When Kiyeri opened his eyes, he saw a strange sight. Next to his legs, crossed at the ankles, was another pair of simir legs, only arranged differently. Bck, long boots and linen trousers, one bent at the knee, the other stretched out next to him, Kiyeri's head was resting on the other person's shoulder. His heart raced and, jumping up from his seat, he gathered that person in his arms, "Ashi!"

  Then he suddenly pulled back to look at that person's face, as if afraid of making a mistake — but once he was sure, he pulled him close again. Ashiya immediately returned the hug, putting his hands behind Kiyeri's back, he hid in those arms.

  Kiyeri didn't know what to say or whether words were even necessary. If someone asked him what he felt now, he probably wouldn't be able to describe even half of it. He just slowly stroked that bck hair in a silent embrace until he heard a faint trembling voice near his ear.

  “I thought I wouldn't see you again...”

  Those words, or maybe the tone in which they were said, caused a real storm inside Kiyeri, scared of his own reaction and the whole situation in general, he pulled back. Everything was too real. Too much. He couldn’t let it slip – someone always had to hold the reins.

  Unable to look Ashiya in the eyes, he simply returned to the same position in which he woke up. He sat leaning against the wall staring straight ahead, his heart beating like crazy.

  A soft voice came from the side,

  “And you keep running...”

  Guilty. Kiyeri felt guilty again.

  Once again, he couldn't make up his mind.

  What Ashiya said wasn't a question, but it wasn't a statement either. Kiyeri had a hard time understanding what Ashiya was trying to say. It sounded sad, but at the same time... understanding?

  Kiyeri looked at his empty palms, as if something was missing, remembering his favorite phrase he often used in the past, "There is no better time than now."

  He rested his hands on his knees, "Forgive me. “Kiyeri spoke slowly, pulling each word from his chest, “I understand that I am wronging you, I can't let go, but I don't agree to take it either. I am selfish and just a bad person."

  Ashiya didn't wait for the continuation and spoke in Kiyeri's rhythm, "You are not a bad person... You just need more time to break through all that propaganda, to free yourself from those imposed ideals."

  Kiyeri didn't quite understand what Ashiya meant, but it seemed to him that he was hearing those words not for the first time.

  Ashiya sighed, "The future of children should be decided by their parents because children are incapable. Soldiers are not allowed to cry, because that is a weakness. If your clothes are not in order, you do not respect yourself and your country. If your shoes are not polished, you are a vagabond. If you are well-read, that means you’re intelligent. Only by serving your country are you worth something. Only by giving birth to children do you repay your debt to that country. I could go on and on and on..."

  Kiyeri timidly started, "These are just the obvious... things, aren't they?"

  “There’s nothing obvious about it. And that’s just a small part of it.” Ashiya replied. “Everything in your life is decided by others. You are what someone told you to be. If they say it’s normal to have something, you’ll want to get it and show it off. If they say it’s abnormal to act in a certain way, you’ll want to hide it. If they say something should be done by everyone, you’ll do it.

  “Did you know that among the nobles there’s an open secret about paying your bills to the country?”

  “No. What is it?”, Kiyeri replied, finally daring to look at him.

  Ashiya held up three fingers, “The price for freedom, at least three units.”

  “Of what?”

  Ashiya's lips smiled, but his eyes showed no such emotion.

  "Children. You raise three decent children and you are free to do whatever you want. I am one of those children - born to pay the price for my parents, so they could do whatever. My sister too. Of course, the same is required of us, otherwise their fee will not be counted. So if we don’t…"

  Kiyeri tried to understand how this worked.

  Ashiya leaned his head against the wall, "Normally, there are no problems. Brainwashed parents will brainwash their children, who grow up thinking that they have to do the same. Studies, army, achievements, childbirth, and then they can rest. Everyone is convinced that they passionately desire this, after all, they need to prove themselves to others...

  “You always said to us, that we were born having everything, but I think, we have less than you. I could pay that tribute and then live happily ever after. But I don't want to, I refuse to do it."

  Ashiya lowered his head and ughed bitterly, "Everyone strangles each other with rules they themselves are suffocating from. It's funny and sad. And the biggest paradox is that no one wins, no one benefits. We simply expand the nds, carrying those ideals and forcing others to live by them, ruining the next generation. All, who are unable to adapt are cockroaches, trash, not real people. All to preserve a country that no one wants to live in. All so that we can accumute wealth that means nothing."

  He turned to Kiyeri again and, resting his head against the wall, simply looked at his eyes deeply. For Kiyeri, it was completely unclear what Ashiya was thinking. Not only that, but he didn't know if he understood what Ashiya just said, so he thought intensely without turning away from that gaze.

  After a short silence, before Kiyeri could fully digest the conversation, Ashiya put on his usual bright smile and suddenly cpped his palm on Kiyeri’s thigh, causing him to jump.

  Ashiya ughed out loud as he stood up. Then extended a hand to Kiyeri, “Well, at least we’re alive!”

  Kiyeri intentionally frowned at that sp, but in reality, he felt comfortable. Grabbing that hand he stood up, “Jokes are good, but if we pn on staying alive, it’s time to move. You came along the wall from that side, right?” Kiyeri pointed to his left.

  “Yes. And I see your path is marked straight.” Ashiya confirmed. “So I guess you didn’t find the corner?”

  “No… And you did?”

  “I appeared in a corner. “Ashiya answered. “If I had appeared in the middle, I don’t think I would be looking for something... It was a complete coincidence. When I realized that there was a wall, I just decided to follow it, whatever happens, will happen.”

  Thinking about this, Kiyeri was shaken for some reason, “You quickly figured out what to do.”

  "Almost immediately,” Ashiya replied. “When I saw those creatures, I wanted to burn everything, but realized I couldn't, so I grabbed my Shamshir. Turns out I had practiced my sword too rarely...” He covered his eyes, “My skills are rusty. So where are we? Isn't this the same Beyond? From your REAL stories, I got a different impression of the pce."

  "Okay. Save your energy." Kiyeri shot back, tilting his head to the side. “The same pce, different circumstances. We're moving to the right; I'll tell you on the way. Are you hurt? Do you have a first aid kit?"

  Ashiya shook his head, "Not a scratch."

  Kiyeri raised an eyebrow "Skills rusted where?"

  The pair began to make their way, following the wall, sweeping away the Voidborne in turns. Kiyeri summarized his experiences from previous visits to Ashiya, told him about the blood sacrifice, and what differences he had noticed in the current situation. As Ashiya listened intently, his face grew more and more complicated.

  “Could it be that we shouldn’t kill these things?” he asked.

  “Why do you think that?” Kiyeri asked.

  "Well, if they were victims of the sacrifice, they belong to the dagger. This way we kind of appropriate what is not ours and entangle ourselves even more. Just that idea," Ashiya expined.

  Kiyeri thought, "Well, no substance can disappear anywhere, they don't leave any bodies, so maybe they turn into something else? I don't have proof, but I think that a kind of exchange applies to everything."

  He stopped and thought, looking into the distance, "Until now, in order to get something, it was necessary to...” Seeing a strange sight in the distance, Kiyeri didn't finish his thought and shouted, pointing his finger, “Look there!"

  Behind a dozen rows of Voidborne, there was a small empty space. The two of them exchanged gnces and began to run in that direction. Through the thin crowd of poor souls, they could see a peach color. Realizing what was in the middle of that emptiness, they began to rush even faster, cutting everyone on their way.

  Kiyeri brandished his daggers, “It’s been a week, she’s probably unconscious.”

  “There are two people there,” Ashiya hurried, “They’re both here.”

  A few more rows and Kiyeri began to shout, “MIA! SONANTA!” but the bodies didn’t even move. “Shit!”

  It was impossible to survive for so long without water, Kiyeri was overcome with despair. Finally, they both broke through and knelt by the women, searching for signs of life.

  “Mia’s breathing” Ashiya stated. “Weak, but she’s breathing.”

  Kiyeri felt his knees go limp.

  Both women were pale as they y, you could almost see their veins through their skin, but those veins had no color either. Kiyeri felt Sonanta's neck for a pulse and realized he could barely feel it. He put his head close to her heart and could hear unnaturally fast beats.

  Kiyeri lowered his hands in despair, "We can't help them..."

  Ashiya gritted his teeth as he looked at the girls, then fixed his eyes on Kiyeri with a determined look, "But we can for ourselves. And maybe for them," he pced one hand on his sword.

  Kiyeri's eyes widened, he wanted to get up to argue but controlled himself. They really can't help them survive, the fact that they were alive was a miracle, maybe they had some supplies with them when they left the pace that day. They still didn't know what would happen if they died here, speeding up the process was the best move. Taking responsibility for his decision, he drew his dagger, but Ashiya stopped him.

  "You don't have to. You're close friends, I'd rather..." he said carefully.

  "I don't see the difference." Kiyeri interrupted him and cut Sonantas throat with one strong movement. Keeping his emotions locked down, he turned to Mia, but Ashiya stopped him.

  "Wait!” He grabbed Kiyeri's wrist, “Leave her."

  "Why?" Kiyeri was completely overwhelmed and didn’t want to think.

  "Let's see what happens to Sonanta first," Ashiya said calmly and slowly.

  Kiyeri pulled his hand away and stood up. Staring at those people on the ground, he felt nauseated. He had killed quite a few times before, it was his job, but he had never had to do it to people he cared about. Remembering how convincingly he had expined to Ashiya that all lives were equally important, now he felt disgusted, "What a hypocrite..."

  "No,” Ashiya said categorically. “We simply have no choice. Nothing more."

  Kiyeri still managed to notice how little blood there was when Sonanta's body began to wither. It was becoming translucent and blurry. They were bewildered at first, but soon both tried to grab it and their hands penetrated through it, scattering small particles until it disappeared. Kiyeri was shocked, in just a few seconds the real, tangible, still-breathing body that had been lying there had become nothing. There was not a shred of blood or a thread of clothing left, everything disappeared into thin air at once. They gnced at each other, then at that space in disbelief, until Ashiya spoke.

  “Didn’t it ever seem strange to you to find yourself here with all your belongings and clothes?”

  “It did, but there was no time to think about it or the opportunity to check anything more thoroughly,”

  "Well, now it is.” Ashiya looked at Mia lying in front of him, “We need to act now, while she is still alive.”

  He unfastened her weapon belt and, handed it to Kiyeri. “Put it somewhere further away. Even better, break any holster on it."

  Kiyeri found their actions barbaric and vulgar, but realizing time was short and information vital, he didn’t resist. Kiyeri immediately grabbed the belt and stepped back while Ashiya took off the girl's robe and shoes. They carried several of her things in different directions, leaving them on the ground, and Ashiya, drawing his sword, at st ended her suffering.

  After ten or so seconds, Mia and all her belongings disappeared, not a single coin left around. The two of them looked around, exchanging gnces — but there was nothing. Just an empty field surrounded by Voidborne, with only the two of them standing in the center.

  "I'm starting to think that death simply means nothing for everyone connected to those stones.” Kiyeri spoke, “We’re all just energy — maniputed by them as they please, .just like we manipute mana. When I could see the energy threads, they surrounded entire person and their belongings, things that we carry could absorb our energy and become a part of us."

  "I don't know where they are, but now I think they’re alive. “Ashiya added. “There is a high probability that they are in this space somewhere, there’s no reason for the dagger to release them, it would require a greater sacrifice than a little blood."

  "If they're here, we need to follow the path they came from." Kiyeri indicated the direction with a nod. "When only my soul came here, every time I disappeared I was brought back to the same spot."

  Ashiya nodded and they both hurried along the path the girls had left behind after breaking through the Voidborne. They decided together not to destroy them unnecessarily, such unnatural arrangement of Voidborne in-checkers served perfectly to mark the path in a white space, where one would get lost otherwise.