Before the guard continued his questions, he placed a mineral on his hand.
"Miss Rota, I will transcribe our conversation onto this mineral as an information slip. Please answer my questions honestly. I'll warn you now, any falsifications could prevent your entry through the gates."
The warning did make Pria slightly tense, but she felt better knowing that she had nothing to hide. This could even be her opportunity to enter sooner rather than later.
"Thank you for the warning Master…" Pria realised she didn't know how to call this guard. "…Sorry, I do not know your name."
"My mistake, you can call me Master Erik"
"Thank you Master Erik, I hope I can help with your questions."
The first question was simple and easy to answer.
"Miss Rota, from which Kingdom did you travel from?"
"I escaped from the Dregas Kingdom…it no longer exists."
Master Erik was recalling the information he knew about Dregas Kingdom.
"The Jata Kingdom has done business with the Dregas Kingdom. It's a shame to hear about the kingdom's downfall…if possible, could you elaborate on the events before your escape?"
Being asked to recall the tragedy, Pria froze again. It was too soon. However, she wanted to help. She wanted to live in peace, she wanted to be safe in this kingdom. Words struggled to escape her mouth, her voice cracked and trembled.
"I…was outside…"
Master Erik listened patiently,
"…outside my home…"
She could no longer return.
"…I remember…a tremor…"
Her knees started to shake.
"…then, a crash…l-like something collapsed…"
Tears started to hit the ground.
At that point, Master Erik stopped Pria.
"That is enough for now. You should calm yourself. We can continue at another time, with fewer people observing."
Pria wiped her tears, recollecting herself. Without her realising it, she felt she could use less prana than before.
Then, Master Erik handed Pria a bottle. In her hands, Pria could feel a rich energy contained within.
"You can take this elixir as an apology. It should be able to give around 10-30 units of prana. Keep it for yourself, and stay safe."
He returned to the gate and continued his duty. Pria decided to hide somewhere before returning to the camp. She left the walls, straying away from the camp. Eventually, she wandered to a nearby river.
Near the riverbank, she sat on a patch of grass. It was surprisingly peaceful as there seemed to be nothing around her. The river was rapid, the trees swayed in the wind. By herself, she became lost in thought.
Time felt short after escaping the disaster. Even this moment of rest isn't enough to recover what was lost. Her love, her memories. It was all buried under ruin…by those filthy pranic beasts.
The conversation with Master Erik made her realise that she felt weak. Her mind was scarred, no longer finding comfort with life as it was before the disaster. It…was far too fragile for this place dominated by power.