I Blame Myself for Everything

It had already been several days since the tragic incident in the village of Nahr.

Aelya and Issa had taken refuge at the very top of a green mountain, completely isolated from the rest of the world. Up there, the wind blew hard, sweeping away the dust and the bad memories. They lived surrounded by lush nature, sheltered inside a large gray canvas tent that Aelya had managed to set up.
Since that night of horror, many things had changed.
Aelya's hair had turned completely black. A deep black, like a moonless night, yet it remained just as long, dragging across the ground with every step she took. Strangely, her bloodthirsty madness seemed to have disappeared. She appeared calmer, more composed. To mark this new beginning, she now wore a black-and-white medieval dress that reached just above her knees, along with dark stockings and leather shoes that she cleaned carefully.
That day, Aelya was preparing a meal inside the tent. The smell of warm food filled the small space. When she had finally finished cooking, she stood up, wiped her hands on her dress, and placed two full plates on the small wooden table.
She turned toward the back of the bed and murmured in a shy voice:
"I'm sorry for punishing you..."
In the darkest corner of the tent, Issa barely moved.
His condition had worsened.
It had become far worse than before.
His hair had remained as white as snow, bright and unnatural.
His eyes no longer had any pupils, becoming nothing more than empty, lifeless orbs.
He no longer spoke at all.
Not a single human word escaped his lips.
He now behaved like a wild animal, lost and trapped inside his own body.
Aelya looked at him with endless tenderness, hiding the pain twisting inside her stomach. She tried to smile and gently said:
"Come... I made some good food for the two of us."
Issa slowly turned his head toward the light.
He got up unsteadily and walked over with heavy steps.
He sat down at the table, staring at the steaming meal in front of him.
But Issa could no longer eat with a spoon.
He held the handle the wrong way around, no longer understanding what the wooden utensil was for.
After a few seconds of frustration, giving up on the spoon, he began eating directly with his hands.
"Careful, it's hot! You'll burn yourself!" Aelya warned, reaching out to stop him.
But it was too late.
Issa's fingers touched the burning food.
Startled by the heat, he jerked his hand back and let out a high-pitched cry, a pitiful whimper, exactly like a wounded animal in distress.
Aelya flinched, her heart tightening with panic.
"I..."
But before she could do anything, Issa plunged his fingers back into the food.
He kept eating with his hands, ignoring the pain of the burn as if he no longer knew how to stop.
Aelya watched him in silence.
Deep inside, she was overwhelmed with sadness, shattered to see him reduced to this state.
But she did everything she could not to let it show on her face, wanting to stay strong for both of them.
A few hours later, night began to fall over the mountain.
Aelya was washing the dishes in a basin of clear water, trying not to make too much noise.
Issa, meanwhile, was half asleep in the middle of the tent.
His head rested heavily on the wooden table, and his breathing was shallow.
Then suddenly, for no apparent reason, he woke with a start.
His empty eyes widened.
A deep, hoarse growl came from the back of his throat, as though he could hear an invisible threat that no one else could.
"Issa...?" Aelya said, stopping abruptly, her heart pounding wildly.
Without warning, Issa's hand burst into flames.
Terrifying, opaque black flames appeared around his fingers, exactly like the last time during the massacre in the village.
Seized by a sudden and uncontrollable fit of madness, Issa brought his burning hand to his face and began biting into it with unbelievable violence.
"Stop!!!" Aelya screamed, frozen with terror.
She dropped everything and rushed across the tent to stop him from destroying himself.
But in her panicked haste, she stepped on her own long black hair trailing across the ground.
She slipped violently on the damp strands and fell flat onto the hard-packed earth.
The sharp sound of her fall echoed throughout the entire tent.

Issa reacted immediately.

The moment he heard the impact, as if a primal instinct had awakened within him, his black flames vanished instantly.

He let go of his bloodied hand and quickly went over to her.

He moved on all fours, crouching right beside her, exactly like a loyal animal that has sensed its master's distress.

Aelya remained crouched on the ground, her knees pulled against her chest, unable to stand up.

"It's all... my fault..." she murmured through her sobs.

The guilt she had been holding back for days finally burst out.