Aryan lay against a tree, panting heavily from the battle with Leon. His body ached with each breath, his muscles sore and weary from the fight. Selena hovered over him, her eyes filled with concern as she gently tended to his wounds with strips of cloth. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft with worry.
Aryan winced slightly as she cleaned a cut on his arm. "I'll be fine," he grunted, trying to reassure her, though the pain was sharp. "Just need some rest."
Kai, who had been sitting a few feet away, leaned against a nearby rock, lost in thought. His eyes were distant, scanning the horizon as if he were plotting his next move. Selena noticed his pensive demeanor and frowned. "Kai, what's wrong? You seem lost in thought."
Kai shook his head slightly, not taking his eyes off the landscape. "Just thinking about what's next," he replied, his voice low. "There's an upcoming meeting with the Third Alliance, and I need to be ready."
Selena exchanged a concerned look with Aryan. "What do you mean? Are you involved with them?"
Kai hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Let's just say I have some history with them," he said finally, his tone nonchalant. "But for now, I think it's best if we keep moving forward without delving too deep into my past connections."
Aryan's brow furrowed as he tried to piece things together. "What do you mean 'history'? Are you saying you know more about them than you've told us?"
Kai didn't meet Aryan's gaze. "I have my reasons for not sharing everything," he replied, keeping his tone neutral. "But let's just focus on what's important now—getting to the next layer of this game and figuring out how to survive."
Selena's worry deepened. "But why keep secrets now, Kai? We're in this together. We need to trust each other if we're going to make it."
Kai's eyes flicked to Aryan for a moment before he looked away again. "Trust is a tricky thing, Selena. Sometimes you have to keep certain things hidden until the right moment. Right now, it's not the time for full disclosure."
Aryan's frustration was palpable. "What's so important that you can't tell us now? Are you really one of the leaders of the Third Alliance or not?"
Kai sighed, his expression a mix of guilt and determination. "Let's just say I have a role to play," he admitted reluctantly. "But I promise, I'm not a traitor. I'm just trying to protect us and make sure we have the best shot at survival."
Selena shook her head, clearly torn. "I don't know, Kai. Something feels off. I can't shake the feeling that you're holding something back."
Kai met her gaze, his eyes intense and unyielding. "Maybe I am, but for now, we need to focus on getting through this together. Once we're out of danger, I'll explain everything. Just trust me for a little while longer."
Aryan's expression was skeptical but he nodded, seeing the wisdom in Kai's words—at least for now. "Fine," he agreed grudgingly. "But I still want answers when this is all over."
Kai's smile was thin and edged with something darker. "You'll get them. I just hope you're ready for what you find."
As they settled back into their resting positions, the silence was heavy with unspoken thoughts. Each of them carried secrets—Aryan, Selena, and Kai alike. The weight of those secrets was a constant reminder that they weren't just fighting against the challenges of the game, but also against the shadows of their pasts and the hidden alliances that might threaten their survival.