Hundreds of lightning strikes reflected off the silver armors, scattering blinding rays of light everywhere. Yet the light couldn't drive away the darkness surrounding the place. Four huge wings were attached to each of the silver armors' backs.
Leon stood on the ground, watching the chaos unfolding in the sky. His heart pounded inside his chest. He recognized the flying silver armors.
'Those are… angels.'
As if on cue, an angel flew from behind, charging at the single enemy covered in dark red clouds.
The angel's long sword phased through his body. And he realized that everything was an illusion.
'Don't tell me the Hollow is planning to take me in this hell?' Leon frowned in disbelief. He hoped that he was wrong.
He didn't feel the need to take cover after seeing what happened earlier. So, he decided to watch with keen eyes.
The angel who passed him now flew a few meters away from the enemy. It raised the long sword, ready to pierce through the thick blood red cloud surrounding the enemy's body like a shield.
The rest of the angels continued to cast dozens of lightning. Goosebumps appeared on Leon's arms. Even though he knew that everything happening was nothing but an illusion, he could still feel the divine energy the lightning held.
Leon's body suddenly felt heavier. But his gaze remained at the angel with the long sword.
A white-golden divine energy formed at the tip of the angel's sword. It materialized into a lightning bolt much larger than the rest. The divine energy converged and condensed until only a thin line was left. But that thin lightning bolt carried far more divine energy than any of the spells the others have cast.
Leon's breathing hitched.
'If this was the Hollow, Hex bearers would never stand a chance.'
The lightning bolt tore through space and pierced through the blood red clouds. A small hole was made by that lightning. Everything happened so fast.
The angel's wings flapped, propelling the angel's body forward. Only then did Leon realize that the angel with the sword had two more wings than the others. A blinding light illuminated the battlefield. And in that split second, Leon saw the angel's sword break as it hit the enemy's true body.
A small grunt escaped Leon's lips as he covered his eyes with his hands. But before the blinding light could even dissipate, he had no choice but to lower it.
[R… ..u. N..]
Above the radiance, the encroaching darkness hastened. And a small shadow darted his way. Leon's gut told him to dodge, but he could only blink at the shadow's speed.
'It wouldn't pierce…' Before he could even finish the thought, the six-winged angel was already standing in front of him. Shielding him from the shadow.
The silver armor instantly turned black as the shadow swallowed the angel's armor. The wings on the angel's back burned into ash.
Leon switched his gaze back to the origin of the shadow. Shivers ran down his entire being. A lone and gigantic eye cried blood as it stared through his soul.
The darkness won and reigned the entire place. The other angels shouted amongst each other but Leon couldn't understand their words. He could only watch as their silver armors turned dark. They have been corrupted by whatever the darkness contained.
[Y… ca...t. pr..t..e…c… ..im.]
A shrieking sound filled his mind. Someone spoke but Leon couldn't make out the words. He turned back to the angel, who protected him, and saw its lips open.
[...]
But before he could hear what it had to say, Leon's eyes snapped open.
A thin canopy of dried tree branches greeted him. Everything looked like a sketch on a canvas—gray trees, clouds, and even the ground he was lying on. Leon almost fit perfectly with the place if not for his dull black hair and a brown ragged tunic on his back.
His fast breathing slowed, realizing that he had woken up from a nightmare.
'It was true. You can't bring anything from the outside in the Hollow.' Leon thought bitterly, his hand fidgeted on the tunic's hem.
The clothes he wore back in reality were one of his few treasures. It might have been worn-out and had exceeded their life cycle, but at least it protected him from the cold. If Leon didn't know better he would have thought the Hollow was mocking his bony figure for giving him a tunic twice his size.
"At the very least I have clothes…" A crease appeared on Leon's forehead. "But it could have at least given me underwear."
"Help!"
A voice echoed in the distance. Leon's head snapped to the voice's direction, setting aside his current predicament for now. His feet carried him to a nearby tree and immediately crouched—peeking towards the direction of the voice.
"Please, help."
A moment later, the voice echoed once more. However, it came from a completely different location.
"Help me. I can't…"
Leon's heart hammered inside his chest as another voice reached him from a different location. He stood up but almost failed after his knees buckled. He reached out and grabbed the tree trunk for support.
'These freaking legs.' He cursed his weak legs as he scanned the area.
The forest of dried ash-colored trees stretched far and wide so that he couldn't see its end. Fine gray dust floated aimlessly creating the illusion of a mist.
"Help me." The same voice reached his ears.
'That sounds close.' Leon thought, facing the voice's direction.
"Someone, please…"
Leon took a deep breath and remembered where he was. The Hollow was a merciless place. It worked like nature—unforgiving and unbiased to its assaults. Leon knew that if he wanted to have a chance of going back, then he had to group himself with others.
Distrusting humans was second nature to him. Trusting others had always led him to nothing but pain and suffering. But, distrust and survival were two different things. And if Leon had to choose, survival would always come on top.
Slowly, he stepped out from the trunk's comfort and treaded towards the voice. His steps were light, but each step caused chaos within his mind. He doubted his decision, because even if he eventually reached the voice's origin would he be able to do anything to help?
The voice sounded closer each step he took. Until he finally reached the owner of the voice. But he couldn't have expected what greeted him.
Something just as different as him stood tall among the gray trees. Leon's eyes widened and his instincts instantly kicked in. He found the thickest trunk he could hide himself in and covered his mouth with his hand, slowing his frantic breaths the best he could.
"Help!"
Leon glanced at the monster and shivers ran down his spine. Half of the monster's head split open and revealed dozens of small teeth spiralling around the inside. The teeth clattered against each other as the monster's head closed.
The trees within the ashen forest were tall and had either thick or thin trunks. If Leon had to compare the trees with the monster, it would look like a short version of the thin trees.
Although it was shorter than the trees, the monster still towered over even the tallest person Leon knew. Its elongated arms swayed on each of its sides. But what caught Leon's attention was the tattered cloth the monster wore.
Even with its threadbare and grime-stained appearance, Leon was certain that it was once a clothing. He couldn't help but study the monster's humanoid figure.
'That's an echo stalker.' Leon realized.
He had seen a sketch looking exactly the same as the monster he's hiding from back at the slums.
'Their ears are made for sensing their prey's location. Once someone falls for their trick they'd be jumping for the feast.' Leon recalled the note he had read beneath the sketch.
'And I am the feast, who walked straight into their plates.'
"Help… help me. Please…"
Leon shivered at the bone chilling screams of the monster. For all he knew those screams might have been its former prey's pleas.
Beads of sweat formed at Leon's back and forehead. And without even realizing it, the sweat dripped from his forehead to the ash-dried ground. He twisted his upper body and craned his neck to the left, trying to catch another look.
A massive shadow loomed over him.
"...Hello."
The monster stood beside the tree he was hiding in. Its tall figure hunched forward giving him a full view of the monster's teeth.