Chapter 27: Flames and Frost 5

Author: I returned the no harem title.

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Leo's mind was shrouded in noise. The element he absorbed from the Frostarm Lawachurl was not what he expected. The moment he touched it, the moment it entered his soul, a feeling of gladness and extreme comfort filled his entire being like a child reunited with his mother.

Yet it did not last. The energy spoke to him with malice and evil.

"Kill, Sin, Rage! Return to me! The abyss awaits!"

 Voices of multiple people rang in his mind. Yet for some reason, Leo knew that it all came from one being. With it, are memories that he didn't have. A father holding his daughter in his arms, an invasion too large to repel, people turning into monsters, and shouts of patriotism as an army marched to their deaths. It's the memories of the Lawachurl.

In his inner mind, Leon fought with madness. The urge to kill filled him and violence stemmed in his soul. His yellow eyes turned black and the aura of the abyss flowed inside him. 

In his body formed black tentacle-like tendrils and in his head formed a black horn made of abysmal energy.

The Frostarm Lawachurl charged at him ready to kill. At the corners of his vision, he saw Leon's figure running away. He felt rage and hate as the abyss amplified his negative emotions.

The Lawachurl raised its hand as it charged at him. Leon dodged the attack causing the Lawachurl to dive straight into the ground. Leo took this opportunity to send black tendrils to strike. 

The Lawachurl despite its huge body was quick on its feet as it dodged the attack. The black tendrils pursued the Lawachurl like bees. Realizing the attacks won't stop, the Lawachurl leaped high, his hands joined together, and raised it above his head intending to crush Leo.

Leo used the Black tendrils to pull himself out of its way to a nearby tree. The Lawachurl smashed the ground, and dirt and stones were scattered. In its arms, cryo energy formed. The Lawachurl raised its hand once more and smashed the ground and ice shards flew like a shockwave towards Leo. 

Using his newfound power, Leo covered himself with a shield of abysmal power. As the ice shards hit the ball of abysmal power, it shattered causing Leo to stumble backward. The force the shards carried was greater than what he imagined.

The Lawachurl did not wait for Leo to recover. It dashed toward him, leaving ice shards in its path. The Lawachurl then tackled Leo causing him to be thrown a few meters away.

Leo's whole body was covered in blood and the abysmal energy around him dissipated along with the madness it carried.

Now with a clear mind, Leo crawled in pain. His legs were broken, his bones cracked, and pain covered his whole body. The Lawachurl quickly approached him. It held Leo in his hands and raised him high. It roared in victory.

As the Lawachurl was about to crush him, a hint of red appeared in the corners of his vision. The Lawachurl roared in pain as a flaming sword slashed at his legs severing its tendons. The Frostarm Lawachurl kneeled and looked at the perpetrator.

Leon stood with his hands firmly holding a flaming knife. The flames engulfed the knife extending its reach and blazed in fiery hot flames. 

"Let my brother go!" Leon shouted.

Rage and anger were clear on the Lawachurl's face. But emotions did not hinder him. He knew his goal and ignored Leon; leaving him for later. With a strong motion, he raised his hand that was holding Leo. Leon did not let it happen and rushed to attack. Before the Lawachurl could bring down his arm, Leon slashed at its back causing it to yelp in pain and Leon continued to slash at him.

Finally, the Lawachurl's eyes turned red; it was consumed by rage and went berserk, causing Leon to step back in fright. The Lawachurl threw Leo and with his one leg, he kicked the ground propelling himself forward. Leon, with his newfound speed, rushed to meet its charge, but before they met, Leon slid down and slashed the chest of the Lawachurl.

The cryo aura around the Lawachurl dissipated. Leon instantly turned back and lunged at the Lawachurl, but the Lawachurl anticipated it and he was met with its giant hand. The Lawachurl caught Leon and threw him on the ground. With a thud, Leon puked a mouthful of blood.

The Lawachurl dragged its broken leg towards Leon and raised both his hands high. 

***

Leo on the side, was cheering for Leon; his body was too broken to move. When the Lawachurl caught Leon, his heart sank.

"No!!!"

As the Lawachurl threw Leon, Leo can't help but scream. In his vision, he could see Leon coughing a mouthful of blood, pain, and agony clear on his brother's face.

As the Lawachurl lifted its hands, Leo crawled with his broken body towards Leon. His vision was smeared with blood.

"No, stop!!! I beg you, please stop!"

'Not like this, no, please NO!!!!'

With great force, the Lawachurl swung its hand down. 

Leo watched as time seemed to slow down. In his mind flashed their promise, the vow they made and the dreams they shared. The world grew silent and slow, and a voice deep within him whispered.

"Take my hand. It is darkness, it is madness. Accept your true self, FIEND."

Leo's eyes turned reddish-black and everything that he has, has turned black. The remnants of the energy he has acquired have been corrupted, his sanity turned into madness. The world he sees turns red and black as he makes his decision. 

***

The witch watched as a constellation lit up. A lion with a Huge horn lit up the night sky. Earlier, the world saw a gentle but fierce light illuminate the sky, now, the world saw, a jet-black light, full of impurities and madness.

The witch chuckles after witnessing the birth of the ones who shall defile the fate of this world.

***

In front of Leo's madness appeared a whitish-black crystalline gem. Around it is a metal-like material with two spikes on the sides showing its Snezhanayan origin. 

Leo took it and the world returned to its usual speed. As the Lawachurl swung its hand, thick black tendrils stopped its motion. The black tendrils then stabbed its chest and with Leo's vision, formed a big ice shard. But the Lawachurl, in its berserk state, does not care. With all his might he swung his hand with so much force. To his surprise, thicker tendrils stopped as Leo floated in front of him.

"Hehehaha... HAHAHAHAHAHA" 

His laughter echoed throughout the forest. The Lawachurl felt extreme and primordial fear. He knew, that this would be the end of him. But in his memory, he still remembered their cause. To repel the abyss and bring peace to the people. He could not fall here, no. As a soldier, he shall do his utmost to struggle despite meaningless.

The black tendrils glowed red. Leo started absorbing his power directly. The curse of the hilichurls slowly left his body, yet the curse originated from the soul. With it, his soul was also getting absorbed.

With another loud roar, a dense energy formed in his mouth. The Frostarm Lawachurl spent all the elemental energy in his body to form this one attack. He aimed at Leo in point-blank range.

His consciousness slowly fades, his soul almost spent. With all his might he released the condensed cryo energy and fired.

Leo continued to laugh as the beam of ice was released. He didn't have time to dodge, he could not dodge.

The beam struck him, or so he thought. No pain or anything. In his vision, he saw Leon in front of him. He took the hit.

Tears fell from Leo's eyes, his eyes slowly returned to its yellow color.

"I'm sorry, Leo." Leon said as he fell unconscious.

"Leon, no no no no no no no no!!!!" He held Leon's body in his arms. The broken bones ached but his emotions overwhelmed the pain and numbed it.

"This is all my fault if I killed him fast..."

Leon's eyes then turned red once more as he screamed at the top of his lungs. The world around him shook and the Black tendrils raged, destroying everything in sight.

In that time, Polochko and Dmitri arrived.

"What the... Young master!" Polochko screamed, his eyes could not believe what he was seeing.

"Polochko! Master Leo is destroying everything, if this continues we'll get killed." 

Polochko realized the situation and opted for the best course they could take.

"Go to right, I'll go left. Let's knock the young master out first."

Together, they rushed forward. Their experience and expertise show with their every move. As they navigated the attacks of the tendrils, they got closer and closer to Leo, and finally, knocked him out.