Smoke and ash plumed into the sky.
Ravines tore into the ground, revealing the layers of soil and rock deep under.
Flames ignited buildings and trees, and stone architecture crumbled.
Taking a closer look, one would find the white marble and blue architecture stained with blood.
Should one try to listen, they would only hear the crackling of fire resounding in the uneasy silence.
Above, clouds were scattered as if torn by the winds.
Smoke and ash were carried upward before sinking.
The stars were beginning to show signs of dimming; they watched with their fading lustre as the world below was falling apart.
"Unfortunately, I have to put you down here, Immortal Union."
Before the man was an old, sagely person.
His tattered blue robes waved in the wind, stained with blood.
Beneath are deep wounds that threatened to sever his limbs.
Yet, he stood calmly, albeit tiredly, in the air.
With a sigh, Immortal Union lowered his gaze.
"I would have never expected you to be behind the recent attacks on my subsidiary Mortal Settlements..."
A look of pain and solemnity mixed in his eyes, as Immortal Union looked at the white robed figure before him.
He was similarly drenched and wounded, but they weren't so severe.
"I had no other choice. Should I not step in, you would've eventually stepped in, thus ruining our plans."
"Did you have to be so... cruel? These people, everyone here wasn't involved with your plans, yet you implicated them, anyway!"
"It was for the best."
Shocked by that answer, Immortal Union quietly gritted his teeth.
"What will you do now?"
"Well... I can't let you live after seeing me."
"And these people?"
"It is not up to me. My colleagues will decide what happens to you people. I am only here to stop you."
"..."
Immortal Union had a look of defeat.
"So... there's no other choice."
"That is true."
"What is this all for?"
"Hmm?"
Immortal Union had one last question to ask, and let his emotions surge forth.
"What is all this for?! Why must you tear apart so many lives?!"
"..."
Immortal Union watched; the white robed figure merely pointed towards the sky.
His pale hand was leaking blood, contrasting against the inky black sky and dimming starlight.
"It is because of Night's sky that I do this."
"..."
...
A caravan was caught in a swarm of insane beasts.
Fiercely attacking this small force with mania in their eyes, blood flew, and howls died out as the countless beasts were felled.
Standing at the forefront of it all, Dawn and Edifice repelled the brute force of the tide.
The lower-ranked Cultivators received whatever slipped past them.
Their display of strength left everyone awestruck.
One dressed in black and gold, stepping through the horde of beasts with ease.
The other dressed similarly in black, her crimson embroidery matched the same thick crimson that pooled on the ground.
Selene hid within one of the carriages, as did the others who could not fight.
Finally, they slew the last of the beasts.
Standing over the hundreds of corpses, Dawn and Edifice were coated in the blood of many wolves.
"Is everybody okay!?"
Edifice called behind her, analysing their situation.
Only a handful of Cultivators were injured, and she sent them to be treated.
Dawn looked over the corpses they had slain; the number of wolves could pile into a mound.
Turning around, Dawn approached the frontmost carriage of the caravan.
She knocked gently.
"Selene? How are you holding up?"
The entrance opened as Selene popped out.
"I'm fine. Are you and Edifice okay?"
"Yes. We suffered minimal casualties."
She led Selene's gaze to her senior sister.
"When those few get treated, we will begin moving again."
"Hmm."
Sighing, Selene leaned back on the carriage wall, looking outwards towards the whole caravan.
"We still haven't found anything..."
"Don't look so down. The first three might not have had anything, but we should continue searching the other locations, anyway."
"That's true... But if nothing comes up, then all this would've been for nothing..."
Dawn spared a quiet glance, trying to reassure her friend.
"Have more faith in your senior sister, Selene. If she had leads, then there should be a reward."
"Even if there was nothing in the end, then there will be the hides and bones of the beasts we slay."
"..."
"Even if we didn't have those, we still got the chance to meet again in such a short time, no?"
Selene smiled and shook her head.
"What are you talking about?"
"Lift your head, and look towards the better things in life, Selene."
"..."
Selene looked stunned for a moment, breaking the silence with a sigh.
"Whatever you say."
'The better things in life, huh...'
Both of their attentions were taken by Edifice, who approached them, having finished dealing with the injured of the caravan.
"We will be heading out soon, after we extract the bones and hides of these wolves."
"I see. How close are we to the next Inheritance Spot?"
"Just two kilometres away. It should only take a few minutes to finish the extraction and half and twenty minutes to traverse through this mountain."
"Alright. The stars are beginning to dim, so I won't be able to stay for too long."
"Judging by our path, if we don't succeed in finding the inheritance early on, you would be able to join us for five more locations before tonight's end."
"Is that so..."
Dawn was a little saddened by the lack of time given to her.
She still had the duty of protecting Iron Mountain Quarry Settlement.
Edifice spared her a quiet smile.
"Rest with Selene, I'll ensure that the rest of the caravan is ready to depart."
"Oh. Thank you, friend Edifice."
"Don't worry about it. We will set off shortly, so enjoy the little time we have left."
Dawn nodded as Edifice left to handle the rest of the caravan's matters.
"Your senior sister is a very kind person."
"That she is."
...
With the bones and fur coats of the wolves harvested, they left the meat and blood to the environment to handle.
Having prepared and collected themselves, the caravan moves once more.
Hidden in the dense foliage of the forest, a pair of eyes stalked, like a predator watching prey.
Masked by the shade of the trees, they followed silently within the forest's embrace.
...