Word Count: 6982

Making their way into Aspal was harder than they all thought it would be. The roads back up the mountain were steep, and ice covered, and the snow fell in sheets. Minseok used this opportunity to teach. He instructed Sehun on how to dispel snow squalls and taught him how to call the flurries. It would come in handy should he ever need a quick escape in the mountains. When they needed them, Minseok even showed Sehun how to build himself a set of stairs from ice. But he made sure that Sehun knew he needed to be careful and never get ahead of himself. Even the most experienced ice mages couldn't always keep sure feet.

Despite conditions and despite Sehun's quiet complaints, they made good progress. The next signs of civilization they saw through the white fog was a large gate. Minseok sighed and called up to a guard on the top of the closed gate.

"You there!" he called. "Why are the gates closed?"

"Orders from the young master, my lord," the young man answered. Sehun looked at Minseok in slight confusion. Lord? But there wasn't time to think about that right now. A few moments later, the gates were opening for them and Minseok ushered them inside. The gate guard was making his way down from the parapet, shivering in the cold.

"What does Joonmyun think is going to get in this time?" Minseok asked, humor in his voice. "Rabbits?"

"I'm growing quite tired of these jokes," Yixing griped.

"It is not rabbits," the young man answered. "He worries for the village people. It is difficult to see out here. I am surprised you made it this far. A child needed a rescue not more than a few days ago after wandering away."

"I grew up here," Minseok reminded him with a laugh. "Children are still learning. Anyway, have you seen Joonmyun? He has guests."

"Yes, sir! If you go to the town hall, I'll send him to you." Then the man ran off, leaving the second guard to close the gates. Minseok moved farther in, beckoning for the others to follow him with a wave of a hand.

"You failed to mention that you were in charge here," Chanyeol said. Much like their powers clashed, Chanyeol and Minseok didn't get along well either. No outright fights had happened between the two, there was sometimes tension. Sehun couldn't count how many times they got snippy with each other. Baekhyun too got in on these minor spats. Baekhyun didn't like Minseok's blatant disrespect for someone he considered a hero.

"Did I have to?" Minseok asked. "I'm only second in command anyway. You should be grateful though. I will be getting you rooms for now. You will be mine and Joonmyun's guests. Unless you wish to work to pay for a place to stay."

"No," Sehun piped up. "We would love to be your guests."

"Only until the sky kingdom passes close to the lifts," Yixing amended.

"Yes," Minseok hummed. "I imagined that would be the place you intended to go. Especially with so many important people in your party." There were a few confused faces from Sehun and Baekhyun, but neither asked what Minseok meant by that. They all followed him farther in, though, moving to the center of town.

The town was protected on all sides from the worst winds by the tall wall that had been erected around it.

Sehun looked around as they walked and found himself amazed by the small town and the people in it. Everyone was going about their daily business as if there weren't a storm raging on around them. The markets were bustling with people and there were couriers flitting about. It was like any other town even though it was built on the stones of a mountain.

"There are lower levels for the sick," Minseok hummed. "They do not do well at this altitude, but we do our best to take care of them. Speaking of which, is there anyone feeling a little unwell? We should get you inside first and fed before anything happens to you."

Baekhyun was first to raise his hand as they arrived at a grand looking inn. He had grown up on flat lands and still felt a little ill going so high above sea level. Minseok ushered him towards the front desk and spoke to a hired hand there. He gave them a brief explanation of who they were and asked about getting Baekhyun some light food. The woman bowed with a polite smile and hurried off with Baekhyun in tow.

Chanyeol looked after him with a slight frown and indecision written on his face. "I should go see if he is all right," he said. Then he hurried after Baekhyun as well. Minseok didn't stop him, but he made a sound of irritation as Chanyeol left. He turned back to Luhan, Yixing, and Sehun then.

"Joonmyun should meet with us in the town hall," Minseok said, pushing them back out the door. "We will go there now. The staff will prepare your rooms while we speak with him."

They all nodded and Minseok led them even farther into the city. They went to a large building south of the central square and Minseok pushed the door open. It was a simple room, large and furnished with cushions and a low table that could seat the town council. Sehun removed his shoes at the door and took off the cloak as soon as he was out of the chilled wind.

Minseok lowered himself into one of the cushions near the end of the table with a practiced ease. He sat with his calves under him and his hands in his lap. Luhan and Yixing did the same without complaint. Sehun tried to mimic them, but his thighs and calves started screaming. They were still sore from the exercise, but he didn't want to be rude and earn himself any kind of punishment. Every punishment got him closer to having the collar placed back around his neck and he didn't want that.

Sehun shifted with discomfort before a polite knock came to the door. Everyone looked up as a thin, well-dressed man stepped into the room and took his seat at the head of the table. It was at this point that Luhan's eyes widened in surprise. He looked between Sehun and the man for a good while as if confused. But when he settled, he brought his attention to the man again.

"You have brought in interesting people, Minseok," the man hummed. He eyed Luhan in particular as he spoke. "My name is Joonmyun. It is good to see you, Star Child."

Luhan froze and Sehun found his interest piqued.

"How did you-" Luhan began. Joonmyun ignored the question for the moment.

"You must be the chosen one, yes?" Joonmyun asked with a kind smile as he turned to Sehun. "I am glad to see that they have found someone to take the job. I was getting worried when no one ever stepped forward."

"What are you talking about?" Sehun questioned. But Joonmyun only laughed.

"The throne of course!" Joonmyun chuckled. "The throne of the Sky Kingdom that floats a couple miles or more above your head."

Sehun grew very quiet and very still as he sat there, unsure of how to proceed. He hadn't been intending to take Luhan up on the offer to make him king at all. Joonmyun seemed to catch on to this and his smile left his face. He looked at Luhan then.

“You’re having a hard time convincing him?” he asked.

“Yes,” Luhan muttered. “But I’m trying to have faith.”

Sehun couldn’t help but notice the sad tone in Luhan’s voice. Joonmyun seemed to notice as well but didn’t say anything about it. He turned to Minseok for an explanation.

“Sehun has the gift,” Minseok explained. “I told him I knew someone who possessed it as well and he wanted to meet them.”

“I see,” Joonmyun sighed. “Then it looks like my conversation with him needs to be in private.” He looked at Luhan with understanding and something in his eyes. A shiver seemed to pass through Luhan’s body that Sehun couldn’t explain well. He took a breath and nodded. Then Joonmyun turned to Yixing. “Also, is there a reason the Moon Witch sent his servant?”

“I have been a healer,” Yixing hummed. “My master asked me to look out for Sehun ever since before he left home.”

“So, your journey is almost over?” Joonmyun asked.

“I suppose so,” Yixing answered. “But I kind of like my friends.”

“Then I’m sure they would love to have you until your master needs you again.”

Yixing nodded and lowered his head, a smile making its way onto his face. With that, he rose from his seat and so did Luhan and Minseok. They left the room, leaving Sehun alone with Joonmyun. Sehun didn’t know what to say, but Joonmyun seemed to have an idea of what he needed to hear.

“Tell me a little about yourself,” he began. Sehun tried not to jump. Where did he start? “Where are you from?” Joonmyun supplied.

“Nimrine,” Sehun muttered in answer.

“Nimrine?” Joonmyun questioned, eyes going wider and his brows shooting up his forehead. “That’s a dangerous place for someone like you.”

Sehun nodded. “I was born there to my father and my mother, a wind mage. But my mother died shortly after having me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Joonmyun said, getting up from his seat to approach Sehun. It felt more intimate of a conversation than he likely meant it to be. Howver, something felt strangely familiar about Joonmyun and Sehun didn’t mind it so much. “But why did you never leave Nimrine?”

“My father wasn’t able to move us right away,” Sehun answered. “I was a baby and he needed to feed me. He also wasn’t sure if I had the gift yet or not. I didn’t start showing it until I got a little older, though I think it was always there.”

“I assume trouble came of that very quickly,” Joonmyun hummed.

“Yes,” Sehun confirmed. “I had to shut out my gift. I couldn’t use it for the fun I had as a young child. I started getting angry as I grew older. But then someone very dear to me came into my life. Her name was Taeyeon and sometimes she was like a mother, but I always called her my big sister in my head.”

“Did she help your father raise you?”

“Not really,” Sehun said. “She only showed up for short periods of time every year. The first time I saw her, she seemed to like me and made friends with me. So, when she came back every year, she came to visit me. It became my favorite times of the year when she would visit.” He sounded rather happy talking about Taeyeon when it was of all the good things he remembered about her. But the happiness soon faded to sadness.

“It didn’t last,” Joonmyun filled in, his voice going soft.

“No, it didn’t,” Sehun confirmed. “A few months ago, she showed up again as usual. We did our usual things. She taught me skills both useful and silly. She made me clean the house because it was filthy. She took me out hunting and to the market. I thought it would be like every year. But in the market, I was attacked and my subconscious brought the wind up to protect myself. They took me away and tortured me, but she came and turned herself in for the crime of magic and had me released. Dazed and confused and already believing I was dead, I didn’t know what to say or do. I could only watch her lock herself into a death sentence. She asked me for one thing, to find her brother, as repayment for saving my life. Then she urged me to leave before it was no longer possible. My father and I escaped with Yixing’s help, but my father and I got separated. A boat carrying Crown Prince Yifan picked Yixing and I up on the river. There, I started my recovery and I gained the power of lightning from one of the guards.”

“Did you start to understand your power then?” Joonmyun asked.

“Quite the opposite,” Sehun answered. “I resisted it. Jongdae taught me how to control my wind abilities, but I hated the lightning. It was scary, and it felt like it was intruding on my life after all this time of never having it before.”

“I know the feeling,” Joonmyun said, rubbing his arm. “But I’ll get to that later. Please continue. If you were off the coast of Nimrine, how did you end up all the way here?”

“The boat I was on docked in Eriand's capital. While on the trip, I had time to think about what I wanted to do,” Sehun continued. He tried not to think too hard about what Joonmyun had just said. “I was still recovering, but I learned to stop resisting my powers in that time. The night Luhan fell from the sky, everything became both more difficult and much easier. He helped me heal with magic and decided to come with me, along with Yixing, to find Taeyeon’s brother. We acquired Chanyeol and Baekhyun before our true journey began. It has been a few months since then.”

“That can't have been an easy trip to make,” Joonmyun began. "And it seems you have other problems. Do not think I did not notice your shoes at the door. And Luhan and Yixing kept their cloaks on while sitting here, but yours is off to the side.”

“I am under slave contract by my own choosing,” Sehun explained. “When I left my home in Nimrine, I felt so guilty. I had allowed my sister to give up her life to save me. I should have died, and I didn’t, but thoughts of wanting to kill myself began to plague me. I felt that I had committed a crime worthy of severe punishment. Luhan and Chanyeol noticed this and so created a sentence for me to carry out after judging my crimes. With a clear mind, I signed the contract stating all the terms of servitude. I forget sometimes why I signed that contract, but I’m reminded often, and I try not to break rules so much.”

“I cannot say I think that was very smart of you to sign that contract,” Joonmyun commented.

“You are not the first to think as much.”

“But has it eased your conscience?” Joonmyun asked.

Sehun nodded and gave him a weak smile. “It has. It has given me a way to pay for my sins and it is effective enough.”

“Then it is doing the job you intended, and I guess that has to be good enough.” Joonmyun ran a hand down his face, keeping himself calm. “How long do you need to adhere to this contract?”

“A year from the time of signing,” Sehun informed him. “Which I guess means I have a little less than eight months left.”

“And what of your mission to find this missing sibling?”

“I have been to see the Moon Witch,” Sehun said. “He told me to go see the Seer of the Sky Kingdom.”

“The Seer of Ilesseas?” Joonmyun asked as a clarification.

“I suppose so,” Sehun muttered. “You know the kingdom’s true name?”

“I am the leader of a town where one of the lifts is located," Joonmyun reminded him with a smile. "We get many people coming and going between here and there. You start to hear stories and names start to make their way into conversation.” Then he looked up at Sehun with a sad smile. “They talk about their aging king a lot these days.”

Sehun didn’t say anything to that. Instead, he tried to move on from that particular conversation. “I’m headed to the Sky Kingdom to speak with the Seer,” he grunted. “Maybe he can help me.”

But Joonmyun wasn’t having it. He wouldn’t let Sehun escape this conversation. “Do you know what the mark of a king is to the people of Ilesseas?” he asked Sehun.

“Luhan told me what he was looking for,” Sehun muttered. “Kind. Giving. Brave.”

“Are you telling me you are none of those things?” Joonmyun questioned. “Because even sitting here, I can tell you are. I know exactly why Luhan picked you. But it’s not just the person you are, it’s your gift.”

“What would you know about my gift?” Sehun spat. “It feels like a curse the more people discuss it. My mother’s gift is the only thing I cared about for a long time. It was the only thing