(Eve Solaris POV)

I awoke in a small, wooden room I didn’t recognize with a pounding headache. Groaning, I sat up,trying my best to remember where I was when the memories I wished never happened started to flood back into my mind like a endless nightmare on repeat.

It all played back in my mind, piece by piece. The feeling of the aura burst, the fear going through my mind as I ran towards the hill, mana encompassing me for the first time, the despair I felt as I saw my once home gone; I felt it all.

Then, the memories of Cenric’s decapitated head in the streets looking up at me, the feeling of my heart shattering more and more as I walked deeper into the village and saw the bodies of everyone I’d known and grew up with.

And finally, the last straw for the chains guarding my reasoning: Gabi and my parents' bodies looking up at me with those cold, lifeless eyes as my aura erased them from existence.

I felt an immediate rush of vertigo as I curled up into the bed and started to cry. My heart bled as I cried, harder than I ever thought I possibly could as I cursed myself, the gods, this world, and everything else I could think of.

‘Why did this happen to me? Who even caused this? Why would they do this?’ Were just some of the many thoughts spiraling through my head.

“Should I even continue living?” I whispered to myself as if expecting the unknown voice I had heard to answer me.

‘It hurts, it hurts so much. Everything’s gone. Even if I continue living, I couldn’t be happy again.’

‘Cursethis fate of mine! So much has happened to me, yet I have no answers to anything, as if I’m just a puppet dancing on a string for others to laugh and cry about.’

I slowly got up, feeling my sadness and pain turn into an icy anger. ‘Why should I have to go through this and get no answers? This is my fucking life and not just something to be toyed around with. I don’t deserve this, my family didn’t deserve any of this.’

Losing myself to my ever-growing anger, I picked up the first thing I could see - a knife that was brought with the food they left for me - and threw it at the door.

My eyes widened in shock as I realized that the door was beginning to open as the knife I had thrown inched closer and closer towards it.

“Hey! What are you doing kid? Are you trying to kill me or something?!?” I heard a voice call from behind the door.

Kalan opened the door the rest of the way and walked in, closing the door behind him. He then proceeded to dislodge the knife currently resting at head level on the wooden door.

“I…..I’m sorry, Kalan. I just had a lot on my mind and needed to vent a little.”

“It’s alright, kid. I understand you’ve been through a lot, but we should talk about what to do next.” Kalan suggested

“You’re right.” I said as I walked over and flopped back down on the bed. “So, what was it that you wanted to discuss?” I added as I sat up and looked him in the eyes.

Kalan hesitated, flinching under my gaze but immediately caught himself. “Well, I’ll be honest, this is a strange situation. I got the report back and it’s as you said; the entire village is gone. As if it never existed in the first place.”

“Yeah, I told you it was in ruin… and that I erased what was left.” I said, almost choking on my tears.

“I know, however, it is hard to believe you could cause that kind of destruction. I can feel the mana radiating off you and it’s barely even above D class.”

I sighed. “The power should have killed me if I’m being honest. I’m unsure how I’m alive, how I wound up here, or what happened to my full power.”

Kalan shrugged, “Well, either way, I say we have a couple of options, but, before then, you should probably go get some fresh air. I don’t really want to force you into something you may or may not do in such a bad state of mind. Have you ever been to the capital of Lign Aloes?”

“I have not. I’ve only heard of it.” I said, shaking my head.

“Well, then. That’s perfect.” Kalan said with a smile. “Here’s some money. Go ahead and look around and maybe get something to eat and a change of clothes. After, come see me and we’ll discuss your future.”

“Thank you, Kalan”

“Of course, I understand this is essentially deciding the immediate life ahead of you, so take your time.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I found myself walking through the capital streets moments later, but it did little to clear my mind.

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While I had to admit the capital was beautiful, with marble buildings all around, beautiful stone streets, and bustling with life, the flags of hummingbirds that were hung everywhere I looked only brought back that day.

I then looked at all the children playing in the streets with smiles on their faces like I once had. Do they realize how easily it all can be taken away from them? That one event, one moment, one seemingly innocuous action, can turn all that happiness into a living nightmare?

I shook my head, as if I could shake the pessimistic thoughts free from my mind.

I continued to walk through the streets of the busy capital, taking in the fresh air. It was then that I began to smell something sweet. Something that reminded me of… home.

I reluctantly rounded the corner of the street to the sight of a quaint, little bakery, much like the one I always used to visit. My legs started moving before I could even process the tumultuous emotions threatening to surface .

The smells of freshly baked cinnamon loaves, fruity pastries and tart batards filled the air, continuing to bring back a flood of memories.

I caught myself just as I was going to enter, hand shaking slightly over the handle, contemplating whether I wanted to walk in.

Half of me was hoping that, on the other side of that door, I’d see Gabi feasting away on another one of her many sweets that she’d usually gets.

Another part of me, however, the more practical and realistic part, knew that walking through there would only confirm what I already knew: there was no changing what happened and no friends or family waiting for me.

I opened the door despite this, however.

What greeted me was, to be expected, the smell of freshly baked goods, except even stronger than I anticipated. The sight of a plethora of different colored sweet rolls with an assortment of fruit toppings and different flavors almost made me forget the emotions filling my mind.

I watched as a couple finished paying for their goods and began to head my way. I almost forgot to move out in front of the door as I was still taking in the sight.

“Well, are you going to just stand there, or are you gonna order some sweets, missy?” The shopkeeper said with a chuckle. “Although my pastries often have that effect on newcomers, I can't have you take up a spot in the line just to not order something.”

“Ah, yes, I’m sorry. I was… lost in my thoughts.” I said hollowly. “Can I have three of those?” I pointed at a round bread with some sort of colored powder on top of it.

“Right away, missy. That’ll be 12 leptons.”

I handed the man the 12 leptons as he bagged the bread and handed it to me. I muttered my thanks and began out the way I came.

The rest of the day after that became more or less a blur. I stopped by a humble clothing establishment amongst the many different establishments; most selling dresses that would have cost an entire year’s worth of earnings for a farmer in Callum, and picked out some casual clothes to wear during my stay in the capital.

After that, I went and ordered some light armor from a smithy and had it set to be delivered to Kalan.

After having sorted out what was needed, I began to walk back to see Kalan.

I hadn’t really needed to think about what I was going to do for my future, I mean, I didn’t really know or care for that matter. All I knew was that I needed answers; answers for many different questions that had seemingly no clear start.

Right now, the only person I could somewhat rely on was Kalan, and even he was a mystery. I mean, I hardly know anything about the man.

I could make out that he was someone of a high position within the Cult of Heaven, however exactly where was a mystery. Not to mention, why was he helping me? It’s not like I’m exceptional or anything and nor do I have anything to my name- no family, no property, and no money.

Regardless, however, he was still the only lead I had.

I would do anything to ensure that I could get my answers, even if that meant I’d become someone he could use freely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Come in, Eve.”

A voice sounded from the other side of the door before I had even knocked.

I opened the door and looked around what I assumed was Kalan’s office. It was more simple than I had expected if I’m being honest. There was a set of shelves on one side of the room with books and some sort of plate with an insignia carved into it. What I did recognize, however, was a hummingbird in the center of the engraving.

“Please, sit down.”

I took a seat in a chair directly in front of his desk.

His desk was more or less in the center of the room, a bit towards the back, with a chair directly behind it. Behind where he was sitting, there was a window outlooking the city streets as the sun had begun receding. A truly magnificent sight to behold.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” He turned around and looked off into the distance.

“Perks of the job, if I do say so myself. I can’t say there’s many of those, however. Anyways, back to what we’re here for!” He turned back around and pulled what seemed to be a file out of a drawer he had next to him.

“This file contains everything we know currently about the destruction of the many cities within Nazareth. I know you probably have many questions and I know this is probably something you feel deeply invested in, but I can say that for you to-”

“I’m in.” I said, cutting him off.

“Huh? You sure? You don’t even know what you need to do yet.”

“Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. I’ll do anything and everything to get answers. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t try at the very least”.

“Hmph, I figured as much. In any case, you’ll probably be needing this back.”

He stood up and walked to one of the sides of the room, opposite of where the shelves were and opened a drawer.

“I’m assuming you know how to use this?”

He held out the last thing I ever thought I’d see again: my bow. The bow my father had given me- the last thing he had ever given me. The last thing I have of my family and one of the only things I have from my home aside from the necklace Cenric had given me.

“I-I thought I’d never see it again, to be honest. I don’t know if I should be thanking you for finding it or hating you for keeping this from me for the past few days.”

I grabbed the bow from him and pulled the string back to test if it still was as sturdy as I remembered. I then flexed the bow itself and transformed it into the bladed staff.

“Now that’s something you don’t see every day. Where’d you even get something like that?”

“It… was given to me by my dad. He gave it to me right before I left for my trial. Right before they all died.”

“Ah, my apologies, then.”

“It wasn’t your fault, there’s no need for you to apologize.”

“No, it wasn’t, but I was the one that brought it up. So, for that, I apologize.”

“Either way, thank you, again, for everything.”

“Don’t mention it. Now then, why don’t we go over everything we know?” He said as he handed me the file.

“You didn’t even have to ask.” I took it and began flipping through the pages or damage reports and survivor lists.

There was no one. No one was left alive.

This hit me once more as I felt my eyes begin to water up.

“So, where do we start?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somewhere in a distant land,

the sounds of death close at hand.

The smell of flesh adrift in the wind.

The skies aflame as screams dinned on deaf ears.

Life as hollow as can be,

flowers bloom as far as the eye can see.

One man stands watching from afar,

a fresh new board ready to char

Amidst the sight of death and decay,

he whispers:

“All the pieces are in play.”

As he disappears without a trace,

not a feature on his face.