Leon slowly came to, clawing at the ground as searing pain shot through his prostrate body. He opened his eyes sluggishly and lifted his head slightly to look around. A bright orange glow met his bleary gaze. Leon blinked several times to clear his vision. At last the scene came into view.

The truck lay on its side a yard away from him, its entire front end engulfed in flames. The Jeep was nowhere in sight. The eastern horizon glowed a pale yellow as the early morning sun gilded the sky, melting away the predawn obscurity.

Leon pushed himself up, groaning deeply with the effort. He surveyed the scene groggily, his gaze falling on Jake who lay splayed out on his back across from him. Thrusting back his pain and bewilderment, Leon crawled over to Jake.

"Jake? Can you hear me?" he called out hoarsely.

Jake rolled onto his side groaning loudly. "Yeah..." he replied. "I hear ya. Damn; that was one bitch of a ride."

Leon forced himself to rise, wiping away a trickle of blood from his mouth. He held his hand out to Jake who seized it roughly and pulled himself up.

Staggering slightly, Leon turned to the flaming wreckage of the truck. "Oh, God. Sara!"

Leon hurried to the driver's side with what speed his shaken equilibrium permitted. "Sara? Sara!"

He peered through the window, but the glass was too badly damaged to see inside. With some effort, he pulled the door open. His heart dropped at the sight he beheld.

Sara was unconscious, dangling to the passenger side, suspended by the seat belt. Her face was bruised and bloodied.

Leon immediately drew his knife and quickly set to work cutting the seat belt.

"Leon," Jake called, coming up behind him. "You better hurry; the truck's gonna blow."

With grim resolve, Leon continued to saw at the belt until Sara came free. He took hold of her and began pulling her out carefully. To his surprise, Jake joined him, helping him support Sara and remove her from the cab.

"Thanks," Leon said.

He took her up in his arms and moved away from the wreck quickly, Jake rushing some paces ahead of him. No sooner had they retreated from the truck, than it exploded, the impact causing both Jake and Leon to stumble. Leon clutched his precious charge tightly even as he fell to his knees.

"Damn. That was too close," Jake breathed.

"Yeah..." Leon answered vaguely. He turned his attention to Sara, stretching her out on the ground.

"Is she alive?" asked Jake, standing over them.

As if in reply, Sara's eyes opened wide. She fixed them first on Leon then on Jake. Before Leon could stop her, she sat up. "The Jeep! Is it gone?!"

Leon exhaled quietly in relief, but it was Jake who answered.

"Long gone, babe," he said. "We burned through another life."

Sara started to rise, but stopped suddenly, gasping in pain.

Leon caught sight of a large shard of glass embedded in her left thigh. "Damn. You've got glass in your leg. Hold still; I'll get it out."

Gingerly, he took hold of the shard between his thumb and forefinger and firmly but carefully tugged it out. Sara panted and groaned softly, clenching her teeth as she watched the blood flow from the wound.

The initial gush of blood quickly slowed to a trickle, however, and the flesh regenerated, knitting itself closed until only a superficial puncture remained.

Leon looked up at Sara who returned his gaze knowingly. They hadn't seen the residual effects of the Omega virus that had nearly destroyed Sara since they had escaped Halcyon Isle. Those abilities were now quickly manifesting again.

"You're like Sherry," Jake said, jabbing his finger at Sara. "You were infected with some kind of virus, too, weren't you?"

Sara glanced at Leon dubiously. He nodded at her, willing to take Jake into their confidence.

"I was the victim of a bioterrorist viral research experiment over two years ago. I was infected by a vicious virus, yeah," Sara replied.

"Sara was my rescue subject; that's how we met. She was infected with a virus called Omega. We were able to secure the vaccine and neutralize the virus, but it altered her permanently, leaving her with certain... abilities," Leon explained.

" 'Abilities'. So you've got superpowers?" Jake asked, arching a brow.

Sara narrowed her eyes at him slightly. "Something like that," she said slowly.

"Can you control that electrical current?" asked Leon, lowering his voice.

Sara shrugged. "I can't even predict it," she answered uneasily.

Leon sat back on his heels. "It seems your abilities are triggered by adrenaline, seeing how they don't appear unless you're in a fight-or-flight situation." He huffed. "Well, it's been helping you so far; let's hope for the best."

"Traveling with Wondergirl and the Hero," Jake remarked, scoffing. "This'll be interesting."

Leon shot him a hard glance then looked back at Sara. She was staring over at Kuraishi, unshed tears brimming in her eyes. Leon knew they weren't tears of pain or fear but of rage.

"They died because of us," she said tightly, turning her dark, flashing eyes on him again.

"Hey, we didn't throw those gas bombs and turn everybody into zombie fox monsters," Jake disputed.

Leon gazed at the distant town which was still ablaze, the raging flames mingling with the celestial fire of advancing dawn. He closed his eyes momentarily, tamping down the wrath welling within him.

"No," he replied. "But the attackers came for Sara and me. Someone knew we were here, and Kuraishi paid for it. But when we find whoever's responsible, it'll be their turn to pay," he said staunchly.

He drew his health tablet pack and handed two tablets to Sara.

"But I have my own―"

"I know; just take them." He produced another pack and turned to Jake who stood looking over at Kuraishi with his somber icy blue eyes.

"Hey," he called to him. "Take these; I've got a spare." He tossed the pack to Jake before taking three tablets himself.

"Thanks," Jake replied.

Leon helped Sara stand then turned to face the Akuma forest determinedly. "We'll be walking to Fukushū from here," he said grimly. "You still coming?" he asked, glancing at Jake.

"No; I thought I'd just hitch a ride back to Kyoto," Jake answered testily. "Of course I'm coming."

Having gathered their scattered gear, the trio headed toward the Akuma forest.

"He's enough to try the patience of a saint," Sara muttered aside to Leon as they walked on.

"We survive this, the Vatican may just grant us the sainthood," Leon deadpanned.

Sara snickered softly.

☆☆☆

By the time the trio arrived at the outskirts of the forest, day had fully dawned. Ominous clouds had eclipsed the morning sun, casting grim shadows over the land.

They entered the lush forest cautiously, careful to keep to the dirt road. The thick canopy of trees obscured the dim daylight, enshrouding them in sylvan gloom.

The thick woods were eerily silent, the air thick with tension. Spearheading the group, Leon scanned the landscape, unable to shake the feeling that someone or something was watching them.

"It's too quiet," Sara noted warily. "No birdsong, no animals."

"Death," Jake remarked. "That's the sound of death."

Leon surveyed the treetops carefully. "Keep your eyes open," he said, drawing a gun. "Something's out there; I can feel it."

A low sough broke through the deathly hush. One might have taken it for a gale rushing through the forest, but there was not a breath of wind to stir a leaf.

A flash of movement caught Leon's eye. He halted instantly, signaling to his companions to do the same. Everyone froze, listening tautly.

A clicking, creaking noise filled the air, followed by the sound of dragging. The trio stood in triangular formation, their eyes darting about.

Silence reigned again.

"What the hell?" muttered Jake presently.

"I saw something," Leon said.

"Yeah? Well, let's not stick around to see it again. Let's move," Jake said, brushing past Leon.

"Jake―" Leon started.

"Wait!" Sara called.

As Jake began making his way down the road, a tall, dark figure leaped out onto his path.

A towering creature resembling a misshapen tree rose over them. The trunk of its body was elongated with no anatomical features, ending in a pair of foot-like appendages. Its arms stretched downward on either side of its body, thinning out into four long, blunt fingers. From its bulbous head cascaded five thick tubular tentacles, the ends of which waggled like restless snakes. Its mouth, a gyrating O, covered half of its face. Above that horrid feature was a pair of dull, black button eyes. The overpowering stench of decayed blood filled the air.

Before Jake could react to the monstrosity in front of him, it seized him with its branch-like fingers and lifted him off the ground bodily. Its tubular tentacles extended forward, wrapping themselves around Jake's thorax, the ends threatening to pierce his flesh.

Swearing loudly, Jake thrashed and struggled, but the monster held him fast.

Instinctively, Leon fired two rounds at its head. Sara immediately came up beside him shooting twice more.

Crimson blood showered over Jake as the creature's tentacles recoiled. Hissing loudly, it flung him aside, training its black gaze on Leon and Sara.

Jake scrambled to his feet, drawing his weapon and hastily wiping the foul blood from his face. He turned to Leon.

"Yeah, you're welcome," Leon said, arching his brow at him.

Jake scoffed. "Touché."

The creature emitted an earsplitting scream that resounded throughout the forest. Everyone groaned and covered their ears against the shrill noise. The monster flailed its tentacles forward at Leon and Sara.

Leon shoved Sara out of the way and attempted to evade the wriggling tentacle. As he lunged aside, however, it coiled itself around his forearm. Leon gasped in pain as the tubular appendage impaled his flesh, drawing his blood.

"Leon! No!" Sara cried out. She shot at the tentacle, but instead of releasing Leon, it sucked at him more greedily still.

Leon struggled to free himself, but the monster's grip intensified. He groaned loudly as it began hauling him toward it.

Jake fired two high-caliber rounds, severely lacerating the tentacle. The creature's blood, mingled with Leon's own freshly-siphoned blood, gushed out. The creature didn't relent, however.

Fighting back a wave of dizziness, Leon drew his sturdy blade and hacked at the tentacle. The process took considerably more effort than he expected as the hide was as tough as a twined vine, but at last he succeeded. The severed piece thrashed on the ground briefly before shriveling into a desiccated stick.

Wailing and howling, the creature shuffled forward.

"Shit! How do we kill this thing?!" Jake exclaimed.

Sara ran to Leon and helped him to his feet. He drew his second gun, inhaling deeply to steady himself, and trying to ignore the pain in his bleeding arm. "Get back! That thing sucks your blood."

The monster stopped moving abruptly, training its soulless black eyes on them. Its round mouth widened and it began to shudder, a strange wheezing sound issuing from its toothless cavity.

"Is it... laughing?" Sara asked incredulously.

Jake scowled. "Damn thing thinks this shit's funny."

It wheezed louder as it laughed harder. It ceased suddenly and let out a deafening bellow. The noise echoed through the trees, fading to tense silence. A new sound immediately swallowed that silence: the sound of several beings shuffling through the undergrowth.

The next moment, three more creatures emerged from the trees, slowly boxing the trio in.

"No way..." Sara muttered.

"Done in by a bunch of frickin' trees? Bullshit," Jake declared, taking on a defensive stance, gun trained on the closest creature.

Tree. Leon's mind raced, struggling through the weariness brought on by blood loss. To destroy a tree, destroy the roots. He looked down at the creature's long feet. Gnarled, irregular shapes bulged from them like large jugular veins. They climbed up over its trunk, disappearing into its neck.

Bingo.

"Shoot the feet!" he shouted. He turned swiftly to his left where another monster was inching in. He fired a single shot at its foot.

Blood spurted forth in an arterial spray as the creature uttered a high-pitched screech. It pitched forward and crashed to the ground like a felled log.

On either side of him, Leon's companions followed his lead. In a matter of moments, all four creatures had been terminated. Seconds later, the hideous bodies were reduced to withered twigs and dust.

"Forgot to yell 'timber!'," Leon muttered dryly.

Sara exhaled sharply. "That was too close," she said.

"What the hell were those things?!" Jake exclaimed.

"They're like the Jubokko," Sara answered automatically. "Vampiric trees appearing in Japanese mythology. I never imagined someone could actually create anything like that."

Jake blinked at her. "You actually know that."

"You'd be surprised," Leon said, chuckling slightly. Suddenly the forest seemed to reel wildly. He dropped to one knee, grunting softly.

Sara knelt beside him instantly, examining his injured arm. "God... you're losing a lot of blood," she observed.

Jake approached them, looking at the wound. "That looks pretty bad," he admitted.

Sara produced a roll of gauze bandaging and a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide from her pack. She then proceeded to dress the wound, her expression somber. Leon could feel her concern in her hurried breathing.

"I'm okay," he assured her gently.

Sara glanced up at him skeptically, but continued working in silence.

"That was pretty fast thinking, Hero; I'm impressed," Jake said, holstering his gun.

"Heh. I'm flattered," Leon replied wryly.

"Anyway, thanks for saving my ass," Jake added.

Leon nodded. "Ditto."

"Done," Sara declared. "That'll help stop the bleeding."

"Thanks." Leon rose carefully and popped a health tablet into his mouth. "I'm good to go. Now, let's get the hell out of here. I've had enough lumberjacking for one day."

"Sounds good to me," Sara agreed.

The trio headed off again, traversing the forest as quickly as they could. They met with no further incident and were soon out of the forest.

The early morning sky was now a mass of iron gray clouds, yielding a fine, scattered drizzle. Ahead of the group, the forest's dirt road gave way to a paved road that stretched into the distance.

They followed the road, maintaining a tense, vigilant silence. At length they came to a large metal sign reading:

復讐へようこそ
グリーンリーフの本拠地

The last part of the text had been crossed out with spray paint and another bit of text had been superscripted over it.

" 'Welcome to Fukushū - Home of Shiroi Yoake'―that's White Dawn," Jake translated.

"We finally made it," Sara said, studying the sign. "But what the hell is Shiroi Yoake?"

Leon cocked his head, remembering the Raccoon City road sign he had driven past daily before the tragedy had struck years ago. It had read: "Welcome to Raccoon City: Home of Umbrella". Yes; home to the corporation responsible for the city's demise through illicit viral experimentation. A sudden idea occurred to him: had Fukushū suffered a similar fate?

"What're those symbols over the crossed out words?" Sara asked, pointing at the sloppily-formed text reading "地獄".

"Jigoku," said Jake. "Means 'hell'."

"Welcome to hell." Leon chuckled mirthlessly. "Well, let's go. Maybe Hunnigan can give us the fifty-cent tour. Remember: stay sharp, everyone."