The Demon Awakes

This is just an unfinished piece of a larger book i'm writing, i love it, hope you enjoy :)


Leon stood on the balcony, looking over the city, he was atop the tallest point, on the tallest tower in Nekrileoussa. The king’s throne sat behind him, where it belongs. There he stood, gazing at the vast hordes of Hades, camped on the outskirts of the city, an ocean of black rippling constantly. Leon’s hand raced up and down the banister of the balcony, as his eyes darted from one corner of his empire to the other. The sky bled on the eve of battle, casting a shadow of maroon over Nekrileoussa. Little houses and shops quiver in there foundations, nervously awaiting the war that shall rain down hell upon them all. The last rays of sun hovered on the horizon, taunting the night to try and come into view. Leon stood blood bathed by the evening light, his cheek bones sat higher on his face, defining his features, he looked a lot older than what he remembered as he reminisced about his first sighting of Nekrileoussa. His muscles had broadened, and he was often compared to the Nekrileoussians of old. Leon’s thoughts wondered from the mountain side, to his army. Seven hundred soldiers previously under the command of Leon. Now they would not listen to him, or his corrupt soul. They saw him as being blacker than Hades’ heart, they would not fight for Leon tomorrow, and he knew it.
“Leon, you shall do well tomorrow, you shall achieve a great victory.” Leara appeared in the arch way behind him, and emerged from the shadow. “There numbers are many, but our skills are too great to be matched, even by the forces of hell.” Leara stood a proud woman and queen, she was confident in her loving husband.
“Leara no one listens to me. I have been stripped bare of all respect. Not a soul shall listen to me anymore, they either fear what’s inside me, or hate what I am.” Leon stood too still, it seemed inhuman, his eyes flickered as nothing else moved, not even his chest rose and fell to  a gentle beat, he seemed dead inside.
“Don’t you speak like that Leon. They shall realise it is you they need to listen to. In the end you are the only one capable of saving us.” Leara stared into the back of Leon’s head as he stayed mesmerised on the mountain tops.
“I am capable of saving no one Leara! I can not do this. I just can’t!” Leon’s breathing quickened, his heart raced so fast it hammered his ribs. His eyes swelled up with tears as he lost his concentration on the mountain tops, and looked down to Hades’ encampment.
“Leon stop talking like this. You are the only one who can do anything to help Nekrileoussa, you know that.” Leara’s eyes darted from her husband to the city below them.
“I know nothing! Nekrileoussa shall burn and it’s all my fault. This time tomorrow everyone shall be dead. I’m sorry.” Leon turned around to Leara but collapsed to his knees, and coughed as the dust choked him. “Leara I’m so sorry, but I just can’t be with you anymore. I want you to take the back passage through the mountain side, and run, just run and don’t stop ‘till you’re safe, leave now take nothing with you, just go.” Leon exploded into tears. No Nekrileoussian should show any sign of emotion. For the king and the head of the army it was forbidden by unwritten taboo. But Leon’s tears flowed like a majestic river, he made no sound, he just kneeled staring into the red dust, ripping out his soul. Each piece shattered into a tear drop as it splashed soaking away into the sullen ground.
“Leon, I am not leaving you. If Nekrileoussa shall fall, then so shall I. But you have to try Leon, in these past ten years look at what you have made. The strongest city in all the land, nothing has been able to defeat us, you cannot let Hades be the first to succeed,” Leara kneeled opposite Leon, as he slowly raised his head to look in her eyes. Leon could see the deep sorrow in her soul, he knew she would not leave him, but he didn’t want to see her die, the fate which he thought awaited her if she stayed. “You can win Leon. The men shall listen to you I promise.” Leara stared lovingly into Leon’s eyes, she surpassed the demon within him, and saw Leon for what he truly was.
“Leara just go! I don’t want to be with you anymore. You can’t stay here Leara, now go, and never return.” Leon stared into the dust, as his soul poured away with his tears, he didn’t want to let go of her. But he had to, he couldn’t take the guilt of knowing her death rested on his shoulders.
“Leon, what are you trying to say?” Leara felt her heart stop, she had loved no one else but Leon. She had given her life to no one else but Leon. She would die for no one else but Leon. What was he doing to her?
“I…I…I’m saying I don’t love you anymore!” Leon felt every inch of his body crumble, dissolving into an empty shell of a man. He never thought he could say those words to Leara. But he had. It went against everything he felt; at that point he knew his soul had gone, washed away into the dust he kneeled upon. Leara leaned forward and held Leon’s hand, slowly lifting his chin, so she looked him in the eyes.
“Leon, my dearest love. Look me in the eyes, look into my soul and see my heart.” Leon gazed into Leara’s eyes, he saw her soul, and he saw her heart. “Now tell me you don’t love me.” Leon sat gazing into her eyes for a second before raising his hand to her face, caressing her cheek with his thumb. He tucked her hair back behind her ears, leaning forward. Leara could feel his warm breath tickling her neck as he whispered.
“I can’t. Because I do love you Leara, and I shall not leave you, tomorrow I shall fight, even if it is alone, but I will win this war for you I promise.” Leon brought his head round to Leara’s, resting his forehead on hers. They embraced for what seemed the last time, engulfed in each others warmth, and overwhelmed by each others love. They sat kissing each other softly, on the cheek, the neck, the lips and chest. Nothing could stop the love of these two burning brighter than the midday sun.
Leon stood up, and took Leara’s hand, pulling her up with him.
“Tomorrow, I shall stand and fight, if the men fight with me, I do not know. But I shall stand and fight none the less. A passion burns for you inside me, none of my passions have ever burnt away, this one shall not be an exception, I love you now, and shall continue to love you, even into the after life, Leara my love, I will win this war for you.” Leon felt his heart stop. His insides were on fire, something was wrong. His eyes turned black, his mouth set ablaze, a shadowy figure emerged from within him. Smoke blacker than the abyss of hell, took form into a boy no bigger than Leara.
“Leon, I am sorry for everything.” A deep scratchy growl sounded from what could be classed as the mouth.