Cursed Destiny

Chapter 1: Episode 3: Bad Decision (part 2)

"If you found the entrance, why didn't you come back immediately?" Lara demanded, her voice cutting through the air like a blade.

The man, bruised and weary, didn't flinch. "Because if we attacked them on their way in, they just wouldn't come in," he explained, his tone grave. "I waited, hiding in the shadows, for them to come. Days went by, and I knew they would come soon. I didn't rest my eyes once. They finally came, and I followed them," he added, his voice laced with mystery.

Lara's eyes widened as the gravity of the situation sank in. Everyone else remained silent, the fear of what was to come gnawing at their insides.

Aeyden was missing. While the team braced themselves for the worst, he was still asleep.

The man reached for a map on the table, his hands trembling slightly. He spread it out and pointed to a specific spot. "Here's the entrance," he declared, looking directly at Lara. He moved his finger to another point. "This is where they set up camp. When I left, they were just pitching their tents."

The room fell into an even deeper silence. It was the kind of silence that spoke of resigned acceptance, ready to face death if necessary.

Thamath, the strongest of the team, wore an expression as cold and hard as iron. No emotion flickered across his face; he was ready for the worst.

Herri, always the calmest under pressure, handled his emotions with a steady hand. His eyes held a glint of determination. He believed they would win.

Neil, the enigmatic shadow, stood with a dark gleam in his eyes. He didn't fear death; he welcomed the chance to kill. This was the moment he had sharpened his sword for, and he was eager to use it.

Russell, trying to mask his fear with bravado, acted unaffected by the grim reality. But inside, he was terrified. The thought of death gnawed at him.

Frank, on the other hand, harbored no fear. His eyes burned with a fierce intensity, ready to murder the intruders. He was prepared for this day, ready to kill or die trying.

Lara's mind raced with strategy. She was already planning the enemy leader's demise when something shifted her attention. The entrance the man described was on the opposite side from where they had found Aeyden. "How did he enter?" she wondered, the question gnawing at her mind.

"Where's Aeyden?" Lara asked, her voice tinged with annoyance.

The team exchanged puzzled glances, searching the room for any sign of him.

"Who's Aeyden?" the man asked, clearly confused.

"A new member," Andrea replied, rolling her eyes as she headed off to wake up Aeyden.

Andrea opened the door and found Aeyden sprawled on the floor. She couldn't help but shake her head with a mix of amusement and concern.

"Aeyden, wake up," Andrea said softly, kneeling beside him. She shook his shoulder gently.

Aeyden stirred, blinking up at her confused. "What time is it?" he mumbled, clearly disoriented.

"You've been asleep for more than a day," Andrea said, a note of urgency in her voice. "We need to go. There's urgent news."

Aeyden sat up, scratching his head, clearly embarrassed about his position on the floor. "Right, right. I'm up."

As he stood, he caught sight of his necklace. It seemed shinier than usual.

"Everything okay?" Andrea asked, noticing his distraction.

"Yeah, just tired," Aeyden replied curtly, not meeting her eyes. "Let's go."