The carriage raced across the sky, streaking through the Cloud Sea like a meteor.
Inside, the carriage remained exceptionally steady despite its high speed. Shilutia initially watched the scenery outside, but the unchanging clouds eventually bored her, and she leaned back in her seat for a nap.
For the past two days, she had been brewing potions and teaching the local Blood Clan physicians how to treat and save their patients. She had barely slept, and now she was truly exhausted.
Seeing this, Camilla left her undisturbed and simply steered the carriage south, occasionally sitting across from her to study her sleeping form. After a day of travel, their carriage had reached the central part of the Mage Alliance's northern territory. It now descended out of the clouds, giving them a view of the land below.
The uninhabited wilderness, mountains, and forests all looked relatively normal. But whenever the carriage passed over a densely populated city, they could see smoke rising from fires that never went out. Numerous makeshift cremation grounds had been built outside these cities. Those who died of the plague could not simply be buried; instead, their bodies were brought here to be cremated together.
Even without approaching the cities, the sight of that swirling smoke and ash made it seem as though they could hear the wails of the dead.
Now Shilutia gazed down through the glass of the carriage window. She could sense the lingering aura of death permeating the city: the Dead Ember Aspect Power that emerged after living beings died, along with the countless shattered souls and sorrowful thoughts death left behind.
These thoughts and emotions were picked up by the spiritual perception of Radiant Moon and imprinted themselves incessantly upon her mind. Her gaze grew distant. Scenes from a remote age that