I have nothing to say, which is rather out-of-character for me, considering I normally can't shut up.

Slight heads-up here, this chapter is kiiiiinda intense. It's not bloody, but it is physically painful for the characters. Proceed with caution!

WC: ~1200

Enjoy!

Xay's blood ran cold, fear pounding through him like a heartbeat.

The fighting drew still as the rebels were commanded to leave, only the Hermits and Zena remaining.

They were in a semicircle around Xisuma and Zena, all frozen in fear.

Xisuma typed something in, then frowned.

"Hm, it appears that 'kill all' has been forbidden," he remarked. "That's fine, I can do this in better ways. I'd much rather enjoy this than just get it over with."

Suddenly, pain burst into Xay's system, accompanied with the screams of some of the Hermits.

The pain only grew stronger, and Xay clutched his chest and fell to the ground, tears burning in his eyes.

He wasn't the only one.

"Not so powerful now, hm?" Xisuma's voice was taunting. "A little poison command, put in to be everlasting. Too easy."

Xay grit his teeth, knowing that he won't be able to respond, even if he tried.

"Aha," Xisuma continued. "Xanthus. Taking my place, are you? Do you seriously think that you could possibly qualify to lead the Watchers. You've already destroyed what we are, putting our masks over our chests."

"N-no," Xay managed to spit out. "Haven't- haven't destroyed it. Only made it better."

"Better?" Xisuma spat. "You've made it all so much worse. But that's alright, I can clean up for your mistakes. But I can't have you around, can I? It'd be... problematic, wouldn't it?"

Xisuma went to type something in his communicator.

The sound of something shattering.

An arrow, right in the holographic projector of the communicator.

They all turned to see who had shot it, and standing there was Helsknight.

"Ugh," Xisuma didn't seem too bothered by the device's destruction. He detached the communicator and threw it aside, it clattering on the endstone as it landed. "That's fine. I don't need it anyways. I can kill you all, easily. But I'll start with none other than the Admin."

And with that, Xisuma walked away, walking himself off the ledge, into the Void.

The same ledge that had claimed Grian was going to steal away Xisuma.

No.

Xay opened his wings.

Every muscle in his body screamed in agony.

Half a heart.

Xay jumped up, then dove into the Void after Xisuma.

Black pooled at the edges at his vision, the speed and pain combining, threatening to knock him out. He blinked furiously, telling himself that he couldn't, he had to keep going, he had to reach out-

He grabbed Xisuma's hand in his own, then started flying up.

Xisuma stared up at him, indigo eyes wide with astonishment.

"But- you- the poison-" Xisuma stuttered.

"Don't remind me," Xay said through clenched teeth. "Can't- can't lose you- like we lost Grian-"

There was a scream from the surface, and Xay felt himself flying faster, pushing himself to the limit.

I wonder if this is like bravery.

Closer.

I wonder if this was the smart thing to do.

They were nearly there.

I wonder if it'll be worth it.

Xay couldn't breathe.

I wonder if we'll make it.

So close.

Please.

And finally, Xay pulled himself and his brother up onto the endstone.

All he saw was debris, a giant cloud of it.

The last thing he saw was a blast of magic, not Watcher, but something else.

The poison and exhaustion overcame him, and he slipped into darkness.

Aaaand that's the end of the chapte- SIKE JUST KIDDING YOU GET SOME MORE-

"Are you okay??"

"Take my hand, we're going to get you out of here."

"She's gone, yes."

"Oh my goodness, please don't worry, your daughter will be okay."

"Drink this, it'll help, I swear."

"Xay, if you'd like to wake up now, that'd be really convenient."

Xay blinked his eyes open, the first thing he saw being a pair of eyes like fire.

Hels?

"Oh, wonderful," the sarcastic tone was obviously masking something else. "Good to see you survived jumping into the Void on half a heart."

"Zena," he stammered, trying to sit up. Hels held him down, shaking his head.

"Dead," he replied. "We know for sure, this time. It wasn't Watcher magic that took her, nor Nether. It was Admin magic. I don't know or understand how Xisuma channeled it, but it worked, and she's gone."

Gone.

"What happened?" Xay asked. Hels winced.

"She needed to take someone out with her," he muttered. "She tried to shoot the Hermits as a whole, but missed and hit the main building. It collapsed, Xay."

No.

"Let go of me!!" he cried as Hels grabbed his arms to keep him from running over. "There are families in there, innocent Watchers and-"

"We've gotten everyone out," Hels said firmly. "Set up a healing camp and are working on putting everything back together. We've got this, but you need to rest as a consequence for being an idiot."

"Did anyone die?" Xay asked.

A moment passed, then Hels looked away.

"Who was it?" Xay's voice caught on his words.

"All of the Hermits survived," he said slowly.

"Tell me, Hels," he whispered.

"She gave her life to save someone else," Hels murmured. "She died a hero. She's the reason that so many people came out alive."

"Xay... Xexzi gave her life to save as many as she could."

Xay felt his heart shatter into a million pieces.

"She... it should've been me," Xay whispered.

"It shouldn't have been anyone," Hels said. "None of this should have happened, but it did. I'm- I'm really sorry, Xay. I know she was like a sister to you."

Xay swallowed, nodding and looking away from Hels's eyes. Hels didn't need to see him cry, didn't need to see the worst of him.

Well, he already had, but that didn't matter anymore, it was in the past.

Xay wiped the tears from his eyes, standing up on shaking legs. Hels grabbed his arm to try and stop him, but Xay ripped away, seemingly calm.

He walked over to the main building, the one that had fallen.

It really was a disaster, debris and broken pieces in a giant mess. Xay felt something inside him clench up, pain flowing through him. So much history, all completely lost.

He saw a pair of Hermits- Etho and Beef- helping a Watcher out. Cyan stained their clothes, and they were limping.

Xay rushed over, and Etho's relief wasn't hidden by the mask.

"You survived," he remarked. Xay nodded, turning to the Watcher. His black hair was matted with cyan blood, and he was leaning on Beef for support.

"ᔑ∷ᒷ ||𝙹⚍ 𝙹ꖌᔑ||?" Xay asked, speaking in Galactic so he could understand. The Watcher looked up with lilac eyes full of pain and nodded, a ghost of a reassuring smile on his face.

"Come on, let's head to the healing camp," Beef spoke to the Watcher, tipping his head in the direction of it.

"I'll catch up in a second," Xay promised. Etho gave him a thumbs up, and the two made their way over to help out the Watcher.

Xay walked closer to the ruins, surveying it, his heart pounding in his chest.

You lost, Zena.

We may have lost Xexzi, but we won.

We did it.

Xay smiled.

Game over.

RSTR is finishing quicker than I'd like, and I don't know if I should be disappointed, ashamed, or relieved.

-Storm