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Questions shot through the crowd like bullets, as people wondered what had happened and how long it had been. The guards were quickly losing control of the situation, as people began to become belligerent. To lose out on a night may be one thing, but the city appeared as if it had been abandoned for years.

Nobody seemed to know what to do, as the guards tried their best to ignore their own worries and calm the people. The mayor was still in the clearing with Philips to make sure everyone got to Faelde safely. Leo could tell that the pressure would just keep building until something bad happened.

He didn’t have much confidence in his public speaking skills, but he had to do something before these people tore themselves apart in fear. He went to the Faelde city side of the trail and walked up to one of the sparse trees.

Marem looked on in confusion, as he gripped the middle of the tree trunk. It took considerable effort to tear it evenly, but Leo was able to split the tree in half without destroying it. This quickly drew the attention of nearby members of the crowd.

They looked on in awe as he threw the oak trunk aside. The heavy thud turned more heads to Leo, as he climbed onto stump. Leo felt his heart pound against his chest as he drew the attention of these people. Leo was a kid who struggled to give a presentation on eukaryotes, but he decided to trust in himself to regain order.

“PEOPLE OF FAELDE CITY, HELLO!” shouted Leo.

His voice thundered throughout the crowd, and it demanded the attention of all that heard him. The people’s fear and panic had paused for just a moment as Leo pulled their focus.

“MY NAME IS LEO EULE, AND EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY!”

He saw the closest people recoil at his voice, as his screaming seemed to pound into their heads. While he hadn’t meant to startle people, it did seem to draw even more attention from the crowd. The muttering and rumors had come to a stop, as every person now had their eyes on him.

Leo took a breath, “I’m certain some of you recognize me, as I was there to greet the first people to awaken. I’m also the one who cleared the path that you have traveled through. I know you’re all concerned, but trust me when I say that everything will be alright.”

“You have been gone for two weeks, but the city still stands. For now, we just need people to go to the city. The mayor will be able to tell you what happened when the time comes, and he will be able to repair the city. You have each other, and that is all you need.”

Leo felt himself sweat as the gaze of the crowd threatened to reduce him to ash. He was never skilled at public speaking, yet he felt hopeful that his speech would help calm the people down. The crowd seemed to mellow out once Leo took control of the situation. Their frightened faces were uncertain, but they were no longer panicked.

Once Leo stepped off his makeshift podium, the guards were quick to move. They shot orders and commands through the air as people began to make their way to the city. Their journey was spearheaded by armored guards who kept their swords drawn and nerves steeled.

Leo and Marem regrouped and moved to the front of the crowd. They gathered stares and whispers as they made their way ahead. They managed to catch up to the front of the group as they approached the city gates.

The guards stared at Leo with apprehension. He’d taken control of the situation, but they had no idea who he was or if he was telling the truth. They kept an eye on him as they organized themselves into groups.

While they designated teams to sweep through first, Leo and Marem walked past them into the city. The guards were frozen in confusion as the two were making their way downtown. A few guards attempted to stop them, but they were walking fast. They strutted by as the guard’s faces pass.

“Don’t worry, the city should be safe in the daylight,” called out Marem.

The two hurried through the cracked stone roads. Each step sent shockwaves of excitement through the air. They ignored shattered windows and torn carts as they dashed to the mayor’s office.

There were a few people sitting outside who noticed their approach. Some of them waved at the two with excitement, but the rest sprung a concerned look. The survivors were confused as to what was causing Marem and Leo’s dash.

“Hey, guys, it’s over,” exclaimed Leo.

A survivor gave him a perplexed look, “What’s over?”

“This,” Leo answered.

The survivors took a second before realization dawned upon them. They looked at his smile in disbelief, but they couldn’t doubt the sheer joy that was on Leo’s face. By the time Leo had run past to go inside, tears were being shed by the group.

Marem and Leo called out through the grand halls of the mayor’s office. They quickly drew the attention of the people inside, as even those who were asleep started to stir. The main room was already filled with people, yet even more survivors started to pour in.

All eyes in the room were transfixed on Marem and Leo as the duo drew in as many people as possible. Leo wanted Marem to be the one to announce the news, but he felt her nudge him towards the crowd. He looked back at her but only found a supportive smile in return.

Leo felt his excitement bubble up as he looked at the group’s faces, “I know you all have been through a lot, and last night was already one filled with heavy emotions. You’ve been forced to survive in this city and protect yourselves from monsters for the past few weeks.”

He stared into the crowd and felt peace at the crowd staring back. Their faces were scarred with trauma from these past few weeks, yet they still had hope glimmering in their eyes. Leo had never considered himself to be a hero, but he couldn’t deny how happy he felt having helped these people out.

“I bring this up to tell you that this nightmare has finally come to an end. We have found and brought back the people of Faelde city, and they are entering through the city gates as we speak.”