The girl remained paralyzed despite Abigail's intense efforts to restore her energy.

Asmodeus continued stroking her hair while he brought two fingers to her neck, the thumb and index finger, fitting them carefully around the trachea. Fever, convulsions, muscle spasms, reddened eyes, and difficulty breathing; Abigail continued desperately fighting to save the girl, but her power was barely able to contain those symptoms.

—She has no visible wounds —said her master in a tone devoid of any emotion—, but several marks on her neck. Injections. I don't know what of. —He buried his fingers even deeper—. She's suffering from some degenerative condition that has caused massive organ failure.

Asmodeus addressed Abigail in an indifferent tone.

—You're trying to save her, but you're only prolonging her suffering.

The girl began to calm down as he continued pressing her neck with two fingers. It seemed like he was strangling her, but Abigail knew better. He was compressing her carotid artery, reducing blood flow to her brain, and killing her as peacefully as if he were putting her to sleep. In a healthy usshyer, that would have triggered an aggressive body response from the start. Their unconsciousness would have gathered all the necessary energy to overcome whatever was causing the sudden death. In the girl, however, it reduced her spasms and pain as her body shut down.

Abigail remained determined to save her, even as she heard the girl's final heartbeats. She wanted to believe she could still do something. She had studied so much, but knew so little.

The girl's eyes slid to the ceiling, then closed her eyelids. She wanted to say something, one last thing, perhaps the same two words as before, but she finally relaxed her lips and tilted her head to the side. Abigail hurried to take the girl's hand. She thought she felt her last strength, but it faded as her body temperature dropped. She had died.

In her book, Abigail dedicates some harsh reflections on the terrible situation she faced. She felt bad, believed she could have done more, and blamed herself for her incompetence. Two or three paragraphs were dedicated to criticizing herself, for not being a great warrior, for not being a great scholar, or living up to what her master represented. She thought any other child under Asmodeus' care would have accomplished more than she had done so far. Not a warrior, not an athlete, not a healer. Her punches were as strong as her skill with shpabisshys. She lacked grace in movement and eloquence in speech. She found it ironic that she had been blessed with the gifts she possessed, but not with the skill to use them effectively.

Although the depth of her words managed to touch many hearts, her book's monologue never reflected what Abigail felt that night. She said her master comforted her and she accepted it by nodding and stepping back. She never mentioned her sobs or screams.

Asmodeus didn't really react at that moment. The military woman asked why, containing the anger she felt towards Asmodeus' indifference.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

—The damage was already done —he replied—. Suffering was all that was left for her.

Saving her would have been more cruel, was what he meant.

The two soldiers were left speechless, stunned by what they had experienced in so few minutes. No death was easy to bear, especially that of a child. The helplessness for not being able to save her was devastating. Sadness and guilt overflowed from their eyes. Of the two, the woman was the most affected. Her companion also seemed to be suffering, but he was much better at hiding his feelings.

Asmodeus remained motionless in front of the girl, observing her. It was hard to say if what had happened affected him, although it seemed that it didn't.

—The girl actively engaged in fishing for the past two years, at least —he said suddenly—. She also worked illegally as a loader. She suffered frequent back pains, but continued working for her siblings.

The woman reacted aggressively to that insensitive speech.

Her reaction was understandable. Asmodeus was speaking so peacefully in front of a dead child that it was difficult to interpret it positively. Only the male soldier seemed to fully trust the seriousness with which Asmodeus handled his affairs and stepped forward in case it was necessary to restrain the woman.

Asmodeus barely moved his pupils to return their gaze to both, then spoke.

—Look at the calluses on her hands —he said in a low voice and grave tone—. She had wounds between her fingers from the fishing line, and on her calf, she has the scar of a bite from the demon fish, an aggressive creature that is often mistaken for edible fish and whose attacks are frequent among enthusiasts. That's how I knew she was fishing. I calculated the time by the appearance of the scars.

The woman fell silent. Scratches on her hands and some marks on her legs were all she could observe. What they were or what caused them escaped her understanding, as well as mine. L'Asmodeus's words sounded incredible.

—How did you know about her work as a loader? —she asked, calmer now.

Abigail glanced at the girl trying to figure out what the clue was. Her master read people so easily that it made it seem simple, but it wasn't. Asmodeus slid a hand over the girl's calf while squeezing her skin superficially.

—The muscular development of her legs and arms was my indicator, as well as the deviation in her spine and her obvious lack of height.

Asmodeus turned the girl's corpse to show everyone the deformity in her back. Abigail was surprised by such a grotesque detail that had gone unnoticed by her. The only other moment where her master could have noticed it was during the brief moments when the woman had laid the girl on the table.

—The regenerative factor of the usshyer is only activated by abrupt traumas —he said—. Inhumane work on children can indeed lead to serious long-term developmental problems, such as this spinal deviation and her short stature. It hurt, it definitely hurt, but that didn't stop her. That means she felt responsible for someone else, enough to ignore her own pain. That's why I suppose she has siblings.

A young fisher girl subjected to hard labor from an early age, that's what he concluded about the girl with pure observation. The lieutenant admitted they had found her floating in the Pocuán River, but had no idea how she had gotten there.

Abigail took another look at the victim. The binding marks on her wrists and ankles already spoke for themselves, but they were not enough to solve the crime. Asmodeus stared at the girl's face, then looked directly at the soldier.

—I can clarify the cause of death —said Asmodeus—. I just need this night.

—To do what? —asked the woman.

There was only silence adorned by thunder. A great storm was approaching the City of Elker.