In the darkness a warrior sat amongst other warriors. While people around this warrior was drinking and making merry, not a peep came out out of this warrior. A book was placed on the lean muscled thigh and the stunning blue eyes, that marks her royal lineage, are reading the words describing the creation of the world....the Light and the Day. Deep inside, this warrior prayed for the Day to come, for the darkness is threatening to choke the very life out of the people they protect. The sufferings seems to be endless, hope is just an illusion to them, a promise meant to be broken. 

In the early morning of twilight. The sun has not yet awaken, the warrior stood up and went through the motion of preparation. The dim light from the fading fire cast shadows upon the figure. The long raven wavy hair was down past the strong shoulders, left untouched. Next came the armour. A strong steel tempered by fire, made with care by the very hands of the top steel artist. It is made strong and sturdy, but yet light as a feather. The colour a matted black so dark no light dared to reflect upon it. As the preparations are finish, the warrior kneels down in prayers

Please dear God. Let this be another step to victory for us. Let this be the end of days where we loose our warriors. Please guide me in this battle we are about to face. God Almighty guide my sword so that only the tainted blood is slain today. If there are any lives to be lost or sacrifice, let it be mine. For to loose another person that I held dear to heart is a burden I shall not be able to carry any longer. Please God, the Ruler of all, hear my prayers and grant my wishes. With a soft voice she softly sang their legendary folk song May It Be

May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home....

(Listen to the song by Enya guys...it is heart wrenching and suits the mood of the plot now)

In the fading light of the fires, 12 warriors stood around the tent that held their liege. The reflection of their mighty liege kneeling and the soft voice singing in prayers and hope stab at their hearts. It felt like a physical pain to them. The weight of the responsibilities on the sturdy yet narrow shoulders, seems to be an extra burden today of all day. One by one they kneel down in prayers with their liege. Some has tears in their eyes that are quickly dashed away. As their liege stood up and walked out of the tent, this is the sight that greets the warrior. 12 fierce warriors, complete in battle gears kneeling down in prayers and hope. This sight robbed the very breath of the warrior and made the warrior looked at them one by one. 

Suho the ever calm leader of the troop called EXO K. Kris the mighty warrior commander of his own troop EXO M. Next is Luhan of M, a man with doe eyes that seems to be able to see into one's very soul. Chanyeol of K the ever happy face, a facade that hides a will so fierce it strikes fear into the hearts of his enemy jusy by hearing his name. DO & Baek Hyun of K, blood brothers, descendent of a long line of warriors of past. Lay of M, a quiet man that tends to keep to the shadows, a master spy able to keen any information that are there to be discovered in the world. Chen of M, possessor of a caring and tender heart, able to feel empathy towards any living beings. The fact that he is force to kill is another burden to the liege's shoulder. Xuimin of M, his cute face is a front that deceives whoever it is that underestimate him and his fatal skills. Kai of K, a handsome ladies man. A strong protector to his liege, the personal guard. Last but not least the 2 maknaes of the 2 troops, Sehun and Tao. One a shy young man that speaks with an adorable lisp but is so fierce in battle that his sword cuts down 2 or more enemies at once and the other, a skill warrior so strong and lithe that he is the other shadow of their liege. As the warrior, the liege stood there committing this sight into the long memory, a dull aches begins to throb in the tender heart.

Than, "My Queen" Kris spoke. His deep voice snapped the warrior queen out of her reverie. She than smile tenderly at him, and said 'Arise my brothers for I am not worthy of such dedication....yet'. The last word held a teasing note that brought chuckles to them. "Are we ready commanders?" she than asked Suho and Kris. As one they said "We are born ready my Queen". She laughs and the sound was very much alike the tinkling of bells to their ears and they joined in the laughter. But deep in their hearts of heart they knew, their Queen is burdened and worried. As one, they all mounted their ready horses and rode to the battle field together. The Queen leading the charge, flanked by the 2 commanders followed by her guards and the rest of the Exo warriors. As they arrived at the battle field in the dawn of day, she unsheathe her sword and  said in her heart and so it begins.....

At dawn, in a seemingly peaceful field. The world is quiet. The sun is just starting to awake and the sky in lined with a beautiful pre-dawn colours....

After 2 days of fighting with barely any rests, the Queen they named Atheianna, stood in the middle of the battle field. Her chest rising up and down. Her sword at her side pointed towards the earth dripping with her own life. The weight of it appears to be too much for her to bear. Her face is riddled with small cuts and the beginning of a nasty shiner bloomed on her right cheek. Her side is bleeding profusely from a deeper cut. Her raven hair is matted with blood and sweat. Her beautiful blue/ silver eyes, lined with thick raven lashes, is watery with unshed tears.  But all these, she ignored, there will be time enough to care for it later...much later. She scanned the battlefield and took a deep breath. The air is thick with the stench of iron, the smell of so much blood and guts spilled on this land. The grass is matted with unnamed human matters, pieces of body parts strewn all over the grass. She wondered to herself, will they be alright? will the grass grows again with so much blood spilled here, marring the earth, the very essence of life? Please God forgive me of what I had done. Forgive me for the life I had to spilled.

Next her beautiful haunted eyes scanned the field looking for her warriors. Her body made a 360 turned, desperately searching for them. Her left hand rub away the grime around her eyes to get a better look, smearing the blood all over her face. And than.....she found all 12 of them alive. Alive and scattered all around her, surrounding her, protecting their liege. Not whole and healthy but alive and standing up on their own strengths or what is left of it. This is enough for her. Today she had not lost any of her loved ones and for this she thank the Almighty for His great gifts. Her chest heaved in thankful breaths after another, the tears threatening to choke her but she gripped her hands into tight fists to stop them. And than they each met eyes with each other, all 13 of them, the Queen and her men. Slowly Chanyeol and Baek Hyun started to grin widely, the grins turns to chuckles and soon laughter can be heard all around the tainted field. Washing away the sadness and stained of evil from the air. The invaders are finally defeated, peace will once again reign in the land.

They all walked, limped towards each other and as one kneeled in front of their Queen, followed by what is left of their mighty soldiers. The ever gracious warrior Queen in turn, gives them a bow so deep their hearts are touched by her humility, her humbleness. After the injured has been collected and the dead is buried, as one they made their way home. This time tho, the journey is accompanied by the joyous feel in the air, for they no longer face the threat of the enemy invading their land, massacring their people. The 12 warriors of the Queen's guards however is more subdued, for they knew.....that the battle has finally taken its toll on their beloved Queen, their sister.

As soon as they arrive, the Queen dismounted in front of the courtyard and without a word walked down the familiar path. Heading towards her sanctuary. The rigid line of her shoulders and the tight fists in which she gripped her palms, indicating to the warriors that, she will need her space now. As both Kai and Tao started to follow her, as is their duty as her personal guards, Kris stopped them by lifting his right hand. "Hold on brothers, let us give her a few minutes of a head start" he said. As they both started to protest, Chen the ever aware empath spoke quietly "She is in pain. Her pain is beating at me like a physical blow". He said that while raising his hand to place it on his heart indicating the pain he felt there. After dealing with their horses and being free of their own amours, they each made their way to follow their liege, the Queen in their hearts. For that is what she is to them....their heart. The 13 of them had more or less grown up together. The sons of her father's mighty warriors and advisors, are her constant companions. At first they are her playmates, than they became her fellow students, mastering the art of war and self defence. Than they became her fierce protectors and advisors as she wade through the constant battle of court politics and finally invaders. The daunting tasks on her narrow shoulders, seemingly made easier with Exo members around her.

As they made their way further, they found pieces of her armour left here and there. First, her much loved and worn out kid gloves, the one Kai had gifted her not a year ago. Kai picked them up with a loving smile. Than came her arms and legs guards, dented in some parts from repeated deathly blows. These is than followed by her chest piece. The beautifully crafted black metal, smeared with dried blood, was left leaning against a tree. Kris paused for awhile while sighing as he bend down inspecting it. As the sound of flowing water gets louder, they found several other pieces of her armour. "Hyung is she ?" Tao asks in a loud whisper, followed by hard smack at the back of his head. Tao rubbed the sore spot while glaring at DO. "ert" said Kai with a shake of his head. Luhan and Lay was also giving him a death glare making him lift up his arms in surrender.

As they came upon a tall sturdy tree covered in thick foliage, they saw her laying on her back in the water just floating. She is letting the water cleanse her long hair free of the dried blood and sweat. Than she stood in the water that came up to her waist, her hair covered her back from them. She begin to furiously scrubb her hands, shoulders and chest with a piece of cloth. It seems to them that she is trying to clean them off the stains of blood, that only she could see, marring it. In the light of the shining sun, her skin is raw and red from the scrubbing, and uncovered, they observed various cuts upon her body and a deeper cut still dripping in blood on her left side just below her rib cage. Lay started to stand up to help heal her various wounds but Suho stopped him. "Wait" he said. Suddenly she threw the piece of cloth away, looked up at the sky and just scream her frustation away. The sound an eerie howl of an angry, wounded animal.

Than the tears came.

She cried for the life she had taken, for the life they had lost. She cried for her parents and oppa who was slained by their enemies a long time ago and finally, finally she cried for the little girl. The little girl who had to take on the mantle of the heavy crown upon her small head. Still grieving with the pain of the lost of her entire family, she had fought hard not to show the pain for all the world to see. She sobbed for the youth she had lost. The youth she was never allowed to experience. She cried for the ever present loneliness, of being truly and utterly alone in this world, without family or kin to call her own. She sobbed so hard her body is bent over with the weight of her grieve. The Exo men looking at her, all had tears in their eyes. Some allowing them to flow freely without shame while some was holding on tight to their emotions, never allowing the tears to shed.  Finally, after a long while, Atheianna, the warrior queen, waded through the water, heading towards the big stones to sit upon them while letting the sun dried her hair and body. Her legs are bended at the knees, her hands folded upon it and she laid her head on top of the folded hands. Her pale blue/sliver eyes are red and sweeling from all the crying. She finally closed her eyes in rest. Seeing this Suho heaved a sighed of relieved. He than indicated to the rest of the Exo to head back to the castle, leaving only Kris, Tao and Kai behind. Kris smiled at him in appreciation and Suho smiled back in understanding. Kris than made his way to her holding on to his own clean cloak. He than placed the cloak gently upon her shoulders, covering her from the sun and prying eyes before sitting down next to her. She sighed and lean her body to him. Allowing him to take and support her entire weight. Kris laid his head on top of hers and took a deep relieved breath. "I am tired Kris...help me...save me" she finally said.....