Alpha Instinct-Chapter 33: "The Shadow of the Predator"

After a long rest, Evelyn reluctantly rose from her soft bed, the fine silk of her nightgown sliding over the perfectly ironed royal cotton sheets. Her eyes opened slowly, revealing an intense and perceptive gleam.

"Yawwwnn..." Evelyn yawned, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands, a delicate gesture that contrasted with the aura of power she emanated. "Another day, another battle..." she whispered to herself, her voice as soft as the whisper of the wind.

She jumped out of bed, still feeling a bit lazy, but her mind was already focused on the challenges that awaited her. She knew her day would be full, and just thinking about the headache her uncle was giving her, a twinge of irritation ruffled her mood.

Evelyn donned her battle attire with the same ceremony as always, careful and methodical. Piece by piece, she prepared for combat, as if she were putting on armor that was not only physical but also mental.

With each leather plate adjusted, each buckle fastened, and each dagger secured on her belt, Evelyn transformed into the predator the world knew.

She passed through the living room, where a maid was waiting for her with an impeccably prepared breakfast tray. But Evelyn, her mind focused on her goals, ignored the offer, grabbing only some bread, sausages, and a piece of fruit before leaving.

"See you later, Carmen. Tell Mom I love her," Evelyn said as she left, her voice full of affection but with a hurried touch. Carmen, the maid with a serene face and kind eyes, simply bowed in respect, accustomed to the young woman's hurried ways.

Evelyn walked the corridors of the mansion, her steps silent and agile as a feline's. As she ate, her mind was working at full speed, planning her next moves.

"So, what will it be today? Hmm... I think I'll go to the training area," Evelyn thought, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Knowing that hothead, he'll spend all his energy as a sign of mourning and as a form of growth."

Taking a last bite of the remaining fruit, she tossed it back, the core falling into a trash can without her even needing to aim.

In a fluid motion, Evelyn bent her knees, her muscles contracting like springs. Her ELEV lit up, and she launched herself into the air, disappearing in a blur of movement.

Evelyn leaped from rooftop to rooftop, her slender, agile figure moving with the grace of a panther. She seemed to float above the city, far from the curious gazes of the people busy with their daily lives. She was like a spirit of the shadows, following her path in search of prey.

Upon reaching the training area, Evelyn, after a few precise jumps, settled on top of a magical clock tower that stood in the center of the grounds. From there, she had a privileged view of the entire training ground, able to observe every movement, every expression, and every detail.

"Let's see... Where could he be?" Evelyn searched for Leonard among the many Neumonds present that day, but she didn't find him immediately. Impatient, she used one of her skills, "Hawkeye," and spotted Leonard newly arrived at the scene, his figure standing out from the crowd, a tall young man with blue eyes and devastatingly handsome.

Leonard seemed hesitant, his shoulders slumped and his gaze distant. He paused for a few moments before entering the training area, taking a deep breath as if preparing for a challenge. Evelyn watched his every move, every gesture, and every expression, trying to decipher his thoughts and emotions.

Why is he so tense? Evelyn wondered, a crease of worry forming on her forehead. Is he still grieving over Liam's death?

She grabbed her sausage sandwich and opened her canteen, settling into a comfortable position on the edge of the tower's parapet. She took a generous bite of the sandwich, the spicy flavor of the sausage contrasting with the worry she carried.

"Here we go, he's about to start," Evelyn thought, her eyes fixed on Leonard, who was preparing to begin his training.

Leonard began to execute his sword forms, his movements precise and fluid like a dancer's. At first, Evelyn found it all very ordinary, expecting something more... spectacular. But as the hours passed and Leonard dedicated himself to training diligently, she began to notice something different.

"Come on, Leo, you can do it... FOCUS! You need FOCUS!" She silently cheered him on, her body tense as if she were fighting alongside him.

Leonard was executing his last form when Evelyn noticed something subtly different. Her eyes widened, and a whisper escaped her lips.

"Hmm? Wait, what was that?" She was confused and intrigued.

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In Evelyn's eyes, the last sword form executed by Leonard was perfect, without room for error. And in the last movement, she saw a faint blue glow emanating from Leonard's eyes, like a miniature lightning bolt.

"AHA! It's coming! I can feel it coming!" Evelyn was ecstatic, her heart pounding in her chest. She took a swig from her canteen, the excitement making her throat dry.

Two novice Neumonds approached Leonard, and Evelyn leaned forward, curious about what they were talking about. But from that distance, it was impossible to hear the conversation without using a specific skill.

The three of them headed to a small training arena and positioned themselves for a mock combat. Evelyn smiled, eager to see Leonard in action.

"Finally, I'll be able to see him in action!"

Leonard prepared to face a burly Neumond, who was advancing with a battle axe in hand. Evelyn watched the scene intently, her keen senses capturing every detail. Despite being a training session, she noticed a sign of real threat and ill intentions coming from the brute.

Before she could even think of intervening, Evelyn saw Leonard's ELEV blink in the distance. "Blinking?" she thought, confused. "Wasn't it just supposed to light up?"

In the blink of an eye, Leonard dodged the brute's attack with incredible precision. He moved with superhuman speed, deflecting his opponent's blows and ending the fight in seconds without inflicting serious injury. To the eyes of the spectators, as well as to Evelyn, it was as if the fight had been choreographed.

"What the hell was that?... There was no hesitation, no fear; it was as if there was complete certainty of hitting... What's going on?" Evelyn frowned, her eyes serious and worried.

When the second opponent entered the arena, Evelyn relaxed a little, thinking that maybe she was wrong. But the tension returned when Leonard was almost defeated, narrowly escaping a fatal blow.

"Leo, you can do it... Believe!" Evelyn clenched her fists in front of her face, biting her lip hard.

Leonard stopped, closing his eyes, and Evelyn felt a tightness in her chest. "Ouch... this is not good..."

But then, Leonard opened his eyes, and small electric sparks could be seen coming out of them, as if he were channeling some powerful energy.

"Mana? How can that be? He's clearly a melee class... It must be a psychic ability... I'm not crazy, am I?" Evelyn questioned herself, confused and intrigued.

In Leonard's last movements, Evelyn noticed small electric sparks coming from his sword. To the other Neumonds, they were imperceptible, but not to Evelyn's astute and trained eyes.

"I definitely saw it..." A frightening silence came over Evelyn, only the sound of the wind at the top of the tower filling her ears.

"Leo... is... a... Weiser?... No, no, no, no... That's the stuff of legends." She concluded, "Later, I'll ask him about his ability."

Leonard was preparing to leave the training area when Evelyn spotted two suspicious people watching his steps. "Assassins? Spies? What's this mess in Gothia now?" A sudden fury grew in her stomach, and her eyes shone with dangerous intensity.

"If this is my uncle's doing, he'll pay..." Evelyn thought, her fingers stroking her daggers on her belt.

Evelyn followed Leonard, who first stopped by the Guild House but didn't stay long. As he left, she noticed that he too had realized he was being followed. She watched the two spies approach, their movements furtive and menacing. Leonard tried to lose them, but Evelyn knew he wouldn't be able to escape for long.

"Sons of bitches, not in my backyard..." Evelyn was furious. "He's my prey!"

In a swift motion, Evelyn activated her ELEV and used the "Subterfuge" skill, a shadow-melding power passed down through generations in her family of rogues. She merged with the shadows, disappearing like a ghost. Not even the sharpest eyes or ears could detect her.

Evelyn moved with supernatural speed, gliding through the shadows like a specter. In a matter of seconds, she reached the first spy, appearing behind him like a demon from the darkness. With a precise strike, she severed his tendons, causing him to fall to his knees suddenly.

Before he could even react or cry out in pain, Evelyn silenced him forever. Her dagger sliced his throat with the speed of lightning.

"Here we go..." Evelyn had a frightening look, her eyes gleaming with a cold, calculating intensity. She disappeared into the shadows of a barrel near the corpse, advancing to a vantage point to attack the second spy.

Evelyn emerged from the shadows again, this time behind a streetlamp. With quick, precise movements, she plunged her daggers into the back of the second spy's neck and spine, destroying his spinal cord and silencing him forever. It was a female spy, her eyes wide with surprise and terror, who collapsed on the dirt street, her body motionless under the dim moonlight.

Evelyn, her breathing rapid and her body tense, emerged from the shadows. The mission was complete, but the sense of accomplishment was bittersweet.

"I eliminated the spies, but at what cost?" The violence, the need to kill, gnawed at her insides, threatening to destroy the last spark of humanity she had left.

"I can't lose myself in this," she thought as she looked at the lifeless bodies on the ground. I can't become what I hate the most.

But at the same time, a cold, calculating voice whispered in her mind, "You are a predator, Evelyn. You were born for this. Embrace your destiny."

Evelyn took a deep breath, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions that plagued her. She knew there was no time for doubts or hesitations. She had to act fast before anyone discovered the bodies.

With precise and efficient movements, she dragged the bodies into a dark alley, hiding them among the shadows and trash. Searching their pockets, she found a royal insignia. "Edward, you bastard," she thought. Then she used her skills to erase her tracks, making sure no one could connect her to the murders.

Evelyn left the scene with quick steps, her heart pounding in her chest. She needed to go home, to the comfort and safety of her family. But above all, she needed to find a way to protect Leonard, to help him walk his path without getting lost in the darkness.

He needs to know the truth, Evelyn thought as she walked the deserted streets of Gothia. He needs to know who he really is and what his destiny is.

But how could she reveal the truth to Leonard without putting his life at risk? How could she convince him that she was on his side, even though she was a spy in the service of the King?

Evelyn didn't have the answers, but she knew she would find a way. She couldn't give up on Leonard; she couldn't abandon him to his fate. She would protect him, no matter the cost. Even if it meant betraying her family, defying King Edward, and risking her own life.