Chapter 2: Chasing Shadows

January 4, Everdale Forest

Do Kyungsoo was sitting in the middle of the Everdale forest, his Warhammer by his side. His eyes are closed, his breath calm, as he tries to feel the vibrations of the earth. He’s looking for a pair of feet, light footsteps caressing the rich soil of the ancient woods. But the ground does not cooperate.

They’ve been camping in these woods for a day now, and they have not yielded any results. They tried collecting information from the town, Chanyeol asking around in the merchant district, Yoona sneaking around trying to find idle gossip on the boy, and Kyungsoo collecting information from the Swan Sisters, while Jongdae scoped the forest for any signs of the boy. It was infuriating, to say the least, because their reconnaissance had not borne anything useful in their search.

They’ve gathered that the boy they were looking for was an orphan by the name of Byun Baekhyun. The sisters informed Kyungsoo that the boy had been having discomfort in his hands. They also mentioned that the day Baekhyun disappeared was the day of his birthday. He tried to ask around if anyone had seen him, but most of the citizens were watching the fireworks at the square, a location well away from the orphanage.

Kyungsoo flicks a pebble high into the air, before he pivots on the spot, turning his body as he directs a blow with his Warhammer, sending the pebble flying into the open air in frustration.

Kyungsoo heaves, before he hears a familiar set of heavy footsteps approach their encampment.

“Great shot, General Do! Quite a swing you have there.” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes as he sees the resident swordsman amble into the clearing, his eyes glinting with mischief, his smile toothy and taunting.

Valera, the leader of Gaia’s Hand, had assigned Kyungsoo the leader for the mission.  Which meant having to deal with Chanyeol every day. He can still recall seeing the beacon of light all the way from Sanctuary. It was what the prophecy had foretold, it marked the beginning of the end. He didn’t really expect a literal beacon of light to breech the sky, but there it was, brilliant and horrifying.

Valera called the three of them and Yoona as soon as the light pierced the night. Jongdae, Chanyeol, and himself were the first of the twelve ever found and it was imperative that they were the ones to find the others. The three have been under care of Gaia’s Hand for most of their lives, each being trained in combat and warfare.

Jongdae arrived first atop a giant eagle, which he named Gertrude (the idiot). The boy didn't recall his past, he just knows that he woke up on Gertrude’s back and found himself in Sanctuary. Kyungsoo was second after his parents found out and sent him to the druids. The last one was Chanyeol, who Yoona personally picked up from a traveling merchant south of the Verdant Sea.

Naturally Kyungsoo thought the eldest and most experienced was the one heading the mission. However, he was surprised when Valera named him as the leader of their search party.  He expected Im Yoona, Valera’s lone disciple, to be their leader. She was the head of reconnaissance and was a talented tracker. Kyungsoo did not even know the difference between the tracks of an owlbear and orc. If not Yoona, then Jongadae surely, he was the finest hunter Kyungsoo had ever seen, he knew the forests well and could spot things from a mile away, he was surely more fit than him.

It was only belatedly that Kyungsoo realized why he was chosen as their leader. Because as much as Jongdae and Yoona were impeccable at finding tracks and following trails, Kyungsoo knew they were dealing with a prospectively dangerous entity with insane amounts of energy b from his fingertips. They had to tread carefully, because one wrong move and they could find themselves swimming in another distant plane. This was why Kyungsoo was the leader, simply because he was trained in the art of diplomacy. He knew how to handle volatile situations, such was his childhood.

He was the crown prince of the Krag Mountains, a collection of kingdoms sprawling miles and miles of mountain ranges united under one banner—a collection of kingdoms dedicated to the protection of the human world. For beyond the Krags was Untamed Lands, filled with rabid beasts and creatures that threatened the sanctity of life, so uniting the Krags was an important role, a role Kyungsoo took to heart. And dealing with hot-headed, egotistical lords who thought that they were mightiest of the land was the daily life for Kyungsoo’s father, the King. And from a young he was taught the ways of diplomacy and public speaking, while observing his father satiate temperamental warlords in court.

Only to be halted when he found out that he was one of the twelve. The look on his father’s face the day he left was both of sadness and joy

He was happy to have found one of the twelve, but he was also hampered by the thought of having to find another person to take over the thrown. Kyungsoo knew that keeping the Krags was one of the most important jobs in the world, however, his father urged him, “But protecting the world, there’s no greater task.”

So, with a heavy heart, Kyungsoo left his home to train with the druids. Now he finds himself stuck in the forest of Everdale, cranky, because even though he was trained in the art of prudence, patience, and even-thinking. His training never applied to the idiot known as Park Chanyeol.   

Sometimes, Kyungsoo thinks that Valera only assigned him as leader so Chanyeol never approached the boy. Gods know what would happen if that ever occurred.

“I’ll send the next one up your nose if you don’t stop being annoying.” Kyungsoo threatens, preparing his hammer to his side.

“Sir, yes, sir!” Chanyeol shouts, two fingers resting on his forehead in mock salute. Chanyeol had made it a habit to call Kyungsoo general ever since he was appointed the lead, much to the ire of the smaller one. The trip consisted of a lot of, “Sir, yes, sir, general, sir,” from a very enthusiastic Chanyeol.

Kyungsoo just rolls his eyes, setting himself down on the ground once more, “The only reason Valera assigned me as the leader was because you and Jongdae would have probably led us to cliff and all died,” Kyungsoo mumbles, “So stop calling me general, it’s annoying.”

“Whatever floats your boat, sir, general, sir,” Chanyeol smirks.

“So what? Are you just going to stand there or are you going to tell me what you found, if indeed you even found anything.” Out of all of them, Chanyeol had the least amount of information gathered on the boy that disappeared, so Kyungsoo was quite used to just making Chanyeol sit down and shut up while the others briefed them on their findings.

“I have information that would really help, sir, general, sir.” Kyungsoo is close to scolding the tall boy again, but chooses to just nod.
 

“Out with it then,” Kyungsoo says, while gesturing for Chanyeol to take a seat next to him.

“Sir, yes, sir. Would you require any other assistance, sir, yes, sir?” Chanyeol quips mischievously.

“Park Chanyeol!”

“Aw, lighten up! We’re not at war,” Chanyeol goads, setting himself beside the his general.

“Not yet,” Kyungsoo mumbles.

“Ah, you’re such a worry wart, aren’t you excited? This is the first time one the twelve manifested since I came to Sanctuary. This could mean we’ll be able to find others soon. ”

Kyungsoo just grunts in response. He knew he was a bit touchy at this point, but hours lost meant a lot of more ground they needed to cover.

“Just get on with it,” Kyungsoo spits impatiently.

“Sir, yes, sir, general, sir!” Chanyeol responds, another faux salute directed at the small boy.

“Well, you know that the Swan Sisters owns this little stall selling Rum Cake at the merchant district right,” Chanyeol begins, tone no a bit more serious.

“Yes, it’s mainly managed by the older kids to help out with money, we know this,” Kyungsoo growls impatiently.

“Ace stuff by the way. That rum really hit the spot, got two loaves myself-“ Chanyeol stops because Kyungsoo’s eyes had gone from cute menacing to the earth-around-you-will-shatter-under-my-gaze menacing.

“Anyway, the guy there, his name’s Roderick, he was kinda sad looking, but you know me, no frown is too deep for Chanyeol to fix…except maybe the frown you have right now.” Chanyeol chuckles nervously as Kyungsoo continued his glare, eyes unmoving, eyebrows stilled.

“So, this guy, Roderick, did I say his name?” Chanyeol muses to himself.

Chanyeol swears he could see flames jutting out of Kyungsoo’s eyes.

“Oh, right. So this guy, Roderick.” Kyungsoo stands and raises his hammer so quickly that Chanyeol almost gets squashed by a swipe from the armored man.

“Yah, general, violence is never the answer,” Chanyeol chastises from his position on the dirt.

“I get it, you’re mad, I’ll keep it short.” He positions himself next to Kyungsoo once more.

“Anyway, this guy, Roderick, right,”

Kyungsoo is about ready to pummel Chanyeol into the seven hells, but Chanyeol is quick to raise his hands in defeat.

“Kidding, kidding.” Chanyeol motions for the smaller man to sit down.

“Long story short, little Baekhyun chased down a thief by the name of the Black Devil the day before he disappeared. I think this guy has something to do with our little star bolting from the scene.” Chanyeol says, holding a fuming Kyungsoo in place.

Kyungsoo pauses and thinks, why is the name familiar?

“Black devil, where have I heard of that before?” Kyungsoo muses to himself, eyes crinkling in thought.

Just then, a set of footsteps approach them, Kyungsoo is brought out of his stupor by the entrance, he glances to find a small, lithe figure emerge from the bushes. A cat silently moves forward, its dull, brown stripes contrasted by its piecing, deep blue eyes. The cat takes a leap, then there is whishing in the air as the feline is enveloped in blur of green energy before landing gracefully next to him a tall, graceful woman with shoulder length hair and a long, angular face. The druid, in her leather slacks, and fur lined bustier serenely entered, her staff strapped on her back and her two scimitars latched on either of her thighs.

“Soo, Yeol, I think I have something.” Yoona says excitedly. The two divert their gazes to the new comer, Kyungsoo gesturing for Yoona to begin.

“So, I was prowling about the square trying to listen in on some of the conversations, when two really loud merchants caught my attention,” she sits herself down and takes a gulp of water from her canteen and proceeds to report her findings.

“One of them says something about the Black Devil.” Yoona says.

“This is the same guy Roderick said Baekhyun was chasing the day he disappeared,” Chanyeol shouts all but too loudly for Kyungsoo’s liking.

“What Baekhyun got into contact with this guy?” Yoona asks, her head craning towards Chanyeol.

“Yup, my sources tell me that this Black Devil stole a rum cake from their stall, but before Baekhyun could actually approach the thief, he apparently disappeared.” Chanyeol says while opening and closing his hand in front of an irritable Kyungsoo.

“What do you mean, disappeared?” Yoona asks.

“As in, he poofed out of existence, disappear,” Chanyeol repeats, looking straight at Kyungsoo, eyes wide.

“He went poof, Kyungsoo,” he emphasizes, “Poof.”

“Well that adds up,” Yoona says interrupting a fuming Kyungsoo who was about to smack Chanyeol with his hammer.

“What adds up?” Chanyeol asks, now turning after being satisfied with Kyungsoo’s reaction.

“Well, one of them mentioned that he was a demonic thief who prowled in the darkness,” Yoona says scrunching her face in remembrance, “He steals from a lot of the wealthier merchants in the district, and apparently frequents the potion masters shop a lot” Yoona continues her hands gesturing animatedly as she told the story, “But this is the good part,” she says her eyes sparkling, “The guards have been trying to get this guy for years now, but he always disappears before he gets caught, no one’s every even seen his face. And apparently the guy doesn’t even make an effort to hide the fact that he’s stealing, cause there’s been a case of the Black Devil everyday.” Yoona is more thrilled now, a bit antsy even, “But suddenly, the Black Devil just stopped,” she said her voice softer, “reports of appearance stopped coming in two days ago,” the buildup is grand, and her breath slows, “The day after Byun Baekhyun disappeared.”

Kyungsoo is bit shell shocked at all the information he receives. After days of getting nothing, everything is suddenly being put into perspective.

“The merchants think he was finally captured, but I don’t think so, someone as good as that wouldn’t be captured by normal guards, I think he might have left town.” Yoona says, eyes contemplating.

“So what, you think this poofing thief captured our little starlight?” Chanyeol asks. But Yoona immediately shakes her head.

“I don’t think so, it doesn’t add up. Baekhyun’s an orphan, no one would pay him any attention. No one would care, and the Black Devil is a thief, not a kidnapper, as far as the story goes, the guy hasn’t killed anyone.” Yoona answers.

“But Baekhyun blew up an orphanage, maybe the Devil is using him for his powers.” Kyungoo suggests.

There is a silence, as the image of madman harnessing the powers of pure energy entered Kyungsoo’s mind.

“Baekhyun’s powers are too eye-catching, thieves don’t dig that. They like shadows and mystery, that’s why this guy goes poof.” Chanyeol says, once again gesturing with his hands in front of Kyungsoo’s disgruntled face.

 “Then what if, and this is going on a limb, but what if Byun Baekhyun fled with the Black Devil.” Kyungsoo suggests. This grabs the attention of the two.

Everyone is silenced for a moment. The group was all standing now, their eyes pondering, their feet restless.

“Why though?” Yoona says breaking the silence.

“Maybe the Black Devil was compromised,” Chanyeol suggests, “Maybe the guy had his reasons, he is touted as a demonic thief, maybe he’s had enough of it, and he found Baekhyun, their both nobodies, no one would pay any mind.”

Kyungsoo looks up at the tall man, nodding at his analysis.

“I think I remember my dad hiring a thief once,” Chanyeol mutters, to which Kyungsoo looks at pointedly.

“Oh, get over it, my dad’s a merchant, they do these kinds of things.” Chanyeol says, swatting Kyungoos scandalized face away from his.

“Anyway, this guy, the thief, he wasn’t your run-of-the-mill pickpocket, this guy was the real deal, a master thief.” Chanyeol says, looking up at the sky, trying his hardest to remember the details of the conversation.

“I was really young then, but when the thief met with my dad, he wore this really freaky demon mask and his voice wasn’t natural, like he drank a potion to change it or something. He was so quiet, no one even knew he was there, he just suddenly appeared in front of my dad one night.”

“Is there a point somewhere in this story?”Kyungsoo interrupts.

“Ah, you snappy midget. Why is it when Yoona is telling a story you’re silent and attentive, but when I tell my story you snap like I’ve been insulting your mother?” Chanyeol sneers at the smaller boy.

Kyungsoo merely shrugs.

“I think this Black Devil guy was like the thief my dad met, he’s not just some petty thief you find on the streets, they have a code, there’s an art to it.” Chanyeol says pacing, “After the thief left the door, I asked my dad why he wore a mask and stuff, he told me that thieves of the highest order have but one possession they truly own,” Chanyeol says.

“Their identity.”

“So you think someone found out his identity?”Yoona says.

“I mean why would a thief who has been what he’s been doing perfectly, just suddenly bolt, something must have been compromised.”

“But why hasn’t anyone waving his identity to the world then, why isn’t the Black Devil’s face plastered on every wall of the city?” Kyungsoo asks.

“I don’t know, I can’t find another reason he would do it.” Chanyeol murmurs.

“But it doesn’t explain why we still can’t find Byun Baekhyun.” Kyungsoo groans in frustration walking away from his party. He thought they were getting somewhere, but the case of Byun Bakehyun had just become so much more complicated than they initially anticipated. He’s about to groan in frustration, but is interrupted by a voice calling out his name.

“Kyungsoo!” the boy looks back and finds his two companions looking as confused as he was.

“Kyungsoo!” a voice screams again.

Kyungsoo realizes that the voice was coming from above, which only meant one thing.

“Jongdae.”

And true enough, on the back of a large eagle sat the final member of their party, the hunter garbed in his leather armor, his Dragon scale bow, Kirin, hanging behind him, a toothy smile highlighting his handsome face.

After his party gathered on their horses, Jongdae led the way to the clearing he found while he was scouting.

Jongdae reaches the clearing, his eyes finding the footprints imprinted on the soft soil of the forest. His companions follow him, their heads looking at every which way.

“So, what are we looking at,” Chanyeol voices from the back, his eyes scanning the large trees around him, “Looks like a forest to me.”

“Look down you buffoon, there are tracks,” Kyungsoo says from beside Jongdae, his eyes looking more tired than Jongadae has seen in a while.

Chanyeol does look down and sees various footprints littering the small alcove in the forest. He tries to look closer, but is still drawing blanks.

“Jongdae, care to explain, even I don’t know what I’m looking at,” Kyungsoo says.

Jongdae steps forward and heads to the center, gesturing his companions to follow him. He directs their attention to two separate sets of prints. He kneels down and points at these.

“These, are two sets of footsteps, well footsteps and hand marks,” Jongdae says pointing to the faint hand marks not far from initial footprints.

“Judging from it, these were made only a few days ago.” Jongdae says, this garners a pair of sounds from his companions. He ignores this and continues his report.

“But there’s something weird about it,” he says looking at his companions. They’re listening intently now, then he points to the bigger, heavier set of footprints.

“This set is in particular is quite peculiar.”

“How so?” Kyungsoo asks.

“They don’t have a path.” Jongdae says standing up, then pointing to faint marks on the ground.

“This one,” he says pointing to the smaller ones, “Has leave a clear trail, you can tell that he kind of crawled to this spot over here,” he says tracing the path from the center to a large tree. His companions follow, hanging on every word the hunter says.

“But this one here,” now pointing to the appearance of the larger footprints on the ground.

“Just appears here,” he says pointedly, “It’s the same one as the one’s at the center, but there’s no trail, it’s as if—“

“He just appeared there,” Yoona interjects her face suddenly looking on in surprise.

“Maybe they tried to erase the marks,” Kyungsoo says, but Jongdae shakes his head.

“If they wanted to hide the tracks, they wouldn’t have left any trace,” Jongdae answers, “The footprints are too messy to have been planted.” Jongdae says finally standing up and looking at their leader.

 “Do you think it’s the kid, Soo?” Jongdae asks hopefully.

Just then, Jongdae sees Chanyeol moving behind the tree, the tall man then ducks and picks something from the ground. Chanyeol brings it closer to his face then sniffs it. It looks like a piece of bread that was thrown on the forest floor.

“Chanyeol don’t eat something you just picked up from the ground,” Jongdae admonishes, hands pointing to his tall friend.

 Kyungsoo is the one who usually does the scolding, but he realizes that Kyungsoo is in a silent stupor, even Yoon who had elected to pace around the initial traces of footsteps.

Then he sees Chanyeol’s eyes light up in sudden realization.

“Kyungsoo!” he screams his arms flailing.

“Kyungsoo!” he screams again, now more excitable.

This brings the leader and even Yoona out of their stupor, heads turning to look at the flailing man by the tree.  

“RUM!” he squeals, “RUM CAKE!”

Kyungsoo’s eyes grow large, the dreariness long gone from his face within a matter of minutes. Even Yoona is shocked and excitable.

“Wait, what’s with happening, what about rum?” Jongdae asks clearly confused.

“I’ll explain later,” Kyungsoo says heading to where they left the horses.

“Chanyeol!” he calls, startling the tall man, “Check the map for the nearest towns, we’re heading there first.” Chanyeol nods and rushes over to the horses.

“Yoona! Try to get as much information as you can get from the animals in the area,” he orders, voice full, tone intent. Yoona gives a nod before turning getting into a swirl of energy, emerging as a large dire wolf, then running into the forest.

“Soo, what’s happening?” Jongdae asks once again.

The leader looks at the hunter, “Thanks Jongdae, you did a great job.”

“I already know that, Kyungsoo,” Jongdae says exasperatedly, “I want to know why you’re suddenly sounding like we’re going to war.”

“If all our intel is correct, then Byun Baekhyun escaped from the little town of Everdale with a friend, a friend who can teleport at will,” Kyungsoo says.

Jongdae just gapes at Kyungsoo taking in the sudden developments in their search.

January 1,Everdale Forest

Baekhyun was quite disoriented throughout the entire ordeal. When the man with caramel skin and sharp cheek bones offered his hand, the rational side of Baekhyun that told him to bolt and go, but his mind wasn’t in the right place.

He was not even sure who his companion was, that is until they dispersed into the darkness.

There’s an unfamiliar tugging as he’s pulled into this hole in the night. He feels like his limbs have been dislocated, swished in every which way, and then relocated in matter of a second. He hears a rushing, then he’s on the ground stopping himself from wrenching whatever was left in his stomach.

His companion, looks at him worried.

“Are you okay? You look like you’re about to barf.” Baekhyun hears from somewhere above him.

He tries to steel himself, tries to inhale. His hands are shaking, his head spinning. He tries his best, but his body is too haggard to deal with anything anymore.

He barfs.

He hears a grunt from above him, “Oh dear gods, are you—“ there’s heaving, “I don’t—“ another, “what do you need?” a third.

Baekhyun attempts to get words through his mouth, tries to mumble something a normal human can comprehend, but what comes out are gurgles and grunts.

“Are you speaking orcish, I don’t speak orcish, hey how come you can speak orcish?” comes the reply from his companion.

Baekhyun, finally rid of all the contents of his stomach, gets to say something normally human, “Wughr,” he mumbles.

“Wur? Ah! Water! Okay. Hold on, I’ll get you water,” Kai all but blurts from above him, “Actually, why don’t a teleport with you, it would be faster, but--”

The idea of doing another trip into space made Baekhyun’s insides turn once more, “WUGHR!” he all but grumbles as bile once again rises up his throat.
 

“Alright! Will be back!” Kai says urgently. A second after he hears a poof, and Kai is gone.

Baekhyun tries to steady himself, looking around. He realizes he’s in the middle of a forest, probably the Everdale woods. The large, gnarled roots of ancient trees surround him, a cold breeze passes him.

He remembers walking these woods before, it was a summer ago when the sisters asked him to gather some berries in the outlying forest. Baekhyun remembers the sunlight hitting his face as the morning sun played across the treetops. The trees towered over him as he walked through, he was happy then.

Now though, the forest seemed foreboding and suspicious. There was no warm sun to welcome him, no soft breeze to caress his skin, no home to return to when the night grew colder. Only the faint light from his hands assured him that he was not in total darkness.

Baekhyun huffed as he propped himself on a tree. He raises his hands and sure enough they’re still glowing, the galaxies of energy still swirling serenely in his palm. His hands are warm, he pushes them to his faces as he feels tears running down his cheeks, and deep sobs escaping his lips.

He hears a soft poof and a body is standing in front of him. There’s a soft wooshing sound, then he feels a wineskin wedged between his hands. He gulps the water greedily, feeling the liquid clean his mouth and somewhat rejuvenate his senses.

His body starts to feel less flaccid, the shake in his arms receding. Baekhyun finishes the water then wipes his face, tears and all, clean. He heaves a heavy sigh before he fixes his gaze on the person in front of him.

He his right hand and swats Kai’s head violently. The boy does not expect this and trips backward, immediately getting up and scratching his head.

“Hey, what was that for!?” Kai screeched.

“That was for the rum cake, Black Devil.”

“Rum cake?” Kai questions his face utterly confused, his eyes scrunched up in wonder. Baekhyun sees this, then sees the slow and gradual understanding in the boy’s face.

“Oh, from yesterday?” Kai asks. Baekhyun nods.

“Wait, how’d you know it was me?” Kai suddenly asks in accusingly.

“I followed you,” Baekhyun said simply.

“But I didn’t sense you,” Kai says incredulously.

“I can be sneaky when I want to be.”

“Oh.” Kai says, his eyes glossing over the boy, “I like you.”

Baekhyun smacks Kai again. Kai catches himself though, not falling back, simply groaning on the spot.

“What’s your deal?”

“I can’t believe you would steal from the orphanage.”

“Huh?” Kai looks at Baekhyun, then realization strikes him and feels a swelling of guilt in his stomach. He looks at Baekhyun somberly, his eyes wanting. He then bows, his head touching the cold earth.

“I’m truly sorry, if I had known, I would have never stolen from you,” Kai says his mouth almost touching the soil.

“It’s against my creed, you may do what you wish to my body.” The thief says bowing lower, his eyes shut tight.

Baekhyun is shocked, he was not expecting the “demonic” thief to be bowing before in utter humility.

“Aren’t you supposed to be some evil thief who steals anything without remorse?” Baekhyun questions the boy who was still bowing before him.

Kai raises his head and looks at Baekhyun seriously, “I would never steal from the poor, never.”

Baekhyun can only gape at the boy before him. Kai’s gaze was intense, and his words lost any kind of playfulness they had before. This man meant every word.

“I believe you, and I forgive you,” Baekhyun says.

Kai nods, then finally lifts his head from the dirt. He looks at Baekhyun and gives him a smile.

“Thank you, Baekhyun.” Kai reaches out for Baekhyun’s hand, but Baekhyun immediately withdraws.

He can still remember the feeling, the pain—energy surging through every fiber of his being. Though the light now isn’t unstable, the light coming from his hands was still something he did not know how to control.

Kai looks at the boy in understanding, then proceeds to sit up straight and look up at him. This goes on for a few moment, both not speaking, both unsure of what to say. Silence hangs heavy upon the two, the melody of the woods quieted by a blanket of tension.

Kai breaks the silence.

“You’re the first one who seen my face for this long,” he says, eyes unsure, voice soft.

Baekhyun looks at the boy and feels a bit of the tension wash off.

“Your life has been lonely,” the boy responds, his eyes glazed with a fondness for the boy even though they’ve only just met.

 Baekhyun knows this loneliness, because even though the sisters were loving and the children were all bright smiles when they were with him. They never truly understood the solitude in his heart, the aching for someone who could understand.

“It has.” Kai breathes, heavier than he anticipated, because, truly, it has. There’s a dense intake of breathe as Kai feels weariness reach his body.

“I don’t know where to go,” Baekhyun goes, his eyes searching for a sense of direction in the eyes of his companion.
 

But Kai was as lost as him, if not more, “I don’t know either.”

Baekhyun sighs, as his body relaxes, feeling safe in the presence of the Black Devil. Then a loud gurgling interrupts their amicable silence, as his stomach moaned for relief.

Kai sniggers and reaches for his little pack, he brings out half a loaf of rum cake, leftovers from his meal that afternoon.

“Seriously?”

“I’m sorry, it’s the only thing I have.” Kai says softly, his eyes not meeting Baekhyun. The orphan shrugs and says, “It’s okay, thanks.”

Kai tears a piece and offers it to Baekhyun before tearing up a piece for himself, hands fumbling in the darkness.

Baekhyun takes the all too familiar cake fervently. He takes a bite and feels the warmth. He tastes the rum lapping against his lips as he is encased in a memory of waking to the scent of rum and butter wafting from the kitchen, the sisters smiling at him as he enters. It’s overwhelmingly comforting, but altogether disconcerting. It tells of a home that he knows he’ll never be able to return to. A warmth he won’t be able to feel.

The darkness is more apparent now, the breeze haunting.

Baekhyun suddenly loses his appetite and places the cake on the ground away from the eyes of his companion who was all but devouring his piece. And as he lets go of the piece of cake and drops it on the forest floor, he feels like it’s another goodbye.

“What do we do now?” Baekhyun asks as he settles back into the bark of the tree.  Kai swallows his final bite and takes a gulp from his wineskin before handing it to Baekhyun, who accepts with a soft ‘thank you.’

“I think we should get ourselves a change of clothes and some gear for traveling. I can’t always transport you around, it kinda tires me out, and we have to be prepared for camping and stuff.” Kai says. “We can talk about where we’re heading after we get all the essentials.”

Baekhyun nods, but immediately raises a concern.

“How are we getting it though, we don’t have money,” Baekhyun takes a look at Kai and his small knapsack, “Well I don’t have any money.”

“We’re not buying anything. I’m stealing everything.” Kai says casually, “Don’t worry, I only steal from those who I’m sure can easily replace what I’ve stolen,” he tries to reassure.

“But…no…it’s wrong.” Baekhyun protests, he tries to move, but it’s too cold and too weak.

Baekhyun swears he sees Kai smirk in the darkness.

“Well, it’s okay if I sleep on this skin, while you shiver and die of frostbite, then” Kai says producing a warm blanket from his knapsack, “I stole it anyway.”

Baekhyun still didn’t like the idea of stealing, but he swipes the skin from Kai’s hands and puts it over himself.

“Don’t forget to get me gloves too, I can’ walk around with glowing hands all the time,” Baekhyun says from under the warmth.

Kai hums in response before he lets the night envelope him.

Character Introduction:

Im Yoona, Head of Reconnaissance (Gaia’s Hand)

Abilities: Beast Shapes, Beast Sense, Life’s Touch

Talents: Nature, Survival, Perception, Arcana, Medicine

The lone disciple of Valera, leader of Gaia’s Hand. A talented shapeshifter, Yoona uses her shifting for intelligence gathering and spying, the she is capable of using it for battle. She still prefers using her twin scimitars when fighting.

Valera, The Archdruid (Gaia’s Hand)

Abilities: Unknown

Talents: Unknown

So, I wrote this faster than expected! It might be a bit dull right now, but I wanted to really cement some of the character’s personalities first before we go on to the more intense parts. I know the last two chapters has a lot of backstory, but the next chapter has some action, so stay tuned for that.

Anyway, vote and comment as you please. Thanks for all the support!