Chapter One: Into The Unknown

Yixing sat at the round table. Darkness swallowed the claustrophobic room, save the few floating balls of light. He crossed his legs and his elbows settled on the stone cold table. He regarded the carvings there, the strange symbols that spoke of legends and tales that were once history. 

    One by one, the other Guardians appeared. Beside him, the leader of the Sun took his seat. Yifan clenched his hands. His sharp jaw clenched and he wore a weary expression.

At the other end, the leader of the Moon stood up. Joonmyun’s head hung low as his hands laid flat upon the stone. His white shawl billowed as Guardian of Wind entered. Sehun nodded at them before swiping back his long cape, and sitting down. 

Joonmyun stared at the faces of his allies. “Is everyone here?” 

“We’re waiting on Chanyeol,” said Yifan. His fingers drummed against the table. 

A heavy sigh escaped Joonmyun’s lips. Light burst into the room, and a large fiery bird shrieked as it swept inside, leaving a trail of dying embers. The bird twirled, burning feathers vanished before it took the shape of a tall young man. 

    “Chanyeol, you’re late,” Yifan said, not hiding the bitterness in his tone. “You’re supposed to be our treasurer.” 

The Guardian of Fire sent him a sheepish grin. Chanyeol rubbed his bouncing curls before taking his position beside an empty chair. Yixing gazed at the vacant seat. The Guardian of Light was never to attend. 

    “Without further ado, I’ll break the news.” Joonmyun cleared his throat. “It’s about the Guardian of Light. As you’re now aware, he attacked Yixing.” 

There were a few murmurs among the Guardians. Yixing bowed his head. His hand traced the black burns on his arms and his stomach. The permanent damage foretold a story of anger and pain. 

    “Outrageous!” cried Kyungsoo. He was forced back into his seat by Sehun. 

“I want to speak in Baekhyun’s defence,” cried Chanyeol. 

    “What defense?” Yifan spat. “He turned against Mama’s Code. He attacked a Guardian and almost killed him.” 

“What if he’s under the influence of the Forsaken Wizard,” Chanyeol said, ignoring Yifan’s deathly glare. “Baekhyun would never attack us. Use your brains.” 

    “But he just did,” said Jongin. He relaxed back into his stony chair, one arm over the seat. “Yixing told me everything. He attacked him ‘coz of anger.” 

    “I say we should give him the benefit of the doubt,” said Luhan. “Baekhyun was one of the first appointed Guardians. Let’s wait for him to return and then we’ll decide if the Wizard has taken control.” 

    “Yeah, and then let him kill all of us!” Yifan banged a fist on the table. “Stop talking nonsense. The truth is clear! Baekhyun set off on a journey to the Forbidden Temple. He’s a traitor.” 

    The Guardians began to argue with one another. Yixing shook his head, a sadness deep in his heart. He closed his eyes, recalling the disturbing moment when his best friend unleashed the Light at him. The pain, the burning; it was difficult to forget. Still, the burns on his skin left him howling for medicine now and again. They were burns that not even he could heal. 

    Only a Guardian could have the power to inflict such damage on another Guardian. 

But they were brothers! They were supposed to be friends.

    “Order!” shouted Joonmyun. When no one listened, he frowned and raised a hand. A surge of water splashed over their heads, and left the Guardians coughing. 

“That’s enough yammering for today,” said the Guardian of Water. “Please, we need to come up with a solution, not fight with one another. What would our people think if they see us break apart like this? It’ll only give our enemies the opportunity to strike us down. They want to see us weak.” 

    Silence fell upon them. 

We Are One. That was the oath they swore when Mama consecrated their titles. 

    Yixing raised himself. “Listen, what Baekhyun did is questionable. But I believe it’s to do with the girl. He came to me, and asked me to bring her back from the dead.” 

    He caught Jongin whispering something to Sehun. The latter remained inexorable and stoic. 

    “I can heal, but I can’t bring back the dead. I told him this. Baekhyun’s clearly shaken. That girl means a lot to him, and why not? They grew together side by side before he became a Guardian,” said Yixing. 

    “When we agreed to become a Guardian, we were supposed