Axley was finding conversation quite difficult in that moment. Her body protested her refusal to rest; even her mind was telling her to at least sit down, if not pass out entirely, but she found herself unable to acquiesce; adrenaline still rushed through her body, willing her to remain standing, to keep moving lest something decide to chase them regardless. They hadn't seen any pursuers for miles, yet she still didn't feel safe. Something was still [i]wrong[/i], beyond the sudden assault on her town for seemingly no reason. If it was just a raid of the undead...why? What motive could there have possibly been in such aimless, mass slaughter? Axley's brain hurt just trying to think about the possibilities. Even as they rested, the strange behemoth was moving once more, activity still taking place. She found it hard to tear her gaze away, even as food and drink was passed around.

To both, Axley waited until everyone else had had some before taking her own. Part of that dated back to her teachings on etiquette back with her family, but more was concern that everyone else would be able to manage to keep going. Even as Cilia mentioned her unwillingness to filch the supplies she had, Axley shook her head. "It's not like they're going to be needing it anymore...I doubt anyone left would be particularly inclined or qualified to press charges. Not that we'd be able to tell whose those were anyways." Axley tried to be helpful and reassuring, but even she was finding it hard to remain cheerful...and she made money based on acting that way.

Their movements had slowed considerably, enough for Axley's adrenaline to wear off and her body to regret the hours of sprinting it had just done. Her entire being screamed for rest and sleep, for a day's time if not more. That time was luckily drawing near, as they had broken for camp and even lit a small fire to keep them warm as the sun receded beyond the horizon. Axley was struggling to keep her eyes open as she stared into the flickering flames, contemplating the events that had led to this moment. Somehow, she had managed to make it this far with people she knew, people she cared about...and that Fergus fellow. In most other circumstances, she'd still resent him for being the messenger of destroying Snow's place of business and nearly his livelihood, but...she couldn't fault him for anything that had just happened. Even had he not arrived, the outcome would have been about the same.

She was about to walk over to apologize to the barrister when activity on the horizon of the ruined city caught her attention. Axley rose from her seat to catch sight of the growing, dark energy that was fast expanding to reach the city limits, even drawing near to their location. "What in the...?" Axley could only stop and stare as the radius drew closer; she took a few steps forward, hypnotized by imminent, pointless demise, only for the oncoming death to cease movement, and disappear with a strangely profound explosion that wrenched at the bard's heart in a way she'd not felt since the loss of her family and her home. Somehow...she knew things would never return to normal at the Imperial Ruins. In fact, something deep in her gut told her the Imperial Ruins were gone. Everything she'd built up over the last two years in an attempt to salvage her own existence...

"Sparrow, do you...um..." Axley wasn't sure what she wanted to say. That everyone was dead? That they could never go back? "...nevermind." Her voice was hushed and distant as she stared into the haze, wishing to see something but knowing in the pit of her gut that nothing would come from that place ever again. They and they alone had been spared...and to what end...?