129 I Knew It

AUTHOR'S POV

Andrew began to calm down as he breath easy. Pulling himself together through Haelan's healing, he finally made it out of the crawl space and followed by Haelan. Once out, Haelan hurriedly blasted the dove hole to block the way out, making sure the dark healers won't easily come after them. As she turn away, she found Andrew sitting in a daze on the bedrock. He seemed like he has lost all his wit and charm.

"You did well back there", Haelan said as she knelt on one knee. She felt sad for Andrew, after figuring out the bad childhood he seemed to have been brought up. Feeling bad, Haelan realized that she pushed Andrew too much for never really wanting to go in the crawl space considering that he had this certain kind of fear. She wondered what pushed him to face it.

With an indescribable feeling tearing his mind apart, Andrew suddenly locked Haelan in his arms and found solace in her warmth. "Let's stay like this for a while", he said softly. It was horrendous how a dove hole easily opened up the wounds that Andrew thought have already healed a long time ago.

"Uh.. hmm.. sure", without much choice, Haelan just lifted her hands up while Andrew feel cozy hugging her waist. Eventually, Haelan just tapped Andrew's top of the head to comfort him. "Sorry Andrew", she said.

The part of the cave where Haelan and Andrew got themselves into was like a whole new world. There were eight large monoliths made of limestones that were structurally built in two even lines. Stone pillars of different sizes were also found in every corner of the cave. What amazes her are the thousands of harmless glow worms hanging on the ceiling, and even on the moist parts of the walls. All together, they emit a beautiful natural light display that brightened the entire cave.

"How could you heal other travelers?", Andrew asked as they explore around.

"Maybe, one of the perks of a Celestial?. Can't you?", Haelan answered as she touch one monolith. She noticed that they are hollow and breaking. As she peek in, she saw countless of glow worm eggs clumped inside.

"Celestial? Is that what you are?", Andrew never grew up with travelers and only met a few of them from time to time. Not one detail of his real identity was disclosed. He only discovered his powers at a young age on his own, with no one teaching him how to use his unique capability. "I can't heal travelers. And so are the others that I've met in my life", the ones that he sent straight to Valdemar as blood slaves can attest to that - only they are dead. "And you can kill them, those dark freaks?", he asked.

"That too. I'm a Celestial kind of a Soul traveler. The one with nature. I can only kill dark healers, other than that, I'm completely harmless like you. You don't know such things?", Haelan asked as she crease her brows at him wondering why he doesn't know a lot about travelers.

"Well, I know very little, but it's nice to meet a royal wanderer", Andrew said with a smile as he soften his gaze at Haelan.

"And how many travelers have you brought to Valdemar?", Haelan infinitely asked.

"Well uhmm… I haven't brought that much to Valdemar. Most of them escaped", he lied for he wanted to be seen by Haelan at a different light.

Haelan could hardly smile. She can't believe that she would meet a traveler who hunts their own kind for their blood. She couldn't appreciate Andrew's ways, no matter what his reasons are. What intrigues her more, is how he discovered that their blood brings people forth to could nine.

Haelan just continued looking around for another passage they can go into. She promised herself that she won't use anymore of her powers since she's starting to feel depleted already. Before she turned away, she sensed someone behind her. But when Haelan looked, she have already got hit on the back of her head knocking her lights off. Andrew was stunned when Haelan dropped on the bedrock, flaked out. With Haelan running in his head, Andrew failed to notice his men nearby.

"You alright there, Boss?", Omar asked, holding a piece of wood.

"I'm good, I'm good", Andrew said as he kneel down to check on Haelan. "Ho-how did you find us here?", he asked while he sense the air. He could tell, they are not alone.

"Matteo said he heard you were being taken by the traveler inside the caverns. When we sobered, we followed you in", Omar explained. Peeking inside a broken monolith, he grabbed a handful of eggs and squished them in his hands. "Yuck!", he said as he shake the goo off his hand.

"Where are the others? Did you saw anyone with you?", Andrew focused on Haelan more even though he kept asking his men. He laid Haelan on the cold rocky ground as he continued interrogating his men without merely looking at them.

"Uhh.. Here boss!", Nico and Marco answered at the same time as they appear right behind Omar.

"Matteo checked on our other captives. All the weapons are gone" , Nico answered.

"What is this place?", Marco asked as he look up the ceiling. "Are they diamonds?", he asked.

"No stupid!", Nico smacked Marco on his head. "Those are insects", he cleared out as his twin drop his jaw in amusement, still looking up.

As they admire the underground void, Omar whistled on the twins like some kind of a signal. "We are not alone", Omar whispered.

"Maybe it's Matteo?", Nico lowly said as he stood onguard instantly.

Omar pointed his fingers towards the distant monoliths were he heard some noise. "Be careful", he said as the three move closer.

Watching over Haelan, Andrew stared closely at her serene visage. He brushed her delicate cheek softly down to her neck with his finger. As he go down her chest, he was taken aback and instantly blushed on his discovery. "I knew it", he smiled as he landed a soft kiss on Haelan's forehead.

Meanwhile, Omar, Nico and Marco proceeded toward the back of the monolith in a pace. Nico and Marco get on its opposite sides and pounced behind it at the same time.

"Ha!! Got ya!", Nico and Marco both yelled.