Chapter 26
Dr. Leingod’s Research
It seemed things weren’t as dire as others were making it out to be- at first glance anyway. Even with the unexpected break they took, there didn’t seem to be any creatures out attacking. The circus girl’s family seemed to be doing a great job in keeping back the threats- though it didn’t seem there was much.
For the most part, it seemed the Moonbase security were doing most of the work. Unfortunately, since they didn’t have any clearance in the area, the drones attacked them, thinking they were a threat. The mech security was tough, but no match for even the Elicoorians- in a way, Nel and Albel’s ancestors had been trained to destroy mechanical soldiers since the time of the Greeton invasions, so it was probably in their blood to handle battles against them so well. …Or rather that’s what Nel wanted to believe.
The research area was quiet, save for the sounds of severed electrical wires from elevator platforms and smashed computer interfaces. It seemed there had been a fight before their arrival. Suddenly a siren blared and a disembodied voice announced the detection of intruders.
“You don’t think they’re talking about us, do you?” Cliff wondered as he glanced around the area.
“I don’t think so,” the blue haired boy replied as a hand went to the hilt of his sword. “It wouldn’t make sense for it to go off now after we had been here for a while.”
It was then that the party found the cause of the alarm- a strange female creature with six wings floated over to them. It was dressed as if it should be a holy creature, but the face was so solemn and the eyes were closed as if it were blind.
“What is that?” Sophia inquired as she edged closer to Fayt.
“I proclaim the will of the Enforcers. You are a plague…to be destroyed,” the creature declared in a graven tone.
“That must be one of the Executioners,” Maria surmised as she reached for her blaster.
Nel examined the enemy closely. It didn’t resemble any of the gods in her religion, nor was it wise or compassionate. She didn’t doubt in her mind that it was powerful, but this creature was nothing more than a subordinate to someone else. There was still a question about who the self proclaimed ‘creator’ was, but the spy could safely say, “That’s no god.”
“Hmph, pompous worm,” Albel declared right after her as he drew his katana. He’d already made his assessment that the enemy was nothing to fret over, but at the same time, he didn’t believe it was a pushover. For the first time in a long while, his expression was serious- he didn’t have his usual smirk or gleam of bloodlust in his eyes.
“Why are you doing this?” Fayt asked the ‘proclaimer’. They didn’t get much of an answer- just that it was sent to purify and purge the defilements. It didn’t even bother to talk much before it attacked.
The battle was much more difficult than the spy could ever imagine. It was almost like they were fighting Crosell in terms of power, but the proclaimer was no where near as large or arrogant as the Marquis. Throughout the battle, it just kept repeating its purpose and goals. It was almost like it wasn’t even alive. Slowly, but surely, they managed to severely damage the creature. The spy couldn’t help but notice that it seemed Fayt, Maria’s weapons did the most damage while Sophia’s symbology was most effective against it.
But just when they were about to deliver a killing blow, someone else beat them to it…
“Ha! What a wimp. Should have known better than to mess with me!” the young girl boasted as she twirled around and let the bells on her shoes make as much noise as possible.
“Huh? Peppita?” Sophia called out in shock before Fayt inquired why she was here.
“I don’t believe it…” Nel muttered under her breath as Albel slowly shook his head beside her. Why was she bragging anyway? Did she not realize that she only defeated the monster because everyone else had beaten it down?
Peppita had the audacity to act as if it was no big deal as she tried to excuse her actions. “You told me to wait, but I just couldn’t take it. I didn’t listen to anyone, not even the Circus Master. I had to come. He-he.”
Nel felt like growling in annoyance. How could this child be so careless? Did she not understand the danger she was in or that her loved ones could be worried about her safety? Before she could stop herself, she approached the girl and scolded her. “It’s no laughing matter. Attacking so suddenly like that… You’re reckless beyond all reason.”
“Heh…” The spy whipped her head to face Albel after she heard that. Was he criticizing her? If anything he should agree with her- he was just as annoyed with the child’s appearance!
“What?” she asked darkly, thinking that he was going to tease her.
“Nothing- you’re right, the brat
was reckless,” he agreed with her before he glanced at Fayt. “Why am I not surprised she’s your friend?”
That made her glare at him as she wondered what he was hiding. Just what did she say that he thought was funny?
“Funny to hear you
both say that considering you have your moments of carelessness,” Cliff commented with a grin before he turned to Fayt and wondered what they were going to do about Peppita. The spy felt her cheeks redden at the insinuation. She wasn’t
that bad- and how dare Albel think that! Cliff, too, for that matter…
But on later reflection, she did realize that she was being hypocritical. All those missions she took
were dangerous, and she knew there were a few people who really cared if she got hurt or worse while on them. But unlike Peppita, Nel knew what she was getting into and recognized that she was hurting others with her actions. What made her recklessness worse was the fact that she continued on knowing that and did nothing to reassure her friends and loved ones that she would be careful.
As for Albel… she was somewhat satisfied to hear him get called out as well, but he acknowledged the Klausian’s words with a dismissive shrug. He knew he was impulsive at times and he didn’t deny it. It was the fact that she was scolding herself without realizing it that made it funny.
“Come on, come on. Take me with you. I’ll make myself useful,” the young girl pleaded as she tried to look up at Fayt with puppy dog eyes.
Nel sighed at the display- she was
begging to go somewhere where she might be killed. The spy wasn’t sure what was it about Peppita’s childish desire that really irked her. Was it because she could see herself in the girl’s reckless tendencies or was it because the girl really had no clue of the severity of the situation?
Sophia and Maria had differing opinions on what to do. While both girls were against her coming, Sophia pointed out that it would be too dangerous to let Peppita go back on her own while Maria seemed to think that she would be fine. The soldier in Nel agreed with Sophia, but the spy’s practical side agreed with the blue haired girl. If only they had time to personally escort her back to her family…
“Well, what should we do? Turn her away?” Nel inquired to Fayt, prodding him to make a decision. She knew it wasn’t nice to rush him, but that short rest they took (on Peppita’s behalf) made it to where they had little time to delay.
He thought about it long and hard before he let out a sigh. “All right. Just behave yourself!”
The spy held in her disappointment as the girl cheered. She respected his decision and even understood why he brought her along, but it still left a bad taste in her mouth to involve a child.
“It’d be safer if we took her along with us,” the boy finished explaining, earning a reluctant nod from Maria.
“Well, that makes sense. I guess,” she agreed. Even if she didn’t like it, she wasn’t about to disagree with Fayt at this point. It would’ve been too much of a hassle to return Peppita to the recreational area and there was no guarantee that she would stay there.
“Just remember, it’s only until we leave Moonbase,” Fayt reminded the girl in a stern tone as she twirled around happily. The spy
hoped that was true- Fayt could be easily persuaded if one told him the right story.
“Just try to stay out of trouble, okay?” Sophia requested in a worried tone, even though she felt like she was the one who was truly in the way. At first, the poor girl struggled to keep up in battles until she figured out that she was more suited for spells than fighting.
“No problem! You can count on me!” Peppita promised as she turned on her heel and acted as if she was going to take the lead.
“Hmph.” Albel grunted, choosing to keep his disappointment to himself. He was already upset with Sophia coming along- a child was going to put more of a burden on his knight code.
Thankfully, Peppita proved that she was no burden in battle. Despite her age, she was a very skilled fighter thanks to her ability in acrobatics. Nel later learned that the girl was from yet another race that she didn’t know about. Like how Klausians were strong, Peppita’s race was agile and fast, though they were limited with how long they could hold up with their abilities. But Peppita didn’t seem to have any limits- perhaps because she was so young.
It wasn’t until they reached the research lab when Nel truly began to feel out of place and useless. The only thing she and Albel were good for was to fight and protect everyone in the group. When it came to computers or using their advanced technology to find something, she didn’t know where to start. All she could do was stand back with her fellow Elicoorian and watch them look around. Peppita tried to help searching and while she knew how to look through databases, she ended up backing away when she realized she had no clue what she was looking for.
“
No matching data found,” the device told the others countless times as they verbally ordered for certain searches.
“Damn! Does the data even exist?” Fayt growled out in frustration before Sophia attempted to calm him down.
Maria soon came up with an idea that went over the spy’s head. She didn’t understand how it worked, but the computer scanned the blue haired girl’s body and ran a search based on that. This time, something came up.
“Bingo!” Cliff shouted joyously, relieved that something did come up.
Nel walked a little closer to the others as they started opening the file they found. It seemed to be another one of those ‘moving pictures’ and had four people dressed in white coats standing within. It wasn’t long before Fayt and Sophia confirmed the identity of three of them while Maria knew the last person on the end.
“Mom…” she called out softly. It was the first time in a long while the cold, hardened expression melted away into something fond. Ever since the professor had passed on, she had been acting aloof toward the others.
Personally, Nel was amazed to see something that preserved a moving image of those long since gone. It reminded her of the photographs in Peterny that were made by using runology to capture still images. Fayt and Maria were rather lucky- Nel didn’t even have a still image of her father. All she had were fuzzy memories of his face and what his voice sounded like.
The story Fayt’s father told was something no one ever expected. Nel could barely understand the research behind this ‘Time Gate’, but she had a feeling that it had to be something similar to her country’s Sacred Orb. …At least, that’s what she thought until he mentioned that it connected as a gate to another dimension- a world of 4D beings. But the discovery of the new beings didn’t compare to the news that they could have created their universe. In other words, they were gods.
This contradicted what Nel believed in. She could see Apris and his wives as 4D beings, but she couldn’t see them joining with a ‘creator’ who would condemn anyone for no reason. So what if their science had gone too far? Couldn’t they just eliminate the knowledge instead of destroy all life?
And… this talk of the creator didn’t make sense to her. Did that mean there was someone other than Apris that created all life? That couldn’t be! …And yet, as much as she didn’t want to think about it, she had been coming across evidence that could prove that Apris didn’t have that much of a role. She still believed he existed and that he created her planet and blessed her people. But were there others just like him?
“
…We decided to use symbological genetics in an attempt to create a weapon-a human with powers that could defeat the Creator…”
Defeat the Creator? So this was where the idea to give Fayt and Maria their powers came from. …But was it right to destroy that which created them? Was it even possible? Dr. Leingod seemed to think so. But it seemed the fate of the universe didn’t just rest in Fayt and Maria’s hands- Sophia had been given a symbol, too. It came as a great shock to the girl and made her even more confused.
When the playback was finally over, the spy felt like her world was turned upside down. She didn’t know what to think anymore, nor did she know what to do. She could easily reject everything Dr. Leingod said as nonsense- or she could just reject the idea that this ‘creator’ was truly the one who was behind the creation of the universe. It could’ve been a misunderstanding on the doctor’s part and the enemy was really just an entity that
thought it was the Creator.
“Why us?” Sophia wondered softly as she glanced from Fayt to Maria.
“I think it had to be us. They believed we could do it…” he replied, still a little stunned from the new information. Nel could believe it too, considering the power she had seen before. But was it really enough? They didn’t know how to use them- and they were still vulnerable to any attacks like any other human. They weren’t gods themselves.
It was their choice to fight or die and naturally they chose to fight. The spy could agree that it was better to do so than play the sacrificial lamb. If they were going to die, then at least they would die by their own terms and not by the hand of some entity. The only problem she had was determining the identity of the Creator and figuring out the consequences of their actions. There was no good reason to destroy thousands of lives for almost nothing, but it also meant they were going against someone who was responsible for giving them life in the first place.
It was one big contradiction that she couldn’t even begin to reflect on. All she could do was focus on here and now- Fayt, Sophia, and Maria needed protection against the other enemies and she could do that. Her sword was all she
could offer at this point- the ethics of their next move could wait until later.
“To the planet Styx!” Fayt ordered before they headed out of the lab and made their way back to the recreational area.
On the way, Fayt decided to tell Peppita to stay, only to have her nearly throw a tantrum and beg to stay with them. Once again, Maria was firm in her opinion that the child should stay and this time Sophia was on her side, though she wanted to be a bit nicer about it. The brunette was too kind to tell it as it was like Maria could and often found the truth to be too harsh to use.
But when Peppita started to tell her story of her parents and admitted that she was an orphan being raised by other family, Nel’s opinions nearly faltered. It was wrong of her to change her mind just by finding out that the child had a similar fate of losing her parents. In all honesty, Peppita wasn’t
that young- she was close to fourteen and the spy had started training in the army at her age. But the fact that the girl wasn’t serious and that she didn’t understand the situation made it dangerous for her to come along. They needed more battle-experienced people to help them.
Actually, Nel was torn in her opinion of Peppita. On one hand, she
was a reliable fighter. On the other, she was far too immature and was prone to get easily distracted despite the dire situation. For once, she was glad she didn’t have to make the decision- both choices had their advantages and disadvantages.
…And, as the spy secretly suspected, Fayt was drawn in by the tale and continued to cave in to the girl’s request.
“We’re not going there to die,” Fayt assured her, telling her that she shouldn’t take her life so lightly. “We’re going there to live… Understand?”
“Mm-hmm, yes!” she replied instantly, saying what she thought was the right answer to keep her in the group. It was clear that whatever the blue haired boy said went in one ear and out the other…
“Hmm…” Nel couldn’t help but hum to her self as she wondered if bringing her along would really work out.
“What can yah do?” Cliff replied casually with a shrug. He’s been rather laid back as of late and the spy weren’t sure if he had given up on protesting or if he was okay with anything that came up.
Fayt soon convinced Peppita to get permission to come along with them. It was a futile effort since she would most likely come with them even if her guardians did say no, but at least they would know where she went. It wouldn’t do to have her suddenly go missing on them. …Not that going off to fight a god was more reassuring.
When everything was settled, they headed back to the Aquaelie to report their findings. Hearing what they learned again did nothing for Nel’s troubled mind, but she forced herself to listen so she wouldn’t be behind on whatever plans that were made.
“So you’re saying it IS the Creator? Nonsense…” the commodore muttered when the gist of the report was given. The spy wanted to believe that, too, but she knew deep down that there was most likely some truth to it. If this Creator wasn’t just a simple powerful entity, then he must had some kind of connection with Apris.
“I don’t blame you for being skeptical, but that’s what my father believed,” Fayt said, pointing out another fact that the spy couldn’t dispute. Someone or something
did scare his father into creating three living weapons- there was no denying the existence of this entity.
“I suppose after seeing what they look like and their capabilities, I would believe that, too,” Wittcomb admitted, agreeing reluctantly. He then pulled up an image of the Executioners on screen.
They were different from the one they had fought within the research zone- and they had a dragon-like appearance. From what Nel understood, no living creature could survive out in space without special equipment and yet the Executioners were able to move without problem.
“It’s no wonder some call them gods. We have little chance against them,” the commodore replied as he shook his head. Nel recalled Albel saying something similar just the other day. The Executioners were being confused for gods just because they were more powerful than others. Was that really enough to be considered one? Could Albel actually have been right in his theory that Apris was just a powerful man from an advanced culture?
No. The spy shook her head slightly to banish the thought. It was just a misunderstanding- they were
not gods.
“Commodore, we need to travel to the planet Styx,” Fayt began before he explained the situation and what needed to be done.
“But isn’t there a possibility that by defeating the Creator, you will also destroy his creation and all of us with it?” Wittcomb wondered, thinking the same thing Nel thought about herself.
“I don’t think that’ll be a problem,” Maria responded with an encouraging expression. “In fact, I believe defeating the Creator will free us from his hand and enable us to live in absolute freedom.”
“That’s right,” Fayt agreed, “And my father gave us the power to do just that.”
The spy desperately hoped what Maria said was true. It was scary enough living with the possibility of destroying the hand that created them, but to possibly destroy the whole universe along with him? That was terrifying.
The commodore soon agreed to help them, saying that they didn’t have much time left and that the journey would be difficult. The enemy was already approaching their final line of defense. Really, the Aquaelie should stay and help defend Earth, but the commodore believed that no other ship could get them to Styx.
The lieutenant soon announced that the enemy was attacking the final defense and brought it on screen. All anyone could do was watch helplessly as red beams of light destroyed Earth’s shields and demolished lives and land. Nel felt sick to her stomach as she envisioned her own planet being the one attacked. They could very well go after Elicoor next…
Suddenly it didn’t matter who the Creator was or if it was right to kill him. He had just forsaken his creations and still planned to cause more damage. It was complete sacrilege to go against a god, but what was the point in worshiping an entity that didn’t care about his creations? It was then Nel vowed to protect Fayt and the others with her life so that they may face this enemy and stop him for good.
The Earthings stared at the screen with mixed expressions. Some were stunned while others were angry. Even if they lived in space stations, Earth was still their home and they had to watch it be destroyed, unable to help.
Wittcomb was the first to speak after that, his voice carried on a new determination. “Calculate a course for evading their attack! Once we are out of the combat zone, proceed to Styx at max warp!”
“Yes, sir!”
Once they were in a safe location, his crew began inputting the coordinates to their next destination. The commodore faced them once again. “Looks like we’ve escaped them for now. You all should get a little more rest. We’ll be there early morning.”
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Nel found herself wandering the ship even though she knew she should’ve been resting. There was just too much on her mind and she knew it would keep her from getting sleep. She may have been resolved to fight the Creator, but she still had so many questions. Why would the Creator condemn them? Where did Apris fit in all this? Was he on the Creator’s side?
“Ah, there you are,” a voice said from behind the spy. She quickly turned to find Maria approaching her.
“Sorry, were you looking for me?” Nel wondered before the blue haired girl found a nearby bench to sit on.
It was apparent that the girl just wanted to chat with her- otherwise she wouldn’t have sat down. Nel held in her sigh before she walked over to settle next to her. Perhaps talking with Maria would help distract her.
“I wanted to check up on you and see how you’re holding up- I'm sure this is hard on you,” the girl replied in a professional tone, but the spy could hear some genuine concern laced in there. Nel was touched that she cared.
“I’m fine. The enemies were a little tougher than what I was used to, but I think I've caught up with everyone else. I won’t be a burden.”
She was certain Maria was concerned about dead weight since they now had Peppita among their ranks. Though the only one they really had to worry about was Sophia since she wasn’t trained to fight and had no physical abilities for it.
“I know you won’t be a burden, but that’s not what I was referring to,” Maria responded in a kind tone before she revealed her true concern, “What do you think about this Creator? I know you’re not fanatical about your religion, but I’m sure all this talk is confusing you and maybe making you question your faith.”
Nel glanced away and stared at the nearest object on the floor. She would rather not discuss religion with someone who wasn’t from Aquaria, but she trusted Maria. At least she had an open mind to the idea of benevolent gods. “It’s true- I
am a little worried about it …But regardless if the Creator is my Apris or some other entity that I never heard of, we can’t just sit here and let him destroy us. Perhaps it’s selfish of us for wanting to live, but what was the point in creating us if he was just going to destroy us later?”
“That’s basically asking ‘what’s the meaning of life’. I don’t think we’re ever meant to understand the minds of gods. What’s important is that we’re doing what we were created to do- survive and multiply. The fact that we’re trying to survive the very being that created us doesn’t change anything. He probably expects us to fight back at least,” she replied rationally.
Nel appreciated that insight and felt a little better thinking of it that way. They were entitled to fight for the right to live. If the Creator didn’t like it, then he shouldn’t have made them that way- and he should’ve never attacked in the first place.
“Also,” Maria continued in a more serious tone, “remember when Cliff told you that there were several other religions out there and that they all couldn’t be right?”
“Yes…” the spy answered, not happy about being reminded of that. The Klausian was trying to make fun of Apris and his wives at the time and then revealed his views when the spy confronted him. It made her so mad that she drew her daggers and threatened to fight him over it.
“I believe the opposite- that there are many other religions for a reason. Maybe the Creator made our universe, but I think several other gods created the worlds and the people therein. Your Apris made you and your world while my god made Earth and all Earthlings. That’s why all races are different from each other, I think,” the girl explained with a wistful smile. “Dr. Leingod proved my theory- he said there was a whole other dimension with a whole other race. That means there’s more than one ‘god’. Your Apris could be somewhere in 4D space.”
Somehow that gave Nel hope. She didn’t think of it that way and she couldn’t be upset with that thought because her ancestors were unaware of life on other planets- of course
they wouldn’t have thought it. But there was still a concern about what was happening in 4D space. How many gods were out there and what was the Creator’s role in it? Was he their leader or was he simply a being who created something first?
“I wonder if Apris is on the Creator’s side or against him?” she mused, hoping it was the latter. She would hate to have to turn against the god she had been loyal to since her birth, but she was already resolved to go through with protecting Maria and the others no matter what. It would bring her great relief and joy if he were to side with them and help them in the battle with the Creator.
“That I can’t tell you- I don’t know what we’ll find beyond our dimension. The only thing we can do is go there and see it with our own eyes,” the girl said as she finally faced Nel. “Do you feel a little better now?”
“Yeah, this cleared up a lot for me. Thanks,” the spy replied with a grateful look. What Maria said was absolutely true- they didn’t know anything while they were still on this dimension. They
had to go to 4D space to find the answers before they could even think about dealing with the Creator.
“I’m glad,” Maria replied before she stood up, “I know you can adapt to life out here, but there will still be a lot of confusing things that might baffle you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.”
“I understand. I’m sorry for worrying you,” Nel responded with a grin. The blue haired girl hid her grin and tried to act as if she didn’t care. But the fact that she went out of her way to seek her out gave her away.
“I wasn’t that worried- I was just making sure you understood what we’re going to do and if you’re okay with it.”
“Whatever you say, Maria.” Nel chuckled a little before she took on a more serious expression. “I will protect you, Fayt, and Sophia no matter what. So be sure to do your part and save us from the Creator.”
“Right,” Maria agreed with a nod. “By the way, have you seen Albel? I wanted to talk with him about the same thing.”
The spy paused and tried to think. The last time she had seen the Wicked One was when they were giving a report on the bridge. She hadn’t seen him since they parted ways from there. “No, I haven’t. But I wouldn’t worry about him- he doesn’t believe in anything but a good battle. He’s probably in some dark corner, sharpening his sword with a sinister grin.”
“Hm, you’re probably right. Albel does seem to be the type who can charge forward without really thinking. I’m sure the thought of the Creator doesn’t faze him at all,” Maria replied as she crossed her arms contemplatively.
Actually, that wasn’t true- Albel thought ahead on everything and even came up with backup plans. He just didn’t let details bother him. It was a trait that Nel wished she had.
Nel and Maria soon said good night to each other and separated from there. Thanks to that talk, the spy’s head was a little clearer. Yes, she still had questions and concerns, but they didn’t bother her as much anymore. If she wanted to find anything out, she would have to go to 4D space.
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When Nel returned to the room she shared with Sophia, she was surprised to see Albel lounging on her bed wearing nothing but his sarong. The lights had been dimmed, giving just enough visibility for her to determine that it was indeed the Wicked One in her room and not the shy brunette girl. She glanced over to the other bed and found his things piled on it as if he didn’t think anyone was going to sleep there.
As usual, he kept his eyes closed even though he was well aware that she was in the room. She took the moment to examine him and realized that this was the first time she had ever had a good look at his new prosthetic arm. He had the appendage resting on his belly while his good arm was snaked under the pillow and rested under his head.
She had seen the fake arm before it was attached to him. The arm actually had two parts- an inner core and a metal casing to protect it. The core was no wider than a regular human bone and had a metal ball at the elbow so he could bend it. She wasn’t sure what the hand was made of, but it was mix of metal joints and other softer synthetic materials from Greeton that was shaped into a masculine human hand. It was perfectly articulated so that it could move like a real one.
Lining inside the core and joints were a network of wires that were specially made to respond to thunder based runology. They took the electrical signals that were sent from his brain and the cylindrical plate that connected the remaining stub of his arm to the prosthetic converted it to runological force. This made it to where he could move the new appendage with just a thought- much like how he could with his real arm.
The metal casing around it was shaped like an average arm and its function was to serve as a way to protect the main structure within and as armor for battle. He could slide any claw over it and it would be strong enough to withstand any attack- or rather it was designed to face off the monsters and people on Elicoor. There could’ve been something out in space that could easily shatter it if they’re not careful.
“Why are you in here? Sophia could come back, you know,” the spy hissed in worry as she walked further into the room. They had already shocked the poor girl last night when she walked in on them kissing- she could only imagine the look on her face should she come in and see Albel in that state of undress.
“The worm gave me her pendant to this room and said that she was going to stay with that tiny maggot,” he replied as he finally opened his eyes to stare at her.
So she was staying with Peppita? That made sense- she did seem to know the circus performer. But… the girl was so shy and intimidated by the Wicked One, that Nel was surprised that she mustered up the courage to speak with him let alone give him her pendant. The poor girl must've stuttered the entire time and practically threw it at him when he started to glare.
That mental image almost made her chuckle. With a sigh, she made her way to the other bed and sat down at the edge.
“Why are you sitting over there? Afraid I might bite?” he wondered with a lazy grin. It was no secret what he wanted to do- it had been so long since they were last intimate that even she was craving it. But…
“Sorry…” she apologized in a subdued tone, “I still have a lot on my mind. I’m not worried about what we need to do anymore, but I still feel distracted.”
“I don’t care. It’s been too long and I won’t be denied,” he declared before he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He then gave her a lecherous grin. “You have a choice- you let me ravage you or I get rough and make you want me.”
It had been so long that she had forgotten how ‘persuasive’ he was. Both ways sounded fun and she was certain that what he would have to offer would help her forget about tomorrow and let her get some sleep. But, she just couldn’t let him have her that easily. She couldn’t stop her grin as she slowly removed her scarf and began taking off her armor.
“Hmm… I’m not sure. Let me think on it,” she requested in a coy tone as she placed her armor on top of the pile behind her. The dark tone in his voice when he gave her those ‘choices’ made her feel a slight tingle down her spine and she knew it wouldn’t take much to get her in the mood with him. But she did enjoy changing his mind and coming up with other things they could do instead.
He watched her intently as she leaned down to remove her stockings and unlace her boots. She was surprised he hadn’t lunged at her already, but then she figured that he was waiting for a good strip tease from her. She didn’t disappoint him.
Nel slowly trailed her fingers up her bare legs and reached the edge of her tunic. She then stood up before she pulled the article of clothing over her head. She could see Albel griping the edge of the bed as he restrained himself from moving. The spy smirked again before she took off her halter and breast band, exposing her breasts to him.
She slowly approached him, clad only in her panties, and enjoyed the way he stared at her with those darkened, hungry eyes. She put her hand on his uncovered knee and was about to bend down and seduce him before he could do it to her, but he seized her wrist and held it tight to the point where it was almost hurting.
“Not tonight, woman.
I’m taking charge this time,” he growled before he forcefully claimed her lips and pulled down her panties.
So he wanted to be rough this time. She didn’t mind and was more than willing to resist him until he snapped. She figured it would be more fun that way- and she still liked it when he was forceful. But, even though he wanted to be in charge, she wasn’t giving him the full satisfaction of deciding everything. She pulled away before he could make her sit on his lap and nearly tripped over her underwear.
She lifted the panties with her foot and tossed it over to her other clothes before she smiled down at Albel. “Fine, but you’ll have to wait a little longer. I want to take a quick shower first.”
She
knew he wasn’t going to wait for her and was going to follow her into the bathroom. But once she reached the door, she found that he was still sitting on the bed, facing away from her. Nel tilted her head in confusion before she headed in and started the shower. Maybe he was waiting for her to get in first? Or perhaps he really was going to wait for her. So much for deciding where they would do it…
Off-world showers were a lot like the ones in Aquaria, but with better controls and a lasting supply of hot water. Once she figured out which were the hot and cold knobs, she knew how to operate it. Unlike the usual set up she had back home, there was no bathtub to simply bathe in. It was just a large box with opaque glass and a floor with mosaic tiles.
She once had a proud thought about how much more advanced her country was than Airyglyph- all they had were pipes to direct water while her country had runology. And everyone in Aquaria had access to the water in their homes, unlike Albel’s country. But the marvels of Fayt’s world far outclassed her own.
She adjusted the water to the temperature she was comfortable with and stepped in. She was still hoping for the Wicked One to come in and join her, but it seemed he wasn't interested. Of course, she didn’t think he was simply waiting so he could attack when her guard was lowered…
It wasn’t until she was done cleaning her hair when she heard a sound. Before she could even turn to investigate, an arm shot out from beside her and adjusted the water to make it hotter. Since her body had already adjusted to the original temperature, it didn’t mind the slight increase.
“Better hope they have enough hot water,” Albel muttered in her ear as his hands started to roam her body. Nel almost moaned out loud as she practically melted against him. She was glad that he did end up following her in and wondered how he was going to improvise on his original plan. She doubted he intended to seduce her in the shower and she couldn’t imagine him waiting long enough for them to get back to the bed.
Suddenly, her back was pressed against the cool glass and she was given a view of him under the beating water of the shower. His hair was down and the strands of his bangs were sticking to his face. She couldn’t recall a time when he looked so dark and alluring. He leaned down to kiss her and she eagerly opened up for him. It started out almost sweet, but it rapidly grew heated and rough as their slick bodies rubbed against one another.
She couldn’t hold back her moans as he kissed along her neck and shoulder. Her hands were trying to explore every inch of his back and chest, but he wouldn’t let her go any further. When she tried to touch below his navel, he pulled away and twirled her around so that her back was facing him.
“Get on your knees,” he ordered in a gruff tone as his hands gently pressed down on her shoulders.
She winced as she felt the tiles on her knees. If he was planning on taking her from behind, then he had better be fast about it- it hurt to support herself on a hard floor. The shower was large enough for them both to stand on all fours, but anything other than standing was out of the question. She even doubted the glass would support their weight if he tried to claim her against it.
He didn’t waste any time in kneeling down behind her and hovered over her body. He supported himself up by his prosthetic arm and knees before his good hand gradually drifted lower to her nether regions. His deft fingers found her clit and momentarily distracted her discomfort.
“We…we should move this to the bed,” she suggested when the pain in her knees became too unbearable to ignore. Originally, she wanted to just foreplay in the shower and let him do as he wanted in bed, but now she was regretting that decision. Albel was determined to play out whatever he had in mind.
She nearly shivered when his hot breath reached her ear. “Considering what I plan to do to you, you’ll want this to be done in here.”
…Those words sounded familiar. Albel reached up and grabbed something he left on the soap tray before he held it in front of her for her to see. It was that dildo he took from her room. It was then that she remembered his vow of vengeance for what she did to him the last time. So he was going to use it on her, was he? Too bad for him- she was more open-minded than he was at the thought of anal penetration. …But why did he need the dildo for it?
Nel felt some relief when he sat back and pulled her into his lap. Now that he wasn’t completely covering her, more of the water pelted down on her and massaged her scalp and anything else that was in the showerhead’s range. She could feel his grin on her shoulder and his hardness against her rear as his good hand lightly traced the dildo up her thigh. Her thighs were already spread and partially straddled around his.
The metal of the device was still cold and was a stark contrast to the heated water and her warm skin. His false arm was warmer than the dildo but it didn’t detract the arousing sensation when he gently cupped a breast in his metal hand. Just as her head fell back to rest on his shoulder, the tip of the toy was teasing the outer skin amongst her curls. The spy moaned again when he pressed further into the seam and found her clit.
He rubbed her bundle of nerves with the tip of the dildo for a while and then drifted lower to enter inside her. She bit her lip as her stomach tightened from the sensation. She didn’t think there was anything pleasurable about a dildo, but somehow it was different when someone else was pushing it in. She still favored him over the lifeless tool, though.
“Mmm…Albel…” She was enjoying it more than she thought she would. One of her hands came up to grip his prosthetic hand while the other reached back to tangle in his wet hair. She massaged his scalp while encouraging him to keep going. It wasn’t long before the hand that was gripping his moved to the neglected breast so she could help stimulate herself.
“Enjoying yourself?” he asked with a chuckle.
“I’d rather have
you inside me,” she admitted before another noise of pleasure escaped her mouth.
Her pleased sounds soon turned into protests when he stopped his ministrations and pulled the dildo out of her. She was soon forced back on her hands and knees as his fake hand gripped her hip.
“Stay still,” he told her as he positioned himself behind her. Nel soon felt something pressing against her anus and soon realized that he was using the dildo to prepare her. He slowly edged it in like how she did to him and she was grateful he was taking it slow. There was some discomfort, much like the first time she was stretched for vaginal intercourse, but there was no pain as long as he didn’t shove it in brutally. It almost felt like hours before the dildo was completely in her, but she knew it was only minutes.
“I’m a little disappointed- you didn’t protest at all,” he mused as he leaned forward to cover her body.
“Heh, what made you think I would be against it? Though I won’t be feeling the same pleasure as you would,” she replied as she waited for him to start moving the toy.
But he ended up surprising her when he shifted and positioned himself at her entrance. Her eyes widened as he entered her. It was a different feeling to have him and something else inside her.
“You feel tighter now,” he groaned happily as he started thrusting in her. She didn’t think of this before- having both her holes filled made her feel everything more acutely. Albel was doing what he could to help her reach her peak faster by reaching down where they were jointed and rubbed her clit with his good hand. When she came, her orgasm was much more intense and every nerve in her body relaxed. She could barely keep herself up when it was over.
Albel quickly caught her before he pulled out and flipped her over to lie on her back. Feeling water rain down on her face brought her back to reality and her features squinted so it wouldn’t get in her eyes. She soon let out a broken cry as he reentered her and hovered over her again. He shielded her from the still hot water so she could look up at him. His jaw was clenched as he focused on bringing himself to the edge of ecstasy.
His long hair fell over his shoulders and covered them both like a curtain. It was at that moment she felt isolated from the rest of the universe- that it was just him and her in their own little void. A small grin came to her lips at that thought. Somehow that didn’t sound very lonely and she found herself actually liking the idea.
The floor was just as unkind to her back as it was to her knees, but it wasn’t as painful. Every thrust moved her body and she could only imagine that it would be much more uncomfortable without the water to lubricate her back against the surface. But he was still on his knees and she was certain that he was in slight pain. She wanted to tell him that they could finish somewhere more comfortable, but she knew he couldn’t be moved when he was this aroused.
A smirk was on his lips as he moved. In the back of her mind, she felt that he was up to something, but couldn’t be bothered to reflect on it when she felt another release building up. This time, in a rare occurrence, they came at the same time and he pulled out at the last second. He was letting himself come on her body and she hadn’t expected that. Somehow seeing it happen prolonged her pleasure and she could’ve sworn she felt another orgasm as she shuddered.
She wasn’t really into the idea of having his cum sprayed on her. She accepted the idea that it might happen on accident one day if she wasn’t careful, but she didn’t think it would ever happen on purpose. It wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be- his essence was as hot as the water and it trailed down her sides sensually. Albel made sure that his stream didn’t reach past her breasts. The pleased grin on his face showed how much he liked seeing her this way.
He kissed her one more time and then he rolled over to her side to recover, a smirk still on his face as he reveled in the sight of her. The shower wasn’t large enough for them to stretch out- they had to bend their legs in order to fit. The water was hitting her in the face again, but she closed her eyes and relaxed under the gentle pressure. At least she was getting clean at the same time. This must’ve been the real revenge he had planned since he insisted it had to be done in the shower. Spilling his seed on her wasn’t exactly something she would agree to and she wondered how he knew that.
She sat up after a while, long enough to remove the dildo and let it get clean, too, before she lay back to rest with Albel. She wondered why guys liked to do that- was it a turn on to see a girl like that or were they more aroused with women who allowed them to do it? She was going to have to discuss with him about warning her before trying something new- though she should talk after what she did to him with the dildo.
“Let’s not do that often- coming on me, I mean,” Nel said in between breaths. “I’ll accept accidents, but I don’t like it.”
“Heh, what are you upset about? You’re getting cleaned off.” He chuckled some before he began to sit up and look down at her fondly. “Thanks for letting me do that, anyway.”
She refrained from scoffing. It wasn’t as if she could’ve moved out of the way when it happened- she’d had no choice. …But hearing his gratitude was endearing and what little annoyance she felt after the act faded.
Once they both recovered, Albel helped clean her up and dried her after they were done. Then they went to bed together. The moment they were under the covers, Albel wrapped his arms around her and she eagerly pressed against him. It was nice to share her bed with someone again.
The Creator and everything else was far from her mind as she rested her head on his chest and allowed herself to drift of in a deep slumber.
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It's actually been a long while since there was a lemon scene between the two. When it the plot starts getting depressing or disturbing, it's kind of hard to fit them in. In fact this could very well be the second to last lemon in the story. I dunno, we'll see. While I'm updating I thought I'd leave message to the reviewer that left a negative opinion.
To
Cooscoos/Seesaw (I'm pretty sure you're the same person): At first I had no clue where you got the idea that Nel was thinking about romance (she
still doesn't really know if she romantically loves Albel at this point) or why you think her personality was warped to fit a plot- until I realized, the original chapter 2 (that I didn't write) is still up on this site. I would like to formally apologize for giving you the wrong impression of Nel's character. Lor's verion is most certaintly OOC and I didn't agree with her views. I have gotten permission to edit her chapter and I tried to fix everyone's character the best I could. Then I posted it elsewhere.
You might not be reading this if you're that upset, but here's MY view of Nel. She's parallel to Albel- incapable of romance and possesses a self-destructive behavior. You make it sound like she enjoys her work, but no, that's not the case. Nel's career is her coping strategy- her emotional crutch. She does it so she wouldn't have to think about her father and the friends she lost to war. If Nel doesn't have something to do to keep her mind busy, she will have that shut down you keep talking about. And yes, the moment Nel has to think about her sudden intimate encounter with Albel, she falls apart. I would like to think the reason she didn't do it immediately in chapter 2 is because she needed to get back to her friends and deliver the copper- that takes priority over her own emotions.
For everyone else who is interested: Here's the link to the edited chapter 2 http://atecwriter.wordpress.com/fanfiction/for-the-prosperity-of-aquor/2-second-encounter/. The password is alnelaquor
