“LORD Dark Lord, this is the child. The sole survivor of the Hero’s massacred village…”
Was this a fragment of a long-lost memory?
A familiar man presented an unconscious young boy in his arms to the green-haired Dark Lord.
“I believe this child is Lenard Gaines’s descendant…”
Dark Lord’s crimson eyes widened slightly at that revelation. “I see. Then I will save him by sharing a fragment of my magic. Will that do?”
The younger man gently patted the young boy’s head and nodded. The Dark Lord slowly approached.
Covered in horrible injuries, the boy gasped for air, his life petering out with each ragged breath. He didn’t have long left.
“Please help him. He will surely aid our cause in the future,” the man said with conviction.
“So he will,” the Dark Lord said with a sedate nod before touching the boy’s right shoulder with his magic-imbued hand.
✦ ✦ ✦
LEO woke up gasping for air and shot up in bed. He was shocked by the sweat drenching his body and causing him to stick to the sheets. The comforter slid off the bed onto the floor. He slowly stretched over the side of the bed, picked up the comforter, and looked around.
What he saw was the familiar scenery of the idyllic Port City inn where they were staying before taking on the Ancient Ruins Quest. It was such a peaceful, normal morning, it felt jarring after everything that had transpired.
Realizing that the danger had passed, Leo relaxed and exhaled deeply.
He squeezed his bangs and bent over, trying to remember his dream.
What was that just now?
He figured it was a dream, but there was something about it that left his heart thudding in his chest, warning him it was more than what it seemed. The contents were beyond bizarre, but was it really just a meaningless scene his mind made up?
I’ve never met the Dark Lord… Am I just that tired?
In fact, he was so tired that his whole body felt heavier than lead, and even getting out of bed was a pain. His mind was in a dizzying fog, and although he was awake, he felt half-asleep.
This must be the price of using a Holy Relic. I’ve still got a lot to learn. Leo shrugged, even that motion making his back muscles ache.
Leo could only speculate on the situation because his memories ceased after he activated the ancient magic. As pathetic as it was, he figured he probably fainted after that. A minor price to pay for using a relic to bring Elias back.
When he looked down, his black robe was missing, leaving him in just the sleeveless tunic he wore underneath it. Whoever put him in bed must’ve removed his robe to help him sleep more comfortably.
Leo decided to get his fatigued body moving and slipped his feet into the lace-up boots placed neatly beside the bed.
Checking on everyone comes first.
After everything he and the rest of the party went through to save them, Leo was especially keen on making sure Aki and Elias had made it back in one piece.
Once he started thinking about them, his heart raced and he practically ran out of the room with just the clothes on his back. As soon as he entered the hallway he heard the woman he loved crying in anguish.
He jerked his neck toward the sobs to find Aki sitting on the ground, burying her face in her knees in front of a room at the end of the hall.
Aki…? Did someone die?
With his heart in his throat, Leo forgot all about his exhaustion and rushed to her side, nearly tripping over his feet on the way.
“Aki! What’s wrong?! Is someone hurt?!”
“Leo…?” She glanced up, her tear-swollen eyes rounding on him. She placed her palms on the floor and tried to push herself up to meet him. “Leo! Should you be moving yet?!”
Leo crouched beside her before she could stand. He quickly shook his head. “I’m fine! Why are you crying out here? Is this his room?” He sensed Elias’s presence in the room. “I’ll go talk to him—”
“Don’t!” Aki grabbed hold of Leo’s shirt when he reached for the door, and she pulled him back down with a burst of herculean strength.
Surprised by the sudden tug, Leo fell back on his behind. “Aki! What did you do that for?! You could’ve gotten us both hurt!” He angrily glanced at her and his eyes bulged when he saw her expression.
Trembling, she gripped his shirt with both hands and pressed her forehead against his chest, clinging to him.
“I’m sorry, Leo…! Please don’t bother Elias right now…” she pleaded, then began repeating “I’m sorry” until her voice was hoarse.
Leo frowned down at her back as she kept her face buried in his shirt. Something happen between them? He placed his hands on her quivering shoulders and lifted her face so he could see her better.
“Oi, Aki, what’s wrong? Did something happen between you and…” Leo stopped just short of finishing his question.
Aki’s jawline had tightened, her face crumpling. Seeing the tears rolling down her cheeks onto her lap was the only answer he needed to know he was right.
I don’t get what’s going on, but she doesn’t want me to see Elias right now. Hmm… Leo scratched the back of his head, trying to figure out what happened without asking. My guess is that Aki went to see Elias first and then something bad enough happened for her to burst out of his room and breakdown crying.
He didn’t have the full picture but figured since she was just sitting there crying rather than running around in a panic trying to find help, Elias didn’t need immediate medical attention. In which case, Leo didn’t need to disregard her desperate plea to stop him from checking in on Elias.
Drawing that conclusion, he decided to prioritize the hurting woman in front of him. He patted her head.
“I’m confused, but I at least know what you don’t want me to do.”
His word choice was on the vague side, but it seemed enough to reassure Aki that he wasn’t going to barge in on Elias. She looked up at him with red eyes and muttered “Thank you.”
Leo quietly sighed and gingerly grabbed her wrist. He hesitated for a moment as he felt how slender and delicate her wrist was before he pulled her to her feet.
He led Aki away from the room before she could object.
“Come over here for a bit, Aki. I want a proper explanation for what’s wrong,” he said over his shoulder.
Ignoring the perplexed look on her face, he marched on at a brisk pace toward his room. He thought she would have an easier time explaining what happened in the privacy of an empty room.
Aki gave a small nod and tottered behind him without a word.
I don’t know what happened between you two, but don’t go makin’ Aki cry, Elias.