CHULANE
In the dead of the night, the veterinarian had been doing what most others in the small town were doing - sleeping. At the first blast, he was awake, and with a sense of foreboding, he stepped out of his room to hear his landlord's words, to hear others on the street running past. 'The Palace!' they exclaimed, and it was as if his blood ran cold.
Throwing on whatever clothes he could to survive the blistering cold, and grabbing the portable 'first aid' kit he had put together, and blankets and whatever else he could carry, Chuy exited the lodge and made his way swiftly towards the Palace. His thoughts were with all those he knew, but there was no doubting that his heart beat particularly thunderously at the thought that Kiada could be hurt, or worse. He didn't want to think about it, not until it was confirmed. He moved at a swift pace, dreading what he might find, but determined to face it nonetheless.
He helped those he could, he left behind those already dead, and he made his way through the debris to find where there was life still, seeking out that familiar face, hoping, praying that he would find it living, breathing, smiling again.
Finally, he recognised a group of people as he cleared the nearest pile of debris and got past another group of people who were as lost as he, and he saw her among them. He made his way over, his pace still swift, before throwing a blanket over Kiada's shoulders to help in this freezing climate. He leaned in close to her, to give a tight embrace if she reciprocated, otherwise he would simply stand by her side in silent solidarity.
A bunch of political shit was going down, and frankly, Chulane couldn't care less. Korbin's soft words reminding Loren of healing was all the vet agreed with. "To the Kraai," was all he said, his voice rough as his throat hurt from the cold air, the full impact of his journey across the citadel only just now hitting him as the adrenaline ebbed from his system. He doubted he would get much sleep tonight - he doubted many of them would - and he was determined to sit by Kia's side wherever she went, to support and heal wherever he could.
Throwing on whatever clothes he could to survive the blistering cold, and grabbing the portable 'first aid' kit he had put together, and blankets and whatever else he could carry, Chuy exited the lodge and made his way swiftly towards the Palace. His thoughts were with all those he knew, but there was no doubting that his heart beat particularly thunderously at the thought that Kiada could be hurt, or worse. He didn't want to think about it, not until it was confirmed. He moved at a swift pace, dreading what he might find, but determined to face it nonetheless.
He helped those he could, he left behind those already dead, and he made his way through the debris to find where there was life still, seeking out that familiar face, hoping, praying that he would find it living, breathing, smiling again.
Finally, he recognised a group of people as he cleared the nearest pile of debris and got past another group of people who were as lost as he, and he saw her among them. He made his way over, his pace still swift, before throwing a blanket over Kiada's shoulders to help in this freezing climate. He leaned in close to her, to give a tight embrace if she reciprocated, otherwise he would simply stand by her side in silent solidarity.
A bunch of political shit was going down, and frankly, Chulane couldn't care less. Korbin's soft words reminding Loren of healing was all the vet agreed with. "To the Kraai," was all he said, his voice rough as his throat hurt from the cold air, the full impact of his journey across the citadel only just now hitting him as the adrenaline ebbed from his system. He doubted he would get much sleep tonight - he doubted many of them would - and he was determined to sit by Kia's side wherever she went, to support and heal wherever he could.
Freedom is secured not by the fulfilling of one's desires
but by the removal of desire
but by the removal of desire
