“Kibum.. His back…”        

“What do you mean by he is back?” Hyukjae turned to his brother in disbelief as the 3 princes walk back to their rooms. “He did not die.” Sungmin replied looking down, while Hyukjae’s eyes widen. “Yah monkey! Your eyes will burst if they get any wider than that!”  Kyuhyun who still felt guilty for kissing Sungmin on the lips, decided to just keep silent during the entire time until they reached Sungmin’s room.  

“How do you know that, his not dead?” Kyuhyun asked as soon as they entered the room.   Sungmin turned around to look at Kyuhyun with a puzzled look, wondering how he knew about his past. “I had a dream.”  

 

“What kind of dream?” Hyukjae and Kyuhyun asked simultaneously. Sungmin walked over to the window sill and sat on it.      

 

 

*Flashback*    

 

 

“My main reason for bringing you into dreamwart today is because.. I have a message to pass to you.”

“What is it?” Sungmin turned around to face him, waiting for him to continue where he left off. “The crusaders are getting more powerful day by day. Ever since the time Kingdom Azure made sure to clear off as many as they could, after you escaped.” “You helped me escape.” Sungmin cut his sentence off. “They now can own more than one doll to control. As long as anyone dies in their hands they will immediately be converted to dolls, willingly or unwillingly.” Kibum continued, reaching his hands out to hold Sungmin in his arms again.

 

“How.. many dolls do you have?” Sungmin asked silently burying his head on his shoulder. “How many people have you killed..?” Sungmin continued, sobbing silently. “Hyung… I…”  He stammered. “Tell me!” Sungmin shouted, getting echoes as his reply.

“Why wouldn’t you answer me? Did you kill many as well? Did you become like those heartless crusaders as well…?” Sungmin murmured punching his fist on kibum’s chest, with tears flowing down his cheeks.  

“I’m sorry hyung…. Please be careful….”     

 

*End of flashback*    

 

 

“H-H-He WHAT!?” Kyuhyun stammered after he had heard what Sungmin told them. Hyukjae turned to look at Sungmin who buried his head in his hands.   “What does he mean by whoever dies in their hands will become dolls?” Hyukjae said slowly as he thought over what Sungmin just told them. Kyuhyun looked down at his hands sheepishly, thinking back to the time when they first saw the doll and the crest on the doll. 

 

That crest.. Why do I feel like I’ve seen it before somewhere? Kyuhyun thought to himself.   “Your highness, Can I come in?” Zhoumi’s voice came from behind the closed doors.   “Yes of course, Zhoumi.” Hyukjae answered.   “Your highness we got reports on a town that just got wrecked and Kangin hyung asked to send the 3 of you down to the place. Kangin hyung said they would send reinforcement as soon as possible. As for now, Yesung and I will accompany your highness to the town.” Zhoumi took out a map and laid it on the floor, pointing to a location on the map stating where the town is.  

 

“Let’s go then.” Sungmin who kept quiet throughout suddenly spoke up.      

 

 

♥ミ    

 

 

Kyuhyun wrapped his arms tighter around Sungmin’s waist as they rode on a horse. Sungmin didn’t seem to be affected by the fact that Kyuhyun’s arms were wrapped so tightly around him. Kyuhyun looked forward and caught sight of a burning town. “Is it that town?” Kyuhyun turned his head to ask Zhoumi who was riding beside them.  

 

“No.. I’ve never seen that town before, I’m guessing it’s an illusion used to mislead us.” Sungmin replied slowly, Kyuhyun turned his attention back to look at the land in front of Sungmin. He sees a ball of fire fly out from the town on fire.  

 

“SUNGMIN BE CAREFUL!” Kyuhyun shouted just as Sungmin closely dodged the fireball aimed at him. He turned around as the rest of the horses dodged the fireballs aimed at them.  

 

“Sungmin, ride to the front in full speed.” Zhoumi’s voice resounded in Sungmin’s mind as he tells the rest to follow close to Sungmin’s lead. Sungmin nods as he rode faster, causing Kyuhyun to wrap his arms tighter around his waist. Sungmin smiled slightly at the heat but soon his smile was replaced with a frown when the group entered into a misty place.      

 

 

“Well, well. Looks like your plan worked, sir”

“Of course.”                           

 

 

“Hi Sungmin hyung. Looking good even after the dream I gave you eh…”

 

 

 

“Kibum? Where are you!? Show yourself right now!” Sungmin shouted into the empty space. Kyuhyun wrapped his arms tighter around him, as though assuring him that he was with him.  

 

“Why don’t you just get off your horse and come forward, hyung?” The voice resounded in the misty place. Sungmin hesitated if he should listen to his instructions or not, as he was contemplating he heard sounds from all around him. It was as though they had them completely surrounded. Worried for his friends, Sungmin wanted to get off the horse but Kyuhyun just didn’t want to let go of him.

 

“If you were to listen to him you’ll be falling into his trap…” Sungmin turned back and tried to look at Kyuhyun in the eyes. “Do you have a plan then?” He whispered back to him. Kyuhyun looked up and slowly points his finger to the sky. Sungmin was about to ask him again when the mist cleared as meteorites fall onto the ground.

 

Sungmin was about to yell at Kyuhyun when he realized that that meteorite did not fall on any of them.  Instead, Sungmin looked around searching for Kibum when suddenly they fell into darkness. Sungmin knew he wasn’t alone because he was still on a horse and Kyuhyun was still with him.  Just then, they heard footsteps coming their way.

 

“I see, you broke through the spell. Well, of course you would.. Prince Kyuhyun.” Says Kibum as he approached the two men. “There’s no one here, it’s just the three of us. Well, let me tell you a story.”

 

 

---------------

 

There was a prince, he had everything he wanted but it was never enough. Hence he hungered for power, he knew that power was the only thing would fulfil his hunger. Of course, the king then didn’t agree to it and banished him from the land…  The prince was furious, his hunger for power blinded him, took over his senses.

 

He killed everyone in his path, the more he killed, the stronger he got. Then he came to find out that he had the ability to transform dead people into dolls. So he killed more people, soon killing his own parents turning them into dolls as well.

 

One day, message spread to him that in another kingdom, there was a prince which was born with strong powers. Who’s powers could easily overpower his own. Hence, he started gathering a group of people which had the same ability as him and they called themselves, The Crusaders.

 

He waited 13 years before an opportunity came for him to strike. He had never thought that he would find the prince roaming alone outside the castle gates. So he took the opportunity to strike, knocking him out and bringing him to their hideout. He acted like he wanted to make friends with the prince and soon gained his trust. He had wanted to kill the prince that night, when men he thought were helping him decided to attack them.

 

So he summoned his doll to bring the prince out of the forest and summoned another to kill that man. After that day, the massacre of crusaders started. The prince got then went into hiding and planning on the day whereby he could capture the prince of the kingdom again. He waited and waited until it was the right time, and finally it was time for him to attack full scale on both.

 

----------------

 

 

After hearing that, Sungmin was shocked; he wanted to say something but no words came out from his mouth. “The prince was you, am I right?” He heard Kyuhyun saying. A silence enveloped them as the two princes waited for his answer, though Sungmin already knew the answer.   

 

“Well, you’re very observant, Prince Kyuhyun and yes I am the prince.” Kibum replied.

 

 “Then why did you save me?” Sungmin asked angrily as he tried to fight his tears away. Kibum looked at him and gave an evil laugh. “Obviously to make you think that I’ve died, so that I can plot all of these things. Styliar was made for that purpose, which I had never imagined that it would turn out to become such a fine sword. You must have turned it into a sword, haven’t you?”

 

“Well, you won’t be able to escape this place, your swords or abilities would not have any affect in here. While you guys are in here, you can observe all that is happening out of this world.” He said as he disappeared.

 

 

“There has to be a way out of this place…” Kyuhyun mumbled quietly to Sungmin, as they watched what happened in front of them as though shown in a vision. “Dreamwart is a doll and every doll has a true form.. We just have to find it’s true form.” Sungmin mumbled in reply.

 

Sungmin drew out kazumi and closed his eyes, trying to sense for a presence with his concentration. Kyuhyun watched as more soldiers and comrades fell in the battle, they changed into dolls when a blinding light appeared above them. Kyuhyun then understood what Sungmin had said. That blinding light must have been the one which had changed the dead into dolls willingly or unwillingly.

 

Just as he watched Zhoumi fight with the rest of the crusaders, he noticed something. Am I imagining things!? Or is Zhoumi hyung using using Henry hyung’s weapon!? Just as he was about to tell Sungmin, the latter cut the vision and the black world returned back to reality.

 

 

 

-Flashback-

 

 

“Kyuhyun, let me tell you a story..” The 7 years old, Kyuhyun ran towards the mage and sat on his lap.

“In this world, there are not only magicians, vampires, angels and humans. There are also people who contain strong magic, perhaps even magic stronger than that of any normal magicians can wield. They are known as retainers. Though no one might know whether retainers really do exist,  but if they do, they are very powerful.”

“Henry hyung, then what are you? I know you’re not a human..” Kyuhyun asked curiously.

“I am a special species.. In each kingdom, there would be at least one of my species. We are known as the vessel. As a vessel we can perform magic, wield same weapons as any vessels would wield. We have abilities like magicians and are often known as magicians. The truth is we’re never really humans.. We just exist to ensure that our kingdoms are intact, there are however, vessels who got berserk and start attacking people as well.” Henry replied as he placed his hand on Kyuhyun’s head.

“You’re too young to know too much, I’ll tell you more when you grow older..”

 

 

-End of flashback-

 

 

“Snap out of it Kyuhyun!” Kyuhyun snapped out of his thoughts as he heard Sungmin’s shout. They were surrounded with armies of newly-turned dolls.

 

-TBC-

 

 

A.N YO!! Its been awhile :D I haven’t updated any fics since my exams ended and this shall be my first! XD Well, my plan is to first complete this fic, then complete skate with me and then rewrite concours and maybe love like this as well… Well I’ll think about it XD Comments are well appreciated :D Hope you guys still remember this fic though >< Well will update the next chapter soooooooooon! :D