*BOOM*
The explosion shook the surrounding area, tearing through the ceiling and leaving a huge crater in the center of the library, erasing about 80% of the library.
The rest of the structure was either barely standing or blackened beyond recognition. Or both.
And as the smoke cleared the damage only looked more devastating. But there was something else.
"Huff… huff…" Leon's breaths came in ragged bursts, the taste of ash thick in his mouth. His ears rang, his vision flickered — but he was alive.
He blinked through the haze, his arms still wrapped tightly around the sleeping beauties. He barely made it out of the library in time, and lucky he was able to get the mana core too.
"Damn it," he muttered, forcing himself to stand.
The mana core glowed faintly in his hand casting a blue light through the smoke and dust.
"Al. Any idea what that is?" Leon asked glaring at the massive cloud hovering above the library's remains. Leon's blood boiled cold, as he observed the strange cloud which seemed to turn it's focus back to him he felt both fear and an immense amount of anger.
The feeling of being looked down upon was irritating to say the least.
«Hmm..» Al thought for a bit before finally speaking,«That's probably a Thunderbird» Al said with out a doubt.
"Thunderbird?... Don't mean thunder cloud" Leon retorted with a tone of disbelief, no matter how you flipped it he was definitely looking at cloud.
Al sighed at Leon's stupidity, «The bird is inside the storm you idiot» he replied,«look closer»
Following Al's instructions and ignoring the insults Leon focused on the cloud, his eyes glowed golden as his eyes like a pair of binoculars zoomed into the clouds, and then there he finally saw flapping it's wings at the center of the clouds, a bird closely resembling some kind of eagle.
Except this one was pure black, with constant sparks of electricity erupting from it's skin.
"Wow... there's actually a bird in there" Leon spoke in realization.
Just then the bird seemed to lock eyes with him almost seemingly glaring at him, and Leon didn't take this very kindly.
"Al how do I kill that thing" Leon asked with vien popping up on his head.
«The bird itself is pretty weak» Al started «the real problem is those clouds»
«That thing is probably a high rank–0, although your rank one getting hit directly by those would definitely put you out of commission. Permanently». Leon listened to Al's words understanding the danger of fighting.
But there was still one problem, how was he supposed to get up there.
"Leon ..?" Lara spoke as she stirred awake along with Livia.
After having a minute to take in their surroundings, the sleep was completely washed out of their eyes.
"Leon?! Why are we outside. And where is the library" Lara asked wiggling around in his arm.
But unlike her sister Livia's voice was more calm, "Leon is it a monster" she asked causing Lara to stop and listen.
Leon nodded putting them as they all now directed their attention to the star of the show.
After explaining the scenario, Lara and Livia were both caught up.
Livia looked at the clouds for a moment before speaking.
"Up" she said flatly , "Up?" Lara repeated.
Livia looked over at Leon stopping for a bit before shaking her head and continuing. "Leon if you can get higher than the cloud and drop down the middle, you won't get electrocuted" she said gesturing with her hands.
"How do you know that" Lara asked questioning her sister's logic.
"I can see it" she said simply. Before Lara could voice another complaint Leon stepped forward winding up his arm.
"Leon are really going?" Asked unsure if this was a good idea, "if you are in coming with you." Lara finally said, she was the "eldest" one among them if only by seconds, but Lara had always been smarter, so going along with her idea wasn't that hard.
"Well that's fine and good, but how do we get up there" Livia said calling both their attention.
«Why don't you just fly.» Al remarked as if they were supposed to know already.
"Huh?!"
---
Meanwhile up in the sky above them the Thunderbird was preparing it's next attack.
It's first attack unfortunately had failed, something that really troubled the beast, Leon was stronger a fact it fairly aware of, infact the reason it was here was precisely because of that.
When Leon awakened earlier that big burst of energy was like an invitation to all the monsters, well the one's that weren't scared by it.
Following it's instincts It had found the source easily. A human presence radiating power from within a large building. Sensing multiple signatures clustered together, it assumed they were all prey hiding inside. So it unleashed its strongest attack to obliterate them in one blow.
But the prey escaped.
Now, the Thunderbird's body pulsed faintly with lightning as it struggled to recharge. Most of its mana had been consumed by that first strike, leaving it vulnerable for a brief moment. Still, it had time.
The humans below hadn't moved.
A low rumble spread through the surrounding clouds as the beast gathered power again, tendrils of lightning weaving across its wings and chest. The clouds darkened, as arcs of blue-white light began to converge in front of its beak.
The Thunderbird tilted its head downward, scanning the ground, it's eyes widened in shock as he saw his prey flying towards him.
---
Ten minutes earlier…
"What? I can fly?" Leon asked, disbelief thick in his voice.
«You're basically a dragon and a vampire. Of course you can fly,» Al replied dryly.
"Well then, how do I do it?" Leon asked after a pause.
(A/N: Leon and Al are communicating mentally, just in case you were wondering.)
«Simple. Focus. Think about what you want to do, and your body will respond.»
Following Al's instruction, Leon closed his eyes and imagined soaring into the sky—high above the clouds, weightless and free.
"Leon…" Lara's voice broke through his concentration.
[You have understood 2% of your powers]
When he opened his eyes, he was hovering a few inches off the ground. Blood-red scaly wings had unfurled from his back, their movement smooth and steady as they beat the air.
Lara's eyes widened, her lips parting in awe. "Leon… your back…"
He turned his head slightly and caught the faint shimmer of the crimson dragon wings in his peripheral vision, majestic, almost ethereal. Each beat of those wings sent a pulse through the air, kicking up dust and loose gravel around his feet.
He looked down at Lara and Livia, both staring up at him as if he'd just broken the laws of nature.
"Catch" he said throwing the mana core at Livia, who barely caught it.
He tested his control over the wings realizing that he could use it as easily as any other part of his body.
With his new mode of transport secured he just about to take off when he was dragged back down, he turned to see Lara holding onto his shirt which had definitely seen better days.
"Lara?" Leon asked, confused, as he noticed her tightening her roller skates.
"I'm coming with you," she said firmly, with a tone that showed she wasn't up for negotiation.
Leon just stared at her, wings half-spread,with a genuinely confused expression like she was speaking a foreign language . "Eh?"
She folded her arms, trapping his hand in the middle of her breasts glaring up at him. "Yes. I'm not letting you go up there alone."
For a moment, he said nothing—just looked at her. The determination in her eyes, and the stubborn tilt of her chin… yeah, she was serious. Or at least, trying to be.
He chuckled softly.
And before Lara could figure out why Leon leaned in and kissed her.
It wasn't long—just enough to make every coherent thought in her head completely disintegrate. Her mind went blank, her body froze, and for a second, all she could do was stand there with wide eyes and burning cheeks.
When Leon pulled away, he gave her a half smile
"Stay here I'll be right back" he said quietly.
Lara blinked, still processing. "Huh?"
But Leon had already turned away. His wings unfurled in a burst of crimson light, dust swirling around him as he launched into the sky.
The wind hit her face, snapping her back to reality. She blinked again, realization dawning.
"Huh" she started, looking up at the sky in disbelief. Then her shock turned into outrage. "Leon!!,ugh you idiot", she whined stomping her feet creating tiny tremors in the ground.
"Give it up sis" Livia said as she patted her sister on the head, "unless you suddenly sprout wings like our husband, there is no way you can help him". She said trying to help her sister understand the situation.
But it seemed to have the opposite effect
Because a few seconds later, the grumpy expression on Lara face changed into one of realization.
She turned around grabbing Livia's shoulders, "Your right... I always knew I could count on you" she said hugging Lara before letting go.
Leaving her sister in the same condition as her earlier.
"Huh?!"
--------------------------------------
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