In front of Ayase lay Carl, Sylvia and Levi as they all peered down bellow at her hand, which was holding Lucy, who was laying dead on her hand.
"N-no.. it can't be.."
Said Levi, who had never shown so much emotion until now.
"I thought this was supposed to be our safe house.. how did this happen.."
Said Carl, who is crying beneath his hand, covering his eyes.
Sylvia can't help but peer into Lucy's dead eyes, although not crying, you can see her overwhelming emotions hiding behind her eyes, as she continues to shake in the fear of having lost another family member.
"We should close her eyes.."
Says Sylvia, on the brink of tears.
"Right.."
Says Ayase calmly, as tears dropped from one eye to another, as she slowly closed Lucy's eyes, staring down at them one last time, and remembering the fun times she had with her, as most of the happy memories that she painted in her canvas with Lucy, almost seemed to spread on forever, leaving Ayase with a new emotion, now flooding her canvas.
Regret.
"It was my fault.."
Says Ayase, still calmer than her usual self.
"I took too long bathing in my new power, I felt so free that I wasted precious time that I could have used to save Lucy.."
Ayase says, although tears run down her face, it still stays emotion-less, and calm.
"I fear I have changed for the worst because of these powers.. I feel so free, like I have flown away form my own body, and I am now a free soul.."
She looks up to the sky.
"I hate it."
She says, although she wants her words to cut deep, they no longer can, as tears poor down from her eye, to her cheek.
"I hate freedom, it feels so cold.."
"Ayase."
Carl looks at her, before putting one reassuring hand onto her shoulder.
"It wasn't your fault, if you hadn't gone in to save her in the first place, she would have been left to burn, but because of you, we have her body, and because of you, she can finally rest at last."
Carl says, while staring into Ayase's eyes, trying to comfort her.
"I know, but for some reason.. I still feel like it's my fault somehow, I'm not sure why.. but deep down.. I have this feeling.."
She grabs her chest, right where her heart is.
"Deep down.."
She proceeds to look back down at Lucy, with the same blank stare, which is slowly forming back to normal, but yet tears still rain down from her eyes.
"It's just the guilt talking, Ayase, you did everything you could."
Carl says, still attempting to comfort her.
"Right.. I did.."
Says Ayase, who looks back up at Carl, now finally out of the horrendous loop of guilt and pain, notices Levi and Sylvia, who are sitting down next to Carl, both with tears in there eyes.
"Wait.."
Ayase says, slowly turning back into her normal self, now that the fatigue from her powers is starting to wear off.
"Where's Craig and Teddy?"
"And is Barnabas not back yet?"
Says Ayase, suddenly starting to panic, her expression now turning from calm, into a more horrified look, as sweat begins to rush down from her head, to her chin, her breathing once again turning heavy..
Bushes ruffle, as a foot, then a hand, then a face emerges from the forest behind them.
It was Barnabas.