Diana stood in the middle of the ruins, her bare feet covered in dust and ash. The sunrise painted the sky in soft golds and pinks, but the warmth did nothing to ease the cold pit in her chest. Her wide eyes held no wonder, only exhaustion.
Her family was gone, devoured by the monsters that tore through their home. She hadn't even had the chance to fight. She had only run, her small legs carrying her as far as they could before giving out.
Now, there was nothing left. Just the broken world around her and the silence pressing in.
Then—footsteps. Slow, steady. A figure stepped forward, shadow stretching long in the morning light. A hand reached out. The silver badge pinned to their chest gleamed, catching the sun.
"Stand proud, we lived another day, one day we can settle Mister End. We even arrested him, pulling him in a right security. And we have unlocked a new ability to erase people or write and draw them."
The little girl stood with her arms crossed, glaring up at the big oaf. Her face was smeared with dust, her small fists clenched at her sides.
"You big oaf!" she snapped, her voice sharp despite the exhaustion weighing on her limbs. "You stomp around like a dumb beast! I bet you crushed more buildings than the monsters did!"
The big oaf only chuckled, scratching the back of his head. His coat was torn, his knuckles bloodied, but his eyes held nothing but patience. Around them, the city lay in ruins—homes shattered, streets cracked, the air thick with smoke. Yet, people still lived, because he had pulled them from the wreckage with those same hands she insulted.
He knelt slightly, smirking. "Yeah? Well, you're still here, aren't you?"
The little girl huffed, kicking a loose stone. The big oaf just laughed.
"You're so talkative! I am okay. You are just trying to make me feel good, well I am not."
The big oaf shares a cake with the little girl.
"What's your name btw?"
The big oaf crouched down, resting his forearms on his knees as he looked at her. "Got a name, kid? You know I can repeat the question as much as I want." His voice was rough, but not unkind.
The little girl's lips pressed together. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her torn sleeve, her weight shifting from one foot to the other. She glanced at the ground, at the broken city around her, then back at him.
Names used to mean something. Her family would call hers with warmth, with laughter. But they were gone, and the ruins offered no comfort.
Her throat tightened. Trust was dangerous. Yet, the big oaf had saved her. He could've left her there, but he didn't.
She swallowed, eyes darting to the badge on his chest, then to his face. He was waiting, patient.
"…Diana," she finally said, barely above a whisper.
The big oaf grinned. "Nice to meet ya, Diana."
Three months had passed, and the last standing shelter had become more than just a refuge—it was a city of survivors. The Author Police station stood at its heart, towering over rows of makeshift homes and bustling streets filled with twelve thousand souls.
Smoke curled from cooking fires as volunteers handed out bowls of steaming stew. Children ran between tents, laughter breaking through the heavy air of exhaustion. A nearby hospital, its doors always open, housed the wounded, their scars proof of battles fought and survived.
Beyond the reinforced walls, silence stretched for miles. The monsters had been wiped out, erased without a trace, with the power of erasure from the Author Police.
The city stirred with life once more. Wooden beams rose where rubble once lay, and the sharp clang of hammers echoed through the streets. Markets lined the dirt paths, tables stacked with fresh produce and warm bread, the scent of spices mingling with the crisp morning air.
Buildings took shape, walls standing tall, their windows glowing with lantern light at dusk. Inside, neatly arranged beds filled the rooms, soft blankets folded at their edges. Doors creaked open to small but private spaces—each one a promise that, after so much loss, people could finally call this place home.
Mister End grins as the slow progress of these Peebles to build a city from scratch.
"Now we just need to set the battle." He can escape anytime wandering through streets and get back to his cell once more.