Storms and Stories

Cor decided to take the stairs down to the holding cells, not wanting to wait on the elevator. The Citadel seemed busier today than usual, but that could be related to what had occurred this morning. Cor trusted Titus' judgment to increase security measures and was glad to see that the Prince and his always present friend were not running around in the open. He had spoken briefly to Clarus over the phone, confirming the safety of the King, and to make sure they knew of current events. He made sure to pretend not to hear the Shield asking about his current relationship status in a snarky tone, before shutting his phone.

Titus was speaking to one of the Kingsglaive who had been present, and injured, much earlier that morning. He recognized the boy as Luche Lazarus. He was proficient with firearms and often had a smart mouth. It honestly didn't pain Cor to see the boy with ice held to his head and a sour look on his face.

"Morning, sir," Titus greeted.

"Titus," Cor nodded. "Any updates about our escaped prisoners?"

The Captain sighed and looked back to Luche.

"Lazarus, here, was just telling me that the boy who was killed is our would be traitor. The one who we suspected was passing on personal information to Jason and Hank. I checked for myself, and sure enough, it is Thomas. He apparently incapacitated Luche and Yaris at the door here, before setting the two current fugitives free. He was found dead in Jason's cell and it would appear that he was killed by the two he considered allies. Stabbed twice in the chest, piercing his heart. His death was a quick one from my understanding."

"You're telling me that a well-trained and battle-experienced Kingsglaive and a recruit at the top of her class were incapacitated by a lovestruck guard in training with obviously poor judgment?" Cor asked with raised brow.

"Believe me sir, I'm pretty damn embarrassed, myself," Luche cut in, "Guess he caught us off guard. He was nervous as hell, but that was his usual nature. He said he had a note for us from the Captain, went to pull it out from his backpack, and got Yaris first with the lightening taser he had concealed. I grabbed at him, but got a shock myself before getting hit in the head by something hard."

"He had a backpack?" Cor asked. "Was it found with him?"

"No, sir," Titus answered.

"Very well," Cor sighed, then looked at Luche, "You may be dismissed. I understand you were on guard duty as a punishment from Titus. I'm pretty sure that blow to the head and the embarrassment that followed are punishment enough. You may return to normal duty starting tomorrow."

"Yes, sir, thank you," Luche said dryly as he got up to leave, still icing his head.

Cor walked into the holding area and into the two cells that held Hank and Jason, respectively. He found nothing in Hank's cell and very little in Jason's. Blood was still present where Thomas had been found and removed. Cor couldn't help but feel some pity for the boy. Jason had manipulated and used the boy, then killed him. Yes, he was a traitor, but Cor still felt a loss. He felt the same loss anytime a member of the Glaive or Guard was killed. He was about to leave Jason's cell when he noticed something on the wall. He moved closer and noticed that something had been etched into the stone that was not there before.

"Your greatest fears be not allayed,

Despite your military form,

Your heart and soul shall be betrayed,

You cannot resist the coming storm." He read slowly.

"What's that? Bad poetry?" Titus asked with a huff.

"A threat, I think," Cor replied, still staring at the writing. "Jason enjoys making threats. He seems to have signed this one with some sort of symbol." Cor touched the cold stone, feeling the symbol with his fingers as if willing his flesh to remember it.

"Any idea where these two would flee?" Titus asked. "I've had security elevated at every gate out of the city."

"A necessary action, but one I imagine they already assumed," Cor answered, finally pulling away from the wall and exiting the cell. "Still, keep security heightened. I will notify some contacts outside the wall and have hunters on alert as well. They came from Lestallum, we'll have the city informed as well, in case they decide to return there."

"Very, well," the Captain nodded.

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"Is that even possible?" Evie asked, laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes.

"Apparently for Libertus, it is," Nyx chuckled.

Nyx knew that regaling her with some of the funnier stories of him and his friends would help to distract her from her current anxieties. Worry was something the Glaive was used to and humor had become his way of dealing with it himself.

"How about you, Evie?" He asked her after about an hour of his own tales, "Surely you have some funny stories of your own from, where was it? Lestallum?"

"Well, once my brother and I pulled a prank on some hunters we knew. They were out at night looking for a certain band of demons that had been destroying crops and killing livestock. We thought it would be a great idea to scare them, since the location of the hunt was in this bog that was supposed to be haunted. Anyway, my brother was pretty good with tech stuff and he was able to get a projector and we made it appear as if the ghost of the bog had come to destroy the hunters who had disturbed her. It was honestly pretty convincing, and their faces were priceless." Evie laughed at the memory, and it comforted her to think of her brother. Nyx knew that look.

"He's gone, now, isn't he?" He asked somberly.

"Yes, he is," she replied with a sad smile.

"I'm sorry," he said, placing his hand on hers. "I lost a sister before coming here. My whole family is gone, actually."

"Oh, Nyx, I am so sorry! I had no idea!" She said softly. He had always seemed so cheerful, Evie never would have thought he had been through such loss.

"I have found that the best way to heal, is to keep the memories close and to let yourself be a part of a family again. Libertus, Crowe, Pelna…hell, even Luche. They are my family now. And you, too, Evie. You're another little sister I get to look out for, and I'm happy for it."

Evie felt tears in her eyes and looked down, trying to not let her emotions show, and failing miserably.

"Thank you, Nyx. I am lucky to have such a brother," she said. She wiped her face as he removed his hand from hers.

"I think you have quite a few brothers, here, honestly," he said thoughtfully. "As well as something else."

Evie looked up at him with surprise at his last statement and he laughed.

"Oh come on, Evie," he teased, "I've known Cor for awhile now. The man is as serious and hardened as they get. I've never seen the man laugh, or even smile, until you came along. Plus, when you are on guard duty, you have plenty of time to be observant. And from what I could see, he's been into you for a while now. Always watching you, worrying over you, putting you before other priorities he wouldn't think of laying down for anyone else, save the King himself. And as for you, I knew it was only a matter of time." Nyx looked quite proud of himself as he leaned back in his chair.

"Wait, what is that supposed to mean?" Evie asked, annoyingly aware of the blush filling her previously pale face.

"Well, he's a handsome man with a good head on his shoulders," He went on, closing his eyes but not losing the smirk as he talked, "Hardened, like I said, but as soon as I saw you, when you came for that job interview, I knew your sweetness could break right through that. Cor has dealt with just about any enemy and weapon, but your combination of natural kindness and candor? No way he was ready for that. And I could tell you enjoy a challenge. Hell, you'd have to in order to take the job." Evie was shocked that Nyx had seen so much, that she herself had been blind to. He pulled her from her thoughts as he broke the silence again. "Plus, I noticed you staring at his ass that first day." She picked up the pillow from her chair and threw it with perfect aim at his face as he broke into another laugh.

Cor was standing in the doorway with an amused look on his face just as the pillow hit the Glaive's face.

"Perhaps I should enlist you in the next recruiting class," he spoke up with a small smile and crossed arms.