Home.

The forests of Corone were home. Felicity grew up under the shade of Corone's woodlands, the flowing refreshment of its rivers and streams. It seemed as if today was a quiet evening. Leaning against a thick barked tree, the young woman wrote in a notebook placed in her lap, several flowers laying beside her.

”Another plant that can be used for cuts and burns is the field scabious. It can also internally be used as a blood purifier.”

She took a break from writing for a moment, blankly gazing upon her hand with distant eyes.

The wind started to blow, rustling her red hair. As the fabrics of her white and green jacket fluttered in the wind, she forcefully shook her head. She hunkered over her book, hissing.

”Purple Coneflower can also be used for wounds, as well θ`}

Her pen scribbled down the page as a boom crashed in the distance. Eyes wide, the girl stopped dead. Motionless. Then… she looked up.

It seemed that fire rose from the sky. Above the green leaves of the forest, black smoke shot up from some distant place. Ash clouds already seemed to draw near. The sky erupted in a violent turn from bright weather to chaos.

”There are changes about to happen in this world,” A voice echoed in her mind, a memory. ”You must be ready for it. You must survive!”

“This…” The girl gazed into the sky as bright lava cracked in the heavens, “This is it…”

Her hands fell to her sides. The pen fell onto the grassy forest floor.

~~~

Usually, it rained or snowed, hailed or sleeted.

Now, ash fell from the sky.

The trees were coated in white and black, like winter gad suddenly wrapped Corone in a bitter chill. Temperatures were surprisingly tame, however. White specs fell onto her fedora as she traversed the forest. She stepped over a large root, the hat's brim covering her eyes in shadow. It seemed that the scent of burning and decay caused her to fall silent. Death seemed to fall out of a darkened sky.

Without sunlight, these useful herbs will die. No rain would be even worse! But not only herbs, crops. Will crops die?

She slowed to a stop, breaths suddenly sharp and quick. Her hands shook as the tragic crossed her mind.

Will people die?

“No!” She gritted her teeth, forcing herself onward again. Away from these thoughts, away from her anxieties. Yet, they still caught up with her.

Footsteps were left on the white ground as she trudged on. Where was she going? Weapons were strapped to her belt, a botanist's kit ready for use. She walked on, shivering in her shorts as she lifted her eyes to the sky again, tears falling from peridot gem eyes.