The following morning dawned bright and clear. To Baekhyun, the very air itself seemed abuzz with anticipation, tinged with an infinitesimal sprinkling of foreboding. After all, this marked the first time he would step foot outside the Conservatory’s walls in eight years, ever since the day Lu Han - then a newly minted Archmage - had found him by chance, a scrawny seven-year old boy of unknown ancestry, abandoned in the gutted remains of one of the innumerable anonymous villages scattered across the Southern desert. Exactly what the Archmage had been doing there however remained a mystery to this day. It was a question Baekhyun would steel himself to ask when the right time came.

After the unexpected meeting with his guardian, Baekhyun had spent the remainder of yesterday’s afternoon packing in his dorm room, gathering what little possessions he did own into two saddlebags. Once fresh provisions were collected from the kitchens - just enough to tide him over for two days  – Baekhyun would be all set for the journey ahead. Having mentally debated for a long while whether to bid Jongdae goodbye, Baekhyun had ultimately decided against it in order to avoid any troublesome questions. As far as he was concerned, this mission was strictly private and confidential. The fewer people that knew of his exploits, the better. Furthermore, there was still the matter of his unauthorised summoning...yesterday had been too close a call. From now on, his pendant would have to remain under his layers of clothing at all times. Sneaking a glance at the lump on the next bed, he noted with some satisfaction that its occupant still appeared to be fast asleep. No doubt Jongdae was exhausted from whatever activities he had been up to until late last night. Although the characteristic snores were missing, Baekhyun rationalized that perhaps Jongdae had finally gone to see a midwife to sort out his sinus problem. Without further ado, Baekhyun strapped on his hardy leather sandals and tiptoed out of the room, eventually letting his excitement take over as he skipped down the stairs two at a time all the way to the kitchens.

By the time Baekhyun stepped outside onto the cobblestones of the deserted main courtyard fifteen minutes later, laden with food and waterskins, his guardian’s gift was ready and waiting - a lovely ivory mare with a silvered mane, patiently bearing his two saddlebags. Fastening his cape around his neck, Baekhyun stepped onto the stirrup and slowly hefted himself into the saddle. After squirming about in the seat for a few moments to make himself comfortable, with a flick of the reigns, Baekhyun finally urged the horse into a trot. Before him, invisible hands opened the portcullis up. Without hesitation, Baekhyun rode his horse into the void. The world beyond beckoned.

Faster down the main road he sped, the city of Akash rushing past in a dizzying blur of colours and smells, until at last he passed under the Grand Archway and sandstone and terracotta gave way to endless golden grains and a horizon of boundless azure. Tugging on the reigns, Baekhyun paused for a moment to properly absorb his newfound freedom and bask in the rays of the early morning sun, which left only the gentlest of kisses on his exposed hands and face. However, his exhilaration was short-lived, interrupted by a second clatter of hooves coming to a stop right behind him just outside the city limits.

With a sneaking suspicion, Baekhyun turned around in the saddle, sighing when familiar bronze curls came into view, sitting astride an impressive stallion.

“I should have known!” Baekhyun said, exasperatedly. “What are you doing here, Jongdae?”

“Well good morning to you too. And for your information, I’m not about to let you go an adventure to Silla by yourself, while I’m stuck in classes listening to boring old men drone day in and out.”

“Wait a moment. How do you even know I’m going on an adventure to Silla?” Baekhyun asked, eyes narrowed.

“Pardon me, but you have all the subtlety of an Eastern Elephant. All of yesterday afternoon you were stomping about in our room rummaging through your things and humming. You only ever hum or sing when you’re up to something highly suspicious…And I also happened to eavesdrop on your conversation with Archmage Han. What? Don’t give me that look! You’re no innocent either!”

Unfortunately, there seemed to be a fair amount of credence to the idiom ‘birds of a feather flock together.’ “Well, that explains some things,” Baekhyun began grudgingly. "Except for the big question: how in the world did you manage to sneak out of the Conservatory?”

“So I knew the courtyard would have been unattended at this ungodly hour, and that they would activate the portcullis to open for you. I just about managed to get out right after you did - a second later and I probably would have been decapitated. Awfully exciting stuff, right? The hardest part was to make you ignorant of my presence until it was too late. Invisibility spells are very useful, you know, but hecka tricky to master, especially if you also have to conceal five hundred kilograms of pure muscle and bone. Took me all of last night! I actually had to go to the library for research!”

Feeling like giving both himself and the other boy a slap in the head, Baekhyun released a defeated sigh. “If only you showed as much dedication to your lessons, Jongdae. Who knows? You may make a decent mage yet.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now let’s get going. We’ve come too far already. You can’t possibly make me go back now. Think of how many times I’ve covered your back!”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. True, there had been more than one occasion where Jongdae had made up some excuse to justify his absence from a lesson. Besides, they had already left Akash. If Jongdae were to go back now, definite punishment awaited him, perhaps even suspension. And no matter how much he disagreed with Jongdae coming along, he would not subject even his worst enemy to the wrath of Archmage Han. There was nothing for it, then. Against his will, Baekhyun had gained a companion for his travels.


                                                                                                           ★★★

Before long, many miles had come and passed; yet, a whole day’s journey still remained. With the sun setting at their backs, the two boys decided to set up camp at the zenith of a particularly large sand dune. A few sweet words to a messy pile of driftwood, and Jongdae had soon coaxed a small fire to life, the flames merrily crackling away and thankfully filling the unusually terse silence between them. Although neither voiced aloud their thoughts, both boys felt ill at ease being so out in the open.

“So...I guess it’s bed time, huh?”

“Yeah. See you in the morning, Jongdae.”

Although he had initially berated Jongdae for tagging along on this mission, Baekhyun was now glad to have company in such desolation. Here in the vast desert, he felt exposed and vulnerable, with only the flames of a tiny fire to keep the darkness at bay. However, there was nothing to be done –shelter would not be found until they reached Silla. Clutching his pendant tightly to his chest for comfort, Baekhyun burrowed deeper into his sleeping bag with a heavy sigh, consigning himself to a night of fitful sleep.

It seemed that not an hour had passed when he was roused awake by the agitated grunts and stamping of their horses. Baekhyun bolted upright, eyes wide and instantly alert for signs of danger. The fire had long since died out, leaving only a pile of ashes and blackened firewood. It was a starless night, the sky a pitch-black canvas, the only source of illumination coming from the full moon immediately above. However, this was not the benevolent glow Baekhyun was used to, but a tainted light which seemed to coat everything with a sickly hue.

Despite his apprehensions however, after scanning his surroundings, he could not see nor hear anything amiss. Deciding he was too tired to light another fire, which would, after all, only die out for lack of tending, Baekhyun was about to return to sleep when his fatigue was permanently dispelled by a whinny of terror. Slowly, and with creeping dread, Baekhyun turned his head in the direction of the source of the horses’ alarm. There, to his right, several shadows, steadily growing in number, were hobbling towards the small camp.  Baekhyun stared in horror, transfixed at the sight of the disfigured shapes as they lumbered closer, their awkward gaits indicative of something not quite human.  

There was no time to waste. Stirring himself into action, Baekhyun crawled across the campsite to the other sleeping bag, frantically shaking Jongdae awake. After what seemed like an eternity, the boy finally showed signs of life, croaking a feeble protest before his gaze followed the direction of Baekhyun’s outstretched finger.

"Who are those people, Baekhyun!?" Jongdae exclaimed.

“I’m afraid not who, Jongdae, but what." His misgivings were confirmed when the first of the group stumbled directly into a path of moonlight. Baekhyun and Jongdae let out a simultaneous gasp of horror. Leering back at them was a death mask, eyes a milky white, cheeks hollowed out, skin a repulsive patchwork of colours, all bruised and blackened with decay. In the dim lighting Baekhyun could just about make out the faded colours of the tattered clothing hanging precariously off its emaciated frame, splattered sporadically with dark patches of what Baekhyun guessed with a sickening feeling could only be dried blood. Brown and green, the official colours of Silla...

Not needing any further provocation, Jongdae loosed a fireball at the first dreadful visage. However, the spontaneous attack did not seem to inflict any substantive damage whatsoever, for the creature continued to amble towards them, paying no heed to the fire consuming the remnants of its face. Lending his support, Baekhyun attacked the approaching group randomly with thin, incisive beams of light from his fingertips. Severed limbs tumbled onto the sand, becoming lifeless once more.

All for naught.

Still they came, hopping and crawling.

Before long, their campsite was surrounded. There were too many for the two of them to hold at bay. Without a breeze, Baekhyun’s head was spinning, suffocated by the enclosing stench of decay and earth emanating from the corpses. His beams of light were becoming more and more erratic, sometimes missing their marks completely. Out of the corner of his fading vision, Baekhyun saw them closing in, arms outstretched, blackened fingertips reaching out to touch…

In a desperate plea, he turned to their last hope for salvation.

Please, I need you. Help me, please.

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