DOLL

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I. Take Off From Home

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He was facing one hundred reflections of himself in a cavern full of ice, and it suited him just fine. He'd rather freeze to death in these smelly aqueducts than face the ancient idiot wanting to take him away! Spitting on the ground with wholehearted disgust, young Albel Nox cursed the name Woltar, as well as the events that had led him to this point in the first place. If it hadn't been for another bullshit meeting with Aquaria, the legendary warrior Glou Nox wouldn't have had to go and leave his own son in the care of a snoopy old coot. Besides, this conflict between nations was such a tiresome routine. Did nobody notice yet, the way nothing changed in the relationship between Airyglyph and Aquaria despite the numerous 'secret' meetings held in pursuit of compromise? Ridiculous! If he didn't know any better, Albel would've thought these things were happening solely to piss him off.

He shook his head in disapproval, long dark tresses swaying to and fro. The aqueducts were much colder than the wonderland of snow outside, he knew that, but he didn't exactly have a chance to pick a warmer set of clothes before Woltar's men came to pick him up. He'd had to climb out from his window and flee in only his pajamas. In the end, he'd resorted to letting his hair down in order to provide the most warmth he could for himself.

Not that he was paying much attention to the temperature now. Woltar's men would soon realize where he'd taken refuge, so he had to find a hiding place quickly! Trying to keep his footing on the icy ground, Albel ran and skated through the caverns with wild, crimson eyes. Oh god, just the memory of the old coot badgering him about his education was enough to drive him insane-

"Wha-!"

Albel found himself sliding downwards after a mindless turn. (So much for keeping his footing). The fall felt like it lasted forever, even though Albel could clearly see the end even before his back hit the ground. Must've been all the thoughts swirling in his head...

Before he knew it, he had crashed gracelessly against the wall at the end of the incline. The ice led him to slide for a few more feet, straight into a crevice at the very corner, where it seemed darkest. No doubt he'd found his hiding place now. Even though it was still pretty goddamn close to the entrance of the caves, there was no way the guards would risk their butts to climb down the incline.

The fifteen-year-old's lips stretched into a victorious smile, very much intent on reveling in his accidental victory. Now he finally had time to get the one hour of sleep he was cut short of when Woltar arrived. The cold didn't matter right now, and he had to wait until he was sure the old coot's men weren't searching for him anymore...

Just as he was about to huddle against a boulder to take a nap, he caught something colorful from the corner of his eye. Snapping his head towards the blue and the green, a second accident occured as he screamed bloody murder and banged his head against the large rock.

A few feet away from him was a marionette the size of a child, with sapphire hair and emerald eyes that seemed to claw their way into Albel Nox's soul.

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II. Misted Moon

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One dreadfully lengthy week passed since the incident, yet Albel Nox couldn't bring himself to forget about the doll. From examining the toy that he found deep within the aqueducts, the boy's awe suspended him long enough for the guards to reach his hiding place, where they promptly extracted him and taken him to Kirlsa. There, he was forced to undergo regular training and tutoring under the watchful eyes of Count Woltar, captain of the Storm Brigade and one of Glou Nox's most trusted friends. The food served to him each day was mediocre and limited thanks to the compromised situation in which the deteriorating town was trapped. The beds were uncomfortable and the waters were unpleasant and overall his entire 'vacation' was just so terrible that Albel vowed never to visit this spit-sorry excuse of a town when he grew up.

It truthfully was not his fault that he got so startled in the first place. That doll had no right to be in a place like the aqueducts. What in the world could such a thing have been doing there? Nobody ever inhabited the aqueducts, save for a handful of beasts and the occasional desperate criminals. Was it a stolen antique? Who knew. All the fifteen-year-old could think about were the doll's eyes. Even now, as he was finally back in Airyglyph, sitting at the dining table across his father.

Sir Glou Nox was by no means a terrible guardian; in fact, despite his demanding job, he had always been there for his only son. Largely-built and scarred from head to toe, the man was the Elicoorian epitome of battle, never striking people as the type who would pamper and spoil anybody. But pamper and spoil Albel he did, for he was stricken with the guilt of having to abandon his son repeatedly. (The call of war was unmerciful). During the rare occurrences that they were both at home, Glou always had to make sure that Albel was healthy and satisfied. At least, as healthy and satisfied as he could be. His son had a history/feud with the family doctor, who regularly shot symptoms at the boy that essentially labeled him 'insane.' The doctor was by no means incorrect; Albel was indeed an ill-tempered, egotistic yet self-conscious, antisocial little prince with frequent violent mood swings. Glou did his best to keep whatever stability there was, and rightfully so.

That was primarily the reason he could not help but notice that Albel was deep in thought, completely oblivious to the meal that was set before him. He tried to coax Albel to eat, especially worried about his weight, but the teenager would have none of it. It wasn't long before he excused himself to partake in his favorite part of the evening: his last two hours of solitude before slumber. (Nodding to himself, Albel was sure that sleep, if anything, would surely take his mind off of last week's inferno). And so, having been reluctantly excused, Albel hopped off his seat and headed upstairs, leaving the legendary warrior to finish his meal in solitude.

He only decided to do what he usually did: sit at his desk, reading several pages from his textbooks before turning in for the night. (He hated to admit it, but he took an interest in Woltar's Runology lessons). That was all. Nothing was physically different about the room, or himself. However, he could not shake off the feeling that something was amiss. The little hunch grew into a definite discomfort as it crept up his back in the form of a cold breeze. He knew that his room tended to be a little drafty in bad weather, and he had gotten used to that growing up, but he did not have the power to stop the chill that covered his body in ice.

A flash of green flitted through his mind for a millisecond. Albel all but jumped and darted towards his bed, goosebumps crawling to life all over his body. Where the hell did he get off on scaring himself like this? Thinking about a stupid toy, nonetheless! The thing was so intriguing that it seemed to have tattooed itself into the boy's mind, always occupying the majority of it without reason or mercy. And now, for no clear cause, they were becoming a source of anxiety. The teenager swore excessively to himself, extremely disappointed in himself for his recent behavior. Surely this would all be over soon?

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Midnight was just dragging the last of its minutes over the city. Slowly awakening from a heavy, dreamless sleep, Albel thought he heard a small noise somewhere in his bedroom. It was loud enough to distract him from the lull of the moonlight, but too soft to grant him any actual wariness. He was only too happy to assume it was just the draft, rustling the assignments he'd forgotten to set with a paperweight. But the gods must have had something else in mind, as was evident in the pattering sound that was now drawing closer and closer towards Albel, who was still not quite awake.

In fact, it was only until lightning struck and summoned a drumroll of thunder that the boy was jolted back into reality, only to be subjected to a familiar and all-too-frightening sight.

Under a pair of terrifying green eyes, the world of Albel Nox came to a sudden halt.

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DOLL

arcanegel: Until next time.