Months had passed since Leon and Elena first met, and their bond had grown deeper with every stolen moment together. Despite the harshness of their lives, they had found a small sliver of peace in each other, and it made the weight of survival a little more bearable.

But the world had a way of shattering peace, and for Leon, that shattering came one fateful night.

The city was in chaos. Word had spread like wildfire through the streets—an uprising had begun in the capital, and the king’s soldiers were sweeping through the lower quarter, hunting down any who were seen as a threat. The slums had become a battlefield, and those caught in the middle were crushed beneath the weight of the conflict.

Leon rushed through the alleyways, his heart pounding in his chest. He had heard the screams, seen the smoke rising in the distance. His mind was racing with one thought: **Elena**.

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He found her in the center of the chaos, surrounded by a group of frightened children she had been protecting. Despite the danger, she had stayed behind to help them, as Leon always knew she would.

“Leon!” she called out as she saw him approaching, relief washing over her face.

But there was no time for relief. The soldiers were coming, and they were ruthless. Leon grabbed Elena’s hand, pulling her close as they ran through the narrow streets, the children following behind them.

"We have to get out of here!" Leon shouted, his grip tightening on her hand.

But Elena stopped suddenly, her eyes wide with fear. "No... we can’t leave them behind."

Leon turned to see what she meant. One of the children had fallen behind, too small and weak to keep up. Without hesitation, Elena broke free from Leon’s grasp and ran back to the child, scooping him up into her arms.

In that moment, the soldiers appeared at the end of the street.

"Run!" Elena screamed, her voice filled with panic. "Leon, take them and go!"

Leon’s mind was spinning. He could see the soldiers closing in, their armor gleaming in the firelight, their weapons drawn. But his feet wouldn’t move. He couldn’t leave her.