The Farewell I [NOEL]

The clash begins.

The red-eyed shadow lunged forward.

Leon twisted his body mid-step, holding Noel tightly as they narrowly evaded the attack.

The red-eyed shadow is too powerful.

The lack of weapons also gave them a disadvantage.

Leon’s eyes narrowed, “Noel! Use your Magic!”

Noel is startled, “What? There’s no way I can use it here.”

Leon reached out for Noel’s hand, “Trust me”

Then, a strange intangible energy flows into Noel.

Leon, “Now, use it.”

Noel was unsure yet she nodded.

The red-eyed shadow charges again.

Leon also charges towards it. He extends his hands and creates a barrage of flame, firing towards it.

Noel swiftly chants and to her surprise, she could feel the mana properly this time.

Spiky Icicles are created and fired at the red-eyed shadow.

Leon jumps off while firing a barrage of flames.

The fire clashed with the ice, and the battlefield became shrouded in smoke.

Noel, “Leon, you…you are not even using any chants. What are you?”

Leon, “What do you even mean by that? Rather it's coming again”

The red-eyed shadow persists in attacking both.

The battle raged on.

After a while,

Noel, “Why does it feel like lacking compared to other nights?”

Leon, “Huh? This is it lacking?”

Then, red-eyed shadow charges goaded by crimson like a bull chasing the red. Much more force this time.

They barely dodge it.

Noel, “Dammit…Did I jinx us?”

To their surprise, a red-eyed shadow suddenly changes the trajectory of his spear leading to Leon.

He couldn’t dodge. Not in time. He was still mid-jump and exposed. “Ugh…”

Noel cried out, “Leon!!!”

The spear closed in…

Clang!

A sword intercepted the strike. Sparks flew. The red-eyed shadow recoiled.

Leon landed safely with breath caught in his chest.

To their surprise, it was…

Natsume Maruyama.

“I sensed an unnatural energy… So it was coming from you, young man.”

Leon’s eyes widened. “Great Hero?”

Natsume tossed a blade toward him. “Take this. I guess your powers and your memories have finally returned.”

“But… how are you here? How did you know?”

“As I said, I sensed a burst of energy that didn’t belong to this world. I came in case trouble had arrived… and clearly, trouble did.”

Noel ran back toward them,

“Great Hero, You can see that too?”

Natsume nodded grimly. “Yes. And it’s strange. I didn’t even sense it until I arrived, which is… unnatural. The energy it emits is concealed. This one is no ordinary fellow. Its killing intent is overwhelming.”

He turned to her, “I pity you, young lady. For having to face such a thing every night.”

He lifted his sword. “But now that I’m here, allow me to fight beside you. I’m no longer in my prime, nor do I hold the power I once had in the other world… but I can still swing a sword or two.”

Leon, “Great Hero. Please hold out your hands”

Natsume raised his brow, “What?”

He is confused yet does so. Then as Leon places his hand on him, strange energy flows within him.

Natsume, “Huh? Power is flowing within me…What is this? This is not even close to what I had in my prime but it's still pretty doable”

Leon, “I will explain everything after this is over so let's focus on this”

The party is ready to face off once again against the red-eyed shadow. Now along with Leon, Natsume can also clearly see the red eye shadow and face off against it.

Natsume charged towards a red-eyed shadow with a dimly lit reddish energy glowing through him along his sword.

Leon followed with his blade engulfed in roaring flames.

Noel creates a long icicle rapier and charges.

Three of them charge toward the red-eyed shadow.

It parries each one of them with each.

It tries reaching for Noel but Natsume quickly reflects its spear.

The great hero even in his prime is quite powerful.

The three of them coordinated efficiently while dodging and trying to land an attack on the red-eyed shadow. This goes on for a while but neither the red-eyed shadow nor the three of them gains a chance to land a hit.

Then, suddenly the red-eyed shadow leaps up.

Everyone is alerted, “What… is it trying to do?”

Then… From its back, wings burst forth. Feathers of luminous white tinged with golden hues spread wide.

Natsume’s eyes widened with grim recognition. “I knew it… Those accursed upper realm beings…”

Noel stepped back in awe.

Yet, the one who was most shocked was Leon. He is staggered and sweaty like he has seen something that differed from what he imagined.

With a trembling voice, “No…”

Natsume and Noel show concern.

Leon’s breath hitched, “That’s not… that’s not the one I fought before. This is different…”

Natsume and Noel are shocked, they don’t know what he is talking about yet they know that it was something very crucial.

Before they could react, the red-eyed shadow descended

Faster than any of them could see. With a flicker, it appeared in front of Noel with its spear ready to strike.

Natsume dashed forward and intercepted the strike. Yet, was flung aside with a force that sent him crashing backward.

“Noel!!” Leon screamed.

He leaped with his sword blazing. He met the shadow mid-air and struck but the shadow twisted, dragging its spear across Leon’s blade in a perfect deflection.

Leon’s momentum turned against him. His back was wide open.

And then…

Shunk.

The spear pierced him.

“Gah!” Leon gasped.

“Young man!!” Natsume tried to move but the force of red-eyed shadow was a bit too much for him as he was not in his prime and the age was hitting him.

“Leon!!!” Noel screamed.

But she didn’t have time to run.

The red-eyed shadow drove the same spear forward, through Leon… and into Noel.

It was as if time stopped.

Two silhouettes…skewered together.

Noel coughed and her body shook.

Leon reached out through the pain as his trembling hand found hers.

He held it tightly.

His ragged voice pushed through.

“Noel… I didn’t… get to tell you everything…”

His lips trembled. Tears spilled from his eyes.

“But I’ll tell you this…This… is not over yet. I’ll return… I’ll appear in your future… in your world…”

Noel’s brimming eyes stared at him. “Leon…”

“I want you… to guide me again… like before… I want you to help me. To welcome me… just like you once did…”

His hand brushed her cheek. It was weak yet warm.

“Noel… let’s go on adventures… again. Let’s do quests. I prefer meats over mushroom, haha. Let’s laugh again…”

Noel sobbed, unable to speak.

Leon’s voice quivered, but he continued. “I’ll… learn fire magic again. I’ll adapt, just like before… Noel…”

He drew a long painful breath. “Even if you forget this moment… never forget our bond. Our relationship. Even if it becomes just a feeling… hold onto it…”

“Leon…” Noel whispered.

The red-eyed shadow twisted the spear.

Both of them convulsed.

The light in Leon’s eyes dimmed as he whispered one final time, “Noel…”

Her tears flowed silently.

Then, darkness claimed her.