Chapter 1 So The Journey Begins

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nLondon, United Kingdom

nOn a chilly Friday evening, a 17-year-old young man strolled down the sidewalk toward a nearby restaurant.

nHis name was Archer, but he preferred to be called Arch.

nDespite the cold weather, he was thrilled to be out and about because his childhood friend Alexa had agreed to go on a date with him.

nIn his excitement, he had forgotten about his earlier training session that day.

nHis instructor had been teaching him how to wield a Greek kopis to build strength and prepare for upcoming demonstrations they were scheduled to participate in.

nThe streets were bustling with people heading to various parties, adding to the lively atmosphere of the night.

nArcher heard his phone ring, so he pulled it out of his pocket and answered the call.

n“Hello?” .

nAlexa’s voice came through the phone. “Arch, where are you? I’m already here.”

n“I’m on my way, but I couldn’t find a bus or cab, so I had to walk.” .𝒎

n“Oh, okay then. No rush, I’m already here. See you soon.” Alexa said before hanging up.

nArcher slipped his phone back into his pocket and continued walking. Suddenly, a notification beeped, and he took out his phone to check it.

nIt was a message from his mother, Michelle. Be careful when you’re out

nHe chuckled at his mother’s anxious nature and replied. Okay, Mum, I’ll be fine. I’ll talk to you soon

nPutting the phone back into his jacket pocket, he wasn’t paying attention and bumped into someone.

nA sudden shriek pierced through the air. “Oh my god, watch where you’re walking, idiot!” Archer’s heart raced as he turned to face the source of the voice.

n“Sorry, I didn’t see you there. Excuse me,” he stammered, trying to move past the girl.

nBut a burly man, who looked like a gorilla, stepped in front of him.

nArcher looked up and rolled his eyes. “What do you want? I already apologized to her,” he said.

nThe man didn’t budge but spoke in a cocky voice. “You walked into my girl, mate. You better keep your eyes open when walking down the road on a Friday night.”

nArcher couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “It was an accident. Why are you complaining?” he retorted, hoping to reason with the man.

nThe man scowled at Archer’s words and got hostile. “Hey, kid, be careful who you talk to with that mouth of yours. It could get you into trouble one day,” warned the man.

nArcher simply nodded, not wanting to waste any more time arguing with the man.

n“Sure thing,” he said and tried to walk away and go around the gorilla man and his lady gorilla, but the man moved in his way.

nHowever, Archer evaded the man and continued walking. “Boy, I’m talking to you! Where do you think you’re going?!” the gorilla shouted, clearly angry.

nArcher turned around as he heard the shouting and flipped the gorilla man the bird. “Yeah, well, ** you!” he retorted before finally walking away.

nAfter a 10-minute walk, Archer finally arrived at the restaurant where he was supposed to meet Alexa.

nHe stepped inside and began scanning the room. It didn’t take long for him to spot her sitting at a back corner table, patiently waiting for him.

nAs he approached, he couldn’t help but admire her beauty. Her hair was a stunning shade of navy blue, cut short as she always had it.

nBut it was her eyes that caught his attention. They were a striking shade of green that changed color when the light hit them.

nSet on a heart-shaped face that was nothing short of beautiful, Alexa, despite her age, was still stunningly gorgeous.

nThough Archer was a head taller than her, it didn’t matter to him. He had adored her since the day they first met, years ago.

nArcher approached the table, she greeted him with a smile and a wave, beckoning him over. “Get over here, Arch! I’m starving and ready to order.”

nHe took a seat and looked at the menu while they chatted. After a while, the waiter arrived to take their orders, and soon enough, their meals arrived.

nAs they ate, they continued their conversation. “How’s your history class going?” she inquired.

n“It’s actually going pretty well. We’re learning about the basics of the Kopis short sword to better understand the Greeks. I think my teacher enjoys role-playing a bit too much, though,” Archer laughed.

nAlexa laughed in response. “Only you would end up in a class like that!”

nHe grinned and shook his head, replying, “I’m not stuck. In fact, I enjoy learning about history. And the best part is, I’ve also learned how to wield a short sword.”

nThey both chuckled as they finished their meal.

nThe restaurant was surprisingly quiet for a Friday night, typically bustling with drunk patrons and couples.

nAs they left, they expressed their gratitude to the waiter and other staff. Alexa took Archer’s hand as they strolled down the street, unaware of the young man who was following them.

nThe two walked alongside the river, admiring the boats sailing up and down. They saw many couples holding hands as they walked along the waterfront.

n“So, Arch, did you mean what you said earlier? That you like me and want to explore a relationship with me?”

nArcher felt his nerves kick in at her question, but he answered honestly nonetheless. “I really like you a lot, Alexa,” Archer said with a grin. “I’m so happy you agreed to come out with me.”

nShe smiled when she heard him, her smile was dazzling, as she replied, “I feel the same way. Let’s take things slow and see where they go.”

nArcher nodded eagerly. “Absolutely, no rush!”

nSuddenly, Alexa leaned in and kissed his cheek, leaving him stunned and blushing. “What was that for?” he asked, still touching his cheek.

nShe giggled mischievously. “I just wanted you to stop talking so fast.”

nArcher burst out laughing. “Okay, fair enough. I was just excited.” They both laughed as they continued walking along the river.

nThe temperature dropped, and Archer decided to take Alexa home. Little did they know, someone they both knew was following them closely, someone they did not want to see.

nThey had grown up together and had always been close, but this winter night would change everything.

nUnbeknownst to them, someone who despised their budding love was determined to destroy it.

nAs they walked hand in hand, the man watching them drew closer. Suddenly, Archer had a premonition and turned around to see a man pulling out a knife, getting ready to stab Alexa.

nWithout hesitation, he pushed her out of harm’s way, taking the knife deep into his chest.

n“Arghh,” he felt a searing pain ripple throughout his chest. The sound of the blade piercing his flesh echoed through the night as he cried out in agony.

nArcher looked up to see who was stabbing him. “Noah,” he doubled over as the boy jumped onto him and stabbed him even more.

nAlexa shrieked with horror as she witnessed Noah stabbing Archer wildly with an evil grin on his face while chanting, “Only mine, only mine, only mine.”

nHe struggled to fight back against Noah’s attack, Alexa sprang into action. She refused to stand by and watch as her new boyfriend was being stabbed by her obsessed stalker.

nWith fierce determination, she launched herself at Noah and began kicking him in the face, trying to interrupt his attack.

nAs she fought to protect Archer, she could hear Noah mumbling, “Only mine, only mine, only mine.”

nThanks to her efforts she managed to get Noah off, but Archer’s condition continued to worsen. His eyes grew dimmer and his body weaker as he lost more and more blood.

nAlexa knew that time was running out, and she desperately hoped that help would arrive soon.

n“Stay with me, Arch! I’m calling an ambulance!” she exclaimed, her hands trembling as she pulled out her phone and dialed 999.

nWithin a minute, the sound of sirens could be heard as police cars screeched to a halt on the small street.

nTwo police officers jumped out of the car, one heading towards Noah to detain him while the other began administering first aid to try and save the dying boy.

n“Troy, get on the radio and tell the ambulance to hurry! We’re losing him!” he shouted in desperation.

nAs the police worked to stop the bleeding, Alexa was pushed aside until an ambulance arrived.

nTwo paramedics jumped out and quickly put him on a stretcher, rushing him into the ambulance.

nThe officer took Alexa to the hospital, where they asked for his relative’s details. She provided his mother’s number, and they called her to inform her of what had happened.

nAll that was heard were the loud shrill screams of a woman whose child was at death’s door.

nArcher’s father took the phone and said they would come to the hospital as soon as possible.

nThe police car then rushed off to catch up with the ambulance while the other officers took Noah away.

nThey sped down the road and followed behind the ambulance.

nA

/N – Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord

nThere may be mistakes in the writing, but I’m going through the old chapters and editing stuff or rewriting things. So cut me some slack lol

nVisit .

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Chapter end