(A/N This chapter includes impliments of torture and graphic scenes)

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Areum POV

“The 12 have risen. The demons of old no longer remain imprisoned. The last guard shall bear the burden of 12 fates. In the silence thy shadow dominates. The mighty shall weep, as 5 orchids reap, an untrue king’s fall. Once loyal the 12 will brandish her the greatest weapon of all.”

I was back on the secluded island I saw at the choosing ceremony. The other me collapsed onto her knees. It was exactly the same as before but unlike then I couldn’t escape this. She gasped for air and clutched struggling to breathe. I rushed to her, trying to help her.

“Don’t. We’re about to be reborn…”

She coughed some more as she took my hand in hers and smiled.

“I died and came here, to this island, the afterlife. When I die in the afterlife I go back to the land of the living. Today is the day you are born.”

-++++++++++++++++++-

“Yuki…Huo is my father…and…Heian is my brother…” The eight year old me whispered in the early morning to the wolf giving her warmth. She knew that the wolf could hear her yet she continued.

“Mama said appa wasn’t always a bad man…He used to be a good man. But, I don’t think my brother was ever a good person. Mama always says that the evil and good must always be balanced in the world.”

She traced a circle on the dirt, dividing it in half.

“Yin Yang, the two wolf packs. One is good one is bad. Just like my brother, and I. One is good and one of us is bad. Mama says I am the good in both mama and appa, that means Heian is the bad. That means Heian is worse than appa, right, Yuki?”

It was a memory of mine.

“You are wise for someone so young.” Was all Yuki said. She was right I was a wise child. Wise enough to realise that she really meant that I was correct.

My brother was worse than my father. He had more darkness in him than the creator of massacres.

My brother was the true evil in this world.

-++++++++++++++++++-

 Father was nothing but a pawn in his son’s game. I was his pawn too, we all were. I played right into his hands.

“Zian…” The man from my dreams lay in my lap, his breath shallow. Blood trickled from his mouth. My tears fell on his skin. His hair was silver blue now and flecks of golden amber ran through his brown eyes.

He was dying.

“Sorry Daiyu…I broke my promise…I couldn’t protect you.” His voice was croaky as he spoke his final words.

 “I love you…”

I screamed in rage. All I saw was red as I slowly rose to my feet. My eyes focused solely on the smirking bug-eyed man in front of me. At that moment I made the vow that would eventually take my final breath.

“I’ll kill you.”

-+++++++++++++++++++-

“Why do you wish to remember your second life, my child?” Mama’s voice resounded in the darkness that surrounded me.

“It brings only death and sorrows I wish you never had.”

The words I spoke next surprised me.

“You told me dark times were coming. You said it was my job to lead my people through the darkness and into the light. It was my job to protect the people. I can’t do that if I am blind to a time in history, a time in history I know is important. You know what’s happening, don’t you? History is repeating itself.”

A frown twitched onto Shui’s face. She pursed her lips.

“ The demons of old no longer remain imprisoned, in the silence thy shadow dominates. The prophecy, he has come back, hasn’t he? The real demon has entered the land of the living again. I need my memories back, all of them.”

Shui took in a shaky breath and I knew I was right. She needn’t confirm it with words. What I feared was true. I was no longer the last guardian. Another had risen.

The creature that rose from the gruesome chaos it had wrought, rose once again.

My brother rose once again.

-+++++++++++++++++++++-

Groggily I opened my eyes. Something cold and metal was closed around my wrist. I sat on a cold damp ground that felt like rock. My vision came into focus. I was in a cave that had bars over the opening. It was dark outside. The moon was full and shone in full brilliance onto the forest. But now was not a time to stop and take in the sights. Chunky metal cuffs circled my wrists they were connected to chains that were bolted into the wall. The shackles grazed against my wrists as I changed position in an attempt to get comfortable.

Footsteps echoed from beyond the confines of my cage. I made my face as blank as it could be. Plans of escape raced through my mind, few were physically possible and even fewer would actually work.

Three figures neared the bars of my cage. And as their faces became clear my blood began to boil. More betrayal.

The bringer of destruction smiled at me, two familiar yet unfamiliar faces flocked his sides. I smiled back.

“Welcome my dearest sister, to Orchid Revolution.”

“Heian, Auntie, Bobby.” I greeted my smile warm but eyes colder than ice. The sane people in the room, including myself, were taken aback at my actions. I chuckled. I was acting like a completely different person.

“Why are you surprised to see me, Bobby? You were the one that brought me here. And Auntie there is no doubt in my mind that you weren’t in on it. I’m happy to see you guys it’s been forever. Auntie, your hair is greyer than before, I think the whole mastermind thing is causing you some stress? And you Bobby, Aigoo look at those circles under your eyes. Are you having nightmares? Want me to knock you out? I’ll only be returning he favour.”

Bobby and Auntie exchanged a wary glance. Honestly, I was worrying myself a little.

“Is my little sister giving me the cold shoulder? And here I was thinking we could have a proper family reunion.” Heian pouted looking genuinely upset. I didn’t fall for it though. Heian was insane.

“We can’t have a reunion with half the family, now can we? Where’s appa? What about mama? Oh that’s right,” The smile left my face and the temperature dropped.

“You killed them. Just like you are going to kill me, isn’t that what you failed to do before?”

Heian’s face darkened. I upset him. He won’t kill me yet, the time isn’t right. He won’t hurt me either, at least for the moment.

“Do you not remember my dearest brother, your big plan of being the guardian for all three nations? You were so close. Who was it that killed you? …Ah that’s right it was me.”

I knew I was close to crossing the line but I couldn’t stop myself.

“It’s true, history does repeat itself. But it changes each time it repeats. “ He rsted against the bars.

“You didn’t succeed last time. What makes you think you will this time? Yes history changes. Your defeat will come quicker and faster than before. I’ve learned from my mistakes.”

“And so have I…sister.”

Heian smirked. And I braced myself for the pain that was sure to come.

He entered my cage and in that moment,

I wished I couldn’t heal.

-+++++++++++++++++++++++-

Chanyeol POV

“Where’s Areum?” Suho asked the second I entered the house puffy eyed and frowning. I searched for Areum but found no traces of her. Maybe she didn’t want to be found.  Yes, that’s it. She needed some time for herself. She needed to calm down. She would come back by tonight.

“She’ll be back soon.”

“What happened between you two? Tao and Sehun said they heard shouting from her room. Did you guys get in a fight?”  Although Suho was only trying to help he only made me feel worse, I was already on edge. I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“If you want to talk, I’m here. Kris is too, all of us are. We all know the three of you have had a hard time recently. We’re a group, a family of sorts. We need to be here for each other, isn’t that what family’s are for?”

I tried to smile at Suho but all I could muster was a grimace. Suho dropped the subject, which I was very thankful for.

“Chanyeol!” Automatically the familiar cheery voice of my sister lessened my nerves. Yoora grinned as she shuffled up to me. She pulled me in for a hug that I greatly needed.

“It’s okay, Chanyeol. It’s okay.” She patted my back, something she used to do when I was young. She did the same thing when my ferret died, and when I lost my favourite toy, and when … appa died.

“Where’s eomma?”

“She’s inspecting the kitchen.”

Fondly smiling, I pulled away from Yoora. Eomma was always worrying, was I eating enough, was I happy, was I confortable, or if I was healthy, she never stopped. I shook my hands, right now Areum wasn’t alone in the forest crying, the three words she screamed weren’t ringing in my head, Lay was no longer this scowling version of himself, and for now everything was fine.

We entered the kitchen and I was greeted by the familiar voice of my mother.

“Eomma!” The woman in question swivelled around, the brightest of grins. She pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged her back and I felt the frantic beat of my heart steady the slightest.

“Are you-“

“I am eating enough eomma. The food here is amazing, better than yours” I teased, she stuck her tongue out at me. “If anything they feed me too much, and my bed is as soft as clouds, I get plenty of sleep. The other members are nice and treat me well, don’t worry eomma. I am very happy here. Especially because I don’t have to deal with noona.”

“Yah!” Yoora scolded, punching my arm. Eomma didn’t believe me but didn’t pry. It was obvious that things weren’t okay. From the red edging my eyes, to the twitch in my hand, things were not okay. Eomma swallowed the mountain of questions that were surely swirling her mind.

“Want to see my room?”

-++++++++++++++++++-

“Whoa… This place is amazing. You even have a pool table!” Yoora awed, pointing at the shiny black pool table and taking in my room. The walls were the colour of vermilion. The wall opposite the wall was made of glass. The sun was high in the sky sending brilliant rays into my room. Family photos hung from the walls. Yoora jumped onto my bed.

“It is as soft as clouds, eomma come see!” The two of them giggled, rolling all over my bed. Shaking my head at them I stretched, the necklace my father gave me hanging from my neck. I held it in my palm, rubbing it as I always did when I worried.

“You still have this?” Eomma held up a guitar that was too small for me and coloured bright blue and red.

“Of course I have it, I would never throw it away.” Eomma’s eyes crinkled in fondness, her eyes reading the message written on the back. I knew it by heart.

Dear Chanyeol,

Happy seventh birthday, you have grown so much and I am so very proud of you my son. Each and every being is unique, each and ever being has a talent and a purpose. You my son have a purpose far greater than you can imagine. Listening to your music is one of the greatest joys in my life. Take care of your eomma and noona for me, protect them my son.

Love appa

It was the last present appa gave me. Never would I dispose of it. The door creaked open and Kris’s head popped into view.

“Food’s ready, everyone is downstairs.”

“Okay.” I turned to face my family. “Let’s go.”

Downstairs was filled with chatter. Everyone’s family sat in the common room