Iola felt surreal about everything. The moment she opened her eyes she could feel it; all those thread-like presences around her, so much clearer and louder than before. She could feel them all; all those animals, the plants, even the spirits that remained invisible to anyone else.

It was overwhelming to say the least, to have all these things fighting for space in her mind, crushing and pressing on her from all sides, bogging down her whole body. And it was heavy; an invisible weight that pressed her shoulders down and dragging every step she took. In hindsight she thought it was like being Atlas, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

She let a bitter smile curled on her lips on that thought because in a sense, she was Atlas.

The animals had dispersed on their own after they saw her. The birds formed huge shadows clouding the sun as they flew off, the dragons and the glaistigs leaving goodbye roars loud enough to shake the castle, the plants and flowers swayed some more before stilling.

Once they were all gone she had immediately stumbled back inside the room and flung herself on the bed. The Guardians told her she’d been asleep for three whole days, but she doesn’t feel it. Instead, there was exhaustion clinging to her veins, and she could barely keep her eyes open.

Kyungsoo had brought a bowl of steaming soup and she ate it gratefully, ignoring the curious looks and burning questions that must be on the Guardians’ minds as they crowded around her. Instead she finished the food and promptly fell back to sleep, still sitting up against the headboard, bowl in her lap and spoon gripped weakly in her hand.

When she woke up she was lying down on the bed; somebody must’ve rearranged her limbs so that she could lie more comfortably. A puff of hot air hit her hand and she tensed up,  only easing up when a wet, coarse tongue her hand, knowing it must be one of the drachensteins.

Yixing was sitting on a chair besides her bedside, offering a small smile when she looked her way. “Hey. You’ve woken up.”

Iola nodded groggily, trying to get up. “How long I’ve been asleep this time?”

Yixing’s firm arm came around her shoulders in an instant, steadying her and plopping a cushion behind her back to lean on. “Just a few hours. It’s just past noon now.”

Iola took a glance around the room to see that all of the Guardians were there too, an uncomfortable, awkward atmosphere in the air. She offered them a small smile and the tension seemed to lessen a little.

“How are you now, Iola?” Tao’s soft voice sound a bit timid, though his eyes were filled with concern.

She waved a hand out to him, patting the space on the bed beside her. “I’m alright now, little brother. No need to worry.” Tao practically bounded to her side, smiling contentedly as she ruffled his hair.

Jongdae shot her a small grin from the foot of the bed. “Well, you got us all worried back then.”

She saw Joonmyun opened his mouth and quickly cut him off. “I know you guys have a lot of questions, but can you….can you please not ask them? At least, not now?”

Joonmyun and Wufan shared a look, a silent conversation between them but Iola didn’t wait for their answer as she got up from the bed. Her legs were weak and shaky but she managed to stand upright, though she noticed Yixing had an arm out ready to catch her if she fall.

She turned around, ready to give him a thankful smile, but then she caught sight of the fire burning low in the fireplace, felt the slight breeze coming from the open window and remembrance of what she had been told came up again and with that, the same heavy weariness boring down on her shoulders.

“Iola?”

Iola blinked, realizing belatedly she was lost in her thought. Looking up she saw Yixing’s eyes filled with worry, and her chest warmed over with the obvious show of concern the man showed her, yet her heart twisted in a dull throb.

Was everything predetermined?

A hand waved in front of her face. “Iola, are you alright?”

Iola pushed Baekhyun’s hand away and forced a smile on. “I’m fine. Sorry, just a little dazed from all the amount of sleeping I had.”

She tilted her head to the side as she tried to change the topic. “I feel gross, I can’t remember the last time I had a bath. I think I need to take one.”

Jongin blinked. “……alright?”

Iola raised her eyebrows. “I mean, now?”

“Well, the bath is ready on the other room,” Chanyeol pointed his thumb behind him. “The castle’s maids had prepared anything you might need there.”

“Okay, thanks, I guess. So…..I’ll take that bath now, I think.”

When the Guardians still didn’t show any inclination to move Iola barely restrained the urge to scoff at their denseness. “I don’t care if you think I need to be guarded at all time, guys, but I would appreciate it if you would leave the room, I don’t fancy viewers when I take my bath.”

Joonmyun’s face was flushed red as he herded his brothers out quickly. Not that anyone protested, they were all couldn’t wait to be gone, coughing and grinning awkwardly. The last one to leave the room was Yixing, lingering on the threshold with eyes still filled with concern. Iola just waved him off easily, shooing him off with a small smile that immediately crumbled once the door closed behind him.

After she was left alone with only the drachensteins she crossed over to the ensuite bathroom. Like what Chanyeol had said, the large tub was already filled to the brim with clear water and on the side cabinet was laid several fluffy towels.

Quickly discarding her clothes, she gingerly stepped in to the large tub. The feeling of fresh, cool water running over her body helped loosening up her tensed muscles and she took time scrubbing every inch of her skin until it was soft and gleaming.

The bath worked wonder in cleansing her body but her mind was still heavy, reeling with every revelation she had been told. Absently her hands traced the water’s surface, dipping and cupping handful of water as she thought back to what happened during the three days she was asleep.

As she twirled her fingers into the water, her eyes widened in surprise when a small whirlpool began to form, flinging specks of water everywhere. Iola quickly took her hands out of the water, but the vortex of water continued to spin, before slowly disappearing a few moments later. Iola stared hard at the water’s surface, dreading what might come next but the water remained still. Cautiously she dipped a forefinger into the water, wiggling it limply. She gasped out loud when the water’s surface began to ripple, creating waves big enough to lap over the tub’s edge and drenched the marble floor besides it.

Suddenly everything felt too much. The air was too hot, her lungs were constricted and the room was suffocating, as if it would shrink down and crushed her on all sides. Still gasping for breath Iola stumbled out of the bath, haphazardly grabbing the clothes already laid out for her.

Quickly putting it on she burst out of the bathroom to her adjoining room, where Remus and Romulus were waiting for her. The stifling, oppressing weight still laid heavy in her chest and she longed to get out of there, to somewhere quiet and silent. The drachensteins must’ve sensed her agitation, as they whined and nudged her waist.

“I just…..” Iola took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down enough to think. “I just need to get away from here right now.”

The animals followed her closely as she stalked across the room, opening the door to find the Guardians crowded on the hallway. She wasn’t that surprised to find them there, she knew they were worried about her. But even though she appreciated their good intention, their presences right now were crowding her and she longed for some peace and quiet, even if just for a while.

“I want to go outside.” The words were out of before she even realized it, but the moment it did Iola knew that that was exactly what she needed.

Wufan tilted his head, blinking like he didn’t understand her words. “Outside? Outside where, do you mean?”

Iola bit back an exasperated sigh. “Just….outside. Outside of this room, outside of this castle, just…..somewhere quiet.”

She began to push her way through the Guardians, trying to make her way down the hallway. “Just…please.”

Minseok looked apprehensive and wary as he stood in front of her. “Where do you want to go, Iola?”

Iola opened , before closing it again quickly. Where did she want to go? She just felt oppressed and suffocated inside these walls, and felt the urge to go outside. But where? It was not like she was familiar of the places in this city.

Suddenly she remembered the small park near her home back in her own world, a place she always runs to whenever she had any problems. There was something comforting about the place, to be alone with just the nature around her, helping her to clear her mind. Her private sanctuary, her father always called it with a fond look in his eyes. He would always let her go there, knowing she like to be by herself with her thought, before coming to get her after a few hours when he was sure she had calmed down.

Iola blinked traitorous tears at the memory. No, no, she shook her head mentally, now was not the time to think of her family. She tried to turn her thought to something else, before it came to her, and she knew exactly where she want to go.

Iola pushed through Minseok’s restraining arm. “There’s a small woods just outside the city’s end that I saw when we first arrived. I want to go there.”

Surprised gasps trailed behind her and in a flash Jongdae was ahead of her, blocking the way. “Iola, I don’t think it’s safe.”

Iola barked out a harsh laugh, though the hurt look on his face quickly made her felt guilty. “It’ll be alright, Jongdae. Nothing will happen to me, I promise.” She patted his shoulder in way of apology as she sidestepped him.

Kyungsoo and Sehun were quick to stop her next.

“Iola, I don’t think it’s a wise decision,” Kyungsoo said slowly, as if he was afraid to offend her. Sehun kept silent, only nodding to show his approval.

Iola gritted her teeth. “You guys don’t get it! I just…I feel cramped and suffocated being inside these walls and….and…I need to go out!”

She turned to face the other Guardians. “Please…..I just want to be outside.”

Another person came into her view, the one person who has the biggest chance to sway her mind.

“Iola….are you sure about this?” Yixing still looked so worried, gentle eyes filled with concern. “We just want to keep you safe.”

Iola took a deep breath. “Yes Yixing, I’m sure about this. I just…” She flailed her hands around, trying to convey what she felt. “I just….I need some time to think, time to clear my head, and I can’t do it here.”

Yixing continued to regard her silently and Iola met his eyes straight on, trying to convince him. A few tense moments later Yixing turned to his leaders, both Wufan and Joonmyun still looked doubtful but nodded shortly.

“Very well,” Joonmyun had a small smile on. “We can go outside.”

“But we’re coming with you,” Wufan quickly added.

Iola rolled her eyes at that, but still sent him a smile to show her thanks. She turned and began to walk away, the drachensteins flanking her sides as the Guardians followed closely behind. From the corner of her eyes she could see Yixing’s side profile, watching her carefully and she deliberately looked away. There would be time to think about this later on.

Getting out of the castle was uneventful, though there were still many castle’s guards and maids who gasped in shock and surprise at the sight of Iola.  But the walk through Sagiv was disconcerting, to say the least. People stopped and stared at Iola as she passed, whispered conversation and heated murmurs following her steps. The Guardians glared at them, though, daring anyone who looked their way. Added with the low growls the drachensteins emitted, and people were quick to avert their eyes and pretend to carry on with whatever they were doing before.

Even so, Iola could feel their stares burning on her back.

She supposed she couldn’t blame them. She knew they must have a lot of questions concerning her, what with what happened just this morning. She could feel their curiosity, their wariness but she resolutely looked ahead and kept walking.

Finally they reached the city’s end and just over the stone bridge that crossed over a large river, they were at the edge of the woods. Iola took a deep breath, letting the fresh air filled her lungs and immediately feeling slightly better. The Guardians had stopped when she did, looking at her to see what she would do next.

Iola knew they would disapprove of what she plan to do even before she opened . “I would like to be left alone now.”

Like she had predicted they all proteste