A black-haired woman wearing all black apparel walks up to the grey charred remains of a corpse. Stepping past it, she continued on. Following shortly after was a elven woman with a blue cloak and a short elven dress underneath.
"What happened here?" The elf asked as she gripped her magical staff firmly. Her voice was higher pitched than most woman, and her elvish accent was strong. Pinned to her blue cloak was three golden engraved feathers, matching the pins on the black tank top of the black-haired woman.
"No clue, best guess is monster raids. Worst is empire raids." The black-haired woman says as she loads her rifle. Her voice was sterner and more focused, but it also sounded like a voice of someone from the city life. No countryside person spoke in her accent.
Her short black hair ruffles softly as they stand atop a hill that overlooks the entirety of the burnt crumbling village. The blue cloak on the elf rustles in the wind as her gold strands of hair flow behind her freely.
After the black-haired woman finishes preparing her gun and double checking her ammo, they head into the village remains. As they approach, more and more charred remains litter the ground until it becomes all ashen grey underfoot. The smell of burnt flesh and misery fill their nostrils.
Stepping through what was once a street, the elf imagines the sight of this village before it became what it was now. A pang of sadness hits her, but she continues after the black-haired woman who remained front facing as she moved.
A burnt frame gives out nearby, collapsing to dust while making noise. The black-haired woman spins around, her rifle at the ready. The elf walks up and places her hand on the rifle, lowering it slowly.
"There's nothing left alive here, Marim. I get you want to be ready but…" The elf says with a sorrow to her voice. The black-haired girl, Marim, lowers her gun and straightens up.
"I get it, Lileen. Let's just investigate quickly and return to the guild." Marim says as she turns and progresses on. The elf, named Lileen, nods and follows after her.
They step through the barren grey landscape, finding nothing of interest at all. After a brief rest under an old Willermine Tree, they go to explore the more distant homes, finding much of the same situation.
"Even the fields were burned away. There's no hope of even starting over here if someone did survive…" Lileen says with a depressed sigh. Marim nods solemnly. Marim had her gun on her shoulder, resting it there as they walk, but as they approached the final house, something shifted and rustled in the debris.
Marim instantly aimed her rifle, but Lileen stepped in and looked at the debris closer. In the grey ash was a young boy, covered with dirt and blood, but otherwise a healthy complexion. Lileen looked at Marim with a tragic look.
She reaches out and feels the boy's neck. A pulse beats, filling her with even more grief.
"He's still alive, Marim." Lileen says as she sets her magical staff to the side and starts to tear at the debris and toss away ash like grey sand.
Marim stamps the butt of her rifle into the ground and watches cautiously. Her face is expressionless. Lileen coddles the boy as his limp body reveals a purple flower within his hand. The glowing flower gently flutters to the ground.
Marim picks it up and inspects it carefully while Lileen focuses on nursing the small cuts and scrapes on the boy. The flower's petals peel out beautifully, with no indication of harm despite the disaster that had occurred.
Marim holds the flower past Lileen's shoulder as she looks out at the grey landscape. Lileen looks at the flower, noticing the magical power it exudes, then she glances up at Marim.
"This flower is not one I've ever seen before. It appears to be quite powerful too." Lileen details. Marim looks at it again, her magical aptitude showing through as she fails to see anything important beyond its glow.
"If it's so powerful, maybe it's the reason this boy lived." Marim guesses as she crouches beside Lileen and the boy resting on her lap. Marim looks at the boy's small face. His brown curls were singed at the tips from the fire, and his caramel-colored skin was dirtied in ash, but he still seemed to look healthy.
Marim blinked back to reality, finding herself staring at the boy with an almost loving eye. Lileen had caught Marim's expression and smiled.
"Have you come to love our little survivor, here?" Lileen says teasingly as she gently strokes the hairs resting on the boy's forehead. The boy starts to stir as her pale elven fingers rub his forehead.
"M-Mother..." He mumbled with a tense expression. Lileen, caught off guard, casts sleep magic. The boy instantly relaxes, his body falling limp as Lileen squeaks like a mouse.
Marim looks at her with utter shock, nearly dropping her propped up rifle. Lileen looks at the sleeping boy then up at Marim with teary eyes.
"I-I didn't mean to!" She stutters out. Marim leans back and grins.
"Damn, Lil. You put him to sleep instantly. I've seen you cast the spell before, but this was the fastest one yet." Marim says with a cocky grin plastered on her face.
"W-Wait, wait, wait! I-It wasn't intentional!" Lileen stammers out as she holds her hands up in defense. Marim cackles mischievously as she walks past and plops down on a collapsed wooden post, once belonging to the roof of the building.
"Guess we're gonna here for a bit." Marim says with a sigh as she pulls out a cigarette and lights it with a small pocket lighter. Lileen frowns and turns away.
"Don't bring that near the child!" Lileen says with a scrunched nose as she puts distance between the boy and Marim.
"Oh, boo hoo, he'll be fine. A little smoke doesn't hurt you." Marim says with a snort and an eye roll. Lileen glares at Marim but lets it go as she continues to tend to the boy.
"I hope he can tell us about what happened here…" Lileen says. Marim remains silent but glances at the boy's sleeping face.