♜ Staunton - святой ♜ "The Saint" ... As the tribute before him drew her last breath and the cannon sounded, Staunton could do nothing but stand there for a moment. One part of him was a bit irritated that this had happened again, but another part of him didn't really care. He had other things to focus on in the meantime, and he did not want to get in the way of the incoming chopper. So, after bowing his head to pay his respects, Staunton set off. "If you die in here, then I guess I'll see you again. But I kind of hope you don't. You're better than I am, Staunton. You're a saint compared to me, and even to Blaze." "Keep your promise, Saint." Zila's words, more haunting than ever, echoed in Staunton's mind as he navigated the retreating kudzu, relying on his healthier shoulder to climb upwards into the canopy. Saint...he hadn't heard that name in quite a while. Did Zila know about that, or was it merely what she could think of in her final moments? He shook his head, furrowing his brow. It was too much of a coincidence to be an accident, yet it was an accident. Nobody had ever called him that besides Caliph, Scarif, Tarik, and Babushka...да, not even Xavier said that. How long had it been since he had last seen any of them? Though he could easily recall their piercing gazes and sharp words, it had felt like quite a while. For better or for worse, he supposed, but he would appreciate Xavier's advice right now. At that thought, Staunton sneezed. He still wasn't used to this horrible environment, and it showed. Everything was so cramped and somehow made his allergies worse than they were in the first place. Once he had reached his tucked-away hiding hole in the canopy, he attempted to take a seat calmly, but he ended up collapsing onto the floor. Tch. Soon enough, he would have to get up and find a way to heal his wounds. He could still taste and smell the metal from his blood, and his shoulder ached more than it had in a while. Perhaps he needed to rest for a few days, but he had something else to do first, something he would get to first thing in the morning. He had to find Blaze. ... Thank you to Zila for battling Staunton! May she rest in peace :) There are some lore hints in various places- can you find them all? ...
♜ Credits ♜ Artwork & Design - me Characters - Staunton belongs to me, and Zila belongs to the lovely @littlelonebird Writing - mostly me, as Zila's quotes are from @littlelonebird Song - "Swan Lake" by Tchaikovsky ...