The morning wakes cold, but in Satus the children never waste time: they run through dirt roads, laugh, push each other, pretend the world isn't a cruel place. Among them runs May, nine years old, red hair burning under the rising sun. Beside her is Lily, her rival-friend.

  "I won!" Lily shouts, bent over laughing.

  "Not fair! I'm not in shape today!" May protests, but the face she makes while handing over three marbles betrays her.

  Marbles. The children's treasure. Their currency. Their way of imitating the adult world.

  "I'll get them back," May announces, confident. "I'll train and become the fastest in the village, you can count on it." She points her finger at Lily like a challenge.

  Ray, fifteen years old, deep violet eyes and hands darkened by walnut juice, stopped playing marbles a long time ago. He left that world early. He's cleaning the doorstep of trash and paint when May reaches him running and trips, falling at his feet.

  "Help me!" She springs back up. "I need to get faster! Will you train me?"

  Ray brushes dust from her knees and clothes. "Faster than this? Seems difficult, look what you've done to yourself," pointing at her scraped knee, "and besides, I have a lot to do."

  "So you won't help me?!" May puts her hands on her hips, her tone sharp.

  "Come on, let me clean that wound," Ray says, taking her hand and dragging her inside, ignoring May's huffs and complaints.

  "It burns!" May pulls back as Ray cleans the wound and wraps her knee with a clean cloth.

  "Can I go now?!" She huffs, impatient.

  "You can go, but take it easy today." He looks stern but gentle. "You've already hurt yourself, I don't want you coming home even worse."

  "But that's not fair!" she exclaims, getting very angry. "How am I supposed to train if I stay calm?"

  "That's exactly the point. Better not today."

  "Mmmm, fine." She responds quickly and rudely, then bolts toward the door and runs out.

  Ray watches her, puzzled, as if he already knew she wouldn't listen.

  May runs down the dirt road ignoring Ray's concerns, but suddenly stops and thinks.

  "Maybe... maybe I was too rude?"

  She changes direction decisively but this time, instead of running, walks very calmly. She stops in a field of flowers. Lily looks for May to give back the marbles. She finds her sitting in the field, weaving grass and white and yellow flowers.

  "Here." Lily holds out her hand with the marbles. "You seemed a bit angry before. The marbles don't matter anyway, you can have them back."

  "No, I wasn't angry, you can keep them, I don't care anymore," May replies, gesturing for her to sit down.

  They spend the afternoon weaving flower garlands for their families. They even forget to go home for lunch. The sky gradually turns red and the day's most dangerous hours approach.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  Ray looks for her to bring her home. The woods become dangerous at that hour. When he finds her, he's greeted with apologies.

  "I'm sorry, big brother." She looks at him with regretful eyes. "I answered you badly and was rude. I got a bit carried away." She holds out the garland. "But to make up for it, I made you this."

  "Don't worry, I wasn't angry. I understand, I would've done the same," he chuckles to lift her spirits, "thank you for this beautiful gift, May." Ray kneels and lowers his head so May can place the garland on him.

  "It looks good on you, you look like a princess." May and Lily burst out laughing.

  They walk Lily home. Her mother is outside collecting laundry.

  "Mom! Look what I made you!" Lily lets go of Ray's hand and runs to her mother. "Do you like it?"

  "A flower garland? It's beautiful, thank you, sweetheart." She smiles as if there's nothing more beautiful in the world. She puts it on and notices Ray's garland.

  "I see you've also fallen victim to their games." She chuckles. "Thank you for walking her home."

  "My pleasure. Good evening."

  Ray picks up May and as they walk away, she waves to Lily over his shoulders.

  They return to their small stone and wood dwelling. Inside, Adam waits, tired but in good spirits, with a pot of hot soup on the table.

  Before the meal, they hold hands and give thanks. It's an ancient gesture, a habit born from the awareness that tomorrow the food might not be there.

  May's bowl becomes clear in an instant and, like every evening, she asks something about her mother.

  Adam tells her about that time they tried ice cream. About a laugh. About a simple moment, treasured in memory like a jewel.

  May listens with dreamy eyes. "I'll eat it someday too."

  Ray looks at her and truly thinks: you deserve so much more than this place.

  The night passes. May first is May's birthday.

  Ray leaves early. Adam is about to leave when someone knocks at the door. A messenger from the capital hands him a letter with the peacock seal: an important aristocrat is looking for three workers for an urgent move, to be completed by tomorrow's dawn.

  The pay is good. Too good for Adam to refuse.

  He finds Ray under the usual tree, surrounded by crows. "You have to go, son. It's an opportunity we can't pass up."

  Ray doesn't respond enthusiastically, but nods. He does it for May. For the magic school they dream of giving her.

  The journey to Mendacium is long, but the crows keep him company until they reach the capital's walls. There he meets the other two workers: Mark, young and talkative, and Dane, older and silent.

  The move is exhausting, but they finish well before dawn. The evening's heat accompanies them as they leave the city. Strange, evenings don't usually run hot.

  "It'll be good to get back." Mark tries to reassure himself. Ray senses the tension and fear of the forest in his gaze. At night it's not a friendly place. Satus grows closer.

  Ray, however, finds peace in the rustling of leaves and the wings of crows that reach him. One of them, the one with the white spot on its belly, lands on his shoulder.

  That's when he notices something.

  The silence.

  Not the forest's silence.

  Satus's silence.

  A sudden, unnatural absence. No animals rummaging around. No drunkard shouting now and then.

  Dane drops the torch that lit his path and speeds up. Mark runs after him. Ray stands still for a moment, as if his body knows before his mind that something is wrong.

  Then he runs.

  The orange light dancing between the trees grows more intense with each step.

  When he reaches the village, the world shatters.

  Houses have collapsed. Some still burn. The smell of blood permeates the air. Bodies everywhere. Bodies Ray knows. Friends, neighbors, children May had played with the day before. He doesn't pay much attention to who lies slumped on the ground.

  Ray runs. His legs tremble but he continues.

  Then he sees his house.

  Or what remains of it.

  Under the rubble is Adam, unrecognizable, his body full of deep wounds, heartbreaking just to look at. Bones that seem ground by stones.

  Ray advances as if in a trance.

  And he sees her.

  May.

  Pinned to the wall by a silver lance. Her right arm missing. Her left arm bent backward. Her legs twisted until they detached from her body. Her head tilted toward the ground. Blood running down her face. Her clothes soaked in red and the cloth tied on her knee has completely changed color.

  Ray opens his mouth but no sound comes out.

  He wants to scream. He can't.

  He feels sick. Wants to vomit. His stomach is sealed shut.

  Wants to run to her. His legs won't respond.

  One step.

  He staggers.

  Another.

  His legs give out.

  He falls to his knees.

  The sound of blood hitting the ground grows louder.

  Hammering.

  Unbearable.

  Drip.

  Drip.

  Drip.

  His breath breaks.

  The world tilts.

  And everything goes black.