YOSHIKO RETURNED TO reality and blinked several times. Asta was in front of her, looking at her with worry.
"Are you alright, Yoshiko?" He asked.
What am I supposed to tell him?
Yoshiko signed, I'm fine. I just saw something.
"Are you sure? You can tell me anything," Asta said.
I know, she signed with a smile, later. Right now, those kids are in danger.
Asta looked at the cave and nodded. He grabbed Yoshiko's hand and shouted, "Let's go!"
-&-
Rushing in, Yoshiko immediately noticed the kids on the floor. Blood came out of their noses, their eyes dazed as they lay limp on the cold, hard floor.
Yoshiko's eyes widen with horror. Her breathing became untamed. Her heart was beating way too fast for the average human. Her temperature was so high that even the touch could burn someone slightly.
"These children... their magic has been extracted!" Theresa said picking up a child. She gently wiped the blood off his face. "They may never... be able to use magic again!"
Asta thought for a moment. They were going to become like him. Magicless. But unlike him, they were forced to become magicless. They weren't born magicless.
"How could you do something so horrible?" Asta asked bitterly.
"Damn, reinforcement?" The guy asked ignoring Asta's question. Then he noticed his mana levels through his magic glasses. "Huh? This guy's..."
He laughed like it was the most hilarious thing in the world.
And Yoshiko was getting more upset by the moment. Blue lines spread out of her eyes, her horns grew. Her eyes changed to golden. But this time, the top part of her eyes became blue.
"Gweh hee ha ha ha ha! What's with you?! You've got no magic! Zip! Zilch! Nada!" He shouted pointing a finger at him. "A two-bit punk who's not even a Magic Knight! I'll take you out my-!"
In seconds, Asta was in front of him with his blade out.
"Huh?" The guy asked as he was slashed in the chest. He flew into the wall behind him.
Theresa was amazed by his strength. She turned to Yoshiko who was glaring at the floor. Theresa could feel the bloodlust that was threatening to spill out of her.
"What's Neigh doing? The guy's completely useless. Bastard,"
Yoshiko's eyes darted towards him causing him to flinch. Her bloodlust spilled and everyone froze. Everyone but Asta. He gripped the man's collar.
"Why did you do something so nasty?!" He asked. "Do you know how much it hurts to lose your magic? Do you?"
"What do I care, moron? It doesn't matter to me whether these guys die or lose magic!" He said proudly.
Asta raised a fist at him.
"Stop!" Theresa shouted at him. Fortunately for her, he slammed it into the wall.
"This pain enough isn't enough to make up for what you did! You're gonna pay properly, starting now!" Asta shouted.
The guy looked at the hole Asta made. Without anyone realising it, he clicked a button.
"That's right! A man like that isn't worth striking your fist!" Theresa said.
But for Yoshiko, she didn't care.
She slammed her palm straight into the man's chest. Cracks were heard, blood spilled out of his mouth and chest. His body felt like it was on fire.
"Yoshiko!" Asta shouted with worry. "Stop it!"
Yoshiko glared at him. Asta flinched at her stare. But he knew that it wasn't just her stare. It wasn't Asgorath's either. It was somewhere in between. A part of Yoshiko that wanted to kill and Asgorath who had no problems killing humans.
Maliciously smiling, Yoshiko kicked his arm, severing it from his body. He screamed out in agony.
Theresa covered her mouth while Asta pulled her back. She thrashed in his hold, blue marks growing on her feet.
"No Yoshiko! There aren't worth it!" Asta told her. His arms were burning but he didn't care. He could let someone as kind as Yoshiko become a murderer.
Yoshiko turned on him. She slammed Asta to the ground and growled at him. Asta's eyes widened when Yoshiko suddenly stopped moving. She was frozen in place. Her eyes widened and sweat ran down her face.
Images of smiling girls and boys came into Yoshiko's head. Images of girls and boys smiling as one of them held a red object. They were smiling after they hurt someone. Who, though?
Then, the image of a blue-haired woman appeared, approaching the mysterious person and crouching before her.
Yoshiko heard something muffled and couldn't make out what she heard. Yoshiko saw the woman in a different angle, it was most likely that the woman was carrying the person.
Yoshiko immediately got off of Asta. Asta got up from the ground and dusted his pants.
What was that?
"What was what?"
Yoshiko blinked. Could Asgorath not see that?
Nothing.
"Are you sure?"
Yes.
Not that she didn't trust Asgorath but she wanted to figure it out herself.
She ran to Asta and gave him a tight hug. Asta hugged back knowing that she needed comfort. He wasn't sure what was going on with Yoshiko and her strange behaviour but he was sure that she didn't mean to hurt anyone. Yoshiko hated hurting people.
'What's going on with that girl? Is there some sort of curse on her?' Theresa thought, looking over at Yoshiko. Then, she shook her head and turned to Asta.
"Asta. I hate to interrupt this but we need to do something about those children!" Theresa said.
"Oh yeah!" Asta said.
Yoshiko pushed him back lightly. She gave Asta and nod which meant that she was okay. He didn't believe her exactly but now wasn't the time. He had all the time later to comfort her and make sure she was okay.
Then he hit the kids lightly with his sword. It shocked Theresa. They started crying. Theresa and Yoshiko used healing magic on them. Luca hugged her.
"Asta, Yoshiko. Didn't you both grow up in the church of Hage?" Theresa asked.
"How'd you know?!" Asta asked. Yoshiko was just as curious.
"Sister Lily from your church came to ours to train once,"
"Huh?! Whoa!"
"She's a fine young woman,"
"Isn't she?!"
"We had to chance to talk and she told me about you two,"
"Really what did she say?!"
"She said you were a small, noisy child,"
Asta went in shock.
"But she also said that the two of you were hard workers with a strong heart who don't give up that easily. She was very proud of you,"
Meanwhile, Gauche was kicking and hurting Neige. Yoshiko got mad at him.
Why hurt someone defenceless?
"It serves him right,"
How could you say that?
"He attacked first. Had he not, he wouldn't be in this situation,"
But Mr. Asgorath!
"No. You know, you're very... childish. You'll come to realise not everything can be solved with talking or tea,"
Yoshiko didn't reply. She only clenched her fist in response. Her nails pierced in her flesh and blood dripped out.
"Don't be stupid. You're hurting yourself over something that can't be fixed,"
Rin was worried but she couldn't say anything either. Asgorath was right, Yoshiko's perspective of the world was too naive.
Yoshiko ended up sitting on the ground legs spread out. She stared up at the cave. Her body felt cold and numb.
How come you can't fix everything with words?
"...Because no one will listen to reason. We're blinded by our own perspective that we believe that another's perspective is wrong. You, me and everyone,"
Is mine wrong or right?
"I don't know,"
You don't know?
"Your perspective wants to save everyone, criminals alike. Is that really a good thing?"
What if they changed?
"And if they didn't?"
Then...we can try to save them.
"Try to?"
Yeah! We can, like, create a world where these guys can belong in!
"And how do you purpose we do that?"
Dunno.
"You don't know?"
I'm right now too young. I'm not even 16 yet. I don't understand the world that well so I can't really tell what all the bad things in the world are yet. But when I grow older and learn more...I want to create a world where anyone can live happily.
"That's sounds nice. Perhaps then, I could live in peace without having to worry about my other dragons,"
You really love dragons, huh?"
"Of course I do. I was raised with them, lived with them, shared meals with, many of my experiences were with dragons,"
What happened to the dragons now?
"Dead. Many of them were killed by humans. Humans that were jealous of their power killed my friends. I remember it like it was yesterday,"
That sounds horrible. But...humans don't really kill us now, right?
"Not after the established relationship between the Clover kingdom and Dragon Tribe. They are no longer hunting for dragons,"
That's nice. Now you don't have to see any of your friends die!
"Right..."
Yoshiko noticed the change in his tone. Asgorath seemed upset about something. She decided to drop their conversation.
Hurry and tell us how to put the magic back!" Asta shouted, grabbing the man by the colour.
That's when Yoshiko smelt honey, jelly and cake. Which meant magic, gel magic and spatial magic.
"You're here huh? If you can travel with spatial magic then you sure took your sweet time!"
"Gosh, you're so whiny and loud. I'll give you a pat on the back this time, though," the girl said. "Asta! Yoshiko! I can't believe we meet so soon! This is great,"
"She's crazy,"
Gauche tried to use his magic but the girl just reflected it.
"Could you not? You're interrupting our reunion! Maybe I'll dissect everyone! But not you Yoshiko. Our master wants you unharmed!"
She's crazy!