"Papa!" Katharina buried her face against me again, giggling.

"Papa, I got one!" Felix said with excitement.

I gently placed Katharina down and went towards Felix. "Alright, reel it in slowly. You don't want the line to snap."

Felix nodded, concentrating hard as he carefully reeled in the fish. The tension on the line was clear, but he managed it well, his excitement building as the fish came closer.

"You're doing great, Felix," I encouraged, watching as the fish broke the surface of the water. "Just a little more."

With a final, careful pull, Felix brought the fish ashore. He grinned triumphantly, holding it up for Katharina to see. "Look, Katharina! I did it!"

Katharina clapped her hands, her eyes wide with admiration. "Wow, Felix! You're amazing!"

I patted his head. "You did great."

"Really?" he said, smiling widely.

"Absolutely," I replied, ruffling his hair. "I'm proud of you."

Katharina jumped up and down, clapping her hands. "Felix, you're the best fisherman ever!"

Felix beamed with pride, holding up his catch. "Thanks, Katharina! Let's show Mama!"

We gathered up our things and started heading back home, the children's laughter filling the air as they chattered excitedly about the fish. It was moments like these that made all the struggles worth it.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

***

Present Day

We stopped at the Glint Forest where Solomon said the fairy would be. This time it was me, Seraphina, and Freya.

"Sir, would it really be a good idea to bring her along?" Freya asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Yes, besides you're here to protect her," I replied.

"I'm not a babysitter," Freya muttered. "I'm tired of just babysitting your children."

I sighed, understanding her frustration. Freya was my most dangerous squad leader, and yet I kept assigning her to protect my family. "I know, Freya, but this is important. And I trust you to keep her safe."

Seraphina piped up, "I'm not a child, you know. I can take care of myself."

I smiled at her determination. "I know you can, but having Freya here gives me peace of mind."

Freya crossed her arms, but nodded. "Fine. Let's just find this fairy and get it over with."

We ventured deeper into the forest, the air thick with the scent of moss and flowers. The Glint Forest was known for its enchanting beauty and dangerous creatures. We had to be cautious. As we walked, I couldn't help but reflect on the past few weeks and the guilt that had been eating at me. This mission was a chance to make things right, not just for me, but for Seraphina too.

"Stay close," I instructed as we moved through the dense foliage. "Fairies can be tricky to find and even trickier to catch."

Seraphina stayed by my side, her eyes wide with curiosity. Freya kept a watchful eye on our surroundings, her hand never far from her weapon.

We had a mission, and I was determined to see it through.

We stopped as we saw someone in the distance. The figure was small and their whole body was wrapped in bandages. They giggled like a maniac.

The stench of a rotting corpse emanated from them, and they were covered in dried blood. In one hand, they held a fairy, and in the other, a dagger.

"Shit," I muttered. Freya acted quickly, casting a gem spell at the bandaged figure. She knew what I was thinking: save the fairy. The freak dropped the fairy and blocked the attack, then ran off.

"Seraphina, stay close!" I ordered, rushing forward to check on the fairy.

Freya and I approached the fallen fairy cautiously. The small creature looked terrified, its delicate wings twitching in fear. I gently picked it up, cradling it in my hands.

"It's okay, we're here to help," I said softly.

The fairy's glow dimmed slightly as it looked up at me with wide, fearful eyes. "Thank you," it whispered, its voice trembling. "That... that thing was going to kill me."

Freya scanned the area, her eyes sharp. "We need to get out of here. That bandaged freak could come back."

"Agreed," I said. "Seraphina, stay close to Freya. We're heading back to camp."

As we made our way back, the fairy clung to my hand, its tiny body shivering. I could feel the weight of the past few weeks lifting slightly. Saving this fairy felt like a small step toward redemption.

Once we reached the safety of our camp, I set the fairy down gently. "You're safe now. What's your name?"

"I'm Liora," the fairy said, her glow slowly returning to normal. "Thank you for saving me. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"We're glad we could help," I said. "Can you assist us with cleansing items? We could use your help."

Liora nodded. "I can. Thank you again."

Freya kept watch while Seraphina and I tended to Liora. For the first time in a long while, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we could find a way to make things right.