A Shattered Bond

“Stay close, Leo!” Jorin’s voice quivered with urgency as they sprinted through the twisting alleys of Eldoria, her auburn hair flying behind her like a beacon. Her green eyes, usually so full of warmth, were now clouded with fear.

“I’m right behind you!” Leo shouted, clutching his wooden practice sword. The narrow streets seemed to close in on them, the grandeur of Eldoria’s spires feeling like an oppressive cage.

They rounded a corner and skidded to a halt. A group of heavily armored guards, their breastplates shimmering with dark enchantments, blocked their path. “Look at these urchins,” one guard sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. “The city’s refuse.”

“What did we do?” Leo’s voice trembled as he tried to protect Jorin, whose simple, elegant robe was now dirtied and torn. Despite her fear, her gaze remained steady.

Jorin stepped forward, her voice firm despite her trembling. “We’re only practicing our swordplay. We haven’t done anything wrong. Please, just let us go.”

The guards ignored her pleas. The leader of the group raised his hand, and a barrier of swirling dark magic encased them, its energy crackling menacingly. “You’re a disturbance to the city’s order. You’ll be dealt with.”

Before Leo could react, the guards advanced. They roughly grabbed him, their hands gripping him with a merciless strength. Leo struggled, trying to fend them off with his wooden sword, but it was no use. The guards’ grip was unyielding.

“Let go of me!” Leo shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the clamor of the guards’ armor and their harsh laughter. They dragged him away from Jorin, who watched with wide, terrified eyes.

Jorin reached out, her face pale with desperation. “Leo, please! Don’t take him!”

One of the guards pushed Jorin aside with a harsh shove, and she stumbled, her pleas fading into tears. “Hold on, Jorin!” Leo called out as he was pulled further away, but the distance grew, and his voice was swallowed by the city’s noise.

The guards forced Leo through the dark, winding streets, their grip unrelenting. Despite his struggles, he was powerless against their strength. As they marched him toward a fortified building at the city’s edge, Leo’s heart ached with the weight of the separation from Jorin. The dream they had shared seemed to slip further out of reach with each step.

The guards led him into a dimly lit holding cell, the door clanging shut behind him with a final, echoing thud. The cell was cold and damp, its walls covered in ancient runes that pulsed faintly with dark magic. Leo sank to the floor, his wooden sword now lying useless beside him.

He stared at the cold, stone walls, his mind racing with thoughts of Jorin. He could still hear her cries faintly in his ears, a reminder of the bond they shared and the hope they had dreamed of. Despite the harsh reality of his situation, Leo vowed to himself that he would find a way to escape and fulfill their dreams, no matter the cost.

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