The air hung heavy with ash and silence.
The faint wind that stirred through the ruined square carried with it the acrid tang of burnt flesh, the ghost of screams that still seemed to echo between the charred walls. The sky above, once clear and golden, now felt dimmer—tainted by the stillness that clung to the village like a curse.
The little girl's sobs cut through that silence again.
"Mother… please… where are you?…"
Her voice cracked on the last word, dissolving into a whimper that clawed its way into everyone's chest. She trembled where she sat—knees drawn to her chest, fingers clutching the hem of her torn dress as if holding it tighter could make her world whole again.
Luca knelt nearby, unsure of what to do, his shadow stretching long and still over the blood-darkened earth. He had faced monsters that could tear mountains in half… but the sight of that child's tears left him wordless. His throat felt tight, useless, as he glanced toward the others.
