With a level gaze and a look of complete ease, Luhan promised, “I’m fine, Kris. You don’t need to worry.”

Of course Kris knew it was a lie right away. Luhan hadn’t been able to successfully lie to him in ages, but it was probably just as long since he’d tried. Of everyone in his life, he was probably the most honest with Luhan, and Luhan held nothing back from him, either. They confided in each other because they only truly trusted each other. As much as Kris loved Tao, it was Luhan who held his confidence.

“I know you’re lying,” Kris said. “You don’t have to pretend like you’re okay. It’s me, Luhan. No need for posturing.”

Luhan pressed down at his bangs a little nervously. “I feel fine. Really. I’m not lying to you. I’m mostly recovered from my latest vision, and I don’t think Mama will send me another one right away. I certainly won’t be trying to provoke one.”

Kris frowned. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

They were alone in what had been Kris’ private rooms, but were their shared rooms now, and it was the first time they’d been by themselves since before Luhan’s accident. Kris wasn’t exactly a tactile person, not like Tao could be in private, but Kris had hugged Luhan tightly twice since shutting the door behind them and was itching to do it again at the moment. It was still a little hard to believe that he had Luhan back, unharmed and relatively okay.

“I’m not sure what you mean, then,” Luhan said trailing off.

Sadly, Kris said, “We’ve known each other our whole lives, Luhan. We’ve practically been best friends since birth. I know you well. Or at least well enough to know when you’re not yourself. You’re … heartbroken.”

It was a hard pill to swallow, even with the recent end to the war and Luhan’s insistence that something much more troubling was poised to threaten their lives, that Luhan had gone and fallen in love with someone like Kai. It wasn’t that Kris had ever expected Luhan to refrain from being in love, or to give his heart to Kris himself. There’d never been anything but brotherly affection between them. But Kai felt like a betrayal. The K operative wasn’t good enough for Luhan.

“Oh,” Luhan said, not denying it. “I suppose I am.”

Kris cupped a hand around the back of Luhan’s neck. “You really love that guy? Kai? You’re in love with him?”

Luhan gave an awkward smile. “I know you can’t see it. You don’t understand Kai the way I do. But I promise you, he’s an amazing person. He’s kind and strong and his personality is very attractive. So is his loyalty. I wouldn’t just give my heart to anyone, Kris. So yes, I do love him very much.”

“But you still married me.”

Kris had always intended to marry Luhan. They’d been betrothed for a very long time, the perfect match for each other in their parent’s eyes. And in the eyes of the people, which was the bigger matter at hand. Being the future ruler of M had always weighed heavily on Kris’ mind, along with the duties and expectations that accompanied it.

Not that marrying Luhan was a chore at all. His cousin could be a little dense at times, and too kind for his own good, but he was bright and warm in every way that Kris valued. Not to mention he was politically savvy, very powerful and a true friend. Marrying Luhan was an honor, if anything.

“You know why,” Luahn said, leaning into Kris’ hand. “And no matter my feelings for Kai, I still love you very much. You were my first friend and I would have no one else watching my back as we navigate the future of this nation. I was glad to marry you, Kris. Truthfully. No everyone in an arranged marriage has the luck of marrying someone they already love.”

The words spoken were truly comforting, but all Kris could think of was the way that Luhan had fallen after touching Mama’s life tree’s exposed roots. Kai had thrown himself forward without a care to catch him, and then cradled him so deftly. He’d been the one breathing life into Luhan until Lay was there to save him, and there’d been nothing but fierce love in Kai’s eyes as he held onto Luhan as if his grip could make a difference.

The love that Kris had seen radiating from Kai wasn’t something dismissible, and that love was reciprocated if the looks that Luhan sent longingly to Kai meant anything.

Kris knew they meant everything.

Kris let his thumb the soft skin at Luhan’s neck for a second, then his hand fell away and he said, “You married me for the stability of M. You married me to protect my power and to help end the war. You didn’t marry me because you’re desperately in love with me. So I suppose what I’m saying here is that if an incident of infidelity were to happen in this marriage, I would never acknowledge it.”

Luhan looked offended, maybe even hurt. “I would never betray our marriage vows!”

“But you’re in love with Kai,” Kris pushed, “and I’m in love with Tao. We could come to an agreement of some sort. It wouldn’t be infidelity if we had an agreement.”

“No,” Luhan said, balling his fists, “it would still be infidelity, and I couldn’t do that to you. I hope you wouldn’t do it to me. I love Kai. I’m in love with Kai, but I was within my right mind when I married you. I talked to Kai before our marriage. He understood why I was choosing to marry you. He also knew it meant we could never be together again. We accept that. You should, too. From this point on I won’t be with anyone who isn’t my husband.”

Kris reasoned, “Not , then. You wouldn’t have to commit adultery. But Kai could stay here and you could spend time together. Or I could let you go away on … we could call it a religious retreat, and you could meet him that way.”

“Kris,” Luhan said kindly, reaching out to embrace him. “Why are you trying to push Kai and I together so much?”

“Why?” Kris balked. “Because life isn’t fair and you don’t get to be wit the person you love, and I love you enough to want that for you. Because you’re telling me that Mama is fighting a losing battle against a shadow that is still unknown to you. Because we could die at any time, and if that’s the case, we should die happy. Pick your reason.”

Luhan’s dry lips pressed to Kris’ cheek. “Stop trying. I’m proud to be married to you. I’m going to honor and respect you as my husband. And no matter what the future holds, accepting our situation is the least we can do.”

With a short laugh, Kris questioned, “When did you get so wise?”

“It’s been a learning curve,” Luhan joked back. “Now, Commander Suho and Bakehyun will be arriving soon, and we need to get started as soon as possible. They’ll want to rest, of course, but afterwards it should be right to business.”

Kris remarked, “I honestly still can’t believe that I’m about to have Suho in the palace. I didn’t think this day would ever come. M and K getting along. Who would have thought.”

“I don’t know if you’ll be getting along,” Luhan teased, “but I hope you’ll try.”

“I guess we’ll see.”

Just before Kris could pull open the bedroom door, Luhan put a heavy hand on it and said quietly, “You act like I’m the only one this marriage isn’t fair to. I’m not the only one being hurt in the heart by it.”

“Luhan?”

“You said it yourself,” Luhan said, turning wide eyes on Kris. “You love Tao in the way that I love Kai. We are both in love with other people. Not just me. For that I’m sorry. I’m just as sorry for you as you are for me.”

With forced cheeriness, Kris said, “You said the best we can do is accept our situations, and I’ve accepted it. Maybe I’ve always accepted my situation with Tao. I never really had a shot with him in the first place, right? Even if you and I had never been engaged, I wouldn’t have been allowed to marry Tao. And I love him too much to keep him on the side. You might have had a shot with Kai, if things had been different, but I never had one with Tao.”

Luhan was quiet for a moment, soaking in Kris’ words.

“Let’s go.” Kris pulled open the door, his eyes immediately meeting those of Tao’s who stood in the hallway with Chen and Xiumin. “Didn’t you mention something about having a world to save?”

Luhan mumbled a reply Kris didn’t catch, then was dashing down the hall, Xiumin hustling after him.

“Are you okay?” Tao asked, coming to his side. “What’s with the prince consort?”

Kris waved him off, watching Luhan disappear rapidly down the hallway. “Fine. Luhan is just …” Kris paused, feeling a surge of happiness from merely being near the other man, then told Tao, “Don’t ever let Luhan hear you call him that outside of a public function. You know he hates titles.”

With great severity, Tao said, “Things are different now. He’s married to you, and you’re about to be king.”

Kris hated the way Tao looked, some unsettling mixture of acceptance and sadness. “Tao. I …” He said it as quietly as he could manage, with Chen standing not too far away. Chen was one of Kris’ most trusted, and if he heard anything that was private matter, Kris knew he’d keep it to himself. But still, there was something important about keeping his relationship with Tao between the two of them, or at least between as few people as possible. “I’m sorry for marrying Luhan.”

“For doing your duty?” Tao questioned. “I have always known you were going to marry him. I wasn’t ever delusional on that matter. I’m okay. You don’t have to worry about me. My heart is stronger than you think.”

Minutes ago Kris had proposed that Luhan and Kai could carry on some sort of intimate or ual relationship, if only to make Luhan happy. He’d been unable to understand why Luhan had refused him so quickly then, but he was starting to now. His days of enjoying the comfort of Tao were gone, and he couldn’t risk the throne or his crown to repeat them. Neither could he do that to the sanctity of his marriage vows.

Kris rubbed a hand over his face. He was so tried now. All the time. “I’m going to see my father one last time. I don’t need a guard for that. Take a minute for yourself, Tao. It might be the last private minute you actually get.”

“If it’s all the same,” Tao said, “I’ll stick by your side as long as I’m wanted.”

Kris grinned. “Fair enough. And you should know, you’re always wanted.”

Many people in M, at least until very recently, hadn’t known the king was sick. And even fewer knew how close to death he really was. A good portion of the population remembered the king like Kris did, strong and authoritative, capable and courageous, able to withstand great pressure, and make the kind of executive decisions without so much as a moral struggle. He’d been a true king, and an effective one. Emulating him would be Kris’ greatest goal.

But better than the way he remembered is father, Kris remembered his mother. She’d been quite young when she’d died, with Kris younger than Luhan had been when he’d lost his parents. But he remembered her as the picture of maternal grace and beauty. She’d been tall, with auburn hair, and Kris still remembered her songlike voice as clear as if he’d just heard it. She’d been the kind of queen that he hoped Luhan would emulate through behavior. His mother had been his father’s greatest asset. Kris needed Luhan to be his.

“What’s he saying?” Tao asked, leaning over as the king mumbled something low and indistinguishable.

“He’s asking for his wife. My mother.”

“Oh.”

Kris reached for his father’s hand, holding it delicately. “My father always said the most defining moment of his rule would be bringing K under M’s control and uniting Exo. I think he’d be very disappointed in me for giving up his dream.”

“He wouldn’t have expected you to fight a war your heart wasn’t in it,” Tao argued. “You and your father are not the same, and you don’t have the same wants or desires. Plus, if Luhan’s right, you’re going to get another war. One with a far greater impact.”

“I do believe Luhan,” Kris said right away, looking to Tao. “Because I feel it in my gut.”

Tao said, “I do too, honestly. And I’m really worried.”

Kris sighed, “There’s nothing to do until Commander Suho and his companion get here. Nothing to do but wait.”

Commander Suho didn’t actually arrive until the late evening the following day, far past the time when they could meet properly to discuss anything. Kris hadn’t expected him any sooner. K’s capital was far inland, and even with their fastest transport, it was a long ride into M. Almost everyone had already gone to bed when the Commander came into sight, but Kris had been prepared to wait the whole night.

“Commander Suho,” Kris greeted when the man emerged from his vehicle.

Suho nodded his head. “Prince Kris.”

There was a prolonged awkwardness between them, one that Kris wasn’t sure how to proceed with. The honest truth was that he had expected to eventually encounter Suho, but not over a peace treaty. He’d expected a battle, in which one of them wouldn’t survive.

“Baekhyun!”

Out of no where Luhan streaked past, moving to stand in front of Suho’s companion, making Kris tense up. There was likely little threat from the short man, but as far as Luhan went, Kris had always hesitated to take risks. He watched Luhan chat rapidly and excitedly with Baekhun.

When his gaze slid over to Suho, he was surprised to see the small, amused smile on his face as he watched the two. Kris returned it when their eyes met, and Kris felt a surge of hope.

“I brought it,” Baekhyun said, putting Luhan’s fears to rest. “I was nervous the whole way, but I brought it. Let me get it for you. I know you’ve waited so long to see it in person.”

Kris made a quick gesture to Xiumin, sending him after Luhan who was rounding the vehicle after Baekhyun and was soon out of view.

“The two of them,” Kris remarked, earning a bigger smile from Suho.

The man returned, “They’re friends, after all. Even if it’s hard for us to understand it, they have been friends for a very long time.”

Kris could just hear Luhan breathe out, “Oh, Baekhyun. It’s amazing.”

Kris gestured to the palace behind him, telling Suho, “It’s too late for us to do anything at the moment, and any peace treaty has to recognized by the king’s council. I guarantee you there’ll be no getting them out of bed at this hour. First thing tomorrow we can tie that up.”

“I can’t pretend to be comfortable staying here, in M, without a peace treaty ensuring the safety of both my people and myself.”

Luhan and Baekhyun were back in eyesight, with Xiumin hovering nearby, all three of them focused on a large, delicate looking book.

“You’re under my protection here,” Kris assured him. “You have diplomatic immunity, the same thing that has been given to your operatives and citizens. I’m playing host to a mixture of them at the moment, and they are all alive and well.” Kris added sharply, “Even the ones that attacked me as I was sleeping.”

The look on Suho’s face was trying. “I didn’t authorize that. Kai and D.O. were acting of their own accord. And I doubt they were trying to attack you.”

“Luhan,” Kris called out, beckoning his husband back over so they could go. He told Suho, motioning to Chen who’d been silent behind him up until that point. “This is Chen. He’s going to be in charge of your security detail until the peace treaty is signed.”

Chen said, arms crossed, “I’ll stand guard outside your suite tonight, in case your arrival here at the palace is compromised in any way.”

Firmly, and without doubt, Kris said, “We will sign the peace treaty tomorrow morning. And afterwards we can take on the other pressing matter that you’ve come here for. The one that Luhan and Baekhyun seem to think is even more important than the war we are about to end.”

Smiling kindly at Suho, Luhan said as he made his way to Kris’ side, “I appreciate you coming, Commander Suho. And bringing Baekhyun with you. I promise you, the threat to Mama, and to our very existence is real. I’ve … seen what will happen, if we do nothing. It’s an outcome I can’t let happen.”

“Luhan, wait.” Baekhyun moved after him, holding the book out. “I think you should take this tonight.”

Kris watched Luhan drawing back uncertainly. “Are you sure?”

That book. Kris wondered what was in it. What made the contents so revered that it could make Luhan look and act the way he was?

“I’m sure,” Baekhyun said, handing it over. “I had some time to look it over on the way here. To familiarize myself with the content again. So you hold onto it tonight.”

Chen cut in, “We should get inside, your highness. It’s late.”

“Of course.” Kris motioned for Suho to go ahead of him, waiting himself for Luhan.

“I handled your room assignments personally,” Luhan was telling Baekhyun as Kris waited a bit impatiently. “I put you in with Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun looked a little weepy as he rushed off after Suho and Chen.

“What was that about?” Kris asked, feeling Luhan’s arm slip through his own, the crooks of their elbows meeting comfortably. “Baekhyun and Chanyeol?”

“Not everyone is as unlucky as you and I, when it comes to love,” Luhan said, guiding them up the steps of the palace. “Some people get to be with the ones they love. Plus, Chanyeol played a large part in me finding my way back to you and M as quickly as I did. I want to repay them in some way.”

“You want to repay two citizens of K?” he said with some distain.

Luhan pinched him sharply and Kris glared at him as Luhan said, “No more animosity between K and M. I’m not naïve enough to think everything will go away over night, but it has to start somewhere. Starting with us is a good enough place as any.”

He supposed Luhan had a point. And he was expected to set an example for the people to follow.

“Alright,” Kris said. “I’ll make an effort. But I’m tired now, and we should go to bed.”

Less than an hour later Luhan was sleeping quietly next to him, curled up on his side, pulling the majority of blankets towards his form. Kris was content enough to sit up in bed, legs crossed, the bedroom illuminated by the moonlight pouring in from the nearby window.

He couldn’t get to sleep, no matter how tired he was. There was too much to think about, from the peace treaty, to Luhan’s visions about Mama, to Tao who was likely pacing outside his bedroom door at that very moment. And his father, who’d likely be dead by the time he woke in the morning.

Next to him Luhan mumbled something in his sleep, rolling over.

Kai. He’d said Kai’s name. Luhan was dreaming about Kai.

Absently, Kris wondered how Baekhyun felt about sharing his dreams with Luhan when they were about Kai. It must have been at least a little awkward.

Kris leaned back, tucking an arm under his head. As much as he wanted to sleep, he had a very good feeling that it wouldn’t be coming anytime soon. But eventually, after a few hours of tossing and turning, Kris eventually fell into an uneasy sleep.

A horrifying, utterly gut wrenching scream woke him out of the light sleep he’d managed. It rattled is teeth and startled him so much that he lost control of his ability, accidentally launching himself off his bed and up towards the tall, vaulted ceiling of his bedroom. A second later he came back to himself and he was falling rapidly, his fall cushioned only by his massive bed.

“Luhan!” He was up on his hands and knees just after that, scrambling towards the screaming man. “Wake up!” It was a night terror. He hoped. And not a vision.

Kris was desperately trying to shake a squirming, twisting Luhan awake when Kai blinked into existence. He was dressed in night clothes, his hair rumpled, but he didn’t look like he’d just woken. It was possible he’d been just as restless as Kris.

“What’s wrong?” Kai asked, dashing to Luhan’s side. “I head his screaming all the way from my room!”

The door to Kris’ bedroom burst open and Tao was leading the charge.

And it was then that Kris could hear a different set of screams.

“Baekhyun,” Kai said without thought to Kris. “That’s Baekhyun. He must be stuck in whatever dream Luhan is.”

“Luhan!” Kris shook him again. But his cousin wasn’t reacting to him, and Kris was just desperate enough to demand at Kai, “Help me wake him if you can.”

With both Kris and Tao watching, Kai knelt onto the bed and enfolded his body over Luhan’s. He his fingers through Luhan’s hair and whispered to him, “Hey. It’s okay. It’s me. It’s Kai. You need to wake up, now.” Kris couldn’t be sure that Luhan could hear him over the screaming. But then miraculously, as Kai continued to pet his hair and sooth him with soft words, Luhan began to calm. And so did Baekhyun.

“What just happened?” Tao asked shakily.

“There you are,” Kai said gently, his thumb rubbing along Luhan’s jaw. “You coming back to us?”

Luhan gave the smallest of nods, eyes still mostly unfocused. He gripped the sleeve of Kai’s night shirt as he fought to calm his breathing.

“I’m here, Luhan. I’ve got you and I promise, you’re going to be just fine. Wake up a little more for me, okay?”

Luhan’s eyes opened more fully and it took every part of Kris’ self control not to crowd in on Kai.

“Vision?” Kai asked.

“No,” Luhan returned, his voice scratchy and hoarse from the sudden screaming. “Just … a bad dream.”

Finally Kris said, “That wasn’t just any dream, Luhan.” Those screams had reminded him of what had happened when Luhan had touched the life tree and fallen into a violent vision.

Kai nodded. “I agree with the prince, Luhan. You weren’t just dreaming. That was … horrible. It took a while to get you out of it,” Kai said, his weight still pressing down on Luhan comfortingly.

With only as much as a shout, Sehun came sprinting around the corner, out of breath and looking just a little scared. “Luhan! Are you okay? Baekhyun was screaming, and Chanyeol couldn’t get him to wake up, and then we heard you screaming! Baekhyun is asking for you, but he can’t get out of bed. He can’t even stand.”

Once, Kris remembered a time when the palace had always been silent and uninteresting. Even when they’d been children, nothing exciting had ever happened. Kris wondered if that was better, or the colorful cast of characters they were currently entertaining.

“Kai,” Luhan soothed out, pulling an arm around the teleporter’s neck out of a necessity of contact more than anything else. “I’m okay.”

But Kris didn’t think he was okay. Whatever he’d been dreaming about, it had shaken him. Had it been a dream of the future, or just a nightmare? No one but Luhan could ever be sure if he was dreaming of fact or fiction. Sometimes not even Luhan.

With a final hug to Kai, one that conveyed everything in the world to Kris, Luhan sat up slowly and without aid from anyone. He took several deep breaths and steadied himself.

“Your highness?” Tao asked.

“We’re okay,” Kris assured Tao. “Thank you.”

Kai stood back and looked lost. “I’ll just … go back to my room. Sorry for barging in. I thought ….”

He’d though something bad was happening to Luhan, or that he was experiencing a vision too soon for it to not hurt him terribly. He’d reacted quicker than Kris could have imagined.

It was so easy to see how Kai loved Luhan now. It was all Kris could see.

“Luhan?” Sehun called out, lingering by the doors to the bedroom, but not entering. He looked younger than he was in the moonlight. “Should I tell Baekhyun to just go back to bed? He wants to see you, but you don’t look good.”

Kris observed Luhan had fisted some of their sheets in a tight grip. He was probably fighting to hold onto his control.

“I’ll go see him now,” Luhan said, shaking his head slowly. “I was dreaming about my vision. The last one. That’s what Baekhyun saw. He must be very upset. I need to help him.”

Luhan barely looked like he was managing to sit up. There was no way he was going to make the walk all the way to the visitor suits.

“Kai,” Kris said, almost surprising even himself, “Luhan is in no shape to walk. You share the quarters next to where Baekhyun is staying. Please teleport Luhan there instead, and carry him the rest of the distance. I’m trusting him with you on this.” He’d removed the dampening bracelets on faith alone, trusting his gut that K was no longer an enemy, and that according to Luhan they were about to be united in a fight against something much worse.

“You want me to …” Kai said a bit dumbly.

The sound of feet running across the floor interrupted Kris from responding, turning to see Chen appear in the doorway. The man reported, “Commander Suho is demanding to know what’s happened. I think he suspects an attack on one of his people.”

By the time Kris turned back to Kai he already had Luhan up in his arms, ready for teleport.

With unease in his stomach, Kris said, “The last time you teleported my cousin, you lost him. Don’t make a second time of it.”

Luhan managed a small, encouraging smile to Kris for a half second, then he and Kai were gone, to the other side of the north wing of the palace.

“Chen,” Kris said, reaching for his nearby robe. He waved off the startled, but ready servants who’d appeared behind Chen to help him if necessary. “Go tell Commander Suho that I’m on my way. I’ll explain everything to him, but let him know that there’s been no attack. Just bad dreams.”

Chen headed off at a quick jog as Kris finished tying the knot to his robe.

“You look shaken too,” Tao said, and Kris was aware that they were alone in the room now, Sehun having left shortly after Luhan. “And you didn’t even have the dream.”

“Just tired,” Kris admitted.

Tao remarked, “It must have been hard to trust Luhan with him again. Especially knowing his intentions towards your husband.”

Kris headed to the door, but let his fingers graze across Tao’s forearm. “I don’t like him, that’s for sure. But he’d no more hurt Luhan that I would. Neither would Luhan ever consider infidelity. Tao.” Kris stopped, meeting his eyes. “Luhan hasn’t ever been the hard one for me to let go.” Then he was continuing on his way, to stop a second war from breaking out.

Commander Suho was actually fairly easy to settle down, and a quick check in on Baekhyun an hour later saw Luhan asleep in the bed of the man he shared his dreams with. Chanyeol and Kai were respectively sprawled out in other parts of the room and Kris went back to his own bed alone.

In the morning, almost at first light, Kris was up despite his lack of sleep. He bathed quickly, and dressed in some of his finest clothing. He met Suho in the designated conference room with his father’s council, the Minister of War and the traditional official witness.

“Why does your father’s council look unhappy that we’re signing this peace treaty?” Suho asked Kris under his breath, seconds before they needed to raise their pens.

Kris eyed them all with open annoyance, then told Suho, not managing to control his tone, “Not everyone supports the idea of peace. But Luhan and I will ensure it.”

Luhan was also present, ready to place his own signature on the document, looking almost like he hadn’t been screaming his throat raw the night before. He was all smiles, almost scandalously taunting the king’s council with his wiliness to end the war. In these moments, Luhan openly flaunting the power they’d taken back from that council, Kris really loved his cousin.

They had a traditional, celebratory drink after the peace treaty was signed, finalized and witnessed, and then, only then, did Kris tell both Luhan and Suho, “My father died early this morning.”

“I’m so sorry, Kris,” Luhan said, reeking of empathy. Suho nodded his regards.

“It’s a good thing,” Kris insisted, but he was still hurting terribly from the news that had been delivered secretly to him just before the morning meal. “My father was a great king, but he was relic of the past. He only knew how to fight and wage war. I want so much more for M. Now I have the control to do that.”

Begrudgingly, and Kris could tell it was so, Suho said, “I may have misjudged you.”

Kris dared to crack a smile. “I misjudged a lot, too. It’s something that seems to be going around.”

“Kris? Commander?”

Luhan had a terse look on his face, and Kris knew what was coming immediately.

“An hour,” Kris said. “We’ll meet back here in an hour. All twelve of us.” And this was it, he realized it. The start of the real fight. “Can you and Baekhyun be ready in an hour, Luhan?”

“I’ll go see Baekhyun now. We’ll be ready.” Luhan headed out right away.

“You know,” Suho said, jarring Kris a little, “if this threat that Mama keeps trying to tell Luhan and Baekhyun about turns out to be the real thing, then M and K will have to be together to fight. We’ll have to work together, and watch each other’s backs, and we will have to be allies. It might be difficult. At least at first.”

Kris scoffed, “If the other choice is total annihilation and death, I can put aside my prejudices. And I think you’re a far competent enough leader to do that same for your people.”

Suho shook his head. “But I’m not going to be the leader of my people for very much longer. The war is over. The position of Commander was instituted only for a time of war, until independence was won. K will want to start democratic elections very quickly, and I won’t be a candidate for her head of state. A few months from now, I won’t be calling the shots, and you’ll be dealing with a wild card.”

“A few months,” Kris mulled over. “The way I’ve heard Luhan talk, we might not have even that long. Mama’s gotten … uncharacteristically aggressive with him, and he thinks that means she’s very desperate. I’d be surprised if we had a few months.”

“And we’re supposed to just fight these shadow creatures?” Suho asked. “Can we actually hurt them? Baekhyun said their only true weakness, that we know of at least, is light. So Baekhyun could fight them, theoretically, but what about the rest of us?”

Kris wasn’t sure about that. He was less sure than he wanted to admit. So he told Suho, “That’s something I guess we’ll be talking about in about an hour. Fair enough?”

It really wasn’t a matter of fairness, in all actuality.

When they were all together a little over an hour later, Kris personally locking the doors behind them, Luhan and Baekhyun were front and center, already trying to explain their wild theory involving the ancient looking book.

The other ten of them, Kris included, were seated in a semicircle, and it gave him a good idea from the faces he could see that Luhan and Baekhyun weren’t exactly winning anyone over.

“I don’t doubt that that book is as old as you claim,” Lay said just as kindly as patiently, “or that you were guided in some way to find it. The fact that you two share dreams is proof enough that something like that is possible, but you’re trying to convince us that you suspect we twelve are what? Some kind of legendary warriors for Mama?”

With Baekhyun holding the book open, Luhan put his hands on his hips. “Not warriors. Guardians. There is a distinction.”

Sehun leaned back in his chair. “You can’t even read the book. It’s written in a language none of us understand, and we’ve got representatives of both M and K in this room, and all the different dialects in Exo. Why would you think we’re these guardians? Why us twelve? Why not the next twelve people you see?”

Luhan gave Sehun a look that practically shriveled him in his seat, then said, “The naysayers being ignored at this point, I promise you all, Mama is sentient. She’s very much aware of what’s going on around us, she’s constantly trying to guide us, and she is not just the life provider.” Luhan paused, eyes sweeping over the room. “And as to why I’m convinced that we’re these twelve warriors represented in this book by these twelve sigils, is because we’re all intimately connected in a way that is far beyond coincidence. That’s on top of Mama telling me how important each and every one of you is.”

Baekhyun interjected, pushing up his sleeve to his armpit, and balancing the book in one hand, he turned the inside of his bicep to the people in the room, “Luhan and I are confident that everyone who touches this book will be marked the same as we are. I’ve already confirmed Suho.”

Kris had seen his own mark on his back a short while earlier, partly to appease Luhan before they even started, and partly because Kris was genuinely curious. He’d also seen the ones that Chen and Xiumin had.

“Guardians are always pulled together when the time comes,” Luhan said definitively. “And we have been pulled. I dare any of you to deny that.”

What followed was an insistence that the book be passed around for everyone to touch. And one by one, some having to hunt for their marks more than others, each one of them had a defining symbol on their skin.

Luhan rattled off, “I mean it when I say we’re all inner-connected to either each other or Mama. Baekhyun and I have been sharing dreams for years. Lay, you’ve been touched by Mama very recently.”

Lay shook his head. “But that was an accident. I touched the life tree and instinctively tried to heal. It really was just instinct.”

Luhan frowned. “But you felt it. You felt her soul in that second, didn’t you?”

When Lay didn’t respond, Chanyeol surprised most everyone in the room by saying, “We’ll, I haven’t had any crazy visions, but I have had some crazy dreams.” He ducked his head a little. “Dreams about a lot of the people in this room, and until now I hadn’t met most of you.”

“Really?” Baekhyun asked, turning to him with a question on his face. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Chanyeol grinned. “I didn’t want to worry you. You like to worry about stuff, you’re good at it, but it isn’t great for your health.”

Tao said hesitantly, “Earlier, Luhan, when Xiumin and I were fighting Sehun and Chanyeol, I kept feeling … I don’t know, this compulsion not to kill them. I was trying, but something kept pulling me back at the last second.”

“Oh, thanks,” Chanyeol snorted out.

“Something?” Kris asked.

“Mama?” Tao offered.

Kris watched Luhan rub the inside of his wrist, where his mark had been. Then his cousin said, “There’s no doubt in my mind Sehun and Chanyeol were guided by Mama to find me and return me safely to my home.”

Baekhyun said a little bluntly, “Kai and Luhan’s previous relationship wouldn’t have happened at all if Luhan hadn’t been sent visions of Kai by Mama. She pushed them together, which, when Luhan disappeared, really acted like the catalyst in bringing K and M together. D.O., you wouldn’t have cared half as much about this entire situation if Kai hadn’t been involved, and neither would you have, Suho. Mama’s been steadily drawing us all together for some time, linking us, making us care for each other and in a way, moving her pieces into play.”

Carefully, Kris could see Luhan glance at Kai, who purposely missed the look, before sending his own back the second Luhan wasn’t paying attention. It was almost painful to watch them skirt around each other. At the very least, especially after seeing the way Kai had been there for Luhan after his night terror, Kris was beginning to regret being the force in between them.

Xiumin reasoned, elbows braced on the table in front of him, “Let’s assume, for argument’s sake, that we are these twelve mythical guardians. We’re supposed to what, fight for Mama? Against this darkness that you’ve only spoken about in vague terms? Tell us more about that, if you want us to agree to anything.”

Luhan looked nervously to Baekhyun and Kris sighed. “You can’t tell us much, can you?” he asked.

Chen asked instead, “What can you tell us? Is this darkness corporeal?”

At that, at least, Luhan seemed to light up. “Not yet! And that’s where we have the advantage. The darkness is still … lurking. It’s chipping away at Mama every day, but it can’t actually manifest itself yet. Until it can, we have time. It’s scouts are on the move, and I don’t doubt they’ll show themselves sooner, rather than later. But the real threat, the real darkness, still can’t reach us.”

“And when will that be?” Suho asked. “Got at least a general idea?”

Baekhyun flipped as quickly through the book as he dared, settling on a page towards the back that was more picture than writing. “Here. Luhan and I are confident about the date, especially with the dreams we’ve been having recently. It can’t happen until our twin moons pass directly into Exo’s shadow. And in addition, it won’t be until our planet and the six others in our solar system are in perfect alignment.”

“That doesn’t happen very frequently, right?” Kai asked, squinting at the picture.

Bakehyun shook his head. “Rarely. Luhan and I have already worked out the time frame and we have until just before the start of the next new month. That’s three weeks away. That’s three weeks for us to figure out what we’re going to do, and how we’re going to handle this. It’s not a lot of time, but it’s something.”

“I’ve dreamed about this alignment before,” Luhan said, shuddering a bit. “Mama is pushing it at me frequently now. She’s getting short on time and very desperate.”

“So, then,” Chanyeol eased out, “What exactly are we supposed to do?”

“Fight,” Baekhyun said, but it was mumbled so awkwardly Kris wasn’t sure he quite believed him.

“The truth is,” Luhan said with a sigh, “is that Mama put all her energy into alerting us to the threat, not telling us what it is exactly. Baekhyun and I don’t know what to tell you, and we don’t have all the answers you want. We only know what Mama’s shown me, and I’ve shown Baekhyun. I guess … maybe I could try and trigger another vision.”

“No!” Kris shot to his feet and it was a half second later before he realized that he was one of many protesting.

“Absolutely not,” Kai said viciously. “You almost died the last time you had a vision. It was insane. I won’t allow it.”

Luhan did not look pleased. “You won’t allow it?”

“I mean,” Kai breathed out, tension bleeding from his body, “it’s not an option. Even with Lay ready to heal you at a moment’s notice. You body can only take so much strain, and you’re at the end of your rope. Don’t try and tell us you aren’t.”

“Luhan,” Kris said, trying to smile at him but feeling as if he was failing, “we’ll entertain that idea only if there’s nothing else we can do. But if anything we should be trying to block any more of Mama’s visions from you. At least for the time being.”

“I will not block Mama!” Luhan’s outburst seemed to be the end of that subject. Kris had fought with him about enough in the past to know when Luhan’s stubbornness was going to win out. For now Kris would let him win, but he wasn’t going to sacrifice Luhan for a bit more of information that was sure to be confusing and convoluted.

Baekhyun cleared his throat, trying to quiet everyone down. “I think there are several things we can do right now. Several things that need to be done. Firstly, we need to go back to where I found this book. This book was preserved with care and intent. I only took the book because it was all I was looking for. There might be more clues there.”

“Also,” Luhan continued, “Some of us need to go to the Forbidden City.”

“No way,” Tao said, cutting his hand through the air. “It’s called the Forbidden City for a reason. Our ancestors almost destroyed our planet there. We can’t go there.”

Luhan told him, “When that was happening, there’s a good chance that Mama had twelve guardians who were responsible for protecting her and this planet. Whether they did their jobs well enough or not isn’t our concern. But we need to learn from what they did wrong there. We always assumed they were fighting each other in the Forbidden City. What if they were fighting this darkness?”

Sehun suggested, “What about the Dead Lands? If I was a shadow creature and I was thinking of popping up, that’s where I’d choose. It’s remote, we don’t monitor it, and it practically reeks of evil. You know what I mean. We should check that out.”

In the next hour they came up with several more points of focus, a plan of action, and they were all honestly feeling a little more confident.

“If we do this,” Baekhyun said, hugging the book to his chest, “if we try to save Mama and Exo, we have to do it as a united force of twelve. We can’t be six M and six K. We have to be Mama’s twelve guardians. We have to work together to figure out what this darkness is before our time runs out. And then we have to figure out how to defeat it.”

“I think we all understand that,” Kris said, directing his words to Suho. “We’ll set the example and everyone will just have to get in line.”

Luhan gave a relieved look to them all. “I know this is difficult to hear, that we don’t really know much about this threat to Exo and Mama, but we will discover more. Baekhyun and I will do everything in our power to communicate with Mama.”

Baekhyun said with a note of finality, “If we do nothing, Exo and Mama will die. But if we act now, if we go looking for the answers that are out there, to where this darkness came from, and how to beat it, then we have a chance at a future. And even a chance is worth fighting for.”

They were breaking for a rest before lunch was served just after that, and Kris slung a comforting arm around Luhan, inquiring, “Why do you look so glum? I think you’ve pretty much convinced everyone to take you and Baekhyun seriously. No matter how farfetched it sounds, we’re buying this guardian business.”

“I can’t help but be worried,” Luhan said, guiding Kris to the old book that Baekhyun had left behind in favor of a short nap.

“Why?” Kris asked.

Luhan flipped through the pages until he was almost at the end. Then he said to Kris, “Mama had generations of guardians before us. They always protected her and continued the cycle. And then suddenly they were gone. We didn’t have any for long enough that people forgot about having guardians at all, and Mama became more like a myth to us. Or a relic of the past that just happened to be responsible or our talents. Kris, I’m worried about what wiped those guardians out and forced Mama to fight her own losing battle with the darkness.”

“Whatever happened,” Kris promised, “we’re going to be okay. We’ll fight and win. That’s what we do.”

“I think it was this,” Luhan said, finger pressed against an illustration in the book. “I think this killed the guardians.”

Kris tried not to let it show on his face, but the dark, almost humanoid form on the page was so sinister looking it made Kris’ skin scrawl. “What is that?”

Luhan let his head rest against Kris’ shoulder. “The Great Destroyer. That’s what Mama keeps screaming at me to hide Baekhyun from, and protect myself from. This thing, whatever it is, I don’t know if we’re even going to be match for it. All these shadows lurking around Mama, trying to hurt her constantly, they can’t manifest yet. But I don’t know about this thing.”

Kris looked again at the picture. If Luhan had seen anything like this in his vision from Mama, it was starting to make more sense why he’d woken screaming his throat raw in fear. Kris was scared just looking at the picture. He couldn’t imagine it actually existing. Even less could he imagine them fighting that thing and winning.