The manly, divine voice immobilized Jisoo almost immediately; taking away her ability to breathe normally and prevented her from taking another step.

Myungsoo and Sungjong watched from the hall in utter amazement when Jisoo was standing face to face with the one they call Master Kim. The light haired broke the ice first, “So that’s him…he’s….” he mumbled, trailed off, and stared directly at the being bound against his wish.

Master Kim was clad in dark and dangerous wear—a wristband and leash coated with countless one-inch-long-spikes. His leather-made-sleeveless exposes his muscular arms and his black cropped trouser hung over his buckled boots. In appearance, he was rather young and ageless, and despite the vine-like scars made across his forehead and right cheek, his light skin was clean and flawless. Now what stood out is the enormous mouth mask clapped over the bottom half of his face. The iron mask looked sinister and heavy, but it didn’t seem bothersome to the master.

Myungsoo flattened his wintry eyes a little when he caught Master Kim’s on him, “Now that you’re awake, Deathless Light must be as well.” Seconds after he spoke, the air around them began to change. First, it started picking up as it headed their directions, then after a few brushes, it began dancing around them.

The sudden change brought Sungjong closer to Myungsoo as he was afraid of what was happening.

“Magic is forbidden in the Halls.” A demonic voice came over them as if it was the wind’s voice.

Sungjong grabbed onto Myungsoo’s robe and stood behind him. Though he did not say a single word, Myungsoo knew what was running through his mind. “Master Kim, we are magic free. Please, allow the seeker before you to free you of your hardships and sufferings.” Myungsoo spoke loud and clear. However, the now funnel-shaped cloud around them got more violent and prevented them from seeing anywhere else but blurriness.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mini-tornado, something or someone forced Jisoo closer to the man. Then her hands were carried up and set onto what was a fat, rusty chain. “Free me!” the same demonic voice demanded, it’s volume pierced through Jisoo’s hearing and caused the lass to fall back out or terror. But her will to live outpower her fear and instantly she grabbed onto the chain in order to counterbalance herself.

However, it didn’t go as plan. In a flash the chain broke and was detached from the wall, this swung Jisoo wildly around on her heels. When she could no longer feel the ground underneath her, she let out a yelp but was quickly saved when a strong hand caught her by the waist.

Jisoo wasn’t certain when she had let go of the chain but pressing against her open palms were now a man’s chest. She blinked. Was she alive? What just happened? Is she feeling dizzy?

“So, you’re my new master. Quite clumsy aren’t you?” The man spoke again. Unlike Myungsoo, the stranger’s voice was clearer and richer. Most of all his voice made her blush. If she could see him, she had a feeling she may cherish him.

Jisoo tucked in her chin hoping he wouldn’t notice her rosy cheeks. Then out of the blue, he released her, which had her stumbling to find her stability. When she finally stood still, Jisoo kept her hands by her side and her head tilted down. Then two dark figures came into her view, they each grabbed her by the wrists and once again she could feel a chain.

Confused and hesitant, Jisoo wasn’t sure what was required of her. However, recalling what the great wizard has said to her, Jisoo suppose she was freeing Windy Hall’s master. But were these chains really holding him here? If Jisoo could easily break them with a yank, why couldn’t a larger and stronger man do it? With a numberless of questions passing through her mind, the impatient figures began pulling her hand down.

After putting in some pressure, the rattling chain broke and fell to the hard ground. The noise that followed was loud and unwelcoming to the eardrums.

“My, how I miss the taste of freedom.”

When the tornado finally faded and made way for them, Myungsoo and Sungjong was left alone to face an empty space. Sungjong’s jaw dropped, “They’re gone….”

Descended from the sky and blind, Jisoo fell against the stone pathway when she felt him landed beside her. Kim folded his feathered wings once his feet were on the ground then slowly he straightened his back. As he gazed forward with uneasiness, he recognized the building’s exterior. Skyfall tower was still the same as he remembered it.

His hankering to break in was noisily cut off by Jisoo’s horrified gasps as she struggled to stabilize herself. Glancing downward, the man found something odd about her. Normally past keepers would shoot up from their fall and give him an earful, but this one was different. In fact, she’s been strange ever since the beginning.

Then it occurred to him. With one hand he grabbed onto the woman’s arm and pulled her up to her feet, then he noticed her cloudy pupils. “What’s wrong with your eyes?” he questioned casually.

Afraid of what he would do this time she tried to appear as submissive as she could. At least it has worked for her in the past when muggers jumped her and her father; they would take whatever they could and leave them alone.

This time a breathy scoff escaped the man’s dried lips, “You’re blind,” he stated before releasing her, “now that’s interesting.”

His tone had her feeling that it was her fault she was blind. “I-I may be blind but I-I can see them, also I wasn’t always like this,” she said without thinking. For a brief moment, she wondered why she had to explain herself.

It surprised her when he automatically caught on to her, “Introductions can wait. I must greet him first.”

“Who?”

“Someone who will be on your side.”

“...My side?”

Sungjong waited as Myungsoo brought the horses over, when he passed Sungjong the reins, the light haired took it with annoyance in his gaze. “Aren’t you worried about her?”

Myungsoo sighed, “No, because Master Kim cannot hurt her.”

The other frowned, “What do you mean?”

The one being asked grin, “There’s a reason he just can’t.”

“Tell me that reason,” Sungjong demanded, his voice was stern and low. Instead of answering him, Myungsoo got onto the back of his horse and looked down into Sungjong’s eyes.

“Only the Keeper can free Master Kim of Windy Hall, but who do you think has to lock him up again?”

There was a moment of silence before Sungjong spoke, “You mean...the Keeper?”

Myungsoo hummed, “Only blood of a Keeper can re-seal him to Patricia,”

“Patricia?”

“The artifact he was bind to.”

Sungjong processed the latter’s words, “Then, what you said about how only blood of a Keeper can re-seal him. What does that mean?”

“A sacrifice,”

The blonde's eyes widen, “A sacrifice..?”

“You had suspicion about what I’ve done to Jisoo’s father didn’t you?” The look on Sungjong’s face said it all, thus Myungsoo instantly filled him in, “What you’re thinking is right. My job isn’t simply to guide Keepers but to compensate their families after the Keeper is gone. However, in Jisoo’s case, her father was internally ill as well as physically incapable. Except for Jisoo, nothing in this world can redress him for his losses,”

“So... you’re saying you were left with no choice but to end his life..?”

“Even with Jisoo by his side, he was barely holding on. Eventually, he will die before her journey ends—”

Sungjong’s voice cracked as he spoke, “Aren’t you being too harsh? You’re taking a human away from her home knowing she will die. With this fact, you would heartlessly give her family money and things to make up for her death? Isn’t that a slap in the face? Isn’t it like saying ‘thank you for raising her. Here’s the amount of her life’?”

It was Myungsoo’s turn to frown, “Her life does not amount to anything, but her abilities do. It’s not that cruel of a process. The Keeper must give up his or her life to save the rest of their kind. If Jisoo does not free the only one who can save her people than it is her who’s harsh and heartless,”

Sungjong scoffed at his blunt statement then slowly he released the rein locked in his hand. “Now that you’ve shown your true colors, I don’t wish to spend another second with you.” Then without a word he hurried into the forest, leaving behind a speechless Myungsoo.

Sitting alone in a spacious room, Xia was resting his eyes. His skin was so pale that the stems of his veins were visible and ready to pop out. His bony hands twitched once in awhile and danced to the imaginary rhythm playing in his head. He was clad in full black wear with jaw slightly hidden behind his popped collar.

As the air around began to change, the powerful being opened his eyes and immediately locked them with someone else’s.

Standing across from him was Kim, someone he’s not a fan of but has to accept nonetheless. Gradually the baffled female captured Xia’s interest. Rubbing his chin gently, he had an idea of who she was but had to ask as it was unusual for Kim to have company.

“Is she the Keeper? How come I haven’t sense Myungsoo in the tower,”

Kim didn’t feel the obligation to answer the seated so he simply addressed a different issue, “The one accompanying Myungsoo. Who is he?”

Xia blinked, a little longer than naturally, “An amateur wizard he had rescued from the West. Why? Did you find him peculiar?”  

Kim stepped away from Jisoo, leaving her in a bowing position still. As if she wasn’t there, the two males carried on with their tense conversation. “He harbors forbidden magic,”

“Something Myungsoo will put a cap on. The boy is hardly a threat.” Xia let out a cough then continued, “Besides, that child is the least of your worries. Jiyong is out there. I can sense it. He’s already making a move, you must find and stop him.” There was a pause before he added, “Wouldn’t this be the last time? Make sure you end him for life, Jaejoong.”