Chapter 35- Falling Apart

Isaac's POV

Healing plant. That's what I immediately looked for when I lay Althea's body inside the cave I saw. That's what Rica told me when we were having a meeting about our advantages and disadvantages inside the Realm of Monsters.

The healing plant can heal few wounds but only one can use it, and I choose to save Althea before myself. There's a healing plant Cath is still carrying, but I do not know where she is. Before the tournament, I promised myself that I will protect Althea even if she doesn't want me to.

So now, she is the one I will heal before myself. I'd rather let myself die than her. I stared at her face, she's so beautiful even though there were so many wounds in her body. I couldn’t help but smile. I missed her. I missed her smile whenever she looks at me. Can I still see that smile again after all of this?

I found the healing plant and the plant was small, it's not even growing. It has a violet color on the tip so it can be found quickly because it is different from all the plants here. I applied it to her other wounds. She was still unconscious as she lay next to me.

I winced in pain when I felt the deep wound on my shoulder. The blood that's coming from my head is blocking my vision. I was relieved and I felt, at any moment I would lose consciousness.

I leaned against the boulder behind me and stared at Althea. Will she believe me if I tell her that I love her? That despite her being angry towards me, I can't help myself but fall harder than I already am? Because that's the truth. I love her that it hurts.

I winced as my eyesight dimmed and I felt dizzy. At any moment, Althea will come to her senses. She'll be angry at me for not healing myself. But I can sacrifice myself just to save her. Doesn't she know that? Because I, know to myself what I can do for her.

Yes, at first, I saw Rhian at her. But after a while, I saw the difference between them. Rhian is soft and a princess-like, while Althea, she's unique. You will not love her because of what you see in her external appearance, you'd love her because of what she hides inside her. She's everything that no one can surpass. She doesn't see her worth, but I? I can see that, and she loved me on days that she can't even love herself. She willingly loved me with her heart that became hard for others.

I can't help but toy while looking at her right now. I'm not sure if she's really who owns my heart now, and I do not want to hurt her anymore. She'd been through a lot. If our separation from each other makes her feel better, I'd gladly hurt myself and leave her than to see her cry with me.

I closed my eyes. I can no longer bear the pain. My wounds are already covering my whole body.

I'm sorry, Althea. I guess this is the end of us. I'll never stop loving you, baby.

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Althea's POV

I woke up and caught my breath as I looked around. Where am I? It was as if I was inside a cave. My eyes searched for Isaac and my eyes widened when I saw him leaning against a boulder and unconscious.

My tears started to pour. I approached him and I sobbed. He was unconscious and he was full of blood. "Isaac, hey. Please don't give up on me... Isaac, please." He was no longer moving. I put my ear to his chest and his heartbeat slowed.

"Isaac, please... Don't be like this." I could hear my sobs all over the cave. I hugged him tightly. No. Isaac, you can't do this to me.

I looked at myself, my other wounds were healed. Did he use the healing plant to save me but not himself? "You're so unfair! You could've saved yourself, but you still chose me. How long will you have to suffer because of me, huh?!"

My tears flowed unceasingly. I have to find Cath to save Isaac. I can't just sit here and do nothing. I was about to stand up when he pulled my arm.

"S-Stay here with me..." He muttered but enough for me to hear. "Althea... D-Don't put yourself in danger."

"No, Isaac! I don't want to lose you. Isaac. Please, this time let me save you." He touched my face and wiped away my tears. He tried to smile but I could see he's too weak to even move a muscle. Isaac, why? Why do you always have to be this selfless?

"I don't want to lose you, Althea."

"And I don't want to lose you, too! If I stay here, you'll die. So, stay here. I'll come back to you. Mark my word." I was about to leave when he pulled me again and I felt his lips brushing mine. My tears kept on pouring again. He pressed our foreheads together and kissed me again.

"I love you, Althea. I will always love you." I couldn't answer him. I couldn't answer him because I'm afraid of falling into uncertainty.

But there is only one thing I need to do now. I need to save him. I went out of the cave and took courage. My clothes were slightly torn and the remaining wounds that had not been treated by the healing plant were still deep.

I took a step and encouraged me. Isaac saved me twice now for giving me that plant even though he needed it the most. So, I will do everything, I just need to find Cath and bring Isaac the remaining healing plant.

I left a mark on the trees I was walking through so I could remember where Isaac was. I can't lose track of him. When I got farther away, I heard a crackle, so I skipped over and hid in the tree.

I took a piece of ice out of my hand and formed it into a dagger, but I was surprised when Amanda suddenly appeared in front of me. "A-Amanda..."

"Look at you, Althea. So, freaking dead. You're going to die and everything, yet you're still fighting?" I glared at her that made her laugh. She also has wounds but not as bad as mine so if she does anything to me, I will not be able to fight fairly. But it seems that she has no intention of fighting fairly. "What's with your group? I used all of you to be my hoax but none of you still gave up. How annoying--"

"Stop pestering me and get out of my way! I have to save someone." I was about to pass her when she blocked in front of me.

"Sorry, Althea. But I want Isaac dead as well as you, so I led the monster here to kill you." I heard a growl behind me, so my eyes widened. Did she lead a monster to me? Are they so desperate to win? The monster gripped my leg tightly and it almost broke with extreme tightness. I cried out in pain. Especially when it knocked me to the ground and trampled on me.

I frowned. I could do nothing but cry in fear and pain. Why am I still so weak when Isaac desperately needs me? Even though my body was weakening, I took out the fire and threw it to the monster's foot then I used all my strength to push him that made him fall to the ground.

I winced; I could no longer stand. I can't even sit up to save myself. "So, fucking useless, Althea!" I shouted to myself. I closed my eyes and remembered Isaac. As time goes on, he becomes more and more at risk. He did not give up on me and helped me when I needed his help, and it's time for me to do the same.

Before the monster could stand up, I made a block of big ice that turned into a sword and stabbed the monster in the chest and it completely lost its life.

I clung to the tree and gasped. I did it. I made it because Isaac became my strength. I was about to take another step when I slid to the ground because my knee was so weak. What's going on?

All my nervousness went up to my chest when I heard a crackle near me, so I took the ice out of my hand and made a dagger. I was about to throw it when Cath and Kristian suddenly appeared both wounded looking at me.

Tears welled up in my eyes. Finally, they found me. We can save Isaac now. "Althea, oh god! I have the medicine for a moment--"

"No! Save it for Isaac. F-Follow the marks on the trees. He is in the c-cave..." That's all I could say and I completely lost consciousness. Isaac, our family, they're coming for you.