Star Ocean (All Series) Fan Fiction ❯ Phantom Of Time ❯ Back To Airyglyph ( Chapter 10 )

Phantom Of Time

 

Chapter Ten: Back To Airyglyph

By: Demon Priestess Saturn

 

 

Albel followed Cliff through the automatic silver three-part door leading out of the Diplo's transporter bay. As they stepped onto the second floor they received many greetings from the crew as they passed. They turned the corner and headed down the hall. As Albel glanced around he was surprised at how much the ship hadn't changed. He looked back at Cliff as they walked down the hallway. When they reached the third door in the wall on the right, Cliff walked over and brisk fully walked inside. Albel quickly followed him into the room with the long oval table surrounded by chairs. The door shut noisily behind him and he stared at Cliff.

 

“So tell me why we had to come all the way to this conference room maggot?” Albel glared. “Especially when there was one back in Aquios?”

“Because this one has a monitor and a sound system. I need the advanced technology so you can hear this.” Cliff said as he went over to the console and pushed a few buttons. “You better sit down.”

“Why?” Albel snapped.

“Okay don't.” Cliff said as he pulled up a chair and sat down. Albel rolled his eyes and pulled back a chair and sat in it.

“Cliff… This is Fayt do you copy?” Fayt's voice could be heard suddenly.

“Fayt!” Albel almost jumped out of his chair.

“It's just a recording. Fayt sent this message three months ago. The ship picked it up as Maria was heading over here. It took some time to clean it up so we could hear the message. It had tons of interference around it.” Cliff looked at Albel as he slowly sat back down.

“Cliff if you get this I just want to let you know that some strange things have started happening on Landon III. Parts of the forests are dying, monsters have appeared out of nowhere, and people are getting sick. Many of the people who got sick died. Nobody knows why. So I did some research and I found something that is a possible lead. The people here have a religion. They say a goddess of destruction was imprisoned here many years ago in the moon shrine. She was sealed away by a curse after she tried to destroy the universe. It's said once their people become defiled the seal will start to crumble. Once this happens the chosen one will come and release her to bring about the destruction of the world. I thought this was important because I am detecting some weird energy from the moon shrine. I don't think it's any goddess but I do think what ever is causing this is. I'm going to investigate. Cliff if you get this I want you to come back me up. I have a feeling this is going to get worse. So hurry Cliff. I'll keep in touch. Bye.” The message finished. Cliff pushed a button on the console and looked at Albel.

 

“So he went to investigate the source of the problem.” Albel stared at the table.

“Maria also picked up two other messages from Fayt.” Cliff said as he pressed the button again. “He sent this one came about a week or two later.”

“Cliff…. It's getting bad down here. I need your help… The disasters have increased… Most… Cities have been…” The message drifted off into fuzz.

“That was all we could clear up and then this was the last one we received after that.” Cliff pushed another button.

“Cliff. I've found my way into the moon shrine and…” Fayt screamed out and then they heard a scratching noise like the communicator slid a crossed the floor. Then something started speaking over the communicator. It was a low creepy murderous whisper that spoke in a different language.

“Turn it off.” Albel jumped out of his chair shaking slightly.

“What?” Cliff looked at him strangely.

“Turn it off!” Albel shouted and backed into the wall. Cliff pushed the button and turned off the recording.

“Albel? What's the matter?” Cliff stood up and looked at him with a worried expression. Albel looked sheet white and was breathing very hard. His body was shaking violently and he stared at the floor. “Albel?” Cliff walked up to him and placed his hand on his shoulders. He shook him slightly. “Albel!” Albel looked up and him with panicked red eyes.

“What's going on?” Maria entered the room with Nel.

“Albel?” Nel stepped up to him. Albel blinked a few times and looked at Maria and Nel. Cliff let go of his shoulders and stared at him. Albel looked quickly around the room and then back at all three of them.

“Albel are you alright?” Maria asked as she suddenly realized how scared he looked.

“I'm fine.” Albel snapped.

“I don't believe you.” Cliff said calmly.

“Bah. You fools never believe a damn thing I say.” Albel sneered and walked out of the room like nothing happened. Cliff, Nel, and Maria looked at each other strangely. Albel walked quickly down the hall until he came to the transporter bay. He walked into the room and transported back down to Elicoor II. Albel soon found himself staring at the stairs descending from Aquios castle. The words in the message replaying in his head like a broken recorded. The hatred and the cruelty of the voice was much more than he himself could muster and for the first time in a long time he felt fear. As Albel stared out at the city his frown deepened and he stopped hiding his emotions. He hung his head like a lost lonely child out in the middle of nowhere. He felt something grab him from behind and pull him tightly into a hug. Albel's eyes went wide and he whispered.

 

“Who?” Albel tried to look over his shoulder.

“Are you really that lost and alone?” Elvy whispered to him. “Because you don't have to be anymore.”

“I'm always alone.” Albel replied but didn't push her away.

 

………………….

 

“Cliff?” Nel walked up to him in her nightclothes. It was the middle of the night and she felt restless for some reason. She was worried about Albel and now she found Cliff standing in the hallway staring out one of the windows.

“Huh?” He turned around and smiled at her. “What are you doing up at this time gorgeous?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing.” Nel leaned against the wall.

“I was wondering if Mirage is okay. She disappeared on us and hasn't contacted us. I hope nothing's happened.” Cliff stared out the window.

“I'm worried too. Albel he hasn't said anything since you played him the recordings. And Fayt, he's in trouble. He may even be dead.” Nel looked at him.

“Don't remind me. I'm already afraid that I lost Mirage. I don't want to think about Fayt being dead.” Cliff frowned.

“I'm sorry.” Nel looked at the floor.

“I think Albel flipped out because he didn't know what happened to Fayt and suddenly the reaper came to mind.” Cliff leaned on the windowsill. They were quiet for a moment before Nel spoke again.

“Mirage disappeared when Vox attack Arias.” Nel said calmly. “Maybe he has something to do with her disappearance.”

“You think?” Cliff looked over at her.

“It is a possibility.” Nel looked at him. Suddenly they heard a small thump from down the hall. They looked down the hall hearing fast movement from one of the rooms. Nel exchanged a strange look with Cliff when one of the bedroom doors flew open and Albel walked quickly down the hall in the opposite direction from where they were standing. “Where is he going?”

“I don't know.” Cliff walked past her. “Let's find out.”

“He certainly has a lot of energy for an injured person.” Nel said as she followed Cliff down the hall.

“Albel!” Cliff shouted as him and Nel came down the stairs.

“What!” Albel spun around and looked at the two.

“Where are you going?” Cliff asked.

“To Airyglyph.” Albel snapped.

“Are you crazy? Arias' has been over run by Vox's men. You'll never make it and besides you're injured.” Nel glared at the swordsman.

“I don't care. I need to get my sword back besides Mirage is there and is in trouble. If we don't go she's going to be dead.” Albel argued.

“What do you mean? How do you know she's in Airyglyph?” Cliff asked.

“Morons. I was there! Vox is trying to cause a repeat of me and I am not about to let that happen! Besides I saw another pair of gauntlets on the table back in Arias. I didn't think anything of it until I realized that you and her both used gauntlets.” Albel huffed.

“How could you have been there? You've been sleeping in your room for five hours. And you definitely couldn't have gone there and came back within five hours.” Cliff pointed out.

“Don't argue with me. The last time you argued with me I turned out to be right.” Albel glared. “I was right about Fayt. I was right about the army going through Kirlsa. So why would I be wrong about this.” The swordsman's turned quickly on one foot and walked down the hall.

“I think he's gone insane.” Cliff looked at Nel.

“Well he does have a point. He was right about the other incidents. Even though he sounded insane.” Nel looked at Cliff.

“What is he a psychic?” Cliff rubbed the back of his head.

“I'm going to get dressed. You follow him and I'll catch up with the others later.” Nel said calmly. “He can't go alone.”

“Okay.” Cliff said and quickly ran down the hall following Albel.

 

………………….

 

“Albel wait! You can't go alone!” Cliff caught up to him.

“Then you better walk quickly.” Albel snapped and continued through the sleeping city.

“What about you injury?” Cliff asked.

“It's gone.” Albel replied.

“What?” Cliff grabbed him by the arm.

“What are you doing? Let go.” Albel glared at him.

“Wounds like that just don't go away Albel.”

“Well this one did. Now let go.” Albel tried to get his arm away from Cliff.

“Let me see.” Cliff said calmly.

“What?” Albel looked at him like he was insane.

“I want to see for myself.” Cliff said. Albel rolled his eyes and pulled his arm away, he lifted his shirt and to Cliff surprise the wound was gone.

“Happy?” Albel pulled his shirt back down.

“How did that happen?” Cliff gawked.

“I don't know. It just did.” Albel snapped as he turned and continued to walk.

“I know you've always been a fast healer but you usually don't heal that fast.” Cliff followed him.

“Yeah well there is a lot of weird things that have been happening to me lately.” Albel said as he grabbed a horse and jumped onto it. He was back to his usually attire with his has hair back in its double ponytails.

“Is she still okay? She isn't dead is she?” Cliff decided to ask.

“No. And neither is Fayt incase you thought otherwise.” Albel kicked the horse and rode over the moonlit bridge. Cliff also jumped on a horse and soon followed.

“Then why did you flip out back there on the ship?” Cliff asked.

“Wouldn't anyone given what that woman was saying?” Albel asked.

“What woman?” Cliff looked confused.

“The woman speaking Expellian in the message. She had a Nedian accent.” Albel said calmly.

“She was speaking Expellian? How did you know that?” Cliff looked amazed.

“I don't know I just do.” Albel shrugged.

“I have to tell Maria so she can translate it.” Cliff said as he pulled his communicator.

 

………………….

 

Nel stepped out of her room as she finished dressing to see Maria coming down the hall.

 

“Maria?” Nel looked at her.

“Cliff just contacted me and told me Albel knew what language that woman was speaking in Fayt's message.” Maria said quickly.

“Albel knew?” Nel looked strangely at her.

“Yes so I am going to the ship to translate it. Where are you going?” Maria asked.

“Albel stormed out of here saying he was going to Airyglyph to save Mirage. I had Cliff follow him. I'm going too.” Nel said while folding her arms.

“Stupid boy.” Elvy said from her bedroom door. Both Maria and Nel looked over at her. “He certainly gets points for bravery and none for brains.”

“He seems to know exactly what he's doing.” Nel said calmly.

“Yeah and it's probably going to get him killed. Come on lets go.” Elvy rolled her eyes and walked down the hall.

“Don't forget us.” Roger said from down the hall with Valkin standing next to him.

“That's right sis. You're not going without us.” Valkin shook his finger at his sister.

“Fine.” Elvy rolled her eyes and walked down the stairs.

“I'll catch up with you later after I translate the message.” Maria said calmly.

“Okay.” Nel nodded and gestured for both Valkin and Roger to follow. It was going to be a long journey to Airyglyph and Albel and Cliff were already ahead of them.

 

End Chapter Ten

 

Here's a gift to Shinedown. I finished this chapter just for her because she happily kept bugging me about it. Which got me off my lazy butt, so I could sit down a write it. Thank you very much. Sometimes I need a push. Yeah… Let me know what you all think and I will get to work on the other stories that I have been ignoring. Bye!

 

~Priestess~