Here is the next chapter in my story. I am happy to announce that there will be fluff, in otherwords, this is now an AlbelxNel story.
Lets see. No one has asked any other questions about the story. There's the romance issue but I already said I was putting in fluff.
Well, might as well get on. Thanks for the continued support! Enjoy Chapter IV!
Chapter IV: Reunion
It had been a few days since he had found out about Greeton's surprise aggression. He was planning on doing something about the upcoming war. He wasn't going to fight alone. Today was the day.
Albel was finally up on his feet again after lying in bed the last few days. Now that he was fully recovered, he knew exactly what he was going to do today and that was to find a way to bring the group back together. Fayt, Sophia, Cliff, Maria, Nel, Peppita, Roger, Mirage, Adray, he was going to unite them all someway.
He sauntered out of the castle bound for Aquios. Nel was most likely in Castle Aquaria. Adray would probably be there too. Then from there, they could pick up Roger. Of course, he had no idea about the six. They were all on other planets out of reach. Albel didn't believe that Airyglyph or Aquaria had the technology to contact them either.
"Wait Albel!" yelled a voice.
Albel turned around to see the king. Airyglyph XIII approached him.
"You aren't going to stay for the conference? A few days ago, that's all that you wanted to happen. You were demanding to know more," said the king.
"I have more important things to do," Albel answered. "What I'm doing may help in our side being victorious in this war."
"Very well. We could use all the help we can get. Carry on, then."
"You mean you're going to actually let me go?"
"You better go now before I change my mind."
Albel walked off at those words. He was thinking of how to contact the others as he exited Airyglyph. We don't have celestial ships. I don't even know where the others reside anyway. So really it wouldn't do me any good even if I had one.
He slowly entered Kirlsa still deep in thought. We don't have communicators like Maria had. She could contact anyone. Too bad I live on a backwater planet. Maybe I should consider going to Greeton...
Albel was now leaving Arias and heading into the Palmira Plains. Is there anything on this planet that can contact anyone? After all the influence of Fayt, and blah, blah, blah, no one has tried to invent greater technology? We'll be stuck with lums and letters forever. There has to be someone with a solution.
Albel stopped in Peterny's town square. The sun was starting to set and the streets were gradually getting less lively.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," he said to himself. "I'm surprised I even care! Why am I even out here? I never needed anyone in the past. What has changed that now? And yet, through all the asking and denying, I still have a feeling to have them around. It's like I'll go crazy if they aren't here to fight in our continent's war. They've poisoned me, the worthless maggots."
He was interupted by the sound of a door slamming against a wall. Albel turned to see two people storm out into the streets. There was an short, old man holding a plate of something green and very gross-looking. He was offering the plate to a young girl taller than him holding in her hand... something that looked like a communicator.
"Come on! Try it! I invented it myself!" exclaimed the old man shoving the plate into her face.
"Get that away from me! I bet you just invented a new type of poison!" the girl said backing away.
"I call it 'The Guild Master's Ultimate Surprise!'"
"The surprise is whether you'll be poisoned or if you'll die instead!"
She has a communicator? Maybe if I help her out of this little problem, she'll offer her services. If she doesn't, I'll do it the old fashioned way. Might as well give her a chance before resorting to force.
"I see you two are in a bit of a predicament," he said getting their attention.
"Yes! This is a huge problem!" said the girl storming over to him.
"What problem? There isn't a problem, is there Welch?" the old man asked.
"Who are you anyway? Wait, you're Albel the Wicked!" Welch exclaimed in surprise. "You're not gonna slice me in two, are you!"
"No, actually," said Albel. "I just need your help with a little something."
"Are you hungry? 'Cause I got a heaping plate of heaven here!" offered the old guy who shoved the plate in Albel's face.
"I'll help you if you help the Guild Master with his 'plate of heaven.'"
I'm not liking where this is going.
"Which means?"
"Which means you have to try his dish! He won't quit until somebody tries it."
"Okay..."
I am not going to like this... The Guild Master handed him the plate. The smell of whatever it was burned his nose. I am not going to like this at all... Wait a second. I don't have to eat this. Force will always be the way to go. Why am I being nice? Again, the effects of their poison works. I'm losing my touch.
Albel threw the plate over the short Guild Master's head. It shattered into a nearby wall breaking into thousands of white (and green) shards on the ground. He glared at the Guild Master and then at Welch. The old man ran behind her in fear.
"Welch, I think your friend wants to talk to you," he stuttered cowering behind her back.
"Okay, I'm through with being nice. I have to get a job done. And I'll need this," Albel said grabbing the communicator out of Welch's hand.
"Hey! That's mine!" Welch whined.
"Tough luck, maggot."
And with that, Albel stormed off tightly clutching the communicator. He headed north bound for Aquios. He decided that if he was going to get the portion of the group on his planet first, he might as well save Roger for last.
By now, the sun was barely visible over the horizon. The darkness left behind in it's imminent absence covered the Irisa Fields. I'll have to finish this tomorrow unless Zelpher insists on pushing me to pick up Roger. I highly doubt that, though, he thought to himself while avoiding the obstacles hiding in the darkness.
Soon, he reached the Moonlit Bridge. The bridge was illuminated by the lanterns dotting its edges. Albel saw the proud Castle Aquaria in the distance standing tall and overshadowing the city in its greatness. That was his next stop.
He entered the empty city. Albel walked past the houses lining the streets. They were all so quaint with their windows glowing in candle light. It sort of made him wish he had had one night like that inside a peaceful home bathing in the warmth. But unfortunately, his life was never like that nor would it ever be. He moved on averting his gaze to the castle.
The castle gates were open oddly. Albel just walked in approaching the beautiful interior that was Castle Aquaria. Now was the challenge of finding Nel and Adray in this large place. He could see that the hallways were filled with an endless amount of doors leading to an equally large amount of rooms.
"Isn't this going to be fun," mumbled Albel sarcastically.
He entered the left hallway starting his search. I can't just barge into all these rooms. There has to be an easier way to locate her without accidently walking in on something I don't wanna see. His train of thought was interupted by a lone runologist heading down the hall from the stairs. The runologist saw Albel and gasped.
"What are you doing in here?" she (the runologist) asked in surprise. "Get out, intruder!"
"Don't you know who I am?" said Albel calmly.
"You're dead!"
"That's a laugh. Finally, some action."
Albel pulled out the Crimson Scourge as the runologist started to prepare a spell. She released an Ice Needles spell which Albel dodged easily. He rushed at the runologist promptly shoving her into a door instead of just slashing her in two.
"You can do better than that, can't you?" Albel asked smiling in his evil way.
The door he had shoved the runologist into opened to reveal two more runologists who looked quite surprised.
"Do you mind?" asked one of them. "We are discussing an important matter and would like peace."
"Who's that?" the other one inquired.
"Intruder!" said the first runologist of the entire bunch. "Show no mercy!"
"This is enjoyable," Albel said smiling even more.
The old lust for battle has come back. I guess they haven't poisoned my mind after all.
Meanwhile elsewhere in the castle, Nel calmly walked down the marble hallway. She was heading for her room to turn in for the night. She reached for the doorknob when she heard a peculiar sound. There was screaming and the sounds of spells being set off. There was slashing sounds as well.
"What in the world?" Nel asked searching for the sounds.
Nel cautiously walked along the walls until she reached the corner leading into the left hallway. Suddenly, something large flew into the wall across from her. It was a fellow runologist with a bleeding slash on one of their arms.
She was tempted to help, but instead peered around the corner. To her surprise, it was Albel Nox fighting a small group of runologists.
(Back to him...) Albel dodged yet another spell. More runologists had come out to stop him but they were doing a rather poor job of it. He had already managed to knock out three of the eight that had challenged him. He had even left a slash on one of them. I might as well go easy on them. They are helpless worms that need a little charity.
Albel grabbed a runologist by their shirt collar. He threw him against the wall headfirst. He retaliated against an oncoming physical attack from another with a backwards sword thrust. He heard a scream and knew he had landed the blow.
He prepared to strike the runologist he had just thrown on the ground; he was done with his charity.
"Stop this!" yelled a voice.
Albel stopped in midstrike and turned around to see Nel. She was obviously furious.
"Oh, hello. I've been searching for you," he said putting up his sword.
"What are you doing? Do you have to cause a scene everywhere you go?" she scolded staring him straight in his blood red eyes.
"The castle guards thought I was an intruder and attacked. So, I played along."
"You can't kill people just for fun! You really haven't changed."
"Lady Nel!" exclaimed one of the runologists. "What shall we do to him?"
"Nothing. Go take care of the wounded. I'll deal with him."
"Yes, Lady Nel."
They remaining guards followed their orders while Nel continued to confront Albel.
"You make me so furious! I can't believe I ever traveled with you to save the universe and not have killed you out of my frustration!" she continued to yell.
"You, kill me? You dream big, Zelpher."
"Your attitude, your ways, your bloodthirsty nature, your everything! I can't stand it!"
Nel stood still staring at he ground. She was shaking with rage. Her fists were tightened. All of this amused Albel. He couldn't restrain himself from laughing. He laughed loudly. He laughed continually. He laughed in his evil way of laughing. She couldn't take it anymore.
Nel pulled out her daggers, the Blades of Ryusen. Before he could react, she stabbed Albel in his side. He immediately stopped laughing and screamed for a second slowly sinking toward the ground until he was standing on one knee.
"Cheap shot," he muttered through his pain.
"Nel, stop this fighting now," ordered a female's voice.
Nel glanced toward the stairs and gasped. Albel was too preoccupied to look for himself who it was.
"Your Majesty!" she said.
The Queen of Aquaria, Aquaria XXVII, walked down the stairs with her face in a serious demeanor. She looked quite displeased with what she saw.
"Your Majesty, I was just-"
"I can see what you have done, Nel. And I must say I am disappointed with what I see."
"I am sorry. I was just so frustrated. I mean it's him-"
"That is no excuse. You two may have a bit of a rivalry going on, but that is no reason to resort to violence. You've just sunk down to his level of doing things."
Nel perked up at those words. She quickly pulled her dagger out of Albel's side and walked, almost running, away out of sight. She seemed to be hiding something on her way out but had disappeared too fast. Albel stood back up with his right hand over his bleeding wound.
"Can I assist you?" asked Aquaria XXVII.
"I don't need your help," he mumbled walking off.
He couldn't believe he had spoken to the Queen of Aquaria the way he had. But he really didn't care as she was not his queen. She was not his ruler. He was tired of charity.
Albel had remembered where the guest room was, at least. He went inside and sat on the bed. He slowly moved his hand away from the gash. His hand was covered in blood.
"At least there isn't blood on my clothing," he said. "At least not yet anyway."
He sighed.
"Why am I even bothering to bring everyone back together? They can't help us win. We don't even need their help anyway. With the runologists and the military of Airyglyph, we will easily vanquish that Greeton scum. But still... I'll just forget about this. I'll just have to go back to the king and say I couldn't get any cooperation which is sort of true. Look at Zelpher, here. She actually had the nerve to stab me right in front of my face. Should've seen it coming."
He heard the slight creaking of the guest room door opening. Albel saw that it was from Nel.
"I knew I'd find you in here," she said shutting the door behind her. "Are you okay?"
"I'm still bleeding. Do you think I'm fine?"
"Look, I came to say I was sorry. I let my anger control me. Even if you are you, I didn't have the right to stab you."
"Well, if that's it-"
"I'm not done. How's your wound?"
She didn't wait for him to answer. Nel walked over to his side and saw for herself.
"I see I overdid it. Let me help."
"I don't need your charity."
"You know you want my help. You just won't admit it."
And she was right. Albel secretly did want someone to heal this wound. He wasn't going to tell anyone, though.
"Hold still."
"Didn't I just say I didn't want your help?"
"I am helping you no matter what you say. I have to pay you back somehow."
Nel waved her hand in the air in a pattern. The ends of her fingers glowed in a holy light. She ran them across his wound making him flinch a bit in pain. After the light vanished, the wound was completely gone.
"There. You can have this back," she said handing him the communicator.
"Where did you get this from?"
"I snuck it when I left. I've seen these before. Some girl named Welch Vineyard and the Guild Master use them."
"What did you do with it?"
"I called some old friends."
Can this women read minds or something?
"What did you call the others for?"
"Help, of course. Why did you have the communicator?"
"None of your business."
"Does this have to do with that nightmare? I remember before you didn't want anything from the others at all."
She is a mind reader. I feel so violated.
"Well, I know you want them here. Like it or not, they are arriving in the next day or two. You are welcome to stay here until they arrive. Good night."
Nel left the room probably heading for her room. Albel continued to just sit on the bed. Well, at least my job is done. But how did she know how to use this thing? I don't really care right now. Might as well just get some sleep. He layed down on a pillow and closed his eyes.
The next morning, he heard a little commotion outside of the room. A maid walked in suddenly.
"Oh, I didn't know there was someone in here," she said. "You're missing all the excitement outside. It seems old allies have just come back to help in this war. They are in the White Dew Garden upstairs."
That chapter was a little long but I had to make up for that last shorter chapter. The action is coming very soon. (I mean it!) Well, I gotta go and start on Chapter V. Please leave a review. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and overall story!