Go and Find Them

The cloud of dust was enormous. Some pieces of debris fell. Everyone there covered their heads and closed their eyes. Screams and cries rang out in unison.

“P-please… G-get out of here…”

Charlotte held her arm outstretched upward. The branches she had used to clear a path were now supporting the debris. Additionally, more roots and branches stretched out, seemingly serving as supports.

“I-I can’t h-hold…”

The people trapped watched her intently, almost mesmerized by what they were witnessing.

“N-now!” Charlotte shouted.

Following her orders, they carefully made their way out through the hole she had made. Drawing a little inspiration from one another, they helped each other—the adults helped the children, and the young people helped the elderly.

Charlotte took several deep breaths. She could feel her arm shaking more and more.

“I-is that everyone?”

“No, wait!” A child who was still under the rubble cried out. His face was covered in tears. “My grandfather isn't getting up. Please help us!”

A young merchant and a woman wearing a dress and an apron tried to go back inside, but suddenly large pieces of debris fell, forcing them to retreat.

“What should we do, kid?” the young merchant asked Charlotte.

More debris fell, each piece larger and heavier than the last. Charlotte clenched her teeth, but her own arm and the roots sprouting from it grew weaker and weaker. Now even her legs were trembling.

“I-I… c-can’t.”

“Please, hang in there, kid.”

They tried again to help, but debris fell chaotically. Heavy concrete blocks, glass, and wooden beams began to fall around Charlotte, the boy, and his grandfather.

With one last burst of strength, Charlotte threw herself toward the boy and his grandfather. In desperation, she shielded them with her own arm.

Pieces fell one after another until finally everything collapsed again, burying them completely. The others who had managed to escape fell completely silent.

Another dust cloud formed.

It gradually faded away.

No movement or sound came from the rubble.

A young man, in complete silence, approached the rubble and tried to clear it away. Even though his efforts were in vain, he didn't stop. The other survivors saw him. They did the same. From small children to the elderly, they all searched through the rubble for Charlotte.

Suddenly, a loud crash sounded on the left, and thousands of pieces of debris flew through the air. Another cloud of dust formed. Without hesitation, everyone went to see what had happened.

Charlotte emerged from the rubble.

She carried the old man on her back and the kid in her arms. She coughed a couple of times because of the dust, but she stood there in front of everyone else, like a light in the night.

They surrounded her.

“Thank you, kid…”

“You’re amazing!”

“You saved us, you saved us!”

Charlotte flashed a smile from ear to ear.

“I’m glad everyone is fine.”

The others helped her carry the elderly man and his grandson. Many of them thanked her again and again for saving them.

Charlotte scanned the town. She couldn’t hear anything or see anything. The streets hid no one. It was as if the cheerful town had been swallowed up by the earth, leaving not a trace behind.

Debris and entire pieces of houses now littered the city. Likewise, all the festival decorations were in shreds and scattered everywhere.

Charlotte looked up at the sky.

That full moon, with its dull, greenish glow, rested there in the vastness of the starry sky. Charlotte could only sigh.

A growl from across the street brought her back to reality. Her heart began to race. She quickly made her way over to the people with her.

“We have to go to a safe place!”

“But where? The entire town was destroyed.”

“There might be a place that some friends have protected.”

“We trust you, kid.”

Charlotte set them on their way. She walked through the town’s streets and alleys as if she knew them like the back of her hand. She was on high alert for every sound and movement.

As she guided them, she realized that the roots that had sprouted from the ground were no longer there. Sadly, she didn't find anyone else either. Her mind was spinning, filled with images of her friends that threw her off balance.

They finally arrived at the temporary orphanage. It was completely dark. Charlotte slowly approached the door.
Knock, Knock, Knock.

There was silence.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Before she had time to react, the door swung open. Right before her eyes, a cannon barrel was pointed at her. Instinctively, she just closed her eyes.

“Miss Charlotte?”

Gerald, beneath his flintlock cannons.

“Mister Gerald?”

Unable to control herself, a flood of tears streamed down Charlotte's face. She gave him a big hug.

“I’m so happy to see you alive!”

“Come on, let's go inside. It's not safe out here.”

Charlotte and the rescued group went inside. The place was packed with people besides the nuns and the children. They were villagers. Some were injured, while others were simply trembling, their eyes vacant.

The nuns rushed to help as many people as they could. Charlotte also noticed the prince helping with his Magica of Light.

The prince noticed Charlotte and walked over to her. He was greeted by another big hug from Charlotte.

“Prince Arthur, you’re alive!”

“I’m glad you’re also alright, Miss Charlotte.”

The three of them went outside to have more privacy.

“How did you survive?” The prince was amazed. “We all saw you being buried under the debris."
“It wasn’t easy…” She paused. “Wait, did you see me?”

Gerald and the prince looked at each other.

“That debris was going to fall on all of us, but you…”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

“You saved us with your arm.”

“I did?” Charlotte looked closely at her arm. “And then? What happened?”

“Some beasts came out and began attacking people.”

“Beasts?”

“They’re the ones the hero has been using.”

“So… everyone is gone? What about the others? What about Zoe? Where is Zoe?”

The prince placed his hand on her shoulders. “Everyone is fine.” His voice was soft. “Remember that Miss Suri was going to think about something?”

“Yes…”

“Well, she has actually been protecting the whole town.”

“How?”

“We don't know, but her chains of Purple Fire Magica appeared out of nowhere and burned them.”

“I see.”

Charlotte saw the moon again.

“Where is she now?”

“In the stone tower.”

Bells rang out throughout the town. Charlotte jumped. Each chime was erratic and out of rhythm. She had to cover her ears.

“What was that?”

“The bells of the town's cathedral,” Arthur explained.

“They've been playing ever since it all started,” Gerald added.

Once the noise had died down, the deafening silence reigned once more. It was a deathly silence, as if no one were alive anymore, as if no one had survived. That thought sent chills down Charlotte’s spine.

“So, everyone is alright?”

“We can't be sure, but at least Miss Suri has protected many people.”

Charlotte fell deep in thought. She was about to lose herself in her own thoughts when she was interrupted by Gerald's cough, which was clearly meant to get her attention.

“Is something wrong, Mister Gerald?”

“Yes, we have to move now.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“We’re running out of time.”

Charlotte turned to look at the prince.

“The truth is… We have no choice but to go straight to the hero.”

“What? It’s too dangerous!”

“We are well aware, but it’s the only way.”

“But Miss Suri has everything under control and—”

“No!” Gerald interrupted. “Miss Suri is about to run out of Magica!”
“But—”

“Once it passes, there will be no one left to protect the town.”

Charlotte didn’t say a word.

“Besides, we have a situation,” Gerald added again.

“What’s wrong?”

“Miss Charlotte…” This time, Arthur replied. He walked over to Charlotte and softened his voice again. “When it was all over, we thought you were dead…”

“But I’m here!”

“Yes, but the others don’t know.”

“Is it true what happened to Sybil, Leif, Alysia, and Zoe? Where is Zoe?”

The prince paused. “We tried to stop them…”

“Where are they?”

Arthur took a deep breath. “They went to confront the hero.”

“W-what?”

Charlotte felt the air being forced out of her lungs, and no matter how hard she tried to breathe, she couldn't feel any air entering her lungs.

“They can't... They don't even know what they're up against…. W-we n-need a plan… We n-need to work together…”

“That’s why we have to move!” Gerald insisted.

“Come on, Miss Charlotte.” The prince took her hand. “There's no time left… The lives of our friends, of this town, and of us depend on what we do now... We must defeat the hero right here and now,” the prince said.

Without answering, they set off.