I had learned so much about the energy of this world, and yet, I still couldn't save anyone. What was this power that I had managed to harness at such a young age even for?
I didn't care about glory, fame, or riches. All I wanted was to protect my friends and my family, the people closest to me. I wasn't able to protect Katherine, or Rom, or Mike, but I was certain of one thing.
I'd protect everyone else.
I suddenly found myself outside of Eloria, the night sky shining with millions of stars like a disco ball. I sighed, realizing I had been so absorbed in my own thoughts that I had just wandered to some unknown location.
I sat on a rock, looking up at the endless universe above me. The small breeze rustled my long brown hair, the fresh scent of nature wafting through the air. The night was peaceful today, the presence of monsters nonexistent.
I slid my hand into my pocket, picking up the necklace that Katherine had around her neck. A small stone lay at the end, a single word engraved upon the small rock.
Life.
My hand clutched the necklace, my mind recalling the girl that had helped me understand what it meant to live.
I clipped the necklace around my own neck, tucking it inside my shirt and smiling. I had promised Katherine that I would live, treasure my family and friends, and try and find happiness. My chest suddenly tingled, a feeling that I hadn't felt in ages.
The link between me and Asthia.
It was a feeling we both shared when the other was in close proximity, something that notified us of the other's emotions and whereabouts. We couldn't keep secrets or lie to each other, considering the other knew what the other was thinking anyway. I smiled, turning around.
"Hey, Asthia."
The girl smiled back. Her silver-white hair shone in the moonlight, sparkling and accentuating her ruby red eyes that flickered with warmth. A white gown covered her body, small golden trinkets contrasting with the color, standing out even further. I could barely recognize the five-year-old girl that I had met in those woods all those years ago.
The girl standing before me was no longer someone who needed protection. All I could see was a princess, one whose power rivaled that of the strongest adventurer's in Auroria. The only reason I was able to read the elements she was able to use was due to our link, not because of my superior power.
This girl was my equal, nothing more, nothing less.
"Hello, Jay," she said softly, almost like she was trying to not wake me from a peaceful slumber. She approached me and sat down, gazing at the stars above.
"So you were there?" I asked, feeling her emotions and understanding that she was present at the adventurer's guild. The girl wasn't surprised, merely nodding.
I waited in silence, not knowing what to say.
"What was she like?" she asked calmly, her serene composure comforting me.
"She was someone who lived her life to the fullest," I said, thinking carefully about my words. "Someone who liked to smile and laugh. Someone who was brave during hard times and supportive when I was feeling lost."
"She sounds like a wonderful person," said Asthia. I flinched ever so slightly, recognizing that the girl chose to not express the sentence in the past tense.
"She really was."
I looked at Asthia, her dignified appearance making her look slightly older.
"Asthia," I said weakly, the girl meeting my gaze.
"Hm?"
There was a certain side of me I couldn't show anyone, a side of me I didn't want people to see. And yet, I felt like this girl could help me in ways that others couldn't, and that she'd be there to support any side of me.
"Can I cry now?" I asked, my voice breaking.
The girl tensed up in surprise, the question extremely unusual. She waited for a moment, realizing how hard it was for me to open myself up like this to anyone. She smiled ever so slightly, nodding.
"Yes, Jay."
I dug my face into Asthia's shoulder, my broken soul releasing all the pain. I wailed, my voice muffled from Asthia's dress. The girl turned, bringing me into her arms.
I had never cried out of sorrow or pain. The only time I had reproduced the sound was when I attempted communication as a small toddler back on Earth, but this was different.
A tunnel opened inside of me, emotions flooding out uncontrollably. I cried, washing away my sorrows. My wails wouldn't stop, images of my entire party flashing before me as tears streamed down my face, dampening Asthia's gown.
The girl stroked my hair in silence, not daring to make a sound, not daring to move. I could feel her emotions, a sadness almost equal to mine spreading across her.
There was no hint of pity, no sign of her looking down on me. To her, there was nothing small, nothing weak about my cries. She waited, letting me cry until my throat became hoarse. I didn't feel embarrassed in front of her, the fact that I could sense whatever she was feeling calming me.
There was no exchange of words, my head drifting off from reality. My exhaustion finally caught up to me, my eyelids closing before I let go, no longer fighting to stay awake.
ASTHIA DARCK'S POV:
I'm sorry, Jay.
You're experiencing so much sorrow right now, so much pain that no human should ever have to go through, and yet I can't help myself.
I brush your hair with my hand, watching you sleep on my lap, and all I can hear is the sound of my heartbeat.
I shouldn't be feeling this right now. I want to help you, support you with everything that I'm able to offer. I try to calm down, but it's pointless. My eyes drift to your long brown hair intertangled with my hands that I move slowly, trying not to hurt you. I look at your tattered clothes, your various adventures written all over them, imprinting them with good and bad memories.
I imagine your turquoise eyes, your eyelashes sparkling from your tears. I feel your hand clutching my dress, not wanting to be alone. I smiled. You probably didn't even realize where we were, not even realizing that I was sitting here with you, right beside the massive city of Eloria.
I look up, seeing the trees rustle in the wind. Was it a cold night today?
I couldn't tell you. For some reason, all I could feel was your warmth, my body not feeling cold at all.