Resurrection;Melodie

Prelude ~Good night~

In the beginning there was darkness; then a meager sound of wood scratching against wood, and finally a small spark burst to life.

Yet this spark did not last for more than a second. My gloved hands have been worn down to threads for nothing, and I can't help but sigh in frustration. What kind of basic survival technique is this? A notch and a stick can't possibly keep me warm! No matter how hard or fast I rub the sticks together this time, I can't get the wood to smoke and start a fire. The night is long and cold, and I'm a horrible fire-starter.

"A bit harder," the girl next to me says, watching over my ineptitude.

"It's kind of hard to keep it steady," I grumble back. I don't mean any harm to Lilium. This fire-starting business is beginning to irk me, though.

"Let me do it." Lilium scooches closer, and I give her space. "You hold the wood," she instructs, gesturing to the notched branch. I gladly hold it down for her.

She rubs the stick against the notch in a back and forth motion as I did before, and with her bare hands she coaxes a spark out of the friction. And then another, slightly brighter spark. In the flashes of light trying to manifest, I can't help but feel disappointed. It's not my first time trying to start a fire for the night, but it's been too many nights now that having no success is starting to feel shameful.

A tiny, delicate ember grows from the union of the stick and the notch, and I retreat my hands lest I get burned. Lilium pulls her long hair back over her shoulders and leans over the tiny flame. She blows gently, and we finally have a fire to give us warmth for tonight. If I still shiver in the cold despite my uniform, then I can only imagine how much worse it is for Lilium and her worn clothing.

"You really are better at it," I mumble humbly to her. Ashamed, even.

She shakes her head, smiling softly. "You've improved, mister Conductor."

I disconnect my purple cape and hand it over to the girl. It definitely is more for show than a proper blanket, but it's better than nothing. "Here. You're right about the night being a cold night. I'll be fine without it."

She takes it graciously and wraps it around herself. I laugh, though I cover my mouth because I'm still a polite fellow. But soon my amusement turns to concern as I notice our campfire weakening.

"Oh no! Stay, stay!" Lilium rushes over to the fire, fanning it with one hand while the other keeps my cape in place around her. The flames, for their part, flicker nervously and teeter on the edge of going out. After a while, the flames grow confidence and crackle quietly. They won't be going anytime soon, I hope. Lilium must think the same, because she stops fanning and lets her hands hover over the light. I fish my pockets for something useful. A bunch of small, round and squishy objects meet my glove and I pull them out in satisfaction.

"Would you like anything to eat? I have berries," I say, pulling out my hand with the tiny fruit, "though it isn't much. But I believe you liked these."

She only takes one berry. I want to tell her to take the whole thing, but she beats me to the question's conclusion.

"Keep the rest for yourself. I'm used to this land, but you might as well have been born yesterday."

"Wha- you- huh?!" I splutter, "That's not true! I'm older than you!"

Lilium smiles, but her eyes are tired and sad. "Physically, yeah. But you don't know a thing about this world. About the monsters." Her gaze darkens, and I know we're about to approach a difficult conversation. "I don't want to see those things again. I don't want another person, in front of my own eyes, getting torn to shreds-"