image [https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczNzdMqzR-LpH_jJ7vgSKxWmzIGr0zkUQQULooN9Xhlbf1eHCaQOwDGlCRUkAEbesZuqK4-Ai_6Z-8-pvV-0MVWrD26m_3dEPVvJs-ffKZF-t3IGMamqzXiFhiQYIou2CtaI0DsN1knXmV7BGqesjN602hkWRdSJOWp5pG5ZSLNkA5caHi18zheMzOtzNKwDBJoxmS9frStcUPQn1NUvTS09vdm3O8pSGW6kBouNfQPW2nuyWkbdYSKWhdPgoGcgwNn0j51wKSfwGvRW9CyKJKzXkETHw4v6lT10pL0YahLf7ENZYwHxbyzmrXoSJsVKT5cR-ksOjTO4_eEUCLpOxhqt2jtLnTi-kaIC1Wmo2nsux4BGnpeMLP0IsABGVcz4AIuHeyhnHkxYJ7C7GkZRiJoOaZXv9ajdcQ3ehcW5ivH19wRd_HtBdue-i0xmf_RP5RuXQZbOwrOCHQGA-J9iE-kaRZ_Hg3StLKoj6qV2WD6L9_IDiMAdpVutj7YrN1KTt0yy7KCRf2C7QeZ1L00vmXfmfo2oi9y2QrIzweVNSvr9t0zHBvo9DGg_IohURG70pwSwJdujddYhLmFOhUEIHkGaUrZBVa6m_pXTowR-YhIA8Sdu6N6otQMKcolwhuu4wi1VM4qhLcDDdSQkBSxMzPEYbIgrmv4pZt4WSFyuqyMueiiAs2UGU0DgKzXJhoEN9Pb4XeUQNoeUeU6TNQaRJyAsSE8791M4TmIffPCMc7S3IQQHvjnfyOWxi15t7AAL1Ggvc-jCC_AyJ3GTxCE0NEA2ITyYaDoXKJrJLQqKb-1DwPl2NuIo0M_8sPKPmBF6ZZCpZoiOxeY98Xm41EU8EnJ_xV9ksmyjQLiUMmLBpnqiEOXnJkxZYFyQ8tezYNKZubT0Sr5WuoK5zroI005hFrbA247-0DrrFUE7xc2Mu_885zs9WJk-VzdP5spi5O86=w896-h896-s-no-gm?authuser=1]
Weeks had passed since the day of Tartarus's attack. Leon, Katie, and Hime remained bedridden, their recovery being tended to by the devoted servants of the Lioness Kingdom. Richard and Ed would visit Leon frequently, taking up residence in a nearby room to watch over him.
The queen and her children would visit whenever they could, overseeing the repairs and restoration of the kingdom. Meanwhile, King Lioness and the fallen subjects were laid to rest in a solemn burial ceremony within the sacred grounds behind the castle, their funeral postponed until Leon and Hime's recovery.
After several weeks, Hime and Katie were finally able to leave their beds. Throughout this time, Leon showed no signs of waking, even as his wounds gradually healed and his breathing steadied.
Katie sat faithfully in a chair beside him, her grip firmly holding his hand as she watched over him in silence. King snoozed peacefully on the rug at the edge of the bed in his tiny form, lightly snoring. Her mind wandered, contemplating the events that had unfolded during her unconsciousness on the day they fought Toras.
What happened in the time I passed out? ...I know he must've had a horrible time, but what was that power? I've only felt dread like that from Jalaiya. That can't be an ability of Diablos, can it?
Lost in her thoughts, a gentle knock on the door startled Katie, causing her to jolt slightly in her seat. Hime entered the room, her arms and legs wrapped in bandages beneath her black and crimson dress, carrying a bouquet of fresh sunflowers.
A mischievous smile played on her lips "Do you ever leave this room? It's a wonder you sky pigeons have such a stench if you never bother to bathe," she teased, pretending to fan the air out of her nose.
Katie sighed, shifting her gaze to meet Hime's eyes. "I'm surprised you can smell anything with how you bathe in your cheap perfume," Katie retorted, her voice laced with a hint of amusement.
Hime gasped in mock offense, preparing to deliver a snappy comeback. However, their playful banter quickly dissolved into laughter. They found solace in their familiar jests, if only for a fleeting moment.
Hime approached the vase beside Leon's bedside, replacing the withered flowers with the fresh sunflowers she had brought along. She then turned her attention to Leon, her eyes filled with concern.
"How is he? Has there been any change?" Hime inquired, her voice soft as she adjusted the bandages on her wrists. "I'm surprised your blood sucking friend isn't drooling all over him for that matter."
Katie's grip on Leon's hand tightened slightly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "She isn't that desperate... most of the time. Ruby went off to continue her research. She seems keen to help us find more ruins that will give us Diablos and Jalaiya's lost powers, but I know it's not that simple. Nothing with her ever is..." she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "As for Leon, nothing's changed..." Her eyes watered looking at him. What if he... what if he never...
Hime reached out, gently squeezing Katie's shoulder in a comforting gesture. "He endured a tremendous ordeal, fighting both Toras and myself consecutively. The aftermath of harnessing multiple elements would take a toll on even the strongest of beings. Leon will return to us, have faith."
Katie's tears gave way to a faint giggle, her gaze lifting to meet Hime's. "I don't think I'll ever get used to you being nice, Hime. It's a little creepy, but it's also refreshing," she confessed, a small smile playing on her lips.
Hime playfully pinched Katie's cheeks, narrowing her eyes in mock severity. "Don't get used to it, you insufferable fool," she warned, though her eyes twinkled with a warmth that belied her words. "On another note, your mother has been trying to reach us incessantly. Our communications were sabotaged by that traitor Toras, but now you can use the holographic chamber behind the throne room to speak with her whenever you're ready."
Swatting Hime's hands away, Katie groaned playfully. "Oww, can't you be a little gentler? Did she say why she's been trying to reach us?"
Hime turned to leave the room, her hand on the doorknob, before glancing back at Katie. "Do I look like a messenger to you? Be grateful that I shared that much information with you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a kingdom to run."
"Hime," Katie called out, rising from her chair.
Hime halted in her tracks, turning to face Katie with an expectant gaze. "What is it now?" she inquired, her tone tinged with a hint of impatience.
"I... I'm sorry about your father," Katie said softly, her voice filled with genuine sorrow. "Aside from everything that's been happening, he was always kind to me. I will miss him."
Blinking back tears, Hime's grip on the doorknob tightened. "As will we all," she replied quietly, her voice laden with sorrow and gratitude. With those words, she closed the door behind her, leaving Katie alone with her thoughts and a slumbering Leon.
Katie's gaze shifted back to Leon, her heart heavy with a mixture of emotions. She leaned in to give him a kiss before turning to leave. As she walked through the halls, knights and servants in fancy clothes passed every so often, either cleaning or patrolling. Even now, she couldn't help but remember the bodies that had decorated almost every inch of the castle. Shaking the violent images out of her head, she made for the throne room.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
The giant doors had been fixed and repolished, the bloodied carpet replaced with a fresh clean one. Sitting at the golden throne was the Queen, adorned in a newly polished red and gold armor, smiled as Katie made her way past the guards.
The broken pillars and holes ripped through the floor had also been mended, much of the room's former glory restored. The horror of Tora's actions still left a heavy pressure upon the air. "Katie, I've been expecting you. The holographic chamber is just ahead of you," Queen Lioness said, folding her hands over her crossed legs. There was a hidden sadness behind her eyes. Katie could sense she was struggling to keep it from surfacing even now.
"Thank you... I promise to be quick," Katie responded, turning to walk past her.
The queen sighed before calling, "Katie, please wait a moment."
She stopped as the queen rose to her feet. "Yes, Queen Lioness?" Katie raised an eyebrow as the queen gently took her hands.
"Please, call me Agatha... I know we do not deserve your forgiveness for the way you've been treated. There is no amount of words I can give to express my guilt. I swear to make it up to you in any way I can. You and Hime had always had your differences, but do not harbor any hatred for her. She has always followed Malik and I's example. The blame is sorely upon our shoulders," Agatha declared, her eyes glistening. Malik was the name of the late King Lioness. "Being the closest to inheriting her own kingdom, I fear for Hime starting with no one she can trust. I pray that you both may rekindle your friendship, and if there is anything you or Leon require from us, we shall aid in any way that we can."
Katie offered her a kind smile, returning the grip in Agatha's hands. "Until recent events, I'd never viewed Hime as an enemy. We may share our spats, but we will always need each other, especially now more than ever, with Death rising to power."
They shared a comforting gaze, the respect they once had for each other restored. The silence was broken when the voice of a young man across the hall called, "Mother! The repairs on the arena are finished! What's next on the- Ah, Katie! It's been too long!"
"We finished too!" said a higher pitched voice.
Katie and the queen turned to see the oldest son of the Lioness family, Kruger, followed closely by his twin younger siblings, Atlas and Luna, walking down the carpet. Adorned in a gray suit with a crimson cape and black armor at the arms and legs, Kruger's short silvery blonde hair made him look like a spitting younger image of his late father. The two children, hardly older than twelve to fourteen, wore similar clothes.
Kruger stepped up to Katie, giving a deep bow as he kissed her hand. He then turned to bow to his mother, a smile forming on his lips. Atlas stood by his brother as Luna ran up and gave Katie a hug. "I can't believe mother and father tried to execute you... I can't imagine what I'd do if-" Luna stammered, tearing up.
Atlas gasped. "They tried to what? Mother, is that true?"
"It is... We hadn't realized we were being manipulated," Agatha said, bowing her head in shame.
Katie held Luna tightly, gently brushing her fingers through Luna's hair. "It was scary... but Leon saved me. Everything is good between us now that the true traitor's been found."
At those words, Kruger's mouth tightened. "Damn that, Toras. I wish I could resurrect his traitorous head and lob it off myself. ...If only I'd been here."
Agatha grasped his shoulder. "There was nothing any of us could've done.... None of us were prepared for how powerful Toras had become. If he'd succeeded in killing the hosts and destroying our kingdom, there's no telling who'd stop Death now."
Katie grit her teeth as the image of Leon choking out Toras flashed in her mind. The hateful violet-purple eyes that had formed on his face that day. She trembled. We can't allow that to happen again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After sharing some words with the Lioness family, Katie stood silently in front of the holographic machine. She'd already dialed in the information to call her mother. It always took her a few seconds to mentally prepare herself. Agatha, Kruger, and the twins had offered to stand by her side, but she refused. My mother will never respect me if I can't face her alone... Leon, give me strength. With her silent prayer, she pressed the enter key.
Lilith's face appeared almost immediately, a see through hologram taking shape at the center of the dark room. Standing beside her was her older sister Isabella, wearing dark leather armor and her hair decorated in a french braid, having an equally cold gaze. "What took you so long?" Lilith asked irritably, her eyes narrowing. "You should be thankful I decided to pick up at all."
Katie glared back, crossing her arms. "Last time I saw you, you gave the okay for my execution. Wasn't exactly in a rush to see my traitorous mother."
Isabella's eyes widened, shifting her gaze to Lilith. "You what?"
Lilith remained unfazed. "Cry me a river. You survived did you not? I was watching you, and you had been doing well... Though your performance against Death's agent could've fared better had you not grown careless as always."
"Oh, you mean abandoning Leon? How did I know you were going to suggest that?" Katie snapped, her eyes shining angrily. Sparks flew around her body as she clenched her fists. "If either of us die, do you even have a plan for dealing with Death? She almost destroyed the Lioness Kingdom just as a means of entertainment. What do you think she'll do when she wants you gone?"
For once, Lilith grew silent. Katie could tell her mother's pride was waging war against her logic. It was a short lived battle. Her mother sighed. "You are correct, Katie. As much as it pains me to admit... This is not a time for personal feuds.":
Katie's eyes widened. "Does that mean you'll accept Leon's help?"
"Yes... but, get that smirk off your face. There is only one condition I will accept this," Lilith said, waiting for Katie to scrub the smile that desperately wanted to form away. "Only after we've assessed personally how trustworthy he is will this alliance commence. This is only until Death has been destroyed or he proves he is too much of a threat to be trusted. Do you believe you can best him if he turns out to be a traitor?"
"Leon would never-" Katie started, but Lilith waved her hand dismissively.
"That was not the question. Are you stronger than him or not? We have nothing to discuss on the matter unless you can give me a solid answer," her mother demanded, slamming her fist against her desk.
The humming of the hologram followed the awkward silence. Katie thought of the speed in Leon's growth the previous month. He went from struggling against Hime and his friends to beating her and another fully trained demon enhanced by Death's powers on the same day... I'm certainly stronger than him now, but how long can I...
"You are hesitating, Katie. Am I to take that as a sign of your strength wavering?" Lilith asked coldly, narrowing her eyes.
Katie shook her head. "We'll duel in the Luna Base and I'll win, if that's what it takes to prove it to you. Just wait for him to recover and I'll tell you before we arrive."
Her mother gave a curt nod. "Good enough. Do not disappoint me. If you fail, we will be forced to destroy him. Death is enough of a problem without Diablos posing a threat as well." The transmission ended abruptly at that, leaving Katie alone in the holographic chamber with her thoughts.
Do not worry my dear... Your foolish mother underestimates her own flesh in blood, knowing full well she possesses no real power of her own, Jalaiya's voice teased in her mind.
Katie sighed. Go away... I don't have time to deal with your poisonous whispers.
Jalaiya gasped in mocking shock. Poisonous. My dear sweet Katie, I've only looked out for you ever since you were a little girl. Don't you remember how your sisters mercilessly beat you every day until I took control? The way your mother watched your endless suffering with no-
Tears fell down Katie's face as the haunted memories of her childhood flooded her mind. She slammed her fist into the wall. SHUT UP! Enough! That will never happen again. Begone you wretched creature...