『XVII』

There is a name, I cannot say, even if I scribble it through the night.
There is a name, I cannot go and meet, even if I say it the whole day.
There is a name; I cannot look into the eyes of, even if I met it.
There is a name; I cannot speak to, even if I would sacrifice my life for it.
There is a name to which I cannot say, “I would wait, so come back to me” to, even if I could wait an eternity for that person.
Nevertheless, even still I love.
Even If it is a name, I cannot call even once. Because it is you, I love.
|| THAT NAME | POET: Kim Jongwon ||

Drip, drip, drip that sound echoed around her as she slowly gained her senses. She opened her eyes slowly. She heard voices in the distance, the voices were yelling at each other. She took a deep breath, but started to cough because she had in the stale air of dampen dirt and moss. She noticed that she was lying on the ground on her side, her hands tied behind her back. She tried to move her legs, but they had bounded her legs together. The darkness surrounded her. She struggled to get up but her head was throbbing with pain. She wondered how she got here. She was at the masquerade ball with others. Thoughts ran through her minds; how long had she been there, where she is, and who the cause of her being here is. She heard footsteps approaching. It echoed closer with each step, at that moment a flash of light shone on her and she quickly closed her eyes.

“She’s still unconscious,” a male voice she recognized that it belonged to Kevin.

“We’ll come back and check on her later. We have to go help the others fight off the demons and angels. There’s only one way in and out of here so we don’t have to worry about her escaping,” a female voice ordered. She recognized it belonged to Hara. “We need her to be in a conscious state to get her to open the gate.”

They walked away, the sound of their footsteps sounded further and further away from her. Again, the darkness surrounded her. She realized that she was underground or inside a cave somewhere. She flipped herself over onto her hands and knees, and crawled toward the wall behind her. She used her shoulder to push herself up into a sitting position. The throbbing in her head still has not disappeared, but she felt safer, sitting up with her back against a wall. It was cold, but she was sweating. She closed her eyes and tried to remember the events leading up to her current situation.

[-][-][-]

DAY OF THE MASQUERADE: LATE AFTERNOON

Amber walked into their dorm with a black tuxedo, white shirt, black bowtie and black dress shoes in her hands. Although students weren’t allowed of the campus, they were allowed to order their clothes for the masquerade ball online. Amber clothes arrived a few days ago and she had sent it to the dry cleaner located inside the campus. She went to pick it up before the others knew what she was going to be wearing to the ball. She knew that if they found out, she would be wearing one of their dresses instead of the comfortable tuxedo. 

She turned around and checked the hallway before she closed the door. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.  They caught her. She squint her eyes tightly together as she turned around to face Luna and Sulli. The two girls had mischievous grin across their faces. There is no getting out of this. 

“Amberrrrrrrrr,” Luna drawled out Amber’s name as she and Sulli dragged her toward their closet. 
Krystal sat on the bed and watch as Amber helplessly made a pleading face at her. Krystal shrugged and smiled back at Amber, “You knew this was coming or did you forget about Sulli?”

Amber pouted, “I didn’t forget about Sulli’s ability but she did mention that it’s not working right after she drank that potion. I was just hoping …”

“That we wouldn’t notice what you will be wearing to the ball. Even if I didn’t have my ability I would have know that you wouldn’t want to wear a dress. We have known you for a long time. We knew what you were doing and we went ahead and ordered a something for you,” Luna cut her off midsentence.

Meanwhile, as Luna was talking, Sulli pulled a grey cloth bag out of her closet. She handed the bag to Amber and pushed her into the washroom, “Put that on. You would like it when you see it. Don’t worry.”

Amber sighed as she locked the door to the washroom. She hung the grey bag up behind the door and slowly ped the bag. She braced herself for the worse, but what she saw caused the corner of her lips to curve up into a small smile. She pulled out a white sleeveless shirt, a white sleeveless vest with white feathers around the right side of its collar and a pair of silk white dress pants. She put them on and found it to be tighter than she wanted to be – as it hugged all her curves in all the right places – but it will do. It was better than to be forced into a dress. 

Once she opened the door to the washroom Sulli and Luna jumped on her. They sat her down in front of the mirror and started to work on her. Sulli started to work on her hair. While Luna started on her makeup, “I don’t need makeup, Luna. I’ll be wearing a mask over half of my face anyway.”

“Still you need to put some makeup on, “Luna applied a light pink lip gloss on Amber’s lips. 

Sulli straighten Amber’s hair and let it fall naturally. Krystal got up from the bed and handed Amber a pair of white – three inches high – pair of platforms, “They are not heels so it should be more comfortable for you.” 

“I’m going to standout you know that right? I’m not wearing a dress and I am not wearing a tux like the guys. I thought I’m supposed to blend in,” Amber said as she examined herself in the mirror, while Luna, Sulli and Krystal started to get themselves ready. 

“We thought that we can keep an eye on you better if you standout,” Luna said as she walked out of the washroom. She had a white strapless mini dress, which is about three inches above the knee, with white feathers around the hem of the dress. 

Sulli wore a white mini dress, which fell a few inches above her knees, with silk cupcake sleeves and two white feathers on her left sleeves. Krystal wore a similar dress as Luna, but the white feathers lining around her torso area. All three girls wore white high heels. As they finished with their makeup and hair; Krystal walked over to her bedside table and came back with four white masks, which is decorated with white feathers and jewelled with crystals. The four girls placed the masks on their face and they were ready. 

For the masquerade ball, the female attendants were to take the role of angels and the male was to take the role of demons. For this reason, the female students wore white. The male students wore black. 

Before they left their room Amber walked over to her bedside table and grab the small pouch that contain her miniature size sword – once removed from the pouch it would become a full size hand and a half sword. 

“Let’s go,” Luna said as closed the door to their dorm. “I wish we could meet up with the guys before the ball, but the Student Council made that stupid rule that girls and guys can’t meet up before the ball. How are we going to prepare for the danger that Joon warned us about. He was going to take you, Amber, to the ball before the Headmistress changed the rule on us.”

“I don’t trust him, but I would feel better if Amber went with Joon,” Krystal said as she wrapped her arms around Amber’s arm. 

Amber shook her head, “I can take care of myself. I don’t need him. Moreover, why is he keeping the identity of the person that is after me from us anyway? He was very cryptic when he warned us about the danger. And remember he’s a Nephilim.”

PRESENT –TIME – UNKNOWN LOCATION

As Amber tried to figure out the events that lead her to her current situation, she heard a quiet moan coming from the other corner of the room or cave she is in. She tried to see through the darkness, but she was too weak to pull out her angel ability. She heard the source of the moan started to move, “Who’s there?”

The sound of something being dragged across gravel came closer and closer to her, “You better tell me who you are.” She was afraid because she was weak and she knew that if she were to be attacked, she wouldn’t be able to protect herself.

The source of the sound coughed and Amber knew that it was just a few meters in front of her. 

“Amber? Is that you?” a familiar male voice whispered at her. 

He crawled closer to her and now she could see who he was, as his face was inches from her, “Joon?”

She reached out to him with her bounded hands. He held onto them with his and pulled himself up next to her, “Are you okay?”

Amber looked at him, “No, not really. Are you okay?”

“Well … I would love to say that I’m fine and I’m here to rescue you, but the traitor had injured me and now I can’t use my power. I was thinking of you before I lost my conscious and when I regained them I was here,” Joon coughed and Amber noticed the stickiness on her hands where he had held onto earlier.

“You’re bleeding!” she moved closer to him and tried to search for his wound. “Who did this? How did I … did we get here?”

“I don’t know when they got to you. I don’t really know where we are, but while I and the others was fighting with them I got hurt and I think with the last bit of my power – my ability travel in the darkness -               I came here,” Joon said as he inhaled sharply. He reached over to Amber’s hand and unbounded them. He then laid his head on her lap. “Let me rest here for now.”

“Don’t sleep,” Amber looked down at him. “If you do you might not wakeup again so don’t you sleep.”

[-][-][-]

THE BALL – EARLY EVENING

Large round white tent were set up in the middle of the field. Inside the white tent held approximately forty round tables, each table had eight chairs around it. There was a smaller round black tent attached to the white one. Inside the black tent lied a round wooden dance floor and a small rectangular stage for the band. All around the two tents were tea candles hanging inside crystal containers hanging from its ceiling. Hundreds of torches lined around the field. The lights from the torches lighted the area. The flickering shadows created by the tea candles and torches give of a romantic, yet mysterious feeling. 

Other students were already there. Some mingled around the bar area, others at their table and some started dancing on the dance floor. Amber followed Luna, Sulli and Krystal to their table. Krystal and Sulli had to excuse themselves; each had their student council’s responsibilities. 

“Luna, do you want something to drink?” Amber asked.

“Sure,” Luna replied with a smile. “Anything is good for me.”

Amber got up and walked toward the bar area. She walked past other students but she had no idea who they are, well it is a masquerade ball after all. All the male students all looked identical because of the black tuxedo and the black feathers mask they were wearing. The girls wore similar – yet different – white dresses, which made it easier to tell them apart. As she waited for the server to give her the drinks, she felt someone behind her. She turned to see who it was, but she saw no one. 

[-][-][-]

Krystal and Sulli returned to the table after they finished their student council’s responsibilities. Sulli sat down next to Luna as Krystal looked around the ball, “Where is Amber?”

“She went to get some drinks for us,” Luna pointed towards the bar where Amber was standing. “She’s by the bar.”

Krystal sat down in the chair. Her eyes remained on Amber, “You think it’s the right thing to do? Not telling her who is really after her. I understand not telling the demons, because they would never believe us but …”

Sulli sighed, “If we told her. She would have killed him and that could rock her new relationship with Minho. She just learned to trust Minho again. I don’t think we can afford to risk that ...”

“Risk what?” A tall boy appeared at their table.

Krystal took her eyes off Amber as she turned toward the boy that had interrupted their conversation, “Minho?”

“Hey, what are you talking about?” He took a seat next to Krystal. “I heard you said my name and mostly likely the HER you are talking about it Amber,” he looked at the three girls at the table and quickly glanced toward the bar where Amber was standing. 

“Where are the others?” Luna asked.

“They are on their way. Do not change the subject. Anything that concerns Amber, concerns me,” Minho replied his eyes still on Amber.

Sulli smirked, “Even if we tell you the truth you wouldn’t believe us. I don’t think you can choose between Amber and him. You care for both of them. Here take this, you would need it.” She handed him a small glass bottle. 

Luna grabbed Minho’s wrist and pulled him closer to her. She whispered in his ear, “Someone you trust and care for betrayed you. Amber is in danger. We ask that you remain by her side. Don’t let her out of your sight. Now go to her.”

Minho looked at Luna, Sulli and Krystal with bewilderment. Luna shooed him away with a wave. Sulli smiled, “Use what I have given you when you think there is no other way out. It will return your power, but it also doubles your power as well. You know what happens to an angel or a demon that uses too much power right?”

Minho nodded and walked toward Amber, but when he arrived at the bar area Amber was not there. He looked around, he looked back at the table, and she was not there either. He ran back to the girls, “Did Amber come back to the table?”

Luna looked up at him and pointed toward the bar, “No she is at the bar …”

“She’s not there!” Minho looked all around the ball, searching for Amber. 

Krystal stood up and ran off toward the dancing area, “I’ll go search the dance floor.”

“They got her,” Sulli stood up. “Minho I need you to get to Onew, Taemin and Jonghyun. Meet us at the edge of the forest behind the dorms.”

Sulli walked off with Luna behind her. Minho looked at them, confused, but he followed Sulli’s instruction to search for the boys.