ORDER - 3

Xayah's wild, fear filled gaze watched Cislunar and Shira attack each other. Never had she been exposed to violence like this before- never had she witnessed a true battle to the death. It made her feel like she was going to be sick- like she should do something help, even though she had no skill or knowledge to help in the slightest. Jumping in would only serve to get in his way and distract him. With the way they were exchanging blows, that would be a death sentence.

“You were brave to disavow Oris, but it won’t garner you any favors here– in fact, it has done quite the opposite.” Shira snarled, tail whipping as she circled Cislunar for just a moment before launching herself at him once more.

Xayah's focus flickered along Shira's form, desperately searching for some kind of weak point. For some form of opening she could find and tell Cislunar about to turn the tides. The opalescent armor was beautiful yet terrifying, it's sharp and angled edges serving as a twisted kind of cover. Kept Xayah from actually spotting an opening, and likely did the same for Cislunar. But- there! A gap at her shoulder!

"Her shoulder!" Xayah yelled desperately, voice breaking with her fear as she scrambled from her hiding spot to put more space between her and the battle when the pair grew closer to the wall. "Her shoulder ha-"

A bruising blow cut her off, sent the vayron tumbling and rolling along the stone floor. Whatever had hit her left her dazed, vision swimming while she struggled to gather her limbs up underneath her. To stand up and move from the apparent new threat. The others- they couldn't attack too, right? It was just Shira- wasn't it? Was she doomed to shed blood as well?

"Now now... hold that tongue of yours, or we'll take it from you." One of the guards growled lowly, sneering town at her swaying form. A growl that only increased in volume when Shira let out a pain filled snarl, Cislunar having succeeded in landing a blow where Xayah warned him about. 

Xayah shook her head to try to clear it of the swimming vision she was dealing with, hackles on end and teeth bared as she looked up at the guard. Faced her assailant despite the bone deep terror that was screaming for her to run away- to get as far from this place as possible. But... no. No, this guard was familiar. She new this Order member, had helped heal him!

"Ke'lal? You- I helped you-"

"You served your purpose for the Tranquil. A single moment of doing as you're told will buy you no loyalty from me. I suggest you be as obedient as you were with them, if you value you life." He growled, snarl twisting up his expression as he leveled a hate filled glare down at her. He looked back to the battle, snarl turning into a sneer when he watched Shira land a devastating blow on Cislunar, the puller letting out a shout of pain as she shredded through his armor. "You companion will endure this without your aid, outsider."

Xayah yelped when Ke'lal grabbed a fistful of her mane and hauled her up, drug her to a 'better view' as he put it. Where she could see the fight and also the rest of their group. Where they were unable to approach, kept at bay by the Order while Cislunar fought. A twisted scene and display of force and strength. One that had despair clawing its way up, consuming Xayah and leaving her feeling helpless. If she'd gotten to their dropped bag and to the potions within, she would've been able to help. Would've been able to give him an edge. But... It seemed her one moment of advice would be all she could do.

The blow from before seemed to throw Cislunar off, the guard heavily favoring his back left leg as he tried to keep his front facing Shira. A weakness the haedian exploited relentlessly. He would find no reprieve in this fight, no moment to regain his bearings. All he could do was try to keep his head above water, yet even that wasn't enough. The initial attack must have been a fluke, though. Every attack he tried to make did not land, no matter where he aimed. Yet blow after blow from Shira proved to be worse than the last, the haedian shredding through his armor and tearing open the once protected flesh below. Painted the dark stone beneath their paws in his blood.

Cislunar's breathing was ragged, an alarming wet rattle sounding from him as blood bubbled past his lips. Never had he expected this sort of end. A death in battle, yes, but not one holding so much weight for everyone else with him. Would they be dealt with after he dropped? What was going to happen to them?

"Pathetic," Shira hissed, simply hitting him to throw him off balance and to the ground. Her pace unhurried as she sneered down at the puller, ignored Xayah's begging to let him go as she shoved his face hard against the stone. To gloat over his loss. The defeat in his eyes was just so sweet to her.

Whatever she hissed to him was lost on Xayah, the vayron struggling against Ke'lal's hold like she was caught in a trap. They had no mercy- none! They were going to kill him- she had to stop it somehow-

Yet everything came to a stop when a haedian draped in gold arrived. Granted them the mercy she begged for by calling off Shira before telling them to follow her and the pair that were flanking her. It was enough to make Xayah's head spin, but she didn't utter a word of complaint when Ke'lal dropped her. No. Her claws scrambled on the stone as she rushed over to Cislunar, tried to help him up and shoulder his weight.

"C'mon- we passed somehow! Just- you gotta get a bit further is all. Just a bit further- I can get the bag and give you the potions, get you right again." Xayah assured him as they slowly shuffled along, leaving a trail of his blood behind them.

Yeah... She would fix him. Put him back together again, make her friend whole. They'd started this whole thing together. It was only right that they saw it to the end together as well. One way or another, she'd see that it happened. That, even when they part ways, it was on their terms and after they return to the surface.