Gender Neutral Apprentice/ Asra POV
(Ends where they show up in Muriels ending)
Word Count: 1,398
The last time I saw them was in the midst of a crowd, after Lucio was, killed panic swelled in the coliseum causing a influx of people screaming, running, trying to get out. I tried to find them, my apprentice, my Muriel, but they were no where to be found.
No sooner after Lucio died, the walls and limits between our world and the world of the arcana began to break and form into one. We didn't realize it at the time but there always has to be a devil. Always. And we all collectively made the mistake of allowing Lucio to die. Inanna managed to escape but I didn’t see where she went, if I found her we could have tracked them together.
After a few hours I met up with Nadia, Julian, and Portia. We later learned a group of people drove them out of town. Blaming them for the disasters that are now plaguing Vesuvia, plaguing the world.
I tried to reach out to Muriel and my Apprentice with my magic, hoping they sensed me. But I was always ignored. I even sent Faust to look for them in the forest while I searched Muriel's hut at one point, but they were no where to be found.
After weeks of trying to call out to them, Nadia told me she heard of a large man and a magician in the south, killing creatures from the arcana realms for coin. It had to be them.
"Asra! Asra where are you going?" Julian's voice called out to me as I stormed out the palace.
"I'm going to find them Ilya," I say without a second glance. Julian's hand grips my arm and I swing around to glare at him.
"Asra we don't even know where they are! And people are still rioting do you think bringing them back would be safe?" his eyes plead as they stare into mine. I let out a deep breath.
"Fine... But I won't rest until we find them," Julian gives me a warm smile, he grips my hand, but I don't return the comfort, I can't focus on this right now. I pull away and head back into the palace, Julian at my heels.
---
We spend months, writing letters to neighboring cities and towns, asking if they've seen our friends, but every time we get close they slip away. It's hard to tell where they're heading next because so many monsters appear in so random of places. It's like finding a needle in a haystack. Julian and I continue to grow distant as the months go by. He keeps making an effort but my heart aches too much for my oldest and dearest friends. We continue to search, to run from monsters, hide from disasters that are too strange to be considered natural. Endless rain, flooding, earthquakes that go on for what feels like hours
One day Julian and I make a stop in a town, we rent a room in an inn for the night. Allowing our weary bones to relax just for a day. I sit on the bed, letting out a sigh, Faust curls around my shoulders and onto the floor, making her way to the fire place. It does little to heat this dark room as wind whistles through it's cracks. Julian settles himself on the bed next to me. He places his hand on top of mine but I pull it away. He looks at me, hurt in his eyes.
"Asra, please if I did anything to make you upset-"
"You didn't do anything Ilya," I mumble out. I feel my chest tighten, I shift my gaze away from his. "I feel... hurt, without them,"
"We all feel their loss Asra,
"They aren't dead," I snap. I feel my eyes well up, gripping the bed sheets I take in a sharp breath. "They aren't dead, and I intend to find them before they get themselves killed,"
"They'll be fine," Julian gets to his feet.
"How could you possibly know that?" I look up at him, finally meeting his stormy eyes. Julian looks back at me in surprise. "They're my oldest friends Julian," he winces at my use of his other name. "I can't live without them," my voice begins to choke up, but I refuse to let myself cry in front of him. Julian gives me a somber nod, he grabs his coat and heads for the door. He stops before leaving and looks at me over his shoulder.
"We can leave, first thing in the morning," without another word, he leaves our room, closing the door behind him.
I let out a huff and fall onto my back on the bed. Bringing my arm over my eyes I let my tears fall slowly. I don't make any cries, the tears just fall silently, as though my emotions have built up too much and they are now escaping through my tears. A dripping sound interrupts me. I wipe the tears from my eyes and sit up. Looking in the corner scanning for the source of the sound I spot a bucket, catching water leaking through the roof. An idea strikes me, maybe I can talk to them if they're near a source of water. I run up to the bucket, pulling it away from the leak so the water isn't disturbed. Crouching on the ground I cast my spell, reaching out with my magic to find their auras.
A minute passes and when I finally open my eyes, I see them. There are trees surrounding them, Muriel is sat on the ground, my Apprentice standing at his side, it seems like they are cleaning a wound on his face. My apprentice reaches down into the water to rinse the cloth they were using but they stop when they spot me.
"Asra,"
"Oh! Muriel, -," before I can finish Muriel gets up and stalks away in the other direction. My apprentice lets out a sigh.
"What are you doing Asra," they turn to face me once again, a weariness takes over their expression. They look tired.
"We've been looking for you, trying to get your two to come home..." I try not to sound desperate with my pleading in fear of scaring them.
"Asra.. we have no home there, we were driven out... and besides I don't think Muriel is ready to go back, I'm not ready to go back,"
"No, w-we can fix it! And you're always welcome back, please just come home, come back to the shop... I miss you both, we all do,"
"I'm sorry Asra, it's not possible," They wave their hand and suddenly their image is gone. Leaving me alone. The howling of the storm outside, muffled behind the walls. I bring my head into my hands and begin to sob.
---
Many months pass and they repeat the same cycle. Julian and I make out way in one direction, and come up with nothing. We go back to Vesuvia, and are sent back out by Nadia to find them. It goes on and on until the one year mark passes. A year since I have seen my dearest friends. Julian has become nearly a whole different person. He doesn't crack jokes, he doesn't charm his way through trouble, and he seems to avoid my affection whenever possible. It doesn't bother me, my one goal is to bring my friends.. my family back home. Maybe I've changed as well.
After making our way to the south, Julian and I hear rumors of Muriel and my apprentice popping up in a town, something about a creature killing off livestock. We stalk our way through the storm that pours down on us. Struggling to stay upright against the rain. We finally make our way into town and spot a Inn. Julian and I look to each other and give a nod. We approach the Inn, swinging open the door, my breath hitches. There I see them. My Apprentice looks up at Muriel, their hand over his chest, their eyes look sad and distant. But I can see the love they still have for Muriel as they look at him. Muriel places his hand on top of theirs and looks at them fondly, but the familiar painful expression he used to have sits behind his fondness. Without waiting a second longer I make my way towards them.
