Asta of the six leaf clover (written by: Marvelmyst and Soumy42)

Chapter 16

Asta’s P.O.V

I opened my eyes to be met with darkness, my head throbbed in agony as my eyes tried to adjust. I slowly stood up and tried to find my way in this endless world of darkness. After a few minutes I heard faint sobbing and I felt myself drawn to the source of the sound. The sobbing grew louder as I came closer and I was met with a glimmer of light.

When I finally reached the source I stopped in my tracks. The person sobbing was me. I remember this, my first time getting thrown out of the church. I turned around and ran away, I don't want to remember. I can’t handle this pain. I ran further, only to pass by more and more of my memories. All of them bringing back terrible feelings I endured. Is this what you consider as running away from your past? Ugh, no time for being philosophical now, just calm down, these are memories. They can't hurt you right now, you're already gone from that wretched place. I keep repeating that over and over again in my head to give me some sort of comfort.

"Asta"

I hear a faint voice calling me, I had no idea where to go so I just followed the angelic voice. The voice became louder the deeper I went into the darkness. Eventually I came across an abyss, on the other side was light, but the voice told me to jump. I was conflicted, should I follow the voice that led me here or should I go to the light? I decided on the latter, I walked towards a bridge and started crossing it. I still heard the voice calling back for me, but I didn't listen. As I was nearing the end of the bridge, a hand reached up from the abyss it grabbed me and pulled me down. I was struggling to get out of its grip, but it wouldn't let go. The voice went from that of an angel to a demon.

"Why didn't you listen Asta?"

"Asta"

"ASTA!"

I slowly opened my eyes while scanning the room and to feel something soft underneath me. My eyes met with blue ones filled with concern. I tried sitting up but my body was too tired. I eventually gave up on it and just laid down, I didn't want to look at the person next to me knowing full well the scolding to come. I heard her sigh as she stood up, but before she left she said something to me.

"Good night brat, don't scare m-us. Us! Like that ever again."

She then left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. I couldn’t sleep, not when I just got that sort of dream. I walked out of the room, making sure to be sneaky as I went to the sparring room. It was in a good shape considering all of the Vermillion's sparring. Some mild burnmarks here and there and a small pile of broken dummies lying about. A big fist mark was seen in most of them. I ran outside and grabbed a wooden sword, starting with a few dozen swings up and down. After that I did the same thing, only this time with one hand. I stayed there practicing until I saw the first rays of sunshine. I ran back to the room and laid down and I was just in time too as Mereo came in ten minutes later. She 'woke me up' in a gentle way and told me to get ready and changed as I'd be brought back to dad in an hour or so.

In that hour, Noelle, Mimosa and Krisch left, we said goodbye and promised we'd meet again. I was just sitting around listening to Leo talk until Mereo showed up. She picked me up, put me on her broom and started flying away.

Shortly after out departure we made it back home, dad was already waiting at the gate. When we landed he ran up to me hugging till I was at the point of suffocating. Mereo whispered something into dad's ear which made him turn serious and after she was done, he told me to go on inside while they talked for a while.

Mereoleona’s P.O.V

Making sure that Asta was really out of earshot, now I have some serious questions for Julius about Asta's past.

**A long, detailed explanation later**

I could not believe what I was hearing. So I was right to question Julius. No wonder Asta looked so scared, his past still haunts him. Then why does he look so happy all the time? Doesn't he know that childhood trauma may not effect him now, but when he grows up it'll play a major factor in his life? I wanted to punch Julius, but I knew it wasn't his fault. It was the fault of that goddamned church. I have been fighting for equal rights for the people in the forsaken realm, but if this is how those people act, they might actually be worse than the nobles.

I turned away from Julius, stepping on my broom flying of to my next destination. There’s hell to pay and another red-blooded Tuesday.