Tearha: The Number 139

Chapter Forty-Five: Desolate Spectre

Being in a time bubble for as long as they had been was a strange experience for Adelaide, to say the least. She watched as the world flicked by in fractions of seconds, time after time skimping across her vision in a melted array of faded events and leftover colours of blur. To her right, Nadier raised a brow quizzically at her stare.

What is it? he seemed to ask.

She shook her head. Nothing.

Though they moved at the same speed through time, their voices did not travel across clearly, and their world revolved around the whisper of noise that was trapped within their enclosures. To her left, The Watcher was fast asleep, mouth wide opened in uncontrolled snores. His head twitched uncomfortably as his eyes scrunched in sudden soreness, before settling back into a rhythmic breathing.

She sighed, having never sat still in the same place for as long as she did then. Her legs bounced in place, attempting to rid themselves of the pent up vigour. Her hands itched after the nine hours sit, having already slept most of the time off. She drew her bow and did what had to be the hundredth check through her equipments, before settling them back in their holsters. She glanced over to her left and noticed The Watcher was gone.

"What the–?" She stood to her feet in surprise.

Her vision blurred as a rush of light and colours bombarded her sights. Noise returned to her ears like a blaring horn. She was on stable standing, but still disoriented by the sudden restart of time. Beside her, Nadier looked equally confused, staring left at right at the sudden phenomenon. There was a faint dip in the temperature in the air. Barely noticeable, though still managing to tickle her senses. A lighter humidity, touched but a change in the cold. She was in the future.

But before long, she sounded, "Where's The Watcher?" The graveness of the situation returning to her.

She heard Nadier let out a dissatisfied huff. "That man still doesn't trust us..."

"Do you trust him?" she asked back.

Nadier did not reply. He casually approached her, and allowed her to set a hand on his shoulder. They teleported down to the ground. It was there they noticed the brutality that had occurred from the destruction of the construct that held the Overseer. The dried blood. The cracked metal. The dead bodies.

"Oh no..." Nadier let out, slowly approaching the body of Rena. Adelaide followed behind as the dark elf knelt down beside the corpse. He ran a hand over the dried face. "I really should have been here."

Adelle replied, "You're surprisingly soft with kids."

"We were all kids once. Even if we don't all remember it. Innocence should be given for as long as possible. Before all the negativity of reality clouds the mind, have some hope." He let out a deep breath and his eyes settled on something brown and blood soaked on the floor. He picked up the leather scrap and read its contents before standing to his feet and pocketing the note. "I know where The Watcher is."

Without another word, he began walking towards the door.

"Hold it!" Adelaide shouted behind. "Why do you think The Watcher left us behind?"

"You used to be quite dense..." Nadier replied without turning back. She could not tell if he was being derisive or just stating an obvious. He explained, "He left us behind so we would not get involved."

"So why are you getting involved now? Your revenge is complete, is it not? We've taken out all the dark elves that had ever wronged you and your brother, and added some!"

"What about you?" He asked back. "Your forest is saved. Why did you follow him here? What is worth enough to risk travelling into an uncertain future?"