Leo woke with a start, his heart pounding in his chest as if he had just awoken from a nightmare. 

His eyes darted around, taking in the familiar surroundings of his bedroom in the castle of Bastion. 

The sunlight filtered through the heavy curtains, casting a warm glow on the stone walls. Slowly, he lifted his hands to his face, staring at them in disbelief. 

They were smooth, unblemished—free of the scars that had once marked the countless battles he had fought.

"I really did come back ten years into the past," Leo muttered under his breath, the reality of his situation settling in like a weight on his shoulders. The reflection in the mirror off to the side of his bed confirmed what he already knew. 

His hair was shorter, just as it had been when he was nineteen. It was as if the last decade had never happened.

Throwing off the covers, Leo swung his legs out of bed, the cold stone floor sending a shiver up his spine. 

Before he could process his next move, the doors to his chambers creaked open. A group of maids entered, their eyes bright with the morning's anticipation.

"Good morning, Your Highness!" they said in unison, bowing their heads in greeting.

Leo blinked, his mind racing. These were faces he hadn't seen in years, some of them lost in the tragedies that were yet to come. He felt a pang of emotion, but quickly buried it. 

He couldn't afford to be distracted.

"Apologies, but I need some time to myself. You're all excused for today," he said, his voice firm yet kind.

The maids exchanged confused glances but obeyed, slowly backing out of the room. Once the door clicked shut, Leo exhaled a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. 

He needed a moment to think, to plan. Without hesitation, he walked into the adjoining bathroom.

As the warm water cascaded over his skin, Leo's thoughts began to settle into place. 

Auriella. That was where he needed to start. 

If he was truly back in the past, there was still time to change everything. The battles, the losses, the betrayals—he could stop it all. 

But how?

Leo's mind raced through possibilities as he bathed, meticulously crafting a plan. He needed to find his way to Auriella before anything else. 

She was the key to a happy future for not only the two of them, but the world of Paxana itself.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, in Naverra, Auriella slowly opened her eyes to the familiar surroundings of her quarters in the capital's barracks. The first thing she noticed was the morning light streaming through the small window beside her bed. She pushed herself up and opened the window, the cool morning breeze brushing against her face as she gazed out at the city of Quintenia, Naverra’s capital. 

The bustling streets below, the towering spires in the distance—it was all exactly as she remembered it.

"I'm really back home," she whispered, a small smile playing on her lips. But the smile quickly faded as the door to her room burst open.

"Auri! Wake u—Oh, you're awake already! Come on then, get dressed! Hurryyyyyy!" a voice rang out.

Auriella turned to see Oriana, her childhood friend, standing in the doorway with her usual exuberance. 

Oriana's light pink skin, matching eyes and hair, and the small pink wings on her back were all too familiar. She hadn't changed a bit. 

The long pink tail that ended in a heart shape swayed behind her as she bounced on her toes, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Oriana," Auriella said flatly, raising an eyebrow, "what's got you this excited so early in the morning?"

"Huh? You don't know? How could you forget about Neucurion Day?" Oriana asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Auriella's mind raced as the name rang a bell. "That's today?" she thought aloud, realization dawning on her. 

Neucurion Day was an important event for the demon army, a day when the elite group known as The Infernal Ten left their lofty tower to judge the soldiers who had been put forward for promotion. 

It was a day of celebration and competition, but also one of tension and uncertainty.

This very Neucurion Day was when she had been promoted to Lieutenant General—one of her proudest moments. 

Auriella’s heart pounded as she remembered what this day had meant for her.

"Yes, that’s today! How could you forget? Now hurry up and get dressed! We don't have all day!" Oriana exclaimed, her voice pulling Auriella out of her thoughts.

"Alright, alright," Auriella sighed, pushing Oriana out of the room so she could get dressed. As she changed into her uniform, her thoughts were a mix of anticipation and anxiety. 

This was the day that had set her on the path that led to so many battles and so much loss. But now, with this second chance, she could do things differently.

Finally ready, she opened the door to find Oriana practically bouncing with impatience. 

"Ready? Now let's hurry before we're lateeeee!" Oriana said, grabbing Auriella’s arm and dragging her towards the practice field used for Neucurion Day.

The practice field was buzzing with activity. Soldiers filled the audience stands, eager to watch the matches and see who would rise through the ranks. 

As Auriella and Oriana found a place to sit, a commanding voice rang out, immediately silencing the crowd.

"Greetings, soldiers of Naverra! Are you ready for this year's Neucurion Day?!" The voice belonged to Valen, the leader of The Infernal Ten. 

His presence alone commanded respect, and his deep, powerful voice carried across the arena through the voice amplifier mana stone rod he held.

The crowd erupted in cheers, their excitement palpable.

"That's what I like to hear!" Valen continued, his voice booming. "Now, for the first round, we have..." He paused, glancing at the cards in his hand. "Larix versus Auriella!"

The cheers grew louder as the names were announced. Oriana gasped and turned to Auriella, her eyes wide with excitement. "Oh my gosh, you're first! Good luck!"

Auriella nodded, standing up and taking a deep breath. Larix. Of course, it would be him. Larix had always seen himself as her rival, though she had never considered him one. 

He was skilled, sure, but he lacked the discipline and focus that made a true warrior.

As Auriella descended the steps to the arena, she couldn’t help but reflect on how many times they had been pitted against each other. It was almost as if Larix had bribed someone to get this opportunity—again. 

But this time, Auriella had the upper hand. She knew exactly how this would play out because she had lived it before.

Larix leaped into the arena from the stands, landing with a dramatic flourish that made a few soldiers in the crowd chuckle. 

He was tall, with skin as pale as the moon, black hair that fell into his equally dark eyes, and four muscular arms that he often flaunted to intimidate his opponents.

"Prepare to taste defeat, Auriella! I WILL win against you this time and finally earn that promotion!" Larix shouted across the arena, his voice dripping with overconfidence.

Auriella sighed, shaking her head. She had forgotten how annoying he could be. His bravado was as grating now as it had been back then.

"Enough chatter, Larix," Auriella called back, a smirk playing on her lips. "You know as well as I do that you can't surpass me."

Her words had the desired effect. 

Larix's eyes narrowed in anger, and he drew his dual swords with a flourish. "Don't patronize me!" he yelled, his rage evident.

From the sidelines, Valen chuckled at their exchange. 

"Begin when you're ready, then," he said, crushing a rare teleportation mana stone in his hand and vanishing from the arena, reappearing in the section reserved for The Infernal Ten.

Auriella drew her sword, the blade gleaming in the sunlight. She met Larix's glare with a calm, steady gaze. 

"Come at me, Larix," she said, her voice cool and confident. "Unless you're scared I'll defeat you too quickly, of course."

Larix's grip tightened on his swords, his knuckles turning white. With a roar of frustration, he charged at her, his four arms moving in a blur of motion. 

Auriella stood her ground, her sword at the ready. She had faced him before, and she knew exactly how this would end.

But this time, she would make sure it ended on her terms.