[22]

Her eyes slowly filtered open as their crimson irises bloomed into the world. Looking through the bright light of the rays of the sun that engulfed her sight, she could see nothing but the hue of white and pink. Evidently, what she laid upon was a mix of such colors. Fluffiness embraced her body and she felt as if she laid upon the clouds, upon the planet's sky she had oh so forgotten and had long since stopped looking upon. Her memory was faint, it wasn't because she had lost them, she knew, it was solely the choice she had made, the choice to seal her own emotions along with the unnecessary memories that could affect them.

The orphanage the two had spent their earlier days; gone. That voice, ever so soft, guiding her through the small joys of life-smiling so bitterly at her small childish antics; gone. Only when she awakens from an unconscious state, only when the two switch places, will her memory be slightly filtered and jogged into her mind.

"Everything, in fate, one step at a time."

A small mumble of dizziness escaped her lips, as she spoke the one phrase that reminded her of herself, that one sentence he had always told to her whenever she wondered when their life would change, whenever the two looked upon the stars. With that moment, she caught herself as the memories buried themselves deep down inside of her, once more.

"Is that so?" Maria questioned as her soft voice entered into the ears of the girl.

Fate

Was that also why she was here? Was that why that ancient and mighty being, that being known as God brought her here? Sealing parts of her memories, the most important aspects, in hopes they wouldn't erode her mind?

As the girl sat up, she wondered just as such. As the girl's eyes looked at her with such blankness as if to disregard her presence, she wondered just the same.

Their eyes-one crimson and the other a more natural shade of pink-stared at the other.

"Where am I?" Ashe was the one to break the silence as her rough voice drifted.

"You're within the guest room of the city lord's mansion," Maria narrated, she looked at the girl's figure for a moment to see any change in her, then continued "However, I wouldn't move around too much."

Ashe was about to tell the girl to mind her own business but suddenly felt a bout of pain as she grimaced.

Her facial expression twisted in strife as her teeth fritted against one another, scraping like broken glass or metallic iron and sending a shrill sound of scraping canals into the air.

"You are experiencing a backlash, even when your body was fully healed by the light mages, your blood hasn't settled."

She scowled, "I don't need your observation."

She didn't need the peach blonde haired girl to tell her that, even she was aware that when too much stress was placed on her body at once, the resulting case would be a backlash. This had been the first time in almost a full year since the beast had taken over her body-even with only a fifth of its power-it was enough to cause a lasting result. She could feel the blood rushing into her mouth, but she forcefully endured and swallowed the bitter and warm taste to the crimson liquid back down. As her heart regained a steady beat, she pushed the pain to the back of her mind.

Looking up, she asked, "Has he told where Crow's Nest is?"

Maria's mouth opened slightly, then staring for a breath of time at the figure, she replied all the same, "you should rest first."

The girl spoke once more, "Has he revealed the location of their base?"

"Your lifespan is slowly withering," Maria replied.

"I can do fine in realizing on my own, I do not need your care."

"No, but you did try to kill the companion of that man and frankly, I currently fail to trust you and would much rather have you sit still in bed. Much rather than care about your condition, I simply do not want you to move. " Maria replied bluntly.

She wouldn't hide it, there was no need to, she and this girl had barely known each other and this was the first time they had truly exchanged words. If she failed to trust the girl and wanted her to sit still and cause no troubles, she would say so. And say so she did.

Ashe sneered, "I did not come here to make friends, I came here to kill an organization."

"Then why did you try and kill the wolf if your only wish was Crow's Nest?" She asked.

"It used the wrong name." Was the reply she took, bluntly spoken matter of factly in a tone as if the girl would do the same again if she wanted to.

It used the wrong name? Gray? Maria breathed a breath of air to calm herself.

Based on the words of the guild master; she had already come to somewhat recognize what this girl was. She wasn't human, she wasn't a demon, and certainly couldn't even be fully considered a half-breed of both races. Evidently, she was something else. Now, whether she was something more or something less was a different story. However, she had come to realize one thing; She wanted an answer as to who wanted her death, and Ashe wanted to utterly destroy an entire organization. Different goals, but both leading to the same path. Evidently, the two would either travel together or meet one way or another in the future.

Maria looked up, locking eyes, she asked: "Just how do you plan to destroy an organization by yourself?"

That was the one fact she had failed to recognize, the girl could not even win against them much less an organization, and Maria did not think she was so stupid as to seek her own death.

The girl did not reply.

Maria's pinkish jeweled eyes narrowed, "your lifesp-"

"Has the guild master said where the base is located?" The voice of the girl cut her off with her crimson eyes narrowed just the same.

Maria remained still for a moment, and tacitly so, she decided to take a step back.

"If that is what you want." She spoke slowly as their eyes left.

"He hasn't told us yet. In fact, we were waiting for your recovery."

"My brother and Rain should currently be keeping him company at the dining hall. Follow me."

As Ashe was about to stand and get off the bed, Maria quickly interjected.

"Oh, before you stand, you should get changed." She said as she began to depart the room.

Ashe looked at herself for a moment. Her clothing was charred, punctured with holes, and looked as if it would fall off at any moment and she could feel the soles of her shoes had definitely been ripped off.

She gave a small growl, looked towards Maria who had reached the door, and asked: "could you lend me clothing?"

Maria swerved her head backward, with a puzzled look as she questioned to make sure she had heard right: "What did you say?"

"I do not have a space ring, I did not bring any spare clothes," Ashe stated plainly.

"Are you serious?" Maria asked.

"Do I look like someone who jokes around?"

Maria looked the girl over, up and down, then shook her head, "no, you don't."

As she said so, her hand flashed a light and she took out a set of clothes from her space ring. However, before tossing it over, she couldn't help but ask.

"How old are you? Can you even fit my clothing?" She raised a brow.

"When I was bonded with the beast, my body stopped aging or growing. Although I am 16 years of age, my body is of 13. After all, Demonic Beasts are creatures born from the world's mana-sometimes directly or indirectly altering a living being-and so, do not age but simply evolve."

Maria nodded, unknowingly, she had learned something new. She tossed the set of clothing towards the girl as well as a pair of shoes.

"..." Ashe looked at the items she had caught with wrinkled brows.

"What is it?" Maria asked.

"I need the bottom portion too."

"By bottom portion...you mean?" Maria's voice trailed off.

Ashe did not answer.

After the commotion, Ashe began to change into her clothing and Maia couldn't help but look-seeing something rather interesting.

The imprint of a shadowed blackened crow with its wings spread as if it was about to take flight was clearly stabbed at the pristine back of the girl.

Maria silently closed the door behind her as she spoke, "it's about time to go, she will come when ready."

Ais, who stood by the door, nodded and began following the princesses' steps.

***

The aroma of tea leaves filled the air as steam wallowed from the cups of jaded green tea the maids had placed on the table before they left. Ashe sat sluggishly against her seat, her arms crossed over the bleach colored shirt and skirt she now wore. Directly in front of her, Rain continued to observe her as his purplish eyes glared at her figure-it seemed he was still wondering as to why she was here. However, Maria-who was at the right of Rain-sat without so much as a care and Ais sat by her side just the same. Finally, Arthur was positioned next to Ashe, his facial expression of both nonchalantly and boredom wrapped into one.

At the helm of the table, right of Ais, O'Brien took a small sip of the emerald tea and allowed the soft smog of smoke to dance in the air with content. Gently, he placed the teacup down upon its coaster and looked towards the group.

Specifically, he eyed Ashe.

"I know what you want. However, if you don't learn how to control both your emotion and power for yourself, it will come to bite you later." He commented.

Ashe didn't even so much as flinch. What was the point of thinking deeply about it now when she was at the forefront of achieving her goal? Going back now when she was only a moment away from succeeding? Not only did she not want to do so, even if she did, would the beast inside of her allow her to? The answer was no.

She simply replied with force, "I know."

O'Brien nodded before shifting back to the topic at hand and glancing at the group in its entirety.

"Crow's Nest official base is set within the perimeters of the fort city of Astria, the land between the demonic lands and the human realm. The land that blocks the Cursed Valley." He slowly said.

"Better yet, they do not simply live in the city of Astria. No, it's more right to say they own the land to do whatever they please with."

"They own the land? Isn't the land owned by my father, the king?" Maria asked with raised brows.

"Yes and no," The guild leader commented, "In technicality, the land between the Demon domain and the Human realm is owned by no one. However, a clan had settled there many years ago after the Empire of Cromes had been forcefully divided up."

"As taught by history, after the great magus Merlin had successfully sealed the Asura race within another dimension in his final breath, and with the death of the emperor without an heir, the Empire had become an internal strife riddled place. Battles were fought between nobles constantly in order to claim even a piece of land."

"Finally, the highest nobles within the empire worked together to claim the lands for their own. In the end, all five great families split the land into five kingdoms, each setting their capital next to their respective Great Dungeon."

"The kingdom of Albion, Havenhigh, Norse, Felmis, and Traut," Arthur commented, "however, what does all this have to do with who owns the city of Astria?"

The guild master smiled, "Tell me, how do you think five families could come out on top over tens maybe hundreds more?"

At that statement, Rain's voice turned cold, "Assassinations."

All was silent for a moment before O'Brien nodded.

"Indeed, Crow's Nest was an organization founded since the empire for that sole purpose. Not only so, it was an organization founded by the magus Merlin himself, a hidden blade if you will."

"A blade first designed to watch his back while he destroyed the foes at his front. A blade that was headed by one of the legends of history, his own cousin, the Crimson Blade. A figure that had shed blood with every call he made."

"In the end, with his battle against the final battle against the Asura clan, the hidden blade was made to full use and finally brought to the public eye with the leader, the Crimson Blade leading and killing 7 members of that clan."

"Finally, after the death of both Merlin and the Crimson Blade. The second in command of Crow's Nest used that chance to claim a piece of land for themselves."

"However," he smiled, "they have deteriorated over time without the support of Merlin and had become nothing more than an organization for killing and even took the job to help the five noble families claim their own land."

"So how do I get into the base?" Ashe finally asked.

"You make them know your presence and they will come to recruit you." An emotionless voice drifted over.

"Though, you would only be able to reach one of the training bases until you're officially a member." O'Brien nodded at Ais's words.

"Aren't you guys forgetting a problem?" Maria asked.

"Huh?" Arthur tilted his head.

"I believe they should already know exactly what we all look like; after all, they have tried to kill me and one of us here has been under them before."