Both men left. Ash sat, wrists shifting in her restraints as the overly tight rope bit into her skin. She couldn’t get free. She couldn’t even cast her spells with her mouth gagged like this.

  This isn’t right. This isn’t fair! I helped the village. Helped Stavos himself! And now he is punishing me, locking me up like some common criminal? She seethed. Once I get free. Once Hestia finds out…

  She struggled again. But to no avail. She was left alone in the dark room. Alone with only her thoughts for company.

  Alone. Nobody is coming for me. Stavos and Vidar could well come back and just end me on their crazed suspicion of somehow causing the attacks. They could just say a rogue ant got to me. Nobody would know. Nobody would care. I’d just be gone. Gone like I should be. Like my real self was. What right do I have to persist like this, while my true body rots in the ground?

  None. I don’t. I am nothing. Only some bits of data in a machine.

  Ash tried to regain control of her spiralling thoughts. Thinking of her connections Hestia, Tyra, Jori… Eric.

  He’s gone now. Her thoughts curdled, then the spiral resumed once more. But really, none of these people around me are real either. They don’t matter.

  Of those who are real, only my uncle even knows I exist. Even He… regrets me. When we spoke, he clearly thought he’d made a mistake. My own uncle… No, he’s not even that really. He was my true self’s uncle. That self which is now gone. To me… I… I’m not really anything to him. He’s not really anything to me.

  I’m… Nothing. Nothing here matters. I don’t matter.

  This is all just… It’s all still…

  Pointless.

  Ash closed her eyes, leaned back, and wept.

  Voices. Stavos’s gruff tone. Vidar’s gravelly one.

  Then another. Deep but feminine. “If her condition really is attracting this misfortune, my divination should tell. Don’t worry.”

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  “Excellent. I shall finally have the proof I need. Come. In here.” Stavos said, the door creaking open.

  “Let me cast a little something first, for our protection.” The feminine voice came again “decontaminating aura!”

  A brief light flashed from around the corner, then Stavos stepped in, his eyes turning to her and narrowing.

  A woman stepped in beside him, a stern look of determination creasing her brow. The healer from before, her braided hair tied loosely behind her head. Her eyes tracked Stavos’s, finally alighting on Ash.

  Ash stared up at them, tracks from her tears had traced lines down the grime on her cheeks. She slumped against the wall, body frail and sunken, hands tied behind her and mouth drooling around the gag stuffed inside.

  The woman, Ama, stared, her eyes widening in shock before her expression settled back to determination.

  “Girl.” She spoke “I will cast a few diagnostic magics upon you. They should not harm you. Do not resist.”

  Ash looked up at her, not bothering to respond. A droplet of drool dripped from her gag, landing on her stained and bloodied overshirt.

  “Sense affliction.” Ama chanted, her outstretched hand glowing. She paused, then let out a breath. The glow around her faded. "She is not contagious, it is safe. Withering like this is… not common, but I have seen it before. Some elderly people or those who have recently been cured from long term sickness. Perhaps she had a disease once, but it is gone now."

  Ash blinked. She had not realised, but she had worried that her real-life sickness would re-emerge even here. That somehow, her withering was just a symptom of her still-impending demise. That burden had now lifted. Gone. Just like that.

  “And the link between her and the attacks?”

  “One moment.” Ama, held up her hand once more “Sense intent.” Her hand glowed again. She paused. “Reveal status”. Another flash from her palm.

  “And?”

  “To conclude my investigation, I need a moment with her. Alone.” Ama said. When Stavos looked hesitant, she reassured him. “It will take but a moment.”

  “Fine.” He snarled and left the room, the door closing with a loud thud.

  Ama sighed. “Girl, I’m going to remove your gag and ask you a few questions. If you are truthful, then you have nothing to fear.”

  Ash nodded numbly.

  Ama stepped forward, slowly reaching up and pulling the slick gag from her lips.

  “Now…” She said “Your curse. What is it?”

  “H-hammer time.” Ash croaked. “It affects my weapon…”

  “Ah, a combat curse.” Ama breathed “I sensed as much but needed confirmation. I also sensed some mental and a little physical training. Yet, you claim to know nothing from before a week ago?”

  “It’s as if I was only brought into existence then” Ash replied dryly, feeling like directly lying to the woman would be a bad idea.

  “Of the ants and the lizard-folk?”

  “No connection. Hestia and… Eric brought me to the village just in time for them to help defend from the first attack. It had already started before we got there. And the ants, well I hunted them a bit for training, but that’s about it. They tried to kill me in my sleep once, so there’s no way I’m helping them.”

  Ama sighed. “Lesser restoration.” Ash let out a relieved breath as the last of her injuries slowly faded. “Come, let me get you out of those bonds.”