Archive of Our Own

“I’m not kidding, Mark. It’s a really terrible idea.”

Jeno let out a deep sigh as his roommate, Mark Lee, ignored his protests and proceeded to walk towards his bed, clutching the book of Rune Magic close to his chest. Mark was hard headed as usual, eyes fixated on the book with such deep adoration that Jeno had to hold in the urge to rip it out of his hands and throw it into the burning lilac fire that illuminated their room. Yes, his raven haired roommate remained naive on how serious the matter was. It infuriated him, but it wasn't like Jeno could muster up the intention to argue.

"This is it, Jeno! This may be what I'm truly capable of!" Mark stated with such defiance that all the fight seeped out of Jeno. He had to pity his friend, knowing very well that Mark had been struggling with all the types of magic the school afforded classes for. Even in the one prominent shadow magic class he was genuinely good enough in to not have something explode, he was still average.

"It came through the fire mail, Mark. It was purposely sent to you with the intention of not wanting anyone else to intercept it." Jeno tried yet again, watching as Mark shoved the book roughly into his bag. He had seen this one too many times, ever since the book had magically flung itself out of the fire and onto Marks' bed one particular night. Goddess, Mark even went to the library to study it these days. It was strange and abnormal. "You think people would do that with good intentions?"

Mark let out a heavy sigh, settling his dark eyes on the younger boy with a look of exasperation. "You don't know that, Jeno. It's been working. My magic has been working for the last week because of this book! You have it easy because you know exactly what magic you have, and what it does. I don't !"

Jeno couldn't actually argue with that. He was a part of a clan, indeed, and one of the ones that lived in luxury. Compared to Mark who had been taken into the Sanctuary meant for lost mages with no apparent clan, he had had it easy. Mark had no idea what clan he was from, and none of his classes except shadow gave him a clear view of where he belonged.

Mark glanced at the tattoo of a Water Rune permanently marked on Jenos skin on his arm, a tattoo he had received upon the clan acknowledging his abilities as a Water Prominent mage. There was only one school for young mages, and that meant mages with no clan and currently in a clan mixed around. There were around a dozen mages there from the Sanctuary, and unfortunately Mark hadn’t befriended any of them before enrolling into the school. It was a good thing that the Sanctuary System existed and he was, at the very least, able to learn proper magic control with the others.

They still had around half an hour to get dressed, which was great because it wasn’t like Mark had much to wear. He wore his usual ochre colored tunic and loose belt, paired with his brown cuffed pants. Jeno took much longer as he wore his clans symbolic dark blue leather Jerkin with a white shirt underneath, his pants more fitting and uncuffed to avoid it from dragging on the ground.

It made a tinge of jealousy etch its way into Marks’ heart, but it swiftly disappeared. He had grown used to it over the years.

Later on, they walked along the cobblestone corridor, their small bags slung over their shoulders, infused with magic to allow extra space inside. It made it all the more convenient to walk without having to carry their heavy books and weapons around.

The sight was as usual. Students chattered and lingered in the corridor, magic sparks exploding around them in preparation for their respective classes. Jeno waved him over to the side where they sat on the stone walls surrounding the plants that lined the open corridor. Almost immediately, Mark took out his book of Runes to study it. He had managed to master the basics like ones used to track missing stuff and to tell the time. Rune magic came rather easily to him, a matter of emotional control and imagination. There were difficult ones like the teleportation and fire runes he had read out of curiosity, but the descriptions were too complicated and vague for him to understand.

“Wow…do you feel him?” Jeno muttered beside him, his forefinger quick to nudge Mark in the thigh.

If what Jeno meant was the heat that started pressing against his cool skin, then yes, he could feel ‘him’. The living, breathing substitute of the Sun, walking on the face of the Earth. His magic seeped through his body and surrounded him in a permanent aura of warmth, significant to his nickname Haechan which had been given prior to him receiving acknowledgement of a Healer.

Lee Donghyuck had no clan, and was indeed from the Sanctuary. Mark had seen him countless times during their childhood bandaging up hurt animals and whispering good nights to the flowers in the garden. Yet, Mark could never have thought Donghyuck would grow up to be the most capable healing mage in the school, as if his magic was called upon rather than controlled. He had seen teachers call him from classes, fretting about injuries on the field while he smiled that beautiful smile that made his eyes crinkle at the edges.

Everything Donghyuck Wasa made people like him, love him even. Yet, he did not use his popularity for self-benefit. In fact, Mark was a hundred percent sure Donghyuck wasn’t even aware of how many people had set his eyes on him. He walked around with his best friends, wearing his humble Sanctuary clothes and skin that was spotless of tattoos with no malice or haughtiness. He wasn’t a perfect person, not some sort of tyrant of perfectionist, but he was special.

Special and exotic.

And it drove Mark absolutely nuts.

“Hey, Nono!” Jaemin called, departing from Donghyuck to embrace his clan mate, eyes turning an elegant shade of softly blue. Jeno broke out of the daze of sudden warmth to intercept the flying pink headed mage, a soft smile tracing itself on his lips. “Did you hear? The garden is finished today!”

“Already?!!” Mark spluttered, his mind flitting back to the brown withered flora that had been destroyed courtesy of an Earth Chimera appearing out of nowhere. He had heard that it would take more than normal magic to return it to its former state, but only a day had passed.

Donghyuck giggled into the back of Renjuns head, his arms wrapped around the smaller boy playfully, eyes dancing with delight. Mark felt Donghyucks’ aura wash over him more powerful than before, and something in the pit of his stomach that was cold and throbbing since that morning vanished. It was no wonder people liked being around him, with healing magic radiating off his figure.

“Taeil said that it would have to be warded off for the time being, to let my Touch dissipate.” Donghyuck explained, settling himself beside Mark. Taeil was a mage that was in charge of the greenhouse and forest borders. “You reckon he’d give me a free pass to access the greenhouse after this?”

“I would KILL for some Evergreens,” Renjun sighed, shrugging his oversized robes up before it could drop down further. “I wanted to create some extra stealth potions for Chenle once we got home,”

Jeno scrunched up his nose at the name. “The one who keeps running off into the Heart of the Goddess with the other kid from the Phoenix Clan?”

“Yeah, he’s my cousin,” Renjun said with distaste, disgust lining his sharp features. What Mark genuinely liked about the Gryphon Clan was their straight forwardness; a trait that created the Goddesses Blade, a group of people who looked over the mages and made sure the law remained unscathed. “Very light on his feet, but I heard that Jisung has less stealth, thus he requires my assistance.”

“And..for what-?”

“For him to steal the rarer stuff when they go out for adventures,” Renjun shrugged and tugged Donghyuck to his feet, the latter giving Mark an apologetic glance before he whispered urgently in Renjuns’ ear. The aura had started to wear off as Donghyuck' mood turned sour, and Mark felt his magic thrum behind his temples.

Mark held in his breath, reaching into his mind as the first wisps of dark shadow seeped into his thoughts. Now that he thought of it, the cotton-like sensation had started ever since he casted his first rune. His hearing muffled, and he could barely feel Jeno clutch at his arm, eyes wide. Mark reckoned he was frozen in place, and he felt the first of Donghyucks magic seep into his veins, chasing through his bloodstream to find what was wrong.

The shadow magic whispered suggestions to him, and Mark felt helpless as it nudged dark intentions into his mind. He felt a rune burning behind his eyelids, ready to take form and unleash whatever it was that had started swelling inside of him. He needed to let it out…it was suffocating him. He vaguely realized that he was trembling and that Jeno and Jaemin now had a firm hold against his shoulders.

Mages were crowding around with only Renjun to order them to back away and to give him space, screaming for them to call one of their mentors. Jeno hissed beside him from how much heat his skin was radiating and he could feel Donghyuck suck in a breath as he grasped his hands harder, channeling his healing energy. He looked ethereal with his bronze hair lifted from the heat, his cheeks flushed and eyes glowing clementine orange. A trail of blood trailed from his nose, curving over his lips and Mark had to resist the urge to wipe it away.

You should not try and touch him

I really think I shouldn’t. It’s not like he needs it.

There are no logical reasons for you to use it on him.

He might end up hurt, I don’t want to cause any harm

Do NOT do it, Mark

He released the chains and let the shadow unfold its wings to swallow him whole.

And then there was chaos.

“GODDESS WHAT IS THAT!” Jaemin screamed as he pulled Jeno away from the cloud of black smoke that had erupted from Marks’ back, spreading out into billowing wings of shadow that stretched as high as the ceiling. A rune with bold slashes and sharp curved flashed between the small space between Donghyuck and Mark, and before the teachers could pull Donghyuck away from the powerful entity that was Mark, the wings surged forward to cover them whole.

For a moment, his world was paused as he held Donghyucks’ hands, watching his eyes widen as the smoke covered the last of the light from seeping through. It was a heartbeat of peace before the screaming began.

Mark was ripped out of the whirling smoke, spat out like a useless vessel and was caught by Johnny, a mentor who was only a few years older than himself, before he could hit his head against the stone wall. The shape of the rune burned into his vision, making his eyes burn as he tried to search for Donghyuck beyond the smoke that swirled around him like a vortex, a strong wind whipping around it with overwhelming speed and strength.

“EVERYONE BACK TO YOUR ROOMS!” Taeyong, a young mentor and alumni, ordered, prompting the prefects to hurry the students along. His robe flapped in the wind, his bright white hair whipping to the side and slapping his cheekbones. Mark saw him chanting something under his breath, perhaps trying to force the vortex to stop, but it didn’t.

Donghyuck was still screaming from inside the vortex, and Mark could vaguely see him on his knees, his hands clutching at his head. The sound was chilling, as if he were going through agonizing pain with no end and Mark felt his heart swell with guilt. Johnny, held out his palms, a glowing golden orb forming before it unfurled into a golden lasso. He desperately swung it towards the shadows vortex, but it disintegrated into dust at the slightest touch.

“WHAT DID YOU DO?!” Johnny bellowed, his voice almost lost within the wind.  “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!”

Mark couldn’t even manage to stutter out an answer when Donghyuck burst into flames.

Flames .

Fire burst out of Donghyucks' body in all directions, the force of the swirling smoke picking it up and suddenly, it was like a tornado of fire had developed in front of them. Taeil dragged Mark back, leaving Johnny in front to take care of the flames. Donghyuck had stopped screaming, and fear prickled in his veins. Had he killed him? Was he dead?

Johnny uttered a spell, his arms splayed out and the spiral of fire twisted into itself, almost as if there were invisible hands molding it. The outcome, however, was evident as a wolf-like beast with fa fiery gaze looked down at them. It raised its head and roared, the strength of it shaking the whole building and causing rubble to fall from the ceiling. It seemed to peer down at them haughtily before twisting away, vanishing into thin air.

Donghyuck swayed on his knees before collapsing to the ground, and those who had witnessed the scene surged forward.

Jaemin reached him first, his hand passing over Donghyucks’ chest in search of a heartbeat. Even from where Mark had stopped a few feet away, he could see Donghyuck inhaling wheezing breaths, his chest rising and falling too fast.

“We need to get him to the Infirmary,” Taeyong exclaimed, throwing his hands up to form a stretcher made of vines, neatly sewn together. “I can’t believe that just happened.”

They helped lift Donghyuck onto the stretcher, and Taeil waved his hands to surround Donghyuck with a heat preserving barrier. Renjun and Jaemin accompanied Taeil as they headed to the Infirmary, and eyes set themselves on Mark instantly. He didn’t have to say anything, only pulled out the Rune Book and hand it over to Johnny.

“This…” Johnny mused, flipping through the pages, as thin as onion skin and carefully sewn into the leather. “Where did you get this? The restricted library?”

“There’s a restricted library?” Mark asked the same time Jeno said “Fire Mail”

They shared a guilty look as Taeyong passed a hand over the book, perhaps just as stunned and curious as Mark had been when he had first received the book. “No Touch to indicate who sent it to him. I think whoever did knows where Mark came from.”

Johnny nodded in understanding, brushing his hair that had become windblown from the sudden events. “Any idea what Rune you used just now?”

Mark shook his head, and it was true. He couldn’t recount seeing the rune in the book, and rather than him casting it, it was as if the rune had spoken to him and pushed him to cast it. Jeno's grip on Mark was tight, guiding him as they bowed apologetically before walking back to their rooms.

“It’s not your fault,” Jeno stated before Mark could muster up the courage to deem himself guilty of everything that happened. “You didn’t intend to cast it on Hyuck like that. You burned up really bad, and my magic stirred when I held you, as if whatever took hold of you managed to ignite it somehow. You were scared, and now you’re burning with fever. So no, you utter martyr, don’t go and blame yourself for this.”

But it was his fault. He had dabbled in rare magic when he should have not. There was a reason it was rare, and that reason included potential harm to others. Yet, he had had enough shamefulness to cast a Listening Rune upon the book, and he could hear the echoes of wind as the book swayed in Taeyongs’ arms. He needed to know what was going on. He needed it to help Donghyuck and himself.

-

“We should have known!” Johnny bellowed once they were safe inside the mentors’ dorms, Taeyong trailing after him worriedly. With a sweep of his arm, he pulled away the robe that hand clung loosely to his broad figure. Despite them being a symbol of Elites, none of them were particularly fond of the wear. In fact, they couldn’t wait for their three years of practical teaching to be over. “I knew we couldn’t leave the Sanctuary kids unsupervised!”

“John, that’s a terrible thing to say!” the red haired mage yelled, dropping the book onto the coffee table that was surrounded by sofas and bean bags meant to help with their sore backs. Practical teaching required them to bend over various worksheets and statistics they couldn’t exactly procrastinate with before receiving much more. Classroom subjects were one thing, mentoring was another. “Doyoung was from the Sanctuary too!”

Johnny whirled around, arms crossed tightly enough to make his veins bulge beneath his pale skin.  Behind him, small balls of fire formed and swirled in a circle vertically, catching onto the young mentors’ unease.

“Doyoung was a missing child from the Pegasus clan fallen off his crib and raised by nymphs, not some child with rare magic and holes in his memory!” Johnny retorted. There was a collective sigh and they fell back onto the sofa, staring down the Rune Book. “We can’t teach Mark anything now. No one has any clue how Rune magic works, and he’s my mentee. It’ll only take a few days before word goes out and I’ll be sent to the Goddesses Blade.”

“ Well, I’m the one with a hurt mentee, ”

They turned as the door was slammed shut, the distressed eyes of their roommate passing over them before the slim figure moved towards his shared room. Doyoungs’ jet black hair was disheveled, his glasses askew and the edges of his sleeves singed.

“Doie….DOIE!” Johnny called, shooting up from the sofa to run after the distressed mage. “Hey…what’s the rush?”

Doyoung waved his hand and his belongings packed themselves in a suitcase, snapping shut before flying into his hand. He turned around abruptly to be met with the firm chest of Johnny, heaving a sigh before tilting his head upwards to meet the giants eyes. “I’m sleeping over at the Infirmary. He’s still unconscious and he needs my magic to keep him in check.”

He made a move to push past the taller man but was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder. Taeyong could feel the tension blossoming between them, a silent battle of minds going on. Honestly, Taeyong was on Doyoungs’ side. It was his mentee that had been hurt, and it wasn’t just any mentee. It was Donghyuck.

“Johnny, let him go,”

The tension in the mans’ body seemed to bleed out, and he sighed in defeat, breaking contact with Doyoung, letting the younger man scurry by and make his way outside. They waited for the door to shut before exchanging a glance, and that seemed to draw Johnny back to the sofa, slumping down in agitation.

“You think the Higher Elite would start meddling with this?” Johnny asked, looking over at the Wind Mage that had looked as stumped as he felt. “Mark…Marks magic isn’t illegal. It’s just been extinct for ages ever since the War of Realms ended,”

Taeyong leaned back, brushing his hair out of his eyes. “All I know, John, is that we can expect crazier things to happen from now,”

Somewhere far away, Mark Lee closed his eyes and curled up in his sheets.

-

“You don’t have to be afraid,”

The glowing bronze eyes that stared at him through the greenery seemed to take on a curious look. He could almost feel the aura of the person nudging at his own experimentally, as if testing the waters. It was strange to find another lost soul within the Midnight Realm, a realm that was considered cursed and was generally avoided by everyone.

Yet, here he was with those glowing bronze, its owner hidden behind the dark blue growths. It was always dark in the Midnight Realm, the sky a permanent shade of dark blue with purple hues, significant to its name.

“Are you lost? Why are you here?”

“Are you lost? Why are you here?” the hidden boy repeated, and slender fingers pulled the plants away to reveal his figure. He wore a shawl with strange patterns draped over his shoulders, covering his torso. There was the usual tunic that was carelessly tucked into his pants, another shawl wrapped around his waist and hanging at his side. “I’m not lost…are you?”

-

Classes went by rather quickly the next day, people approaching him and asking him what had happened. At first, he had been reluctant to showcase his Rune Magic, in fear of hurting yet another person. However, that changed when his schedule made way for the Mentor Program after class. A mentor usually had half a dozen or less mages under them, which meant that they would get individual sessions once a week.

Mark had been profoundly nervous when he had entered Johnny’s room, and even more so when he recognized the book that was settled on the table. Something told Mark this wasn’t going to be the usual counseling session.

“Rune Magic was last seen in the Dragon Clan,” Johnny had explained once they had settled themselves in seats facing each other. Mark fidgeted with his fingers, eyeing the eyebags and dark circles darkening his features. He had heard word that Johnny was sent to the Goddesses Blade to discuss with the Elders. Must have taken quite the toll. “We agreed not to stunt your growth. Sure, it’s a magic we don’t fully understand, but there must be a reason the Goddess made sure that type of magic didn’t die out after the war. The Elders have held their rituals and divinations, and we agreed to let you further your studies here.”

Truth be told, Mark had hoped he would get banished and maybe he'd be able to run off somewhere and develop the ability by himself. Fate seemed to think otherwise. “Johnny, I hurt Hyuck with my magic and I barely know him. He has been unconscious for three whole days and Doyoung looks like he might collapse at any moment. This…this is my fault.”

“Nothing is at fault when it is the Goddesses' decision,” Johnny had replied fiercely before summoning the Rune Book to fly into his hands. “You will have an isolated part in the library where you can access the restricted parts. This magic is ancient, and I think it’s time that we stop hiding the past from the young mages. I trust you, Mark. We don’t know what you did to Donghyuck, but let’s hope he gets better soon.”

Thus, he had switched his Clan Based Class for isolated learning, where one of the Elites that had finished their practical teaching would look over him as he tried to uncover his own magic. There was a core of magic within every mage in which they’d draw out power and release it at will. Marks’ core had always seemed to be encased in a thin shell, forcing him to break the layer before reaching for his abysmal amount of magic.

Rune Magic was different, as if the images he traced in his mind chipped away the layer piece by piece before letting the magic flow with the rhythm in his head. It was a matter of rhythm, of connecting the beats of his heart to his breathing to the thrum of his magic. Connections…Rune Magic was all about connections.

“Absolutely scandalous!” Baekhyun marveled as he flipped through Hybrid Demons and Creatures, his slicked back blonde hair undeterred even with how hard the man was nodding. “Can’t believe they didn’t teach this in class!”

Mark scoffed, leaning his head against his hand as he attempted to make a water blob without looking at the book for reference.  “You seem keener in accessing the books than helping me out.”

Smiling widely, Baekhyun tilted his head and dispersed the water blob slowly taking form in front of Marks’ face. The younger boy spluttered, spitting out the water and wiping his face with his hand. He looked highly offended, which made him look extremely cute in Baekhyun's eyes.

“Be Chill about this, Marcus. All you need to do is relax and let your magic do the work.”

“Easy for you to say,”

The latter looked fairly amused. “I mean, from what I read and asked around is that Rune Magic doesn’t have limits. You can have access to different types of magic without straining yourself in different points. I mean, I’m pathetic in Fire Magic if that’s anything to go by.”

“So you’re calling me an all-rounder?”

“Basically,”

-

Heat, warmth, fire.

Mark was passing by the infirmary when he had felt Donghyuck’s aura pressing against his skin. It was sudden, as if a ray of sunlight had burst from an open door and doused him in its light. This was different. Even Jeno, who was just as stunned as him, could only freeze in his tracks as the aura enveloped them whole, seeping into their skin.

It was a silent understanding. Something was going to happen.

“Jeno, go get Johnny and the others.” Mark ordered before discarding his books and bag outside of the room. The younger took off immediately, shaking off the effect of the tremendous aura Donghyuck was producing. And when Mark finally stepped inside, it seemed to claw at his skin.

Heat. Waves of heat made his surroundings waver, and Mark could almost feel his legs give way. It was more of a battle of will when he pushed himself to move closer to Donghyuck’s bed, eyes squinting from the burn against his cornea.

“Doyoung!” he cried, eyes roaming around the room in search of the young mentor. “Doyoung, where are you?!”

He didn’t have to search far. Doyoung was right by Donghyuck’s bed, seated on a small stool. His head pressed against the mattress, his body leaned forward and limp, his arms crossed in front of his head to keep him from falling. A few meters. He was a few meters away from Donghyuck but he couldn’t seem to get his legs to move any further.

Donghyuck’s aura wasn’t healing…it seemed to break down his body the closer he came to him.

“DOYOUNG!” he screamed yet again, but broke off into a fit of coughing. His throat tightened, parched and dry. Heat, warmth, fire.

Mark collapsed to the ground, feeling his head spin. Through his narrowed eyes, he could see Donghyuck twisting and turning under his covers, fingers entangled in his hair and eyes squeezed shut. Panting, he was panting and his teeth were gritted hard to avoid from crying out. Mark didn’t know if he realized what his aura was doing.

“DOIE!!!”

Jaehyun, a young earth based mentor whose curls bounced with every step strode in with his cloak billowing behind him. In the face of danger, he seemed more calm and collected than the others who were wildly looking around in search of their friend. Alike to Mark, he stopped meters away from them, his face scrunched in a look of frustration.

“Heard you can use your magic more efficiently now?” he recalled as he looked down at the student. “Is there a rune to cut through his aura?”

Perhaps it was the way he spoke, like a slow current of water slipping through the daze of his thoughts. Or perhaps it was his presence, a startling calmness when he was surrounded by chaos. Whatever it was, it enabled Mark to pull out the memory of a rune he had seen in the book, one he had questioned due to its vague description.

Breakthrough

The rune drew itself in front of their eyes, shaped like a key pierced with a sword. The heat that pressed against his back drew away, parting and creating a pathway to the bed. Mark didn’t know how long the rune would last. The moment they were released from Donghyuck’s aura, the mentors surged forward to the bed. Johnny grabbed Doyoung first, pulling the younger mentor into his arms and instantly starting an energy transmission.

“His aura is weak. I think he burned out his magic,” Johnny reported, eyes still on the fragile man in his arms. “How’s Donghyuck?”

Taeil was checking over his body, his aura shrouding Donghyucks’ body as Taeyong tried to keep the young boy still under his grasp. “I…I think it’s an Illumination.”

Eyes turned to look at the eldest of the mentors almost simultaneously, but there was no lie in his eyes. In fact, he seemed as grim as ever, his expression reflecting how serious the situation was. Taeyong was still holding onto Donghyuck, the ashen faced boy now succumbed to a heavily induced sleep, his orange curls pressed damply against his cheek.

“Illumination only happens to the Elders, Taeil” Jaehyun began but was quickly cut off as Doyoung let off a round of dry coughs, his breath wheezing loudly in his chest. They stilled, letting Johnny sooth the boy’s chest pain with the small amount of healing magic he could muster.

Doyoung was not weak. If Mark could choose who was the most mentally stable among them all, it was Doyoung. Even with his pale skin red from heat blisters, and his voice raspy and hoarse, Doyoung didn’t show a bit of fear when he said the words.

“Donghyuck’s magic changed. If we thought his magic was strong before, now…now it’s a monster. But it’s not healing magic. It’s the exact opposite actually.”

There was a collective silence before Jaehyun finally spoke, his voice deep and grave as if he were announcing a funeral. Not Donghyuck’s funeral…but their own.

“Breakdown Magic”

-

“The world is strange out there.

There are people who can make plants dance, bring down rain and raise the dead. There are people who can regrow limbs and disappear into nothing. There are people who rage war upon the first indication of betrayal, and there are people who reach out to negotiate.

But they all fear death, and it’s ironic because when the time comes, everyone will have to face that, Mark. Our magic is what separates us, split us into these clans, but there comes a time when they come back together to run from that one fear. Death.”

Mark looked upwards at the purplish sky, shifting against the hard bark of wood that supported his back. It felt all the more serene being a meter up in a tree, in a realm that people fear due to the unknown that lurked inside its forest. Death…the unknown…death.

Mark had very limited vocab, perhaps due to his young age that hadn’t reached the double digits just yet. The boy in front of him seemed to bear an overwhelming sadness that was glazed over by maturity. He seemed older, wiser than Mark, but he knew the boy was younger. It was in the youth of his face, the curiosity that gleamed in his eyes like the edge of a blade.

“I’m not afraid of death,” he had blurted, and those keen bronze eyes fixated on him. “I’m afraid of loneliness and separation.”

-

As atrocious as Rune Magic had seemed at first, it only took Mark a few days to get used to the feeling. Now, at the Tears of the Goddess -where the students would practice their water magic -he could feel eyes on him as he once again called upon a rune to mold the water into a horse which reared back, its two front legs waving in the air.

“You’re getting better at that,” Jaemin commented monotonously, the way he had since Donghyuck was bedridden. “Good job.”

Mark could feel the grief and sadness of Jaemin’s aura thrumming in his skull, prompting him to say something back. “Rune Magic is still rather tedious to do. It’s hard for me to summon it as fast as you guys summon your spells, seeing that there are steps I usually have to take before it could succeed.”

He crouched down to dip his hand in the lake, eyes glazing over as he reached into his core of magic, pressing his palm against the surface. Endless practicing had him understand that rather than piecing off all the layers, it was more of coaxing enough to spill through the hole.

Jaemin followed him, eyes on the water that had started to swirl where Marks hand cut through.

“Like tracing a drawing using a glass pen, a mixed feeling of confidence and fear when you know that once you start, you have to finish instantly.”

The water bubbled slightly before a transparent rune formed in the water, gentle curves and straight lines. Jaemin looked down at it in wonder, eyes transfixed. “It’s like you’re drawing, then?”

“Depends how clearly I can remember the shape. Sometimes I don’t remember the rune, but when I muster up enough energy with a clear mind, I can summon up runes I don’t remember. As arduous as it seems, I can feel the magic in my blood, perhaps the way your magic does-”

He broke off, brows furrowed as his rune frizzled into bubbles. Jaemin’s eyes scanned Mark’s face, taking in the anxious look that had darkened his features. Hesitantly, he dipped his own hand in the lake. It was as if his nerves were jolted to a halt. The water felt warmer, but it wasn’t the temperature, it was his magic. His magic was sizzling under his skin and all around him, the mages were muttering nervously to each other.

“Everyone back to your dorms!” Yuta called out, raking his fingers through his bright scarlet hair. Make felt his stomach drop and it only took him a second later to realize what was going on. The water was connected to the underground water system installed to guide it through the gardens and forests, enabling the plants to have damp soil 24/7. Magic had apparently seeped into the water, and the water only flowed through one place in the school.

“The garden!”

It was like grasping at spilling water, his body pushing forward to run after the Touch of magic, the wolf inside of him sniffing out the owner. He could feel Jaemin running behind him, perhaps just as eager as he was. Compelling. The Touch was compelling them to seek out the source.

“Mark… MARK!” Jaemin gasped out behind him, tiring out faster than he was, perhaps because Mark had the energy rune drawn out on his leg the night before. He couldn’t stop now…not when he felt the Touch getting stronger, melding into an aura he was all too familiar with.

Heat, warmth, fire

Fire.

The garden was on fire, and the two joined the mentors and small batch of students who watched what had been a beautiful palace go up in flames that reached for the sky. There were only black shadows within the rising fire to indicate what had been there, and Mark felt the feeling of suffocation overcome him as the smoke blew their way.

“Who is that?” Jaemin whispered from beside him, indicating to the shadow of a figure standing in the middle of the chaos, almost like a statue. As if under a spell, Mark walked forward, ignoring the yells of protest erupting behind him, but as if on cue, the Breakthrough Rune  shone in front of his eyes, cutting through the aura threatening to push him back.

“D…Donghyuck?” he called out, his voice shaking like a leaf. Slowly, the shadows faded to give him a clear view. The cuffs that prevented his pants from sweeping the floor, the thin cloth that barely made up his tunic and the shawl loosely tied at his waist for extra support.

His now silvery hair reflected the firelight, tinted orange and blowing sideways as he turned to face Mark. Like a wild creature, his eyes glowed bronze, haunted and glazed over. There was no sign of the light happiness and bubbly persona behind that gaze, only a heaviness Mark knew he had placed onto the younger boy's shoulders.

“What did you do to me, Mark?” He whispered, empty and soulless as if he were speaking to a memory. “What did you do?”

-

There was little that did not spike the curiosity of a young mind.

Even if it was simply the way young nymphs let their skirt fall above his head in rings of petals, he’d still raise his delicate hands to catch some in his palms. His hands were rough due to hard work -the wise creatures of the realm always insisted that he had had to have a role in their small community -but the feeling of the petals were not diminished.

“There isn’t much we can do for you.” 

He turned to face the Egatha, a stag with a proud set of antlers beaded with gems mined from the cave. Through the eyes of the child, Mark was terrified at the sight of it. It was glorious, standing as if it were the one that conquered the realm it was in. The child was unafraid, and was beyond delighted at the familiar presence.

“Is there a reason you’ve left your den?” a gentle voice resonated from between the child’s lips, an accent Mark couldn’t exactly place thickening his words. 

“I believe the people of your kin will come for you. You should prepare yourself for a future that may bring more misery than simply picking plums from the trees.”

The young boy seemed to fill with dread, the thought of being parted with the creatures of the forest pressing against his heart. “Who will guide me if it’s not you?”

“The Goddess will look over you, young one, and you must trust Her judgement the way you trust mine”

-

“Doie, you need to stop doing this to yourself!” Jaehyun whispered, leaning against the mage who was now flipping through his books with aggression. It was unsettling, especially since Doyoung was supposed to be bedridden and not stressing himself out. “Doie!”

“I’m trying!” Doyoung insisted, even when his movements were saying otherwise. “Shouldn’t you be back in your coven waking up the sleeping children or something?”

“Not when you’re here making yourself deteriorate!”

Jaehyun grabbed the books out of Doyoungs hands and uttered a spell to make them jump back onto the shelves neatly. Before Doyoung could protest, he pushed him back down onto the bed and pulled his covers up to his neck, securing them there as the mage tried to pull them down.

“Look, Doyoung. We’re all worried over Donghyuck, and I know you’re getting hit the hardest. We should let the situation sort itself out!” Jaehyun scolded gently as Doyoung puffed his cheeks, sending him a glare too cute for Jaehyun to be offended by. He pulled a chair next to Doyoung’s bed, reaching out to grab the book by his bedside.

“You still keep this book?” Jaehyun chuckled as he waved the copy of Fables of the Goddesses Hunters in front of Doyoung’s face. “This was from years ago.”

“When I was still unclaimed, and you gave me the book because I had reread the library thrice," Doyoung smiled, casting his gaze away from the other mage. “It’s still my favorite, and you could say it will be for a long time.”

Jaehyun couldn’t blame Doyoung for that. The Pegasus clan was not known for their knowledge but for their healing. When Doyoung had been claimed, Jaehyun had been ecstatic. He had befriended Doyoung during their first year despite the younger boy’s attempts to isolate himself from others. There had always been a rift between the Sanctuary mages and the Clanned mages. Jaehyun had not cared about that, and had sat with him every lunch and dinner, desperate to pry into the boy’s life.

Of course, as someone who was known to fall asleep almost anywhere, Jaehyun was not known to be someone who’d provide much benefit befriending. Yet, Doyoung had let him fall asleep when he’d wait for him at the library and wake him up later. The small gestures of friendship Doyoung gave such as the small sweet smiles he offered were enough to fuel Jaehyun's determination to make him open up. Tirelessly, he had padded after them and even invited him to befriend others.

You could say he was welcomed with open arms. Doyoung had endless knowledge about healing and herbs, even at a young age. Jaehyun had heard the mentors talking about him as they passed by, something about him accessing the higher parts of the library and the strange concoctions he brewed up when he finished his Potion assignments.

Jaehyun never paid mind to the strange glances he received whenever he came near Doyoung, and he had hoped Doyoung never did either.

When the clan symbol had appeared on his mind and the trial was finished, it was Jaehyun who had welcomed him into his family. It brought much satisfaction for Jaehyun to see Doyoung come to school with Pegasus Clan wear instead of the worn out Sanctuary clothes. People paid him much more attention after that, but Doyoung hadn’t given them the same treatment. Jaehyun was perfectly fine with that.

In current time, Jaehyun could only reminisce the days before they bought a new bed for Doyoung and they’d share a bed, cuddling for warmth when the weather was chilly. The book was one his mother would read to them at night, and Doyoung would stay up to whisper alternate endings in his ear and mimic the movements of Hunters.

“I thought I had gone past the strangeness in my life.” Doyoung’s voice was muffled under the covers. “You think there’s a reason for all of this?”

“By the Goddess, I believe yes.” Jaehyun smiled portraying his dimples as he slid into the covers, relishing the small grunts as Doyoung made way for him. It felt as if they were children again, scared of the storm brewing outside. “You’ve caught Her eye, thus she made you special. You’ve always been special, Doie. Don’t let your thoughts persuade you otherwise. I see it, Taeyong sees it. Even Johnny and Yuta sees it and they have a superiority complex!”

Doyoung giggled, snuggling closer as Jaehyun opened the book to read the first of many tales written in fine ink.

-

“His magic shifted,” Renjun spoke in a dark tone, pacing through his shared room with Jaemin in distress.  Mark didn’t remember how he ended up there, Donghyuck apparently sleeping over at the mentors’ dorms for the time being. “He was doing so well, Goddess, why him?!”

The people crowded in the neatly kept dorm were the usual people he saw Donghyuck hanging out with. Renjun and Chenle from the Gryphon clan, Jisung from the Phoenix clan and Jaemin from the Kappa clan. Thank the Goddess that Jeno was pulled along, probably to keep Jaemin grounded.

“And before you claim it’s your fault, you better shut your mouth before I force your saliva to stick your lips together,” Jaemin threatened just as Mark opened his mouth to repeat the same words he had said for the past few days. Jeno winced at the threat, and a strange image formed itself in Marks’ head. Eww…

“Okay, threats aside, do you guys need anything from any realm?“ Chenle spoke up, his upper torso hanging upside down from the bed making it almost impossible to take his words seriously. Fortunately, the situation was grim enough for them to consider the offer seriously.

“How do you access the Heart of the Goddess, anyway? I heard its tunnels were hard to navigate through.” Mark wondered aloud, leaning his head against his palm. Night was setting in, and his bedtime was nearing. His body was certainly prompting him to fall asleep, but there were more serious matters to attend to.

Chenle and Jisung shared a look, their Luxurious Lipsuckers hanging from their lips loosely before they burst into giggles. The elder mages stared at them in abrupt confusion as the two shared their inside joke.

“Well…we kinda made a friend…an imp we call Kun. He has these little wings and a fuzzy body that changes color a lot, and he usually helps us around. Found him in the Greenvalley Realm a year back.” Chenle explained, scrunching his nose in thought. “We usually travel through the valley realms rather than the dimension realms, because it's usually where we get access to the herbs and sellable stuff”

The eldest among them exchanged glances, and there was a moment of mutual understanding.

“I accessed some books about Counter Curses a few days back.” Renjun sighed, looking at all of them one by one. “And I may have found the combination we need to reverse the spell. Unfortunately, that means a combination of rare ingredients-“

“Which Realm?” Jisung and Chenle chorused. They looked very interested in the prospect of adventure, and Mark doubted they’d ever get lost with the imp they’d found. Still, the thought of them encountering banshees or trolls along the way was unnerving for him.

“Let me go through the realms, then,” Mark spoke, barely above the whisper. Yet, the room seemed to look at him simultaneously, and Mark felt the rush of blood to his cheeks. “It’s the least I can do. It’s too risky to send the youngsters out, especially to the sky realms. Donghyucks condition is my responsibility now.”

Tension lingered in the air, until Jaemins voice cut through the silence.

“Come back safe.”

-

Mark found himself being guided by Taeyong to the mentors’ dorm to pick up Donghyuck. Was he overthinking and making himself worried to the point of anxiety? Yes. There was no way the younger was even close to liking him after the stunt he had pulled. The only source of comfort he could get was the protection rune he had casted on his clothes.

He doubted the Sanctuary would provide him with extra clothing.

“He’ll be fine as long as you don’t get his anger to spike,” Taeyong was saying, his mentor persona dropped as worry seeped into his voice. Mark was awed by the duality he possessed, the way his eyes seemed to soften considerably as he spoke. “Donghyuck is still getting used to the new sensations his body is providing after the rune you casted.”

Mark winced at the statement even when no malice was evident in Taeyong’s voice. Donghyuck would be a living reminder of how he had lost control, and Mark didn’t think he’d ever be able to forget that. Nevertheless, he couldn’t back away as they neared the door where Johnny was leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed and scarlet robes pulled to his elbows.

“He’s yours,” Johnny stated simply before he moved towards them to let Donghyuck walk through. Mark’s breath hitched in his throat as he beheld the ethereal entity Donghyuck had become after his sudden Illumination.

Now that he wasn’t shadowed, his silvery hair reflected light like a sheen of silver silk and it had been combed neatly to frame his face with elegant curls. His bronze eyes seemed to shift with every tilt of his head, as if those irises were made of plates of fine bronze metal, intertwined with gold threads. Even in his Sanctuary clothes, he seemed to stand higher than Mark was, higher than any other clan had seen.

“A prince doesn’t need a cloak and crown to be called a prince.”

The quote fell from his lips before he could catch his tongue. It was a silly story from years ago, one he didn’t mind recounting in his head countless times. Mother Irene liked telling the story to the Sanctuary children, a story of a prince who had been sent to live with an old couple. After they passed, he had travelled and each land had treated him with extreme kindness, as if they knew he was the heir to the throne.

In front of Mark's eyes stood the prince in his ragged clothes, yet shining with so much more.

After a quick goodbye and a few subtle – you let him out of your sight and I’ll burn your last pair of shorts –warnings, they were on their way. It was evident Donghyuck was trying to control it, but his aura of heat still washed over Mark and clenched at his chest. The pressure the younger was exerting could have brought him to his knees.

“Don’t treat me like glass.” Donghyuck broke the silence as they reached the end of the corridor that separated the mentors’ quarters with the school. “I’m tired of being fussed over like I’m a porcelain doll. I don’t break as easily, not when I live the life of the underprivileged.”

But you are a porcelain doll, Mark wanted to say, but his voice was stuck as Donghyuck turned to look at him. Once again, Mark was breathless at the intensity Donghyuck was looking at him with. There was something different about this Donghyuck, as if he had shed a layer of persona and unveiled someone completely different.

“You’d think those in clans would be more organized. They are pretty much as much of a mess as we are. You think we’d take advantage of what they have if we had the chance? I’d kill for some Lucidity Potion these days, especially when this -“ he spread his arms wide, gesturing to himself “- is tiring me out 24/7.” He ranted as he pulled Mark forward through the main corridor.

Donghyuck…why are you speaking like that about our mentors?

“If one more person comes and squeezes the crap out of my cheeks I swear on the Goddess that something will be incinerated. Would consider doing that to the awful gargoyles that line Johnnys’ room. Trust me when I tell you that those things look like they’re petrified. Actually considered trying a counterspell to check if it was true.”

Something’s wrong about the way you talk. You never used that kind of language before.

Just as he opened his mouth to question him, a high pitched squeal erupted behind them and Donghyuck visibly winced before Jaemin threw himself upon his back, burying his face within Donghyuck’s shoulder.

“You’re back!” Renjun greeted, walking up to them, his hoodie carelessly thrown over his head so it exposed most of his face to the light. “Jaemin was convinced they’d keep you cooped up for the rest of the year,"

“I missed you,” Jaemins’ voice was muffled as he hugged Donghyuck tighter. “The teachers were going super slow with the subjects cause they were afraid you wouldn’t be able to catch up!”

Mark wondered if they’d give the same treatment to any other student if that happened. He was more than sure that Donghyuck had a special place in their hearts. But there was doubt now that Donghyyuck had shifted both spiritually and emotionally. When Mark looked behind him, he saw Jeno casting him a grim expression.

Everyone could feel the change within Donghyucks' aura.

-

The next few days proved his fears.

For one, Donghyuck had become incredibly good at Offensive Magic. The word ‘good’ didn’t even describe how spectacular Donghyuck had become at the subject. Through the years, Mark had seen Donghyuck implementing his healing magic to the subject such as strengthening tree barks, growing plants and sometimes commanding the wind. What had made Donghyuck special was that he used more skill than magic to get through the subject.

That was what had changed.

Mark watched from afar as a group of mages surged forward towards Donghyuck who was guarding the flag for the red team, leaning casually against the pole with his eyes gazing down at them almost lazily. The wind made the red cloth tied around his head lift at the end, and Mark could only feel himself comparing the male to the Goddesses’ first Hunter who was described to have been created from melted Sun and liquid gold.

“Do your worst!” The young male called out challengingly, his smirk taunting them from afar. There was something akin to exhilaration in his eyes as they made their first move. Perhaps they were afraid to hurt him badly after he had been bedridden for so long, sending a jet of water they had combined in a simple attack. Mark could tell they only wanted to knock Donghyuck off the hill he stood on and minimize his injuries.

Donghyuck on the other hand, was ruthless.

The water didn’t even come near him before it evaporated into thin air, hissing like water on coal. Donghyuck didn’t spare them a glance as the earth around them collapsed in a perfect circle, trapping them within the small island. Before any of them could try and create a bridge of earth, there was the sound of wind before fire rose from the pit, rising high above their heads and flickering towards the center like a roof.

Donghyuck looked away from them, an unmasked expression of amusement on his face. Mark stood there for a long while, fidgeting with the red cloth wrapped around his wrist as he waited for the wind to carry the message. Indeed, a few minutes later, there was the echoing of bells and Donghyuck grinned, pulling out the flag from the ground. Too easily for it to be a coincidence, Donghyuck looked down at Mark, a wide grin on his face.

-

“Do you think the Hidden Ones would guide me if I go now?” Doyoung asked as he tilted his head up towards the moonlight. “The moon is full, just how they like it” 

Jaehyun shrugged, eyeballing the young mage who was now smiling up at the sky as if he could see the reflection of the strange creatures he befriended during childhood. Under the star filled sky, Doyoung looked all the more magical in Jaehyun’s eyes.

“The pixies are probably skipping around the Fire Children at this hour, celebrating the Goddess and everything She had done for them, for us.” He raised his arm to trace the stars.”The young changelings would be braiding the hair of the merpeople. They always have the silkiest hair, and probably the only ones with hair in the first place.”

Jaehyun laughed along simply because Doyoung did. He pressed his chin against his palm, leaning forward so his face was closer to the railing. Of course, that meant he was now closer to Doyoung’s backside as the latter balanced at the edge, but who could blame him for being utterly enthralled by the other. Doyoung was ethereal.

“Tell me,” Jaehyun said in a teasing tone . “Did any of the Changelings ever make it back?”

Doyoung gave him a side glance, an expression of merriment adorning his delicate features. “I never knew. None of them ever had the want to return to a place of people who utter the name of the Goddess with less belief. Our world is one of imbalance, and trust me when I say I’d prefer the forest anytime over this place.”

“I stand ignorant,” Jaehyun chuckled,feigning intense pain when Doyoung nudged him in the shoulder. The movement, however, caused the latter to lose balance and wobble on the railing dangerously. 

As much as Jaehyun would enjoy sitting back and watching Doyoung flail around and make a fool out of himself, he still was awfully soft for him. With a swift movement, he shot out of his seat to wrap his arms around Doyoung’s waist, stabilizing him. 

He was sure Doyoung could feel his warm breath against his cheek from how close they were. None of them minded, though. They were very much familiar with each other's arms the way they were familiar with each other's habits.

“Now, the Hidden Ones would come for my head if you ever got hurt, and I’d have to sleep with an eye open if that’s the case.”

Doyoung breathed out a weak laugh before leaning back so Jaehyun could pull him off the railing. “Then I’d come back as an angel and guide you in your sleep forever.”

-

Curse of the Goddess

He had heard from around that the student had been whispering about it after a few days of watching Donghyuck progress towards proper control. For one, Mark didn’t know any Curse that the Goddess would have the heart to bestow upon Her people, let alone someone as gifted as Donghyuck. It wasn’t just the school. Even the neighborhood and Elders were in question regarding the issue.

People had looked past the Rune Magic Mark had carried and claimed that he was a Messenger in the form of a boy to signify the Goddesses’ power as they had not catered to Her as much as before. Mark didn’t feel like a messenger, much less someone who had been given a job by the Goddess.

“It’s like She had switched his soul.” Mark had heard one of the old folk say as he passed by during the weekends to buy some Cooling Potions. Jaemin had said Donghyuck had Night Heat, as he had called it.

“He can’t sleep well at night,” Jaemin said in a hushed voice, as they treaded through the Valley of Hunters, an area where merchants and shopkeepers did their business and traded openly. Most of the mages who didn’t enjoy travelling to their respective realms and preferred the school as a place to stay the weekend went there to buy their needed items “It keeps us awake at night sometimes. Like there’s a wildfire burning through his body.”

Johnny had given the get go for Donghyuck to return to his dorms, which was quickly moved next to Marks’ for the sake of safety. He hadn’t been too thrilled, but Johnny had mentioned his magic being the only thing capable of breaking through Donghyuck’s magic.

The days that went by seemed to blur together as Mark watched Donghyuck uncover his potential at a startling speed. The longer he looked at Donghyuck experimenting with his powers, the more sure he was that whatever had happened was not an accident.

Sure, Mark could see how deeply it was affecting Donghyuck. Even when Donghyuck had finally given up on healing, causing more trouble than what was worth, Mark could see the flicker of sadness that he had tried to conceal when Doyoung had conceded that he’d have to shift his area of expertise.

“It’s not that different,” Donghyuck had admitted when they were both isolated during their Clan Based Class, the only time Mark could openly talk to Donghyuck with only an Elite in front of them. Their Elite was Kyungsoo, and he seemed to look at them with a blank expression which Mark figured was better than any type of unnerving wonder the others had offered. “When I heal, I can feel my magic spilling out of my core and through my veins as smooth melted gold. The way I use my powers now feels just the same but-“

He broke off, examining his palms that were covered with ash, courtesy of his individual training. Mark wondered why Doyoung was still in charge of Donghyuck when he’d openly admitted they were no longer suited for each other. Maybe it was too late for anyone else.

“-now when I access my core, it like the slightest touch will make it break apart like a dam and then…”

His gaze shifted to the row of candles that Kyungsoo had placed in front of them. Almost instantly, the candles burned and stretched upwards, high above their heads. Kyungsoo looked at Donghyuck through the flames, his expression solemn as Donghyuck buried his head within his arms, taking breaths looking up at the candles, extinguishing them with a glare. “It works because there are half a dozen candles. If I focus on one, the whole stick will burn.”

“Then it means rather than control, you need to distribute your magic,” Kyungsoo said softly, pointing a finger at one of the candles and it lit up with a single flame. A few murmured words made the fire grow almost as tall and high as Donghyuck had done before. Kyungsoo looked at the two, making sure they were focused, before he exhaled heavily. The fire dropped and distributed its flame to the other five, all of them flickering with the same volume of fire.

“Your magic core is barely able to keep your current amount of magic inside its shell, which explains why the smallest move to access it would cause the shell to burst like a dam.” the Elite continued, waving his hand over the candles, extinguishing them in a single swoop. “But you used to use your monstrous amount of magic to heal, rather than to act on offense. Why was that?”

Mark glanced at Donghyuck as the young mage fiddled with his fingers, staring at the line of candles with a haunted look. “I was scared of what I could do if I ever let myself hurt others,” his gaze hardened as he looked at Kyungsoo. “But I’m not anymore. I can’t run from the path the Goddess had placed upon me.”

“And she had given you a gift of healing before. Now what makes you think she would push you to a path of a more violent use of magic?”

Donghyuck seemed to ponder the thought, and Mark found himself doing the same. The world was scarce on healers, and Donghyuck had had so much potential before. To take away something so important to their society would have a giant impact on their lives.

“None. I can’t think of a reason.” Mark spoke before the sudden silence could drag any longer. The younger boy looked up at him in shock, only to be further surprised when Kyungsoo nodded his head.  He pointed at the candles.

“Magic distributed among many will make the magic smaller. It's only when you have enough magic that you’ll be able to ignite all of them at once. Use that amount of magic to ignite one and it’ll burn to the ground.” He looked up at the two mages expectantly. “You get what I mean?”

Mark didn’t have time to understand what he meant as Donghyuck grabbed his sleeve and tugged him off the chair. He looked at the Elite as if sending him a silent message. Kyungsoo nodded, waving them off before laying his head on his crossed arms. They left the Library in a hurried manner and suddenly Mark was running, pulled along as Donghyuck seemed to pursue something.

“Where are we going?” Mark panted, stumbling over a protruding tile. “Is the whole power distribution thingy making sense?”

The young mage looked back at him, and for once, Mark saw the brightness he recognized in his eyes. Donghyuck was thrilled, as if every burden in his body had been lifted. “The garden! Don’t you get it?”

The garden had been forbidden ever since it had been burned down, and the headmaster had planned to have it renovated into something else once they deemed it not repairable. It had taken some coaxing for Taeil to let it go, but the order had been passed.

Mark couldn’t help but feel his heart clench at the sight of the burnt garden, a brown and black area that was supposed to be sprouting flora of various types and combinations. He was sure Taeil had been focused on creating hybrids during the months of his practical training. All of that was gone, a mile of land gone.

“They haven’t dug out the roots yet, but they’re almost gone,” Donghyuck whispered, letting go of Mark’s hand before timidly stepping onto the land. Something in Mark’s heart was tempted to follow him, but he held back. Donghyuck was going to do something, and he didn’t want to interfere. Donghyuck stood in the middle of the bare earth, and Mark was reminded of the day he had burnt it down.

A rune burned behind his eyelids and Mark held onto one of the pillars, lashes fluttering as he felt a sudden warmth travel within his body. He didn’t know how, but he could hear a voiceless whisper within his head as he traced the rune in the air, watching the deep violet flow from his fingertips like paint.

And it is within the Goddesses’ mercy to grant Her people with a gift born from the buds of patience and perseverance. Show them who you are and who She had hidden behind the face of a Curse.

The Rune had no name, and Mark could almost feel the power that thrummed through his body as he finished the Rune and it shone in front of his eyes. Mark had seen a thousand sunrises and sunsets, seen the prettiest of the nymphs pass by when he passed through the forest. However, he was suddenly overwhelmed by how beautiful the rune looked, as if he was beholding the Goddesses' own words.

Who are you, Mark Lee? Who are you, Lee Donghyuck? Children of the Ancient and Lost, a thousand breaths away from where you belong.  And to whom are your lives dedicated to?

The clouds swirled above them, turning a deep shade of violet and pastel pink, intertwining with each other. The sky was a beautiful shade of pastel, sunlight threading through and reaching out to the mountains as if embracing an old friend. Thunder clapped somewhere within the clouds, but Mark felt no fear. The Rune in front of him blazed comfortingly, and Mark felt a tear escape his eye.

Her arms are wide for those who seek Her, and let this mark you as Her own. Should She intertwine your fates in such a way for you to be the Sign of her Benevolence. And her Sign shall be seen by all, and may She deem you as her own.

There was a pattering of feet just as the Rune disappeared into thin air. Mark couldn’t focus on that, though. Not when a spiral of violet had spread on the ground from where Donghyuck was standing. Mark held his breath, watching as the spiral of magic was soon joined by golden highlights, reaching out like the sunrays to envelop the arid land.

For a moment, it was as if Donghyuck was standing on a ground of gold, head tilted upwards towards the spiral of clouds as if he were a fallen angel given redemption at its hardest moment. The moment was broken when Donghyuck fell to his knees. The moment his legs made contact with the ground, there was a spurt of fiery magic that moved like water occupying space, moving outwards from Donghyuck in a ring of blazing scarlet.

In a split second, the gold was replaced by sudden growth of new flora, pushing out through the ground and blooming with vibrant colors. It was as if the four seasons had taken place in front of them, as far as they could see. The sheen of magic that Donghyuck expelled from his body had reached beyond the garden grounds and stretched to the woods. The flora bloomed and browned and wilted and bloomed again, over and over as if they were making up for the time they should have been given to grow.

Time. Time was moving faster where Donghyucks’ magic spread, a soft wind whipping his hair to the side as the land went through a dozen years in the span of a few seconds.

And should you remember that the Goddess does not overlook you, and does not deem you unworthy. Behold what She has over you, and search for the Sign that she left behind.

Even though he was far away, Mark knew that Donghyuck could hear the soundless voice too. When the land had settled, Mark stood among many who now beheld the fully grown garden, with plants they had not seen before and a part of the forest tinged in bright violet. There was magic in the air, and it settled on them pleasantly. Donghyuck, with magic that could heal so many in a split second, who had not been Cursed but Blessed.

Know that when the Sign is held in your wake-

Mark felt his knees weaken and a pair of strong arms holding him before he could collapse. The person who caught him gave off a familiar scent, and Mark could feel the world before him tip as he struggled to remember it.  The last thing he heard was the roar of a beast that had erupted from Donghyuck’s collapsed form before it faded into thin air.

-you will behold the mirror of truth.

-

Doyoung had been through quite the number of peculiar events, one of them including being held in the Goddesses’ Blade to receive trial as the sign of the Pegasus Clan shone on his arm. Then there had been the knowledge that he had been gifted with, knowledge on medicine and herbs not from any book he had found at the Sanctuary. The symbol of a Healer had been etched onto his robes once he passed the Mage Examinations, and he had been given a young child to mentor. A child with no clan like he had been.

But that child was no normal child. Doyoung had watched as the child grew under his care, showing terrifying potential in Healing Magic to the point that he had been seen as a Gift from the Goddess herself. People had praised him for his teachings, told him he deserved to have such a great mentee. But that wasn’t all.

Doyoung had felt the thrums of magic beneath his fingertips, and had felt the wrongness in his heart and mind. Doyoung was gifted in a way the others couldn’t see, and he wondered if there was any reason for it. Never had he thought he’s put it upon himself to unlock whatever hidden energy he could feel in Donghyucks’ veins.

That was a secret he had kept to himself. There was no place for gifted mages, especially with the many feuds that used the term for benefit. Doyoung was no mage gifted with foresight or prediction. He simply had been gifted with knowledge.

And when Donghyuck laid on the bed after seemingly bursting into flames, his mind prompted him to pull away the last restraints that locked the last of his magic. There wasn’t much Doyoung could remember. Only the growl of something extraordinary in his mind as it recognized his presence and bowed before his magic, letting him cut the last of the chains that tightly bound Donghyucks’ mind, and he had almost died.

Illumination had happened, a burst of energy courtesy of the body not being able to cater to its amount. Doyoung had almost died but deep inside, he knew that he did something that would change Donghyuck forever, and perhaps he had rid the world of yet another Healer.

But the world didn’t accept Donghyuck the way he had. After Donghyuck had regrown the garden, the Goddesses Blade had called a meeting with Johnny and himself.

“It must be some sort of ancient demonic energy,” Chansung bellowed, slamming his palms against the wide table. Doyoung flinched at the sound, biting his lower lip as more voices arose. “No power would be able to bend nature the way he did.”

“We cannot meddle with fate. This isn’t just about us.” Xiumin spoke up, his voice softer but holding the authority needed to speak above the others. “I agree with Johnny regarding our Goddesses’ choice!”

Minho scoffed, crossing his arms indignantly. “Yeah, and the War of the Realms was fate too. We can’t blindly allow a literal demon to walk on our grounds just because we’re too foolish to believe this might be a test of understanding to overcome it!”

There was little Doyoung could do to change the Higher Elites’ minds. They were centuries old, and lived longer than most of them despite looking young.  He knew how society had progressed and how many had started forgetting the history of their world no matter how far it had been. The past was the past, as the Elders liked to say. Most of the past was considered a myth created to cover up what had truly happened, a hallucination of magic that never existed.

“The Demon must be expelled from his body. We will have to take matters into our own hands for the safety of our students,” Johnny had finally said after a long time of bickering. There was a reason all of them hated having meetings with the Gryphon Elders. It always ended up with their unwavering opinions cemented into place. “Measures will be taken, and I hope you have a solid plan.”

“I do indeed, but first we must not let those who are too weak to deal with this dwell longer than needed.” Minho smiled.

Doyoung felt it before he could see Minho casting the spell. The world around him tipped and Doyoung felt his mind lighten and become scrambled as if someone had stuffed a ball of cotton into his head. Through muffled hearing, he heard Johnny’s cry of shock before he held onto his body before he could collapse to the floor.

Relax and forget, Doyoung. There is nothing you should remember here.

When he had woken up to a blank memory with no recollection of what had happened, he found himself drawn to Jaehyun’s coven. Upon his appearance, Jaehyun had instantly taken him into his arms and guided him to a more private room filled with scented candles and fairy lights.

And Doyoung had cried his heart out due to the underlying fear prickling under his skin as if his body was warning him of what was to happen. Jaehyun could only hold him close and let him tear out the anxiety that swelled in his chest. Even though the world saw Doyoung as someone strong, he had seen the most sensitive parts of Doyoungs complicated personality.

“Let us pray to the Goddess,” he whispered once Doyoung’s cries reduced to sniffles and choked sobs.

They sat there, curled up against each other muttering prayers under their breaths with their eyes closed. Not many held the Goddess close to their hearts the way Doyoung did, and Jaehyun felt extra close to Her with Doyoung nearby. For once, the words that spilled out between his lips were one of pleading and hope that seemed so intimate; one he would not bear to speak aloud.

Jaehyun fell asleep every single hour, but his dreams were not his own and were shared with the many minds in the school. He found comfort sleeping with Doyoung, knowing his dreams were of a forest as dark as the deepest sea, a sky a startling shade of violet and shadows of people walking among the trees with shawls wrapped around their shoulders.

-

“You collected all of this in the span of a week?” Mark gasped as Renjun dragged him through the library, his robes dragging across the floor. The others walked behind them casually, hiding him from Yuta who took care of the library.

It was a simple invisibility spell that hid the mound of collected books at the corner of the reading section. Jeno looked around warily before casting a dome that would make them invisible for the time being. They sat as close together as they could, passing the books Renjun had collected to each other.

“Demonic studies? Demonic Arts?” Jaemin mused, turning the pages before scoffing. “Renjun, what would possess you to think-“

“The Creature that keeps appearing every time Donghyuck overuses his magic…I don’t think that’s a natural occurrence. The Blade held a meeting when you passed out. That happens when things get serious.”

“Demons haven’t been around since the War.” Mark rationalized; skipping through the pages to find one with no demonic language he couldn’t make out. “I don’t feel like this is what we’re looking for.”

Renjun sighed, pulling his legs up to his chest before reaching for another book. “You know what my Father says? He reckons the Higher Elite hides stuff from us purposely.”

“Why would they?” Jaemin questioned, leaning against Jenos’ back. “I mean, we won the War, right?”

“To hide the dirty things they did in the name of peace.” Renjun continued. Mark stopped reading to look at the younger boy who was now looking extremely uncomfortable. “I asked Chenle and Jisung if they could find out some things hidden in the Blades library. They did find a few scrolls and books, but bringing them out was risky in case they’re tracked. So, I gave them a Recounting Potion to make them remember the words and recount them to me once.”

Mark held his breath.

“There was a nameless clan, made out of the people who were born with no magic. They were seen as weak, and were used mainly as baits and for labor work. Most of them died out during the war.”

Renjun looked up from his hands to give them a grim look. “But the few that made it to the treaty were used for something else. Due to the War, large powerful creatures that were big enough to graze the sky were set loose on other realms. They were too powerful to be taken down by magic, so those who had mingled with Dark Arts did the unthinkable.

They sealed them in the blood of the people, and set them free to roam the realms until they were overcome by the creatures in their blood and left to die. These people were called the Lost People, and we can assume that all of them are dead.”

-

It was only a matter of time before Mark spilled about his strange dreams. They had started mass research regarding the Lost People, and along the way, he’d been fatigued enough to ramble about his dreams. Naturally, Jeno guided him to Jaehyun's Coven.

Mark had never dared to go near the coven, knowing very well anyone who ended up in there took hours before they came out. It was more of a counseling place, not like Jaehyun was any good at counseling anyway. He goes to Taeyong for proper advice rather than trying to “knock some sense into those idiots” as Jaehyun would say.

However, it was well known that Jaehyun was a Dream mage, and a powerful one at that. He almost never left his office unless it was due to dire reasons such as classes. Mark has never thought of going to Jaehyun for his dreams, until Jeno prompted him to. He wasn’t that surprised when the first impression he had when entering was homey.

The floor had soft fur rugs and the walls were painted a pastel blue. Pillows surrounded the bean bags and on the floor and the only light that illuminated the room were the small lights the Robins Tears flowers in the flower pots gave off.

Jaehyun's mop of messy brown here appeared from behind a bean bag, his face mushed against the leather as he turned to look at Mark.

“Here for your dreams?” he slurred before easing himself out of his comfortable position. He walked drowsily over to Mark before tugging him to a bean bag, sitting him down and pushing his shoulders back.

“Relax. Just fall asleep and you’ll be fine.”

It wasn’t that hard to fall asleep when you were surrounded by my Dream magic. It only took a few seconds and Jaehyun wearily counting back from ten to fall asleep.

“It’s coming, go away!”

Mark fell back against the damp earth, watching as the boy whom he had befriended convulse in pain. Terror filled his veins as his eyes bright, veins bulging from his skin from how hard his muscles were contracting. Mark had seen people hurt and come back home with severed limbs, but not someone near his age.

The boy's eyes were filled with fear as Mark came close, begging him to run away. Mark was not a coward; he didn’t run when others were in trouble. Slowly, he eased the boy into his arms, burying his face in his silver hair while humming under his breath.

“Has the Goddess forsaken us?” the boy whimpered, his trembles not ceasing. Mark held on tighter as his back arched in pain, his bottom lip bitten and bleeding.

Mark didn’t know, as young children did not. He couldn’t bear to think that there were people who were being hurt without others knowing, that people were dying and convulsing while the privileged stood tall. At the tender age of 6, Mark was gifted with the rationalit, and he used it well.

The first Rune he had casted was a bright bronze, like the eyes of the boy that he held. Mark didn’t know how he was doing it, only that it hurt his mind with blazing brightness and unmerciful sparks of pain. There were noises upon noises, a concoction of symphonies that could not be understood by his agonized mind.

In his mind, he could see a beast that was large enough to fill up the blackness and peered at him curiously.

“You’re hurting him,” Mark had whispered and the rune blazed in front of him before chains spread out to bind the beast, chaining him to the ground. There was something else too, a shroud of violet that fell upon the Beast and lulled it to sleep. There was only so much a mind like his could understand, and when the pain in his head was too much, he collapsed.

The last thing he felt was warm hands circling him, light and soft, and the faint breeze against his cheek as if he were being carried by angels.

Mark jolted awake, feeling sweat drip down his back and forehead.

There was a distant throbbing behind his eyes, but that wasn’t what was important. He couldn’t describe it, but he knew he had to go. When he turned to look at Jaehyun, the mentor simply gazed at him under hooded eyelids and sent him a small smirk. That was enough indication to send Mark running outside.

He was running mindlessly, not knowing exactly where he was going and heading somewhere on pure instinct. Corner after corner, he turned and ran faster than he could inhale another breath.

“Take him there safety, okay?”

Mark paused in his tracks, the familiar voice of Jisung echoing off the walls. There was the sound of ruffling before someone sighed heavily. He was too far away to properly hear the low whispers they shared, and he inched closer in hopes to catch a glance. He barely managed to catch Jisung and Chenle leaving Donghyuck at the end of the bridge leading into the valley. A small creature perched on his shoulder, no doubt the imp named Kun the youngsters had found before.

Donghyuck had a sack tied to his belt, a short cloak covering his shoulders and his hood up to cover part of his head. The moment Mark stepped into view, Donghyuck turned to look at him. He was not surprised by his presence, as if expecting him to come. Mark didn’t have time to ask him where he was headed when Donghyuck turned and ran away.

The only thing Mark could think of was to run after him.

Mark had run through the valley before when he was a child, chasing after the lost kites and candy carts. Now that he was chasing Donghyuck through the silent valley as the sky darkened, he felt a long lost nostalgia return. A time before he was simply a Sanctuary boy. A time he had lost and forgotten as time left holes in his memory.

The only sound were their pattering feet as they ran through the shortcut and headed to the Heart of the Goddess. Mark hadn’t been there for years, the large opening like a wide mouth threatening to swallow them. Yet, he still ran after the silver haired mage, not minding the splashes of water from the shallow stream that ran through the tunnel. Donghyuck hopped from one mossed rock to another, light on his feet and avoiding getting his feet wet. Mark wasn’t as stealthy as he clumsily let water droplets fly behind his steps.

Now that he was there, Mark could now see the absolute beauty that was the Heart of the Goddess. There were various wide tunnels that shone with pastel lights, and reflecting off of Donghyucks’ hair. Every time he passed by each realms opening, he could somehow hear the slight rustle and bustle of the people, the slight scent of herbs and dew. Every few miles he ran was as if he passed by a new world, and indeed he was.

He didn’t know where Donghyuck was headed, though.

After running long enough that Mark was out of breath, Donghyuck stopped in front of a tunnel that gave out violet light. Mark halted beside him, not daring to speak a word and instead looking at the opening to the realm. The realm they saw from outside wavered as if underwater, but Mark could make out the dark forest and starless sky.

“It feels like home,” Donghyuck whispered, and suddenly his fingers were intertwining with Mark’s. Mark could only nod, feeling the realm light wash over him with comforting warmth. They walked forward, still holding hands to pass through the realm barrier, Kun right in front of them letting out timid squeaks.

The first thing Mark felt once he passed through was the slight chill of breeze, lifting his hair slightly and enveloping him as if welcoming his presence. He felt his heart clench, suddenly feeling homesickness washing over him. For years, he had no place he belonged to, a simple child who is claimed by no clan. But this…this felt so much like home.

Apparently, Donghyuck thought so too.

“Catch me if you can!” Donghyuck called and took off. Mark felt a wide grin spread on his face before he was in pursuit of the younger, jumping over protruding roots and ducking under branches. His clothes snagged a few times, but he barely cared. His vision tunneled to Donghyuck’s back as he chased with increasing exhilaration, feeling adrenaline pump through his veins.

I’m home.

“Caught you!” he yelled as he pounced upon the laughing younger mage, pushing him to the floor. It was like his dream, the sense of familiarity he couldn’t place a finger on, but he was home. This realm…this place was somewhere that he cherished. Both of them sat up, leaning against their hands as they looked up at the sky. It was a moment of peace they shared, a quiet fulfillment of the longing they had not realized until then.

“I dreamt of this place,” Donghyuck said suddenly, turning to look at Mark. “I dreamt of a boy who seemed lost when he was not.”

Mark let out a sigh before raising his hand to trace the puff of clouds that stretched across the sky. “Midnight Realm. This place is the Midnight Realm, and it is ours alone.”

The breeze blew again and Mark closed his eyes, letting the realm invite them back. If he could set his mind free, he could imagine the stags that glistened as if shrouded by moonlight, the nymphs that peered at him from behind flower buds and even the tengu that flew high above their heads. Mark could never remember where he came from, but this place was home.

“Mark?” Donghyuck called, prompting the elder to look at him. “Has the Goddess forsaken us?”

“Has the Goddess forsaken us?”

Perhaps days ago, he would have considered that as a possibility, but not now. Not when he felt so free and blessed just by stepping into the Realm. Mark lifted a hand and a rune hovered above his palm, the Rune of Acceptance, one of the twelve symbols of the Goddess.

“No, she hasn’t. She never did,” Mark said wistfully, watching the Rune turn into mist. “Have you ever thought of yourself as someone different, who was set apart from everyone else?”

Donghyuck did not respond, instead casting his eyes to the sky before uttering something under his breath. Light filled the sky, and aurora of pastel, before it spiraled and formed into moving images. A group of Pegasus running, a kappa rearing back, gryphons with their spread wings swooping down and a large fox with its head tilted upwards and mouth open to expose its teeth.

“Time is running out for me,” Donghyuck said softly, glancing at Mark to read his expression. Mark gave nothing away. “One day, like the rest of my kin, my magic will devour me whole and the beast within my blood will disappear. There is no reason for my existence besides a vessel.”

Should She intertwine your fates in such a way for you to be the Sign of her Benevolence.

“That’s why the Goddess brought us together.” Mark smiled, and placed his hand gently over Donghyuck’s as they shared a look of bliss. Two mages whose lives had been crafted by the Goddess Herself, for a reason Mark didn’t understand just yet. “As long as you’re with me, your magic will not die with you. One last Rune Magic mage, one last Lost Child. No clan blessed by Her will die out.”

Donghyuck couldn’t say anything against that. Still, Mark could feel the underlying knowledge that this wasn’t the end. Their fates were branches of a tree, and their purpose weren’t clear just yet. It made him unnerved, but Donghyuck was near to him, and he would never let him go ever again, even if the world split apart.

-

Mark dreamt of two boys sleeping under a tree that night, their fingers intertwined and bodies snuggled close as pixies flew down and blanketed their small bodies with leaves and flower petals.

He woke up to Jaemin shaking him violently.

Sitting up suddenly, he heaved in startled breaths as Jaemin squeezed his arm tight.

“They took him. Someone barged into our room and put all of us to sleep and now Donghyuck is gone!” Jaemin worried, pulling mark out of his bed in a hurry. Jeno sat up, woken by the sound of Jaemins cries. Mark felt his heart thump fast in his chest, fear prickling under his skin and making goosebumps rise on his skin. “I don’t think they’re going to bring him back.”

And Mark was running once again, chasing after someone he didn’t know the whereabouts of. He could barely hear Jeno pulling Jaemin back, trying to calm him down and leaving him alone to run through the corridors. The school was a maze, and Donghyuck could be anywhere. Fear muddled his mind as he sprinted and turned corner after corner and-

“Oof!”

He fell back as he hid a solid figure, falling back onto his backside. He looked up to see Jaehyun standing, Doyoung right beside him. Their hands were held tightly, and Mark recognized the look of utter terror in Doyoungs’ eyes.

“Donghyuck-“ Mark started but Jaehyun held up a hand. He knew what was happening, and was probably just as confused as Mark was.

“I dreamt of a realm of darkness, the only light being the Glowing Prunes that hung on the trees and the moonlight. There was a wide space in the middle of a bare forest and a stone platform in the middle of it. Shadows peered at me through the trees when I stood in the middle before fire erupted around me.”

“The Demonic Realm,” a high pitched voice called. They turned simultaneously to see Jisung and Chenle running over towards them, the imp flying between them. Chenle’s face was scratched up, indicating what had woken him up. “I’m so sorry that we snuck into the forbidden parts of the Gryphons Clan’s land. We only wanted to access the library, but we overheard the meeting.”

“They’re taking him there to exorcise the demon.” Jisung blurted, reaching into his pocket to pull out a small vial of scarlet liquid. “Renjun made a Potion of Reversal, a universal counter potion. He told us to pass it to you if you needed it.”

Kun flew and landed right on Marks’ shoulder, wiggling its ears as if urging him to hurry.

“Go,” Chenle said with a nod, biting his lower lips as they took off with Kun. When they disappeared, he turned to Jisung with a look of sadness. “I think this is the end.”

Jisung pulled the shorter boy into his arms and they stayed that way, basked in the peace that would soon be broken.

-

Johnny had never felt so guilty.

He stood with many other Elites and Higher Elites, a few meters away from the rectangular stone platform they had chained Donghyuck to. Taeyong shivered beside him, and it took Johnny everything he had not to cast a worried glance. Aside from Taeyong, the only other mentor that was with the group was Yuta. Chansung had been very clear that he didn’t want anyone with any close connection to Donghyuck to participate.

The ritual would be difficult, and the Higher Elites were ready to cast their spells on any demon that would appear. He knew he wasn’t the only one looking around anxiously.

“Where am I?”

Heads snapped forwards as Donghyuck woke up from the Sleeping Spell, wincing at the light from the fire torches that had been planted in the soil around him. Johnny saw his expression shift from confusion, to fear, to anger.

“Why?” he breathed out when his eyes set on Johnny, Taeyong and Yuta. Donghyuck pulled against the chains to no success. The only thing he could do was sit up with his hands chained to the floor.

“The ritual will begin.” came the order and Johnny sent him an apologetic look as he raised his scroll along with everyone else. “We gather here to banish the demon that has been held prisoner inside the boy and caused him and others strife!”

“May he be protected,” they chanted simultaneously.

 Donghyuck took a moment to understand what he was implying and when he did, he pulled hard at his chains. He sent the mentors a pleading look. “Don’t do it! It isn’t a demon! I swear on the Goddess that it isn’t a demon!”

One of the elder mages threw up his hands. “The demon is speaking through the boy! Do not be wavered by its attempts of mercy!”

Johnny steeled his heart and nodded, feeling Taeyong stiffen beside him. The scroll was long, and the ritual would take time. He had to do it not only for Donghyuck, but for Doyoung who had been so hurt ever since the whole thing took place. The demon had to be removed for all of it to be over.

The recitation of the Purification Script started the moment Chansung brought down his whip to strike Donghyuck’s back the first time. Johnny raised his voice in attempt to block out Donghyucks’ scream of pain, but it was no use. He could see from above his script the way Donghyuck leaned forward so his forehead touched the ground, unable to properly curl in on himself.

“DO NOT WAVER!”

The whip came down yet again and Johnny let the next piercing scream wash over him, making the hair on his arms rise. Their surroundings were getting hotter by the second, heating up the longer Donghyuck cried out. The moment the first droplet of blood from Donghyuck’s back hit the floor, the fire on the torches let out a deafening crackle before they exploded upwards, rising to the sky. Even though there were only five forming a pentagon, Johnny felt himself sweat.

“May we return purity to the boys’ soul-“ he continued, gaze flickering upwards as the flames tilted downwards slowly to reach out to the torch on their left, forming a pentagon shaped barrier. “-and banish the demon to the depths of this realm.”

The whip cracked once again, and Johnny let Taeyong bury his face in his shoulder as fire swirled around Donghyuck, causing Chansung to stumble away from the platform, passing under the pentagon still with the bloody whip in his hand.

It was like he had travelled back in time, when Mark had cast that Rune and caused Donghyuck to burst into flame. The tornado of fire remained within the barrier and Johnny found himself backing away from the heat. Taeyong had started tugging on his sleeve, dragging him to the back away from the barrier as the fire rose higher before forming a flaming figure of the beast he had seen the last time.

The roar it produced shook the ground and made them stumble. Johnny led Taeyong to the edge of the area, letting him hold onto a tree. The scroll was still open and the Higher Elites were desperately trying to finish the incantation. The crowd had dispersed and back away enough for Johnny to see Donghyuck convulsing on the platform, screaming as if his very soul was being ripped apart from his body.

The demon, too, was in pain. It was clawing thin air, shaking its head back and forth as it roared in agony. The ground shook again, causing screams to rise. The demons would be alerted of their presence at this rate. Still, the Higher Elite had continued, still trying to dispel the demon and standing their ground. He saw the Elites casting spells to guard the place as shadows started emerging.

“We need to get out of here,” Yuta yelled.

Just as Johnny began to speak, there was a blaze of violet that appeared right over the demon. Johnny squinted at the sudden  light and managed to make out a rune that seemed to fold into itself. Johnny whipped around just in time to see Mark, Jaehyun and Doyoung appear, and imp in front of them.

“You’re killing him!” Mark bellowed, clenching his outstretched hand. The Rune trembled before unraveling itself and forming violet chains that stretched around the demon. In a single movement, the chains pressed against the demon's form, forcing it down towards Donghyuck who was twitching terrifyingly on the platform.

Binding. Mark was binding the demon back into Donghyuck’s body.

Before anyone could protest the barrier collapsed and so did the protection spells around them. From the darkness, glowing eyes peered at them hungrily.

-

Mark couldn’t think much of what was happening, not even when the demons from the realms were starting to attack the mages. They were strong enough to fend for themselves.

Ducking through the mess of people casting spells and defending others, he managed to make it to Donghyuck who was breathing heavily on the stone platform. Instantly, his hands fluttered around the younger's body, a quick rune undoing the chains that bound his arms to the ground. Barely breathing, Donghyuck was barely breathing.

His eyelids were bruised purple and his lips turning blue. When Mark held his hand, they were freezing as if carved out of ice. Death seemed to stand behind Mark, waiting for the hourglass of Donghyuck’s life to run out of sand.  Blood soaked Marks’ pants, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Donghyuck was a step away from death.

“Did you say it’s not a demon?” a deep voice spoke and Mark turned to look at Johnny whose eyes bore all the guilt he deserved to feel. “The Purifying Script detaches the second soul on his body…but if this isn’t a demon…”

“Their souls were too tightly bound.” Mark growled, looking at Johnny with distrust. “His soul would have been detached as well.”

There wasn’t time to waste. Johnny left their side and let Taeyong –whose presence was far more comforting –look over them. Mark uncorked the vial of Potion, praying to the Goddess that it would work. Donghyuck’s body had gone through too much strain and wouldn’t last if he didn’t return to his original strength. Mark feared that his body would give up before they even had the chance.

The liquid passed through Donghyuck’s lips and Mark tilted his head back to help him swallow.

A shadow passed over their head and Taeyong threw himself over him just as a demon with wings passed overhead, dangerously close to them. Mark glanced around as the world blurred with shadows, flying spells and exploding earth. Demon poison was untreatable, and he was sure everyone was wearing protective armor. He had to focus on Donghyuck.

“Stay with him. I need to help out!” Taeyong commanded before pulling away to run after Johnny who was fighting a three headed demon. It was pure chaos and all Mark could bear to do was look down at Donghyuck and pray that the Goddess hadn’t forsaken them. She would have not brought them together that way.

But She had, and that was because Marks’ Rune magic was important to keep Donghyuck’s magic in check.

Mark inhaled sharply at the realization. He passed a hand over Donghyucks’ face, feeling his lashes flutter under his touch. He reached into his magic core, feeling the thin shell tremble. He didn’t make a move, praying that it would show him the way to save the last of the Lost Peoples’ bloodline.

Mark Lee, of the Goddesses’ Right wing. Have you finally accepted who you are?

He could feel the pulse under his fingertips weaken, and Mark held Donghyuck closer. In the world of magic, there were Mages who could do extraordinary things, and there lived creatures that roamed within their realms. There lived people who had no home and watched each other die due to the magic sealed in their blood. And there was Mark Lee.

I have found who I am.

Who are you, then?

I am the Sign of the Goddess.

Magic erupted from his core, exploding outwards and filling his veins with a buzzing feeling. Mark let himself loose, allowing the magic to take over. Above his head, a Rune shone as bright as molten gold, a Rune that never existed in the first place.

The Rune unraveled and swirled around them in a ribbon of light before settling on Donghyuck’s neck, where his pulse was. Mark saw the rune blaze just for a moment before it faded, and in his minds’ eye, he saw the Beast that bow at his feet.

In his arms, Donghyuck stirred before his eyes fluttered open. Mark gave out a cry of relief, pulling Donghyuck to his chest and rocking back and forth.

“I thought I lost you.'' he whispered in Donghyucks’ ear before pulling away, letting Donghyuck sit up. Donghyuck opened his mouth to reply but was cut off when a bellow of outrage was heard and screams followed soon after.

-

Jaehyun had never fought a demon before, and after a few minutes of battling one, he had had enough.

For one, he didn’t like the feeling of fearing for his life –mind you he had gone through that too many times the entire week –but what he hated more was that it was a pointless battle that could have been avoided if they all weren’t so narrow minded and hid the truth from the other Elite.

When they were chasing after Kun, Mark had told them the story. It made Jaehyun enraged.

Even then, when Jaehyun was fending off three gargoyle looking demons with what seemed to be boils of yellow pus on their spiked bodies, he was in an anger fit. The only thing keeping him on his toes was the boiling pit of rage in his stomach. There were so many people, but the battle would be over soon.

The golden blaze of Mark’s rune had caused most of them to retreat early, giving the mages an upper hand. As he fended off the last six foot tall crab looking demon, he glanced over at Doyoung who was treating the minor bruises the Elites had gotten. It occurred to him that they were wearing armor.

Doyoung sent him a tired smile, and Jaehyun let out a sigh of relief.

Their short lived joy was cut off when an outraged bellow was heard. Jaehyun managed to whip around fast enough to see Chansung redirecting a gigantic stinger one of the demons had shot before retreating. It moved too fast for everyone, too fast for any spells to be uttered as it shot straight at Mark and Donghyuck.

Jaehyun saw Chansung's satisfied grin a split second before his eyes moved to follow the stinger, his tongue moving too slowly as he tried to finish the spell.

And there was a blur of speed.

You see, Doyoung was a healing mage. While others’ first instinct would be to call out a spell, action was the first thing he’d think of. There was only a selective amount of Offensive Spells in his knowledge, most of his understanding circulating around healing practices.

The moment the stinger was redirected, his body moved before his mind could out of instinct. The pride of a healer was his selflessness, and Doyoung embodied that trait. In front of the many mages that had failed their purpose, Doyoung threw himself in harm’s way.

“DOIE!!!” Jaehyun yelled, a split second before the stinger sunk into his stomach. Time slowed down, his heartbeat thumping in his ears like a drum, counting the seconds as Doyoung's face turned from pain, to shock, to sadness. Jaehyun didn’t miss the way Doyoungs’ lips desperately tried to form his name. Jaehyun dove to the ground, catching Doyoung’s body in the comfort of his arms and time returned back to normal.

Cries and gasps arose around them, the sound of protests as Chansung was taken away. Jaehyun couldn’t think of them, not then. The stinger had a sack at the edge, and it was draining with shocking speed.

“Doie, breathe! T-this…we have to get rid of it!” Jaehyun sobbed, Baekhyun appeared beside him to assist him in the effort to pull it out of Doyoung’s abdomen. Jaehyun would do anything, anything to stop the small cries of pain Doyoung let out as he held tight onto Jaehyun’s arm.

“Come on, love.” Baekhyun whispered, pulling hard with no success. A new pair of arms reached over them to help out, and Jaehyun could recognize Johnny’s arms anywhere. He didn’t like how people were watching, pitying them and staring but doing nothing. Doyoung wasn’t a nobody, but he was to the face of the many Higher Elites scattered around him.

With a grunt, they yanked out the stinger. Jaehyun fumbled with Doyoung’s clasps, his shaking hands doing little to help which resorted to ripping the front of his shirt. Goddess…he was still in his sleeping wear. He should be in his bed wrapped up in his blankets. Doyoung could only grit his teeth as he felt the poison rushing through his veins, burning out the magic that ran through his blood and soon bring a stop to his heart altogether.

“P-poison” Doyoung gasped, his breath hitching as his body convulsed and trembled. Doyoung’s eyes moved to pass over Johnny, Taeyong and Yuta who stood behind Jaehyun, looking over him the way they had all those years whether he realized it or not. His grip on Jaehyun strengthened, and he pulled himself up so his head was resting on Jaehyun’s chest. “J-Jaehyun, you c-can’t –“

“Doie, please!” Jaehyun begged, his eyes not moving from the web of black veins that stretched across the skin of his childhood friend. “We can find a healer, right? They’ll do something for you!”

Baekhyun could only shake his head and squeeze Jaehyun’s shoulder. Nothing could be done to curb a demon's poison. He stood and gave them the privacy they needed, ushering the others to look away.

 “It’s okay, Jae,” Doyoung rasped, his voice losing volume and strength. He raised a trembling hand to wipe away the tears from Jaehyuns’ left side of the face, but his eyes weren’t looking at him. They had become faraway, as if his mind had started to wander. “H-Hold me…J-Jae, please- ”

And Jaehyun held on tight, tucking Doyoung’s head under his chin and rocking him back and forth as the boy heaved breaths, wheezes sounding in his chest. Soft whispers of “It’s going to be alright” and “I’m sorry” were the only things Jaehyun could bear to say. They never taught how to comfort a dying boy in his books.

The two boys Doyoung had so desperately protected moved to sit in front of them, Mark holding onto Donghyuck who was crying silent tears. Doyoung would have wiped those tears away and sang him a song from the Sanctuary if he were able to move. Jaehyun felt Doyoung’s head shift under his chin and he looked down to see Doyoung gazing at him with those gentle eyes he’d been attracted to since day one.

It was just the two of them, Doyoung reading his eyes and Jaehyun lulling him to sleep.

Doyoung’s lips moved and Jaehyun ducked his head to listen. For a moment, there was nothing other than small breaths with barely formed words and Jaehyun longed just one more day to stay with him, to hear his voice rant about his books and trace the constellations with fascinating accuracy.

“ Friends? ”

A single word that bore so much, and in his last moments, that was what Doyoung wanted to know. Jaehyun could have ranted about how their years together meant more than just that, that if Doyoung didn’t believe their relationship was genuine, he'd prove himself for more years to come. But there was no time for that, the numbers on Doyoung’s clock ticking down too fast.

Jaehyun gazed down at him, a forced smile plastered on his lips as he gave Doyoung the answer he needed. “Brothers, Doie… we’re brothers.”

The most beautiful of smiles stretched on Doyoung’s face and for a moment, Jaehyun could pretend that they were back at home, snuggled within the blankets when Doyoung’s homesickness hit hardest. As fast as that smile brightened up Doyoungs face, it fell and Doyoungs’ body seized violently. His eyelids fluttered and his eyes rolled to their whites before returning. His gaze was glazed over, and Jaehyun knew it was almost the end.

Doyoungs’ chest was expanding and contracting rapidly, and Jaehyun pulled Doyoung close so his forehead touched the side of his neck.

“H-hurts-”

Jaehyun blinked back his tears and gently cupped the side of Doyoung’s face, his breath hitching at how faraway his eyes had become.  Sobs racked Jaehyuns chest as the pulse under his fingers grew weaker. “I know…i-it’s alright, Doie…I’m here with you.”

“…he…re”

“Yeah, I’m holding you.” Jaehyun sniffled. Doyoung’s eyelids dropped halfway, tears tracing themselves down his cheeks which Jaehyun brushed away. “It’s time to sleep, Doie.”

“…sleep…J-Jae…”

“You never get nightmares when I’m with you,” Jaehyun whispered, tilting his head upwards at the unforgiving sky of the demon realm. The hand that had pawed at his shirt stopped, dropping slack. The breathing against his neck ceased, and the pulse beneath his skin stopped. Jaehyun muted the cries around him. He didn’t glance back as Taeyong fell into Johnny’s embrace and Yuta gripped the back of his shirt tight. He didn’t look at Donghyuck even as he uttered the last farewells to his close mentor, Mark brushing away his tears.

 “Good Night, Doie.”

-

Mark dreamt of a pair of fair arms reaching out towards a small boy, embracing him before pulling him into the light. He dreamt of Donghyuck, running through the forest and him chasing after like that night at the Midnight Realm. When he woke, it was like a calling.

Even before Johnny opened the door to his dorm to tell him what the Goddesses Blade had decided on, he was already getting ready. There was no place for children like him in a world bent on their own ideologies. The Goddess herself had placed a sign in front of their eyes, the return of lost magic and lost people, and they had turned away from the Sign.

“You’re really leaving, then?” Jeno asked, his voice soft coated with fear. Mark looked up as his friend walked near him, his wear full cream, the symbolic color of the Pegasus Clan. The funeral would begin soon, and Mark knew once it was over, his new life would start.

“This place isn’t for me. The Goddess will guide me well-“ he broke off when Jeno flung his arms around his shoulders, burying his face into his shoulder. Mark stumbled back from shock, lips pursed and brows furrowed at his friends’ sudden movements. “Jeno…”

“Stay safe, okay?” he sniffled, and Mark was suddenly reminded that even though he was supposedly seen as an outsider, he would be leaving behind the ones that had stayed with him to the end. “I’ll pray for you every night as long as the moon appears in the sky.”

Mark hugged him back tightly, inhaling the last of the scent he had grown familiar with. Jeno would grow up within his clan, and perhaps when his friends had become Elites and the mentors became Higher Elite, they’d be able to bring change to the world. When they broke away, wiping the last of their tears, a low cough made them turn to the doorway.

Jaemin stood, eyes red rimmed and nose runny with a hand on Donghyuck’s shoulder. Alike to Mark, he had received the call and was ready with his bag and boots. The shawl he had usually tied around his waist was now wrapped around his shoulders, portraying the embroidery of a clan that had died over the years.

“Doyoung is waiting for us,” Renjun said as he slipped into the room. He grabbed Mark’s back and gently placed some vials of Potions into it. His smile was grim, but there was fire in his eyes. “When you come back and we’re grown up, I’ll be a healer. I promise.”

Renjun’s gaze didn’t waver, and Mark was sure that that would happen. The Goddess would help the younger generation rebuild the world. She would not forsake those who were innocent.

The walk to the lake was one of mourning, a gathering of students forming two lines far apart. Mark and the rest of the mentors were situated at the back, walking alongside the young mentors. Johnny had forbidden any of the Higher Elites to be the ones to honor Doyoung’s body. Mark admired that bravery, and Johnny would grow to be one of the most intelligent.

Jaehyun held Doyoung’s body in his arms, covered from head to toe in the burial cloth with the Pegasus Clans symbol etched with gold. He looked as terrible as ever, dark bags and messy hair. Taeyong had a steady hand on his shoulder as they walked past the students who had lined their path to the end, each one with their heads bowed and a Baby Breath in their hands. Every time they passed by a pair of students, they’d be joined from behind until they reached the end.

Donghyuck held Mark’s hand firmly as Jaehyun set Doyoungs’ body inside the small boat. He took his time, pulling down the cloth to press a firm kiss on Doyoungs’ forehead before recovering his face. Johnny turned mournfully, but his voice was unshaking as he spoke the words of respect.

“Kim Doyoung was a healer, and would have become the best. He died while protecting others, as a healer should. He did not die in vain.” Johny turned to look at the Higher Elite who were isolated at the edge of the gathering. “His death shall not be in vain. He was claimed late into his teen years, yet he did not turn away from those closest to him that helped him along the way. The best among us, Doyoung was, and may he return to the Goddess's embrace and live within the warmth of her promised land.”

“May he be blessed be,'' came the chorus. Johnny turned and gave Taeyong a nod of his head. Taeyong bowed respectfully and uttered a spell, pulling the water towards the boat and letting it take it with them. The boat carrying Doyoungs’ boy was moved to the edge of the lake, nearing the opening that would bring it to the sea where hopefully, it would be claimed by the Goddess.

That wasn’t what happened though.

There was a collective gasp as smoke rose from the water, right where the lake met the sea. The smoke was a pastel pink and it grew as tall as the trees, swirling into itself until they formed a smoky figure of a woman from chest up. She was big enough to close off the opening to the sea, her long hair billowing behind her  and disappearing somewhere.

“By the Goddess,” Mark whispered as She opened her arms and enveloped the boat. Their view was blocked by the smoke as it covered the lake, billowing in cloudy puffs of pastel. When it dissipated, the boat was no longer seen.

There was a ripple of murmurs from the students and grown-ups alike, all baffled by the turn of events. When Mark glanced at Jaehyun, he was crying.

But he was smiling.

“Doyoung is with the Goddess now,” he said to no one in particular, but the others caught on. “He’ll be happy there.”

-

“I guess we’ll be on our way,” Mark stated, barely able to suppress the tears forming in his eyes. The mentors and Elites had gathered in front of the Heart of the Goddess to see them away. Their friends were there too, somberly waving.

Johnny nodded, giving him a thumbs up. Something told Mark that he would find a way to watch over them even though they would be far. Still, they needed the separation from society until change happened and they’d return to restart the new world. Who knew how long that would take, and perhaps by them they would have their own clan.

How many other lost children were out there with no beginning, placed in a realm where they were safest and hidden from the united realms? Jaemin was waving enthusiastically at Donghyuck, but the tear tracks on his cheeks were evident.

“Don’t forget to keep in touch, okay?” Taeyong called, an arm slung around Yutas’ shoulders. “We’ll be waiting for you”

“You better come back!” Yuta threatened, but there was no malice in his voice. He’d become a great warrior and perhaps relive the Hunters of the Goddess one day. There were so many possibilities on how the world would bend once they left, and perhaps when they came back, the world was one out of the fairytales he read.

Jaehyun nodded in acknowledgement, sending them a sad wave. He’s moved on, definitely and perhaps the loss would change him in a way mark couldn’t imagine. Jaehyun was a person of determination, and Mark wouldn’t be shocked if he found him in the Goddesses Blade for the sake of change. Still, there were so many futures he could think up.

They would find their way.

Donghyuck looked over at Mark, his eyes shining with anticipation. Their fingers intertwined, the way their fates were. Their Goddess was probably looking down at them, and who knew what else was in store as the two lost children travelled the realms. Maybe they’d piece together their past, or perhaps the past would remain hidden.

“Let’s go home,” Donghyuck smiled, his hair glistening under the dim lights of the tunnels. They turned around and bid their final farewell before they took off into the Heart of the Goddess, hand in hand with their future placed in the hands of the ones they left behind.

Something told Mark that their story wasn’t over yet, but that’s a tale for a different day.