Author's note: Sorry you guys! It's finally up, I just had lots going on and all. I'll try and update quicker. Not to mention the fact that has changed and confused me. .
Chapter 16
Utter madness
Fayt and Cliff looked at each other and jumped up. They ran to the door that led into the hallway, where the scream came from, and opened the door. Sophia was stepping backwards towards them and Fayt caught her, as they acknowledged the sight which had made her scream…a pale figure of a blonde young man stood there, stepping backwards in alarm, with his hands out gesturing that he was confused and meant no harm. He stopped when he saw the two gentlemen looking at him.
"Am I seeing right? Because this can't be real. This is impossible. How can this be happening?" Cliff asked, not sounding like his usual confident self. The young man looked at them one by one and looked confused. He had his hand hovering near the hilt of his sword.
"Where am I? Who are you?" The young man managed to ask. Cliff walked forward towards the young man and the young man walked backwards in fright.
"Hey, just stay there, I'm not gonna hurt ya," Cliff said. The young man looked angry then, as if he didn't believe him, and he got out his sword and pointed it at him.
"You wanna fight? Look, all I want to do is check for a pulse. I don't want to be slapping a hero of the universe, y'know? So put the sword down and level with me," Cliff said. The young man growled. He lifted his sword and friction in the air started.
"TEAR INTO PIECES!" He shouted and sent Cliff flying back through the door into the main room. Unfortunately for him, he hit his head on the floor and was knocked unconscious. Fayt looked at the young man with wide eyes and Sophia ran in fright. Maria could be seen jumping up from the pilot's chair and going to Cliff's side. The young man pointed his sword at Fayt.
"What have you done to my friends? What is the meaning of all this? And where's Leon's ship?" The young man asked. He looked quite angry. Fayt frowned and walked forward.
"Just wait one moment! We haven't done anything to your friends! We found you all like that," Fayt said. The young man advanced.
"It looks pretty suspicious to me. I wake up to find my wife frozen, clutching me. I find everyone else is frozen. We're on a strange ship. You-you…killed them! You MURDERER!" The young man shouted, as he went hurtling towards Fayt. Fayt brought out his sword and blocked the young man's attack.
"Mr. Kenni, this is stupid! If you'd just listen to what I say-," Fayt started. Claude, as he was named, pushed him backwards.
"SHOOTING STARS!" Claude shouted. Fayt managed to dodge out of the way and sighed.
"Fine. If it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you get," Fayt said, giving in. The sound of clanking steel rang through the airwaves and both seemed as good as the other. They both jumped backwards, looking at each other.
"AIR SLASH!"
"AIR SLASH!" They both shouted. Blades of air hurtled towards each other and collided. A rumbling could be heard. A ball of fused wind was expanding in the middle and exploded. Each boy was hurtled backwards and onto the floor. Claude quickly got up and ran into the main room, where Fayt had landed. Fayt got up in the nick of time and blades clashed once again. Maria stood transfixed in horror, watching the battle between her friend and a person who was supposed to be dead. Mirage also looked stunned. The battle raged on. The clanking attracted the attention of Peppita and Roger, who came bustling in, thinking there was trouble brewing. They stood in horror, seeing Fayt fighting one of the dead people.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" Roger screamed, more in anger, than in fear. He started running towards Claude, but Cliff stopped him. He told him to stay out of it and that Fayt could handle it. Claude and Fayt were pushing each other's blades. Sometime later Nel came in, wondering what the commotion was about. She stood transfixed with a mixture of confusion and horror.
"Not bad for a scrawny little guy," Claude said. Fayt frowned angrily and pushed harder.
"Yeah? Well atleast I'm not a zombie," Fayt said. Buttons being pressed could be heard in the background.
"Actually, Fayt. I think he's alive, somehow," Maria said.
"Of course I'm alive. How could I be fighting like this?" Claude asked.
"Maria how do you know he's alive? And how is that possible?" Fayt shouted over the clashing metal.
"Look at his face, it's flushed with the stress of battle. Plus, he doesn't seem to be dumbed out," Maria replied. Fayt groaned and they carried on fighting. They hit each other with so much force that they were both thrown backwards. Claude ran towards Fayt.
"MIRROR SLICE!" Claude shouted. He carried out a fast slicing attack, which knocked Fayt down. He felt exhausted and could barely get up. Claude ran over to him and put his sword to Fayt's throat.
"Tell me what you did to my friends or I'll-," Claude said. Cliff strode up to him and grabbed his arms, making it so he could not move them.
"Now, come over here and we'll talk about this like grown men," Cliff said, guiding him over to the sofas. He sat Claude down, who watched them suspiciously. Cliff and a worn out Fayt sat down opposite him.
"Now, first of all. We did not do anything to your friends. Secondly, we are not going to do anything to you," Cliff said. Claude started asking how this was happening and, sighing, Cliff explained to him that he was in the 30th Century now and that somehow he had managed to escape death.
"Basically, you were all frozen to death. Four hundred years went by and we found you all in your ship. You are supposed to be dead, but somehow you have managed to survive. Though I tell you now, there is no guarantee that your friends will come back too. I'm afraid you're going to have to accept them as dead. I'm sorry, but it's all true," Cliff explained. Claude looked shocked and sorrowed at the same time. He narrowed his eyes sadly and bowed his head; letting tears leave his face.
"So my sister, she's-," Claude said. Cliff closed his eyes and nodded. Claude broke down.
"B-b-but, my Rena…my child! All gone? How could this be?" Claude cried. Cliff put a hand on his shoulder.
"I can't imagine the pain you're in. If it is any consolation to you, I reckon they died instantly. You all froze over instantaneously, leaving no room for pain," Cliff said. Claude nodded slowly, thinking that that was atleast a little more reassuring.
The next few days went by painfully, as Claude moped around feeling sorry for himself.
"I shouldn't be alive, so why should I stay alive? What good will it do?" Claude asked, while lying on the couch gloomily. Cliff looked at him seriously.
"Hey! Don't say crap like that, you hear me? You can't just take your own life just because your friends are dead. How d'you think they'd feel? They wouldn't like the fact that you're wasting your chance to live in a new world just because you missed your friends. Be a man and live with it," Cliff said. Claude stayed silent, realising that he was right.
"I'm sorry. You're right…" Claude said. Suddenly they heard a clonk of something heavy come from the hallway. A scream proceeded.
"Oh, hello darling," a female voice said, before another, softer thump could be heard. Cliff got up to investigate and opened the door.
"Oh my God!" Cliff shouted. Fayt got up. They saw a female with a frozen figure attached to her stood in the hallway, with Sophia at her feet, unconscious. Cliff went to the female and put her free right arm over his shoulders, helping her through into the lounge. Fayt helped Sophia into her room.
Cliff got her to a couch and sat her down.
"Why, thank you, darling," she said. Claude shot up.
"Celine! You're alive!" Claude shouted. Celine laughed.
"Of course I am, darling," Celine said. Celine was joined to Aniki due to the ice stuff; he had his arm draped around her neck, making it impossible for her to move her neck, he had his other arm around her stomach and his left leg slightly curled around her left leg. She could barely move and could not feel the parts covered in the ice.
"It's a shame about your friend Aniki. Once we figure out what the stuff is, we'll cut him loose from you," Cliff said.
"What are you talking about, darling? I don't want him removed. He will wake up soon enough," Celine said. Cliff shook his head.
"I'm afraid he's dead. You and Claude are lucky to have awakened. There is no guarantee the rest will follow suit. I wouldn't build your hopes up, otherwise you'll be disappointed," Cliff explained.
"Oh, nonsense, darling. Aniki wouldn't die. He wouldn't miss an opportunity to be with me, he said himself that he would do anything to be with me. That is why I like him, he's so romantic and I know he's sincere all the way. You can't control destiny nor can destiny control you. If something is meant to happen, it will happen. Aniki will awaken, I assure you. And I have never been proven wrong," Celine said. This cheered Claude up, but Cliff still looked unsure.
They sat around in the lounge discussing various things.
"Say, Cliff. Have you noticed that Albel hasn't woken up once since before Claude re-awakened? I'm starting to get worried," Fayt said.
"Ahhh, just leave him be. He's probably just going through some psychological stress. He'll be fine in a few days," Cliff replied. Fayt sighed, not knowing whether to believe him. However, a few days went by and Albel was still out.
"And he's not moaning or screaming in his sleep," Fayt said. "Something's not right." They sat there in silence and a fizzing sound that suddenly appeared was the only thing that broke that stillness. They looked to Celine, who was looking at Aniki. The ice seemed to be fading away and Aniki immediately cuddled Celine, like no time had passed during the four hundred years of slumber. He suddenly looked up.
"Er…where are we? And what's going on?" Aniki asked. Celine giggled.
"It seems, sweetie, that we have been frozen for four hundred years and now we have unfrozen to explore the new, evolved world," Celine explained. Aniki thought about this.
"Who cares? As long as my sweet Celine is alive and well, I don't care where we are," Aniki said. Celine rubbed her head in his chest and they sat there in their own little world.
"Well, that's three out of sixteen. I think there must be a good chance that the others will awaken too," Fayt said.
"Alright. We'll wait a few more days. If another wakes up, then I'll believe that they will all awaken," Cliff said. Fayt nodded. Needles to say, a few days past and a scared little boy opened the door to the main room. He poked his head through and saw Claude, Celine and Aniki sat there. Cliff turned his head a little and noticed the kid. The child in question quickly ducked his head back into the hallway when he noticed that the stranger had spotted him.
"Hey, Mr. Geeste, c'mere," Cliff said. "We're not going to hurt you. Look, some of your friends are here." Leon poked his head through again and noticed that Claude was nodding his head. Another kid walked up behind him.
"Where are we? This isn't your ship, Leon," the little girl said. Leon nodded and walked into the lounge to join Claude, with the girl in tow.
"Precis, you're ok too!" Claude said. He jumped up and took them both in an embrace.
"Hey. What happened to Ashton? Is he going to be alright? I'm worried," Precis asked. Claude rubbed her head and nodded, reassuring her that everything will be just fine.
"Well, I guess that settles it then! Hey, Mirage, analyse that ice stuff. It could have some strange attributes," Cliff said. Mirage nodded. Again another few days past and Cliff entered one of the rooms, to see if anyone else was going to unfreeze. The frozen bodies of Noel and Bowman were sat on the bed, cards still in hands and frozen in with them. He saw them turn slowly back to normal, and the moment they were ice-free, Bowman put his hand of cards down.
"Royal Flush. Beat that," Bowman said. Noel looked dolefully down at his cards and sighed. He dropped his cards and put his hands to his head, shaking it in disappointment.
"I lost again?" Noel exclaimed. Bowman laughed and turned his head when he noticed someone staring at them.
"Hey, who are you?" Bowman asked. Cliff came out of his stupor and shook his head.
"Man, you two are unbelievable. Come here and follow me into the main room. I'm Cliff, pleased to meet you," he replied. Bowman and Noel did what he said and they sat down with Claude and the others. Cliff explained the situation.
"Four hundred years? Great Scotts that's a long time. Wait…does that mean…? You can't be saying that my wife…is gone?" Bowman asked. Cliff nodded his head regretfully. Bowman put his hands to his face and wept silently. Noel placed his hand on his shoulder.
"It's ok. You still have us. Atleast we are still here. Just thank the heavens that God decided to spare us and allow us to witness a new era," Noel said. Bowman lifted his head and nodded, thanking Noel for his words. The next few days went by and they heard some noises coming from the bedroom with the ice statues in it.
"Oh noooo! What's happened to everyone? What's going on? Wait a minute…where's my Precis? And the others? Oh noooooo," the voice of Ashton shouted. Cliff went to investigate and found the dragon-clad swordsman wailing on the floor. Cliff tapped him on the shoulder. Ashton turned back with a face of half sadness, half anger.
"Where's my Precis? What have you done with them all? I'll show you," Ashton said. He got up and got his swords out. He went to hurtle towards Cliff, but he tripped over his own feet and a loud bang resonated. Cliff helped him up and showed him into the main room, where Ashton immediately ran for Precis. She returned his embrace and cried into his chest.
"I was so worried, Ashton. The blond jerk said that you guys might not wake up. I'm so glad you're alive," Precis cried. Ashton had tears of relief as he said how glad he was to see her. They sat down on the couch and snuggled together.
"I'll go and see if we have anymore wakers," Cliff said. He was gone a few minutes and came back, claiming the two henchmen of Aniki were defrosted, but still asleep, snoring away. A few days later, Opera and Ernest came suddenly into the room, busting down the door and guns blazing; literally.
"Who are you guys and what do you want with us?" Opera and Ernest asked in unison. Claude stood up and explained the situation. They sighed with relief and sat down as if nothing had happened.
"Hello, you guys must be Opera and Ernest. Pleased to meet you, I'm Fayt Leingod," he said. Opera's face twitched and she stood up. She walked up to Fayt and slapped him, sending him over the back of the couch. He got up and looked over the back of the couch, rubbing his face.
"That's for being everyone's pain in the arse, dear father Fate," Opera said, angrily. She exited the room with Ernest.
"Ow, what did I do?" Fayt asked. Bowman looked up from his hand of cards.
"Well, she did say a couple of times, that if she ever met fate, she would give them one hell of a slap," Bowman replied.
"Oh, c'mon, I'm not the actual fate. It's just a name," he said. Noel shook his head and told him that people are reincarnated, originating as a powerful God with a certain attribute.
"Gods don't exist," Fayt replied.
"Oh, on the contrary. You saved the fate of the Milky Way. Of course you control fate," Cliff laughed. Fayt laughed sarcastically at him and sat back, sighing.
Some time later that day, Chisato and Dias entered the room, Dias entering with caution. Chisato kept telling him not to be silly and dragged him along by the hand, with him blushing a little. Claude could not hold back a small laugh, which earned him a deathly glare from Dias. They were explained the situation.
"Oooooh, wow. That would make for a great story. I shall have to make notes. Where's my pen and pad, I must get this all down," Chisato said. A few days passed, but Ariette and Rena showed signs of waking. Claude sat in with them both and stared at their faces. Rena was looking terrified and Ariette looked…sad. Claude shuffled closer to his twin and stared into her eyes. He stroked the ice around her head and sighed.
"You've been suffering, haven't you? I haven't been a good brother to you, eh? But…once you wake up, I'll focus on being with you more, ok? So just wake up. Even with Rena, I can't be without you. You're my other half. Confident, sweet and unselfish," Claude sighed, holding onto his twin. He glanced at Rena and brought her closer. He stared at Rena's stomach, which was showing a fair bit.
"I hope Rena will be alright…and that our child will be fine. I couldn't bear you guys leaving me either," Claude sighed again. Back in the front room, everyone was chatting happily. Maria came in looking very serious.
"Guys, I think there's something wrong with Albel. He's not waking up," Maria said.
Author's note: There you go. Hope you liked. I'm gonna try and give you chapter 17 quite soon too to make up for it.
