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Necklace of Fear	By : RavenTheDarkAngel Category: +S through Z > Star Ocean 2 Views: 2113 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Ocean 2, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
Disclaimer: Star Ocean is of course not mine or else I�d have made a cheat code that has a 5-player costume of Albel naked.

Author�s Note: First of all, I�d like to apologize to everyone on the lateness of this chapter. The holiday season completely got in the way and I had hardly any time to work on this. It�s sorta rushed as it is, I may or may not go back and fix. Anyways before anyone asks, the race Lousyd is in the Star Ocean dictionary and is a type of sea creature evolved from plankton. I mention Nel�s incomplete Runological training which is an official fact in the game that they mention in her second entry.

Last Time: Nel visits the Kirlsa Training Facility to teach the Black Brigade Runology, however Adray and Clair don�t need her help and she is stuck standing in the crowd. Equally as bored, Albel decides to offer her a little spar. The two meet on the roof and fight each other but they are interrupted when a messenger informs them of the King�s request to see them.
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Necklace of Fear

By Raven the Dark Angel

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Chapter 3: Marionette

It hadn�t surprised her at all. She knew it was bound to happen ever since she returned to Elicoor and was just waiting for them to ask. Her Majesty had expressed on countless occasions that she had done enough for the people and she was required to divide missions amongst her men instead of taking on the tasks herself. She had waited for this scenario to come up and knew this was something only she and him could ever possibly handle. The Storm Brigade and Shield Legion had done an excellent job so far in eliminating such a dangerous threat, but with fatigue settling in and their lack of skill against such a great foe catching up to them, they could no longer hold out against the Vile Wind creatures.

Nel leaned back against the inside of the wagon, listening to the clacking of the lum�s hooves that pounded deeper into the outskirts of Airyglyph territory. She closed her eyes momentarily as she stretched her legs out, careful not to touch Nox sitting directly across from her. She watched the man brush some unseen dirt off his knee as his scowl thinned his lips back and he let out a long exaggerated sigh. Nel stared at him transfixed. He seemed so calm now. Nothing like the raging man she had seen intoxicated with blood-lust just this morning. Just what exactly happened?

She squinted at him, scratching her gaze along his steel-bottomed boots to the generous length of purple adorning his legs, letting her eyes linger upon his stomach. Her vision slid along his abs and as much as she felt the man needed to eat an entire lum, she had grown accustomed to the protrusion of ribs so much so she wondered what it would be like to stroke her hands across such a fine tuned piece of flesh. However proceeding to do such an act would only be left to her imagination and as far as anything between her and The Wicked was concerned, the only touching they would be making was slitting each other�s throats as demonstrated by the man earlier.

Her eyes fell upon his left arm wrapped up in clean white bandages with his armor strapped securely in place and she wondered why he had made such an effort to attend to his wound. Why just yesterday he snorted his nonchalance at it oozing with blood and dirt the very day of his injury. So what happened? Nel drummed her fingers along the edge of her sleeve with her arms folded, trying to make some sense out of the enigma that was Albel Nox.

Perhaps Woltar had insisted upon it, but then that would be too simple. Nox wasn�t the type to just give in to orders and allowing anyone to heal him was about as helpless as beating a lousyd in a swimming contest. She had remembered the way he viciously spat in protest the first time she cast her Runology on him, never mind his reaction to Adray. Any sort of medicine taken or bandages wrapped was a clear sign of weakness and heaven forbid he ever allowed himself to be as such just once. Although maybe that was just it.

Nel tilted her head, watching her subject of thoughts scratch his mane like some kind of scruffy animal and yet somehow performing the action with a grace she could never dream to simulate. The man had such a complex toward perfection perhaps this too was apart of that very same fixation. He could never look weak in front of his men. That was the last thing Nox ever wanted and there was a great possibility that he swallowed one pride for the other all in the same sake of just one thing: strength.

However that still didn�t answer the one question that had been nagging her since she stepped foot off that roof-top. What exactly had gone on in that twisted mind of his? What exactly snapped inside of him allowing him to think he could just possess her like that? Ever since she shattered his claw he hadn�t acted the same. Was this some sort of perverse payback he had planned? Or was he just playing with her out of boredom?

�If there�s something on your mind, then speak it, Aquarian.� Albel warned sneering at her through the corner of his eyes. �I tire of your stares. It�s as if I grew my arm back!�

Nel blinked, startled by the sudden outburst and focused her vision onto the man�s face. �You�ll have to forgive me. I wasn�t aware.�

Albel clicked his tongue and lifted his chin further, deciding to let it slide, finding more interest in his own questions. �Tell me; is it true that you�ve never succeeded in finishing your training?�

�What�s it to you, Nox?�

�Plenty,� he responded and began to thumb the hilt of his katana. �For starters that would mean every soldier directly underneath you is improperly trained as well.�

Nel�s eyebrow twitched as she closed her eyes in an attempt to summon her patience, only to find herself flexing her fingers into a fist. �Excuse me?� she hissed between her teeth and swallowed the urge to unsheathe the Blades of Ryusen.

A smirk twitched his lips as he slowly swayed his gaze toward the woman before him, unable to hold back the snort of amusement upon the look she cast. His teeth began to slip into view with each insult she suppressed and he couldn�t help but to plant his hand beside her leg, leaning forward on all fours. The man stretched his neck up, reaching uncomfortably close to her face and ignored the woman�s maggot subordinate hovering a hand above her weapon.

�Hmm,� The Wicked hummed in delight followed by a light chuckle as one of his hair wraps slid over his shoulder and tickled the flesh left exposed by the slit in her skirt. His eyes fell upon the extension for a moment as he played with the idea whether or not to pick it up and seize the opportunity to feel that beautiful skin for himself. He drank in the vision of her creamy thigh and swallowed back a growl of approval as the runes taunted him to touch, to taste each curve with the tips of his aching fingers.

Nel watched him transfixed as his hand descended and she clenched her teeth not at the man but at herself. Here he was spitting an insult, starting another argument for the umpteenth time, and now daring to touch her but for some damn reason she couldn�t get mad at him!

She clutched the air in her lungs as he lifted the wrap by the very end just above the tuft and slowly turned it upward, fluctuating his weight to his knees. A sly smile overtook his features and Nel exhaled, laying a hand on her leg to dust away the goosebumps left behind by the brief contact. Somehow, he never brushed her.

�It wasn�t an insult, fool.� Albel responded, the words softly dripping off his tongue and he suddenly leaned back against his side of the wagon as if he hadn�t slithered his way into her personal space at all. �I was merely making an observation. Your unit is quite compliable, considering some of my men who have been honing their skills for years can�t even come close to your league. It seems the further I work with your people the more I realize how in over our heads Airyglyph really was.�

Nel blinked at him. Her lips parted, trying to comprehend what he had just told her but the words were making no sense. Had Nox just sat there and admired her abilities and admitted his defeat in a war that had no real winning side? She truly was staring at him now, however his interest was elsewhere, tugging on his sock and offering no more attention to her even if she decided to lop her head right off. Nel closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. Why bother to figure him out�

xxx

The rest of the trip held it�s silence save for the thundering of the lum�s hooves as directed by Farleen and the occasional clink of Tynave�s daggers as she swapped between pacing and resting in the corner to stare at the captain of the Black Brigade. Nel could tell her subordinate�s hesitance to work with such a man and her sheer nervousness completely left uncovered due to the very same emotion. She too had her doubts in the beginning but on the trip to Airyglyph castle with Fayt to pick up said man she realized his position had been no different than hers. She had surprised them all including The Wicked of her acceptance and openness to the situation.

Nel snapped her head up as Nox shot to a stand and shoved the canopy of the wagon aside and surprised her to no end when he dove right off. Her jaw instantly fell and she flung herself to the opening to watch him land and stalk in the direction of a group of three men. She jolted forward and nearly fell out at Farleen�s jerk of the reins. What the heck was going on in that multi-colored head of his?!

�Lady Ne-�

�Attend to the lum!� she shouted at them before Tynave could even finish and hurried after him. What did that bastard think he was doing? Did he think to leave her out of this? He had to be kidding! There was no way no matter how skilled he thought he�d become, that he could take on one of those corrupted creatures himself! Why they had a hard time with Fayt and the others. Was he really serious?!

Nel slammed her hands on her hips directly behind him and was about to scream her mind when he opened his mouth instead.

�You incompetent fools!�

Nel blinked and took a side step. Three soldiers stared back at Nox, one with his face so drained of blood she wondered how he could still be alive. Clearly they weren�t used to the tyrant�s manhandling or else they�d know better than to anger him for whatever reason� that is if there was a reason.

�Why hadn�t anyone contacted me sooner?� he continued to roar, wriggling even more coloring out of mousy-soldier�s head.

The stout one in the middle swallowed and dared to speak. �Lord Albel we didn�t think it necessary especially in your condition.�

�My condition?� Nox hissed and crashed a foot closer not hesitating to propel the soldier on the right to the floor. Instantly he ripped his fingers into the middle�s collar and thrust him forward just a hair away from his face. �Pray tell, maggot, what exactly do you mean?�

�Y-your�� he tripped upon the truth, unwilling to say those inevitable words. He had to speak them he knew. He�d be dead either way, he realized and swallowed against the heart in his throat, threatening to leap out at any moment.

�Spill it! Or would you rather a few teeth come before your words?�

He flinched at the threat and braced himself. �M-my lord your claw�is unattachable at this time and we can�t ask you to risk further injury.�

Silence thickened the air as everyone in the vicinity held their breath.

Albel closed his eyes, his grip still taught on the cloth. The corner of the Wicked�s mouth began to twitch upward, baring teeth and he snapped open the crimson orbs, with an entire new fire igniting in its depths. �Do you think this is a weakness?� he hissed and swung the armored stump across the man�s face, eliciting the unmistakable crack of cartilage. The layered metal tore into the soldier�s cheek and thrust a fresh batch of blood onto the floor with little effort.

�Know your place!� Nox spat, ignoring his cries of pain as the soldier slumped to the floor with hands covering his nose. �Pathetic worm! And you fall so easily to one you thought too injured for battle. What kind of man does that make you?� Albel darted his eyes toward the other two, causing one to gasp. �Does anyone else have doubts on my capability that they need reassured?�

The one remaining standing quickly shook his head and Albel relaxed into a smirk.

�Good. Then we can begin. Come, Aquarian, let us start the briefing.�

Nel folded her arms and slipped forward by his side. She had never seen Nox with his men before. Up until now she had always thought the soldiers� fear was due to all the wild rumors about him. But the title of The Wicked wasn�t from such silly notions. He was a very wicked man. She�d never dream of treating her people with such malice. It was something unforgivable in her eyes and she wouldn�t hear of a single excuse as to why such an action would be okay.

The woman frowned as she watched the hapless solider try to swallow his whimpers and the blood spilling from his nostrils. No one did anything to help. To frightened or scared. Was this the way their unit functioned under his lead? Did they not hold a single ounce of compassion for another? How absurd! This wasn�t the way a military for a kingdom should be operated. It was more like a gang of delinquents. Nel reached over and flattened her palm in his direction as she quickly chanted a healing spell.

Albel caught her wrist. �What do you think you�re doing?�

Nel shot her gaze in his direction, her usual green eyes darkened to violet. �Nothing. It�s none of your business.�

�My men are my business.� His fingers bit deeper.

�Don�t be ridiculous!� she snapped and ripped her hand free. �Nobody should treat any human beings that way. They�re not your property!�

A smirk wafted upon his lips as he lifted his neck to admire down upon her even more. She simply no idea how she looked in this moment. How she always looked whenever angered. There was simply an intensity in her eyes� a violet violence that stroked a uniqueness upon his curiosity unmatched by any other. He had to have more! Albel licked his lips in anticipation and stepped closer as he baited her anger. �I don�t tell you how to lead your men, so please refrain from doing so with mine.�

Nel stumbled upon a breath as he began to lean into her face, but that did nothing to intimidate her confrontation. �And you think I should do the same?�

�Of course not,� he replied, grinning teeth mere inches from her lips. �I know how to treat a lady.�

xxx

Nel wasn�t sure whether to be infuriated with the comment or simply annoyed. Either way it did nothing to help her concentration and she was just about tired of trying to make any sense out of the map handed to them. No wonder soldiers were turning up missing! The girl sighed and passed it on to Tynave and watched as she turned it several times to even figure out which way to hold it. This was ridiculous! They�ll never find anyone lost when they were about to meet the same fate themselves!

However the other two in front of them didn�t seem to notice. Farleen skipped along merrily torch a toting while Nox stalked ahead, acting as though he knew exactly where he was going. Supposedly he didn�t need the map and now she was starting to see why.

Nel closed her eyes, allowing the trickling of water along the stalactites to soothe her senses. She exhaled, relieved for a moment only to snap her eyes open. She held her breath and stretched her hearing as far as she could only to receive the mere drip of puddles and the echo of footsteps permeating from their boots. There wasn�t a single stirring of a spider or the fluttering wings upon bats. Not an animal in the entire area. Something wasn�t right�

�Nox, we should stop for a moment,� she called out to him but he ignored her and continued to trudge down the cavern.

Nel clamped her teeth and blew past Farleen, shadowing his steps right behind him. What did he think he was doing? She knew he heard her. Her fingers clenched in her belt. �Nox! I said wait!�

No response. She suppressed her scream and instead eyed the bobbing hair wraps skimming his midriff. They bounced to the heavy rhythm in his steps and Nel couldn�t help herself when she snagged a hold of one of them before it could whip his exposed skin again. She halted her footing and allowed him to yank it on his own.

Albel instantly whirled around and snarled down at her clasping hand and confiscated the hair from her fingers. �What do you think you�re doing, maggot?!� he roared, only for a long smile to unfold upon her features.

�The same thing can be said of you. I asked you to stop and you didn�t listen.� she responded, folding her arms.

�Oh? And if you didn�t obey one of my commands it�s okay if I do this?� he questioned and jerked on the end of her scarf, causing her to gag as she chocked for air. However he didn�t let go, leaning into her face while the girl struggled to swallow.

Nel narrowed her eyes, unsure if he was playing with her or not. But before she could question his motives further, he let the velvet slide from his fingers. She continued to stare back at him as he dipped a digit into the knot and loosened its hold while the clink of metal accompanied his receding step.

The girl shivered at the feel of his nail that had scraped her neck at the action and stifled the urge to smooth her hand across the tender flesh. She just didn�t get him. One second she thought he was surly going to hurt her and the next he was helping her out of his manhandling. What did he want from her?

�This place is dangerous,� she informed, choosing to ignore his actions. �We need to figure out where we are or else we won�t be able to find our way back if something happens.�

The man snorted. �Bah! Nothing is going to happen.�

�You don�t know that. Besides those men didn�t go missing for no reason.�

�When something happens, we�ll deal with it. Until then I really don�t care.� He retorted and turned on his heel but he didn�t make it two steps.

His body slammed against the wall with such force, crumbs from the ceiling splattered to the floor. A snarl pined his lips as he pushed himself back up as he swung his katana out ready to kill whatever had dared to strike him. �Finally!� he spat as a feral grin twisted upon his features, causing Nel to wonder if she should fear him more than whatever had struck them.

She held her breath as her eyes trained on the giant tail that sprung from the shadows once again and flipped back to avoid it�s wake. A scream cut through the air and Nel swung her vision behind her only to see Farleen and Tynave in danger as well. The two girl�s ducked under the sword that sliced above them as two more masked men surrounded them. Nel gripped her daggers. The space was too tight. It�d be tough to avoid anything at this rate.

Albel on the other hand didn�t seem to be showing signs of difficulty. Talons met the Crimson Scourge as he thrust his blade up and forced the dragon to step back. The beast roared, stretching it�s neck into the man�s face, however he didn�t even flinch under the blast of wind at the volume. He simply stood without defense and plunged the blade through its muzzle, eliciting another shriek from its throat.

Nel gasped at the fresh blood splashed onto her back at Nox�s withal, and sprinted on ahead, ignoring the raging animal behind her. He�d deal with it. Right now she had to help Tynave and Farleen!

The Crimson Blade slammed her palms to the ground, rippling the rock underneath as she sent the Shadow Wave propelling towards the others. Her soldiers knew to jump out of the way and in the confusion Farleen echoed the method with Earth Glaive. The rock spikes sliced into their fallen enemies. However they stood up yet again as if they merely had been pushed. What was the hell?!

Nel�s eyes widened. She�d never seen anyone come up after such a succession of spells without even a scratch. Who were they? Were they even human? Nel grit her teeth at the collision of her blades against one�s ax and gasped when her eyes caught a glimpse of what lay beyond the skull helmet. No� oh Apris no it couldn�t be�

A groan escaped her lips as she kicked the man back and latched her fingers on the bone and tossed the thing aside to confirm her findings. The mask shattered under Nox�s dodging step and Nel could only stand still, arms limp at the discovery.

The drumming of her heart deafened her ears as all the chaos melted from around her. How could this be? She stared at the man before her, words at a loss. There he was Astor Wolfricht her very own soldier she trained with since she was a child. Why were their own men attacking them? What had happened?!

�Watch out, fool!� Albel�s words crushed her daze as he sprung in front of her and parried the swinging ax, however without his claw his defense was left open to the kunai that buried itself in his thigh.

A grunt scratched his throat as he ripped the small knife from his flesh. The blood trickled down his leg and he whipped his head back toward the dragon hurdling toward the two of them.

�Thunder Flare!� Nel shouted, halting the beast as it thrashed under the electricity. Tynave quickly seized the opportunity and flung onto it�s back from behind and ended it�s life with a quick thrust through the skull. With a final roar the mighty animal fell to the floor and Nel heaved a sigh of relief. At least that could be killed but what about the three soldiers?

She tossed her vision at Farleen, as a look of horror spread across the purple-haired girl�s features. Nel�s gut twisted at the very sight as she plunged her daggers into the man�s stomach over and over but the only thing it did was create a sticky mess in it�s splatter. The soldiers did not slow or flinch for a single second.

Farleen screamed and shoved her enemy away and backed to where her leader stood. What were they going to do?! Nel tightened her grip on her weapons and glanced back at Nox. He held his katana high about to slice Astor�s head off when the redhead snatched his arm. �Don�t!� she shouted, �They�re our men!�

Albel�s face twisted with fury as he drove his boot into the man�s stomach instead. �I know!� he roared back, �The only thing we can do for them now is give them a quick death.�

�How do you know that?!� She screamed back as he ripped his arm from her grasp. He said nothing to her as he swung the Crimson Scourge across the man�s chest downward and then across in his Double Slash. The soldier�s head spattered to the floor and Nox�s boot quickly demolished the cranium in a wet soggy crunch.

�There is no choice.� He hissed, his features hard. �I�ve been here before.�

�C-c-commaaanderrr!� the other two wailed, voices eerily familiar in their Glyphian accent.

�Slice their heads off!� He snapped at the other two girls and they quickly nodded.

Nel watched in horror as Tynave and Farleen followed his orders. Surly there had to be another way. This couldn�t be right. What had they become? Was it against their will? The girl�s heart twisted listening to the last one�s screams for his leader�s mercy. Whatever they had become there was still a conscious mind inside of them!

�How could you do that?� Nel demanded, shoving Nox�s shoulder to face her.

�Do what?� he growled, wiping the blood from his sword. �Save your life?�

�You know what I mean!� she hissed back.

�I told you! There�s nothing you can do! They�re not human anymore! Or would you rather have them kill you?�

�They were screaming for our help. Were you deaf to that?�

Nox pressed his finger tips to his forehead. �And were you deaf to what I said earlier? Listen to me, Aquarian. The only thing you can do for creatures like that is give them a quick death. There is no way out of that. It�s all we can do.�

�How do you know about all this?� she insisted her eyes knit close together.

�Hmph. What�s it to you? It�s over now. So let�s report back. We�ve found the three soldier�s missing and defeated the Vile Wind creature down here. End of mission.�

Nel clamped her jaw shut and watched the man stalk out of there. Her lips curled back in disgust as the shadows engulfed his fading form. How dare he say such things to her! How dare he kill their men without so much as an ounce of remorse! Surely there had to be another way to bring them out of whatever they were trapped by. They were still aware despite their body�s movements. It wasn�t like they had betrayed her. The situation was entirely different!

�We�re bringing the bodies,� Nel informed the two girls and knelt down by Astor�s side. Surly if they thought this out they could have avoided such a tragedy. Nox had been far too rash. She closed her eyes. Astor had been a brother to her. She knew no matter what he�d never betray her. It wasn�t an act. Somehow these men had become marionettes�but who or what exactly was controlling them and why?

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Author�s Note: Ehh� I dunno if I like how that fight scene turned out. Feel free to give me some pointers since I�m very rusty in that area. :) Astor is actually a character in SO3, btw, if you didn�t know and is residing in Kirlsa and works under Nel, so no he isn�t made up. I hope I didn�t confuse anyone. And yes with the Romero ending Albel�s men do call him �commander� not captain. Not sure why though. And yes this does take place in accordance to Albel�s strange ending. I just want to give it some sense and thus the plot that�s starting to come into view. Well hopefully I�ll be more on time next chapter. Until next update. In the meantime I demand everyone who loves Albel, go read Knight of Paradox�s lovely and outstanding story �Chronicles of the Wicked� (ff.net). Go review it and give it the love and attention it deserves. :)
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Necklace of Fear