Yixing tightened his grip on Iola, relief running wild through his blood. The smile she gave calmed him, that throbbing ache in his chest gone. He closed his eyes as he leaned down even further into the embrace, feeling like a man who had finally break the water’s surface and breathe fresh, clear air after being drowned.

The sound of chuckles broke through his haze though, and immediately his eyes snapped open, to find his brothers all staring at him in varying degrees of confusion and amusement. It was only then he realized the rather intimate situation he was in and with an awkward cough, pushed Iola slightly off him.

“Are you alright, Iola? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?” He lowered his head to hide his heated cheek as he looked her over, trying to see any visible injuries. As his gaze looked up again he paused his search and frowned; there was something about her seemed different.

Her long, midnight hair was flowing gently around her shoulder; sunlight glinting from it reminded him of a starry night sky. Her hazel eyes glowed golden at the moment from the light, but there was the same bright, playful spark in them. A small, gleeful smile was tugging the corner of her lips.

Yet there was something more; she seemed relaxed and very sure of herself, more than she’d ever been since the first time they met.

He almost choked on his own spit when a bright, clear voice answered him. “I’m alright, Yixing. They didn’t do anything to me.”

He looked up in shock. “Y-you….you talk!”

Iola tilted her head to the side in obvious amusement. “You do realize I could talk since the first day we met, right?”

“B-but….but you didn’t speak our language, then!”

Her eyes blinked before she nodded in understanding. “Ah, yeah. I forgot that I can understand you now.”

“What? How did that happen?”

Iola didn’t answer as she spotted his brothers behind him and quickly ran over to them instead with a big grin.

“Tao!” She hugged him first, before quickly pushing him away to ask frantically. “Are you alright? Your wounds….You lost a lot of blood before!”

Tao's eyes sparkled as a small, bright smile painted his face. “I’m alright now, Iola, really I am. Yixing had healed all the wounds."

She nodded, satisfied, before turning to Jongdae. “And you! Oh Jongdae, I’m so glad to see you alright!”

Jongdae laughed as he slung an arm around her shoulders. “Not as glad as we are to see you, Iola. Thank the Sacred Tree you’re alright!”

Minseok, Luhan, and even Wufan crowded around her next, all expressing their delights in meeting her. Iola laughed as she turned from one man to another, asking their welfare.

Yixing let it go on for a few minutes before coughing loudly, turning the attention back to him. He stared at Iola, a frown on his forehead.

“We’re glad to see you alright, Iola, but what happened? How did you escape the Tiemans and how come you can speak our language now?”

Iola glanced to her right side as if looking at someone, which confused him since there was nothing there. But before Yixing could ask, warmth came from his second right finger and his eyes widened as the ring with his insignia glowed. Looking around he saw his brothers also gaped at the glowing rings each and every one of them wear. 

“It’s glowing,” Baekhyun whispered, almost reverently.

Minseok nodded gravely. “It’s the sign we’ve been waiting for.”

“Then that means…” Chanyeol stared at Iola, who just looked on confused.

One by one, they all moved to surround her in a circle, leaving Wufan and Joonmyun side by side in front of her.

Iola stared at them, eyes roving around in confusion. “Guys? W-what’s wrong?”

Wufan hold out his closed fist, showing his ring. “Our rings, the symbols of our powers, will give us a sign when it finds what we’ve been waiting for.”

“And now it has glowed and so we know,” Joonmyun added.

Then, as one they all dropped down on one knee, right arm crossed against their chest and closed fists splayed on top of their hearts.

“You are the one we’ve been searching for. The Chosen Soul.” Joonmyun’s voice rang out in the silent forest.

Wufan bowed his head. “We are the Guardians of Zolora, sworn to serve and protect you until the last breath of our lives.”

They all bowed their heads respectfully, but Yixing couldn’t help but raised his head slightly, only to see Iola’s eyes widened in utter panic and confusion, her hair shifted and swayed as if the breeze was playing with it, even though there was no wind blowing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Iola was confused. No, more than that. She was bewildered.

One moment everything was normal, then the next these young men had kneel down before her, calling her something that sounded like she was chosen or something.

“G-guys? Come on, this isn’t funny! What is this?”

Wufan’s face was the most solemn she had ever seen. “We are not lying, Iola. You really are the Chosen Soul.”

“A-and…what’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” Wufan paused for a second. “That you are the one who is going to save this world.”

“What?” she shrieked. “No, no, I’m not the chosen one or the savior or anything like that!”

“It’s the Chosen Soul,” Joonmyun supplied helpfully.

“Whatever! The point is that you’re wrong!”

“All the signs say that you are.”

“And you came to that conclusion just because some stupid rings glowed?!”

“The rings are never wrong.” 

“Whatever!” Iola threw her hands in frustration. “The point is, I am not what you claim I am!”

“Iola-”

“No! No, I refuse to hear whatever you have to say!” She staggered backward, before turning around, bumping into Chanyeol and Baekhyun as she broke into a run, leaving the circle of young men.

“Iola!” She could hear Yixing called after her.

“Leave me alone!” she yelled back, running farther away.

She ran through the dense trees, not caring where her feet take her. The trees seemed to moved out from her path, leaving her without obstacle. She ran and ran until her chest burned and her muscles screamed in agony and even then she kept running. After what felt like hours, she came to a small clearing and fell down, panting hard.

She tried to catch her breath, ignoring the stinging burns in her eyes, mind whirling with wild thoughts. Suddenly a gentle breeze blew and an airy voice spoke in her ear.

“That’s quite a far run, human girl. No wonder you looked like you’re about to pass out or something.”

Iola raised her head to see Makani floating next to her.

“You’re still here.”

“Somebody has to keep an eye on you.” The spirit shrugged. “Not on my own accord, mind you, just that I promised Grandmother Livne to watch over you until you’re in safe hands.”

Iola sat up slowly, massaging her temple. “Whose safe hands, if I might ask? You mean those guys back there, the ones that just claimed I’m something I’m not?”

Makani tilted his head. “What makes you think that you're not?”

She threw her arms wide in frustration. “Look at me, Makani! I’m just a normal, regular girl. Heck, I don’t even have any special ability like they do! I can’t fly, or make fire, or bring lightning or anything like that!”

“You can talk to us, to the spirits.”

Iola was pulling her hairs in aggravation when Makani’s words stopped her. “And…that is important?”

He shrugged, turning away from her. “Perhaps. And what about the fact that it is you, and not somebody else, that was sent here?”

“I…I don’t know.” But even as she said it, the constant hum in her head buzzed lowly.

A gentle breeze blew, invisible fingers carding through her hair. “I know it’s confusing at the moment, but you’ll figure out soon the reason why you’re here.”

Iola looked at the spirit weirdly. “…..Are you trying to comfort me?”

“Well, don’t get used to it. It’s a one-time thing only.”

The biting remark accompanied by a scoff enforced a small laugh out of her, as strange as it seems. “Thanks, anyway. So, you think I should go back to them?”

“You should. Right now, you’re safer with them.”

“The problem is…..” She scratched her head sheepishly. “I don’t think I remember the way back.”          

Makani smirked and looked over behind his shoulder. “Well, it’s a good thing that they are already here then.”

“…What?”

“They all ran after you, but they’ve been keeping their distance ever since we stopped here. One of them is up there also.”

Makani looked up and Iola followed his line of vision only to spot Wufan’s unmistakable golden honey hair up above jus