Chapter 20

By the time Aish came in, it was already late evening, and after washing up, he decided to have dinner early today.

He had called for Amelia, but she was busy playing around and would eat later when Artemis came to force feed her.

The original Aish might have gone to talk to her, but the new Aish did not care.

Though he would kill anyone to protect her, just because of that one doubt, she's Ria. But never in his heart has he ever planned to give Ria's place to someone else if he is not sure.

Ria to Aish was someone that always supported him. Someone who held him together, someone who kept her family together, and that is why after she was gone, everything else was gone too. Her death started a chain of events that destroyed everything he had built. She was irreplaceable to him.

So even if Amelia had the same face and habits as her, he still could not bring himself to accept her as his sister. Not until he knows everything.

Who are you? At one point, I just wanted to be free of my burdens and my mistakes, just like when I was in the darkness. While the other part of me is trying hard to hold onto those memories.

I have lost everything I cared about in my past life; I do not want to go through the same feelings. And that is why I was happy in the darkness, because there was no chance of me messing up or feeling anything. Aish thought as he walked towards his room after finishing his meal.

_

Artemis did not show up during Myra's fight with Chiron, so she is still busy with solving everything. She did find 3 people who have been lying to everyone for years; she must be blaming herself for everything.

Agnus is doing the same. Being the Duke and owner of Shade, it did bring lots of profit, but it also required his utmost focus. He could not take time off to live with his family. He would have to lead troops in towers against monsters whom no one has even seen, fight in unknown territories inside dungeons—he is always risking his life outside. And when he did come home this time, just to find that his son nearly died due to his negligence—that is why he is out there. He knows he will not be able to stay here for long, even if he wants to. So, he wants to kill every single Evil Scion's member before he must leave again.

_

Though Aish did not show it on his face, he was feeling tired. It has been years since he did anything so heartily. Age since he had to think about this much before doing anything. A lazy nobody like him had to plan and do stuff that required his utmost attention.

It has just been one day, but he had already changed so many things in the story. All 3 traitors in the Floren family who played a role in Aish's downfall have been dealt with. He had stolen the key to the protagonist's sword legacy. He changed the fate of Asher and the damage of the emergence phase 2.

He had made a recipe for a cleansing potion, which the world would not have noticed for the next 10 years. He, who was supposed to be a villain, had planned to even kill the child blessed by the goddess, who made the prophecy about him being the devil. All in just one day—since he woke up in this world.

_

As Aish lay on his bed and closed his eyes, thinking about how long of a day it has been, hoping for a peaceful sleep.

'Since it's a new world and been so long in the darkness, I shouldn't have those nightmares again.'

But little did he know that his real nightmares were only going to start now.

The memories that he hid so deep in his brain for so long that even he had forgotten them were out in the open between the cracks of his mind.

And now there was no subconscious fog, or a ghost of Riya left that was stopping them.

_

The Nightmare

As soon as Aish closed his eyes, he found himself in the familiar darkness. He took a deep breath, glad that he was here and prepared to sleep, but just then the sound of footsteps started echoing in the darkness, and soon he could see a silhouette of someone walking towards him.

[What do we have here]

[Look who decided to show up.]

Aish heard a voice, an arrogant tone he was all too familiar with—the person whom he hated the most in the world, even more so than himself—Nashi.

Aish looked at the silhouette. but he could not see any facial features. It was made of pure black darkness—like a clone or shadow.

'Damn it'

Instead of talking back to Nashi, Aish decided to turn back and leave. He looked around but could not find anything else, so he turned and started walking away.

But his steps came to a halt as the darkness in front of him started morphing into Nashi's shadow. As Aish looked back, there was one more of him. and soon enough, everywhere he looked, there were these shadows standing.

Did you think you would be free if you just ignored us? ×5

[AISH]

"I'm Aish. Aish Floren."

"Aish is gone. I'm Aish."

[Hehehe, are you sure]

Aish looked in horror as, in front of his eyes, all five Nashi turned into smoke and turned into a mirror. Aish saw his body changed back into his old one. The one where he was Aish.

[See, it is you, right.] It is you on the day of her birthday. The reflection from the mirror spoke and she walked out. But as soon as his feet touched the murky darkness, he turned back into Nashi.

Aish could not take it anymore, and he slapped himself hard, hoping it would be enough to wake him up whatever the hell this was.

"puchh"

But it was not. He was still there. So, he slapped himself again, but still nothing, and then again.

"tachhhh"

[hmm haa haha haahahaha]

Soon there was only the sound of slaps and a crazy laughter echoing in the darkness.

You cannot escape the past, Aish. You can change everything—your name, your world, your sister—but you cannot change yourself. My dear friend.

"Shut up; we are not friends. And don't you dare mention her ever again."

Or what? What can you do for me now? You are powerless, just like back then.

"It's different. You are just a thought, a memory. I have erased you before; I can forget about you again," Aish said in a snarky tone, trying to scare him or just trying to calm himself.

And yet here we are, chatting just like the old times.

[What did I always tell you, Aish]

[Learn to let go, to forget, but as always, you did not listen.]

"What are you talking about?" Aish asked.

Aish, the memories. You are not supposed to have them after darkness. But you held on to them. Now, here we are.

[I was just a fragment of your imagination back then, but now I am a part of you, part of your soul, and a part of your story.]

Tell me, do you still miss her? What was her name again? Sh_]

Aish finally could not take his chatter and tried to punch his face. but his fist just went through the darkness while the laughter echoed from behind him.

[ha aahahaaha]

"You're not real. you are dead"

[Yes. but you are dead too. Are not you] This time the voice turned a little playful, but just near his ears. As soon as that happened, Aish turned back, but as soon as that happened, his body was flung back in the air as a punch connected to his face.

Aish landed on the ground, wiping the blood from his lips, and said, "It's different."

No, it is not. [We both killed each other, remember.] Nashi's voice came as Aish felt a kick to his face and rolled to the ground.

"No, I survived. I lived. I moved on," Aish said as he tried to stand up.

[Congratulations! You survived.] Now I live through the trauma.

One of Nashi's clones came forward and stepped on his head. [Tell me, how did that feel]

[Were you happy after killing me?]

"You destroyed everything. You deserve to die."

[Oh, is that what you tell yourself these days?]

What I did was a mistake. while what you did was a massacre.

Nashi's voice filled with anger roared in Aish's ears as a knife covered in blood appeared in his hands. Aish looked at his hands covered in blood. He tried to remember anything, but his head started hurting, and then...

[Tell me which one of us is the monster].

"Shut up," Aish said as he dropped the knife in the darkness.

Just for it to appear in Nashi's hand as he stabbed him in the back.

"Ughhhh" Aish bent forward and pulled the knife out and threw it far into the darkness, this time with all his strength.

He was taking deep breaths as blood continued leaking from his back. Aish touched the wound on his back, and when he looked at his bloody hand, the knife appeared there again.

Aish dropped the knife and backed away 3-4 steps, horror written all over his face. A foggy memory appeared in his head.

Watching his pale face, drained of colors, all of Nashi's clones started laughing loudly.

[hahaha haha hahaha hahah] × 4

[Do you remember now, Aish]

[Even she left you back then]

What did you use to call her? Queency was it.] Now tell me, where is your queen?

[haha hahaha] × 3

As the crazed laughter echoed in the darkness, with the memories starting to shift in front of his eyes, Aish held his head and bent down.

"It's not real.

"You're not real.

"It's just a dream. just a dream

I just must wake up. It's a dream."

Aish started muttering to himself as the voices of different memories started echoing in the darkness, while the clones of Nashi continued laughing at his misery.

Hahaha, is that your peace mantra nowadays?

"Ignore him. ignore him. ignore him"

but you cannot. You never can. You see, if you live, I will live too.

She made sure of it.

At this point all the noise and crazed laughter of all his clones stopped for a moment, and then they all spoke together.

[before you killed her that is] × 4

Aish was surprised to hear those words, as he held his head as a massive headache started again, just like back when he first had Aish's memories.

"Akhhhh"

"What are you talking about?" Aish asked as his voice broke. Tears were trickling down his eyes, but he did not know the reason for it. The memories he hid so deep were still foggy, so ignoring the pain, he still asked Nashi.

All his cousins started bursting out in laughter again. [hehehe hahaha haaha]

Then all his clones surrounded and pushed him down. As the solid darkness beneath his feet turned soft, he fell.

As he kept falling into what seemed like the abyss, Aish heard the voices of Nashi and his clones— [you will see soon enough].

[It is going to be a long, long night.]

[My dear devil]

....