In a certain training room on the Cursed Ship, Quinn, Kaz and all those he turned lined up to go through the teleporter. Going along were two humans and a miniature dalki. Borden was in front of Sil, Logan took up the last space in the procession. As the line moved forward, Borden observed he appeared to be getting rained on. He looked up to notice his brother was crying. With no time to address it, he had to simply wish he had an umbrella.
Once on the other side, Borden moved aside slightly to have a dryer sky. They had arrived in the king's castle. The group talked for a bit while waiting for Dwight, one of two royal knights, so they would have further instructions. Sil choked back his emotions and tried to pay attention. He didn't fully pay attention last time and knew this place was dangerous. He needed to be attentive in case Quinn needed him.
Eventually, they were released to go to Quinn's castle. The place was damaged and even more empty. They had been attacked by bloodsuckers while Quinn had been away and many of Quinn's nobles had been killed. While it was scarcely populated before, only a few in the castle remained. Even Edward had been killed which contributed to the serious decline in the king's health.
This was the reason for Quinn's recall. The king must go into eternal slumber and a new king needed to be elected. As a Leader, it was Quinn's responsibility to be part of that process. Sil didn't care about any of that. He had left his Lana lying there in a hospital bed. Helpless.
Sure, he had left her with her brother and Caser was ever at her side but wasn't it his job as her husband to be there for her? The guilt riddled him, eating away at him. They all met up as usual in the dining room. The room his Lana served them such delicious meals in last time they were there. If he closed his eyes, he could almost see her bringing food in from the kitchen to them. Almost smell the food she prepared wafting in from the divine room of culinary artistry.
Everyone caught up and learned what had happened while they were apart. Quinn was happy to see Layla and Peter were well and were home in his castle. After the updates was done, everyone was released to do their own thing for a while. Those who had not been there before were baffled at the idea that Quinn had his own castle and found the whole thing mystifying. Those who had been there before felt like they were in prison.
While Quinn went to the burial chamber below the castle, Sil, Borden and Logan went to Vincent's old lab. It was there that Sil finally was able to discuss the heavy weight on his chest. Borden sat next to him and listened intently while Logan paid attention to Sil's words and the work he was doing. Logan was still trying to figure out what he could do, if anything, to return Borden to full size again.
While Sil talked, the lights came on in the castle. Everyone was no longer required to use their light crystals. Sil was still wearing Lana's choker and didn't care what people thought of such a thing. He told his friends that Lana had evolved, was a fae, and had wings. She had defeated a legendary and demon-tier beast all on her own due, in part, to her sword from her mother which still remained a huge mystery. They had located her mother's lab but didn't know how to enter it.
At the mention of a lab, Logan's ears perked up. "Any idea what her mother was working on?"
Sil shook his head, "none. She knows nothing really about her mother except she also had wings and when she was found by those of the Bree family, her wings had been cut from her body."
"Cut from her body?" Who could do such a thing?" Logan was now very interested in Lana's past as well.
"Sil," Borden softly asked, "may I ask what you were doing when Lana was doing these things?
"She asked me to just observe… When we were on the surface, anyway. When we went below, things were a bit different since everything was unknown and several team members remained on the surface to protect the entrance and take care of the babies."
Borden looked up at his brother's face listening intently.
"She had me closing up the access ways to safeguard her passage to the lab. She can now get there without worry of beasts attacking her. But the last hole… It didn't take me long to fill it in but that short amount of time was enough for her to get so seriously hurt." His tears were falling like a river.
"What did the doctor say?" Borden was now sharing Sil's concern.
"She had no injuries but she just wouldn't wake up." Sil said, sniffling.
"So, it sounds like she can now regenerate, right? Like Quinn. How many times had Quinn fallen in battle and all he needed was rest."
Sil nodded, still not feeling better. "I won't be there when she wakes up… What kind of husband just leaves his wife in that kind of state!" The anger he was feeling for himself was palpable in the room.
"Are you regretting coming here to help Quinn?" Borden asked quietly.
Sil lifted his head sharply at the question. He had promised himself to always help Quinn and be there for him as well. He took a deep breath and tried to remember his duty to his promises.
Borden, feeling like he was getting somewhere, "when we get back, you can take us, and Quinn to go see her. I bet she will be up and back to her normal self, playing with the kids and cooking for everyone." He had a big smile on his face when he was through.
Sil took a deep breath with his eyes closed. "She does have a lot of people who care about her."
"Exactly." Borden stated.
"Am I being selfish?" Sil asked meekly.
"I would say that's an odd question," Logan interjected. "She is your wife and you have your duty to her so of course you feel upset at leaving her behind. At the same time, you couldn't bring an injured woman here, of all places. The best choice for her health and safety was to leave her in the care of the rest of your family. If anything, you acted selflessly and put her care before your own desire to be with her. Now. Let's focus on this and see if we can help Borden and survive this place long enough to return to her, shall we?"
With that, Sil and Borden took up their positions as lab assistants for Logan, mainly staying out of his way but handing him things as needed. Sil decided, when not helping in the lab, he would do those Qi meditations Lana taught him, though he was not good at it. He mainly thought of her instead during this time. He did make sure to get the room they shared list time they were there. Her pillow still had a faint smell of her.
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