---

 

"Are you ready?" Suho asked when his eyes saw Hana was coming out from a room with the clothes that she wore on the first day they met. Hana gave a soft nod when she caught the sight of seven guys were in the house waiting for her.

 

Another five were at the outside and she heard them chattering. Hana went to them and she saw Lay was smiling at her, "Did you bring the map with you?"

 

"Yeah," she patted a small bag that slung over her shoulder. "I keep it in here." Hana told him and she tied her hair into a ponytail and her bangs covered on both sides of her face and her forehead.

 

"Let's go. We can't waste the time." Suho said and they hurriedly walked out from the house and met up with another five who were smiling to see Hana except Chanyeol and Sehun who weren't amused with the sight of Hana smiling broadly on that morning.

 

 

D.O saw the look that they gave to her and quickly motioned them to stop before Hana noticed it. Both of them shifted their gazes away and faked their smiles for her. Knowing how scary D.O could be once he's being serious and might as well refused to cook for them.

 

Hana saw each of them got a sword beside their waists and they held onto it firmly and the looks on their face seemed to show how ready they were to be going through the journey and reach the first destination with her.

 

Somehow, she was glad they were willing to help her with that. Without thinking much, Hana jogged along with them to leave the house and Suho leaded them.

 

Baekhyun walked up to Hana, "Shouldn’t you be walking at the front too? You have the map," he told her but Chen chortled, "Yah, she's the only girl."

 

"But we're still here to protect her from behind." Tao interrupted, making the others to agree with his words as well. Hana saw Suho stopped in his tracks before get into the forest in front of them.

 

"Kim Hana needs to walk with me since she is the only person who can hold the map. The others need to protect from behind and the sides." Suho ordered and Hana knew that all eyes were on her now, giving some space for her to walk to the front and stood beside Suho.

 

 

The heart-warming smile Suho gave for her managed to let her heart to stay calm for being too anxious with the future that she wouldn’t know what was waiting for them.

 

"You'll tell us where to go. I'll make sure the way is safe for us," Suho spoke to assure her and Hana gave a quick nod. She took out The Secret Map from her small black bag and untied it before unrolled.

 

The map lighted up, showing the path for them. "This way!" Hana jerked up her head to look to her right side and Suho followed her, along with the other eleven members behind them.

 

They had been walking through the forest almost for half an hour and all of them started to sweat and reached at the end point. The sun shone brightly and it's ray burnt their skins.

 

"Suho hyung, can we take some rest first? This is so tiring," Tao begged when he looked exhausted after going through the forest before searching for the Blackmoor Forest somewhere away from where they were stopping.

 

"Yeah. He's right," Sehun went to stand beside Tao and panted. Kris snorted, "You guys are too weak. We spent half an hour and you already get tired because of that."

 

 

"We're human too, you giant," Chanyeol commented and Kris was already sent him a death glare. "You're a giant too, peasant."

 

As Luhan tried to calm them down from bickering, Hana from the other side was too busy watching Suho and Xiumin worked together to let the members have something to drink. Frost and water combined together and she was completely amazed with it.

 

"Drink this. I won't give too much since we need to walk more after this." Suho let the members and Hana soothed their throats with the cold water and they thanked him and Xiumin for it.

 

"Gosh, I'm so glad these two are here or else I'd be dying," Chen rested his back against a tree trunk and D.O pursed his lips, "You're being dramatic. It's not like we're going to die."

 

"By the way, what do you guys know about the place that we're heading to after this? Is it a dangerous place?" Hana asked with curiosity shown all over her face. The guys gazed at each other. They wished they could keep it as a secret but there was no point to be hiding the truth from her.

 

Kim Hana owned The Secret Map. They were there to search for black pearls, together. So, she deserved to know no matter what and it was for her own safety.

 

"Actually, Blackmoor Forest is a forest that everyone wanted to avoid from going there. Most of the people who got into that place, died and some of them went missing. It's impossible for a person to be alive." Luhan spilled the truth and all of the guys saw Hana's face started to get pale with the truth about it. They knew she was scared.

 

Lay saw the look how she feared of it. "Then…why are we still going there? If only I know that bringing twelve of you guys will lead to death, I'd rather die on my birthday-"

 

Hana's words were cut off when Sehun interrupted, "Are you stupid for thinking in that way?"

 

"Oh Sehun." Kris' voice was stern. The maknae breathed heavily, "I don’t understand this. You guys insisted to get involve with this girl when the fact we can get back what belongs to the empire with the other way." Sehun pointed to Hana directly.

 

"Stop it, Sehun." Luhan clenched his teeth when the situation started to get worse because of the misunderstanding. "What?! I am saying what I've been thinking all this-"

 

"Enough! You're scaring her even more!" Suho raised his voice and that made him to stay silence. Hana tried her best to hold her tears that started to well up in her eyes and Lay was already went to her to hold her hand. "…It's okay." Lay spoke and Hana brushed his hand away, wiping tears that rolled down on her cheeks.

 

"I'm sorry if I'm causing too much trouble to you and I swear, I don’t even know this would lead to death. Forget it. We're going to die if we get in there and get nothing in the end." Hana was about to leave but Chanyeol held her arm.

 

"You're really an idiot. We've sacrificed and wasted our energy just to be here for half an hour. Now, you're giving up. What a bird brain." He muttered. "Yah, stop looking down on me." Hana glared when she pulled her arm back, "Be glad I'm giving up and rather die on my birthday. This is it. We're not going."

 

Suho's face was stoic when he locked his eyes on her, "None of us will die. That's my promise."

 

Baekhyun went to her, "Listen here. We are going through this together and we will make sure none of the members will die, including yourself so stop acting so weak."

 

"He's right. I thought you wanted to find your real identity. This is the time. Believe in yourself and do what we tell you." Lay added. The smile that was formed on his face calmed her heart this time. Hana lost of words. She didn’t know how to answer before noticing Suho picking up his things from the ground.

 

"Stop wasting the time. We need to be quick before the sun sets," Suho's voice filled the silence and he already made his move to lead them. The guys went to follow him but Hana was still remained at her place but Lay came to hold her shoulder, startled her.

 

"Let's go. Don't be afraid. You can count on us," he said and pulling her hand to walk with him and went to catch up with Suho who was already at the front.

 

---

 

Thirteen of them stared at the view of the Blackmoor Forest. It was like two forests being separated when another one in front of them looked totally unusual. Hana looked down at the map in her hands. The map showed the right path and they were at the right place.

 

 

Her heart thumped so hard, like something was creeping in the forest, welcoming the unwanted guests.

 

"Holy , this is much scarier than what I thought," Chanyeol gulped. "I know. I wonder what is waiting for us in there." Baekhyun added almost whispering but Hana heard them very well.

 

Suho eyed each of them, "Stay next to each other. We're here to find the black pearls. I don't have any ideas how many of it but we will find it in there. Stay safe."

 

"And use your abilities to protect each other. Including Hana. Don't leave her behind. Got it?" All of them nodded their heads with Suho's words. Hana was already feeling too scared when she realized she got no abilities compared to them.

 

What should I do?

 

"Kim Hana." She almost jumped in shock with the voice called for her name. It was Suho and his face was emotionless. "Don't do anything that will harm yourself. Remember to stay close with us."

 

Hana nodded her head wildly and when they have prepared physical and mental, they made their moves to walk heading to the Blackmoor Forest. It was creepy with big trunk with no leaves on both sides. Even though it was still in day time, but the forest was way too dark like it was at night.

 

No wonder they called it as Blackmoor Forest. It's creepy.

 

"Does the map show any signs of the black pearls?" Luhan asked when they were already being swallowed by the darkness from the forest. Hana shook her head, "No."

 

"Yah, Byun Baekhyun, use your damn power. It's so scary!" Tao shrieked when he kept holding onto Kris' arm. The tall guy hissed as Tao being clingy for the whole time.

 

Hana gulped with her foot stepped carefully on the ground. There were a few of black roses bloomed among the trees and Hana sensed that the forest wasn’t something usual. Surely it had the own mystery, caused many deaths.

 

"Where should we go now?" Kai asked.They stopped in their tracks in the middle of the forest when they had no idea where to find the black pearls in a huge place. They didn’t want to risk themselves. They needed the exact direction to there.

 

Go to the North.

 

Hana heard the voice of the woman that appeared in her dream whispered to her ear. She turned her head to find it but there was nothing. Xiumin saw the look on her face, "What's wrong, Hana?"

 

"It's the voice of the woman who appeared in my dreams. Like whispering something to me." Hana's eyes scanned her surroundings. "What did she say?" Luhan curiously asked.

 

"She's telling us to go to the North." Hana was about to leave but Suho held her arm to make her stop. She turned to look at him, "…What?"

 

"Are you sure? This place is dangerous. We can't simply go anywhere we want to." Hana took his hand off from her arm, slowly. The corner of her lips perked upwards slightly, "Trust me. I believe that she's telling the exact direction. Come on!" Hana ran off and the others quickly went to catch up with her. "Hana, wait!" Suho called.

 

Sehun rolled his eyes, "Gosh, the last time, she was about to give up. Now, she's eager to get the black pearls!"

 

 

---

 

 

"WHAT?! SHE'S WITH EXO?!" Jung Woo Jin, the prince of Vallione Empire slammed his hands on his dining table when the leader of B.A.P warriors, Bang Yongguk stood next to him to report regarding what happened.

 

"We tried to kill her but we failed. Seems like she got The Secret Map that belonged to The Guardians." Woo Jin threw a glass to the wall and the broken pieces that bounced off cut on Yongguk's cheek.

 

"Find her. Don't let EXO and the girl find everything behind the map." Woo Jin said while clenching his teeth. His eyes were dark. The anger that built up in his body made his face to turn red.

 

"Kill them and get The Secret Map. Or else, I'll kill you." He sputtered the words and Yongguk immediately bowed before leaving him alone in the dining hall. He clenched his fists when the image of how his parents were killed flashed into his mind.

 

You will have to pay for this!

 

Yongguk left the castle with both of his fists were tightened into a ball. He remembered how EXO fought with him when he almost managed to kill Kim Hana in the forest.

 

 

His skin on the back got burnt because of Chanyeol's flame. If only they weren't there to ruin everything!

 

"Hyung, what happened? Is everything alright?" Zelo came to approach the leader along with another four members behind him. "Hyung, you're bleeding!" Zelo saw the cut on his cheek and was about to touch it but Yongguk brushed his hand away.

 

The leader left without a word. Caused the members being dumbfounded. "…What did I do?" Zelo asked. Daehyun came to pat on the maknae's shoulder. "Looks like the prince said something to him."

 

"Let's go. There must be something that he needs to tell," Himchan spoke before went to reach Yongguk who already walked farther from them.

 

---

 

Hana's legs stopped to move when she saw something in her sight. Suho and Kris came to stand beside her and they knew exactly what caught her attention before the others arrived.

 

 

Chen furrowed his eyebrow, "Wait, is that-"

 

"A cave." Lay cut off his words. A big cave in front of them looked pretty much scarier than they could have thought. Fear filled in Hana's mind to wonder what must be waiting inside.

 

The black pearls are in the cave. You need to get them.

 

Hana breathed heavily, "…The black pearls. It's in there. The woman told me. We need to get it."

 

"WHAT?!" Chanyeol freaked out with her words. "Yah, you said there's a voice told you that we needed to head to the North. Now, you're telling us the black pearls in that horrible cave?!" Chanyeol let out heavy sigh when his fingers ran through his dark brown hair. He was annoyed.

 

 

"Are you sure?" Kai asked her again and Hana nodded her head wildly. "They could be hiding it in here. It's impossible for them to hide it somewhere else."

 

"I might go crazy because of this girl." Sehun's gaze on her slid off before he stared back at the cave. "I'm afraid there's danger waiting inside." Kris seemed not to agree with her decision.

 

"I'll go and find it." Suho said and everyone was shocked with his words. "Have you lost your mind, Kim Joon Myeon?! What if you get stuck in there and die? You're a-" Chanyeol couldn’t continue his words when Baekhyun and Chen shut his mouth. "That's not the way to speak to your leader in that way, Park Chanyeol." D.O rolled his eyes.

 

"I'm not going to die and whatever is waiting in there, I will never let it kills me." Suho was confident enough when he held the sword at his waist, firmly.

 

"Count me in!" Luhan raised his hand to join. "Me too," D.O said before Baekhyun walked to the front, "I guess you need my help. I can tell that it's dark in there."

 

"I'm joining with you guys," Chen and Xiumin said at the same time. Suho eyed Tao, "You're not coming?"

 

"It's too dark, how could I go in there?" His face turned pale to imagine bad things that could happen on himself. Sehun mocked him from the back after seeing his reaction.

 

"The others wait at the front of the cave and make sure there's nothing bad happen. If there's a danger, Kai will have to teleport and tell us in there. Got it?" They didn’t object with Suho's words and nodded.

 

"Kim Hana, you'll wait at here with them."

 

"No, I'm coming with you!" Hana went to reach for Suho's arm and her face showed she was pleading. "It's dangerous-"

 

"Please. I should be in there with you guys too." Suho wanted to say no but the look on her face made him to feel bad. "…Okay. But remember to stay with us."

 

Hana gave him a nod and formed a small smile to thank him, even though her heart was racing so hard in her chest.