augustus

cw: canon typical violence

With the way cleared, Leon carries Nora silently through the bloodied battlefield of rotting corpses with squirming tendrils coming out of their wounds. He feels her tense up on his back at the gruesome sight, and he tightens his grip on her thighs to pull her somehow closer.

“Close your eyes,” he murmurs softly, and she complies by hiding her face in the crook of his neck. A shiver runs through him at the feel, and he hums in approval. 

She doesn't need to see this nightmare of a place.

The agent can sense tiredness overwhelming his muscles, but there is nothing in the world that could stop him from continuing—he must get her to that lab no matter what. And so, he trudges, his boots squelching in pools of blood and gore through the long path to the summit. 

He remembers how he killed each and every one of the corpses lying about, how he showed no mercy to the crazed people that came at him with dangerous weapons and bared teeth. He made sure not to leave a single one standing, because he knew he would need to come back with her, and he could not risk any more danger coming her way.

For a moment, he remembers his mission’s primary goal of saving Ashley, and he can only hope Luis has taken care of her in his absence, since he clearly hasn't been doing job properly. No matter, the young woman on his back is his current priority.

Walking up the steps of the temple as he finally nears his destination, he nearly trips in exhaustion, the dark veins on his skin having spread to every part of him by this point. When Nora does not react to his faltering walk, her body completely limp, he pauses to check on her and realizes through her heavy breathing that she has fallen asleep.

Leon feels a sudden urge to hold her against his chest, and squeeze her tight enough nothing can separate them anymore. Then, he blinks away the weird thought and sighs. 

He’s definitely not okay.

Just as he shakes the oddly crippling feeling of want from his mind, he hears footsteps behind him, and immediately turns on high alert, only to find a familiar face: Ada.

“Leon,” she murmurs, eyeing him curiously with her sultry eyes, her gaze drifting to the sleeping girl he’s carrying, then back to his face.

“Ada,” he responds quietly. He’s already bracing himself for whatever might come her way. He might not have seen her for six years, not since that God forsaken night when she betrayed him, but he is still all too familiar with her ways—no matter if she helped him or not.

“You know, I expected you to show up and offer your assistance at some point, but it seems your hands are full…” she quirks an eyebrow.

“Sorry, I’ve been busy.”

She looks back at the path littered with bodies and nods slowly before turning to gesture at Nora. “Is she okay?”

“I need to get her to Luis’s lab,” he subconsciously tightens his grip on the young woman, “ need to get the parasite out of her.”

Ada tilts her head, a hint of a playful glint in her eyes. “You know you don't look too good either.”

“Yeah, well, I’m kind of used to having shitty days.”

“You really haven't changed, Leon...”

Unspoken questions swim in the man’s mind as the old acquaintance observes him with intrigue. He wants to ask who she’s working for this time that made her end up here, of all places. Especially knowing that whatever job she must be here to complete isn't in the least bit virtuous. But time is not on his side, so with a final nod, he turns to push open the old temple’s doors.

“He’s not dead,” Ada adds in a serious voice. “I ran out of ammunition, and he transformed into something even worse. I had to get out of there.”

Leon exhales through his nose as dread begins to consume him whole, and with a head turn past his shoulder, he murmurs quietly, “then I’ll deal with him.”

Finally, as he begins to shove the gates open, the mercenary moves to silently lend him a hand, walking into the sanctuary alongside him without explanation. Leon can only guess whatever she needs for her personal mission is somewhere inside.

Their boots thud with echoing footsteps in the cavernous chamber. Tall, stone pillars hold the ceiling in place, with giant statues of various hooded figures lining the walls—Saddler’s predecessors. Up a line of steps is an elevated platform with an ornate altar at its center, fit for human sacrifice in the name of the false church.

Leon scoffs at the grandiosity of the place of worship. Clearly these people think highly of themselves if this temple is anything to go by. Ada, walking beside him, purses her lips despite her usual aloof demeanor, indicating she is not pleased with being here either.

“The lab should be through there,” she gestures to an open entryway to the left. 

Sure enough, as the agent tiredly makes his way to the entrance, hoisting Nora up to not lose his secure grip on her, Ashley and Luis come walking out.

“They’re here!” the girl exclaims with a relieved smile, clutching her chest in gratitude.

“Sancho! You made it!” the stubbled-man grins, though his smile quickly fades when he sees the blonde’s tired state as well as the sleeping figure on his back. “Mierda… Is she okay? What happened?”

“Nothing… She’s just resting,” Leon grumbles, not pausing in his steps. He throws a quick glance towards Ashley who appears to be cured, no sign of infection on her body. 

Good. That's one less thing to worry about.

“It’s too quiet in here,” Ada mutters under her breath when not a single ganado shows up to stop them. She expected this place to have more security.

As if on cue, Saddler’s voice suddenly booms through the echoey cave. “It appears the lost lambs have found their way after all. Very well. It’s about time you all join our covenant."

“You just had to say something, didn't you?” Luis whispers at Ada, and she huffs, already aiming her gun at the cult leader.

Leon moves faster despite standing on his last leg—he can't let anything come between him and that lab. Except his body suddenly locks up outside of his will, a pained groan leaving him when every muscle in him cramps. Behind him, Nora stirs awake when she’s afflicted by the same fate, her whimper of agony making him want to claw at his insides to move and protect her.

At the sight of their contorted faces, the Spaniard turns in alarm towards the megalomaniac. He knows he is the one controlling their autonomy and stopping them from moving.

“Why must you reject serenity?” Saddler shakes his head, moving closer to the center of the room. His purple robes sway with each one of his movements as he lowers his hood to reveal gut-churning looking scales on his bald scalp—an appearance akin to an insect’s skin.

He then taps the ground with a staff he holds in hand. It’s taller than him, gold in color and shaped like the cult’s symbol. But what makes it truly egregious looking, are the wiggling fleshy tentacles wrapped around its stem and head, their extremities writhing in the air. 

Saddler seems confident enough in his power that he is not accompanied by bodyguards, only servants whose faces are hidden with cloth, and he eyes the group with a chillingly arrogant smile.

“To those of you who have forgone the gift, do not fret. I shall bestow upon you a new one, and this time, you will have no choice but to welcome it,” he grins. 

Another tap of his staff and Leon kneels to the floor, his taut limbs unable to catch Nora as she tumbles beside him. Everything hurts, every muscle spasming, and the parasite inside them rejoices at being controlled by its master.

“The time has come for these lambs to join our union in flesh and blood. Become one with the Holy Body!” Saddler continues his preaching, and with every word Leon and Nora writhe in more pain to the others’ horror.

“Luis…” Ada whispers, tightening her grip on her gun. “His eyes. On the count of three.”

The man jolts at the sound of his name like he almost forgot how to function from terror, and he gives the mercenary a quick nod while gesturing for Ashley to stay back.

“One…” the armed woman murmurs under her breath, her eyes focused intently on the false god.

“Oh, blessings unto them and the sweet mercy they bring!”

The two infected thrash even more violently, with Leon still attempting to reach for Nora despite his uncooperative body.

“Two…” 

Another tap of his staff, and Saddler becomes louder. “Exalt all—and let it be so!”

Pained screams rip out of the two like something straight out of a horror film, and it's Ada’s cue to finally shout to Luis, “three! Now!”

Without wasting another second, the two aim and shoot at the deranged man’s face, making him grunt in discontentment for breaking whatever control he was holding over his hostages.

The agent breathes heavily, his body trembling from the aftershocks of the intense pressure, and he finally grabs a hold of the young woman's arm like a lifeline.

“Leon! Go!” Ada shouts as she continues to rain fire on Saddler’s face, though the man only shields himself with an arm like he’s simply experiencing a mild inconvenience. Every bullet that hits him is absorbed into his skin like his flesh is made of liquid.

Leon does need to be told twice before he’s hauling Nora into his arms with her barely realizing what's happening. He stands with a grunt and staggers into a labored walk, while she clutches onto him out of pure instinct.

“Go with them!” Luis barks at Ashley, and she scrambles into a run to follow his order.

“Wayward lambs! Servants of the heretic wolf! This will be your trial and tribulation!” Saddler grits out angrily, growing fat tentacles out of his back that match the ones on his staff in appearance, except these are nearly tree trunk sized.

Ada knows Leon won't make it in his fatigued state while the cult leader is on his tail, and her brain works a mile a minute as she attempts to think of a solution.

Taking advantage of Luis serving as a distraction with his shots, she notices one of the giant statues on the wall appears to be dilapidated enough that a metal chain is needed to hold it in place. It could serve as the perfect barricade if her plan works as intended.

With focused aim, she fires at the chain right as Leon, Nora, and Ashley pass through the exit, until the steel links break and the statue comes tumbling down with a deafening ruckus of breaking stone. It falls right where Ada hoped it would, acting as an obstruction that can buy the trio time while she and Luis attempt to deal with Saddler.

“The avarice of the wicked shall not be abided!” the latter scoffs as he prepares to lash at them, releasing from his palm the bullets his skin absorbed like some kind of unholy miracle.

Leon can only hear muffled noise through the thick stone as he advances through the dark hallway leading to his destination.

“It’s this way!” Ashley exclaims as she hurriedly walks ahead, turning around every other second to see the agent’s struggling form.

“Just hold on,” he grunts, and the girl isn't sure if he’s speaking to the one in his arms or himself.

Every step feels like he won't be able to make it to the next, and with Nora seemingly going in and out of consciousness, his crippling worry only grows.

Then, he blinks and he suddenly finds himself surrounded by dark hooded forms, his vision blurry and distorted.

“The hell?” he gasps, and the hallucination dissipates as fast as it came.

Ashley eyes him with evident concern, and she slows her steps to match his. “I can help you carry her.”

Through his hazy thoughts, he realizes it could be a wise idea, but something about delegating the task of transporting the girl causes him deep discomfort. He’s not willing to let her go.

“No, just… clear the way for me.”

The blonde woman nods and jogs to push open a gate waiting for them down the hallway. As Leon approaches, he’s hit once again with that same warped apparition of phantom figures. Only this time, it does not disappear quickly, it says, and he is forced to walk through the shadow-like silhouettes.

“Shit, I’m losing it,” he mutters to no one but himself. He is certain to have reached the very final stage of infection before turning into a mindless sheep.

Suddenly, a familiar voice echoes in his head. “Still you resist, child,” Saddler taunts him through the plaga’s connection.

“Fuck off!” Leon grits out in response, prompting Ashley to look at him confused, though she does not question his behavior.

Cursing seems to do the trick and the vision evaporates again to the agent’s relief, right as the young woman before him opens the door to Luis’s lab. 

Leon feels like he’s about to cry from desperation as he slogs towards the surgical bed centered in the middle of the room, flickering lights illuminating it like his last beacon of hope.

“This time… it has to be different,” he rasps out of despair.

After failing to save so many, he not only put Nora in danger by getting separated from her earlier, he actively harmed her in a way he never knew he could do to anyone. Now, with her trembling body in his grasp, he has reached what might be the most important moment in his life as he craves atonement for his mistake more than he craves air.

He simply has to save her.

Finally, the agent plops down the brunette onto the operating chair with a grunt, and looks around for what he’s supposed to do next, when Ashley moves faster than him.

“I got it!” She quickly stands before a computer screen, and begins fiddling with the keyboard until a beep is heard.

Suddenly, the chair whirrs as it rotates in place with Nora’s slackened body on top, a set of three laser machines moving to aim at the parasite inside her.

“Leon?” she whispers half consciously, and the man nearly stumbles to come stand beside her.

Holding onto the arm rest, he peers down at her with worry. “I’m here. I’m right here.”

“Um… This is gonna hurt,” Ashley murmurs from her spot, causing the agent to tense up, before she clicks the ‘enter’ key to begin the process.

The three laser pointers shine with a blue beam at each extremity as they detect the plaga, and a blood curdling scream rips out of the young woman as searing pain floods her like nothing she's experienced before.

Leon chokes on his own breath, abruptly dropping to his knees to hold onto her hand while her body writhes on the chair like she’s being burned alive.

“Fuck, fuck… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he nearly sobs, his eyes watering at the sight of her agony. He would do anything to trade off her suffering if he didn't know it was necessary for a cure.

Ashley covers her cheeks in anxiousness, the screams making her wince as she recalls the way her own filled the room only moments before.

It’s only after what feels like an eternity that the machine stops. The computer screen shows that the procedure was a success, and the pain in Nora’s chest finally subsides.

Leon feels himself finally breathe when she stops writhing, her body going limp in exhaustion. A ghost of a smile etches on his lips in relief, tightening his hands around hers with a sigh.

Then, Ashley says something he isn't able to catch, her voice sounding muffled in his ears as the room spins when his body officially reaches its breaking point. His eyes roll back, and he loses balance just to fall onto his side with a thud, lying motionless on the ground.

Through her blurry vision, Nora walks down a long, dark hallway where the air is cold and humid on her skin. She can't see much apart from a flickering light at the end of the tunnel, with an open doorway leading into pitch blackness. 

As her footsteps echo down the corridor, she begins to feel the crippling sensation of being watched. A cold sweat covers her flesh and makes her clothes cling to her form from the ominous feeling. Sure enough, the moment she turns to look back, she finds a pair of ice blue eyes lurking behind in the shadows.

Filled with chilling terror, Nora breaks into a run in the direction of the flickering light, her breathing labored from the adrenaline of sprinting towards her only hope of survival.

When she nearly reaches her destination, she turns one more time just to see a hand reaching out from the darkness. It’s outstretched towards her, so close it nearly wrenches her by the hair. Then, she hits a hard surface that knocks the air out of her lungs, and a pair of arms wrap around her tightly enough she can hardly breathe.

At first she thinks she was caught by the monster behind her, but then she realizes she has run into the arms of a man who appeared from the open door. When she looks up to meet his eyes with wide ones, she finds a familiar face already looking down at her. Leon.

Nora attempts to scream, to warn him of the demon, but she can't speak, and is forced to helplessly watch him gently smile at her, as if everything is alright in the world.

“I’m here,” he murmurs softly. His voice reverberates across her whole body as if he's inside her, right as the blue eyed creature's hands wrap around her throat from behind.

“Nora!” Ashley shakes her shoulder and she’s suddenly jolted awake from her blurry nightmare. 

Her chest heaves, sweat beading at her temple, and she looks around to find herself in a familiar room. Though, it's one she had only visited on screen in pixelated form.

“Ashley…” she whispers as her consciousness catches up.

“We have to help Leon!”

“What?” 

Nora turns confused to find the agent on the floor, passed out, and the memory of exactly that happening in the game jolts her into action.

She doesn't pause to waste time pondering whether she should offer aid, when her and Ashley crouch by his slackened body hurriedly.

“You hold his feet. I’ll grab his shoulders,” she murmurs and the other girl nods.

With laborious effort, she hooks her arms under his, his head falling limply on her chest, and she groans as she attempts to lift him only for her muscles to strain.

“Holy fuck… How did you manage to do this alone?” she gasps.

Is Ashley a secret body builder? Because no way she carried him on her own in the game.

“What do you mean?” the blonde woman frowns in confusion, only to be met by a dismissive wave.

“Don't worry about it… Change of plan, we both lift him by the shoulders.”

On a count of three, they hoist him up with all their strength, and with shaky legs they are able to manage hauling him over to the chair. The two women unceremoniously dump him on the worn leather, his head toppling to the side and nearly hitting the armrest if not for Nora’s quick reflex in catching him.

Finally, Ashley hurries to the computer to start the parasite removal process once again, the lasers moving in place to fire up.

Despite being unconscious, Leon’s back arches off the chair as soon as the machine whirrs, a pained whimper escaping him in his sleep. Soon enough, his eyes fly open with a scream, and both girls wince from the guttural sound he’s unable to stop.

After debating for a split second, Nora tentatively reaches for his hand, and he grips hers with a crushing hold like his life depends on it. She watches him with a heavy heart as he squeezes his eyes in agony, all too familiar with the horrible feeling he’s undergoing.

He continues writhing until the plaga is eliminated and the engine stops, his body settling lifelessly if not for his heavy breathing.

When he looks up through his teary eyes to find the brunette standing beside him, holding his hand, he wishes he could curl up into a ball in her arms. Like some kind of overgrown toddler.

“Are you okay?” Ashley comes into view, eyeing him with concern.

That seems to be what pulls Nora out of her momentary display of affection, and she withdraws her hand quickly like the act is shameful. The agent wishes he could protest.

He nods, slowly sitting up. “Yeah, thanks… both of you.”

“Luis said you came here to save me,” the younger woman smiles softly, “is that true?”

Leon can't help a low chuckle, pushing himself into a standing position that has him now looking down at Ashley. “Yes, I’m here on the president’s orders... Sorry that you were left in the care of others, but I promise I’ll do what I can to take you home.”

To his surprise, the girl appears to blush, and a small smile etches on his face at the sight. President’s daughter or not, she’s just a college kid, no older than twenty. Her innocence reminds him of his younger self, before his life got turned upside down.

The agent’s thoughts are suddenly interrupted when Nora grabs Ashley’s wrist. “Come on, Ash, we need to go,” she mutters under her breath, and he notices the pursing of her lips.

Leon thinks she feels protective over the blonde girl, and something inside him breaks at the thought. He is supposed to be a protector, the guy that comes in to save those in need. But now he’s the creep women fear and shield each other from, and he can't even argue against it after what he’s done.

“Wait, what's this?” Ashley suddenly halts in her steps and points to something on the floor. 

Nora lets go of her as her eyes catch on the shiny object laying on the dark tile. She recognizes it immediately, her eyes widening at the sight of the acrylic keychain linking her house keys. It must've fallen from her pocket at some point, though she completely forgot she even had the object to begin with after the entire craziness of the day.

“Why does that look like… Luis?” the blonde tilts her head as she eyes the charm, and Nora feels her heart stutter in panic.

“What? Don’t be silly,” she chuckles awkwardly. She then quickly grabs the keys and shoves them back into her pocket before either Ashley or Leon see it. First, out of sheer embarrassment, and second, in order not to give any unnecessary explanations to the girl.

The agent, who witnessed the entire ordeal, feels a flood of questions about to spill out of him. But he sees her uncomfortable expression, and understands not to push the issue.

“Let’s go,” he clears his throat, and moves to lead the way.

The two women fall into step behind him, Nora’s pulse calming down slightly. She can't believe they almost saw her stupid keychain. It’s a two sided one of chibi versions of Luis and Leon with chains around their wrists, with the American looking grumpy and the Spaniard sporting his signature grin. 

It’s meant to be a cute reference to the infamous chain scene during the game. The one where they get abducted by the priest Bitores Mendez, and Leon is injected with the plaga. 

It doesn't sound very cute anymore.

“So… Have you guys met before?” Ashley murmurs to Nora, interrupting her thoughts.

“You’re the second person that's asked that today,” she chuckles bitterly in response. “But no, we haven't.”

Leon reloads his eyes and he keeps his eyes focused ahead, pretending not to hear the conversation that is so very clearly about him.

“Oh, okay… But he seems to know that other woman, right?”

“Right.”

Ashley does not pick up on Nora’s clipped tone, but Leon does, already growing acquainted with her different moods. He can tell this topic is unsurprisingly not her favorite after he reacted so violently to her pointed truths about it.

Her words still echo in his mind. ‘Pussy-whipped,’ she had called him—the bruise to his ego is still present. But the contrition that festers inside him quickly overshadows any selfish emotions of hurt.

It’s not like she's completely wrong—he has indeed let Ada’s less-than-ethical actions slip by, but it's because deep inside he feels like he owes his survival to her. 

Yes, she lied and used him, but she also saved him and refused to shoot him when the decisive moment came. He has spent the last six years replaying the events of that night in his mind, ruminating about every single thing he did wrong and how he could have done better. But one thing he knows is that he would not have made it out alive on his own, and that Ada, as questionable as she may be, came to his help repeatedly.

Focusing back on the present moment, the trio make it back through the rubble-turned-temple. It looks like a violent battle took place in the cave, so they are forced to divert their point of exit through a gate on a higher floor. Outside, they find themselves on a cliffside overlooking an industrial port. 

“Wait, is that…” Ashley gasps, and to Leon’s surprise—and Nora’s lack thereof—they notice in the distance the same woman mentioned moments prior, held helplessly hostage.

Dangling in the air by her bound arms, Ada Wong appears to be unconscious as her hung body sways in the breeze of the approaching Spanish dawn.

“Shit!” Leon curses, looking around for any sign of whoever clearly placed her there as bait.

“Wait… Where’s Luis?” Nora whispers, and her worry seems to contaminate Ashley who also stiffens in place.

The port is empty, without a single soul in sight apart from the poor suspended mercenary, and a crippling feeling of dread slowly starts creeping through the brunette.

What if he didn't make it? What if she couldn't prevent his death? She would hate herself forever.

“Krauser…” Leon concludes, then caulks his shotgun with a tight jaw.

The name makes a chill run down Nora’s spine. “I thought Ada took care of him,” she addresses the agent.

He hates to be the bearer of bad news, especially after what must undoubtedly be the girl’s worst day of her life, but he knows he can't lie either. So, with a grim expression he shakes his head.

“She ran out of ammo—said he’s still out here.”

And that confirms it. Nora’s heart shatters into a million pieces as she realizes the inevitable happened. Luis was killed like his life meant nothing, without her even being there to bid her goodbyes. 

Her eyes well up with grieving tears.

Next chapter coming soon.

i know you all want to murder me for the elephant in the room but can we please just to take an additional moment to appreciate augustus' cute little keychain! 🤓