A Sea of Dread

The fireworks burst into the sky, scattering and shimmering as they gleamed and faded. In the faint smell of smoke that filled the crisp winter air, the two of them sat under the blossoming tree of magnolia.

As the fervour of fireworks began to fade, Ezrahl asked quietly.

"Has everyone been well these days?"

"Mn," Aesther replied with a small smile, "Whenever I was not busy fainting, we hung around with your brother. Esmer is quite like you."

He did not say anything to that. 

"What mission was it anyway?" She asked, wanting to hold onto the moment for a little longer simply for the sake of their last time together.

"Can't say." He murmured.

"Ah," Aesther sighed to herself, "No one talks about what happened in those forests. Can you also not tell me about that? Merakh and the Dark Alchemist…"