions of their ulterior motives. Exodus
would continue their work, probably drag another young student into their
devious scheme, and eventually the research would bear fruit.
             Or, he could stand and fight. Put an end to Exodus’s plans, and
save the spirits he had vowed to protect when he left home.
             The very idea was terrifying, but... If I don’t do this… Who will?
             “I… I want to stop Exodus.” His voice shook, fingers trembled, but
the determination was clear in his eyes. “Even if it means putting my own life
at risk, if I can do something to fix things…” The disc was held close to his
chest, Jude’s eyes slipping closed, as if making a wish. This was his decision,
his mission. “Then I’ll do whatever it takes.”
             A myriad of emotions crossed Alvin’s face, as if he was surprised
by Jude’s response, and yet not at all.  He took a seat upon the musty bed,
sighing softly. “You’re ready to go up against Spirius and Exodus for this?”
             “Of course I’m not ready.” His grip tightened on the disc as if it
were the only thing tethering him to that small moment of bravery. “But I made
it my goal to help the two worlds. If I ran away now…”
             The people he had met, the friends he had made… Even if he managed
to escape Exodus’s clutches, Jude knew he could never face them again. Not
Balan, not Mary, not Leia… or Alvin.
             Alvin…
             Jude bit his lip. Disc or not, he was just one person facing down
a veritable army. He needed help, and the one person equipped enough for that
stood before him. For a moment he watched Alvin, looking for any sort of
direction, any encouragement from the older man. And yet when Jude laid eyes
upon Alvin he didn’t see the confident man he had come to know, but one that
was conflicted, as if torn between orders and his own emotions. Alvin had been
ordered to take Jude’s life, and yet he spared him. Now the both of them were
on the run, with Exodus and Spirius on their trail. And so far, Jude had no
idea why he had let him live. Was it because of some greater mission? Was he,
too, ready to stand against Exodus? Or was it something more personal than
that?
             Whatever his reasons, Jude knew he couldn’t face Exodus alone.
             “Alvin.” The call of his name grabbed Alvin’s attention, yet the
bewilderment remained on his features. There was comfort in knowing that Alvin
felt just as lost as he did. “If I’m going to do this, I’ll need your help.”
             Jude extended a hand to Alvin, a soft smile crossing his face, the
first offered to the man since the incident. “Come with me, and we can fix
this… For everyone.”
             The smile was returned, and Alvin took his hand. For a brief
second Jude thought he saw Alvin lean closer, as if he intended to embrace him
like before, but had decided against it. Instead, he stood, clapping a hand on
Jude’s shoulder.
             “Sounds like my little Honor’s Student is ready for some
rebellion.” He smirked Jude’s way. The joke was forced, but appreciated none
the less. “Well, if we’re going against the big guys, we’re going to need all
the help we can get.”
             “I’ll help.” Said Ludger as he stood with considerably more ease.
“I can keep Spirius off your trail long enough for you to get away safely.”
             Alvin seemed surprised by this. “Even if it means lying to your
brother?”
             Ludger faltered, but quickly recovered. “I don’t know where Julius
stands on all of this, but I can only hope that he’ll make the same decision I
am now.”
             “You two are really close, aren’t you? What does Erston think of
that?” Alvin elbowed his friend, grinning cheekily as Ludger sputtered and
blushed.
             Jude chuckled at the display; they must have been good friends.
 “Thank you, Ludger.”
             Ludger nodded, sheepishly scratching at the back of his neck. He
was definitely someone he’d want to be friends with. Perhaps when this was all
over, they could be.
             “Welp.” Alvin leaned back to pop his back with groan. “Sounds like
I have some favors to call in.” He winked at Jude before pulling his GHS from
his pocket and dialing.
            
===============================================================================
 
 
             Her name was Presa, and she did not like Alvin. Or at least that
was what Jude gathered from what could be heard of their conversation at the
top of the stairs. Ludger and Jude continued to exchange concerned looks as
Alvin received what could only be a verbal lashing that had been brewing for
some time. If this was one of the favors Alvin was calling in, then he’d hate
to see what the rest of his contacts thought of him.
             The yelling eventually ceased as Alvin explained their situation,
or at least the results thereof. He explained he needed out, and that he had to
show “them” something. Who “they” were, Jude wasn’t sure, but he imagined he’d
find out.
             The call ended and Alvin emerged from the steps, exasperated. Jude
could count on one hand the number of times he had seen the man that irritated,
and a majority of them were a result of his poor sleeping habits. His GHS was
snapped shut and pocketed before he addressed the room.
             “Tonight we’re getting on a merchant cart to Marksburg. From
there, we’re getting on a ship to Lakutam Seahaven.”
             “Lakutam? We’re going to Rieze Maxia?” For a brief moment Jude
thought Alvin intended to run after all, or at least leave Jude somewhere away
from Spirius’s grasp. But the look in Alvin’s eyes said he had a plan, Jude
just hoped it was a good one.
             “Once we dock we’re heading to Xian Du. I have a place there we
can rest. Then I’ll talk to Yurgen about getting us to Kanbalar.”
             Jude blinked in surprise. “Kanbalar? Why there of all places?” But
as soon as the words left his mouth, it occurred to him what was in Kanbalar,
and it all clicked. “Wait… You don’t mean you’re taking this to the King?!”
             Alvin gave a curt nod, crossing his arms. “Exposing this to anyone
in Elympios will get us nothing but a cover up and a bullet in both our heads.
But if we give the info to the big wigs in Rieze Maxia…”
             “Then they can demand answers at the risk of destroying any
diplomatic relations between the two countries.” Jude finished, and Alvin
grinned.
             “Now you’re catching on.”
             It made sense, but at the same time, it didn’t. From Jude’s
standpoint going to Rieze Maxia with all the information seemed the simplest
way to bring an end to the Otherworld Reactor Plan and whatever Exodus had in
store for them. But at the same time, it put the Elympions in a situation where
they could potentially lose all aid that their neighbors had provided, limiting
trade at best, and closing the border at worst.
             And where did Alvin stand on that? He had to know.
             “Alvin, are you sure this is the way you want to go? Depending on
the king’s reaction, it could ruin what hope Elympios has for recovery.” Jude
took a step forward and Alvin turned away, his expression unreadable. This
couldn’t have been easy for him, could it?
             “Don’t get me wrong, kid. I love my country, but…” He sighed,
pinching the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. “Just know that
I’m standing with you on this.”
             “Even though you have family in Exodus?” The man flinched at the
question. Jude recalled the memo, the name of the man that claimed to be in
charge of their operation. He must have been someone Alvin knew.
             Alvin didn’t answer, just shook his head with a heavy sigh. It was
all he would get out of him on the matter.
             After a moment of silence, Ludger got to his feet, pulling his own
phone from his pocket. “If you two are leaving tonight, then I need to make
sure the roads are clear.” He smiled over at Jude, appearing just as tired as
Jude felt. Alvin wasn’t the only one going against family in this. Jude
couldn’t imagine what it would have been like knowing that you stood on the
opposite side of someone you cared about. If it were him… He didn’t know if he
could do it. There were already people that were probably worried sick about
him just being gone this long, he couldn’t imagine having to actually fight
them.
             Ludger gathered his things to leave and made it to the steps
before Jude stopped him. “I know we’re asking a lot of you, but I have a favor
to ask.”
             The pale man paused at the foot of the steps, turning to face
Jude, waiting for him to speak.
             “In Trigleph, there’s a girl working for the paper named Leia…
Could you tell her I’m all right and that I’ll contact her soon?” Jude chuckled
a bit, toying with a bit of hair. “Once she gets wind of what’s going on,
she’ll chase me across the globe to demand an explanation. So just tell her I’m
safe.”
             Even Ludger had to laugh a little at that image, but he nodded all
the same. “I will.” He gave Alvin a wave before disappearing up the steps. He
had his own work to do.
             The door creaked shut at the top of the stairs and Jude felt
himself deflate. What little fumes he had been running off of seemed to go dry
completely, leaving him feeling utterly exhausted. He allowed himself to
collapse onto the bed, staring sleepily up at the ceiling. How many hours had
he been awake now?
             “You should sleep while you can.” Alvin took a seat on the bed
across from him, bringing Jude to attention once more. “The cart won’t pass
through for another couple of hours, then we’ll be off.”
             “Yeah…” Jude answered, half-hearted. Was he really doing this?
Fleeing the country as a criminal and going to see the king? It all seemed so
farfetched, like a wild story that Leia would have come up with after reading
too many adventure novels. But it was the reality he was facing now, and Jude
would have to accept that.
             But it wasn’t just his current goal, but the events leading up to
it that he had yet to fully compartmentalize into cohesive thoughts. His brush
with death at the hands of Alvin, the man he was now counting on to escort him
safely to Kanbalar. Was it really all an act? Could he really trust him?
             He wanted to, more than anything. Jude wanted that, and yet…
             Jude rose, facing the man who sat resting with his face buried in
his hands. “Alvin… About before…”
             Alvin’s head rose long enough to regard him with a grim stare
before being buried again, his auburn locks swaying with as he shook his head.
“I didn’t want to do it, but if I didn’t make it believable, they would have
taken me out too. You gotta understand who we’re dealing with, Jude.”
             Jude nodded even though Alvin couldn’t see it. He accepted the
man’s words without question, though it only lead to more confusion. If it was
all an act… What else was? And how much of what Alvin told him leading up to
this was real?
             He felt his chest tighten with rising anxiety, and decided to drop
it for now. It would do him no good to dwell on petty things like that now; he
had a mission, and he was going to complete it no matter what.
             I will fix things, Alvin. I promise.
Chapter End Notes
     Hello hello everyone! Wow, a lot of you came to read this story this
     time around! I really appreciate all the comments and kudos left, so
     thank you all very much!
     A lot of information has been revealed, and with the next chapter
     there's finally some action!
     This chapter wouldn't have happened if not for the lovely Amavi, who
     provided edits and suggestions and kept me generally motivated
     throughout the week! I'll do my best to produce the next chapter on
     time. And as always, thank you for reading!
***** Chapter 12 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             “Quit touching it, kid.”
             Jude had his hand swatted away from his hair for at least the
third time that morning. In an attempt to keep them under the radar, Alvin had
taken the time to style Jude’s hair and offer him a change of clothes. Where
the man had procured the clothing Jude hadn’t the chance to ask, but he did
have to wonder why Elympions had such an obsession with layers; two shirts and
a vest, one pair of pants with what could only be described as chaps. The top
fit okay, but he needed a belt to keep the pants from falling down his slim
waist.
             He felt mildly uncomfortable in such strange attire, and all but
naked without his lab coat. But Alvin had insisted that the change in wardrobe
was critical to their escape plans. When he wasn’t in his school uniform he
generally wore clothing brought from home, not being able to afford the pricey
fashions of Elympios on top of his living expenses. Synthetic fabrics felt very
different from the cotton and wool he was so used to sporting, but in spite of
the many layers the outfit seemed to be easier to move in, a little airier. And
at the very least he wasn’t a walking billboard saying “I’m from Rieze Maxia”.
             He scratched at his head again, the gel making his scalp itch.
Jude desperately wanted a comb to get his hair to behave, but he had been urged
to leave it. The “I just woke up like this” style was apparently very hip in
Elympios, and yet Jude was left to wonder why Alvin took the time to do his
hair neatly every morning. Must have been part of his “fashion sense”.
             “Jude. I’ll have to put more gel in if you keep messing with it.”
Alvin warned, gently grabbing his wrist, tugging it down to rest on Jude’s
thigh. The space they were allotted in the back of the merchant’s cart was
barely enough for the two of them, Jude having to sit almost awkwardly close,
sidled against Alvin shoulder to shoulder. It was uncomfortable not for the
cramped space, but for the close proximity to the other man. Before he would
not have minded Alvin being so near, in fact he would have craved it. But
things had changed in the last twelve hours (had it really only been that? Jude
was still reeling from it) and now Jude only felt nervous and trapped.
             Jude huffed to cover his nerves, pulling his wrist away. “It
itches… When we get to Lakutam, I’d like to take a shower.”
             Alvin chuckled from his nose, bringing an elbow up to rest on
Jude’s shoulder, leaning close. “You know, that’s a good look on you. Very
sexy.” He teased, which only earned him a swat on the arm from Jude. He
couldn’t wait to get to Marksburg, more specifically out of that cart.
             Can I really do this?Jude asked himself, gazing between the canvas
draping of the cart and out to the dirt road behind him. He had only just made
his decision, yet he was already questioning his resolve. Will the King even
listen? Would giving him this information really solve the problem?He sighed,
resting his head against the side of the wooden cart. What if he doesn’t take
me seriously? He doesn’t have any reason to believe me over any of the
diplomats he has contact with… What will I do if he just throws out our case?
             Jude pulled the disc from the pocket and stared at it as he tried
to piece together his tumultuous thoughts. Maybe it’d be better just to go to
Leronde and see my dad. Maybe he could help us?Jude quickly shook his head,
dispelling the idea. No, he’s probably livid after hearing what happened on the
news. I can’t face that right now.
             The disc was tucked away into the buttoned pocket of his vest and
safe from view. Everything rode on his ability to deliver this information to
the king and plead his case. Jude just hoped it would all work out as planned.
             “Do you think Ludger is okay?” Jude asked, wishing to pass the
time with something other than the topic of his appearance. They had left the
man behind in Drellin with little more than a ‘good luck’ before parting. Now
he was facing what could potentially be an army of Spirius agents for their
sake, asking nothing in return. Jude made a mental note to buy the man dinner
when they saw each other next.
             If they saw each other.
             “Yeah, Ludger will be fine. He’s a spindly guy, but he’s got
powerful friends.” Alvin shrugged, a motion felt all too well with their close
proximity. “Not to mention that brother of his will probably drop Spirius like
a bad habit once he gets wind of what’s happening. He’s loyal to his job, but
even more loyal to his family.”
             “Does Ludger really have such influential people at his side?”
Jude asked, honestly surprised. He didn’t seem like someone who would have such
a commanding presence that he would attract the purportedly powerful allies
Alvin talked about.
             Alvin cast a smirk his way. “You’ll find out soon enough that you
don’t mess with Ludger Will Kresnik.”
             Jude wasn’t sure what Alvin meant, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to
find out either.
             They arrived at Marksburg by midday. The square was already
bustling with pedestrians attending the market, providing plenty of cover for
them to move through. Alvin ordered Jude to stick close, keeping a firm hand on
his wrist as they weaved in and out of alleyways and side streets. They’d stop
at each corner while Alvin took the time to check for anyone that may be a
Spirius agent. Jude remembered him doing this once before, back when they were
fleeing from the attack at Telegraph Square. He was playing the part of the
proper bodyguard, and while that made Jude smile it also looked suspicious as
hell.
             Alvin waited for the crowd to debark from the incoming vessel
before pulling Jude from the alley and towards the ticketer. Nailed to the post
at the dock was a crudely drawn rendition of an aggressive man with black hair
and gold eyes. Jude would have laughed if it wasn’t a wanted poster, and if the
rendition wasn’t supposed to be him. All of a sudden he was thankful for Alvin
taking the time to alter his appearance so drastically.
             The ticketer was presented with fake papers, ones that were either
very convincing or the man at the counter was too lazy to pick up on their
illegitimacy. They were given passes for the ship leaving for Lakutam and made
their way towards the boarding area. Alvin guided them to the loading end of
the dock, pulling Jude behind a stack of crates to wait while the other
passengers finished boarding. The less time they spent on the ship in plain
sight while docked, the better.
             Jude sunk to the ground, leaning back against the crates and
breathing slow, even breaths. Just a little longer and they’d be out of
Elympios and in the safety of Rieze Maxia, his homeland. There was comfort in
that, but at the same time the butterflies continued to clog his chest.
             Alvin crouched next to him, resting a hand against his shoulder.
“You doing all right, kid?”
             Jude nodded, wanting to brush the hand away, his touch making the
butterflies rebel even more. Instead he went for a topic change. “Where did you
get those travel papers?”
             Alvin settled next to him, arms resting on his knees. “I’ve got
connections. It’s common in my line of work to need passes like that.”
             “And you had them with you because…?”
             “…Why do you think?”
             Jude frowned; he already knew Alvin’s answer. In case you needed
to cut and run.
             “Does it bother you?” The mercenary asked, leaning forward as if
trying to catch Jude’s gaze.
             It only earned him another shake of the head, Jude refusing to
continue that topic of conversation. Once his job was over Alvin had planned to
leave Rieze Maxia and go onto whatever new mission Exodus had in store for him.
Clearly having Jude alive put a wrench in those plans, but that did lead Jude
to wonder why he had two passes.
             Maybe Jude had been part of the plan all along. He wished that was
the case.
             The bell sounded on the deck of the ship, last call for boarding.
Alvin stood, dusting off his pants before offering a hand to Jude. It was
denied, the boy instead getting to his feet unaided. “Let’s go.” He brushed
past Alvin, heading for the loading ramp.
             His small display of defiance was short-lived. No sooner had Jude
rounded the crate did he run headlong into someone. He staggered back, rubbing
at his nose and mumbling a quick apology. Then he looked up, coming face to
face with a guard a helmet shy of full armor, and from Helioborg no less.
             Oh, of course the patrol shift would have changed by then. And why
wouldn’t the guards come to Marksburg to spend the day after their shift?
             “Hey, aren’t you---“
             The guard had Jude’s fist in his face before he could finish the
question, downing him in one blow. From the other end of the dock shouts could
be heard, more off-duty guards coming to aid their comrade.
             Shit… I messed up.
             Shots were fired their way and Alvin grabbed Jude by the upper
arm, tugging him behind the crates again. “Really, kid? You had to punch him?”
             “I panicked!” He protested as the guards encroached on them. Alvin
cursed, firing a shot blindly around the corner in hopes of warding them off.
The ship began to pull away, the crew undoubtedly wanting to get as far from
the firefight as possible.
             Without warning, Alvin wrapped his arm around Jude’s waist and
hoisted him effortlessly from the ground, breaking out in a run towards the
boat. Jude yelped in protest, squeezing his eyes shut as they rapidly
approached the end of the dock, bullets flying around them. Jude had never been
more grateful for the budget cuts to the Helioborg marksman program.
             Alvin hit the end of the dock and leaped, catching more air than
Jude thought possible without the aid of some sort of wind arte. They landed
unceremoniously upon the upper deck of the ship, Alvin tumbling onto the planks
with Jude skidding to a halt just a few feet away. The passengers gasped,
backing away from the new additions to their group.
             An official looking man approached Alvin, keeping his distance
while he yelled at the two who somehow managed to jump onto his ship. “What in
Undine’s name was that all about?” He spat, fists balled in an attempt to look
menacing.
             Alvin merely stood, shaking off the impact of their landing and
with a cocky grin. “Oh, that? One of that guy’s exes.” He pointed to Jude, who
squeaked at the accusation. “Not a friendly guy; gets violent whenever he sees
him with another man.” Alvin leaned closer, a hand shielding his face as if
divulging a secret. “Never date Elympion guards. They’re possessive.”
             The sailor took a step back, ears turning red. He quickly glanced
to Jude before shaking his head, demanding their papers. He looked them over
before shoving them against Alvin’s chest. “Keep it at a minimum, boys. There
are children aboard.”
             “Aye, sir.” Alvin gave him a wink, which only served to make the
sailor redder before he left to attend his duties. The crowd dispersed, the
passengers filing below deck to get out of the midday sun, the crew going back
to their work.
             Jude finally rose to his feet, his face just as red if not more
than the unfortunate sailor. Alvin turned to face him, grinning triumphantly.
“Well, that was easy.”
             The comment earned him a punch in the gut, causing Alvin to double
over. Jude was all but glaring at him, blushing from ear to ear. “Really,
that’sthe excuse you give him?”
             Alvin coughed, rubbing his stomach ruefully. “H-hey, it worked,
didn’t it? Not like I could tell him the truth.”
             There were so many things Jude wanted to say on that matter, but
in the end he merely sputtered aimlessly, fighting for composure. Really, why
did he have to make it about that of all things?
             It was as if Alvin sensed his struggling, and decided to try and
change the subject. “Jeez, you really can punch, can’t you? Maybe you didn’t
need a bodyguard after all.”
             There was a pause in his sputtering, but his face remained beet
red. He played with a strand of hair, hugging his free arm around his middle.
“Maybe I should work on that more. I haven’t had as much time to train since
coming to Elympios…”
             A hand was clapped on his shoulder, pulling Jude’s attention back
to Alvin. “Yeah, when this is all over you should work on it. You’ve got the
skill; just have to get back into practice.”
             Jude nodded, feeling a little more at ease. He pulled away from
Alvin and came to stand at the railing, watching as the land disappeared more
with each passing minute.
             Goodbye, Elympios. I’ll keep my promise to you, I swear.
 
             Jude had never been to Xian Du before. He had met people from Xian
Du; their medicine sellers often came through Fennmont to sell their wares to
the hospital, but he had never actually visited himself. He knew that many
tribes had congregated there at one point, and that the current king of Rieze
Maxia had claimed his fame in the Coliseum, but the bare bones information did
little to prepare him for the next leg of their trip.
             It was well into the night when they made it to land, and while
being out of Elympios meant they were out of immediate danger; Alvin insisted
they keep moving until they reached their destination. Spirius may give up the
chase past the border, but Exodus was everywhere. They needed solid walls and
crowds to hide behind until they could reach the capital city.
             The distance between Lakutam and Xian Du had to be covered on
foot. It wouldn’t be a terrible walk if it was flat like the commute he had to
make from Trigleph to Helioborg before the ferry was put in. But this trek was
almost entirely uphill, and while Jude considered himself in fairly good
physical shape, his energy was quickly waning.
             He wouldn’t let that on, no, he didn’t dare. If what Alvin said
was true then they weren’t safe, not until they made it to Xian Du.
             It was this thought that kept him moving, the gravel and dried
grass crunching beneath his feet, echoing off the rocky outcroppings. As they
neared the crest of the hill Jude could see the lights of the coliseum in the
distance, hear the roar of the crowd from late night battles of which the city
was so famous.
             “C’mon.” Alvin urged, wrapping an arm around Jude’s shoulder to
encourage him to keep the pace. “We just have to meet with our contact and then
we can rest.”
             So he knows… Not like it wasn’t obvious, but Jude had hoped his
exhaustion would be better hidden in the darkness. As usual, Alvin’s intuition
was spot on. That, or Jude was completely oblivious.
             The streets of Xian Du were crowded with pedestrians. The bazaar
remained open in spite of the late hour, merchants peddling curious wares to
locals and tourists alike. There were even beasts in cages being displayed,
some tame, some not. It was truly a bizarre town to be in, and a perfect place
to hide in the shadows.
             They ended up at a bar near the center of the city. Alvin pulled
Jude inside, squeezing through a crowd of rowdy patrons clacking their mugs
together and congratulating each other. A victory party?
             “Alvin!”
             At the bar was yet another one of Alvin’s contacts, but this time
a familiar one. Jude was tugged towards the counter where Yurgen greeted them
with a brief bow and a warm smile. “I was curious when you’d arrive. Got
yourself in a bind again, I see.”
             “Well, you know how it goes. Piss someone off, leave the country
for a while.”
             That’s an understatement… Jude groused internally, absently
rubbing at his eyes. It was easy to stay up for a day or two straight if he was
sitting down and reading, less so when traveling across the globe to escape a
terrorist organization.
             It would seem that Yurgen picked up on his foul mood and offered a
hand. “It’s good to see you again, Jude. Are you doing all right?”
             Jude stared at the hand a moment before shaking it, smiling
tiredly up at Yurgen. “It’s good to see you, too, Yurgen.” He chuckled, tucking
a hand behind his head. This was the second time he had met Yurgen, and both
times had been at a bar. Jude wondered if that impacted the man’s perception of
him. “I’ve been better, honestly, but…” He paused, looking to Alvin for
guidance. How much did Yurgen know about what happened?
             Alvin braced his hands against Jude’s shoulders from behind,
leaning over him with a cheesy grin. “Jude here has an audience with the king.
Got some important business to discuss.” His eyes met Jude’s and he winked.
“Isn’t that right?”
             The boy nodded dumbly. Alvin really did have everything planned.
             “With the king? That’s quite impressive!” Yurgen’s praise only
seemed to fluster Jude. He could offer no retort other than a silent nod, all
wit having escaped him with the lack of sleep.
             Thankfully, Alvin was willing to do the talking. “Yep, Judy here
is important, so make sure we get there safely all right, Yurgen?”
             Now it was Jude’s turn to speak up. He knew there was a reason
Alvin had wanted to meet with Yurgen, but up until now he wasn’t sure what that
reason was. “You’re taking us to Kanbalar?” He asked, catching Yurgen’s
attention.
             The tan man blinked in surprise, then smiled gently. It made Jude
feel safer just seeing it. “Not quite. My tribe is one of the few that can
train and command flying beasts called wyverns. This time of year, it’s the
only way to make it through the mountains surrounding Kanbalar without braving
the caverns.”
             Alvin nodded, his hair tickling Jude’s ear. “Yurgen got permission
to lend us one, and that’s why we walked all the way to Xian Du.”
             It made sense, and once again Jude was blown away by Alvin’s
ability to have every step planned. That, and how he managed to know all these
people that could help them. Connections didn’t even begin to describe it.
Alvin seemed to have an entire network of people that he could rely on in tough
times.
             Absently, Jude wondered if he was one of those people.
             “Well, it was more that your letter reached them before me, but I
was willing to comply if it was to help a friend.” The older man gave a nod,
glancing worriedly at Jude. “You guys walked all the way here, right?” Yurgen
turned to address Alvin directly, face serious. “I’ll have the others prep the
wyverns, but you’ll have to wait until morning to fly out.”
             Once again his gaze fell to Jude, the worry clear in his eyes. It
reminded him of all those times Alvin would watch him, wanting to say how awful
he looked, how tired he must have been, but refraining in favor of silently
fretting for the boy’s well-being. “Do you two have a place to stay for the
night?”
             Again, Alvin answered for them. “We’re going to Mom’s place.”
             Mom?
             “Oh, I see. Well, if you need anything, you know where to find
me.”
             Alvin’s mom?
             “Right, we’ll catch you in the morning, Yurgen. And thanks again.”
             Jude was led from the bar and into the streets again, trying to
absorb the information he was given and finding it difficult with his sleep-
deprived mind. Alvin’s mother lived in Xian Du. He hadn’t mentioned her in all
the time they had spent together. Hell, Alvin hardly spoke of his family at
all, save for Balan, and even then he avoided talking about their shared
childhood. Jude knew he had someone in Exodus related to him, but nothing of
his mother.
             The two walked through the dimly lit streets towards the
residential district, taking a lift to a small home tucked away off the main
drag. Alvin rifled through his pockets and procured a small key, shoving it
into the old locks and pushing the door open. He didn’t bother to knock, didn’t
announce his presence to the darkened room. Instead he walked to one end of the
small home, striking a match and lighting a candle.
             No mana lamps? Jude thought it strange for the home to be missing
such a common fixture. But then again, if it was Alvin’s mother, she would have
been Elympion and lacked the ability to use one. He surveyed the room, seeking
out the woman in the darkness, only to be met with a well-furnished but
otherwise empty room.
             “This is… Your mother’s home?” Jude asked tentatively, noting the
tension in Alvin’s shoulders, how he didn’t turn his way when he spoke.
             “Yeah, she lived here for about ten years, actually. Yurgen’s
fiancé, Isla… She was taking care of her.”
             Taking care of her… “Is she sick?”
             Alvin nodded, walking across the room to take a seat at the desk
where several letters were scattered. Jude followed, peering over the man’s
shoulders, noting the writing on each. Neat script, undoubtedly Alvin’s, but
the name signed was different.
             “My father died in a ship accident when I was a kid. Only a few of
us survived. Mom… was never the same after that.” It was the most Alvin had
talked about himself since Jude had known him. Alvin was always about the
present, never wanting to bring up where he was even months before he and Jude
met. It was painful to admit, but he knew little about the man. He didn’t know
about his parents, his childhood, how he grew up and what he had been doing up
until their fated meeting that day in Helioborg.
             One of the letters was held up, Jude taking it in hand. “My mom
had dementia. The doctors in Elympios said there was no helping her, that it
was only a matter of time. I brought her here so she could live peacefully, and
away from anyone who would want to harm her.”
             Jude started to ask who wanted to harm Alvin’s mother when
something on the letter caught his eye.
             “Everyone is doing just fine. Alfred found a stray cat that he
decided to take care of. He even gave it a name; Jude. He’s really become
attached to the little one. He knows he can’t keep it at school, but he’s
determined to watch over it until it’s grown.”
            A cat named Jude, a letter to Alvin’s mother written as another…
             “Near the end, she didn’t remember who I was.” Alvin gently tugged
he letter back, adding it to the small pile on the desk. “She thought I was my
father; that her ‘little Alfred’ was still at boarding school eagerly awaiting
his summer break so he could visit.”
             Near the end… Suddenly it dawned on Jude.
             “…When did she pass?” He asked quietly, placing a comforting hand
upon Alvin’s stiff shoulder.
             “…The day your apartment got broken into, Isla called to tell me
the news.”
             So recent? Why didn’t he say anything? But then Jude remembered
what had been going on the days following the break-in; the impromptu move from
his apartment to Alvin’s, Jude’s destructive spiral into his research, their
brief fight… Jude had been so far gone in his own depression that he was
utterly oblivious to Alvin’s own struggle. If he had been in his right mind,
would he have noticed? If Alvin thought Jude more trustworthy, would he have
confided in him about his mother’s condition, her untimely passing?
             Jude felt at a loss for words. All this time, he had been so hung
up on his own problems that he had completely ignored Alvin’s declining
emotions. He felt a familiar guilt borne from his childish selfishness that
left him blind to the feelings of others.
             “Alvin…” Jude gave his shoulder a squeeze. “I’m so sorry…”
             The hand was gently brushed away, Alvin slowly rising to his feet.
“Don’t be.” He muttered, coming to stand before the vacant bed, photos of
himself, his family, pinned upon the wall near the headboard. “After the
accident, my mother and I were cut off from the family’s funding. Apparently
our stake in it had been removed; she wasn’t part of the Svent line, and I was
too young to have any hold on it.” Alvin took a seat upon the old straw
mattress, head hung low, defeated. “The leaders of Exodus approached me for
work. They’d give me odd jobs; working in the house of other lords to gather
information, sneaking into secret military compounds to steal Rashugal’s
secrets… I got older, the jobs got more dangerous, until I was working as a
full-fledged mercenary traveling the world.”
             Alvin paused, scrubbing at his face with what could only be
frustration. “But Mom only got sicker, and they knew that, and I always thought
that there was no way to break the cycle I’ve been stuck in since I was six
goddamn years old.”
             “Alvin…” In spite of the distance Alvin seemed to try to put
between them, Jude took a seat beside him on the bed. “I’m sorry. If I had
known, I…”
             A hand was held up to silence Jude, Alvin finally looking his way.
“I said don’t. My mom…” He sighed, eyes returning to the floor. “She was
suffering, had been suffering for a long time. I did a lot of shitty things to
support her, thinking that it was good enough just to funnel gald into her
account when I should have just stayed at her side.” Alvin buried his face in
his hand, shoulders shaking, breath coming in short, quiet gasps. He was trying
so hard not to break down, but they both saw it coming and neither knew if it
could be stopped.
             “But I can’t even claim such an altruistic purpose for my actions.
I wanted to live as a mercenary, using my skills to earn money without any
regard for others. I wanted to live without any ties, to be free to do whatever
I wanted with no consequences. And for what? So my mother would die alone while
her useless son lined his pockets with gald?” He shuddered, raking his hands
through his hair before ducking his head again. “What the hell am I supposed to
do now?” He asked, voice quiet, broken. Shame, that must have been what Alvin
felt over his mother’s death. Shame and guilt brought on by a life he perceived
as the easiest way out, only to wind up hurting those he loved.
             Slim arms were wrapped around the man’s shoulders, Jude pulling
him into a tight embrace. Alvin remained stiff at first, but after a moment he
relaxed into the hug, resting his head against the smaller boy’s shoulders.
Jude knew he couldn’t do anything to bring Alvin’s mother back, or even to fix
all the things that had gone wrong in his life. But this, holding him close,
comforting him like Alvin had done for him so many times before… This he could
do.
             Alvin took another calculated breath, as if doing everything he
could to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. “I want out, Jude.” He
admitted, hand reaching up to grip the back of Jude’s shirt. “He always told me
that if I followed orders, she’d be safe, I’d be safe. I could continue to live
freely but…” He shook his head, hand fisting in the fabric on Jude’s back.
“What’s the point if I can’t even keep one person I care about safe? What good
is it when the people I care about are used against me forhis gain?” The
question ended with a soft patter of warmth on Jude’s shoulders, the beginnings
of tears Alvin was unable to hold back anymore.
             One had to wonder, was it his mother Alvin spoke of, or Jude
himself? Had the man felt guilty for lying to him all this time for the sake of
Exodus’s will? Perhaps this was the reason Jude had been seeking; why he was
spared, why Alvin was going through all this trouble to distance himself from
Exodus. He wanted to run, and Jude was along for the ride.
             Somehow that made it so much easier to trust him again.
             “It’s all right, Alvin.” Jude murmured into his hair, hands
rubbing slow circles into Alvin’s back. “What matters now is that you’re trying
to get out, right? You’re trying to keep moving, even though your drive is
gone…”
             Alvin didn’t respond, just sat there silently while he attempted
to recompose himself. They stayed like that for a time, Jude holding the older
man much like Alvin had for him when he felt like the world was caving in on
him. Alvin had been there for him even when his own world was crashing down, as
if he could hold up the collapse with his broad shoulders, shelter Jude from
the wreckage borne from his selfish desires.
             Now it was Jude’s turn to shelter him.
             After several long moments of haggard breathing and soft whispers
of encouragement, Alvin finally pulled away, face flushed and eyes puffy. He
coughed to clear his throat, clearly embarrassed by his moment of weakness.
“Sorry. I really didn’t want you to see me like that.” He muttered, scrubbing
at his face with a groan. “Man, being around you has made me one hell of a
softie. What will the cool kids think of me now?”
             Jude chuckled, reaching over to smooth Alvin’s hair from his face.
“Even the cool kids get upset sometimes, right? And I don’t think any less of
you for it.”
             In the flickering candlelight, he saw Alvin smile, and things
between them felt just a little bit lighter.
             With a soft sigh, Jude leaned heavily against his shoulder,
allowing himself to finally relax. “We… Should really sleep. I think those
hours we agreed upon were up a while ago.”
             Alvin snorted at that, reaching up to ruffle Jude’s hair. “You’re
right. We have to catch an early flight, don’t we?”
             Jude hummed a response, already falling asleep. Just being next to
Alvin was comfortable enough.
             Alvin toed off his shoes and took a spot on the straw mattress
near the wall, patting the space next to him. “It’s small but it’s better than
camping.”
             It was a little strange sleeping in the bed that Alvin’s late
mother had laid in, but at that point he didn’t care, so exhausted was he. That
night they shared the only bed in the house, packed tightly together for lack
of space. But even with Alvin’s back pressed uncomfortably against his, it’s
the best sleep Jude’s had in recent memory. He liked to think Alvin slept well,
too.
Chapter End Notes
     A little reconciliation in this chapter, and Alvin explaining his
     motives, or at least as much as Alvin typically does. We're heading
     into the home stretch, everyone! A huge, huge thank you to Amavi for
     her wonderful suggestions that made this chapter great. As always, I
     love hearing from you all and thank you for reading!
***** Chapter 13 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             “Alvin, are you sure you can control this thing?”
             Jude’s voice was just barely audible over the roar of the wind and
snow that pelted them as they flew over the mountains surrounding Kanbalar. He
clung close, arms wrapped firmly around Alvin’s waist as they soared through
the clouds on the back of the wyvern.
             “Why? You wanna try?” Alvin called back with a laugh. He seemed to
be handling the beast with only minor trouble, which Yurgen had told them to
expect. Unless you were part of their tribe, the wyverns were likely to
misbehave out of defiance. Thankfully this was not Alvin’s first flight, and
much to Jude’s relief they had not been tossed off the saddle and sent tumbling
towards the jagged mountains below.
             Not yet, anyway.
             The wyvern bucked in mid-air and took a sudden dive through the
grey storm clouds. Jude yelped and gripped Alvin’s waist even tighter,
squeezing his eyes shut as he awaited the inevitable impact with the ground.
Yet the wyvern leveled out moments later, the snow-capped mountains now
whizzing by beneath their feet.
             Alvin took one hand from the reigns and placed it over Jude’s,
giving him a comforting pat. “Look, you can see Kanbalar.”
             Jude leaned to the left, spotting the capital city in the
distance. Admittedly, Jude knew very little of the area, and in relation, the
new king. He had grown up in what was formerly the Kingdom of Rashugal, ruled
by King Nachtigal. The late king was the primary supporter of the open-border
treaty, insisting that it was high-time for Rieze Maxia to move forward into
the technological age. “For the greater good of all in this world”, he had said
in a rousing speech to his subjects. It was almost entirely thanks to him that
the treaty was passed, and the process of building new relations with their
neighbor country truly began.
             Sadly, he did not live to see his work come to fruition, passing
suddenly a mere months before the border was officially open. Rumors attributed
his death to those against the merging of the worlds, some even pointing the
finger to the ruler of the neighboring kingdom. With Nachtigal gone and no
clear heir named, the council announced that the two kingdoms would merge into
one, acting as the United Kingdom of Rieze Maxia under the rule of Kanbalar’s
king, Gaius.
             The ruler of Kanbalar had repeatedly voiced his disdain for
assisting the Elympion “degenerates”, stating that their continued isolation
was the only thing saving them from meeting the same fate as the dying country.
But it would seem that the people’s opinions far outweighed his own, and being
a man purportedly of his people, King Gaius ultimately continued with the
treaty.
             Knowing this, Jude felt a wave of anxiety at the idea of
presenting his findings to the king. The information he had to offer would only
paint the Elympion people in the very light that almost undid the treaty before
it began. Would the king use his findings as justification to nullify the
treaty, closing the border once again? If that were to happen, they really
would have no hope of stopping Exodus or helping Elympios. The fate of both
worlds fell squarely onto his shoulders and Jude wasn’t sure if he could handle
the pressure.
             The pressure, and the cold. It was unreasonably cold. He really
wished Alvin had given him a coat to go with his new attire. Goosebumps rose on
his exposed arms, his body wracked with shivers as the frigid air rushed around
them. It was a wonder he hadn’t developed frostbite from exposure alone. Alvin
wasn’t dressed much more conservatively than he was; wasn’t he freezing as
well?
             Jude would receive no reprieve from the cold as they came in for a
landing before the castle gates, snow sent flying by the flapping of the
wyvern’s powerful wings. The guards posted at the entry stepped back, allowing
the beast the wide girth it required to properly land. The beast gave a non-
committal growl before lowering its head, allowing its passengers to dismount.
Alvin first, then Jude stiffly behind him.
             Within seconds the guards approached, putting Jude on edge. “State
your business.” They ordered, pikes at the ready, only serving to rile him up
more. Jude had had just about enough of hostile guards threatening him.
             Thankfully, Alvin was there to step between them. “Whoa, easy
there. We’re expected.”
             “And whom is expecting you, Elympion?” The pike was turned on
Alvin, the man throwing his hands up in defense. Were the people of Kanbalar
just as distrustful of Elympions as their king?
             Alvin looked over his shoulder at Jude, casting him an apologetic
smile before returning his attentions to the guard. “I’m here to see King
Gaius. This kid is requesting an audience.”
             “The king does not accept audiences unless a request is formally
submitted in writing to the Prime Minister. No exceptions!”
             “Of course…” Alvin grit his teeth, briefly glancing around before
fixating on one corner of the stone wall surrounding the city. He frowned,
hands still raised as he called out. “Are you just gonna watch me flounder or
are you gonna help me out here?”
             A blur of blue and black flicked across Jude’s vision, a figure
darting from above and landing before them, further startling the guard. Blonde
hair, skin-tight attire, definitively female in form. She pushed up her glasses
as she silently regarded Alvin before addressing the guards with a wave of her
hand. “Let them pass.” Her voice was decadent, sultry in her command. The
guards obeyed without a single vote of protest, signaling to open the gate for
the three to enter.
             The three were escorted into the city proper, the gates clattering
closed behind them. At the head of their group, the woman said nothing as she
lead them further into the snow-covered streets, Alvin sticking close to Jude’s
side. He appeared tense, yet contemplative as he watched the woman almost
saunter along the path, silently leading them further into the city.
             All the while Jude observed his surroundings, taking in the
architecture of the capital city. It was strange to think that this place was
now considered one of the most important areas of Rieze Maxia. Until recently,
Fennmont had held that title, with a majority of Rashugal’s trade being
funneled through the military base, making it the first stop for anyone wishing
to make their mark within the country. But with the passing of King Nachtigal
and the uniting of the two kingdoms, the capital city shifted to this remote,
mountainous region.
             Strategically it made sense; Fennmont was near the coast and
easily accessible to allies and enemies alike. Kanbalar, on the other hand, was
surrounded on three sides with treacherous mountains, and one with a monster-
infested marsh. It was clear why the trade mecca remained in Xian Du when you
considered how difficult it was to actually reach the castled city.
             They came upon a secluded courtyard outside what appeared to be an
old chapel. No townspeople were around, all presumably hiding within their
homes to avoid the bitter cold that befell the city nearly year round. Alone,
or at least as alone as they could be in the open, Presa finally turned on
Alvin, wasting no time in laying into him.
             “Four years, Al.” She seethed, grabbing ahold of the man’s prized
scarf as if threatening to hang him by it. “Four years, and the first time you
call me is for a favor?”
             Alvin grimaced, hands coming up to grab ahold of the scarf knot
out of self-preservation. “Easy, Presa! No need to take my head off!”
             “You’re fortunate if that is all that is done to you within these
walls. Do you have any idea what hell you put us through when you left? The
fact that you’d have the audacity to call on me for help is so completely
beyond me that I have half a mind to throw you into the dungeon to see how
youlike it.”
             “Can you throw us somewhere warminstead? Jude’s freezing out
here.” Both looked to Jude, who had been watching with a mixture of fear and
intrigue while the woman chewed Alvin out. So this is Presa…
             Presa huffed, smirking Jude’s way. “Oh, so this is the one?” She
hummed, letting go of Alvin’s scarf and ambling over to Jude, grinning. “The
studious researcher gone rogue for the sake of his mission, is that it, Jude
Mathis?” She spoke softly like a secret, the air of familiarity completely
bewildering Jude. Did she know him? Had he met her?
             A single finger brushed along the underside of Jude’s chin, Presa
leaning closer, expression almost predatory. “You came all this way thinking
you could simply walk in and plead your case with the King, is that what Alvin
told you?”
             Jude nodded, feeling the woman’s eyes on him. It felt as if she
were seeing right through, completely exposing his innermost fears to the
world. It was unnerving, yet strangely familiar. “Yes, it’s imperative that I
speak with the king right away and---“
             “He isn’t here.” She cut him short, pulling back and meandering
over to Alvin like a defiant cat. “Stepped out to take care of business.
Urgent, he said.”
             “What?” They had come all this way and the king wasn’t there?
Hadn’t Alvin made arrangements for a meeting as soon as they arrived? “When
will he return?”
             Presa took an express interest in her nails, hips canted to one
side. “By the morrow, I imagine. It’s not like you can expect him to clear his
schedule for a simple researcher and a spy.”
             “I… I didn’t expect him to, but…” Jude looked to Alvin for
guidance, but the man only shrugged, shaking his head. It would seem even his
connections only went so far, and they were reaching the extent of his
abilities.
             The woman adjusted her glasses with a soft hum and once again Jude
felt like he was being dissected by those eyes. Such a peculiar woman, and yet
he felt as if he had seen her before at one point. But where?
             “So, this is your new toy, Al? Your tastes certainly havechanged…”
             Jude took a half-step back, face lighting up with a heavy blush.
“T-toy? I-I’m not…”
             “Oh? Is that not the case?” Presa cooed, only serving to make Jude
blush more.
             “Presa.” Alvin warned, a firm hand on her shoulder. “Give it a
rest. You’re giving him ideas.”
             The woman chuckled, brushing Alvin’s hand off before crossing her
arms over her voluptuous chest. “Ideas he says…” She observed Jude a moment
longer, seemingly amused by the heavy blush that was creeping down his neck.
Instead of pushing the teasing further, she simply smiled. “I am Presa of the
Chimeriad employed by King Gaius.”
             The Chimeriad… Jude had only heard of them in passing. They were
said to be an unstoppable elite group of fighters that served as the king’s
personal guard. If this woman was part of such a group, then perhaps Alvin’s
connections went further than he originally thought.
             Remembering his etiquette, Jude quickly bowed his head. “I’m Jude
Mathis, a researcher from Leronde currently working in Trigleph. Thank you for
allowing us into Kanbalar.”
             Presa all but giggled at his posture, bringing a hand up to cover
her lips. “My, where did you find this one, Al? I didn’t think cradle-robbing
was part of your ledger.”
             “Presa,” Again with that warning tone. “Leave it alone.”
             “You’re Rieze Maxian, are you not? How did you get mixed up with
this man of all people?”
             Jude lifted his head slightly, still feeling unsettled by the
woman’s devouring gaze. “He is…” He caught himself. “…wasmy bodyguard.”
             The woman seemed intrigued by that. Had she not known? Or was it
Jude’s reaction that piqued her interest? “You’ve a demon’s luck to be stuck
with this man as a bodyguard…” She quipped, each word accentuated with a little
sway of her hips, as if mocking the man that stood behind her. It was clear
that Presa held an almost unhealthy amount of disdain for Alvin, but for what
reason, Jude did not know.
             But if she was close to Alvin once, he wanted to know. In a brief
flicker of courage, he stood up fully, putting on a brave face as he spoke.
“Did you two work together before, Presa?”
             Her expression darkened considerably, but the smug grin remained.
Presa glanced over her shoulder, one hand on her hip as she regarded the man in
question. “Oh, you didn’t tell him?” She purred, earning a glare from Alvin.
The man opened his mouth as if to cut her off, but Presa beat him to it. “We
were engaged.”
             Oh.
             The proverbial can of worms opened and more questions began
spilling out. This woman was Alvin’s fiancé? But she had used past tense, so
they were not engaged any longer? What could have happened between them that
caused such tension that they did not speak for four years?
             Many questions arose, but Jude knew he would be denied answers for
now. Alvin stepped between them in what Jude assumed was an attempt to reroute
the conversation to something less damaging. “Presa, get down to business
already.”
             “Oh? Don’t want him to know our history, Al?”
             What was she implying? Jude wasn’t sure he wanted to know. In
fact, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know much about this woman at all. She seemed
close to Alvin, or at least close at one time. What happened between them Jude
wasn’t sure, and it appeared Alvin wasn’t keen on him finding out.
             All he knew was that she was dangerous, probably just as dangerous
as Alvin, if not more.
             Seemingly having had her fill of Jude blushing, Presa turned to
face Alvin, expression becoming serious. “You’ll be barred access to the castle
until Rowen or Gaius returns. Until then, you’ll stay at the inn.”
             “As long as it has a fireplace, I don’t really care.” Alvin
quipped, rounding the woman to stand by Jude’s side, wrapping an arm around his
shoulders. A protective gesture, or simply an attempt at keeping Jude warm?
He’d opt for either at that point.
             Presa said little as she led them down the streets of Kanbalar
again, heading towards the solitary inn within the city’s walls. Alvin kept him
close, providing a welcome reprieve from the biting cold that seeped into his
skin, making him hyperaware of each and every inch of exposed flesh. What he
wouldn’t give for the wool coat he had left behind in Trigleph.
             The group came to a halt before the stone walls of the inn, Presa
turning on heel to address the two. “I will report of your arrival. Once the
king has agreed to the audience, you will be sent for.”
             Once he agrees to it? “But I thought that king was expecting us?”
Jude queried, suddenly concerned that they had gone all that way for nothing.
Hadn’t Alvin made these arrangements already?
             Presa crossed her arms with a sardonic grin, as if to comment on
how naïve Jude was. “My, aren’t we idealistic? With what little information
Alvin was able to provide over the phone, it’s a wonder that he’s even
considering hearing your case at all.” Her gaze turned to Alvin, who only
grimaced in response. She was teasing him, and they both knew it. “He will see
you in due time. Until then, you will have to wait like a good boy.” Presa cast
a suggesting wink Jude’s way, only serving to fluster the boy further. Really,
what was she getting at?
             “Don’t heckle the kid.” Alvin groused, voice stern. “He’s been
through a lot recently.”
             Presa rolled her eyes in response, canting her hips to one side.
“I imagine much of that is because of you, Al.”
             Alvin didn’t deny it.
             A brief pause, then Presa’s attention was on Jude again. She
leaned close, voice low, but there was no play in her tone. “I’d do yourself a
favor, boy. Part ways with that man as soon as you can. He’ll only hurt you in
the end.”
             The woman disappeared into the shadows as quickly as she had
appeared, leaving Jude feeling vulnerable, bewildered. He couldn’t shake the
feeling that Presa knew him in some way, and not just from what little she had
gained from the brief conversation with Alvin just a few days prior. Moreover,
she seemed to know Alvin far better than he did, and held secrets that the man
dare not share himself. Just how close was this woman to Alvin, and how much of
his dark past would she be willing to divulge?
             Jude made a mental note to ask later, but for now, he just wanted
to get warm.
             The room was about as cozy as one would expect of a rustic
mountain town.  Two beds lined with furs, thick curtains covering the windows
as another round of snow began to fall just outside. A hearth nestled into the
interior wall, a fire already crackling merrily within, warming the room. The
door was closed behind them, finally affording some semblance of safety and
privacy for Jude. They were out of the woods for now, safe within Kanbalar’s
walls, for however long that would be.
             “I’ll call one of the maids to run a bath.” Alvin volunteered.
“Why don’t you go sit by the hearth and warm up? Your lips are turning blue.”
He stepped into the hallway, leaving Jude to his own devices.
             Jude quickly made himself comfortable in front of the fire, taking
a seat upon one of the fur rugs. Never before had he been more thankful for
something so simple as a fireplace, relishing the feeling of his limbs slowly
coming back online with pinpricks of a thousand tiny needles.
             Alvin returned a moment later, taking a seat next to Jude by the
fire, pulling off his coat and tossing it upon the bed. “Maid’s working on your
bath now. Shouldn’t be too long.”
             “Thanks.” Jude said quietly, holding his hands close to the
flames. Having Alvin next to him again brought his mind back to the questions
that had arisen during their short time with Presa. As much as Jude wanted to
offer Alvin the luxury of privacy on the matter, too much had happened over the
last few days for him to allow such secrets. That, and some of what Presa had
said was… troubling.
             “You were engaged?” Jude asked, hoping he wouldn’t regret his
decision to dig further.
             Alvin sighed audibly, resting propping his elbow upon his raised
knee. “Yeah, we were.”
             A pause ensued, Jude waiting for him, expecting more than just a
frivolous response.
             The other seemed to pick up on this and after a moment of silence,
continued. “We were going to get married, but her orders conflicted with mine
and I had to break it off.”
             “Orders?” Curious. Orders from the king? Or someone else?
             Alvin nodded, staring into the flames, as if unwilling to look at
Jude while he confessed. “At the time she was gathering intel working at the
hospital. I just happened to be working for the Rashugal military, and… One
thing led to another.”
             “Wait, working at the hospital?” Suddenly the woman’s familiarity
with him was explained, and Jude realized all at once that he did know Presa.
The secretary, the one that always seemed to give him furtive winks whenever
he’d drop off files at the nurse’s station. What was her name? Mouse? No, Mink.
Mink, that was her name. Jude kicked himself for not realizing sooner; it had
been a few years, but he should have been able to recognize her even without
the typical employee uniform.
             “Sounds like you’ve already figured it out.” Alvin chuckled,
laying his head against his outstretched arm, expression forlorn. “I ended up
turning her in to the military. I’d like to say it was an act of self-
preservation; she was feeding info on me and my troops to her employer. But…”
He gave a half-hearted shrug. Alvin didn’t have to say it out loud; he knew the
reason why. It was another job, just like this one. The heads go to the highest
bidder, and it just so happened that the sack of coin he received outweighed
his feelings for Presa.
             “Did you love her?” Jude asked, but did he really want to know?
Did he want to hear what Alvin had to say about this woman he had intended to
marry and had ultimately left behind?
             A beat of silence, then Alvin answered. “Yeah. I loved her. But I
had orders.”
             Jude’s stomach tied itself up in knots as he realized how
painfully similar Presa’s story was to his own. Perhaps the exchange of vows
was not involved in their retelling, but the closeness, the emotions, the
inevitable betrayal… “So your orders override your personal ties… Is that why
you cut her off?”
             Another beat of silence, then a nod. Alvin seemed to be struggling
with something within himself, but at that point, Jude wasn’t entirely sure he
wanted that fight explained. “That’s right. It was better that way.”
             The tension was nearly tangible between them, Jude’s thoughts
almost loud enough for the other to hear. All this, the appearance of the long
lost fiancé, the allusions to his own relationship with Alvin, and Presa’s
words…
             “Was she your toy?”
             “What?”
             Jude felt his face grow hot, and it wasn’t because of the fire.
“Presa asked if I was your new ‘toy’. That would imply that you’ve had them
before, right?”
             Alvin audibly groaned and scrubbed at his face. “That’s… Damn that
Presa, putting ideas in your head…”
             “Alvin.” Jude tugged at Alvin’s wrist, bringing the man’s
attention back to him. “What did she mean by that?”
             Alvin paused, staring sidelong at the young boy for a second
before answering in the most deadpan voice he could muster. “She means if we’re
sleeping together.”
             Oh.
             Oh.
             Jude’s face lit up a brilliant pink and he was suddenly very sorry
he asked. Did they really give off that impression? Yes, he had definitely had
a crush on the man, and before all the chaos started he was definitely
considering asking him about a relationship. But right now there was so much
more going on that needed his full attention. And even if there wasn't, they
hadn’t even made it past holding hands, let alone actually…
             His nose was flicked by Alvin and Jude was abruptly brought from
his thoughts and back to reality. “Stop thinking about it so much.” Alvin
stated curtly before rising to his feet. “When this is all over, you won’t have
to see me again.”
             Alvin’s words hung in the air as he exited into the hallway, no
doubt checking on the status of their baths. Yet Jude wished he had stayed if
only to get something of an explanation from the about his last statement.
             You won’t have to see me again…
             “But… What if I don’t want that?” Jude asked the empty room, and
was grateful for the lack of answer he received.
Chapter End Notes
     Oh man, was it ever tough to meet that deadline this time around. My
     roommate's parents were in town which ate up all my time, and on top
     of that, I came down with a bug that made me feel absolutely awful,
     so I apologize if this chapter was a mess. That being said, if for
     any reason I know I'm going to miss a deadline, it'll be posted on my
     tumblr. I may take a break in another couple of weeks but until then,
     back to your regular schedule!
     I want to thank my editor Amavi for keeping me motivated and helping
     me fix this piece up. And thank you to everyone who reads this every
     week! You're amazing, thank you so much!
***** Chapter 14 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             The Palace of Kanbalar was huge and imposing, just as one would
imagine it to be. Walking through those massive gates into the foyer made Jude
feel small and anxious, and though Alvin was at his side, his presence did
little to settle the nerves. It reminded him of his first day at Talim, the
feeling of insignificance while standing in the presence of doctors and
researchers so great he was sure he would never be able to look them in the
eye. Except in this case, the person he was to meet was not an esteemed
researcher in the medical field, but the king of all of Rieze Maxia.
             And instead of secretaries and students, he was surrounded by
guards and servants, all with eyes on him.
             Instinctively Jude clutched at his shirt pocket, feeling the disc
still safely tucked away. Any moment now and he’d be standing before the king,
explaining his findings. His fate, his home’s fate, hung on whether he could
convince the king to listen to their cause. Again the nagging voice in his head
iterated that he was just a young boy, that the king had no real reason to
consider his words.
             Perhaps if he had grown up in Auj Oule he would not be so nervous;
King Gaius was hailed as a hero in this land, much like King Nachtigal had been
back home. If Jude had been called before the courts in Rashugal, he’d be
nervous still, but honored that he could meet such a prolific figure. Nachtigal
was known as a kind and just man, but Gaius… He knew nothing about him save
that he won his position through battle. Jude wasn’t even sure what he looked
like, let alone what to expect personality-wise.
             The lack of preparation was wearing on his nerves more than he
liked to admit. It felt like forever since they were called to the palace to
finally meet with the king, yet they were still standing in the foyer waiting,
with Jude worrying over his words. He had already gone over his pre-prepared
speech a dozen times in his head with different outcomes, some good, most bad.
Was it really right to be so fearful of the king? Was he not considered a
benevolent ruler?
             “Stop thinking so much.” Alvin commented, bringing him out of his
thoughts and back to reality. In spite of Jude’s own unease, Alvin seemed the
picturesque of calm, even if his expression was already bleak.
             “Then why don’t you tell me what you’re thinking?” Jude countered,
ceasing his fidgeting and instead turning his focus on Alvin. “This isn’t your
first time meeting the king, is it?”
             Alvin quirked a brow at his accusation, but chuckled all the same.
“You figured me out. Yeah, I worked for him at one time.”
             “You worked for him?” That much was a surprise, and yet after he
gave it some thought, it shouldn’t have been. Alvin had been working for Exodus
while being contracted to Rashugal, and apparently the same went for Spirius.
How long had Alvin been playing multiple sides like that? But strategically, it
made sense. What better way to gather information than to gain it from a source
on the inside? Then again, that had apparently gone sour before, hence Presa’s
overall opinion of Alvin. Was it even a good idea to bring him along for this?
             “Don’t get all bent out of shape about it.” Alvin shrugged off
Jude’s shock and attempted to set the story straight. “I didn’t do anything
bad, just gathered some intel that he needed. Not every mission I’ve had ended
in broken hearts.”
             “Or murder?” Jude asked, still leery.
             A low blow, and its effect was clearly displayed on Alvin’s face.
“Will you cut me some slack? I got us here safe and sound, didn’t I?”
             He had, to an extent, and yet Jude still felt embittered by
Alvin’s actions. He had thought he was doing better after that night in Xian
Du, after hearing Alvin’s motives for keeping up with Exodus and the admission
of his faults. But Presa’s words still hung in the air; about being hurt, being
led on, then abandoned by Alvin. And then there was Alvin’s statement from the
night before, how he intended to leave once this was all resolved; perhaps that
was what put Jude in such a foul mood while waiting for the king.
             But was that really fair to Alvin? He had his reasons, right?
             Or are you just running, Alvin? Jude wanted to ask, but let it
drop. It wasn’t like him to be so malicious about things. Didn’t he tell
himself that he’d give Alvin another chance after hearing his story back in
Xian Du? Besides, it wouldn’t do either of them any good to hold this over the
Alvin’s head right now. They had more important things to worry about.
             With a sigh, Jude shook his head, casting a remorseful look
Alvin’s way. “I’m sorry. I guess I really am nervous about meeting the king…”
             Instead of Alvin giving Jude any flack for his worries, he simply
draped an arm around his shoulders, giving him a quick squeeze. “Hey, don’t
sweat it, okay? Yeah, he’s bit on the severe side, but Gaius is a good man.”
             “You act as if you know him personally.”
             “You’d be surprised…”
             Before Jude could ask about his cryptic remark, a guard approached
them. Standing at attention, he spoke quick and stern. “His Majesty King Gaius
will see you now. Do not waste his time.” The guard warned, and Jude wondered
if this was the same pikeman that they ran into at the city’s gates for how
bitter he was towards him.
             It mattered little. The moment they were waiting for had finally
arrived.
             Alvin remained at his side as they entered the throne room; a long
walkway decorated in red and gold over stone. Jude spotted Presa first,
standing with arms crossed next to the throne. Three others assumed to be the
remaining members of the Chimeriad were along with her; two men and a young
woman, all watching him in an almost adjudicating manner as he approached.
             And at the center was the king; dark skin and hair, elaborate red
and gold robes, a stony gaze that pierced Jude’s very being.
             Jude remembered that gaze, that face…
             “You are…!” He stopped himself before he blurted it out. That
night at Film Noir, with Ludger!
             The familiarity seemed to go both ways, but Gaius did not act on
it the same that Jude did. Instead, he merely cleared his throat and spoke.
“And who is it that has come before me?”
             Presa stepped forward, adjusting her glasses, as if she too had
not anticipated Jude’s reaction. “Presenting Jude Mathis of Leronde, and Alvin
Svent of Trigleph.”
             “An odd pair to stand before me.” Gaius eyed Alvin momentarily,
whom gave him a casual wave that earned Alvin a quirked brow. His attention
returned to Jude, addressing him with all the grandeur one would expect of an
esteemed ruler. “Word has reached my ears that you have obtained information
that is vital to the livelihood of my people.”
             Jude took a slow breath before stepping forward, holding his head
high to feign confidence. “Yes, your majesty.” He didn’t want to think that his
voice was shaking, but Jude was sure it was, if only minutely. “I am a
researcher currently stationed at the Helioborg base in Elympios. My team and I
have been working on developing a renewable energy source that would no longer
compromise the livelihood of spirits.”
             “A noble cause to assist their kind in righting their wrongs.”
Just as Jude feared, the king’s opinion on the Elympion’s choices was not
positive. This may not end well, he realized with a sinking feeling.
             “I…” Jude paused and glanced to Alvin, as if asking for
reassurance. “We have reason to believe that a faction within Elympios is
intending to use a weapon against Rieze Maxia.”
             The king’s expression became decidedly sour, and suddenly he did
not look so benevolent as he did before. “…Go on.”
             With the king and the Chimeriad watching, Jude told his story. He
explained how Professor Haus and he had been working on a solution to the
energy crisis, the professor’s untimely death at the hands of Exodus. Jude
regaled being pursued by Exodus at every turn, tormented in hopes of speeding
his work along. The parts with Alvin holding a gun to his head were skillfully
glanced over for the mercenary’s sake, but Jude was sure to explain in great
detail his findings from the archive.
             The disc was held aloft, a glint of light from the torches
reflecting off the metallic surface. “This contains the documents announcing
the reinstatement of the Otherworld Reactor Project, specifically a weapon
called the Lance of Kresnik.”
             The king raised a brow. “The Lance of Kresnik…?” He echoed, a note
of recognition in his voice. There was irony to be had in Exodus naming their
weapon after a prophetic sage from Rieze Maxian history, and even more so that
said weapon shared a name with the man that the king was presumably dating.
             Gaius’s expression had transformed from concern to anger with only
a moment’s passing. But he was listening and that was what Jude needed. What
they all needed. “Yes, your highness. I was not able to read much of the
material, but my possession of it has caused Exodus to pursue me. I believe the
content of this disc is something they need, and I don’t know how long they’ll
wait before making a move.”
             The room fell silent as Gaius crossed his arms, closing his eyes
in contemplation. None dare speak until their king said what he wished to say.
“We agree to offer aid, yet they use it to create a weapon to be used against
my people.” Suddenly Jude became nervous; his tone, his stance… It wasn’t what
he hoped for.
             Gaius stood, addressing the room as a whole. “From the beginning
our truce has been tentative. I am not deaf to the cries of my people being
brutally slaughtered in the name of some false superiority these Elympions
proclaim.” His arms were lowered, hands balled into tight fists. “And to hear
that people holding seats of power have been encouraging these acts… I will not
stand for it any longer.”
             “Your highness,” One of the Chimeriad, a tall bearded man with
broad shoulders and tribal garb, step forward to gain the king’s attention.
“Surely you do not mean to denounce the treaty…”
             “It is precisely that.” Gaius reiterated, and Jude felt his heart
drop out of his chest. No, this wasn’t what he wanted at all! If the borders
are locked down again, the problem would only get worse for Elympios! More
people were going to die, the violence would only continue, and Exodus…
             “It won’t change things.” This time it was Alvin who spoke for
him, taking a step forward so he stood at Jude’s side once more. “Yeah, there
are people high-up supporting Exodus, but not all do. And not all Elympions
support their actions.”
             Gaius seemed put off by Alvin’s protest, that much was apparent by
the searing glare the man received. “That matters little when that support
exists. It is as the boy said; our aid was used against us and for that there
will be repercussions.”
             “Yeah, I get that, but you’re forgetting that Exodus themselves
exist on both sides of the border. They have for decades, right under your
nose.” Just for emphasis, Alvin tapped his own nose, winking at Gaius. “But you
knew that, didn’t you?”
             The king was all but glowering at Alvin now, and Jude wasn’t sure
if it was a good or bad thing that he was sassing the ruler of an entire
country. Didn’t Alvin have any sense of self-preservation anymore?
             “You’d be wise to know your place, spy. Do not think I have not
heard of your activities. I, too, have eyes beyond my border.”
             Alvin shrugged and Jude was beginning to sweat. This conversation
was already going south and he was unsure of how to steer it back. And Alvin
was not helping in the least. At this rate, they’d be thrown out for
disrespecting the king, if not imprisoned.
             But just as Jude was beginning to apologize for Alvin’s remarks,
another voice cut him off. “Perhaps I may offer a suggestion.”
             From behind them entered an older gentleman, garbed in a suit
typical of the Elympion highlife. His silvery hair was tied back in a neat
braid, a well-groomed beard accenting his pale features; the picturesque
impression of a wise sage. “Things are looking lively as usual, my lord.”
             “Rowen.” Gaius’s attention was pulled from Alvin with the man’s
approach. “You have returned.”
             Rowen… As in Rowen Ilbert? Jude knew that name all too well. He
was a legend in his homeland, a man that was said to have turned many battles
in favor of the Rashugal army on many occasions, earning the nickname the
Conductor. He stood as Chief of Staff prior to the fall of the king, and came
to act as Prime Minister once the kingdoms were united. He had been on
television numerous times, speaking on behalf of Rieze Maxia on the many issues
both countries were facing. A man of great prestige; Jude would have been star-
struck if he were not so anxious about the outcome of the conversation.
             He approached the king and bowed at the waist, addressing him
formally. “Yes, and at no better time, it seems. I am afraid that I stand with
these outsiders on this matter.”
             Gaius was taken aback by his statement, but it was quickly masked
by that stern visage of which the king seemed fond. “I imagine you have an
explanation, then.”
             “Indeed I do.” With hands tucked behind his back, Rowen spoke,
addressing the room with all the grace one would expect of the Prime Minister.
“For some time I have watched over the state of unrest within Elympios, and I
have seen their plight first hand. Their world dies at their fingertips, and
they continue to scramble for a cure to the disease that is causing their world
to rot.” He turned to Jude, smiling gently at the stunned boy. “That is why we
of Rieze Maxia chose to offer our great minds and understanding of the spirits
to find a solution.”
             “And though we offer aid, they still seek to bring harm to our
country. They treat my people like beasts to be culled.” Gaius countered,
becoming heated once again.
             Thankfully, Rowen was a practiced expert at cooling his temper.
“Yes, there are many who fear our kind, but it is merely a fear of what they do
not understand. We cannot hold that against them. Their people see just as much
discrimination on our land as we do theirs.”
             “So are we to stand idly by as they continue this malicious plot
against us?” Gaius countered, the heat rising in his tone once more.
             Yet even with the king’s anger ready to boil once again, Rowen
merely smiled. He turned to Jude, regarding him with the same respect he had
offered the king. “Jude, was it? What is it you think we should do?”
             What I think? Jude could only stare back in disbelief a moment,
finding it difficult to string together his thoughts into words. This was it,
the turning point.
             “I… I never gave much thought to what was on the other side of the
ocean.” Jude began, doing his best to keep eye contact with the Prime Minister.
“Most of the kids in my class didn’t even know Elympios existed, let alone that
there were people among us from there.”
             Jude glanced to Alvin, who gave him an encouraging nod. “A while
ago, I found out my father was from Elympios, that he fled from his homeland in
hopes of finding a better way of life. He met my mom and started his life over,
taking care of the people in Leronde. We don’t always see eye to eye, but I
know he’s a good person. Being Elympion had nothing to do with it.
             “Then, everyone started talking about the border treaty. I
remember sitting outside of Talim and listening to King Nachtigal’s speeches,
speaking of another world that needed our help… And I thought, I could do that.
If we could work together, we could help those people, just like my parents
worked together to help the people of Leronde.” A smile spread across Jude’s
face, warm and reflective. He recalled how his chest would swell with pride
whenever they made a small breakthrough in research, the handful of people he
had helped to heal small scrapes or twisted ankles. Even if he didn’t always
receive gratitude in return, he at least could walk away knowing that he had
done the right thing. Jude was helping people, and in the end, that was all he
really wanted.
             Jude finally worked up the courage to look Gaius in the eye,
unwavering, standing tall. “More than anything, I want to continue helping the
Elympions. I want to see both worlds work together to better our futures. Yes,
there are people on both sides that would disagree, but we can’t let their
opinions force our hand.”
             “I don’t think I could have said it better myself, lad.” Rowen
applauded softly with gloved hands, regarding Jude with a slight bow. “Perhaps
there is hope for the young generations of our people should they all think as
openly as you.”
             Jude blushed vividly, quickly ducking his head at that compliment.
“That’s… Um, thanks.”
             Rowen gave another nod before turning back to the king, stroking
his beard with one hand as he thought out loud. “Since it is Exodus who wishes
the destruction of Rieze Maxia, then it is Exodus that we must seek out. We
should address this with the governing bodies of Elympios so they may assist in
this endeavor.”
             “It’s not gonna be easy,” Alvin interjected. “There are a lot of
people high up on the food chain with stakes in Exodus. You’re more likely to
end up dead in a ditch if you take that approach.”
             Rowen gave a soft hum of contemplation. “After working closely
with said food chain, I’m inclined to believe you. And if there is such a
weapon that could so greatly affect our country, then bringing them to the
media’s attention could force their hand.”
             “Then a diplomatic approach is still out of the question.”
Continued Gaius, taking on a thoughtful look himself. “I suppose declaring war
would not be in our favor either.”
             “As much as I’d like to believe in our abilities, we cannot stand
against Elympios’s technology with mere swords and shields.”
             Rowen was right; the Elympion army fought with spyrix weapons and
had airships at their disposal. A small cavalry could outgun an entire platoon
of soldiers given the right conditions. A war would only end with Rieze Maxia’s
loss.
             But... Jude realized. It wasn’t the military they had to fight,
was it?
             “The Lance…” His words caught the attention of the others and
suddenly all eyes were on Jude again. “If we destroy the Lance of Kresnik and
bring their leader to justice, that knocks the legs from beneath Exodus,
doesn’t it? Then if we expose their plans, they wouldn’t have the means to
attack.”
             “That would make sense.” Rowen concurred. “Though can you be so
sure that will put a stop to their plans?”
             Jude shook his head, his hand coming to rest against the disc in
his pocket. “I can’t be sure, but the documents that Professor Haus lost his
life over dictated that the Otherworld Reactor Plan was their ultimate goal,
and that means the lance.”
             And then, Jude turned to Alvin, the courage burning in his gaze.
“Alvin, I know you have ties to Exodus.” Family, he reminded himself, but left
that out for Alvin’s sake. “But I have to ask you to help us. You’re the only
one who can give us any idea of where Exodus is storing the lance.”
             Alvin looked at him as if he had grown two heads, as if trusting
him with such a task after all that had occurred was completely baffling to
him. But Jude only smiled, feeling that deep down, Alvin wanted to do the right
thing by stopping this mad charade.
             If only Alvin looked as confident in himself as Jude did. “Are you
testing my loyalties, kid?”
             Again Jude shook his head to the negative. “I have no reason to.
You said yourself before that you wanted out. You have no reason to stay with
Exodus anymore, right?”
             Those words seemed to strike a nerve with Alvin, and he once again
looked like he had completely lost himself in Jude’s logic. What was going
through his head right now, Jude couldn’t be sure, but he had little time to
dwell on it.
             “Your majesty, I would like to request your support in finding the
Lance of Kresnik. It’s a long shot, but I feel like this is the best way to
stop Exodus in their tracks.”
             The king watched him, unyielding, before crossing his arms across
his chest once again. “I agree to this request, and come time for us to face
their leader, I hope to stand at your side.”
             Jude was positively beaming as he bowed as deeply as he could.
“Thank you, King Gaius.”
             “Gaius will suffice.” He quipped, before giving Alvin a
disparaging look. “And for you, Alvin, I have a message.”
             Alvin quirked a brow, cocking his hips to one side. “A message?”
             “It reads, ‘You owe me a new shirt and at least three stiff
drinks.’ I trust these demand are in relation to your escape, and not something
more malicious.” There was a predatory glint to Gaius’s eye, and Alvin gulped
thickly. It would seem that the king was as protective of his lovers as he was
the citizens of his kingdom.
             “Right… Loud and clear, Erston.” The quip was muttered under his
breath, and if not for the distinct twitch of Gaius’s brow Jude would have
assumed he had not heard it at all. Perhaps he had been right to assume that
Alvin and Gaius knew each other on a more personal level.
             Jude did his best not to laugh at both men’s discomfort as they
were escorted from the throne room and to their quarters for the evening. They
had a lot of work to do and they would need proper rest to do it. Jude just
hoped they’d be able to find the lance quickly so everything could go back to
normal.
             If they went back to normal… Mused Jude. There’s still no telling
what will happen when this is all done…Silently he looked to Alvin, who was
keeping his eyes straight ahead, avoiding every guard that looked their way.
             I just hope things work out for everyone, especially you, Alvin.
Chapter End Notes
     Hello everyone! Thanks for sticking with me so far! The last chapter
     was somewhat uneventful, but a lot more happened in this one. I have
     3-4 more chapters planned on the main story, then I'll have a special
     NSFW epilogue that I'll be posting under a series separate from the
     main story for the sake of filtering. I also have some side stories
     planned to touch on some of the other characters, so please look
     forward to it!
     I definitely have to thank Amavi for her edits and suggestions that
     make these chapters possible each week! Will warn ahead of time that
     I may not get chapter 15 out on schedule due to an event I am having
     to do at my job towards the end of the week. I will do my best
     though!
     Thanks again to everyone who read the update!
***** Chapter 15 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             The room they were allotted in the palace was just as grand as one
would expect. Plush furs and fine silks lined the beds, a crackling fire pit
inlaid into the floor to keep the room warm, and a grandiosely decorated
stained glass door that opened to a balcony overlooking the city.
             Under normal circumstances, Jude would be delighted to be staying
in such fine quarters during a bleak, snowy night. But he had been ordered to
stay put, to not leave his room for his own safety; a command handed down from
Gaius upon further explanation of the risk Jude faced by simply being out in
the open. Above all, Jude hated to sit around when he could be helping, but
that was exactly what he was told to do.
             It gave him too much time to think about what was going to happen
after they completed their task. Once the lance was gone, would his job remain?
He could only imagine what sort of story Balan and Mary were fed to keep things
under wraps. They likely thought him just a crazed researcher that had gone off
the deep end due to stress. Did they know about the Otherworld Reactor Plan?
Were they aware of where their research was going? And even if he was allowed
to come back, how much of their funding would be cut after Exodus was removed
from the picture? Would they even be able to continue their research? How far
up the chain did Exodus have ties?
             Though his future as a researcher hung in the balance, Jude’s mind
continued to drift to issues closer to home. Namely Alvin, his involvement with
Exodus, and what he would do when this was all over. Jude recalled the letter
from the archive, the name listed there. Gilandor Yul Svent… Svent wasn’t a
common name from what he knew, so the leader was likely a direct relation to
Alvin. Whom and how close, Jude wasn’t sure, but he obviously had enough pull
in Alvin’s life to tie him up in the sordid path of crime and deception.
             Regardless of their relation, Alvin was just as likely to suffer
the consequences of his betrayal as any other member of such a dangerous
organization. Imprisonment, torture, execution… Jude shuddered to think what
outcome Alvin would face if and when he was found. But Alvin must have known
the dangers, and despite this he still volunteered to join up with the
Chimeriad in searching for the lance’s location, leaving Jude to wallow in his
own thoughts for the time being.
             He hated it, feeling so useless as he did, but Rowen’s words as
they were splitting up still remained in the forefront of his mind. “You are
the one they are after, and it is your knowledge that will mean the difference
between their success and failure.”
             And yet he couldn’t remain inside as he was told. The room he was
allotted was cozy, but in his current state it felt stifling, claustrophobic.
As anxious as he was, he couldn’t keep still, and being in such an enclosed
space was only making him agitated. It was this that led him outside, standing
out on the frost-covered balcony, watching the snow drift down from grey clouds
in the night. He told himself it was only for a few moments. He’d be safe if it
was only a little while, right?
              It was freezing, his breath puffing into white clouds before his
face as specks of white powdered his hair. But the frigid temperatures kept him
awake and alert; the last thing Jude wanted to do right now was to sleep when
his companions were in danger.
             With a sigh he leaned against the railing, wondering where the
others were, if they were safe, if they had found anything useful. Rowen had
said that they split up to check out some leads Alvin had drummed up from his
contacts. Where those contacts came from remained a mystery, but Jude had to
remind himself that this was the best way, and that he needed to trust Alvin on
this.
             Trust Alvin…
             “I thought people from Leronde hated the cold?”
             The decadent voice came seemingly from nowhere, and a blur of blue
and black landed expertly on the railing. Jude gave a startled yelp before
stumbling back, nearly losing his footing on the slick stone. Presa laughed
through her nose at his reaction, delicately stepping off the railing and onto
the balcony proper.
             “P-please don’t scare me like that.” Jude rattled, taking a slow,
deep breath to calm his already harried nerves. If he didn’t know better, he
would have assumed this woman had it out for him. Perhaps she did, judging from
her incessant teasing since their first meeting.
             Presa regarded him with a tilt of her chin before leaning against
the railing herself, looking out over the city dotted with lamplight. “My lead
didn’t check out, but the others are still looking.” She paused, glancing his
way again, expectant. “Alvin’s out there as well. I imagine we will hear from
them by morning.”
             “So still no sign of the Lance of Kresnik…” Jude took his spot
near the railing again, regarding Presa curiously. This woman… Even if she was
not involved in the situation that forced Jude from his job and home on this
wild goose chase, she seemed intimately aware of the situation they were
facing. They all did, now that the thought of it. How long had they been
watching Exodus, waiting for them to make a move? Was it their own observations
or Alvin’s intel that gave them the information needed?
             In the end, he looked to Presa for answers. “How much do you know
about what happened to me?”
             “A fair amount.” She answered nonchalantly. “I know that Alvin was
hired to keep your research going while masquerading as your bodyguard, and I
heard about the events that were staged in order to facilitate your escape.”
She paused, her expression suddenly growing grim. “I have to say I’m
disappointed. This scenario is certainly not his best work. He’s become sloppy
in his age.”
             “Scenario?” Jude repeated, bordering on feeling offended. “Are you
saying it’s all an act?”
             “You believe it isn’t?” Presa countered, and Jude had to take a
moment to consider her words. Yes, much of what happened was planned to gain
his trust and cooperation, but even so, the emotions displayed said otherwise;
his own feelings weren’t an act, and neither were Alvin’s.
             Right?
             Jude didn’t want to believe that Alvin was acting. He wanted to
believe that those times of comfort and tenderness, the raw emotions displayed
in their moments of weakness were just as genuine as Jude’s own feelings. After
all they had gone through, Alvin wouldn’t be lying about this, would he?
             But Presa had thought the same thing before, right? When it was
Alvin and her, save that they were more deeply involved than he and Jude. And
she had been left behind, betrayed. Had she seen it coming or was she taken by
surprise? Was that why she was being so cold about it?
             “…Presa, what happened between you and Alvin?” The question left
his lips before he had time to consider the consequences of his words. Presa
looked at him, shocked, as if she too had not expected such a bold question
from the purportedly shy boy.
             And yet she smiled, resting her elbows against the balcony as she
spoke. “I suppose it’s only right to tell you, considering.”
             Jude wasn’t sure what she was considering, but stood quietly and
let her speak regardless.
             “Alvin and I were both on assignments. At the time I was working
for a small rebel group, gathering intel on the soldiers that would pass
through Talim. I met Alvin, he was a soldier, and a handsome one at that.” She
looked off in the distance, hand resting against her cheek, wistfully recalling
better times. “I hadn’t told him of my mission; to him, I was merely Mink the
secretary he had fallen into bed with. But seeing him every day, his charm, his
smile, his strength… It was hard not to fall for him. He swept me off my feet
with pretty words and promises of a brighter future.”
             Presa straightened, bracing both hands against the railing as she
recounted her tale. “When he proposed to me, I thought: This is it. I can get
out. I can live happily… I came clean, I told him everything. I wanted no
secrets between us. And he understood, accepted me fully…” Her expression grew
dark, as did her story. “Then he sold me out to the Rashugal army and had me
thrown into jail.”
             “He turned you in?” Jude had heard at least this part from Alvin.
He had called it an act of self-preservation, that her feeding information
about him and his fellow soldiers put him in danger. But if that were the case,
couldn’t it have been done differently? He loved her, right? And she loved him…
They could have ran, or at least in an ideal world that was an option. Jude had
never considered himself the type to think that love conquered all, and yet…
             Presa sighed, brushing back a strand of hair as a means of
composing herself. “I was… coerced to give up the information I had gathered.
My old group almost didn’t want me back after that. I had been compromised, I
couldn’t be trusted. I’d probably be dead in a ditch somewhere if it weren’t
for Gaius…” Her arms were crossed over her chest as she turned to face Jude,
seemingly gauging his reaction. “Meanwhile, Alvin had moved onto his next
mission, leaving no ties to the men he sold me out to.”
             “That’s…” Awful, horrible, inhumane. So many words to describe,
and yet he couldn’t bring himself to actually voice them. Was it because it was
Alvin they were talking about?
             Presa shook her head, cutting Jude off before he could speak. “You
can see why I was so upset to be called on after so many years, as if the
situation meant nothing to him. Even now, I feel like I was only worth the
bounty on my head to him.”
             The two were silent, Jude having to process this information.
While the details of her story were different, the situation as a whole sounded
so similar to his own. In spite of himself, Jude had fallen for Alvin. His
kindness, his laugh, the way he would dote on him and joke around. The way he’d
call him kid and worry over him constantly even when Jude insisted he was fine.
Those nights they spent at each other’s side, just existingtogether…
             Were these the things that Presa felt four years ago? The same
qualities that Alvin had displayed to gain her trust and affection? Had Alvin
known of Presa’s mission all along, or had he truly been sideswiped by her
confession to the point that he felt compelled to tell his superiors?
             And for that matter, why was Presa telling him all this? To
divulge something so personal to someone you had only met a few hours ago, and
had only seen in passing before. Was it because of Jude’s involvement with
Alvin, whom she had seen firsthand how crooked and dangerous he was? An attempt
to scare him away? Or… Was she trying to prevent another tragedy from
unfolding?
             Suddenly Presa’s words held a purpose in Jude’s mind. “You think
the same thing will happen to me, don’t you?”
             The woman nodded, canting her hips to the side. “You’re just a
child, Jude. You don’t know what it’s like to be strung along, to think you
were part of something profound, only to find out you were used.”
             “But I do.” Jude interrupted. “I do know what that’s like.”
             Once again Presa was caught off-guard by the boy’s words, but her
shock was quickly masked by a quirked brow and a sardonic smirk. “Do you now?”
             Jude nodded. “All this time, I thought I was working to help save
the people of Elympios, but then this whole thing with Exodus… All my research
into safely harnessing spirit energy was going into the weapon to annihilate my
own people, and I hadn’t a clue.” To say it out loud still hurt, but Jude
continued, determined to prove that he wasn’t just some inexperienced child
blind to the ways of the world. “It may not have been by someone I loved, but I
was used, and that’s why I’m here, making sure they don’t do it again to me or
anyone else.”
             Presa gazed upon him, shock fading into satisfaction as she
chuckled lightly into her hand. “I see why Alvin has become attached to you…
Your convictions…”
             Jude could feel his ears burn. Alvin was… attached? Somehow that
conflicted with everything Presa had said to him so far. “I… I don’t
understand. Weren’t you just saying he was acting?”
             “I never said that.” She stated bluntly, running finely manicured
fingers through her pale locks. “I merely stated that his scenario was sloppy.
He was careless, getting so attached to his target.”
             “You tricked me.” Jude stated with a huff. No wonder this woman
did so well as a spy; she played him like a fiddle. Or was she merely testing
his faith in Alvin?
             The woman chuckled, turning to lean against the railing once more.
“Alvin is… Kind, but he doesn’t trust people. It’s not that anyone gives him a
reason to; it’s just that he chooses to distance himself. He used to say he
couldn’t connect on that level, that it took a special person for him to tell
anything to.” Presa glanced to Jude, smiling almost sadly. “Even when we were
in love, I found him hard to read. I could never really tell what he was
thinking. But I was okay with that, because I had secrets myself…”
             There was comfort in knowing that even those close to Alvin knew
little about him. But her words begged the question; did Alvin trust him? He…
wanted to trust Alvin more than anything. He wanted to think he had changed,
that he really was trying to get out of that life and start over. But Presa’s
words once again cast doubt on those ever wavering convictions of his, and Jude
found it difficult to voice these fears.
             “Jude.” Presa called him from his thoughts, her eyes seemingly
staring right into his soul. “Do yourself a favor and don’t get further
involved with Alvin until this is all over. You never know where a turncoat
stands until they show their hand.”
             Her words shouldn’t have come as a shock, yet Jude found himself
taken aback by them never the less. “You think that Alvin might turn against
us?”
             She shook her head, pushing away from the balcony and heading for
the door. “I can’t say, and that alone is cause for concern. Alvin sides with
himself above anyone else.” She looked his way, her eyes a warning. “Do not
repeat my mistakes, little Judy.”
             “J-Judy…” Jude sputtered and Presa laughed. She definitely got a
kick from getting a rise out of the boy.
             The glass doors were pushed open and Presa entered the room,
brushing the snow from her hair and onto the stone floor. “I must report to
Gaius of my findings.”
             “Will they find the lance in time?” He asked, following her into
the room.
             “I’m certainsomething will be found. No one can hide from the
Chimeriad at full force.”
             Jude wanted to express his relief, but his mind was still stuck on
the conversation they had on the balcony. So much had been revealed, and yet
the information only brought more questions. Alvin’s loyalties and where they
lay. The fate of Exodus and the man that Jude had come to love. Whether Alvin
had placed any trust in him…
             Instead of any of those queries, he spoke the first one that came
to mind.
             “Presa, do you still love Alvin?”
             The woman paused, and without turning to face Jude she merely
snorted, arms crossed. “Love is giving someone the power to destroy you, but
trusting them not to. I don’t trust Alvin, and you shouldn't either.” Such
strong words, and spoken with so little bite… Perhaps she still held feelings
for him after all.
             “Get some sleep, Jude. We will move as soon as we have
information.”
             And with that she pushed past the heavy oak doors into the main
hall, leaving Jude to mull over the facts he had been given. He should have
been thinking of their next move, what he would do once they found Exodus’s
hideout, or trying to figure out where the lance was being kept, yet all he
could think about were Alvin and Presa’s words. Trust, attachment, dedication…
Did Alvin even trust him? Would Alvin abandon what ties he had made with Jude
for the sake of saving his own skin? Would he turn him in to Exodus, just as he
had turned Presa in for the bounty on her head?
             Too many unanswered questions, none that he had any hope of
resolving without Alvin at his side. She said not to trust him, and yet, Jude
did indisputably. And Jude wanted it to be mutual. He wanted Alvin to rely on
him just as he had for the last few months. He wanted to bridge the gap between
his painful past and the brighter future, offer Alvin a means to start a new
life free of those ties that held him to Exodus.
             But could he? Would Alvin even allow it? Or would he run, just as
Presa thought he would?
             Nothing would be answered by simply repeating the questions to
himself. He needed to speak to Alvin on this when the time was right. For now,
however, they needed to focus on their mission; it was the only way for any of
them to get out of the situation they were stuck in. If they just kept going,
then Alvin would have the chance to start over with his life, and Jude would be
able to continue on his path.
             Jude lay upon one of the plush beds, hoping to get some rest. And
yet, as expected, his mind would not allow him such luxury. He merely remained
motionless, staring at the whirling snow that filtered past the decorative
window, wondering if the others were out in it, or if their leads had brought
them to warmer climes.
             He wondered what Alvin was doing, if he was staying true to his
own convictions and doing what he could to help them.
             “Alvin sides with himself above anyone else.”
             So if it came down to self-preservation… Would Alvin betray us?
Would he leave everything we’ve worked for and just…
             The heavy door opened, a sliver of torchlight cast upon his still
form. Jude froze in place, half-expecting a hostile party, only to be greeted
by a familiar voice.
             “You awake, kid?”
             Alvin called from the entryway, yet Jude did not answer, only
continued to lie quietly. Jude suspected he’d leave if he gave no response,
feigning unconsciousness as an excuse to save his words. But instead of the
expected silence, Jude felt the mattress dip, Alvin taking a seat on the
opposite side.
             “I wanted to say I’m sorry… For everything.” The man recited the
words as if he had been practicing them all day, as if he was finding relief in
an audience that was supposedly not awake to question him. “When this is all
said and done, I promise to never trouble you again… When Gilland is gone, I’m
going to bow out of your life, everyone’s lives…”
             So this is it. Jude thought, trying to keep his breath even, his
body completely still through Alvin’s confession. He’s really running
away.Somehow he hoped that Alvin would reconsider his plan, come back with him
to Trigleph and let things go back to how they were before. Before the incident
at the lab, before Exodus sent them running and shattered what hopes Jude held
for their future.
             “I don’t know where I’ll be going, or if I’ll ever come back but…
I just can’t do this anymore.” He sighed, and Jude felt the bed shift once
again, and a warm hand came to rest gently on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Jude.
It’s better for you this way.”
             It’s better this way? How is it better?
You could stay, we could figure this out... If you’re not happy with where you
are, then let’s change it. Let me help you. Isn’t that a better idea? But…
that’s not an option to you, is it?
No, you want to run. You want to cut ties. But why do you speak as though
you’re marching to your death? You… You don’t think you can be saved, do you?
You don’t think you can come back from all of this whole.
             So many things he could say, yet with a broken voice Jude spoke
only one. “It’s hard for you, isn’t it?” He reached up to gently grip Alvin’s
hand, causing the older man to flinch. “To get close to others? To rely on
them?”
             “Jude…” Alvin attempted to pull his hand away, as if having his
confession heard had thrown his confidence completely off-kilter. Yet Jude
would not allow him to run, not when this could be their last night together,
their last chance to speak of their feelings.
             Jude gently laced his fingers in Alvin’s as he spoke. “Then… Do
what you need to do…” It hurt. It hurt so badly to hear that he was going to
disappear, that he would never see him again. He didn’t want Alvin to leave,
but Jude couldn’t force him to stay either. It would be selfish to demand that
of the older man, so in the end, he wished to at least close the last door.
             “Alvin, do you trust me?” He asked quietly, his grip on Alvin’s
hand tightening if only to prevent him from fleeing before his query had been
answered.
             Alvin remained silent for what felt like ages, and Jude didn’t
think his heart could hurt more from the lack of answer. Then, the man spoke
again. “Yeah, I do. I know you’ll make things right. That’s your mission, after
all.”
             Jude had thought those words would lessen the tightness in his
chest, but it only served to coil it up more. He wanted to cry, but held it in,
squeezing back the tears along with the urge to throw his arms around Alvin and
beg him to stay at his side.
             He couldn’t do it. It would be selfish to tether that man when he
so desperately wanted to get away. Jude could only make the most of this night,
and hope that it would be enough to ease his aching heart.
             “Then… Will you stay with me tonight?”
             It took a long moment for Alvin to respond, and Jude feared that
he would decline, choosing to spend the night on his own like he had been. But
after another long moment, Alvin complied, finally pulling his hand away and
settling down to rest at Jude’s back.
             One could call it desperation or even impulse, but Jude felt no
reason to justify turning over and pressing himself to Alvin’s chest, burying
his face in his shirt. This was their last night, and he wasn’t going to try
and hide his feelings anymore; fear, longing, uncertainty, love… He could not
put them into words, but he wanted to convey them with at least this action.
             Alvin seemed to understand these unspoken words, wrapping his arms
around Jude and holding him tightly, shielding him from the cold and his own
thoughts. He needed it. They bothneeded it, and it was a wonder it took so long
for either to act on it.
             As Jude finally began to succumb to his exhaustion, he muttered a
quiet thank you against Alvin’s chest. He hoped it was heard.
Chapter End Notes
     Hello hello! Thanks for reading everyone. I managed to get through
     the dreaded iPhone launch in one piece and even got this chapter done
     ahead of schedule. The next chapter is going to be big; the thrilling
     climax! A big thank you to Amavi who proofread and provided wonderful
     feedback to make this chapter great. And thank you to all who read
     and leave comments. I love hearing from all of you! Thanks again for
     reading, and see you next week!
***** Chapter 16 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             It was just after dawn when the rallying cries of soldiers woke
Jude from his slumber. Without being told he knew what the sound meant; the
lance had been found, and soon they would depart for the final confrontation.
             As he sat up Jude’s eyes fell to the bed, only to find it empty,
the warmth having long since gone with the second occupant. He should have
expected that Alvin would leave before the sun was up, but part of him wished
he had stayed. It was their last night together; it would have been nice to see
Alvin’s peaceful face as he came into waking.
             He quickly shook off the nagging sentiments. There was no time;
the lance had been located, and within the next few hours this would all be
over. Whatever consequences that entailed he’d have to face them head-on, with
or without Alvin.
             The others were already gathered in the courtyard when Jude
arrived, Gaius standing among his men, Alvin mere meters away. As he approached
the king’s attention turned to Jude, regarding him with a short nod. “We
received word as to the location of the Lance of Kresnik. Our scouts have
confirmed the information to be accurate.”
             “Where did they find it?”
             Alvin was quick to take a place at Jude’s side as he provided the
answer. “There’s an abandoned cruise liner floating in the waters off of
Marksburg; the Zenethra. It’s been drifting between the two continents since an
accident twenty years ago.” He recalled the information with such clarity that
Jude had to wonder how familiar he was with the ship in question. “The lance
has been moved there.”
             “Moved there? Where was it before?”
             No answer save for the shake of Alvin’s head. “Doesn’t matter. If
it’s there, then so is Gilland. Now’s our best chance to take both out.”
             “We’ve already made preparations for an aerial assault on the
Zenethra.” Gaius announced. “We will utilize the wyverns to deploy soldiers to
the ship, then destroy the lance from the inside.”
             “I’m going with you.” Jude proclaimed suddenly, much to everyone’s
surprise.
             Except Gaius, who looked upon the boy with expectant curiosity.
“Are you certain? We know not how strong their numbers, and know little of what
other weapons they keep.” A pause, a glance to Alvin who immediately looked
away, as if he too knew something that Jude didn’t. “It is very likely you may
not come back.”
             “I know.” Jude stated, staring down the king with fiery
determination to match the man’s own. “But if it’s my research that they’re
using to power the Lance of Kresnik, then I can stop it before anyone gets
hurt.” He had resolved within himself that he would not stand back and let
others fix the mess he unknowingly caused. He would never forgive himself if
things went to hell while he remained safe behind the castle walls. And so Jude
decided to fight, for his future and everyone else’s.
             It was as if Gaius sensed his thoughts, and the barest of smiles
graced his face. “Then you shall fly among us. We leave at the top of the
hour.” The king pushed past him, the Chimeriad following close behind, Presa
bringing up the rear. She paused for a brief moment before he and Alvin, as if
she wanted to say something but ultimately decided against it. Jude wouldn’t
ask; he had already heard her words, and decided to place his trust in Alvin.
             Jude began to follow when Alvin suddenly grabbed his shoulder,
stopping him in his tracks. “Jude, wait.” There was a pause, Alvin swallowing
audibly behind him. “You know you don’t have to go.” His voiced wavered as he
spoke, as if uncertain of his own words even then. One last plea for Jude to
stay behind where he would be safe from harm, out of Exodus’s reach. But Jude
knew he couldn’t back down now. His decision had been made, and he’d see it
through until the end.
             With a soft shake of his head, Jude gently lifted the hand from
his shoulder, turning to face Alvin properly. “I have to, Alvin. This might be
our only chance to end this.” Their eyes met, Alvin’s expression almost blank.
It was as if he had spent the morning steeling himself, preparing to lose
everything just in case their mission went awry. And yet there was a furrow to
his brow, the slight twitch of a frown when Jude took his hand.
             “You said you trusted me, right?” Jude gently held Alvin’s hand
with both of his own, a small comfort to share. “Then trust me to fix things.”
             Alvin stared back, dumbfounded and unable to do little more than
squeeze Jude’s hand in return. For a long moment he kept that simple touch, a
flurry of emotions running past Alvin’s tired eyes. But in the end, they became
blank once more, his expression returning to the same cold façade he wore that
day in Helioborg. “You’ve already made up your mind then.” Alvin’s voice was
barely above his whisper as he tore his hand away, as if unable to look at Jude
any longer.
             “Alvin…”
             “The others are waiting.” He called back almost coldly. “I’ll ride
with you.” A parcel was picked up from the stone steps at Alvin’s feet and
tossed unceremoniously at Jude. The boy fumbled the package, nearly dropping it
before finally catching it securely in his hands. “You’ll need these if you’re
coming along.”
             Curious, Jude unwrapped the brown paper, revealing a pair of
small, scaled gauntlets. A weapon designed for him? But when did…
             “Alvin?”
             This time Alvin did turn, the smile on his face bordering on
somber. “I’m counting on you to make good use of them.”
             The smile was returned as Jude trotted behind his older companion,
clutching the gift close to his chest as they caught up with the rest of the
soldiers. Soon it would all be over and things could return back to normal.
             At least, he hoped.
 
===============================================================================
 
 
             A small army descended from the sky on the backs of dozens of
silver wyverns. The king’s personal collection of aerial beasts utilized to the
fullest for this mission. Gaius himself headed the assault, the Chimeriad
flying in formation behind him with his soldiers taking up the rear. Alvin and
Jude hung further back, their strategy to remain out of the line of fire until
they landed.
             Exodus was expecting them, as was apparent by the pair of heavily
armed airships hovering nearby, flanking both sides of the rusted vessel. The
gunfire began as soon as they came into range, aimed at the heart of their
wyvern formation.
             “Scatter!” Gaius called from the head of the group before taking a
steep dive, narrowly avoiding the assault aimed his way. The soldiers behind
him didn’t stand a chance, a handful on the back of one unsuspecting beast
taking the brunt of the blow before falling from their mount, tumbling to the
ocean below as the wyvern fled out of self-preservation.
             Their formation was broken, the soldiers steering in every which
direction to avoid being targeted themselves. The cannons followed, tracking
their movements with ease. “Use evasive maneuvering!” Gaius commanded, his
words just barely audible over the canon fire. “Continue moving towards the
ship! Do not give them an easy target!”
             The soldiers shouted their affirmative, taking to flying in a zig-
zag motion towards the Zenethra. All save for Alvin, who ducked below the
cannon fire and circled around the outside of the group, eyes set on the deck
of one of the airships. “What are you doing?!” Jude called over the chaos.
“You’re flying straight for them!”
             Alvin tugged on the reigns and their wyvern suddenly pitched
upward, Jude only barely hanging on as they rose. Suddenly they were above the
deck of the left-most airship, the men manning the cannons on deck standing
mere meters below them. Alvin pulled his pistol from its holster, taking only a
half a second to aim before firing, taking out the cannoneers with expertly
timed shots. Jude would have been amazed if he was not horrified by the scene
unfolding before him. Even now, he didn’t wish for people to be hurt, whether
they were on his side or not.
             The removal of the cannoneers only bought them a few moments. More
Exodus soldiers spilled out from below deck, abandoning their previous posts in
favor of dropping to the Zenethrabelow where a skirmish had broken out between
the two forces. “Take us down!” Jude ordered. “We need to help Gaius!”
             “You itching that much for a fight?” Alvin quipped, pulling the
reigns sharply and their wyvern dropped from the sky, gliding over the deck of
the Zenethra close enough to allow them to jump down safely.
             No sooner had their feet touched the ground did the soldiers
converge on them, as if they recognized the two as more a threat than Gaius’s
soldiers. Alvin wasted no time in taking them on, keeping as many at bay as he
could with his pistol alone. Any that came closer than that were warded off
with quick hits and kicks, courtesy of Jude and his years of martial arts
training under Sonya’s instruction.
             From his back, he heard Alvin laugh. “Remind me to never get into
a fist fight with you.”
             Jude snorted, finding Alvin’s banter a welcome reprieve in the
heat of battle. “You haven’t even seen me in pique condition. Catch me after a
vacation to Leronde.”
             “Right, your teacher lives there.” Another round fired, another
soldier falling to the deck. “I should have asked you to take me before. You
could have introduced me to your parents.”
             That caught him off guard. Of all the times for Alvin to tease
him, he chose now? “Can you be serious? We’re in a battle!”
             Alvin laughed as he put another bullet into a nearby soldier’s
chest. “And here I was going to ask if you wanted a break!”
             Gaius himself finally landed nearby, as did the Chimeriad, and
with their aid the battle quickly shifted in their favor. The king alone would
have been enough to take on the number of troops that remained, but with his
guards at his side the Exodus soldiers had no hope of victory.
             For a moment the fight appeared to be won, until the roar of
another airship arrived, reinforcement troops dropping onto the deck to join
the fight and avenge their fallen comrades.
             “We cannot continue as we are!” Gaius shouted over the din of the
battle. “Let us seek out the lance and end this!”
             “Right!” Jude threw another soldier off balance, watching as they
stumbled backwards into an oncoming group of enemies. Both he and Alvin broke
away from the fighting, running for the stairs that led below deck, Gaius and
the Chimeriad in tow.
             Jude had never imagined he would see a cruise ship in his
lifetime. They were excessive luxuries that were not only impractical but also
nearly implausible with their level of technology. But they were not above the
Elympions, whom toted their technological prowess with pride. Yet Jude found
himself wholly underwhelmed when he stepped below deck. The fixtures of the
ship remained intact; crystal chandeliers, elegant staircases, decorative wall
hangings that had faded over the years. But the rest seemed as if it had been
gutted, lacking the furniture one would expect of a ship that was to house
hundreds of people. Just how long had this vessel drifted, and why was it
allowed to do so for so long?
             Questions for later, Jude reminded himself. They had better things
to focus on.
             Alvin led the group, reaching into his pockets and revealing a
roll of parchment with a detailed blueprint of the ship etched upon it. “Where
did you get that?” Jude inquired, examining the faded text.
             “I’ve had it.” Alvin answered flatly, only sparing Jude a passing
glance. “Remember that ship accident I mentioned?”
             Jude’s eyes grew wide. The ship accident that claimed his father’s
life, the one that he and only a few others survived… “This ship has been here
that long?”
             Alvin nodded, flipping the map over, revealing a set of numbers
scribbled on the back. “It’s been here since that day… It would figure hewould
choose to bring the lance here. Gilland always had a fondness for irony.”
             The way Alvin spoke of him, that taste of disdain and familiarity
in his voice. “You seem to know him well…”
             There was no answer, only the swift folding of the map before it
was placed back in his pocket. This time it was Gaius to break the silence.
“Have you any idea of where the lance is being stored?”
             Alvin nodded, pointing to a room down corridor, “The grand hall.
The ceiling opens to the sky. If he’s got it stashed here, that’s where he’ll
put it.”
             “Then we move on.” Gaius pushed past him, heading towards the
other end of the corridor. The amount of soldiers below deck was sparing, the
majority of them still fighting the army that remained upstairs. It wouldn’t
take long for them to show up, Jude imagined, and so he continued moving
alongside the others.
             Their progress was halted when they came across a strange
corridor, blocked by quietly buzzing beams of light. Alvin held an arm out to
stop everyone before they got too close. “Barrier bars.” He stated, pulling the
map from his pocket again, taking note of the numbers scribbled on the back. “I
should be able to deactivate them.” He stepped to the control panel stationed
against the exterior wall, punching in the code and grinning with satisfaction
when the display lit up green and the bars disappeared.
             “Easy enough.” Alvin walked through the entry as if to show that
it was safe, turning to face the others with a grin and a wave. “Let’s keep
moving.”
             The group did not budge, all eyes on Alvin. Gaius crossed his
arms, giving the mercenary a skeptical look. “Just where did you come across
that code?”
             Alvin lost the cheerful expression almost instantly. “I have my
sources. Now let’s move on.”
             “And which source is that? The same that told you the location of
the lance?” Gaius was suspicious of him, and Jude couldn’t really blame him. It
was far too convenient, wasn’t it? And yet…
             “C’mon now, Gaius. I’m risking my neck trying to get you guys
through here. Cut me some slack.” He turned to Jude, as if requesting backup.
“You believe me, right, Jude?”
             Caught off guard, Jude could do little more than nod dumbly, brows
furrowed as he sought reassurance from Gaius. The king only shook his head.
             “We… We should keep moving.” Jude stammered, stepping through the
gate. But just as Jude crossed the threshold, a loud, mechanized buzzing
sounded as the barrier activated, effectively barring the rest of the party.
             “The hell?” Alvin fiddled with the control panel on their side,
tapping in the numbers he had just used, only to have the display blink red
with a denial. “Damn it… They blocked the access code.” He growled, pounding
his fist against the panel in frustration.
             From behind the king, Presa scoffed, casting doubtful glances to
her comrades. “Why am I not surprised?” She then looked to the king, as if
asking what their next move should be.
             In spite of his words just moments prior, Gaius kept his focus. He
appeared to be carefully examining the strange blockade, as if thinking of a
way to break through it by force. Alvin was quick to put an end to that idea.
“You can’t use a sword against it, the blade will just melt through.”
             “Can you disable it?” Jude looked at the control panel, noting its
simplicity. He had a feeling just smashing it wouldn’t do them any good.
             Alvin pulled his map out, scanning for something before passing
the parchment through the bars. “Find the generator rooms. They power the
barriers. If you destroy them, the barriers will turn off again.”
             Gaius accepted the map with a stern nod before turning to his
party. “We split up and destroy them individually. We’ve no time to waste.”
             The guards gave their king a proper salute before running off to
complete their task. Gaius cast one last look in their direction before
hurrying off to aid his men. Jude watched him leave, a feeling of dread
creeping up his spine once again. “Will they be all right?”
             Alvin’s hand came to grip his shoulder but briefly before pulling
away, continuing down the hallway. “We have to keep moving. We need to destroy
the lance before Gilland has time to activate it.” His voice was level as he
spoke, calm. Too calm. The sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach only
intensified, yet Jude followed regardless, remembering his mission,
theirmission.
             Their footprints echoed along the empty halls as Jude and Alvin
continued towards their destination. Past the barrier bars there were no
soldiers, no guards, not a soul to cross their path. Just a short distance away
there were dozens of soldiers fighting, and yet the hall remained void of any
life save their own. The strange desolation made the ship truly feel like it
was abandoned, just as it had been for the last twenty years.
             It was unsettling, this silence, and the tension only served to
make Jude’s nervousness all the more obvious. Were the others all right? Had
they run into any guards? And Alvin… “Alvin, is this really all right?” He
asked, seeking sort of explanation to ease his anxiety. “Shouldn’t we wait for
the others?” If they were supposedly meeting Gilland at the end of this, then
wouldn’t they need all the backup they could get?
             Alvin remained silent, shoulders squared, eyes straight ahead.
Nothing like the casual way he usually carried himself. And those incredulous
looks from the others, the coincidental closing of the barrier that separated
them from the rest of the group… Something was definitely wrong.
             Jude grabbed his hand, stopping him in his tracks. “Alvin!” The
man’s shoulders stiffened but he didn’t turn to face him. This only served to
worry Jude more. “Alvin, you know something, don’t you?”
             Alvin visibly flinched, his head drooping slightly. “…I need you
to trust me, Jude.”
             “You’re making me question if I should.” Jude quickly circled the
taller man, standing before him so Alvin would be forced to look him in the
eye. “If something is going on, I need you to tell me now.”
             Again Alvin couldn’t keep his gaze, something Jude had already
begun associating with his need for secrecy. “It’ll be over soon, just bear
with me a little longer, all right?”
             “Quit talking like this is the end!” He hadn’t intended to raise
his voice, but his thoughts, his emotions were running away with him. All the
words left unsaid, things Jude vowed to keep to himself for the sake of them
both, came tumbling out in the heat of the moment. “You keep saying things like
how you’ll disappear, that I’ll never have to see you again…” He was shaking,
but he didn’t care. He simply grabbed Alvin’s hand with both of his, not once
looking away. “But what if that’s not what I want, huh? Why are you so
insistent on running?”
             At his outburst Alvin finally lifted his head just enough to see
just how bewildered he was by the young man’s words. “Jude…” Alvin chewed his
bottom lip, eyes askance. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.
You don’t know what I…”
             “Quit assuming you know what I want!” Jude cut him off before
Alvin had the chance to deprecate himself further. These words, the emotions
behind him, Jude needed to make them known before he lost this chance. “I’m not
a child. I can decide for myself who I’m going to stay with and who I choose to
trust, so don’t make me regret trusting you.”
             For a long moment, Alvin stared him down, a myriad of emotions
crossing his face. Confusion, frustration, fear, longing… All culminating in
the question he posed to Jude. “Those things Presa said. Those were true, you
know. After all the things I’ve done, and all the things that might happen in
the future…” His voice became low, pained as he drew his eyes away. “You’d
really… With a guy like me?”
             “Let me decide that.” Jude gave an emphatic nod, and though his
stomach was filled with anxious butterflies borne from the day this mysterious
mercenary sauntered into his life, he still found it in him to smile. “When
this is over, let’s keep moving… Together.”
             “Jude…” Absolutely stunned by his words, Alvin lifted his free
hand, reaching for something. Perhaps Jude’s shoulder, perhaps his cheek, but
hesitation seemed to get the best of him and the hand was retracted suddenly,
the other pulled from Jude’s grip. “I’m sorry, I…”
             A sudden, mechanized rumble sounded from the end of the corridor
and Alvin cursed. “Damn it… He’s already starting!” He took off like a shot,
running at full speed down the hall with Jude in tow.
             “Alvin, hold on! Gaius and the others!”
             “There’s no time!” Alvin protested, pulling his gun from the
holster and loading a fresh round. Jude stuck at his side, making sure his
gauntlets were tight around his wrists as they made their way to their
destination.
             In a miraculous display of brute force, Alvin kicked open the door
and they both rushed inside.
             Even after twenty years of disuse, the Grand Hall remained
immaculate and beautiful as if untouched by time. A gilded ballroom decorated
with intricate, twisting metal fixtures and a crystalline dance floor that
provided a glimpse of the complex inner workings of the ship. At the far end, a
massive skylight with a stunning view of the setting sun... and just below, was
the barrel of a massive canon aimed right for it.
             The Lance of Kresnik was there, and standing before it, a man
garbed in blue. Silvery hair accented by streaks of red, slicked back to reveal
an aged man that bore an eerie resemblance to one Jude had seen before. It all
came together when he slowly turned to face the intruders, his stoic expression
evolving into one of twisted pleasure. That day… The man I ran into at the
square...
             Gilandor Yul Svent. The leader of Exodus. The man Alvin had called
“Gilland”.
             From his place at the end of the hall he slowly turned to face the
intruders, voice echoing off the glass interior. “Finally, finally, you arrive.
I was beginning to wonder if I would have to hunt you down myself.” He stepped
down from the platform, his weapon swinging at his side. A gun, like Alvin’s
own, but with a longer barrel that nearly scraped the ground as he walked.
“It’s good to see you, Alfred.”
             Alvin threw an arm out to bar Jude’s path, or was it to protect
him from this man? “Stay back, Jude.”
             “Ah, so this is Jude? The little kitten that Leticia spoke of? Now
what was it she said…” Gilland placed a hand to his chin in mock thought. “You
wished to take care of him until the end? Sound about right?”
             Alvin growled, finger visibly twitching on his gun. “Leticia is
gone, no thanks to you.”
             Gilland’s expression faltered for only a second before the
bemusement returned to his face. “Such malice towards your dear uncle… And yet,
you eagerly obey just as the dog you are…” His eyes drifted to Jude, a sadistic
grin crossing his pale features. “After all, you brought the boy, just as I
requested.”
             Jude took a half-step back, a sudden panic gripping his chest.
Gilland wanted Alvin to bring him here? Had he been ordered to deliver him to
Gilland? His eyes drifted to Alvin, pleading for explanation. “Alvin, you… You
didn’t…”
             Alvin did not answer.
             “Was it not obvious?” Gilland chuckled, stepping closer with his
own weapon aimed at Alvin’s head while his eyes remained on Jude. “Did you
think that I didn’t know that Alfred let you live after finding out about our
plan? Or that you fled Elympios with the information I needed?” His expression
turned decidedly dark, the muzzle of his gun drifting from Alvin’s head to
Jude’s own. “I intended to execute you and him both for his little escapade,
but Alfred was… Remorseful. He knew he had to atone for disobeying me, so we
arranged this little meeting.”
             The more Gilland spoke, the more aggravated Alvin seemed to
become. Yet he said nothing to defend himself, only cut his eyes away from Jude
when the boy looked his way. Was it true? Had he been strung along, playing
into Gilland’s plans from the beginning?
             Suddenly Alvin’s strange behavior made sense. Telling him he
didn’t need to go, separating them from the group. He was orchestrating this
deal with the enemy all along. One last betrayal, his final hurrah. No, Jude
didn’t want to believe it. Alvin wanted to get out. Alvin wanted to change.
Alvin…
             Alvin cocked his gun, aiming it straight at Gilland’s head. “We
had a deal, Gilland.” He vehemently spat, his cool visage replaced with one of
near uncontrollable anger. “Just take what you want and let him go.”
             What? Let me go?
             “Ah, yes, your little bargain…” More laughing, the very sound
making Jude’s skin crawl. “I had not expected such sentimentality from you,
Alfred. All over this kitten…”
             Jude’s gaze snapped to Alvin again, a mixture of horror and
disbelief filling his voice. “Alvin, what have you done?”
             The steely gaze that was trained on Gilland faltered with Jude’s
words. “It was the only way I could get you out of this, Jude.” Alvin took his
eyes from his adversary long enough to lock with Jude’s own, as if to
apologize. He had arranged this for him? At what cost?
             Resting his gun against his shoulder, Gilland held a hand to Jude,
beckoning him closer. “Now, bring me that disc, boy.”
             Instinctively Jude clapped a hand over his shirt pocket to protect
the item in question. “No!” The bargain for his life, for both of their lives,
was to give up the very thing he had risked everything to keep away from
Exodus. How, knowing all this, could Alvin simply barter it away? Did he truly
feel there was no other alternative? Was Gilland’s hold over him really that
strong?
             Jude took another step back, and thankfully Alvin didn’t stop him.
“All that data, the research we were doing… I won’t let you use it to hurt
people!”
             Gilland snorted, lips curling into a smirk. “Such naiveté. I’ve
little use for the research on that disc now. We’ve already implemented what
was needed. All that’s left is to activate the Lance of Kresnik, and everything
that we have accomplished with your aid will be complete.”
             “No…” Jude shook his head in disbelief. The Lance… It couldn’t be
already completed, could it? Was it a bluff? Or had this fight truly been for
naught? He had to know. “If there’s no use for it, why do you need it? What
good is it now?!”
             “The activation system.” Alvin suddenly answered, expression flat
even as he continued to aim his gun towards their enemy. “That archive you
found contained the vital programs that make the lance run. Haus stole that and
locked it away with that access card you found. Without it, the disc is the
only copy he has left.”
             “You can’t be serious…” Jude could not help but stare in shock as
the plan was revealed. All along, he had been told it was because of the
research and damning evidence that Exodus was so adamant about keeping hidden.
He had fled the country, even contacted the king in hopes of exposing the
conspiracy and putting a stop to the madness. But it was a lie, all of it. The
Lance of Kresnik was already complete and there had been no need for him or his
research. He was just being kept around to find the stolen archive.
             And Alvin had brought it right to the man who sought to use it to
destroy the spirits of his country.
             How could I have been so blind?  Jude clenched his fist, teeth
gritted in frustration. I was used as nothing more than a tool all along, and I
didn’t even realize it. And Alvin … He played me, too.
             “My, what a look.” Gilland chided, mocking Jude as he stood
halfway across the room, gun idly aimed at his person. “Does it hurt knowing
how fruitless your efforts were? And you were so brave in guarding that little
disc.” Another snort of laugher, so pleased was Gilland of his plight. Jude
felt the overwhelming urge to knock that smug look from his face.
             “Knock it off, Gilland.” Alvin interrupted him, cocking his pistol
threateningly before looking to Jude. “Give him the disc, Jude.”
             Jude fervently shook his head, keeping one hand on the disc. “No!”
He stepped back, checking over his shoulder. Could he run? Would he be gunned
down if he tried?
             “Jude, just do it. He’ll let you go and you can figure out another
way.” Alvin’s words were little comfort. This wasn’t how this was supposed to
go. They were supposed to apprehend Gilland and destroy the lance, not allow
him to go on with his plan just to save himself. What other way was there?
             “It won’t matter if he’s already destroyed my home!” Jude was
starting to panic, quickly losing his calm with each passing moment. He had to
do something, he had to…
             Then, it occurred to him. If they needed the disc to activate the
lance, then… “I’ll... I’ll destroy it!” He pulled the disc free and held it
aloft, ready to throw it to the ground and crush it. That would be the end.
Gilland would have no way to proceed with his plan, or at the very least he
could buy them some time. They could go home. They could--
             Shots echoed through the grand hall, and then silence. Time slowed
to a crawl as Jude watched Alvin stumble back, spatters of red blooming across
his left shoulder and chest. A hand came to grip his now ruined shirt, as if
the pain had not hit him yet as he stared at the wound in disbelief. Alvin gave
a wet cough, a trail of blood dribbling from his lips. “You…” The pistol
slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground as his legs threatened to give
from beneath him. “You bastard…”
             Then, another shot, a blossom of crimson striking Alvin’s right
leg just above the knee, taking them out from beneath him with a strangled cry.
Alvin crumpled to the glass floor, pained curses tumbling from his lips as he
curled unto himself in agony.
             “Alvin!!” The disc was tucked into his pocket as panic hit him
full force. Jude scrambled across the glass floor to Alvin, quickly rolling him
onto his side and pressing his hands to the man’s bleeding chest. “Alvin, just
hold on!” He pleaded, channeling his mana into the older man’s body to heal his
injuries. They were numerous and deep; the gun Gilland carried was unlike any
he’d seen before. He had counted three shots yet there were many more entry
wounds to tend to than that. Jude feared he would not have enough spirits to
call upon in such a desolate place to piece him back together.
             And yet while he was frantically trying to heal him, Alvin only
pushed his hand away. “Damn it… Deal’s off, Jude. Get out of here.” Alvin’s
voice was strained with pain, yet he continued to try and force Jude off of
him, push himself upright, only to have his shoulder give from the effort. He
collapsed back to the floor, splatters of blood landed on Jude’s clothing, much
to the boy’s horror. “Get Gaius and warn him. If that thing gets turned on…”
             “I’m not leaving you to die!” Jude protested, channeling faster,
pouring more mana into the man’s damaged body. A voice in the back of his head
asked why he was giving such an effort to save him after Alvin had just handed
him over to the enemy, but he quickly silenced any protests. Even if Alvin had
betrayed him, he was doing it for a reason he believed in, and that alone would
not allow Jude to just abandon him.
             He could feel himself losing strength, growing dizzy from having
to pour so much of his own energy into the healing process. So hard was he
concentrating that he didn’t notice Gilland had come for him, hoisting him up
by his arm before grasping his neck, holding him at arm’s length with the
barrel of his gun aimed straight at Jude’s head.
             “Hand it over, boy.” Gilland seethed, pressing the muzzle against
Jude’s cheek. “If you cooperate, I may even let you continue that little
project of yours…” The grin upon the man’s face widened almost sadistically as
he watched Alvin try to pick himself up off the ground again, attempting to
reach his pistol. “Or… Is it this dog you want?” Gilland kicked Alvin’s weapon
out of reach, laughing darkly as the injured man cursed.
             “You… You monster…” Jude brought a hand up to grasp Gilland’s
wrist, trying to loosen his hold on him. “You never intended to let us out of
here alive, did you?”
             The mouth of the gun was pressed tauntingly against Jude’s cheek
as Gilland sniggered, as if taking delight in the boy’s dismay. “It’s as I
said… Alfred wished to redeem himself, and I am offering that redemption. And
once my plan is complete, your continued existence is… Of little consequence.”
             Jude continued to struggle against his grip, knowing that one
false move would spell the end of him, Alvin, or them both. His eyes darted
around the room, taking in every detail of their surroundings, including
Alvin’s desperate attempts at reaching his weapon as he bled onto the floor. He
needed a plan, some way to stop all this madness and get the both of them out
of there safely. If he could just somehow buy some time, wait for Gaius and the
others to catch up…
             “If… If I give you the disc, will you let Alvin go?” Jude managed
as his flow of air was threatened by Gilland’s grip. “You’ll let me heal him
and let him go?”
             “Jude, no.” Alvin protested, already struggling for breath with
the wounds inflicted upon him. They both knew he would not last long without
proper care.
             Gilland hummed in appreciation of Jude’s offer, his grip loosening
ever so slightly. “You would bargain for this wounded dog? The one who has done
nothing but lie to you for his own gain?” The gun was aimed at Alvin again and
Gilland cocked it slowly without so much as looking the man’s way. A threat;
motivation for Jude to keep his end of the bargain.
             It was working.
             Jude gulped and nodded, hand still firmly on the disc. This may be
his only chance. “Then… I’ll give it to you.” He affirmed, slowly raising it
into Gilland’s view. “But before I do… There’s one thing I want to know.” He
locked eyes with the man, glaring as the gun remained trained on Alvin as he
struggled to reach his own weapon. “What was the point of all this? Why the
ruse? Why not just have Alvin bring the disc and be done with it? Why go
through all the trouble of gathering a small army on a remote ship?”
             At his question, Gilland sneered. “It’s quite simple.” And then, a
low snicker, as if he was laughing at his own sick joke. “You’re the fuel.”
             The bottom dropped out of Jude’s stomach and his eyes went wide
with shock. “We’re… Fuel?”
             Gilland laughed through his nose, an absolutely maniacal glint to
his eyes. “It is true that your research played a vital role in the completion
of the Lance of Kresnik. Our previous attempts failed miserablybecause we
simply had no way of powering such a massive device reliably. With yours and
Haus’s research, we discovered a way to jumpstart the system, so to speak.”
             “You… You can’t mean…”
             “That’s right. Once I activate the Lance of Kresnik, every living
being on board will be sapped of their mana and used to fire its maiden round,
striking the cities of Rieze Maxia.” As he spoke his voice remained steady, not
once fluctuating even as he spoke of destroying an entire civilization. “Once
it hits, their mana will be sapped dry. It’ll be enough to power the lance
again, and again and again and again until allof Rieze Maxia is reduced to ash,
and all that mana will be absorbed.”
             Jude slowly shook his head, the sheer horror of what he had just
been told robbing him of his resolve. “Then the target for the Otherworld
Reactor Project wasn’t to absorb the spirits’ mana…!”
             Gilland was practically elated as he barked a laugh, tugging Jude
closer with such force that he almost lost his footing altogether, as if he
wished to experience his dismay more thoroughly. “That’s right. Why waste the
effort of trapping spirits when there’s enough mana in those Rieze Maxian scum
alone to power Elympios for thousands of years to come?”
             “You…” Jude breathed, finding it hard to keep his calm after all
this new information had come to light. “You really think you can get away with
this? With killing off an entire continent?!”
             “Oh, but…” Gilland pulled his gun back just so he could hold Jude
a sparse three inches from his face just for effect. “I already have…”
             Jude watched him, fear playing across his eyes as he heard a gun
click not far from him.
             And then, he scowled. “Not yet, you haven’t!”
             With one swift motion Jude’s forehead collided with Gilland’s,
knocking him back and loosing his grip upon Jude’s neck. His gun fired,
narrowly missing where Alvin lay, penetrating the floor and sending cracks
spiderwebbing through the glass. Alvin rolled onto his side, using his
uninjured arm to hold his gun steady as he fired a shot at Gilland’s weapon,
knocking the gun from his grasp.
             With their enemy disarmed, Jude quickly attempted to overpower
him, using swift punches and kicks to wear him down, utilizing every lesson he
had ever been taught in a miraculous display of agility and strength.
             It appeared that Gilland was not as strong as his nephew, as it
took little time for Jude to gain the upper hand, backing his enemy further
towards the platform as he waited for Alvin to reload for the finishing blow.
Jude reared back, switching stances and preparing to give another round of
punches to further wear down their enemy. He didn’t suspect a thing when
Gilland reached into his cloak, hand disappearing for a brief moment before
appearing again with a glint of light off a gilded barrel and a sudden flash of
gunfire.
             He never expected the searing pain that ripped through his abdomen
like a heated blade, nor the breath to be stolen from him so suddenly that he
could scarcely cry out. His eyes sought out the source, finding it held firmly
in Gilland’s shaking hand. A second gun. Jude hadn’t considered another weapon.
             Seconds passed and Jude gagged, blood burbling up from his throat
and into his mouth, dribbling down his chin. He stumbled back, a hand pressed
against the wound that was already staining the clothing Alvin had picked for
him with a deep crimson red. A breathless cry was ripped from his throat and
Jude doubled over as the pain hit him all at once. His legs buckled and he fell
to his knees, head swaying as the agony threatened to tear his consciousness
from him.
             “Jude!” He could barely hear Alvin calling for him over his pulse
pounding in his ears. “Jude, heal yourself!” Alvin demanded from the cracked
glass floor as he tried to drag himself towards Jude, as if he had any chance
of protecting him when he was in a worse state himself.
             His words at least registered, Jude closing his eyes and beginning
to channel the last of his mana into healing his own wound. For a split second
he thought it worked, only for the spell to fail, a feeling like fire singeing
his hand as his body convulsed in protest, only further aggravating his
condition. The distinct sensation of something being inside him that shouldn’t
made him feel like vomiting and it was everything he could do to keep from
passing out.
             Yet Jude continued to fight, holding a hand against his bleeding
stomach as he struggled to his feet, refusing to give up.
             And Gilland laughed. “Such determination! And all for naught!” He
waltzed up to Jude and before he had a chance to fend him off, the disc was
plucked from his pocket, and the injured boy knocked off balance with a mean-
spirited shove. Gilland returned to the console, holding the disc high as he
glanced over his shoulder at his defeated adversaries. “And now, the last act
of our little performance.”
             The disc slid into the console with a mechanical whir, dozens of
screens appearing onto the display. Gilland wasted no time in finding the
executable file, setting his plan in motion with a simple press of a button.
             All at once it felt like his weight had increased tenfold, Jude’s
already weakened body collapsing, brought down by an unseen force. He fell to
the ground in a heap, the breath knocked from his lungs on impact and he could
feel what little mana he had remaining being slowly drained from his person.
This was it, the power of the Lance of Kresnik.
             There was the distinct sound of another body hitting the ground
nearby, Gilland cursing audibly, his voice strained to Jude’s ears. As the boy
struggled for breath he managed to lift his head enough to see Gilland sprawled
upon the platform, seemingly unable to move just as he was. Was this the fate
of everyone on the ship? Would they be drained of their mana and left to die,
just like that?
             “What… What are you…!” Jude posed the question of the delusional
man, bewildered as to why he had not made his escape.
             Gilland grunted, but grinned all the same. “A minor
miscalculation.” He muttered. “I need only withstand the lance’s effects long
enough for the first shot. Then, it will no longer matter. Whoever survives
will return to Elympios with me and bask in glory as the heroes that restored
our land’s livelihood!”
             So not even his own men were going to spared? How many soldiers
were going to be sacrificed? How many did Gilland plan to kill for the sake of
his insane mission?
             No… No I can’t let it end like this…!  All those people are going
to die!
             But what could he do? Wounded, devoid of mana, weighed down as the
machine absorbed all their energy so it could destroy his people…
             That’s it!
             With strength he was sure had left him already, Jude managed to
roll onto his stomach, crawling, pulling himself along towards the steps,
making his way to the platform and the console that resided upon it. If I can
just get to the console… I can…
             Bemused by his attempts, Gilland laughed from his place on the
floor. “It’s useless!” He shouted over the din of the lance. “Once it starts
running, it will continue until the firing sequence is complete! You cannot
stop it!”
             “I’m going to try!” Jude shouted, unwilling to listen to anything
else the man had to say. He continued to crawl up the steps, feeling weaker and
weaker with each passing second. But he had to do this. He had to dosomething
or everyone in that room, the ship, and countless other people were going to
die.
             Perhaps it was the adrenaline, or some untapped strength he didn’t
know he possessed, but Jude somehow managed to hoist himself upright, his body
wracked with pain from his wounds and the lance’s power both. Finally he stood
upon unsteady legs whilst leaning against the console, barely able to hold his
head up to see the control panel’s display. He keyed through the files left
open by Gilland, scanning over the names, the command files there. Something,
anything, there has to be…
                          ABRT.BAT                   
IDLE.BAT                     FIRE.BAT                     TERM.BAT
             Jude hovered over abort. Abort the launch, abort the lance firing,
but even if I do that, Gilland could just get up and try again, and the
sequence would continue…
             He switched the cursor to the end of the list. This won’t end
unless I destroy it… I have to destroy the Lance of Kresnik…!
                          RUN TERM.BAT?_
                          YES_    NO_
             “What are you doing?!” Gilland shouted, trying to sit up only for
his strength to fail him. “If you do that, you’ll decimate the ship! You’ll
doom us all!”
             It was just what Jude needed to hear. With a weak but triumphant
smile, he glanced over his shoulder to Gilland. “If that’s what it takes,
then…”
             There was no hesitation as Jude pounded his fist against the key,
a window full of string after string of code populating the screen as the lance
made a jarring metallic noise. The code continued down the display until it
stopped all together, a message taking its place.
                          MODULE OVERRIDE COMPLETED. SELF-DESTRUCT INITIATED_
                          EVACUATE AREA IMMEDIATELY
            A siren sounded that could be heard throughout the ship, one Jude
hoped would be signal enough for the others to get as far away as possible. A
timer appeared on the display;
                          90…89…88…
             The generators within the lance kicked into overdrive as more
weight hit Jude, his arms only barely holding him upright as the force
threatened to knock him down. “You fool!” Gilland shouted, his own voice
strained from the lance’s mana sapping force weighing down on him. “Do you
realize what you’ve done?!”
             Jude shook his head, what could he do? It was this, or the
destruction of all of Rieze Maxia. The people here… They were going to get
hurt, but what choice did he have?
             He had no answer to offer Gilland. He merely watched as all the
man’s bravado was lost along with his master plan, crawling cowardly away as if
to save himself.
             Further out was Alvin, trying to get to his feet, blood coating
his clothing, yet he seemed fixated on one thing. “Jude! Hurry up and get away
from there!” He barked, arms threatening to buckle from the combined weight and
effort. “There’s still time, just get as far away as you can and save
yourself!”
             Jude heard his pleas and he understood. This had not been part of
Alvin’s plan either. He had intended to hand the disc over and make a grand
escape with Jude at his side, leaving everyone else behind so they alone would
survive. Or did he intend to take Gilland out at the last minute, swing in and
rescue Jude from his fate?
             A mystery that would remain, Jude thought as the strength left him
and he collapsed against the console, unable to withstand the forces acting
against him anymore.
                          65…64…63…
             “Jude, what are you doing!?” Alvin had given up trying to stand
and instead was crawling for him, the glass floor beneath him cracking more and
more with each passing second. “Get up! Get out of here!” His normally strong
and charismatic voice was laced with abject terror, his eyes on Jude as he
fought inch by inch to get closer to him. “C’mon, get up! Damn it, just go!”
             And Jude chuckled at the irony of it all, even as his body was
coursed with pain, his body protesting his very breath. “I… I wanted to help
people.” He muttered, voice becoming weaker with each string of words. “I
wanted… Everyone to live peacefully… So that’s why… I have to do this…”
             “Stop talking like that!” Alvin was yelling now, terrified. So
close, yet so far. “Are you seriously going to sacrifice yourself?! Get up!
There’s still time!”
                          32…31…30…
             The sound of groaning and rending metal echoed through the grand
hall, fixtures bending under the pressure of the lance. There was a distinct
crack, the rusted ceiling panels beginning to buckle. The ship was falling
apart.
             Jude smiled sadly, more blood coating his lips, running down his
chin. He didn’t want his last vision of Alvin to be a fearful one. He wanted to
remember the Alvin that was smiling, laughing, teasing him, holding him…
             Trusting him… Loving him…
             “I’m sorry, Alvin… And… Thank you…” With what little energy he
rolled onto his stomach, slowly dragging his weakened body towards the stairs.
He reached for Alvin, wanting to feel his touch just one last time. “Thank you…
For…”
             “That’s it, come on!” Even now, Alvin was encouraging him,
reaching for him. He was only a few feet away. “Just a bit more!”
             Just a little closer… I want to touch him… Feel his hand once
more…
            Jude recalled his cocky grin, the way Alvin would sling an arm
around his shoulder. The feeling of warmth that filled his chest when Alvin
would ruffle his hair, when he’d wink at him and make some off comment that’d
make Jude blush.
             “You’re almost there! Come on, Jude! You can make it!”
             Just once more…
             He remembered how safe he felt that time he carried him from the
scene of the chemistry lab fire. How the fear left him when he was held close
to Alvin’s chest, how even when the world seemed too cruel, Alvin had been
there for him.
                          15…14…13…
             Even if there had been lies, Alvin’s actions rang true. Everything
he had done, everything they had gone through, it was to protect Jude.
             “Thank you… Alvin…”
             Their fingertips brushed, the barest of contact.
             “…For trusting me…”
             The ceiling above them finally gave, chunks of metal debris
falling all around them. The glass beneath Alvin finally shattered completely,
sending the man falling deeper into the ship. In the final seconds of the
explosion, Jude faintly registered Alvin calling his name, his voice fading as
he fell.
             The memory of his voice and the feeling of his fingertips on his
own were the last things on his mind before his consciousness left him
entirely.
             The pain left his body as the world went white in a deafening
roar.
Chapter End Notes
     I'm sorry for the cliffhanger. No, I'm not. I hope everyone enjoyed
     this chapter as much as I liked writing it. It ended up being far
     longer than I anticipated, but I couldn't find a proper place to
     split it so you get a chapter that is twice as long as normal. As I
     mentioned on my tumblr, I'm taking next week off to finish up some
     other projects I've been ignoring while working on this one, so
     chapter update next Monday. But I may end up posting some drabbles
     related to this verse in the meantime to hold everyone over.
     A big huge thank you goes to Amavi for her stellar suggestions and
     editing that made this chapter even more heartwrenching than before.
     And a huge thank you to all of you guys for keeping up and reading
     this so far. I love all of you and I love reading your comments. They
     make my day! Thank you and see you in a couple weeks! <3
***** Chapter 17 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             Everything was quiet, peaceful.
             He felt as though he was floating, unable to control his body, or
what remained. Weightless, yet wholly unable to move, drifting aimlessly with
the ebb and flow of an unseen tide. But Jude did not feel pain, the lack of
discomfort both calming and alarming to him in his current state. He had been
injured badly, hadn’t he? Shot, bleeding out, caught in that explosion. He
vaguely recalled fighting, falling, dying, death… He was dead, wasn’t he? It
felt… Not in any way he would have imagined. There was no fear, no dread to
fill his chest, only all-encompassing darkness to engulf him.
             Just nothing; a void, an abyss that wrapped him in cool arms as he
continued drifting alone with only his scattered thoughts to occupy his time.
             I wonder if the others were able to escape…
             Others, who all was there? There were people who were needed, ones
he trusted, weren’t there? Jude tried to place the faces, pin the names, and
yet found he could not even recall who stood at his side in those final
moments. Were they friends? Allies? Enemies? Mentally he reached for them, yet
the more he tried the further away they felt, as if the very act of recalling
them was too much for his already weakened consciousness to handle.
             Were there others? Was there… Anyone? Has there ever been anyone?
             Jude tried to pull his head together, grasping for his thoughts,
only to have them slip between his fingers as if he were grabbing at his own
reflection in a pond. His home, his family, loved ones, the events that led to
his demise… Everything that shaped him into the person he was, all dissipating,
becoming one with the darkness around him, lost to the abyss.
             The sensation that overcame him could only be described as fading,
the very essence of his being coming undone, unraveling and taking everything
he was with it. Soon, he realized, there would be nothing left of him; his soul
would become one with the abyss, and that would be the end of it.
             The “Jude” he was would cease to be.
             This fact should have alarmed him, terrified him so deeply that
he’d struggle, beg and plead to remain whole. And yet Jude didn’t feel the
need. He felt himself beckoned, pulled further and further into the infinite
nothingness.
             “Do not struggle.”
             A voice carried across his thoughts, calming and child-like.
             “I am here to end your pain, the suffering you endured in your
life.”
             My pain… Was I in pain? I can’t…
             “Soon your soul will be cleansed and you will be created anew.”
             Created anew… Oh, but… What will happen to me then?
             “Your rebirth, a new beginning. A new life to start again.”
             I… That sounds… Nice…
            “Don’t give in.”
             “Soon you will know no pain, no hardship…”
             I… I’d like that… I don’t want to…
            “It is not your time to go.”
             “A chance to live happily, far removed from those who have hurt
you before…”
             I… I don’t want to be hurt anymore… I want…
            “Don’t you have a mission to fulfill?”
            A sudden flash and Jude was no longer floating, instead lying
curled upon something cool and hard. The ground, he realized, but try as he
might he hadn’t the strength to open his eyes and survey the area around him.
He sensed someone nearby, no, several someones, all standing around him where
he lay.
             The echoing clack of heels against stone, the shuffling of fabric,
and then, a soft touch, fingers tracing across his jaw line. Was the void
brighter? Had it been bright all along?
             “You’re a strange human, aren’t you?” The voice, a woman, spoke
tersely as she sat at his side. “Struggling to gain the trust of others, yet
you continue striving to help the people who harmed you.”
             Strange… Jude repeated in his own head, unable to speak just yet.
I guess that is strange.
             “I must ask you.” The woman began again, a gloved hand resting
against his shoulder. “Why was it you tried so hard for people who cared so
little? They destroyed their world, then sought aid from you without a single
ounce of thanks.” Her voice was stern, the faintest hint of malice. “Would it
not be easier to let them live with their mistakes? To save yourself the
heartache such endeavors wrought?”
             “That’s…” Jude mumbled, his voice slowly coming back to him. “I… I
wasn’t asking for thanks… I just…” Just what? The woman was right; it would
have been so much easier to have just dropped the project after Professor Haus
died. No one would have blamed him for wanting out after watching his mentor
murdered. Or when he was attacked in the square, or his apartment broken into…
So many times he could have quit, left the work for someone else and avoided
all the pain he had gone through, and not a single person would wrong him for
it. He was just a kid, a scared kid who just wanted to do right.
             But that was just it, wasn’t it? He wanted to do right. He wanted
to help and that was why he stayed. It didn’t matter that no one thanked him,
nor that people still scorned him for being a Rieze Maxian in Elympios. He just
wanted… “…I wanted to help them. The Elympions… They’re afraid to lose the life
they know… And… Even if they’re afraid of me… I want to help them… So we…”
People flitted across his mind, faces that started to come into view, names
like whispers in his ears. Memories, emotions, the reasons, his mission.
             “I want to help… So everyone… can live peacefully…”
             That was his mission.
             Something feather soft ghosted across his face, tickling his nose,
and the woman laughed quietly. “You truly love this world, don’t you?”
             Jude couldn’t tell if he was smiling, so unsure was he of his own
form in that moment. “Yes… I do love this world…”
             He felt himself lifted into warm arms, his face nestled against
the woman’s bosom, like a mother would a child. “That is what I wished to
hear…” Lips pressed against his forehead, a warmth unlike any he had felt
before radiating from the touch. After another small struggle, Jude finally
cracked his eyes open. The world was too bright, nearly blinding, but he could
just make out the face of the person holding him. Blonde hair, brilliant eyes,
a knowing smile. Jude knew not her name, but his heart leapt at the very image.
Beautiful, enough so to be a goddess…
             “You…”
             She silenced him one gloved finger against his lips. “It’s time to
go back, Jude.” The arms left him, yet he did not fall as the world around him
began to fade again. “I look forward to the day that you restore balance to
that world.”
             Jude reached for her, hand just barely caressing the woman’s as he
fell. He called out, wanting answers; who was she, where was she going, what
was going to happen to him. But his voice had abandoned him once more.
             As the world went out around him, she just smiled, fading too as
she spoke her last words;
             “Do not forget your mission.”
             He felt his body being yanked violently, swept up in the forces of
the tide, and the pain hit him so suddenly that he gasped, choking on saltwater
and brine.
             Then, nothing.
            
===============================================================================
                                        
 
             His head hurt.
             That was the first thought that entered Jude’s mind as he blinked
into waking, eyes trying to focus on his surroundings as they came into view. A
shelf overstuffed with books against the wall, family photos set on the side
table, depicting a mother and child smiling happily. A window adorned with
white curtains, swaying gently with the ocean breeze, the sound of seagulls
coming in from the coast…
             Leronde.
             Home.
             He was home.
             He was alive.
             Jude lifted his hand to touch his forehead, a task that was
proving far more difficult than he originally anticipated. He noted bandages
along his arms, more wrapped about his head. And if the tightness around his
stomach was any indication, he had plenty more there as well. His injuries had
been seen to, but the questions remained; where were the others? How did he
survive? That woman… Did she have something to do with this?
             “You’re awake.”
             Jude jolted, head whipping to the side almost too fast for his
vision to keep up. Sitting upon a chair next to the bed was Presa, dressed much
more conservatively than last he saw her. But unlike last time, she didn’t wear
that teasing, all-knowing grin, but a grave look of concern aimed his way.
             “I’m…” Jude pressed at his forehead, trying to calm the ache that
was already threatening to worsen with the effort of speaking alone. “I’m… How
did I…”
             “Your answer is as good as mine. To be honest, we thought you were
lost when the lance self-destructed.” Presa rose to her feet, grabbing a remote
from the shelf and clicking on the small television set that had been placed on
the desk. From his spot on the bed Jude could just barely see a news program,
photos of smoking debris floating along with the tides taken from an airship,
the ticker reading ‘Terrorist Attack Thwarted: Spirius Under Fire’.
             “This is all that’s been on since the incident. Elympions do so
love their scandals…” Presa set the remote down, taking a seat once again. “You
were fortunate to have survived at all. The explosion decimated half the ship
in an instant. We were able to evacuate using a commandeered airship, but…”
             She turned her head to watch the news feed, a clip of Bisley Bakur
being escorted from the Spirius building, dozens of reports clamoring to him,
shoving microphones in his face. The headline ‘CEO Bakur Under Exodus
Influence?’ scrolled just beneath. It cut to a clip of Chancellor Ilbert giving
a speech, the Prime Minister of Elympios at his side. Camera flashes lit up the
room as he answered questions about the current situation between the two
nations, to discuss if the open border was to continue, or if the foiled attack
was considered an act of war. Thankfully the esteemed strategist seemed to be
handling the situation gracefully, assuring the press that there was currently
no intention to retaliate so long as justice would be served. The Prime
Minister added that they intended to cooperate fully in this regard.
             The reel cut back to the wrecked ship, or what was left of it. It
had been reduced to scraps floating atop the water, the vessel itself likely
having sunk to the bottom of the sea. Seeing only made Jude wonder just how he
made it out alive.
             If anyone else in that room did.
             “How did I… How did I live through that? I was…” Shot, bleeding,
his mana almost entirely depleted thanks to the lance. For all intents and
purposes, he should have been dead.
             Presa shook her head, her gaze surprisingly gentle for someone who
only a short time ago had acted so coldly to him. “We’re not entirely sure
ourselves. You were found washed up on shore near Sapstrath. Your injuries
were… Not light, and your lack of mana has hindered your recovery.”
             Jude nodded along, trying to process what she was saying. Those
final moments seemed so surreal; the lance, that crazed man’s grand scheme, the
fight… But as he fought to piece the timeline together it became more garbled,
less cohesive, until he could only recall the pain and the sound of a voice
tell him not to give up, the soft touch of Alvin’s fingers before he…
             “Alvin!” Jude bolted upright and immediately regretted it as a
pulse of pain emanated from his stomach, causing him to double over. Alvin.
Alvin was there with him. He had been trying to reach him, telling him to run,
that he could still escape… But the floor collapsed, the ship blew… Jude looked
to Presa, wanting, no, needing answers. “Alvin, where is he?”
             The woman’s expression fell and she got to her feet again, seeking
something just out of Jude’s view. She returned a moment later with a familiar
jacket, torn and stained with blood.
             Suddenly Jude felt the urge to vomit and cry all at once, and he
clapped a hand over his mouth to hopefully prevent both. No, he… He couldn’t…
Tears stung at the corners of his eyes, shoulders shaking as he slowly reached
for the jacket, pulling it into his lap. The smell of his cologne had been
completely washed away, replaced by the pungent smell of sand and brine. But it
was unmistakably his, the custom tailoring, the unique color, the bloodstains
and burn marks…
             “When you were found, you were wrapped in that.”
             Jude’s head jolted up at those words, fretful eyes staring in
shock. “When I was…” It took him unusually long to process this information.
This was the jacket Alvin was wearing on the ship when Gilland attacked them,
so… “Then, Alvin is…”
             Presa shook her head, taking a seat once more. “He wasn’t there
when we arrived. We searched but…” Her expression grew somber again and Jude
knew what she was trying to convey. Alvin was gone. Missing, possibly dead. His
wounds had been terrible, hadn’t they? Unable to walk, desperately crawling to
him in those final moments even though escape was completely futile. The terror
in his voice rang in Jude’s ears even now; more than anything, Alvin didn’t
want him to give in, he wanted him to live even if he was convinced he’d die
himself in the process.
             And perhaps he had.
             But as Jude’s arms wrapped around the musty fabric, a soft smile
crossed his lips. Even when faced with death, Alvin had still thought of his
safety, wanting to protect him even if it meant losing his own life.
             A tear slipped down his cheek and Jude made no attempt to wipe it
away as he held the fabric to his chest. You took the bodyguard cover to heart,
didn’t you, Alvin?
             A deceptively delicate hand was laid upon his shoulder, giving
Jude a reassuring squeeze. “That man always wanted to go out in style.” Presa
muttered, seemingly lost as to how to comfort this boy over a man she once
loved herself. “But you know, Al is too stubborn to just die.”
             Jude snorted, wiping at his tears, smiling all the same. “I know.
He… He had said he was going to leave when this was done…” He sniffled, eyes
falling to the jacket in his lap. “I just have to trust that he’ll find what he
needs to, and that he’ll come back someday.”
             Presa’s hand fell away from his shoulder, seeming surprised at
Jude’s response. “You believe that he’ll come back? That he's alive?” Though
she didn’t say it, Jude knew what she really wanted to ask: You believe he’ll
come back to you?
             He could only nod, lifting his head and holding it high. “I know
he will, when he’s found the ‘Alvin’ he wants to be, and accepted the ‘Alvin’
that he is now.”
             For a moment Presa stared, unable to find any witty retort to
counter Jude’s words. An unfamiliar emotion flickered across her expression
before she smiled, slowly rising to her feet again. “Hm… I feel like I should
concede to you, Jude.” She made her way to the door, sliding it open. “Good
work.”
             “Huh?” What was that supposed to mean?
             But before he could ask for clarity, the door to his room slammed
the rest of the way open as Leia made her entrance. She pushed past Presa and
all but pounced Jude, wrapping him in a tight hug. “You’re awake!” She
proclaimed, already near tears. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”
             “L-Leia… It hurts…!” Jude managed with gritted teeth. Leia wasn’t
that heavy, but the pressure on his stomach was enough to send him reeling all
over again.
             “Oh!” She loosened her grip, smiling at him as she fought back
tears. “You big idiot! First you disappear and then I get a call saying they
found you half-dead! Do you have any idea how worried I was?”
             Jude chuckled, reaching up to pat her head with one bandaged hand.
“I’m sorry, Leia. A lot of things happened…”
             “I’ll say! You better tell me everything! Every. Last. Detail.”
She pulled out her notebook from seemingly thin-air and began hastily writing.
“This is gonna be a huge scoop!”
             “Leia…” Jude sighed, reaching back to prop up the pillows so he
could lay more comfortably. Even though he had just woken he was already
feeling drained, the excitement alone leaving him feeling utterly exhausted.
“Wait till I’m on my feet again, then I’ll give you your scoop.”
             The tone of his voice seemed to be enough to get his point across,
as Leia set the notebook aside and instead took the seat Presa was occupying
before. “Sorry, I probably should have asked with an easier question. Like, how
are you feeling? Can I get you anything?”
             Jude shook his head, his attention going to the latest news
segment, this one with a headline even closer to home. ‘Spyrix Research
Suspended Pending Investigation’.
             “Guess I’m out a job…” He sunk further into the pillows, reaching
for the remote and clicking the TV off. Jude figured it would end up like this,
and he was fairly certain that his short-lived career as a researcher was
swiftly coming to an end. He wondered what he would do next; continue school?
Pick up a different job? Move back home? He couldn’t afford an apartment in
Trigleph on financial aid alone, so it seemed that moving back home was soon to
be his only option.
             Leia placed a reassuring hand on his knee. “Hey, we’ll figure
something out…” She offered with a smile.
             Jude nodded, pulling the jacket closer to his chest. Even though
it smelled too much of salt and iron, it brought him no small comfort to have
the article so close. Alvin’s final act of kindness before his departure was to
offer him warmth, give him whatever he could to keep him safe. Even if he felt
he was no longer worthy of staying at Jude’s side, Alvin still wished to
protect him.
             And now Jude could only hope he would come back someday.
             The silence between them was broken by a growl from Jude’s
stomach, causing the heat to rush to his face. But Leia gave him no grief, only
smiled. “Hungry?”
             Jude nodded, trying to adjust the blankets to more properly cover
his bare chest. In the end, Leia had to do it for him, setting Alvin’s coat to
his side in the process. “Do you think your dad would make me that soup I like?
With the oranges?”
             “I’m sure he will!” She leapt to her feet with renewed vigor.
“I’ll go help him make it and be right back, so sit tight, okay?”
             “I don’t think I could go anywhere if I tried…” Jude snarked, but
it was only met with a playful smile. He was grateful to have Leia around,
especially now.
             But something had been bothering since he woke. That woman, the
one that had spoken to him before… “Hey, Leia, was there someone else here?
Aside from you and Presa?”
             “Hm?” Leia pressed a finger to her chin in thought. “I don’t think
so? Your mother is overseeing your treatment. Is that who you saw?”
             Jude shook his head. “No, that’s…” It wasn’t anyone he recognized,
but he felt like the woman was familiar somehow, like an old friend. But he was
sure he had never seen her before. “Don’t worry about it.”
             “Are you sure?”
             Jude smiled. “Yeah. Don’t worry about it. Tell mom I’m awake on
your way out?”
             “You bet! I’ll be back in a hot minute.”
             As soon as she left to fetch his meal, Jude immediately missed her
presence. Alone in the quiet of the room, Jude’s only company was his thoughts,
those of which he needed to sort through before he could figure out his next
move. Exodus in shambles, his job on an indefinite hiatus, Alvin gone…
             He sighed, fiddling with the button of one of Alvin’s jacket’s
pockets, noticing a familiar lump. He undid the fastener and pulled Alvin’s GHS
free, rich brown accented with gold paint that had chipped off over time.
Curiously, he flipped it open, attempting to power it on. It buzzed menacingly
but otherwise did not respond. The seawater likely did it in with no hopes of
recovery. But there was something else that caught Jude’s eye, something
metallic that had slipped from the pocket along with the phone.
             A charm in the shape of a six-pointed flower with a small stylized
J at the center, attached to a keyring. On it was a single key, one that Jude
recognized. The apartment that Alvin and he shared for that brief time. This
key… Did he make it for me before…?
             Jude clutched the key to his chest, smiling to himself. In that
moment, for all the uncertainties he held in his heart, he decided what it was
he needed to do. He’d keep moving forward for himself, hold tightly to the
mission he undertook for the sake of the people of this world. I’ll keep
moving… And finish what I started no matter what.
             And maybe, just maybe, he’d see Alvin again.
Chapter End Notes
     Back from the two week break! Sorry I was kinda dead during the
     absence. I got back into painting and my RP life suddenly got a lot
     busier! But back with another chapter, and just one to go from here!
     I really hope you all enjoyed it, and I'm really grateful to all
     those who have stuck with me throughout these last four months. Just
     another week to go and then we get to all the bonus stuff that I'll
     try to work out a schedule for.
     On that note, if anyone would like to see something in particular for
     this verse, leave me a comment or drop me a note on tumblr. As
     always, a big thanks to Amavi for helping me with the edits and
     suggestions, and a big thanks to everyone who read this. One more go
     around til the final chapter! See you next week!
***** Chapter 18 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
             “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
             At a small café in Trigleph, Jude sat cupping his second mug of
coffee with both hands. He looked up to greet his guest, smiling in spite of
his fatigue. Ludger took a seat across from him, appearing just as tired as he
was, but smiling all the same.
             “Yeah, our work schedules aren’t exactly merciful on our sleep
cycles, are they?” Jude laughed, running a hand through his hair, chuckling to
himself. “But at least I’m not running around chasing suspects all day. I’m
just in the lab.”
             “To be honest, I think I’d prefer chasing suspects. I’ve seen the
way you work.” The waitress came over and poured Ludger a cup of coffee, which
he gladly began adding creamer to. “But after receiving all that private
funding, I can see why you’d put so much into it.”
             Jude took a sip of his own drink, his body craving the caffeine
after pulling an all-nighter to meet his deadline. “Yeah, it just felt like
there was a lot more at stake when we had the chancellor start handing us
checks. Talk about nerve-wracking.”
             Ludger idly stirred his coffee, resting his chin in his free hand.
“Didn’t she make a big PR deal out of it too? Not sure what her motive is, but
at least the funds are clean. You wouldn’t believe how disorganized things are
still with half our directors missing.”
             “Even after all this time? I would have thought Julius would have
things under control by now…”
             A heavy silence fell over them, Ludger’s hand stilling over his
coffee as his expression fell. “Actually… That’s one of the reasons things are
so crazy. Julius quit.”
             “What?” Jude blinked in shock. Julius had been the director of
Ludger’s department for years, and one of the few that stayed on board after
the Exodus investigation. He was dedicated to his job almost as much as he was
his brother. To hear he just left… “But why?”
             Ludger gulped thickly, pushing his coffee to the side as he rested
his elbows on the table. “He’s gotten sicker, and it has been affecting his
work. He thought it was time.”
             Jude lowered his gaze, sorrow welling in his chest. He knew
Julius’s condition had been rapidly worsening, but the man insisted on working
because he wanted to support Ludger. It was only a matter of time before he
wasn’t able to push through the pain anymore. Jude felt for them; the brothers
were close, and Julius was the only family Ludger had left. “I’m sorry, Ludger.
I wish there was something I could do to help but… None of my spyrites can cure
what he has.”
             The agent quickly shook his head, dyed hair falling into his eyes
as he offered Jude a somber smile. “That’s not why I called you out here. I
know you did what you could when you came to see him last, and we’re both
grateful for it.” A pause, another sip of coffee, before Ludger set it aside
again. “I’m leaving Spirius, too.”
             “You too?!” Jude sputtered. Things had been hard, and yes, the
corruption had certainly tainted the public view of the conglomerate, but “I
thought you always wanted to be an agent? To follow your brother’s footsteps?”
             Ludger chuckled through his nose, as if he had expected this
reaction of Jude. “It was, yeah. But after doing the work, seeing what I had to
do for the sake of my job… My heart just wasn’t in it after that time in Duval.
I think Julius leaving was the last straw.”
             “I see…” Jude wasn’t sure how he felt about that. On the one hand,
he felt responsible for involving Ludger in that mess, tainting his view of the
company. But on the other he almost felt relieved; Ludger was skilled in
combat, but he was kind, almost too kind for all the dirty work he was having
to do in the name of Spirius. This led to another question. “What do you plan
on doing then? If Julius isn’t working either, then…”
             The pale man smiled, brushing the stray bangs from his face. “The
barkeep of Café Noir offered me a job as a cook. I’ve always enjoyed cooking,
so I figured it’d be a good place to start. It’s a huge pay cut, but…”
             “But it’s something you’d enjoy doing, isn’t it?” Of all people,
Jude knew exactly how it felt to have a job he loved and very little funds to
show for it. It was hard, but far more fulfilling way of life. That, and
Ludger’s cooking was already restaurant quality in Jude’s opinion. Why not make
a career of it? “If it’s something you want to do, then I’m glad for it. Just
let me know if there’s anything I can do to help, okay?”
             A firm nod, another winning smile. “You’ll just have to come down
to Duval more often to have dinner from now on.”
             The two shared a much needed laugh. It had been a couple weeks
since they had been able to sit down and enjoy each other’s presence. Between
Ludger’s ever increasing workload due to the shortage of agents and Jude’s
research deadlines ever looming over his head, the two had hardly time for
themselves, let alone visiting. But Ludger had left Spirius, and Jude had
finally pushed his last prototype out to the field lab for testing. Now they
could rest, and enjoy a few moments for themselves and their loved ones.
             “How’s things with Gai--- I mean, Erston?” Jude ventured,
searching for a topic of conversation that was far removed from their jobs. It
was strange to think that a casual friendship with the ruler of his homeland
was one of the end results of the Exodus ordeal. It was still a little scary
speaking so plainly to the king, but Gaius had proved to be an honest and
reliable friend. That, and he clearly adored Ludger, which was really all Jude
hoped for in the end.
             A heavy blush crossed Ludger’s cheeks and he averted his gaze.
“They’re going well, I think. He’s always busy with his royal duties, but he
always takes time out to visit.” He gave a nervous chuckle as his eyes returned
to Jude. “He said if anything happens, he’d provide for me. I don’t want it to
come to that, but the offer is tempting.”
             “A king providing for you… Isn’t that a bit like being a
concubine?”
             The blush only worsened. “D-don’t say it like that. It makes it
worse!”
             This time Jude chuckled, waving a hand to calm his friend. “I’m
joking. But I’m glad things are going good. Erston is the kind of guy to speak
bluntly, so it’s easy to see what he thinks of you.”
             “Yeah.” Ludger said, mind clearly drifting to his lover, judging
by the grin on his face. Jude tried not to laugh. He was happy for them, but
also a little envious. They had been together for a while, and Ludger always
looked so happy whenever he was around. For someone who was going through so
much, it was nice to see Ludger genuinely smiling again.
             It reminded him of a time he genuinely smiled for someone else.
Such memories made his face fall, his previously contented expression fading.
             “It’s been two years, hasn’t it?” Jude snapped to attention at
Ludger’s expression, the man’s own face conveying the concern he felt for his
friend. “Have you gotten anything from him?”
             Jude lowered his eyes, slowly shaking his head. Without prompting,
he knew exactly who Ludger was talking about. “No… Nothing.”
             “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t…”
             “No, it’s…” Jude was quick to cut off any apologies. Ludger had
been friends with him too, it was only natural for him to ask. “It’s fine. I
just have to keep waiting.”
             “All this time though?” Ludger sounded genuinely surprised. “You’d
think he’d at least send a letter or something…”
             Jude knew what he was getting at; the person he was waiting for
all this time… “I know, but he has to come back eventually, right?” Jude didn’t
quite believe his own words, but he voiced them anyway if only to keep himself
going. “I’d be satisfied just knowing he was okay. So I’ll just wait for him.”
A lie, a boldfaced lie, but this was something he had kept to himself. Ludger
didn’t need to know his feelings, how he was beginning to doubt the man would
return, that he was even still alive. Voicing these fears would only give them
validity, a place in reality, and Jude wasn’t ready for that.
             He wasn’t sure if he ever would be.
             Ludger reached across the table and gripped his hand, offering a
sympathetic smile to his friend. They had grown so much closer since Jude’s
return to Rieze Maxia. Ludger had become Jude’s confidante, his support when
things get rough. And in return Jude had offered the same. In another time,
Jude thought they would have probably ended up together, but Ludger had Gaius,
and himself...
             “I’m sorry.” Ludger spoke, thumb running across the back of Jude’s
hand. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
             Jude placed his other hand atop Ludger’s, smiling as brilliantly
as he could muster. “It’s fine. I’m okay. Just gotta focus on work, right?”
Another boldfaced lie and they both knew it, but Ludger wasn’t about it point
it out.
             Ludger’s phone went off and he pulled his hands away, retrieving
the device from his pocket to check the message received. “It’s from Erston,
we’re meeting up in Duval. Do you want to come? It’s been a while since we all
got to relax together.”
             With a laugh, Jude raised his hand to decline. “No, I still have a
report to write up. Next time, okay?”
             The phone was pocketed and Ludger stood, leaving some gald on the
table for his drink. “All right, but call if you need something? Leia’s been
worried about you, too.”
             Jude nodded, feigning the smile as best as he could. “Of course.
Same to you, though. I know it’s rough with Julius’s condition.”
             A hand was placed on Jude’s shoulder, a familiar gesture. “Thanks,
Jude. I’ll call you later.” He waved before heading in the direction of the
station, leaving Jude alone to pay his end of the tab.
             With a sigh, he stood, shelling out some gald before grabbing his
bag and heading towards his apartment.
                                        
===============================================================================
                                        
                                        
             Over the course of the years, the near-empty apartment had evolved
into something resembling a home. There still wasn’t much in the way of decor;
the living room was still mostly empty, with a few plants and a pair of lamps
being the only new editions. What odds and ends he recovered from his old place
had been brought over with the aid of Ludger and Leia. His bookshelves were set
up in his room, his computer placed upon a desk. The room itself was still
bordering on becoming a disaster area, but Jude did his best to keep it
contained to just the bedroom and not let it spread into the living area. Maybe
it was for the sake of bettering himself, or maybe it was because he wouldn’t
want anyone to see the apartment entrusted to him destroyed by his negligence.
             Jude set the stack of mail he had gathered upon the kitchen
counter and began sorting through it. Junk mail, bill, newsletter, bill, a
notice from the landlord… He opened the notice first, feeling his pulse rise
with the anxiety over what information the envelope could contain. He quickly
glanced over the text; a thank you for a timely payment followed by a
confirmation that his rent had been drawn from the account successfully, his
dwindling gald balance following.
             Only a few months left…Jude sighed, setting the letter aside and
leaving the rest of the mail for later. Every month it was the same; the rent
was pulled from account that Jude had no knowledge of save for its mention on
the monthly notices. He had asked the lady down at the office at one point,
only to have her shrug and say that the lessee had made a lump sum payment in
lieu of a background check when he moved in some years back. But the amount was
finite, and though Jude was doing his best to be conservative with water and
electricity, the funds were drying up and he had no earthly way of affording
such a luxurious place on his own.
             It would be no small task to leave, financially, physically, and
mentally. Though he had used the last two years of free rent to save every
extra bit of gald he had, it was still only enough to cover the move and maybe
a month or two of rent. Ludger had offered him a place to stay, but his
apartment was a two bedroom shared between himself and his ailing brother;
hardly enough space for a third person with a veritable library of materials he
needed to keep. Leia offered as well, but the same issue arose.
             The three had suggested finding a roommate to share the space; it
was a nice apartment in a great part of town. He could easily split the cost
and afford to keep it even on his researcher’s budget. But Jude turned that
idea down right off; moving out wasn’t a desirable option, but having someone
else live with him was just as bad. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to share the
apartment; he’d probably enjoy having someone else’s presence to drown out the
silence. No, having someone else move in meant moving stuff out of the master
bedroom. Stuff that wasn’t his to move. Stuff that belonged to Alvin.
             Since his return to the apartment, the bedroom had remained
largely untouched. Every now and then Jude would dust the furniture, open the
window to air out the room. The pillows were fluffed, the blankets and sheets
changed in time with the seasons. On the nightstand, the brown and gold GHS,
still unable to power on, the ports corroded beyond repair. Everything remained
as it was when Alvin and he still shared the home.
             Mary called it waiting. Balan called it a memorial.
             Jude wandered into the bedroom, as he often did when lost in the
thoughts of the man who turned his world on its head. He admired the many
colorful scarves that were carefully hung inside his closet, ran his hands
across the fine fabrics of the suit jackets of which Alvin had always been so
proud. Jude paused at one near the back, familiar hues of violet and maroon,
pulling it from the collection and into his arms.
             Though the scent of the sea no longer lingered, Jude was never
able to get the bloodstains out of the expensive fabric. They remained,
outlining the punctures in the cloth, the burnt edges of holes. Every time Jude
looked at that jacket, he wondered if it was really possible for Alvin to have
survived such horrific injuries. Jude himself had been shot once, and that was
enough to put him down for a good month, but Alvin… He had taken no less than
three shells. It seemed impossible for either of them to have survived, but
Jude had been saved, found wrapped in that very jacket.
             But Alvin was long gone when Jude had been found. And the more
time passed, the more difficult it was to believe the man would return at all.
             Jude wanted to believe in his words that day, that Alvin would
come back when he had settled whatever score with whoever he needed to, whether
it’d be an enemy or himself. But to go so long with nothing, he found he was
losing hope.
             Jude pulled his GHS from his pocket, staring blankly at the
screen. It had taken months to recover the phone numbers lost when his old
handset was destroyed, and even now he was still missing some. At the top of
the contact list was Alvin’s name, the number obtained from Leia. It went to
voicemail for the first few months, now only leading to a generic out of
service message. Looking back, Jude wished he had recorded the message on the
machine, if only he could hear his voice again. But even if it always led to
nothing, Jude would still call the number every now and again on the off chance
that he’d get an answer, that he’d hear the familiar chuckle followed by “Hey,
kid”.
             It was fruitless, Jude knew, but he still tried even if it hurt.
It was hard hanging on, but even harder to let go. And for all his optimism, as
the days passed with no word, Jude knew eventually he’d have to come to terms
with Alvin’s death.
             With a ragged sigh Jude laid upon the unused bed, curling up with
the jacket held tightly to his chest. He knew he had work to do, reports to
write, dinner to make, but at that moment he didn’t feel like doing anything
but to lay there and try not to cry.
             Maybe it’s time I let this place go… Maybe he… Really isn’t coming
back…
             As a tear slipped down his face his phone buzzed in his hand,
startling him out of his thoughts. Jude quickly sat up, rubbing his eyes as he
looked at the display. A number he didn’t recognize, and after hours too.
Normally Jude would still answer regardless of the time; one never knew when
he’d be needed at the lab. But right now Jude needed a moment to himself. He
really wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone.
             The phone went silent again and Jude sighed, setting the device
upon the nightstand to join Alvin’s broken one. But no sooner had his fingers
left the smooth plastic did it buzz once more, the display blinking ‘1 New
Voice Message’.
             Maybe there’s something going on at the lab? Jude picked up his
phone and dialed his voice mailbox, pressing the speaker to his ear.
             “You have one unheard message. First unheard message.”
             There was no voice at first, only the sound of the wind and the
distant murmurs of a crowd. Jude was beginning to think that perhaps it was a
wrong number, a pocket dial message that would stretch until the timer was up.
It wasn’t the first time such a thing had occurred, nor was it likely the last.
             But then there was a long, exasperated sigh, followed by a voice
that stole Jude’s breath from his lungs.
             “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’m glad your number is still the
same.”
             Jude nearly dropped the phone in shock. Was that…? No, it can’t
be…!
             “I know it’s sudden but… I wanted to see you. I can’t expect you
to come after what I did, but…” A dry chuckle, another shaky sigh, as if the
speaker had to swallow his own emotions before talking again. “I’m at the park
near your old place. I know I can’t ask your forgiveness but… I’ll be waiting
there.”
             Jude had his shoes on and was out the door before the message
ended. He ran like a man possessed, pushing through the evening crowds without
even so much as an apology to the people he ran into. His mind was spinning.
The message, the words, the voice, his voice. Was it really him? Had he
finally…?
             His lungs burned, his legs hurt, he tripped no less than twice as
he rushed from one end of the district to the other. But the pain was the
furthest thing from his mind in that moment. Just a couple more blocks, a few
short minutes and he’d be able to see with his own two eyes the man he had
longed to see for the last two years. The man that he had begun to think was
never going to return.
             The sun had begun to set by the time he made it to the hill that
led to his old apartment. His pace slowed, no longer able to ignore his fatigue
as he approached the crest of the hill. Jude tried to catch his breath as the
park came into view, the children having all gone home for the day, leaving the
playground empty…
             …Save for one man.
             As Jude stood at the entrance fighting for breath, he laid eyes
upon broad shoulders, sun-kissed skin, brunette locks that reached just past
his collar. His eyes were tired, worn from countless days away from home. The
smile that graced his lips was tentative at best, but still undoubtedly
Alvin’s.
             It was him.
             It was really him.
             Alvin threw up a hand in a half-hearted wave, trying to appear
confident but only managing to look more unsure of himself. “Long time, no see,
huh?”
             As Jude fought for his breath he couldn’t help but stare in
disbelief. After so long, the countless nights of loneliness, the endless what-
ifs, the gradually fading hope that the man who had changed so many aspects of
his life was even alive at all, would ever return… The sorrow, the anger, the
grief, the wish just to hear the man’s voice, to know he was all right, even if
he never got to see him again…
             All these emotions bubbled to the surface so swiftly that Jude did
the first thing that came to mind.
             He gritted his teeth, biting back tears as he rushed up to the
man, fist raised.
             “You bastard!” His fist collided with Alvin’s cheek so swiftly
that the man was knocked flat on his back with a surprised yelp.
             Alvin laid there a moment, groaning as he sat up. “Okay, I
probably deserved that.”
             Jude was on him before he had a chance to get to his feet,
straddling his lap and holding him still with two fists tangled in his scarf.
“You deserve a lot more than that!” He spat, trying so hard to keep his
emotions in check but was quickly failing in that department. “Do you have any
idea what you’ve put me through?! I spent all this time holding out hope that
you’d come back, only to watch the months pass with no calls, no messages, no
letters, nothing! Do you have any idea how much it hurt watching everyone give
up on you? Feeling like I should give up too? You were dead, Alvin!”
             “Jude, I…”
             “Shut up!” Jude snapped, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to
control his breathing. Don’t cry, Mathis. Don’t youdarecry right now! But even
as his mind screamed not to, Jude was finding it hard to stave off the tears
that were gathering in his eyes as he confessed all his pains from the last two
years. “I sawhow injured you were! The ship blew up! They didn’t even recover
Gilland’s body! They kept saying you couldn’t have survived, that you probably
crawled back into the water to die alone like some animal that didn’t deserve a
burial. And I… I didn’t want to believe they were right but…”
             A thumb brushed across his eye, wiping the beginnings of a tear
away. And when he opened his eyes all he saw was Alvin smiling sadly back at
him and it was all Jude could do to keep from breaking down completely.
             “I’m sorry, kid.” He began, and for once Alvin didn’t try to avoid
his gaze. “I know I should have contacted you sooner. Bad on my part. I just…”
He sighed, pressing his forehead against Jude’s as his arms wrapped around the
younger man’s shoulders. “I couldn’t. I just couldn’t, knowing how much shit I
put you through.”
             While Jude did not fight the embrace, he didn’t reciprocate
either. Instead he let his arms go limp, taking measured breaths to calm
himself. “You think you were sparing me somehow? You thought I was better with
you gone? Don’t you remember what I said on the Zenethra?”
             “But… That was before…”
             “I said to stop assuming what I wanted!” He was shouting again,
his voice getting away from him. “Maybe I am better off without you. Maybe I
don’t know what I’m getting into. But I’m making that decision, not you. And
what I wanted was for you to come back safe!” Jude slowly wrapped his arms
around Alvin’s middle, hugging him tightly as if he was going to disappear at
any moment, burying his face in his shoulder. “I wanted you to come back to
me.”
             “Jude…” As Jude’s shoulders shook, Alvin’s embrace tightened
around them. “After all I’ve done, the things I did... I lied to you, hurt you,
I could have killed you… You know all this, but you still…” He sighed, shaking
his head as if his own resolve was crumbling with each word. “Why wait for
someone as low as me? Why sell yourself short like that?”
             Jude took a slow, deep breath before lifting his head, pulling
back just enough to meet Alvin’s gaze. “There was something Presa told me… The
night before the Zenethra…” This time it was Jude who pressed their foreheads
together, hands resting against Alvin’s chest. “Love is giving someone the
power to destroy you, but trusting them not to.” Alvin’s breath hitched at the
word love and he stared back at Jude in disbelief.
             Jude could only smile in return. “And I trust you, Alvin.”
             There was the slightest quiver to Alvin’s lip, a wavering in his
expression. He quickly lowered his eyes, as if holding Jude’s gaze was too much
for him to handle in that moment. “You’d really want to be with a guy like me?”
              “Let me decide that.” And Jude smiled that same warm smile he had
given to Alvin countless times before.
             Alvin stared back, blinking slowly, leaning just the barest bit
forward, pausing mere inches from Jude’s lips, hesitant, unsure. It was Jude
who closed the gap, pressing his lips against Alvin’s own in a kiss that
encompassed more than two years of yearning emotions and sleepless, lonely
nights. Alvin responded slowly at first, then with fervor, holding Jude close
as his own feelings poured from their contact.
             They broke apart all too soon, Jude smiling even as his heart
thundered in his ears. He rested his head against Alvin’s shoulder, relishing
the contact, the warmth of the man he had longed to see for the last two years.
             “You’re going to tell me everything.” Jude demanded quietly.
“Starting with what you’ve been doing all this time.”
             Alvin chuckled dryly, gently patting Jude on the back. “Aside from
feeling lower than dirt and missing you?”
             Jude reached up and gave Alvin a good knock on the back of the
head. “Don’t start. I’m being serious here.”
             “So am I.” Alvin gently pushed at Jude’s chest, coaxing him off
his lap. Jude got to his feet and offered a hand to the older man, tugging him
off the ground with only mild difficulty. Standing before the other, Alvin
snorted, bringing a hand up over Jude’s head. “Looks like you got taller…”
             The younger man pouted, barely concealing a blush. He’d have to
get used to Alvin’s teasing again. “Two inches. It kind of snuck up on me.”
             “You make a proper armrest now.” To accentuate this, Alvin draped
his arm around Jude’s shoulder, just as he had all those times before. “Ah, so
much better on my back!”
             “C-cut it out!” Jude playfully swatted at Alvin’s chest, smiling
wider than he had in years. Oh, how he missed this.
             “Nope, I have two years of heckling you to make up for.” As if to
throw him off guard, Alvin leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Jude’s cheek,
chuckling as the younger man’s face bloomed in a brilliant red. “I think I can
get used to that shade on you…”
             “Alvin!” Jude’s face only grew redder with each touch. He’d have
to get used to that, too. “Save it for when we get home.”
             Alvin quirked a brow, his smirk widening. “Oh? You got something
planned for me when we get home?”
             Jude sighed in exasperation and ducked out from under Alvin’s arm.
But instead of pulling away entirely, he reached for Alvin’s hand. “You can
find out when we get there.” He offered with a smile, cheeks still burning from
his previous attentions. But Jude was quickly finding that he didn’t mind,
because it was Alvin that was giving such loving gestures to him. It was
Alvin’s whose hand he held so gently, whose lips he kissed with joy that
threatened to bubble over with each touch. It was Alvin, and Alvin was home,
Alvin was his.
             “Let’s go home.”
             Alvin smiled back at him, twining his fingers with Jude’s.
             “You’ve changed, kid.” He commented, allowing Jude to lead him
down the steadily clearing streets. Jude glanced perplexedly up at him and
Alvin chuckled. “You seem more sure of yourself now, like you found your
purpose.”
             Jude’s confusion faded to a contented smile, eyes falling to the
brick-covered street. “I guess I have a bit. I don’t feel so lost anymore, like
I was before.”
             Alvin smiled wistfully, chuckling to himself. “I envy that. Once I
decided to leave the mercenary life… I haven’t really known what to do with
myself.”
             “Lost?” Such a strange thing to hear from someone that always
exuded confidence. Then again, the way Alvin was acting, how he was carrying
himself… It was as if he was still wandering, lost without Gilland and Exodus
to dictate his life. All the talk about wanting out, leaving his old life of
lies and betrayal; was he still looking for a way out? Or was his next move
still lost on him? “So you’re still trying to find the person you want to be…”
             Alvin stared at him, surprised at his perception. It quickly
dissolved into a short laugh. “You kids these days… You’re wiser than us
adults, aren’t you?” He sighed, turning his head up to the steadily darkening
sky. “But… You’re right. I still haven’t quite gotten over my bad habits, or
even my inability to keep people close… Maybe that’s why it’s taken me so long
to work up the courage to see you.”
             “Are you planning to leave again?” Once again the questions Jude
posed seem to throw him off. But this one was laced with deeper meaning, words
that Jude was still too fearful to express. Are you planning on leaving me?
             Alvin shook his head, giving Jude’s hand a reassuring squeeze.
“No, I think… I feel like having you at my back will help. It’s because of you
I saw how messed up things were, how messed up Istill am.”
             “I won’t be at your back, Alvin.” Jude corrected him, his eyes
filled with what could only be love. “And I don’t want you at mine, either.
Whatever it is we have to face, we’re going to face it side by side. Even if
things get rough, I won’t run, and I don’t want you to either.”
             “Jude…”
             Jude stepped closer, holding onto Alvin’s hand firmly as he gazed
up at him, the setting sun haloing his hair. “So let’s keep going, Alvin.
Together.”
             Alvin smiled, clutching Jude’s hand tightly, as if he too feared
the boy would disappear if he let go. And Jude clutched just as tightly,
leaning up on his toes to capture those smiling lips in his own, a touch that
was eagerly returned.
             Most people take a sabbatical after being involved in a terrorist
attack, or getting wrapped up in a madman’s scheme, or being forced to flee the
country to escape harm. It had been offered, of course, but Jude steadfastly
refused the time off. Jude claimed it was his commitment to the project, his
determination driving him to keep going. But in truth it was his way of coping
with the supposed death of the man he came to love in spite of all the
hardships they had faced.
             And now that man had returned to him, a little broken, a little
lost. But together they could continue down the path of recovery, pursue the
answers that they needed to finally find peace in themselves.
             The road would be long, and they were sure to stumble, but Jude
never felt more excited to start a journey as he did that day with Alvin at his
side.
Chapter End Notes
     It's been a long four months, hasn't it? I still have trouble
     believing this fic has gotten as popular as it has. For the first few
     weeks, I thought I couldn't hold a candle to some of the more
     prolific writers of the fandom, but I was quickly proven wrong as
     more people stopped by to read it!
     I want to start by once again thanking every who read, kudos, and
     commented on this fic. This is, oddly enough, my first time writing
     on a strict deadline, and only the second multi-chapter stories that
     I've finished, and the longest to boot! I've met a lot of new friends
     since I started posting The Healer's Guard, and even some fandom-
     famous ones too! I feel elated to have met all of you and I'm so glad
     you enjoyed my work. I want to extend a special thank you to Amavi,
     my beloved friend, beta, and editor. Without her, the story wouldn't
     be complete, and I have her to thank for that.
     I still intend on writing some side stories for this, namely to delve
     more into Gaius and Ludger's relationship, as well as cover the two-
     year gap. I do not have an ETA for those right now, but they'll be
     posted here as well as my tumblr. And yes, the smut epilogue will
     happen when I have a bit of a break.
     With the story at an end, I would love to read your thoughts on it!
     Feel free to comment or send me a message on tumblr. I love hearing
     from each and every one of you. You're all wonderful and without you
     none of this would have happened.
     Again, thank you for all for everything, and see you all soon!
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