---
Night draped the kingdom in a veil of quiet serenity, the moon casting silver streaks through the corridor windows. Asher stood beside Cassandra West, both stationed as silent sentinels before the chambers of the Queen and Princess Lily as they layed separate on their bed fast asleep. The air was still, save for the gentle rustle of leaves outside and the soft breathing of those within the royal quarters.
Then came the question—soft, hesitant, yet weighted.
"Tell me," Cassandra's voice echoed in the quiet hall, "how were you able to make the King kneel before you, speak casually with the Queen, and even make the Princess fall in love with you?"
Asher glanced at her, blinking slowly. "I don't know what you mean."
Cassandra narrowed her eyes, skeptical. "Don't play dumb with me."
"I'm just being myself," Asher said with a shrug. "No masks. No pretending like those two faced noble's who are looking for the King's favor. That's all."
"You're one hard person to understand," Cassandra chimed in, smirking faintly.
Moments passed in silence. Then, as if trying to break the tension, Selena walked toward them holding two cups of tea. She offered one to Cassandra, who took it with a nod of appreciation. When she held the second out to Asher, he shook his head.
"You can have it," he said, turning to Cassandra instead. "You and Selena should take watch. I want to step out for a bit."
Cassandra raised a brow. "Where are you going this late at night?"
Asher's lips curled into a faint smile. "Just a midnight stroll."
He disappeared into the shadows, leaving behind a hallway now dimmer with his absence.
Cassandra's gaze lingered on Selena, who looked visibly discouraged. She didn't say anything, but her body language was louder than words.
"What's going on between you and Asher?" Cassandra asked, voice low and curious.
Selena tried to brush it off. "It's nothing."
Cassandra didn't buy it. "No... there's something there. I can feel the tension. I'm curious—and maybe I can help."
Selena sighed. The words were heavy, hesitant. "How would you feel if... if you found out you were a clone?"
Cassandra's expression faltered, unsure.
"Exactly," Selena said, voice tight. "I found out I'm a clone not too long ago. And not just any clone—I'm made from Asher's enemy. The one with the power to control minds."
Cassandra's mouth opened slightly in disbelief. "Wow. You've rendered me speechless."
Selena gave a bitter smile. "Yeah. Me too."
Cassandra set down her tea. "I might not have all the answers, but I'm sure of one thing: don't give up on yourself. Maybe Asher is cautious, but that doesn't mean you're dangerous. You're you, not the person you were cloned from."
"But how do I know?" Selena whispered. "What if... what if this is all part of some deep mind control plan I don't even know about?"
Cassandra's expression shifted from surprise to resolve. "You met the right person. My gift—my bloodline's ability—is seeing into someone's future."
Selena blinked. "Wait—what?"
"I can only see two months ahead, but it's enough. I'll look into your path. If there's any chance you'll be used to hurt Asher... we'll know."
Selena nodded, tentative hope fluttering in her chest. Cassandra's hands began to glow with a pale, ethereal light as she placed two fingers gently on Selena's forehead.
Several minutes passed in near silence.
Then Cassandra stepped back, her eyes clearing.
"You don't have to worry," she said. "I saw your path... and there's no betrayal in your future. No blood on your path."
Selena let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling slightly. "Thank you."
---
Meanwhile, deep within the Forest of Abyss...
A silver blade pierced through the hide of a Minosaurus, its roar cut short as Asher dealt the killing blow. Its body crumpled beside him, steam rising in the moonlight.
Asher bent down, slicing off the creature's horn, and then began drawing a magic circle on the forest floor. As his fingers traced ancient runes into the soil, his thoughts drifted—back to a time when he was younger, less burdened, and accompanied by his powerful clone—Helix the Beserker.
Memory: Years ago
"Run, Asher!" Helix shouted as fire rained from above, a dragon descending upon the battlefield where over 18 clones had already fallen and burnt into ashes that their corps could not be recognized.
"No!" Asher yelled, defiant.
"Then we die together!" helix said with a smirk.
Helix's eyes ignited in blood-red fury. His aura flared violently, hair floating as if caught in a storm. When he spoke again, his voice was layered—part man, part monster.
"Hold it down with gravity. I'll cut it apart." Helix command.
Asher slammed his hands into the ground, magic symbols glowing around his palms as the dragon's massive body shuddered under gravitational pressure.
Helix became a blur, slashing at the dragon in a frenzy, but the beast's scales were untouched.
"This thing's made of godsteel?!" Helix shouted as his twin blades shattered. "I haven't even scratched it!"
"I can't hold it much longer!" Asher yelled.
"Throw me your sword!"
Asher tossed his blade with one hand, but this made the dragon brake free and slashed Asher across the chest, sending him flying. Helix screamed as he saw Asher fall to the ground, eyes wild, and in a mad charge, leaped onto the dragon's face, driving his broken blade into its eye.
The beast thrashed, roaring in agony.
But helix did not stop their he decided to take a risky move.
"No, Helix, don't—!" asher cried, but it was too late. Helix jumped into the dragon's mouth.
The dragon screamed and collapsed, flames erupting wildly from it's mouth as its body convulsed. Asher used his magic to clamp the beast's jaws shut, struggling to stay conscious and prayed helix survived.
"Please, Helix... don't die..."
After screams and agony from the dragon it finally fell to the ground.
Then silence.
Moments later, something forcefully ripped and clawed out from the dragon's chest. It was Helix—shirt torn, skin burned, but alive. And between his jaws, the heart of the dragon.
Asher sat up, stunned. "You're... alive?"
Helix spat out the heart. "Barely. Guess we're lucky this time."
"Lucky?" Asher stared. "We lost 18 brothers."
"We've got eleven dragon hearts," Helix replied. "Just one more and we're done."
Asher shook his head. "One more heart isn't worth their lives..."
"Don't worry. I'm sure Father's done sending us on suicide missions," Helix said, trying to sound optimistic.
"And what if father decides to make more clone for his stupid army isn't 200 not enough; am not even sure father will see me as an accomplished clone." Asher pouted
"Well you have a point,and as the 69th clone I can say that you have accomplished more that the rest of the clones the only problem you have is that girlish name; Asher"helix mocked,lightning the mood.
"I just named myself that after figuring out that I was cloned from a clone that burned to ashes" Asher said.
"Oh really well, I named my self the first word I saw when I was born.Besides Yours is not even that bad ,one of us named himself bigthree, because you can only clone a maximum of three people from a dead body".
Asher stared at him, curious.
"Why are you looking at me like that " helix asked.
"How did you survive inside a dragon's mouth?"
Helix smirked. "I traped a demonic beast. Sealed it into my magic core. Now it gives me its power when I need it."
" How did you do it," Asher said immediately.
"Oh Asher always curious to know everything"Helix grinned and began drawing another circle.
---
Back in the present
The memory faded. Ssher, sitting in the center of his magic circle, opened his eyes as red energy pulsed around him. His hair floated, aura surging.
Inside his mind, the landscape became pure white—and then, it darkened. A terrifying shadow emerged.
Chains bound a massive, black beast —his inner demon.
Its voice was distorted and chilling, it's presence terrifying and dominating, face shaded in darkness that every movement creates shades of terror.
"LONG TIME NO TALK....ASHER"
To be continued...