From the Ashes

Levina

A fire blazed in Lisara Village, killing over a hundred people. The king of Sorha, who'd been trying to prolong their kingdom's neutrality for as long as possible finally conceded.

A declaration was passed soon after.

Sorha was officially at war.

It was a silly cause, Levina believed. She didn't understand how people got so worked up over a little flower. Granted, it was a potentially deadly flower, and breaking a treaty to harvest it was probably not a good idea, but Levina saw no point in it all.

"Levina!" Her mother wrapped her arms around her tightly, sobbing.

The air was heavy with smoke. Houses were reduced to smoldering piles of rubble. Levina had awoken to screaming and her mother running into her room to haul her out of the house.

Sorhan guards were rushing door to door, escorting people out. Magic users were doing their best to extinguish what they could with various charms and spells.

It was useless. Whoever had started the fire had chosen that day for a reason. Dry Season had plunged Celara City into a devastating drought, rendering its people defenseless against the raging inferno. Celara City, as majestic as it once had been, was about to share the same fate as Lisara Village.

Levina clutched her mother's hand like a lifeline while they raced through their once flourishing city.

    They reached a small house that Levina had seen her mother enter many times, though Levina herself had never been it before. Her mother banged on the door frantically.

    "Naya!" her mother called. "Please!" That name was vaguely familiar to Levina but she couldn't remember from where. Even though her mother was screaming, Levina could barely hear her over everything else. Levina coughed heavily; her lungs couldn't withstand the tainted air for much longer.

    A woman opened the door, seemingly unfazed by the commotion. "Leylin, I told you already. I am done helping you."

    "Please, Naya," her mother begged. Levina had never seen her mother look so defeated before. Her mother's usually carefully done hair was wild and streaked with ash.

The woman, Naya, glanced over at Levina. All of a sudden, Levina felt self conscious. She doubted that she looked any better than her mother did. She didn't know who this woman was, but if her mother was begging her for help, then obviously her opinion mattered.

Levina brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. She wasn't used to having it down, usually her mother braided it for her and pinned it up.

"Always look your best around people. Half of confidence is an act; you keep your head up and the rest will follow, my dear," her mother always told her. Levina tried this now, and though she was sure her appearance was far from presentable, she attempted to look as strong as she could. For both their sakes.

Naya chuckled at the sight of her. "Look at this one, Leylin; she's just like you." Levina's mother only pulled her closer.

Levina started coughing again. Her eyes watered and she felt like she could barely breathe.

Leylin once again pleaded to Naya. "Please, save her. She's all I have. She's done nothing to deserve this!"

"Sometimes children must shoulder their parents' burdens, Leylin," Naya warned. "There's never a guarantee with these things, especially with ones like her."

Naya gave Levina one last look. "Do you really think she'll survive if I do this?"

Levina's mother nodded. "She's a fighter," she said with a sad smile. "Stronger than I could ever teach her to be."