Chapter Text
I remember I had picked up this spear in my weakest moment.
Wacht’s footsteps were unsteady upon these worn, stone stairs. Their rounded edges showed their use, but the lack of traction made him tread carefully, and lagged him behind. Light from above (gentle, thankfully) dappled the path ahead of them that was wreathed in ferns. If he didn’t have such a massive headache, he might have actually appreciated the scenery. Ahead he could see his colleagues, entering a corridor of thousands of bamboo.
I woke up, feeling exhausted.
Wacht has to stop. He hunches over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. He can see the path behind them out of the corner of his eye, frowning at the steepness he had conquered.
Eldur stops as well. He had been trailing behind Mappela, and had slowed his pace just enough to keep Wacht in the group. His expression is distantly concerned.
Hilda stifles a giggle, which earns a momentary glare from Wacht. “Eehehe… No, nonono! I’m not laughing at you! Aha.. Haha! Ah, doing okay? We should be close…”
He breathes deeply. She didn’t mean it. “Yeah, yeah. I just need a breather…” The sounds of cicadas in his ears seemed to overtake the sound of the breeze in the trees.
“Okay, let’s pause! Ehe… hehe… hehehe…”
He faintly hears Friede whining about the sunlight, and Mappela asking for the map that Hilda had taken charge of. Eldur says nothing, but steps forward a little. Wacht looks up at him, but the sudden movement makes him dizzy, and the sound in his ears just grows louder and louder and louder...
“………………….Um,”
Wacht couldn’t hear what had finally come out of Eldur’s mouth. The fatigue was too much and it was far, far too loud. Judging by Hilda’s visibly entertained reaction, it was ill-timed. He shut his eyes, leaned against the thicket walls of this trail with his hands against his ears, and tried his best to bring himself together. The darkness eased him, if only a little.
He felt the vibration of a bag of supplies being haphazardly dropped against the ground, and then Eldur’s strangely cool hand against his sticky with sweat forehead. Wacht blearily shooed him and the canteen of water he was offering away. …At least he worked as a distraction.
After about 5 minutes, the noise had passed, and the knights continued on their way.