Day 2 before the wedding…
Leo and his team readied themselves for the journey to the city of Nimblewill. Before leaving, they expressed their gratitude to everyone who had shown them hospitality, especially the King and Queen, who had welcomed them with warmth and generosity.
Leo's gaze lingered on the city one last time. He knew Nimblewill would be their final destination, and if Helmond's prophecy proved false, their efforts might have been nothing more than a long visit. Yet he chose to trust Helmond completely, knowing the weight behind his words. Helmond did not lie. He never would.
With that silent conviction, Leo led his team forward, the road ahead stretching into uncertainty—but also purpose.
Alice said it's hard to go to the city of Nimblewill especially the harsh terrain so she should be the one who will lead them.
One hour later, they arrived at the Forest of Adaba.
Alice's voice carried over the carriage. "There are creatures living here," she warned. "Do not make eye contact—they will take it as a threat."
Everyone nodded and understood the instructions… except Helmond. His expression was distant, detached, as if the warning didn't even exist. Then, without a word, he leapt from the carriage, landing with a fluid motion on the forest floor. A creature emerged from the shadows, and Helmond charged at it without hesitation.
The team froze in shock. Alice's hands clenched in frustration. "Helmond! I just said—"
But before she could finish, five more creatures lunged at him from the underbrush. Helmond moved like a storm, dodging with lightning speed, his strikes precise and brutal. Two creatures fell before the others could even react.
Leo instinctively moved forward, ready to help—but Helmond's sharp glance stopped him. He was unrecognizable, a raging beast fueled by some unknown fire, utterly determined to fight on his own.
The forest echoed with the clash of claws, the swish of Helmond's movements, and the distant calls of startled wildlife. For a moment, it was as if Helmond belonged to this wild chaos, untouchable and unstoppable.
Helmond returned to the carriage, his clothes tattered and streaked with dirt, his movements tense and unpredictable. He didn't speak as Leo approached.
"Why… why did you do that?" Leo asked quietly, concern lacing his voice. Helmond said nothing.
Alice's eyes narrowed. This is going to be a disaster.
Rein reached out, placing a steady hand on Helmond's shoulder, whispering soft words of comfort as he twitched, the aftermath of his uncontrolled rage still simmering beneath the surface.
Barely out of the Forest of Adaba, the group was met with a sudden, violent storm—howling winds, blinding rain, and jagged lightning striking all around. Panic threatened to take hold, but Alice remained calm, her voice firm over the chaos.
"This… isn't real," she said. "It's an illusion—Nimblewill's wizard protects their city this way. If we calm our minds and think of good weather, we can resist it."
Alice closed her eyes, envisioning warm summer sunlight. Rein mirrored her thought, soft warmth filling her mind. Leo followed, imagining the gentle heat of a perfect summer day. Slowly, the edges of the storm softened, the wind losing its bite and the rain fading to a drizzle.
But Helmond… his mind was pure chaos, untamed and destructive. The storm responded to his turmoil, twisting the terrain into jagged cliffs and treacherous ground. The carriage jolted violently as debris tumbled down, the path ahead more dangerous with every step.
Alice clenched her fists. "Focus on summer! Concentrate! We can get through this!"
Together, the team struggled forward, not against nature itself, but against the raw, uncontrollable power of Helmond's mind, testing their unity, patience, and determination.
The Wizard of Nimblewill's eyes narrowed as he watched from afar, sensing a tremendous disturbance. The storm that had been conjured by his own magic twisted and roared unnaturally, reacting to a presence he could not yet identify. His mind raced. Could the culprit who has been terrorizing this land be inside that carriage?
Without hesitation, he sent alerts throughout Nimblewill, ordering all guards and defense forces to assemble at the city gates.
Inside the palace, the King and Queen stood tall, giving commands. "Everyone, stand proud. The carriage is coming. Wait for them at the gate."
Outside, the raging storm battered the carriage, winds howling and lightning striking dangerously close. Panic threatened to rise among the team, but they forced their minds to focus. Alice's voice cut through the chaos, calm but urgent:
"Leo… you have no choice. You need to knock Helmond out to calm him down!"
Leo's heart tightened. He had no choice, but Helmond was already beyond reasoning. As Leo moved to strike, Helmond sidestepped with terrifying speed, his claws flashing in the air as he lunged at Leo with uncontrolled ferocity.
With a swift kick, Leo pushed Helmond out of the carriage, forcing him to confront reality on the ground. Helmond's eyes were wild, his mind not his own, and he attacked relentlessly. Leo didn't strike back immediately—he only resisted every blow, letting Helmond expend his fury.
Finally, Leo summoned a focused light beam, striking Helmond with precision. The power forced him weakly to the ground, subdued but still conscious. Every muscle in Helmond's body strained, yet through sheer will, he began to crawl free, testing the limits of Leo's restraint.
Leo held him firmly down, controlling the chaos, knowing this was the only way to prevent the storm—and Helmond's untamed mind—from destroying everything around them.
The storm raged like a living thing around them—winds screaming, rain lashing sideways, and the jagged terrain trembling beneath the chaotic energy of Helmond's mind. The carriage jolted with every gust, the world a blur of shadow and motion.
Suddenly, a jagged bolt of lightning struck from above, slamming into the uneven rocks. Leo was caught mid-step, electricity coursing through him, throwing him to the ground. Pain lanced through his body, and the world spun.
Helmond's eyes glimmered with untamed fury. He charged like a predator, claws flashing, aiming straight for Leo. The earth itself seemed to respond to his chaos—rocks splitting, the ground twisting, creating natural traps.
Rein reacted instantly, thrusting her hands forward. A whirlwind erupted, slamming into Helmond and sending him skidding across the jagged terrain. But Helmond was relentless. He leapt, rolling over jagged rocks, claws aimed at Leo, narrowly missing with lightning-fast reflexes.
Leo rose, shaking off the electricity. He drew his sword, Ethereal Rapier shimmering with radiant light, ready to control the fight without killing. Helmond lunged again, teeth bared, striking with inhuman speed. Leo dodged, sidestepped, and parried—every swing precise, yet intentionally holding back, refusing to harm him fatally.
The battle became a blur of motion. Helmond struck again and again, each attack more feral than the last. Leo blocked, twisted, and avoided, his rapier glowing as light beams reflected off its edge. The air around them crackled with energy as Helmond's chaos made the terrain more treacherous—mudslides, splintering rocks, and sudden rifts opening beneath their feet.
Rein knew she had to intervene. She called upon the elements: fire spiraled like serpents, water surged in crashing torrents, jagged rocks erupted from the earth, and wind sliced through the air like knives. Helmond roared, thrashing violently, dodging some attacks but failing to avoid the full impact of others. Sparks and splinters flew with each hit, the storm echoing with thunderous claps.
Lightning from the storm struck near Helmond, illuminating his wild expression as he slammed himself against the radiant cross Leo summoned. Helmond twisted, slashing desperately, but Leo held firm, pinning him to the ground. Every strike of the Ethereal Rapier glimmered with focused light, preventing Helmond from breaking free.
Helmond's chaos surged violently, tearing at the terrain, but the combined power of Leo and Rein began to overpower him. Fire scorched his arms, water pushed him back, jagged rocks pinned his legs, and wind rattled him in place. Helmond's thrashing grew weaker, his energy fading with every elemental strike and every beam of light that pinned him.
Finally, as Helmond attempted one last desperate lunge, Leo channeled all his focus into the Ethereal Rapier, reinforcing the cross-shaped light. Rein poured every ounce of her power into a final chaotic elemental barrage, striking Helmond from all sides simultaneously—fire, wind, water, and rock converging into a vortex of controlled destruction.
Helmond screamed one final time before his strength gave out completely. His body went limp, his chest rising and falling shallowly, eyes closed. He lay unconscious, completely subdued by the combination of light and elemental power.
The storm finally broke. The winds softened, the rain slowed, and the clouds parted. Sunlight spilled across the jagged landscape, turning the harsh, chaotic terrain into a calm, gentle summer scene. The forest seemed to exhale, as if relieved that the chaos had finally ended.
Leo lowered the Ethereal Rapier, breathing heavily. Rein's elements dissipated into the warm air, leaving a serene calm behind. The battle was over, and for the first time, the forest felt alive in peace rather than terror.
Alice got out of the carriage and helped Leo carry Helmond back to the carriage and started moving forward to the city.