Heyas! Welcome to the writing place… thing… whatever. Hope you enjoy the fic, and if you think it's poorly written or there's too many errors, please review and tell me. Muchos gracias to whoever does review.

Author's Pre-story note: If you don't like Sophia-bashing, please press the back button on your browser. Also, this is an AlbelxOC fanfic, so don't be mad if you came here for boy-on-boy action. There's plenty more fics of that :) Oh, and I wouldn't want to know why you came here if I stated this in the summary…

Chapter 1

Love Conquers All

Albel was walking down the streets of Peterney, as usual, trying to keep himself entertained. The monsters outside were pitiful compared to what Albel was soon to face, Luther. Fayt and company had decided to take a few days off, and Albel refused. Why put up fighting and saving the universe, for a bit or R&R? It didn't quite make sense to him at all. After it all, the majority overruled his objection, and he was quite pissed. He was thinking about this, while pacing near the west exit of the city, not where he usually was.

His train of thought suddenly crashed when a girl about the age of eighteen or nineteen bumped into him, and almost knocked him into the ground. She had almost fallen on top of him, if she hadn't just realized who she was about to fall on. She tried her best to make herself edge the other way, but strong arms caught the 'young' girl. Strands of long, black hair flew from one side to the other, as a small gust came in.

"Worm, watch where you're going next time." She looked up, just in time to see blood-red eyes staring into her soft, amber ones. She flashed a nervous grin, faint signs of blushing slowly forming on her warm face. He let go of her when she stood up to at least show she could support herself, her slightly wobbling.

"Sorry…" She let out without a hint of fear, sarcasm dripping from her words.. This slightly surprised him. Most of the time, when he talked to anyone, they'd at least sound scared. Not this time, however. The girl had been more fearless than most of his men. He silently observed her attire. A white tank top with light-blue fingerless gloves, dark brown leather pants studded with… Angel's Stone… along with black leather boots. Strange, she also had two blue marks on the right side of her face, one going halfway from her ear to her nose, the other from her hair line half-way to the corner of her lip. She had ear piercings, as he could see, as she wore gigantic hoop earrings that were the color of blood, and a gigantic two-handed axe was carried on her back… somehow…

"May I ask you a question, maggot?"

"Go right on ahead." She quickly looked away from him to look at a store, and then backs, but she couldn't see him afterwards.

"Was that on accident? Or was that to get my attention?" He was behind her, eyeing her gigantic axe. It seemed to look like it was in the shape of a dragon's head; the handle made of natural red wood and the metal almost a metallic purpleish-greyish color.

She didn't even take a glance at Albel, who was waiting for an answer. "Why would I? I wouldn't gain anything from doing that. And why would I want your attention? You're just some crazed swordsman from Airyglyph that wants to kill people. If I could, I'd try to avoid you. Oh yeah, and the axe is custom-made, designed by me to be the fastest axe around." She somehow knew Albel was staring at her axe.

He looked amused, a playful smirk on his face. "Oh really? Why not prove it?" His smirk grew wider at her moan of exaustion.

"Do I have to? I mean, seriously, who HASN'T heard of the Dragonmaster's Axe? Or have you never heard of it?" she turned to him, or at least where he used to stand. He was, again, behind her.

"Fool. Of course I have. It's an axe that allows you to befriend any dragon of your choice at will, and the power of the dragon you have chosen binds with the blade's power. Don't think I'm an ignorant fool like one of the worms in my party." He snorted, and then realized that she was facing him now. He looked away, only to have his chin lifted by the awkward girl. She smiled at him out of pity, and let go, barely pushing him to the ground.

"Don't ever call me a fool, weakling."

"Wretch, how dare you call me weak!"

"I can call you whatever I want, damnit!"

"Humph."

A few moments of awkward silence prevailed, then was broken by a statement from the awkward girl. "My name's Charlene, by the way." She paused to get her axe, which she lazily dragged behind her as she moved in front of the swordsman. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to."

Albel quietly moved out of her way, but she harshly bumped into his side. What I wouldn't give to kill her, ripping her from limb to limb… Blasted city… he thought, turning to watch her leave Peterney in a graceful walk. "Well, that's one maggot I won't see again…" he sighed, and paced near the bar he was outside of. He was taking many things into thought, and decided to track her down, and spar with her at least once, to see what she really fought like.

"Damned fool, I'll just have to go find her…" he muttered, quickly exiting Peterney's west gate. "I just hope she didn't go too far, otherwise I won't find her by sunset."

To his surprise, he found her just outside the bustling city, fighting a rather large Destroyer. He quickly paused, contemplating on whether to help this 'Charlene' or let her do it on her own.

"Air Slash!" came a loud, harsh voice.

She quietly jumped to the side, as the destroyer died at the feet of a familiar, smirking swordsman. She raised a brow, looking quite amused by the rather skinny swordsman.

"What made you come here?" she asked, thinking quickly of what she did in Peterney. She looked at him with an odd face, a mix of confusion and amusement playing on her pale skin, following with understanding and playfulness.

"You… I challenge you to a duel."

"Oh really?" she asked, amused. "I accept." She raised her axe, prepared to run and swing at the swordsman at any given time.

"I didn't say right now, worm." He sat down on the ground, staring at it. "I don't trounce weak maggots. At least regain your health a bit."

"I don't- Fine." She sat down on the Destroyer they had recently taken down, eating a small handful of blueberries along with a few blackberries. She hadn't expected a duel, but she was ready for it.

"Ready, maggot?" He unsheathed his katana, the Crimson Scourge. She just nodded, knowing she would be shouting in anger than in anticipation. Charlene charged, knocking him to the ground before he could do anything to stop it. He quickly got up to meet a double-edged axe coming to his face, which he easily parried. She was a little mad at this, which made her run off and come back again, this time with one of her special moves.

"Lightning Strikes!" she roared, swinging rather fast at the swordsman with her axe. He quickly jumped out of the way, also coming back with one of his special moves.

"Double Slash!" he shouted, taking two swings at her behind her back. A small gasp escaped her lips, turning just in time for the second slash, and blocking it. Albel grunted, running away from her.

"Dragon Roar!"

"Air's Grace!" they both shouted at the same time, Charlene surrounded by a blue light, Albel surrounded by a red one. Red Dragons fought against blue waves of light and a very pissed woman. He smirked evilly, as he increased the large circle of glowing red light the dragons had supposedly come from. His eyes now glowed red, his power draining by the second.

Charlene dropped, the blue vanishing suddenly. But as the waves of red came, she was ready. She quickly jumped up in the air, flipping, and landing on about five dragons at once, and quickly cart-wheeled off of the red light.

"That isn't possible…" Albel growled. No one can even touch the dragons, let alone stop this special move unless they hit me. He got out of stance, letting the last dragon distract her as he started another move. Think fast, Albel. You need a new move for this maggot. He was quickly cut off by a yell, which was too high-pitched to be Charlene, who talked in a low, seductive voice. Or was it?

"What was that?"

Charlene quickly dropped to the ground, her leg badly wounded by what looked like something like a blade… except…

"What the hell?" Albel growled, walking over to her. She had passed out, her stomach also damaged by a similar wound. I never made that mark on her, neither the leg marks either, and my dragons don't leave marks like that… he thought, confused. Anyways, I need to get this wretch to a doctor or something…

He picked her up, brushing some of the long, black strands out of her face. Well, at least she's a pretty wretch… and marched off into Peterney, walking quickly to the inn.

For some reason, I feel like writing this story's other chapters… But I need reviews to tell me if I should or not - .v- Oh yes, and I'll also take title suggestions… because I think this current one sucks.