In the Enemy’s Mind

"Who are you, girl? Hey!" Aragon asked in a sharp tone, his eyes narrowing as he studied the figure before him.

"Forgive me!" the girl replied with a nervous smile, raising her hands in a gesture of peace. "But I've finally found you. I've been traveling through all these memories inside your mind... though, wow, what a peculiar mind you have."

"Answer me: who are you?" Aragon insisted, his voice laced with annoyance but also curiosity.

"Oh, my name is Leila," she said quickly, as if afraid he might interrupt her again. "I'm part of the group that was fighting your pupil, The Dark Knight. He's under someone's control, just like the others."

"How did you do that, girl?" Aragon asked, his tone softer now, a mix of amazement and suspicion.

"Ah, now I remember. You're the psychic girl," he murmured, recalling fragments of the previous battle. "Why did you enter my mind?"

"I seized the moment when your forces clashed!" Leila explained enthusiastically, as if it were obvious. "I wanted to get into your minds to prevent a tragedy and, well, talk to both of you—especially your pupil. Maybe we can reach his consciousness and snap him out of the trance while my friends search for a cure. You'll see, everything will work out." She grinned widely, exuding a blend of youthful confidence and hope.

"Hmm, girl. I hope, for your sake, that you manage to cure him," Aragon replied coldly. "Besides, I'm your enemy."

"Yes, I know," Leila responded without hesitation. "But I'm always willing to help, even my enemies."

"Fine, where are we?" Aragon asked, glancing around suspiciously.

"Well, this is the mental medium," Leila explained, gesturing with her hands as if trying to encompass everything. "It's an intermediate link between your minds. I'm still not very skilled at this; I'm in training. I connected just in time while Larot was losing control, and you were ready to die for him. It seems like you know him very well, like a son."

"Listen, and what happened to your story after you left that castle?" Leila suddenly added, changing the subject with genuine curiosity. "That story was superb, sad but good, like the books I've read."

"Yes, girl, he's like a son to me," Aragon admitted with a heavy sigh. "But don't waste any more of my time. I need to find my disciple. I want solutions, not idle chatter."

"Alright, what an old grump," Leila muttered under her breath, though loud enough for Aragon to hear. Then, putting on a look of concentration, she glanced to one side and said, "This way." Suddenly, a path opened before them, illuminated by a faint light. They both hurried forward.

When they arrived, everything was dark. In the center, a kneeling figure cried silently, surrounded by dense shadows that seemed to absorb any trace of light.

"Who is that boy?" Leila asked, leaning slightly forward.

Aragon didn't respond. He rushed toward the youth with urgency, falling to his knees in front of him. "Lingo! You're back! What are you doing here? Why are you like this? Are you reliving your past, like I did?" Aragon asked, his voice heavy with concern.

"No, I don't know," Leila admitted. "The truth is, I could only reach this place. Every time I tried to go deeper, everything turned dark and repelled me. I don't know what it is, but we need to solve it soon. My ability has a time limit."

"I understand," Aragon murmured, placing a firm hand on the youth's shoulder and slowly lifting him up. He forced the boy to look into his eyes, trying to bring him back to reality.

The young man, Lingo, trembled as he muttered broken words. "I made everyone lose… I lost everyone… Aragon, Lord Zeus, especially him—he was so kind to me… And the others. Forgive me…" he continued, his voice barely audible.

"It's a very strong trance," Aragon said calmly, though his eyes reflected deep concern. "Please, boy, look at me. I'm not dead. It's me, Aragon."

"Lord Aragon? Is that really you?" Lingo asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Yes, Lingo, I'm here to rescue you and bring you back to my side," Aragon assured him firmly.

"That's not true. You died. That's what he told me," Lingo replied, his voice trembling.

"Calm down, Lingo, or Sir Larot, as we named you. Tell me, why is this thing tormenting you?" Aragon asked, his tone soft yet demanding.

"That thing… It's everywhere," the boy whispered fearfully, his eyes wide with terror.

Suddenly, the dark walls began to vibrate, and from them emerged hundreds of black spiders that swarmed over Lingo like a ravenous cloud. They completely covered him, their tiny but numerous bodies forming a dense layer that seemed to drain his energy.

"That's new!" Leila exclaimed, watching in horror as the creatures surrounded him. "I won't let them touch you or drown you in that hatred and darkness, boy," Aragon declared firmly. A golden aura began to emanate from his body, shining brightly like a rising sun. It was the power of AURA, enveloping both him and the boy in a warm, purifying light.

The spiders retreated, repelled by the radiant energy. Aragon placed a protective hand on Lingo's shoulder and spoke to him in a soothing voice: "They won't harm you anymore, boy."

But Lingo continued to cry, tears streaming down his pale cheeks. "It's not just them… The voice torments me," he murmured desperately. A voice echoed through the walls, reverberating where they stood.

Aragon expanded his power further, cleansing the darkness that invaded the mental space. The shadows slowly dissolved, revealing what had once been walls. Now, instead of empty barriers, the face of Maos, the mad scientist who had been manipulating Lingo, appeared. His expression was cold and relentless, as if he were part of the same darkness he sought to control.

"You, damn mad scientist! What did you do to my student?" Aragon shouted, his voice brimming with fury.

"It seems he can't hear you," Leila noted, though her tone suggested something wasn't adding up.

To their surprise, however, Maos responded, his voice resonating like a distorted echo. "So, it was you, girl, who entered Larot's mind and brought along a guest. That's why everything stopped outside," Maos said, looking at them with a mocking smile.

"Why are you controlling Lingo?" Aragon demanded, clenching his fists tightly.

"Lingo belongs to Lord Zeus, and he is the only one who can do as he pleases with the boy," Maos sneered, mocking them. "You won't be able to free this child from the control he's under. He has already been exposed to a massive dose of my toxin. He won't ever be the same. He'll die at any moment."

He paused, savoring each word before continuing. "He has lasted longer than the others because he's also a high-ranking Metalux with immense power, but he's still just a toy for the master. However, I've been given an even better gift: you'll be trapped in his mind forever. I won't have to waste this boy's life, and I can conduct all the experiments I please."

Before vanishing, Maos added cruelly, "Since you're going to die here, I'll tell you a secret about the master. He ordered the massacre of your clan." Then he let out a chilling laugh.

"What? That's not possible... How? Why?" Aragon muttered, his mind struggling to process the information.

"Do you know why?" Maos continued, reveling in Aragon's anguish. "He knew that if you suffered a significant loss, it would be easier to manipulate you. Besides, he's been watching all of you for a long time. Well, I must go. I need to proceed with Zeus's plans. It's a shame you won't be around for the next phase of his scheme."

With those words, Maos's face disappeared, leaving Aragon engulfed in a mix of rage and despair. "Damn it... How could this be? Did Zeus lie to me? And worst of all, I believed him. I worked for the very being who ordered my family's murder. This can't be true..." he murmured, his voice breaking.

"Get a hold of yourself!" Leila exclaimed, slapping him to bring him back to reality. "What we need to do now is escape from here and save your student."

At that moment, Maos reappeared on the screens, his sinister smile wider than ever. "Ah, one more thing: you won't be alone. Goodbye."

As he vanished, the mental space began to fill with copies of Sir Larot, all ready to attack. They leaped toward where Aragon, Leila, and Lingo stood, moving with superhuman speed.

"Leila, protect Lingo!" Aragon commanded, preparing for battle. His fists were enveloped in auric energy, glowing with a golden brilliance. "I hope your friends find a cure for Lingo. I'll handle this."

With a cry of determination, Aragon launched the first strike, confronting the copies of his own disciple, while Leila shielded the trembling boy, silently praying that time wouldn't run out on them.