"Cheon Hwa"

A bow on my left hand and an arrow on my right. Thirty feet away stood the target. Elbows high, arms stabilized, left eye shut in concentration.  I toke a deep breath before I pull the string and release. The arrow landed right on the center. A smirk slyly escapes my lips. Bull's eye. "I won!" I cried, jumping and squealing to myself while receiving weird looks. I glanced back at the target just to see if I wasn't mistaken. Smiling widely, I faced Taeyong, my opponent. "Do you accept you loss, prince?" I chuckle as he sends a playful glare. Good luck to your pride and confidence. I cracked up, thinking about earlier when he egoistically exclaimed that he would obviously win,

"Ha. Ha. Ha. So funny, princess. Fine whatever. I went easy on you anyways." He shrugged, waving off his defeat. I scoffed. Went easy my . "What do you want five packs of Jellybeans?"

I shooked my head. "Make that ten, sweetcakes and maybe I'll go easy on you when we're sparring." I sat on the bench resting and waiting for his response.

"Ten packs of Jellybeans?! I'll go with five. No need to go easy on me. I've been practicing." He grinned proudly. A bit too proud.

"Oh really?' I raised a brow at him. He didn't reply, clearly ignoring me. Instead his eyes darting somewhere else. Two guards, one female and one male, all dressed in armory approaching us. I recognized the two of them. They are in-charge of securing the barriers and portals. Strong, loyal, brave, and determined. Chosen by the king himself. I look at them with respect and admiration until my attention averted to the White Angel laying lifeless in the arms of the male guard. I couldn't feel his essence. He was dead. 

A sudden memory came to mind. The injured man in the other world I was brought to. I concluded the adventure as a dream, an illusion but my heart keep convincing me otherwise. The White Angel in the guard's arms strangely reminded me of him except the White Angel was no longer breathing anymore. The second prince was beside. I felt his fists clench. His face. I had never seen this glacial look on him before. Behind it was a look of pity and shame I could tell. 

"What happened?" He snapped. The tone of his voice surprised me even the two guards were alarmed by the prince's attitude as he was always known to be the cheerful one. "Your highnesses," The two guards both bowed and greeted but their act of courtesy was ignored. 

"I asked a question." He declared, his voice grew deeper, monotonous and solemn. The Taeyong I knew disappeared in a moment's span. He seemed like a stranger. His eyes were glued to the dead angel. I quietly shivered at this transformation that I even took a step back away from him. I didn't want him to notice how much uncomfortable I was. 

"I pose no a-authority, your highness. The ki-king has strictly ordered that all information are kept confidential." The female guard slightly stuttered despite her warrior facade. I caught the confused expression on their faces like they weren't suppose to be here. A swift realization washed over me. Taeyong. He manipulated their minds to make them approach us. Before I knew it, he was messing with their minds again. 

I grip his thin wrist. "Taeyong," My voice was weak, but still held warning. "S-Stop." 

He didn't dare face me. He forcefully releases my grip. "No." He breathed. "Not today." 

His pupils dilated almost until you couldn't see white anymore. It was a sign that he was attempting to pry open their minds. I tried the nullification spell. It didn't work. Nothing did. I nearly forgotten the he was a Gifted One. One of the most powerful kinds of angels. He reeked of manipulation and control. I stare at the guards helpless under his power. 

"Was it the Obsidians? The Black Angels?" He questioned coldly with distaste on his tongue. His essence glowed radiantly. Before any of them could speak, I whispered a quick spell that would shut their mouths only for a few minutes then Taeyong would have access to their mouths and brains again. He sent a ferocious glare at my direction, but I didn't faze. Why was he being so stubborn? "Don't get in my way." He narrowed his eyes. "Or I should I put you in the same situation?" He glanced at the guards. 

That's enough. I felt anger rising to my skin, burning. I was once mind-controlled by him. It was a traumatizing experience. Under his influence, you become a puppet, you lose your soul, he chews up your mind until he was in command of it. He vowed to never enter my mind again, but he was here threatening to break his vow.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter