The Wicked
(Disclaimer: All the stuff in this story belongs to Square-Enix/Tri-Ace whatever. I'm just playing with it.)
(This is the only serious fanfiction I've attempted so far. I may write more depending on reviews, but I'm not really planning on it right now.)
It was a cold day in Airyglyph. The snow drifted down in its regular way, flakes coating the battlements. Albel Nox, Captain of the Black Brigade, stood staring out at the white mountainside. His gauntleted arm hanging over his sword hilt, Albel the Wicked seemed at ease - but upon remembering the various stories about the man, the king's emissary was loath to disturb him.
Finally, the courtier summoned up his courage with a deep breath. Albel turned his unsettling red-eyed gaze on him, waiting for the nervous fop to spit out whatever message he had.
His refined and no doubt elegant speech forgotten, the emissary managed to stutter out, "T-the king summons you."
Albel nodded, his pale tipped locks dipping slightly. With a purposeful stride, he left the snowy battlements and made his way to the audience chamber. The Captains of the Storm Brigade and the Dragon Brigade were already there. Woltar nodded to Albel in his sagely kind way, while Vox glared over his sharp eagle-like nose. "You're late, Albel," Vox sneered.
"Worm," muttered Albel, giving Vox no public heed. He sat quietly down on his chair, and adopted a customary satisfied smirk. Woltar looked sadly at Vox, while Vox continued to stare at Albel angrily. The Captain of the Dragon Brigade, Vox was in truth a mighty warrior - however he felt his superiority was somehow threatened by Albel's swordmanship.
The King of Airyglyph said nothing at the procceedings, but Albel knew that King Arzei was carefully noticing everything and storing it away for future reference.
Before the meeting started, Albel knew what it was going to be about. He had heard rumors about the two people who had been captured by Storm Brigade Guards, and how they had crashed some sort of large metal weapon into the middle of Airyglyph. He himself doubted they were from Aquaria, but considered the situation to be quite simple - just find out whether they were enemies or not, and kill them or release them based on that information.
The meeting happened as could be expected. Vox, of course, had his way...the prisoners would be interrogated until they shared their knowledge, or died from the torture. Albel found it quite tiresome, but he could understand the politics behind such reasoning. The prisoners were already captured. They had valuable technology that could be employed in the war with Aquaria. Whether they were from Aquaria or not mattered little, but if they were from Aquaria then the technology would have to be obtained. Otherwise, Aquaria would have quite an advantage over Airyglyph in the war.
"Albel," King Airyglyph said afterwards. "Stay, I wish to speak with you."
Albel turned, a questioning look on his face. He never showed much public courtesy to Arzei, but in truth he respected the king - as much as Albel could ever be said to respect someone.
"Vox is a warmonger," King Airyglyph stated, once he was sure that Albel was paying attention. "He will stop at nothing to gain what he believes is true dominance. He has attracted a great following who believe that war with Aquaria is the best way."
Raising an eyebrow at the king, Albel shifted his weight into a more comfortable position and rested his gauntlet on the hilt of his sword. "What are you talking about?"
King Arzei shook his head at Albel's density. "Do not respond to his taunts," the King of Airyglyph said. "I am sure he will try to remove you from the scene at the right opportunity."
Smirking, Albel replied, "Do not worry." If the time came, he himself would determine the outcome of that situation. It was unfortunate that Vox was valuable to Airyglyph.
The next day, Albel woke to a great commotion in the castle. Rousing himself from his sleeping mat, he looked out into the hallway. Storm Brigade Guards were running around chaotically. Listening to bits and pieces of scattered shouts and whispers, Albel surmised the following: the prisoners had escaped. Apparently one of Aquaria's agents, a Crimson Blade, had infiltrated Airyglyph Castle and managed to free the two prisoners through the aid of runology. The group had then managed to slay the prison guards and make their way out of the dungeons through the Aqueducts under Airyglyph Castle.
Checking his equipment quickly, Albel went out to the inevitable meeting with the King and other Captains. King Airyglyph was mostly silent, while Vox ranted and Woltar fumed. Albel watched sleepily.
"I cannot believe they have escaped! This is all your fault, Woltar. You are not ruthless enough in your selection of guards!" Vox shook his fist at Woltar, leaning over the conference table.
Woltar sighed his patented old man sigh. "Vox, if you had not treated the prisoners so ruthlessly they might have shared their information without interrogation."
"You old coot! Bribery and lies can only go so far! Pain will always do the trick. You're a weak fool who cannot summon the strength for his duties!"
Personally, Albel agreed. However he said only, "Who's going to go after the prisoners?"
Both the Captain of the Storm Brigade and the Captain of the Dragon Brigade turned bemused stares on him.
"Me, of course," Vox proclaimed dominantly. "Let this grey-haired fop rot in his Kirlsa manor."
Raising himself from his chair, Vox cast glares at everyone seated as though daring them to disagree. Striding out in a huff, he began shouting orders to the Dragon Brigade soldiers gathered outside.
Albel left close after Vox, watching as the dragon mounts of Vox's brigade flapped dourfully off into the distance. A courtier ran up to him with a message, and then fled before Albel could look at him. Opening the message absently, the Captain of the Black Brigade ran over the contents quickly.
'Sir Albel:
Shelby getting too cocky. Favoring Lord Vox. You should come soon, put him in place.'
Rolling his eyes but silently thanking the few soldiers who remained loyal to him, Albel sighed. He crumpled the letter up and tossed it into the snow. The next day, Albel Nox left for the Training Facility south of Kirlsa.
The Dragon Brigade was sighted in the distance, and Albel slowed to a walk as Vox approached. "Greetings, Albel," hailed Vox, reining in his dragon. "To where do you walk?"
A few soldiers, also riding, pulled up behind Vox and guffawed heartily. Albel tilted his head. "The Training Facility. To where do you lazy fools ride?"
Vox growled. "It is a great honor to tame a dragon, Albel. Do you mock my Brigade?"
"Worm, I mock only as much as you." Albel was never one to back out of an argument - whether it was right or wrong to do so.
"A challenge then." Vox seemed immeasurably satisfied. "Come!" he called, drawing his sword and spurring his dragon towards the Captain of the Black Brigade.
Quite surprised at the sudden attack, but not letting his face show it, Albel drew his katana and flexed his claw. Dashing to the side to avoid Vox's rush, he invoked the Hand of Doom. Albel's claw seemed to take on a life of its own, slashing and dicing at Vox's dragon.
With a roar of pain, the great beast collapsed - but not before Vox leapt from its back and turning in mid-air, slashed at Albel's back with his sword. The blade cut through Albel's light leather armor and scored a stinging blow against the back of his collarbone.
"Fool!" Albel cursed, turning on Vox. Vox laughed triumphantly, but with nervousness. He was not about to keep fighting such a dangerous opponent without his dragon. "That is enough for now," Vox said. "We must return to Airyglyph Castle and celebrate our victory."
"Victory?" Albel scoffed in a derogatory fashion. He was curious, but he would never let Vox know that.
"We have captured two Crimson Blade spies. The weak, compassionate Aquarians will surely return in order to free them." Vox chuckled at such foolishness. "When help arrives, it will run into a trap," he stated.
"What about the two male prisoners?" Albel asked, his tone showing contempt for how Vox so readily abandoned the mission.
"We can interrogate any of the foolish Aquarians. Unfortunately the ones we have captured now know nothing."
Albel muttered a curse under his breath as sweat ran into the wound on his shoulder. Vox sneered at him superiorly. "The two prisoners are being held in the Training Facility. I am certain that my subordinate, Sir Shelby, can effectively deal with the Aquarian scum." Vox kicked his groaning dragon into the rising, and began to whip the wounded beast into a slow flight.
"Since when was Shelby your subordinate, worm?" Albel asked under his breath, but by then Vox was too far away to hear.
Once Albel reached the Kirlsa Training Facility, the sun was low in the sky and he was out of breath. It was unfortunate that he had not thought to bring any healing items with him. Making his way to the battlements, Albel stopped to survey the corpses of Black Brigade Guards. "Hmph..." he scoffed. "Seems those fools were stronger than Shelby gave them credit for."
The Arena was at the top of the building, and Albel was panting in exertion and the pain of his wound had lightened to a dangerous dull throbbing. Out in the fresh air of the Arena, Albel regained his composure and stared down at the assembled company. The Crimson Blade spy - an Aquarian who had posed Airyglyph much trouble...Nel Zelpher. A muscular blond man wearing tight black clothing and a perpetual scowl. Two woman wearing skimpy runological robes, one with short yellow hair and the other with an extremely annoying high voice and mid-length violet tresses. A very young man with blue hair, wielding a simple sword and wearing unwieldy blue leg armor.
"What an interesting party," Albel muttered to himself. "Pitiful," he called down to them. He would make them leave, but he was too tired to clean up after Shelby's messes. It was not his responsibility, and after the fight with Vox he could not predict the outcome of such a battle.
The lives of these varied fools would be spared...for now.