Sorry for the late and lame update. I had been working on LMKY prior to this repost and had also been trying to divide my time exercising and playing my new video games. To those in the United States: Happy Independence Day! Whoo! Fireworks! (Oh, and I might need to reedit this chappie again but another time.)  

Reminder: No translating, no copying, no stealing, no plagiarizing!

Repost: 7/4/14

To Protect Twelve Guardians

There was no time to discuss such grave matters when a servant was out there prowling for their whereabouts. With dinner nearing, the princes had no choice but to gloomily emerge from the secret passageway and trudge off to their rooms to clean up their filthy appearances. Suho and Kyungsoo tracked down the servant seeking for them and told her that they wanted to eat dinner in Suho’s room again.

Less than a half an hour later, twelve troubled princes sat in the couches and armchairs of Suho’s living chambers. Food carts had been wheeled in, but everyone was too anxious to eat, much less have an appetite. Even though they were alone in the privacy of the vast living quarters, they spoke in hushed volumes with tense tones, continuing on with their discoveries from before.

After all the pieces were put together, an uptight silence filled the large room. On one end of a couch, Sehun was cuddled up against Luhan, their legs tucked up close to their chests. Yixing would sigh sullenly every once in a while, his gaze downcast. Kai habitually gnawed on his lips and fiddled with his shirt hem. Tao was oddly quiet and as motionless as a statue. Yifan was slouched in an armchair, face remote and stoic.

“Should we...” Suho swallowed nervously, having been the one to fracture the heavy silence with his hesitant words. “Should we confront Father—that we know?”

Yifan shook his head pensively. “No,” he said. “I have a feeling that we don’t know everything yet.”

“That’s right,” Luhan interceded softly. “For starters, we don’t know for certain if Aris is really at the Capitol. And we also don’t know what our mothers are doing in town.”

Xiumin seemed frustrated. “Isn’t it obvious? They’re probably organizing the Exotics before the Techas invade.”

At that detestable word, Tao and Sehun shuddered fearfully. Luhan shot his older brother a sour glare.

Chen, who had his hands clasped tightly together, quietly asked, “Do you think that maybe Aris returned home? To be with her people?”

Luhan involuntarily clutched at his chest, where his heart was beating achingly. His father’s words echoed back to him.

“She’ll come back for you.”

This painful feeling in his chest...it was constricting and hollow, as if he had taken a sudden plunge down a cliff, but somehow it held traces of warmth and reassurance at the thought of you. Either Luhan truly did have a six sense...or he just knew.

“No,” the telekinesis prince cut in softly but surely, and everyone gave him a queer look. “She’s still within EXO’s domain, just not on the planet.” He lifted his chin to lock gazes with Yixing. “You said that Uncle Sungmin sent a letter to Father from Crescent Moon, correct?”

Yixing nodded slowly, unsure as to where Luhan was aiming at. “Yes...” he answered haltingly. “But what does that have to do with anything?”

The doe-eyed prince felt the gears in his brain operate faster; it gave him a head rush. “From what I know about Uncle Sungmin, he may be the General, but he was always stationed in certain places for certain reasons. But his troops and subordinates were also the people who were assigned to take care of any foreign matters—like protecting the SHINee royals when they came to visit.”

Suho’s eyes brightened considerably. “That’s right!” he exclaimed, nearly jumping out of his seat. “Remember when we went on the trip? It was Uncle’s subordinates that accompanied us as guards!”

Baekhyun’s brows furrowed. “So what?”

Luhan smacked his lips before proclaiming, “I think Aris and her brothers are with Uncle Sungmin on Crescent Moon.”

Chanyeol’s eyes bugged out incredulously. “On one of the Two Moons?! Why on earth would she be there?”

“To be protected, most likely,” murmured Yifan, who had been silent the whole time during Luhan’s backtracking. Now he was following along with his brother’s train of thoughts, studiously pondering to himself with the new information. “Uncle Sungmin is one of the few capable people on this planet who’s able to protect her and her brothers well.”

“And hiding her on the moon during an invasion is smart,” Suho logically pointed out. “Because the invasion would be pinpointed on the planet instead.”

They fell silent again.

“Guys...” Yixing paused tentatively, then spoke his mind. “Do you have this weird kind of feeling that...Aris knows about this—the invasion?”

With that query, the princes’ perspectives did a one-eighty. They exchanged questionable glances.

“Knowing her,” Yifan said, subdued, “she does.” He must’ve regained his leadership persona back because he regally straightened up in his seat, leaning forward slightly to display an engaged front. “That’s it,” he declared. “We’re going to confront Father early tomorrow morning. We’ll have Kai teleport us to Father, and the second we see him, we’re going to demand to be informed of the current situation and insist our help.”

His brothers nodded determinedly. “Right.”

While Suho and Yifan urged their brothers to eat the food that had gotten cold during their serious talk, Kai glanced up to peer out the nearest window. His dark mocha eyes were like bottomless pits, but they seemed to glint as he observed the harmonious blue sky. How could his home be soon invaded when nothing seemed out-of-place? Just wondering that gave him the chills. But since their discovery of the invasion, he and his brothers could finally feel an underlining of impending danger when they formerly could not have ever guessed it.

Aris, the teleporter prayed fervently, wherever you are, be safe.

...

“Aris! We can start on the last stage of the ritual soon!” Jonghyun exclaimed, feeling somewhat excited as he evaluated their progress. The candles that outlined the circumference of the circle blazed with colorful fire that sapped their energy. Within the circle was a translucent, dome-like barrier that could be described as ghost skin. Inside of the see-through dome, where the ash writing and charcoaled symbols were etched, sparked with sizzling magic. This was the site of a summoning—for a particular magical object.

Shiny beads of sweat trickled down your forehead as you concentrated hard on the summoning. You looked pale and ashen, as if someone had erased the color of your face. Intelligence and fervor still shone brilliantly in your eyes, but they were drained from the lack of sleep and energy.

Minho huffed, hating the heavy sensation of having his inner strength be drawn from him. “This stupid piece of an antique is killing me,” he grumbled.

“Just shut up and bring it out of the summoning circle,” Key grunted, sharp eyes focused entirely on the emerging object.

You were deeply immersed in concentrating on the spell, hands rigidly formed and breathing even. Trying to summon the magical object was a tedious hassle, but it was an easier task compared to breaking the seal that trapped it in the first place. Plus, you and your brothers had to maintain the barrier erected that ensured the existence of the different dimension inside.

The magical object was tall, sleek, and rectangular with an intricate, sculptured frame. It shone with a mighty glare when light hit its pristine surface. Even though it was floating, it appeared very heavy. Finally, the bottom of it rose from the portal it emerged from, and it stayed airborne like that, a few inches above the crystal floor.

“Finally!” Onew groaned and flopped onto his back, completely wiped out. Key, Minho, and Taemin sluggishly set up the sealing rods to lock the existence of the summoned object in place so it wouldn’t suddenly disappear. Now everyone could take a well-deserved breather.

Although you were panting and deprived of strength, you shakily rose to your feet and stepped a tad closer to the tall, massive object so that you were standing in front of it. It was like a screen, a wall, a reflection.

A mirror.

You lifted your drooped chin and stared at the reflection displayed clearly before you. There, standing solemn and small with dark eyes and a wan face, was nothing more...

...than a mere child.

Jonghyun sighed loudly and rubbed the area under his round eyes where lilac crescents were forming. “Alright,” he said, suppressing a yawn. “While the rest of us are resting, the seals will be written.” He glanced at Key for confirmation. “Kibum?”

Key nodded tiredly. “General Sungmin already gave me the scrolls and ink. The writing should be done by tomorrow morning.”

Onew sat back up and, with his lips pursed together worriedly, inquired, “We only have a day and a half left until the appointed invasion begins. Will we have enough time to finish the ritual and start on the second spell?”

Everyone simultaneously glanced over at you where you stood transfixed by the sight of your frozen reflection. Regardless of your dazed state, you heard them and replied in your soft, velvety voice, “We have time. I’ll rest now.”

Everyone consented to that. “Don’t worry about anything,” Jonghyun reassured. “Just sleep. You’re going to need your energy for the final stage of the ritual.”

“You, too, Taemin,” Onew inputted. “Since you’ll be transferring your magic over to her.”

“Yes, Brother,” Taemin piped up wearily in his sweet, gentle voice. The two of you plopped down onto the cool, smooth floor and snuggled up close together like you would do back home in SHINee. Then your eyes drifted shut, and you dreamily enjoyed the bit of time you had left with one another.

...

Morning had risen again. King Heechul was somewhat awake, if none at all. A migraine wracked his exhausted brain, and there was a bitter dryness settled in his throat. His sharp, dark eyes were bloodshot and drooped over, making him look like as if he was sleepwalking. Despite the lack of sleep and nutrition for the past two days, the king worked diligently and enduringly. He had transferred his location over to the war room where the noise level never ceased. Messengers clamored in and out. Military officials talked over one another. Servants hustled about, providing ink and paper and coffee. Most of his advisors had left to rest, but they would be returning soon around six o’ clock, which felt like an eternity to King Heechul even though it was in about twenty more minutes.

But then something disrupted the flurry of chaos. Gasps were released as a small whirlwind of black wisps suddenly materialized in the room. King Heechul immediately recognized such smoke emitted. When he wearily raised his chin, he saw twelve young boys standing gathered together on the main long table. Their faces were flawless and youthful but masked over with a serious, austere expression. He locked eyes with his tall, proud heir. His heir who had the same fierce and powerful gaze as him.

“We need to talk, Father.”

...

Needless to say, it was time for them to talk.

After excusing himself, King Heechul wordlessly herded his sons outside the room and down the hallway. At the end of the corridor, it was secluded and empty—a suitable place to discuss a pressing issue in reserve.

“Boys, I will not let you participate in such dangerous matters,” King Heechul stated sternly, standing alone on his own side as he faced his hardheaded sons. It appeared to be an unfair standoff between them—twelve princes versus one king, but the latter was more influential. The king leveled a stony stare at them.

And they stared back unyieldingly.

“Then tell us the truth!” Yifan flared back at him in a heated response. “We know about the Techas’ upcoming invasion, but where is Aris? Is she on Crescent Moon?”

King Heechul exhaled roughly and crossed his arms. “She made me promise not to tell you.”

“Then let us do something productive!” Xiumin demanded stormily, nearly stomping his foot in frustration. “Where are our mothers? We’ll help!”

“It’s too dangerous!” snapped King Heechul, his neck taut and veins pronounced.

“But we’re the princes of EXO!” Chanyeol retorted. “It’s our duty to protect EXO!”

“I’M TRYING TO PROTECT YOU!” the king finally roared. That stunned his sons, for they have never experienced their father’s fiery temper directed at themselves. Sehun and Tao looked scared, their small bodies overcome with tremors, but they uttered no sound, not even a whimper. Chanyeol and Kai gulped at their father’s ferocious volume, and Suho and Yixing were wide-eyed.

Teeth gritted, the king tried to rein in his snarling and said gruffly, “Don’t you understand? We’re all trying to protect you. You don’t know the half of what Prophet Yesung had foreseen. He...” The vexed king looked away from his appalled sons. “My sons...” he whispered gently. “The Techas are stronger and larger than before. They have one purpose for their invasion. And Aris, your fiancée, has part in trying to overturn their plans.” A sad, detached look etched across his miserable face. “You, my children, are important to EXO. The Tree of Life did not bless you to me as a mere coincidence. The twelve of you hold much more influence and power to this planet, your home, than anyone else. Long ago, when I first encountered Majesty, she told me that my children would be the protectors of EXO. At your births, you were granted supreme powers, vast lands, and sacred symbols—things no other royal has ever received. But...the Techas are aware about a prophecy pertaining to the twelve of you and wish to see this planet overtaken.”

His sons had listened, but the point of his explanation was still dim to them.

“What is it, Father?” Suho timidly asked in a quiet voice. “What makes the Techas so dangerous now? A threat?”

When their father looked up, the princes were conflicted at how King Heechul’s eyes were utterly heartbroken.

“They want to kill you.”

The end of EXO will be when all of the twelve guardians are no more. Thus, the end of the Tree of Life.

...