Disclaimer:

Author's Note: Why Romero and Albel? Because it's sexy as hell, and better than Albel and Fayt - Albel was way out of Fayt's league. If anyone, Fayt should have been with Cliff. It's not that I don't like Fayt, I just can't see him with Albel. Him or Cliff. Or any other main character, for that matter, Nel included. Yes, all of you obsessive AlbelxNel-Fayt-Cliff fans, please go away. There's none of that here. You'll never see that in a LeFox fic. Ever. For those of you with an open mind, I LOVE YOU!

Warnings:

Pairing: Romero and Albel.

Afterlife

LeFox

Chapter One: A Prologue

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"I... can't lose," Albel choked, enraged. Blood flowed over his lips as he spoke, and his knees shook. He refused to fall. He refused to lose. Not to this arrogant bastard, at any rate. And yet... here he was, bleeding all over, weaker than he'd ever been in his entire life, dying... and his opponent seemed untouched. Every wound Albel had inflicted had sealed itself over and healed within seconds, and not a drop of blood had been spilled.

"I can't lose!" he yelled, falling against the nearest wall. "And... I can't die... not... like this," he snarled through clenched teeth, glaring up at Romero through furious red eyes. "Damn you!" he yelled finally, making one last deperate lunge for the being. His father's sword went cleanly through Romero's chest, but the King of the Dead didn't even flinch... instead, he simply shoved Albel almost gently to the ground.

"...You're strong," he said (or was it speaking at all? His lips never moved, nor did his face...), standing over his broken opponent. "You fought and defeated my servants without trouble. You dared to raise your sword against me. It's arrogance that drives you, that much is certain... and your strength is unquestionable, as well. But as I said... you are no match for me." Albel struggled to speak, but the blood in his mouth choked and silenced him. Romero knelt over him, his silvery hair brushing against his face. "I asked you once before," he whispered almost intimately, a white-gloved hand on the side of Albel's face. "Become my servant. I would hate to lose you to oblivion, Albel Nox... it would be a waste of your power, your skill... hurry, now, make your choice."

The man didn't move, staring at the creature above him. Romero wasn't human. He'd known it all along, true, but... it only just hit home that this thing, whatever it was, was not human. Something about the face, the unchanging face, gave it away... This was a creature from Hell. Maybe it was the eyes... they were piercing, cold, dead, and yet... warm, somehow. They were the only animated feature on Romero's face. Albel found himself staring at those eyes... and unable to struggle.

Blood was filling his lungs. Darkness was filling his eyes.

"Choose," Romero said, without the slightest hit of demanding. "Choose to serve me, or choose oblivion. You needn't say a word..." he placed a finger on Albel's bloodied lips as the man attempted to speak. "Make your choice with your soul. Abandon this body, it's dying." The hand slipped down Albel's chest, resting heavily over his slowly-beating heart.

Dying... Albel thought, closing his eyes. Dying. Abandon this body, it's dying. ...Become your servant? Become your SERVANT! I would never... but what other choice did he have? Oblivion... Oblivion. And then what? Nothing? For all eternity? How boring. Fine, then. I'll serve you. But on my own terms...

"Very well." Romero stood then, standing beside Albel. "I'll see you... on the other side."

Author's Note: Short and sweet, but then again, it is the introduction.