The little girl struggled to lift the bodies, her hands barely able to hold them, but she continued to do her best.
Together, they managed to bury all the villagers before nightfall, leaving just one more body to be buried.
When it came to picking up the corpse of the girl's mother, she hesitated for a few moments.
Her countenance remained downcast, and the tears running down her pale skin said much about how she felt. Even in a world like that, where death was a constant companion, children were still just children.
They placed her mother's body carefully in the grave, crossed her arms, and smoothed her hair, offering her one last gesture of respect and dignity.
Colin hadn't had the chance to bury his own mother, and it brought back painful memories of a distant past.
By some miracle, he had survived and been thrown into another world, a place even more merciless than the one he had come from.
Perhaps this was a punishment, a test, or even a fresh start in a strange and hostile purgatory, but he was determined to face it all head-on.
The girl held on to his shirt as long as she could.
With his foot, Colin searched through the wreckage for a piece of wood and picked it up, acting with the practicality of someone used to improvising.
He then took a small piece of rope and made a rudimentary cross, nailing it to the makeshift grave as a final tribute to those who rested there.
"Do you want to say something?" he asked as he stood up, looking at the girl who remained silent, her sadness reflected in her eyes.
Stifling a sob, he raised his voice, trying to find words that might offer some consolation.
Colin had never been good at speeches, but at that moment, he made a sincere effort.
"You've lived in your own way. I hope you don't regret it. I hope you can rest in peace and find the tranquility you deserve. May the Gods welcome you with love and guide you to a new journey where you can find joy and prosperity. May your memories be preserved."
He glanced at the girl, recognizing the pain in her eyes.
"And may your stories be told to inspire future generations. Rest in peace…"
Taking a deep breath, he turned away, walking over to a bucket of water where he washed his dirt-stained hands.
He also wiped his sweaty face, allowing himself a brief moment of pause after the arduous task they had completed.
However, the girl couldn't hold back her tears. She remained there, standing before that improvised grave, completely devastated.
Kneeling down, she cried loudly, almost screaming, releasing the pain that had been stored in her chest.
Even for someone like Colin, used to the pain caused by loss, it was painful to watch. He walked over to the girl and stood beside her.
Then he took a long look at the dozens of bodies he had buried, reflective and thoughtful.
"You'll need to be strong now" Colin whispered, his words laden with compassion. "You'll be forced to grow up faster than other children… In short, goodbye and good luck —you'll need it."
With that, Colin turned and walked away, leaving the girl with her feelings and memories, while he himself prepared to face the unknown that awaited him in this merciless world.
With the grim duty of burying the dead completed, the false elf fixed his eyes on the desolate horizon.
An aura of melancholy and contemplation hung in the air as his wet fingers traced his face.
A light breeze blew, laden with distant murmurs—traces of sounds that echoed through the post-apocalyptic landscape.
In the rhythm of this brief pause, he reflected on his next steps.
"Right, I just need to get out of here. Then I'll decide where to go."
So he left the desolate village, abandoning the bodies and the dark memories behind.
[…]
He looked over his shoulder and noticed that the same girl he had met in the barn was following him, struggling to keep up with his fast pace.
Carrying all those bodies had been no easy task, and Colin was exhausted, but he was in a hurry.
He frowned when he realized the girl was still following him, and impatience began to grow inside him.
He wasn't interested in being her protector, especially since he didn't have a survival manual for that hostile and unpredictable world.
Furthermore, he didn't want to take care of her because he knew it was too dangerous to be near him, given the scenarios he had witnessed so far.
Leaving the village, he followed the clay road that stretched out before him.
As he walked, the surrounding landscape unfolded in spectacular natural beauty: green valleys, magnificent forests, and mountains that seemed to touch the clouds.
Even in the midst of everything that had happened, he couldn't help but admire the grandeur of the nature that surrounded him.
As his eyes roamed over the landscape, he spotted a huge castle in the distance.
His mind warned him: It must be some hostile kingdom. I'd better not go that way… or maybe…
Colin walked a little further, each step more impatient than the last, until he finally stopped and turned around, facing the girl who was following him, clearly exhausted.
The little girl was completely soaked, her clothes clinging to her body, and she was breathing heavily, as if she had used up all her strength.
If she kept struggling like that, she would soon faint.
He couldn't understand why she insisted on following him. His patience was at its limit, and he needed answers.
"Why are you following me?" he asked, his piercing eyes fixed on hers.
However, the girl remained silent, her energy seemingly drained as she struggled to catch her breath.
He approached her, his imposing presence causing the girl a certain fear, but she didn't back down.
"You can't come with me. It's too dangerous. Turn around, get out of here while you can!" he said, but the girl remained silent, just wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
Colin grew angry.
He had nothing to do with what was going to happen to that girl, but something inside him wouldn't let him just leave her there.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of horses coming from the road.
Damn it!
He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the bushes, throwing himself to the ground, hidden by the tall grass.
They stayed still while a cart passed by.
The sound of heavy boots, horses' hooves, and men laughing filled the air.
They waited until the sounds faded into the distance before standing up.
"We have to avoid the roads," he said. "Do you know where we are?"
She shook her head, saying no.
Damn it, girl, won't you open your mouth?
She looked away nervously.
"Yeah… never mind."
Colin moved further away from the road, and she followed him like a puppy trailing after its owner.
What a drag. I'm so tired, I can't even get rid of her.
Near a tree, he suddenly stopped and stared at her.
"If you're going to keep following me, I want you to do what I say. Got it?"
She nodded nervously.
"All right. Let's go. I need to find somewhere to sleep."