Leo sat on the chaise in the living area, his gaze lost in the flickering fire, with only his fox, Vega, for company. The distant sounds of children’s laughter and playful screams drifted through the air, a reminder of the life outside. Meanwhile, Trist and their newborn slept peacefully in another room.
What would have once been a dangerous moment of solitude, a time when his thoughts could turn dark and consuming, had become instead a rare moment of stillness. For the first time in what felt like forever, his mind felt empty—quiet. The usual din of voices, the constant clamor of thoughts that had become as familiar to him as his own heartbeat, faded into the background. They were still there, no doubt, but so much a part of him now that he barely noticed them.
From the far corner of the room, a voice broke the silence, cutting through the trance Leo had slipped into. "Yeh be doin' dat more and more of'en."
Leo blinked a few times, as if clearing away the cloudiness from his thoughts. "What are you on about now?" he asked, his voice low, not even bothering to turn and search for the source. He knew that voice all too well.
"Da way yeh look out inta nottin' for so long," the voice continued, its tone thick with an ancient accent. The footsteps came closer, soft and measured, despite the immense size of the Zandalari who owned them. "There be nottin' in yuh eyes when it happens. Like yeh be lost, like yeh be gone somewhere. Where do yeh be goin', Voidsinga?"
Leo sucked at his teeth, a faint twinge of irritation flickering in his eyes. "So I need a reason to enjoy silence now? You used to be so happy to see me find peace in these moments, and—"
"Dat was before them moments became sometin' else. I feel da air aroun' yeh. It gets tick and troublesome."
"Thick and troublesome? Please... you are reading far too into it."
"Okay... so where yeh go den? What was it yeh were tinkin' about just now? No lyin'."
From the moment they met, Zy'chaal had sworn to be honest with him, and Leo had vowed the same in return—no lies between them. "I…" Leo began, his voice faltering, the silence that followed heavy with unspoken tension. Finally, he admitted, "…I don't remember."
Zy'chaal pointed at him, approaching with more assertiveness. "See? Dat not be right. Dere is sometin'. Sometin' happenin' to yeh."
With a long sigh Leo leaned further back into the chaise, "I am just tired- exhausted even. A new baby is rough. I know Trist is doing most of the work but it is still taking a toll on me as well. It'll be over soon in a few months."
"And den it'll be too late."
Suddenly, Leo shot upright in his seat, the abrupt movement sending Vega skittering out of the room. "Stop talking like that! There is. Nothing. Wrong!" Each word dropped like a thunderclap, the final one laced with a growl that rumbled deep in his chest—a warning, primal and raw. His voice, now carrying the edge of his Star-Eater form, sent a shiver through the room. His eyes burned with unbridled fury, and, as the troll had warned earlier, the air around him grew dense, heavy with power.
"Dere it be..." Zy'chaal approached showing little to no fear. He kneeled before Leo and looked at him with worry and sorrow- an expression he's never showed before. "Da raven fear for yeh too."
Leo's nostrils flared, his irritation palpable, but at the mention of the raven, Saiya, his expression softened—if only slightly. His features returned to their usual calm, though the annoyance lingered in his gaze. "If she’s so concerned," he said sharply, "why hasn’t she come to me about this herself?"
"She fears yeh, Voidsinga. She know what yeh are capable of doin' to her if yeh let that power overtake yeh. Best to not be in yeh way when it happens."
A look of guilt crossed Leo's face at the confession, "She really thinks I will succumb to something that much?"
A look of surprise now, "I am fine. I feel great, honestly."
"I taut yeh were tired?" Zy'chaal tilted his head, calling Leo's bluff. "Yeh lied."
Leo stared down at his hands, turning them over as if expecting to see the transformation his companions claimed to witness—but there was nothing. No sign of the monster they feared. His voice wavered as he finally admitted, "I did lie. And I’m… so sorry for that."
Pressing his palms against his face, he let out a heavy sigh, the weight of his guilt pressing down on him. After a moment, he rubbed his face and lowered his hands again, his expression weary.
"It isn't like yeh, Voidsinga. Sometin' is happenin' to yeh. But I will remain 'ere and watch yeh. Just like I promised. I hear dem whispers too. And they be sayin' a lot about yeh. Yeh be important to them and everyone 'ere. Dun let dem take yeh." Zy'chaal placed his large hand at Leo's cheek. "Stay wit us."
Leo raised his hand, letting it rest gently atop the one at his cheek. His gaze locked onto Zy'chaal’s, searching those eyes for the comfort he desperately wanted to find. Every fiber of his being longed to make that promise, to give the reassurance Zy'chaal sought—but something deep within him resisted, a quiet, stubborn force that refused to yield.