Asher didn't have a clue what was going on anymore. Anger was an emotion that he had very little experience with, but this was on a level he had never seen before. What made it worse was the fact that he had no idea what was making him so enraged. Years of training had been put into learning how to keep his emotions in check, a very important lesson for any practioner of dark magic, but here he was, letting his rage control his actions and amplifying his spell to a level he couldn't control. 

The only that had changed was the damned angel with her impossibly red hair. Realizing she was about to escape from him hadn't made him mad. On the contrary, it made him respect her for taking advantage of his arrogance. No, it was her coming back that made him start seeing red. 

But why? Was it really the princess's naive and pure nature that set him off? Sure, he found those things distasteful, but that just didn't seem to add up to him. So what then? Was some subconscious part of him mad that she squandered her chance to get away? 

The little moment of clarity passed as he watched the angel take the brunt of his spell. The sight assaulted him with too many emotions for a being that had been shutting them out for so long. Asher didn't even react when he saw his magic being turned against him, as an overwhelming numb feeling took over. 

Balmung recoiled hard from the light and the sheer force of the negative feedback sending the weakened prince flying off of his feet. His head banged against the frosted ground and felt his consciousness slip through his fingers.

---

Somewhere deep down, the prince remembered he had been waiting for someone important. They had promised to see each other again, so everyday the little lordling snuck away to the border and waited for as long he could. The first few days he was forced turned back, Asher assured himself his friend would be there the next day. 

But the next day became the day after that or the next day still. Eventually, he gave up. The young prince didn't have any friends back at the castle, but this was the first time he truly felt alone. The wings that his friend had made special became feathers on his back and nothing more. The memory was buried deep, but his curiosity about the world on the other side was snuffed out.

---

[Color=ed1c24]"No more..."[/color] The voice pulled him back to the present. [Color=ed1c24]"That's enough fighting for today, don't you think...?"[/color] It was a question made Asher remember Livia's words, because even he wasn't sure what his people would be like if there was no more conflict. Would there ever be enough?

His eyes opened slowly, as he noticed light magic patching him up. Red hair and a painfully familiar smile came into view. The naive angel was healing the very man that was behind her kidnapping. The kindness was genuine, but the act hardly phased Asher.

[Color=slategray]"You obstinate fool,"[/color] the demon muttered hoarsely to the angel kneeling across from him, [color=slategray]"You're going to end up killed if you don't give up on that idealistic attitude of yours."[/color] While his words were acerbic, the bite didn't reach his tone or his eyes. 

Asher took his eyes off the brightness in front of him and looked at the rest of the individuals in the clearing. Although he was healed, he still felt weak. The question now was who would make the first move.