Siren's Elegy Volume 1: Orphans of Ashen Earth

Chapter 45: Fractal of the Abyss

September 21, 4021 8:30 [Matriarch 04- Recovery Room]

"He'll be discharged momentarily," a nurse informed them.

Indra and Prasanna sat silently in the waiting room, twiddling their thumbs nervously. They were unsure of what to say to Emil when he would inevitably emerge from the hallway. It was a sobering loss, especially when he was favored to win. An upset like that was sure to disillusion anyone. The light taps of sneakers on freshly waxed floors echoed, getting louder. The two stood up, anticipating their friend's arrival.

When Emil stepped into the waiting room, Indra and Prasanna greeted him with a jumble of condolences and relief regarding his recovery. They tripped over their words, trying to reach a consensus on which message they wanted to relay. Emil simply smiled. They blinked at him, slightly surprised, expecting some degree of disappointment. Yet, he looked rested and rejuvenated, like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Besides the bandaging around his neck, most of his minor injuries had healed completely.

"Dr. Ye said the stitches should dissolve within a few days. I'll be fine thanks to the Vultures' pills," Emil signed.

"That's something to celebrate," Prasanna responded.

Indra nodded in agreement. "You sure you'll be fine?"

"I'm disappointed with my performance, but I lost fair and square. My opponent got the better of me."

Indra patted him on the back. They exited the hospital after Emil signed a patient discharge form, making their way to Sun Rock. The trio stopped by the café along the way, picking up coffee. As they sipped and strolled through town, they observed shop owners and pedestrians bustling from one area to another. Preparations were underway for the final two matches of the Hyena Succession Tournament. Indra, Prasanna, and Kaluza had been guaranteed the title of Hyena, making it to the end as the top three candidates. Now, all that was left was the matter of determining which division each of them would command. Tengri was the First Division's Commander, with Grisha and Jin commanding the Second and Third Divisions, respectively. This meant that the top candidates were all vying for command of the Fourth Division with the second and third placements taking command of the Fifth and Sixth Divisions, respectively.

Indra had previously questioned why the Fourth Division was so coveted among the candidates. He was quickly informed by Jin, after taking another beating from him, that the division in question remained in the center of most of their formations, surrounded by other divisions and infantry. It was a prime position for Indra to be in if he were to see this expedition through safely, or as safe as one could be in the depths of the unknown. All he knew for certain was that there were strange creatures present in those depths, lurking in the heart of the Sunken Forest...and they weren't particularly fond of intruders.

"What's the line-up for today? Who are you fighting?" Emil signed to Indra.

Indra rolled his eyes as Prasanna laughed indulgently. "Ah, it's tragic, but I guess you'll have to settle for the Sixth Division, fun-size," she teased.

"Keep laughing. I didn't go through all this torture for nothing," Indra grinned.

"Oh man, you should have seen the look on Kaluza's face when they told him he was getting a bye. He practically burst a blood vessel, screaming about how they kept 'stalling his match with the bastard'."

Emil snickered to himself, much to the elation of his companions. As they passed streets colored autumn by stray leaves, Indra's chest grew tight. He observed Prasanna out of the corner of his eye. She seemed jovial and relaxed as she conversed with Emil, doing her best to cheer him up, though their friend was already in moderate spirits. Indra grew worried, doubt seeping back into his mind. What if she intended to hold back and he hurt her beyond what was necessary? What if he held back instinctively, costing him the match? A firm jab to the cheek brought him back to the present.