The air was thick, dense with smoke and ash. The eruption, the shaking - it had finished, for the most part now. Everything was colored a gritty grey/black, from the walls to the smallest plant. Men were shepherding women and children towards the docks - there were a few boats still sailing, taking people away even now, through obsidian black over the waves.

The initial panic still gripped many, as I watched people fight against each other for spots on those boats. There were though, a few spots where people rose against the panic and tried to help others, but they were few and far between at the moment - almost everyone was focused on themselves, or on their children. I sighed, and headed back inside of the tavern I had been within. I had no need to flee the ash, the soot in the air, so fighting for a spot on the boats held no interest to me.

Inside the tavern, the air was decently cleaner. Still ash-laden, but now the ash could settle, could fall to the ground without more coming. It only stirred when people moved across the floor. I stirred a fair amount myself as I moved through. A few despondent people glared at me for kicking up the ash into the air again, but no one could really blame me for it. Instead they just turned back to their drinks, staring into the depths of the alcohol that they were drinking.

I took a seat near the bar and settled down, waving off the offer of booze. While I could drink it, it didn't do much for me - instead I stuck with water, which, admittedly was in short supply at the moment.

“Didja hear? Oswald swears he saw something moving out in the fields - tried calling, thinking it was someone stuck out there, but they didn't come any closer.”

“Old Oswald can't be trusted to know which way is up now - after the fire claimed his family, he been stuck so far in that bottle I'm surprised he isn't breathing booze.” I blinked once at the overheard conversation. Something moving in the ash? That wasn't likely - it took a lot of endurance for most humans to move outside of the cities right now. Frantic mages had worked hard, battling wild magic to get some kind of protection in the air. Outside of the protection, the ash was even thicker than it was here.

I looked around, wondering if the Oswald they had mentioned was in this bar. In one corner, tucked into the shadows and away, was an old man, with shaggy, unkempt hair that was Grey - either from the ash, or age, I couldn't tell which. Hmm.

“I changed my mind. I'll take a tankard of mead.” I spoke softly to the bartender, who grunted and sloshed alcohol into a mug and shoved it towards me. I took the mug, and the mug holding my water, and strode over to the man. One yellowed, bloodshot eye twisted up towards me, and I suppressed a grimace. The man was heavily jaundiced.

“Oswald?” One slow, ponderous nod answered me. I set the tankard of mead down in front of him and sat beside him. “What can you tell me about the ‘figure’ out in the ash?”

“The fuck for? So you can laugh like the rest? Pah.” He snorted and turned his head back down towards the empty tankard he was cradling in his hands. “Whatever. The fuck do I care. It was in the ash. Just after the fall. I thought it was someone from Kivach - it was coming from the right direction. And we hadn't seen anyone from the village. Feh. Still haven't.” I frowned. A village completely silent even now after the eruptions? He reached out and snatched the mug I had set down and drained half of the alcohol in one gulp.

“But it weren't. Not human, that's for damn sure. Even in the ash, it was black, blacker than black, and had these little red lines running across it from what I saw. I tried calling to them - but the thing ran, ran far. I tried to follow, could see where it's feet had left burning footprints in the ash. But it was gone. No idea who, or what the damn thing was.”

“You...are nowhere near as drunk as people think you are.” I spoke softly, and Oswald let out a bitter laugh.

“Course not. I drink, but it's slow, and I don't care about the ash in the water. Besides, ‘cept for your booze here, the bartender hasn't given me much in the last day or two. But… You aren't laughing.” I shook my head. “It's weird, not to be laughed at. So.. You believe me, then?”

“I do.” I was curious. Enough to drive me out. “A town gone completely silent, and strange figures moving in the ashes? It's weird - but then again, there are people who can throw lightning from their hands, or turn into animals.” I stood up, and pushed the mug of water to him. “I'll take a look and see what I can find.”

“Wh-no! I - no, ye daft fool! The ash outside is still falling, you'll choke to death!” He reached out, grabbing my arm - and he paused as his hand curled around my wrist. I gave him a twisted half-smile.

“The ash isn't going to be much of a problem for me, Oswald. If you stay in town, I'll let you know what I find out.” He stayed in his seat, staring at me with wide eyes as I pulled my arm from his grasp and departed. Thankfully, I didn't need supplies - I had enough metal to last me a while. I slipped from the tavern, then down through the ash-clogged streets. I knew roughly where Kivach was, and I could start my search there.

What in the name of the Judges was moving in the choking ash, though?