Hidden Paradise

Exactly the opposite of what I expected...but sure

3rd POV

"Should we follow?" Diana looks at Alex, waiting for his reply. "I'm next" Jason follows after. Both of their bodies were no where to be found now.

"Jason? Oliver?" Amaris yells after them. Yet, no one was responding.

"Well, I guess I'll go too" Athena said and without thinking, her body dives into the hole.

Athena softly lands into hot sand and tried to get up "Athena" Oliver helped her body up.

The sun was shining too bright and the wind was going too fast. "Cover your eyes" he whispers and turns her around. They were on a beach, that's for sure and it looked quite familiar.

Soon after, Diana arrived along with Alex and Amaris. "Where are we?" Diana tries to talk but sand kept getting into her mouth.

"Ah yes" A stern voice startled them. "T-Turn around please. I'm right here" The wind blew harsher and harsher as we slowly turned around.

A tall and big figure stood a few feet away from them. The sand became hotter beneath them before it spoke again. "Well...that took quicker than expected" It spoke again and stomped its feet. The wind stopped as they all removed their hands. The figure wore a metal suit, like in the medieval times and a sword on it's side.

"We're on the other side of the Island...are we even supposed to be here?" Athena thought as she looks arounf

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome" it opened it's arms as if welcoming death. "I think you guys noticed that the driver has gone and yes, that was my doing" it lets out a small laugh.

"Please prepare to cover your eyes once more" it looked at every single one of them and made sure that they all covered their eyes.

"Now, let me explain what is going on. You guys are part of my team along with a couple more Yelos. Our mission is to try and please the Chroma Leaders and get their timepiece. Cause the thing is, the Apoy community is also up to get them. Further explanations will be discussed later on soon."

"What's going to happen first is that you guys are going to be forced to travel to Paraiso's main Island. And I'm sure you guys know how that works, right?" they all nod their head in response.

This definitely wasn't part of the plan. Anything that involved the Apoy community wasn't good at all.

"Now, who's a yellow here?"

"I am" Diana still had her hand covering her face as the figure gave instructions "Now, picture an Island and burn" A few gasps were heard "Right now?" Diana asked, her voice was mixed with worried.

"Yup"

Being forced to travel hurts WAY more than normal traveling. Especially since it's their first time to do so. In class, they've already learned that Yellows would burn under the scorching sun as their ashes travel to Paraiso.

Diana kept her mouth shut. Forced traveling was hard to do so in a short of time. "Picture an Island" she reminds herself. Her skin started to peel badly as they turned into flakes. Cracks were drawn in her skin and something glowed in between them.

"Just..a few more" she bears the pain as half of her body was already gone. Soon after, her whole body turned into ashes as the wind carries her body to Paraiso.

"Hm...I guess I forgot it's your first time traveling" he said before clasping his hands loudly. "Now, whose next? I think there was a half green, half yellow here?"

"That's me" Oliver answers confidently. "Well, how do YOU want to travel?" Oliver hesitated before answering "The yellow way"

"Sure, that's...brave of you. Could have chosen to lie down but sure. Begin"

Unlike Diana, Oliver voices out his pain. Others felt pity for him as he too, burns after her.

"While that's happening, should we start next with the blues? Now, you guys are going to keep covering your eyes and I'll start carrying you guys. Then, I'll throw you into the ocean and you guys start swimming, alright?" No one responded as he slowly starts to approach them.

Athena felt a presence before her as something was wrapped around her waist. "Now, swim little ones!" he tells them as he threw both Jason and Athena into the water.

The first thing Athena did was to keep swimming downwards. "Remember your lessons" she reminds herself. Yet, as she got deeper and deeper, she slowly forgot those lessons.

"What happens after?" she panics yet, continued to swim. Jason was no where to be found beside her "probably already in Paraiso" she thinks

"Swim 2 feet deeper than your height and then you'll start to see something glowing" She started to swim a bit more deeper before seeing a faint glow.

"Now, I suppose you guys are TOP students, huh? I'l be throwing you into mud and that's your problem to solve what happens afterwards" A pair of hands were wrapped around them.

A loud THUD was heard as their bodies were dropped into the mud.

"And for the mean time, I'll be going to Paraiso first" the figure walks away. The sound of heavy metal dropping into the ground was then followed by the faint light being taken away.

"Are you awake?" Amaris asks "Does it sound like I'm not?" Alex struggles in the mud, trying to sink faster.

"Do you think we'll be alright?" they both open their eyes at the same time. "Are you seriously asking me that right now? I mean, have you even asked yourself that when you've first enter The Academy? Or when you decided to continue being part of the TOP students? Or when you were packing your things earlier?"

"Earlier was different. I just thought things would be different, you know?"

"Spare me the bullshit, Amaris. We both know that's not the reason why you're nervous now. And yes, I'm scared too. Since you know, my brother is now involved with this" Alex sighs as they sink into the mud. Amaris wanted to say something but kept her mouth shut. Of course, she's been dreaming to travel to Paraiso ever since she was a kid...but this was not the way she expected OR wanted. She felt scared of course, her friends were involved in this and she has doubts if they're ever going to make it out alive.

Athena emerges to the surface as she lied down to the hot sand, trying to catch her breath. She coughed up a couple of water before breathing properly once more "Are you okay?" Diana slowly helps her up "Oliver...Oliver was next" Diana helped her stand up as they get under the shadows of the trees

Oliver's body slowly started to appear beside them, panting. "Hey, you good?" He simply nods, then leans his head on the trees. The breeze blew against them one more time as Oliver's body completely stayed still. "Jason" He pants out, pointing towards another figure approaching them.

"JASON" Diana calls out, waving her hands in the air. Jason slowly runs and lets his body collapse before them. "Traveling...is...to exhaust...ting" He slowly crawls to get underneath the shade.

"We're only missing Alex and Amaris but they should come soon" Oliver buries his own hand unto the sand. Diana looks around them but after waiting for a couple more minutes, the two was nowhere to be found.

"This doesn't look like Paraiso's main Island" Oliver says

"We should check the forest. They should be there" Athena suggested as Diana held unto her hands, pulling her up. "Come on" She gestures to the boys. Dried leaves filled the forest floor, crunching every step they took.

It was hard to see where they were as the tall trees almost covered the sun. Everyone stayed quiet as they continued to venture deep into the forest. The sky was slowly getting darker and darker as trees almost surrounded them, completely

"Where are they?!" Diana was irritated that until now, they couldn't find them. Instead, they faced this enormous waterfall. She sat near a rock as she watched the water sparkle. "GUYS!" They turned to see both Alex and Amaris, standing in the river. It was the only place that shined the most, where trees didn't cover the river up.

"Amaris" Athena slowly approaches her while Diana tried not to get angry "What are you guys even doing?" Oliver yells over the loud crashing of the water. Diana crosses her arms as she watched the two enjoyed their time under the water.

"We were just washing dirt off ourselves. Come one, the water feels great" Alex motions them to with a smile on his face. There wasn't much proof but Oliver knew...that wasn't Alex.

Surely as a joke the two would have killed each other by now or their voices of yelling at each other would be heard throughout the forest...but the fact neither happened disturbed him. Oliver's face dropped as he realized what was happening. They weren't Alex and Amaris.

"ATHENA" She stops her trail and turns to him "Your shoes" He points out as Athena quickly come out of the water. Oliver saw the irritation on Alex's face as he watches Athena get out. "Damn..." Athena looks at her new shoes

"Wait, they were already wet, though. It's not going to be a big deal" Diana pointed out as everyone turned to Oliver. "Hey! You guys should come and join us" He looks at them. They didn't represent Alex and Amaris anymore, but wrinkly short creatures, luring them to their trap.

Seeing them getting along sent shivers down to Diana's spine as she sent a smile back. Oliver had to control his expressions; he knew they landed unto the wrong island "No thanks. I think we should go back to the beach" Oliver looks at Diana as the two made eye contact. She knows. He felt relived

"I mean, we still do have a bit of time" Oliver tugs at Jason's shirt as a warning. Both Athena and Jason didn't know what was currently going on, but according to Oliver's body language, they needed to get out of here as fast as they could.

"Athena!" Amaris calls for her "Come on" She gestures her to join them with a smile. Athena didn't know what was happening but she knew Amaris wouldn't smile like that, and Oliver would never decline his brother's invite. "No thank you, I'd rather stay dry for now" Athena carefully took a step back along with Jason.

Did she figure it out too? Oliver hoped as he tries to act calm in front of them "Come on! WE should get going" He draws a circle in the air, including all 6 of them. If his guess was right, the two wouldn't dare try to leave the water fall.

"You guys go ahead; we'll stay here for a bit" Amaris smiles once more "Alright! Don't stay back for too long" Diana called out as they slowly started to walk away. She knew they were watching behind their back as she felt paranoid while walking. As soon as the sound of water running down, Oliver quickly runs fast.

They all naturally started to follow him running as they got out of the beach, the sun greeting them. "One thing for sure, that girl wasn't Amaris" Athena sat down under the shade, panting from the long run.

"Amaris' eyes would sparkle a bit or gives you a special feeling when she smile. Like something warm. She was fake." Amaris stated, remembering her best friend's smile

"Plus the two wouldn't be able to last for 10 minutes without supervision"

"They were all fake" Everyone looks at Oliver as he sits down beside them

"We're at an enemy's island...the purple's island" Their face dropped as they realized, it all made sense. Athena felt crushed when she heard those words. "We must have traveled in a wrong way...somehow" Diana stretched her legs out

"Yeah, it would make sense if Alex and Amaris are already at Paraiso"