Leon's POV:
As the night enveloped the surroundings in a shroud of darkness, I suddenly woke up from a deep slumber. The stillness of the room was palpable, and I felt a sense of unease within me. It wasn't a nightmare that jolted me awake, but the words of Aunt Lirien that kept replaying in my mind, refusing to let me rest peacefully.
I sat up from my bed, the cool sheets slipping off my body as I moved. Tessia, my little sister, was lying beside me, her tiny hands clutching tightly onto my shirt at the chest. The warmth of her body against mine was comforting, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight.
Glancing around the room, I noticed my father sleeping near the door, his breathing slow and steady. He had been keeping a watchful eye on us throughout the night, and it was clear that he had fallen asleep at some point. Our mother, who had been deeply concerned for our safety, had joined us in the room and slept here as well.
I gently removed Tessia's hand, which had been clutching onto me throughout the night, and made my way to the bathroom.
"Hic...Hic...Hic..."
As I walked towards the door, a sound caught my attention. It was a soft, hiccupping sob, coming from outside our room.
Curiosity getting the better of me, I approached the window and peered outside. And there, huddled on the ground, was the same girl I had seen in my vision. She was crying, her head buried in her knees, and I could see the gentle shaking of her shoulders with each sob.
Although I didn't know why she was crying, the vision I had seen of her death and mine had left me feeling anxious and worried.
The accuracy of my visions had shaken me to the core. I had never experienced anything like this before, and I didn't know what to make of it. Should I trust these visions, or were they just a figment of my imagination? The uncertainty was overwhelming, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.
My mind was racing with questions, and I couldn't seem to find any answers. What did the visions mean, and why was I seeing them? Were they a warning of things to come, or were they just a manifestation of my deepest fears?
Despite my growing apprehension, I chose to ignore the girl and went to the bathroom.
I closed my eyes and recited the spell for waterball, focusing all my energy and intention on its creation. Slowly, a small ball of water began to form in the palm of my hand. I brought the waterball up to my face and gently washed away the grime and sweat that had accumulated throughout the day. As I splashed my face with the cool, refreshing water, I felt a sense of renewal and rejuvenation wash over me.
I slowly opened my eyes and looked at myself in the mirror, searching for any signs of change. It had become a habit of mine to inspect my face after washing it, hoping to see something different, something that would give me hope. But as usual, my reflection remained the same—a depressed-looking boy, trapped inside his own mind, unable to take even a single step outside.
I let out a sigh of disappointment, feeling defeated once again. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to break free from the chains that bound me. The darkness within me was too strong, too overwhelming.
After I had finished drying my face with a towel, an unsettling image of a girl's body appeared in my mind. The image was so disturbing and repulsive that I had to immediately cover my mouth with my hand to prevent myself from vomiting.
With great effort, I managed to suppress the nauseous feeling that had started to build up in my throat and quickly took a gulp of water to calm myself down. The grotesque image had left a lasting impression on me, and it was difficult to shake it off.
As I drank down a glass of water, I couldn't help but ponder how we had ended up in such a precarious situation. If the vision I had seen was to be trusted, then the girl and I had a deep connection that had led us to a place where we were in danger of being attacked by an unknown assailant. However, due to the shadowy nature of the attacker, I couldn't discern what it was, only that it posed a serious threat. Our location was also a mystery, as all I could make out was that we were surrounded by dense forest, and the snow was knee-deep.
After finishing the water in my glass, I returned to bed and decided to take one last glance outside. Much to my surprise, the girl was still there, tears streaming down her face as she huddled with her head buried in her knees. What struck me as particularly concerning was that she was not dressed warmly enough to protect herself from the chilly weather. Given the temperature and conditions outside, it was likely that she would catch a fever by tomorrow.
I made the conscious decision to stay out of her business and ignore her actions, even though she seemed determined to catch a cold. As a result, I opted to lay in bed and continue sleeping, hoping to forget about the girl and her potentially harmful decision.
However, I found myself unable to shake the thought of her from my mind. Despite acknowledging that it was not my place to intervene, I could not bring myself to ignore her entirely. The thought of her catching a cold and potentially becoming ill weighed heavily on my conscience.
Thus, I found myself torn between my desire to mind my own business and my innate sense of compassion. Ultimately, I realized that simply ignoring her would not absolve me of any responsibility in the matter. I would feel guilty if I did nothing and she became ill as a result.
With a heavy sigh, I expressed my clear irritation with myself. The situation was frustrating, and I couldn't seem to find a way out of it. I stood up from my bed and grabbed a spare robe, feeling a sense of urgency to get it to the girl outside. As I looked out the window again, I attempted to call out to her, but then I realized that my family was sound asleep in the room. I didn't want to wake them up, so I knew that I had to find another way to bring the robe to her without making any noise.
I pondered my options for a moment, considering the best way to get the robe to the girl without causing a disturbance. I briefly considered using my wind magic to carry it over to her, but I knew that my control over my magic was still somewhat limited. The last thing I wanted was for the robe to be carried away by the wind and end up in a completely different location.
The situation was grim, and there seemed to be no other alternative than to step out into the outside world. As I gazed upon the door, a sense of dread overtook me, and my heart sank deep into my chest. I knew that I had no choice but to venture out of the room, out of the building, and into the cold, cruel world beyond.
I didn't want to go out, but I had no choice if I wanted to deliver the robe to her. The very idea of stepping outside was daunting, and my mind raced with worst-case scenarios.
As I approached the door, my heart began to beat faster and faster, and my palms grew clammy with sweat. My feet felt like they were made of lead, and I struggled to take each step towards the door
As I stood in front of the door, I was filled with uncertainty and doubt. The door, a solid and imposing structure, appeared to be a formidable opponent that was preventing me from moving forward. In my mind, it resembled a queen, and I, a mere pawn, felt helpless in its presence.
Suddenly, a memory flashed through my mind. It was my Aunt's voice, echoing in my head. She had once told me that a pawn was a piece that could only move forward, and that if it didn't move from its starting square, it would remain a weakling for the rest of its life.
Her words had echoed repeatedly through my mind, urging me to take action, and causing me to lose sleep in the process. Each time I closed my eyes, her voice haunted me, relentlessly urging me to do something. I tried to ignore it, but the words continued to echo, louder and more insistent each time. Eventually, I realized that I could not ignore her plea any longer.
With a deep breath, I clutched tightly at the robe that I was holding, and slowly reached for the doorknob. My heart was pounding with both trepidation and anticipation. I knew that once I opened that door, there would be no turning back.
As I twisted the doorknob, the door opened with a creak. A slight breeze entered the room, sending a chill down my spine. I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what lay beyond the threshold. But then, I remembered my Aunt's words once again, and I knew that I had to take that step forward.
With a final surge of courage, I lifted my foot and took a step. It was a small, seemingly insignificant action, but it was the first step towards something greater. Like a pawn on a chessboard that had finally broken free from its starting point.