Kim Mingyu

We were now back to our camp house. The monsters who were attacking us has been wiped out away right before the meeting ends. My mind goes wild thinking about the mission mom gave to us. I still remember the look on the house leaders’ face when Eric has agreed with her to send us to this quest. Judging at their expression, there were two chances: either we’re going to die or they’re doomed.

I climbed the stair and goes to my shared room with a heavy step, afraid of the judging from my brothers. They were here much longer than me, why does this stupid Prophecy has to be related to a dumbhead like me?

As soon as I opened the door to our room, two pairs of eyes throw their gaze at me. My brothers were sitting on the floor, leaning on the bed frame; clearly an exhausted face was painted on their face.

“Mingyu...” Jiwon greeted me with weak voice.

I looked at him, still standing at the door frame unable to approach them because the guilt that have been bundled inside my chest. I throw a weak smile at them, since words can’t even sounded from my mouth.

“Brother, come here, sit with us.” Hanbin said warmly, patting the space between him and Jiwon, gesturing me to join their little talk. I came toward them.

I seated between the two boys, my eyes keep staring at the red carpet beneath us, unable to look at their eyes.

“Brother.” Hanbin said calmly while circling his hand on my shoulder. “We’ve heard it all.”

My heart aches when I heard his saying. I was hardly trying not to cry and be strong in front of them.

“I’m sorry.” I mumbled

“We were the one that should be feel sorry for you, Brother.” He’s my hair softly. “You’ve only been here for just one day, but a prophecy had been burdened on you, we’re so sorry.”

Tears were finally dropped from my eyes. They were so nice that I can’t even help to not cry. The guilt and worries inside my chest piled up so much. I cried hard.

“I’m so scared, Brother. I don’t know how to protect myself; even I can’t protect you all when the gorgons were attacking you. I’m so weak.” I cried on Hanbin’s chest, letting all my emotions out. “I’m afraid if I can’t protect the world. I’m afraid if something would happen to all of you. I’m afraid if I fail this quest. I don’t know what to do, Brother.”

“Shh.. Don’t be like that, Mingyu.” Jiwon was softly caressed my hair. “We were so proud of you. We all think that you’re special, you’re stronger than us, Brother you can do it.”

“I-Is that true?” I lifted my head, looking directly at Jiwon’s eyes.

“Of course, We know it right when you first stepped your feet on this house. You are so strong Mingyu. Not physically, but you had it somewhere else.” He placed his hand on my chest, right above my heart. “Here.. You are so strong inside your heart, little brother. Mom had given you her blessing; you have some of her spirits and passions inside your heart. Our love is the strongest weapon in this universe; I believe that you can do it.”

I looked at my chest, it indeed feels kind of different after I met mom in the revelation. I somehow felt a much stronger, my heart was warm, as if some kind of fires burned inside, not scorching but as warm as family love.

“Now stop this tears or else you would be known as this camp’s crybaby instead of the child of prophecy.” Hanbin swept away the tears on my face and smiled. “Go pack your things! Save the world, little brother!”

I nodded; their words gave me so much strength to carry this mission. I promised to myself, that I would complete this quest and coming back with a pride for Aphrodite’s house.

We hugged for the last time before I go to my bed and packed my things. Eric said that we must depart at the dawn because it would be dangerous to go outside at night. It means we still had five hours left to pack our things and say a farewell word to our brothers.

I packed two pairs of my clothes to my bag pack, Jiwon and Hanbin insisted to bring their incredibly fashionable clothes. I refused their offers by politely saying that this mission would be hard that it could ruined their clothes, but they were so rock headed and put their sweaters inside my bag, with some charm speaks saying that it wouldn’t be hurt if brought some extra sweaters.

I finished packed my things at three. We should depart at five with some pegasii, knowing that travelling by ship would take a longer time. I looked at the other beds, Jiwon and Hanbin had been asleep since one hour ago, they look so tired with the battle today but they were willingly helped me to prepare for a mission that even not theirs.

I put some blankets on them as my sign of grateful. Grateful because I had brothers like them, even they were not my full brothers but they took care of me like I was their real brother. I really enjoyed their presence for these two days.

I headed outside of the room, climbed down the stairs, heading to the living room. Joshua was nowhere to be found since the meeting ends. I searched for him to every room at this house. As I entered the kitchen, I saw a shadow at the window that leads to the lake.

Joshua was sitting there, at the lakeside, alone. Staring at the moon’s reflection on the calm water.

I go through the back door to his place. As soon as the door opened, cold wind pushed through my sweaters. Although the winds were so cold, I insisted to talk to Joshua. This is my last chance to talk to him before I depart for the quest.

I walked at the marble path way leads to his place. He seems not sensing my presence until I seated beside him. He looks surprised to find me outside at this hour.

“It’s cold.” I said starting our conversation

“Yeah.” He nodded, his stare still locked at the lake in front of him. “Can’t sleep?”

“Kind of.” I replied

For a moment, we just sit there in silence, staring at the beautiful reflection of the full moon on the lake. The water was so calm and gleaming because of the moonlight.

“Listen.” Joshua started the conversation again. “I’m really sorry for all of burdens that had been thrown at you.”

I smiled at him, trying to be strong enough as Hanbin and Jiwon’s words echoed inside my head. “No it’s okay. It’s my destiny after all.”

He looked at me with smile plastered on his beautiful face. “I’m really happy that I have a little brother who is as brave as you, Mingyu. You faced your fate by yourself; I wish I could protect you more.”

I chuckled at his words. He seems loved his siblings so much, I could feel it through his words.

“Thanks, Joshua. Just wish me luck, okay?”

“Of course, I’ll wish you all the luck in the world. I even was planning to pray for you to mom.” He patted my head brotherly way.

“Ah, I almost forgot.” I reached inside of my jacket, grabbing something from inside. Joshua’s blade, the mirror like sharp blade that he gave to me yesterday morning. “I think I must give this back to you.”

I gave the blade to him. But he pushed my hand back, refused the blade. “No, It’s yours, Mingyu. I gave it to you, for your protection.”

“That is Katoptris, Blade of Helen of Troy. The magical blade was the symbol of bravery and beauty. They said the blade would showed the future when it held by a right owner. I see it seems like the some aura came out from this blade while it was being held by you. So I believe that you are the right person, Brother.” He explained.

“But you have no weapon if I take this blade.” I mumbled

He chuckled again. “I have trained longer than you, Mingyu. I’ve been trained to use many weapon so it won’t be a problem.”

I nodded and place the blade back inside my jacket.

“Now for the mission.” He talked again. “I don’t really know about the mission’s objective. But I know exactly the things that every gods and goddesses lost.”

I started to listen for his word carefully.

“Every olympian had an item that belongs to them and they keep it as their source of power.” He continues. “Zeus has his master thunder, Poseidon has his trident, Hera has her Peacock Fan, Apollo has his lyre, Artemis has her hunting knife, Aphrodite has her silver mirror, Ares has his bloody spear, Athena has her Aegis Shield, Demeter has her magical seeds, Hermes has his caduceus, Hephaestus has his hammer, and lastly Dionysius with his wine cup.”

“So, the olympian need us to retrieve their lost belonging to them? Why can’t they do by themselves? I mean, they’re gods, right?” I asked slightly annoyed

“No they can’t. They’re needed in Olympus, to keep the world balance.  If one left Olympus to search for the thief, the balance would be ruined. There would be disaster everywhere. Also now their source of powers were gone, it would be an apocalypse if they don’t stick together.”

“So, what should I do now? I don’t know where to start.” I mumbled again.

“Relax, brother.” He reached his pocket, searching for something inside. When he found what he’s searching for, he pulled the thing out. On his hand now a brand new apple smartphone, not an actual smartphone because the back was imprinted with an Ω symbol instead of a bitten apple.

“This smartphone is a thief tracker. Vernon from Hermes’ House was stole it from his father’s vault when we had a field trip to Olympus last year. Don’t worry; the god won’t search for it because he had like thousands of this in his vault.” He explained. “So, it works just like your smartphone, but there is an app called ‘Tracker’ installed. We need to input some codes to a lost item, and it would show the location of the missing item, it’s like a normal phone tracker. Luckily, the Hermes’ children had break the codes, usually a sacred item won’t have a simple code, but with some tries they had the administrator code, well, more like Hermes’ own private codes that show anything you want. Take this, the codes are saved in the notes.”

He gave the smartphone to me; I inspected this stolen phone with a trembled hand. Joshua has ensure me once again that Hermes won’t search for this missing phone because he was too busy to handle the missing sacred item.

“Well, that’s all that I could give to you. You’d better be prepared, it’s 4.30 AM, you need to gather at the Mugunghwa Field at five right?” He reminded me.

I nodded. “yes, thank you so much.” I stood up and be prepared to retrieve my bag inside. Before I left him, I glance at him once again and smiled. “I promise I’ll be back, Brother.”

“You’d better do, or else I would go and find the one who killed my little brother then killed that person with my own hands.” He winked. “Be safe, Brother.”

************

Finally the next chapter was already posted.

I'm so sorry for not updating in the last three days, i've been so busy preparing my band performance and my department's annual event.

So tomorrow is my first day in this semester, my holiday has ended so fast *cry*

I tried to keep updating as soon as possible, just keep support me guys!!

- Best regards, Reybil16