It has been a hundred years. Or has it been a thousand? Ages of darkness and indeterminacy. What will they do to me? Why did it take them so long to prove my guilt? Weren't my witnessed actions a fine proof? Why are they so uncertain about me? Do they still want me? Do they still need me? Perhaps not, but what was the purpose of all these ages of frozen slumber in the memory cube... Aaahhh! But still... They awakened me, gave me a body and a uniform. I guess my fate will be sealed today... or have they forgiven me? Fool, you murdered so many innocent people that no one will ever forgive you! But I was possessed! Your hands twisted that girl's neck... No! Your saber stabbed that old man... Not me! Your techs destroyed the whole ship full of people... It was not me!!
Aluze woke up all covered with sweat. His breath was hard and his hands were shaking. Slowly, as if afraid to see something horrible he lowered his eyes to the palms.
"It was just a dream. But why? Why am haunted by this nightmare every night? Every day, I live with the feeling of someone's guilt. Why am I always afraid to see blood on my hands?"
It was an ordinary morning, Aluze got used to such sudden awakenings, but it was still too terrible to endure the sorrow caused by his dreams. The only thing that saved his psychics was his hunter's guild service. You'd probably think that a tall, slim, white haired and grey eyed handsome young man with a big double-saber called Aluze was the finest hunter ever... I'd also like to think so. However, Aluze was a fat, bald, old man with a big double...hey, not saber! - chin. Nevertheless, he did have a sort connection to the hunters. His job was to distribute and rate different customer orders coming to hunters' guild. Well, he was doing fine with his job and had a great authority among the hunters.
Just for instance, the girl that stood at the counter had been telling the whole gang of young rouges for half an hour that all the quests had been off for that day already. The hunters were drunk and would have crushed the guild if only not our brave Aluze.
- What is it, Lissy? - he wondered leaving the back office when he heard the first glass break.
- Those brutes would never stop! - the young girl seemed frightened.
- Hey, don't cry Lissy. We'll handle it somehow, - he turned to the hunters and exclaimed in a command voice. - Stand halt, initiates!
The youngsters seemed to calm a little, and the one that seemed the smartest of them said wonderingly:
- Hey, old one, who are you to give orders?
- Hey, sonny, who are you to address to the one with the elder rank like this?
- Really? - the whole gang laughed. - And what's your rank, gramps?
- Admiral of the space fleet in reserve Aluze Istere. - Aluze suddenly seemed to gain the military stature of a real admiral. - Stand halt, initiates!
The guy hissed but obeyed. The others followed his example.
- Who is your instructor, boys?
- ...
- Who. is. your. ins-trac-tor? Am I not clear?
- Keerek, an android with a big scythe and...
- I know Keerek, young one. Now get lost and prepare yourselves for some extra-class activities.
- Sir. Yes, sir.
- I don't hear you.
- Sir! Yes, sir!
- That's it. Dismissed.
The young ones hurried to leave the guild in bewilderment. The perspective of having any "extra classes" with Keerek didn't please them at all.
- Sir Aluze, - Lissy wondered - I'm sorry, but are you really an admiral?
- Ha, ha, ha. Of course not, Lissy. But I had to learn their instructor's name and played admiral. Was it that bad?
- No, absolutely not. I don't know sir Aluze. But... But you were so natural. If you haven't told me you're not I would have taken you for a real admiral.
- Thank you Lissy.
The girl didn't notice a spark that her words lit in the tired eyes of the old man...
Well, this kind of event was quite a rare episode in Aluze's everyday routine. Such things happened far too seldom as he secretly wished them to, but he didn't complain because at least one of his dreams was being fulfilled everyday though. He was on board the ship that arrived to unknown planet of Ragol, the phantasy star of his dreams. Pioneer II was his real salvation and the cursed circle the unbearable constancy of his former live had been broken down since he stepped onboard his new space home. The only thing he regretted was his age. He couldn't become a hunter; but he managed to get to the hunters' way of life as close as possible. He was often imagining himself with a photon sword destroying terrible monsters and listened to the hunters' stories with a childish interest. No one took it more seriously than mere old man's fantasies though. "If only I was fifty years younger," - he liked to repeat after another hunter's fairy tale, - "I would have smashed those boomas with my bare hands." Everyone understood him and did not interfere. Aluze was too kind and fair to dislike him still his temper was far from perfect. However, no hunter could complain to Aluze's quest choice: a force always received a quest where his techs were applicable, an android was given mainly high tech stuff and a hunter dealt really hunter's business. Everyone seemed happy, except for one tired old man whose heart still secretly yearned for adventure.
That damn morning Aluze wasn't in mood. The scenes of his dreams were too natural to be a product of mere imagination. "I must be a maniac to think of something like that". He overslept a little and got to the office an hour later than usual. He sat at the desk he immediately began sorting the papers. However, he was still under the effect of the nightmare. Suddenly his memory made him hear the crunch of a girl's backbone as he twisted her tiny neck. He clearly saw the expression of her wet dead eyes. His right hand still felt the warmth of her blood as it began running down her soft skin. He remembered himself pulling a golden saber out of her chest. And what was the worst he remembered himself smiling at this slaughter. An old man tried to strike him with a photon sword. Aluze just raised his left arm towards him and a dark matter desouled the old sinewy body. Moreover, with a triumph in his mad eyes Aluze came up to him and stabbed the lifeless body with the golden saber he was holding in his right hand. Nothing could stop him. He was completely invincible because of the overwhelming power within him. Driven by some inhuman desire he produced a scream that shook the very foundations of the universe itself. "Megid!!" He kept screaming like that emitting the dark power until the space around him turned into a cold void. "I am the strongest in the world. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... Ahrrr, nooooo!"
- Oooooooo!
- Hey Al, are you okay?
Aluze blinked his eyes several times and found himself in the office. All the papers that lay on his table were torn apart. A ranger named Bernie was standing in front of him holding his shoulders.
- Are you okay?
- Wha... What has happened Bernie?
- You were screaming like an idiot tearing the papers around. Hey Al... Aluze? Aluze!
- Ah! - Aluze looked at him absentmindedly. - I'm sorry.
- I think you need to take a vacation Al. You've been acting weird lately. And you're really scaring Lissy.
- I know, but... You're right I need some rest...
Bernie looked at him with a questioning expression on his face:
- C'mon, I knew you all along our trip and now you shiting with me? Where's our old Al?
- Stop it Bernie! I said I'll take a vacation.
- You won't fool me Aluze. I noticed you changed somehow after I had taken you to those ruins. You're a fine guild clerk but hunting is not for you. Accept this Al and don't stuff your head.
- ... - Aluze only put his forehead on the knuckles.
- I'm just trying to help you.
- I understand Bernie. Old Al always understands. Thanks, I think I'll be fine now, - he smiled at Bernie. - Need a quest?
- Alright, - Bernie said cautiously leaving the office. - But I'll be watching over you.
"Damn! Why do I have to reconcile to those so-called dreams?" - Aluze thought cleaning up the office. - "Why? Well, Bernie is right, I have changed". He remembered how he persuaded Bernie to take him to the ruins during the recent general alert. All hunters were to investigate the ruins after the series of strange explosions and the earthquake that followed them. Bernie had no time to argue and Aluze was too persistent to refuse him. When they arrived at the half destroyed ruins the ranger told Aluze to stay in a safe place while he had been taking care of some delsabers. The dark foul creatures were too fast for Bernie to take a good aim, so he had to get closer. Aluze was anxiously watching Bernie when suddenly his attention was drawn by a completely extraordinary matter. An unknown creature appeared out of nowhere right in front of him. Its frail body has nearly all been corrupted with the dark presence. Though it rather resembled a wounded delsaber Aluze was able to recognize the former personality anyway. It was what remained of one of his favourite hunters, the one that actually managed to unseal the ruins and reported that matter to Pioneer II. Now, it was a terrible creature breathing with the dark energy. It looked wounded badly because of the thick trail of the black liquid resembling blood it left as it was approaching Aluze. It stopped in front of him and produced a scream of horror. Aluze fell on his butt awkwardly and began to pull back. "Hey, you won't hurt old Al, will you?" The creature looked sadly at Aluze, at least it seemed to be sad. Then it stretched the right claw and grabbed Aluze's head. "Ahhhh!!" Enduring terrible pains he tried to concentrate, as he opened his eyes he saw Bernie shooting at the creature. The claw relaxed and Aluze saw the corrupted hunter fall on the floor. However, the corruption was leaving the dead body fast and soon the dead hero was lying motionless on the floor of the ruins. "What is this?" - Bernie said taking a little ring out of hero's left hand. - "Hm... no, it can't be. Shit!" Aluze finally came to his senses and noticed the ring Bernie was holding. - "What is it Bernie?" - he said as Bernie was passing the ring to him. Only four letters were carved on its smooth golden surface. - "What!?" - Aluze dropped the ring as the sense of the four lettered word had reached his mind. - "Rico! But it's not her. This dead hero is definitely not Rico". "And who is this? Hey, wait Al. I remember this one. We ran a mission on Ragol together once. Well, this youngster sure had some potential. But what could happen?" Aluze did not know the answer. Anyway the matter was reported to the headmaster and Rico's body was soon found deeper in the ruins. No one could say exactly what happened even after the analysis of multiple record capsules left by Rico. The only thing that was clear was the beginning of Aluze's terrible nightmares, and what was the worst - he began to hear a silent voice within his mind, a voice that was constantly telling a single word - "kill".
- Kill!? This is ridiculous! - a young man half dressed in the ceremonial armor of Algo hit one of his servant girls that unintentionally pricked him with a needle while helping her noble master to dress. In a second her face became a bloody mess.
- Don't shout Serean. A sudden concern over a possessed old one is not your style, - a young newman girl that looked no older that fourteen raised her hand. A flash of healing enlightened the servant leaving no trace of a just caused brutal wound. – You are not responsible for your deeds to the people of Algo.
- What do you know about darkness Nay? - Serean turned his golden eyes to his bride. One more time he realized how gorgeous she was. Her raven black hair wired down until it met pale shoulders that in their turn fascinated his look further down to her breasts, and lower and further down her legs, until something pulled his glance back to her face. Her emerald eyes could drive him even easier than her magnificent body. The aggression that took him over a moment ago fled leaving a kind of unpleasant void in his soul. But her glance was so convincing. - I'm sorry Nay. It's just... I don't know, but all these events on Ragol.
- I understand Serean. But it is you who persuaded me that we should go there. I trusted you, I believed you and now you resign... - a sign of some kind of caution appeared in the emerald shine of Nay's almondous eyes. - Or do you have a reason to resign?
- Darkness... - Serean lowered his head. - I still remember it. Not me, but the other, the one in the memory cube...
- Your ascendant?
- Yes. Chaz the protector of Algo. His memory is full of fear of the power of darkness, full of sorrow for the fallen ones. I want to go to Ragol, but I... I'm...
- ...afraid? - she realized he'd never say that.
- What do you know about fear, Nay? - his eyes narrowed. - You're only four years old.
- You're always the same. My age doesn't matter as neither does yours. I'm also a protector of Algo and you'd better not forget it.
- I know. I'm sorry Nay, - the servants finally finished dressing their master. In his ceremonial armor he looked like a real protector: possessed and cold. He encircled his head with the Algo ring and accepted the golden star metal sword from Nay. Trying his outfit he swung the sword several times in a combo that he ended with a wild, gale, unavoidable stab. - We'll act as planned. The dark force must not perish in vain.
- Finally I recognize the warrior I fell in love with, - she came up to him to embrace her groom.
- Not now my dear. We are leaving for Ragol. Just remember that the murder is an option, but it's totally unwanted.
- As my master wills...