Disclaimer: SOTET belongs to Square/Tri-Ace

A/N: Warning about the battle, there's not much romance but there are some pairings in here. The battle is done badly so my apologies. Not much else I could say but all the pairings are in this part.

PART 15

Nel looked at him, his face filled with sincerity. She could not longer find a wrap upon words.

"Is this what you were doing? This Ring?"

Cliff nodded to her, waiting for her answer.

She looked around, trying to read all the faces with eyes right upon her and Cliff. Her face tinged a red, more unsure then ever.

Mirage nearly broke down and cried beneath her strong and serious visage. She silently bit her lip, not sure what to think anymore. She had thought about Cliff and now he had asked Nel for her hand in marriage.

'I thought…How could you do this to me? All those things and everything we've gone through. I didn't…I should have known.'

She released her grip upon Peppita but Peppita did not move for she was surprised very much herself.

Albel's furious red eyes, penetrated the very irises of Nel, his upper lip twinged. His breath came out slow and heated, his claw doing the same as it folded and unfolded, trying to find a grip upon reality.

His thoughts centered on Nel and Cliff, especially the fact that in his opinion Cliff wasn't worthy of Nel. He wouldn't have ever believed that they would go this far just to spite him; there was an anger building within him.

There was a soft tug upon his hand and he whipped around to bite off the head of whomever it was that dared touching him at this crucial moment. His eyes dipped in hatred had blinked only to stare at Sophia's soft sage eyes. She merely only looked at him and the blazing fury that was his rage had calmed. And he had become collected again.

Though he could see the panging sadness that he caused when he became angry by seeing Nel and that wave of unhappiness was the look not for him, for Fayt perhaps, not for him.

Her bottom lip was pronounced within a pout, swelling soft as more internal sadness bore inside. Her eyebrows were knitted in such a fashion that was a look that would attempt to push away the building tears for the time being.

He took this chance to steal a touch of her lips upon his own, by bring her to face him. He guided her arms around his neck, using his claw to tilt her chin to face him. He bent down, slowly pressuring her lips while she tenderly held back on a thin string that was so small, that he would protect.

Albel slipped his arms around her slender waist, bringing her closer to him. He felt a single tear grace his cheek, a tear that was hers that he brushed away like it was nothing at all.

Fayt had been searching for Sophia and knew exactly when she had entered. He first assumed that Albel had found her and there was some point of convincing to return but immediately he noticed their joined hands.

He passed it off as nothing, just as Sophia being who she was and the way she used that gesture toward everyone. But now that he had been watching the two, their joined lips had started as surprise but grew into angry confusion.

'What did Albel do to her? She was so innocent and sweet; she was mine. It's not her fault. Albel must have forced her. Why would he do this to poor Sophia? He never liked her before. Why now? He always had Nel but Nel knew Cliff was better for her then Albel was. But Sophia was so smart, how could she not know? Even Nel knew that Albel was bad news.

Sophia…what did he do to you? You're kissing someone else; you're not supposed to kiss anyone other then me. You were meant for no one else and as children you would always cling to be around me, but now you're so far away and I can't reach you. You're slipping away…oh please Sophia…come back to me…'

In Nel's look around to examine the faces of all depending on her answer, she saw Albel. Not only that but she had been quickly replaced by of all women, Sophia. Her eyes widened and her hand gripped into a fist at her side and she couldn't look away.

No one would have noticed Albel and Sophia if everyone had not been watching Nel so intently to see that she was absorbed in some scene in another direction. They all turned to see Lord Albel, Albel the Wicked, kissing a girl in full public view.

Cliff had turned his head and cringed to see Sophia and what she was doing and of all people expected, Albel's lips pressed upon hers. His face pulled in to a look of grotesque disgust.

And the silence was only canceled when Maria laughed, "Now, it's time. Everything's ready. Fayt, you neglected to tell Sophia that this would happen upon this alignment of galaxies in the universe, today."

Fayt blinked, taking his gaze off Sophia and looked at Maria, "What?"

Sophia broke her kiss with Albel, turning to look at Maria. She held onto Albel's hand for ground so that she would not fall, "Maria? I don't understand. What's going on?"

"Today, at this moment, the universe in the form of a special symbological circle. Though no one should be affected, since the three of use contain a symbol permanently genetically inside of us, we are. The symbol is a combination of the three of ours, one that will kill the weakest of the three. That person is you, Sophia."

Fayt pointed out, "Wait…Maria! We weren't sure that it was even going to be her. It could be one of us!"

Sophia fell back, leaning against one of the columns. Albel let Sophia down comfortably upon the floor.

He stood up, "Worm, what have you done to her?"

"It has merely begun. Soon I should be feeling stronger and Fayt will join me at my side so that our power may increase. This alignment happened at our birth so that they were able to put the symbols in and now it has occurred again to be taken out or kept. And I choose to take yours, it may kill you but we were never clear upon those effects if one were to 'hypothetically' do so."

"Maria, you can't do that! You can't take her strength on purpose, that's not right. And I won't join you."

Maria looked at Fayt, her hand outstretched towards him. Her eyes flickered with a familiar burning look that she had used through out the entire return trip to Elicoore II.

Fayt nodded, "Maria, I will join you and your power so that we may rule. Sophia, my great apologies but your death is a necessity if you don't come with us."

Maria glared at him, cursing Fayt's mercy especially when it came to a certain soft brunette. She was going to drain Sophia of whatever little power she had to increase her own. She wanted to be at the same level of Fayt so they would be completely compatible. She found that taking Sophia's force was more convenient then any other thing to do, Sophia would die and Fayt would be forced to go to the closest thing and she would be more powerful. She won either way.

She walked toward Sophia with disdain, her hand already starting to seethe with the symbol of alteration, glowing in her palm.

Sophia mumbled, "No…I can't…it's not right." Her voice sounded like a weak tone, echo of her normal whine.

Albel stepped in front of Sophia, "If anyone's going to have her power, it's me." He growled at Maria, drawing his katana quickly and leaning into the ground. The curved metal was swift with anger but had not seemed to affect Maria at all.

And for a brief moment he was confused, but in the next it had become clear to him. A brief burst of red flooded the area; the darker shade was his own. Just as the pain excruciating, he heard the lessened stoic words of, "Dimension Door."

And he lay limp, against one of pedestals, his body weak and unable to move, "Damn you worm."

His crimson eyes drew to Sophia who had a hand, touching her forehead. Maria of who it belonged to was searching her body for the gene, taking her life slowly in the process. He groaned softly, his vision blurring until the pain was gone.

Nel ran towards him, "Albel!" She cried out to him, slowly making a healing symbological spell that only sealed his wounds and no more. She gently caressed the top of his hair, slowly brushing through with her fingers.

Cliff walked towards Fayt, "Now, I don't know what's goin' through your head but I'm gonna stop you right now." With his gauntlets in handy he stood in front of Fayt.

Mirage sauntered to his side, muttering to him through the tears spilling from her eyes, "Like old times?" She had her fists up, her back turned to him while she faced the direction of Maria.

There had been a power increase in the two melee fighters, a soft giggle commentary, "And don't forget me!" Peppita had spun in the background, laughing, "Another battle!"

Adray accompanied Clair out, "The guests need a real guardian, that's me. You guys can handle them."

Roger following closely behind, "Yeah! With all the training that I've given you, this should be no problem." He said, winking at them and scuttling off at Adray's and the guests' heels.

Mirage quickly jumped in the air, her feet moved quickly to slap away Maria from Sophia's near death. She landed with ease; she held her position, just daring Maria to come forward.

Peppita smiled, continuing her dance, skipping over to Nel for a moment.

Nel had bits of water fleeing from her eyes as she murmured, "Albel…come on. Get out of there, we could really use your help."

But Albel stayed motionless in the pool of pain that was his blood.

Cliff had started his pelt of punches upon Fayt, but Fayt under his tutelage was able dodge every single attempt at a hit. "Damn you, kid. When'd you get so good?"

"I've watched you fight before. I know exactly what you're going to do." With an air of smugness he said.

Fayt held his palm out, sending waves of electricity through Cliff but Cliff was able to stand his ground for the time being, though slowly swaying now.

Cliff's moves became sluggish, and he swung his blade overhead, almost smirking, "I used to think you were so much more powerful. I looked up to you but you're just weak."

He stopped; using a brief moment he paused to gather enough momentum for the finishing blow.

Cliff used this, using his upper body strength to fling his two legs upwards at Fayt's chest. He made contact, sending him flying through the air.

"That move, I learned from my partner, Mirage."

Fayt, wiped the blood from his lips, "No…" He mumbled, "I'm not going to lose to you." White wings erupted from his back, the large circular pattern that all recognized to be destruction had appeared from the tip of his head to around his body.

He sent the enter blow towards Cliff, passively angry. And Cliff, fell back, in a near death state against the wall. Albel was only a few feet down from his point.

Mirage turned back to glance at them, "No Cliff!" She called out but her voice was cut short by Maria's shot at her cheek.

"Don't turn around." She said, running up to Mirage quickly. A blue luminescent shadow followed her legs, kicking Mirage upwards. She pulled out her gun quickly, aiming at her limp body, shooting her directly into the wall, nearest Cliff. "It distracts you making you vulnerable."

Mirage mumbled, taking Cliff's hand in her own, "I failed you." Her eyes closed, too. Cliff turned his head lightly to her, watching her head loll. He laughed softly, though it hurt him to do so, "Ya know, I always did love that about you. All about the job, but you didn't fail me. I failed you…"

Peppita laughed, nervously, "Uh oh…"

Maria had completely disregarded Peppita, not caring about such a weak force. She returned to take the rest of Sophia's life.

Fayt held Peppita still, making sure she didn't try to aid the three or call for any help whatsoever.

Suddenly Maria felt a dead weight, pin her back to the ground. Her eyes were slashed, blood slipping down her cheeks, "You should taken your own advice."

Nel was angry; "I'm going to kill you for hurting Albel."

Fayt blinked, "Peppita, could you tell me why I was holding you again?"

"It was just a game of cops and robbers. You were a robber and now you're a cop again. We have to get the last one, she's over there; it's Maria, she's playing, too."

Maria held her bleeding eyes, Nel standing up to look at Fayt, "She seems to have been controlling you emotions with her eyes though I don't quite understand how."

He nodded, "Ah…" He didn't smile while he did the last of his work. He grabbed Maria's collar, his hand lingered over her body while he waited for the charged time it took to use this spell. "Explosion," was the last he said before finally dropping Maria's limp and deathly damaged body.

Nel sighed, walking over to Albel who had stopped breathing, "Albel…you shouldn't have had to do that. It was my fault…I wish I could have told you that I loved you sooner."

Peppita checked the pulses of Mirage and Cliff. Mirage had died from the jagged rock her back had landed on and loss of blood. And many of Cliff's major organs were too damaged beyond repair. Mirage had taken Cliff's hand but it looks as if Mirage's hand had gone limp but Cliff still held on.

Fayt checked over Sophia. Her breath was ragged, living on the last moments of her life. He stood over her, brushing away her bangs, "I wish things could have been different between us."

Sophia's hand weakly came up to brush his hand, "Don't worry Fayt. Just don't worry." She said, smiling at him one last time.

And he had bent over, giving her one last parting kiss, that he could never have given her earlier before she eternally parted with him.

A/N: I've decided that in a few parts, this story will be completed by I'm debating with myself to continue a sidestory based completely on AlbelxSophia. Either a continuation of this one or just a new one out of the blue. I'm ending this story because no one likes it very much anymore so I might as well put more time into other things. Or I might not make a continuation at all and put all my efforts into a different story. That all depends on reactions I get at the end.

And I actually have a one shot of AlbelxSophia, maybe it's not a one shot. When I wrote it months ago, I planned to stick it in this story but it never worked out. I don't know if I should just post it a one shot or stick it in my debating next story. If I don't put it in my next story. After I fix it up just a little, I can guarentee that it will be a one-shot because there's no use keeping so I might as well use it.

Thanks for reading, please review.