[A/N: The battle is over but another TWIST is coming up :) ]

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Chapter 89

Cheonsa fixed Kris’ bangs out of his face as her special person laid down on the bed with his body covered with bandages. As Kris’ furrowed his eyebrows, Cheonsa made faces – as if the leader of EXO could actually see what she was doing. She finally stuck her tongue out and as if on a cue, Kris pinched her nose.

“W-what?”

Kris opened one eye and found Cheonsa leaning near him, “You should be resting, too. You also got hurt, if memory serves me right”

Cheonsa pulled away with a pout on her face, “You’re being all cocky just because you’re friends with that BIG DRAGON!” She put great emphasis on the last two words, which elicited a smile on Kris’ face. Cheonsa’s expressions softened upon seeing Kris smiling.

“What about the others?”

“They’ve been up for days you know!” Cheonsa snickered.

“How long was I out?”

“3 days”

Kris sighed and heaved himself up with the help of Cheonsa. Kris stopped to stare at Cheonsa’s face and he wasn’t able to hold himself back and reached for her cheeks. He caressed her soft skin with his fingers. It was surprising that no one between the two of them blushed at the contact – it seemed that they just simply wanted to enjoy the moment and not get distracted with unnecessary feelings such as embarrassment.

“I’m glad everything’s over, now – and that we’re still here together” Kris began.

“We’ve been through so much” Cheonsa smiled as she recollected all the memories.

For a moment they kept the silence.

“I’m glad you’re still you”

Kris furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to decipher what Cheonsa meant – then it hit him. She was talking about what Strife had revealed during the battle. He guessed everyone knew already.

“Thank you”

Cheonsa’s eyes widened.

“For?”

“Don’t feign innocence. You were the one that snapped me out of my depressing state during that time”

“My efforts would have been useless if you yourself had a loose grip on your principles and genuine care for everyone”

Kris chuckled.

“You’ve been chuckling a lot these past days, you know”

“I wonder why?” he teased.

“Shut up. You’re not Kris. He’s not cheesy, you know?”

Kris couldn’t help but laugh this time. Cheonsa was genuinely amused.

“I don’t know what could have happened to me if I had lost you during that time”

Kris stopped and adored the young beautiful woman in front of him. She was so perfect for him.

“It wouldn’t happen. And I don’t even care if it’s because I was born to protect the seed inside of you. All I know is that everything was fated”

Cheonsa could feel tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Kris could see that, so he pulled her into his strong embrace. In response, Cheonsa buried her face into his strong, warm chest.

“What about what your father had been fighting for?”

Kris thought for a while, “If I had joined him, it wouldn’t be the right choice. Aside from the fact that I would be betraying my friends, I would have become the monsters that he claimed the people of EXO to be: killing machines who do nothing but beget hate”

Cheonsa nodded and wrapped her arms tighter around his torso.

“I am sorry about your loss, though”

Kris nodded. He was sad of course, but he knew that wherever Strife was right now – he’d surely be at peace now.

A knock was then heard.

“I hate to disturb you, but we have to plan our next move, now” Lu Han explained.

Kris and Cheonsa pulled away from each other and stared at each other’s eyes.

“Don’t worry, I will keep my promise”

Cheonsa needed nothing more but that. Hand in hand, they walked to where the others were waiting for them.

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Cheonji finally sat down to complete the circle. He first turned to Cheonsa, who was sitting closely beside Kris. A fatherly smile appeared on his face.

“So, is everyone ready for the final stage?”

“It’s actually kind of hard to answer that question when you don’t know exactly what you’re going to do,” Lu Han pointed out as almost simultaneously, everyone sighed.

Cheonji nodded, “I will explain everything to each one of you. But are you guys ready? Some of you are still in the healing process”

“We’ve delayed so much time already” Kris countered. Cheonji nodded.

“Lu Han and I will be the key players for this one, but before we begin, what do you actually plan to do? You do know that if we extract the seed…”

“We’ve already thought about that,” Kris cut in as he nodded to Suho and Lu Han.

“Let’s hear it then”

“But before that, I need some answers. I think everyone here deserves to know the truth about EXO and Chrome” Suho shifted the subject. He saw Kris wince at the side.

A sigh escaped Cheonji’s lips.

“Of course you deserve to hear the truth”

“Go on, father” Cheonsa urged.

“What Strife said was true, but not all of it. It is true that EXO was once a dying planet – and our ancestors searched far and wide for a possible source of life. The land was barren and no animals and plants existed – even if there were, only a few and it could not completely sustain every life. Chrome was what they found”

Kai gulped as if he was preparing for another mental shock.

“Chrome was once a land full of magic: their powers were actually richer than EXO’s – but they were never for combat. Chrome only had shamans and priests and their powers were only geared towards talking to spirits and communicating with nature. That is why Kris here could summon dragons. Anyhow, since the people of EXO were mercenaries and bandits, they captured the planet’s greatest shamans and priests: Kris’ ancestors”

“And they killed everyone else?” Kris gritted his teeth.

“Yes and No”

Everyone’s eyes turned into narrow slits.

“EXO wasn’t the only dying planet that time. And apparently, our ancestors werent’t the only ones who were looking for sources. Frei was apparently hunting for priests that time as well”

Xiumin’s spine tingled with shudders as Frei was mentioned. He and the others had a hard time dealings with those poisonous creatures.

“I’m sure you’re familiar with Frei? They have the best poisons in whole of universe. Taeyeon is actually half Frei-an”

Suho stiffened at the mention of Taeyeon’s name.

“Frei had attacked Chrome even before EXO had. The people were already suffering from the effects of different poisons caused the by creatures of Frei. Our ancestors managed to take only the priests – yes both for the benefit of saving them and for the benefit of EXO. It was actually the best option that time. Like EXO, Chrome’s life also relied on its higher ups – as in the case of the Tree of Life and the Forces to us. Saving the priests meant saving the planet as well”

“But they still died in the end right?” Sehun pointed out.

“They died creating the Tree of Life for EXO” Baekhyun sounded bitter. He was disappointed, after all.

“It is true that our ancestors threatened them to create a seedling that will be the core of life for EXO, but it is also true that in the long run, the priests of Chrome decided to create the seedling with their own wills. When Chrome had perished after the attack, the people EXO killed the Chromenians who were dying of the malady – it was decision everyone had made in order to ease the suffering of the people. The priests of Chrome knew that it burdened the conscience of our people, so the creation of the seedling also acted as a compensation to at least, wash a bit of blood away from the hands of our ancestors”

There was nothing but silence.

“Strife had failed to understand all of these – because he believed that EXO teamed up with Frei to destroy Chrome – he had every reason to believe to, after all, EXO’s relationship to Frei was as clear as glass. But what I couldn’t forgive him for was that he destroyed EXO – and the innocent people who had nothing to do with what happened in the past. It was saddening, and it scarred all of you for life, as well, because you lost your loved ones”

Sehun sniffed. Cheonsa motioned to come closer to him and pulled him into a hug.

“You guys are very strong to have withstood all of these. And Kris, I am very sorry you had to take the heaviest blow”

Kris smiled at him and sincerely thanked him.

“One thing still bothers me though” Suho spoke once again.

“Hmmm?”

“You once said that the destruction of EXO was for renewal?”

“Oh that one”

Suho nodded.

“Let me ask everyone a question, then”

Suddenly, everyone was on alert.

“What do you think will happen after you have successfully restored EXO again?”

To that, no one had an answer. Everyone was too caught up with finding the seed before that no one gave much thought about it.