The shroud of darkness cloaked Gideon's face, but beneath it, a gentle smile played upon his lips as he fixed his gaze upon Leo. Leo, however, remained stoic, his confusion evident in the furrow of his brow.
"Hedgehog?" Leo's voice carried a note of uncertainty.
Gideon merely shrugged, his demeanor casual as if conversing with an old friend. "Indeed, I wager it's your maiden encounter with such a creature. Nonetheless, I stand before you on a mission, one entrusted to me by your cherished sibling, the very person who holds your heart."
In an instant, Leo's eyes ignited with life. He moved toward Gideon, only to be halted by the unyielding cage and chains that bound him. "My sister, is she safe? How fares she? Is she injured? I witnessed her being pursued by those wretched fiends!"
Gideon's voice remained composed amid Leo's mounting fury. "Fear not, for your sister remains unharmed. Your concern should rest upon your own well-being and that of your fellow villagers."
Leo reluctantly withdrew, settling back onto the cold cage floor. He fought to regain his composure. "You speak the truth. The odds are insurmountable. The moment you make an attempt to liberate us, the horde of hyenakins will descend upon you, and your life will be forfeit. There's no salvation for us. You should depart, and I beseech you, carry Lucy to safety. Let it be my final request."
Gideon's amusement was palpable in his voice. "You, my friend, are far more amenable than I anticipated. Your initial demeanor suggested a readiness for aggression, but appearances can indeed be deceiving. I must commend you for your leadership, despite your tender age."
Leo shook his head, humility in his gaze. "I am but an interim leader. The true leader of our village is Grandpa Pino. Mere moments ago, he was torn from our midst." He gazed earnestly at Gideon. "Have you perchance laid eyes on him?"
"The enslavers perceive little value in an elderly man who struggles to stand. Fortuitously, they've chosen to toy with him rather than snuff out his life immediately." Gideon gestured toward a specific direction. "I observed him being subjected to a brutal thrashing that way just moments ago."
Leo's gaze followed the direction indicated by Gideon. "Grandpa Pino," he muttered through clenched teeth.
"Do not despair," Gideon reassured him. "I can still discern the rhythm of his heartbeat, and his respiration remains steady. He is a far hardier soul than I initially presumed. In his prime, he must have been a formidable warrior."
Leo's eyes shimmered with sadness. "Indeed, Grandpa Pino was one of our tribe's most illustrious warriors. He fought alongside four successive generations of tribe leaders and imparted to me all that I know of the art of combat." His voice trembled with regret. "Despite his tireless efforts to mold me into even a fraction of the warrior he was, I have fallen short. I am powerless, and my weakness has led us to this dire predicament."
Gideon nodded in understanding. His attention abruptly shifted as he detected an approaching presence.
Leo regarded Gideon earnestly. "They have not yet perceived your presence. Depart, Little One. Do not recklessly throw your life away in a futile rescue attempt. I implore you, do not sacrifice yourself for naught—"
"Hold that thought," Gideon interjected, activating his *Spike Missiles* and propelling a razor-sharp spine from his back toward the advancing hyenakin. Unaware of the impending danger, the creature was struck by the projectile, followed by a deafening explosion that engulfed the vicinity in billowing black smoke. Casually, Gideon redirected his attention to Leo. "Now, where were we?"
Leo could only stare at Gideon in astonishment. The explosion's echoes reverberated throughout the area, joined by the agonized cries of the hyenakin that had met an unexpected demise, blissfully unaware of the force that had claimed its life.
The cacophonous clamor of an approaching army reverberated within Gideon's ears. The ground quivered beneath his feet, resonating with the ominous march. Every sense was tingling with anticipation—their vibrations on the earth, their acrid scent carried by the wind, and the rhythmic thumping of their hearts, all of it a foreboding symphony of impending chaos.
"I'm done listening to your drivel," Gideon declared, a malevolent smirk curling his lips as he addressed Leo. "As I stated before, your little sister entrusted me with the salvation of your people, and I meant every single one of them. Leaving any of you behind was never an option in the first place." Gideon tilted his head, his dark eyes locking onto Leo's. "Besides, I have no desire to bring despair to Lucy. Frankly, she's teetering on the edge of mental instability, one more piece of bad news away from a complete breakdown."
As if on cue, an entire army materialized, encircling the caravan of cages. Sinister grins adorned the faces of each hyenakin soldier, their weapons clutched tightly, their predatory gazes fixated upon Gideon, who stood resolute beside the cages.
"Look here, what have we got?" The leader of the hyenakins emerged from the throng, a grotesque hybrid of human and hyena. Unlike his underlings, he possessed a towering, muscular frame and brandished a massive spiked club. "Seems like a little critter trying to liberate my prized catches. Someone's itching for an untimely death tonight."
*Hyenakin: Level 30.*
Leo's voice, a cautious whisper, penetrated the tension. "Even if you can employ magic, you can't overcome these odds. You're outnumbered, and their leader is a formidable warrior, a Level—"
"Leo, you need to bolster your confidence," Gideon interjected, his tone laden with exasperation. "Your self-esteem is alarmingly low."
Meanwhile, the hyenakin army, led by their fearsome chieftain, merely observed Gideon with malevolent grins, treating the situation as though it were a comedic spectacle. They grossly underestimated him.
"Listen up, lionkins," Gideon declared, his voice resounding with unwavering confidence. "I'll be frank. I could easily liberate all of you or obliterate these grinning miscreants surrounding me without breaking a sweat." He raised his hands theatrically. "But where's the thrill in that?"
"Who spiked this little creature's drink? I think he's had one too many!" the hyenakin leader guffawed, the mirth in his voice mingling with derision.
"I am Gideon Brangwen," Gideon continued, his voice carrying an air of authority that demanded attention. "The harbinger of darkness, the ruler of the night, and the monarch of all shadows. My power far exceeds your wildest imagination, and I'm willing to share it with you in exchange for your unwavering loyalty." His gaze locked onto Leo, confined within the cage.
He extended his right hand toward Leo, despite the constraints that bound him. "Leo Feria, as the acting leader of your village, you shall represent your people. Forge a temporary alliance with me and break free from these shackles that bind you. Fight for your freedom and your lives, and I shall fight alongside you." Gideon's outstretched hand hung in the air, waiting for Leo's response. "Take my hand and fight for a brighter tomorrow."
For an agonizingly drawn-out moment, the world held its breath. The night itself seemed to suspend time, awaiting Leo's decision.
With trembling eyes, Leo finally spoke, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "I'm not sure if I can trust your words."
"What other choice do you have, my friend?" Gideon countered, his smirk shifting into a knowing smile. "You must be thinking, 'Can I afford to trust this stranger offering salvation to my people?'" He inched closer to the cage. "But the real question you should be asking is... Can I afford not to?"
Doubt and fear gripped Leo, but there was no time for prolonged contemplation. The hyenakin leader, his anxiety now evident, barked a command. "I have a bad feeling about this. The fun's over. Kill the talking rat! Don't let them form a pact!"
Immediately, the entire hyenakin army surged toward Gideon, their weapons raised, animosity burning in their eyes.
Leo extended his hand toward Gideon, the pivotal moment of decision. "I am Leo Feria, acting leader of the dwindling Gold Mane tribe, the heir to the former king of the great forest of Fiora, Layon Feria. I accept your offer of a temporary alliance." His hand met Gideon's, bridging the gap between their fates. "We are now under your command, Gideon Brangwen, the hedgehog."
Gideon's smile transformed into a malevolent grin, his black eyes absorbing every trace of light in the vicinity. "Very well."