The street becomes flooded with people marching together as they stare at the sky, scanning every inch of the towering buildings that line their path. Their boots, shoes, and heels click against the concrete. As numerous men and women march down the roads, clamour fills the atmosphere, intermingled with hushed whispers of confusion.

     The buildings stand tall. Their walls are unmarred by cracks or holes, but broken shards of glass litter some windows. However, the rest of the structures boast untouched exteriors, presenting clean walls, and the street, covered with scattered patches of grass that have found its way into the urban landscape, shows no signs of fractures.

     Residents gradually gather and join the procession from the rear of the crowds. Ahead, city guards adorned in silver-to-gold uniforms stride, leading the way for their fellow citizens. Firmly grasping their rifles, they march with bent knees as they fix their gazes ahead.

     Preceding humans, grassland mammals take their place at the forefront, moving slowly. The entire assembly adopts a deliberate, synchronized pace. Each individual patiently waits for those in the front to move before taking their step—including the animals.

     Frederick releases a heavy exhale. His mouth gapes open as his jaw hangs loosely. His eyes remain wide, fixated on the still-intact buildings before him.

     A family of four—a father, a mother, an older sister, and a young sister—walks together, positioned at the front of their neatly maintained lawn. They observe their front yard, where flowers bloom with the thriving green grass. Their heads then tilt and wander, scanning their house, spotting no collapsed walls, no fallen trees on the roof, and no single jagged crack marring the foundation.

"We were evacuating from what?"

"I don't know."

"Our house seems fine."

     Another family, consisting of a single mother with three daughters by her side, adopts a leisurely pace as they gaze on their well-preserved abode. A slow smile spreads across their faces as they realize their home remains unscathed, lacking the slightest rupture on its surface. Their excitement grows, prompting them to run towards the entrance, eager to explore further.

     More families make their way back to their dwellings, one by one. With hands firmly gripping the doorknobs, everyone pushes open their front doors. The living rooms gradually reveal themselves, with chairs still in their rightful places.

     A woman in her early 60s walks with her hands clasped against her chest. She draws her gaze lower, noticing the gentle breeze wafting through the open door of her cafe. Stepping inside, she takes a moment to collect herself as she looks around.

     As she enters her cafe, the woman's eyes widen, dropping her jaw. With a worried face, she surveys her shop, quickly spotting scattered chairs. Her gaze then lands on papers, an ink jar, and a quill pen left on one of the tables.

     The woman continues her walk toward the counter. There, she sees a sheet of paper resting on its marbled surface. Slowly, she reaches out and grasps the paper with both hands, slowly reading its contents.

"Dear cafe owner. Forgive my friends for taking your worthy and expensive ingredients from your stock. We might need it to fight against the monsters or benefit our troops. We work with and are friends of Oliver Podeshire, so consider yourself honoured..." she read faintly.

     Finishing the letter, the woman's voice softens as she recites the final words. With a smile forming on her face, she inhales deeply. Her gaze lifts towards the ceiling, and her eyes sparkle. Clutching the paper to her chest, she feels a warm sense of honour and gratitude.

     Outside, people inspect the damage to their windows. Yet, they display grateful smiles as they realize the resilience of the remaining structures. Meanwhile, others stroll around the sidewalks, exploring various parts of the miraculously undamaged, sprawling city.

     A milk-white dove flaps its wings from the sky as it joins a group of birds in mid-air. The birds flock together to the grassland, passing through some misty clouds. The animals then witness the plains with brown, burnt grass, seeing the roasted field stretching out to the far horizon.