Leon stepped out of the alley cautiously, keeping close to the edge of the square. "And what exactly am I looking for? You still haven't explained."
Arial didn't look at him, her gaze fixed on the far end of the square. "You'll know when you see it. Just stay close and don't get in my way."
"That's reassuring," Leon muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You drag me out here for this… thing, and you still can't give me a straight answer. You're really making it easy to trust you."
Arial turned to him, her expression hard. "Trust isn't necessary. Survival is. If you want to live to see the sun, you'll follow my lead."
Arial's gaze swept the square once more before she spoke again, her voice low. "We need to clear this area."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "And how do you expect to clear out an entire square? Politely ask them to leave?"
Arial smirked faintly, her eyes glinting with something close to amusement. "That's where you come in. Cause a scene. Make them scatter. Just… don't kill anyone."
Leon frowned, his jaw tightening. "You're serious."
"Very," Arial replied, her tone deadpan. "You're good at drawing attention. Use that toy of yours." She motioned toward the rifle slung over his back. "Show them what it can do. They've seen it before. They'll run."
Leon's lips pressed into a thin line as he considered her plan. It wasn't subtle, but it didn't need to be. The knights were already hunting him—what was one more reckless move? He let out a resigned sigh and adjusted the strap of his rifle.
"Fine," he muttered. "But you'd better be ready when the chaos starts."
Arial's smirk deepened. "I'm always ready."
Leon didn't respond. Instead, he stepped out of the alley and into the square, his boots crunching softly against the cobblestones. A few early risers were setting up their stalls, their movements slow and groggy. The crows cawed louder now, as if sensing the shift in the air.
Leon pulled the rifle off his back, the weight familiar in his hands. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, then aimed skyward. The first shot cracked through the silence like thunder, the echo bouncing off the buildings.
People froze, their heads snapping up in alarm. Leon fired again, this time into a wooden stall nearby. The structure splintered under the force of the bullet, sending shards of wood flying.
Panic rippled through the square. Merchants abandoned their stalls, some screaming, others shouting warnings. A few dropped whatever they were carrying and bolted for the nearest exit.
"Move!" Leon barked, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Everyone out!"
He fired again, deliberately missing anyone but keeping the shots close enough to drive home the urgency. The remaining stragglers didn't need further convincing. Within moments, the square was empty save for the scattering of crows and the two figures standing in its center.
Arial stepped out of the shadows, her gaze sweeping over the now-deserted market. She nodded once, seemingly satisfied, then turned to Leon.
"Effective," she said. "You might just survive this after all."
Leon slung the rifle back over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing at her. "Now what? Where's this Sentri is this code word for mafia or somthing?"he muttured
Arial's gaze sharpened as she stepped forward, her hand shooting up to stop Leon in his tracks. "Step back. Now."
Leon frowned, gripping his rifle. "What are you talking about? I thought you said we were here to deal with some—"
"Move!" Arial snapped, her voice cutting through his confusion like a whip. She didn't wait for him to respond, her cloak flaring as she strode into the center of the square.
Leon hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to stay alert. But something in Arial's tone—a rare edge of urgency—made him take a cautious step back, retreating to the edge of the square.
"What the hell is this?" he muttered, his voice low, his eyes darting around for threats.
Arial stopped in the middle of the square, pulling back her hood to reveal her sharp, focused expression. She reached into the folds of her cloak and drew out a book—old and weathered, its cover marked with symbols that seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light.
With a fluid motion, she opened the book, and as her fingers grazed its pages, glowing runes began to lift into the air, hovering like burning embers around her. A faint hum filled the square, growing louder with each passing second.
"What the—?" Leon's voice trailed off as he instinctively took another step back.
The runes swirled, forming intricate patterns in the air. A barrier began to take shape—a translucent dome of crackling energy that sealed off the square's center. The crows scattered, their harsh cries echoing into the predawn air as the oppressive hum grew deeper.
Arial's voice broke through the noise, low and commanding as she chanted in a language Leon didn't recognize. The book in her hands glowed brighter, lifting from her grasp to float in the air before her, its pages turning on their own.
The ground beneath them rumbled, cracks splitting the cobblestones. From those cracks, an eerie green mist began to seep, curling like smoke around Arial's barrier.
Leon stumbled back, his heart pounding. "Is this some kind of... gas? Chemical weapon?!"
Arial didn't answer. Her focus was locked on the cracks as they widened, and the mist thickened. The runes around her pulsed, brightening with each chant that left her lips.
Then, with a deafening roar, the ground beneath the square erupted.
A massive, shadowy form began to rise, its body shifting and writhing like smoke given shape. Glowing green eyes pierced the darkness, locking onto Leon with an almost predatory intent. The creature let out a guttural, bone-chilling growl, its tendrils lashing out, testing the barrier.
Leon's breath caught in his throat. He wasn't sure what he was looking at, but it wasn't anything he'd ever seen—or believed in.
"Stay back!" Arial barked, her voice sharp. "This isn't something your toy can handle."
Leon stumbled back further, his boots crunching over shattered cobblestones as Arial stepped forward. Her calm demeanor only unnerved him more.
"You might want to back up a bit more," Arial said, her tone casual despite the weight of the battle unfolding around them.