The one that has existed since the beginning. The one that created values along with his counterpart. The one whose essence drove him away into a world rich in envy, hatred and fabricated vengeance. New challenges would be waiting for him, ones that were more tense than they seemed.
After Leo heard Yrasil's voice in his head, things became chaotic. Ryu was the first to run into him.
"What the hell happened here? Where' s the enemy?"
Leo realized that if he told Ryu everything, it would only make things harder. Though he didn't know Yrasil, he knew that his temper was not the best.
"I don't have any idea but we need to worry about the other dark elves. For the most part it' s gotten rid of the houses. You go look for Lynia, I'll meet up with Connor and see if I can get them some help. What we need is order as soon as possible."
Before Ryu could say anything, Leo raced out of his sight in the opposite direction. On the way he tried to aid some of the victims signaling that help was on the way. He had to move quickly to avoid causing more damage. Amidst the chaos, Leo made it out of the fortress unobserved and crept to the meeting place Yrasil told him to go to.
Upon arriving there was no sign of the elf leader till a green light came out of nowhere and took Yrasil's form. This elf was built tall, his green piercing eyes looking down at Leo.
"So this is what this maniac's pet looks like. The stench of you is almost unbearable. I must say I'm a little disappointed, your aura doesn't show a hint of strength. Well, there has to be some reason why he chose a person like you."
Based on his manner of speech, Leo realized that he must not show any weakness. Eventually, he risked confronting him on an equal footing.
"What is your goal? To capture this fortress or merely to send out a threat?"
"Hoho, look at that. Such a low being dares to speak to me like this. Here I am both amazed and tempted to kill you on the spot. But then again my amusement would be over already, so consider yourself and these vermin safe for today. Things like this are not a warning, it's just my way of welcoming you. By the way, let me tell you this: the only reason I was able to locate you so quickly is due to your own help. Your master made you a target for all and sundry of us. He' s been an enemy since the beginning, so since you belong to him, his responsibilities fall on your shoulders. In the end, you are responsible for their current misery, you have done this to them."
Before such a higher being, there was no option to even show a single piece of indulgence. Although Leo felt guilt on the inside, he kept his cool to the outside world.
" I may have, I may not. In any case, the wall was destroyed by your power. Like you say, my aura is neither powerful nor terrifying, still it was sufficient to wipe out an entire army of your ranks. Just because I don't display strength on the outside doesn't mean I'm actually weak. You certainly know someone who started out looking exactly like that until he turned the world upside down. Although I may have lost his magic, a part of his essence remains with me. Despite being seen as a maggot in your eyes, I have proven myself to be a threat for you. Don't ever underestimate the despairing for they have nothing to lose."
"Hahaha, you' ve inherited his mouth too: audacious, arrogant and constantly gambling with death. I could wipe you out here and now with the snap of a finger, putting an end to all this mess and awaiting any remaining frantic attacks. So many problems would be spared me and peace would soon return."
"But you won't do that. You said yourself that you don't want to lose your sense of fun just yet. What you want is to make a game out of it, a match for life and death. Just how far will I, a one-time disciple of a supreme being, get? Since you are so certain of your amusement, I do have one condition."
"You dare to give me any conditions? Given your circumstances? Interesting, however, I'm beginning to get tired of your loud mouth."
Suddenly Leo took a dagger and held it to his own throat while looking Yrasil right in the eye. Using all his willpower, he managed not to tremble showing determination in his decision even though he was afraid of death.
"Then our conversation shall end here. Go find someone else with the potential to amuse you. There is no one else but me who is free of any ties and who can struggle to perfection. Best of luck in your search, Emperor of the Elves."
Right before Leo could kill himself, the dagger suddenly broke into a thousand pieces. Deep inside, he began to smile. Leo knew that he had just gained the upper hand. There was too much of an interest in him to let him die now.
" Truly, it would be a waste to eliminate you here. Perhaps I might be able to summon your master because of you. There' s still a lot I have to settle with that bastard. He' s the reason why our everlasting order has fallen apart. If there' s one thing I hate, it's chaos!"
Yrasil grew angrier while thinking of the past. Nevertheless, a being like him managed to regain his composure at once. For the last time he turned to Leo and picked him up by his throat. The latter started to gasp while his look became more panic-stricken. All Yrasil could do was look at him with pity.
"So fragile, you people have lost your value...if they were ever worth anything at all. Well, at least you're different from these insects, I'll grant you your one chance to surprise me. It' s in vain from the start, but it makes it all the more enjoyable to watch your failures. Let me know about more of your feats soon, Zaphiel's disciple. And most of all, don't disappoint me!"
"I can see that time has been your biggest concern. Think of it as solved, I won't be taking any actions in the near future. However, just as you and these worms want to build an army, I am going to increase my kingdom. You' d best pass on the message or not, for you there are no wiser decisions. Well, I have already taken the first step in the direction of your quest, consider it a proposal. There is one thing I should let you know: You have not been my primary objective, soon enough you shall have some allies... that is if they are still able to fight in the first place... better hurry before it starts hahaha."
As he appeared out of nowhere so Yrasil vanished. Leo needed a few seconds to comprehend the last words he said. Unless Yrasil really wasn't targeting their fortress there was only one location left for him to use as a target.
Right away, he ran off back to the others to check on the situation. Inside the fortress the scene had calmed down, fires were extinguished and the inhabitants were safe. This time, Leo couldn't get through the gate unnoticed. While many had speculated he was a coward his friends knew that something different had to be behind his disappearance.
"Look who's back. I think you owe us some answers."
"You can have them all, however, we must hurry. From now on our situation will be far more complicated!"
His facial expression showed panic as well as impatience, they knew something couldn't be right about him. At once they called a private meeting and left Nadal in charge of the crowd. Without even closing the door, Leo began to speak.
"This attack originated from Yrasil himself. He actually spoke to me and had me ordered to see him unless more damage was to come. Therefore I fled from here as fast as possible. That was a kind of introduction for the coming battles. He isn't going to engage us another time as long as we shift into attacking him soon. I managed to buy us a little time. Seeing him appear...at this point, we barely have a chance to stand against him."
All of them could not believe what Leo just told them. Their leader, the so-called God of the Elves, personally had given that warning, and all by himself. If he had no trouble doing such damage without an army then they are doomed from the beginning. Again, before they could interrupt him, his voice grew louder.
"That's not everything that happened. Actually we haven't been his target for this day, there is only one other nearby destination: Altaria! If what he says is true, we must hurry before they go down. The powers of Yrasil are too great even for them. We need to rescue them before they threaten to collapse!"
" Hold on, we can't all just leave this fortress now and abandon the whole defense. While the situation may be critical for them, it doesn't mean we have to sacrifice ourselves for them all. I'll have a force ready in a few hours, but as long as-"
"No, this is too late. The safety here comes first but Yrasil is no longer present, he has sent his signal. And I' m not naive enough to distrust the words of such a being. All he said sounded both threatening and resolute. If you saw him, you would know exactly what he meant by an attack. What happened here was not even a hint of his menace. His real target was most likely Altaria, I have a feeling that even its defenses can hardly withstand the forces of Yrasil. For now, I know the danger here is gone and I will not let any sort of paranoia keep me from supporting allies."
Then, in the next moment, he put on his armor and took his sword.
"If you don't want to be a backup then so be it. But this time I can't work in a team which is going against my principles. You guys better make a quick decision, pretty soon there won't be anything left."
Again, before any discussion broke out, Connor stood up and put on his gear as well.
"We have lived together with your people, we have supported each other and looked out for each other. However, I am obligated to myself and thus I am making my own decisions. I do trust the words of a friend so I will follow him. Indeed, all of you have the right to stay here and care for the welfare of your people. Nevertheless, we have the right to do the same for the sake of those around us, especially if they are truly suffering a terrible attack. May we meet again soon, and if not, it has been an honor to have fought by your side."
Side by side they left the hut and ran to the stables. Leo took one of the horses and the two of them rode at lightning speed towards Altaria.
"Are you absolutely sure of your belief?"
"It couldn't be more complete than this. I mean, you should have seen him because the last thing he'd do is issue empty threats. Let's just hope we're not too late."
It took a whole day with no rest until they were nearly at the city. From afar, bright orange lights could be seen, becoming more and more distinct the closer they got. Leo grew fiercer, especially at himself for having taken so long.
"Damn it, we're too late!"
"Calm down, all is definitely not lost yet!"
Riding out of the forest they saw what attacking Yrasil really meant. The entire southern wall including the gate was destroyed, houses were burning and the streets reigned in great chaos. Their horse realized the danger and made them walk the rest of the way.
Once they were close enough, they saw the enemies fighting the soldiers. Physically their appearance was normal, however, their fighting mentality was abnormally high even to the point of not responding to any words. The long-range troops also behaved in the same manner.
" There is something wrong. I recognize the expression on their faces, it's similar to those back at the forsaken camp."
"They are battling without brains and without care. That Yrasil has brainwashed them big time. This is making the whole situation even more fucked."
"As long as we keep fighting side by side we should manage to take out at least some of them. We need to find Carleen, no doubt she's still alive. Once we get a quick overview we can act faster. As of now, we need a lot of cooperation. The casualty rate must not get any higher."
" Well, then we should protect the inhabitants. The soldiers have a higher chance of surviving at least for a little longer."
"Have you seen the numbers of them? Pretty soon, no one is going to make it out of here. I say we start working our way forward and destroy as many of them as we can. Perhaps there is a clue to a weak point in these dummies. Stick by my side and eliminate as many of them as you can."
Seconds later, they found themselves in the middle of the battlefield surrounded by enemies. They all had the same mark on their faces and their eyes were glowing green. Connor quickly realized everyone was suddenly keeping their eyes on his partner.
"Man,I should have guessed something like this. That bastard tagged me, this is supposed to be my first challenge...Connor, they' ve got me in their sights so brace yourself. Im going to try and distract them, then you are going to finish them off from behind. As long as they focus on me they won't have any cover, my stench will draw them in."
"What stench, I don't smell anything?"
Leo gave no reply but lured them in his direction. By this point, there was only one task left for Leo: don't get hit, dodge and run away from them if necessary. Being their target, he was the key to wiping out the elves quickly and efficiently. Before long, Leo realized how their minds worked. His aura only functioned in a certain radius and caused the elves to become even angrier. Though they became stronger, they lost all sense of defending themselves and potentially killing others. Leo became their first priority even if it meant their demise. Yet a human only has a certain amount of stamina, which runs out faster and faster as time goes by. Soon he was slowing down and was just able to parry blows.
"Fuck, can't you get rid of them faster? I'm about to die here!"
Connor tried to signal to everyone about this situation and get everyone's attention.
"Hey, don't you see they're just going after him?! This is our chance, this way we can kill them!"
"And what about the residents? We need to protect them, we cannot just go into attack!"
"If we don't try then they are doomed later on! Take a look, don't you see what's happening? They are only attacking HIM, everybody else is safe for the time being so hurry up!"
Despite this, the soldiers were hesitant. It was the hardest and most dangerous battle this city had ever faced. They considered their own lives, as well as those of their families, more important than answering the call of a stranger.
"Goddamn it, we are all going to die like this! Fuck, why won't anyone listen to me?!"
"Because you don't have any authority here Connor. Only commanders are capable of moving things in battle. Everybody listen up, we're going to push them back and keep them out of the city! Step out onto the battlefield, there is no better time to show them who we are. For your sake and for the sake of your families, kill them!"
Carleen perceived the situation and the benefit that could be drawn out of it. Rather than attacking the enemies from behind along with the others, she tried to cover Leo's back directly. Using her swift movements and exceptional swordsmanship, she managed to wipe out quite a few of the mass.
"The initial wave is nearly eliminated so try your hardest. Head north, there should be a whole squad there to assist us."
Leo continued running while Carleen intercepted as many enemies as possible. Within a few minutes, he reached the north wall. His stamina was completely spent, now his fate was in the hands of the elite soldiers as well as Carleen. Using the last of his strength, he fought side by side until the big crowd was defeated. Still many enemies were on the battlefield yet most of them were eliminated by this operation. As Leo was about to take a breath, the next unpleasant surprise came. Out of the distance, fireballs and wind arrows were shooting in his direction. Collectively, the group managed to defend themselves against the projectiles, but they kept increasing in number. By the time they heard no more explosions coming from the distance, it was clear to them that the entire rest of the ranged fighters had headed for Leo.
"What the hell?! Won't this damn curse ever stop?!"
"Listen up men, we must not give up on ourselves. Get into formation and cover each other's backs. We have to stand up to the enemy."
The attacks became stronger but so did the soldiers' determination. However, nothing really mattered: If things continued like this, it would only be a matter of time until they finally reached the city. The archers did little damage as a barrier was formed around the elves.
" Bloody hell, this looks very bad. There' hardly anything we can do from this range. Isn't there some way we can push forward?"
"That's probably not a good idea. Even if we were to succeed, a lot of these men would sacrifice their lives for just the chance to fight."
In the midst of this tense situation, the elves suddenly dropped dead. Upon taking a closer look, all of them realized they were shot in the back.
"I see you've made a decision..."
As the arrows continued to shoot, more and more of the elves died one after the other. The projectiles easily broke through the barrier and rapidly took out the enemy. All of a sudden, a swordsman emerged from behind the enemies, eliminating all of them rapidly like a death machine. They succumbed to his sword skills, piercing or decapitating each of them. As silence fell for a moment, he gave the signal to the person walking behind him out of the edge of the forest. The two of them joined the group.
"It is always a pleasure to meet you especially at this time. I take it that your people are safe?"
" As much as possible. A certain someone suspected something like this would happen herembut I didn't expect it to be to such an extent. Now, what exactly are you planning to do Carleen?"
"To use our wildcard here. The elves have taken a great liking to him, to them he is the true enemy. So long as we manage to protect him and divert our opponents, we should be able to end this battle soon enough."
Both Lynia and Ryu watched Leo. He was completely out of breath and looked severely exhausted. His usefulness had to be spent for some time now.
"It is time for one last march young warrior, we are going to do our best to protect you. As long as you can keep them distracted I shall dispose of them quickly. Hopefully I can count on the support of your soldiers."
" You impressed them enough to earn their respect, don't you all agree? You are now under his command, with him you should be able to move forward faster. Connor, keep the people along the walls safe, pretty soon the enemies should be gone from around these parts. Once they are eliminated you will join us and finish this fight with us".
Both the soldiers and Connor followed the commanders instructions. After a brief discussion, they launched their plan. Leo forced himself to go on with all his strength but it was getting heavier and heavier. It became a blessing for him to have two of the strongest fighters standing next to him.
" Now Leo, for once you are surrounded by two beautiful women. Aren't you going to impress them and simply give up?"
"That is easy to say for you. Aren't you trying to use some beauty to motivate me? Well, I'm afraid that my body is not going to regenerate easily."
"Oh come on Leo, a lot of lives are at stake here. You said you would help them so try to break your limits. We'll cover you but you need to go ahead. There' s no way we can fight here, we're too close to the city."
Although he tried, his breath slowed with each passing second. Glancing around, he noticed that they were being surrounded by a huge mob. Not even Ryu and his squad would be able to save them from so many enemies. Suddenly, the voice came to him again.
("Thy energy is not completely depleted, thou hast yet a long way to go. Time will reveal to you your true potential. Thou art not yet compatible, though a small part of it seems to be turning toward thee.")
All of a sudden, the rune in his hand glowed and strength coursed through his body. His breathing became normal again to the point where he was physically more fit than he had ever been.
" I may be good for something after all. Be ready, we'll speed up a bit."
His two bodyguards were astonished as he moved ahead perfectly refreshed while gracefully dodging attacks. As more followed his aura, Leo drew away from the city. Eventually everything was set, single opponents still remained at the walls however the majority of the army stood in front of them. Rather than rest, Leo took his sword and stepped to the front.
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing. All together we're fast so I have a good feeling about this. Let's get going."
Ryu and the troops gathered behind them all and together they engaged the enemies. Working together everyone advanced while watching each other's backs. One person stood out among them and it wasn't Carleen or Ryu. With a blank emotionless face, Leo slaughtered one by one. His focus on each of his precise attacks was beyond belief. The speed at which he thrust forward was on par with Ryu. Before long, only the ranged fighters were still alive. The problem was the barrier, which was now thicker than before and deflected projectiles. Whilst the others tried to regroup to come up with a new strategy, Leo just kept rushing forward.
"What the fuck, are you insane? How are you going to fight them alone? So now you're throwing your life away after all."
"Less talking more doing, there is no choice. Both of you, try to keep them at bay. I'll get that idiot back into our ranks. Did you hear that Leo? We're getting tired of your dodgy actions. Just why are you doing something like this on your own again?"
He didn't react to any of her words and kept on running at the enemy. Amazingly, he avoided all the projectiles as if he knew beforehand where they were going to strike. To Leo, everything just felt like it was in slow motion, he was in a mode he never encountered before. His confidence had reached a very high limit yet for him this was not too much of an arrogance. Very soon he found himself in front of the barrier, which took on a greater magnitude the closer he got. But instead of stopping and thinking for a moment, Leo swung his sword straight at the barrier. Just before the impact, a white blink was visible that disappeared in the next moment. His blow broke through the shield as if nothing had been there at all. His allies could hardly believe that he alone destroyed this huge barrier with no trouble. However, Leo was still not finished, he immediately wanted to continue slaying their foes. At such a short distance, it was almost impossible for him to dodge or block the arrows. Right when the first arrow was about to hit him, it snapped in two. An own white-silver shimmering shield developed around the young man. This made him almost invulnerable to harm him.
("So that's what he meant by the small part huh?").
Beside him soon stood his comrades and together they annihilated the remaining. After looking around Leo realized it was over. He took a deep breath while the barrier around him disappeared.
"Hey guys, I went all out. I' ll let you guys take care of the rest..."
A couple of seconds later, he dropped to the ground unconscious with his body getting too overworked.
"This knucklehead always manages to amaze me."
" This was anything but normal, somethings just not adding up about him."
As they were carrying him back to the city with them, Ryu noticed one particular detail. A small part of his hair had turned into a silver color. This could only be related to his extraordinary state.
"Hey, I'm here. So where are the enemies located?"
" Right there on the ground, your superbuddy once again executed one of his risky dumb ideas. No worry, he's alive but physically completely exhausted. It might take him a few days to wake up."
"Tsk, of course he is leaving us to clean up the mess..."
They were upset with him and the way he was behaving in the last few minutes. For them it looked like he didn't care about death however, for him, his win was predetermined. During this short time he was in a condition he never heard of before. In addition, there was that voice that allowed him to achieve this and wanted to guide them. Leo had lots of questions for it but one particular topic would concern him the most: from whom or what he had descended or originated according to this voice.