Leoâs favorite book as a child was the Odyssey which he randomly picked up from the tiny public library he wandered into. While the young boy who could barely read did not understand much from it, the allure of adventure was undeniable. Most of all, the idea of homecoming pierced through the heart of an orphan. When the story ended, he had to return to his boring, stuffy foster home run by Father Tomas Lucas. It wasnât even that Leo hated living with the man and his foster siblings. Father Tomas was a strict, rough around the edge but kindhearted man, and in retrospect, he just wanted what was best for his children. There just wasnât much to do for a boy with vivid imagination and wanderlust in a small town of Arkansas. After daydreaming through the Catholic school, Leo would run to the public library to read up on any book he could grab on adventures. As he grew older, the librarian recommended more books on history, mythology and archaeology. By the time he turned the tender age of thirteen, he was placing orders at the library to get new books to read. His childhood, however, was shattered on one brilliant summer day. On his way back from the library, Leo saw the unusual crowd gathering on the street. He tiptoed over the circle to see an ambulance, a crashed car by the pole and a pool of blood. Lying there was Father Tomas, unmoving, dead. People gossiped in hushed whispers, that a drunk driver sped through the street toward someone, but the priest jumped in to save them⌠The next couple of days went by without Leo realizing. He drifted through the funeral, tuning out how they shared empty praises on Father Tomas, on his heroism and bravery. The man used to say âeverything happens for a reasonââ bullshit. There was no reason why Father Tomas had to die if he was such a hero. If there was a bigger picture of God or whatever that was supposedly holy, then it didnât bother to save Father Tomas who dedicated his life saving others. As he watched them lay down his father into the grave, Leo vowed that he will only live for himself, because in this unforgiving world, no one was coming to save him.
It was the time around the funeral when Leo discovered his shifting ability. Perhaps it was his desire to run away from his grief of losing his father, perhaps it was fear of having to build new connections with others. But it was powerful enough to shift him into a tabby cat, small enough to disappear before the social workers could take him to another foster home. He did not know how, or why, but he studied his power, figuring out what he could do and how to control it. After a while, he managed to shift back into the human form. Leo did not waste its potential to survive on the street on his own. He stole from unsuspecting people, sneaked into places and hid as a cat. When he saved enough money, he began traveling around the globe searching for adventures and secretsâ he could turn into a cat at will for fuckâs sake. There was more to be found in this world. During his travel, Leo encountered a group of supernatural treasure hunters⌠although what they did were closer to that of smugglers and thieves. What started out as an odd job here and there became a full time commitment. He worked with them for a few years, venturing into the depth of ancient ruins and uncharted lands. To tell the truth, Leo considered them his closest friends, even family. Rude awakening came knocking on his door, however, when a heist that went horribly wrong in Peru. The group used him as a bait to fend off the authority, shooting him in the leg and leaving him behind. Leo barely escaped but not without scars to prove it. It was a moment of weakness and foolishness, really. He had broken the promise he made to himself that he would only rely on himself, and for what? The betrayal? No, he learned his lessonâ he cannot rely on others nor can he ever trust them. Ever since then, Leo worked alone as a treasure hunter, discovering unexplored ruins and recovering artifacts.
Leo has heard of Lethe several times over the years, from acquaintances and from rumors. He didnât pay much attention to it until somebody mentioned strange things happening in that town, people going missing and showing up as amnesiacs, the spirits of the dead appearing. Drawn to the mystery like a moth to the flame, Leo traveled to the town in early May 2021. He is fascinated by Riverborns and Shades, and often approaches them and asks to interview them for âacademic purposesâ. He is, on the other hand, utterly uninterested in the political bullshits such as the Council (people seem to have a lot of opinions) and the arsonists (why are they not arresting these lunatics?). He spends most of his time investigating this entity people speak of as the River Spirit, or auditing classes at the Lethe Community College.
