Before the Storm

Chapter 21: To Chase... A Ghost

Hubris awakes in the aftermath of an attack at Fort Zuka and finds that things could only get worse from there on, and Senn finds out that ten years ago, Hubris had made a decision that he could all but agree with

Then an announcement is made that drives a spanner in the works for the Knights

Author's note: crisis point number one, and I am not joking - it does only get worse from here XD

but so begins the endgame. the clues are dropping thick and fast, so keep your eyes peeled from here, and you may just work out who this unknown person is; although, technically we have already told you who it is XD

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Hubris couldn't believe his luck when Merlin had rather rudely woken him up by shoving a rolled scroll into his face, tweeting some nonsense about the number of miles that he had flown in service of both the Nestoris and Galleous. It was the first thing with which Hubris was greeted – not even so much as a 'hello' or a 'good morning' beforehand – but he ignored the pretentious bird and immediately got to scanning the letter from the old man. His eyes lit up with the first sentence. He knew that Galleous was good at what he does, but he had never anticipated that something would be uncovered quite so soon. He could stomach the fact that they need not get answers from the Netheran so promptly as he had expected many more days of noteless hours awaiting the letter to confirm that the survivor had been acquired at long last. He had also expected that long-awaited letter to contain the information that they sought, but given how quickly Vulcannus was found, he could save his patience for when the letter came with the information.

He wasn't best pleased with the fact that Galleous was risking himself by using the Protisium Prime Song to get to a point where he could get the information, but he was simply pleased that something could yet be done. They were not out of the woods yet, but they were on a path that may just get them there.

And then hearing that Senn's brother and his advisor were also with him... Hubris was certain that nothing could go wrong from here. Everything was at last falling into place in their favour. It wouldn't be long now, surely.

But Hubris should have known better than that.

Brushing Merlin off his shoulder and running out of his room into the courtyard with the letter in-hand, Hubris made immediate headway towards Kiyoshi's quarters to alert him that the army could call off their search for the Netheran as he had been found in Ataraxia, (although how he had gotten there was as yet a mystery to everyone), but before he could get to the door, Hubris caught onto a very unsettling vibe coming from just about anyone that he walked past. Some of the soldiers were injured and limping, some were clutching at open wounds around their arms or their waists, and some looked positively exhausted; yet Hubris could not recall anything happening in the time between coming out of the Nether and spending a couple of nights in Fort Zuka while a plan was initiated. He slowed in his steps, looking every which way for anything that would tip him off as to what had occurred in his sleep; but there was nothing. Everyone was preoccupied and distracted, and he couldn't find anybody worth talking to. Even as he spotted Onyx on the bench by the training yard, nursing a cracked arm and wounded head and talking to another Felina officer, he sought no word from him on his own.

Alec came from beyond the door to Kiyoshi's quarters, and both the human and the Ardoni were startled by the appearance of one another, neither having expected the other to be in such close proximity to themselves. Hubris examined Alec's expressions. They mimicked that of the night ten years ago in Kaltaria – shame and hurt pride. Back then, it had to do with the Masters mistaking the Felina as misplacing or losing the Supporium Prime Song. He looked into his eyes for a brief moment.

That same hurt pride...

Alec gawked for a second, and then he cleared his throat; but not in his usual attempt to adjust himself and find his voice. It was sheepish in manner. He stepped aside and allowed Hubris to come through.