Kynn treads over the coarse remains of his home.
His heart is beating out his chest. His breaths are rapid. His stomach feels like it's imploding. His legs tremble as he steps. His throat swells in anticipation to cry.
-Please.
He should be running. He should be frantically scouring to find his mother.
But he can't. He's never felt fear like this before.
He both wants to and not to find her.
The ruins he tramples are unrecognizable. In the span of a few seconds, the hoarbane mother decimated everything. Now, the beast continues to flee, smashing another hole in the outpost's walls to do so.
...
The silence is unbearable.
Tension strangles Kynn and doesn't release.
Questions rake his aghast mind. Is she here? Did she make it out in time? Did she survive? Why wasn't I faster? Why did this happen?
...
Kynn's foot crinkles a piece of paper.
Looking down, it's a drawing he made as a child. The image depicts him holding his mom's hand, bathed in sunlight.
Beside the drawing is a shattered vase. Amidst the shards is a small bag.
His savings.
Kynn grabs the wallet and stuffs it in his pocket.
...
Having lived in this home his entire life, he knows the layout perfectly. If his memory stands true, a few more steps should lead to where his mother's room stood above.
-Please. Please don't be there.
Guilt and regret. He degrades himself for walking so slowly. For not running to her side. For not getting here sooner. For not being by her side.
...
Crunching over broken glass, the nightmare he feared unravels.
...
Pinned underneath loose rubble, his mother lies in a pool of blood.
Horror gnaws on Kynn's face. The boy's eyes dilate, tears welling up.
Kynn dashes toward his mother. He claws away the fallen dross, his mind aflame with frenzy. Blood-soaked planks stain his hands as he rips them away from her.
"NO! PLEASE!"
His mother lies still. Voiceless and motionless.
"MOM PLEASE! HANG IN THERE!"
Sounds of squishing liquid play as released rubble shifts on her body. Kynn swats the wreckage as hard as he can. He digs through the piles of his broken home until his mother's body is uncovered.
...
Half of her torso is gone.
...
...
Gore bathes the right side of her figure.
Her arm is smashed and splattered on the ground. Blood seeps through her remaining clothing.
Her jaw hangs low. A deep crimson leaks between her teeth.
Her snow-white hair is tangled in red stain.
...
Tears flood from the son's eyes.
Kynn drops to his knees and places his arm beneath her head. Her face is horrific.
His mother's face. The face he's looked up to. Cherished. Wanted to protect. Wanted to save.
The woman's face who raised him. Smiled at him. Laughed with him. Cried with him.
Her eyes now stare off into an unseen light.
They gaze past their son and the life they built.
They look beyond life.
Beyond the grasp of mortality.
...
Kynn bends down and presses his body against her broken one.
He wraps his arms around her and trembles with grief and uncertainty.
He screams.
He cries.
He screams.
He shivers.
His world has collapsed.
And now so too has he.
"Sorry-"
"..."
"I'm sorry I couldn't help you-"
"....."
"I'm so sorry-"
"...."
"I love you- I love you so much-"
"......"
"I love you, mom-"
...
...
"...Alpin?"
...
...
...
...
Kynn's heart somehow sinks further.
His mother, dying in his arms, still is unable to recognize him.
"No..." Kynn croaks. "No... it's me, mom."
"..."
Her eyes still don't meet his own. Her smashed skin is growing colder.
"Why..." Rage boils within the boy. "WHY DON'T YOU RECOGNIZE ME?!"
"..."
"WHY DO YOU FORGET?! WHY DID YOU LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU?!"
"..."
"DAD LEFT YOU! WHY DO YOU KEEP HOLDING ONTO HIM?! REMEMBER ME! NOT HIM! ME!"
"......"
"...DON'T... Don't leave me..."
Kynn chokes on his tears.
The boy sobs in his mother's arm. He bawls like he did when he was young.
And then...
Her heart terminates.
...
The longing light in her eyes vanishes.
His mother's skin freezes. Her body temperature drops to that of ice. Her blood stops its flow and frosts over.
"No... NO!"
When a snowsqualler meets their demise, their bodies freeze over. On a fundamental level, snowsquallers are primarily comprised of snow. Their anatomy suggests their blood is what gives them form and life.
So, when their brain is starved of air and the heart can no longer pump any blood...
Snowsquallers will crumple into snow.
Kynn's mother is no exception.
...
Her skin's hue fades into glistening white.
"No..."
Gentle flakes detach and flutter away.
"You can't..."
Her hair. Her eyes. Her tongue. Everything.
All of her becomes fragile powder.
"STOP! MOM!"
His cries are unheard.
His mother's form crumbles in his arms.
Her body succumbs to its primal essence and slips between his fingertips.
Her head. Her arm. Her legs. Her torso.
Her brain. Her bones. Her heart.
All of it mashes together and clumps into a pile on the floor.
Before he could comprehend it...
Her soul drifts away into the Convergence.
...
...
The boy now holds nothing.
The few snowflakes in his hands waft in the passing breeze.
His mother was reduced to a pile of snow before his eyes. She slipped through his arms and now rests as a tiny mound of frost.
Not even her blood remains. It too blended into dust.
"..."
Kynn's body is still.
His eyes unendingly stare at the dune beneath him.
Stray tears continue to shed and sink into his mother below.
His mouth hangs open but unable to speak.
His thoughts are barren. He can't muster a single one.
Nothing makes sense. She shouldn't have died.
This isn't how things should be.
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
Sirius finally makes his way to the wreckage.
Kynn had left him far behind when he went to chase the hoarbane mother. Sirius witnessed the destruction of Kynn's home from a distance, he was left only to imagine how Kynn reacted.
Sirius steps over a pile of rubble and enters what was once a household.
The scene is bleak and dismal.
The kitchen he cooked in, the bath he bathed in, the fireplace he sat by...
All lies in ruin.
Miraculously, the shed he's been sleeping in only suffered minor damage. Part of the roof has been torn off, but apart from that, it remains intact.
Sirius carefully steps over shards of glass and scattered belongings. He treks through the debris until stumbling upon the broken-hearted boy.
Kynn sits on his knees, staring at something on the floor in front of him.
Sirius immediately knows what this means.
His eyes widen not out of shock or fear, but from an unfamiliar emotion treading along the lines of sympathy.
Sirius remains silent.
He quietly steps over just enough to see what lies before the sunken boy.
A pile of snow.
Despite not knowing the circumstances, Sirius understands instantly what this means.
Sirius doesn't say a word. He stands there inaudibly as to give the boy time to grieve.
...
"I yelled at her..."
Kynn mutters, unable to take his eyes off the mound.
"..."
"She was dying and I... I yelled at her."
"..."
Snow begins to fall.
Snowflakes descend from the sky and start to fill the space.
Kynn rises to his feet.
Without uttering a word, Kynn turns away to look for something.
The boy rummages around the rubble and eventually finds an intact pot. It's an old antique that resided in his mother's room. She's had it since before Kynn was even born.
With the container in hand, Kynn shuffles back to the pile of snow.
Before the sky-fallen snow can mingle in, Kynn scoops his mother's snow into the pot.
He carefully lifts and sets down the glistening specks.
Over and over.
Without emotion or words, he repeats this motion over and over.
"Even at her end... she couldn't recognize me. My father still took up her heart..."
"..."
"...Am I that bad of a son...?"
"..."
Kynn's simple, repetitive motions begin to quake.
"..."
"..."
"...Why aren't you saying anything?"
...
Sirius lingers on the words.
"...Do you really want me to?"
Kynn's body subtly bounces up and down.
A meek chuckle.
"No. Please don't."
"..."
Kynn's titter comes to a close. More tears fall from his eyes.
"Go wait outside. Just... give me some time. Please."
...
Sirius loiters for a moment.
A swelling sensation inside him begs him to say something.
But he rejects it.
Without another thought, Sirius turns from the grieving boy and walks away.
As the mound thins, the falling snow fastens its descent.
The mourning son tries desperately to scrape every remaining flake into the pot.
It's falling too fast.
As he scoops one handful, falling snow swiftly replaces it.
Which snow is his mother and which snow is not?
He rakes all he can. Every flake he can manage and distinguish.
But nature's falling tears overpower his own.
Before he can grasp it, the falling snow buries all her remaining pieces.
"..."
Kynn quickly places the lid on the pot and sets his head in his hands.
Tears pour from his eyelids.
He whimpers and snivels.
It hurts to cry.
What feels like hours pass.
Sirius sits against the shed's door, waiting patiently for Kynn.
His mind is surprisingly hollow.
He doesn't know what to think or do. So, he just does as he was told.
While the icy air stings, it doesn't feel cold.
It doesn't feel like anything.
He feels nothing.
Suddenly, soft sounds of snow crunching crescendo.
Kynn comes into view. With red, drained eyes and a saddened smile.
"Thank you for waiting."
The boy holds the pot containing his mother's snow with both hands. It doesn't seem as if he'll ever let it go.
"Mm, of course."
Sirius lifts himself onto his feet.
"Shall we go?"
"Mm, sure."
Without mentioning where they're going, Kynn begins heading toward the main settlement. Sirius follows close behind. They walk slowly as if trying to make as little noise as possible.
As they saunter, Sirius observes the lingering smile on Kynn's face. His lips tell the world that nothing is wrong, but his depleted eyes scream the opposite.
An immense silence stifles them. Only muffled footsteps whisper.
Sirius contemplates whether or not to say something.
Kynn is smiling. He's pretending everything is alright. Sirius knows from experience that doing this only hurts you further.
Sirius almost says something. But doesn't.
Kynn's mother just died. Sirius doesn't know the first thing about that feeling. Anything he would say would be wrong.
So, he doesn't speak a word.
...
Their mute stroll takes them to the hoarbane's mother original path of destruction.
The first building is a medical hut.
The medical hut Sirius was supposed to evacuate.
After dodging the mother's attack, the roof of the building was blown off. Cries of the remaining squallers inside rang out, but Sirius didn't look back. He ran and ran not wanting to die again.
In his flee, he was unaware of what became of the hut.
Demolition.
The hoarbane mother smashed and leveled the building. And the people inside.
Sirius strays from following Kynn to get a closer look. As he approaches the ruins, a horrible sight unfolds before him.
Wafting bodies litter the rubble.
Dead snowsquallers lie limp, slowly fading into snowflakes.
Traces of blood freeze over and crumble into white dust. Their fragile flesh grows softer and softer, steadily sprinkling into small mounds.
Stabs of guilt stun the boy. He left them all behind to die.
He didn't care about anyone here, but watching life unravel because of him stings.
The bodies dusting isn't a particularly disturbing scene. It's more... melancholic. It has a distinct beauty to it.
No one here can be saved. Everyone is either in the process of dusting or already has.
...
An empty feeling residing in his stomach, he catches back up with Kynn.
The boy hasn't changed expression or speed.
Proceeding down the street further, a pair of crippled hoarbanes drag themselves through the snow.
Kynn doesn't give a reaction. He continues forward.
Sirius eyes the melted wolves as they pass. The two hoarbanes aren't aggressive like before. Previously, they'd do anything to harm someone, but right now all they're trying to do is leave.
Both of the hoarbane's back legs are smashed and unusable. They claw themselves forward with only their front arms. The ice surrounding them is gone and their skin remains charred from Pholy's bloodflame. They whimper like hurt dogs.
One of the hoarbanes is struggling more than the other. In its desperation, the weaker wolf sinks a claw into the other's back.
The claw pierces through the hoarbane's skin.
"It broke through..."
Up to this point, nothing has been able to penetrate the hoarbanes' skin. This is a breakthrough.
The punctured wolf squirms and growls at the other. But, unable to throw a counter, the hoarbane succumbs and tows the other with it.
Imprinting the information in his brain, Sirius reluctantly leaves the two wolves and catches up to Kynn.
They amble through the wreckage. The settlement that was standing firmly mere hours ago, has fallen into a ruined mess.
A select few buildings still stand. Mainly those seen on the outskirts, but a couple in the main area hold firm. The king's quarters miraculously still stand, but only barely.
Eventually, they make it through the remains and enter the stretch to the main gate. Off in the distance, everyone still waits by the wall. Squallers still remain packed into carriages.
As the two boys get closer, a couple of bodies encroach them.
"Kynn!"
Nola's sister, Nuray, dashes over to her crush.
"Kynn, are you... alright...?" The girl observes the boy's expression. She looks down at what she knows to be one of his mother's antiques. Her heart sinks. "Oh no..."
"I couldn't save her..."
Nuray approaches the fragile boy and wraps her arms around him.
"You did all you could. It's not your fault. None of it is."
Kynn trembles in her arms, suppressing another wave of tears in her shoulder. Nuray squeezes him tighter.
Nola is the other to arrive.
Witnessing the scene, she looks over at Sirius.
Sirius' gaze tells her everything she needs to know. Nola walks over and joins the hug.
The three of them might as well be siblings.
While Kynn's love was the most potent, the two sisters cared deeply for his mother as well.
Knowing he's not part of their circle, Sirius leaves the three of them to mourn.
As Sirius shuffles to the main group, his ears are barraged with furious shouting.
A mob of warriors and guards encircle an individual.
Each of them screams and takes swings at whoever is in the center.
"Sirius!"
Aureole runs up to him. Pholy is hoisted on her back.
"Are you alright?" she asks, adjusting Pholy's position.
"Yeah, I'm alright..."
"What happened to Kynn?"
"...We couldn't save his mom."
"Oh..."
"..."
"How awful..."
The news seems to hit her hard. She appears troubled. As if a bad memory was brought up.
"...Is she alright?"
"...Hm? Oh- yes, she's fine. She's been healed, now she just needs to rest and recover her lost blood. She is a little heavy though..."
"Do you want me to carry her?"
She shakes her head.
"No, it's okay. I'll manage."
"..."
"Sirius!"
The king runs up to the boy. The man holds his poisoned arm, clearly trying to suppress the aching.
"Yes?"
"What's the situation? Is the mother still present?"
"No, it broke another hole in the wall to escape. I think it retreated back to its den."
A lengthy sigh of relief escapes.
"Thank Alsi... and the hoarbanes?"
"Most of them seemed to have fled. It should be safe to return to town."
"I see. That is good news."
The king falls to his knees. Quilo darts over to his father.
"Dad? Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine, I believe I just need to rest... For now, let's get everyone back to town. Once everyone settles, we'll discuss where to go from here."
Quilo lifts his dad to his feet. The boy grabs his father's good arm and holds on tight.
"Why did you have to get bit...?"
"Hm? I'm alright, you worry too much."
"But you're poisoned..." Quilo scrunches his other fist. "AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"
Quilo points and stares down Aureole with angry eyes.
"...I'm sorry," Aureole is hurt by the boy's comment.
"You promised! You said you wouldn't let anything happen to him!"
"Quilo-" The king is shocked by his son's outburst.
"You lied! You should've been the one who got bit!"
"Quilo!" The king shouts, silencing his son. "That's enough! I threw myself into danger! It's no one's fault but my own!"
"But-!"
"Quiet! That's enough..."
Quilo scoffs and diverts his eyes from the group.
"My apologies, Miss Aureole. Please, do not feel any guilt. You did what you could, and I am grateful."
"...It's okay."
Aureole's eyes fall to the floor and her ears droop.
She feels horrible.
...
"BASTARD!"
The mob of warriors and guards erupt in shouts once more.
"What's going on?" Sirius asks the king.
"Oh, I believe your fellow Witch Spawn returned moments ago."
-Korlin? Is he alive?
Sirius steps aside and makes his way to the hoard of squallers.
He slides in between warriors to see what's going on. Once he breaks through the crowd, sure enough...
Korlin is in the middle.
Sprawled on his knees, Korlin is being thrashed in the face. A snowsqualler warrior grips the boy by his collar and repeatedly slams his fist into Korlin's skull. Blood sprays from the boy's bruised nose.
"WE KNOW IT WAS YOU! BASTARD!"
jab
Korlin can't manage a response.
"ONE OF MY BUDDIES SAW YOU, YOU KNOW?"
jab
"THEY SAW YOU SNEAK OUT THAT HOLE IN THE WALL!"
jab
Over and over the man's fist strikes the boy's face.
Another man joins the fray.
The guard twists the boy around and hurls his fist at him.
jab
Other guards and warriors step into the ring.
Sirius doesn't know what to do. If he's honest with himself, Korlin deserves this.
"WE SAW YOU RUNNING IN! WE SAW YOU BRING THAT THING HERE!"
jab
"IT WAS YOU!"
jab
"MOTHRFUCKER!"
jab
"JUST DIE!"
...
...
"Stop."
Suddenly, the brawl comes to a halt.
The current warrior ripping Korlin's hair, stops his assault and turns toward the crowd near Sirius.
Everyone's head turns.
The mob breaks and reveals who said the word.
Kynn.
Having heard every word, the boy's eyes are cold and angry.
"Nuray..." Kynn says to the girl beside her. His voice is meek and emotionless.
"Yes?"
"Can you heal him please?"
"Are you sure?"
Kynn nods.
The warriors and guards all bust into chatter.
"WHAT?!"
"WHY WOULD YOU HEAL THAT BASTARD?!"
"KYNN ARE YOU INSANE?! HE LED THE MOTHER HERE!"
Kynn doesn't respond. He waits for Nuray to proceed with his command.
The girl reluctantly does as she's told and bends down next to Korlin. The boy is battered and bruised. His face is hardly recognizable. His clothes are torn and stained with his blood.
A goldish-green light emits from Nuray's palm. The brilliance swallows Korlin's body and his wounds begin to heal. Basking in the warmth, the pain from his body disappears.
Leaving only his blood and large bruises as a reminder, Nuray concludes her healing. The girl walks back to Kynn.
"Thank you, Nuray. Could you hold onto this for me?"
Kynn carefully hands his mother's antique to Nuray.
Nuray nods and steps away from the crowd. She almost seems frightened.
"What are you doing, Kynn?!"
"You're just going to let this guy get off without punishment?!"
"We should be killing him!"
Kynn raises his hand in the air. The gesture silences everyone.
Kynn slowly steps forward.
His footsteps are imposing. Large and demanding. Everyone's eyes are on him.
Kynn reaches Korlin's body. He towers over the shrunken boy. He glares down at the boy as if he were prey.
Korlin lifts his head and meets Kynn's gaze.
Korlin's honey-hued eyes are nothing more than a dull beige. Hopeless and damaged.
Kynn scowls with frigid eyes.
Then suddenly...
Kynn offers the boy his hand.
...
Korlin stares in bewilderment at the offer.
Kynn doesn't change his expression, he simply waits for him to take his hand.
Millions of thoughts race through Korlin's mind. He can't believe what he's seeing. No one can.
Pushing through his self-torment, Korlin slowly reaches for Kynn's hand.
Their fingers wrap around each other's hands.
The two boys' eyes are locked.
Korlin can't help but think it's too good to be true.
Kynn leans back as to hoist Korlin to his feet.
As the boy rises from his knees...
Kynn's fist drives into his nose.
Instantly, the cartilage in Korlin's nose explodes.
The boy rails back and rams his head into the hard ground. An agonizing cry expels from his throat.
Kynn, his fist soaked in blood, grabs the boy's hair. Kynn winds back and pounds his fist into Korlin's skull.
Crimson floods Korlin's vision, anguish is writ all over his battered image.
Kynn charges another punch and hammers it into the boy.
Again.
And again.
Blood flies with each assault. The sound it makes is raw and gritty. The bitter scent of blood fills the quiet crowd.
Guards and warriors alike witness the violence without muttering a phrase.
Again.
Again.
Kynn wears not a single emotion other than silent fury.
Again.
Sirius can't move a muscle.
His companion is being thrashed by one of his allies.
Whose side does he take? Is that even important? Does he just watch and see what happens? What if Korlin dies?
Would he even care?
...
-Do I step in? What do I do?
Kynn continues to beat Korlin's complexion with relentless wrath.
Korlin has gone still. Numb.
"STOP THIS!"
The king roars.
"KYNN! UNHAND HIM AT ONCE!"
The king's demand stops Kynn's fist from landing another blow.
"...Why?"
Kynn glares at the king.
"I will not condone murder! Let go of the boy at once!"
Kynn doesn't obey.
Rage boils inside him.
"WHY SHOULD I?! MY MOM IS DEAD BECAUSE OF HIM! DOZENS ARE DEAD BECAUSE OF HIM! OUR HOME WAS RAVAGED! YOU'RE JUST GOING TO LET HIM LIVE?!"
"This isn't like you, Kynn. I know you're mourning, but this is not the way to cope! He will receive his punishment; I promise you that!"
This only aggravates him more.
The king pushes through the mob and grabs Kynn's wrist.
"LET GO OF ME! IF YOUR SON WAS THE ONE TO DIE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO THEN?! WOULD YOU BE SO CAREFREE?!"
"...No, I wouldn't be. You may call it being carefree if you wish, but grieving does not give you an excuse to kill someone! Would your mother want you to do this? Do you want to be a murderer, Kynn?"
...
Tears flood from Kynn's eyelids. He releases his grasp on Korlin's hair and begins to sob.
"...I already am."
Kynn weeps.
The king pulls the boy to his feet and embraces him.
"I'm sorry, Kynn. I know you loved your mother... It wasn't your fault."
Kynn sinks into the king's arms and bawls his eyes out.
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't be. And don't say another word. Just let it out."
...
"Everyone! Disperse!"
The hoard of guards disbands in mild frustration.
The king orders the warriors and other healthy squallers to relocate the sick and poisoned. The carriages thin out and the majority of people return to the main settlement and outskirts. Those who have their homes still standing are to house those without a place to stay.
Only a few guards and lingering squallers stay back.
Kynn is to be placed in Nuray and Nola's care for the time being.
The king stomps toward the mangled boy.
"Someone, please heal this boy's wounds."
The king looks out at the crowd and meets the eyes of a healer. The healer reluctantly steps forward and bends down to heal Korlin.
It takes an intermediate blessing to morph Korlin's face back to normal. His nose cracks back into place and his smashed eyes regain their figures.
Korlin groans and manages to sit up.
"I will allow you to stay here."
Korlin struggles to grasp the world around him, much less the king's words.
"He's not allowed anywhere near me or my home again," Kynn coughs.
"Of course, Kynn. Korlin, yes? You shall be imprisoned for your crimes."
Korlin weakly nods his head.
"Typically, we'd send you to an outpost south of here for confinement. But, with the lingering risk of a hoarbane attack, we'll have you locked in the cellar."
"..."
"Am I understood?"
"...Yes."
Korlin's voice is strained and hoarse.
The king motions for two guards to approach. The guards follow and force Korlin to his feet.
"Take him away."
"Yes sir!"
The guards dig into the boy's back to push him forward. Korlin complies with their abuse.
They brush past Kynn who places his hand on Korlin's shoulder. The guards stop their advance as Kynn leans into the boy's ear.
"Don't let me see your sorry ass ever again. Next time I'll slaughter you where you stand."
Korlin doesn't utter a noise. He begins walking again with the guards in tow.
The final person in his path is Sirius.
Sirius stands with a tense expression.
He wants to know why. Why he'd do such a thing.
Why he betrayed his trust.
Korlin's gaze is fixed onto the snow. He doesn't meet Sirius' eyes as he shuffles past.
...
"Why?"
Sirius can't stop himself from asking.
The question stops Korlin in his tracks.
"..."
"...Why?"
"..."
"..."
"I'm here in this world for a reason, Sirius."
"...What are you talking about?"
"My life was pointless before I came to this world. I was pointless."
"..."
"This isn't how things should have turned out..."
"...You're right."
Frustration boils within Korlin.
"I was put into this world! I was chosen! I'm special, aren't I?! I should be doing something!"
"..."
"I'm supposed to be strong here! I'm supposed to be a hero! Someone worthy of respect! Someone admirable!"
"This isn't a game or show... Things don't work out like that..."
"But this is my dream! I want to enjoy it before I wake up! I don't care if it's unreasonable! Why can't I just have one thing?!"
"...I-"
"I don't care what you think... I don't need your pity, alright?! I'll figure something out on my own."
"...I'm not pitying you..."
"I know you aren't!... Just... get away from me."
Korlin pulls the guards with him.
The boy storms off to prison, leaving his companion behind.
...
Sirius watches the boy disappear into the distance.
-The more I think about it, the more I realize... I know nothing about Korlin. I don't know anything about anyone, do I? It begs the question...
Who am I surrounding myself with?
Korlin is dragged somewhere far away and the remaining squallers approach Sirius.
"Hey, don't let it bug you. That guy is a piece of shit."
"I'm sorry you have to know someone like that."
"You deserve better than that."
-Stop it.
"Man, I feel bad for you..."
"Forget him, go rest up, alright?"
...
-Stop pitying me.
Sirius finds some of their eyes. Their pitying eyes.
They sear into his mind and drive him into a quiet panic.
"Sorry, I need to step away..."
This fuels their pity further, enlarging the feeling tenfold. Sirius breaks into a jog. Which evolves into a run. Sirius scurries away from the squallers. He doesn't know where to go.
He just needs to get away.
...
Aureole stalks the boy's retreat.
"Sirius..."
Aureole shifts Pholy's position on her back. She takes a deep breath and begins toward the ruined settlement.
"Let's go, Pholy."
Nuray hands Kynn his mother's snow.
The boy squeezes it tight and begins toward Nola's stable. A guard drags the hoarbane used to snap Pholy out of her bloodflame toward the stable too. They won't let the hole Nola dug go to waste.
Kynn stares down at his mother's antique.
"Let's go, mom."