International Legends

Chapter 28 - Leo

Under the watchful eyes of Basques machine, I was able to harness the power of the Earth Stone. Really, I wasn't shocked by much of what I had seen. The problems that plagued Emrion's world where not much different from our own, and I was able to see that under the simulation. The problem, however, was that I saw how good everything was and how quickly everyone had destroyed it. Really, it had seemed like Emgralore too was plagued by an original sin when wizards had appeared out of the sky, sneaking an attack on Owok's army and killing so many - including his own family. The Wizards had decided then to ban King Owok to Earth.

Inevitably, even though we had interacted with Old Emgralore, the timeline still enacted the same way - the Wizards banned King Owok and made the jump into spirits. Only it was not Damien who was there, causing an imbalance of power, and so Damien was brought back to play in the emotions and conflict just as Basques had planned it to be.

Basques wasn't much different than Naomi herself, and it was clear then how Naomi's virus had come to be. Just like Basques, who was given the power of God, Axel was able to inflect Naomi in a similar manner and set these motions into play. No wonder Sol wanted to stop his own brother from getting too much power. He knew "All roads lead to Rome" and that the ultimate antagonist was Axel himself. Now, seeing the simulation and not having my head explode, I was able to come to terms with Creationism even though I did not want to. The power of the Earth Stone was flowing through my veins, and green magic spouted from my fingertips.

I was forced to watch the plethora of patrons come in and pay homage to the Time Guardian. To question my own sanity and the lack of God in all of this. While I was hearing a nun minister to me, I felt that not even a conversion to Catholicism would help. This whole thing didn't make any sense. Basques was claiming that he was given the power of all reality. If that was the case, then how could I even be real? I was nothing more than 1's and 0's, a simulation.

At night, I found myself giving way to fantasy. Really, my body is just so terrible. The way that it desires companionship and complacency, as if I wouldn't be giving my entire youth away to the hands of a person who may or may not have the power of breaking my heart. I thought of Naomi - of her dark skin, her flaming red hair, the calm look in her chocolate brown eyes, and the way she looked self-assured in any situation. Really, it was as if my mind was flashing through all the scenarios in my head, imagining that we had already lived a life together. I felt myself smiling as I was imagining her.

I see her standing in front of me, hands on her hips. She looks angry with me and she crosses her arms, as if she's disappointed with my fantasizing. Her cheeks are flushed though, so I can tell she's not entirely disappointed.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you on a ship heading straight towards the Vampire Queen? Are you out of your mind?"

"The Vampire Queen?" I chuckle. "Why would I be going to her, that would be a terrible idea."

"You tell me Leo," says Naomi, pacing. "Whose idea was it... oh come on. You've got to be kidding me right now. I leave you all for a year and suddenly this place turns into a wreck."

"Well, you kinda let yourself get that way."

"I'm coming down. I can't let you get taken by her. That's not gonna happen. You're too... pretty. Can't lose a pretty boy."

I'm about to object to this, but I wake up feeling a jostle of the ship.

"What... where am I?"

Ozara is driving. She peers back at me and makes a noise of surprise with her throat. Jasper looks down at me too, and he's smiling softly, as if he's feeling guilty about it.