INTERLUDE - I

ISLA

Isla stretched her limbs as she came out of her meditative state. Zael returned after scouting and sat opposite her, leaning against the cold rocky wall, his gaze fixed upon Isla. The log fire provided enough light for him to see her, but he kept on squinting at her. Probably to find out if her state got better or not.

This was a problem with an elf companion. Elves, especially the healer among them, possessed an uncanny ability to detect even the slightest signs of illness or distress, simply noticing subtle changes in breathing patterns or the change in skin colour.

So very terrible of them. They made it nigh impossible to feign good health when you're hurting. Isla knew she couldn't blame him, but looking at that concerned look in his eyes, reminded her of her feeble condition.

"How are you feeling?" Zael asked, as if he couldn't tell.

"Better," Isla replied.

Zael was a tall fellow with a fairly muscular build, a rather imposing look for a healer, though healing wasn't the only art he was good at. Beyond his mastery over spirit art, his striking golden hair, elegantly extended ears, chiselled jawline and piercing blue eyes were capable of leaving most girls blushing to their ears. His face was a little pale and reddish with exhaustion, along with the bits of beard that grew on his chin like fuzz. It needed immediate shaving. Sadly, he hadn't got that time in the last couple of weeks. Coupled with that,

The crackling log fire provided a shred of warmth to their weary spirits within the cold and desolate dungeon. The air was stagnant, and even the natural energy currents seemed disrupted since their arrival. Even the system couldn't provide any information regarding that.

A few days ago, both of them had been afflicted with poison, dining in an inn. Their pursuers had coerced the innkeeper into serving the toxic substance in their meal. Fortunately, Zael's extensive knowledge of healing arts enabled him to quickly identify the poison and cleanse himself of its effects.

However, the situation was far direr for Isla. She didn't have the strong vitality or immunity the same as an elf, and after the toxin took root in her system, it was too hard for Zael to provide immediate healing.

All these dark signs were enough to stop them from this assignment on any other day. Unfortunately, they were not here for some amusement or adventure. They were people in dire need.

Their situation had improved significantly since they escaped the pursuit of the men. Zael was able to apply his expertise to Isla, finally improving her condition.

Although the poison still coursed through Isla's veins, it was an improvement from when the toxin rendered her in worse shape than any mortal girl. She owed it all to Zael. Without Zael's aid, an ordinary healer wouldn't have been able to save her.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

The poison, supposedly derived from a Silver-ranked Phantom Toad, possessed the uncanny ability to restrict all spiritual and spirit abilities and rendered the physical body paralysed. If Zael had been affected, their chances of survival would have been nigh impossible.

Isla felt a mix of gratitude and guilt for all the troubles she had brought upon her companion. However, it wasn't time for wallowing in guilt. She had a task to complete.

Isla sighed unconsciously and stopped those thoughts from affecting her. Shaking her head, she shifted her gaze to Zael.

"Did you discover anything noteworthy during your scouting?" Isla asked.

Zael shook her head. "Nothing specific," he replied. "However, I did encounter spiders. There's something seriously wrong with them."

"What exactly?" Isla probed further.

"I cannot say for certain. They exhibited murderous frenzy and madness, unlike anything I'd encountered before. Even the other creatures I came across displayed similar behaviour. Whatever the cause, it seems to stem from the core of this dungeon."

Isla nodded as she got lost in her thoughts. Investigating and identifying the source of the disturbance was probably a part of her mission. The Hanbad Rainforest sprawled across tens of thousands of square miles, and it had taken them over a month of arduous journeying to reach their current location. The perils they encountered along the way were not to be dismissed lightly. If they were to return empty-handed, or worse, fall into the clutches of their pursuer... Isla sighed in apprehension.

She couldn't see herself going back empty-handed, or without anything solid.

Zael literally had to fight his family just to come with her on this foolish mission. She was grateful to him for that. While many elves had left their paradise due to various problems, they still clung to their conservative customs. They didn't mingle with humans, nor were they a fan of human customs.

Unfortunately, Zael hailed from one of the ancient elf lineages that stubbornly clung to these outdated ways. His clan would shun him for this. For her.

"What do you plan to do about Javi?" Zael asked after hesitating for a moment.

"What about him?" Isla replied, her tone devoid of any emotion.

"Javi," Zael reminded her, "is likely in a worse condition than us."

"And?"

“He needs our help” Zael gave her that look that told her she could be better than this. Isla hated that look.

"I didn't drag him here. He came of his own accord, to ruin my chance of success."

"You don't know that," Zael sighed. "Come on, Isla. He's your brother."

"No," Isla responded without hesitation. "He's not."

Zael gave her that look again.

Isla grunted and rose to her feet. "I don't have the time or luxury to help him at the moment, even if he's alive," she said, pacing within the limited space. "However, I feel like our paths will intertwine if he's truly alive. After I'm done with this place, we can save him. We'll drag his sorry ass back home, and then he'll leave me at peace to deal with my own affairs."

A smug grin tugged at the corners of Zael's lips.

"Wipe that smile off your face, Zael. It doesn't suit you," Isla lied, averting her gaze.

Another inconvenience of having this elf companion by her side.