Aramora

Chapter 24: Sowing the Seed

"Shit," she blurts out, then quickly covers her mouth.

Naomi tilts her head. "What is it?"

Nisha composes herself and takes a deep breath. "Sorry, just... If that's the woman from Athemar's vision, that means things are moving faster than we thought, which means we have to hurry to stay in the lead before the end catches up with us. We've gotta reach the finish line so we can take it down," she says and turns to start walking again.

Naomi joins her as they keep moving. "Right... but weird women aside, what do you think the Drynthar was after, if anything?" she asks.

Nisha opens her mouth to answer, but as her eyes cast downward and land on a pile of broken boards and debris, she halts all movement. Naomi stops walking as well and examines her sudden shift in demeanor.

"Nisha? Is something wrong?" she asks.

She looks past her shoulder to see her eyes trained on what looks a somewhat tattered and charred purple shawl, with some traces of blood staining the fabric.

She stares at it curiously. "A shawl?"

Nisha suddenly drops to her knees and grabs the cloth in her shaking hands, staring at it through blurred eyes and her ears fall back flat against her skull as she cries.

Naomi's face softens and she lowers down beside her, holding her by her shoulders and lightly rubbing. "What's wrong?" she asks tenderly.

Nisha sniffles and lifts her trembling head. She says nothing as her mind runs faster than she can keep up with. She doesn't know what to say or do so she forgoes control and allows her heart to speak for her.

"This... belonged to someone I knew..." she whispers and holds the shawl tighter, hugging it to herself. "...What was I thinking...? Letting them go alone..."

Naomi wraps her arms around the Tus'Felnis and holds her close, gently rocking her forward and back. "I'm so sorry..." she says in a soothingly hushed tone that gets Nisha to slightly relax. "Is there anything I can do...?"

Nisha stops trembling and takes a deep breath before standing up and dropping the shawl as she leaves Naomi's arms. She nods stiffly and wipes her eyes of tears. "Yeah... we can save Aramora and make this all be worth it," as she says that, her eyes tear up again but she bites her lip and shuts her eyes until she calms herself down.

Naomi nods slowly as she stands up. "C'mon... Let's get back out there and keep looking. I don't think there's anything in here," she says and starts making her way to the exit. With one last wistful glance at the purple shawl, Nisha sighs and follows her out.

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Of all the places in Whiteridge, it looks like the palace district got the brunt of the damage. Understandable, considering the fact that the king's palace alone takes up about thirty percent of the city. Perks of being friends with the Grand Master of Aramora, Nesosa supposes.

The main hall of the palace looks like a ghost town. Despite the attack having happened no more than a week ago, this place looks as though it's been withered for centuries. The stone walls are crumbling, the wooden roof has withering spots that have collapsed in, leaving piles of debris on the ground beneath them and sunlight shining through what gaps in the ceiling they can sneak their way through.

Oddly enough, with the snowflakes gently falling through those gaps of light and the almost ethereal glow from the snow and fog clinging to the ground and air, and the empty throne sitting on the rise at the very end of the hall... the sight is strangely beautiful.