"You gave me those babies of mine..."
Upon hearing the udden news ah became completely motionless ,trapped in place by sherr disbelief.
"Once again...what are they exactly?" He asked
Serenity called the name ,"Psyche"
Ash stood frozen as the world blurs around him, his mind fractuating under the weight of an imposible paradox
" Never in my life have I ever been in contact with any spiritual beast, let alone gifted it to others... " Ash said
The words he just heared defy logic ,' i has given away ,lost ,or passed on something my own eyes have never witnessed....?!!! '
A sudden, hollow vertigo takes over, as if he is reaching into his pockets for the key to a house he didn't know he owns,
The fading light outside cuts sharply across the room ,turning the air between them heavy and brittle,. They are sitting together on the deep sill of a large window but the physical closeness only amplifies the vast emotional chasm between them
"I don't like the sound of that..."
Those words he just muttered instantly shattered the quite. The moment doubt leaves his lips ,her entire demeanor shifts into something fierce and dangerous. For a woman who absolutely loathes beeing questioned, finding suspicion in the eyes of the one person she trusts blindly feels like a visiceral betrayal
When she finally speaks, her voice is not a scream, but a low ,dangerous whisper that cuts through the room like a blade,
" 'i never lie' ... remember thise three words carefully, you can question the ground beneath your feet, or question your own fractured mind but don't you ever question my words"
She turned her head twards him with agonizing slowness, her movements mechanical and devoid of life . When her gaze finally locks onto his ,the fury is entirely gone . In its place are eyes that are completely "dead" hollow ,flat, and stripped of any light, warmth ,or human emotions.
"Iam not your scapegoat to blame for your own emptiness, and i refuse to be that person for you, don't make me regret ever turning your way"
Looking into that darch ,bottomless void sends a violent ,freezing chill straight down his spine ,paralyzing him where he sit on the window legdge
He swallowed his fears,and tilted hi head to the ground , thinking to himself ,'that look in her eyes !....i wonder what kind of thoughts was running through her mind when she looked my way?! ' ash placed his palm over his chest feeling his heart hammering his rips with an unexplained excitment that rushed though his veins making his lips draw a creapy unconscious smile ,'the hell is wrong with me !? I want to possess those alluing eyes that keeps hunting my soul !...i want that wonan,!...No!.... she's mine....!'
Panic surged through him, colder than the midnight air. Glancing into her dead eyes that seemed to look down on this entire world ; a sickening realization suddenly hits,
'Shit! Here we go again, if i keep staring she will see right through me!...that frantic, desperate depth of my mind ,the toxic mix ov confusion and the darck ,suffocating obsession i awakened for her!' .The last thing he wanted her to recall in disgust, to see him as pathetic,unstable ,or creapy
Terrified of being exposed, he violently wrenches his gaze away ; He stares blindly into the dark corners of the room ,away from her and the blood re moon. Desperate to mask his fixation and break the suffocating spell of her silence, he forced a question out of his dry throat, trying to divert her attention to something else beside his existence,
"Why did i give you a psyche?!"
Serenity crossed legs, leaning backward on the wide window and tilting her head upward while closing her eyes ,allowing the brrez outside to brush her dark hair under the curtains of the dead night . "you gifted it as a birthday present; you said something like 'have fun' or something like that...whatever, it's been so long anyway."
Ash was dumbfounded by her answer that his tongue felt like beeing tied down all he could mutter is that single word that couldn't even describe the expression on his face,
"Huh ...?!?!!"
beasts can be classified by rank and nature, just like how wild beasts are classified as "A, B, C, D, S, and SS, and special mutations are within the SSS rank." their cores are absorbed to increase mana and make magical artifacts.
On the other hand, spiritual beasts are classified as "earth, sky, mortal, immortal, legend, and rule as the top of their hierarchy" , but they are so rare to the point as if they never existed. But spiritual beasts in general make contracts with souls, aiding their cultivation and providing great protection at times of crisis. A spiritual beast with no contract can't leave the spiritual realm after alll.
'Although no one has been in contact with a rule in a long time ,but there are still records from other cosmic calenders about them, but apart from some basic abilities ,we know nothing...'
The sentence struck him with the force of a physical blow, yet he didn't recoil.instead an unnatural rigidity seized his face .every line of expression he had carried a moment before was instantly erased, replaced by terrible hollow blankness.
his Jaw went slack, his brow smoothed into total vacancy, and for a long ,agonizing sequence of heartbeats ,he looked less like a living man and more like a marble bust left out in the rain,
"That was a rule beast, and i gave it away just like that. 'Fun?!' Did a donkey hit my head at that time, or was I hypnotized?"
Serenity nodded completly in synch with his words, "See...now that's a normal person's reaction...believe me, I couldn't close my eyes for three days; every time I remembered what you said, I snapped awake."
"Although it's shocking, I won't say it's impossible."
With thoughts felt jumbled like a messy puzzle, he sat on his chair staring blankly at the ceiling, deep in thought.
'From what I know, a psyche is classified as a rule spiritual beast. The specifics are a complete mystery. While other rules' magical abilities are known, the psyche is an exception; neither shape nor power is known. The only record proving its existence is being a contracted beast for one called the Queen , but that was long ago and most records are gone...to think my indulgence for her reached such a point is just.....'
'we haven't met for long, I could tell I have a soft spot when it comes to this lady...' He diverted his gaze from the ceiling, staring at the lady sitting on the window; he spoke his mind honestly.
"What was our relationship exactly?...Who were you to me?"
The shift in the room is instantaneous and profound. The unexpected question does not just hang in the air ; it sinks deep ,striking a resonant, long dormant chord in the absolute center of her heart. For a fraction of a second ,the heavy ticking of the clock seems to vanish.
The cold armor she wore just moments ago melts away entierly .her posture softens ,and she turns her face fully twards him. There is no trace of the flat, dead stare ,or any lingering anger. Instead , a genuine, radiating warmth floods her features, and dhe looks at him with gentle ,soft smile that carries the weight of a thousand undpoken truths.
Serenity's voice dropped to quite, velvet melody. the words are exhaled rather than spoken , carrying a profound sense of peace snd nostalgia into the crimson lit room.
".....A very special person"
Serenity delivered every word with deliberate slowness ,letting each syllable linger in the space between them .it is an answer wrapped in mystery that immediately disarmed his frantic mind while soothing his spiraling mind captivating his soul instantly.
'My god i really want this woman...'
The gentle warmth of her words ,meant to soothe backfired completely. The brief illusion of peace shattered, replaced by an intense, consuming curiosity that couldn't be hidden in his words as he asked her,
"Explain our relationship exactly?"
She cuts him off clapping her hands ,while saying with a bright smile,
-clap-
"...Time is up. "
Ash's eyes widened at the shoking scene his brain short circulated at that monent he didn't even know what he was supposed to say.
"!!!?"
Serenity feat the silence surrounding her snd said,
"60 seconds are now over, so I will say no more."
He felt bewildered and stunned that time had to end at such a critical moment.he gave her a wronged expression as he scratched his head complaining,
"That's not fair, you know."
A dismissive, mocking laughter escaped her lips as she evaded his gaze refusing to meet his,
"Life is never fair...you taught me that."
"M-me?!" He was speechlessly pointing at himself ,in the end he slammed his forhead,
"The prodigal student, using my teaching against me.!?"
Serenity smiled brightly after hearing his words ,and genuinely thanked him ,"Thanks for the compliment."
He got speechless once again ,'for real, if the past me knew that she is using what he taught on the future him, I wonder if I would feel proud or pissed?' ,He mocked his past self, feeling that if they were to meet, he might strangle him to death, which was an impossible fantasy.
The crimson moonlight catches the air as she raises her arms in a slow, hypnotic wave .with a graceful sweep of her hands, a breathtaking surge of magic ignites the darckness.
A shimmering swarm of crystsl butterflies erupts around her to regain her adult form ,but the ones erupting around her fingers, their translucent wings reflecting the red light like thousands of tiny flying diamonds;
They circle her pslms in a blurring ,musical vortex before spiraling upward tward her face, throught the glittering rose lace mask, her eyes peer out ; now completely framed in crystal. The sheer elegance of the mask contracts violently with the tense atmosphere, transforming her from a vulnerable woman into an ethereal, untouchable queen of the night.
She unfolds her arm, extending her hand across the narrow space, offering it to him. Her palm is turned upward ; an open, silent invitation hanging in the tense space between them,
"Let's get out of here,"
"Haah...I really owe you from a past life; wait till I put my mask on.",He said that, but he didn't let her wait; he still held her hand as he was looking, but at the time when he bent to get her fur scarf, he caught a glimpse of her smiling, turning his face bright red.
"...Who knows?" she said.
Ash was so caught up in the moment he didn't realize he was also smiling at her. He put her fur on her shoulder, wore his own masks again. And wrapped his fingers tightly atound her palm and walked outside of that place side by side .
After leaving the restaurant ash and serenity were walking leisurely between the venders without a care but just to pass time and see maybe they might find something they like,
Serenity suddenly tilted her head asking,
"Did you find something you like?"
He kept staring at the venders around him, but his expression remained oddly calm,
"Not exactly; there are a lot of treasures in here, but I don't really fancy any of them."
Serenity laughed ,"Heh,he...Some habits never change.... You're still as hard to please as ever, huh.…"
Ash was flustered and tried to defend himself b, "I am not; they are just not suitable for my constituent, that's all..." in the end he gave up releasing a huge sigh ,"just what was I like in your memories?"
Serenity pouted turning her head the other way to evade his gaze,
"Hmph.....I won't tell you...I won't fall for your provocations. Try something else, you pretty face."
Feeling exposed, he didn't even try to hide it and looked her straight in the eye with a smug smile,
"Ugh...It was worth trying at least."
Her face remained frozen completely deprived from emotions, but the moment her lips parted her voice completely betrayed the violent storm she is fighting to supress,
"I know you're anxious about the past. To be honest, I really don't want you to know, but some things are happening that might eventually put you face-to-face with those events...and I am afraid of the outcome."
The tone of her voice was carrying a faint, terrifying rumble of thunder that was desperately trying to break but beeing held back by the mask she's forced to wear in order to keep going.
The shadows stretch long across the crowded crossroad where he decides to block hef bath forcing a sudden confrontation,
"What are you trying to say...what's going to happen exactly?"
Serenity didn't get angry ; instead she dropped into a heavy ,profound silence. Then she tilted her head upward to meet his eyes behind the solid mask , she reached up and gengly patted his head , her hand strokes through his hair with an unexpected tenderness , her expression softened as she said quietly,
"Previously I didn't even know you were alive, so...I was going to interfere at some point, but...!" Her face immediately shifted ,loosing all the previous tenderness it once had ,"the fact that you're alive changes everything. You're bound to get involved just like how you will eventually regain those memories whether you like it or not."
Serenity retreated her hands, the moment it dropped out of his sight her fingers curl in tightly. Her voice completely changes dropping into a terrifying rigid, unyielding register that leaves his entire body tense and rigid with dread,
"All I want is for you to know that I have all the answers, so whenever the time is right, I will share what you really need and always have your back."
The words are spoken like a solemn vow before a bloody battle , vibrating with an intensity that hints at a dangerous sacrifice she is ready to make.
Senseing her struggles, he locks eyes onto her trembling fist, he loweres his voice , speaking with a steady ,fierce determination ,
"Are you afraid someone might deceive me?...I tell you, you don't need to."
Serenity raised her fan and gave bim a light tap on his head saying,
"You don't really realize how dangerous your memory loss states are right now... All I want from you is that if new things that give you the feeling of the past, just like today, appear, you must tell me before doing anything."
"I don't think it's as exaggerated as you say it is...but if it really happens, you will be the first to know, even if I don't understand it myself, but I know for sure you won't harm me." Seeing her so anxious he didn't want to press this matter any further ,'she said they will return eventually anyway ...it's just some lips service .'
She tilted her heas asking ,"Where did this confidence come from?...We only met today, you know."
"Just a hunch, and I am never wrong."
Serenity suddenly broke the tention between the two and burst into laughter after hearing him talk with such confidence.
"Pfft...hahahahaha...a...hunch. You really are something else."
Ash squeezed her cheeks between his arms in anger.
"Hahaha-oh-"
-squeeze-
"That's enough laughter already." He said
Serenity shoved his hands away using her fan; she opened her fan to hide her face behind.
"My cheeks hurt...don't do this again."
"I can't promise you when you are this adorable."
Serenity's face turned red in an instant; she pouted as her gaze diverted to the ground. She murmured, "This pervert never changed even without his memories."
'Who is the pervert, huh?!...What the hell did I do to this little kid in the past?' Although he heard what she said, he chose to pretend not to.
But seeing her still laughing her couldn't avert his gaze away and asked,
"What did you say?"
She immediately turned the other way, unfolding her hand in the space between them,
"N-nothing."
Seeing her so out of character ,all he was thinking about is how cute the little fox in front of him was.
He leaned and whispered softly in her ears,
"Right now you look more appealing to the eye.... It feels like being free-spirited is more like you."
The second his warm breeth brushed her hair against her ears smoothly driving those words to her she felt an inexplicable feeling of happiness.,'you're the only one who thinks that freedom is suited for me '
She tightened her grib on his hand saying, "You know, I personally think I have lived long enough, but you know, you are a first in everything related to me. Including this one."
"I would say I am honored, but I don't remember anything." He said
She folded her fan reassuring calmly saying, "Don't worry, soon enough you will."
The evening air was peaceful as they walked side by side , their fingers intertwined,. They stroll at a leisurely pace ,completly absorbed in each other's company
"By the way, i noticed you didn't eat anything earlier, weren't you hungry!?"
"Iam but aren't you the same"
"You noticed?!"
"What do you think?"
"Kinda creapy, i tell you"
They were absorbed in their peaceful world ,with some small talk yet feels cozy. Suddenly, the quite mood shaters. As a person approaches silently from behind, grinning and reaches out to place a hand on Ash's shoulder .
Instinct immediately takes. Sensing an unexpected threat , Ash tightens his grip on the intruders arm , fixes his weight, and pulls the intruder over with brutal force slamming his figure hard onto the floor.
-fwoosh...bang-
"Pwaagh…"
Only as the dazed man hits the ground does Ash look down, his adrenaline fueled gaze softenes into immediate shoke as he finally recognizes his face,
"Syrous?...What are you doing here?"
"We weren't following you i swear"
Another Male's voice came from behind making them turn It's way, and became even more surprised upon seeing it was Astrum's
He raised his hands open clear to their sigh and as he slowly advanced twards them explaining their situation ,"We were following a suspicious person when we finally cornered him; he used a dimensional key, dragging us here with him." "
Bella tilted her upper half to appear from behind Astrum, waving her hands awkwardly as she continued where he left, "We were trying to find our way out when we spotted you. That idiot ...ahem...i mean Syrous ran towards you, and the result is as you can see."
"..." Ash frooze like a stone glaring at them from behind his mask, not giving a damn what they said. And even thought they couldn't catch a glimpse of his face they know him too well to know that he's currently pissed by their sudden appearance
"N…no words, huh?...By the way, what are you doing here?...And..." Bella rolled her gaze at the woman wearing all black watching calmlupy beside Ash. Her tone switched hostle instantly as she asked,
"Who is she?"
"A friend !" Ash said it awkwardly, he tilted his head slightly to the side to see how would she react to his answer ,'...saying she is a friend for now doesn't seem like a bad idea, right?...I wonder what her thoughts are about this?'
Serenity caught onto his movements and reacted calmly almost instantly. She turned her head at Astrum sayin with a cold almost degrading tone,
"You are Ash's... subordinates...."
"!!?"
Both Astrum and Syrous had their guard up almost instantly;
'We never introduced ourselves as anything to ash and her using the word subordinates meant she knows who we are ,which may likely means she is an enemy '
Bella politly advanced forward and extended her hand to greet her; she was quite cautious when doing so, as her other hand was grabbing tightly onto several silver needles behind her back.
"Nice to meet you, I am Belladonna. May I ask what your name is, ma'am?"
Serenity rolled her eyes at her up and down ,in the end she only nodded her head slightly but eventually she still ignored her and turned her head to Ash, saying,
"They reacted well; they have some potential." She pocked his arms playfully saying, "As expected, you still have a good eye for talent."
Seeing her raises her thump for him ,he crossed arms, and opened his lips talking with clear dissatisfaction in his tone,
"But not good enough; you still managed to get them."
Seeing as ash didn't loose his temper aeound her ,they were puzzled as to the nature of the relationship between the two
Bella pulled her hand to her chest feeling a mix of embarrassment and pure anger flaring into her mind as she kept pulling her hair in her head like a psycho ,'Apart from work matters, that was the longest sentence I have ever heard coming out of that tyrant...just who the hell is she?'
Astrum didn't get distracted by their small talk like belladona instead he hid both hands behind his back allowing a surge of cold energy shoot out of his hand taking a physical shape of two sharp daggers.
He examined her up and down carefully making sure she has nothing dangerous attached to her ,'appart from that fan in her hand i can't spot anything that may be used as a weapon ....but just in case i need to stay alert!'
"You still didn't answer...." he said calmly with a spotless expression but the wariness in his eyes was more than enough to expose hos inner struggle.
Serenity faced him expressionless, calmly observing his everything, in the end she unfolded her fan hiding half her face behind and calmly said,
"I believe... not a sane person would raise his weapon against a person they met for the first time...what do you think?!"
"What?!"
They were stunned and speechless but their daze didn't last for even a secon ; the moment serenity waved her hand to his face folded her fan, the three of them were pinned to the ground by an invisible power far superior to anything they ever experienced .
"Ke-eugh"
"Gaah"
-bang-
-crack-
The force that pinned them was strong enough to push all their weight to the ground causing it to shatter under their feet. while Serenity had a harmless smile drawn over her face as she started mocking them,
"Carelessly preparing your weapons against someone who is truly stronger won't change the outcome, just like right now."
The people from around them started walked away one after another, escaping her from the entire scene . As for them, their breathing was getting tougher the longer they stayed under that pressure. Serenity realized they were no match, so she unfolded her fan and simply waved it , releasing them from the pressure instantly.
"Weak…"
-fwish-
Bella's body was numb all over; she was crouching on the ground trembling all over so exhausted she leand backwards on her hands, gasping for air.
"Pwah...hah, hah, hah...I almost suffocated to death."
"What the hell was that?"Syrous who wasn't even recovered after ash pinned him ,was pinned again by her invisible pressure ,he was so traumatized that he didn't even dare to get up anymore, and only felt safer breathing on the solid ground in case they lost it again ,'i hate when i get involved in such shitty situations ....'
Bella and Syrous finally regained their freedom; feeling light again was priceless for them . But Astrum, on the other hand, was glaring at her just like how a wild monster stares at his prey. Serenity felt his grudge and hostility but the thought of comforting him didn't even ross her mind as she kept pressing on him even further,
"If you don't even have the ability to withstand this much, don't even think about being of any help for him; better break the contract yourself."
Bella snapped angrily at her, unintentionally showing the golden needles she was hiding. "Hey, you, I have tolerated you for long enough. Who do you think you are, talking like that to him, huh?"
Finishing her words, she suddenly felt a cold glare on her back; she dropped her needles from fright.'w-what the hell?.....who angered the old tyrant ?!!'
She didn't dare turn her head to face Ash behind her , all she could do was tilt her head to the ground ,forcing herself to stay calm .Knowing Ash for as long as she does, she knows if someone were to be the target of his anger ,then it's over. 'Fucking hell....i don't want to die for God's sake!'
Syrous and Astrum, witnessing, were just as shocked; the man who is as good as a stone when it comes to others is actually showing his emotions for an unknown woman they just met for the first time.
All of them resonated at the same time with the same thought.
'Who on earth is she?'
Serenity tapped Ash's shoulder using her fan diverting his attention from them and calmly said, "Stop it; that little girl might literally be frightened to death by you."
Ash simply nodded, and the moment he turned his gaze at her all his anger quietly faded away as if it was never there,
After ash calmed down ,serenity used her fan to raise Belladonna's chin making their eyes meet and started talking,
"I think there is a huge misunderstanding between us…"
Belladonna was cautious in her words this time around afraid she might anger ash once again ,'that man is so pitty iam afraid my life might end on a whime because of his anger issues '
"Misunderstanding!? What kind of misunderstanding are we talking about exactly?!?" She asked
"I wasn't talking to Astrun specifically; my words are directed at the three of you." Serenity said and retreated her fan unfolding it to refresh herself ,"Even if you have some special talents, it's still nothing. One is hiding ,one is trapped while the other doesn't dare to face who he truely is .If you drag this shit on any longer, you will end up as a burden on his back, and I absolutely won't allow it."
After she said what she needed to say she folded her fan and stood still in her place leaving a dead silent behind.
-fold-
Ash covered his mouth using his hand even though he was wearing a mask. He was secretly delighted. ,'Just how am I supposed to tell him that this middle-aged woman who pinned him to the ground is actually his sister whom he think is weak.also...'
'Her understanding of those three is not something anyone could know . Even for me ;if it wasn't for the contrract or them telling me in person i wouldn't have known ,let along her ....how did she know?!' He sharpened his gaze staring at the woman who is nothing bit a bottomless swarm, with serets wrapping her very existence in mystery ,yet somehow It's the same thing that makes her glued to his mind ,'interesting...!'
Even through the mask you could feel she was looking down on them; whether It's her words or her actions, they were like sharp knives that pieced through their hearts cutting them like plades shattering their very pride. They couldn't argue because they individually knew it was true.
Seeing his subordinates like that, Ash wasn't angry but rather hopeful. 'Maybe her words could help those kids walk through their darckness and face the truth of this words head on, but i also wish it won't end going the other way around.'
Without warning ash cut through the quite with a calm ,domineering voice,
"Let's get out of here." He said
The sudden command leaves no room for hesitation or debate. In a single heartbeat everyone fell into step right behind him, driven entirely by his undeniable authority.
"Stand close to me!" Serenity said and raised the golden key pouring her magic into it and chanted.
[KAI]
The golden key extends into the empty air, It's jagged teeth catching the sudden surge of magical light that carves a keyhole directly into reality. As the key turns in the invisible lock, a heavy , mechanical click echoes through the quite space .
The dimensions split open instantly , expanding into a towering vertical portal framed by swirling, glowing ruins . The shimmering, liquid like surfacr of the gateway reflects the image of the night sky.
Serenity holds ash's hands tightly and with mutual understanding they walke inside the gateway and the others followed right behind