CLXXXVI. The Last Enemies.

Custos Aquilae took them back to the annihilated Merry Oaths. The dust storms did nothing but intensify —just like the giant black hole in the sky— and the earth cracked on itself, getting torn so wide and deep that red light from the planet's mantle could be seen through the smoke.

Merry Oaths was not any better; most buildings were gone, leaving behind nothing but debris skeletons of beams and asbestos. Vanilla could not even discern where her house was located, which was already one of the biggest in the town. She squeezed her teeth and drowned her tears. Whoever did it was going to pay for taking her father from her.