Jongup at MBC Gayo Daejun © mrcheetos.tistory.com

No one saw him entering the camp, he was used to it after all, wherever he went he always passed to be invisible. Don't misunderstand him, it's not his power. It's what he is. Too small and even if his enemies saw him what would they do except from kicking him away ? Flicking him away maybe … yet he would come back, again and again. The fairy wasn't here this time to stop him. So here he was, settling a bomb in the middle of the enemy's camp. He had tried to capture the boy the witch wanted, but unfortunately, the wrong one got touched. But this time he wouldn't fail, and he hadn't. The bomb exploded and he had a great pleasure to watch his enemies panicked. They were not prepared for the battle, which was exactly the right time to hit. Before they became too strong.
 

As soon as he heard the bomb, Junhong stayed calmed. The time had come. He ran toward where the peasant boy's voice was leading him. Watching him run like this, not panicked, calm and serene, Yongguk understood what the young mage went to do. He knew it since his memory had came back when Youngjae had told him about Jongup kissing Himchan. Memory had came back to him, and it hadn't been the first time he had seen the guard doing something like that. And now, he even understood why the mage had erased his memory of a caring Jongup. “I'm going with him! Himchan, fly away! Now! We're not prepared to fight back!” Yongguk burst to his best friend, and with the tone he used, Himchan didn't even thought about contesting, not with the battle going around them. The prince run toward where the horses were staying, the enemies had already killed a big part of it for not them to run away, but his, knew how to defend himself and running to him, Himchan jumped on his back without putting any horse saddle. Pegasus galloped the faster he could, avoiding the attacks on every sides from their enemies. Fortunately, Himchan had learned how to ride him without saddle or he would have been fallen since a long time already.

Spreading out his wings, the prince locked his legs behind it, holding himself on Pegasus' mane, flapping his wide wings, they were no more on the ground and already flying in the sky, far from the enemies who couldn't fly. But there were others in the sky as well, so Pegasus flied a bit down, near the ground, yet enough far from it, for the enemies there to not reach them. Himchan knew that he didn't flied too high just in case he would be touched, that if his rider fall, he wouldn't hurt himself too badly. “You stupid! We'll-” Himchan couldn't finish what he wanted to say after hearing the other in his head, he was being jerked away from his horse. Rolling on the ground on one mile distance, he managed to stop himself, grabbing the grass with two tight fist, forcing himself on his elbow, he looked up just in time to see a sort of panther/tiger which looked a bit like Hermes, to jump on his horse. “NOOOO!” Himchan burst crying, the last thought he could hear was Pegasus asking him to run away and then nothing.

Himchan felt so lonely, abandoned, alone in this huge world. He didn't want to believe it and it hurt too much -both physically and mentally- to move. Yet, he wanted to grant his horse' wish and run away, so he wouldn't have died in vain. Watching down, he saw what was preventing him to stand up, his leg was broken. The enemies approaching him dangerously, Himchan crawled away the faster he could using the strength of his arms, but it wasn't enough fast, the beast was now in front him and Himchan could see his horse' blood drooling down from his maw. The enemy was about to jump on the prince who hadn't even the time to blink before big white wings appeared in front him. He thought Pegasus was still alive, fighting against death to save his owner but how explain then that Himchan couldn't hear him anymore ? His eyes found their way toward where he thought his horse has fallen, and here it was, leaning on the ground, soaking in his own blood.

He watched back his protector and the beast fighting, and he saw the human with white wings skewering the beast on his sword before letting it fall to the ground before turning round to Himchan who could finally see the face of his savior. The face was the same, but the color of the hair, without talking about the wings in his back, yet … somehow … it felt like it wasn't the first time he saw that person. His guardian angel. “Hold yourself the best you can.” Jongup said placing Himchan's arms around his neck before in two/three wings flap they were high in the sky. The angel was faster than the horse because lighter.

Without saying a word to his guardian angel, because there were no words to be said, the prince looked down to the battle going on. He couldn't distinguish anything and he watched back the one holding him, amazed. “Jongup … you are my …

– Yes, I am.” The angel answered avoiding easily the enemies, he didn't want to lose any second to fight against them. He knew he wouldn't win the battle and protect Himchan at the same time, it was better to run away, like cowards maybe, but keeping the prince alive was his mission and he didn't care about what others would think about him. Only mattered the prince's life. While Jongup was busy avoiding attacks coming from every sides, Himchan's head hurt so much he thought it would explode. Memories came back to him, images he had never saw appeared in his mind, on which all of them Jongup had white wings. “Why you were always so mean to me?” Himchan cried understanding the pain his guardian angel must have felt every time he had to be heartless toward him, what he didn't understood was : why.

“I always kept an eye on you, but better for you to not doubt anything or it would have been worst. You were enough pain in the , always wanting to be in the city. What would you have wanted knowing nothing could happen to you as long as I was here?” Jongup explained, now the enemies were flying after them, but Jongup was faster, he had trained so much for that moment, so of course no one could beat him. Himchan understood what his guardian angel felt and agreed with the fact that he would have wanted to go in the forest and such if he knew someone as strong as him was looking after him. Yet, it didn't explained why being mean. He could have keep his identity hidden being nice to him... but the prince's thoughts moved from himself to his people.

“We have to save the others.

– As sad as it is, I can't save them.

– Why ?

– Because I need to put you in security before.

– I would be fine here.” Himchan said looking around, enemies had abandoned, understanding they would never be able to catch them and had went back to the battle.

“No. I need to take you back to Mato.

– But the time we got there and that you come back here...

– I won't come back here. I have to stay by your side... your majesty.”

Himchan struggled in Jongup's hold, refusing to abandon his people, giving the angel hard time to fly. Jongup had no other choice than lulling the boy in his arms to sleep, as he always did by the past, except that for this time, he hadn't to erase his memory. It was fine now for Himchan to know who he was, and he wondered if he would be able to stay mean toward him. He couldn't let his feelings get in the way. Once the prince asleep in his arms, Jongup made a short prayer for Youngjae, “I'm sorry, but it's my duty to protect the prince, I couldn't fail.”

Chapter 13

Jongup woke up in the middle of the night, leaning next Yongguk. He blinked a few times his eyes watching his friend's face before his eyes fall on the boy facing him on Yongguk's chest, he knew it was bad to have feelings for the human he had to protect and he was always careful to not cross the line, but that was the reason as why he wanted to lean next Yongguk, so he could admire Himchan. Knowing the two humans hadn't any feelings for each others, Jongup just felt glad the two were best friends, they needed each others and would again certainly in the future. Then his eyes went from Himchan to the boy behind him, the peasant boy and on the one next him, to finally watch the one facing Youngjae the same way he was with Himchan. The mage was watching the peasant boy with a sad look, already mourning the boy before he died, crying alone in the night. “Don't cry Junhong.”

The mage blinked his tears away before sitting up, he exited the bed and made his way to leave the room. Jongup went after him and grabbed him by his shoulders, making him turn round so they would face each other. The angel cupped the young warlock's face, wiping the tears on his cheeks like he always did, “you know we'll lose the war. We need him to die so more humans will join us.

– I won't let my human die. Find someone else.” Junhong always tried to discuss with Jongup, yet without founding a better solution. He knew the angel was right, and it killed him to admit it. “He's like my only friend, he always talk to me in my head...” and the mage's tears were back, which made the angel wonder if he wasn't too young for that.

“No one else has the same importance as the prince than Youngjae. You know it. That boy, humans and magic creatures will come to appreciate him...

– Not Youngjae … I can't …

– I'm not letting Himchan die, Junhong. You know also that the whole country will come to love the peasant more than the prince, they will feel near him, that's why he's perfect to be the martyr.” Turning his face to watch the humans sleeping on the bed, his eyes widened when he met Himchan's ones. He saw him crying, maybe his memory had came back again hearing them talking again. How many times again Jongup will have to reset his memory ? The prince will become crazy. He already was a bit, because he had saw him with his wings so many times by the past. Jongup had to hide himself from his human, it was his fault if Himchan's body was so weak, because of all the spells. Not only he had a weak body now, but his mind too, was weak, breaking easier and easier each day when Jongup was mean to him, his reactions were getting worst. Jongup hated it. He hated himself for making his human like this, each time Jongup saw Himchan being that weak, it made him remember that himself what a failure he was at protecting his human, and that's how he reversed his hate so easily on Himchan.

He left the room angrily -again- letting it to Junhong. Jongup loved Himchan but he had to to everything in his power for Himchan to not fall in love with him, of course it was forbidden for an angel to cross that line of love. He couldn't permit it. Yet, Himchan kept running after him, asking him to be his friend, never hating him for everything Jongup told him. Why ? Did Himchan knew in any way that their bond was that strong ? Did he felt they could be soul mate ? All those questions scared the young angel, questions he wasn't sure if he was ready to risk his angel position to know the answers.

Chapter 24

Because he was the prince, Jongup needed to stay by his side, hiding his true shape and his true feelings, but this time, he won't have to reset the prince's memories and he felt so glad for it. He won't have to hide anymore and now he knew. If they crossed the line, he was ready to give up his angel position for him, just for that human. He wasn't scared anymore to be a fallen angel now he had saved his human from the battle. Youngjae's death would motivate everybody, making them train more and harder, so they would be better prepared for the next battle. The war wasn't ended.

The two were the first to arrive to Mato and of course everybody was surprised to learn that Jongup was an angel, even the King and the Queen, but they hadn't the time to babbler about it. They had to prepare themselves to leave or to fight back because their enemies were on their way to make all the humans pay for a few ones' mistakes. As in every war.

Yongguk and Junhong arrived with Daehyun and what remained of their troupe. Himchan was searching for Youngjae, Junhong only cried when he asked him, Yongguk frowned staying silent and Daehyun burst threats to the young mage for killing his best friend. The prince was too stunned and too much into the actions to cry, while they prepared to leave Mato gathering their stuffs, he just wanted to know, to understand. “Had it to happen like this ?” he asked remembering all the discussions about Junhong not helping them to carry his duty.

“Yes.

– And now ?

– I don't know … just … a new enemy is coming.

– Who ?

– He's called The Shadow, but no one knows from where he come nor who he really is. We don't know anything about him except from that name. We don't know when he'll appear as well … I'm just glad he hadn't been given the possibility to take Youngjae. I think this was my duty, for the Shadow to not have Youngjae. As I was the one to kill Youngjae and not him.

– Doesn't that mean you are the Shadow ?

– No. The Shadow work for the witch.

– … and … this time … we will win ?

– I don't know … all the gods' answer is : there won't be winner, nor looser …

– So … we'll all die ?

– That doesn't sound like that either … their prediction is so blurred this time. I don't know. I think they're not sure of it themselves because of that Shadow. He's becoming stronger day by day.” Junhong took his head in his hands, and there were a silence as Himchan checked the ones being present, that's when he realized it had been quite a while since he hadn't saw that one.

“ Where is Hermes ?” He asked and everybody watch each other as they were making their way in the forest after they left the city of Mato. There was a silence before Junhong speak again breaking it. “He was only a messenger … he never said he would fight with us so I guess he-

– What if he was the Shadow ?” Daehyun, who hadn't spoke beyond insulting the young mage since they left Youngjae, asked. “They said the Shadow took Youngjae, they didn't say he would kill him.

– No... they said Youngjae would sort of disappear because of him.

– Hermes was the one taking Youngjae far from Mato ...”

here again you can re-read chapter 15 …

Youngjae nodded and the elf watched around, carefully; as to check that no one was eavesdropping their conversation. “I wanted to warn you young human.”

“What? About what?”

“The Shadow.”

Hermes who was walking next Youngjae groaned and the elf watched him. “I have to warn him!” the elf defended herself.

2674 words

Okay ... I agree. Still remain the question : why Daehyun hadn't killed Junhong ? X'D