Reflection (A Sequel To Redemption)

Chapter Nine: Xisuma/Xanthus

*inhale* WHEEEEEEEEEREEEEEE DID MY MOTIVATION GOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

WC: ~750

Enjoy!

"What?" Xisuma sputtered.

"I'm going to help out," Xay said, slowly backing out.

"I'm coming with you," Xisuma said.

"We're with you, 'Suma," Iskall piped up. "Let's go, no time to waste."

Xisuma wanted to tell them no, to tell them not to risk themselves, but there wasn't time.

"There isn't time for any of this," Xisuma agreed, albeit reluctantly. "Let's go."

The flight to the portal was silent and tense, and Xisuma was itching with anxiety and fear.

"What did you mean by 'rebellion'?" Xisuma asked, coming up to Xay.

"Against me," Xay's voice was strained. "Some Watchers want Zena back. They don't like me because I'm defective." Xay spat the last word out, fury in his tone.

"Oh," Xisuma mumbled. Xay typed something in his communicator, then noticed the querying expression on Xisuma's face.

"Told Hels to help out," Xay explained. "He's a knight. Hopefully he won't be too useless."

"Hels is still there?" Xisuma asked. Xay nodded.

"He said he wanted to stick around for a while," Xay shrugged. "Don't know why."

"I have a guess!" Etho called from behind them.

"Oh, shut up," Xay yelled back at him, though he was clearly biting back a smile.

"You didn't leave me alone about Beef!" Etho shouted over the wind. "This is vengeance!"

"What about me?" Beef asked.

"Etho wouldn't stop talking about you in the prisons," Xay explained. "Literally all I would hear is 'someone with a beard and an apron'. And lots of rants about blue eyes and brown hair. It was pretty hilarious."

"I- Xay!" Etho cried, sounding embarrassed.

"Aw," Beef chuckled, and there was a sound of Etho potentially shoving him midair.

Xisuma found himself smiling, but that smile was quickly exterminated when the reality of the situation sunk in on him again.

This might just be the last time I get to hear them so happy.

Xisuma shuddered, pushing away the thought. It wouldn't happen, they'd held their own once and could certainly do it again.

But as they went through the portal, to a different dimension, Xisuma couldn't shake the impending sense of fear.

POV Shift: Xanthus

"GET DOWN!!" Hels's voice rang out, and Xay immediately obeyed, tilting his wings to dive downwards, landing right behind the knight. Hels shot a firework rocket from a crossbow, and it exploded violently, taking a rebel Watcher or two with it.

"Took you all long enough," Hels hissed. "Had a nice leisurely flight?"

"Shut up," Xay grumbled, drawing a sword. "How do we tell who's a rebel and who's with me?"

"Rebels are wearing their masks over their eyes," Hels explained. "Watchers that are with you wear the mask over their chest."

Xay quickly sent out an internal message to his followers to pull back, thanking them for their determination and loyalty, then asking them to please stop risking their lives.

"Got it," he replied to Hels, about to dash into battle when Hels grabbed his arm.

"Try not to get yourself killed," he said. "Or do, I don't care, but I think the Watchers would."

Xay bit back a smile.

"You stay safe, too," he replied.

Xay dashed into the fight, lunging at a masked Watcher. The Watcher went to blast him, but he deflected with his own, then shot some of his magic at them.

"Uh- guys?" Scar's voice called out over the battle. "Guys? HYDRA!!"

Oh-

They were wasting time on Zena's supporters.

They had to get the body of the Hydra and slay the beast.

Xay fell back, scanning the battlefield from afar to try and locate Zena. His eyes darted around, assessing everyone to try and find her. Most everyone had fled by now, leaving only a handful of rebels and the Hermits.

Turns out, someone had found her before he could've.

Xay couldn't move, couldn't breathe, as he watched Xisuma pressing Zena to the ground, a blade at her throat. Zena's mask had shattered, leaving her lavender eyes exposed.

Xisuma didn't move, neither did Zena.

Kill her.

End it, 'Suma.

And Xay knew that at that moment, Xisuma didn't see a villain.

He didn't see the person that had tried to kill them.

He saw the terrified Watcher that was about to lose her life.

No, please, don't-

Xisuma put away his blade, and turned around, locking eye contact with Xay.

His eyes glowed lavender..

No.

Xisuma smiled, then raised his communicator.

"Now, the real fun begins."

I would apologize if I was sorry.

-Storm (or maybe Stom? I don't know, honestly-)