A younger Dawn and the man who had accompanied her during her field training embarked on a tranquil journey along the banks of a mesmerizing river. As the sun gracefully descended beyond the horizon, its radiant beams cast an enchanting orange and gold glow upon the surroundings. The serene ambiance served as a backdrop to their conversation, sweetening the weight of their words.

Amidst their stroll along the sun-kissed path, Dawn turned to the man and spoke softly, her voice intertwining with the melodic whispers of the rustling leaves as they trod along. "Papa..."

Without breaking his stride, the man turned his gaze towards Dawn as he responded, "Yes, dear? What is it?" He attentively awaited her inquiry, his eyes seasoned with wisdom and experience.

A momentary pause ensued as Dawn mustered the courage to voice her thoughts. Her eyes mirrored a hint of vulnerability, painted with an unspoken fear that had taken hold of her. "Do you ever get scared, Papa?"

Her father halted in his tracks, his gaze fixed intently on Dawn. A flicker of contemplation shimmered in his eyes. After reflecting, he resumed their journey along the dirt trail, his aura echoing with paternal reassurance. "What drove you to ask such a sudden question?" he asked, his voice gentle like the wind yet inquisitive.

Dawn trailed slightly behind her father, her steps growing slower with hesitation as she grappled with the weight of her current emotions. A faint tremor coursed through her small and delicate hands, an outward manifestation of the inner turmoil she sought to conceal.

"Because... I'm afraid," Dawn confessed. Her voice was like a whisper, carried by the breeze attempting to hide her trembling hands due to her deepest anxieties. He pivoted to face Dawn, his gaze fixated upon her, fully present in this profound moment of their bond. Puzzled by her statement, her father slowed his pace.

"Afraid of what?" he asked, genuine confusion permeating his voice as he sought to comprehend the source of his daughter's distress.

"The God-King..." Dawn's words quivered, barely escaping her trembling lips. She hesitated, grappling for the right words to articulate the unsettling tales that had taken root in her young mind. A surge of concern etched itself onto her father's face, a blend of empathy and protectiveness as he spoke.

"The God-King?" he repeated, the weight of those words hanging in the air. Understanding dawned upon her father as his expression remained calm and collected. "I see... So why does he frighten you?"

A deluge of tears flooded from Dawn's eyes despite her valiant efforts to maintain composure. Dawn took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts as her vulnerability overflowed and tears cascaded down her cheeks like the river they walked alongside.

"The kids at school say the God-King take girls like me away..." she choked out, her voice loaded with a blend of anguish and fear, her small frame shaking under the weight of her emotions.

Her father came to a complete stop, his eyes locking with Dawn's, mirroring her distress. "They said that, huh?"

Despite her best efforts, Dawn's eyes continued to water. "I don't want to be taken away! I want to stay here with you and Mama forever!" Her father drew her close, wrapping his strong, reassuring arms around her fragile form. Moved by her tears and the sight of her distress, he reached into his pocket, retrieving a handkerchief to wipe the streaks away.

"Don't cry, baby girl," he whispered, his voice a soothing balm against the jagged edges of her fear. "Remember what I've told you. I will always be here to protect you and Mama."

His words, imbued with love and conviction, enveloped Dawn like a warm embrace, the handkerchief dampened by her tears.

Looking up at him, Dawn pursued reassurance. Her voice trembled with hope and a trace of skepticism, "Are you certain, Papa? You promise?"

"Absolutely! Have I ever broken a promise to you? Even after my body has perished from this world, I swear my spirit will always watch over you," he declared with a beaming smile, illuminating warmth from his face.

"Don't talk like that, Papa."

Dawn's laughter bubbled up as she clung tightly to her father's hand, feeling the comfort as he affectionately patted her head. As she held him, Dawn couldn't help but marvel at the sheer size of his hand, and together, they continued their journey along the rugged dirt path.

"Hey... Hey! Please, wake up!" Mera, her eyes brimming with tears and her body covered in bruises, desperately tugged at the injured Dawn.

"Papa...?" Dawn murmured, opening her tear-filled eyes to a scene of destruction and debris. They were surrounded by rubble, having fallen several floors below.

"How long was I unconscious...?" Dawn muttered to herself, but her thoughts were interrupted by Mera's sudden piercing shriek.

"Help!" Mera screamed as a horrifying Devil lunged at her from behind.

Reacting swiftly, Dawn pulled Mera out of harm's way at the very last moment. Dawn flinched from the discomfort of her injured ankle, a painful reminder of the fall from the floors above, but she tightened her grip on the short sword given to her by Benny. Slowly, Dawn and Mera cautiously retraced their steps down the dimly lit hallway, their hearts pounding with fear as more Devils emerged from the shadows, stalking them.

"Hey, Mera... I need you to be brave for me right now, okay?" Dawn implored, the approaching Devils casting an ominous presence.

"Okay..." Mera replied, her voice trembling with dread, her hands shaking within Dawn's grasp.

"When I give you the signal... Run as fast as you can down the corridor. Make your way to the main entrance," Dawn instructed, hobbling away from the advancing Devils, her back pressed against the wall as she leaned on it for support.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"What about you?" Mera asked, genuine concern inscribed across her face.

"Don't worry about me. Just focus on running as fast as you can, understand?"

"But..."

"Now, go!" Dawn shouted, urging Mera forward, and with Suki, Faye's beloved toy bear, clutched tightly in her arms, Mera raced down the hallway, spurred on by fear and resolve.

The Devils emitted sinister snickers and threatening growls, their presence filling the hall with an ominous presence. Energized, they prepared to unleash a fresh onslaught of elemental attacks.

Amidst the charged atmosphere, Dawn released a war cry that pierced through the halls, resounding with a powerful echo, momentarily halting their charge. With her trusty short sword, Dawn charged forward, determined to disrupt their advance. However, her heroic efforts were thwarted by the searing pain coursing through her body, causing her ankle to buckle beneath her.

Overwhelmed by the severe pain rushing through her ankle and the odds stacked against her, Dawn succumbed to the agony that engulfed her. An extended column emerged from the surrounding debris, hurtling towards her, forcefully propelling her down the length of the corridor.

Wounded and disoriented, Dawn sprawled on the cold floor, her vision clouded with haze by the ordeal. As her vision gradually regained focus, she beheld an immense wave of flames rushing toward her. A sense of impending doom enveloped her, and in a desperate act of self-preservation, Dawn closed her eyes, bracing herself for the approaching inferno as she prepared for the worst.

Suddenly, her father's voice echoed within her mind, stirring her spirit. "Even after my body has perished from this world... I swear my spirit will always watch over you."

Dawn's eyes fluttered open to a remarkable sight—two shields forming a protective barrier, shielding her from the raging conflagration. Theo and David stood before her with smiles, but their elemental shields displayed signs of wear and tear from the severe struggle.

"Theo...? David...?" Dawn gasped in astonishment, her voice filled with both disbelief and gratitude at the sight of the two boys standing before her.

Seeing their comrades in danger, Curtis, Arthur, and Bryce swiftly moved to intercept the next barrage of elemental strikes, utilizing their shields to protect their allies from harm.

"Get her out of here!" Curtis bellowed to Theo and David, and with their shared mission crystal clear, they assisted Dawn to her feet and guided her away from the escalating confrontation with the Devils.

Meanwhile, the elemental assault continued unabated, hammering against the shields wielded by Curtis, Arthur, and Bryce that now bore the weight of the group's defense. With each passing second, cracks appeared spiderwebbing across the shields, hinting at an imminent collapse under the immense pressure threatening to shatter at any moment.

"Don't give up! You hear me!? Don't give up!" Curtis commanded, his voice rallying Arthur and Bryce to hold their ground. But their shields, pushed to their limits, were teetering on the edge of obliteration.

"Get out of the way!" Benny's voice thundered through the hallway as he sensed the impending danger. A timely warning sliced through the chaos and urged the boys to swiftly dive out of harm's way, abandoning their shields just in time to evade the flames.

In a display of mastery over her element, Isabella raised her hands, conjuring a pool of water that surged forward, meeting the predominantly fiery elemental blast head-on. The clash produced scorching steam, obscuring the hallway in a thick, sizzling mist, challenging the recruits and Benny's men to see through the chaos.

Amidst the sizzling mist, Tana's hand glowed with an intense radiance, resembling a flickering candle flame. With practiced precision, she hurled a series of small fire spears into the heated haze, each finding its mark with pinpoint accuracy, striking the Devils squarely in their foreheads. Then, with a snap of her fingers, the fire spears detonated in explosive bursts, obliterating the Devils, reducing their heads to fragmented remnants, their lifeless bodies falling to the ground, vanquished.

"Hey, Dawn, are you okay?" Theo asked, concern evident in his voice as David carefully examined her injured ankle. After assessing the injury, David concluded, "It looks like you may have sprained your ankle."

"Really!? What should we do!?" Theo exclaimed, dismayed with exaggerated worry. "Is there a way to fix it!?"

"You can't be that clueless... You can't just fix a sprained ankle. It takes time to heal, idiot," David explained, irritation creeping into his words as he became impatient with Theo's question.

"Idiot!? Say that again! I dare you!" Theo retorted, feeling challenged by David, their eyes locked in a tense staredown. However, before the tension escalated, Dawn quickly interjected, pulling Theo and David into a heartfelt, comforting group hug.

Tears streamed down Dawn's cheeks as she expressed, "I'm so glad... I'm so glad you're both okay..." Dawn's sincere words and display of affection halted the petty quarrel between the two boys as they returned her embrace, and Curtis approached them, accompanied by Arthur and Bryce.

"You did it, Dawn!" Bryce exclaimed, offering her a fist bump.

"Yeah, you saved her," Arthur added, gesturing towards Mera, who stood among the surviving workers while Benny scolded her.

"You're now a true badass in my book," Curtis praised, offering his approval by giving her a thumbs-up before Isabella and Tana approached the group.

Isabella discreetly retrieved a small vial of water from her pocket hidden beneath her cloak and began treating Dawn's injured ankle with the assistance of Dyna.

"I'm so glad that you're safe. Excellent work, Dawn. I'm impressed," Isabella complimented her, and Dawn's face lit up with a cheerful smile.

In the distance, near the Iron Fortress, Pop and Evaughn stood silent. Suddenly, a Devil lunged at Evaughn from behind. Swiftly turning around, he delivered a powerful blow coated in Dyna, causing the Devil's head to burst. The headless corpse tragically crumpled to the ground.

Evaughn surveyed the battlefield littered with defeated Devils as he wiped his hands clean after a job well done and said, "It seems like that was the last one."

Sheathing his sword, Pop remarked, "Yeah, you truly saved us, Evaughn."

With a chuckle, Evaughn replied, "I certainly did, didn't I?" playfully with a hearty laugh, slapping the exhausted and injured Pop on the back.

"But how did you know we were in trouble?" Pop asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. He couldn't wrap his head around it. What had prompted Evaughn to make his way to the Iron Fortress, and more importantly, how had he arrived so swiftly? The initial order had been to regroup at the base.

"I didn't. I had no idea you guys were in trouble," Evaughn replied, his voice filled with bewilderment. "Tana and I were on our way here when we spotted the forest fire."

"Wait, so Tana is here too?" Pop blurted out. His eyes widened in surprise, taken aback by this new revelation.

"Yeah... Nozomu ordered us to make our way here. Why does that surprise you?" Evaughn inquired, his curiosity piqued by Pop's reaction, watching as he rubbed the back of his head, still trying to process it all.

"No, I'm not! I'm just surprised by how quickly you two made it here. It's easily a day's ride from the base," Pop reminded Evaughn, who stroked his beard contemplatively.

"You're right, but we came straight here from Nageama. We received a whisper from Nozomu, urging us to head this way as soon as we finished helping the townspeople settle in. It looks like he made a damn good call. Who would have guessed they would try to ambush us this far out?" Evaughn recounted, giving credit to Nozomu's foresight.

"That's our brilliant Commander for you, always thinking ahead," Pop muttered sarcastically. "Speaking of which, where did he go?"

"That's a good question, to be honest," Evaughn admitted, his gaze scanning the surroundings.

"He must have gone to check on the others. Let's get this fire under control before it burns what's left of the forest," Evaughn suggested as they turned to face the raging wildfire in the distance.