Destroyers Of Time

Chapter Ten: Black Sun Crimson Moon

By: Efra

Albel stared at the rising moon. The dark labyrinth was descending ever darker each night on Ellicore II. The eeriness had increased greatly. Not a soul was ever found after the darkness had set. But there were some who lived in the darkness. Albel has seen Elvy earlier that night pacing the edge of the castle wall perfectly balanced. It temped him to give her one small shove and see if she'd fall or some how and rather impossibly stay on perfect feet. When he looked again she was still pacing the wall rather restlessly. Albel then felt a strange feeling like he was being watched. So he looked over his shoulder to find Arzei's daughter Kara peeking at him. "Yes little Princess?" He asked. Kara then crept around the corner holding a teddy bear. "Um uncle Albel…. I was wondering if…well…" Kara said looking down.

Albel's face changed when she called him uncle. "Great now that fool is telling her to call me pets names!" He said to himself then walked towards her. He kneeled down and looked at her. She continued to look at the ground. "I was wondering…. if…you would…tuck me in?" She asked shyly. Albel shook his head gently and smiled. "Alright c'mon." He said picking her up and taking her to her room. Once she was tucked in Albel sat with her until she fell a sleep. He gently replaced his hand with her teddy bear and went to depart. Arzei had entered and looked surprised. "Well it seems you've tucked her in before me. How nice of you." He said. Albel glared at him. " The kid asked me to so I did. Nothing more." He said quietly then pushed past the King. Arzei watched him as he went. Albel could be heard muttering all down the hall.

When he turned the corner he ran into Nel and they both fell over. "Watch where…" Albel said but then bit his tongue when he saw it was Nel. Nel blinked at him then rubbed her arm. "That claw hurts." She said. Albel glanced at his arm then stood up. He held out his hand for Nel. She smiled then took it. Once on her feet they stared at each other for a moment then Albel looked away. "Sorry." He said then walked down the hall. He walked slowly up to the training yard. Elvy was up there already practicing. Albel walked up behind her. He could tell she didn't see him. When he went to touch her she spun around grabbed his arm and flipped him onto his back then put both blades at his throat in the form of an X. Albel had accidentally dug his claws in to her thigh as well. She didn't seem to notice.

Elvy blinked when she found it was him. Albel glared at her. "Get off me woman." He muttered dangerously. Elvy looked at if she was in pain. "I'm afraid of loosing my leg if I do." She muttered removing her weapons slowly. "What are you talking about…." Then Albel realized what he had done and quickly removed his claws. Elvy jumped off him and leaned against the wall. Albel couldn't find what to say for a moment. "Well…. you deserve it!" He blurted out. " What ever." She said then removed her hand the claw marks were completely gone. The blood was still there though. Albel stared in shock as Elvy returned to fighting with the air. "How did you do that?" He asked. "You wouldn't understand." She replied. Albel glared. "I demand a straight answer or I will take your head off!" He snapped pulling the Crimson Scourge from its sheath. Elvy then jumped onto the training yard edge and continued. "Don't you have someone named Nel to be cuddling with right now?" She asked glancing at him. Albel grumbled under his breath. "That's it woman! Get down here now!" Albel yelled. Elvy jumped at his sudden loudness but kept perfect balance. She stopped and looked at him. "What are you yelling about now?" She asked just as Nel came into the training yard. "I'd like to know too." Nel said crossing her arms.

Albel looked from both of them to the ground. "I ordered you to come down here now." Albel muttered dangerously. Elvy shook her head. "Come up here and make me Nox… Or are you going to send Zelpher to do you're dirty work?" Elvy asked smirking and putting both hands on her hips. Albel glared while Nel look rather insulted. Albel then jumped up onto the castle edge and attacked. Elvy dodged. "Fight back!" Albel yelled. Elvy then pulled her Twin Blades from their holsters and managed to tangle the Crimson Scourge in them. Albel held up his claw. Green like flames ignited from it. "Palm Of Destruction!" He yelled and tossed the green flames towards the thief. "This trick again…" Elvy muttered and jumped up bouncing of the top of Albel's head lightly and out of sight. Albel blinked and looked around. Nel was still where she was standing looking confused too. Then Albel realized he didn't have his sword. "Not bad Nox. Have you been practicing?" The thief called to him. Albel spun around to find her standing on top of one of the dummies heads both Desert Blades in one hand and the Crimson Scourge in the other. "Give back my sword." Albel demanded. "Why would I do that?" She asked. The Crimson Scourge was now pulsating and slightly glowing purple. Albel walked over to the dummy and looked up at her.

"Albel… your sword…" Nel said walking up next to him. Albel then noticed the sword. Elvy looked at it in confusion then threw it down to Albel who caught it. Once in Albel's hand it stopped pulsating and glowing immediately. "Why do you think it did that?" Nel asked. Albel shook his head. Elvy turned away slowly. "Where are you going?" Albel asked giving her a sideways look. "Uhh. No where…" Elvy said turning back rubbing the back of her head. "What did you do?" Albel demanded. "I didn't do anything." Elvy replied. "Don't make me do something to you don't want me to." Albel said smirking. Elvy glared. Albel felt a searing pain in his nose a minuet later and he fell on to his back. "Albel! Are you alright?" Nel asked kneeling next to him. "Creep…" Elvy muttered putting her feet back on the castle wall edge. Nel then pulled her scarf off and began wiping Albel's blood off his face. "Damn woman! Now I am going to!" Albel screamed pulling himself to his feet. Elvy's left eye glowed it's deep red and she turned quickly looking around.

"What the hell are you doing?" Albel demanded. "Something's wrong." Elvy replied still scanning the area. Albel looked around then to Nel. Elvy then knocked them both to the ground and jumped over something. What ever it was caught the light and glittered and hit the stone wall. Albel stood slowly and walked towards the wall. He found a black throwing star in the wall. Blood dripped from one of the points. Albel looked back to Elvy. "It nicked me a bit." She said. Albel pulled his sword and walked to the edge. He didn't see anyone around the darkened rooftops nor on a higher part of the castle. Nel quickly jumped up and snatched another throwing star before it lodged itself in Albel's collarbone. "Someone's trying to kill us." Nel said dropping the star. When it hit the ground it exploded. Albel jumped back pulling Nel with him.

"Hm. Nice reflexes Nox." Said a calm rather cold voice. Albel glared and spun around. The sun was beginning to rise again. As the light engulfed the world it revealed Albel's attacker. There stood Preatorian. His lavender colored hair glowing slightly in the sunlight. "Have you gone blind? You said three nights!" Albel yelled. Prea looked around then back to Albel. "Since when did I say I wouldn't come earlier then that?" He asked. Albel growled. Prea cracked his neck then looked at Elvy. He glared. "So here you are." He said coldly. Elvy took a step back. Albel jumped in front of her. "You want her. You go through me first!" Albel yelled. Prea shook his head. "What's this? Have a soft spot do you?" He asked jumping down silently. "I'm the only man who is going to kill her!" Albel growled. Prea sighed. "In case you haven't noticed. I'm not much of a man anyway." He said. "Why? Are you a woman?" Albel said then leapt forward. Prea laughed and moved aside. "You have no idea." He said then knocked Albel off the wall. "Albel!" Nel screamed and tried to jump after him but Prea grabbed her arm. "Now where are you going pretty?" He asked. Nel glared and punched him. Prea let her go and stepped away. He rubbed the side of his face tenderly.

He then raised his hand. Nel was lifted into the air simultaneously. He walked toward the edge and held Nel over it. "Stop it you creep!" Elvy yelled tossing a pebble at him. "Hm? Oh I forgot you were there. Any normal person would have run by now." He said. Then he let Nel go. "Nel!" Elvy screamed running to the edge. Prea grabbed her wrist and pulled her off her feet. "Now how should I kill you?" He asked. Elvy stared at him. Prea suddenly jerked forward and dropped Elvy. The tip of a sword was pierced through his waist. "You touch either of them again and I'll kill you." Valkin said and pushed Prea to the ground. Prea fell to his knees holding his stomach. "What…" Elvy said but Valkin tossed her over his shoulder and jumped over the side.

"Hey wait! What about…" Elvy said.

"Their all fine I told them to hide." Valkin replied.

Albel was at the bottom of the castle wall holding a shocked looking Nel in his arms. Valkin and Albel looked at each other then simultaneously ran towards the entrance to Airyglyph. "Why is he trying to kill me?" Elvy asked. Albel glanced at her. "How could you not know?" He asked. "You put his brother into a coma." He added. "Really how did you do that?" Valkin asked. "I…don't remember…anything like that." Elvy muttered. By the time they were out of Airyglyph something didn't seem right at all. The ground began to shake again and the day became night. The sun slowly turned black like someone had poured oil over it with red rings outlining it. "What the…" Valkin said finally putting Elvy down. Albel put Nel down as well. "This isn't good…" Nel said.

"Seems this world is finally coming to its end." Prea said. Albel and Valkin spun around. He was standing with his arms crossed and his strange wings wrapping around him. "How can you still be standing!" Valkin said backing up. Prea took a step forward his wing moving behind him. Black oozing liquid had stained his armor where Valkin had stabbed him. "Some people never learn. I told you I'm not human." Prea muttered. Albel attacked him and was thrown back into a tree. Nel glared at him. "How dare you!" She yelled and attacked as well. "Pest." Prea muttered and slapped her aside. "Well since I have both of you now." He said looking at the twins. "Might as well kill you both." He said and raised his hand. His nails became longer then they already were and a faint red glow surrounded his hand. Valkin held Elvy protectively in his arms. Nel moved slightly. Albel was knocked cold against the dented tree. Blood ran down the side of his face. "Say good bye." Prea smirked.

"No Preatorian. The female is mine." Said another female voice from the tree. Prea stopped his eyes wide. The red glow disappeared and his nails returned to their normal yet still abnormal length. He stared at the tree with interest. "What are you doing here so early?" Prea asked sounding excited. "I came because father told me Clous had been injured." The woman replied. Prea tilted his head to the side.

A young woman with long blonde hair and green eyes jumped down from the tree. Her armor was as strange as Prea's. She looked down at Albel with pure hatred. Then she kicked him in the side. Albel gasped and fell over. Elvy's eye widened. "You dishonorable bitch!" Valkin yelled. She slowly looked back to the twins. "You are in no situation to be yelling nasty names Scipher boy." She said. Then she looked to Prea. She vanished then reappeared by him. Slowly she circled him looking from ever feature of his body. "So you're my brother? Not bad. Your very gorgeous." She said. Prea followed her with his eyes. "Stop that. It's disgusting." Prea ordered. "Fine. But please step aside. You've done more then your share." She said.

"Layla. They are mine not yours." Prea said. "I don't care. The female is mine. She hurt Clous. I'm going to make her pay." Layla growled. "Your not strong enough to take creatures like them on." Prea said grabbing her wrist. "They don't even know what powers they have so it doesn't matter." Layla said yanking her wrist away. "That's the same attitude that drug Clous down. Don't make his mistake. I will take care of them." Prea said now towering over Layla. They glared at each other.

Elvy pushed away from Valkin and walked towards them both. "Look at you two fighting like an unmarried couple. How pathetic." She said smirking. Prea and Layla both looked at her slowly. Layla then unsheathed a sword and attack Elvy before Prea could stop her. Elvy stood her ground. "You're dead!" Layla screamed and swung downward. "Elvy!" Valkin yelled. There was a flash of light and a loud clank. Valkin and Prea stood rooted to the spot. Layla's eyes widened. Elvy was still standing there smirking at her. Both Desert Blades where in the form of an X blocking Layla's sword. "How did you…" Layla said then cracks formed in her sword and it broke apart. Shards of the blade cut Elvy and Layla's skin. Elvy then threw Layla back into the same tree Albel was thrown into. "You should have listened to your brother!" Elvy shouted.

Valkin pulled his sword and leapt at Prea who jumped back and pulled a whip and wrapped it around Valkin. Elvy towered over Layla her eye glowing. Layla glared and suddenly grabbed the Crimson Scourge and slashed Elvy across the chest. Elvy fell back but regained her balance. Elvy nodded to Valkin then ran towards Prea. Prea's grip on the whip lessened and Valkin broke free. Elvy ran by him and winked. Elvy then jumped clear over Prea.

Layla collided with him. Prea didn't budge causing Layla to fall over. Prea sighed irritatingly and pulled Layla back to her feet. "That's it!" Prea said and tripped Elvy up she tumbled forward and landed on one knee. Layla then grabbed Valkin's sword and slashed downward. Layla suddenly stopped her eyes wide. Prea gasped. "Rule number one. You never attack someone with their back to you." Elvy said thrusting the Crimson Scourge through Layla's side. Layla dropped Valkin's sword. Elvy stood up and pulled the Crimson Scourge from Layla who stumbled backward into Prea then disappeared in a digital spurt. Prea glared at Elvy. She watched him over her shoulder waiting to attack if needed. Then Prea smiled. "Well then. You win this time Scipher. But I'll be taking the kid anyway." Prea said. Elvy spun around. Kara appeared in Prea's arms. He laughed and disappeared with her in his arms. Elvy took a step forward where Prea once stood. Then fell forward unconscious.

"Damn it! This place looks like a war zone!"

"It seems they were targeting Ellicore the most."

"Hey over here!"

"Are they even alive?"

"Albel and Nel are… And so is this guy."

"What about her?"

"She's hurt pretty badly we better get a doctor."

Who is that I'm hearing? What are they doing here? Is it more of the Destroyers?

Albel opened his eyes slowly. His vision was blurred. A crimson moon was in full peak above him. Then he saw someone looking over him. Albel tried his best to get them into focus. "Albel?" The person called. They sounded far away to him. "Who?" He asked weakly then fell back into darkness.

Whew! Talk about long chapter. I guess I got a little carried away with this one. But hey it's good still. Are all the Albel Nel fans happy? Now here is where it gets fun heh heh. I hope you all like this chapter and I'll be updating soon. Oh yeah if anyone is having trouble with pronouncing Preatorian here's how you say it: prey-tour-e-an. Efra