Humans were limited creatures.

Single minded, barbaric, thoughtless fools.

Over a millennium, Lambda had relearned these harsh truths again and again. Confusion and loneliness framed his understanding, and torture plagued his memories. Yet he couldn't even say when he was born. One day he was jolted into awareness, tossed haphazardly into a small mechanical body, and from then on was given a name. He didn't know what it meant, or what it was meant for, but there was a plan for him. They tested him first with chipped wooden blocks, then with his ability to manipulate eleth and create life. But when they decided he couldn't be controlled, they sought to eradicate the "monster" they created.

And after all that, the one light of kindness Lambda had known was snuffed out by his own people.

Humans.

Lambda reveled in the knowledge that at least he was not one of them. His own real identity didn't matter to him in the end. His very existence was all he could cling too, but years of fighting and hiding twisted it into a nightmare. Still, Cornell's last whispers to him pushed him onward.

Live on. But for what?

What was worth living for?

Then his view began to change. He met a young boy with blood at his lips, collapsed in a bone laden alter in darkness. Within him, Lambda slept to regain his lost strength, but the hunt did not end. The child named Richard was victim to every plot and scheme to end his life. Constant isolation, mouthfuls of poison, blades of traitors raking at his heart until enough, enough, enough.

If all they knew is cruelty, then it is cruelty they deserve.

Hatred fueled their every move. Knowing that life would never simply hand them the peace they deserved, Lambda and Richard forged a path of madness, power, and resentment. Who could understand all the pain that was inflicted upon them? Soon the power to decimate threats became intoxicating. Not even the relentless humanoid Protos Heis could stop them.

But in the end, all it took was one outstretched hand.

"It doesn't matter who reaches out. What matters is the other accepts." That fool Asbel's relentless kindness led him to take the hand that others would swat away, to take in the monster that plagued his past.

Since that day, the two's promised battle of the mind had faded to gentle understanding. Though he would never say it, Lambda had lost. Instead, he gained more insight into the lives of these humans. They were fond of making promises they had no power to keep, insisting the virtues of friendship and family would carry them through brutal trials. Even Richard, once his friend in misery, stood now with sunlight on his face and a look of true peace. Whatever Lambda once believed about the world's cruelty faded to extinction.

Now, it was Lambda's turn to teach what he learned to the errant heart of Fodra, a being more ancient and powerful than even he could fathom. To dream and reason with such a stalwart mind would no doubt last longer than his host's life would. But this mission was not about his debt to Asbel anymore. Indeed, Lambda had found a strange peace in not knowing when he would awaken again.

Until Lambda was jolted from his dream by a very real squeeze of his finger.

…What in the world was that?

The creature before him had a scrunched up miniscule face and the complexion of raisin. Its stubby hands were balled up at odd angles under its head, with one wrapped tightly around a finger. Asbel's, to be precise, though Lambda had sensed it as if it was his own. The woman, Cheria, held the creature in her arms while laying in bed, having wrapped it in a pale yellow blanket with flowers stitched shoddily on its surface. Protos Heis was nowhere in sight, but it seemed obvious the blanket was of her amateurish design. An unknown man stood before them with a somber expression.

So, Asbel had an infant child now. What more had Lambda missed while he slumbered?

"Is there anything we should be careful about?" Asbel asked as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Just keep her wrapped up, as you are." The doctor with very little hair nodded in agreement with himself. "Babies born too soon have trouble keeping their body heat, but wrapping her too tight will do her no favors."

Without a word, Cheria pulled the baby's grip off of Asbel and tucked the hand into the blanket. The hand had been curiously cold with an unnatural shade of purple. "What about if… Ashton has trouble breathing again? How soon can we find you?"

"Well, if you perform that healing trick again as you did before, you probably won't even need my help at all." The man tried to smile, but no doubt he was startled by the woman's healing powers. "But if necessary, I can stay in Lhant as long as you need. Otherwise, come send for me in Barona."

Cheria nodded, never once looking up at him.

Asbel stood and bowed, for whatever reason. "Thank you for all your help. And for answering all our questions."

"Of course, no need to worry over bothering a doctor! Now you three need your rest. You've had a long enough night as it is." He bowed as well and was led out by the butler.

Circumstances without, Lambda thought the birth of a child was supposed to be a happier occasion, yet anxiety plagued the air. As time passed, the miniscule Ashton's color turned pinker, yet a ring of blue colored her face and hands as she cried. And oh, how she cried. It was the kind of sound one would escape from, rather than approach. Protos Heis always hovered over the child when her mother couldn't, her hands awash with healing light. Asbel could only look on, offering calming words and promises that Ashton would get healthier. It seemed the child's heart struggled, thus throwing the rest of her body into chaos.

The coming months brought a parade of visitors. Bevies of unimportant people brought well wishes instead of congratulations. Soon after, that Amarcian woman and Asbel's younger brother came together, bringing homemade toys too complex for an infant. (And given the finite nature of all human existence, Lambda doubted their newly formed, haphazard "romance" wouldn't last much longer.) The one they called Captain offered a stiff drink and what encouragement he could provide, saying that if Ashton had a fighting chance anywhere, it was here. Richard came alone to visit first, and then later brought Asbel's family to visit him and his family. Yes, family. The duties of king finally required him to find a wife and a little daughter of his own. Perhaps the scars of their time together could heal after all.

Some days it was easy to forget the chord of misery that Ashton's sick heart brought in their lives. Constant attention by those around her slowly began to regulate her. Her appetite became voracious, which only convinced Asbel he could slip a spoonful or two of curry in his daughter's mouth. Getting lectured after she spit it up all over him, however, reluctantly changed his mind. She still seemed to stare dumbly when awake, and sleep for long hours into the day.

Until one night she woke up hot with a fever. Too tired to even cry, her breathing was raspy and shallow, and no number of healing hands soothed her symptoms. Days passed, but the fever remained. Every doubt and worry bubbled into the cold realization.

The child was dying.

A flash of sorrow on Cheria's face as Ashton suddenly wailed in her ear. Protos Heis's more than intense focus on healing the girl when she went limp. Asbel interrogating that admittedly useless doctor for some possible solution. Nothing seemed enough.

There was a temptation to turn his attentions back to Fodra, but even she had settled into a slumber. He couldn't afford to distract himself from this mission. Fodra's dreams were fraught with gurgling distrust, not unlike his own from the past. Yet something inside of Lambda kept him in this moment, unable to dream away through the passage of time.

Live on. Live on.

Lambda watched Asbel sit at his desk one night, his hands covering his head, a sign that no amount of willpower alone would save the girl. Yet his heart stirred, and his mind struggled to find a solution. Hollowness burned inside them both.

Then a twitch. Asbel slowly lifted his head. "…Lambda?" He said softly.

So, he finally sensed his activity. "…Your racing thoughts have been keeping me awake, Asbel."

First a wave of surprise, then a forced chuckle. Asbel closed his eyes. "Sorry about that."

The shift to the mind space was instantaneous. That featureless expanse was the only way Lambda could speak face to face with his host, and for the first time, it was not his will that brought them here. Asbel gave him a small smile, the look of one who hadn't seen a cherished friend in so long. "You probably already know what's been happening, huh?"

Lambda said nothing. He wasn't truly prepared for conversation.

"...It's still weird to think about. I already have two kids, and I still don't feel like an adult yet. I also haven't been able to relax since Ashton was born… I can't believe it's already been eight months. Cheria's has all these little dresses for her. Every time I look there's a new one for her, and I still don't know where exactly they're coming from. Though, probably my mom is involved somehow..."

Asbel reached up and rubbed the back of his head, showing some embarrassment. "And Sophie's helping her learn to stand. She's even trying to teach her how to garden, but all they ever do is make a mess about it. I guess Sophie wanted give her a head start." Asbel's ramblings began to slow. He lowered his eyes. "But she's getting sicker than ever now. She was crawling around for a while, but now all she does is sleep. I don't want all of that to be for nothing..."

He sighed heavily. "I just don't know what I can do for her. Cheria and Sophie have been doing everything they can, but… What can I really do?"

Lambda didn't feel like he should be asked this question, but he couldn't remain silent forever. "Are you planning on giving up?"

He shook his head. "Of course not! Not after we've tried so much."

"What would you do when the child dies?"

"…I don't know. I just can't accept that this "when" is going to happen within, what? A day? A month?" Asbel tightened his fist. "And my family… How can I face any of them knowing I could have protected her? Yet I did nothing…"

Lambda had seen this same desperation in Asbel when deciding how to solve Protos Heis's loneliness as a humanoid. The solution, however, would not come as easily as signing adoption papers. Still, Lambda was moved with pity for the man. "The loss of life is… regrettable." He muttered.

"Yeah. I know it's not something I can run from forever, but…" The sentence hung in the air, the silence compounded by the stillness surrounding them. Then Asbel slowly lifted his head, wearing an unexpected expression: A smile. "You know, this is new from you. It really wasn't so long ago you talked about how all life was beneath you."

Lambda prickled. "And you still hold me to that sentiment?"

Asbel shook his head. "You know I don't."

He would have to find some way to wipe that smile from his face. "I would hate to see you recant your trust in me, Asbel Lhant. I might be left with no choice but to consume your mind as punishment."

He gave Lambda a chiding look. "You wouldn't do that," he said, not convinced in the slightest.

Not that Lambda expected him to believe, but he didn't need to be reminded of his past mindset. Why even now he joked about consuming his friend's mind rather than being serious about it. Consoling another was never required of him before. "Tell me, Asbel" Lambda began. "If you could give your own life for the girl, would you?"

"...If I knew that it would save her, I just might. Although, I can think of a couple people who would hate me if I did that."

An answer he expected. Still, the thought was useless. Giving up one life for another did little to mitigate loss, it simply increased the cost. The child was already weak and prolonging its weak life might just prolong its misery. Yet a soul with no way to protect itself would at least have time to see and learn of the world. Lambda resisted his sympathy. Or at least, he tried to.

The words came slowly, as he knew they would be hard to take back. "…What if you had more than one life to give?"

Asbel frowned. "...What are you talking about?"

"It is... difficult to address it as such, but either the child lives, or the child dies. You humans tend to care about exactly when that happens, but in life it is the constant truth. However..." He paused, weighing the consequences of his words, "many die before they should. Your daughter, Ashton, does not deserve to be one of them. If you've exhausted all other options, there is a chance your daughter can live through… unorthodox means."

Asbel stared at him dumbly, then his eyes flashed wide. "Wait a minute! Lambda, are you saying-"

"I am saying that, if you will it, perhaps I can save the girl's life."

"Lambda…. You want to help Ashton by making her your host?" Silence rung in the air, and Lambda understood Asbel's silence. Such an attempt is drastic, but it would be for the good of the child. Asbel raised his head. "I can't let you do that."

"No? Is it that you truly don't trust me?"

"No, Lambda. I…" Warmth returned to his face, but it was apologetic. "It means a lot, you wanting to help, and I do want your help. But, I can't ask that much of you."

"How very unlike you, Asbel," Lambda said, burying his surprise. "Did you not hatch the plot for me to absorb Fodra's core, assuming I would follow along without complaint?"

Asbel balked. "That's-"

"And are you not the same who thrust your hand towards me, damning any fallout from your buffoonery? All to save the life of your enemy? Caution, at this point, would be out of character. Your selfless selfishness will be the end of you."

Asbel rubbed the back of his head. "That's… probably not wrong. But I'm trying to not be so reckless if I can help it. Especially when it's not my life I'm risking." A knowing smile. So he is becoming more self-aware after all. Then the smile dropped. "What would happen to Ashton if you did this?"

"There are many possibilities… Foremost, I will be able to strengthen her weakened heart. The true problem lies with the consequences that even I can't control. Such a large amount of eleth entering a vessel as young as her, there's no telling if she'll be able to withstand it."

"What would happen if it goes wrong?!"

"At worst…" The panic in Asbel's eyes didn't want him to go into detail, even if it was all conjecture. "It might simply be too much. And even if her body survives, her mind may not. A human so young might not have the sense to endure."

Asbel started to calm down. "You're right. It's not like when I first took you in… I can't risk something like that." He brought his hand to his chin. "What if you only used her for a moment? Long enough to help her, but not to hurt her?"

"There may be more to her weakness than you know. It may be something that takes years to truly fix. If one as powerful as Protos Heis be heal it, why would such a simple solution be her only hope?"

Asbel sighed. "I guess so..." Then he brought his head to his head and grimaced. "What am I even saying? She's just a baby! If only we could wait to see what happens."

"Time which we cannot afford."

"Yeah…"

Seconds ticked away as they continued to seek a solution. The numerous outcomes felt more and more dangerous without a way to keep the girl safe from being overwhelmed. If Ashton was too young to defend herself now… "Thus far, we have assumed I am unable to control myself. Do I come across as so reckless?"

Asbel considered it. "No. Well… maybe sometimes."

Not the candor that Lambda wanted to hear. "...Then it ends today. I make a vow to you, Asbel. We do not know what will become of the girl, with or without my interference. But if you will let me, I promise, with all my power, no harm will come to Ashton Lhant, even if I have to limit myself to protect her. She will live to grow and see the world you love so dearly. Perhaps in helping this one life, others will find their salvation as well."

Asbel looked surprised from Lambda's speech, but still nodded with enthusiasm. This might be the first time were he truly shared Asbel's determination. "I know you can do it, Lambda. With your help, Ashton might have a real chance. Although... I can't let you do anything until everyone else is okay with it."

"Ah, of course," Lambda remarked, not trying to hide his amusement. "Even the Lord of Lhant has people he answers to."

"You do, too, especially once you join with Ashton. You need to tell us if something is wrong, especially if it's something that's risky for you. I don't want you getting hurt, either."

"Hmph. I would never be so careless." How like him to be concerned, though Lambda couldn't deny his gratitude. "Still, I promise it. For you."

Asbel nodded one last time, a slow, soft smile creeping onto his face. "Thanks, Lambda. For everything."

Then he was gone. Lambda's mind didn't follow him, allowing himself some time to contemplate the weight of his offer. The hollow, echoing landscape that surrounded him helped focus his thoughts.

Lambda pondered the meaning of his own words. His heart was true. Lies were a pitifully human past time, and he would not partake. While he was certain in his desire to help, the reasons why were complicated.

Salvation, he said he desired it. But for who, exactly…

"...Again, you chose to bargain with this human."

The air surrounding Lambda grew thick with tension. The voice came like a whisper, unexpected and unwelcome.

"And you've even set yourself up to risk your own life... Why? When you have such greater power than this?"

Lambda pushed away all sentiment. Cold reason was the best weapon against this foe. "My capabilities are not your concern, Heart of Fodra."

Slowly, the beating, bitter heart of Fodra emerged before Lambda. She looked no different than his own swirling appearance, with flecks of green and silver eleth instead of pink and yellow. "It is your power, not the human, which keeps this prison. Your capabilities are all that should be considered."

The droll, condescending tone Fodra used always grinded on Lambda's good humor. A thousand sarcastic remarks crossed his mind, but rudeness would do no good. Patience is all he can rely on against such a stubborn heart. "I will keep you with me for as long as you require. You forget your time with me is not to be punishment."

"Punishment? Because we… Because I tried to restore peace to my home? Yet all humans know is how to defile it. The ages change, but humans have not."

Lambda wanted to laugh. Such were his thoughts not long ago. "Then perhaps it is time for a new age."

No reply. Like a child, Fodra pouted.

"We cannot agree once again, I see. Why don't you rest longer, Fodra? I can entertain your twisted ideals after I sleep again."

"Ah, yes… The infant human you wish to save…" The aura surrounding Fodra swelled with animosity, her words dangerously soft. "Your desire to help her is puzzling. Humans are so weak. They waste away easily, which is why they're so obstinate in their survival. Yet you believe this one child is worth it? When others are naturally stronger?"

"...You've hardened your heart against humans for far too long. Even I see that."

"You've let your heart become too soft," Fodra hissed. "I know what humans have done to you as well, yet you give them another chance. One day they will forget all you try to do for them. Even that child. As you sleep, she will continue on, feasting off the life you've opened to her. Or… she will rely on you too much, never realizing how much you have let go to aid her. Humans always do."

Irritation pulsed around Lambda, his patience running thin. "You've spent too much time struggling against me. You refuse to see what the humans have become, or perhaps, how they have always been. Your heart clouds itself against the very life you created, and I will not waste time speaking when you are unwilling to listen."

For a moment, almost imperceptibly, Fodra's aura flickered. "Such strong emotion, while you work off the debt no one asked you to repay… You already... waste your time…"

Without another word, Fodra faded away, returning to her hiding place.

Lambda was alone again. The silent, once calming landscape now seemed to scrape at his mind. Perhaps what Fodra said was true in the end. The debt he felt compelled to repay… There truly wasn't anything he gained from helping the infant. Thought he doubted he would be forgotten, he never asked himself the same question he posed to Asbel.

If you could give your own life, would you?

Lambda had existed for so long, but even he shouldn't be exempt from death. He simply became very good at avoiding it against all odds.

Perhaps that is what inspired him. Humans were weak and frail, and to say he had grown fond of them would be incorrect. But the few he had met, out of all those who scorned and hunted him, won out in the end. In the end, they desired life as much as he. A young boy dying in a catacomb, a fool throwing himself in harm's way to protect those he loved. Even Cornell... the first human who gave his life to save what was once a specimen in a test tube, offering guidance even in his last breath.

There was more to see in the world, Lambda knew it. Perhaps one as bitter and scarred as he could be the lens through which to view this new world. For Ashton's sake. For his sake. To be able to truly live.

To live on.