Arden River Novels & Stories

A rush of crashing dried leaves came to her ear, and she immediately drew her bow and hurriedly put her arrow and adjusted her aim. “Who’s there?” she shouted. A few minutes had passed, and a deafening silence greeted her. She looked around and heightened her senses. Maybe it was just a wild animal passing by, and she was just anxious. Malaika put back her weapon behind her and continued walking at a slow pace this time, until she reached the portion of Kauzan River. It was the longest river stretching between the territories of Hala and Axum, where the primary source of water was the Great Lake of Virina.

I nodded and tried to refrain from making inappropriate jokes. “Correct. The next River is the Archeron River, also known as the River of Misery. It is a wandering ground for souls awaiting to be reborn as animals. I don’t know what will happen, but a steep slope will take you to the lower part of the underworld. After you finish the River of Fire, it will split in two directions. One will take the souls who aren’t going to Tartarus to their afterlife.” “I think I can figure it out when I get there.” I said, but I didn’t feel confident. “What is next?”

Something tells me I’m going to find a vase for it and keep it for as long as it lives. “This really is beautiful. You must come down here a lot,” I say, looking out at the view. From here, we can see the North side of the mainland, and quite frankly, the most beautiful. The water glistens seafoam green and deep blue under the sun, few boats gliding over the surface. It almost makes me miss being home. Almost. “It’s especially nice at night. When it’s all getting too much I’ll come out here. Early evening, typically,” Ren tells me, glancing at me.

Ryu stumbled beside me, his breaths ragged, his body trembling with pain that I could see etched deep in every twitch of his muscles. The wound in his side was bleeding through the torn fabric of his shirt, dark and relentless, and though he tried to mask the agony, his pale face betrayed him. We couldn’t stop, not yet. Every step away from that cursed arena was a step toward survival, but also deeper into the unknown that awaited us.

Aisha POV: “Aaaa…… cchhuuuu..” “Aaaaahh… Chuuuuuuuu”“Aaaaahhhhhh……… Chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu” “O.. O sweet Mary Jesus …… OH LORD…” I sneezed hard making all plasma fluid to flow down my nose and stared wiping it with several tissues, Yes! I caught a cold and that to because of that monster Ravan, he pushed me of that bridge that to into a fucking cold water river, he seriously has some issues I mean to wipe hand mark’s of those bastards who tried to molest me Ravan made me jump Into a river, he could have simple asked to take a bath, Right? but Nooo... he want to try something new like jumping of a Fucking bridge in middle of Fucking night into a Fucking freezing flowing river ALSO…. he didn’

I said seriously without a hint of 'I'm joking' in my voice. The three, Cora, Nathalie and Jordan just laughed while Rhea mumbled some words that I didn't quite clearly heard, I'm guessing she's cursing me right now, that's what she is. We talked a lot about unicorns and horses until we reached the bus stop. "Well, here's our ride, hurry get in!" Rhea is always excited about riding public transportation, she says that it's fun seeing some mother lactating their baby inside the bus, because for her it's educational or whatever.

**Uncommon Visions** Aria sat cross-legged on the soft, verdant banks of the river, surrounded by the enchanting symphony of nature. The warm hues of the sunset painted the sky in breathtaking strokes of golden oranges and deep purples, as if an artist had splashed vibrant colors across an endless canvas. The tranquil sound of water lapping against the smooth stones created a soothing melody that merged seamlessly with the gentle rustle of leaves stirred by a playful breeze. Nestled within this secluded forest for several months, Aria found comfort in the embrace of solitude, where time seemed to slow, allowing her to truly appreciate the beauty of her surroundings.

He shook it off and prayed for her, hoping Jesus would protect her and keep her safe. _________ River cruises along Route 244 down until she reaches the T-type intersection and makes a left onto Highway 385. It was getting somber by the minute, the cold wind kissing her hair, and the dark desert highway with only the moonlight shining the way was captivating. She was listening to ‘Beyond the View by Chance Pena’. It was one of her favorite melancholic songs and the scenery before her, went perfectly well with it. She was going the speed limit because she wouldn’t dare take her chances hitting wildlife, road kill, or any type of debris, especially on a highway with no lights to guide the way.