Ashes

Arch III. The Longest Road. Entry 13. You're to Blame Now

Abby sat quietly by Eclip's bed, listening carefully to his breathing. He breathed intermittently, occasionally groaning in pain. Each time, the girl raised her head, checking his heartbeat. She no longer knew when she had last slept or eaten. As if history was repeating itself for her.

Ahriman entered the room quietly. He slowly approached the peacefully sleeping girl and put his hand on her shoulder. She shuddered.

"How is he?" he asked quietly. He seemed worried about the boy's condition too. "Is he okay?"

"You..." she saw his face. Her voice broke into scream "Why is he with you? What have you done to him?"

"Calm down, little girl" Ahriman understood perfectly well why she was angry. "I'm not here to fight you. You asked us to help you. That's what we're here for. And so is he, but I didn't know it would turn out like this."

"L-liar!" she rose on her feet and got closer to him "That's who you are. Making people believe you and then... Then... You betray them. If not me, who knows where will Ritsu be"

"Did Ritsu hurt you?" his voice sounded very worried "What did he do?"

"You... Do you want to know?" She was close to hysteria. "Then look at what your dear follower did to me." She slowly lowered her shirt and turned her back to Ahriman. There were many scars on her back from the whip. Some were still fresh. "Do you see this? He hurt us with and without reason!" she slowly turned to him, putting her shirt back on. "He doesn't value our lives! We... We are just toys that have no names, only numbers!" her voice broke into a loud scream. "And all because of you! You sent me here instead of killing me with your own hands! YOU brought him here to certain death, although you thirst for his soul like no one else! It's all because of you." She began to beat his chest with her fists, continuing to blame him for what was happening.

Ahriman understood her feelings at that moment, but he also knew that even if he killed her, she would come back. Abby, like Ahriman, had a purpose, and the Ancients would not let them die until they fulfill it. Ahriman pulled Abby to his chest with one hand, stopping her. She was surprised, but she could not resist, as if her will was once again taken over.

"It's fine," he whispered, kneeling down with her. Then, taking her by the shoulders, he looked into her eyes, shining with tears. "Listen, now we need to forget all the differences we had and unite. And if not for them, then for him," He pointed at Eclip. "I know it will be hard for you to trust me. But I swear I'm not lying to you this time".

"What do you want?" she asked again

"It all depends on what you want, Abby," he looked intently into her eyes, waiting for an answer. "I know very well that with the memories, the desire to be free has returned to you."

"I'm not asking you for freedom," she looked away, understanding what exactly he wanted.

"No?" He tilted his head slightly. "Curious. But what then? In exchange for your help"

"I want my memories to remain with me after this hell is over. And I don't want to belong to you anymore." Her answer was confident, as if she had been planning to say it for a long, long time.

"Very well. When this is over, I promise you that Ritsu will not erase your memories again. As for the second... I'm afraid that's impossible. Your master must free you. Then my control over you will end." He was lying to her, but he did it so skillfully that it sounded plausible. "Deal?"

Realizing that she didn't have much of a choice, she nodded silently. She wanted so much to escape the Darkness' control over her own fate, but she was still in the hands of the young Lord. And if he died, she would simply be sold to another person. She was afraid, and Ahriman understood this very well. What Ritsu had done to her all this time had left its mark not only on her body, but also on her psyche. And given all the nightmare that had been happening around her since the day the Dragon Flu came to this continent, her fear grew stronger with each passing day.