Tɪɢʜᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ Bᴏɴᴅs || Tʜᴇ Cʜᴏsᴇɴ Eɪɢʜᴛ Bᴏᴏᴋ Tʜʀᴇᴇ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ || ᴀɴ ᴏsᴛʀɪᴄʜ ᴀʀᴍᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴘᴀɪʀ ᴏғ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴇᴀʀ

Niko

I sat down at the table where my team was eating breakfast, resting my folded arms on the wood. I buried my face into the crook of my elbow, emitting a muffled groan.

The person beside me giggled and poked my side with a finger. "Didn't sleep well, huh?"

I sighed, recognizing Lucia's voice. "Nope. Not a wink."

"That sucks." A smile was evident in her voice, and sure enough, when I raised my head, she was grinning.

"Here." Tazi, who sat across from me, slid a bowl of porridge toward me.

"Oh, thanks." I accepted it, picking up a spoon and digging in. I let out a sigh of delight at the flavour. It was only slightly exaggerated.

"We have a new assignment." Lucia said, watching me eat.

"Already?" I groaned, but my heart sped with excitement. I swallowed my mouthful and turned to her.

Lucia rolled her eyes. "It's been over a week. I, for one, was getting bored." She raised her nose almost snootily.

"I can't get bored here. It's like, actually impossible. Im always finding new places to explore. Some of us weren't raised in a castle, you know." I pointed my spoon at her, cringing when I accidentally flung a bit of porridge across the table. It landed near Sabien, who yelped in surprise.

Lucia seemed to deflate a bit. "Right." Then she shrugged, "we don't know what the assignment is yet, anyway. Tyler said Olvan was going to tell us after breakfast."

"Oh." I pushed away my half-eaten breakfast. My appetite had vanished, my mouth drying up. "Now, then?"

"If you're done. There's no rush." Lucia raised an eyebrow at me.

I cleared my throat, and stood. "Well, I'm done. Let's head."

The others stood as well, but I caught Tazi and Lucia exchanging a knowing look. I decided to ignore it. If they wanted to be mysterious and secretive, that was their choice.

We walked into the meeting chamber, where Navia, Sasha, and Zay were already waiting. Navia greeted us with a grin, but the other two just scowled. They did that a lot. I wondered if I should warn them that their faces might get stuck that way. Then I saw the dagger on Zay's belt and decided that I liked being alive, so I didn't.

"Any word from Tyler yet?" Lucia asked. When the others shook their heads, her eyebrows drew low over her eyes, and she bit her lip.

I watched Lizzie pull Tazi aside, muttering into his ear. The other Chosen Eight had split into groups and were chatting with one another. The room filled with conversation, so at first I didn't realize that Olvan had entered and cleared his throat. I elbowed the person beside me, Navia, as it happened to be, to shut her up. The Ardu girl shot me a look, but stopped talking. Slowly but surely, a hush fell over the room, as we waited for the leader of the Greencloaks to say something.

"Thank you." Olvan smiled at us, his eyes scanning the crowd. "I'm here to say two things. First, I'd like to say that Lizzie has, in fact, not yet taken her vows, and neither has Zay."

I looked over my shoulder to see Zay lift her chin challengingly, while Lizzie dropped her eyes to the floor.

"This doesn't matter too much, for both girls have declared their loyalty to the others." Olvan continued, "and the second thing, your new assignment."

I exchanged a look with Lucia, who stood on my other side.

Olvan paced back and forth at the front of the room. "Our contact in Zhong has reported to us, saying that he has heard about the Bamboo Panda, Jhi's talisman. He says it has "reappeared," along with four animals. However." His eyes roved the audience again, and I swallowed. Of course there'd be a catch.

"The talisman is in the Great Bamboo Maze, ironically. The Maze is full of Conquerors, and it will be an exceptionally dangerous mission." The burly man turned to Lenori, who stood beside him.

"Your guardians are prepared to take this risk," the seer said in her musical voice, "but you are children. We understand if you are hesitant."

"Why would you assign us this if you didn't think we would go through with it?" Sasha asked, looking almost offended.

Olvan nodded in Sasha's general direction. "It is your duty, as the Chosen Eight, to complete these missions. However, as Lenori said, you are children. We understand if you are wary of risking your lives."

The room broke up into conversation, but I didn't speak to anyone.

Risk my life for Erdas? For my team? For a prophecy that I know next to nothing about? I thought, twisting my hands together. But... if I go on this mission, I will be able to save not only the world, but also my family...

Resolve straightened my spine, and I glanced at Jesse. The ostrich stared back, his beady eyes blazing certainty. I knew, then, that whatever I decided, he would be with me.

But I would not be the one to fail this team. Determination washed over me. I raised a hand in the air, and with far more courage than I felt, proclaimed, "I will go."

Around me, expressions warred on my companions faces. But, slowly, I saw determination win out. Then Sasha raised his hand and pledged himself as well. Then Tazi, Navia... everyone.

"Wonderful." Olvan beamed, "you will depart in two days' time. Any relevant and necessary information will be divulged on your journey." He waved a hand. "Dismissed."

We all headed out the doors, talking in one huge group. But within minutes, we'd all broken off and were moving in different directions, toward our rooms. I found myself walking alongside Navia, whose room was two doors down from mine. The girl was speaking softly to her wolverine, but in her native language, I suspected, for I couldn't understand a word.

Reaching my room, I waved to her before closing the door. I flopped onto my bed and closed my eyes.

"What did I just agree too." I mumbled into my pillow, feeling like I might've just signed my own death certificate.

Jesse squawked in response and dropped a pair of underwear on my head.

I turned my head just enough so I could glare at him, and the flightless bird looked immensely pleased with himself.

Something lightened in my chest. I laughed, and threw the underwear back at him.

Jesse ducked and grabbed the collar of my shirt, lifting me off the bed and depositing me into the ground. The ostrich tilted his head, then shoved a bag into my lap.

I rolled my eyes, chuckling. "Fine, fine. I'll start packing."

The bird squawked in my face and stepped onto the bed, settling himself comfortably to watch me pack. I got to work, still smiling to myself. At least I wouldn't be alone out there.

That's chapter one! Hope you liked it! Also! I am planning on writing a Halloween special so keep an eye out. It will be in the Book of Extras. Peace!

edit: 22/12/2023
brain gone
anyway
hope y'all enjoyed
xx
i'm going to bed.