Chapter 291: Time’s Due

His hair was white. His eyes were faded red. There was wrinkling on his skin. Throughout the years of traveling it was only Aria that remained unchanged.

“Hah,” he breathed out.

“Are you okay?”

“You’ve said that for many times now.”

Her eyes stared at him. He looked at her with kind eyes as well. Time seems to pass fast and slow in these tower worlds. If they did not have the constitution they would have perished on the first floor they landed. Aria’s hand, held Nolan’s wrinkled hand.

“We can stop this.”

“And let then go? No, please, allow me to continue.”

Her lips curved. The face she made crumpled with a frown. “Why?”

Nolan smiled wearily. “It’s the natural order, Ciara. Take it this way. I am a fragment of the main fragment that separated from me. I depended on the main fragment to keep me alive, but that left me into a broken copy. My main fragment has simply been destroyed, obliterated, restored, and reformed. I am a broken soul, Ciara. I’ve spent too many lives and it seems that this soul wouldn’t last as well. I’ve reached the lifespan that my body and soul could handle. Sadly, I am still a nobody.”

“No, you are not. You are my husband. Don’t you ever think that you are nothing. You are my hero.”

“Am I?” He said smiling. “That makes me blush.”

“There must be a way. We can find a world on the floors to rest. That might do something.”

Nolan shook his head. “You are powerful, Ciara. Do not pry your eyes away from the truth. You can see it. Besides, didn’t you like me when I am older like this?”

“I do,” she nodded. “I want you even more than ever. Still, I cannot accept this. Not after all of this time. It felt like it was yesterday when you looked so young. I just don’t understand why you would turn like this!”

“Like how a plant withers without its sun. I am that. I’ve been left too long without my sun and I am withering.”

“Maybe she can help,” said Ciara. “The Burnt Woman. She can help you.”

Nolan held her hand firmly. “I am fine. No need to look out for her. She will take you. She will devour your soul. I can assure you that.”

She saw the weak flame inside Nolan’s body. This weak flame was like a candle that was getting shorter by every second.

“This isn’t fair,” she said.

Nolan said. “I know. We finally had our truce and time together. But…this is far longer than when we first met. We are lucky to have this. Imagine the people that did not have such a gift.”

She bit her lower lip. “There must be something that I can do.”

“You can stay with me, help me with this. Honestly? I thought that I’d last long. But it seems cheating death too much has lead me into this. I don’t know how long. Can I even reach them? Ah, my children, are they alright?”

She stared at her, and looked down, clenching her hand too hard. Her legs were like straw. The bag around her eyes was blacker than it should be.

His soul has been broken up to many pieces. It is no surprise that he’s body’s being affected, she thought. I had bonded my soul to him, but it does not work. It’s just too old and broken to be restored. No, there must be another way, right? He cheats his way through this.

“Are you thinking of increasing your bond?” He said as if daggers were stabbing in her chest. “I will not allow it. No, not at all. Even if the bastards screaming at my head are telling me to beg for it. Every time we pass through a world my time moves. I recognize this city.”

He pointed at the giant hole. “This is where the tower of nimrod was. If we crossed this then we should be able to pass through and secure the infants. I think they are close.”

She could sense the cries of the infants' boom. “I can tell as well. Should we jump?”

“We should.”

She watched as Nolan let himself fall on the pit. She followed behind, watching his back as they fall into this abyss. She did not know why it felt so long to reach the end. But when she broke through the clouds, she saw Nolan on the ground face-first.

She twirled her white lance, sang a song of healing, and descended. She pointed her white lance and yet she saw that none her spell did not cover his legs. “What’s happening?”

“My body’s alright,” he said painfully. “But it looks like the damage was too great for my legs. I don’t think I can walk for a time. We should stay.”

“No,” she shook her head. “I can sense the monsters around the world. And a power that might even rival mine back in our world.”

“I see.”

She pulled him up and made him cling on her back. “I can carry you no problem.”

“This is embarrassing.”

“No complaining now. It’s the least I can do.”

“You can just summon something you know? Conjure something that might help.”

“No, let me do this. I can run faster than any conjuration and I don’t think we can stay still. Or do you not like my body?”

“I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You will never be a burden. Besides, I do like this.”

“Ha, I think you bump your head, Ci”

“Just leave it to me okay?” She said. “You must at least share your burden with me.”

“I,” he went silent. She looked back and saw him resting his head on her shoulder. It was rather hard to carry a man who was taller than her, but her strength was something to laugh at and she rather liked it in a way. Still, it didn’t leave that worry in her heart behind. She hated the screeching feeling inside of her. It was maddening. It was tempting. She wanted to reach that black flame, but she refused. She couldn’t do it.