SHINHYE

I’ve had my breakfast at the pantry with Chin. I didn’t think I had the guts to face the others after what transpired the previous night. Chin left for the village again and this time, I couldn’t come so she left me there. I’ve finished eating after a slice of bread and a steaming mug of cocoa. I didn’t feel like eating at all though my stomach asked for it. Chewing took its toll on my jaws. I felt like I was suffering from a massive hangover and I felt like someone punched me. I guess my plan to laze around wasn’t going to happen after all.

After my conversation with Chan Yeol, I felt lighter, but at the same time, I felt like I was going to cave in. It was as if someone had punched a hole into my guts. I didn’t know what was to happen when I meet the Oracle Minister. They made me feel so important, but I couldn’t help but feel burdened by it. Still, I had no choice. My father’s words were clear enough and if I was to see Jinhae again, that’s what I had to do. No one had to reiterate it except that it would be a constant reminder of how he had tricked us into believing something that wasn’t true.

I’ve never heard of the prophecy. Many times, Suho and Baekhyun would try to bring it up, but I would dodge them at the first opportunity I would find. I didn’t want to hear it. I’ve always thought that if I did, I would just lose my sanity. After all that has happened, I still find it hard to believe. Everything in Elyxo was made of what little girls daydream about in the human world. I wonder how it would turn out if they find out that such a place did exist. It was going to be a shocking revelation when they find out how harsh the world they dreamt about was, far from the fairy tale everyone seemed to believe in.

 I tidied up after some moments and decided to wash the dishes. As I was doing that, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Suho. He must hate me now along with Sehun. I couldn’t take it. Just then, the door opened. I turned my head and found the Water Noble standing by the door. 

“Chin, do we have –” he stopped in mid-sentence and his smile dissipated when he saw me. “Oh.”

“Uh…” I began, but no words followed that. He motioned to get out of the pantry, but I ran after him. “Please don’t go,” I plead.

He turned around and faced me, eyeing me with his usually warm eyes that were now cold like hard gems. He didn’t say a word and tension filled the room.

Swallowing my pride, I bowed before him. “I’m sorry…for everything,” I said. I remained like that for some time, but he didn’t speak. To show my sincerity, I just bowed. “I don’t see any proper way to repay you all for your kindness but to help fulfill the prophecy.” I looked up at him, but he just stared blankly. I guess he wasn’t going to forgive me after all.

Just then, Kai and someone else suddenly popped out of nowhere. “Suho, did you –” Like Suho, he stopped talking when he saw me. Still, I didn’t straighten up. 

“Shinhye?” the other person said and I realized that it was Kyungsoo.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. I was already getting the humiliation of my life, but Suho his heels and walked away without saying anything. I felt tears stinging my eyes the moment he left the pantry, but I blinked them back.

“What are you looking for?” Kai asked me.

Kyungsoo shushed him. “She’s not looking for anything,” he chided the younger one and approached me. He took me by the shoulders and straightened me up. “Are you alright?” His eyes were filled with concern as he looked at me.

I smiled and nodded. “I am. I…I’m so sorry.”

“Oh,” Kai said and joined Kyungsoo. “It doesn’t matter as long as you’re safe.”

“He’s right,” Kyungsoo said. “We understand you.”

I looked behind him, staring at the door and he seemed to have read through me. “Suho…”

“…is just upset. He’ll come around soon,” he said with a reassuring smile.

“Sehun, too,” Kai chimed in.

This is what I don’t understand. They’re all so kind to me. I wonder if they would extend the same kind of benevolence if I wasn’t the prophesied maiden. Suddenly, I felt hot tears falling from my eyes. I felt pathetic crying in front of them, but I couldn’t help it. For the first time since father 'died', I felt at home. I just hoped that my sister was here. She was all that was missing.

Kai reached over and gently wiped my tears with his thumb. “Don’t cry,” he cooed.

The door opened right after he said the words and Baekhyun entered, his eyes rounding like saucers when he saw what was happening. “Shin-Shin? Why are you crying? More importantly, what are you doing up and about?” He fired the questions without pause and before anyone could react to his unexpected entrance, he closed the distance between him and the two boys and smacked them both on the back of their heads. “What did you two fools do to her?!”

Both boys held onto the sore spot on their heads. “Hey!”Kyungsoo yelled at him.

Kai just rubbed the back of his head. “We didn’t do anything, idiot!” he snarled back, but Baekhyun didn’t seem to buy it as he faced me.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the expression on his face. “Is that true?” he asked me.

“Shouldn’t that have come first before you hit them?” I said to him in between laughter.

“Oh.” Kyungsoo and Kai narrowed their eyes at him, but he warded them off. “I’ll melt you both before you can even try,” he threatened.

“I’d like to see you try, Light Noble,” Kai said and Kyungsoo nodded in agreement.

“See you later, Shinhye,” Kyungsoo said. “Stop worrying.”

I smiled at him. “Alright.” I faced Baekhyun then. “Walk with me?”

He beamed. “Most certainly.”

SEHUN

The time has finally arrived for the Oracle Minister to meet Ahn Shinhye, the prophesied maiden. I wonder how he will react once he learns that she hadn’t been acting accordingly. I mean, she was a girl and yet she had the wrath of a raging ocean and as far as I know, she can fight well with swords and even with her bare hands. Aside from that, she had extra abilities just like all of us. She could will things to happen with her mind and she can read thoughts. I thought that such abilities only belonged to the Telepathy Nobles of Elatus in Meropia, but apparently, she was equipped with it, but it was altogether different from the abilities that the nobles of Elatus had.

 The mere prospect of it was fascinating and frightening at the same time. As a child, I’ve always wanted to have that ability – to see through people’s thoughts. Not only can Shinhye read thoughts, she can also alter things. I have observed the sticks she had been carving for the past weeks. She stopped doing that and I was curious about what brought the change in her behavior. She usually carried them in a makeshift sling that she got from Chin and when I went to her room one time to see what they were, I witnessed as the wooden sticks slowly turned into real swords. It was destructive in itself, but having one’s innermost thoughts read by another person was pure embarrassing. I was quite surprised when she learned that I called her a viraginous assassin. She was clearly affronted by it and I wasn’t really expecting her to be that sensitive since she didn’t seem to be the sort who swells on trivial matters.

I transformed into my spirit form, hovering invisibly over the portico of the manor where the other Element