Chapter 2. Enjoy~

Also, in continuation of the question in the last question about timing – I'm assuming it all took place in a year, because Tear quoted Yulia's Score for ND2020(Exact year forgotten. ._.), so this is 5 years after Luke returns,, so Luke is 25, Guy 28, and so on.

Chapter 2 – Where?

It's… Warm… Why is it warm? The Albiore is always cold…

I feel… Light. Why? My armor is heavy. I should feel like a rock…

That noise… Was that the Flightstone…?

Malkuth Army Mobile Base

P.O.V – Jade Curtiss

For the first time in years, I ran at breakneck speed. I pushed people down as they got in my way, and was one of the first responders from the building.

"Oh violent torrent…" I say, gathering the weak fonons. "Splash!" Several blasts of water hit the fire, extinguishing a majority of it. Almost immediately a sound it heard.

A shuffling from inside the ship.

Just now, a cough.

Finally, a voice.

"Stay with me, Noelle…" a shadow moved behind the flames. It stopped, and pulled something out. "Demon Fang!" The flames billow outward, and an opening forms as a blast of blue energy rushes outwards. Almost immediately, the figure follows it through.

Guy fell to the ground, covered in burns. On his back was an unconscious Noelle. Momentum carried him a few inches, and he struggled to get her off and then get up.

"Luke… Luke is still in there…" Guy groaned, trying to get up. He managed to get to his feet, but immediately fell over again. He held his leg, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "I… Think I broke it…"

"*Sigh* Making the old man do the work. Don't you care for my frail health?" I say, walking into the wreckage. Immediately, half the army moves to stop me, and they then back off. They know better then to stop me. I step into the burning cockpit, and look around. The door into the maintenance room was ajar. I step closer and see the engine is on fire – Although burn marks told me that it had died down quite a bit - and more then likely to blow at any moment.

I turn and race out of the Albiore II. "Get away!" I continue running, and the people realize my out-of-character reaction and dispersed with speed. Guy and Noelle were picked up and carried off. As they were being carried, the maintenance room exploded, destroying the Albiore II.

2 days later

Malkuth Army Mobile Base - Infirmary

P.O.V. – Guy Cecil

Pain; that was all I felt. My skin was burning, heat radiating from it under the salve and bandages. I was barely aware of anything else. My head was ringing, my ears pounding… Or was it the other way around?

I slowly open my eyes, barely to a crack. Sounds started to become coherent. I could here the healers and doctors milling around. My eyes open wider, and the scene starts to form.

There were three or four doctors looming over me, in full surgical dress. They weren't focusing on me, and I didn't feel any open wounds on my body, so why were they here? My ears were still ringing loudly, so I couldn't hear what they were talking about. A wave of nausea ran over me, and I blacked out.

I awoke some time later. This time, I could fully open my eyes. The pain was somewhat gone. Was there a Seventh Fonist around, or had that much time passed? I managed to move my neck and look around.

It was a light colored room, the walls and ceiling light beige. The floor was slick tile, of course, being a medical area. There were various other beds, but only one other one was occupied. I couldn't see clearly, so I craned my neck a bit.

Noelle was there, with a lot of hospital equipment around her. She seemed to be in a bad condition. Her thin body was covered in bandages, and the fon machines were reading her heart beat at a slow 70. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth, feeding her air that was probably barely keeping her alive.

A noise outside the door alerted me. I looked over just in time to see a few doctors walk in, as well as a Seventh Fonist. My hopes soared as they noticed me.

"Lord Gardios!" one of the doctors shouts as he rushes to my bed. "Are you recovered? Hilbert healed the major burns, but it will take awhile for you to recover fully."

"And what… Of Noelle?" I asked my voice slightly hoarse. At first they looked like they didn't know who she was. Then it dawned.
"She didn't warrant a Sev-"
"What do you mean, 'DIDN'T WARRANT A SEVENTH FONIST'?!" I yelled, and then fell back in pain. I pant and calm down a little as they speak up.

"She wasn't a Malkuth citizen," Hilbert, the Seventh Fonist, started. "As such, we-"

"Do I care?" I rasped out. "She has served me for 7 years, including our time when we fought the New Order of Lorelei. She is an imperial hero, so she has priority over YOUR GOD DAMN LUNCH BREAKS!" I fell back in pain again, grinding my teeth. The sounds fade, and the pain takes over.

I force my eyes open, and see someone next to me. I tilt my head, and see a maroon cape draped over the blue Malkuth general uniform. "J-Jade…?"

Jade looks up from his book, and then looks back down. "So you are finally awake. It's been about half a day since your shouting match on the poor doctors. You had reopened several wounds, and they had to keep you under." He turned his page, and sighed.

"And Noelle? What of her?" I ask, trying to get up. Jade reaches over and helps me straighten up and sit back. I could see Noelle clearer, now. Thankfully, she wasn't too injured after the healing. She was no longer on oxygen, and there weren't as many bandages. Then, I noticed something I should've noticed instantly.
"Jade… Where the hell is Luke?" I growled, swinging my legs over the side of the bed, ignoring the pain. Jade made no move to stop me, knowing how I would react. I got onto my feet, shaking, and fell almost immediately. Jade helped me up, and sat me back onto the bed.

"There were no remains found," Jade said, sighing. "The explosion carried a lot of the debris to be ejected to surrounding area, and quite a bit landed in the ocean."
"So, the body wasn't found?" I said, a theory formulating into my head.
"He wouldn't have had time to use his hyperresonance to warp, Guy," Jade said. "If he was in the engine compartment, or even in that area of the Albiore, then he would've been killed too soon to save himself."

I sat there, and gently got up, taking a few hobbling steps towards Noelle's bed. "How long until we're recovered enough to leave?" I say, looking down on her. Up close, I could see the spots where the burns were too deep to heal unblemished. She was definitely going to have a scar on her neck when she is able to leave.

"In a few days," Jade said. "If it wasn't for your endurance you got during our adventure, you'd have passed out like she had in the Albiore," he added. He walked up to me, and handed me a pair of crutches. "These will help. Now, get going. The doctors said you could use some exercise."

"Shut up, old man," I say, hobbling towards the door, throwing one crutch away. "You're being too talkative."

Near Mt. Roneal

He held a pulsating red orb in his hand, as the blizzard swirled around him.

"Why, Lorelei? Why have you given me this?" he says as he tightens the grip his hand holds on the orb. He turned, and made the trek back to the cabin he was currently calling home.

Luke fon Fabre

Age: 25

In the time between the defeat of Van and the deterioration of the world, Luke cut off his engagement with Natalia, and attempted to step down from his rank of Viscount in the Kimlascan nobility. He was forced to stay the rank, but was allowed to leave the country and join the Oracle Knights. Over the next few years, he rose through the ranks towards Commandant, and succeeded Erin Hilfrig at his passing.

He is engaged to Tear Grants, and was assigned by Fon Mast Florian to assist Guy Cecil, Malkuth's envoy, in attempting to find the cause – And a solution – to the death of the planet.

The Sword of Lorelei was unused for awhile after his return, for he deemed it unfair and boasting to carry it into the Knights. After a year, however, it disappeared as the fonons that helped keep it formed died. Now, he uses a sword similar to the one Van wielded in their battles.

Ok, chapter 2 is complete! I hope you guys like it. Just before I uploaded this, I added a new story to my account that will also be taking up my time. So, painfully slow updates may become slower. I'm sorry!