Heroes of Darkness

XVII

LEO

Leo Specter and Dusclops ran through the trees desperately. We're getting close, he knew. Banette was growing more anxious with each step.

The previous night had been chaos. Long after the masquerade had ended, there was still no trace of Alex and Elli. It wasn't until well after midnight that his father had sent out guards to find them.

Leo remembered his nervousness as they searched that night. Rumor had it, Alex had stolen a kiss from the girl from Lilycove, and the two young nobles were still hiding, sharing in what some of the women called "young love."

Leo's mother called it "disgraceful." She was ready to call for Alex's head. He had stolen her boy's right of marriage. Leo had looked to Dusclops then, for comfort, as just before his father was about to give the order for arrest, there came a rapping at the royal chamber door.

In had walked Elli's mother, crying, accompanied by Alex's Aunt Caitlyn. It had taken what seemed like hours to calm her down... and then Leo's father had pried the cold, sparkling coin from her fingers: emblazoned with a tree on fire.

Lord Spector had roared in his wrath as Elli's mother wailed again. Leo knew what it meant: Burningtree had gotten a hold of one or both of them... The timing was too perfect, Leo had thought. The Empress and her forces had left to deal with some sort of an uprising or pirate infestation in the southern sea, and that was when the Draconids struck.

Before his father or mother could stop him, Leo had rushed out the door. He didn't care about anything anymore, only finding his brother. He didn't want to believe it was true, it couldn't be true. If he just looked a little harder, if he just searched all night, he'd find Leo safe, with Elli somewhere... He could forgive Alex for that. It was an arranged marriage after all; just as long as they both were safe...

But daylight came, and Leo had lost all hope. Finally, there came a commotion in the great hall where the masquerade had been that night. Banette had returned. Leo's father and Dusknoir were trying to question it. The poor Ghost Pokemon had a pained look on its face as it had refused to talk to the Lord of Mt. Pyre.

Instead, it was Leo that Alex's Spirit Pokemon had turned to. In haste it beckoned Dusclops and the younger brother to follow.

Leo now found himself bounding through the trees. He could tell he was getting close, judging from the look on Banette's face...

He would have ran right by Alex if it was any other day. At first, his brother's crumpled body seemed like nothing but a pile of leaves. Dusclops felt Alex for signs of life. Leo felt a tear in his eye until finally, he could feel the soft breathing of his big brother on his neck.

Both Ghost Pokemon disappeared into thin air as they went back to direct the others to the brothers' location.

Leo leaned his older brother's head back and drizzled some water in his mouth. Alex's face was black with dirt, but when the water washed most of it off his face, the black gave way to blue, purple, and green bruises. Dried blood was caked on his face as well.

Finally, with broken breath, Alex spoke. "Leo?..." he stammered. "I'm... sorry... Couldn't protect... her."

Leo tried to smile. "No, don't be. You're safe."

"Elli isn't... Burningtree."

"Ssssh. You're a hero, Alex," Leo tried to console his brother. He thought of all the times the roles were reversed, and now Leo was the support. "We'll find her, don't worry." In truth, even Leo was worried about the girl he had undergone his First Generation studies with, but the relief he felt with his big brother safe in his arms washed the fear away. "If it wasn't for you, it would have been me."