'We have to go back. Now.'

Eunhyuk said as he looked into Shindong's eyes.

'Then we mustn't waste any time.' Shindong responded. He was already standing up, brushing off the dirt on the back of his pants.

'We must be off now.'

Eunhyuk nodded. If Donghae personally told them to come back then there must be something bad going on. He just hope it wasn't too something bad. As he began to walk forward he suddenly remembered the other man.

'Um..what about...him..?' Eunhyuk asked. His fingers pointing towards Ryeowook.

'Excuse us.' Shindong began as he looked into Ryeowook's eyes. 'We apologise for the sudden news but we really must be off now.'

'It's an order and we cannot disobey it.'

'Looks like we have to look for the flower some other time.'

'Would you like to come back with us??' Eunhyuk asked. He wasn't sure that it was best leaving the smaller man behind. Especially when he possessed such ability similar to those of his village.

What if what he had suspected earlier was true ?

He couldn't afford to take the risk.

Ryeowook shook his head. Thou the idea may seemed thrilling to him and it was something that he had always dreamt of for so many years, he couldn't just leave the forest out of the blue. He would feel so..out of place.  Plus. What about the other creatures he had made acquaintance with? He couldn't just leave them behind. Who would protect them from harm and danger? Who would watch over the forest in case of any attack from outsiders?

'Thank you.' He then said with a genuine smile.

'But it's best that I stay here.' He continued.

'The forest..is my home.'

'I don't belong anywhere else.' He added.

'I'll be fine. I've always have.'

'But. There would be other people in the village and you'd have so much fun!' Eunhyuk tried to persuade him. 

'Come with us! You can live with me and Shindong hyung.'

Again, Ryeowook shook his head. To be honest, deep down inside, he was scared of leaving the forest behind. He had grown used to the idea of living there and being alone. And thou sometimes he had wished for another person to be arond with him, he was okay with the way things are. Sure, there were times where he would cry because of his sad existence. Where he would sigh because of the same cycle. But the idea of leaving was so scary to him. The forest had been his santuary. The place where he had learn to find comfort in. Who knows what would happened if he ever leave. Plus, he couldn't even remember his past. What if..what if the outside world hurt him? What if he would not fit in? He can't. He had to protect himself. He had to.

'It's okay. It sounds really exciting but I'm better off here.' Ryeowook declined his offer politely.

'Are you sure??' Shindong asked the him. Somehow he was worried about leaving the later behind. It was like he had grown to care for him even though his time knowing him was short.

'I've been living here for so long.' Ryeowook chuckled. 'Of course I'll be okay!'

'Really...you can come with us...' Eunhyuk didn't seemed like he was going to give up. He wanted the smaller man to come along with them. Ryeowook shook his head for the many times that day.

'Okay then.' He finally gave up.

'Be safe okay.'

'It was nice knowing you.' He smiled.

'I will.' Ryeowook responded. 'It was nice knowing you too.'

Shindong and Eunhyuk bid Ryeowook goodbye as they headed East, to where their village was located. Ryeowook watched them from behind silently as he felt a pang inside his heart.

Why was he so afraid of leaving ?

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Eunhyuk smiled widely as they've finally reached their village. As usual, even after so many years, the village never failed to take his breath away. It has always been so beautiful and so amazingly warm that he couldn't think of a better place to live in. Like they said, there are no place like home. Both of them continued their walk in silence as they headed for a large mansion located at the other side of the village.

'We're back.' Eunhyuk blurted out as he entered the main hall of the mansion. Inside, he could see Leeteuk, Kangin and Donghae sitting down on a large sofa near the fire place. He immediately headed to them followed by Shindong from behind.

'Welcome back.' Donghae chirped happily as he welcomed the other with a warm hug.

'I've been so worried.' He added.

'You didn't even send me a message telling me that you're okay.'

'I'm sorry Hae.' Eunhyuk replied him apologetically. 'It's not easy being in the forest and all.'

'We barely had time for anything.'

'How are you Teukie hyung.' He then gave Leeteuk a hug.

'Better as I've always been.' Leeteuk said with a smile. 

'I'm glad you two are alright.'

'So..what seems to be the situation?' Shindong questioned as he sat down next to Kangin. 

'You wouldn't asked us to get back when we haven't found the flower yet for no reason.' He continued as he took a sip of water on his bottle.

'It must be urgent.'

'It is.' Kangin nodded.

'I'm afraid what we've been fearing is about to come true.'

'What? Already?' Shindong frowned.

'What is that guy's problem??!' He beamed angrily.

'He will never be satisfied until he had taken over every part of the land.' Leeteuk uttered to them.

'And our village is the only area he hasn't taken over.'

'He had been planning on it for years.'

'Ever since he'd lost to us so many years ago in the Battle of East.'

'So..what do we do now?' Donghae asked.

'We have no choice but to prepare for war.' Kangin replied him. His eyes showing nothing but determination.

'What are your orders?' He then said as he looked at Leeteuk.

'Call in our riders.' Leeteuk answered simply. They all nodded in response.

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Ryeowook was doing one of his usual stake outs. He had climbed onto a tall tree was looking around the forest. He wasn't sure why but he had a bad feeling that day. Everything was too quiet and too smooth that he felt weird. Even the creatures there were also behaving weirdly. Instead of coming out of their homes and play around or went in search of food like they usually do, they stayed in. This puzzled Ryeowook and it made him realized that something was definitely wrong. From years of living in the forest he had come to learn that the creatures are able to tell when there is going to be danger. Due to this, Ryeowook had been really alert since morning.

Ryeowook continued to observed the forest as he looked everywhere. From left to right to the high mountains and down below. Just, everywhere. He made sure that his eyes had been eveywhere around the forest. It was really important that he looked everywhere so that he was certain that there was no danger coming from that area. As he was beginning to feel hungry, he took a banana he had carried inside his pocket and began peeling it open. He then took a huge bite, his eyes never stop from looking around. Suddenly, he heard loud noises coming from down below. Alert, he hid behind the leaves and looked downward in complete silence.

'Where is he??!' One man yelled out in frustrations.

'Are you sure its this way?' He then asked the man beside him. He was quite smaller compared to him.

Ryeowook noticed that they were both carrying a lot of what he assumed to be weapons. One particular thing amongst the others thou, caught his eyes, it was gold and it had a sharp point to it. He wondered what it was as it was quite eccentric.

'The King himself said that he was left here.' The other man answered as he pointed around the area.

'But it's been years.' His companion uttered in disagreement. He was looking down onto the map he was holding.

'He couldn't possibily be alived could he?'

'Of course it's possible.' Said the smaller man again.

'That boy is no ordinary being.'

'That was the reason why he was left here in the first place.'

Their conversation caught Ryeowook's attention to the fullest that he almost fell down from the tree in shock.

Were they, perhaps...talking about him...?

'I wasn't there when it happened.' The taller man argued.

'So I didn't quite know the full story.'

'Was he that terrible?'

'You have no idea.' The smaller man responded. His eyes showing nothing but hatred as he remembered the past.

'That kind of being..should be rid of to the deepest part of the earth and be burned alive.' He continued as he grunted his teeth.

'Well, watered..whatever....'

'The most important thing is that the sooner we find him the better...'

'..so we can destroy him immediately...'

Ryeowook was completely stunned. He wasn't sure if they were really talking about him but who else could it possibly be?? He was the only human being living inside the forest. Everything else was either magical creatures or just plain animals.

Wait.

Does that mean that they know of his past?

But why are they planning to kill him??

Without any fear whatsoever, Ryeowook jumped down from the tree and stood in front of them. He then looked straight into their eyes simultaneously. The two men in front of him step backward a bit, shocked at his sudden appearance.

'So, you've finally decided to show yourself?' The smaller man of the two said to him after a few moments of silence and after realization of who Ryeowook was came to him. A huge smirk  formed on his face and his tone was sarcastic.

'You didn't think, I didn't know that you were listening to us this whole entire time??' He chuckled evilly as he stared into Ryeowook's eyes.

'I knew you'd come out sooner or later.'

Ryeowook said nothing but he continued to observed them.

'What, living the forest for 12 years made you deaf is that it??' The taller man uttered. His face showing detest towards the person standing in front of him.

'Who are you?' Ryeowook finally said. His eyes piercing them. It made shivers ran down their spines slightly as they noticed how Ryeowook was looking at them intensely. It was as if they were some sort of preys or something.

'We've come here, on the order of the King.' The taller man answered proudly.

'The most powerful King of the century.'

'The one who rules every part of the land there is.'

'The Great King Rubius, The Third.'

'What is your purpose coming here??' Ryeowook questioned, clearly uninterested hearing about this King of theirs. His brows raising.

'Don't pretend you don't know.' The smaller man chuckled. He was holding the gold thing Ryeowook saw earlier upwards.

'I know you've heard everything we said.'

'Get lost.' Ryeowook merely responded.

'I'm afraid we can't do that kid.' The taller man answered.

'Now!' He then yelled out loud to his partner.

It happened so quickly that Ryeowook had no time to think. He didn't even realized that the gold thing was already piercing his chest. He managed to step back a bit so the wound wasn't that big but it was surprisingly painful. Like he had been stabbed a thousand times. He quickly pushed the attacker onto the ground hard and leaped backwards. He then held his chest as he tried to withstand the pain. He needed to protect himself.

'How dare you.' Ryeowook beamed in anger and fury. He stared into their eyes deeply.

The smaller man in front of him only laughed with satisfaction.

'Ouh that was nothing.' He said.

'That was just a welcoming gift.'

'I'm going to give you more after this.'

'You're going to pay.' Ryeowook uttered calmly. However, his eyes was slowly turning crimson red. He had never felt this much hatred in a long time. It was as if something inside of him was slowly coming out and he felt like he was going to explode any time.

'You've got no chance kid.' The taller man blurted out. Unaware of Ryeowook's change of behaviour.

'Even if you do escape from us, there will be many that will come and hunt you down.'

'And they won't ever stop until you are destroyed completely.'

Ryeowook said nothing back as his eyes turned completely crimson red.

'BURN.'

He simply blurted out and immdiately, the two men in front of him disippated into ashes, leaving absolutely nothing behind.

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Thanks for reading!