CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Messenger

IT TOOK A MOMENT before Bambam’s words sunk into Yugyeom. But when he finally caught sight of the glowing mark on the middle of his chest, he knew that his friend was right.

Oh Sehun, the new transfer, is a Guardian.

He’s not just an ordinary sorcerer.

“What is a Guardian like you doing on this side of the world?” he asked, his tone no longer venomous but confused, curious and cautious. “Don’t you have a kingdom to protect?”

The corner of Sehun’s lips quirked up, “I see that you had already answered your own ‘Who are you' question.” Then he took a step forward, the wind around them unrelenting. “Now, why don’t you answer mine?”

However, instead of giving a straight response, he asked yet another question. “Why are you here?”

“Will I gain something from answering your inquiry?” Sehun shot back, “A help, perhaps?” There was a note of mockery in his next words. “Oh, I forgot, you and your brothers had purposefully disappeared from Lucere, right?” He scoffed at them, “I would probably never going to get something out from you—from the people who abandoned their own home.” 

Only one thought was running in Yugyeom and Bambam’s minds, ‘He knows who we really are.’

“An act of cowardice,” the pale boy spat in disdain making Yugyeom curl his hands into tight fists against his sides.

“You know nothing about us,” Bambam was the one who retorted this time.

Sehun let out a mocking smile before his lips set into a thin line. “You’re right, just like how you know nothing about what happened to Lucere after the war.”

“What are you talking about?” Yugyeom was getting more and more flustered. When they left their world, there was still an ongoing war and they never knew how it ended.

“King Zardus died because of the war and, now, The Tainted Ones are out to get the remaining Saperians,” Sehun said as a dark shadow casted over his face like a storm cloud. “It won’t be long before they take out the humans, too,” he added before a whirlwind appeared in front of them, momentarily hindering their sight, and when everything settled down, the Guardian was nowhere in sight. 

“The King died?” Bambam uttered in disbelief. “But that’s—how…?”

Yugyeom stared hard at the spot where Sehun was once standing. He left them with so many tangled threads and pieces and he knew that they need to know what’s going on before more innocent human lives get caught in the mess of the sorcerers.

It looks like no matter how they run, no matter how they escape…they won’t be able to hide for forever.

“Come on, the others need to know this.”

THE STERILE SMELL was the first thing that assaulted Haeyoon when she awoke. She peeled her eyes open, sight a blur for a few moments before she took in her surroundings. White walls, skyblue drapes, pretty daisies placed on a purple vase beside a fruits basket and a mop of dark hair ducked right next to her head. She tried to lift herself into a sitting position but failed when she felt a throbbing pain shoot through her skull. She groaned and clutched at her head only to feel the material of the bandage wrapped snugly around her head.

The girl briefly wondered what had happened before a name popped up in her mind, realization striking her.

Jungkook.

Something must’ve happened to him because the last thing that she remembered was her being in the café with the Guardians and her brother before she felt a sudden pain in her head and blacking out.

“Thank goodness you’re awake,” she turned her head to the side and saw the relieved and happy face of Kyungsoo who stirred from his nap when he felt a movement on the bed. 

“Kyungsoo?” she uttered in mild confusion, voice still hoarse from sleep. She was expecting to see her brother at times like this.

“Does it still hurt?” he asked softly, his warm eyes, tinged with remnants of concern, never leaving her face. He reached out a hand to tenderly brush his fingers against her smooth cheek. “Your brother went out a few minutes ago. He’ll be back.”

“How long have I been out?” she croaked as she looked back into his eyes. She realized that out of all the Guardians, Kyungsoo radiates the most gentleness that seemed to always have the capability to mollify her nerves and calm her down whenever needed.

“You slept the whole day yesterday,” he told her as he retracted his hand to pour her a glass of water. “We are all so worried about you,” he said before passing her the glass which she gratefully accepted. She let the crisp water to soothe her parched throat, drinking the whole glass, before giving it back to him.

“Yesterday?” she blinked, looked out at one open window with curtains pulled aside and saw how bright the sun was shining outside. She realized that it was a Monday. “Shouldn’t you be at school?” she asked in mild surprise, trying to shift into a sitting position again and succeeded this time with Kyungsoo’s help. Guilt crept up her system because the boy had to stay in the hospital and miss a school day because of her. 

“Well, your brother needs help in looking over you,” he said, lips delicately forming that heart-shaped smile she always found endearing.

“You don’t have to do this,” she frowned in remorse.

“I know,” he smiled to himself as he started peeling a red apple expertly. “But I want to.”

Haeyoon blinked at his answer, taken aback and confused.

“Besides,” the boy continued in his mellow voice, wide doe eyes still casted down. “I’m doing this for myself, too.”

“What do you mean?”

Kyungsoo chewed on his lips for a while, contemplating over the next words that he was going to say. “Okay,” he breathe, a small blush surfacing to dust his cheeks. “This may sound creepy and weird but, honestly, everything always felt fine whenever I’m around you.” He meekly peered at her through the fringe softly falling over his eyes to see her reaction.

“Oh,” was Haeyoon’s lame response as she felt her cheeks heating up at his words. It was the first time a guy—whom she had known just a few weeks ago— said something like that to her and she had no idea how to react. The sincerity in his words caught her by surprise, stirring something within her.

The atmosphere around them grew awkward as they both went silent.

‘Stupid. How can I say something like that to her? Of course, that was downright creepy!’ Kyungsoo mentally berated himself.

“We had decided to take turns since not many people can stay in here all at once,” he blurted out of the blue after a minute of silence, hoping to take her mind off what he said through his blabber. “Baekhyun and the others wanted to take care of you, too, so we did it by way of rock-paper-scissor though Tao kept on complaining how unfair it was because he lost, thus, getting the last shift.”

He was relieved when she let out a soft giggle at their childish ways. 

“Thanks and I’m really sorry for worrying all of you,” she said earnestly. Haeyoon was deeply touched by their care towards her.

Kyungsoo let out an inaudible sigh when the awkwardness between them was dispelled. “Here,” he held out a slice of apple to her and watched as she happily nibbled on it.

A contented smile danced on his lips when she reached out for another slice. The words he said earlier were his true feelings. Since the King died and they were sealed, he always felt restless. In all those years that he spent in the human world without his memories, he always felt discontented, like a part of him was missing. He had never felt so peaceful until he met Haeyoon. Sure, the girl was able to free him from the seal but he still can’t explain the pleasant feeling whenever she was near. It’s like sitting in front of a warm inviting fire place when the weather is mercilessly freezing everything up outside—he never wanted to leave. And when she’s not around, he always felt like he was teetering on the edge until he sees her face again.

‘Am I the only one feeling this way?’ Kyungsoo wondered to himself as his mind drifted off to his brothers.

The pair were startled when the door burst, revealing a wide eyed and panting Yoongi.  

He paused for a few seconds by the door to catch his breath before rushing towards his sister and engulfing her into a warm tight hug. “I never wanted to see on a hospital bed ever again.” He pulled away only to cup her cheeks and stare at her face. “You worried the hell out of me.”

“I’m sorry,” was all she could say as she took in her brother’s tired eyes. It had been only a day and a half but he looked so haggard already. There were dark circles under his eyes, a result of not having even a wink of sleep since yesterday, and his face was paler than usual.

Yoongi just pulled her in for another hug, letting the tension ebb away from his muscles. “I’m just so glad you’re fine now.”

“How is he?” she asked when she pulled away from her brother. “He’s already awake, too, right?”

“Yeah, I’ve been to his room,” he nodded, eyes roaming all over her and doing a mental check. “That’s how I know that you’re also awake.”

“Then who’s with him now?” she worriedly asked him.

“Namjoon’s with him,” he replied then eyed her in amusement. “You’re really worried about him, huh.”

“I—I can’t help it,” she said honestly before her face morphed into one of concern. “Wait, have you told the guys about what happened to me?”

“No,” he replied with a shake of his head. “I made up some excuse that you went to a relative’s house for a visit and they surprisingly bought it. Jungkook is also here so you can’t just go milling around the place or you might bump into one of the boys.”

She nodded in understanding and relief. They need to lie because it would be hard to explain why she and Jungkook sustained same injuries at the same day. They might find it too odd and the siblings don’t see the need for their friends to be involved in something that might put their lives in harm.

“I suppose you know who Jungkook is, Kyungsoo,” she turned to the boy who was silently sitting on the other side of her bed.

He nodded, “Suho told us.” Then he added with a frown, “But you know, your case is rare.”

“What do you mean?” Yoongi furrowed his brows. Sure, Haeyoon told him what Joonmyeon had told her about a Marked Seal but, apparently, there’s more to it than that.

“A Marked Seal isn’t supposed to connect two persons to each other in that way,” he started. “Usually, that kind of seal can be only removed once the host can no longer…function.”

Yoongi frowned when the real meaning behind the Guardian’s words dawned upon him. 

Haeyoon swallowed hard before she said, “You mean…death, right?”

Yoongi cursed under his breath as Kyungsoo nodded solemnly. “But if the host managed to pass it onto another host, then the seal stays.”

Haeyoon’s lips parted a little when she remembered the day Jungkook’s mother died because that was also the day when she passed the seal of being host to Haeyoon with her knowing.

“You see, Marked Seals are put on someone for a reason and usually chosen hosts are strong sorcerers so that they can protect themselves from whoever wants to remove the seal—even from the sealed person himself.

“However, in your case, the seal can’t be removed by harming you, the host, because it can also harm the person being sealed,” he further explained.

“Isn’t there any other way to remove the seal or whatever connection they have?” Yoongi was getting agitated, “A way that won’t harm any of them?”

“I don’t know,” he muttered, worry lines creasing his smooth forehead. “I’m not sure…but I know a person who might answer our questions.”

“Kim Myungsoo, right?” Haeyoon offered and Kyungsoo nodded. She turned to her brother and said, “Remember the person dad mentioned? The Guardians knows him.”

“So, where is he?”

“That, we don’t know,” Kyungsoo said. “But I already asked a friend to go look for him and send a message. He’ll come to us once he receives that.”

“And who was this friend?”

“A very trustworthy messenger.”

THE HALLWAY WAS eerily silent as Yoongi treaded his way towards the cafeteria. The sun was about to retire to give way to the moon but he was just about to have his first meal for the day. If it weren’t for Haeyoon’s persistence, he wouldn’t leave her to Chanyeol’s care for the sake of a decent meal. He was still slightly jittery from the previous incident and letting his sister out of his sight makes him paranoid.

He was about to turn around a corner when a piercing pain shoot through his skull, the intense pain making him stumble towards the cold hospital floor on his knees. A hot white flash exploded behinds his eyelids as he shut his eyes, his hands finding purchase on the smooth pristine wall beside him for support.

“,” he cursed through gritted teeth as he felt the pounding got even more unbearable. He felt like he would pass out any minute. 

Amidst the searing pain that seemed to break his head into half, he saw images. Fragments of images that he can’t understand.

He groaned, his other hand flying to clutch on the side of his head as the broken images kept on flashing in his mind.

There was a man—No, there were two men. Then there was a pillar, then—

“Yoongi!”

A voice tore through his aching head just as the images stopped showing. He opened his eyes and he saw the blurred image of Taehyung, Jimin and Seokjin. They’re still on their school uniform.

“What the hell happened to you?” Seokjin asked as the two other boys helped him on his feet.

Yoongi gasped and blinked when the pain lessened. He pursed his lips as the throbbing slowly faded away until only a dull dizziness was left.

“Are you okay?” Jimin asked, concern written all over his face just like the other two boys.

“I—,” he took a staggering breath as he dug the heels of his palm on both of his eyes that were slightly moist from tears brought by the severe pain he felt earlier. “J-just a headache…maybe.”

“Maybe you should go home and rest?” Taehyung suggested. “You haven’t had a proper sleep and food since yesterday.”

“Maybe,” he pushed back his hair as he straightened up, not letting the utter bewilderment swirling in his mind to show on his face.

“Come on,” Seokjin started ushering them towards Jungkook’s room. “Let’s tell Jungkook. I’ll stay for the kid while these two go with you.”

Yoongi nodded absently because his mind was still trying to figure out what does the images he saw on his mind meant.

“YOUR BROTHER SCARE me sometimes,” Chanyeol confessed when Yoongi left the room. He had his arms folded on the edge of Haeyoon’s hospital bed while his chin was propped on top of it.

“Don’t worry, you’re not the first,” Haeyoon giggled as he pat him on the head. “But Yoongi’s a good guy once you get to know him.”

Chanyeol pouted with his brows pinched together. “He reminds me of someone.”

The girl’s brow shoot up, “Who?”

“When we were still in Lucere, there was this five year old boy who acts like a grown-up man—always grumpy and serious no matter how I try to befriend him,” he started with a snort, but a hint of fondness shone in his eyes. “His name is Suga and he’s a son of one of the Oraculum. He idolizes his father so much that he goes wherever his father goes—even in fights.”

“Fights?”

“Yeah,” Chanyeol looked up at her like a cute little puppy. “His dad was a great soldier besides being one of the King’s advisers. And that child is also a strong fighter for his age. He fought alongside us when the war between Magos and Lucere ensued.”

“He must be a cool kid then,” Haeyoon said with a smile.

“But very aloof just like Yoongi,” Chanyeol grumbled making Haeyoon laugh. “I wonder if I will ever see that kid again.”

“Why?” her brows furrowed. “Where is he now?”

“The last time I remembered, he escaped with us to the human world,” said the boy. “He was with his parents who crossed the portal first together with the Prince and Princess as well as a few other members of the council.” He paused before his eyes lit up as if he remembered something.

Chanyeol straightened up and said, “Haeyoon, what is the name of you father?” He was suddenly filled with anticipation when he remembered the conversation he had with his brothers. If their assumption was right, if Haeyoon and Yoongi’s father was the same Gieldan they know, the same Gieldan who escaped with them then…

“Min Jaeyoon,” she answered. “Why?”

A deep crease formed on Chanyeol’s forehead when the name didn’t ring a bell.

He must have changed their names for their safety.

He remembered Kris’ words when they were discussing the possibilities of Haeyoon being the lost princess last night at their dorm. They had also considered the chances of Yoongi being the lost prince but with him being a Gieldan—as he and Haeyoon told them—made the Guardians cross him out. They are treading carefully through possible proofs because they don’t want to jump into conclusions.

“Photo, do you have a photo of him?” he asked eagerly.

“I have,” she said, eyeing the boy rather unsurely. “But why do you want to see him?” she asked him though she was already reaching for her phone on the side table.

“Just because,” was his only reply.

“O…kay,” Haeyoon was about to browse her gallery when her phone flashed a call from her brother. Her finger slid effortlessly across the screen before she lifted the device up to her ear.

“Yoongi?”

“Haeyoonie, I’m really sorry but I have to go home right now,” Yoongi’s voice said from the other line. “Tae and Jimin are with me and I can’t go back there or else it will blow our cover up.”

“It’s okay,” she replied as she glanced at Chanyeol who had a questioning look on his face. “I’m with Channie, anyway. Just make sure that you’ll rest and eat properly, okay?”

“I promise to be back tomorrow morning,” her brother said in an apologetic voice.

“Don’t worry about me,” she smiled though Yoongi won’t be able to see it. “I don’t want you replacing me on this hospital bed because of over-fatigue.”

“Okay,” he chuckled. “Let me talk to the giant.”

Haeyoon giggled. She knew that Yoongi was a little insecure of Chanyeol’s towering height. “Sure.” She held the phone to the boy. “He wants to talk to you.”

“Yo?” Chanyeol greeted awkwardly which made the girl smiled secretly. She watched as Chanyeol nodded every now and then. She was sure that Yoongi said a few reminders to the Guardian. “Okay, I will,” he said before ending the call and returning the phone to her. “So, the pictures?”

“Oh, sure,” she opened the gallery and touched one particular tile to enlarge it. It was a photo of their family. “Here,” she passed it to him.

“Haeyoon…” he muttered as he stared at the screen with wide eyes.

“What?”

“The battery’s dead.”

A JET-BLACK HAIRED young man sat on the hammock placed on the front porch of his house as he sipped on his tea. He closed his eyes and listened to the peaceful humming of the birds and the gentle gusts of the wind.

‘Just like the calm before the storm,’ he thought.

His eyes snapped open when he heard a sudden noise near him.

A bird’s fluttering wings.

“A pigeon?” he wondered out loud when the bird perched itself on the armrest of the hammock. The gray pigeon cooed at him, cocking its head as if telling him something. His eyes travelled to its legs and he saw a strip of white paper tied into it. He chuckled in amusement despite himself before removing it and unfolding the paper to see its contents. “Old school way of sending a message, eh?”

“What’s that, Myungsoo?” a voice said, making him look up from the small piece of paper and towards a boy with dark coffee colored hair.

“Always quiet as the wind,” Myungsoo remarked, lips twitching into a teasing smile. “How’s school, Sehunnie?”

The said boy climbed the front porch steps with a scowl marring his handsome features. “Shut up. You should’ve been the one pretending to be a student, not me.” He dropped his bag on the floor before pulling himself up to sit on the railing.

“He is your brother,” Myungsoo reasoned out. “Not mine. Besides, you are the one who saw him on the mall that day and followed him to his school.”

Running a hand through his hair, Sehun said, “It’s frustrating that Chen doesn’t remember anything. Why he must be one of those who are sealed?”

“Just keep an eye on him,” the black-haired boy said as he scratched the pigeon’s the head. “We spent almost two decades just to find even one of them. We can’t lose him now.”

“But how will he regain his memories?” Sehun asked in exasperation. “He keeps calling himself Kim Jongdae and it’s pissing the hell out of me.”

“Once we find the remaining Saperians,” Myungsoo told him in his calm voice. “They can trigger his memories back because of the bond.”

“Sure,” Sehun snorted, “If we ever find them.”

“We will,” he said, eyes gleaming mysteriously. “A week from now, it’ll be the Princess’ eighteenth birthday and in the span of that week, the seal that we put on her to hide her spirit and real identity when we left Lucere will start wearing off just how it’s supposed to be.”

“She’ll start to feel the changes right?” it was a rhetorical question from Sehun but Myungsoo nodded anyway. “And because she doesn’t know how to control and contain her spirit yet, it’ll be like a beacon that will lead us to her.”

“As well as the Tainted Ones,” Myungsoo continued, his expression turning bleak.

“Then shouldn’t we be hurrying now to find her?” he asked with a sudden panic. “How about the Prince?”

“We put a Marked Seal on him,” he reminded the boy. “No one will be able to sense him except for his sister—if they are near enough to each other, that is.”

Sehun’s face crumpled in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Youngmi was the one holding the baby Prince when we escaped,” Myungsoo said.

“His host?”

“Yes,” he answered. “While the Princess was with Hyunho that time, together with his wife and their son and since we weren’t able to prepare at all and it’s the first time we are crossing the portal, we have no particular place in mind, thus, we ended up landing on different places.”

“And we’re lucky enough to find each other,” Sehun commented.

“Should I really consider myself lucky to find you?” Myungsoo gave him a look, eyes glinting in mischief. Trust him to troll even in a serious conversation. 

Sehun rolled his eyes. “Anyway, are you telling me that the Prince and Princess aren’t together now?”

"They are supposed to be not together in the first place until the Princess reaches the right age when she can properly utilize her powers," Myungoo said. 

“But why?”

“Being together can put their lives in more danger,” he explained. “So we purposefully hid them away from each other.” 

Sehun was silent for a while as if he was deep in thoughts. “You know, I’m always wondering why the King asked you to put a Marked Seal on his own son.”

Myungsoo didn’t say anything because he didn’t know the reason himself. Until now, he was still asking himself why King Zardus’ dying wish was for him to seal the Prince.

“Hey, Myungsoo,” Sehun called when he noticed the occupied expression of the guy. “What’s with the bird? Since when have you been friendly with a pigeon?”

Myungsoo snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the bird still perched on the hammock.

“It’s a messenger,” he smirked as he gently the bird’s soft feather.

“Messenger?”

“D.O's messenger.”

Author's Note:

Hey, guys. Sorry for the late update (again). I’ve got a nasty case of writer’s block coupled with laziness. Hope ya’ll understand. : )

Anyway, how’s this chapter? The truth about Haeyoon was obvious now, huh. keke. But rest assured that that was not all. There’s still more revelations to come so please look forward to that. ^_^ 

I hope you didn’t get confused with all the infos I dumped in this chappie. You can ask me for any clarification (granted that it won’t spoil the story)—though I wish that I was able to explain everything in crystal clear so far.