XVIII: Repente
Nocturne Academy
Yoseob steps backwards with caution, completely surprised because Hin's sudden movement. He doesn't understand why Hin can see him because they are definitely in the past.
Gikwang only looks at Hin and Yonghwa with confusion. He can't read mind of the past and he feels that he can't use any of his special skills as vampires. He never thought that this kind of situation will happen to him.
"W-Wait!" Yoseob states when his back meets the trunk. "We're not here to kill you, Hin!"
Hin doesn't lower her rapier. She is still aware with two unknown persons she just met in the Shadow Forest. She can't believe anyone when she is still in Shadow Forest because she is being targeted by the creatures in Shadow Forest.
"What are you?" Yonghwa steps forward because his instinct tells him to protect Hin. His eyes set on Gikwang; he can feel that he is far more dangerous than the one Hin is talking to. "What is your purpose here?"
Yoseob opens his mouth to answer but then he stops. He realizes that they are in the past and he might be the one who will change the past and it can influence their presents. He'll never know if the present will be turn up and down by his special answer.
"We...," Yoseob takes a glance at Gikwang but Gikwang is thinking about the way out too. They are trapped in the past for a reason they don't know and they have no idea how to escape without changing the past.
Suddenly everything becomes blurry. Hin and Yonghwa slowly disappear into the thin air and both Yoseob and Gikwang feel something is making their shoulders really heavy. They kneel down, gritting their teeth due to the invinsible burden.
When the feeling disappears, they straighten their body to find they are standing in front of the Norns. Hin is unconscious as her head is resting on Yonghwa's lap. Yunho is looking at her with worry while Suji just stands in silence behind him. Jieun is the first one who notices their presences along with Verdandi.
"They're back," Jieun informs Yonghwa and all of them look at Yoseob and Gikwang. At the same time Hin also opens her eyes, looking around until she sets her eyes on Yoseob and Gikwang.
She sits up with Yonghwa's help, ignoring Yunho's call who is really worried about her. Hin stands up on her feet and walks to Yoseob with small steps. She reaches out her hand to touch Yoseob's cheek, "You're alright..."
Yoseob blushed because of her touch and he can feel that Hin is worrying about him. Hin lowers her hand and puts her palm on Yoseob's chest as she sighs heavily, closing her eyes, "Don't come here again without permission. You have the warning beforehand, Yang Yoseob."
"But I-" Yoseob tries to explain but Gikwang interrupts their conversation with serious expression, "How did you escape from Shadow Forest?"
Hin shifts her gaze to Gikwang. She turns around and walks to Jieun, whispering something to her. She nods slightly as her answer to Hin. Yunho tries to talk with Hin so she will listen to him but Hin looks at Verdandi and demands firmly, "They have returned and I believe we have no other business here. We need to return to the academy now."
"Ryu Hin," Urd mentions her name, gaining the attention from all of them. "Your past can not be changed. You know it really well."
"I'm not here to talk about my past," Hin says with monotone and cold expression. "I'm only here to make sure they return safely. It's a task of President of NASCA."
"Save yourself, Ryu Hin," Verdandi doesn't take her eyes off of Hin. "One wrong move and your future will be the worst. No one can help you to decide your path to the future."
"That's enough," Yunho tries to end the conversation because he feels that it's too dangerous if the Norns continue their prophecy until the end. "We need to return now, Hin. Who knows what will happen if we stay too long."
But Skuld continues as the last goddess of the fate; Norns are under no one's command and she will never listen to Yunho or even Mr Song, "Your future is designed to lead yourself to Death, Ryu Hin. Never trust anyone if you want to survive."
Before one of them can respond to the Norns, they are magically transported out from the maze, right in front of the gate again.
"Yang Yoseob, Lee Gikwang, follow me," Hin says and gives a sign to Yonghwa and Jieun to follow her. She is going to explain everything she can to Yoseob and Gikwang because they're already know too much from what they should be and it's too dangerous if they are only provided by unclear information from the Norns.
"Hin, where are you going?" Yunho grabs her wrist to stop her but she quickly pulls away her hand with cold stare. She doesn't want to talk with Yunho, especially not after what happened in the maze before she helped Yoseob and Gikwang from the past. Yunho has been trying to stop Hin from helping them by telling her that it's too dangerous for her.
"This is an order of President of NASCA," Hin says firmly. "We are going to have a private meeting and none of you can interrupt the meeting without permission. I have warned you beforehand."
With that she walks away, heading to the academy building. But she doesn't walk to their secretariat. She leads them to one of dance practice rooms. After all of them gather together, except Yunho and Suji, Hin locks the door before open the conversation.
"I know what you saw in the past. We don't have too much time so I'll make this fast," Hin stands between Yonghwa and Jieun. "You're trapped in the past due to someone's interruption. I believe he is strong enough to make you stayed in the past. I asked Urd to let my soul went to the past so I could stop myself from killing you two. That's how you returned to the present."
"I'll tell you what happened in the Shadow Forest because you only saw parts of the incident. I was tricked by a certain person who has a really strong power to the Shadow Forest. All of us, the representatives of NASCA, were banished to the forest. This includes the previous representatives of NASCA, Jung Yunho, Bae Suji, and Lee Taemin."
"Things turned worse when my parents were found inside there. Even Joon didn't understand why they were there because they should be in his dungeon. When I wanted to save them, Joon threatened me that he would kill them if I tried to because they were the only pawns he could use to have me in his control. He had me pinned to the tree as he wanted to drink my blood so I couldn't fight him. Yunho appeared and he tried to save me but it meant I lost my chance to save my parents from Joon."
"Taemin suddenly tried to kill me after I was free from Joon. I didn't know the reason. Yonghwa protected me and he managed to cut one of his arms when he tried to kill me. I tried to chase Joon and we struggled on the dragon he found in Shadow Forest. You know the rest. I escaped from the forest after we found a Pegasus," Hin finishes her explanation.
"This incident is a top secret and we haven't found out who did it. We covered this incident from public as we tried to find the one who banished us to the Shadow Forest. Even Joon tried to find him because it's too mysterious and dangerous," Yonghwa continues with his explanation.
Jieun takes out two small bottles from her pockets and hands them to Yoseob and Gikwang, "These are my tears. Hin told me to give them to you just in case something happen after you know what happened in the Shadow Forest."
"It's a conspiracy," Gikwang stares at the small transparant bottle. "Someone is trying to kill you. Someone really strong."
Hin doesn't answer. She is thinking about the Norns' prophecy which told her that she can't believe anyone. She knows her life is on the line and she doesn't even need to narrow down the suspects; she knows all along who did it to her and the others.
But she doesn't have enough evidence to prove that he is the one who wants her death. Hin also doesn't want to believe that her analysis led her to the fact that Yunho was helping this person as well.
"Hin... I must kill her, Yunho... It's an order."
Yoseob remembers what Taemin said perfectly. He doesn't understand why someone targets Hin; she is an ordinary human even though she is a President of NASCA.
"You know who is the mastermind, don't you?" Gikwang stares at Hin. He doesn't need to read her mind to find out what she is thinking. "You stay alive till this moment just because you don't try to accuse him."
"I know who banished us there," Hin mutters calmly. "All of us know. But we don't have any evidence except what we heard when we visited the past. Just like what you two heard."
"Why did Mr Song send you here?"
One question from the centaur to lead Hin to the fact that Mr Song is the one who tried to kill her. He is the only one who has the power to do all of the mysterious incidents.
Suddenly the mirror in the dance practice room crack into pieces. The pieces flew in the room, from one corner to another, making cuts on their uniforms. Yonghwa hugs Hin to protect her from the cuts.
The mirror pieces stop in the middle of the air and then a voice echoes.
"You are brilliant, Hin," Mr Song's voice fills the room. "Amuse me."
The floor melts down as if they are standing on quicksand all of a sudden. They are sank down slowly until they finally disappear.
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Glossary #18
Repente: suddenly
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