Disclaimer: It's obvious I don't have Tales of Xillia, because it was properties of Bandai Namco.

I gave up handling my own imagination, so I will let it flow like it is. Actually you guys make my mouth went agape after I saw the view of this story… this story already reached my big 5 most watched story so… don't blame me for the absurd length.

Anyway, if you want to, please review but if you are too lazy to do that, then it is okay~

Note:

"…abc…" : Normal talking

"…abc…" : Whispering, past talk, and far away sounds (so if it was in 1st POV, eavesdrop)

'…abc…' : Heart talk, telepathy, that kind of stuff


Milla POV


My head felt light like when I disappeared from the world. I remembered that I fell down from a hole but somehow I felt so warm. It was as if… Mana is flowing into me…

I slowly opened my eyes, trying to see something from my blurred vision. I saw a faint glow of crystal-like stone above me and it gave light to my surroundings.

'Where am I?' I thought as I tried to clear my vision more than before.

I moved my head around to find something familiar for me to work with. I felt light-headed but I couldn't really move my body too much, yet. I moved my shoulder so I could stand up when I felt another piece of clothes above me. I glanced down and saw a familiar white coat and it effectively made my mind racing in a lot of ways.

I was hesitant but I tried to call, "Jude… are you here?" I called softly but not with a high hope. There is no way that he fell down to follow me right?

It was then when I felt the flow of Mana from my hands. I quickly looked to my side and saw Jude who kissed the back of my hands from my blurry vision. The flow of Mana felt so pleasant that I think I might just sleep again a little bit more.

Then I just realized something very important. Right now Jude was flowing his Mana to me directly. So it means that he direct-tethered with me. I wanted to ask him why but my body was aching and I couldn't really move. Geez, how long was I out for…

"Are you okay, Milla-san?" I heard Jude concerned voice coming inside my head like a lullaby.

I don't know what to say since he had direct-tethered with me without my concern. But I felt very happy that he comes after me and his Mana felt very nice. I love the feeling of Jude's Mana… I wanted more of it… more…

"More…" I unconsciously said but I quickly cut my own words before it become a full sentence. I scolded my own mind from being all foggy it was embarrassing. I just hope that Jude won't hear that.

I felt a pair of warm hands over my head, stroking my hair in a careful manner. I blinked a few times after that, gaining more and more vision each time I did so. I looked around our surroundings and found that this place looked like a natural tunnel of some sort but just with many crystals sticking on its wall like the one in Nala Lava Tubes.

"Where are we? Why you were here?" I asked weakly as I tried to absorb a lot of Mana without Jude's notice. After all, it was because of my recklessness to use Arte when I'm low on Mana that brings me… us, into this predicament.

Jude laughed nervously before answering, "I don't really get it but… Rei said this place is some kind of branch from the main Mana cavern and also the place that control the defense mechanism that becomes our destination. And how I was here, that's… how do I say this? Well, I fell down too," Jude said nervously before he stroked my cheek.

I just hope Jude won't notice that I blushed when he did that but this place is too dark. I guess need to thank the dim lighting in this place for that. But I still could think straight enough to know that Jude didn't fell down on coincidence. He fell down purposefully.

I forced my numb body to move and I barely rise from my sleeping position. Jude looked like he wanted to help me out but I moved my palms in front of his face, signaling that I'm okay. I lied a little bit about that, but thanks to Jude's Mana I feel better.

But then… why he provide me Mana?

"Are you really okay to be up this fast? Milla-san just fell down from quite the deep right?" Jude asked me with a tone full of concern.

I sighed before saying, "And so do you Jude. But why you gave me Mana in the first place? Though thanks to that I feel much better," I said as I asked Jude what concerned my mind. He didn't find out that I'm a Spirit did he?

I could see from the corner of my eyes that Jude's eyes trailed somewhere since he then said, "I… err… I wasn't injured anywhere so I'm okay. And 'why' you ask? Well… I was told that giving Milla-san my Mana will help Milla-san because Milla-san Mana flow is disrupted because you helped me and the train passenger, knowing that I can help… I did that," Jude answered nervously.

I let out a deep breath and muttered a 'thanks' before forcing my legs to help me stand. I think I'm getting used on forcing my materialized body to do my bidding I don't want to get paralyzed like when I'm being reckless to teach Nachtigal a lesson. Although thanks to that I can become closer to Jude.

Jude looked worried as he looked like he would wrap his hands over my body just to ensure that I won't fall down. I appreciate that kindness although sometimes it stings my 'other' wound. I looked to Jude with much composure I could afford before saying, "Do we have any direction?" I asked as calm as I could. I got most of my restriction on using Mana-fueled Arte lifted thanks to Jude's Mana, but I don't want to risk on disappearing right here right now just because I wanted to find some direction and we have better source on that as well.

Jude shook his head before saying, "Rei didn't tell me anything after that… she might just run out of power or something…" Jude answered negatively.

I let out a sigh. I don't know how much time had passed in this cave. For all I know, it could be night up there and it will be bad if we get trapped in this cavern for days. I might have disappeared before that and Jude will be stranded in this place… it's not that I didn't believe that Rise will get most of her power back after I left but still…

"So, we have no choice other than traditional method of having journey," I said with a little thought on my part. After all, a journey is what made me become closer with Jude, there might be a chance that this one will do so as well. But maybe it was just a hopeful wish in my part.

Jude walked to my side as he put on his lab coat before saying, "Check every nook and cranny of this cave, you mean? I hope it won't stretch too long then… it will be bad if Gaius didn't find us… I think Musee will become frantic as well," Jude said with a normal tone it almost sounded like he was joking.

But then, I didn't understand some of his vocabulary but I resisted asking him about it. I just noticed that he had changed his style on calling Gaius. He really remembered about them then. That gives me one less explanation to do later.

Then Jude (suddenly) stretched his palms to me as he said, "Let's hold hand, Milla-san," he said softly it almost made me surprised. Okay, maybe I was surprised at that, but then Jude become really straightforward after he woke up, so maybe this is one of that too…

I placed my hands over his hesitantly and then Jude gripped on it tightly. That was when I noticed that Jude still flowing some of his Mana to me. I blushed on realization but Jude voice quickly snapped me from my thought by saying, "For now the route is pretty straightforward and I didn't see any monster anywhere… the ground is pretty rough and the light was dim though so I think we must be careful with our steps," Jude said calmly it was almost unfair.

"I believe that was the case as well. Let's go," I answered with pretty calm tone I was surprised myself. I think when Jude speaking something logically, I become more of a logical person as well. Come to think of it, Jude really observed a lot of thing as well in our journey.

I stifled a laugh on one of my memory. I used to think that Jude was a walking encyclopedia of some sort. I also used to ask him about anything that I don't know of and Jude was always the first to notice that I quoted a book sentence. From before, Jude was a very important part of my life that it was almost foolish of me to realize it just now.

Jude seems to hear my slip up because he then asked, "What are you laughing at Milla-san?" he asked curiously as we walked through the natural tunnel.

I looked away for a little bit, maybe that 'Milla-san' won't grow on me in short period. But I remembered what Jude was asking me and answered, "You really observes a lot of things Jude," I answered without giving him any more room to start doubting me again. I said the truth after all.

"I-I'm just doing the most natural thing, right? We are in an unknown land and all after all," Jude retaliated with a few stuttering here and there. Even without looking on his face, I knew that he was flustered on my harmless answer.

"It's not that…" I whispered more to myself than Jude. Somehow, the feeling of nostalgia gushed inside my mind. After all, it's not that I was really thinking about… but judging the incident won't do me anything so I quickly blocked my thought.

Jude seems to hear what I said though not clearly so he asked, "What's wrong, Milla-san?" Jude asked with concerned tone.

I quickly shook it off and saying, "It's nothing for you to be worried about Jude. Do you know how long I fainted?" I answered before throwing another question to divert the topic.

Whatever Jude was curious about, I managed to divert his attention as he said, "I believe it didn't stretch out for more than an hour but again, I don't know, I came around after quite a long time as well. But I wonder why that didn't go down as well…" Jude answered before trailing off from his sentences.

I didn't get what Jude means by 'that' so I asked, "What do you mean by 'that'?" I asked with a pressed curiosity. I didn't really like variable or something like that since it will make something unclear.

As if scripted Jude immediately answer, "I'm talking about the doll… they are defensive mechanism right? So wasn't the most logical program is to make sure that we stay dead even after we fell down?" he said with questioning tone like a researcher he is.

If Jude didn't remind me about the doll, I might just forgot about them completely. Well, it was weird at how they followed us above yet they didn't pursue us any further down to this place. It was interesting but what I cared right now was that we were safe down here for the mean time.

"We knew so less to speculate anything for now. My idea for now is stop worrying about it and let's move forward. We couldn't keep a chance for your memory recovery for too long," I said to make Jude cut his long train of thought though it was so Jude-like.

It seems that Jude was surprised that he instantly said, "Milla-san doesn't mind it that I remember?" he asked with a surprised tone it was almost funny. One thing that still stayed in Jude is that he didn't hid what he is feeling for too well.

I tried to hide my amusement before saying, "It's your will and I have no right to stop you if you are determined. What I'm feeling about it is a whole different thing altogether. But I do agree that getting Rei out of your system is the fast way to help your body recover," I answered as calm as I could. If Jude was determined on it I know that I could only help him at that.

"Milla-san…" Jude called my name with a mixed tone I don't know what he was feeling when he said that. I don't have any courage to ask about it either.

Silence ensues between us and we walked through the tunnel with few monster ambush. Although Jude didn't really remembered the time we spent on linking with each other, we still have the same rhythm as before. It was somehow reassuring.

Thanks to Jude's Mana, I'm back to my state where I first traveled with Jude. I could use some great deal of Artes, but summoning the Four isn't something that I should do in my own state. I could just call them and they would appear eagerly, but from my own observation of this place, there is some kind of wall around this cavern or might just be the forest.

If that was the case, it would logically explain why I lost contact with Musee as soon as I walked past into the deeper part of the forest. It's like a basic version of the schism but exclude the trapping human and spirit inside it. Could it be that the perimeter of the forest is also the area limit of the doll?

Suddenly I heard Jude said, "This place is strange isn't it?" he said with a tone that sounded like he was deep in a thought.

I glanced at Jude for a little bit before saying, "I don't realize that Rieze Maxia still has this kind of place around. Now I couldn't imagine what Elenpios hide below their ground as well," I commented lightly about the matter.

I could sense that Jude's tone become lighter as he said, "There is more and more things that human should explore… I wonder how big this world will stretch out now. We might just come across a new unexplored land!" Jude said with pure excitement on his tone.

I almost commented that 'human really loves that kind of unnecessary things' but I quickly gulped it down. Instead of that I said, "You really love the unknown thing Jude," I commented on his pure excitement I was slightly affected by it.

Jude stifled a laugh at that and I felt the grips on my hands become stronger as he said, "There is that but… I wanted Milla-san to see it as well," Jude said with a gentle tone it struck my heart hard.

I blushed on his honesty. I was glad once again that this place has dim lighting so Jude won't see me blushing. It would be nice if I could be by his side when that happened but I need to let him go. With that kind of though inside me, I slowly let go of Jude's hand and fastened my walking pace.

Jude noticed that I let go of his hand and also that I walked faster than him so he quickly called, "Milla-san wait for me!" he said with a tone that almost sounded desperate.

I didn't heed his call and let it carried by the wind. We ventured the tunnel just like that until I sense something that alarmed me just like when I first saw the doll up above. I withdrew my sword just in case of sudden attack and eyed the darkness with my sharpened sense.

Jude seems to notice that I sense danger and stopped calling me and pulled his bracers. The darkness in front of us felt eerie and a little bit cold and the only sound I could hear is the sound of water drops. We ventured more cautiously until we saw something that was quite familiar but was shocking at the same time.

Jude is the first one to comment at the thing in front of us by saying, "Isn't that…"


Okay, that's it for this chapter. Well, at first Milla is slightly in daze and she admitted it as well~ and yeah they did direct-tether like how Jude did the same with Musee (or Muzét if you prefer that more). But again, Jude didn't think it was wrong or anything because in human sense he didn't do anything to Milla. I actually wanted to make Jude kiss Milla but I decided to not do it. Why? Because it will be awkward.

Anyway, since you actually bothered to see this section, please review this story if you want to and for my dear reader who wanted to have some sort of sequel of this story, please read:

/s/9642650/1/Tales-of-Xillia-Salvation

Don't worry, we collaborated in some way so I approve of it~