Chapter 4 — Shadows in the Hallway
The hallway lights hummed softly above, their glow faint against the deepening night outside the hospital windows. Celestia moved quietly, the faint clink of a food tray in her hands the only sound accompanying her. She had taken longer than she intended — making sure the dinner she brought for Leon would be warm, even if hospital meals lacked soul.
Her thoughts lingered on him… on the way he had recklessly thrown himself in harm's path for her. It made her heart tighten in an unfamiliar, almost aching way. She tightened her grip on the tray.
Foolish boy… you shouldn't have done that.
She rounded the final corner toward his room.
And froze.
The air was different here. Heavy. Dense. As though the very world had slowed to breathe in. She sensed it instantly — the faint, wrong pulse of an unfamiliar presence. Her instincts screamed for her to stop moving, and so she did, golden eyes narrowing as she scanned the empty corridor.
Then she saw him.
Or… it.
A human shape — tall, broad-shouldered — but made entirely of swirling black fog, its edges writhing as though it were alive. No face, no skin, only the faint suggestion of form. But then… eyes.
Two slits of light burned into her vision, gleaming like twin shards of a moon. They locked on her with a weight that pressed into her very bones.
Celestia's voice was calm, but her fingers clenched into a tight fist at her side, divine energy quietly stirring in her veins.
"…Who are you?"
The figure didn't move at first, the fog curling and tightening as though listening. Then — in a low, almost mocking tone — it replied.
"Who? Me?"
The sound of his voice was a force, a physical wave of pressure that rolled over her like a storm front. The corridor groaned, the fluorescent lights above flickering violently. The walls themselves seemed to shudder.
For a split second, her knees almost buckled. But she straightened again, chin high, refusing to yield.
The pressure didn't fade. If anything, it deepened — a heavy, oppressive weight that seemed to whisper, you are not worthy to stand before me.
Fine.
If that was how he wanted it…
A soft, golden shimmer began to rise from her skin, her godly aura threading into the air like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. The ground beneath her feet trembled faintly as her power hummed, not at its fullest, but enough to demand respect. The golden glow caught in her hair, making it shine like a crown.
Yet… the black fog figure did not flinch. Not even a blink from those glowing eyes.
Celestia's jaw tightened. He can endure my pressure so easily?
She exhaled slowly, realizing that pushing this further could mean an all-out clash — one that would not end well for Leon, still lying defenseless in his room. She eased her aura down, but her gaze never left his.
"…What do you want?"
"It's not time yet," he said, his voice deep and smooth — unnervingly certain. "We'll meet another time."
Her eyes narrowed, suspicion sharpening in her tone. "What do you mean?"
"You'll know when the time comes."
There was something in the way he said it that made her pulse quicken — not fear, exactly, but the kind of tension one feels when standing too close to a precipice.
"And… I was just on an errand. Don't worry," he added casually. "I didn't touch him."
The casual tone only made her more uneasy. She could feel her heart beginning to pound, though her face remained unreadable.
"Well then… see you soon."
He turned as if to leave, but then paused, as if remembering something. Slowly, the glowing eyes cut back toward her.
"Oh… and I almost forgot. I've prepared a little present for him. Make sure he gets it."
A wicked curve shaped the faint outline of his mouth.
Before she could demand what he meant, a black, swirling portal yawned open behind him, devouring the dim light of the hallway.
Celestia felt her teeth grit in frustration. She stepped forward — but her entire body locked up. The pressure around her multiplied, shoving against her lungs until she could barely breathe. Her throat constricted, as if invisible hands had gripped it, choking her words back down.
Her vision narrowed. Her pulse roared in her ears.
And she hated it — the inability to move, to speak, to strike.
The figure stepped through the portal, his silhouette swallowed entirely by the black. The swirling mass collapsed in on itself with a low, unnatural hum — and then he was gone.
Time seemed to rush back in all at once. The faint distant sounds of the hospital — muffled voices, a ringing phone, the clink of metal trays — returned.
Celestia exhaled shakily, forcing her breath to steady. "…Surely… he isn't him, right?" she murmured under her breath. But doubt lingered in her eyes.
If it was him… then the time they had left was far shorter than she thought.
Her mind, unwillingly, wandered to another memory. A distant battlefield… the scent of ash in the air… and far away, the still, lifeless body of Leon. Her heart clenched in the same way it had back then.
Not again. I won't let it happen again.
The tray in her hands felt heavier. She forced the memory back into the depths of her mind and walked toward his room, the weight of her vow burning in her chest.
She didn't notice the cracked tiles beneath her feet — fractures that spread outward from the place where she'd stood, as if something unimaginably heavy had pressed down there.
When she reached his door, she paused, smoothing her expression with a deep breath. She took out a handkerchief, dabbing at the faint sheen of sweat on her brow and the subtle tightness in her jaw.
Then she stepped inside.
Leon lay sleeping, his breathing steady. There was still a faint pallor to his skin, but already his wounds were healing faster than they should have. She could feel it — a subtle, warm presence aiding him. Not harmful… but protective.
"So you're already taking action, huh?" she thought silently, her lips tightening.
She set the tray down and, for a long moment, simply watched him. His hair had fallen messily over his bandaged forehead; one hand rested loosely at his side. Her chest tightened again — this time not from fear, but from something softer, warmer.
Quietly, she made her promise again. This time… no matter what, I'll protect you from that fate.
She reached out and touched his shoulder lightly. "Wakey wakey…" she said in a soft, teasing tone.
Leon stirred, blinking groggily. "Mm… yes…?"
She smiled faintly. "I brought you dinner. You need to eat so you can take your medicine."
"Oh… uh… thank you," he mumbled, still a little dazed.
She handed him the simple bento she'd prepared. He accepted it with both hands, but as he began to eat, she noticed the slight tremor in his fingers. He was trying to hide it, but she caught it instantly.
"You can ask for help, you know," she said, leaning in with a small grin.
He looked up — and promptly choked on his food. "Cough— ah— cough!"
Her laughter was soft but genuine as she quickly passed him the water bottle. "Here, here… it's okay."
He gulped down a few sips, and just as relief washed over him, she smirked. "I won't tease you anymore… for now. I'll feed you next time."
He froze mid-swallow. "N-next time!?"
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "There's always a next time, you know."
The way his ears flushed crimson was almost too easy for her to enjoy. She laughed, light and musical, reaching to dab away a stray drop of water from his cheek with her handkerchief.
"Eat, Leon," she said, still smiling. "Before it gets cold."
He muttered something under his breath about unfair advantages, but did as she told him — and for the first time since that shadow had appeared in the hallway, the heaviness in her chest eased just a little.
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