Anyway… so I took a little break. A few days, granted, so not that long of a break, but a break just the same. So, let me be the first to say "Wow!" I gotta say, I was definitely not expecting to have reviews already. I mean, I suppose I could've expected one, maybe, but… yeah, wow. Thanks a lot. None of you reviewers hate me! Hoorah! This means I can write you down in my journal of "Reviewers Who Don't Hate Me." It's a special notebook where I write down reviewers who don't hate me…
I'm rambling.
All right, so… I suppose I'd better bring you the next installment of this unexpectedly well-thought-of fanfic "The Stricken Niece."
Oh, and to clarify things once more: Clair was indeed Nel's best friend, but for this story's purpose, Maria was also one. Remember, Battle Mode doesn't technically have a story, so I made one up. Nobody is from anywhere else other than Elicoor. Quark doesn't exist, etcetera, etcetera. And there are LOADS of relationship changes. You'll notice them, trust me. Incidentally, one happens to be in this chapter.
Versus
Chapter Three: The Stricken Niece
"Maria, I'm worried about him. He's been gone for three days, and when he's not on assignment, it's not like him."
Nel paced around her friend's house, running her thumb nervously over the edge of her currently used dagger. It was, in fact, a piece from a set that Adray had given her upon returning from one of his more recent missions.
Maria stood up, frowning, placing her hands on Nel's shoulders to steady her. "Don't' worry, all right? He's a big man. A powerful man, at that. You know as well as I do that he can take care of himself."
Nel hung her head and sighed. "Maybe, but… I'm still worried. Even being big and powerful, he's still a good person, and he doesn't kill if he can help it…"
Maria backed away and stared out of a window into the moonlit streets. Considering it was probably after midnight, technically it might have been four days since Adray's… departure. Nel could tell just by looking at her pondering face that she, too, was beginning to realize the extreme situation that Adray could potentially have gotten involved in.
"I think I'm going to go look for him," Nel said suddenly and decisively, sheathing the dagger and fastening it back to her belt.
"Nel, no." Maria's head snapped back around and stared her in the face. "You can't. Her Majesty needs you here, doesn't she?"
"But she needs Uncle Adray more than I! I am nothing compared to him…"
Maria slapped her.
"Wha…?"
"Nel Zelpher, stop speaking like that this instant! You have a job, a duty to protect the people of Aquaria, don't you? Well, do your job and let other people worry about finding your uncle!"
"Like whom? Who would you suggest go and look for him?"
Maria shrugged. "I'll go."
Nel inhaled deeply and released the breath slowly. She knew that her friend was going to say that, but she wasn't so sure if she was all right with it or not. It wasn't a question of fighting ability, Apris knew that the girl could handle herself; it was more of a quandary as to whether or not she would be able to hold out such an investigation for long without drawing too much attention. Clever as Maria was, sometimes she could be painfully conspicuous.
"Are you sure?" Nel asked finally, crossing her arms. "You don't have to."
Maria nodded her head curtly. "I want to. You're my friend, and I care for Adray, too. It's not like I have anything else to do."
"What about looking after Peppita?"
"She's fine: she goes to school and she comes home."
"Do you want her staying by herself? What if she runs out and gets lost?"
Maria flapped her hand to brush the matter away. "My sister can take care of herself; you're forgetting who she lives with. Now… back to the matter at hand. I think I'll leave and look for Adray in the morning, all right? For now… I think it's best if we both rest up a little. You look close to fainting."
Nell shrugged.
What am I going to do? That's two people I've killed. Where am I going to go? Who's going to help me? What can I do?
Fayt walked with his hands thrust into his pockets, trying to look nonchalant as he walked about the streets of Peterny, on his way towards Airyglyph. He wasn't sure what he would find there, just that it was far from Aquios, and he would be under their jurisdiction and therefore their protection. Hopefully the peace between them wasn't enough to keep them from protecting him.
As he neared the south gate and smiled emotionlessly at the guard, a sudden, rash idea came to his mind. It was crazy, no doubt, but… perhaps it would work for a little while.
The last he had heard, his old rival, Albel, had been staying in Kirlsa, working as a slayer of the monsters and thieves that roamed outside of the city walls. Fortunately, Kirlsa was Airyglyph territory, so he should have more protection there than here. All he needed to do was cross through Arias and over the Aire Hills…
He eventually reached his destination two days later, having spent one night at an inn in Arias. He was careful not to draw too much attention to himself, but he couldn't help feeling that people were casting strange looks his way. Could they have known?
Fayt practically threw himself across the border between Aire Hills and Kirlsa, ecstatic to be in a place of safety. He was tired, hungry, and needed to find Albel as soon as possible. The former two would have to wait; Albel was most important.
A random soldier walking by answered his question of, "Have you seen a boy called Albel Nox around here? I need to speak with him. It's very important."
The soldier nodded and pointed towards a building at the south end of the town. "It's a workshop. Last I heard, he needed to fix that creepy fake arm of his. He's probably still in there."
Fayt nodded and thanked the man briefly before practically running towards the indicated building. He threw open the door.
"Hello? Albel?" he called immediately, looking around. But no one answered.
He stepped inside, ignoring the roaring fire whose heat was pounding him from every angle, and peered into the corners. Still no one. Frustrated and angry, he turned around and found himself facing the sharp end of a sword.
"Well, well, well… the maggot crawled out of the filth he calls home, did he? What brings him here?"
Fayt sighed in relief, despite his impending doom. "I need you help, Albel. I'm … I'm in trouble."
The sword tip lowered, but didn't vanish, and Fayt was able to see a malicious-looking face that belonged to Albel the Wicked.
"And so why have you come to me? What is it that you think I can – or will – do for you?" Albel's rough yet strangely smooth voice always made Fayt think of a crystal clear stream of boiling water: Beautiful at first, but when one drew closer, one found himself in agony.
"I've done a bad thing, Albel – a really bad thing. I can't face it alone. I need your help. I can't fight them by myself."
"Fight whom? Monsters? Your skills are pathetic, worm, but I never thought them to be dreadful. Are you saying I'm wrong?"
Fayt glared into the other boy's eyes, feeling a choking in his throat and a burning in his own. Don't cry, whatever you do, don't cry. "It's… I dunno… Whoever comes after me."
Albel lowered his blade at this and even sheathed it. "What have you done? I can tell by your voice that it must be serious. Tell me."
Fayt felt his head drop, but Albel's hand grasped his chin and jerked it up, staring him in the eyes. "Don't look at the floor, fool, look at me! Tell me what you did that causes you this much fear."
Fayt swallowed. "I… I killed people. Two of them."
Albel slid his hand slowly from Fayt's chin, a nasty grin playing about his face, illuminating every one of his deadly beautiful features. "So the worm has fangs, who knew? Who did you kill?"
But Fayt couldn't bring himself to say her name. How could he? How was he even worthy of speaking it? She had been such a good person, and all she had done was what he had asked by coming to see him. But… but she had betrayed him! She had bested him in the Battle Simulator when it was he who was the better fighter! No one was greater than he!
"Sophia!" he spat, hatred emphasizing every syllable. "And her Symbology master, Adray."
Albel stared at him for a brief moment and then erupted into laughter. "You killed your best friend? Even I wouldn't… oh, you poor fool…" He chuckled in hilarity to himself until his spasms subsided and then faced Fayt again. "So tell me finally: What is it that you wish me to do?"
"I need you to hide me," Fayt said quickly. "Or, at least, don't tell anyone where I am."
Albel brushed this away with a motion of his hand. "You can stay with me, I don't care. But you… you killed your best friend!"
And he was lost again to howls of laughter.
Maria found herself at Arkives, having asked for information on a strange, blue-haired boy looking out of place. Since the people of Arkives followed a different path of life, they were able to easily remember he and his strange clothing.
"The last I saw of him," a kind old woman was telling her, "he was walking away from the crowd that had surrounded the body of that man."
Maria's throat tightened. "Man? What man?" she asked quickly.
The woman took no notice of her potential rudeness, but seemed pleased to be speaking with her altogether. "Why, there was a fight! It didn't last long; by the time that people had come out to see, there was this great dome of fire! Security hurried him away for privacy, but I got a good look at him. A big man with a sword and a dress, burnt to a crisp." She looked positively delighted.
Maria's heart skipped a beat. A big man with a sword and a dress? That could only mean Adray, much as she didn't want to admit it. The great dome of fire that the old lady had mentioned was probably the Symbology spell Explosion. Poor Adray… he must have suffered a lot…
Restraining and stiffening herself, Maria looked at the old lady again. "How long ago did this happen?"
"Oh, about five days or so. I remember because it was the day that I had to feed my –"
"Thank you, ma'am, for all of your help. I'm afraid that I must be going now."
Maria walked away, flipped her hair over her shoulder. So… the Leingod boy had somehow managed to kill Adray, too? The best Symbologist in all of Aquaria? His skills were unprecedented, then, making him highly dangerous. Too bad of taking the boy in alive, if he decided to fight, then, wasn't it?
Maria arrived back in Aquios the next day, fatigue eating away at her and hunger almost overpowering. She had felt such a need to return that nothing seemed more important. She collapsed onto her bed as soon as she walked through her door, calling out for Nel, but there was no answer.
"Nel? Nel! Where are you?"
As she sat up, her head spinning, Peppita half walked, half skipped into her bedroom. "Are you looking for Nel?" she asked, frowning. "She said something the day before yesterday about going to go find Fayt. You know, the one who's better than everyone at the Battle Simulator? I wanted to fight him once, but Ms. Koas wouldn't let me, and I –"
"Woah, Peppita, hang on. Nel went to look for him? Look for Fayt?"
Her younger sister nodded. "Yeah. She said it almost immediately after Her Majesty announced Sir Adray's death. That's so sad, isn't it? I liked him a lot."
Maria's head began to spin again, but not because of malnutrition. Word had passed her as she made her way to Arkives. She had arrived there in time to find out what the rest of Aquios was discovering. Which meant that Nel knew what had happened to Adray, and she was on her way to settle things.
"Peppita, I need you to stay here, okay? I have to take another little trip. I won't be very long. Can you do that for me?"
Peppita nodded. "Of course I can! I can fight!"
Maria nodded and hugged her. "I know you can. You know why? 'Cause you're my little sister, that's why."
"Stop it! Go!"
Maria obliged, charging through the front door.
Peppita sighed, skipping to the door and closing it after her big sister. "She's so weird all of the time."
"Excuse me? Have you seen a boy here lately? He's a little taller than I am with blue hair and… Have you seen him?"
The innkeeper at Arias thought for a moment. "Blue hair? Yeah, I think so. I'm pretty sure I did, anyway. Kinda skinny? Looks scared?"
He's right to be scared.
"That's him."
"Yeah, he was here a couple days ago. He headed off towards Kirlsa."
Nel bowed her head. "Thank you very much."
Kirlsa. She was almost near him now. She could practically feel her blade slashing across his flesh as his had across her uncle's. The moment that Her Majesty the Queen had uttered the words "Sir Adray Lasbard has passed," Nel had torn out of the audience chamber and immediately headed south.
She crossed Aire Hills in record time, less than four hours. She had been running.
But now she was in Airyglyph territory, and had to be careful. Though Fayt was still a citizen of Aquaria, Airyglyph soldiers loved any excuse to tie up Aquarian soldiers, who were predominantly female.
It was then that a past snippet of conversation filled Nel's mind again. When she had spoken to Clair a few weeks ago, hadn't she mentioned that Albel Nox had come here?
It seemed that luck played in her favor today, as almost as if in response to her query, the Wicked One himself emerged from the grocer's, tearing away at a loaf of bread.
"Albel Nox!" she called, sprinting to his side.
"Pay me," he said immediately, without even looking at her.
"Sorry? I need to know if –"
"Pay me and I'll tell you where he is."
Nel, suspicious but desperate, handed over all of the Fol she had on her person, an impressive three hundred thousand. Albel smiled wickedly at her. "He's this way. Follow me."
He led her to the southern part of the town towards a small house. He stopped outside of the door and waited. "Well? Go on in?"
"You were expecting me. Is he, too? Is he in there waiting to spring a trap?"
"I'm only expecting you because he told me to. What he's doing in there, I don't know. Now go in, fool, before I kill you, myself."
Your fight is not with him. Avenge your uncle. Kill Fayt Leingod.
Nel placed her hand by the door and invoked a rune inscribed on her hand, which promptly blasted the door off of its hinges and across the room. A loud bang and second thud when it landed announced that Fayt had indeed been preparing something, but he had been knocked backwards.
She stepped inside and immediately aimed her hand at the door, waiting for him to move.
But he didn't.
She stood there, aware of Albel's watchful presence in the doorway, and waited for him. Slowly, she began to back away. Was he waiting for her to come closer?
"Oh, this is pitiful!" Albel moaned. "If you're going to do it, worm with fangs, do it now."
Nel glared at him, promising pain to him for calling her such a thing, but before she could think anything else, she heard a loud cry: "Dimension Door!"
A burst of red smoke billowed out from under the door, followed by another right in front of her. A searing pain tore across her front, flinging her to the side, where she slammed into the wall.
Fayt materialized from the smoke, holding out his sword with both hands, which were dripping in her blood. She struggled to get to her feet, but the pain in her stomach seared and she collapsed, unable to move. Fayt, looking slightly relieved, removed one hand from his sword and aimed it at her.
"Lightning Blast!"
Albel the Wicked laughed in great amusement as Nel's body jerked spasmodically, tearing at the large and already lethal wound in her stomach, allowing the blood to flow more freely. The attack ended, and as her body lay limp on the ground, pale, blood spreading across the floor, Albel clapped twice.
"Not bad, worm. You killed another comrade."
Fayt threw his sword down. "I can't keep doing this! Why did she attack me! What did I do to her! I didn't even know her!"
Albel shook his head. "You fool. She was the Symbologist's niece. She probably heard what you had done and came to finish you off."
No… No. Not again. No more killing. I'm done. I'll go turn myself in right now.
Fayt snatched his sword from the floor and burst out of the house, barreling into someone. Frantically, he took off towards the eastern gate of Kirlsa.
Albel turned around and saw another blue-haired individual, who was staring in horror and disgust at Nel's body on the ground.
"Nel… Oh, Nel… I told you that you shouldn't have come, didn't I? Oh, no…"
Maria knelt beside her, not caring about the blood, and cradled her friend's corpse. What a stupid woman…
"Your sentimentality sickens me," Albel breathed. "If you want to put things right, go after the one who did this. He's running away. That way." He pointed with his fake arm.
Maria stood up forcefully while whirling around and drove her fist into the side of Albel's face. He fell to the ground, and while he wiped at the blood from his lip, Maria sprinted angrily after the boy who had killed her best friend.
A/N: Eww… I'm sorry. But… you know… eww… Right now, the time is 6:17 a.m. and I have yet to go to bed. I'll reread this later, but I doubt it'll get much better. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. So… well, you know the drill… Read and review?
I really hope that no one likes Nel too much… I mean, I do, but… well… Poor dear, I do so ever hope that she'll be all right.
Which she won't 'cause she's been… well… eviscerated.
So, yeah… sorry…