Dome

Anisa Desert, close to Nuya Town. 

Waves of dust swept across the barren landscape where Nuya Town once stood. What had been a vibrant town now lay in desolate ruin, with buildings reduced to skeletal frames that rose from the Earth like the haunted remains. 

Each gust of wind obscured and revealed these outlines. As if the desert itself was attempting to cover the magnitude of devastation beneath a shifting, endless shroud. 

The sun hung low over the horizon.

Lorca stood amidst this wasteland, his gaze steady and contemplative. As he sighed with a heaviness that was nearly drowned in the restless air. He looked toward the distance where the horizon stretched empty, lost in thought.

"Well, this isn't good." Lorca's voice was calm and steady as he took in the ruined and collapsed remnants of Nuya Town. 

"Tell me about it. This has to be a Type II Disaster." Maken spoke with surprise, his words dripping with disbelief and a hint of dry skepticism. He turned his head, taking in the destruction that surrounded them. 

"Most likely an earthquake. I perceive no life under the rubbles." Septim's voice cut in, cold and precise, as he surveyed the scene. 

"Hopefully they could leave on time." Venus fidgeted, shifting nervously as he glanced at Lorca. "Do you think the second prince was with them?"

"Possibly, we will know once Activia gets a magical star from the survivors." Corvix replied in his usual monotone manner, eyes closed. 

"In the meantime, we can check out the area—" Lorca began to speak again.

"Ohhh! I found something amazing!" Iko's cheerful voice rang out, a bright interruption that echoed across the ruins. 

Lorca chuckled softly, an amused and tender reaction to Iko's unexpected discovery. 

"That girl sure doesn't wait." Maken muttered with a mix of admiration and resignation before he began moving, his curiosity piqued by what she had found.

Iko's boots sank slightly into the sand-dusted ground that had once been Nuya Town's bustling square. She planted her sword, gold and white bone sword into the pale earth, the polished blade catching the glow of the setting sun. One by one, the others such as Corvix, Maken, Venus, and Lorca followed her clear, ringing call. 

All except Septim.

Their boots sank into sand; each footstep dissolved in the silence. As they reached Iko, a sudden gust whipped her blond hair into a halo around her shoulders. She whirled, eyes alight, a grin splitting her face.

"Look, look!" Iko exclaimed, her voice a bright spark, as she pointed eagerly to the ground. Then she knelt, brushing away layers of ochre sand with quick fingers. Corvix moved first, his dark brow arching as he leaned in.

Maken dropped to one knee, jaw slack, pupils widening. Venus stumbled forward, breath catching before he inhaled sharply. Lorca stepped to the edge of the circle, lips curving into a gentle smile.

Half-submerged, its hollow eye sockets stared skyward; its jaw gaped in a silent roar frozen for eternity. The bone was ridged with faint, swirling grooves, and sand still trickled from its cavernous nasal cavity. The skull's dwarfed their own heads, rivaling the collapsed town walls for size.

Iko laughed, the sound bright as a bell. "A Guardian Tome!" She pressed her palm to the dome, feeling the bone's cool curvature. She sprang up, dust swirling around her ankles. "And just look at this size!"

Maken's fingertips traced the brow ridge. "No chips, no cracks," he murmured in astonishment. "Better preserved than the other bones we've seen."

Corvix bent lower, gloved finger following near the jaw. "This isn't Nuya's original guardian," he said, voice calm. "It lay buried deep until the quake forced it upward."

"You notice those details, Corvix?" Venus asked, his voice tinged with awe. With Lorca inwardly chuckling as it was rare for him to see Corvix express any interest, his words captured a hint of admiration. 

Corvix lightly nodded, the ghost of a smile almost touching his lips.

"He is right, I found another skull." Septim's voice cut in as he approached from the way they came. "I was checking around and saw a skull a little bit buried deep in the sand. It's only a bit away from the destroyed town entrance."

The implication sank in among them, a vivid picture of how the landscape had been altered by the quake. The original Guardian Tome must have been consumed by the ground before the Watchguard of Nuya town had a chance to take it with them.

"I see, the original tome must have been swallowed before they could move it." The words slipped softly from Lorca as he gently caressed the skull, a tender motion. "While this one has been forced up by the quake." His expression was thoughtful, already considering the possibilities this discovery presented.

"Wait… Doesn't this mean it's possible they're traveling the desert without one?" Venus asked in surprise, leading Lorca to nod. 

"Highly likely. But they should be able to reach the next town that is an hour or two away." Maken says, recalling the contents of the map.

"And we can't worry about that for now, the Chu Warriors can handle the Guardian Tome when they come. We should start making a shelter soon, Second Prince." Corvix gestured toward the rising moon, its soft glow casting an urgency to their preparations.

"Ahh, that's true."

"Uh, where are we going to stay though?" Venus questioned with a tilt of his head, his eyes wide and uncertain. "There were some rock formations—"

"We stay here, using the collapsed buildings as makeshift shelter." Septim's reply was as direct and unfeeling as a command, leaving no room for hesitation or doubt. 

He barely looked back as he strode away, leading Lorca to nod his head in agreement.

"Then let's start." Lorca smiled, already knowing Septim off to find undamaged supplies, he turned to address Iko.

"Iko."

"Hm?" Iko shot to her feet, eyes sparkling.

"Go crazy." Lorca spoke the words his little brother always says to Iko. 

Iko began glancing around with keen eyes, moving as if the mere act of gathering materials was an adventure in itself. Her expression was all delight and determination, and she soon rushed off in search of what they needed. 

Her enthusiasm was infectious, sparking renewed energy among them.

Maken sighed with a mixture of indulgence and acceptance, running his hand through his hair as he often did. "That girl doesn't waste any time." His words trailed off as he began to follow after her, knowing that she'd need an extra hand.

"Wait up!" Venus called out, and he hastily joined them. Lorca noted the lingering apprehension, yet a flicker of excitement danced in Venus hazel eyes.

'Ahh so he's that type.'

"We need to help clear out some rubble and push back some of the buildings," Lorca said, his focus already returning to the task ahead.

"Alright," Corvix replied. His tone was a rare blend of interest and involvement, a subtle shift from the bleak detachment he so often wore. 

…

Bone graveyard.

The bones above them groaned faintly in the wind. The fires had begun to crackle stronger, catching hold in the carefully arranged circles of bone and dry wood. Pockets of warmth pushed back the chill that crept in from the open desert, the flames casting flickering light along the inner ribs of the massive skeleton sheltering them all.

Shadows moved like dancers upon the walls of bone, long and wide.

A few women, including Selene, had gathered near one of the central fires. Their cloaks were pulled tight, but they worked with brisk, steady hands. They took a battered iron pot out of the satchel before hoisted into the flame with practiced ease.

Someone brought water.

Another carried chopped roots, long pale vegetables with purple veins. Selene unwrapped a bundle of meat which were thin and salted strips, wrapped in some makeshift cloth long before this journey began.

Lorian watched in silence as Selene added a syrupy mixture to the bottom of the pot. It hissed the moment it touched the hot metal, releasing a wave of steam fragrant with herbs and sweetness. She stirred quickly, adding the meat and vegetables bit by bit, her face calm, her eyes focused.

Around her, the other women moved with quiet coordination, building something small but significant in the heart of the ribcage: a meal, a moment of peace.

Sizzling filled the air, a sharp contrast to the howling winds beyond the bone walls. The warmth and scent began to carry, curling around the weary, dust-covered souls scattered throughout the dome. 

Lorian turned his gaze outward, beyond the pot and firelight, and saw their faces again.

Children sat together in tight circles, some with heads tucked into arms, others watching the pot with faint hunger in their eyes. Teenagers, too tired to posture, slouched beside one another, their expressions lost in the flickering shadows. 

The elders looked haunted, their memories old but not forgotten. Louise leaned against a rib, his fingers absently smoothing the edge of a torn map.

Roy sat nearby, hands clasped between his knees, his gaze somewhere far beyond the dome.

Phil and Lula were huddled close, barely speaking while Iran laid on the ground, staring at the bone ceiling.

Riley, Silis, Anna, and all the other Silvian Outlaws, all sat in their small groups. Their usual restlessness was replaced by a quiet that weighed heavy in the bones.

Even Uro was no longer calm, sitting cross-legged, chin on fist, gazing into the fire with furrowed brows.

And in all of it, not a voice or whisper echoed, only silence that had grown ever larger.

Lorian glanced at Kyros, rose, dusted himself off. Without hesitation, he strolled toward the old man, his steps light and with a grin. "Kyros," he called, voice warm.

The old man looked up, blinking as if surfacing from a deep reverie. "Hmm?"

"You promised some demon tales," Lorian said softly but clearly. "Think you can deliver?"

Kyros blinked, surprise flickering across his weathered features. Then, with a dry chuckle, he shook his head. "Really? At a time like this?"

"There's not much else to do," Lorian replied, a hint of laughter in his tone as if sharing a private joke.

Amelia, seated beside Kyros, nudged him with a teasing smile that held memories of brighter days. "Go on, you old fool, it might lift our spirits."

Kyros scanned the circle, exhaled slowly, then nodded. "Very well."

With Lorian's help he stood and shuffled toward the largest fire where Nuya's people had gathered. A pot nearby hissed steam into the night air, while clearing his throat, Kyros raised a hand.