The wind was listless today, barely lifting the dust from the road she walked on. Though the sun bore down on her shoulders, Levy felt the chill of the season as yet another year was coming to a close. She scowled, brows pinching her aged and scarred face into a grimace. She lost count of how many times she forced herself to travel this road to the little village.
She really did hate this journey, the little reminders of the past that she had lost and fortunate others were able to keep. On either side of the road, grave markers dotted the landscape as a memorial to the dead from the Eclipse Crisis. As she passed each one, she smiled sardonically. There were many, many more markers over the horizon, every one marked with the names she had scribbled down years ago as she had desperately wanted to remember them all. Now, she whispers their names in a silent prayer, knowing she'd never finish this mantra before reaching town.
As she drew near, more grave markers clustered the road, and the mantra stopped. Here, she gripped her chest, pausing her journey, and looked up. The graves of the Fairy Tale guild resided here, and each name was complimented by the mage's skill. She slowly passed by each one, murmuring the names and slowly ran her fingers over the markers, brushing off the dust carefully. She stopped again when her fingers felt the cold metal of one particular marker, and her breath hitched painfully. It never got easier passing his grave.
"Auntie Levy!"
Breaking out of her reverie, Levy looked up as the young woman ran up to her, breathing hard from exertion. "We've been waiting for you for ages," she scolded, her bright eyes flashing annoyance. Levy smiled gently at the girl, letting her hand slip from the grave marker and falling to her side.
"Now, now, little one, you know that I don't pass by my friends without saying hello, right?" She looked back at the graves, then back to the girl. Looking abashed, the girl nodded slowly as she took Levy's hand in her own, and drew her into the village gates. "Besides," Levy continued. "These old bones of mine don't work as well as they used to anymore, I think they're getting tired of this journey."
The girl didn't respond, but Levy knew she felt ashamed that she had scolded the elder for taking her time on a journey she never wanted to make. Turning back to face Levy, she slowed her pace and leaned close.
"The mayor wanted to show you something, hence why he asked you here today," the girl whispered into her ear.
"Oh? What could that brat of a mayor have this time that he felt to summon me for?" Levy asked, slightly intrigued. The girl shook her head, pulling her forward in the direction of the city hall. Levy sighed, shaking her head. They had a particular habit of making mountains of molehills with somethings, especially with rubble the scavengers came back with. Since she remembered most of the pre-crisis era, she could identify and mark what they brought back. Sometimes they found little baubles, other times they found important documents that survived. Levy would sometimes find things that she had written herself, causing memories to flood over her and leave her silently gasping for air.
It seemed that today the scavengers found a few books in an area not far from where Magnolia once stood. They sat in a small stack on a desk, waiting for her as the old script mage was ushered in and offered the small chair. The mayor stood by the desk, waiting for her to settle in before clearing his throat.
"Miss Levy" he started casually. She nodded in his direction, turning back to the books. She reached for the slip of parchment and ink that they had set next the stack of books, readying herself to document the find.
The top book was a novel, telling the tale of an adventurous hero who saved the day and won his lady. Levy smiled briefly, jotting the next two books down as well. The last book made her stop, the smile falling from her face. Her hands shook as she reached for it, recognizing the feel of the leather that bound it together.
The Fairy Tale journal, the same one that she had worked on so long ago, filled with the happiness that was gone. She opened the book, reading her own words as she remembered them. She turned the page, recalling all of the names. A picture flipped in front of her, faded around the edges but still showing the figures that posed for the shot. Levy hadn't even realized that she was crying as she saw his face, the studded glare that she still loved to this day and missed with all her heart. She couldn't remember his voice as well, though. It was becoming as faded as the picture.
Quietly sobbing as she continued to turn the pages, she saw that she wasn't the only one to write in the journal. Each of the mages had something to say, whether it was the day's report on a job or a signature that was needed. She flipped through the pages, chuckling at some of posts written in the journal, sniffling more as she came to the last pages of the journal. Finally, she found what she had been hoping for; his only post in the journal.
"This guild is crazy as fuck, but alright. Gihi."
Levy stared at the words, fresh tears flowing as she heard his laughter echo in her mind.