The night air hung heavy with smoke and sorrow as Esmael's retreating figure disappeared into the shadows. Morvane stood in silence, the heat of the smoldering flames still prickling his skin. A few moments later, a water wielder approached them, his face pale and filled with grief.
"I have bad news," the water wielder began, his voice trembling. "Esmael's mother… she didn't survive."
Morvane's heart sank. "What?" he asked, his voice barely audible.
"She wasn't burned much," the wielder explained. "But she suffocated from the smoke before we could reach her."
Luna's hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "No… no, that can't be," she whispered. "Does Esmael know?"
The wielder shook his head. "Not yet. He left before we found her."
