Rebecca, for once, appeared deep in thought, and Leon couldn't help but feel a tinge of paternal pride.
"Looks like you've finally put that brain of yours to work," Leon teased lightly.
"Hey! I've always been smart!" Rebecca huffed, crossing her arms in mock offense.
Leon chuckled but didn't argue the point further. Instead, his eyes swept their surroundings, analyzing every rock formation and shadow. "This confirms we're in the right place. Whatever plans the Shadow is working on here are important enough for Elizabeth to personally monitor our progress. She's ensuring we don't interfere with something critical."
Rebecca tilted her head. "So, are we going to try and flush her out now?"
Leon considered the question but shook his head. "Not directly. If she's watching us, she'll be on high alert. The fact that Simmons and the others didn't detect her presence earlier means she's either exceptionally well-hidden or using advanced cloaking magic we can't easily counter." He paused, his gaze sharp. "Besides, we shouldn't reveal that we know she's here. For now, our priority is extracting those Black Dragon Scales from the deer. It removes her tools and denies her assets."
Rebecca nodded thoughtfully. "Fair enough. But what if we draw her out indirectly, by disrupting her plans so thoroughly she's forced to show herself?"
"Ah, using one plan to counter another. Now you're thinking like a proper strategist," Leon said, reaching out to ruffle her hair.
"Of course! Wait, what do you mean 'now'? I've always been like this!"
Leon laughed but let the matter drop. "Come on. While the team is busy with the scales, let's give the lab one more thorough search. Maybe we missed a hidden compartment or a coded message."
"Got it."
The two returned to the dim laboratory, scouring every corner with renewed intensity. For over half an hour, they turned over every scrap of paper, tapped walls for hollow sounds, and examined every piece of broken equipment. But apart from the notebook Leon had already found, the place was clean of any other intelligence.
When they emerged back into the harsh sunlight, Nacho and the specialists had just finished their delicate work.
"The scales have all been extracted, and we've used healing magic to close the wounds. The herd should recover fully," Nacho reported, wiping his brow.
"Good work," Leon acknowledged. "Rebecca and I found nothing new. The lab was scrubbed clean."
Nacho's face fell slightly. "So... we've hit a dead end?"
Leon stared at the dark cave entrance thoughtfully. After a long moment, he said, "Not necessarily. Remember the nutrient tubes connected to that embryo?"
Nacho nodded. "What about them?"
"Those tubes had to draw energy from somewhere. They didn't generate that much fire-elemental power on their own. If we trace them back to their source, we might find a primary facility, or at least another clue."
"Understood. I'll have Simmons track the residual energy signature along the tube's pathway," Nacho replied promptly.
"Good. Let's move."
With their new direction decided, Leon led the group away from the territory of the now-sleeping Blazing Flame Deer. Simmons, the sensing mage, took the lead, his eyes closed in concentration as he followed the faint but distinct magical trail left by the tubes, heading deeper into the valley.
"By the way," Leon said as they trekked, turning to Nacho. "Earlier, you mentioned that whatever emerged from the embryo might be a hybrid monster or something imbued with the Flame Demon's power. I've been thinking about that."
Nacho adjusted his pace to walk beside Leon. "It was my initial hypothesis. But... considering everything, there's another, more disturbing possibility."
Leon smirked, a knowing look in his eyes. "Go on. Let's see if it matches the theory I've been forming."
Nacho exhaled slowly, his expression turning grim. "If Elizabeth wasn't creating a hybrid creature, then what hatched from that embryo might be... a new Flame Demon. A successor."
Leon's expression darkened, confirming Nacho's fear. Nacho continued, "The original Flame Demon was an ancient, primordial fire-elemental entity, a being that exists outside our modern ranking system. Historical fragments say that when it died, its body became the Flaming Valley. Its lingering energy has been potent enough to drive the evolution of species for over a millennium. It literally shaped this entire region."
"For humans, the Flame Demon is a myth more obscure than the Dragon Kings. It's mentioned in only the oldest texts, and even those details are vague and contradictory."
Leon nodded slowly. "That's the conclusion I was circling as well. And I wouldn't call it far-fetched."
Nacho raised an eyebrow. "Why not? The idea of recreating a primordial entity sounds like madness."
"Because if it were anyone else, it would be insane. But for the Shadow?" Leon's voice was flat. "It fits his pattern. Think about it. Before we saw it with our own eyes, would you have believed someone could subjugate a Dragon King, twist his body, and turn him into a puppet?"
Nacho faltered, the memory of Constantine's resurrected, patchwork form flashing in his mind. "Point taken. The Shadow's ambitions truly are beyond normal comprehension."
Leon's nod was grim. "What's worse is that everything we've uncovered so far—the Dragon War, the Black Dragon Scales, Adam's corruption, and now this—these are just pieces of a much larger design. We still have no idea what his ultimate goal is. But whatever it is, we can't let him succeed."
Nacho glanced at Leon, a question he'd long held finally surfacing. "Captain, I've always wondered... what drives you to pursue him so relentlessly? Beyond the obvious threat."
Leon's gaze grew distant, his black eyes seeming to reflect a memory of silver and loss. After a heavy silence, he said quietly, "Whatever his goal is, its fulfillment will inevitably destroy the people and the peace I care about. I've already seen a future... a timeline where I failed, and I lost her. The pain of that..." His voice hardened, steel wrapping around the old wound. "I won't allow it to happen again. So, no matter what it takes, I will stop him. At any cost."
Only those who have faced true loss can understand the ferocity required to protect what remains.
Nacho didn't know the full story, but he heard the absolute conviction in Leon's voice. "The members of Lionheart follow you because you gave us back our dignity and a purpose worth fighting for. If the Shadow's plans come to fruition, it won't just be your world that ends. Ours will too. We all understand that. It's why no one has even thought about quitting." He offered a small, wry grin. "Though it does mean we'll be relying on you to lead the charge, time and again."
Leon's laugh was a short, sharp sound in the dry air. "I'll lead as many charges as it takes."
Their conversation faded as the team followed the energy trail for over two hours. The air grew progressively hotter and thicker with the smell of sulfur.
"Captain," Martin called from the front, his voice tense. "The energy signature is intensifying. We're approaching the very center of the Flaming Valley."
Leon moved to the head of the group and looked ahead. The path opened into a massive, chaotic gorge, at the heart of which stood a cluster of volcanoes, their peaks smoldering ominously against the hazy sky. The geological texts described the Flaming Valley's volcanoes as dormant, but the raw heat radiating from this place suggested otherwise.
After a moment's assessment, Leon issued his orders. "We'll split into two teams. One will stay here at the mouth of the gorge to secure our retreat and act as backup. The other will follow me in to investigate the source."
"Understood, Captain," Nacho confirmed, already moving to organize the split.
As the team divided, Leon led his chosen group forward into the oppressive heat of the volcanic gorge.
Meanwhile, high on a cliff overlooking the gorge, a figure stood observing them. Her white dress, impossibly pristine, fluttered in the scorching updrafts like a tongue of pale flame. Long hair flowed over her shoulders as she watched Leon and his team, small as ants below.
A faint, cold smile curved Queen Elizabeth's lips as she whispered into the swirling heat,
"Burn in the fire, Cosmodeous."