Sungyeol pressed his fingertips along the wound on Sophia's hand. He never wanted for her to get hurt, either to benefit his brothers or her. She held her palm out as he tightened the bandages. He tried to resist the urges of sipping her blood himself. It was a difficult feat, but her blood wasn't his to have. And he knew that.

The Princess' mind crashed as she focused in on the different books scattered all over the two story room. They were one of a kind artifacts. There was only one copy of most of them. And they were such historic accounts that hadn't been faked. All works were pieces of people's memories, both happy and sad. All of which was life changing and amazing in all eyes. These events left a longing impact on lives.

"I'm sorry," she uttered.

"For?"

"For being the cause of this," Sophia pointed to every row and column, every book, every shelf, every piece of paper.

Sungyeol started laughing that distinct laugh he had. The Prince was mostly covered in blood aond dirt, yet he looked more radiant than ever. Something about him, seeing all of the strength that he held, was jaw dropping. He patted down his dirty clothes, still trying to conceal a chuckle. "You, my dear girl, are not the cause of this."

"Yes I am."

"No, this happened because idiots don't recognize the importance of literature. Not because a beautiful girl entered our lives and changed it drastically."

"But all of these books," she walked to a stable shelf. Its base had been broken, most likely from a collision with a straggler. There were barely any books still on it, most were on the ground, opened and damaged with blood. "Look at them. They are destroyed."

"Just because they're destroyed, doesn't mean they'll be forgotten."

The truthfulness attached to his words were definitely proven. Just because someone dies, for example, doesn't mean their legacy will be forgotten. In his mind, his ancestor is the perfect example for that belief. Sungwoo Moon. He had stood and cemented himself at the same spot all because of love. The King that sacrificed his all and was willing to put everything on the line just so his family could have a bigger and brighter future; the one who had postponed the rest of forever with the love of his life. Yes, he had definitely left their world too early; but Mrs. Moon continued to radiate his message and his story through to Tablo and to the Woo brothers. She didn't let her perfect love die in vain.

Sungwoo and Mimi's love was one based off of trust and loyalty, something that was only achievable by those who knew what love itself truly was. She trusted that he'd return. He trusted that she'd still want him when he returned. But he hadn't. And she accepted that. It may have broken her soul. She picked each sharp piece with bare hands, letting the sadness and pain escape her body slowly, before getting the courage to glue them back together. It wasn't perfect. No. She still had her problems, but it had to be done. Not for her wellbeing. But for him. She was going to continue living for him. And that was why she took on his last name. The faithfulness she held was to the man that was irreplaceable in every way. 

Even though Sungwoo was long gone physically, he remained in her heart, just like how one puts away a book after finishing it yet continues to remember the details, characters, and plot.

Sungyeol pulled out a book still attached to the shelf and flipped through its undamaged pages. There were pictures on every page, much like a child's story book. "Mrs. Moon made this," he grinned. "When we were just learning how to talk. She kept adding more and more pages for each Prince, since we just kept popping out of our Mother. I remember how I used to have her read it to me ever since I first heard it. Couldn't go to sleep without it being read to me." He stopped at the section made just for him. She had illustrated a small little boy with a crown on his head. He was surrounded by a forest of books and the biggest smile was curved along his youthful face.

Sophia walked to his side and leaned lightly against him. "You have memories with all of these books, I'm guessing."

"Most. But definitely not all," the Prince pushed the homemade book back to its original spot. The entire library was two stories tall, filled with hundreds maybe even thousands of books. For him to have already read anywhere near or past half of them was extraordinary. "I haven't spent that much time in here, just when I truly needed an escape."

"Which must be a lot because you've read a bunch of them," Sophia inferred.

"My brothers got annoying sometimes." The word sometimes didn't do any justice to how hectic the Woo brothers' childhoods were.

"But, why the library as the place to escape it all? Why did you choose it was your sanctuary?"

"There's always something new to learn here."

"But you hate learning."

"Things that aren't interesting, yes; that's the horrible part of growing up, having to study for the 'benefit of my future'. I hate having to be told to read something. I'd much rather take the initiative myself and dive into the pages on my own terms. And with books, there's always that underlying meaning or that special purpose behind them. I love looking back at certain works and thinking, 'Wow! I never saw that before!' It's magical to me."

"Because there's no end?"

"There's an end to every story. But just the ending isn't what I enjoy. It's the journey."

"But," Sophia looked down at all of the different kinds of books at her feet. There were history books, art books, journals, even a few documents here and there, "is the journey worth the ending?"

There was an underlying amount of curiosity under her question. Sungyeol sensed it slightly, and honestly thought of a good reply. He didn't want to be too straight forward, but also didn't want to overlook the truth.

"If one truly knew what they wanted and was willing to do anything and everything to achieve it, then the path taken fractionally changes the journey itself. Every road is worth taking, just as long as they kept their goal in mind."

"And the philosophical brother strikes!"

"What's that supposed to mean!?" the tall brother replied with a slight melodramatic gasp.

"Nothing bad, mister!"

"Okay, good," he grinned slyly. Something about his composure attracted Sophia to him in a stronger force than before. It was... interesting to her. "I've built up a sort of intelligence from being in here for a lengthy amount of my life; it's only fitting that I am a step ahead in terms of literature. Books have benefited me in a way. I mean, having six brothers means I'm never truly bored. But sometimes, you know, someone needs some alone time. And that's where the library comes in.  Being able to escape reality and enter another world excites me. To have that sort of control over a character's life, or maybe what the reader sees or feels  at the exact moment, is something that is admirable to me. I hope that someday I'll be able to write my own book, you know. So that my story, our story, can be passed down to those who are created after us."

"And you will be able to," she smiled at him lightly. "And I hope you dedicate it to your favorite half human and half vampire in the entire universe."

"I've already dedicated my life to her, so a book wouldn't be too much of a problem."

The tall Prince placed himself right behind her before wrapping his arms across her shoulders and torso. Sophia was surprised by his sudden gesture, yet was so pleased to feel him warmth and love. This sort of interaction was something Sungyeol was afraid of doing, merely because he thought only the one on top was capable of doing something this romantically sappy. He rested his chin comfortably at the top of her head before beginning to sway their bodies from side to side. Sungyeol liked holding her in his arms. He has never done something like this it before, just mere hugs here and there. All of the memories attached to the library began to race through his eyes. But most of all, he focused in on the one memory where he first confessed to Sophia.

And that memory always brought a smile to his face. Always.

"Wish we could stay like this," he whispered in a soft sigh.

Sophia understood what he was referring to, yet she wanted to hear him say it. So, she asked a question that she knew would bring up an explanation, "In a war?"

"No," he snuggled with her by pulling her just a tad closer to his body. An even softer smile formed across the Princess' face, "just you within my grasp like this. I'd be okay with doing this forever. As long as you're by my side."

There wasn't a single trace of him lying as he spoke those words. He truly meant it, more than Sophia could ever comprehend.

Before they could get too comfortable in their position, a piercing scream caught their attention. Both of them turned their heads to stare at the direction of the hallway. It wasn't the fact that someone was screaming. No. The entire kingdom was being engulfed by voices of torture, mercy, pity, help, fear, anger, and vengeance. It was the voice. They recognized just who it was.

Sungyeol reacted much faster than Sophia, having already run out the door to help out the particular voice. He focused in on the frail old woman, being struck in the stomach with a wooden leg of a broken table, before she got thrown across the hall to another wall. Her white hair was covered in blood and was already loosening from its original tight bun form. She was so fragile to all people's eyes, and even more so at this moment. The burning anger began to enflame the Prince's whole soul. The assassin grinned at the fallen human at his feet. This enemy saw the old woman as his next meal. Sungyeol, however, saw the opposing vampire as his next victim.

Sophia poked her head out of the hallway quick enough to witness the next incredible feat. Sungyeol attacked the assassin, who was clearly too focused on the dying elder, and quickly struck the enemy in his heart with a piece of a wooden frame. This wouldn't have been possible, for Sungyeol would have been too weak, had they not been distracted. Their body quickly stiffened before being thrown just like they had thrown the woman. Sungyeol's strength had definitely shocked Sophia. Sunggyu couldn't even take down one of them without having been turned into a full fledged vampire, so for Sungyeol to have that capability in his unfulfilled state struck another chord of surprise into her mind. The tall Prince was already near tears as he approached the old woman. He picked her up and pulled her close to his body, smelling her blood rush out of the untreatable wound. Before another blink, he was back in the library with her in his arms.

The old caretaker opened her eyes slightly as her body made contact with the soft pillows of a couch. Sophia locked the library door before rushing off to her side. A trail of tears already running the young girl's eyes, she patted the head of the elderly woman. All sorts of emotions ran through her mind; but it was mostly pain. The hurt of seeing someone so kind, so sweet, so loving get hurt like that was overbearingly damaging. It was enough to tear anyone's heart into a billion pieces. Sungyeol turned the couch, to face away from the pile of dead enemies in the far corner, before ripping another part of his shirt to press against her wound. It wasn't going to work though. Nothing was going to be able to stop the blood from pouring out of her deteriorating body.

Mrs. Moon's eyes were already starting to blur no matter how hard she tried to focus in on as many details as possible. She noticed long dark hair, inferring that the girl beside her was none other than Sophia. This fact eased her soul. The other figure however, was undeterminable in her eyes.

"Mrs. Moon," Sungyeol spoke her name in an effort to make sure that she was still conscious.

"...Yes?..." The old woman replied painfully. was starting to close up on her.

Sophia held Mrs. Moon's wrinkly hand, pressing it against her cheek to prove to her that she wasn't dreaming. The warmth that welcomed her not too long ago was starting to freeze. "You'll be alright okay, Mrs. Moon."

"...Sophia...?" Mrs. Moon turned her head slightly, with the hopes of being able to focus in on Sophia's details. However, her vision remained blurred. "Sophia?"

"Yes."

"...Oh dear..." she smiled lightly. A sense of relief entered her system. The thought of knowing that Sophia was safe made her feel better. Sophia had been so many people's first priorities. It's not that Mrs. Moon didn't believe she'd be safe, it's just that she honestly believed that Sophia was the last person who needed to experience something as painful as a war. That was something Mrs. Moon never wanted her to experience. That sort of life altering event was enough to scar someone forever, whether that may be as an immortal or a human. "Is everyone safe?"

The Princess' tears began to flow at a harder pace. Of all the things to ask, Mrs. Moon asked about other people's well being. She didn't care about her wound, whether or not the pain was apparent to her. She didn't care about where she was. No. She was worried for the safety of others. That sort of care was honorable.

"Yes. Yes, they are."

"I know... I couldn't... save... all the people... But... at least... I made a difference... right...?"

"You did. You helped out so much. You've saved so many lives."

"...Good... Good..."

Sungyeol turned his back from the dying caretaker on the couch. He couldn't bear the pain. He wasn't prepared in any way shape or form for the emotions that had invaded his entire body. There was nothing he could do to help her, and that's what made it worse to him. He was incapable of supporting one of the only people in his life that had always been there for him. Mrs. Moon was the one who helped him learn how to read and write. She was the one who'd always bake for their birthdays. She was the one who'd read him his favorite books before bedtime as he grew up. She was the one who always knew the right things to say at the right moments. To him, she was the only one who truly understood why he loved the library so much.

"Mrs. Moon," a sniffle escaped Sophia, "we'll get you some help soon okay. You just have to hang on a bit longer."

"O... Okay..." Mrs. Moon's feet began to feel cold before finally numbing out on her. She knew what it signaled—her inevitable end. "Child... Child... how... are... the boys?"

"Myungsoo, Sunggyu, and Sungyeol are safe, that I know of," Sophia honestly responded. "They're doing fine."

"Because... you turned them...?"

"Two of them, yes." This fact was something she was neither proud of or regretted about. It's not that she was happy to have turned Sunggyu and Myungsoo; she knew it gave them a higher chance of making it through alive. The Princess made the most selfish choice she could in turning them into full fledged vampires. She didn't want to lose them, for any cause or reason, and she did not want them to get hurt for her benefit.

"...Good..." The numbness had risen to her knees and thighs. It was beginning to enter her stomach and torso. "...I knew all... along... you'd do... it...."

"How?"

"Because..." Mrs. Moon used the last ounce of her strength to pull her hand out of Sophia's grip before touching the young girl's pink cheeks. "Because you... love... them... All... of them..."

Sophia reached into her pocket, pulling out the journal that her mother had left behind for her. She opened the front covering, where the neatly folded letters were kept. The letters from Sungwoo to Mrs. Moon were still in her possession. It was time to return them to their proper owners. The last physical proof Mrs. Moon had of their love. Sophia placed it into her hand. But it was too late. The dying woman had already lost the sense to feel in that area.

"Take it, take it," Sophia lightly begged. She knew what the stoic stance of Mrs. Moon's body meant. She was nearing the end. She was beginning to greet death. "Please. This is yours. This is meant to be with you."

"No... Keep it... Remember our story..."

"You'll be around to tell others of it," the Princess began to sob harder than ever. But her words were based purely on a sole miracle occurring. Her heart was yearning for Mrs. Moon to regain her energy and smile as warmly as she once did. This was the woman who was there from the moment she stpeped foot into the palace grounds to her operation not too long ago. She couldn't leave her, them, everyone.

Sungyeol's eyes could no longer handle the emotional damage, and began to release the pain in his own droplets. He tried his best to remain strong for both Sophia and him, but this position was his breaking point. This wasn't supposed to happen. Had he been stronger, maybe it would have been prevented; that was the thought he had hanging in his mind. Had he had control of the situation, it would have ended differently. He wanted to power to change everything. He wanted an author's control.

Something. Anything. Everything. He had to help Mrs. Moon somehow.

"I won't..." Mrs. Moon was the first to admit that her time had come. The clock of her life was ticking its last few ticks. "You... and I... both know... that I won't... child..."

"It's not mine to have. Please. Please. Mrs. Moon. This is yours. Take it. Take it," Sophia began to feel clog up from the pain. "...Please..."

"Spread... our... legacy..." Mrs. Moon's eyes began to feel too heavy to hold up. But she tried her best to keep them open. The woman tried to avoid the light as much as possible. It shined in her vision, yet she focused on reality. She was going to continue on in their world for as long as she possible could.

The Princess felt responsible for this sort of ending coming to Mrs. Moon, of all people. She buried her face against the woman's palm, trying to feel a response of care and warmth against her cheeks. But nothing was done. Mrs. Moon was too weak to do something as simple as that.

"Sungyeol," Sophia looked up to the back of the Prince. "Sungyeol. We have to do something."

"What can we do? What can we possibly do to help her out?" Sungyeol responded coldly. He didn't mean to come across like that; it was all because the hurt had gotten to him. The difficulty of being in that situation cut him deeply, and his entire soul was being crushed with every passing second. "There's nothing we can do. Nothing."

"No. We can't just give up. We have to find something. We need someone who can heal."

"No one can do that. We don't have superpowers. We can't just touch her and heal her wounds."

"Sungyeol...."

"All we can do is watch as she dies," Sungyeol still refused to believe his own words. He hoped for a miracle to occur. He hoped for a change in setting. This was all a dream to him. At least, he wanted it to be. He wanted the entire war to be a nightmare in his mind. But... it wasn't. And that was what shook him and Sophia up the most. This was very much reality. And she was dying for real.  Had this been his story, it would have ended in a happy ending.

Sophia crawled to a broken wooden shelf, pulling out a thin slice of the oak. She returned back to Mrs. Moon's side and closed her eyes. Slowly, the Princess untied the wrapping around her own hand, and struck the healing wound once more. She knew that Sungyeol wouldn't be able to resist her once he smelled her fresh blood, just like his brothers before him. And that's what she hoped for. In no way was she going to stand back and let the woman who had expressed nothing but love to her just die.

"Just because you've given up, doesn't mean I have," Sophia uttered.

This sort of sacrifice did not need formality or even the consent of the other. She was offering herself up to him, in the hopes that he could somehow help Mrs. Moon.

The scent of Sophia's blood rushed into the Prince's senses quicker than anticipated. He reacted like a shark in the deep blue ocean, silently yet swiftly. Sungyeol jumped over the couch before pressing his lips against her palm. He had never had something so sweet and fulfilling in his life. His small wounds had begun to heal at an exponential rate. His lean muscles tightened drastically. He felt all of his emotions heighten. Everything about him was improving. As he parted from the candylike flow, he focused on the eyes of the dying elder.

Every word, ever sentence, ever story that he had ever read began to flash before his eyes. It was as if he was looking back at each and every tale and memory. He started to picture each and every one as if they were happening right before his eyes, ranging from a bloodier battlefield to a field of flowers on s sunny day. All the information that was in his memory bank was being unfolded right before him.

He had become the author of his own stories, and he could make anyone be a part of it, whether or not they wanted to be.

Sungyeol pressed his fingertips against the wrist of the old woman, and focused in onto her beating heart. It was a faint pulse, but she was definitely still breathing and alive. The Prince closed his eyes and began to reconstruct the library to its original state. Each book returned to their original place on the large wooden shelves covering each inch of the two story room. Each pool of blood began to soak into the waxy floors, disappearing from sight in a matter of seconds. Rays of sunshine infiltrated the grand location, opening up the entire area to the beauty of nature. Next was the halls. Every mirror was being glued back together by an unknown force, each crack was repaired flawlessly. All of the flower pots were rearranged back at the top of every table. The blood splatters on the walls were quickly erased. And then the rest of the palace. Then he fixed the village. Everything was as it should be. Perfect.

The transformation, however, could not be seen or experienced by Sophia.

Mrs. Moon's eyes stopped feeling heavy, and in one simple blink, she was outside in the palace garden under a burning bright sun. The fatal wound on her body had disappeared, with no trace of it actually ever being there. She felt so strong, so powerful, so youthful. Actually, catching her reflection, her face wasn't as wrinkly as she had expected. Her cheeks were round and had a light pink touch to them. There weren't any extra lines at any point of her face. Her gorgeous, luscious hair ran down her spine, as pin straight as could be. The beauty that she held when she was twenty years old had returned. She was in complete and utter awe at what had happened. But she didn't question it.

She believed that it was her entering the other side.

Someone's hands pressed against her waist before slithering to her waist, holding the unknowing woman into an embrace. Only one person came to mind. And it was the one person that she hadn't seen in years. It was the one she had wanted to see for years. It was the one that she never forgot. And never planned to. Mrs. Moon stared down at her waist, trying to see if they really were real. Upon touching their hands, she noticed a glittering silver ring on her left finger. It was a wedding ring.

"Good morning, Mrs. Moon," his voice seemed to sing the words like a love song in her ears. A sense of relief and excitement rushed up her spine. It was as if fireworks began to explode in her mind and heart. It was him.

"Sungwoo...?" she hadn't spoken to him in such a long time that his voice almost seemed foreign to her. Almost. Just being able to utter his identifier like that was such a shock to her.

What Mrs. Moon hadn't known, though, was that each word she had spoken was able to be heard my Sophia and Sungyeol. In reality, the war was still very much going on, the one that occurs decades after what had taken her lover. The three of them were still located in the library, where Sophia tried her best to help the woman in making it through, but the wounds were too deep both emotionally and physically. Mrs. Moon's body had already failed her, and her mind was next to go. Yet with Sungyeol's newfound ability, he wasn't going to let her leave them on a sad note.

Everything that she was experiencing was merely a fabrication in her mind created solely to ease the transition and leave her in peace with her inner conflicts.

Upon hearing Mrs. Moon speak the name of the one that had stolen her heart, Sophia tightened her firm grip around the dying woman's hand. The tears hadn't stopped coming. She wasn't sure what was going on either. Sungyeol was the only one aware of what was truly happening, yet he didn't utter a wrod to the girl. His newfound ablility gave him the chance to do so. It was such a special gift, similar to Sophia's mother, Aurora's, yet different in another way.

Back to the elderly woman's fantasy, the figure turned her body around to face him, and an even greater amount of disbelief invaded Mrs. Moon's mind. His dark hair was still an unruly beast in the front of his face. A clear and flawless white complexion was interrupted by brown eyes and light pink lips. The charm that she had fallen for so long ago was perfect as always. Everything had been the same, just as she last remembered him.

"Yes, of course it's me, dear Mimi," he grinned his same troublemaking smile. This gesture caused Mrs. Moon's heart to go wild.

She focused on a child running in the distance. She was a beautiful little girl, equivalent to a human three year old, with short brown hair that stopped at her cheeks and a bright yellow dress. The child ran up to the lovers and Sungwoo picked her up in a swift motion before proceeding to offer her up to the sun. Her giggles couldn't be contained at all. She held features similar to the two of them, which astounded Mrs. Moon.

The little girl turned to Mrs. Moon and smiled before saying, "Mommy Mommy! Uncle Tablo won't play with me." A small frown accompanied her words, lightening the barriers her mother had created.

Mrs. Moon took a step back from the pair with wide, doe-like eyes. Did the little girl just call her 'Mommy'? Yes, she did.  But Mrs. Moon didn't have any kids. What was this?

"A cat has Mommy's tongue right now," Sungwoo hugged his daughter as she continued to express her happiness. He snuggled his face in the girl's neck, showing just how much he loved her. "So don't mind her being a bit quiet for now."

As her father put her down, the little girl nodded and ran up to her mother, "Mommy! Come with me to the fountain Mommy!"

"Why don't the three of us go?" Sungwoo suggested, almost like he knew what Mrs. Moon was thinking.

Staring at the child, Mrs. Moon tried to fabricate different scenarios that could have led to that event. This was the reality she had wanted, but little did she know that it was far from reality itself. "I... I..." The more she looked at the little girl, the more she fell in love with her. The being in front of her was what their child would have looked had he lived. And that's what punctured her heart greatly. "...Okay, let's go to the fountain."

In reality, upon hearing those words, Sophia stared at Sungyeol. He was too focused on creating the illusion for Mrs. Moon that he failed to respond to her gesture.  The Prince was determined to ease the transition for his caretaker as much as possible. He was unable to help her out physically, but at least he could show her the world she truly deserved. There was no realistic way that Mrs. Moon could end up going to the fountain of course, but in her mind, she was fully capable of just walking there with her family.

In her mind, the little girl turned around and began to run in the direction of the maze and fountain. Sungwoo waited for the love of his life to walk near him, following their child, before intertwining hands with her. Even just being able to lock hands with him again, to feel the softness of his skin and touch, eased her uncontrollable mental pain. This had to be real to Mrs. Moon. Dreams didn't feel this authentic. It had to be reality. It just had to be.

But it wasn't.

"Ready to go?" Sungwoo asked her. There was an uncertainty to his question. What did he mean in saying if she was ready to go? Does he mean to enter the other world, the afterlife? Does he mean just simply walking to the fountain like their daughter had suggested? Where were they really going?

Mrs. Moon didn't care though. She was finally with the one she had longed for. It had been too long since their last encounter. This was her reward for all that she had done in reality. This was the only thing that could be offered to her, that was worth anywhere near the gifts she laid out for the Woo family. "Yes, let's go."

Sophia's tears continued to flow in reality. She may not have known what was truly going on, but she was inferring. The young girl stared back at the caretaker, who had her eyes closed and was barely hanging onto the last few moments of living. The disbelief of being in the presence of Mrs. Moon dying was unbelievable. Neither Sungyeol or Sophia had ever thought of her dying, though it was an inevitable doom to all humans. But this way... in a war... it was something that they never even thought about as a way to die. It may have been a regular thing in their world; but the fact that it was the end for someone so kind and loving, had been hard to imagine let alone experience.

Returning to Mrs. Moon's mind, Sungwoo raised his free hand to ever so gently touch her chin. He tilted her face up to the perfect angle, staring deep into her weary soul. "Mrs. Sungwoo Moon, are you delighted with what you've done in life?"

"I am extremely proud of the life I've lead," she honestly responded.

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

He kissed her, just as he normally had before. The action caused a new release of tingles to run down Mrs. Moon's spine. She had missed that, greatly. "I love you, Mimi. More than you can ever imagine."

"I love you too, Sungwoo," she grinned the same grin as him. "More than life itself."

And together, the two immortal lovers followed their beautiful child into the distance. The shining warmth of the sun engulfing her body, Mrs. Moon slowly began to enter the world of pleased souls. She was being rewarded for all that she had sacrificed in reality. The light was no longer scary to her, simply because she was finally with the one she missed the most. It was a pleasant trip for her to take. But with every step, the Sungwoo that had been holding her hand began to disappear. Her surroundings began to fade slowly also. Everything was entering a white abyss, extending for miles and miles along. Her fantasy had finally ended.

Sophia noticed her pulse disappearing. And she knew what it meant. She did. This was the moment, though, when she stopped crying. The Princess understood that Mrs. Moon had to be in another place, where she could be happy. Where she wasn't hurt. Where she wasn't struggling. Where she was finally with him. And that was what Mrs. Moon had wanted all along. It was the reality she wanted. Sungyeol hugged Sophia, wrapping  his long around her body gently, before crying in her shoulder. He had done the best he could. And his best was definitely admirable. He had given Mrs. Moon the gift she truly deserved. But he couldn't mess with the afterlife, and so, once she had died, his powers ceased to have their control.  Now neither of them knew what was happening, for neither of them were dead; and the other side remained a mystery to those still living.

Was the destination worth the journey? Or was it the journey that made the destination worth it?

Mrs. Moon continued to walk the white plains, before everything began to be reconstructed. She ended up trailing through the maze, without a single thought going through her mind. This was the other side. But she hadn't known. She believed she was already there, not that she was entering it at that transition. All of the pain she felt in reality had finally disappeared. She was at ease. She was pleased. She was... happy.

The figure that was waiting for her was truly the one she loved. It was the soul of Sungwoo Moon, standing beside the fountain of their love, gracefully looking at the water's reflection. This was no longer a fantasy created by the Prince, but one that could no longer truly be explained. Upon hearing her footsteps, he turned majestically to face her. She ran up to him, with tears streaming down her face, before meeting his arms in a tight embrace. He lifted her up and twirled her around, their outfits transforming to what they would have worn on their wedding day had the war not taking the route it did. The maze that had once surrounded them transformed into people. All of the people they had met in their life that had passed on. Mrs. Moon's family was there. Sungwoo's old relatives were there too. Everyone was. An endless amount of roses began to fall from the sky. The two lovers had finally met once more, and nothing was going to be able to tear them apart. Not anymore.

But there was an extra face in the crowd, one that Mrs. Moon would have recognized so quickly had she not been focused on Sungwoo. This face, this person, was someone who had not entered the other side yet. Some say that you can see those who were about to die in the afterlife, and this was definitely a misfortune for many for the souls of those on the other side saw the image of the relatives and friends they'd soon meet. There were those who were happy to know who was entering their world, and there were those who resented having to tell them that their living life was over. But this odd phenomenon was how Sungwoo knew he had to be at the fountain. It was their place. It was their sanctuary. He had to be then one to welcome her. Nonetheless, the figure smiled and clapped with the other souls around them, to welcome the new soul. In reality, their death was approaching and it was one that left an even bigger dent in so many people's lives.

The old Princess of Akore approached this entity with a soft smile. She was going to be the one to greet the poor soul. "I'll see you soon," Aurora uttered before the figure disappeared. Light orbs had taken its place, entering the atmosphere in a light dance.

Mrs. Moon was finally with Sungwoo, and their story was definitely going to be passed down through all the generations after them. Their souls were forever connected, far more stronger than the distance of reality and fantasy could control. The love that so many people yearned for. The love that was impossible to fake.

Mr. and Mrs. Sungwoo Moon were wed that day, that moment, in a ceremony that couldn't even be fabricated by the most brilliant minds. The start of forever was truly just the beginning. They had the rest of eternity to be together. And that's what they had wanted from the start.

Sungyeol continued to weep on Sophia's shoulder. She let go of Mrs. Moon's hand before patting down the Prince's back. She understood what he had to do. What he was incapable of doing. What he had to face at this moment. The relationship she held with Mrs. Moon was little to nothing compared to what Sungyeol had with her. It was an imaginable amount of respect and love that was tested just moment ago.

"I... I did my best..." Sungyeol cried.

"I know you did."

"You don't understand, Soph," he pulled back, using the back of his hand to wipe his face. He stared back at the girl he loved, looking at her just as he had created Sungwoo to stare at Mrs. Moon in the garden. "I made her believe she saw something that wasn't really there. I made her think that he was there."

Now Sophia understood what he was capable of. Just like an author, Sungyeol was able to cause anyone to see what he wanted them to see, the feel what he wanted them to feel; in short, they were bound by his rules. Just like how pictures and scenes could be laid out by words, illusions could be created purely from Sungyeol's mind. This was the control he wanted. This was the ability fabricated from his sanctuary and his hobby.

"It was for the best. I'm sure she left in peace, that you put her soul at ease. I'm so proud of the strength you hold at this moment. Not everyone has the courage to do what you had done."

And her words were so close to the truth. It took so much willpower and discipline to fabricate the world Sungyeol had created for Mrs. Moon. That was what was so admirable about him.

The tall Prince picked up Mrs. Moon's body just has he had before. The parting gift he had given her was all he could do as a thanks for all she had done for him and his family, even for Sophia. He hoped it was the best he could give, and it truly was. It was what she needed and deserved the most. No material objet could have brought the amount of happiness that Sungyeol's illusion had given the old soul.

Sungyeol's soul was at ease also; he had properly parted with the caretaker that had looked after him since birth.

"Yo, Sungyeol!" Someone's familiar voice called from the hallway. They repeatedly knocked on the door frantically.

The Princess looked at Sungyeol who simply nodded that it was alright to approach the wooden frames. It wasn't someone that could hurt her. It was someone who was meant to have a hand in protecting her. Sophia ran to the door and unlocked it before Dongwoo rushed in without even noticing the girl and closed it just as quickly.

"Where's Sophia? I tried her room first but that place was a complete mess, there were stragglers all over. I checked the Music Room too to ask Sunggyu but he was gone without a trace. I swear if Myungsoo had lost her somewhere—" His eyes grew as he realized who was in Sungyeol's arms. His voice faded into utter silence as he began to hold back his tears. "Oh my God..."

"It's alright Dongwoo," Sophia didn't know what else to say.

Sungyeol looked at his brother. The stature that he held was no longer that of a jokester. He was someone who had matured drastically. "I'm going to find a burial site for her. Take care of Sophia, Dongwoo."

"Sungyeol..." Dongwoo knew how much Mrs. Moon meant to his younger brother. She significantly altered their lives, all of theirs, but Sungyeol always had a stronger respect for her. Nonetheless, the redhaired Prince loved her also and admired her for all she had done.

"Don't forget the objective, Dongwoo," Sungyeol firmly warned his older brother. "Protect Sophia at all costs." His tone changed as he realized that he had to encourage him. It was hard to forget something as damaging as what Dongwoo had just seen. "I believe in you. I really do." Those were the last words shared between the two brothers before Sungyeol ran out of the room with Mrs. Moon.

Dongwoo was left behind with Sophia, completely confused and dumbfounded by what he had just seen. But he couldn't face it just yet. He had to keep his head clear. His younger brother was right. What's done was done. He had time to let out his feelings later. Now, right now, the objective was to keep Sophia safe. And that's what he was going to do. He had to. Sophia intertwined hands with him, as a way to show him that she was there for support. It didn't just have to be them protecting her. She was also protecting them. This was going to be the way things were handled until the end.

And the end was much sooner for some than for others. 

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I apologize for the late update! I've been adding and adding to this chapter and i'm so dead right now. I have to wake up for school soon, so I'm going to take a much needed nap! I shall answer questions and comments later. <3

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK BELOW! This has got to be one mf top chapters of the entire story. I hope some of you felt the emotion I tried to recreate. It was really difficult. But this was definitely a tear jerker. ;~~~~; 

forgive me for what I've done. my friend told me she hates me for what I chose to do >____< But I believed it was their time to go. 

ANYWAYS, LEAVE ME COMMENTS TO WAKE UP TOOOOOO. 

ATTENTION: whilst changing up a few things, I accidentally deleted this chapter T______T so this is why you'll be getting a new message. I believe that whilst the server changes two weeks? three weeks actually ago occured, things were altered or not shown ):

bear with me. new chapter in a few hours!