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Nyx had saved Pelna’s life a total of four times now...make that five. At some point, he really needed to return the favor.
The first time...the first time had been during the fall of Galahd. Pelna, being from Insomnia, had been outside the wall on assignment, a little errand he’d been asked to run by one of the lesser known middle men serving under Marshal Leonis. The destination had been Galahd and, being a group of islands known for their beauty and good eats, he’d obliged. Well, that and because it was an order, but he liked to pretend it was because he had good taste in locale. That was the day he met Nyx.
You see, Nyx had this bar he ran with a guy named Libertus Os-honestly, Pelna didn’t care what his last name was. Point is, Pelna needed a drink and drinks Nyx had aplenty. The two shared a few beers, laughing and exchanging stories while Libertus paced up and down the bar, tending to their other patrons. After a while, Pelna found himself loose and pliant, the distance between himself and Nyx... intimate. He giggled at something the roguish bartender said, leaning in when Nyx leaned in, their lips nigh touching, breathing the same air. Then, the screaming started.
Libertus grabbed Nyx by the arm, dragging him away even as he called for Pelna, who sat confused and motionless upon the barstool. The Crownsguard took a deep breath, looking up with the expectation of seeing a midnight blue sky full of twinkling stars. What he saw instead, was the fleet, shadows of black and embers of red drowning out the moonlight and dropping...something over the island. Magitek! They were dropping M.T.’s on the village and that meant Pelna needed to act. It took his brain a moment to catch up but when it did, up he went, knives in hand, eyes scanning the fleeing civilians.
He jumped into the fray, helping where help was needed the most, letting others make their escape. Somewhere along the line, he got so focused on trying to help a child climb out from the rubble of a fallen structure that he wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings. The gun was lifted, pointed at the back of his head, his mind elsewhere with the effort of pulling the kid out, and shot rang out, startling both Pelna and the kid. Pelna turned, little girl safely in his arms, to see Nyx, gun raised with a smoking barrel, dead M.T. on the ground. Libertus stood behind his friend, expression one of annoyance.
“Okay, okay, you rescued Loverboy. Now can we go, Nyx? We’re sitting ducks out here!” Pelna’s gaze danced between Nyx and the dead M.T.
“How...where…” Pelna shook his head, growling frustration at his own inability to speak.
“Man, the Marshal is so gonna kill me!” Nyx laughed at the Crownsguard, lowering his gun.
“Yeah? And why is that?” Pelna huffed, glaring at the bartender.
“Always be alert, Pelna. Never drop your guard, Pelna. Always be aware of your surroundings, Pelna.”
“I do not sound like that.” Again, Pelna was startled, turning to his right to see the Marshal, Cor “The Immortal” Leonis, himself.
“Aw, c’mon!”
“No time to explain, Pelna. We need to gather who we can and pull back. Bring the child. I’ll meet you at the rendezvous point with the rest of the refugees.” Pelna nodded, standing and hoisting the kid up, onto his waist.
“Oh, and Pelna?” The crownsguard squeezed his eyes shut tight, dreading the Marshal’s next words. This was it. Now he was a dead man.
“Yes, Sir?”
“Don’t drop your guard.” With that, the Marshal was off, turning his back on Pelna’s scandalized face, on Nyx’s surprised laughter, and Libertus’ muttered curse.
“Well...fine. Nyx?” Pelna’s voice sounded so far away , he thought, but at least he had the bearings to form a coherent sentence.
“Y-yeah, Pelna?” Nyx asked, laughter still evident in his voice, despite the chaos surrounding them.
“I owe you one.”