“Yah, Ren, are you really going to be sleeping your birthday away?” nagged Youngmin as he pounded on the old wooden door that led into my bedroom, the corner of his lips were probably turned downward in a frown.

“No, mother,” I shot back sarcastically, my voice muffled by both the pillow my face was buried and the door.

I could hear Youngmin growl and mumble something along the lines of ‘Why do I live with a bunch of lazy bums?’ He was probably referring to Kwangmin, the other teens who live in the shop, and I; as well as Miss Kim, after all she too enjoys to sleep in when she can and as a foster mother and boss to over twenty children, it’s a little difficult.

“Get up you lazy bum!” cried the familiar voice of my hyung Sungjong, who was the only one who refused to go outside of the cramped up little shop because he didn’t like getting dirt under his nails cleaning up someone else’s mess because we don’t know what types of people owned the houses and what we were dealing with inside those houses.

“I’m up!” I cried, aggravated by the fact that I couldn’t even sleep in on my birthday. I stood up from the small stack of hey that was covered in three torn up and stained blankets.  I sighed and walked to the door, pulling it open, nearly making the poor door fall off its hinges – not because I was that strong, but because the wood of both the door and its frame was rotten.

“Woah, careful there titan,” said Junho – the oldest of us boys -  staring at me in shock and holding the door that was about ready to collapse onto me from how viciously I had pulled it open, “We don’t want to be sending you to the medic on your birthday.”

I smiled at him; it had been while since I had seen him because he had been busy at the all boys’ academy dorms, acting like the noblemen sons’ maid. I quickly jumped into him, wrapping my arms around him happily.

“Hyung,” I said, however I spoke again when I pulled away from him, “Why are you back?” The flash of slight hurt made me realize that I had said it kind of harshly, “I didn’t mean it in a bad way, I was just wondering why you were back, last time I heard you weren’t going to be back until summer fell over the lands.”

Junho smiled, “I talk my boss into letting me have one day off. After having five of the boys that I tended to persuade him, I’m here on my day off that I’m still getting paid for…Hopefully we’ll have enough money to pay for a new shop soon.”

I nodded in agreement, looking around the hall at rotting wood doors and some rooms that did not have doors because they were either removed before they collapsed or had finally just collapsed, “I hope our living conditions get better soon.”

 He smiled and nodded, patting my shoulder, “Anyway, Miss Kim told me to wake you up because Youngmin is being rather irritable at the moment – blame it on Kwangmin, he seems to be ignoring his hyung with all of us here for once.”

“Why is everyone here?” I asked, “Why isn’t anyone at a job?”

“It’s because we know what is coming,” muttered Junho, “We know enough information to know that this is probably going to be the last of your birthdays will be spending with you.”

I looked at him, “How come I’m the only one who wasn’t aware of this?”

“It’s because that is how your mother wanted it to be,” responded Sungjong, suddenly speaking up and making me jump because I had forgotten about him still being there with us.

“Who was she really?” I asked, “Does anyone know?”

The two looked at me and shook their heads, Junho then spoke up again, “No one really knows about your mom, all we do know though is that she was really important for some reason.”

I slumped forward slightly, a little depressed that I knew nothing about my family from where my mother had passed away in childbirth and my father had died the day of my birth as well, but hadn’t been with us.

“Hey, birthday boy, go shower,” Said Miss Kim, suddenly walking into the hall and scaring me from my thoughts, a broad smile on her face as she saw my frightened expression.

I grumbled as I stole the new pair of clothes for her arms and headed towards the bathroom that reeked of mildew and mold, however, I wasn’t complaining because we actually got hot water, unlike most buildings in our neighborhood.

An hour or so later, I moved carefully down the stairs, being careful of the patch that had finally fallen through because of how this whole building seemed to be falling apart. I moved into the living room that was dressed with a rug, a couple of book shelves that had moldy or weathered books on them, and a fireplace that we didn’t use anymore in fear of burning the whole building down. There used to be a couch that sat three people but from where we usually squeezed about five to six people on it, it finally broke – surely not from our weight, but because of age. Plus, like everything else in this building, it had been falling apart.

“Finally, you’re here! Gosh, I thought I’d have to go check on you to make sure you weren’t down the drain!” cried Sungyeol upon my entrance.

I sent a small glare his way before turning towards our foster mother who was smiling at me from where she sat beside a small pile of gifts. I moved towards it, looking at them in shock. I had never gotten this many before – no one had.

“Happy birthday,” said Miss Kim, wrapping her arms around my shoulder as I stared at the gifts in shock.

“H-how could you possibly buy so many?” I asked, peering at the woman in utter shock.

“We decided to use some of our tax money for your gifts; we decided that it’d be okay if we bought you some extra things since this will most likely be our final birthday celebration with you,” Said Miss Kim, smiling at me and caressing my cheek.

“Is it okay though?” I asked, concerned for the frail woman who had been a mother figure to me, “We barely have enough money to pay for food after paying taxes.”

She smiled and nodded, “I’m positive, Minki. Listen, since Junho got that raze and since Sungyeol and Kibum have been working double time, we’ve gotten plenty enough money to give you these little parting gifts.”

“How do you all know that I’ll be leaving in three days?” I asked, “Why do you all keep saying that I’m going to? What if I don’t want to?”

Miss Kim looked at me in shock from my outburst and looked towards the twins, “I think it is time for you to give him his gift from his mother, surely there is something in there that’ll explain this belief to all of us.”

The twins nodded and Youngmin moved forwards with an old, wooden box in pristine condition, intricate designs were carved into the obviously ancient box. I took it gently from Youngmin’s hands, pulling it close and sitting on the floor with my brothers and our mother. With careful hands, I gently lifted the lid of the box to see a note resting above something that was faintly glowing – as you could see through the paper. Pealing open the yellow colored paper with much care, I read the words that were scribbled down onto it with much precision and dignity:

Dear my dearest child,

If you are reading this then it must mean that it is finally your fifteenth birthday and that you survived long enough in this cruel world to receive my last words – yes, I’m writing this as I prepare for your birth, for my death. It’s tragic to think that I might not even be able to know if you are a boy or a girl. Your father and another life mage have claimed that you are to be a girl, however, a mother intuition tells me otherwise – which is why the name Minki has been chosen. Hate me if you will in the future, but it is a beautiful name that belonged to my father and a few generations before him a female, both were well known peasants who stood up for what was right and just in this horribly dark world.

Minki, there has been no news from your father – there never will be. Those around me try to assure me that he is well and surviving in that dark and frozen void, but I know otherwise. Minki, there is a feeling in my gut that is telling me that he is gone and that I will be too. 

Baby, I know you are most likely confused and probably frightened by those around you claiming that you’ll be gone in three days; do not be – as hard as that is. Don’t be.

Yes, you and the twins will be leaving in three days, but please understand that the boy who is coming for you is not evil and is loyal to our family – to you. He will be beside you to protect you and he will do so with his life. His mission in life it so protect you from the darkness that has finally been freed from the barrier your father sacrificed himself to put up.

Please understand that he is taking you to the place that needs you the most.

You need to go with him.

You need to restore the four elemental pillars.

You need to save the world.

Honey, I don’t know too much, but I do know that he will tell you everything I’m not. He will do so under your command – however you must command him. You must start acting like the prince you were born to be. Honey, carry on the royal name.

I know that it’s a lot to put on you, but the world is in danger – it could me lost to the darkness and the void and we have to stop it and protect those who have lived poor lives. We need to protect our people, both rich and poor alike.

Lastly, honey, I love you. I know I won’t be able to see you long and I know that you won’t remember me, but I love you. Please keep the prized family heirloom safe – protect it with your life like how the mage will protect you with his own. I love you baby and I will be protecting you from where ever I may go,

Your Loving Mother

I subconsciously wiped at my eyes, as tears built up, slowly coming closer to being set free – I honestly didn’t know why though – yes, she was my mother, but I didn’t know her at all…I knew nothing about my past and it scared me. I sniffled and Miss Kim wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close and kissing my temple. She rubbed my back gently, urging me to look at the gift. With a deep breath, I pulled the stone out of the box. All of us let out a gasp, staring at the beautiful slightly glowing emerald that was somehow attached to a golden chain.

“What is that?” asked Sungjong, leaning in closer.

I pulled it away from him, unclasping the hook of the chain and then clasping it back together once it was around my neck.

“The thing that’ll lead his guardian to him.” Said Kwangmin, “Whoever that might be.”

I smiled and nodded, stuffing the letter into the box, not exactly knowing how I should be acting with all this suddenly appearing – however, I didn’t let that affect me, I pushed it to the back of my mind for today, “So, what are the other gifts?”

Miss Kim laughed, knowing that I had finally come around to my normal self again. She handed me the first of the gifts and I happily opened it, followed by the others. The remaining gifts included a rucksack, some supplies I might need on my journey – if really am going on one, a set of warm clothes, and a rather thick cloak.

“The cloak should be able to hide the glow of the necklace, so you might want to wear it if you go out in the next three days,” muttered Mrs. Kim as I gazed at my last gift. I nodded and looked towards the twins who were smiling at me from where they sat in the corner of the room; I got a smile from both boys and turned towards Ms. Kim again.

That night, we had a feast with the best food we had had in years, thanks to the money that the others had earned by taking new jobs or doubling up on some. As night settled in, the others stared retiring to bed, all having to get up early the following day to work. Even Miss Kim left for bed rather early, leaving the twins and I alone in the darkened living room, the only light coming from the jewel that sat on my necklace, casting a glow on the room around us. As we sat there, I stuffed my gifts into my rucksack, leaving only my cloak out. As we sat there, the silence hung heavily around us as all of us were trapped in thoughts of what was to come in this journey and about the truth about our past we’d discover.

“Minki, we’ve thought about it enough tonight, how about we go to bed now?” asked Youngmin.

I nodded, standing up from where I sat on the ground, my legs feeling a bit numb, “Night.”

The twins nodded towards me and joined me as we ventured up the stairs together before going our separate ways to our different rooms. When I entered my room, I changed into tattered pajamas and slipped into my cloak – hopefully it would protect me from the growing cold.

As I lay in bed, I couldn’t help but to pull out the stone and admire it. The gold symbol carved into the green stone was reflecting the light of the stone, but wasn’t glowing itself. Moving the stone around, I caught sight of an odd yet familiar group of symbols that seemed like writing. My mind wondered off to where I had seen the symbols, somewhere in my thought process I had fallen asleep.

The two days following my birthday had been rather slow and boring days,  the twins and I were stuck in the shop while the others were out at work because of the rain that was pouring down outside. The two entertained themselves through reading while I got lost in my thoughts, pondering over what was to come, about the necklace, and most of all the nightmares that seemed to have gotten worse – which I had believed to be impossible at first. Today is the third day, the day my so called guardian is supposed to find me and start escorting me back to my land and throne.

“Minki,” muttered Kwangmin, nudging me in the back with his foot to get my attention.

I rolled from where I laid on my back onto my side, staring at him blankly, still partically lost in my thoughts, “What is it?”

“The rain has lightened up a bit,” said Youngmin.

“Quite literally,” added Kwangmin, “It’s snowing.”

Usually I’d feel excitement run through me; however, dread seemed to fill me to the brim. Fear seemed to bubble up in my gut, making me want to run and hide under the covers of my makeshift bed in the upstairs. However, the two seemed eager to go out into the snow which was a rare gift that was hardly bestowed onto us.

“Come on, let’s go out for a bit,” Said Kwangmin, smiling towards me.

I stood up, a bit hesitant, and slipped into my cloak before moving towards the front door where I met with the duo that had also slipped into their cloaks. The three of us then moved outside happily looking up at the sky, watching the little flakes drift lazily to the ground and landing with the others – forming a white blanket over the ground.

“Isn’t it beautiful boys?” asked an old woman, suddenly making the three jump and spin to face her. Her face was wizened by age, her unkempt gray hair was all over the place – holding leaves and blades of grass, her skin was sallow, and she looked like she could barely walk.

Kwangmin and Youngmin nodded happily, slowly approaching the old woman. However, my feet stopped moving as I looked into her eyes which held a strangle glint – a glint that made me nervous and rather frightened. Something inside me told me to stop the two from approaching her, but I just couldn’t get anything I wanted to say to come out of my mouth.

“Is there something wrong child?” asked the little old woman, who suddenly didn’t seem like she was as old as she acted, “You suddenly stopped walking.”

The twins turned towards me and saw that I had indeed stopped walking, which brought them to automatically do so as well. They turned towards me and then back towards the little old woman to see that she had stood up.

“So, you’ve seen through my façade, huh?” muttered the old woman, suddenly sounding far younger than before, her expression darkened and a creepy smile dressed her face as she was consumed by a purple mist. When the fog cleared, it revealed a woman dressed in purple cloaks which were like the ones in my dreams – well, nightmares – and only revealed her chin and lips, “My, my, it’s the third day and the prince is still without his guardian…what is that mage doing? Tsk, tsk. I guess I’ll just end this quickly then.”

The young woman walked forwards, a smirk on her lips as she did so. The twins and Ren looked at each other in worry, only to stare in shock as a sudden orb of light was shot at the girl and she let out a high pitched screech, backing away from the trio and glaring at something behind them with serious hatred. 

Sorry for such a long wait, I wasn't able to do a double update because something came up and it delayed the post. Anyway, the chapter is pretty long so I hope I made up for it. ^^ Chapter three is in the process of being written, but I don't know how long it'll be until I post it because a sport I'm participating in is starting up tomorrow and it'll consume a bit of my time to write daily and on the weekends. 

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

P.S. Random Korean stars will be making appearances as minor characters. ^^