AN: Hello guys! Here is the new update for this story. I'm currently writing two stories now for Tales of Xillia so what I'll be doing is alternating the updates. One chapter for every story. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! And by the way, just so you know, this chapter is basically a character quest for Alvin/Leia
Now to respond to you awesome readers
U-know Yunho: You mean Agria? Hahhaa, i know that feel bro. Studies and assignments, take up so much of our time T_T
ydshahid: Well, it's not like they really want him back. The guy wants something else.
Riku Uzumaki: Haha, that is an interesting hunch. WHen you mentioned it, I was considering if it was possible to reference that but no. It is a completely different even that was not related to that fractured dimension.
GroundZeroFirework: Haha, glad you liked the skit. It was all thanks to 'Riku Uzumaki' for giving me the idea.
Don't worry, this small arc is to help with 'fractured' Milla's feelings
Mr. AE Hachi-Roku: She will in due time, but she needs to accept it first. She still can't accept the idea yet.
Err... no. 'Fractured' Milla does not love Jude. She asked that question to Milla because she wanted to know what love is. Sorry for the confusion.
Haseo55: Yes she's still confused. Ludger will patch things up with Elle and 'fractured' Milla soon so don't worry. It will just take a little time.
That Mysterious Reader: Hahaha, don't worry. She didn't do anything wrong this time :P
Luckenhaft: Definitely! She gave some of them a beating before they caught her! No way she'd give in without a fight
Nameless Knight: Ah yes, I agree. They completely removed Exodus too quickly so it's nice to use them in stories :D
Time Heals All: Yes, I noticed you were not commenting as usual. I simply thought there was nothing you caught on that you wanted to write about. I was worried that the quality of my chapters was deteriorating. But you gave three reviews for three chapters so I'll just respond to your latest chapter.
Glad you liked this chapter and yes, I realized when writing this arc that it will be involving your two favorite characters and pairing :P
Consider it... a sort of 'service' to you for your wonderful words of encouragement :) I hope you'll like this little arc!
Well that's it for reviews! I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter!
CHAPTER 15: GALLAND
Alvin used his wits and charm as he conversed with the owner of a small shop to agree to try some of his products. The owner was reluctant but through Alvin's use of words, he could see the owner thinking it through. Alvin was pleased with how smooth he was. Alvin was about to give the owner one last push when his GHS started ringing.
"Hello?" Alvin said as he answered the call.
At first Alvin heard nothing. The call was still going through and Alvin could hear some faint breathing. Alvin was about to ask who it was when the voice spoke, "It's good to hear your voice again Alvin."
Alvin stopped breathing. He recognized that voice. There was no way he did not recognize that voice. "…Why are you calling me? No actually, how did you even get this number?"
The person on the other line chuckled, "Is that the way to speak to an old friend?"
"Old friend..?" Alvin spat, "After what happened, I don't think… that would be the word I'd use. If you have nothing else to say, then-"
"Oh but I think you'll find this interesting…" The caller said. Alvin then heard some shuffling before he heard a different voice.
"Let me go! Just you guys wait till I get my hands on you, I'll..!" The voice was saying but then Alvin heard a loud smack. Then the caller spoke again, "Recognize who that is?"
"…You bastard… just you wait till I find you! If you even think about killing her, I'll…"
"Don't worry Alvin… I still have my honor as a warrior." The voice responded, "Unlike a certain… someone…"
Alvin made no response and the voice chuckled, "I hope to see you again Alvin… we have… a lot to talk about."
Then the line went dead.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Thus Alvin searched all over Trigleph for everyone before he wound up in the commercial district and found the rest of his friends. He had never been so glad to see them. Alvin quickly summarized the events of what happened. The phone call, Leia being held hostage and where the guy told them he was.
"And you actually believe him?" Gaius said disapprovingly, "He could be leading you into a trap."
Alvin shook his head, "No I know how he is. He places his honor above everything else. He's not lying. It just shows he hasn't changed."
"Any idea what he wants though?" Jude asked.
"He said he has something he wants to 'discuss' with me… whether or not he's telling the truth, I don't care! I just want to make sure Leia's safe."
Milla had to agree, "Let's go then. You said they're at Xian Du?"
"Yeah. He just said 'our old meeting place', so it should be. Come on. If we move fast, we should arrive by nightfall."
Alvin did not even wait for a word and started moving towards the train station. The party quickly caught up and followed Alvin's lead. Ludger had never seen Alvin so riled up. He had always seen Alvin as a guy with a calm-attitude, never rushing into things. But now Alvin had completely cast that aside. It was totally different for Ludger.
An hour or so later, the party was already boarding a ship from Marksburg heading towards the country of Rieze Maxia. It would take another four hours before they would arrive on land. Still Alvin could not sit still. He was pacing around the ship, staring out into the horizon as if hoping that the journey would be shorter if he did so. Everyone else was of course worried about Leia as well but Alvin was even more so.
"Alvin, you should try to… calm down a little." 'Fractured' Milla said softly, "There's nothing we can do for now."
"I know that!" Alvin barked. 'Fractured' Milla winced at the response and Alvin quickly apologized, "I'm sorry but… it just pisses me off. Leia's in trouble because of me. That's why I try to avoid my past. It brings nothing but trouble."
"That's not true and you know it!" Jude said, "We're here for you Alvin. We're not going to let you go into this alone!"
"Well… she is a citizen of Rieze Maxia." Gaius added in, "I will not stand by while a group of terrorists threaten the security of my country and its people."
Muzet giggled, "I thought a king cannot risk his life just for the sake of one person? Aww Gaius… are you blushing?"
"Don't be absurd!"
Rowen laughed and joined in, "It's okay Gaius. As the prime minister, officially I should not be endangering my life in such acts. However this is a personal matter. Sometimes we have to do what we believe to be of utmost importance."
Gaius listened to Rowen's wise words and nodded.
Alvin smiled and gave thanks, "Thanks guys… this… really means a lot."
Ludger had nothing to add in. Alvin was now much more calm and took a seat but he stared every now and then towards the horizon.
A couple of hours flew by when the ship finally landed at the harbor. Alvin quickly rushed out of the ship and could feel his adrenaline pumping in. He was close now. Xian Du was quite a distance away but just as he had predicted, they could probably arrive by nightfall. Once everyone was prepared, they departed from Aladhi Seahaven, making their way towards Xian Du.
Skit: A different Exodus
Present: Jude, Ludger, Alvin, Rowen, Gaius & Alvin: I should warn you guys that the Exodus we're facing is… a little different.
Jude: What do you mean?
Gaius: Are you saying that there are different branches of Exodus?
Alvin: Normally we've only encountered the normal Exodus… but the one we're facing… is a completely different 'separate' unit. A different 'branch' within Exodus.
Rowen: Different?
Ludger: You mean they have different leaders or something?
Alvin: That's one way to say it. Basically the one that everyone knows is the Exodus we've been fighting. They simply don't want a peaceful relationship between Elympios and Rieze Maxia. They mostly do this because they hate Rieze Maxia. A sort of patriotic Elympions is one way to describe them.
Jude: So this other Exodus… is not like them?
Alvin: No… they're worse. For the short time I know them, they just… wish to destroy anything in their path. It's really a small group that even Exodus itself tries to… avoid this branch if necessary.
Rowen: I do not understand the logic in that. Why would Exodus tolerate with a separate and smaller branch?
Alvin: Because even if this 'branch' of Exodus works separately, they still serve Exodus. They still try to accomplish Exodus's objectives. And also because… they have 'him'. That's why Exodus can't really disband this 'branch' of Exodus.
Ludger: Him?
Alvin: The one who kidnapped Leia… and the leader of this branch of Exodus. Galland.
Rowen: …I know that name… he was a ruthless mercenary. The Rashugal army was offering a lot of gald for his death. To think that he's in Exodus now.
Gaius: This should be interesting.
Alvin: …I hope your confidence pays off.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
It was already nightfall when the party arrived at the city of Xian Du. This was the city that was filled with the people's excitement of the coliseum in the day. Now it was so quiet. Alvin led the way and informed everyone to be on high alert. They had to. Xian Du was one of the cities in Rieze Maxia that openly opposed against the peace treaty for Elympios and Rieze Maxia. It was no surprise that Exodus sometimes had small bases of operation in Xian Du. The people and Exodus may be enemies to a certain extent but their objectives were one in the same.
"Alright, they should be in a warehouse to the west. That's where the old meeting place was." Alvin said.
"Hey Alvin… I've been wondering… you weren't part of this 'branch' of Exodus right?" Jude asked.
Alvin shook his head, "No, no. I was with the main branch of Exodus. But most of us knew of this 'other' branch and their meeting areas. Even if they are 'separated' from the main Exodus, they still had to report their activities to us. They only have one meeting place in Xian Du, so they should be there. No… I know they'll be there."
Rowen minded with the beard on his chin as he thought about it. "Galland… if I recall the past reports about him, he uses an axe as his weapon of choice. It's normally a large dual-handed battleaxe I recall but I hear Galland possesses a large one, even for battleaxe standards."
Alvin nodded in agreement, "He probably still uses that. It suits his aggressive fighting style."
"But what's wrong with this Galland?" Ludger questioned, "A person who just lives to destroy others... I can't imagine a person who thinks that way."
Alvin went silent upon that. 'Fractured' Milla saw Alvin's shoulders slumped and his pace slowed down. But it was only for a second before Alvin returned to normal. He hid his emotions well but 'fractured' Milla had quite a sharp eye in catching these little hints. Except Ludger's confession. She did NOT expect that. The memory of it caused her to stumble in her steps and her cheeks had a minor blush.
"I… I don't really know." Alvin said quickly, "When I was in Exodus, he was already at that state. Anyway come on, it's this way."
Jude found it a little odd. It was as if Alvin was trying to avoid Ludger's question. But it was not too important for Jude. For now, he needed focus at the situation at hand.
A short while later, the party finally saw an average-sized building that appeared empty. While it was not shaped like a warehouse in a sense, it was probably used to store large materials, thus becoming a warehouse. Alvin gestured for everyone to be quiet and approached the as quickly and yet silently like a mouse. There were two Exodus soldiers guarding on the side of the main entrance.
"What should we do?" Milla asked in reference to the two Exodus guards, "Do we use a stealth approach or…"
"No point going in stealth." Alvin replied, "Galland and his guys are expecting us. Might as well let them know we're here."
Muzet giggled, "Allow me then…"
On the ground where the two Exodus soldiers stood, a seal appeared. The guard failed to notice this and the seal exploded, blasting the two soldiers to oblivion. Muzet giggled at the sight and threw a fireball towards the main entrance, destroying the door.
"I guess there's no doubt that they're aware of our presence now." Rowen stated plainly.
Alvin however was all serious now, "Alright, let's go! Leia's in there!"
Without waiting for them, Alvin dashed into the building. Jude normally hated going into things without a plan. It was quite a pain. While Alvin could adapt into any situation, Jude would prefer to have at least a plan A and a plan B. But there was no point complaining over spilt milk now.
The warehouse was dark. There were very little lights and most of the interior was decorated with shadows. The party entered what seemed to be a miniature-sized hall with a vast door in front of them when suddenly; the party was swallowed by bright lights. The sudden exposure to light forced all of them to shield their eyes. After a couple of seconds and their eyes had adjusted to the light, the party realized they were surrounded. Exodus soldiers were everywhere, trapping them in a circle.
Then a large figure standing in front of the large metal door started clapping. The claps echoed loudly in the empty hall. "Alvin… it's so nice to finally see you!"
Alvin glared at the man, "Galland…"
Everyone looked at the man and he was definitely huge. Ludger estimated the man to be at least two meter in height. His fiery red hair simply enhanced that fearsome sort-of look. And with his large build, his muscles appeared like it could tear the Exodus uniform simply by flexing it. Ludger had to admit, he could feel his fingers getting a little shaky just at the sight of the man.
"So this is the man known as Galland…" Rowen whispered, "When he was still a mercenary, he was truly a frightening foe to meet on the battlefield. He could wipe entire battalions on his own as if he was a drunken brawler. I never thought I'd actually see him in person."
"Galland, what the hell do you want from me?" Alvin demanded, "Where's Leia? She better be safe!"
Galland roared laughing before he replied, "Safe? Oh you have a lot of guts to be making all these demands after what YOU did to me!"
Alvin looked away, "…I had my orders… you… were starting to get out of control. The higher-ups thought you… needed to be reminded of who yanks your chains."
"Well… it doesn't matter… you left our group not long after anyway… but now with the peace treaty between Rieze Maxia and Elympios almost inevitable, I'm free to do what I want."
"So you want revenge?"
Galland smirked and grabbed his double-sided battleaxe, "It's more than just revenge. I'm going to restore their honor! But… before that… let me at least show you where our differences lie." Galland then snapped his fingers, "Unlike you… I keep my promise."
The large metallic door behind Galland started to open. Alvin and the rest of the party prepared themselves just in case. But then what they saw horrified them. Alvin took a step forward, his mouth open wide and his right arm stretching forward, as if reaching out to her. Behind the metallic door was an unconscious Leia. She only had her undergarments on her. Her arms and legs were bound and spread wide apart. There were visible bruises seen on her legs, hands, body and face. But she was breathing.
Alvin gritted his teeth and fixed his focus back to Galland, unable to bear seeing Leia in that condition. "GALLAND! YOU…! WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
Galland started laughing and moved to Leia, "I've kept my promise Alvin! She's still alive. Did I not promise to keep her alive?" Galland then pressed his arm on Leia's thigh, moving higher, "But don't worry… me and the boys did nothing to 'dishonorable' but… once we're done with you… who knows?"
That was it. It was the last straw. Alvin dashed in with his sword out and his gun on his left hand. Galland was prepared and moved to engage Alvin. Ludger, Jude and everyone moved into follow but the Exodus soldiers made their move as well, surrounding them. Only Alvin made it through.
"Damn it." Jude cursed, "It looks like we'll have to get through them first!"
Alvin and Galland clashed, Alvin's blade smashing against the large double-sided axe of Galland. Despite Galland's size and raw power, Alvin's anger allowed him to match Galland's strength. Alvin's sword and Galland's battleaxe continued to grind against one another.
"I'll kill you!" Alvin bellowed in fury.
Galland grinned at the threat, "Good! Because it's time I pay you back for what you did to me!"
The two leaped away at the same time and then clashed once more, neither giving the enemy an advantage.
CHAPTER END