Alpha Instinct-Chapter 64: "The Hollow Dawn"

Leonard drew back from Mikaela, a slow, almost reluctant movement. His eyes, once shadowed by pain and fury, now searched for something in the purity of her gaze, a glimpse of light amidst the darkness that consumed him.

A morning breeze, fresh and laden with the scent of damp earth, stirred Mikaela’s blonde hair, and she smiled, a smile that radiated serenity.

"What do I do?" Leonard’s voice was a thread, almost a whisper lost in the wind. The question wasn’t just about the immediate future but about the weight of all that had happened, about the emptiness he felt.

"How about, for now, simply... doing nothing?" Mikaela replied, her voice as soft as the rustling of leaves. With a maternal gesture, she brushed away a strand of hair that stubbornly fell over Leonard’s eyes, a delicate touch that carried an unexpected tenderness.

A smile, the first genuine one in a long time, touched Leonard’s lips. "Please," he began, his voice thick with emotion, "don’t leave me…" The plea was an echo of the fear that haunted him—the fear of losing the only anchor that seemed to keep him connected to humanity.

"I won’t. I was born to protect you," Mikaela stated, her voice firm but gentle. A solemn promise, a sacred oath. "Come, sit beside me. Let’s just... enjoy this sunrise."

She guided him to a rustic wooden bench, worn by time, that sat in the cabin’s yard.

The sun was rising on the horizon, painting the sky with shades of orange, pink, and gold, a spectacle of beauty that contrasted with the darkness Leonard carried within him.

They sat, shoulder to shoulder, silent for a moment, just absorbing the peace of that instant.

"All of this is... strange," Leonard pondered, breaking the silence. "This feeling... this connection I feel with you. It’s almost... overwhelming." He struggled to find the right words, to describe something that transcended understanding.

"It’s just the effect of my power, ’Immaculatús’," Mikaela explained, with simplicity. "It’s the manifestation of divine grace, the emanation of the Goddess of Light. It’s the closest a mortal can get to Her presence."

"So... gods really exist?" Leonard questioned, skeptical. The idea seemed distant, almost childish, in contrast to the brutality of the world he knew.

"The sacred scriptures narrate their existence since time immemorial," Mikaela replied patiently. "They tell that the Leirions were created by the Seven Gods as guardians of Humbra, preparing the world for the arrival of humanity. They were granted the gift of harmonious coexistence, of mutualism."

"And why, then, did the world become this chaos?" Leonard raised his voice slightly, the bitterness evident in his words. "Where was this harmony when Besen was destroyed? Where were these gods?"

"Well, well, calm down, Leonard," Mikaela asked sweetly. "Human nature is complex... and, unfortunately, prone to destruction. The Church believes that six of the Seven Gods became disillusioned with humanity, withdrawing their protection and leaving us at the mercy of our own choices."

"Forgive me, Holy Lady," Leonard said, a slight tone of sarcasm in his voice, "but all of this sounds like a fairy tale to me. A convenient excuse to justify suffering."

Mikaela stood up, stretching with the grace of a feline. The rising sun illuminated her amber eyes. "Ahh, it’s alright, dear," she said, with a tolerant smile. "The important thing is that you don’t get lost. Don’t stray from who you really are, deep in your heart." She turned and walked towards the cabin.

"Where are you going?" Leonard asked, confused.

"To put on my armor, of course!" she replied, with a playful tone that dissipated the tension. "I am a Holy Knight, after all!"

Leonard remained seated, watching the sun finish rising, the vibrant colors spreading across the sky. He felt lost, as if an essential part of himself had been torn away, leaving a painful void. "Why do I feel so... hollow?" he whispered to himself, the question echoing in the silence of the morning.

Suddenly, Saito appeared at the cabin door, interrupting his thoughts with a start.

"Ohh hoo! Look who’s back! The young runaway master!" Saito exclaimed, with his usual animation, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Ahhh… Master, do you want to give me a heart attack?" Leonard replied with a forced smile, trying to shake off the startle and the melancholy.

"Master Saito… I…", Leonard hesitated, the words caught in his throat. "I would like to ask you something."

"Of course, my boy, tell me. What troubles you?" Saito replied, his voice slightly showing concern. He noticed, with an experienced eye, the tiny, almost imperceptible, drops of dried blood on Leonard’s clothes—a vestige of the previous night that had not gone unnoticed.

"Why am I different?" Leonard asked, his voice low, almost inaudible. "Who... who am I, really?" He lowered his head, the weight of the question crushing him.

"You are Leonard Winter. Who else could you be?" Saito replied with a disconcerting simplicity. "The orphan of Besen, the Blade Dancer apprentice, the friend of Kaleb, Mikaela, Roland... Honestly." He shrugged, as if the answer was obvious.

"It’s not that, Master..." Leonard tried to explain, frustrated.

"Then what?" Saito insisted, his gaze fixed on Leonard, scrutinizing his soul.

"Do you... do you really believe that I am the person in the prophecy?" Leonard blurted out the question, fear and hope mixing in his voice.

Saito sighed, approaching Leonard. He lightly touched the young man’s shoulder, a gesture of comfort and wisdom.

"What I believe and what you are are two completely different things, my young man. I can firmly believe that you will save the world, and, in the end, you may end up destroying it. Or vice versa. Your future is written by you, by your choices, by your actions. Not by an ancient oracle."

"I understand..." Leonard murmured, absorbing Saito’s words.

"Come on, enough melancholy," Saito said, changing his tone. "It’s time for a good meal. Come in. I prepared a hot tea and got some fresh Leirion eggs. We need to replenish your energy."

"I destroyed all the bandits in Besen," Leonard said suddenly.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

Saito looked at him with a look that could not be described even with a thousand words