Yifan felt weak. Not emotionally, of course, since he was always going to be the cold-hearted second leader of EXO; but that didn't mean he was invincible physically. When he woke up to Jongdae's screaming one morning and shifted to get out of bed, he was quick to realize how slow his body had become.

At first, he didn't get it. Why was his body aching in so many places? Why was his breathing labored even though he hadn't moved a single muscle? When his groaning caused for Zitao to wake up, the young mage looked over at him, rubbed his eyes, and then burst into laughter.

"Your face is red!" Zitao stumbled over to his bed sleepily and put his hand against Yifan's forehead. Yifan wanted to push him away, of course, but a moment later, Zitao had gasped and run off.

"I'll go get Yixing!"

Less than a minute later, Yixing and Joonmyun had entered their room and Yixing was quick to put his hand against Yifan's forehead like Zitao had done. Unlike Zitao, Yixing frowned and let his magic course through Yifan's body to heal him, but froze as soon as he realized Yifan had not been healed.

"What is this?" Yixing muttered, and Yifan watched silently as Yixing tried to heal him once more. Frustrated with himself, Yixing pulled himself away and stormed out of the room.

"I'm going to look into this."

"Are you feeling okay?" Joonmyun asked, and although they both knew Yifan wasn't feeling okay, the first leader took a seat beside him and allowed for Yifan to rest against it.

"You Earthlings must have it rough." Yifan groaned, rubbing his face with one hand. Zitao had returned and sat on top of his own bed, although it seemed that he had brought Sehun and Jongin along. The three youngest mages were watching the interaction Yifan was having with Yixing and Joonmyun in silence.

"Here, drink this." He wasn't even sure when Kyungsoo had entered the room, but he had suddenly held out a cup of tea for Yifan to drink.

"Why are all of you here?" Yifan asked, though he had started coughing at the end of his question. A worried Joonmyun had rubbed his back the entire time, even holding the cup of tea for him so he wouldn't spill it on himself.

"Because we care for you. Is it that surprising?" Jongdae chuckled, and Yifan narrowed his eyes as he turned to the mage of lightning. His screams during the dead of night were starting to drive him insane, although he had never said anything about it to Jongdae himself.

The trouble making trio was off in one corner as they too watched Yifan. The mage of flight didn't understand why everyone had chosen to be around him at that time, but he felt a grateful smile on his lips as his gaze ran over all of the mages. Minseok and Luhan were also in the room, although they had pulled Joonmyun to the side to talk to him about something Yifan didn't know.

"I'm surprised you could get sick." Baekhyun snorted, and Yifan looked over to the mage of light to see the amused smirk on his lips,

"The Almighty Kris beaten down by a cold."

"A cold?" He whispered, rubbing the back of his neck. This was the first time he had gotten sick while on the planet of Earth, and although he found it interesting that he could get sick, he groaned at knowing he'd gotten sick at the wrong time.

"How am I supposed to look for Yun Seung like this?"

"Don't," Sehun answered quickly, and Yifan watched as Sehun and the other two younger mages shifted as serious expressions filled their faces. "We can handle this."

"He's right," Chanyeol interjected, and Yifan slowly looked over to the corner that the trouble makers had taken up. "I've been there before. All that matters now is how we can get there without losing access to our powers."

"We've asked the warlocks for their assistance." Joonmyun's words surprised Yifan, as the mages had always chosen to do things without asking outsiders for help.

"So you don't need to worry."

Minseok had taken the space next to Yifan, pressing his cold fingers against Yifan's forehead in an attempt to lower his fever. It didn't work, but Yifan felt himself lean into Minseok's touch anyway because something felt off in what they were talking about.

"Yifan?" His name was called so unsurely that Yifan felt his heart cringe in worry as he turned to Luhan. The mage of telekinesis shifted on his feet in discomfort and looked around at the other mages before looking back to the second leader.

"Do you think this has to do with how long you've been away from your home planet?"

Everything stopped at that moment. Yifan froze as he counted all of the years he had spent away from Malthor, and cursed as he realized Luhan was right. As a being of magic, being so far from his planet for such a long time was dangerous to his health. The fact that he had been asleep for centuries had actually kept him alive, as he would have died if time had resumed as it should have.

"Looks like you're right." Jongin snickered, but the amusement in his voice was absent.

Yifan looked at the others for a moment before he shakily stood on the ground. His body still felt heavy, but if Luhan was right, he had to return home to Malthor. He raised his arms and lowered his gaze. While using magic, there were letters on various points of his body that glowed. As Yifan muttered a simple spell in order to make the room a little brighter, he noticed that the glow on his body had gone dim.

"Yifan!" Minseok quickly caught his body as it fell backwards, and Yifan coughed in his grasp. He had quickly been brought to his bed with the elder mages taking care of his weakening body in worry. Someone had shoved another blanket over him, and a cold towel was tossed over his forehead. Before he could stop anyone, the younger mages had left the room in order to find Yixing and bring him back. Baekhyun and Kyungsoo went off to cook up some porridge to feed him, and the two trouble makers went to get firewood to keep him warm.

"Am I going to die?" He asked, though he was only half-joking. He was now feeling so weak that his eyelids were drooping closed. It felt unnatural for him to be in bed and being cared for by the other mages.

"Sure, and when you do, we'll roast your corpse." Luhan answered in a similar fashion. There was a spark of loneliness in his eyes as he turned to leave the tent. "Roasted Kris. Sounds good."

"When you die, can I have your piercings?" Minseok questioned, and Yifan felt his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Why his piercings of all the things he could take from Yifan? Without explaining himself, Minseok brushed out of the room with Luhan and left the two leaders alone.

Joonmyun sat on the ground, his body resting against the bedframe and his fingers running through Yifan's hair. Yifan was only partially surprised that Joonmyun hadn't left with the others, but Joonmyun was always waiting for him. When the two of them had been decided on as leaders, Joonmyun had silently agreed to it. It made sense now, since he had been a Prince before he had become a mage. Yifan had declined the offer at first, since he wasn't even supposed to be on Earth, but when he noticed how diligent and strong Joonmyun was, he became curious to know how it was serving alongside the mage of water. Joonmyun had never acted as if he were above Yifan, or any of the other mages; and when Yifan agreed to be a leader with him, Joonmyun had easily accepted him.

"Don't leave me alone, Yifan." Joonmyun sounded as if he were going to cry, and Yifan slowly reached out and grasped one of Joonmyun's hands in his. "I can't... I can't do this without you."

What made Joonmyun think he couldn't do anything without Yifan? Joonmyun was twice as strong as Yifan was, and was the perfect example of a leader. The others would be just fine without him, wouldn't they. He did understand Joonmyun's feelings, though. After being together for centuries, he wouldn't want Joonmyun to disappear for good, either.

"I've done it!" When Yixing ran into the room with the three youngest mages on his tail, Yifan blinked dumbly at them. What had Yixing done, and why did the three younger mages seem breathless? Were they chasing him down or something?

"Jongin, can the three of you go help Chanyeol and Jongdae gather firewood?" Joonmyun asked, and Yifan felt Joonmyun's grip on his hand loosen.

"They'll need all the help they can get." Jongin muttered, and without a complaint, he and Sehun had cleared out of the room.

"I'm staying here with him." Zitao said decisively. Joonmyun sighed and began to protest, but had easily closed his mouth when Yifan squeezes his hand.

"I made this mixture out of some plants I found." Yixing explained, holding up a small tube of unidentifiable liquids. Yifan gulped as he saw it, but otherwise did not react as Yixing brought it closer to him.

"I don't know if it will work, but it should be able to reduce your symptoms for at least a few hours."

"What about when it wears off?" Zitao asked, and Yixing had gone silent. Zitao shook his head, his hands clenched at his sides.

"Is there nothing we can do for him?"

"There is only one thing." Yixing sighed, and he somehow managed to have Yifan to swallow the strange mixture. Yifan choked on the mixture, though he would admit to having felt a little better after ingesting it.

"We have to let him to back to Malthor."

The other two mages gasped, and even Yifan looked to Yixing like he had grown another head. What was he saying all of a sudden? Let him go back? Why was he offering such a thing? Yifan had already left his home behind, there was nothing left over there for him even if he were to return.

"You're right." Joonmyun muttered, and Joonmyun pulled his hand out of Yifan's grasp,

"Perhaps there would be a way to save him over there."

Zitao teared up and left the room a moment later. Yifan watched him with soft eyes, because he knew how much Zitao looked up to him. As he was the last to be found by Yun Seung, Yifan knew how desperate Zitao had been to find him. To suggest that Yifan should leave after such a short time together was definitely not going to sit well with the younger mage.

"Yifan, if you go, don't return the way Chanyeol did." Yixing frowned, and Yifan found himself frowning as well. After a moment, Yifan turned toward Joonmyun to see his gaze had returned to the ground.

"I don't think we would be able to fight you."

With that, Yixing had left and left the two leaders alone once more. Joonmyun was actually weeping now, and Yifan felt his heart crack as he leaned forward and rubbed his back slowly. Joonmyun wasn't one to cry in front of others, and Yifan didn't like the thought of himself being the reason for his tears.

"The others won't listen to me when you leave." Joonmyun choked out, as if it were the only reason for his tears as they sat there together.

"Then make them. Myun, you're the leader, not them." Yifan chuckled, and after pressing a kiss on top of Joonmyun's head, he got off of the bed and stumbled his way outside.

Joonmyun was quick to follow him, his arms out in front of him in case Yifan fell over again. When Yifan stopped suddenly after getting outside, Joonmyun found himself walking face first into his back. When he stepped away, he noticed the remaining ten mages had surrounded Yifan in a loose circle.

"If you take too long beware." Baekhyun grumbled, and although he had his arms crossed over his chest, there was a small grin on his lips.

"I might just take over as leader."

The others let out a collective groan, including Yifan. There was no bluff in Baekhyun's threat, and if he were to become leader, there really was a reason to beware.

"-Fan..." A moment later, Yifan was holding a crying Zitao. He had been behind the other mages, shaking silently; but of course Yifan could see him.

"I'll be back, Zi. I promise." And after kissing the top of Zitao's head as well, he pulled himself away and the others stepped back to give himself space.

With his muscles aching and his breathing labored, Yifan lifted off of the ground and flew out of the Earth's atmosphere.

WE'VE BEEN FEATURED. OH MY CHICKEN. CAN YOU GUYS BELIEVE THIS?!

I was just innocently watching anime and then I got a text message from Dal. I was so surprised! LIKE WHOA! When did this happen?! I'm marking this down on my calendar, like for real. December 6, 2015 is the day that I have conquered AFF. Tomorrow, someone will have defeated me, but today, I am King!

Anyway, thank you all for all the support you've given this story. It means a hell of a lot to me and to Dal.

Speaking of who, I'll allow Dal to close up this author's note. I love you, Dal. ♥

*

OMG WHAT IS THIS BEAUTIFUL SHINY THING NEXT TO THE UGLY LOOKING TITLE?! OH MY GODDESS! IT'S A STAR! :3

I was so surprised when I saw the story on AFF's homepage and I was like "WHAT?!". I squealed, screamed, jumped -- heh, I did it all and then I texted the chicken who apparently knows how to work the device. And immediately she began writing this chapter which is not bad. I'm not saying that's amazing because you made me worry so much when Kris got sick, you mean chicken! Wait, YOU'RE KING?! SOMEBODY GET ME OUT OF HERE!! RUN PEASANTS RUN!

Before that, thank you all so much for all your support and lovely, lovely comments. Chicky and I are very thankful to have you here with us ;; Also, to my dear Chicky, thank you for letting me beta-read your story. It's amazing! You deserved it! Give yourself a pat on the back, baby!

I love you too, Chicky. ♥