Notes: This chapter is dedicated to LindenDrive. You were the first to figure it out, even with the wayward hints :D

19 days. That’s all they have to plan what they need to do to stop a madman. For a bunch of almighty gods, you would think that they could afford you some more time. But no, 19 days and nothing more.

“I think we need to lay everything on the table before we advance. Whatever life-threatening, life-changing secret you have, now is the time.” Gahyeon says from her position on the king sized bed. When Siyeon and Bora returned from the beyond, Dami instructed the pilot to drop them off at her private office/home. The house was in a quiet but wealthy part of the city. It was perfect to avoid disruptions and for Gahyeon to rest.

“So, who wants to start?” Dami crosses her legs elegantly on the chair, eyeing Bora, Siyeon, Handong, and Yoohyeon(?).

(“Yoohyeon?”

“Hey...sorry I took so long to come back.”

Jiu narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Gahyeon was completely passed out behind her and she doesn't know if Handong is combat ready. Not-Yoohyeon was incredibly powerful and could probably kill them all easily. The purple-haired girl was beginning to be tired of surprises.

“How do we know you’re actually Yoohyeon and not the other thing possessing her?”

Yoohyeon’s head tilted in that way that reminds the older girl of a puppy. That action alone almost convinced her. “When we were kids, I used to climb your window at the crack of dawn because I wanted to practice flying.”

“The thing possessing you said it has been with you since birth. It should know that as well.”

“Okay um...” The silver-haired girl fidgeted with her fingers and glanced around nervously, trying her best to come up with something. Finally, she settled on something.

“I’m a ?”

“What kind of ?”

“A tree-sized ?”

Jiu breathed a sigh of relief. “It really is you.” In the background, the older girl could hear that’s what convinced you? from Dami. But yes, it convinced her because that phrase defined much of their stupid school relationship with each other. Yoohyeon could have chosen another intimate memory to share but that would have made Jiu more suspicious that Not-Yoohyeon was trying to win her trust that way. )

“I guess I can go first.” Everyone pays attention to the silver-haired girl. Yoohyeon takes a deep breath and makes eye contact with each of them.

“The person inside me is Haetem, the god of creation...and also the First.” Bora and Siyeon were the only ones unfazed by the revelation. Though their last cryptic words before they were sent back made more sense now. Haetem was - is the precious family.

“What do you mean by the ‘First’? First demon?” Dami asks wearily. She was never a believer of gods so to hear that one actually walks alongside her is disconcerting. Especially if it is the god fabled to have created all living creatures.

“Yes. Demons were given that name by someone who has completely rewritten history. They were originally known as Haetemians.” Yoohyeon’s eyes glaze over. Everytime she thinks about the sad story of the demons, her heart hurts.

“This someone is the First Hero, Sun.” Siyeon interrupts. “I am sort of his descendant.”

“What? How are you sort of his descendant? And how is he related to all of this?” Gahyeon’s head is beginning to ache and it’s not from the circuit concussion she suffered.

“It is the job of the Arbitrator to watch over the pillars and act if they are being used incorrectly.” Siyeon sees Handong perk up at the mention of the pillars. The puzzle is finally clicking into place.

“Arbitrators are the safeguard.” Handong realizes.

“Yes. We are reborn through different people. Sun was created by the gods and so he was the first Arbitrator. Basically our powers act to balance the pillars, which give off enough energy to wipe out everything.” The rank 1 student grabs Bora’s hand in hers. “Hence my supposed immunity to Bora’s flames.”

“To answer your last question, Gahyeon, ever wonder why everything revolves around Sun? Why is he called the First Hero? Why do all the records of demons start from his time? Why do we use A.S. or After Sun when we date things? He is the beginning of everything.” Yoohyeon’s brown eyes shift into the eerie silver, making everyone tense up.

Haetem leans her head back onto the couch she is sitting on. “I lived in the forest mountain with some of my species who were not interested in interacting with humans. But the ones that came to visit often told tales of a man who led his people with compassion and honor. I was intrigued by this human, who in fact, was not a human at all. My ignorance led to the downfall of all Haetemians. He befriended me and then used his Arbitrator abilities to take as much as he could from me.” Haetem remained quiet after, opting to just stare up at the ceiling.

Finally, Gahyeon breaks the silence. “Are you sa