As Leonidas tumbled through the air, Simo felt a strange mix of satisfaction and frustration. The mighty warrior was at his mercy, yet the thrill of power was overshadowed by his inability to summon true fear.
"Is this some sort of joke?" Leonidas shouted, his voice tinged with disbelief as he grasped for anything to steady himself.
"It's not a joke," Simo replied, a hint of defiance creeping into his tone. "I'm just... experimenting."
Leonidas landed awkwardly on a mound of soft, billowing clouds that had formed beneath him, the bounce cushioning his fall. He quickly regained his footing, eyes narrowing as he surveyed the bizarre scene.
"You think you can hide behind tricks and nonsense? You were supposed to show me true power!" he barked, frustration bubbling beneath his gruff exterior.
Simo's brow furrowed. He didn't want to disappoint this imposing figure, but he also felt trapped within the confines of his own mind. Fear was no longer a weapon he could wield; it had become an echo of his past, something he was afraid to confront.
"Fine," he muttered, determination surging through him. "If I can't manifest fear, maybe I can create something else."
With that, he focused on his surroundings, drawing inspiration from the desolation of the Shattered Veil. The colors shifted, shadows thickened, and he summoned a tear infused with "anguish." It shimmered darkly, pulsating with energy as he let it rip open.
Leonidas stepped back, eyes wide. "What now?"
"Watch," Simo said, his voice steadying. He directed the tear toward the ground, unleashing a wave of energy that erupted into a storm of dark, swirling shadows. They coalesced into phantom figures, tortured echoes of the fears Simo had once controlled.
"Impressive," Leonidas admitted, eyes scanning the shadowy forms as they writhed and danced around him. "But these are mere echoes. You need to harness your own fear, not create facsimiles!"
Simo felt the sting of those words, like a slap across his face. "I can't!" he snapped, frustration boiling over. "You don't understand what it's like! Fear was my shield and my weapon, but now it's just a reminder of my weakness."
Leonidas took a step forward, towering over Simo, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. "What do you think all those years of fighting were for? Every battle you fought, every enemy you faced—each moment should have forged you into something stronger. Embrace your fear. Don't let it consume you."
Simo hesitated, the weight of those words pressing against his chest. He felt raw and exposed, but beneath that, a flicker of resolve began to ignite.
"Okay," he breathed, finally allowing himself to confront the shadows of his past. He stepped toward the tear, its edges shimmering ominously. Drawing in a deep breath, he focused on the bear—the embodiment of his primal fear—and felt the memories wash over him.
With newfound clarity, Simo reached deep within himself, summoning that fear not as a mask, but as a source of strength. He imagined the bear's roar, the weight of its presence, the primal instinct that had once gripped him.
The tear pulsed, dark energy swirling around him. As he let the fear take form, it transformed into something vibrant and fierce. Instead of crumbling under its weight, he shaped it—twisting it into a tangible manifestation of raw, uncontrollable power.
Leonidas watched, eyes gleaming with a mixture of admiration and anticipation. "That's it! Channel it!"
With a primal scream, Simo unleashed the embodiment of his fear. It surged forth, a shadowy bear with glistening eyes and a howl that resonated through the Shattered Veil, echoing the very essence of terror.
But this time, he was not the prey. He was the hunter.
The shadow beast surged toward Leonidas, its maw wide and fierce. Simo felt a rush of exhilaration—he had broken free from the chains of his past, wielding fear not as a crutch, but as a weapon.
"Now we'll see what you're made of!" Leonidas roared, readying himself for the challenge.
Simo's heart raced. He was overflowing from joy.
He picked his sniper back up, and shot his last bullet. He knew he would need to scrap anything together to win this fight.