Before the Storm

Chapter 6: To Chase... Answers

Hubris returns to the Knights empty-handed and disappointed after his venture out to Hailstone, and he is not met with any sympathy from anyone

And when he sought comfort from the man who sent him looking, he gets none, and yearns for answers that enlighten his fruitless endeavour

Author's note: idk what's going on with the chapter illustrations atm. none of them look great and I'm kinda getting frustrated XD

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Arriving back at the Knights' cave with Onyx, Grek, and Grim patiently awaiting the return of their lost teammate with his hands bare and unaccompanied was difficult for Hubris, for he knew exactly the first snarky comment that would arise – just as he knew exactly who it would come from.

"I told you! The kid knows what's best for him and is steering clear of whatever disaster you can conjure from the past, little man," Onyx scoffed. He paced between the tables in the back with his hands firmly on his hips, grumbling to himself in disgust. "You were foolish to think otherwise."

Hubris sighed. He had no response for he would be lying if he said that a part of him wasn't already convinced that his trip to Hailstone was folly – that it was fruitless from the beginning; but he suppressed that part of him and listened only to the little hope that lingered in the pit – a glimmer that showed him a future where Senn was no different to when they first met, innocently unknowing, eager, keen and curious to explore and learn alongside them all. He had seen too much to suggest otherwise that stopped that part from growing bigger.

"Do you think he will change his mind?" Grek asked, sitting more upright as if in anticipation.

Once again, Hubris hung his head, and the shattered glint coming from his bight eyes was all the indication that the others needed to know that Senn had no intention to return to the Knights. They needn't dare ask anything more from Hubris, as it had been made apparent by the sheer solemness adorned on his features that it was all too clear to the others that Senn had spoken more of his intentions against his return than a simple 'no' and foot placement; that, perhaps there was more to his circumstances than they already knew or could see with their own eyes that Senn was never willing to tell – and who could blame him? Even from the little that they knew following the trip to Nestoria and the Northwind incident, it wouldn't take an empath to feel for the old clanless boy, wedged under the pressure and consolidation of decades worth of lies and deceit, misunderstanding and confusion.

Delthaeus helped with that, of course, and if anything, he was the catalyst for it all becoming that bit too much for Senn, let alone his own losses prior. Tygren just made it worse simply by existing.

Hubris knew that it was a longshot. He always knew it – even before Senn had so much as stepped out of Ataraxia, Hubris knew that he wasn't coming back, persuasion or not; but he couldn't quite shake the image of the tint of torment that still lingered behind Senn's eyes when they met atop the mountain pass. He left for Hailstone to make amends with his brother and reunite the Voltaris with the Master staff, but really, when Senn left, he left for good.

Gone.

"That poor kid went through hell and back, and you thought Hubris and his words would change all of that? You're just as foolish as him!" Onyx grew angrier with every word he said, making Grek nervous, and Grim tense. "I might even suggest that we take a page from Tygren's book and just kidnap him – that'll bring him back, but he might not want to stay-"

"Enough, Onyx!" Hubris shouted at the top of his lungs, infuriated by the relentless abuse he was receiving from the Magnorite. "Just stop! I took all of the precautions, I trod carefully with every word, and Stars forbid that I should push him too far; but that is not the Senn we know."

"Of course, it's not! That boy is more broken than the Tidesinger's staff; what did you expect?" Even after Hubris' outburst of discontent, Onyx did not hold back.