The Conquerors Path

"So what? she's not much to me"

A small sentence yet its result was far too devastating, inside the cupboard, Sonia's eyes widened, she clutched her heart pain beyond anything she ever felt went through her body filling her with a sense of loss, the words Leonardo casually spoke were ringing in her ears, she could clearly see it from here, his expression almost seemed to wrap into disgust when he spoke of her,

"Um? and here I was under the impression that you two were close"

Just as Sonia was falling into an endless spiral of depression, she heard Austin's words, his words contained a hint of anger for her, mechanically turning her head she could see a frown on his face,

"Well that's what I wanted to show, she's more like a little puppy that I keep by my side"

Leonardo spoke with a condescending voice, trying his best to act like he doesn't care about Sonia, with his performance he will make sure that Austin will lose all interest in Sonia, while inside the cupboard Sonia could feel her heart being broken into pieces, her breathing turned rampant, while tears started to fall down her face,

'Why?'

Such a question filled her heart, did he really not see her as anything? was she just running behind this person like an idiot? cracks started appearing on the perfect image she had built over Leonardo, her mind seemed to be breaking down, and the world around her quickly to lose color, the love that filled her heart started to break away,

"You are much different than I thought you were, did you know that Sonia loves you? do you know that she works day and night in the academy to be closer to you?"

"Do you know that she breaks her bones fighting? do you know that she doesn't have any other friend other than Clara? all this so that she could be close to you, looks like I thought much of you"

Austin's words were heard, his eyes bearing into Leonardo's, Sonia's mind shook when she heard it, she could clearly hear anger hidden in Austin's words, more than this she felt her heart settle as she heard Austin's words, she felt like someone had finally seen her efforts but how did he know?.

It was then that she remembered, ever since she arrived in the Academy she would train till night, only stopping when she fainted, then afterward she would wake up in the infirmary, not knowing who brought her here, she had asked the nurse but she was tight-lipped about who brought her, the only thing the nurse told her was that the person that brought her here was a boy and he was really handsome.

Back then she had thought that it must have been Leonardo who was secretly looking after her but now thinking back, she seemed to understand, the blurry image of silver hair got brighter and her memory brightened about a super handsome boy carrying her to the infirmary, plus now she thought about it, did her bullying just stop because of joining the faction, suddenly several scenes connected in her mind.

'It was him.....'

This thought filled her heart, making it burst open, her eyes focused on Austin that was facing Leonardo, who was by now confused, looking at Austin he felt taken back by his anger, this was different than he thought but then he noticed a very clear hidden small smile on his lips and then he understood,

Austin was trying to bring his true feelings out!

Quickly focusing on himself, Leonardo reeled himself back, a look of disdain filling them,

"Why should I care? is she worthy of me? after all I didn't tell her to chase after me"

If he didn't know about Austin, Leonardo would never behave like this, after all, he was in love with Elda and he wouldn't want to make her brother angry but now all he wanted was to whip out his sword and kill the person in front of him but for now, he held himself back, not knowing the disaster he was causing.

Back in the cupboard, Sonia felt her heart completely shatter, looking at the face of Leonardo all she felt was...nothing, complete stillness, and loss filled her, she felt like an empty shell.

She was finally able to see the true face of the person she had loved, he was different than how she knew, how could she have fallen for him? why did she try all this? what was she to do now?.

For a person whose entire desire was to catch to the person she loves, losing the very goal made her lose herself, the world lost color, her mind shattered, she slid herself to the ground, curling herself into a ball, tears raining down her face, her sobs filling the cupboard, her eyes lost and dead, she felt disgusted at the fact that she had fallen in love with such a scum.

Were her eyes blind? was all her efforts for nothing? all those time she spent training? all the time she cried into her pillows due to loneliness? the pain that filled her body from her fights? was all that useless? was her entire life just a joke?.

Darker thoughts filled Sonia's mind but then she heard Austin's voice that was barely holding back his anger,

"You get out! to think I let her be with you, I thought that me having feelings for Sonia wouldn't matter, since she was focused on you but now I regret it!"

"So what? she's blindly in love with me, whatever you say won't change that fact, plus you can have her for all I care"

Leonardo replied, still thinking that Austin was trying to get a reaction out of him, while Sonia felt her heart shake with Austin's words, she couldn't believe what she had heard, Austin likes her? the darker thoughts in her mind seemed to freeze but the pain still filled her when she heard Leonardo's words, it wasn't easy to throw out years of feelings away,

"Get Out!"

Austin roared and Leonardo just walked out, Sonia could hear the sound of the door closing, while she just curled herself into a ball, tears falling down her face, her sobbing was heard, by now she had lost all her inhibition,

"Um.....what's that sound?"

Austin spoke startling Sonia and before she could reach the cupboard opened, making her eyes freeze as she came upon Austin, who was looking at her with surprise, panic-filled his eyes for a moment but then as he gazed at the pitiful Sonia he spoke,

"Did you hear all that?"

He didn't get an answer only the sound of crying filled his ears.