They Disappeared?!!!

Stheno started to teach me quite peacefully, but after some time things became serious. I was making the same mistake again and again.

"Get up. Try your best. You can't just give up." She said. I was knocked on the ground because of her fierce attack. She was teaching me to defend myself but she her attack was way too strong and me to deflect.

"Ah! That's enough for today!" I pantingly said. We had been practicing for four hours without a pause, how it can be that this lady wasn't tired. "please " I pleaded, I couldn't take it any longer.

Fortunately, she agreed.

"Okay. But be prepared for tomorrow." she sighed and left the training area.

As soon as she left, I crashed on the ground. I was too exhausted to stand.

Will and Isabella, who were watching my pitiable progress while sitting on a chair and eating strawberries, came over. They had completed the work that Stheno had given them. So, they were relaxing and enjoying my pathetic condition as if they were watching a comedy movies.

"Hey, guys." I weakly said and they started to laugh.

"Adrian, Stheno is really a workaholic teacher. She will make you a warrior in no time." Isabella said and Will nodded in agreement.

I stood up and smiled at them. I couldn't remember when was the last time, I had the pleasure of laughing among my friends. I guess...never. I never had any friend, except for my mom and my pet dog, who was actually a pig-like, lazy and lunatic god.

I was happy that Isabella and Will had become my best friends in just no time. This was the only wonderful thing that had happened this miserable week.

"Well, if you want to satisfy Stheno with your swordfighting skills, you will have to do better." Will said teasingly. It felt really good to see him smile. He looked like a sweet deer when he was happy. After all, my all this hardship, didn't go waste.

"I don't think that such time will ever come." I said jokingly and then headed to the garden.

We were walking leisurely alongside the soothing river that flowed gently.

I could smell it. The fresh smell of the river was so calming. I felt revitalized. All my weariness from the fight, washed away.

I didn't mind my tattered clothes and neither did the two people walking on my either side.

We talked about our past. We didn't count the bad moments, we just wanted them to be erased from our past. We talked about how each of us was brought up. How we ended up in this valley and how...complete we feel here, like some missing part of our soul had come back to us. We talked for about an hour.

After that, I went to change my clothes, which had been torn badly because of Stheno's merciless lessons. I changed my clothes, had a shower and then only could I feel better.

Then, I went to look for Will and Isabella. But couldn't find them anywhere. I searched the whole valley but they were nowhere.

I began to panic. 'Where are they? Are they alright? Has anything happened to them?' A thousand questions stirred in my mind. It was unlike them to disappear just like that.

I thought maybe Stheno might have given them work. So, I rushed to find her.

She was in the archery ground, talking to Mr Turner. I ran towards her. And she was surprised to see me like this.

"Do you know where Will and Isabella are?" I worriedly asked but she shook her head. She opened her mouth to say something, but I didn't have time for it, I left before she could say anything.

My heart was beating wildly. I remembered how Michelle magically disappeared. What if the same had happened to them. No... be positive. I told myself, but better said than done. I couldn't stop my negative thoughts.

Then I recalled something and I rushed into the woods.