Episode 9: Unyielding Resolve In The Darkness

Leo's eyes flickered with determination as he stood up, his head held high despite the pain throbbing in his body. The grueling battle had left him battered, but he refused to succumb to his injuries. "Let's go, Agni'Dalia," he said with a hoarse voice, the taste of blood still lingering on his lips. "At least you got out in one piece."

Bending down, Leo lifted the exhausted wyrmling in his arms. She was heavier than he expected, but he welcomed the weight as a reminder of his newfound purpose. The ordeal he had just endured had pushed his physical limits to the brink, leaving his muscles strained and his senses overwhelmed. Yet, a strange numbness engulfed him, as if his body had shut off all sensations to cope with the overwhelming events.

With Agni'Dalia cradled close to him, Leo made his way towards the cover of the woods. His footsteps were heavy and unsteady, but his resolve pushed him forward. "We have to get you cleaned up," he murmured, the words partly to reassure the wyrmling and partly to reaffirm his commitment to protect her.

Agni'Dalia nuzzled her head against Leo's body, expressing her silent gratitude and seeking comfort in his presence. Despite the turmoil they had faced, a bond had formed between them—a bond forged in the crucible of battle and sacrifice.

As Leo turned, disappearing into the darkness of the woods, he seemed to blend with the shadows, becoming one with the enigmatic night. Unknown to him, the dark figure stood at the wood lines of the village, their malevolence concealed by the veil of darkness. Their cold gaze fixed on Leo's back, their mind calculating and sinister.

"Oh, Leoboirn, so you have a new pet, I see?" the figure sneered, their voice laced with malice. "No issue, it will be resolved. But you forgot about a special someone." The corners of their lips curled into an evil smirk, which soon escalated into a chilling, villainous laugh that echoed through the night.

With an eerie glint in their eyes, the figure shifted their gaze to the far right of Leo, where an ominous presence loomed. The darkness seemed to coalesce, forming a shape that appeared both unnatural and foreboding. The air itself seemed to shiver in fear, as if anticipating the malevolence that was about to unfold.

As Leo ventured deeper into the woods, unaware of the sinister forces lurking in the shadows, his heart remained burdened with grief and determination. The path ahead was uncertain, and the weight of his losses weighed heavily on his soul. But with Agni'Dalia by his side and his father's legacy in his heart, he trudged onward, ready to face whatever challenges fate had in store for him. The journey towards an uncertain destiny had only just begun, and Leo was determined to embrace it with unwavering courage.

"C'mon, we're almost there. Keep pushing, Mister," Aurora urged, her voice a mix of determination and concern, as she continued to carry the injured villager to safety. The villager's coughs were incessant, and his weight bore heavily on Aurora's shoulders. She slowed their pace, guiding him to sit against a sturdy tree. As she looked at him, she couldn't help but notice the blood covering his body—evidence of the peril they had endured.

"Don't give up just yet, sir. We've got this," Aurora encouraged, though worry gnawed at her heart. She glanced around, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of Leo, the valiant friend who had charged into battle. Just then, she heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching. Turning her attention to the figure emerging from the shadows, she noticed the man's all-black armor and dark hood obscuring his face. His hair, as bright white as Leo's, peeked out from under the hood. Twin short swords hung at his hips, adding to his enigmatic aura.

"Look, look, someone's coming to help. It looks like Leo got some fancy armor!" Aurora exclaimed, trying to buoy the spirits of the injured villager.

But Leo's focus was elsewhere—he felt the searing burn of his mark, warning him of imminent danger. He gently laid Agni'Dalia down, their journey to the cave finally reaching its destination just in time. Overwhelmed and weakened, Leo collapsed, unable to move further. Strangely, he found himself seeing through the mysterious man's eyes, as if he were witnessing the scene from a different perspective.

Aurora's voice called out to him, but before he could respond, the man snapped his fingers, and Aurora was sent flying through the air, crashing into a nearby tree. The man approached the injured villager, seemingly intent on helping, but there was something sinister lurking beneath his facade. At Aurora's warning, the man turned to her, his malevolent grin sending shivers down her spine.

"Don't you hurt him! He needs urgent help," Aurora pleaded, summoning every ounce of courage she had left.

"That's what I'm here for," the man replied, his voice dripping with sinister amusement.

With a chilling gesture, he approached the injured man, bending down to meet his gaze. In one swift, ruthless motion, he pierced his fingers through the man's eyes, extinguishing his life in an instant. The cruel act left Aurora trembling in fear and disbelief.

"You... You killed him!" she stammered, her voice quivering with horror.

The man wiped the blood from his fingers with a nonchalant air. As he walked towards Aurora, she attempted to retreat, but fear rendered her efforts futile. He closed in on her, his menacing presence suffocating her.

But Aurora's defiance didn't waver. She lashed out, kicking at the man's nose with all her strength, leaving him reeling. Enraged, he advanced towards her, his intent to inflict harm evident. Aurora tried to scramble away, but he effortlessly caught her by the ankle. She fought back, kicking him repeatedly in the nose, causing blood to flow.

"You slimy tree-thumper, you'll regret that!" the man growled, infuriated by Aurora's defiance. He approached her once more, intending to harm her, but she was quicker this time, trying to escape his grasp.

Suddenly, his arm reached out, and Aurora was lifted off the ground, caught in the vice-like grip of his hand. Held by her neck, she struggled, her voice crying out for help. The man's grin widened as he whispered menacingly to her.

"You can scream for help, little one. I'm sure he can hear you," he taunted, suggesting that Leo was nearby and helpless. With a wink, he tossed Aurora over his shoulder, silencing her cries for aid.

"Help! Leo!" Aurora screamed, her voice filled with desperation, her arms and legs flailing in a desperate bid for freedom. The darkness of the woods seemed to echo her cries, but whether salvation would come or not remained uncertain. Leo lay incapacitated, witnessing this horrifying scene through the enigmatic man's eyes, unable to act. As the night closed in around them, the shadows seemed to deepen, concealing both hope and despair within their embrace.

Leo's consciousness slowly returns, and he rubs his eyes, trying to shake off the lingering haze of unconsciousness. Confusion clouds his mind for a moment, but then he recognizes the voice—dark and malevolent—it's the figure from before.

"This man made his last mistake. I will kill him if Aurora is hurt by just a scratch," Leo declares with determination, springing to his feet. His thoughts are consumed by the urgency of the situation. "Let's go, Agni'Dalia. Aurora is in trouble. I'M COMING, AURORA!"

With an adrenaline-fueled burst of energy, Leo charges out of the cave, guided by the vision he had experienced. He vividly remembers this location from the day he and Asher were strolling back from the city, Agni'Dalia sitting there with curiosity. Leo halts for a moment, realizing Agni'Dalia hasn't moved.

"C'mon, Agia!" he urges, waving his arm in a come-on motion. "There'll be people for you to eat," he adds with an excited tone, attempting to entice her with the promise of 'Treats.'

Agni'Dalia, though glaring at Leo for disrupting her peace, can't resist the lure of a potential snack. Reluctantly, she rises and runs towards Leo, licking her lips to let him know she accepted the bribe.

"Then let's get going, lazy lizard," Leo chuckles, patting her head affectionately before sprinting ahead.

"Grrr..." Agni'Dalia grumbles, her lips curling above her teeth, but she obediently follows Leo.

Upon reaching the site Leo had seen in his visions, a chilling scene unfolds before him. A man sits to his right, slumped against a tree with his head hanging low, while a massive indent in the tree to his left captures Leo's attention. Before he can fully comprehend the situation, Agni'Dalia is already at the man's side, drooling heavily. Leo rushes over to stop her, admonishing her playfully.

"Agia, be patient, you fat-so!" Leo chides as he reaches them.

Pushing Agni'Dalia aside gently, Leo kneels in front of the man to assess his condition. The sight he encounters is nightmarish—flies swarming around inside the man's eye sockets, his eyes brutally shoved into his head. Leo tries to wake him to no avail, and as he stands up to examine the scene further, he notices the tree with the massive indent, raising fear for Aurora's well-being.

Ignoring Agni'Dalia's attempts to console herself by nibbling on the man's fingers, Leo focuses on the ground. The footprints and the disturbed patterns in the dirt suggest a struggle had taken place, aligning with the vision he had experienced. Picking up a glimmering strand of red hair from the ground, Leo's heart sinks with the thought that it might belong to Aurora.

"Don't you even think about it, Agia! Let me figure this out first, weirdo," Leo warns Agni'Dalia playfully, pointing his finger at her while trying to maintain focus.

Agni'Dalia droops and pouts, understanding Leo's seriousness. Leo resumes his investigation, examining the scene for any clues. The signs point to a violent struggle—the footprints, the injured man, and the gruesome condition of his eyes—all matching the images from his vision. With a heavy heart, Leo tucks the strand of hair into his pocket, vowing to find Aurora and make the one responsible pay dearly.

"Don't worry, Aurora. I will find you and ensure the man who did this faces justice," Leo vows, his gaze lifted to the moons, their solemn light guiding his resolve in the darkness of the woods.

As Leo gazes down at Agni'Dalia, who's gulping and licking her lips, he notices that the man they found is now missing his entire right arm.

"Agia!! I told you... nevermind, I promised you. No one will know, I guess," Leo mutters, raising his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders. Resigned to the reality of his dragon's appetite, he adds, "Just hurry. We have to get going."

With an air of despondency, Leo settles by the tree where Aurora was slammed against, sinking down against its rough bark. He retrieves the strand of hair from his pocket, staring at it intently.

"I'm such a failure. Why does everyone around me have to get hurt?" Leo's voice trembles with anguish as he clutches the hair tightly.

Suddenly, Leo's emotions erupt like a storm. He unleashes his frustration, punching the ground with raw force, sending dirt spiraling into the air. He springs to his feet, fury evident in his actions. Turning around, he delivers a powerful kick to the tree, causing half of it to crash into the darkness of the forest.

"This is so stupid!" Leo yells, his emotions spiraling out of control as he moves to the next tree, punching a hole into it.

"You must do better, Leo!" He continues shouting, ripping his arm out of the tree and striking it again and again.

Examining his bloodied and cut-up fist, he clenches it tightly to his chest, the pain now both physical and emotional. Suddenly, he throws his arms back and screams into the sky, releasing all his pent-up agony. The wind starts to build up around him, becoming fierce and chaotic. The force is so intense that leaves are torn off the trees, and those scattered on the ground get blown away. A blinding light emanates from Leo, illuminating the previously darkened forest. Gradually, he begins to levitate into the air, the wind whirling faster around him, and Agni'Dalia clings to the ground for dear life.

In this moment, Leo's consciousness shifts, transporting him into his own mind. He finds himself standing in the middle of a room surrounded by empty thrones.

"Hello? Where am I?" Leo's voice echoes in the vastness, but the room remains silent, devoid of any response. "I SAID HELLO!!" Frustration grows as he outstretches his arms, twirling around in search of answers.

"You are not ready in this state," a mysterious yet soothing voice resonates around Leo.

In an instant, he snaps back to reality. The light emitting from him diminishes, and the furious winds begin to calm. Leo hovers for a moment before it all comes to an abrupt stop, and he plummets to the ground, the impact knocking him unconscious. The forest falls into silence once more as Leo lies still, his mind and body weary from the tumultuous display of emotions and power.