The Against All Odds

CH 13 - Friends But Enemies

Belladona kept shouting, bluffing Leo to stay away. However, Leo's heart was filled with doubt. He recalled that Belladona was from the Kingdom of Thellidia, the same place as King Jurgan Emeric who, according to King Sullivan's memory, had poisoned to the point of killing Queen Thelsysa.

In a tense atmosphere, Leo quickly recounted all of his experiences since he entered the memory of King Sullivan. His eyes looked directly into Belladona's eyes filled with emotion. "Belladona, I have to tell you everything. When I touched Menhir, I felt the memory of King Sullivan flood my mind. I looked at the history of the World Erder, the factions, the conflicts that were going on, and I also saw my older sister, Elara. The woman I've been looking for is still alive."

He spoke quickly, trying to convey all the information he got. "I know, this may not be what I'm supposed to do without your permission, but I feel like this is the only chance to find Elara. He's alive, Belladona, and I have to find him. I really need this power, to hell with the internal problems between your kingdoms, I just want to save my sister and Alisha, then I'll be out of this world soon."

Belladona's face was red when she heard Leo's explanation. "Leo Demhian, you can't just ignore my orders! I saved you with Alisha, and what did you do? You turned away from my orders!"

He walked forward, facing Leo firmly, his golden eyes burning. "You don't even know how valuable this opportunity is. I have done various rituals, spent time and energy to make sure that you are the right person, the one who can be part of Thellidia Kingdom as well as helping me face all the challenges in the World of Erder."

The atmosphere in the room was getting tense, the rumbling of the pool water and the rustling sound of the wind from outside added to the dramatization of this conversation. Belladona continues to bring up all her sacrifices, feeling deeply betrayed by Leo's attitude which she thinks is very selfish.

Leo tried to defend himself, "Belladona, I hope you understand, I'm looking for my older sister, I don't know what has happened here, nor is this a world that suits me, i-"

But Belladona did not give him a chance to continue. "That's enough, Leo! There is no reason strong enough to ignore my orders. You will feel the consequences of your actions!" Belladona's voice echoed within Menhir Bastion's room.

Belladona's angry expression became increasingly apparent. His eyes lit up with an unnatural light, and he began to move his hands towards Alisha who was still lying limp, unconscious. Between his fingers appeared a fiery red light. It looks like a deadly magic.

Belladona's magic was in the form of a thin circle floating in the air, as if a mysterious ring was constantly spinning slowly. A fiery red glow radiated from the circle, creating a red glow that filled the room. Inside the magic circle, there were strange and unreadable writings engraved, seemingly an ancient language completely unrecognizable to Leo.

Each time the magic circle spun, it felt as if there was magical energy gathering around it, creating a deep tension and power. The red aura of Belladona's magic filled the room, mixed with the blackish purple light from Menhir and his pond. The domineering mix of the two colors has created an increasingly tense and dramatic atmosphere as Leo tries to continue the ritual with Menhir Bastion.

Belladona looked intently at Alisha who was still lying unconscious. In a voice full of anger, he shouted to Leo, "You have absolutely no respect for the efforts I have made!"

Leo, in a desperate tone in his voice, tried to convince him, "Belladona, what you're trying to do is wrong! This is not true. I don't know what happened, but Alisha is not your enemy. What you're going to do to him is a wrong decision!"

Belladona ignores him, then directs her magic at Alisha who is still helpless. A red glow radiated from her hand towards Alisha, and the moment the magic reached her, the room began to tremble violently.

Suddenly, the room was filled with flashes of light that blinded the eyes. Loud explosions rocked the entire Menhir Bastion building, destroying parts of it. Dust and debris flew by, creating an atmosphere of unimaginable chaos.

Leo, who was trying to protect himself with his arms raised, felt as if he was about to be thrown away by the shockwave from the explosion. His ears were buzzing, and his vision blurred by a dazzling flash of light.

When the smoke and dust finally subside, Leo slowly regains his sight.

As the smog began to subside, a surprising sight was revealed. Aura, who was previously just an intangible entity, suddenly stood between Belladona and Alisha. In an instant, he had transformed into a human figure with a riveting appearance.

Aura had short white hair that glittered and wore a black-colored dress that flowed gracefully. Her appearance was like a school girl from the era of a fantasy kingdom, complete with a beautiful accent.

Belladona, who was already shocked by everything that happened, let out a shout. "Aura, what are you doing?!"

Aura, who was now standing in a dazzling human form, just bowed down without a word. However, as time passed, a voice echoed in the room. The evil laughter of a teenage girl began to fill the air. Belladona, and Leo felt their hair goosebumps when they heard it. They turned their heads towards the source of the voice and saw Aura moving her fingers in trembling while continuing to laugh, her finger movements letting out a trembling sound.