Connected to the Chain - Pt V

It was like a confused, random dream, watching four people at once. In fact, because of the level of concentration following four different presences, she might as well have been asleep. She was floating inside the shadows, keeping tabs on her leads, her eyes unfocused as she maintained her coma-like state. Umbra and Sable orbited her with alarming speed, acting as a defense system.

Sora was doing what Sora did best:  plowing ahead, looking for Riku so they could rescue Naminé together. She sighed with every mention of the promise he made to her and thought of Kairi. The three Nobodies were traveling, and somehow managed to gather in Naminé's room. With all three of them present, she snapped off two threads, holding on to Axel. That should be sufficient, she nodded to herself. Her consciousness, now that she wasn't so strained, returned slowly, the scimitars revolving at a slower pace. This was the expected third meeting with "Riku," but he was nowhere to be found. Sora was confused, and a little happy he didn't have to fight his friend. Meanwhile, a totally different mood was in Naminé's room, where they were as surprised as Sora at "Riku's" absence.

"He's hiding somewhere to lure Sora deeper into the castle, right?" Axel chided. "I suppose we should just leave it at that. You know…"

"Aha! Oh I see now! I would've never guessed that! So sorry, Vexen!" Larxene mocked

The two were giving Vexen a hard time, and things looked like it would've gotten ugly if they weren't interrupted.

"That's enough." At the voice, Xanarian growled a little. Marluxia appeared, and she dropped her connection with Axel, gaining full consciousness and moving to the room where they were. She snarled as she watched Marluxia taunt Vexen. Despite him being relatively new as member XI, he was the master of Castle Oblivion, and also the one who was in charge of Naminé. The fact that Xanarian had to stay in this castle with him enraged her, but she did it out of respect for her master's wishes. He had gotten Vexen upset, and the scientist left to confront Sora himself.

"You give a challenge like that to Vexen," Axel said, "and he'll seriously want to eliminate Sora."

"That would be an unfortunate denouement," Marluxia replied calmly walking to Naminé. "What to do??" he said to the girl. "Your hero is soon to be wiped from existence, but I believe there is a certain promise that he made you. Isn't that right, Naminé?"

She started then looked away, a pained look on her face. "Yes."

"Of course," Xanarian said emerging from the shadows, "we all know that letting Sora be destroyed would not be the best of ideas." She looked at Marluxia squarely in the eyes.

"Well, if it isn't The Superior's pet?" Marluxia greeted. "This doesn't concern you. You may leave now."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Xanarian smiled with a mock sweetness. "I don't take orders from you, Flower Girl. You may be the master of this castle, but you're not the master of me." Marluxia's eyes narrowed.

Larxene stepped forward. "I think you forget your place…" Umbra appeared in her face.

"No one said you could talk," Xanarian said, eyes never leaving Marluxia's. "I want to know what's going on here."

"And you have the authority to demand it out of me?" Marluxia said. "If you didn't get the information from Xemnas, then you aren't supposed to know."

"Just tell me and I'll leave you alone."

"Ask The Superior himself if you really want to know. Of course, that is if you're willing to suffer through his displeasure." Marluxia's words dripped of victory, and it took Xanarian everything she had not to scream and swipe at the man.

She lowered her scimitar from Larxene's nose and turned away. "Fine. I will find out what's going on here." She walked away without a word, fading back into the shadows.

"And now you have Xanarian riled up," Axel said shaking his head. "We really have our hands full now."

"She won't go," Marluxia said with confidence. "The torture of the Omnilit Chamber is too fresh in her mind."

In the shadows, Xanarian screamed out her frustrations. He was right, of course. Until she had conclusive proof, she wasn't risking three days, or more… the thought of it made her shiver all over… of that infernal room. After the first time, she stayed in her room for a week, intensifying the shadows in her room so much that it was pitch black, to the point of darkening the shadows of the other rooms. Finished with her venting, she sighed heavily and stretched out as if laying inside the castle's shadows.

* * *
"I want you to stay in Castle Oblivion until I say otherwise."

"Master Xemnas, you can't expect me to…"

"Follow orders?" Xemnas said with a cold stare. "I do, actually."

Xanarian gulped. "O-of course, Master Xemnas." She looked down in obedience, trying to conceal her discontent.

He noticed, of course, and lifted her chin so she would look at him. "It's not permanent. You will return here soon." He let her chin go and walked off.

"Wait, Master Xemnas!!" she called out. He stopped, turning his head slightly as if to listen. "How long? Until when?"

"Until I'm proven right," was all he said as he walked away.
* * *

The memory caught Xanarian off guard. She wasn't sure why she just remembered that conversation, but she knew it was important. That level of assurance made her smile. "Alright then," she said. "I guess I'll keep watch until I'm proven right, as well."