𝑳𝒆𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒅𝒚| ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 2

State of Mind

"Fuck, I don't-" I mumble, the world tilts and I end up holding onto the wall of the castle corridor for support. Ahead of me, Leon stops and lowers his gun, his eyes flash with concern as he quickly walks to me and presses a comforting hand on my arm.

"Can you breathe? Tell me what I can do." He asks, his voice controlled but I can see the worry in his face, he can't hide anything from me and I don't know whether to be glad about it or not.

"I'm fine, I just need a sec to-" I begin, but my limbs suddenly feel so heavy, my knees buckle but before I fall to the floor Leon grabs me and scoops me up. His head looks up and down the corridor, with me being like this we're sitting ducks, and anyone could kill us easily.

I wrap an arm around Leon's neck, my head pounding, I look to see my arms covered with black veins, I whimper and force my eyes shut, burying my face into Leon's neck. "It's alright, we just need to keep going."

I shake my head, taking deep breaths as Leon hurriedly opens a nearby door, he pokes his head in to check, then enters still carrying me. It looks to be some kind of lounge area, so Leon sets me down on a plush cream sofa in front of a roaring fire. Sweat trickles down my head, it must be a fever because it's freezing outside, but I feel ready to combust.

Leon kneels beside me on the floor, taking my hand in his. "We'll beat this, just hold on for a while." My breathing becomes ragged, I've never felt so ill in my life. Leon reaches out and carefully sets a soothing hand on my forehead, his hands are cold and it's a momentary bliss. I think I nudge my head up like a cat, but everything is becoming hazy.

"I...you need to go save Ashley, she's the priority." I manage to gasp out. Leon genuinely looks conflicted, his eyes scan my face and his jaw locks, I can almost hear the debate he's having in his head, but I know he just needs a little nudge. "I'll be okay here, you can come back with the cure or whatever, I'm not exactly going anywhere."

Leon frowns as I force a smile, his hand squeezes mine as he looks at me like I'm a dying woman. Hey, maybe I am. "It won't take long. You've gotta promise me to stay safe and swear you'll hold on."

I nod, and use all my effort to hold up my hand, Leon's brows knit together as I wave my pinky finger. "I pinky promise to stay alive, besides I can't die, I'm not letting anyone else have you."

Leon almost smiles, but instead he links his pinky with mine and leans down to press a kiss to my head. "I'm all yours." He murmurs, he watches me for a second longer as I tense up in pain, then he grabs a nearby blanket and shakes it off before covering me with it. I shudder and grip it for dear life, barely acknowledging Leon's departure.

The pain only gets worse, and now I'm alone I don't have to hide how I truly feel. I whimper and cry, my head keeps pounding and I sit up just in time to be sick over the side of the sofa, blood covers the rug, and my eyes blur as I slide off and fall to the floor, darkness consuming me...

Obey.
Defend our people.
Do what is right. What is sacred.

No, these thoughts aren't my own, I'm not in the right state of mind. I open my eyes to see myself standing in the castle corridor. How did I get here?

I blink, then I'm walking up some stone steps, the sky is practically pitch black now, at least an hour or two have passed since I last was awake. How am I walking? I don't remember getting up, I don't even know who I am.

A boat. I'm on a boat, there's a person next to me, he's big, muscled, a nasty scar on his face, he looks military. I look down as we speed across the water, Ashley lies tied and passed out. Ashley, I must save-

I gasp and open my eyes. I blink, looking around I'm standing in some kind of stone cave, I look forward to see Ashley lying on some stone altar, Leon's there too, reaching out to her, his eyes on me. Frantic. Scared. Angry. He can't move, it's the Plaga, good.
Wait no, not good.
Fuck, it's taken over me.

I watch as Lord Saddler enters my view, I try to move but I can't, it's like I'm not myself, a puppet on a string. Lord Saddler circles Leon as I stand and watch, he glances at me and my hands involuntary move on their own, I pull out my knife and step to Leon. He watches as I struggle, my breath comes fast as I shake, my hand rises as the tip of my knife points over Leon's heart.

"N-no." I cry, tears fall down my cheeks but I can't sob like I want to. Saddler smiles as he nods, as if telling me to do it. To murder the man I love.

My elbow pulls back, ready to stab. I gasp as the blade moves, but at the last second I use every ounce of strength I have to move, and I crash to the floor.

Saddler shouts out, just as a woman in red shoots and distracts him. Leon hauls me up, I stumble but have some control as he grabs Ashley, he lugs her over his shoulder as he pulls my arm, dragging me to safety as the woman helps us.

My body tells me to abandon them. To go back to Saddler or kill them. But I force myself forward, my nails dig into my palms as I follow Leon to Luis' lab. Once in, I fall to the floor in agony, worse than before, and once again darkness consumes me.

I wake to two figures standing over me and a bright light. "I thought I'd end up in hell for all the insults I said during a game of Mario Kart." I groan, suddenly one figure leans down and wraps her arms around me. Ashley.

"You're forgiven." Ashley mumbles with a laugh, she sniffles as I hug her back and sit up, when she pulls away Leon immediately falls to his knees and envelopes me into a hug. Ashley clears her throat and steps back, giving us space.

"Do you know how fucking scared I was?" Leon angrily mumbles, but the anger isn't directed at me. He's terrified, his shoulders shake and I'm honestly shook at his lack of composure. I squeeze him as he presses his head to my stomach, as if trying to hide from the world by getting as close to me as possible.

"I did pinky promise to stay alive." I whisper, my voice thick with tears. Leon lets out a shaky sigh and looks up at me.

"Never again will I lose you." He tells me determinedly. I nod, cupping his face as his glazed eyes clear, I smile and lean down to kiss him, he meets me halfway and pours everything into it.

I pull back, then stand on wobbly legs. Leon helps me get my balance, wrapping an arm around my waist as I grip onto him. "Wait, where's my knife?"

Leon gives me a pointed look. "I took it away after you tried to kill me."

I smile sheepishly, "I did say nobody but me has your heart."

Leon's lips twitch as Ashley looks at us both, "Awww, you're both so sweet." She happily says, pressing her hands together as her nose crinkles. Leon looks mortified but I laugh and grab his hand before heading to the door.

"Glad that we're all cured, but I've got a narcissistic, fucked up monstrosity of an  asshole to kill. Unless anyone wants to keep him as a pet?"

Leon and Ashley look at each other oddly before shaking their heads and letting me go first through the door.