High above the valley where the village nestled peacefully, a lone figure stood atop the jagged ridge of a mountain. His cloak billowed in the wind, dark as pitch, his hood drawn low over his face.
"Ugh..." he groaned "..."I just want to crush everything and burn it all down."
His fingers flexed slightly, and the shadows around his boots twisted unnaturally.
Then he laughed Loudly....
"Hahahaha... oh, let them enjoy their little lives till evening," he muttered, wiping a fake tear from the corner of his eye. "After all..."
His voice dropped, teeth flashing beneath the hood.
"This is their last day."
He turned, disappearing into the gloom behind him—just as the first whisper of smoke began to drift on the wind.
.
.
That evening, Pearline and Elysia set off to the woods, baskets in hand, excited to pick some fresh berries for their mother. Aeris had been craving them lately, especially with the new baby on the way. The scent of pine and earth filled the air, and the golden light of the setting sun bathed the forest in a warm, peaceful glow.
As they walked, Pearline glanced over at her little sister, who was skipping along beside her. "Elysia~ so, what do you think?" Pearline asked, her voice light with curiosity. "Do you think it'll be a brother or a sister?"
Elysia, who had been eagerly peering around for the juiciest berries, stopped for a moment to think. "I'm hoping for a girl. Then there'll be three of us, what about you?"
"I don't care, as long as it doesn't cry all night." said Pearline.
They both broke into laughter.
By the time they gathered enough, they were both covered in tiny stains from the berries, their hands sticky but their faces full of happiness.
They both loved their mother deeply, and this little gift, something as simple as berries, felt like it was just another way to show her how much she meant to them.
As Pearline and Elysia made their way back, their baskets swaying at their sides, half-full with bright red berries.
The sun had started to dip when Pearline noticed the strange haze rising above the trees. It wasn't mist.
"Smoke," she said, stopping short.
Elysia paused beside her, small fingers tightening around her basket. "Is it... the hearth?"
They dropped their berries and ran.
The path to home was usually peaceful, but now the scent of burning wood choked the air. The closer they got, the louder it became—crackling flames, distant yelling, chaos. When they broke past the tree line, Pearline skidded to a stop.
The entire village.... was on fire.
Roofs had collapsed. Fields glowed with embers. Shadows moved between the smoke—twisting, unnatural things with no shape, only hunger.
Pearline's heart slammed in her chest as she spotted them—Aeris, her mother, collapsed on the ground, unmoving. The twins lay nearby, too still.
And Kaelen—her father—stood in the middle of it all, chest rising and falling fast, his blade glowing faintly in his hands.
"Dad!" Pearline cried, stumbling forward.
But before she could reach him, a dark, writhing shadow lunged at her from the side.
She didn't even have time to scream.
Kaelen turned with a sharp snap of his wrist, hurling a blast of golden light that struck the creature mid-leap. It screeched but didn't fall—two more surged from behind it, circling fast.
Then—
A scream ripped through the fire.
Pearline's head snapped back. Elysia had fallen to her knees, clutching her side. Blood bloomed across the fabric near her stomach. Her eyes were wide, scared.
Kaelen turned, panic flashing in his expression. "No!"
His voice was sharp, cracked with something deeper than fear.
"Pearline—go! Take her and run!"
"But—!"
"Run!" he shouted, raising one hands as magic surged around him.
Pearline didn't move at first—she couldn't. But then—her father's voice cut through it all.
"I don't want to lose my daughters," Kaelen said, eyes locked on hers, "please... live. And remember—I will always, always love you, I am glad I got to be your father."
Then the ground lit gold as he unleashed his magic, hurling it into the advancing shadows. They shrieked, stumbling back—but not for long.
Pearline spun on her heel and ran for Elysia.
The little elf girl was curled on her side, eyes wide and wet, a blooming patch of blood across her tunic. She whimpered when Pearline knelt beside her.
"I've got you," Pearline breathed, already pulling her close.
She crouched low, hooked her arms under Elysia's legs and back, and shifted her gently onto her back. Elysia's small arms clung around her shoulders, her face buried against Pearline's neck.
Behind them, Kaelen roared, the air pulsing with magic.
Pearline stood—staggered once, then ran.
The smoke swallowed them as she pushed through the trees, heart hammering, eyes stinging. She didn't dare look back.
.
.
As flames devoured the village and smoke swallowed the sky, a figure stood watching from the far ridge—his black cloak fluttering like a torn flag in the wind.
The man in shadow narrowed his eyes as he sensed a sudden shift pulsed through the air. A low hum of power that didn't come from him.
"Tch." He clicked his tongue in irritation, arms crossing. "Why do those Laventhren keep getting in my way?"
He spat the name like it tasted of ash.
From deep in the woods, bursts of light flared—sharp purple. The wind element stirred, answering to their wielders.
The man let out a low growl.
"I guess," he muttered, "I'll retreat. For today."
His grin returned—vile and gleaming beneath the hood.
"But not for long."
He turned, letting the shadows twist around him like smoke.
"I'll be back. Amira~" he whispered with a mocking lilt. "Hahahaha..."
His laughter echoed across the charred valley, even as he vanished into the dark—leaving behind nothing but ruin... and a promise.