A day passed without much incident, and Aerin left his squad to take some time to himself…
Oh boy… I hope my old man is okay, wherever he is.
"My boy, I have come to talk to you," Léōn said as he descended from the sky above.
What do you need to talk to me about?
"My boy, it is not I who needs someone to talk to—but you, who needs a friend," Léōn replied.
Oh right… I forgot. You know everything about me before I even say anything. That's honestly kind of creepy… but also nice. I don't have to explain myself.
Aerin paused…
Hey, Léōn.
"Yes, my child?" Léōn replied.
Where is my old man?
Léōn hesitated…
"Hm… that's a difficult question to answer. Mostly because I am not supposed to tell you until the end of time," Léōn stated.
It's okay. I was just curious if he's doing alright.
Léōn studied him for a moment…
"…I suppose I could tell you—or rather, show you." Léōn said in a rather mysterious tone.
With a gentle motion, Léōn opened a glimpse into another reality…
"See? He is well. He is in Paradise, with all the just and innocent beings my father and I created," Léōn said.
Aerin watched in silence as he saw his old man—laughing, smiling, surrounded by warmth and a great feast…
Thank you for showing me this.
Tears began to fall—not by choice, but drawn out by the overwhelming peace of what he had seen… the promised future for those who endured to the end…
"My child, why are you crying?" Léōn asked, already knowing the answer.
I just… miss him more than I thought. But I'm glad… I'm glad he's happy.
"And that is all one can ever truly ask for—happiness. Believe in what you have seen, and you too shall find peace. Remember: there is always a light in the darkness. You need only find it… and hold on tight," Léōn replied.
With that, Léōn dissolved into nothingness…
Aerin stood there for a moment…
Who is Léōn… and why does he seem so… perfect?
Aerin returned to his team, and when the others awoke, they continued their journey…
Several hours passed, and the group made great progress—but then…
"Stop right there!" a bandit shouted, jumping out from a bush on the right.
"Yeah!" another added, emerging from the left.
Before Aerin could react, he and his team were surrounded by enemies they knew nothing about…
To be continued…