(Closed starter for @blind--magic !)
Diamond takes his time settling his mules, making sure both that they won’t wander and that they’ll be comfortable for at least a few hours. He’s not sure how long this will take--he’s not sure what to expect at all, really.
But arriving to find the home of the apothecary he’s been purchasing supplies from for years reduced to little more than rubble had been more than a bit concerning. And the villagers’ sparse knowledge wasn’t exactly reassuring either, descriptions of screams in the night and a collapsed cottage doing little to help Diamond figure out what had happened. There shouldn’t be many forces in the area that could do that much damage to a sound building, not that quickly. If there’s any chance of lingering danger, Diamond wants to know about it.
Maria’s child is apparently still around, too. Diamond might not have had a close relationship with the family, but he’d liked the kid; she’d been curious and observant in equal measure, unafraid to engage with the world around her. If there’s any support he can give the family while he’s in town, he wants to at least offer it.
...Besides, he knows that Masha has some affinity for magic, that she’s able to see it with startling clarity. Diamond generally tries to keep an eye on fellow magic users when he can.
Finishing with the mules, Diamond finally heads for the cottage he’s come to visit and knocks. The villager he’d spoken to said that Masha has been staying here since her mother’s disappearance. Hopefully he can check on her and figure out what happened to her mother and home in the same visit.