"The house is upside down, Jae Ren! Let's just go. Maybe Jin-ssi is waiting just by that corner because this is just an initiation prank or something."

"N! You're so rude. What if someone inside hears you?"

"The house is upside down! I have every right to say what I just said."

Who's knocking at my door at this time of morning? It's an ungodly hour of 4 in the morning!

I left my desk and walked to the door. Yes. I work late. But that doesn't mean people are always welcome to come at my door. And judging from their conversation, they weren't really complimenting me.

"Hello? I'm Jae Ren. Is this the house of my host?" A female said from outside. The same female voice from earlier.

Host?

...

OHHHH.

I forgot.

I opened the door and my eyebrows furrowed. "I am your host. But child, why are you upside down?"

She had her guardians around her and they all gave me a confused look. I looked outside and peered my head out the door.

Oh.

"I apologize." I sheepishly smiled. It seems I accidentally turned the house upside down again. "Come inside." I said. They all looked hesitant, though. "Come. It is better in the inside than on the outside."

They looked confused, but did so anyway. I'll have to mop the ceiling again later... "Hold on to something." I ordered.

"Wait-"

I snapped my fingers and the house was right side up again. Good thing I installed those magnetic furniture so they stuck to the floor. Though I can't say the same for Jae Ren and her guardians...

"I apologize. Again." I said, helping her up. "It gets dusty if you witness it from the outside." I explained.

"Why was your house upside down anyway?" One of her guardians questioned. Odd eyes he has...

"You have remarkable eyes." I commented. Leaning closer to him. "May I have one?" He stepped back cautiously. What? Did I say something wrong? I remembered his question. "I experiment on nights. And sometimes, I accidentally trigger a spell that causes my house to turn upside down. It's a very complex story..."

"But why were you sticking to the floor?" One of them asked. He seemed to be the leader, judging from how the other guardians were hiding behind him. Do I seem scary? And he must be the one yelling earlier about some prank.

I blinked. "I practice Gravity magic. It's in my nature to always assume that I am in a right-sided up environment." I chuckled. "You, though. Are a very rare one." I smiled at Jae Ren. "I got your file from a brother of mine, Key. Oh. Do you know how Warlock Brotherhood work?" She nodded. "Okay then. Well, Key was your informant, if you remember. He was the one who found you in your area. You are a Time Witch, correct?"

She nodded again. "And you are a Gravity user..." She stated.

"Yes. I am. Here, you don't have to hide your magic. Hiding your scent is completely your choice. I tend to hide mine because I do not favor smelling like chamomille." I chuckled. I glanced at her guardians. "May you introduce yourselves?"

They all stepped into a neat line. I get the feeling they rehearsed this... Or maybe they’re just in-sync with each other?

"I'm N. I am the leader and oldest among them." The one who was used as a shield earlier said. I was right. "Leo." Another who was somewhat intimidating. "Ken." "Ravi" "Hyuk." "Hongbin." He was the one with the crossed eyes. I admire his eyes, in a way. It's unique.

"I am Lee Jinki, but I prefer to be named Onew. Call me a hyung since I do not want to feel old." I stated, making some of them laugh a little. "And you," I turned to Jae Ren. "Can call me just by Onew." I smiled at her. "I will be your father here, so we best be getting along. Now, follow me." I waved them over as I led them to my library.

I opened the large wooden doors and stepped inside. "I have a collection."

"That's an understatement..." Jae Ren said in awe. I always get that same reaction... maybe that's why I love to take people here.

"Throughout my years of existence, before I was located and asked to live here, I collected books." I said. "Before the New Era, there were a lot of interesting books. Even ones made by Newton about fishes." I chuckled. I personally liked that one. "But when I came here, I was already a Grand Warlock and I've collected quite a lot of diploma's already, so there was no need for me to study. Instead, I work as a locator and also as a traveller."

"How? What do you do?" Jae Ren asked as she skimmed on the books.

 I'm surprised she's paying attention. I can't say the same for her guardians...

"I mostly locate forest creatures that are considered endangered and lead them here. Other than that, I travel around the world at times to keep communications with Witches and Warlocks who are scattered around the globe. Just like your grandmother." When I said that, she stiffened a little.

"But... we never saw you before." The one named as Ken said.

"Because you were created only a century ago. The last time I visited Jaekyun was around a three times that. Before, she had different guardians. But they were... mindless." I remembered. She was still keeping to herself, then. And refused to come back here to sanctuary. I believe she was awaiting her granddaughter that she predicted. In truth, Jaekyun was already Jae Rens great great great great great great greaaaaaaaaaaat grandmother. But Jae Ren is predicted to be the next Witch in line for their family. So she is considered as. I wouldn't be surprised if Jae Ren's parents, or even real grandparents knew nothing about Jaekyun. But I was informed that Jaekyun tried to contact Jae Ren personally, once.

I am not sure of the details, but all I know is Jae Ren was too young to understand anything.

I snapped my focus back to the present. "Jae Ren? Come here. I will evaluate your skills and also where you will live." I called her over at the desk.

I hope Jae Ren does not end up like her grandmother. Jaekyun was indeed a kind person, though she may not seem as one. She just had a different approach on things...

But seeing Jae Ren now, how she kids around with her guardians, I know she is far from that possibility. And I am personally witnessing her right now chasing after her guardian Hyuk. So it's a safe bet.

Your bloodline is as fruitful as ever, Jaekyun...

"The Forest District. That's very nice." I photocopied the form I had her answer. "The cool air there is very nice to the senses and the stars are amazing at night since it's away from bright lights. That district allows cooking by grill and also planting as long as you get the consent of neighbors. You're not allowed to raise pets there though. There's a separate place for that." I glanced at each one of them to make sure they were listening.

I briefed them in my living room after she answered the form. "Since you all agreed on that particular District, I've already contacted the contractor. He's going to deliver the keys here in a few minutes. I'll get the duplicate. Questions?"

Jae Ren raised her hand, as if it was a formal briefing. "I noticed there is a lack of cars around here... Why?"

"Well... The Sanctuary does not permit cars. Except for the Retrieving School Buses and Emergency Ambulance Cars. You'll rarely ever see delivery trucks here. But transportation is easy here." I began, "In every street, you can see Phone booths. But those 'Phone Booths' are actually transporters. You press any of the districts or checkpoints around the realm that are on the fake Phones buttons instead of numbers and you get transported there.

“You exit through a dark tunnel-just like every other portal in this realm. Your University uses portals as well, since it is very wide." I calmly explained. I could see the kids were having trouble understanding since everything was just too new for them.

They were used to the gray smoke, the loud horns, the bright city night, and also the clash of different races.

It must've been a culture-shock the moment they drove through those clump of trees.

"I know it's hard to digest, but you'll all grow used to this place. After all... this place is where you're safe. It's a place called home by our kind, and other endangered or thought to be extinct creatures." I smiled sympathetically. "No one is asking you to forget your old life. I'm just asking you to be open to this new one. It may sound cliché, but your kind needs you all. We are at the brink of extinction and with our very low reproduction rate, we need every one of our kind to survive." Even if a warlock and witch get together, it's still not entirely sure their child will be the same as them and even so, some families prevent that.

Jae Ren's family for example. Jae Ren should've had her magic awakened at ages 7-12, but Jaekyun easily prevented that. I don't know how, but I know why. Having two blood-related witches and/or warlocks is dangerous. The magic of the two tend to clash with one another. They both get sick and one of them has to die. Or both. Of course, it's not always the case. In fact, there are few families left that have that strange curse of a disease. But there's an ongoing research to cure that.

"No, don't get us wrong. We're not backing out." N shook his head. "We just need time to get used to this place, that's all." He looked like he was trying to convince himself more than he was trying with me.

"That's the spirit." I nodded approvingly. At the sound of a knock on my door, the keys have arrived.

I showed them how to operate the Phone booth and walked them to their new home. I even patiently waited for them to look around their new home for a while and let them put their suitcases down to their rooms. There were 4 rooms there; One for Jae Ren and the six guardians split themselves in two's to share a room. Of course, they fought over who got the second floor room that was beside Jae Ren but in the end, the two eldest got the room.

I kept studying them, like they were oddities when actually, I'm just curious.

She just looks so much like Jaekyun... How am I ever going to act normal around her?

"Onew? Is that a Pegasus?"

I chuckled. "It is. You're near the mountanous district-where tamers are placed."

"That's cool." She murmured, staring through the kitchen window where she could see a Pegasus grazing on their backyard. "I wish I was a tamer... A Gryphon rider, preferably."

"Why? You're not content with your special magic?" I asked.

"It's not that... It's just I feel like I'm breaking the laws of the universe." She reasoned.

I understand perfectly. "You can make your own laws." I shrugged. "As far as I'm concerned, Time is elusive. You're not breaking laws; you're bending them to your will."

"That doesn't make me feel better." She wrinkled her nose.

I smiled.

It's not supposed to make you feel better... It’s supposed to make you understand.

Hi guys! I know right...

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN AUTHOR-NIM?!?!?!?!?!"

Hahahaha XD You guys would never believe how many of you messaged me as soon as I went online yesterday. Actually, I've been practicing writing for the past weeks to you know... try to make my writing style better? I wasn't pleased at all when I re-read my old fanfics. Some of them made me cringe, really. XD

But anyway, I'll double-update today for you guys! ^-^

Note: At some chapters, I won't be saying who's narrating it. You'll have to take some hints in the chapter who she, or he is.