Red.
On the whole, Leon didnât think he liked the color that much. He never had much of a favorite color, but after the past few weeks, red was certainly his least favorite.
So, as he slowly returned to consciousness, he was more than grateful to see above him trees, leaves, and a cloudy sky.
Or rather, as he realized a moment later, not the sky, but the Mists of Chaos. He was in his soul realm, yet not in his Mind Palace.
He remained still, opening his senses to all around him. He made no noise, and even closed his eyes again, hoping to get a better feel for where he was and what was going on around him before having to deal with it.
He heard the crackling of fire, though not nearly as intense as it usually was around Xaphan, so he figured the demon wasnât nearby. The forest was still, no wind blowing through his soul realm. Were it not for the fire, everything around him wouldâve been completely silent. He felt the ground beneath him, soft and loamy. Grass poked through it, forming a nostalgic bed that reminded him of his youth. He felt like he could go right back to sleep if he laid there for too much longer, the comfort of his facsimile of the Forest of Black and White almost overwhelming him after the past few weeks.
But that would be foolish; not only was he unsure how he got hereâthe last thing he remembered was trying to flee Arkhnaviâbut he could also sense a presence, something large, powerful, and much closer to him than he wouldâve hoped for. This presence was neither Xaphan nor the Thunderbird.
âHas my soul realm been invaded again?â Leon wondered, his heart momentarily stopping from the horror of the question.
âOpen your eyes, bastard,â a gruff, masculine voice commanded. âI know you have awoken. Arise now and greet your elder.â
Leon scowled, his fear replaced with irritation. He recognized the deep, almost resonant voice, and he wasnât thrilled to know that its owner was here again, even if it meant that his soul realm was more likely than not free of Primal Devils.
He opened his golden eyes and took his time pushing himself off the soft earth. He ignored the enormous man standing imperiously on the other side of the black fire burning in the middle of the clearing they occupied. Instead, he occupied himself with looking around at their surroundings, noting that they were, indeed, in his soul realm. They were about fifty miles away from his Mind Palace, in a wide valley filled with purple grass and the darker trees of the Forest of Black and White.
âInsolent child,â the man growled, his eyes narrowing in anger.
Leon almost chuckled provocatively until he noticed a detail that had him momentarily freezing; the manâs eyes were the exact same shade of gold as his own.
The last time theyâd spoken, the manâs eyes had been bright red-orange.
Other than that, his appearance was unchangedâstill the same dark skin, his arms and the skin around his eyes glittered with scales as black as night, and his body was covered in animal furs. He was still enormous, standing at more than seven feet tall, with long, wild hair loosely tied back, and a look of utter dismissiveness on his face.
Although⊠as Leon studied the man further, he realized that there was one more difference: his chiseled jaw and chin, which had been smooth and hairless the last time theyâd met, was now covered in black stubble.
âAncestor,â Leon said, noting these changes in the Great Black Dragonâs appearance while taking a proud stance, determined not to appear at all servile before this being that had so long spurned him.
âIs that how you acknowledge your elders?â the Dragon inquired.
Leon shrugged. âIâve taken your attitude to heart, Ancestor,â he said. âYou want nothing to do with me. So nothing is what youâll have. That includes respect.â
The Great Black Dragon stared at him for a long moment, his face impassive. Then, he softly snorted and growled, âAt least you have sufficient pride.â He went silent for a long moment, then slowly circled the fire until he stood before Leon, an arrogant smirk spreading across his face. âI will give you one chance, bastard. Bow before me and acknowledge me as your highest elder. Pay your respects to me as the highest of your Ancestors. Swear your allegiance to my blood as your greatest power. Do these things, and I shall acknowledge you as my descendant. I shall legitimize you as a member of my Clan, removing from you the stain of bastardry. I shall then send someone to pick you up and take you to your proper place at the heart of the universe, with the rest of my Clan.â
Leonâs mood grew worse with every word spoken. The Great Black Dragon was dead, yet here he was, demanding Leon swear obeisance to him, when Leon was, himself, a King!
But he controlled himself despite his fury almost reaching his tongue.
âHow did we get here?â Leon asked, ignoring for the moment the Dragonâs demand.
âAnswer me, boy,â the Dragon responded.
âYou first,â Leon shot back. âWhere is the Thunderbird? Whereâs Xaphan?â
âA dragon pays no mind to lesser creatures.â
It was Leonâs turn to snort, though his was far more derisive. âYour demand,â he began, âwhat does that mean for me? Iâm the head of the Thunderbird Clan already, heir to one of the most powerful beings to ever grace this universe. I have a Kingdom, and those who follow me do so because of their loyalty to my blood.â
His aloof and arrogant Ancestor sneered and repeated in a more dismissive manner, âA dragon pays no mind to lesser creatures.â
âLesser or not,â Leon said through clenched teeth, âI would appreciate some specificity.â
The Great Black Dragon rolled his golden eyes and said, âThe lowest member of my Clan is higher than even the greatest King. Disregard your lesser titles and weak vassals; a dragon has no need for either.â
Leon blinked in surprise, the Great Black Dragonâs arrogance still shocking him despite the answer being perfectly in line with what heâd been expecting. âPerhaps a dragon can fuck off, then,â he said, unable to help himself.
In an instant, the Great Black Dragonâs demeanor changed completely. Where heâd been standing imperiously, now he loomed ominously over Leon, his golden eyes darkening to their more familiar red-orange hue. âKeep your loyal worms, then,â he spat. âBe always scorned by my Clan. Never shall you be accepted.â
âChoke on my indifference,â Leon responded with a grin even as his heart began to race. âIâve craved your acknowledgment. You canât take away the power I already possess. Itâs a part of me, beyond your control. And why should I care about your Clan, anyway? A dragon pays no mind to lesser creatures, right?â
The Great Black Dragonâs eyes began to glow with greater ferocity, and Leon could hear a high-pitched whine growing in the forest. Before he could get concerned, however, the Great Black Dragon disappeared, the black fire burning in the fire pit and the high-pitched whine vanishing with him.
âFine,â he voice said as if spoken from a great distance and only barely reaching Leonâs ears, âa bastard you are, and so shall you ever be.â
âI donât need you,â Leon growled back, unsure if his words could be heard, yet not letting that uncertainty stop him. âKeep your scorn and your âacknowledgmentâ. I am Leon Raime of the Thunderbird Clan, and that will never change. I will find my mother, and if I ever desire any kind of acknowledgment from your Clan, I will gain it myself. I have no need for the regard of the dead.â
Naught answered him but the silence of the forest. He cast his gaze around, searching the shadows for any sign of the Great Black Dragon. When no sign presented itself, he gave the blackened remains of the fire one contemptuous glare, snapped his fingers to incinerate the remaining wood with black fire, and then rose into the air. Since this was his soul realm, he knew exactly where he was and where his Mind Palace lay, so he began flying there with all haste, thoughts of the Great Black Dragon fading in favor of all that had happened over the past day.
He was grateful to be alive, and as the memory of the pain he felt before falling unconscious slowly returned to him, surprise joined his gratitude. That he yet lived wasnât something he wouldâve expected had he the spare capacity for thought in those final moments when the Primal Devil turned its baleful gaze upon him. He wasnât sure why he was alive, nor if anyone else with him was alive, either, but he intended to get some answers.
And then he was going to go home. He wanted to curl up with his wives and sleep for a week; he wanted to train with his friends; he wanted to do his duties as a King and lead his people to the Nexus.
âFuck giving them up,â Leon thought with a deep snarl. âTheyâre my people.â
Fury burned within him, but he quieted it as best he could. Replacing it was a more complex blend of emotions, which had him frowning deeply as he landed in the center of his Mind Palace. There, he found Xaphan and the Thunderbird waiting for him, a look of grave concern on the Thunderbirdâs face.
âLeon,â she whispered as she sprang forward and embraced him. After a moment, she pulled back and began fussing over him. âAre you hurt anywhere? Did that flying lizard do anything to you? Are you all right?â
âIâm fine,â Leon growled. âIâm just⊠Iâm fine.â
âYou look about the entire breadth of the Elemental Plane of Fire away from being âfineâ,â Xaphan observed.
âIâm fine,â Leon insisted. He knew he was lying, but he would deal with that later. âWhat happened?â
âYouâŠâ the Thunderbird hesitantly began before cutting herself off and thinking over her words more carefully. â⊠The Primal Devil attempted something. Whatever it was, it seems to have failed. It fled under the pressure of the Grave Wardens. After that, the Great Black Dragon appeared here and took you from your throne. This seems to have caused you to pass out. He then took you out into the forest.â
Leon scowled. He didnât pass out because his draconic Ancestor had taken him from the throne, he could remember that much. âHe just did that?â he asked.
âI followed him fully intending to teach him of lightningâs heat, but he swore that you would return unharmed. He was⊠polite. Strangely so.â
âHe wasnât polite when I awoke,â Leon stated. âLetâs talk about this later. Right now, I need to get back to everyone else.â
âIâll watch over you, Leon,â the Thunderbird said, to which he nodded gratefully. Knowing sheâd be here was a balm to his frayed nerves.
So, as he sat down on his throne, he set the matter of the Great Black Dragon aside, at least for a little while, and focused on the matter at hand.
The Primal Devil. It escapedâfled, apparentlyâafter it⊠âattackedâ him. He wasnât sure what it did, but he remembered how it affected him, and he wasnât eager to experience that again.
As he closed his eyes in his soul realm, he came to consciousness in the physical world. This time, he didnât wait around trying to get a feel for the situation; he simply opened his eyes and sat up.
He found himself in a bed in a room made of stone bricks. The floor was tasteful hardwood, and simple red and blue tapestries hung from the ceiling around the walls. It was a comfortable place, though sparsely and simply decorated.
A coldness seeped into his eyes, and he had to rapidly blink to keep from tearing up. The longer his eyes remained open, the colder they felt. Eventually, he simply closed them again and projected his magic senses, using them to perceive the world around him as he struggled to his feet.
His legs were shaky, almost causing him to collapse as he rose from the bed. Weakness pervaded his body, to the point that just crossing the room to the door was a struggle. When he reached out for the door, however, it flew open, revealing Mari standing there looking quite haggard and stressed.
âLele!â she shouted. âThat guy wasnât fibbinâ!â She threw her arms around him, almost sending them both crashing to the ground. Leon grunted and did his best to remain upright while patting her on the back.
âMariâKha,â he said. âWhere are we? Whatâs going on?â
Mari released him and backed up to give him some space. Her expression was fairly grim, and she opened and closed her mouth several times as if searching for the right words.
âWe⊠um⊠Letâs go find TirâAnu, yeah? I canât explain this for shit, so letâs get that fucker to do it!â
She bounded off down the hallway, and Leon, a frown spreading slowly across his face, followed.
Much like the bedroom heâd awoken in, the hallway was sparsely, though comfortably, decorated. However, out here, the hardwood floors had been replaced with cold stone with thick carpet.
They didnât go far, the door on the other end of the hallway opening into a fairly large dining hall. The table was simple, and there were chairs for a dozen, though only two were filled. Tir rose to greet Leon as he walked in, while Ambrose merely nodded respectfully.
âLeon!â Tir exclaimed. âThank the Mothers Above and Below, youâre awake!â
âAllegedly,â Leon replied as he banished his brown and plastered a smile on his lips. âI still feel half dead, honestly.â
âBetter half than full,â Ambrose said with a smile as he finally rose. As he did, Leon noted that Tir paled slightly and backed off, giving Ambrose all the initiative in the conversation. âItâs good to see you up and about, Leon. Good to see you. I regret deeply sending you to Arkhnavi, though I will not demean us both and ask for your forgiveness.â
Leon stared at the man for a long moment, all that had happened since being teleported to Arkhnavi rushing through his headâhis thoughts lingered especially long on the breaking of Arkhnaviâs moon, and the appearance of the Primal Devil around the red orb that had been encased within.
âGiven the seriousness of the situation,â Leon said, âI understand your insistence. How long has it been? Whatâs the situation like now?â
Ambroseâs bright smile dimmed. He tried to speak, but caught himself and sighed. Eventually, he was able to ask, âHow are your eyes?â
Leon, his eyes still closed, thought about giving some vague platitude. However, he figured that Ambrose had a reason for asking, and so decided to be more honest than he was inclined to be.
âTheyâre⊠cold,â he said.
âAny pain?â Ambrose asked.
Leon frowned in thought and shook his head.
âGood,â Ambrose whispered. âGood.â
âWhy ask?â
Again, Ambrose hesitated to answer immediately. âTirâAnu, MariâKha, would you two be so kind as to give Leon and me the room? Apologies, I simply wish to speak with him completely freely. Apologies.â
Tir bowed and made for the door, while Mari stayed just long enough to whisper to Leon, âBe careful with this one, Lele; heâs got a real lookâa mischief âbout him.â
âI can handle a bit of mischief,â Leon replied, grinning at her. She returned the grin and followed Tir out of the room.
Silence fell upon the room for an uncomfortably long moment, and Leon almost repeated his question. However, he knew that Ambrose hadnât forgotten, and simply waited for the answer.
âAfter the battle,â Ambrose eventually stated, âI found you. I found you. Your eyes were gone.â
âWhat?â Leon thought, his face freezing too quickly for him to ask the question aloud. âGone? Absent? My eye sockets were empty?â
It took him a moment to fight through the anxious smile that appeared on his face to ask, âWhat do you mean by âgoneâ?â
âThey were gone,â Ambrose repeated. âYou had no eyes. They had to be healed. They had to be healed.â
Leon stared at him disbelievingly, though his eyes remained closed.
âAre they functional?â Ambrose asked. âThere can be some complications with such complex restoration, but I had the best of the best help meâŠâ
Leon cracked open his eyelids, and immediately, the air upon his eyes felt frigid, but all-in-all, his eyes seemed otherwise fine. He told Ambrose as much, and the Grave Warden walked over to inspect him a little more closely, peering directly into Leonâs eyes.
âThey⊠look normal,â he stated. âThey look normal! Just wait a little while and theyâll acclimate. If you have any problems, be sure to let me know!â
Leon hesitantly nodded even as he wiped the tears from his eyes, resolving to see some of the best healers on Kataigida as soon as he could once he got home.
âSo,â he said as Ambrose took a few steps back, a thoughtful look on his face, âwhat in all the hells happened? What do we do now?â
âThe latterâs easier to answer, so thatâs what Iâll start with,â Ambrose replied. âFor you: nothing. You go home. You go home. Iâve asked enough of you. I can ask no more. I can ask no more.â
âThat Primal Devil got away, didnât it?â Leon asked, wishing that the Thunderbird hadnât been right.
âHe did,â Ambrose confirmed. âHe fled before we could stop him, to my great dismay.â
âAnd Arkhnavi?â
âIntact. My friends and I are working to ensure that all traces of our ancient foe are expunged from the plane. The people who call it home will have a chance to recover.â
Leon nodded, happy for that, at least. âNone of the other prisoners escaped, did they?â
âNo. But what we do now will be⊠difficult to answer. I have some thoughts on the matter, but I must confer with my friends first.â
Leon nodded. âWhen you decide on a course of action, let me know, yeah? At this point, Iâm kind of invested.â
âWill do, will do. But before we discuss matters further, why donât you tell me all that happened? I must know.â
Leon nodded, but asked instead, âWhereâs ArdâNara and Serena?â
âThey are still recovering in these halls,â Ambrose answered.
Leon sighed and nodded. That they were still alive was quite the silver lining, he supposed. A Primal Devil escaped, and he was unable to stop it, but he at least saved two people. That was something.
So, he settled in to tell Ambrose all that had happened. He suspected it would take a while, after which he had more questions he wanted answeredâŠ
New novel chaptđrs are published on free(w)ebnovel(.)com