Chapter Four:

       Sian stared at the male standing before her in the bedroom.

       He was all smiles which disturbed Sian greatly.

       “You said your name was Chanyeol?” Sian asked, observing the man up and down. He seemed to clean up after himself pretty well.

       His eyes seemed too big for his head. He didn’t look scary like Sian would have thought an EXO warrior would have looked like.

       “Yes,” Chanyeol grinned as he took an interest in Sian’s sword collection. He ran his finger along the fireplace the display sat upon and stared at Sian in astonishment. “How clean.”

       Sian didn’t even try to hide her emotions when the corner of her upper lip twitched dislike.

       Chanyeol didn’t seem fazed by her actions, which annoyed Sian even more.

       “Do all,” she paused, trying to find the right words, but this man was no man at all. He was a warrior from a card. “Are all of the other EXO warriors like . . . this?” Sian gestured to Chanyeol.

       “What do you mean?” Chanyeol asked with a purely confused look on his face. He walked over to her ceiling to floor window that led out to a balcony. “May I go out here?” he asked.

       Sian nodded with a small frown.

       “So cheery and full of life. I mean,” Sian got off her bed with silk sheets. She paused and looked at her silver silk bedsheets again. Her head cocked to the side in confusion. She had never been the owner of such nice sheets before.

       Where the hell did these come from?

       Sian began to wonder if she was in the right room, but her sword display on the fireplace was telling her that this was indeed her room. It was the only thing that was remotely owned by her that she kept in her bedroom besides her clothes.

       “Mean what?” Chanyeol asked, walking back into Sian’s room. He took time to examine the area. It wasn’t too big or too small. It was perfect for one person. Maybe two. The colors were rather bland to Chanyeol.

       Well, if Chanyeol could truly pick two words to describe Sian’s room, it was monochrome and empty. Everything in her room were of different shades of grey and black. The only object of color that popped out to his eyes was the fire red sword above the fireplace.

       Sian ignored the bedsheets, figuring the maids had made a mistake. She crossed her arms and walked over to Chanyeol.

       “You’re over a thousand years old. You should be full of wisdom and grace. Aren’t you?” she asked with raised brows.

       Chanyeol grinned and shrugged.

       “Well… think about it,” he stuck his hands into the front pockets of his thick black pants. “Your dad is much older than you, yet he acts like a child. You’re much younger than your dad, and yet you seem to be more mature than him.”

       Sian would have chuckled if she had it in her to do so. She had never really heard anyone insult her father the way Chanyeol just did.

       When Sian didn’t give him a reply, he smiled and his heels to go back to the balcony.

       “I assume you don’t like my attitude and demeanor?” he asked.

       Sian stared at the man’s back. Sure, he seemed cheery, but the moment Chanyeol turned around, Sian could tell he was hiding something from the way he held himself. It was as though he was pretending to be happy and had a deep and dark secret he wanted no one to know.

       Sian could see that dark cloud looming over him.

       Sian didn’t know how to reply to Chanyeol. He was right. She didn’t like how bright and cheerful of a person he was. It disturbed her. She had never been surrounded by people like him in her life. The only person that ever truly made her smile was her mother. But, she was gone.

       “Well, being a card of the first deck to ever be created, there are several limitations to the EXO cards. There is always only one master of the EXO deck during the master’s lifespan, unlike other decks. Several masters can own one deck. It’s just a matter of which master can defeat the others and obtain the whole deck.

       “Though we are the strongest deck in existence, we have minds and hearts of our own… meaning no matter how strong, our master cannot control our feelings and thoughts. So, I apologize, Master Sian,” Chanyeol turned back around and bowed. “I’m afraid I cannot change my demeanor. However, because you are my master, I will do my best to become what you want me to be.”

       That didn’t sit well with Sian. As unexperienced she was with owning a card, Sian knew how it was to be control by someone her entire life. The words Chanyeol spoke made it feel like Sian was just like her father—the very man she never wanted to become.

       “You seem loyal,” Sian said instead.

       Though she felt bad for Chanyeol, he was a stranger to her. He had abilities. He was clearly stronger than her in every way possible. He was under her control, but she was weak when it came to being an Elite. Instead of getting to know the warrior, she was beginning to become warry of him. He could overpower her at any moment.

       “I am,” Chanyeol smiled at her.

       Sian didn’t return it.

       “Do you ever wish to leave this life?” Sian asked.

       “What do you mean?” Chanyeol stared at Sian with confusion.

       “Do you ever wish to just take your card and run? Pretend that you aren’t a card warrior? I’m sure you’re strong enough to do so,” Sian was egging him on. If he was going to just be another threat to her, she would do everything she could to kill him.

       Chanyeol chuckled and pulled out the wooded chair tucked under an empty desk and took a seat.

       “Like I said, Master Sian, limitations. The priestess that made us made it to where the only person we can serve is our master, and we are to remain loyal to our master, meaning we do not listen to the commands of others. She was smart. She made us into her pawns. She knew that we would eventually want to run away, and so she made it impossible for us to. We cannot be the owner of our cards. But, she wasn’t smart enough to take away our feelings and thoughts. Sometimes, I wonder if that is a blessing or curse.”

       “The first cards,” Sian whispered in deep thought.

       Chanyeol simply smiled as he looked at her with caring eyes as though she was someone dear to him.

       “Does that explain why the summoning word doesn’t appear on the card?” Sian asked Chanyeol that had that same look in his face. The fact that Sian was looking at him didn’t faze him. Sian was startled by the look he was giving her but grimaced after a few seconds and looked away.

       “Yes,” Chanyeol nodded. “This only pertains to the EXO deck. Only true masters of the deck will hear the summoning words, not see them. Other makers of cards couldn’t replicate what was done to us.”

       Sian’s bedroom door slammed open, and in Sihyuk stomped—followed by his two strongest cards: a human-like creature with four arms called a chetyre ruki and a ghoul. The chetyre ruki and ghoul were emotionless, mindlessly following Sihyuk at a safe distance. Chanyeol was standing in front of Sian in a matter of seconds with one hand pushing her back protectively. He stared Sihyuk down with promising threats. Unfazed, Sihyuk growled and jammed his finger into Chanyeol’s chest.

       “You. Are. Mine,” Sihyuk was fuming with anger.

       Chanyeol stood still as stone, the emotions in his face never changing.

       “Step aside, warrior,” Sihyuk growled.

       Chanyeol said and did nothing. Sihyuk stomped on the ground and screeched like the witches Elite Hyemi had.

       “Icarus!” Sihyuk screamed at him. “Icarus, you rotten bastard! Icarus!”

       Sian chuckled under her breath. She took a step to the side. As though Chanyeol could predict her movements, he took a step to the side moments before she did, keeping her protected.

       Annoyed, Sian took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, not wanting to lose her temper.

       “Move aside, Chanyeol,” she spoke in a deep voice.

       “Master Sian, he presents himself to you as a threat. You must be—”

       “I ing said, move,” Sian’s patience didn’t last.

       Chanyeol’s threatening gaze on Sihyuk faltered to fear before changing back. He cleared his throat and nodded once.

       “As you wish, Master Sian,” Chanyeol moved out of Sian’s way, but stayed close.

       Sihyuk’s eyes were red with rage and what Sian believed were crying sessions. Sihyuk was Sian’s older brother, but she didn’t feel sorry for him. In fact, Sian just wanted to laugh in his face, but she kept her quietly pissed demeanor and unsheathed her sword. She stabbed the blade into the hardware floor and leaned on it with her elbow.

       “Does the fact that I’m the true master of the EXO deck tear your pride apart, Sihyuk?” Sian asked with raised brows. “Because, I honestly don’t give a .”

       Sihyuk seemed to be hyperventilating out of anger.

       “You are too incompetent to even wield a basic card! You don’t deserve this!” Sihyuk screamed, clenching and unclenching his fists.

       Sian scowled at her brother, slowing standing up right with her hand on the hilt of her sword. Her gaze on him grew cold and distant. Even the room seemed to grow colder despite the presence of a fire warrior.

       The room became quiet. Quiet enough that a mouse sleeping could be heard. And then, Sian spoke indifferently.

       “Kill him, Chanyeol.”

       Fear and terror flooded Sihyuk as he looked from Sian to Chanyeol. He couldn’t believe his ears. Nor did Chanyeol.

       Chanyeol took a step forwards rather hesitantly to which Sihyuk quickly hid behind his ghoul.

       “Are you sure, Master Sian?” Chanyeol kept his eyes on Sihyuk.

       Sihyuk was beginning to shake. Seconds of deafening silence engulfed the room once more. Everyone was waiting for an answer. Sian watched her terrified brother with satisfaction. A demented grin stretched across her lips.

       “I guess not,” she simply spoke as though she had not just ordered for her brother to be killed. “Not today,” she smirked.

       The anger in Sihyuk quickly returned, but anyone could tell that he was still shaken.

       Before Sihyuk could step out from behind the ghoul, Sian pulled her sword out of the floor and slashed it across the chetyre ruki. The chetyre ruki winced and fell to his knees with his arms wrapped around his bleeding torso. Sihyuk screamed in rage and shock. Chanyeol stood frozen.

       “You ing mon—”

       “Ever come in here again—no—ever come near me and my EXO deck, and I’ll have fire boy here burn all of your cards to ashes. And then, I’ll leave you to become the disappointment in the family. I’m sure Chanyeol here can destroy each and every one of your cards with the snap of his fingers,” Sian advanced towards Sihyuk like a predator watching its prey, “But, we wouldn’t want that now, would we… brother?” Sian asked like a mother berating her child. Her smile was like a mother’s, but her eyes were dark, dead, and threatening.

       Tears began to form in Sihyuk’s eyes as his jaw quivered.

       “You often think of Father and I as the monsters in this family, but in truth, you are, Lee Sian. Father and I have been trying you keep you at bay. You are an abomination! You will ruin the planet when you get the entirety of the EXO deck. Life is over as we know it. You will be our demise, Lee Sian,” Sihyuk spoke through tears. “You are the monster.”

       Sihyuk yelled two commands, making the chetyre ruki and ghoul return to their cards. He turned around and walked out of Sian’s room, slamming the door shut behind him.

       Sian stood still, looking at the door, conflicted.

       “I know,” she finally whispered after moments of silence. “I am the monster.”

       Sian clenched her sword until her knuckles grew white.

       “I’m the evil one,” she whispered to herself.

       “No,” Chanyeol shook his head.

       He stood right before her and put his hand on her shoulder. Sian swung her sword at Chanyeol and stopped right at his neck, her eyes absent of emotion. Chanyeol didn’t flinch. Instead of showing fear, Chanyeol pushed the blade down. Sian let him, but kept her empty gaze on him.

       “You’re not evil, Master Sian. The moment you summoned me out was the moment a bond formed between us. Though I cannot read your mind, I can feel what you feel when you command me. And, I know you didn’t want to have your brother killed. You were just scaring him. Master Sian, you are not evil. You are different.”

       Sian scoffed.

       “Like that’s any better,” Sian put her sword back into its place rather aggressively and turned away from Chanyeol.

       “It is true, Master Sian. You are neither good nor bad. You are different,” Chanyeol was persistent, wanting Sian to truly listen.

       “Different is bad,” Sian spoke monotonously.

       “No,” Chanyeol walked over to her and stood in front of her so she would have to look at him. “Different is different. Different is what we need. Different is our salvation. It is what will save the world.”

       Sian frowned, not understanding his last words. But, in Sian’s eyes, Chanyeol was just a warrior comforting his master. Chanyeol was, after all, a loyal subject.

       But, in the eyes of Chanyeol and anyone observing afar, Chanyeol was trying to convince not only Sian that maybe his words were true, but he was trying to convince himself as well.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE SUPPORT

I'm serious! I didn't except much from the advertisement! I got so much love! Thank you all so very much! Reading all of your comments over and over again is making me want to do the best I can! And same, Priestess, same! I didn't expect to get so many upvotes!

I know a lot of you love Sian very much! But, there is much more to her character! There is a lot more to Chanyeol as well. There is so much I want to tell you, but it'll give away what I have in stored for the future! So, just keep on pondering on what's up. ;)

I know this chapter doesn't seem very long because not much happened, but I tried to input so many details into it. So, hopefully, you caught them. Details about the story line ;) I'll try to make it exciting from here on out!