Chapter 37

The vanguards approached the sparring ground and Leon immediately picked up a bow staff and stood in the center of the stone circle, "So…who's up?" Leon asked.

"Athena, how about you show us what you've got?" Cynder said.

"Well, I suppose I'm up for a challenge." Athena stated before grabbing two training rapiers.

"This should be interesting." Leon stated.

Athena stepped into the circle and pointed one of the swords at Leon, "Don't go easy on me just because I'm a girl…or because I'm in a dress."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Leon stated. The two of them bowed to each other before taking defensive stances. "Ladies first."

"You'll regret that." Athena stated before leaping forward with great speed. She struck with her sword and Leon parried with his bow staff. The two of them began trading blows with each other. Like most cheetahs, Athena had a great speed advantage, but as the two of them continued fighting, her moves were becoming more and more predictable, and Leon found himself blocking her blows with ease. When he had gained enough knowledge of the cheetah's fighting skills, he blocked a blow to his ribs before spinning around and kicking the Athena's feet out from under her. She let out a startled scream as she fell, but stopped suddenly, when Leon quickly caught her with one arm.

"Oh…what a gentleman." Athena stated.

"Yes…well…our enemies won't be as friendly." Leon stated before lifting the cheetah to her feet, "You have speed, but you lack technique."

"Oh…I'm sorry."

"No…it's nothing to be sorry about…you just need a little more training."

"Will you teach me?"

"Yeah, sure." Leon stated before turning to the vanguards, "You guys go ahead and spar…Athena and I will do some lessons at the training ring."

"Don't have too much fun." Flare stated, earning a glare from Leon.

Leon set the bow staff down before taking Athena into the stone circle, "Alright, show me your stance." Athena put one foot forward and extended her one rapier out in front of her and kept the other one close to her body. Leon studied her form, "Okay…I see one of your problems." He grasped her arms and lifted her extended arm higher, "This makes it easier to block a blow to your head." He then moved the arm closest to her body away from her slightly, "And this will allow you to attack faster when you parry that blow to your head."

"I see." Athena said, loving the contact with him.

"Now…fighting with weapons like these require a different technique than most weapons… it's almost like dancing." He began leading her through some basic fighting moves.

Cynder watched as the two of them stayed perfectly in sync and, together, fended off nonexistent enemies before turning to Spyro, "Do you think it's possible…that my father and Athena could actually…be together?"

Spyro turned away from Charlotte and Zephyr's sparring match to look at the human and cheetah, "Love is a funny thing...I suppose, anything is possible."

"I think…in the long run…it would be good for him." Cynder said, "I mean…can you imagine…living for eternity without someone by your side?"

"No…I can't." Spyro stated, "But he has you."

"It's different though."

"Yeah, you're right." Spyro stated.

"Okay…let's see how you do." Leon stated before summoning an ape dummy. Athena took a defensive stance and narrowed her eyes at the dummy. The dummy leaped forward and swung its wooden sword at her head. Athena blocked the sword before thrusting her other sword forward. The dummy dodged left before swinging his sword again. Athena blocked the blow to her flank before spinning around and thrusting her rapier through the dummies chest. The dummy fell apart and sank back into the floor. "Very good." Leon stated.

"Thanks." Athena said, cheerfully.

"But that was one dummy…we'll be facing much more than that…and you may find yourself facing more than one opponent at a time…not to mention the fact that they can use elemental magic." Leon stated.

"Well…I mean…I can do better if I try…can't I?"

"Yes…but it'll take time." Leon stated. The cheetah was slightly disheartened by his words and Leon could tell, "Well…there is one thing I can teach you."

"Oh…what's that?" Athena asked.

An evil smile spread across Leon's face, "How to fly." He stated before using his wind power to create a swift updraft. Athena gasped as she was swept up into the air. Leon jumped and used his wind power to get to her height and continued using his wind power to lift them higher, "Hey, I think I can see your village from here." Leon joked.

"Leon, stop it!" Athena said, panicking.

"Okay, okay…I'm sorry." He said before grabbing her and using his wind power to slowly bring them to the ground.

"You jerk!" Athena said, half angrily, half jokingly.

"I was just trying to lighten your mood…and I think I succeeded." Leon said.

Athena glared at him before giggling nervously, "You know…it almost sounds like your flirting with me."

"What…no." Leon stated. Then a thought passed through his mind, "Wait…am I?" He shook the thought from his head, "No…of course not." He stated in his mind.

"In any case…I'm going to get you back for that." Athena stated.

"Is that a challenge?" Leon asked.

"Absolutely," Athena stated, "but no weapons." She added before laying the training rapiers on back on the table.

"No weapons?" Leon asked, raising a skeptical brow.

"Haven't you ever wrestled before?"

"Once or twice." Leon stated. He had been taught as a secondary form of unarmed combat, but he had never been proficient at it.

"Alright, then…" Athena began, keeping her body low to the ground, "your move."

"As you wish." Leon said before lunging forward and aiming for Athena's leg. Athena shifted her leg back and fell onto Leon's back. She locked her arms around Leon and jerked him off balance. Leon fought back and Athena took her chance and jerked him in the opposite direction, using his own strength to flip him onto his back before pinning him to the ground.

"You lose." Athena stated.

"So it would seem." Leon stated.

"You know…I think the winner deserves a kiss." Athena said, seductively.

"Uh…well…" Leon didn't know what to say. The cheetah leaned in closer and closer to his face when, all of a sudden, she let out a startled gasp as she was pulled back and lifted up into the air by her throat. She stared into a scarred face that resembled Leon's.

"Sin!" Leon exclaimed as he jumped to his feet, "Get away from her!"

"Oh…what's wrong…are you afraid I'm going to hurt your little girlfriend." Sin asked as he began crushing the life out of the cheetah.

"Hey!" Spyro yelled before he and the vanguards ran to Leon's aid, "Let her go!"

"Next question, Leon," Sin began, "do you actually love this cheetah?"

"No…I love Sierra…and only Sierra." Leon stated.

"Oh, so you don't mind if I kill her then?" Sin began glowing with convexity and sent a small jolt of dark lightning through the cheetah's body. Athena yelled in pain as the electricity coursed through her.

"…okay, yes, I do." Leon said.

"Now you're just lying." Sin stated.

It was then that Fang had an idea. He lifted his tailblade and struck Leon in the leg. Both Leon and Sin screamed in pain and Sin dropped Athena to the ground before disappearing. "Fang…" Leon began. The black dragon tensed up slightly, "good thinking." Leon finished. He and the dragons then approached Athena, as she coughed and gasped for air. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…what the hell was that?" she asked.

"Well…that was…" Leon then told her about the dark entity that plagued his mind, "…and he's not too happy about my decision to stop hunting dragons."

Athena seemed confused by this news, "Can't you get rid of him?"

"He and I are the same." Leon stated.

"No…" Cynder began, "you may share the same body, but your personalities couldn't be more different."

"She's right," Athena stated, "he's a psychotic monster…that much is clear, and you're not." Leon brought his gaze down and thought for a moment before Athena lifted his head back up to face her, "besides…you're much better looking than him."

Leon chuckled slightly, "That's what I told him." He stated as he looked into her amber eyes. As the dragons looked at the two of them they no longer felt the urge to laugh, because they no longer found anything to laugh about. It seemed that, just for a moment, there was a slight spark in the air, and all was silent, until Leon stared up at the sun and said, "It's lunch time…we'd better get there and eat fast so we can hurry up and meet the council."

"Uh…right." Spyro said, a little surprised by the sudden change of subject.

Athena grabbed Leon's hand and continued their charade as they walked with the dragons to the dining hall.

"Dear ancestors, Icarus," Elektra began as she healed his broken wing, "how is it that I see you in here more than any other guard in the city?"

Icarus thought for a moment until he came up with a sly answer, "Because I purposely run into walls and trees just so I can see you."

"Nice try." Elektra stated as she finished healing his wing.

Icarus stretched his wing out, "Much better, thanks." He stated before rising off of the bed.

"Don't mention it," Elektra said, "and can I ask you to do me a favor?"

"Of course, name it."

Elektra looked straight at the ice dragon, "The battle is tomorrow…and I just…"

"Yes?" Icarus said, raising a brow at her hesitation.

"Just…stay safe…okay?"

The ice dragon was slightly befuddled by her concern, "Okay…I promise."

"Thanks." She said.

"So…I'll see you later." Icarus said.

"Yeah…I'm almost through here and then I'll be down for lunch, and then the council's announcement."

"Great, see you then." Icarus said before exiting the healer's den.

The vanguards sat at the table and began eating the meat and fruits in front of them, "So…how long until we start back on our mission again?" Athena asked.

"I'm not sure," Spyro stated, "we're kinda taking it day by day right now."

"Who knows how long we're going to be here…even after the battle." Fang stated.

"Well, we'd better get going." Cynder said, "We should get there early in case the council has something for us to do."

"Right." The vanguards said simultaneously before rising to their feet and heading towards the door.