It was colder than it should have been that time of the year, and Junsu tugged his coat closer to his body in a vain attempt to warm himself. Often he questioned why he even agreed to this in the first place. It was not ever in his plan to leave the Bejewelled City of Etansel. It was safe inside, non-Jumi were restricted access, and everyone lived in harmony.

The Trinity be damned, all Junsu wanted was to stay and not have to ever leave Etansel.

He should never had eavesdropped on the what was left of the Trinity’s conversation. Now he was honor-bound to this quest against his will. He looked out into the darkening path ahead of him. Etansel shone with an internal light source from the various gems that built the city, off this road it was going to be a dirt until he reached Luon Highway that would bring him first to Domina and then finally to Geo where he hope would end this silly quest.

His laid a hand on his Zoisite core and took a step forward. It was the screaming behind him that held the second step back.

“Hey! Wait for me!”

Surprised, Junsu whirled around to see one of the youngest Jumi in Etansel. Amethyst was running towards him, her short violet hair flapping violently behind her. She struggled to keep her massive sledgehammer strapped on her back, and Junsu inwardly groaned.

“Hey! Wait!”

Junsu palmed his face and scratched the back of his neck. “What do you want kid?”

Amethyst scrunched up her face. “Take me with you! You’re going to Geo, right? My sister is there! She needs a Warder.”

Junsu kneeled down on the ground, “Kid, you’re thirteen. You’re not a Warder. Aqua doesn’t exactly need a Warder either, she’s in the pursuit of knowledge, I’m sure Pan is taking good care of her over there.”

“Don’t call me kid,” she whined, tugging harder at the sleeves of his tunic. “I can fight, and you can train me. I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to be a warder.”

“You have three years to decide. Stay here and be good okay?”

“No!”

The guardian dropped his head in defeat and looked out into the road ahead. It was too dangerous to take anyone with him but he also knew there was no way he was going to get rid of Amethyst. His goal was to get to Geo as quickly as he could, and taking another person with him was only going to attract unnecessary attention on them both. “There are Jewel Hunters out there,” he warned, “We can’t risk it.”

“We’ll be careful!”

“No, you’re not going and that’s final.”

“Fine, don’t take me with you. I’ll still leave even without you!” Amethyst declared, taking a step forward and beyond the boundaries of Etansel. She marched along the road, hands gripped tight on the straps of her sledgehammer.

Sighing in defeat, Junsu followed after her, taking slower, tired steps. The Trinity was not going to approve of this, and he was certain he was facing something more than he had bargained for as well. He could clearly remember the conversation he had heard. At first it was mere curiosity, he had stumbled upon a meeting and his inquiring mind had gotten the best of him. Anything the Trinity spoke of, was of interest to him.

There were three members of the Trinity: Esmeralda, Sappho, and Ruby, three sisters who watched over what remained of the tribe; they were the Clarius’ counsel. Junsu found the need for a Trinity ridiculous, their Clarius, Khun, had been missing for almost a year, there was no one left for them to counsel- unless of course they had been dealing with Pearl and her Warder Taecyeon. Junsu shook his head, while Pearl and Taecyeon both believed Khun to be alive and in hiding, he believed the Jumi of Kunzite to be dead. A Clarius who could not cry for his people was dead to him.

“Ruby is searching for the Clarius, she should find him soon enough.”

“It has been months and still we have received no word from her.”

“You should not have let her go. She knows something about the Clarius and Helios. He did not die from an accident, it was not the doing of a jewel thief.”

“Then what do you suggest we do?”

It was a small snippet of conversation, but it held more information than Junsu understood. He knew that to be true as well. He had his doubts about the news of Helios’ death and Khun’s disappearance. Now here he was finding the truth himself, granted, his orders were to find Ruby and bring her back.

The road to Geo was not going to be easy and there was no assurance that Ruby would even be there. Geo was the city of knowledge, universities, libraries and research facilities, stood at every corner, it was where people would go to seek the answers to the questions they had. Amethyst’s elder sister Aquamarine was there together with Pan. He understood the child’s worry, but there was no need to do so. As of yet, Geo has been free from the attacks of jewel thieves.

Amethyst sang loudly as she skipped along the road that lead to the highway. It was an old folk song about travels and what adventures one may find. Junsu didn’t listen. He had no interest in traveling or adventuring.

Days had already passed, and the sun was setting in the distance when they reached the end of the road leading to the center intersection of Luon and Junsu knew it was time to set camp. He called the young one over and pulled out the tent and sleeping bags from his pack. Unbeknownst to him, eyes had been watching him as he set up camp. Golden eyes that followed his every move, centering on his chest, though covered with his thick cloak, shone with a light that glowed through the fabric.

On the hard-packed dirt of Luon Highway, empty road stretched out for miles. Edge led the way, followed by Reise next to him. The two monster hunters spoke in hushed tones, looking behind them towards Wooyoung and Lux every so often and then continuing their conversation. The boy strained his ears to listen to what they were talking about, but he heard nothing.

Lux trudged behind him, dragging her feet and muttering to herself. Wooyoung slowed his pace and walked in time with the girl. No one has said a word to him regarding their destination or the reason why Lux was even dragged along. He had been meaning to ask, but he found no words for them- at least none that would ensure him honest answers.

Several stray monsters blocked their paths, but they were easily dealt with by Edge who always seemed like he wanted more of the monsters to come by them. Wooyoung was more wary of the two men now, though Lux appeared complacent- but then again, Lux always seemed complacent no matter what.

“Do you know where we’re going?” he finally asked.

“Geo, weren’t you listening?”

“I know that much, but why are we going there?”

Lux shrugged, “They’re on the way to where I need to go, that’s good enough for me.”

Dusk settled into the sky and Wooyoung looked upwards as clouds turned into a darker shade of blue and violet. Edge and Reise showed no signs of stopping to set camp- they didn’t appear to be tired and the more they walked, the more Wooyoung was convinced that they were going to walk all night long.

“Why do you need to go to Geo?”

“I don’t know,” Lux confessed, “I just know I have to. I can’t believe I forgot about it.”

When Lux had stopped mentioning Geo almost a month ago, he believed it was because she had completely adapted to living in Domina and that whatever was in Geo didn’t matter as much. Come to think about it, Wooyoung didn’t know as much about Lux either. “What did they tell you?” he asked, motioning over to the two men with his head.

“They’d take me to Geo?”

He narrowed his eyes doubtfully at her. “Lux,”

“It’s not safe in Domina?”

“Why not? What were those two dead people anyway? Was it really the Jewel Thief? Why wouldn’t it be safe-” Realization dawned on him and he covered his mouth with his hand. “You?” he mouthed pointing at her chest and at the two other men.

Lux rolled her eyes but nodded anyway. Wooyoung’s mouth opened and closed as he processed his new found knowledge. He grumpily shifted his cloak around his shoulders, he was tired but at least he was used to walking. At least now he was getting his adventure. It was what he wanted, though he couldn’t seem to ignore the growing damp, cold, and fog. He was now traveling with three Jumi, and he didn’t know if he was happy about it or not. He had heard many myths about them, stories passed on from different mouths and generations. He didn’t know which stories to believe. Some elders had spoke about the Jumi with spite and disgust, others with fear and loathing. One thing remained constant among all the stories, and that was that their cores were more valuable than the Jumi themselves.

“Is it safer in Geo?”

“Who knows. I’m just hoping that when I get there I’ll remember what I’m supposed to be doing. Reise says that no one leaves Etansel without a Focus, I’m still trying to remember mine. Did I not say anything when you found me?”

“Only that you had to get to Geo. You didn’t even remember why you were in the outskirts in the first place.”

Lux pressed her lips tight as she thought carefully about the day she met Wooyoung. “Maybe getting to Geo will help me remember.”

“What’s in Geo anyway?”

Wooyoung collided against something hard and he rubbed his forehead as Edge stared him down. Reise looked over his shoulder and glanced him and at Lux, “Geo is the center of knowledge. Walk more, talk less. We’ll reach the center intersection by midnight, we can set camp there if you wish.”

Edge continued to lead the way, and Wooyoung was left to trust that he knew where they were going. The fog swirled around Wooyoung’s knees, hiding his feet, and obscuring everything for yards around him. By now he could barely make out his companions. Roots tripped him, vines and brambles snagged at his legs, sudden dips in the earth had him falling where he expected firm ground, or had him walking against sudden rises while he continued walking.

He peered into the darkness, now wary of the darkening road. It was not safe to travel at night. He knew not of what could be after him and his companions, of what could be hiding at every bush or boulder they pass by. Bandits were sure to loiter around, preying on unsuspecting travelers.

Wooyoung’s hand twitched by his side. All he had to protect himself was a pair of tonfas given to him by a traveler he met when he was a young boy. He had trained very briefly under the wanderer, enough to know how not to hurt himself, but he didn’t think it would be enough to fight against more experienced fighters.

He hoped that there wouldn’t be a need to fight.

On they walked until they finally reached their destination. Reise estimated a few more yards until the intersection, and Wooyoung picked up his pace, ready to rest. What they saw at the intersection however, was not what they had expected.

Two tents were set up, but there were more people than what the tents could hold. Four adults surrounded a man and a child. None of them drew weapons though each of them had one strapped somewhere on their bodies. Edge and Reise stepped forward, both with a sense of urgency and alarm.

The man that appeared to be their leader with the way all the other three regarded him was a short man with crescent shaped eyes and stars tattooed on his neck. Wooyoung focused on the large battle axe on the other man’s back as he spoke.

“There’s more. Looks like it’s a good night for us.”

One of the females smirked, “Looks like Setsuko’s a lucky charm after all,” she said, motioning to the other female with copper red hair.

The one they called Setsuko laid a hand on the katana on her waist. “Don’t be too arrogant Pierce,”

The last one, a tall man also with copper red hair turned to their leader, “Jay, that one’s human.”

Wooyoung took a nervous step back as all four turned towards him with heavy stares. It didn’t take long for Wooyoung to infer that the other two in the middle of the group were Jumi as well.

“Hunters,” Edge seethed, drawing his weapon and pointing it at them.

“What are Hunters?” Wooyoung asked Lux who was now standing in front of him.

“They hunt Jumi,” Reise answered, “They take their cores and use them however they want. They are scum.”

Jay laughed, “Us? You’re the ones made from dirt.”

“Then why hunt our cores if they’re nothing more but dirt?”

“Reise, less talking more fighting,” Edge cracked his knuckles and his neck and swung his sword from side to side.

“I think we need to fall back for now,” said the tallest from the Hunter group.

“Scared Chansung?” Pierce asked, drawing her gunblade.

Chansung shook his head, “Just being clearheaded. There’s another one hiding behind there,” he pointed at a large boulder, “There are too many for us to handle,”

Wooyoung looked behind him and peered through the thick mist but he saw nothing. When he turned back towards his companions, Edge was already in the middle of an exchange with Jay, and the other man was pulling the child away.

Junsu knew better than to stay in the middle of a fight, and he picked Amethyst up by the waist, intent on hiding for now. The child flailed and screamed about, but Junsu didn’t let her go. She was the easiest target for the Hunters, and he didn’t think the only other fighter in the other group could protect them all.

The two female Hunters surrounded him and Amethyst, and he stepped back as they walked closer. “I don’t know what Chansung’s talking about. This is like taking candy from a baby,” Pierce drawled.

Setsuko agreed with her this time, and drew her katana, “I can’t promise you won’t feel a thing,”

Junsu clamped his hand over Amethyst’s eyes, and muttered an incantation. He couldn’t fight them, but he could cast defensive spells at least.

Two swords attacked him, and slabs of ground lifted, creating a dome over him and the young girl. The strikes from the swords and the vibrations from the gunblade hacked away pieces of earth from the dome he created. Amethyst held her sledgehammer tightly in her hands, awaiting the Hunters to pass through the earth shield.

Reise stayed as far away from the fighting as he could, dusting off the dirt that landed on his robes. Hunters may have been a serious threat, but he sensed no more than the four he saw present. Edge was dealing with the two men at the same time, and a shield or a gust of wind was adequate enough to assist the Warder. “What’s taking you so long, Edge? We’re behind schedule already!”

Edge grunted profanities in response and continued to slash at the two men. Wooyoung had his tonfas ready, but he was frozen on the spot unsure of how to help, or if he could.

The earth shield was now half its size, and though Junsu rebuilt it, it was taking more time and energy, and being torn down faster than he could rebuild it.

“Hey!”

Pierce and Setsuko both looked behind them where Lux was. The Jumi held a knife with a jewel hilt in each hand, and stared each Hunter in the eye. “You brought a knife to a sword fight?” Pierce scoffed, turning towards the Jumi.

Before any of them could reply, a bright ray of light surrounded each of the Jumi, blinding the Hunters and causing them to retreat. Wooyoung, however, could see through the light, and he found its source from behind the boulder. As the Jumi settled in the middle of the intersection, he walked towards the light source and as Chansung had said, another Jumi hid behind it.

She had flaming red hair and fiery eyes, yet she looked like lost puppy instead of anything intimidating. “Is it over?”

“Ruby?” Junsu didn’t think it would have been that easy finding the other third of the Trinity. He ran towards her, pulling her by the arm. “I was sent to look for you?”

“Me? What for?”

“Ruby? From the Trinity?” Reise walked up to the pair with a confused expression on his face, “What’s going on?”

Answers were ready as soon as camp for both groups were reset. They sat in a circle in front of a bonfire, the only thing fire-related that Ruby could produce. Wooyoung sat in between Lux and Amethyst, waiting for someone to begin explaining.

“We’re on our way to Geo,” Reise began, rolling his eyes as Edge yawned already. “We’ve heard there was sanctuary there for Jumi.”

“I’m on my way to Geo, too.” Ruby echoed.

“No, you’re on your way back to Etansel.” Junsu argued.

“No, we’re going to Geo!” Amethyst cut in, “We have to go to Geo!”

“Will someone please take that child away?” said Reise, grimacing as he looked at the Jumi of Amethyst who stuck out her tongue and pulled down one of her eyes.

“We’re all going to Geo then,” Ruby clapped her hands together as if she didn’t hear what Junsu had said.

Wooyoung’s head was spiraling, “Can we please start from the beginning? Who were those people and what’s going on?”

Edge rolled his shoulders and yawned again, “We can knock him out and leave him here.”

Reise nodded thoughtfully considering the idea. “It seems we’re all headed towards the same direction. I would suggest we travel together, there is safety in numbers, but know there are rules you need to follow should you travel with us.”

Ruby clapped her hands again and Junsu groaned. “Maybe we should introduce ourselves first. My name is Ruby,”

“My name is Amethyst, and Mr. Grumpy is Junsu.”

“Reise,”

“Edge,”

Junsu’s eyes focused on the monster hunters, “Your real names?”

A ghost of a smile appeared on Reise’s face, “Morrigan, this is Jarandros.”

“Morganite and Malachite,” Wooyoung heard Lux whisper. “I’m Lux,” she said out loud, “This is Wooyoung.”

“Is Sanctuary all that brings you to Geo?” Ruby asked.

Reise nodded, “There has been a jewel thief in Domina where we were staying. We found Lux there, he,” his nose wrinkled as he regarded Wooyoung, “tagged along.”

Wooyoung suddenly felt like he was unwelcome, although he had a feeling he never was in the first place. He turned to Lux who, like Edge, wasn’t listening to what Ruby, Junsu, and Reise were talking about. He heard snippets of avoiding Hunters along the way, but that was all he understood. Moments later they were sent to their tents to sleep, but sleep for Wooyoung was elusive.

He had left Domina for wherever his companions were off to. He huddled under his blankets and tried to calm his mind. Flashbacks of the run-in with the Hunters invaded his mind, and he felt frustrated at being unable to do anything then. He forced himself to calm down, but sleep was too far away.

did you find yourself already? anyway, yeah. sorry (no, not really) for the delay?