Leo recalled the fight against Yrasil, his death that was ultimately another beginning in Evos, as well as the bittersweet moments of the world in which everything is strange.
(" Ever since I've been in this place, I've understood one thing: They are cruel beings who do not understand the severity of their actions. Nevertheless, I must not judge too soon without knowing who or what they are. The last thing I need is the hatred of gods. But looking into their faces, observing their behavior and their interaction with others, I can't help but compare them to ordinary creatures").
After Argo had explained this place and its purpose to him once again, Leo was sent straight to Noxus, the overseer. The latter introduced him to the operations he was performing. Noxus demonstrated to him what his part looked like. Then, all of a sudden, he demanded Leo's help, asking him to be his assistant. Leo knew nothing, utterly confused, he tried to talk to his counterpart.
"Leo, I don't expect you to grasp it right away, but at least you should consider trying. As you' ve already been told, you can't return in your current state, no matter how much you wish to. Even if you tried and succeeded, time would immediately catch up with you. Wounds don't just disappear, the scars have to be earned. You have the potential, I'm sure of it."
He led him in front of one of the maps, which showed a large area of land. However, that was not all, it contained both people and animals appearing to be alive. It was beyond any imagination to intervene on living beings from "above." With reluctance, he followed Noxu's instructions, but nothing came of it.
"I'm trying, but I don't know how to make an intervention in the world. I'm not one of you, damn it, I don't have anything like your strength!"
"Strength? I wouldn't be so sure about that... in any case, you don't need my help directly. We're not controlling any living thing or kill anyone here, I just want you to understand what mana and its meaning really is. Concentrate on this area and visualize it in your mind, if you feel pain then there is something wrong in this space. Once it is no longer endurable break away from that thought. At that point I will intervene and complete it. You have to understand, things can't go on as they are now. I need far more supplies on my own than I would if you helped me."
Leo was completely at a loss, he didn't know what all this was about, the uncertainty plagued him and his spirit.
"Why does it have to be me? Why can't anyone from here help you? They all know their way around better than I do!"
Noxus took a deep breath and put his hand on Leo's shoulder. He turned him around and pointed to the others being involved in other tasks. A few were despairing, some were laughing, some were marveling, and others almost lived inside their work. It looked like a large community, with lots of different people and areas they were involved with. Even though Leo had only vague memories of it, he couldn't help but think of the school he was attending.
"Everyone here has their responsibilities and their interests. I would never consider you if I didn't have confidence in you Leo. There is something in you that I have never sensed in anyone else. To be honest, it bugs me not to be able to figure you out. It's been a long time since there's been such a great restlessness in me. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel any animosity towards you, it's just my curiosity that wants to be satisfied. Haha, in that sense, I should maybe even be thankful for you for letting me experience that feeling again. However, it's not just my curiosity that wants to unravel your essence, you could be of great service to Evos. Any new knowledge is beneficial. We may be able to discover this by my efforts. Still, you don't have to feel like a test subject, no one here should ever feel that way. You are free to do whatever you want outside of my teachings. Explore this place and get to know everyone if that is your wish, but remember one thing: If you still want to return at this time, it will mean your immediate death and that of your friends."
"It will mean that soon anyway, won't it? I failed, if there is no way back for change they are doomed."
"You are too naive, have you forgotten what I just showed you? Once you fully understand everything, you will soon realize that nothing is impossible around here. Argo told you that your concept of time does not apply here, so we have "all the time in the world" to get to know each other. So long as you cooperate with me, we will find a solution to your problem. Also, who knows, maybe you'll like it here more than you think?"
Noxus was very strict with him. Immediately after the talks, the overseer took him under his wing. Leo learned how Noxus examined the sequences and prepared them in emergency. He was supposed to focus on the huge scale model and thereby temporarily transfer his being into the world. Doing this was not related to his actual existence, he was just a spectator of the processes.
"Why can we only stay in these areas? Can't I look at how my friends are doing and what is happening to them?"
"Because it's not possible for you or me without a reason. If you saw them, what are you going to do? Nothing has changed since you arrived. Don't you understand: your idea of time doesn't work here! I recognize neither the time of the day nor the amount of time which elapsed up to my interference. This would only create confusion, which would hinder things. Neither Alastor, Syra or me have any influence on their direct life. They all have free will, they all live their own lives."
"No, not the way it should be. As soon as you change their environment their complete free will disappears, then they become subject to a god.
"If you choose to see it that way, then do so. However, I am far from any adverse actions. I don't understand why you need the concept of a god so badly. According to your ideas and actions, you have opposed such powerful beings so many times and deprived them of their importance. We may be their beginning but their end is void of our influence as long as they do not exceed their limits."
"And what exactly are the limits supposed to be?! By what criteria do you distinguish them, what exactly are errors to you?"
Nox noticed that Leo was getting more and more carried away in their discussion. He knew they couldn't make any progress for the time being.
" You should calm down and take a break for now. The next time we meet, I'll show you the answers to these questions. Go and have a look, the students are all excited, Alastor seems to have arrived. You wanted to meet him, so go on. Rest assured, no one here has any intention of putting you in chains."
Irritated, he left his instructor for the students. The door opened and in stepped a boy with white hair and blue eyes. Leo estimated him to be 13 or 14 years old, he puzzled over the commotion. The boy passed all the people cheering and introduced himself to Leo.
"I heard you were looking for me. I also had my curiosity overflowing. The name is Alastor, welcome to our team."
"Wait a minute? You're Alastor, a young kid?"
After this sentence, he was met with evil looks from all the students, none of whose liked Leo's answer.
"Oh how heartless, appearance has nothing to do with wisdom. Truth be told, I'm older than all the beings in your world put together...at least I think so. Well, from your aura I can see why Noxus thinks so highly of you. You seem like an empty vessel which can be stuffed with anything. Still, there are parts of you that are not obvious to us. You' re certainly interested in the concept of magic, aren't you? Come, I'll show you exactly what it's all about young lad."
Leo got a live show along with the boy's students. He presented his new experiments and species, variations of elements that were actually normally unfusable. From start to finish, Leo simply couldn't believe his eyes; those things felt impossible to him, and yet they played out right in front of him. Having fully executed his craft, Alastor took him to his workstation. As soon as he came into the room a large fireball greeted him, which Alastor smoothly extinguished.
"Haha, whoops, that one must have gotten away. Welcome to my home... might be a bit miserable sounding though."
It was a small room filled with hundreds of paints and books. Alastor moved his hand towards them making a small part float in the room. With a proud look, he explained and showed him what his occupation was. Leo was fascinated by the color spectacle unfolding.
"Amazing, isn't it? Right? Ah, but this is just the beginning, there is much more to the whole essence. Though my progress is very slow...YOU are exactly the savior I need. My biggest problem so far has been the compilability of these arts. I only need a small portion of your essence to speed up testing."
Before Leo could even reply he received a wound on his hand, the blood of which Alastor immediately extracted. After a short moment, the wound was already closing on its own.
"A little preview of my healing abilities hehe. I should be able to accelerate the processes for some time with this amount. I do hope you will keep helping me out with this service in the future, as it is completely painless for you."
Leo looked very doubtfully into the innocent eyes of his counterpart. Like a curious dog, he pounced on his newfound experiments.
" Fine, as long as it works like it did just now. Are these the same colors Syra was working with?"
"Syra? No, she uses completely different material for her works. The reason why it looks the same is the relation of our works. Theoretically, I could use the blood of her creations, but the success rate is very low without killing the being. In the end, I would ruin everything for her... if soon it isn't already."
"What do you mean? She's always creating more new creatures to populate the world after all so why would anything be ruined? I mean, she can always make new ones."
"You misunderstand, I'm not talking about her work but about herself. You've seen what her nature is like and how she conducts herself. When you give it some thought, one can understand her behavior and only admire how she can still behave so "nicely": Her creatures populate the world yet she has no way of seeing their development. Ultimately, she is a mother who gives her babies away immediately after birth and is never allowed to see them again, let alone learn of their death. Prior to our situation becoming critical, she possessed a completely different aura. She was proud of her works, had a smile on her face after every achievement...but with time her cheerful nature disappeared. The resulting desire for her creations combined with the disintegration of the system only made things worse. Now she sits alone and works away with no emotion. Her efforts never changed but the reality of never being rewarded broke her inside. To be completely honest: If I were in her situation, I probably would have given up long ago. I can't even tell if their deaths have any meaning for her anymore..."
Alastor's words made Leo both sad and angry. Syra's situation was indeed beyond prospect, trapped in a cycle of despair and apathy with no prospect of hope or change. Then suddenly, Leo was overcome with a surge of emotion.
"That's not true, if she really goes to that much effort then she still gives them great importance! And even if she seems that way, she doesn't do it entirely on command, but of her own free will! If I' m wrong, than I will try to set her free! I am not a creation of her, yet I have lived, fought and co-existed with them. I refuse to leave her at the mercy of her fate! She may not hold on to her faith at this time, but now I have arrived, a human being who can share everything she needs to know. Should she really no longer have her own true significance in these beings, I will take over this part and force her to do so again! She deserves to regain her motivation and cheerfulness!"
Alastor was taken aback by Leo's speech. Grinning, he patted him on the shoulder.
"You can truly be passionate, especially towards a stranger."
"She's not a stranger...she's the one who made it possible for me to find friends..."
" Let's hope that your convictions and intentions come to fruition. In case you have an idea, you can count on my support as long as it is in my power. As for next time, you may want to be more careful with such words, and above all, don't shout..."
At that moment the woman came into Alastor's room and gave him one of her portraits.
"I'm afraid this one failed, go wild with your arts."
"Will do. How's everything else going with your work?"
"Your cares should stay on your craft!"
Realizing that she could hear his words through the door Leo blushed slightly, he had never given such a speech before. Having witnessed the result, part of his self-confidence vanished.
"Sigh, seems like I didn't make a good impression..."
"No, you did Leo. It's been ages since she spoke a word to me. I really think your aspirations might work out. It would be best for you to look around first and get acquainted with this place. Don't worry, even though you'll most likely encounter some strange looks, they mean no harm... or so I think."
"Is there that much more here in Evos? From what I've seen it's not that big."
"I didn't mean the size of it but the meaning. Trust me, once you've had a closer look at everything yourself, you'll come to understand something more. It will certainly be helpful for your own "mission" as well. But before you go, I have something for you."
Alastor tapped Leo's backhand with his finger. Thereupon a white glowing sign in the shape of a sphere appeared.
"This is my sigil, something like a permission to be able to see everything and participate. Take care of yourself, I have faith in your reason. When I am done with the analysis I will need further assistance from you. Once again, welcome to Evos. your temporary home."
Having been sent away by Alastor, Leo followed his suggestion. Apart from the workplaces of the three, there were only a few other rooms. For the most part, the remaining parts of it were used as a library and experimentation space. On of the doors was open a crack, lots of young people gathered there.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
A small group of the students watched as Leo looked at the room. They looked hostile to him, an outsider who had no ties to the place.
"I just wanted to see how everything is run here and know what this place entails."
"Well, you've seen everything now. Get out of this place now, you don't belong here!"
Wordlessly they walked past him without even one looking him in the eye. For a moment he remembered his time as a soldier. His first day in his group. Leo was an outsider, but that was not enough. These people here saw him as a being not of this world, a threat to their existence and everyday life so far. Even though he had once gotten used to it, it still bothered him a little.
("Is that all I am to you? A monster?").
As he turned around, he was met with more angry looks, yet also a few with curiosity. Not all of them were as distressed by his arrival and possible changes. One of the girls plucked up the courage to talk to him despite the warning of her friends.
"I-is it true that you are from "there"?"
"'There'? So that's what you call it. Yes, I used to live there."
"What do they have over there? What does it look like?"
"Sarah! That's enough, stop wasting your time with him! There are more important things to do!"
"But I just want to-"
"Sarah, you know what we decided! Now come and give us a hand!"
After this group also left him, he suddenly couldn't help but grin.
("Haha, it really feels like school. Oh, I've gotten too old to be able to play along. I wonder what it would have been like in the past...?")
"Don't let it bother you, they just haven't gotten used to this yet."
Argo appeared behind him and gave words of encouragement.
"I'd be a wimp if something like this threw me off track. It has been a long time yet a little nostalgia might not hurt."
"It's good that you still have these thoughts. Just give it some more time and it will normalize itself for you. So have you explored everything yet? I can show you around if you want."
"That's not necessary. For now, I'm satisfied with what I've seen. Is book learning and experimenting pretty much all that's done here?"
"At first glance you might think so, but there is more to it than that. You've certainly seen the big hall where the students hang out."
"It is something like their "home" isn't it? But I didn't see any beds or any possibility to eat. What's the deal with that?"
" Seems like it's harder for you to comprehend than I thought it would be. You know that there is no such thing as your concept of time here, this includes the existence of day and night. Hence, sleep is not necessary, as there is no sense of tiredness."
"So you are always awake and fully capable? A little sleep in between might be helpful. Wouldn't it be beneficial to teach you guys a little bit about the outside world?"
" That is out of the question, we don't have the ability to "sleep" or rather we can't. Moreover, even if we could, it would only affect our ability to function."
"The ability to function? Is that all that matters? Really, the more I learn about this place the more I start to loathe it. Let me guess, the same counts for food and drink?"
"There is no necessity. We are capable of consuming food but no one would ever need it."
"Because it's a waste? Because there is no need? Are these the rules in Evos? As I see it, I'm not a testing subject, you all are. So that doesn't make it any easier for me to get used to."
"Why don't you look at it as an advantage? You never have to worry about sleep or nutrition again, those obstacles are gone."
"Believe me, if you ever had the opportunity, you would gladly put up with those "obstacles" many times. Then, what do these people do in the hall if not these procedures?"
"That which suits their nature. There is no time principle and therefore no real "age" here but appearance usually reflects a person's nature or growth. They are "young" people as surely you used to be one therefore they have the similar interests."
"I don't know what these ought to be. I took part in the battlefield at that age so my interest at that time couldn't be more distant. What about Alastor, then? He looks the very youngest but is supposed to be the eldest of all?"
"Well, this is correct even if I myself have my doubts. He possesses great wisdom and yet he also has the manner of a child. Thus, it may seem very unusual, but he knows how to manage everything. Noxus is similar, he too looks fairly young, but he is the most responsible of all. Chaos would ensue around here without him, to them he is something like a guide and a director.
"And what about Syra?"
"She...I hardly remember. It's been too long since she showed herself in front of everyone, no one can really tell what she's like anymore. There was a time when she was a mentor to everyone here, a role model and a reminder of down-to-earthness. Given her duties, she was admired by all, but now...now-"
"-she is a shadow to those, devoured by doubt and loneliness...She exists and yet she does not."
Argo saw a look similar to Syra's in Leo for a moment.
"I see you're acquainted with something akin to that."
"Ha, not nearly as serious as her situation. I think it would almost be an insult to compare me to her. The emptiness that exists within her is probably limitless... There was a time you said you'd been helpful because of me, so you owe me a favor."
Argo looked at Leo in confusion.
"What is that about? What kind of favor? Your life was saved because of my intervention, that's more than favor enough!"
"That was a consequence of your actions, a necessity for this job. I admit that I may be here because of it but I myself have not received any compensation. After all, I am a prisoner here, I want to get at least one favor."
"This is absurd, what you are saying?! You would have been dead long ago without this prison!"
"You are right Argo, but he won't leave you alone until you accept. Besides, I don't think he has any hostile intentions."
Noxus appeared behind them and defused the discussion.
"I can guess what your interest is. Now, let's turn a favor into an offer: You will assist me with all your energy and attention trying to learn, in return I'll share everything you want to know about her. Do we have a deal, Leo?"
Noxus had figured him out, he was just waiting for confirmation of his hunch. This was a deal Leo could hardly refuse in his current state of mind. After a brief consideration, he agreed and once again accompanied him into the great hall to see the blueprint.
"If I had known that this was what you were interested in, I would have made you this offer long ago. I am serious about giving you the answers, however, let me tell you this: you will fail at any endeavor. I am not saying this out of malice but by experience. Believe me, her situation is hard to bear even for me and Alastor, we tried everything we could, but somebody of her nature is not to be understood by us. For a long time we have both felt that there was something dark behind her energetic nature. Instead of being supportive, our presence has worsened her condition. How long has it been since anyone saw her smile...someone like her...was doomed from the start to wind up like that..."
"No, no one is doomed to do this. This can't be the end. Your presence and support didn't help but how about a stranger? No matter how bad it is, to me it's worth a try."
"A hopeless endeavor for which I nevertheless have great respect. That said, I won't retract my opinion that you'll waste away at it if not hurt yourself. However, I do appreciate it if you can prove me wrong, now more than ever. I consider it impossible...then again I can't completely explain everything about you...maybe the impossible is possible for you after all. I am looking forward to seeing what you achieve, Evos will be changing soon. As a good sign, I shall let you go first. So what exactly do you want to know all about?"
Noxus kept a stern and serious attitude, but inside he was inquisitive about what the strange man had in store. Leos methods and ways should be far from Noxus, Alastors and everyone else in Evos. He didn't know where to start and what to treat her as.
"Her workplace is sacred to her, she only leaves it when she goes to see Alastor or finishes a new work. She hasn't spoken to me in a long time so I can't say too much about it. As for her procedure...it's hard to describe. It would be best if you find out from her if at all possible. Within, she's devastated, that's all there is to say."
"I don't want to sound rude, but I know why none of you have been able to help her. Even though you guys live here, you couldn't be more opposite given your "purpose". . If there i little to say about her now, then tell me about her former self."
"Hmm, you really are different than I thought. Syra gave off a sense of euphoria, made the freshest impression of all of us despite her work. It was almost bizarre to see her like that considering everything. Although she lived in constant uncertainty it was hardly noticeable to us. The others admired her and she even approached Alastor's students, hard to imagine nowadays."
"The complete opposite...as I figured."
Leo knew that Noxus was hardly able to be of any further help to him. He could not condemn Noxus, living the same way constantly made it all the more difficult to understand her inner change. Noxus then explained to Leo what his next task would be. It was far from anything Leo used to believe until now.
"I want you to control each and every element and use them when necessary. That' s one of the most important requirements for our future endeavors."
"You mean I have to master all magic? How the hell is that supposed to work, I thought everyone had to have an affinity for it? A person who can use such powers universally is inconceivable."
"If you keep thinking about the limits of this world, then you're right. However, the fact that you are not a creation of Syra makes me suspect that you might be capable of it. I'm not asking for immediate results, the attempt is satisfactory enough. We'll start right away, just stay calm and watch carefully what happens.
A glaring light appeared from the ground and formed into a Krystal, the familiar "measuring device" for magic type and power.
"You should already be familiar with this. To you it is a guide to the future, to me it is a way to gain more control. The process is relatively simple, depending on the color and luminosity, the classification arises both in the world and to me."
"So you monitor every single person who touched this thing? So freedom of existence is actually not possible."
"Hahaha, monitoring? How much more work do you want me to do? My interactions are limited merely to unstable or abnormal results. As soon as a limit is exceeded I'm on hand, everything else is left to run its course. You know the drill, just put your hand on it and we'll see what happens."
"Before that, I have a question: did you create these things?"
"As much as I would be interested, I am not their designer. In fact, Alastor is even more intrigued than I am.
"Then where did these crystals come from if not from you? How do you know they even work?"
"All I know about them is that they originate here in Evos. As for their functioning, since they started, there was never anything wrong with it considering both the present and the future. Thus, I don't have any reason to doubt it. Now let's test what happens to you, maybe you'll be surprised too."
Leo approached the Krystal. The scene was the same as his start in this world except that now he was not facing a king but a being of far more powerful nature. He had no hopes or guesses for what was about to happen. In addition to the regular elements, countless variations and potencies were possible, many different power estimates and skills to learn, but for Leo...once again, nothing happened. His hand left no trace on the Krystal, it was the same result as back then.
This made Noxus as well as himself reflect. All the experiences he had gained, all the strength he had used...this outcome made no sense.
"It seems this thing is broken after all. I know what I managed to use and have used in my time and it definitely matches descriptions of known types of magic albeit rare. Well here you have your first true problem case, absolutely nothing has changed."
"It is truly an unexpected result, neither its shape nor color has changed. I am both amazed and annoyed that my guesswork has taken on a greater magnitude right now as it is approaching a critical stage."
As Noxus was about to stop the experiment, the apparatus shattered before his eyes. Everyone in the hall was startled by the bang and turned to look at Noxus. He picked up one of the shards and showed it to Leo. A black pumping vein appeared in the middle of the transparent piece.
"I certainly didn't expect that. Your presence here has just made itself all the more important."
"What do you mean? Is it that I have too much power slumbering inside me?"
"No, it isn't. Here, let me show you one thing. Watch carefully."
Again, Noxus summoned a Krystal and placed his hand up. Immediately, the device dissolved and faded away.
"This is what happens when the Krystal is overcharged or as you put it too much power is evoked, a safety mechanism as well as a warning signal for me."
"And when exactly does this device shatter then?"
"That is beyond my knowledge, you being the first to display such a feat. Considering all the circumstances and conditions as well as your very essence then there is really only one explanation for this: your powers...are not of Evo's origin, an unknown matter that has the same characteristics as the ones we know. Tsk, this just complicates everything, now I don't have the slightest idea."
" Possibly it is because I am not of Syra, that I am not from this world."
"Though you are a stranger mystery to us, you are not the only one of this kind. Your companions have taken the same test, nothing has ever altered like this."
"Wait a minute, you know about Blade, Adrian, Luke and Marah? Why didn't you call them here, why did it have to be me?"
"The answer to that question should be obvious to you after this incident. Moreover, I was able to observe them the whole time, but you remained out of my reach for a while. This only further testifies to the enigma that you are. I suspected that it might turn out like this, but not to this degree... for the moment you are dismissed, I need to change my plans. Try not to make trouble and be careful not to lose yourself in your desire, Syra can't just be saved."
("We'll see about that.")
Noxus was never so disoriented. Leo presented him with a great challenge that he himself would soon be involved in. However, his true purpose was to save a person he didn't know and yet would understand better than anyone else ever could.