As Zane and Mira waited outside the cave, they found themselves in an oddly peaceful conversation, their voices low and reflective. Mira glanced at Zane, noticing his distant look as he traced patterns in the dirt with a stick. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, a loud, rumbling noise erupted from deep within the cave. Their heads snapped toward the entrance as a blinding red light began to spill out, glowing brighter with each passing second.
Zane and Mira froze for a moment, their minds racing to process what was happening. Then they saw them—Hall, Ash, and Lila—bolting toward the exit in sheer panic. "Run!" Ash's voice boomed, echoing against the cave walls as he waved frantically at Zane and Mira.
Before any of them could make it out, the red light surged forward like a living wave, swallowing the others just inches from the exit. Mira gasped, grabbing Zane's arm in terror. The force of the light sent a deafening hum into the air, making the very ground beneath them tremble.
"Come on!" Zane shouted, grabbing Mira's hand. He pulled her toward the entrance, adrenaline surging through his veins as they sprinted to escape. But before they could get far, Mira stumbled on the uneven ground, pulling Zane down with her.
"Get up!" Zane yelled, reaching for her. But before he could help her stand, the red light surged again, covering them in its warm, pulsating glow.
Mira let out a small, panicked sound as she instinctively clung to Zane. Her arms wrapped tightly around him in fear, and Zane held her back just as the light fully engulfed them. In a single heartbeat, they were gone.
The cave grew silent once more, the red light fading into nothingness. The space now seemed untouched, as if no one had ever been there
Zane's eyes fluttered open, his mind reeling as he tried to piece together what had happened. The red light, the deafening hum, the panic—all of it felt like a dream, yet here he was, lying on the ground with Mira wrapped tightly in his arms. Instinctively, he realized he had shielded her from whatever that strange red liquid was. For a moment, there was nothing but silence, the world around him eerily still.
His gaze drifted down to Mira, still unconscious in his arms. Zane's breath caught as he took in her features, illuminated by a soft glow. Her long, golden blonde hair spilled over her shoulders, shimmering like spun silk even in this strange place. Her face was flawless, her smooth skin glowing faintly, and her full lips slightly parted as if she were in the middle of a dream.
Her beauty was almost otherworldly—those intense blue eyes that had always held a spark of fire now hidden beneath her closed lids. Zane couldn't help but notice the way her curves pressed against him, her hourglass figure accentuated by the snug fit of her hiking outfit. A sweet, floral scent lingered in the air around her, delicate yet intoxicating, making it impossible for Zane to focus on anything else.
A moment passed, then another, and Zane found himself staring, his thoughts clouded with confusion and a strange sense of calm.
"Am I interrupting something, Romeo?"
The voice shattered the quiet, snapping Zane back to reality. He looked up to see Hall standing a few feet away, his face splitting into a mischievous grin. He leaned casually against the side of what looked like a towering, alien tree, his expression completely unfazed by their strange surroundings. "I mean, don't get me wrong—this is very touching. But maybe save it for later?"
Mira stirred at the sound of Hall's voice, her eyelashes fluttering as her eyes slowly opened. Zane quickly let go, clearing his throat as he helped her sit up. Mira blinked a few times, her gaze locking onto Zane's. For a moment, there was only confusion in her bright blue eyes. Then, as her surroundings came into focus, her cheeks flushed with color.
"Where… where are we?" Mira asked softly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
Zane opened his mouth to answer, but Hall beat him to it. "Well, we're definitely not in Kansas anymore," he said with a dramatic sweep of his arm. "But don't let me interrupt. You two were having a moment." He smirked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Mira's cheeks reddened further as she quickly stood up, brushing herself off. "Hall, seriously?" she muttered, crossing her arms.
"What?" Hall said innocently, holding his hands up. "I'm just saying, if we're stuck in some weird alien world, might as well make the best of it, right?"
Zane rolled his eyes, shaking off the awkwardness as he stood beside Mira. Whatever strange emotions had surfaced moments ago were pushed aside as he focused on the reality of their situation.
His eyes swept over the group, silently counting heads. "One, two, three, four… where's Ash?" he muttered under his breath, panic briefly flashing across his face.
"Relax, General," Hall quipped, leaning lazily against a rock. "Ash's right there, trying to look like he's got it all figured out." He pointed toward Ash, who was inspecting the strange terrain with a furrowed brow. "You know, you might as well call roll at this point."
"Shut up, Hall," Zane snapped, glaring at him. "This isn't a joke. We need to stick together."
Hall held up his hands in mock surrender, grinning. "Alright, Captain Serious, you're the boss."
The group took a moment to look around, taking in their surroundings. The air was heavy with fog that coiled around their ankles, making it hard to see far ahead. The sky above them was dark, with a single pale moon casting a faint, eerie glow on the unfamiliar landscape. The trees that surrounded them were tall and twisted, their gnarled branches reaching out like skeletal fingers.
"Where… where are we?" Lila finally asked, her voice trembling.
Nobody had an answer. A heavy silence fell over the group, broken only by the occasional rustle of the wind through the trees.
Mira shifted her gaze toward Zane, who was standing apart from the others. Something about him seemed off. His breathing had quickened, and beads of sweat glistened on his forehead despite the cool night air. He kept glancing around, his eyes darting nervously like a cornered animal.
"Zane, are you okay?" Mira asked, stepping closer to him.
Zane didn't respond. Instead, he suddenly took a few steps back, his movements sharp and deliberate. "Stay back," he said hoarsely, his voice strained. "Somebody… somebody throw a stone at me."
"What?" Mira exclaimed, her brows furrowing in confusion. "Are you crazy? What are you talking about?"
"Do it!" Zane barked, his eyes wild. "I need to know if—if something's wrong with me."
Hall snorted, clearly entertained by the situation. "Oh, don't mind if I do," he said with a mischievous smirk. Before anyone could stop him, he crouched down and grabbed a sizable rock from the ground. His muscles tensed as he pulled his arm back, preparing to throw.
"Hall, stop!" Mira shouted, her voice rising in alarm. "Are you out of your mind?! He didn't mean it!"
But Hall wasn't listening. With a sharp flick of his wrist, he launched the rock toward Zane with shocking force. The stone shot through the air like a bullet, faster than any of them expected.
Even Hall's grin faltered as he realized how much power he'd put into the throw. "Whoa… I didn't mean to throw it that hard," he muttered, his voice tinged with both awe and confusion.
Mira's heart raced as she watched the stone hurtling toward Zane. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" she screamed, her voice cutting through the tension.
Time seemed to slow as the rock closed the distance between Hall and Zane, and everyone held their breath, waiting to see what would happen.