The Lost Piece

Chapter Two

...

The gentle sound of a horse's hooves against the dirt trail was the only sound that filled the empty space between the Crimson Shards, each of them glancing around and trying to figure how they could call this a mission, let alone a successful one. The treeline was thick and impossible to navigate if not properly trained, but these Shards had no difficulty finding their way through one of Aka's natural defenses. "I find it ridiculous," Dari Vincent spoke up to the Alpha riding beside him. "That we leave Aka in such an uneasy place with our absence for something like this."

"Dari," Alpha Civilis spoke up beside him. "I am unable to control the wills and wishes of the Empress, and I cannot challenge her on them. I realize that a jewel run isn't exactly important, but we are coming to a time of peace. Zaru hasn't recovered from the last battle and --"

Neither has Aka." Dari sighed. "I understand that you have to listen to the Empress, Attia, I just find it a little frustrating is all. A two week expedition for a bag full of stones seems a little.."

"Impractical." Attia nodded in agreement. "I feel the same way you do, Dari, I simply cannot control what she asks for."

Dari nodded his head, he fully was aware that Attia had no say over what the Empress requested of the Shards, especially since Attia was the one to serve her. That never did stop him though for feeling like the treatment of the Crimson Shards -- or any Shards for that matter -- was unfair and unjust.

"It's a game of give and take," Attia spoke again when Dari didn't add anything else. "If I desire certain things out of the Empress, then I also have to give in return. If this is the give, then so be it. Besides, Aka is a Kingdom closed off from the rest of Zarial, I'm sure it is just the same as when we left."

"It just worries me that there are no other Shards there to protect Aka," Dari sighed.

"Have faith in the Dragonflies," Attia hummed, knowing that they would be the ones to defend. "After all, they're only weeks away from their graduation, meaning if they aren't capable fighters by now then they'll never be."

"You do serve a point, Alpha," Dari replied. "We're getting close to Aka now anyways, so I guess if something were to happen, we would get there in time to at least help the clean up."

"Positive thinking!" Attia chuckled as she pointed her finger to Dari. "That's a good way to exist."

The grasslands surrounding Aka were vast and wide open, gently waving in the autumn wind and stretched until they met the dense treeline. It felt wide open, and left Shards vulnerable to attack if it seemed like there was anything attacking in the first place.

The Dragonfly Shards walked out and breathed deep, trying to distinguish what they were supposed to be fighting. Upon seeing nothing though, they mistakenly let their guard down.

"It doesn't seem like there's anything here," Arabella glanced around and even she was standing up straighter, less on the defensive for the enemy she could not see.