Ashes and Kingdoms

Constantly, the sound of the soles scrubbing sand continues. It wasn't a march of legions or anything, no more. It was crawling through the ground, like a giant one Namekuji.

The grass underneath the giant shrivels, fades, even the air starches, and the light loses its power. The humans who were once legion soldiers had turned out to be unwilling loose shells. There is only life left to keep walking, but there is no thought or emotion.

Wild dogs, foxes, etc. that had been similarly attracted were mixed with the group, but those little creatures recently fell out of breath. Countless feet tread on top of it. The dead wreck, taken to the last drop of life, crumbles and becomes dust, as if it had been made of dried twigs and fallen leaves.

- Mojikida. Atoskoshi...

Voices call. Almost there, we'll get there.

From the bottom of the earth, an elaborate darkness reached out. The wet, dripping tip snaps without sound at the rock's outpouring. Heavy, dark greedy hunger crawls up from under his long stretched arms.

The rock couldn't support it, it collapsed.

Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Dragged, even the surrounding rocks collapse. Into the bottomless abyss.

A crack ran on the ground.

Mississippi and the cracks spread as they made noise. North, south, east - west.

"Quanos... Senato, Dear..."

The leading man, who was repeating a barely voiceless crush, took the last step. The toe is lowered to the end of the crack.

For a second.

Your soil broke down. The man's body still tries to move on. Leaning, falling to the ground, yet another step. But that foot never set foot on anything.

- To be teita.

Too black for joy, eagerness and thirst erupt. Next, strike and swallow soldiers, devour everything, and then next.

- To be teita, I, Gachikaraiza Capital H...

One will impregnates into an army that has become a loose shell. The army of hunger overflows east across the cracks, devouring itself in search of further food.

- Himojii Nikui Thirsty Ita... Eat Ita... Eat Vaselo...

The blurring ensues, and the grey shadow expands to all directions. Beyond the wilderness, where one insect is already gone, aiming for signs of life,

- Shipokoshi Seyoko Se...

Not to take anything away from me.

A slight vibration shook the stone solid hall.

There was no roar or flash, but with the shock as if a lightning struck right around the corner, Rufus and Fernena looked back at the window in awe. Running over to the small window without a word, looking up into the sky. Fernena breathed relief in the cloudy but usual sky.

"Good. For a moment, I thought the heavens were tearing and falling."

"No... I can't seem to feel safe."

Rufus roars, pointing east. Following with his eyes, Fernena also stifled herself.

Dark.

No matter how cloudy the sky is, it's too dark on that side. It's not the same as the darkness that thunderclouds are gathering.

"Is that... what is it? That's, ah..."

Is this the 'disaster' you were talking about? That's what I want to ask, but the roots of my teeth don't fit and my words are broken. My body trembled on its own, even though it wasn't cold.

"Scary"

Whisper with a blurred voice. Instinctive fear seizes power like ice rain. Rufus supported me with both arms that I was about to scratch from my knees.

"Hold on, Fernena. You must be Nakute's mistress!

The compassionate encouragement reminded Fernena of her duties. To evacuate the citizens, to protect the people in the hall and their young daughters.

Hold us strongly to contain tremors and to recall the power of the will. Rufus nodded alright to her, who managed to get back on his feet.

"To be honest, I'm terrified of that one, too. Even if you stay so far away, you'll see that it's dangerous. That's why we have to get to a really safe place."

The majority of the citizens have already taken refuge in western cities. Anyone in the West who doesn't have an edge or a legend is still in the city, but he's packed so he can leave at any time. Most of the work is done at the museum, and all we have to do is actually leave.

"Yeah, right. South - to the Great Forest of Organia"

Fernena confirmed the name in her mouth. It relieves a little anxiety, as if the name alone has power. Rufus said as he rubbed Fernena's shoulder.

"Just in case, let's do the news west as well. More west, as far as the coast."

"You don't know how far you can see that anomaly. Well, then, Rufus, when you've decided on a messenger and done your last cleanup, you can come to the South Gate, too. I'll take everyone first."

"I asked for it."

Rufus gently touched his wife's lips before leaving the room with a large, running strand.

Shortly afterwards, a long line of citizens formed at the south gate of the walls surrounding the city of Nakte. The face of the Lordship Hall, commanded by Fernena, leads the way, with deliberate citizens pinching their wagons between them loaded with famous household goods and food. Everyone's face was clinging to fear.

Those who at first had not truly received what Rufus had said also reconsidered their thoughts with their eyes on the darkening of the eastern sky. Whether that identity would be Rufus' preaching 'hunger' or another natural disaster, it doesn't change that it's dangerous anyway.

Fernena looked back at the dull looking luggage car behind her and frowned. I made it known that I would give up any household belongings other than necessities so that I could move as easily as I could, and some loads I actually let down after gathering at the gate. Convince me that if I leave it here, I might be able to go back and get it sometime, rather than throw it in the field on the road.

Still, the luggage was so full that I was worried that it wouldn't break. Both women, children and old men have as much luggage as they can have. Having said that the Great Forest is closer than going through the western plains to the sea, will it be fulfilled in time?

Eventually Rufus rushes and signals, OK, let's go. A handful of soldiers escorted the citizens like sheepdogs, and a group of evacuees moved slowly. Take the streets running along the Orne, upstream, or southwest.

People were moving their legs because of Fernena's worries. Sometimes I look back because I am not concerned about what I have left behind, but because I fear that the shadows stretching from the east are not so imminent. Robas and horses pulling heavy baggage cars even keep walking, wondering if fear has contagious or if they are guessing by their own instincts.

Fernena also kept her eyes on the young Efferna, slightly eastward.

(I feel closer than I just did... No, it's my fault, because that neighborhood hasn't...)

If you're not too scared, you just stir up everyone's fears. I know that, but I can't stop it. When I get distracted, I want to cling to the back of Rufus, who walks a little forward. When my hand reached out unconsciously,

"Mother, I'm scared"

A whisper that seemed to cry out spilled in the back. Looking back, a young girl was holding her mother's clothes disappointingly with one hand, fisting the remaining hand and pressing it against her mouth. My mother bends over as she walks, and it's okay, so I'm encouraging her to walk hard.

(Mother, or...)

Fernena's brain was blurred by the appearance of her mother, Iona, who was brisk and infirm. I immediately push it away and see my grandmother float. Always full of majesty as perseverance, Eferna, a strong grandmother who remained the ruler of the hall until the time of death. She was, for Fernena, the guardian and mother.

Iona was always treated as a "guest", even in Nakte, because she had been married from the gate of Aedius, partly because of her natural nature. Even after giving birth to Fernena.

Her aunt Efferna shelters her, who was modest, gentle and often hard hit by her husband, Senato. The young Fernena saw such a scene many times. I have felt impudent about my weak mother.

(I'm a woman at Austra Gate. if you don't get stronger than my mother)

Fernena pulled her lips together softly, stretching her back properly and facing forward.

(For better or worse, I'm your grandmother's grandson... because I'm that father's daughter)

When I remembered my father's face, I remembered his disgust and frustration, but even that anger now became a force to move forward. My father, who was in the exact place where that darkness was born, should not be safe - no grief would spring from thinking so, but some kind of honesty was born.

(I'm angry, but I'm pulling that guy's blood. No matter what happens, you can't be so strong as not to waver)

I can finally admit and accept my father's weakness, which I have disliked and removed, as part of me.

Then again, Fernena didn't look back. I didn't look up into the eastern sky to see where the darkness was, or let my anxiety wander my eyes and look for a way out.

Keep walking for a day with very little rest.

As the sun approached the western horizon, a depressed forest appeared on the way.

"Stupid, in this place!?

Rufus, the first to notice the black shadow, stopped in amazement. Fernena also looks around and wonders if she can confirm her current location. To this neighborhood, I should have been here many times. As the daughter of a lord, an inspection with her family made a face at the village festival.

I don't think we've reached the Great Forest yet, even though we don't even hit one of those villages.

I didn't know what to think, and Fernena was on her way. Rufus also keeps his guard up and stops, still thinking. but eventually he remembered.

"Speaking of which, you said he was. Dragon Marquis in the Great Forest is hitting his hand or something...... is this it?

Hearing Rufus twinkle like a solitaire, Fernena frowned inexplicably for a moment. When you observe that he is about Tenryu Hou, now you have frigid eyes and stare into the shadows of the forest.

When I say Dragon Marquis of the Great Forest, isn't it the Fidae tribe of the Mythical Age? Is there really such a thing? Is it safe to keep going?

That said, there was no other option.

"Let's go, Rufus," she said touching her husband's arm. "There's no way out of here to the west, and we can't just go back to Nakute and waste an entire day. Don't hesitate to let me in because they're going to greet you."

"... right. Is that all you got?"

Rufus also nods and signals the soldiers beside him to resume his steps. The closer I got to the woods, the more clearly I could see the unnaturalness.

It's a forest that's likely to be historic for at least a few decades, mixed with a lot of different types of trees that you don't see around here. It should exist continuously, but the boundaries drawn by the roots of the trees are too clear, from which it seems that the tip is a different world. The streets are cut off from each other.

"I wonder where it came from"

Well, and Rufus peered between the trees. There is no road-like path. The grass and trees are sparse, so if you say you can get them in from anywhere, but without any landmarks, you won't be able to come out.

It would be nice if it were a beast path, but I wandered around the vicinity to find it, but in the weak light of dusk, I can't find it even if it was.

"Wait till morning."

Rufus, while conceiving, consulted Fernena.

"If I can't get in like this, there 'll be people who can get out, and it's better after it gets brighter"

"Right. But... wait, Rufus, give me that."

Fernena snaps and points between the trees. Rufus also looked back and gazed into the darkness, a look of surprise.

- It's a light.

Little lights approaching this way with all the shaking. Eventually, I heard the accompanying footsteps.

"Are there people?

No way, and when Rufus snapped, a blurry handshake appeared by the light.

A young woman dressed in an unusual costume she had never seen, hiding half her face in a mask. Its lips moved, spinning a voice like a whisper of the wind.

"Come in, Nakte folks. I'll show you the woods."