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“Hey” Hope said trying to get Landon’s attention that was staring at the lake.
“Sorry from leaving so early in the morning, I just needed some fresh air. I hope this time you didn’t have to use a locator spell” Landon excused himself with a little smile.
“No, I just guessed you would be here” Hope explained also with smile. They stayed some seconds in silence looking at the calm water until Landon broke it. “You know, when I was in the... Prison World... I used to come here when my will to survive was low. I kind of gave some sense of strength for keep fighting to find a way back to you”
Hope walked a little step closer to him so she could hold his hand “I kind of did the same, the time that we were trying to find what happened to you, when I felt hopeless, I came here.”
They stared at each other with their faces centimeters away when suddenly Landon turned around “I think we have company”.
Then they see what it seems like a roman soldier made of mud. “ It seems you were right Hope answered as she bladed an axe while Landon was holding the sword he brought.
Suddenly the mud soldier charges against them but when Hope was going to hit him with her axe it blocked her attack with his shield and before it can counterattack Hope with a spear Landon cut his arm from the side making it instantly melt
“We are getting pretty good at this” Hope said looking at Landon but when they turn bacn to the mud left they saw how it started dividing into to their side and creating four soldiers as the one before surrounding them
“You right, I left” Hope ordered as they touch each other’s back getting into fighting position. Then the soldiers attacked them. Hope was able to cut the leg of one of them making it melt and block the other one meanwhile Landon was struggling a bit against the other two.
“Hope, now” Landon shouted, and both crouched at the same time making two of the mud soldiers sticked each other with their spears. Then Hope and Landon attacked at the same time the last one remaining easily defeating him.
Again, the mud they left starts dividing, making this time sixteen soldiers.
“This is starting to get interesting” he added while both go back to their defensive position. They started fighting but this time they are getting quickly overwhelmed by their numbers.
“Okay, I will do it” Hope suddenly shouts causing all the mud soldiers to stop and melt. After that words the sky turned black and the lake became like a Malivore pit. Then Hope walked towards it while looking at Landon and adding“I want with all my heart to be different but”.
“No, Hope stop” Landon shouted when suddenly he feels how something went through his leg. “It’s her destiny, you can’t avoid it” Cleo shouted from behind holding the spear that was stuck in his leg.
“Goodbye, Landon” Hope added before jumping into the lake causing a big flash that momentary blinded Landon. When he finally was able to open his eyes he crawled to the limit of the lake finding it totally empty and without any sign of Hope has. Then he can’t avoid breakdown at the thought of losing her. After some time, he start realizing what is really happening and how to make it stop. He crawled back to his sword and sticked it through his heart.
Landon waked up with some tears in his eyes. He collected his self from the dream that has become the usual theme of his nightmares since he heard the words that changed everything. He quickly descended back to the ground knowing that he won’t be able to sleep more that night. He first checked that Cleo was still sleeping in her tent since he still didn’t trust her and probably will never do. He can’t forgive her after she hurt Hope, like he can’t forgive himself for what he had to do.
He walked some minutes until he was far away enough, so she won’t heard what he was about do. Using the moonlight, he found a tree that seemed adequate for it. He closed his eyes and let his last conversation with Hope play in his mind. He visualized her worry and sad beautiful eyes while she said the words that made him do it I'm a little scared because Cleo told me that I'm gonna have to become a fully activated Tribrid in order to defeat Malivore. He remembered his instant realization of what he had to and how it was the hardest thing he ever thought about doing.
His exact words trying to sound convincing We’re doomed and how she reached for him making his whole body trembled while saying those words Anyone else can believe that, but not us that were so close of making him surrender. The truth that he had to say even it it was like a blade stuck in his heart every time he thought about it I am the son of Malivore. You are the loophole who defeats him. We exist to destroy each other.
And then the most painful words he has ever heard Are you breaking up with me?, making him feel like his heart was extracted directly from his chest… actually he already went through that and it was nothing compared to this. He couldn’t even get himself to answer the question and instead said the only words his heart could handle We should probably stay far away from each other.
How he tried to avoid eye contact for not seeing the tears starting to form in her eyes and how her answer I mean, where are you gonna go? broke even more his heart. How could she still be worried about him?… he didn’t deserve that after what he was doing.
Then the way he had to hide his plan but couldn’t avoid telling part of the truth I don't know. I don't belong at this school without you acknowledging how he was losing the only place he has ever belong to, his only home, her.
And his last words to her Goodbye, Hope and how he had to rush out of the room as he was feeling her sobs were impregnating his whole spirit making him doubt how long he could take it. How while walking down the stairs every fiber of his being was begging him to come back to her, to comfort her, to take her in his arms, to kiss her and to tell her how much she loved her. But surprisingly he was able to leave the building and as he did he felt how his whole soul had just broken in an infinite number of differential pieces that only the person that he was leaving behind could integrate back into one. The most hard and painful thing he had ever done.
Finally, how he waited until Cleo left the school so he could watch over and use her for his goal. How every nanometer that he was getting further from Hope he was a step closer from losing the last reminds of humanity left in his mind.
He kept replaying the scene and feeling all that emotions all over again for what it felt like hours until the first sun rays start appearing in the sky which was the signal for finally stopping. He then fell into the ground recomposing himself, cleaning the tears from his eyes and the blood from his knuckles produced by his constant punches of frustation at the tree. Then, he was ready to lock back all his emotions until the next sleepless night. Preparing himself for another day of what it was his life mission, what it made all the pain worth it. Protecting his Hope.