This is revised! I corrected a spelling error and explained more about Nel's name. Thanks BlueTrillium for pointing both out – I did more research and changed that section just slightly.

Thanks everyone for the reviews.

Disclaimer – well, nothing has changed, my hands are empty so I guess that means I don't own it.

Note: I got Nel's 'birth given name' from reading through the dictionary in the camp menu of the game – under Adray (Don't ask why I did that – just curious cause he was the one I used the lest of all!)

Also, I find it kinda hard to write fight scenes. So just bare with me. I promised fluff, but there are a few things to get out of the way first – one being that both are soooooo hard headed!

Chapter 2

He pulled away from the door frame and walked to the center of the room. Standing only two feet from her, he turned and surveyed his surroundings.

"To think it actually exists," he mumbled.

"What are you saying?"

He stood silent for a few seconds before he turned to look at her. She felt like she was in the middle of a staring contest. It was obvious he wasn't going to answer her. She sighed and crossed her arms in front of her.

"Would you mind explaining what's going on here, Albel?"

"How the hell should I know?" He took a step away from her. He studied the wall from top to bottom. Then he proceeded to study the ceiling. His expression changed when he looked directly overhead.

Nel followed his gaze. In the center of the ceiling was a hole. Through the opening the night sky lingered. Like a beckon, the full moon illuminated in the center of the overhead window.

They both looked from the moon to each other.

Albel's lips parted. "When the moon resonates…"

"at full light…" Nel said, picking up where he stopped.

They looked at each other. In unison the talked. "then will we continue."

Albel grunted. "Those words," he spoke softly. "Those words are the very words you uttered last night in…" His voice went silent.

She put her hands on her hips. "Wait! I didn't say that. You did in my…"

Eyes still locked, they both said the word together. The one word that added even more mystery then anything else.

"Dream."

Nel's heart seemed to stop. Her breath was the only sound she could hear. She studied Albel's eyes. She couldn't read anything from them, but her gut instinct told her that he was just as baffled as she was.

"Impossible," he puffed.

"How can something that happened be impossible?"

He shook his head but refused to answer.

"We shared a dream, Albel. That has to mean something."

He growled. "You're a little too old to believe in such nonsense."

A small flame of anger ignited in her. "Then how would you explain it?" she hissed.

His expression went from neutral to unpleased.

Ignoring him, she continued. "By the Grace of Apris there's something to this! I know you can feel it also."

"If you want answers fool, than look into yourself. Only ignorant fools are guided by false beliefs in false deities."

"Look into myself?" She was all but yelling. "Incase you forgot, Albel Nox, you yourself had the same dream. Perhaps you should look into yourself!"

He drew his sword and pointed the tip at her. "Shut it worm, or I'll be looking at what's in you."

She stepped back and drew her dagger. She knocked the tip of his sword with her blade. "I'd like to see you try."

"I might do just that, Nevelle Zelpher."

She stopped, stunned by his words. How did he know her birth given name? No one ever called her by that. She wasn't even sure that the Queen herself knew that name. She had been named after her father. She cringed to hear the name come from his lips. It might have been different if he wasn't so close to the very man who took her father's life.

He took advantage of her hesitation and attacked. He charged and landed his elbow into her chest. She fell back, hitting the ground hard.

"Humph." Albel returned his katana to its sheath. "If I had known you were this weak, I never would have attacked. You pose no threat."

She stood. That small flame of anger erupted. If there was anyone in all of Elicoor that could put her in such a rage, it was the man that stood in front of her. "I'll show you no threat. ICE NEDDLES!"

Before he could blink, a cluster of ice shards came at him. He was hit hard, but stayed on his feet. Drawing his blade he smiled. "That's more like it."

The fight had started, just like the last three virtual fights before. Trusting on her instinct, Nel allowed her body to move at its own will.

Albel moved his sword to the left and swung it around, close to the floor. "Shockwave Swirl." Aura energy surged from the ground and leapt up.

Nel almost didn't react in time. She jumped. Aiming at her target, her feet came down at him. As she made contact with his shoulder, the aura he had just produced penetrated her leg.

Albel feel back a few steps. Nel landed where he had just been standing. Ignoring the pain in her leg, Nel charged for her Divine Wrath.

Albel held his claw up. A red aura pulsed in his left hand. He readied himself for his Hand of Doom attack.

Surrounded by a purple aura, Nel spun her dagger. She barely missed Albel. As she brought her dagger up, he slashed with his claw. She made contact with his chest as he slashed into her right arm. She brought her dagger down, cutting him beside his first wound as he dug his claw into her side. She went into her spin, but he dodged the attack and charged at her. She jumped just in time to avoid a collision. Pushing her force, she sent the aura energy at him. He was hit in his right arm as he swung around and cut her back.

Albel feel to his knees. He clutched his arm. His claw became tarnished by the blood flowing from his cut. The wound on his arm was deep. The energy she had hit him with was strong. Much stronger then he had expected. He couldn't help but to smile.

Almost like a mirror, Nel feel to the ground, facing Albel. She pressed her hand to her side to stop the blood flow. He had only scratched her back, but he had dug his claw into her side. She felt the wound burn from the hot aura he had used. It felt as if his energy had seeped into her blood stream and now traveled through her body. She was hot all over.

"This isn't as easy as it had been before." He looked at her through his hair. He was breathing heavy.

He was right. Nel remembered fighting him had been easier in the dreams. They were almost nonstop last night. But it never hurt like this in the dreams. It had hurt, but never this severe.

He smirked as he reached into his pocket and grabbed a berry. She knew that the fight wasn't over. As he ate, she healed her side and leg. Her back would have to wait.

In one swift movement, he got off the floor and thrust his sword at her. She threw her dagger up as she stood and caught his blade. They looked at each other, their faces only inches apart.

"You're…decent for an Aquarian."

"And you…you can go to hell." She pushed him away.

They exchanged blows. Albel was impressed with how the Crimson Blade was able to successfully counter him. He had an advantage in that his blade was longer, but that didn't stop her.

They were locked in the dance of battle for a long time. Neither resorted to special moves and used only skill to counter the other. Nel knew he was good, but she was unable to land a blow. She couldn't believe that she wasn't capable of inflicting any damage without the use of an aura attack.

They stepped back from each other. They both knew that neither would win at the rate they were going. It was more likely that both would fall over from exhaustion first.

"I've had enough. Time to finish this. Dragon Roar." A red pool of aura formed at Albel's feet as he held his claw in front of his face. He moved his claw back and then thrust it out at her. At his command, a group of dragon heads emerged from the pool under him.

She jumped and spun around, her aura gathering around her. "Flying Guillotine." She sent an aura disc at him.

Once again, the two warriors found no way to dodge the attacks thrown at them. The dragon heads sent Nel flying into the wall as her energy wave sent Albel to the ground.

Nel hit the wall hard with her back. The wounds she received earlier were cut deeper by the rough surface. Her back started to bleed freely.

Nel landed on her stomach, the wind knocked from her lungs. She lifted her head to see Albel near the center of the room, lying on his back. His face was toward her. His eyes were closed and a look of pain was present on his face.

Nel got to her hands and knees. She became dizzy and her vision burred. She closed her eyes and crawled from the wall. Despite the pain running through her whole body, she made it to the center of the room.

She looked again at her adversary. He hadn't moved. His right arm was across his stomach. Under his arm was a pool of dark blood. A lot of blood. At this rate, he would bleed to death in no time.

A sudden pain overcame her. It was an emotional pain she didn't want or like. Why she had the pain was something she didn't understand. This ach was new to her, something she had never known. She felt guilty at striking down an adversary in battle.

What surprised her more was to feel the hot flow of tears run down her face. She didn't want him to die. She didn't know what to think anymore, but one thing she knew is that she had to help him.

She extended her arm, her fingers only inches from him. "Healing." The energy left her and went to work, repairing the massive wound on his abdomen. His eyes opened. His expression changed from pain to shock. He turned to look at her just in time to see her fall and pass out.

He sat up and looked down to inspect his wound. He had felt his life seep from him but instead of finding a scar, he was completely healed. The newly mended skin was only slightly tender to the touch.

"Ignorant fool," he mumbled as he made the short distance to her on his hands and knees. Her back was a bloody mess. Her face was almost completely covered by her hair. He leaned closer. Her hair moved slightly. She was still breathing.

He felt relieved. "Stupid wench! In battle it's better to slice the throat then to heal your enemy!" He was angry. His anger wasn't that she had healed him, but that she had done such an act despite herself.

He reached into his pocket and pulled from his stock of Blueberries. The berries worked best if swallowed, but if unable to swallow then the juice could still help. He squeezed the berries over her back, sure that the juice hit every open wound. He watched the skin close.

She still didn't wake. He was sure it was due to the fact she had used a considerable amount of her runology to close his wound. He was close to death and to heal at that magnitude had to drain a person's runological essence.

He knew a lot about runology – much more then anyone thought. He knew it wasn't wise to go against an enemy blind. During the war, he had studied the art. Though, not able to use runology himself, he knew what toll it took on the wielder.

Since she was breathing, all she needed was rest. She would be fine after her runological essence had time to replenish itself.

He stood. He was amazed at how well he felt. Her healing had not only closed the wound that would have killed him, but all other wounds as well. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."

He uttered the same word continuously as he walked to the doorway of the room. He had put his bag down and out of sight when he saw he wasn't alone. Before he would let her know he was there, he had hidden his supplies. She had obviously come with no more then the cloths on her back and yet he had packed a bag. Regardless, he could not let her see him being cautious.

He reached in the bag and withdrew a cloth and his canteen. With the items in hand, he walked back to her and sat beside her.

"You are more ignorant then a Hauler Beast. I should just cut your throat and leave you here to the worms." He soaked the cloth with water. Gently he cleaned the blood from her back.

He reached over her and grabbed her shoulder and hip. With one easy motion, he rolled her to her back. Her face was peaceful. She appeared to be sleeping. He removed his shirt and rolled it the best he could, trying to avoid tearing it further where her dagger already had. He lifted her head and placed the shirt on the ground to serve as a pillow.

He used the only clean corner of the rag and wiped the dirt from her face.

"Weak, irrational, irritable, stubborn…fool." He crossed his legs and his arms. Not moving from his spot, he watched her sleep. Every once and a while, he would call her more names. For some reason, he found he couldn't get over his anger. She never should have used so much energy on him. She had won…he should have been dead and she should have healed herself.

Then again, he should have just left her there and went home. He turned from his anger with her to himself. Why had he gone through the trouble of healing her, then cleaning her, and to make things worst – he used his favorite shirt for her pillow? Not like the shirt was much good anymore thanks to her.

For reasons he could not comprehend, a tear fell from his eye.

He had closed his eyes, trying hard to understand himself when he heard her moan. Not moving, he opened his eyes. Still lying on her back, she had woke up and was studying him.

"Albel?" She sat up. "Are…are you crying?"

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Let's see – oh, 'runological essence' – that's my own term. It would seem kinda strange for them to call it MP so I just came up with something.

Yes, there will be fluff in the next chapter – these two just had to wear each other out first.

Hope my battle scenes didn't suck too much.