As the battle came to an end, all realized immediately the consequences that awaited them at the hands of an new extremely powerful enemy. Their gods, their higher beings whom they had prayed to and worshipped for centuries were now roaming this world deprived of their powers. The magnitude of losses was immense, the sorrow boundless. All hatred, contempt and strife ceased for the time being. The beastmen suffered the greatest of all victims, their mighty leader was annihilated by arguably the strongest of all the gods, later pulverized with a snap. Although his little sister, a direct descendant, claimed the throne, her people were divided in placing their fate in her hands. Similar problems befell Aiden, but unlike her, he had once tested himself as capable. A resistance arose out of all the people, who opposed a new leader and wished to rule together, with the exception of Zaphiel. Even without his abilities, he was trusted by all the people, whom he saved from their fate back then. However, to their detriment, he refused the offer to serve as their ruler. Suddenly, he disappeared from the battlefield without another word. Then Luminia looked at her people once more, gave a nod to Aiden and followed her little brother. She saw a possibility to bring him back to her side. Thus, all that was left were the simple folk, simple soldiers with weapons in hand, at the place crowded with corpses.
Aiden went ahead and ordered the humans to gather their dead and identify them. In his mind, each and every one of them deserved an honorable place even in death. In doing so, he indicated to Serezia what her next move should be. No one would oppose such a request or pick a fight. Ultimately, none were winners, only those who now realized how utterly powerless they were. As a result, all of them created a new enemy: a man by whom it was possible to have any survivors at all. He managed to give them more time by his conviction and still he became the greatest enemy rather than a hero. The way he dealt with the all-powerful character proved to everyone that he was related to him. Nevertheless, some people understood his true intentions and deeds that day. So the young king asked their savior, Leo, to accompany him back to their kingdom. More than 20000 beings lost their lives that day, including families, allies as well as irreplaceable friends...
One week later, Palace of the Humans
"Is that all you have to say? Is there no other support or way out?"
"No, there is no escaping from this unavoidable move. However, there are ways to increase our chances. That said, it requires a quest to find these people who might actually make a difference and add to my understanding."
"But no one knows from where to find them, do they? Because if what you're saying is true, thousands of people are dying right now without us even knowing it..."
" I believe that your responsibility should be dedicated to the victims of your people. Fulfill thy role, young king."
Leo was right, it was time for Aiden to carry out one of the biggest responsibilities as a king: The burial of the fallen warriors. In the past, troops of soldiers or lone heroes were given a send-off, though now it was a matter of a vast army of fallen people. Aiden acted differently from his ancestors. It was clear to all that a graveyard of such size wouldn't fit into the city. Therefore, instead of not giving them a grave with a name, he ordered new tombs to be built outside the city in a secluded place. Along with the huge crowd they proceeded outside the city and commenced the ceremony. Leo observed from a distance as Aiden spoke most impressively to the people.
"He has done well, far better than those before him. His decisions incorporate the common folk."
"Far better than his father indeed but he shouldn't expose himself too much. If not for your loyalty, he would be an easily vulnerable opponent.
"Still, I prefer such a king to a coward who hides behind his throne. That is no easy task for a man of his age."
"At least he can hold back his emotions, tears should be left to others."
"I think everyone has a right to be themselves today."
" In any case, the commanding officer of the army ought to join this funeral as well. Don't tell me you're dodging this sight Grae?"
"I'm just waiting for the proper moment by having him address their service as soldiers."
This was a sad scene whose scale had never been seen before. Much to his satisfaction, all of the soldiers really did attend the funeral including their most powerful force. After all, they had lost a part of them in the war. In battle, he managed to kill one after the other, yet the explosion instantly stopped his drive and determination.
In the end, Leo decided to go back to the palace. He based his hopes upon the great library and its contents about magic and its origins. He knew more than anything there and yet he hoped for certain things that even he had missed. When they saw Leo, all the people left the room. All had heard about the events of the battle and Leo's actions. They were more afraid than hateful toward a former of their ranks. Page after page failed to help him as time passed frantically. By evening, the door to the entrance suddenly opened, the now three commoners he was familiar with along with their mentor all had something important to discuss with him. Even though Marah, Luke and Blade were looking at him with contempt, it was more sorrow than anger that they felt. All of them knew about his actions, though thanking him never crossed anyone's mind. Likewise, Leo considered such words to be an unnecessary waste of time.
"So, did you find anything that could help?"
"Maybe this will spark your interest: All of them weren't trained just by Luminia, there was one person even before that who discovered something like their potential: an ancient druidess in a distant mountain cave."
Together with Grae, they provided him with all the information they possessed. At first it didn't sound like anything helpful, but Leo paused at one sentence.
"Wait, so she does possess a talking bird that has been following her around for a long time? And this bird is the last survivor of its kind? Well, I think your former aides might really be able to be of help. Now how do I get to them?"
"It's a long way to that place. I'm afraid it would be difficult for you with no assistance. So long as Aiden accepts, I can escort you to it."
Even though there was no time to waste for Leo, he had no choice but to rely on Grae if he wanted to get there faster. Still, he knew that every minute here would be another in which Noxus creatures were on the loose.
" Alright Leo, Grae may accompany you to your destination, however, not just yet. If there is any kind of heart left in you, then you should understand that pain does not just disappear after a day. Only a few hours ago hundreds of soldiers have been buried, a great loss for the protection of this city and its inhabitants. I won't allow you both to depart until I get an overall picture of the situation. There may be great dangers lurking out there but it is my duty to take care of the people here. Just give it three days, then he can guide you to your destination."
"You know about the dangers and yet you put emotions in front of them when making decisions...fine, have it your way."
"You are free to stay here, plenty of places opened up to accommodate.
Leo was unsure if he should really remain in the city. Rumors about him circulated that he was in fact one of the enemy or would soon betray them. Following a conversation with Grae, the commander was able to convince him to spend the next 3 days in town. Leo was given a room in the tavern where he used to drink with his soldiers for the first time. He remembered those days but decided to keep them to himself. As they entered the tavern they were immidiately greeted by the owner.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the chief commander. What honor brings me your visit?"
In the next moment she glanced to the side and saw the man next to Grae. Just about everyone was aware of his stay, and so was the young innkeeper who had waitressed him while he was still a young soldier. The look on his face was completely unknown to her, no bit of his young innocent self was left. She was furious for a moment, but also saddened by the thought of what he must have experienced.
"Do you have a room available for the next few days? It will only be a short stay for now."
" Nearly everything is booked...but a few are still available now that so many of them have died-"
"Thank you, would it be possible to show me the way there?"
"...Right away, let me get the key..."
While looking at his room, the landlady took Grae aside.
"What happened to him? I never expected such a look from him."
"You know how long he's been gone, don't you? And you know the stories about him. Expressions and looks change. Nobody knows for sure where he's been or where he got his power from."
"I can figure that out for myself Jures. I'm not interested in fighting or war but other things."
"And what are these things supposed to be?! Just tell me about it normally!"
"Didn't you notice how absent he was for a moment? I know that look well, this is all about desire."
" Desire? What the hell are you talking about? What is he supposed to be longing for? Blood, battle, or peace?"
"You're always about these trivial things but there's more to him than that."
"How is anyone supposed to understand you? Speak clearly!"
"If my intuition as a woman is correct, which it always is, then in this case his heart is involved. In a way, he seems lonely to me, like he's missing something. You sure you don't know or haven't noticed anything about that?"
"He's a walking mystery, of course I hardly know anything about him."
"Then bear my words in mind. Although he comes across as a cold man, at least his heart has grown."
Grae was still confused about her assumptions yet after a closer look, he too realized what she was getting at. The female intuition was to be correct in this case, but things were far beyond her imagination.
Shortly thereafter, the two men left the tavern. While it was still daylight, Grae wanted to show him one more place. Their path led to the training grounds, past the soldiers' barracks into a small room that had once been used as an armory. Nowadays no sword or shield were kept here, the walls were full of writings drawn on them.
"Here, take a closer look. Perhaps it will be a little motivation for you."
Written in black ink on the wall was the names of the members of the Yakura Squad. Each one was titled by full name and held in honor. Beside them stood words full of gratitude and respect, as well as honors. Right at the top was the name of their commander, a boy who had little experience in combat and yet could accomplish impossible things.
"Since there was no actual honorable burial for you, the soldiers held their own ceremony for you. It's only a small tribute compared to the sacrifices that were made."
Grae anticipated one of two reactions. To his detriment, it was the worse of the two that Leo chose. He picked up the brush that was on the table and painted over his own name before turning away.
"On behalf of the others, I will accept this gesture. They would be very happy to receive such good remembrances."
"But you don't seem to be..."
After taking a short breath, Leo put his hand on Grae's shoulder the way he had once put it on his.
"I know that you yourselves couldn't do anything about it, that you really weren't able to help without suffering major consequences due to your position, that you probably at least considered aiding our squad anyway... however, at the end of the day, those intentions and that good intent were meaningless. It' s honorable that you came up with such an idea for an doomed unit, but sadly, the dead can't express their gratitude. Keep them in memory along with their families, but leave me out of this. Unlike them, I was never really able to be considered a part of those people. There is one thing I want to be clear to you: I feel neither hatred nor resentment towards you, however, leave me and my past out of this stuff. It's getting late, I think it's best we part ways for the day."
The nostalgia Grae had hoped for suddenly turned into bad thoughts and a harsh truth.
Leo found it hard to sleep that night. Not because of old times gone by but a still fresh experience that still haunted him. That day, too, he heard those words again.
("If you try to save someone who cannot be saved then both of you will fall apart in the end.")
"Then I'd rather fall apart than have never tried. I won't give up the same way you never do..."
The next day Leo decided to wander the city despite the looks of the citizens. Most of them stared with fear, dread or contempt, but some with admiration, gratitude and kindness. He didn't know if they didn't know who he was or if they didn't care, but it was a healthy change for him. After crossing a few streets he sensed someone was following him. It wasn't long before he located his pursuer.
" I wonder what a young soldier like you would want from me? Do you think I'm responsible for your family's deaths or am I your number one nemesis?"
"You're the one who journeyed with them. Why are you still here now that it's all over?"
Leo was bored by these words, he knew that this person wasn't a soldier for long.
"If you want to survive in battle for a long time, you shouldn't be so naive. Magic may be all but extinct, though that also marks the beginning of a new era filled with new challenges. The reason I am here is so that me and your king might assist each other for the time being. So if you want to get rid of me so badly, you'll have to wait a little longer."
Suddenly Leo was inspected by the young man. Leo was thinking that he was the strange one of this discussion.
"You don't look anything like me...then who exactly is she talking about? I just don't get it..."
"Like you? Hmm now that you mention that, we might have had the same face in the past but that was a long time ago. And by she, you mean Marah, don't you? You almost didn't leave her side after the battle."
"And if that's the case? What are you going to do about it now?"
"Haha, calm down already. I think we both know I'm the last person who would have anything to do with her. All things considered she has reason enough to hate me. Though I have to say her boyfriend really is a fine guardian."
"Theas! My name is Theas! It goes without saying that I will stand by her side. She deserves to be protected the most."
Leo was amused by the passion with which he talked about Marah.
"Well then Theas, what are you still doing here? Especially now, after such a cruel battle, you should be standing by her. She has to be all torn up inside, you do realize that, don't you?"
"Of course I realize it...any fool would see that..."
By the look on his face, Leo realized what was really happening.
"You don't know where she is do you? She doesn't want to have anything to do with anyone since the funeral, right? I suppose some things never change. Take some advice from your enemy: Go find her and speak to her even if she doesn't show interest. Maybe she's reluctant or mad but eventually the dislike will disappear and make room for new feelings."
"What do you know about it? Do you even have a heart after all you've done?"
(" I wonder what do I know about it huh...?")
"It's just a piece of advice, Theas. Consider the fact that I was the first to travel together with the chosen ones. Time waits for no one so hurry before it's too late."
And with that, Leo ended their conversation and continued walking through the streets. Arriving at the slums he saw the local market going on. They barely had proper clothes, yet had a friendly expression on their faces. At one point, Leo noticed a little boy tugging at his coat. Not saying anything, he indicated to the man to follow him. The kid led him to one of the side alleys where a weeping girl was lying. Other young children were sitting around her, looking at Leo with big eyes. Her leg had a small, harmless wound, but the other children next to her could barely manage to help her move. Just before he could help her, the boy again pulled him and tried to show him another way. So he took the girl on his shoulders and followed the little navigator and other children to a monastery in the middle of the slums.
As he entered, the eyes of Luke peered right at him. Without making a drama he spoke to his old comrade.
"She hurt herself playing again didn't she? Just lay her down here, we'll fix that in a minute."
"Well, good luck with that. Tell them to be more careful will you?"
After laying her down, he headed back toward the exit. Yet again the boy tugged him by the arm and looked into his eyes. Then the child extended his hand and wanted to shake Leo's.
"He's a mute so it's his way of saying thank you."
"Did you teach that to him?"
"No, his father used to take care of him until...until he passed away recently."
"I see...What about the other kids, are they also all deaf?"
"No, they're just careful who they talk to. Well, in that case, I guess they should have just done it before she got another infection. Out of all of you, the quietest one had the most courage.
"Are you the one taking care of them?"
"Not exactly, there are a few families who agreed to take her in."
"That's good then...I'll take my leave now."
" Before that you should know that I don't believe you' re the enemy. I certainly saw with my own eyes how you conversed with that man, but I also observed the barrier. None of us knows who or what you really are, however, I don't feel any hostile atmosphere from you...at least not now. I should hate you and curse you for your past actions, but I can't do it. First you fight like a madman against us, against your own race, but then you want to protect them and now you are helping an injured child without hesitation. I feel that no matter how long I may live, I will never be able to figure you out..."
Leo was quite amused by his words. Somehow they calmed him a bit.
"Your nature has not changed much in all these years, Luke. You' re too soft and let your emotions guide you and then again they are your strongest traits. You've come a long way, she would be very proud of your virtues. You best stay as you are, unlike me you have hardly faltered...take good care of them, their future to be your reward."
Following their conversation, Leo left the monastery for the tavern. As he walked through the door he noticed that the place was full of customers.
"A truly good sight in such tragic times. Don't worry, there's a place for you as well."
Even before he could decline, he was led by a young waitress to one of the empty tables. Reluctantly, he proceeded to order a meal. Within a few minutes, a huge roast was placed in front of him, each bite more delicious than the next. Leo warmed up inside, his usually serious demeanor beginning to relax. While eating, he realized how motivated and dedicated the waitress really was. To his surprise as well as displeasure, she was being too kind to the guests. It got to the point where they were having fun making her go around and around, ogling her body. It wasn't long before the drunken guests tried to grope her silently. As the landlady noticed what was happening she tried to intervene right away only to be beaten to the punch by another guest. He stepped behind one of the drunk men, took the beer and poured it over his head.
"Oh, I'm very sorry about that."
."
Full of anger, he turned and looked into the fearsome eyes of Leo.
"I think everybody at this table has had enough to drink. How about we all call it a night?"
His vicious look left the drunkards no choice but to follow his demand. Once they paid and disappeared he gave her the money for his meal.
"You should take better care of yourself. Don't limit yourself to your service and also think about yourself. Nobody here can or should see you as a toy, remember that."
Somewhat astonished, she nodded at Leo and cleaned off the table. He sat back in his seat and finished the food. As he got up he saw the doors open as Blade walked in. The lively waitress practically jumped into his arms and gave him a kiss. It was obvious that the two of them are a couple. Without any concern, Leo left the hall and headed for his room. Last thing he needed now was a pointless quarrel with a hot-headed man.
By the next day, Leo was getting more and more restless. The thoughts of what was going on outside the walls plagued his mind. But before he sunk into those thoughts Grae made him participate in his training.
"If you can just stand around like that then you can prove your strength. I'd rather have you drop your powers while we' re at it."
After giving him a wooden sword, they both headed to the training ground and got into position. To Leo's discomfort, they soon got a large audience of the soldiers.
"Don't you think I've already garnered enough attention in the city?"
"So what? What difference does a little more make?"
At the starting signal, they both engaged in the duel. It was quickly apparent that Leo possessed more strength and speed, though his opponent kept up well. Grae did not let himself be cornered but always sought a spot with a lot of free space. His focus boosted his confidence reflected in his stance. In the conviction of having analyzed Leo's attack patterns and moves, he himself demonstrated his skills. While looking into his opponent's eyes, he soon realized that something was wrong. Leo's facial expression gave no impression of being surprised or fatigued. His posture in no way changed even in the face of a blow to his body. Ultimately, he did not even get hit. Much to everyone's wonderment, it was Leo who fully saw through his opponent. His fighting style, techniques and mentality, Leo absolutely knew it all. When all was said and done, it was Leo whose weapon made contact with Grae's neck.
"Is this enough for you? You'd better train these men rather than waste your time with me. They''re not even close to the standard to take on anything like these creatures."
"Haha, just who is these days? It amazes me that you are able to fight like that even without any powers. Really, you simply were prepared for anything... this wasn't your full potential, was it?"
"Look at them being so impatient, start showing them their training exercises already."
"Now that you're here, why don't you just give me a hand? Many of these units no longer have an instructor now that he's gone..."
For a moment, Leo thought back to the past, to the boy of few words who could implement Leos advice immediately.
"So that was his pursuit within the city. Come to think of it, it really matched him... fine, this one time I'll help out, think of it as one last favor."
After Grae gave him the directions, he took control of a few untis. The rigor of the exercises was on par with that of their former instructor. Not long after, Leo was met with fierce stares from a number of people. Many viewed Leo as being partly to blame for the loss of their leader. Before proceeding to the next section, he had those come forward and voice their thoughts. It was all the same, all filled with the same despair of losing someone dear to them.
" Everyone of you has the right to have his own opinion. I can tell by the way you are taking this training so seriously he has done a good job. Alas, this is no longer possible, you all should all realize that Adrian will never come back. You blame me for his death, I don't give a shit about your hatred. You seem to have forgotten that I don't owe you a single damn thing. Imagine what would have happened if I hadn't intervened? All of you had better realize the reality of the fact that the man you see as an enemy is involved in your survival. Adopt the fact that he is dead and start focusing on the future instead of these pointless thoughts. Whoever still has something to say about this topic shall first defeat me for his words. If not, we will continue the exercises as usual and prepare you for coming dangers. Now, are there any objections?"
None of the soldiers uttered a word rather they waited for the next directions. From then on, their training progressed without issue, making a mental note of Leo's words.
" Well there you go. You'd make a good training leader."
"I'd just be wasting my time with this. Looking after myself already requires most of my energy. At this point I'm just waiting for tomorrow, I trust your memory won't let us down."
With these words Leo ended his visit to the training. The mood to explore the city was suddenly gone, and so he ended his day for today. Upon entering the tavern, he again fell victim to the energetic waitress.
"Hey, you're the customer from yesterday. Have a seat over here . You didn't give me a chance to thank you. The meal is on the house."
"No thanks, I'm really not that hungry or that interested-" "That can't do, you just have to push through it then. This is your last day here so let me return the favor." Even if he didn't feel comfortable with it, it would take more energy to get rid of her. Thus he let himself be served again and took her gratitude. Once again the main course of the house was delicious, it did not surprise him that the place was packed every evening. He took his time with each bite till he eventually sank into thought. Again he heard these voices, voices that seemed to fade away with every passing second.
("It is a blessing and a curse alike to feel everything so deeply though I'm not sure about her.")
The memories grew fainter and yet he saw their faces, the faces of the ones lost.
("Why do you care so much? You've seen what happens, why don't you stop seeking these impossible things?")
"Because she would forever say "I can do this" even with tears in her eyes..."
All of a sudden, a loud creaking noise snapped him out of his daydream. Sitting across from him was the one person he wanted to see the very least right now.
"What are you mumbling about? Did you lose part of your sanity or something?"
"What are you doing here Blade? I'm not in the mood for any sort of fighting."
"I've more than just that going on in my head you know. Look, I just wanted to thank you for protecting my wife from those idiots yesterday."
"Your wife? So you' ve really gone all the way through already. She treats me as a stranger yet in reality she knows who I am...and more importantly what I did to her husband, doesn't she?"
"As long as you are not the evil incarnate she wants to judge everyone with her own two eyes. I'd prefer her not to take that approach, though we've gone over that a thousand times."
"I see, I suppose I should congratulate you then. Now, is there anything else you want from me? There is nothing I can do to bring back your comrade nor the rest of the army. In case you wish to curse me make it quick."
"I'm not the same as I used to be, I dropped those habits a long time ago. Being married changes a man quite a bit. I'm aware of what you did and what happened, I can't just keep saying you're the enemy. Listen, now that I bear a great responsibility myself, my actions have been thought through more carefully than ever before. Admittedly: I was given the choice to hate you, curse you, or even hunt you down. However, the past battle has proven that I am neither willing nor able to harm you."
" It seems that you have really matured. Perhaps I should rather give her credit. Anything else you want from me?"
"As cold as ever eh? The only thing missing, really, is for you to accept my thanks. I won't leave until you accept."
He put a beer in front of Leo and waited for his reaction.
"Sigh, both as stubborn as they come..."
It quickly became apparent that Leo couldn't get rid of him even after a beer. And so, more and more glasses accumulated at their table until late into the night. Different from Blade, Leo still appeared perfectly fine.
"What the hell are you? How can you just sit there like you drank nothing? Are you immune to alcohol or something?"
" Kind of.
"Why do I believe you're telling the truth..."
" Why don't we just stop with this? It's almost closing time and your wife probably had enough to deal with."
"A reasonable suggestion from him, don't you think honey? You''ll pay the tab this time since you''ve forced him to drink."
Completly drunk, Blade was left entirely at his wife's mercy. Leo helped her carry her husband all the way home.
Much to his surprise and discomfort, he didn't experience any dreams or hear any voices. For him, it was a bond with something he never wanted to forget.
In the early morning he was summoned to the palace. Thinking he was going to meet Grae, he was suddenly called to the throne room and Aiden.
"I've noticed that we've never really spoken freely since your disappearance back then."
"How may a king simply speak his mind with no regard for his words, Aiden. Though I don't see what else there is to talk about, I sure hope it has nothing to do with today's departure.
"Of course I would prefer you to stay, but a promise is a promise. I am more concerned with past times, when we used to travel together. You will be leaving soon and I don't know if you ever will come back here, not even if you manage to succeed. The past few days have been filled with work so this is my only chance: Back in the days when we reached the destination, I...I shouldn't have acted so easily. During the time we traveled together I realized that there was something sinister in you, however, I underestimated it. Thinking about it, I am partly to blame for his release. I hated my father, but killing him off that way never crossed my mind. In fact, I had other plans for him, plans that would have made it easier for me to rebuild things. And yet, in the end, most things were ruined..."
"What's done is done. Cease to give attention to things that no longer exist when there is enough trouble right now. Since it bothers you so much I' ll tell you one thing: Even without your intervention your gods would have returned soon, you only accelerated the process. Before long, chaos would have ensued that nobody was going to be able to stop. The outcome was inevitable from the start."
"What do you mean? Inevitable? The reason for their return was the freeing of Zaphiel, wasn't it? After all, Luminia said it herself, that they would have to stop him again."
"She was right in that point, nevertheless, at that time Zaphiel wasn't their actual purpose. Entities like her are not as simple as you think, their words do not reflect all of their meanings and thoughts. There was more to them than anyone could have imagined, but now their effect and core is null and void."
"I don't understand, they' re much more than we believed? Have all those books and writings been lying or fake?"
Leo realized it was a mistake to share such information with Aiden. He momentarily forgot that it was beyond the king's ability to grasp such things. Still, it proved to have a beneficial effect on the ruler of the humans.
" Right now it is useless to see only what you believe. You should only believe what you see unless you want to lose yourself. So long as you learn from the mistakes of the past, your future holds a better place for you. Inform him that I'll be waiting at the city gate, and tell him to hurry."
Leo left his former comrade in the dark. Simultaneously, he managed to make him think beyond his own horizon. There was already horses waiting for him and the commander at the gate.
For a brief moment he looked at the mounts and waiited for his navigator.
"What have you done to our king? He looks totally shaken up. I don't have to worry, do I?"
" He' s just lost in thought right now, give it a few hours and he' ll be back to his old self. More importantly, did you go over the path again? Have you remembered any clues?"
"I know the villages along the way and several monsters that were waiting for us back then. Unless things have been completely reduced to ashes, I know the way."
"Good, I sure hope I can trust your words."
They both mounted their horses and rode out with Grae feeling uncomfortable yet excited. The journey of the two was an opportunity for him to get to know the mystery that is Leo better. It would hardly take an hour before he would have his wish granted.
" Say, how many times have those horses been used in actual battle?"
"They are some of the most experienced ones around, full of stamina. I specially had the best of them ordered."
Suddenly Leo dismounted and picked up his weapons from the animal.
"Good, then they know how to get back on their own. Get off, we' ll use a different method from now on."
"What do you mean? They' re the fastest horses we possess. We' ll save nearly a day with their speed."
"That's taking way too long. I already mentioned what could be lurking out here. Every minute is valuable so hurry up. There is a much better way."
Reluctantly, he heeded Leo's words until the latter sent the mounts back unmounted. At this point, they were on foot.
"I really hope that wasn't a lie, using your faster method."
" There is no time for lies. Keep a distance from me, I count on your silence to others."
After a few seconds, Leo's hair turned white and eyes gold. He stretched his arm to the sky and closed his eyes.
("I need thy help Dionys, lighten our passage.")
A shrill cry sounded from the cloudy sky followed by a eclipse behind the clouds. Within the next moment, a creature burst through the cloud layer and landed next to the man. As the dust settled, Grae couldn't believe his eyes. It was an image straight out of a fairytale.
"I can't quite believe it, such creatures really exist? So these weren't fantasy books, there actually is a-"
"Griffon? Nope, no such thing is real, understood?"
"Got it. Okay, so that's your method. Now, assuming I know the way, that means I get to control him."
Having looked the creature in the eye, Leo made way for Grae, who took a seat at the front.
"Its fur is majestic, how is it so soft?"
"Focus on the mission!"
Grae gave the animal directional instructions but nothing happened. It didn't move from the spot. Just before Grae was about to ask Leo about it he was thrown off by the animal.
" Good, I see you haven't changed. But this time you have to make an exception, he is the only one who knows the path to our target. Don't worry, I'll stay with you just like before."
"Man, what was that all about? I thought I would be able to guide him woah-"
The avian grabbed him by his coat and threw the commander on his back once again.
" Well, get going. We don't have all day. And don't you dare forget the correct path all of a sudden!"
"Easier said than done with your jokes."
Thus the two took off and soared above the clouds. Leo lied on the creatures back and gazed into the sky absent mindedly while Grae pointed the creature in the right directions. This marked the beginning of a first attempt to locate possible answers to a hopeless situation, hoping to find a way to stop the inevitable.