Before the Storm

Chapter 10: To Chase... Change

With Senn's unexpected arrival came smiles from everyone on the team, glad to see him after so long. All except for Galleous, who was disappointed by the change in stance

So the old man calls Senn up to Ataraxia to talk with him, and after pressing him for answers, he unearths the truth behind his reappearance; and he has a story to tell

Author's note: I LOVE this chapter and abnormal amount. I actually wrote this one entirely by myself and if you know me, you know how much I love to write good dialogue; and this is just a perfect example of that. I love the dialogue between these two SO MUCH

also yeah, the illustration is a bit plain, and I had once again tried to draw Voltar closed and was still a bit iffy, but ykw I love it nonetheless XD

******************

When all seemed virtually hopeless in the Knights' cave, Senn's return sparked a joyful response, making everyone present smile at the sight of his markings and Voltar proudly adorning his back. The last they had seen him was as he ventured back out to Hailstone in order to return the Master staff to the Voltaris elders in place of Ingressus, and to make amends with his remaining brother. The latter part alone made people worry for him, for they knew that he had found it difficult to come to terms with the fact that he had killed Delthaeus, be it in defence or not, only days after discovering his heritage and the history that Thalleous had lied to him about – they weren't so sure how well his brother would take it.

But upon seeing the return of the Voltaris, now holding Voltar with more meaning than a messenger, and seeing how much he had grown into himself – no longer the shy, timid, clanless character he once was – it brought them a hope that none had felt for many years, less so the last month since they banded back together.

The team would never be fully complete without Ria, but with Senn, they could feel like they were a team again, and not just a disjointed band of misfits with nothing better to do than chase impossible tales and demons.

As much as they all – except Hubris – had encouraged Senn to stay away for fear that he will fall into an abyss once again, seeing him look so fresh, so whole renewed their visions for the young Ardoni, and they stood corrected, and they welcomed him back with open arms. For Grek, that meant quite literally, as the Voltaris was squeezed as tightly as Hubris on the day that the Jaggathan had returned with Grim upon receiving Hubris' letter of request. Senn was happy to be reunited with them again after ten long years, and in such a contrasting manner than how he had left them, for as much as they saw victory over Tygren that day, none of them really felt complete – Senn especially lost and conflicted.

The only person who was more surprised than relieved at Senn's arrival was Galleous. In fact, all the while he smiled at the younger in his heart-filled greetings after so many years apart, he was disappointed that Senn had not stood his ground in his initial answer not to return. His smile was not feigned, for as a person, Galleous was pleased to see Senn doing so well for himself and looking so strong since he last saw him; but he was not pleased by the manner in which he had returned to Ataraxia.

At best, the elder Sendaris had expected to see Senn – if at all – upon a chosen venture to Ataraxia specifically to revisit him; a temporary journey that would enlighten him in a long awaited catch-up to which he would patiently listen to all of the younger's many stories of his new life in Hailstone. As it happened, he wasn't going to get that unless he had specifically asked for it.

Which he did later that night.

But catching up with Senn was not the only item on the agenda, for Galleous had one more hope for the younger – that he stay as far away from Ataraxia and Tygren as he could while he could. He thought that no good could come of him making the effort to come back to fight for something that could only send him back but a shell and bones once more; and if his grown stature was anything to go by, the new Master had gone through much work and a lot of conditioning to become the strong man he was today, and Galleous was not seeing that go to waste on a worthless, endless endeavour for revenge.