The moon illuminated the falling snow around them. The streets were as quiet as if it was any other time of the day. Their footsteps crunched as they walked around, heading towards the main gate. As they arrived, they found themselves hiding behind a tiny hut just out of view of all the guards that patrolled the area, looking for them.
Their hiding spot was almost perfect, however, it was one tiny candlelight that was lit in the hut that alerted one guard. Looking at the illuminated building, he saw the outlines of several suspicious people and didn't wait to open fire.
"There they are!" He screamed as all the other guards joined in, using their magic rifles to launch an onslaught of bullets that would pierce their skin and bones if hit.
"What do we do?" Clara asked, hiding behind the mouldy wood.
"It won't be easy, but we can take them…"
"No," Elcan stopped Fishy who was about to charge forward, "I've got this."
From inside his warm jacket, Elcan grabbed a wooden twig, one that looked like a jagged lightning bolt that seemed as if it was older than the land they stood on. As he pulled out the twig, the snow around them started to thaw and the concrete cracked as roots pushed their way to the surface. Slowly, whilst the bullets continued, a large flower grew underneath Elcan and the others, slowly lifting them into the air whilst creating a miniature tornado from the spinning leaf blades underneath. The Green flower quickly rose as if it was being controlled by wind magic, it's spinning blades reminded Fishy of the helicopters of his world as he peeked underneath to get a quick look at the land he was now above.
"So cool…" Fishy said as he turned to Elcan who had both hands tightly on the twig with his eyes closed. The mana seeping into the flower that gave it the power to take off. The bullets that continued to attack were useless against the thick base of the helicopter flower. A plant that was used by kids for entertainment had grown to the size of a house and flew as if it had a mind of its own. Flying high over the walls that trapped Tanba, charging into the blizzard that tried to rival the wind.
Both the wind from the Helicopter flower and the blizzard were fighting against each other. The immense winds would knock them off the flower, but Soth's curse was one of magic. Placed to destroy the Tanba Empire and ruin them. It was as if Soth was watching, for a small path in the storm revealed itself. Allowing them to flee from Tanba.
"What a convenient way to travel. This is almost cheating." Fishy said as he sat with his arms and legs crossed next to Ziu who nodded.
"This really is impressive magic…"
"Plant Acceleration. That's my magic. I can create any plant that I've seen and use my magic to accelerate it and mutate it to almost freaky levels. But it produces a lot of heat. If we weren't in a freezing cold storm I'd be dead by now."
"Awesome…" Ziu and Fishy could only say to Elcan who clearly looked to be struggling, sweat pouring down his face as his nose started to bleed.
"We should stop at that village, give you time to rest."
"I agree…" Said Clara.
The village they stayed at before, where they heard the tales of the East, was as deserted as they remember. Even if they were only away for not even 2 days, the snow hadn't changed at all. They rested the flower down as Eclan collapsed to Ziu's arms, but Clara couldn't stay around to help him. Before the flower touched the ground she jumped off with Fishy following behind. Even with all the identical snow and blinding ice, Clara knew where she was heading, as if it was calling out to her.
As Fishy followed behind he looked around, noticing that something was off. He tried to call out to Clara but she couldn't hear him over the tempest. It was for her mental state that he tried to stop her, but the storm fought against Fishy. And when Clara opened the door, she saw the once grey walls painted with the blood of those that helped them. Their bodies left on the floor as pale as the sky around them.
The family.
Those with memories of the East.
Killed.
Clara approached the body of the youngest, still only a baby, as Fishy arrived. Fishy couldn't look at her. Her frozen tears crashed against the ground as she tried to stay strong.
"They're in a better place now…" Said Fishy, placing his hand gently on Clara's pink rose hair.
"Hey… Fishy…" She spoke with a shaky voice, unable to find what belonged to who. "Tanba… what's stopping us from blowing them up?"
Fishy couldn't reply to Clara's crazed state.
"Your magic can do it... You possess the power to wipe this whole nation of the map. Why should they still survive after everything they've done!"
Clara destroyed her hands against Fishy's chest with her eyes swollen from the cold weather. Her punches didn't care about what they were hitting, but Fishy couldn't stop her. He could only apologise as he held her tightly in his arms listening to her painful screams.
Whilst outside, Soth's curse continued her rage.