Luhan watched as they exited the forest and Kris flew up high again, leaving him on the ground with the rest of their comrades as they continued further towards the dark gates miles ahead of them. His vision tried to adjust to the darkness, but he simply wasn’t used to it. He blinked several times, looking back up to the dark sky with mixtures of purples and blues along with black. The oranges seemed to disappear. To say he was uncomfortable was an understatement – he felt frightened.   “You look like you’re thinking a lot.” Chen suddenly stated, causing him to yelp and flinch to the side again. His horse whinnied at him in disapproval. “Again.”   The other three slowed their paces and looked over questioningly, Luhan immediately giving them a nervous smile before picking up his pace again with Chen right next to him. He gave a reassuring smile to Kris who stared at him a bit longer inquisitively before flying ahead slightly.   “Did you and Kris actually discuss past events?” Chen asked quietly, not sure if the other wanted D.O. and Kai to hear them or not.   Luhan bit his lip, still trying to get used to the dark environment, before he nodded. “He told me I refused him because of my love for Lay, the king.”   Chen’s eyes widened, as he quickly looked to his other side to see the other two looking at him just the same. He said it quite loudly after all. He looked back to Luhan. “He told you that?”   The other nodded again, gaze unrelenting and staring straight ahead, as he continued to talk. “I asked him about it, but I don’t feel it.”   The lightning user’s brows knitted together in confusion. “Don’t feel what?”   “The love for the king.”   “But,” D.O. cut in, about to ask a question before he was interrupted.   “Actually, I don’t remember anything about the king,” Luhan softly confessed, shifting his gaze up to Kris flying ahead of them, “I feel pangs in my heart and the call to help him, but that doesn’t necessarily equate true love.” He paused. “Kris couldn’t tell me everything since he wasn’t with us that long, but he told me I would’ve made a great king and was going to be given that privilege because Lay and I were engaged, and the past queen favored me greatly. I was loved completely by the royal family because I was strong. I could protect the heir to the throne.”   “You and Lay were in love,” D.O. softly said, letting Kai rest his chin on his shoulder to stare at them, “Truly so. Tao and I were saddened that you separated because of trust issues–”   “What trust issues?”   The other gave him a sad smile. “You invaded his mind to find out personal information of which I do not know.”   Luhan looked at him confused but nodded his head with a small frown on his face. “The way Kris told me what he knew sounded like I wasn’t pleasant to be around at all. I sounded completely evil to anybody who wasn’t close to me personally. How did I live like that?”   D.O. sighed in thought, looking to Chen briefly who gave him a small smile. “You and Lay were in love,” he started off again, watching as Luhan nodded for him to continue, “You were best friends ever since you moved to our kingdom, and you fell for him first.” Luhan smiled softly even though he couldn’t remember it. “You fell for the way he cared endlessly for others and would heal anybody and everybody until he passed out. You loved that he had the deep dimple in his right cheek and the faint one in his left and could make others laugh without trying. You loved his parents like they were your own, and you did everything in your power to protect each one of them from danger.”   Chen and Kai smiled at the story. It sounded sweet, like a fairytale.   “But somehow, the queen targeted you out of all of us,” D.O. softly said, voice turning solemn, “She saw something in you that she barely saw in Baekhyun, who she was going to corrupt instead if she didn’t find you.”   The telekinesis user looked at him confused. He didn’t understand.   “She saw the way you fell for her son. She saw the way you loved Lay completely, and she knew she could put it to good use. Luckily, Lay fell for you too. He told me constantly how he loved the way your eyes crinkled at the edges when you laughed, and how he loved the way you could be so strong when you needed to be. You guarded our land endlessly – giving up sleep just to make sure the palace was safe, just to make sure Lay was safe.”   “Soo,” Kai mumbled slowly, wondering what he was getting at.   D.O. shook his head slightly, small smile returning briefly. “You and Lay started to date, and the entire kingdom was happy. You two were the epitome of the power couple. You could attack and defend endlessly while Lay could heal and be a secret weapon. Everybody knew their kingdom was safe between the both of you, and that’s when the queen took it upon herself to further her corruption onto you.” He paused, shifting his gaze back to Luhan. “She made sure you grew impossibly stronger and that your love for her son never ended. She twisted her words and used her status as your new mother to get you to do her work. She saw you as vulnerable. Even though you were a strong mind user, your mind was easily bendable if she used Lay in any way, shape, or form. She used her own son to make you turn against him unknowingly and slaughter his father.”   Luhan’s eyes widened in shock, stopping his horse altogether as tears formed in his eyes and immediately spilled over. The others stopped as well, Kris only noticing a few minutes later when he glanced back at them and flew towards his calling.   “What are you–?”   “She used the excuse that Lay was in trouble and that her husband had a hidden agenda that even she didn’t know about. She made you develop a new skill to control one’s mind, and once you tested it on animals, she found it impressive and knew you were ready. She waited until it was night in our land and most of the occupants of the castle were asleep to go to your room and wake you. Baekhyun and I were doing our routine rounds when we saw you enter Lay’s room that night. We thought it was normal. One of you always went to the other to be able to sleep peacefully, but how we were wrong.”   Kris looked at him shocked before looking to Kai and Chen before rushing up to his calling to tug him off of his horse and bring him in close. He felt fear strike him as Luhan shook against him, eyes wide in shock as he felt the memory trying to make its way out of the involuntarily locked recesses of his mind. “D.O!” he hissed, causing the lightning user to shush him immediately.   “Luhan needs to hear this,” he softly said, gesturing for their friend to continue.   “Lay exited his room without you next to him. His eyes glowed bright amethyst and didn’t seem to see us as he walked past us. We followed him mostly out of curiosity, and we were horrified to find him entering his father’s office where he was still working on official papers and documents from other smaller villages. He immediately us and started draining our energies. The only way we escaped was because the past king turned his son’s attention towards him and told us to run.” He gave the other a sad look. “Chanyeol told me you whispered so many apologies to Lay before you took over his mind. You wanted to give him the world in exchange for what you were about to make him do. You carried so many secrets and were corrupted mentally over and over again by his mother. You continued to lock memories and events one after the other to keep yourself sane, doing unspeakable deeds by the past queen repeatedly–”   “Until it became too much,” Kai continued on, mind flashing as memories popped up in his head, “I could feel your pain, Luhan, every single one of it: your love for Lay, your desire to destroy us, your confusion for your true calling Kris, your sudden hatred for the queen and everything she made you do. Luhan, you were destroyed mentally and emotionally.”   “Stop it,” Kris mumbled, tears flowing down his face as well as he literally felt his calling’s pain radiating within him. He held him closer, feeling him close his eyes and bury his face in his chest. “D.O. Kai. That’s enough.”   The other three looked at them sadly, but Chen continued for them.   “You truly loved each other, but that love was easily corrupted. It was too pure to not be corrupted.” The lightning user waited, staring down Kris’ glare towards him. “I saw the way you broke down, Luhan. It was true you didn’t want ‘some Night warrior’ to be your calling, but I could see it in your eyes. I was sure the others saw it too. You and Kris had an instant taking to each other. You two would easily bicker for no reason at all, and you froze every time he called you out.”   Kris winced at the phrasing of his own description. Did Luhan really say that? “Chen, stop it,” he quietly demanded, his shirt already damp as he continued to hold his calling close and tried to soak all his tears, “Not another word, any of you.”   The others watched them silently for a few minutes before Kai broke it. “I am higher than you in rank, Kris.” The flight user stiffened at his statement. It was true, and he hadn’t heard the younger use that tone on him in a long time. “Let Luhan breathe.”   Kris looked at his friend helplessly, not wanting to let go of the elder.   “Now.”   He reluctantly loosened his grip, eyes widening as Luhan immediately gripped onto the back of his shirt and pulled him in close again. He looked down confused. “Luhan?”   “You are not ‘some Night warrior,’” Luhan mumbled into his shirt. The others looked at him confused, brows scrunched to try and hear him. He pulled away from his calling’s shirt to look up at him, tears still falling down his cheeks. Was the queen the reason for his memory loss and past actions? “You are not ‘some Night warrior,’” he repeated louder, feeling his heart beat faster with each word he said, “You are my Night warrior.” A blush rose up his cheeks even though he was already flushed from the crying he’d been doing. “You are my Night warrior, and I don’t know how I could think otherwise.”   The others looked at him shocked, shifting their gazes to Kris’ face to see him looking down at him just the same. A small smile broke out on the flight user’s face as his heart filled with warmth. The others easily followed suit, smiling at them happily.   “Remember, Luhan,” D.O. quietly said, waiting for the other to turn and face him, “The past is the past. I told you what you needed to know – how the queen took advantage of you. I informed you of your past actions and your past feelings, but it’s up to you to decide on what you want.” He watched as Kris lovingly wiped away Luhan’s tears, causing him to close his eyes at the action. His smile grew warmer. “We can see you are genuine now, but we don’t know how you will react when we go back to our homeland. We don’t know what you will feel for Lay once we return.”   “He’s been hurting,” Luhan murmured back, eyes opening to show prominent amethyst flecks in his irises, “I cause pain to everyone I befriend.”   “No, you don’t,” D.O. responded back, hopping off of his horse to stretch and walk towards him, “Maybe you do initially, but then your love shines through in the end.” He smiled up at the elder. “I honestly loved you and Lay together,” he admitted, seeing the other frown lightly at him in confusion. He pulled the other out of his hug with Kris to bring him into his own hug. “But seeing you and Kris together truly makes me happy.”   “He keeps your feet off the ground,” Kai added on with a smile, remembering the times he and Sehun dated ‘behind their backs.’ “He makes sure you’re not constantly grounded and you have fun every once in a while… if not all the time.”   The lightning and earth users chuckled, watching as the latter pushed Luhan away from him to go back to Kris. “We should continue on our way,” he softly said, looking over to the dark gates about a mile or two away, “We’re almost there.”   The other two watched as the earth user walked back over to his horse and clambered onto it after Kai hopped off of it briefly. They watched the younger flinch at the stiffness in his legs before he tried stretching out of it and climbing back onto the horse that neighed at him in response. They shared looks before D.O. and Kai started off ahead.   Chen smiled at them before turning to see Kris helping Luhan back onto his horse. “I will still keep an eye on you, Luhan,” he gently reminded, watching as he turned to look back at him, “But I have the feeling I should protect you as well, with all that I have.”   “I apologize for hurting your calling, your fiancé,” Luhan immediately responded back, bowing his head in shame, “I’m so sorry. I… I–”   “I partially forgive you, Luhan,” Chen quietly said, smiling when the elder lifted his head up to look at him in shock, “People might not welcome you into our homeland, so I will help protect you from them.” He shared a look with Kris. “If you no longer harm our flight user intentionally, I will protect you as well.”   Luhan stared at him before turning to look at Kris who was giving the younger a grateful smile. He looked back to the lightning user when he spoke up again.   “Stay close to me as we approach the gates.” His fingertips started to spark as he made little lightning bolts dance around above him. “And do not make any sudden movements towards any of the people there.” He turned and followed after Kai and D.O, leaving the other two alone again, softly saying, “You have been through a lot, Luhan. I am truly sorry we did not know each other in the past.” His smile was sad as he moved out of hearing range. “We could have protected you instead of the other way around.”   The other two watched him walk off before Luhan turned to look down slightly at his calling. “Kris,” he started, “I–” He blushed as he remembered his own words from earlier. He didn’t know where it came from, but he didn’t regret it. His gaze fell down to the other’s lips, mumbling, “I don’t really know what I was saying earlier…” and Kris smiled.   “Did you mean it?” he questioned quietly, expression soft but gaze and tone stern.   “Well,” Luhan continued to mumble, shifting his gaze back up to his calling’s eyes, “You are my calling and a Night warrior…”   Kris laughed, shaking his head fondly before taking a step back after reaching out to make sure Luhan’s cheeks were completely dry. He smiled at him as he beat his wings down to fly back up into the sky. “I’ll be your guardian angel while I’m at it,” he lightly joked, giving the other a lopsided smile. The nickname stuck to him since the Day soldiers brought it up years ago, and he liked it.   Luhan smiled at him, reaching out quickly to try and touch the other. The younger looked at him confused and lowered himself enough so that Luhan’s hand could touch his face. His breath caught in his throat as he felt the elder’s thumb rub across one cheek before moving to the other side. “Lu?”   “Thank you,” the elder softly said, smiling up at him as the younger leaned into his open palm. He should thank the others – his friends? – too. He really wanted to call the other three his true friends for what they just told him. He rubbed his thumb gently across Kris’ cheek once more before pulling back his hand. He watched as Kris gave him a short confused look before he smiled back at him, moving backwards as he flew up higher into the sky. He looked back down to see Chen waiting for them patiently, and he gave the lightning user his own small smile. He didn’t want to think about the past that destroyed him. It was already gone.   He was given another chance.   ...   “Ma’am,” a warrior called out as he looked through binoculars on top of the tall dark gates, “I see sparks of lightning again.” The woman’s brows furrowed in confusion, looking to her side to see the warrior leaning forward more as if to confirm his suspicions. “It looks like Chen’s customary signal.” And she rolled her eyes. “Oh! Ma’am, it’s Chen!”   “It’s about time,” the woman muttered before turning around and creating a type of water slide for her to glide down to the ground, “He looked to be with others! Who are they?!”   “I am trying to figure that out, ma’am! It looks like one is D.O.” He paused briefly, very confused all of a sudden. “And three unknown men… but two of the men look like…” He gasped, removing the binoculars from his face. He ran to the opposite side of the walkway, leaning over the edge to look down at his superior. “The rumors are true!”   The woman’s eyes widened. “What?” she breathed out, quickly making her way as she signaled the other guards to open up the gates. She looked out and saw a man with white, pure wings flying low before landing and staying next to the unknown man on another horse, and then saw the other two staring at her before seeing Chen’s large smile towards her. She watched as they got closer and closer, calling for their sentries to lower down their guards. She didn’t expect the rumors to be true.   “Mama Ara!” Chen suddenly yelled out happily, getting off of his horse and wobbling his way towards Suho’s mother. Riding a horse for so long always did something to anybody’s lower half. He should’ve stretched when the others did minutes before. “We’re home!”   Tears filled Ara’s eyes as she slowly opened up her arms for her lightning user to engulf her in a big hug and spin her around. She barely heard her pseudo-son talk, eyes wide and filled with tears in disbelief as Chen suddenly let her go and two people she thought would never wake up made their way for her with D.O. right beside them.   “I thought I was the only one who could call you ‘mama Ara,’ mama Ara,” Kai greeted with a big, lopsided smile on his face. He removed his hand from D.O’s and felt him wrap an arm around his waist before he moved forward and hugged the woman he called his second mother. “Hi, mama.”   Ara choked on her tears, hugging the young boy tightly before she was forced to let go and the winged user was in her view. She tilted her head back even more, not believing he was standing in front of her and looking just as healthy as he did when he left seven years ago. She laughed in disbelief at the third hug she received.   “We’re home,” Kris whispered, his own smile bright and warm as he held her close.   “I,” Ara tried to get out, letting go when Kris started to move away from her. She tried to wipe away her tears, laughing even more when D.O. moved in to give her his own hug. “You’re really awake?” she questioned, looking to the two men trying to hold back their own tears as well.   “I told you I was too stupid to die,” Kai answered back, causing her and D.O. to laugh. He smiled warmly at her. “How’s dad?”   Ara smiled back at him. “You shouldn’t think that of yourself, young man. He’s busy with Suho’s father trying to keep our land safe.” She looked back to Kris, reaching out to put a hand on his chest. “You don’t feel the pain any more?” she whispered, watching as Kris shook his head with a smile on his face and moved to stand off to the side. She looked up at him questioningly before he gestured for her to look behind him. She followed his hand to see a lone man with dark red hair standing nervously next to their horses.   “No, I don’t. Not anymore, Ara.”   Suho’s mother looked up at him confused before looking back to the man fidgeting in his spot. She watched as Chen walked up to him before grabbing his arm and bringing him forward. She tried to think of who the man looked like before her eyes widened in shock. She only saw the man in his crystallized form next to Kris’ own. She looked back up to the flight user. “He’s–”   “Luhan,” Kris said softly, gaze never leaving the smaller man.   Ara didn’t think she could handle so many unexpected situations to happen in the matter of a few minutes. She looked back to the other to see him bashfully looking at her. “Luhan?” she questioned, “The one who…” She looked to Kai and then Chen who nodded at her. “The one who controlled Kai?” she finished quietly.   Luhan suddenly bowed deeply, and she jumped back in shock. “I am sorry, completely and truly, for causing so much pain to you and your family.”   Ara looked at him with wide eyes, hearing Chen’s chuckles, before she looked to the others who had warm smiles on their faces.   “Kris told me,” Luhan continued to whisper, still bowing, “He told me I controlled Kai and forced him to invade your land. He told me I made him do terrible things and fight his father and harm you. He told me I was the one who helped end him…”   The others looked at Kris shocked. They didn’t think he went that far into telling him what happened.   “I apologize for my actions, and I’m willing to learn more about your land. I don’t want to hate you and your land for no true reason at all. I want to make it up to you.”   Ara looked at him completely surprised, watching as Luhan didn’t relent and stayed in his bent position. She shifted her gaze to Kris who was watching the man with a fond smile on his face before looking to Kai curiously. He was staring at Kris shocked but when she looked to D.O, he spoke up instead.   “This is the old Luhan I used to hang out with when we were kids,” the earth user finally voiced, smile widening when he saw Luhan peeking up at him from behind his fringe, “I honestly thought he’d never show up again – the kind and thoughtful Luhan who disappeared day by day back in our homeland years ago.”   Suho’s mother smiled at the confession, shifting her gaze back to a bashful-looking Luhan in front of her.   “I’m surprised Kris told him so much in the time it took us to get here,” Chen added on, slapping Luhan’s back affectionately and causing him to wince at the sudden assault, “But he actually looks sincere. More so with each action he takes.”   “I see,” Ara softly said, gaze calculating the young man in front of her, “Is that the only reason why you came back? To introduce to me the man who ended both of your lives prematurely?”   A mixed expression of shock and hurt flashed across Luhan’s face as he instantly stood back up and took a few steps back. It was understandable, he knew, but it didn’t affect him any less. “I-I’m sorry,” he mumbled this time, immediately looking to his calling who quickly moved to stand in front of him protectively, “I… I–”   “Mama Ara,” Chen softly warned, sparks of lightning bouncing off his fingertips. He thought she was the most understanding of all their parents.   The elder water user shifted her blue eyes to him, as if challenging him, before a small smile broke on her face and she turned to Kai next. “Do you care for this man as well?”   The other looked at her shocked before his gaze flicked to the elder man still looking hurt about Ara’s words. They caught each other’s gazes, and Kai couldn’t help but give a tired sigh, soft look entering his eyes the longer he stared at him. “It’s hard not to care for him when he looks so vulnerable and has been trying his best to reduce his level of difficulty around us.” He turned to look at Ara, seeing his calling’s smile of approval out of the corners of his eyes. “I partially allowed him to take contro