...
Heavy eyelids struggled to open.
Dawn slowly regained consciousness and opened her drowsy eyes. She found herself tucked in a soft bed, her head felt unsteady as she tried to sit up.
Her surroundings were entirely different.
She was once upon a mountain top watching the world fall apart, then a deafening sound broke her eardrums, and her body went limp before she finally fell unconscious.
Having just woken up, it took some time for her vision to adjust to this new scene.
Starlight gently filtered through open windows, illuminating the surrounding beds and table; the table in front of her had clothing, closed bags, and paper.
To her left was Sun, who was out cold, his breathing shallow but consistent; to her right was Selene, also unconscious, but her breathing was disorderly.
"Selene..."
Dawn tried to move over and reach out for her friend.
"Hey! Lie back down!"
That voice stole her attention. A woman dressed in green robes entered the room. Dawn was stunned for a moment before retracting her hand.
The woman turned her back to Dawn and sat beside Selene, placing her hands over the latter's chest. It seemed like a similar healing method to what Sun used, although more refined, and the light was gentler on the eyes.
She looked behind her and glared at Dawn,
"Well...?"
Dawn's absent gaze flickered before she laid her head back down on her pillow, soothing that dizzying weight in her head. She watched as the woman treated Selene, and as her friend's breathing soon calmed.
"She is awfully pale among the other refugees."
The woman sighed to herself; Dawn's dry throat tickled as she tried to rouse her voice.
"Yes... She has always been like that..."
Solemnity fell upon the woman's face, but she never turned from treating Selene.
A few moments passed before she stopped, turning in her seat to face Dawn.
"You are the first to recover among the three dozen refugees, you must be awfully resilient."
Her words were gentle, but they hit Dawn with cold realization; hundreds of people fled the Star Gazing Settlement, yet only a handful had survived...
Half of her was glad, Sun and Selene had also escaped alive; the other half was not so delighted, not only did a vast majority of them not survive, her father also fell in combat against whoever--whatever--attacked them.
Dawn tried to raise her voice again, but a smooth hand was gently pressed against her throat,
"Shush, dear. I know you have questions, but you must rest right now. We are also waiting for the rest of your people to recover before we start addressing your situation."
The soft green light soothed Dawn's throat, her voice no longer strained, but she chose to remain silent as the woman suggested.
She sighed, looking at Dawn and leaving some form of consolation.
"You don't have to worry about your friend's conditions, or the safety of your people either. Currently, you are being held in the Central Medical Complex of Union Settlement."
"I am Doctor Viride, the lead Medical Officer of this complex, it has been six nights since we started to treat you all, and we will continue until everyone is properly treated."
"When that time comes, the Settlement Lord will see you all."
Dawn gave a weak nod before Doctor Viride left the room.
The room fell silent, save for the quiet breathing of her unconscious friends. Dawn suspected that Sun would be the next to wake up, the other refugees would follow thereafter, with Selene likely being the last.
However, she decided to just lie there before eventually falling asleep.
...
The next few nights went over like a dizzy blur.
Doctor Viride would enter to treat Selene, other attendants would occasionally visit to keep track of their conditions, sometimes catering to Dawn's needs.
Fortunately, it wasn't too long until she could properly move without help, so she started catering herself then on. Feeding, bathing, meditating; Dawn started to work back into her routine, and spent a lot of time alone.
The Central Medical Complex had an enclosed courtyard made for patients to rest outside in a safe and clean environment.
Dawn sat on a stone bench, it had a soothing, cold feeling. Closing her eyes, she reflected on the awe-inspiring battle she witness prior to falling unconscious.
A humanoid figure with a plume of mist for a head, and another figure with red flames for a head; that was what she roughly made out.
They resembled spirits, naturally born of the environment, manifesting mystical powers at birth. However, no spirit she had seen before had such a terrifying aura, let alone incredible might.
However rare they may be, few spirits can attain such power that rivals an Immortal, such as her father. Most spirits don't have such human appearances, either.
These two beings were unnatural, but their most defining traits were their mystical powers; different from the natural conjuring of spirits, and humankind's cultivation.
Dawn reminisced about the mist that almost wiped out their entire group, it was beyond terrifying, and incredibly disorientating.
Opening her eyes, Dawn sat up at the call of a young woman's voice. For now, she decided to push her thinking to the back of her mind and tune in to the present.
"Junior Dawn, Junior Sun has just awakened and wishes to see you."
Her eyes widened at the young woman's words, eagerly heading back to the room to see Sun.
...
Dawn opened the door, and there he was; Sun was laying down, but he was finally awake. Doctor Viride was also there, sitting by his side, she spared Dawn a glace as she entered.
"Dawn..." His voice was clear, but also weak, "Dawn... Where are the others?"
"You haven't told him anything yet...?"
Dawn questioned Viride, the latter shook her head slowly,
"He just woke up. Now that you are here, I think it is better if you explain the situation."
Dawn sighed and paused for a moment, considering her words.
Sun was powerful, once a 'Warrior', but ultimately became a 'Medical Expert'. He developed a connection with a great number of people in Star Gazing Settlement, he had great empathy and a strong sense of righteousness.
Nonetheless, she didn't hide any information from him.
Dawn explained their situation to him, and the fact that so few of them survived left Sun speechless. Viride continued the conversation, explaining how the other refugees are reaching healthier conditions and are likely to wake up soon.
Sun had a troubled expression, soon shaking his head tiredly before asking blankly,
"That is a relief, but how about Selene's condition? She doesn't seem to be getting any better..."
Everyone's attention was brought to the pale girl on the other side of the room.
Sun was worried; during their final moments in the mist, it felt like the whole sky was pressing down on them. Sun himself was struggling to breathe, let alone run, it must've been torture on Selene's weaker body.
"Her state isn't precarious, but she needs the most time to recuperate. It is likely going to take another ten-or-so nights for her to awaken."
Viride assured them, treating Sun's throat and chest with a warming green light before taking her leave.
Silence ensued for a moment.
Sun stared at the roof as he lay on his bed. Dawn sat on her own and faced him.
"How are you holding up?"
"Not too bad."
"..."
She turned her head and sighed deeply. Sun continued with tears in his eyes,
"I'm just glad that we survived..."
...
The following nights were mundane, the other refugees started to wake up one after another, causing the complex to be busier than the previous nights.
Most of the surviving refugees were the guards, the others were ordinary people. Altogether, their conditions were worse than Sun and Dawn's.
They stayed by the side of their pale friend while Viride and the other Medical Experts focused solely on the other refugees' recovery.
After another six nights, the other refugees were finally in proper health, the complex fell quieter once again. Dawn and Sun were still by Selene's side; fortunately, she was showing signs of finally waking up.
The starlight filtering through the open windows was slowly dimming. Falling hour slowly ensued.
Pale, fluttering eyelids open in the gentle light, eyes strained from an abrupt awakening.
"Cough, cough."
Selene sputtered as she writhed in her bed.
"Selene!"
Dawn and Sun both called, rushing to her side; Dawn was at her right side, gently holding her hand; Sun rushed to her left side, worried at his friend's relentless coughing.
In the spur of the moment, Sun gathered his hands and conjured a gentle but strong green light, pouring it into Selene's chest.
As the light was absorbed, Selene's coughing fit slowly came to a stop. It was then that Viride hurriedly entered the room. She spared no attention as she treated Selene, resting her hands on Selene's throat and chest.
The green light surged intensely before dimming. Viride managed to stabilise Selene's condition.
"That was quite the scare... You did well there, kid."
She praised Sun's quick action, but he felt no pride; worry continued to befall his face.
Selene was still, breathing heavily as she slowly came to her senses, her trembling vision steadied as she looked around the room.
"What..."
Before Selene could continue, something tickled her ear. Something tickled Dawn and Sun's ears, too. Like a gentle wind that felt pleasant on their minds.
"In three nights from now, during the third hour of Rising Hour, I, Immortal Union, will make my appearance if the Central Medical Complex's inner courtyard. I wish you are all well by that time, I will also be addressing your situation at that time."
With every refugee recovered, they were finally due an explanation behind their Settlement's destruction, and what their life would be like hereafter.
...