Chapter 170: The Deeper They Go

Adaloun's arm was frustratingly bugging him the entire time while journeying the path Orphella directed. His arm was numbing and heavy from the torch he bore all the way up to that point, and the path seemed to have not changed a direction one bit. It was just a straight line, no crossroads or curves, just a damningly straight line that goes beyond darkness.

He tried his best to keep up with Orphella who was easily making her way through the dark path. He was told by Ghwynmyr before that in this world, the faerfolk and the beastmen were blessed by the moon goddesses to see the dark as good as they could in daylight. Adaloun had a similar gift, as far as he could remember, and he used that a couple of times before. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't working at that time. It would've been convenient if it did, at the very least, he could stop bringing a torch and not have a numbing arm.

He took a big step over a debris of white stone blocks lying around the ground when suddenly his legs started to give out on him as well. He had the worst luck of slipping from a small rock before accidentally sitting on one of the blocks and hurting himself in the process.

"OOOOHHH…" The only words he could say as they pain travelled throughout his body.

Orphella looked back and saw him writhing on the floor with both his hands tucked into his crotch. She rushed to his side and tried to get him up, but the pain was too much. His knees gave up completely because of the pain and he got winded. The poor elf dragged him to the side and placed his back along the cold walls of the tunnel.

"What happened to you?" Orphella signed as she tried to check for open wounds.

She held his hands to check if there were any cuts but Adaloun thought she was going to check his crotch and so he pushed her away.

"N-no…no…uhmmm…" He tried to breathe in some needed air. "I-I can handle myself…just don't touch it…alright?" He said through the pain.

Orphella nodded but her eyes still reflected a look of concern. "Your hands…their burning. Your fever is getting worst." She stated.

"No! I-I am…fine…l-let's continue our way out and find the others!" He tried to stand but his knees won't let him. His body's strength seemed to be fleeting from him once again. "Damn it! Work legs! Work!" He pounded them hard, trying to beat some sense into his stubborn body, but it still wouldn't work.

Orphella caught his hand as he was about to deliver another pounding, "What are you doing?! Let's just rest here, please." Her eyes watery and tired.

She placed her thumb over his forehead and closed her eyes. Adaloun felt a rush of energy flowing into his body, it felt warm and comforting like a mother's hug. It coursed throughout his body relieving him from his pain and fatigue. Not soon after, his eyelid felt heavy, and everything went dark once again.

He woke up later on to the sound of something grinding near him. The sound of the stone grinding against another stone made the hairs of nape stand. He opened his eyes and saw Orphella grinding something in between the stones, the flickering torchlight made it hard for him to identify what it was, but the elf simply smiled to him after noticing her woke up.

She immediately collected the grounded white powder in a small torn cloth and gave it to Adaloun.

"W-what is this?" Adaloun said while touching the fine chalky powder.

"Medicine." Orphella answered. "Drink it, it should make you feel better." She signed.

Adaloun looked at the elf's eyes filled with confusion. How did she get the medicine? Why hasn't she used it on me before? Is she really Orphella? Those apprehensive thoughts crossed his mind. But the elf looked concerned and cared for him the entire time he was there. Somehow, he had to make the risk of trusting her even if he felt fearful for his life.

His mistrust came from an experience with medicine. During his previous life…his 28th reincarnation to be exact, he got poisoned by one of his most trusted generals. He was wounded at that time and there was no medicine strong enough to relieve him of the pain. His general and friend however, claimed that there was indeed a medication for it.

His trusted friend prepared the medicine in front of him and asked him to drink it. Soon after a few hours, his mind began to give out and he was violently convulsing. He felt his muscle twitched and cramped while his bones broke with every contortion his body made. He died a painful death, and painfully still, it was his friend who did it.

Orphella pushed the medicine into his mouth. He immediately swerved his head and avoided the taste of the powder.

"I am sorry, Adaloun." Orphella signed. "We do not have water to make this go down smoothly. But please be assured this will help you recover." Her eyes filled with hope for the medicine.

Adaloun wanted to protest once again, but it was too late. Before he could speak, Orphella took the cloth and shoved it into his mouth almost gagging him in the process. He felt the powder fizzled in his tongue and the smelled the pungent odor of its vapor as it reacted with his saliva.

He pushed Orphella right away but by then it was too late. The medicine was already into his system. His vision began to spin once again, and his body felt numb. He dropped himself on the ground face planted.

He woke up gasping for air. Once again, this was the third time it occurred during his time with Orphella. The elf was right by his side rubbing his back to calm him. But he panicked, just the thought of Orphella gagging him with that medication made his skin crawl. Who knows if it was really her?

Orphella held his face as he continued to struggle for air. Without any warning, she placed her lips into his and began to blow air into his mouth. The act stunned him and calmed him down at once. The elf efforted in giving him air by all means necessary.

He closed his eyes and felt her warm breath enter his mouth and filled his lungs. He no longer struggled and all thoughts about Orphella's possible betrayal went out of the window. He gently caressed her neck and what started out as a life-giving kiss, became an intimate one with him kissing back.

Orphella pushed him away and slapped him. "I was just giving you air for you to breathe! What was that?!" She angrily pointed out.

Adaloun couldn't explain his action. Her kissed felt familiar as if he had kissed him a thousand times before. His mind raced and thought about his dead lover from his previous life but that wouldn't be a good answer to her question. What he did was a harassment to his comrade who only wanted to help him.

"I…am…" He fumbled for words.

"None the matter!" Orphella wiped her mouth and stood up. "You're doing fine now. Let's go!" She signed.

Adaloun hurriedly stood up and even declined Orphella's hand to help him stand. He dusted himself and took his torch.

"L-lead the way." He bowed his head down for her not to see his face of embarrassment.

Orphella nodded and walked as soon as he said it.

As soon as he started walking, he felt the effects of the medicine the poor Orphella gave him. His body was no longer heavy and tired. His fever was also gone already. It was indeed a potent medicine! He would've liked to speak about it more and asked what it was. But after what happened, he knew the conversation at that point would already be awkward.

They walked silently passing fallen blocks of white, smooth stone. The terrain was changing. The dusty ground they once treaded became more polished. The path was made of polished white stones intricately paved to the floor.

They walked further beyond the nicely paved way and came to road filled with cracks and broken white stone. A few footlings away from it was a white stone door glimmering from the light on his torch. Orphella stopped and examined the writings on the door. She turned around to him and sighed.

"We hit a dead end. Looks like we need to go back." She reported. "The gate had ancient runes that even I can't decipher, let alone understand. The door is also hard to budge."

Adaloun looked back and saw the dark long pathway that they trekked for the longest time. He felt tired just looking at it and imagining that they had to walk back again to find another way. He approached the door and examined it himself. He could not understand the runes themselves and when he tried to push the stone door, it wouldn't budge.

He checked the runes once again and looked at its pattern. He noticed how it swirled right down to the center where there seemed to be a handprint molded into it.  He tried to fit his hand over the mold when suddenly a sharp object nicked his palm.

He tried taking his hand from the stone door, but it seemed to be stuck. He looked at Orphella with desperation in his eyes as he asked for her help. The elf immediately grabbed his hand and tried to yank it out of the door, but it wouldn't.

Suddenly, the runes glowed and both of them could hear the door tick.