Asher frowned.
"Unknown? Like Weaver's mother? Is that what you are?"
His brow furrowed deeper. He didn't just look confused—he looked completely unconvinced.
The woman grimaced. "I think there is a misunderstanding. This 'Weaver' you speak of is a part of me."
Her perfect brow arched as she regarded him.
"Why do you look so skeptical?"
Asher let out a sigh, his expression still guarded.
"I... I thought an 'Unknown' would be some kind of terrifying monster. You know—claws, tentacles, a hundred eyes. Not some—"
His gaze drifted downward, then quickly snapped back up. His cheeks flushed.
She grinned.
"A cute girl?"
Asher pursed his lips, slowly nodding. The woman giggled, stepping close until her lips were just inches from his ear.
"Well, of course. This body was crafted specifically to match your tastes."
Asher flinched, his face turning crimson. He looked her over again in disbelief.
Her hands remained folded behind her back as she turned and walked a few slow, deliberate steps away, casting a smirk over her shoulder.
"That's right... I'm your perfect woman."
"D-Don't lie!" Asher spoke, pointing a finger at her.
He scanned her once again.
'An D-cup, perfect ass, decently tall and pretty red eyes. FUCK! It matches!'
He clicked his tongue.
"Who has light blue hair, red eyes, and wears a black gown?! What even is that aesthetic?!"
She gave a small shrug.
"I don't know. It's your taste, apparently."
Asher felt like a boulder had just dropped on his chest. He gave a strangled, disbelieving laugh.
"My dream girl would never have such a shitty personality."
She looked at him for a second, pursing her lips before holding a laugh behind her hand.
"You know...*pfft*... I copied part of your personality. Thought we'd get along better that way."
Another boulder—right to the head. This time, he couldn't even get up.
"Why? Why would you even do that?!"
"So I could seduce you into a deal, obviously."
Asher choked. Since when was he so honest?
She came closer to Asher, "So, so? Tell me..." She leaned closer, making Asher take a step back.
"Should we make the deal?"
***
Sunny clenched and unclenched his fists.
It felt… strange.
Asher wasn't here. No smart remarks. No loud, obnoxious laughter. No chaos buzzing around like a everyday routine.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
So peaceful that it felt so...
"Shit," Sunny muttered, standing abruptly.
He was still in shock. The bastard was actually gone. He licked his dry lips.
" "Admit it, Sunny. You'd miss me if I wasn't here."
"I don't know."
"Aw... So you would miss me!" "
His fist clenched again.
Across from him, Cassie stared straight ahead, her pale eyes locked onto nothing. Her tears had dried long ago.
Nephis stood silently, unmoving, her jaw tight. Sunny could see the faint smear of blood at the corner of her lips — she'd been biting it too hard, too often. She hadn't forgiven herself. Not for breaking her promise.
Something warm slid down his knuckles. He looked down — he was bleeding. His fingernails had cut into his palm.
He didn't loosen his grip.
Instead, he laughed. a quiet and bitter laugh.
"The bastard's actually gone..."
He... did maybe miss him.
***
"HUH?! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY WOMAN!?"
The woman sighed, twirling her hair in her fingers. "Because of your soul making a crack through the outer realms, I very tiny part of my consciousness was able to escape the void. That piece… latched onto your soul, taking the form of a 'Memory.'" She paused.
"That memory holding me broke when you completed your trial made by that trinket and I was able to escape. But I was still tethered to your soul.."
Her lips curved downward.
"I could briefly sense you but you were flickering in and out due to your weak presence. Using what remaining power I had in my own soul sea, I searched for you through the defiled's eyes."
She smirked.
"Then came my little payback. I tortured you for a while before pulling you away from those... people."
She then looked annoyed "I was trying to capture your body to make you into my avatar." She sighed, shrugging her shoulders.
"Alas, one of your attributes was too strong for me to over come. I couldn't take over your soul and now I'm stuck here, in your soul sea—cut off from my domain, my soul sea, and everything else. All that's left of me is this sliver of consciousness."
She finished, leaving Asher blinking, stunned.
There was a lot he didn't understand—but all of it was eclipsed by one glaring realization.
"Wait... did you just admit you tried to kill me?!"
The woman shrugged, casual as ever.
"Well, yes. Though it was necessary. To stop my main body from—"
She stopped herself, narrowing her eyes.
She stopped, looking at Asher with narrowed eyes. "I don't think I can tell you more, the void might take you."
Asher didn't register that part. His jaw had already dropped.
'She was so honest about it! Who admits something like that so casually?!'
He shivered.
What would have happen if she did take over? What would happen to him? But more than this, a part of him was psychologically hurt.
"My dream girl tried to kill me...'
He wanted to cry.
"Anyway," she continued, voice sharpening, "the deal is simple."
In a blink, she was in front of him. So close their faces nearly touched.
Asher blushed, causing the woman to smile more.
She leaned in even closer—nose brushing his.
"For both of us."
Asher barely had time to breathe. Her hand touched his chest—lightly—and gave a push.
He didn't stumble. Didn't resist. He simply fell, as if the ground beneath him had vanished.
Cold water swallowed him whole.
He didn't swim. Didn't hold his breath. He simply sank, deeper and deeper, eyes drifting shut.
And then, just before the last light vanished, he heard her voice again—sweet and angelic:
"Oh, by the way... I'm genderless."
Asher choked underwater.
"HUH?!"
[End of Volume 2 Prologue: Shadows That Don't Fade.]
It begins.
________________________
[A/N: It's only getting better guys. This is the 250 PS chapter.]