SHINHYE

Pain.

The word was defined to me for the first time ever in my existence with every cell in my body begging not to be able to feel anything anymore. I started to feel it creeping through my temples then it became more pronounced as it met in the middle of the my head as if it was being torn apart and squeezed together at the same time. I then felt it spreading downward like fire burning through my flesh, concentrated on my chest. It was as if my bones were being crushed under pressure while my joints were being severed, but nothing was breaking, like I was sandwiched between two slabs of dry ice, but I was completely free. It was overwhelming to the point that even breathing came in batches of painful gasps as it was like inhaling sand. I was expecting to see myself burst into a puddle of blood, but nothing like that happened, just that my senses were heightened a hundred fold that everything, even hearing and seeing light, hurt. It was excruciating and beyond that. I didn’t have the words to describe what I was going through.

My eyes were shut, but I can hear every little noise in the forest. The faint rustling of the leaves of the trees that surrounded us came with such intensity every time the wind blew past them. It was like hearing ultrasonic waves and my head felt like it was splitting in half. I wasn’t aware of my current position since I couldn’t even discern where my body parts were. Logic just let me know where they were. I couldn’t think straight since I was lacking oxygen. I couldn’t breathe properly. I was afraid to. I didn’t want to scream. It was useless and if I did, the agony would be prolonged.

I tried to concentrate on something else aside from the pain. I tried remembering my conversation with Suho oppa. He was telling me about it and he was right, every word he uttered. No one, unless senile, would actually want to go through with something like it. It threatened to rob me of breath, but I wasn’t spiraling into unconsciousness. Instead, it was like everything in me was being awakened, but I would rather suffer like this than not be able to see my sister again. I would rather have this than bear the conscience of knowing that Sehun died for an undignified cause. I wasn’t going to settle for that, but I couldn’t help but wonder when it would end.

I mustered the courage to open my eyes, but I couldn’t focus on one thing. The light had grown dimmer, but it still hurt my eyes like they were being wrenched out of their sockets. I was surprised to have figured out that it was already late in the afternoon. It was like my whole life had been flashing through my mind the whole time. Maybe I was actually preparing to die as well, but I vowed not to. I wasn’t about to put everything to waste by dying just like that. No. I’m not going to let that happen.

I’ve found resolve when I opened my eyes while I was in the middle of the ordeal and saw a face. I couldn’t see it clearly, but for some reason, I knew that I at least owed it to that person to live. That person was where everything was leading to. I have to fulfill the prophecy no matter what as what the person was doing at the other side of the river. I found myself smiling inwardly despite of the pain when I realized who the person was. It was Jinhae, my mirror image, all that I had left and the one I was going out of my way for…my dear sister. I was going to see her as soon as the prophecy was fulfilled. All I had to do was to be patient. It’s all going to be worth it.

Another wave of pain coursed through me as the wind blew past me. For some reason, I felt cold, but I was nowhere near feeling numb. At this rate, my brain should be producing beta waves and releasing endorphins. I should be feeling nothing or I should be ecstatic, but it was a whole different thing here in Elyxo. As the pain heightens, I would feel more of it the way it should be. Science didn’t matter in a place where unicorns and Element Nobles existed. It was a world born out of dreams and nightmares.

I held my breath and my chest ached like a drill bit was being driven down on my sternum, slowly making its way to my heart. It was going to pass and then another kind of pain would assault me. No human could endure it, but then again, I wasn’t human. Still, I couldn’t even think straight. I had no sense of time. I could have been suffering for only a matter of minutes or hours, but it felt like eternity. I wonder how long the process usually lasts. I was getting impatient and another scream of agony was threatening to emerge from my throat.

No… I wasn’t about to make it last longer than it should. I will survive it and there was no changing that. I felt pressure on my left arm and the whole right side of my body as I was being pressed against something. It was warm, but I couldn’t appreciate it at all. It wasn’t comforting in the least bit.

“You can do it, Shinhye,” I heard a distant voice say, appearing like sparks in the dark as I shut my burning eyes once more. Who was tal