“Your Highness.” Kris bowed his head as he exited a room in the hallway Lay was leading me down.

“You can just call me by my name. The whole ‘highness’ thing is unnecessary.” I said to him. I saw a scandalous look cross his face. As though me even suggesting such a thing was a terrible sin. “Forget it.” I waved my hand in the air and dismissed my words, “Your highness is fine.”

He immediately smiled, “Your highness, may I join the two of you?” I eyed Lay next to me who looked down at me with a neutral expression.

I turned back to Kris. “Okay.”

Kris now followed behind me as Lay led the way. It felt weird being stuck between them as they were taller than I was. Both of them were quiet until we reached a large door a few minutes later.

“This is the door to the training room.” Lay gestured to the door.

“Training room?” I questioned the words, “Training for what?”

“The Guardians abilities are physically related. If we didn't keep up our body’s fitness, we'd be powerless.” Kris explained to me.

“Scary,” I mumbled as I inspected the door. There were no handles on it or anything similar. It was just one big piece of stone with one switch in the middle of it; just like the one in the Hall of the Guardians. “How do you open it?”

“Well for us, the Guardians, we open it through touch. It senses who we are.” Lay inspected me, wondering if I’d be able to do the same.

I reached out and ran my fingers over the surface. Nothing happened. The two of them looked at the door curiously.

“As for how a Seeress would open it, well, we’re not sure. Since there hasn’t been one in decades, we were never told how our Seeress would open it. I apologize for the inconvenience, your highness.” Kris bowed to me again though I couldn’t help but feel as though I should be the one apologizing. I felt like I let them down. I looked towards the door one more time and touched it again, though nothing happened.

“You have to want it enough.”

My eyes widened at the voice and I turned towards Kris and Lay who were behind me. They exchanged glances with each other, both wondering if the other said that.

“If you want it enough, it will open.”

This time, I knew it was neither Lay nor Kris who spoke. Realization spread across their faces as though they now knew whom the voice belonged to.

“What?” I questioned the voice out loud.

“For you, emotions are what control your ability as the Seeress. Will the door to open for you and it will.”

The voice was coming from above. Kris smiled due to my confusion and pointed upwards, towards the ceiling, where a ball of glass hung suspended in the air, “That’s Luhan. He’s communicating through the glass sphere.”

“Luhan?” I said out loud to the orb who said nothing in return. I took that as a yes to being the name of the owner of the voice and continued, “Luhan, are you a Guardian as well?”

There was another moment of silence, “I am. My name is Luhan and I am a Guardian of the Tree of Life, your highness. I am pleased to finally make your acquaintance.” The voice came from the ball as it floated down in front of me.

I reached out to shake his hand then remembered he wasn’t actually there. I bit back my shame as I let my hand fall to my side, “Nice to meet you too, I guess.” I mumbled the last part and heard Luhan laugh lightly. “So what was that about the door again?”

“Want it enough and it will open.” He told me again. I nodded and looked back towards the door. I put my hand on it again and still nothing happened. I focused hard, shutting out the thoughts of Kris and Lay who were both worried I’d be depressed if wouldn’t be able to open it. Seriously? I wouldn’t be depressed over not being able to open some damn door.

I narrowed my eyes and slammed my palm against the rock. For a moment, all I felt was the stinging sensation of pain on my hand. Then, my hand started to heat up. No, the rock door heated up. It was being powered to life and twelve symbols lit up around the center circular switch on the door. The symbols all slowly had their blue light flow into the middle through deep carvings in the door until they all pooled together in the middle switch.

The switch started to cave in as though someone had pushed it, then the door slid to the right, revealing a large room with various equipment scattered throughout; dummies, dumbbells, benches, and anything else I always saw in the gym I rarely went to.

“I am proud of you, my Seeress.” Luhan’s voice sounded out. The orb of glass floated around me in a circle once before sailing upwards towards the ceiling and dissipating through it, as though the orb went through the ceiling itself. Right now though, nothing fazed me. Nothing was too amazing anymore.

Lay excitedly bounded into the training room and Kris motioned me inside with a large smile on his face. They were both obviously excited I opened the door. So much so I couldn’t help but feel proud of myself.

I heard a grunt come from one side of the room and curiously looked over. Kris took the opportunity to grab hold of my hand, though lightly as though he were holding the hand of a child. The feeling it gave me was odd. It was as though I was weightless, floating on cloud nine from his touch. There was a man wearing black pants and a gray shirt lifting weights in the room.

He turned around, seeing Lay first, “Hey, it’s not like you to enter the training room at this time. Shouldn’t you be cleaning up the Seeress’ room now?”

“I ran into something that caught my attention so I couldn’t.” The man rose an eyebrow, not understanding Lay’s words. Lay smiled widely and looked towards me. The man followed his gaze and just as Lay’s had earlier, his jaw dropped open.

“Nice to meet you.” Kris let go of my hand and I bowed slightly.

“D.O., this is our Seeress.” Kris told him, both his and Lay’s smiles getting wide due to his use of the word. The man, who I assumed was D.O., dropped the weight in his hands and it clattered onto the ground.

She’s beautiful.

His voice entered my head and I was slightly stunned by the compliment. I had never been called beautiful before so the tingly feeling in my stomach was new to me, “Thank you?” I questioned though felt a bit conceited after saying it. I wasn’t saying I knew I was beautiful, because I definitely wasn’t, I just didn’t know how else to react.

His eyes widened and he crouched to the ground while holding onto his head.

She read my thoughts just now? Embarrassing!

“Sorry, I don’t know how to turn it off yet. I’ll try to make sure I don’t again.” I thought for a moment before pathetically laughing, “Starting now.”

He composed himself quickly and bowed in place deeply. I was thankful he didn’t get on the floor as the rest had, “I am D.O., a guardian of the Tree of Life. My Seeress, I am at your service.”

So that meant I had now met seven guardians: Kai, Chanyeol, Tao, Kris, Lay, Luhan, and now D.O.

“D.O.?” He perked up at the sound of his name, “How many Guardians are there?”

He straightened up and cleared his throat before answering, “Twelve.”

My mind reeled at the thought. I had yet to meet five of the Guardians? Honestly, it was getting harder and harder to remember all of their names.

“If I know right, you’ve met everyone except Chen, Xiumin, Suho, Sehun, and Baekhyun.” Kris said out loud to me.

D.O. tried to remember something before he spoke, “Baekhyun and Suho went into the city.” He looked around the room as though he was looking for someone, “Chen was here with me until recently. I think he went to his room.” He locked eyes with me again and I couldn’t help but remember his thoughts from before. His whole beautiful comment would definitely make me more self-conscious around him from now on. “Your highness, please understand. I would join you, however I have yet to finish here.”

I shook my head no, “It’s okay. Get back to what you were doing.” I smiled a bit as he did just that. It felt weird ordering them all around like this, knowing they’d do whatever I told them to. Or would they? Kris and Lay turned, both intending to lead me out of the room. I was about to follow behind when I turned to D.O. again.

“D.O.” I called out to him and he immediately stopped what he was doing, “Pat your head and rub your stomach.”

The thing is, he did it. He stood there, without questioning my words, and patted his head while rubbing his stomach. I felt bad instantly at how much of a fool he looked like. They really would do anything I asked them to do. I walked over to him until I was right in front of him and he was still doing what I told him to. I grabbed his hands and stopped him.

“I was kidding,” I said with a smile. He was just too silly looking I couldn’t help but smile, “I’ll wait for you.” I told him in order to make it up to him.

He didn’t seem to understand why I stopped him though after I said I’d wait for him, his facial features relaxed. He went back to lifting his weights and I sat down on a bench near him and watched. Lay and Kris observed the scene from outside of the room. They felt as though they shouldn’t interrupt and thus left. But not before they both voiced out their thoughts.

We are taking our leave, your highness. If you should require us, all you have to do is call.

I looked towards the door and saw them bow together. I nodded back in acceptance and they both left. I looked back towards D.O. and continued to watch him.

It wasn’t boring because every so often he would glance at me, wondering if I was indeed still there like I told him I would be. Each time, I would flash him a smile and he would look away immediately. It was tempting to find out what he was thinking but I decided against it. I already told him I wouldn’t do it anymore. Still, that didn’t stop me from unconsciously letting one in.

She’s really so beautiful.

My palm fell from my face and I stared at him. He caught the look and cursed outwardly, “You said you wouldn’t your highness.”

I smiled widely, “Sorry.”