The Lost Piece

Chapter Four

...

    The fire burned brightly as the Dragonfly Shards along with many other Shards and civilians, celebrated a job well done. Something in the air hung heavy though, maybe it was the sudden reveal to the Dragonflies that they would be sent to the Death Shards or to the Crimson Shards that this was not the end of their relentless fighting. It felt like for years they simply couldn't get a break or even ahead. After all, they did defeat Zaru, why must there be another demon to strike down?

    Of course, many never understood these celebrations, and Attia's second in command Silas was one of them. Why celebrate one day of success? Even if it wasn't successful at all, they would dance around the flames and forget about the day while downing anything that would grog the brain. A second in command like Silas never thought that they should be so jovial.

    "I should really stop expecting you to take part in the festivities," Attia laughed as she rubbed Silas' back while taking a seat on the rotting log beside him. She gazed at the fire as she spoke to him. "You are too serious sometimes. After all, we just completed a mission without any mishaps and look at what the Dragonflies accomplished! We can take the time to celebrate a job well done."

Of course without a response, the Alpha took the moment to stand and pull Silas up with her where he did not stand a chance against her. They moved to where a couple of barrels stood and a man held out two large mugs filled with petal ale, an intoxicating drink that existed through most of Zarial, was common and easily made. It had a rather bitter bite to it, but didn't stop anyone from downing as much as they could.

     "Come on, drink up!" Attia smiled wide as she passed him one of the mugs. He looked at it with a disgusted glance before his eyes raised back up to Attia. "Fine, I command it of you."

    "I am sure that Empress Ellen doesn't want you or I to be drinking of all people," Silas sighed as he looked at the drink sloshing around in the cup. He lowered his nose to it and pulled back immediately at its strong scent.

    Attia -- not paying a single bit of attention to Silas' complaints -- was already beginning to down hers before she shrugged her shoulders at Silas. "We work hard, and I figure I want a drink. I'll have one."

    "After what we found out today, you still want to have a drink? We could be attacked at any time." Silas scolded her and she tilted her head back and forth, like she was considering what he was saying. Of course, he did have some truth to his words but that didn't make Attia want to set her drink down anymore. She glanced down at the remnants of it and let out a long sigh.

    "Well, where there is a will there is a way," Attia replied. "We'll figure out a way to set everything right, it's what the Shards always do." Silas rolled his eyes and took a small sip out of the mug and got Attia to smile a little. "It really is unfortunate though."

    "What is?"

    "Jack Geyer said that he didn't see a single thing when he was attacked by the nightcreeps," Attia replied. "If that's true, that means he must have a will and a resilience like no other. I would love to have him in the Crimson Shards; I doubt that will happen though."

    "Unfortunately, it most certainly will not." Silas agreed. "Most of them are going to get assigned to the Death Shards, I wouldn't be surprised if that is where every last one of them ended up."

    "I just hate to see a good Shard go to waste." Attia shrugged. "I know we made it out of the Death Shards but it was out of a weird circumstance, for them it could be a short life of serving in those blackened capes. I would hate to think about what would happen to them if it is true about the Tokyanite."