Thank you everyone who has reviewed the last chapter. It pleases me that someone's actually enjoying my writing. I hope I'm able to draw out even more reviews from the other readers as well. We shall see how things work out. This fic is rather fun. Though the darkness of the fic, has yet to have been reached, you shall witness it however. Oh yes you will. (Insert evil sounding laughter)

Disclaimer- I do not own Star Ocean: Till The End Of Time. Well... The game I purchased and played...

The Devil's Seduction

Since Airyglyph is up in the mountain region, is easy for one to assume that the climate is expected to be cold. Snow is constantly a sight in Airyglyph, the temperature on average is below freezing, which tends to dishearten new people into settling in the area. Along with the mountains, there are several dozen caves, some explored, some not. Some have yet to be discovered, they just go along with the flow of time as they wait to be explored.

One thing most people would not have guessed is some sort of structure hidden beneath the city and the path leading to it would be in one of the cells inside the castle. Two people have took it upon themselves to search the structure, one going down to look for a friend, the other going in hopes of not failing her queen. In one of the many dark corridors of the, what most people have thought up as a castle, stood these two people, each with their weapons drawn.

Fayt Leingod, the savior of the universe, stood there, starring down at the Aquarian spy, his sword held back by one of the redhead's daggers. Nel Zelpher kept both her blade drawn, one holding back the universe's hero's sword, and another pressed firmly against his throat. To say that Nel was enjoying the position, would be close to accurate. It did her good to know that she could still sneak up on Fayt, and in this moment, kill him if he were her enemy.

Savior of the universe or not, Fayt couldn't detect her while she followed him, and that in itself said many things for the Aquarian spy. He was still a mortal, he still had weaknesses, and she can still best him in several fields of engagement. A title is just that. It's something that the people place upon you, yet it doesn't necessarily make you better than anyone else, it just makes you egotistical, and that eventually gets you killed.

This is why Nel was happy to be the one to hold a blade against Fayt's neck, it showed her that he was still the same person she knew, though physically he had become more firm, and mentally more confident, he still only had so much experience when it came to engagement, and Nel considered herself as an expert when it comes to ambushing an enemy.

"How long do you plan on keeping this up?" Fayt asked, not at all comfortable with a blade held to his throat, "I think it's safe to say, it's me and you don't need your weapons out."

Although dark, Fayt could still see her face, and the neutral expression across her face. He watched as Nel leaned forward a bit, pressing the blade even more against his throat. He could feel the sharpness of the blade stinging into his skin, and he felt surprised that the blade had yet to break through skin.

"Depends... Really." Nel said, not letting the blade up, "Are you coming back now and end this foolish search?"

"No." His answer was immediate, and held firm, "I'm not going back until I search this entire place."

He watched as her brows creased, no doubt from her frustration, "There is nothing of importance down here."

"Maybe not to you." He answered, "And you can't do anything to make me turn back."

"You sound sure about that."

Fayt's brows raised a bit, amusement dancing behind his eyes in the darkness, "Yes well, I have no reason to fear you. The queen would not like it if she found out if you had hurt me in anyway."

He had her there. Sad thing is, Nel knew all along she wouldn't be able to make him turn back. With a shake of her head, and a soft exhale of breath, Nel drew her blades back and sheathed them, Fayt doing the same with his sword, "Only someone like yourself would go somewhere without proper information."

"Someone like me huh? What information could there be to learn? As far as I can tell, no one knew this place existed." Fayt crossed his arms over his chest, daring her to try and speak otherwise. When she didn't say anything else he asked, "Why are you down here anyway?"

"The queen has ordered me to keep you safe during your trip to Airyglyph and back to the Royal city." She spoke, her voice monotone.

Fayt let out a breath and shook his head, it was always her mission that made her do things. He was beginning to wonder if she's a robot of sorts created by one of the engineers for the queen to order around like some sort of pet. "Fine, if you want to follow me around, so be it. But I'm not going back up until I know for sure that Albel is not down here or alive."

Nel opened her mouth as if she were going to say something, but she immediately closed it as a sudden chill ran across her spine. Her vision blurred as she stood there. There's a sensation of something brushing against her, across her skin. It gripped at her, trying to force itself inside her, clutching her heart with ghostly hands. That sensation shifted its course and traveled lower inside her, resting in her stomach for a few moments until it went on the move again. She felt it there, moving slowly downward, perspiration formed on her brow and her lips parted as she began breathing a bit harder.

She could feel it gripping at her, something unseen, and only what she could feel. She did not like it, she did not understand it. Something went across her mind, like a brush of wind, a voice not her own with words she could not make out, a low rumble it seemed. She felt herself grow hot, warmer than she should have been. The sensation finally left her, causing her to sway a bit on her feet.

Fayt reached out and grabbed Nel's shoulders, worry written across his face as he tried steadying her on her own two feet. "Nel! What's wrong?" He called out shaking her a bit to try and bring her back from some sort daydream. He couldn't understand it, the two of them were arguing one moment and the next she blanks out. He heard the Aquarian give some sort or reply, though it sounded like a moan of sorts. He let his hand rest on her forehead, "You're warm Nel. I think you're sick."

"I'm not sick." Nel replied quickly, her voice soft and uncertain.

Perhaps she is sick, she had never had something like that happen to her before. Whatever that was, it was strange, and she couldn't explain it for the life of her. It felt like hands had roamed across her body, but then it felt like there were inside her, touching her in places that didn't seem possible. But there was no one there, it was all just an hallucination she had, the only two people in the corridor are Fayt and herself.

Her knees felt weak, and she was certain that if it wasn't for Fayt holding her shoulders, she would have probably fell forward, and landing on her face, which she was grateful wouldn't happen. Although if she didn't sit down soon, she'll collapse in a pile on the floor.

Nel shook her head after another moment as Fayt just stood there trying to decide what the best course of action to take, "I need to sit down." She announced, her voice seemed to have snapped him back from his thoughts because he seemed to jump a little at her voice before nodding his head slowly and glancing around.

Being in a hall where it's dark, makes it kind of hard to see much of anything. Though it was strange to Nel that even without the faintest of light source, it still seemed only as dark as it is under moonlight. She wondered if it was her night vision or if the place had some sort of way to do such a thing. Either way, she could somewhat see, and based on her observations, so could Fayt.

She felt him, rather then saw him move his arms around her slim waist. He thought she couldn't walk on her own, which she wasn't entirely sure she could, so she wasn't going to reprehend him for giving her some support to lean on. When his fingers brushed across her clothing of her stomach, her body shuddered and she let out a quick breath. Something was seriously wrong with her, she knew it. She didn't react to physical contact with anything short of anger. Yet with a simple touch from Fayt her body seemed to go back to that state that she was in just moments ago.

Fayt moved along the dark hallway, he didn't go back the way he came from for two reasons. One being that all the rooms he passed were locked up, and two, he didn't want to lose ground after coming this far. "We'll rest at the first place we come across. I probably shouldn't have come here at the dead of night." Nel heard him say, his voice merely a whisper, he was obviously trying to be cautious now, probably thinking she was attacked.

Again Nel wasn't sure whether she was or wasn't attacked. If that was an attack, she never wanted to fight such a thing again. She isn't sure if she'd be able to fight back. Her eyes flicked from side to side as she walked along the hall, she still had some sort of sensation, it felt like it was tickling the back of her head, a caress of her mind. Her gaze flicked ahead of them, her eyes landing on an opening at the wall. "I see a door." She announced.

Fayt gave a short nod, "I know." With his help, though Nel felt she didn't need his support anymore, he helped her get to the door, which turned out to be an empty room. They both felt a little more at ease with walls around them and only one way to enter, it made being ambushed less of a surprise.

Nel broke away from her companion and wandered over to the far end of the room. She leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she hugged her legs tightly before resting her forehead on the top of her knees.

Fayt took a few moments to stare at her than peeked out into the hall, glancing from end to end, though he couldn't see too far in the darkness. Once deciding it was as noticeably safe as he could tell he wandered over to where Nel was sitting and crouched down in front of her, "You can go back you know." He suggested, though it wasn't in any way pressuring.

Nel gave a dry laugh, "Nice try. You're not getting rid of me that easy." She said before lifting her head up from her knees. Her head remained bowed however, hiding more than half of her face behind that blue scarf of hers, "I just need a moment."

Fayt studied her for a few moments before he wandered off to the side a little and sitting down, back against the wall as well. "Should probably rest for the night, or morning. Whichever it is right now."

"You plan on sleeping here?" Nel surprise was clear in her voice, she couldn't even imagine sleeping in such a place.

Fayt shrugged his shoulders a bit nonchalantly, showing that he wasn't worried about it, "You thought that it would only take a day of searching this place? From what I can tell it's huge. And when it's this dark in here, it'll be even harder to search everywhere." He crossed his arms over his chest, one leg betting up. His gaze redirected to the doorway, signaling to Nel that he was done with the conversation.

Nel still felt a bit of a chill at what happened to her, even though the place was fairly warm when she first entered it while following Fayt. She just couldn't seem to shake the feeling off of her, as if she had been violated in the worst possible way, but there was never anything there. At least not that she could see. She could of sworn that what she felt was real, and what had happened wasn't just her imagination.

"There's something down here." Nel spoke suddenly, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

Fayt gave his nod of agreement, "That's why I'm down here."

Nel shook her head at him, of course he wouldn't understand. He had to have been in her place at the time to understand what she was talking about. Fayt has always been good at judging people, that much Nel knew about him, but he couldn't read minds, or come close to guessing what went through someone's mind. So it came as no disappointment when he didn't get her meaning, she hadn't expected him to understand.

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Nel found herself standing darkness, almost completely alone. There was someone else with her. A pale man was sitting in front of her at a polished wooden table. His long bleached blonde hair flowed behind the back of his chair. Sitting on top of the table was a medium-sized wooden bowl, looking as if it were carved out of a log.

The man turned his gaze towards Nel, and she was forced to lower hers to his shoulder, afraid to look into his eyes for some reason. "Who are you?" Nel immediately began interrogating. "And where am I?"

The man in front of her turned back to the table and pulled out one of the grapes in it. Something dripped from the fruit and onto his dark colored outfit before he popped it into his mouth. Nel felt tempted to walk over and shove that bowl in his pretty face and order him to answer her question.

"So you've decided to come to me." The man spoke, his voice sounding pleased. It was that same voice as before, it flowed through her ears smooth as silk.

Nel rubbed her arms, feeling Goosebumps forming on them from the sensation. She could feel her heart beating in the back of her throat, but she wouldn't let her fear show. She was an Aquarian spy, no one scared her. "Who are you?" She questioned once again.

Again he popped a grape into his mouth, irritating her further. Her brows furrowed tightly together as she glared at him. It's hard to look intimidating when your glaring at someone's shoulder however, but Nel didn't let that logic let her down. Nel raised her gaze up a little to his mouth as he popped another luscious fruit into his mouth. She watched the movements of his mouth, as his jaw worked with his tongue, sucking off whatever substance on the fruit before swallowing. The beating of her heart seemed to get even louder in her ears as she watched.

Nel swallowed down the sensations of just watching him, "Who-"

"You may call me Romero, Mi' Lady." He cut her off before she could finish asking. He turned his gaze back over to her, his brilliant blue eyes falling on her form, "One can only last so long before they speak."

"I do not understand."

Romero let out a breath, looking suddenly saddened by something, "I wish to learn about you. I expected the fool to speak, but he does not. I fear he may just end up being food rather than my source of information. Why don't you tell me about yourself, Mi' Lady. After all, primary source is more honest than secondary."

A smile slipped across his lips, and through the darkness, Nel could make out two white points just barely slipping between the lips. She knew what they were immediately, but that meant she didn't know what this man was, "What are you?" She demanded, her hands going behind her to grab her daggers, she came empty handed however, they weren't there.

Romero's smile seemed to widen, though he did not get up from his seat, "I could free you, Mi' Lady."

Nel expression turned into that of confusion, her mouth parting in thought, "I don't understand. Free me from what?"

"Pain, remorse, controlled. You live a life as a servant. I can free from that, and free you from the fear of an end. Aging, sickness, death... I can prevent these. And you could live an eternity at my side." He raised from his seat. He reached out his hand to her, taking steps towards her, looking too graceful for a man. "Join my side and be free."

Nel took a step back from him, feeling fear course through her form. "What are you?"

Romero seemed to just disappear from her sight, hiding in the darkness. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped forward and turned around swiftly, finding him right behind her. He laughed, the sound so rich and lovely that it danced across her skin, "Mi' Lady don't you know yet?" He asked as he walked towards her.

With every step he took, Nel took two back, trying to keep as much distance away from him as possible. She was unarmed, and his physique told her that he could overpower her in a fistfight, not like that would stop her from trying.

Nel felt her lower back hit the wooden table before, and heard something splash. Glancing over her shoulder, her gaze landing on the bowl of grapes. They were floating in something dark and thick. Turning around, she held the bowl in her hands, finding it was cool. She swallowed back her fear as she dropped the bowl of grapes and blood. The bowl spilt on the table, splashing on her uniform.

Romero appeared at her side, scooping up some of the fallen blood in his hands. He held his hands out to Nel, his hands acting like a cup, "Drink... It will make you stronger." Nel took a step back, shaking her head, too shocked to find her voice. He took a step forward once more, bringing his hands up to her mouth, "Drink it." It sounded more like an order to her.

"No!" Nel shouted before smacking his hands away, the blood flinging across the area, out into the darkness.

She felt her arms being grabbed and found herself being forced onto her back blood covered table, Romero on top of her, holding her there. She could feel the blood soaking through the outfit. His body pressed against hers made her mind drift for a fraction of a second before she began struggling against his holds.

"Fine... If you won't drink what I give you, I'll go about things the usual way." Romero spoke above her. His voice no longer held it's smooth polite tone that could caress her skin. It now held a much more darker, maliciously seductive tone that made her skin feel like it was crawling. He flashed his fangs at her in a feral grin.

"Vampires are only myths." Nel said as she tried wiggling her body under him trying to get free.

She stopped her struggles however when Romero pressed his thigh more tightly to hers, letting her feel what he struggles were doing. "That's what that foolish man thought." Her breathing quickened in what she hoped was because her fear. Shocks and tremors were coursing throughout her body, that she just couldn't understand.

She watched in horror as he slowly lowered his mouth down, "No! Let me go!" She yelled as her struggles started anew, not caring how they affected the vampire above her. She moved her head side from side, trying to draw her head back as far as it could go, which wasn't far considering the table was stopping her.

She felt something wet and slick slide across the side of her neck, causing her body to shudder. She immediately knew it was his tongue. "No reason to fear Mi' Lady, this part is a line between pleasure and pain. You'll enjoy it, you just have to allow yourself to." She heard him say before she felt his lips on her neck, kissing and suckling on it. At least he didn't sink his fangs into her neck yet.

"Don't..." She managed to squeeze out of her clenched throat. She wasn't sure what she meant by 'Don't' though. Don't do anything.. or... Don't stop? All of her logic seemed to go out of the window, she couldn't think clearly. She has something seriously wrong in her head.

"... Don't worry. I won't stop." He answered, the tips of his fangs resting on the large artery on the side of her neck, just barely grazing her neck. She could feel his hands trailing across her body exploring, how long he had released her arms was beyond her. Her arms are free, yet she didn't do anything but lay there. She could feel darkness creeping in the corners of her eyes, bringing her closer to total oblivion. A complete peace that she could never reach while alive.

Before she could feel his fangs break through her skin, and have the sensation of his tongue gliding across a wound while he drank her life force away. She found herself starring up at Fayt's face, who had been trying to shake her awake for some time now. His form seemed more like a dark silhouette with the golden fiery light behind him.

"Finally... You're awake. I thought you'd never get up." She heard Fayt say before he let out a relieved breath, he stood upright and glanced around, "Are you alright Nel? You seemed to be having some sort of nightmare when I tried waking you up."

Nel didn't get up off the floor, instead settling to stare up at him from the ground, "What do you mean?"

She watched him as he scratched his cheek, a thoughtful look across his face. She usually found the sight cute, something she never voiced out, but right now she felt annoyed by him. Though she couldn't figure out why she'd be annoyed with him, he saved her from a nightmare, right? "You were... thrashing in your sleep."

Nel took a few moments to let the answer settle in her mind. Slowly she rested one of her hands on the side of her neck, there was nothing there, no punctures, no blood. "I'm fine." That's when she finally registered something completely different about the place, it was no longer dark. There was light, like the glow of a fire. "What happened?"

"This is what woke me up in the first place, there's light in this place. I glanced out the doorway, and found the whole place lit up for all I could see. But I don't see any burning torches or lights. I don't know where the light is coming from." Fayt explained.

Nel picked herself off the ground. Sensations that had been lingering across her body when she first woke up, disappeared. A frown crossed her features, "What does this mean?"

Her companion shrugged his shoulders casually, "Magic I would think. Which means there's a focus for it, which has to be a person or monster." He explained nonchalantly.

Nel studied him for a few long moments before speaking, "I'm glad you can be so casually about it."

Again Fayt shrugged his shoulders, "It's better than walking around this place in the dark."

Nel shook her head at him, "I'm better now, let's move on."

Technically, the new rules say we can't reply to reviewers in author notes so...

(Fanfic shorty!)

(ZAG walks out onto the stage holding a microphone) I have a few things I have to say, to several audience members. Liz, please raise your hand... (Sees a hand raised.) I'm sorry I got you very depressed, and about your message not working, I do hope you try again, and your critique was not stupid. I love all of them from everyone!

Now to RequiemReaper, I'm glad the suspense and pacing is distributed nicely, I was worried about that. I always waited for a fanfic that followed up on the Romero scene, and when it didn't seem to be coming, I decided to make my own. Hopefully things will work out.

Anarchy Sky, you were the first to review the fic, kudos to you. And I can tell you are hoping for Albel/Nel. ... Well one never knows about Albel's death until it is clearly stated and his body is found correct? (Smiles knowingly)

To the person in the back, Takun18. Yes, I also brought Nel into my party, but I couldn't bring her in when I replayed the game for the whole pairing up trick. I wondered what she would feel like and what her thoughts would be if she was not brought along and Fayt choose Albel over her. I'm also a Fayt/Nel fan. I'm also a Albel/Nel fan depending on if the writer manages to find a way to bring them together but keeping them in character. Albel is a true loner in my eyes, he doesn't need anybody, but if there's someone for him, It's Nel. But again, that's depending on the writing.

I must thank Blue Trillium for pointing out some of my grammar errors. I must confess. I don't proofread my work, and I usually make lots of mistakes. (Frowns) I'm a lazy writer, what can I say. I shall warn ahead of time, I am terrible at keeping in tense. I can be in past tense one moment and switch to present in the middle of something without realizing it. This is because I have yet been able to notice the difference between the two. As sad as that is, it's true. ;;

And for the other reviewers, I thank you for showing an interest in this fic: Darth Grieveous and Zoa Priest... thank you for reviewing.

And that's the end of the show. (TV screen blinks out.)

... MWAHHAHAHAHA!