It was just after dawn when the rallying cries of soldiers woke Jude from his slumber. Without being told he knew what the sound meant; the lance had been found, and soon they would depart for the final confrontation.

As he sat up Jude's eyes fell to the bed, only to find it empty, the warmth having long since gone with the second occupant. He should have expected that Alvin would leave before the sun was up, but part of him wished he had stayed. It was their last night together; it would have been nice to see Alvin's peaceful face as he came into waking.

He quickly shook off the nagging sentiments. There was no time; the lance had been located, and within the next few hours this would all be over. Whatever consequences that entailed he'd have to face them head-on, with or without Alvin.

The others were already gathered in the courtyard when Jude arrived, Gaius standing among his men, Alvin mere meters away. As he approached the king's attention turned to Jude, regarding him with a short nod. "We received word as to the location of the Lance of Kresnik. Our scouts have confirmed the information to be accurate."

"Where did they find it?"

Alvin was quick to take a place at Jude's side as he provided the answer. "There's an abandoned cruise liner floating in the waters off of Marksburg; the Zenethra. It's been drifting between the two continents since an accident twenty years ago." He recalled the information with such clarity that Jude had to wonder how familiar he was with the ship in question. "The lance has been moved there."

"Moved there? Where was it before?"

No answer save for the shake of Alvin's head. "Doesn't matter. If it's there, then so is Gilland. Now's our best chance to take both out."

"We've already made preparations for an aerial assault on the Zenethra." Gaius announced. "We will utilize the wyverns to deploy soldiers to the ship, then destroy the lance from the inside."

"I'm going with you." Jude proclaimed suddenly, much to everyone's surprise.

Except Gaius, who looked upon the boy with expectant curiosity. "Are you certain? We know not how strong their numbers, and know little of what other weapons they keep." A pause, a glance to Alvin who immediately looked away, as if he too knew something that Jude didn't. "It is very likely you may not come back."

"I know." Jude stated, staring down the king with fiery determination to match the man's own. "But if it's my research that they're using to power the Lance of Kresnik, then I can stop it before anyone gets hurt." He had resolved within himself that he would not stand back and let others fix the mess he unknowingly caused. He would never forgive himself if things went to hell while he remained safe behind the castle walls. And so Jude decided to fight, for his future and everyone else's.

It was as if Gaius sensed his thoughts, and the barest of smiles graced his face. "Then you shall fly among us. We leave at the top of the hour." The king pushed past him, the Chimeriad following close behind, Presa bringing up the rear. She paused for a brief moment before he and Alvin, as if she wanted to say something but ultimately decided against it. Jude wouldn't ask; he had already heard her words, and decided to place his trust in Alvin.

Jude began to follow when Alvin suddenly grabbed his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "Jude, wait." There was a pause, Alvin swallowing audibly behind him. "You know you don't have to go." His voiced wavered as he spoke, as if uncertain of his own words even then. One last plea for Jude to stay behind where he would be safe from harm, out of Exodus's reach. But Jude knew he couldn't back down now. His decision had been made, and he'd see it through until the end.

With a soft shake of his head, Jude gently lifted the hand from his shoulder, turning to face Alvin properly. "I have to, Alvin. This might be our only chance to end this." Their eyes met, Alvin's expression almost blank. It was as if he had spent the morning steeling himself, preparing to lose everything just in case their mission went awry. And yet there was a furrow to his brow, the slight twitch of a frown when Jude took his hand.

"You said you trusted me, right?" Jude gently held Alvin's hand with both of his own, a small comfort to share. "Then trust me to fix things."

Alvin stared back, dumbfounded and unable to do little more than squeeze Jude's hand in return. For a long moment he kept that simple touch, a flurry of emotions running past Alvin's tired eyes. But in the end, they became blank once more, his expression returning to the same cold façade he wore that day in Helioborg. "You've already made up your mind then." Alvin's voice was barely above his whisper as he tore his hand away, as if unable to look at Jude any longer.

"Alvin…"

"The others are waiting." He called back almost coldly. "I'll ride with you." A parcel was picked up from the stone steps at Alvin's feet and tossed unceremoniously at Jude. The boy fumbled the package, nearly dropping it before finally catching it securely in his hands. "You'll need these if you're coming along."

Curious, Jude unwrapped the brown paper, revealing a pair of small, scaled gauntlets. A weapon designed for him? But when did…

"Alvin?"

This time Alvin did turn, the smile on his face bordering on somber. "I'm counting on you to make good use of them."

The smile was returned as Jude trotted behind his older companion, clutching the gift close to his chest as they caught up with the rest of the soldiers. Soon it would all be over and things could return back to normal.

At least, he hoped.

A small army descended from the sky on the backs of dozens of silver wyverns. The king's personal collection of aerial beasts utilized to the fullest for this mission. Gaius himself headed the assault, the Chimeriad flying in formation behind him with his soldiers taking up the rear. Alvin and Jude hung further back, their strategy to remain out of the line of fire until they landed.

Exodus was expecting them, as was apparent by the pair of heavily armed airships hovering nearby, flanking both sides of the rusted vessel. The gunfire began as soon as they came into range, aimed at the heart of their wyvern formation.

"Scatter!" Gaius called from the head of the group before taking a steep dive, narrowly avoiding the assault aimed his way. The soldiers behind him didn't stand a chance, a handful on the back of one unsuspecting beast taking the brunt of the blow before falling from their mount, tumbling to the ocean below as the wyvern fled out of self-preservation.

Their formation was broken, the soldiers steering in every which direction to avoid being targeted themselves. The cannons followed, tracking their movements with ease. "Use evasive maneuvering!" Gaius commanded, his words just barely audible over the canon fire. "Continue moving towards the ship! Do not give them an easy target!"

The soldiers shouted their affirmative, taking to flying in a zig-zag motion towards the Zenethra. All save for Alvin, who ducked below the cannon fire and circled around the outside of the group, eyes set on the deck of one of the airships. "What are you doing?!" Jude called over the chaos. "You're flying straight for them!"

Alvin tugged on the reigns and their wyvern suddenly pitched upward, Jude only barely hanging on as they rose. Suddenly they were above the deck of the left-most airship, the men manning the cannons on deck standing mere meters below them. Alvin pulled his pistol from its holster, taking only a half a second to aim before firing, taking out the cannoneers with expertly timed shots. Jude would have been amazed if he was not horrified by the scene unfolding before him. Even now, he didn't wish for people to be hurt, whether they were on his side or not.

The removal of the cannoneers only bought them a few moments. More Exodus soldiers spilled out from below deck, abandoning their previous posts in favor of dropping to the Zenethra below where a skirmish had broken out between the two forces. "Take us down!" Jude ordered. "We need to help Gaius!"

"You itching that much for a fight?" Alvin quipped, pulling the reigns sharply and their wyvern dropped from the sky, gliding over the deck of the Zenethra close enough to allow them to jump down safely.

No sooner had their feet touched the ground did the soldiers converge on them, as if they recognized the two as more a threat than Gaius's soldiers. Alvin wasted no time in taking them on, keeping as many at bay as he could with his pistol alone. Any that came closer than that were warded off with quick hits and kicks, courtesy of Jude and his years of martial arts training under Sonya's instruction.

From his back, he heard Alvin laugh. "Remind me to never get into a fist fight with you."

Jude snorted, finding Alvin's banter a welcome reprieve in the heat of battle. "You haven't even seen me in pique condition. Catch me after a vacation to Leronde."

"Right, your teacher lives there." Another round fired, another soldier falling to the deck. "I should have asked you to take me before. You could have introduced me to your parents."

That caught him off guard. Of all the times for Alvin to tease him, he chose now? "Can you be serious? We're in a battle!"

Alvin laughed as he put another bullet into a nearby soldier's chest. "And here I was going to ask if you wanted a break!"

Gaius himself finally landed nearby, as did the Chimeriad, and with their aid the battle quickly shifted in their favor. The king alone would have been enough to take on the number of troops that remained, but with his guards at his side the Exodus soldiers had no hope of victory.

For a moment the fight appeared to be won, until the roar of another airship arrived, reinforcement troops dropping onto the deck to join the fight and avenge their fallen comrades.

"We cannot continue as we are!" Gaius shouted over the din of the battle. "Let us seek out the lance and end this!"

"Right!" Jude threw another soldier off balance, watching as they stumbled backwards into an oncoming group of enemies. Both he and Alvin broke away from the fighting, running for the stairs that led below deck, Gaius and the Chimeriad in tow.

Jude had never imagined he would see a cruise ship in his lifetime. They were excessive luxuries that were not only impractical but also nearly implausible with their level of technology. But they were not above the Elympions, whom toted their technological prowess with pride. Yet Jude found himself wholly underwhelmed when he stepped below deck. The fixtures of the ship remained intact; crystal chandeliers, elegant staircases, decorative wall hangings that had faded over the years. But the rest seemed as if it had been gutted, lacking the furniture one would expect of a ship that was to house hundreds of people. Just how long had this vessel drifted, and why was it allowed to do so for so long?

Questions for later, Jude reminded himself. They had better things to focus on.

Alvin led the group, reaching into his pockets and revealing a roll of parchment with a detailed blueprint of the ship etched upon it. "Where did you get that?" Jude inquired, examining the faded text.

"I've had it." Alvin answered flatly, only sparing Jude a passing glance. "Remember that ship accident I mentioned?"

Jude's eyes grew wide. The ship accident that claimed his father's life, the one that he and only a few others survived… "This ship has been here that long?"

Alvin nodded, flipping the map over, revealing a set of numbers scribbled on the back. "It's been here since that day… It would figure hewould choose to bring the lance here. Gilland always had a fondness for irony."

The way Alvin spoke of him, that taste of disdain and familiarity in his voice. "You seem to know him well…"

There was no answer, only the swift folding of the map before it was placed back in his pocket. This time it was Gaius to break the silence. "Have you any idea of where the lance is being stored?"

Alvin nodded, pointing to a room down corridor, "The grand hall. The ceiling opens to the sky. If he's got it stashed here, that's where he'll put it."

"Then we move on." Gaius pushed past him, heading towards the other end of the corridor. The amount of soldiers below deck was sparing, the majority of them still fighting the army that remained upstairs. It wouldn't take long for them to show up, Jude imagined, and so he continued moving alongside the others.

Their progress was halted when they came across a strange corridor, blocked by quietly buzzing beams of light. Alvin held an arm out to stop everyone before they got too close. "Barrier bars." He stated, pulling the map from his pocket again, taking note of the numbers scribbled on the back. "I should be able to deactivate them." He stepped to the control panel stationed against the exterior wall, punching in the code and grinning with satisfaction when the display lit up green and the bars disappeared.

"Easy enough." Alvin walked through the entry as if to show that it was safe, turning to face the others with a grin and a wave. "Let's keep moving."

The group did not budge, all eyes on Alvin. Gaius crossed his arms, giving the mercenary a skeptical look. "Just where did you come across that code?"

Alvin lost the cheerful expression almost instantly. "I have my sources. Now let's move on."

"And which source is that? The same that told you the location of the lance?" Gaius was suspicious of him, and Jude couldn't really blame him. It was far too convenient, wasn't it? And yet…

"C'mon now, Gaius. I'm risking my neck trying to get you guys through here. Cut me some slack." He turned to Jude, as if requesting backup. "You believe me, right, Jude?"

Caught off guard, Jude could do little more than nod dumbly, brows furrowed as he sought reassurance from Gaius. The king only shook his head.

"We… We should keep moving." Jude stammered, stepping through the gate. But just as Jude crossed the threshold, a loud, mechanized buzzing sounded as the barrier activated, effectively barring the rest of the party.

"The hell?" Alvin fiddled with the control panel on their side, tapping in the numbers he had just used, only to have the display blink red with a denial. "Damn it… They blocked the access code." He growled, pounding his fist against the panel in frustration.

From behind the king, Presa scoffed, casting doubtful glances to her comrades. "Why am I not surprised?" She then looked to the king, as if asking what their next move should be.

In spite of his words just moments prior, Gaius kept his focus. He appeared to be carefully examining the strange blockade, as if thinking of a way to break through it by force. Alvin was quick to put an end to that idea. "You can't use a sword against it, the blade will just melt through."

"Can you disable it?" Jude looked at the control panel, noting its simplicity. He had a feeling just smashing it wouldn't do them any good.

Alvin pulled his map out, scanning for something before passing the parchment through the bars. "Find the generator rooms. They power the barriers. If you destroy them, the barriers will turn off again."

Gaius accepted the map with a stern nod before turning to his party. "We split up and destroy them individually. We've no time to waste."

The guards gave their king a proper salute before running off to complete their task. Gaius cast one last look in their direction before hurrying off to aid his men. Jude watched him leave, a feeling of dread creeping up his spine once again. "Will they be all right?"

Alvin's hand came to grip his shoulder but briefly before pulling away, continuing down the hallway. "We have to keep moving. We need to destroy the lance before Gilland has time to activate it." His voice was level as he spoke, calm. Too calm. The sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach only intensified, yet Jude followed regardless, remembering his mission, their mission.

Their footprints echoed along the empty halls as Jude and Alvin continued towards their destination. Past the barrier bars there were no soldiers, no guards, not a soul to cross their path. Just a short distance away there were dozens of soldiers fighting, and yet the hall remained void of any life save their own. The strange desolation made the ship truly feel like it was abandoned, just as it had been for the last twenty years.

It was unsettling, this silence, and the tension only served to make Jude's nervousness all the more obvious. Were the others all right? Had they run into any guards? And Alvin… "Alvin, is this really all right?" He asked, seeking sort of explanation to ease his anxiety. "Shouldn't we wait for the others?" If they were supposedly meeting Gilland at the end of this, then wouldn't they need all the backup they could get?

Alvin remained silent, shoulders squared, eyes straight ahead. Nothing like the casual way he usually carried himself. And those incredulous looks from the others, the coincidental closing of the barrier that separated them from the rest of the group… Something was definitely wrong.

Jude grabbed his hand, stopping him in his tracks. "Alvin!" The man's shoulders stiffened but he didn't turn to face him. This only served to worry Jude more. "Alvin, you know something, don't you?"

Alvin visibly flinched, his head drooping slightly. "…I need you to trust me, Jude."

"You're making me question if I should." Jude quickly circled the taller man, standing before him so Alvin would be forced to look him in the eye. "If something is going on, I need you to tell me now."

Again Alvin couldn't keep his gaze, something Jude had already begun associating with his need for secrecy. "It'll be over soon, just bear with me a little longer, all right?"

"Quit talking like this is the end!" He hadn't intended to raise his voice, but his thoughts, his emotions were running away with him. All the words left unsaid, things Jude vowed to keep to himself for the sake of them both, came tumbling out in the heat of the moment. "You keep saying things like how you'll disappear, that I'll never have to see you again…" He was shaking, but he didn't care. He simply grabbed Alvin's hand with both of his, not once looking away. "But what if that's not what I want, huh? Why are you so insistent on running?"

At his outburst Alvin finally lifted his head just enough to see just how bewildered he was by the young man's words. "Jude…" Alvin chewed his bottom lip, eyes askance. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into. You don't know what I…"

"Quit assuming you know what I want!" Jude cut him off before Alvin had the chance to deprecate himself further. These words, the emotions behind him, Jude needed to make them known before he lost this chance. "I'm not a child. I can decide for myself who I'm going to stay with and who I choose to trust, so don't make me regret trusting you."

For a long moment, Alvin stared him down, a myriad of emotions crossing his face. Confusion, frustration, fear, longing… All culminating in the question he posed to Jude. "Those things Presa said. Those were true, you know. After all the things I've done, and all the things that might happen in the future…" His voice became low, pained as he drew his eyes away. "You'd really… With a guy like me?"

"Let me decide that." Jude gave an emphatic nod, and though his stomach was filled with anxious butterflies borne from the day this mysterious mercenary sauntered into his life, he still found it in him to smile. "When this is over, let's keep moving… Together."

"Jude…" Absolutely stunned by his words, Alvin lifted his free hand, reaching for something. Perhaps Jude's shoulder, perhaps his cheek, but hesitation seemed to get the best of him and the hand was retracted suddenly, the other pulled from Jude's grip. "I'm sorry, I…"

A sudden, mechanized rumble sounded from the end of the corridor and Alvin cursed. "Damn it… He's already starting!" He took off like a shot, running at full speed down the hall with Jude in tow.

"Alvin, hold on! Gaius and the others!"

"There's no time!" Alvin protested, pulling his gun from the holster and loading a fresh round. Jude stuck at his side, making sure his gauntlets were tight around his wrists as they made their way to their destination.

In a miraculous display of brute force, Alvin kicked open the door and they both rushed inside.

Even after twenty years of disuse, the Grand Hall remained immaculate and beautiful as if untouched by time. A gilded ballroom decorated with intricate, twisting metal fixtures and a crystalline dance floor that provided a glimpse of the complex inner workings of the ship. At the far end, a massive skylight with a stunning view of the setting sun... and just below, was the barrel of a massive canon aimed right for it.

The Lance of Kresnik was there, and standing before it, a man garbed in blue. Silvery hair accented by streaks of red, slicked back to reveal an aged man that bore an eerie resemblance to one Jude had seen before. It all came together when he slowly turned to face the intruders, his stoic expression evolving into one of twisted pleasure. That day… The man I ran into at the square...

Gilandor Yul Svent. The leader of Exodus. The man Alvin had called "Gilland".

From his place at the end of the hall he slowly turned to face the intruders, voice echoing off the glass interior. "Finally, finally, you arrive. I was beginning to wonder if I would have to hunt you down myself." He stepped down from the platform, his weapon swinging at his side. A gun, like Alvin's own, but with a longer barrel that nearly scraped the ground as he walked. "It's good to see you, Alfred."

Alvin threw an arm out to bar Jude's path, or was it to protect him from this man? "Stay back, Jude."

"Ah, so this is Jude? The little kitten that Leticia spoke of? Now what was it she said…" Gilland placed a hand to his chin in mock thought. "You wished to take care of him until the end? Sound about right?"

Alvin growled, finger visibly twitching on his gun. "Leticia is gone, no thanks to you."

Gilland's expression faltered for only a second before the bemusement returned to his face. "Such malice towards your dear uncle… And yet, you eagerly obey just as the dog you are…" His eyes drifted to Jude, a sadistic grin crossing his pale features. "After all, you brought the boy, just as I requested."

Jude took a half-step back, a sudden panic gripping his chest. Gilland wanted Alvin to bring him here? Had he been ordered to deliver him to Gilland? His eyes drifted to Alvin, pleading for explanation. "Alvin, you… You didn't…"

Alvin did not answer.

"Was it not obvious?" Gilland chuckled, stepping closer with his own weapon aimed at Alvin's head while his eyes remained on Jude. "Did you think that I didn't know that Alfred let you live after finding out about our plan? Or that you fled Elympios with the information I needed?" His expression turned decidedly dark, the muzzle of his gun drifting from Alvin's head to Jude's own. "I intended to execute you and him both for his little escapade, but Alfred was… Remorseful. He knew he had to atone for disobeying me, so we arranged this little meeting."

The more Gilland spoke, the more aggravated Alvin seemed to become. Yet he said nothing to defend himself, only cut his eyes away from Jude when the boy looked his way. Was it true? Had he been strung along, playing into Gilland's plans from the beginning?

Suddenly Alvin's strange behavior made sense. Telling him he didn't need to go, separating them from the group. He was orchestrating this deal with the enemy all along. One last betrayal, his final hurrah. No, Jude didn't want to believe it. Alvin wanted to get out. Alvin wanted to change. Alvin…

Alvin cocked his gun, aiming it straight at Gilland's head. "We had a deal, Gilland." He vehemently spat, his cool visage replaced with one of near uncontrollable anger. "Just take what you want and let him go."

What? Let me go?

"Ah, yes, your little bargain…" More laughing, the very sound making Jude's skin crawl. "I had not expected such sentimentality from you, Alfred. All over this kitten…"

Jude's gaze snapped to Alvin again, a mixture of horror and disbelief filling his voice. "Alvin, what have you done?"

The steely gaze that was trained on Gilland faltered with Jude's words. "It was the only way I could get you out of this, Jude." Alvin took his eyes from his adversary long enough to lock with Jude's own, as if to apologize. He had arranged this for him? At what cost?

Resting his gun against his shoulder, Gilland held a hand to Jude, beckoning him closer. "Now, bring me that disc, boy."

Instinctively Jude clapped a hand over his shirt pocket to protect the item in question. "No!" The bargain for his life, for both of their lives, was to give up the very thing he had risked everything to keep away from Exodus. How, knowing all this, could Alvin simply barter it away? Did he truly feel there was no other alternative? Was Gilland's hold over him really that strong?

Jude took another step back, and thankfully Alvin didn't stop him. "All that data, the research we were doing… I won't let you use it to hurt people!"

Gilland snorted, lips curling into a smirk. "Such naiveté. I've little use for the research on that disc now. We've already implemented what was needed. All that's left is to activate the Lance of Kresnik, and everything that we have accomplished with your aid will be complete."

"No…" Jude shook his head in disbelief. The Lance… It couldn't be already completed, could it? Was it a bluff? Or had this fight truly been for naught? He had to know. "If there's no use for it, why do you need it? What good is it now?!"

"The activation system." Alvin suddenly answered, expression flat even as he continued to aim his gun towards their enemy. "That archive you found contained the vital programs that make the lance run. Haus stole that and locked it away with that access card you found. Without it, the disc is the only copy he has left."

"You can't be serious…" Jude could not help but stare in shock as the plan was revealed. All along, he had been told it was because of the research and damning evidence that Exodus was so adamant about keeping hidden. He had fled the country, even contacted the king in hopes of exposing the conspiracy and putting a stop to the madness. But it was a lie, all of it. The Lance of Kresnik was already complete and there had been no need for him or his research. He was just being kept around to find the stolen archive.

And Alvin had brought it right to the man who sought to use it to destroy the spirits of his country.

How could I have been so blind? Jude clenched his fist, teeth gritted in frustration. I was used as nothing more than a tool all along, and I didn't even realize it. And Alvin … He played me, too.

"My, what a look." Gilland chided, mocking Jude as he stood halfway across the room, gun idly aimed at his person. "Does it hurt knowing how fruitless your efforts were? And you were so brave in guarding that little disc." Another snort of laugher, so pleased was Gilland of his plight. Jude felt the overwhelming urge to knock that smug look from his face.

"Knock it off, Gilland." Alvin interrupted him, cocking his pistol threateningly before looking to Jude. "Give him the disc, Jude."

Jude fervently shook his head, keeping one hand on the disc. "No!" He stepped back, checking over his shoulder. Could he run? Would he be gunned down if he tried?

"Jude, just do it. He'll let you go and you can figure out another way." Alvin's words were little comfort. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. They were supposed to apprehend Gilland and destroy the lance, not allow him to go on with his plan just to save himself. What other way was there?

"It won't matter if he's already destroyed my home!" Jude was starting to panic, quickly losing his calm with each passing moment. He had to do something, he had to…

Then, it occurred to him. If they needed the disc to activate the lance, then… "I'll... I'll destroy it!" He pulled the disc free and held it aloft, ready to throw it to the ground and crush it. That would be the end. Gilland would have no way to proceed with his plan, or at the very least he could buy them some time. They could go home. They could-

Shots echoed through the grand hall, and then silence. Time slowed to a crawl as Jude watched Alvin stumble back, spatters of red blooming across his left shoulder and chest. A hand came to grip his now ruined shirt, as if the pain had not hit him yet as he stared at the wound in disbelief. Alvin gave a wet cough, a trail of blood dribbling from his lips. "You…" The pistol slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground as his legs threatened to give from beneath him. "You bastard…"

Then, another shot, a blossom of crimson striking Alvin's right leg just above the knee, taking them out from beneath him with a strangled cry. Alvin crumpled to the glass floor, pained curses tumbling from his lips as he curled unto himself in agony.

"Alvin!" The disc was tucked into his pocket as panic hit him full force. Jude scrambled across the glass floor to Alvin, quickly rolling him onto his side and pressing his hands to the man's bleeding chest. "Alvin, just hold on!" He pleaded, channeling his mana into the older man's body to heal his injuries. They were numerous and deep; the gun Gilland carried was unlike any he'd seen before. He had counted three shots yet there were many more entry wounds to tend to than that. Jude feared he would not have enough spirits to call upon in such a desolate place to piece him back together.

And yet while he was frantically trying to heal him, Alvin only pushed his hand away. "Damn it… Deal's off, Jude. Get out of here." Alvin's voice was strained with pain, yet he continued to try and force Jude off of him, push himself upright, only to have his shoulder give from the effort. He collapsed back to the floor, splatters of blood landed on Jude's clothing, much to the boy's horror. "Get Gaius and warn him. If that thing gets turned on…"

"I'm not leaving you to die!" Jude protested, channeling faster, pouring more mana into the man's damaged body. A voice in the back of his head asked why he was giving such an effort to save him after Alvin had just handed him over to the enemy, but he quickly silenced any protests. Even if Alvin had betrayed him, he was doing it for a reason he believed in, and that alone would not allow Jude to just abandon him.

He could feel himself losing strength, growing dizzy from having to pour so much of his own energy into the healing process. So hard was he concentrating that he didn't notice Gilland had come for him, hoisting him up by his arm before grasping his neck, holding him at arm's length with the barrel of his gun aimed straight at Jude's head.

"Hand it over, boy." Gilland seethed, pressing the muzzle against Jude's cheek. "If you cooperate, I may even let you continue that little project of yours…" The grin upon the man's face widened almost sadistically as he watched Alvin try to pick himself up off the ground again, attempting to reach his pistol. "Or… Is it this dog you want?" Gilland kicked Alvin's weapon out of reach, laughing darkly as the injured man cursed.

"You… You monster…" Jude brought a hand up to grasp Gilland's wrist, trying to loosen his hold on him. "You never intended to let us out of here alive, did you?"

The mouth of the gun was pressed tauntingly against Jude's cheek as Gilland sniggered, as if taking delight in the boy's dismay. "It's as I said… Alfred wished to redeem himself, and I am offering that redemption. And once my plan is complete, your continued existence is… Of little consequence."

Jude continued to struggle against his grip, knowing that one false move would spell the end of him, Alvin, or them both. His eyes darted around the room, taking in every detail of their surroundings, including Alvin's desperate attempts at reaching his weapon as he bled onto the floor. He needed a plan, some way to stop all this madness and get the both of them out of there safely. If he could just somehow buy some time, wait for Gaius and the others to catch up…

"If… If I give you the disc, will you let Alvin go?" Jude managed as his flow of air was threatened by Gilland's grip. "You'll let me heal him and let him go?"

"Jude, no." Alvin protested, already struggling for breath with the wounds inflicted upon him. They both knew he would not last long without proper care.

Gilland hummed in appreciation of Jude's offer, his grip loosening ever so slightly. "You would bargain for this wounded dog? The one who has done nothing but lie to you for his own gain?" The gun was aimed at Alvin again and Gilland cocked it slowly without so much as looking the man's way. A threat; motivation for Jude to keep his end of the bargain.

It was working.

Jude gulped and nodded, hand still firmly on the disc. This may be his only chance. "Then… I'll give it to you." He affirmed, slowly raising it into Gilland's view. "But before I do… There's one thing I want to know." He locked eyes with the man, glaring as the gun remained trained on Alvin as he struggled to reach his own weapon. "What was the point of all this? Why the ruse? Why not just have Alvin bring the disc and be done with it? Why go through all the trouble of gathering a small army on a remote ship?"

At his question, Gilland sneered. "It's quite simple." And then, a low snicker, as if he was laughing at his own sick joke. "You're the fuel."

The bottom dropped out of Jude's stomach and his eyes went wide with shock. "We're… Fuel?"

Gilland laughed through his nose, an absolutely maniacal glint to his eyes. "It is true that your research played a vital role in the completion of the Lance of Kresnik. Our previous attempts failed miserably because we simply had no way of powering such a massive device reliably. With yours and Haus's research, we discovered a way to jumpstart the system, so to speak."

"You… You can't mean…"

"That's right. Once I activate the Lance of Kresnik, every living being on board will be sapped of their mana and used to fire its maiden round, striking the cities of Rieze Maxia." As he spoke his voice remained steady, not once fluctuating even as he spoke of destroying an entire civilization. "Once it hits, their mana will be sapped dry. It'll be enough to power the lance again, and again and again and again until all of Rieze Maxia is reduced to ash, and all that mana will be absorbed."

Jude slowly shook his head, the sheer horror of what he had just been told robbing him of his resolve. "Then the target for the Otherworld Reactor Project wasn't to absorb the spirits' mana…!"

Gilland was practically elated as he barked a laugh, tugging Jude closer with such force that he almost lost his footing altogether, as if he wished to experience his dismay more thoroughly. "That's right. Why waste the effort of trapping spirits when there's enough mana in those Rieze Maxian scum alone to power Elympios for thousands of years to come?"

"You…" Jude breathed, finding it hard to keep his calm after all this new information had come to light. "You really think you can get away with this? With killing off an entire continent?!"

"Oh, but…" Gilland pulled his gun back just so he could hold Jude a sparse three inches from his face just for effect. "I already have…"

Jude watched him, fear playing across his eyes as he heard a gun click not far from him.

And then, he scowled. "Not yet, you haven't!"

With one swift motion Jude's forehead collided with Gilland's, knocking him back and loosing his grip upon Jude's neck. His gun fired, narrowly missing where Alvin lay, penetrating the floor and sending cracks spiderwebbing through the glass. Alvin rolled onto his side, using his uninjured arm to hold his gun steady as he fired a shot at Gilland's weapon, knocking the gun from his grasp.

With their enemy disarmed, Jude quickly attempted to overpower him, using swift punches and kicks to wear him down, utilizing every lesson he had ever been taught in a miraculous display of agility and strength.

It appeared that Gilland was not as strong as his nephew, as it took little time for Jude to gain the upper hand, backing his enemy further towards the platform as he waited for Alvin to reload for the finishing blow. Jude reared back, switching stances and preparing to give another round of punches to further wear down their enemy. He didn't suspect a thing when Gilland reached into his cloak, hand disappearing for a brief moment before appearing again with a glint of light off a gilded barrel and a sudden flash of gunfire.

He never expected the searing pain that ripped through his abdomen like a heated blade, nor the breath to be stolen from him so suddenly that he could scarcely cry out. His eyes sought out the source, finding it held firmly in Gilland's shaking hand. A second gun. Jude hadn't considered another weapon.

Seconds passed and Jude gagged, blood burbling up from his throat and into his mouth, dribbling down his chin. He stumbled back, a hand pressed against the wound that was already staining the clothing Alvin had picked for him with a deep crimson red. A breathless cry was ripped from his throat and Jude doubled over as the pain hit him all at once. His legs buckled and he fell to his knees, head swaying as the agony threatened to tear his consciousness from him.

"Jude!" He could barely hear Alvin calling for him over his pulse pounding in his ears. "Jude, heal yourself!" Alvin demanded from the cracked glass floor as he tried to drag himself towards Jude, as if he had any chance of protecting him when he was in a worse state himself.

His words at least registered, Jude closing his eyes and beginning to channel the last of his mana into healing his own wound. For a split second he thought it worked, only for the spell to fail, a feeling like fire singeing his hand as his body convulsed in protest, only further aggravating his condition. The distinct sensation of something being inside him that shouldn't made him feel like vomiting and it was everything he could do to keep from passing out.

Yet Jude continued to fight, holding a hand against his bleeding stomach as he struggled to his feet, refusing to give up.

And Gilland laughed. "Such determination! And all for naught!" He waltzed up to Jude and before he had a chance to fend him off, the disc was plucked from his pocket, and the injured boy knocked off balance with a mean-spirited shove. Gilland returned to the console, holding the disc high as he glanced over his shoulder at his defeated adversaries. "And now, the last act of our little performance."

The disc slid into the console with a mechanical whir, dozens of screens appearing onto the display. Gilland wasted no time in finding the executable file, setting his plan in motion with a simple press of a button.

All at once it felt like his weight had increased tenfold, Jude's already weakened body collapsing, brought down by an unseen force. He fell to the ground in a heap, the breath knocked from his lungs on impact and he could feel what little mana he had remaining being slowly drained from his person. This was it, the power of the Lance of Kresnik.

There was the distinct sound of another body hitting the ground nearby, Gilland cursing audibly, his voice strained to Jude's ears. As the boy struggled for breath he managed to lift his head enough to see Gilland sprawled upon the platform, seemingly unable to move just as he was. Was this the fate of everyone on the ship? Would they be drained of their mana and left to die, just like that?

"What… What are you…!" Jude posed the question of the delusional man, bewildered as to why he had not made his escape.

Gilland grunted, but grinned all the same. "A minor miscalculation." He muttered. "I need only withstand the lance's effects long enough for the first shot. Then, it will no longer matter. Whoever survives will return to Elympios with me and bask in glory as the heroes that restored our land's livelihood!"

So not even his own men were going to spared? How many soldiers were going to be sacrificed? How many did Gilland plan to kill for the sake of his insane mission?

No… No I can't let it end like this…! All those people are going to die!

But what could he do? Wounded, devoid of mana, weighed down as the machine absorbed all their energy so it could destroy his people…

That's it!

With strength he was sure had left him already, Jude managed to roll onto his stomach, crawling, pulling himself along towards the steps, making his way to the platform and the console that resided upon it. If I can just get to the console… I can…

Bemused by his attempts, Gilland laughed from his place on the floor. "It's useless!" He shouted over the din of the lance. "Once it starts running, it will continue until the firing sequence is complete! You cannot stop it!"

"I'm going to try!" Jude shouted, unwilling to listen to anything else the man had to say. He continued to crawl up the steps, feeling weaker and weaker with each passing second. But he had to do this. He had to do something or everyone in that room, the ship, and countless other people were going to die.

Perhaps it was the adrenaline, or some untapped strength he didn't know he possessed, but Jude somehow managed to hoist himself upright, his body wracked with pain from his wounds and the lance's power both. Finally he stood upon unsteady legs whilst leaning against the console, barely able to hold his head up to see the control panel's display. He keyed through the files left open by Gilland, scanning over the names, the command files there. Something, anything, there has to be…

Jude hovered over abort. Abort the launch, abort the lance firing, but even if I do that, Gilland could just get up and try again, and the sequence would continue…

He switched the cursor to the end of the list. This won't end unless I destroy it… I have to destroy the Lance of Kresnik…!

RUN ?_

YES_ NO_

"What are you doing?!" Gilland shouted, trying to sit up only for his strength to fail him. "If you do that, you'll decimate the ship! You'll doom us all!"

It was just what Jude needed to hear. With a weak but triumphant smile, he glanced over his shoulder to Gilland. "If that's what it takes, then…"

There was no hesitation as Jude pounded his fist against the key, a window full of string after string of code populating the screen as the lance made a jarring metallic noise. The code continued down the display until it stopped all together, a message taking its place.

MODULE OVERRIDE COMPLETED. SELF-DESTRUCT INITIATED_

EVACUATE AREA IMMEDIATELY

A siren sounded that could be heard throughout the ship, one Jude hoped would be signal enough for the others to get as far away as possible. A timer appeared on the display;

90…89…88…

The generators within the lance kicked into overdrive as more weight hit Jude, his arms only barely holding him upright as the force threatened to knock him down. "You fool!" Gilland shouted, his own voice strained from the lance's mana sapping force weighing down on him. "Do you realize what you've done?!"

Jude shook his head, what could he do? It was this, or the destruction of all of Rieze Maxia. The people here… They were going to get hurt, but what choice did he have?

He had no answer to offer Gilland. He merely watched as all the man's bravado was lost along with his master plan, crawling cowardly away as if to save himself.

Further out was Alvin, trying to get to his feet, blood coating his clothing, yet he seemed fixated on one thing. "Jude! Hurry up and get away from there!" He barked, arms threatening to buckle from the combined weight and effort. "There's still time, just get as far away as you can and save yourself!"

Jude heard his pleas and he understood. This had not been part of Alvin's plan either. He had intended to hand the disc over and make a grand escape with Jude at his side, leaving everyone else behind so they alone would survive. Or did he intend to take Gilland out at the last minute, swing in and rescue Jude from his fate?

A mystery that would remain, Jude thought as the strength left him and he collapsed against the console, unable to withstand the forces acting against him anymore.

65…64…63…

"Jude, what are you doing!?" Alvin had given up trying to stand and instead was crawling for him, the glass floor beneath him cracking more and more with each passing second. "Get up! Get out of here!" His normally strong and charismatic voice was laced with abject terror, his eyes on Jude as he fought inch by inch to get closer to him. "C'mon, get up! Damn it, just go!"

And Jude chuckled at the irony of it all, even as his body was coursed with pain, his body protesting his very breath. "I… I wanted to help people." He muttered, voice becoming weaker with each string of words. "I wanted… Everyone to live peacefully… So that's why… I have to do this…"

"Stop talking like that!" Alvin was yelling now, terrified. So close, yet so far. "Are you seriously going to sacrifice yourself?! Get up! There's still time!"

32…31…30…

The sound of groaning and rending metal echoed through the grand hall, fixtures bending under the pressure of the lance. There was a distinct crack, the rusted ceiling panels beginning to buckle. The ship was falling apart.

Jude smiled sadly, more blood coating his lips, running down his chin. He didn't want his last vision of Alvin to be a fearful one. He wanted to remember the Alvin that was smiling, laughing, teasing him, holding him…

Trusting him… Loving him…

"I'm sorry, Alvin… And… Thank you…" With what little energy he rolled onto his stomach, slowly dragging his weakened body towards the stairs. He reached for Alvin, wanting to feel his touch just one last time. "Thank you… For…"

"That's it, come on!" Even now, Alvin was encouraging him, reaching for him. He was only a few feet away. "Just a bit more!"

Just a little closer… I want to touch him… Feel his hand once more…

Jude recalled his cocky grin, the way Alvin would sling an arm around his shoulder. The feeling of warmth that filled his chest when Alvin would ruffle his hair, when he'd wink at him and make some off comment that'd make Jude blush.

"You're almost there! Come on, Jude! You can make it!"

Just once more…

He remembered how safe he felt that time he carried him from the scene of the chemistry lab fire. How the fear left him when he was held close to Alvin's chest, how even when the world seemed too cruel, Alvin had been there for him.

15…14…13…

Even if there had been lies, Alvin's actions rang true. Everything he had done, everything they had gone through, it was to protect Jude.

"Thank you… Alvin…"

Their fingertips brushed, the barest of contact.

"…For trusting me…"

The ceiling above them finally gave, chunks of metal debris falling all around them. The glass beneath Alvin finally shattered completely, sending the man falling deeper into the ship. In the final seconds of the explosion, Jude faintly registered Alvin calling his name, his voice fading as he fell.

The memory of his voice and the feeling of his fingertips on his own were the last things on his mind before his consciousness left him entirely.

The pain left his body as the world went white in a deafening roar.