SHANGHAI, China

The building itself didn’t look anything out of the ordinary. A bit stout compared to the skyscrapers that rose like looming towers all around on the nearby blocks, but this was wider, its length extending far along the street. Sleek and modern, with the entirety of the outside structure made of black marble and tinted glass.

“Shouldn’t we go?” said Tao, his arms crossed over the front of his jacket. As if he meant to block out the evening breeze. Contrary to the brisk air the sky was a blended dusty rose from the setting sun, the waning light reflecting off hues of gold and blue in the glass.

Kris pulled his sunglasses off, unaffected “Yes we should,” the murmured did little to hide his plain scrutiny of the building. Like something was going to jump out at any moment. “What do you think of the place Luhan?”

I didn’t respond to him right away, because I wasn’t sure what to think. My mind was already plagued with various scenarios of what could happen if we didn’t pull this off. The unhappiness showed in my telepathic response “Nothing good. Let’s just get what we need and get out.”  This plan seemed good and necessary when Suho and Kris had explained it together, but it was only now that the holes started to show. We needed to be as authentic as possible, practically seamless.  

“It’ll take a while,” Tao spoke out loud, spreading a hand out “look at the place.”

“Don’t worry, you’re one of the best liars here.” Kris' tone was especially sarcastic, enough to make Tao scowl.

The interior was similar to the exterior in the simplistic structure. A reception desk was placed at the end of a large hall, facing the vast expanse of mirrors that covered the front of the building. A woman was poised behind, eyes down casted behind sharply pointed glassed.

Kris spoke first, his voice molding around the chinese words with the slightest hint of accent. “Excuse me,” She looked up sharply as he spoke, the prominent lines and angles of her face becoming immediately apparent. The expression they formed was not one for pleasantries. “We’re visitors from Korea-”

“The Seoul pack district. I was at your welcome conference this morning.” She said pointedly. That was funny considering I hadn’t noticed her. Then again there had been many people, impeccably dressed, offering their welcomes. I wasn’t entirely sure how many were genuine; dealing with those kinds of social interactions was mainly Suho’s forte.

Her stare seemed to mimic my wariness, eyeing the three of us with careful consideration. I tried to not meet her gaze pointedly, feeling its intensity enough to want to squirm. Nonchalance was key, otherwise we would only create suspicion. “Can I help you three with something?”

“We sent word for our intentions to come through Elder Kim” Kris said, his voice cool tranquility. It was a tone that resonated a kind of persuasiveness all of its own, deterring any kind of doubt or opposition. Something ironically particular to an Alpha. “We were looking to do a bit of research.”

Her eyes downcasted to the chart in her hands “Inheritance through bloodlines. I read the message.” Her lips upturned politely. Rising from her seat she came around. The clipboard rested snugly in her arms and a pen was at her fingertips. “This way, if you please.”

Tao shifted uneasily from my side as we followed her. “Did you see the way she looked at us?”

I tried to calm him. “Relax.”

“I can’t. I don’t think she likes us.” He responded. That might’ve been a smart guess.

We entered a long hall set with incandescent lights. Every couple paces there was a perpendicular diverge, opening to offices or new pathways. Some contained a couple shelvings of books, empty of people. The woman never once turned, keeping straight.

The passing silence was too much for Tao to keep quiet: “Why do I feel like she’s figured us out?”

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, measuring the expression of indifference on his face. Combine with his countenance it could’ve been called authentic, but we were in wolf territory. Some as much as secret could be sniffed out - literally - if you didn’t keep your emotions in check.

Kris walked a step ahead of us both, though his voice remained powerful in our heads “Don’t think about what we’re doing here. Focus on a constant.”

A constant, like a heartbeat, or the number of inhales and exhales you take. It was one of the most basic measures of training for wolves once they begun Hagwon. It was supposed to be for controlling emotion sparked shifts.

“I’m doing it.” Tao grumbled, but was silent after that. Eventually the hall ended, the floor suddenly falling through. A staircase descended to a lower floor, the overhead light revealing nothing from its darkness.

“Just this way,” The woman looked over her shoulder slightly at us, then gripped the thin metal banister. Wordlessly we followed.

The base of the stairs was planted in the middle of a bare space, about the size of a large room. Three of the walls were empty while the fourth was missing, extending forward into another much larger room. Pale light caved in, and various noises could be heard from inside.

“I believe this is your first time coming to the Shanghai Archive.” She said.

“Not for all of us,“ Kris intercepted. She glanced at him, then thought to smile.

“So I see.”

I wrinkled my nose, fighting the reflex to sneeze. And cough. Tao wasn’t as able to hold either in, a strange cross better the two erupting from him suddenly. Within the far rising walls of ancient brick and rough carpet covered pathways twisting endlessly around us the sound echoed distinctly. I winced, but didn’t take my eyes off our surroundings.

The air was slightly musky, dust visible in the air. We were at a convergence point, where the multiple shelves of books abruptly halted and a large shaky circle of space was made. Long desk tables were scattered anywhere there was enough room, some were even shoved against the sides of the shelves. Each nearly overflowed with stacks of paper and more volumes of books, varying in size and thickness. Some looked like they came from within this archive, their covers worn leather and their spines wrinkled with old age. Others seemed out of place from their freshly printed, light reflecting plastic covers.

The place was cramped, old, and dusty. Somehow a good fit for its title.

Tao’s voice unfolded in the back of my mind, perplexed “Where the hell do we start?” A good question. People were moving about with file folders and coffee cups, looking distracted, tired or too busy to be bothered. It was an early morning rush if there ever was one.

The receptionist turned to us “Is there any particular heritage lines you’d like to begin with? A wave of unease washed over my shoulders at her probing. So much for seeming trustworthy.

I spoke lightly, exerting earnestness. “We don’t really have a plan for going at this. It’s really difficult to look up the subject we chose. All the materials should be here so we can just search on our own.” Her stare wouldn’t let up “No need to for you to go out of your way, it must be really busy now as it is.” Lovely. I actually sounded as though I cared. Without looking I could feel the sly smile stretch on Kris’ face.

“Right.” She tried smiling again “Well, some of our files have been documented online if you want to start there. You might find everything you need on our database.” So we couldn’t mess up the place even more then it was.

Kris nodded at her, but his voice in my head was sarcastic “I doubt it.”

“Make sure to send our regards to Mr. Kim.” She gave one last measured look at us, then finally turned her heel.

Kris stared after her “That was pleasant.”

“Don’t even try to joke about that” Tao murmured, casting a glance over his shoulder.

“This is natural, we’re outsiders.” I murmured, turning towards one of the many pathways leading deeper into the archives. “Let’s at least try to be as discreet as possible, okay?” Somehow that seemed like that would be a feat in and of itself.

SEOUL, South Korea

The ground was moving. Trembling, filled with vibrations coming deep within the Earth. Cracks began to line the surface; each long, thick, spiraling like vines out from their focal point, born with ear-splitting screeches. Within seconds chunks of rock spiked up carrying jagged points, spewing waves of dirt in their wake and making clouds of dust. Other sections fell through, delving into the freshly made taverns below. If a person were standing amidst the deafening chaos, it might cross their mind that this was an Earthquake.

At best they would only be half right; any normal natural disaster wouldn’t ever be wieldable.

“HEY!” D.O looked up at the voice. He was standing evenly, arms now relaxed by his sides. In the midst of the erupting field he was roughly at the centre, a perfect circle of calm, untouched ground beneath his feet. “Are you trying to kill me you ?! I’m your ing hyung!” The voice shrieked from above.

A couple hundred metres ahead was Baekhyun, his knuckles clenched white as he gripped the ledge of the second landing of the Hagwon training grounds. Just below his dangling legs a multitude of rocks reached up, their corners and points particularly sharp. Still, that couldn’t stop him from shouting profanities.

“Being older won’t win you a battle Baekhyun,” A new voice intervened, cool and with a hint of mirth. It was Xiumin, watching the match intently from his perch; he had spun a towering pillar of ice, lengthy enough that it neared the height of the second floor, and frigid enough to freeze the ground underneath a good couple of metres. D.O’s power wouldn’t be able to touch him. “It’ll be your disadvantage more than anything.”

Baekhyun decided not to respond to the latter’s comment, gritting his teeth as he pulled himself back onto the ledge.

He flopped onto his back, glaring up at the ceiling as he panted. Sweat lined his brow, drenching his neck and shirt. Oh how he hated coming to Hagwon; one way or another he was dropped into a fight with the Earth wielder. It would have been fine if it were someone - anyone - other than Kyungsoo.

Xiumin’s voice floated up from below, almost teasing in the way it warned “You might want to think faster Baek.” Baekhyun took one final breath, then launched himself up onto the balls of his feet. A forceful gust hit his back as if he had been smacked with air. A split second later his ears ringed with the sound of rock blasting into the stone he had been laying on. He launched into a dead run, he had to. D.O was on his heels, every couple of seconds launching another boulder of rock into the air at his target. His aim was precise, his shots fast.

For the time being Baekhyun was faster. In the span of seconds he made a full rotation around the arena, his body only a blur of color as it weaved its way around boulder after boulder. He was calm; years of combat training drilled a focus in his mind that couldn’t be budged. Despite the speed and ferocity of attacks the world felt like it had slowed, dragging itself along instead of being in the present. The explosions of rock were simply a dull wane, his heartbeat and breath a steady shield that blocked the noise out.

Ironically, it was moment’s like these Baekhyun felt the most in control. He had never been much of a strategist, the others had proven much more capable in that kind of training than he probably ever would. But somehow it was in these moments when his body burned with adrenaline, his mind only allowed the barest amount of time to dodge, defend, and attack that he actually proved to be capable. Sometimes enough to win a battle.

He couldn’t continue around the platform again. Kyungsoo’s force was so destructive that the second landing now looked like a war zone. If he stopped he would be a free target for Kyungsoo to blast. Launching off the edge would leave him just as vulnerable until he hit the ground; where would he even be able to land?. Almost the entirety of the battle arena had erupted already under Kyungsoo’s manipulation. There wasn’t many options left. I mean, unless you were as crazy as Baekhyun.

“YOU !” He hollered the words as he jumped off the ledge. Despite the dusty haze of the air he could still catch the tiniest smirk that stretched across Kyungsoo’s lips. It was his confident look.

One of the jagged pieces of the arena ground suddenly trembled, then shot straight up into the air; Baekhyun looked down, and watched for a moment the piece of Earth grow to overwhelming size as it hurtled up to meet his feet. He tucked, his body immediately swinging upsidedown from momentum, and brought his hands up over his head. As if he was going to catch the boulder in his palms.

For a fleeting second he could feel his forearms tingle, like cold water was trickling down through the veins. Then white, blinding light burst from his hands. A beam as if it were shot out of a cannon. For a couple of long moments the arena was filled with its brightness, the entire expanse of space made blank. Baekhyun was the single being unaffected; his eyes were blinked open, concentrated on the object before him. The boulder was incinerated from the direct hit, made into nothing more than dust and tiny rock shards. It clouded the air around him, catching against his clothes as gravity took claim over his body once again, pitching him back down toward the ground. The light faded just as soon as it formed. The lines and cracks of the arena grounds took shape once again. So did the single form in the midst of it all, a hand brought up over his eyes.

Baekhyun grinned, angling himself as to fall just above his opponent. This was a rare opportunity. He needed to more faster, faster. One moment, then two, and suddenly they were within a bare few metres of each other. Close enough to reach out and touch. Kyungsoo’s hand retracted a fraction, and they locked gazes. That hint of a grin returned to his face.

A random boulder dug itself into Baekhyun’s side, wrenching him out of range.

“D.O’s win.” Xiumin murmured from the base of his pillar, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips.  

Suho didn’t smile, only staring at the match’s final moments. “This makes you that happy?”

“For now, this place still needs to be cleaned up.” Xiumin grimaced, casting a glance over the mess. It never mattered who the pairs were, even Lay could be put against someone and the arena would never really make it out in one peace.

Thankfully there were keepers, the overseers of training grounds such as these. Usually they were a sorcerer or fairy, and they held complete responsibility over the protection and maintenance over the grounds they held. For this particular arena - or Hagwon if you will - the keeper was Amara, and she was definitely going to kill them for the mess they made.

“Remember, this was all Baek and D.O” Suho didn’t respond to the older with words, but Xiumin could tell he wasn’t close to disagreeing with him.

Suho’s demeanor was calm, collected as it usually was. It was a normal look for the leader. Still, but capable of holding all sorts of expressions and emotions. One just had to be able to know how to read them. Xiumin didn’t recognize this neutral expression held something different today. Something bound tightly and hidden so no one would see; a storm of thoughts.

He wasn’t the only one who felt this way. There was another wolf who shared a similar torrent in his mind, though maybe for a slightly different reason.

“You’re late,” D.O murmured, gently patting down his shirt from dust. There was a slight pause of consideration before he got a reply.

“You could’ve went easier on hyung you know.” Kai grinned as he said the words, a twinkle of mirth in his eyes. He had been late - as usual - but managed to catch the last moments of the match. They started walking through one of the passageways, their steps slow and leisurely.  

The elder raised a brow at the younger “You should hope I don’t do the same to you.”

“Unlike him I can handle myself.”

“What about Sehun?”

“We’re evenly matched, and that hurts my pride. I’ll have to put him in his place one of these days.”

“I’m not talking about combat skills.” Silence. Kai’s gaze stretched ahead. D.O decided to venture further. “How are things between him and the human girl-”

“There’s nothing to tell.” Kai crossed his arms, grinning. “It’s not like I spend much time around those two.”

“You three are together in class. You’ve seen her already.”

Kai’s expression didn’t change from the probe. “A couple times, yeah.”

“Well, what do you think?” Neither took note of when their steps ceased. Standing in the middle of the corridor the silence felt deeper, like a weight that was settling over their shoulders.

“She’s... human. Normal, there isn’t much to say.”

“How is Sehun around her?”

“Silent, maybe a little less frosty but that’s it.”

“That’s all? Nothing more, well- dramatic?”

Kai looked at the latter, a funny look on his face. “Just what were you thinking?” D.O sighed.

“I don’t know. Suho said it was like romantic- attraction right?” The words felt weird these days, foreign in his mouth.

“Well those weren’t his exact words but if you’re willing to generalize then sure.”

D.O sighed, exasperated “She’s his soulmate.”

“And?”

“You don’t think that’s weird?”

Kai leaned against the stone wall, his hands slipping into his pockets. “Do you not believe it’s real?” He asked.

“I’m not the one who imprinted. I wouldn’t know.”

“So you could still believe it?”

“Maybe if I saw them together?” D.O murmured, shaking his head. “What do you think when you see them?”

“It’s still early, but they haven’t gotten far with anything.” Kai smiled, staring off at nothing. “She’s so careful, it’ll be hard to get her to warm up. Especially if we’re hiding things. ”

“There’s no option to fix that. Even if there were it wouldn’t help with anything. She’d most likely try to run away from him.”

There was a slight pause before Kai spoke again. “She’d run. She has that much common sense.”

“How’s it supposed to be love when it’s so one sided? She’ll always have the option to leave because she’s human; Sehun won’t be able to change.”

“Maybe she can learn to love.” Kai murmured softly.

“But he’ll always have to hide the truth from her, then protect her from things she’ll never be able to understand.” D.O spoke, looking at his hands. Kai remained still, the latter’s voice filling the silence around them. “She’ll need to stay separated from the creature world, so where does that leave Sehun? What kind of relationship would it be if he always has to give things up for her?”

“An unorthodox one? They could always enlope.” Kai met his gaze, the corner of his lips upturned.

D.O crossed his arms, a displeased look on his face “That’s not funny.”

“I know, but you don’t need to think so far ahead. It could still turn out okay, we only need time.”

“But how much? They only have a year and a half left of school.”

“I think they’ll get past the awkward friendship phase by then hyung. Especially with my help.”

“And apparently Lay’s help. Speaking of which, since when did he get involved?" D.O asked. Kai swallowed, his jaw tensing then relaxing. It was a fluid movement, discreet enough to almost go unnoticed.

“She got hurt, he healed her.”

“How bad was it?”

“Bad.”

“How did it happen? Who was responsible?”
“Some queenka was trying to pick a fight. She brought a vampire into it. Now we think it’s after Lena.” D.O’s expression went taunt, his eyes going cold.

“Did you catch it?”

“He disappeared, literally. We’ve been looking everywhere, I can’t pick up the scent.” Kai murmured, his expression brooding as he spoke. “At this point the only thing we can do is wait.”

“I could help out if you want, we all could-” Kai was shaking his head before the latter could finish.

“We would attract attention by being so observant of vampires. The less of us involved the better.”

“Be careful though.” D.O spoke slowly.

“Are you concerned for me?” Kai grinned, pointing to his face.

All he received was a deadpan look. “You need to stop doing that.”

“Can’t you just say yes one time?”

“I don’t want to.”

“I know you don’t, that’s why I want you to.” Just like that the weird feeling looming over their heads seemed to start to fade, but that didn’t mean it left their minds.

“Hyung.” Kai said after they had walked a ways. “I think I would believe it.”

D.O looked over at him “What, imprinting?”

Kai met his gaze “I would believe it’s real if I go through it myself.”

“That’s not funny either.”

Kai laughed a little, “I know, and it’s still the truth. That makes it even more terrible.” D.O regarded his pack brother a little more closely, trying to read into his expression. “What would you do if you were him?” Kai asked.

“Why do you want to know?”

“I’m curious. If you imprinted on someone what would you do?”

It was a while before D.O could speak. “I don’t know, maybe what Sehun is doing now?”

“Would you try to avoid it?”

D.O shook his head. “That’s not possible right? Sehun can’t.”

“But would you at least try if it felt like you could?" Kai asked.

“Maybe, or I could just be too ‘in love’ to care anymore. Ask Sehun if you’re curious, but whatever it is you know that imprinting is dangerous.” D.O patted the latter’s shoulder. “If word gets out there’s no telling what could happen.”

Kai didn’t budge underneath his grasp. “But what if it actually feels like it?”  

“Like… love?” D.O asked after a moment, his brows furrowing.

Dark shadows drew long across Kai’s face from the overhead light, making it hard to see his expression “Maybe not exactly, just you know that something is there and it’s getting bigger and harder to not notice, but you never can get what it is-”

“Kai.” D.O held his shoulder more firmly, but his voice remained gentle “What is it?”

“...Sehun’s thoughts are just leaking into my head these days. He can’t really keep anything to himself.” He looked up as he spoke. A grin laid on his lips. D.O stared and stared, trying to read something off the latter’s face. But there was nothing ”Okay.”

“Let’s go.” Kai said, turning. D.O followed, and it was silent for the rest of the way.