Chapter 24 - Long as I May Breathe

The fourth floor was only marginally warmer then below, and the contents of the tower so far had been hardly worth the worry. Unfortunately, they still were wary and watchful, and Ruprecht hardly let a moment go by without watching for any sign of any of his former comrades. They trekked on, however, working their way through the tower and taking down whatever came at them.

Claude paused, forcing everyone else to stop suddenly. He shoo his head, reaching into his pocket for his communicator. As the others looked around, watching for any sign of attack he looked to it, frowning deeply. It was from the Calnus - and he was about to be teleported. He couldn't do that here - it'd risk taking others with him. "Hold on everyone," he said, grimacing slightly. "Please.... don't follow." He dashed off, leaving everyone standing there and wondering. "I'll be back," he called out over his shoulder, making the corner and skidding to a halt as the teleportation kicked in.

"The hell?" Dias grumbled, staring after Claude.

Ruprecht shrugged, feeling Claude suddenly vanish. "We take his word and wait while we can," he said. "A rest might not hurt us considering how hard we're pushing ourselves."

Leon sat down, gripping his book, ears drooped. He had been putting all his effort out into not panicking, and the place scared him. There was so much he didn't know here and it scared him, but he was holding up so the others wouldn't think him a coward. Without brother Claude it was much harder, and he shifted closer to Rena.

Claude sighed loudly as he materialized in the ship, rather unhappy to have been taken so forcefully. As he focused on his surroundings, he saw his father, Ronoxis, and officer Kurtsman there. He really did not feel up to this, and wanted back down on the planet with his friends he had made. At least there he mattered, and there he wasn't just someone living in a shadow. Not really thinking about any possible consequences of words he finally spoke his mind. "Why the hell did you do that?" he snapped, clenching a fist. He had just enough control not to draw his sword.

His father shook his head. "We came to rescue you," he replied, eying his son carefully. They couldn't be too sure if anything had happened to Claude in his time down on the planet.

'Maybe I didn't want rescued,' Claude thought, considering saying it. He was tired of being treated as though he couldn't do anything on his own, and after the 'freedom' he had on Expel, this was stifling to him.

"You shouldn't have done what you did, but it can be overlooked." Claude watched his father shake his head. "We don't understand exactly what happened, nor why, but everythign is fine now. Come to the bridge and we'll talk about this," Ronoxis said, turning and leaving. Kurtsman followed after, throwing Claude a look that spoke volumes that Claude should watch what he said or did.

Claude grit his teeth, half tempted to coerce the teleporter to send him back but something was nagging at him to find out why his father wanted to see him on the bridge. There was more to it then rescue ... and what sort of rescue could he mean? From what? Did they know about the Wise Men?

He trailed after, following to the bridge and surprising the sentries at the door. "What is it?" he asked, walking over confidently to where his father was. "Why here?"

Ronoxis turned to the main screen, gesturing. "The planet you're on has made a course change for the worst, heading into a body of energy with the equivalent power of a supernova."

Claude froze then, feeling his blood chill. That alone meant certain destruction for his friends - Rena, Opera, Dias ... everyone there. He seemed to try to speak, but found no words. He couldn't leave them there ... it had to be the work of the Wise Men. And if he left his friends waiting, they were losing time to fix things.

"I cannot leave you there to die."

Claude snorted in discontent, looking at the monitor rather then his father. 'Special treatment,' he thought 'for his son.' Claude shook his head. "You could have warned me," he said, folding his arms across his chest. "I was with people ..."

Ronoxis raised an eyebrow, and eyed the sword his son had. "We figured it prudent to hurry."

Claude shrugged. "I at least would like to say goodbye before I go," he said, grumbling slightly. "I don't want to leave them just wondering..." Something began to formulate in his head, a viable idea. He wasn't going to come back - he was going to go with his friends and face off with the Wise Men still. He was going to do what he thought was right, rather then leave his friends.

Ronoxis eyed his son for a long moment before giving in. "Fine... you have five minutes. No more."

Claude nodded, not saying a word and turned, heading back to the transporter room. It hurt, actually, not saying goodbye to his father, but he couldn't let his father even think that he wasn't coming back or he'd never get off the Calnus. Never see Rena, or Opera either, again. He would rather die with them, then live on thinking about how he could have done something.

"He's been gone awhile," Rena said, looking concerned as she sat down. She rested her head on her knees, wondering where Claude was. It didn't seem like him to take off like this, and she was concerned. She stared off at the wall somewhat, quiet and reserved even as the others talked quietly among themselves.

Ruprecht had known why and how Claude had left, and was worried about this. If there was a ship, it meant a lot more going on then thought. Perhaps maybe they had a chance, or perhaps Claude was being pulled out, making things that much more difficult. And what would Indalecio and the others think of a ship up there? He hoped fervently Claude was coming back; they needed him.

Dias on the other hand was restless, even angry. Although he didn't show it, there was a raging storm of emotions within about this. They shouldn't have been delaying, risking an attack on them, and more importantly was the fact Rena was worried. For that matter it was obvious everyone was - and in some way so was he for Claude. After all that had happened, and all their 'differences' he did have some respect and admiration for Claude ... but this was seriously not right. And if Claude had some delusions about Rena and her feelings, leaving her like this to worry with no explanation was not the way to do things. He knew how Rena felt ... bur it burned at him how Claude could make her worry like that without explaining himself.

He shook his head. "I'll be back in a moment," he said quietly, and the tone in his voice spoke volumes to the others to stay away unless called for no matter what.

He reappeared in the tower, and removed the communicator, looking at it one last time. He set it down, gave it a single salute as his final farewell, and turned, heading back to the others. No matter what happened here, this was what he wanted - rules be damned. He had friends here, ones who mattered, and his own life. His family meant something, but ... that was not what made him happy. Here, he made a difference, and it was here he'd rather be remembered.

Or at least he thought as much until he turned to see Dias standing there. When their eyes met he felt cold - that look was far from the greeting he expected, and in fact caused him to step back. "Hi Dias," Claude managed, faltering. That looked seriously put him in a state of unease ... he remembered that look too well.

"And just where the hell have you been?" Dias snapped, voice colder then any ice spell. "What the hell were you thinking leaving us like that?" The tall swordsman didn't give a damn about petty excuses - he was furious, and he was not in the mood. Rena had been upset and worried, and he wasn't going to stand for that, nor would he stand for being left behind like that. As well, being in such a place with so many imminent threats, there were no excuses for it. What if, while Claude was gone, the Wise Men attacked?

Claude blinked in disbelief. "What do you mean what was I thinking?" he snapped back. "I came back, didn't I? I almost didn't if I hadn't convinced them-"

"So you'd leave us here to die?" Dias voice had gone quieter, more lethal like a snake through the grasses before it struck its prey. There was very little that would soothe Dias when angry, and he was damn certain he'd made sure one of them wouldn't come into this.

"No," Claude said, clenching a fist at his side. The fact Dias would accuse him of such a thing after all he'd done to get back ... it burned at him, fueling a rage and anger he thought he had buried already. He came back - for good - to be with them, and this was how he was welcomed? "I didn't choose-"

"Excuses," Dias spat. "You thought only of yourself." He folded his arms across his chest. "Admit it Claude, you did, and you didn't think a damn thing about the rest of us until now."

Gritting his teeth he held his tongue, more for Rena then anything. He had feelings for Opera, but damned if he was going to hurt Rena either. He wasn't getting many options. "If that's what you want to think," Claude growled, hand hovering at the hilt of his sword. "I came back for you guys, and this is what I get?"

Dias straightened up, hand clenching the scabbard of his sword. He was growing tired of this, and he itched for a fight. And Claude was pushing him far too much. "Nice to think of us now, did you even think about Rena when you ran off? You didn't tell us a damn thing and she's been worried sick."

The sound of metal sliding free was the only sound as Claude stood, drawn. If he hadn't control over his emotions at least slightly he'd be shaking form the emotions coursing through him.

Dias sighed then, shifting to grip the hilt of his sword in one hand as the other wrapped about the hilt. He didn't want to fight ... but if that's what Claude wanted, then he'd be forced to oblige. He wasn't going to let Claude off easy for upsetting Rena, and just taking off was risking everyone's lives - and Dias had no want to see anyone dying today. Not after what he had seen years ago with his family... "You could have-"

Claude snapped then, having grown weary of the words through the years, and under the tension, it was more then enough. He leapt forward, blade arcing through the air towards the other man, instinct taking over thought.

Dias' blade shot out like lightning from its sheath and met the blade solidly without so much as a flinch. Cold eyes met Claude's fury-filled eyes, searching the younger man's expression for any sign of giving this up. Finding none, he pushed back, stepping back as he did so to free his blade form Claude's. "If this is what you want," he said quietly.

Claude narrowed his eyes, refocusing his plan. He had enough of Dias, enough of everything right now. He was hurt, confused, and angry. His father had no right to interfere, Dias had no right to question him or use Rena as an excuse. It seemed for all his trying nothing mattered, and it enraged him all the more. Was it a pointless endeavor of their trying to save Expel now, with the planet heading for that energy mass? Each thought fueled him more and more, and he had but one target in sight right now. He struck again, aiming for a lower slice to a high ending.

Dias stepped back, blocking this blow as well, playing defensive right now to gauge Claude. He didn't want to hurt Claude, nor did he wish to take injury, but if he was pushed hard enough he would. If anything, make a few good strikes would cool the younger man off. He didn't want to incur Rena's anger though, and had to be careful - they were in enemy territory.

Claude changed positions, shifting to a different stance before striking again, trying to find some weakness in Dias defense. Running on adrenaline and emotion, he wasn't about to be outdone again like at Lacour. Dias blocked again, frustrating him further and he swung again.

Dias grit his teeth, feeling each strike coming in harder and harder as he blocked them, trying to ensure Claude didn't get through. He could read him like a book and felt the anger from Claude in each stroke and movement. He had to sue this against him but for all the anger and rage it was highly focused into a sense of calm control that made it all the more difficult to deal with. Throwing caution into the wind Dias threw Claude to the defensive, swinging out with a quick, sharp lashing strike towards the gut that was deftly blocked.

Claude flinched slightly and shifted again, throwing off the attack and lashing out again, refusing to be put to the defense. Dias countered this with a quick block and retaliated, this time using his height for advantage and bringing the blade downward towards Claude's right shoulder.

Claude slid back, barely avoiding the edge of Hope of Breeze sailing by his cheek. He took a second quick step back, bringing the blade low and looking to Dias almost smugly before releasing the tech. "Air slash!"

"Damn!" Dias spat as the force of wind hit him, throwing him back. He rose quickly, deftly and charged, throwing mercy out the window. He had to subdue Claude now before things got worse. "Chaos wave!" he growled, swinging his blade forward as the dark power gathered, aiming for Claude with deadly accuracy. The blonde wanted to fight he'd give him one. This wasn't Lacour, and this certainly was no game now.

Claude reeled from the force of the strike, and shook it off, looking up to see Dias close the gap between them and barely had time to throw his sword up in defense. That last move hurt, but there was no way he was falling to this again. He would not lose twice to Dias. Not now, and not ever. He forced Dias back and slid back, leaping into the air with the intention of an airborne strike.

Dias looked up, eying Claude in a split-second before sliding under as Claude approached and twisting around, preparing another move as Claude's Head Splitter move failed to get the lean fighter. Dias however waited until the moment Claude made contact and was turning to retaliate. He arced the blade up, invoking the power as he did so. "Crescent slash!" Te energy arced off the blade, sweeping outward.

Claude took the hit full on, hitting against the wall behind him. He remained still a moment; his eyes wrenched closed, bearing the brunt of the pain. As it faded into obscurity he opened his eyes, determined for one last chance. "Tear into pieces!" he snarled, swinging his sword out and rending the earth with the power of his technique.

"Bloody hell," Dias said, trying to avoid the rocks jutting out. He felt himself thrown as one caught him, and landed with a thud and rolled across the room away. He rose, his body sore but his mind and pride still in tact. He had to admit Claude was good - one of the best even perhaps - but there was no way he was going to just let him win... and definitely not with something like that.

"Give it up," Claude snapped, grinning slightly. He was battered from the two hits he had taken, but still in good shape.

Dias shook his head, still in good shape, if not better then Claude was. "Look, I didn't come for a fight; I came to set you straight." He lingered, walking forward slowly somewhat to close the distance so they didn't have to yell.

Claude narrowed his eyes, distrustful still, but the emotions were draining away as well as his will to fight. "What do you mean?"

Dias sheathed his blade. "I...." He sighed, realizing he too had acted in anger. "Seeing Rena upset bothered me, Claude, and you happened to be the source of her worry. I was worried, everyone was and is." He pushed blue hair form his eyes and shrugged. "I shouldn't have snapped, but..."

"You care for Rena." Claude finished with a resigned sigh, sheathing his own blade and leaning back against the wall. "I know... I've noticed it between you two." His words were somewhat choked.

Dias grimaced slightly and walked over to lean against the wall. "Yeah.... you're right. Much as we might not openly admit it..." He looked away, feeling only slightly guilty about holding Rena's affections. He himself still wasn't fully sure about the matter.

"Its okay," Claude said, looking at Dias then. "I - I understand, and really... it's probably better."

Dias blinked, looking quickly back to Claude. "What?" The words caught him off-guard.

"You and Rena have known each other a long time... it's only right and proper you'd be attracted to each other." Claude looked down at the ground. "Besides.... Opera..."

Dias grunted slightly and nodded. He'd noticed quite a lot about the whole lot of them and who was doing what. He knew the tensions between the three-eyed ones, Celine's involvement, and Claude and Opera's ... moments. "I know."

Claude frowned slightly. "I just don't know what to say to Rena.... I feel like somehow I'm still interfering with you two ... and that I- well, I don't feel I've really let go."

Dias smirked slightly. "Just talk to her. I can't say forget her because... she's with us, and she won't leave. She cares too much to just vanish and I wouldn't let her leave and I'm staying in this fight to the end anyway. Not that she'd listen to me telling her to go." Dias shrugged. "Talk to opera... see what's with that ... if she likes you and you like her ... let it grow then. Don't risk losing something like I have..."

"But you have her," Claude said, looking up to Dias. "You won Rena."

Dias shook his head. "I didn't let her initially... I turned away, I didn't want to fall for her... felt I couldn't until I knew I could protect her. Protect her where I failed my family." He sighed softly. "I haven't resolved how I feel for her entirely yet Claude... but its better you don't follow my lead."

Claude found it in him to laugh at that a bit. "We'll see, Dias... but I promise not to hurt Rena again. And we'll see what happens otherwise." He winked, feeling much better. His eyes caught something bright and looked to see the communicator vanish. "Well... looks like I'm home free."

Dias raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Let's get back."

"Right," Claude said, taking the lead. He smiled, waving to the others as he walked into sight. "Sorry about that, had to take care of something before I could finish this..."

Rupcrecht smirked slightly, lingering in the rear of everyone, knowing full well Claude had teleported off the planet and returned. He figured it was probably better not to mention those matters to the Expellians though, as they'd never really understand. And time was running out for everyone as they drew nearer to their destination. He cleared his throat. "We'd better get going," he said. "Not to rush but I suspect we only have so much time to get things done..."

Dias cast a sidelong look to the wise man, curious as to the choice of words but didn't outright ask. Or perhaps it was meant simply to deflect the topic away from what Dias and Claude had been up to - though Ruprecht had picked up all the details without seeing it with his own eyes.

((Author's Note: I know it's been forever... I had other things to handle and didn't have my writing drive on hand. After some Star ocean 3 though I was refueled enough to dig in once more. Though I have a ton of options when I hit Nede on what to do with this whole fic and YES ... I am going to Nede with this. I want to cover some things there too. Hehehehe... but yeah. No promises on when 25 is but expect it to probably delve into the end of disc 1 and be long as well.))