Leo and the others arrived at the abandoned shipment, which served as the covert rear entrance to Nyxoria. With swift efficiency, they transformed into their disguises, carefully concealing their identities. To authenticate their status as Chosens, they each made a temporary spiral drawing on their right arm. Leo, however, took extra precautions. His left arm was adorned with intricate hand accessories, carefully designed to conceal his unique mark – a distinguishing feature that set him apart from the other Chosens. On his right arm, he drew the spiral mark, blending in with the others.
"Saving General Zoë is going to be harder than we thought," Sophia relayed. She possessed the ability to share sight with animals, which granted her incredible surveillance capabilities. Having signed a contract with Zoolok, the Demon of the Menagerie, Sophia was bound to fulfill the demon's demands. As a lower demon, Zoolok was considered a demi-human, possessing features from realms beyond the human world, but didn't meet the requirements to enter their true realm. Therefore, Zoolok resided in the Threshold, a boundary marking the transition between realms. Most lower gods and demons dwelled in the Threshold, and they always hoped they reached the requirements of their true realm sooner or later.
"Alright, guys, let's split up and gather intel on the Nyxian Protectors' Headquarters," Sophia instructed. "Let's establish animal signals for communication. When I send a message, meet me back here. Ensure you have a suitable animal nearby for relay. We're on a mission, not on vacation."
As they dispersed, Leo felt an unbridled sense of freedom. Walking alone for the first time in eight years, he strolled through Nyxoria's streets with childlike glee. Oblivious to the admiring glances, he reveled in his newfound autonomy. His chiseled features and piercing gaze drew attention, but Leo remained absorbed in his own joy. A charming smile danced on his lips, hinting at his quick wit. As he laughed freely, the sound echoed through the streets, a rarity in his past eight years.
The memory of his last hearty laugh resurfaced – during training, when Sophia's attempted backflip ended in an awkward fall. Leo's laughter had been so intense it nearly cracked his ribs. Now, as he walked, his carefree laughter blended with the city's sounds, a testament to his rediscovered freedom.
Leo then headed for a coffee shop at the end of the street. He headed straight for the counter and started a friendly conversation with the barista. The barista's demeanor remained unyielding, despite Leo's friendly approach.
"I'm not privy to information about some rebellion from years ago," the barista said curtly. "And even if I was, why bother sharing? Who cares about those insurgents? They deserved their fate – their heads hung from poles, food for scavengers." The coffee shop patrons erupted into laughter, their agreement unsettling. Leo's smile faltered, his anger simmering beneath the surface as he struggled to maintain his composure.
The barista's harsh words and the crowd's laughter caught Leo off guard. He forced a smile, trying not to reveal his growing unease. "Just a casual conversation, no need to get worked up," he said, attempting to steer the topic elsewhere. But the barista's response hung in the air, a stark reminder of the rebellion's contentious legacy. The atmosphere in the coffee shop felt increasingly tense, and Leo wondered what lay beneath the surface of this seemingly ordinary conversation.
Melaina got tired of the never-ending greetings with her mom's subordinates. She left the party in a pretext of going to enjoy Nyxoria's mid-afternoon weather. She left the carriage as she strolled joyfully down the street, heading for her favorite coffee shop.
The coffee shop's exterior was a warm and inviting blend of modern and rustic elements. The façade was painted a soothing cream color, with large windows that let in plenty of natural light. A wooden sign creaked gently in the breeze, bearing the shop's name in elegant script. The entrance was flanked by two large planters, overflowing with lush greenery that added a touch of vibrancy to the exterior. The door itself was adorned with a stylish metal handle and a welcoming mat that read "Brewed Awakening" in bold letters.
Melaina swung the door open with her hands hanging in the air while standing at the entrance with a joyful smile on her face. "Hello, Brewed Awakening!" she yelled happily. "Hello, Melaina!" the barista and customers all chorused in unison.
Leo stared in awe as he looked at the amazing slender lady figure that stood at the entrance of the coffee shop, slightly blocking the sunlight. Melaina headed straight to the counter while exchanging greetings with some of the customers.
"Never thought I'd see you again, Captain Melaina," the barista said teasingly as he poured coffee into a glass cup and handed it over to Melaina. "Vice-Captain," Melaina corrected as she gulped the coffee.
Leo stared at her as if he had known her all his life. Immediately, he felt a sharp pain in his brain, and he lost balance, falling to the ground and groaning in pain. He kept rolling on the floor like someone in a trance. He could only hear a panic whistling sound from his eardrums; he felt like his brain was going to explode. Suddenly, the pain subsided, and he felt at ease as everything blacked out.
Leo woke up and felt some sort of liquid drizzling over his face. "I think he's waking up," a distant voice announced. Leo opened his eyelids slowly; the barista was busy sprinkling water all over his face, while he saw Melaina looking at him with interrogative but concerned eyes.
Leo decided to stand up to his feet to ease everyone's panic. "See who finally woke up... First, you ask weird questions... then you faint in a weird manner... Where were you raised, Wierdsburg?" The barista joked with a serious, worrying gaze.
The whole shop erupted again into another laughing match as a compliment to the barista's "serious-joke." In seconds, everyone went back to chatting and gulping coffee.
"Hmm... thanks, sir... I owe you one," Leo said as he dusted his clothing and acted as if he did not just faint. It was obvious he was trying to avoid questions from Melaina, who hadn't uttered a word since he regained consciousness but only kept intense eye contact with him.
"Name?" Finally, she let out words from her mouth after minutes of gazing. Leo stared at her in confusion. Melaina's facial look was that of a growing immature teenager, which complemented her body stature in a different way. Her face easily gave away her age, but her body left you confused on whether she was a teenager or someone in her twenties.
"Hmmm... what's she... like twenty-teen?" Leo thought while picturing a collage of her and Sophia, spotting out differences and similarities.
"Nameee?" Melaina asked again, but this time with a furious glare and abnormally elongating the word. "Ooh... ermm... it's Sci... Urmm... Atlantis... Leo Atlantis." Leo replied awkwardly, almost blurting out his real name but was saved after his eye caught a name tag on a customer's shirt with the word "Leo" and also some sort of flier which had the word "Atlantis" written in bold letters.
"Leo... huh... Where from?" She asked with a serious gaze.
"Ermmmm... Bouuu... Boulevard" again saved by a flier.
"Nice meeting you, Leo" Melaina remarked with a dazzling smile. "Urrmm... sure thing... nice meeting you too... ma'am" Leo replied as he exchanged handshakes with her.
"Mam?... Ooh, pardon my manners... I'm Melaina Melanthos, Vice-Captain of the N.V.P," she said as her voice was filled with pride.
"Ooh... nice to meet you, Melaina" Leo replied, trying to hide the mixed feelings of fear, anxiety, and unexplained joy.
"So Leo what brings you to Melanthos Lane?" She asked, Melanthos Lane was the name of the street named after Melaina's clan, there was no doubt the coffee shop was definitely in Melanthos clan's territory.
"Urmmm..a job..I guess" he replied awkwardly.
"Hmmm...okay" she replied and returned back to her serious gaze but this time it was some sort of soft-serious gaze.
Melaina face turned red as her face was mixed with sadness and anger. She placed her right hand on her chest as she crumpled the fabric of her cloth. Immediately she stormed out of the coffee shop.
Leo was shocked and so was the barista who stopped cleaning the already clean-counter after Melaina's sudden mood swing.
They both gave each other confusing stare.
Immediately Leo stormed out of the coffee yelling Melaina's name softly.
"Yessss.. today's Weird Wednesday" the barista declared jokingly to the customers after the surprising exit of Melaina and Leo respectively.
"Hey...wait up!!" Leo called out.
Melaina who doesn't seem to have any plans of stopping made her way through a lane. The lane has a sign at it's entrance with bold letters "Melanthos Mirabel Lane" written on an old wood.
The lane was lined with tall trees that stretched towards the sky, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. Dappled sunlight filtered through the branches, casting a warm glow on the ground. The trees' trunks were sturdy and strong, their gnarled branches twisted with age. The atmosphere was peaceful, with the sound of leaves and birdsong filling the air.
Leo didn't give up and kept following Melaina after he got tired of yelling her name.
He walked through the lane and felt at ease, the beauty of the lane compliments the calmness he felt.
He then got to a lagoon where he saw Melaina standing near the shore.
The lagoon's calm waters reflected the surrounding palm trees and sky, creating a serene atmosphere. The gentle lapping of the water against the shore and the soft rustling of leaves filled the air. The warm sunlight cast a golden glow on the water's surface, making it a peaceful and idyllic spot.
"Awesome" Leo whispered in awe as he made his way towards Melaina.
He stood beside Melaina as they both enjoyed the serene atmosphere.
"Me and my brother used to come here every Wednesday to enjoy a beautiful gaze at the lagoon" Melaina said.
"Hmm" Leo sighed softly as a reply to Melaina's emotional statement.
"His name was Leo and you both have the same blue eyes" Melaina revealed as she stared at Leo with already watery eyes.
Leo didn't know what to do, infact he didn't know how he should feel to the sudden awkward moment Melaina started.
"Should I just crack a joke? sympathize?..Man I'm lost" Leo was speechless. Her actions has already told Leo most of the story, he knew the brother she was talking about was either missing or dead.
"Well we live in a world filled with wonders, I'm I right" he joked awkwardly.
Melaina smiled and then turned into an hearty laughter.
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Meanwhile,
The cell's door made a creaking sound as Kael made his way into Zoë's cell.
"I'm not telling you a thing, you're free to go back" Zoë said in a low aggressive tone without even facing back to check who it was.
"General..General... I'm not here to do any questioning or interrogation" Kael assured with a cunning smile on his face."Just here to introduce myself as the new Captain of N.V.P" he added.
"Ok Captain"she declared sarcastically.
"May I request you to leave" she added.
"Zoë, I'm also here to share good news, no interrogations will be performed on you, I actually have my own way of getting words out of criminals" he said with a wickedness written all over his face.
Zoë didn't utter a word.
"Let's see what Rebellion can do... but I guess my gamble won't pay off since you've been here for over three years" Kael remarked dryly.
"You know what?....My gamble is gonna pay off...the Rebellion might have sent a "rescue team". He said adding air quotes to the sentence rescue team. " They might have already infiltrated Nyxoria, you know?" He asked even though he wasn't expecting a reply.
Zoë's heart skipped a beat, judging by Kael's words he was no play at all and she's already started doubting if the Rebellion team sent here stood a chance against Kael and his team.
"Well I'll leave you to it Zoë" Kael said as he waved his hand to Zoë. "Catch you on the flip side" he added sarcastically.
He got out of the cell and gave a gesture to a soldier who was standing outside the whole time.
The soldier attempted to lock the cell.
"What do you want Kael?" Zoë asked in disdain finally turning her face to Kael
Though she was in the cell, Zoë's beauty didn't fade. Her face was a masterpiece of ethereal beauty, with porcelain skin that glowed like moonlight on a summer's night. Her eyes shone like sapphires, bright and piercing, with an inner light that seemed almost otherworldly. Her eyebrows arched like delicate wings, framing her eyes with precision. Her lips were a rosebud's promise, full and inviting. Her nose was small and delicate, a tiny gemstone that added to the overall symmetry of her face.
"Like I said earlier Zoë, I won't do a thing, let the universe take control" he declared as he made a way through the hall with cells on the left and right sides.
At the Drakonwych mansion....
Echdina sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes fixed on some invisible point on the wall as her mind wandered. Her fingers drummed a nervous rhythm on the mattress, betraying her outward stillness. The room around her was dimly lit, with only a faint glow from the bedside lamp casting shadows on her face. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, and her lips were pursed in thought. Every now and then, she'd shift her position, as if the weight of her thoughts was too much to bear in one place. The silence in the room was oppressive, punctuated only by the occasional creak of the old wooden furniture or the soft hum of the lamp. Despite the stillness of the environment, her inner turmoil was palpable, her restlessness a living, breathing thing that seemed to pulse with every beat of her heart.
Echdina couldn't let go of the feeling that something bad was about to occur.
"I shouldn't have allowed him to go on this mission" Echidna muttered to herself in disdain.
Lost in her thoughts she didn't even notice Merlin was in her room.
"Echidna" He called out to her and stared at her trying to know what she was thinking about. "What could my beautiful sister be possibly thinking about" he added and walked straight to her.
"Merlin what are you up to?" Echidna asked with total dislike written all over her face. She has known Merlin for years; she knows he's definitely up to something.
Merlin did clear her doubts after replying with a wicked grin.
"Drakonwych has being the most feared clan but I really don't believe that crap...We clans have ruled humanity before the unearthing of the Paradox Orb, now all power belongs to Nyxoria?? The Country with most Paradoxians, arguably now the strongest country on Earth and they only have this with the help of the Paradox in their possession and their allied-forces with Melanthos....The Paradox...ermmm... I've finally discovered it chooses based on location..it was unearthed in Nyxoria and now that country has most Chosens..England was the farthest country on the radio when the awakening began... Rebellion, N.V.P ..I really don't care about those trash...Let them go and save Zoë... I've sent Nyxoria's and Melanthos biggest fear..and do you know what that is Echidna??" He narrated while slowly pacing across the room admiring the interior decorations and sometimes he stopped to play with any item he could lay his hand on.
Echidna couldn't reply but gave him a scared and confused glare.
"He's their precious Leo....My own puppet...Scion Drakonwych" Merlin answered himself with satisfaction.
"I'm just here to inform you to start preparing we would be heading to Nyxoria anytime with the rest...let's bring the orb to Ascension" he relayed and turned to exit the room.
"By the way Echidna you might want to let go of those feelings....I really don't like mistakes and you know that" he scoffed as he made way his way out of the room.
Echidna didn't know whether she shouldn't her feelings get the better of her or get rid of them and prepare for an unpredictable brawl against the boy she's cared for the past eight years.
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Melaina and Leo stood at the front of the Melanthos Mirabel Lane while being amused at Leo's jokes.
Leo's plan was to get close to Melaina either personally or by working for her. He thought he could get more information and rescue Zoë with immediate effect.
"Ermm..so Melaina, I came all the way from Boulevard to get a job but I was hoping if there's anyway I could join the N.V.P?" he asked Melaina with hopeful eyes.
"Joining N.V.P isn't that easy but I would love to be your personal trainer and get you an officer badge as soon as possible" Melaina relayed happily. It's been eight years since she felt a brotherly love, though she was still young then,she still enjoys and remembers her 10-year-old brother moments with her.
"Great..thanks" Leo replied with a hearty smile.
"So where do you stay? I suppose at an inn or something" Melaina asked.
Just before he could answer a bird came flying awkwardly and landed directly on Leo's shoulders then flew away. Leo knew playtime with Melina was over, this was Sophia's call to meet but seems plans has changed.
"I guess I have to follow the bird"he muttered to himself.
"It really is weird Wednesday, alright!" Melaina joked complementing the barista's joke earlier at the coffee shop.
"Urmm...I stay somewhere around here....but I have to get going now..I'm plump tired" he said faking a yawn.
"Ooh... let's get back to the coffee shop...my carriage must be waiting...i will give you a ride"Melaina suggested.
"No it's fine" he rejected her offer politely and started moving towards the direction of the bird that has already started moving again.
He waved goodbye then hurriedly followed the bird.
"What a funny weirdo" Melaina muttered to herself and chuckled.
She also turned and started heading back towards the coffee shop.