1 CHAPTER 1

Destiny. That one word can either put meaning to your life or be the ultimate ordeal for a person.

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A few years ago

"The warrior was never meant to get close to them. All the warrior had to do was observe them from afar, monitor their moves and keep track of them. Lately, that has not been the case at all. Most of our warriors seem to be befriending them, deterring them from the true objective. I fear a revolution may arise, and we would be outnumbered if that were to happen. I always knew they were strong, we just had to detain them, but our own men are going against us. We'll have to take certain measures, we can't trust that they will remain on our side, it's only a matter of time until they realize the power they hold. All we have to do is-"

I was so engrossed with the journal I was reading that I did not hear the door open.

"Cecile, what do you think you're doing?" My father's voice rose an octave in alarm.

I fumbled with his journal before hiding it behind my back, but his brown eyes caught the movement and they narrowed in my direction, "Nothing dad, I was uh, playing hide and seek with Josh and I decided to hide out in your office." His face never lost guard as he approached me quickly and snatched the book from behind me, his face paled once he saw that it was his journal that I had been reading.

"How much of this have you read?" He questioned in a commanding voice.

"Not much," came my quick reply, but I knew that was a lie, and so did he.

"What have I told you about lying Cecile? I'll repeat my question, how much of this have you read?" He asked slowly, I knew not to test his patience, so with a big gulp I answered.

"I've read everything."

He seemed to shake physically from my answer as he stepped back from me, mumbling something like "she knows too much" over and over again.

"Dad, I'm sorry-" I said reaching for him, but he stepped back from me, only to touch my forehead with the palm of his hand and instill a command that caused me to drop on the floor, slowly losing consciousness.

"You won't remember anything and all that you've read from the book," he spoke with his back towards me, he turned ever so slightly towards me and I tried everything in me to remember this moment but I felt it slipping, being sucked into the inner most depths of my subconscious and never to be remembered.

I pitifully reached out my hand towards him, hoping he'd turn back and not leave us, and not leave me.

I'd forget everything if he'd just stay, but that was not the case.

He gave me a sad smile before shaking his head and walking through the wall like a phantom. Tears brimmed my vision as I knew he left our family and wouldn't be coming back.

With a fading memory and an aching heart, I closed my eyes with the precious memories of my father disappearing.

Present day

"Why don't you ever take a break from reading Cecile?" My best friend Aria, asked in confusion. My response was to shrug my shoulders as I had no real answer for that. I don't know why but I always had this hunger towards books, almost like there was a certain book I was meant to read, but could never find.

I always scooped every book I came across, hoping to find the infamous book that was captivating me.

I browsed through sections and sections of books, my appetite for reading growing. I passed by a romance novel that seemed interesting, but just as I was about to grab it my hand recoiled like I'd just touched scalding hot water.

We were currently in the school library, walking through rows and rows of books that had yet to catch my attention. I huffed, wondering why it was so hard to pick a book.

"Cecile," Aria whined, "Why can't you just take a book and be over and done with? My feet hurt," she complained. I giggled, causing her to pout at me, "You know I'm picky so you shouldn't have tagged along."

"But you're my friend, plus I'd be bored at lunch without you," she announced while latching onto my arm, we smiled at each other before laughing out loud, "You're so corny," I teased.

She rolled her eyes before randomly grabbing a book from the shelves. It was a romance book, "How about this?" She said, handing the book over to me.

I bit my lip, contemplating the idea. After a thought I took the book from her hand, earning a satisfied and knowing look from her.

"Oh shut it, you know I love a good romance, no matter how dark I like my genre to be. It warms my heart," I proclaimed, patting my chest for emphasis.

She giggled in response and her face lit up like she'd just won the lottery, "Exactly! Even you, who loves all this gore and scary things, you just can't help but melt in the eyes of romance," she said.

"Not all romance though."

"Eh, I'll take what I can get, but I know you're a closet romantic," she said confidently.

Well, I couldn't argue there, and her smile told me that she knew she was right.

"Speaking of romance," she sang out.

"Oh no."

"Come on, you haven't even heard what I have to say," she pouted, her body and possibly spirit deflating.

"I don't have to know, it's going to be bad," I answered.

She gasped and hit my arm playfully, "I'm not THAT bad," she said, causing me to raise my eyebrow at her in disbelief.

"Believe whatever you want Cecile, I know I'm not that bad."

I giggled, earning me a hard glare from Aria and an assistant that reminded us where exactly we were.

I cleared my throat, "Anyway, what is it you'd like to share with me?" I lowered my voice to not draw any more attention.

It all happened so fast, one minute Aria was by my side, the next I was pinned to one of the shelves, Aria's hands digging painfully into my shoulders. I winced a bit from the pain.

Her grey eyes darted from left to right before focusing solely on me, her face grew serious. I felt the beads of sweat start to form, I grew nervous, the more the silence lingered.

Finally she leaned in and whispered.

"From sources I cannot dare mention, it has come to my attention that a popular boy by the name of Tom is planning on asking you out on a date!"

I felt everything in me become rendered powerless. That was it? A boy I've hardly ever talked to asking me out?

"Okay?"

She gave me an incredulous look, "What do you mean? The most popular guy in Sauran High wants to ask you out on a date and the only thing you can say is 'okay?'

"So what? I don't see anything important here," I said shrugging in a nonchalant way, not understanding what the fuss was about.

"Cecile, this is a fairytale beginning. Your prince charming, literally every girl's dream, is going to ask you out and yet it's like you don't even care?" Aria said, causing me to scoff in response.

"That's because I don't care," I deadpanned, "stop believing in this fairytale 'happily ever after' nonsense." I answered with heavy emotion dripping from my mouth, I glared at the romance book that was in my hands.

Aria gasped at my harsh but truthful words. "Why then do you read all these romance novels if you don't believe in it?" She asked curiously.

"Because, the real world is full of pain and suffering, reading is the only escape from it because it gives you that false hope that maybe, just maybe there might be peace among the chaos. Love among the hate. Friendships behind the rivalry. Books give us the happy ending we can only dream of having.

Life is portrayed and death is made to seem like the monsters we're told about in stories. Fake. They tell us we live forever when we know we're dying soon. Books make you believe in what is impossible, making you believe they'll stay when all they want to do is leave," I replied in a monotone voice.

"And that maybe love is meant to be forever when it's not," I added in a quieter voice, but I knew she heard it.

My eyes began to sting thinking of a love I thought would last, but a love that crumpled into pieces.

I watched as my best friend took in what I said. I didn't mean to sound all pessimistic and all but real life isn't always going to be a joy. It's a pain for others and a nightmare that never ends for many.

"Wow," she dropped her hands from my shoulders and stepped back, "That's pretty deep Cecile." I was about to say something but the warning bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. We were exiting the library when a book caught my attention. I immediately grabbed it and checked it out with the romance book.

I stopped by the bathroom so as not to make a scene in class by asking for permission to exit to relieve myself.

I had finished my business and I was about to exit the stall when two voices broke the silence that had surrounded the room. I couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation.

I gently pressed my ear against the stall, listening to the two individuals conversing amongst themselves.

"Jade I have no idea how this got here!"

"Come on Sylvia, what do you take me for? Nothing like that could just practically come out of nowhere!" I heard Jade's voice yell. Her anger evident in the volume of her tone.

"I'm not kidding Jade, I don't know how this got here, and my parents will kill me if they see this." I heard a sigh.

"Didn't you drink and get it in a drunken state or something?"

"No Jade, I haven't been to any parties recently. I woke up this morning and saw it imprinted on me."

Freaky.

"You can't just get a tattoo out of nowhere!"

Curiosity got the best of me and I pushed open my bathroom stall and walked out. The two girls gasped as they obviously thought that no one was there.

My focus, however, was on Sylvia's arm. Engraved on her skin like a tattoo was a black and red bow and arrow. A medium sized engravement with interesting markings along the bow.

"Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, and I was wondering if I could look at your tattoo?" I timidly asked, I don't know why but I felt myself drawn to it.

Maybe it was the curiosity but I wanted a closer look.

Jade gave me a funny look, "Do you want one or something?"

"Not really, no, I'm just interested in the design."

I heard Sylvia sigh before she extended her arm towards me, "It would be no use hiding or denying, you already heard and saw it anyway."

I made my way towards her and studied her arm. Looking at the ancient symbols that surrounded her bow, it looked like second skin.

It was a light red bow and arrow with darker shades of red that had flames surrounding the tip of the arrow, it was mesmerizing. Something truly breathtaking.

It was an engravement that was meant for her, designed for her.

I shuddered.

I traced the bow and arrow, and there were no bumps or roughness that could indicate that her skin was tampered with.

All throughout the day the thought of what I'd encountered in the bathroom did not leave me.

I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something bad was about to happen and for some reason I knew nothing could stop it.

All kinds of scenarios bounced back and forth in my head, but nothing concrete settled. What could a bow and arrow possibly mean and what bad could it lead to?