The room fell into an eerie silence as Asa finished her words and calmed herself down.
No one dared to make any comment and grieve over the sour end of Mia's life and hopes for the future when suddenly, Dunn's demeanor changed.
His eyes widened in distress, and he clutched his head with both hands, his face contorted in agony.
"Dunn, are you okay?" Madelyn's voice quivered with concern, her hand reaching out toward him.
But before any of them could react further, Dunn winced, and a deep, excruciating pain seemed to grip his head.
His hands trembled as he desperately tried to hold onto his composure.
A shocking moment of realization washed over them as crimson droplets streamed down from his nostrils.
In that moment, the room became a scene of shock and worry.
Joan and Madelyn exchanged startled glances, Asa's voice caught in her throat as they watched Dunn's ordeal unfold before them.
The pain etched across his face and the vivid red of his nosebleed created an unsettling scene, one that sent shivers down their spines.
Asa snapped out of her stupor, swiftly draping her arm around Dunn's shoulder.
With her other hand, Asa hastily removed the black cloth hanging around Dunn's neck and used it to cover Dunn's nose while the other hand held Dunn's head firmly. "Don't tilt your head up," she cautioned.
Asa's heart raced; perhaps she was overreacting, but this incident brought back memories of her younger brother.
Sometimes, Dan would get nosebleeds when he got startled, and this is why Asa knew exactly how to handle them.
But this is Dunn Blair, not her brother.
Dunn, with his family name following his first, hailed from the central region. It was evident that Dunn was not her younger brother.
Asa chastised herself for being foolishly hopeful.
Madelyn, who had darted outside earlier, returned with leaves she had plucked from the plants still miraculously thriving around the town hall.
Thanks to Mia's magic, these plants continued to thrive despite years of neglect in the underground city.
"These are betel leaves; let me use them on him," Madelyn said as she crouched down and inserted the betel leaves to stop the blood flowing from Dunn's nose.
Fortunately, Madelyn was indeed a skilled medical worker.
Not long after that, the bleeding from Dunn's nose had stopped, and he seemed to be calming down. His headache appeared to have subsided as well.
Asa continued to support Dunn's back, letting him lean on her arm.
Joan who saw the whole thing, quickly moved to Dunn's side, taking Asa's place in supporting Dunn's weak frame. "Let me support him," he said, his tone flat.
However, as if he were allergic to Joan's touch, Dunn straightened up the moment he felt his hand on his back. "It's okay, I can sit on my own," he said, vehemently rejecting Joan's well-intentioned gesture.
Joan scoffed, his irritation evident. He withdrew his hand and folded it across his chest. "Good," he muttered.
Madelyn rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what is happening in front of her. "Lets just go get some rest first before heading back to Antara. With the three of you looking this exhausted, I will be the one who is protecting you guys on our way home."
Everyone agree with Madelyn suggestions and take their own respective space in the townhall to lie down and get some rest.
Madelyn and Asa lie down side by side in silence.
Trying to lift off the heavy subject they were having moments ago, Madelyn turn her head to Asa, "big sis," she called out.
Asa looked at her back and give her a small smile, "hm?"
"Which one do you like better, Dunn or Joan?" she asked.
Asa scrunched her face in confusion, "so suddenly?"
"You know, it seems like both of them fancy you." Madelyn said with confidence.
Asa chuckled, "Non-sense."
"No. I really know this, big sis. I can see it through them." Madelyn insist, "but I also know you will deny that so I will change the question; if both Joan and Dunn fell down the river, who will you save?"
Madelyn's words are actually kind of funny and humors Asa. Asa straightened her sleeping position and closes her eyes before answering, "can't both of them just swim and save themselves?"
"Can't." Madelyn determined.
Dunn who actually heard the conversation jumps in from the way he was laying down, "I can swim."
Madelyn rolled her eyes again and bite back without looking at him, "No one asked."
Dunn, annoyedly, answers back with his eyes still closed, "Well, you make me into one of your character in a stupid fake situation."
This time Madelyn turn her back to look at Dunn, "Stupid character in a fake situation is more fitting."
"So you admit that your characters are stupid." Dunn said calmly.
"Yeah," Madelyn admit, "Because its based on stupid person which is you."
Asa couldn't contain her small laughter as she pats Madelyn back, "Stop bickering you guys, lets just sleep."
Madelyn obeyed Asa's command and tried once again to fall asleep.
After about 15 minutes, Madelyn was still unable to drift off to sleep, so she opened her eyes and turned to Asa once more.
This time, in a softer whisper, so Dunn wouldn't overhear, Madelyn asked, "So, big sis, who will you save?"
Asa chuckled, still struggling to fall asleep. She hadn't expected Madelyn to still be curious about her answer all this time.
"Dunn," Asa replied simply. "Now, go to sleep, Madelyn."
There's no special reason behind Asa's answer. She just thought that Dunn is similar to her younger brother hence she will do all she can do to keep him save.
However, Madelyn hummed to the answer, thinking that Asa have a crush on Dunn as well.
The room remained silent after that, the only sounds being the soft breathing of those who lay in rest.
The events of the day had taken a toll on everyone, and the weight of Mia's tragedy lingered like a heavy cloud. Asa's thoughts drifted in the quiet moments, thinking of Dan and the similarity he had with Dunn Blair.
Outside on the upper ground, the stars twinkled in the night sky, clueless about the resilience of those who dared to hope, to love, and to endure life in fear years ago beneath the ground.
Buried and always waiting to touch the surface.