Chapter Seven

After setting free Astra, Ash and Asura began to head south. And hopefully avoid any snow. But since now that Ash can fly, they should be able to cover a lot more ground.

"If we continue any longer, we'll be flying blindly," Asura told Ash as night descended on them.

Ash chuckled. "You might be blind but I won't be. All you have to do is follow my wavelength and you should be fine."

"How can you do that?"

"Have you forgotten where I lived, what I am?" she looked at Asura. "Asura, my eyes are trained for this sort of thing."

'Not to mention you also have my sight," Xavier added.

"Exactly so I can see in the dark as clear as day," Ash turned around and floated in front of Asura. She stopped the kishin before he could bump into her.

Asura stood up straight. "What is it?"

"Let me see your eyes."

"If you want to," Asura's scarves uncovered his eyes.

Ash looked at him closely. "You are growing dark circles under your eyes. You need to sleep."

"No…" Asura yawned. "Don't worry I can continue."

Ash linked her fingers behind her back. "Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm…" Asura's voice trailed off and he fell forward on Ash.

Ash caught her friend and flapped her wings to keep balance. She hugged Asura. "Of course you're fine. Now then… where do we go?"

"There is a den that could fit you two just west of here," Xavier told her.

"Thank you Xavier," Ash flew towards the den. She held onto Asura who was fast asleep. "Asura, if you are tired, just tell me so then you don't fall out of the sky or I have to carry you."

Upon placing Asura in the empty den, she covered his face with his scarves again.

"Why did you do that?" Xavier asked.

"I know how much he likes having his face covered," Ash stood and retracted her wings. Her stomach growled. Ash lightly touched it. "When was the last time I ate?"

Just as she was about to leave, Asura's scarves wrapped around her and pulled her towards him. "Mine…" Asura muttered as he made Ash lie next to him. "You can eat in the morning," he rested his head against her chest and shortly drifted to sleep again.

Uncomfortably, Ash managed to unstrap her bow and quiver. "Over-possessive hmm? You really were jealous of the stable boy," Ash sighed and she too closed her eyes.

"I wish you both a restful sleep," Xavier said.

As usual, Asura was the first to wake up. He expected to awaken resting on Ash but she was asleep with her head snuggled against his chest. "How does she manage to do this?" Asura shook her awake. "Ash, its morning, wake up. You are hungry aren't you?"

Ash blinked tiredly and sat up. "Yeah, let's eat something and get going," she stretched before strapping on her bow and quiver. "So what do you want? I eat just about anything. And no, I am not going to hunt down a soul."

"But why?" Asura whined.

"We are in the middle of a dense forest. If we sense any human souls along the way, you can snack on them," she stepped out into the sunlight. She smiled at Asura. "Salmon would be nice. It's been a while since I had fish," an arrow dug into her neck. Her eyes widened in surprise. After a moment, she pulled out the arrow and her black blood closed the wound. "Asura, I'm losing my edge," her eyes flared blue. "Now where is the unlucky bastard?"

Asura stared at the arrow closely. The bark was black and the arrowhead was silver. "Death sent his warriors after us."

"How many are there?" Ash asked.

"Six left," he sensed the assassin's wavelength. "Soon to be five."

"Xavier…" Ash said as she readied her bow with an arrow. "I can't sense wavelengths."

"The man is moving quickly," Xavier answered.

"Where?"

"Up the mountain, south east of here."

"Asura, get into the sky and see if you have a better view. I'll stay on the ground. If you see a commotion; shoot."

Asura only nodded as Ash took off after the assassin. How couldn't he sense his soul? Damn it, if Ash were still the same as before…

"What am I thinking?" Asura held his head. "No no no no no… Ash can't be a weakness… but if she is then… she has to die. For her sake and mine," Asura slowly flew up. "I hope that you will forgive me someday."

"How far along?" Ash asked Xavier.

"He's waiting for you," Xavier answered.

Ash jumped into a tree and continued her pace from there. She stopped when she caught sight of the man who attacked her. He was clad in black, typical.

"So you are the one who shot me," Ash said as she walked along the branch. "I didn't really appreciate that."

"I'm surprised that Asura hasn't devoured your soul yet," he said. "He's afraid of everything and he even ate his own partner."

"Then I suppose I'm someone special," Ash shot her arrow.

The assassin jumped off from his spot and landed on the same branch as Ash. He unsheathed a katana.

Ash narrowed her eyes and Xavier appeared in her left hand.

"I thought your eyes were gold," he said.

"They are. But they turn blue when I either get mad or when I fight," Ash jumped off the branch and towards the assassin.

He deflected Ash, pushing Xavier to the side. He flashed Ash a smile.

"Ugh," Ash jumped away. "Men like you disgust me."

"People like you disturb me. How can you possibly enjoy devouring the souls of innocent human?"

"Simple," Ash attacked. "Survival. Power is the only thing that I need to survive."

"I also must rely on survival," Xavier added.

The assassin lifted his sword to block Ash's strike. Too quick for the assassin to see, Ash adjusted her attack to stab him. She drove Xavier through the assassin's body and skewered him into the side of the mountain.

"You aren't a very good assassin if your reflexes aren't high," Ash twisted Xavier as more blood stained the mirror blade.

The assassin coughed up more blood. Before his body turned black, he looked at Ash and smiled. "Such a shame you weren't a human."

"Apologies," Ash pulled out Xavier and the assassin left behind his soul. "But I gave my heart to another," with a flick of her wrist the blood on Xavier left. "That was a little easier than expected. But I have to hand it to the assassin; he did manage to snipe me," Xavier returned into her. "I probably should have left him alive, play a little more," she grabbed the soul and ate it.

"I sense Asura," Xavier said.

Ash smiled and looked up to see the kishin. "About time you showed up!"

Asura paused before summoning Vajra.

"Hey it's okay! The assassin in dead," Ash continued, then sensed panic in Xavier's soul.

"Ash run!" his voice echoed throughout her mind.

Listening to Xavier's command, Ash grew out her wings and took off into the air. Just as she left, Asura fired where she stood.

"What the hell?" Ash wondered then looked at the kishin with anger filled in her blue eyes. "Asura! What are you trying to do?! Kill me?!"

He turned his gaze to Ash. "I'm just saving the pain…"

"Pain?! Asura, I can't get hurt."

"For me… I'm sorry, love."

"Asura…" Xavier appeared in hand. "Damn it, don't make me fight you!" tears filled her eyes.