The Whispers of Arcanum

The team had been on the road for weeks, working tirelessly to find the next piece of the puzzle in their quest to save the world. Tensions had been running high, and arguments had broken out more than once. But as they settled down for the night around the campfire, the mood was lighter than usual.

Maya had been feeling especially drawn to Nico lately. She found herself stealing glances at him across the fire, admiring the way his hands moved deftly over his laptop as he worked. When he caught her eye, she felt a flutter in her stomach. Of course, they hadn’t told the group about their encounter quite yet because they haven’t made anything official since that night.

Meanwhile, Eden and Phoenix were engaged in a heated debate over the ethics of using their powers to help others. Phoenix argued that their abilities were gifts, and they had a responsibility to use them for good. Eden, on the other hand, was more cautious, worried about the potential consequences of interfering in the lives of others.

As the night wore on, the group split off into pairs to take watch. Maya and Nico found themselves alone together, and the conversation quickly turned flirtatious. They talked about everything from their favorite movies to their hopes for the future.

“Youre out of your mind!” Nico said in a squeaky voice. “Star Wars is the best movie on this planet.” He claimed.

“Oh c’mon, it’s Romeo and Juliet!” Maya exclaimed.

The took would punch each other’s shoulder and laugh but their moment of intimacy was interrupted by the sound of raised voices. Eden and Phoenix were still arguing, and this time their disagreement had turned physical.

Phoenix turned into a snake and bit Eden. Eden healed herself quickly and then spat at Phoenix.

“Ugh! Go away you animal!” Eden yelled.

“You literally have Dark Magic, Healing ability, and flight. You go away you half-breed mutt!” Phoenix would shout back.

The rest of the group rushed over to break up the fight, and the rest of the night was spent in tense silence.

Lily winks at Phoenix and tips her head towards the woods behind them. Phoenix starts winking and eventually the whole group catches on. A green shimmer is coming from the woods behind them and they believe it’s a spy.

“We see you!” Lila shouts.

“Just come on out and we can decide if life or death is what you came here for.” Ethan finished for her.

A short girl comes out of the little forest with her hands raised. Her hair is green and she has dark freckles.

“Who are you?” Nico asked, putting his hand in front of Maya, protecting her. The group is well prepared and very cautious.

“Jade, not here for a fight.” A squeaky voice comes across.

“We saw your hair glowing, what’s that all about?” Kai asked.

“I have the power to cast spells but when I do my hair and freckles shimmer.” The girl explains to them.

“I heard about what happened with the government and I just thought it was way too good to be true, so I came to check it out for myself. I need to know it’s safe to live in this world.” Jade tries to make them understand.

They invite her in even though there is some suspicion and tension between her and the others, but they eventually come to realize that she is genuinely interested in helping them defeat the villainous organization. She reveals that she has been spying on them and has discovered a crucial piece of information that could turn the tide of the conflict.

“You see, the government doesn’t want us dead. They want us as soldiers which is the real reason they let Lily go. They specifically didn’t kill her so that they could capture her and run some blood tests.” She exclaimed.

The group was shocked to learn this and shocked that they didn’t figure that out faster.

“Another thing that I know you may not believe and I am in no position to tell but you guys have a mole—” Jade revealed.

The group looked shocked and surprised. They couldn’t trust anyone. Who was it?

“—while I was spying on you guys I spotted one of the people in your group talking to the government. I used my ability to hear more closely what was happening.” She continued.