Division

"...'O great and noble heathen!" Xakiah stated without even looking to the side.

I had been able to sense a presence, yet I couldn't pinpoint it...it was so like Xakiah's, his skill at concealment only slightly below her own. It aggravated me to no end...an opponent like that. I watched as he emerged from the shadows in a similar way she had. It was dark, but his white cloak was clearly visible. There was a design on it...setting it apart from the others...a three ring symbol. Where have I seen that mark before?! WHERE??! I couldn't get a very good look at his features, not in this darkness. Yet he obviously KNEW Xakiah...

"Though why you still call me that after all this time I will never know." He finished after emerging. I hadn't been paying attention at the beginning.

Xakiah blew him off all together and proceeded to give us directions. As she spoke I took notes of all important details. At the Corner, Corridor ahead, left door, mechanism. Code: pink, white, pink, black, orange. She asked if we had questions...so we both came forth with them without hesitation. If this man wasn't a threat to Xakiah, why should I view him as one? We conversed freely until finally he decided to break in.

"Are you maidens done talking amongst yourselves yet? A man can grow old waiting for you three to finish babbling…” He spoke impatiently.

I glared at him. Now that he'd come a little closer and my eyes were fully adjusted to the dark, I could make out a reddish tint to his hair...but there was more to it...I just couldn't judge it. Yet for some reason his tone just then had aggravated me. "Old age? Is that what concerns you?" I began silkily...a tint of vileness in my tone. "I have a solution for that. Should I kill you now, you won't have to worry about aging..." I continued to glare at him. I already had the daggers in my sleeves ready to fly.

A hand grasped my sleeve. My eyes glanced to my side. Xakiah...she knew about my daggers....so perceptive... "This is my battle. As I told Nyx, go." She stated with an oddly serious look.

I pulled away. "Very well. Make it quick and remember my orders. You know when to pull out. Understood?"

At this she smirked. "Of course...just go through with your part and let me worry about mine."

I almost laughed. Looking over at Nyx she nodded and we began rushing towards the man. I gave him a sideways glare as I ran by him, yet he didn't try and stop us, his eyes never even left Xakiah for a moment. Who did he remind me of...that look in his eyes? I couldn't help but think...yet I continued on.

We got to the mechanism room easy enough...but all the levers. It was crazy. First off we found each lever we needed to pull and then Nyx and I took positions in order to pull them.

"I will dictate them, then we pull them in order, alright?" I conveyed. Nyx agreed.

"Pink." I started, pulling the pink lever. Nyx wouldn't get near it...she hated pink...heh. "White." Nyx pulled the white lever. "Pink." I pulled it again. "Black." Nyx pulled it. "Orange." I took it and pulled the final lever in the sequence. Nothing happened. And then suddenly a screeching sound was heard and the rotation of the giant mechanism screeched to an abrupt halt. I examined everything around us...suddenly the ceiling began to change...

"Nyx! LOOK OUT!" I shouted pushing her off to the side and jumping back myself. Just then a huge piece of the ceiling crashed to the ground, forming a long upwards staircase. As promised, most likely leading to the North Tower. "Ten minutes..." I mumbled.

We both broke into a run. A mad dash up the staircase. I was only slightly ahead of Nyx when I heard a crack from behind. I stopped into my tracks just as the ground beneath Nyx opened up and swallowed her without anything to grasp onto. She began to fall...

"NYX!" I shouted throwing forth ice in an effort to catch her. It dissipated in the shadows. What? How is that possible...

"RaXi!" Nyx called up from the darkness. "Don't worry about me! Go!! Complete the mission...I'll be alright!!!" She called out as the floor began to close again...as though nothing had happened. I examined the floor on my hands and knees, smashing my fist into the ground when I found nothing. I KNEW this would happen! Just like XIMH! DAMN IT! I cursed. But then I turned my attention back to my mission. She'll be fine...she'll be fine...I repeated over and over running faster and faster.

Huffing I can see my breath in the air before me. Looking forward there was a dark figure atop the stairway. I took a defensive stance as I screeched to a halt at the top. They moved out of the shadows slowly.

"I knew it...knew you would come RaXi..."

~RaXi
**********************************************************
CLIFFHANGER!! hehe...just wait...this next part's gonna be..great....lol.

will continue a little later! ^^

End