Intricate

Chapter # 1

It was finally sunset! After a long and hectic day of training, I dangled steadily from the boughs of the old, hefty trunks of the Islet, my muscles relaxing as I swung gently. The golden hues of the sun painted the sky, and the soft rustle of leaves filled the air with tranquility. Then, I spotted him.

"Kian!" I whispered, trying to catch his attention. He had just finished his supervising rounds in the nurturing woods.

"Coming!" he called back, chuckling softly, his grey eyes reflecting the warm glow of the fading sunset. Hopping onto the branch beside me, he grinned and asked, "Ready to go, princess?"

"Yup, ready!" I said with a wide smile, excitement bubbling up.

Together, we made our way to our favorite spot—the Wasarior Falls, the grandest and most beautiful waterfall on the entire Wasarior Islet.

We leaped across the floating pup rocks, their weightless forms hovering effortlessly in midair, guiding us toward the sour glow fruits that grew in vibrant clusters near the waterfall.

Giggling, we plucked one each and squeezed its juice into our mouths. As always, the tangy liquid filled us with an instant boost of energy and a radiant glow.

Most warriors only drank the juice once at dawn, but Kian and I had our own little ritual—twice a day, once at dawn and again at sunset, when the fruits were at their ripest.

After savoring the sour glow fruit, we washed ourselves in the fresh, clear stream of the waterfall.

Our little moment of joy, however, was short-lived. A subtle rustling of leaves caught my attention—so faint that most would have missed it. But as warriors, we couldn't afford to ignore even the slightest disturbance. Kian and I exchanged glances. Before we could act, a blade pressed coldly against my neck.

"Caught ya!"

I froze, defenseless, as the boot knife pressed harder. A woman's voice, sharp yet playful, broke the tense silence. "What do you think you're doin'?"

"I wasn't aware that my handsomeness turns ladies into such bold stalkers—impressive!" Kian whispered in his gentle, husky voice, as calm as ever.

"What th—" The woman faltered, and in that moment, Kian and I grabbed her hands, twisting the blade away and rendering her defenseless.

"Liyana?!" I exclaimed, recognizing her immediately. She pouted, her freckles and dark brown eyes giving her an almost doll-like appearance. Fierce, yet undeniably cute—she looked like one of those combat dolls that managed to balance ferocity with charm.

"So, my lady, how desperate were you to catch a glimpse of me, hmm?" Kian leaned toward Liyana, his voice dripping with teasing.

"Ouch! Who th—" Kian yelped as Liyana's pet, Pie—a golden-furred ebb hoss with enormous, wing-like ears—squealed with joy. The fluffy creature leapt over Kian's head and bounded toward its love, Pumpkin, Kian's mustard-colored ebb hoss.

I burst into laughter at the sight of the lovesick creatures, while Liyana giggled behind her hand. Kian, on the other hand, scowled as he attempted to fix his now-ruffled black hair.

"Seriously, guys?!" he exclaimed, splashing water onto his hair in frustration. "It takes long enough for me to get ready, especially because of my hair."

He wasn't lying; I vividly remembered the time he had to run five extra laps because his hairstyle made him late for morning training.

"You two aren't allowed to have more than a single portion of the sour glow fruit in a day," Liyana whispered, her brows furrowing with worry. "And here you are, savoring it twice a day."

"Li, you worry too much," I said, trying to reassure her. "We've been doing this for a month, and nothing has happened to us, right?"

"Yeah, but—" She still didn't look convinced. "Don't you remember what happened to Layla's ebb hoss, Dawn? That poor fellow ate more than one portion a day because Dawn was obsessed with the flavor. At first, everything was fine, but then it started acting erratically, causing chaos at the site." Her voice carried the same motherly concern she always seemed to have for us.

"Yes, my lady, but first, that incident happened after Dawn had more than two fruits a day," Kian emphasized, his tone calm yet firm. "And second, she started acting out on the second day of overconsumption."

"And lastly, we aren't ebb hosses! We're humans! Nothing has happened to us so far, right, Li?" I added, flashing her a reassuring grin.

"Hmph! You guys just never listen to me!" Liyana pouted, crossing her arms.

"Please keep this a secret from the others, Li," I said, making doe eyes at her.

"Ugh, fine! I don't have much choice, do I, you stubborn brats?"

"Yay! Thank you!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around her.

"Thanks, love" Kian added with his signature cheesy grin.