Mother Earth.

Chapter 11: Aftermath.

Lydia Armageddon, Svivla Falla.

Germany: Petrified Forests,

The year 2168.

Dry, smouldering hot air filled the lungs of Lydia and Svivla with their bags slung over their backs. It was just past mid-day, and he opted to walk the rest of the way today after flying a great deal away from Wanderers Checkpoint and any that would follow. Lydia adjusted her new black crewneck shirt on her torso, it was a tight but breathable fabric that didn't give any discomfort on her skin. Earlier, she cut off part of the sleeve on the left arm to prevent it from stretching and tearing on her cybernetic arm. They had taken a night's rest before continuing on their journey, and before Lydia had laid down to sleep, she gave Svivla the pink shirt in place of the black crewneck. Svivla cut off the remaining sleeve of the shirt, repurposing it to be a pink tank top, the one Lydia wore over top of her shirt now. An uncomfortable, apparent silence was nagging at the two as they trudged their way forward through the dried landscapes of Europe. Svivla opened his mouth to speak and break this silence, and the tension hung over them.

"You're quiet," Svivla said.

"Hm."

"You alright?"

"I'm fine."

Lydia was monotone, out of touch. Her disconnect was apparent. Hills began to come to fruition as they moved forward, slowly pushing past the flat planes they had been on for an hour now. Svivla closed his eyes tightly as he closed his hands, it was as if blood was still coating them, as if that hammer was still in his hands.

"You're not okay, Lydia, I know that."

"It doesn't matter if I am or not."

"It does."

They came upon a new plane of land, one full of dead trees and what was once a forest. Bones of animals littered the ground, bearing the mark of death at seemingly every turn.

"If you need to talk, we should talk-"

"Svivla, I heard what you told him at the end."

The words choked him as they left her mouth.

"...Oh."

"Y'know, I didn't understand how someone like you could exist, like, at all. Now I think I get it." Lydia explained as she wore a pained, tensed expression on her face. "Honestly... I thought you were perfect."

"Do you think less of me now for it?"

"No. It wouldn't be fair."

"Why?"

"Because I've killed people too. I don't think I ever counted how many I did."

Svivla stopped in his tracks, and Lydia came to a slow stop, dragging her feet.

"Sit down."

"Did I-"

"I'm not mad, just," with a pause, he pointed to the dry dirt beneath her, "sit down."

Lydia obliged, plopping herself down, and Svivla carefully followed suit, resting his hand on his knee. She sighed, air passing through her dry throat and nostrils, tilting her head at him.

"What happened?" Svivla said.

The question gave her pause. She rested her hand on her chin, turning her fiery eyes away. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Talk about what?"

"I don't know, man, fucking anything! Anything that happened to me! None of that matters now! All the shit I did..."