Grief and Thieves [Plot/Closed]

Octavius and Sly slipped out of Remano, the two highest ranking members of the Fanalis Corps making their way to a special spot outside of the city. They walked for over an hour, the pair traveling in silence, most people unaware that Sly was capable of being silent for such a stretch of time. The normally jovial and humorous man wore a mask of neutrality similar to that of his General, his face looking like stone. Finally, they arrived at their destination, a sea of small stone monuments spreading out before them.

Sly stepped forward first, cracking a small smile as he looked to Octavius.

“Look, boss… your grave…”

Octavius gave his Second-in-Command a rueful grin, shaking his head. He was not here to see his own grave, he was here to honor the lives that had been lost when Zhi and the Brotherhood of Ash had invaded. They had been brilliant strategists, given their small numbers, using magic tools and deceit to overwhelm the Fanalis Corps while Octavius had been away with a small group. By the time he had arrived, the Brotherhood had destroyed much of his family and forced those who remained alive to cart the heads of their brothers and sisters through the city as a symbol to the rest of Remano that all hope was lost.

“Um… boss… someone has already dug your grave…”

“What are you mumbling about, Sly?”

He had been so lost in his thoughts of his lost family that he had not bothered to truly look around. Sly was staring at the ground behind Octavius’ grave marker and the General moved around to see what the other Fanalis was talking about. The space behind the stone had been dug out, the dirt packed down from the rains a week or so ago, so whoever had been here digging around had done so before then. Looking at the other grave markers, Octavius felt his temper beginning to boil when he saw that every single stone had been moved, the dirt underneath dug out.

“Who the hell would be this disrespectful?”

Sly’s voice was filled with anger and disbelief. Most of the graves had not even contained bodies, not enough left of the bodies after the explosion to identify the remains. Yet, every single stone had been moved to the side and the graves searched. Looking into several of the graves that he knew should have bodies, he found them empty. Sly had dug and buried most of the deceased Corps members himself, one of the few left alive to see to the task. He had not trusted anyone else to handle it, aside from the others that had survived. When he turned to his General, what he saw struck fear into him. He had never seen Octavius so angry before, the General more prone to patience and calm than their racially famous tempers. But right now, it looked like Octavius could take down an entire army on his own. When the General spoke, it was through gritted teeth.

“Find them, Sly. Find them and bring them to me. I will not have this go unpunished.”

“Do you want me to try the new intelligence network, boss?”

“No. This was an attack on me, on us, our FAMILY. We will deal will this matter ourselves.”

Sly nodded in understanding, rage pumping through his veins. He would find whoever had done this and they would die screaming.