Through the night, flames ravaged what Elspethians once called their homes. Families broken apart, children abandoned and lives lost. Manna deriving arrows rained down the sky as people took shelter under anything concrete enough to give them rest before they start running for their lives again.
It was the time when terror reigned, when light was shunned from the skies and only darkness prevailed.
"The Royal family has fallen and Prince Atlas is nowhere to be found."
Better dead than hiding, everyone was better dead than running. Life was hopeless, what were they even trying for...?
"Has our Queen woken up? She is the only one who can save us from this doomed fate."
A shake from the villager's head and the man knew it was another day of disappointment.
Another reason to quit. The future was in shambles. Still—
"What are the twelve knights even doing at this time?!" the question was fired in pure exasperation as a nearby fountain suddenly burst into flames. The blazing flames sprung to life and hungrily fed on its surroundings, the scene glistening in his wine eyes.
They did not know if it was morning or night, they did not know how many days of forlorn misery they had survived, ever since the Queen was set to sleep, time had disappeared and the realm of Elspeth was in a standstill. Hope was a luxury.
"They are doing what they can, but without the magic or our God and his Lady, they are nothing."
"Tch," the fellow Elspethian spat as the fountain fire drew closer. "We are nothing without our Queen," he whispered in a low murmur of acknowledgement. His hands shook from the fear of impending dread that would take over them. "We will all die!" he cried out and before his friend could stop him, the man wildly ran towards the fiery fountain.
Death it is. Death is the only way. Sometimes quitting isn't as bad for those around you.
"What are you doing?! Stop! They are still working to—"
"Don't you see? Nobody can save us now! Elspeth is on the edge of doom, nobody can stop it! Not even our Queen Goddess! We'll disappear like all the other realms did and I deny disappearing like a bag of trash!!" he shouted back, voice breaking over the choked tears he tried so hard to control. They welled his eyes and dripped down in consistency, mirroring a fire over his cheeks.
Tears were the cheapest commodity around the place nowadays.
His friend ran up to him and hugged his shivering body close. "Shut up Ahren!! We will live to see another day! The sun shall rise again!"
The ravenette withered, like a dried leaf on a windy autumn evening, against his redhead friend's body.
"I don't want to see the sun on the land where I've lost so many," was Ahren's stiff reply. Pushing his friend away, Ahren fisted his palms against his sides while speaking, "You've always been too optimistic. It's harsh in times like these. We have lost everyone we ever loved Hale; I don't think I can hold up anymore. We're mere civilians in this war of Gods; there is no standing a chance. We can never do anything."
The tone of dejection in his words, sank Hale's heart just a little.
Still, Hale shook his friend thoroughly while shouting, "What are you talking about?! Of course we are helping them by being alive we are giving hope to th—"
"Shut up Hale! Shut up!" Ahren shouted, pulling himself away again, chest heaving in heavy breaths as the heat of the burning fountain drew closer. "We are just a burden to the rations! A burden to the land! And a burden for the crown's filthy protection! At least my death would release some resources!"
Goosebumps rose along Hale's spine and in a matter of seconds where Hale remained unearthed to the obvious truth he had been trying a little too hard to ignore, his friend has already escaped his clutches an ran towards the fire.
Every Elspethian was made of a resource be it wood, paper, light, time, fabric, metal, potion, etc. and upon their death the resource they are made of is released into the atmosphere.
And Ahren was right.
Death would make it so much easier. But was it worth it?
Before Hale hinged back and could ran to save his friend, Ahren had already flung himself into the proceeding fire. A halo of light sparkled over the place he might have died as whatever remained of his magic nourished the atmosphere of Elspeth.
"You…left…me…" without as much as a goodbye.
Is this what our friendship came to be?
Was I not worth living enough for?
Hale's legs gave in and as he fell sitting on the ground, staring up at the vibrant colors of his friend's last remains, the most beauty he had seen in a while as tears streamed down his cheeks which soon transformed into howling cries as the light disappeared into the dark skies.
He lost the only person he had.
There was no more reason to live.
What a pathetic life, what a pathetic death.
And he screamed and screamed until his lungs gave out and his body gave up and as he descended to the ground and the fire that killed his friend engulfed his being – he wished for loneliness in his next life.
Death felt more comfortable than what people made it out to be. Almost welcoming.
The stars were beautiful, but he wanted to see the sun.
Stuck in this loop, would he wished for life to return.