A horn suddenly sounded.
BOOOOOOM!
Aria turned.
"They found us."
Leo raised his sword.
"Who?"
The sky became black.
Thousands of black birds appeared.
But they weren't birds.
They were creatures made of shadow.
They descended upon the ruins.
"Everyone, prepare!"
The warriors raised their weapons.
Mira's golden mark began glowing.
Kael stood beside her.
"Stay close."
The creatures attacked.
WHOOSH!
One struck Kael.
He blocked it.
Another came from above.
Mira raised her hand.
A golden shield appeared.
BOOM!
The creature crashed into it.
Mira stared at the shield.
"I did that."
Kael smiled.
"Yes."
Another creature attacked.
Mira pushed her hand forward.
A golden beam exploded from her palm.
BOOOOOOM!
The creature disappeared.
Mira stared.
"I can control it."
Leo shouted:
"Don't celebrate yet!"
A huge shadow descended.
Everyone looked up.
A black dragon landed in the valley.
Its wings covered the moon.
Aria's face became pale.
"That's impossible."
Leo raised his sword.
"What?"
Aria whispered:
"That isn't one of the Second Dragon's servants."
The dragon opened its mouth.
A human voice came from inside.
"King Leo."
Leo froze.
The voice continued.
"I have been looking for you."
Leo recognized it.
His blood ran cold.
It was the voice of the future Leo.
The dragon opened its wings.
"I told you."
The future Leo appeared on its back.
"This war cannot be stopped."
Leo stepped forward.
"Then I'll stop you."
The future Leo smiled.
"You still don't understand."
He pointed at Mira.
"We don't want the girl."
Mira frowned.
"Then what do you want?"
The future Leo answered:
"We want what is inside her."
The dragon roared.
The mountains shook.
Then the future Leo raised his hand.
"Take the fragment."
The battle began.
The future Leo jumped from the dragon.
He landed directly in front of the old king.
For several seconds, they stared at one another.
One was young.
One was old.
One wore a black crown.
One carried an ordinary sword.
The future Leo attacked.
CLANG!
Leo blocked.
The force pushed him backward.
Again.
CLANG!
Again.
CLANG!
Mira watched in horror.
They fought exactly alike.
Every movement.
Every technique.
Every strike.
Leo finally managed to cut the future Leo's arm.
Black blood spilled.
The future Leo looked at the wound.
Then laughed.
"You still use that move."
Leo frowned.
"You remember?"
"I remember everything."
He attacked again.
Leo blocked.
But the future Leo whispered:
"You taught me that move."
Leo froze.
The future Leo struck him across the chest.
BOOM!
Leo fell.
"King Leo!"
Mira ran toward him.
The future Leo raised his sword.
"Stay away."
Mira stopped.
The future Leo looked at her.
"You don't belong in this world."
Mira's eyes filled with anger.
"Neither do you."
The future Leo smiled.
"That's where you're wrong."
He pointed toward the Gate.
"I was born there."
"Your world created me."
"Your choices created me."
"And now..."
His black crown began glowing.
"...I have come to change yours."
Mira raised her hand.
Golden energy exploded.
The future Leo was thrown backward.
He crashed into the ruins.
Kael stared at Mira.
"You're getting stronger."
Mira shook her head.
"No."
She looked at the future Leo.
"I'm getting angry."
The future Leo slowly stood.
His black crown was cracked.
Mira prepared to attack again.
But Leo stopped her.
"Wait."
Mira looked at him.
"Why?"
Leo looked at his future self.
"Because I want to know."
He walked forward.
"What happened to you?"
The future Leo stared at him.
Leo continued.
"Tell me."
"Tell me what I did."
The future Leo's expression changed.
"You want to know?"
"Yes."
The future Leo lowered his sword.
"In my world, the Crown was never shared."
Leo frowned.
"But I destroyed it."
"Not in my world."
He looked toward Mira.
"After the First Dragon disappeared, people fought over the fragments."
"Kingdoms attacked one another."
"Friends betrayed friends."
"Brothers killed brothers."
"Everyone wanted a piece of the future."
Leo closed his eyes.
"And you?"
The future Leo laughed bitterly.
"I tried to stop them."
"At first."
"I became king."
"I gathered the fragments."
"I thought I could unite everyone."
"What happened?"
"They united against me."
The future Leo looked down.
"So I became what I hated."
Mira whispered:
"The black crown."
He nodded.
"It gave me control."
"And I used it."
Leo stared at him.
"How many people died?"
The future Leo didn't answer.
That silence was enough.
Leo lowered his sword.
"You came here because you want to change the past."
"No."
The future Leo looked at him.
"I came here because I want to prevent you from becoming me."
Everyone froze.
Leo looked confused.
"What?"
The future Leo pointed at him.
"You think I'm your enemy."
"But I'm your warning."
He looked at Mira.
"And she is the choice that decides whether I exist."
Mira stared at him.
"Me?"
The future Leo nodded.
"If you take the six remaining fragments and reunite the Crown..."
He looked at Leo.
"...you will create me."
"But if you destroy the fragments..."
He smiled sadly.
"I will disappear."
Leo understood.
"You don't want to kill Mira."
"No."
"You want her to destroy the Crown."
The future Leo nodded.
"Before it becomes whole."
Kael stepped forward.
"Then why attack us?"
The future Leo looked at him.
"Because someone else wants the Crown."
Kael frowned.
"Who?"
The future Leo looked toward the darkness.
And his expression changed.
Fear appeared in his eyes.
"The Watcher."