A Boy's Love

"Leehalt!" screamed Melody, "We have a problem! The barrier around the Cradle of the Metal Gods has ceased functioning! If for some reason those blasted Drifters find their way here, we won't be able to keep them out." Leehalt, who had been sitting in a comfortable chair and savoring his victory, gave her a glare that could cut a person like daggers. Unbeknownst to them, this was the result of Virginia's spell.

"Go to the main part of the lab and fix it then. Take Asgard with you to stand guard over the inner chambers. Then, prepare the Deus ex Machina for launch. I will stay here with Lord Siegfried, and keep watch over the Teardrop and our little specimen," Leehalt ordered. For this part of the hanger was closed off completely; only accessible through the air ducts. He didn't think the Drifters would ever find their leader.

S...S

Maya informed Clive, "Well, we'll split up and meet at the point Alfred calculated. Then we're going to kick some major Demon hide. And when it's all over, the Teardrop will be mine." She and her team then left, heading for the rendezvous point. You see, Alfred had thrown a bomb made with special metal over the Prophets just for the purpose of tracking. With that, they would be able to save Virginia from the enemy.

At the same time, the three remaining members of Virginia's team got onboard Lombardia in order to head there as well. As Jet sat at the control panel, his mind began wandering. 'I still have not gotten my answers. What is Adlehyde and how is it connected to Virginia? Why did Siegfried need her? And how in the heck am I thinking all this now? I'm a heartless Drifter, not a Good Samaritan. There is no reason I should feel like I have to save her. Well, she is my leader, and she promised to help me find my memories. But that's not important to me, I only care about Gella. Darn it Ginny! Can't you just get out of my head?'

Gallows wanted to ask the young boy what was going on. But he was, as usual, clamming up. It did seem, however, that he was deep in thought. The Baskar noticed Jet staring out the window, a wistful look on his face. If he didn't know this was Jet, Gallows would have sworn that the boy had begun to cry.

"Well now," Clive told the others, "We should really think of a plan for once we arrive. I do not think the Prophets will hand over Virginia and the Teardrop so easily. I myself am also intrigued about all of the talk over Adlehyde. Legend has it that in that kingdom, a Demon was summoned to this world. After the people killed the Demon, they struck out against the inhabitants of said land. Rumor has it that survivors were able to escape though. Most likely, if anything, the rulers were the ones who tried to destroy the world, and the common people took most of the blame. The descendants probably look upon the royal family who did that as sinners, and wish to use whatever powers their kind posses for the common good."

"That's what Adlehyde is? But if you were listening correctly Clive, I recall Siegfried saying that the people of that kingdom were his enemies. Unless there were rival Demons out there, those two stories clash with one another. I guess I'm going to just have to go straight to the horse's mouth for the answer to my question," Jet snapped. He meant he was going to ask Virginia what Siegfried had meant by Adlehyde.

Suddenly, the boy saw an image of Virginia in his mind. She appeared beaten and haggard, her clothing torn due to her treatment by her captors. Then, and image of himself walked up to her; pulling the girl close to his body. At that moment, the two kissed. Jet, having no understanding of it, and having never seen two people kiss in his memory, did the only thing he knew how to do under circumstances; he fainted.

S...S

The second they arrived at the Cradle of the Metal Gods, they ran into Maya and her team. Since the barrier and security system were destroyed in the power surge Virginia had caused, the team wasn't detected at all. But two doors lay before them. One was to the south, and the other lay in the east.

Maya stated, "We, the Schroedingers, will take the south door. You all take the east. If I find your leader, I will get her back to you. But after we kill the Demons, and Virginia is back to full health, you are going to all duel us over the Teardrop. I know you want it, and I won't give it up so easily. But be prepared to feel the full fury of my powers when we next meet." Then, they left; Alfred apologizing for Maya's words.

Clive looked to his friends. "Well then, if Maya will go south, that saves us a whole area of the dungeon to look at. We will head on out, and search for Virginia that way. I only hope to the Guardians that we are not too late. Siegfried looked like he was about to dissect her when we saw her on that screen."

So the team went to the east. But shortly after, while Clive and Gallows were mulling over a puzzle they'd encountered, Jet spied the air duct. He remembered the trick of how to get into one, and search an entire dungeon through it. That might be an even better way to go about the rescue; not dealing with traps.

Jet climbed up to the air duct, pulled down on the screen, and hopped in. He then closed it behind so not to attract attention. In fact, it attracted so little attention that Clive and Gallows didn't notice that he was missing. The boy smirked, and began crawling through the endless maze of dungeon before him.

Soon, the young boy discovered Leehalt and Siegfried discussing something called the Deus ex Machina. Apparently, it was a flying fortress that they could use to attack Filgaia with. The plan called for spreading nanomachines throughout Filgaia's surface so they would begin the evolution. Prior to that, they would have Virginia and the Teardrop hooked up to a machine that could channel her powers through the gem in an attack on the Guardians. That would leave the planet ripe for the nanomachines to come in.

"Who'd have ever thought," Siegfried muttered, "One of the highest servants of the Guardians, a Shaman, will be the key to this world's destruction. She's a powerful thing too, even stronger than the very ancestors who defeated me in the old war. Pity we have to destroy her, she'd never submit to evolution."

"I have been thinking my Lord, about the girl. The young man who hid the Teardrop and changed his name after humans began to view the Shamans as deadly, called himself Roughnight. That was the maiden name of the girl's beautiful mother. He said he used to be a prince. Is it possible, that this girl is of royal blood?" Leehalt inquired. It wouldn't be surprising, not by looking at her, but he knew Ekatrina was special.

Jet saw Siegfried nod. The Demon Lord then told his servant, "Her powers are strong enough, I believe she is the last descendant of Adlehyde's final prince. Meaning, she's the heiress to their throne. A good thing, considering we have the strongest member of her race and one who could definitely use the Teardrop. I have no idea if any Shaman girl could utilize its full power, or a female of the royal family."

This made Jet's heart begin to flutter with nerve. 'Ginny's a princess! Man, and I wonder why she wastes her precious time on me. But now, I have to save her before they complete their plan. Maybe I have no idea why I'm feeling like this. However, I'll sort it all out once Virginia is safe again; with me.'

- - - -

Teefa's Last Words…

Poor Jetty-boy, in denial. Those are his true feelings. But, he's so fun to torment because of that.