"Ludger, you came" Julius spoke. The group came up to the harbor, Ludger lingered in the rear, shaking his head gently to clear his thoughts. He walked slowly in front of them eyeing Julius with a steady gaze. He looked...deflated, rumpled he had dark circles under his eyes, and he was grabbing his arm tightly as though in pain. Although it was just a brief moment when Ludger saw his fingers relax a little.

"As you requested," he worded slowly, hoping his voice didn't hitch in the back of his throat. It did, Julius' look softened for just an instant, but Ludger saw it. Before either of them could say anything something dark and purple stretched itself out to the Land of Canaan, like a hand latching onto the planet.

"What you see there is a soul bridge. Bisley just entered the Land of Canaan," Julius explained his eyes turned steely at the very mention of his name.

"Wait he-"

"No, Elle is his weapon against Chronos," he spoke quickly easing everyone's thoughts, if only for a moment. Until the very reason they all were there came up. "I'm guessing that Rideaux unfortunately got the honor," Julius added. Rideaux, not quite on the best of terms with him, but nobody deserved to go the way he did. Perhaps there was that sympathy for the man. The others looked towards Canaan. Ludger kept his eyes on Julius. That very same problem faced them now, Julius' voice was neutral, but Ludger picked up on the undertones, he sounded tired, but there was something else he couldn't quite label as one thing or another, was he just giving up and letting his voice slip? Ludger glared at the ground, his fist clenched thinking about Bisley.

"Why the hell is this required to enter Canaan," Ludger demanded, surprised at how calm his voice was compared to a moment ago. Jude had asked him the same thing, and Julius couldn't give either of them an answer, at least not one that would make this whole situation right.

"Heh, another way to test the nature of humans, I suppose," he spoke with a small shrug.

"Damn it," Jude murmured under his breath. He looked over to Milla with her statement that would make sense. But, perhaps it was too much to ask for all the Great Spirits to think in reason, when they clearly don't care for the reason for humans, why try to use reason themselves? Instead they should set up trials that pit brother against brother. The others in the group remained quiet especially Ludger as Jude passed him a sidelong look trying to see what was going through his mind. His bangs covered his eyes making it difficult to try and say anything aside from the obvious. Ludger flinched when he saw Julius' hand.

"I'm a dead man no matter what. At least this way my death will mean something to someone," Julius spoke gaining strength in his words.

"What about your life," Ludger all but snarled back at Julius, causing everyone to pass an uncertain look to their leader. His sudden attitude even took Julius off guard for a moment although he was the first to recover.

"Use it." The demand struck Ludger hard as though Julius just punched him in the gut. "Use my life. Let me be your path to the Land of Canaan. At this point life and death is the same thing to me. So don't let either one of them have been in vain," he worded with conviction.

"All of it in vain," Ludger mumbled, the wording was true, but it didn't mean he had to agree with it. "Damn it," he hissed glaring at the ground, before shifting those emerald eyes on Julius, trying to find...something that would give him away. A hint of where to go next, Julius' eyes didn't falter. Ludger took a deep breath. "I'll do it. I'll use your life to build the bridge," he spoke drawing his swords. Testing the weight of them for a moment, trying to delay this as long as he could; he nodded his head slowly.

"So you're ready," Julius drew his own blades. "If that's the case, let me be your big brother one last time. I need to see for myself if you're strong enough to see this through."

"Wait," Jude found his voice first, Ludger tilted his head a little behind him, giving him a crooked smile, shaking his head.

"This is my fight," Ludger spoke in a stronger voice regaining his lost composure.

"We have no right to intervene," Maxwell remarked. The group nodded, some hesitantly more than others as they took a step back.

"Sorry about the entrance exam. This time the test is real!"

Julius struck first, charging into Ludger. The speed took him off guard, but his instincts proved keener as he defended against the strike. The older Kresnik acted first pushing off his blades, breaking his guard leaving him exposed. Ludger pivoted to the side holding the blades up in defense.

"I always thought of you as a child," Julius spoke. Ludger wasn't sure if it was to infuriate him or not, but he bought the bait, slashing his blades swiftly into him, Julius easily defended against the blows. "Someone to be there for." Julius pivoted around; Ludger felt the wind from the blade tear at his clothing as he rolled to the side. "Someone to protect." Ludger faltered a moment too late, the blade resting at his throat. Ludger smirked, his pistols pointed at Julius' heart. "However," Julius had that ghost of a smile again. This was just a game to them both right now; big brother to the little brother. "I accept you; you now have the power to choose for yourself." Now there was no holding back, it was Julius Kresnik to Ludger Kresnik.

"I know," Ludger spoke softly a faint smile on his lips.