Before Sanggyun could say a word, Yooncheol stood in front of him blocking him of his view of Aelena, who just got out of the cave. "Was there something in the cave that you couldn’t handle yourself?" Yooncheol hissed.

 

"Pardon me?"

 

"Came out for help? Need someone to use again to get your hands on the flower?

 

"What are you talking about?"

 

"We know about your secret. About your dark sickness," Yooncheol narrowed his eyes, while Aelena’s widened.

 

She turned to Sanggyun for explanation, but Yooncheol blocked out her view of him. "Sanggyun, you told them?"

 

"He didn’t. A man told us. He also told us what your real intention of the flower," Hansol said solemnly.

 

"What would that be?"

 

"What else could it be? You plan to use it to cure your own sickness! You’ve been just using us to get your hands on it. You never had the intention of bringing it back to the King!" Yooncheol said full of scorn.

 

"What are you talking about? I would never do such a thing. I swore my loyalty to the King and his Kingdom," Aelena tried to convince them.

 

"Why should believe you? You could be just acting right now to gain our trust. And once you have it, you’ll betray us for your own benefit with the flower."

 

"I shall not!" Aelena screamed, determined in her own belief.

 

"I believe you, Aelena-noona. I have confidence that you aren’t here to betray us," Sanggyun stepped out from behind Yooncheol. And he ran towards her.

 

"Sanggyun-ah..," said Hansol. Aelena smiled softly. She was relief that someone believes her.

 

"Tch, I’m keeping an eye on you."

 

"I don’t know what to believe, but right now you’re hurt. And if I could only heal you," Hansol said. "What happened in there? Did you find it?"

 

"How about the monsters? You killed them all, right? That’s why you’re all bruised up?" the youngest asked. He was hoping that Aelena already found the flower and defeated all the beasts inside.

 

"I did encounter one and defeated it. However, when I reached the end of the cave, and there was no sight of the flower."

 

"I don’t believe you," Yooncheol scowled. "You already have it don’t you?"

 

Sanggyun and Hansol gave a worried look.

 

"Most certainly not!"

 

"Then you don’t mind if we search you?"

 

"Go ahead," Aelena said firmly. She would’ve refused the search as it offended her dignity, but had to do it. Among them, only Sanggyun believed her; she had to prove them that she wasn’t what they accuse of her.

 

Yooncheol searched the contents of her satchels, her hood, and her body. Even though he was upset in Aelena, he blushed and felt awkward searching her body. He couldn’t let Sanggyun touch her, because it might feed onto his imaginations. And he didn’t want Hansol to do it either, because Yooncheol thought he might not do it properly. Sanggyun was young, and Hansol was soft to search properly.

 

After the search, he didn’t find anything. "I didn’t find anything on her, but that doesn’t me she’s off the hook. We have to go in, and find the flower."

 

"Didn’t you hear what she said? It wasn’t there. We don’t have to go in."

 

"That’s what she said, but we have to make sure. Nothing wrong with checking it twice, right?"

 

"But!.." Sanggyun kept thinking of an excuse to not go in. He was scared, but part of him was dissatisfied that the flower wasn’t in there. It has to be there, he thought reluctantly.

 

"No ‘buts’! Beside four people is better than one. We’ll be done in no time, and we’re all together so nothing can happen," Yooncheol assured Sanggyun.

 

-- -- -- -- --

 

"Can’t I just wait outside?" Hansol quivered in fear.

 

"Me, too. I’ll come with Hansol-hyung," Sanggyun agreed.

 

Yooncheol looked around and said, "Man up! Now focus!"

 

"Hmph," Hansol and Sanggyun said together as they clung onto each other’s arm.

 

They had entered the dark cave determined to find the flower. This time they were only afraid of the dark. They believed that Aelena already killed all of the monsters inside, but that didn't put their mind at ease. Just like back in the real world, they’re scared of ghosts, and they wouldn’t think of wanting to see one there. Who knew what kind of ghost or spirit that could appear.

 

"Oh..," Hansol whimpered. Then a hand touched his shoulder, and he let out a shriek, "Ahh!"

 

"What what!"

 

"I apologize that was me. I was trying to give you comfort. Do not worry, I shall be here if anything happens," Aelena smiled in assurance. This gesture put him on ease for a bit.

 

Everyone walked slowly, checking every corner of the cave for the flower. They kept looking for it until they reached the end of the cave. At the end of the cave, there was a hole in the ceiling, so the moonlight was seeping from it. The moonlight was shining down, but there was nothing to shine at. It was empty.

 

"It’s empty," the three friends said together. They all searched every corner of the area, but it was bare; not a single hint of plants that could’ve grown there.

 

"So.. It really was just a myth.. That there is no such thing as ‘Lily of Valley’..," Hansol said gloomily.

 

Everyone was dejected. They thought that everything they went through would be worth it as soon as they find the flower, but now it was all for nothing; just an empty space. They were too disappointed to say something.

 

MInutes had passed, and they kept standing there, staring into space. Disheartened Sanggyun slumped his shoulders as he headed back to the exit and said, "This stinks. Let’s just go home."

 

Everyone was already on their way out when a voice stopped them from doing so.

 

"Leaving already?"

 

They all turned around and let out a gasp. Aelena groaned. A man, wearing a long dark robe, was holding her by her hair on one hand, and a dagger on her neck on the other. The three quickly grabbed their daggers.

 

"Who are you?" Yooncheol demanded.

 

"My my. Let us not be hasty. I am just merely helping you all find the precious item you are looking for. I am still the same man that warned you prior to your entering of this cave."

 

"What are you talking about? Sanggyun asked. "This is the first time of us seeing you." The man smiled, and Sanggyun suddenly realized it. "Don’t tell me you’re the elf we met at the entrance."

 

"An elf, how rude. But then again, I do not mind as I can transform myself into anything I desire."

 

"What are you doing? Let Aelena-noona go!" Hansol said trying to hide his fear.

 

"I am just trying to do you three a favour. Wondering why the flower is not there, where it could have been?"

 

"What’s that got to do with Aelena-noona?" the youngest asked.

 

"A simple answer for your obvious question: Her." Everyone crunched their eyebrows in confusion. "I already warned you earlier, that this girl is after the flower. Was it not her who went in this cave first?"

 

"She said it wasn’t in here when she came back."

 

"And you believed her? Could you have thought that she hid it somewhere?"

 

"We already searched her and the whole place thoroughly, even on the way here."

 

"Could you have thought she already used it?"

 

"It’s a flower what can she do with it?"

 

"You will be surprised with the things it can do," the man smirked.

 

"I don’t believe you," Sanggyun scowled.

 

"I don’t know," Yooncheol whispered glaring.

 

"Oh you can’t be believing this man’s words, Hyung!"

 

"You do not believe me? Would you want me to show you what happened to her sickness?" the man said still smirking.

 

"Do not dare touch me!" Aelena demanded. She kept struggling from him, but he’s strongly grasping onto her hair. His grip was hurting her; the longer she struggled, the more she hurt herself.

 

When no one said anything for a moment, the man started to undress Aelena, He put his dagger on his mouth and grabbed Aelena’s hood first.

 

"Don’t touch her!"

 

"Do not touch me!"

 

Sanggyun and Aelena said simultaneously.

 

The man stopped. "Would you not want to find out that she did not use it for herself?"

 

"No! What you are you trying to do! Let her go!" Sanggyun shouted. He held onto his dagger and ran toward the man.

 

"Uh uh," the man quickly took his dagger from his mouth and pointed it down Aelena’s neck. "Even just a peek on her shoulder would be enough, would it not?"

 

Sanggyun clenched his teeth. He was getting angrier. He could not believe what the man was saying. The man didn’t know Aelena, yet how could he do such a thing to her. A part of Sanggyun want understand at what the man was trying to say; just a look or peek at Aelena’s sickness would clear all of these misunderstandings. However, he couldn’t. He couldn’t let her go through that. Not only it hurt her for physically forcing her to show it, but also it hurt Aelena’s dignity. It would also hurt her pride.

 

Aelena had dedicated everything she did for the King and the Kingdom. Doubting her and doing the search on her, hurt her dignity. It hurt her, because all her devotion and loyalty were being questioned. She had given her all into helping what was good for the everyone, but all she got for return was doubt and suspicion. It hurt her, but even with all hands were pointing at her, she was glad that Sanggyun believed her.

 

She had agreed and put up with the search Yooncheol had on her earlier, but doing it again on her skin this time she had to refuse. It wasn’t right; by her honor and her being.

 

Sanggyun understood Aelena. He believed her sincerity in everything she did. He believed she wouldn’t save herself, costing the Kingdom’s life with all the people.

 

"No! Hyungs, let’s stop him!"

 

"I say, we let him," Yooncheol said.

 

"No! Hansol-hyung!"

 

Hansol didn’t say anything, he just gripped his dagger tighter.

 

Sanggyun screamed in anger and frustration. The man laughed. He was enjoying this, and it irritated Sanggyun, so he started to move forward with his dagger. But, he was stopped from his track when the man pulled Aelena closer.

 

"Now now, I can just as easily hurt her as you come any closer.  Why do you believe that she did not use it for herself? How can you be so sure of that?

 

"I just do! Now, let her go!"

 

"You still have faith in her just like you did the earlier we met. I do not understand. All we need is to see her to prove her innocence, therefore, why do you object the idea of it?"

 

"Because she doesn’t need to prove anything!"

 

"We have to see it!" Yooncheol said.

 

"Just let him, Sanggyun-ah, and this is all be over," Hansol said.

 

"No!" the youngest firmly objected. "I’ve had enough of this!" Sanggyun recklessly dashed toward the man with his dagger. He knew the man had Aelena at dagger point, but he had to do something.

As soon as Sanggyun was closer, he swang his dagger toward the man, and then a bright light suddenly shone behind Aelena.