History exists to be changed, it doesn't matter how. It is only after this where good and evil arrive, assuming they can even be separated in this world.
"I can see them from afar. Get ready!"
"We already are. You will wait for my order. You being here is a decisive point. I'll be doing the talking, a plain conversation won't do any good in this place."
"Do you think it will be that easy with your words? Usually your personality scares everyone away."
"That may be but in this case I am not the biggest evil, they only need to recognize the real enemy. Lynia, we'll be waiting for them at the gate, let's do it as planned."
The dark elf agreed and walked up to the city gate along with Leo. They sensed the enemy had noticed them. Leo focused and closed his eyes. His veins turned black and a black aura surrounded him.
" Ah, I almost forgot this feeling, there is no holding back now."
Lynia had been following him for a long time however, he had never shown her or Aiden the true extent of his powers. Right now there was no better time than to use them, the consequences didn't matter. His eyes turned blood red and his armor acquired a great magical aura.
"I guess you really had to overdo it. I sure hope this isn't just an act."
"No, this is my sanctuary."
From far away, they saw an orange sphere that was getting bigger and bigger, becoming a ball of fire.
"I can't do much about that one, I'll leave it to you."
"Don't worry, the show will start very soon."
As the ball of fire rushed toward the two, Leo stretched out his arm and pointed straight at the projectile. A black shadow shot out of his hand and proceeded to literally eat the huge orb.
"I never thought you'd stay up here. What if I had failed?"
"I didn't want to miss the show, plus you're not the only performer."
The woman picked up her bow, drew an arrow and chose a target. Her eyes glowed yellow-green, while the arrow was surrounded by a white aura. With a small shockwave, the projectile left the string and sped toward its target. Lynia didn't even need to look, as she knew she hit her victim.
"So, what's next? Now that we've made them angry, where does it go from here?"
"This is not a matter of anger or provocation, we have taken the first step. The main act is about to start.
As the crowd realized what happened they were filled with fear again. It was no Erezal facing them. These foes were far stronger, even the mages and elite troops recognized the power. Just as expected, they ordered the army ahead to get a closer look on the enemy. However, their command came across many problems. Unlike yesterday, here they had to deal with genuine strong opponents who could wipe them out in an instant. There were far more deserters today, though none were spared. It was hopeless, everywhere they looked their death was smiling at them. Just behind them their own troops who would kill all of the men and before them stood the enemy who was going to annihilate the army. The only difference was that they knew exactly whoever tries to flee will be exterminated. Their minds forced them to march forward and conquer the enemy. It was only two people, so maybe they really might be able to defeat them.
"Calm down, we can do this. Remember, we are fighting by your side, there is no way you can lose. March with us and fight for your survival."
Upon hearing the chosen ones say these words, they gained new courage to trust their words. Thus they advanced towards the two opponents. Leading the way again were Blade, Marah, Luke, Adrian and Grae. All four of them had mixed feelings about seeing the old comrade again. Grae had a hunch about what Leo was trying to accomplish. It wasn't them he was targeting, but the king and his followers who were observing the army.
As they approached, the people grew more and more anxious, yet the enemy did not move from the spot and only observed them rushing towards them.
"Now its up to them whether they will survive or die."
"Are you just going to let them storm the city?"
"I wont interfere anymore. Like I said, it's in their own hands and minds whether they will survive or not."
Lynia saw that Leo wasn't looking at the soldiers but at the five horsemen in front of them. She realized that Leo was aware of who this opponent was. He picked up his weapon, which had black magic flowing through it, and went for a slash.
In the next moment he swung the blade in a way that created a great black wall of fire behind the big army. Now they were locked up like animals at the mercy of the enemy. However, the Chosen still stood beside them being their last hope. However, they also simply stopped and glanced upwards to speak to one of the two figures.
"What exactly are you doing here, there' s no reason for you to be here."
"Oh I wouldn't be so sure about that. Looking behind you then I guess I did have something to do here."
"Don't play games Leo, exactly what are you up to?"
"Your commander understands what I came here to do. Isn't that right, Jures Grae?"
Grae was looking closely into Leo's eyes. Indeed, wthe young man was up to what he had suspected.
"Stop whining and sobbing like that, I'm not here to send you to your deaths like your leaders, in fact I'm giving you a chance".
"What is this supposed to be Leo? This is just a trap-
"If it was a trap Blade you would all be dead by now. There are far more effective ways to eliminate all of you. Now shut your mouth and tell them that they have to listen to me. Behind you waits death, yet I offer you a choice. All of you were innocently forced into this war, many of you have family and loved ones whom you want to see again. I can fulfill this wish for you: Everyone who surrenders right now and walks through this gate, I will grant him his life. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
"What is this?"
" I'm simply giving you a chance to live, but don't wait too long. Pretty soon, death will really catch up with you in the back."
The crowd was indecisive. That man who had just easily destroyed the power of their leaders is now supposed to be their ally and save their lives?
"If you don't believe my words, at least hear him out. Make it quick, we don't have much time left Aiden.
The city gate opened and out stepped a young man with blond hair and blue eyes. He was unknown to most, but luckily there were a few who actually recognized him or saw him before. He was the prince, that prince who was declared dead many years ago.
" It seems that a few faces recognize who I am. So, to officially introduce myself: My name is Prince Aiden Sershire, the rightful heir to the throne of our kingdom. I was pronounced dead many years ago and rightly so. But my life was not threatened by monsters as it was proclaimed but by traitors that my father sent to kill me. I managed to escape, but was unable to return as my very presence there caused nothing but chaos for me. However, it is now time to do something, to reclaim what is mine. My father is not the best ruler, but now he has gone mad. The Erezal didn't plan an attack, rather the king told you a lie to satisfy his hatred. Thus, he forced you, an army of innocent men from all the territories, to march out for him and sacrifice your lives for his good. I can tell that you are carrying a great burden, but it's not too heavy to just surrender at this point. My partner up there tells the truth: I pledge with my life that you will be safe with me, no, with us. We are not your enemies, it is those behind you who have plotted with your mad king. Let me assure you, no Erezal is in this city, in case this eases your fears. All of you are free people of the Kingdom, and you shall have the choice how exactly to carry on. Put your trust in us and you will be safe, Or you can rejoin the troops and continue to fight to the end of your lives. Let us protect you against your tormentors, as you have already witnessed what we are capable of.
The crowd became restless, those who recognized him reassured their fellow men of his identity. From farther back they heard a loud voice, the Elite troops were just behind the wall.
"Are you really going to trust someone who just walked in here? You don't even know if he's telling the truth about himself. Just because he looks like that doesn't mean anything. If you accept this offer, you are conspiring against the king, the one who protects you. Will you live the rest of your life as a soldier with honor or will you betray your lord. Be aware of the punishment for treason, if you turn against us now you will be sought and hunted for the rest of your lives. Your families will be dishonored and shown as a disgrace. Just fucking attack him already!
Nobody responded to the words of the chief squad leader, everybody was filled with fear, so such words didn't matter to them.
"So this is your decision, you will all regret it right away when we destroy him and then you- Argh."
From behind the wall it was hard to see through, thus the soldier didn't notice that an arrow shot directly at his chest. The tip pierced the armor and got stuck in his chest. All of a sudden, he felt a very sharp, burning pain, as if he was being eaten from the inside. The armor disintegrated and his whole body began to decompose as if acid was thrown on him. First the skin on his chest burned until the muscles and organs could be seen. Before everything could be seen in detail, his organs dissolved as well, affecting the rest of his body in a flash until the black liquid consumed everything without even bones remaining. Not much could be seen nevertheless the agonizing screams were enough to trigger great terror once again.
"You got pretty good arrows, I didn't think they could absorb this much magic."
" I never noticed a limit until now, I guess this was the test. Is that your full powers then?"
Leo ignored Lynia's question and gave Aiden his signal. The prince got his chance and now Leo was giving the final push.
"My patience is running thin. Decide now or I will have to kill you here and now for being supporters of the enemy. Listen to what your protectors say."
All eyes went toward the Chosen, with the army waiting for their decision. Before the four could even speak Grae stepped forward and announced their decision.
"Our job is to protect the kingdom at all costs. I see before me the biggest part of this kingdom: the people. For that reason, accept his offer, and together we will reclaim your freedom. Our true enemy is lurking behind us so be quick."
"Together we shall return, to our families, to our friends and to our homes. You have our word."
Marah reinforced Grae's words and urged the others to agree with this decision as well. With those words, they marched together with Aiden and the chosen ones.
The Prince was not lying, the buildings were empty and there were no traces of a battle inside the city.
"Now we got a whole bunch of baggage. These five up ahead seem to know you pretty well, maybe another secret you don't want to reveal?"
"It's not a secret, they just weren't important yet. But now they'll have plenty of chances to prove their worth. Let's hope they're more capable than before, otherwise we'll be on our own again. The barrier won't hold forever, it's almost showtime. This will be the biggest challenge yet, so think twice before joining the fight.
" I entered the fight with my first arrow so just focus on what's important Mr. I can do anything."
Everyone had gathered in the city with the four chosen taking care of the men. Just as Leo was about to take a look at the situation he was approached from the side.
" This is how you want to achieve your goal, well, still better than before. This army can't fight anymore and these four aren't in the best shape either, yesterday was pretty rough for all of us. We need a proper game plan, they are far stronger than they look that's why-
"If such things already overwhelm you, then you are weaker than I thought you would be. I know exactly how powerful they are, and I also know that you couldn't have defeated them on your own. That is why you followed this insanity, isn't it? There is no plan, you can't use tricks against them. Be ready to fight and try not to die."
In Leo's face, Grae saw that he wasn't looking for a conversation, but for a battle. Grae recalled he still had a personal feud against their enemy. Without saying anything, he prepared to engage.
"And who exactly are you guys now? Obviously Leo knows you guys well."
"Let's just say we fought with him at one point."
"Really? From the look he had on his face, it must have been a very long time ago."
"How come a prince travels with him? Has he captured you?"
"No, he rather gave or showed me a way to redeem what's mine. So I have an important question: how is the throne princess? Is she in good health?"
"As far as I know, she visited some noble family last week. So she should be fine."
Aiden's heart skipped a beat. All along he had longed for this reassurance, for that his sister was well.
"Has Leo always been like this, or did he used to be a stand-up guy? Cuz right now he's very hard to- ouch."
"Less talking, more action Aiden. You handle the people, we'll handle the fight. Though you're good with weapons, they don't matter here, so stay inside the city and keep the people calm. You four, I sure as hell hope you are able to take on these freaks with full seriousness. No more talking now, you guys can take care of this business later. So get to the gate, I don't want the city to be a part of the battlefield. Don't argue with me, let's go."
They recognized the coldness in Leo's gaze, as they had felt when he returned. To him, they were nothing more than tools to his goal, who were now to stand their ground. All of a sudden a loud bang rang out in front of the city, the barrier was destroyed and their opponents were on the move.
A whole 35 elite mages and soldiers stood before them. All of them were experienced in battle, their real potential assuming a greater extent than they had previously thought. Among the mages he recognized his mortal enemies, the ones who had all but ended his life. First of all was Darion, the oldest of all mages and a loyal ally of the king. He had stood by his side for 25 years, and for all those 25 years, no one could replace or supersede him. His methods made him almost untouchable. Leo's face brought back memories of betrayal, one of his cruelest days in this world. This mage was over 50 years old, yet his face was that of a young man. With his long blond hair, he stepped forward from the group to give a final warning.
What a turn this journey has taken. I do not understand why you put the lives of others ahead of your own to such a great extent. You present your true weaknesses to the enemy, yet you will never ever learn from this. In fact, I have never been fond of you, your powers are too fragile, your development has simply ceased. If you hadn't paid so much attention to your values and morals, you would be standing at the top today. You will never find true glory as you are now, however, I can show you precisely what I really mean by that. You have a choice: return to my side and follow my steps, or perish along with this disgrace."
The way he spoke was calm yet dangerous, with his aura flowing through the air. With each passing second, his presence grew stronger. He revealed his true power, which was supposed to strike fear into the hearts of the chosen ones, though they remained firm. Without even replying, Leo stepped forward to exchange final words with the murderer of his squad.
" Do you fear losing? How long has the great Darion allowed his enemies to have a chance? The greatest of all mages no longer trusts his own abilities, so now he must rely on his underlings."
"Hmm, you seem different, of course, but you really are the young commander of the pathetic troop I relinquished of their service. It' s a shame you survived, but you seek my salvation again. I shall grant it to you, but I shall choose the way myself."
"Your words will be your stumbling block, arrogance has never been healthy."
"Oh, now I see it. Kuhaha, so you met him, the betrayer. You were taken in by him and saved just like it was in the past. You are living in a dream world, they are not your powers, merely a borrowed strength whose limits you are about to realize. Men prepare yourselves, any carelessness will end in death."
There was no negotiation, just threats and provocations in their words.
"You heard him, now there is no turning back. Stand ready or die, this will be your biggest challenge yet."
"That's it? I expected the strategic genius to have a plan."
"If you're dying to hear one, kill them all while trying not to be killed. I' m sick of playing the leader. Just battle your enemies with full concentration and stop relying on the words of others. It' s no surprise that you guys seemed so weak back then."
"You're one to talk, asshole!"
"Blade, you better stop and concentrate. You know he's more dangerous than we know."
"Yet it's still Leo, and he's right. Focus everyone!"
The four motivated each other while Lynia just stared at them in a strange way.
" Weird way to get a boost. Humans are really weird creatures."
" Perhaps we are, nevertheless, take a good look before you judge young woman. These four are stronger than they look. Their training is about to pay off."
Once again Leo sank into thought, this was the first crucial moment of his dream. Now the task was to win at any cost and satisfy the hunger for revenge for the time being. Leo needed to act cautiously, none of the enemies were allowed to be underestimated.
Then the battle began. A series of arrows flew at the Leos' group, which they evaded or crushed. At first Lynia and Adrian tried to stay at a distance in order to switch to close combat later on. This way they had a better overview of the battlefield. Leo let his black aura run free, his katana fed on the magic and thus became stronger and more resistant itself. Just like in war, the soldiers moved to the front while the mages supported them from behind. The swordsmen moved much like Grae and their technique was excellent. Grae hesitated in his attacks, then recalled his days as a soldier. They were the very men he was facing, who literally tortured their regular soldiers by punishing them if they failed their expectations. As long as they took the credit, they would spit on their subordinates. Grae's mentor advised him one thing: Avoid these people at all costs. The more time you spent with them, the more you would become like them: cold, ruthless, lustful bastards who even invaded the homes of the families of deceased soldiers and let themselves be taken care of there, if their wives and children wanted to live normally. At these thoughts anger came up to him that he converted into focus. However, the four had their problems, although they knew that friends and family are at stake, the thought of killing a human being just like that did not go out of their minds. On top of that, the experiences of the last few days haunted them. Leo noticed that the soldiers were not stopping so he had to change his targets. He was disappointed in his supporters, yet at the same time the will to win controlled his mind. Marah was the only one who fought and killed without any trouble, she was completely aware of the situation and adapted to it. All the while, everyone had to watch out for the magic attacks from further back. A hit from the lightning magic Leo had discovered and they would drop dead. While Blade was able to dodge these attacks, he had a hard time attacking the soldiers. He suddenly saw the face of Karin's father in one of the swordsmen's faces and hesitated for a moment. But before the sword could penetrate his armor and pierce his body, he was freed from his trance. In front of him was no longer a face, all he saw were the remains of a head. Using his weapon, Leo had cleaved the soldier's head and tossed his body backwards.
"Wake up asshole, remember you have something to fight for so snap out of it."
Leo's words did not motivate or encourage him. Blade realized that Leo was looking down on him to the point of being disgusted by his weakness. That was the trigger and wake-up call for him to fight with all his energy. Every time he killed an enemy, Leo enjoyed the fight even more, transferring this bloodlust to his sword, which developed a consciousness of its own. The young reaper cursed the weapon and made it his servant. A flame of joy and vengeance burned in his eyes as he brutally slaughtered enemy after enemy. While he could have simply pierced their chests or slashed them with the katana, this was not enough for Leo.
Giving himself to this power, not only did he kill the soldiers, but he also cut off their limbs, burned their faces, or let his sword devour them. This was a cruel sight for his allies seeing him like this. Looking at him, they no longer knew if Leo was really an ally. The screaming was music to him and he started laughing. Suddenly, however, his expression vanished, while his sword returned to normal and his power weakened. Totally confused, he glanced around until he saw Darion in front of him, who merely laughed at him. A bright light surrounded him, soon forming a veil over the rest of his enemies. Upon seeing the light Leo knew immediately from where it came. His body responded furiously to the power, making him feel pain that he hadn't felt in a very long time. Lynia just couldn't believe it, never before had she seen him in such a state. As the others saw Leo in agony, barely able to move, they saw a part of his old self. It was his pain that triggered the release of the true power of the Chosen Ones. They revealed their light and gave themselves to the power.
"Hahaha, I knew it, you too are blessed by her. A splendid sight, let's see which one of us is of more importance in her plan."
Darion controlled the same light but his was greater and more dazzling, obeying him without difficulty. The Chosen fought the mages to protect Leo, Lynia and Grae took over as the young man's personal bodyguards.
Leo was barely conscious, his vision was going black and he could barely stand on his feet. He saw no battlefield or blood in front of him, but only a black and white flickering light, which fought against each other in his head. He recalled important words from his rescuer:
" If they collide it will be chaos, accompanied by death itself. Once you are on the losing side, it won't be long until your existence becomes extinguished, Leo. However, there is a way to reverse the situation. Know that in this infinity there is no limitation, no boundary. The body is the only chain that prevents you from free existence. It' not time yet, my student, but I have full confidence that you will shatter these chains and turn the chaos in your favor. Kill your inner self."
All of a sudden he gasped loudly, inside it felt as if his heart had just exploded. Within, Leo saw his bones shatter and immediately re-evolve. For an instant he was truly dead, however, this moment was the preparation for what was to follow. Although he was still in his body, he felt more released than he had ever felt before. With his face turning gray, his veins turning black, and his eyes turning to an everlasting black, he was free. His emotions were no longer existent, he did not speak a word instead he only looked ahead. Lynia and Grae didn't realize how one of the soldiers broke through and struck Leo right in the side. No blood came out of the wound, instead a black liquid ran down his armor and then immediately returned to his body, closing the wound in the process. Without any problems Leo lifted the soldier up, robbing him of all his life force until he was just an empty shell in front of him. Everybody watched him in fear, the magicians got frightened as they stared at him. The veil vanished as the light was extinguished. While the chosen ones watched this, they themselves failed to notice how even their power was fading away. It was obvious to all: on that day, darkness would prevail.