Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Leonna's POV

As the wind blew aggressively pass my face and the moon shines brightly down on me I couldn't help but feel relieved, its been years since I last went to the forest and even though it was a long time ago, it still feels home.

I smiled unconsciously….. Wait for me.

"Hyahhh!!" I shouted as I snap Mighty's rein. Mighty ran faster than he did before. Its been a few minutes since the tournament started, I looked behind me to make sure that no one is following me.

I sigh in relief when I could see anyone behind me, but even so I couldn completely put my guard down, the forest is eeriely quiet tonight far from what I had expected.

Mighty continued on running I don't even know where we are but still we didn't stop.

Minutes pass and we stumble upon a lake. I gently pulled Mighty's rein to make him stop.

When he did, I hop off of him and guided him towards the lake.

"This should be far enough, good job Mighty. Please take a rest for a while." I said to him.

It looks like he understood what I said, he bowed his head and rub it against my face before drinking some water from the lake.

'Now what?'

Where do I go now? Ha.

The first thing to do is go to sili's volcano, the problem is I dont know where that is!

Argghh!!!!

"Its so frustrating!" I yelled and shuffled my hair aggressively in frustration.

A sudden rustling sound from the bushes nearby halted me from my feet.

"Who's there?!" I shouted, I quickly took my daggers out.

"I'll give you three second to show yourself." I said, but it looks like whoever it is has no plans on revealing himself.

"One..." I started counting, hoping whoever it is would come out.

"Two!" I shouted angrily as I clenched my daggers tightly

"Three!!" I was about to attacked when--

"W-wait! Wait! I'll come out!"

Then a guy suddenly came out of the bushes. He has green hair, black eyes a little chubby and has a lot of pimples on his face.

Who is he? Have I encountered him before the tournament? What if its Lionel? Or the twins?

With that thought in mind, I immediately put my guards up.

"Who are you?" I asked in a firm tone, I could see him flinched at my hostility.

"W-we met at the h-hall earlier."

We met? Who?

"Don't lie. Who are you?" I said, asking him once again.

This time I pushed him a little further by throwing the daggers at him.

He shrieked in fear and immediately sat down and covered his head with his hands.

This guy didn't even bother to hide his trembling body and tearful face.

His attitude, demeanor and even the way he speak, is nothing like Lionel or Trex.

Those two are most likely the ones that would want me dead the most, but I have met them a couple times and with those meetings alone I know that those two are prideful idiots.

They would never pull something like pretending to be weak. But just to be sure---

"I-I was the one w-who told y-you about t-the s-scavenger hunt." He answered in a shaky low voice.

I began ransacking my memories to find what he was talking about---it took me a minute to finally remember the twig like guy I briefly talked to in the hall.

"Ha. Are you that twig like guy I talked to in the hall?" I asked in disbelief.

He started fidgeting his fingers and couldn't even look at me in the eyes.

"I-im sorry..." he mumbled.

"Why did you follow me? Where is your horse?" I asked, I'm still suspicious about him.

"I-I dont know." He answered. I look at him dumbfounded.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I-I fell o-of my horse."

Ha I look at him in complete disbelief and suspicion.

"I-I dont know how to ride a horse well, I-I wanted to follow you but you were so fast that I fell off my horse and my horse ran away." He stated, I can see tears on his eyes.

"So its my fault?" I asked.

"No! N-no that's not--" he said in a panic voice.

"Why did you follow me?"

This twig flinched as if I just busted him of his plans.

"I-I just wanted to."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Are you going to kill me?"

"No! I would never dare!" This time I was caught off guarded at his sudden loud voice.

Urggh.

"So? What do you want? Surely you wouldn't follow me if you won't kill me." I said coldly.

He was still shaking, and he couldn't even look at me in the eyes. No matter how I look at it he looks pitiful.

"I-I just---"

Hmmmm.... what would he say?

But time passes by and he couldn't say anything, he just stood there shaking and mumbling words I couldn't understand.

I sigh in frustration, he looks harmless but that doesn't mean I trust him.

I turned around to get Mighty and was about to leave when he shouted--

"I-I Want to be your partner!!!"

My eyes widen in surprise hearing him shout at the top of his lungs, looks like I wasnt the only one who was surprise because he looks surprise himself.

He was catching his breathe pretty hard after shouting.

I could see how much courage he had to collect just to say those words.

"I-Im sorry.... I didn't mean to shout." He said this time he didn't held his tears back.

'What am I supposed to do with him?'

I didn't answer him instead I went to Mighty and hop on his back.

I could see his disappointment in his face when he saw me got on my Horse.

I guided Mighty at his direction. "If you dare try anything funny, I'll kill you without mercy." I threaten him.

I hope I'm making the right choice.

Instead of fearing my threat he looks like he just won a lottery, his face brighten up and his eyes sparkled in happiness.

He nodded is head aggressively. "Yes! I promise I wont stand in your way."

I sigh in defeat, I extended my hands at him. He was reluctant to take it at first but he did eventually.

I pulled him up to help him get on Mighty's back.

"T-thank you."

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Gideon."

-

BACK at the palace Leon busted through the room where the seven Emperors are watching the the tournament.

"Leon!" Emperor Vincent shouted in a panic seeing how dark Leon's face is.

"Relax Grand Duke---"

"Explain it to me." Leon said in a firm cold voice, even though the Emperors wanted to show dominance they still felt chills down their spine.

"Y-you see its like this--" Emperor Vincent then explained everything to Leon, how the magic pill didn't work on Leonna.

"Let me try that magic pill." Leon stated, Vincent then called on the high priest.

The high priest gave Leon a sample of the transforming pill.

"Your grace this is the magic pill thay lady Leonna took." The high priest stated.

Leon took the pill after taking it, minutes pass and nothing happened.

"See. It didn't work on you, it means the pill is not catered to your blood Leon." Vincent stated convincing Leon that it was not their intention to put Leonna at an disadvantage.

Leon closed his eyes shut, and sigh in frustration. He clenches his fist in anger.

"Grand Duke, the little lady wanted to participate despite knowing this." Emperor Finion stated but his sincerity could not be felt, instead he smiled condescendingly.

Leon felt defeated, there was nothing he could do but wait.

---

"What kingdom are you from?" Leonna asked Gideon.

"I'm from the kingdom of Bonitiote." He answer shyly.

Hmmm....Leonna thought for a second, she's thinking if she had ever encountered someone from Bonitiote aside from him.

"Why are you alone? Where are the other representative of your kingdom?"

Gideon upon hearing Leonna's question was sadden at the situation he was in.

"T-they didn't want me to be a part of their team." Gideon answered with his head down.

"Why?" Leonna asked.

"Well they didn't think they would need me, they said I would just hold them down if I team up with them."

With that answer Leonna was confused, as if a sudden realization pop up in her head.

"How come you were selected as a participants anyway? I don't want to be mean but you don't look like the kind of person who would survive in the hunting tournament."

Leonna remembered what her father said to her that only the best of the best in the kingdom get to participate in the hunting tournament.

Although Leonna is still young her unique powers has set her at a pedestal thus making her one of the best talent in the Ruby kingdom.

Gideon smiled sadly, "You're right, I wasn't really the type to participate in a hunting tournament, I'm not athletic I don't know how to wield a sword and I can't even ride a horse to save my life."

"Then why are you here? Surely you have a reason for participating."

"I was force to...I didn't want to but it was an order from the Emperor that I participate-- "

Gideon then chuckled awkwardly and smiled as he scratches the back of his neck.

"-- I may not look like it but I'm pretty good at healing magic and even creating medicine, I was even considered top of my class back at Bonitiote.

Maybe that's why the Emperor choose me to participate in the hunting tournament. They need someone who would fill the gap of being the healer in the team but when we arrive here at the Ruby kingdom, they just abandoned me...."

Listening to Gideon's explanation Leonna felt sympathy towards him.

"Sorry to hear that, but just to let you know I don't plan on winning the tournament, I have other reason in joining."

"It doesn't matter, I just wanted to stick with you..." Gideon stated.

The moment Gideon saw Leonna at the hall he knew that he has to stick around Leonna if he want to survive.

He didnt know if Leonna would accept someone like him, or if she would kill him but It was a gamble he was willing to take.

Leonna just had this aura in her that shows power and dominance, whether she knew it or not.

Gideon knew that his only way of survival is through her.

"Ok. If you say so..." Leonna left their conversation at that.

Minutes pass and the two of them are still wondering around the forest.

"Ah-ahm. Where are we going?" Gideon asked.

"Of course to the Sili's volcano to get that stupid flag." Leonna answered.

"Do you know where the Sili's volcano is located?"

"No. How about you?"

"I read from a book that the sili's volcano is also called "the vanishing volcano" at night, because of the black trees surrounding the volcano its hard for a normal human to see its location, only when the light of the sun touches the tip of the volcano can you truly see its location."

Leonna stopped and turned her head at him. "Are you sure about that?!" Leonna asked in surprised.

Because Leonna was too focus on training to control her powers the past two months that she didn't really had the time to read anything about the forest of the Ruby kingdom.

Gideon flinched in surprised. "I-i read it in a book"

Leonna sigh, [if its true then now I know why they had to start the tournament at midnight.]

"I'll trust that book of yours." Leonna said to Gideon, Gideon hearing Leonna's answer smiled and blushed.

"Then what's our plan?" He asked.

"If what you read is true, the other participants are already in position waiting for the sun to rise. We have to find a perfect position aswell." Leonna answered.

She then kick Mighty lightly to order him to run. Gideon surprised at Leonna's action hugged her in a panic in order not to fall.

Leonna didn't seem to mind as she didn't complain about Gideon hugging her.

"Where are we going?" Gideon asked.

"There. That would be our spot." Leonna pointed at a nearby tree. It was tall and big a perfect spot to wait for the sun.

-

[End of Chapter]