The piercing scream reverberated through the darkness, sending shivers down Tee’s spine. The eerie silence that followed felt almost deliberate, as if the very objects around them had paused to watch.

  “Thou art the victor! I implore thee, set me free!” The anguished cry came from below, the woman’s voice laced with desperation. Every word carried a plea, a fragile hope dangling on the edge of despair.

  A sudden tremor shook the ground beneath Tee’s feet, forcing her to tighten her grip on her sword handles, ready for whatever would follow. Her senses sharpened to their fullest, every nerve attuned to the faintest sound, absorbing the tense, expectant atmosphere around her.

  “Look!” Kie’s voice cut through the cacophony, slicing into Tee’s awareness.

  With cautious trepidation, she opened her eyes—and her breath caught. The space before her was breathtaking, as if her eyes had been starved of light for an eternity, now nourished by an ethereal glow. It was almost overwhelming; tears welled, blurring the edges of her vision.

  As the darkness crumbled away, a radiant beam bathed the space, revealing Kie’s silhouette near the woman who had cried out. She lay on the ground, vulnerable, her frailty tangible.

  Tee’s jaw clenched, realizing once again that Kie had emerged victorious, earning yet another point for himself. She couldn’t help but question the fairness of her own points from the falling swords. How many more would he claim for every victory?

  “Darn it!” Tee muttered under her breath, frustration tinged with reluctant admiration.

  The woman rose, steadier now, and pointed toward an opening where a radiant light beckoned. “Another obstacle doth await,” she urged. And, just as mysteriously as before, she vanished, leaving Tee and the others stunned.

  Urgency propelled them forward. The brilliance scorched their eyes as they approached, interspersed with glimpses of vibrant green and a rush of cool air, carrying the intoxicating fragrance of life itself. The oppressive darkness was finally behind them.

  When they came to a halt, the scene that greeted them stole their breath. A lush, verdant tapestry of trees stretched in all directions, adorned with flowers in every imaginable hue. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the emerald canopy above, casting dappled patterns across their faces.

  The air was alive with scent, each inhalation a symphony of fragrances—earthy moss, floral sweetness, and the crisp tang of fresh leaves mingling in perfect harmony. Tee’s eyes widened in awe as she spun, drinking in every detail. A smile bloomed across her face, melting away the tension and urgency that had defined the past moments.

  The place surpassed even the meticulously curated gardens of Primus. It carried her back to memories of the last Free Week, a rare seven-day respite from the stifling curfew that dominated the rest of the year.

  Usually during Free Week, Tee and her friends would ride hoverbikes to the park, reveling in the spectacle of blooming trees. They would recline on soft blankets for hours, gazing skyward, lost in the sway of the leafy canopies.

  But the last Free Week had been different. Aware it was their final break before venturing into the Mid-Guard the following academic year, her friends had chosen to spend it with their families. Tee had been left to wander with only Jack.

  Jack, ever enamored with swings, cherished the sensation of weightlessness as if he were soaring. Tee, dutiful friend that she was, always took her turn pushing him, laughing as he whirled through the air.

  She remembered a particular instance vividly. After pleading for a turn, Jack had finally stepped back, letting her take the seat. With a mischievous twinkle, he spun her relentlessly, twisting the ropes above until they entwined into a single line that descended to the crown of her head.

  Then, releasing his grip, the ropes miraculously unraveled, sending the swing spinning wildly. Tee’s feet lifted from the ground, the world blurring into a dizzying whirl reminiscent of a malfunctioning merry-go-round. She leapt off the swing, but the spinning sensation lingered, a vortex that refused to let go.

  Jack, grinning mischievously, challenged her to count how many fingers he held up, laughter spilling from him like music. Fueled by a playful spirit, she charged, their chase weaving through the park until Jack collided headlong with a massive pile of freshly gathered leaves, sending a golden cloud into the air. Tee burst into laughter, breathless and lighthearted, a memory that seemed impossibly distant in this world of trials.

  But then something shifted between them. No longer content with simply exiting the swing, Jack had asked her to sit upon his lap. Tee’s heart had plummeted at the audacity, standing frozen, eyes locked on him, waiting for him to repeat the request.

  When his gentle arms enveloped her, a radiant smile erupted across Tee’s cheeks, spreading warmth from the very core of her being. She nestled against him, surrendering to the comforting press of his chest as he skillfully propelled them back and forth with the rhythmic motion of his feet.

  Each sway felt like the heartbeat of an oasis, a fleeting escape from the chaos that constantly loomed in their lives. It was a rare pocket of bliss, where nothing beyond the swing existed, and even time seemed to pause in reverence to the moment.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  His neck hovered tantalizingly close to hers, and the temptation to lean in, to brush her lips against his, surged in her chest. Yet, Tee restrained herself, acutely aware of the delicate boundaries that had been drawn by past experiences.

  Any impulsive gesture, however fleeting, would trigger the shutdown she had learned to anticipate—a wall Jack erected instinctively, a self-protective barrier forged from past fear and pain. The sting of previous rejections pressed on her heart, but in that singular, fleeting instant, she allowed herself to linger in the comfort of his embrace, savoring the sheer, unadulterated beauty of connection.

  Jack hadn’t always been like that. Their bond had weathered the tumultuous storm of discovery—the revelation that both of them were hosts to the Xenogene, a sinister and unpredictable presence lurking within. When Jack first learned of her condition, he recoiled inwardly, compelled to suppress emotions he hadn’t fully acknowledged, leaving Tee to grapple with the weight of their shared, haunting fate.

  And yet, Tee’s devotion remained unshaken. Unlike others who might recoil from the unknown, she saw their shared affliction as a bond, a twisted yet undeniable tether that linked them together.

  Deep within, she harbored a secret longing: to be the first to confront the monster within him, to embrace the abyss together rather than face a life devoid of his presence. It was a dangerous desire, yet it spoke to the depth of her attachment—a willingness to endure anything for the sake of their connection.

  Emotions collided violently within her: the ache of absence, the lingering sting of Tetra’s passing, and the visible scars marring Jack’s skin, each a silent testament to suffering endured. The weight of it all threatened to crush her, making the need to distance herself from that intimacy almost unbearable.

  She knew that even the warmth of his embrace could not heal the wounds festering inside her. Departure had become not a choice, but a necessity—a painful path to self-preservation, one she held with no regret.

  Her reverie fractured with Miko’s voice, drawing her attention away from the sanctuary of Jack’s arms. Tee’s gaze drifted upward to Kie perched high in a tree, painstakingly attempting to retrieve a scroll swaying from a delicate branch.

  The scene below offered a lighter, almost whimsical contrast: Miko, captivated by some unseen spectacle, had her hands clasped beneath her chin, her face alight with delight. Tee’s curiosity was piqued, prompting her to follow the direction of Miko’s gaze.

  There, standing nearby, Saeda shook her head with exaggerated vigor, sending her cascading black hair into a mesmerizing cascade. In that small, graceful moment, a tiny yellow flower detached from the canopy above, fluttering down before settling gently on the forest floor. Tee’s attention shifted to Zod, who extended a similar yellow blossom toward her with a grin that mirrored Miko’s infectious delight.

  Saeda, arms folded and eyebrows arched, regarded Zod with a mixture of playful skepticism and subtle reproach. “Preparing us for our own funerals, are you, Zod?” she teased.

  Zod’s hand collided with his forehead with a resounding thud, leaving a vivid crimson mark that contrasted sharply with his pale skin. “Must you always twist everything into the negative?” he muttered, frustration lacing his voice.

  Saeda’s tone softened into sternness, urging him onward. “Enough with the antics,” she said, glancing toward Kie still struggling to reach the scroll above him.

  Before anyone could respond further, Miko’s startled cry shattered the fleeting calm. “Wait! Where’s Kie?” The grip on the yellow flower loosened, and it fell forgotten to the ground. All eyes pivoted toward the opening in the massive boulder they had emerged from, where an inexplicable sense of anticipation seemed to hang in the air.

  Miko’s voice trembled with concern. “Did he get left behind? I could’ve sworn he came out with us.”

  Tee’s disbelief mirrored Miko’s confusion, the words caught in her throat. A sudden, unnerving realization seized her. “I think he got left behind,” she admitted, her voice low but urgent.

  Zod and Saeda exchanged skeptical glances, brows arched, their expressions a silent challenge to Tee’s assertion.

  A fleeting smile crossed her lips before she adopted a mask of concern, striding toward Miko with deliberate urgency. “Something must have snatched him while we weren’t watching,” she confided, raising her voice to alert the others. “Look behind you! There’s a Xenosapian lurking behind that tree!”

  Perfectly timed, a black blur hurtled from the tree, scattering leaves in its wake. Miko shrieked, her scream slicing through the air as she darted away in terror.

  “Miko, she was joking!” Zod called after her, desperation edging his voice, though it did little to calm her panic.

  Tee collapsed onto her knees, head bowed toward the earth, but laughter erupted uncontrollably from within her. She struck her hand against the soft grass repeatedly, each blow punctuated by bursts of mirth and uncontainable joy.

  Meanwhile, Kie remained oblivious to the commotion below. Perched high in the tree, his eyes were fixed solely on the ancient scroll. He paid no heed to Zod or Saeda’s attempts to call Miko back, and only a brief glance toward Tee betrayed a fleeting moment of amusement before he exhaled and refocused.

  “Nice going, Tee. Now we’re wasting precious time trying to get her back,” Saeda grumbled, irritation threading her voice.

  Both she and Zod hurried after Miko, leaving Tee to steady herself. She pushed to her feet, laughter still lingering as a vibrant pink petal settled atop Kie’s head, renewing her amusement. Kie finally set the scroll aside momentarily, leaning against the tree with a small, knowing smirk as he observed the playful chaos.

  Soon, Zod, Saeda, and Miko returned, breathless from the pursuit. Their attention was immediately drawn to a new, swirling vortex that had materialized nearby, capturing all focus and dissolving lingering frustrations. Miko’s earlier irritation melted in the face of this new, dazzling phenomenon.

  “Finally,” Kie remarked, eyes narrowing with purpose as he assessed the portal. Disengaging from the tree, he stepped toward the beckoning vortex, ready to advance.

  “Time for me to earn more points on the six I already have,” Tee declared, her grin self-assured and unyielding. She moved toward the swirling portal, her confidence radiating from every motion.

  “Only six more trials to go,” Kie mused, tossing the scroll carelessly behind him. “We’re drawing nearer to ending this thing.”

  Before the scroll could collide with Tee’s face, she deftly caught it mid-air, stopping the impending accident. “You piece of—” she began, words cut short as the vortex’s pull intensified, urging them all forward. There was no time to linger; the unknown demanded their full attention.