Different

ㅤ The sight of Richard mercilessly dealing with his enemies sent shivers down his spine. Asbel froze, not immediately accepting the reality—what he saw before him was real. There was no one left to save, but Asbel still stood in front of Richard, looking at him with confusion, so that he would stop torturing the body. "Enough…" he asked hesitantly. Richard pierced him with a gaze full of hatred. Furious, he pushed Asbel away and pointed his bloody sword at him, angrily condemning him: "How dare you side with him?!" "I'm on your side!" Asbel hastened to rebut, trying not to completely succumb to the enveloping fear that distorted his face. "I'm worried about you! You…" His voice trailed off, finding it difficult to find the words. Asbel's confusion brought Richard back to his senses. He lowered his weapon, silently staring at the floor, trying to comprehend how it had come to this, how he'd almost cut down his best friend. Anger gave way to fear. Not for himself: it was as if he had done nothing wrong. But for Asbel. Richard was afraid of losing him. He had no one left; he'd trusted no one since childhood. Only Asbel had been able to give him the joy that ordinary children experience, untarnished even by mortal danger. These memories were a true treasure to him, more precious than all the kingdom's gold reserves. Richard couldn't even imagine Asbel turning his back on him. "You've changed a lot," Asbel finally found the strength to say. 'You're scaring me…' he hid the truth, though it was written all over his face, even though sadness was gradually beginning to outweigh the horror. Richard's expression softened, and he smiled sadly. "But you haven't changed at all." "Really!?" Asbel perked up, unsure whether to be happy or offended. His heart felt lighter: the sudden question had confused his feelings and thoughts, and the sight of Richard, who had returned to his normal self, inspired a false sense of calm. But somewhere deep inside, anxiety remained, no matter how much Richard tried to throw dust in his eyes, leading him away from the battlefield. 'Something’s wrong…' itched in his heart. Asbel's thoughts were hampered by idle conversations full of nostalgia and warmth, as well as talk of hope for the future. Richard dreamed of justice being restored. Of a loyal friend standing by his side. About the peace he had not known since childhood. But Asbel wasn't the only one experiencing anxiety. It had firmly settled in Richard's heart, too, and the paranoia incited by Lambda intensified it many times over, making it hard to breathe. "You won't betray me, will you?" Asbel couldn't grasp everything hidden in Richard's voice. Hope, fear, warning. After Asbel had dared to stand between him and the enemy, Richard couldn't shake the feeling that the bond between them had begun to crumble. And no oath on a tree could preserve it… However, Asbel's answer, his broad smile, and confident voice calmed him. For a while. "I wouldn't even dare think of it!" Asbel said without a shadow of a doubt. "How could I betray my friend?" he was genuinely perplexed. He couldn't. Even after witnessing the brutal massacre again. Even after standing between Richard and his fallen victim, begging him to stop. Asbel didn't think about betrayal. His mind was completely consumed by the thought: 'Something's wrong with Richard! I have to help him! I can't leave it like this…' For now, all Asbel could do was watch over Richard and support him, observing and trying to figure out how to turn everything back around. ㅤ