Tailong nodded, bearing his needs for what comes next. He had not learnt yet what the boy’s name was. Thankfully the next night, his old folk resumed the story.

~*3*~

It was a week after Suho was selected as the Crown Princess’ tenth knight. Everyone in the quarters kept talking about their fellows’ fate. They tried looking through their deeds, why they were chosen by the upcoming ruler, and what they had done to be picked.

Deep inside our boy, he would want to know it too. As time passed, he was getting frustrated but he controlled it as much as he could. He tried his best to be noticed but when the future Queen visited, he was not one of the sparring trainees on the ground. Xiumin was along the Princess today. He was standing there next to her carriage and stuck his ear like listening to whatever she said.

Xiumin turned his head in his direction. Yes. His focus was on him.

“Fan!” He called. Stunned, the boy froze on his spot although Xiumin had gestured him to come. After another call, he obeyed the knight’s request.

Xiumin grinned at him when he came near and told the princess about it. He leaned to the carriage and the Wēngēhuá boy could not hear anything from their conversation, as if they’re not talking.

“Fan, the Crown Princess wants to call you Kris. Will that be alright?” The boy nodded slowly and Xiumin told his agreement to the princess. With a smile, the knight bowed at him. “Welcome to the family, my friend.”

The newly named Kris could not believe what just happened. He only snapped from spacing out after he realized he was walking along the carriage and Xiumin. They were heading to the palace – his new home.

It was surreal. If this country, Bonghuang, was already pretty, the palace must be the most captivating of them all. It had pure white marbled walls and the roofs were black. Colourful flowers were everywhere. There was a phoenix statue on top of a huge fountain, the kingdom’s insignia.

The princess’ carriage turned to a different path and left them at the main door to the palace. Kris took a last look at the carriage before he followed Xiumin. As they entered, the servants bowed at them and Kris could feel how big his role in this kingdom would become. He was taught the White Knights would be the protector of the world, would sweep the invaders away from their kingdom, and would defend everyone who needed their help. Everyone should remember them as the symbol of peace.

Xiumin brought him to what somewhat looked like a garden but he found out it was one of the White Knight’s gathering areas, where they do sparring and other physical exercises. The friendly Baekhyun waved at him, D.O., who always had that creepy look, changed with a kinder face, if he was paying his attention to Kris, Chen combined the wave with a bow — he was polite in terms of Kris. The other’s like Luhan gestured with a single nod, his arm was resting on Sehun’s shoulder.

“He was the youngest,” said Xiumin.

Sehun gave a quick look before moving somewhere with Luhan.

“It was nice to see you here.” Suho bowed and he looked handsome in his white uniform. Everyone else had the same clothes except the armoured Xiumin.

Kai was sparring with Lay but they both gestured a greeting to him.

“Gege!” He knew who called him with that. He was unable to respond when someone tall jumped at him, making him fall on the grass floor. He grew a lot like Kai in just a short span of time. Suho was complaining in the background about the language Tao used but Kris lent his ears to the younger.

“We will be together again! Isn’t that fun?” The eager boy said.

“It will be fun definitely.” Everyone turned their heads to the speaker and beamed like they saw something interesting.

“Chanyeol!” Some of them said. The sparring pair stop their activity and joined the circle around the new boy.  

Kris heard his name before and had seen him many times in the training quarters. He was one of the trio who was bullying D.O. and then after goofing off, he would disappear and not be back in days but would show up randomly with his usual wide smile. His teeth were so white and displayed whenever his lips curved, so stretch — the corners would reach his ears. He was doing it right now surrounded by his friends. They were so warm to him.

Sehun hugged this curly redhead boy, and said, “I miss you.”

“Aw my little boy misses his hyung. So cute of you.” Chanyeol said. And, Luhan were unamused.

“Ch-Chanyeol, are you… are you the twelfth member?” Xiumin asked and the boy confirmed it with a nod. “But…”

“But what?” Chanyeol moved forward to Kris who did not budge on his stand. The boy reached his hand to the blond. “Hi, my name is Park Chanyeol. The Crown Princess said I was the last member. And, you are?”

“Kris.” The blond accepted his hand. They both bowed to each other and Chanyeol’s smile became smaller yet sweet.

“I heard a lot about you. You might have seen me in the field but I was too shy to approach you.” Kris peeked at his fellow and they started making their own talks. So he thought it was not bad to keep chatting with this person.

“I might appear intimidating but I am approachable.” He said.

“I can see that.” Chanyeol’s cheeks were flushed, Kris was not sure if that was there on his face before.

They walked farther from everyone as they started to know each other.

“I’m sorry if the attention that should be yours was given to me.” The redhead played with his fingers and Kris was only watching his movement. “It’s funny that we were appointed on the same day, isn’t it?” The blond nodded. “By the way, I heard from the others that you turned Sixteen today. It must be the future Queen’s gift to you.” Kris's eyes widened since Chanyeol had a point. But, they should not assume. “Happy Birthday, Kris or should I call you… hyung?” That was what called an older brother in that country. He did not mind but he was not responding because he froze. “Kris?”

“Yes.” He snapped the second time this day. “Call me hyung.”

Chanyeol showed that sweet smile again and they were interrupted by Suho who invited them to their talk.

Chanyeol reminded everyone that it was Kris’ birthday so the whole group sang a song. They let him sit on the only chair there which looked like a throne.

“Good timing,” Baekhyun said. “Do you want to see something amazing?”

“Even he would say no, you would still show him your ability, Baekkie.” D.O. said.

“Shut up, Soo!” Baekhyun said. “We, the people of this country have a special ability as we were born, but we are not allowed to use it if we were not at the right age. Some exceptions are if you belong to the royal family or if you are appointed as a knight.”

“I’m so happy when I left the training because I could finally show what I got,” Chen said.

“Here it goes.” Baekhyun raised his hands leveled to his shoulder. He was like holding a ball that truly showed when a light formed on it. There were light balls on both of his grasps and they shifted into a beam when he raised his arms higher. The children applauded his performance.

“I’ll show you mine,” Chen said and raised his hand in the air. Thunder showed from his hand and hit the sky. Another set of claps was given to him.

Baekhyun and Chen were panting after what they did. “Want some water?” Kai offered and before they could say yes, Kai was gone in a blink of an eye. He returned in a snap with what the pair needed.

“What was that?” Kris asked.

“Teleportation.” Chanyeol answered.

“Hey, you shouldn’t have brought the water for them,” Suho complained and the boys looked at him in a bit of surprise.

“Oh yes, I forgot.” Baekhyun laughed. “Save it for the next performer, my lord.”

“No, I’ll give everyone water now.” He raised his hand and rain started pouring. The kids whined due to it so he gestured a stop to the sudden rain.

“Don’t worry, I’ll dry you up.” Sehun said before a wind surrounded them like they were inside a tornado. The group was dried in an instance.

“Thanks, Sehun,” Chanyeol said.

As everyone was busy checking each other, no one realised Baekhyun and Chen moved behind their favourite, D.O. They attacked him by poking his face and tummy. He got annoyed and screamed, “STOP!”

Everyone stumbled as an earthquake occurred. All of them felt dizzy except the culprit. Chanyeol simply laughed at his friends’ stunt.

D.O. growled before stomping his way to the redhead. He could have harmed him if Xiumin did not block his action.

“My, my, my, D.O. you need to cool down a little bit.” With a single pat on his shoulder, the mad boy froze, literally, got frosted in ice. Xiumin was an ice user.

Suho gasped, “You would just rise his temper more, unfreeze him, Xiumin.” The oldest gladly obeyed, tapping the frozen boy.

D.O. was out of breath as he shifted back to normal. Instead of another quake, he strangled Xiumin’s neck, making all laugh.

“Although you’re originally not from Bonghuang, you will also be gifted with an ability like your fellows here coming from Lóng.” Once Suho finished talking, Xiumin floated in the air. Kris wondered if that was another of his powers but he was squirming and calling Luhan’s attention who was just laughing at what was going on to him.

The boy was brought down later and slapped the still laughing Luhan on his arm.

“That’s what you call telekinesis, all thanks to my dear Queen.” Luhan proudly said and Suho looked skeptical.

“You mean the Crown Princess, right?”

“Yes, she is.” Kris cannot still believe this was the same Luhan who he met a couple of years ago.

“Oh Kai, I didn’t mean my sword to touch you.” Lay puts his thumb on the little scratch on Kai’s cheek and it disappeared as he swiped it. The wound seemed it did not really exist.

“Our healer.” Kai introduced to Kris.

The blond was amazed at what his fellow could do at this moment. Tao was just at the back, watching all the activities.

“What about you Tao?” Kris, who learned he was the tallest, had everyone looked at the other tall boy. “What could he do?”

“Time control,” Baekhyun answered it for him.

“Why don’t you show it?” Chen’s encouragement as he pushed the boy a little for him to step forward.

“Is it like stopping the time?” Kris asked and some nodded. “How will he show it to us?”

“Like this?” Without blinking, everyone else’s face had some funny drawings on it, except Tao. He was now at the back, laughing his off. Obviously, he was the culprit for this strange incident.

The boys shouted at Tao and he started running around the field when Baekhyun and Chen chased after him.

“The next morning from the day we were selected, we felt something warm inside our heart.” Lay said, watching the running trio. “We didn’t think that was already the sign we obtained the Princess’ gift only until Xiumin told it to us.”

“If you say something warm, is it like your heart is burning?” Lay nodded. “It can’t be.”

“Why Kris, are you feeling it now?” Suho worriedly asked. The trio must have heard it so they stopped the chase and joined the circle once.

“Yes, I am,” Kris said. He might be wrong, but there was truly something hot coming from his heart. At the same time, the other boys exchanged looks.

“Kris,” Xiumin called, “can you close your eyes and let the burning sensation run all over your body? Relax, the Princess’ flame won’t hurt you?”

“Princess’ flame you said?” He was hesitating but he was curious if this was really the moment of his awakening so he did what Xiumin told him.

As he closed his lids and calmed his standing body, the burning sensation moves up and down, spreading all over him. He opened his eyes and see the wide sky. His fellows were not there anymore.

“Kris!” He heard one of them call him. He moved his head left and right but no one was there.

“Down here, silly!” That was certainly Baekhyun and they were really below him, on the land. He was floating in the sky.

“You have the power of flight!” Suho said.

“What? I can… fly?” The boys below were cheering and clapping in astonishment. He could not also believe this was happening. It was so unreal.

In the middle of their celebration, someone had their hearts jumped in surprise. “What are you guys doing there?”

It was General Dong, a healthy man and a member of Blue Knights. The stout general hit each of the boys’ heads as they get inside the palace. Kris had a painful fall on the grassy floor — that was why Chen and Lay supported him to stand and walk.

They were chuckling at what he ended and they were not exempted from getting a hit on their head like Kris. Chanyeol did not receive punishment too and he was making fun of his friends.

~*End*~

“What was the power of the twelfth boy, Grandpa?” The old man looked at him with a kind smile. He yawned as he petted his grandson’s head.

“You will know soon.” He said.

A long installment was told by his grandfather that the sun nearly rising. He had no right to complain so he got to his bed, anticipating for the next part.

A/N

That's about it for today. Comment down below of what you think so far.