Seek the Stars

XXV

Xiko kicked his feet, swinging back and forth in the lonely light. Forward and back, the motion was relaxing, a metronome that put the original Creator at ease. This time, there could be no mistakes. This time, he had to follow through. Xact slowly approached with the three leystones, carefully placing them in their niches. One by one the stones glowed with an inner fire until the lonely light was swallowed up by hues of red and blue and violet.

“Will he come?” Xact asked.

Xiko’s butter yellow eyes slid to his sheath. “He’ll come.”

Xact nodded and looked away from his lifetime companion. Even after all these years Xact still felt as if he did not know Xiko at all. Xiko’s mind made leaps and bounds he could only dream of, and Xiko showed an infinite amount of patience to him. Xact wondered if, one day, Xiko’s patience for him would run out as it had for Madax.

Xact looked up to find Xiko’s swing abandoned. The Nobody had moved to the blue leystone, gently touching a sequence Xact could never hope to duplicate. He did the same with the red and violet leystones, and in the triangle, a web formed. It glowed brightly for a moment, then faded away.

“You are to observe.” Xiko told Xact. “This is my fight.”

“Xiko.”

“No. I need you to be there to leash me.” Xiko’s eyes met Xact’s. “Please.”

Numbly, Xact nodded and stepped out of the expanding triangle. The pair did not have to wait long; the dark around them echoed with the lioness’ roars and then the lion’s howl of pain. As the light expanded in the chamber, Xact finally saw Madax. He looked haggard, his skin drawn and his eyes sunken. Xact shuddered. Xiko had played his hand far too well. Without the source of power that kept the Watchers alive, they were nothing more than undead sorcerers. Madax would come here, seeking to correct the flow of power, and here, Xiko would be waiting. Xact took a few steps back, widening the battlefield.

“Xiko!” Madax roared. “What have you done?!”

Xiko spread his hands. “I’ve done nothing. All of this you have brought on yourself.”

“Lying bastard.” Madax snarled. He stepped into the triangle, and seemed to be rejuvenated. “I’m creating a world we could rule. Us three, together! We would no loner have to Watch!”

“We are the Watchers.” Xiko replied smoothly. “We watch. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Why?” Madax demanded, crashing his gauntlets together. “We’re the most powerful beings alive!”

“Which is exactly why we watch. We are not gods; we cannot toy with a path once it’s been set. We are the guardians, the sentinels.” Xiko began to move closer to the mad Watcher, his cloak slipping off to reveal a body clothed in just black pants. Red hair brushed at pale shoulders as Xiko’s head turned to look at Xact. “Our time is over in the outside world. While we might give guidance and aid, we do not control. When a world and its inhabitants cannot choose their own destiny, there is no point to even exist.”

Madax’s lips curled in a snarl. “You’ve gotten weak in your old age.”

“No.” Xiko said softly. “I remember.”

Xact shuddered at the quiet tone. Madax let out a predator’s howl and charged Xiko, but the Nobody had already moved. His skin rippled as he flew into a flurry of punches, pale flesh replaced by black fur. The yellow of Xiko’s irises expanded to envelop his entire eye and his nose and mouth elongated into a snout. Madax broke away from Xiko and stared wide-eyed at the creature before him.

Xiko threw back his head and howled in challenge. “You wanted to fight for power, Madax. This is the power I was given for Kingdom Hearts. This is what makes me strong.”

“You’ve only become an animal.” Madax chortled. “I like animals. Maybe if you live, you can be my bitch.”

Xact very much doubted Xiko would leave Madax that opportunity. Xiko’s true form darted forward, claws raking across Madax’s face. Xact could only liken it to a bipedal wolf, as Xiko moved easily on two legs turned backwards like a werewolf’s. The snout was softer, closer to human than canine, but the animal in Xiko was apparent.

Madax’s fist caught Xiko in the side of the head and sent him flying. The Heartless Creator shook his head and got to his feet, lips drawn back in a snarl. Madax charged forward and Xiko dodged, his teeth latching onto Madax’s leading arm and shaking viciously as he raked his claws over exposed flesh, seeking muscle and sinew. A well-placed kick had Xiko retreating with a yip, but he would not allow Xact to enter the fight.

Blood splashed on the blue stone, and it ignited into an impervious flame.

Xiko rolled away from a lightning-enhanced punch and sprung up behind Madax, claws digging in around his spin and shredding everything before Madax’s elbow crashed into Xiko’s temple and flung him away.

Blood dripped onto the red stone and it ignited into a flickering flame.

Xiko’s ribs cracked audibly as Madax kicked him with vicious glee, and the Creator howled in pain. Xiko was looking more and more human to Xact, and Madax only looked to be growing stronger. Snarling, Xiko caught the next kick and twisted so hard something in Madax’s leg popped. The taller man let out a scream and flailed, but Xiko was already out of the way, panting heavily as blood dripped from his now-human mouth. Madax struggled to get up and Xiko’s clawed foot caught his face, scoring deep lacerations across his eyes.

Blood ignited the violet stone and Xiko gestured to each flame.

“Life, death, and rebirth.” He said softly. “For us, life is eternal, but there is always a price. When you became a Watcher, your price hadn’t been paid yet.”

The fur rippled and became flesh, as Xiko moved to step out of the triangle, walking slowly around it, touching each stone. The flames spread out in low walls, boxing Madax in.

“What are you doing?!” Madax howled.

“You used Xact and I. You used our influence and power. You ignored the Rules and therefore stripped yourself of your status.” Xiko said as if he were teaching a class of children. “You really didn’t think there wouldn’t be consequences, did you?”

Xact whipped his head around to stare at his superior. Xiko ignored the look and continued circling. “Power without limits is impossible. Sooner or later, your wrongs catch up to you and destroy you. I’ve overlooked your transgressions once too many.”

“You can’t.” Madax said with a slight laugh. “If you do, the balance of power will be thrown off kilter.”

Xiko’s head cocked. “How many scales does the balance of justice have?”

Madax paled.

“Answer the question.”

Madax looked at Xact. Xact looked away.

Xiko’s voice was thunder. “Madax. Answer the question.”

Madax’s eyes locked with Heartless yellow. “Two.”

Xiko smiled. “Two.”

Xact fought not to cover his ears as the screams began, the fires closing in on Madax. As the man burned, Xact picked up Xiko’s jacket and moved to drape it over the redhead’s shoulders.

“Is it over?” Xact asked when the fires died, leaving no trace of their once-companion.

Xiko’s head titled, as if he were listening to some far off sound. “It will never be over, Xact.” He replied softly. “His price was his corporeal form. He prided himself on his voice and his ability to sway choices once one has been made. So, for his transgression, the fires took that all away. But he’s still alive, somewhere, and there will be others like him. That is why we exist. Why we are the Watchers. When the time comes, we call upon those who will fight the Dark and fight to preserve the balance.”

Xiko looked up to Xact and smiled. “It’s never really over. We just get vacations now and then.”

Xact blinked and laughed a nervous laugh. “Vacations.”

Xiko smirked. “Come on, my friend. We have work to do.”