Sekai Break

The sun lied low on the west horizon. Its sun rays now barely capable of warmth. The cold nights breeze had taken over, chilling all that were in the village that lied beneath.

The village barely disturbed the forest floor—each house lifted on stilts with the homes overhead shingle-roofs made of woven leaves and bark. The village settled nicely with the background. The forest fading into large wooden spike walls encircling the abodes in it.

Locals wore sashes and wrappings dyed with forest herbs over their clothes , their sleeves short for climbing and movement. Tanned children darted up trees, while adults tended to root gardens or dried herbs in woven satchels hanging from rafters.

The village and the forest worked together in tandem , housing those rejected by the societal burst that hard occurred in Laptove.

Amongst the streets of the village, three people walked with two of them gazing at the odd and new societal culture around them.

" So how long have you two known each other ? "a girl amongst the three asked curiously eyeing the shortening distance between both.

Surprised, another girl in the group turned to the first searching her face for any unsettling implications.

" Barely a day . " a silver eyed boy answered .

" What ! " the first girl said.

" But you two seem rather close. " she said with a playful tag to the other girl.

" Look this dummy and I are not and will never be friends. " the other girl said.

" We're only one time mission allies. "

" Damn that really hurts Liora. " the boy said clenching his chest as though stabbed to the heart.

" Yeah go easy on Sen . He seems rather delicate. " The first girl said gently patting Sen's back.

Liora gazed at the two as one pretended to be hurt and sobbing while the other consoled him. She shook her head in evident disapproval of their children like mannerism and turned to pace forward.

" Anyway Ery, why is this village called New Salur ? What happened to the old Salur ? " Liora asked.

A cold breeze swirled past Liora swaying her non colored lining robe. A chill raced up her spine, goosebumps rising from the tension of her shivering body.

The breeze carried more than a chill from the coming night. With it an unnerving silence encompassed the village air giving the crickets center stage to fill the world with their nocturne melodies.

" Ery… " Liora said turning to face the two behind her.

Behind her the act had suddenly became real. Their eyes were glossy and droopy. The once playful and cheerful tease was now sad and gloomy as Ery stared down to the ground with a tightly clenched fist twitching .

" Ery are okay ? " Liora asked in a worried tone as she moved towards her.

" It's fine . Just some dirt in my eyes. "Ery answered shaking away the sad frown.

" Are you sure ? " Liora asked taking Ery's hands into her's .

" Yeah I am . Thanks. " Ery said her tone elevated . Even so Liora could still hear a shake in her voice. She gently tightened her grip on her hands before letting them go.

" You don't have to tell us if it bothers you. " Sen said as he joined them.

His breathing was heavy under his tone. His heart pounded viscerally with every thud threatening to burst his blood veins. His eyes had bags not nearly as open as they were when they entered the village. But over it all he camouflaged it all with a gentle voice as he and Liora tried to console Ery.

Ery chuckled slightly.

" You two are so nice. " she said with a smile.

" But it's been two years since then and I can handle talking about it. " she said in a low tone .

There was brief quiet as the trio started to pace onwards along the path. Sen lagged behind his eyes facing down already knowing the gruesome tale of what happened to the old Salur.

" The old Salur was destroyed. " Ery started . She took a heavy breath before continuing.

" Destroyed !? " Liora asked shocked.

" Yeah. You actually know where it is if your from Laptove. "

" The old Salur was village to the east of Laptove. "

" Wait but through the east gates is where the … " Liora said not daring to finish. Two and two clicked and the shivers only grew.

" Yeah . Salur was destroyed by a Miasma event that occurred two years back. And is now where the condensation point under the Belhe house is located. " she added her tone slight hoarse.

" I'm sorry Ery. I didn't know. " Liora apologized .

" It's okay like I said it's been two years I've come to be able to live it. " She said trying to ignite an enthusiastic mood.

" Also living out here helps a lot . The Elder gives some really good guidance… well if she feels like offering it. "

" Is she the one who created this village ? " Liora asked.

" Yeah. Her and the Official. "

" But the official barely comes to the village so the elder is way more popular than him. "

" Most people here lived in Salur. After the Miasma event they were rendered homeless with no roof over their heads. They took refuge to the streets scraping for food in inn trash until it became unbearable. "

"That's awful. " Liora said her tone softened.

" Yeah . Things got worse after the condensation point came about in Salur's wastelands. Nobles seeking its profits started coming to Laptove displacing the already displaced. "

" Soon Laptove changed so fast and abrupt that many were not able to keep up and we're left stranded . "

" And that's where the official and the elder came in , right ? " Liora asked.

" Yeah. Like the moon in the night those two gave them the guiding light they so much needed. They established the village and in honor of the former named it New Salur. "

" So this is like a safe haven ? " Sen asked still pacing behind them.

" Mmm . " Ery answered.

" It gave them the closure they so needed to live on and heal. "

" Have you ever thought of returning to Laptove ? " Sen asked his voice low on joy.

There was brief silence. Ery had stopped in her tracks her eyes facing the fading sun rays on the horizon.

" No . Never in a million years. " a voice said. Its tone harsh, spite spewing in each word it uttered. Coupled with the breeze it filled the atmosphere with a cold chilling wave.

Behind Sen two figures stood one cloaked in dark green, the other with a bow slung across his shoulder

Who the heck are you two ? "