"Hyung! Hyung! Look what I caught!", said a 10 years old kid with his gleaming eyes running to his brother with a bird in his hand.

"What is it Hyunsoo‒yah?", said a man crouching to attend to his little brother, "what did you caught?", the man said with warmth smile.

"Kyungsoo hyung, I caught a bird this time, it's beautiful! Can I keep it hyung? Please please?", the said kid plead to his brother excitedly.

Kyungsoo take the bird from his brother hold and released it to the open air. His brother gasp, disbelieving what he saw, "Hyung! Why did you let it go? It was hard catching it! I wanna keep it hyung!", the expression of pain playing on his face.

"Hyungsoo‒yah, as much as I love you, as much as you love the bird and want to keep it, it still have it's family out there waiting for its return. If you keep it, you will make the bird suffer, Hyunsoo‒yah, do you want to do that?", Kyungsoo said to his brother, cradling Hyunsoo in his arm with his unwavering smile.

"No I don't, but hyung, it was beautiful.", said the boy, tears gleaming at the side of his eyes.

"So because of its beauty you rather keep it by yourself and let it's family suffer? Do you want hyung to get separated with you Hyunsoo?", Kyungsoo rub his palm on the back of his brother.

"Kyungsoo‒hyung, I love you don't leave me alone hyung. Fine I won't catch any bird, but please don't leave my side hyung! I got no one else hyung!", Hyunsoo crying on his brother's shoulder, afraid that he will get left behind.

Kyungsoo panicked a bit due to his unexpected action, "Alright alright, don't cry Hyunsoo‒yah", he said while rubbing his brother back, " Let's go home shall we? What do you wanna eat? Want Hyung cook it for you?"

"I don't want any fancy food, promise me you won't leave me hyung and I'll eat whatever you cook." Still crying his heart out, he look at his brother heartily.

"I promise Hyunsoo yah, now stop crying your eyes out, I promise I won't leave you okay little bro? Let's go back home, it's getting dark." Kyungsoo lift his brother and start walking back home.

Do Kyungsoo, an 22 year-old orphan, was blessed with the ability of controlling the earth. His parent died when he was young, with unknown reason, somehow he was founded by a granny when he was wandering aimlessly in the wood, and that granny raised him like he was her own child. The granny was known as a strong witch, and a seer, the villagers oftenly visit them as the granny was popular with her healing potions and charms. At the age of 16, Kyungsoo founded a baby while practicing his magic, abandoned near the river bank, so he bought the baby home to their village.

Hyunsoo grew up pretty well, though the nature of his magic is still unknown. They took Hyunsoo into their life as their effort in finding the boy's parent all in vain. Hyunsoo, oblivious to the truth thinking that Kyungsoo and the granny is his real family.

"I thought you guys prefer living in the woods rather than staying with me.", granny said sarcastically every time her foster grandchildren come home later than usual.

"Sorry granny, we lost our sense of time playing there." Kyungsoo reasoned.

"It was fun granny, the woods felt so serene! Let's go there together sometime granny, it would be so much fun!" Hyunsoo excitedly exclaimed.

The granny let out a hearty laugh, "It's not like I never been there, my little Hyunsoo. I've been living long enough but that's shouldn't be your reason why you're being late. My poor heart can't bear not knowing what you kids are doing."

Kyungsoo pout, "Sheesh, granny, I'm 22 year-old already. It's the time for you to start acknowledging me as an adult."

"Said the adult who is pouting." Granny laugh heartily again, even Hyunsoo joined laughing.

Kyungsoo blushed, not realizing that he was pouting before, "it come naturally, I don't know how to control it okay." He said, defending his dignity.

"Indeed, you've become a fine adult Kyungsoo, I can't deny that fact. As far as you'd grew, I'll still treat you as my precious baby, I can read you like the palm of my hands sweetheart."

"It's you who raised us after all granny." Kyungsoo smile.

"I'll forgive you guys for being late this time, next time won't be the same, now go take your bath. I prepared the dinner, come to the kitchen once you guys finished you bath." The granny said in a motherly manner.

"We will granny!" Both males said in unison, walking to their own room.

 

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Meanwhile in the palace of Aeon, Emperor Leon consult the elderly vessels, asking for their guidance in finding the new vessels to conserve time and take lesser risk. The previous Emperor holds tournament to decide only the strongest warriors are fitting to be the vessels of Tree of Life.

Emperor Leon, different from the previous emperors, studied all the previous ritual in finding new vessels, countless tournaments were held, countless victims died trying to be the vessels.

"It is an honor for us to be visited by the emperor of Aeon." Elderly seer, one of the 12 elder vessels known by the name Viera, she bowed deeply to the emperor.

"Indeed, I can't agree no more, what is troubling you till you need our assistance sire?" Known by the name Astra, another elder, blessed with the abilities to summons anything in her stead. Instead of bowing, she fell into curtsy to the emperor, indicating that she came from the High-born.

"No, it is my pleasure visiting, do arise. I was hoping that I could meet 12 of you in such time, unfortunately lady luck isn't with me." the emperor said sadly. "I do have some matter to discuss, Lady Astra, Lady Viera." The emperor continue shortly.

Lady Astra move her hand making some gesture, out of thin air, she conjured chairs and table even a set of teacup. "Why don't we settle down before discussing this matter of yours sire? I conjured darjeeling tea, forgive me if it doesn't suit your taste but it is the rarest in my possession."

"You have my gratitude for your hospitality, Lady Astra but I believe darjeeling is more than enough, although I didn't come for a picnic." The emperor said sitting between the elderly.

"What matter are you speaking of, your majesty?" Lady Viera ask out of curiosity.

Sipping the tea, the emperor stop and put the cup down, and sigh loudly, "I come to ask if there are or is, any way we can find those new vessels in much more effective way rather than holding a tournament again?"

"Why did you think we have the answer to that?" Lady Astra said while sipping her tea calmly.

"The 12 of you are one with the Yggdrasil for 4 decades, surely you must've known something by now." Emperor Leon said calmly.

Lady Viera decide to test the nature of the emperor, "As far as we, the vessels are concerned, this is the first time in history the emperor of Aeon consult us. Previously we were just some puppet to the emperor, sustaining Yggdrasil life, and now the puppeteer is consulting the puppets? Won't you be disappointing your predecessors sire?" She said sarcastically.

"Somehow I agree with Viera, your majesty. It is unnatural for you, the emperor of the kingdom, to come into our chambers, let alone asking us for a solution." Lady Astra interjected as well, knowing the intention of Lady Viera.

Emperor Leon take a deep breath, "I know the mistakes of my predecessors, and as much as I hate the blood of emperors running in me, as much as I want to free myself from the shackles of emperor, unfortunately this is my destiny, I cannot change that, neither both of you can change that, and I will not repeat what my predecessors has done, they aren't me, and neither do I am them, we are different."

"How can you be so sure you won't repeat what has been done your majesty? The same blood is running in you after all." Again, Lady Viera still testing the emperor. "That is why I'm consulting both of you, so that the same mistake won't happen again, Lady Viera." The emperor said as a matter of factly. "Do you by any chance have the solution?"

"Let's cut to the chase Viera, it's now or never." Lady Astra said, acknowledging the emperor. "Just tell your tale to the emperor." The emperor brows knitted "What tale is there to tell?"

"Allow me to explain your majesty, few days ago, I was gripped by some sort of uneasiness, therefore I decided to look some days ahead, I foresee this event, and I share it with my fellow vessel. Apparently they acknowledged you therefore search for the solution, even as we speak they're doing what they need to do." Lady Viera explain calmly without looking at the emperor.

"And what are they doing?" The emperor ask out of pure curiosity.

"They're searching for the new buds of Yggdrasil flower sire, those buds will be the indicator used to find the vessels." Looking at the emperor Lady Viera smile. "How do they help?" Again the emperor bewildered by the new fact. "Those buds will bloom into Yggdrasil flower when the suitable vessel touch it." Lady Astra interjected.

Lady Viera sip her tea, "Rather than holding a tournament, you can send your imperial guard across the world to search for the vessels."

"But the world is vast! My imperial guard cannot cover them all." The emperor seems confused with the plan. "Which is therefore I am here sire." Lady Viera said. "In order to ease the replacement, I am a seer sire, I already looked over the future where the new vessels are."

The emperor remain speechless, if only he consult the elderly earlier, "Then there's no time to waste, we must make haste, I'll prepare the imperial guard to handle this mission." Emperor Leon stand right away and left without ushering another word.

"Well well, he is sure some unique emperor. Never did I saw any of the emperor consult us, and even obeying our strategy." A man appears out of thin air, sitting at the window. "How long has you been there Asura?" Lady Viera asked.

"Long enough to listen to all your conversation." He smirked. "Eavesdropping as usual" Lady Viera scoff. "I can't wait for the new vessels to come. Specially the one that your sister raised Viera." Asura smirked again.

"What do you mean Asura?" Lady Astra interjected.

"What I mean? I mean Do Kyungsoo." then Asura disappeared without a trace.

Imperial guard are on posts, Yggdrasil (Tree of Life) buds are collected. The journey to find the vessels began.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continue.