Chapter - 18

Two slits opened in the darkness. I was still cold, I felt as if I was shivering, the light poured into my vision as if the sunlight was liquid. It illuminated the darkness with a warm glow finally adding color to the darkness that had enveloped my view. The world around me had filled with life. I still felt slow and as if a mountain was placed upon my body. I mustered the strength to turn my head to the side, my head reluctantly moved as if it were trying to resist its master's orders, my view was still blurry. I saw a figure slumped over by the side of my bed. I could not recognize who it was. This blurry mass was slim. I noticed its hair, it was a crimson red, braided into a plat that was resting on the shoulder of this figure. I stared with my eyes squinted at the figure for a few moments before my eyes began to adjust to this new light. The blurry figure began to clear slightly. The figure had pale ivory skin which seemed to glow slightly in the light, the figure of this being was slim. The figure had a modest size bust and seemed to have noticeable muscle mass. And that's when it clicked. Asta...

My eyes began to well up. My mind was still fuzzy, the memory of what I had done still burned bright in my mind, I tried with all my might to speak. But I couldn't... I wanted, no, I needed to tell her that I was sorry. She deserved that at least for what I had done to her. I felt pain course through my body as I winced out a pathetic couple of words. "I'm sorry Asta..." my voice had sounded coarse and rough and so soft I had not known if she had heard me or not. My hope of her hearing me had already been low. But it began to get lower. I felt a tear leave my eye and I was ready to lay there and cry for days on end. I could never forgive myself for what I had done to her, it was a shameful act. Even for a beast, it would have been a distasteful act.

I was about to give up. It was then that I had felt a hand on my face. It was warm, I felt a warmth course through my veins and throughout my body, my eyes began to clear up slightly as the tears were wiped from my eyes. I now saw her. I saw Asta's face. I saw her grey eyes staring into mine. Her eyes were filled with warmth but I saw something else in her eyes. I saw sadness and I knew that I was the cause of it. I had to be. She kept her hand on my face and said. "Hunter. You need to rest... Please." She had said in a low loving tone that had sounded as if it was filled with love but also sadness. "You have been like this for days. Please rest. We all still need you. Times are hard right now... We are all worried about you. We can- no I can't lose you. So please. Rest" she had pleaded as she rested her head on my chest as I heard her begin to weep. I wanted to stand and hold her in my arms and tell her everything was going to be alright. But I was weak. I knew I could not hold her now. And as I began to think that a chill had encased my entire body... I had remembered my father. I felt angry and wanted to rush out to see him. he was dying and I was here a useless shell in bed. I forced out the words "My father... Is he still... Alive?" I whined out with great pain. Asta lifted her head from my chest and said in a confused tone. "He is fine Hunter. He is worried about you. He has been standing guard for days." she had said. My mind was rushing with images of what had happened the last time I had been awake. I felt the embrace of Asta's father once more and I was in disbelief.

I could remember in detail every word the chief had said to me. How he had told me my father has been dying. I was sure my father was deathly sick. I needed to see him and I wanted to rush out of this godforsaken bed and find my father. But I couldn't. Every time I tried to move I felt as if another boulder had been placed on top of me. I felt useless. I fought and fought and tried my best to struggle out from under the boulders on top of me. But I couldn't. My whole body shook as I tried to sit up. Asta rushed over to me and laid her head and chest on top of me. "Hunter please stop..." She whispered pleading with me to stop. I stopped struggling when I felt her body on top of mine. Even though I had mountains placed on top of me I felt a warmth emanating from her, it began to defrost the ice that had been encapsulating my soul, "Hunter everything is fine, please... Stop" Asta had said still having her body placed on mine holding me in a loving embrace. I wanted to do so much more and say more than any man could. But I couldn't not yet at least. But I had to trust Asta. It was the least I could have done for her. "Alright...My love..." I whispered out pathetically to Asta.

I allowed myself to be weak at that moment. I trusted Asta. Even though I was worried about my father and I was even more worried as to what the prisoner may do to him. I needed to trust Asta. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to rest.