"You can't do this… Not to me."
"I have no choice. I will return, I promise you."
The air was especially hot and humid as Leona walked through the Ionian forests at midday. Her armor caught the rays and reflected them through the trees above, making it seem like the leaves were dancing around her in the trees. Several animals started to gather around her, trying to bathe in the warmth. They scattered away as a figure ran up behind her.
"Llllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeonnnnnnnnaaaaaaa!" A female voice shouted behind her.
"What are you… no, stop. You're going to…" Leona was knocked over by the woman's sheer force.
"You didn't tell ME you were going? Explain yourself."
"I, um, I didn't want to worry you, sis."
"I ought to beat you with your own sword for that."
Leona and her sister got up as she brushed herself off. They began again along the path Leona led.
"What happened? Why did you leave so suddenly?" Leona's sister began.
"It's difficult to say all now."
"I've got time."
"Leandra, I don't have time for this."
"And how did he feel about this?"
"He tried to stop me from leaving, but I told him I had to leave. He was difficult as always. I just need to leave."
"And WHY did you have to leave? You still haven't answered that."
"I never wanted to…"
"You mean that you did want to. You can't be like this." Leandra said.
"Leandra, please, just let me go."
"I'm the one person you know you can't ran away from without telling me why."
Leona looked over at her sister and saw the concern in her eyes. She knew that she had to tell her about the mark she found on her and where she was going. She removed her gauntlets and turned her wrist over to show her sister. An inverted triangle pointed down toward her hand, crudely marked on her skin.
"What is this?" Leandra asked.
"Several days ago, I found this marked upon my body. It was fine at first, but every day after I received a stronger and stronger urge to leave the town and go to where I feel is right."
Leandra traced the edges of the triangle with her finger, "It doesn't hurt?"
"It's not that it hurts, just when it's touched, I get the weirdest feeling in my stomach."
"You know he worries. He worries all the time about you. Especially when it concerns the League."
"He has to understand that I'm protecting him. Sometimes you have to hurt someone to stop them from pain in the future. I go to the League to protect him. This however is different. I feel like I have to find the answer to this."
"Just remember one thing, Leona," Leandra grabbed and stopped Leona in her tracks. Her gaze penetrated Leona's eyes and she spoke to her, "Do not tread with regret, for it is the one poison that kills you without a trace."
Time was held in suspension as Leona held her sister's comment in her head. She knew the poison that sat in her veins all too well.
"Marry me Leona." He stared up at Leona.
"You know that could never work. Not only am I ascended, but I can't be here with you all the time. I cannot give you what you need to be happy. You need to find someone better than me. You give me too much, much more than I deserve." Leona returned.
"I chose you for a reason. I wouldn't be here if that was even remotely true."
"Why can't you make this easy and let go of the rope you hold me by?"
"Because I don't want you to fall."
"Just take care of yourself. More importantly though, when you're done with this, take care of him." Leandra stared intently at her sister.
Leona turned to the road ahead of her and the sky was darkening. She turned back to her sister.
"Goodbye. I love you. Give this to him if I never come back. I have a feeling that this isn't going to be safe." Leona handed a sealed envelope over to Leandra.
Leandra remained silent as she watched her sister continued on the road ahead.
"Be safe sis. I love you, too." She said quietly to herself.