Under the starry sky

Two-headed vultures, a scarab that spat something hot, and other creatures tried to stop them along the way, they all were pretty weak, but each encounter took a part of their energy, and in this situation, it was one of the resources they didn't have. 

The night was terrible, many times they felt like dropping to the ground, and after some time neither of them had the energy to try to maintain a conversation. Their feet were full of blisters and their legs trembling, other than just the walk they had to carry the survivor of the assault. Raven felt comfort thinking about each step they were closer and closer to their goal, it was wishful thinking, and was tricking herself, but somehow it worked. 

But she knew it. 

She, the old man, and Fuwa were done for. She didn't want to raise her voice, but probably Fuwa knew it too by now, the shadows that followed them around the road, were just small fries, they could easily be taken care of, if they were rested or at least not this tired. Those things lurking in the dark were unknown to Raven, but they were enjoying it, they were waiting until one of them dropped to the ground to enjoy their meal. 

'Fuck...' Raven thought, her entire body throbbed and each step towards her salvation seemed like torture 'So this is how it ends, eaten by some shitty monster over the side of the road'

She looked at Fuwa, and the girl just smiled, this froze Raven, how could she even smile at a time like this, shitty chosen one wannabe. But her smile was sticky, and soon she was smiling too like an idiot. She could feel the monsters getting closer, this was it, time for their last stand. Fuwa lowered the merchant to the ground and put great effort into maintaining a battle stance. The sickening sounds of the monsters rang like mocking laughs in their ears. 

She looked at the skies. The sky was clear, the moon was beautiful, and a sea of starts ornamented it like a fine pattern on exquisite clothes. Dying under a beautiful sky didn't sounded that bad. 

But the attack didn't happened. 

Suddenly, a distant noise broke through the oppressive quiet... a faint, rhythmic sound that echoed against the rocks and dirt of the wasteland. Raven's ears twitched, instantly alert despite her exhaustion. In the distance, flickering lanterns bobbed in the night, attached to a line of wagons. It was a caravan... a large one, judging by the number of lights. Raven's breath caught in her throat. For a brief, fleeting moment, she thought they were saved. But just as quickly, doubt crept in...

'There is no way... they will kill us too... it's too suspicious to see two girls on the road, on this shitty road especially, it screams ambush' 

As the caravan came closer, Raven's sharp eyes took in the details. The wagons were well-kept, and the travelers looked like decent people. There were armed guards, but they looked more like professional mercenaries, not cutthroats. Raven's shoulders relaxed slightly, but the creatures in front of her growled, she maintained her guard and cast her spell once again. 

"『Masquarade』"

As she transformed into the bunny disguise, the sudden burden of the magic consumption dropped her to one knee, this was her best beat. Fuwa got closer to her stopping the advance of the monsters for now. 

"Halt!" They heard from behind "Who goes there!" 

A man wearing steel plate armor with a huge halberd walked forward.

"Ambush!" Shouted other guard. 

Soon, in under a minute the wagons were surrounded by a defensive formation, lancers in front, swords behind, and archers went on top of the carts. At the sight of such a force, the cowardly monsters ran away, someone threw a flare at them revealing strange beasts, that looked like skinless rat-dog hybrids. 

The man at the front who seemed in charge raised a fist holding any further movement from the company. This was odd, in front of him were two girls in terrible condition, almost unarmed, it looked like they were fending off the monsters, with just fists and a dagger, seemed like a terrible joke, the same could be said as why were they here. 

"Hey! It's Mister Maxwell!" Exclaimed in a panic one of the traders that were on one of the carts pointing at the old man in the ground. 

"But he traveled yesterday in the afternoon..." Said a girl near him. 

The caravan leader's sharp gaze shifted between the unconscious form of the old man on the ground and the two battered girls before him. His fist remained raised, the signal for his guards to hold their positions.

"Explain yourselves" he demanded, his voice calm but edged with authority. The steel of his halberd gleamed faintly in the moonlight as he kept it at the ready, prepared for any sudden move.

Raven, still on one knee, struggled to keep her breathing steady and every muscle in her body screamed to give in. Fuwa remained at her side, her hands still clenched in a weak but determined fighting stance. The creatures had fled, but the tension remained thick in the air.

"We're not your enemy" Raven said hoarsely, raising her head to meet the man's gaze. The bunny disguise would held after using it so much "We found him after an attack. He's injured… we tried to keep him alive, but we've been walking for hours"

The leader's eyes flicked to Fuwa, whose calm demeanor seemed to strike him as odd "You expect us to believe you're just travelers, with a man who's supposed to have already made it through yesterday?"

"Believe what you want" Fuwa said softly, her voice surprisingly steady despite the exhaustion "But those things back there would have killed us all if you hadn't shown up"

The trader who had recognized the old man, Maxwell, pushed his way to the front of the caravan. His face was pale with shock, eyes wide as he stared at the unconscious form on the ground "It is him" he muttered, more to himself than anyone else "But how...?"

Another trader, the girl who had spoken earlier, edged forward "Mister Maxwell left ahead of us. He should've been at Black Port by now"

At the mention of Black Port, Raven's smiled tauntingly, the fire and destruction still fresh on her mind. This was the part she had hoped to not explain, it sounded like trash even for her. The caravan didn't know. They had no idea that the port was gone, that the city they were traveling toward had been obliterated.

Raven exchanged a glance with Fuwa, who gave her a subtle nod. They had no choice but to tell them "Black Port... it's gone" Raven said, her voice low but firm "There is nothing left. Just smoking ruins"

The shock was immediate. Murmurs rippled through the caravan. Some of the traders gasped in disbelief, while others shook their heads, unwilling to accept what they had just heard.

"What do you mean, gone?" the caravan leader asked, his expression darkening. His grip tightened on his halberd, though he made no move to advance "Are you saying the entire city was wiped out?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Raven replied, her eyes locking with his. "We barely made it out ourselves, be my guest and go check it out if you want"

The murmurs turned into a low rumble of fear and uncertainty. The traders, many of whom had hoped to do business in Black Port, were now confronted with the reality that their destination no longer existed. The leader's brow furrowed as he processed the information, his sharp mind racing through the implications.

He turned to one of his guards "Check him. Make sure he's still alive"

One of the men under him ran towards the old man and knelt beside the old man, carefully feeling for a pulse. After a tense moment, he nodded "He's alive. Barely, but alive, doesn't seem to have any injury left but he is too pale, as if he lost too much blood"

"Wait I know her!" Said a guy that was on the rear pointing at Raven "She is the bunny healer that was causing an uprise in the city this week!" 

'What?' Thought Raven, but it seemed that the charade had paid off 'Then...'

And then the world got darker for Raven and she fell to the ground unconscious too. She had been casting healing spells during the march to help them feel a little better and to keep the old geezer alive, but she ended up reaching the end of the road for her. Luckily for her, the spell didn't needed her consciousness to keep being active and the illusion perdured. 

"What are you waiting for idiots!" Said the leader pointing at them "Carry them inside a wagon"

"What are we doing?" Asked one of the guards after others helped Fuwa and the two unconscious towards one of the carts. 

"I don't get paid enough for this" Said the leader "We are making camp here, I need five volunteers to scout ahead!" 

Maybe it was the stupid amount of luck that Raven had that had produced this miracle, but, luck it's a double edge weapon, you keep winning, until you don't.