Everything burned on her body; and for the first time in her life, it hurt.

It took a moment for her to realize that she was screaming and writhing on the ground. All Dawn could see was white flame all around her, engulfing everything.

And then, as quickly as the pain had begun, it stopped, leaving her panting.

Slowly she strained to stand up, her ears ringing and her sight blurred with tears.

Her wings achingly arched behind her. But they were white now. She felt fundamentally different but she was still herself.

When her eyes cleared, she could make out Raphael, Balthazar, and Gabriel staring at her in awe. She still couldn't quite hear anything.

Just what exactly had happened?

Raphael took a step towards her, looking determined and annoyed.

Dawn whimpered, "don't touch me!" and swept her right wing around her, the flames brushing against the archangel in the process.

All at once, white light blasted from Raphael's eyes and mouth and he fell to the ground, disintegrating as he went until nothing was left.

Dawn shivered, horrified and confused as her hearing slowly came back.

"...awn?...at...at happened? Are you alright?"

She turned to see Balthazar walking towards her. She remembered the new white flame of her wings and took a step back.

"Don't...touch...me..." She said in a low and shaking voice.

"Dawn, love," Balthazar started again, smiling calmly. "I'm going to need you to calm down."

"My wings..." She was only half listening. "What's happening?"

"Your wings are bathed in holy flame," Gabriel explained, sounding amazed.

"Take a deep breath," Balthazar said.

Dawn closed her eyes and did as she was told. The flames calmed down to a low simmer but did not dissipate.

"Good, good. Now give me your hand." Balthazar extended a hand towards her.

"I-It's not safe..." She breathed.

"It will be if you stay calm," he explained. "You're made of holy flame now, just like us." He gestured to himself and Gabriel.

Taking a deep breath, she gingerly touched his hand with her fingers and when nothing happened, she felt herself begin to relax and suddenly felt very tired.

"Why did my flame destroy Raphael?" Dawn asked after a moment.

"You were scared and your instincts told you to use it as a weapon." Gabriel said. Dawn glanced at her wings.

"In other news," Gabriel continued. "I know how we can get this crack opened and closed real quickly...that is, if Dawn is up to it?"

Dawn ignored the exhausted trembling of her body.

"Anything to get out of here." She said.

"Great! Me and Balthazar are gonna hack away at the crack until it's weak enough for you to send a surge of your new power into it until it opens. We will then climb through to Gods dollhouse, and seal the hole with another surge of power. Comprende?"

Dawn looked at Balthazar questioningly.

"Right-o." He mumbled, taking out his Angel Blade and letting go of Dawns hand.

The two angels thrust the blades into the cracked bit of what looked like air until a hole big enough for a hand to slip through was achieved.

Quick as she could, Dawn placed her hand on the edge of the hole and focused all of her flames on it until she felt she would collapse from exhaustion.

The hole got bigger as pieces of the air around it shattered from her power. They swiftly stepped through and when they turned around to close the huge hole they had made, they saw it was already gone.

Dawn's knees gave out and her vision blurred; she'd used too much power.

Balthazar caught her and picked her up, letting her rest her head against his chest and slowly let unconsciousness take her.

"Son of a bitch...I never would have guessed..." Dawn heard Gabriel say under his breath before she passed out.