Author's notes: it's been a while since i wrote any story for fanfiction.net. This is like all the other's i've written a MKR fic. We see Emeruade die but what happens to the civilian's that dont make it to the palace? what if there are some living. Warning some of this is graphic.

Slowly she headed toward the old house. Her inner most self creating an ineffectinve shield against the world that past before her eyes. All about her , as she wound her way through the filth-strewn streets, the nightmare was acted out. The adults were empty husks of aimless motion, the children dirty and mean. The toddlers plodded about, unwatched, their distended stomachs seeming to lead them about in their desperate search for anything remotely edible. But that wasn't the worst. There were the carcesses of shakes, like decomposing animals, in which inhabitats played out their desperate lives. The little girls and boys selling their bodies for apiece of bread. And of course.the blood. Everywhere apparently, drying on the walls, spilling fresh from ragged wounds, and behind the eyes of the poor bastard who walked the empty streets. Everyone of them seemed to carry an ugly scar, a reminder of some time when a blade met their flesh...or a thrown rock...or a fist.
She shuddered. Worse? What was worse? The term was meaningless. The blood? The hunger? No..the disease... the corruption in everyone's veins. Scales and shingles covering thin limbs. Eyes oozing muscous, coughs racking whole frames. Their slow decent towards uncaring death.
Most days she went into town leaving her small children to fend for themselves and hide in the dark alleys. There was no place to go, those.devils.they destroyed everything. Missiles landed not to far away sending pieces of buildings and smoke everywhere. Weary eyes darted around and dived behind the first piece of shelter the woman could find. Clutching tightly the small bag to her bussom. Delicate fingers clentched tightly around the bag of food, just the thought of what she had to do to feed her children sickened her to her stomach. Jobs were rarely found anymore and a woman with two children couldn't find work so there was only one place to go for money or food, the street corners. Once the fireworks display was over the sound of bullets flying through the air piercing through human flesh was next. Once the cries of death and suffering was over the woman waited five minutes and prayed silently from her hide away.
"let my children be alright."

Looking around at her surroundings she noticed hoof prints on the ground. Surely there would be horse droppings to follow the tracks. After a few moments indeed luck was on her side. Kneeling down beside the lump of dung, she began to pick the barely kernels out of horse droppings. Managing to get four that was ok, her children would be able to have a feast tonight. Rice and Barely kernels! But death was coming at them from so many angels, attacking them, and they had no chance to defend themselves. Wandering down the maze of black streets she finally came to the old house. Peering around she walked to the side of the house to the alley way between houses. Thankfully the woman had some big bushes there. A set of wild piercing eyes watched the woman as she walked.
"Telene?"

Hands reached out of the bush raising up into the air. Searching for something to grasp? Begging relief from pain? The arms dropped back down as the child stepped out of the bushes. It was a boy not even into his teens. He wore little more than a stained loincloth. His ribs were sticking out and his hair plagued with lice. His thin chest had several scars, but he seemed in good health, if underfed.
"mother? Your back?"
" I brought you some food telen. rice and barely kernals."
"ma you need to eat...you're a walking skeleton. "
" hun..its my job to keep you alive"
" and pa said for me's to keep ya alive, 'sides whose gonna watch me when your gone? Huh?"

He looked at his mother with those eyes still full of innocence yet had seen such atrocities in his young life. Her heart broke to see his face like that.

" fine.I'll eat the rice.you eat the barely kernels."
" deal."
" I'm gonna go..wash up before we eat"

Thrusting the pouch outward she shoved it to him so he could hold what little food they had. Taking a step back, the shadows engulfed him under their cloaks. The woman wandered off towards the back of the house where there had been a small tub where she could bath. That's where this family did their wash. They didn't empty the water for today so she was able to get a bath.
As she bathed she scrubbed her skin so hard the water turned red with blood. Skin floating like leaves in the pink water. After the bath she wandered back over to where Telen was.
" ma? You done?"
" yes hun..come on out...lets eat."

Now moving towards the shadows both figures sat and ate their meals in the dark street corner. Neither had remembered when they had such a good meal. The woman watched as her young son had fallen asleep. Is this the lives they were destined to live? The curruption of the pillar brought this. the dark priest kidnapping her making their lives miserable. Didn't they care what happened to everyone? Is this what eagle ment when he said 'All you the race of Cefiro who are wondering the other world. Devote your power for your adorable Princess Emeraude. Let those people to bury in the immortal darkness. All we need is to destroy all nature. We're the holy Ghost who must have the eternal life. To share the destiny with the whole world. To watch the human's work. Then, let it over. So then, come to nothing' Surely they wanted better for us.....didn't they care about the citizens?