The Damned Demon

The ashen hues of the forest near Nightshade Castle were stark against the dark twilight sky, the trees standing like silent guards watching over a scene of tense concern.

The ground was carpeted with fallen leaves, adding a soft rustle to the murmurs of the gathered guards.

In the midst of this somber setting, Silvia and Kayla stood eerily still, their hands clasped tightly together as if holding onto each other was their only anchor in a storm.

Kayla's face was pinched in an expression of pain, tears streaming down her cheeks, her eyes squeezed shut against some unseen horror. Beside her, Silvia looked out into nothingness, her eyes wide and glassy, trembling as if she had glimpsed something too frightful to comprehend.

The guards encircled them, their faces etched with worry, glancing at one another as they tentatively called out, "Your Highness? Young Lady Silvia?" The unease was palpable, their voices rising slightly in pitch as the silence from the two women deepened their fear.

Despite their concern, the guards hesitated to intervene physically, aware that any rash action might exacerbate the situation. They murmured amongst themselves, deciding to wait for their king, their eyes darting nervously around the dark forest.

Suddenly, the command to clear a path rang out, authoritative and urgent, "Make way!" As the royal guard announced the arrival of their king and the Bloodburn King, the guards parted like the sea, bowing deeply as Lakhur and Asher strode through the newly formed aisle.

"Silvia?" Asher's voice broke slightly in concern, his brow furrowed as he observed her and Kayla frozen in place, an inexplicable scene that baffled him.

"Kayla..." Lakhur's voice was low, a rumble of deep concern, his eyes fixating on the tears that marked her anguished face.

Without hesitation, Lakhur moved forward, his steps quick and urgent as he reached Kayla.

He touched her shoulder gently, his voice soothing yet laden with a grandfather's worry, "Kayla, it's Grandfather. Please open your eyes. You are safe."

Asher followed suit, approaching Silvia with a hesitant hand. He tapped her shoulder and even waved his hand in front of her vacant eyes, trying to break the trance, "Silvia?" His tone was a mix of confusion and desperation, his movements careful as he observed her unresponsive state.

He was concerned if something was wrong with her but he was determined to not leave until she was alright.

Other than the fact that he was responsible since he brought her here, she was also Naida's daughter.

He then lowered his head, his breath a whisper against her ear, a desperate gambit hidden within his words, "If you don't pull yourself together right now, I will never accept any of your roses again."

At his threat, Silvia's eyes suddenly quivered, then sparked back to life with sudden clarity, "No!" she gasped, her grip on Kayla's hand loosening as she stumbled backward.

Her legs faltered, but Asher was quick, his arm snaking around her slim waist to catch her before she could hit the ground.

"Asher…" Silvia's voice was a murmur, her arm instinctively wrapping around his neck as she found herself suspended in his hold, her gaze locked onto his dark yellow eyes, the warmth and security of his embrace enveloping her.

However, the reunion was bittersweet; tears soon welled up in her eyes as she clung to his robes and pulled him into a hug, her arms still trembling.

Asher, his initial resolve to admonish her softening under the weight of her distress, sighed deeply, his heart twisting with concern. He was about to speak, to ask what horrors had driven her to be this vulnerable when a sharp cry cut through the night.

"Kayla!" Lakhur's alarmed shout spun Asher around. He witnessed Kayla in a startling confrontation, her hand gripping Lakhur's collar, her other hand glowing with dark blue mana, poised to strike. Yet, as Asher tensed to intervene, the scene shifted dramatically.

Kayla's expression melted from anger to disbelief, then to a profound pain. She slowly lowered her mana-charged hand and released her hold on Lakhur's collar, "Grandfather?..." Her voice was tinged with confusion but carried a resonance of mature recognition, a stark departure from her earlier childlike demeanor.

Lakhur, his face a mask of shock and hope, responded with a trembling voice, "Kayla...it's me. A-Are you really back?" He cupped her face gently, his hands shaking as he searched her eyes for the granddaughter he knew.

Kayla nodded, a smile breaking through her tears, a mix of happiness and sorrow coloring her tone, "I…I am back, Grandfather."

With those words, she embraced him, her tears flowing freely in a moment of raw emotion.

Around them, the guards and Asher watched, their expressions shifting from alertness to astonishment, each of them shocked and touched by the scene of reunion.

The guards felt as if their princess had finally returned to them, yet all of them wondered how this miracle was possible.

Asher couldn't help but glance down at Silvia, cradled within the circle of his arm, her figure small and fragile in the darkening light.

The miracle of Kayla's sudden return to lucidity mystified him, and thoughcuriosity burned within him, he knew this was not the moment to pry.

"You can relax, Silvia. I am not going anywhere," he whispered, tightening his embrace as a reassurance around her petite figure.

"You have to... promise Silvia to never think of throwing away her roses," Silvia murmured between sniffles, hastily wiping her tears before fixing Asher with ahopeful,yet stern gaze.

Surprised by her swift return to characteristic spunk, Asher allowed a gentle smile to touch his lips, "Even if you have been a bad girl, you still ended up doing something good. So I promise. I will keep your roses safe forever."

Silvia's eyes shimmered with overwhelming warmth upon hearing his words, feeling flutters in her stomach.

Meanwhile, Lakhur, his eyes still marred by the remnants of disbelief and relief, glanced from his granddaughter to Asher and finally to Silvia, his expression softening with unspoken gratitude, "Let's return to the castle. It's been a long day," he announced, placing a guiding hand on Kayla's shoulder as they began the walk back.

Pausing, he turned to the guards, his voice carrying a newfound vigor, "Announce to our people that our princess is back!" he commanded while Kayla wistfully smiled.

The guards responded with a booming affirmation, their voices echoing through the trees, "Yes, Your Majesty!"

This wassurelya day this kingdom wouldn't forget for centuriesto come. Within just minutes, the entire kingdom was already rejoicing in the miraculous recovery of their princess, and festivities and feasts were hosted one after the other.

As the party moved back toward the castle, the atmosphere lightened, a shared relief palpable in the air.

Eventually, Asher and Silvia found themselves alone in theguest hall of the castle, the echoes of the day's emotions still lingering between them.

"So you aren't going to tell me what happened or what you did to her?" Asher probed gently, observing Silvia's unusually distant and silent demeanor. Otherwise, she wouldn't even remain silent for more than a few seconds.

Silvia shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting away before meeting his with a mixture of resolve and hesitation, "Silvia only wanted to have fun with Kayla and let her see her parents. She was crying to see them. So Silvia wanted to help her."

"So you decided to let her see her parents in an illusion?" Asher ventured, guessing what Silvia might have done.

Silvia nodded slowly, her gaze flickering with a trace of heavy emotion, "Mn," she admitted quietly.

Asher leaned forward, his voice threaded with confusion and a touch of incredulity, "I don't understand. If all it would take was a simple illusion of her parents, why could nobody treat her before?" His thoughts echoed the strange simplicity of the solution that had eludedsomany for decades.

Silvia hesitated, her voice lower, tinged with uncertainty, "Silvia thinks Kayla saw her parents, but... but they were dead, and she was crying again."

"Dead?" Asher's voice sharpened, his brows knitting together as he piecedtogetherthe implications, "Don't tell me... It was an illusion, but an illusion made out of a memory from Kayla's head? Was it a memory from what Kayla last saw before she ended up crippled?"

Averting her gaze, Silvia's discomfort was palpable. After a brief moment, she met his eyes and slowly nodded, "Silvia thinks that might have been the case."

Realization dawned on Asher, a cold chill running down his spine as the pieces fell into place.

He reached out, his hands grasping Silvia's shoulders with gentle firmness, "Then what else did you see? Who else was there, or who killed them??" he pressed, urgency lacing his tone.

Under his intense gaze, Silvia seemed to shrink, her breath catching, her lips parting as if to speak, then closing in hesitation. The struggle within her was visible, and Asher believed she must be shaken because of the one who killed everyone on that quest that day.

"You don't have to be scared of whomever you might have seen. I will deal withthemmyself," Asher reassured her, his voice fervid, promising protection and action.

Silvia's eyes trembled upon hearing his words.

But just as she was about to part her lips,

*Creak!*

The heavy doors of the hall creaked open.Both turned towards the sound, and Asher's posture relaxed as Lakhur and Kayla entered, thelatter's face imbued with a newfound vigor that lit up the somber room.

Asher was relieved to see her now that hecanfinally get some answers.