Konnichiwa, fellow SO3 fans! Jigoku Hikari here. I bring to you a very sad, moving story. Boo hoo. LOL Just read on...

Summary: After surviving from near death, Duke Vox comes back. Finding out that Albel was released, he does anything to get him back to do the task he'd wanted to do- Kill. Cliff/Albel.

Rated M for some language, brutal torturing, and attempted rape. You've been warned.

Reviews will be appriciated and rewarded with a new chapter. All flames will be put in my condo's fireplace.

Yuiitsu Kibo (Only Wish)- Epilogue: Not Quite Dead

Eyes opened to a grey, dark room. He groggily looked around, noticing a long table to his right that held an assortment of tins, glasses, and bottles. When he went to sit up, he found that he couldn't due to the pain that riddled his body.

"Lord Vox!" yelled a young man near by, dressed in the usual Dragon Brigade garb. He rushed over and gently pushed him back down. "You cannot move yet, milord, for your injuries are too great."

Duke Vox took another look around as he relaxed. "Where am I?"

Another Dragon Brigade soldier came into the room. "I'm glad to see you've awaken, Lord Vox." He came to Vox's bedside with the other soldier.

"You're in a hidden part in the Ruins of Barr," the first soldier replied. "It was dug out specifically for the purpose of sheltering and hiding you until you were well and healed. It is sealed from the rest of the ruins, so no one will find us if they come by for some odd reason."

"No one knows you're alive," said the other soldier. "Word has spread that your death was brought by the aliens and their celestial ships."

This information slightly ticked Vox off. "Everyone thinks I'm dead! That means that I've lost my position in Airyglyph's army, and the things I've done are null and void!"

"If it looks like you've risen from the dead, then the people will believe that you're more powerful than they first thought. You may even become King because of your glorious comeback."

Vox thought this over for a moment and decided that he liked the idea. "Yes... Brilliant..." He raised the sheets and noticed just how many bandages covered his body. "How did I survive...?"

"We're not sure, sir, but we're glad you did. It's good to have you back."

The Dragon Brigade captain relaxed some more, staring at the stone ceiling. The silence continued on until curiosity hit him. "Do we have a way to gather information from the outside?"

"Yes. We have a spy set in Aquios that reports directly here, as well as a messenger from Airyglyph. They are the only ones who know out location. Would you like a debriefing now?"

"Yes."

The first soldier that had come in, finally getting bored with just standing there in silence, bowed and took his leave. The other soldier began to tell what had been happening.

"The celestial ship that had appeared during the war was destroyed. Our spy tells us that it was the smaller engineer from Greeton, the one that defeated you, who somehow did it. The Queen of Aquaria and out king have begun cooperating with each other, in case of another alien attack." Vox's expression soured at the mere thought of the alliance, but the soldier continued on. "As for Albel Nox, whom you imprisoned for treason, was freed by Count Woltar to aid the engineers from Greeton throughout the land."

This seemed to infuriate Vox the most. "Nox is free? And helping those bastards who came close to killing me!" The soldier nodded mutely. "What a disgrace, a traitor, a pathetic thing that cannot call himself a man..." He calmed himself down a bit. "Thank you. That will be all for now."

The soldier bowed and begun to walk away, but stopped to look back. "Lord Vox, if I may ask... When you are able, what will you first do?"

An evil smirk lit Vox's lips. "Do what I had intended to do when I first had him- slowly kill Albel Nox..."

END PROLOGUE

OVERLOOK- Part One: Secrets

Cliff continued staring at where Albel had been. He had hope, a great hope, Albel would at least accept the news- he wanted him to more than anyone. He'd hoped it'd break some barrier between them and let them be closer. The moment Albel stepped out, those hopes were shattered.

iii

"I have a message for you from Lord Duke Vox," he said, getting the letter from his belt and holding it toward the Black Brigade captain.

Albel glared darkly. "Duke Vox is dead."

A smirk went upon the soldier's lips. "You'll find that that assumption is incorrect."

iii

Mirage managed to catch him before he hit the ground. "It's okay," she said to Fayt, who was clearly ready to run for help. "He's only fainted." She noticed how Fayt looked lost. "I don't think he's really eaten anything or even slept since Cliff left. Help me get him back to the inn."

IXI

I apologize for such a short prologue, and I hope the overlook left you literally begging for more soon. -grin-I hope you're wondering "What did Cliff say to make Albel leave? What does the message say? Who's fainting?" and stuff like that. I love doing that to readers... I'm sorry. EXPECT three parts to this story, part 2 being the longest (and saddest) by far.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW. -bows- Thank you.