"Leon, is everything alright?" My aunt's voice broke through my reverie, her worried expression revealing that she had noticed the shift in my demeanor.
"I'm fine, Auntie," I replied unconvincingly. The girl in my dream had uttered something eerily similar to the events my aunt was recounting. I couldn't shake the feeling that the war my aunt was describing had some connection to the girl in my dream. As much as I tried to dismiss it as mere coincidence, a part of me couldn't help but feel anxious.
Could the girl's words be true? Would the world truly crumble into ruin and chaos? I didn't believe in gods or goddesses, nor did I subscribe to any particular religion, but the idea that something of that magnitude could be happening beyond our senses was...unsettling.
If the gods' game was to destroy the world, what would become of my family and loved ones? The mere thought made my blood run cold.
My mind wandered back to the girl's words from my dream: "If this catastrophe isn't stopped, you—no, all of your loved ones—will die."
"...eon? Leon? Are you feeling unwell?" my mother's voice interrupted my thoughts. "You look pale."
"I'm okay, Mom," I assured her, trying to conceal my anxiety. "I'm just lost in thought."
Despite my reassurance, I couldn't shake the feeling that something momentous was on the horizon.
***
Elisa's POV:
"I'm okay, Mom," Leon said to me with a slightly strained expression and a tone that didn't quite match his words. "I'm just lost in thought," he added, perhaps sensing my concern.
I looked at him skeptically, my motherly instincts telling me that there was more to his statement than he was letting on. It was evident that he was struggling with something, but he seemed reluctant to share his feelings with me.
As much as I wanted to be there for him and offer some comfort or support, I didn't know how to approach the situation without making things worse.
"Really?" I asked, trying to sound understanding and supportive.
"Yes, really," he replied, but I could tell his smile was forced, and his voice was unconvincing.
I could sense that there was more to it than what he was letting on, but I also knew that pressing any further would only make things harder for Leon. In situations like these, it was best to let him know that I was there for him, even if he didn't want to talk about it.
Just then, Lirien, Leon's aunt, broke the awkward silence. "Oh? Looks like it's about time for me to leave. I have a lot of patients waiting for me," she said as she turned to leave. "I hope I get to see you guys again. Especially you, Leon. I want to play chess with you again."
Upon hearing those words, Leon chuckled a little, as if her comment had brought him some momentary relief. "I've never beaten you, Aunt Lirien. Not even once. I don't think I could ever beat you."
Lirien responded, encouragingly, "Oh? But you have potential. If you keep playing for a year, I think you'll be a master in chess."
Leon seemed to brighten up at her praise. "If that's what you say, then I suppose I should start playing chess again. It's been two years since I last played. But if you want to play with me, you should come to me, not the other way around. You know how I don't like going outside."
Lirien nodded, seeming to understand. "I suppose that will be for the best. Considering that my stupid son was the one who caused you to retreat to your room, I should be the one to come to you, not the other way around."
Leon's expression turned a bit melancholic as Lirien mentioned her son.
"Do you still hate Marcus for doing that to you?" Lirien asked, her expression pained with guilt.
Leon flashed a sad but genuine smile. "I never hated Marcus. I could never hate my brother. He treated me poorly, sure, but that's not enough to make me hate him. I just wanted him to recognize me and my family as his family as well. That's all."
I couldn't believe how mature and forgiving Leon had become, despite everything he had been through.
"Is that so? Then I suppose I should tell Marcus that his little brother doesn't actually hate him," Lirien said with a hint of relief. "Well, I'm out, you guys. I hope you have a nice life in your new home," she said before turning on her heels and leaving the room.
"Bye-bye, Auntie!" Tessia waved at her with a bright smile.
Lirien peered over her shoulder and cast a gentle smile. "Bye-bye, Tessia. See you later!"
And with that, she left the room.
***
As my husband and I walked through the market, I couldn't help but feel worried about our son, Leon. We were there to buy food for the kids, but my mind was preoccupied with thoughts about our son's well-being.
I had taken to wearing a hat to conceal my ears and hair, as I didn't want to draw attention to the fact that I was a demi-human. Unfortunately, the world was still plagued by a deep-seated prejudice against those who were different, and I didn't want to subject myself to any unnecessary scrutiny.
As we walked, I turned to Leonelle and asked, "Do you think Leon's okay?"
"What do you mean?" he replied, his expression furrowed with concern.
Leon had shut himself in his room for two years without coming out. We had all been worried sick about him, but we were too afraid to force him out of his isolation. Finally, one day, he took the first step and came out of his room. However, his demeanor was not what we expected. He was hesitant, fearful, and anxious about taking the second step. We knew there was something more significant than his isolation and fear of taking the next step. Something dark and ominous was lurking behind his anxiety.
As a high-elf, I knew what it meant when his eyes glowed. It was a sign that he had somehow awakened the ability of premonition.
The ability of premonition was a rare gift that could only be awakened under certain circumstances. One of these was a near-death experience or escaping certain death. Despite its rarity, it was not impossible for someone to awaken this ability through other traumatic events. And that was precisely what had happened to Leon two weeks ago. I suspected that Leon's traumatic experience of fighting a lizardman to protect his sister, at the cost of his own life, was the trigger that awakened his premonition ability. It was a heroic act, but it came with a heavy price. I could only imagine the trauma that the siblings had faced during that fateful encounter. The physical scars would heal over time, but the emotional wounds might never completely disappear. I bit my lip. As their mother, I could only hope that their mental states were okay.
The ability of premonition could be a double-edged sword, and it could be both a blessing and a curse. It could be overwhelming and often lead to anxiety and fear. I had seen it happen to many of my fellow elves who had awakened their premonition ability. The visions they saw could be too much to handle, and the constant barrage of possible futures could lead to a loss of hope and despair.
This only made me more concerned for him. Could he have seen something terrible that was causing him to withdraw even further?
"Do you think...he's hiding something from us?"
Leonelle looked at me with a worried expression, "I don't know, dear. But it's possible. Leon has always been a private person, and he's never been one to share his feelings easily."
I nodded in agreement, "Yes, I know. But something about the way he was acting earlier... it just didn't seem right."
"Maybe we should talk to him and see if he's willing to open up to us," Leonelle suggested.
"I've tried, but he just keeps brushing me off," I replied, feeling a bit frustrated. "I don't want to push him too hard, but I also don't want him to suffer in silence."
"We'll figure something out," Leonelle said reassuringly. "In the meantime, let's focus on getting some food for the kids. They're probably getting hungry."
We continued to walk through the market, picking out various fruits, vegetables, and meats.
***
Leon's POV:
I found myself staring down at the lifeless body of a young girl who appeared to be around the same age as myself. Her hair was a striking shade of purple, but her tightly closed eyes made it impossible to determine the color of her irises. She lay motionless on her back, her entire form drenched in a pool of blood.
My mind reeled in shock, and I was paralyzed with disbelief. I could hardly fathom what had happened before my very eyes.
As I stood there, paralyzed by the gruesome sight in front of me, the girl suddenly opened her eyes. Her movements were slow, so much so that it was almost as if she wasn't opening them at all.
She then pointed towards something behind me and whispered, "R...un... Le...on." The quivering in her voice made it clear that she was struggling to speak.
However, before I could make sense of what she was trying to say, her hand, which had been pointing behind me, suddenly went limp and her head fell to the side. I turned to look in the direction she had indicated and saw a gigantic shadow looming over me.
With lightning-fast speed, the shadow wielded its weapon, swinging it towards me in a deadly arc.
Panic gripped me, and my last memory was the sickening sound of metal slicing through the air.