Solflare: The Painter's Secret

Wood crackled in the Storm Mansion courtyard as the dying fig tree's branches shook heavily.

Browned leaves drifted from the ground and plummeted around the blazing purple light. Scales clicked as countless blue scales lingered beneath the burning purple flames. "LEON STORM!"

Concussive air waved out of the folding scales. The blue glow tripled and overthrew the purple.

From within the scaling blue glows, a shimmering leg dashed out and slammed on the ground with a blast.

Gravel and stone hidden beneath the crevices of the earth trembled and burned as the feet landed on the surface. "Show yourself, STORM!"

Angry lava gushed out of the earth as thick veined arms pierced through the scaling blue light.

The moment a scaled chest pierced through the blinding blue light, the walls of the mansion trembled.

Tree roots uprooted from the ground and fell one after another as if fleeing from a demon.

Glass shattered from the front of the mansion. Window sills rained shards onto the ground.

Strands of white air flashed upward when the thick curtain frayed. Zoe's heart pounded heavily when she saw the Blue Flamed Dragon standing in front of the fountain. "No!"

Two drops of tears trailed down her cheeks when she saw the dragon holding the severed head of his son, Tiger, like a trophy.

Black smoke swayed from the ground beneath Zoe when Leon moved two steps forward. "So, he took his own life."

The sight of Tiger's head triggered memories of the Agatha Special Force death pit.

Metal clicked on the top floor of the Storm Mansion when Leon placed his first step at the doorpost.

Pink light gushed out of Zoe's eyes as she brushed her palms on her cheeks. "Leon, this isn't you."

Saliva snaked down her throat as she gulped and saw a flash of golden blade reel from the staircase like a ghost.

The abandoned Hi-no-Kami moved past Zoe like unquenchable flames.

When it reached one foot away from Leon, it stopped and hummed. Golden light reeled out of its hilt and carved thin lines in the blades to hone its wielder with a power that brings erasure.

Sparkling glows lingered around it as the thin light reeled to the tip of the blade before stopping.

"Dad." The hair on Leon's arms rose as he closed his eyes and saw his father looking right at him. "Thank you."

The golden rose outline on Leon's right wrist glowed as the Hi-no-Kami moved to his right hand.

Chilled air flashed on Leon when the hilt of the golden blade touched his palm. In the depth of his mind, the walls of his inner world trembled as the creator version went to his knees.

The hem of its white robes scraped across the floor with a vibration like thousands of swords fighting. "You don't have to do this."

The scent of lemonade and lava swirled from the white robes as the figure hovered two feet off the ground, still locked in a kneeling posture.

Loud screams tore out of the white robed figure as the lovely memories the original Leon had experienced flashed behind his eyes. "You deserve to live for another thousand years."

Trails of blood rained down on the giant Yrandal gates as black smoke flashed through Leon's inner world, wiping both the walls and the creator version clean.

A faint smile touched the creator's face as its body dissolved into sand. "I will make sure you come back in another century to come."

Half of its body vanished into thin air. The walls, the gate, and every other fraction of Leon's inner world collapsed in on itself.

A black globe formed in Leon's head and began swallowing every last piece of the creator version. A white glow seethed out of Leon and dashed into the darkened clouds before the Creator finished erasing.

Hot rain dripped on the street of Bastion City as the last trail of the Creator's white glow vanished deep into the sky.

Leon's vision hazed as the black glow of the Destroyer took absolute control of him and filled the emptied half of him.

Sharp air flashed out of him and pushed Zoe aside, but she pushed her way through. She sobbed, wrapping her palms tightly around Leon's arms. "Leon, you've got to fight it. THIS IS NOT WHO YOUR FATHER WANTED YOU TO BECOME."

Her pink Soul bloom climbed onto Leon's arms, wanting to restore the part of him that he had killed, but she could not.

Bones crackled within Leon as he shifted a calm gaze to Zoe then smiled. "The me you knew is gone, Zoe Qing."

He shifted his gaze back to the blazing blue scaled human standing twenty feet away. Lily's ghostly face flashed behind his eyes.

"Brother, we need you."

Two hot tears trailed down Leon's eyes as he focused on the pale face. Just as he was about to fight the destroyer version of himself, Dr. Mike's final message to him flashed in his head.

"We need a healthy heart for your sister, and a kidney for your mother."

Leon's dual heart pounded hard against his ribcage as Dr. Mike's statement echoed. The black cloth tapped on Leon's chest and flew to his back, creating a burning halo.

He shifted glances from the flaming blue scaled being to the dark clouds. Leon sighed. "If I cannot get you some of what you need to stay alive, I will sacrifice mine to see you live."

Memories of Li Mei's laughing face and Lily's playful mood flashed behind Leon's eyes as he closed them.

Metal rattled behind Zoe as the Hi-no-Kami with the thin red cloth wrapped around its hilt leaped into the air.

Strands of Zoe's silver gray hair danced as the sword dashed to her side and locked into Leon's left hand.

Zoe sobbed as the black flames from Leon began to overshadow her pink Soul bloom. "No, Leon."

She slowly loosened her grip and stumbled three steps backward with tearful eyes. "The life we wanted will be a waste, Leon."

Her vision hazed as she shifted her gaze from her burned palms to her stomach. "The life your son, our son would have gotten, Leon."

The burnt marks on her arms slowly began to heal as she placed them on her slightly raised stomach.