Leo's eyes flutter open, met with Agni'Dalia's curious licks slapping across his face. He lets out an exhausted groan, swatting away the insistent wyrmling with a playful smile.
"Alright, alright. I'm up, you pesky lizard."
Pushing himself up from the ground, he brushes off the dirt and leaves that cling to his clothes. With a sweeping motion, he clears his hands from his chest to his waist, shaking his head in a futile attempt to disperse the mental fog that still lingers.
"This rendering me unconscious needs to stop. Am I right, Agia?"
But there's no immediate response from Agni'Dalia. Leo's gaze scans the area, trying to locate his companion, only to find that she has wandered off during the short time he took to regain consciousness. A hint of concern flickers in his eyes, but he quickly dismisses it, trusting Agni'Dalia's instincts to keep her safe.
"Hm.. Seems Agia helped herself, left nothing but bones to analyze." Leo remarks with a wry smile, accepting the reality of his dragon's voracious appetite.
*Screech*
A piercing sound cuts through the air, alerting Leo to a newfound sense of danger. His skin prickles, and a tingling sensation courses through his body, as if every fiber of his being is on high alert. In a split second, his eyes narrow on an arrow hurtling straight for his forehead. However, something else rushes through his mind—the thought of someone else he cares about in peril. It's as if a switch in his brain has flipped, heightening his senses and sharpening his focus.
In an instinctive move, he draws his father's sword with lightning speed, holding it up in front of him. The arrow's trajectory seems almost slow-motion to Leo as he brings the blade down with precision, splitting the arrow right down the middle. The two separate pieces of the projectile sail harmlessly around him, leaving Leo standing unscathed.
The rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins fuels his determination. He glances around, searching for any sign of the assailant who had launched the arrow. With his senses now on high alert, every rustle of leaves and flicker of movement feels amplified, as if the entire forest is conspiring to reveal its secrets.
Leo's heart races as he charges towards the source of the sound, dodging arrows that whiz past him with agility and grace. His eyes dart around, scanning for any sign of danger as he closes in on the source of the disturbance. As he draws nearer, his breath catches in his throat when he spots Agni'Dalia trapped in a net, hanging helplessly from a tree. Panic sets in as Leo sees the wyrmling blowing fire in a desperate attempt to free herself, but the flames seem unable to ignite the thick rope of the net.
Leo keeps his father's sword unsheathed, ready for any threat that might reveal itself. With unwavering determination, he positions himself in front of Agni'Dalia, holding his sword at the ready to protect her. As he stands guard, the forest falls eerily silent, the only sound being the soft crackle of the flames Agni'Dalia still emits in distress.
"I told you we should've packed more arrows for our quivers, you idiot!" a young, feminine human voice yells from behind a tree, breaking the silence.
Leo swiftly pivots his body towards the voice, raising his sword slightly higher, prepared for confrontation.
"Well, if you weren't such a poor shot, Livian, the amount we had would've sufficed," a more mature, masculine voice retorts.
In mere seconds, Leo twists his body 180 degrees towards the masculine voice, ready to confront any adversary.
"Enough, you two. Come out and tell me who you are before I force my hand to wreak more havoc than needs to be," Leo deepens his voice, attempting to exude intimidation.
The two humanoid figures cautiously emerge from their hiding spots, hands raised in a gesture of surrender, bows held loosely in their grasp. Leo's eyes lock onto the female figure called 'Livian.' She smirks, her rosy red cheeks accentuating her boldness. Her jet black hair falls to her shoulders, catching the faint breeze that picks up around them. Leo can't help but notice a small scar under her right cheekbone, adding a touch of mystery to her appearance.
"So, almighty havoc wreaker, why might one as yourself be stopping us from our bounty? Why not talk about this peacefully? Wouldn't wanna force that mighty hand of yours," Livian says with a wink and a slight chuckle.
Leo maintains a firm stance, pointing his sword directly at Livian, while keeping a watchful eye on the male figure. "She is not a bounty! She is my..." Leo glances at Agni'Dalia, whispering to her for a moment.
"What are you to me, Agia?" he asks quietly, his voice carrying a mix of concern and affection.
In response, Agni'Dalia lets out a soft purr, expressing her bond with Leo.
"Right, right? She's my companion!" Leo proclaims with pride, a glimmer of affection in his eyes, and Agni'Dalia purrs again in agreement.
"Enough games! Hand over our bounty before MY HAND is forced to wreak more havoc than needs to be!" the male figure demands impatiently.
Leo's gaze turns to the man, locking eyes with him as he confidently responds, "Now why steal my saying like that? So unoriginal."
In a fit of rage, the male figure hurls his bow to the ground and charges at Leo with astonishing speed. Reacting swiftly, Leo leans back, leaving one foot out to trip the charging man. He stumbles, his momentum broken by the clever maneuver.
Livian, standing at a distance, can't contain her amusement and bursts into uncontrollable laughter. "Trex, an elf boy bested you. How can you call yourself Renegades Successor after a feat such as that?" she taunts, finding humor in Trex's moment of humiliation.
Leo's mind races, the term 'Renegades Successor' piquing his curiosity and raising questions about the enigmatic duo before him.
*Grrrrr* Trex growls, foam forming at the corners of his mouth like a rabid dog, his rage fueled by the embarrassment.
"Y..You tiny elf boy. You will regret embarrassing me like that!" Trex sputters in fury, his frustration boiling over.
With renewed determination, Trex rises to his feet, kicking off the ground and assuming a ready stance. He charges once more, but this time, his advance is halted by Livian, who stands firmly between him and Leo.
"C'mon now, big bro, you didn't learn the first time? Let me handle this," Livian says, still chuckling from earlier, before turning to face Leo. "What do we gotta do to make you just walk away?"
Leo crosses his arms, still holding his sword, and responds confidently, "Simple. Let me cut my companion down, and promise me you won't follow."
Before Trex can retort, Livian swiftly signals him to be silent. Trex huffs and looks away, conceding to Livian's authority.
"Look, elf boy, whose name I don't know. How about we change the course of this encounter, eh? Me and Trex here," she tilts her head, pointing back at him, "we are a part of a much larger group not too far from here. How about I cut your little companion down, and we make amends? From there, we can figure the rest out."
"But, the bou..."
"Shut it, Trex. Obviously, you couldn't handle the little guy. Plus, to be fair, if what he says is true, and this dragon here is his companion, it could be more useful to us as an ally than an enemy," Livian interjects, silencing Trex's objections.
"I guessssss I can agree to those terms, but I won't say anything more until she's cut down," Leo asserts, remaining cautious.
With a swift motion, Livian reaches across her body and throws a dagger right over Leo's head. The blade cuts through strands of his hair, the glistening locks dancing in the sunlight before being carried away by the wind.
*Thump*
Leo turns to see the trapping net cut down, and Agni'Dalia tumbles to the ground, the dagger falling close to her. "Now that could've been a tad bit more gentle if I could say so," Leo remarks with concern, quickly checking on his companion.
"Now, where were we? Oh, right! Pleasantries? My name is Leo. I'm looking for my friend, Aurora. Our village from over yonder was attacked and set ablaze." Leo sheathes his sword and places one hand on his stomach while extending the other outward, making a respectful bow.
Livian and Trex exchange surprised glances, seemingly taken aback by Leo's sincerity and vulnerability. The air is tense with uncertainty, as these unlikely acquaintances find themselves on the cusp of an unexpected alliance, where past grievances might be set aside in the face of an uncertain future.
As Leo stands there, trembling with rage and sorrow, Livian tries to explain, "Y..You don't mean the Village in the trees, do you? We had a couple of people stop by our camp seeking refuge and telling us of what happened there. Our mother, the leader of the camp and group, sent some people to scavenge there and look for survivors. She was really close to the leader there. They were in the same party at one point in life. Oh, what was his name...."
Before Livian can finish her sentence, Leo cuts her off abruptly, his emotions still raw and unsteady. "Don't you dare speak of his name!" he growls, his fist clenching tightly as memories of the past surge to the surface.
"Woah now, looks like I hit a soft spot, Trex," Livian jests, elbowing Trex playfully.
"Yeah, it seems you did, Livi," Trex retorts, his tone bearing a hint of revengeful satisfaction.
In his anger, Leo unsheathes his sword and presses it against Livian's neck, just below her chin. Her eyes widen in fear, and she throws her hands up in surrender. Trex starts to move, but Leo pushes the blade further, drawing a tiny droplet of blood from Livian's neck, causing it to trickle down to her collarbone.
"One slight movement and her head comes clean off," Leo threatens darkly, his voice laced with menace, as if he's ready to act on his words.
An eerie change comes over the surroundings as dark clouds form overhead, and the wind begins to howl. Even Agni-Dalia senses the impending darkness and whimpers in response. Leo's rage intensifies, and his body seems to pulse with power as he grips his sword tighter, his muscles visibly tensing. His hair dances wildly in the turbulent wind, and there's a faint glow at the tips, signifying the energy building within him. Both Livian and Trex remain motionless, immobilized by Leo's overwhelming fury.
"NOW WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BRING IT BACK TO MIND? I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO SAVE HIM. HE DIED BECAUSE OF ME, AND HIS DEATH IS MINE TO BEAR! I WILL SET IT RIGHT, EVEN IF IT TAKES MY LAST BREATH, AND SO HELP THE GODS IF SOMEONE SPEAKS HIS NAME IN MY PRESENCE!" Leo screams with raw emotion, his voice echoing through the darkening forest.
Time seems to slow, and everything freezes in place. Only Leo's head can move, and he notices a black, mysterious figure appearing beside him.
"Yes, Leoboirn, feel the power inside you. Use it! Fuel it! Let it take you!" the figure urges, their voice dripping with temptation and malice.
"I-I w-will..." Leo struggles to mumble out a response, but before he can finish, the figure cuts him off, continuing its manipulative speech. "Yes, yes. You will find me and kill me. Oooo, pick something else to say, Leoboirn. When will you realize the power you hold? Do you not realize that this only happens when you're around? The rage you feel inside you, feeds it. Become what you are destined to be. The undesirable need and thirst for blood you have can't be ignored for long before you..."
Suddenly, a burst of brilliant white light envelops everything, sending the black figure hurtling away. A commanding, echoing voice interrupts, overpowering the darkness.
"Enough Lynx! Your intervention and manipulation have not gone unnoticed. You will not tarnish the young one."
"Cyn'Gorth, the darkness already holds tightly to this one. You should do your best to realize that," Lynx retorts before vanishing.
"Nalashara Rekarin!" Cyn'Gorth chants in an unfamiliar language, invoking a mysterious force.
Time resumes its normal flow, and the dark clouds disperse, allowing the sunlight to break through. The wind calms down, and Leo's hair returns to its usual state. A sense of tranquility washes over Leo's body, and he feels the intense anger slowly ebbing away. Livian notices the change and cautiously pushes the sword away from her neck with two fingers.
"Apologies for triggering you. We were only jesting," Livian says with a hint of fear still present in her voice. She then suggests, "Well, we were needing to set up camp, anyway. How about you join us, and we can talk about this over a nice campfire before we set out in the light of morning?"
Leo, feeling exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster, wipes the sweat from his face and agrees, "Yeah, that sounds good."