Chapter 106

AZURE

The air hung heavy with the acrid scent of smoke, mingling with the stench of destruction. My feet carried me swiftly through the wreckage, my heart pounding with a mixture of fear, guilt, and determination. The sight of ruined homes, shattered lives, and the wounded bodies strewn across the ground weighed heavily on my soul.

"Why, Azure? Why didn't you go with Devin?" I muttered to myself, my voice laced with self-blame. "If only I had been there, maybe I could have prevented all of this! Maybe I could have been their shield, their protector."

My thoughts echoed through the desolate landscape, as though the remnants of the destroyed buildings were silently mocking my decision. The guilt gnawed at me, the weight of responsibility crushing my spirit. I couldn't shake the feeling that my absence had played a significant role in the devastation that unfolded before my eyes.

The cries for help, the sight of blood staining the ground, and the anguished faces of the injured served as