C h a p t e r  T w o

 

“There is not enough magic in a bloodline to forge an instant, irrevocable bond.”

 – James Earl Jones.

 

Soundtrack for this Chapter : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLaeLGAbIsI&feature=related

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Skye and Storm made their way into the council room. The Tribe was there – well the strongest members anyways – and it was slightly intimidating knowing that the realm’s most powerful Mages were there. Of course it was hard to say whether they could be the considered the most powerful individually, but they sure as hell were powerful as a team.

“Girls, you’ve got a list of missions to do and there isn’t time to rest. So let’s cut the chit chat and get straight to it.” Said the council head, Lee Byunghun. Lee Byunghun was the most powerful Mage there was up to date. He never fought with full strength and wore a special ring that restrained the amount of power he used.

“First of all, you have many demons to kill. Recently, the amount of demons walking the earth has increased – Miryo will fill you in on that one. Second of all, we are finding that many more black magic users are walking about. We aren’t too sure who, but we suspect that there are some within the big clans.” Byunghun paused and turned to Miryo, motioning for her to explain into detail about the demon situation.

Jo Mihye – better known as Miryo in the Mage world – is the most powerful female Mage there is. She isn’t powerful in strength, but her powers gave her the ability to tap into the minds of the enemy. If she wanted, she could order an army to kill themselves with just a thought.

“As you know, it is your job as a member of The Purity Mourners to slay demons and rid them of the earth, or seal them back to where they came from. It seems as if someone – and we haven’t figured out whom – keeps calling them out. And we all know that the only way to summon demons is through black magic. For years we’ve tricked people into believing demons could be summoned through normal magic at home, but someone has figured it out.

“Demons like Berith and Moloch have been roaming the earth for centuries, but someone has provoked them to attack the mundanes. The only people who know how to do this are The Purity Mourners. We have entrusted you two with this mission because we suspect there’s a spy within the clan. This is classified; do not share this with anyone, especially not anyone in the clan.”

The girls looked at each other. A spy, was it possible for there to be a spy within The Purity Mourners? I mean, the only way to get in is if you pass a test, and not many people even pass the initiation before the real test. So, why go through all that trouble just to betray them?

“Minho has personally requested the two of you. Don’t let us down, girls.” Byunghun said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “On top of that, we have suspects that we need in custody. They are members of the clan Checkpoint103. You may or may not know them, but in the mortal world, they are known as hit Korean boy band, SHINee.”

Skye’s eyebrow twitched as she remembered not too long ago, she and Storm had been discussing about the group’s comeback. Unfortunately for those boys, they’d have to make a rain check on that because they’re not coming back for anything but a serious interrogation.

“We understand.” Skye said. “We’ll get right on it.”

“Skye, you may leave. Chaehee, you stay behind.” Miryo said in a stoic manner. Skye gave Storm a reassuring pat on the back before heading out. It was obvious that it was a family matter since Miryo had addressed Storm by her given name rather than her Mage name.

At birth, you are given a name, after training and you join a clan, you may enter the clan under a different name as long as you give your real name as well to the clan master. Given names are only used by relatives, your parabatai¹ or the council. It is not necessary, but Miryo holds onto the old ways, still not completely over the fact that her youngest sister had died. She got up from her seat, and so did Jo Kwon – the youngest out of the four legendary Jo siblings. Storm looked over to her mother and father who had stayed seated. What was so important that she had to stay behind, but not important enough that her parents were there for it?

“Chaehee, it is about time that you got married.” Miryo said directly. She was never the type to beat around the bush in the first place. “You have almost lived two centuries – one and a half if you would really like to get technical with me – and you still haven’t settled down.”

“But, Mihye Imo², you haven’t either and you’ve been around since even before the First Great Mage War.” Storm retorted. “I don’t see why I must settle so soon.”

“Don’t talk back to me.” Miryo hissed. “All I am saying is that you should try to settle down with a nice man. And get out of the Mage business.”

“Get…get out of the Mage business? You want me to stop being a Mage?” Storm asked incredulously.

Jo Kwon walked over to his niece and her wavy red hair. “You know this was your mother’s request, right?” Miryo shot him a sharp glare. “She doesn’t want you to be in danger. The Second Great War was only one and a half decades ago. We’re all still coping with our losses, but she doesn’t…she doesn’t want you to end up like your Eunmi Imo. She was our sister, but she was your mother’s twin.”

“It’s over now though! I survived through that and I did it with only minor injuries!” she tried to insist. “I don’t want to be put in those crazy arranged marriages, Imo.” She said, turning to Miryo.

“It will have to be the case if you choose not to get married.” She said, her cold demeanour unchanging.

Storm looked at Jo Kwon with pleading eyes. “Kwon Samchon³, I’ve been training so hard, why do I have to stop doing what I do best?” she asked. “What if I refuse?”

She already knew what would come next. Everyone knew, it was a dumb question, but she asked anyways.

“You know the answer to this, don’t make me say it.” Jo Kwon said quietly. “You’d be disowned, put on the streets, and you’d be kicked out of your clan.”

“All because I refuse to get married and stop being a Mage? What’s the use if I’ll be forced to stop being a Mage either way?” she asked tearing up. There was no way in hell she’d ever get married, not if it wasn’t him. “Please, I’m begging you now, begging. Please don’t make me go through with this.”

Miryo felt her face soften as she read Storm’s thoughts. She could see the vague pictures of a boy not so much older than Storm looked – she was after all hundreds of years old – she couldn’t tell much, but she knew by how her thoughts ended that it didn’t end well.

“These are after all your mother’s wishes, so if you can convince her, then you are free to do as you please with this matter.” Miryo said, before leaving the room. Jo Kwon was about to do the same when he felt Storm’s small hand wrap around his wrist.

“Kwonnie Samchon, you and I both know there’s no way in hell I can tell my mom why I can’t get married.” She said, tears beginning to form along her waterline.

Jo Kwon knew very well, he was the only one who knew apart from Skye what had happened that made Storm so against the matter of being married. If her parents knew, the consequences would have been worse than if she were to oppose them on the marriage decision.

“Honey, I know but you…you’ll have to get over it someday.” He whispered carefully. “Let’s go now.”

When they got out, Storm looked like nothing had happened. No tears, no emotion, just a quick bow before she turned and left.

***

Skye left the council building wondering why her Parabatai had to stay behind. There was a familiar presence around her; she just couldn’t put her finger on who it was. As it got closer, she felt a pair of hands grab her shoulders. Her instinct kicked in and she sent her elbow into the person’s – or whatever it was – face earning a loud groan. She turned to find her eldest brother Donghae holding his nose in pain.

“, Yunj-yah! That hurt like a !” he yelled. “Calm down, remember rule number thirty? Always recognize the presence before attacking!”

Their family had this thing for rules, rule books and anything related even remotely to it. When they started training, she had been trained to memorize every single rule manual there was in the Lee Family Library.

“Sorry, Donghae!” she apologized immediately. She took note of the lone drop of blood about to drip out of his nose. “Oh god, you’re bleeding!”

“I’m fine, really I am.” He assured her, pulling out a tissue pack from his back pocket. “Did you hear about the random disappearances and deaths of Mages? I heard even Mundies are getting it.”

His voice was slightly nasally since he was pinching his nose with the tissue.

“Yeah, I heard a bit about it, why?” she asked.

“The council doesn’t trust any of us with any information nowadays. It’s as if they think we’re going to turn on them.”Donghae explained. “We survived the Second Great Mage War with many losses, and still we stand here strong and proud that we won against those ing demons.”

Skye frowned at the mention of the war. It was definitely the war of all wars; it takes the cake for being the most devastating. There was no baby-boom for the mages after the war. There were no Mages to return to their wives who waited at home patiently. You stood by your spouse as the two of you fought for your lives, together. Skye smiled weakly at her brother before excusing herself.

She was headed for the pool – there was a really nice one near the Lee Estate, or what was left of it. She teleported her way there, saving her quite a bit of time. Sure it was only for ten feet, but it was ten feet she didn’t have to walk.

She got changed quickly and slid into the cool water. The feeling of it against her skin was relaxing. She stared at the faint scars that covered her upper arms. With a simple spell, she could hide them but she was reminded of what Storm had said once; ‘They’re my battle scars to prove I am a warrior. I don’t feel shame in showing them.’

For a few seconds, her whole body went under water. She wanted to just let go of the hell that she had to live in. She came back up, floating on her back. She decided to just enjoy the feeling of the water against her back while a cool breeze hit her front.

The Second Great Mage War was the one that took the lives of most of her family. The cowards that called themselves ‘noble Mages’ ran away when they heard that it had started. She scowled thinking about the aunts and uncles who were strict to the bone when training her. They always said that she shouldn’t run away, but what did they do? While their siblings and relatives died, they were probably enjoying a lovely vacation in the mundane world.

Once she arrived to the other end, she began to swim furiously back to the other side. It was the best way to relieve stress – for her anyways – to swim. She rubbed her face, pretending to wipe water off of her face – as if someone was watching her. She felt herself cry lightly thinking about poor Zelo whose dad took him for granted, about Narsha who lost not only her brother and parents, but her husband too. As much as she disliked him, she pitied Junyeon too. He was a bastard but his parents died saving him and his long-time girlfriend Younggi.

What if one day, she were to lose her siblings? She already lost her parents – an unfortunate accident she put on herself – so it wouldn’t be so bad, would it? But then she imagined her big brother’s smiling face, her big sister Chaerin’s – or CL – hilarious sass. Her family was once this powerful group, united together, but after the war, they became feuding. They treated each other as if everything was a competition. She couldn’t remember the last time they got together like a normal family.

“What are you doing here?” Skye slowly came to a stop from her swimming to see her older sister Jihyun – better known as Qri in the mage world – looking at her, her foot tapping the cold tiles.

“I’m swimming. What does it look like?” she asked, glaring at her sister. Skye never really got along with Qri. Qri was the only one in the family who didn’t particularly get along with Skye. Skye was seen as competition, therefore she must be defeated.

Qri shot a glare back at Skye, the two looked like they were in a motionless wordless battle. “I don’t know why I was sent here to tell you, but Tablo Woesamchon⁴ is calling a family meeting tonight regarding some family issues or whatever.” Qri said, not breaking her glare.

Skye continued to glare as well. “Tell him I’ll be there.”

Qri walked away and seemed to disappear as she entered the change rooms – they were the only ways out of the pool – the sound of her footsteps seeming to speed up. Skye sighed. She hated family meeting type things. It always resulted in an impossible amount of arguments, the point was never conveyed, they rarely came to agreements and she really wished that it wasn’t so hectic being there.

Once Skye left the pool, showered and dressed. She sensed something was off, she didn’t feel right. Nothing happened in particular, aside from the whole family thing, had bothered her today. She frowned feeling her heart ache. Something was wrong with Storm.

As her Parabatai, she could feel how Storm felt when she was really unhappy. Normally, the two of them didn’t feel these strange emotional connections unless it was really bad. Skye felt uneasy as she made her way slowly down the path towards her ‘home’ which wasn’t too far from where she was.

***

Storm sat in her room on her bed. Her room was located on the third floor of the Seo manor which as you could tell was enormous which wasn’t abnormal for a nobel family let alone two of them. She fell backwards onto the not so soft mattress and rolled towards the head of the bed to bury her face into her many pillows that were scattered across the top of her enormous bed.

The whole marriage ordeal was blowing way out of proportion. She didn’t want to get married and that was final.

‘Miryo Imo is a hypocrite.’ She thought ruefully. She heard a knock at her door.

“Come in!” she yelled through her pillow. The sound of the click from her doorknob sounded as the guest opened the door.

“Honey?” she heard her mother say softly.

“What do you want?” she asked, her words being muffled by the pillow beneath her.

“I know you’re upset about the whole marriage thing but –”

“Eomeoni⁵, you know I respect you.” She said, getting up from her laying position. “But I cannot comply with your wishes this time. I simply can’t bond myself to some man who I don’t love. Do you know what that’s like?”

“Of course I do.” Her mother responded, her mess of red hair. “I was in an arranged marriage too, and you know what? I ended up falling in love with him in the end.”

“You and Abeoji⁶ were arranged marriage partners?” Storm asked, slightly taken aback by her mother’s confession.

It was a fact that the Legendary Jo Siblings were not only highly respected, but also feared. It was a surprise that anyone would want to marry anyone who is more powerful than them. It was easy for the youngest of the siblings, Jo Kwon, because as a male they were expected to be the more powerful ones. It’s a bullet to a man’s pride when his woman is more powerful than him. Of course the ‘Seo’s were also very powerful, the ‘Jo’s were better known.

“Yes, we were and we’ve been happily married for almost two and a half centuries, thank you very much.” Her mother said in a playful tone. “You never know what fate throws at you, my ddal⁷, I just felt like you’d be happier if you found love like I did.”

“But Eomeoni, do you really want me to stop my Mage activities?” Storm asked with a sad look. “You know, I love training and doing missions, right? And I have a Parabatai, I can’t just leave her.”

Her mother looked at her, being immortal gave you the benefit of being eternally young – perhaps not eternally beautiful, because you can’t stay beautiful if you weren’t beautiful to begin with. Never in her hundreds of years of life had Seo – well, born Jo – Eunae ever have to deal with such an issue. She would never say it out loud, but she feared that her daughter might have the same fate as her twin sister.

“Chaehee-yah, it’s much too dangerous out there for you.” Her mother said with a strained voice.

“I’m not Eunmi Imo, I don’t have children to protect or a husband to protect.” Eunae stiffened at the sound of her sister’s name. “Please, I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t make me stop being a Mage.”

Eunae stared at her daughter for a long time before nodding her head slowly. “There is a dinner tonight that I’d like you to attend.” Storm’s ears perked at the sound of the word dinner. “It is going to be your arranged marriage dinner.” Then she frowned.

“So it’s decided, I’m being forced into this?” Storm asked.

“In return, I shall give you the freedom of continuing your status as a Mage.” Eunae said with a sigh. “Please dress nicely. You need not be too formal because we are going to a casual restaurant. The boy was handpicked by your father and I. We’d appreciate if you gave him a chance, I don’t know what is making you so iffy about this whole marriage thing, but please make an effort. He comes from one of the nobel families.”

‘Of course.’ Storm thought. She wouldn’t be arranged to marry him if he wasn’t.

“I’ll get ready now.” Storm said quietly. Her mother gave her a weak smile before heading out to get ready herself.

Once her mother left, Storm locked the door and bound it with a binding spell so that no one could come in. She got on her knees by the side of her bed and reached in between the third and second mattress where she carefully pulled out a picture of herself and a boy not so much older than she looked. She remembered that day because it was a week before the Second Great Mage War had started. She got into a fight with Park Yoochun from the clan Unknown. She landed a few hits and so did he…on her face. She ended up covering up the bruises but her eye was too swollen to disguise.

She smiled grimly at the photo, she would never be able to relive those days, never again. She reached between the mattresses again and pulled out a ring and held it tight as hot tears spilled from her eyes.

It rained terribly that day, so much for a nice picnic date. It was just after the Second Great Mage War and Storm was at the lowest point in her life. Only one person – surprisingly a mundane – could make it all better with just a smile. Storm looked up at her boyfriend who held the large pink umbrella over their heads.

“Jaehyun,” Storm started. “Would you love me even if I was some weird person, like if I wasn’t completely human? Or maybe if I got into an accident and became hideously disfigured?”

“Of course I would. If I had met you and you were you, I would have fallen for you anyways. It doesn’t matter if you get into an accident – be careful to not get into any though – and become repugnant to look at.” He replied.

His arm wrapped around her shoulders and the two just enjoyed the walk back to her mundane house. Mortals didn’t know about the Mage world so Mages would go by their given names and would have a separate life in the mundane world.

“I believe that we’ll be together forever.” He said with a grin. “I know it sounds cheesy but it’s true. Even in my second life, I believe I’ll always end up with you.”

Storm smiled weakly at him. She wouldn’t know him in his second life; she was still in her first since she was born in 1844. This relationship she had was completely unknown to everyone in the Mage world. Romance between a mundane and a Mage was forbidden, the mundane would figure out about the mage world, and they’d have to kill them.

Mages who were caught in cohorts with a mundane romantically would get their Mage marks torn off and they’d be forced into the extremely painful process of getting their powers stripped of them. Unless you’re a new Mage who hasn’t lived over half a century, you’d likely survive, but those who have been around for centuries would rot away once the powers were gone. It was after all the powers that keep them immortal.

He leaned down to give her a short sweet kiss. She smiled against his soft lips before he pulled away. He looked like he was about to say something when suddenly someone called Storm’s name.

Storm turned to see a familiar Mage standing close to them with a smug look plastered across her face. “What do we have here?” she said in a snotty way.

“What we have here is a date, so if you don’t mind, we’ll be on our way.” Jaehyun said, his grip tightening around Storm’s shoulders.

Storm tensed, now it was sure that she was with a mundane. “It was nice seeing you Sulli.”

“Not so fast.” She said with a smirk. “I still need to return the favour to you for having my fiancé murdered by the council!”

“What…council? You did what?” Jaehyun was genuinely confused.

“It’s nothing!” Storm insisted.

“Nothing? Nothing?!” Sulli screamed. People stared as they walked by. “You’re in the mundane world now, there are no nobles to protect you here! I will take away from you what you took from me!”

Sulli, being a great deal taller than Storm shoved her out of the way and kissed Jaehyun roughly. He pushed her off of him with an angry expression. “If you ever so even come near us again, I will make sure you suffer and there won’t even be police who can help you!”

“I’m not afraid of the cops.” She said with a smirk.

“Just because she kissed me, doesn’t mean you’ll lose me. She tasted funny anyways, like a bitter grass.” He said wiping his mouth.

“L-like what?” Storm froze in her place. “We need to get you to my house, now!”

They made a mad dash for her house, it wasn’t so far away anymore but he suddenly fell.

“Wh-what’s wrong with me?” he began to cough roughly, blood staining his hands. “What’s happening to me?”

“Don’t give in, just wait a bit more, we’re almost there, I can see it!” she cried. She threw his arm over her shoulder and helped him as he limped with her.

When they arrived, she laid him on the couch and went into her kitchen to grab a small knife. “What are you going to do with that?” he asked frightened.

“She poisoned you, I need to get rid of it!” she yelled. “The only cure is to drink Mage’s blood!”

“Chaehee, th-that’s absurd.” He wheezed.

“No time to explain, I need to give you enough so you can live!” she brought the knife near her arm, shaking as she felt the blade against her skin. But a hand stopped her.

“I won’t let you cut into your flesh for me.” He coughed. “I don’t know what’s going on, but tell me the truth now. I’ll believe it as long as it’s coming from you.”

“I’m a Mage, I can show you! Ice make heart!” she called out. A small heart shaped piece of ice formed on her hand. Jaehyun stared at it wide eyed. She put it in his hand. “Now I need to get you my blood before it’s too late! You need a lot so just bear with me!”

“I can’t let you kill yourself for me.” He choked out. Tears began to form in his eyes. “Chae, I don’t want to die. But I wouldn’t want to live if you weren’t by my side.”

“Stop being cheesy and let me save you!” she continued to yell.

“No, I can’t.” he said with his crooked smile. His hands shook as he lifted his hand to his collarbone, grabbing a silver chain. “Remember, we’ll be together no matter what life we’re in. So wait for me when we’re re-born.”

Storm shook her head furiously. “No, no, no, no, no!” she cried.

“I love y…” he said breathily before he froze, before disgusting purple lines formed from around his lips all over his face. They consumed his face and dark swampy green filled the contours of each jagged line. He was still alive as this happened, but the pain was too horrendous for him to even scream. His eyes grew wide as he stared at her, mouth parted.

She hastily made a long deep incision into her forearm, drawing blood quickly. She positioned her elbow near his mouth so that the blood would slide down her arm into his mouth. Her brain wasn’t functioning properly, she thought maybe giving more blood would save him, and as the blood drained from her it seemed like all hope was gone when those damned purple streaks began to crack and chip away his once flawless skin.

Her door crashed open, and Skye stood their horrified at the scene before her. The mundane boy lay dead with most of his skin lying on her best friend who kneeled next to him, drawing more and more blood from herself.

“Storm, stop!” Skye yelled. She pulled her away from him and tried to shield her eyes away from the final step of the poison. Skye was familiar with this poison – it was after all the one that killed her parents. But Storm broke free, making an incision into her palm and pressing her hand against his mouth where his lips no longer existed after they too had been bit by bit peeled away by the creases. His body began to rot away, starting from the neck it turned a charcoal black and crackled away, blood flying everywhere.

Storm stayed unfazed and continued trying to save him thought the task was obviously impossible. Skye tore her away from the body to show her the flesh that hung off his body and face, the protruding bones that showed, and the rib cage open like someone had pried them apart.

***

At the funeral, Storm brought Skye with her. Jaehyun’s crying family mourned miserably for their son who had died ‘saving Chaehee’s life from a psychotic woman’. The two Mages had done a ritual to portray something else for the family. Storm went up to the coffin and grabbed his cold hand. It would be the last time that they held hands or that they were together. She slipped their ring onto the ring finger of his left hand.

The funeral ended with his burial. The second they closed his coffin, Storm went crazy. Skye – who for whatever reason also cried despite the fact that she never knew the guy – had to hold her back from trying to reopen the coffin.

After the funeral, Storm explained everything to Skye. Every single detail from how she got with the guy to what happened. Skye rubbed her face, this was too much to take in at a time and she didn’t need this.

“You made a great offence against Mage law.” Skye muttered. “Don’t do anything to Sulli.”

“I can’t not do anything to that !” Storm snapped. “I’ll kill her, and I’ll do it the most painful way possible. Was it our fault that her fiancé had a Demon ? We saved her! He was a lying conniving son of a and he was cheating on her with DEMONS! To hell with him, and her!”

“Jaehyunnie, mianhaeyo, jeongmal mianhada⁸.” She whispered through sobs. “I don’t want to get married, not unless he’s you.” Her sobs grew louder even in her best attempts to control them. She couldn’t help but cry knowing she would never find love again.

Storm didn’t regret a thing when she killed Sulli. In fact, she savoured the cries of mercy and pain that escaped as she cut her apart piece by piece. When they found Sulli, she had been dismembered and bleeding. The skin on her face was peeled off and nailed to the front door, her eyeballs were placed carefully in her gaping mouth and her rib cage was torn open like someone was opening them like doors. Her legs had shriveled and looked melted by the obvious use of sulfuric acid, and still Storm felt she wasn’t going full out on her.

When everyone was looking for the killer, she was there making sure to cover up her tracks. Skye saw through her, they were Parabatai and it was impossible to deceive your Parabatai. Storm had confessed about it eventually through their thought conversations. To Skye it was evident from the beginning that it was Storm who had committed the crime. It was obvious that she wanted Sulli to suffer the way she had made the mundane boy suffer.

“Skye, Skye, please answer me. I need you.” Storm sent a thought to Skye.

“What’s wrong? I’ve been feeling this really tight feeling in my chest. I’m guessing it’s about what happened at the meeting with the council today.” Skye thought gently.

“They’re making me get married, Skye, they’re making me get married!” she cried in reality, but even her thoughts were shaky.

Skye couldn’t believe it. “They said I couldn’t continue being a Mage, but told me I could if I got married to this ‘noble family’ guy. Skye, I don’t want to get married.” Storm sobbed miserably.

“I’m headed to a ‘family meeting’ now, so we’ll talk about this later. For now, just go to that dinner and at least pretend you want to be there to please your parents.” Skye thought hastily. She knew that they’d know she wasn’t paying attention if she conversed with Storm through the whole night.

“Good luck. Do you want to go have a sleepover in the old tree house near the outskirts of town?” Storm asked, wiping her tears.

“Sure, I’ll meet you there tonight.” Skye said.

Storm cleaned herself up and got dressed and slipped the ring onto the ring finger on her left hand knowing it was the mundane way of being wed. In the Mage world, you get a second Mage mark that you and your partner choose and get somewhere on the chest whether it be over the septum or the heart.

She got her backpack and put the picture of her and the boy in the front pocket before braiding her hair into one long messy braid swept to the side over her shoulder. She took a deep breath and headed out her room.

“Let’s go now.” She said tiredly.

***

Skye sat patiently at her seat and looked around the conference room. She too was from a considerably elite family like her best friend’s but hers was the Lee family. A very common last name but you could tell a noble Lee from a normal Lee.

Each mage has a mark behind their ear in the form of a barcode which is how you would differentiate the nobles from the commoners. The ‘Lee’s in this case are known for having their numbers start with the numbers ‘2315’, only the noble ‘Lee’s have this – Skye’s number being 2 31573 55210 7, getting the last four digits ‘2107’ from being a noble ‘Ho’ on her mother’s side. ‘Seo’s are known for having ‘8860’ as the first four digits of their barcode – Storm’s being 8 86010 46108 4, receiving ‘1084’ because her mother is from the noble ‘Jo’s. Demons often try to disguise themselves as Mages but what they don’t know is that mages can only have them on behind their right ear, an observation that only the council and some of The Purity Mourners know about.

Skye tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for everyone to arrive. Had Qri lied to her about the meeting? She rested her head on the large light oak table and shut her eyes. At some point, she found herself falling into a deep sleep.

An eleven year old Skye in year 1855 had just returned home and she wanted to show her parents the new power she had mastered. She was able to send electrical shocks and surges through her body. She ran up to her sister Chaerin and gave her a tiny shock on the shoulder.

“Ow!” CL hissed. “You just learn about your abilities as a Mage, and now you go shocking everyone? Bad girl!”

Skye looked at her sister with a pout. “I was just showing you my new power, Eonni⁹.”

Skye had only recently discovered the existence of magic. Up until now, she had thought she was a mundane like the rest of her schoolmates. She bunched up her skirts and left to find her parents again.

“Eomma¹⁰!” Skye called to her mother who was dressed in odd clothing unlike the dress she usually wore. “I learned something new, now I can –”

“Sweetheart, your father and I will come see it later. we need to go on a mission now.” Her mother said hurriedly.

“But you always say that, and you guys never watch in the end!” Skye whined.

“Lee Yunji, you must have learned in class by now that as Mages, we cannot help but do missions all the time.” Her father said sternly. “We said that we would come back to watch you, so we will. Appa¹¹ promises you.”

Skye crossed her arms across her chest and nodded. “Fine.”

***

Skye screamed in horror and started thrashing at her brother who tried to hold her back from her disfigured parents. This was her fault, wasn’t it?

Skye’s head snapped up as she realized she didn’t want to continue the dream. The dream was more of a flashback, a flashback that haunted her year after year.

She buried her rested her elbows on the table and buried her face in her hands. Where was everyone?

“Yunji-yah…what are you doing here?” asked a deep male voice in the doorway. “Who let you in?”

“Tablo Woesamchon, what do you mean?” Skye asked. “Wasn’t there a family meeting?”

“No…you know I try to avoid all of that.” He said sheepishly. “Why? Who told you that?”

“Don’t worry about that.” Skye sighed. “I’ll just go then.”

As Skye walked back to her home – the Ho Estate – she wondered why Qri would lie about a family meeting. What would possibly benefit her from that? She put her mind on something else, that something else being the pile of missions she had on her plate.

One of them was to catch Leviathan – not the demon, but that clan. What type of sick s would name themselves after a water snake demon? No one knew who was in Leviathan, and trying to catch them would be like a wild goose chase for the most part. Leviathan was a band of mages who want to raise the Seven Great Demons.

“Storm, how’s the dinner going?” she asked.

“I don’t know, they’re late…or we’re early…but I think it’s more likely that they’re late.” Skye chuckled at her comment. Storm was notorious for being late to everything.

“Why is your sister here?” Storm asked abruptly.

“Which sister are you talking about? I have three of them, need I remind you.” Skye thought in response.

“Qri, and she’s with some dude who I can’t see.” Storm answered.

“That’s weird because she told me there was a meeting when…there wasn’t.” Skye confessed.

“I’ll talk to you later, my mom says they’re here…but I can’t see them, there are so many people it’s a wonder how I managed to see your sister.” Storm thought. “The tree house later, don’t forget.”

“I won’t.” Skye sighed as she made it to the entrance and she took off her shoes. She was greeted by one of the servants who offered to make her a snack, but she refused and headed to her room to pack her things together.

***

“Yongsook-ssi, Eunae-ssi, we apologize for being late, but that foolish son of ours just doesn’t seem to want to meet his marriage partner.” Apologized a tall man in a dark suit. His dark grey hair was gelled backwards giving him a suave look, and his wife stood proudly beside him.

“No problem Daeyoung-ssi!” Yongsook apologized. Storm looked at her father. Was he trying to be nice? He was never this kind, not even to superiors, he was a Seo, none of them were this nice.

“You must be Chaehee! I’m Kim Miri!” the wife exclaimed. “Oh, I always wanted a daughter!”

Storm smiled weakly. Jaehyun’s mother had said that too since she had four sons. “Pleased to meet you.” She responded politely.

“Where is that child? All he was told to do was park the car.” The husband said irritated. Mages needed transportation too, not all of them could teleport. “Oh, there he is!”

A familiar head of blonde hair appeared before Storm.

“I’m terribly sorry for being late, my name is Kim Him…Storm?” Himchan looked at her with disbelief.

“Mom…you paired me up with…Himchan?” Storm looked at her mother with the same disbelief on Himchan’s face.

“Well, we thought it’d be easier for the two of you if we chose someone who you knew!” Miri exclaimed.

“For the record, we had no idea you guys even knew each other until now.” The fathers said simultaneously, which was awfully strange.

A chair shifted backwards and the two at the table not too far from theirs stood.

“Don’t take another step!” Storm looked over to see Skye with a ball of electricity in her hand. “I went into your room, dear sister. Your spells are weak. So you’re part of Leviathan, eh?”

Qri looked at her younger sibling with anger. “You brat!”

Women and children began to scream as the two ran at each other, no one noticed the mysterious man slip away with the crowd who escaped the restaurant. 

 

---

 

Well, there it is, Chapter Two by MEE :D

Here are the definitions of words that I numbered in case you didn't understand : 

¹  Parabatai can be boy-boy, boy-girl, or girl-girl. They must choose each other before either of them truns eighteen. There's a ceremony to bond the two souls. You can only have one parabatai in your life. The only way to break the bond is death, or if one of you becomes a demon. You can't have a romantic relationship with your parabatai. It's against the law. *Important note : This was an idea by Cassandra Clare from her Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices Series'. Both are amazing and you should check them out!

² Imo is the Korean term for Maternal Aunt

³ Samchon is the Korean term for Maternal Uncle

⁴ Woesamchon is the Korean term for Paternal Uncle

⁵ Eomeoni is the Korean term for Mother, it is a more formal way of speaking especially if you're in a very Traditional family

⁶ Abeoji is the Korean term for Father, it is a more formal way of speaking especially if you're in a very Traditional family

⁷ Ddal is the Korean term for Daughter

⁸ "...mianhaeyo, jeongmal mianhada" means I'm sorry, I'm so sorry (or I'm really sorry, things along the lines of that)

⁹ Eonni is the Korean term for Older Sister or Older Woman. Eonni is a term used by females, the counterpart being Noona which is the term used by males rather than the word Eonni

¹⁰ Eomma is the Korean term for Mom, unlike Eomeoni it isn't as formal and is used in a more casual talk between parent and child

¹¹ Appa is the Korean term for Dad, unlike Abeoji it isn't as formal and is used in a more casual talk between parent and child

So that's it! For future reference and etc! 

This chapter was quite long and it took a while to write so I apologize for writing this chapter so late!

You guys should go check out some of the other stories me and LeeSkye06 write! I command you! LOL 

This is loosely based on Fairy Tail the Manga if you haven't already realized..

Of course that isn't the only parts of Skye's past that you'll get to see. There's more ehehehehe

Next chapter will be written by LeeSkye06 just in case you forgot.

And yay! I put lots of links..cause I like links, I'm a visual person..

What I do for my chapters may not be the same as what LeeSkye06 does so what she puts and what I put are different, we are after all two different writers. 

Also, if it's in the light blue, and this'll never change about my chapters, it means it's a flashback

But if it's dark blue, it means it's between Skye and Storm's thought conversations. 

Stay tuned for the next chapter!

 

Word Count : 6 614 words