Lumiere woke up to find it snowed heavily, and it was up to her hip.
"Fuck" Lumiere said as she stood up. The sun hadn't fully risen above the trees, but the snow soaked into her clothes. She took down the tent, and pulled her bag off the tree that Rumi put it on. The two wolves weren't anywhere in sight, but that was normal for them. Lumiere reached into her shirt to pull out Tia. She placed her into the bag with her head sticking out. Lumiere looked around for the sun, and once it was found Lumiere walked north to the city. The trek was slow as the snow slowed down Lumiere a lot, and it started to snow some more soon after she started.
"I guess the sky is crying over the loss of peace" Lumiere said while walking. Eventually the town was reached, and voices roared from it.
"Doesn't sound that good" Tia stated.
"Well we have permission to kill, so don't worry too much" Lumiere said before heading into town. Most of the town windows were smashed, and a few buildings were burning.
"A riot?" Tia wondered.
"Looks like it" Lumiere said as she slowly walked to the edge of the noise. Once nearby the loudest part, but not visible. She climbed the nearest building to the roof to see what was going on. Large crowds of what appeared to be angry citizens of this town in a crescent moon around the caravan and military surrounding it. The military was armed in full war gear.
"Get the fuck out of here. We don't want this war. This is our home" someone from the crowd shouted.
A few members in the crowd roared in agreement. The commander sighed as he lifted his arm. The soldiers pulled out their swords.
"Return to your homes. This your last warning. We don't want to spill innocent blood" the commander shouted. Someone from the crowd threw a rock at the unarmored commander, and it landed straight in the left eye.
"Go to hell you lousy dog of the military" someone shouted. The rest of the crowd charged with their tools of their trade. A few was even armored.
"Go" one if the soldier shouted to the caravan. The caravan started to roll. Inside was a few children screaming for their mother. The crowd ran into the soldiers, but met resistance due their shields.
"We should go. I wish I could stay for this" Lumiere stated sadly as she stood up. She started to run across the roof to the chase after the caravan which was slowly gaining speed. It wasn't in a rush as it figured no one would go around the blockade. The citizens were slowly overpowering in the soldiers due to sheer number, but with heavy losses. A few archers were on the rooftop taking pot shots into the crowd. A couple spotted Lumiere as she was running across, and fire off a few volleys. The arrows were deflected just before they hit Lumiere. Once within range of the caravan. Lumiere jumped down, and raced towards it. The archers weren't able to get a easy shot as they kept missing just a few steps behind Lumiere. Lumiere eventually got to the caravan, and jumped on the last wagon. She crawled inside to find that most of the children inside was chained to the floor, and together.
"Shh" Lumiere whispered as she put a finger to her lips. The kids nodded in agreement, and Lumiere slowly walked through the wagon.
"Ya kids done your whining?" The coach said.
"Maybe their dead?" Lumiere whispered smoothly in the coach's ear. Fear ran down her spine, so she wasn't able to turn around.
"You know the way to Elewyr right?" Lumiere asked.
The coach nodded in agreement. "Good. You are to head there as possible. Otherwise some of the kids might not make it, or you might be missing a few parts" Lumiere continued smoothly.
They continued down the road, and there was a fork coming up. Most took the one that lead south, but they started to veer towards the northern pass. Explosions rocked the caravans in the front, and a few more followed. All caravans stopped abruptly, or was thrown off by the horses. A battle cry was heard as troops stormed down the hillside to jump the soldiers that were slowly coming out of the caravan dazed. It was over quickly, but the new people lost a few. The new soldiers walked down the caravan line to inspect what was inside.
"God fucken shit. I'll be right back. Better have those horses back when I'm done" Lumiere said as she quickly got off of the caravan without a noise. The coach froze at the realization of what she might be, but got off to get a pair of horses. The soldiers noticed Lumiere approach, so they stopped their searching.
"So what's the matter?" Lumiere asked.
"Just trying to stop the loyalist from growing their numbers" one of them said.
"Uh huh. Just children playing with sticks like it's one of their games" Lumiere said as she looked around.
"We are not children. We are adults, and fighters at that" the first snapped.
"Is that so?" Lumiere asked as she looked around.
"A few of your crew is vomiting. At least a handful is pregnant. Not to mention most of you can barely hold the sword correctly. If you guys were in an actual fight. You all would die" Lumiere stated coldly as she looked around the barely teen year looking group. Most were lizard girls with a few what appeared to be hybrids in the mix somehow.
"So let me guess. You are all at least under 100 summers, and are only doing this is avenge your family" Lumiere continued. Most looked at the ground in disappointment as they were figured out rather quickly.
"Just go home. Even if it is ruins. Gather all that you hold dear, and create a refuge place. War isn't a place for children especially when the adults are finally coming out to play" Lumiere said coldly before she walked back to her wagon.
"I am not a child" One of the soldiers said before she haphazardly charged towards Lumiere in a sloppy fashion. The sword was raised above her arm like it was a game. Lumiere sighed before smacking the sword out of the person's hand with ease.. Lumiere then grabbed the rags that was the armor on the person to bend her over before she smashed her knee into her chest. The sound of her scales and bone cracking from the impact sent chills throughout the group. The person was dropped to the ground hacking and coughing for air.
"As I said. This isn't a game anymore. Not like it was 20 years ago" Lumiere stated coldly before turning around again to walk to the wagon. None of the other rag tag soldiers rushed to help their comrade before Lumiere got back onto her wagon. A deep rumble of thunder roared through the sky, and Lumiere turned around as a bolt of lightning crashed down behind the wagon.
"God damn traveling by lightning isn't easy" a petite female said as she stumbled getting up.
"M'lady Akiko. An honor to be with you again" Lumiere said after she got off the wagon, and kneeled down.
"You don't have to do that every time we meet Lumiere. We are family" Akiko replied with a warm smile.
"So what brings you here? I was about to head over to the three snakes" Lumiere asked.
"Change in plans. You are to be reassigned immediately" Akiko replied.
"Where?" Lumiere asked.
"Shi will give you the answers" Akiko replied as a pulse of heat radiated from a spot next to Akiko. All land within eyesight was burned away, any person was blown away as ash.
"I really shouldn't make such a large bang when I arrive" Shi said as she stepped through the portal.
"Okay. Lumiere. You are to retrieve, or destroy an artifact of mine. It is on another world entirely, so I will alter your memories to make you try to cooperate with my other people there" Shi said.
"Why don't you get it?" Lumiere asked curiously.
"That would be no fun, and besides I have to fix some other stuff that happened when it was taken" Shi replied.
"Sure. I will take that mission" Lumiere said with a smile.
Shi pulled out a book that had a red envelope with a rose with thorns on it. Lumiere reached out to get the red envelope, and it crumbled away to reveal the same mark on her hand.
"That will reappear when it is time for you to remember your mission" Shi said before she opened the book.
"Okay. I will be back home soon with the ones I love" Lumiere said with a teary smile.
"Yup. Sorry you can't see them for a while" Shi said. Lumiere walked up to the book and placed her hand on the empty pages. She soon faded away to dust, and the dust drew into the book. Shi closed the book once the dust faded away, and turned to Akiko.
"End this world. There isn't much left here as this island is dead, and the larger island won't be around for much longer" Shi said before she faded away.
"Sure" Akiko said before she gathered a small fireball in her hand to throw it in the air. It whistled as it rose through the sky, and soon the fireball exploded turning the whole sky red. The air rolled with a fiery look as the land all around started to catch fire, and the fire expanded. Water and snow as well started to quickly melt, and evaporate.
"This is over. There won't be anything left now" Akiko said as she faded away into the fires. Ashes started to blow away from the heavy winds that started to ravage the planet.