Epilogue

Voice of Lightning… that’s what they call him. Through the years of studying and perseverance, Chen had earned a reputation not only in the kingdom of his friend and adoptive brother, King Luhan, but to the other parts of Alfaran. Looking back in the past, he often thought, what have he done to deserve such power and nobility? If Chen could only see the greatness he had done, he’d probably know why.

As one of the Northerns, people who weren’t born with gifts like sprites who controls the elements, or Halkovian who talks in the tongue of the wolves, Chen was a brave man who fought side by side Luhan in the war. Without power, he wasn’t strong enough against the wolves. But then maybe the gods saw how hard he tried, even to the point of death.

Sehun had seen his devotion… and the wolf knew that Chen had carved a special part in Luhan’s heart. Now they couldn’t trust anyone more than they trust Chen. And the royal advisor never had any intention of betraying that trust.

Over the years, Chen stayed beside the Immortal King. He was with him as he searched for the Heartfire Child, in his great hope to stop the winter. Chen was the witness of how the truth unfolded in the table that day when Ka’yen revealed…that he indeed, was the mate of the wolf, the brother of the Immortal King—that he was Baekhyun.

Yes, he fought with them against the Snow Queen—Yes, he was there when the first dawn rises from the east after the war. But that wasn’t what he was looking at that time.

He was looking at the most beautiful being his eyes had ever lain on in all his years.

His hair and eyes were white as snow, purer than any white that he had seen, whiter than ivory. His skin was pale, glittering with bits of frosts in his flesh. He wore the softest silk around his slender body with his feet bare of any protection. Chen watched him float around the forest as the fire from Baekhyun’s tears melted down the frost that killed lives for years.

But to Chen, he’d never loathe the gray skies and frost if it was Xiumin, the spirit of frost, who would bestow the land the winter in its own time.

Days passed after the war, and he had never once stopped observing the spirit. Since Xiumin was exiled from the spirit world, he could no longer go back there. Baekhyun, bless his good soul, took Xiumin in and gave him a home in his brother’s castle. Of course, Luhan would agree for he could never say no to his brother.

Since then Xiumin has a permanent presence in Chen’s life. Although, the advisor never tried talking to him, he always watched him from afar. That continued, until one day, that Chen was in the front yard of the palace, looking for a good spot to rest in, when suddenly he found him on a tree branch of cherry blossom tree. He looks pretty there while touching the petals of the flowers. For a winter spirit to love flowers, he sure was one of a kind.

Xiumin must have felt his presence, because he suddenly turned his head to him and gave him the sweetest smile. “Oh, hello…”

Chen mentally slapped himself for being dumb, for he just stared at him with gaping mouth. Xiumin laughed at him as he gracefully jumped from the branch, landing perfectly and soundlessly on the bed of Bermuda grass.

“Chen?”

The said man blinked, not only once, but five times, before he could even gather himself to talk to the person he adored so much.

“Y-Yes,” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

“It’s nice to finally talk to you. I’m Xiumin.” The spirit smiled.

“I know—I… I mean, it’s nice to meet you too.” He blushed at the slip of his tongue.

The spirit giggled and skipped closer, now standing a foot before him. “Let’s be friends?”

Chen couldn’t be any more happier.  He and Xiumin spend a lot of time together. They found out that they both like studying, and Chen was intrigued with Xiumin’s power as much as Xiumin was intrigued with his. Most of the time they leave the castle grounds to spar in the forest. Chen loved the days he spent with the spirit, the color their power makes when it clashed together. He loved it when they roll down the hill because Xiumin tackled him saying , “You’re unfair Chen! You tricked me!” whenever Chen plays prank on him.

Luhan watched them interact with a knowing smile. Even when these two won’t admit it, they are actually falling for each other. He was by the main door of the castle, with sapphire cape draped around his thin frame. He was waiting for his brother to come out as well because they decided to take the Halkovians back to their natural habitat. Before he left though, he dragged his advisor to the side so no one could hear them.

“Chen,”

“Yes, your majesty?”

Luhan rolled his eyes but leaned closer, whispering to his ear, “I am not blind, you stupid old man, be a man and confess to Xiumin.” If Luhan would be as mischievous and playful as his brother, Baekhyun, he’d be rolling on the floor, laughing by now, because Chen’s face was as red as Baekhyun’s eyes.

“W-What are you talking about—“

“Oh shush, you like Xiumin right? Just tell him okay? You two would make a great couple.”

“But, but…” Chen whined, “Luhan we’ve only known each other for months. Do you even think that he’d reciprocate my feelings?”

“You know, you’d never know until you take a risk.”

By the time he and Baekhyun left with their wolves, Luhan knew that Chen would take his advice into consideration.

The forest where Baekhyun and his brother went into was quite vast and deep. Once they entered the place, the canopy of trees had shaded them from the bright sunlight. Not only that, but the fog that surrounded the place has reminded them of home. Baekhyun and Luhan hopped off the wolves as they walked deeper into the forest. They asked their lovers to wait from the place so they won’t have to scare the Halkovians off.

As they went deeper, suddenly, Baekhyun was almost got hit by an arrow that swished past his hair. The brothers looked at each other before they took the turn to the direction of where the arrow came from.

They didn’t get further. There was a huge net that fell on them and the ground they were standing on crumbled. Their feet slipped off as they slid into a hard floor.

“Aw!” Baekhyun rubbed his bum, his brother trying to get the net off of them.

“Damn traps” the king grumbled.

The cage, which was apparently where they were in, moved until it was yanked up, hanging by the nearby oak tree.

As fast as it happened, Halkovians started jumping down with spears and bows with their hands, snarling at them like a wolf would.

“Irkam shi tha vesshi?” (“Who are you people?”) hissed the man who was closer to them. He looks so angry that they thought he would pierce them with that spear as soon as he stopped asking his question.  Baekhyun knew that their race was also territorial, like wolves and that  a mere trespassing will not be tolerated in their rules. It made him smile, knowing that their culture was preserved throughout the years.

The man thought he was mocking them with that smile. He shook the cage that earned a yelp from the younger.

Baekhyun held Luhan’s arm to soothe him, since his brother didn’t grew up with his own race.

“Tu dei shiithak tha, tu shi yvhir…” (“I will not hurt you, I am a friend”)

With Baekhyun’s switching of language, the Halkovians stopped growling and shock was evident from their faces. “Tu nadda shi Baekhyun, Ye shi tu yunse, Luhan.” (“My name is Baekhyun, he is my little brother Luhan,”) Baekhyun smiled down at them, holding the bamboo cage with both of his hands.

“You—you know Haavi?” The same man asked with a rough accent.

“Yes,” Baekhyun giggled. “Because I am a Halkovian like you, so is my brother.”

As a proof, Baekhyun brushed up his fluffy hair to show his pointy ears and pointed at Luhan’s identical pair.

It’s too bad to know that the people Baekhyun knew from his time had passed away already. However, he told the new tribe about what happened and how everything is now safe for them. The Chief of the tribe thanked them a lot and agreed to his proposal to lead them back to the Halkovian’s home.

It was even funny on how they reacted when they met Sehun and Chanyeol. They all fell down on their knees and bared their neck as respect. Sehun had shifted back to his human form shamelessly, as he blessed them with his grace. Chanyeol did the same and told the Halkovians to leave peacefully with love and passion for each other and other races.

It was already dusk when they decided to come back home. Wearing their content faces, the brothers rode their familiars and soared into the air, Chanyeol and Sehun ran beneath them in their wolf form.

The touch of the wind and the warmth of the sunset was a perfect combination of peaceful end of the day. They said goodbye to the sun and slept peacefully that night knowing that they’ll see it again tomorrow.

----

(Extra)

Chen was tossing on his bed and he couldn’t even fall asleep even if he wanted to. He was thinking about the thing Luhan told him. It was almost midnight and he’s tired, but his brain wouldn’t let him rest. After a couple of minutes of debating, Chen couldn’t take it anymore and left his room in order to look for that Frost spirit who loves to sleep in a cherry blossom tree’s branch rather than in his own room.

He ran there barefooted, only in his night robe, and found Xiumin gazing at the silver moon.

“Xiumin!” he called, panting. The spirit was startled, but then came down with a frown on his face.

“Chen? It’s late, why are you here? It’s cold and you’re not wearing your robe—“ Xiumin’s adorable white eyes doubled its size when he saw the advisor took wide steps closer and held him on both shoulder.

He looked so serious that he doesn’t look like Chen anymore. But he was surprised even more when the mage suddenly closed the distance between their lips and crashed the two plump pairs together. Xiumin squealed, but then he didn’t push him away, but pulled the mage closer and kissed him back.

Why did he?

He’s been waiting for this for so long.

a.n.

will edit later.

hahahahaha so guys. xiuchen?