Darkwood: Circus Inferno

Cutthroat

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Tixo moved fluidly across the training grounds outside the mortuary, his body a blur of motion as he practiced with his sai. Sweat trickled down his forehead, but he paid it no mind. His mind was focused, his senses sharp as the weapons spun in his hands with deadly precision. The recent strangeness within the mortuary had made him uneasy, but training helped him channel his nervous energy.

Each strike, each twirl of his blades felt natural, like second nature to him. The movements were muscle memory, ingrained into him from years of honing his skills. But today, something felt... off. The air around him grew heavier, his movements slower, like he was wading through thick mud.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle pierced the air, and Tixo paused, his ears twitching at the sound. He turned, eyes narrowing as a group of armored figures appeared at the edge of the clearing. Cyndryllian authorities.

Tixo's heart skipped a beat, and his grip tightened around his sai. The Tabaxi soldiers wore the unmistakable insignia of his homeland, their eyes cold and unyielding as they approached him. Memories flashed in his mind-his past crimes, his delinquent years as a thief and assassin, all rushing back in a flood of guilt and fear.

"You," one of the soldiers barked, pointing a clawed finger at Tixo. "You are under arrest."

Tixo's heart pounded in his chest, confusion and dread mixing in his veins. "For what?" he demanded, stepping back instinctively. "What did I do?"

The leader of the group sneered. "You are being sentenced for your crimes against the Cyndryllian state. Theft. Murder. Betrayal of your own family."

Tixo's blood ran cold. "I-I didn't-"

Before he could protest further, the soldiers seized him, their claws digging into his arms as they dragged him away. His mind raced, trying to piece together what was happening. This didn't make sense. He hadn't been to Cyndryll in ages. How could they have found him here? And why now?

As they dragged him through the mortuary's gate, everything around him blurred. The familiar surroundings of the courtyard melted away, replaced by the grand, foreboding halls of the Cyndryllian palace. He blinked in disbelief, struggling to understand how he had been transported so quickly. The walls loomed high above him, the stone cold and unforgiving.

At the end of the hall, seated on a raised platform, were his family. His father, stern and unforgiving; his mother, cold and distant; and his siblings, Ambrose included, watching him with a mixture of pity and contempt.

"By order of the Cyndryllian court," his father's voice boomed, "you are sentenced to death for your crimes."

Tixo's breath caught in his throat. This couldn't be real. His family had disowned him, yes, but sentencing him to death? The weight of the moment pressed down on him, making it hard to breathe. His head spun as the soldiers dragged him to the execution platform, his knees buckling under the pressure of what was about to happen.

"No, no!" Tixo shouted, struggling against his captors. "This isn't real! I didn't-"

The executioner, a hulking Tabaxi with a mask that obscured his face, stepped forward, gripping a massive axe in his hands. Tixo's heart raced as he was forced to his knees, his head positioned on the execution block. His hands were tied behind his back, and the cold stone pressed against his cheek. The executioner raised the axe high above his head, ready to deliver the fatal blow.

Tixo's vision blurred, his breath ragged. This couldn't be happening. This had to be some kind of nightmare. His heart pounded in his chest as he braced for the end, every muscle in his body tensing.

But then, something shifted. Just as the axe was about to descend, a familiar voice cut through the haze.

SCREECH

The world around him seemed to warp and twist as he felt a pair of arms wrap around him, yanking him away from the block. His eyes shot open, the Cyndryllian palace fading away, replaced by the training grounds outside the mortuary.

Tixo gasped for air, his heart pounding in his chest. He looked around, disoriented, his mind still reeling from what had just happened. His hands trembled as he realized he was clutching one of his sai, the blade mere inches from his throat.

It had all been a hallucination-a vivid, terrifying hallucination.

Wei stood before him, his wings flared in panic as he pulled Tixo away from the edge of the training grounds. The look on Wei's face was one of deep concern, his eyes wide with fear.

"You almost-" Wei signed, his hands still gripping Tixo's arms as if making sure he was really there, really safe.

Tixo blinked, trying to steady his breathing. "What... what just happened?" His voice was hoarse, his throat dry. He looked down at the sai in his hand, the sharp blade that had been so close to ending his life.

Wei gestured toward the mortuary, his expression frantic, pointing to the direction Tixo had been training. The mortuary itself, or something around it, seemed to radiate an unnatural energy, something dark and malevolent. Tixo had no doubt now-whatever had just happened, it wasn't a normal hallucination. Something in the mortuary was affecting them all, warping their realities.

Tixo shook his head, still trying to process it all. He had been moments away from cutting his own throat, believing he was about to be executed by his own family. The thought made him shudder.

"I-" Tixo started, his voice shaking. "I saw them. My family. They were going to kill me."

Wei's eyes softened, his concern evident. He gently placed a hand on Tixo's shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. Though mute, Wei's presence spoke volumes. He had pulled Tixo back from the brink of something truly horrifying, and for that, Tixo was more grateful than he could express.

Wei gestured again, this time toward the mortuary itself, as if to say they needed to tell the others about this-about whatever dark force was lingering within the walls of the place they now called home.

Tixo nodded, still shaken. "Yeah... yeah, we need to figure out what's going on. Before it gets any worse."