The chatter of the Virtues and the others continued on, even as Anastasia leaned closer to Alexander. "C'mon," she said, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him up. "Let's talk," Anastasia mumbled.

Alexander swallowed his saliva and followed her. And as soon as they left the room and shut the door behind them, Alexander finally responded and asked. "So... what do you have to say that we have to go to a whole other room just to talk?"

Instead of a verbal response, Anastasia only turned around, smacking the palm of her hand across his face.

"...Well, then," he mumbled, his cheek already red from the rapid impact.

"So...." she said. "You decide to take on a Titan. The equivalent of a Paladin in the Golden Dawn."

"..."

"Do you understand the problem I have with that? Not just me, but everyone else. Including Lumiel, who randomly proclaimed to be your older sister now."

"Yeah, she's just weird," Alexander chuckled.

"Don't change the subject."

Letting out a dejected sigh, Alexander's smile faded away. "Giovanna was there. I couldn't not protect her."

"You could've ran. Escaped. But you decided to fight. And you ended up getting shot by a seed that grows on magic energy. You fought until your body gave in. All because you decided not to run."

Their eyes met. "What's your point here?" Alexander asked her.

"You could've died, Alexander. If we got you here a minute later, you would've died. If Hjálmarr wasn't there, you would've died. If this happened on Midgard, you would've died. Why can't you understand that? Don't you value your own life?"

Alexander clenched his jaw.

"You... You can't risk your life like that anymore. You have to live, Alexander. Remember that."

"Y'know, those are strange words to tell someone right before they go into a battle, right?" Alexander said.

A thin smile grew onto Anastasia's lips. "Well, we're all going. I just had to say those things to you. But knowing you, you'll disregard them, anyway."

Alexander smiled in return. "I won't disregard them, I'll just forget." But that smile of his quickly faded as he once again locked eyes with Anastasia Velda.

"When... When you guys found me and the others... was there any kind of corpse there? Somewhere in the forest?"

Anastasia paused before shaking her head.

'Atlas must've transported it...' Alexander thought to himself. He spat out a sigh and sat down onto the floor, flattening himself against the wall.

"Before I met the Titan of Life... I fought another titan. The Titan of Death. They were sisters," Alexander began.

And from there, he explained. He explained everything. The way Lilith was already 'dead' and the way she asked him to kill her. The way Eve only attacked because of Lilith's death.

Again, he let out an exasperated sigh. And Alexander drooped his head, his eyes fixated on the floor to avoid Anastasia. "Anastasia..." he said. "Have you ever... You've never killed something instead of exorcising, right?"

She sat down beside him, pressing her back against the wall. Still, Anastasia didn't face him. She knew she couldn't. "I haven't," she said.

"But..." Anastasia continued. "As magicians, things happen. I don't think I'd have a problem with this. But, still, there's only so much we can do as humans."

"Yeah..." Alexander mumbled, his eyes still fixed on the pale floor.

"Is that cold?" Anastasia asked him. "I'm sorry. I don't really know how to help you feel better," she continued, finally turning to Alexander. "Typically, worrying about the enemy is a luxury no one can afford. And like you said, Lilith would've continued to attack you. When it comes to flesh and blood magicians, it's almost impossible to keep them restrained for long."

"Yeah," Alexander repeated. He finally looked up, still focused on the wall before him. "But I... I killed someone. It wasn't an exorcism. That was a person. She asked me to kill her. She... she longed for death. And she was ready to kill me just to get it. And in the end- In the end, she thanked me."

Anastasia stared at him in silence.

"I don't even know what to say. The other Titan... The Titan of Life... She cried. She was crying for her sister who was dead, right in front of her." Alexander swallowed his dry saliva. "I'm happy all of us are okay. Really. But even if Lilith wasn't alive... it's still a life I took. Tears were shed because of that. And I have to live with that. With that choice of mine. That's all."

Anastasia wasn't sure how to respond. She didn't know whether it was enough to stay silent or to wrap her arms around him. She didn't understand what he felt.

And before she could say anything, Gabriel knocked on the already-open door. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked.

"Nothing," they said in unison.

"Cool. Got a minute, Alexander?"

Alexander nodded and stood up.

Gabriel led him across the homestead, passing through rooms and corridors. Just like Grisha's home, and just like Alexander had expected, it was far larger than one would first perceive.

Still, it didn't take long to cross vast hallways and reach the outside, the glowing realm of natural energy and magic.

That house sat on a hill, and the hill beside a lake, glistening in the light of the golden rising sun.

On that wooden walkway stood a railing of black metal. And even though the wintry wind of Vanaheim's mornings left the metal cold and icy, Gabriel rested himself on it.

"I'm not gonna lie, I haven't slept in like twenty hours." As soon as Gabriel said that, he spat out a sigh, his dull azure eyes glowing as he stared at the dawn. And with that, he fell silent.

As per usual in conversations, Alexander was confused. But that confusion never limited him. And so, Alexander decided the break that silence. "So..."

"We have to talk strategy," Gabriel quickly interrupted. "No one else has a proper sense of combat or warfare or anything, so I'm just saying this to you."

Alexander smiled.

"Don't get happy at that, Demon-Born."

Still, Alexander remained smiling. 'Classic.'

Gabriel turned back and continued to face the sky and the sun. "...Did you know that there's a city within the fortress of the island?" Gabriel asked. "A city populated by more than nine thousand citizens."

"...Yeah."

Gabriel didn't respond.

"Did- Did you not know that?"

He shook his head. "I never..." Again, he fell silent. "This changes everything," Gabriel said.

Alexander nodded and stared outward at the crystal clear waters. "Yep. It's not just a race for the God Crystal. We're gonna have to defend the fortress, too."

Gabriel dropped his head onto the railing. "Why'd Uncle Charles have to give this to us as a mission?!" he groaned. "This is the type of thing that would need a whole battalion of the Union's army. At least a couple of Knights, or maybe even a Paladin. Not the seven of us and a random group of Hunters," he complained.

Alexander let out a light chuckle. "I thought you were the one that actually wanted a mission of this caliber?"

And again, Gabriel remained silent at Alexander's remark. His forehead still pressed against the black metal, he spoke again. "So you know how you and the Hunters stole a ship from the Golden Dawn?"

"Yeah?"

"The Golden Dawn is now down to two warships. There's probably more, though. I'd say a dozen smaller ships, though. Just a guess. Still, that did us a favor," he proclaimed.

"Numbers?" Alexander asked.

"At least seven hundred, either way."

"Hm. Either way, we don't even know where the crystal is."

Gabriel silently grumbled to himself. "And we have to protect the fortress. Or castle or whatever. We're gonna have to multi-task."

Alexander smiled as Gabriel continued to complain. Not only was Gabriel including the protection of others in his concerns, but he was vocalizing those concerns in the first place. Usually, he simply would've groaned and grumbled for minutes at a time before forcing himself to get something done.

"So..." Gabriel continued. "How fucked are we?" he asked.

There it was. Gabriel was only saying this out of desperation. In his view, the situation was hopeless. And that hopelessness was what pained him. Still, that smile remained on Alexander's face.

"Very," he said. "But at the same time, not that much. All it is is strategy. If we get to the island first, we'll be fine. If we get to the crystal first, we're golden. We can do this," Alexander declared. "With the Hunters, we can finish this. How long do we have until the Golden Dawn gets there?"

"Probably two or three hours," Gabriel mumbled.

"Well, at this rate we just gotta work with what we got. How do you know all of this, by the way?" Alexander asked.

Gabriel took a deep breath and raised his head from the cold metal, his golden hair swaying as he moved. "This whole time I've been in contact with Erling. Primarily, because, y'know, I'm the leader."

Alexander smiled. "You probably should've let us know about that beforehand. It would've been easier for us all."

"Let's agree to disagree on that," Gabriel responded.

Again, their conversation fell silent.

And again, Gabriel spoke first. "In the middle of the night, a white flash exploded in the forest. That was you, wasn't it, Alexander?"

Alexander only responded with a smile, his eyes still fixed on the land before him.

"You used White Light, right?"

He nodded.

"I knew it. Damn bastard," Gabriel grumbled.

"What, you wanted to be the first one of us to be capable of using it?" Alexander asked him.

Gabriel nodded in silence.

"It wasn't that great, to be honest. I don't feel any different. The only difference was the attack's strength."

"But you still used it. That’s something I have to work towards, isn’t it?"

Again, Alexander spoke with slight disagreement. "Not really. It’s just... concentration. When I tried to use it, it didn’t work. It only happened when I wasn’t thinking. All feeling left my body. Even my vision went hazy. All there was... was the target. All there was... was energy."

"You only used it once, right?"

Alexander’s only response was a silent nod.

"Guess I just have to use it twice. I’ll probably get by the time we fight the next Prince."

The next sound to leave Alexander’s lips was a frustrated groan. "I forgot the Princes were a thing!" he complained, already burrowing his head in his hands. "I’ve been too focused on this mission. For a while there, I didn’t even remember why we’re the Virtues."

Gabriel finally laughed. "It happens. And it doesn’t make a difference either way. We just have to win."

It was then that a thud and a clatter echoed from inside the house. Complaints and curses were heard as Alexander and Gabriel entered and began to approach the sound.

The source was Alonso Wolfram, tied to a chair and blindfolded. He was on the floor, his chair knocked over in some attempt to escape.

"Again with this guy," Gabriel complained.

"Who's there?" the blinded Alonso shouted out. "I can sense you!"

"It's the kid that kicked your ass," Gabriel said, grabbing the back of the chair and lifting it, pushing it back into the corner of the room it sat in.

Alexander had watched this entire ordeal just now, yet still felt the urge to ask as he stared at the tied-up Alonso. "Uh... Is he supposed to be like that?"

Alonso, their brown-haired attacker, sat in a wooden chair, almost identical to the one Anastasia used. But with him, his ankles and wrists were tied to the arms and legs of the chair. And to top it all off, he was blindfolded.

And so, to answer Alexander's question, Gabriel nodded. "His magic works on sight. The only reason his spell worked on us was because we were in his line of sight. As long as that blindfold stays on, he won't be able to do anything to us."

Alexander continued to stare at him. "...How'd you figure something like that out?"

"It was just a hunch that turned out to be right. Even in pain, he tried to make eye contact with me repeatedly. Once we blindfolded him, he stopped trying to attack us and focused on freeing his eyes. It was pretty clear after that."

The man continued to complain. "My brothers will find this place!" he told them. "If you don't let me go, you'll all end up dead!"

Gabriel smiled. "Right. Kafka and Matthias, correct?"

Alonso hurriedly nodded.

"I hate to tell you this... Well, I don't, but Kafka was supposedly kidnapped by the Golden Dawn. As for Matthias, he swam into the river to escape. So your brothers are split up. And at this point, I'd say you're the least of their worries."

Alonso's jaw was clenched, his teeth were grit as he spoke and shouted again.

"They will find me!" he repeated. "You all will-"

Alexander and Gabriel left before he could finish his sentence.

Time wasn't exactly on their side. And they couldn't waste it with the delusions of someone who had attacked them.

And with that...

One hour. It only took a single hour for the Virtues to prepare themselves and join the dozens of Hunters.

And now they all stood on the sandy beach at the side of the lake. All except Patrick. He stood inside the lake, the water raised nearly to his knees. His arms were aimed to the sky, almost directed at the sun.

With the salty wind rushing against him, Patrick's shaggy brown hair was swept back. His pale eyes were glistening under the rising morning sun, and his clothes grew darker with water upon each of his steps.

"...What- What is he doing?" Morgana asked.

"He's creating a ship," Gabriel responded as they both looked out at Patrick. He turned to the other side, to the Hunters, and told them, "This is all because you let your vessel burn down."

"Well, it is what is, y'know?" Joseph said with a slight laugh. "If anything, this is better. We get to watch some kind of demigod create a boat."

Alexander stared at Morgana. "...Morgana, where are your shoes?"

"I wanted to feel the sand," she said, a thin smile growing on her face.

"Fair enough."

It was then that a burst of air shook through the land and the lake.

The ship was coming into existence. And it was just that. Patrick was creating wood and metal and so much more with nothing more than effort. Not an ounce of magic energy went into that creation.

Practically resembling the Golden Dawn's ship, it floated half a dozen meters in the air. It was purely physical and nothing more. This man was capable of breaking the laws of magic. "So it's a good thing he's on our side," Alexander said to the others.

He finished their thoughts with his words as the boat fell to the water, sending waves that crashed onto the shore of the lake.

"It's ready!" Patrick shouted out, jumping from the water immediately onto the ship. The ship's sails burst into the air and rushed closer towards the shore. As soon as it did, a wooden plank sprung from the side, allowing everyone else to climb aboard.

That lake would lead to a river and that river to the island. Just like as planned, Alexander told himself. That plan had been warped countless times, but now was the time where there was no going back. A single direct move to end it all.

Just as the ship was constructed and finished, Alexander sighed. "Hjálmarr..." he began, turning to the elf. "You're gonna have to stay behind. You'll stay here, understand?"

"...Huh?"

"We'll be fine with the Hunters," Alexander told him. "So you'll have to-"

Hjálmarr quickly protested. "But, my liege, I can fight! It's my duty to protect you and so, I must-"

"Hjálmarr."

The elf quieted himself as soon as Alexander interrupted.

"You have to stay. Just... Just protect Morgana. You've done a lot, Hjálmarr," Alexander said, a tender smile growing on his face. "You don't have to fight anymore."

Hjálmarr's head drooped. "Thank you, my liege," he mumbled. Hjálmarr never wanted to fight. But if it was his duty, he would not shy away. At least, he would try not to. And that's precisely why he wanted to go alongside Alexander. It was Alexander who had instilled this courage into him.

It was through this that Hjálmarr was willing. "I will not let you down. And I will send my prayers to all gods for your fortune."

"Thank you."

Morgana stared at the hole in Alexander's hoodie. Even after it was washed, it was still stained with blood and torn through the seed that pierced his gut. It was strange, Morgana thought, that he would still wear it after that.

"Come on, Virtues!" Patrick cried out from aboard the ship. "If we want fate on our side, we'll have to be on time, at least."

Alexander paid no mind to his torn clothing and ruffled Morgana's stark white hair before he crouched down to Morgana's level. The others were already boarding the ship.

He smiled at her. "Hey. Don't worry, alright? I'll see you later," Alexander said.

Morgana nodded. She swallowed her dry saliva before embracing him.

"This time tomorrow..." he said to her. "You're gonna be waking up to the sunrise on Midgard. And honestly... It's a whole lot better than Vanaheim's. Better than Asgard's too."

"That's impossible," Morgana interjected. "Asgard's dawn was specifically made to be better than the other realms'."

Alexander smiled widened as he wrapped his arms around her. "Stay with Hjálmarr, Morgana. We'll be right back so... Stay safe."

"You, too," she mumbled, just as Alexander began to pull away from her.

He nodded at Hjálmarr and turned away, walking off and readying himself for what was to come.

Morgana clenched her jaw as she stared at the departing Virtues. Things will be alright, she told herself. Dozens of Hunters would fight alongside them. In a matter of hours, they'd be back with the crystal and start heading towards Midgard. Exactly as Alexander told her.

It was then that she began to recall that human phrase that she had heard long ago. It was her mother who said that to her, wasn't it? Morgana didn't care about that anymore. She had no reason to focus on that, after all. Instead, she simply began to mutter. "See... See you later, alligator."

Alexander immediately spun around. "Huh?"

She smiled and repeated the phrase. "See you later, alligator."

The Demon-Born ran to her and kneeled in front of her. "How do you know that phrase?" he asked her, his eyes widening as a smile spread his lips apart.

Morgana didn't know how to respond. She didn't have a response, after all. Still, she smiled and shrugged at Alexander.

Alexander stared at her and her precious smile. Like always, he extended his hand and patted her head, ruffling her hair as he stood back up. Their eyes met for just a second before Alexander responded to her. "After a while, crocodile," he said with a smile.

"...What's a crocodile?"