The words hung in the air as Jude finally stood, not quite looking at Alvin yet. They made the silence heavy, ringing with just how wrong they were. Alvin opened his mouth, trying to figure out exactly how to go about explaining why this was a bad idea, no, he shouldn't stay in Fennmont as the kid straightened the stack he had been studying and started to pick it up. "Hey," he finally said, shattering the silence with the quiet word. "What happened to all that resolve? What happened to you not leaving Milla's side?"

One of the books fell off the top of the stack, opening to a random page as it hit the floor. Alvin picked it up, his eyes scanning the page reflexively. 'Subject shows signs of deterioration. Like the others, subject's temperature is spiking and shows no signs of-' Just as he started to get to the juicy part, Jude snatched it away from him. "You-" The kid's voice faltered on the word, and he wet his lips to try again. "You should go, Alvin."

His hand was trembling on the cover. Alvin just noticed that. "I don't think so." When had he changed, he marveled as Jude looked up at him sharply. Before, he would have just shrugged and left the kid to mope for whatever it was. What had changed? "Hey, look, whatever it is can't be that bad. We'll get through it like we always do and you can be back to making doe eyes at your Lord of Spirits in no time."

When did it start to hurt to say those words?

"Milla..." Jude trailed off briefly, then closed his eyes, shaking his head. "No." He pinned Alvin with a fiery golden glare, resolve starting to pass into his eyes. "It's for the best. Believe me, Alvin. I can't be anywhere near you anymore."

"Huh." The words stung worse than anything said before. So he had finally gotten it. The kid had finally grown up and was no longer forgiving Alvin for betraying them so often. "If it was like that, you could have told me to fuck off instead. Didn't have to stay in Fennmont and let your lady go unattended."

"That's not-!" Jude looked at him with wide frustrated eyes. "Please, Alvin. Go- go save the world with Milla instead of me. It's better that it's you instead of me, I promise."

Alvin gave him a measured look, trying to figure it out. This really wasn't anything like Jude at all. What was scaring him so much that he was going to stay behind instead of rush foolishly into danger like usual? Finally, he raised his hands, shrugging. "Guess there's no helping it. Milla's going to be disappointed, you know."

"I know." His voice was quiet, reflective. "I'm sorry, Alvin."

"Yeah." Alvin matched his tone as he turned, every part of him screaming to grab the kid and march back to Milla with him over his shoulder. "See you around." With those words, he opened the door again and left. It was wrong. This shouldn't be how it went. It needed to be a triumphant march with all of them, not like this. Not this unexplained loss. Boots filled his field of vision, and he followed the lovely vision up a shapely body to Milla's unimpressed mien. "He's not coming."

Her burning eyes flicked past him towards the still open door he had exited, then back at him. Sometimes he wondered just how much of human behavior she understood, but he knew this was a moment that was new to her. Pain simmered in her surprised eyes, echoed in a suppressed part of him. Then, it was tamped down as she inclined her head. "Then we move on without him."

From anyone else, it would sound cruel and unwarranted. From Milla... Alvin's jaw jumped as he realized he saw her hiding her feelings, and he understood. He knew. He fucking was on the same wavelength as Maxwell and couldn't think of her as anything else other than a woman in pain trying to move on, using her mission as a shield against it... and he supported her for it. When did he start caring for her too?

"Yeah." He even echoed the same tone as when he said it to Jude. "Let's get going."

Moments that were surreal: Fighting against Rashugal and Auj Oule soldiers at the same time while they were fighting each other. While Alvin was used to fighting one or the other while being on the other side, being on a third side was a completely different and weird experience. Good thing was they were scrubs. Nothing soldiers. Even without Jude they could take them out, no problem. Alvin swung his gun out, firing into a Rashugal soldier as his mind wandered to Jude. What in the world could the kid had read that made him think staying in Fennmont was such a good idea? It almost looked like he had been looking at research, reading up on an experiment that had gone wrong. Kid needed to get his head out of the journals and into the real world if he was ever-

Something smacked Alvin across the face, and his back hit the ground with enough force that his breath was driven from him. Damn. He had been thinking about how Jude needed to live in the real world and here he was, not paying attention to the battle in front of him. He willed his muscles to at least move, roll over so he wouldn't be in the way of the follow up, and didn't. Elize was chanting, but it would take too long for her to pull off a spell. Her or Leia. A short, breathy laugh puffed from his lips as Alvin tried again, his limbs still uncoordinated in the marshy land. So this was how it ended.

"Alvin!" His Lilium Orb trembled as it linked, and a small amount of strength flowed into him, enough that he was able to roll out of the way of a blow and stagger to his knees. A return swing of his sword made sure the Auj Oule Enforcer was never going to try that again, and he turned towards the voice he was certain he was hallucinating.

Jude finished the last enemy with a Demon Fist, making their linked Lilium Orbs resonate as he turned to the group, his hand raising to his hair in an embarrassed gesture. "Hey guys." Golden eyes linked with Alvin's for a brief moment, hesitating before Storm Leia swept in, her hands on her hips.

"What were you thinking, making us worry like that? What where you doing? You shouldn't have said you were staying behind then followed us anyway! How did you even get all the way over here without a booster?" With each question, she advanced on him until he was nearly bent backwards, his hands up to ward off her relieved anger.

"I'm sorry, Leia," came the murmur. "I just followed everyone else, making sure to step where they did. I realized... it was stupid of me, to just stop and be selfish like that when the world was in this kind of danger. I don't know if I can make a difference, but I'll never know unless I try." Jude took a step backwards, looking at everyone, his gaze lingering on Milla. Alvin felt his grip tighten at that before that burning gaze turned to him, making his throat dry out.

Milla only nodded at that, the relief obvious only to the two watching her closely. "It's good to have you back," was all she said, making Leia turn her displeasure on her. The only difference was that she did not care, now that she had Jude beside her again and they were so close to finishing her mission. Her lips quirked briefly before she turned away, a small distracted smile that was echoed for that same brief moment on Jude's face.

And for that moment, the blaze burned inside him higher than before.

The Kukhar Ice Caverns were just as cold as one would expect, though Alvin barely noticed as his arms moved, cutting down monsters with one and shooting them with the other. That wasn't part of the plan. What Gilland did... that was nothing like what he had been told. They were supposed to just go home. It was part of their name for crying out loud, Exodus. This invasion force... the blaze within him jumped as a particularly vicious swipe knocked a Snow Bat out of the air for good. He heard Elize yelp in pain as another knocked her out of her chant and, without thinking about it, he linked their Lilium Orbs together as he took revenge on it. She started her chant again, chills running down his spine as he realized which spell it was. Not a healing spell, no, one of her disquieting dark elemental ones. Ones that made him wonder what thoughts went through her head that didn't get filtered through Teepo. As the monster lay dying from her spell, she held onto the damned flying thing and turned away from him with a huff, breaking the link.

She still couldn't forgive him. He felt his lips quirk humorlessly, not able to blame her. The way they had met her, and what she needed... he pretty much spat on that every time he betrayed them. And she was still so young, still saw the world in more severe shades of black and white than even Jude did. She couldn't understand what he had been trying to do, how his thoughts had changed as Maxwell turned into Milla, and now how he realized even he had been lied to. That everything he had lied about had been a lie itself. Alvin watched Elize march off, Teepo floating from her arms to slightly behind her, his heart heavy. The lie itself should be the only thing bothering him, not... not how it affected people like little Elize here, or spunky Leia, or calm Rowen...

Or the pillars, Jude and Milla. Alvin followed Elize, trying to make sure she didn't get in over her head. Even if she didn't trust him, he could keep her safe. It was all he had now, until they could find someone. Then, maybe, he could go after Gilland alone. They didn't need to trust him to take vengeance on that asshole. He could do it.

Just... he need to make sure Elize was okay.

There was a scuffling noise above, and the two of them tensed. Elympios soldiers? He stepped closer to her, keeping just far enough away so Teepo had room to move and attack too. There was soft murmuring, a female voice they didn't recognize and a young male voice. A... Elize gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as she turned to Alvin with hopeful eyes, her anger now forgotten as she came to the same conclusion. He placed a finger to his lips, reminding her to be cautious and she puffed her cheeks out at him, Teepo doing the same thing. Geez, that thing was creepy. But he crept up carefully behind the rock they heard the voices as the soldiers left the area... and draped his hand around Jude's mouth. "You're going to blow your cover like that," he murmured into his ear, noting with alarm the heat coming off Jude's skin and seeping through his glove. He hadn't even felt this hot on the ship when he had fainted for the first time. How the hell was he even still upright? The kid turned to glare at him, half coiled for a fight before he realized who it was.

Someone slid in beside Jude, not quite malicious but something about them made Alvin snap his head up. Dangerous. The vision he got was certainly a nice one, a lovely woman with long ears, green hair, and a calm smile. Nice body too. But he couldn't deny that something about her told him that she was not someone that he could take lightly. "Geez, Alvin," Jude said crossly, almost ignoring the woman by his side. "You scare me! Don't sneak up on people like that."

"Ah, you know I meant nothing by it." With practiced blitheness, he draped his arm over Jude's shoulder, ignoring that tempting line of throat and keeping most his weight off the kid just in case as he looked up at the woman. "So who's this vision of loveliness?" Who was... floating oh shit what had Jude gotten himself into?

"Oh. This is Muzét. She's... um... Milla's sister."

Alvin turned to look at him, surprise stabbing through him at the words as Muzét smiled, the feeling of threat starting to dwindle from her as apparently she figured they weren't going to attack Jude or her. "Oh ho! You'll have to explain this one."

Jude lasted longer than he expected.

For a kid that had been rained on, dumped into a river, sent to a frozen tundra, wandered around in unfamiliar territory with only an unknown spirit that claimed to be Milla's sister that was there to watch out for him, direct tethering to said spirit, and fought two nasty dragons, it wasn't until immediately after the battle that he fell to his knees, and passed out.

"Jude!" Elize ran over to him, tired lips chanting another healing spell. Muzét floated off to one side, her calm smiling mask still in place as Alvin followed after Elize, watching the spirit with a cautious eye. She hadn't been hostile, not in the least. She had even been helpful, especially since she had directly tethered with Jude and he could call upon her in a limited capability. But there was just something about her... "A-alvin, Jude's not..."

Quickly, he pulled off his glove, shooing her out of the way. "Move." Alvin pressed his bare hand to Jude's forehead, hissing. Kid was burning up! "Damn. He's sick again. We're going to have to stop here, rest. Elize, stay with him, see if you can do something. I'm going to get some water."

"And what would you like me to do?" Muzét tilted her head, her smile widening slightly. Alvin hesitated, looking at her. It was probably a bad idea. He was already burning up, so adding more heat would probably not be a good idea. But given they were literally in an ice cavern, it was probably doing more harm than good that he was in a cold environment. Maybe. Damn it, why was it that the medical student was sick?

"We need a fire," he told her. "A small one."

She closed her eyes as her hand moved, casting a small Efreet arte leaping from her as lips continued to curl in her smile. It leapt into a blaze near Jude and Elize, kept there without any twigs or other fuel. "Anything else?"

"Okay..." Alvin rubbed the back of his neck. "Just... also make sure no monsters are coming near. I'll be right back."

What else could they do? They had to get Jude out of the caverns, but it wasn't that easy. He didn't exactly trust Muzét to protect them without Jude. Elize was powerful, but she still relied on artes and she was still fragile. They needed to stay there until Jude's fever broke. Alvin dunked the waterskin as he thought, frowning. If they could rouse him a bit they could get him to drink some water, that might help get his fever down, then a washcloth on his forehead... maybe? Might help. When he came back, Elize's trembling hands lowered as another exhausted Pixie Circle was cast. Damn. And they didn't know when they would find another shop and be able to buy more Orange Gels. Alvin covered one of her hands, smiling down at her. "Hey, why don't you get some sleep? I'll watch over him."

"I'm okay," she insisted. "I'm-" And here she yawned, swaying slightly. Teepo floated around her, then up in Alvin's face, frowning at him.

"You better not be thinking about betraying us again." For a doll, it sure could be threatening. Then again, Alvin had seen how Elize used him in combat, so he just imagined Teepo draining him dry before she opened a Negative Gate under his feet. Not a pleasant experience.

"Whoa." Alvin glibly raised his hands, deflecting the hostility with one of his smiles. "No betraying happening here." He let his own mask drop slightly, allowing Elize to see the simmering anger towards his uncle for a brief moment. "Just get some rest. Muzét-" here, he looked over at the spirit blithely keeping watch- "should make sure everything's okay."

Elize looked at him, eyes too old for the young girl she was, then turned in an overblown huff. It wasn't easy, but she found a spot that was slightly warmer than the rest, and they had a blanket in their packs. With Muzét's fire, she would be kept warm. And speaking of things burning up... Alvin turned back to Jude, his eyes narrowing. Time to see if he could even rouse the kid. Carefully, he cradled him in his arms, shaking him slightly. "Hey. Hey kid. Hey, time to wake up. Got something for you." Jude only groaned and shifted in his arms, which was more than he had done earlier. Elize's efforts had done some good. Now to see if the non-mana lobe person could help it along. He kept at it until Jude's eyes cracked open, glassy gold looking up at him blearily. "About time. You've got to get some water ooookay..." Alvin trailed off as Jude wrapped his arms around his waist, burying his nose into his chest. What the hell? He shot a nervous glance at Elize and Muzét, but the former was fast asleep and the latter didn't seem engaged in what was happening. Alvin pushed his hair back from his face as he thought, letting the sick Jude snuggle into him. This was awkward.

Which only got more so when Jude leaned up, burning breath against his throat. "Hey. Any other time I'd be more than willing but you're pretty sick right now," Alvin started as the breath was followed by blazing lips and tongue, his own voice stuttering and strangling at the feeling. Fuck. He had thought about this countless times before. Once, how he'd drive Jude out of his mind with pleasure so he'd turn him from Milla's side. Then just wondering how he'd look writhing, cock in his mouth or on his hands and knees, Alvin driving into him... but not like this. Not with this kind of audience and the kid so sick he probably literally did not know what he was doing. The tongue traced a line across the pulse in his neck and he shuddered, suddenly holding onto Jude as the sensation raced through him. "And that's enough for- ow!"

The kid bit him! He could feel a shiver racing through Jude as he reached up, pushing him off. "The hell is your problem, kid?!"

Jude looked up at him, golden eyes far more focused than before, his mouth stained red with beads of blood before he glanced away. A pink tongue flicked out, absently wetting his lips while cleaning away the blood that rested there and something was very, very wrong. Alvin slapped a hand to his neck, only to pull it away and look down at the red staining the fingers. "I'll heal it," came the muted voice, quiet. "And I'll explain. Just... don't tell anyone. Please, Alvin."

All he could do was look down at the kid with shock, lowering his hand as Jude silently healed the small bite on his neck, hissing as warm fingers brushed the wound. "What kind of explanation do you even have, kid?"

For a moment, he hesitated, then curled his fingers as he withdrew his hand, still sitting on top of Alvin. "I should have stayed in Fennmont," Jude started, both his hands on his lap. "The night clime, it... it wasn't making the burn worse. I didn't-" He stopped, inhaling. "I didn't know until we left Fennmont that something was wrong. Sun and exertion make it worse. It's like... burning up from within. If I'm awake at night or if I... I..." He stumbled over the words, not quite having made the peace with it.

"You what? What were you doing, drinking my blood?"

Jude winced at the harsh words, then nodded. "It makes the burn go away, at least for a little bit."

All those times he woke feeling ill with a sore neck, or Elize's paler than normal face, or that one time he caught Jude on top of Rowen flashed through his mind, and Alvin stood suddenly, making Jude tumble suddenly to the ground. "So is that all we are to you?" he ground out. "An all you-can-eat buffet line?"

"Alvin!" Jude looked up at him, embarrassed color high on his cheeks. "It wasn't always like this, you know! I didn't know what was going on! And if I could stop it I would have." He pulled in on himself, gold eyes unfocused slightly. "It was an experiment," came his distant voice. "I didn't even know that's what that was. They were experimenting on us, seeing if they could enhance our abilities. Most of us have already burned up from within even with Fennmont's night clime. And the sad thing?" A soft laugh escaped his lips as he shook his head. "It didn't even work."

Jude entire body language screamed miserable. He wasn't the only one, but one that managed to live, somehow. How many others were there that were still alive? Not only that, but how many of those others were actually in a state that they could think like Jude was right now? "So what made you special?"

"I don't know." His voice was small as he curled up more. "I think... I had found the file that had my records when you came to get me. They were trying something different, but it failed in what they wanted to do even more than everything else. I'm just a normal kid otherwise. I didn't even know that's what Professor Haus's colleagues were doing when..." He took a deep breath, his fists clenching. "I understand if you want to leave now. I'll... go with Muzét."

Take Elize with him, keep her safe from him. The implication broke through, and Alvin looked down at him, his lips pressed tightly together. A small memory niggled at him, reminding him that when he had felt that slight cruddy feeling, Jude had looked about ready to pass out again the day before. When he had caught him on Rowen, Jude had been the palest he had ever been. The kid was pushing himself to his literal limit, and if all they felt was a little run down, he was probably taking just enough to make it another day. "Does Milla know?" he finally asked, pushing the words out.

"No." Jude shook his head. "You're... I was kind of hoping to find a cure. That I didn't have to tell anyone."

Alvin pushed his hair back from his forehead, closing one eye as he looked down at the kid. Kind of put things into perspective when he thought of it like that. Jude looking everywhere they went for why he was burning up, feeling sick... and why the taste of blood was the only thing that helped it. The kid looking everywhere when they had free time for a cure. Even being willing to stay behind and away from Milla fucking Maxwell. He didn't think anything would have done that. Pretty much, yeah, he had it right the first time. The kid was sick, and it wasn't getting any better. Finally, he sat down next to him, leaning back slightly. "Well, get some rest. We aren't getting anything done by whining about this."

"Alvin?" Ever so slightly, Jude uncurled, looking at him blankly. Alvin grinned at him, and deliberately tossed an arm around his shoulder. "Hey!"

"Don't frown like that; makes you look older than me. And get some rest. We have a lot to do tomorrow." He winked, and realization filled Jude's eyes. A small smile crossed his lips, and he nodded, moving to lie down and get some rest. It was probably for the best, for the kid to be unconscious for a while. Alvin knew he wasn't going to be getting any rest for a while, not while he could press two fingers against a healed throat and feel the slight pain where Jude bit into it. Was it really worth it, to just let this slide? Jude had forgiven so much of his own betrayals, rolled with it, pretending they were just in the past. And the kid was certainly sick, in need of a cure for this. But maybe the best cure was-

No. Alvin looked up at the caverns ceiling, sighing. He couldn't think that way. It was sad... but this was all he had right now. He couldn't fuck it up.

"Shouldn't you get some rest too?" Muzèt's sweet voice cut through his thoughts, making him jump as he turned to her.

"Nah. I'm good." He lifted two fingers in a salute, and she merely smiled at him, causing a chill that had nothing to do with the ice around them.

"If you say so," came her calm response, leaving him to stare at her unnatural blaze, thoughts jumping around his head as much as the flames.

"Is he dead now?"

Elize's voice swept past him as Alvin knelt by Gilland's body, his fingers still chilled from Celsius's blasts. Rowen's response meant nothing. They had won against him. They had killed him, stopped his plan. Precious Rieze Maxia would be safe, and Elympios would inch ever closer to destruction. Something he said, though, something about the spyrites... What were they, exactly? Without paying attention to Milla, he took the gun, murmuring to himself, "Well, I'll be taking this back." Then, the child within him stirring, he reached out and closed Gilland's eyes. "Gilandor Yul Svent. Goodbye, Uncle."

You asshole.

Gaius and the Chimeriad... It almost didn't matter anymore. They were going to destroy the Lance of Kresnik, keep the schism in place, and he'd never go home. What was Elympios even like now? Was it even more barren than his childhood memories? Woodenly, he watched Milla step over to the console, and- his breath caught as the four elements leapt around her, resolving into the form of Efreet, Undine, Sylph, and Gnome. A feral beauty suffused her features as she greeted them, stepping closer and moving her hand command the Four to destroy the Lance. He couldn't stop her if he wanted to, if he thought it would bring prosperity to his world and allow him to go back home. Anticipation leapt burned in blazes in his veins as his mouth opened slightly. This was it-

And then the ESS Zenethra shook, making all of them look around. Some unknown force slammed his nose to the ground, and he could barely hear the others cry out around him. Damn you, Gilland, he thought, gritting his teeth as he tried to raise his head at Gaius's attempt to stand. Whatever arte this was... damn it. It was going to flatten them.

"Use the Lance of Kresnik!" Jude's voice, distant through the arte, reached him. "It has the power to dispel artes."

Alvin turned his head slightly to glare at him. Crazy bloodsucking kid, what was he- he was right. But how? He could hear someone say to pour mana into the Lance, someone else criticize it for giving that thing power... if he could just stand right now he could pay more attention!

Suddenly Milla's voice, clear as day.

"There's no need for everyone to risk their lives."

What.

Alvin's head snapped up, eyes wide. "No, don't do this!" he could hear Jude screaming, the pain raw in his voice, and there was nothing he could do. He pushed himself up slightly, and fell right back down. If he could even get up, he would stop her right now. This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen! This wasn't the way this was supposed to end! He could feel Jude get up, then fall right back down. He was probably burning up after that fight, and still struggling to fight more. To save her.

"With the schism gone, Exodus's plan will come to an end." She turned slightly, looking at Alvin. Not even now could he call Milla Maxwell cold. Her entire being screamed for him to tell her she was right. She just wanted this to be over, for there to be peace. For him to be happy too.

Damn you too, Maxwell.

He could feel his hand reach out, grabbing Jude's arm. Even through the glove and cloth, he could feel the kid burning up. "Don't," he told him as he felt the last bit of strength break under his fingers.

"It'll be okay," came Milla's voice, so full of bravado it couldn't ring more false if she wanted it to. Alvin looked up, seeing her unconsciously hold her stomach protectively. She had always positioned her limbs in powerful ways. Seeing an anxious, unsure gesture from her... crimson eyes held steady on golden as she smiled, being the most human she had ever been. "Farewell, Jude."

With those words, she turned back towards the Lance, and activated it, pouring her and the Four's mana into it. For a moment, vision was obscured by white light, and then... stillness. Alvin coughed as dust stirred, and he felt Jude pull his arm free from his grasp. But they both could move, which meant it worked. But-

Milla.

She was still standing there, just as she had when she activated the Lance. In that moment, Alvin thought she was going to turn around. That she was going to have that grin on her face when things go her way, and they were going to return triumphant. It was how it was supposed to happen. And with the holes in the schism, and Milla now aware of it, couldn't that mean he could go home at some point? And they could figure out how to save Elympios?

But then she fell, her strings cut as her still body crumpled onto the ruined floor of the ESS Zenethra.