Three - A storm from the past

Karlos did not respected the balance.

He could not do magic but his greed consumed him. He wanted the magic so bad that he started researching it. And than destroying it. He would rather have a world without any, than him not being able to use. That is how he did what he did.

Also, he was not a very talented artificer. He was good in convincing people. Stealing ideas. Long contracts with unfair clauses.

The original idea for the rain machine was from the desert nomads. They had a water condensation device to make water inside the desert. On small doses. He got the plans and worked around some calculations. His calculus were wrong. The machine was so big and so out of control that it disturbed the magic. He wanted way beyond the balance. All the environment around the capital suffered for his actions. That is how he created what we call now the Eternal Rain.

Nothing happened to him. He got away with politics and talking his way around with the correct corrupt people. He had resources to bargain with. Everyone thought the rain would stop eventually. It has been eight years now.

Resources became scarce since people could not cultivate on the flooded land. Places around the capital city started to dry. The water was being pulled from the surroundings. A wet swamp that became the city, inside a big ring of dry lands.

The necessity made people travel and trade to other places. The price of things started to go up. The capital did not had enough to proper exchange. So they started to use violence to bargain.

In so little time an army was formed. They began the invading and conquering. No one was prepared to fight back. We all lived in peace. They took the whole continent over some months.

I remember when they got to my town.

The adults were all mumbling about what was happening with other places closer. But where would we run to? I remember my mother and grandma arguing about what to do, or where to go. Everything is very confusing. I was twelve years. I remember people were scared. A lot of murmuring. Some people actually left the city.

That was our home.

They arrived with cannons and starter raining fire without saying a word first. No negotiation. They were there to kill. People and homes were ablaze. I remember the screams I heard that day.

We tried to fight back.

It was useless.

Their technology was far superior than ours. Their firepower was stronger. We could not concentrate. There was so much despair on the surroundings.

I remember as the invasion started, grandma took me by the arm and started running. I was stumbling, trying to keep up.

I was very scared.

My mother was behind us carrying what she could get. We entered the forbidden elf territory. A lot of people were doing the same. We ran to a cave. Only the children fit the entrance. But I saw none of my friends. No everyone could make it.

The last thing I remember was a giant fireball hitting grandma as she was desperately closing the entrance.

She did not screamed.

We stayed there for some time. I do not know how much it was. Maybe for days. The hunger started hitting. We started walking deep in. The adults said that the exit was on the other side walking through. We were only children. Not everyone left the cave.

We found the exit eventually. The other looked safe.

We did not know if the Capital knew about that exit and came for us later. Six of us got out. We fought and scream about what to do next. We ended up separating. I never met them after. I do not remember their faces or names.

I hope they are fighting back like me. That they joined the resistance.

I manage to survive.

I never gave up on anything my mother and my grandmother thought me. My magic still burns. My anger will burn down the whole capital city.

Even if I have to burn together.

The nightmare was cut short with a message.

My next mission was north into the desert.

I started preparing for the travel.