In The Depths of Asora

14. The Hermit

Jongho was hurt, visibly so, but no inch of his body was ready to give in. With Mingi by his side, he climbed along the wall with his jaw tight, and his face settled into an ongoing frown. Sometimes, little grunts of pain escaped him anyway when he had to put weight on his injured shoulder, but he didn't let himself get pitied. Same as always, he forced through, and Yeosang once more admired him for his strength and durability. Even San was impressed with their friend from Zey, especially since he had never seen the upper part of the two cities. San had no idea how rough Zey could be and why Jongho's resolve was as steely as it was, but he respected him for it.

With the tension between the two of them dropping more and more, Yeosang was also at ease. He felt less as if caught between two beasts that snapped their teeth at each other with every diplomatic conversation they had.

That, and today, in particular, his body thrummed with energy. In the morning, San and Mingi had gone out to scout once more, and they had finally found the point they had been searching for. A little hut nestled between the narrow walls of the canyon. By now, the gorge had thinned to the point that they could barely climb back to back with each other since their backpacks tended to knock into each other. So they scaled one wall, San going first, Yeosang next and with Mingi and Jongho at the end.

And finally, their goal was in sight. The hermit's hut, as expected, had been challenging to find, but it promised sanctuary.

Yeosang couldn't see much of the tall building in the darkness and with San in front of him. Rather than spreading out as Qam did, this home grew in height to accustom to the steep walls. The rooms inside must be tiny, but they stretched out over several stories since there was no other way to save space.

Unsurprisingly, their group also got noticed before they even arrived at the tiny step in front of the narrow door. With the solitude that the canyon offered this far in, the house owner greeted their noisy lot even earlier. Yeosang missed the moment when he appeared in the doorstep, but his voice travelled over the scratching noises of their climbing and their laboured breaths anyway.

"What brings you to a place this far from home?"

His deep voice oddly fit the canyon and its distant rushing of water. It seemed to hold the same depth and the same eerie stillness that hid so much more.

"I am afraid we come bearing trouble. May we enter?"

Yeosang didn't dare peek around San to catch a glimpse of the man. He was too busy clinging onto the cold rock in front of him that numbed his fingers.

"I'd like to dodge trouble, but since you came this far, I won't leave you outside. My door is open for you to transgress."

San muttered a relieved 'thanks' under his breath. Yeosang wanted to reach out and hug him to spend some comfort, but it was not the time. They all liked to forget how much of a burden they were to San, and how he played the most considerable part in this expedition. His confidence could be scary sometimes, but Yeosang was no fool. The whole trip gnawed on San's sanity just the same.

So for now, they made sure to finish their long journey over steep terrain. Once San had safely reached the hermit's home threshold, he put his backpack down to reach out for Yeosang. Similar to what Jongho once did, he collected Yeosang off the rock as if he weighed nothing to him. All too happily, Yeosang sunk into his arms.

For a moment, they remained pressed together with Yeosang's heart nervously beating in his chest from how close they were. Then, the relief of having arrived flooded him.

San gently petted his hair.

"You did well, Yeosang. Here, let me help Jongho."

With a nod, Yeosang stepped aside. They had to shuffle further back in the narrow room to make space for the others. As they did, the librarian got a first look at the hermit who promised the answers to many of their questions.