An Apocalyptic Day

"What's going on? Mommy, what's that?"

"I don't know sweetie…"

Grabbing her infant daughter's hand all the tighter, the woman felt saliva lodge in her throat. She couldn't believe her eyes. 

Only a few hundred meters away, a dazzling pillar of light rained down upon the center square and the majority of Pralis, Kustram's capital city. It was unlike anything she had ever seen and was so bright that the woman, along with every other citizen witnessing the event, could no longer see the buildings enveloped within the light.

But only a moment later. The woman clutched her daughter's tiny hand and covered her gaping mouth. A tear instantly formed, gliding down her cheek and flowing down her wrist.

Everything was gone. The city hall was no more. The trading pavilion was nonexistent. Nothing was left. All that remained was a hundred-meter deep crater burned by the intense light. It was terrifying beyond the scope of the woman's nightmares.