We walked through the cold wilderness, Celene was walking on her bare feet on the snow and she looked like she was in pain but she pursued, meanwhile, on the other hand, I was supported by her as we were walking. The snow kept on piling up as time passed by and the temperature continued to drop. We were probably headed for the nearest town but it will take a few hours...Celene was running out of breath, she's too exhausted...I need to make a move but...No, I need to be the one supporting her.
"Celene...you've done enough...you've helped me so much that I don't even know how to repay you...I'll carry you until the next town c'mon!"
"So now your finally back? You sure took your time." she said while huffing
"Sorry about that..."
"Yeah, yeah."
She hopped on my back and her skin was cold so I immediately surrounded her with white flames. She slept as we made our way through the snow-covered woods. We got near the town's north entrance as I gasped because of the huge amount of smoke coming from the town's direction. I dashed for the town wall and I peered through the gate...nothing awaited us but destruction...houses destroyed and burnt...people lying dead on the streets...blood-splattered everywhere...a massacre following the incident at the manor has happened here...Struck by fear I quickly tried to find a house that doesn't look as destroyed like the others. We headed to the east side of town, I sprinted there because for some reason I felt like we were being watched. I found a decent looking house that doesn't have that much damage, we headed in and I quickly went to the basement and placed the sleeping Celene on a corner, I headed up to the second floor and I checked the rooms for blankets and pillows to keep us warm and comfortable. I found an old lamp and some candles and fire matches, I brought all those down to the basement then I went back to the first floor to barricade the windows and door, I also scavenged for any remaining food and thank the heavens there were plenty in this one house. I checked the second floor and tried my best to barricade the wooden windows on each room and covered them with scrap wood I found in the basement with some hammer and plenty of nails. The houses in this town have a stone floor on the first floor but the rest of the house is made of wood so there were a lot of rickety noises. After double-checking the second floor, I headed down to the basement to see the comfortably sleeping Celene. I laid her down on the ground with a sheet covering the ground and a pillow for her head, I fixed up the blanket so that she would be warm. I didn't want to use the white flames as most of the house is flammable. I locked the wooden door that leads to the basement and for extra security, I blocked it with some wooden crates filled with grain. I got another blanket for myself as I laid my head on the wall and I dozed off.
"I'm full!" she exclaimed
I opened my eyes to Celene stuffing her face with food, she seems to be happy right now. I got up and removed the blanket from myself and I headed over to the foods that I managed to scavenge.
"So how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine...grandma passed on and she was happy for me that I managed to make a friend..."
"All that matters is that she passed on peacefully with no harm and in the loving care of her last surviving family member."
"Thanks...you should eat now."
"Yeah...and sorry to say this but...we're the last two remaining survivors from the manor and this town. Someone seemed to attack coordinately and they're related to someone I had killed twice...a pain in the ass."
"I...I don't know what to say anymore...I just want to survive and live a peaceful life..."
"I'll bring you over to the other side, my friends and loved ones are waiting over there and you can fit in easily!"
Tears welled up in her eyes and she jumped to me for a hug, I caressed her hair as she silently wept.
"You're not alone anymore, I'm here and so is your future family, I'm sure your future will be full of sunshine and peace...I can see it in you..."
"Then...how's your future looking like Tarus?" she asked as tears still flowed on her face
"I can't say for sure...all I see is an everlasting void of darkness, loneliness...and regret..."
"B-but!"
"It's fine...I'm used to it by now...and no need to worry about me, that's just how my fate was created and I can't do anything to stop or change it...anyways! I'll eat for now and let's see what we can do to get out of here."
"Tarus..."
I then proceeded to go through the few foods we have left and some water. To escape from this town and reach another we need some bags to carry the stuff and also some cloaks and to scavenge for more food while avoiding the intruders. I was in deep thought as I stuffed my mouth with bread.
"So here's the plan, we need to gather for more food so that we can make it to the next town and hope that we can get help there, to carry the food, we need to get bags and so that we can get warm we need to find some feathered thick cloaks so that we can survive the freezing outside."
"Can't we just use your white flames?"
"It'll burn our stuff. We also need to be careful not to get the attention of the people who bombarded this town."
"I think it will be best to move around at night just to be safe."
"Yeah, we'll wait for the sun to go down, and once nighttime hits we'll scavenge for items."
"That's the plan then!"
We waited for the evening and the outside seemed to be quiet so we made our move. I went to the nearest house to our "base" and I swiftly checked the first floor, second floor, then the basement. I got a basket-like thing to help carry the loot we got. I managed to get several food items as well as jars full of water. I was already leaving the house I ransacked then I saw a shadow standing at the hole on the first floor, I quietly hid in one of the barrels and good thing there was a hole. I held my breath waiting for him to go. A few seconds passed and he vanished without a trace. I lifted the lid of the barrel and I was sent flying, I swiftly got back up to face the enemy.
"Who's there!"
The moonlight showed me the person's face, long black silky hair, golden eyes...
"Kasu...?"