XII: Quasi
Nocturne Academy
"Stop it, Yonghwa," Hin gives Yonghwa a warning glare. "We need to think about how to get out from this maze now. Mr Song is not our concern right now."
Hin takes a look around, gazing at the night sky as she tries to find a way out from here. She has been here before and she knows for sure that it will be really difficult to get out from this maze this time.
The three of them suddenly freeze on their stands when they hear the sound of growls. The sound of mysterious creatures which are hiding behind the maze, somewhere around them, ready to hunt them down.
"Can we just get out from this maze with, you know, powers?" Yoseob mumbles, growing his awareness due to the dangerous sound. He knows something is waiting for them, waiting to attack them.
"It's better if we don't use any power," Yonghwa closes his eyes since he is trying to surpress his power. "This maze will draw us, the magical creatures, to rise our power. Unfortunately, the power is the reason we will be attacked by the dangerous creatures inside this maze."
Yoseob's eyes widen because of the explanation. They are gambling their lives if they stay any longer in this maze. Why does Mr Song do this to them, especially to Hin, the President of NASCA?
When Hin is going to warn Yoseob about the situation more detail, Gikwang has been appeared from somewhere, wrapping his left arm around Hin's waist as his right hand chokes her neck.
"Running away?" Gikwang whispers next to her ear with his husky voice. He is inhaling Hin's tempting scent; he wants to drink Hin's blood even more now. Vampires love to drink the blood of someone who is contained with fear and Gikwang knows that Hin is afraid; not for him, maybe, but for something mysterious here.
"Stay where you are, Elf," Gikwang glares at Yonghwa. He is getting ready to knock down Gikwang to save Hin but he quickly stops his step upon the warning. "You don't want anything happen to your precious President, do you?"
"You lure them for your own purpose," Hin mutters under her breathe. Gikwang must have been heard their conversation, meaning he knows that power usage will invite the dangerous creatures to come for them. "They are coming."
All of a sudden the fountain turns into three forms of beautiful women which have beautiful long hair. They wear their beautiful smiles on their faces.
"The Undines," Gikwang loosens his grip on Hin, stepping backward as his eyes are fix on the new appearances. His fangs are still longing for blood but he knows it's not the best situation.
"Sweet, sweet love," one of the Undines starts to sing with her beautiful voice. She steps forward, coming closer to Yonghwa. "Let me have you, your soul, your love."
"Jung Yonghwa!" Hin states his full name to gain his focus back. "Listen to me, President of Nocturne Academy Student Council Association, Ryu Hin. You are not allowed to die in this place. It's an order."
Yonghwa clenches his fists. The moment the Undine almost touch his face, he jumps on his toes, landing on the green wall of the maze. While the others look at him, Yonghwa is looking at Hin with frustrated look.
He doesn't want to leave Hin, knowing that it's really dangerous from her to stay in the maze. But Hin's order is absolute for him since he has vowed his loyalty for Hin when he was selected as a part of NASCA. And the order means he needs to get away from the Undines, no matter what.
"I understand," Yonghwa kneels and the next second, he has disappeared, rushing to find a safe place until they can get out from this maze.
"A loyal one doesn't help us to get rid of the Undines, young lady," Gikwang hisses as the Undines step closer to the three of them, singing the dangerous song to take their souls. "Do you have any idea to help yourself now?"
Hin runs her fingers to take the pendant of her silver necklace. She embraces the pendant tight, "I'm not going to die here, Lee Gikwang. I still have my obligation as President of NASCA."
Hin pulls the pendant away and the pendant transform into a silver rapier. She quickly swings the rapier to slice the Undines into halves. Within seconds, the Undines have screamed in pain, disappeared from their sights as the Undines return as water.
"I'm not a President of NASCA for nothing," Hin spins the silver rapier once to wipe away the blood of the Undines. "And I'm going to get out from this maze to fulfill my obligation."
Hin walks pass them, taking a path with her steps in silence. Both Yoseob and Gikwang exchange looks, following Hin behind as Hin takes every turn with confidence.
"Tell me," Gikwang speaks out, breaking the silence between them, "why did Mr Song give you the sword if he wanted to see you suffering here?"
Hin knows that Gikwang is reading her mind freely since Yonghwa is not here for her. But Hin doesn't stop her steps. She takes a turn to left side of them, looking around as the path behind them has closed by the grass, crawling to block their path.
"There is nothing in the world that can amuse Mr Song more than a human who can survive in Nocturne Academy," Hin touches her pendant; she has changed the rapier back into a pendant, clinging around her neck. "I am sure that a Vampire can understand how he feels."
Gikwang smirks because of Hin's words. He knows for sure that Mr Song must have been both angry and curious about Hin. A human who has been selected as the best student for her first year and then elected as President of NASCA.
"Why?" Yoseob blurts out the question when they take another turn to the right. "Why do you agree to be a President of NASCA while you know you are standing in the most dangerous position?"
"Every thing has its own price to pay, Yang Yoseob," Hin stops when they face an empty field. A dead end path. She turns around to look at Yoseob, "Tell me. Why did you choose Nocturne Academy, knowing that it's not an ordinary academy? You should have picked another academy."
Yoseob holds his breathe. He knows his question is non sense. He took the risks of becoming a student in Nocturne Academy after he received the invitation letter from the Academy; the Academy only sent the letters for people who had the chances to enter the academy. The others who applied were the people who put their lives on the lines.
But he knows that Nocturne Academy offers the students promising future. For him who is only an ordinary human who loves music, Yoseob was willing to take the chance to enhance everything. Even if he had the warning beforehand.
"Something is here," Gikwang murmurs, examining the green walls around them. Three figures come out from the greens, showing theirselves in front of Hin, Yoseob, and Gikwang.
A big tree appears from nowhere in the middle of the supposed to be empty field. Silver threads are hanging from the branches, almost touch the ground.
"Welcome back, Ryu Hin," the woman who has short blonde hair greets Hin. She has a cold smile curves on her lips. "It's been a while since the last time you visited us."
"I don't have any intention to visit Norns," Hin replies calmly. She knows that this is a really a bad situation for them. "We're not getting along, as much as I remember, Urd."
"As cold as always," the woman with black medium length hair chuckles. She tucks her hair behind her ear and glances at Hin, "It's amazing how you can survive this long after everything you've been through here."
"Norns?" Yoseob studies Hin's expression but the girl doesn't change her expression, not even slightly. "They stay in this maze?"
"We stay wherever we want to, Yang Yoseob," the woman with red long hair that reach her knees speaks out. "We are Norns, the goddesses of fate. And, no, Mr Song doesn't rule over us. We are under no one's command."
"Ah, what has been in your life is indeed interesting," Urd approaches Yoseob, lifting his chin with her delicate finger. "I wonder about what is happening in your life though."
"Or maybe...," Skuld's eyes flash with excitement, ..., "what is it to come in your life?"
Yoseob feels dizzy all of a sudden. Gikwang is trying to move but it feels like his feet are nailed down to the ground; it's Norns' territory and they have no power against it. He even can't read their minds; their power is beyond his.
"Hands off him, Urd," Hin mumbles as she clenches her fists, trying to fight back this familiar feeling she has felt before. "He has nothing to do with me."
"Really?" Verdandi touch her lips with her finger. "It doesn't seem so in my sight. He has this... feeling for you."
Yoseob gasps in surprise. The Norns are for real. He never expected to meet them in this situation. The Norns, goddesses who spin threads of the fate where there is no luck and no randomness.
"Everything is determined by destiny," Skuld touches Gikwang's jawline with a mysterious smile. "Everything is set out beforehand."
"Even your presence here is already destined," Verdandi touches one of the silver strings, spinning it around her wrist carefully. "We are weaving destiny."
The darkness falls upon them.
Hin gains her control over her body for second. She knows what will happen after this and she needs to prevent Yoseob from falling into the trap even more.
Hin grabs Yoseob's wrist as her right palm is on his board chest, feeling his heartbeat rapidly. Yoseob knows who is standing in front of him which makes him to stand still.
When a light shines on them, Hin trails Yoseob's delicate neck and plants a kiss on his neck. Yoseob bites his bottom lip to prevent a sound coming from his mouth. For his surprise, Hin leaves a mark on his neck.
"Remember," Hin whispers, looking at his eyes. "You have this mark from me."
Yoseob leans closer, cupping one of Hin's cheeks with his hand. He kisses her lips passionately, feeling the soft lips of Hin for seconds.
As if she knows that the danger is coming, Hin pushes Yoseob away from her, focusing her hearing. Yoseob notices that they are standing in the middle of snow field.
No Gikwang. No Norns. Nothing.
Only snow.
"Hin, stop running!" a sudden voice echoes. "Stop there. I'm serious, Hin!"
Yoseob turns around to see the one who keeps calling Hin.
There is a little girl, running away from a man with innocent smile on her face, leaving footsteps on the snow.
"Hin! Wait!"
Yoseob looks up to see the man. His eyes widen in surprise to see Joon in his black colored hair, running to chase Hin.
"You're not going to get me!" the little girl shouts with excitement.
When Yoseob looks at her hazel eyes, he knows what is happening.
The little girl is Hin.
They are in the past.
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Glossary #12
Quasi (Latin and Italian): as if, almost
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