I watched as Ilya got about three meters high before I decided to trail behind her, my intuition was proven right as after making it at least ten meters up, she lost her footing and fell.
With a stiff grip I fastened myself like a nail to a wall, with my other arm I hastened to stretch out, being caught by the scruff of her neck. "Let's do it like this instead!" Boldly throwing her light body over my shoulder as I continued upwards.
On making it what seemed half ways, the steep rock formation turned flat, only a few meters though as then it continued straight up.
I let her off as I peered to our right, a tapping could be heard behind a set of bushes, on further inspection we found a tunnel where gathered water at the ceiling dripped slowly, the path inside wasn't very large, enough to traverse by going in a single line.
I signaled to Ilya who went in tow, quick to recover after the fall.
Reaching the end of the path, one way lead down as the other veered up in a wide turn of sorts, going with my gut the steps leading down seemed most promising.
With less than comforting light brought in by the moon we ventured deeper.
Finding ourselves in a what seemed like a dungeon, little to no sounds could be heard and we rather confusedly looked around.
Ilya called my name after a minute of searching, her voice was excited yet stayed low, seconds later I witnessed a fire start out of thin air.
She stood behind the flames carrying a torch the size of her arm, "Great, now go have a look over there." I pointed her into the wider hallways as my eyes settled on a set of books covered in centimetre thick dust.
Her body twirled on command and eagerly walked to inspect the rugged cells with rusted bars, didn't seem like anyone would be down here.
Though thinking that I heard a muffled scream, "Qira!"
I placed the books down and moved into the open, seeing the flames hover above a skeleton.
"These are elves. . . !" Ilya whispered and backed into a set of bars, screeching as she had a look into the cage, "There's more-" She tilted her head as if wanting to speak further, but in a way I knew she wanted me to see for myself as her words wouldn't be enough to explain.
Trying the rusted handle before peering into the barred cell, several different skeletons were visible, arms cuffed with dated rope as the necks all had a collar connecting with an iron chain each that looped through gaps in the wall, "they likely starved to death."
"That's sad..." Her sorrowful tone was easily tangible while both eyes wouldn't part with the dead.
Though in the back was something fresh wrapped in what seemed to be hair, curiosity getting the better of me as I put my knee up and flexed, kicking the gate open making a loud bang on impact.
"W- What'd you do that for?! Shouldn't we be quiet..." Ilya's eyes widened as she worriedly looked at me.
Easing her with a question. "Do you think anyone has been down here recently?" Her silence was answer enough and she lit up the path for me by extending the torch.
I moved to the corner and leaned down, bringing the bundle of hair into the hallway.
Oddly enough, "it's warm." I said putting the object down on a deteriorating stool.
With a simple brush a head was revealed, scaring Ilya who took a wide step back.
The sharp chin on the head stood out as did the slim and cute nose, the skin was rosy, a bit like honey, or beige with a soft tan, seeing as it was warm and breathing, I put my finger to it's cheek and poked gently.
With doing so the girl got instantly livelier, nibbling tamely onto my dark nail, making her wish she hadn't done so as she put her tongue out in disgust. "Blurrghh... Vile!"
The lovely ice blue pair of orbs lit up in the manner my purple similarly would in the dark, quick to lock eyes we both stared at one another.
A gentle caress with my hand brought her dirtied, black hair back behind her three inched ears, full of emotions as they turned red at my light touching.
"ORC?!" Exclaiming as if she'd suddenly had an epiphany.
I faintly chuckled and nodded, stroking my finger along her cheek. "Was it the taste that gave me away, or does the dim flicker of the torch show my immaculate self?"
She let a vague almost unsure smile show as she looked me up head to toe, "Wouldn't say, immaculate? But you're exotic, to my eyes who've known only darkness, been alone for so-"
She paused staring at me, the gentle flutter of her long lashes had me charmed for a short moment. "Long..."
I nodded and kept a finger brushing into her side, something about her was so unique. "Well, for how long have you been here, before the elves took over, or?"
"They're long since gone now, they did this to me, a curse they call it... It's more like my personal hell..." Her tall ears dropped as her mood shifted, on a light brush against her side her mind seemed less muddled, looking again up at me.
"My name is Bywun, seeing as you're mighty comfortable brushing my face, might as well know my name... And, for the record! I am a former magician."
I gladly spoke and took kind on her being so upfront. "Former, you look pretty magical to me."
"Likewise... But, orc-" I told her my name and introduced Ilya.
"Then, Qira? You know a mage of any kind can hardly expect to do anything without a body, with no place for mana to be stored what can I hope to achieve in darkness and solitude"
"I suppose not a lot? But seeing as your head is alive, couldn't your body be around as well."
I wondered though, what kind of spell could've made this happen?
Not exactly a dullahan, the way she's more elven in appearance more so than a headless rider, it's just a head.
"No, there's no way... That part of me-" She laughed in a way where she had no emotions, toneless as if all energy had been drained or to point that the laugh was fake, but she simply loathed going back to the thought; it seemed a lot had happened to her a long time ago.
"The rest of me isn't in this world anymore."
* * *
"You said you were cursed by the elves, would you happen to know about a king?"
"... A king, sure! There's many though, have to be a bit specific... I've lived for a long time."
"Supposedly a king lives further into the pass, he used to be the lord of this castle, he said his champions would be held here, but seeing all the dead; I doubt it"
"There's only me down here... But really, that old fellow? As a human, I don't think he would realize what amount of time has evidently passed, Bruthin, you old fool... Said to be fairer than a Berboun minstrel, dumb as one too-" She cackled.
"It seems you know of him?"
"I suppose so, been long though since we spoke! Hardly even remember half of the bad things he's done-" She let out a somber laugh, "is he really still alive?"
"In a way, alive like you. You both share a similar curse."
Ilya during this time had been collecting several items which she put into a light shoulder bag, before she finished I came to realize I'd spent more than enough time doing nothing.
"We need to leave, Ilya!" I shouted and she nodded finishing up.
I glanced at the head placed in my hands, "are you wanting to come with?"
She widened her eyes as if scorned, terrified to be left behind after having been found.
"Take me with you, please. . . !"
Without much worry I put my hands around Bywun's head, carefully placing her under my arm, with a careful stroll I got the hang of it and moved to the staircase.
"Doesn't feel awkward being carried does it?"
"No... You're gentle for someone so, large-" Here eyes shifted to my stiff arm carefully rounding her skull, a soft giggle appeared after which she sighed out.
"You know, as a woman... I've always wondered, "will a knight come for me." Her laughter echoed the corridor, dying out soon after.
"Thinking that, it kept me humoured for many decades, so... When my first visitor turns out to be an orc, I was a bit shocked, if I had a body I'd felt my heart seize, but now I'm sure I would've been gladdened to the core."
"That so." I said with a grin appearing, from her view she wouldn't have seen it.