I had thought this back when Tia was explaining what happened to her party members before their ends, but this chapter pretty much shows that Alexis is(allegedly) in love with Tia. That's why he gave her the teleport crystal. And despite all that, Tia never once acknowledged that love; she just saw it as "a hero who puts his party members first". I guess she has always liked Ed, even when he was just a weak porter with no skills.
But if Alexis is strong enough to compare to Ed, how'd the hell both him, Gonzo(?), AND Tia get overwhelmed by normal forces? If there were generals, then okay, but it sounded like it was just a bunch of fodder enemies. Well I guess in reality, even powerful warriors can get overtaken with numbers.