A choice that wasn't one

- ... Tonight, we'll steal your map, and you'll help me settle things once and for all with Elias.

- Speaking of that, is everything okay with you? Atlas asked with a worried look.

- What do you mean?

- You told me earlier that you spent about ten years with Elias. How are you handling this change of sides and these decisions?

Under these questions, Asha's face darkened. Now she had to face her reality.

The fact is that she didn't just live alongside Elias; she was raised by him.

Over the past ten years, she had gotten to know her master's closest allies, she had smiled with them, and they had overcome trials together.

Could she leave all that behind and fight Elias to the end?

She already had the answer in her mind and gave it firmly to Atlas.

- Elias killed my mother. And now he's trying to kill my father. Ten short years can't forgive these heinous acts. My decision is made, and I won't waver when the time comes.

- That's what I wanted to hear, Atlas rejoiced.

- Alright then, how do we proceed? Alpheus asked impatiently.

To answer the question, Asha headed to the workshop shelves. She took a piece of blank parchment, large enough to draw a map on. She also grabbed some black ink and a brush.

After returning to the boys, she began drawing a plan on the parchment she had taken.

“You've already seen what the black market looks like overall, so there's no need to dwell on that. What really interests us is the main building of the black market.

Everything is stored in the basement and is constantly under high surveillance. I'll show you the best path to get close without being detected, but we'll probably have to fight to get in.

Look, the entrance is on this side. Here's the shortest path, but I advise you to avoid this corridor…”

For about an hour, the three of them worked out a complete plan to infiltrate the secret room in the large building at the back of the black market.

- Finally! We're done with this. Atlas exclaimed, as if relieved of a burden. “Listening to you guys drained all my energy.”

- Was it really that tedious? Asha asked.

- You have no idea!

- I never thought I'd teamed up with such a slacker, Alpheus said, judging Atlas with a glance.

- Can you stop lecturing me, man? I remind you that your case is so bad that even girls don't interest you, and you don't even have a semblance of expression on your face.

Listening to their bickering escalate, Asha finally decided to leave the room.

- You know what? I'll leave you to your couple's quarrel, she said, turning her back.

- Yeah... yeah! Atlas responded vaguely.

- ...

- Huh!!

- HUH!!!! Alpheus exclaimed too, finally realizing Asha's words.

...

The young elf had left the room to the two companions, visiting her father's workshop which she hadn't seen in a long time.

She started with the back room of the building where her father did all kinds of experiments and created scientific objects.

The room was completely disordered, probably because of the work the old scientist had done the previous night.

With an expressionless look, she shook her head before turning around. She then went upstairs in the workshop, where she saw a space arranged for family life.

A tiny dining room merged with the living room where a miserable sofa with springs sticking out everywhere greeted her.

At that moment, she saw herself at the age of 5, sitting on the sofa in perfect condition, laughing with her mother, while her father tried his best not to burn the pasta on the stove.

Turning her head to the right, she saw her room facing her parents' room. Looking into her own, she saw herself lying on the bed, eyes closed and smiling as her mother read her a bedtime story.

Emotion slowly began to take over, and a tear timidly threatened to appear. So she turned away, heading this time towards her parents' room.

Her father was sitting on the double bed that was barely holding itself off the ground, in such poor condition it was. Hearing a noise behind him, he turned his head, looking at Asha with eyes filled with immense sadness.

- Asha. He said in a weak voice.

- ...

She didn't respond, simply looking at her father, showing no emotion.

Then she moved forward and sat on the bed, which seemed ready to give way. She sat with her back to her father, on the opposite side.

Neither dared to speak first. It lasted a very long minute, but finally, with her head bowed, Asha spoke:

- I miss her.

- ...If... if in the past few years I've buried myself in my research like a madman, it was to forget your mother. Owen said harshly, the pain taking hold of him more and more.

- ...

- The pain was too great for me; I couldn't bear to think of her anymore. I even tried alcohol, but it only hurt me more. So, I decided to occupy my mind with something else. But every day, whenever you brought me something to eat, it was her I saw. That's why I never looked at your face again.

- ...

- I'm sorry...

- No! I'm the one who owes you an apology. I was foolish to forget how much mom's death shattered you. Forgive me, father, I regret what I said to you yesterday, she added, thinking of the time she told her father he was solely responsible for Jenn's death.

- Don't worry about that.

- ...

- Tell me, Asha. What happened to you yesterday, after receiving that Message Parchment?

She took a moment before answering, but eventually, she confided in her father.

- It was Elias.

- Wh... what!? Elias?

- Yes.

- But... but how?

Owen was obviously stunned, his daughter had just told him she was in contact with the assassin who had caused them so much pain.

- To tell you the truth, I've worked for him for many years.

- You worked for that filthy dog!? he said suddenly, turning around to look at Asha, who still had her back to him.

Then, turning around herself, but much more calmly, she replied:

- I had to keep myself busy while you were trying to forget mom, and apparently, me too.

- You...

- ...I spent 4 days sitting in the street, next to you, without drinking or eating, until a kind lady came and placed a bottle of water next to me. I drank half of it, and a few hours later, I left because I couldn't take it anymore. Staying next to the father who was supposed to take care of his little six-year-old girl was tantamount to suicide.

Although that would have been the easiest solution for a kid who had just lost her mother, whose father had gone crazy, and who at that moment couldn't even dream of a piece of moldy bread.

But that idea never crossed my mind. Not because I was too young to think of it, but because a deep and strange desire to live guided my choices.

I crawled on all fours for another day among the small quarters of Santa-Rosa, since I was too hungry to stand up.

To my great joy, there was that moldy bread I didn't dare dream of, about to slip through an old, rusty sewer grate. I grabbed it immediately and devoured it like an ox. I still remember its taste; it was delicious.

For two years, I continued my life like that, begging, stealing, and bringing you half of what I had so you could live too.

But eventually, it stopped working. I was going to die... and then... he opened his arms to me. At 8 years old, Elias took me in and taught me to become who I am today.

So, whoever you are to me, I forbid you from blaming me for my choices. Tss... they weren't even choices.

- ...

Asha had just poured out her heart, and Owen didn't react; he couldn't. What would he say anyway?

"...The truth... remains undeniable," Asha continued.

"Elias killed mom out of his simple selfish desire. No matter the good he did for me, it has no value now. He must pay for his actions.

We've both suffered greatly, so I promise you one thing, unworthy father. I will bring you... Elias's head. No matter the cost."

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