Eight Intertwined

85 - Falling

The next morning arrived with all the grace like a sunrise after the previous day could have. Ophilia rose at the designated hour with the rest of the travelers, and much to her surprise, her head felt even clearer than it had the day before. She was still grappling with the weight of what was to come next, yes, but she had needed the time to sleep much more than she realized. All of a sudden, the past didn't feel quite as suffocating as it had after her discussion with Bartolo, and Quarrycrest felt like another obstacle that she could overcome. Ophilia felt as if she could breathe again, and she hadn't even realized that she had been holding the air in her lungs since the afternoon of the day before.

It didn't take long for the travelers to check out of the inn and pull all of their things in the direction of the town's entrance. Bartolo was standing there waiting for the group, a kind smile on his face. Ophilia approached him first, and he glanced over her shoulder at the rest of the party along the way. "I see that you're all well-prepared for your journeys."

"The path to Quarrycrest won't be an easy one," Ophilia replied simply. "The terrain there isn't exactly the best for traveling, but we'll be there by the time the sun goes down. After that, we'll be off again to see what else we can find in the rest of Orsterra."

"You're a lot like your father... I'm certain that he would be proud to see you this way," Bartolo smiled. He placed a hand on her shoulder gently. "If you decide to return, feel free to come and visit me in the church. We would be more than happy to see you again. If you need anything, all you must do is say the word."

"Thank you," Ophilia returned. She took a small step backwards after Bartolo pulled his hand away, and she glanced around the area curiously. Emil and Derryl had said that they would be there to bid her farewell, but she was starting to believe that they wouldn't be there. She shouldn't have expected it; the group was leaving early in the morning, and chances were high that the two boys were still fast asleep in bed after the series of misadventures they had endured the day before. 

Just before Ophilia could give up though, she heard an indistinct cry in the distance. Soon afterwards, the shadows began to shift beneath the lights of the rising sun, and Derryl and Emil appeared in Ophilia's line of sight. Both of them seemed out of breath and then some, and Emil was left hunched over with his hands on his knees as he tried to push through his panting. 

"Emil! Derryl!" Ophilia greeted as her face broke out in a smile. She took a step towards them and leaned over so that she was closer to their height. "I'm glad to see you two again."

"I'm sorry we're late," Emil apologized in between heavy, breathless huffs. "We fell asleep early after playing with Nate yesterday, and we lost track of time. We didn't know when you were going to leave, so we came out to check, and..."

"We caught you just in time," Derryl finished for him with a nod. He paused for a long moment, clearly searching for the right words, before he looked up to meet Ophilia's gaze. "If you ever come back to Saintsbridge... Say hello to us, okay?"

Ophilia nodded. "You didn't even have to ask. If I ever return here, I'll be sure to find you," she assured him. "And when I do come back, I want to hear all about what you boys have gotten up to since I was last here. Maybe you could properly introduce me to your other friend as well."

Emil and Derryl looked to one another before nodding. "Yeah!" they chorused in harmony. Their faces spread into bright smiles, and Ophilia couldn't help but grin herself. There was something about the innocence and love for the world found in childhood that was simply endlessly infectious. 

Ophilia looked to the rest of her friends at that before nodding once more. "Until then... Do your best to stay out of trouble, alright?" she questioned. Derryl and Emil nodded their confirmation before starting to wave as Ophilia turned away and gestured for the rest of the travelers to follow her. Bartolo joined in the waving as well, a smile on his face as he looked away from the pair of children beside him.