Chapter Eight
Asura wants to kill her. But why? He was fine until today, until that arrow hit her.
"There's something wrong," Ash thought as she moved out of the way of Vajra's deadly red beam.
"Something must have snapped," Xavier agreed. "But what is it? He didn't do anything last night."
"Or any time before that," Ash attacked Asura; attacking blindly. "Asura, what happened? What's wrong?"
Asura caught Xavier's blade between his hands. "You aren't focusing. Ash, what are you doing? I am trying to kill you and you're holding back!" his scarves moved towards Ash.
Ash let go of Xavier and moved back just before the scarves could skewer her. Once the scarves moved, she shot an arrow at Asura. It pained her to see the arrow dig into his head, where his third eye was located.
Asura didn't cry out in pain. He dropped Xavier and pulled out the arrow. "That's the Ash I knew… a girl who would do anything to survive. Even if it means killing her most dear one."
"You are forcing me to do this," the mirror blade retracted into her. "All I want to know is why."
"You want to know why? Then I'll tell you; I realized that you can be a weakness. I knew that the arrow couldn't kill you, hurt you but… that's only because of your power," Asura looked at his hands. "If you were at the same power level you were before fusing with Xavier, that wound would have killed you," he clenched his fist and leaned forward. "To see you die in an instant… that would be unbearable," his head shot up. "So I have to kill you! I'd rather know that no harm can come to you than worry about you every minute on the battlefield. Distractions… I can't afford them, not while I have so much power…" he summoned two red circles behind him that opened to become eyes. "Why did you follow me Ash?!" he shot two red beams.
Ash retracted her wings and fell; just in time to dodge the two beams. But just as they disappeared, Asura charged her. He grabbed her shoulders and drove her into the side of the mountain. Ash coughed up blood and dropped her bow.
"He's doing this to protect you," Xavier told Ash.
"I really don't see how killing me will help me," Ash responded.
"Talk to him. I've always noticed that he's at ease while he's around you. Maybe you can talk some sense into him."
"I've got nothing to lose."
Asura's grip on Ash's shoulders tightened. He retracted Vajra. "I hope that someday you will forgive me," Asura kissed Ash. "I'm sorry… If you have anything to say; please say them now."
"You're an idiot," Ash told the kishin. "Why are you making this sound like a final goodbye? Do you want to know why I followed you into madness?"
Asura nodded.
"Because I… I love my idiotic, paranoid Kishin!"
Asura's mouth opened, as if he was surprised. "You… love… me?"
"Of course I do. I knew the consequences as to what will happen if I followed you. I knew that Death would not rest until he sees my head on a silver platter. But you needed my help, so I gladly obliged. If you honestly think killing me now will help anything, why didn't you do it before?"
"I… I didn't realize how important you were until I saw you receive an arrow to the neck."
"Oh please, I've had worse wounds. Many people have tried to claim my life but they all failed. I'm not afraid Asura. I will face Death if I have to. I swear Asura; I will protect you as best as I can."
Asura remained silent for a moment. The next few moments have been a blur to her. In one moment, she pinned against rock in the next, she was lying on a patch of grass with Asura standing on top of her.
"Asura?" she asked. "What are you-?"
"Quiet," he ordered.
Ash swallowed.
Asura lowered himself until his body was pressed against hers. He began to kiss her while one hand traced down the side of her body.
"Well… that was something," Ash commented and buckled up her tunic.
She saw Asura blush as he put on his jacket, his fifth layer of clothing. "What does the hell does that mean?"
Ash shrugged and put on her boots. "How am I supposed to know? I've never done it before."
"Never?"
Ash chuckled. "You sound surprised," she dropped her quiver filled with broken arrows. "How do you feel?"
"Better," Asura wrapped his scarves around his eyes and nose.
"Good then let's get going. I don't want you to experience another mental breakdown."
She heard Asura chuckle. "Well, considering what it led to, I think I should have another breakdown."
Ash blushed. "Oh shut up…" she began to run.
"Hey, you can't leave me behind!"
"It isn't my fault you can't keep up!"
"Shouldn't you eat before moving on?" Xavier asked.
"I'll eat along the way," Ash responded and jumped to pluck an apple. "Amazing how these aren't affected by the season."
"You might want to start flying."
"Why's that?" Ash slid to a stop in front of the mountain once again. "Oh…"
"Why are you stopping?" Ash heard Asura ask as he picked her up bridal style. "You can fly remember?"
"It didn't come to mind. That's all," she took a bite of her apple.
Asura chuckled. "Of course."
Ash flicked his ear.
After a couple of hours of flying south, Asura found himself carrying Ash who has fallen asleep. Her head rested against his arm and her hands rested on her stomach. Considering what she has been through, Ash did need the rest.
"I wonder how far south we went," Asura thought and looked down. "I've been here before," he looked at the familiar mountainside and collection of rivers and lakes. "Yes, I crossed this area once. Only because I was following Death out of the village Ash and I spent our childhood in. Wait… that means we are approaching Uvryne."
As if sensing Asura's rise in panic, Ash opened her gold eyes. "Something bothering you?"
"N-no of course not," Asura quickly answered.
"Xavier said something was wrong. So tell me."
Asura swallowed. "Do you recognize this landscape?"
Ash looked down. "Oh would you look at that. We're approaching Uvryne. Isn't that nice?"
"For you maybe…"
"Oh come on. Who's going to remember us? I'm sure that they completely forgot our faces. There's no way anyone could remember us, especially if you wear your scarves. Besides, it would be nice to sleep in a bed again."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. But if someone does remember me; we're leaving."
"Only if the remembrance is bad."
"Deal."
"Good," Ash pushed herself off and grew out her wings. "I think it would be odd to see us fly so we'll land there," Ash pointed. "And there's Uvryne," she laughed. "It still is a small village."
They landed within a few moments then continued on foot for another handful of minutes. Asura resisted the urge to cower behind Ash when the village residents looked at them in wonder.
"See?" Ash asked. "It isn't so bad."
"Yeah…" Asura looked around and forced his heart to stop beating so quickly. "We'll be fine."
His heart began to regain a quick pace when someone cried out. "It's Ash! She came back!"
That's when Asura cried out then jumped into the nearest tree. He held onto the first branch he caught hold of.
"Oh for crying out loud…" he heard Ash say.
