Blood and Emeralds

Author: Ciissi
Lyrics: Angels Fall First by Nightwish
Fandom: Star Ocean III: Till the End of Time; first story of “Generals and Slaves” Arch
Pairing: Albel Nox x Fayt Leingod
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Ocean III. It belongs to Square Enix, may they do lots of more good games.
Warnings: NC-17. Contains yaoi meaning at least two boys having sex together. Violent master-slave relationship. Might contain spoilers about battle skills if search with magnifying glass…
Author’s Note 1: It appears that this is not any more one-shot. In courtesy of those who asked second part to conclude the story… Oh and by the way… If someone wondered, English is not my mother tongue. It is Finnish so if there is some bizarre way of using words, it comes from that fact. I hope it does not bother anyone too much.

*****

The Second Part: Hell hath no Fury…
Albel Nox, the First General of the great Kingdom of Elicoor, hated the world… Not quite surprise if you think the fact that his new bed slave was just sunken through the floor to the dark abyss. And that dammed abyss did not yield and give Fayt back no matter how the General glared the hole on floor. He was not aware that he had no clothes on as he ordered his soldiers around. And even if he was aware he could have not cared less.

Albel cared only finding *his* Fayt. His slave. His possession. His pleasure. His Emerald-eyed beauty.

[An angelface smiles to me]

Albel came to conclusion that his men were useless. They could only babble about sun turning black. That little of patience that Albel owned was indeed running short and Vox was not helping. Sneering and snarling he sent his men away and got dressed. He fetched the Crimson Scourge and put his claw on. He checked his equipment making sure that he had enough of healing items and he could use Symbology without delay.

Because the whole Black Brigade had proven to be formed out of worms, Albel Nox would go after his slave alone. That was why he made all the preparations with extra carefulness.

Albel closed his eyes for a moment to clear his mind for battle before he kneeled beside of the torn on the floor. His bloody red eyes examined the swirling darkness with intention to draw as much information as possible but results were not satisfactory. He looked for something solid to be used as step stones, something he could really see, but there was nothing else than black, red and orange wall of thick fog. Albel could not even tell how deep the pit was and was there even bottom where to reach.

The First General of the Kingdom of Elicoor had not very good chances but he was willingly to take them. No-one escaped from his grasps.

Albel stood up and shrugged his shoulders. There was nothing he could do about the height of the fall so it was double or check, life or death and Albel was not afraid of the last one. Most importantly… Fayt was down there somewhere. He *needed* to go there, find him and drag back for explanation.

Albel frowned. Now he started to wonder *where* Cliff Fittir had acquired such a unique slave. There were not many persons who could grow wings out of their backs just like that. His frown deepened as he recalled something he believed Fayt had said before sinking. “‘There is no escape, because your Fayt is Horror and Doom…’ was that what he said…?” he mumbled. “What the Hell is that supposed to mean?” Albel was getting irritated. He did not like unsolved mysteries. And how could someone so ‘innocent’ as Fayt – at least appeared to be – be ‘Horror and Doom’?

Albel liked it.

The General smiled manically. ‘Horror and Doom’ was good pair with ‘Wicked and Deadly’. He almost laughed out loud but managed hold it off and jumped.

The insane laugher stayed behind and filled the bed chamber of the First General.

[Under a headline of tragedy]

Later if inquired, Albel would adamantly deny everything, but after of five minutes of falling he was afraid. He was afraid that he would die boredom because – simply – nothing, absolutely *nothing* happened. The red-blackish fog did not move or anything or he could feel the wind nor did demons or monsters come to his way. It was like he was staying still. Only thing that proved that he was still falling was the fact that his loincloth was rising up to his face and forced him to use his hands to keep it down. Which –by the way – irritated him without end.

Somewhere back of his mind Albel was grateful for realizing to dress on a thong. He did not need more things to be hindering or humiliating if there was someone seeing.

After another five minutes or so falling and getting irritated by his uplifting loincloth, something in Albel’s surroundings changed but he did not noticed it at first. It was a vague feeling that alerted his attention. The fog was same and the feeling of stillness as well, but something *was* definitely changed. He peered around cautiously eyes narrowed into slits, hand resting on the hilt of katana and claw twitching.

The flash hit Albel without warning.

It was Albel Nox’s tenth birthday. His mother and father would be home the whole day. Father had promised to him that they would go to a picnic on Granah Hills and no bodyguards would be taken with. He was so exited. Albel believed that this would become the best day in his ten years of life. He was so exited that he had left the family’s living quarters and was waiting at the entrance of Kirlsa Training Facility his father to return from Airyglyph Castle. The guards talked with him and told him old stories about people called Angeles(1), which the Church hailed as the saviors of the world and people and the ones who had discarded their holy mission becoming the bringers of the doom and destruction.

“Albel! Albel? Where are you, Albel?” a voice of woman called out from the corridor leading family’s quarters. It did not take long before Albel’s mother appeared to the entrance. Although she seemed little displeased her warm, loving smiled seemed to say ‘oh, what can I do to my mischievous son?’ and young Albel loved that smile because it made him smile back and apologize.

The guards bowed to Lady Nox. Albel left them and turn to his mother…

[That smile used to give me warmth]

Albel gasped the air. It was like he had held his breath during the dream which he knew all too well was not a dream at all but a memory. A memory which he did not wanted to remember. A foul memory of long lost childhood and innocence.

Shifting restlessly Albel glanced down and saw finally the ground. His foot touched the ground without sound, like butterfly’s wings brushing over the cheek delicately. Albel stood still, wound his arms around himself and squeezed his eyes close. And he remembered all the things he wanted not.

In the end Albel’s tenth birthday had proven to be a nightmare turning into reality. As his family had been on its picnic some soldiers from the neighbor country of Greeton had attacked. In front of Albel’s eyes his beloved and cherished parents were killed and Albel was saved from the same destiny because he had followed some Young Shriekers to try out a sword his father had given him as a present. The sight of his parents cruelly and unmercifully slaughtered had killed something inside of Albel.

As Albel stood beside the graves of his parents after the funeral attended by Their Royal Majesties he swore revenge. Nothing or anyone could get pass his mental walls after that.

[Farewell - no words to say]
[beside the cross on your grave]

On a day of Albel Nox’s twentieth birthday he redeemed his oath to his parents. That day he had led the armies of Elicoor Kingdom to capital of Greeton and burned it down. Almost one hundred thousand citizen of Greeton had died but in the end nothing revived what had died in Albel on his tenth birthday. He could only hate and despise others.

[and those forever burning candles]

Albel shook the thoughts of past out of his mind. He had not come here to hanker for the past that could not be changed or lived again. He was here to reclaim his bed slave and he swore that he would do so no matter the cost. He placed his hand on the handle of Crimson Scourge and stepped forward determinately looking around himself. Albel took notice of that he had landed on some sort of ravine. The ground was barren and dead. There was not a single green plant on his sight. Small trees were bare of leafs, stunted and grisly color of black, white and brown. The little grass he saw was also brown being dead and withered for several years. The wind Albel heard reminded him of the pained cries of agony and torture screamed with voices of thousands at the same time. The breeze was burningly hot and freezingly cold at once on his skin. The sky above the General was mixture of black, red and orange clouds and strange light that glowed from them did not lightened his path.

Albel did not care. He was here looking for Fayt not to admire the view.

This was indeed a very strange and unnerving place all in all. Everything was unnatural, dead and pained. There was something – a feeling or something like that – which reminded General of battlefield, prison and morgue.

Perhaps it was the smell. The smell of death.

[Needed elsewhere]
[to remind us of the shortness of our time]

When Albel came to realization *what* he recognized a cold shiver ran thru his backside. The thought of Fayt being in place which smelled death and despair made him feel uncharacteristically concerned. Fayt was still very naïve and Albel wanted to keep him like that until he decided otherwise. None aside him was allowed to touch, look nor spoil his slave. In the place which smelled of death there were always people who thought that it was their right to do what ever they wanted.

That thought got Albel run instead of calmly striding along the ravine. Fayt Leingod was his, his and HIS and not anyone else’s.

Albel kept close attention to his surroundings. He was in unfamiliar ground clothed by thick fog which muffled all the sounds and made surprise attacks easy. But he was expert fighter and his flying steps did not hindrance his wariness. It failed to surprise Albel that first attack was heard miles away rather than seen.

Albel got out of ravine after he had killed several strange looking monsters. He had not recognized single one of them but the ones he had got to speak before dying by his sword had called themselves Proclaimers, Enforcer and Convictors. Albel called them weak although they *had* provided some challenge. At the exit of ravine he used unique kind Symbology he had developed himself. It tapped on fact that something or someone belonged to the General and tracked what ever he wanted. Now he directed the spell formed of symbols to find Fayt’s whereabouts. He closed his eyes for awhile, opened them when he felt the presence of Fayt and bolted forward.

Albel killed what ever came to his way without slowing down. He had no time to neither observe too closely the land he traveled nor feel remorse for those who he slew along the way.

Albel could feel Fayt out there somewhere and that was all he cared for…

[Tears laid for them]
[Tears of love, tears of fear]

Fayt sighed and rattled the chains binding him into a wall somewhere deep down. He wondered how things had come to this. He hung on the wall. Heavy chains, that he *knew* he could never break, kept him crucified on the wall.

After Fayt had lost the sight of his Master’s face and fell through the floor and ground into this depressing place, he had had a moment of time to realize that his earlier pristine white wings had took the strange color of so bright white that it was glowing in transparent blue. It had amazed him without the end. He had not heard stories about anything like this and it had made him frown.

Fayt had been still laying on the ground when Proclaimers had came. He had tried to escape with all of his might but he was no warrior and soon enough the creatures of the deepest Hell and surrounded him blocking his escape route. When few Enforcers had come Fayt had known that there would be no escape and surrendered.

The creatures had not treated Fayt roughly or disrespectably but they had not been kind either. They had brought him over the barren, dead land to the mountainous part of Hell and had led him into the cave on the base. In the cave there was a round room and in this room Fayt now was. The creatures had chained him on the wall and left alone.

To be left alone was quite unnerving for Fayt. He knew the place from the stories he had heard when he had been child. This was the Room of Fallen, the Prison for Damned and he could not bring himself to think anything cheerful. So he just hung there. He could only wish that his Master would find a better toy for himself next time. Fayt knew that he had no future on earth. He had done something very wrong and now it was his time to suffer the consequences.

Fayt had nothing but regret.

[Bury my dreams, dig up my sorrows]

Fayt did not know how much time had passed when he heard steps with familiar echo. They came closer and stopped in front of him. He knew who it was and he hated that person for destroying his dream by turning it into a nightmare. Fayt raised his head and bared his teeth. “Luther”, he hissed and gave sharp tug to chains binding his wrists. “What do *you* want?” he asked with pure hostility from the leader of his tribe.

Luther smirked and clicked his tongue with faked amusement. “My, what a temper…” he answered coldly and turned his bright green eyes to meet Fayt’s emerald ones. His whole demeanor was cold and angry and the way muscle below his eyes was twitching made clear that he was desisting younger one. “I have seen the Black Sun of the Fallen One”, he proclaimed and stared icicles. “You just could not resist the urge!” Luther finally spitted. “You had to fall and get yourself tainted.” A sharp bang followed the opening of his pure white wings which seemed almost black when compared to Fayt’s glowing ones.

Fayt snarled and wished that he knew how to use a sword, had one and was free of chains. He wanted kill, kill Luther. But he knew that other had also right. Killing Luther would not erase Fayt’s sin and mistake… but it *would* make him feel better.

Luther shivered insides as he saw the fire of anger burning in Fayt’s eyes but he did not showed his discomfort out. “I was right”, he said and narrowed his eyes. “You *are* tainted. You have become dangerous. I was right when I decided to isolate you into this place.” He withdrew his wing and they disappeared into his back. Luther turned to leave. “Your… sin will be taken care of. The one that caused this will be disposed”, he informed without emotion and took the one last look of his the beautiful tribesman.

Share horror wiped the hate and anger off Fayt’s eyes and face. “NO!” he screamed in agony and tugged his binds. “No! Let Master Albel be”, he begged collapsing. “I was only his slave. He will not come after me. Let Master be…” His voice cracked and sob shook his lithe form. His pristine wings rustled.

Luther frowned and left. A scream of horror, pain, agony and despair without end followed him out of the cave. It chilled him and all those who were waiting him outside. The wail was not suppressed by heavy air and fog of Hell but rather making it gain more power and clarity.

Luther looked Fayt’s parents whom were paled and offered them a smile of assurance, regret and loss. He turned to look his sister Blair who cried openly. Blair had begged him to let Fayt be but Luther had known he could not do it. The General Albel Nox was a vicious man who loved war and death and killing. He could not afford to someone with powers of Fayt stay as a slave to such man.

One after another people of the tribe of Luther vanished. Finally only Blair and Luther stayed. Siblings looked each other the question clearly in their eyes but either of them asked it aloud.

Why of all of the Angeles it had to be Fayt Leingod? The beautiful and innocent Fayt… hope of the dying tribe…

[Oh, Lord why]
[the angels fall first]

Albel was irritated. Really, really, *really* irritated. He felt and knew that out there somewhere were people observing him. They studied his movements, his way to fight, his ability to dodge ambushes and find his way in unfamiliar territory. And it irritated him without end but he knew none of them was ready to attack him… yet.

So Albel let them be and concentrated to follow the path to Fayt’s whereabouts fighting the monsters along the way.

In the end it did not take *that* long before Albel noticed something rather particular. The further he got and closer the mountain range came, larger part of the monsters he killed was Proclaimers, Enforcers and Convictors. They were getting pest and nuisance… and stronger. At that point Albel decided something or someone did not want him to reach the mountains and wanted him dead, *very* dead.

Albel could understand the grudge… Oh yes, indeed he could. But this unknown person… Albel did not know who he was and he knew because he had never before been in this place there was no way he had done something wrong to this person. So… it was annoying him. Lot.

Albel stopped and kneaded his eyebrows together. Good riddance! He had no time to something like this. He struck the tip of Crimson Scourge into ground, wound his hands around the handle and closed his eyes. Then he waited. He knew that opposite party would crawl out their hiding places sooner or later. He just had to wait them to crack.

Some monsters approached Albel but he killed them off without bothering even open his eyes. There was no need… after all he *was* master swordsman.

It took lesser amount of time before people Albel now considered as enemies cracked and decided to confront the First General. As they moved closer the General opened his eyes and saw two scrawny men. They carried swords of a kind and amulets with markings of Symbology craved on them. They looked quite ordinary human men to Albel but because this land was unknown to him and they were the enemy he thought them dangerous.

That did not stop the General to encage with them.

The fight was short, cruel and disappointment to Albel. Two men were not very strong and their spells were nothing out of ordinary. Killing them without second thought did not bother the General. They died without a word for Albel. He had seen it in the beginning of the battle. Those two were terminated to not to utter a word.

Albel’s face was expressionless after the hustle. “Che!” He did not really cared about those men but he knew they had been only underlings and it did not help him to just fight against them. “Blah, maggots”, he spitted and looked around. He saw many possible places where the ones he wanted his hands on might have been but he was not stupid enough to go search them.

So Albel waited.

This time it took longer from opponents to appear. Again there were two men but Albel’s attention was drawn by woman with men. If the General would have been even slightly interested of women he would have called her beautiful. But when his preferences were what they were, he admitted to himself that woman was prettier than ordinary but nothing to fuss about. She was taller than average women in Elicoor Kingdom yet slimmer on body built. Her hair was short and darkish gray. Her eyes were dark green and someway reminded Albel of Fayt’s. She carried a staff which looked like it had made out of pure light. She looked quite harmless in her black-and-silver robe but Albel’s instinct told him that this woman was more dangerous by far than those men could ever be.

“Please, turn away from this path, General Albel Nox”, woman suddenly said and her voice rang clearly in the thick air. “There is nothing for you to gain. Return to your own lands”, she pressed on.

Albel raised the Crimson Scourge to his lips and licked the bloody blade while staring his opponents. “Nothing to gain… you say. Yet I have not had my slave back…” He fingered the blade and slid one of the clawed fingers on it. He let the tip of katana fall to touch the ground and smeared some blood to his cheek. He knew how to agitate his opponents. “If you give me my slave back, I will leave without further ado”, Albel stated calmly before smirking, “but I think that you do not want to return him to me.”

Blair shivered as she met the cold eyes and cold smile of the wicked General. She remembered what she had talked with her brother…

Blair and Luther were heading back to their home. Blair did not voice what they both were thinking and Luther stared to his feet as they uncommonly walked towards the gate. After a moment Blair finally decided to ask from her brother whether they had done the right thing. Was there really no option? She could still hear the echo of Fayt’s desperate cry in her mind. Why could not Fayt be forgiven?

“Big Brother. Why…?” Blair started.

Luther raised his hand and stopped. “Blair… Please do not.” He sighed. “Please do not ask me something I cannot give.” He continued his steady strolling forward. “Fayt knew what would happen if he would stumble and fall. There is nothing I can do to it. It was Fayt’s decision.”

Blair frowned. “I *know* that! It is just…” She became silent and stared without seeing in front of her. “What if it is doings of ‘Destiny’?” she finally inquired.

Luther stopped shocked. He turned to look his sister in disbelief and then began to laugh. He felt like he was going to laugh his head off. “The General Albel Nox being Fayt Leingod’s owner doing of the Destiny? Blair, that is not really right joke to cheer me up, you know.”

Blair’s expression got darker. “I am serious, Luther!” she yelled in fury.

Luther calmed down. “Do you want to bet?” he asked. “Are you ready to bet that no matter *what* gets in his way, General Albel Nox *will* get to Fayt?”

By that time Blair was positively fuming. “I am.”

“If this is the will of the Destiny, General Nox will come and seek out his slave.” Luther rubbed his chin. “What do you bet on that belief?”

Blair grinded her teeth. “I will make you your favorite dish for meal for a week if you win. If I win, you will not play piano in entire week.” She hated her brother’s piano practices.

Luther almost lost his composure and drooled. “Deal”, he said quickly before Blair thought anything other. He was sooooooo going to win on this one. He was sure of it before they both noticed Albel below them.

The siblings stared the General for a long time and either of them said nothing.

“That man…”, Luther commented, “is *not* driven by Destiny. Is he driven by Creed or perhaps Bloodlust?” he wondered.

“Is that really *the* Albel Nox…?” Blair amazed. “That man is nor unfeeling or emotionless…”

… and now Blair was standing right before the General. She had promised to her brother to test this Elicoorian and see if their bet was valid. Now was her time to show the worth of her training.

Blair looked her escorts. “Leave this place”, she ordered. “I am taking care of him by myself.”

The men bowed and disappeared into thin air.

Albel raised his brow as something he had suspected became clear. He looked Blair mockingly. “We shall see who takes care of whom.” His tune was belittling. “And why would I allow a woman who is not anywhere *near* as beautiful as my Fayt to ‘take care’ of me?”

Blair fumed. //Argh!! So *not* cute!!// she thought and hissed to Albel. She knew what the General was doing but she could not help getting angry as her womanhood was insulted. She hoped that Albel Nox would drop dead as she attacked.

The grin on Albel’s face widened as he saw bloodlust on Blair’s eyes and evaded her first attack. He blocked woman’s staff with his sword and aimed to hit her with his clawed fist. But Blair was nimble and able to dodge and back off. This was beginning of their dance of blades and it went on and on for several dozens of minutes.

Albel was good. Blair had seen how he disposed several Demon Imps without opening his eyes. It was fine and dandy that the General was good with his katana and claw but it started annoy Blair. She backed further away from man and concentrated murmuring her spell.

Woman’s action of taking defensive position alerted Albel. He did not know what kind of spells she had on her sleeve and because rushing to attack was too dangerous he called his own spell.

“Winds of north, wound around me the icy armor of protection!” Albel called and same time Blair finished her spell: “Slice those who stand before me! Death Howl!”

Albel let out the hiss of pain and displeasure when several sharp air-blades pierced his protective spell and hit to his body. He was forced to withdraw and lose ground. He looked down to check the damage. Blair’s spell had ripped his clothing and skin. There were wounds in his arms, legs, stomach and face. Albel placed his hand to stomach where laid his most serious wound and he called forth healing spell.

On her side Blair was relieved. She had been unsure if her Death Howl could do any damage through protective spell the General had used. Now it appeared that Albel Nox was not very good at protective spells. “There seems to be a weakness in your battle skills, General Albel Nox”, she taunted.

Blair’s words somehow failed to surprise Albel. He was quite aware that he was *not* good at defending and protecting. He turned his bloody eyes shining in temptation to see blood, death and pain to Blair and smiled to her a smile which made her question his sanity. “Yessssss”, he hissed in some kind of sick anticipation, “you are quite right, maggot. Perhaps then is better that I do not even try out those kind of spells.” Albel shut his eyes while opening and closing his claw. “I will show you why I am the First General of Elicoor Kingdom.” He opened his eyes.

Albel’s declaration made Blair very, very nervous. She just realized she had wounded the General and then mocked him. She had unwisely made the General angry and she knew that things were *not* going – her point of view – to better direction. She bitted her lip and tried to find the best way of action.

Unfortunately for Blair Albel was not going to wait for her decision.

The General rushed forward and slashed with his sword. Then without taking a breath he jumped further from Blair and called out: “Oh ye eighteen Dragon Gods that watch over me! Come to my aid and bury my enemies before me to ground! Dragon Roar!”

Three bright red circles within each other appeared to the ground Albel at their center. The Symbological marks where also red like blood only shining brighter. The General stood firmly in the center raising his hand as portal under him opened and eighteen transparent dragons formed by blood soared to the sky and came crashing down aiming at Blair. The mighty jaws opened and ground shook.

Blair took fright and yelped in surprise but she managed to use her Symbology spell. “Shield me oh unpenetrating darkness!” The shield was up immediately but the power of the summoning was too much and Blair got herself wounded very badly. Her staff of light broke into pieces.

Almost without pause Albel stretched his hand and with certain pleasure he unleashed the next skill. “Spirit of Warrior, make my attack reach across the field! Palm of Destruction!” At his hand a light green, buzzing ball of energy shot out and hit his opponent.

Blair gagged blood and flew through the air. Firs time in her life she thought that she really might die. As she hit the ground she let out tired moan of agony. Blair did not try to get up. She was hurt and hurting. There was no part of her body that did not feel the pain and bruise. In her hazy mind she heard her brother’s voice talking about life that waited Angeles when their bodies had ceased to exist. //‘There will be no more night. They will need no the light of a lamp or the light of the sun(2). There shall be no hunger, thirst nor pain or unhappiness…’// She could not remember more and she would rather live than die.

[Not relieved by thoughts of Shangri-La]
[Nor enlightened by lessons of Christ]

Albel walked over, took a rough hold on Blair’s robe and pulled her violently closer to his face. She let out a cry of horror but he could not have cared less of her reaction. “You know where Fayt is”, hissed venomously, “so you are going to take me there.” He threw woman away and turned to look the mountains.

Blair stared the General’s back and blinked in disbelieve. Something was not as her brother or even she had thought. She knew that Fayt Leingod was Albel Nox’s slave so how come the General called his slave by his name given in birth rather than new one. “Why do you want Fayt back? Is there not enough slaves for you to get a new one?” Blair inquired gathering all of her courage and stood up.

Albel swirled around and hit her to face with back of his hand thankfully using hand not gloved by metal claw. The strike sent Blair flying across their battlefield. She stumbled down spitting blood and raised her head. Her eyes widened in fear as she saw this time truly enraged Albel Nox standing above her. She saw her own death in the blood-red eyes. She could not suppress pathetic cry of ultimate horror as Albel stretched his arm and wrenched her face close to his own by the bosom of her robe.

“I do not know who you really are and I could not care less of it”, Albel snarled on Blair’s face, “but Fayt is my slave and his name is only *mine* to call out.” He dropped the woman and with great effort he regained control over his rage. “To you Fayt is Emerald(3). Now get up. We are going, woman.” He turned his back and strode towards the mountains.

Blair’s mouth hung open as she stared the distancing frame of the General. //‘Emerald’?!// She had never heard anyone give such a meaningful or highly valuable name to a mere slave. She was intrigued. Blair stood up and hurried after the General. It appeared that there were many things none knew about Albel Nox. She wondered did man understand the meaning of the name he had given to his slave and the forbiddance of others’ right to call Fayt by his original name.

Blair wanted to see where all this would lead Albel and Fayt. And she wondered was her elder brother right when denying existence of relationship more than that of master and slave between those two. Anyway she thought that Albel had been unnecessary violent and she had to now use few healing Symbols to get better.

Albel had stopped and waited in annoyance Blair to come closer. Then he continued. There were no more monsters slowing him down. Now it was a useless woman! It came to Albel that gods *might* have a very twisted sense of humor.

“General Nox”, Blair called out after awhile. She was getting out of breath because half of the time she had to run to keep up with Albel. “Please, General Nox, there is something I want to ask”, she added.

Giving a resigned sight Albel stopped and turned to look woman. His eyebrow twitched warningly. “What. Is. It?” he asked between his teeth.

Blair swallowed but reminded herself that she simply *had to* know. “In what way are you going to use Fa- Emerald?” she asked remembering in last moment that Fayt’s name was no hers to speak.

Albel gave her a dirty look. “*That* is hardly your business”, he told and crossed his arms over his chest.

Blair blushed as she realized how her question could be understood too. “That is not what I meant”, she exclaimed and collected her composure. “What I meant is… Do you know what he is?”

Albel looked Blair long time with calculation in his eyes which made her nervous. “Fayt was a normal human to me and nothing more before I met you people.” He closed his bloody eyes and thought for a while. “But when your kind involved… I knew for sure.” Albel opened his eyes and cast a longing look towards the mountains. “He is an Angeles, is he not?”

Blair paled in fear. Because of them the General knew?! Now what he was going to do?

“But all that does not really matter”, Albel stated to Blair’s puzzlement. “Fayt is my bed slave and it does not matter whether he is Angeles or not.” Eyelids shivered and rose. He looked woman with amusement. “And if you have not noticed… I am quite capable to kill and destroy without an Angeles help, fallen or not”, he stated matter-of-factly.

“You do not understand!” Blair cried out and started to sob burring her face to her hands. “Your Emerald is not any kind of fallen Angeles. He is now the embodiment of the Destruction!” She raised her head and gasped in horror. She had not meant to tell that!

Albel stared woman for a long time then he started to laugh. “And what of it?” he questioned. “Fayt is my bed slave”, he repeated, “and Destruction is suitable partner for Death, yes?”

Blair was more than confused. She could not follow the General’s trail of thought and perhaps that was the best for her.

[I'll never understand the meaning of the right]
[Ignorance lead me into the light]

Luther had left Blair take care of Albel Nox, but as he backtracked his way to the mountain range where the Room of Damned was he thought about the glimpse of the fight he had seen. He had realized that even when facing as formidable opponent as Blair on the grounds Albel Nox did not know, he was very dangerous and tactical fighter. There had been no blinding anger in his battle. Only determination to win and proceed onwards.

Luther knew that there had been other times when the black sun had marked the Falling. Now for a first time he questioned whether those who had been captured had been like Fayt and those who had caused the Falling had their attitudes been like Albel’s. Would any of those had ever used the powers the Fallen Ones had?

But in the end this all did not matter. Luther was needed else where. He was going to defy the tradition of three thousand years and only watch as the Fallen One would meet his Master once again. Luther was thrilled. He wondered what would happen, what those two young men would do before disappearing into oblivion.

[Needed elsewhere]
[to remind us of the shortness of our time]

There was no light. No change in the air, no breeze, or in temperature. Fayt was tired but he could not sleep. He listened to the silence and looked the nothingness. Nothing moved. Perhaps the time itself had stopped ticking. He closed his eyes and opened them again. There was no change.

Fayt hated the place. He wanted to go back to his Master. This place was dull and empty. It was driving him insane. He wanted to feel the wind on his hair, look the clear blue sky, feel the raindrops on his skin… and who he thought he was fooling anyway? Fayt did not want those things. He could have spent eternity in the Room of Damned if his Master had been there with him.

Fayt Leingod’s emerald eyes started to glow in the darkness and his pristine wings fluttered. Next time when he would see Luther he would kill him. Everything he had wanted was gone because *Luther* had to get himself involved.

Fayt hated Luther… and feared a life in this prison knowing he was a meaningless slave to the First General of Elicoor Kingdom.

[Tears laid for them]
[Tears of love, tears of fear]
[Bury my dreams, dig up my sorrows]

Now Fayt was truly a Fallen One. Beautiful like fallen angel. Angered like fallen angel. Disobedient like fallen angel…

Fallen Angel: In general an evil angel, demon. There is a legend which states that one third of the angels of Heaven fell into sin of pride, disobedience and/or passion and fallowed the First Fallen Angel (Satan; Lucifer) after the war in Heaven into the pit of deepness. In a figurative sense a fallen angel is a person who has against one’s freewill or without better understandment done something against public opinion of good and acceptable.(4)

But Fayt was no angel but an Angeles. Yet in same way he was cast out of light, called the Fallen and sent to the eternal darkness.

[Oh, Lord why]
[the angels fall first]

Blair stopped in front of the one of the many entrances that dotted the foot of the mountains. She wondered how Albel Nox had been able to say which of the many doorways led to Fayt. She *was* curious but she had no intention to ask. She had already found out that the General did not like useless chatting.

Blair could feel the seal that prevented any Angeles from leaving the cave. She turned to face the General. “This is the place as you said. I cannot follow into the cave, but I can open the path for you to walk and create some light to make your journey little easier.” Blair turned towards the mouth of the cave and raised her hands.

Albel frowned and watched in silence as woman cleared the symbols holding the cave sealed. When Blair was done he talked: “Did I understand correctly that there is no light in the cave?” When Blair nodded to answer his expression grew darker. “Fayt is in there without light…” His patience was almost used up.

“It is part of the punishment”, Blair said while examining the darkness inside the cave. She could not receive any kind of feelings about the cave so it appeared empty. “I think it is more merciful when you are sealed in there for eternity and cannot see or sense the changes of the time and day.” She turned to face the General.

Albel glared woman.

“I think it *is* merciful”, Blair repeated.

Albel continued his glaring and crossed his arms foot tapping the ground beneath.

Blair nervously swallowed. “Ahh… It appears that you are not agreeing with me, General Nox”, she said and shifted her weight from one leg to another agitatedly. “Well yes… Your light… One moment please.” She did not like the way the General looked her. It was like she was something disgusting on the soil of his sandal. She wondered *what* had possessed her to help this unfeeling man as she created a ball of light and ordered it to follow the General.

Albel looked the light ball that hovered around him. It was annoying, but he decided against to word out his opinion. Who knew *what* that woman might do and he was not tempted to walk around blinded because he had no Lightstones with him.

Blair looked as Albel stepped forward and disappeared into darkness leaving only faint glow of light ball after him. She decided that she had to find a new place for studying Albel and Fayt. This was getting after all exiting because no-one before had come to search a Fallen Angeles.

And Blair had to admit… She wanted to see did Albel and Fayt form a beautiful pair or not and what they would do after all of this. Blair hoped for Fayt’s sake that the General did not yearned to create his own kingdom. She dissolved in to air.

[Sing me a song]
[of your beauty]
[of your kingdom]

Inside the cave corridor Albel was uncharacteristically grateful of the lightening ball. The floor of the corridor was uneven plagued by small rocks and holes. The one who had made the corridor had also never – at least so it seemed – heard of words ‘straight’ and ‘wide’. But Albel had no time to complain even in his mind. He was too busy to look for Fayt.

Suddenly the corridor widened into a circular room. Albel stopped to the entrance and looked with fascination the person chained on the wall. He was dressed into pail blue and white clothing with black rimming. He had light, black boots in his feet. To Albel’s eyes the clothes seemed weak enough to be ripped off.

Then the room lighted a little, Fayt did not reacted at first. He had heard the footsteps long before. But when the unknown person stopped and room reminded him from the twilight he spoke up: “Please leave, who ever you are.” He heard the steps coming closer. He kept his head bowed and closed his eyes. “Do not come any closer”, he advised. “My body does not belong to me. I do not want to become tainted so it would upset my Master.”

“But your Master is not here, is he?” a husky voice asked and stopped in front of Fayt.

Fayt could feel the warmth of the other’s breath through his pants. “Please do not”, he asked quietly. “Even if I cannot ever again meet my Master, it is important that I stay pure for him. After all I am my Master’s property and my actions will be reflected on him.”

A lustful chuckle was answer for Fayt’s reasoning.

Albel licked his lips and looked his beautiful, helpless bed slave. The sight in front of him was arousing. “When you speak like that you make want to ravish you, Fayt” he whispered and raised his hands. “Your devotion is quite… admirable…” he mumbled and pushed Fayt’s trouser bottoms up. He allowed his hand to travel upwards and he leaned closer so his breath ghosted across skin of Fayt’s legs.

Fayt blushed because what he heard in laughter and speaking voice and jerked. “No!”, he screamed in horror and opened his eyes. “You are *not* allow-!”, he said with icy tune and gasped as he saw his Master kissing his legs. “Ma-Master Albel?” he asked voice shaking not believing his eyes.

Albel let his hands rise further. “You are such a good, devoted slave, Fayt.” He raised his bloody eyes and met his bed slave’s wide emerald-eyes. “I think I have to reward you…” he whispered seduction clearly in his voice and massaged Fayt upper thighs making him moan and rattle his chains in pleasure. “And for that”, Albel let go of Fayt and draw his katana, “we have to get you free.”

Fayt was going to say that something so simple as slashing his chains with sword would not do but before he had time to say anything Albel called out Double Slash of Fury. In amazement Fayt looked as his chains yielded and broke. Second later he realized that he *was* hanging quite up on the wall and there *was* quite long ways to fall. Fayt let out a yell of surprise as he fell…

… right into Albel’s waiting arms.

“How convenient…” Albel mused and pressed his lips onto Fayt’s.

Fayt put his hands around Albel’s neck and they kissed each other with all their might. Soon Albel decided that it would be better if they would lie down and descended to the stony floor. Fayt moaned into their kiss. They pulled apart and panted slightly looking each other. As soon as they had had enough air their mouths pressed together into a new soaring kiss and their hands roamed around on the other’s clothes.

“Master Albel”, Fayt panted into their kiss, “more. Please. I want more…”

Albel pulled back and studied his slave. Fayt looked very wanton and vulnerable in front of him. He also seemed scared of something. “What is it?” Albel asked frowning. “What are you afraid of?”

Fayt dropped his eyes but the General’s hand raised his chin so their eyes could meet. “Master… If I was to part you again… I could not take it!” he cried out in agony and held on his Master like he was never going to let go.

Albel petted Fayt’s hair and listened to his slave’s sobs and cries of fear and loneliness. He knew that if someone ever again would take Fayt away from him, he would go insane permanently. He knew his psyche had already taken one almost fatal blow when his parents had died. But Albel said nothing at all. He just sat there Fayt in his embrace and listened how the other cried the tears he could not.

[Let the melodies of your harps]
[caress those whom we still need]

There were times when Luther seriously questioned his sanity and as he looked down from his hiding place to the Room of Fallen he knew that this was one of those times. Or then it just was those two down there… But from the way his sister’s eyes glimmered he thought that perhaps the whole world had gone bungers as he had not been watching…

First those two had been almost eating – that is called ‘kissing’, Luther – each other and now Fayt was wailing and Albel just sat and patted his head. And why had the First General came in the first place?

Luther rubbed his temples and shut his eyes. He was going to get a one mighty headache very soon. He pushed the pounding of his temples aside and concentrated. He would need all his skills to create the Dimension Door.

Albel saw it opening. A black hole in the other side of the room getting bigger and bigger without sound. When the pulling started and loose rocks and soil went rolling in, he knew for sure that they were in *big* trouble and swore.

Fayt turned his head and his eyes widened. “You have to be kidding me…” he blurred out. “That is the Dimension Door”, he explained to his Master. “It removes person from one place to another. I thought that only those Angeles who had Fallen can create one…”

Albel could only think of protecting Fayt. But how could he do it? He saw the best possible place within his reach and started to act. But would the knowledge of Fayt being save enough to prevent his insanity?

[Yesterday we shook hands,]
[my friend]

Fayt screamed in fear as his Master’s hold started to loosen and he was shoved behind the protective rock formation. He looked the black hole which tried to pull his Master in. He reached out with his hand. “Master Albel! Please do not leave me alone again!” he begged reaching out.

“No, Fayt! Stay there where you are”, Albel commanded. He kneeled and struck his claw into the ground. He kept his bloody eyes in Fayt’s emerald ones. “You shall not be placed under the danger again. You are mine.” His brows furred in irritation. The damn hole was trying to suck his clothes in.

Fayt bowed his head and swallowed his tears with all his might. “Master… I know I am nothing but a slave… a slave without a name…” The General’s annoyed hiss made Fayt stop talking. It was as he had thought. He was not worthy of a name for slave.

Albel saw the sadness in Fayt’s frame and cursed inwardly. Apparently he had done something inconsiderate for Fayt. //So… I just have to give a name to Fayt make him happy… right?// Albel felt like his brains were going to burst. But what kind of name was good enough to his emerald-eyed beauty? That ringed a bell in his memory. What he had said to that annoying short-haired woman…? “Emerald…”, Albel whispered. “I have given you the name of Emerald. But to me you are Fayt. That name is no one else’s to say.”

Fayt raised his head and his cheeks turned bight red. To given such a meaningful name… A strange, tearing sound which chilled Fayt’s back came from his Master’s direction and he looked up. The sucking force of the hole had become stronger and it was pulling the General closer despite his hold from the ground. “Master!” he called out in horror.

“Stay there!” Albel ordered again. Then his gaze fixed on something behind Fayt. He bared his teeth. “Stay away from him. If you touch him I *will* kill you and your entire family”, he hissed venom clear in his voice.

Alerted Fayt turned around. He faced smirking Luther. What he saw in other Angeles’ eyes made him shiver in fear.

“Emerald, eh?” Luther muttered. “So he *had* given you the name. Lying is not nice, *Emerald*”, he pointed out. “Why do not you join your Master?” Luther asked, raised his hand and shoved Fayt out of the protection of the rock.

Fayt screamed as he felt himself rushing towards the hole. Then something grabbed him and pressed him closely, protectively against warm, firm chest. He knew that it could be only one person. Securely he warped his arms around his Master’s neck and pressed his face on the shoulder.

Albel glared Luther so coldly that the very air turned chilled. “You’re daring, maggot…”, he hissed. He felt his grip of the rocky ground loosing more. “You dared to touch *my* Fayt. Head my words, bastard. Next time I see you, you *will* die.” Albel bent his head and murmured into Fayt’s ear: “Do not be afraid and do not let go of me.” He felt Fayt’s grip tighten and he tugged his claws off the ground.

As the black hole sucked the two young men inside, Albel stared Luther into the eyes a promise of pain and suffering in his gaze.

And then the master and slave were gone. But a beam of light, gentle and frail as moonlight escaped from the hole and lightened the circular room and Luther inside of it for a moment.

Blair looked the sight and remembered what Albel had said. Destruction is suitable partner for Death.

[Today a moonbeam lightens my path,]
[my guardian]


Owari

*****

Author’s Note 2: Sorry everybody… no lemon here… It just did not seemed right to make Albel and Fayt have sex in Hell… ^^;; Might be just my imagination though… and it did not fit the story progress. If I am calculating correctly the next part is third and the last so bear with me till the end.

(1) Angeles do *not* equals angels. Race is different and concept too. This world is not Christian world. I will tell later what Angeles are. Just do not expect anything great… ^________^;;

(2) Revelation 22:5 but only a part. Man, The Bible is the BEST fantasy book there is from 4th century!

(3) Emerald is a birth stone of Lion and once it was ‘The King of the Jewels’. It is used in royal and religious items thro the eons. It also protects memory and intelligence. Quite valuable name to give a slave don’t you think…? *grin*

(4) I am angel-freak but I try to make it so it would not affect the story too much. This short text is from Finnish book which has not been translated to English so I have translated it with my best ability. But to credit should be given the one done the job. Olli Seppälä: Enkeli – Taivaallinen Sanansaattaja (2003).

And finally I want to give my thanks all those who reviewed ‘Atonement’ or ‘Blood and Emeralds’ but especially my thanks to later one. It was my very first fic and I have heard that my style of writing might be a little strange, so I was very delighted of every review.

To Lilitha, Minako, Sukai, Sharo, Lily, Maya, darkalleycat69 and EclipsedMoon. Hopefully this answers some questions…