Maxi dragged Angelina all the way to the spiraling stairs of the Library, her tail trailing behind him like a loose ribbon of golden silk. Halfway up, he suddenly paused, a terrible image flashing in his mind—a cartoon he'd seen long ago. One character was dragging another by the leg up a flight of stairs, and the poor soul kept bonking their head on every step with a thud-thud-thud.
Maxi shuddered.
"Yeah… no. She'd kill me. Literally murder," he muttered, letting go of her tail. Even unconscious, Angelina had an aura that promised vengeance.
He bent down and tried, once again, to lift her. Her weight wasn't the problem—his lack of coordination was. Her limbs flopped awkwardly, her head rolled, and Maxi felt like he was holding a ragdoll version of a goddess.
As he struggled, a flicker of memory returned—Techxin's voice, stern yet patient, during one of their many training sessions: "Your stronger then you think."
Maxi closed his eyes, took a breath, and adjusted her weight. This time, he got it right. Angelina rested awkwardly but safely against his shoulder. He started climbing the stairs, the burden lighter not because she weighed less, but because he finally believed he could carry her.
Through the winding corridors of the main castle, Maxi trudged. He pushed open the enormous golden doors, and the second he stepped out, he felt it—the invisible weight of the castle's divine pressure vanished. He nearly stumbled from the sudden relief. The night air kissed his face, cold and gentle. It smelled like moonlight, quiet and clean.
Above him, the four moons bathed the land in their silver glow, like gods watching from afar. The breeze rustled his hair, brushing away the sweat that clung to his forehead. The quiet wrapped around him like a soft blanket. In that moment, carrying Angelina no longer felt like a chore—it felt like peace.
As he approached his smaller castle, he spotted someone on the training grounds. A blur of motion. A flash of steel. It was Techxin.
Maxi paused and thought how Techxin wasn't his training anymore how he had ask another on of his siblings but at leat he could still spare with him
Maxi then entered his small castle and placed Angelina on his bed as best as he could
Maxi then thought she wasn't in the most comfortable position but it was something at least there was on a bed with a soft pillow
Maxi then went outside to the training grounds and saw Techxin
Techxin was a storm made flesh—jumping high enough to nearly touch the clouds, his axe spinning in tight spirals before it slammed into the ground with a booming CRACK that split the earth.
Maxi barely managed to jump back, avoiding the sudden gust of air and bits of debris that would've sent him flying like a leaf. He landed, patted himself down, and exhaled.
Techxin wiped the sweat from his brow and looked up, grinning. "Oh hey, Maxi."
"Hey, big brother," Maxi said, walking up to him. "How are you doing?"
"Good. You?"
"Good."
A beat passed. Then Techxin stretched, his muscles rippling like coiled ropes. "So you talk to one of our siblings yet? About training you?"
"Nope," Maxi admitted with a sheepish grin. "I was planning on doing it later."
Techxin gave him a playful scowl. "Don't wait too long. You've still got Colen's test coming up, right?"
"Yep. Don't worry. I'll ask them before then," Maxi said, waving a hand dismissively. "But for now… I wanted to ask you something."
Techxin raised an eyebrow.
Maxi's grin widened. "Feel like a late-night sparring match?"
Techxin's smile exploded. "You know damn well I can't refuse that."
Maxi laughed. "That's why I asked."
Techxin cracked his knuckles. "So, what weapons are you using tonight?"
Maxi walked over to the weapons rack and picked up two wooden daggers. "How about a mix of fists and blades?."
"You? Using fists?" Techxin chuckled. "Alright then. I'll go bare-handed."
Maxi turned away for a moment, letting the shadows of the night cloak his next move. Quietly, secretly, he put the daggers on hid side swapping them with something else.
He giggled to himself. "Oh… me too."