Summary: Eighteen years after they defeated the Creator, Albel Nox is put to death for the murder of King Arzei's wife and the maiming of their seventeen-year-old son. Finding himself in a new body, he must team up with old allies to prove his innocence and to search for a legendary blade that may be the key to saving Elicoor from a new threat, and that may hold the power to bring back the dead… Rated for violence, gore, and swearing.
Yaoi Warning: If you do not like yaoi, or are offended by it, DON'T READ!
Chapter One
After they defeated the Creator, Fayt and the others went their separate ways. Fayt decided to travel with Cliff and Maria on the Diplo, Sophia returned home, and the four Elicoorians returned home to help rebuild in the aftermath of the war.
King Arzei married Elena Frahm later that same year, and almost a full year later, she gave birth to their son, Allen. He had clear blue eyes and his hair was snowy white, lighter than even his mother's hair. As the next seventeen years passed, he grew and matured into a strong young man. Albel taught him how to fight, and he and the boy became close companions. In fact, many courtiers commented that the boy even resembled Albel. He had many of the same strong features, and had the lithe body that many had seen on a younger Albel.
Albel had retired from the Black Brigade after the boy turned seventeen, so that he could personally see to his training, but there were other reasons. Albel was getting older, nearing forty-three, and he had decided that it was time for the younger soldiers to take over.
So it was that Albel the Wicked became more of a welcome sight around Airyglyph. That was, until…
Albel ducked down a dark alley to avoid the soldiers that were after him. When he had heard the horrible news, he had come to the capital as quickly as possible, only to find the town guards after him! As he stopped to catch his breath, he began to think back on what had happened.
Elena Frahm, the queen, had been found brutally murdered in her bed chamber. If it weren't for the silvery-white locks of her hair, she would never have been recognizable. Though Albel felt horrible for the loss, it was the second piece of news that angered him.
The Prince! He had been badly wounded before the guards could come to his aid. Albel was slightly bewildered at this. The boy was as strong as him, if not, he grudgingly thought, stronger. He should have been able to beat off any normal attacker.
But what angered Albel most was the fact that those maggots thought that he was responsible. Sure, they had found claw marks on the queen's body, and there were deep slashes, as if from a sword, but that didn't mean it was him. If the boy hadn't collapsed after the attack, he would have been able to tell them. Besides, Albel couldn't hurt anything with his claw anymore. He hated to admit it, but it was the honest truth. The claw was attached to his arm through a series of bolts driven through the remaining bone in his upper arm. Over the years of strain he had put on it, the bolts had begun to come lose and were now grinding against the bone in his arm and tearing what muscle he had left. He could barely move it without feeling the sharp pain in his arm.
Unfortunately, he was so caught up in his musings that the guards found him. He broke past them and into the open street, but was unprepared for the sheer amount of soldiers waiting for him. Leading them was Elric, the new Dragon Brigade leader, every bit as evil as Vox.
"Leave him to me, men," Elric stated calmly. He stepped forward, drawing his blade and standing in a battle stance, ready to attack. Albel drew his own blade, allowing his heavy claw to hang down by his side.
Without any warning, Elric launched his attack. He was lightning fast, and Albel, feeling the first pulls of aging, was barely able to block. After a few more attacks, it was clear that Albel wouldn't be able to win this fight. (A/N: Sorry to all Albel fans, it hurt me to write this!)
Elric grinned. "Well, Nox, looks like you finally lost to the Dragon Brigade." Albel glared daggers at the younger man, but remained silent. "I must thank you though, for getting rid of that bitch. I just wish that you had killed that little pet of yours."
That was it. Albel had learned to take trash talk about himself, but no one was going to insult Allen like this. In a swift movement, he pushed off from the wall he had been leaning on and slammed his metal fist into the face of the younger Brigade Captain. He was totally unprepared for the explosion of pain in his arm as the impact splintered the remaining bone around the securing bolts in his arm. He screamed, a totally horrible sound that sent many of the younger soldiers backwards. Falling to his knees, he clutched at his now useless arm.
Elric, though bleeding from a broken nose, sneered in dark satisfaction. "Look how the mighty Albel the Wicked has fallen." Picking up his fallen sword, he contemplated it for a moment before saying, "It's a pity, but the King want's you alive." He reversed his sword and slammed the pommel into the back of Albel's head, sending him into oblivion.
Fayt surveyed his surroundings and smiled. It had been a few years since he had been here for one of his visits. The past eighteen years had treated him well. His blue hair had grown down almost to his hips, and it was held back in a lose tail at his neck with an old piece of leather. He nearly beamed at the others. Cliff and Mirage hadn't changed a bit, and Maria had kept her own appearance so similar to that of years past that it was almost scary. Despite being thirty-seven, Fayt didn't look a day over twenty, a latent effect of the genetic experiments he had discovered a few years ago. It affected Maria and Sophia in similar ways. He still had his old broadsword with him, and his outfit really hadn't changed much, though the vest was now black.
They had been transported down outside the gates of the Glyphian capital, and they could see that there was quite a commotion going on within the city. Fayt was about to ask a passerby what was going on when he saw a familiar wisp of red hair approaching.
"Nel!" He grinned widely. He was so glad that he had the chance to see the Elicoorian members of their team again. But when she approached, his smile disappeared and he became troubled. She looked the same as when they traveled together, except for the few strands of gray in her hair. But it was the look on her face that caused his smile to falter. She looked upset, and almost as if she had been…crying?
"Nel? What's the matter?" It looked as if she might say something, but then she stopped and shook her head wearily.
"It would be better if you just followed me."
Confused, Fayt and the other Quark members followed her through the gates of the city. They could see mourning banners everywhere, and the citizens looked either sad, angry, or an odd mix of both. When they approached the town square, there were many hushed voices, and he heard dark laughter from a few. When he saw what the townsfolk were looking at, he stopped in his tracks. "Oh, God…"
Albel was tied upright to a post in the center of the square. His body was beaten badly and Fayt could see evidence of his legs being badly broken. There was a horrible bloody gash that started at Albel's right shoulder and ended at his left hip. He could see crust's of blood on the warrior's face, coming from the corners of his eyes and mouth. Fayt's breath caught in his throat when he saw Albel's arm. Albel's claw arm was missing, and it appeared as if it had been ripped off. The body was motionless and Fayt feared the worst.
"It is as you fear, Fayt," Nel spoke up. "He is dead."
Fayt was dumbstruck. "What…what the Hell happened!" Fayt turned to Nel and almost shouted in her face. Her weary eyes refused to meet Fayt's emerald one's.
"This is his punishment, death from exposure."
Fayt was furious. "What crime could he possibly have committed that would warrant such a horrible death!"
At this, Nel finally met his gaze. "His crime was the murder of Queen Elena and the attempted murder of Prince Allen."
Fayt stared at her in shock. He couldn't believe it. Albel couldn't have…
In his rooms deep in the palace, a man awoke, saw his reflection, and screamed.
End.
Iron Maiden: So, what did you guys think? I will DEFINITELY keep this one going.
Please, review. And remember, flames will be used to keep the fires of Hell burning hot for Sophia!