"Tomorrow," Averix said sternly. "They come tomorrow."
"What does Tomorrow mean?" Ekaxa poked at Averix's shoulder. It took all his control not to shoot off a few sparks in her direction.
Thankfully, Dexaj appeared at just the right moment. Wordlessly she picked up the smallest Nobody and spirited her away.
"How can you be sure? You have no proof, and the Keybladers are unpredictable, and much more powerful than you. How would you know anything at all?" Xosiroth's cruel eyes narrowed condescendingly in Averix's direction.
"Alright, bitch." Averix slammed his hands down and stood up simultaniously, glaring across the table.
"Butter potatoes," Xages pouted loudly, grabbing onto Averix's sleeve should he try to launch himself at Xosiroth.
"Children," Mystix sighed. "Get it together. For one, Xosiroth, Averix outranks you. We voted you out, remember?" Xosiroth's sour expression said he did. "And Averix, control yourself. You look like an idiot getting so angry."
"Why are they coming tomorrow?" Xanoh asked softly.
Those at the table turned to Averix for an answer, all but Xaikar.
"I can't say," Averix kept his eyes away from her as well.
Xosiroth smirked proudly, "I knew it."
"I said I can't say," Averix clarified, resisting the urge to use profanities. "Not that I had no reason."
"Secrets, secrets..." Xages whispered a little to loudly.
"Whose secrets?" Soan glanced around the table.
No one looked at Xaikar. Their eyes passed over her indifferently, as if she weren't there. Averix accidently stole a glance in her direction. Her arms were crossed, and he couldn't see her face behind the lavander locks of hair hiding it. If he hadn't have been deliberatly looking for her, Averix knew he wouldn't have found her. Why was it he could feel the waves of energy deflecting off her and no one else could? Her cloaking device must not be effective on him. She was hiding herself from the others without really hiding. They could see her, yes, but they felt her as only a fly on the wall, unimportant, an outside observer with no relevance. The best protection from their eyes.
"Not hers," Xages admitted willingly.
With that initiative, Xanoh followed suit. "I don't know anything."
The line of admissions began. Mystix shook her head at Soan, as did many others. No one asked Xosiroth; they knew his answer. In the end, Xerden and Xaikar had not spoken.
"Well?" Xosiroth narrowed his eyes now at Xerden, who stared back blankly with closed lips. Averix watched on, unsure of Xerden. Did he know something? Surely it had to be his thoughtful nature that kept him silent, he'd just forgotten to say.
Xerden remained silent.
Impatience crossed Xosiroth's features. "Well," he repeated.
Anxious now, Averix clenched and unclenched his fists. Was Xerden stalling? Waiting for Xaikar to leave, to protect her? He couldn't be. He couldn't know it was her secrets. Xerden, of all people, couldn't possibly see passed Xaikar's defenses.
Or could he?
Finally Xerden perked a brow at Xosiroth, "If I had a secret, I certainly would not admit it to you."
"That doesn't mean you don't have one." Xosiroth pointed out.
Xerden grinned, "Of course not. I have secrets, and so do you friend. I'll trade you a secret for a secret."
Xosiroth glared into silence. Soan looked around. "Well, then who? Averix do you have like, a...spy or a new power of insight?"
Averix shook his head. "I just know, they come tomorrow."
"For what?" Mystix asked angrily. "We haven't upset them lately! Why do they need to storm the castle tomorrow? What's so important?"
Her, Averix wanted to say. She is important to him. He avoided Xaikar's eyes. "Something is very important to them here. He thinks, well, they think we have something of theirs, and they want it back."
"Alright," Soan glared around the table, "Who stole from them?"
Various denies were shouted over the others.
"It's not an object, really." Averix answered honestly.
Xages whimpered. She leaned into his ear and whispered, "He is saying to much."
Averix blinked, stealing a peak at Xaikar. She'd dropped her head lower into her chest, face completely hidden now.
"If you know so much why not just tell all?" Xosiroth preened.
"What do you care asshole?" Averix glared. "You don't give a shit about this Organization. Not a shit. Why are you even here?"
"Chillax," Mystix warned.
"The point is they come tomorrow, and if we aren't prepaired, we're fucked." Averix said strongly.
They silenced in their seats, recognizing this as the central problem.
"Xerden."
Xerden looked up to Soan, "Yes, Superior?"
"Set a plan of traps. A first line of defence for the castle. And...That's as far as I got."
Xerden nodded, "I will. With permission, Sir, I will assemble other defenses as well. My plans will be finished before the evening is over."
"Xaikar," Soan looked to his second. Averix stiffened, he'd seen her? How--but then he noticed upon looking that Xaikar had dropped her energy shield. She looked up, ready for instruction.
"The castle will be under my supervision," Xaikar assured Soan. "I'll send an alert if security is breached. For now, I would be of use setting up defenses, or else monitoring the streets for the Keybladers, should they attack early."
"Do that," Soan nodded. "That's good. Alright, everyone can go."
Xaikar whisped out quickly. Others were slower to leave by portal, but most decided the priority was to stay in the castle until the attack was over. Averix stood with Xages at his side and together they walked down the hall.
"Marshmallow?" Xages pouted. Averix sighed and shook his head.
As he did so, he looked forward. There, a little ways ahead, Xerden walked slowly toward his strategy room.
"Go ahead without me," Averix said to Xages without looking at her. He rushed then to Xerden's side.
"Why didn't you just say you weren't the one?" Averix asked bluntly.
Xerden stopped walking. He turned and they faced eachother, man to man. Or, in this case, Nobody to Nobody.
"It's more amusing to watch Xosiroth feign fustration." Xerden grinned, a glint of secret in his eyes.
"You could see her," Averix accused. "Why protect her?"
This was harder for Xerden to answer. "As an elder, I should answer you. And if I am remembering correctly, I should answer you. But I am not sure of memory is correct."
"Either way," said Averix with a quirked brow, "You should answer."
"Lately I've been remembering," Xerden began, prefacing the answer. "I don't mean to, it just happens. Little flashes of my Complete life. Phrases of words I remember hearing or speaking myself, in many cases."
Averix listened closely. If Xerden were remembering now, was it a chain reaction? Had Averix started sparked the memories, and now after him Xerden and then maybe Xanoh or Mystix?
"The one thing that is very clear in these visions are the people with whom I speak to, and the place I can't name. It's a golden place, always golden."
The golden place. Averix had once called it that, too. When he first remembered Empiria, that's all he could say to describe it. Golden. "
Xerden went on, "Only once have I seen it cast in darkness. I forgot most of that memory, I think on purpose." Xerden stared at the wall behind Averix's head, "There is a man, he has golden hair, and he is the Captain of my gaurd. I have only ever refered to him as Rei, but--"
"But?"
"He looks a lot like you."
Stunned shock passed over Averix. Who was Xerden, really? If he knew of the gaurd, if he remembered Xavier, and Empiria...Averix came to the very possible conclusion that Xerden must have been an Empirian. Silence on Averix's part allowed Xerden to continue.
"There are three others, two girls I don't remember at all. They are part of the gaurd as well."
"And the other?" Averix managed to ask.
Xerden's crystaline blue eyes lowered. "Is Xaikar in her complete form."
Averix lip quivered. "How are you so sure?"
He shook his head, "I do not know where the confidence of my accusation comes, but I feel it. Nobodies feel nothing, but of this I am sure in my very core. When we were on a mission, Xaikar and I, I happen to touch her shoulder. There was a spark of something to fast to see, it shot across my mind and then was gone. She pulled away from me, and I assumed it was from the unfamiliarity of my touch. Now I think she felt the spark as well, and it scared her.
That night when I slept I had a dream of the golden place.
"She was there, Xaikar, but much younger, and in her complete form. Her hair was golden silk, not the lavender it is now. I could almost feel it...She leaned over me, and I touched her shoulder, I had to reach up and it pained me to do so. I touched her shoulder in the same spot I had touched earlier that day. In my dream, I suddenly realized I'd been hurt and was laying on the ground. She stared down at me with serene eyes. I felt my fear wash away, and the trembling of my body stop as she pressed her palm against my chest. The dream didn't finish, but it's easy to see. She saved me, in whatever other life I had been living."
While this soaked in, Xerden lapsed into silence. Averix breathed deeply. So Xerden knew of Akira as well. His dreamed sparked the affection he held for her, and that was why he had been protecting her. Amazing, that even this form void of feelings could allow memories of affection. Memories were strong enough. Anything to hang onto in this half, cursed, empty life.
"Have you told anyone else?"
Xerden stared into Averix's purple eyes. "No."
"She does not remember us," Averix put a hand on Xerden's shoulder with a firm grip. "She does not want to. It...pains her to remember, and for that reason you must not tell her anything. Xaikar is fragile in a way Akira is not, and she will falter if she cannot handle herself. Xerden, it is she the Keyblader's want. I fear tomorrow will be a grueling day for her memories, and if she can't hold it together, I might loose her."
"I understand, my Rei." Xerden answered formally. "I will also be watching her. And I will tell no one."
"Thank you...Aveum'shra-Nao'Ender."
Xerden smiled, "Aveum'shra."

She lied. The castle was unprotected, save Xerden, who would watch and plan. Xaikar had stolen away, yet again.
This world had no name she knew of. It was covered in the loveliest purple flowers, every inch of it. Where the land broke to sea, the dark waves brought in the tide on white sand beaches. It was uninhabited, this empty world, untouched by people. Here the voices slowed and their memories, their feelings, they could not touch her. This haven she shared with no one but herself. The silence blanketed her like the dark cloud skies covered the darkness of stars and space. The scent of midnight captivated her.
She lay in the endless flower bed, hidden in their color except for the black of her attire. She'd left the cloak in the castle. The cloak would stay there, it would not touch the purity of this world.
His kiss lingered on her lips.
She turned her head the other direction, shaking the memory. She continually asked herself why she'd been so stupid, so clumsy with her actions. Why had she allowed herself to be alone with him? So easily were portals accessed, why hadn't she run away? Why had she stayed at all?
Why?
The answer came quickly, so quickly she pretended not to hear it.
Some part of me loves him.
She spread her arms out, fully extended level with her shoulders, and pointed her feet together. Breathing deeply, she concentrated on the sound of the air and the crash of the waves. Her fingers stilled against the soft grass, and the flowers caressed her body. Before too long Xaikar slipped into a trance-like state, hypnotized by the world itself. With any luck, she would pass through tomorrow without waking and then the danger, the Keyblader, and He, would be gone.

Mystix sauntered into Xerden's strategy room without permission. She'd let her long vivid pink hair down, as she always did after the sun went down. Xerden noticed the sudden bright of the color and smiled, not taking his eyes off the blueprints of the castle.
"Shouldn't you be somewhere, miss?"
Mystix rolled her eyes. She leaned against the table, flicking dust from her fingernails. "The kids are asleep, sugar. I'm all yours now."
He set down his pen and sat back. "Don't you have undercover work to do?"
"Why are you trying so hard to get rid of me?" She perked a brow. "My presence too seductive?"
Xerden shook his head. "How are you?"
"Fine," Mystix answered dully. Everyone was always fine.
"That's...fine." Xerden sighed. "Xanoh?"
"Fine, too. Mock sleeping, I think. He's taking after you, you know." Her pink eyes sparkled. "I asked why he wasn't practicing his pipe, he said he had some new security ideas. He had a little piece of paper and pen, too. Squiggly home-made map of the castle, drawing stick figures...too cute."
"Did you tuck him in, darling?" Xerden asked playfully, though is tone was flat.
Mystix smiled lovingly and sank down into Xerden's lap, throwing her arms around his neck. "It was just the sweetest thing, love. Our little baby wanted to sleep with the light off. Said the only thing to fear in the darkness was himself. Oh," she feigned pride.
The tiniest laugh bubbled to Xerden's lips.
"Do you believe Averix?" Mystix asked seriously. "Tomorrow?"
At this, Xerden lowered his gaze to the floor. "I do. They will come tomorrow, Mystix, and I have a feeling they will bring friends. The three will be enough to destroy us, seeing as just the two males took out the past organization, and they were far more seasoned."
"You're scared?" Mystix asked, puzzled.
Quirking a brow, Xerden shook his head. "I can't be scared. It's just factual, Mystix. The odds are not in our favor...which is why I was thinking..."
"I don't like that tone, mister."
"Mystix, listen. Listen carefully." Xerden took her chin in his hand, angling her eyes directly to his. "Tomorrow...Tomorrow I want you to keep Xanoh and Ekaxa, and for that matter Dexaj away from the intruders."
"The more of us protecting the castle, the better chance--"
"No. Listen, please." His eyes were pleading, so Mystix quieted, and she listened.
"The Keybladers have not seen them, the youngest. Truth be told, they know of very few of our fifteen. It would be a horrible trajedy if they were to send us all back to oblivion when that needn't happen. Even if they did, more like us would appear, and another organization would form. They should not be alone, without leadership. Empty or not, we are a race of people, and survival is at the core of every being. We need to survive."
Mystix set her lips into a hard pout, Xerden did not miss it. However, he continued, despite her silent protest. "Truth-- they have only seen Soan, Xaikar, Averix, Xages, Xosiroth, and myself. And you have revealed yourself to the Rogue Artemis. ...Omiting Xosiroth and yourself, and Xages if she complies, though it's doubtful...I only want the four of us in the way of the Keybladers."
"You can't sacrifice yourself!" Mystix yelled suddenly. "You idiot!"
Such an outburst was expected. "Mystix, I cannot just watch them storm--"
"You shut up now." She pointed an angry finger.
He silenced, respectfully.
She glared, hard, her pink eyes growing a darker shade of scarlet. "I make food for you, I tuck your son in at night, and I clean your room. How dare you think you can go die and leave your family!"
He smiled softly, "Mystix, love...surely you must see how this is not a valid argument."
"It is so!" She cried. "You said we're a race of people, even if we are empty, and we have to survive. I don't know how to survive without you."
"You're mind is making you think you'll care if I die, if that is truly what a Nobody does. Truly, Mystix," He tapped her nose. "Tomorrow if I parish, you will feel nothing. I have all the fake love in my heart for you, and our adopted Xanoh son, but someone will come to take my place. And if you cannot move on, see it like the humans see it. Your husband died valiantly fighting for his love."
"What if I were the one pending death?" Mystix asked sadly. "Would you let me go?"
"That is not the case, and if it were, there would be different rules."
"Double standards are frowned upon, husband."
"So are girls with pink hair, wife."
She took his face in her hands. For a long while she stared into his eyes, searching for something. Xerden had every confidence that she would find the window to an empty soul, and would fail to find anything of substance.
"I love you." The words were spoken softly, without confidence.
Xerden took her hand from his cheek and kissed the palm. "I love you."
"You're a liar." Mystix glared.
He smirked, "And so are you."
"We're perfect for eachother then."
And then Xerden kissed her, as unsurely as she had said 'I love you'. His brow creased, and his hand held hers loosely. When she accepted the kiss, Mystix intertwined their fingers, and relaxed his muscles. It truly was perfect.

It was well into the night when Xaikar made it to Hollow Bastion. Somewhere in the nothingness of her lonely world, one name had leaked into her empty haze.
Aoi.
He slept; tomorrow he had school. She watched him from the chair at his desk, listening to sound of his heart, feeling the waves of peaceful dreams flow off of him.
Slow in movement, Xaikar stood and crossed the room, trailing her fingers across the sheets at the end of his bed. She sat where his hand opened palm up beside his body.
"Tomorrow the Keyblader's come for me," Xaikar admitted in a whisper. She traved the outline of his hand without touching him. "One of them is under the pretense that the girl I was in my complete life is still inside me, and he is hell bent on getting her back. Today he cornered me, and there was a kiss involved. I am...sorry, if that's how guilty significant others should feel. I felt nothing." The lie came easy, as did believe in it.
"Tomorrow, he will come for me, in the castle, thinking there is something he needs to save there, inside me. He is sadly mistaken; he will come tomorrow and he will send someone back to oblivion. I can feel it.
"But, that is tomorrow's problem." Xaikar's eyes softened. "Tonight I will look after you..."
She had never spoken so much at one time. The sound of her voice was unfamiliar to her ears, but it echoed in the room, soft as a rose petal, light as a feather. With the gentlest of motions, Xaikar pushed the sleeve of her dress up, exposing the pale skin of her hand and arm. She reached forward, laying her hand ontop of Aoi's. His fingers twitched. Her hand pulled quickly away. Maybe her skin was too cold; his skin was too warm.
How strange, she thought. Two beings never supposed to exist...finding eachother, and falling into a strange, peaceful coexistance. Is this what Normals understood to mean love? They also said love was strong, stronger than any of the other feelings. Is it strong enough then, do you think, she thought, to be felt by someone who has no feelings? Could that someone return the love they are not suposed to feel? Is this love's life made weaker by the existance of the beings in question, if they were never meant to breathe one breathe? Did it matter that the odds constantly stacked against this love that was not supposed to exist, as the people it was shared by were not supposed to exist?
Or, she asked, was this why the love was so great? Love, as she had observed it in normals, was made greater, stronger, better, when put against adversity. Love conquered all, it was so strong. Made strong by the hardships it had struggled through, because it had beaten the odds and come out strengthened by the battle. Could she be so deserving of that love, when she was not deserving of anything at all? Unconsiously Xaikar had reached out again, this time too touch Aoi's cheek.
"Do you think if I could ever really love you, nothing else would matter?"
Xaikar only realized when her palm burned with the warmth of his skin that her hand rested on his face. Too late now, comforted by his warmth, Xaikar left her hand where it was.
Replica, maybe, but more human than she could ever be, Aoi's soft, warm skin reminded her of how far from human she really was. Aoi had all the qualities of a Normal; he was normal. His make-up meant very little in his world that was based on face value. He could live normally, he deserved that much. He deserved to be happy, as happy as life would allow. He deserved a normal girl, who could age with him, that could love him so openly, much more purely than Xaikar could.
So very softly, "I am sorry."
Her hand trailed lightly down the length of his jaw, to his neck. "I should not be stealing your love, because you can have feelings, and I can't. It is unfair....You deserve more."
From his neck, along his shoulder, and down his arm, Xaikar's fingers brushed along his skin.
"This may not be love, I may not be real, you may not be your own person. I may never see you again, you will never know I was here. But--"
She bit against her lip and took his hand into both of hers. "This most assuredly counts." Xaikar kissed his hand. "I love you, so very foolishly. But with all the love in my heart that cannot feel, Aoi I love you."
Her hand held his tightly now, gaining the strength needed for a goodbye. And then she leaned down and whispered softly into his ear. She was gone before his eyes could flutter open.

Hours til morning, Averix paced in his room. Hours left to create an infallible plan. Hours, only. Since his creation, Averix had never been more aware of time, and how fast the minutes flashed by when you wanted, needed, them to slow down. He begged for a few more seconds, just one long minute, but time is cruel, and does not wait for anyone.
When his legs were tired he flopped onto the matress on his floor and put his face between his hands. How does one go about planning a great plan, a failsafe, a last ditch plan that can be worked into any outcome?
How could he save Xaikar?
The answer came clearly. I can't.
Not against the Keybladers. Not against a hell bent Riku, determined to save her, to brink Akira back from oblivion. He would enevitably win, of course.
Then another clear thought. Let him win.
Should Riku bring Akira out of the darkness, she would no longer be in a tortured existance. Akira would be set free, and she would return to Empirian, and she would save the world.
The Xavier inside him thrilled to this thought. Averix sighed. How perfect an ending for her.
In the end, as the morning came, Averix had his plan. The only infallible plan.
It was perfect.
It was easily done in any situation.
It was his last stand.

"How long of a morning do you think it will be?" Xerden asked Mystix.
She pulled her hair up. "Short. Are you still set on me and your kid staying out?"
"More sure than I am of anything today."
"Damn," she snapped her fingers. "I guess I should go wake him up."
"Take care not to alarm him so much, dear." Xerden smirked, "I would hate to worry him."
"I'm sure he'll be fine."
"Goodbye, love."
Mystix whirled around, "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Xerden eyed her sternly.
"You've already decided you will die?" She stomped a foot hard to the ground, "Damnit, Xerden."
"It was a simple goodbye, Mystix. I would have said it regardless of the circumstances." He smiled at her. "Goodbye."
"Quit. Butthead." She knocked him in the shoulder. "I'll see you later, sweetheart." Her eyes were a warning. She better see him later, or he was in trouble.