Mildree had always said to look on the sunny side of life in moments of tragedy, so it was practically second nature to Analune when tragedy did strike that night like a bolt of lightning.
She didn't panic when the wave of water water attacked her town like an army of dragons. Instead, her first thought was, "At least the mountains took the worst of the tsunami." A grand instinct. A heroic one.
But since no one's perfect, her second thought was, of course, "Great moons, we're all going to die." This thought did something to diminish first one.
But. She was a brave girl, and a smart girl.
"We have to get to the roof," Analune said, checking her magic reserve.
Andalin stumbled behind her, and Rua followed, running out the door. Freedom, she thought. Freedom, freedom, freedom.
She was gone before either of them even realized she was.
"Rua!" Analune finally cried. "It's not safe!" The bird, of course, did not slow, instead crowing in delight, "Safe! Safe!"
Analune, trembling, stretched forward her head and made the thing run backward. It hopped onto her palm, and she tucked the bird beneath her arm. Her forehead was shiny with sweat.
"Roof," she said, making them all float skyward. Andalin flinched like he was being hit as gravity reversed for the three of them.
From above, they spotted Andalin's father running toward the house like a monster was snapping at his beloved heels. His limp was heroic, like a paladin after a battle, and the groceries under his arms made him slower, slower, slower, like a beast slung over his shoulders.
"Father!" Anadalin shouted. "Drop the bags!"
He reached the house without looking up at them. He didn't notice they were there, of course.
And then, an instant later, the water was upon them.
It slapped the walls and crushed it like a can, planks bending, wood complaining. Water seemed to leak through the door. It seemed like the house was going to collapse.
In a fraction of a second, before the worst of the water crashed against it, Analune's hand shot up, and starlight bright as the sun itself gathered on her fingertips.
(What would happen if the spell failed? What if the house caught on fire and crumbled? If Florsh dissolved to ash? If they did?)
The house lifted off the ground, the fountain tearing, just a little bit. It rose just high enough for it to avoid the water.
And then, when the wave passed, Analune forced it to fall gradually to the ground as best she could. And almost instantly collapsed and nearly tumbled off the roof. Andalin caught her, thank goodness. But her eyes were closed, and her breath came like whispers.
Andalin tried not to cry. He really did.
And so the waves past. But Analune's pain did not.
