The Lost Artifact of Sira

Chapter 6 - Shards

"How long were you watching us?" Emphoria decided to ask a stream of questions. He was a large threat, unlike Lyra. Emphoria wanted to know every ounce of him for safety reasons.
"The river was amusing." He didn't smile at the thought, just speaking off the top of his mind.
"You were the reason we ran." Lyra reminded him.
"And? It's my fault for your actions?" He had been annoyed, mostly by the questions.
Lyra sighed and gave in. Emphoria continued.
"You are an assassin. We were defenseless and exhausted. You should have helped at least." She held her arms in a cross over her chest, like a pouting toddler.
"The arrows would have washed down the river." He then stopped as he found a large grassland full of trees (on the side of the road) and less exposed mud.
"Set up camp." Orion ordered as he climbed a tree in a quick second.
Eden nodded her head gently while Lyra found the closest hiding spot in vegetation.
"Lee." He spoke once more. Lyra turned her head in response.
"Lyra." She corrected him.
"That," He scratched the back of his head as he grabbed his bow from his back.
"I'm getting food. If I don't come back around sundown (which was soon) then keep moving in that direction by morning." He left before she could respond. Lyra sighed of relief as he left.
"He's unsettling." She spoke towards Emphoria and Eden.
"A dick head." Emphoria added as she gathered sticks and items for a fire.
Eden sat and focused upon her moon, trying to get it up and going once again. After resting for awhile, her moon is recharged and illuminated. She moved items Emphoria dropped from her hands and formed them into a pile.
Lyra gently smiled towards the magic, enabling her open mind as she helped out the fire.
Lyra started the flame. Soon enough the sun was down and Emphoria was snoring with Eden close beside her.
Lyra stayed awake and rested up against a tree. The fire being the only light for miles. Her mind played through the blood gushing upon her from the centaurs. She shot open her eyes as the imagery within her mind became vivid. The image of her king had shown, making her turn her head and focus on the fire.
The fire danced with the slight breeze. Eden placed her head upon Emphoria's chest for warmth as the wind grew slightly stronger.
Lyra scooted closer to the fire, now sitting in the middle of the camp.
The crickets played their lullabies while the owls called for their food.
Lyra held her stomach as soon as a hunger cramp came in. She looked around, strangely hoping for Orion to return.
Lyra thought of the worst things possible, as she usually does.
Orion, could have left to call for someone to kill them. He could be plotting his murder so he can obtain the documents. He is strong enough, she felt. He knew survival.
Lyra held herself and leaned forward as she felt hopeless. She noticed her loneliness.
The dungeon of EverGlade was never forgiving. It stayed, she noticed, the feeling of being trapped and starved of her sanity.
A low growl hummed through the darkness. The warmth of the fire had grown cold as Lyra focused her attention towards the growl.
"N-no." Lyra had been hurt whenever standing. A red glow emitted from the dog.
The dog hadn't made much noise, only humming a single growl once in a while.
Lyra grabbed the sword which was sitting near the documents.
With bad posture, she did her best to strike the wolf. The wolf started to bark and run straight towards Lyra as the red illuminated the surrounding environment. Many other dogs were revealed as soon as the flash appeared.
Lyra stumbles back frantically, falling upon the ground. Her mouth grew dry, no voice coming from her throat.
The red gleamed from the dog as they about reached her.
      An individual bashed the dog away from her, standing and protecting her.
     Lyra gazed and caught her breath, noticing Orion's presence. His dusty hair flowing with the night.
       His back is turned to her, but Lyra noticed one of his horns, his right one, broken in half.
       He turned back frantically to Lyra, reveling his pale face yet it still held the cold and stern expression.
Orion helped Lyra up and grabbed her sword, shoving it towards her.
"Get up. Hurry." He ordered the others as Lyra got into position again to slash another dog that's becoming too close to them.
An arrow hit the dog right in the shard. Lyra grew astonished as she turned back to Orion, revealing he was the one to shoot it.
"Come on!" He ordered once more as Emphoria and Eden jolted up.
Lyra kept her focus on the blinking of the shards as the growls became a large rumble from the earth.
They climbed up trees, finding it easier to get away from them. Lyra was helped up by Emphoria. They sat upon a branch.
"What the hell happened to your horn?" She blurted.
He never responded, only jumping to more open branches. Everyone followed behind. To Emphoria's frustration, he was the leader, but only because he knows where they are heading.
"Hey!" Emphoria yelled after him as he kept distance.
Lyra watched her footing, the branches slippery from the rain the day before. As she examined Orion, he had easily gone from each branch.
Emphoria grew angry as she noticed his distance and all the trouble he's caused. It was all his fault, Emphoria wanted to believe.
She hadn't payed mind to Eden. Lyra was too into her own clumsiness that no one ever saw Eden fall behind.
"Eden?!" Lyra called back, only darkness meeting her.
Loud whimpers of dogs ringed through everyone's ears, even making Orion stop in place.
Emphoria had many emotions running in from every direction.
Suddenly, the red upon the dogs illuminated and was thrown against many trees in defense.
A white light illuminated as Eden was found, defending herself. Shards gleamed and fell upon the ground as the dogs were thrown and puffed into nothingness.
Eden, panting and without her blindfold, had used her abilities to throw the ground upward and towards the remaining pack of dogs.
"Woah." Lyra stumbled back in amazement. Orion locked his arms and stood against the tree that stand upon.
Emphoria placed her weight upon Lyra's branch.
The cracking of the branch brought them to the ground.
Emphoria tore herself from the grass and straight to Eden.
"Eden!" Emphoria placed herself upon her in comfort. Eden had blood flowing from her nose. Her eyes as pale as snow.
Eden was quiet as her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell limp within Emphoria's arms.
Orion jumped down from the tree.
Lyra brought herself up as well, collecting the papers as they scattered across the place.
Emphoria petted Eden as is she was calming her. She sat with Eden's head in her lap and wiped the blood away from her nose. Eden's moon grew almost white in paleness opposed to its usual yellow.
Lyra glances towards Orion, he wasn't saying much. He suddenly gripped Lyra's sword from her belt and walked towards one of the many shards that glowed upon the ground, being their only light.
Lyra didn't protest, she had felt under power whenever around him.
"What were those dogs?" He questioned as he brought the top of Lyra'a sword towards the shard. It gleamed and cracked, losing the red glow as soon as it shattered. He hadn't reacted in anyway, a normal neutral face.
"It's nothing we've seen before," Lyra grew silent. When did they come along? Lyra was always out about in the wilderness, not a single being like these dogs were ever seen back then.
Orion furrowed his brows slightly as he gripped Lyra's sword and handed it back to her.
"You never used a sword before." He reminded her, Lyra grew embarrassed and gripped the sword loosely as she placed it within its holster.
"What made you think so?" Lyra told him off, slightly agitated as she had been exposed.
He exhaled in a small chuckle, sort of surprising Lyra. She hadn't smiled, only accompanying Emphoria silently.
The sun started to peak through the trees, shining and warming the cold earth. The shards gleamed within the sunlight and shattered, disappearing.
Orion turned in the direction he directed Lyra last night.
Lyra caught him and motioned Emphoria to bring Eden along. She gave Eden's unconscious body a piggy back ride as her arms rested over her shoulders.
Lyra kept distance between Orion and Emphoria and walked in between them, both having a lot of distance. She felt guilt for Emphoria, walking with all of that weight. And Orion, his missing horn.
He'd gone through something that night. Was he attacked by an animal? Lyra examined his figure as he walked, his cloak following him. She stayed within her thoughts, knowing he's closed towards everyone. She barley even knew him only his name.
   The day set in. They grew weak as their stomachs yearned for food. Their foot prints grew heavier when their minds went hazy. The sun beat down upon them yet Orion still wore his cloak. Silence between them lasted for hours, just until they were met with a wall.
   Orion stopped and turned to them just as Emphoria played Eden down upon the ground, still unconscious.
  "SouthernNörd has guards everywhere, Lyra. Anyone can recognize you." He cautioned her. Lyra found herself gulping.
  "Do we have a place in mind to stay? Eden needs a doctor." Lyra brought the topic off of herself, trying to pry away the fear.
   Orion pondered then shook his head.
"I'll take the witch." Orion steppes towards Emphoria.
   She was having none of it.
   "Over my dead body." She spoke through her teeth as she clenched her fists.
   "I know a doctor." He stiffened his voice.
   "We'll go with you." Lyra felt the tension of this all. He shook his head.
  "Witches aren't well handled in this town, I know someone you can trust." Orion continued to argue.
   "How do we know we can trust you?" Emphoria eyed Lyra, as if asking her to join in. Lyra did so.
"You don't talk to us. First, you don't smile," As she said those words, his small chuckled clouded her brain.
"Second,-" She stuttered. Emphoria groaned as Lyra lost her train of thought.
"She isn't going without me." Emphoria defended herself against Lyra and Orion. Lyra lost Emphoria as she was proven to be practically useless in defense. It wasn't her fault, Lyra wanted to believe but was met with her face frowning.
Orion finally sighed. "We'll just see how she reacts to strangers." Orion spoke about the doctor, he waved them to follow him as he walked along the wall and between vegetation.
    They came upon a portion of the wall that had been blocked by strong vines, making Lyra help out Emphoria as Eden was still upon her back.
They stepped upon the cold cobblestone. The town's chatter had infused their ears as they kept a low profile.
Lyra felt alone in hiding. No one else had to go through hiding their faces like a highly wanted criminal.
Orion led them through the shadows. The alleys became similar to the day the fire broke loose in EverGlade, Lyra's fire.
Lyra held herself as she tried to bare through it. They found themselves in front of a door.
Orion glanced behind the group, making sure no one followed.
He looked upon Lyra as her nerves were fried. They caught gazed. Orion shot his hand at the door and knocked in a certain pattern.

Loud footsteps, the sound of a giant.

The door opened, making Emphoria take a step back in hesitation.

"White meat. Welcome Home."