[b]"Get your hands away from me,"[/b] Zaino tried to force his body back up into standing posture, only managing to roll onto his back and away from the woman. He flinched from the movement and the cuts across his body roared, feeling the stinging of his body coincide with the cut at his thigh. He was sure that the dagger had been coated in poison, and it was already well into his system... he would die in due time.

[b]"I try to kill you and you respond by trying to help me?"[/b] Zaino choked on a mouthful of blood as it regurgitated and trickled down the side of his mouth, now shifting his efforts onto getting a hold of his sword which laid beside his feet. He had strained his body beyond its limits days ago, and without any supplements, his condition couldn't surprise him. [b]"Idiot.."[/b] he said under pressure, his eyes rolling back and his elevated head falling back to the ground. He coughed again and his eyes closed shut, falling unconscious.

---

Xerxes was taken aback by Darrian's answer, having expected the complete opposite; total arrogance. [b]"Hmph. I tore through hundreds of them on my own,"[/b] he sighed, obviously not trying to boast. He had drawn Imperius that night, and on his own, he slaughtered more than his own group did in total. He hadn't been excited nor reluctant to do so, either; he had maintained his emotionless, nonchalant mannerism the entire time, as if he didn't possess a single amount of care for what he was doing. He was just carrying out orders.

[b]"What makes you think that they're still out there?"[/b] It was then that Xerxes remembered that the other person was among them, muttering an [i]ah[/i] in understanding. He nodded to his friend, leaning his back against the palace wall and folding his arms. [b]"I see why, now."[/b]