Wonder, confusion, amazement, disbelief...

Ara could name a thousand more emotions that were etched on the girl's faces.

"Guardians....? Guardians of what?" Eunbi asked.

"Guardians of the elements..." Ara replied only to be faced with four confused faces. "As far as I know the elements are Earth, Air, Water and Fire... Death, ice, flying, teleporting, and also mind control isn't really in the mix with that...." Soyoon said.

Ara shrugged, "Death and mind control are the things that are bothering me... I haven't seen any of that in our kind." She said confused.

"What do you mean... our kind? Are you one of us too?... Whatever we are..." Dayoung asked.

Ara nodded, "We are the guardians of this world. Kind of like the Protectors of the earth. And these powers that have been gifted to you... well... let's just say there are more than that." She chuckled.

 "More than what??" Eunbi ushered her to go on.

"Well.. Let’s see. There are twelve elements that our kind possesses. Four of which Jieun already has. The other eight elements are left for you three... Fire, Earth, Air, Light, Time Control, Telekinesis, Lightning and Healing." She said and eyed the girls.

"How are those connected? Some of those aren't even elements anymore..." Eunbi asked. "Well... we started with the four main elements, which as you know are Air, Earth, Fire and Water. But over the years our ancestors have found ways to expand their powers and also have successfully passed them on to the next generation, which is why we have them now." The girls slumped down on the couch and grumbled.

*This is so confusing.* Eunbi thought.

"You got that right!" Soyoon answered. Eunbi glared at her, "Stop reading my thoughts!" She yelled and Soyoon cowered.

"Sorry... I can't help it... Jieun has been babbling on about how creepy and weird this whole thing is. You and Dayoung are the only ones that aren't giving me a headache." Soyoon said rubbing her temples.

"You've been listening to my thoughts this whole time too!? " Dayoung shot up and glared at her.

Soyoon shook her head furiously, "NO!! Trust me... I couldn’t even hear you... which was weird."

Ara looked at Dayoung. She noticed that Soyoon and Eunbi were to the right of Dayoung leaving Jieun to be isolated at the far left.

*Jieun had been too stressed to calm down and control her powers this whole time... OH MY GOSH!!!!* Ara shot up and smiled at the girl. Dayoung was startled.

"Dayoung my dear... You’re a shield!"

"A what?" Dayoung asked confused.

 "A shield. You've been keeping Jieun's flames from hurting the others... look." The girls looked at Jieun and sure enough, they saw black flames seeping through her fingers.

Jieun panicked and started frantically waving her hands jumping up and down.

"W-What do I do!!??" Jieun looked at Ara.

"Jieun calm down and sit!" Ara yelled only to be ignored.

"Guys!!! Help! I can't..." Jieun looked at her friends frantically losing her composure and was about to fall on Dayoung. Dayoung shot her hands up and tried to catch her. "Dayoung! No!" Ara yelled but it was too late. Jieun already touched her. Ara looked at Dayoung and was surprised.

"H-How???" Ara was speechless. She sat back down on her seat and thought for a moment. Dayoung let Jieun go and noticed that the black flames were gone.

"Dayoung, Soyoon come here." Ara called the two girls. They stood up and went to her side.

"Dayoung grab Soyoon's arm." Dayoung complied.

*Soyoon can you hear me?* Ara thought and Soyoon had a blank face.

"Did you hear me?" She asked Soyoon.

The girl shook her head.

 

Ara looked at Dayoung , "You can stop people from using their powers." She smiled. "Huh...? Is that why Jieun couldn't hurt me?"  Dayoung asked and Ara nodded. Dayoung let go of Soyoon's arm and they sat back down. Ara glanced at each one of them.

"Now that I know what each of you girls uniquely have. The only thing we need to do is to find out which elements each one of you posses."

All of them nodded but then quickly shrugged.

"Eunbi unni still hasn't found hers." Soyoon said.

Ara chuckled, "Eunbi... When you're scared, do you pace around frantically?"

Ara asked and earned a nod from the other.

"Look outside..." She told Eunbi. Eunbi looked back out the window and was shocked. She saw herself, well... more like an apparition of herself pacing back and forth like it was about to lose its mind. The other girls gasped.

"How is that possible???" The three yelled.

"She's an illusionist." Ara inquired, "Her apparition has been there for the past ten minutes."

Eunbi was still looking outside and her 'figure' was getting more and more worked up. Dayoung saw fear in her eyes and gently reached out to her unni. The 'figure' vanished and Eunbi was cut off from her trance. She looked at the hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"Thanks Dayoung-ah" She looked up the girl and Dayoung smiled. *Your welcome.* "She said you’re welcome." Soyoon said to Eunbi. Dayoung shot her a glare.

"WHAT?? She might've not heard you!" Soyoon said exasperatedly.

"Chae Soyoon! You better keep away from my thoughts, before I shun you away permanently!" Dayoung threatened. Soyoon cowered back on the couch. The girls broke out in fits of giggles and Ara joined in. For a little moment, the thought of happiness came in the girl’s minds, but was quickly pushed back by fear and anxiety. The laughter died down and the girls went back to staring out in space in deep thought. Ara sighed, "Come on... let's get some sleep. I know you girls are tired." She got up from her seat and headed to her room. She stopped midway and turned around.

"Eunbi... you can calm down now..." Ara said, earning a confused look from the other. "What do you mean..?"

"It's 9 pm and it's as bright as morning outside. Your fingers are glowing." Ara pointed out and Eunbi looked down.

 "Oh...."

Soon enough darkness crept in and the glowing of her fingers died down.  Ara chuckled. "Five down... seven more to go..." She headed to her room and shut the door.

"She said goodnight." Soyoon said. And the girls shot her a glare again.

"What??! This time, she actually told me to tell you!" She stomped her foot and headed to their room shutting the door.

"Whatever... let's just get some sleep... I really don't want to deal with all of this right now." Eunbi said and pushed the girls in their room shutting the door.

-

            "Ughhhhhh... " Dayoung woke up from her sleep feeling as thirsty as ever. was burning. She gently eased off her bed, making sure not to wake up the other girls. She got out the room and trudged her way to the kitchen. The hallway was dark, and she could barely see anything. Her hands were feeling the walls to see if it could guide her anywhere that would have a light source, yet it didn't help. This was getting a little too familiar.

*My dream...the hallway...* She thought and fear crept up her spine slowly. She contemplated on going back to the room but the burning sensation on was getting worse, it felt like it was spreading all throughout her body. "

Ahhhh..." she gasped lowly grasping her chest. The pain was getting unbearable. She fell on her knees with her head hanging low.

"G-guys... H-hel-"

She couldn't take it anymore and was calling her friends, but she could barely even hear herself speak. "Huuuuhhh" She tried to get up, only to fall back down again.

"I told you to accept it." Dayoung's head shot up and she was about to faint in fright and pain. The little girl in her dream was back. She was still dumbfounded at the fact that the little girl was her, only younger.

"A-Accept what?" Dayoung said in a whisper grabbing on to what felt like a table and tried pulling herself up. She got on to her feet with much difficulty and stared back at the little girl.

"That."

the little girl pointed at something. Dayoung followed her hand and looked down. Her chest was turning a bright red glow and that was when she felt like she was about to die. The pain got worse to the point that she couldn't even voice out her agony. The little girl started walking towards her and she stepped back in fear only to be stopped by the wall. "Hmph... like always... you are weak..."

The little girl grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door.

*N-No.. Please not again.* Dayoung thought and tried pulling back, but from the pain she was feeling she could barely even think clearly. She followed hesitantly, like she had a choice not to anyways, the little girl was practically dragging her. Once they were out the door, Dayoung's feet and finger tips started flowing out fire leaving a trail of burnt grass and trees. Soon enough, they were enveloped by the darkness of the forest. Dayoung panicked looked back in fear. *Guys... Help!*

-

            "DAYOUNG UNNI!!!" Soyoon shot up from her bed and also woke up the girls. Jieun and Eunbi got up from their beds running to her.

"What's wrong?" Eunbi asked.

"D-Dayoung unni's in danger."

Jieun and Eunbi snapped their heads to Dayoung's bed and when they saw that it was empty they grew hysterical. Soyoon jumped out her bed and the three of them went out heading to Ara's room.

"Ara! Help!" They banged at the old lady's door and soon enough it opened.

"What's wrong girls?" Ara asked in worry.

Dayoung's missing!" Eunbi said frantically.

"What?!" Ara asked in disbelief.

"I heard her call out for help..." Soyoon said in a low tone. All of them looked at the door and saw that it was wide open. Ara shuffled towards the door, "Oh dear Lord..." Ara said worriedly. She saw a trail of burning trees leading deep into the forest.

*We need to find her before they do.* Ara thought.

"W-What's going on? Is she in danger?" Jieun asked.

"Not yet.. come on girls. Hurry up. I'll explain later."

 

            They all ran into the forest with Jieun following behind them putting out the flames with water. They kept walking and walking., Still no sight of her.

"Where is she!?" Eunbi asked annoyed and worried. The path just kept going and the fire was getting bigger.

"Ara... I can't hold off this much anymore." Jieun said. The girls looked back at her and Jieun was cowering down to the ground. Her arms were out stretched with water flowing out from it. Exhaustion was evident in her face.

*She still hasn't mastered her powers yet... We need to find Dayoung before we ALL would be in danger.* Ara thought and frantically kneeled on the ground. She closed her eyes laying her hand on the ground.

"Reveal" she whispered. Her fingertips were glowing a bright light. The girls were startled in amazement. Ara could feel Dayoung. She couldn't see her but she could sense her fear.

"Over there." Ara stood up and pointed to one of the pathways that led to the cliff. The girls ran to where she pointed quickly.

"S-she's not alone..." Ara whispered and her eyes shot open.

"Girls!" She yelled for them but they were already deep within the forest. Ara shut her eyes close again, trying to sense the other person.

*Who are you...?* She could feel the heaviness of Dayoung's fear. It was bringing her down too. Then there it was, the feeling of scrutiny, pain and hurt. She felt it all. Ara was overwhelmed with the emotions and fell to the ground.

*Dayoung... stay strong...* Ara regained her posture and stood up heading to where the girls were. She looked back and she noticed that the fire was getting bigger.

*Girls... Hurry* She thought and walked as fast as her weak limbs would let her.

-

            Dayoung let go of the little girl's hand when she couldn't bear with the pain anymore and fell on the ground.

"Hmph... Pathetic..." The little girl sneered.

"UGHHHHHH!!!" She grunted in pain.

"Does it hurt Dayoung?" The little girl asked, though the tone of her voice was that of a mock.

"W-What... please... UGHHHHH!!!!!" Dayoung couldn't even form the words that she wanted to say.

"Worthless... pathetic... weak!" The little girl said and was walking towards Dayoung. Those words rang in Dayoung's ears like it was being played back over and over again. "STOP!!!" She yelled. She couldn't take it anymore.

"What? Had enough already...? Oh, but we’re just getting started!" The little girl giggled. Her laughter gave Dayoung chills running down her spine and not in a good way.

Dayoung tried getting up with all that's left of her energy and finally caught up with her surroundings. She was standing at the edge of a cliff. She jumped back a little when she noticed she was as close as an inch to her death. She moved back cautiously, only to be stopped by a figure behind her. She looked back and she saw the little girls smirk. "Might as well end it here..." Dayoung stepped back when the little girl took a step towards her.

"... nobody wants a weakling like you... not your parents..."

"NO!.... S-Stop!” Dayoung yelled.

"... not even your friends."

"Stop... that's not true...!"Dayoung sobbed uncontrollably.

"DAYOUNG!!!!"

She looked up and saw her friends emerge from the forest. The little girl glanced back at them. Soyoon’s glare was that of a monster.

"Leave her alone." Soyoon said in a low tone. Eunbi and Jieun looked at her and sure enough her rage was getting the best of her. Soyoon's eyes were deadly and she was gritting her teeth.

"Soyoon... get a hold of you sel-" Eunbi was cut off by the ground shaking uncontrollably.

"SOYOON!!!" Jieun yelled. The ground was forming cracks and their minds were on alert.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" They heard Dayoung scream. They instantly looked up. Dayoung was wobbling, the cracks below her feet became bigger and soon enough she fell off.

"Dayoung!!!!" Soyoon snapped out of her trance and all the girls ran towards the edge of the cliff. They mustered up the courage and looked down. They saw nothing, just rocks and more rocks.

"Where did she go?" Eunbi asked.

"Right here!"

The girls looked up and beamed with happiness. The pain in Dayoung's chest was long gone.

"Unni!" Soyoon exclaimed. Dayoung was floating in mid air.

"You can fly!" Jieun exclaimed joining her friend.

Once Jieun grabbed a hold of Dayoung's hand she was gleefully spinning her around in the air. Dayoung glanced back at the other two on the ground, only to be met with fear again.

"Eunbi! Soyoon!!! Watch out!"

The girls looked back and the little girl was dangerously close to them.

"Goodbye.."

The little girl smirked pushing Eunbi and Soyoon off the cliff. 

"Unni!!! Soyoon!!!" Jieun flew to them. But to her surprise they suddenly stopped midway. Their screams halted.

"What the….?" Soyoon said and looked up at Jieun.

"So all of us can fly?" Jieun asked in confusion but quickly shrugged it away.

"Come on." Eunbi said and they flew back up.

-

            Dayoung was enraged. She glanced at the little girl with hate in her eyes.

"I've had enough of you!" Dayoung sneered. The smirk on the little girl's face quickly vanished and was replaced by fear. Dayoung was emmitting a red flame. Power surged through her being and all she saw was anger. Dayoung was glaring at her intently. The little girl's feet were lifted off the ground.

"W-What's going on...? Let me down."

The little girl asked earning a smirk from the other.

"Oh... but we're just getting started."  Dayoung said in an icy cold tone. Dayoung stretched out her hand and the little girl was instantly pulled in by a force and was now in Dayoung's choke hold.

"Ugh..L-let go of m-me!"

The little girl cried struggling from Dayoung's grasp on , but Dayoung's eyes had no hint of mercy.

"Goodbye." Dayoung's hands were emitting flames.

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

The little girl yelled in agony. Soon enough her whole body was set on fire.

"Dayoung!" Eunbi called. Dayoung snapped back from her trance and lost her grasp on the little girl, which sent her plummeting down to the rocky pit of the cliff. All the girls looked down. The little girl was nowhere to be found.

"Where did she go?" Soyoon asked scanning her surroundings in panic.

 "She already fulfilled her purpose."

The girls snapped their heads back to the entrance of the forest. Ara emerged from the shadows and gave them a faint smile. The girls flew down to the ground and approached her.

"What do you mean?" Dayoung asked.

"She was your subconscious." Ara said earning confused faces from the girls.

"My what?!" Dayoung asked again, confused.

"She was here to provoke you and it worked. You stood up for yourself, which I think was what made her come here in the first place." Ara inquired.

*I did... I stood up for myslef.* Dayoung thought and a smile slowly crept to her face. "So... were we just imagining things?" Dayoung asked as her smile quickly faded and looked as if she was crazy. Ara chuckled, "I'm not sure how that happened, but I've heard of that before. It usually happens to people that are weak of heart. They conjure up their own apparition unintentionally and it helps them through their fears." Ara said the last sentence in a whisper and eyed Dayoung. Her head was hung low. Ara embraced the girl and she could hear her sobs.

"I-I could've gotten my friends killed..."  She said and hugged Ara tightly.

"Shhhh... My dear Dayoung, but you didn't." Ara pulled out of the hug and the other girls quickly ushered towards their crying friend, hugging her tightly.

"Hey, look on the bright side... at least we know that all of us can fly now!!!!" Jieun implied a little too enthusiastically and earned a knock on the head from Eunbi.

"Shut up." She mouthed and looked back at Dayoung.

"We're glad that you still came through Dayoung and the fact that we were the ones that gave you the little push to actually overcome this, makes it all the more special for us." Eunbi said and looked at her dongsaeng lovingly.

"But still... you could’ve gotten hur-"

"Uh uh!! We didn't and that's good enough for us! right guys?" Jieun said and gave her an assuring smile. The other girls nodded and Dayoung smiled faintly.

*What would I do without these girls?* She thought. "

NOTHING!!!" Soyoon squealed earning confused glances from Eunbi and Jieun. Dayoung on the other hand was glaring her down.

 "You know what... I'll figure out how to permanently shun your from my thoughts another day." Dayoung gave her maknae a hug and the girls were again enveloped in fits of giggles.

Soyoon squeezed Dayoung a little too tightly and the girl winced in pain.

"Owwww..." Dayoung pulled out from the hug and looked down. Her leg had a huge cut on it. She quickly sat down on the ground to inspect it. The other girls stared wide eyed. "Dayoung! How did you hurt yourself?" Eunbi asked frantically and kneeled right beside her.

"I-I don't know... I guess I hurt myself on the way here, maybe on one of the tree branches." Dayoung said and ripped part of her pants off so she could clearly see the wound.

"Oh My Gosh! It's so deep!" Soyoon hollered and instinctively reached out for it. Her hand made contact to Dayoung's leg and what happened next shocked them.

"W-What's going on?!" Dayoung asked.

Soyoon's hand was glowing a bright yellow and she quickly retracted in fright.

"You’re the healer." Ara said and the girls glanced back at her.

"Look" Ara approached Dayoung and quickly sat beside her. The girls noticed that her wound wasn't as deep anymore and they all gasped.

"Give me your hand." Ara said and Soyoon complied. Ara laid Soyoon's hand on the wound and soon enough her hand glowed again. The girls watched in awe as the wound closed up. Soyoon took back her hand and Dayoung's wound was now just a scar. "That's amazing!" Eunbi said excitedly. Soyoon was still dumbfounded. Ara noticed her expression and smiled.

 "You’re a healer, just like me." Ara said and gave the girl a smile. Soyoon nodded her head and smiled back.

"Do you have other powers too?" Eunbi asked and earned a confused look from Ara. "You did something over at the forest a while ago. Your fingers were glowing and you knew where Dayoung was." Eunbi inquired and Ara chuckled in understanding.

"I'm a half-blood." Ara said. The girls had confused faces.

"A what?" They all asked in unison.

"A half-blood. I'm a guardian and I'm also a witch." Ara said nonchalantly and the girls were shocked. Ara didn't know if they were shocked in a good way or a bad way. Then the girls faces beamed with happiness.

"AHHHHHHH!!!!! OMG! You’re a witch!!! That's so cool!!!!" They all yelled. Ara could only cover her ears and chuckle.

"OMG! I bet your mom was like a y witch and your dad was like a hot guardian!!" Soyoon said dreamily in excitement. The other girls mentally facepalmed themselves at their maknaes craziness and laughed with her. Ara's ears were filled with laughter.

*I can see that you girls would be in good hands... as long as you have each other.* Ara thought. Soyoon glanced at her and gave her a warm smile.