“It’s happening again...” Aurora surveyed the ruin before her, the scent of burning ash sharp in her nostrils. Her dark armour began to nd itself as she recovered her mana. Silver eyes glared at the inferno consuming the buildings in the distance.
Hell on Earth.
The wind howled back, rushing in after the massive explosion had pushed it away. The city of Namvie lay in ruins, reduced to rubble. Dust storms ford and dissipated in cyclical patterns, nature mimicking destruction's relentless march.
A familiar vision flashed before her eyes — two centuries ago, when the legendary Gliffin, Ventiff, terrorised city after city.
Everywhere it went, devastation followed. If not for her and the brave samurais of Solis Aeternum, the world would have been reduced to volcanic ash, like the ancient tales of Pompeii.
“Mindless beast then... now a sentient monster. Equally evil.” She muttered, limping forward. Aurora glanced down at her leg. It looked normal now, at least physically, yet she couldn’t walk straight. Despite her imnse power, her abilities did not extend to complete restoration.
Aurora tapped her fractured ring — nothing.
The arc comm had gone down with it.
“Back to basics, then,” she exhaled sharply.
“At least I’m in the northern hemisphere...” She looked up at the night sky, locating the North Star and cross-referencing it with the Big Dipper. It was high in the sky. “Late night or near dawn… a few hours have passed already.”
This thod had served her well for centuries.
As Aurora road the wasteland, her sharp mind agonised over her next move. “The fox will definitely co out in full force to finish off… or I could teleport away and restrategise.”
The thought pained her. “But where does it end? Better to fight here in the wasteland than in a city where innocent lives are at stake.”
An hour passed in aimless wandering. Her leg had improved; she could walk, even run, though not without difficulty.
Pain. She didn’t mind pain. It was the one reminder that she was still alive.
“I can’t unite them… always asking for too much. They’re no different from Celestius, no different from common peasants — greed and power, all the sa. And the Celestius mages are more divided than ever since Ignius’s plane was attacked and Zetius was lost...
For what reason, I still can’t figure out...”
Her thoughts scrambled for an answer.
“Stop treating like a damn doll!” The words escaped her throat in a raw, unfiltered scream. It wasn’t just a thought. It was fury unleashed into the void.
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Even Aurora was surprised at her own action.
Nothing but the endless echoes of her own voice responded.
Then, with her elven hearing, she caught sothing — a faint whimper beneath the rubble beside her.
Aurora spun on her heels, responding instantly. With imnse strength, she lifted a massive chunk of debris, revealing a girl trapped beneath. The child clutched a limp hand protruding from the wreckage — its owner long gone.
As the moonlight bathed her face, the girl fluttered her eyes open. “Mama...” she whispered weakly.
Aurora’s gaze swept over her. One of the child’s legs was pinned beneath the rubble, unable to move.
“This might hurt a bit… but hang in there, okay?” Aurora crouched beside her, brushing soft fingers through the girl’s long, dark hair.
Three... two...
Aurora heaved the concrete block aside. The girl winced, letting out a wail of pain.
“Are you okay?” Aurora asked gently, examining the injured leg. It twisted at an unnatural angle.
“Stay still. I’ll heal you,” she said, softening her tone. The child nodded obediently.
“Iasis.”
A glow enveloped the injury. Monts later, the girl wiggled her leg tentatively.
“I’m not the best doctor in the world, so that’ll have to do for now, okay?” Aurora said.
The girl slowly rose to her feet. “It still hurts.”
“I know. Can you walk?”
The girl nodded, then turned her blue eyes to the lifeless hand of her mother. “Mama kept company...” she said softly. “She kept telling to be strong. That help would co...” Her voice trembled. “Until she was gone.”
The child’s innocent words cut through Aurora’s heart like a blade. Her gloved fingers clenched tightly, her jaw stiffening with suppressed rage.
Despite her young age, the girl understood death.
Aurora’s resolve faltered slightly. “Of course... born into a war-torn planet, I failed to save. Loss is common. Death is common.”
“Sister, what’s your na?” the girl asked, approaching her hesitantly.
Aurora inhaled deeply. “I’m Aurora. What about you?”
“I’m Cartier.”
As the moonlight illuminated her, Aurora realised the girl wasn’t human — she was a cat Wildren. Her feline ears flopped against her dark hair, almost mistaken for a hair ornant. She wore a brown oversized T-shirt with a long, flowing white skirt. Her fair skin was covered in dust and ash.
Aurora closed her eyes, mana tingling beneath her skin. “Hippos Theios.”
A black steed materialised beside her, its body clad in sleek, gleaming armour. Towering and majestic, its long mane flowed srisingly in the breeze. It whickered as Aurora ran a hand along its neck.
“Wow... how did you do that?” Cartier gasped, her eyes gleaming with wonder.
“Arcane magic,” Aurora answered.
“Arcane?” Cartier tilted her head, puzzled.
“Let help you up,” Aurora said, lifting the girl by her armpits and settling her atop the steed.
“It’s so high! Heheh,” the child giggled, her sorrow montarily forgotten.
Aurora studied her innocence. “I wish I could create a better world for her... When did I forget this feeling? How funny, that ti eroded my resolve… how I grew numb to such innocence.”
She mounted the steed behind Cartier, instinctively reaching for the reins.
“Do you know where we should go next?” Aurora asked.
The girl tilted her head. “I don’t know... but I’m hungry.”
“Then let’s find food.” Aurora smiled softly and urged the steed forward, riding into the unknown.
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