The fire had finally begun to consume Mr. Thomas's lifeless body as he lay motionless atop the wooden pyre. Villagers surrounded the flames, their hands clasped in prayer, offering their final words to Goddess Celestia, hoping her divine realm would grant his soul peace.
Asher stood among them, his prayers whispered. The crackling of the fire and the murmurs of the villagers filled the night air, but his mind felt distant, detached. He watched the embers rise into the night sky, their glow fading into the darkness.
For the first time in his life, he felt a strange emptiness, a hollow ache that he couldn't quite place.
*Such a beautiful night sky, the fire burning brightly, everyone gathered together... yet why does it feel so heavy? Why do we gather to grieve instead of celebrate?* The innocent question lingered in his heart, but the cold, cruel logic of the world quickly washed it away.
He glanced at Meli beside him. Her eyes were red and swollen, evidence of the tears she'd shed. She and Kit had known Mr. Thomas since childhood. His death must have hit them harder than it had hit him.
Asher felt a pang of envy—not for their grief, but for the memories they shared with him. Memories he could never have, having only known Mr. Thomas for three short years.
*Where is Mr. Frank?* Asher scanned the crowd but didn't see him. The fire had died down, and the village chief had collected Mr. Thomas's ashes. After a proper prayer from the priest, they would be given to Frank.
"Mr. Frank went home guided by some villagers," Meli said, noticing Asher's searching gaze. "He was weeping so much that he fell asleep on the ground."
"You should rest too. Take care. It's already late," Asher said, bidding her goodbye before heading home. The streets were empty now, the village quiet under the moonlight. He soon reached his house—a modest two-story wooden structure. The ground floor was where he and Grandpa Will lived, while the second floor, once belonging to William's son, was now mostly used for storage.
"So tired," Asher muttered, collapsing onto his bed and wrapping himself in the blankets.
---
Asher woke late, the stress of the previous night had taken its toll. The house was quiet, and Grandpa Will was nowhere to be seen. Breakfast hadn't been made, which meant he couldn't have gone far.
Stepping outside, Asher noticed a crowd gathered in front of Mr. Frank's house. His heart sank. He had planned to visit Frank to offer his condolences, but the sight of so many people so early in the morning filled him with dread.
*Why such a big crowd?* Asher hurried over, his unease growing with every step. He spotted Grandpa Will among the villagers, his face drawn and weary, far from his usual energetic self.
"Grandpa Will, why are so many people gathered here?" Asher asked, his voice tinged with worry.
William turned, startled by Asher's sudden appearance. His face was pale, his eyes heavy with sorrow. "Frank has died," he said, his voice low and grim. "His body was found this morning, hanging from the same tree as Thomas. A group of kids discovered him."
"What? How? Did you check his body, Grandpa? Was it like Mr. Thomas?" Asher's questions came rapid-fire, his mind racing to make sense of the tragedy.
William shook his head. "Ash, Frank's body was in perfect condition. Unlike Thomas, his hands were completely fine. It's as if... he took his own life."
The words hit Asher like a punch to the gut. His doubts from the previous night began to crumble. "But why? I know he was grieving, but to do something so drastic so soon... It doesn't make sense. Their family wasn't in any trouble."
"I know it's hard to accept, but it's the truth," William said gently. "Don't try to escape reality with logic, Ash. It's harmful to yourself. I know how it feels."
Asher closed his eyes, struggling to process the loss. He didn't want to accept that another person he knew was gone, leaving behind only memories and questions.
"Haaa... Yes, Grandpa. Sorry for the outburst. I just don't want to believe such things can happen for such simple reasons," Asher mumbled, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
"We'll take care of this quickly," William said. "Kit and the others have gone to inform the villagers. I don't like the idea of ending one day and starting another with loss, but we must."
Asher nodded, though the weight of the situation pressed heavily on him. The village, usually bustling with life, was now eerily silent. The sounds of people heading to the forest, setting up stalls, or gathering fruits to sell in the city were absent. The air was thick with grief.
---
Asher sat by the kitchen window, staring outside, lost in thought. The events of the past days had left him shaken. The loss of the Thomas brothers had struck the village hard, and the silence was deafening.
"Ash," William's voice broke the quiet. "With everything that's happened, celebrating your birthday tonight doesn't seem right, does it?"
Asher shook his head. "No, it doesn't. To be honest, I don't feel like celebrating anymore."
William gave him a reassuring smile. "A grand celebration isn't possible, but we can still celebrate quietly. I'll show you why I was a first-class chef in the city."
Asher managed a small smile in return. It wasn't the celebration that mattered, but the time spent with family. The recent events had been a harsh reminder of how fragile life could be. He couldn't bear the thought of losing anyone else.
Asher found himself suddenly more tired than usual, his eyes heavy begging to be closed.
He felt darkness surround him as everything was gone from his view.
*creak* *creak* In his sleep Asher heard the floor stomping noises, as if something was coming from below.
Feeling his body lifted or fall Asher was unable to move, he did not know anymore if he was awake or asleep. His body felt restrained as he was unable to even open his eyes. His mind is empty.
For a brief moment, his eyes fluttered open, and he saw himself entangled in thick, vine-like roots. His body was bound, his limbs immobilized. Panic surged through him, but before he could react, darkness claimed him once more.
===========
A white world surrounds him as his body remains unable to move he is lying on the ground but it is an unfamiliar view, everything is white. Asher could not scream nor could even breathe. His body felt lifeless like a doll with no will of its own.
Then, she appeared.
A woman, her form ethereal and indistinct, moved gracefully toward him.
Her features couldn't be described as she looked illusory and unreal. But she surely was present in this white world. Her movements are graceful yet seem painful to watch. Every step she took made his mind ring like crazy, he instinctively knew it was danger.
Asher's heart beat like a caged beast. Fear etched in him at this unknown sensation he was feeling.
The woman's face was hidden beneath the fantasy of a white veil, she slowly kneeled beside his body. His eyes could not move away from her.
Her hand shivered as they moved toward him as if she could not handle her weight anymore. Her hands finally touched his face. Gently stroking them.
"Wake ....up," She told in a slow yet painful tone.
Asher felt a jolt of energy surge in him. He opened his eyes only to witness his body was currently wrapped by tree roots, his neck, hand, and even legs were tightly sealed.
His eyes watered at the unknown sensations he was still feeling from that white world. A second later his head jolted back in the worst pain he ever felt. All of this happened considerable fast speed unable to make him even react to all the things not letting him process anything at all.