Chapter Six – The Fire Wolf

In all honesty, as much as it was an embarrassment for a grown up man like Ka’yen, since his birth he never had a lover. He never once entertained the women and men who were after him. It really didn’t pass his mind to search for one—since he was content with the company of his friends and the daily mischief they brought to the public.

Love was… undefined in his vocabulary. He doesn’t want it, but he doesn’t hate it either. Ka’yen thought that maybe he was aual—because he lacks interest in both es. Sometimes he was envious in the bond that Ravi and Leo has.

Even the latter rarely shows emotion, his actions tell that he also liked Ravi’s slight advances like—the simple touch on his back as they walk, the low, husky whispers in his ears whenever they want to talk in private, or even let the white head be protective over him.

Ka’yen wondered why he hasn’t felt that need for anyone.

The ropes were tangled the moment he laid his eyes on this crimson wolf, struggling to fight of the walking bones by himself. This was his first time seeing such things, much more to encounter them in battle.

There was ominous purple miasma surrounding each them, the dark magic that controls them. He didn’t waste time and jumped of the aerial mount they used to travel to Tahenia as fast as possible, even when the giant creature had yet to land.

He unsheathed his twin sword, one made of rose gold, and one was of ebony and silver. He swung it like he was just holding feather. Each and everytime it creates friction with the wind, the blade was ignited with fire. It made things easier for him.

With one slash against the skeleton’s rib, the undead disassembled and fell to the ground, turning into ashes after it was eaten with fire. It continued like that—together with Luhan and his bow, Sehun, who was in his wolf form,  Chen and his staff and of course his two friends in their own weapons.

His eyes were nailed on that figure, standing out against the whiteness of the snow. His fur in deep crimson color, reminding him of blood, and his pair of garnet eyes and long, sharp canines—they were a sight to behold.

He could see that the wolf, whoever he was, was not in the shape to fight. Luhan said that this wolf is the Fire wolf—the one who will be awakened when the Heartfire Child is born.

Does that mean the Heartfire child came here and woke him up?

“Ka’yen help the wolf!” he heard Luhan said as he pulled the drawstrings of his bow in concentration, one by one killing the undead surrounding them. Damn they were outnumbered.

He crossed his twin swords when one skeleton and his ugly face tried to swing a hand on him, and pushed it back. Slicing the skull, Ka’yen set them on fire.

“You want me to help the wolf?! I am not a Halkovian your majesty you want me to die?!”

What was Luhan thinking?! The wolf, regardless of their human intellect and ability to shift, was still a wolf—territorial and aggressive. He’s not a Halkovian for Pete’s sakes that could tame or at least be friend such ferocious beast! What if the Fire wolf burn him instead before he could even lay a hand on him?

“Chanyeol won’t hurt you! Trust me!”

So his name was Chanyeol? Ka’yen looked at the wolf and found him falling on its side. He was catching his breath and seemed to not notice the undead going to his direction to attack the defenceless wolf. Ka’yen quickly made his way through and slid to the snow and attacking the walking bones to their legs. The fire ate it up before it could even fell on the ground.

Crawling to now defenceless wolf, he watched with his own eyes how the huge beast slowly shifted into a fine—okay not fine, but handsome—man, body was chiselled perfectly with all the long legs and lean muscles, his biceps flexing.

“C-Chanyeol?” he tried to call his name as he carefully, gently cupped the man’s cheeks and guide him up with one arm on his back.

It seemed to work, because the man blinked his long lashed rimmed eyes, trying to focus on him, before parting his lips, exhaling on his face. What he didn’t expect was for the wolf to reach out and cup his face in return, thumbing his cheeks that soon brushed his lips, before he whispered ever so quietly, “You’re here…”

Ka’yen didn’t have the time to ask what that meant because his lips were sealed shut with the wolf’s warm and plush ones. Everything seemed to be in blur, he could see nothing but the man’s long lashes, he felt his unforgiving warmth burn his skin through his clothed body, and his bold lips against his ones.

It was like an electric shock that surged through his spine—and his heart beat so loud as if it worked for the first time since he lived, it drummed inside his ribcage and pumped all the blood to his cheeks and to every part of his body.

His senses came back a few moments later and he pushed down the wolf. He would have slapped him if they were in any situation but he hasn’t forgotten that this one is the Fire Wolf, Sehun’s brother.  

Red cheeks and trembling hands, he guided the wolf up to the aerial mount he was riding before.

The wolf seemed to be crossing between dreams and reality, since he started groaning and dozing off when he laid him on the back of the large bird. “You are so gonna pay me tenfold, Fire Wolf when you wake up and get your senses back for taking advantage of me, you hear that?” he spat, arranging his limbs so he won’t fall off.

He was answered with a groan.

“Yeah, you better remember that because even if you are the most powerful wolf living, you don’t have the ing right to kiss me!” he hissed before leaving him there to finish of the battle.

They arrived in the palace an hour later, exhausted but triumphal for taking the Fire Wolf with them. Ka’yen just had to ride with the erted wolf back and thank the heavens he was unconscious. Luhan asked them to rest and what not’s as they took the wolf in his chambers.

Ka’yen wordlessly stomped inside his room and threw his swords on the bed, removed his clothes and ly went to the bathroom.

He filled the tub with lukewarm water, before he dipped in and relaxed his muscles. His mind wandered off back to that longest five seconds he had in his life. His fingers subconsciously touched his lips that were still ignited with the fire wolf’s warmth. He wondered if anyone saw that.

He was finally out of the room when the sun had set, only in his silk white pants and long sleeved shirt. He was walking barefooted on the carpeted floor of the foyers when he met the king in one of the intersection.

Ka’yen dipped his head down and greeted.

“How are you  feeling, Ka’yen?”

“Uh, I am fine your majesty.”

“Luhan,” the king reminded again.

“Luhan.” He corrected himself. “How’s… how’s the Fire Wolf?” he asked after a few seconds of hesitation.

Luhan smiled a bit before leaning against the wall, “Well he’s still unconscious, Sehun was in our room, looking out for him, he called their other brothers so maybe tomorrow or the next day, they would be here to see him.”

“Great…” he nodded, “More wolves,” he muttered.

Luhan chuckled and patted his shoulder, “It’s alright, they are harmless.”

Ka’yen wanted to snort, but held himself together because the bold actions of the Fire Wolf earlier was anything but harmless.

“Luhan?” the redhead queried, earning a satisfied hum from the king, “The fire wolf is awake, does that mean…the Heartfire Child is no longer needed? I mean, he is the wolf of fire, and that says…a lot.”

That, Luhan answered carefully, “No, in fact, it was the Heartfire Child made this all possible.”

With this, Ka’yen asked, “What is the Heartfire Child?”

“I think he’s the one who’ll bring back the balance…” Luhan said, eyes searching through the redhead’s inquiring ones, “by waking the Fire Wolf up,” The king went closer to the high windows of the foyer, looking down the expanse of his kingdom, “He’s the one who would bring the Fire wolf not only to the real world, but back to his senses, back to the person who cared for the people, the person who could smile and love.”

Love, Ka’yen snorted. Is this a fairy tale? “And how do we know if he’s the Heartfire child?” Ka’yen asked, completely faking interest, standing behind the king.

Luhan turned around and said, “He has to have the phoenix fire.”

Pausing a bit, the redhead grinned, “I’m sure we’ll never find him.” He said to himself, but Luhan heard him. “Why is that?”

“Phoenix? That’s a mythical creature, Luhan, there’s no such thing.” He laughed. The king frowned and shook his head, “You’ve seen my familiar, Aria, and the pegasus and the eagle mounts, and you think a phoenix is a mythical creature?”

Luhan went closer to him and pulled him by the neckline of his shirt, “Ka’yen open your eyes. You’ve been locked up in that world of yours for too long, you’ve closed your heart to anything, to everything. Open your eyes Ka’yen.”

With that, the King left, with Ka’yen being oblivious of the tears the King shed once out of his sight.

Open your eyes, open your mind and maybe, just maybe… remember me. It’s Luhan… your brother.

Sehun stood from the comfort of the couch when he saw his brother stir in his sleep. Soon enough he was sitting up, blinking his eyes and probably pondering where he was. It was until he locked gazes with his younger brother that Chanyeol remembered the undead, then—Baekhyun’s voice—

“Baek…” he whispered, bolting up, eyes wide. Now he could see clearly. “I heard Baekhyun. He’s alive.”

“Brother please lay down first—“

“Where is he?” Chanyeol looked at his younger brother, eyes filled with hope and excitement, things Sehun hadn’t seen from him since Baekhyun’s death. “Where is he Sehun I know he’s alive!” he demanded.

The air wolf sat before his brother and held his shoulders, “Chanyeol you were asleep for a hundred years, things happened and—and you need to listen to me before jumping to conclusions.”

The wolf furrowed his brows under his curly golden locks, “W-What?”

Sehun sighed and began explaining about the prophecy, the winter that started a hundred years ago, and Luhan’s search of the child of the prophecy. He told them that they found someone in Eldama, and that someone was Ka’yen, which they believe was Baekhyun’s second life.

“He has the power of fire, He has the same face as Baekhyun, even his voice. But he is a different person Chanyeol. He bears no memories of his past life—if he really was an incarnation, he doesn’t know that he is the Heartfire Child—and he doesn’t know about you.”

That hit Chanyeol hard.

“You mean, he doesn’t remember me?”

“He doesn’t know you…at all.” Sehun sighed. “I am sorry brother.”

Chanyeol shook his head, stopping his brother from saying sorry. “No…don’t say sorry it’s—it’s alright.” He took a deep breath, “But Sehun, even if he doesn’t know me, nor bears nothing from his past life, I felt it—he’s Baekhyun. And that he is another person now wouldn’t change anything. I am bound with his soul—the only thing that was left is the physical bond, the promise of eternal life.”

Sehun nodded, still not used to seeing Chanyeol speak without snarling at them.

“But… but why didn’t you tell him that he’s the Heartfire Child?”

“Luhan doesn’t know how.”

Chanyeol frowned, “Luhan…this must be difficult for him too.” With Sehun’s nod Chanyeol concluded that things need to unravel and have Baekhyun’s incarnate to decide—to think about thinks.

“What’s his name…?” he asked, taking Sehun by surprise.

“Uh, what?”

“His name.”

“Ka’yen.” Sehun said with a smile. “His name is Ka’yen.”

“It’s beautiful,” he muttered, earning a laugh from his brother. “Can you send him here?”

“Of course. But don’t blame me if he started calling you a ert, I saw what you did back in Tahenia.”

Chanyeol threw a pillow at their youngest, “Just send him in, you brat.”

“Alright, alright.” Sehun laughed and went out. Chanyeol leaned against the headboard with a sigh. An incarnation of his beloved. He wondered if this was his second chance, he wondered if the heavens pitied him…

Soon the door of his room opened and there stood him, Ka’yen. Sehun was right, it was like Baekhyun just changed the color of his hair. But as soon as Ka’yen walked to him and slapped him hard on the face Chanyeol took it back.

“Aw, that hurts!” he groaned and caught his cheeks with a palm. That stung! Baekhyun never slapped him before!

“Serves you right you erted fire wolf! What were you thinking kissing me like that in the middle of the battle and in front of everyone?! Huh!? If you weren’t such a limp back then and if you weren’t Sehun’s brother I could have fed you to those walking bones! Mind you that was the first kiss you stole you inconsiderate old fart!”

Ka’yen huffed and imitated a tomato right away, remembering that embarrassing moment in Tahenia. But his red painted cheeks brightened when the fire wolf laughed at him.

The audacity!

“If you give me a chance to explain everything about that kiss, will you stop nagging at me?”

Ka’yen was caught off guard when the Fire wolf smiled at him. And that smile brought warmth on his chest as if—as if it swelled with happiness because he had seen him smile. And the glint of happiness in the fire wolf’s eyes brought dampness in the rim of his eyes.

This shocked him the most when that bead of salty water dropped from his eyes.

“Wha—“ Ka’yen brushed his eyes. “What the …”

Chanyeol’s smiling face turned into a frown, worried at the sight of the confused man before him. However Ka’yen was the epitome of cluelessness that time as he began shedding tears, his heart clenching so much it was unbearable. And it was just because of the sight of the Fire Wolf.

“W-Why am I crying…why?” Ka’yen tried to blink them away, to calm himself down but the opposite happened.—He sobbed. He suddenly sobbed as if he was burying all this pain and sadness inside him. The tears endlessly fell like waterfall, and his chest heaved up and down violently.

Chanyeol pulled the man in one swift motion with his wrist, enveloping him with his protective arms, letting his head rest on his shoulders. Ka’yen’s legs were on both sides of the man’s lap, his hands trapped between their chest when he cried out loud—like a wailing child.

Why?

It was the biggest question that time. He kept on asking that, but he remembered what Luhan told him earlier, he had to open his eyes.

Although he couldn’t understand, when he tried to ask himself again why he was crying, he knew the answer.

Because he had seen the fire wolf smile, he had seen his eyes glint with love and joy, not hatred and pain. He cried because he was waiting all his life to see that—to witness that. He cried because his heart beat like he just started living, he just started feeling. And that was because of the Fire Wolf.

“Shh…it’s okay. It’s okay don’t cry, I’m here…”

Ka’yen buried his face on the inviting throat and kept on sobbing there. The fire wolf’s soft and gentle touch comforted him, and soon he had stopped crying, his eyelids closing with the whisper of promise.

“Don’t cry, I won’t hurt anyone again…”

Ka’yen didn’t know why, but that made him at ease before he fell asleep.

a.n.

i .... can't say anything. i cried while writing hahaha.