"Hana, this is Ara. Ara, this is Hana."

Hana took a good look at the Faery in front of her. She was gorgeous, and Hana had not remembered anyone prettier than her. The woman looked no older than twenty years old, her green eyes filled with knowledge and wisdom that she achieved as time came.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Jung. I am Ara, the Priestess of the Faery Court."

Hana nodded and smiled at her. She seemed so indifferent about her surroundings, even though she, alone, was standing against a dozen of highly skilled vampires. The Faery didn't smile, nor did she frown. Her face was peaceful, without fear and doubt, or happiness and joy.

"I am Hana. Just call me Hana, please."

Jaejoong stepped by her side and held her hand. That simple gesture didn't escape Ara's eyes. Hana, the girl, didn't seem to enjoy the display of affection. She didn't pull away, though.

"Lady Ara can help you to figure out your inner ability, and she has agreed to help in your training, as well."

Hana's eyes found their way back to Ara and she nodded gratefully.

"I'll leave the two of you alone, then?" Jaejoong looked at Hana and signaled the others to follow him. The room Hana was in was an indoor training space, empty and huge. There was a lot of pillars which she could use to hide.

"Lady Jung?" Ara lifted her hand and asked for Hana's. Hana laughed a little and shook her head, "Just Hana, Lady Ara. Call me Hana, since I will be your apprentice in this training."

"Very well. Give me your hand and I shall show you... your inner self. Your hidden ability, your deepest secret. I will help you unlock them one by one," Ara's sharp eyes reminded Hana to Kris' intimidating one. They held a little resemblance to each other, with pointy ears (-which Ara hid beneath the hair) and sharp, observing eyes.

Hana carefully lifted her hand, and Ara caught them, feeling in the extreme coldness from the low body temperature. Her eyebrows were furrowed together in concentration, and it took her a good long while before she finally opened her eyes, wide in whatever emotion swirling inside them.

"Yes?" Hana asked, a little bit unsure when Ara let go of her hand. The Faery smiled thinly, and tucked her hair behind her ear. Her hands twitched a little, probably the after effect of the reading process.

"How convenient, my Lady. You are gifted with a very dangerous gift. Very dangerous, yet very useful," Ara spoke, taking her time with each words. This was also, another habit Hana had noticed about the Faeries. They liked taking their sweet time with every little thing. "You have the elemental red fire on your hand."

"Fire?" Hana asked, her eyes wide in fear. "I control fire?"

"Flames, yes," Ara gave her one sweet glance. Her smile quickly turned to a small frown when Hana seemed unsatisfied with her ability. Unsatisfied, or just scared. Not a lot of people controlled elemental ability because they tended to get out of control for newborns. Even less users got the gift of fire, one of the most dangerous elemental beside water.

"Don't you think it's fitting for a future Queen like you?"

Hana looked down in shyness. She still wasn't quite used to people bowing down at her and calling her respectful names. She was reminded of how bad human treated her before, and how Miyoung would always be the one to defend her all the time. Speaking of Miyoung, she hadn't seen the chatty girl for a long time now...

"Do you think it fits me, then?" Hana asked back in a very careful manner. She didn't want to come off to strong, or too weak. Her big, curious eyes stared at Ara's green eyes, waiting for a reply that wouldn't disappoint her.

"Are you looking for an answer to please yourself or the truth?" Ara's words were as sharp as her eyes. Hana felt herself reddened and she looked down to conceal her embarrassment. "Neither. I don't want either one of them."

"Then let's start the training. Time wasted is a crime," Ara gave her a side glance and took two steps back. "For this training, you must not use whatever physical strength you have against me. We are training you emotionally, mentally, not physically. If you do start attacking me..." She trailed off with eyes twinkling with something Hana couldn't quite make off. She knew, then, that Ara was not one to mess with.

"What should I do, then? I've... never had fire emitted from my body before," Hana said, looking at her own hands like they were a separate part from her body.

"Have you seen an elemental user?" Ara walked very slowly, keeping a very careful distance while circling around her in a dangerous position. If they were to fight physically, Hana would be at a great disadvantage here. "Lord Sehun? Lord Kris?"

Hana had somehow known Sehun was an elemental user, but Kris? She shook her head and listened on.

"Then, you should know the basic rule of an elemental user is to never lose control of their emotion. It will destroy everyone around you," Ara draw a small dagger from the back of her long, flowing white dress. Hana watched the tip of her dagger, being played on Ara's hand like it was a plastic toy.

"You have to have some anger within you, though, just don't lose control," Ara threw her dagger all of a sudden, missing Hana's eyes by barely a few inches had she not moved. Hana felt blood pouring out from the slice on her ear, and she looked at Ara in horror.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The girl hissed and wiped the blood away harshly. The wound quickly healed itself.

"No good," Ara made a 'tck' sound and drew another dagger, ready to throw. "Now, Hana, what color do you see when you're angry? Focus that color in your hand and throw it at me." Hana paused in a short moment to think about the nonsensical question, but Ara wanted no divided attention. So she threw another dagger so fast that it hurt Hana on the arms.

"So slow, Princess. Have I taken you seriously,you would be dead by now," Ara taunted in purpose. She saw how Hana's expression became extremely grim, and she stopped talking. Instead of focusing all her anger on her hands, Hana ran forward and tried to punch Ara on the face.

"What.did.I.say.about.physical.fight?" Ara easily dodged the punch and grabbed Hana's hand, throwing her off balance and onto the cold, hard ground. She could hear something breaking, but she could care less. Faeries were known to be very patient, but it wasn't true at all. There was only so much that could break the thin limits of patience.

"You threw two freaking daggers at me!" Hana yelled, her eyes red in anger.

"Because you're slow, stubborn and arrogant. You refuse to listen, and you're extremely emotional. Focus on your hand and pour out your emotion to them," Ara spoke it as if it was as easy as one, two, three.

Hana felt insulted, of course. She stared at her hand again, this time with determination and madness. If there was anything she could do to wipe off that cold, expressionless face on Ara, Hana would be glad.

Slowly, her hand glowed. Bright red. Fire. Flame. She squealed in glee, but then the flame was gone as soon as it appeared.

"Not enough," Ara withdrew showing her lean, skinny back to Hana. The way she moved was so, very graceful. "It is not enough, Hana. I need to see more from you."

Hana jumped back and focused on her hands when she saw Ara was ready to strike again.

Throw. Ara's voice rang as clearly in Hana's head. The red flame engulfed her whole arms, but she felt no pain. And she tried to throw the flame to Ara, like throwing a basketball on her, but much stronger in comparison.

Ara dodged the throw and landed gently on a spot nearby. A soft smile graced her lips and Hana found herself slowly softening to the girl.

"That's a start," the Faery appreciatively nodded at the girl. "Let's do it again."

***

Sehun and Kris were sporting the outskirts of the forest, where they pinpointed at the area more vulnerable than the other. All of them had agreed that this forest should be a temporary fortress until the war reached a stop.

"Something doesn't feel quite right," Kris reached the back of his neck and rubbed it. As a Faery, his sense of nature was much more complex. He could feel that something was off with the surrounding. The trees were trying to tell something and from Sehun's expression, Kris knew he felt it, too.

"The wind is troubled," was all he could say. Sehun reached out his hand and caressed the air. "It tells me to be careful, enemies are reaching fast."

Kris' hands grabbed his blade seethe, ready for attack anytime soon. His eyes were dangerously wild, searching for preys in the faraway distance. The trees started making a noise against each other, and to that, Sehun feared for the worst.

"The Elders," he lifted up his hands in defense position. His sword was within hand's reach but he didn't pull it out. "One of them is coming. !" Sehun pulled Kris along and jumped. The root latched itself to the tree and slit up like a snake, before it got pulled back down again.

Kris took out his blade and sliced the trees' branched that tried to entangle itself to him, muttering curses in a language only he knew. Sehun landed with a soft thump, creating a wind barrier to himself and pulled out the sword, finally. The sword was his arms length, light and very sharp.

"If it isn't the betrayer of our clan..." A high pitched voice broke through the silence of the forest.

Two figures appeared with dark, almost black robes. Lee Junjin and Seo In Guk, the usual pair of the Elders. One was gifted with the earth element, and the other, to control trees. Swiftly, Junjin lifted his hands, and two trees closed in together, despite the size and the hard ground beneath. Such was his power, that the whole ground shook, and the two Fallens had to jump out again to avoid the trees.

"You take the other one," Kris instructed Sehun, "I will personally take the tree-wielder."