When the party of five came down into the basement, Jisoo was kept in the back with Raven as Daesung secured the front. Jiyong and Sungjong were in the middle, examining the room from top to bottom. However, all that was left was Xia’s lifeless body and an empty tunnel Jaejoong had made. Jiyong scoffed at the disappointing sight, “How annoying. This is the 111th time he failed to greet me properly.”

Sungjong knew Jiyong was referring to Jaejoong, but he wasn’t sure why the elder would keep count.

Then before anyone could say another word, they heard Yoochun’s coming from the top floor. “Lord Jiyong, Great Wizard of Haskan has arrived,”

Jiyong grinned, “Ah, perfect timing.”

“My father?” Sungjong whispered, surprised at the sudden news.

Jiyong turned his attention to Daesung almost instantly, “Daesung, find me after you lock the Keeper in. As for the dead, keep him here. After my meeting with Haskan, I will assign you your next task. Lee Sungjong you should go to your room. I will send your father there after I’m done speaking to him.” Without further ado, he left the room first with Raven right behind him.

Upon hearing this, Jisoo began to worry and squirmed until she felt a strong grip seized her by the arm. Immediately it made her motionless. She knew very well it was Daesung because of the power in his hold alone. It felt very similar to when he first brought her there.

Once Jiyong and Raven were out of the picture, Daesung turned to Sungjong with his concern, “What should I do about the hole?”

Sungjong stole a peek at Jisoo and shook his head, “Bury it,” then as he spun around, Jisoo stopped him.

“Wait! Is what you said true? Sungjong, please tell me Lord Xia isn’t dead?” there was desperation in her tone but Sungjong know better than to lie to a blind girl.

“His energy...is nonexistent. Sorry, but he’s dead, Jisoo.” Just like that, Sungjong left the room that has started to lose Myungsoo’s light magic, thus was getting darker by the minute.

Startled by the news, Jisoo fell onto her knees. She couldn’t lift her head. Lord Xia, someone who she has come to met only once but meant a lot to her was gone. For a moment, Jisoo wasn’t sure who it was that she missed but tears welled up in her eyes. Was it Lord Xia, her father, or even mother that she wanted in her presence? She didn’t know. Her mind was in a jumbled and nothing seemed to make sense. Her body began to shake out of her control. Her heart was clenched with sadness and anger. For a moment she wished she could be anywhere else but there. Then as she began to lose all hope, she felt a hand on her head.

Strangely Daesung her hair, “My niece,” he began, “if she has lived, I think she would have liked you a lot.”

Upon hearing that Jisoo showed her face to Daesung, “Y-you had a niece?”

“I did. Like me, she inherited super strength. But she was young and did not know how to control her powers. The people accused her of witchcraft and of being possessed by an evil deity. What made me and her different was that I cowered at the sight of humans. I tried to blend in even though I am quite a large person. My niece, on the other hand, was proud of our race. She killed to protect. My kind knew that, but like me, they were afraid of people. In the end, my family killed her to save the whole race. Years later, the humans threatened us. They needed an overpowered killing machine to do their dirty work for them. I was fourteen when my family sold me to them. However, when I was seventeen and under the human's roof, they fooled me. They made me believe they wanted better for me, they wanted me free. Once they opened the gates for me, I thought I’ve found freedom alas. But no,”

As Daesung carried on telling his story, he somehow ended up sitting in front of Jisoo. Gazing into hers, he spilled everything he has been holding in for a very long time.

“The very next day there was a bounty out for me. I thought home was the best and safest place for me to return to. When I arrived, starving and exhausted my family cleaned and fed me. But in the middle of the night, they brought the humans with them to capture me. It was when I tried to flee that I’ve realized my family has drugged my meal earlier that night. In the end, I managed to escape with the help of a neighbor. I hid well for three days. But when I learned that he has been found out because of me and would be put to death, I took the bait and invaded the King’s home. My neighbor was already dead and I was caught. For years I decided to serve the humans because I no longer have a home to return to. And what I saw you did for him, moved me. If someone had stood up for me, or sacrificed themselves for me, I wouldn’t have resented my race so much.”

Jisoo didn’t know when she had stopped crying, but she felt warm listening to Daesung’s story. Though it was sad, she didn’t blame him for his emotions. Instead, she smiled, “What they have done to you was wrong, but if it wasn’t you, it would have been someone else. I’m sure your kind are very proud of your selfless acts. My father used to say sometimes you have to sacrifice a little of your time to win in the end,” a chuckle escaped Jisoo’s lips, “of course he said that when we were fishing though; however, from my experiences, it definitely can be applied to every situation.”

Daesung nodded. Here he was speaking to a woman who’s blind and perhaps even more unfortunate than him, yet he felt lucky. “Do you want to know where Lord Xia’s body lies?”

It made Jisoo happy to hear someone else refer to Xia was Lord Xia. With her lips formed into a thin line, she tried to push away the sad and bad thoughts, and focus. “Please,”

Sungjong was climbing up the steps to his room when he noticed Myungsoo standing at the top of the stair. With a frown, he stopped in his tracks as well. Earlier he said he wanted to speak to Myungsoo, but after seeing the lad he instantly lost his interest. As Sungjong turned away and was about to head back down, he saw Jaejoong leaning against the wall. The man had his arms crossed as he looked up to meet the blonde’s gazes.

“It’s pointless trying to run,” Myungsoo spoke. “I see you’ve fully become Jiyong’s pet. I should have known you purposely approached me with an ill-intention. I regret being so open with you from the very beginning.”

The younger knew he would get an earful from Myungsoo and he understood, but still, he had to defend himself. With a shift of his feet, he spins around and locked gazes with Myungsoo. The hurt in Myungsoo’s eyes that he was clearly trying to hide almost stopped Sungjong from where he was coming from. But with a gulp, the younger composed himself and responded, “It’s true that I approached you and it’s also true that when I first met you, I haven’t mastered my abilities yet. Thus, in the end, I needed your saving, believe it or not. What I didn’t intend to do was to have you fall for me. Who would have thought a Great Wizard could be charmed so effortlessly,”

Despite being outnumbered and powered, Sungjong’s tongue was as sharp as ever, which led Myungsoo to assume it was either an act or the younger just knew too much. Whichever one it was, Myungsoo couldn’t make up his mind. He needed to do more research.

“You can’t possibly believe a wizard who has lived more than one thousand years has fallen for you, do you?” Oddly Jaejoong invited himself into their confab.

With a turn of his head, Sungjong was eyeing Jaejoong like a hawk, “You’re an immortal with great powers, why don’t you tell me?”

A smirk was drawn onto Jaejoong’s face as he detached himself from the stone wall, “Kid, we didn’t corner you because we wanted to have a chat. I’ve been told you’re Deathless Light’s great-grandson, but I know you’re not. Not biologically at least,” this caught both Myungsoo and Sungjong off guard.

“What?” Sungjong asked though he sounded more annoyed than curious.

“It’s Deathless Light and my little secret. He is infertile. You’re nothing more but one of his creations,”

Sungjong frowned, “What do you know about me being a creation? I have a father, my people are of Alkanos—”

“You did not come from a woman’s womb, kid. I presume the Great Wizard of Haskan is your father. Well, if he is then yeah, you’re right about that. He did make you after all,”

“Silence!” Sungjong roared, his eyes red from rage.

“I’ll say you were created because maybe the Great Wizard of Haskan, your father, is aging and losing his magical touch. You’re his replacement,”

“No! I am no one’s replacement! My great grandfather will have my body!” Sungjong’s eyes widened as he realized what he had just done. His secret was out, and in front of his enemies too.

A smirk crawled onto Jaejoong’s face. His plan worked. He was getting the answer he has been wondering for the last one thousand years, “No wonder. The last few battles we’ve had, I could sense that Jiyong has been hiding his full potential. I knew he wouldn’t give up so easily, especially when he knows this will be the last time,”

Sungjong covered his ears, “No! What you’re saying isn’t true! You’re lying!”

Myungsoo who has been just as shocked as Sungjong, couldn’t help himself as he came down the stairs and stood behind Sungjong. To Jaejoong’s surprise, Myungsoo pulled Sungjong into an embrace, hugging the younger from his back. Myungsoo’s hug locked Sungjong’s arms down and beside him, then he felt Myungsoo’s chin settling on the top of his head.

“Let’s run away Sungjong. I don’t want to lose you to Deathless Light too,” the dark-haired said under his breath.