-cries- I'm so loved... I thank all my reviewers for their lovely comments. So here's your reward... Wait... Hang on... I forgot what it was. Oh yeah! -hands out cookies- XD And here's your next chapter. -bows and steps off stage-
Summary: After surviving from near death, Duke Vox comes back. Finding out that Albel was released, he does anything to get him back to do the task he'd wanted to do- Kill. Cliff/Albel.
Rated M for some language, brutal torturing, and attempted rape. You've been warned.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own any characters used in this story. I don't even own a copy of the game. XP
Warning to Albel lovers: -bows- I'm reallyreallyreally sorry for what I make Vox do to him. Please forgive me and don't send flames... -whimpers- I like Albel-sama, too, I swear!
Reviews will be appriciated and rewarded with a new chapter. All flames will be put in my condo's fireplace.
Yuiitsu Kibo- Part Two: Torture
Cliff had both hands handcuffed to a simple wooden chair that was against a stone wall. The leather of his shirt was torn on the left shoulder revealing a cut that wasn't very deep, and his right eye was blackened. He knew he could easily get himself off the chair, but the thought of the multiple guards outside his door, and then the dragons stationed at every possible exit, kept him from doing so. So he was stuck there, just glaring at Duke Vox, who was sitting in a chair directly across from him and against the opposite wall.
"I know you could quite simply just break those pitful restraints," Vox sneered, "so why don't you? Scared of a few dragons?" Getting no answer or reply, he crossed his legs and began to inspect his fingernails. "Albel went up against a dragon, did you know?" He glanced up before continuing to see if Cliff's expression had changed upon talking about the rattailled adult. It hadn't. "Oh yes, I watched. The dragon he was supposed to commune with to get him in the Dragon Brigade didn't accept him. But instead of dying like he was supposed to, his father stepped in and died instead, and Albel walked away with his left arm burned forever. Do you think it's sad?"
The Klausian had actually listened to the story with interest, since he knew Albel didn't like talking about his past, but he didn't let his expression show it. He managed to look bored. "How long do you plan on keeping me here?"
Vox glared at him, the phony politeness finally evaporating. "I did not give you permission to change the subject. And I will keep you until I think Albel has been tortured enough. Then... the real torturing will begin."
"You're going to kill him, aren't you?" Cliff asked as Vox got up.
The Dragon Brigade captain came up and towered over him. "Why would you think that?"
"Why do you hate Albel?"
Vox backhanded him with his right hand, and was pleased to see the white circles on Cliff's cheek where his knuckles had made contact. "Just sit here and worry about your hyde more than his. You can easily get the same fate he will if you don't shut up."
Cliff had kept his head turned until Vox turned and left. He looked around the tiny room sadly, slumping as much as he could in the chair. Don't go looking for me... he silently prayed, Don't have a change of heart...
ixi
Fayt, Mirage, and Nel stood in the doorway that led into Albel's dark room. The curtains were tightly drawn so that not even a crack of light could enter. Albel's form was covered by thick blankets on his bed as he continued to sleep.
"So he still hasn't waken up?" Nel asked quietly.
Fayt shook his head before looking over at the person of topic. "No, not since he passed out yesterday. Even if he did, I think he just rolled over and went back to sleep."
"I still think he didn't stop to take a rest the entire time he was out west looking for a sign of Cliff," said Mirage. "And you should've seen how quick he ate that half of the bun Fayt gave him. It was like he hadn't eaten anything, either." She also looked over at him. "He lost his appetite when he was talking about going to the mountains to search."
"But why would he do that to himself?" Fayt asked.
"Maybe... he cares about Cliff a lot more than he lets on," said Nel. "At least, that's what I gather from his behavior."
Mirage agreed by nodding. "I think so, too. But right now, we should let him sleep. Maria ahould be coming back today with any news from Airyglyph."
"How can I sleep when you three keep getting louder?" All three attentions went over to the bed, to see that Albel was starting to sit himself up. They went to his side.
"So you've finally waken up..." Nel commented.
Albel rubbed his eyes to get rid of the last traces of sleep. "How long was I out?"
"Almost a day," Mirage answered.
"Hm." He looked too sleepy to give any real reply.
Fayt gestured to the pitcher of water on the bedside table. "Do you want something to drink?"
He had opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the sight of someone coming to a stop in the doorway. Everyone turned around to see that Maria had returned.
Her eyes landed on Albel. "How much have I missed?" she asked, putting a hand on her hip.
Mirage smiled. "Not much. Did you find anything?"
Maria let herself in. "Yes. Two or three people noticed several dragons flying over Arias the night Cliff disappeared, heading in the direction of the Mountains of Barr."
Albel looked to Fayt. "No one's searched there, correct?"
Fayt nodded. "We wanted to wait until you were better-"
"Fool!" Albel snapped. "Dragon homeland are in those mountains, so Vox would choose there so he have the upper hand. And the triumph he always brags about was that he's the second to successfully commune with a dragon from the Urssa Lava Caves. He's there, no doubt about it, so why haven't-!"
"Oh shut up Albel," Mirage snapped. "We know, okay? All of us will go tomorrow, because you're not going aloneHello, Sophia."
Sophia had come with a tray of various foods, and proceeded inside upon seeing that Albel was awake. "I thought you'd be hungry..." she said meekly.
Albel looked away. "I'm not hungry."
Mirage turned and glared at him. "You'll eat, even if I have to shove it down your throat."
"You'll get sick your behavior continues," said Nel. There was almost a hint of a smile on her lips as she went on. "And then we wouldn't let you help us look for Cliff."
"Hang on a minute," said Maria, "when he said Vox, did he mean Duke Vox? Didn't he die?"
Fayt watched Sophia put the tray in Albel's lap, who was looking as if he was trying to make it disappear by just glaring at it. "Apparently not. We got a note from him yesterday. He's the one that took Cliff."
"'Took Cliff'?" Maria questioned. "They'd have to kill him in order to take him..." Albel's chewing had slowed.
The Earthling shrugged. "He found a way. And we're gonna get him back."
A loud Shing! was heard, breaking the conversation. They all looked around in a panic, but relaxed as they saw that Nel had a dagger against Albel's bare chest. He had been in the act of taking the tray off his lap, food barely touched.
"You should get your strength," said Sophia, "it's going to be a long day tomorrow."
The Wicked One grudgingly obliged and took a bite from some bread. "Fine. I'll humor you people and eat. Can I eat in privacy?"
iii
It was a brightly lit day, even though grey clouds hid the sun. Mountains cast long dark shadows upon the ground, making many spots colder than the already cold air. There wasn't a hint of movement anywhere, not even from a single baby dragon. There was a faint but chilling wind every few minutes, making the search miserable.
Sophia rubbed the goosebumps on her arms as they came to the fork in the path. "So who goes what way?" Nel was also hugging herself, and Fayt's teeth were chattering.
"Well..." Maria said, contemplating. "Adray, Sophia, Nel, and myself will take the left, and Faty, Albel, and Mirage can take the right."
Mirage looked around. "Are there any objections?" No reply came. "All right. We'll meet back at the Crimson Blade headquarters when we're done. Is that okay, Nel?"
She nodded. "Yes, of course. Let's hurry to find Cliff and get out of this cold."
Albel, who was unphased by the cold, was the first to leave the group. The others took the hint and went on their ways, Fayt and Mirage going to catch up with the Elicoorian.
"So where do you think he is?" Fayt questioned.
The Elicoorian's quick pace never faltered. "Near the caves, no doubt."
They went on in silence. Fayt's chattering teeth eventually ceased as he concentrated more on looking around and less on the cold. Mirage gazed at everything around, looking for a tiny hint of anything that would help. Albel led them up the path, intent on getting to Barr Caves instead of looking around. The higher they went, the colder the air got, and it even seemed to get more silent.
"Don't you think there's something wron-" Mirage said to break the silence, but was cut off.
"It's unnatural," said Albel as they turned a sharp corner. They could tell from the sound of running water that a waterfall was ahead, as well as the entrance to Barr Caves.
When Albel turned the corner and looked up the path, he stopped dead in his tracks.
Both Mirage and Fayt noticed that he had stopped, and jogged up to see what he was. "What is it, Albel?" Fayt asked urgently before turning the corner himself.
Cliff was just stepping off the log that went across the little river the waterfall was making. His brised eye was now a lovely shade of purple, and his cheek was red as if he'd been recently punched or slapped. The tear on his shoulder revealed a long cut. He looked tired, and yet surprised to see them standing there. But it was the person staying close behind him that had everyone's attention.
"I had heard that you were on your way to come find me, so I decided to save you the hassle by just meeting up with you," said Duke Vox. An evil smirk went on his lips as he looked upon Albel. "It's good to see you."
Albel glared as Vox made Cliff stop before going downhill. "Likewise..."
"Why did you take Cliff?" Mirage yelled.
Vox grinned. "After being stuck in one place, in hiding, for so long, I only wanted to have some fun. But I would've had more fun if it had been someone else..." His eyes landed maliciously on Albel.
"So what would it take to get Cliff back?" Fayt asked.
It was while Albel was inspecting the Klausian's condition when their eyes met. They locked there, and Albel realized that he couldn't look away.
"Have you ever heard the term 'equivalent exchange'?" Vox said, staring at Albel (who was oblivious).
Albel finally tore his eyes away when he saw the fear rising in his features. "Fine," he said quietly.
"No!" Cliff shouted, speaking for the first time while in their presense, "Don't do it, Albel-!"
The Glyphian shot a glare at him. "Shut up, Cliff!" he spat. His attention went again to Vox. "Fine, only if it will free him."
Vox shoved Cliff toward them, making him almost fall. A smirk was on his face; fear was etched everywhere on Cliff's. Albel stared up the hill to go with Vox to go where ever he was to be held.
"Albel, stop!" said Fayt. Cliff had come down beside him to look on as Albel went.
The rattailed adult slowly went on, never taking his eyes off Vox. When he was close enough, Vox reached out and jerked on his wrist to hurry him up. Vox began laughing, a laugh that could haunt dreams it sounded so evilly happy.
"Very brave of you, to come so willingly," he sneered at Albel.
Cliff made a step forward, putting on a face of determination. Both Fayt and Mirage reached out and grabbed his wrists to stop him. Albel had heard gravel move, so he turned his head to look at Cliff.
"Don't you dare come looking for me," he said grimly, staring right at the Klausian.
Vox broke their eye contact by shoving Albel further away from them. "It's time to go. Say good bye to your friends... because you'll never see them again." His laugh echoed off the mountains surrounding them.
"I don't care what you say!" Cliff yelled as Vox pushed Albel across the log, "I'll come for you, and you'll come back alive! I promise..."
The tree watched as Vox made Albel go past the waterfall and head further up the path. Cliff fell to his knees as Albel disappeared, staring after him in disbelief.
Fayt turned to Cliff. "Are you alright? How bad are our wounds?" he asked urgently.
"I'm fine..." Cliff said weakly, "but Albel won't be... He shouldn't have come for me, he wouldn't be in Vox's dirty hands if..."
Mirage put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't take the blame, Cliff, beacause it's not yours to have. Come on, we need to get to Arias to check you out." Cliff didn't budge. "We'll come back for him," she said more softer, "he'll be alive when we comw, just like you promised. But we need to make sure you're okay before we go get him."
Cliff sighed as he got to his feet. "All right. He is strong, and he's too stubborn to die easily... I just hope he's strong enough..."
ixi
It was completely black outside when the two dragons made silent-as-can-be landings in the back of Castle Airyglyph. No light came from anywhere inside, but rather came from the vibrant stars and crecent moon. Albel had been sat between two Dragon Brigade soldiers on one dragon, while Vox rode alone and had led the way on his.
"Is it wise to be coming here?" Albel asked after Vox dismounted, "everyone still thinks you're dead."
Vox smirked at him as he watched his two subordinates hastily get Albel off the dragon. "No one will know I'm here, and no one will know that your dying corpse will be just in the dungeons. We'll be mere ghosts, only for the time being." The soldiers brought Albel toward Vox. "I will supposedly come back from the dead and rise quickly to become king, while you will be found in your own bed, and records will say that you had starved yourself to death, any any wounds you die with will all be caused by a great battle you had." He smiled. "Is that lie good enough, or should I make it more to your liking?" The smile faded as all he got was a glare. "Take him down and shackle him. I see he's going to be difficult. Oh, and Nox- don't worry, the fun will begin very shortly..."
ixi
Cliff awoke to singing birds the next morning. Even though he had just opened his eyes, he already felt wide awake. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to get the image of Vox brutally torturing Albel from his sight. Then he noticed the bandages on his bare shoulder and was thankful that it had been treated.
It was only a few minutes later when he waltzed into the briefing room, still only half dressed. At the furthest end of the long table sat Nel and Clair, still deep in quiet conversation and didn't notice him come in. Mirage and Fayt were closet to the door, and clearly looked happy to see him standing there.
"Good morning!" said Mirage, "did you sleep okay?"
The blonde took the empty seat beside Fayt while scratching the back of his head. "No. I kept having nightmares."
"I don't mean to get to business as soon as you get up, but what exactly happened while Vox had you?" Fayt asked.
"It's all right," Cliff sighed, "I was wanting to talk about it anyway." He noticed in the corner of his eye that Nel and Clair had stopped conversing and were listening. "When I left the tavern, I went to the Palmira Plains. It started raining, and he came up to me. Four of his soldiers grabbed me. You should've seen it- the entire dragon Brigade was there. I was taken to a section of the Ruins of Barr that is sealed from the rest of the ruins." He paused to think of what to say next. "He kept asking me questions- stuff about Albel. I never told him anything, so he got frustrated and liked hitting me..."
"What sort of stuff did he ask you?" said Fayt.
"Hmm..." he mumbled as he tried to remember specifically. "Like, what's Albel's weakness, where is he hiding, that sort. I was half expecting him to ask me what size underwear he wears." He smiled at his own joke, but it faded as he saw that the others didn't find it the least bit funny.
"Do you think Albel is being kept in the ruins?" Nel aske thoughtfully.
Cliff shook his head. "Vox took him further up the mountain rather than going into the caves. The dragons were up there, so he must've been taken someplace else."
"We have no clues..." Clair said sadly. "This is bad..."
Fayt stood. "Don't talk like that. We'll find him, no matter what. We found Cliff, so we'll definately find Albel." He looked down at Cliff. "Right?"
Cliff nodded. "So... While I was gone, did I miss anything?" He watched Mirage and Fayt glance at each other, and Nel looked to Mirage. "What...?"
Mirage leaned forward and rested her chin on her hands while Fayt took his seat. "All of us split up to search for you, but Albel was the only one that went alone. When we were done, we were to meet back in Peterny. Albel decided to look around the border of the Sanmite Republic, which as you know includes the Mosel Dunes."
"Okay..." Cliff said. Worry was starting to form in the back of his mind.
"He came back two days later- pretty quick, if you ask me." Fayt continued. "He came up to us, and he seemed fine. But he passed out after he received a note from Vox, telling that he had you. We think that while he was searching for the slightest clue of you, he did't eat or even rest."
"Why would he do that..." Cliff mumbled more to himself than them. He noted that deep down, a hope was rising.
"He was asleep for a good twenty four hours, and ate everything we gave him after he woke up, so I'm sure out assumption is true, " said Mirage. "But when he found out that no one had checked the mountains, he was pretty eager to go..."
Cliff's head whipped around when Fayt started talking. "We think he has feelings for you, Cliff," he said quietly, "a lot more than he'll admit to. It might explain why he gave himself up to set you free."
A silence followed, a think silence where everyone was in deep thought about what was just said.
Feelings...? How
"It makes you a freak."
A lie... A cover up... to hide the truth...
He slowly slide across the table, burying his head in his arms.
"Cliff?" Mirage questioned softly.
His head raised up, the traces of a faint smile on his lips. "Thanks for telling me." The four of them looked at his curiosly. After a moment, he watched Mirage smile as if she understood. "When can we start looking?"
"Tomorrow, if you wish," said Mirage.
Cliff raised from his seat. "Of course." He winked. "And I have a hunch that we'll find him alive."
ixi
Albel stared around at the wet stone walls the shackles across from him. Of course he recognized this place- it was the same exact spot he had been in only a year ago, held there for treson. He stared blankly at the wall, half wishing to know wheter it was light or dark outside, the other half wishing for his flowing hair to get off the back of his sweaty neck. Before he had been shackled to the wall, Vox had ordered his soldiers to take the bindings from his hair to "make sure he wasn't hiding anything". He estimated it to be his second night spent here, before his stomach gave an angry growl.
The heavy wooden door creaked open. Vox came striding inside like he was just appointed king. He smirked as his eyes landed on his prized prisoner. "Looking well, I see. But do you feel the same as you look?"
Crimson eyes glared darkly. There was a shallow cut on his right cheek from the night before, and there was also a yellow bruise on his shirtless abdomen.
Vox shut the door behind himself. "Not going to talk? Very well." He began to slowly pace in front of Albel, never losing eye contact. "You look cold," he said, noticing the goosebumps on his body and hardened nipples. "Would you like your shirt back?" Silence. "...Fine." Pacing continued.
Albel never took his eyes off Vox. He was ready to brace himself when danger started to loom ahead. His eyes fell to Vox's waist, and noticed a long broadsword sheathed there, unlike last night. His attention went left to the most moist and dark corner, where his beloved Crimson Scourge had been thrown aside.
His attention was instantly brought back to Vox when he felt thick fingers running down his stomach. His muscles tensed.
"I asked you a questioned, Nox," Vox growled, "answer me."
Albel smirked. "Whatever the question was, I wouldn't answer anyway."
A hard punch landed directly where the bruise was, making his legs buckle and his face wince. "You arrogant fool," Vox spat, "you need to realize that power is completely out of your hands now, or I shall make your death longer than it has to be."
The younger adult coughed before being able to reply. "It'll take a lot to kill me, Vox..." he said weakly, "you should know that."
Vox slapped him, making his head whip to the side." How dare you be sarcastic with me." He stared at Albel, pure hatred and disgust in his eyes, before turning to leave.
"This..." said Albel, standing up and looking over at Vox, "is nothing. Where's the real torturing? I know you want to do more than just slap me..."
Vox opened the door before looking back. "We'll see if you'll say the same thing as time progresses."
ixi
Cliff paced about the conference room, waiting paciently. Albel had been taken two days ago, and as each day ended, more worry weighed on his shoulders. Mirage and Fayt had given the order to start the search today, so he had been the first one ready to go. His arms were tightly crossed across his broad chest, his head down and staring at the ground.
He heard footsteps behind him at the doorway. Turning, he saw that Mirage had arrived. Her blonde hair was in a braid behind her, and a smile was on her lips.
"I thought you'd already be ready," she said as she entered the room.
Cliff had fully paused his pacing to look at her. "Ho-?"
She cut him off before he could even start. "Because I know you that well, Cliff." She waited for a reply, but only a stare came. "The way you've been acting for a while now... Staring out into space; the 'coming out of the closet' surprised me more than you'll ever know; you've paced around a lot since you got back..." Her eyes went to the ground as she got quieter. "The way you looked at him... It all adds together, Cliff." She looked back up at him. "Do you deny it?"
He stared at her wit hsad eyes. That's all he could do as she said aloud the puzzle pieces, and each one depressed him even more. Sighing, he went over and plopped down in the nearest chair. "No, I don't."
She also sat down, this time smiling again as Sophia, Nel, and Clair filed in. "You sound like you're proud of it."
"No..." he said as newcomers came and sat quietly to not disturb the ongoing conversation. "I did a lot of thinking while I was with Vox. Love isn't something that a person can just brush off or deny." His eyes went to the table. "... I'm not proud of it, but I guess it couldn't be helped, either."
Fayt cleared his throat, snapping Cliff out of his thoughts before he could drown in them. "I do hate to butt in, but we need to start this search unless we wanna find his corpse in a ditch somewhere."
Mirage stood, ready to lead. "Right. Just like we did with Cliff, we're gonna split into groups of two. It's highly unlikely that he'll be in Aquios, so I'm only sending you, Adray."
Adray nodded. "Fine by me. I'll depart right now." He disappeared from sight.
"Nel and Sophia, you check the Mosel Dunes and the surrounding area. Ask around in Surfrero while you're there to see if anyone's seen anything." She watched them leave. "Fayt, Maria, you take Kirlsa. There're some Black Brigade soldiers that've flocked here that're loyal to Albel, so I'm sure they'll gladly work with Woltar." She turned to Cliff, who was still sitting. "You're coming with me. We're going to Airyglyph."
ixi
Hunger ate mercilessly at his insides, lusting for food. Even what little saliva in his mouth seemed dry due to thirst. His lips were chapped as well. His eyes were bloodshot; he refused to sleep, in case Vox came in to sneak a beating. He could tell from the pain that even the most shallow cuts on his arm and abs were getting infected from the lack of attention and the moisture in the ait that never went away. His legs had given out from weakness only a few hours ago.
An ironic smile went on his lips at the thought of being weak. Something I thought I could never admit to being...
The door slammed open, Vox hurridly walking in with a deep scowl on his face. Albel instantly noticed that the broadsword wasn't hanging off his hip like the last visit. Vox's eyes landed on the Glyphian and didn't shine in glee.
"What's wrong," Albel said with a cracked voice, "someone disobey and order?"
Vox put all the strength he could into the slap that made Albel's neck crack. "How dare you be sarcatic with me while in such a weak state!" A smirk formed on his face when he saw Albel flinch at the word 'weak', even though his face was lowered and bangs were covering his face. "I saw that..." he sneered. "Don't like being called weak?" He laughed. "You should see yourself now, Albel. Your legs have given out, you're hungry and thirsty, and all your weight is hanging off your weak arms. You look pathetic." His hand went under Albel's chin to make him tilt his head up. "I'd like for you to look at me when I'm talking to you..." He received a dark glare, but he kept his head up when the hand was taken away.
"My, such a difference..." He let the thought linger to leave his prisoner clueless. "You look at me with such distaste and hate in your eyes, but I noticed how they lit up when you saw that your friend was still alive. Lit up so much, in fact, it was if you're more than just friends...
His words left a dent in Albel's mind, but he wasn't about to let that show. What're you getting at?" he growled.
Vox smirked. "It's as if you feelings for a man, Albel." He got down and was inches away from Albel's face. "Has the great Albel the Wicked tuned gay, perhaps?"
Even with his foggy mind, he knew he had to choose his word lightly. There was one thing he was itching to say, but he knew it'd get him in trouble.
"I'd never do such a things. Your mind plays tricks, dumb bastard."
Fury flashed across Vox's features before his knee came up and smashed Albel's. A short yell came from the Glyphian as he fought the chains to try and curl into a ball and make the pain go away. Vox laughed at his pain. "You shouldn't disrespect me... you'll pay dearly."
Albel was gasping for air as Vox left and shut the door behind himself. He strained to get his breathing under control even though the angry throb between his legs hadn't gone away. Once he was sure his enemy was gone, a smirk went on lips. It was followed by a chuckle, then a deep laugh.
"... So what if I am?"
ixi
"Have you seen anything out of the ordinary the past few days?"
"Seen any suspicious looking dragons flying about lately?"
"Has anyone been entering and exiting the castle frequently?"
Cliff sighed angrily, running his fingers through his hair. "This is too frustrating..." he groaned, "There isn't any sign of Vox here..."
Mirage paced around in front of where he was sitting on the ground. They had decided to meet up at the entrance to the waterway. "It doesn't make sense..." she mumbled as she thought aloud, chewing lightly on her thumbnail. "I was sure there'd be clue here..."
"I'm sure Vox is kepping low profile," said Cliff, looking up at her. "This 'Great Comeback' he's most likely planning is going to hit hard. People'll think he came back from the dead, so he might even become king-"
"Exactly!" she exclaimed. "So I thought he'd be here..."
Cliff looked up to the starry sky. He stayed silent to let the both of them think. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, but it didn't calm his nerves the least bit.
"... I think he is here."
Mirage stopped her pacing to look down at his dreamy expression. Once staring at him, she smiled. "All right. We'll continue looking tomorrow. Maybe we should check-"
She was interupted, however, by what sounded like a phone ringing in her pocket. She took it out and pushed a button to turn it on. "Did you find anything, Maria?" She paused to listen. "Not a single clue, huh?" she said disheartedly, not looking at Cliff anymore. "I see. When you're done, get everyone to come to Airyglyph. We're sure that we'll eventually dig some stuff up... Yes, okay." She pushed a different button to cut the connection. "Maria and Fayt are coming to help, and she's going to get Albel's soldiers to get inside the castle hopefully tomorrow."
Cliff was still looking at the stars, keeping his true feelings of fear to himself.
She came and sat beside him once pocketing the phone. "We'll find him soon, and you're going to keep that promise by finding him alive. I promise you that."
ixi
Albel guessed that it had been two days since Vox's last visit. He wasn't sad about it, though- he was more glad than anything. Everytime he tried to stand so all his weight wouldn't be on his arms, they merely trembled and instantly gave out. His stomach had stopped growling, but a dull pain had taken its place. The slightest sounds that came from the outside awaoke him from the light sleep he kept falling into. He stared at the opposite wall as usual with dull eyes.
You're looking for me, aren't you maggot? You're so stupid, you'll never think of looking here... Then again, probably no one will... They're all stupid...
He hated how bitter his thoughts sounded, knowing that he didn't really mean it. Cliff...
His thoughts were interupted by the door opening. His eyes closed, bracing himself for more sneering, slapping, punching... When he opened his eyes, they widened as they fell on what was in Vox's right hand.
Vox smirked as he saw Albel's expression. He brought up his right hand to his face-level, allowing the Wicked One to look closer at the weapon. "Nice, isn't it?" he asked with his voice full of pride. "Dragon leather. It's half an inch thick and wide, and five feet long." He let the whip's tail fall before cracking it off to the side. "Just imagine what it'll do to your soft skin..."
Albel silently gulped, knowing what was coming. His eyes clamped shut when Vox brought the whip up to strike. His mind unconsciously recalled when he had been shot by the Vendeen, how Cliff had been the first at his side, begging for him to talk or give some sign that he was alive-
He cried out in agony, the whip slashing across his torso. Vox's laughter filled the dungeon. "Did that hurt?" He laughed harder when he cracked at the weak Glyphian again, leaving a reddening X on Albel's body.
Albel weakly pulled at his restraints, his eyes watering from the pain as he panted for air. He yelled again as a stripe of sharp pain went on his right arm. Cliff... Don't come for me... I do this so you'll live...
His body was entirely numb after the fifth whip, so he barely felt the sixth cut into his left thigh and rip his skirt. Vox's laughter had finally died out, seeing that the fun was already over. "Does it hurt, Albel the Wicked?" Vox sneered. "Is your body numb from the pain?" He was pleased to see droplets of blood forming on the cuts he had inflicted. Albel hissed as he ran a thick, dirt covered finger down the first cut he made. The reaction made the captain laugh evilly. "Does it sting!" He laughed louder and louder. " 'Albel the Wicked', what a joke. It's rather 'Albel the Weak'."
Unable to feel nothing but the numbing pain, Albel felt his sight get cloudy since Vox had had his fill and left. During his entire torturing, and even now before passing out, he could only think and wish that Cliff wouldn't come to save him from this hell, in fear that he would share the same fate by just trying.
ixi
"WHAT!" Cliff yelled, making the Black Brigade soldiers in front of him wince.
"W-We're sorry, sir," stammered the person who was now in charge of the brigade due to Albel's absence. "No one in the castle has seen a single hint of Duke or Lord Nox, and the Dragon Brigade soldiers stationed at the dungeons say that nothing had been out of the ordinary-"
Cliff whipped around from his pacing in front of the entrance to the aqueducts. It startled everyone there to see such an angry fire in his usually soft blue eyes. "Dragon Brigade soldiers! Of course they'd lie!" He sighed and wiped his face with his large hands. "Did you actually go down there to inspect, or did you take their word as the truth and leave?" Their silence gave him his answer.
Maria stepped forward to come between the Klausian and the now nervous three soldiers. "Cliff, calm down, it's not their fault..."
Maria and Fayt had gotten to Airyglyph the day after they had called, traveling that whole night to come as quick as possible. They had stopped in Kirlsa to round up some soldiers, but some were talking with Woltar to see if he knew anything, others were searching fruitlessly in the mines, while the rest of them were contemplating on what to do without Albel st the head of the Training Facility. A nice number of them had come the day after Maria had arrived -today- and had proceeded to monitor any Dragon Brigade activity in the castle as well as investigate.
"Um, sir?" the soldier to the furthest left inquired lightly. Cliff turned to him. "We tried to go into the dungeons, but they would not allow us to pass..."
"Why didn't you say that in the first place...?" Cliff growled, resuming his pacing. "All right," he said softer, willing himself to calm down. "So if they wouldn't let you down there, then that's where Vox has hidden Albel. Right under the king's nose... Such a risk..." He stopped. "Is there any way to break in?"
The third soldier, who had been silent thus far, shook his head. "No. The castle is filled top to bottom with Vox's army. Their excuse to the king for all being thereis that they're restless with the peace wit hAquaria still in place and want something to do. The king has nothing, so they're stuck."
Cliff thought for a moment longer before speaking. "All right. Thank you, you can go." He watched them bow and head down the hill before looking to Mirage, who had been leaning against the wall inside the entrance to the aqueducts. "I don't know what to do, now. I wanna just bust in there and beat Vox into a bloody pulp, but-"
"Then keep your control in check a little longer," she said softly.
His arms were folded to maintain his body heat from the cold as his pacing continued, this time slower and less tense. The three of them stayed silent, wrapped up in their thoughts. Maria took to going beside Mirage, who had her eyes closed.
"How long can a person live without food or water?" Cliff asked quietly.
Both women thought for a moment. "Two and a half weeks," Mirage answered. "But that's for a healthy person. Keep in mind that Albel wasn't healthy when Vox took him, so then I'd give him two weeks." Her voice went quiet and more grim. "Then take into account that Vox's torturing him most likely. I'd give him a week, a week and a half..."
Cliff stopped pacing to pull at his hair. "He's been down in that fucking dungeon for five days! His time's running out!" His hands came down shaking, his eyes wide as he glared at the castle he was facing. "I have to go get him..."
"Cliff, NO!" the girls yelled, going to stop the Klausian as he walked to go down the hill.
He pushed them gently aside. "No, I gotta go..."
At the bottom of the hill, Fayt noticed what was going on and ran up to help Mirage restrain Cliff. "Yo, wait!" he yelled, pushing Cliff back as hard as he could. "You can't go making rash decisions! Stay put!"
"Think, Cliff," Maria said, "if Vox finds out that you're trying to break in to save Albel, then he could kill him on the spot. And you know Albel- he's a fighter. He's not going to die easily. Just calm down..."
The blonde sighed and Fayt and Mirage let him go. "You're right..." he said, a smile starting to form on his lips, "he won't go down easily... I had forgotten since I've been so worried..." He looked to his friends. "All right. We need a plan."
Mirage smiled. "That's the best thing you've said all day."
Cliff again looked coldly over at the castle he was facing. Wait for me, Albel. I'm coming... soon.
ixi
The Elicoorian was sick of being in constant pain with his whole body numb. He was sick of being cold. He was sick of hanging there and feeling like his poor arms would pop out of their sockets. He was sick of being sleep deprived, now afraid to fall asleep and have Vox whip him for a third time.
New gashes adorned his body, opening old ones from the night before. Vox had left a few hours ago, so he was sure it was dawn by now... He was surprised he hadn't passed out afater his lashing like last time, but didn't give it a second thought. Instead, he had taken to looking down at the deep cut the Dragon Brigade general had left on his lower left leg, pretty sure it was cut to the bone.
Damn you, Vox... his foggy mind conjured, his eyelids heavy, Why can't you just kill me...? Take it all away...
He wasn't sure of when he had closed his eyes, but forced them to open. He found himself staring at a ceiling. Looking around, the whole room was lit by a golen yellow light coming from an open window, hinting that it was either early morning or evening. He was laying in a soft bed and was covered up to his waist with a warm blanket. But the thing he had noticed before all else was what, or rather who, was beside him.
He wasn't really even laying beside Albel, but was more halfway on top of him in a protective sort of way. He was using the younger man's chest as a pillow with his right arm draped across his abs as he slept soundlessly. The light put highlights into his blonde hair and made his face glow and look more handsome.
Albel stared down at Cliff, vaguely wondering how they even ended up like this. He pushed the thought aside, taking interest in studying what he could see of the Klausian's sleeping face. He felt calm, the calmest he had been in a very long time, and his whole body was warm to the core. His right hand came up from resting on Cliff's side to unconsciously run it through silky blonde hair.
He was dimly surprised at himself for not wanting this moment to end...
"Wake UP!"
A hard blow to the stomach made Albel's eyes pop open as he coughed up blood. After he was through with his coughing fit, he spit the blood that hadn't already gotten on the ground and wasn't running down his chin at the first pair of feet he saw. He then realized that there were three pairs of feet and decided to look up.
There stood three Dragon Brigade soldiers laughing their hardest, none of which he recognized. He guessed that all three had just gotten into the brigade recently, since they looked younger than himself.
"What's so funny?" he growled.
The man in the middle, taller than the others and looking more built, controlled his laughter. "Lord Vox had been laughing baout how pathetic you are and how much fun it is to make you scream and inflict pain to you, but now I see why he likes coming here so much!" This made all three of them laugh some more.
Albel rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"
The one to the right, who was the shortest, had bleach blonde hair and was cleanly shaven- unlike the other two. He was without a doubt the most good looking of the three. Pushing the thought aside, Albel glared as he came closer to him.
He had an evil light in his eyes and a mischivious smirk as he stopped a few inches away from Albel's hanging body. His right hand reached out, fingers lightly touching a pale thigh and going further up the slit in Albel's skirt. "Maybe we wanna have some fun..." he purred.
"Hey," called the third soldier, "your type of fun is different from ours, so ours comes first. Get back."
The blonde pouted as he backed off. "What do you want with me?" Albel inquired, feeling uneasy about the soldier that had just touched his leg. He hated to admit it, but the warm trail the man's fingers had left felt wonderful on his frozen thigh.
The middle soldier cracked his fingers, the one on the left starting to smirk. "Oh, just to have a little chat. Any wrong answers, and we make your life even more miserable."
They stared at Albel in silence, seeing if he'd respond. He instead took to summoning some strength from seemingly no where and stood on his feet. He glared at the soldier in front of him, occasionally glancing over at the blonde which made him more nervous than anything.
"You know..." said middle-soldier conversationally, "a person's baody slowly shuts down if it's not fad. I can't imagine how painful it must be for you..." Albel said nothing to this.
"We hear from Lord Vox that you're into men," said the blonde, seeming excited about that particular piece of info, "is it true?" He also got silence. "Especially that big blonde haired one that's been wondering around the city for a few days now. You like him like that?"
Cliff! Albel thought, instantly starting to pay attention. Of course, he wasn't about to let that show.
"I'll come for you, and you'll come back alive! I promise..."
He smirked "Your beloved Lord Vox is delusional. I have no such feelings for that overgrown ox. He's a mere burden on my shoulders and nothing more."
That idiot! He shouldn't be here!
All three soldiers glared at him for the insult to their captain, the one on the left being the one to come up and punch Albel in the left eye as hard as he could, making his head slam back into the stone wall. "How DARE you badmouth Lord Vox!" he yelled.
The blonde smirked as Albel attempted to open his watering eye. "But notice how he didn't deny being gay..." He chuckled, coming close again. "The great Black Brigade captain, Albel Nox, is gay... I thought I could only dream about that..."
Albel tensed up as he felt a warm hand coming to his waist and slipping behind his back. His eyes went as wide as they could, since his left was still watering profusely and swelling, as he felt the soldier's breath on his ear.
"I can't believe this is the one you've fantasized about taking so much..." commented the burly one, "he's weak and pathetic."
The blonde stopped putting butterfly kisses on Albel's neck and turned his head to glare playfully at his friends, other arm slipping around Albel's waist. "So maybe he is now, but he was most excellent in his prime." He turned to stare lustfully at Albel, fire in his icy blue eyes. "And this is the only chance I have to fulfill my fantasies before he leaves forever..."
He wanted nothing more than to beat this kid until he begged for mercy, for his life, but he was stuck watching in horror as the man's eyes lidded over as his face got closer. His mind frantically for a way to keep this guy from raping his weak-enough body; the soldier's lips landed on his as his right hand came down to take his skirt off. He was only able to think of Cliff, being so close to him but unreachable...
The soldier gave a short yell as soon as the Glyphian's knee collided as hard as it could into his groin. His arms unwrapped from Albel's body so he could stumble backwards holding himself. The middle soldier came up and punched his stomach for the second time in retalliation, making him yell and cough up more blood.
Before Vox's henchmen could start yelling at him, the door cracked open, and another Dragon soldier entered halfway. "Get out of here," he said urgently, "they're snooping around again. We need you out here." He disappeared, leaving the door open.
The middle soldier left behind the blonde, hurridly leaving. The third took his time walking up to Albel, who was now back to glaring. "You'll pay for that, Nox, I assure you."
"I've done nothing wrong," Albel said hoarsly.
The soldier smirked. "You're chained to a wall for a reason. You're supposed to be helpless and take everything that's done to you. You violated that rule. In return, you shall feel the same pain as my friend!" As he yelled his last word, he kneed Albel in the nuts, making him groan in pain and lose the strength in his legs. The soldier left laughing loudly, slamming the door shut behind him.
Albel panted, letting the cold air fill his lungs. He waited for the throbbing between his legs to die off, but found that it was taking longer than he wanted. His eyes closed as he went back to thinking. It wasn't the physical pain the soldiers inflicted to him that he really wanted to go away. He felt his heart ache as well for not just lying to Vox's dogs- he had been lying to himself... And he knew it.
ixi
Cliff had left Airyglyph yesterday to go meet up with the rest of the group in Kirlsa. He actually voluteered to go, wanting to have a break from seeing the castle everywhere he went, taunting him to bust in and take Albel out. He fantasized that he'd kill Vox in the process, which made him crack a smile every time it came to mind. He found it nice to be able to breathe warmer air instead of the piercing cold air in the Royal City.
He had gotten to Kirlsa the evening he had left, then endded up waiting for Sophia and Nel, who finally came long after the sun went down. Instead of heading straight back to Airyglyph, they decided to stay at the inn. Cliff had wanted to meet with Woltar to fill him in on what's been happening, but Adray talked him into staying and letting him do it instead. Adray came back a few hours later with the news that Woltar would head to the castle as soon as he could to warn the king of Vox's plans.
So here they were, entering Airyglyph the next morning. There was a light snow falling, making Cliff wish he had a coat or something to keep warm. They continued walking with the Klausian in the lead. Cliff cast a glare at the castle before going to turn onto the street the inn was on.
"Cliff!"
Cliff stopped in his tracks, backing up a srep to look down the street he just turned off of to see who had yelled at him. Fayt, along with a Black Brigade soldier, came running up tp him.
"Has Woltar come?" Cliff asked.
"Yeah," Fayt panted, coming to a stop, "and the king doesn't believe a word he's saying."
Adray cursed. "Why?" Has no one seen Vox sneaking around?"
The soldier shook his head. "No one has. No soldiers of the Storm Brigade, none of the scholars, nobody. And of course Vox's soldier lie about everything..."
"We need someone we can trust to spy around at night and tell if he or she sees Vox..." Nel said thoughfully.
"No," said Cliff. Everyone's attention went to him. "We need a night when security'll be light, and we bust Albel out. Then find Vox and-"
"It's highly doubtful that'll happen," said Fayt. "Vox most likely knows that we're here, so he's gonna have people everywhere in the castle in case of us doing that exact thing."
"I'll keep patrol inside the castle at night," the soldier voluteered. "If security lulls for a single moment, I shall alert you first thing to get Lord Albel."
Nel nodded. "That's good. Go on ahead." Her friends looked at her quizically as the soldier left. "Look. Vox is going to beef up security since we've been combing the castle over daily, so if we lay low..."
The mere idea hit Cliff like a bag of bricks. "All right. Effective immediately. Nel, go with Fayt to go and get Albel's men out of the castle. Sophia, find Mirage and tell her what's going on. Adray, can you go to Woltar and tell him what's going on now?"
Everyone nodded and went on their ways except for Fayt, who stood there with folded arms. "What about you?"
Cliff smiled. "I haven't slept well at all since this first started, so I was hoping to catch up on a bit."
"Oh," said Fayt, "all right, I understand. See ya."
The blonde went down the street he had first intended on going down, heaving a great sigh. "Vox, you bastard... You're gonna pay for this..." he mumbled to the wind. An image from one of his many nightmares of Albel's marred, bloody body hanging in the dungeon, only a few breaths away from death, came to his mind and made him wince.
I'm sorry, Albel... just a little longer...
ixi
Albel had his head tilted back and was staring at the stone ceiling in boredom. He wished he could know how long he'd been chained in the dungeon, and he also vaguely wanted to know whether it was day or not. He was bored with merely thinking all the time, mostly about when Vox would show up next, what he would do to him next, the clueless outside world, where Cliff was...
'Don't you dare come looking for me.'
He instantly felt disgusted at what his last words to the Klausian had been, glaring up at the ceiling as he remembered. It was too cruel...
"I don't care what you say!"
Great fool... He's gonna get himself killed... worrying about me... HIs head came down limply, taking to staring at the ground. Why? asked a faint voice in the bcak of his mind, Why care aboout me so much? All I ever do is try to hate him...
Memories came floating to his mind, ones that felt like they had happened forever ago, maybe in a different lifetime. Seeing the aliens called the Vendeeni, their leader aiming something that looked extremey deadly right at Cliff. How he jumped in front of the blast without second thought, and he had been glad Cliff had been the first at his sie. Cliff always had his back in battles afterward, saving him more than once (which he had detested). How's Cliff's behavior had changed, even shutting himself up in his room to 'think'. Everytime their eyes locked, the blonde had that unreadable look in his eyes which made him not want to look away. But the time they got stuck with staring at each other right before Cliff 'came out of the closet', his eyes had looked sad, maybe even filled with-?
"NO! Don't do it, Albel!" he had yelled so... in fear...
He was trying to tell me something...
Cliff broke the eye contact they held, taking a sip from his liquor and staring at the ground. "I'm gay."
Maybe... he said that to me... so I could get the hint...
The door opened suddenly, making Albel jump and pulling him from his deep train of thought. He glared as darkly as he could as Duke Vox waltzed into the room. A smirk went on his face as he noticed Albel's black eye.
"Looks like I missed a bit while I was in hiding..." he said in a sing-song voice, "who gave you that lovely black eye?"
Albel eyed the broadsword hanging off Vox's hip, having not seen it since he had first come to this hell. "Three of your men decided to give me a visit."
"Oh." Vox paced slowly in front of him, inspecting Albel's condition. "I'm sure they didn't lessen your life any, though. It would've been nice if they had..." He unsheathed his sword, bringing it up so he could inspect it. "You've been down here wasting away for seven days and nights, Nox. You're taking too long to die, and I'm wanting to just kill you here and now-" He grinned maliciously, making fear freeze Albel's heart. "-but I won't." He looked over at Albel. "I'll just hurry it up a bit. Make you die painfully slow, just as planned-"
"They're on to you, maggot," Albel cut in. "My friends kow I'm here, and I'm sure my soldiers are here as well to back them up, and they're going to push your little army of guards aside and free me-"
Vox laughed evilly, cutting him off. "And they're going to find a lifless corpse, Albel. Heh heh, don't get your hopes up, it'll be for nothing." He came up and ran his fingernails down the Glyphian's whip-abused torso, making the wounds come open and making him wince. "Is that painful!" Vox laughed. His right arm came up, sword in hand. "I'll show you real pain!"
Albel screamed as loud as he could as the sword went into the side of his waist, barely able to hear Vox's laughter as his blood splattered onto the ground. His screaming continued as the sword slowly turned inside the wound, ripping it more to make it worse. His blood ran off the sword and down his side, staining the floor at his feet. He screamed himself hoarse, making him pant desperately for air. His sweat froze in the cold air.
"That's a fatal wound if it's left untreated..." Vox told him. He twisted the sword before finally pulling it out, watching his victim in his silent scream. "I'd give you a day, day in a half at most." He grinned. "Have a nice life, Albel..."
Albel was still gulping in air as Vox left laughing. He looked down to his left side with watering eyes, seeing his severed skin and the blood continuously oozing out and staining his leg and skirt. It was even painful to inhale, his boby going numb. A sob raked form his dry throat, tears falling down his cheeks from his closed eyes. Cliff...
"Help me..."
ixi
Cliff was staring out the window from his seat, unconsciously twirling his cup half filled with liquor and ice. From his postion in the tavern, the castle was easily in sight. He softly glared at it every time his sight landed on it, vaguely wondering where Vox was during the day. Hiding, or continuing to torture Albel in the dungeons...?
Mirage plopped down in the empty seat beside him, making him jump. "Hey," she said breathlessly, "it's working." She received a blank stare. "Security was a little lighter last night. By tomorrow night, we should be able to go get him." She watched him silently turn his head back to stare outside, a sad look in his eyes. "Cliff?" she called softly, leaning to catch his eye. "You should be happy... We're going to get Albel back tomorrow, and you'll be able to tell him-"
"I don't think I'll be able to," he cut in disheartedly, "He may not even be alive by now. Vox might've-"
"Don't think like that," Mirage said sternly. "You had a hunch, remember, that you'd find him alive. And you promised him that you get him out of there alive. And his ego's to strong to let him die easily." She put her hand lightly on his arm in a comforting manner. "Give up hope only when you see he's gone, all right?"
Cliff nodded, closing his eyes. "Yeah, I guess so..." He turned his head to look at her. "Just wondering around all day, seeing where he is is right there, only unable to do anything aboutit without getting killed... It's haunting..." He went back to staring out the window. "... I can't wait to see him again. As soon as I see him, I swear I'll hold him like there's no tomorrow."
Mirage smiled. "Only if he'll let you."
The comment made him laugh. "He better be glad to see me, the little prick." He dug some money out from his pocket and set it on the table. "I'm going on a walk. Wanna come with me?"
She shook her head. "No. I'm going to continue keeping an eye on what goes on in the castle." She got up after watching Cliff do so. "Wait only a little longer, and keep believing that he's still alive down there, got it?"
Cliff winked. "Yep. I wanna just get away and out of the cold. I'm sick of being cold."
He's probably freezing down there, too...
Mirage nodded. "Okay, I understand."
ixi
It felt like the wound he was given was given to him years ago, but it still stung from infection. His breathing was shallow so his side wouldn't stretch from breathing and make it sear in pain. Dents were now in his metal arm from where two more of Vox's men came for a visit and kicked it in, slightly crushing the forever burned arm inside. His eyes were closed to rest them but afraid to fall asleep.
Cliff... he thought weakly, Where are you? I thought you were in Airyglyph to come get me, that you knew that I'm here... Heh. Or, you don't care. You're tired of me calling you a maggot and fool, always trying to look down on you, act like I'm better than you...
"I don't care what you say! I'll come for you, and you'll come back alive! I promise..."
No... Vox must have castle security tight, so he can't reach me... That has to be it...
He accidentally took a deep breath, making him gasp in pain.
'It makes you a freak.'
His eyes opened to see that his sight was entirely fuzzy and unable to see anything straight, his breathing going shallow again. I don't know how much longer I can hang on, Cliff... Hurry... I know you won't give up... But if you don't make it in time-
The wound on his side gave a violent throb. He groaned softly in pain as his eyes clamped shut.
For everything I've done, for mainly everything I've said to you, it was all lies...
His voice couldn't go above a whisper and was shakey as he was sure he was saying his final words.
"I'm sorry..."
ixi
Cliff was at the entrance to the aqueducts, staring at the sky as it continued to get darker. It was a clear evening- the sky was dark orange and completely cloudless. His arms were folded; his body was tensed up.
Behind him, Nel paced around silently. Sophia was talking animatedly to Maria (who was ignoring her), saying how worried she was that this wouldn't go right, or someone witll die, or if Albel was dead... Adray was already down below, talking to the guards at the gates to keep them busy so they wouldn't suspect anything that went on. Mirage had been keeping quiet and sneaking around inside the castle for two and a half days to watch and make sure security was going down, and Fayt had gone up only a little while ago to make sure their raid was still taking place tonight. They were just waiting on Fayt to give the okay...
"What if the Dragon Brigade soldiers see what we're doing and got Fayt and Mirage?" Sophia said worridly.
"Sophia!" Nel snapped, "Enough!"
Cliff smirked as the hill finally became silent once again. Orange was now turning into black faster in the sky, a few stars already becoming visible.
Maria silently came up beside the blonde and also stared up at the sky. "You're becoming impatient, aren't you?"
"... Yeah."
She softly smiled. "Just a little longer."
He looked down at her. "You sound like Mirage when you say that."
"He's here," Nel alerted them urgently, making them look down to the city.
Fayt had just turned from a side street and was running up the road that led up to them. As he came closer, the four of them went to meet up with him, noticing that it seemed like he had run the entire way. He came to a stop at the top of the hill.
"Sorry for taking so long," he panted, "Mirage and I were working out a plan."
Maria put her hand up to stop him from talking further. "Catch your breath first."
Fayt breathed deeply so he'd stop panting, finally taking a deep breath. "Okay," he sighed. "Mirage is going to cause a distraction as soon as I get back to her. I'm going to help her with that and so are you, Sophia. Adray's already knocked out the gate guards and has gone to help her as well. Maria, you find any Black Brigade soldiers you can and tell them it's us and cover us. Nel, there's two Black soldiers waiting for you, and you're to take out any of Vox's men that stay behind in the dungeons. This should make the path clear so that Cliff can go in to get Albel and come stright back out." He watched the corners of the Klausian's mouth twitch. "Nel's party will back you up. We're to meet on the Diplo- a transporter was put by Mirage earlier at the end of the brige into the Traum Mountains. Is that clear?" Everyone nodded. He reached for Sophia's hand to take her with him. "Maria, you come in a little after we do, then Nel comes in some time after that. Cliff goes in last. I gotta go."
Cliff winked, the smile now surfacing on his face. "Good luck."
They watched the two Earthlings run down the hill and disappear from sight. Nel turned to Cliff. "You look happy now."
"Heh, you kiddin'? I've waited long enough to do this," he said pushing his fist into his opposite hand.
Another minute passed, and Maria began to head down the hill. "See you guys later. Good luck." She walked instead of running to give more time.
Both Cliff and Nel looked up to the castle as a burst of light emerged from the watch tower, the light making a high pitched whistle. The light was proceeded by incoherent yelling.
"What was that?" Nel asked.
Cliff watched the light fade, also wondering the same thing. "It sounded like a firework... But I guess we wont know until we meet up with Mirage later." He felt his nerves begin to set in. "He's right there..." he said softly, still staring at the watchtower as if something else would happen. "I wanna go in right now..."
Nel put her hand on his arm. "Give me five minutes. In five minutes, you can come get him. I'll make sure your path's clear for you." She cast him a light smile before running down the hill and turning down the same street everyone else had taken.
Cliff began to pace after she left, inhibiting his urge to run after her. I'm coming. I'm coming. You'd better be alive... Just hold on. Wait for me. I'll be there- An image of Albel, one of many that kept haunting his dreams, where the Glyphian had numerous wounds on his body, each one bleeding profusely, came to mind. His hair was down and tangled inside the deep cuts. His head was down so his long bangs covered the wound on his left temple that had a trail of blood going down his cheek, but they also his his lifeless eyes which had dry tear trails-
He graoned, shaking his head to clear it. "You're alive," he whispered, "I won't have it any other way..."
The yelling coming from the castle was barely audible, but it sounded like it was coming from the upper levels. As the sky finally turned a darker shade of black, lights in the houses below began to go out, oblivious to what was going on. Not caring if it had been five minutes, or even one minute, since Nel left, Cliff jogged down the hill.
Like Fayt had said, the two soldiers that guarded the gates were aout cold, allowing easy entrance. Continuing his desperate run, Cliff went inside the castle. Once entering, he was forced tp stop by a soldier who was making a mad dash to two other soldiers that were battling to his right. A man who looked like an elderly scholar was at the foot of the right staircase and unconscious. Storm Brigade soldiers were going in and out from the door that led to the watch tower, each one that came out running upstairs. There was yelling coming from up there about the location of the king, as well as the whereabouts of Vox.
"Get the knig out of here and continue searching for Vox! Find him! He's hiding somewhere!"
He looked over and noticed the door leading down to the dungeons was also open when a Dragon Brigade soldier came running out holding his right arm like it was broken. Cliff sprinted for it, skipping down the steps. When he got to the bottom, he was greeted by stares from the people being imprisoned in their cells, seeing who else had come down. Before he went to run some more, he noticed Nel coming toward him. Behind her, two Black Brigade soldiers were dragging some of Vox's men into a cell.
"Come on," she said breathlessly, "Albel's in the torture chamber."
She moved aside as Cliff gathered all his energy to run as fast he could to the end of the hall and turn the corner. He stopped at the closed door in front of him. He felt his breathing get shallow, thinking of how many times Vox opened this exact door to inflict pain and torture, and of how Albel just had to be alive... His shaking hand reached out and jerked hard on the handle to open the door.
His heart immediately froze at the sight. Albel was hanging limply by his arms, shirtless and his hair down. Numerous long gashes were horizontally on his torso and good arm, his metal arm having a large dent in it. But what was the most worrying was the bloody hole in the Elicoorian's waist, which was the cause of his stained skirt and the dry blood on his leg and at his feet. His head was lowered, and he hadn't even stirred when the door opened.
"Albel...?" Cliff called with a weak voice, rushing inside. His eyes glanced at the Crimson Scourge lying in a dark corner and made a mental note of it as he went to tear off Albel's restraints.
Albel's eyes cracked openupon hearing his voice. "Cliff..." he whispered lightly, unable to speak.
The Klausian felt sick to his stomach upon seeing Albel's black eye and the dry blood on his chin. He carfully put an arm around his waist as the left shackle was pulled off. "Don't talk," he commanded. "It's all right now, I've got you..." The other shackle was pulled free, and Albel began to fall forward, his hair gracfully lifting off his back before Cliff caught him.
"You came..." came from Albel's lips.
Cliff was unable to keep the smile off his lips as he scooped the near-weightless man into his strong arms. "Yeah, just like I promised... Just hang in there, 'Bel. You're gonna live..."
"... Yeah..."
END PART TWO
OVERLOOK- Part Three: Recovery
"I figured you had waken at some point last night, since that great idiot-" Fayt jabbed his thumb toward Cliff, who was still holding his hand and dead to the world. "-finally went to sleep."
iii
Chuckling, Cliff broke the kiss, freeing one of Albel's wrists to pull off the Glyphian's spandex shirt. "Admit it- you liked that, and you want me. Just give in..."
"Shut up!" Albel snapped.
iii
The Glyphian sighed in annoyance. "Look, I know what you've been wanting to tell me."
Cliff's eyes lit up. "Oh really...?"
Albel comtinued to stare up at the ceiling rather than look at the Klausian. "... I know you have feelings for me. I'm not blind, " he said softly.
IXI
-bows- I apologize deeply from the bottom of my rotten heart for what I did to Albel! Please don't flame meeeeee! And I hope you didn't mind that it was so long- that's why I put it into parts instead of chapters. Now- there's 2 endings to this story: the actual ending, then the really silly ending that I wrote on a sugar high. You'll get the real one first, k? -winks-
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! -bows- Thank you.