Prologue: Trial of a Hero
"I have done nothing…" Leon's voice echoed throughout the expanse of the courtroom, his platinum eyes blazing with fury. Yet, before he could finish his argument, the sound of a gavel slamming into the judge's counter cut him off. "You have no right to speak, traitor!" The voice of Drelkin Raye, the Supreme Chancellor of Celestia, shouted aloud as he jumped from his seat. He brought his gloved hand up, his finger extending towards Leon , as he began to speak. "He let the wizard live, thus causing our home to fall into turmoil! He does not deserve to live. Leon's actions are treacherous, and have put our people through much pain." His stern glare shifted from the audience, down towards the platinum haired swordsman. "You, Celestian Legend, are nothing but a weakling!
You deserve the punishment of Public Execution. It's your fault that we had to endure those years of torture under the rule of Marlaf!" Leon's fist slammed into his podium, as he stared the chancellor down, his platinum eyes glowing brightly. "My fault? I've been protecting Celestia since I was 17. I've fought off countless enemies, and the one time that I did not manage to destroy my adversary, I'm a traitor! It's NOT my fault that this planet was in turmoil before! I did my job! And I defeated Marlaf the second time I encountered him. That is why Celestia is free from his rule. Because of what I did. And I deserve Public Execution? Drelkin, your argument is unjust. You have no right to criticize my ability. But seeing what I have, which I'm positive you have not, you would no longer have the strength to take the life of another, no matter how badly they deserve it!" Drelkin's eyes narrowed, as his face began to rise in temperature. He did not dare question the defendant's words, for Leaon's power exceeded that of every living soul in the courtroom. He could destroy him and anyone else he wanted without breaking a single sweat.
"I shall not let you demean me because of your false assumptions, Chancellor Raye." Another gavel slammed against the judge's counter, as King Narion stood from his seat. "Leaon Zenphir, you are not worthy of execution. Your acts are dishonorable not only to your people, but the pride that your family has established. Your actions have come with the cost of the lives of many Celestians, and your ignorance shall not go unanswered! I sentence you, Leaon Zenphir, to exile. You will spend the rest of your life on Earth." Narion's words stung at Leon's pride, as he lowered his head in shame. "I shall carry out my sentence, then." His head shot up quickly, as his glare set on the king. "If you send assassins, then I shall return, and you will not like my coming."
His platinum colored lobes began to take on a crimson tint, as his glare remained in place. "My vengeance is nothing to be played with." With that, the warrior turned his back to the king, and his heritage as he knew it. "They've even done away with magic…" The warrior said to himself, as he made his way to the courtyard of the grand palace, where his transport to Earth awaited. As his anger faded, he felt deep sadness overcome him.
"Leaon Zenphir no longer exists… now… there is nothing but a warrior with nothing to fight for." He stepped onto the ramp, as he made his way onto the interstellar craft, his platinum hair waving slightly in the wind. As his gaze shifted slightly from left to right, he noticed people gathering around the starship. He spun around to face them, Drelkin Raye at the head of the mob. "Leaon Zenphir… you're a disgrace…" He said calmly, his emotionless face not wavering, his aquamarine eyes focusing on his target. "If you ever return, I will personally smite you." Leon's eyes narrowed slightly, as he smirked at his antagonist. "Is that so?" With that, he rested his hand upon the hilt of his sword, R'hul, and slowly pulled it from its scabbard. "I would pay to see the day that you even attempt that, you mindless coward." He pointed the blade towards his enemy, as he stood firm and proud.
"Come then, Chancellor Raye. Attack me, and see if you can hold true to your words." Drelkin considered his chances for survival, if he would indeed intend upon facing a being of such power, such as Leon. He backed away slowly and turned his back to the warrior. "Your time will come, Leaon." As he spoke the name, a slight shiver ran up his spine. A gaping hole opened up in the chest of the supreme Chancellor, as he kept his back to the warrior. A bead of sweat began to form on his brow, as he slowly made his way back to the palace of King Narion. Leon shook his head slightly, and made his way onto the craft that would take him to his new home, where he would spend every waking moment of his entire life for the rest of eternity.
Chapter One: The Return
As the starship made its landing in an open clearing, the ramp slid smoothly open. As the door slid up, Leon glanced around at his surroundings. "Back on this accursed planet…" He said in a low voice, as his platinum eyes continued to scan his surroundings. His heightened hearing seemed to pick up something in the distance, a low growling sound. "Wolves…" He chuckled lightly, as he listened closely to the sound. He drew his sword cautiously, despite the fear he knew the animal had of him. He smirked, as he set his platinum lobes upon the beast that seemed to be threatened by his presence. "I shall be leaving your territory soon, young beast. Do not worry, I mean no harm…" He spoke to the beast in such a phlegmatic tone, as he listened to the diminishing growl. He twirled the golden bladed sword, as he turned his back and made his way towards the edge of the clearing in which he had been placed in. "Master Leaon…" The escort called to the young swordsman.
"I know what you did… and whether I am the only one whom believes that this is true or not… you have, by far, the most compassion I have ever seen. To give such a monster a chance at redemption… that takes courage." Leon smirked, and spun to face the Celestian. "Only one believer is enough to make me feel that I did something right." A slight smile passed over his face as he nodded in approval at the young man. "Be on your way. You don't want Chancellor Raye on your back. As informed as he thinks he is, he may think you're collaborating with me. That would thus make you a traitor, and your punishment wouldn't be so light as mine was." With that, he turned his back to the young man, and made his way through the lush, green field. As the emerald blades of grass swayed slightly in the wind, the sound of igniting engines began to sound off the departure of the vessel. And with its leaving, went Leon's final ounce of Celestian dignity.
"I am no longer Celestian." He shook his head in dismay, and continued into the confines of the enshrouding forest. As he continued his trek, the sound of children laughing and playing let on that he was nearing the city which he had come to call a home. "Back to Sion…" As Leon made his way, he quickly glanced around, his platinum eyes shining brightly. He raised a brow slightly, as a low growl sounded off from behind him. As he quickly spun to face the beast, he took sight of the familiar gray mane. He smirked slightly, as he remembered the friend from his previous stay on Earth. "Tara, must you constantly sneak up on me?" He shook his head slightly, and turned away again, as the young demon began to emerge from her animal form. As she began to take on human form, her front paws took the shape of human fingers, finely groomed, pointed nails on the end of each limb.
The jutting snout sunk into her face, forming that of a young, beautiful woman. "It's fun doing that, though." She replied, as soon as her mouth had taken shape enough so that she could form proper sentences. He chuckled lightly, and shook his head. "Well, I'm back, as you can obviously see." He said calmly, as he awaited for her to finish her transformation before turning around again. Despite the smile on his face, Tara could obviously tell he was unhappy by the unusual dimness of his eyes. Usually they shone vibrantly, to signal his careless happiness. "What happened? If they did anything, I'll go up there and tear their eyes out, every last one of them." She quickly questioned him, her clear, blue eyes quickly locking onto him. "What? Tara, what are you talking about?" Leon quickly backed away. The swordsman knew his limits, and Tara was well beyond his limits. "I can see it in your eyes. They made fun of you, didn't they? You've always been sort of a wimp when it came to the words of others." She shook her head, and laughed slightly. Leon's brow furrowed with agitation, as he shook his head. "No. They exiled me." He turned away sharply, and continued his trek through the forest, back towards Sion. "Exiled? That's it? Well, at least they didn't kill you." She replied as she caught up with him. His head lowered in shamed, a bleak shadow hung over his face as he responded.
"I would have rather been killed in the coliseum, than the punishment they gave me. I've shamed my name." Tara shot a lethal glare all to familiar to the platinum haired boy, yet because of the current situation, he did not waver nor flinch. "You…" She quickly brought her hand around, slamming it against the skull of Leon. The force of the blow was so powerful, it sent him face first into the dirt. "Ow…" He managed to mutter, his face buried into the forest floor. As he pressed his hand against his skull, he quickly jumped to his feet and turned to Tara. "What the hell was that all about? What did I do to get hit?" He rubbed the sore spot, and continued along the path back towards the city. "What the hell is the problem? You live to fight another day. You should be lucky they didn't give you death for treachery. That's what they give people here."
She pushed a few strands of crimson hair from her brow, and caught up with the agitated warrior as he emerged from the trees next to the city park. "Exile is much worse than death. I would rather die than deal with the shame of failure." She consider hitting him again, but quickly dismissed the idea. "Failure? You didn't fail, you idiot." She pulled her glasses from her pocket, resting them upon the tip of her nose as she walked beside Leon. "You actually succeeded. It was just a bit late for your planet, I suppose. We watched you destroy him, Shinu, Dante and I. Therefore, you won. If that weird… chancellor guy thing believes you failed, then let him believe what he wants. We all know you'd smash his skull into the ground if you had a half ounce of sense in you.
For some reason, you haven't done that yet…" She scratched her chin as she fell deeply into thought. "My name has been put to shame. I can't even stand to be called Leaon Zenphir any longer." He rested his forehead against the palm of his hand, his platinum eyes closing as he stayed quiet for a long moment. "Well, then we'll think of a new name for you." She responded, snapping quickly out of the trance she had fallen into. "Anyway, lets go. I have to meet Dante at the bookstore." At the sound of his name, she quickly fell into a swoon. "He's just so cuuuuuute!" Leon's eyes narrowed slightly, as he set a glare of his own upon her. "What? Stop starin' at me, foo!" He shook his head slightly, and followed her up the busy sidewalk towards the bookstore. It was a meeting place for this particular group of friends. Leon and Shinu, however, weren't favorites with the owner, Tara's grandmother. As they continued towards their destination, Leon's eyes quickly locked onto Tara, a questioning look in his eyes. "Any signs of Kay lately?" Tara raised a brow slightly, as he glanced at him.
"No, but I talked to her on the phone today. She was kind of worried about you. She found out why you had to go back to your home." Tara tried to catch herself, but it was too late. The last part had already slipped out before she could stop herself. "It's not my home anymore. And I wonder HOW she found out." Leon kept his piercing gaze locked onto her for a moment, before she stopped and turned to him. "I told her. Got a problem?" He waved his hand slightly, and continued walking towards the bookstore. "Ah well. It doesn't really matter, anyway." As they finally came upon the location of interest, they noticed a young woman with blonde hair walking towards them. "Hey Tara." She quickly said in greeting, a slight smirk on her face. "Oh, speak of the devil. Hey Kay." She smiled slightly, then looked on into the bookstore for a moment before she had found what she was looking for. "HE'S HERE!" Leon quickly fell onto his backside, taken aback by Tara's squeals of happiness.
"Good lord… can't you at least be a LITTLE more subtle about these things?" Kay chuckled, as she put her hand out for Leon to take. "Hey there, Leaon. And why exactly DIDN'T you want me to know about your visit to your home planet? I was worried the spacecraft might crash on the landing." Leon's brow perked slightly, as he glanced at the crimson haired demon, who had dashed quickly into the store to steal a seat next to Dante. "Uh… actually, it was the reason for my so called… 'visit'… Anyway…" He took her hand, and stood quickly. "Thanks." He was just about to follow Tara, before Kay grabbed hold of his shoulder. "Wait. Tell me why you had to go back." She set her piercing hazel eyes upon him, causing an uneasy feeling to swell up within him. "That… I don't think it's important."
He quickly turned away, so that he wouldn't have to stare into her eyes. He knew that if he did, he would then be forced by his conscience to tell her. "Leaon, come on. It can't be that bad. You couldn't have been going to back to stand trial for murder or something like that." The swordsman's eyes lowered slightly, as he stood before her. "Fine… I was on trial. But not for murder. I was on trial for swearing my allegiance to Marlaf. I was branded as a traitor and they exiled me…" The lustrous shine in his eyes began to dim slightly again, as he displayed his sadness. He quickly turned away from his Earthling friend, and made his way into the bookstore, where he took a seat across from Dante and Tara. "We've thought of a name for you." Tara informed him, as he sat down in his chair.
"Seriously? You took your eyes off Dante long enough to think of that?" He questioned her sarcastically, chuckling slightly while he did it. A book quickly flew across the room, towards the skull of Leon, as he uttered the words. In one quick, fluid motion, he ducked his head under the book, removing himself from the flight path of the object. "Anyway, what's the name?" Tara raised a brow, and laughed slightly. "Well, we removed the A from your name. So now, you're just Leon. And we had to think of a last name for you, so from now on, you're Leon Chambers." Leon's brow raised in confusion, as his eyes darted from Dante to Tara then back to Dante. "She forced you into that one, didn't she?" He asked the blonde haired seraph, as a sardonic smile played on his lips.
"Nah. I actually went along with it." Dante said with a laugh, as he glanced at Tara. "She didn't threaten you?" Leon quickly countered. "Well… a little." The two laughed heartily, as Tara's foot found its way to Leon's shin, kicking him roughly. "Ow…" Leon winced slightly, causing him to stop laughing. "Anyway, that's a good name. It's better than the one I have now. I'll be called Leon Chambers from now on." Kay had come in just at that moment, and glanced at the platinum haired boy. "Leon, eh? It's a bit more… Earthy. It'll fit with your new home." She smiled, and patted his shoulder. He shrugged, and stood from his chair, turning to stare out the store window.
Tara's eyes darted to the window, as she sat up in her chair. "I smell a rat…" She said calmly, as the sound of gunshots rang into the air. The bullets struck at the glass of the front display window of the shop. "That… is not good…" Leon quickly quirked a brow, as he turned his head in the direction of the gunshots. Off in the distance, he noticed a two men, both dressed in black trench coats that went down to their ankles, moving in slow progression through the city. "Why is it that you get these idiots, who think they can just shoot their guns whenever they want?" He shook his head in agitation, as he made his way towards the exit of the bookstore. "Where do you think you're going?" The owner quickly questioned him, a deep frown spreading over her face. "There are people with guns out there, boy!" He shook his head, and rested his hand upon the handle. "Guns? So what? I've dealt with worse." He pulled the door open sharply, and made his way out to meet the two unknown men.
"Hey boys. How about you put those big guns down, and leave these people alone?" Leon asked, his mood tranquil. Things wouldn't stay that way for long. Despite his long life, Leon never had gotten a handle on his disposition, and because of that, he was known to be a bad tempered. "Get outta the way, unless you wanna get hurt!" The man to Leon's left pointed the gun at him, his crimson eyes blazing. "Are you going to shoot me? Don't blink, then." As the words passed from his lips, he quickly dashed to the side. With his incredible speed, he was out of view of the shooters before they were able to react. "Wha…? Where the hell did he go?" The second shooter asked, as he urgently searched the surrounding area. When his efforts came up fruitless, the two began to calm themselves. "He ran." One of them said with a chuckle, just as Leon reappeared behind them, his platinum haired visage looming over them. Leon may have looked frail by appearance, due to his lanky form, but he also extremely tall. His form seemed to tower over the two attackers, as he prepared to strike.
His palms latched onto the skulls of the two men, as a smirk played on his lips. "You guys crack me up, thinking I ran away. You really must not know me." He lightly slammed their heads together, sending them hurtling into unconsciousness. As he dusted his palms off, he made his way back to the bookstore, his head lifted high as he stared straight ahead of him. He calmly retook his seat next to Kay, and raised a brow as Dante and Tara stared on at him. "What? I did it because those bullets would have gotten annoying. It would sound cool at first, but the way those guys were going, it would have been about the thirtieth, possibly fortieth round before they actually quit." Tara shook her head slightly, as she sighed. "Sometimes, I wonder why I even bother talking to you." Leon's brow furrowed slightly, as he stood from his seat. "I don't know. It's not like I force you or anything."
He shrugged slightly, and laughed as he exited the shop. For some reason, being in the company of his friends wasn't as comforting as he thought. He felt withdrawn for some reason. He decided he would go for a walk through the city in order to ease himself, so as not to feel somewhat burdening on his Tara's lighthearted mood. As he made his way through the city, many thoughts played in his mind. Flashbacks of his first meeting with the crimson haired demon Tara, or the vibrant Earthling Kay brought a smile to his face, pushing the thoughts of his exile to the back of his mind. Suddenly, Destiny somehow made her way to the forefront of his thoughts. "Destiny…" He whispered slightly, as a broad smile spread across his face. As if on cue, a soft hand rested upon his shoulder. "Yes, Leaon?" He quickly spun around to face the mysterious speaker, his platinum eyes gleaming brightly with happiness as her soft smile came into view. "Destiny!" He quickly through his arms around her. She laughed lightly, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I can see you missed me."
As he backed slightly from her, he smiled broadly at her. "And my name isn't Leaon anymore." Her brow quirked slightly in curiosity, as she looked up at him. "Then what is it? And why would you change it?" Leon shook his head quickly, and laughed. "Why I've changed it is something I would rather not explain right now. But it's Leon Chambers. Leaon Zenphir is no more." She nodded slowly, as she smiled in satisfaction. "Now you're an Earthling." They both laughed at her joke, and began to walk, arm in arm, up the busy city street. "So, Mr. Chambers…" She chuckled lightly at the thought, and slid her hand to his, entwining her fingers within his. "What are the plans for today?" The young swordsman thought for a moment, then glanced at her. "I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure we get to do whatever we want now. No one's going to be bothering us for a while." He smirked slightly, as he watched her. "Good." She grinned, and pressed her lips against his gently. As she pulled away, she noticed the platinum haired boy blushing slightly. "That's so cute. I still can't get over that innocence."
She smiled, and continued walking beside him. He laughed nervously, then shook himself of the obvious embarrassment. In his mind, Leon wondered how just one moment with Destiny could make him forget all of his problems. It was so easy for her to make him smile, that it amazed him. "Well, where do you want to go, Des?" He gave her a quizzical look, as he awaited her answer. "Wherever you do, Leon. It's up to you." He smiled, and snapped his fingers. "I know!" He began to run, dragging her behind him. "Easy, sweetheart! You're going to rip my arm off!" He laughed slightly at her comment, as he pulled her to his place of thinking. The city park. The place where he went often to re-evaluate his life, or to just be by himself. Yet, despite the peace that surrounded him, a dark evil, far worse than anything Leon's ever faced, was preparing for its attack. This peace would be short lived, and things were just about to get worse for the one known as the Celestian Legend.
Chapter 2: The Release
A long time ago, before humans established themselves as the dominant race, demons ruled. All manners of these creatures roamed the planet, from the wolves to felines, even little fox demons. These demons enslaved the primitive human race, putting them through fierce oppression. Unlike their human slaves, the demons possessed the power of magic, a force that has long since been extinguished from the planet Earth, leaving only a select few with its wondrous power. However, despite the awesome power of their rulers, the humans rebelled. A select group of rebels were able to gain access to this power that was kept from them for so long. They honed their skills, and prepared for a war that would ultimately change things between them and the demons forever. As the mortals finally cornered the ruler of the demons, Lynx Narion, the powerful adversary proved to be much more than the humans had expected him to be.
This demon alone could take on the forces of thousands of humans, and walk out of the battle without a single scratch on him. He was godlike force, something even the strongest of the human mages couldn't destroy. So, in order to stop his reign of tyranny, the humans put all of their power together in order to bind the demon's power, and send him to the nether-realm. The sacrifice of their magical powers was enough to bind the tyrant's power, and send him to a realm of total darkness, where he would no longer be able to oppress the human race. Yet, as is with all things, nothing is powerful enough to last forever. The binds on his awesome power have finally begun to break, and the demon known as Lynx is breaking free. "Now… I shall destroy them, and claim this land in the name of all demons!" Crimson bangs hung idly over his face, as he floated on through the endless darkness of the Netherworld Abyss. His deep, red eyes caught sight of a small ray of light in the distance. "Yes… it's ending… the humans shall pay… they shall feel the full force of my power, and understand the meaning… of revenge!"
This light wasn't just a figment of his imagination. Oh no. It was a sign that the barrier that stood between him and the world of mortals was finally weakening. "After 10,000 years, I can finally avenge myself, as well as my demon brethren. These humans will see that my wrath knows no bounds." He pressed his claws against the opening allowing the light to shine through, as he began to tear it apart, causing light to finally spill into the realm of the netherworld. "I feel my power returning to me!" As soon as the opening was big enough for him to pass through, the demon forced himself through it, exiting the world of darkness that had enveloped him.
Elsewhere…
Leon smiled, as he held Destiny tightly against him. "So, exactly what happened when you went back?" She questioned him, curious of his venture back to his home. "I've been exiled…" He said, his head lowering slightly. Destiny sat up, and looked at his face, seeing the expression of distress in his eyes. "I'm sorry, sweetheart… why did they?" He shook his head, as a single tear fell from his eye. "I'm weak… I succumbed to the darkness…" He told her, as she stared at him, a look of worry passing over her soft face. "But… how?" He wiped the tear from his face, and turned his head up towards hers. "Before my first coming, I was locked in a heated battle with Marlaf…" He informed her, as a look of surprise passed over her face.
"I decided to be compassionate, and let him live. I told him that it wouldn't bring my family back even if I had killed him. Revenge wasn't on my mind at that point.He fooled me into thinking there was good in him, as he begged for his life… but I was foolish enough to fall for his trick. I thought he would change his ways, and use his power for something good. Instead, he opened up a portal and sent me here. Because I failed in destroying him, they believed that I had collaborated with the forces of darkness. They could have sent me through a few rounds in the coliseum, but they didn't. Instead, they devised an even worse punishment for me. Something they knew would bring me shame like nothing else. They sent me into exile. And as I left, my own people, those I fought for so long to protect, ridiculed me. They called me a traitor, a weakling… and told me that if I ever were to return to Celestia, that they would have me executed. Do you know what it's like to be called a weakling for a mistake you made? Do you know what it feels to be treated as an enemy by those whom called you their salvation at one time?" Destiny quickly wrapped her arms around Leon, in an attempt to comfort the young boy.
"Leon… you didn't fail them.They are foolish… they don't know what you've been through. You did what you had to do, even if you didn't want to. And you finished him here. So therefore, you're still the hero people always thought you were. Just in a different place. If your people won't embrace you, then I will. I know what you're capable of. I know what you can do, and I know that you were only doing what you felt was right. And I'm happy that you didn't kill him the first time. It would have never brought you to me."
Leon's head rested itself on Destiny's shoulder, as the warrior finally broke down. Tears streamed from his platinum eyes, as he put his arms around the young girl, holding her close to him. As quickly as the despair had settled in, it was quickly erasing itself. Leon had realized that what she had told him was true. He may be Celestian, but his home wasn't with his people. It was with the people of Earth.
His friends, Tara, Dante, Kay, Shinu and Destiny. It was time for him to start anew, and that was exactly what he intended to do. "I'm no longer Leaon Zenphir…" He said, as he finally collected himself. "I'm Leon Chambers. Leaon is dead…" As a chill wind began to blow, Leon's platinum colored eyes quickly shifted their gaze from the young girl in front of him, and stared off into the distance. "Something's not right." His face quickly set into a stony glare, as those platinum lobes quickly flashed in warning. "What's wrong?" Destiny quickly asked, her sapphire pupils searching his face for some sign of what was plaguing his mind at that particular moment. Suddenly, the gaze dropped from his face, quickly replaced by a mask of unmentionable fear. His jaw dropped, as his eyes suddenly went wide in horror.
This cannot be… He thought to himself, thinking at first that his fear was nothing but mere superstition. However, that so-called superstition was usually never what the Celestian believed it to be, but a feeling that warned him of any oncoming danger. Something ancient and terrible had broken free… something that would threaten the very existence of all life on Earth. When Leon did not provide a proper answer to her query, she rested her hand upon his cheek, as she gazed deeply into his eyes.
"Sweetheart… please… answer me." His platinum lobes found hers, as his jaw quickly set itself. "I have to go." He said quickly, his voice filled with a sudden urgency. She quickly nodded, standing and pulling him to his feet. "Be careful, Leon." She quickly told him, as she placed her lips upon his. He smiled through the kiss, as his eyelids slowly closed. "Careful doesn't always merit success." He pulled away from her, and dashed quickly from their haven in the park. Destiny stared after him, her sapphire eyes following him worriedly as he ran to whatever it was that brought about the disturbance within him. "Leon… I know careful doesn't always merit success… but it ensures your return to me, always."
Meanwhile…
"Leon's been gone an awfully long time…" Dante informed the two, as he scratched his chin idly. He glanced at Tara, a questioning look passing over his face. "What do you think's happened?" Tara's eyes found those of the seraph, as she shook her head. "Don't worry. He probably ran into Destiny. You know how those two are." She shook her head, the thought sending a shiver of revulsion up her spine. "I don't see how she can like an alien…" She trailed off slowly, as she glanced at the other two, realizing how contradictory her statement was. The thought of Dante's origin crept into her mind slowly, reminding her of how completely different the two were. A relationship between a demon and an angel wasn't exactly a common occurrence, however, there was a bit of secrecy between the two. Upon their first meeting, Dante kept his origin in secrecy from all of his friends, in an attempt to be able to live a normal life. However, the ensuing battle with the wizard, Marlaf, caused him to bring his power to bear.
However much he wished to keep it secret, he was forced to reveal it, because of Tara's captivity at the time. As the crimson haired demon watched the battle between the Celestian and his mortal enemy rage on, her frustration and worry began to grow, for she could not aid Leon in the battle. All she could do was watch. Watch as the wizard battered the warriors to the brink of near death. However, through some miracle and sheer determination, the warriors prevailed. That was, of course, the reason for the current calm that had enveloped the planet this time. The skies outside the bookstore began to darken, clouds of gray and black enveloping the powerful, gleaming rays of the sun. A sudden wave of suspicion passed over Tara, as she glanced out the window of the hangout, noticing that a storm was slowly inching towards them. "That wasn't in the weather forecast today…"
She whispered slightly, careful not to let the others know of her suspicion. "I'll be right back. I'm going to look for him." She stood calmly from her chair, her face expressionless as she made her way to the store's entrance. As she pushed the door open, a few stray strands of crimson hair idly hung in front of her face. As she pushed them off of her brow, her gaze shifted from left to right. "Something's not right…" She whispered urgently, as she darted in the direction of Leon's place of thought, the city park. Soon, drops of water splashed heavily around her, as she made her towards her destination, in hopes that the platinum haired boy would be there. Perspiration began to form on her brow, but not from the physical exercise she was putting herself through. It was from the nerve-wrecking thought that, whatever the presence she was feeling, it was indeed a powerful one.
As the city park came into view, she noticed the platinum haired form of Leon, dashing urgently in the direction opposite of her. "Leon, wait!" She quickly put her foot out, tripping the boy and causing him to tumble. "OWOWOWOWOW!" He shouted aloud, as he rolled to a stop. "Tara! What the hell?" He grasped the rear of his cranium, as he winced in pain. "Something's not right." She said, as she watched him quickly push himself off of the concrete of the sidewalk. His reply came quickly and calmly, his mood tranquil once more. "I know. I wouldn't be leaving her so quickly for just any reason." His gaze shifted from left to right, as he raised a brow slightly. "Well, if we're going, then lets go. Whatever it is that's making me feel so weird… it's that way." He pointed towards the city hall, as he broke into a run again. "More running…" Tara mumbled, as she quickly dashed off after him, her crimson hair billowing in the wind. As they came upon the city hall, Leon slowed, and raised his hand to signal a halt. Tara skidded to a stop, as she stared on past the platinum haired swordsman. "What the hell could have done that?" She asked, as her gaze locked upon the object of their interest.
"I don't know... it looks like he just… blew up?" Leon's eyes glanced at Tara, questioningly, quickly turning back to stare in front of him. Charred, black earth was all that remained of whatever had been there previously. It was as if the person had just spontaneously exploded, leaving this mark in the earth where he had been. However, the feeling of uneasiness did not leave either the Celestian or the Demon. They both stared on, knowing that whatever had caused this was running loose somewhere in the city. At that realization, whatever had caused this did not do so upon departure. It did so upon arrival. And his arrival would mark the shattering of a calm that had been so vigorously brought upon. A chill ran down the spine of the Celestian, as he realized what exactly this would mean. Leon shook his head in disappointment, as he stared on at the charred pavement. He had only returned that day, and was just preparing to get his life back on track, and already there were problems on Earth. "Let's go, Leon."
Meanwhile…
Destiny stood quietly, her blonde hair flowing in the chill wind as she awaited Leon's return. "Please, hurry back…" Yet, something else had caught her attention. A high pitched snicker sounded above the harsh wind, causing the human to spin around quickly. As her sapphire eyes set themselves upon her watcher, she jumped back in surprise. The dark cloak that enshrouded the figure clung to its lean form, as it stood before her. "You await the swordsman… but he will not come…" The creature said, his eyes flashing brightly under the cowl that hid its face. "What do you mean?" Destiny questioned, her eyes narrowing, as she stared it down. "You shall see soon enough, mortal." Destiny's eyes went wide, as she quickly turned to face the direction in which the Celestian had ran off with Tara.
In the clouded skies, thunder began to rumble, as lightning lanced through the air. "I have to find him…" She whispered, as she turned to face the creature. But as she went to lock her gaze upon it, she noticed that the thing was no longer where it stood. It's disappeared… She said to herself, thinking that her mind was merely playing tricks upon her. Yet, despite the thoughts that formulated in her mind, she turned and began to stride towards the exit of the park. Suddenly, urgency overtook her, as she broke into a run, urgent to locate the platinum haired Celestian. As her eagerness to find him became greater, she continued to increase the speed of her sprint, as she made her way to Leon's location. "Please, be alright… please, be alright…" She repeated in a low, worried whisper as she continued to run.
Elsewhere…
"I don't understand what could have done that…" Tara thought aloud, as she followed the swordsman back towards the park. "It's like… I don't know… something blew up there, or something." Leon's brow raised slightly, as he turned his head slightly, his platinum lobes locking onto her. "It wasn't a departure… it was an arrival, Tara." He quickly responded, as he turned his head to the fore. Yet, as his gaze locked upon the path ahead of him, two large, twisted forms came into view. "What are…?" His words trailed off, as his left eye began to twitch ever so slightly. "Tara, I think we have a bit of company." Tara's brow raised, as she once again was brought back to reality. "What the hell are those things?" Tara queried, as her blue lobes locked upon them. Suddenly, the creatures began to lurch forward clumsily, their movements sluggish.
"They're coming…" He informed her quickly, as he halted his stride. The one closest to Leon quickly swung its massive fist, aiming for the swordsman's chest. Before it made contact, Leon's hands went up instinctively, catching hold of it without the slightest effort. "They mean to destroy us? Well, let them try!" He quickly let out a battle cry, as he whirled about, the heel of his foot gliding quickly towards his attacker. There was a clanging sound, as the foot clashed with the scale-armor of the monster. It shrugged it off, grasping his foot tightly. With incredible strength, the being launched Leon high into the air. The warrior swung his arms wildly, as he sailed headfirst into an apartment building at the roadside. With a sickening thud, he hit the floor. "Ah…" He strained to stand, however, he was dizzy from the force of the blow. He staggered slightly, then fell to his knees. As darkness threatened to consume his mind, he fell into unconsciousness. "Leon!"
Tara shouted, before driving her fist forcefully into the chest of her attacker. The monster was pushed aback with the force of the blow, as the crimson haired demon extended her index finger towards it. "Demon blaze!" She shouted aloud, as a stream of fire lanced from it. Soon, the creature became consumed by the fire, as it wailed in pain. It let out a shrill, high pitched scream as it writhed in pain from the flame that nicked at its tough hide. Suddenly, it fell into a heap, quickly turning to ash, as Tara quickly pointed the blaze at her next target. The demon had begun to barrel towards Leon's motionless form, as it let out a deep roar as its battle cry. The flame slammed into the creature's back with such force, that it stumbled forward, hitting the ground. As it writhed in agony, the flames continued to consume it. Tara quickly dashed past it, lifting Leon over her shoulder. "Jeez, you've gotten heavy!" She shouted at the unconscious swordsman, as she watched the flames consume her foe. She shook her head, and dashed away from the scene, leaving the creature to burn helplessly to ash.