- Leo -
The journey through the forest was short—but in Leo's mind, it stretched on forever.
Every crunch of leaves underfoot, every distant sound, every flicker of light between the towering trees made his body tense. Even though the vampire castle was behind them, the weight of it hadn't left his chest.
Even with every step forward… it still felt like the shadows of the prison were walking with me.
Leo glanced back at Nora as they moved—still quiet, unreadable. But something had changed.
Eventually, the rebels stopped.
Hidden beneath a slope of twisted roots and overgrown thorns, an unremarkable stone slab lay half-buried in the earth. One of the warriors pressed a concealed switch. A faint rumble followed, and the stone slowly shifted aside, revealing a narrow stairwell descending into the darkness.
From the outside, it looked like nothing—just another forgotten ruin in a world swallowed by nature. But down there… it was something else.
As they descended into the underground base, the air cooled. The passage opened into a wide, torch-lit chamber filled with quiet murmurs and tired eyes. Dozens of rescued children were already gathered—some wrapped in old blankets, others sitting silently on the stone floor, too exhausted to speak. Some cried softly. Others didn't move at all, as if even hope had been drained from them.
But Leo already knew—this wasn't safety.
Just a pause between storms.
The underground chamber was quiet, filled with the soft rustle of movement and the low murmur of voices. Leo stepped inside, his eyes scanning every face—each one pale, tired, searching.
Please be here… please—
He weaved through small groups of kids huddled together, blankets wrapped tightly around their shoulders, the distant echoes of battle still clinging to their eyes.
Then he saw him.
"Ryo!"
Ryo stood near the back, half-shadowed by a group of younger kids. His eyes widened—and for the first time in weeks, something returned to his face.
Life.
Leo pushed through the others without thinking and clapped a hand on Ryo's shoulder. For a moment, the chaos behind them disappeared.
"Told you we'd make it out of that hellhole," Leo said, forcing a crooked smile.
Ryo chuckled, weak but real. "Yeah… you did say that." Then, quieter: "Honestly though… if we'd stayed even one more day, I don't think I would've made it."
Leo's smile faded. He understood. Too well. "It wasn't easy. So many didn't make it… but we did. We held on."
Ryo exhaled slowly, the weight still in his chest. "Yeah. We did."
Leo tightened his grip on his shoulder. "And as long as we stick together, we won't break. I promise."
After everything we've seen… I can't lose him too.
For the first time in so long, Ryo smiled—fully, genuinely.
Around them, a few of the younger kids looked on—some watching in silence, others whispering. In the distance, Leo caught a glimpse of Nora. She stood off to the side, quiet, arms crossed, her gaze sweeping the room. Their eyes met for a brief moment.
She gave him a small smile—subtle, but real.
A smile that said she understood.
That she saw he had someone he cared about.
Like she did.
And for a second, it looked like that made her… happy.
Before either of them could say more, a voice cut through the low hum of the chamber.
"Everyone. Listen up."
Some kids kept whispering. Most were too dazed to react.
The speaker—a tall young man in a black-and-gray rebel coat trimmed with silver—stepped up onto a pile of crates. A golden cord shifted at his shoulder as he moved. His presence wasn't loud. It was solid. Unshakable.
He didn't shout. He didn't need to.
His voice didn't just rise—it carried.
It cut through the room like a blade through fog.
"I said—listen."
And like a snapped wire pulled tight—
Silence.
Leo looked up at him. He seemed a little older than the rest—maybe nineteen. Blond hair, cut short and neat. Sharp blue eyes that had clearly seen too much. His posture was strong, commanding—but not dramatic. Just… real.
"My name is Akihiro Kisaragi. I'm one of the commanders of the rebellion."
He let that settle for a moment before continuing.
"I know you've all been through hell. I know some of you lost people. I know some of you probably wish you hadn't survived."
His gaze swept the room—not with pity. With understanding.
"But we don't have time to fall apart. We're at war. And we need everyone who's ready to fight back."
Leo turned to Ryo, already knowing what he was about to say.
"I'm joining them."
Ryo stared at him for a second. Then gave a tired smile. "You're sure?"
Leo nodded.
I already saw what happens if we wait and do nothing. I'm done waiting.
If I don't move now… I'll never forgive myself.
"We have to fight back," he said quietly. "We have to."
Ryo hesitated—then stepped forward with him. "Yeah. You're right. If you're in, I'm in."
Akihiro continued. "Anyone willing to fight—willing to risk their lives—step forward. You'll be placed under Commander Ryosuke Sakamoto."
He gestured to the side.
Leo turned.
A young man stood there, arms crossed, eyes like black steel. He had a solid, muscular frame, a practical cut to his brown hair, and a heavy scar running diagonally from his cheek down to the base of his neck. His face was unreadable—but not cold. Just focused.
The sight of him—so sharp, so intense—struck something in the crowd. And with Akihiro's words still echoing—willing to risk their lives—it hit hard.
Whispers started. Then murmurs. Then panic.
Voices rose. Fear flooded the room.
Akihiro raised both hands. "Hey—wait. It's not mandatory. No one's forcing anyone—"
But the murmurs only grew. The younger kids started crying. Others looked like they were ready to bolt.
Akihiro stepped forward, voice sharper now. "I know you're scared. Of course you are. But listen to me. Please."
The noise dipped just enough.
"I'm not asking for heroes," he said. "I'm not asking you to be fearless. I'm asking you to care. To care enough that you can't sit still anymore. Because if we don't fight this… if we don't push back—then nothing will ever change. They'll keep taking, and breaking, and bleeding this world dry."
His voice deepened. Slower. Measured.
"This rebellion isn't about glory. It's about the kids who didn't make it out. It's about the friends we had to leave behind. The brothers and sisters we couldn't save. It's about never letting that happen again."
Silence fell again—but this time, heavier. Not from fear. From thought.
Akihiro inhaled. "That's why we fight. So maybe, just maybe, the next kid won't have to live in a cage."
For a moment, the room was still. Calmer.
Kids exchanged glances. Some lowered their heads. Others stood a little straighter.
Hope. Barely, but it was there.
And then Akihiro added—almost like a whisper wrapped in steel:
"Because we're not just facing fear. We're facing them. The regime. The vampires."
A silence thicker than before fell.
Not thoughtful.
Frozen.
Then someone gasped.
Another whimpered.
And like dry branches snapping in a forest fire—
The panic returned.
Fast. Collective. Unstoppable.
Voices rose. Kids clutched each other. A few backed toward the walls, eyes wide with memories too fresh to fade.
Just the word—vampires—had cracked something.
Nora moved quickly, kneeling beside a small group and whispering something soft, trying to calm them.
It didn't help.
The fear had already taken hold.
Leo felt it too—that sudden cold in his chest. The flash of metal. The sting of chains. The blood.
No…
He clenched his fists.
Not again. I won't freeze. Not now.
Akihiro froze, realizing too late what he'd said.
He ran a hand down his face slowly. Exhaled.
Then, under his breath, he muttered, "Ah, shit," followed by a long, weary sigh.
"Fine," he muttered. Then louder: "Anyone who doesn't want to fight against the regime—go with Commander Mikoto Yukimura."
He pointed across the room.
A tall girl stood there—lean, long black hair flowing freely, soft brown eyes watching the room like a quiet guardian. She looked younger, but something in her stance carried the confidence of someone who'd already walked through fire. She wasn't a warrior. She was a protector.
Most of the kids didn't even hesitate. Some looked panicked. Some just looked relieved. But nearly all of them began moving toward her.
The noise returned—footsteps, crying, confusion.
Akihiro called over it. "Mikoto, just take them to the main base!"
She nodded, guiding the group calmly, but with urgency.
Akihiro tried shouting over the movement. "We can't win this without people willing to fight! You think they'll stop if we hide?! If we don't resist, we've already lost!"
His voice cracked at the end. He wasn't angry. Just exhausted.
One by one, they slipped away—
Kaito. Souta. Even some of the rebels who had fought beside Nora.
They didn't look back. Just walked toward safety. Away from the fight.
They took everything. Our families. Our homes. Our blood.
Every day in the castle felt like dying a little more. No sunlight. No safety. Just torture… and silence.
Leo's eyes followed them, jaw tight.
They're giving up. But I won't. I can't.
If we don't fight… this never ends.
Akihiro sat down on the same pile of crates he had stood on moments ago. His shoulders slumped.
Then he noticed the ones who remained.
Ten.
He stood again, stepping toward them slowly.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "I mean it. As you can see… recruiting isn't exactly easy."
Leo stepped forward slightly. "The speech you gave… it was good. But maybe you shouldn't have mentioned the regime. That's when they panicked."
Akihiro blinked. Then, with a resigned sigh, he pulled a small notebook from his jacket and scribbled something down.
"Noted."
He closed the book. "Alright. We don't have much time. Ryosuke!"
Ryosuke stepped forward with a low chuckle. "Well. Ten this time. That's more than last."
Akihiro shot him a glare. "This isn't the time for your jokes. Get them to the training base."
Ryosuke nodded, raising his voice. "Everyone still here—follow me."
Leo, Ryo, the eight new recruits, Nora, and the remaining rebel fighters all fell in line behind him.
As the group began moving, Ryosuke glanced back. He paused. Akihiro wasn't following.
Ryosuke frowned. "Akihiro!"
Akihiro turned slightly. "Go on. I need to check something before I join you."
And with that, he walked away into the shadows.
Leo watched him vanish into the dark.
What is he going to check?
I still have so many questions… How do we fight them? How do we get stronger? Do they even know about the Dark Flame and the Bright Flame?