Isola took one last glance before shifting her gaze towards Asher, "The Melody of Regret. I made them experience every ounce of pain and torment they inflicted upon others but multiple times more. I trapped them in a cycle, a loop of suffering, until their souls understood the gravity of their sins. I never thought I would use such a cursed melody in my life since it was only good at making someone suffer…" Isola's voice trailed off as her gaze became distant.
Merina's gaze shifted from the aged figures of Axton and his friends to Isola, her voice trembling slightly, "But…Why did they age so drastically?"
Isola's face was serene as she answered, "In the few moments we witnessed their torment," she began softly, "they lived lifetimes. Their minds created a reality of endless suffering, of perpetual death and rebirth. And when the mind is so deeply convinced of a reality, the body often follows suit."
Ceti, still trying to grasp the enormity of what had just transpired, stared at Isola in awe. The realization hit her; the Umbralfiend Princess was far more formidable than she had initially thought.
The sheer magnitude of such power was both frightening and awe-inspiring. She whispered, more to herself than to anyone else, "Taking away a lifetime in mere moments... It's terrifying."
As if the scene wasn't intense enough, Asher's sudden faltering drew their attention.
His body shimmered, the brilliant golden flames that once enveloped him fading to transform back to his original form. His face was ashen, and he looked on the brink of collapse.
Isola's reflexes were swift, her arms reaching out and catching Asher just as his knees gave way. Her voice held an urgency they hadn't heard before, "We need to get to a safe zone, now!"
Isola's heart clenched as she could sense that his entire body was in a state of chaos, as if a storm had wreaked havoc within him.
Asher felt his consciousness slipping, and the pain that was wrecking his body earlier was fading away until he found himself being pulled to a different scenery.
As his vision cleared up, he found himself in a vast expanse, the surroundings almost surreal, a mix of twilight blues and fiery reds merging into an endless horizon.
But his attention was riveted to the woman standing a short distance away from him, her long raven-black hair cascading like a dark waterfall, contrasting with her crimson robes, which seemed to have been woven from the very essence of fire. Every detail of her being spoke of her ethereal, almost celestial allure.
He barely registered her words. Her voice was cold and fierce, yet the hurt and confusion were palpable in her tone, "Why are you still here? Aren't you just going to let them damn your soul when you have the power to leave? You must really not care about anyone if you don't care about yourself."
Feeling a surge of emotions, Asher found himself approaching her. His hands gently grasped her shoulders, turning her towards him. Her face, pure and angelic, contrasted with her fiery demeanor. Her eyes, a deep shade of winter gray, were pools of sadness, anger, and something else he couldn't quite name.
Asher was baffled to see that this was the very same phoenix woman he had met earlier.
Their eyes met, and he found himself whispering calmly yet with untold emotions, "We were never meant to be..."
Pyrrah looked away, trying to break the connection, but he found his fingers gently lifting her chin, his touch soft but insistent, "But that doesn't mean I can stop loving you. You stuck with me despite learning who I am, and you gave me the strength to keep going, Pyrrah. If harm ever befell you because of me, I would lose my purpose, my will."
Pyrrah's lip quivered, her eyes searching for his, "No…If you do this…you are going to let them decide your fate…"
Asher's grip tightened slightly, determination oozing out of his voice, "That's where you're wrong. No fate, no destiny can stand in our way. If something ever tries to tear us apart, I will burn down the Heavens and the Seven Hells themselves to make things right. Just... wait for me, Pyrrah. Even if it takes thousands or tens of thousands of years, I will find you. I will come back...stronger than ever. It's the only way."
Pyrrah's gaze locked onto his as her voice quivered with a mix of hope and fear, "Can you promise me that? I will only wait if you do. And if you can't, then I will follow you."
His response was immediate and unwavering, his grip on her hands tightening with the intensity of his conviction, "I promise, Pyrrah. I promise you."
But just as he uttered those words, a sudden force seemed to pull at him, trying to take him away from Pyrrah and the dreamscape they inhabited.
His surroundings started to dissolve, fading into a whirl of colors and sounds. Her face became an indistinct blur, though her voice remained crystal clear, echoing with a haunting sadness.
Asher's heart pounded with desperation as he came to his senses, "No, wait!" He tried to reach out, to grasp the fading remnants of the dreamscape, trying to anchor himself to this moment.
He had so many questions. The weight of their interaction, the depth of their connection – who was she? Why did she feel so familiar?
What were these intertwined destinies that seemed to separate and pull them together at the same time?
What was this warmth, sadness, regret and pain tugging at his heart?
However, the pull of reality was too strong. The ethereal realm was rapidly replaced by familiar, tangible surroundings. He could feel the cool touch of sheets, hear the distant chirping of nocturnal insects, and see the gentle glow of the moon filtering through the windows.
His senses still swirling, his voice hoarse and full of lingering emotions, Asher muttered, "Pyrrah..."
"Asher? Thank the devils…" Isola's relief-laden voice pierced through, her face hovering above him, illuminated by the gentle glow of the room.
Her eyes were filled with concern, brows furrowed, her grip tight on his hand.
Pushing himself up slightly, Asher's gaze swept the room, searching for any familiar bearings.
The pale silvery drapes, soft glow of the lanterns, and the faint aroma of medicinal herbs surrounding him were all foreign, "Where are we?" he rasped, his voice hoarse from disuse.
Isola gently pressed him back onto the bed, her fingers cool against his warm skin, "Rest," she insisted, "Your body has been through a lot, and the medicines we've given you are working. You need to let them."
His forehead creased with concern, "But where are we? This isn't our shelter."
"No," she replied, her voice softening, "We're in a safe zone. Thanks to your title of 'Bounty Survivor,' we managed to rent out this place. Merina did some impressive haggling with the Zone Master. We thought of heading back to the shelter, but it wouldn't have had the resources we needed to aid your recovery."
Feeling a twinge of pain, Asher propped himself against the pillows. His brow furrowed, trying to piece together lost time, "Why does it still feel like night? Has it only been a few hours?"
Isola hesitated for a moment, her eyes avoiding his, "You've been unconscious for almost 2 months, Asher," she admitted softly, "Ceti and Merina have been working for the Zone Master as per the deal she proposed. They wanted to ensure we could remain here a bit longer. They've been so worried about you, but we could see you were healing slowly but steadily. Otherwise, we wouldn't be this calm."
'2 months??' Asher felt his mind getting struck by the sheer shock of realizing that. It only felt like a few minutes to him, and this made him realize how dangerous the backlash was, especially since he still couldn't use his mana circuit yet.
Isola's eyes, once avoiding his, now held them with an intensity that made his heart skip a beat, "Asher, why...why did you do it? Why did you use that power, knowing it could have ended your life? I also know you would have wanted to use it for yourself in an emergency."
Isola never expected he would use it to help her. Only after what happened did she realize that the only reason he convinced her to hunt down the Demon Rippers was because he had decided since the beginning he would use it if necessary.
The soft glow of the moonlight played on Isola's face, accentuating the raw emotion present in her blue sapphire eyes. She took a moment, watching Asher's distant gaze, before he eventually brought his attention back to her.
"I don't really know," he murmured, confusion evident in his eyes, "I had told myself I'd only use that power in dire situations, especially against my enemies."
The room's ambiance deepened with the weight of his confession, the low hum of the wind outside becoming more pronounced.
Slowly, he turned to Isola, his gaze locking onto hers, "But when I saw you, the way pain washed over you as you saw what happened to your people...something inside me decided, without any doubt, that I had to help no matter what it takes. And I find that strange," he confessed, a hint of softness creeping into his voice, "I keep asking myself why. Why did the sight of you in pain evoke such a powerful response in me? I thought my heart had long since stopped feeling such things."
"Asher…I…" Isola lowered her gaze as her chest began to heave up and down with the flurry of emotions swirling inside her, her lips parting and closing as if she wanted to express a multitude of words but at the same time couldn't.
Isola's heart raced as Asher's warm hand cradled her face, his touch tender and warm against her cool skin.
His piercing gaze locked onto hers, the intensity of his emotions palpable, making the distance between them feel like mere millimeters.
The palpable silence of the room deepened as Asher's fingertips gently grazed Isola's cheek, drawing her closer.
His eyes, reflecting a myriad of emotions, searched hers for a connection beyond words, "I have figured it out, Isola," he began, his voice soft and heavy with emotion, "You've somehow carved out a space within me. It's like you've grown roots inside my very soul, giving me a newfound purpose and a strength I thought I had long since lost."
Isola's breath caught in her throat, the intensity of his gaze making her heart race. His words enveloped her, and the world around them seemed to blur and fade.
"Seeing you in pain," he continued, his voice trembling slightly, "only fueled me more, giving me the strength to shield you from that suffering. I've been fighting these emotions, trying to distance myself from what I feel, thinking that doing so would save me from suffering again. But now...I realized doing so may only bring me more pain and regret and I am tired of getting haunted by the ghosts of the past. So I'd rather embrace them, even if it threatens to shatter me."
As he declared, she could see the reflection of his raw emotions in his eyes, something she had never seen before.
Her heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears, drowning out all else. As he closed the distance between them, she could feel the warmth of his breath on her lips. And then, with a gentle urgency, his lips met hers.
Isola's eyes fluttered in surprise, her heart pounding even louder.
But as the kiss deepened, she felt herself getting lost in the sensation, drowning in the depth of his emotions and passion.
Her initial shock gave way to a gentle surrender, her hands coming up to rest on his chest while her lips melted into his. The world outside faded away, leaving just the two of them, lost in a moment that seemed to stretch on forever.
