3 weeks, 2 days
A guardian came bounding up to her, breath heaving. She was being summoned. “Continue your repetitions.” she said, before moving off the field.
Nalim entered the room, spotting her summoner within seconds. The room smelled like smoke and metal, burnt rubber and maybe some leaves. The massive shadow in the corner occupied himself in prying open a window. Pieces of anything lay scattered on the surrounding tables, the center desk holding the epicenter of the mess. Paper and 4 pencils of varying sizes.
“Euri?”
She turned quickly, the hair in her eyes with no styling to hold it back. “Nalim! You came!”
“Should I not have?”
Europa dashed around the room in intervals, feeling pieces with her hands and deciding if she wanted them or not. Her visual attention stayed on Nalim. If the Light wasn’t gone, she was sure to have sparks around her.
“No, no, I needed you to come here. I want your approval to make something.”
Nalim raised an eyebrow. “Is it going to help?”
“Yes, of course.” Europa’s gaze was proud, fiery.
“And do you have the resources?”
“Maybe not for every single person, but to make a difference? I think so.”
“Then you have my permission. You don’t need to ask. Just make it.”
Europa’s eyes widened. “Wait wait. You didn’t ask me what it even was.”
“You never told me either.”
Alexi’s hand gently pulled Europa back into a chair. She obliged without looking, and he began tying a band around her head. No words needed.
“Well, can you stay long enough for me to explain?”
Nalim looked out at the practicing mix of refugees. They seemed to be doing well enough without her looming presence. She gave an assuring nod. “Go.”
“Alright, SO.” She snatched two bowls of demolished substances off the table, causing Alexi’s hold on her head to move. He sighed. “If I mix these together, it’s flammable, right?”
She did not recognize either item. “Sure.”
“Well they’re also sticky. Like, sticky. So if I can get this to work, you have a gun,” Again, an unusual and unknown object appeared in her hands. This one was at least metal, that much she could tell, and it had a trigger. “And it can shoot little sacks of this stuff.”
“So it’s like fuel, but thick?”
“YES! Except for I’m not sure it could work as fuel.” She smiled, and the hair in her eyes was gone, pinned behind Alexi’s handiwork. “We put this on windows, on tanks, on helmets or soldiers, they’re blind. And prone to being on fire.”
Europa’s boundless ambition pulled at her heartstrings. Asha would say she was prone to moping, but she couldn’t in here. Europa just wouldn’t let her. “Why did you want to tell me?”
“Well…” The confidence dissolved from her eyes. “Other than bragging, I did want your approval. Not as in permission. I just wanted to know if you liked it. But also, are you going on any supply runs soon?”
“You’re NOT coming with me.” Nalim’s gaze hardened.
“No, no,” She looked away. Decision not approved of. “I was just gonna ask you for as much fabric as you could find. For the sacks.”
“Fabric. Alright. I’ll get as much as I can, for you. Anything else you want me to look for?”
“Light.”
All three paused quietly.
Nalim broke the silence. “Maybe I can bring back a lantern.”
She sighed. “That works too.”