As the duo steadily made their way up the cliff, Adalia stuck close to Xzavier like a second shadow. Not daring to make a sound, she tip-toed her way as they ascended the cliff, not daring to step outside the path that Xzavier had already blazed for her.
Like a child or an apprentice following a senior, she stuck close to him, literally walking in his every footsteps.
With only a couple of hours to dusk, the evening sun hung in the western part of the sky, bathing the valley and the surrounding terrain in a dull brownish-orange.
Adalia and Xzavier were headed eastwards so they didn't have to deal with the glare of the evening sun. With the sun's rays behind them, they trudged on in silence until they arrived at the top of the cliff.
From the height from which they stood, Adalia and Xzavier looked down and saw the orcs in the valley below. As Adalia strained her eyes because of the distance, she noticed Xzavier had lifted up to his eyes two iron cylinders that had been bound together.
At first, it puzzled her. It made no sense that Xzavier would willingly choose to impair his own vision with a pair of iron cylinders. But as she watched him keenly, she silently observed that Xzavier's sight was far from blocked.
If anything, he seemed to be watching something closely. His tense shoulders, his regulated breathing, and his unusual fixation on the tubes all pointed towards the fact that Xzavier was watching.
But no matter how the blonde beauty tried to rack her brain, she found herself in the dark.
Unable to contain her curiosity anymore, and with her heart beating nervously, Adalia finally confronted Xzavier.
"Pardon me Mister Xzavier sir, but what is that?"
Xzavier put down the binoculars and stared at her with a blank look.
"What?"
Adalia enlightened him by pointing towards the binoculars which was firmly locked in his strong hands.
"You mean this?" Xzavier asked to be sure.
Adalia nodded affirmatively.
For a minute, Xzavier forgot that this was a simple country girl from a very different timeline. Of course she wouldn't know what a pair of binoculars was. Like the rest of the members of this generation, they were still very far from discovering the power of science and applied technology.
Hence, a pair of high-tech binoculars might as well be an idol or a toy, or whatever the simpleminded folks would interpret it as.
Xzavier knew explaining wouldn't make it any better. So, he chose to show her instead. He beckoned her to come closer.
Adalia eagerly stepped forward with the eagerness of one who had been asked to come forward as a volunteer for a magic show.
Xzavier handed it over to her and spoke slowly, making sure to enunciate each word properly. He didn't want to have to explain any more than he had to.
"I use this to see clearly." He said flatly.
Adalia's clueless set of eyes looking back at him showed that she clearly hadn't understood him. Xzavier encouraged her to try it.
"Go on, it is not just me, you can also use it see better."
It seemed the second and third part of his last statement had somehow done the trick. She gingerly mimicked his movements and lifted the binoculars and placed them in front of her eyes, hoping to see wonders.
But to her surprise, she was slammed in the face with a profound disappointment; all she saw was pitch blackness!
Angrily, she turned towards Xzavier to complain.
"It's not working for me!" she snapped in annoyance.
"Oh Xzavier, is it because I am not a top mage or a sorcerer? Why can't I also see!? I want to see!!"
Her petulance was akin to that of a toddler. Even as she complained and wailed like an eight year old, she fumbled with the binoculars frantically, hoping to somehow unlock its powers of greater sight.
Truly amused, Xzavier watched her battle with his binoculars. The only thing keeping him from bursting out loud in laughter was his self-control and self-discipline. This beautiful blonde was proving to be a real character!
Xzavier's binoculars was the least sophisticated equipment among his gear, so truth be told, there wasn't much technicality involved its handling. But the unfortunate Adalia had placed them upside down, hence rendering her own sight virtually useless.
Xzavier entertained himself a little more as he watched her go toe to toe with his binoculars. Having amused himself, he finally decided to step in.
"Adalia…" he began calmly,
"You placed them upside down."
Adalia was as transparent as they come, he watched as a look of realization dawned on her. She refused to dwell on her mistake any longer than she had to.
The young woman immediately applied Xzavier's correction and flipped the binoculars. This time, she lifted it purposefully over her eyes, and stared in the direction of the orcs.
"WOW!!" Adalia exclaimed.
"This is incredible!! It is all so clear! I feel like I am literally standing close by!"
Truly the young beauty was overjoyed. Xzavier could see that clearly. He observed her calmly as she shook with excitement. Never had he thought he would see anyone this happy to see a whole tribe of orcs.
Still basking in the joy of her victory, Adalia turned sharply in Xzavier's direction and tapped him on the shoulder. Giddy as a child, she asked Xzavier happily;
"Oh mister, are you an alchemist? Because you really must be one to pull off something like this!"
Xzavier's first instinct was to counter her flawed supposition, but he ended up hesitating at the last moment.
Upon further thought, Xzavier discovered it was probably better that he agreed with her. It would save him from the burden of having to explain things to her. It was clear as noon day that explaining would only lead to more questions, and these questions which would definitely lead to more mysteries.
Right now, it was expedient that that he simply went along with her.
So, in a placid tone, Xzavier indulged her;
"Yes, I am."
Adalia's eyes glowed even brighter as Xzavier confirmed her suspicions.
"I knew it! Oh I knew it!"
A mischievous expression stole across the blond beauty's face, replacing her excited demeanor. Adalia lowered her gaze and reduced the volume of her voice as she asked Xzavier a roguish question;
"Mister Xzavier, please tell me, how many orcs do you plan on killing this time?"
Somehow, Xzavier wasn't entirely surprised by her question. In fact he was a bit moved by her openness about this situation.
Despite all she had been through at the hands of the orcs, she had willfully chosen to follow him on his mission to exterminate them.
The hour of judgment was at hand. The hour she had been waiting her whole life was finally here. She was simply grateful to be here to watch the orcs fall under Xzavier's wrath. But it didn't mean that she wasn't going to savor it.
Xzavier stared at Adalia. He understood part of her pain. So instead of answering her directly, he turned the question around and made it more personal;
"How many would you like me to kill?"