The moonlight tree

Jongdae stood in front of a massive, golden door. The sun was falling on his tired face, a cold wind was ruffling his cloths. He ran a hand through his hair and took a breath. He was standing outside the northern Library of the Light, a place both, from legends and full of them. Not many people had ever been there, the place being mostly occupied by the Guardians of the Light. Not only was the library in the north, but it was additionally well hidden between mountains and behind the royal castle. The queen knew how to protect its secrets.

But here he was, standing next to Prince Junmyeon, at the gates. Although the day was cold, “as any other here,” Jongdae thought, and the place was settled between high mountains, the surrounding was surprisingly welcoming. There was a big tree in front of the gate, looking quite weird to Jongdae’s liking, “maybe it’s just a cultural thing,” he tried to reasoned, and an ever green grass growing around them. There were also many other fruit trees and flowers decorating the scenery, and for a moment the prince felt as if he was in one of the southern gardens, not in front of the northern library.

“What is with this tree,” he finally asked, not being able to stop thinking of it.

“It’s the moonlight tree,” Junmyeon explained, “according to the legend, once in… I do not remember exactly how many, but each time there is a Golden Moon, a few drops of its light fall down to earth and get trapped in this tree.”

Jongdae chuckled, “nice story. Is this what the northerners tell their children as a good night story?,” he mocked. “And what are those drops of moon light even supposed to do?”

“It’s not just a story, prince Jongdae,” Jyunmyeon answered seriously, and Jongdae looked at him curiously. “You see, one drop of moonlight can heal anyone and anything, maybe even better than the healers. My parents did it to save my brother.”

When the other finished, they stood in silence. Jongdae was amazed, shocked and confused. “Excuse me, prince,” he started, “but I thought your brother is supposed to be dead? How could that have saved him?”

Jumnyeon stood still for a few moments, looking the other boy straight in the eyes, as if trying to decide upon something. “There might be more to the story that everyone is telling, prince. Some time after my brother was born he fell ill. He was infected with drops of the black rain. We, the northerners, do not take it lightly. The only way to save him was to try using the drop of moonlight. But as you said, it was just a nice story. No many had used that method before, and all that had, were already dead. But my parents decided to take the risk and it paid off. The magic started to work and within a short amount of time Minseok was healthy again,” he smiled a bit as if going back to a pleasant memory. Jongdae sensed that the other would not say any more, so he decided to take the opportunity and ask some questions.

“But, Suho, I thought prince Minseok was kidnapped right after he was born?,” he questioned.

“No. Not right after. He was about two I think. That was a short time after the moonlight was injected into his heart. Worst timing ever, I would say,” the prince chuckled slightly, but there was no humor or emotion in it. He must have seen the confusion on the younger’s face as he continued with his explanation, “the drop of light might heal you, but if you posses powers, like we do, like Minseok did, it kills you as well. The moonlight was supposed to be taken out of his system the moment he heals completely. But… but they never managed to. He had been taken a night before the head of the Guardians of the Light was to come,” he finished in a whisper.

“Is that…. Can it be the reason why your father is so sure that your brother is dead?,” Jongdae asked another question, curiosity taking the best of him. And even though Junmyeon did not answer him, he shook his head, and Jongdae knew that he was right with his guessing. But he did not get to ask any more question as the massive doors opened and a young man came out to greet them.

“Your Highness,” he bowed deeply in front of Junmyeon, and Jongdae suddenly felt a hot wave hitting him upon hearing the title, as imagines of what happened last night flooded his mind. He quickly shook his head trying to focus. It was not a time for such distractions. “Prince Jongdae,” the small man repeated the action, bowing to him as well.

“This is Baekhyun, the quardian of the light,” Junmyeon introduced the boy, “is Yixing already inside?”

After a few hours of complete silence interrupted only by the rustling of old pages, Jongdae had enough. He was not used to it. He was also frustrated that none of them managed to find anything about the black arrow. He got up and started slowly walking around the library, taking in the magical surrounding. “It truly feels like from a legend,” he thought, looking at the high ceiling, disappearing somewhere in the dark shadows, wooden stairs and handrail, bent in many different forms and shapes, most of them resembling leaves and stars, with small lights in the centre. The bookshelves stood on a plan of a star, the floors were round, leaving an open space in between. Jongdae walked up a few floors higher, and leaning against the golden handrail, looking up. But still, he saw nothing but darkness.

“You are to see nothing but darkness there, storm bringer,” he heard a quiet voice behind him and quickly turned around. The same man that greeted them at the gates and showed them to Yixing was standing in front of him right then. The prince relaxed a bit, but then tensed again, remembering that after all, the man was a guardian of the light. He straighten his back and took a good look at the man. His hair was a mixture of a metallic, grey and silver, with some highlights and was falling on his eyes. His complexion was very light, but as Jongdae realized, it was a common feature for the northerners. His lips were curled in a small, almost invisible smile, and his eyes, “this eyes,” Jondgae thought, amazed by how unnatural the color was and how intimidating it was making the boy. One of his eyes was golden, while the other was silver. Just like, “the sun and the moon,” the thought hit the prince and he took a deep breath.

“I… how are you so sure, Baekhyun?,” he asked, smirking, “there must be a reason you have this massive hole in the middle of the library. Knowing you, the northerners, I might possibly see my future up there if I focuse enough, am I right?,” he was joking, but the boy’s expression only darkened.

“You have darkness in your heart, storm bringer, therefore, you have darkness in your eyes. Your brother would be able to see more, than you do,” he explained, his voice low and unpleasant.

Jongdae growled lowly, clenching his fists, “do not dare, ever speak of me or my brother. You know nothing.”

“I do not need to know. I can see,” the boy whispered, looking up behind Jongdae.

The prince shook his head angrily and quickly went away, leaving the boy behind. When finally alone, away from anyone to see, he run his hands through his hair, breathing heavily. The other’s words repeating themselves in his head. “You have darkness in your heart, storm bringer.” He wanted to scream and let go of all the frustration, but he knew he was not allowed to. But still, he could see a loud and clear thunder from the outside. He looked to the side and glanced out the window, catching his own reflection in the glass. He smirked upon seeing that his eyes had changed color to a dark violet. That was what he was. What everyone saw him as and wanted him to be.

A storm bringer.

So he would bring them one. One, the north shall never forget.

A beautiful, white lightning hit the spot right next to the moonlight tree and Jongdae chuckled upon seeing a few sparkles of fire and hearing some screams. “A music to my ears,” he smirked and another lightning fell to the ground, then another one, loud thunders muting the screams of the people outside.

The fire broke out and was consuming the emerald grass surrounding the magical tree. Jongdae stood by the window, watching the scene in front of him unfold, with a massive smile on his face. But when he saw Suho rush out of the building, he frowned. He could not hear what he was saying, but everyone seemed to calm down. And he did not like it. His eyes shone and another lightning hit the ground, just a few inches from prince Jumnyeon. The boy jumped out of fear and surprise, which had Jongdae laughing, and looked up, his eyes locking with the other’s. He frowned and Jongdae could see his eyes turn turquoise. Just a few moments later drops of rain started falling from the sky, putting the fire down. Jongdae growled, unsatisfied. He turned around and started making his way out of building.

When he was out, he slowly made his way to stand in front of the prince, his eyes never leaving the latter’s. They stood on both sides of the tree, fire still surrounding it, rain falling on them. He heard gasps when people saw him and his eyes. He smirked and it became darker, a harmony of thunders breaking out, white lightings lighting up the space around them. Jongdae started laughing, the storm becoming the perfect accompaniment.

He felt Junmyeon’s heavy rain hitting his face, drops running down his hair, eyelashes, jaw. The prince of the North was slowly putting the fire down, but each time he thought he finally managed, Jondgae would strike another lightning, each time closer to the tree.

“Baekhyun!,” he finally shouted, trying his best to be louder then the storm.

Jongdae took a quick glance to the side and saw the said boy nearing the prince. When he stood next to him, he looked at Jongdae and his eyes shone.

Jongdae let out a loud scream and fell to the ground, his hands quickly going up to his eyes. “I cannot see,” he panicked. “What have you done to me?!,” he screamed, “what have you done!.”

“I took your sight, storm bringer,” Baekhyun said in a calm voice.

Jongdae yelled at the top of his lungs and slowly got up. Still shaking, wet and angry, he quickly collected himself. A smirked appeared at his lips, as with head hanging low and knees half bent, he spoke, “two can play this game, guardian of the light.”

And then, everything went dark. He heard people scream, disoriented. Junmyeon looked around, scared. “What magic is that?,” he mumbled, not believing his eyes. One moment everything was normal, the sky only covered by dark clouds, but it was no difference from a normal, stormy day. There were lights around them from the library and a massive fire in front of him. Now, there was nothing. As if the clouds had come down from the sky, swallowing every source of light around them. “Yixing!,” he screamed, but to no avail. “Baekhyun!,” he repeated, but nothing came out of this. “Jongdae! Jongdae stop it!,” he begged, terrified. The was a loud crash and a few lightnings hit the ground next to him. “Jongdae!,” he yelled again, trying to move. It felt as if he was not moving at all. “Jongdae make it stop! Please!”

“If I am to see darkness, then all of you shall see it as well!,” he heard a response and it froze the blood in his veins. He had a compelling feeling that there was much more to that statement, then what had been spoken. “How do you feel now, guardian of the light, when there is no light?!,” he added, directing this question at Baekhyun, “what are you now?!”

“Baekhyun! Baekhyun give him his sight back! Give it back!,” he ordered.

“But prince!,” he heard a soft, quiet voice and he knew that Baekhyun started loosing his strength.

“It’s an order, Baekhyun! Do it, now! Jongdae! Promise, that you will make it stop!”

After a moment of silence from the other, he got heard a quiet, “promise” and within the next few seconds everything got back to normal. To Junmyeon’s relieve, there was no fire consuming the tree as well. The heavy and dark clouds disappeared, letting the sun shine again, and if it was not for the black holes around the tree, it would look as if nothing had happened.

A/N

Hello dear readers!

How are you on this fine evening/morning/afternoon?

Yeah, so here were have another chapter! It went a bit different to what I planned at the beginning, but I figured that showing a bit more of Jongdae's character would be a nice way to go with this chapter as well :)

Hope you liked it ! Please share your thoughts and opinins please!

[if you fee like it, please upvote and subscribe as well :)]

Best wishes,

badblood.