*this chapter has been edited*

My mind was reeling with the events that happened earlier. What I saw left me utterly confused and questioning everything I knew. Redain's pleas now no longer seemed to be not out of the question.

I needed answers fast, and the more I ventured in this land, the more questions arose.

But first thing first, I needed to see Sylvia and Jade. It's been three days and I had finally taken up the courage to talk with them after avoiding them at each and every turn.

I took a deep breath and set out to find Sylvia. It didn't take long as I found her in the training room setting dummies aflame with her arrow, she was focused and each release of her arrow became more and more aggressive.

My footsteps clicked along the tiled floor, alerting her of my presence. She turned and looked at me, approaching me stoically. My heart was beating more than 5 octaves the normal pace, finally she reached me.

"Cecile." She gave a nod of acknowledgement, "how can I help?"

The words started coming out before I had time to think, "I...I came here to apologize for what I did to Jade. What I did was wrong, I should have never left her behind, and I know-"

She raised her hand to silence me, and sighed, "I'll admit I was utterly livid. So mad that I thought of giving you a suicidal task on the next hunt. She laughed bitterly.

Her blue eyes stared at me with sadness and regret, I had forgotten that the first thing I had done in the face of danger was run as well. I was supposed to give out an order worthy of a warrior, but I chose the easy way out. And obviously, with no plan people feared, and others died. Her body was shaking and she sniffled quite a few times.

She slowly wrapped her arms around me, "Just promise me you'll get braver, because strength is nothing without courage. And just as I forgive you, please forgive me for putting you and everyone in that situation. I will work extremely hard to be a better leader," I gingerly placed my hands on her back and nodded.

"I promise, and you are already a good leader, we both messed up but weve learned from it and well definitely do better."

She let go and smiled, "Now go and find Jade, she's been filled with angst and asking for you since she woke up yesterday." I grimaced.

"Yeah....I'll go there now." I spoke hesitantly, Sylvia noticed my hesitation and gave my shoulder a pat, "Don't think about it too much, and just go see her." She gave me a little shove towards the door.

I stumbled a bit but turned back to show my gratitude, she only gave me a thumbs up and a small smile before turning and continuing with her training.

I felt at peace now that we had cleared up everything and knowing wed both be working hard.

I walked relatively slowly on my way to the recovery room, but as if time was speeding up I reached the room in no time.

I took a deep breath and knocked slowly on the door.

"Come in," came a soft voice on the other side.

I walked in slowly and found Jade sitting upright on her bed. She smiled slowly upon seeing me, "You came."

I nodded slowly, "Wouldn't miss seeing you for the world." I whispered.

"I'm so sorry for what I've done Jade," I slowly approached her bed.

Her head was wrapped with a bandage, along with her upper arm and from what Miss Gen retailed earlier so was her midsection and legs.

Her skin was now a darker brown and the left side of her face slightly swollen, and her curly silver hair looked unkempt and more afro textured now than ever before.

"I'm sure Sylvia already told you everything by now. We don't blame you, we came into this battle to protect everyone." My face twisted in pain when she uttered those words.

"I'm not quite sure about that anymore." I voiced. Her eyebrows bunched together in confusion.

"I can't really explain much but I've been given tons of reasons as to believe that we have not been told the whole truth of this place."

Jade's brown eyes looked at me disbelieving, "That's ridiculous, Cecile, listen-"

"No you listen Jade, ever since we've got here the only thing that has been revealed to us was our abilities, the supposed "reason" for us being here and the alleged cause of the betrayal.

'We have no idea what the elementals mean for this land once captured. And Miss Gen and my father are awfully secretive for people who are seeking justice for humanity.

'I believe there is more to this and we'd know if we got both sides of the story." I elaborated.

Jade looked thoughtful for a while, "Then how would we get information from the other side?" She looked at me quizzically, "Say you are right that we are being misguided, but those creatures are out for our blood. How would we get answers?"

I took a deep breathe, "From the one who seems willing to help me." I whispered.

I stood up and smiled at her, "Thank you for listening and most importantly, thank you for forgiving me. I can't thank you enough."

She gave me a wistful smile, "Don't mention it, and be safe." She waved, "And I'll be expecting more information on this."

I reached the sleeping chambers and made it to my room, squatting down and removing the book from between the mattresses.

I sat on the bed and opened the book to find no words forming, lately the book was stagnant and never writing any daily messages like before.

"I need answers," and just like that my necklace glowed and the book came to life.

The answers you seek are found in the heart.

That was the only thing that was written, I breathed in deeply and looked at my necklace. It was the key to this book and I needed to operate it, I looked back towards the book.

"What is the heart?" I questioned.

The heart is where authority lies.

I was now conversing with a book, but this new way of communicating could get me answers fast. A strange thing indeed.

"Who can I trust?"

The truth lies within the heart.

I groaned in frustration, and laid back on the bed but just as I was about to give up I felt my eyes shift like before and I was taken back, but this seemed like a memory. I saw my fourteen year old self seated across what looked like a younger version of Redain.

".....I asked for answers and it led me to you, why?" I asked.

"My father is King of all the creatures in Escrade, since we are the only beings that are immune to the effects of the arrow. My family is in the center of that realm and its history." He replied.

I gasped as if I'd stopped breathing the moment my eyes shifted back to my current world.

My eyes darted all around and my body shook as if an aftershock of electricity was coursing through me. I shakily stood up and left the building and headed straight towards the forest.

The truth lies within the heart.

The words kept repeating over and over in my head.

"Redain, if you can hear me...please. I need answers and I know you're the only one who'll give them to me."

A branch snapping alerted me that I wasn't alone. I turned, my arrow already placed and ready to be fired.

A figure stood watching me with beautiful light green eyes, a beauty unlike any other. Her dark green leafy skin made her look like the forest itself and her hair made of wood was a beautiful masterpiece atop her head. Her face showed no emotion, she only watched me, observing me from afar.

It was a Tambi, and like the book stated it was the body of the forest.

She gazed at me curiously, her doe eyes adding to the beauty that reverberated off her in waves. I found myself lowering my bow simply dazed by the beauty before me and this action seemed to appease her as her smile grew mischievous.

"Silly little Hunter," her voice jingling each time she spoke, her body moving to a tune I could not hear.

She reached me and circled around me, her finger tracing my collarbone and going up to my face while her eyes drank me in.

"Lost your way little Hunter?" She teased, everything about her was playful, I didn't think she'd harm me.

I felt myself relax and her eyes become more and more cheerful.

"That's it little Hunter, relax, you are safe," she cooed from my side, she traced my arm where my engravement was located. "Why I haven't known your kind was still roaming around. I thought Black Hunters were all wiped out." She giggled, "Oh well."

She gave me a sideways hug, her hands going to my arrow and dropping it, "Better." Next she unclasped my bag filled with arrows and her eyes gleamed. "Excellent."

"Follow me little Hunter," she said grabbing my hands and leading me deeper into the forest.

I was so entranced by her beauty that I hardly noticed that I was doing something I shouldn't have.

She giggled all the while taking me through turns and curves. After a while she stopped and turned to me with a wistful smile. She stepped back from me and immediately my body moved forward to get close to her but found I was unable to.

I looked down to find a branch circle around my foot and just like that, the daze I felt instantly snapped.

The Tambi's giggles became more excessive as the branch grew in size, my struggles were futile and panic seized me when I couldn't locate my bow and arrows.

She raised her palm and the ground shook, branches shooting up and tangling around me, squeezing me to the point of suffocation.

Without my bow and arrow I was incapable of doing anything. The more I struggled the more constricted I was.

The Tambi just stood watching, observing me, giggling ever so often.

Just when I thought it was over, something strange happened.

I felt an energy course through me and then there was an explosion.

The branches surrounding me broke apart and were then bent to make room for me to quickly escape.

I started hyperventilating the moment I got out, I sank to my knees and tried to catch my breath.

Before I knew it the Tambi reacted, she charged towards me in a rage.

Her fist never came.

Her eyes grew wide and features more scared yet Redain remained neutral but the red in his eyes became dominant. He had blocked her punch.

"What is the meaning of this?" He seethed.

"I was only doing my job to protect Escrade, King." The Tambi's voice jingled as she spoke.

"Not her." Came his reply.

She frowned upon hearing that statement, releasing her hand from his hold, "With all due respect King, it is my duty to protect the Gundra. And I shall do it even if it means killing off these hunters one by one." She spoke in a vindictive spirit, her eyes glaring into mine.

"There shall be none of that Tambi. I as your king have spoken." She glanced at him curiously.

"Why do you protect her King? Her kind has only caused problems for us."

She never made a move to hit me or Redain. It seemed she was loyal to her King, no matter what he said.

"She can help us." He stated, but the Tambi looked bewildered.

Nonetheless, she gave him a bow, "As you wish King. I pray you have made a good choice." She spoke with hesitance.

"I have." He spoke with finality. She nodded and sprinted off, but not before giving me a questioning look.

Redain finally turned towards me, his eyes shifting, "What are you doing out here?" He demanded.

"I needed to find you." I spoke calmly.

"By getting yourself killed?" He questioned, his eyes shifting to a deep red.

"No-I...okay, I admit I didn't think this through, but I had no way of communicating with you," I reasoned.

He sighed and extended his hand towards me, "I believe you are in need of answers?"

I interlocked my hand in hid and answered, "Yes."

He pulled me closer, "Yet you are not entirely sure on who to trust." I took a deep breathe from his words.

"I cannot tell you until you trust me and I in return can trust you again."

My heart froze in fear of not getting the answers I needed.

"But what I can do is show you."

And with that, we were gone.

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Hey! Another edited chapter done.

I sincerely hope you liked it.

If you did please vote and comment, not to mention sharing it with others.

Thank you and until next time.

Mercy💜