Chapter 8: The Night Walk
The eyes of the man in the hoodie pierced the darkness. Cold, empty, yet brimming with something horrifying. As he stared at Leon, an aura of dread seemed to seep from him, curling into the corners of the room like smoke. Every muscle in his body radiated danger, a silent promise of chaos waiting to break loose.
Leon's eyes snapped open. The dream, or maybe the premonition, faded as a knock echoed from the door. He rose without a word, expression unreadable, and opened it. There she stood—the princess, Aeloria, her hair catching the moonlight, a soft glow surrounding her delicate figure.
"Leon," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "Will you come with me? I want to talk… a walk, tonight."
He nodded once, his face still a mask of calm. No warmth, no curiosity—just the quiet acceptance of the request.
They walked in silence through the palace corridors, the night air cool against their skin, until they reached a balcony overlooking the kingdom. The moon hung high, casting long shadows over the city.
"I fear what I must tell you," Aeloria began, her fingers curling around the balcony railing. "The Demon Lord… he is no ordinary foe. He commands legions that melt the strongest defenses. Entire kingdoms have fallen beneath him, and those who dare oppose him… vanish without a trace. His power… it devours hope itself. And now… he is coming for this kingdom next."
A chill ran down her spine, and she turned to see Leon's reaction. And then she noticed it—a laugh, low and unsettling, slipping from his lips. Creepy, almost feral, it echoed through the night.
Her heart skipped. "Leon…?" she whispered, fear threading her voice.
He turned to her, the laugh fading, replaced by a smile—calm, reassuring, yet undeniably dangerous. "Do not fear, Princess," he said softly, as if every word were a promise. "I will keep you safe."
She hesitated, feeling a strange mix of relief and unease.
"If he desires to be destroyed…" Leon's voice dropped to a whisper, deadly and certain, "…I will give it from my hand."
Aeloria shivered, her worry melting into awe, as the night swallowed their words, leaving only the wind and the sense of an approaching storm.
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