39 Arash - The price to pay...

"You were taking too much time." Arash turned towards his uncle, who was still in a state of delirium, using all his strength to drag himself to the unconscious bald man. "Is he going to be alright?" Arash asked as he waved in front of his uncle.

"Should be fine," Najwah replied as he studied the golden mist surrounding Adam's sea of consciousness. "His soul is weak, so it will take some time for him to regain his consciousness." He turned towards Arash. "Can I eat this bastard or would it be too scary for you?"

Arash felt his cheeks burn as he struggled to find the words. "...suit yourself!" was all he managed to say. The little snake scoffed in derision as he dove in for the feast.

'Save me... Show me the way. I have been lost. My brother.' Adam called out to the bald man as he struggled to get off the ground, his hands trembled under his weight and his legs refused to move. Arash picked him up by the scruff of his collar and threw him towards the bald man.

As soon as Adam's hand touched the bald man's face; the strength rune in his right arm wiggled to life, delicate yellow threads bore into the unconscious man's face and sucked out his life force.

Soon Najwah harvested all the memories of the bald man returned with a self-satisfied smile. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of Adam sucking strength from the bald adept and turned towards Arash. "Not Bad! you are learning at last. Imagine how strong you would have gotten

if you had the strength of all those men before." Najwah said teasingly.

Arash ignored the little snake's remarks. "What was that thing?"

Najwah face curdled at the mention of the golden leech. "It was one of my kind. Same as us"

"Why didn't you warn me?" Arash frowned.

"You think I didn't?" Najwah distastefully. "I was screaming the whole time. You were too busy sucking up to your lord."

"I... How was I supposed to know the first thing I would meet would cast a spell on me and why the heck didn't you attack him even if I was

under his spell?"

"I tried but you were blocking me. That bastard found me out and with you under his control. I couldn't do anything." Najwah replied, trembling with rage.

Arash frowned, something felt off about the little snake. There was something he wasn't telling him. He focused on his soul-bond with the black snake. He could feel his fury, but that was just on the surface, deep inside he felt shame. Shame at being bested by a being lesser than him.

Najwah felt Arash's probing, his heart immediately lurched as his rampant emotions immediately disappeared as he stared at Arash with a hint of embarrassment, but under Arash piercing gaze his defenses faltered. "...He hid from me. Alright!"

"Why?"

"I don't know. for some reason when he was merged with him. I couldn't detect his presence. It was only after, he used his spell on you did I find him." He stared at Arash with a disgruntled face. "I could have found out how, but you had to use that deplorable thing and blast him to pieces."

"Eh -- Does your spell work on your kind?"

"Don't be a fool. My true body will always destabilize another Ruh! Why do you think he blocked me from using my true body?"

Arash was struck by a sudden thought as he stared at the strength rune in his body. He clearly remembered that they weren't blocked by the spell of the golden rune. "Why weren't they blocked?"

"They are not like us. We are formed by mother's will. But these are different. They are made from your will, so they are basically a part of you. Even I have trouble distinguishing them from your soul. That golden bastard would be daydreaming if he thought he could see them"

"What the--" Adam screamed in horror as he jerked back to his feet. He couldn't help but forget how close he was to the fat priest just now. 'we were basically touching noses.' He shivered in disgust.

"Good to see you back among the living," Arash said with a smile.

"Eh -- living? What happened to me? -- Ah! I can stand?" Adam clenched his fist, flexed his muscles. It wasn't the same as before, but it was still better than nothing. He turned towards the bald adept. It looked as if all of his muscles had been dissolved by something, leaving hollow skin hanging by his face "Did I do that?" color drained from his face as his body trembled at the thought of being able to do such a thing. His fingers dug into the corded muscles of his forearm and instead of pride, he felt nothing but disgust.

"You did, and you will do it again -- not by choice, but you will do it. I told you there was a price." Arash said coldly, he could hardly believe the words he was saying. But he knew they needed to be said. Not for his uncle, but for him. He needed to hear them. He needed to understand what he was and what he was going to be.

"This is not right," Adam said with a pallid face, his lips quivering with unease.

"Just a moment ago, you would have been turned into a slave to that man -- " Arash remembered his thoughts when he was under the enchantment of the golden leech. He gritted his teeth. " you would have forsaken everything without a single thought. Serving this man like a god -- So yeah, this is not right."

Adam's figure sagged as he finally understood the price he had to pay.

"I can take it back, take back this strength." Adam's head jerked up as he listened intently to Arash. Arash turned towards the adept, studied his melted face and his shriveled arm. "...but weakness -- comes with a price."