Black Ice

She took them into her embrace, after which each of them... Turned to dust and scattered across the land

Professional skills took over even in such a situation. David knew everything there was to know about ash, for he himself had cremated people at work for many years. The Koranian mechanically calculated the temperature at which a body burns in such a short time. "Like three large furnaces," — the realization took his breath away. But David continued to gaze at Eliseya regardless, unable to help himself. She had aristocratic features, long light-brown hair, and a pair of small wings on her head in addition to those on her back. What a haughty, piercing gaze! And her lips curled into a half-smile. It seemed she was pleased with the process. But how could this woman, even a winged one, have just turned ten people to dust? The answer was somewhere close; David struggled to catch the elusive thought. "Damn it, fire magic!" — the Koranian felt sweat trickling down his back. Now he finally managed to shift his gaze to Agatha. She was simply charming, unlike the inhumanly repulsive Eliseya. David thought that he hadn't imagined Eliseya this way, and in his mind, Agatha was more of an "Eliseya" than Eliseya herself turned out to be. On the other hand, if Agatha imagines Eliseya in the same way, then she doesn't realize that she herself is much better than Eliseya. Completely tangled up in this logical chain, David whispered back to Agatha:
— I don't know what impressed you so much; you heal peasants in the Temple much better.