CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the crumbling rooftops of the impoverished district. Lucienne Solara, now nineteen, walked along the worn-out streets, her golden eyes scanning the familiar sights of home. Despite the years, nothing had changed. The same broken buildings, the same struggling people, the same endless cycle of hardship.

She sighed, her hands tucked into the pockets of her tattered jacket. She needed a job. Not just for herself, but for the woman who had raised her—the one person in the world who had cared for her like family. Her "grandmother," as she called her, had done everything to provide for her despite having so little. Now, it was Lucienne's turn to help.

But in this district, finding work was nearly impossible. Scams were rampant, thugs roamed freely, and even legitimate jobs barely paid enough to survive. She recalled her childhood, the constant struggle to find food, the desperate nights when she and her grandmother had gone to sleep hungry. She remembered how many times her meals had been stolen, how often she had been beaten when she tried to fight back.

Shaking away the memories, she exhaled deeply and forced a small smile. "It's in the past," she muttered to herself. "I just need to find something. Anything."

As she walked, her gaze caught a glimpse of something on a lamppost—a slightly worn-out flyer flapping in the wind. She stepped closer, reaching out to smooth the paper against the rusted metal pole.

HELP WANTED

Support Staff Needed at Demon Portal Outpost

Duties: Assisting injured soldiers, transporting supplies, general errands

Pay: $310 per week

Lucienne's eyes widened. That was more money than she had ever seen in her life. The job sounded dangerous—it was at an outpost near one of the demon portals, after all—but danger wasn't new to her. If anything, she had been surviving in a dangerous place her entire life. Without hesitation, she tore the flyer from the pole, clutching it tightly in her hands as she turned back toward home.

Her heart pounded with excitement. She burst through the front door, waving the paper in the air. "Grandma! Grandma! Look! I found a job!"

The elderly woman turned from the small kitchen, wiping her hands on her worn-out apron. Her expression softened at the sight of Lucienne's enthusiasm. "A job? What kind of job, my child?"

Lucienne eagerly handed her the flyer, watching as her grandmother's warm expression quickly shifted into one of concern. The woman's fingers trembled slightly as she read the details.

"No," she said firmly, shaking her head. "You cannot take this job."

Lucienne's smile faded. "What? Why not?"

Her grandmother looked at her with sad eyes. "It's too dangerous. It's too close to the demon portal. If anything happens to you—"

"I'll be fine," Lucienne interrupted. "I've lived in this district my whole life, Grandma. I've been beaten, stolen from, and fought for every scrap of food I've ever had. This job won't be any different. But the difference is—it pays. We need this. You need this."

Her grandmother sighed, placing a gentle hand on Lucienne's cheek. "I know you're strong, my dear. But my heart worries for you."

Lucienne held her gaze, determination burning in her golden eyes. "Please, let me do this. Just for one week. If it's too much, I'll come back. I promise."

For a long moment, her grandmother said nothing. Then, finally, she nodded with a sad smile. "Alright, my child. One week. But promise me you'll be careful."

Lucienne grinned. "I promise."

The next morning, she packed her few belongings—a spare set of clothes, a small knife for protection, and an old pendant her grandmother had given her when she was little. She hugged the elderly woman tightly before stepping onto the bus that would take her to the city.

As the bus rumbled forward, leaving the familiar streets behind, she gazed out the window. This was it. A new beginning.

Little did she know, this job would change her life forever.

---

The journey was long, but eventually, the bus entered the city. Lucienne's eyes widened in awe as she took in the towering skyscrapers, the dazzling lights, and the futuristic technology that adorned every corner. She had never seen anything like it.

"So this is the city..." she murmured, her heart pounding with excitement. It felt like stepping into another world.

The bus finally came to a stop at the terminal. Lucienne stepped off, gripping her small bag tightly. She knew she still had a long way to go. To save money, she had decided to walk the rest of the way to her new workplace—deep in the forest where the outpost was located. With the address from the flyer in hand, she set off on foot, determined to reach her destination.

Hours passed before she finally arrived at the edge of the forest. She glanced around, uncertain. "Is this really the place?" she muttered. The trees loomed over her, their dark silhouettes stretching endlessly into the distance.

Then, she heard it—a deep, guttural growl followed by the chaotic sounds of battle. The unmistakable roar of demons, the clash of metal, and the cries of soldiers filled the air. Her breath hitched as she took a hesitant step forward, drawn by the noise.

For the first time in her life, she saw them. The demons.

Unlike the grainy images she had seen on the old billboards in her district, these creatures were terrifyingly real. They loomed over the soldiers, grotesque and monstrous, their glowing eyes filled with malice. Lucienne stood frozen, her body refusing to move.

"Hey, kid! Get away from there! It's too dangerous!" A soldier's voice snapped her out of her daze.

Before she could react, a strong hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her away from the battlefield. She turned to see an older woman, her expression stern yet kind. "You're the new worker, aren't you? Come with me!"

Lucienne nodded quickly, following the woman through the chaos until they reached a makeshift camp. Inside, injured soldiers lay on cots, nurses and workers rushing back and forth with supplies.

The woman turned to her. "This is where you'll work. Your job is simple—bring supplies when needed, help transport the wounded, and listen to orders. Understood?"

Lucienne took a deep breath and nodded. "Understood."

Without hesitation, she threw herself into the work. She ran back and forth, delivering supplies, helping the medics, and carrying the wounded to safety. The sounds of battle still raged outside, but for now, she had a purpose.

This was just the beginning.

---

Lucienne wiped the sweat off her forehead, taking a deep breath as she sat on a crate near the supply tent. The camp was chaotic—soldiers groaning in pain, medics rushing around, and the distant sound of gunfire mixed with unearthly roars from the battlefield. She had never seen anything like this before.

Just as she was about to take a sip of water, a soldier ran toward the medical tent, his armor dented and stained with blood. His face was pale, his breathing ragged.

"Call headquarters! We need Divinaris support immediately! This demon is high-level!" he shouted.

The air grew heavy at his words. Conversations halted, and some of the medical staff exchanged uneasy glances. A high-level demon? Even with all the trained soldiers here, they still needed the help of a Divinaris?

Lucienne's heart pounded. She had seen the military advertisements about Divinaris—those blessed by the gods, the only ones truly capable of fighting demons. But she had never seen one in person.

A commanding officer grabbed the soldier by the arm. "How bad is it?"

"Bad," the soldier panted. "Our attacks barely hurt it. We've already lost several men. If we don't get help soon, we'll lose this entire outpost!"

The officer cursed under his breath before grabbing his radio. "HQ, this is Outpost 07. We're engaging a high-level demon and require Divinaris assistance. Repeat, we need Divinaris immediately!"

Static crackled over the radio as they waited for a response. The tension in the air was suffocating.

Lucienne clenched her fists. She had come here to work as a porter, to carry supplies and help the injured, but now she was seeing firsthand what it meant to be at the frontlines of the war against demons.

Her gaze drifted back toward the battlefield, where dark smoke and flashes of unnatural fire painted the sky. Somewhere out there, a high-level demon was wreaking havoc. And soon… Divinaris would come.

Moments later, they arrived.

Three Divinaris stepped onto the battlefield. The first was a tall woman with fierce eyes, flames dancing in her hands—an elemental fire user. Beside her was a massive man with a body like a fortress, his stance steady as the ground itself—an earth wielder. The last was a short, wiry man with a calm expression, green energy pulsing from his hands—one blessed with the power of plants.

Lucienne, filled with curiosity, used her break to sneak behind a tree, peeking at the battlefield. She wanted to witness their power firsthand. The moment they stepped forward, the tide of battle shifted.

The fire wielder hurled massive waves of flame, incinerating demons in her path. The earth user slammed his fists into the ground, summoning towering stone walls and crushing his enemies. The plant wielder extended his hands, roots bursting from the soil to ensnare demons, squeezing the life out of them.

Lucienne was in awe, her breath caught in her throat. She had never seen such power before.

But she was so entranced that she failed to notice a demon charging at her from the side.

"Hey, watch out!" a voice shouted.

A massive fireball flew past her, striking the demon mid-leap. The creature screeched before being reduced to ash. Lucienne gasped and turned to see the fire-wielding woman glaring at her.

"Why are you here instead of staying in the camp?!" she snapped.

Lucienne was about to respond when something strange happened. The other demons… turned their attention to her. Instead of continuing their assault on the Divinaris and soldiers, they fixated on her.

"Eh?!" Lucienne's eyes widened in confusion and panic as multiple demons rushed toward her.

Before they could reach her, the ground trembled, and thick stone walls shot up from the earth, surrounding her protectively. It was the work of the earth Divinaris.

Despite their confusion, the Divinaris didn't hesitate to protect her. The battle raged on, and when the last demon fell and the portal sealed shut, the earth wielder approached Lucienne.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his deep voice filled with concern.

Lucienne quickly bowed. "Ah, yes! I'm so sorry, and thank you!"

Without waiting for a response, she turned and ran back toward the camp, her heart still pounding.

Unbeknownst to her, the fire wielder remained where she stood, watching Lucienne with sharp, unreadable eyes, her gaze lingering even as the young woman disappeared into the distance.