Chapter 121: Trouble on the Cloud-Railroads (Aletha: Part 2)

Ascending above the skies, Aletha watched in awe as the lush land and mountains below her grew distant from her. A beautiful mountainside stood behind the windows, with a sea of clouds flowing vividly beneath the wings of the train.

Brief discussions fluctuated about the passenger car. Nonetheless, Phthonus had not made a single peep. Silence stood between them, A brutal silence that evoked a sense of tension and unease in Aletha.

(Will Phtohnus say something or not? He is quiet right now.) Aletha thought as she peeked at him over the corner of her eye. (Maybe when time passes, I'll get an answer.)

One second, two seconds, five minutes, ten minutes... and yet even after this time, Phthonus had not said anything. Discussions rolled about the carriage, some from familiar faces while some from unfamiliar ones.

And yet, not once had a discussion formed in-between Aletha and Phthonus.

. . .

Despite being above the skies, Aletha could still hear the noises of the train's wheels below. She tried to locate the tracks by looking around and noticed them curving down and dropping from the sky. She was so high up that she couldn't feel her feet moving.

Suddenly, a quick flash of the door stole her attention away.

(SLAM)

Everyone among the passenger cars watched as a tall, masculine figure slipped into the room, announcing as the wind outside swiftly rushed inside the carriage.

"All who show resistance will be dematerialized by this weapon."

The ambusher's hands were equipped with a double-edged pistol. Purple lines strapped up and around it like a string, pointing back together at the center to harvest energy. It had the color scheme of The Ending, but with a darker purple.

"Everyone, on your knees, now!" The man yelled with dominance. "Don't resist. Or else punishment will be made."

. . .

Aletha and other passengers ducked down, shivering at the sound of struggling whimpers and cries of the passengers.

"Please, don't kill me. My family is waiting for me." A woman pleaded as she dropped her purse.

"I just want to see my kids. I mean no harm." A man yelled with trembling eyes.

Holding his shoulders back, chest out, and chin high, the dark-haired man approached the blonde-haired woman and lowered his weapon. Everyone in the passenger car froze, afraid of what would happen next. However, instead of showing hostility, instead...

"Then please, follow me." He inquired the woman with a gentle tone.

At first, the woman hesitated to listen to the mysterious man's orders.

But as time passed, she pushed herself up and followed his orders, detecting the genuine look on the man's face. "Okay. I trust you."

As people observed the woman get safely escorted out of the passenger car with the mysterious man, some slowly stood back up and asked.

"Can you take us too?" A short man asked.

"Of course." He said with a trustworthy grin. Finishing with a kind gesture, the man nodded. "I mean no harm. That is... to all of you."

Although much couldn't be seen, Aletha watched all the passengers in the car step safely outside the door, boarding onto another carriage.

As Aletha and Phthonus proceeded to hunch down and listen to the footsteps of the passengers grow distant, a loud slam of the door sounded afterward, startling them.

The moment's tension rose once more as the lights flickered on and off. The fierce sounds of loud thuds of boots shook Aletha to her core. Loud creaks of wood bending, the jangles from his weapon, and the faint sounds of the flying locomotive emerged throughout this brutal silence. Aletha felt rooted to her spot, elbows pressing into the sides, making her body as small as possible.

(Who... who is he?)

Although Aletha was terrified at the strange encounter with the man, Phthonus wanted to carry out a vendetta against him. He shook his fists, ground his teeth, and grew a tightness in his face; skin stretching into a snarl. An animalistic growl in the throat exited Phthonus' mouth as he slowly lifted up from his crouch, uttering with a scathing tone.

"Duron."

As the man's sharp piercing purple eyes darted over to Phthonus, Aletha slowly crawled toward a dark corner, trying to remain as hidden as possible. However, as her feet crossed a fallen pencil, Duron made intense eye contact. Instead of sprinting over, he crossed his arms and released a steady, lower-pitched voice, looking both puzzled and determined.

"I know you are there." He said, voice echoing across the nearly empty passenger car. "Do not attempt to hide. I know exactly where you are. It would be foolish enough if you continued to hide from me."

Upon his voice, Aletha locked her knees and expelled her breath as if pained.

(Dang it.) Her chin lowered to her chest in defeat, and she stared down at her hands and feet.

With no place to go rather than up, she slowly lifted herself upward, both arms raised, and exposed her presence to Duron with a long, low sigh.

In return, Duron reacted with a slow shaking of his head, releasing his arms from his stiff posture. A relieved and satisfied smile came up from his hardened face. As he stepped forward, Duron informed with a calm tone.

"I know you are confused about what's happening, Aletha... but I need you to bear with me."

"Wait... how do you know my name?" Aletha tremblingly mumbled as she turned her head away from the man.

"Everyone in the nation of Wraileza knows your name, especially The Queen," Duron replied with a curt nod, forming hands into a steeple. "I need you to come with me immediately."

With beads of sweat sliding down Aletha's lip, she slowly stepped forward and gulped a breath of uncertainty.

However, Phthonus' orange eyes flared with hatred. He jumped up and lunged at the enemy, roaring in the ears with loud breaths and a heaving chest.

"Don't you dare touch her! I will not allow you to slay Aletha like you did your daughter!"

Duron, without effort, kicked Phthonus away from him and shook his head, releasing a humiliating chuckle. He crossed his arms and struck his gaze at Phthonus, snapping his fingers as Aletha froze still.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Duron asked with a terrifying squint in his devilish purple eyes. "I am only here for the girl. I have no time to waste on random strangers."

Finishing his sentence, he quickly punched Phthonus' face, sending him back to the wall, nearly crushing it. In reaction, the passenger car rolled around before returning to a normal position.

Aletha's eyes shrunk at the force of Duron's blow.

(With just one strike, that man was able to toss Phthonus into oblivion?) She thought, covering her mouth, hunching in fear like a penguin. "Who is he?"

Duron kicked his boots across the rug and approached Aletha formally and humbly to not sprawl up a scene. At first, he bowed down to her, then pushed back to her and asked.

"Excuse me... Ms. Adtraic." Duron asked her as she trembled in fear. "Mind if..."

Without thought, Aletha threw her fist at the man with rage and panic. But just before her knuckles touched Duron's chin, he quickly clutched her fist, sighed, and threw her arm away.

"What a pity." He said while shaking his head slowly. "I guess I must inform you of what I'm doing."

After he took another honorable bow to Aletha, Duron inserted his introduction to her and Phthonus.

"My name... is Duron. I am one of the leading generals of The Promise." He paused and tilted his head to the window, watching the train soar in the sky at incredible speeds. "I was ordered to travel here all the way from the nation of Wraileza to find... and cap- I mean... escort you."

Following Duron's brief reveal, Aletha raised an eyebrow in confusion and rubbed the dust off her arm.

(Wraileza? I haven't heard of that nation before.) While her thoughts transformed into audible words, Aletha leaned her head forward in curiosity and asked Duron.

"What exactly do you want from me?"

As if all of the intimidation from Duron faded away, he caged his hands attentively and answered with a deep and straight voice.

"Actually, The Nation wants YOU." He revealed as he stared directly at Aletha's tattoo on her face. "The Queen of Wraileza ordered all people and followers of The Promise to search the world for you. If you or any others show resistance, harm may be involved. But we don't exactly want to evoke harm in you directly. It isn't our method of doing such a task."

Those words quickly drew back more suspicion from Aletha. She never wanted to go to that nation; well that is, not without her brother. She was drowned in the feeling of disbelief, knowing that a supreme ruler from such a distant and mysterious nation such as Wraileza, would ever want her. Nonetheless, feeling the weight of anxiety and uncertainty lifted from her mind, Aletha offered her hand to Duron, trusting him.

"Okay. As long as you don't show any harm to anyone…." Before she indeed granted her trust in Duron, abruptly, Aletha's pupils illuminated in white. She squinted at Duron's soul, mumbling in her mind.

(Is he lying? Is this man genuine?!) However, despite reading and searching for any trace of lies coming out from Duron, no single lie had appeared, confirming that…

(He's being genuine. This man's telling the truth.)

After her pupils slowly returned to normal, Aletha stepped near Duron and finished her sentence as she felt the air enter the passenger car.

"...Then I'll trust you."

Nevertheless, before Duron and Aletha reached the door, an amber luminance shot from the other side of the passenger car, zooming over to Duron.

A purple transparent barrier formed quickly, deflecting the laser and returning it to its sender. Phthonus rolled across the floor and shot five more lasers, grimacing in pain and hatred as he kept his unique book clutched in his hand.

"No! Don't take her!"

When the attack occurred, Duron, in return, deflected all of the lethal lasers and sent them all back to Phthonus. As the lasers came into contact with the wall, the passenger car toppled back and forth, tossing Aletha and Phthonus from the ceiling and the floor.

Duron expressed with a nearly unphased gasp and shook his head, mumbling as he kept his feet on the floor.

"What a pity." He said. "I suppose I must follow this demand the painful way."

"Phthonus?! What are you doing?!" Aletha screamed, her arms jolting wide in confusion. "Do you WANT to get hurt?!"

"There's something he's not telling you!" Phthonus hollered with a shaky voice. As Duron quickly grabbed his strange weapon from his pocket, Phthonus sprinted over to Aletha and screamed with all his might. "He killed DRIMI!"

A disturbing silence viciously entered after his scream.

Following that reveal, Aletha jerked her head back, flinching and clenching her fists to her chest in surprise. She shuffled back a step or two, showing an incredulous stare toward Duron.

"W…What?" Aletha said with a trembling, shaky, disbelieved voice. "He k-killed…"

A tear struck Phthonus' eye as he saw Duron's face veil in the shadow of guilt.

"Not only that," He pointed to the necklace draped on the dark-haired man's neck and cried. "Her soul is in that necklace! He tried to abandon us, but I stopped him. For a little bit. That ruthless scumbag had no hesitation to kill his own daughter! T-That's why…"

Quickly, after the information Aletha had just received, it broke a stupendous roar upon the shuddering air. Duron stepped forward and aimed his weapon at Phthonus, claiming as a magical orange luminance filled the room.

"I had no other alternative. I…" The stern and strong tone that resonated in his voice collapsed into one of guilt, doubt, and cold sorrow; distraught at the fact he killed his own daughter. "I… had no choice. No choice at all."

A silence dawned up in the passenger car. A cold, and brutal silence.

Then, as Duron stood there in front of the two, waiting for an attack; Aletha's eyes watered out of anger and fury, one so bright, not even the stars could comprehend it. She tightened her fist and gritted her teeth, recollecting all the memories of Drimi.

(No… t… that can't be possible. A father killing his o-own daughter? Why? Why… is he so humble about it. He killed the only one that welcomed me. The only o-one…)

Memories started flooding her mind.

She slid her knee on the ground and grasped Aletha's hand, impatiently waiting for her to get up.

"Come on, Aletha, we have to continue on! You're not just going to give up on your brother that easily, right?"

. . .

"Buttons."

Drimi squinted at Aletha and raised her eyebrow.

"Really? Do you want to be called that name? I mean, it's kind of cute… but, I don't know. Do you think it fits you?"

Aletha silently nodded with a determined smile. Her crystal dark gray eyes peer through Drimi.

"Yes."

Drimi replied with a skeptical tone.

"Well, okay... Buttons. Whatever works for you. Now, let's get moving. We need to find Asahi, pronto. Hell, I feel like I'm probably lost."

. . .

(She was so welcoming to me…. She was so caring… she was so…)

* * * * * * *

"HOW COULD YOU?!" Aletha screamed, tears welling in her eyes at the cold-hearted man with all the frustration in her body. "How could you say that after you killed your own daughter?! D…Did you know how caring Drimi was?"

While a silence entered Duron, Aletha stomped her foot and clenched her fists, screaming at the man as she bore her teeth.

"D… Drimi was strong, courageous, and… e-even friendly. She acted tough, had a heart of steel… a-and even motivated me. I-Isn't that what you wanted your daughter to be in the first place? Why? Why did you kill her?!"

"..."

Exchanged by the silence, Aletha spat on the ground and shoved Duron to the wall, screaming as Phthonus tried to stop her from rushing up and down the walls with fury.

"ANSWER! I know Drimi was a strong fighter, she was loving, caring, and independent. I bet she formed the entire group and tried to follow your footsteps. She even had her own SHIP! I can't believe that all she got in return after seeing your face after how long, was getting killed by the hands of the one she looked up to the most?! HOW COULD YOU?!"

Now that Aletha was informed, she understood the rage that burned in Phthonus. Although it had not even been a year since her encounter, Aletha felt like Drimi was a big sister for her.

The one that built up her bravery to lead an entire nation to fight against their own leader and turn the tides, the woman that encouraged her to continue on and reclaim her world; It's these rapid emotions that erupted an gruesome fight.

Little did she know that this battle would be long and brutal, the one to spark up a barbarous awakening in her, as what happened to her brother.

* * * * * * *

Everything in the passenger carriage scattered all over the place.

Tables, chairs, wardrobes, and cushions were all on the hardwood floor as Aletha, Phthonus, and Duron fought for what was right. Purple lasers flew around from the double-edged weapon, flying over the place and bruising the two.

Orange laser beams from Phthonus' rapid launch attacks squirmed and struck Duron on his arm. Chaos awakened among every corner, yet despite that, not once had it disturbed all the other passenger cars of the train.

Everyone in the passenger cars except the one Aletha was on was safe, including her group, who were completely oblivious about the happenings.

"Answer us!" Aletha screamed ferociously as the purple lasers mangled her sanity.

Duron shook his head and bolted to the left, pulling the trigger and unleashing a storm of dark purple orbs at her. Phthonus clenched his fists, overtook Duron's direction, and bent the laser bullets, striking and ejecting the man.

Just because the fight was happening never meant that Phthonus' eyes were not on the necklace. If any, all the battle did was boost his vigor further, smattering his cowardice and using all his strength to avenge Drimi.

(PEW)

(FLUNG)

(BOOM)

"I know the rage stinging in your heart; I feel every smidge of it," Duron said as his breath grew shaky and uneasy. "If you would only give me a chance, I will inform--

Aletha interrupted despite his request.

"Why did you kill Drimi?!"

Duron hurriedly retreated over to the red-rimmed side of the carriage, dodged, and disintegrated the incoming projectiles from Phthonus' magic. His direction of action was only to focus on Phthonus, not Aletha.

And so, as Aletha tried to batter a hit at Duron, he swiftly leaped up the air and propelled the white-haired girl away from the battle; toward a safe area covered in toppled tables. He replied to Phthonus as a storm of guilt surged in his body.

"I killed Drimi because of the corruption lingering inside her."

Phthonus skidded over and attacked as he heard Duron's claims.

"No, I didn't kill her but captured her soul in this necklace. The power that lurks inside her is so great that it has the power of a thousand suns."

"What does that mean?! Oh, so you killed your own daughter for the sake of power?! That gives me another reason to kill you, you ruthless bastard." Phthonus paused as he prepared to unleash a charge of dust at the dark-haired man. "Just reply to me before you get demolished by my power."

Duron released a sigh of dismay and snapped the necklace off him toward his open palms, forming a familiar transparent purple barrier around his entire presence. He answered as his eyes caught Aletha desperately crawling and evading his purple lasers.

"Not even your power is enough to eclipse that of The Promises. Sigh, I will keep this brief." Phthonus slowly lowered his arms and grabbed Aletha's hand, dragging her away from Duron as calmness was inserted between the fight.

"Aletha, stay out of this. He doesn't want you harmed but me."

She bit her lip and tightened her fists, catching sight of the bruises lingering all over Phthonus' legs. Aletha simply refused to stay out of the fight. All her fury ever wanted was to have Duron dead.

Compelled by painful thoughts, the three noticed the train descending and proceeding further through the route.

They entirely forgot that there were more passenger cars outside than this one.

But despite this thought, Duron continued with a nostalgic and guilty tear striking his eye.

"My daughter… never wanted The Perfect Darkness…"

* * * * * * *

(31 years ago...)

"F... Father, don't get any closer... please. I... want you to live..."