J.ade, A.ir D.efying E.lementalist

XV:Mourn for the Lost Peace

Chapter 15 - Mourn for the Lost Peace

The train chugged for ten minutes but it felt like a year for me since En and Julia left the room. I started doodling absentmindedly on my notebook since. I stop and then it registered to me that the face I was working on awhile ago had its nose on its cheek and it's other eye outside the actual face. I frown then drop my pen, apparently unsure of what to do next. Julia and En went out minutes ago after our discussion leaving the four of us to do exactly none. 

"Check!" Gale exclaims. I turn around to see him and Chesca playing chess. She bites her lip then move her king away from Gale's queen. Both of them have the same number of pieces left. But Chesca lost his queen and Gale lost a bishop and a knight. He moves his last knight and again, corners her king. "Surrender, my highness" he imitates a knight. 

 Chesca gives a laugh, as if spotting something. She shielded the king with a rook. He eats the rook with his only bishop. She moves the king left. He followed it with a knight. Chesca laughs out loud. I frown

 "What's so funny? You're losing" I say. I have moved beside their board and am watching them play.

 "Not really" she replies. She eats Gale's night with her knight. Gale moves a pawn. Chesca's rook, free from the pawn, moves just in front Gale's king. "Mate, mate" she says proudly. Gale curses. His king is trapped, on the right side, a bishop hinders him. He can't move backwards, because it’s the end of the board and if he goes left, a knight awaits to devour him there. 

 "Fine. One all" he grumbles. Chesca claps.  

 "How long will this take?" Jay asks suddenly. I turn and look over my shoulder to see him, still on his window sill looking at us. 

 Gale lifts his head and then replies "We must be near. It  slowed down" As an answer, a voice crackled on the speaker stationed above the door. It made me jump, which lightly crumpled the fancy cream-colored carpet.

 "Train arrived safely on Lyran borders. We all require for the passengers to form a line behind the door."   

 We hear shuffling sounds outside our door before we finally decide to stand up. I notice Jay put the book he is reading awhile ago in his bag.

 "You dork, is that yours?" I say, forcing myself not to laugh. 

 He looks sheepishly at me "It's a good book" he just says.

 I laugh then say "Come on, put that back where it belongs."

 "But, moooom" he feigned exasperation then put the book back on a desk. "You'll have to buy me a pizza for this" he adds. I stick my tongue out to him. He mumbles something I couldn't hear and then points at the desk where I was writing awhile ago. I sigh and then went to get my pen and notebook. I stuffed the things in my bag. 

 Gale opened the glass door and we went outside. A line is gradually forming in the hall way and we position ourselves at the back. The line thinned as fast as it formed and moments later we found ourselves gawking at the building in front us.

 "Is this really Lyran?" Gale whispered at me. I look at him and shrug. I really don't know. For me, it's like all the crazy things that happened recently is not real and I'm still trying to process all of it since it's happening so fast. But still, I guess I wouldn't forget what Lyran looked especially when the first time I saw it is just days ago.

 I look at Chesca but before I can even voice out my question she shakes her head, clearly saying 'I don't know either' I look expectantly at Jay but he just stared back with the same question mark look in his face. I turn back to the infrastructure in front us. Before I could critique on it, a voice amplified by speakers bellowed a cheerful greeting.