~CLOSED FOR REPAIRS~ Holding Back the Tide (Roland/Leander)

The Sight of the Fallen (8)

"Higgy-piggle! HIGGLEDY-PIG!"

Roland lifted his head off of his pillow to see Tove the Tenebrous staring at him, undoubtedly scolding him for sleeping in. He dearly wished Aunt Martha and Alice would at least try to keep them contained.

"Alright," he groaned, pushing himself up. "Alright. You know I'm up now, stop yelling at me."

"Higgle PIGGLE!! Hig-pig-hig!" For whatever reason, this wasn't the only thing on Tove's mind. He sounded excited, jumping around and dancing on his pillow. What was happening?

Roland managed to roll out of bed, pulling his long hair up and buttoning up his Chief Consul's coat. Finally satisfied, Tove hopped down from the bed and made his way over to the windowsill, still excitedly babbling about... something. How would Roland know, he didn't speak Higgledy.

Swinging the door open, Roland stepped down the stairs and made his way to the throne room, where Evan sat on the throne restlessly, as if waiting for something--

"Roland!" the half-grimalkin exclaimed, leaping up. "Gosh, I've been waiting for you all morning! Where were you, what happened?!"

"I just slept in, I expect," he responded sleepily. Roland was in no way a morning person. "How long have I been out for?"

"Long enough to worry me, that's for sure. Hey," the king lowered his voice to talk to Roland alone. "After what you told me, I had Tani go and check on Leander for you."

"What?!" Roland suddenly was completely awake. "Why would you do that?!"

"Hey hey, calm down! I didn't tell her why!" he quickly recovered. "She still doesn't know why, I just told her to check. Anyway, she said he didn't seem all that upset about anything. If anything, he thought you were upset. And he didn't say why either because she didn't ask. M-my point is, you don't have anything to worry about!"

"Well thank god for that," Roland sighed. "So what now?"

"No idea. I guess just wait for-- oh, hello Bracken!!" Evan suddenly covered himself. "Anything new from Broadleaf?"

"Hey, guys. Yeah, actually, I just got word from Zip," she responded, somewhat shallowly. "They said they've got room to take in anyone from Hydropolis that needs a place to stay. Of course, there's not much ocean nearby, so I'm not sure who'd be willing to go, but there it is."

"Great, thank you!" Evan nodded, as Bracken started to walk out.

"Oh, uhm..." Bracken stopped herself just in time to turn on her heel and ask, "Have either of you seen Leander? I saw him really early this morning, and I haven't seen him all day. His arms band is gone too..."

Roland's heart dropped. 

This can only be bad.

Without stopping to consider what he was doing, or even thinking at all, Roland dashed out the door, running at top speed through the kingdom, past the fountain in Aranella Square, and out of the gates of the kingdom. He can't have gone far, right? How far would he go? WHERE would he go?

The sand on the beach in front of the kingdom was clearly recently disrupted, but the ship hadn't left. It would have to be somewhere he could just Travel too; Roland knows better than to think the Sage wouldn't have used magic to get there. He'd be there by now. Obviously.  But where would he...?

He went to Hydropolis.

"Roland, lad!" Batu had somehow found his way next to him. Turning to see him, Evan had come out as well. Perfect, Evan can take us.

"He's in Hydropolis. Or, well, the ruins of it. Don't look at me like that, I just know," he added upon seeing the looks of confusion and shock on their faces. "We need to go now."

Batu looked as if he was about to protest, but (thank the gods), Evan didn't give it an extra second of thought. Casting the Travel spell, the Evermore coastal view in front of him transformed into something he never thought he'd ever see.

He was standing in the middle of Ankura Harbor, staring out at the ruins of the glorious tropical city, but it was completely unrecognizable. Shops that were normally buzzing with the voices of merpeople and humanfolk alike stood razed, in piles of rubble still smoking lightly from the volcanic explosion just days before. Where seabirds would usually be perched, squalling and eyeing the fishermen's latest catch, there was an unending, uncomfortable silence. He remembered (with a pang of sudden painful recollection) the old rule forbidding anyone to ascend to the highpoints of the city, as he looked out at the city which was now all one, smoking, even carpeting of rubble. 

"Oh, my..." he could hear Evan groan, who apparently was also expecting the once glorious city. Daring to step out, Roland gazed out and around at what once was (quite honestly) the most beautiful city he'd ever seen. The all-seeing eye that towered above the city was, alone, the only thing that stood tall still, but the eye was unmoving, blank, colourless. It had the same blank, commanding, front-facing stare as someone who'd just died with their eyes open. He half expected it to close, or to flicker directly at him; alas, it did not.

And then he saw him.