Chapter 22

Rain fell violently on the muddy and steep ground.

"Damn...we're even getting rain to make it harder to walk." Imprecated a woman on horseback who was galloping toward territory unknown to her.

It had been three years since Eve Redward had left her native village. She had seen many things during that time. Wonderful, breathtaking vistas, ghost towns, villages razed to the ground because of malaria. But until that moment he had never seen such thick, black smoke rising to the sky, almost as if to claim him.

"With this rain, the fire should have been extinguished by now..."

Fortunately for her curiosity, that smoke was coming from where she was heading.

After some time since she spotted the smoke, she realized it was coming from a razed kingdom. The flames burst into flames, devouring everything within it.

She was amazed by that scenario. Perhaps there was a battle between two Kingdoms. Remembering the map, where she was standing was the Kingdom of Seghdal. Ten days away stood another Kingdom, which she knew was an enemy of this one.

This meant that Seghdal had lost. But then where was the winning army?

"Help me, please..." A faint female voice called her back from her thoughts.

A woman was lying on the ground not far from the walls.

Immediately Eve went to her rescue. She had some burns all over her body, but nothing too serious.

"Can you walk?" the woman nodded in pain. Eve helped her up and put her on the horse.

"Let's get away from here. There may be some soldiers left."

After a few minutes of galloping, they stopped. Meanwhile, the sky had stopped raining.

Eve helped her down and sat her down leaning against a tree. From the purse hanging from the horse's back she took a silk bag. She approached the girl and began to sprinkle the powder present inside into all the burns she had, starting with the most severe.

"I thank you for helping me."

"No need. My name is Eve."

"Lily."

"Good, Lily. Now rest, it's late."

"You are one of few words, aren't you?"

"And you of too many, despite what you've been through." At this reply, Lily winced slightly and her expression changed to a sad one. Eve immediately regretted her words. "I'm sorry."

"...You are right. Good night." She said and closed her eyes.

When the girl opened them again, it was already the next day. A scent of meat wafted through her nostrils.

"Good morning." She greeted Eve.

Lily crinkled her eyes and looked down to see her burns, but saw none.

"They're gone..." Said Lily, still in disbelief.

"Thanks to this one." Eve said, showing the bag that contained the powder she had sprinkled on her the night before.

"Is it magical?"

"In part, yes. I got it from one of the places I've been over the years. Now stop talking. Come and eat."

The breakfast was quiet. Neither of them said a word the whole time. It was not awkward; on the contrary. They both enjoyed each other's silence.

"What do you think about magic?" Lily suddenly asked, catching the woman by surprise. After a few seconds of reflection, he gave her an answer.

"I envy those who know how to use it. Imagine being able to make your wishes come true with a simple touch, to create wonders out of nothing, to see the infinite potential of the universe. I could heal illness, bring comfort to those in pain, protect those I love. Magic brings with it a sense of wonder and mystery that is so rare to find in our everyday lives. That is why I left my village. To be able to have an authentic adventure, that is my dream." She looked at Lily, who looked at her with astonished eyes. "You, on the other hand, how do you feel about magic?"

"I... I envy those who do not possess it." A beautiful dandelion bloomed from the ground in front of her, leaving Eve stunned.

"I look at the people around me, those who live their lives without the burden of magic, and sometimes I wonder if they would not be the truly lucky ones. To not have magic is to be free of a burden that no one can really fully understand, a burden made up of expectations, dangers and temptations that escape the understanding of those who do not have it. Those who do not have magic do not have to struggle with the temptation to use it for selfish or evil purposes. He does not have to fear being corrupted by the power that magic brings, losing his sense of reality, becoming something whose humanity he no longer recognizes. Moreover, those without magic can live without the constant fear of being discovered. Magic imposes a loneliness that no one can truly understand, because even among friends and family, the secret of magic must remain hidden, like an indelible stain that marks you forever. The fear of being exposed, judged, or even worse, becoming an object of hunting for those who would use magic for their own selfish purposes, is a burden no one should ever carry. Magic can bring pain, destruction, and despair, and those who do not possess it are sheltered from this terrible potential. Only those without it can experience the joy of living truly free."

An awkward stillness fell between them, filling the air with tension and uncertainty. The only thing that broke that silence was the sound of cicadas. Their glances crossed fleetingly, but neither could find the right words to break that tension-filled silence. Each passing second seemed to further prolong the anguish of the moment.

The two women looked at each other for a long time, letting the sounds of the forest break their silence. The rustling of leaves and the singing of birds seemed to amplify the heavy atmosphere, while their gazes expressed an infinity of conflicting thoughts.

Getting back on the road was the only thing they both agreed on at that moment.

Beyond a dense forest, the peaks of towering mountains came into view, shrouded in mists that seemed to dance between the peaks.

The sound of distant streams and waterfalls mingled with the song of nocturnal creatures, creating a natural symphony that enveloped the landscape in an atmosphere of enchantment and wonder. The ruins of ancient temples and castles emerged among the shadows, witnesses to forgotten civilizations and secrets buried by time.

Eve admired these landscapes with extreme wonder.

"Is that why you left your village, then?" Lily asked, noticing her bright gaze.

"Yes, this is what I always wanted to do. In that little village I felt cramped, I couldn't breathe. This is my kind of freedom."

"Do you mind if I join you, madam?"

"Of course not. And call me by my name. You make me feel old."

"Why, aren't you?"

"I'm twenty-five!"

Lily laughed, to Eve's detriment.

A week passed since Eve found Lily. The two women got along well together. Eve liked adventure and exploring majestic places. It was enough for Lily not to stay still in one spot all the time.

They explored another temple. In the Kingdom where they found themselves, Temples were scattered everywhere. Most of them, were abandoned.

They were about to enter inside when Lily began to vomit.

"Are you okay, Lily? It's not the first time you've thrown up since we've been traveling together."

"Yes, everything is fine."

"Since when?"

"What?"

"Since when did you start feeling nauseous?"

"...Since two weeks ago."

"When was the last time you had your period?"

"I don't remember..."

"You definitely didn't have it in the previous two weeks, am I right?"

"..."

"Lily, are you pregnant?"

"...It's likely."

Eve took her by the shoulder and led her away from the temple. "Let's go back. I'll see what I can do about your nausea."

More weeks passed. The two women were resting around a bonfire.

"That day, when you met me..." Lily began, drawing Eve's attention. "You thought there had been a battle between two armies. But it wasn't. I was the one who razed the Kingdom to the ground." She said, expecting any reaction from Eve, but she did not seem surprised either. The latter let go a breath she did not know she was holding.

"I thought so."

"Really? From what?"

"That day, you spoke of magic as something you hated, that you feared. You defined it as something that brought destruction and despair. And not only that, you were afraid of your magic. Just using it to make a dandelion bloom put fear in you. This gave me no proof, of course, but on the day I found you I saw no dead soldiers. It was too strange that a battle had been held there without any dead."

"And you have no problem being with a person who destroyed an entire kingdom?"

"Did you do it on purpose?"

"No, but..."

"Then I have no problem. You are not an evil person, that's enough to make you suitable as my company."

"... After finding out about my magic, the king wanted to pillory me and execute me along with my husband. He was the only one who knew the truth about me. After pillorying us, they killed Fried, my husband. In a fit of anger and grief, I unleashed a violent storm on the Kingdom. I remember only this. When I woke up, there was nothing left but death and destruction. I killed hundreds of families, including children, who until the night before were living carefree lives. They died because of my magic."

"But your magic saved you and the creature you carry."

"At the expense of all the others, though!" Lily exclaimed, this time screaming with a mixture of anger and sadness. "The king was right. I am a danger to everyone."

"No, you're not. You were just a scared girl who had done nothing wrong and just wanted to live. Don't let fear and remorse consume you."

Lily began to sob. She curled in on herself and her shoulders shook. "I hate this burden I've been carrying on my shoulders my whole life...With each passing day I feel myself sinking deeper and deeper...I just wish I could be normal."

"...Now that you have told me the truth, I am your accomplice. I will never tell anyone what you did, so from today you will share that heavy burden of yours with me."

Lily stopped shaking. He looked at her for a long time with wide eyes. She could not believe her ears.

"Eve, you..." Her eyes could no longer hold back tears. He hugged her, crying loudly on her shoulder. Eve lovingly stroked her back with a small smile. In that moment, the two women discovered a unique bond that would unite them for a long time.

Nine months passed and Lily's water broke.

They were far from any village or town, so it was Eve who helped her in the delivery. It was an exhausting day for both women.

Amid sighs of pain and hope, the long-awaited moment came, and the crying of the newborn joined the song of nature.

When Eve held the tiny creature in her arms, Lily finally smiled.

"It's a boy." Eve told her.

"Hello, my baby...I'm your mommy." Lily touched the infant's small hand with her index finger, which he tried to grasp. "I thought about it for a long time and made a decision. I will call you Fried, just like your father. I love you, my baby." After that Lily, exhausted but with a smile of joy and love, collapsed, releasing her last breath as a whisper through the leaves that accompanied the baby's crying and Eve's sobbing.

The inhabitants fought until their strength was exhausted. Their attacks became slower and weaker, their breaths quick and labored. All of them knew they would not last long in that state.

"How long does it take those Adventurers?" Asked one of the inhabitants.

"I hope not much longer, otherwise it's over."

Eve threw a slash at one of the Golems, destroying it. Of all of them, she was the one who still had the most energy to fight. "We must resist at all costs!" She exclaimed. "We have to trust those guys. They are our only hope!"

The woman turned to where she heard a loud thud. "Fried!" She shouted the name of the boy who found himself lying on the ground, bleeding from the head. She did not, however, have time to go to his aid. A Golem stood out in front of her attempting to strike her, narrowly failing. Eve successfully parried his blow and counterattacked, knocking him to the ground.

She turned to Fried again and saw a Golem heading toward him with clear intent to kill him. Eve gritted her teeth and ran toward his direction. She was not going to let Fried die. She could not allow that. Even at the cost of her life, she would save him. She ran desperately. Those dozens of meters separating the two seemed endless to her. Out of haste, out of nervousness, out of fear, Eve tripped over a rock and fell to the ground. She looked up to see the Golem preparing to strike Fried, with the latter now resigned to his fate.

But Eve would not allow that fate to catch up with him. Without even realizing it, her legs moved of their own accord and in a timely manner. In a very few seconds she reached the boy and managed to push him so that he avoided the attack that centered her instead of him, sending her flying to the ground a few feet away, helpless.

"Ms. Eve!" The villagers who saw the scene exclaimed. Those who did not see it were instead alerted by their alarmed voices.

Their anger increased. Their village leader was grounded. Morale was now low, but the anger gave them renewed vigor. They attacked with all their remaining strength.

Then, suddenly, they had to stop. Everything around them trembled. They struggled to stay on their feet.

"What the hell is going on?!"

"Not only the ground, even the walls are shaking!"

Suddenly, big roots came out of the rocky walls and ground, destroying all Golem.

"You rest!" All of them turned toward Fried's voice. "I'll take care of them."

Eve moved. She grimaced in pain and opened her eyes with difficulty. With blurred vision, she watched the roots destroy all the golems time after time. No matter how many times those got back up, they were immediately knocked down.

She turned toward the person responsible for this and for a single second saw something, or rather someone, blocking her breath.

"Lily..." She then realized that it was Fried instead. Her eyes filled with tears and she was finally able to smile.

END OF CHAPTER.

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I admit it myself. This is my weakest chapter in the whole book so far (I didn't think it could get any weaker, honestly xD). Partly, because in editing I decided to delete many sentences I had included in the flashback. Re-reading it, I realized that it really sucked and so I took out everything I didn't like. Not only in the part where Eve and Lily talk about magic, but also after Lily gives birth. I realized I wasn't ready to write these kinds of scenes yet, otherwise this is the crap that comes out of it. I can, however, say that I did my best.

Fun (or tragic) fact, the flashback scene I first wrote at the end of the year 2023, or maybe after New Year's Day. It is one of the few written scenes that were saved from the loss of all my files.

I am ready for lynching for this chapter, so comment, review, and... no, this time I will refrain from telling you to leave a power stone xD

See you tomorrow, same time. Bye!