Soul Rekindled a Spark

Time uncertain has passed since then....

As Astra hums the lullaby, his voice resonates through the room, filling it with a soothing melody. Anastasia, who has been tending to him, finds herself captivated by the enchanting tune. The lullaby seems to have a calming effect not only on Astra but also on her.

She watches him with a mixture of curiosity and fondness, realizing that there's more to this mysterious guest than meets the eye. Astra's hummed lullaby becomes a bittersweet moment, a brief respite from the weight of his secrets and the revenge he seeks.

In the quiet of the room, with the lullaby as a backdrop, Anastasia contemplates the enigmatic cleric who has come into her life. There's an unspoken connection forming, a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty of the world outside. It's a moment of respite, where the lines between guest and innkeeper blur, and two souls find solace in each other's presence.

Then she slept on his side as she sat on a nearby chair to blush as she felt the heart beating for Astra groggily yawned before he blushed subconsciously unaware that he was displaying emotions despite his straight face "Umm Innkeeper May you get off me?" Detached vocal tone

Anastasia stirs in her sleep, not entirely aware of her proximity to Astra. As she hears his detached request, she wakes up abruptly and realizes that she's much closer to him than she intended. Blushing furiously, she quickly gets up from her seat and apologizes, her voice somewhat flustered.

"I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to... um, get so close," she stammers, her face redder than before. She finds herself somewhat flustered by Astra's unexpected reaction, unsure of how to navigate this newfound connection between them.

He sighs and looks away, leaning on the bed "Don't make a big deal of it, you probably got tired watching over me…anyways, so how much duration is left before my rent expires?"

Anastasia takes a moment to compose herself before answering, her voice returning to a more relaxed tone. "You have about half a day left on your rental, sir. Is there anything you'd like to do or any specific plans for the day?" She keeps a respectful distance, trying not to intrude on Astra's personal space.

Shook his head as he yawned "I think I can just fall asleep.." Anastasia smiled, but spoke, "Wait you're not upset I accidentally got close?"

Astra, still tired, simply responded, "No, it's fine. I appreciate your help." With that, he closed his eyes and seemed ready to drift back into sleep.

As she leaves his internal mindscape panics, as the alter ego 6-year old looking side teases the main persona in whispers despite it being more confined and weaker than last time.

Alter ego: "Aw, is the big, bad assassin afraid of a little kindness and maybe even some affection?"

Main persona: Irritated "You know, I don't have time for your games right now. Just... go away."

Alter ego: Chuckles "Oh, I'll be right here, watching."

Despite the teasing, the alter ego remains quieter and less influential than before.

Main persons ask "I thought sealing you away nullifies emotions?" Aldol the alter ego corrected with a huff "No , you just made it worse now no matter how hard you're emotionless you won't even notice we express any sort of subtle emotion due to your extreme emotional detachment from me"

Main persona: Sighs "Well, let's not make a big deal out of it right now. I have other things to focus on."

The main persona continues to grapple with the emotions that sometimes surface, even in their detached state.

Then back to the present Astra grumbles as he feels hungry , then a bit with energy yet still can't use his magic as he can sense the mana fever although mild is still here as he went downstairs smelling some baked goods (and maybe his heartfelt fuzzy again reminded of the vague times when he was four or younger playfully eating with his REAL family yet the memories get more blurry)

Astra's sense of nostalgia and a hint of his lost memories make his experience with the baked goods more meaningful. He proceeds downstairs to satisfy his hunger while continuing to grapple with his complex emotions.

Anastasia was preparing In-breakfast or she said to him "Ohh since you heavy sleep here wait over there this is Brunch as it's 18:00 M.T now"

Astra nods, grateful for the meal. The concept of time in this world is normal for him, but he appreciates the gesture and sits down to enjoy his late brunch with Anastasia.

As they eat Anastasia ask if she is allowed to touch him to check his condition

Astra hesitates for a moment but then nods, allowing Anastasia to check his condition. He knows it's better to make sure he's okay, especially with the lingering mana fever.

Anastasia gently touches Astra's forehead to check his temperature. She feels a bit relieved that he's not burning up with a fever, but it's clear he's still not in the best shape.

"You seem to be getting better," she says, her voice soft and comforting. "But I can tell you're not completely well yet. Maybe you should rest a bit longer."

Astra nods, acknowledging that he's not at his best. "Thank you for your kindness," he murmurs, his voice still carrying a hint of that detached tone.

Anastasia smiles warmly at him. "It's my pleasure. I want to make sure you're alright."

As they continue to eat, Astra can't help but feel a strange mix of emotions. He's torn between the desire to remain detached and focused on his revenge, and the comfort of someone's care.

Anastasia, on the other hand, is captivated by the enigmatic man sitting across from her. She wonders about his past, the mysteries behind his eyes, and why he carries such an air of sorrow.

The two of them share a meal in this small inn, their lives unexpectedly intertwined for the moment.

Then she asked why he didn't wear his mask today he gasped and she giggled before he sighed, a bit frowning despite a blunt voice to eat "Hmm. , maybe because You don't seem afraid seeing my face right?" Anastasia is holding back how she wants to compliment him.

Anastasia smiles and decides to be honest with him. "You have a very handsome face, Astra. And your hair is quite unique. I don't see any reason to hide it with a mask."

Astra looks a bit surprised by her compliment but doesn't say much. Instead, he continues to eat, occasionally glancing at her with those enigmatic starry eyes.

As they finish their meal, Anastasia realizes that Astra's aura, though still somewhat distant, is not as cold as it once was. Perhaps, in their brief encounter, she's managed to break through a small part of his emotional armor.

Then it got tense and distant again once he finish eating , he scoot close to stare with his lifeless Azure blue eyes at her "You cook well thanks-"

Anastasia feels a mixture of emotions as he thanks her, and she smiles warmly. "You're very welcome, Astra. If you need anything else or if you just want to talk, feel free to let me know. I'm here to help."

Astra nods in response, his eyes revealing a hint of gratitude. He's not used to kindness, especially from strangers, and it's both unsettling and comforting.

He scratched his head as he wanted to say something more with his mouth yet hesitated as Anastasia asked what was up as he shook his head "Never mind, I am going back to rest.."

Anastasia watches him with concern but respects his decision. "Alright, Astra. If you ever change your mind or need anything, you know where to find me. Rest well."

Astra nods again and makes his way back to his room. As he lies down, he can't help but wonder about the strange mixture of emotions and experiences he's had during his stay at the inn.

Then he felt he needed to take his shirt off as the body heat of his sickness is bothering him, then got a lifeless "Oh?" When Anastasia gasped at seeing his lean muscular built, bulky and firm yet still had a slim frame she nosebleed as he asked "You okay?" She wants to fangirl before looking away and noticing so many patches, scars even of deep wounds, or even stitches.

Anastasia quickly turns away, blushing furiously. "I-I'm fine! Just got a little lightheaded, that's all. Don't worry about it." She tries to act casual, not wanting to make Astra uncomfortable.

Astra simply nods and lies down, still feeling unwell but appreciating the quiet moments of peace he's found in this unexpected encounter.

Then Anastasia inhaled and thought "Oh 7 Color deities forgive me for witnessing the body of a young man.." glanced as she got a jump scared Astra gazing at her close with his bare torso as she blushed asking "Anyways, I shall probably-" Astra spoke (clueless of social cues) "If I give discomfort alright I shall explain, I took my shirt off because I feel to warmth from my fever so I decided I can just relax more when I sleep-" Anastasia screech to fangirl and spoke in relief "sometimes I am thinking your quirkiness is a blessing anyways ahem-why do you have so many wounds despite having a youthful body? You are a healer so it's odd you didn't heal yourself"

Astra sighed, realizing that he would need to share at least a fragment of his past with Anastasia. "I didn't always have the power to heal myself, and my life before becoming a healer was... complicated. These scars are reminders of a different time. Now that I can heal myself, I still keep them as a reminder of what I've been through."

Anastasia listens with curiosity, trying to piece together this enigmatic man's history. "I see," she responds, her gaze softening as she looks at him with more understanding. "Well, you're still a skilled healer, and your quirks make you unique, in more ways than one." She gives him a reassuring smile.

He chuckles in an acting persona as he wants to reach out yet hesitates as he slowly shuts the door "Thanks for brunch earlier I shall retake the medicine..if it didn't get better or rather how long did this sickness usually last?"

Anastasia nodded. "It varies, but it usually lasts for a few days. If it doesn't get better or if it gets worse, you might want to consult a more experienced healer." She gave him a friendly smile. "Take care, Astra, and if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." With that, she left him to rest, her thoughts a whirlwind of curiosity about this mysterious man who had entered her life.

She happily goes down and do her routine for other guests of her inn , while Astra inhales and shut the door comfort himself of the Anxiety attack as flickers of memories of the torturing training he endured (if you even consider it that) under Estella and Mad Hatter before also learning to fight from small mystical beast to large and dangerous ones before his first Archaican (human) kill and other mortal humanoid species followed as he gasp and tried to close his eyes to also make sure his shadow aura won't explode out.

Astra's internal struggle with his past and his emotions weighed heavily on him. He needed to find a way to come to terms with his haunting memories and the path he was currently on. As he lay in the quiet room, he contemplated the future, filled with a mixture of determination and uncertainty.