Adopted.

Florate ran fast with Rain in his arms. He seemed to have lost the other half of the team who left in search of the bridge and must now begin his search himself. "Now where to begin?" he looked around him, the tall trees, dead leaves on the floor and the small shrubs they all looked peaceful like this was a natural forest. 'His parents have really out done themselves this time' he thought with a snort.

He decided to put Rain down for a moment and look into the environment more, for the bridge. He couldn't help but feel it's serenity within him even though it was not real. He placed her at the bottom of a tree and gave her one last look before turning back. He took a deep breathe before finally leaving her there.

He walked for some minutes, listening to the whole place very carefully till he was able to spot the bridge. He had followed the sound of the peaceful flowing water beneath it and it led him directly to the bridge. With a bright smile on his face, he ran back to where he had left Rain to meet Lyra and another boy but no Rain.

"Where is Rain?" he asked with a worried face.

"Oh Florate!" Lyra gasped before speaking.

"We were searching for the bridge, and then we where attacked by Nex's team and another team so we couldn't find the bridge and only the both of us were able to escape".

"l asked a question Lyra, where is Rain?" Florate repeated his question with a deep frown.

"We met her here, right at the foot of that tree" she pointed at the tree where Florate had left her.

"And then what?" Florate was loosing his patience.

"We tried to protect her, because she was unconscious and defenseless". The boy this time. "But Nex had his ways and adopted her".

"He what?!" Florate could not believe the boy was being serious.

"It's no joke Florate" Lyra intervened. "lt was like he wanted us to lead him to her. He wanted her, l am not sure why but he did not hurt her. He only took her with him and one other of his team mates went that way" she pointed at an unfamiliar path behind them. "While the rest of his team, went that way" she pointed at the direction Forate had just come out from.

"Oh no the bridge" Florate muttered to himself.

"We tried to stop them" She continued "but we felt so weak after all that has happened and they had hit us hard before leaving. We are just regaining our strength Florate".

Florate didn't know what to say to her, but he knew the right thing to ask her to do. "Lyra you go with Steve (the boy) towards the direction Nex's team mates went, The bridge is there"

"The what?" Steve gasped.

"The bridge" Florate repeated. "I saw it there. Follow them and get there first. Look at the trees properly, l marked them straight lines make sure you get there first. I will go and get the rest of the team and rescue Rain. Understood?"

They nodded in unison and left immediately. He looked at them for some seconds to be sure they were on the right track before he finally left to meet the rest of the team.

*

"Lilith that's the last of them" Linthorn called to Lilith with a smile of satisfaction on his face.

"Yes Linthorn" Lilith answered. "lt's too bad that we are the only ones remaining on our team. Everyone is maim and seriously injured" she said with pity.

"True Lilith but we must continue, we must rejoin with the rest of the team" he said, as he began walking away with Lilith following behind him. They had only walked for few seconds before they met Florate who was running to meet them.

"Linthorn, Lilith!" he called in happiness that he atleast met them unharmed.

"Florate good to see you are well" Lilith smiled to him. "Where is Rain?" Florate managed to avert her question with the good news he came with. He did not want Linthorn knowing that Rain was adopted, because he wanted him to focus on the rest of the team and the bridge he had found, while he and Lilith will handle Rain.

"l found the bridge" he announced to them.

"Really?" they both seemed shocked. "Where?"

"l marked the trees, straight lines. Follow them and it will lead you to the bridge. The remaining of the team are headed there already" he said directly to Linthorn.

"How about you, are you not coming?" he asked as he noticed he had carved himself out of his instructions.

"No Linthorn. I and Lilith have something to take care of first"

"Wait, what?" Lilith seemed out of track.

"You go on and rejoin the team Linthorn. The bridge awaits"

Linthorn sighed deeply. "l will be expecting you two unharmed in no time" he said finally before running away to words the path he had pointed. Immediately he was out of sight, Florate turned to Lilith with the most worried face ever.

"I knew something was wrong" Lilith gave him a questionable look. "Where is Rain?" she repeated her question, this time she very sure that she would recieve an answer.

"She was adopted" Florate clenched his fists as he spoke.

"What?" Lilith's eyes widened. "Adopted! By who? What are you saying?"

"l am serious Lilith. Nex adopted her. He took her for some reason and we must redeem her".

"l should have known, Nex!" Lilith clenched her fist. "But why would he want her? Do you think it's to get to me?"

"We have no time to think about that now Lilith" Florate said with a serious face. "Let's find her first and then know why he took her".

"Of course" she followed him as he led the way to where he believed they might be.

"This way"...