Her dull listless gray hair blew gently in the breeze as Aour walked through the town of Prana offering everyone she passed a small pitied smile. Although small, the town was very lively as people happily went about their daily routines. She stopped and watched a group of children kick a ball around in a field. One of the children kicked the ball too hard in an attempt to get it between a goal marked by two trash cans, causing it to go out of bounds and roll to a stop at Aour's feet. "Hey kid through it back." A boy called out to her. She smiled as she picked up the ball and tossed it back before continuing on. She admired the charm of the small shops and boutiques as she passed by, occasionally stopping to window shop. The thought of how lovely the town was swam through her mind as she stared up at the giant tree the town was built around. She gazed up at its large green leaves and her expression saddened at the thought of what might become of this adorable innocent town. "Why the long face child?" Aour turned to find an old woman sitting on a bench beckoning her to sit down. Aour smiled warmly before accepting the women's invitation and sitting down beside her. "You seem awfully young to be by yourself. Is that why you seem so glum?" The woman asked. "Oh no ma'am, I'm a lot older than I look." "Please call me Claudia dear. No need to be strangers." Aour smiled at Claudia. "I'm Aour." "What a beautiful name." Claudia responded. "So Aour, why were you looking so down?" Aour looked back up at the tree and let out a deep sigh. "The price of balance." She answered. Claudia seemed surprised and confused by Aour's comment. "Well dear I must say that I don't understand." Aour chuckled softly before elaborating. "The price of balance is that once the scales are leveled there is no telling which way they will tilt. And I'm afraid that what I must do next may tilt them in an... unfavorable direction." Claudia joined Aour in her gaze at the tree. "Well why should the scales be balanced if the position they are currently is desirable?" Aour stood from the bench and faced Claudia. "Because entropy is indifferent to the position of the scales and the Chaos that is a result of my failure to balance them is a much worse fate." "Oh my. Then do what you feel you must my dear." Aour nodded. "I must say Miss Claudia, these human emotions are very troubling." Claudia smiled. "That they are dear, that they are." With that Aour made her way over to the tree and placed her hand against it. She took a deep breath and in a quiet voice spoke. "And with this, balance is restored." The bark where her hand was in contact with the tree turned ash gray and the color spread from there, up and around the tree. The leaves wilted and began to fall. Claudia watched in awe as Aour's gray hair took on the color of dying grass. The water that ran through the town's suspended aqueducts turned toxic and began to emit a sewage like odor. Aour took her hand from the tree and stood there expressionless. Claudia, concerned for the girl hurried to her side. "Aour dear child, are you alright? What just happened?" Aour slowly turned her head and looked at Claudia for a second. "Who?" She asked. The tone in her voice was drastically less polite. Claudia was taken back in the girl's abrupt change in demeanor. "Aour are you alright child?" Claudia's concern was palpable. "Why do you keep calling me that? And why is my body so small..." Aour examined her extremities thoroughly. "And human?" Claudia put her hands on Aour shoulders and tried to direct her back to the bench so she could sit down. "Come Aour let's sit you down." "Get off me hag!" Aour shoved Claudia away causing her to fall to the ground. "And stop calling me that. My names Bilan." Claudia's eyes grew wide in fear. "It can't be." She mumbled to herself. "Ahhh so you have heard of me. The Great Destroyer! Thanata's Wrath! That one was always funny to me, that little brat doesn't have a wrathful bone in her body." Claudia crawled to her knees in worship. "Oh great gift giver, you have returned." Bilan's adorable face frowned in disgust. "Is that the reputation my name has gained in its absence?" Bilan let out a deep sigh. "I have so much work to do." The little Aeon opened her mouth and from it a bright pale green light washed over the town of Prana. A few moments later Bilan exited the eastern side of the town leaving the charred silhouettes of all organic life painted across the ground or against walls. As she walked, a child's ball rolled and stopped at her feet. She smiled, picked up the ball and tossed it behind her as she continued on.
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