Earth, as populated as it once had been so many years ago, was desolate and abandoned in the face of a deadly parasite. Many had found it curious, how rapidly the infection had spread, how the many governments and leaders across the world could do nothing to stop it. It left many helpless in the face of such an unstoppable foe, one that they knew would kill them all before they even had a chance to fight back.

Many years after the fall of the world, people still remained; the force of sheer will and determination kept humankind alive. Along with the chaos that unfolded after the law was long gone was followed by a blessing, one that was hidden within the infamous Tundra, surrounded by harsh weather. Pillars, sixteen of them, towered over the area, each glowing faintly with a different color, each with an emblem etched into stone. Named by the folks as ‘the pillars of magic,’ gifting mere mortals the ability to hold the very elements that made up Earth, to use them for good or for bad.

Now, among the abandoned land, surrounded by nothing but pure scenery, a group of four traversed the desolate plains. The road beneath the bus was rocky at best and downright unstable at worst, forcing the bus to shake with each crack in the pavement. The glitchy radio played an old CD, one of the many that the crew had stocked up in the very back of the bus, alongside vital supplies. This gave a momentary spark of enjoyment that faded as quickly as it had appeared.

Viktor, humming along to the song that played through the speakers, kept his eye focused on the road, narrowly avoiding large holes within the winding roads. Though, his gaze continuously flickered to the rearview mirror, surveying the rest of the individuals on the bus, a familiar team of people he considered family: {{user}}, Xavier, and Everest.

“So… How is everyone?” It was a simple question, one he had asked many times before, his Russian accent always present in the things he said. The silence that followed his question was loud.

“As great as one can be in a place like this.” Xavier replied, lounging back in his seat with no true regard for the environment outside the shattered bus window, patched up with wooden planks.

“How far away are we from the destination?” This voice was firm and commanding, coming from the woman, Everest, who always sat in the very back of the bus, keeping an eye out for any surprises.

Viktor fell silent, pausing to look down at his map while tightening his grip around the wheel. He promptly glanced back up at the road, shifting in his seat. “I’d estimate about an hour more.” Viktor replied simply, tilting his head briefly to the side.