~Chapter 6~

The warehouse was nothing like what he had imagined. For the holder of the Juyo, the place seemed especially bland and unsafe: exactly the opposite of what he had expected it to be.

Hyukjae seemed to notice his incredulity, and laughed. “Yes, I’m sure this is the right place.”

“But look at it! Shouldn’t the storage place of a very powerful magical object be under more hi-tech security? It’s almost as if they were asking it to be stolen.”

The violet-haired man snorted. “That’s the point. This way no one would suspect it to be here, if anywhere. Only a select few even knew it wasn’t in the castle any longer.”

“Then those are the most likely thieves. Did you interrogate any of them yet?”

He shook his head, causing Kyuhyun to glance at him in annoyance. He opened his mouth to say something, but Hyukjae spoke before he could.

“It wouldn’t make sense to. Those are the king’s most trusted advisors- No don’t roll your eyes at me like that-“ Indeed Kyuhyun had been rolling his eyes at how stupidly trusting the special forces were. “- and they wouldn’t have been able to take it, or use it for that matter, in the first place.”

“How so?”

Hyukjae sighed. “Didn’t you pay attention to the case notes I had given you?”

Kyuhyun shuffled his feet, feeling caught. He could somewhat pull a blurry memory from the back of his head of being given case notes, but somewhere along the way they had most likely gotten lost in his excitement to be finally free.

Hyukjae just sighed in defeat. “Within the storage room was a very important, and dangerous, barrier called an eoduun barrier.”

Kyuhyun’s eyes widened. “An eoduun barrier? How did you make that?”

Hyukjae chuckled in amusement. “No, I did not make that barrier; a good friend of mine did instead. Sadly light manipulation is not my specialty.”

“Then what is?”

He shook his head. “That is not something you need to know at the time.”

“But you know mine.”

Hyukjae laughed, “And your point is? You’re sounding like a whining kid right now.”

Kyuhyun pouted slightly, deep in thought. What was his power that he was so desperate to keep a secret? He shook his head; now was not the time to be thinking about these things. He had a task to do. “If it was an eoduun barrier, the person who stole the object must have been extremely powerful.”

Hyukjae nodded in agreement. “I agree. Not only that, but they must have had a certain type of magic. Only three types of magic can disable one: light; darkness, the exact opposite of light; and physical manipulation.”

“Why physical manipulation? What does that have to do with anything?”

“To hold an eoduun barrier, you must have two stone pillars to focus the immense energy that is flowing into the form of a barrier. The only ability that can disable that would be physical manipulation.”

Kyuhyun nodded, deep in thought. “So if this person has a lot of power, then there’s a good chance that they would leave small traces of magic on the building, and that should lead us right to them.”

He glanced to his left; that smile was back. The smile that did not enhance Hyukjae’s handsome features, and instead gave them a deadly look. “You’re doing well,” he said, “You’re figuring things out quite nicely.”

Kyuhyun raised an eyebrow. “If you figured out this yourself, then why am I here?”

“Think of it as a test of your abilities; see your thought processes and test your ability to figure things out, as well as keep your head under mystifying circumstances. We’ve been keeping track of your power’s growth, and we think it is time to let you become one of us.”

Kyuhyun nodded, accepting his explanation. There was something still off about it, but now wasn’t the time to be focusing on that. Hyukjae started to approach the building, and nodded at one of the guards before opening the door. He held the door open, and gestured for Kyuhyun to go in.

Kyuhyun obliged, and took a look around the small storage. It was very open, with a small walkway making up the second story. On both sides of the walkway stood two large beams, most likely the ones to control the power to create an eoduun barrier. In the center stood a tall, golden pedestal, seemingly missing the object it was supposed to be displaying. That was mostly likely where the Juyo had stood. Mystified, he walked over to the pedestal, and reached out a hand to touch the golden stand. He could still feel traces of the object’s power lying there, only slightly diminished by time.

He heard a soft chuckle behind him. “I know it’s a pretty stand, but that’s not the reason we came here.”

“Shut up,” he growled, and shook his head to clear it. The power of the Juyo was mystifying, and he found it hard to stay away from it. Even though the object was gone, he could still feel its mesmerizing pull.

He turned away, and started looking around the place. He ran his hand against the wall, trying to feel some traces of power left behind, but to no prevail.

“I can’t feel anything.”

Hyukjae wrinkled his brow in confusion. “Strange.” He rested his hand against the wall, next to Kyuhyun’s, and frowned. “You’re right; I can’t feel it either.”

“So does the person know how to keep his power hidden or something?”

Hyukjae shook his head. “Magic always leaves traces. Knowing how to hide one’s power has nothing to do with that.”

Kyuhyun rested his back on the wall, thoughtful. If the person left no traces, then how did he disable the barrier? His eyes traveled upwards to the long metals beams above. The person wouldn’t have been able to disable the barrier by climbing up there. And if he didn’t overrun it from down here… Maybe- his eyes widened in realization- he could have left traces outside. He pushed himself off the wall, ignoring Hyukjae’s voiced questions from behind him, and opened the heavy door to the outside.

The breeze blew lightly, ruffling his hair, almost as if to welcome him. Closing his eyes, he placed his hands on the wall beside the door and smirked. He found the traces.

“What are you doing? We need to be searching inside, not outside. This-“ Hyukjae scolded.

“I found the traces.”

The violet haired man stopped mid-word. “What? Out here?”

Kyuhyun stepped aside, gesturing for the other to take a look himself. The other placed his hands on the wall, right where Kyuhyun’s hands had been, and gasped.

“You’re right. How did I not figure this out before? He probably knew about the barrier beforehand, and if so, he would have wanted to disable it from out here.” He slid his hands carefully along the wall, rubbing his fingers together in thought. “Physical manipulation. A very dangerous power.”

“How can you tell?” Kyuhyun inquired, curious. He tried to sense what the other seemed to have felt, but could only feel that it was magic. He couldn’t determine anything else.

“Practice,” Hyukjae murmured, thinking. Without saying anything else, he turned around, his eyes scanning the dark. Without warning, he dashed forward, disappearing through the trees.

“Hey, wait!” Kyuhyun took a step forward, ready to chase his companion, but knew it was no use. He knew he lacked the speed and stamina to catch up to the other in his current shape. He hadn’t had much of an opportunity to get much exercise as he was growing up, so he definitely wouldn’t be able to be of any use now. He shifted uncomfortably in the darkness, waiting for the other to return.

Minutes passed, and soon Hyukjae came stumbling back out of the forest, seemingly frustrated. Kyuhyun raised an inquiring eyebrow.

“Couldn’t trace it. I tried, but all traces in the forest have been spread too far. It would be impossible to track the ending point.”

Kyuhyun sighed. “So what do we do now?”

“All that’s left to do for now is retire for the day.”

…

When Sungmin opened up his eyes, the light was shining brightly through his red curtains, bathing his small room in a light shade of pink. He smiled softly at the pleasant sight, then grimaced as a wave of pain slammed into his head, burrowing deep, and seeping throughout the rest of his body. He groaned, the pain on the verge of unbearable. His body was weak, almost as if all the energy had been out of him. So this was what it felt like to lose a part of your power. He sighed, feeling reluctant to give up a bit more of it today; he knew his pain would only get worse. But he knew he had to, for Donghae.

He sat up, trying to ignore the way his body seemed to rebel with the slightest movement. He shuddered, as waves of pain shot down his spine, and  eventually gave up, falling back onto the bed and closing his eyes in defeat. He really was tired, and a little more rest wouldn’t kill him.

It didn’t take long for his exhausted mind to carry him into a dreamless sleep.

…

When he woke up next, the raven-haired man finally felt well rested. The ache was still there, but it was as if his body had gotten used to the lack of energy flowing through his veins. He felt slightly more energized than before though, and he guessed that it was because his sleep had naturally regenerated some of the power that flowed through him.

Losing one’s power was a long and tedious process. There was a reason that the Juyo didn’t take someone’s magic all at once. To have such a big part of someone’s life relinquished all at once would cause the enchanter to go into shock, and eventually die as their minds failed to adjust to the lack of power. Taking a bit at a time would allow the mind to slowly adjust to the loss, and eventually learn to live on its own.

Sungmin closed his eyes, releasing his power to open the door for him. He smiled as the wooden slab flew open, slamming into the wall beside it. He really would miss being able to do these things on his own.

“I seriously hope you know what you’re doing. Cause I sure don’t see the logic in this.” Heechul’s furious and disappointed words echoed in his head, as they had been doing ever since they had been spoken. Some part of him (the quieter part) knew Heechul was right, and he should have trusted Ryeowook to tend to his brother and used other methods to try and pay off a hospital, but the louder, stubborn part of him refused to admit the glaring truth that rang out in his head.

Vincent Lee. Another part of himself that he would have to give up. The performer that awed his audience with feats of unimaginable feats, and had no worries in his life. The character that he had created on stage to earn money, and had eventually became a part of his character, one that he would miss. He had loved the stage, the feeling of being marveled at and admired, and the feeling of weightlessness that came with him. His small tent was a place where anything could come true, and a place where his burdens could momentarily leave him.

He shook his head; there was no point in regretting his decision right now. He had made his choice, and sealed the bargain. Inadvertently, he found his fingers grazing the flames that had been left on his palm. The mark of an inescapable future.

…

Kyuhyun sat at the wooden table in the center of the dull room. Across from him, his violet-haired partner sat, clenching his fist. It was obvious that the failure of tracking down the criminals had bothered the other more than he had originally let on. Why though, would remain a mystery to the brunette.

“Geez, calm down. They eluded us for one more day. We’ll eventually find them.”

Two dark eyes turned to meet his, and Kyuhyun could easily the anger and frustration that they held within. They held gazes for a moment, then Hyukjae visibly slumped, running a pale hand through his purple hair.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I just let my impatience take over.”

Kyuhyun raised an inquisitive eyebrow, waiting for further elaboration, but when no was forthcoming, he sighed, opening his mouth to inquire further.

A doorbell rang throughout the small room, and Hyukjae immediately jumped up to rush towards the door, leaving him hanging. He waited impatiently, tapping his foot on the hardwood floor impatiently.

From his seat at the table, he could manage to hear muffled sounds, but wasn’t able to make out any words no matter how hard he strained his ears. His overwhelming curiosity seemed to want him to follow Hyukjae to the door, but another, stronger sense told him to stay and wait.

Eventually, his curiosity won out, but just as he was about to stand up, Hyukjae bursted back into the small kitchen, excitement blazing in his eyes, and a triumphant smirk giving his features a slightly maniacal appearance.

The violet-haired man approached him happily, holding a single envelope in his delicate hands. Kyuhyun just raised a dark eyebrow, his eyes, questioning.

Hyukjae just smiled. “We’ve got it.”

“Got what?”

“The address. We’ve found our thief.”

…

Sungmin had just grabbed the Juyo, ready to sacrifice another bit of his power to the object, when the sudden sound of a door being slammed roughly surprised him, causing him to drop the key in his momentary fright. He cursed, reaching for the object to check for any damage that might have been done in its fall. Luckily, the Juyo remained unharmed.

He turned his threatening gaze to the door, where a certain red head stood, panting.

“What was that for?”

“We have to get out,” the other managed between pants.

Sungmin’s eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. “What?”

“I said, we have to leave immediately.” Heechul turned his dark, fearful eyes to him, and whispered, “They’re coming. I heard someone telling a violet haired-man of our whereabouts. They’re coming to arrest us. We have to leave here now. They could be here any minute now.”

Sungmin’s eyes widened, and he growled dangerously. “Grab Donghae and the Juyo, as well as anything else we might need. I know a safe house further out in the mountains where we could stay.”

“Does it have supplies?”

Sungmin nodded. “It was a place I had originally made as an escape for myself. It should have almost everything. Just grab the money just in case.”

Heechul nodded solemnly, picking up the Juyo before rushing to Sungmin’s room the grab the money they had saved up. It wasn't much, but it was enough. 

Sungmin cautiously opened his little brother’s door, shedding a bit of false light into the dark room.

“Donghae?”

No response. He quietly walked over the small bed with as much urgency he could muster.

Shaking his brother gently, he whispered: “Wake up Hae.”

This time his words were answered with a small groan, accompanied by a whine.

“I don’t wanna.”

Sungmin sighed. “Hurry up. It’s urgent. We have to get out of here.”

This time is words initiated a real response. The young brunette quickly sat up in bed, eyes wide in fear. “What? What happened, Min?”

Sungmin shook his head, his dark bangs falling into his eyes. “No time. Hurry and get dressed, then get out to the living room.”

Donghae nodded, nimbly jumping out of his bed as Sungmin turned to leave the calming room back into the panic of the outside. Heechul turned to him as he left his brother’s room.

“He’s getting ready now.”

Heechul nodded. “He’d better hurry up then.”

A sudden knock echoed throughout the room, and a husky voice called out, “Open up. Special Forces here.”

Sungmin jumped up, a small curse falling from his lips just as the younger brunette finally stepped out of his room, stuffed Nemo plushie in hand.

“Open up, or I’m breaking down the door!”

“What’s happening, Min?” Donghae whispered, eyes wide and shining with fear and unshed tears.

“Just get over to the other side of the room.”

“But-“

“Don’t talk; just listen,” Heechul murmured, pushing the delicate boy to the other side with him. Sungmin just turned to join them, when suddenly, a huge wave of pain sent him to the floor, rendering him senseless. His body was still weak from the large energy loss he had suffered, and the conflicting emotions just rendered his state worse than it had already been.

“Min!” Donghae whimpered, ready to rush to his brother’s aid, when the slam of a door being knocked to the ground echoed within.

The wooden door fell, revealing a young man behind it, hands posed to fight. Sungmin’s eyes widened, and without thinking, threw himself at the other, ignoring the cries of worry behind him.

Another man appeared behind the first, eyes menacing as he scanned the room.

“Heechul, grab on to Donghae!” Without waiting for a reply, he sent his power towards them, focusing on bending the space around them to send them away. His specific destination in mind, he flicked his power towards them, mind barely registering him being thrown off the intruder and onto the ground.

A strangled cry of anger let him know that he had succeeded, and he was vaguely aware of being shaken roughly before he out completely.

A.N.: Wow… Just wow. This story has reached 100 subscribers… Can I just say how happy I feel? Haha so thank you~! Sorry I keep taking a while to write chapters… I never have any free time… even my summer has been occupied so far.  -___- this week I’ve been spending countless hours helping at my sister’s school, and then I have to start flute lessons and summer assignments… Sigh.

Sorry if this seems rushed ;A; I'll profread it later.

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