To be honest, Leo expected the opposing group to attack him the moment he finished speaking. Yet, they didn't. At most, they took another few steps back, but apart from that, they all had their eyes trained on Holden, waiting for the man's command. Hell, not even the only woman among them decided to attack. Although, that might be because she didn't want to lose any more arrows.

What will you do? Leo mused, watching the leader as the man almost scowled openly. You had your chance. Now it's time to listen.

"You're putting me in a difficult situation, Hale," Holden replied, voice cold as stone.

Leo chuckled, shaking his head. "No. I'm really not. I just want to see my family first. After that, I will help you with whatever you want. Isn't that fair?"

"It doesn't matter if it's fair or not," the man shot back. "I have people to protect! I can't just let someone like you step inside our hideout as if you are one of us. We both know that won't work. I need some time to run damage control first."

All good points, but there is one important problem. You played your cards and lost. Now you have to deal with it. Leo narrowed his eyes at the man. "You will get your time. Just not an entire day. I won't wait that long."

Holden took a deep breath. "I see... I don’t like it, Hale, but go on. Tell me those terms of yours?"

Leo smiled just a bit. Time to find out if his offer would spark a fight.

"Simple. You will get an hour, you and Dylan," Leo began, the tension rising even higher with his words. "I can't let you all go back. I'm not that stupid, so your three minions will stay here with me. If they come back, that’s on you."

"You would kill us even if we did nothing against you?" Clara hissed, which, in Leo's humble opinion, was quite hypocritical. Wasn't she the one to already fire two arrows at him after all?

"Maybe, maybe not. Don't push me, and we won't have to find out," Leo growled, letting the words hang.

He didn't want to kill anyone if he absolutely didn't have to, but sometimes, one had to make the hard choice to keep their promise. And Leo couldn't hesitate now. Not when Ava and Adam were so close.

"And what if we just walk away?" Holden's voice cut through the blanket of silence. "Will you kill us or let us go, Hale? I won't lie. Assistance from someone like you could go a long way to giving us a chance to survive another day. But, if you are to become just another threat to my people, then I would rather us part ways now."

Really? Leo quirked an invisible eyebrow. There is no walking away now, my friend. That option disappeared the moment Dylan confirmed your words... Still, you want an answer? I will give you one...

"Even if I let you walk away, this won't be the last time you see me. Dylan already told you, family is everything to me. I won't leave without at least seeing them once. If that means breaking into your Safe Zone, so be it."

Holden's grip on his sword slackened as he sighed. "That's what I thought..." Meeting Leo's gaze, the man continued, "We will go with your plan, Hale, but you four will wait in the forest behind the hideout, not here."

Leo nodded and opened his mouth to answer, only to be beaten to it by one of the other men. "You can't be serious, Tony! You want us to play hostages?"

Holden spun to face the speaker, his face devoid of emotions. "That's exactly what I want you to do, Robert. Or do you maybe have a better idea?"

The other man gritted his teeth, eyes darting towards Leo. However, a single glance at a blade sliding out of the cover of his cloak was enough for Robert to avert his gaze, a grimace painted over his face.

"This better work, Tony. We’ve put all our trust in you; don't squander it."

Interesting... Leo noted, Hunter humming in agreement.

"I won't," Holden reassured his companion and turned to Leo again. "Before we go, I need something from you to confirm your identity with Ava. Even if she is your family, I won't let her go in blind. That's non-negotiable. She deserves to know who wants to see her."

That she does. Though it can go sideways real fast if they tell her too much... Considering what happened to Adam, my appearance can become a bigger problem than I expected... Shit.

After evolving, Leo didn't plan to show his face to what remained of his family, at least not right away. As long as the hearts in their chest kept beating, he didn't care if they knew about him. It was unimportant.

But now? With Adam spiraling into the Void's grasp, he couldn't stay away. Leo had to see what happened to his godson with his own two eyes. He had to find a way to help him before it was too late.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

If there ever was a time to wake up, now would be it, Nikra...

"Nick's third attempt at proposing. Mention it to Ava, and she will agree to see me," Leo finally replied, an ache forming in his chest at the memory of his brother.

"Will do," Holden nodded. "Now, let's move out! We've wasted enough daylight."

The group didn't need another order to follow their leader. They all fell into a steady pace while Leo trailed slightly behind, keeping an eye out for surprises. While he doubted Holden wanted to lead him right into an ambush, it didn't hurt to be careful just in case...

----------------------------------------

The detour they took to reach the dense forest behind the Safe Zone stretched out longer than Leo expected. Between the occasional Voidling and the distance alone, almost half an hour escaped them in the blink of an eye.

Really, if Leo doubted that Holden didn't want anyone to see him before, he believed it now. Though, he still thought it was a bit of an overkill...

Doesn't matter. If he wants to be careful, who am I to stop him? Leo mused as the group paused at a small clearing in the forest. The Safe Zone was nowhere in sight, but if he had tracked the path right, then they couldn't be that far away. Maybe five minutes of walking, at best...

Surveying the area inch by inch, Leo sighed as not a single thing seemed to be out of place. He even fired off a Hunter Pulse, but just like with every attempt on the way here, the ability didn't return with any warning about other survivors.

I'm almost disappointed that this wasn't just a ploy to ambush me. Almost...

Leo averted his gaze from the Void forest and looked at Holden, who finished talking with the hostage trio. And wow, look at me. Committing a war crime. He snorted as the man stopped a few steps away from him.

"This is where we part ways, Hale," Holden announced. "Like we agreed, Evan, Robert, and Clara will stay with you. I just hope I can trust Dylan's judgment of you and that my people will return in one piece."

Thank you again, Dylan, for being a decent person...

"As long as you keep your end of the deal, no hair will fall from their heads," Leo vowed. "I'm not here to murder anyone. I just want to see my family, that's all. Give me that, and I will help you with whatever you need."

"I will hold you to that," Holden stuck his hand out.

Without much thought, Leo accepted the handshake, the first one between a human and an Akirian on Earth. Though it lacked any magical power, this simple action still held a meaning, a meaning that could change the future...

"We will be back in an hour, two at tops."

Despite not agreeing on the extended time, Leo nodded. "I will be waiting. Good luck."

Holden didn't answer and just spun on his heel, Dylan joining his side a moment later. Soon, the two disappeared into the crimson flora of the forest, and everyone remaining in the clearing settled down in their own corner, happy to wait for the others in silence.

Yet, even though the ‘hostages’ didn't speak a single word, Leo couldn't help but feel the two eyes burning a hole in his head.

"What?" He grumbled to the only woman among them.

"You are an ugly fucker, you know that, right?"

Leo snorted. "Thanks. You too."

----------------------------------------

"That could have gone better," Dylan finally spoke up as he and Anthony trudged through the forest. He kept silent in the beginning to let the man think in peace, but there was only so much tension he could handle in the long run.

"I underestimated what you told me about him," his new leader answered after a moment. "Worst of all, I underestimated how strong he is. You felt it too, right? Felt the weight on your shoulders when I refused him?"

Of course, I did. Not quite as intense as during the night, but still scary enough. Dylan nodded with a shudder. "He couldn't do that before... at least, I believe so... And you didn't miscalculate, mate. Leo just somehow gained two more levels since I last saw him."

"Aye, and that's even more worrying. I have the highest level out of everyone here, and a big part of that is my job... To think that someone is already that far ahead..."

Dylan hummed, "It's bloody scary, ain't it?"

Holden grimaced. "That's one way to put it... I thought we could at least meet as equals with our number advantage, but I was wrong. We are prey to him, Dylan. A means to an end."

Can't agree, but can't disagree either. Leo's evolution changed him to some degree; that's true. But, I don't believe he's gone so far as to view others as prey. That's just the persona you forced him to assume. That we are alive only proves that my read on him isn't entirely off.

With those thoughts in mind, their walk continued in silence for another minute or so. Yet, as the overgrowth grew thinner and thinner, Dylan couldn't help but ask again. "What will you do now?"

Holden's steps slowed ever so slightly as the man gave him a side glance. "Now? Now, I'm going to keep my end of the bargain and prepare for the worst-case scenario. Hale might be strong, but even the mighty can fall, and until he proves to be somewhat trustworthy, I can't leave anything to chance."

"Then let's hope everything goes smoothly," Dylan muttered. "I really don't want this to turn into a complete disaster."

"Neither do I, Dylan... Neither do I."

----------------------------------------

A bit over an hour of complete silence passed before a distant rustle of grass alerted Leo of someone approaching. Until now, he and the trio just sat as far away from each other as possible, content to ignore the other party and wait for this shit show to end.

And it finally did. Leo sighed, climbing to his feet as Dylan and Holden entered the clearing. While the former went right for the hostages, the latter approached him, a sack in hand.

"Here," Holden threw the pack at him. "Use this to cover your head and whatever else you need to. With that cloak of yours, it should be enough."

Frowning, Leo reached into the sack, removing a bundle of scarves along with the largest trousers he had ever seen. Huh, those pants can work, and I can create a makeshift bandana out of these.

With a shrug, Leo did just that, and once he put his cloak's hood back on, Holden nodded. "That should do it... Now come, we have no time to waste."

"Lead the way then," Leo dipped his head and followed after the man. The time had come to meet the first remnants of his family.

Ava, Adam. I'm here.