Title: Heaven Beside You

Chapter 2: Like Father, Like Son

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Ocean.

A/N: Thanks to everyone for the kind reviews!They really made me feel a lot better about what I'm doing. Hopefully this next installment won't be a disappointment.With that said, here's chapter 2!

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The hauler beast delivered them to the cave's exit without incident, placing them that much closer to their destination.Heading up into the mountains via the Bequerel mountain path, they met with and defeated various insignificant creatures which Albel did not hesitate to classify according to his elite and complex system of maggots and worms.

Fayt was surprised to learn that there were no creatures deserving of the fool moniker but made no attempt to point this out to his companion. Perhaps fool was now reserved for him, since it seemed to be Albel's insult of choice these days. It was true that Albel had started to address the blue-haired boy by his given name, but he still said the name "Fayt" with the same disgusted tone one would use to complain about the stench of an uncleaned lum stall.

The sun had yet to rise completely and the sky was bathed in the pastel colours of dawn when Fayt cut down yet another spiny rodent.Turning to his companion, he flashed a quick, satisfied smile before asking yet another vital question."So where exactly is this thing supposed to live? You said it was attacking people around here, but where would it be now?"

Wiping fresh spilled blood from his katana absently, and without even bothering to look at Fayt, Albel offered an answer."There is a canyon deep within the mountain range which is reported to be the only place large enough to house the beast comfortably." Sheathing his sword, Albel turned his gaze on Fayt and continued. "I assume that it will be there now, and we will be able to ambush it. Most of the attacks have taken place later in the afternoon so if we make good time this morning we should be able to reach the canyon by the time the beast is just waking up. If it is still tired, we will wait until it has woken completely before subduing it. After all, what would be the point in defeating an enemy which is half asleep?"

As usual, Fayt was not surprised by the other man's lust for battle and to be honest, he too was itching for a good fight. Nodding in agreement, Fayt voiced his thoughts. "There's no fun to be had if your victim doesn't fight back, and there is no glory or pleasure to be gained from killing the helpless, right?"

Albel raised an eyebrow at the boy's words. So he shares my enthusiasm? This is indeed a rare occurrence. "Heh, the maggot speaks the truth for once but . . ." Albel's speech was cut short as he drew his katana once again, lunged past Fayt and sliced through the neck of a wolf creature who had been readying itself to pounce on the unsuspecting boy.

Fayt spun around and his frightened eyes took in the scene which had played out behind him with delayed shock. Albel stood before him, triumphantly licking the blood from his blade, relishing the taste as well as the disturbed look which the action brought to Fayt's face. "As I was saying . . . There is little joy in slaughtering the weak, but it must be done."

"Albel, you . . . ?"Fayt gaped in disbelief.He protected me . . .

"What?You didn't actually think I'd let that miserable creature spill your blood, did you?You're mine.I alone will make you bleed, understand?"

"Perfectly." Fayt shook his head sadly, not knowing if he should be offended or flattered by Albel's sadistic declaration of possession.Whatever the case, his answer seemed to please the other man so Fayt supposed that being Albel's property couldn't be all that bad. I suppose that's the only way he can justify his actions. How sad . . .

Side by side they travelled further up into the mountains and at long last they reached the famed Dragon Road. There were fewer dragons than there had been the last time Fayt recalled coming this way and he wondered if it had anything to do with this new creature. If it was attacking humans, what would stop it from doing the same to the mountain dragons?

It seemed like such a long time since Fayt had been in the mountains but in reality it had only been a relatively short time. Things had progressed rapidly since that fateful day Hyda was attacked and his life had changed forever. He couldn't help feeling strange returning to the familiar mountain caves where they had sought the aid of Crosell without the friends he had made during his journey.

For a while, that small group of people had become his family and Fayt had become incredibly fond of everyone who had lent him their assistance. But now, it was just Albel and himself. It should have made him depressed. His friends were scattered across the galaxy, after all, but for some reason he was happier than he had ever been with the others. He wasn't part of the larger group any longer, but he wasn't alone either and Fayt couldn't help thinking that it was better this way.

"Albel?" He addressed the man beside him hesitantly, as if he still wasn't quite sure that what he was about to say was a good idea. It might even get him run through, but Fayt felt compelled to speak.

"What do you want now?" Albel muttered impatiently. He turned to look at Fayt briefly but did not stop walking.

"T-thank you," his voice seemed small and Fayt wondered if he had even been heard. He needn't have worried.

Thank you? Albel was momentarily stunned into silence since the words had seemed to come from nowhere. There had not been anything to prompt them so why had Fayt said it? If only he had been able to hear Fayt's silent reflection, all would have been made clear to him. Instead, Albel used the old-fashioned method to get the information. He asked Fayt a question. "For what exactly?" he inquired finally. "I don't recall doing anything which would necessitate being thanked." No one has ever thanked me for anything. Only Fayt . . .

"Thank you, for letting me stay here . . . with you. I don't know where else I could have gone. I just want you to know that I appreciate it and I'm glad. You don't have to say anything either, I only wanted you to know that I'm grateful." The weight of his confession had started to make Fayt's cheeks burn with embarrassment. He shouldn't have said such things. It would only anger his companion. Before Albel could reply, Fayt trotted on ahead and was soon nothing more than a speck in the distance before he disappeared completely into the Barr Caves.

Far behind him, Albel was frowning in confusion. What had come over the boy which had made him speak in such a manner? Surely he realized that Albel really didn't care if he was there or not. Fayt could stay or go, it made no difference to him either way. But part of him, a tiny, minuscule yet still inescapable part insisted that his life had improved when Fayt had returned. "Sentimental fool," Albel muttered, unsure if he was referring to the blue-haired boy who had hurried on ahead, or himself.

Wandering through the caves, alone now, Fayt finally came to the exit. The sun was high in the sky as he left the darkened corridors and entered the thin stretch of rocky land which surrounded the great canyon Albel had talked about.

Looking down over the steep walls of the chasm, Fayt saw what must have been the largest dragon on Elicoor II. It was massive, much larger than Crosell had been and it was surprisingly beautiful. The beast was curled in a loose ball with its tail wrapped around its side and was apparently asleep, just as Albel had predicted. Glossy black scales covered its body, neatly overlapping like the finest armour one could imagine, and they gleamed with an iridescent rainbow of subdued colours.

Fayt shivered in spite of himself. There was something odd about the beast, but he couldn't quite identify what it was exactly that made him so nervous. "Shit," he cursed quietly. "Can we beat that thing?" he mused aloud, completely unaware of Albel who was now standing quietly behind him. Moving quickly, Albel had caught up to him just in time to hear his doubts.

"You're not actually scared, are you?"

Hearing the swordsman's gruff voice startled him, and Fayt nearly jumped out of his skin. Albel saw this and smiled. "Typical. And to think I almost believed that you were showing some promise."

Regaining his composure and completely forgetting that it wasn't that long ago that he had been emotionally gushing over his companion, Fayt turned to face Albel angrily. "Enough with the insults! Just admit it. That thing looks dangerous, even for us."

Albel merely stared at him. Finally he shrugged and responded in a voice that was strangely calm. "You're welcome to leave. It's really not your concern. But I'll lose face if that beast isn't dealt with."

As frightening as the dragon was, letting Albel fight it alone was even worse. "No Albel, you were right before. It will be a worthy challenge. Besides, I'm not just going to leave you! We're in this together, come Hell or high water!" Fayt beamed at him and in that instant, Albel's stubborn resolve wavered.

For the first time in what seemed like ages, Albel was actually enjoying himself. Fayt's return had provided him with a welcome distraction from the excruciating boredom of life in Airyglyph. When word had spread of a powerful beast, he had been eagerly awaiting the chance to once again enter battle with Fayt at his side. Not only that, but once he had been separated from his idiotic gang of friends, the boy was actually good company, though Albel often denied the fact. And it didn't hurt to see that Fayt was thriving in his new environment in spite of, or perhaps because of, the company he was keeping.

It might be dangerous, and Fayt could get hurt, or worse. Albel looked deep within himself and was surprised by his next revelation. I don't want that to happen. Albel didn't understand why he felt this way, but the feelings were there nonetheless and he couldn't ignore them no matter how much he wanted to.

It was one thing to endanger his own life, it wasn't worth much anyway, but Fayt was beloved across the galaxy. If he died fighting some stupid dragon on a backwater planet people would be outraged. He would have insisted that the boy turn back, but Fayt was already making his way down the rock face and heading toward the sleeping behemoth.

"Fayt!" he hissed desperately. "Get back here! You can't just rush in like that, fool." Damn it. If he's not careful, he'll be killed.

But Fayt didn't hear his companion's warning as he scaled down the cliff, nor did he notice the pale blue eye which opened lazily and observed his approach. Albel had seen it though, and panic seized him. Fayt had almost made it to the canyon floor, and the beast's shining claws flexed in anticipation.

Scrambling to make up the distance between Fayt and himself before the dragon made its move, Albel started skimming down the rocky wall. In his haste his body did not seem to register the small messages of pain that were sent out from the various scrapes and gashes which were accumulating on his arm, legs and torso, as he fumbled downwards and was cut by the sharp outcropping granite. All that mattered was facing that monster and getting both of them home alive.

Nearing the bottom, Fayt gasped as he stumbled and slipped after missing a foot hold. He tumbled roughly down the rest of the wall and collapsed on the hard stone ground below, groaning in pain. Moments later, Albel was beside him, coaxing the boy to his feet with the aid of his metal claws while he kept a watchful eye on the dragon's movements.

Groggily, Fayt rose to stand beside his alert companion. "Albel, what . . . ?"

"Silence, fool. The beast awakens." Taking Fayt by the arm, Albel dragged him into open space a good distance away from the dragon. There was no way he would allow that thing to trap them against the steep wall.

As one might expect, the dragon was none to pleased with being woken from its peaceful slumber. Slowly it staggered to its feet and yawned, showing several rows of deadly fangs, some of them still stained with blood and Fayt nearly vomited when he saw the unmistakable shape of a human arm stuck between two incisors. It was obvious that the dragon was capable of crushing either of its attackers effortlessly and what was worse, the beast was well aware of that fact. Raising a single claw to its mouth, the dragon deliberately picked the little leftover bits of human flesh from between its teeth and smiled.

Overall it seemed generally unconcerned and perhaps a little amused with its current situation because it took the time to stretch its forelegs and flex its massive membranous wings which glistened in the afternoon sun. Only then did the dragon turn its full attention toward the source of its discomfort. Crystal blue eyes assessed them in one sweeping glare and Fayt trembled as those same cryptic eyes passed over him in judgement. There was intelligence swirling behind its casual glance, and it was terrible. This beast was far superior to Crosell in every way which caused Fayt to wonder where it had come from.

"Vermin. You dare challenge me? Foolish children! You will pay for your arrogance. Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your descent into the underworld."

The dragon's voice reverberated inside their heads. It was telepathic, and the mental intrusion shook both of them to the core, but it was Fayt who hesitated. It was just too much. He couldn't take the strain of that monster's piercing gaze combined with the booming voice which threatened to unravel him from the inside. Those eyes saw right through him, past the fear, past the doubts and into his future where it could see his death.

"Snap out of it, fool!" It was Albel's voice which shook him out of his stupor, that and the forceful cuff to the back of his head. "Don't let this overgrown lizard's taunts affect you! Attack!"

"Prepare yourselves mortal scum. Those who tempt my wrath will pay with their lives!"

Without hesitation, they charged the enraged beast who faced them fearlessly. It's offensive and defensive capabilities were unknown, yet one thing was certain; no matter how confident the dragon had sounded, its body was still groggy with sleep and its movements were slow and laboured.

Fayt easily dodged the heavy blows which were levelled against him and skirted past the beast's front to attack it from behind. One glance at Albel confirmed that the other man was succeeding in his efforts to distract the mighty dragon's attention from his actions. Apparently the dragon was not prepared for close combat and its mobility was greatly restricted by the narrow chasm which was working to their advantage.

Seeing his opportunity, Fayt thrust his sword upwards, intending to slice through the soft underbelly of the beast as he passed and gut him that way. With satisfaction, he felt his blade sink deep into the creature's flesh and he grimly awaited the bloody mess of innards which should have followed his attack. But there was nothing. The dragon's creamy white flesh showed no sign of damage, and did not even have a scratch to prove that Fayt had made contact. I must have missed, but, I could feel it slide through. Its skin must be tougher than I thought.

In the small fraction of time it took to reflect upon what had just happened Fayt became vulnerable. With one flick of its tail, the dragon sent Fayt flying back to land out in front where Albel was currently weaving and twisting just out of the beast's range.

"Worthless maggot!" Albel roared when Fayt rolled to a stop at his feet. "How could you possibly miss?"

"I'd like to see you do better!" He cried from the ground before rising painfully to his feet. "There's something strange about this. I think it's toying with us. That thing had the power to break every bone in my body. Instead it used just enough force to ensure I landed back here."

"Then perhaps it is weaker than we first assumed. Just because it is large, does not mean it is strong. It's just another overgrown worm, and I'll prove it!"

From where he was standing a good distance away, still recovering from the attack, Fayt watched as Albel glided past the beast's defences and set to work hacking away at its hindquarters. Strangely enough, the creature did not make any effort to stop him. Instead, it turned its attention toward Fayt, and fixed the boy with its now hypnotic gaze.

"You cannot win boy, give up. Your friend will die, and it will be your fault. You are not strong enough to defeat me, nor can you hope to outsmart me. I know everything about you, Fayt Leingod."

At the mention of his name, Fayt broke out in a cold sweat and he tightened the grip on his sword. "What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"You are insecure. Weak. Useless. Deep down you know this. You are a burden to your friends and death follows in your footsteps. How many have died because of you? Because they were close to you? How many did you fail to protect? And how many innocents have you slaughtered just because they were in your way?"

The voice in his mind was seductive and Fayt quickly lost himself to the mental grief and guilt which the dragon was feeding him. His eyes clouded and Fayt stood transfixed and helpless, completely mesmerized by the dragons endless blue orbs which seemed to penetrate him, rifling though his darkest and most painful thoughts and memories only to bring the worst ones to the surface in order to torment him. Fingers loosened and his sword clattered to the ground.

At the sound of the falling sword, Albel's head swivelled from the bloody gashes he had left in the dragon's haunches and he saw Fayt. The boy was standing motionless, green eyes locked with sky blue ones, as one clawed hand of the dragon was raised in anticipation. The beast would have its fun breaking the boy's will. Then it would break his body.

What the hell is he doing? Racing back toward the entranced Fayt, Albel couldn't contain himself. "Move, maggot!" he barked hopefully, but Fayt showed no sign that he had heard. The dragon spoke again.

"And what about your father Fayt?"

"F-father . . ." he whispered quietly.

"Get out of the way, worm!" Albel was closing in fast but his stomach lurched when he saw the dragon's claws twitch, poised to strike at any moment.

"If it wasn't for you, he'd be alive, wouldn't he?"

". . . Yes" Tears streamed down his face and Fayt stumbled forward, unwittingly moving closer to his death.

"Run, fool!"

"You don't deserve to live do you?"

"N-no . . . " Another step.

"Nobody wants to have you at their side Deathbringer. The universe will be better off without you. Prepare to die."

Like a pendulum of the doomsday clock, the dragon's arm swung down in one swift motion.

I'm not going to make it . . . "FAYT" Albel screamed the name with every fibre of his being and was immediately shocked and confused by his behaviour. What am I doing? Why do I care? It was the boy's own fault for succumbing to the beast's tricks after all. But when he saw Fayt blink and witnessed the joy filled sentience flooding back into those bright green eyes at the sound of his voice, Albel understood why he couldn't let the boy die. But the awakening had come too late and Fayt was still unaware of his own impending death. Just a little farther . . .

The full force of his body connected with Fayt's slender form. Gathering all of his strength, Albel shoved Fayt out of the dragon's path, but there was no chance to save himself. He felt the razor sharp claws tear through his flesh and the searing pain was accompanied by the cracking of bones unable to withstand the dragon's crushing power. He tried to scream, perhaps he succeeded but it was drowned out by an agonizing wail of despair. That was Fayt.

His battered body soared through the air until it hit the canyon wall with a sickening wet thud while more bones, he wasn't sure which ones, splintered on contact. The base of his skull smashed against the rock face and Albel lost himself to endless night. The swordsman's limp body slumped to the ground, as dead weight is wont to do, where it twitched once before lying still.

No! It's not possible. "ALBEL!" Fayt cried desperately but the other man did not move. His body remained where it had fallen, with crimson eyes now shut peacefully. Deep wounds wrapped around Albel's side and back, oozing blood and viscous fluids which were pooling beneath him at an alarming rate. Time stood still for Fayt as he was struck by the awful truth of what had just happened and he gave in to the sheer pain and intensity of his loss. The force of his emotions exploded within his slight body and everything changed.

His mind became crystal clear. Fuelled by desolation and rage, Fayt opened the gates of destruction. His mind was a placid lake, and dwelling within it was calm resignation to what must be done. Senses heightened, he could hear the whispers of power within him which begged for their freedom and resulted in tiny ripples spreading across the surface of his calm. The power flowed then. Like a raging river it flooded his senses and roared past the barriers which had been placed inside him long ago.

His body was on fire. Every nerve burned itself raw as the wave of energy passed through him, forcing its way to the front of his consciousness and he released it, allowing the blast to overtake him. It controlled him. He couldn't resist even if he had wanted to.

"This power! What is it?" The dragon never learned what hit him. Its body was vaporized instantly by the pillar of light.

Vengeance. But the power continued to flow, still driven by grief and loss as well as something new. Deep within in him was the desire for self-destruction. Why had Albel done it? Another life had been sacrificed so that he could live, but what good was life if you were alone? There would be nothing but emptiness.

Giving himself a mental shake, Fayt snapped back to reality. His energy was draining fast and if he didn't stop his life force would be sent out with the beam of power. If this was allowed to happen, the devastation would encompass the planet as Destruction imploded. Even if he wanted to die, he could not endanger the planet's inhabitants by ending his life that way. Willing himself to stop, the power ceased to flow, and Fayt crumpled to the ground. He was exhausted, but at least this time he hadn't lost consciousness.

Using the last seeping bits of his remaining strength, Fayt dragged his weary body to lie beside his fallen companion. If he was going to die, he did not want to die alone. Let them find us together. Resting his head on Albel's chest, Fayt closed his eyes in satisfaction and let the darkness of oblivion overtake him.

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A/N: Hmm. Things got a little emotional in this one but don't worry. I know that was a little out of character but you can't expect Albel to just sit back and watch Fayt get killed, right? At least I hope he wouldn't, or else the story would have been really short.