Moonrise ✔ [Complete]

16 Duty (Part 1)

A dirt-smudged face returned Maeyune's stare. She was used to seeing this sort of reflection. Fortunately, her tangled hair was not the mess it often had been when she was a child.

She showered and dressed in her casual training wear, tied her hair up again and laid across her bed.  Distracting herself from the events of the day, she pondered on the lack of appetite for dinner. She was lost in her thoughts when a knock came from her door.

She swiped the panel to open the door, revealing a non-celestial soldier.

"Miss Ereni," the soldier greeted, holding a black device out from her hands. "There is a transmission for you from Suolan."

Maeyune stopped the sigh that sought freedom. She had an idea of who it could be on the transmission.

"Thank you," Maeyune said, taking the transmitter from the soldier's hand. When her door slid shut again, she pushed the small button at the top. A holographic screen projected before her.

Jorin received her on the other end.

"Maeyune," he began abruptly. "Deiyu has informed me of the attack."

She was sure the king knew by now as well.

"I thought I told you to restrain from using your powers!" he rebuked. "You have now exposed yourself to the Berans."

"Master, the Sun Goddess incarnate-"

"And your team has brought disgrace upon us all. You are supposed to ensure their continuous cooperation in the alliance! What is this I hear about lack of self-control?"

Maeyune tightened her hands into fists, but they loosened shortly after. She knew there was no point in contending with him.

She breathed slowly and chose her words wisely.  After a few seconds of silence, she responded, "I take full responsibility, Master."

"Good." He sat back in the transmission, his frown ever present. "If this happens again, you and your team will be returning to Suolan."

"I understand, Master."

Without any delay, he ended the transmission. The screen cut to black and disappeared again into the device. She was left standing with stiff sullenness.

Somewhere in her mind, she heard words that echoed with Reo's voice. Are you just going to stand around taking orders?

As she fell back onto her bed, another knock sounded, and all she wanted to do was vanish. She didn't move. She stared obdurately at her ceiling, hoping that whoever it was would leave. But when a second knock came, she finally rose and opened her door.

"Yes?" she said to the soldier who waited on the other side.

It was a different non-celestial, a high-ranking officer. "Pardon me, Miss Ereni," he began. "General Soras is requiring your immediate assistance."