Recovery

Chapter Three:

Leonardo Royce

Staring out at the sparkling city shining in the light of the moon below me I cannot allow myself to bring a smile to my face. I have it all: a beautiful wife, three wonderful children, an empire that is willing to lay down their lives for me, and the powers of a god yet I cannot find one man.

Grinding my teeth together I clench my fist digging my fingernails into my skin punching the wall next to me sending debris flying into the night sky. Letting the cool breeze hit my skin I raise my hand and launch the debris into space before it has a chance to hit my ant farm. This was our dream. I wasn't meant to stand here alone.

Hearing fast steps running up the stairs I groan and snap my middle finger and thumb together stopping time. Floating I turn around and lift all the debris that scattered into the room and launch them into the atmosphere. Turning back around I stare at the large hole and snap my fingers recreating the wall and roof that used to be there. Flying up to the family portrait I gently rubbed off a fingerprint that was covering Ariel's face. It feels like so long ago, Elaina had just been born and we decided to take a trip to Iron Oak Island. Olivia and Ariel were bickering the whole way there but once we got settled in they seemed to find even ground and really got along.

Flying past my desk I open the door and drop to my feet walking past the bathroom stopping in front of the staircase where Olivia and Ariel are frozen flying in the air past Liana who's wide eyed with her finger raised. Floating in the air I block their direct line of flight before resuming time with open arms ready to be crashed into.

"No flying in the house!" Liana shouts as Ariel zips in front of me stooping herself before she can crash while Olivia who was slightly behind her doesn't stop in time being caught in my arms letting out a gasp of shock as she crashes into me.

"Listen to your mother!" I bellow while getting a glare from Liana.

"Dad, what was that noise? Are we getting attacked?" Trying to look behind me I block Ariel's view and put a hand on the still floating girl floating us to the floor. Releasing Olivia both the girls stand next to each other staring up at me with eyes filled with concern. Sighing I go down on one knee and put my hand on both of their shoulders.

"Girls everything is fine I was just working on an experiment I didn't mean to wake you guys up. Now go comfort your sister; I can hear her calling for us then right back to bed and if your mother has to come get me you're both going to get grounded." Smiling as Olivia sighs while rubbing her tired eyes and Ariel let's out a dejected groan before both the girls say "Yes sir" in unison. Kissing both of their heads they solemnly speed back down the stairs. Listening to their footsteps speed into their sisters room I stop listening and block out the noise. Standing back up I look at Liana who's standing in front of the black stairway banister with crossed arms glaring daggers at me.

"Leo what the fuck was that? It's three in the morning, the girl's have school tomorrow, and you woke up the baby." Liana complains while I sigh. Rubbing my face I put my weight onto the wall behind me letting myself slide down sitting on a comfortable cushion that I created. Watching Liana's angry face soften, she walks to me and sits down next to me on a soft pillow I created for her. Wrapping her arms around me she lightly rubs her nails in a figure eight motion on my back. Releasing a heavy breath I shut my eyes and let myself get lost in the bliss.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Smiling as I hear her gentle voice I nod my head.

"It's Ryan, I've been looking for him for so long I'm running out of time." Opening my eyes I let out a much more dejected sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose.

"Leo look at me," turning my head I stare into Liana's blue eyes filled with love and devotion. "You will find him, your brother is strong, we've all seen it. I'm sure any minute now a clone will pop through a portal and say that they've found him then you can go in kill some devil fucks then come home in time for dinner." Chuckling at her comment I lean forward and plant a kiss on her soft pink lips.

"I know but I can't help but feel guilty, I'm here with everything and he's rotting in hell." Liana doesn't respond and just continues to gently rub her nails against my back while I stare up at the stares through the cracked open sunroof.

Feeling the call from one of my clones I float Liana and I back up onto the floor planting another kiss on her lips. "A clone has a report why don't you go back to bed." Nodding her head Liana yawns and begins to walk down the stairs leaving me to stare at her petite figure glad in only a silk nightgown and her identification bracelet with a golden stone on it. After I wiped out most of the population on this planet I created Liana Royce, my wife. I made her with no flaws, to be the epitome of absolute beauty.

Opening a portal in front of me I float through the purple transparent mirror immediately getting blasted with a scorching heat and the potent scent of sulfur. Staring at my clone I glance down at the ocean of lava beneath us with hundreds of thousands of people wailing in pain floating at the surface with their flesh constantly melting then regrowing back.

"Is he here?" I ask looking back up at my clone who gives a quick nod in response.

"His soul is above ground, you should be able to find it. It has the same signale that we remember."

"Good then tell Liana that I'll be back for breakfast with Ryan." Flying towards the cave ceiling I break through the thick rock emerging in front of our childhood home. Gazing into the living room I stare at a demon taking the form of our mother straddling a smokey black soul with bits of light shining through. Swiping my hand I erase the demon from existence before reaching out with my mind and peer into Ryan's mind numbing his pain to try and soothe his fractured mind. Feeling a colossal ball of Divine energy flying towards me I quickly erase the last week of his living memories before launching his soul through a portal into his recreated body.

Looking up at the red sky covered with a thick fog of smoke I spot the source of monstrous energy and grit my teeth staring up at the all black dragon barreling towards me still too far away to reach me.

"LEO YOU BASTARD I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY THIS TIME!" The beast's voice echoes through the land shaking the ground with its power. I don't have time to deal with this fool right now.

Opening another portal above the front lawn a gigantic man over me with thick pulsing muscles hops through carrying a gigantic seven foot cleaver. Turning my back I leave without saying a word to the lesser god only leaving my barbarian to distract the fool.