Arthdal Chronicles Oneshots

Fear is a disease, Compassion is the antidote

AN/: This is a little oneshot for Asa Hon and Ragas.

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Atturad was left behind in a bloodbath of fiery destruction. Asa Hon escaped with the Neanthal, Ragas, during the chaos and devastation. She knew he wanted to kill her. He had every right to, yet he needed her help in order to protect the two babies they had managed to save from the massacre.

She was grateful that once they had found a safe cave to rest at, that Ragas spent the last of his strength to cover the cave entrance with snow. He shared a look with her that was surprisingly pleading and pitiful before he collapsed to the ground in a puddle of his blue blood.

Asa Hon swallowed thickly. The babies were eerily silent. She took a moment to cry tears for them for the loss they would never fully understand, for what had been stolen from them.

"Asa Hon! Can you hear us?"

"Asa Hon?" "Asa Hon!"

She heard the voices of the Draken soldiers and White-Peak Mountain soldiers calling for her. She ignored them. Instead, she cradled the frightened babies in her arms. She realized that even though they were infants, somehow they feared her. Her embrace would never replace their mothers bosom. Her tears would never forgive the sin she shared along with her race. No Sarem was innocent, especially not her.

The outside eventually became quiet. So quiet, that for a moment she could breathe easier.

"Asa Hon! It's me, Mubeak! Tell me where you are, don't be afraid! I'll save you!"

Her heart caught in her throat and her eyes stung. Mubeak? Did he know about any of this? Was he...was he one of the Draken soldiers that slaughtered a whole tribe of innocent people?

"I know you refused to return with the soldiers of White-Peak Mountain! I understand! But the Neanthal...they're not like us! It was us or them! I never wanted to any of this to happen, you have to believe me!"

Hot tears of betrayal ran down her cheeks. So he knew. He must have known that this would happen. But did he know what she did? Did he know she was decieved? Mubeak was supposed to be her guard on her journey to Atturad only a week ago, but he was replaced by a one of the Draken soldiers at the last minute. Why didn't he warn her? Weren't they friends? Weren't they... No. He couldn't have known... Could he?

"Asa Hon!"

Mubeak's voice became fainter and fainter. It took everything she had not to beg him for help. To help her, to help the babies, to help save the man who was bleeding out at the entrance to the cave. He was her friend. So why were her legs so weak? Why was her voice so strangled?

She thought she heard one of the babies blowing a spit bubble beside her. She glanced at them only to see blood at their mouths and blood running running down their little noses as their tired blue eyes fought not to roll back into their heads, as if they too understood how important their survival was for their race.

The disease had caught even them, and there was nothing she could do to save them. She clutched at her chest and keened her heart out for them. There wasn't anything she could do, she was no doctor, and it was most likely Harim, the doctor of the Bachi guild, who created such a vile disease in the first place.

"Little one's, I'm so sorry. I can't save you. I can't... Only Sarem are immune to these diseases, the antidote has been bred into us, I don't know-"

The antidote had been bred into them, she realized. She looked at the creamy, flawless skin of her wrists.
That was right. Once Sarem too were plagued by this disease, but the survivors of the disease had never died from it again.