"Yah," Baekhyun's voice drifted towards his cousin, sounding irritated. "Yah, wake up. Grandfather has something to tell us."

   Chanyeol stirred, groaning. 

   Baekhyun made an impatient noise at the back of his throat. 

   "I told you to get up!" he said pushing his cousin's shoulder with the sole of his boot. 

   The tall boy rolled over on the hay and toppled onto the hard ground, looking up at his older cousin with contempt. 

   "I'm up," he stated, annoyed. 

   "Good," Baekhyun said with a victorious smile. "Now come to the house."

~~~

   Chanyeol never understood why no one ever let him sleep. 

   He was the sort of person who could never bear to wake a sleeping person. He always thought they looked too peaceful in slumber, and he could never dream of waking someone up when they're experiencing peace. Of course, his cousin and his Grandfather did not think that way at all. 

   Grandfather was sitting in his usual station by the fireplace, staring at the glowing embers with a sort of mesmerized intensity. The two cousins stepped in cautiously, a strange sense of foreboding washing over them. 

   "You wanted to see us?" Chanyeol asked, his natural grin fading away slowly. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen neither Kai nor Sehun since the day before. 

   "Yes, I did," Grandfather answered, raising his old head up to look at the two of them. He smiled gently, surprising them once again. They hadn't seen the old man smile that often in years. 

   "Well, you can tell us," Baekhyun said, looking more concerned rather than curious. "Is there something wrong? Where are the brothers?" 

   Grandfather shook his head before answering. "They left last night," he said. "When the two of you were both asleep." 

   Chanyeol's mouth dropped open; he vaguely noticed Baekhyun cast a swift glance of worry in his direction. 

   "What do you mean they left?" Chanyeol asked, feeling betrayal shoot through him. "They are returning, right? Their absence is merely temporary." 

   Grandfather considered the tall boy's words for a moment. "Not exactly," he replied, "not anytime soon. In a different sense, however, you are correct."

   Chanyeol clenched his hands into fists at his sides. He had just gotten to know the two boys. He had even grown quite fond of them. He believed that they would become lifelong friends; he truly did believe such a thing. But he must have thought wrong, for they had left without so much as a goodbye.

   "I'm going to finish cleaning up the stables," Chanyeol stated expressionlessly, and turned towards the door.

   "I'm not done with either of you," Grandfather said, strictness in his tone. 

   Chanyeol stopped. Baekhyun watched the old man with apprehension in his eyes. 

   "That is not all I have to tell you," he advanced. "But before I continue, I want you to know that Kai and Sehun did not leave simply based on their own terms, although they may think that they have. There is a path that they must both take, and their departure is merely a branch of this path. What I am trying to tell you is, you may despise their actions now, but in future, you will understand them."

   Slowly, Chanyeol turned around once more. Grandfather nodded at him, then looked back to the fireplace. 

   "You two also have a path to follow," he said softly. He paused, and for a moment all that the three could hear was the constant crackle of the flames in front of the old man. Finally, "Last night, while you two slept, after the brothers bid their farewells to me, I packed your things."

   He held out a withered arm and gestured to two identical sacks to his right. 

   The boys both let out a startled breath. Chanyeol rushed forward and opened the sacks, letting one hand sift through their contents. 

   "All our things..." he said.

   "Why?" Baekhyun asked. "Are you...fed up with us? Do you regret taking us in?"

   The boys both stopped and held their breath. Chanyeol could hear his heart start to race faster. This was a concept that they had both spent time thinking about. Did Grandfather truly care for them? In the years that they stayed under his roof, he rarely showed the slightest hint of any sort of affection for them. His expressions were always stiff and distant and he opened his mouth only to scold or give orders. The two lived wondering if the day would come that the old man would finally kick them out.

   Suddenly, Grandfather began to chuckle. 

   Chanyeol looked to Baekhyun, confused, when he saw that they both held similar expressions upon their faces. 

   "You boys do know..." he stopped to gaze at the two of them with a look so deep that Chanyeol felt shivers crawl along his arms. "Taking you two in as my own kin is the best thing that I have ever done in all of the years of my life. Nothing has brought me more honour, or more happiness. You two...you are my pride." 

   A profound silence followed as the boys took in the man's words. Then, 

   "This is why you must follow what I say. I packed your things so that you may leave to fulfill your paths. In your bags, you will find food, clothes, weapons, and most importantly, a journal. In this journal, you will find a map. You will follow this map to its designated place, and listen to all the instructions listed in the journal. I trust that you two will follow them accordingly. Good...goodbye, my boys. I bid you a safe farewell. You may leave now."

   As Chanyeol got up to argue with the old man, Baekhyun grabbed hold of his arm, a stoic expression imbedded on his face. Slowly, he moved to pick up the two sacks. ing one of them into Chanyeol's arms, he turned and left through the door. 

   Chanyeol felt as if he were being ripped apart. Grandfather wanted him to leave? Leave the place he's lived in for almost all his life? Here was safe. Here he was content. Grandfather was here, Baekhyun was here, the town and all its people were here. 

   He looked down at the old man whom he had looked up to during the entirety of his childhood life. His back looked so frail and small in the same aged chair he never moved out of. He couldn't leave him, not at this age. Who would work for him? Who would make him dinner? If he were to become sick...who would take care of him? 

   Just as Chanyeol opened his mouth, Grandfather interrupted him. 

   "I know what you're thinking, Chanyeol," he said in his deep rumble. "You may be a troublesome young man, but you have one of the most kindest hearts I hve ever witnessed in a person. But I am quite capable of taking care of myself. You see, I also have a path to fulfill. I knew about it far before I met you boys, and found out yours. Even though it has taken me this long to get to it, I will fulfill it nonetheless. So you go, Chanyeol. Go. I will miss you, smiles and jokes and antics included." 

   Vaguely, Chanyeol remembered something Baekhyun had said to him just the day before.

   It means that whatever they did today, is what they were destined to do. 

   Destined. They each had a destiny. 

   "I'll...I'll miss you too, Grandfather. You were...you were always like a real grandfather to me." 

   For a moment, he didn't think that he had the strength  to leave.

   But he had. For a single reason.

   It was the first time he had ever seen the old man cry. 

   Sehun and Kai stood in front of the Araesian palace, it's floating, hulking form casting a long shadow around them. The drawbridge was closed, and there was no mundane way of entering.

   It was a good day to be outside; with clear blue skies and sunlight glancing in every corner. All around Sehun, he could hear the sounds of liveliness and community, as he had the last time he had entered town. 

   The two brothers had bid their farewells the past night to Grandfather, and Sehun had thanked him with all of the gratitude that he could muster. He did not know before that a family could ever be so hospitable before he met them.

   Since Kai was told that they would both be lodging inside of the castle, they had brought along their bags; they hung over their shoulders snugly. 

   Sehun sneaked a glance at Kai. He seemed as if he were presently engrossed in memorizing every single crook and crevice the palace possessed, for strategic reasons most likely, if they were to ever get caught. 

   As he looked at the tan boy, he wondered if he should tell him about his strange occurences with the wind. Was it really true that he had a power? It was evident in Luhan's eyes when he was blown straight into him that he believed Sehun possessed a magical ability. But Sehun still could not fathom the idea of such a power existing inside of him. It was true that he loved windy days the most, but he did not believe that he could possibly control it. The mere thought would be preposterous. 

   He watched as Kai habitually bit his lip in thought, and a warm fondness began to pulse within him. He truly did love Kai. There was no doubt inside of him that suggested he did not. 

   So why was it that he kept thinking about the light-haired boy he always managed to run into? 

   "What...what do we do now?" Sehun asked Kai curiously, wanting to stray away from his thoughts. 

   "The princess said that there would be someone waiting for us at the drawbridge," Kai answered. "Be patient."

   Sehun nodded. "Of course. While we're waiting, how about we - " He suddenly stopped when something caught his eye.

   Someone was making his way towards the two of them. And it was not just anyone. 

   It was Luhan. 

   "How about we what?" Kai asked, finally turning to face his brother. "Are you okay? What's behind m - "

  Sehun grabbed Kai's shoulders. "Nothing! No one! I was just about to say that I must find somewhere to urinate! How about we head over there and - " 

   Kai made a face and brushed Sehun's hands off. "If you must go, you do not need to take me with you. I will wait here. This is why I told you to go before we left." 

   "But - "

   "Is there somewhere else you must be?" a familiar voice spoke. 

   Heart starting to accelerate, Sehun looked to Kai's right side to see that Luhan was already directly behind them. He was wearing a dark, satin blue tunic under a long black hood and black trousers. Sehun could not disagree with the fact that he looked especially handsome that morning. 

   "No, not especially," Kai answered with a smile only Sehun knew was false. "Were you sent by the princess?" 

   Just as Sehun was about to step in and say no, this was no royal worker, Luhan answered.

   "Yes," he replied. "My name is Luhan, Royal Advisor to King Seunghun of Araesia. Pleased to meet you."

   Sehun stared dumbfoundedly. What...did he say? 

   "An honour," Kai said back, bowing lightly. He cast a look over to Sehun and pushed on his back until he was doing the same. 

   When they were once again upright, Luhan spoke once more. 

   "The princess requested that I bring you two to the training arena. This is where you will be trained as a knight would, so that in future, you will become prominent palace guards, or, if the princess sees fit, actual knights of Araesia." 

   Sehun noticed that Luhan had not spared a single glance in his direction since the start of their conversation. Was he avoiding him? 

   "Truly?" Kai cast a surprised glance at his brother. "I didn't know that the princess thought us to already be put into training for such a prestigious obligation..."

   Neither had Sehun. He was expecting something with much less class; a cleaning job, or a serving boy. Not a guard, or knight. For strangers, at that!

   "We do not question our princess's wishes," Luhan said, as if it were a widely known concept. "Please, follow me." 

   He led the two of them to the front of the closed drawbridge and stopped abruptly. Sehun watched as a small flash of gold swept through his irises. Almost immediately afterwards, the drawbridge began to slowly drift down. 

   Sehun knew what he had done. He had used telepathy towards whomever controlled the drawbridge. Seeing magic in action was still something Sehun had to get used to. 

   Seeing Luhan was another thing as well. 

   When the drawbridge was fully laid down, Luhan started forward, the two brothers trailing a close distance behind. 

   Sehun realized almost instantly after he stepped off the drawbridge that he could not have possibly imagined just the putside of a palace to be as beautiful. It seemed as if everything were shining with a specific sparkling tint that left the blond-haired boy speechless. 

   Sehun did not know how a garden could exist upon a floating castle, but who was he to question a land that bore magic in its roots? All around him, there were flowers of every kind and color, some budding on trees or climbing up small fences, filling his nose with the scent of green life. Dewdrops glistened on each and every petal, suggesting to Sehun  that someone had recently watered them. Articulate fountains were scattered across the cultivated enclosure, and the occasional bird or bee flew past Sehun's face casually every few seconds or so. He felt as if he had stepped foot onto some sort of utopian planet. 

   Luhan continued forward as if nothing that was around him was anything new, which it probably wasn't. As he and Kai strolled behind his shadow, Sehun began to notice something else. Large human-sized statues rose above them on pedestals every meter or so that they walked, each bearing a different symbol upon their chest. However, that was the only thing that they had in common. Each had different clothing, different expressions, and different actions. Sehun saw one that appeared to be as straight-faced and serious as King Myung Seol himself, while another had his face contorted into a ridiculous grin whilst holding up a flaming finger. Strangely, it reminded Sehun very much of Chanyeol. 

   Who are these people? Sehun wondered. 

   "We call them the Twelve," Luhan said, and it was then that Sehun realized that he had actually spoken aloud. Although he bowed his head in embarassment, the light-haired boy continued on as if nothing had happened. "During ancient times, they were the ones who guarded and protected our land when it was at its worst. They are said to be the ones who had brought magic to Araesia in the first place, though none actually know for sure. Then, when the land was finally fully grown and found to be well all on its own, they just - disappeared." Luhan paused while a light blue hummingbird flew past him. "Since then, we have not heard of them since." 

   As they neared the front columns of the palace, Sehun continued to peer up at the furthering sculptures. In all, there truly were twelve of them. When he lost interest, he faced forward once more to bump straight into an immobile Kai. 

   "What - " he started, when he saw what statue his brother was looking at. 

   All of a sudden, it seemed as if all of the air in him was swept out.

   "A...Appa?" 

   "What is it that you two are so captivated by?" Luhan asked, but for once, Sehun could not hear him.

   The statue before them depicted the exact form of their father, Suho. The same understanding and wise look was etched onto its face, along with his upright posture and manerful demeanor. A symbol resembling that of a raindrop was set upon the figure's chest.

   "This...who is this?" Kai asked first.

   "This statue?" Luhan asked, appearing behind the two of them. "This is Shin. He was the first of the Twelve, and one of the leaders. He possessed the power of manipulating water. Now, we should really get going." 

   Sehun couldn't rip his eyes from the marble figure until Kai pried him away.

   It was obvious that Sehun had garnered some interest in their pretty-faced guide by the way he continuously stared at his back with a confused intensity. Why, Kai did not know. But he did not intend to investigate; it was Sehun's business, after all. 

   Luhan had led them not straight into the palace, but through a separate passageway to the right of the garden, until they reached a domelike structure with a large, red door hovering above them as the entrance. 

   Kai watched as Luhan stepped forward and spread a palm across the crimson wood, a flash of gold glancing across his pupils. Not long after, the doors burst open, displaying a tall, annoyed-looking knight with his hair pulled back from his face in a short, makeshift ponytail. Immediately, Kai recognized the man as the flying guard from two nights before. 

   As the man looked the two over with a special scrutiny, Kai forced his famous pokerface upon him. Although he knew that it must have been impossible to have made out his shadowy form in the darkness of that night, he still felt his heart beat slightly faster.

   "Pleased to make your acquaintance," he said, bowing low. Sehun followed suit beside him. "Please take care of us." 

   When they rose once more, the knight was looking down at them with a strange sneer. "Of course," he said. "My name is Kris. But you will only refer to me as Teacher, or Sir, for the matter. Please, enter." 

   Kai nodded and started forward, when he noticed that Sehun was not following. 

   "Sehun," he said, startling the boy. "We have to go inside now." 

   The pale boy's serious face had altered into one veering  more towards concern and panick; he was glancing side to side, looking like a lost puppy.

   "Where..." he said, more to himself than anyone else. 

   Kai realized that their guide, Luhan, had disappeared, as if he had the power of teleportation himself. 

   Kai sighed. "You should get used to all sorts of mystery and unexplained concepts while you're here," he advised his younger brother, patting him lightly on his head. "You should forget about it and wonder later. Right now, we have to follow our teacher inside and train." 

   Sehun looked at Kai with bewildered eyes. Finally, he nodded hesitantly. 

   "Of course." 

   And they entered the training arena.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading the tenth chapter!!! <3 <3

            First of all, I have to apologize for all of the update days that I have missed D: If it makes it any better, I was not home at all each and every weekend, not to mention that I am a part of three clubs, a choir, a band, and the student council. (×_×;）

         Since prom is coming up, along with the year-end festival AND graduation, I barely have any time for myself. I thought that I would have more alone time this weekend, but all of a sudden, before I had the chance to update yesterday, my cousin got a concussion during her soccer practice and fainted, so I had to drive all the way there and pick her up to bring her to the hospital ╭( ✖_✖ )╮

         Today was also Mother's Day, and along with spending most of the day celebrating it with my own mother, we were to visit my grandmother, my two aunts, and my great-aunt. Talk about busy (º_º)

         You are all probably thinking that this chapter is not satisfactory at ALL considering that I haven't updated in a while, and I AM SO SORRY FOR THAT D: Please be patient with this lame author (u_u)

         I promise that I will try my very hardest to update as soon as I can! I hope you all haven't already given up on my story! I still have so much to unveil to you guys (>_<)

Thank you and I love you all ~ <3

P.S. EXO FINALLY RELEASED OVERDOSE A FEW DAYS AGO! YEHET!