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Shards of debris flying through the air. Wires and flames ripping through the stone floor while shrieks of rage echo within the underground chamber.
“Leon!” Richard shouted.
The Guardian swung in a wild flurry, it’s mace inches from Leon’s hip. Richard’s wires wrapped around his arms, pulling him away. Like a master puppeteer, he guided him across the room, narrowly avoiding a beam of electricity. Leon sprinted along the walls, clashing swords with the spinning guardian. Flames exploded with every impact. King and Ed tried to flank, but were brutally swatted away. Leon's sword strained under the weight of the mace's blows. His arms burned, clashing desperately. The Guardian showed no signs of relenting.
Shot after shot, Ed and Richard fired away with their pistols. Bullets ricocheted off its armor as Leon was knocked down the stairs. “Damn… Just what is that thing?” Leon groaned, struggling to his feet.
Get the artifact while it’s distracted! It will give you the edge! Diablos commanded.
Leon rose to his feet. Got it.
He whistled to King. The raptor trotted to him, gasping for breath. “If ye’ got a plan, now’d be good…” he muttered.
Ed and Richard dodged and narrowly avoided as best as they could. They wouldn’t last forever. “Get me up there to that artifact! I’ll explain after we kick this thing's ass!” Leon snapped, kicking a leg over onto the raptor’s back.
“Aye!” King shouted, sprinting without another word.
Air burned as they charged, the guardian leaping at them. Leon met it with his sword, flinching as Ed crashed into it, tumbling down the stairs. Richard, wires retracted, joined them. "Got a plan?" he asked through gritted teeth.
Leon nodded. "Hold it off. I'll grab the artifact."
Richard groaned. "Make it fast! This thing is kicking our shit in!"
With that, his wires shot him down like a zipline. He crashed into the Guardian who was moments from crushing Ed’s throat.
King brought Leon to the shining rock at the altar. He placed a hand on it, instantly going numb. What? What is this? His mind was spinning, memories flashing all at once. Leon reached his arms out, trying to break free. Let me out. I need to-
“Leon!” Ed shouted.
He blinked. Dust cleared the air. He was standing over the stairs, his friends looking up at him incredulously. Leon narrowed his eyes. “Wait, where’s the-” he stopped dead, looking at the two stone boulders crushing the Guardian. “What happened?”
King nudged his shoulder. “Aye, when did ya’ learn to control rocks n’ stuff? I wanna’ play with rocks too!”
“What are you talking about?” Leon asked, his vision blurring. He almost fell down the stairs, clutching his head. God… I can barely move. Do you know what he means, Diablos?
While you were being forced to absorb the vision behind that object, I took control. We now control the earth as well as the flames, Diablos explained.
The earth as well as the… wait, what? Leon grimaced as he limped down the stairs. King walked close enough for him to use the raptor as support.
“Dude, that was sick! When are you going to teach us that overpowered bullshit?” Richard asked, smacking him in the back.
Leon groaned. “Maybe after I fully understand how it works cause right now, I don’t know jack. As far as the fire goes, all I need to do is get angry. Obviously that information doesn’t help you… Maybe Ruby or Katie would know better how to teach you some magic.”
Their journey out of the ruins was thankfully uneventful. Most of Leon’s wounds and fatigue had healed by the time they reached the exit, but his friends still sustained several cuts and bruises. Determined to find a way to heal their injuries and expand their skills, they ventured back into town.
Even as evening descended upon the streets, the town remained bustling with activity. Noblefolk and middle-class citizens meandered through the roads, going about their daily affairs. Even those dressed in rags appeared relatively clean and well-fed, and there wasn't a beggar in sight. As they walked through the town, they stumbled upon a quaint shop named 'Jim and Johns,' its door beckoning them inside with a warm glow.
Stepping into the shop, they found themselves immersed in a vibrant violet-lit room adorned with an array of colorful bottles and scattered books on the shelves. As Ed and Richard chugged the red potions known as 'Savalife,' Leon spoke with the shopkeeper.
According to the shopkeeper, there were multiple ways to become stronger on the island of Xenova. These ranged from learning magic through tomes and spellbooks, harnessing bestowed abilities from powerful beings, or even utilizing rare technologies that could enhance the physical attributes of any creature by combining with their genetic makeup. Of course, the shopkeeper cautioned that the side effects of such powers could vary greatly, depending on the individual. Some abilities were restricted to specific bloodlines and were impossible to inherit, such as Diablos's flames or Hime's wind. However, there existed other powers and magic that, while similar, paled in comparison to the natural superhuman abilities born within their users. These innate abilities possessed boundless potential for growth and were limited only to the strength of the owner.
After their visit to 'Jim and Johns,' the group decided to eat at a nearby tavern, not too different from the Salem Saloon. As they settled into their seats, Richard found himself uncomfortably catching the attention of an overly curvaceous wolf woman, prompting him to feign interest in his drink. Meanwhile, Leon reclined in his chair, savoring a delectable turkey stew by dipping a giant loaf of bread into it. Ed and King, engaged in a lighthearted argument over the age-old question of what came first, eggs or chickens.
Finishing their meals, they turned their focus towards discussing their newfound abilities. Leon pondered aloud, tapping his chin, "So, it seems we all possess some form of incredible strength and speed..."
Richard nodded in agreement, chiming in,“Yup.”
“You can shoot metal wires out your wrists… How does that shit work anyway? “
“It’s hard to explain. It’s almost like it's a part of my bones. It rips out of my wrists and I can control it to go anywhere or do anything,” Richard explained, having a few pop out of his right hand. They squiggled around almost like tendrils.
On closer inspection, they shifted between being smooth to having razor sharp edges. “We know they can rip through the floor. How strong they are for anything other than dirt, haven’t really tested it out yet,” he said, sliding them back into his body.
Ed cringed. “Creepy. You’re like a parasite!”
Richard rolled his eyes. “Whatever. It’s not like I asked for this ability." He bit into his steamed potato, grumbling.
Leon, however, continued to think of strategies while his friends bantered. Those wires are strong as hell too. It held back a T-Rex of all things and threw me across the room like a rag doll. If I hadn’t cut through them, they could probably rip someone apart. They were able to restrain Katie back in the forest too, so they can have multiple uses… I can only imagine how scary that’ll be combined with other abilities, he thought.
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“And what about your power, Ed?” Leon asked.
Ed glanced at him as he pushed Richard back into his seat. “God damn it, you spilled my drink!” Richard groaned, a waitress mopping it up quickly.
Ignoring him, Ed replied, “As far as I know, I can turn invisible at will. It seems to fade if I ever make physical contact with another living creature, but perhaps there’s a way to maintain it…”
Before he finished his sentence, Ed disappeared in the blink of an eye, momentarily eluding Leon's sight. It took the unexpected collision of Ed's knee with a nearby table for his position to be revealed. With a scowl, Ed materialized in front of them, grumbling, "Oh, quiet you little shitheads. It could happen to anybody!"
Chuckling, King interjected, "Aye, it makes sense that the biggest gorilla in the room would bump into a table at every turn," prompting laughter from those around them.
He piped down when Ed grabbed him by the neck and said, “Who’re you calling a monkey?”
“I didn’t say monkey, I said gorilla. Those are two different things-” King squeaked, clutching Ed’s arm.
“I know!” Ed shouted, hopping back in his seat with his cheeks burning.
Leon shook his head. “God, you guys are sensitive.”
Richard threw his new mug of beer and splashed it all over him. Drenched, embers erupted around Leon’s arms immediately. “So, death sentences do come early…”
“Look who’s sensitive now,” Richard teased, drinking another shot before standing to meet the challenge. Someone in the distance shouted, “BAR FIGHT!”
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It took at least half an hour for the Lioness Knights to step in and throw everyone out of the tavern. Richard, Ed, Leon, and King were all limping outside, cut, burnt, and bruised from beating each other up. “Is this going to happen in every town we go to?”
Just then, a familiar voice called out to them from behind. Turning around, they spotted Hime strolling toward them, a mischievous smirk adorning her lips. Leon raised an eyebrow, asking, "Here to join the fun, princess?"
Hime crossed her arms, amusement dancing in her eyes as she replied, "’Tis tempting. Perhaps a moon too many has passed since I was in a good tavern brawl. On that note, why is one happening in the first place?"
"He started it!" Richard protested, pointing an accusatory finger at Leon.
Casting her gaze on him, Hime asked, “Are the three of you always this rowdy?"
"It seems to be more common since we arrived on these islands," Ed chimed in, glancing at his companions. “Is there something in the air?”
Hime snickered at that, remarking, "I like this one. He has a witty sense of humor."
Her gaze narrowed as Richard attempted to use her shoulder as a support back to his feet. Reacting swiftly, she delivered a forceful blow that sent him crashing into the wall, blood trickling from his forehead. Standing over him, Hime laughed into the back of her hand, proclaiming, "Only the host of Diablos may get so familiar with me. Know your place!"
Leon and Ed stood there frozen. “Hey hey, what is it with you medieval types and killing people?” Ed questioned as they moved over to check on Richard. “At least buy him a drink first.”
“Oh please, is that some sort of ancient tradition? And he isn’t dead. He’s just unconscious with a mild headache, I’m sure,” she replied, frowning. “‘Tis a defensive reflex. Apologies. I am not so comfortable as to be touched without permission.”
She flicked a golden coin to Leon. He caught it, looking at her. “That should be enough to cover a potion for his recovery I’m sure. If you have need of me, I’ll be performing tasks around town Leon. Until then, I implore you not cause a ruckus again. I bid you farewell.”
As she strutted away humming a cheerful tune, King trotted from inside the tavern. “Aye, that was a close one.”
Leon and Ed looked at him, frowning. “Where did you come from?”
“My mother. Why do you ask?” King asked, scratching the back of his head.
With a groan and more than enough headaches to go around, they get Richard looked after and call it a day.
The following morning he sought out Hime again. She was in the middle of instructing her troops when she dismissed them hastily the moment he began to approach. “Greetings, Leon. How may I assist you today?” she asked, turning to him. She sheepishly waved away the men who looked at her in a loss for words.
Leon glanced around. The other men began to either practice in the courtyard or clean the small arena around them. “Uh… I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”
“Not at all. I was just passing out their daily tasks. Was there something you wanted?”
“Right. I was going to ask if there’s different ways for us to get stronger. I know Katie mentioned that magic and technology hides these islands from outer countries. Are there any sort of tomes or artifacts that can get power? Anything like that?”
She smiled. “That is a good question. Walk with me, and I shall answer to the best of my ability.” She extended her hand to invite him to move beside her. They turned down the path as many soldiers stopped to glance at them before continuing their activities.
“There are several ways to gain power, certainly. You could study many forms of magic. All take a great deal of will as well as an understanding of the price in the form and element of the spell you’re attempting to cast. The most rare and powerful kinds of magic are usually inherited by blood or blessed by a god. It is very, very difficult to gain the attention of any god. There are many children they have left beyond their realms scattered throughout the world. I’m sure there’s even means I personally have never heard of. Are you asking this to learn magic yourself or to help your friends?”
“A bit of both. Whenever we finish this duel for Katie’s life business, Death is still out there. It’ll be better knowing we can get stronger properly,” Leon responded, raising a hand to keep the peering sun from blinding him. He sighed as he looked back down at the kingdom beyond the castle walls. “It’s still so much to process. Feels like every day I get more questions than answers.”
“That’s rather common for everyone. If we had the answers to everything, life would be rather dull, don’t you think?”
“...I think my problem is life is getting a little too exciting. Bit of a different issue,” Leon responded, casting her a grin.
She smiled. “I can relate to that. The looming threat of Tartarus will have us all desperate for peace well enough.”
As a silence grew for a moment, a thought came to Leon. He was hesitant to ask at first, but he couldn’t help it. “Do you really believe Katie killed your unit? Did you ever check their injuries?” He asked, making Hime’s eyes widened.
She grimaced. “I inspected them personally. …There was too much carnage to truly know where such grievous injuries came from. There was so much blood.”
“Isn’t there some sort of magic or tech you guys have that can find the source?”
The winds howled as she sighed. “If I’m being entirely honest, I hadn’t even thought of that. Her behavior about the situation didn’t exactly inspire confidence in her innocence. You make a good point however.” Hime rubbed her chin before snapping her fingers.
Red feathers could be seen peeking out from around the hedge bush as Toras came around the corner. “You called, your highness.”
“Has he always been standing there?” Leon raised an eyebrow.
Toras rolled his eyes. “It's the duty of the first knight to shadow the princess wherever she goes. Quite a tiresome job, I must admit.”
She growled, a malevolent glow in her crimson eyes. “If it’s such a pain, I can easily have you relieved of your duties. Shall we arrange that now?”
The pressure in the air at those words immediately shifted. Even in all of his jester, Toras hesitated to say anything that might offend her further. “...I merely jest, my princess. I could never abandon my duties so frivolously.” He gave a deep bow.
It almost felt like mockery, but Hime chose to ignore it. “Toras, I have a task for you. Go to the crypt where my unit is buried and inspect their injuries. Use any means necessary to discover the source of their death.”
With a sigh, he bowed and left at once. Leon crossed his arms. “What’s with you two? Is it normally this intense having a first knight?”
Hime jumped, turning to him. “Under normal circumstances, no… I used to have a lot of respect and pride for Toras. His attitude and demeanor have greatly diminished since Roanapor Harbor. It’s funny. You’d think losing all of our closest soldiers would bring us closer together, but he’s been distant and nasty ever since. I don’t know what to do with him.”
Leon pondered on those words. He almost loses his life and spurns the person who saved him… A little suspicious if you ask me.
As the hours turned into days and the days turned into weeks, Leon immersed himself in rigorous training. Whether he battled Diablos in his mind or faced real monsters, he honed his skills relentlessly. Some nights made sleep impossible, and he would privately set out in the quiet solitude of the desolate forest. During those nocturnal hours, most of the kingdom lay isolated, with only a handful of vendors, taverns, and guardsmen patrolling the city and its surrounding roads beyond the protective stone walls. These nights proved to be excellent practice grounds, as many creatures grew more active under the cover of darkness.
He didn’t wake his friends when he went on these misadventures, though this night he came to regret that. The sky was devoid of stars, and the crescent moon offered meager illumination as Leon leaned against a tree, his back pressed firmly against the rough bark. He closed his eyes, attempting to sense the lurking monster that hunted him. It was a Jorōgumo, a towering spider capable of assuming human form. At first, he had mistaken it for a distressed man pleading for help until it spat a corrosive web, effortlessly burning through his armor and forcing him to tear off his right gauntlet.
Just light the forest ablaze! It can’t hide if it's burning to death! Diablos shouted.
Responding to the command, flames erupted around Leon's body. However, a sudden shriek interrupted his concentration. Instinctively, he twisted to his right, barely managing to deflect a strike from a silver blade with his own sword. The impact sent him hurtling through the air, causing several trees to snap and collapse under the force. The Jorōgumo agilely leaped from branch to branch, its spider legs propelling its hairy, withered body. Leon crashed painfully onto the dirt, struggling to rise to his feet. "Damn it, come on!"
Before he could fully stand, the Jorōgumo lunged at him, screaming. Leon shut his eyes, anticipating being stabbed. However, the sound of metal piercing flesh echoed through the air instead. Numerous swords materialized out of thin air, impaling the monster from multiple directions. Then, he heard a pair of fingers snap, and the Jorōgumo was torn apart, its pieces scattered throughout the forest. Some of its green blood splattered onto Leon's face, making him grimace. "Who's there?" he called out, turning around.
Standing behind him stood none other than Toras. Removing his helmet, Toras sighed and remarked, "If you're going to be bested by a spider, could you at least do it a little farther away from my secret retreat? It becomes quite challenging to hide from my esteemed princess if the host of Diablos continuously manages to track me down. You've become something of a local legend around these parts." The blades retracted behind him, dissipating into dust.
Leon raised an eyebrow. “Secret retreat? It’s like 3 in the morning. Aren’t you supposed to be on guard duty or something? How did you kill that thing so quickly anyway?”
Toras shrugged nonchalantly. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about."
"With the swords! There were at least eight of them!" Leon inquired, finally getting back on his feet.
Wearing a smirk, Toras replied, "You mean this?" With a wave of his arm, a legion of blades coalesced from the surrounding particles.They formed the shape of a rotating wing behind him, akin to helicopter blades, before hovering in place. It was one of the rare moments that left Leon speechless, sending chills down his spine. As he swung his hand, all the blades clashed against Leon's sword, propelling him backward onto the grass. "What are you doing?" Leon asked, observing Toras draw the sword from his belt.
"Well, you do need help with your training, don't you? I believe you require something more challenging than mere monsters to face our dear princess. She resides in an entirely different league, and as you currently stand, you won't even leave a scratch on her head," Toras stated, readjusting his helmet. His blue eyes gleamed ominously beneath its visor.
He is not wrong. Take him up on his offer, Diablos commanded.
Leon let out a sigh, feeling the strain in his arms from the earlier battles. Shaking off his fatigue, he raised his sword in front of him and declared, "Bring it on."