It was always the identical coal-black page that encircled her bad dreams. It was always the same off-white chiffon that flowed freely through the darkness. It was always the actual perishing, wintry air that sliced her body.

Nothing changed.

Except the spine-chilling monsters.

Except the amount of blood she lost.

...

The track blurred below me as I felt a surge of adernaline. The steady thump of my footsteps echoed in my ears and I felt a bead of sweat roll down my forehead. My heart pounded to the beat of my feet racing over the damp base. My throat ached for air, more air.

I was running away, from death.

Literally.

A hysterical cackle shattered my hopes of escaping, but I kept sprinting. If evilness could have a voice, this laugh would make it whimper in fear. A laugh that plunges me into the deepest pit of despair. Forcing my legs to push harder I kept my sprint, anticipating the relief of retreating. My breathing hitched in my throat making my already screaming lungs just about to burst.

I don't know how to explain what happened.

All I know is that I was randomly sauntering around when I found a 10-year-old kid with his back facing me. So as simple as it is, I placed my hand gently on his shoulder to turn him around. His eyes were ivory with a dip of bloody crimson. Blood was crawling out of his mouth and ears. Teeth as black as coal, were gleaming like keen razors.

He was the definition of plain scary.

-

Sweat beaded my forehead, causing my lengthy locks to cling to it. My muscles stretched, pushing harder.

*Unbelievable. You're running away.*

Utter disbelief was placed on the whisper that hung in my brain, and I almost halted from the shock.

*Daughter of Cronus, is running away? Oh, the shame that is written on my face. Oh, the humiliation.*

"What the hell? I'm no daughter of Cronus or Cornus or whatever! I'm Park Hyemi, and that's it." I panted before snapping at the air.

Disappointment was stitched on the sigh that escaped the foreign voice. *I'm afraid you're not doing as I expected from you in this task. Is it too hard for you to kill that useless brute?*

This time I really halted. "...You're the one who sent him to rip my head off its place?"

*I'm not sending him to murder you. I sent him as a practice. *

"Practice? I wake up every single night to find myself swimming in a pool of blood, and you're telling me it's a practice? Why are you even doing this to me?! " My frenzy demeanor slowly changed and contorted in all - consuming rage, eyes flashing and hands curling into tight fists.

I didn't realize the beast was behind me until the pain engulfed the back of my neck.

The jaws opened, its mouth a dark frightening hole sunk into the soft tissue of my neck. As it violently drew my blood, it claws scratched every exposed part of my body. Instead of feeling intimidated and terrified, a menacing power of adernaline flew through my body. I thrashed away from the wicked demon, then snapped my fist, connecting it with his firm jaw in a very pissed-off manner. I'm not sure, but I think I'm screaming with irritation while he was whimpering as I continued punching the living daylights out of him. With a last kick, he began turning to ash.

That's when I noticed the mossy and the red energy floating around my hands like thin strings.

...

Her eyes darted open, as they focused she was aware it was her room. Hyemi was shaking to the bone. She touched her face to be assured it was only a nightmare.

Wet.

Her tears were combined with the cold sweat that broke down her forehead. Blood's smell seethed out of her tattered, torn night gown. Even her hair was damp with blood. She opened a gap between her lips to let out a blood-curdling scream, but a hand laid above it. His pupils were shaded with tenderness. With a sincere expression, he allowed her to dive into his chest and swathed two gentle, strong arms around her. Hyemi softly cried, muffling her snivels behind his broad, warm chest so that she didn't disturb Eunhee's sleep. Hiccups popped faintly out of her lips while his hands were her hair and limp back.

"Shhh...It's alright, love. I'm here." Baekhyun's subdued mumbles were beside her ear, comforting the shaking girl. In a matter of 10 minutes, Hyemi was cleaned out of blood and injuries, standing by the window-sill. The grey clouds hovered above the rising sun, hiding it behind a selfish frown. Her long finger trailed the fog slowly with a calm expression. She made up her mind to catch fresh air by walking in the garden. Tingling, cool waft playfully nipped her face, awakening her drowsy senses. Her legs that were strolling in a leisurely pace, lead her to forest nearby. She curiously roamed, twigs and decaying leaves crunching under her the soles of her shoes. Her delicate, soft fingertips brushing the trunk of a tree, she came to stop.

His three fingers lightly held the arrow on the string. Luhan raised and drew his bow, aiming on a standard FIFTA target. His hazel orbs were swallowing the tension and replacing it with concentration. He slowly exhaled, releasing the arrow after relaxing his long fingers. The sharp head of the arrow smacked the middle of the target perfectly.

"You can stop staring now." He said loudly enough to be heard.

Hyemi gasped, stumbling above some rocks dispersed around. Flustered, a blush crept up her cheeks and it didn't take a genius to know that she was ashamed of being caught snooping on him. Mumbling a "sorry", she awkwardly stepped out. Clearing his throat, Luhan snatched the arrow out of the target's surface. He went back to his position, extending the string with his three fingers. Puffing his cheeks out a little like an adorable kid, he took a deep breath. Hyemi couldn't help but admire his lean, graceful figure, his muscular, tensed shoulders, his pale, long fingers that hugged the stiff string. She never realized she was constantly fidgeting until Luhan threw a glare at her side. The limited eye contact froze her. She chewed her lower lip before breaking the eye contact, rubbing her fore arm.

Straining the length more, Luhan's focus went back to the red circle. He softly brushed the string while abandoning it.

It did collide with the middle.

It did count as a perfect score.

It did ease up a truimphant smile at Luhan's face.

Until it Lit up on fire.

**************************************************************************************************************************

I like finishing my chapters as cliff-hangers :) It makes you excited for the next chapter :L. I know I didn't update for a long time, but you know me - yes, you can throw a brick at my face when you meet me.

The next chapter will be part two, so please wait until I collect my thoughts :(

Comment, my dear ones~!