Newton arrived at the mouth of a cave. Wiping the sweat with the back of his hands, he pushed through the rocky ground setting foot in the eerie cave. Such a scary place for someone to live in! He thought.

Fortunately there was a fire torch on the wall which he lighted and made his way inside. His steps echoed on the rocky floor resonating with the darkness that swallowed most of the light coming from the torch. He could hear sounds of unknown creatures echo in the dark but that didn’t deter him from walking in further.

He finally appeared to the same clearing from before but unlike that time, it looked unkempt and untidy. Bottles of beer were strewn all over the place and the once good looking shelves had turned to be termites manna in disguise. Even the opening that let the sunlight through had been masked by outgrown leaves only allowing little light to pass through. The light was however enough to light the dull room.

Newton placed the torch on the ground looking around like one who had lost track of his surroundings. But he was sure this was the same place. He couldn’t be mistaken!

The silence in the cave coupled with the condition it was in cast doubt in Newton’s heart. Could it be that he had left? Oh no! How could he when he needed him the most? Spider had already built webs in the space. Using his sword to clear them, Newton’s attention was caught by another room.

This particular room was hidden behind a shelf, like a secret study. Surprisingly, it was slightly ajar. Curiosity got the better of him, but cautiously, he approached the room.

Darkness was simply what would define the room. And given that he had come from the light, Newton took some time before he could adjust to the dark. In the center of the room was what looked like a table lined with books. Behind the table was a rocking chair and a human figure leaning on the table was seated in it. In his hand, he was holding a bottle of beer. Only his silver eyes signified a sign of life.

"Zed?" Newton called trying to search for an emotion on his unusually paler face. "Zed?" He called again waking him with a start.

"Newton? Is that really you?" He asked like one who had seen an apparition.

"Yes."

Zed moved from the rocking chair whose hinges acted in annoyance for being mutilated for a long time. Zed tried to stand up but he nearly fell. The table proved to be his savior by giving him support. Newton was sure would an inch of the table be moved, he’d end up crumbling to his knees. What the fuck had happened to the Zed he knew?

Brushing the questions off his mind, he sheathed his sword and helped Zed walk out of the dark room. He could feel his bony body against him as they walked. He placed him softly on the chair in the somehow lit clearing and fetched a glass of water for him.

"Drink this," he offered.

"You came?" We’re the first words to leave his cracked lips. Was it a question or a statement?

"Yes. Why are you doing this to yourself? Do you want to die you idiot?"

Zed ignored his question and gulped down the contents of the glass producing a groan due to his burning throat. His face twisted in a funny manner that exposed his bony cheeks. When last did he have a meal?

"Do you want more water?"

"I thought you would never come," he said with a renewed sense of energy that didn’t match his scrawny self.

"I didn’t plan to," Answered Newton taking a seat beside him. Everything in the entire place looked dusty but he didn’t care anyways. He wasn’t here to stay after all.

"So you didn’t come for me?" Zed asked frowning.

Wait! Did Zed think that he had come for him? Could it be the reason why he had acted strange when he showed up? No! That must be a misunderstanding!

"No," he replied.

Zed’s jaw ticked at that. He took a bottle of beer that was halfway full and gulped the contents in one go. His face distorted in a funny way as he swallowed the bitter liquid.

"All my life, I’ve never been so obsessed with someone like I was with you," he said without beating around the bush. "And the moment I knew I can’t have you," he paused to look at him. Newton just stared back at him with a blank expression.

"My life turned to this. I’ve tried sleeping with women but I don’t know what it is that you did to me."

"Actually I came to ask for a favor," Newton cut him in before he could continue.

"What favor?" Asked a drunken Zed.

"A friend of mine got her face damaged by fire and only you can fix her."

"Her?" Zed paused to look at him. He pointed at Newton in his drunken stupor. "So you want to tell me ... that you have a female friend?"

"Yes. And she needs your help," he added. "No Crescian has healing power but you, the seer, has."

"Who told you that?" Zed asked.

"I learned it from the library," Newton answered. He had spent the better part of his afternoon trying to look for a way to cure Roselyn’s burn marks but none seemed to be logical. That was until he discovered a book that highlighted the capabilities of a seer.

"And this friend of yours, who is she?" Zed asked regaining his composure as if he was never drunk in the first place.

"Her identity doesn’t matter. Are you going to help me or not!" He hit it blutant.

Zed placed his drink on the dusty table looking thoughtful for once. He lifted his silvery eyes as if an idea had struck his mind.

"I’ll help you, but under one condition," he said, supporting his frame with the bottle.

"Which is?" Newton enquired unable to retain his curiosity. He could see his lips curve into a smirk.

"Have sex with me!"