Summoning

Four years have slowly passed by since Leo's birth in the world of his favorite book.

For four years, he and his mother had been locked up in the cold palace dungeon— away from the light of day.

For four years, Leo had committed himself to reading abandoned scrolls and books in the crib to enhance his knowledge and as well impress his father who he had not set eyes on since the night he arrived.

Every single day, the event from that night always replayed in his head and he received no subtle answer as to why he and his mother were banished to the most deadly region of their clan.

He wasn't allowed to step out of the towering walls of the dungeon into the clan village to reach out to the external world.

Leo and his mother were appointed a maid to tender to their entire need. Her name was Zillah, a petite young woman who was the kindest to Leo and Lady Layla.

Zillah would travel miles into the clan village to get food portions and basic amenities to tend to their needs, but the situation of things changed when Lady Layla's health began to deteriorate and she was aging faster than she should.

Leo was extremely concerned about his mother's health and he sought to venture into the clan village and meet his father— the Duke.

The night he attempted to walk out of the dungeon wall, he was stopped by Alex— the fore guard put in place to watch over Leo without break.

Alex has taught Leo basic knowledge about the outside world over the years and Leo had grown very fond of him, but that night was different.

Alex was standing in his way defiantly.

"I have to get to my father, Alex!" Leo charged.

Alex unsheathed his sword a little and its blade glistened sharply at the ray touch of the moonlight seeping through a crack into the dungeon wall.

"I shall not allow that."

"Stand out of my way!" Leo said with a stern look in his eyes. "I am your god— you dare not disobey me."

Alex took a step backwards, the weight of Leo's decree holding him back. He was suddenly at a loss for words at the child's defiant attitude and the crude look that filled his eyes.

Leo was just four years old, but he had the aura to make him take a minute to think about his next course of action.

"I serve your father and not you, Leo. The moment you step out of this dungeon, you die!"

Leo lowered his gaze at Alex, furious he dared to stand in his way. All he wanted was an audience with the Duke, his father about his mother's failing health.

According to the tale Zillah had told him before he was born, Lady Layla was his father's favorite out of all seven wives he had claimed for himself.

He couldn't understand what had changed in the plot for his father to make such a decision about his banishment.

But then again, he was a side character in the book and the plot from the early arc never revolved around his character until the later chapters.

Of all of Duke Alaric Thorian Hawthorne's children, only two had major roles in the book while he barely got enough script-time.

All that mattered to him there in that moment was finding a solution to his mother's ailment and Alex was solely standing in the way.

Seeing Leo's body reaction rise as the silence gnawed around them, Alex continued unsheathing his sword, ready to strike the child as per the Duke's command.

The gate bars that led to the inner court of the dungeon opened and some soldiers marched in.

They were the Duke's soldiers and they came bearing a letter for Leo.

Lady Layla crawled out of her sick bed and groped Leo in her arms to protect him from the uninvited guests.

Alex jumped in front of them immediately, carefully guarding Leo and his mother while his shadow loomed over Leo entirely.

He was ready to strike whosoever wanted to take Leo away from his mother forcefully while Zillah trembled heavily, knocking off the bowl of water and towel she had been using to tender Lady Layla's rising temperature.

The leader of the army began reading the letter for all to hear without any introductory parade.

"Tomorrow being the beginning of your fifth year in this world, Duke Alaric Thorian Hawthorne has summoned you to a banquet and you are to honor his invitation to the clan castle without fail."

"What?!" Alex uttered, confused about Leo's sudden summon for the first time since he had been banished.

That night, Lady Layla wouldn't let Leo out her arms as she was heavily disturbed about Leo's journey outside the dungeon wall for the first time.

Within the four years of living inside the walls, Layla had forced herself to believe the walls were probably a way to protect her son from the dangers looming on the outside.

She had not seen her beloved husband— the Duke in four years, but it was all worth the wait with her son in her life even though she wasn't given a clear stance as to why he had decided to oust her and their son.

She could easily forgive the Duke for this, but she wouldn't do the same if he were to hurt Leo instead of her.

For Leo, it was exactly what he wanted; to meet with his father and make him know about her failing health with a cure in hand while he came back for her.

"The moment you step out of this dungeon, you die." Leo said to Alex as they rode in a carriage into the clan village.

Alex forced himself to smile, his words coming back to taunt him through Leo. He was surprised Leo was well composed despite seeing the world outside the dungeon walls for the first time and he wondered;

'He is just a four year old kid, how can he contain himself at the sight of the world outside the dungeon walls he had been cooped in all his life?

He doesn't seem bothered about his sudden summon either. What exactly is Leo made of?'