Chapter 32- Battle in the courtyard

Walking into the courtyard Leon is met with a group of people. Quickly taking in the surrounding people Leon finds many of them are workers who have gathered due to the commotion, but his main concern is what is happening at the centre. Alongside Hela there is a woman with three men behind her. Looking at the woman, he deduces she is likely some family member, possibly an older sister or cousin of Hela's based on the similar red hair only differentiated by the slight streak of silver in it. The men behind her are all elegantly dressed in loose colourful robes. The cause of Leon's deep rage was the fact the woman was demeaning Hela. Using her foot, she was attempting to make her face kiss the gravel at their feet.

"You dare return, you shame of the Reinhart's. I should have gotten rid of you," Annabelle's voice dripped with disdain for Hela, glaring down at her all the while.

"Indeed, it's embarrassing that she would come back, such thick skin," one of the men adds with a scoff.

"Annabelle!" Hela tries to get up, shouting at her as flames gather at her right hand. The effort proves for naught as the woman extinguishes it before kicking her back.

"Is this what the elder wished for me to prevent?" the woman who had been sent to watch, saw the scene unfolding asked herself. Before she could interject herself between them, she saw the man she was ordered to follow jump into action.

Leon having gathered that the situation was precarious for Hela, he approached quickly, drawing his hand back to strike the woman. With great speed, he throws his fist. The woman, with lightning-fast reflexes, jumps back a few steps.

"How dare you interrupt me?" the woman displeased with the interruption snarls. Hela now free stands up behind Leon.

"Leon, you must go. She can't kill me, but she won't hesitate for you," she pleads. Leon when he looks at her hurt, bruises all over her body, can only see red.

"Oh, is this your man. He seems like a toy that will be fun to play" Annabelle sarcastically jeers.

"Let me bring you his manhood, my love. Surely it must be fun feeding it to her?" the man speaks with malice. Drawing his sword, he gives Leon a sinister smirk.

"That does sound fun. David, John, and Hector bring it to me" the delight about her newfound fun is evident in her words.

"Run, Leon" she begs, as the men step forward, their auras emanating from their bodies.

The thought of running was absent from Leon's mind, his feet stood firm amongst the pebbles. 'These scum must be put in their place. They are a cancer for humanity.' Having decided that he must put a stop to their evil, he draws his sword. The action carrying great weight in his mind, having deemed the situation 'necessary' to show the vampiric sword he was always reluctant to show. As Leon unleashes his own aura, the surrounding crackle with electricity. Since the consumption of the wyvern cores his power had dramatically grown. The enemies before him, that would have previously caused him to tremble, now appeared as mere lambs.

In just a few seconds, the situation had become critical. The watcher, having seen this, charges forward, trying to cover what feels like a massive distance as quickly as possible. The first man had already charged forward. His black blade radiated a white light. Seeing his attack, the stones at Leon's feet levitated from the current running through them. At the next instant, his body vanished from sight. Even the woman who was a paladin was unable to see his movements.

The next time he appeared, his sword had already been swung. The fluid motion had caused the black blade to hover in the air, his hands still attached. The man didn't even feel the slice which had removed his hands. Before he can even acknowledge his loss, or the other men can come forward the word 'thunder' rings through Leon's head. With the word Lightning surged through the air. Slamming the sword into the ground, a huge bolt that had been created in the air strikes. The sparks, electrifying the surrounding men. Leon watches as the three others scream in agony. Leon, prepared for the blast and having some resistance to the lightning remained mostly unscathed. With the onlookers all shocked at the scene, the woman puts herself between them.

With the newly arrived person, Leon's hairs tingle. 'This person is much stronger than me,' he quickly gauges. Although he feels the gulf in power, unable to back down he speaks. "If you are with them, you will fall just the same."

The words leave the woman with just as much shock, 'Is he saying he will fight me?' Such a challenge had become foreign to the woman. In the last decade since she had joined the Reinhardt's, the only person who would think to challenge her was Octavia, a rather special case. "Do you not know what this badge means?" pointing to the golden flame badge on her armour.

"No" Leon having never seen it can only respond thusly.

"It means I am a certified paladin. Of the fifty that have this badge I am ranked 13th. You, young man, are suggesting you will fight me, the great flame Bertha?"

"If you intend to stand against me and side with these vermin," Leon firmly states.

"Vermin? How dare you say to about the partners of Annabelle Reinhardt" the woman hearing the insult yells.

"You are included in that," Leon responds sharply, trying to put her in her place

"You…" Annabelle's face contorted in fury, as one of the leading heirs of the Reinhardt's she had never been so disrespected by an outsider.

"Stop, both of you. This squabble will no longer continue" Bertha commands, trying to wrest control over the situation.

As the standoff remains tense a man exits the courtyard building with an elderly man behind him dressed like a butler. Leon watches as Hela's complexion eases somewhat at the man's entrance.

The man, looking to be somewhere in his early to mid-thirties, with short light brown hair walks towards them. "Annie, is that not enough. Do you not fear the repercussions of today, directly going against the house's chief knight and paladin?"

Seeing the situation was slowly falling out of her control Annie had decided to leave. Leon still prickly about before but seeing the change in mood, watched as she left. The men limp behind her. With all of them mumbling words of unfinished business as they leave. With the situation defused, Bertha disappeared.

"Everyone back to work," with his command the surrounding workers swiftly disperse. With them gone, a slight worry crosses his face as he turns to Hela "Daughter, are you alright? Come here." Holding out his hands, Hela buries her face into his chest. "I'm alright father, Leon helped me."

"Wilhelm, pass me over a healing potion," his calm and commanding voice signals to the man behind him. The butler promptly produces a vial with a green liquid from his jacket, carefully passing it to his master's outstretched hand. Giving the potion to Hela she opens it and begins drinking. Seeing her injuries dissipating, his eyes drift over to Leon, making an assessment of the young man before him. "This must be Leon. What a good man you've brought with you" having seen the man's willingness to helps his daughter and the strength to make it happen, his voice carries some approval.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Leon," he stretches out his hand, to shake his hand pausing himself as he thinks carefully about his next words. "I'm Hela's partner" having come to the decision, he introduces himself as such.

Hela mumbles under her breath, "partner," before she turns round to look at Leon.

With his introduction, the man shakes Leons hand. "I'm Hela's father, Adam Vest, it's good to know that my daughter has found someone capable" he responds sincerely. Turning back to his daughter he mentions, "alright, there is a family meeting happening at the moment, preparation for tomorrow. You need to join and you should bring Leon with you there." Having said his piece, he heads off towards the main hall, Leon and Hela following slowly behind.

"You're my partner?" Hela's voice carrying a bit of bashfulness. She had never thought that Leon would openly call her 'partner,' a term befitting a pair that would be joined together, their rise and falls to be same.

Leon had thought deeply about the decision. Having been charmed by Hela was only one of the facets of it. He wasn't able to so easily tell her that he wished to forge an unshakable family. One that would be able to fight off humanities enemies. Having come to the decision that he wouldn't be able to do it himself, that in the grand scheme of things he was weak and could not be everywhere. This proved to be his best choice.

"Yes, we are partners until my promise is fulfilled. Also, Hela, if you wish, I would have you stay by my side in the future and become a part my family," Leon tries to convey his intentions for the future. The effort left the pair feeling slightly embarrassed.

As they both fall silent, they reach the main hall. Entering the heavy wooden doors, Leon lays his eyes on the bright expansive room.