I returned to the castle after a brief conversation with Verex, heading straight for my room and locking the door. Pacing the floor for a while, I soon realized that there was nothing more I could do for RaXi now; all I could do was wait for the news of Nyx’s and Xemmsur’s return.
I sat on my barely used bed, and held my head in my hands. If Nyx could live up to her word and rescue RaXi, then the worst of my worries would be how long Pashnirix would detain me for. But if they failed…if they failed I’d be relying on Pashnirix’s word and his skill. By nature, I didn’t like having to rely on anyone else besides myself, but…if anyone, I was glad it was Pashnirix I had to trust. He was someone like me, who understood my way of thinking, who could hold his own against me. I respected him for that.
I laid down, trying to get comfortable as I waited, and ended up falling asleep. I was awakened by the sound of a scream. “TRISKIX! LEXIAN! NYX!”
Leaping out of the bed and dashing out of my room, I raced down hallways and stairways, tracking the sound of the scream to its source. It was RaXi, and I couldn’t help but feel relieved, even with the situation at hand. By the time I arrived, Triskix and Lexian had already gotten to her. I stood silently, and watch their conversation.
They tried over and over to reassure her that they were not, in fact, dead or faded by her hand, but well and alive. She finally understood, touching each of their faces in turn, and then Lexian asked, echoing my thoughts, “What about Nyx and Xemmsur?”
"I'm right here," said Xemmsur from the doorway. "And Nyx is in the other room. She is really hurt." I quickly looked to her. She looked a dripping mess, her cloak covered in blood.
"What happened?" Triskix asked standing up.
"We got there right when Marlex arrived to get Raxi. I don't know what happened to Nyx, but even in her condition she tried to fight Marlex. I took over for her.... and he erm.... I let him get away."
“Define ‘let him get away,’” I growled, turning fully towards her. She shrunk back from me.
“I—I opened a portal, and he—he slipped through,” she stammered. “But we got RaXi back! Isn’t that what you wanted?”
I closed my eyes and placed a palm to my forehead. “Yes, it was what we all wanted,” I said calmly but laced with anger, “but if you could have apprehended one of their members, that would have been rather helpful, don’t you think?”
Xemmsur looked like she was about to cry, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry. She should have known better than to just let him slip. “For all you know, he could have come back the minute your back was turned to destroy you all,” I muttered, voicing my thoughts.
“Rexikat, enough,” growled Triskix, glowering at me. “Nyx and Xemmsur returned successfully with RaXi. That’s more than enough.”
I glared back at him, but let the subject drop. “Whatever,” I murmured. Turning my attention to RaXi, I said gently, “RaXi. You in there?”
“Nyx…NYX! I KILLED NYX!” RaXi screamed and sobbed. I rolled my eyes.
“For goddess’ sake,” I grumbled, roughly grabbing her by the arm.
“LET GO OF ME! LET…GO!” She kicked and twisted, trying to get away from me, but I held fast. Triskix, Lexian, and Xemmsur all shouted in protest, but I ignored them. Dragging her into the infirmary, I pulled her over to where Kyxsha and Tamex were quickly addressing her wounds.
“Look,” I shouted at RaXi, “LOOK! That’s Nyx. She’s fine. Kyxsha and Tamex are taking care of her. In a few days, she’ll be as good as new. Now quit acting like such a baby and get over yourself!”
I released her arm to plant my hands on my hips. “You think you’re the only person who has hurt people in a blind rage? Think again! Triskix, Lexian, Xemmsur—well, maybe not Xemmsur,” I said, hoping my bluff would work. I faintly heard Xemmsur protesting, but I ignored it.
“Point is, everyone has hurt someone they care about, whether intentionally or not, at some point in their lives. You need to get over it,” I said.
“But…but I almost killed her,” said RaXi in a quiet voice.
“And I’m about to almost kill you, if you don’t snap out of it! I swear, I never knew you were this weak, RaXi!”
That seemed to do the trick. At the word weak, her face snapped up to mine, eyes flaring. “Don’t…you…EVER call me weak,” she growled, lunging at me.
I smiled, easily deflecting her hasty blow. I threw her away from me, and she staggered a bit on her feet. “Now, that’s the RaXi I know and like,” I muttered to myself, smirking. To her, I called again, “Weak! That’s what you are right now, weak! Talking to yourself? Can’t even tell what’s real and what’s not? Please!”
She threw herself at me again, this time with more focus, and I heard Triskix draw out his weapon in the background. He needed have bothered, though. I deflected her again, this time laughing.
“Don’t you laugh at me, Rexikat,” she snarled. “I know what’s real and what’s not. I am not weak. THAT’S what’s real.”
I tried to tone down my laughter, but couldn’t help it. “Alright, RaXi, relax,” I said. “I was only baiting you to get you out of CuckooLand. You should be thanking me. I know how you hate appearing weak.”
RaXi growled at me, looked to Triskix, Lexian, and the others there, and finally sighed. “I guess you’re right. Thanks,” she said grudgingly, “and I’m sorry, guys. For hurting Nyx, for all this…”
She slumped against one of the beds in exhaustion, and Triskix rushed to her side. Holding her up, he said, “Don’t worry, we’ve got you. Everything will be alright.”
Maybe for her, but I still had problems of my own to deal with. Pashnirix…and… “Oh,” I said. “RaXi, when you’re feeling better, look me up. I’ve got…a message for you from someone dear to you,” I told her, not wanting to say something private in front of everyone there.
She gave me a look, and then nodded, and I left, off to figure out exactly what I was going to do about my Pashnirix problem.
--------------------------[Pashnirix’s POV]---------------------------
As he watched the fight between Marlex and Xemmsur, Pashnirix grew more and more worried. The girl wasn’t taking any kill shots whatsoever; at this rate, she’d never win. Apparently, she didn’t understand that Organization Zero wasn’t here to play around.
Finally she pinned Marlex to the ground, but Pashi had a bad feeling. Even as he sensed her forming the portal, he himself entered the Corridors of Darkness, waiting to hunt down Marlex as he entered. Sure enough, the pink-haired man appeared amidst the darkness.
Before Marlex could pass through the other side to another world, Pashnirix dashed forward and grabbed the man, putting him in a headlock.
“Let me go,” the pink-haird Nobody snarled.
Pashi thought quickly. While he had promised he wouldn’t interfere with RaXi if Nyx and Xemmsur won, he never said he wouldn’t touch Marlex. As far as he his Leader was concerned, he could at least pretend Xemmsur won (even thought she didn’t kill him, he sighed internally, such bad form), and say he picked a fight with Marlex after his humiliating defeat.
“Absolutely not,” Pashnirix replied casually. “After a defeat by the hands of two girls like that? You must be trying to make me laugh.” Before Marlex could even react, Pashnirix whirled him around and knocked him out with a blow to the head. Shaking his head, he grabbed the unconscious body and headed back to Citadel Abyss. He’d return the pink-haired nuisance, inform Verex of RaXi safe return…and then he had his own little personal nuisance to deal with.
