Chapter 8

Illusion

i'm actually so proud of this chapter it's pathetic. ah well.

in this, the most exciting (i hope), the beast breaks free. MWAH HA! nel kills people, albel goes even madder, and...you'll just have to read and find out! MWAH! read read read!

"Nel! I've found the entrance!"

The spy rushed up to look. There at the girl's feet, was a trapdoor. Opening it up, there was a ladder leading down into the gloom.

"Alright. Who wants to go down the creepy tunnel first?"

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"Albel?"

He stirred, glaring at the door.

"Albel!"

The illusions had come again. Well, he would not let them hurt him. Not again.

"Albel, where are you?"

There was a gasp and a thud, not far away. He slunk into his corner, ready to strike. He wouldn't let them do this, not anymore. He would fight them until his last breath.

Another thud, this one closer. The voice called out again.

"Damn it, Nox! Answer me!"

His lithe frame shook from exhaustion, yet he held his ground, fighting back unconsciousness. The rats watched from the shadows, teeth flashing in the dark.

The door slammed open, and it appeared, surrounded by light. He drew back with a hiss, the light burning his sensitive eyes. There it was. The object of so many hallucinations, the nightmare dream. His angel. For a moment, he hesitated. But the demon within and the tortured soul urged him on. Screaming hoarsely, he lunged at the apparition.

"NO MORE!"

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Nel dashed through the door, running as fast and quietly as she could through the narrow hallway, wincing with every splash. Surprise would be their only advantage.

Stopping suddenly, she swore softly. The tunnel split into two. There would be no time for this! Motioning for Hikari to go down the left, the redhead took the right, her steps slower. Now she was alone, she would have to be even more careful. Drawing her daggers, she moved in a crouch, closely resembling a panther stalking its prey.

Peering round a corner, she saw a guard facing away from her. Very carefully she moved towards him, flattening herself against the wall whenever he turned around. Finally she reached him, and leaping onto his shoulders, flipped backwards, breaking his neck. Before, she would have hesitated before killing so mercilessly, but the beast raged. It wanted death.

Slipping from shadow to shadow, she was like an Angel of Death, beautiful and terrible, methodically killing any in her way.

And the beast roared in triumph.

She had almost reached the cells when she saw another guard. Barely more than a boy, he was patrolling the tunnel, his slouch clearly showing how bored he was.

She began to stalk him, her breathing low and soft, steps as silent as the darkness that surrounded them. The beast growled, burning for his blood to coat her daggers, to paint a macabre picture upon the walls as she had done before.

But something happened that neither expected.

Just as she was about to slit his throat, he turned and saw her, pure fear in his wide blue eyes. The beast revelled in his terror, yet Nel's consciousness awoke from its sleep. Seeing such emotion in a child's eyes made her hesitate for a split-second.

That was all he needed.

Grasping the whistle that hung about his thin neck, he blew it as hard as he could, alerting the others. Swearing she stabbed at his heart, yet with his last breath the whistle still sounded.

So much for stealth.

Throwing caution to the winds, she ran through the maze, sending water flying in all directions and she slipped and skidded towards the cells.

"Albel?"

Ducking a low arch, she raced on, determined to at least see him again before she died.

"Albel!"

Why wasn't he answering!

Rounding a corner, she threw a dagger at the man that blocked her way, the beast hissing with pleasure as he slumped to the ground with a gasp. Stooping, she picked up the dagger, her pace never slowing.

"Albel, where are you!"

Seeing another guard, she somersaulted over the halberd's blade, daggers cutting an X in his throat as she jumped over him. Landing without a sound, she grabbed the keys off the corpse and carried on.

"Damn it, Nox. Answer me!"

Finding a metal door, she rammed the key in the lock, kicking open the door.

It was far too dark, and she squinted through the gloom.

"NO MORE!"

Something lunged.

Gasping, she drew back, hissing as claws raked her cheek, drawing four bloody lines on the tender flesh. Her eyes adjusted, and she watched in horror as it lunged again, drawn up short as the chain round its neck snapped taunt, throwing is to the floor. Choking, it rubbed its throat, looking up to glare at her. She gasped.

Crimson eyes.

That…that thing was…Albel.

Filthy and covered in blood, he snarled at her like a caged animal, blood-red eyes burning with fury. Matted, unbound hair hung to his painfully thin waist, his pale, gaunt face contrasting starkly with the dark hair. Pale as a ghost, so thin his bones stuck out, the mad eyes glowing…he was something out of a nightmare. Moving towards him, she shook her head sadly, uncaring that in his state he would most likely kill her.

"Oh, Albel. What have they done to you?"

He blinked confusedly as she hugged him, her tears mixing with the blood, salty drops stinging her new cuts. "Albel. I'm here now. You don't have to worry anymore."

Pulling back, she stared into his eyes, seeing nothing of his former self. But slowly, something changed. She wasn't sure what it was, but suddenly there was recognition and a battered hope.

"Nel?"

DUH DUH DUUUUUUUHHHHH! MWAH! review, as always, and i'll love you all forever! my eternal gratitude, at least, anyway. please?

oh, guess what! i am now officially a...GENIUS! top 5 of the national intelligence, would ya believe! MWAH! again!