Siren's Elegy Volume 1: Orphans of Ashen Earth

Chapter 3: Revelry

May 15, 4021 18:45 [Matriarch 07- Shower Room]

Refreshed and rejuvenated, Indra slipped on the t-shirt, hoodie, jeans, and white trainers that Ouma had provided him and made a beeline for the Great Hall. The 'Great Hall' as it was called by its patrons was even more magnanimous than the label it had been given. A sprawling indoor restaurant with mood lighting set the scene. It had multiple floors overlooking Eden's Garden, a massive outdoor research plot, home to exotic flora and fauna from all corners of the Earth allowing Lunar Gate researchers to investigate their properties and functionalities without leaving the Matriarch.

Upper-level balconies oversaw buffet lines and tables reserved for soldiers and staff. The Great Hall hosted chefs from famed backgrounds, those who worked in Michelin Star restaurants, celebrity chefs, or those that had gained notoriety through word of mouth were invited to cook for hungry higher-ups and employees. Soldiers were serviced on the lower level of the Great Hall due to their sheer volume, staff on the middle floors, and higher-ups on the top floors. Despite the divide in position, it was by no means frowned upon for staff and higher-ups to visit lower levels or to intermingle with their subordinates in Matriarch 07.

Indra hurried over to the buffet line, stumbling from the hunger that stabbed at his stomach. Piling food onto his plate, he shuffled quickly to the one area in the Great Hall where his friends would surely be waiting: the tavern. A small subsection of the Great Hall served as a bar. Indra and Akula had frequented the place for close to two years now, only recently convincing Mirai and Aisha to join them, both of whom had been aversive to the idea, owing to their great disdain for alcohol and the drunkards it produced.

Bright neon light from the overhanging sign that read: JULIUS' BREWERY stung Indra's eyes as he entered the tavern. The slight jingle of a bell could be heard as he opened the door, alerting the barkeep that a customer had entered. The tavern was kept in exceptional condition, something that the barkeep, Julius, prided himself on. Indra made his way precariously towards the back of the tavern, careful not to spill any of the food he had stacked high on his plate. Bouts of laughter erupted from the back as he drew closer; he saw the table seating his friends, throwing innocuous banter at each other.

"Indra!" Akula exclaimed, sitting on the outer edge of the table. "Good to see you, buddy! You finally woke up! Looks like you're in good health! Show us the scar, will ya? You know, for a moment there I was afraid I was gonna have to clean your room at some point if you didn't open your eyes soon. Just the thought of finding a random crusty sock under your bed gives me nightmares," he shuddered.

"Ha ha," Indra replied dryly, punching Akula's arm while grinning from ear to ear. He sat down on the comfy leather cushions as Akula scooted over to make room for him.

Akula's pale face had returned to its normal shade of porcelain rather than the sickly complexion Indra remembered just before his memory faded. Akula's wispy white hair spilled over his face, now unmitigated by his thermal suit, covering his sharp crimson eyes. When he smiled, he flashed his pearly-white serrated teeth. Well, he is part shark so they should look like that. Sitting next to Akula were two people; a blond-haired man wearing a leather jacket and Mirai.

"Cecil! When'd you get back, man?" Indra asked, reaching over to greet him.

"About a day ago, I wanted to surprise you but you were still out cold. Akula here threw me a sweet coming home party," Cecil threw his head back, letting out a hearty guffaw, his short blond hair catching the light, glimmering brightly.

"Akula threw the party but somehow I ended up picking up the tab."

Cecil's golden eyes turned to Mirai who stared at him crossly.