ARADIAN

CHAPTER 4

The girls had made plans to venture into the woods later that day because they believed it was best to go at night to avoid being seen. But before that, Ember had some time to spare, so she decided to head to the college garden to enjoy her book, "The Codex of Arcadia Secrets." As she sat on the ground surrounded by beautiful flowers, Ember couldn't help but feel a connection to nature, reminiscent of the times she spent gardening with her late grandmother when she was younger. Lost in the serenity of the garden, a handsome young man approached her, blocking the sun's rays. Curious, Ember tilted her head up to get a better look. "Hello," he greeted, and as he moved away, she saw his face. "Asher Thompson," he introduced himself, extending his hand for a handshake. Tall, with dark brown hair and a captivating voice, Asher intrigued Ember. With a cute smile, she shook his hand and replied, "I'm Ember, Ember Michaels. Nice to meet you, Asher." He took a seat beside her, and the two began to chat. Asher, being new to college and having just moved from a different city, was also experiencing his first day on campus. He found Ember intriguing and decided to approach her. "Today is my first day of college," he shared. "I hope to meet a lot of people in this city, and when I saw a pretty girl sitting all by herself, I couldn't resist coming over to say hello." Ember blushed deeply at his words and replied with a smiley face, "Thank you." Curious to learn more about Asher, she asked, "So, where are you from?" Asher gazed at Ember with a warm smile, his voice carrying a cool and relaxed tone. "I'm from California, but I've always had a desire to come to this beautiful place, Louisiana, New Orleans. I've heard so much about it, and I want to explore it," he expressed. Ember nodded in agreement, her voice filled with curiosity. "I feel the same way. I want to explore not just this city, but the whole world. Sometimes, I sense that things are happening around us that we can't see," she shared. The two of them engaged in a lengthy conversation, getting to know each other better. As they reached Ember's dorm, Asher walked her to the door, hoping to see her again. "See you around, Ember. It was nice talking to you," he said, a smile gracing his face. Ember mirrored his smile and replied, "See you around." She then opened the door to her room, feeling a sense of excitement for what the future might hold.

As the night grew darker, the girls still had their adventurous spirits alive and were determined to venture into the woods. Ember, despite her spells never working, carried her beloved magic book, holding onto her belief in the existence of magic. Raven packed her small backpack, carefully arranging the essentials for the night: a torch, some snacks, and a bottle of water. Katie also prepared her bag, making sure to include her recording camera, pepper spray, gum, and water. Nora, not wanting to be left behind, gathered her glasses, a torchlight, and her car keys. The girls set out, with Nora taking the wheel and following Katie's directions. They arrived at the spot where Katie had almost hit the cat earlier, finding it to be a normal, cool, lonely, and quiet place. The anticipation for their adventure grew stronger as they took in the serene surroundings. The girls stepped out of the car and ventured into the woods, not expecting to encounter anything out of the ordinary. However, they remained prepared for anything, as they found it strange that anyone else would be in this secluded area. As they walked deeper into the woods, Ember spotted a shiny object and quickly alerted the others. Intrigued, they approached the object and discovered a small house. Their curiosity heightened, as they hadn't expected anyone to live in this remote and quiet place.

"Hello, is anyone there?" Katie called out, but there was no immediate response. After a brief silence, the sound of a boiling kettle emanated from the house, growing louder and louder. The girls felt a bit scared as nobody answered Katie's call. Finally, the sound ceased, and a young man appeared behind them, asking, "What are you guys doing here?" The girls screamed in fear, with Katie brandishing her pepper spray. Startled, Ember exclaimed, "Oh my gosh! You scared the hell out of me."

It was Hunter, Raven, recognizing Hunter, exclaimed his name, and Ember expressed her relief. Raven then asked Hunter why he was there, to which he responded with an unimpressed tone, "You again. I live here, and I don't remember inviting any of you." His voice carried a deep and cool demeanor. Raven explained that they had come to investigate after her friend had seen a suspicious-looking man in the area earlier. Curiously, Katie asked Hunter if he was the one she had seen. Hunter, with a relaxed tone, slowly walked towards the house and asked, "Do you think it's wise for the four of you to be here this late at night?" Ember agreed, saying, "You're right. We should be on our way. Let's go, guys." Ember didn't feel safe because she wondered why Hunter lived there alone. Raven, however, interrupted, exclaiming, "Wait! Do you mind if we stayed?" The girls looked at each other, confused by Raven's request to stay in such a weird place. Hunter, wearing a smug smile, replied, "Sure..." and invited them inside. As they entered, the house was surprisingly dark, with Hunter leading the way. It turned out that his actual house was underground, and the small visible house was just a front to conceal his true identity. They finally arrived at Hunter's underground house, and to their surprise, it was a massive mansion with dark brown aesthetics that resembled a castle. Raven couldn't help but exclaim, "Whoa! This place is so beautiful!" She was completely mesmerized by its beauty. Hunter, being a gracious host, asked the girls if they would like to have dinner. Katie, feeling exhausted from all the earlier screaming, eagerly replied, "Yes, please! I'm hungry." Hunter prepared the dinner table and invited them to join him. Unlike the previous day when Raven tried to talk to him and was ignored, Hunter was now being nice to them. They all sat down and began to eat, with Hunter serving them well. Nora couldn't help but compliment, "Hmmm, this tastes so good! Your chef is amazing." Hunter corrected her, saying that he prepared the meals himself, surprising them all. Katie playfully whispered to Raven, "Handsome, rich, and a good cook! Marry me already," causing them to laugh softly. They were having a good night, and Raven found Hunter even more interesting. After finishing dinner, Raven offered to help Hunter with the dishes, taking some plates to the kitchen. She saw this as an opportunity to have a deep conversation with him and get to know him better. As they washed the dishes, Raven asked Hunter why he was living alone, and inquired about his parents. Hunter revealed that his parents had passed away a long time ago, and he chose to be alone because he wanted it that way, hoping to end the interrogation. Curious about Raven, Hunter asked her about herself. With a soft smile, Raven shared that she was from Louisiana, specifically Lake Charles. She confessed that even though she tried not to, she did miss home a little, especially since they had all just started college in their new location. The conversation between them continued. As they were engrossed in their conversation, a sudden loud noise erupted from the living room. Startled, they quickly made their way to investigate the source of the commotion. To their dismay, Ember had accidentally knocked over a vase, breaking it into pieces. "Oops... I'm so sorry," she exclaimed, filled with regret. While admiring the house, the vase had slipped from her grasp. As Ember surveyed the room, her eyes caught sight of a symbol that seemed oddly familiar, but she couldn't quite recall where she had seen it before. Hunter headed into his room for a while and as he passed by a massive mirror, his eyes appeared a mysterious shade of dark purple. However, no one seemed to notice. Little did they know, Hunter was no ordinary being - he was a powerful and ancient werewolf, the very first of his kind. Cursed by an ancient weaver witch a thousand years ago, he possessed supernatural abilities like godlike strength, speed, senses, and healing. Ember's instincts were spot-on; the dark aura surrounding Hunter was a telltale sign of his beastly nature. Raven, Katie, Ember, and Nora remained oblivious to the truth about the enigmatic figure they were dining with. Out of nowhere, Ember's palm suddenly began to throb with intense pain. The agony grew stronger, causing her to let out a piercing scream. Everyone around her was bewildered, trying to figure out what was happening. Meanwhile, Hunter was still in his room, unaware of the commotion. When he finally emerged and saw Ember in distress, he noticed a Bindrune tattoo on her palm—a symbol of witch's protection. Confusion and fear filled the air as they tried to make sense of the situation. Hunter realized that Ember was a witch, but he wasn't sure if she was aware of it herself. Ember examined her palm, understanding the meaning behind the symbol, but puzzled as to why it had appeared. As she glanced at Hunter, she noticed a dark cloud surrounding him. Closing her palm, the pain subsided. Concerned, the others gathered around Ember, asking if she was alright. Still in shock, Ember panted and perspired, assuring them that she was fine but suggesting they go home. "Yeah, you probably need some rest," Hunter agreed, allowing them to depart.