“Oh. Eric Hyung?! Why are you here already? I am supposed to bring her there! You always cheat!” Andy cutely stomped on the ground with dissatisfaction on the tone of his voice. His mini tantrum caused the ground to protrude and from it, he bent down to get a very clean pillow? WHAT KIND OF SORCERY? I know we are on a death bed kind of location but – this is astounding.

“What are you talking about? Check the palm of her hand and see what I am talking about. She’s been here for so long; she won’t make it if she doesn’t reach my castle now. Just continue talking in my castle. I prepared a banquet for all of us. And you my lady will be our guest.” Eric’s tone of voice is still as appealing like the last time he spoke to me. I on the other hand would still like to punch his face. All of the shades of their unclear intentions are in a loop inside my head.

I checked my palm and saw that one of the orange dots is starting to get almost transparent and without any warnings, Eric snatched the pillow from Andy’s arms and enveloped me with it in his wide arms. Black wings started to occupy my vision as we ascended in an instant. Eric’s wings made us escape the graveyard in no time.

As my face pressed down on the pillow that Andy lent, I smelled a relaxing scent of vandanna orchids. Now I understand why he’s always sleeping underground. This is so soothing.

“Chelsea, right?” Eric spoke above my head confirming my name.

“Why - ?” I responded in displeasure. I don’t still feel great about seeing him again.

“Thank you for doing your best. Thank you for being the only person who worries about the kids genuinely. I really appreciate it.” Eric’s words sounded so sincere without his tempting tone of voice.

“The kids are safe. They are all in my castle and are sleeping peacefully. I will explain to you everything once we get there. In exchange for that let me just do one thing -” His mighty grasp started to loosen up while we were flying. I ended up on a free fall scenario and just hoped that I can wake up.

Isn’t this the normal set up in a dream, like when you fell from high places and you close your eyes tightly in between screams of despair, you’ll wake up in the end? But to my surprise, no matter how many times I tried to wake up – I can’t because I am already awake and aware that it will be my death as soon as my human body hit the solid crust of this place.

It was then when Eric circled flying next to me and held me before it’s too late. It woke me up from the fact that I do still not believe in them. This made me realize that he is testing me.

“Why didn’t you shout for help?” His voice sounded so demanding. What is he even expecting?

“WHAT?!” I screamed at him as I lost my patience from his mind games.

“People normally have loved ones, those people whom they call when they are about to die. Why – ” He sounded so frustrated.

“I am not special to anyone. I am all alone. I don’t even have parents. Just like what you said on your bar, nobody will even care for orphans if they die.” I grit my teeth as I replied to his selfish act. My tears gathered already on the edge of my eyes. This, this is something that I never opened up to anyone. This part of me is the thing that I tried to hide from all the people around me.

“You poor thing, I – I’m sorry.” Eric cleared his throat as he embraced me tightly against his chest.

I just admitted it once but it felt like a chunk of misery was removed from my heart. He didn’t judge me. Instead of an insult, I received an apology for the first time of admitting my weakness. He didn’t made fun of my pain, I was consoled after a very long time of dealing with this unwanted anguish alone.

Eric and I landed on the castle’s open veranda. It looked old and huge. It never failed to amaze my imagination when Dongwan mentioned it was a palace. I am still hugging Andy’s soft pillow as I walked aimlessly on its corridor. The interior resembled his famous bar, only that now the space is a thousand times bigger.

“My place is the most flexible lair in Vayanhan. Since I can warp the time according to my desire, you are safe here to stay as long as you want, I can freeze the dot from disappearing from your palm. That is also the main reason why the kids are all here; sleeping on one of my dungeons. ” He smiled as he pointed on a dark alley on the right wing of his main reception.

“It’s okay not to feel comfortable. Your videos are blank when they came out right? It’s part of my ability too. Hahaha! Let me begin with what we are since you are probably clueless except if you paid attention to your literature subject when you were in university.” He gave me a useless clue; I think it was too obvious that I didn’t pay consideration to the folklore part of that subject. Well at some point I found it creative to catch my curiosity but I didn’t take anything about it with a heartbeat.

“All the six of us have our specific territories to handle and every place that you’ve been too should have given you an idea of what we are. Now, seeing your blank expression makes it easier for me to read that you are lost in translation. Since I am a busy person and I still need to arrange some stuff for tonight’s event, I’ll let you read this first. I wrote it down long before since I get tired of all the explaining. Here are some accounts from humans that are the closest to describe us but not exactly as what we really are. Hyesung was supposed to do the briefing but – he is so far away and still sulking for no reason.” He shook his head while trying to dismiss the issue of his colleague and tossed a parchment towards me as he walked to the left wing of the palace while playfully whistling a creepy tone.

“Call me when you are done.” He said casually and having the answers to my questions left to myself, I started reading. It was written on beautiful calligraphy. The manuscript made my eye bleed with jealousy.

Junjin (Bakunawa) – A mythical creature which is characterized as a sea serpent with wings. The term used for its name directly translates to the word “eclipse” since it has the habit of eating moons whenever it goes out of its lair. People had stories that there used to be seven moons but since the Bakunawa got fascinated with it, the creature ate it until the last moon went far away to hide. Upon the Bakunawa’s anger, it flies up to the sky whenever it is full moon to cover its brightness. The thing that the people don’t know is – the Bakunawa actually helps the fishermen to catch fish whenever it is full moon. It is so clear and explained by science that we just have one moon pish – Plus he has puppy like cute dragons.

Dongwan (Liwinri) – A rumoured mythical creature that is said to be the prince of the forest, he is a relative of dwarves only that he is a royal elf. He is described to attract people to go deep into the forest by means of his enchanting singing voice and abduct them to his territory. His character is known to hate injustice and bullying. If he can sing a love song, he can also sing a song of death making the person who falls in love with him to commit suicide. In opposite to that, a Liwinri is into picking herbs and sheds tears that can cure curses. He is so into lame jokes but with a super kind heart.

Andy (Mangangatok) – This element is known to be the grim reaper, always wear hoods to hide their decaying faces of a corpse. He never goes alone with his business. He always comes with two men alongside him and knocks on a houses’ door like a messenger of death. Once he knocked on the door and someone saw him, or opened the door for him; it will be a given that someone will die in that household. Our Mangangatok doesn’t look like a grim reaper and please note that he is very handsome since he didn’t accept his duty whole heartedly. There’s only one time he went to deliver the bad news and he never ever did it again. He is the element who loves life among all of us that is why he is so thirsty for a living guest to visit his lair.

Minwoo (Sigbin) – Speculations of people who’ve seen them says that they look like a dog. They always go in packs and oppress their enemies with their crowd. They can walk backwards using shadows and are also invisible to their victims unless they will reveal themselves. They are very loyal to each other and are known to haunt kids to collect their hearts and wear it as amulets. Which the Sigbin that we knew never did and our very own version only cares to protect and defend his beloved’s heart. He can be clingy sometimes ;)

Hyesung (Santelmo) – This mythical element was described as a ball of fire which is seen dancing on the surface of the ocean and fishermen seldom mistook it as a light house from afar. It’s said to lure its victims to the ocean and drown miserably as the follow the element but never reach it. Fact would be, our Santelmo burned a house before because he is not able to control his flame that is why during his resting period he chooses to stay in his private bath tub to supress his flames. His tears however become pearls and humans find it helpful because it enables them to breathe underwater.

Eric (Aswang) – Blood er. Blah blah. Evil one blah blah. Murderer. Blah blah. Vampire-ish. Blah blah. Reality would be I am a self-sustaining creature who feeds on my own blood and does not need the blood of others to live a happy life.

Reading this did not make me calm down. How is he even planning to make me believe that they are completely harmless?!

IF THEY ARE REALLY GOOD - WHY DID THEY ABDUCT THE KIDS? WHYYY?!

“Lady Chelsea, our Lord is calling you now. All our young masters are waiting for you for the banquet to begin.” One of Eric’s attendants startled me as she approached me to proceed to the dining area. I didn’t hear her footsteps, she just spoke out of nowhere with a very gentle voice. Her appearance is exactly just like what the guests in in Lambana Bar looked like; with a white masked on and a blood red lipstick for an accent. This is so creepy.