"The earth quakes as it lays torn apart, the world watches aghast as their actions finally bear fruition. 'THE Armageddon is already here!?'" Selah thought. Her head felt heavy as if someone had split her skull. "...skull," Selah thought, the memories rushing back like a gust of wind. A hooded figure split in half by a man dressed elegantly in white robes.

"NOOOOO!" she screamed herself awake. The sounds of Armageddon turned out to be the sounds of hooves clicking and clacking.

"The princess is awake," she heard Lucas drawl. She was lying face-down at the back of his horse.

"Where are we?" she yelped.

"This isn't a cab, y'know," he muttered under his breath, "but to answer your question, we're taking the mountain pass. The number of Hellbound that we faced earlier was abnormally high, so we need to follow their track and find out where they came from. Turns out they were driving through the mountain pass that opens up to the beach."

Selah looked around and saw that both Lucas and Eliana were on horseback, but Briar was driving the white van. "Why is Briar not on a horse? Does he not know how to ride one?"

Lucas didn't reply for a while. Selah observed his face & he definitely looked irritated. "Well?" she questioned him, knowing very well that this would push him over the edge.

Lucas barked back, "Well WHAT? You don't seem to understand your position here. We're not your babysitters, you're not in a cab, the business of the Vigiles Sancti is of no concern to strangers, and-"

"Stop it," Eliana muttered gently but with a resounding tone of finality. "She's not our guest, but we're taking her without her consent while having no valid reason to do so other than the fact that she can see us. The least we can do is provide her with answers that aren't overly confidential."

For a long time, no one talked. Selah couldn't help but wonder about the kind of relationship these two shared. The amount of authority Eliana seemed to have over Lucas was intriguing. "She even seems to be ranked under him..." Selah muttered under her breath while thinking aloud. No one seemed to have paid attention to her pondering outburst.

"Well..." Lucas grunted through gritted teeth, "I guess we can tell her some of the stuff." Lucas's permanently stiff face had an unusual flush on it, Eliana cracked a faint smile and said "Look at you trying to be all casual "Stuff" HA!, good try though I appreciate it" She grinned gleefully while watching Lucas desperately trying to regain his composure.

"Let's move on from the van," Selah said, her curiosity piqued. She locked eyes with Lucas "Tell me something more intriguing. What exactly are these Hellbounds?"

Lucas looked uneasy, his jaw clenched as he struggled to find the right words. But before he could say a word, Eliana piped in and said, "Sorry, Selah, that falls under information we can't tell you until we're sure about what's going on with you." Selah frowned but managed to crack a weak smile. The wind whipped her hair around her face as she pondered her standing in the group. "I should probably try not to turn her against me," she thought quietly, her fingers absently tracing the horse's coarse mane, the horse neighed gratefully, "they are strangers after all and having Eliana back me up gives me an edge if things do go south."

The mountain pass stretched before them, they had long passed the coast and now the terrain grew out into a winding road carved into the rugged landscape. Every turn they took leading up to the mountain became more and more sharper. The horses' hooves clattered against the rocky ground, creating a steady rhythm that was almost soothing, like clockwork gears clicking away. Selah took a deep breath, the crisp mountain air filling her lungs.

"Briar! You've been awfully quiet!" Selah yelled towards the white van, trying to speak over the howling wind brushing over them. Through the van's windshield, Briar gave her a warm smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners, then almost immediately he snapped his attention back to the road with only a ghost of the smile lingering.

"What's his deal?" Selah questioned to no one in particular, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Eliana shifted in her saddle, turning slightly to face Selah. Selah noticed that her expression softened the same way Briars eyes does. "He tends not to speak much unless he has something worthwhile to add to the conversation. This sometimes makes people think he might be arrogant, but over time they learn to value his words."

Selah tilted her head, intrigued. "You seem to know him well?" she replied, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

A fond smile played on Eliana's lips. "Shouldn't I? After all, he is my lil brother."

"Ah," Selah said, barely hiding the surprise in her voice. She flicked her head between Eliana and Lucas. "I honestly assumed that you and Lucas were siblings. He gave off a younger brother vibe."

"HA-" Eliana began, amusement and glee dancing in her eyes, but before she could continue, Lucas erupted in a raging outburst.

"LITTLE BROTHER VIBE??" he spluttered, his face turning an impressive shade of crimson. He yanked at his reins, bringing his horse to a creaking stop and almost unseating Selah. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? I am older than Eli, in fact a YEAR older."

Selah yelped, "Watch it! I almost fell, in fact I'm beginning to feel very nauseated after laying facedown on a horse for so long. If you set me upright, I promise not to run."

Lucas looked uneasy but said, "Okay, I'll set you upright. But if you run, I will release an arrow flying straight for your leg." He expected her to look shocked, maybe even horrified, but what he didn't expect was:

"I am- I am so sorry BUT I CAN'T TAKE YOU SERIOUSLY WHILE YOU LOOK SO RED!" Selah busted out laughing, gleeful tears glittering on her lashes.

"Oh, touched a nerve, did we?" Eliana teased, her voice light but with a hint of affection. "Come now, Lucas, surely you're not that insecure about your age?"

Lucas grumbled unintelligibly, his shoulders hunching as he focused intently on the path ahead. "And for the record, I am 20, Eliana is 19 & Briar is 18," Lucas mumbled.

Despite how horribly her day had started, Selah couldn't help but smile. The mountain pass was now covered in trees with leaves a beautiful shade of yellow and red; the grass and the mud had the delicious aroma of rain. Selah reminisced, "Mum, dad and I would often go on road trips like this, listening to songs, pulling each other's legs & passing around snacks within the car." Her joy turned to sadness. "But now they are gone & no one I know remembers that they even existed. No matter who I ask, according to them I was an orphan brought up by my grandad, but I know that they were real." The sun had finally come out in its full strength; the forest was alive with the harmony of chirping & humming of insects.

"Are you okay?" Lucas asked. His eyes were focused on the road, but his head was tilted, leaning towards her.

"Y-you're talking to me?" Selah replied, trying and failing at hiding her surprise.

"Should I not?" Lucas replied, his usual tone of annoyance back in his voice.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The sky flaunted a vibrant blue; one lonely cloud floated across the sky, reined in by the wind. They rode in silence for quite some time.

"It's... it's not that you shouldn't talk to me, but over the past few hours you haven't tried to talk to me unless you wanted to yell at me. So when you spoke without that twinge of annoyance, I was surprised... pleasantly surprised," Selah replied quietly.

She looked up and almost pushed herself off the horse. Lucas had quit trying to focus on the road but just quietly observed her. "I will not explain to you why I am treating you the way I am... but in the odd chance that we find out that you are... well... I can't disclose that yet, but in case we find out that you were always meant to be able to see us, then don't forget this: I am being harsh to you right now because I have to; it's my job. I have nothing against you." He stopped talking, and no one spoke for what felt like hours.

The horses had now ridden past a coast, rocky countryside, dense forested paths, open grass plains, and now they were finally entering a ravine. As they descended, the air grew cooler, and the echoes of hoofbeats bounced off the steep walls around them. Selah had finally gotten used to the horses galloping and was about to fall asleep, finally some rest after hours of caffeinated labor..

"HALT! Company!!"

Selah jerked her head up straight, expecting to be attacked, but all she could see was Lucas and Eliana dismounting their horses and Briar bringing the van to a halt. They moved silently, even their horses had gone quiet, no longer chewing or neighing.

"What is going on??" Selah enquired, her muscles aching as she shifted, unsure whether she should get off the horse, and if yes, how she should even do that. She had watched Eliana gracefully slide off her horse even while wearing long flowy robes and tried hard to hide her jealousy.

"We are most likely near the Hellbound's outpost. Using horses would be a dead giveaway, so now we will go on foot. The van brought us this close, but taking it any further puts it at risk of being recaptured if things go south," Lucas said, suddenly sharp and commanding, almost as if the easily flustered Lucas they were talking to earlier had vanished.

Eliana and Briar glanced at each other, if there was any form of doubt or fear, it had vanished the moment they laid eyes on each other, both of them still smiled kindly but their eyes reflected readiness.

"What do you mean by 'go south'? Surely you don't mean if we die, right?" Selah asked, already knowing and fearing the answer. The reality of her situation hit her harder than a truck– This no longer bore resemblance to her nostalgic road trips of the past.

"Why yes, that's exactly what I mean. Every action we take must be taken with the understanding that one of us might die; it is the only way for us to avoid any avoidable blunders," Lucas replied with no hint of fear or mockery.

Selah couldn't help but feel impressed by this version of Lucas. "It's almost as if this was something he enjoyed," Selah wondered to herself. But there was more to it, "is- is that concern?" Selah wondered, their eyes had met for a second but for the first time ever they were not cold but were soft and almost affec- "Dont YOU WORRY!! Selah, we wont let you die here!" Eliana shoved Luca out of her way and almost jumped on top of Selah.

It was clear to her that everyone was worried for her and knew that she was definitely terrified. "Look, guys, while I appreciate the concern all of you are showing towards me," she fixed her eyes on Lucas, "you don't have to worry about me. It's not like I'm going to fight beside you. I'll just try not to get in the way."

"Good. I wouldn't want to drag your body back anyway," Lucas replied.

"Hey, wai-" Selah was about to retort, but then she noticed something. "He's smiling. This is a sign of respect. In some weird, crooked way, that's his way of showing respect," Selah pondered quietly.

Clouds were beginning to cover the bright blue sky; the whiff of incoming rain was in the air.

"Alright listen up!" Luca gathered their attention, "The presence of our esteemed guest today is costing us our concentration so focus. Eliana I want you to ditch the dagger and use saber, stick close to me and cover my back, I will use a mace incase any of them has hardened armor on. Briar I need you to follow us at a distance, if you find a tree or any form of high ground that gives you a clear view of the outpost, then you should take it and cover us with your bow. Selah you… follow briar and stand underneath the tree that he climbs on-top off. Everyone understands their objective? Good. Lets get to work."

Lucas, Eliana and Briar moved quietly in a wedge formation, crouching low as they advanced. Selah followed at the center, behind them. "I know he wanted to make sure that I don't get killed but seriously? 'Stand underneath the tree that he climbs on top of'? I can't help but feel a bit insulted," Selah thought grumpily. The forest reflected her fear; not a single insect chirped, no birds sang, not a whisper of life to be heard.

"We are definitely close now," Lucas said, halting the squad. "Wherever the Hellbound nest, almost all life forms cease to exist nearby. Their presence is the antithesis of life. Their existence... simply put, sucks the life out of a place," Lucas whispered.

"We graduated from the same academy. Why are you starting a lecture?" Eliana whispered back.

"Because I know she was going to ask how I knew this was the place," Lucas muttered angrily.

"I certainly wasn't-" Selah tried to interject but failed.

"Briar, find your high ground. Selah, follow him. Eliana, on me," Lucas commanded.

"Come, Selah," Briar motioned to her. Selah watched Eliana and Lucas move in perfect symphony. Briar quickly found a tree to nest in. Selah observed as Eliana threw a pebble into thin air. It bounced back, revealing a sprawling campsite. Around 20 Hellbound or more roamed within. One tore away from the pack, drawn by the pebble's clatter. Selah watched with bated breath as it approached Eliana, but before she could shout a warning, Lucas had sent a knee-shattering blow with his mace. The Hellbound fell, and before it could defend itself, Lucas landed a skull-shattering strike, silencing it.

Lucas whispered to Eliana, who nodded and moved right, heading for an unaware Hellbound. In an instant, the hooded figure crumpled, Eliana's saber piercing its neck. Black sludge oozed around it. One by one, they cleared the camp's perimeter, meeting where they'd begun. Lucas turned to signal Briar, and that is when Selah saw it.

"LUCAS, LOOK OUT BEHIND-" But it was too late. Despite his skill, Lucas didn't see the Hellbound lurking in a broken stump's shadow. It leapt at him, hand raised to strike. Selah's heart stopped. "It's too late... I'm going to hear that soul-crushing bang again and he'll be dead..." she thought. She could feel her heart pounding; she couldn't keep watching and closed her eyes. But the life-ending bang never came. The Hellbound froze mid-leap, then crumbled, an arrow protruding from its eye. Briar sprinted from his perch, joining Eliana at Lucas's side, worry etched on their faces.

Eliana found her voice first. "YOU RECKLESS FOOL! HOW ARE YOU THE LEADER? YOU COULD'VE DIED, TURNING YOUR BACK LIKE THAT! SHOWING OFF TO THE NEW GIRL? ARE YOU INSANE OR JUST STUPID? IF BRIAR HAD MISSED..." Her tirade continued for minutes.

Selah finally opened her eyes; he was alive, he was still breathing. She watched him lay on the floor with a stupid smirk etched on his face, enjoying the fuss Eliana was making over him.

Selah watched them from afar, trying and failing at not feeling like an intruder. "They seem so close... it's almost like I'm intruding," she mumbled. Eliana checked Lucas for injuries while he praised Briar's shot. Leaning against an Elk wood tree, Selah lost herself in thought. "I guess this is what family feels like... It's been years since I last saw mum & dad." The woods slowly came alive with insect chirps. "I was twelve, wasn't I? I still remember that sinking feeling when I realized they weren't coming home. Is this what these three face daily? Almost watching each other die?"

"Sup, princess." Lucas's grin startled her.

"Wh- What?" Selah yelped, flinching.

"You've been staring at me for four minutes. I told Eli and Briar to wait while I snapped you out of it," Lucas said calmly.

Selah closed her eyes, resting her head on the trunk. "Talk to me. Are you okay?" Lucas persisted.

"What's wrong with you?" Selah retorted, suddenly angry. "You're not supposed to be kind to me. You should say something like 'lazing off while we work' or whatever. That is how you treat me, so don't stop now."

Lucas flinched. "Fine. Stop being lazy and get up. We need to search the camp for clues." He walked away, signaling Briar to follow. Selah slouched, drowning in regret.

"There, there. No need for self-pity." Selah looked up; Eliana stood over her, smiling.

"I messed up horribly. He was being kind, and I practically spat in his face. Now he's definitely going to hate me," Selah groaned, sliding down. The sky darkened; a distant rumble faintly cracked overhead, which was followed by a cold, soothing drizzle.

"Yes... you messed up, but don't blame yourself yet. This is probably only the second time you've seen real combat," Eliana said, attempting to comfort her. "Besides, you likely yelled at Lucas because you didn't know how to express your relief that he's alive right after he did something that stupid. You saw the Hellbound first, if it weren't for you..." She didn't complete the sentence. "Anyways..." Eliana bravely tried to continue, "As for Lucas hating you, well, I've put him through so much for so many years, I'm sure he can't hate you yet," she said with her usual glint of infectious positivity.

"Could I ask you-" Selah began, "you and Lucas are not siblings, but the two of you are so close, so what are y-"

"We have gathered everything, let's head back to the cathedral," they heard Lucas yell.

"A mystery for now then? Ask me later," Eliana replied to her with a wink before dragging her back to their mounts.