[00 Months: 04 Days: 17 Hours]
Walking through the twisted, cobblestone streets of Terance, my heart carried an ache like a black hole in my chest.
A sorrowed wind blew against me, rustling my hair as it carried the torment of my recent discovery. The Outpost was now nothing but ruins and ash.
"Luke?" A gruff voice echoed in the empty alley, dragging me out of my despair.
I paused, my shoes grinding against the loose stones.
Beneath the dimmed glow of the distant lamppost, a man stood tall and imposing. He had a hard-set jaw and a stern look, the wrinkles of age marking him with distinction. His eyes gleamed with sharp scrutiny under his furrowed brows.
"You must be Luke," he stated matter-of-factly. "You match the description given by the guards at the city gates."
I felt a pang of frustration and regret the moment I heard that.