"Woah," the male's face expressed pure and genuine awe and joy, "This... This place is beautiful." The sea of grass and never ending field of flowers that decorated the land had the group of boys in awe. It was like a scene out of a movie or a painting. The grass was green, the flowers were blooming, insects and birds flitting around and dotting the sky, and random spots of trees clumped together: a perfect scene of nature. "It's hard to imagine we're still at war when you see a place like this," one member commented. The rest agreed and the youngest couldn't help his excitement as he took one quick glance before launching forward, frolicking around the grass much like a child or a little animal. The rest of s looked upon him with a fond smile and the leader sighed, "Oh Sehun." Sehun turned around at the sound of his name. Although it was faint, and almost inaudible, if the wind catches it, Sehun will hear it. That's just how it was. The youngest looked back and said, "Hyung! It feels amazing!" The wind was gently playing around them, ruffling their hair and making it tousled. There was a short laugh and Sehun said, "Come on! It's fun!" "We're at war.." "It's fine Kyungsoo," one responded, sending the rest of the members a fatherly smile; one that made their tallest grin, "Well, if Suho hyung says it's okay." "Then let's go!" a shorter member cried out as the two ran off to catch up to Sehun. "Chanyeol! Baekhyun!" Kyungsoo cried out. "They'll be fine," Suho responded, Kyungsoo pouted and another gently bumped his shoulder, "We might as well make the most of this trip while we have the chance though." "But Kai." "Come on." Kyungsoo and Suho watched as the other four explored the new territory. Although it was simply above their home, it was their first time in the past years outside. Although war had once wrecked and destroyed the landscape once, the years of dormancy and latency has allowed Mother Nature to take back the reigns and turn the landscape back to its very original form. Sehun wandered away from the group, attracted to a certain sound and scent on the winds. Everything is stronger up here.. I wonder if it's because this wind is natural. He followed it aimlessly, although he was still aware of his surroundings, he wasn't certain how far away he was traveling away from s. But no one called my name yet, so I should be fine. The trail entered the woods, and Sehun stopped. The woods are risky. Very risky. No one really knew what was located inside them, and no one really knew if they were safe or not. But he couldn't deny the attraction to that breeze that continued to urge him into the woods. The scent was new to him, but familiar, as though it had once been a common occurrence to him. And that sound, it was the sound of life. He knew it. Sehun could practically feel it beckoning him, telling him to find it. It intrigued him, and frightened him simultaneously. He glanced back over his shoulders, his hyungs were slightly behind him, and they should be able to hear him if he called out loud enough. Or if I use my powers... He glanced back at them and then back at the woods and he decided, Well. Might as well. Sehun entered the woods, carefully maneuvering his way through, avoiding the overhanging branches and vines and purposely avoiding the small critters that happened to inhabit the woods as their homes. The sound and scent grew stronger as he neared a small clearing and he hesitated, What if it's an enemy? Will I have to actually... kill? Sehun shook the thought from his head, but it still pricked at him slightly. The idea of killing was too much for him. He gently stepped forward into the opening, only to see a field of white flowers, sunlight streamed through the heavy green foliage, making patches of bright white flowers. But it wasn't the scenery that caught his attention, it was the boy that slept almost peacefully on the field. His black hair was a bit long, splayed across the ground and covering a majority of his face. His outfit was in tatters, and wrapped around his wrist was a crystal pendant, one that glowed a faint gold. Sehun finally realized it, the familiar scent was blood. And it was coming from the boy on the ground. Sehun rushed forward, making sure not to touch the boy but looking him over for injuries. And it wasn't until he saw a small drip run across the pale cheeks and Sehun carefully brushed the hair out of the way, finding a small cut on the boy's forehead near his hair line. "Oh Gods," Sehun mumbled. Do I call my hyungs? Do I stay here? Do I take him out of here? What if someone else was here too? No, but it's too risky. Sehun bit his bottom lip before bringing his hands close to his lips into a fist and he whispered into them, "Hyungs, I need you." He released the wind as it rushed out, searching for the proper recipients and Sehun mumbled, "Now then... What do I do with you?" He glanced around before choosing a good, tall, sturdy tree that should protect him from sight while he waited. He sighed, "Maybe I do always get myself wrapped up in the wrong stuff." ***** Kyungsoo heard it first and sighed, "Sehun." Suho glanced back and asked, "Did you say something?" Kyungsoo shook his head and said, "It's Sehun." "What'd he do now?" "Who knows," Kyungsoo responded, he gave his leader a small smile and said, "I'll take care of it." The rest of the members glanced at Kyungsoo and Suho before gathering up to the two and they asked, "So...?" "I'll take care of it." Kyungsoo offered. Everyone nodded and Kai lingered for a while, glancing between s before deciding, "I'll go with him." "Take care you two, we'll wait at the edges of the woods and keep a look out then," Baekhyun saluted as they made their way towards the same woods that Sehun entered. As the duo made their way through Kyungsoo sighed, "I'm worried." "About Sehun or about them?" "Everything," he responded in a soft whisper. He paused slightly in his words and Kai waited, trailing behind his good friend slightly and he said, "I wish we were able to help them back then." "We weren't good enough back then.. we weren't able to protect them." "I know Jongin, I know." They fell silent and Kyungsoo goes, "I still refuse to believe she's gone." "Akari-sshi?" Kyungsoo nodded and he mumbled, "She wouldn't leave us like this if the world didn't obtain the peace she was hoping for." He paused and added, "That's what I think of her anyways. I never knew her." Kai chuckled, "You always thought fondly of her, didn't you?" Kyungsoo nodded, "She was the beacon of hope in our darkness. I'm certain she will come back." Kai was about to respond, but was interrupted by the shuffling of leaves and he pulled Kyungsoo aside, both of them on guard; only to see that it was Sehun from the trees. "Hyungs!" "Gods, you scared us Sehun," Kyungsoo sighed. Sehun shot them a silly grin, but it faded away quickly as his face grew serious and apologized, "Sorry, but I found... someone." "Someone?" "Yeah..." Sehun hesitated and he said, "I don't know hyung, take a look for yourself." Sehun guided them to the clearing and upon sight of the boy, Kai mumbled, "He looks dead." "No, he's alive." Kyungsoo retorted in a soft breath. He walked up and kneeled next to the boy and said, "Just barely. He suffered a lot of damage internally. We need Yixing hyung to look at him. We can't do much on our own." "But if we move him improperly..." Sehun immediately responded and admitted, "I was never good with this stuff!" "We know, that's why we came," Kai responded with a slight smirk. He glanced at Kyungsoo and the latter nodded as he gently shifted the ground beneath the boy to support his body as it is positioned, and to prevent him from moving unnecessarily. "Sehun, tell the hyungs we're heading back. Don't let out a single detail, understood?" Kyungsoo ordered the younger male. Sehun nodded as he sprinted back and Kai asked, "Ready?" "I hate this part." Kai laughed and said, "Get used to it partner." Kyungsoo sighed as he felt the familiar free floating feeling and the world was torn away from him. Well, he thought, it's better than Sehun trying to fly us through the sky. ***** Yixing was cleaning his workspace when he felt the familiar reality being distorted and he sighed, "I just finished cleaning though..."

He watched as Kyungsoo and Kai appeared, but the third body that appeared brought along feelings of caution and danger. He was certain that all the remaining survivors were brought back with them. Everyone but those two. His fists tightened, but he looked up and asked, "What happened... and who is that?"

"Hyung," Kyungsoo acknowledged and asked, "Can you look him over? We found him today in the woods, or... well, Sehun found him. His pulse is weak so we just teleported back, I know it's risky, but..."

They all hesitated, and Kyungsoo and Kai exchanged glances, knowing that it was unlikely for the answer to be yes, but Yixing was also unsure. If this child had been wandering around all this time, who knows what information he knows, what he's seen, and what has happened outside of their sanctuary. Yixing bit his lip, and his fists were beginning to turn white and he mumbled, "It's fine, let Kris know please."

Kyungsoo and Kai were surprised by the answer, but there was a certain look in his eyes that they couldn't recognize and the two males nodded before leaving to find their current leader in-standing. Although he still calls himself "another soldier," he was the one who brought them back together despite not reaching the goal they were aiming for and helping them stay alive.

As soon as Kyungsoo and Kai left, Yixing carefully brushed his gloved hand over the bleeding cut and upon inspection of the face, he flinched. He... looks so much like him. But that's not possible, he died. We all saw him die. He shook his head and he slipped his coat on and mumbled, "If life can truly be revived..." 

He didn't finish his sentence, but he looked at the boy with the same fondness he had directed to the two children, or perhaps not really children, that he had taken care of and helped heal in the past. No. The idea of changing life cannot be changed. Not even by those with power. I... He paused, but his thoughts were cut off as he finally got around to inspecting the entire body.

That pendant.. that's not possible. It was as though his heart were caught in his throat, but he was unable to speak and he felt suffocated. But the reality of it all stared right back at him, that perhaps, there was still hope for them yet.