I watched in horror as Baekho swung continuously at Minhyun and even as his fist made contact with the newcomer, the mage refused to flinch – showed no signs of pain as he stood stoically before the two gaurds as I sat by Jonghyun’s pale and limp form – praying for his life. Baekho was taking his anger out on Minhyun; Mi Young was too weak to stop him so the twins had to do so as I ordered them to, unable to do it myself out of fear of leaving Jonghyun’s side.

“Why did you do it?” I broke the silence the had fallen over us upon Kwangmin and Youngmin pulling Baekho off Minhyun.

“Why did I do what?” questioned Minhyun, “Poison him with something that has no antidote?”

“Yes,” I replied, worriedly placing a cool damp towel over Jonghyun’s face, neck, bare shoulders, and forearms, “Why did you do it?”

“I was just doing as I was told,” replied Minhyun, “Poison him while you all were distracted with other things.”

“When did you slip into the office?” I questioned in a mixture of shock and worry.

“I didn’t slip into it, however, I did slip the poison in the tea you sent up for him,” replied Minhyun, smirking towards Mi Young, “When that incompetent woman over there turned her attention away for just a split second.”

Mi Young looked up in shock while Minhyun smirked her way.

“It was far too easy,” stated Minhyun in content, happily playing mind games that didn’t work on me.

“What is the antidote?” I growled, “Where is it?”

“I don’t know what it is nor do I know where it is,” replied Minhyun, “My master gave it to me and I gave it to Jonghyun, my master gave it to me but refused to speak of the antidote – if there even is one.”

“You sure as hell, better hope that he wakes up,” muttered the furious Baekho from where he sat between Youngmin and Kwangmin, who were still working hard to restrain the riled up male.

“I’m sure he won’t,” muttered Minhyun, “otherwise my master would’ve sent a stronger one.”

I looked at him, “If he dies then you would have to live with the guilt of unknowingly killing your older brother – your twin brother at that.”

Minhyun scoffed, “How do you know that is true? How do you know that he is my brother.”

“I have my ways,” I replied, glaring at him sharply, feeling some relief flood through me as I watched his arms getting bound behind his back by none other than Mi Young – who looked at him in disgust. I peered towards Mi Young, “Throw him in a room we know he cannot escape from.”

“Aye,” responded Mi Young, despite her lithe frame, she manhandled him into a nearby room which held no windows and only one door as I turned my attention towards the lifeless body that rested beside me. The only sign of life in his body was the slight flicker of his eye lids as his eyes moved around below them and the sound of the shallow breaths he was taking.

[Jonghyun’s PoV]

 “How are you doing today, my precious baby boy?” questioned an oddly familiar woman, her brown hair standing out on her blurred figure, “Are you feeling better Jonghyun-ah? You had eomma scared for a while, you had your abeoji and I wondering or not we’d have to part ways with you right as soon as we met you...you had us extremely worried.”

There was a wail of another baby as I peered up out of the crib at the woman, whose facial features I shared – watching as she moved to the other bed, picking up another baby, bouncing the wailing baby in her arms as she spoke up again.

“Don’t worry Minhyun-ah, I didn’t forget about you one bit big boy,” stated the woman, “I was just concerned for your hyung, after all, he’s far too thin – he look like he may go at any time – as sad as that may be. I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost one of you boys.”

I felt my own chest raising and falling as my wails joined my brother’s and my mother happily picked me up as well.

“Babies, don’t cry,” whispered the woman, pressing a chaste kiss both to my forehead but also Minhyun’s, “I love you both equally and I’m sure all three of us will make it through this together.”

~~~

“You both are powerful vessels, huh?” whispered a man, his voice all too familiar as he spoke, peering down into the crib and staring at both me and Minhyun as we laid side by side in the comfortable little cradle, “Which of you two do I want to go on a little journey with me? Which of you want to go and never come back?”

He peered at the two of us with narrowed eyes, I felt my body trembling before I realized that the infant me was crying while Minhyun peered at the man coldly – defiantly, especially as the cloaked man picked me up and held me to his chest.

He nearly dropped me as he hissed in pain, biting his lip in pain - acting as though I had shocked him. His eyes narrowed before settling on the infant beside me, a smirk playing on his lips as he whispered, “It is definitely you then…I’ll see you both later…”

The man suddenly vanished from my vision as I continued to wail, which lead to my worried mother running into the room, fear and concern showing on the features of her face as she quickly picked me up and rocked me in hopes of getting me to sleep.

~~~

My father stood over me, retrieving both Minhyun and I from the crib and carrying us to where my mother stood beside large luggage bags, she silently reached for Minhyun and tears streamed from her eyes, forming rivulets down her cheeks as she peered at me sadly, whispering, “I’m sorry babies…I’m sorry Jongie.”

She my bare head, “I can’t take you both…I’m sorry Jongie…”

My father held me close to his warm chest and I gurgled slightly, struggling to breathe a bit due to some gunk that was in my throat and seemingly in my lungs. However, even with the slight difficulty breathing, I slept – I slept through my twin’s agonized cries as he was carried towards a vast carriage.

~~~

I peered up at my father who cradled me, rocking me back and forwards, pressing a chaste kiss to my forehead whispering, “I’m sorry for leaving such a big responsibility on your small shoulders, but I know you’ll be able to do it…you’ll be able to complete all the missions we’ve made for you…I know that you can survive, that you can do this. That you can protect Prince Minki once the child is born, I’m positive that you’ll be able to…I’m sure that you’ll be able to teach Minhyun well, as well.”

I cooed, reaching for my father’s finger as he used it to caress my cheek.

He chuckled and whispered, “Good-bye son…It’s hard for me to say it, but it has to be said. Goodbye. I love you. Also, don’t let the fear plant it’s seed within you because you will be able to do all that is set for you to do…you are strong enough to do it. We know you are and that is the reason we’re leaving you behind with your uncle. He’ll take care of you, he’ll teach you the ways of the elements, he will teach you all that there is to know.”

I felt a cool tear land on my cheek and heard him whisper, “Please, fulfill the destiny chosen for you, please head down the path we’ve paved for you…please restore peace and light to this dreadful world…please, don’t make me regret anything more than I already did.”

I wailed as he sat me down in the crib after one final kiss on my forehead. He took off and despite how loud my wail was, he did not turn around – he did not come back…he never did. He never would.

~~~

“Jonghyun-ah,” called a man that was in his mid-thirties or so, my youngest uncle, the only family that I had left after my family sacrificed their lives to bring up the barrier all those years ago.

“Neh, hyung?” I questioned the man who was over twice my age.

“I’m leaving for the hunt, are you sure you don’t want to come with me?”

“I’m positive hyung,” I responded, peering at the seemingly faceless man.

“Alrighty then,” stated the man, “I’m heading out.”

“Alright, becareful.”

“I will be,” responded the man, in the corner of my eye, I caught sight of him smirking darkly at my studious form before spinning on his heel and moving rather quickly out of the door – not looking back once as he left the tower for good, abandoning my fourteen year old self.

[Third Person PoV]

Ren watched in concern as Jonghyun squirmed around. As if in pain, his eyebrows furrowed and his form shivered. A whisper slipped out from between the male’s pale and parched lips.

“Why did you do this, hyung?”

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! <3