Henry. Just. Henry.

Chapter 42|Ellevine Kingdom

Cedric flew through the sky beside the Udini Squad on their Tourizal. The wing span of a plane was baby’s play compared to the sheer length of this colossal bird.

Its pink slit eyes scanned for anything unusual, then it screamed.

For an intimidating bird, it’s call resembled a yelling twelve-year-old girl who didn’t get her birthday gift.

“Guys..." Cedric pointed. "Look."

The squad furrowed at the horror before them.

The earthquake’s tremours might have shaken Rion, but it shattered Caldire Kingdom. From the aerial view, the Squad saw plumes of smoke rising.

Medics were rushing through the crowd of people, trying to transport as many caldese citizens to the twenty aligned ambulance. They could hear the hysterical cries way in the skies of those begging for their loved ones to wake up.

The tremours tore through the central garden, which was the principal attraction of the Kingdom. Most of the trees laid broken on the destroyed pavements. If the trees couldn’t survive, then the rest of the ecosystem was crushed.

“This is…” Henry said, but couldn’t finish.

The sight of blood streaming out smashed up cars like tap water shut him up.

“We have to find the source of that earthquake.” Fallon said.

“I think…” Miyu began, widening her eyes the closer they got to the next Kingdom. “I think we found the source.”

Ezra gasped. “No.”

“Holy fuck…” Henry said, standing on the bird’s back.

There was a long trail of people walking into Caldire Kingdom. They groaned with every step as their bruised bodies stung, as if bleach was poured on every wound.

The signifying colour of wild magic, black, was ripping Ellevine Kingdom apart. The buildings immediately crumbled as if made from legos.

All the rivers coursing through the city like veins sank into the sink holes, never to be seen again. The animals within the rivers, may they rest in peace.

The earthquake came from here. All the streets were eradicated, and the palace… merely a stepping stone to pass over.

At least Caldire still had most of their infrastructure. Ellevine’s was completely demolished.

The surviving ellvinian people trudged to Calidre for help and, hopefully, a new home. Their home was about to become a wasteland, compliments of wild magic.

At the head of the line, Ellevine’s royal family walked surrounded by guards. The Queen and her two fifteen-year-old daughters, coated in dust, speckled with sand, and drenched in depression.

The daughters’ heads hung low, while the Queen chinned up. She needed to be strong as she led her 100,000 citizens to safety.

The King would never do that again. Or more accurately, he will never do that again. Beneath the palace’s rubble, the only body part seen was his arm, and his blood trickled down the few steps remaining.

“There’s the royal family!” Ezra pointed. “We should talk to them about what happened.”

The Udini Squad landed their bird, towering over the trees. It gained lots of attention, and as the tourizal extended its purple-feathered wing over the flora, it lined perfectly with the royal family walking through the ochre trail.

They all slid down and Cedric floated above the closest tree, eavesdropping.

As they stood in front of her majesty, her violet eyes were the most striking and hypnotic feature. Her twin daughters were blessed with golden ones, compliments of the late King.