QUESTIONS AND VAGUE ANSWERS

The moment Aecha opened her eyes was when it shocked them the most.

It was pitch black, like an endless black hole.

She was staring straight ahead, particularly to no one as if she’s blind. She clasped her hands tightly together, nails digging onto her palms as it shakes.

“Make it quick” She muttered breathlessly; pain visible in her tone and on cue, a portal opened not far from where they are standing.

They could hear all sorts of noises. Cries, screams, laughter that makes you feel chills on your spine and there are also other noises that they can’t recognize. It’s terrifying

Suddenly, a soul stepped out of the portal. Body still semi-invisible, but they could still make out who it was even though they can see through him.

The guardian of flight.

The apprentices all stood up immediately, feeling all sorts of emotions when he showed up. Kyungsoo however, stayed on the ground as he was still holding Aecha. Instead, he bowed with his head in respect

“I’m glad that most of you made it out alive” he said with his gruff voice and gave them a quick nod.

He must’ve known that 3 of them couldn’t make it too.

Suho then stepped out, “We’ve called you to ask a few questions-“ he is then stopped by the guardian as he lifted his hand up to shut him up.

“Go straight to the point. I don’t think your friend can hold me here that much longer” He demanded and stared at Aecha with a frown, wondering how they managed to find a necromancer. Nevertheless, they didn’t have much time to chit chat so they had to keep those for later times.. if they have one.

“Our powers got exchanged with each other, we don’t know how it got to that point but we’re guessing that it’s the red forces’ doings”

The guardian stayed quiet for a while, eyebrows furrowed as he thinks. “That’s impossible”

“It’s very possible because it happened” Chen stated, earning glares from the others because of his straightforwardness. He shrugged his shoulders, “It’s true..”

If it is impossible then, it is possible now as it already happened.

“What he meant was,” Chanyeol trying to cover his friend up as the guardian is well known for his temper. “How can it be impossible? Our powers really got switched when we retrieved it back”

The guardian then cut him off, “It’s impossible because each power has a mind on their own. They know who their rightful owners are as long as they’re still alive, there is no way that they can mess up”

That made them even more confused. If the powers know who their owners are, then why did it got exchanged?

While the guardian and the rest continued debating about how it got exchanged, the two people who were sitting on the ground is in their own world.

Kyungsoo, who is one of the most curious one somehow forgotten all of the questions he wanted to discuss with the guardian and chose to stay with Aecha who is still as quiet as the dead. Her temperature is not helping either.

If it’s not for her hands that were still gripping onto each other, he would’ve think that her soul has left her body.

She was leaning against him without moving, head on his chest. He has his hands circled around her as he soothingly run his right hand up and down her arm.

“Aecha can you hear me?” He asked, almost whispering but still loud enough for her to listen only.

They were still sitting near the fire Suho created earlier, which was actually no use because her temperature is still too cold— far away from normal and he was freezing and sweating at the name time due to the drastic difference. He felt like he’s hugging a block of ice in summer.

She hummed in response and asked tiredly, “are they done?”

Kyungsoo glanced at the others and he sighed. “No”

“I don’t think I can.. much longer..” she trailed off and whimpered. Sweats trickling down her forehead and she kept on digging her nails on her palms as she tries her best to keep the guardian in the world.

The soul of the guardian suddenly flickered a bit and they all turn to Aecha. She is struggling to keep him here. As much as they want the guardian to stay longer, they can’t be too selfish as she is already trying her best to actually manage to bring him here on her first try.

After all those talking, none of them could find what was the cause of their powers to exchange.

The guardian still stayed on his ground, that it is impossible for it to be exchanged even if people tried to— it will still go back to their original owner as it will refuse to be claimed if it’s not.

“I told you and I’m not going to say it again, people have tried exchanging powers before but it cannot be done.”

“Then what could be the explanation to our case?” Baekhyun desperately asked, the fact that asking the guardians was also no use, it felt that they’re in a dead end.

Who are they supposed to ask now if even they don’t know what is going on?

The guardian is also at lost. Things like this never happened before in the history of all guardians that have ever existed.

Then it hit him. Yixing suddenly exclaimed out of nowhere, shocking everyone including the guardian and he snapped his fingers. “Could it be because.. we lost the 3 people?”

Everyone looked at him with a ‘what-the- are you talking about’ face. Yixing shook his head and tried to elaborate further.

“To tend and embrace the heart of tree of life, the legends hereby divide the tree in half and hide each side..” He suddenly recited the paragraph that they all had to remember in history class when they were training.

Ironically, the class that was taught by the guardian who is present right now.

“The twelve forces divide into two and create two suns that look alike into two worlds that seem alike-“ The guardian continued and his eyes widened in realization.

Yixing nodded and the guardian shook his head. “That is crazy Yixing but whatever you are trying to say, it make sense-“

The guardian’s voice suddenly got cut off as he disappeared for a few seconds before reappearing back. The apprentices panicked because they could feel that he’ll be gone soon before he could explain what that meant

“Apprentices, I’m afraid I don’t have time to discuss this with you but I’m quite sure that I understand what Yixing meant. He could explain that to you and I’ll try discussing this back with the other guardians in there-” He said and pointed back to the portal.

And with that he suddenly vanished, back into the portal.

Aecha gasped and her eyes turned back to normal after a few seconds, face pale and her lips that turn blue has now gained back its colour.

“I’m sorry that I can’t hold him that much longer-“ She apologized as their conversation got cut off just like that and they all shook their heads

“You did great Aecha, that was amazing for a first timer” Kai complimented her with two thumbs up and she sighed in relieved.

Thank goodness that’s over because it honestly felt that it was ripping her apart. Maybe it’s because she didn’t have enough practice and just went for it without the proper technic but oh well, she’ll learn as she goes.

She gave Kai a tired smile and when she suddenly remembers that she was still leaning on Kyungsoo comfortably, she quickly stood up. The sudden rapid movement of hers made herself dizzy and her vision have black spots for a while.

Her hands reached her head automatically as she tries blinking the black spots away.

“Hey, can you walk?” She heard Kyungsoo asked behind her, almost too close that she shivered. She quickly turn around and nodded slowly, hands still on her head.

“I’m fine, just a bit tired..” Her voice trailed when she suddenly smelled something like blood and a bit of a tingling pain sensation on her palm

Aecha quickly retracted her hands from her head and saw blood in her nails and also crescent-like cuts on her palms. She cursed and scrunched her nose at the sight.

Remembering that Kyungsoo is nearby, she hid her hands behind her but was too late when he sighed and grabbed her hand.

“Chen, could you come over a bit?” He called out and Chen, who was packing his things came over quickly.