Desolate buildings surrounded her.
A street sign creaked with the passing wind.
The lantern illuminated the path before her.
Veera followed the broken road, as she searched the western district.
Dust surrounded her.
Her veins surged dark red.
A diagonal—
Cut.
Split the dust before her.
It separated—
Evenly.
Into two pieces.
Her view—
Clear.
As she continued her search.
The ground remained uncut.
Her gaze—
Locked.
On a pool of darkened blood.
She knelt down close.
The blood—
Separated.
Covering half of the rubble.
Her teeth—
Aligned.
A smile—
Formed.
Veera stood, continuing forward.
Dust continued to separate.
Pebbles shifted with falling debris.
The air—
Split.
Like it was broken off.
This is…
Buildings blocked her path.
Veera stepped forward.
A broadsword—
Manifested.
Resting on her shoulder.
She swung—
Fast.
Heavy.
The sword—
Glided.
Without a struggle.
It's point—
Touched.
The ground below.
Her grip loosened.
The sword dissipated as the building slid apart.
A single cut was all it needed.
Veera exhaled.
She continued through the path she created.
Rubble surrounded her.
A faint light shone from above.
Veera climbed through the broken building.
Cutting pieces in her way.
She reached the roof.
The sun was overhead.
Her gaze—
Focused.
On the land below.
Her eyes—
Widened.
Collapsed buildings—
Circled.
A single point.
The ground—
Shattered.
Crumbling in different places.
She climbed down, heading towards the center.
Veera stood—
Still.
Destruction surrounded her.
It was—
Calm.
Like the eye of a storm.
She slowly panned around.
Dust picked up in the passing wind.
Her veins—
Flickered.
Teeth grinded against each other.
This was…
Her lips—
Separated.
Revealing an excited smile.
Veera faced her entry point.
Her hand raised, covering her mouth.
…04.
The ground—
Sliced.
Next to her.
Her face—
Tightened.
Veera began her search.
Rocks were cut.
The lantern's light revealed what was underneath.
Her tongue clicked.
She continued to search, cutting rocks and rubble in the process.
Nothing was found.
Veera moved further from her entry point.
A pile of rubble—
Split.
Before she cut it.
Veera knelt down.
Her lantern—
illuminated what was underneath.
Something caught her attention.
She reached for the object lifting it into the light.
A single string took shape.
Its color—
Gray.
This is…
Her teeth seethed as she tossed it behind her.
…garbage.
…
The observatory—
Silent.
It's dome—
Covered.
Filling the room with darkness.
A faint blue hue surrounded him.
Six stands of marble were before him.
The bases—
Etched.
With a different number.
His hand—
Ticked.
Blue stumps—
Ingrained on their surface.
The third—
Distorted.
The stump never grew from its base.
The fifth—
Broken.
Missing its other half.
His hand—
Reached.
Towards the remaining stumps.
Roots protruded from the air before them.
His eyes—
Traced.
Reading along each one.
Heels clicked in the distance.
The sound grew closer to him.
The clicking—
Stopped.
His hand—
lowered.
The roots—
Dissipated.
Ingrains—
Went dim.
He turned, facing the woman.
"The north?"
She knelt down on one knee.
"It has served its purpose."
His hand—
Ticked.
Beginning to reach towards her.
"Your other mission?"
She placed her hand on her chest.
"It's completion…"
Her eyes moved up.
"…is drawing near."
The ticking—
Paused.
For a brief moment.
His hand lowered to his side.
He walked, stopping in line with her shoulders
"Do not fail."
Her head slightly raised.
"Of course."
His stride continued.
A tick—
Sounded.
Matching each step he took.
Soon…
A gear—
Churned.
Beneath his hand.
The woman exhaled.
She relaxed her posture, rising to her feet.
Heels clicked toward the marble platforms.
She reached into her coat pocket.
Her movement—
Halted.
The room—
Silent.
Keep consuming…
Her eyes—
Shifted.
Locking on the third stone base.
She glided her tongue across her lips.
…my masterpiece.