Rated 12+ for slight gore and mild language.
A cold wind blew across the barren land and pushed the fires closer. Xavier's back was to the flames. He did not want to see their orange tongues lick the ground beneath his feet mercilessly, did not want to hear the fire cackle and destory. He had focused all his attention on her.
Behind him stood an army of a thousand and houses barely clinging to life as they were enveloped by the fire. Xavier knew this and still didn't turn. He had caused all this, and frankly he didn't care.
His sword was unsheathed and he was staring at her with unconcealed hatred. He glanced down at his blade--which shined moonlight white, just as it always had--and rose it slowly above the girl lying limply on the ground. Her dark hair was strewn across her face, her cheeks red from fever, and her body almost as pale as his sword. And he held his breath.
Before today, he had never killed anyone before so mercilessly. He was not that kind of man. But she deserves it, he reminded himself bitterly. She deserves every second of it.
The hot desert sun beat down on him angrily, and inside there was nothing but turmoil. He felt every ounce of good in his soul crying out with pity, begging him to stop there. But almost overpowering him he felt his hatred, like the fires behind him, and it ate away at everything good inside; ate away at his very heart and his very soul.
His sword quivered in the air for a moment before finding its aim. He hesitated for just a second before raising it higher to bring it down heavily, but his hesitation did not go unnoticed.
"Stop!" It was a little voice, as soft as a bell but as clear as a summer morning. He did not relax his position, only stood there, completely still. He felt her soft hand on his shoulder and still refused to turn, his eyes fixed on the unconscious girl.
"Xavier, put down your sword, now."
He gritted his teeth. "No."
"Xavier..."
"She deserves it."
"She's suffered enough!"
This was true, but he refused to admit it. "No she hasn't. She took all this away from me. She took it ALL away from me. Now I'll take it all away from her." He brought his sword higher still. Though he was positioned to kill her, he still wasn't sure if he could. He wanted to, but whether or not he could was a different story.
Don't be ridiculous, Xavier, said the dark voice inside him. You've already murdered all the villagers here. One more won't matter.
But she wasn't just a villager.
The girl next to him had tired of his silence, of him dangling the sword above the defenseless girl threateningly. She grabbed his hands and held them there, paused in the air. He fought with her to no avail.
"Alxy!" he screamed in disgust. He glared behind his back to see her, standing there, and paused for a second, upon realizing that this was the first time he had seen her in over two months. She seemed to be more beautiful than he remembered. Her white hair was pined up by a pink flower, and her light brown eyes glowed in a soft greeting. Her kimono was perfectly tied and fitted to her, and it too was white with occasional threads of pink. Even so, not many would hail her for the beauty she possessed. She was hardly twenty and her hair was snow white, she was tall and almost awkward on her feet, and spirals and strands of white hair fell from her flower. She swayed slightly as she stood there, as if she was terribly dizzy, and he would have been worried if he wasn't so furious. He breathed deeply, clenching his teeth, his eyes unfocused, and his chest rising and falling viciously.
"Xavier," she whispered, so soft it sounded like nothing more than a slight breeze that happened upon the scene, trying to break the tension. "You don't need to do this."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't." She reached out with one of her hands and touched his shoulder once more. Without warning or consideration, the world around him and Alxy began to fade into nothingness. Anger ate into Xavier's soul.
"Stop using your powers!" he screeched angrily and jumped back, letting go of his sword. She immediately pulled it away from him and drove it into the ground. As she did this, she only shook her head and looked down, smiling slightly.
"I gave up my powers long ago," she whispered. At first this only made him angrier, but then the surprise sunk in. "I gave it to someone more fitted to hold the crown." She looked up at him, and he suddenly noticed a tear fighting its way out of the side of her eye. "How does it feel?"
How does it feel? His first thought was, Surprising, but that was only because he was slightly shocked that she had really given up her powers--and to him of all people. But then he considered it. He looked around, noticing that they were alone, in a small, white room, the world he had come to know somewhere behind these walls, but unseen to him. He also noticed that lying on the ground was the girl he had only moment before been destined to kill. As he stared at her, the hatred set in again, overpowering all other emotions.
"It feels evil, dark. It feels like murder, like hatred."
Alxy's smile disappeared. "That's not my powers, that's you. You must have activated them with your emotions." He grumbled, putting his head in his hands and walking away from her, and she murmured, "You'll need to learn how to control them."
"I'm not keeping them," he said quickly, looking back up at her. "I'm giving them back as soon as you tell me how."
"No. You're not."
He opened his mouth to object, but she put her finger on it. "Xavier, we're not arguing about this now. We have bigger things at stake. Tell me, Xavier. Tell me why you'd--" She paused and looked down, her voice quite broken. "Why would you ever want to kill Menzy?" His eyes immediately darted to her, lying on the floor. She looked so calm and peaceful, but he knew her too well. She'd rather be fighting, rather be hurting, rather be killing. She and Alxy were complete opposites. So why was she defending her?
"Why would you want Menzy alive? With your kingdom at stake--"
"It's not my kingdom anymore." She looked up at him, seeming so small, so young. "It's yours."
"All the more reason to kill her."
Alxy stepped away from him. He realized a sort of fear in her eyes. "Xavier, it wasn't her who killed your people."
"How would you know?" he grumbled, turning away from her to look at Menzy. "You don't know anything."
"How dare you!" she yelped, and walked straight up behind him, screaming in his ear. "I was there when she told you, and not only that, but I could have looked in the past to see what had happened. It was her parents. And they're dead now, thanks to you. All of her kind are dead now. You can stop here."
"No, I can't." He stared at her impassive face, clenched his fists. "You don't understand."
"Funny thing is, I do. The same thing happened to me. That was the one thing we always had in common, remember? Both of our kinds, murdered by Menzy's parents."
"Then why the hell would you want her alive?" he screamed, turning to Alxy so fast that she almost tripped in her attempt to step back from him. "She'll only cause more hurt, more trouble!"
"She wouldn't!" Alxy took him by the shoulders. "It was her parents, not her! Take this as a Seeker's final wish! Don't kill her!"
"How can I trust her anymore?" he screamed, tears ravaging his face. "How could I ever trust her again?"
"You'd find a way. You always do, when you love someone, Xavier." There was a split second of complete silence. "And I know you love Menzy."
He stepped away from her bitterly. His first thought was, You don't know how I feel, but she did. She knew everything about him, and knew it as easily as if he were a book to be read.
Menzy. That name used to bring a smile to his face. He rose his eyes and he looked at the girl, lying there, looking so helpless and alone. Even so, she was beautiful. Even so.
"I might have, once," he finally said, his voice small and hurt. "But I don't love her anymore. I--" His voice broke, so he paused. "I couldn't."
"You could. Because even after all this, you know deep down she didn't do anything wrong. You know it, Xavier!"
"How am I to trust you, even?" He spun back to her, and again she stepped back. "You give away your powers stupidly so that some angry little boy can rule the entire world. And you call me thick!" He walked away from her, shaking his head.
"I did it in confidence!" She stepped closer and he stopped, turning to look at her. "My powers need to be passed on before I die."
"And why would you die?"
Alxy was silent, and looked down at her feet. Xavier was staring at her with nothing but anger, but as he stared at her, realization sunk in. "Alxy? What happened?"
"I can't tell you. It would sway your decision."
"Alxy, tell me, or I'll go out there and kill her!"
Alxy's eyes darted up at him, and she then slowly looked down, taking a deep breath.
"I had two visions right before I gave my powers away. Those two visions were of today. The first was of you going through with murdering Menzy. I ran up to her immediately and began tending to her, while yelling at you." She took a deep breath. "There was an archer from the town you burned down who survived. The last of Menzy's kind. He saw you and shot you with his arrow. You died."
Xavier stood there in silence for a moment, trying to take this in. He died. As soon as the white walls and white ceilings disappeared and he was back in the real world, he would be gone. Just like that. There was no thought, no question, no anything. It was going to happen fast, mercilessly, and almost thoughtlessly, but even so, it remained true. He would die. Did he deserve it? After what he had done only moments before, he had to reply that he did. He felt fear choke him, and he leaned against one of the walls for support while letting out a deep breath.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." And then, suddenly, he remembered that she had said 'two visions'. "What was the other vision?"
"The other one was the one where you didn't kill Menzy. You stepped away, and I went up to you and thanked you. We walked away together. The same archer shot at you, but missed his aim. I died."
What made Xavier angry was not so much the fact that Alxy was dying, but the way she told him and the tone of voice she spoke in. One would think she was casually just telling him the weather for that day or other senseless and unhelpful news like that. He wanted to argue that her visions didn't have to come true, per sey, but he knew they always did.
After his long stretch of silence, he finally said, "If I died in one of the visions, why did you give me your powers?"
"Because I know that you'll come to your senses and you won't kill her. You're not that kind of man, Xavier, I know it. And you'll know it too."
"Well, you're wrong." He saw the dismay in her eyes but ignored her, standing up and pulling away from the wall.
"There is no way I am letting you die. I'll just have my guards keep an eye out for the archer."
"Impossible. Once you find out about a circumstance happening, you no longer can control what happens, only live it like the vision says. You can't even go back in time and tell the guards to look out for the archer. Xavier, today, one of us will die."
They looked at each other, the same pain on the other's face. "I guess we're in exactly the same circumstance again, huh?" His voice sounded broken.
"I guess so," Alxy whispered with a light smile.
"You better take your powers back." He looked down, and Alxy's smile disappeared. "I can't let you die."
"You have to."
"Why?"
Alxy stepped closer to him and put her hand on his cheek. "Because the world needs you. I can't do anything else for the world, but you can. You can do everything needed to be done."
"No!" he objected immediately, shaking his head, trying not to cry. "I won't let you die. I can't, not after everything we've been through together."
"Xavier. You need to do this." She held his head in both of her hands. "Please, make the right decision. Don't waste the power within you. And remember the love you and Menzy shared together."
What about the love you and I shared together? he thought through tears, but couldn't bring himself to say it.
Xavier noticed the white walls beginning to fade, and saw the world around him coming back. "No!" Immediately he pulled away from Alxy and ran to one of the walls, putting his hand against it, as if that could stop it, as if he could save the entire world by making the walls stop disappearing. "No, don't! Please! I need more time!" He ran to another wall, which was all but gone. "NO! MAKE IT STOP, please... make it stop..."
Tears came into Alxy's eyes as well and she ran to him and leaned in immediately, kissing him. By the time she pulled away he was sobbing, and she turned him to face Menzy, put the sword in his hand, and stood right behind him, just as their positions had been before they faded. He knew from experience that no time had passed in the real world, but so much had happened.
As the world came back into view he slowly rose the sword up again. He was still battling with the thought of whether or not to kill her, but he knew he had to stay in the same position. Slowly, he felt Alxy's hands close over his, and he took a deep, shaking breath.
He heard from far away, himself saying, "Yes I do," and then heard Alxy's whispered, "No you don't." She then slowly removed one of her hands from around his and put it on his shoulder.
He looked back at her, tears staining his eyes. She stood there for a second, crying as well, and then released his shoulder and his hand and stepped back, letting him hold the sword above Menzy, with all the guards watching him. He heard a bird cry out in the distance, and knew for sure he was back in the real time.
He stared at Menzy for what seemed like an eternity. He couldn't decide what to do. Would he let Alxy die and break his heart, or would he let himself die and waste her powers?
He bent his head, closing his eyes to block out the tears and the world. I can’t waste her powers. She gave it to me for a reason, and I can’t waste them, no matter how much I want to. But... He paused dangerously. I can't kill her. I can't. Oh, God, please, anyone but Alxy. Anyone.
If he thought the turmoil within him was bad before, it was shameful now. He was shaking like a leaf, terrified of the world, terrified of moving, of breathing. He hated knowing the future with a passion. PLEASE! SHE CAN'T DIE! something inside him screamed, but he had known from the moment he returned what he would have to do.
He took a deep, quivering breath, sheathed his sword, and turned back to Alxy.
He tried to open his mouth and scream right then, to tell the guards to look out for an archer, but it didn't happen. He only murmured lifelessly, "Two guards, pick up the girl and take her with us, now."
Two of the guards scurried to his command, and he watched them with a sinking heart. No! he thought. Go look for the archer, forget about her!
He felt himself just in his body, not controlling it. He walked up to a grinning Alxy. "Thank you," she whispered, and leaned herself against him. Don't thank me, was all he could think, please. But outwardly all he did was put his arms around her and begin walking.
He wanted to scan the horizon but felt himself unable to move his head, so he just enjoyed having Alxy in his arms. The more time passed, the happier he became--Perhaps the archer isn't about to shoot her--but his happiness was wasted almost immediately.
His arms were tight around her shoulders, and it almost felt natural until Alxy's entire body jerked forward suddenly. Alxy, being so little and so delicate and pure in his arms, immediately broke. She tripped over herself, but he pulled her into him. His eyes drifted down and he saw the arrow sticking out of her back, her white dress immediately being polluted with blood. He hadn't even heard the arrow being released..
Grief overcame him, and the moment it did, he had control of himself again. He looked up and saw the archer, scurrying away, and opened his mouth to scream for the guards to go after him, but couldn't summon the words or the strength. Instead he fell to the ground, still holding Alxy, and pulled her away from him to stare at her face. Her eyes were unfocused, her body limp, and he shook her lightly, unable to call her name.
Tears blurred his world and he began sobbing hysterically. The pain of losing her broke his heart completely in half, and he knew it could never be mended. And then the fear--the fear of living without her, the fear of having her power, the fear of what Menzy would do when she woke up and found out what he had done, heck, the fear of what Alxy's father would do to him--the fear of everything was too much to bare. But all he could do was hold her close. Hold her close, rock back and forth, and sob.
He saw red, red everywhere, and the only thoughts he had strength to think were, So much blood... so much blood.
The harder he sobbed the more terrified he was. The pain and the grief was greater than the day his people had died, because he knew he could have saved her. And all he could do now was sit there, rock back and forth, hold her, and sob.
He heard himself screaming words but didn't know what he was saying till after he said it. He was cursing out the archer, cursing out the world, cursing out himself. Two people came and took Alxy--probably nurses, trying to save her--but he jumped up to grab her back. Two of his own soldiers grabbed his arms and held him back, and he fought lifelessly against them.
He could see nothing but his hands through his tears, his hands which were completely soaked with Alxy's blood, and the thought sickened him so bad that he collapsed.
Alxy, his first love, the first girl whom had ever smiled at him, the first girl who ever kissed him, had just died in his arms.
And as the curses stopped, and as he felt people sitting him down, cleaning off his hands, trying to get him to focus, the only thing he could do was bow his head and whisper, "I am so sorry. I am so sorry, Alxy.”
This was the death of the last of the Seekers.
This was the death of Xavier’s heart.
Like this? Check out the story that happened before this one, Alxy's Travels.
) Anyway, it was awesome! Excellent work! 
