He stared in shock at the woman standing before him. Her once-smiling face had now turned to indifference. Her clothes were stained with blood, and she held a sword dripping with red.
Surrounding her were the lifeless bodies of numerous villagers. Her amber eyes transformed into fiery red, and her once-smooth black hair turned a shade of blood red.
Upon hearing his voice, she locked eyes with him. An unsettling smile spread across her lips as she licked them, then swiftly moved towards him.
He felt a breeze brush against his face, and then her grip tightened around his neck. He could see desire in her eyes, a hunger akin to what he felt when he saw food.
"Mother..." he whispered hoarsely, his voice strained by pain.
Upon hearing his pained voice, her red eyes reverted to their amber hue. The aura around her shifted back to its previous state of tranquility. Witnessing this, he let out a sigh of relief.
As her awareness returned, she found herself gripping her son's tender neck with her hand. In an instant, her eyes widened in shock.
"Ash..." she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug, tears streaming down her face.
How could she have done this to her own son? Panic and remorse overwhelmed her, causing her tears to flow even more.
"Will he hate me?" The thought of her son's potential hatred sent a cold shiver down her spine.
Asher sensed his mother's shift in mood. He returned her hug with urgency, mimicking the comforting pats she used to give him when he was an infant.
"Mother, don't worry. I'm here, and I'll protect you," he reassured her.
His words managed to soothe her turbulent heart, bringing a sense of calm. Yet, hot tears streamed down from her eyes, staining his robe as they fell onto his shoulder.
"Ash... I am a murderer. I'm the one who killed everyone..." Her choked voice reverberated in his ears.
He had already sensed it, but in his eyes, his mother's value surpassed the lives of all the villagers.
Perhaps he could be considered selfish, but to him, his mother and uncle held greater importance. As he thought about his uncle, his eyes widened in sudden panic.
In an attempt to conceal his panic, he asked in a seemingly composed voice, "Mother, Uncle...?" Yet, his words came out in a rush, betraying his true state of mind.
"He's not here. I don't know where he went," observing that her son harbored no fear towards her, she felt a sense of relief.
However, as she gazed upon the lifeless bodies of the villagers around them, her heart ached.
These were the people who had been a part of their lives for twelve years, and now they lay dead like this because of her.
Once again, she loathed herself. If her brother hadn't come to her rescue at that time, perhaps none of this would have unfolded.
As memories of the past flooded her mind, along with the haunting images of her children and husband lying lifeless, she closed her eyes in pain.
"Perhaps I'm truly a cursed witch," she pondered. As she gazed at her son, her heart raced in a sudden wave of panic.
The thought of losing control someday and harming him weighed heavily on her mind, causing her face to pale as she envisioned that dreaded day.
"No, I can't do that. I must leave him," her thoughts raced, filled with turmoil.
Asher now searched among the villagers' bodies, hoping to find anyone who might still be alive. Unaware of his mother's current thoughts about leaving him, he focused on his task.
As he approached a charred house, he caught a faint sound. His attention sharpened, and he listened intently, detecting the cry of a woman, "Help."
Following the sound, he eventually came upon a woman who was severely burned. Her body was charred, and only her mouth moved slightly.
He struggled to recall who she was, as most of her body had been consumed by the flames.
Observing her faintly moving mouth, he knelt before her and leaned closer, bringing his ear near her mouth in an attempt to catch whatever she was trying to convey.
"Rowena... Rey... demon..." she managed to utter, but only fragmented words emerged from her lips.
He attempted to move nearer to her, but a gust of sharp wind swept past him.
Suddenly, a blood-red sword arced through the air, severing the woman's head and ending her life in an instant.
Glancing back, he saw his uncle standing there with a cold expression. "Ash, remember, secrets must be concealed at all costs," his uncle's voice echoed with a stern tone.
"Yes, uncle," he replied, his respect for his uncle running deep, much like his feelings for his mother. However, his heart was now in a state of turmoil, conflicted by the events unfolding before him.
Why did his uncle kill her before she could finish that sentence? Was he truly attempting to conceal his mother's secret, or...? Doubts and questions swirled in his mind.
Reynard gazed at the young boy standing before him, his expression conflicted. In just Fifteen years, the once helpless infant had grown into someone who could hold his own against others his age.
He experienced a mixture of pride and an unfamiliar emotion in his heart.
"Ash, you must remember, there are times when we must become ruthless killers to protect those who matter to us. This world isn't meant for heroes; it's a realm filled with selfishness and cruelty," he paused briefly.
Locking eyes with the young boy's green gaze, he continued, "Selfishness isn't a crime. The true crime lies in sacrificing the lives of those who matter to us for the sake of what they call the world." His voice turned icy cold in that instant.
Asher was stunned by his uncle's words. A thought began to take shape in his mind, the words forming slowly: "Selfishness or cruelty, what truly matters is, for whom!"
As he gazed at his uncle, clarity filled his eyes. He understood that his uncle held numerous secrets, much like himself.
However, he realized that all these hidden truths were for the sake of his mother and him.
No more words were necessary; a simple exchange of glances sufficed. For individuals who share the same mindset, conversations could be held through their eyes.
After tending to the deceased and performing the necessary rites, they headed back home. As they arrived, Rowena stood beneath a tree, patiently awaiting their return.
Sensing their presence, she turned to look at him. However, her eyes now filled Asher with an inexplicable sense of sadness. A peculiar anxiety gripped his heart.
Sure enough, he heard her soft voice. "Asher, you've grown up now..."