They all seemed to know that this was the final stretch of walk; though it was a long one. Still heading West, there seemed to be nothing but rock this far out. You’d think with no civilization, there would be more overgrowth in such an area; but, alas, no.

Hoya and Sungjong took the front of the line, talking all the way. It seemed to be a pretty tense conversation which was expected for such news so suddenly. Knowing he had done well with his job, Hoya was smiling all the way as he talked. However, Sungyeol couldn’t help but feel bad for the younger blonde boy as he seemed ever unsure and uncomfortable.

He and L held a long conversation during the hours of walking; covering most anything possible; from both of their young lives to the current happenings as of recently.

“So, the monks just took you in?”

“Well, I had been there since I was a baby. Supposedly, my father died in an accident and my mother died giving birth to me. I was apparently the last of my family blood-line and so I was given to the monks so that they could take care of me. Happy to take me in, they always said I had been ‘touched by the spirit’, but I never really knew what it meant. They named me L for some reason having to do with the spirit.” He shrugged.

‘L’anello..’Sungyeol thought as things seemed to be piecing together one by one. “I see.. so, did you ever have a real name?”

“Well, I remember a long while ago, when I was about ten years old, there was an elder monk they say had gone senile and planned to become a nomad. He was about to leave the temples one night, but he snuck into my room and whispered to me ‘Kim Myungsoo.’ I wondered if it was my name, but I never really made sense of it." It took Sungyeol a good 10 seconds of silence as he looked upwards in thought. Then, an epiphany came to him and he froze in his steps. He quickly turned towards L with wide eyes.

“That- that’s just it! Kim Myungsoo! You... you must be the descendant of founder Kim Jonghwan who mined the spirit.” L looked shocked at the sudden outburst but listened all the same. “He did the crime, and he did not only take a piece of the spirit within the ring, but also within himself!” Sungyeol stopped suddenly as his mind raced and his voiced raised in excitement. “It was passed down through generations; which is why you were fated to be on this trip just as I was!” He smiled and looked down at L who seemed somewhat enlightened and quite frightened at the same time. “You are it! You are my missing piece!” Sungyeol grabbed L’s shoulders and pulled him in close as he brought their lips together in a sudden kiss.

L’s eyes widened and Sungyeol smiled into it as he decided at that moment he didn’t have a care in the world. Slowly, L seemed to feel the same melting feeling as his eyes also fluttered closed, and began to glow brightly underneath his eyelids. The ring lit up brighter than ever on Sungyeol’s finger and he brought the hand up to lightly grasp the back of L’s neck. Their lips moved together for a short time before they broke apart slowly, opening their eyes once more. A large smile remained on Sungyeol’s face as he pulled away.

“Woah.” Woohyun blinked once at what he just saw then half-grinned. Behind him, the others had turned around and looked just as surprised and amused. “So… you just needed a temple boy to make you happy, huh Sungyeol-ie?” he smirked. Rather than telling him to shut-up, or make some witty reply up like he normally would, Sungyeol just nodded once.

“Yeah, something like that.” Woohyun chuckled in response, simply feeling happy that his best friend seemed to be finally happy again. L had gone silent again and was looking downwards and touching his lips lightly with his left hand.

“Dude, we can do that whenever we want to?” Dongwoo asked loudly, coming from nowhere. “I would have kissed Hoya hours ago!” He admitted expressively with a large smile on his face.

At first everyone thought he was joking, but it was really hard to tell with the looks he now gave him. Hoya laughed briefly but too became curious and asked “….Wait, really?”

~

Things had all fallen into place, and everything suddenly made more sense. Darkness had fallen and no such ‘place of olden crime’ had been found despite how far West they had traveled. They would camp for the night and continue on in the same direction morning.

~

This time felt different… so different. L’anello stood in her natural spot, but she seemed put-out somehow. Her hair and dress were no longer flowing beautifully, her skin didn’t seem as bright and colorful as before, and her expression was sad. The normal feelings of calm were fading away.

“What’s wrong L’anello?”

“..I am afraid. I am sorry.” Her head lifted, and her wet eyes met his eyes. His eyebrows knitted together and he wanted to ask why she felt sorry and afraid. But he did not move from his spot, instead waiting for the next words to be spoken.

“Do you love me?” It didn’t take much thought to realize that yes, he did love her. Sungyeol recalled that despite the short time they had been talking, he always felt close to her and a need to help her; just as he did with L. A spirit he loved with pieces missing. He was able to find the pieces he loved just as much as he loved the spirit and piece it back together. Everything should be happy. He nodded once, never looking away from her harsh –and yet so gentle- looking eyes. “Yes. I do.”

"And I love you, Sungyeol.. more than you could ever know." An odd feeling took Sungyeol over after hearing these words. It's as if he knew it all along, and yet he didn't expect it whatsoever. It was at this moment that he noticed: having their spirit's connected like this had given him the ability to sense..no...feel exactly what she was feeling.

"But....your words of love for me, why do they carry so much sadness?"

"I am life... and yet, I bring death. How is this so?" Tears began to flow from her eyes and Sungyeol could actually feel his heart break in two at the sight of his spirit crying. He was surprised at the very sudden feeling of wetness down his cheeks and chin. His hand reached up to wipe the tears away and she mirrored the motion.

"I- I don't understand." he choked out. "You said you love me and.. I feel the same." Sungyeol furiously wiped his face, his voice cracking from the influx of emotion. 'I don't understand. I’m not supposed to feel negative in my dreams. I must be calm and serene. I can't be like this. It's not right.'

"So why are you sad?"

"Because… I now have foreseen your fate, dear husband. I have felt what I will feel so soon."

The silence was deafening. No sound, not even the normal whisper of wind that lied in the background was there. Of course he wanted to know. But did he dare ask?

"And... my fate is?" Neither of them crying now, L'anello smiled lightly, as if her last way of comforting him.

"I am afraid you must find that out for yourself." She said, not even moving as the statement seemed to be placed in Sungyeol’s mind. She walked forward, held lightly under his chin, leaned up, and placed a soft kiss upon his lips. His insides lit up with warmth and he closed his eyes briefly, the feeling of calm returning yet again. He slowly fluttered his eyes open once more to answer her and was surprised at seeing nothing.

For the first time in this dream universe, there was nothing but the white. Not even light nor vision of breeze existed and Sungyeol felt alone. So terribly alone.

~

‘Should I feel betrayed? She knows my fate and it must not be good. Should I be angry? I’m not sure I can be to her.’

“L? Have you ever had strange dreams?” Sungyeol sat up and looked down at the boy sleeping next to him. A nod was the only reply, the boy seeming too tired to open his mouth.

“I’ll kiss you again if you don’t wake up and answer me properly.” His eyes blinked open in surprise but he didn’t sit up nor speak. Sungyeol chuckled at the thought that L would want to be kissed again and leaned closer, happy to carry out the punishment. With only a quick peck on the lips, Sungyeol sat back up. L’s lips pursed out in a slight pout, apparently wanting more. Sungyeol nearly gave him more simply because of the look on his face, but declined in the end. “Just answer me.” L sat up and ran his fingers through his messy black hair; his eyes remained closed. “Yeah, I suppose I have. I used to dream about a woman a lot when I was little.”

“A woman?” Sungyeol looked L up and down a few times, suddenly figuring out something. “Did she look like you?” 

L’s sleepy eyes squinted open. “Yeah.. I used to think she was my mom. How do you know that?”

Sungyeol grinned suddenly. “Nothing…I think it’s just another thing we have in common.” L just nodded once more as a huge yawn came from him. Sungyeol playfully ruffled his hair, finding him strangely cute now.

“You make me sick..”Woohyun joked and smiled as he passed by. Sungyeol just smiled back.

“Alright, get your stuff. We’re heading out in ten minutes!” Sunggyu yelled, alerting the rest of the group who were all running around and cleaning up camp.

~

Do you know that feeling of falling asleep, becoming drowsier and drowsier, your vision is blurring and the floating feeling begins to take you over; and then suddenly: BAM. You feel-for a split second- like you’re falling. Your heart flies up to your throat and back down and your whole body jolts in surprise. Your heart beats violently for a few seconds before it really sets in.

That’s what it felt like at the exact second everything changed. Sungyeol would never forget that second.

They had been walking, yet again, for hours. This time, there was a little normal conversation, but not near as much as before. The rock ground was completely flat and there was a spatter of trees here and there or a tall rockside; otherwise, nothing. And so, after becoming so accustomed to normal-ness, sudden excitement and the sight of bright red hog-like animals running towards them would naturally give them all a bit of a jolt.

“. It’s the hell-hogs.”  Sungjong and the rest froze and stared ahead as about six evil-looking hogs that were gaining quickly.

“What do we do to get away?”Woohyun asked aloud, looking towards Sungjong who simply looked forward with a scared expression.  

“I.. I don’t know.” A sound of metal sliding together was heard as Sunggyu unsheathed his sword. The middle of the blade lit up with a green color as it apparently was supposed to do- Bagaron knights always got the coolest gadgets. “Head to higher ground!” he yelled out.

“What higher ground?!” Woohyun yelled back. “There is none!”

Dongwoo spotted a tall cliff side in the distance and pointed it out. “Over there! On the right!”

They all broke into a run towards the cliff whilst the hogs were still chasing after them.

L and Sungyeol held hands tightly together as comfort, though it did nothing to settle what was happening at the moment. Once they reached the cliff side, everyone was in the middle of climbing up it. Woohyun held a hand down to Sungyeol who took it gratefully. He hoisted them both up to the next siding before continuing to climb up. Sungyeol and L made their way up individually, but close by each other. Suddenly, a yell was heard and Sungyeol looked down to find that Hoya had slipped from one cliff to the next. The sight below was much more insane as Sunggyu waved his sword expertly against one of the large hogs trying to eat him. Sungjong was also at the bottom of the cliff side fighting alongside Sunggyu with two ninja blades he apparently pulled out of his boots.

Sungyeol froze in his adrenaline-powered movements to close his eyes. A familiar voice was making its way into his head but it was too hard to hear. “What are you doing?!” He heard L yell amongst the chaos. Sungyeol kept his eyes closed and concentrated hard on the voice.

Up. Look up, Sungyeol. You’re almost there.

Only about fifteen or so feet up, Sungyeol opened his eyes and yelled to the rest. “It’s here! We have to go up!”

Another yell was heard as Dongwoo’s pants leg was pulled by one of the hogs who jumped at him. He fell all the way back down and screamed until he landed onto the hard rock and stopped moving.

“.” Hoya muttered from Sungyeol’s far left on the rock-side then immediately made his way back down. Sungyeol knew he needed to return the ring to its rightful place in Aarde, but he also knew he cared for his new friends. With a look at L who seemed just as distraught and worried as he eyed Dongwoo. Woohyun’s face to Sungyeol’s upper right was mirroring theirs. “Woohyun..” was all he said before Woohyun nodded.

“You need to get up there. I’ll spot you guys and then head down to help.” Woohyun said, looking down to see Sunggyu splattered with blood and in the midst of killing his third hog. Hoya had made it to Dongwoo who was attempting to sit up. Sungyeol looked once more at Woohyun with a silent ‘Thank you… for everything.’ and Woohyun returned it. Then, both Sungyeol and L began to climb their way up the tall cliff. Sungyeol slipped near the top, having to lean on L precariously for a second to get a foothold once more. He began to scold himself for not exercising whilst he was depressed.

They finally pulled each other over the very top of the cliff side. Neither of them looked back down and simply hoped the rest were all still alright.

Ahead there was a beam of light; a light blue stream that acted like a beacon for the two boys. They jogged towards it, taking a good five minutes before finally coming upon the light. The flat, dry, rock top had transformed as the beacon led down into a pool of light; like a magical oasis. The vast greenery and trees that surrounded the beacon were like a small island has been compacted around it. Everything looked as if it had been rained on by similar crystals to the one on the ring. It was tempting and beautiful.

They both approached it, their minds empty and their feet moving of their own accord to the side of the crystal pool, and sat next to it.

Sungyeol looked down at his hand and attempted to pull the ring off, but it did not move. He pulled again, harder, and there was no budging. He looked up at L. “I... I don’t get it. We’re here... I’ve got the ring and I’m ready to throw it in. Shouldn’t it just come off?” One look at L’s already teary eyes made him realize that no, it shouldn’t come off. Did he really believe this whole time it would just pop off at the end? No.

The blue light gave L’s face a strange glow to it as he looked up to Sungyeol. “..Don’t you understand? We are part of the spirit now. For our entire lives, we’ve been led up to this point.” It was hard thinking that way, but it was certainly true.  “This is your purpose, Sungyeol. This is our purpose.”

And so, Sungyeol finally had a purpose; the one thing he always wished for. It wasn’t quite the way he expected, but it was still what he wanted in the end. He half scoffed, half chuckled. “I finally got what I wanted.” Tears were falling down L’s face, reminding Sungyeol of L’anello. “She foresaw this. She knew we were to die in order to save this planet- in order to save her.  And she cried for us, L. Despite knowing we’ll be with her in the end, she cried for our deaths.” Sungyeol reached up to brush the tears off of L’s face with his thumb; his naturally sharp eyes and icy stare now reduced to being wet and sad.

“But think of it this way..”L started, sniffing a bit. “When we do this, we will have saved everyone else on Aarde. If we don’t do this, L’anello will die. Aarde will die. And eventually we will die.” He rubbed his running nose on his sleeve. “We’re going to die anyway, so why don’t we just make it worth it.”

Sungyeol nodded once, wiping his own tears away. “You’re right.” He stood up and held his hand out for L to take it; in which he obliged. The two males stood and looked into each other’s eyes once again; knowing their lives here were coming to an end. “As we end our lives we start new, better ones for others. We guarantee a more successful future for Aarde and its people. That’s something not many can say they’ve done.” He genuinely smiled then leaned forward slowly and –holding L close- touched their lips together as a comfort more than anything. They pulled back to find the crystal spirit waters glowing in happiness, as if knowing it would soon no longer be ‘torn.’ They both gave a last thought over the group of men they became so close to at the bottom of that cliff, who were fighting for them and waiting for them to return.

“Let Aarde thrive beautifully and let those we love live well from here on out.”

Then, with a warm smile on both of their faces, they jumped.
 

~

And so, what I've learned about fate is... basically what I thought before. It will most likely be unexpected; it is difficult to completely plan every event in your own future. But, it is also important to try, and to use your own abilities and your luck to your advantage. Don't let fate competely take control.

More than anything, I've learned that fate is the outcome.. but the trip is often the best part. You need to make the most of your life and getting there is the majority of it. Make friends that you can call real riends; those friends that will do anything for you despite where you come from or how different you are.

I will miss my best friend dearly, but I'm glad he finally found his fate and had a fun trip there.