𝔏𝔢𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔗𝔢𝔯𝔯𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔩 ✓

Chapter 1: The Cave

"Arm back just a little...a little more...and shoot."

The arrow tore through the air and flew straight for the red circle. A loud noise echoed the woods as it stuck right into the middle of the target.

"Nice hit man!" an obnoxious voice called, interrupting the peace and quiet that Kylian had for one minute.

Tripping over a root, Kylian heard a thump and a groan from his clumsy friend.

"Do you need help Holden?" he asked, turning to look at him.

"Don't bother," a feminine but clipped voice said. The dark brown-haired beauty appeared in front of them and walked over to the boy on the ground.

She grabbed his shirt and yanked him up, rolling her eyes as he hugged her and tried to kiss her cheek in appreciation, but ended up getting pushed off instead.

"Thanks Lilith," he said sweetly. Kylian laughed as the teen's teasing gray eyes followed her as she grabbed her own bow and arrow.

Holden ran a hand through his shaggy black hair that fell everywhere, curls sticking out and even one covering his forehead. He admitted that Lilith was strong, fierce, and completely stubborn, but there was something about her passion and his goofiness that clicked and led to them becoming best friends.

Her arrow whizzed by Kylian's head and shot right on the edge of the 2nd inner circle.

"I suppose I'm not as good as an archer," she shrugged.

"Practice can always make you better," Kylian encouraged. "I'll help you as well with your aim."

He took a hold of Lilith's hand and stood behind her. Squinting an eye, he guided her hand towards the red circle and gently pulled her arm back. Letting the arrow fly through the air, it hit just the edge of the target.

"Maybe not," Kylian laughed as he let go and ran to grab the arrow off the target.

"It's because the gods know you two aren't meant to be," Holden teased. "HOLDITH forever!"

Lilith couldn't help but elbow Holden's stomach at his goofiness, before handing him her bow as he groaned in pain.

Kylian laughed at the two, but stopped when he noticed a blinking light behind them that caught his eye. Stuffing the arrow in his bag slung over his shoulder, Kylian stepped over various weeds and long grasses and started walking to his friends.

He was mesmerized by the light and felt like it was almost calling him. Lilith became confused as he passed both his friends and continued his walk to the grassy path in front of him.

"Kylian?" Lilith asked, trying to catch up with him. She waved a hand in his face, but he seemed transfixed on something.

"Snap out of it!" she tried, slapping his arm. However, that didn't do anything.

Holden tried messing up his dark brown hair, knowing that Kylian's OCD tendencies would never approve, but he kept walking.

Noticing his eyes, Lilith gasped when she saw the blank look in both his brown and blue eyes. What was happening? she thought. It was like he was possessed or under hypnosis.

Lilith didn't even realize he had stopped until she ran smack into something hard.

"Lilith are you ok?" a concerned voice asked, she groaned and looked up to see Holden running up to her and offering his hand.

"I'm fine doofus," she answered. "I just..you know, pulled a you."

He gave her a cocky grin and Lilith returned it with her own, before looking forward to see what she had run into.

"What is this?" she asked. Right in front of her was the side of what seemed to be a cave. It had a huge opening that seemed to never end. All it had inside was a flashing light that didn't seem to start or end anywhere.

"Kylian, why did you take us here?" Lilith asked. She turned to look at her friend, who blinked a couple of times before turning to her.

"What do you mean? You took me here."

"No Kylian. We followed you when you started walking over here," Holden protested. Kylian opened his mouth to respond, but Lilith stopped him.

"There's no reason to argue," she told them. "You brought us here. Let's just explore. It looks like a cool hang out."

Looking around, daisies and lilies were planted everywhere, giving the place a vibrant color. A pond rippled nearby, surrounded by reeds and tall grasses and attracting the sun's ray of light directly upon it. It felt almost enchanting just being near it.

"We have been looking for a place to hang out since the library kicked us out," Holden added.

"And who's fault was that?" Lilith asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"There was no sign that said we couldn't dance on the table and sing karaoke as loud as I can," he huffed.

"It doesn't matter," Kylian told them. "This place can be our secret garden."

Before he said anything else, Lilith saw his eyes turn blank again as he lost himself in a stupor.

"Not again," she groaned. This time he started walking inside the cave.

"Come back!" Cursing under her breath, she followed him inside. However, the light became blinding and she had to shut her eyes as she blindly searched for Kylian.

Where in the world could he be?