The green and red of the unnaturally tall grass quickly gave way for purely crimson flora beyond the old trainyard. Even the wind picked up slightly, its geouch brushing against the pnts as everything around swayed lightly, filling the area with the soothing melody of pure nature.

  Or at least it would be soothing if, for ohe beasts in the distance could shut up their ugly mugs. On top of that, with Leo now perfectly aware that those pesky rown ants could jump out at any moment, the way back to the trio's hiding spot was anything but enjoyable.

  Already he had to cut a Minion in two because it decided to pretty much jump off a random tree. That tiny thing — because for some reasoed ant was much smaller than others — in its infinity wisdom, thought it could perform a kamikaze ambush on a beast that moved faster than probably any Ameist ever could.

  Annoying little shit. Leo scowled, wiping his hands on the grass.

  The only thing that tiny annoyance succeeded in ttering him in that accursed acid. Really, he probably should have just dodged and not sliced the thing when it appeared in front of his face. However, his instincts reacted faster than rational thinking, and the rest was history...

  At least now I know that my cloak withstand this green shit. Leo she scowl now permaly attached to his face. Have to search for positives ihing you owadays...

  Quickly jumping behind the remnants of a fence, Leo removed the cloak and, just like with his hands and face, wiped the rge piece as well as he could with what he had. It wasn't a perfect fix, but he didn't want to risk it and give the acid enough time to finally do some damage. Not when he had just gaihe thing.

  I must look like a fug moron with the remnants of this shit spttered all over me. At least it isn't that visible on the cloak.

  Sighing, Leo threw the fabric over his shoulders, the cloak once more eg on both ends. He just hoped their hiding spot had some clothing inside. Or at least some scrapes. Anything really to properly wipe this green slime off his fad torso. Even if the acid couldn't burn through his skin, the stant, weak tig was getting somewhat annoying.

  Barely learned about them and I already hate those wretched is. Give me a pack of higher-leveled Hounds over this any time...

  Out of nowhere, Leo's inner beast growled lowly, the sound eg throughout his mind. Instantly, any pints that had been floating in his head vanished, and he focused solely on the beast's words.

  The wind? Leo's brow furrowed. His gaze jumped from pce to pce, watg as everything in the area tio sway. What about it? I get it was calm yesterday, but a breeze like this isn't really anything to worry about.

  The beast huffed, filling Leo's head with a screech. It definitely didn't like his dismissal, not after what happened on the way here. However, he really couldn't uand what it wanted from him.

  Uh the Mirage Ambush situation, Leo didn't feel anything. Whatever sixth seried to warn him before, it went on vacation now. And even if he wao a the warning, what could he really do? It was just a breeze, for Void's sake.

  Anrowl echoed through Leo's head, louder than any other. Even the slumbering bloodlust stirred slightly, freezing him in pce. Yet, this wasn't the end, as not a momehree simple words were branded into his mind by a voice calling straight from hell.

  'Prepare. Be ready.'

  Leo swallowed, his previous nonce about the beast's worries doused like a flickering fme.

  While the progress with Synization allowed him to uand the beast fully, those werely words. No, it felt more like a plete uanding of the thing that now lived inside him, transting into something simir to words.

  However, this time, the beast truly spoke. There was no ign this faot that Leo even dared to do it again, as thanks to those short words, the worry, the unease, and even a bit of fear surged into his entire being, almost merging with his owions.

  Is this how the ge iher makes you feel? Leo sent back hesitantly, and the beast whined back. He didn't eveheir close bond to uand the meaning of this simple a.

  Then I will be ready. We will be prepared for whatever is ing. He vowed, gring at the swaying flora. Sorry for dismissing you. Won't happen again.

  As the beast howled, the bloodlust losing its spark, Leo allowed a small smile to grace his face. Yes, he definitely still had a lot to lear came to the monster he had bee.

  But at least I'm not alone... Well, not really...

  With the beast's warning still ringing deep in his mind, Leo resumed sprinting back to the his ex-group. Most likely, he was already pushing the self-inflicted time limit, and he didn't want to leave the trio for too long. Not before they had a talk.

  What happened after wasn't in Leo's hands. Ohe trio left for the safe zone, everything depended wholly on them and the survivors inside.

  I just hope they won't try to sughter each other. Leo grimaced as he slipped ihe same building he had cleared for the trio. True Stealth slipped from his body aapped against a piece of uncovered wood.

  "I'm back. Don't attack," he called out, the raspy sound boung off the walls.

  The hushed whispers in the living room exploded in loudness as Leo sloroached the entrao the chamber. Like during their reunion, Esseirred in his soul, ready to jump out if the trio showed any kind of hostility.

  "Entering," Leo warned again, finally stepping into the room.

  Just like he had expected, the trio all had ons — the firearm kind — tightly gripped in their hands. Although, and it was a bit of sotion, none of them were directly aiming at him.

  Maybe they really calmed a bit. Void knows it would make this versation much easier...

  Rexing the hold on his Essence, Leo slid to the floor as far away from the group as he could. "I hope I wasn't gone for too long," he provided an olive branch, praying that at least Dyn was smart enough to take it.

  Thankfully, the older man once more read the situation well.

  "Not really, mate. We barely mao get fortable here. Well, as fortable as you in a ruined house," Dyn gave him a wry smile, or maybe it was a grimace. "Besides, it's not like we tell how long you were gone... What I would give for a workin' watch."

  Leo snorted. He had simir thoughts quite often, though nowadays, he found a different way to measure time. "You always take a time-limited task for your Job. The timer it gives is better than nothing..."

  Dyn hummed. "Didn't think 'bout that. Thanks, Leo, I'll check it out -"

  "Did you find them?" Tyler's voice cut through whatever the older man wao say. The warrior's hand already whitened from the tight grip upon his gun while his gaze narrowed into a gre.

  Wonder if he crush it with his enharength... Curious, but so not the time for this. Leo sighed before nodding. "I did. We fot about one important thing about this part of the city."

  Dyn's eyebrows rose. "What do you mean, d? Except for the old trainyard, this pce is almost empty."

  "ReachHope Foundation," Leo answered simply, and the only person who kept quiet until noed.

  "I'm so stupid," Laura muttered, her on lying fotten across her p. "I have been helping there as a volunteer for the whole st summer. How did I fet about it?"

  For the first time since Leo stepped into the room, Tyler looked away from him. The younger's man gaze softened as he patted the girl's shoulder. "Don't worry, Lu. We all did."

  "Speak for yourself, d. This is probably the third time I'm hearing this name. I barely have any idea what it means." Dyn stated, and pretty much everyohrew the man a look. "What? I'm all for helping other people, but it doesn't bloody mean I o know about every charity anization."

  Leo chuckled, the sound immediately putting the trio o again. Here goes the lighter atmosphere. Ah, whatever. He shrugged, addressing them again before the tension could rise even more. "Ign our fetfulness. I indeed found the roup living inside ReachHope's building. A building pletely untouched by the Void."

  "How?" Tyler quickly shot back.

  "Safe Zoemporary one, but still a legit, System firmed Safe Zone," Leo quickly raised his hand, stopping them from interrupting. "And no, I have no idea how it formed. The System didn't want to expin, and I didn't stick around long enough to find out."

  "Then we should go," Tyler nodded, moving to stand up. "No reason to waste any more time."

  Yeah, no.

  "Not that quickly," Leo spoke up, once more freezing the room. "There is still more I have to say. And besides, as this is most likely the end of our short partnership, I want to cash in on this favor Dyn promised me."

  Tyler threw a gre at the older man as he settled down again. The mage flinched, but nodded heless. "Aye, I did that, and I'm a man of my word. You still saved us a lot of pain, grief even. So spill it, Leo. What do you need from us? We'll try to help as best as we ."

  Leo pressed his lips together as the tension rose. He could almost slice it with his bdes at this point...

  "I won't ask you for anything eous, don't worry," he decred. "Really, my request is quite simple and probably won't take more than a single versation with whoever is running the pce. First though, I should probably tell you about the pretty muext to them."

  The trio stiffe once. He had told them about the Shadow Tail yesterday, but it didn't ge the fact that those three had never seen one before. Now they would be livio a y.

  "Here? Bloody hell... Is it even safe to approach the Safe Zone?" Dyn fired off, his gaze searg.

  Leo huffed. "Nothing is safe in this fug world now... But if you really want an ahen you should be fihe ook over the trainyard, and from what I noticed in this short amount of time, those rotten ants mostly stick to their area unless provoked."

  "Ants?" Laura asked, most likely couldn't help her curiosity about another monster.

  "Yeah, ants. Giant fuckers that easily reach my waist. They are weak, but watch out for their acid. They spit it, and some of it escapes when you cut them." Pointing to the green sptters over his head, Leo tinued. "Not much of a problem for me, but I have no idea if the same applies to you."

  Despite their shattered alliahe trio nodded. At least they still believed him when it came to dealing with other Voidlings.

  "Thanks, mate. We'll remember that," Dyn smiled, the awkward edge finally gone from it. "Now for the favor. What do you need?"

  "As I said, it's simple," Leo began, fists tightening as unwele images fshed at the forefront of his mind. "I know my brother is gone, but I have no idea what happeo his wife and child. They weren't there, so if there is even a slightest ce they made it here, I o know. Please ask them if Ava and Adam Hale are in their group. That's all I want."

  For a short moment, silence cimed the room as not even Tyler had anything to say. The younger man eveed his gaze.

  "If they're there, we'll find your family, Leo," Dyn swore, ao him, Laura nodded. "I know this partnership between us didn't really work, but even if we didn't owe you, I'd still help you. God knows we all lost enough."

  Leo smiled.

  "Thank you."

  Chaos65