The Sight Beyond The Haze

Chapter 43: Anasthasia

With an abrupt flash of light and disappearance of it not even a second later, Zachriel closed off Tansy's Veil.

I leaned closer to where I was sitting just to see if there was any visible change on Tansy but it seemed that the only thing visible was the furrowing of Tansy's brows which was nothing new really. The next that happened was that Zachriel putting his golden needles out of the sight. Within seconds, he has already put it away and walked towards us.

His expression was one of calmness and there wasn't the kind of expression that I was expecting. Cocytus and I looked at each other, skeptical with Zachriel's calmness. Then again, I thought, he might have been doing this since he was a kid. After all, he was the one who manipulated my mind when I was only six years old and he was only around eight years old at that time.

"What did you see?" Cocytus asked eagerly. I was eager too, and restless, so I only wathed Zachriel with his every moves. I pursed my lips when I saw Zachriel sighed deeply. "Well?" Cocytus demanded.

I wanted to do the same but that seemed kind of too repetitive since he has already done that.

"Let me take a rest first while I'm gathering my thoughts before I tell you all what I saw," Zachriel told us and heaved a heavy breath.

I realized that he has been sitting beside Tansy's head for a while without any indication that he was resting or without any breaks. Cocytus realized the same thing and we both nodded. I volunteered to tell one of the maids to get some light snacks and to prepare some dinner. So I went up the stairs and caught one of the maids just milling around, telling her politely to prepare the food and also asking her where were Leigh and Eris. The maid scurried away from me after receiving the order.

When I came back, I saw Zachriel drinking water from a glass. Sweat stained his forehead and there was a visible heaviness on his eyes as though he was sleepy. He must have exhauted himself, I thought suddenly and felt a little guilty, feeling as though Cocytus and I have overworked him.

The light snacks that I requested came, it was Cocytus who received them and carried them down the trapdoor. He did not even let the maid in to set up the food so maybe no one else know about the secret room. While we were eating, Zachriel sat down and leaned on the wall, his face was still sweaty from his work, he told us what exactly he saw on Tansy's mind and the work of the other Weaver who messed with her mind.

His bow-like lips pursed and he sipped timidly at the refreshments on the little coffee table where Cocytus put the foods that I requested. His eyes were jittery and it seemed that he was thinking deeply about how he would able to explain the intricacies of the works of Weavers to Cocytus and me.

"Anasthasia's mind has indeed been meddled with by someone else," Zachriel stated. He put down his glass and looked seriously at us who were only watching him, anticipating his explanation. "But the one who worked on her mind was not a Weaver. They must've been scared that the girl would lose her mind if they meddled with her Veil for too much."

I nodded, understanding just the tip of what he has said then thought that I never really know what Tansy's whole and real name. I only know one thing about her, just that she was only a friend of Bianca's. I was not even certain about her real name. Anathasia, what an intimidating and royal name it was. Very unlike of the soft spoken timid person the Anasthasia I knew of.

I looked at Cocytus, wanting to ask him many questions. He caught me looking at him like that. His eyes widened, asking me with a glance. I hesitated, my eyes gliding to Zachriel who looked like he was still composing how to tell us what he saw. I just slight shook my head at Cocytus.

"What else is there?" I asked calmly at Zachriel.

"It is odd, I must admit," he responded which made me furrowed my brows.

Everything about has been odd. Magic exists. Someone can change memories. There were butterflies that glimmer like gold. And also, Deities exist too! Lastly, I was not the person I thought I was. Was there anything odder than those things?

"The work on Anasthasia's Veil is familiar to me and there are only few Weavers that I know of," Zachriel continued with a very conflicted expression on his face. "None of the Weavers I know has this kind of streaks and I am certain that this isn't a professional Weaver's work."

"Then it must be someone you know who worked on that," I surmised.

Zachriel's eyes widened with my accusation. Not wanting to address that it might be one of the people he knew messed with Tansy's mind, he quickly changed the subjecy but Cocytus and I have already exchanged glances.

"When will she be able to recover her memories?" I asked Zachriel still. "Or will she be able to ever recover her memories?"

"Yes, I guarantee that she would be regaining her memories," Zachriel answered. "Fortunately, I am able to mend her mind before it completely deteriorated by itself and the rift wasn't too big either. But upon her recovery, I'm not too sure when she will be able to do so. Recovery of each mind is different from one and another. Base on Lady Alaric Elliot's clarity of mind and the silhouette of her Veil, she is recovering fast thanks to her magic despite having a tampered mind that was continuously being tinkered with. Other people might do faster or slower, we cannot really tell just because I am successful with untangling the rift on her Veil."

"I understand," Cocytus said. "I was hoping that we would resolve this case quickly but without any leads and any power to scourge the whole Middle Ground for the bastard culprit, we don't have much choice but wait for Miss Anasthasia."

Cocytus and I know that it was a lie. We know how and where to start investigating now. Maybe my suspicion about that Apollyon Hart would be proven correct or maybe I would be wrong, but it was certain based on Zachriel's statement that we all probably know of this culprit hiding within us.

"Thank you for your help," I said to Zachriel. I stood up and reached out my hand. He hesitated at first, we all saw it, and upon noticing that we saw his reluctance, Zachriel shook my hand politely, not turning me down. "Is there anything we could help you with?" I asked.

Zachriel shook his head. When he looked into my eyes, there was a hint of gratitude as though I was the one who helped him instead of the other way around. There was a smile on both of his eyes saying he was grateful that I trust him to do this.

Well, I do not have much choice just like what Cocytus stated earlier but it did took me much of trusting and faith before I called to him.

And it was Cocytus, not me, who confronted him to do this.

Like before, I still felt useless compared to all of them but I was still thriving for a better version of myself and that maybe I would have the ability to forget and forgive.

"It is enough for me that you asked for my help, my lady," Zachriel then stated in a light tone. It was unlike of how he was earlier, almost indifferent and expressionless.

Again, I felt the strangeness of looking at myself with Zachriel's reflection.

It was odd how I would think of that just because we have the same kind of features. There were a lot of people in the whole world and Dalcanoraz who have the same dark hair and eyes. There was just something on the way he pursed his lips and looked at one thing that really reminded me of myself that I could not help pulling myself from the daze I subconsciously created for myself.

"That's settled then," Cocytus said indifferently as though he was quite bored. "Wait!" he exclaimed abruptly that made everyone stared at him as though he has gone bonkers.

"What?" I asked rudely and raised one of my eyebrows at him.

"Mr. Legrand," Cocytus said seriously. Zachriel turned to him and I was quite amazed that he could turn towards Cocytus with such a straught face. "You must not tell anyone about this meeting tonight. You said so yourseld earlier that a person you might have known that is residing in the Middle Ground could be one of the culpirts."

Zachriel nodded, understanding on his eyes.

"It might mean that we also know this person," I further explained just to give more justification. "The investigation might take a south direction if anyone else have known about this. I hope you understand."

Zachriel swore upon the name of his family that it was not any of his friends nor was it anyone that he trusted. I only looked at him as he said those words, not believing some of them. It would be hard to say one thing but be proven false so it was better that I say nothing.

He seemed to be really sincere but Cocytus did not want Zachriel to stay here any longer than what was necessary so he quickly dismissed Zachriel, quite rudely I might add. Zachriel only smiled gently at us and I was the one who volunteered to see him off.

The distance between Cocytus' room's door and the front door was only small and the walk should have been bried but I felt that walking with Zachriel made it unbearably longer. At first there was only silence between us, then I felt that both of us were quite uncomfortable with the silence so I said something to alleviate the heaviness of the atmosphere.

"You did well," I complimented with a single nod of my head.

"Thank you, my lady," he said in return then silence all over again. The next time, he was the one who opened the conversation and I was grateful that he did not force me to anything else. "I see that Cocytus and Lady Alaric Elliot have been rather close for the better half of the year," he said politely but the implication of his words were enough.

My eyes widened and I almost gagged with what he just said.

"Don't," I said abruptly. I felt dizzy and I felt nauseated. "Cocytus and I have been indeed close these past months, but I know what you are trying to implicate and I am saying that is absolutely not true. To even say that is sin itself."

Zachriel chuckled lightly and I could not help but also chuckle.

"You two bicker nonstop," he remarked. "I have thought that the lady might have found a partner with Cocytus Amitiel."

Ew, I thought but I felt that something changed my mind. I felt myaelf staggered slightly, making Zachriel leaned over to me and put his hand on the small of my back. I caught a glimpse of my reflection at one of the glass display and saw that my face has turned an incredible shade of green.

"I hadn't realized—" Zachriel started to say and I jumped in before he could say any more of those disgusting words.

"Clearly, you haven't," I intervened but he just laughed a little and stepped back from supporting my body.

"I don't know if you have accepted my apology for everything I have done," he suddenly said, "but I would like to apologize again." His eyes looked down and I saw sadness within them. "There is not reason that would excuse what I have done. Your mind isn't mine to play with and wih your accident, I should have been more careful. I wish that the lady would be merciful and—"

I cut him again.

One thing I have not realized back then, before the accident, was that we were both children being told what to do. The boss of his father and his own father pushed him to manipulate my mind and make me forget about everything. It was just hard for me that I could not blame him for everything.

It was hard to accept that maybe the world was as equally cruel to him as it was to me.

"Her name is Anasthasia, I never knew," I said. "Maybe..." I paused and swallowed. "Maybe I have been to selfish and focused entirely on myself rather than see the bigger picture. My sight has been blurred by my hatred and rage, I couldn't see anything past my periphery. Would you mind to guide me on certain things I'm not certain about?"

Zachriel stopped walking. When I looked back at him, he was looking at me as though he was about to cry.

And I only smiled.