"Help me! Please!"
A home laid broken. Wood and brick had collapsed into a pile. Glass shards littered the area. Furniture, decorations and mementos were crushed into a tangled mass of jagged colors. An arm stuck out among the rubble, hand grasping at the ground and leaving behind a trail of red. Half of the building had been destroyed, leaving the remaining part leaning precariously. Rafters fell downwards, dragging the roof along.
"Run away!"
A fire had erupted when something crashed into the stove. Hot embers rested against wooden structures. The blaze grew steadily, consuming everything nearby. Smoke filled the sky in a thick funnel. The heat blurred the air. An acidic feel lingered in the air, seeping into everything.
"What is that?"
The place that used to be the town gardens was no more. It used to hold flowers and trees, a place for everyone to enjoy. There was a communal garden and orchard where anyone could take some herbs or fruit. All that had been crushed. Even the mighty tree trunks snapped and was ground to pulp. Huge stone bricks crushed the entire area. Stacked on itself, they formed part of something larger.
"Where is my son?"
The air shimmered. A faint outline of a massive shape stood over the once calm town. From the ground up, it began to fill out, displacing anything in the way. Buildings fell as if they were made of paper. Anyone caught in the torrent of debris was swallowed. The massive shape continued to grow. It was a grand building, ornate in shape but muted in color. The great stone bricks were a dark blue. Etchings were highlighted with a brighter tone.
"You can't go look for survivors!"
It was more than just a giant structure appearing. Humanoid figures emerged. They were ragged, gangly and misshapen. Their skin were twisted and rotten, clinging to bones in sinewy strands. They were grey and blue. Holes in their body revealed a swirling field of stars within. Their eyes sunk into blackness. They moved in stiff, jerky motions, as if they were getting used to it again. But the weapons they held were still sharp and dangerous.
"We need help. Send word for someone. Anyone."
The center of the small town known as Kervidum had been crushed and replaced by something mysterious. With each passing moment, the distortion grew.
[394]