"Mel."
A voice called out to Philomel through the fog of darkness and dizziness. She could barely feel it, barely register it but she could feel something pressing down on her chest in pumps and something warm holding her fingertips. From amidst the darkness, light slowly breaks through.
" Mel! Philomel!! Hang in there!"
A voice screamed out as ringed painfully through Philomel's mind, suddenly all at once the feeling of her cold wet clothes, the hard pumps on her chest, the pain coursing through her body and air being forced down her throat. The feeling of water rushing up her throat made her choke. Philomel turned her head and finally coughed out water.
" Philomel."
Amon softly called out as he touched her cheek.
" Amon?"
Philomel questioned weakly as her voice hoarsely passed her dry lips. It took awhile for her eyes to adjust but she finally could see Amon looking down at her. The sunlight of mid-afternoon lighting up his relief and weak smile across his wet face.
" And she lives! Hurrah!"
Darzirak cheered but his voice was so soft that it sounded like a harsh whisper to Philomel. She barely noticed the demon as small as thin A6 size paper in the shape of a butterfly resting right next to her head.
" You had us worried there for a moment."
Joey winches as he holds the side of his stomach, bruise patterned his whole body like a skin disease. He leaned back against the tree behind him, his body soaking wet just like the rest of them. Amon slowly helps Philomel sit up and only then did Philomel noticed Little One holding her hand and resting his little head on the palm of her wet hand while his body was curled up on the ground. Little One as soon as he felt Philomel move on her own, he lifted his head to look at her with his huge blue eyes that was full of sadness and worry. Philomel moved her hand from underneath Little One and pat his head, silently trying to comfort him.
She scanned her surroundings just to noticed the catacombs in the far distance, the rapid river next to her and the rooftops of the village hidden behind the trees a short distance away.
"Wonder how the kid know to find us here? And why is he alone? Where's Gale anyway? I'm pretty sure he was playing with Little One back at the inn before Darzirak summoned me."
Joey wondered out loud as he scanned the area.
" We... We failed... didn't we?"
Philomel questioned in a daze as everything slowly sinks in. Tears burns her eyes as she glared at the distant catacombs.
"I'm sorry, Mel."
Amon apologied as he rubs her back soothingly. Philomel held her head with both hands, emotions overwhelmed her and her body trembled.
" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh ha ha."
Philomel screamed until it broke into sobs as she cried terribly into her hands. Little One instantly bursted into tears before Philomel could finish screaming, he clung onto Philomel's waist and cried into her wet dress but Philomel barely registered anything other than her grief. Amon gently pulled Philomel into his embrace and rested his cheek against her head as she cried into his shoulder.
Darzirak feeling that the situation was too awkward hid in Joey's shadow.
" I'll give you guys some space."
Joey mouthed the words as he forced himself to stand up. He picked up the sturdy stick that he used earlier in battle (came from one of Philomel's well made traps), using it as a walking stick, he hobbled towards Little One, picking up the toddler. Little One was reluctant but he let go of Philomel and hugged Joey, allowing himself to be taken away.
Philomel sob for awhile and started muttered something that Amon couldn't understand at all through her sobs.
" Hmm?"
Amon hummed in question.
" I never choose to be a dark elf. I never wanted this mission. I just want to go home. I just want to go home. I just want to go home."
Philomel struggled to say between her sobs.
" I know..."
Amon whispered and nodded, knowing fully well that nothing he says can make her feel any better since she knew the situation better than him. The only thing Amon could think of offering was dropping the missing and asking her to run away with him but he knew that wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to be with her family and making her live without them was a terrible thing to do in Amon's opinion. His parents were dead, there was nothing he could do to be with them, no matter how badly he wanted to. Having Philomel never seen her parents while they were all still alive, was nothing less than torment. He could/ would never offer that to her, no matter how badly he wanted to since it was the quickest way to take away some of her pain and suffering.
Philomel's sobs had become softer as she slowly started to calm down with slow breaths.
" You did great today, extremely well. Your plan was flawless and we would have gotten that baby. If only that Orc didn't show up. What happened? Where did it come from?"
Amon questioned hoping to find a way to distract her as he pulled out her father's handkerchief from her pocket and gave it to her.
" It... broke through the wall of the catacombs. Estrella had ran back to the entrance, just like I predicted and just to see it blocked. As she tried to find a gap to squeeze out of, I snatched the basket. The Messiah cried out from the sudden jerk and Estrella was instantly on my tail. I followed the plan, leading her deeper into the catacombs. I was so close to that easy to miss pathway, so close to losing her but then that Orc. It broke through the wall and... I don't even know where it came from... I spent two whole days studying those catacombs and the whole time... I never saw any traces or any signs of it."
Philomel calmly answered in between blowing her nose and wiping away her tears. Amon fell silent, pondering on her words. It was weird that an Orc would appear in such a sudden why when there was no signs of it at all for the past two days. Surely Darzirak would have felt it's presence and since Amon had rewarded the demon with blood. He would have been more than helpful and he had been. It was extremely weirder that Darzirak never even felt the presence of it and inform them. Shivers ran down Amon's spine when he finally came to realise something.
" Mel... "
He called out to her with wide eyes just to notice her current status and wonder if it was a good idea to share with her. Philomel looked up at him with puffy eyes half hidden behind a handkerchief. He gently rubs her back, comforting her.
" Mel... Are you okay? We can talk later if you're not okay."
Amon offered as he held her against his chest and tenderly rubs her shoulder.
" If it's something bad might as well lay it all on me. I can feel bad all together then find a solution later on."
Philomel sniffed as her bangs cover her left eye.
" Did the elder give you any time limit for this mission when he assigned you to it?"
Amon questioned as he pushes her bangs aside.
" No... He just said when death befalls then another shall replace. He didn't give any time limit."
Philomel shook her head.
" That Orc if it was hiding in the catacombs, Darzirak would have sensed it and inform us and for it to come through the wall. Doesn't that sound weird? You scouted the whole place and yet there were no signs."
Amon pointed out as he didn't Philomel's eyes widened as she connected the dots.
" That beast was summoned there and summoning such savage is the power of a demon..."
Philomel softy gasp as she covered her mouth with both hands. Amon nodded confirming her fears.
" Crimtroy grows tried of waiting. That Orc was summoned by Graktor, The Elder of War. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a warning but since we survived it. They probably wouldn't even know, they won't even bother to check and send someone else to finish the job. "
Amon sighed as he rubs the back of his neck. He turns to Philomel and studies her expression. From shock her expression changed to angry become turning to neutral.
" What your plan now?"
Amon questioned.
" The plan same plan but only we gotta move quickly before the new person Crimtroy sent finishing the mission before us. If that happens then we truly can't go home."
Philomel said with a sigh as she rested her head in the nook of Amon's shoulder.
" It's never enough, isn't it?"
Amon gives Philomel a weak smile.
" No matter what we do. It's never enough to get the life we want. Isn't it?"
Amon's voice broke a bit as he leaned his forehead against Philomel's forehead.
" No, it isn't... "
Philomel trails off as she gazed into his eyes, her hand gently caresses his face.
" But that doesn't mean that we should give up."
Philomel whispers against Amon's lips with a grin. Amon half chuckled with a smile.
" No, I guess not."
Amon replied as he slid his finger down her cheek and trace her cheek bone.
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