Ash fell from the clouded sky as an omen to the destruction that fell upon the slums of Asin. Carlos still flinched at every yell that still echoed around the crowded streets. A healer had wandered up towards them and asked if they had any injuries. They had made it out without getting hurt, just some cuts and a small bruise. Troops lined the edge of the slums as ever so often new explosions and yells could be heard in the distance.

Maybe she was supposed to feel bad for them, but she really couldn’t. Some of them had it coming anyway.

 Celest glance over to Carlos who held his head back fighting the tears that threaten to fall. She wonders where his idiot father was but then again, she hopes he never came close to the boy. She felt pity for the boy. Bright eyes filled with life still shone so brightly. It was a shame that this nice, lovely sunning day turned to a gloomy day filled with grief. She couldn’t hear the faint shallow breaths of many that surround them; yes indeed a very ruined sunny day.

Chatter and the cries of children and adults lurk around even as the sky turns to a dark crimson. Dust clouds gently swayed in the light breeze as a shiver ran down Celest’s back. Her bear skin felt the cold as ice, as wind brushed against her and each time goosebumps grew.

“Do you like your father?” It left Celest lips without her permission as her eyes widen at the boy. “Yes and no,” Carlos eyes dulled at the topic which made Celest her heart tighten at gloom aura the boy gave off. “What do you mean ‘yes and no?” Erix now joins the misery that is the conversation. Though his eyes still were focus on the chaos and racked before them. “Well, he looks after my older brother with love and care but for me, but I’m just a bastard,” he voice turned to a whisper, “he doesn’t care about me,” Celest felt her heart shatter. Why does she care for this boy she just meet?

“So is your mother alive?”

“Well, that horrible thing to say but she’s dead,” Carlos' eyes just widened at the audacity that Celest had. “Well can I stab someone?”

“Uh depends on who,” they sat in silence, “um don’t stab my father please?”

“Please do not kill my father please?” Carlos’s pupils widened as he pleaded with Celest. After what felt like hours Celest replied with,

“Oh, you want to stab him!”

“No one is stabbing my father.”

“Only time will tell!”

Carlos’s eyes reflected Celest’s stormy purple eyes. Slowly, Carlos forgot the burning in his lungs and the ache in his legs as the banter of the new friends continued. Erix's eyes lingered on the smaller boy, he did have some muscle on him.

“Pardon me, sir Erix?”

“Why so polite,” he didn’t seem like the guy for manners, but he is a noble, so it makes sense. Ignoring the question, he went on, “I don’t think I have a place to say tonight so…”

“As long as you don’t touch my stuff I’m fine. How about you sir~.” Erix just glared at Celest, but he nodded. Carlos smiled as red flushed on his tan skin while Celest brightly smiled back.

“Excuse me sir and young sir and miss,” Celest spined around to face with the young black hair guard; she really needed to learn his name. “I’m sir Gale,” cool name, “You were in Ivy tavern before the fight happen, correct?” Fight was putting it nicely the better term was blood bath. “That it is correct sir Gale,” Carlos replied. “May I ask some questions?”

“You may,” Celest eyes glance around his figure as a fake smile was plastered on her face.

“Did the figures do anything suspicious before guards entered?” Celest personally didn’t care about the topic, so her eyes wander off to Carlos who got his hint and converses with the Gale. “No sir.”

It went back in forth like a weird boring sport but a necessary one. Before long Gale wander off from view, Celest let her mask fall. “Well, we should probably not stay here,” the others turned to face Celest eyes which were once again shining brightly as the stars lit up the sky.

“Yeah, personally this town was to keep me in so I would love to escape,” Carlos confirmed the answer of leaving the ashy runes of Asin. Wreckage turned the money-making town to nothing but a simple town. Flames had also reached some upper-class houses; there was barely any chance that any merchants or nobles would stay here.

Any hotels were bustling with crowds of people with extremely loud sobbing. “Which town is the closet?” Celest never adventures this far inland so she was so lost.

“Maybe we should head to the capital!” Carlos leaps up looking down upon them now.

“The capital?” Erix has never been the golden lush capital of Tabents. He heard people describe its beauty, but he knows no words could ever picture the capital (Or they were just exaggerating).  

“I may be the bastard of Count Cromwell, but I still have some power!” Carlos knew from an early age that even as a noble he was still a bastard. So, he made a small business to keep him afloat in the capital. When his father found out about it, he sent him away to work in the Ivy tavern so he couldn’t build any more power in the capital.

“This year the new academy is opening!” Carlos spilled out, it is not that it's bad but the thought just randomly came out. “The academy?” Now Celest knew humans’ education. It was quite smart to educate humans when young but normally only rich or talented people get the chance, even if most of the time they are belittled.  

“Well with the recent war brewing they thought it was a good idea to get as many of the newer generation prepared,” Carlos had wanted to go as many important people were going but his father had gotten in the way.

After the small talk Erix wanders off to buy some supplies and to blow off some steam. While Celest kept on staring at the lovely painted night sky. “Why do keep on living?”

Carlos froze at the random question, but the reaction caught Celest attention. “Why do you ask?” Carlos tried to sound calm and relaxed but his voice quivered and cracked. Tears welled in his dark emerald eyes as his knuckles turned to pale white. “I-I guess that I want to prove to… my father that I am someone of worth.”

Blinking away salty tears, Celest hugged him and in return he tightly gripped her shirt as if he let go, she would disappear. “You are already worth more than he could ever imagine.” The tears he was fighting back just streamed down his face let them all out.