A Grand Gift (Part 1) [Please Vote for the Monthly Ticket]

The towering waves poured down from the sky, and the flood surged forward, sweeping away every clay urn and dousing the terrifying flames beneath them. The living people inside the urns were swallowed up, with time for only a single scream. The one thing to be thankful for was that the flood did not last.

The little girl choked on a mouthful of water before she could brace herself.

The icy water enveloped her, greatly easing the burning sensation on her skin. Carried by the current, she was swept a long way before crashing into a tent and coming to a stop. All the while, she kept her hands clasped over her head, her body curled into a ball, and held her breath.

"Cough, cough, cough—"

The water that had covered her face receded. The moment her nose touched fresh air, she gulped it down greedily, pounding her chest as she coughed. She had no time to worry about anything else. One thought filled her mind—run! Run faster! Run as far as she could!

But her mental frenzy couldn't overcome the weakness in her limbs. Forget standing up and running—she could barely even push herself up off the ground. Worse still, the burning pain that had been suppressed across her skin came roaring back. Tears streamed down her face as despair and helplessness wrapped around her tightly, leaving not even a crack for her to breathe through.

Boom—

The shockwave from an explosion swept overhead, carrying sand, dirt, and broken stones. She cried out, clasped her hands over her head, and curled herself into as tight a ball as she could.

Her luck wasn't good, and she was small and light. She had narrowly escaped the sand and stones, but she couldn't escape the raging shockwave. It sent her tumbling