Wings Of Fire: Closing Eyes (Prequel To The Last Day Series)

Landslide - 21

     Landslide looked up as Agate and Exo hurried out of the bathroom.

     "Well?" he asked. They didn't answer and tried to act natural as Atomsplitter came out of the meeting room, wings brewing like storm clouds.

     "Epiphyte," she growled, stomping up to the RainWing. He looked up at her, worried and confused. "The Pantalan Project is over. The queens have disbanded the team. I'm sorry, it's over." Atomsplitter nodded to him and whisked past the group, cursing to herself.

      "What?!" Epiphyte gasped. He turned to Agate and Exo. "What happened?"

      "Um-" Agate started.

      "The queens blame Atomsplitter for the attacks. They described it as 'stirring up a wasp nest'." Exo said, crossing her arms. "They forced her to end the program." 

      "Those-" Epiphyte growled, stomping a foot. "Don't they know what they're doing? We hold the biggest database of those plant dragons in the entire world! The Pantalan Restoration Center is the only hope for defeating these things."

    "I don't think they know it's that serious," Crab said, putting a wing over Epiphyte. "I'm sure we'll be fine,"

     "We're not," Epiphyte spat. "But whatever, screw the world." He was bright red at this point, and he wiggled out of under Crab's wing and stomped off down the hall. Crab sighed.

     "So... um," Beige said. Everyone turned towards him. "You guys want to go get something to eat in the food court?" 

     "Sure," Landslide said, getting up from his spot by the window. The group turned awkwardly back down the hall. 

      Everyone was silent as they made their way back towards the loud burble of dragons, especially Epiphyte. He could understand why his entire dream of being a lead researcher and part of making history of saving Pantala had just gone up in flames. And on top of that, he probably felt further from finding Splinter than he had before.

    Landslide still felt guilty about that. MudWing hearing wasn't excellent, but he should have heard something, anything, that would have told Landslide that Splinter was gone. Or really, where he had gone. 

     Landslide was sure everyone had their own ideas about what had happened to Splinter, whether it was that he had been hiding in the City or he got lost somewhere in the ocean. But Landslide thought the answer was obvious; he must be dead.

     The Lost Continent was unforgiving. Landslide should know that better than anyone. He had lost two siblings at once- not like they were possessed or whatever, according to the theories about the plant dragons, but they were dead, and Dandelion and Gecko weren't coming home, all zombie-like or not. It was more than likely Splinter was dead. His parents had been injured, and who knows what happened to Crab's dad, but all that Landslide knew was it was near impossible for Splinter to be alive right now.

    He felt guilty about that, too.

    The smell of fried fruits and meat hung in the air of the food court. Dragonets chased and chattered to their parents, and vendors yelled at the crowd about their meals and other random objects to sell, all of them unaware of the changes that were about to occur.

    "Crevasse," Agate said, running up beside her. "Are you sure you don't know anything about how Atomsplitter 'tweaked' the enchantment on the tablets?"

    "Agate, I don't know-"

   "Think, Crevasse! There are serious secrets afoot! Maybe Atomsplitter is an animus?" Agate hissed excitedly.