After Kris’ semi-recovery they didn’t idle in the mountain for long. It was scary knowing that they no longer held a place to call home but they had lived long enough to know that they couldn’t be stopped by such things, that they definitely needed to live on.

Nobody spoke for a while as they descended the mountain (Luhan still carrying the unconscious Kai, he briefly wondered just how long he was going to sleep). After that the remembered that they hadn’t actually introduced themselves and said their names out loud, D.O introduced sleeping Kai. After that they went back to silence for almost half an hour.

“We” Suho started but he choked on his own words before clearing his throat “I think we need to separate”

Everyone turned to him, wide eyes inquiring why he had suggested such an outrageous idea. D.O's eyes particularly looked like they would fall out of their sockets.

“He’s right” Xiumin agreed reluctantly. He was Suho’s counterpart so for some reason he knew what he meant before he said it.

“I don’t get it; Sehun just said that if we are together we can win. Why are you suggesting this now?” asked a bewildered Baekhyun.

“It’s too obvious if we go around everywhere as twelve males with ageless faces.” Said Suho “Besides we are all of Asian ethnicity, of course they’ll know. They’ll be on the lookout for concentrations of power like ours.”

Chen bit his lip. Of course he was right but it was also a given that he didn’t want to part from s, much less in such a critical moment. The earth called out to him and he turned to look at D.O, who was looking at him with his big eyes softened, like he wanted him to know that it would be alright; they’d still be able to communicate through the ground.

“We’ve been apart for longer” Kris contributed though he kept stealing secret glances at Chanyeol, unlike Luhan who was just staring at Kai blatantly.

“So what? We go into hiding? What about fighting?” asked Sehun angrily but he immediately regretted saying it. He did want to fight but he didn’t want the M legends to think of him as a hot headed impatient kid, though in part he was.

“Patience, we don’t even know where they are” said Lay, seeing everything from Suho’s perspective and with a hand movement he expressed his thoughts. “So our next move should be to look for clues about their whereabouts”

Lay wasn’t the leader, he wasn’t even one of the oldest legends but he had his feet on the ground and a mild mannered demeanor that made everyone see everything more clearly and Kris regarded him as his closest advisor between the M legends.

“I think Lay is right” he said to Suho mostly because know they were the co-leaders of the combined KM force.

Suho interlaced his hands and then nodded in approval. “It would be best if we split into small groups, nothing more than three”

“Someone has to go with Kai, he is injured” said D.O, even though ‘injured’ probably wasn’t the right word but the physical pain that his exhaustion had given him probably counted as an injury so no one said anything.

“I’ll go” said Luhan, who obviously wanted to be with Kai, who he had befriended over the weeks and learned to care for. He knew that Kai looked strong and was taller and broader than him but he was still just so vulnerable, asleep as he was he gave everything away.

“No, I think it’s best if we separate the counterparts. It brings too much power and we have seen that it especially misbalances Kai” said Chen and Luhan glared at him. Of course it was easy for him to leave D.O behind because they could communicate at any time but Luhan and Kai would have zero contact, because Kai wouldn’t know where he is and wouldn’t be able to teleport there.

“He’s right, Luhan” Kris said but sighted because he’d also have to give up on Chanyeol for the time being. “I think Xiumin should go, he can protect Kai in the city”

Xiumin nodded hesitanly. Honestly, he didn't know Kai at all, he hadn't really even seen the color of his eyes because he had been asleep the whole time but he knew that if they were entrusting Kai to him it was because they needed him there and not anywhere else.

“It would be beneficial for everyone if you went along with Sehun” interrupted Suho, referring to Luhan again.

Sehun was surprised. “Why with me?”

“It’d be good if you two explored the desert. Sehun knows it best among us and he’ll need an ally” said Suho and Sehun turned to look at Luhan. Only then he noticed that he looked somehow just like him, the lean build, the straight nose, the paper-white skin and the V shaped jaw. It was strange but it made him wonder if they were somehow related when the worlds were one.

“What are we looking for in the desert?” asked Luhan cautiously.

“The tree of life’s resting place.”

Most of the legends contained their gasps but a few actually let them out, like Baekhyun and Chanyeol who had been silent most of the conversation between the higher authority members.

“Yes… it’s complete now” Tao mused out loud, remembering the prophecy. The tree had split into two before but when the halved reunited 'a new world shall open up'. He wasn't sure what it meant but if it meant a world without the Red Forces he was all in for it.

“Not only that, but we also need to look for the Red Forces hiding place.” Added Kris, who was always more interesting in fighting than finding, as if he had read Tao's mind. “It must be in the city; I’ll go there and search in tall buildings”

Tao was about to talk but was interrupted by the ever bubbly Baekhyun.

“I’ll come along!” he said “If it gets too dark I can just light up your way” he said with a sweet smile. The truth is Baekhyun was scared of the Red Forces that possessed shadows that could engulf his light any second and Kris seemed strong and reliable enough since he had survived the fight last time. 

Kris' eyes flickered to Tao but he didn't say anything so he turned to look at Baekhyun. “Yeah, sure” Kris said and cursed himself for having weaknesses to pretty things, he always indulged to Tao too but he knew Tao and he didn’t know that tiny beacon of light with pearly whites.

“I’ll go alone this time” said Tao and everyone turned to him. Kris didn’t know if it was because he wanted to go with him because his face was, for once, unreadable. “I must check out places of the city by myself” It was wierd for him to not wear his heart on his sleeve, almost abnormal. Kris couldn't help but try to talk to him.

“Tao, I don’t think you should…” he said, worried. For him, Tao was like a baby for him although they were separated by only a few years. He had always taken care of him on physical and emotional levels, because Tao was sensitive and he was... just not.

“I’m fine” he said, maybe a bit more forcefully than he originally intended but his pride had been hurt when Kris had agreed to leave with that pretty kid form K instead of him. A desire to prove himself to him was overpowering the rest of his emotionsl

“Chen and I will go to the city as well, if Tao gets hurt I’ll just feel it with my powers and we’ll go to his aid” said Lay, pulling on Chen’s brown jacket (he no longer knew if it was originally brown or if the mud had made it become that way). Of course Lay knew the tension that was building up between them but he wanted to help Tao this time, since it was time he proved himself but not Kris, but to Hwang Zitao.

Chen just nodded, the city where most of them would be seemed like a safe enough place. It's true that he, like the M members, regarded Tao as someone who should be taken care of so he wanted to make sure he was safe and he also wanted to protect Lay who had frankly no offensive abilities whatsoever.

“So us should look for the tree of life” said Suho looking at Chanyeol and D.O, the only ones left “I think we can investigate the plains and the beach, I have water and D.O has earth so we’ll do just fine looking in that terrain and Chanyeol…” he stopped, because Chanyeol didn’t really fit in the plains territories. Every step he walked could burn all the grass and it’s not like he could use his fire to connect with the environment in the beach and search.

“I’ll go alone, too” declared Chanyeol and before Suho could object he raised a hand “There’s a place only I can go to”

“The volcano?!” asked Baekhyun startled. Chanyeol had talked about going to the volcano before but the K members had never let him because they were scared. Honestly, just like everyone else they were scared of fire and Chanyeol deeply resented them because it only enforced the common belief that fire could only destroy and never make good things. 

Everyone started to protest because the volcano was probably the most dangerous place on earth and it was unlikely that the tree of life would be in such a place; but he, like Tao, had something that he needed to prove.

“Fire can’t kill me, I am the fire” he said, opening his arms for everyone to see that he wasn't ashamed that he was destruction itself “It may not be there but there may be clues, we need to search everywhere”

Everyone hesitated but then Suho walked to him and put a hand on his shoulder, which looked a bit odd since he was way shorter than him but the way he looked at him with relaxed eyebrows made Chanyeol feel better, it made him feel like he was trusting in him.

“I’ll leave that to you then”

Chanyeol smiled with his crooked, toothy grin and it just somehow broke something inside Suho’s heart. Maybe… maybe he wouldn’t see him again. When they were separated they could be attacked at any time and die, maybe he would never laugh at Chanyeol’s antics again or taste D.O’s cooking or hear Sehun’s slight lisp. He gulped down his thoughts but Xiumin felt his uneasiness.

“Can we at least stay together for the night?” Xiumin asked the question that had been stuck on everyone’s throats.

Kris and Suho exchanged looks and Suho could tell that Kris was just as worried for Chanyeol as he was and he still couldn’t take his eyes off of Tao either. Kris needed that time with them and he also needed his own time with them.

“Yes, let’s stay together tonight”

Deep inside, he held unto Luhan's words: Anywhere we walk together, will be Paradise.

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Hello, I know it’s been a hell of a long time since I updated and I apologize, I have no excuse because I just forgot about it for the longest time but I wanted to continue this story because I feel that it’s a waste if I leave it like this. Surely most of my subscribers have left/don’t care anymore but I want to write this for myself and for whoever is left.

Since Wolf and Growl have been released I’ll add details from those as well into the story, I hope some people are still left to read, I apologize again and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! I’ll be releasing a chapter around once a week, ideally (I have such a giant blob of inspiration waiting to explode for this story)

Next Chapter: Into Your World