-Jinhae’s POV-

I blinked once.

“Please ensure everyone’s safety while I’m away.”

That would be Kris. I stared blankly at the wall opposite me as I stood by the wall adjacent to the door of the drawing room where the nobles were having their conference. I was intentionally eavesdropping as if their thoughts were not enough for me to hear over. I swallowed hard, as too many thoughts danced like leprechauns in my head. The news that had been pestering me came like a bucket of ice-cold water. Matters had taken for the worst and we had to part with one of our friends once more just like Lay did when he left for Hailesia. This time, it was the leader – Kris. 

I didn’t know that the nobles each had an individual task to perform in order to retrieve something of vital importance before the twelfth eclipse. They didn’t mention anything to me and I was also informed that it had been going on since the time Tao and I had been literally trapped in the past. He’d had a little misunderstanding with the others as he was opposed to the idea of not telling me anything about it. I thanked the Time Noble silently for thinking that way. I didn’t know why, but the minister had ordered them not to tell me. I’ve learned as much reading Lay’s thoughts which didn’t hide anything from me.

I didn’t like the idea of letting one of them embark on another journey filled with uncertainty. There were too many possibilities, most of them dreadful. The first time Lay went back to Hailesia, the period when he didn’t summon us through the crystal made me as nervous as hell. There were to many what-if’s, too many questions playing in my mind. Shinhye specifically told me once to keep each and everyone of them alive, but that task seemed to be getting more and more difficult since I couldn’t assure their safety while they were away from me. I can’t reach their thoughts at such long distances the way I did with Shinhye, but I could definitely feel the dread as well as everyone’s indignation towards the idea, but we were left with no choice but to see to it that everything was fulfilled or it would be a waste in the end.

As much as I’d like to fulfill the prophecy and see my sister again in the end, I wasn’t very keen on the idea of letting any of my friends go. It was lucky enough that Lay survived what had happened to Hailesia. I think it was pushing our luck doing it five times more. I shiver at the mere thought of it. I’ve already been acquainted to that terrible feeling of losing someone you hold dear. First it was appa then Shinhye followed when we were taken to Elyxo. Even if it was momentary, I still considered Lay’s departure before as a loss, loss of time, loss of affection. Indirectly, I felt it through Shinhye, too. She was also facing a loss upon letting Baekhyun, the Light Noble, go for his task and though she wasn’t showing her anxiety, her brain was plagued with it.

For some reason, inside, I refuse to fulfill the prophecy that soon since I didn’t really agree to the ideas that had been inside Shinhye’s mind lately. She had found a way out of Elyxo. She was very keen on it and I didn’t think that there would be any kind of way to change her mind about it. She had been discovering things that were very crucial for our safety and I would have to sympathize with her sentiments when she told me that we were, in fact, deathless. It was a sad life we would be treading and we had no one but each other. It’s just that I didn’t like the idea of leaving the others in the end. They’ve been so kind to me.

“In turn, I trust that it wouldn’t be such a great burden for you to keep yourself safe,” Tao spoke.

Yeah. That’s right, Kris. You’d better keep yourself safe or I’ll go crazy, I thought, wishing I could voice it out, but the shock just made my voice box malfunction as if something was lodged between the cogs in my brain. I felt my eyes stinging with tears, but I blinked them back fiercely, trying to navigate from thought to thought inside the people’s heads. I was able to intercept the thoughts of the lady of the manor and she had been weeping profusely in the middle of the night despite her encouragement and bright smile to her son. I didn’t know the purpose of the banquet they’ve held not two days ago to be able to sympathize. It was awful news coming from Lord Wu Yi Shen like that.

“Don’t worry about me. I will be alright. No one had been to Udaranna first hand and I would just have to see for myself what dwells there,” Kris answered, sounding very casual about it.

What the hell is wrong with him, making it sound so easy?

“It’s precisely why no living being had gone there,” Chen said.

“It is, in actuality, more like no one had gone and gone back alive to tell the tales about the place except that it’s the home of vicious beasts,” Lu Han countered rather bitterly.

“Do like not, everyone. We were all set to make a difference in Elyxo. We were meant to unite the two lands again and that isn’t easy. We were destined to die for it in the end.”

That was the last straw and though I’ve read the violent reactions from the others, I beat them from expressing their anger to Kris’ words by barging in. “Really now, Wu Fan?” I stormed. “You were meant to die for it?! That’s unacceptable.”

The surprise in everyone’s faces were evident when I entered the room without preamble. I was breathing shallowly as I prevented myself from crying in front of them.

“It’s the truth,” he answered gravely.

“Well, I would rather twist the truth if that’s the case. I didn’t come here and meet you all just so you could die on me in the end though it would be idealistic if I said that no one could possibly die in the process. I don’t care, do you understand?”

To my utter mortification, that rare smile of his materialized on his face. “Mei-mei, would you please come here?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Don’t call me that if you’re going to convince me that if you die, it’s okay. I’m not going to accept it.”

He shook his head and closed the distance between us instead. He patted my head then stooped down to level his head with mine. He was just annoyingly tall and though I wanted to pummel his head for saying such aggravating things, I couldn’t. He was someone I couldn’t disrespect although I am contradicting his ideas. Aish! Such a pessimist!

“What?” I rolled my eyes.

He arched a brow at me. “So are you going to make me remember that sour face before I go?” he asked.

I scoffed. “If it’s what would bring you back to us, then yeah!”

He chuckled softly. “Mei-mei is being silly.”

“What are you laughing at? I’m not trying to be silly. I’m telling you now, Kris. If you decide to depart for good then you should know that the devil waiting for you at the seventh circle of hell wouldn’t be as frightening as I could be.” I wasn’t kidding. He knew what I was capable of and he flinched.

“I understand,” he smiled again despite of himself. He then reached over and gave me a light squeeze. “I’ll be back for you.” He glanced at the others. “I nearly forgot about you. I’ll be back for you, too.”

I pulled him by the collar and stared into his eyes seriously. “Don’t take our gege away or I’ll never forgive you.” I let go of him and stepped back, thinking of things. “Maybe I’ll go after what killed you, too, but, yeah, I won’t ever forgive you.”

He smirked, but nodded anyway. “Be safe, mei-mei.”

“My life here wouldn’t be in half as much deep crap as yours will be so just look after yourself.”

“I’m just saying that the same conditions apply to everyone when something bad happens.”

I nodded. “You’ve got yourself a deal.” I looked at the others. “That’s what you’re all going to hear before you go so you’d better get your act together or it’ll be worse.”

Lu Han and Lay uneasily shifted on their seats when I eyed them both. I rolled my eyes and finally managed to smile at Kris.

“I thought –” He was about to taunt me about what I’ve said earlier, but I stopped him.

“Oh shut up.” I reached over and gave him a brief hug. “Au revoir~!”

He nodded slowly, surprised by my sudden change in mood. “Thank you, whatever that means.”

“I said I’ll see you. Take care.”

“I will.”

“I won’t see you off. You know me.”

“Terrible at goodbyes.”

I nodded and winked at him like he would then turned around, turning for the door. My tears were ready to fall, but then, I felt a presence as I made my turn towards the portico. I turned around and saw the Oracle Minister standing by the wall, tossing an apple up and down repeatedly. A smile spread across his face when he saw me looking.

I stopped myself from gawking at him. Yeah. I still get shocked and embarrassed whenever I see him. I bowed. “Minister,” I murmured.

“Good morning, Jinhae,” he greeted in that airy voice. “How did it go, your goodbyes, I mean?”

I smiled. “Rather than a sad goodbye, I prefer putting it as if I’m sending my big brother off to the conservatory where he would study,” I answered. “It went well.”

He chuckled. “You’re a fierce young lady. I trust your point came across through Wu Fan’s stubbornness and cold demeanor.”

“I dearly hope so, but I’m afraid I would have to contradict you once more, your grace. He’s anything but cold. He looks after everyone well. He’s just…” I smiled weakly. “Misunderstood.”

“You’re very understanding as well. Wu Fan had been an only child so he was quite lonely. The same goes with Yi Xing, but you didn’t fail to break through the barriers they’ve built around themselves. I must say you’re very brave, too.”

My brows furrowed a bit. “I’m anything, but brave, sir. You can’t imagine how scared out of my wits I am at the moment for all of them, but I’m still glad they chose to tell me what was going on.”

He tossed the apple once more and caught it in midair. He then handed it to me. “To speak of the lord of the underworld himself without fear is quite exceptional for you as a young lady. Others would choose not to speak of it. The nobles would certainly understand that you meant it seriously.”

I took the apple from him, quite embarrassed that he should hear what I have said. “It’s a common thing in the human world as people were cynical of the supernatural, but of course, it’s always meant figuratively.”

“I see.” He took a step forward. “Won’t you walk with me?”

“Okay.”

We were silent as we reached the path to the gardens until he broke it. “How’s the human world before you left?” he asked.

“Pretty much the same, I guess, with too many people and unending development on everything. It is as modern as it could get with all the noise and busy atmosphere. Elyxo had done me a lot of good things if I may say.”

“It didn’t change much then,” he confirmed.

I furrowed my brows. “Have you…” I shook my head. “This may sound absurd, but have you gone to the human world?”