(„What was I thinking about again? Strange, why can't I remember? It really does feel like everything is fading away. I can't let that happen, there is a way, I'm sure of it.")
"Leo? LEO?"
„What do you want!? Why are you screaming!?"
„Because you got lost in your daydreaming while I was here navigating a mystical creature.I have one question. Why is he called Dionys? It' s quite a strange name."
"Because it suited him best at the time. Dionys means as much as aspiration or strife.
"Then it fits our situation just right."
("Not just our situation...")
"Are we still on course Grae?"
" For the most part, it should just be straight ahead now. Thanks to your friend, we got there in no time. In fact, we should arrive outside the village in less than 3 hours. I wonder how you're going to handle him then? Surely you don't want to have him exposed."
"We'll land hidden, then I'll call him back for now. Besides, even if someone should see him, not a single soul would believe such an experience."
" Let's fly a little higher then to be on the safe side woaa-"
Suddenly the Griffin went into a full dive. Even as Grae was yelling at him his demeanor didn't change. Leo put his hand on the creature's head and managed to slow the gryphon down.
("What's wrong, what did you sense?")
Grae noticed Leo suddenly pulling a shocked face and letting the creature fly all the way to the ground.
("Are you sure Dionys? This makes no sense, how can such a thing even happen?")
The bird landed and dropped them both off. Then it immediately sped off towards the sky and disappeared in front of the two men's eyes.
" Whats the point of this now? We're nowhere near there yet! Without him, it'll take almost another day."
"The plan just changed, where's the closest village?"
"We ended up in the middle of nowhere, couldn't he have at least dropped us off near the roads?"
"There's no point in getting upset. If we're fortunate then we'll receive big assistance soon."
"I'd say we're heading east, we should see a road there at some point. Though I'm not too sure about that either."
And so, the two walked ever eastward. Hours passed until they actually arrived at a road.
" Now, which way is the next village? By now you should at least have found your direction again."
"We passed the fields but not the river... judging from the distance, we would have to go back. The nearest stopping point was more than half a day away plus the fields shouldn't be far past us. Villages in the region are known for their grain harvest, it won't be hard to locate the houses."
So the two kept walking along the road until they heard a cart behind them, giving them new hope.
"Excuse me, would it be possible to answer one question for us: We are wanderers and we don't know our way around this region. Please, how far is the next village in that direction?"
" Wanderers? With the equipment you have? Who do you want to fool around here, you are the army. Get the hell out of here, you're contaminating the air."
With these words, the cart drove away, leaving the two of them empty.
"I should have known they wouldn't want anything to do with us."
"Who would ever want to at this point? Last time they saw soldiers they were forced to select people who would participate in the war. Not even a new king is going to change this atrocity. Just because they are at peace now doesn't change the horrible past. This is why I solely wanted your help, since no one wants to have anything to do with strangers here."
"Who can blame them?...I guess we're on our own again."
Leo and Grae continued walking south until the sky slowly grew dark and evening fell. They saw an orange glow from a distance that was getting brighter and brighter. Then, suddenly, Leo started running as fast as he could in the direction of the smoke.
"What's going on? Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Something will happen there that must be prevented at all costs. Indeed, Dionys was right that this kind of thing might happen."
When they arrived they saw the huge fire burning and what it was about to devour. A girl, scarcely an adult, was tied to a stake and placed in the midst of the flames. Desperately she tried to free herself with water magic, a phenomenon and curse in these parts.
"Why is someone like her in this place? Don't tell me this is your doing Alastor?!"
People stood around the fire and cursed their victim. Ever since the mysterious man appeared, any magic is considered a miracle, but also a mark of their doom. Thus, she fell victim to the fears of these people.
"Why are you doing this? What have I done to you? You have never been portrayed like this!"
"Reality is different from what you have made it out to be, scholar!"
All of a sudden the flames turned white and died out right before the eyes of all the onlookers. Next, the pole suddenly broke and the girl was standing unharmed in front of them with the man who had just rescued her next to her. The residents were frightened and got scared of the powerful white-haired man. In complete contrast, the girl could hardly take her eyes off him.
"Listen, neither she nor I mean you any harm! Even if she can use these powers, it doesn't mean that she is a monster or an evil! What has she done to you guys? All of you have heard what has happened and are living your lives based entirely on that knowledge."
"Of course! So far, everything turned out to be true, not even one person in these areas can use his abilities anymore, yet she can without any problems? There' s only one logical explanation, she belongs to this monster who will terrorize this world!"
"Logical explanation? Have you lost your fucking minds? Is everyone now deciding what is right or wrong according to the words of others? You nearly burned an innocent girl alive! You tell me how that sounds, would you really want to live with that kind of understanding?"
"Why should we even listen to the words of one of the monster's followers? After all, you're one of his kind too!"
"If I am really as evil as you think I am, I could have wiped you out three times already, but I didn't, and I won't. None of you were even hurt when she was released! Isn't that proof enough that I mean you no harm?"
"Just look at him, can' t you see that he is just waiting to kill us."
This call divided the crowd as the stories also mentioned another person.
"It's true, he looks like that monster's partner!"
"But didn't he save half of the humans with a barrier or was it just a lie?"
"I know the barrier was there, my grandson was part of the soldiers who survived. Indeed, he looks like the description he gave."
In the midst of the discussion, suddenly the girl positioned herself in the middle and took a deep breath.
"STOP THIS DISTRESS! YOU HOLD MY PROMISE AS WELL AS HIS THAT WE MEAN NO HARM. IF YOU WANT TO BE CONVINCED, THEN TELL US WHAT WE HAVE TO DO! I CAN IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE ALL SCATTERED INSIDE AS TO WHOM YOU BELIEVE AND WHAT YOU WANT TO BELIEVE; WHOM YOU TRUST AND WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. HOWEVER, YOU MUST NOT BEHAVE AS THOSE WHOM YOU SEE AS EVIL IN YOUR MINDS, OTHERWISE YOU ARE ON THE SAME FOOTING AS THAT WHICH YOU FEAR!"
The fact that a girl of her peers could deliver such a speech was a surprise to anyone who heard her. Shortly after, some of the residents apologized for her behavior. It was like a wake-up call to help them think straight again.
"There we go, now we can finally speak in a normal way. You know, I almost died an unmerited death, the least you could do is take us in for the night!"
" Look, she's gone crazy! If we agree now, lots of us won't wake up tomorrow!"
"Hey, you guys calm down first. If you are that uncomfortable then we won't bother you for long. All we want to do is ask you a question: Maybe one of you can help us."
The atmosphere became calmer and the situation defused.
" It' s very simple: have you seen a big owl muttering to itself? It is far larger than any other animal of its kind so it is hard to miss."
Each of the villagers couldn't answer her question. They had encountered magic but a speaking creature didn't come across their path. Leo looked puzzled, perhaps there was another of the raven's kind? Nonetheless, he too posed the question about the whereabouts of a druidess and her speaking raven. Again, none of them could answer this question. Despite this, he now found a new opportunity to search for clues with the girl. However, he first had to find out why this person was here.
"This is really not good, now I don't have any leads at all. It seems you two got a similar problem, let's see if we can help each other."
Without asking, she accompanied Leo and Grae on their way. Both of them seemed curious, though Leo had a suspicion of what happened to the person. They both asked questions but she didn't say a word and followed them at every turn while staring at Leo.
"Hey, can't you even tell us your name and why you're here in the first place? Come on, why don't you talk to us? He set you free, all we want is some information."
"It's not meant for your ears!"
As she touched the commanders head, he sank to the ground unconscious.
"Hey, now what's this all about? He's not an enemy!"
" Maybe so, but he is not meant to hear what I have to say. That being said: I cannot believe I' m meeting Alastor's ace here."
"Just as I suspected, you're one of his students. Tell me, how is it possible for you to be here at all? Moreover, what is it with this owl?"
"You are really as he described you: Straight to the point and without sensitivity. Give it another thought, you should understand why someone like me would be able to be here."
" Well, the answer itself doesn't make any sense. It has been centuries since he let anyone visit this place. Besides, you should never be able to appear in this form without having his guidance."
" Well then, prodigy, you're not the only one who wants to stop Noxus. As of late, he's been allowing us to become your aids for a short period of time. The odds are stacked against us as it is, maybe with some assistance we'll have better luck."
Before he even let her finish, he held a dagger to her throat.
"Bullshit! He would never let his students go off on their own no matter what the circumstances! Which means you've either been using his resources in secret, or you've been banished for some reason which never happened!"
"Hey, now calm down. Granted, it was all lies before, but there's a reason I'm here: We were attempting a recovery effort."
"What do you mean?"
"As you know there are some requirements for us to stay in this world. First we have to take a different physical form, then maintain the link between him and us, and minimize the amount of our strength."
"That implies you have lost the link and thus adopted your normal form."
"That's right. However, I am not the only one who lost the bond with him."
" Typically, you should still be able to at least contact him unless your powers are not yet evolved... don't tell me you sneaked into this whole unit?"
" There were still empty slots, and I've always been curious about what goes on here."
"Well, now you've seen things. Then you can go back, now that I can restore your connection."
"NO, PLEASE DON'T! I BEG YOU! THERE'S A REASON I'M HERE!"
"The talking owl, I already know that. Surely if you let him know what happened he will be able to help."
"NO, HE CAN'T OR HE WON'T! THE OWL, IT'S NOT REALLY A STUDENT OF HIS ANYMORE!"
" Huh...what do you mean?"
"...I guess he used to be more of a student of his until he got lost kind of like me. In spite of the missing link, he kept his form, there was no way to bring him back. Although Alastor may have written him off...I know he still exists somewhere around here!"
"How long ago did he disappear?"
"...In this world...for centuries..."
"Then he's not the only case."
Leo took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts. It was decided that they would build a campfire and conclude their day today. In an apology, the three of them were given a ration of food from the villagers. The girl couldn't get enough of the bread and stuffed it all in her mouth at once. She really acted like a little girl in this regard.
Say, what's your name?"
"Ellie, Unit Acolation."
"All right Ellie, then listen carefully."
Leo filled her in on his mission to find the talking raven. And she told him everything she had seen here including unusual events.
" You mean there's another case like him? But it's strange, a raven was never mentioned in the documents. Are you sure he's one of our kind?"
"Even the documents started at some point. Who knows if he wasn't part of a previous unit. Grae mentioned that he had been trapped here for centuries being the last survivor of his kind. Any information on the disappearance of a unit or a tragedy?"
"Not that I know of, though I haven't studied all the scriptures either hehe...he."
"And of all people, such a person sneaks into such a mission...Even if your intention is of good will, I don't think you can remain here this way. You almost got executed."
"I know that myself but...but I don't just want to leave it up to others. Who knows when the next mission begins or how long it will take them. Even if I'm exposed to all the dangers this is a chance to take things into my own hands."
When Leo saw the passion in her eyes he knew what really kept her going.
"This owl or rather student...he is one of your friends right?"
"...I can't just abandon him...he doesn't deserve to be stuck here..."
"Ellie, you know what happens if you stay here longer. Who knows if you'll even manage to find him?"
"Even if I never get killed, I'm aware of the risk involved in my stay."
She knew the consequences of having beings like her staying in this place in human form. Transitioning between worlds in such cases demands a price. For example, in the form of a medium for Alastor such as an animal, the transition happens without issue no matter how much time elapses over here. However, should a being return in human manifestation, it would take critical effect on the ageing process. Each day Ellie spends here would accelerate her aging rate by one month. On the contrary to her, a student in the form of an animal would not undergo any aging process. In this way, such mediums do not feel any of these effects but rather appear as they had at the time of their passage. Hundreds of years in this world wouldn't have any effects on them as they transition to the normal image in the form of an medium.
"It could take you 20 years here to even find a trace and yet you just want to act like that. One week means half a year in Evos...if it takes you too long you won't be able to return."
"Still, I wont give up."
"...what a stubborn person..."
"I'm not the only stubborn one here. I know what you were planning on doing, bringing her with you. At this point, everyone knows about the incident you caused. Let me guess, you're still holding on to those illusions, aren't you?"
"THEY ARE NOT ILLUSIONS, THERE WILL BE A WAY FOR IT TO WORK!"
Leo quickly became sensitive about this topic; he had heard each of her words a thousand times before, yet he never accepted them.
" OK, I'm sorry. Then at least let me have my hopes too!"
After the brief flurry, he glanced at the symbol on his right arm, a white compass with a sky-blue rose in the center.
"She was able to pass something like that to you? That kind of bond always has been forbidden. Ya know people could kill you on the spot for it.
Suddenly, she felt extreme murderousness from Leo, her breathing stopped for a moment.
"Stop stop, I was joking. Man, you are really sensitive about this...just as her nature. She'd probably hound us all if one hair on your head was touched by any of us hehe."
"She...doesn't talk to anyone any more, does she?"
"Not even with Alastor now."
"That was to be expected after his statement."
"Tell me, how does it feel, what's going on inside you?"
"Heavy breathing, constantly with one eye open, unseen pain. That's the gist of it."
"I see."
The girl smiled as she herself sank in thought. Ellie, too, was now certain of one thing.
Early the next morning Grae awoke, his face in the grass as he recalled yesterday's events. He immediately grabbed his weapon and readied to attack his opponent.
"Get away from me right now! Why did you assault us?"
"Calm down, I didn't hurt you did I?"
"I don't trust you one bit! Where is Leo? Did you knock him out too?!"
"Fortunately, I was spared. Guess she just doesn't like people from the army."
"Then why is she still here with us?"
"Because there' s something we can do to help each other. Just ignore her rude greeting and show us the way instead."
Grae felt like he was in the wrong film. The girl just walked next to Leo and asked him out about all his adventures. Still, he knew he probably wouldn't stand a chance against her magic.
"And what important information does this girl possess regarding our journey?"
"My name is Ellie, not "girl". Also, if you listened yesterday you'd know we have similar interests."
"... Great, this is going to be a fun trip..."
"What did you say? You got something against me? If you want, I can knock you out again!"
"Stop being children. It shouldn't be long until we reach our destination."
It immediately became apparent that Grae and her new companion didn't like each other. Nevertheless, that did not stop the three from cooperating. Around noon, they reached the village in front of the cave. Even from a distance they perceived the stench of death. Once the village became visible they got to see a gruesome sight.
"I didn't remember it like this."
The body parts of the inhabitants lay scattered everywhere. While Ellie could hardly bear to look, she withstood the horror. Meanwhile, Leo and Grae searched the area for survivors. In front of the door of one of the houses they heard loud grunts and growls followed by quick footsteps.
In the next moment, the door shattered and out poured people, their faces covered in blood and their eyes completely black. Some were missing their lower jaw or skin over their bones. With no hesitation, they went straight for the two men, eager to tear them apart with their bare hands. More of their kind streamed out of the other houses and joined the group.
"Ellie, try to hide, you can't take these things on!"
Suddenly, a black veil could be seen enveloping their bodies. Although they were not real opponents for Grae, their number was troubling him. As he dodged, he noticed what the veil was doing to them. They tore wooden and stone walls in two barehanded.
"How strong can one get? What the fuck are these things?"
As Leo tried to go on the attack himself he quickly realized he couldn't penetrate the body of these monsters. It felt like they were constructed of metal. The majority of the crowd targeted Leo. They ran toward him on all fours with blood oozing from their mouths.
"Tsk, you guys are really pissing me off!"
Then, suddenly, he transformed into his alternate self and repelled their attacks. Creating a huge blast wave, he managed to send them flying back at full speed. Despite managing to tear off an arm or leg of some, they didn't give up.
"Great, now if I could just do something like that..."
Grae was having a hard time, he needed to find a way to damage them as soon as possible. So he decided to use their immense strength against them. He ran around house after house and let his pursuers destroy them. Thus some were buried under the remains. Nevertheless, both men knew that this would not be the end.
Then the two spotted Ellie from a distance, suddenly becoming the target of a creature.
" Go away, leave me alone! Aaaah, help me!"
She was fighting back with all the strength she had. Much as Leo had suspected, she hadn't really been skilled in any field. Her situation was hopeless all the way until she then invoked several tiny flames in front of her. Right away the bodies of the monsters started to burn, they were running around in agony, unable to put out the fire. Their skin worked like gasoline to fire magic, it was their one weak spot.
"Let's hope this works."
Grae followed her lead, grabbing a torch and taking it as his weapon. Before long, the creatures grew fearful of their enemies and ran away.
Simultaneously, the ground beneath them turned orange until they too experienced the flames.
When Grae turned around he saw that Leo created a flame barrier surrounding the crowd. Huge streams of fire shot out of the ground, consuming their enemies.
"Tch, about time for you to die."
His appearance returned to its normal state as he cleaned the blood from his equipment.
"No matter how long I have been commanding, I always get to meet new creatures every time...Sometimes I think I should have chosen a different career..."
"Then many would have been dead by now...good job. We have Ellie to thank, she figured out their weak spot."
"Granted, she was partly our savior. Who knew a little girl could be so strong."
"I'm not a little girl. Strictly speaking, I'm older than both of you put together."
"Why is she so angry? Has the battle taken her mind away?"
"Why is she so angry? Has the fight made her lose her mind?"
"No, she is telling the truth. Based on our age assessment, she's far older than you and I, though her mind by no means reflects that."
"It sure doesn't..."
"Hey, what are you talking about me? Were you guys mouthing off about me? Oi, you know I can easily put you back to sleep soldier!"
"Tsk, and I thought women always wanted to be seen younger than they are..."
After Leo took a closer look at the corpses, he noticed a mark on the monsters' chests, still visible among the char red corpses.
"What kind of symbol is that?"
"I've never seen anything like it, nor is it listed in the books. Yet more things we don't know."
" This is useful to us nonetheless. If it's not one of his symbols then it's evidence we really need to reveal."
Leo carved the symbol out of the chest and took the piece of skin.
"Ugh, isn't there some other way? How about we paint a picture of it or we just each memorize a shape?"
"Stop complaining and get ready to move on. We should get some answers very soon."
Once they briefly collected themselves, the group resumed their journey until they finally reached the mountain wall Grae was looking for.
"Are you sure this is where the secret entrance is?
" Definitely, I know exactly how we got out here."
"And how did you get in here exactly? Is magic the key?"
"I don't remember for certain. It may have been because of the other four, unlike them I didn't have any magic to show for it. Maybe your kind of power is the only one possible."
All attempts to find secret spots failed until Leo ran out of patience.
"I've had enough! If someone really does exist in there, they'll probably respond when I blow a hole in their cave!"
"Woah, now calm down. When it all collapses then I bet our target will be non-existent.
As he prepared for his final choice, Ellie reviewed the lessons she had been taught. All of a sudden, she spotted a familiar icon.
"Hey, you guys, I know what we need to do. We can't enter the cave like this, there's no real way for us.
"That sounds like a really bad answer that I'm afraid I'm not going to agree with."
"No, I don't mean it that way. There is no way for US to enter there. The entrance can only be opened from the inside. Which means it only opens when they want to be found."
"I don't understand, the old druidess wanted us to come to her? Then why was she so grumpy to us?"
"Druidess? I'm not talking about a druidess but about this raven that's supposed to be with her...I got an idea. I did learn a bit in the lessons, hopefully they will respond to my communication."
"I see, if this really works out your way then it's the confirmation of what I was guessing."
Ellie placed her hand on the mountain wall and closed her eyes. She then whispered words that neither Leo nor Grae could understand. It didn't take long for her palm to shine in white as the wall in front of her opened up.
"So it really is one of them..."
"You know, I would love to be able to understand your conversations. Wouldn't you be so kind as to let me in on whom is what and what places you mean?"
Skillfully ignoring Graee, they entered the dark cave. Just ahead appeared a narrow corridor that seemed to go on forever.
"Enough with these games."
Once everyone was sure they were in an illusion, Leo decided to make short work of it by destroying everything in front of them.
His threat was answered immediately as they found themselves in a huge room filled with strange symbols. It seemed empty until a voice rang out.
"What are you doing here with that fake of yours? I don't know where you got these powers, but you' d best give them back if you want to live."
"The powers are not stolen, they were taught to us as it has always been."
"You don't know what you're talking about! Not one of the members can normally wander around these parts!"
All of a sudden, every single one of the magical spells were rushing at the three of them from every direction. Its strength would be enough to destroy all the monsters in the region. Still, against the wildcard of Alastor, they were nothing.
"We have no time for any tricks. Show yourself already, you better be the one we're looking for!"
"These powers...why do I feel traces of him in your body? Can it be? Never, no student of his could possibly come within this realm in this form."
"Just the man to talk to. Times have changed ancient avian. There's a lot to talk about and we don't really have much time."
After a moment's hesitation, the figure behind the voice revealed itself. Fortunately for Leo, it was indeed a raven with ruffled feathers.
"So, what do ye want from me? I don't have much to give."
"Your name and voice are perfectly adequate for now. Before we start I need to do one last thing: Jures Grae, commander of the human forces, thou art at liberty to listen, but remember that it may overwhelm thee, perhaps even destroy thee in parts."
Ellie immidiately interuppted him when she realized what he was saying.
"What are you talking about? This is not meant for ears of his kind! You're going against all the regulations if he actually gets to hear everything."
"Ellie, most people will find out very soon anyway, that there is much more out there whether they want it or not. I'd rather take the chance of giving them a choice and prepare them for what follows. This isn't a suggestion Ellie, this is a decision!"
"Tsk, I thought that maybe you were different than they said, that maybe you were smarter. Instead, you are just like everyone said, a self-absorbed lump who just disregards everything that was built there!"
" View me as you want but if not for me, things would be over by now. Do you prefer to see everything crushed?!"
"Stop with these pointless words. Based on your aura, I know he has shares in both of you. Ellie, if that's your name: it's respectable of you to consider his precepts and to act after his example. However, I think there is more to this man than what meets the eye. I guess pretty soon you're gonna know what I mean."
"Can we get to the point now then? I'll repeat it again: Jures Grae, main commander of the human troops. Thou art free to attend this discussion, however, with the risk that thou mayest lose thyself, thy world and notions may collapse. Decide now!"
Everyone waited for his answer. Grae was torn inside, Leo wasn't kidding. The way he spoke and acted right now was something he never knew before.
"Fuck..what's the point of this now? This is supposed to determine my future and either evolve me or plunge me into the abyss? I gotta say it's indeed a tempting offer...However, I'll pass, even if it might be helpful I don't want to lose sight of my responsibilities, friends and allies."
" Understood, a respectful response. In that case, your stay will end for the time being. Thou art free to do as thou wilt, thy will shall remain."
Suddenly, his person disappeared from the room.
"Did you teleport him or something? Where did he go?"
"He's safe, that's all you need to know. Let's get straight to the point: you two have connections to Evos though your appearance doesn't strike me as familiar."
"We can talk about the finer details after this whole discussion. Right now it's about something much more important: your very future and the state of things in Evos."
"Hmm, my future huh...? Surely your friend informed you that I have been staying here for ages. So why do you think I would have any information about Evos that you don't already possess?"
"Because even if little time has passed there, you' ve been staying over here the last few hundred years. I'm not interested in your connections to Evos but in your past centuries' experiences."
"Ha, well what do you want me to say about it? I've been stuck here for a damn long time. I'm not too familiar with the outside world you know."
" Nevertheless, there's a reason for why you're stuck here. Besides, I think your guide has shown you the light of day at least once, right?"
"You mean that druidess? If you wanted to talk to her as well then you're too late. Her magic core has been depleted. Well, at least she has peace in death now from all this drama."
This was the crucial information Leo needed to pique Gekorat's interest.
"You are mistaken, her magic core was not drained, it was completely removed."
"...Are you aware of what you are saying now? The core is supposed to have been removed? That's impossible, Magic can't just die out."
"Not die out but be disabled. Surely if you really are familiar with Evos, then you know what effect Noxus has there."
Instead of reacting in shock, Gekorat started laughing.
"He is in full control of magic. Hahaha, so he actually did it. You know, everyone had great faith in him. So if what you're saying is really true, then there must be a lot going on."
"Noxus believes that he no longer has complete command over magic. Over the last few centuries, a number of anomalies appeared that no one was aware of. What I mean by these anomalies is-
" Yeah, yeah, I know perfectly well what anomalies are. I happened to be one of the first to use that term."
"What do you mean by using?"
"They didn't tell you everything? No wonder given what went down. Now, the reason this girl or whatever group was here, was it not for supervision or examination?"
Ellie got confused, these terms were far off from what she knew about their mission.
"Alastor's orders were for us to explore but he didn't mention anything about inspection."
"Oh man, what have they been doing? You guys want to know who I am? Well, I am, or rather was, the leader of such a force. While these kids have been strolling around here we used to be ordered to supervise the trials."
"What do you mean supervise? Is it about magic distribution or its implications?"
"Part of it could be described that way. That said, there is one thing you should know: Our unit as well as many others weren't here with peaceful intentions. Ours was a mission of danger minimization by directly interfering with the environment and its beings. We did not act against the races but against their mutual aggressors. There are hundreds if not thousands of types of monsters, thereby monitoring them was one of the most important tasks."
Ellie could not grasp his words, yet Leo understood what he was trying to say.
"So you were responsible for wiping out what exceeded its limit or existed outside its relevance. You have assumed the duties of Noxus."
"Took over his duties? We were but a small element in a large scheme, he was its head and we were its hands. He oversaw it all and we took care of any disruptions."
"Then how come you can't return there or change your form?"
"Because I was too naive, too overconfident and too foolish to see the bigger picture. Initially it was a mission like any other, then all of a sudden creatures appeared which even the boss didn't have any knowledge about. I gave the order to stand firm as we always did. However, it didn't take long for them to eliminate most of us. These victims allowed the survivors to flee and return to safety. I was one of the lucky ones, though not all of us were able to retain the link. Thus, I provided the others with my magic core and locked myself up along with all my disgrace in this world. Naturally, I was not so stupid as to fight alone against these things, and so I hid myself hoping that Noxus would respond. These creatures disappeared but I never knew if my troop had really made it back."
"That's why you told the group back then that you are the only survivor. Was there ever a way to possibly escape from that tragedy and return?"
"Why do you think I have been staying with this druidess? We assissted each other in our goals yet no one was ever able to reach it. No matter how long I searched, there was never a chance to even attempt it. Without the right kind of magic, there is no way to establish a link, let alone to be noticed. I guess they would have given it a try, though no one knew if I was still alive or also dead."
"So you're saying you've been lost here with no traces left in this world or Evos?"
"Given the time I've been here it really seems like it. Still, I can't imagine them´acting so fast. If they really did erase the magic on this world then it is a flaw in the system. The three of them would never do that if it didn't have a critical impact on their understanding. In that case, according to all that we know, the source can only come from this place."
"Unlike in the past, he doesn't send units such as yours to this place anymore. He' s made it his mission to deal with every single one on his own. But now, given this vast amount of flaws, there's only one choice left in his mind."
"...He wants to do an overdrive, doesn't he? It would truly be a pity to witness this although I too would then finally be free of this damned existence. Maybe he's changed a bit since I've been gone, but one thing is never going to change: Once he makes up his mind, there's no stopping him."
"No, maybe there is, I'll find a way."
Leo then explained his connection to Evos and his relationship with Noxus. It was intruging to hear about all the things Gekorat missed over time.
"I see, so you used to be something like his acolyte. And now he lets you solve this issue for now, yet with limited time. Humph, you really want to stop the unstoppable. While I like your attitude, it's insane of you to think he's mistaken."
"Maybe it is...yet I have to try. You said that you used to monitor monsters and that such anomalies like these creatures got eradicated. It didn't happen just once did it?"
"The other times, at least, no victims occurred. Out of the hundreds of species, some had to be eliminated in order to bring the processes back to normal."
Leo took out the piece of skin and pointed to the symbol embedded in it. Immidiately Gekorat pulled it out of Leo's hand with his beak and backed away.
"Now this is not good. Perhaps there' s hope for your plan after all. All the eradicated, exterminated species and flaws, all the anomalies and cases, had one thing in common: Every single one had this symbol on it. Such things can normally only be controlled by Evos. If it really is as I think, then someone is playing an evil trick on Noxus, Alastor, Syra and this realm."