Author's Note: I do not own the characters, locations, or basic storyline.

This wasn't an actual instance in the game where Alvin goes off on his own, but I thought he would have a lot to think about considering Milla had just claimed to be the being he needs to kill to get back home, as well as being a threat to the Lance he needs to work in order to get back home. Basically, claiming to be everything that keeps him from realizing one of his driving goals. I did read sympathy in Alvin's character when I played through this part of the game when it came to Jude, and I don't believe that was a front. He's just REALLY hoping Jude isn't going to get in his way so he won't have to do anything unpleasant...

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It felt earlier than it actually was with Aladhi's perpetual sunset clime, and he didn't much enjoy it. What he wanted was darkness, an environment he could blend into and disappear in while he took his stroll along the waterfront of the seahaven. It was exhausting work to be a spy, putting on a face and dealing with your targets constantly, mind sharp and aware of every meaning behind every gesture and glance all while looking completely inconspicuous and carefree. It was twice as taxing when one wasn't raised to be a very social person. Was it too much to ask for some shade so he could act naturally for a little while without anyone seeing?

The lack of darkness didn't bother his companions, who were both already asleep back at the inn. Understandably, they had been through quite a bit in a short amount of time and were exhausted: breaking into a top secret laboratory, escaping from the Rashugal military, traveling across the sea and learning how to defend themselves… For him the whole ordeal was practically status quo. Well, scratch that. One thing was wildly beyond normal, and it was the entire reason he felt the need for some fresh air and a stretch. It went back to his post-dinner conversation with Jude about the then-passed-out Milla, and it left a lot to think about.

For one, just before that, they had learned that for the first time in her life, the woman needed to eat. As in she had apparently never eaten before. It took a lot to shock him, but this was certainly something worthy of that. And she was so casual about it, making some comment about thinking the "human" expression of a growling stomach was just that as she could hardly stand on her own two feet. Even stranger, the story she told about Undine and Sylph providing her all the energy she had ever needed… So not only did she never require food, but she had Great Spirits waiting on her? Why would anyone fabricate such a story? It was pure lunacy!

As soon as she had eaten, she fell into a deep sleep right there at the table. Jude had commented that it might also be the first time she needed to sleep as well. Though it was quite unlike him, he was very direct in his question: just who was she? Jude answered without hesitation that she was Maxwell. Not just a spirit, but THE spirit. He sounded very sincere about it. Surely a student of the most prestigious medical college in Rashugal wasn't THAT dense, right? Naïve, certainly, but…

Regardless of how he felt about this bit of information, he knew the time was right to press for another when Jude let slip something about destroying an object. He had flat out asked what this thing was, and Jude told him that it was a spyrix in the laboratory. The Lance of Kresnik. This at least made sense and confirmed what he knew to be true. Earlier that day he had been caught attempting to sneak up on Milla when he heard her muttering something about a key and looking intently at some round object which was hidden away as soon as he was detected. Putting two and two together, if her goal was to destroy the Lance and she hadn't succeeded, she at least believed to have thwarted Rashugal by stealing the key to the spyrix, the item she had clutched so tightly as she fell that night in the lab. So why didn't she destroy it if she didn't want the Lance to be used? She may be crazy, but a woman like that had a reason for not acting on impulse, he simply had to find out.

He had gotten a lot of information in a short amount of time thanks to how forth-coming his companions were. Unfortunately, it made him realize two things he didn't care too much for: if her goal was to destroy the Lance, she was an enemy, and if she was Maxwell, she needed to die. But if she was just some kind of crazy person, what kind of a threat was she? She could barely swing a sword without him showing her how (and he was quite careful not to show her everything he knew…), and yet she claimed to be Maxwell, ruler of the spirits, the creator of the schism?

He just didn't buy it. In fact, that claim made him a bit mad. It was true what he told Jude about the bedtime stories regarding Maxwell. These weren't happily ever after stories of course, but rather painted a picture of an immensely powerful spirit that put up the barrier which kept them from returning home. Maxwell was a monster that needed to be killed so his barrier could disappear with him. For such a pathetic figure to claim this mantle…it was practically insulting. The being responsible for their frustration needed to be a hell of a lot more imposing than Mila. However, even if it made him mad, there was no reason to erase her until she looked like an actual threat to the Lance OR somehow was proven to be the Lord of Spirits.

He stopped walking and stared out over the sea. Actually, there was no practical reason for letting her live in light of her claims, but for whatever reason he just didn't want to off her. Normally, the people he spied on had a lot of dirty secrets to hide and did all manner of nasty things to protect them. While he wasn't an assassin, there were plenty of times it took a good deal of restraint NOT to off someone he needed information from. These two were quite different. The woman, though she didn't elaborate on her goal, was at least very straightforward about her intentions and didn't mince words. The boy was an open book without a filter, a kid in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was in way over his head. In fact, the spy had even asked against his better judgement that the kid be careful in the questions he asked of this woman, lest he get himself into more trouble. It would make his job much easier if the kid kept getting info from her and passing it on but… He shook his head. Come on, he had to earn some of the information from his own skill after all! And the less the boy knew, the better. He needed to get out of this while he still could.

So, as he stood and watched the sun frozen on the horizon, he decided that the necessary course of action was continuing to follow them until either of the two undesirable scenarios was proven. Hopefully he could also determine her reason for holding onto the key. One final question: did he report this new knowledge? He stood with Exodus in that he did not want the Lance destroyed, but they might take more drastic action than he was willing to if they found out. Better to wait until he had more proof to condemn Milla "Maxwell". And Auj Oule? He needed to wait until he got a reply from his last message. If they intended to destroy the Lance, he wasn't telling them anything. In fact, even though the pair had denied being Auj Oule spies, they might still become their spies if their objectives aligned…

He simply had to be patient and bide his time. The way things were going, it wouldn't take long to learn more about his companions' motivations.