Leoruxion wandered through the forest and stumbled upon someone being chased by minions of the Darklord.
The man—an elf—tried to get up, but Leoruxion stopped him.
"Wait! Why are you running in such a hurry?" he asked.
The elf ignored him and continued fleeing, unwilling to waste time on a conversation. Intrigued, Leoruxion followed, quickly realizing that the elf might be dangerous—he had apparently stolen an orb from the Sunder Dark Forest and could expose him.
Suddenly, the elf turned, raising his sword.
"Step back, or—"
His words faltered as he noticed the Darklord's minions still in pursuit. Realizing the greater threat, he called out:
"Fine! Come on, keep up!"
Leoruxion hesitated for a moment, but when the elf muttered an apology, he decided to trust him.
"Sorry for nearly stabbing you back there."
"It's alright," Leoruxion replied with a nod.
Together, they ran—dodging, weaving, and pushing deeper into the forest as the minions closed in.
After an hour of running, they finally found a place to hide.
Leoruxion turned to him.
"What's your name?"
"They call me Sol," the elf said cautiously. "It's my last name. My people prefer using it as an identifier."
Leoruxion introduced himself.
Sol's eyes widened.
"You're… the adopted son of the king?"
"I'm here to find the Ember Falls my mother told me about," Leoruxion explained.
Sol studied him.
"Why are you wandering outside the city?"
"I wanted to explore the world."
A pause.
"Can you fight?" Sol asked.
Leoruxion hesitated.
"I… don't know."
Sol laughed.
---
Their moment of ease shattered when the minions found them.
They charged.
But this time, Leoruxion moved first.
With instinct alone, he struck down two before they could reach Sol.
The remaining seven turned their focus on him.
Side by side, Leoruxion and Sol fought—steel clashing, movements sharp, relentless. It was a true test of everything Leoruxion had learned under Gabriel.
In the end… they won.
Breathing heavily, standing among fallen enemies, Leoruxion had survived his first real battle.
"Why were you running?" he finally asked.
His gaze dropped to the object in Sol's hand—the corrupted orb.
Sol exhaled.
"I need this orb to forge my double-edged blade. Only then can I defeat the strongest elf in the land."
Leoruxion nodded.
"I just need directions to Ember Falls."
Sol gave clear instructions, then added quietly,
"…Thanks for helping me."
With that, they parted ways.
By nightfall, Leoruxion arrived.
Ember Falls.
The sight took his breath away.
The water glowed a brilliant azure blue.
The grass shimmered in deep green hues.
Flowers bloomed in vibrant colors.
Fish glided through crystal-clear streams.
Moonlight reflected perfectly across the surface.
Enchanted creatures roamed peacefully.
It felt… alive.
Atop a majestic tree, a girl slept.
A magical girl.
The moment she noticed him—
A firecracker shot toward him.
Leoruxion dodged just in time, startled by both her speed and the brilliance of her magic.
"I'm not spying!" he called.
She opened her eyes, studying him.
"You shouldn't sneak up on someone," she said calmly.
"I just… wanted to know who you are."
"I'm Rein Seraphim," she replied. "Granddaughter of the Great Wizard of Lucindor City."
Leoruxion introduced himself fully.
Rein blinked, slightly annoyed.
"That name is too long. I'll call you Leo."
Leo smiled.
"Leo… I like that."
They sat together on the tree, talking quietly as the glowing falls shimmered beneath them.
For a moment, everything was peaceful.
Then—
The bushes below shook.
Leo noticed instantly.
"Rein… follow me," he whispered.
Without hesitation, Rein raised her staff.
With a flick—
They vanished.
Hidden from whatever lurked below.
Safe again, they exchanged a glance… then relaxed.
Below them, Ember Falls continued to glow softly under the moon, as if nothing had ever disturbed its peace.