Repercussions of Battle
The Devil's grotesque bodies erupted across the terrain and throughout the Iron Fortress, shattering the mighty pillars of the structure and causing it to crumble and collapse. The resulting explosion only added fuel to the growing wildfire but also left all bystanders in shock.
"What in the world is going on tonight!? Can't we catch a break!?" Benny's voice pierced the chaos as he helplessly observed the fragments of his once-imposing stronghold plummeting into oblivion.
Bryce stood there, wide-eyed and speechless, his finger trembling as he pointed toward the Iron Fortress, now consumed by a swirling inferno, its flames dancing in hues of red and orange.
"What just happened...?" Arthur inquired, his voice filled with disbelief as the question escaped his lips. Isabella and Tana hurried to the cliff as their eyes fixed on the devastating aftermath of the explosion. The sight left them breathless, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of destruction.
"Tana, we can't let it spread any further."
"Yes, let's go."
"Recruits!" Isabella's commanding voice rang out, drawing the attention of the group. They swiftly fell into formation, stepping forward to the front of the bewildered crowd.
"Under Benny's supervision, your orders are to stay here with the others until our return. Understood?" Isabella asked, her demands answered with silent nods of acknowledgment from the newly assigned recruits.
Before anyone could react, Isabella and Tana harnessed the power of Dyna, propelling themselves down the treacherous cliff and into the dense, suffocating smoke and roaring flames.
"Hey! You two! Wait!" Benny's desperate plea echoed futilely after them, but they had already vanished beyond his reach, swallowed by the searing flames.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Benny's Iron Fortress, Nozomu hovered in the air as he spotted an earthen dome in the middle of the battlefield. Smoke billowed into the sky, tainting the air with an acrid aroma as the dome fractured and began showing signs of bursting, evidence of the intense explosion. Inside revealed Evaughn and Pop within its protective confines, a barrier hastily conjured by Evaughn to shield them from the explosive Devil bodies. Nozomu's eyes met with Evaughn and Pop's, and with a simple nod, an unspoken understanding circulated between them, which was to repress the wildfire.
Several hours later, the sun began to ascent beyond the horizon, casting its gentle rays upon the land. The sounds of nature reclaiming the scorched remnants of the once-verdant forest echoed throughout the area. A group of Benny's people huddled together, drawn to the mesmerizing glow of a massive fire before the ruined Iron Fortress, a bitter testament to the fierce trials endured. Within its fierce embrace lay the remnants of the fallen, reminiscent of the practices used in Artimia.
The air was heavy with grief, evident in the tear-streaked faces and subdued sobs that echoed throughout the gathering, touching the hearts of young and old alike. The recruits had been diligently aiding with the arduous task of cleaning up the wreckage of the collapsed building, meticulously scavenging through the debris for anything of value that Benny and his workers could find. Theo and David, working together as a team, had been focused on helping clear sections of the massive rubble. As they exerted themselves to flip over a sizable chunk of pillar, a sudden jolt of fear surged through Theo's veins, compelling him to leap back.
"David! Get back!" Theo's voice erupted in a panicked scream, his hand instinctively clasping over his mouth to stifle his outburst. Curiosity was piqued, and David cautiously approached the pillar, disregarding Theo's warning. But before he could investigate, Theo swiftly snatched him away, his urgent gesture signaling silence.
"You have a death wish or something?" Theo whispered, pointing to the pillar, his eyes locked onto something hidden beneath the rubble.
Carefully, David continued his creep toward it, his every move cautious and deliberate. David's eyes widened in astonishment as he glimpsed what Theo had discovered. Hearing Theo's cry from earlier, Isabella, Tana, Benny, and Marco sprinted to their location, joining the unfolding scene.
"What's going on!?" Isabella's voice rang out, her hand brandishing a whip crafted from water, while Tana's fist emanated scorching flames. David directed their attention to the cleared debris, compelling Isabella and Tana to approach with a mix of curiosity and surprise. Their eyes widened as they found the damaged yet miraculously intact Devil. The others gathered around, joining them to witness the unsettling scene firsthand.
"So, this is what they look like up close," Marco muttered, visibly taken aback by the intricate anatomy of the Devil.
"Is it dead?" Isabella pondered the perplexing situation as her gaze fixated on the enigmatic creature before her companions.
"Everyone, step back. We have no idea what might happen," Tana reasoned, prompting the others to retreat, providing her with more space. Intently studying the lifeless form of the Devil with heightened attentiveness, Tana responded to her comrades with a newfound sense of intrigue.
"It's certainly dead... But these things, these Devils, you called them? Their anatomy is fascinating, but unlike the others we've encountered during the clean-up, this one didn't explode," Tana remarked, with an intriguing grin playing upon her lips as she captured the group's attention with her analysis.
Benny turned to Isabella and Tana, a hint of uncertainty in his voice as he asked, "What should we do with it?" Tana responded, her tone earnest. "We'll leave that decision up to the Commander."
As the mound of victims continued to burn, casting an eerie glow alongside the sunrise, Nozomu, Pop, and Evaughn emerged from the depths of what was left of the forest, approaching the others. Isabella and Tana made their way toward them, meeting halfway, their strides purposeful and filled with relief and anticipation. Nozomu directed his gaze toward what remained of the Iron Fortress, studying it intently before his eyes shifted to the blazing piles of bodies in the mound.
"Hey, you guys!" Isabella called out, relieved for the reunification with all her comrades for the first time since their departure from Artimia.
"I'm glad to see you're safe, Isabella. How did things go on your end?" Nozomu responded, his voice carrying a trace of curiosity and concern, prompting Isabella to take a deep breath before she replied, sharing the details of the mission.
"We managed to evacuate most of the workers to safety, but in total, we suffered thirty-three casualties on Benny's side... They fought with immense courage up until the very end. Also, as you can see, we lost the Iron Fortress..."
As Isabella reported the details to Nozomu and the others, it was clear that she was fighting to suppress her emotions before gesturing towards Benny, standing solemnly before the wreckage of the ravaged stronghold.
"And what about the recruits? How did they do?" Nozomu inquired, abruptly diverting the conversation as his gaze focused on Isabella.
"To my surprise, they exceeded all expectations. They rose to the challenge and executed my orders diligently. Honestly, Nozomu, I have high hopes for this incoming class. So, please, let's not discourage them, okay?" Isabella replied, her voice radiating with pride.
"I see... Well done, both of you," Nozomu commended, his words offering his praise with admiration for Isabella and Tana's exceptional efforts.
"Nozomu, you won't believe what we found," Tana interjected, resuming the report, a flicker of astonishment apparent in her words. "We found a Devil."
"Hold on! For real!? Weren't they all destroyed in the explosion they caused?" Pop interjected, confusion written all over his face as he tried to make sense of Tana's statement.
"I thought so, too, until the recruits stumbled upon it. It's dead for sure, but surprisingly, the body survived the explosion," Tana stated, and Pop's eyes opened wide at Tana's answer.
"It's still intact!?" Pop exclaimed, prompting a swift smack on the head from Evaughn.
"Please, Pop, let them finish their report," Evaughn said, reprimanding him for his outburst.
"Okay, fine..." Pop grumbled, massaging his head while obediently falling silent.
"After a thorough examination, it appears that whatever method used to trigger the Devils' detonation malfunctioned in this particular case," Tana explained, continuing her report as Nozomu considered the new information.
"Hmm, fascinating," Nozomu remarked, his tone evoking an air of stoicism.
"I know, right!? I said the same thing!" Tana burst out, unable to contain her excitement, as she turned to Nozomu for guidance. "But what do we do with the body?"
"We'll bring it back with us... Tana, I want you to extract every ounce of data about these Devils. We need to learn as much as we can about our new adversaries," Nozomu ordered, striding past Tana and Isabella and heading toward Benny.
"Yes, sir!" Tana replied before redirecting her attention to Evaughn and Pop.
"Please tell me you guys managed to capture the person responsible for this," Tana implored, but their grave headshakes indicated otherwise.
"It was Section Commander Five, and no, we didn't," Pop answered, his response filled with frustration.
"Section Commander Five...? You guys let him escape again!?" Tana scolded the two, her frustration seeping through her tone and words.
"Now listen here, hothead. You weren't the one fighting against seventy of those Devil things—" Pop began, but before he could finish his sentence, Tana's body erupted in flames as she stepped forward menacingly.
"And who the hell are you calling a hothead?" Tana retorted, surprisingly composed in her delivery as she challenged Pop, firing a flurry of flames at him.
"Tana... Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Pop shouted, soaring into the air to evade Tana's fiery barrage.
"Tana, relax. Take a deep breath and calm down. Nozomu informed us that he pursued the Section Commander. He used the detonation of the Devils as a diversion to escape," Evaughn explained, attempting to reason with the enraged Tana.
After successfully calming Tana down, Evaughn watched Pop, who had just landed safely, brushing off the black scorch marks from his cloak, relieved that Evaughn ended Tana's rage without mishaps.
"He should consider himself lucky that I have such a forgiving nature, don't you agree, Evaughn?" Tana remarked, and Evaughn nodded in agreement as the two shared a genuine laugh that echoed through the air, carrying the weight of their recent adrenaline-filled escapade.
"Yeah, yeah... Anyway!" Pop interjected, swiftly changing the topic and diverting the attention away from himself. "So, where are the recruits?"
"Don't be so sensitive," Tana chimed in, causing the rest of the group into a round of laughter. At that moment, it felt like their first taste of true peace in a long while.
"They're lending a hand with the clean-up," Isabella replied, turning her attention to Pop. "Honestly, Pop, I never would have imagined you to be concerned for them. That's surprisingly sweet of you."
"I never said I was worried about them..." Pop said as a cringe registered on his face before Isabella interjected, unable to resist teasing him. "Aw, come on, Poppy. Don't be like that."
Evaughn and Tana broke into a round of laughter as the group continued to tease Pop. "Shut up! I'm not worried about them!" Pop yelled, but his outburst met with even more laughter, and at that moment, it felt like their first taste of peace within an eternity of strife.