Ashley
The watch shop was small but relatively well-lit. It was interesting; the light crystals had their natural luster, but they shone more brightly than usual. The place, unlike the rest of the city, had a very pleasant smell and was in very good condition. The small shop had a counter from end to end and displayed its watches in a haphazard manner. Behind the empty counter, there was a person, a well-dressed man without a jacket on. He was relatively young, perhaps 37 or younger, his hair tied back in a bun and clean-shaven. He was reading a book without paying much attention.
When I approached the counter, he looked up and his face looked like he had been slapped. I immediately noticed his golden eyes, and oddly enough, the right one looked strange, as if it had a small clock in its pupil.
"I was wondering if you'd ever actually find me," he said gently.
"What are you talking about? Do you know us?" I asked, abandoning my underworld mime.
—Wait a minute… What are you here for? —he frowned at my question.
—I've come for an antidote for poison, they call it "bugita."
The man quickly took out a jar and placed it on the table.
-Long...
At his strange attitude, I looked perplexed; he hadn't even charged us. He'd just offered us the bottle.
"You have to tell him the truth." A woman's voice appeared behind him.
A tall, dark-haired woman with short hair that didn't even reach her shoulders approached us and the man. She had the same eye color as the man and shared the same pupil clock, but on her left side.
Azumi took my arm tightly and looked puzzled.
—Ashley… They are gods —Azumi whispered to me.
My heart raced. If Azumi was right, we were dependent on what they wanted. We were in their hands. However, I calmed down. They didn't seem to want to hurt us.
The man nodded at the woman's comment and spoke.
—I am Kain, and I am indeed a god… To answer your question, Ashley, it's simple. I brought you and Sean Dorvin, the winner of the Great War and rightful heir to the power of the crimson dragons.
-That?...
I remained silent, broken; it was as if my neurons had just stopped working and time had stopped completely, but I asked the question I so wanted to ask.
-Because?
—By request… A certain woman asked for my help, and I can't give it to her…
There was a long silence…
"But you're supposed to be dead," Azumi added.
"She does know my story," Kain replied.
—Ashley, he's older than Jane. He fought Adam, the creator of the rules, the god of time, or at least he was. Adam broke the machine and, with his rules, prevented him from repairing it, — Azumi explained.
—I see you have privileged information, thanks to your tribe… As for that, I apologize… The matriarch… No… She knew what she was getting into… —Kain apologized.
"What are you talking about?" Azumi asked defensively.
—Girls, having Sean and Ashley here was my plan from the start. Sean was the key, but someone had to force him to fight, and that was you, Ashley… That's why I dragged you in first. Jane can't see me… Or rather… She doesn't want to see me… so she had to be summoned. I gave the medallion to the matriarch, and the matriarch sent you to capture Sean in the forest to give him the medallion. Sean would sooner or later use it without knowing it, and Jane would be summoned.
"You used my tribe? And you couldn't return the favor?" Azumi complained, tears in her eyes.
—No, Azumi, it's not like that. Your matriarch forbade me. There's someone who mustn't acknowledge my power. I could unleash chaos.
—How do I know you're telling the truth?
—I... only have my word...
"I... sort of understand. I'm not against fighting for these people, but... Who called you?" I asked hesitantly.
—Catia… The dragon of the fire god… She cannot kill her god… Adam saw to that, granting more power to the god through fusion, she is a slave to that man… She begged me to kill him, to save herself, to save her unborn child.
—And since you couldn't act, you sent us, you manipulated us into doing that... —I added.
"The reason we're telling you this is out of respect. Both you and Sean Dorvin showed great mental strength in pulling everything off, even helping Jane along the way," the woman behind Kain replied.
"Wait a minute, how do you know that?" Azumi asked.
—An ancient technique... Even with my lack of power, I am able to see far and communicate without moving, thanks to this I can focus on not being detected and succeed.
But the priority at that moment wasn't me, I took the bottle and took Azumi by the arm, we had to run and give Jane the antidote, but first...
"You didn't tell the whole truth... Why didn't you...? Why didn't you talk to Jane?" I asked on my way to the door.
—There are more rules of Adam than these written ones; the bastard poisons me every time I use my power. He did this because he knows I would have broken them… The simple task of bringing you here, or spying on you, is painful for me. Jane knows me, I wanted to protect her… But I didn't get there in time; after the fight, he was dying… When I finally found her, it was too late… She escaped because I let her… But I didn't have the right to look after her… Because of me… If you tell her all this… Tell her her father died with honor, tell her he left her this message. —Kain came out from behind the counter and handed me a piece of paper.
Her gaunt, sad look was enough for me. We ran out of the city, heading home, but we hadn't really started running yet…
"You have no idea how many questions there are to ask that son of a bitch," Azumi said.
I felt nervous about not continuing the conversation. Azumi was right. But it's not worth it. Not when Jane's life is in danger.
—But right now, what good does it do us? We already want to fight, we're already involved from head to toe. The important thing now is to continue and finish this, save Jane, and move on. The questions… or returning to my world can wait.