As Leo delved further into the garden's mysterious depths, a sight that defied reason materialized before his eyes. A strange fruit tree, unlike any he had ever seen, stood before him. And there, nestled amidst its branches, was a tree from a legend, a tree that should not exist. It was a surreal moment, a bridge between the realm of fantasy and the tangible world.
"Jubokko and Yggdrasil, ancient and powerful. I am humbled in their presence. Only gods or angels could dare to cut these trees."
Confronted by an infinite forest, he unleashed a speed that defied human limits.
"Phew! Lucky I have super speed magic, or I'd be stuck here for ages," Leo muttered under his breath, as they spread the branches of two trees one after the other.
Now he could see a towering structure, so large it seemed to reach the sky. 'I wonder, are the trees bigger or the tower?' Leo thought."
"Inspecting the surroundings, Leo spotted an odd, ancient structure that hardly resembled a house. 'What is it? A hut?' he wondered aloud."
* He stood for a moment, torn between curiosity and caution. Finally, his curiosity won, and he began to walk forward. As he drew closer to the strange house, Leo noticed peculiar purple-leaved trees adorned with crimson flowers.The trees emitted a foul odor, and the flowers resembled grotesque saliva droplets. However, he spotted more peculiar, almost grotesque tree forms. Despite their odd appearance, Leo couldn't detect any malicious intent. He noticed something else: a pot was placed beneath the mouth of each flower, collecting its viscous, saliva-like secretion. He realized the pots had been recently placed, an unsurprising discovery after witnessing the Church's experiments. Determined, he approached the odd house and pushed open its heavy, white door. The door, unusually large, required a push from the side rather than the front. As he pushed the heavy door open, a plume of white smoke billowed out. Leo stepped back, surprised that nothing happened. The interior was shrouded in darkness, and a narrow, descending staircase led into the depths. He paused before the descending stairs, straining to detect any life force. A sudden chill, however, made his blood run cold. The sight that greeted him at the bottom of the stairs was so horrific that he was rendered speechless. His mind reeled as he tried to comprehend the depravity of the experiment. The bodies of elves were suspended, lifeless and limp, as if they were mere garments.
These horrors were fresh, too recent to be forgotten. What twisted purpose could the Church possibly have? Leo pondered. He resumed his exploration, determined to uncover more secrets before the night grew old. After all, he had to return to his castle unnoticed. Emerging from the first chamber, Leo entered a horrifying scene resembling a grotesque prison. Dead bodies of humans, elves, and demons were scattered about, a chilling testament to the dark experiments conducted within. As he stepped forward, he froze. Before him, imprisoned in a glass case, was the elf princess. Her body, naked and scarred, bore the marks of countless injections and cruel lashings. Her eyes, once filled with life, were now hollow and lifeless, though she still breathed.
"I...I thought no we all believed the princess perished on the battlefield, slain by Muka, the higher demon. Yet, here she is," Leo exclaimed, his voice filled with shock and disbelief. Leo, with raw strength and a swift hand, shattered the prison cell. He unceremoniously draped his clothes over her, his gaze cold and indifferent, as if she were a mere doll.
"Who would have the audacity to harm the princess? They shall be punished!" Leo said through gritted teeth, his voice deep and menacing. After handing her the clothes, Leo called out urgently, "Vaeloria! Vaeloria! Snap out of it! You're a knight!"
But she didn't even stir, lying on the ground like a lifeless corpse. Realizing his words were in vain, Leo began channeling his healing magic, pouring some of his own life force into her mind.
After finishing his healing, her eyes flickered with a faint spark of life. Leo realized that, no matter what he did, this wasn't the right moment for Vaeloria to fully recover. Time was slipping away, but he couldn't leave just yet. Lifting Vaeloria into his arms, he continued walking, determined to explore the very depths of this strange and ominous house. As he walked forward, Leo couldn't shake the worry gnawing at his mind about Vaeloria. After all, she was no ordinary elf—she was the princess of the Elven Kingdom, a proud warrior who had lived for over 267 years. More than that, she was Leo's rival. Every time they had clashed in his lifetime, the outcome had always been a draw. Vaeloria wasn't just an opponent; she was also one of his teachers, having personally trained him during the reign of the previous emperor. Her father, Sirloin, the King of the Elves, would be devastated to see his daughter in such a state. After all, who could possibly match Vaeloria's strength? And why had the Red Moon Empire suddenly proposed a peace treaty? It didn't add up. Could it be... no, it couldn't! Leo froze mid-step, the thought striking him like a thunderclap: the Church and the Red Moon might working together.
"No, that's not possible. I'm overthinking this," Leo mumbled to himself, shaking off the troubling thoughts. He resumed walking, his eyes scanning the path ahead with heightened vigilance. Normally, he wouldn't bother checking for threats, but now everything had changed—he had to protect her. The thought lingered: if something as powerful as a higher demon appeared, could he defend her and himself at the same time?
"No," he muttered aloud, his voice firm. "I will protect her, no matter what comes at me." Determination surged through him, his golden eyes glowing fiercely as his brow furrowed in resolve. After walking for a while, he came across a row of empty prison cells. In one of them, he noticed a massive glass jar, shattered into jagged pieces. His eyes narrowed as he spotted traces of a familiar purple substance—one he had seen before in the northern church.
Now it was clear: the Church was behind all of this. But the lingering question remained—were demons involved as well?
"If I remember correctly," Leo thought to himself, "that priest mentioned the Church's higher-ups wanting to create superhumans... like me." The realization sent a chill through him, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
It was time to return.
With Vaeloria still in his arms, Leo turned back and began retracing his steps, his mind racing as he carried the princess toward safety. As Leo stepped outside, the thick, frosty white fog had grown even more intense. Yet, through the haze, he could make out the silhouette of two massive trees. Without hesitation, he dashed toward them at a speed that would be nearly impossible for a human eye to follow.
But then, something halted him. He froze in place, his gaze sharpening as he noticed something ahead. A beast stood before him, its head, wings, and talons that of an eagle, with the powerful body of a lion—a griffin.
Leo met the king of beasts with unwavering composure. "Oh my, the Church really succeeded, didn't they?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I see you've been crafted by them. My mistake... you're an artificial one, aren't you?"
With a smirk, Leo summoned his holy sword, Balha, ready for whatever came next.