"Ziv, run!"
Saix's body stiffened against her, and he shoved her roughly away. Ziv stumbled, then turned. "What?"
"Just go! Hurry!" Saix cursed himself for allowing himself to relax and forgetting it was tonight, allowing himself to put her life in danger. He glanced up in alarm, the full moon starting to peek out from behind the clouds. He flinched as its silvery light fell on them both. "Now!" He yowled the last word desperately, his back arching. Saix shuddered in agony, pain flooding his system as he struggled to delay the inevitable transformation, wanting to buy Ziv enough time to escape.
But she wasn't leaving. "What's happening?" Ziv cried. "I'm not leaving you here!"
"No time to... explain... Aaaargh!" Saix cried out as he sank to his knees, struggling to remain in his right mind. "Get out!" His unearthly scream filled the dark garden. Ziv hesitated, stepped back, then stood still, her resolve stiffening.
"Saix!"
No. No! I'll kill her! Saix's last conscious thought faded away as his berserker instincts took control, a single bloodlust and rage overcoming him. A single instinct, rather than thoughts, replaced his anguish: The girl. Destroy the girl.
Saix stumbled to his feet, his claymore now in hand, his eyes reflecting the moon's light with an unearthly yellow glow. Teeth bared, an inhuman snarl escaping him, Saix moved forward. None of his grace in battle had deserted him; only his mind was gone now. Realizing what had happened, Ziv stumbled backwards. "S-saix..."
He lunged for her, his claymore swinging at her neck; only swift reflexes saved Ziv. She dropped to the ground and rolled, jumping to her feet again with the long katana in her hands. Steel clashed on steel as the berserk Saix swung again and again, blocked each time by Ziv's quick movements. Her heart was pounding in fear, adrenaline pumping through her body. He's trying to kill me. The sudden realization sent a strength born of desperation to the girl.
Yet Saix was relentless, and unlike Ziv, he was a trained fighter. His berserk instincts lent him a strangely bestial strength, and the girl knew she could only hold him off for so long, hoping that the moon would retreat, that he would return to his right mind before he killed her. Suddenly, with a swift downward thrust, Saix struck the hilt of the masamune with his claymore. The blade flew out of Ziv's hands, and she fell to her knees as he advanced on her.
"Saix..." she whispered, then looked up into his face. "Saix, it's me!" she shouted. "Snap out of it! Please! This isn't really you!" Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. Saix really didn't recognize her. He was going to kill her. Shaking uncontrollably, she shut her eyes tight. "I still love you, Saix..." she whispered, and clenched her fists tight in anticipation of the invitable blow.
It didn't come. Suddenly, she felt someone's arms encircling her, and she stiffened, opening her eyes. "Saix...?"
The Nobody's golden eyes met hers for a long moment, then he pulled her close and she relaxed against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "You're back..." she whispered. There was no reply, only an oddly strangled noise from his throat. It took her a minute to realize that Saix was crying.
"I almost lost you," he whispered shakily, tears streaming down his face, and he held her trembling body tightly, tasting his own salty tears and feeling the dampness of hers on his neck.
"No," Ziv said quietly, and tightened her arms around Saix. "I thought you were lost to me."
For what seemed like an eternity, they held each other in the silent garden. And the full moon shone shone down upon them both, bathing the two in its silvery light; but for Saix, that was no longer something to be feared.