Isola's gaze held Asher's, unyielding and resolute. A long moment stretched between them, the silence around them pressing in as she considered his proposition. She seemed to carry the weight of her entire race in her eyes, an oceanic depth of responsibility reflected within her gaze.
The silence was cut as she drew a slow, deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling with the motion. Then, her voice echoed in the quiet, clear, and firm, "Yes. I accept…" Isola made careful deliberation before answering, as she knew this was the only way to protect her people and Callisa while trying to help him move on from his harrowing past.
This was a necessary step she had to undertake even if her parents or her people would never want this, though they will never know.
She realized now why he granted mercy to her people instead of giving them severe punishment. He planned to use them all in the future for his vengeance.
She looked at him with a certain softness in her eyes, believing that he could be more than a weapon for revenge. Perhaps he just needed a push in the right direction, and she wanted to provide it if she could. And the only way she could think of doing that was letting him depend on her. That way she can also prevent him from trying to exploit her people or Callisa.
She never expected to have this feeling inside her that was filled with an understanding born from having seen his past. It was as though she saw through the shell he built around himself, to the lonely and hurt soul that lingered beneath…something which she could resonate with to a certain extent.
In her mind, she acknowledged not only the suffering he had endured but also the potential he held beyond his thirst for vengeance. And in her determination, she wanted to offer him a glimpse of hope, a possibility of a different path so that it would benefit not only himself and her people but the entire demon realm.
Even if he may not have meant what he said after the war ended, she also wanted a future where she and her people doesn't have to keep on fighting and suffering to survive.
They suffered more than enough for thousands of years.
And so, she wanted a peaceful future even if the path to it wouldn't be easy. And the only who seemed to have the potential to achieve such a seemingly impossible task was him.
Asher curved his lips with a subtle smile while inwardly being surprised that she actually agreed. She could have tried to leverage his past and blackmail him into doing whatever she wanted.
But instead, she was proposing to help him to protect her people and Callisa. She truly put others above herself, which was foolish in his eyes but good for him.
"Interesting…Then I shall believe you mean it once you start acting upon it," Asher said, feeling satisfied that gaining such a huge helping hand was probably worth it even if his past was exposed to her. With a powerful Soul Devourer willing to help him, it can make a lot of things easier for him.
"You won't be disappointed," Isola said with firm determination in her eyes, though a hint of unease stirred in her chest, wondering if her decision would prove to be the right one or not.
"Good," Asher said as he sat down and asked, "Now…tell me how you saw those memories? Do you have the ability to look into someone's mind?" Asher asked as he sat down and began to caress Callisa's shell, trying to pacify her that things were alright.
Isola softly sighed as she sat down behind him, "As I said before, it was an accident, and it happened without me realizing it. Most of my powers are powered by my voice, including my Mindforce abilities. So If I wanted to really invade your mind, I would have to resonate my voice at the rhythm of your mind, which requires great concentration and not something I can suddenly do in a split second."
Asher already knew she didn't do it on purpose, but he realized that the power of her voice was dangerous indeed. No wonder those with Willbending Pathway, especially Mindforce abilities, were greatly feared like the Mindslayers.
Isola's eyes narrowed in contemplation before suddenly lighting up as she suddenly realized something, "The life crystals…and Callisa…"
"What are you talking about?" Asher asked as he slowly looked at her.
Isola blinked her eyes as she explained, "During my years in the Forbidden Waters, I spent most of my time learning the texts and researching about life crystals since they were scarce, and I wanted to see if there was a way to increase its efficiency. That is when I learned that the transfer of life crystals from one person to another is an energy-rich and intimate process. They acted as the medium instead of my voice, and since we are connected to each other through Callisa, this connection must have left a gate in your mind open to me."
Asher furrowed his brows as he processed her explanation which was the only thing that seemed to make sense no matter how strange it was. He inwardly shook his head with a tired sigh, realizing it was also his fault. If only he didn't ask her to give the life crystals now.
"So you are saying transferring life crystals can leave my mind open to you? The next time we do this the same thing will happen? I need the truth," Asher asked with a hardened look. He can't let this happen again and, most of all, prevent it from happening with someone else at all costs.
He never knew the simple act of transferring life crystals personally could be a danger.
"No," Isola said, her voice steady as she met his icy gaze with calm resolve. "It's not that simple, nor that deterministic. Life crystal transfer in itself is not a gateway to one's mind. Otherwise, nobody would be doing that. What happened was a result of several unusual circumstances colliding."
Her fingers gently brushed the gem on her sea bra, as she looked at him with a complicated look in her eyes, "If I were to guess…your mind was in shambles after learning what your wife did, right?"
Asher pressed his lips together firmly as he silently shifted his gaze to the side.
Isola softly nodded as she continued, "This must have left your mind vulnerable even without you realizing it. This combined with the connection we have through Callisa, and the transfer process of the life crystals, unintentionally formed a...let's say, a 'one-way-bridge' between our minds."
She paused, giving him time to digest her words, "Under normal circumstances, such an occurrence is incredibly rare. The likelihood of it happening again, especially under more controlled conditions, should be impossible."
Asher now realized why people say useless emotions can make one weak. When these emotions hurt them, they would weaken their mind and leave them vulnerable.
If only he had never lowered his guard before Rowena, he would never have felt this much turmoil within him.
Isola paused, her gaze softened with an unfamiliar mix of empathy and hesitation. She opened her mouth, then closed it, a moment of internal struggle visibly playing out across her face.
Finally, her words broke the silence, cautiously, gently, "Asher... if you want to... we could talk about your past... or about what happened with Rowena," Her voice was barely a whisper, the words hung in the air between them like fragile crystal spheres, ready to shatter at any moment.
"I...I know how you felt about her," she added, her eyes holding a certain quiet understanding. The words felt strange to her, as though she was crossing a line she wasn't sure she had the right to.
She felt their relationship was as complicated as it could get, with both having killed each other's loved ones. What happens if Rowena learns the truth as well? However, she felt Rowena could never know unless Asher tells her.
But Asher cut her off swiftly, his voice was cold and stern, causing a swift shift in the mood. He raised a hand, a brief but clear signal of cessation, "Enough...Just because you had a fleeting glimpse of some of my memories, it doesn't mean you know me, nor should you pretend to understand everything I have gone through."
His words, like icy shards, pierced through the unspoken understanding that had begun to form.
Isola's face fell slightly at his rebuke, the empathetic gleam in her eyes replaced with a shadow of hurt. But she quickly masked it with a calm, understanding nod, withdrawing within herself. There was a certain resigned acceptance in her posture that spoke volumes more than words could.
"I... I understand," she responded, her voice steady despite the sting of his words. The small smile on her lips didn't quite reach her eyes, but it was there, a hint of determination in her eyes to not give up just because he said so.
For a moment, there was silence. Her eyes studied him carefully before she finally broke the silence, "You've been avoiding Rowena since we arrived here. How long are you planning to do this, Asher? You can't make her suspicious, you know that."
The sounds of the birds in the sky were the only thing that filled the space between her question and his answer.
His eyes remained closed, his chest rising and falling steadily. His silence was contemplative rather than dismissive, like someone contemplating a heavy decision.
As a veteran Hunter in the past, he had learned meditation techniques to help calm down his heart and mind and focus on what mattered.
After a seemingly interminable pause, he finally opened his eyes, the darkness of his heart reflected in the icy depths.
A quiet sigh slipped from his lips, and he rose to his full height, towering over Isola.
A cold smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth, giving him an air of nonchalance that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I suppose you're right, Isola. We've been here long enough," He said, his tone as chilly as the night air. His gaze flicked to the horizon, where the sun was growing milder, "We should get back."
His mind was a whirl of thoughts, a strategy already forming for dealing with Rowena.
He knew that he couldn't cut her off nor act hostile, not when he needed her. But he also knew that he had to tread carefully, to keep up the facade until he had no use for it.
And when the time comes, when he was finally strong enough and there were no other distractions, he would decide what to do with the woman he was married to.
But for now, life should go on as if nothing had changed, no matter how hard it would be for him.
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