Fallen Angel

Departure

 By the time Leira and Will returned to where Cora was tending to Kyle, the color had returned to the red-head's face and he was now sitting up straight. Cora finished wrapping a makeshift bandage around Kyle's waist where the wound was, and helped him slide his coat back on.

"You're looking better. Good thing too. We need to move," Leira said as they approached. Cora turned her head to stare at them, placing what was left of the medicinal herbs on the ground.

"These should help him for now, but I'll need something stronger for him to fully recover. What did you find over there?" she replied. She held out a hand to help Kyle get to his feet.

"We found a tunnel that leads out into Luminaria. It's the perfect place to rest for the night," Will said anxiously. Their discovery of the chamber had clearly excited him. Cora nodded and let them lead the way, down the tunnel. When they entered the chamber, both Cora and Kyle's eyes widened in sheer amazement, gaping like the small children that entered the toy shop on main street in Fortis for the first time. Leira smirked, realizing she probably looked like that when she first entered. They moved in a silent procession towards the exit, until they were standing in the city, the night air calm despite the war stricken environment.

"Where to?" Leira asked, glancing back at Kyle and Cora. They both had probably spent enough time there to know the place in and out. Leira remembered her childhood when Kyle would often abandon her and their fellow soldiers to go wander about the streets of the ruins. Sometimes he disappeared without notice, which made her nervous the first time he had done it. She had scolded him harshly and ordered him to never do such a thing again. He always deliberately ignored her.

Cora spoke first.

"Perhaps the great lake near the castle. It's a lengthy trek, but there is fresh water and many thick bushes to conceal us." Leira really did not care either way, but if there was water, she was happy to oblige. Luminaria at night was not as beautiful as it was in the daylight, but it still held a haunting look to it that somehow pleased the eye. The castle was even larger up close. The group had to skip over fallen stone and debris multiple times. Dust fell from the broken stone of the castle, landing in Leira's long hair.

"Watch your head. Rocks occasionally fall from the top," Cora warned.

"I'm sure those stones weigh enough to kill someone if one landed on your head," Will commented. Leira nodded, her face expressionless.

The lake was probably one of the most beautiful things Leira had ever seen. The water gleamed in the moonlight. Even though it was an ancient pool of water, it appeared very clean and fresh, no debris to be seen in its depths. Fireflies danced around the water, landing in bushes, floating plants, and in the trees. One landed on Leira's hand, and she gently shook it away. Cora motioned to a spot several feet from the lake. Cora set Kyle down and lay down on her back, taking in a deep sigh and closing her eyes.

Leira sat near the water's edge, gently pushing her fingers into the liquid. It was a pleasant mixture of warm and cold that relaxed the muscles in her hand and wrist. She smirked in contentment. "I think I could get used to this place. I see why you like it so much, Kyle," she commented. She lay back in the grass, her eyes staring at the stars above. Will sighed, scratching his head.

"What are we going to do about the town? What happened to everyone?" he said. Leira was actually surprised that he chose to concern himself with the town's well-being.

"The Relinquo are relentless in their attacks. Any surviving citizens found would have been killed immediately. I have no doubts that the town will be ruins by sunrise," Cora said sadly.

Kyle cursed silently. "What did we even do to deserve this? It's not like we caused any problems for them."

"They probably want something. Isn't that what all wars have been fought over? Our past rulers have always been greedy," Leira added, glancing at Will. The Capitol was notorious for being the greediest of all cities.