Looking up at Leon curiously, Noire nodded her assent.
“You were burning up badly when we found you, and you showed no signs of any injuries at all. What is all that about?”
“Ah that… it is a gift I was born with. It is a healing ability that only activates when I am badly wounded. I can heal most non-fatal wounds in that state, but it leaves me comatose until the healing is complete. The fever is a sign it’s working.”
“I see… well thank you very much for sharing.”
Stopping to take a drink of water, a glint appeared in Leon’s eyes.
“One more thing, your pursuers, were they by any chance monsters?”
“No, it was one of the many mercenary units my uncle hires for his dirty work.” Noire’s head tilted to the left clearly confused by the question.
“Why? Is there something wrong?”
Leon’s brows knitted together in frustration and his puppet spoke up.
“Your story earlier, we thought it might have been a possible lead to a case we are currently investigating.”
Noting Noire’s increasingly curious expression, Leon decided that there would be no harm in filling her in on the details, most of it would be spreading all around Albri by now anyway.
“Meeting you here was purely a coincidence. My squire and I came to this forest on a rescue mission. We received word some civilians were being menaced by a never before seen monster. We did manage to evacuate the trapped civilians but the beast escaped.”
A frown marred the knight’s face as he continued his recounting.
“That… thing that we fought. It was by no means native to this forest. The easiest way I can describe it is to call it a walking nightmare.”
Leon picked up where his puppet had left off after taking a shaky breath to steady his nerves.
“One thing is clear though, that thing is some kind of weapon under the control of someone..”
“Oh?”
“Well, it wasn’t acting like any normal creature would. It was going after the civilians alone, even when they’d already hidden inside a cave. Most predators would go after easier prey than expend the effort to dig them out.”
“Then… there was the sound of a bell and it just stopped attacking. Instead it used magic to drop us into a underground river. We survived and Valor found us shortly after.”
Noire took in the information with a stormy expression.
“I see, so the children are alright then?”
Geahart spoke up again at that.
“We don’t know, until we get back to the town we won’t know if we succeeded in our quest.”
Her face clouded over in worry at the answer
“I, I see. Then, you suspected the beast was after me?”
A shrug of Geahart’s shoulder was her answer.
“Well I can’t think of any reason why someone would send such a weapon after civilians. The timing of the attack also seems to match up with your escape. It is a bit of a stretch though.”
Noire’s face was ashen at the statement. “You mean, they were attacked by the monster because of me? Oh no…”
“It’s all just conjecture at this moment milady, no sense in worrying about it now. If it is after you, then we’ll be seeing it soon.”
Nodding her agreement, Noire resumed her meal, trying to forget about the new information dumped on her and by her expression wasn’t really succeeding at it.
Leon stared out into the darkness wondering what lay hidden in the shadows.
So many unknowns, first some new monster shows up, next I find a noble on the run… a noble that I feel some connection to for god knows why.
And I still have no idea how the Jaegers tie into this… if they do at all.
I don’t like this, my gut’s telling me this is far more than a simple series of unlikely coincidences.
Libra where are you? I need your guidance now.
Despite the company he was in, Leon was feeling all alone in the world.
-*-
The sunrays streamed down from the tree tops onto the small group making their way through the underbrush.
Perspiration covered their flushed faces and their hair and clothes were drenched in sweat that refused to evaporate in the humidity.
“Damn it Valor, are you sure this is the fastest way back to Albri? It literally is all uphill from here.”
SCREEEEE
An indignant screech answered Leon’s query.
“Ah, he said that this is the quickest way out of the forest. Every other route is either too long or even steeper than this” Noire translated while trying to catch her breath.
“Argh, I get it, I get it! It’s just damn this hill!”
Leon was in a positively bad mood. A night of rest had replenished his flux reserves but it didn’t really do much for his weariness.
The injuries bruises from his impromptu journey down river still stung fiercely with every step he took.
The trek had started out easy enough, mostly flat ground with a few exposed tree roots to go around, nothing too taxing on Noire or Leon.
Then, the incline began to get steeper. The oppressive heat and humidity only added to the difficulty of the climb.
For the sheltered Noire and still battered Leon, it was agony. The only two unaffected were Geahart and Valor, one being a puppet and the other a creature of the sky.
Craning his head to the sky, Leon stared at the sunbeams filtering down from the canopy. Sighing, he fiddled with his control glove. The Ceph crystals began to glow and a low pulse of flux energy was released.
Noire felt the pulse pass and turned back to query Leon about it.
“What was that pulse good squire? It’s far too low powered to be used for any kind of spell.”
“It is a spell of sorts milady, I invented it by accident a few months ago.”
Leon shrugged and started to explain while paying attention to the crystals on his glove.
“I figured out that a low flux pulse would start acting as a form of magic sonar by accident really. It resonates with any nearby concentration of flux and gives a general direction of where it’s coming from.”
A low hum sounded from the glove and the crystals dimmed. A sigh of relief escaped Leon’s lips.
“Well the pulse didn’t detect anything. No magic capable hostiles are in the area.”
Nodding in acceptance of the answer, the party lapsed into a comfortable silence as they hiked.
After a further hour of trekking, the land evened out again. Leon and Noire let out a collective sigh of relief. Legs burning from the constant uphill struggle, both were glad for the reprieve. Taking a short break to catch their breaths and rest up a bit, Valor flew off into the distance to scout ahead.
Once Valor had returned, Noire passed on his findings to the others.
“According to Valor, we are almost to the edge of the forest. Just another half hour’s travel and we should be out. After that we should be-“
Her report was interrupted by Leon and Geahart leaping to their feet, one preparing to cast magic and the other with sword drawn.
“We have company. Milady, please stick close to me, we can’t afford to lose you should anything happen.”
Leon spoke with steel in his voice, his face a blank mask and his eyes roaming the trees around them.
“The one hiding in the trees come out now. I know you’re there.” Silence greeted the challenge.
“This is my final warning, come out now or my squire will burn you all to ashes with his magic, you have till the count of five. Five… four… three…”
The sound of clapping echoed around them.
“Wonderful, you actually noticed me. Hmm hmm, it only took you thirty minutes to do so, most people don't notice me until I put a knife in them, and sometimes not even then.”
Leon’s skin crawled at the sound of the voice.
It was wrong, plain and simply wrong.
Leon had no better way to describe it than that.
It sounded vaguely male but it carried too many different tones in it, almost as though it was a multitude of people speaking at once.
That coupled with the fact that the voice was coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time sent a chill down his spine.
Leon noticed Noire shivering in fear next to him. He tried putting on a false show of bravado to both calm her down and settle his own nerves.
“Fear not milady, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Hahahaha ahahhahaha” demented laughter rang out all around the party.
“Bold words boy. Bold words. But in the end they are just that. Words.”
“I am not afraid of you.”
“Oh don’t worry” the disembodied voice called out in a faux cheerful tone.
“You will be.”
“Enough! You will not threaten my charges. I am Geahart, a knight sworn to service of Lady Noire. If you wish to harm them, you will have to go through me!”
“A knight huh? Hehe. Are you really?”
Shit! He knows about Geahart being a puppet.
“Ah well no matter. I was hired by an… interested party to retrieve the girl.”
“Over my dead body! We won’t let you take her.” Leon snarled to the still unseen speaker, eyes burning with fury.
“Ooo. Nice eyes there boy.” Mocking laughter filled the area once more.
“Fear not though, I will get the girl eventually. But… not today.”
“What?”
“My employer hasn’t given me a deadline to bring her in, and so I will let you pass this time. Unfortunately for me, I missed out on you defeating my pet yesterday, still such a feat deserves a reward no?”
This guy, he’s the one behind the beast attack? Anger surged through Leon and his blood boiled at that thought.
“WHY? Why’d you send that thing after a group of innocent children?”
“Innocent? Ah you have much to learn boyo, no one is innocent in this world. As to why? Well… I was bored.”
Clasping her hands to her chest, Noire let out a small gasp at the blatant disregard for human life.
“Tha-that's horrible. I-if you wanted me just come after me, don't involve others!” she shouted, the fury evident in her words.
“You overestimate your importance girly, I was bored, that was all. I don’t need any other reason.”
“You! You’re a monster, by my honour as a knight I will end you. Come out and face me.”
“No no no, I have no intention of fighting you this day. No, you are entertaining, destroying you now would be such a waste. Should I choose to end you now, your deaths would lack a certain… flair.”
Leon’s blood iced over at that statement. This guy, there’s no doubt in his voice at all. He truly believes himself capable of ending us at any time. And… I believe he’s telling the truth.
“No, you will not die today, not by my hand at any rate. Hmm hmm, grow stronger boy, let the spark of hope in you burn brighter. Extinguishing it later will be all the more… satisfying. Now like I said, your performance yesterday, it is deserving of a reward, and I am nothing if not generous.”
“We want nothing from you monster! Leave and never return. Or taste my blade.”
“Now now, no need to get so angry yes? As you are, your blade will not reach me.” The distorted voice continued in a mocking tone.
“Where was I? Oh yes, your reward hehe silly me, how could I forget.”
Noire drew closer to Leon even as he fidgeted nervously.
This guy, just what is he playing at.
“On the other side of these trees here, some of the young miss’s friends are looking for her. The Iron Wolves were looking all over the place for you. It’s not nice to run away from your friends you know? What a bad little girl you are to need twenty men for your retrieval Tsk tsk tsk.”
Leon did his best to reassure a now trembling noble who was moments away from having a full melt down. “We won’t let them take her. You hear me!”
“Oh I should hope not. It would be so… anti-climactic if you fail. Tee hee, I look forward to what glorious entertainment you will provide me. Until next time boyo, don't disappoint me.”
And with that last proclamation, the voice faded into nothingness, the presence that had struck fear into their hearts vanished completely.
They knew though that their hidden antagonist was still around, merely an observer but still very much present.
No time to worry about him right now, twenty mercs are waiting up ahead, need to deal with that first.
Making up his mind to put the immediate danger before the unseen threat, the puppet user began to strategize.
“Milady.”
“Y-yes good squire?” while trying to put on a brave front, the tremble in her voice betrayed her still frayed nerves.
“My spells will even the odds. Please stay back to avoid being hit.”
Noire was unsure about leaving her two new guardians to fight alone, it reeked too much of how she’s lost her friends.
But, she was inexperienced at such matters and opted to leave it up to the professionals. Even if it didn’t sit right with her.
Gesturing to the trees surrounding them, Leon began to expound on his plan.
“We are heavily outnumbered here and we cannot allow any harm to befall you. The overall plan is simple, we use the trees to our advantage, the illusion will be bait, and they will come to us instead of us going to them.”
“Illusion?”
“You’ll see in a moment. Valor.”
SCREEE?
“You wish to protect Lady Noire as well do you not?”
SCREEEEE
“Can I count on you to stay in the sky and keep watch? I don't trust our hidden observer to be telling the truth. I would prefer to not be overrun by hundreds all at once.”
SCREEEEEEEE
Valor puffed out his chest and let out a confident cry as an answer to Geahart’s request. The safety of Noire had been entrusted to him and he would not fail, not here, not now, not ever.
Seeing how her companions were ready to fight on her behalf, Noire drew strength from that fact.
“I see. Very well Leon, do what you must, I will follow along with your plan to the best of my ability.”
A wry grin spread across his face as Leon began to channel flux into his control glove, weaving his spell with practiced ease.
Noire watched as the Ceph crystals began to glow and a wave of flux emanated from them.
A slight sense of dissonance washed over her before a dome of gold energy surrounded her and she faded from view.
Her eyes widened in fascination as a perfect copy of her appeared next to Leon.
“It’s like looking in a mirror.” A soft exclamation left her lips.
A noble born and raised in addition to being a mage, she had been introduced to many different forms of magic from a very young age.
Despite that, Leon’s spell was unlike anything she had ever seen.
Staring at Leon with awe written all over her face, she wanted to learn more but was silenced by the look of concentration on Leon’s face.
This was not the time or place for questions. She filed away her curiosity for later and remained silent, allowing her vassal to work uninterrupted.
Crystals glowing, Leon fired of an array of delayed lightning spells into the trees, setting them to go off once any hostile approached
After depleting half his restored flux reserves, Leon was left panting lightly. Surveying the area, a grim smile crossed his face as the deadliness of the forest was further enhanced.
Traps are set, mirage is in place, all I need to do now is set the bait.
Flicking his wrist, he sent Geahart off to draw in the Iron Wolves.
It took a further twenty minutes before the first of the mercenaries were visible through the treelines. Weapons drawn and clearly out for blood.
Whooo…. Let the performance begin.
“Look! She’s
over there! Get the girl!” The lead sell-sword had spotted the illusory copy of Noire standing out in the open.
Once the first shout went up, every mercenary within earshot let out a rallying cry before charging towards where they thought their quarry stood.
A maniacal laugh left Leon’s lips as he took a page out of his unknown observer.
“It’s SHOWTIME!”
On cue, the first of the delayed lightning spells went off exploding in blinding flashes of light and deafening cracks of thunder.
Trees splintered and rubble went flying as the lightning bolts devastated everything in their paths.
Staring down at his victims with more than a touch of insanity on his face, Leon continued to let out disturbing giggles every few seconds.
Inside though he was both pleased and disgusted that his initial traps had worked so well.
While most of the mercenaries had escaped relatively unharmed if disoriented, three of them had been too close to the blasts.
Being picked off their feet and thrown through the air while having large amounts of electricity flowing through their veins, they had been grievously wounded.
Leon barely managed to hide a grimace as two of them landed hard, their arms letting out a sickening crack and bending in ways the human limb wasn’t meant to.
Whatever his true feelings, it wouldn’t do to show weakness before an enemy.
Damn, I’m never going to get used to seeing this no matter how many times I have to do this. They’re still alive… but with that kind of injuries… they might be crippled for life.
I’m a true monster aren’t I?
Letting out a small sigh at that thought Leon mentally shook away his doubts.
No I don’t have time to regret now, the more of a monster they think I am, the more they fear me, the easier it is to break their spirits and force them to retreat.
As the remaining mercenaries tried to regain their bearings, the architect of their misery addressed them with a bloodlust filled voice.
“SO… did you all enjoy my show? Hehehe, I put quite a bit of effort into that. You want the girl do you not? Well she is under our protection now! If you want her come get her then.”
A small sense of satisfaction filled him as he noticed more than a few of the mercenaries were shaking in fear at his actions.
Opening Moves (The Lion Knight Book 1) Page 6