Chapter 9 – Drowning in Darkness

The wind of night blows in the fields, where Cassandra and Hilde stand in front of who no longer seems to be Leonsritt. The three stand in the middle of a plain at night, the moon shining down on them. The girls had feared of this to happen to Leonsritt due to the Soul Edge shard on his arm. The demon had roared and dashed towards Hilde, with her parrying the overhead slash and delivering a punch to the gut. Leonsritt flinched but had quickly recovered to hold Hilde by the neck and slammed her to the ground. Hilde had rolled out of the way, with Cassandra jumping in bashing Leonsritt on his head with her shield, but had no effect. Leonsritt had delivered a punch towards Cassandra, sending her flying and crashing towards Hilde. Leonsritt had ran to the girls, jumping in to the air and aiming his blade at them. The girls had gotten out of the way.

"Hilde, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but we have to do something about him."

The girls looked at Leonsritt and noticed something about him. His skin had turned to a darkish blue. His hair had grown longer, and his arm now had an eye on his shoulder. Fangs were showing even more and two more wings had appeared on his back.

"I... I guess I have no choice."

"Hilde..."

"I'm sorry, Cassandra, but we have to..."

Cassandra had looked down, with tears running down her face. She didn't want to do this...

"I'm bringing him back. Just watch me..."

The two girls charged at the demon...

Leonsritt wakes up from his sleep, only to find himself in the void. He stands up and sees absolutely nothing.

"This place..."

He looks around and nothing seems to be there.

"So you've arrived..."

The voice had gotten Leonsritt's attention, as he turned to look where it was coming from.

"Well, I should thank you for what you've done for me."

"Who are you?"

"How sad, you don't really remember me?"

"No..."

"Remember the first time you we're going to kill someone you loved?"

Leonsritt had soon realized who it was.

"You... what have you done to me?"

"Well, let's just say I am the one having the TIME OF MY LIFE!"

Hearing those words, he realized something was going on with Cassandra and Hilde. Leonsritt had no way out of there, and a figure had appeared. He looked exactly like Leonsritt but something was off.

"Well now, I think I should devour those girls' souls."

"Over my dead body..."

"Is that a challenge I hear?"

"Damn right it is!"

"Well..."

The figure had prepared itself with not one, but two steel paddles.

"This'll be fun!"

"Bring it..."

Cassandra had struggled to keep Leonsritt off her and Hilde. Cassandra had fallen to her knees.

"Cassandra, stay. I'll take over."

Hilde jumps to Leonsritt and attacks him. Leonsritt had grabbed her again and slammed her to the ground. Some of her armor had fallen off, and Leonsritt had grabbed the armor, breaking it. Hilde had kicked him into the air, but he retaliated by flying high and diving down, with the sword aimed at her. Hilde had jumped out of the way and prepared herself in a defensive position. He landed and gave Hilde a sickening grin. Hilde had chills running down her spine as she saw that.

"Hilde, stop."

"Why?"

"Look!"

She turned to Leonsritt, holding his head, roaring in pain.

"What's going on?"

The two clashed, with the dark Leonsritt having the upper hand. Leonsritt had used most of his strength fighting his dark self, but nothing had worked. They kept attacking each other, but Dark Leonsritt's strength was too overwhelming for Leonsritt. The other one had backed away, and smirked.

"I guess this is your end, my friend..."

"Heh, as if..."

"Then it's time I get rid of those two pests..."

"No..."

Leonsritt tried to get up, but his exhaustion wouldn't let him.

The demon had stopped grasping his head and aimed his look at the girls. He roared and had begun changing again.

"GRRRAAAAAAHHHHAHAHAHAHA!"

This time he grew two more wings, making that six wings in total, his hair turning into a silverish color, spikes now growing on his forearms and legs, and fanged mouths on his palms...

"Leo!"

"Time to DIE!"

Dark Leonsritt dashed straight at Hilde and Cassandra. Both avoided the dash but had been kicked down to the floor by him.

"Leo, stop..."

She kept standing up, facing Leonsritt. He charged at her again. But no matter how many times he'd take her down, Cassandra would still stand up. Now bruised and weak, she stood up one more time.

"... You can't be... gone..."

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

"LEO!"

Leonsritt was too exhausted to stand up...

"Is this the end... for me?"

His memories of him and Cassandra together go through his mind.

"No... I can't... give up..."

He hears his name being called...

"Cassandra..."

He stands up.

"I will... never... GIVE UP!"

He looked at the dark being, piercing his steel paddle on the ground.

"I will protect her... that is my promise... and I'm not breaking it now."

He roars, and light starts to brighten the void...

Cassandra had been taken down, and Hilde was astonished of what she saw. Cassandra had felt someone holding her. It was Leonsritt.

"Leo..."

She smiled and tears began running down her face. He carried her to a tree and set her down. He went to Hilde and carried her too, since she was also weak.

"You two stay here... I got some unfinished business to take care of..."

Leonsritt turned to look at himself, a demon of uncontrollable power.

"So you managed to get out of your own body?"

"I'll be taking back what's mine..."

"If you can try to, weakling."

"Bring it!"

The two dashed at each other, striking each and every time their swords clashed. Leonsritt had began landing powerful blows towards his demon self.

"You insolent fool..."

"That's what I should be calling you, demon..."

The demon inhabiting his body had charged at Leonsritt. He closed his eyes, concentrating. Dark Leonsritt had charged and at the moment the blade had been a few feet from Leonsritt, he swung his steel paddle. The demon had stopped, and Leonsritt had kneeled on the floor. Dark Leonsritt had turned to look at a kneeling Leonsritt. The demon had walked to him but as soon as he reached his hand to hold him, Leonsritt had thrusted his palm towards him. He had made it inside his body, with it going back to normal. He saw the dark entity disappear.

"I will be back to claim what is rightfully mine..."

Leonsritt had collapsed and, with blood from his cheek running down, he fell unconscious.

Waking up, he saw Cassandra and Hilde sitting next to him.

"Ugh. What happened...?"

"Just lie down and rest Leonsritt."

Hilde had been tending to his bandages, and so did Cassandra.

"How long have I been out?"

"For three days..."

He struggled to get up, but the girls had pushed him back down.

"You're still weak, Leo."

"You have to rest."

"But we gotta get to Ostrheinsburg."

He remembered what had happened three days ago. When he thrusted his palm at his own body, the force expelled the demon out of him, and Leonsritt recovered his body, but that still wasn't going to be the last time he saw the demon. And the cut that was inflicted on his cheek had appeared on his face. Leonsritt had thought to himself about getting to Ivy and Siegfried, before he would start causing harm to everyone around him. The day had turned to night, and, feeling a little better, he was able to stand just a bit.

"Cassandra, I need to talk to you..."

She had gotten up from the campfire and walked to Leonsritt. He walked toward an open spot in the field and sat down, looking up at the night sky, bright with stars. Cassandra sat next to him, and rested her head on his shoulder. Looking at her, Leonsritt had thought about telling her who he really is.

"Cassandra..."

"What is it?"

Cassandra had looked at Leonsritt. He wanted to tell her what he needed to say, but he couldn't.

"... Why did I end up with this shard in my arm...?"

"Don't think about that... what's important is to get it out of your body..."

Rustling was heard from the nearby trees. Cassandra had gotten up and braced herself. Hilde had grabbed her short sword and walked slowly towards the bushes. A tall man, with crystal looking armor, had walked out of the bushes.

"Who are you?"

"Wait, Hilde, Cassandra."

"You... are you the one they call Leonsritt...?"

Leonsritt had gotten up, and looked directly at the man.

"Who's asking?"

"I am Siegfried. Are you the one who carries a shard of Soul Edge in your arm?"

"Do I really have to te-AARRRRGH!"

Leonsritt had grasped his arm in pain, and fell to his knees. Siegfried's blade had started to give off a warm, bright glow. To Leonsritt, the glow had felt relieving, but it burned at the same time.

"So you DO carry a shard of the cursed blade."

"Leo!"

"What the hell? AAAUUUGH!"

Leonsritt had fallen to the ground, paralyzed. Hilde had ran to Leonsritt's aid as Cassandra had prepared for an attack against Siegfried. But what are Siegfried's intentions?