Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 126: Reconnected

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Six: Reconnected

"Big Brother... it hurts..."

Xaphile's eyes instantly flicked open as a shock of fright swept through him.

It was pitch black, but the air smelled damp and musty... almost like the air of an old cellar. It seemed oddly familiar to him, even though he couldn't recall ever being in such a place. The mustiness was also accompanied by a faint metallic scent that burned his nose... copper...?

Or... or blood?

His heart lurched and he bolted upright, pressing a hand against his head.

He had been in this place before.

The sound of water droplets falling into a puddle echoed from somewhere deep within the cold shadows, causing the fur running down his spine to stand up. He couldn't see anything, the darkness was absolute, but he knew deep in his heart that he'd been here before.

"Where am I...?" he whispered, touching his head in groggy confusion. "How did I get here?"

"Eh?!" someone gasped. "No... it can't be... Big Brother?! Big Brother, is that you?!"

Xaphile's heart tugged at him and something inside his head flickered violently.

Recognition flashed into his thoughts and he swallowed.

"Adariel?" he called, listening. "Are you... Adariel?!"

A cry filled the air and he heard the rattling of chains.

"YOU'RE NOT MY BROTHER!" he wailed. "YOU WON'T TRICK ME BY USING HIS VOICE! I FELT IT WHEN HE FADED AWAY FROM LIFE! YOU HUMANS ARE SO CRUEL! I HATE YOU ALL! I HATE YOU! ALL YOU HORRIBLE MORTALS SHOULD JUST GO AWAY FOREVER!"

His heart went cold.

The voice was coming from his right.

"Adariel, I'm... I'm not dead, I'm still alive," he said, slowly crawling forward through the darkness towards the brother he'd never met. "I'm not the same as I used to be, though, and I don't even remember the life we spent together, but I'm... I'm genuinely alive."

"No!" the child whimpered. "Lies! You're just a human using magic!"

Xaphile inched closer, heart thudding.

He suddenly heard a terrified whimper, accompanied by the clanking of metal.

"You're not real! I knew it!" he whispered. "You're passing right through my legs!"

Xaphile jumped since the voice came from right in front of him.

"I'm alive," he reassured the boy, speaking firmly. "I'm alive, and I'm looking for you."

"You lie!"

"It's not a lie!" Xaphile urged, letting out a sigh. "You need to tell me where you are! Our Uncle is with me, and the two of us are trying to find you with the help of a lot of people!"

"We... we don't have... an uncle, do we?" Adariel said, uncertain. "We were always alone!"

"Our father had a brother and even a sister who lives in the Eastern region of the country," Xaphile whispered, bringing his face close to the source of the voice. "Adariel, listen. When you hit me in the head with the rock, I lost almost all of my memories."