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Night crept up as they followed a narrow path amongst the trees. Fireflies were scattered amongst them, lighting the way. Colorful chirps and cries welcomed in every direction. I wonder what kind of creatures are hiding here... Leon thought, pushing past some bushes. He noticed Katie glancing at him. She sighed.
"...I don't bite, you know," he said.
She jumped. "Apologies. It's been ages since we've been together... It's a little difficult to know how I should act around you," she said, smiling. There was a warmth in her eyes whenever she looked at him. Even in reality, it gave him chills; for once, it was in a good way.
"Just be yourself. It's crazy that it's been three years. Did you visit my mind back then too?" He shifted his gaze to the outer reaches of the forest.
When she opened her mouth to respond, she walked into a tree. "D'oh! I did... Though I was afraid to approach once I realized you didn't remember me," Katie muttered, rubbing her head. "Oww."
He chuckled. "Are you okay?"
Blushing furiously, she turned away and bit the collar of her sweater. "W-why wouldn't I be?"
King the raptor crept beside them, sniffing the dirt along the way. Leon often lost track of him if it weren't for his size. How does something so big move so quietly? What drugs did I snort to end up with a talking dinosaur and an angel anyway?
I suppose demons sealed within you is the normalcy in all this? Diablos asked.
Leon groaned. Don't even get me started on your existence.
His smile faded. "Can we really control Diablos and Jalaiya enough to be safe around each other? I don't understand how to control this power," Leon said, his eyebrows furrowing. "I don't want to hurt you or anyone else."
Katie turned to him, grasping his hands gently, looking into his eyes. "You're stronger than you think, Leon. And if it ever came to that, I'd bring you back. I swear it."
A moment of silence followed. It was as if they were the only ones in the forest, the world dissipating. Her eyes widened. "Watch out!" she cried, pushing him.
Leon crashed against the dirt, coughing. "The hell?" He looked at her, and his heart dropped. Katie was suspended above him, her limbs outstretched. Silver wires were wrapped around her body. They reached out from the forest, tightening with each second.
"Get away! Quickly!" she croaked, the wire tightening on her neck.
Leon rose to his feet and moved toward her. His jaw met a flying fist. The world crashed and burned, blackening in an instant. He groaned, his chest dragged against the floor. Branches and gravel scraped against his body. Someone pulled his legs. He flailed his arms out, trying to plant his fingers into the ground. "Shit!" he muttered, twisting around.
The assailant was shrouded in shadows. Leon snatched pebbles from the dirt. Embers surged through his palm. He threw them. The rocks burst into flames, blasting the man away. A pained cry ensued, but the man leaped into the trees out of sight. Leon jolted to his feet and froze. Katie was nowhere to be seen. What? Where did Katie go? And what about that raptor?
He knew calling out would be stupid. I need to find them. Katie, can you hear me?
No response. Leon pushed through the bushes until he eventually reached an open field. He stopped. A person was standing in the darkness. "Hey!" His words were cut short, and a piercing light blinded him. A gunshot fired. The bullet whistled past, a warm sting against his cheek.
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"Don't move! We wouldn't want to have to drag your ass all the way to Death, but if it comes to that, we will. I'll bust a cap in your knees faster than you can blink," a man said, storming toward him. The grass crunched underneath his metal boots as his face met the moonlight. He had short brown hair, a young face, and a cut on his lip. Leon felt a pang in his gut.
"Richard." The name left a bad taste as the barrel of a pistol stared him dead in the eye. A smile curved on his friend's lips, the hood dropping. "Your dear old sister sent us. It's time for a little reunion," Richard said, grinning. "Such a pointless time you spent looking for her. All you had to do was wait."
"I wasn't expecting to see you here. What happened to you?" Leon asked, narrowing his eyes. "Get that gun out of my face."
Richard barked out a harsh laugh. "Making demands when you're outnumbered? You were always a funny guy, Leon." His eyes were colorless and empty, like a dead fish.
Outnumbered?
A hand snatched the scruff of his collar, dragging him up to his feet. Leon twisted. His arms flared up. A boot slammed into his wrists. His eyes flared, looking up at who appeared. Slicked back brown hair and pale skin. It was another old friend, Ed. The scar on his nose, wide jaw, and towering height were indistinguishable. "Seems you have a habit of falling for girls with green eyes. I'm surprised Cynthia was replaced so easily, but I'm not. Betrayal seems to fit you and Diablos."
"Betrayal? Don't make me laugh," Leon said, unsheathing his sword.
Clearly, they're being controlled. How should we handle this, Diablos?
You're asking me? Dispose of them, you half-wit! Diablos shouted.
Geez, so quick to jump to the murder card. Are you seriously telling me that's the only way to save them?
The moonlight reflected off of their dark armor. In the distance, another silhouette rose among the trees. You can knock them out. I don't know what spell Death put on them, but that should be enough to at least restrain them. Katie's voice rang in his ears.
Got it. Leave them to me.
Leon thought about all the times his friends ate out of his fridge. All the times they'd eaten the last slice of pizza. Ones he'd saved for lunch. Flames erupted from his sword, and they flinched. He smiled and said, "You guys do remember what happened the last time we trained, don't you?"
If there was any shred of themselves still awake, Richard trembled. His gun fired again. The bullet burst against Leon's blade. Wires ripped from the dirt. They were sliced to ribbons and leaped over. His friends surrounded him.
Above them, Katie watched in astonishment. She was ready to dive in when what ensued next froze her. Wires shot up from the ground, surrounding Leon. His friends attacked him relentlessly, fists and boots flying. It was as if he’d fought thousands of times before. The way he swatted them aside. He twisted and dove through the wires. A mad smile never left his face.
I thought Iris erased his memories? Katie’s eyes narrowed, but then a thought occurred to her. Is it possible she couldn’t erase his muscle memory? …It's easy to forget how complex living beings can be. Her eyes widened when she noticed Ed’s body fade into dust, disappearing. The next moment, his arm phased back into existence as Leon tossed him into Richard.
Embers surged around his palm, his eyes widening. He slammed his knuckles into the earth with a resounding impact, causing magma to erupt all around him in an instant. Ed and Richard were sent flying, crashing painfully into the floor. Smoke trailed from their wounds. Katie watched from above, the aftermath of flames enveloping the grass, leaving her speechless. She flew toward him.
Leon walked out of the lava, sheathing his sword. He knelt beside his friends to check their pulse. No severe damage, just a mild sunburn. At least I know they're alive. The only question is, what did Death do to them, and how many of my friends did he take? ...That's two questions. Apparently, fighting is easier than counting. Leon's vision blurred, and he fell against the grass. As he watched the fire rapture the field, his knees trembled when he attempted to stand. He was panting. I think I overdid it.
You lack control. Without it, you'll be left helpless after a single attack, Diablos said.
A strong gust of wind burst against it. Katie snuffed out the flames with her wings. With a wave of her hand, the crater of lava was frozen before it could do more damage. How did she do that? Leon wondered as she walked toward him, the feathers shrinking into her back.
"That was incredible, Leon... but you must be careful. Diablos's power is especially destructive," she offered him a hand.
"I figured. Is there a way to get better at controlling how much I use?" he asked, taking it. "You wouldn't happen to be carrying any rope in that little bag of yours, would you?"
"Never leave home without it. They'll need these too." She dug into it, pulling out glowing handcuffs. "If Death gave them abilities, they won't be able to use them as long as they wear them. As for learning how to control your powers, we'll get to it once you've recovered."
Nodding, he began restraining them. Katie smacked King upside the head for abandoning them before tying his friends to the raptor's back. "I was gonna' come back. I swear!" King said, scratching his head.
She groaned. "Why is it that you always go missing when I need you?"
"I've never missed a day in me life, mum! Hey, you think they'd mind if I had a wee bite?" King asked, leaning his jaw toward Richard's hand.
"Perhaps I'll sew your mouth shut if you even think about eating them!" she said, making him flinch.
The raptor stood up straight, tail drooping. "Aye, I'll just starve..." he muttered.
Katie pets his snout. "I'll get you some food after we get into town. Okay?"
"Really? Oh boy!" King's eyes lit up, his tail wagging. "Oh boy, oh boy, oh bo-"
"King," Katie said, suppressing a smile. "Quiet.
Leon watched them, then back at his own hands. His legs shook as he struggled to keep standing. I might've lost if that attack didn't knock them out. I underestimated how strong these abilities can be... As much as I hate to admit it, I wish Iris was here to show me how to use them.