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.
Hello and thank you for reading! I've been publishing this fic on AO3 for the past few weeks, but decided to post it here as well for those who may not have access to AO3 proper. I've been working really hard on this fic and I hope you all enjoy it! I would like to thank LividLillies for being such a wonderful editor and keeping things flowing smoothly. Without her, there wouldn't be weekly updates! Please feel free to leave feedback or comments on my work, and thank you again!