TRAINING
LEO'S POV
The darkness in the forest was Nyx's creation; he cloaked only the area where we stood, careful not to let it spread any further. There was something sinister in his shadows, and if they reached beyond this spot, the witches nearby would surely notice. But tonight, the purpose was clear: he summoned the darkness to train Ivy.
Ironically, Leo was unaware of any of the scenarios he could conjure up in his darkness. Even when Nyx said this was how he planned to train Ivy and that I should trust him, I thought it was just something to pacify him, especially since he was so angry. At the time, I assumed he was just trying to cool down. But thinking back, Leo realizes he is probably furious about Ivy's attempt to escape as well. If escaping had been that easy, though, he wouldn't be here—he would've left long ago and taken her with him."
But in her weakened condition, trying to escape would be suicide. Leo couldn't fully blame her, though; after everything she had been through, who wouldn't want to run if they had the chance?
Even now, one of Nyx's shadows was imitating Leo to keep anyone from noticing his absence. Clever, right? But it was a risky move. If the shadow made even the slightest mistake, Leo would be in danger. And even if he tried to leave now, it would be a huge risk. The area's alarm system had multiple levels, and even the lowest alert could trigger chaos as if preparing to defend against an immediate threat.
Refocusing on the task at hand, Nyx decided to take charge of Ivy's weapon training, taking over from Leo. Together, they approached her, finding her crouched on the ground, deep in thought, with a tense expression on her face.
"Get up," Nyx commanded telepathically, snapping Ivy out of her trance. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked up, tilting her head with a questioning gaze.
"I'm Nyx, Leo's right-hand man—or whatever he calls me," Nyx introduced himself in his usual detached tone.
"You're my right-hand man, Nyx," Leo cut in sharply, throwing him a pointed look.
Nyx gave a slight, mocking bow. "Yes, Master."
With a sigh, Leo left them to it, finding a nearby tree branch to sit on and observe from a distance. Nyx always spoke with an irritating casualness, but tonight he seemed more indifferent than usual.
"I'll be in charge of your training from now on." Nyx continued, unfazed by Leo's departure, keeping his attention locked on Ivy, fully focused on the task at hand.
Suddenly, the heat hit him—intense enough that Leo felt his skin burning. Alarmed, he looked around, trying to find the source. Then he looked down and saw a pool of fire beneath him, like an erupting volcano.
"What the hell, Nyx? Where did this come from?" Leo shouted.
"Your training ground... for both of you," Nyx replied with a smirk.
"You've got to be kidding me, Nyx!" Leo shouted again. "We're supposed to be training Ivy, not me!"
"I know," Nyx said casually. "You can be her role model."
Then, speaking through their mental connection, Nyx added, "Master, you're not strong enough. If you want to get out of here and go home, you need to get stronger. Sure, you're a Lycan and hard to kill, but you don't know what's waiting for you when you get back. You could be running straight into a death trap."
Nyx sighed before continuing, "There's only so much I can do. To defeat your enemy, you must be formidable. And trust me, your enemy isn't sitting idle—they're getting stronger too."
Leo clenched his jaw. Nyx was right. Ivy wasn't the only one eager to go home—Leo missed his family too. But there was something here, something he had to protect. He glanced at Ivy, who was gripping a branch tightly, staring down at the fire below her with wide eyes. Despite her fear, he could see her resolve—she wanted to grow stronger, even if the fire seemed like a certain death.
Leo chuckled. She might not realize it, but he was ready to protect her with his life. And if he was going to do that, he needed to protect himself first. He looked back at Nyx, realizing that if he was going to defend her properly, he'd need to be strong enough to face whatever was coming. And he'd risk everything for her, without question.
"Let's get started, Nyx. And stop calling me 'Master'—it's annoying as hell," Leo said, preparing for the brutal training ahead.
"It's already started, Leo. You're keeping the girl waiting," Nyx smirked.
With that, Leo dove into the fire, ready to face the harsh training Nyx had promised. He would endure this and come out stronger.
After nine long years, Leo can confidently say that Nyx is a tyrant. What Nyx called "training" felt more like torture, but Leo persevered, with Ivy always by his side. The Molt of Fire was just the beginning.
They navigated a treacherous path barefoot, stepping carefully on shifting stones while dodging flying daggers and deadly traps. One misstep could send them tumbling into the flames below. And while the entire Sereno might be an illusion, the injuries they sustained from falling were all too real. It hurt like hell. Even with Leo's enhanced healing abilities, recovery took time. To heal Ivy, he had to take a bit of her blood to create a connection, allowing him to mend her injuries when necessary.
Nyx showed no mercy. There were moments when Leo wanted to give up, but for Ivy, he kept pushing forward. The scenery constantly changed, transforming into icy mountains or cave systems filled with man-eating creatures. They faced even greater dangers from witches, deadly traps, spikes, and flying daggers. Every challenge tested their limits, but together, they fought through it all.
There was nothing Nyx couldn't conjure. The only comfort was knowing that if things got too dangerous, his illusions would vanish, and we would find ourselves back in the forest. Leo often had the thought that Nyx had made us invincible. He remembered one time, years ago, when a group of witches wandered into the forest where we all were. Strangely, they walked right past us, as if we were invisible.
When Leo asked Nyx about it later, he simply replied, "It was an illusion. I made them see something else—a vision of Ivy, starving, hiding behind a tree, breathing heavily as though she were fleeing from forest beasts. They believed what they saw and left." In this place they called the witches' town, Leo saw the meaning of pure evil, and now, years later, he still sees it.
The harsh training that once felt like torment now seemed almost easy. Leo could see how much stronger Ivy had become—he didn't need to save her as often as before. She'd even saved him once. Nyx had gifted her a pair of invincible daggers, and he noticed the dagger straps fastened around her thighs.
Speaking of her thighs, Leo couldn't help but notice how incredibly beautiful Ivy had become. She was absolutely breathtaking, like a magical princess brought to life from a painting, with an air of majesty about her. Strength and power had given her that aura, and looking at her now, Leo couldn't deny the thoughts running through his mind. He wanted to steal her away and take her somewhere far away where it would be just the two of them. And after that, he could assure you, his thoughts were far from pure. If only she knew what he was picturing in his head, she might not flaunt her beauty around him as confidently as she was right now.
"L-e-o," Ivy said, her voice so close to his ear that it sent a shiver down his spine. He jumped, quickly creating some space between them as he turned to face her.
"Would you put your shirt on and stop staring at me?" She teased, smiling as she tilted her head. Then, with a playful glint in her eye, she added, "Or... am I so beautiful you can't take your eyes off me?"
Such confidence. But Leo couldn't blame her—she was stunning, and she knew it. Still, admitting that would only boost her ego.
"Princess, does my shirtless chest make your heart flutter?" Leo countered with a grin. But Ivy suddenly fell silent, as if he'd said something wrong. She seemed so lost in thought that Leo took the chance to move closer without her noticing. Leaning in, he mimicked her earlier move, speaking into her ears, "Thinking about me?"
She jolted slightly, snapping out of her thoughts, and turned to look at him—still shirtless—before shouting, "Put on the damn shirt, Leo!"
He couldn't help it; laughter bubbled up, and he laughed out loud. But the moment was cut short when Nyx interrupted them with sudden, unsettling news.
"Ivy, the witches are searching the forest for you. They want to take you back."