Zephyr: The Elemental Clans

190 - In Your Darkness

Xyder Zephyr - POV;

*"There it is! There it is!"* Tenebrae sung gleefully inside my head, *"The pitiful cage of those pitiful brothers and sisters of mine; The Alter of the Elements!"*

"I don't know what you're expecting to find, but the other Deities aren't here," I muttered.

*"Of course they are. How would you know they aren't?"* he questioned cheerfully.

"I came searching for them a long time ago. Trust me, they weren't there. But it doesn't matter. We'll leave this place in ruins before we march onwards," I declared.

"XYDER!"

I stopped in my tracks as the familiar voice reached my ear. Maintaining a slight frown, I turned around slowly to come face-to-face with my childhood friend.

"Stop this Xyder," Satella pleaded as she took a step forward, clutching onto her right arm. Her entire body had been battered and bruised and she seemed to be garnering all of her strength to merely stand still. "Isn't this enough Xyder? Hasn't enough damage been done? Do you know what happened to them Xyder? To our friends? We were winning. Sorine had even come back to our side and she fought against Celes to aid our team."

*"She broke my corruption?"* Tenebrae pondered in disbelief, *"No. I can still feel her. She is still corrupted but some powerful event has caused her to shift her priorities. Once she completes this single act of rebellion, she will fall back under our control."*

"We were almost at a point where we could beat the others who you turned against us but without harming them severely," Satella continued, "....but then he came. The young boy with the powers of Darkness. Rael was it? He turned the tide of our fight. We were forced to use deadly force. Dagan tried to stop him alone but he was already weakened by his previous conflict.... Dagan was killed first. Alva was distracted by this... and that's when Disas struck. A sword through the heart; Alva was gone in a second. Rydia tried to hold off against Disas but we all knew she was at a disadvantage. Celes and Sorine were evenly matched. By the time we knew what was going on, they had gotten off fatal blows on each other. They continued to fight despite it but it was only a matter if time before they succumbed to it. Fira had managed to bring Winter down; melting her Elemental Form into nothingness... but her victory was shortlived as Rael took the chance to prey on a tired huntress. He snapped her neck like it was nothing. Storm and I were facing off against Cheryl... and during the chaos I took the first opportunity I saw.... and I... I... I ran her through with my Heirloom. I killed her!"

Satella broke down completely,  dropping to her knees as she wailed and lamented what she had done. I stared down at the broken and pitiful girl, though I felt no remorse. I felt no pain... but I also felt no joy. I felt no anger... I felt no pride... I felt no sense of victory... I felt no surprise. No anticipation. No disgust. No trust. No fear, agony, amusement, desire, angst, compassion, bravery, arousal, anxiety, despair.... I felt nothing.

"Storm went to help Rydia," she sniffled, "but he made me come here. He told me to find you and make things right. I don't know how long they will last.... but I know they can't win that fight. Please, Xyder. Stop this! Haven't we all suffered enough? What happened to all the good time we shared? All the happiness we enjoyed together? All the fun and loving times we all had? What happened to all of that? Does one accident warrant this kind of hell?! ...........What would Evelynn want at a time like this?"

"Simple. Complete and utter obliteration," I answered nonchalantly, continuing on my way.

"Xyder!" Satella shouted bolting towards me. In one, swift motion, I spun on my heel and casually placed Genesis' blade towards her, expecting her to be halted the moment it pierced her. Instead, the greatsword tore into her but she continued forward even more quickly and without skipping a beat she planted her lips against my own, wrapping her arms around my neck as she did.