"My name is Sir Lysander Verinthal. A Holy Chaplain Knight of Valor," Sir Lysander Verinthal introduced himself with a courtly bow, his Scriptures held tightly in his grasp.

Trela leaped off the boat, her gaze scanning the empty sandy beaches of the Mirror Coast, surrounded by seemingly impassable mountain ranges of the Burning Cross supercontinent.

The three-year-old Dante, regretting his earlier outburst, attempted to regain his composure and greeted the stranger they had found floating in the middle of the sea, now miraculously alive and well.

Dante and Trela exchanged introductions, withholding the full extent of their own stories. They refrained from prying into Sir Lysander's circumstances, understanding the unspoken agreement to respect each other's privacy.

However, Trela, having witnessed the knight's access to the Holy System, harbored no doubts about his integrity. To her, Holy Knights were regarded as unwavering paragons of goodness, despite any hardships they might face.

Yet, Trela couldn't completely let her guard down. Subconsciously, she remained cautious, understanding that while the stranger had saved their lives, they had yet to ascertain his true intentions.

With a burst of excitement, Dante jumped up, fist raised to the sky, proclaiming their safety. But Trela's worry and fear had gripped her, and she swiftly slapped him across the cheek, tears welling up in her eyes. She expressed her relief mixed with fear for having almost lost him.

Momentarily taken aback, Dante paused, but maintained a smile on his face. "No matter. It's over. We're safe now," he said, trying to reassure her.

However, Dante's words were abruptly interrupted as he heard a rustling near the woods at the edge of the mountains. He turned and beheld a colossal wall of blazing flames, stretching from one horizon to another, slowly advancing toward them.

Panicked, Dante pointed at the fiery wall and screamed, "What... is that?"

Covering her eyes, Trela explained, her voice trembling, "That's 'The Burning.' Now you understand why this supercontinent is called the Burning Cross and why it remains uninhabited."

Dante stumbled backward onto the sandy beach, both of them marveling at the mesmerizing display of colorful flames. An adrenaline-fueled excitement surged within Dante's veins, reminding him how vastly different the world of Gomorrah was from Earth.

Gently placing his hand on their shoulders, Sir Lysander spoke, his voice steady and resolute. "We must seek shelter underground. The rule in the Burning Cross is to hide during the day and move at night. But even the night does not guarantee safety. There is more to this supercontinent than you can imagine."

Agreeing with Sir Lysander's advice, Dante and Trela followed him into the depths of the woods, running tirelessly. The air grew thick with the acrid scent of smoke and burning ash.

As they sprinted, Dante couldn't help but wonder about the trees that remained unscathed by the flames. "Why don't these trees burn? How have they survived the fire?" he questioned.

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Sir Lysander answered, keeping pace as they raced forward. "Those trees are the corpses of Flagellant demons."

Dante couldn't believe his ears. "Those trees are demons?"

"Rest assured, young blood, while they are demon corpses, they are still lifeless. Yet, it's true that they were once alive, having chosen to burn here. Some lasted for months before succumbing to The Burning's relentless flames. Why they chose to do so, no one truly knows."

Dante fixed his gaze forward, pushing himself to run even faster.

After a long sprint through the woods, they reached a cave entrance leading to the intricate underground cave systems within the mountains.

"We must stay inside for now," Sir Lysander urged. "We can discuss whether to continue through the caves or find a way to climb the mountains under the cover of night. However, none of these options are without peril."

Dante grinned, a glimmer of optimism in his eyes. "At least at night, we have a chance of defeating the monsters."

He glanced at Trela, who stood with her arms crossed, deep in thought.

"Is there any way we could wait for passing ships or vessels along the Mirror Coast, hoping they will notice our distress signals?" Trela suggested.

Sir Lysander listened intently and agreed with her. "That could be an option. However, we must consider that there is no food here. Additionally, those enormous tidal waves we witnessed earlier will never cease, continuously pushing your small rowing boat back to this shore. If that were to happen repeatedly, even the Life's Embrace Invocation might not save us from drowning."

Dante's face lit up with an idea. "Well then, that settles it! Why don't we just make this place our home?"

He walked deeper into the dark cavern, pointing at what appeared to be a log on the cavern floor. To his shock, he picked it up, realizing it was a human skeleton.

"Whoa!" Dante recoiled, quickly retreating.

He accidentally kicked the skeleton's body, and a rusty sword tore his pants.

Trela smacked him hard on the head. "Dante!" she screamed, her voice filled with frustration. "Stop it already! This isn't like you! You've always been smarter than this!"

Dante grinned and replied, "No... We have to stay here... Okay? We have to keep you safe from them. We have to keep ourselves safe! Can't you see what I've been doing all this time? It's all for us!"

Stepping back, Sir Lysander closed his eyes briefly. "Desperation's whispers may echo loud and clear. Trust in divine timing, for true solutions will appear," he said softly.

"I may not fully know your stories or understand your circumstances. But it is no coincidence that our paths have crossed. I sense the will of the Holy System in this encounter," Sir Lysander declared, kneeling before them, his grip tight on his book and the empty scabbard of his lost sword.

"I, Sir Lysander Verinthal, Holy Chaplain Knight of the Institute of Valor, vow to do everything within my power to keep you safe and alive. In the name of the Holy System, Its Scriptures, and the Seventh Heaven, I make this promise."

His words resonated deeply within Dante and Trela, filling them with renewed hope amidst their desperation. They both embraced the Holy Knight, finding in him a newfound ally they could trust.

Dante then whispered to Trela, tears in his eyes, "I'm sorry. I tried to escape it all, but now I must face the truth, Trela. I love you."

As the wall of flames passed by the cave opening, consuming everything in its path with heat comparable to the sun's surface, Dante suddenly kicked Sir Lysander's leg, causing him to lose his balance, and Trela fell to the ground in the chaos.

Looking back over his shoulder, Dante smiled through tears, waving goodbye, as he ran toward the awaiting flames of The Burning.

Desperate to stop him, Trela fought to reach Dante, but Sir Lysander, still recovering, was too heavy, hindering her efforts. It was a futile attempt as Dante stood, engulfed by the inferno, his hair, skin, and clothes turning to ash. Only the shape of his smiling face remained discernible before it, too, was consumed by the flames.

Trela's anguished cry echoed through the heavens, her heart overwhelmed by sheer misery and despair that not even tears could adequately convey.

"Dan--"