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Mingyu - Central Council Room - Mt. Medius

Mingyu was speechless. He paled at his seat as he watched Minghao hold the pendant that was hooked to a golden chain. He couldn't believe it, or more like refuse to believe it. There were so many things running around his mind, so many questions trapped around his head and his brain is having it's sweet time processing it.

"I have a confession to make," Mingyu saw how Junhui suddenly bolted up from his seat rigidly. He had his right hand raised up in the air in hopes of getting everybody's attention.

"I dreamt about this last night. It is about a young toddler, his age is about 4 or 5 blue moons." Junhui paused a little as he looked around and heaved a deep breath in. 

"I was watching him play in a garden with his toys while I sat under a tree. He called me something but I couldn't make it out, then he ran to me and told me he had a gift." Mingyu watched as Junhui fumble with the neckline of his clothing. 

"He took out a golden necklace and made me wear it." A series of collective gasp were heard around the room as he took the necklace out and started showing it to everyone. 

"After fixing the necklace I looked down to his direction to thank him, but the only thing I saw was darkness. So I started to run to look for him until I heard someone on my door and woke up. Thinking that it was just a strange dream I decided to change my clothes. That is when I realized that I still have this."

The few moments that followed were the parade of the noble sons of each family confessing that they have experienced a really strange dream about a glowing ball of light, only to wake up the next morning wearing a golden necklace with a single feather pendant. In fact, Mingyu was the seventh one to confess after Wonwoo. The youngest son of the noble Kwon's was the last one to tell his story and showed his necklace making them all thirteen in total. Mingyu saw how elder Choi whispered something to elder Lee with the latter nodding and then whispered to elder Kwon who was beside him. 

Elder Yoon then stood up from his seat after the youngest Kwon finished speaking. Mingyu watched as the old man made slow steps to the youngest one in the room. Half a meter apart, the old man reached out his right hand and asked Kwon Chan to hold his. The look of pure confusion written in Chan's face was so obvious, and yet he took the elders hands pensively. 

Mingyu watched in curiosity as the middle grounder unconsciously closed his eyes the moment he held the elders hand. A few moments of silence then pass when the elder was suddenly thrown away from the boy like there was some invisible energy that repulsed him.

The old man heaved in long breaths as if he was drowned. His house, the entirety of the Yoon's was right at his side to help him get back on his feet. Mingyu watched in shock as Yoon Jeonghan scrambled to his feet to heal his grandfather while Lord Master Hong assisted the young Lee. "What happened?" Asked Lord Master Kwon, agitation obviously laced with his voice. 

"The boy, he asked me to look into another dream of his whilst I was looking into his newest. He told me that oddly, the other high lords and lords have also experienced an eerily similar dream like his. And so I looked into it." The old man paused and had a coughing fit before continuing. "But that-that was no dream! It was a memory and I'm sure of it." Another bout of collective gasps were heard once again.

"Grandfather is it by any chance that the dream you looked into had barren lands and destroyed towns?" Mingyu heard a tremble in Jeonghan's voice and the elders eyes slowly grew bigger.

"I apologize my dear child, the memory seemed like it had a barrier so I barely saw anything." Elder Yoon replied as he leaned his weight to Jeonghan. "Just the boy gliding freely with the wind. But there was something strange." The old man paused as he looked around the room.

"His eyes were brown and the clothes he wore looked like that of the ancient perunts".

“How can that be? Never in my lifetime have I let my children wear a nomads clothing, and besides the old tribe of perunts are long gone. They have already perfectly integrated themselves in the entirety of the three realms.” Lord Master Kwon asked. His voice slightly raised a pitch.

“That is why I thought it was strange. It is the boys memory, that I am sure of. However, even if the person looked exactly like him, there were still some differences.” the old man had another coughing fit worrying the people around the room as he can barely stand if not for the support of his grandson.

“What if we seek help from the prophets? Is there a way for us to call for their presence?” Lord Master Kim asked as he gaze through the windows of the assembly room.

“It is not impossible. However, this will include a lot of us, including the children. Summoning a spirit prophet takes a lot of energy. The elders might not have the enough capacity of energy to do such task. So we will need every single one here in this room to channel their energy in order for it to work." Lord Master Yoon answered.

“Well I believe it is best that we should take a break if we ought to that, Elder Yoon is not in a very good condition. We can continue this later after our respective dinners.” Elder Hong suggested.    

Mingyu for the second time that day walked his way in the brightly lit hallways of the secret hall of Mt. Medius to the assembly room. It was already in the deep hours of the night when he and his father ventured out to the mountain. After their family dinner, Mingyu waited anxiously for what was about to happen inside his room, he didn't even knew his grandfather went ahead to do some preliminary preparations together with the other elders.

The moment his father opened the door, Mingyu was greeted with familiar anxious faces of the people he was with earlier. Then, he noticed an empty granite basin in the middle of the room. It was placed right on top of an expertly carved out marble table. Right on top of it were three unlit torches, vertically perched to face one another. It was his first time seeing it and he couldn't help himself but wonder how it could help them talk to the spirit prophets.

"Hyung!" called out Mingyu to the oldest son of the Choi's as he distracted himself from staring at the strange object in the middle of the room. The older however did not reply, instead he kept on looking outside the window of the assembly room.

"Hyung!" This time Mingyu made sure to pat the olders shoulder."Is there something out there?" Mingyu asked the startled man.

"Oh uh, nothing. I was just fascinated by the moon." The older answered as he slowly walked away from the window.

"The moon? But you were looking down?" The younger continued to query.

"The moonlight! Yes the moonlight! I was just fascinated by how the moon can easily beautify the things its light hit." Seungcheol replied with a slightly alarmed tone laced with his voice. He was internally hoping that the younger will buy his excuse.

"Well I do agree with that. I mean, I would have really marveled with the scenery outside on our way here if not for the nervousness that I feel right now." Mingyu babbled as Seungcheol slowly pushed him away from the window, missing the opportunity to see the hovering figures of the five young cloud denizen nobles covered in sparkling moondust to gather more energy from the moon.

"Aren't you nervous hyung? Are you not afraid of what the spirit prophets going to say?" the younger nether dweller continued to babble as they sat themselves on the Choi's designated seat.

"Well, to be honest Mingyu I am. I am scared, especially if the dream that we saw is not really a dream but a memory." Mingyu saw the hurt plastered in the olders face. Something bad might have happened on a very important thing or person for Seungcheol. In fact, Mingyu can definitely understand him. That nightmare was too horrifying for him and he would like for it to remain that way instead of it being a memory. The image of a dying Wonwoo, all covered in blood with a big gash on his chest made him feel different kinds of emotions all at once. Waking up to the feelings of sadness, longing, anger, remorse, and many more got Mingyu bolting out of his room like a feral hunting hound. Now thinking that it really happened in real life is urging Mingyu to want to punch his own face. What was he doing? Why did he let it happen to Wonwoo?

The nether was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice that he has become unresponsive to the conversation that he was having with Seungcheol earlier. “Hey, are you alright?”

Wonwoo's voice pulled Mingyu back to the world of the living as the younger jolted on his seat. The older nether kept running his soft hands up and down in the youngers back in an attempt to loosen his nerves.

"He's just probably nervous about what we might find out tonight." Seungcheol supplied as Mingyu is still speechless.

Wonwoo seated himself on the armrest of the chair that Mingyu was sitting at and swiped the stary hair on the youngers face. "Well aren't we all?" Wonwoo suddenly replied to Seungcheol's answer earlier with his gaze still concentrated on Mingyu's hair that doesn't seem to stay in place. The large wooden doors then bursted open and Mingyu couldn't be more thankful for that. If not for the sudden intrusion, Wonwoo might have seen him blush just because he was brushing his hair. "That would've been embarrassing" Mingyu thought.

"Wow aren't they all bedazzled." Mingyu was midly shocked when Hansol spoke and appeared out of nowhere. He was now standing beside his brother with eyes glued to the sparkling cloud denizens who marched in one by one.

"That's moondust Hansol. We all know that astrals takes a little more time to absorb energy when it's dark unlike us, and since they are also helping tonight they need to gather and convert as much energy as they can. That is why they need a catalysts to speed the absorption up, and the reason why they sprinkled themselves with moon dust." Wonwoo answered whilst leaning on Mingyu to steady himself on the armrest.

Mingyu was feeling flustered by Wonwoo's actions. Mingyu thought that it was absurd and illogical but he couldn't help it. These past few days, the only thing that runs through his head is the thought of the older man. After his horrifying nightmare, he just couldn't resist himself from thinking of ways to protect the man resulting for him to being hyper aware of everything his hyung does. From the way the older calls him or just by the simple act of waving at him makes Mingyu feel jittery.

"Oh! So it's like the sun juice that we drink." Hansol replied, Wonwoo nodded, and Mingyu was just thankful nobody saw his reddening face.

"Well I think they look goo-." Hansol was not able to finish what he was about to say, for the signal that the elders are coming alerted every single person in the room. Everybody made their way to their seats and waited for the older men to come in.

Greetings were made and everybody were settled. Elder Jeon, the oldest of them all stood up and declared that they will call the messenger whom they thought to have brought the message himself, the Sinned son.

Elders Jeon, Wen, and Yoon stood up and alined themselves infront of each torch that Mingyu saw earlier. They reached their hands and chanted a spell from an ancient language that Mingyu was sure he's ought to study yet. As the chanting of the spell went on, embers of different colors slowly showed up at each ends of the torches. Red for elder Jeon, Green for elder Wen, and Blue for elder Yoon. They continued to chant the spell until the embers turned into fire and that is when Mingyu realized that other than the mystical torches, all the lights in the room were out. With the fire brightly burning, elders Choi, Kwon, and Lee slowly placed their hands respectively onto the marble basin and started to recite the same chant as well. But instead of it making the fire bigger, small pieces of the burning torches fell off into the granite basin underneath it. Mingyu gasp, for instead of seeing a colorful dance of fire, a sliverish liquid started to fill the basin.

As the liquid slowly filled the basin to tue brim, the remaining elders, namely elder Xu, Kim, and Hong held hands and circled around the basin. They also started to chant the same spell together with the other elders. As they joined the chant, the fire of the torches did not intensify nor it did any change with the appearance of the liquid in the basin but instead, it slowly revealed a small opening on the top of the room exposing the basin alone to direct moonlight.

With the moonlight directly hitting the liquid, it looked like it was glowing. The contents inside the basin swirled softy as if some force was stirring it slowly. Looking around, Mingyu saw the Lord Masters of the astrals move forward. Each of them were holding a large septer equivalent to their height. They looked at each other before nodding in a silent agreement.

"It is time" Lord Master Hong softly said as they looked around the room and signaled the other Lord Masters to brace themselves. Then, with a loud thud the dark cold floor of the room lit up. Ancient runes from what Mingyu thinks is from an old tribe once known as the spæheil appeared. He watched as his father and the other Lord Masters step on the runes. The lights coming off form the runes immediately intensified from the energy of the Lord Masters.

Then Lord Master Kim looked back at him with a soft comforting smile."Step into the runes son, then concentrate in powering up the runes." He instructed.

Mingyu wearily stepped in, this was his first time joining a real ritual. Rituals in the nether realm are only done by seasoned healers or trained warriors due to the fact that sharing energies is not an easy thing for nethers to do. It also did not help to boost his confidence when he saw how easy it was for Lee Jihoon and the rest of the astrals to give off their energy like they join rituals everyday.

Mingyu closed his eyes and concentrated in giving off his energy. He tried really hard to expel it out but there was none. He opened his eyes feeling worthless about himself.

Mingyu opened his eyes to his smiling father."It is alright Mingyu. I know it is not easy. I've been through this as well. Just think of it like you want to share your energy to someone important to you."

And Mingyu did so. He closed his eyes and thought about someone. Someone he deeply cherish, someone he wouldn't mind sharing his energy even if it caused his life. Slowly a familiar face morphed in his mind. The sharp jaw and feline like eyes so beautifully distinct gave him the enough encouragement that in just a flash Mingyu's energy flowed out like rushing current in a waterfall. 

"Magnificent Mingyu" he heard his father softly but proudly say. He slowly opened his eyes to see the runes beneath and near him glowing brighter than before. He felt proud of himself and tried to look on Wonwoo's way only to see that the other man is now just idly standing on a rune brighter than his. Mingyu is in awe. Wonwoo is always astonishing like that.

His train of thoughts suddenly got disrupted when the runes lights suddenly danced with different colors as the last noble, the youngest Kwon was able to share his energy. It continued to change and change for a few moments before a strong gust of wind that blew out of nowhere came and extinguished the fire from the torches. Everything went dark as the runes light disappeared and the moonlight suddenly gone as well, none in the room spoke. It was all silence.

Then in the middle of the room, just right above the basin encircled by the torches where the moonlight once directly hit, a small ball of light flickered. Mingyu almost choke from all the nerves he was feeling.

The small ball of light slowly grew bigger, until it revealed to be an oil lamp carried by a small child who has his head bowed and was wearing a big straw hat and a white nightgown. The elders and Lord Masters bowed to child and Mingyu followed even though he was confused with whoever the child was.

"Please do not bow so respectfully on a sinner like me. I don't deserve it." The child spoke. He slowly raised his head revealing the smooth face of an innocent boy, yet even though his looks is of purity of a lamb. His eyes spoke something more, of sadness, of longing, of regret.

"A sinner like me should not be here for I am still being punished, but praise God for his mercy! He allowed me to once again to descend to you realms and answer you question. So listen carefully."

A moment of silence filled the room.

"Ye who holds the golden feathers are the ones destined to send the devil, Lilith to her resting place. Fulfill your destiny for the whole of humanity rest in your hands."

Another moment of silence wrapped the whole room.

"But how do we do it? How do we vanquish a demon as strong as her?" Seungcheol suddenly asked, he sounded helpless and Mingyu couldn't blame him. They were nothing but children. "We are nothing but ordinary?" The older added with a small voice. The boy only smiled at the remark, looking amused at the gloomy stature of Seungcheol.

"Please believe me when I say you are more than ordinary. I've seen it with my own two eyes." Then the runes started to glow once again and the clouds that covered the moon started to disappear. The image of the little boy slowly faded.

"I must go now for my time is up. The chosen heroes must all go and look for the shards of Lilith's soul. You need to destroy them all in order to kill her. Do not fear for God will be with you. Goodbye." The boy then vanished from their sight, only leaving nothing but ashes in the empty basin. The candles that once light up the room are now back and fully lit. From a person's point of view who did not participate in the ritual, it would look like nothing had happened.

But for Mingyu and the rest, the future is as bleak the clouds that hover over the shadow lands.

Facts about the Fic:

• Perunt - an ancient nomadic hunting tribe from the southwest of the borders of the realm. Before Liliths rampage, this tribe is one of the most powerful and feared by many. Demon beasts of different kinds even flee the moment they catch a glimps of their spears. Their tribe is consisted of brave and agile hunters and skillful blacksmiths and weapon makers. But after Lilith started to kill for fun and almost wiped out the entirety of the tribe, they have slowly settled down and mixed themselves with the other tribes that seeked refuge in the dense forest of what is known today as the three realms of the cloud denizen, middle ground,  and nether releam. They are believed to be one the ancestors of the people from the middle ground.

• Spæheil - unlike the Perunts, they are a secluded yet peaceful tribe that once lived in the northwest mountain cliffs beyond the border. They are widely known for their abilities to control and use their energies to heal. Just like the Perunts though, they also fled the comfort of their mountain cliffs of what is now known as the Black rock and made themselves home in the mountainous regions of the three realm where most of the cloud denizens now live.

• Mt. Medius - while known to be the first meeting ground of the first heroes, the normal citizens did not know that the nobles still use it as a meeting ground for important and confidential assemblies. The outside of it doesn't seem to be guarded, but once inside, anybody who dares to come through without any reason will be questioned and maybe punished.

Wow this was loooooong.. I didn't even expected for it to be this long.. But anyways, the important thing is... we saw Seungcheol gay panic, so did Mingyu and we now can safely assume that Hansol like sparkly things. I hope this chapter is alright.. As usual please tell me what you think or if you see any mistakes.. Thankssss.. AND ALSO shout out to the new subscribers: neveru, mistyreflections, Silvertotoro, s_ck_wj, Jaedwin, happyending_svt, hughhue, mmrocks1, Nguruvilu, lildreamlnd_

THANKS A LOT FOR SUBSCRIBING TO THIS MESS. I HOPE YOU STAY WITH THIS FIC TILL THE VERY END.. and I hope I didn't miss anyone nor misspelled you names.. Byeeeeeee and have a nice day or night!!