Ash sat patiently in the center of the black room, as he had done since his arrival. Upon his knees with eyes closed, he sat on the cold floor with a blank expression upon his weathered face. He hadn't reacted to anything that had entered or left the room, continuing his personal vigil from the moment he placed himself in the middle of the dreary chamber. He hadn't slept since his arrival, didn't even know how long it had been. Rather, he had been so entranced within his silence he wouldn't have even realized himself slipping into dreams, and had paid attention to neither the passage of time nor any ways he could have identified it. He held within his hand the seal of House Pendragon that he wore upon his neck, his tight grip upon the cold green metal the only piece of him that wasn't relaxed. His green ponytail was frazzled, pieces of his long hair falling from its grip and falling down past his shoulders in a thin mess. Behind the blank expression on the old butler's face, thoughts of Finn and his words, as well as the blade he had revealed at the Basilica. Excalibur, the blade of kings, legendary weapon inherited by the Pendragons. He had seen the blade's fall, witnessed the fracturing of the blade, how Aisio restored honor to the broken weapon, and worst of all the empty hilt that had laid in the sands of Setek. Now the weapon had come full circle, restored to its former glory as the regal blade it was always meant to be.

His newly arrived guest shocked Ash, enough to cause him to furrow his brow and drag himself from his thoughts. He had been very good at listening for the opening of the door, preparing himself for whatever was to come. Instead he heard the voice of Finn Cullen, heard his words, yet he struggled to understand them. His eyes slowly opened, filled with resignation, despair, and a small amount of confusion as he stared at the man before him. The man who had killed Aisio, snuffed her life out so far before her time. He slowly stood, pondering his offer for answers. For a few moments he simply remained silent, looking at the Finn with little more than acknowledgment, and contemplated. In the end his mouth opened, and only one word came out. The only thing he wanted an answer for, one simple word that expressed all the pain, sorrow, and anger bottled up within the old butler. So much emotion was packed into this singular word, it took a few tries for him to even get it out. "Why?"

Ash cautiously pulled out the chair before the table, sitting lightly upon the seat as Sayf asked. His sorrowful expression began to melt into one of annoyance as he apologized for Aisio's death. Not only did he slaughter the last of the Pendragons, but now he had the gall to say he was sorry? At least he acknowledged that his apology was worthless, that it did nothing to excuse the severity of his crime. Upon him bringing up the king of Rift however, the annoyance darkened even more, into mild anger along with a little confusion. The king of Rift, King Eisen, the man whom Aisio assisted in killing and with her revelations from the fight with this man he knew was wrongfully executed. Someone who, as far as Ash could piece together, the man sitting before him had assisted in framing. His words changed nothing of how he felt, the fact that he was roped into all this for a good cause, that he was manipulated by this woman, Darcel, whom Ash could only assume to be the woman who had entered the Basilica with Sayf. That being said, his specific use of the word magic sent shivers down the old man's spine. That wasn't a word he commonly heard outside of ancient fairy tales and old superstition. It caused him to lower his gaze in thought, settling on the fact that, as it usually was, what was being perceived as magic is just an advance use of dust and aura.

Sayf pulled his sleeve up, exposing his blackened and corrupted hand and causing Ash to flinch. It was grotesque, and frankly difficult to look at. Although, a hint of a smile played at the edges of his lips, the smallest measure of joy entering his features at the thought that the man who had killed Aisio was suffering so. However his following words caused all the momentary happiness at Sayf's pain to disintegrate, replaced by a sneer. This man, this monster, sought to justify his actions. To say it wasn't his fault, he was controlled, that it had been the order of another's that he just couldn't resist. Though Ash had to admit, he didn't know much of the Void's power, nor did he know how Darcel utilized it or her own power, but it changed nothing. In the end, it was the man sitting before him, giving him this explanation and the seemingly heartfelt attempt at penance, who had killed Aisio Pendragon. His sad statement of resignation, wishing he could change it, lessened the anger Ash was feeling and the sneer upon his face.

Then he began speaking of a revolution building in Rift, and a particular word in his speech caught Ash's ear. As he was describing his orders from the king, he used the word "has". A present tense word that must have been a simple mistake on Sayf's part, as King Eisen was dead. But he could not dwell on that fact for long, as the request to close the academy caught him off guard. He had just assumed the headmaster position, hadn't even been to the academy as its leader yet. He had planned to go right after the service for Aisio, but with all that had happened he still hadn't gotten a chance. Yet here was the man who had taken him here, who had started all this, asking Ash to make a choice that could possibly cripple the next generation's prowess. Albeit, thinking about the reasons he gave they were sound. With the war between Legion and Rift, hunters and students alike would be called to action by their home kingdoms. It was something he would have to think about, dwell on before doing and truly consider his options. One of these options was presented to him, as well as debunking Ash's thought that the use of present tense was a mistake when referring to the king. He was alive, and in Kaibellum. His features hardened, in a combination of anger and determination, at this knowledge, and he finally spoke in response.

"Allow me to make one thing clear, Mr. Cullen. No matter what you may think, what excuses you come up with, or who you claim truly struck the final blow, it was you who killed Aisio." His words were cold, clear, and unnervingly steady, and while he spoke a steely glare was leveled at Sayf, the dark brown eyes almost radiating power and the force of his presence nearly tangible. All the while, he maintained his seat, commanding this incredible presence with little more than his eyes, something that came from years of experience and hardship. "Even if I believed you, that you had no control over your actions in your battle, you still brought her into that forsaken desert. It was your actions that brought her to Rift, your words that caused her to question the truth behind Barnett's intentions, and it was that doubt that made her chase after the princess in Setek. What makes it all the worse, is that the king is alive, meaning her worry, her anguish over not only condoning but assisting in the execution of a possibly innocent man, was all for naught."

"Make no mistake, you will never be forgiven for your actions. However, I am willing to at least consider your offer. I'll go to Kaibellum and speak to the king, then once I am satisfied that the academy does indeed need to be closed, I will do so. I admit, doing so will let me fight for Ceyla against Barnett, something which I will be glad to do, but I'll not possibly ruin the training of the students for such a petty reason. As for my questions, I've only one." His gaze lost some of its anger, and he glanced towards the door. He released a deep sigh and almost seemed to deflate, the potency of his eyes fading and the power in his features slowly trickling away. The glare he had settled on Sayf became little more than a resigned stare as he spoke again, words weary and worn. "This woman, Darcel, I presume she is the one who accompanied you to the Basilica. If she is strong enough to dominate the minds of not just you, but an entire cult, then tell me. How am I to fight her?" His fist clenched, and resolve entered his voice for just a few words as he stood. "How do I stop her?"