บท 26: Master (Finale)
Standing atop Vought Tower, Niklaus felt the wind tug at his tattered clothes, remnants of his sudden excursion into space.
He could sense Ashley approaching, her footsteps light but familiar.
She was coming up with fresh clothes in hand, no doubt after spotting him on the roof through the building's cameras.
As she reached him, her voice was softer than usual.
"Master... what happened? Your clothes are in tatters, and I've never seen you come back with a scratch."
Niklaus glanced at her and sighed, his gaze drifting to the city below.
Without much hesitation, he spoke candidly, telling her about his space adventure and the emotional dilemmas that had been plaguing him.
For a moment, it felt oddly comforting to just... speak.
But mid-sentence, he froze.
Ashley's hand, which had gently taken hold of his arm, suddenly tightened its grip.
It wasn't enough to hurt him physically, but it startled him.
He turned to her, puzzled, only to notice her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Her voice was small, barely above a whisper, as she spoke. "Am I really not good enough for you, Master?"
Her words hung in the air, fragile and loaded with emotion.
Niklaus stood still, processing her words as the wind swirled around them.
Ashley's grip tightened even more, her head lowered, lips trembling as she fought to maintain her composure.
But Niklaus could feel the shift in her energy.
Something wasn't right.
Her enhanced senses must have picked up the scent lingering on him—a scent that wasn't hers.
The realization dawned on him, and he inwardly cursed himself for being so heartless.
She was breaking in front of him, the weight of her emotions pressing down like a vice.
Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as her voice cracked, her thoughts unraveling.
"Why, Master?" she whispered. "Why her? Did I not serve you well enough? Am I not worthy of your attention?"
She couldn't look him in the eyes, her mind spiraling into a dark place as she mentally degraded herself, trying to justify why he'd chosen someone else over her. "Maybe... maybe I'm too weak... too broken to be of use to you. Maybe that's why you..."
Her words trailed off as her voice hitched with a sob she tried desperately to suppress.
Niklaus, for all his power, was momentarily paralyzed by the sight of her despair.
He hadn't realized how much she had tied her sense of self-worth to him—how deeply she felt connected, or perhaps indebted, to him.
"Ashley," he began, but his voice faltered.
He wasn't used to this—the rawness of someone's emotions so openly exposed, especially someone as loyal and dependable as her.
How could he even begin to fix this?
She still refused to meet his gaze, her shoulders shaking ever so slightly as she tried to keep herself together.
"I just... I just want to be enough for you," she whispered. "I thought... I thought I was."
Ashley's breathing grew more erratic as her body began to change.
Her skin shimmered, brightening to a molten hue, as her power fused with the raw emotional turmoil inside her.
Niklaus could feel the heat radiating off her, a testament to just how unstable she had become.
"Ashley," he called again, his voice firmer but tinged with concern.
Yet, she was too far gone, her mind lost in the overwhelming tide of self-loathing.
He took a deep breath and tried again, this time using a bit of force as he flared his compulsion. "Ashley, look at me."
Her head snapped toward him, compelled by his power, but her eyes didn't meet his.
Her gaze was distant, unfocused, as if she couldn't bear to face the reality in front of her.
She was spiraling, and he could feel it slipping further and further out of hand.
Without wasting another moment, Niklaus moved closer.
He knelt in front of her and gently took her chin in his hand, guiding her to finally meet his eyes.
Her skin burned like molten lava under his touch, but he didn't flinch.
Instead, his gaze softened as he looked at the fragile woman in front of him.
"Ashley," he said softly, his voice a mix of compassion and regret. "This isn't about you not being enough. You've always been more than enough."
Her breath hitched as she tried to process his words, her molten skin flickering slightly as her power wavered.
He continued, his voice steady. "I've hesitated to act on anything between us because I realized that being near me is dangerous in ways you can't even imagine. My unconscious desires, my compulsions... they warp reality. And I've been affecting you without even realizing it. I've done this to you, Ashley. I'm responsible for how you feel."
His gaze faltered for a moment as he looked away from her, shame settling over his features.
He hated admitting it.
Hated facing the truth that he was the reason she was broken.
She was just another casualty in the wake of his power—someone who had been twisted by his presence, his influence.
His pathetic Nature.
"I've twisted you," he whispered, his voice laced with disappointment and guilt. "I've broken you beyond saving."
As Niklaus whispered his confession, the shame of his actions weighing heavily on him, Ashley's breath hitched.
Her molten form flickered again, but this time, she erupted with a scream, a loud and desperate "No!" that echoed through the rooftop.
Her skin flared bright orange for a moment before dulling, her body trembling violently.
"I've always been this broken!" she cried, her voice thick with emotion.
"You didn't do this to me, Master. You... you saved me!"
Niklaus blinked, momentarily taken aback by her outburst.
He kept his hand on her chin, guiding her to look at him.
Tears streaked her face as she continued, her words tumbling out in a flood of emotion.
"I was lost before you," she whispered, her voice raw and vulnerable.
"I didn't have anything... anyone. I was nothing. But then you came along, and I... I found something. A light to follow. I've never felt more... alive."
Niklaus listened in silence, his heart heavy with the weight of her devotion. She was broken, yes.
Twisted by his influence, yes. But now, he realized it wasn't just his power that had done this—it was also her own fractured soul clinging to him, finding solace in the presence of someone who commanded such overwhelming power.
"Even if your thoughts warped me," she said, her voice soft but steady,
"I'm happy that they did. I don't want to be free, Master. I don't want to be anything else. All I want is to serve you. Forever. Until the day I die."
Her declaration sent a wave of emotion through Niklaus.
He could see it in her eyes—the unwavering loyalty, the twisted need to serve him, to stay by his side no matter what.
It was disturbing, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of comfort in her devotion.
He sighed softly, his gaze shifting to the city below before turning back to her. "Ashley," he said quietly, brushing a tear away from her cheek.
"I never wanted this for you. But if it's what you want... I won't push you away."
Her grip on his hand tightened, her body finally stabilizing as she gazed up at him with tear-filled eyes.
For a moment, there was only silence between them—an unspoken understanding passing between them.
Niklaus stared at her for a moment, taking in the depth of her devotion.
His heart, torn between guilt and acceptance, softened as he gazed at the woman who had sworn herself to him so completely.
He decided to push his conflicted feelings aside, if only for now.
He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, feeling her tremble slightly in his arms.
It was a gesture that spoke of something gentle, something almost affectionate.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace.
His desires, which he had long suppressed, flickered at the edges of his mind—dark, powerful, and demanding.
But for the first time in a while, he allowed them to surface, just a little.
He was going to reward his faithful servant.
Holding her close, he let his control slip, just enough to let her feel the warmth of his presence fully.
She sighed softly against him, her body melting into his, her earlier fears and anxieties slowly dissipating.
This was her purpose, her reward. And for now, Niklaus would let her have it.
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