Destroyers Of Time

Chapter Nineteen: Nothing But Boredom

By: Efra

Albel muttered to himself drumming his fingers on the cold metal that framed the computer console roughly. Cliff slouched in the chair next to him with his arms behind his head in a daze of his own thoughts. Albel stared at him intently as if awaiting an unasked answer then to the pending darkness in certain corners as if expecting it to reach out and consume him. "Are we there yet?" Albel asked almost with out his minds consent. Cliff sighed and glanced at the computer console with all it's blinking lights and clicking sounds. "In twenty four hours and fifteen minutes." Cliff replied closing his eyes again. There was a long silence then Albel asked again "Are we there yet?" Cliff without even looking at the computer replied " In twenty four hours and ten minutes." Albel inspected him then rested his back against the chair sliding forward and bit, spreading his legs, and putting his arms behind his head still watching Cliff closely then he closed his eyes.

Cliff opened one of his eyes looking to Albel and smirk spreading over his face. "Do you like mimicking me?" Cliff asked in a teasing tone. Albel jumped and shot out of his chair in less then a second. Cliff snickered at the shocked looking swordsman. "That's not funny!" Albel sneered turning his back to the Klausian. The door opened and Fayt walking in chatting happily with his friend Sophia who was giggling softly. Albel peered over his shoulder at the two and cursed under his breath, Fayt didn't seem to notice and continued his conversation. Albel suddenly smirked and turn to Fayt standing in such a way that his skirt fell back away from his leg. "Well well if it isn't the love birds." Albel said in a tone of mockery. Fayt stopped mid sentence and looked to Albel with a disturbingly calm smile. "You should talk sometimes." He said softly.

Albel's jaw dropped and Cliff sunk deeper into his chair as if it were going to protect him. "What did you say?" Albel asked with a look of disbelief. Fayt smiled and put his hand on his hip. "You know." He said happily. Albel narrowed his eyes and flipped his bangs out of his eyes. "If your talking about that stupid women you better start running right now maggot." Albel said threateningly. Fayt looked at him with big eyes and tilted his head to the side. "What it's nothing to be embarrassed about." Fayt said reassuringly. Cliff covered his mouth in hopes to hide his laughter.

"I don't care for her at all." Albel said more threateningly and reached for the hilt of his sword. Fayt eyed him then smirked evilly. "Then why are you getting so upset?" He asked smugly. Albel seemed to be lost for words so he just pulled the Crimson Scourge form its sheath. "Ok guys! Lets try to not kill each other alright?" Cliff asked getting between them both. "I know lets play cards." Sophia said breaking the silence between them. Fayt smiled happily and put his arms around her cuddling her close. "Yeah lets do that…Albel you wanna play?" Fayt asked.

Albel stared at them. "Your all a bunch of morons."

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"Do you think we'll find anything useful on Moonbase? I mean we've already been there once…" Maria rested her chin against her hands softly. Nel watched her from across the table with her arms crossed saying nothing. Mirage leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling. "I'm not sure. But there is a chance we missed something." She said softly. "I just don't think we should be doing something dangerous like this just because of a stone tablet with some words on it. It might not even exist still." Nel said looking away. Roger hoped onto the table and bounce back and fourth menacingly. "Well who cares! An adventure is an adventure no matter what happens at the end!" Roger said pulling out his small battle-ax and swishing it about through the air.

"Well I guess we'll see when we get there." Maria said brushing her hair over her shoulder. Nel sat down slowly while Mirage fiddled with her gauntlets. "No one else seems to be worried much." She said briskly. "Why would they be? They have their owns problems to think about." Nel muttered brushing some fuzzes off her skirt. Roger swung the ax a little to hard and tumbled completely off the table.

Mirage giggled and stood up quietly. "I'm going to check on the boys they are a little to quiet." She said heading towards the door. Maria and Nel looked at each other then stood following Mirage.

"Hey wait for me!" Roger yelled jumping up from the floor and zipping after them.

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"Got any kings Cliff?" Fayt asked

"Go fish." Cliff muttered

"Damn…" Fayt pulled a card from the deck between them.

"Idiots…you have no sense of recollection do you? Give me your eights Fittir." Albel snapped.

"How the hell do you know what I have…" Cliff snapped giving two eight cards to him.

Albel snatched them and added them to two other eights in his hand and placed them off to the side with a smirk.

"Got any aces Sophia?" Fayt asked lovingly.

"Go fish." Sophia giggled.

"You know I'm starting to think aces don't exist in this deck…I haven't seen one at all…" Cliff murmured looking to Albel suspiciously. "What are you looking at fool? How the hell would I now what an ace is?" He snapped narrowing his catlike eyes. Fayt looked amongst the small room boredly then back to his hand.

"Um…Albel…do you have any fives?" Sophia asked cautiously. Albel glared at her and reluctantly pulled a five card from his hand. Fayt took it from him and handed it to Sophia who smiled happily. Cliff looked at everyone with a poker face so intensely that Fayt burst into laughter. "Ok Albel gimme an ace." Cliff demanded looking to the swordsman. Albel glared at him in annoyance. "I told you five minuets ago I don't have theses aces you speak of." He snapped flashing Cliff the finger.

Cliff looked at him more suspiciously then pulled another card from the deck. His face lit up when he examined it. "Hey look! I got an ace!" He said sarcastically. Fayt examined Albel once more and saw something on his thigh. Fayt reached out for it and before Albel could swat his hand away pulled a card from under his skirt. "What is this?" Fayt asked looking smug and holding the card out for everyone to see.

Albel gave Fayt the meanest most murderous look a man could give and crossed his arms. Cliff's jaw dropped and he grabbed Albel under his arm in a headlock. "You little squid you've been cheating the whole time! And you said you didn't know how to play!" Cliff said playfully grinding his fist onto Albel's head. "OW! Knock it off you maggot! I was not!" Albel shouted struggling with the Klausian. Sophia covered her mouth in surprise while Fayt rolled on the floor with laughter. "Yeah right Albel! Just admit it!" Cliff said with sarcasm in his voice. "Then how do you explain that card being there huh?" He added grinding his fist hard in Albel's head. "Well what was Leingod doing with his dirty little hands up my skirt?" Albel snapped. Fayt's jaw dropped and he smacked one of his hands onto the floor. "I resent that! I wasn't trying to fondle you!" He countered. Albel gave him a strange look while Cliff suppressed a laugh.

Finally Albel broke out of Cliff's grip and banged into the computer console table rubbing his neck tenderly with an even more murderous look. "I challenge you to a game of war!" Cliff said pointing to Albel. Albel looked amongst the three and spit onto the floor. "Screw you all I'm going to bed." He snapped and headed towards the door.

It opened and Mirage, Nel, Maria and Roger immediately moved out of Albel's way. He glared at them and glided down the hall silently and turned the corner. Nel watched him then looked to the others. "In a bad mood again?" She asked walking over to Cliff. Fayt shrugged and wrapped one arm around Sophia. "Isn't he always?"

Cliff smirked and smacked Nel on her ass. "Yeah well that's just Albel." He said with a smirk so big you could almost not see half his face. Nel turned three different shades of red and glared at Cliff.

"LIGHTNING SLASH!"

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"Stupid maggots! They think they know everything. Why did I even come on this trip anyway? I knew I should have stayed home…call that self-satisfaction cause I sure don't! Bah! Leingod! Fittir! …. And and that woman!" Albel continued to mutter all the way down the hall and into his temporary room. He smacked the door shut behind him and stalked over to the bed staring at the white sheets for a moment and ripped them back and gracefully slunk in-between them.

He tossed around for about an hour before he fell into that calming darkness that would rejuvenate him for another hell filled day. But he found himself running through the snow-blanketed path from Airyglyph. His hair and clothing stuck to him as if he had fallen into a pond of some sort. His hair was falling messily over his shoulders and tickling his back menacingly. Albel cursed and pulled the ribbon that held the Crimson Scourge at his side and tied it around his mane of hair.

Gripping the Crimson Scourge he continued to run at his top speed. Finally he rounded the bend and fell upon the miserable town of Kirlsa. He stopped letting his lungs fill with air though it didn't help much. The coldness attacked his lungs and throat in a cold suffocating sensation. It wasn't until he had stopped did he realize that his whole body was tingling warmly all over. Several dead soldiers of what looked like the Dragon Brigade were scattered around the bloodstained ground. Albel stared at them all emotionless before seeing something stir. He looked up quickly restlessly brushing his bangs out of his face.

Elvira emerged from behind one of the houses with several abrasions and reddish marks that were no doubt going to form into contusions. She wandered over to one of the men and tapped him lightly with her foot. Seeming satisfied she turned her back to Albel as if he didn't exist. Albel followed her towards the ruined church silently. He tried to call to her but his voice had been stolen from him. The tingling sensation intensified to slight pricks all over his skin.

Elvy stopped suddenly and looked over her shoulder, she stared straight at Albel with a disturbed look then turned away from him once again and continued to venture farther away. Albel, unaware of what was happening, glared and stalked after her. Another being stirred from the ruins of the church wielding a sword in hand, Elvy hadn't seen him. Albel stopped dead and gripped the sheath of his sword; he fumbled for the hilt as the solider clambered out over the stonewall silently.

Albel tried to call to Elvy again but his voice only came out in a hoarse whisper as if someone was unknowingly strangling him. His stomach tightened and lurched in circles as the man drew closer. He finally gripped the Crimson Scourges hilt, he slashed at the man but his sword transparently cut through him. Albel cursed and slash a couple more times to no avail.

Stupid woman turn around! Albel shouted his voice breaking through the disturbing silence like a knife. Elvy stopped and spun around barely dodging the sword blade. They both stared at each other for a moment before Elvy smacked him across the face with her elbow. She looked around once more after the soldier's neck was snapped. Albel stood right in front of her with a brow raised. But still she continued to glance around her surrounds.

Praetorian wandered around the corner of a house looking bored the wind blowing through his silverish hair gently. He turned his dark eyes to the thief looking as if she was the last person he wanted to see and yawned softly. Sticking a piece of straw between his lips he strolled over to her with a scornful look. Elvy glanced at him before getting up from the ground. Albel watched him closely. He said something to her that Albel couldn't hear. Elvy glared at him and from what Albel could make out was a snipped insult back before walking away from him.

Prae followed her and grabbed her shoulder turning her to him. They continued to bicker until Elvy smacked him one then stalked away. Prae stared at the ground looking murderous before shouting something after her. Of course Elvy being the spitfire she is merely gave him the finger before disappearing behind a couple houses. Prae looked more murderous then ever and kicked a stray monster that tried to scurry past him.

Albel smirked and took a few steps forward. Don't I ever wish I could have heard that. He said to himself and continued past Prae who suddenly looked at him then quickly turned looking spooky and slinked away faster then usual. Albel finally noticed he felt as if something was pulling at him then suddenly a bright flash of white blinded him for a moment.

"Albel! Albel! Wake up! Albel!" He heard Fayt calling.

"There he is. He's back." He heard Cliff's voice.

"Oh thank goodness." Sophia muttered in the back.

Albel felt someone's fingers leave his throat and his vision finally returned and he found all of his friends staring over him. His body was cold and covered in sweat, that's when he realized he was lying on the floor. The bed cover was shredded and hanging from various parts of the room. Albel blinked and sat up pushing Fayt off of him. "What?" He snapped looking at Nel who was staring at him closely.

Everyone continued to stare at him stupidly. Albel glared at all of them and got to his feet. "Well what are you all staring at?" Albel snapped looking amongst the room. "What happened to you?" Fayt asked getting to his feet calmly. "I don't know." Albel muttered and sat down on the bed he sighed deeply and looked to Cliff "What happened?" He asked reluctantly. "You fell out of bed. When we found you…you were tearing up the blanket while curled up on the floor then you went ridged and started having a seizure" Cliff said standing up.

"Well that's nothing serious. Get out of my way maggots." Albel snapped and stalked out of the room. Fayt and Cliff looked at each other then ran after him. "Wait! You shouldn't be wandering around! Not until we've done some tests on you!" Cliff called to him from farther down the hall. "Go do your own little freaky tests on yourself! I don't need them!" Albel snapped back and turned the corner. Fayt zipped after him and caught his arm. "Let go maggot!" Albel snapped ripping his arm from the boys grip. "Albel this could be serious you could— but Fayt couldn't finish.

A loud beeping had sounded through out the ship. Albel stalked past him again and into the control bay where a small white planet stood in front of them. Cliff typed some random buttons and the beeping ceased. "Well we're here…" He muttered. "Finally I can get off this retched ship and away from you lunatics for a while!" Albel snapped.

Well I lied I didn't get this to you when I said I was. Forgive me T.T I lost my inspiration for a long time at least until I thought of a little bit to do after Moonbase but yeah anyway when they do get back there's going to be a constant joke going on that I hope you all might get but anyway I'll shut up now.

Efra