<@ItIsMeHartel here you go, a short chapter but still a CHAPTER....>
Arthur Leywin POV
I was inside the floating castle, waiting for the scythe that was headed this way. Last time it was cadell, but since the timeline altered so much I have no idea who will it be.
I unconsciously strolled down to lower parts of the castle. It was a narrow alleyway, with cracked and dirty walls, and an unbearable stench. If one is not used to it, a non-mage might die just from the stinking smell.
I moved to more lower levels. This was the place that held the most dangerous and mentally sick criminals. My steps resounded in the silent hallway. As soon as they heard it, all of them rushed to the bars, looking at me like I was some piece of fresh meat.
"Hey pretty boy, why don't you come here and play with me."
"Fresh meat, I wonder how he tastes" a bulky woman said licking her lips. Other prisoners made almost the same comments.
But none of that had any effect on me. My gaze was locked on the lone silent cell, in the far corner of the alley, with no windows or bars whatsoever. I walked towards it with conviction. "Let's get this over with" I thought "For good this time"
(A/n well well it's not what you all thinking. 😐. )
I opened the heavy metal double doors as I walked inside. A figure hugging her knees came into view. The silky gunmetal hair she once had was was now disheveled and rough. Her skin had multiple rashes on it evident from the unhygienic conditions.
"Art....Arthur is that you?" She took my nickname and quickly corrected herself. I felt a little guilty. Yes she was stupid but still it was too much to ask her to accept me. Not everyone has the same mental conviction. I smiled at her;
"Yeah Tess it's me. It's been a long time, but I must say you look like crap"
I joked as she let out a small chuckle. I walked towards her, resting my back on the wall she was facing her back to and slumped down. She then looked at me with a pained expression
"I'm sorry art, I'm so sorry. I was blinded by my lo-, these feelings that I tried to harm the ones you loved the most. I'm so so.."
I cut her off as I pulled her head on my shoulder from my side, "That's all right, everyone makes mistakes. It's our job to learn from it."
She started crying buckets again, as she kept on apologising
"Tho I must say you're skull is really thick" I teased as she stopped her sniffs and looked at me with a slight smile.
"Thank you Arthur, oh and... she then pinched my arms as hard as she could without mana "You just made fun of me didn't you?"
I scratched my neck sheepishly, "If you see it in that way then maybe , yeah ?". For the first time since my regression we sat there and talked like we used to. We talked about various things and laughed. Reminiscing our time in elenoir, our regular strolls and visits to the sweet shops. It wasn't all that bad. Of course my feeling towards her were still the same as before, but the feelings of detachment and hatred that raged like a hurricane inside my heart vanished.
I didn't blamed her anymore. No matter how outrageous her acts were I still couldn't. She was just another kid with a difficult childhood. She didn't had experience like me from the past. My heart saddened at the fact that we came way too far for us to go back. With all that happened she will never be able to go back.
I wanted her to live better. Live a good life. Live free without bounded by the shackles of her past deeds. Her past feelings, for me. I looked at her, her gloomy face now disappeared and replaced with a relived smile. She saw me looking at her as she stopped laughing.
"Say Arthur, if I were to ask for a wish, will you grant it?" She said, her face rock hard with determination.
"If it's within my powers, yeah" I replied
"Ca-can you please take it away?"
"....."
"All of my memories, my moments with you. I'm happy you have a good girl looking after you. You two deserve each other. But still, seeing you two together, it's just a living hell for me. I can't move on if I'm like this. So please, take them away, bury them burn them away. I can't take them anymore"
I was surprised, sad and yet extremely happy. She will finally be able to move on. Yes, she'll have a new chance at life.
"Are you really sure about this, Tess? I can do it but the pain is too much"
"Can't be more than what I already feel Arthur." She replied almost instantly.
"Very well. May you live a good life after this tess. From this point onwards, you'll never know anything about Arthur Leywin. He'll just be an another person in your ranks"
As I said that , my eyes turned blood red, as my skin started to turn a bit grey, horns grew out first growing upwards and then coming down in the shape of a huge crown. I placed my fingers on her both temples and started to search for her memories. Our first encounter, replaced by some of elder elf rescuing her. Our time together removed.
As I started this process she began to scream and cry. Her whole brain was being tampered with while being conscious. I felt hands wrap around me as she put her lips on mine.
"Please, let me be selfish one last time"
I didn't pushed her away, but simply started to remove and burn down all of our memories replacing them with scenarios that made more sense. After a few minutes she fell unconscious in my lap.
"Cecil" I called as she emerged from a shadow "how did things went on your side?" I asked
"Smoothly, scythe big ass and his retainer were both killed with no one left alive" she replied.
"Good, take tess away and return her core back. I'll handle the ones coming here. Evacuate the non combatants immediately. They'll be here in 10 minutes"
"Very well. And good luck Arthur" she gave me a slight hug as she picked tess up and walked away. I looked at her face one last time which was visible from the side of Cecelia's shoulder.
"Goodbye Tessia, goodbye old friend" I muttered.
I was brought out of my thoughts by mana fluctuations a few miles away. I god stepped out of there as I arrived in front of the floating castle. Augmenting my eyes, I saw it. The person I've been waiting for. A wide grin formed on my face. "Finally he's here. I'll do everything I wasn't able to do last time to you..." I said in a low growl to no one in particular. "Let your agony begin"
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(A/n as promised here is the short chap, I had it written, it wasn't complete but since ya said it I uploaded it. Well, that's it' for now. I'll come back after 8th June with more chapters of both Prodigal Son Returns and That Time I Got Reincarnated As An Asura. Thanks for all the support ya all have been oh-so graciously showering.
Alright then stay bless and I'm out
SAYONARA