The students step aside as if a gate had opened, leading straight to the center of the training hall. Sol's eyes glint with eagerness. A small, sharp smile tugs at his mouth as he strides towards Si-woo. Si-woo's pulse hammers.
Isn't he one of the strongest among the level twos? Why would Master Choi set me up against him? And his eyes... they're the same as Jung-ho's. Si-woo groans in pain, making for the center mat. I'm still sore from yesterday. I have to watch myself around him.
Master Choi, a short man with cropped orange hair, looked from one boy to the other, his face indifferent to the matchup.
"Today you will spar with someone of the same seniority as you, and since there's an odd number of greenies and seniors, I've picked these two to be examples for the first match, and afterwards I will make rounds evaluating each of your abilities." He pauses and stares straight at Si-woo. "Use this match to prove that your own body is enough. These sessions will build your body and prepare it for the utilization of serein; this will be the base you will need."
The students closed in a wide ring, enclosing the tension on the two students in the center. Si-woo faces Sol. All the eyes cause discord in Si-woo's breathing.
Sol's grin widens, feeding off of Si-woo's discomfort. His eyes narrow, studying his guard.
Master Choi raises his hand between them, "Begin!"
Sol strikes first, a fast, straight punch to the chest, like a mallet; it tears the air from Si-woo's lungs. Si-woo lurches back, gasping, eyes watering. A collective gasp went across the spectators.
Master Choi's face doesn't give any hint of significance.
Sol spoke in a hushed voice. "It was always going to end like this. I must truly be blessed to get the opportunity to teach a greenie."
Si-woo clenches his jaw, hunched over; his eyes glare at Sol through the pink curly strands of his hair. I know I can't win, but I think I can at least stay on my feet.
He watches Sol's muscles tighten before each blow. Sols face held the pride that said the fight was already over. Every fist and foot that landed replaced the healed bruises left from the day before, the terror of seeing the sprits teeth, the loss of his family, and Ha-yoon's terrified face weigh on his mind. I need to become stronger. I have to.
I've only just taught the class on combat, but Sol's jabs and side kicks are near perfect...Maybe I should expect nothing less from a kin of a royal guard. Master Choi continues to watch the fight. I've known from the start the gap between fae children and earthlings, and Si-woo just didn't grow up with the same traditions, standards, and training of our culture. When it comes to martial arts, the difference is brutal. Still, something about him has caught my eye early on, and if I'm not wrong, there are rumors he has already made use of serein. This boy might actually surprise everyone and flip Ondur on its head.
Maybe he'd been too hopeful.
Sol lunges again, fast and cocky, throwing another sharp roundhouse kick. Out of nowhere, Si-woo's hands shot up and clamped around Sol's ankle mid-air. Halting the connection to his head. A sharp gasp ripples through the room as Sol's balance vanished. For a split second, that smug little smirk on Sol's face flickers.
The whole room goes dead quiet.
"You little-!" Sol snarls, eyes wide with shock.
Si-woo doesn't think; he reacts. He yanked the trapped leg upward and back, hard. Sol stumbled, arms windmilling as he fought to stay on his feet, staggering backward across the mat.
Master Choi's eyes widen a bit, a flicker of surprise crossing his usually stone-cold face.
"Who would've thought the earthling would read Sol's moves that fast and flip the script on him. Guy's got some raw talent buried in there...seems the rumors weren't just spouting nonsense."
Sol's face burns red, pissed off at getting countered like that. He charges again, fists balled up tight, but Master Choi's voice cut through the hall like a whip.
"Enough!" Everything went quiet instantly.
The other students glance over at the instructor, planted at the edge of the mat. His face gave nothing away, but his tone was sharp.
"That's it for today. You all got a taste of what I'm looking for, go off and meditate, and for the rest of the class, group up with your partners."
Si-woo stares at his hands, feeling this weird buzz of energy pulsing under his skin. This rush, I've never felt this pumped, I feel in tune with myself, he thought, until a rough shoulder slams into him.
"You're done for, Earth boy. My father filled me in on your shitty little planet." Sol sneers as he brushes past, hard enough to knock Si-woo off balance. "Where's your father? Huh? Maybe if he were here, that wouldn't have had to happen to your mom or brother. They would still be alive."
The crowd parts quickly, letting Sol walk through.
Si-woo remains still as a deer in headlights after Sol's insult. I,I can't stand him. Did his dad tell him about my parents, too? My father died before I was born, but there's no way he could have known that. Hedusts himself off and heads back to his spot, avoiding everyone's eyes. The whispers picked up as training started again, that whole thing with Sol hanging in the air. He'd managed not to get ruined, but he couldn't help but feel like he just kicked a hornet's nest.
...
Later, in life sciences, Si-woo couldn't concentrate. Without noticing, he began chewing on his pencil relentlessly while the teacher, a skinny fae lady with a button nose and eyes that pierce right through you, continued about Ondurian plants and what each of them produced from photosynthesis.
His mind kept circling back to Sol.
Everything is the same, nothing changes, no matter where I am, he thought. Maybe it's my fault, maybe I'm the one who needs to change. But what's after that? More beatings and insults? Memories hit him hard: their old house on Earth, gone to dust after the quake, the lesser sprit, Ye-jun. It all blurs together like some bad dream encased in a worse one.
Ha-yoon's brain was buzzing from all the new things she'd learned. Hope Si-woo's holding up okay, she thought, scanning the crowded hallway for him. He's always looking out for me...but he's so quiet, even back before everything started going south.
She spots him through a cluster of kids, back turned. As she got closer, the snickers and low murmurs got louder, twisting her gut.
"What's going on?" a bystander whispers.
"It's the new kid from that Earth place," another answers, "He's causing trouble again."
"Shouldn't we help him? Like this isnt the first time this has happened,"
"And have to deal with the royal guard talking to my parents? No."
She hangs back for a second, not wanting to barge in, but the nasty words sliced through anyway.
"Whaddya say? Ready for a round two? Seems like you need some extra lessons." Sol's voice, all mock and venom, aimed straight at Si-woo. Ha-yoon's chest tightens seeing her brother's shoulders go rigid, his fingers digging into his backpack strap till his knuckles go white.
Sol's buddy, a fae with hair like glowing coals and eyes to match, steps arm in arm with Sol, smirking. "If you get on your knees and beg, we might let you off."
The motley crew of five burst with laughter.
The scene slams into Ha-yoon like a punch, bringing her back to forgotten memories of the school days on Earth: a pink-haired girl letting herself get bullied on the playground, the hallways, and so on. Not again. Not here, where we were supposed to get a fresh start.
Si-woo starts to bend, but is cut off when quick footsteps rush up. He turns, catching a flash of cream-colored hair whipping past him. "Ha-yoon..."
She doesn't stop. Her hand cracks across Sol's face before anyone could blink.
"Leave my brother alone," she snaps, voice wobbly but dead serious. Sol's hand shot to his cheek, eyes bugging out in shock. His crew froze, stepping back. The hallway went dead silent except for gasps and the sharp echo of the slap. Ha-yoon stands there, fists clenched, face flushed hot.
Sol drops his hand, the red mark already fading. "I was going to make my round to you eventually, but it lookslike you couldn't wait," he growls, low and dangerous.
The smoldering-haired boy swiftly swung his hand fast, smacking Ha-yoon to the floor. Ha-yoon's breath is knocked out of her. Discombobulated, she grips the white marble floor, attempting to gather her bearings.
Everything is hushed for a beat. Then it all comes crashing back: gasps, the hallway smells, the cold tile under her. She looks up at the guy, cheek throbbing, his smug grin making her blood boil.
"You little bitch," he spat. "Thought being the baby here lets you pull whatever?"
Time crawls for Si-woo. His head goes blank, the noise fading to a dull hum. Everything tunnels to the fae's face. Fear, rage, anxiety, all his emotions null into his sense of responsibility; everything else is irrelevant. He goes cold, completely numb.
Then instinct takes over. No thinking, no plan. One second Ha-yoons tearing up on the ground, and the next, his fist is flying straight for the fae's jaw. All the bullying from back on Earth, his Mom disappearing, every time someone pushes him around, it all is poured out in the punch.
*CRACK*
A loud, sickening crack sounds throughout the hallway. His jaw gave way like cheap plastic.
He drops, eyes huge, mouth open in his silent shock, then goes limp on the floor. The hallway goes dead quiet. Some start to retreat, but the majority stare, jaws dropped, in disbelief at what they've just witnessed.
Ha-yoon continues to lie on the ground wth her arms propping herself up.
"Si-woo..."
But Sol's buddies weren't done. The four of them swarm in fast, eyes rigid.
Sol snaps out of his daze, "You're dead for that," he growls, fist already up.
Ha-yoon scrambles to her knees, face pale, with a horrified look as they closed in.
Si-woo's heart beats out of his ears. The fists come from everywhere. He tries dodging, blocking, and swinging back. He tries to scrape together the remnants of Minho's and Ye-juns training, but there were too many.
Kicks to the ribs, punches to the side of the head. Every hit felt like it was cracking something inside Si-woo. Ha-yoon's voice cut through the noise, small and broken: "No... no, stop..." She's crying, begging, but it all blurs together.
I can't do anything but guard myself and Ha-yoon. Ugh, but what hurts the most...is hearing her cry. I have to...I have to stay up.
Si-woo hits the floor hard, staring up at the endless cosmos ceiling. They stood over him, laughing, calling him filth, trash, transvestite. Sol steps up last, the same nasty grin on his face. "Not even worth the serein in your veins," he says, lifting his foot, preparing to stomp his chest flat.
Si-woo braces himself. Ha-yoon...
A null noise rings in Si-woo's ears, the hallway explodes with kids rushing, footsteps pounding. The group freezes, looking around frantically. They mutter something, drag their knocked-out friend away, and scatter, leaving Si-woo on the cold marble floor, heart bursting through his chest.
Other students linger with pity in their eyes, seeming to want to help, but inevitably leave.
Ha-yoon crawls next to him, tears running down her face. "Si-woo? Can you hear me?" Her voice trembling.
He grabs her hand, trying to force a smile. Everything hurts. He pushes himself up with her help. Ha-yoon grabs Si-woo's backpack, which had fallen off during the ordeal, and carries it.
"Come on," she mutters. "We gotta go."
Si-woo glances at her face, her eyes a stark contrast to the clear diamonds they once held, now resembling a bed of broken glass. Once again, I couldn't do anything, just get beaten right in front of her...
They walk through the hallway, whispers following them. "You okay?" she asked, voice tiny.
"Yeah," he lies through gritted teeth. Pain shot everywhere with each step.
They slip through the halls until eventually arriving at the nurse's office. The light looks warm inside, safe.
Si-woo almost goes in... then stops. "I'll be fine," I told her. "Just... need a minute alone."
"But Si-woo..."
He pulls his hand away gently and keeps walking. Hurt too much to argue, he heads for the stairs to the roof. Each step felt as if nails were shot through his muscles whilst his lungs were burning, but he kept moving.
It hurts too much to see Ha-yoon's face right now. I need to be alone. The fight replays in my head, the punch, the fall, how close he was to blacking out. And the anger, the emotion, and how it felt coursing deep within him. It scared him a little, how easy it came.
Is someone following me? Si-woo halts listening. They're quick, very quick. When realization hit, panic struck hard. He speeds up, makes it to the roof door, left-hand on the handle.
Then she grabs his arm, in her other hand, she holds a SBD, with a click, she lifts him straight off the floor.
Nurse Lila. Face all full of concern, and a bit of anger. Without a word, she just pulls him back toward the nurse's room.
"I'll be okay," he tries protesting, mumbling, but she isn't having it. She pulls him right in. Door shut, the cool lavender air, the smell of antiseptic, welcomed him in. I was hoping she wouldn't have come, but maybe...this isn't so bad.
Si-woo recognizes the cream-colored cabinets everywhere, stocked with bandages and other apparatuses, and off behind a separating curtain, something of a heart monitor beeps slow and steady.
Nurse Lila didn't waste time; she steers Si-woo straight to one of the beds, her hands quick but careful, experience and wisdom shining through every gesture.
She starts with the bruises on his face, tilting his chin up a little. He winces, averting his eyes to the floor. I don't want to look at her. Everything hurts, deep.
"Why do you think we have a nurse's office here at the academy, Si-woo?" she asks, voice soft, not pushing, just... there.
She is met with silence. What does she want me say? My hands are still shaking a little, knuckles raw.
She sighs, not annoyed, just tired, like she knew exactly what was going through Si-woo's head.
"Life's hard on everyone," she says after a second. "But you know what makes it bearable?" She pauses, waiting, but Si-woo couldn't find words.
"Knowing you're not alone."
She kept working, cleaning a cut on his cheek, putting some kind of cool gel on the swelling. Her touch is gentle, steady. A warm sensation spreads throughout his body. "When we stand together, we're stronger. When we actually support each other... we can handle the worst of it."
Just like what my mom used to say. The proverb...sometimes I'd just repeat it without really thinking about its relevance.
She finishes up, steps back, and without saying anything, pulls the curtain next to them back just enough to peek.
There he was, the red-haired fae who hit Ha-yoon, lying asleep with patches along his jaw. She closes the curtain.
"You fractured his jaw, Si-woo."
Si-woo remains indifferent to the news, eyes pinned on the curtain.
"I know you're not to blame, but I'm afraid this could lead to more issues, especially when other students start to form opinions about humans." Lila takes a deep breath, retrieving Si-woo's backpack from the far side of the bed.
"Not only that, you used serein to do so."
"I didn't mean to," he says faintly.
"I know, sweetie. I know Minho's training you too, but if anything like this happens again, someone higher up might find out your utilization of it on young students, and that could truly be devastating for the two of you. Don't hesitate to come to me again. I don't want to hear it from other students or your sister, who's worried about you."
Realization hits Si-woo, "Oh my gosh, is Ha-"
"I already healed her and sent her to class," Nurse Lila interrupts, "No need to worry." She says, standing across from him, the wind from the open windows flailing strands of her emerald green messy bun.
"Listen," she starts, sitting down, "Not many know this, but Princess Deane has a diary, she had one for so long and through her life she's had it rough, but she would say the it felt as if the diary was a close friend of hers that would bring her places to roam freely in times she felt constrained. Maybe you should think about making one?
"Maybe," Si-woo replies, doubt etching his voice.
Nurse Lila's empathetic green eyes gaze at Si-woo through her big, crystal clear, round glasses. She lets him think in silence for a moment longer.
"One of Princess Deane's associates should be by here after hours, but I will report this, so something may be done."
Then she left, footsteps fading down the hall. The room is filled with the gentle outside breeze and rustling of the trees outside.
I've been trying to avoid as much attention as possible, but if something like this were to happen again... I can't guarantee it wouldn't be anyworse than this. "I have to get stronger," he whispers, for both of us." The words felt heavy, as if he said them a million times already. Mom, her soft voice, the way she used to talk when she thought I wasn't listening: "Be more Godlike, Si-woo. Show the world what you're really capable of, don't limit yourself." Her eyes always had this mix of hope and worry, like she knew how rough it could get.
Si-woo takes on a last look at his limbs, now renewed as if nothing ever happened, then leaves the nurse's office.
...
Behemoth studies, the one class the majority looked forward to. Everyone except Si-woo.
He sat on a cold stone bench way off to the side, watching the grassland stretch out southeast of the academy. Kids are everywhere, laughing, shouting, running around with their bonds. Black cubs slipping through shadows, infant griffins flashing gold in the sun, all these perfect pairs. Each one looked like they belonged together, as they'd always known.
It's all overseen by the teacher, Lady Ein, and her massive brown basilisk. She makes her rounds to students, her bright red pixie cut hair and dazzling auburn eyes, bringing a smile to each of their faces.
Si-woo watches. "Another day sitting here," he mutters under his breath, but it's kinda nice seeing everyone has a friend. And I mean it, genuinely. It hurts, but it's still nice.
Ein's voice cuts through the noise, clear and firm. "Today is the last day to choose your bond and initiate the blood palaver before this seasonal bond period is over. Remember, you're not just picking a beast. You're choosing a soulmate. A companion that'll help shape your whole destiny."
The words landed like a punch. Kids start moving faster, eyes bright, excited. They'd been studying, preparing for weeks, feeling out which creature clicks with them. And Si-woo remains the same, alone on the bench, staring at his creased grey shoes.
I feel the teacher's eyes on me. That look. The pity one. The one that says, "Poor kid, still no bond." Si-woo looks away, out toward the horizon where the sky turned purple.
Then, out of nowhere, something lands on Si-woo's head. Warm. Heavy. Alive.
He jumps a little, hand shooting up. Did a bird...or a leaf just hit my head? But his fingers brush against slick, soft, warm skin. He pulls it down.
A baby wyvern? A Pure white one at that, must be a rare breed. Si-woo takes a closer look. Four eyes, each smaller one diagonal from the regular ones, what type of wyvern has four eyes?
It's blue; golden rim, curious eyes stare back at him. It two sets of wings sit along its dorsal vertebrae, one set being underdeveloped. The wings remain tucked, tail curling a little as if it were deciding whether to stay.
Si-woo's heart slams against his ribs. "A wyvern," he breaths, voice shaking. "Don't they say... if a wyvern picks you... You're destined to be some kind of great, long-lasting warrior?"
It continues to stare, familiarity in its eyes, as if it's been waiting.
Is it here for me? Do I finally get to have a bond? Si-woo's thoughts are interrupted by a wandering four-legged bond, another comes, and another, even the Lady Hansel's massive basilisk begins to migrate over, then soon Si-woo realizes that the bonds of his classmates begin to gather, all staring up at the wyvern in his lap.
Slowly, one student after another began to take notice, pointing and whispering. Everyone who'd been laughing and showing off their new bonds stopped. Heads turn. Eyes locked on Si-woo and the little white wyvern that had taken its place back on Si-woo's head.
"What is that? Get back over here, Twinkle Toes!" someone hisses.
"No way, is that a wyvern? With an otherworlder?" Another kid pointed, mouth half-open.
They're all staring daggers at me. Did I do something wrong? Is this some sort of endangered animal I wasn't supposed to touch? His brain spins rapidly. I've read about wyverns in the library stacks, dusty old books nobody touched anymore. But this one's phenotypes stick out the most. Pure white, no speck of dirt, scales like fresh snow. Four wings, four eyes, bright blue with that thin gold ring around each pupil, catching the light like they were glowing from inside. It didn't look like any picture I'd seen. It feels... different. Special.
Lady Ein came over slowly; she's afraid it'd bolt if she moved too fast. All warm color seemed to seep out with every step taken; she gasps, hand slapping over her mouth. "That's...Impossible, No no no. This can't be right," she says, voice shaking. The whole class freezes. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Si-woo shivers, a cold sweat trickles down his spine as he hears her words. "What did I do? he pleads, "It came to me, I swear."
Lady Hansel takes a deep breath and rests her hand on Si-woo's shoulder, regaining her composure.
"I apologize honey, that was very unsightly of me. You've no need to worry. It's just that this breed is known to have gone extinct," she says as she sits down next to Si-woo, closely observing the wondrous creature.
"It's a Whiteblood," she whispers, her voice ghostly. " A once heavily feared breed, we'd thought they'd been gone for thousands of years. Extinct."
The murmurs explode after that. Gasps, whispers turn into low roars. Kids crowd in closer.
"EXTINCT? Are you saying I have a severely endangered animal propped on my head?" Si-woo exclaims, losing his breath.
Lady Ein lets out a light giggle, "You must not know of their history yet either, and due to that, I will briefly tell you of their history, but you should visit the public library sometime."
The wyvern remains indifferent to the attention, its two big eyes open, calm and curious.
Lady Ein stands up, voice dropping low but excited.
"Listen up and gather around, everyone. As some of you know, this is a Whiteblood wyvern... they were the first ancestors of every wyvern out there. Protectors of Yohen beside the Ancient Mu. This clearly is a sign. Just not sure if it's a good one yet."
"Didn't the Whitebloods kill so many of our people? Does that mean Si-woo's gonna end up just like them?" a Kid chimes in.
"Is it really possible?" another adds.
"Of course not!" She answers boldly, "Are they not both children? Are any of you defined by your parents' mistakes? No. So why would they be?
Lady Hasel answers the class's questions as her words hit Si-woo. My heart can't stop beating so loud, I swear everyone could hear it. He pulls the wyvern down onto his lap. Its scales shimmer as the twin suns dance across it. He stares into the Whiteblood's deep blue eyes.
Tracing one smooth scale right between its eyes, it leans into his hand and makes a tiny, soft chirp-humming noise. Feels like the first time someone actually wants to be near me.
He swallows, preparing the blood palaver ritual. "If you're picking me," he says under his breath, "you gotta be okay with this." he bites down hard on his thumb. Sharp pain and blood wells up fast.
He holds out his hand. "Look, He's doing it," a kid shouts. Each fae turns their attention to Si-woo, watching intently. The wyvern stares at the blood for a second... then, without hesitating, with its small claws, reverses a scale on its chest. A drop of red appears. It leans in, breath warm on my skin, and presses its wound to Si-woo's.
A spark jumped between the two. Sharp, electric. Ozone stung his nose. There's a heat rushing up my arm, into my chest, like someone poured warm light straight into my veins. I feel less empty, whole. Like I met my long-lost friend.
Lady Ein's eyes were shiny with tears. "It's a bond," she whispers. "Everyone in Ondur's going to soon know your name. You've made Minho work for his job this time."
"WhaT" Si-woo starts, but his words are swallowed by the field full of murmurs. Some in genuine awe, others jealous.
Then she snaps out of it. "Quick, Si-woo, give it a name! You have to name it now!"
The wyvern starts licking his thumb, gentle, careful. It stings at first, then... the pain melts away. Warmth spread, like the cut was already gone. He stares into the four gold-ringed eyes and knew. I'd thought about names for a while for my first bond, running through lists in my head, but none of them fit until right now.
"I've been thinking about this a long time, but looking at you... Only one feels right."
Si-woo takes a breath. "I'm calling you Z, since youre a boy."
The wyvern pauses, looks right at him, and a mutual feeling of understanding is established between the two.
Right then, the wind hit hard. Out of nowhere, trees start whipping, garments flapping, and kids grab at each other to stay steady. The gust got stronger, turning into a full-on gale.
Then, a roar, a deep haunting symphony that resonates with the very fabric of the world. It shakes the ground underneath their feet.
Somewhere beyond the border and hills, is that where the other Whitebloods are? Si-woo looks down at his thumb. The bite was already closed. Just a faint pink line left. Inside, I feel it, strong and clear. A tug in my chest pulling towards the roar.
Z flaps its wings. Small at first, then bigger, then lifts off, circling once, twice. Growing with every beat, wings stretching wide, scales flashing bright white against the sky, its sky blue eyes capturing the best of the suns like fire.
Everyone stares, including the bonds, some fae's mouth agape, and others stumble to the ground.
Si-woo watches Z disappear into the sky, a part of himself flying away with it. The constant weight in his shoulders eases a little. Since he's young, he must be going back to his mother, but this invisible feeling between us... It's strong, so strong it's almost like I can touch it. Unbreakable.
"Congratulations, Si-woo," Lady Ein says joyfully, taking her gaze away from the sky.
"This is truly an unheard-of, remarkable feat. You should feel proud."
Students look at Si-woo with disdain, envy, and respect.
"Now you will be able to call on your bond anytime during class, or anywhere. Just imagine the link between each other and tug on it."
Si-woo bows. "Thank you, Lady Ein, I will."
Students begin talking among themselves again. Knowing Z is out there somewhere, a part of me riding the wind… It's strangely comforting. Si-woo takes a deep breath. I can't wait to see him next class.
I'm actually gonna make the most of these next two days off from school, he sat back down on the bench, a small spark of determination flickering awake. As Lady Ein has said, there's too much I don't understand about Z, about this whole rare-bond thing. And I know exactly where I'm starting, straight to the public Ondurian library. Ha-yoon and I are going to have so much fun looking around Ondur, and I know she loves reading too.
The idea of spending a few quiet days surrounded by old books, dusty shelves, and having to worry about no one causing him problems made him smile.
…
They're different today, Minho mutters to himself as he launches another rubber ball their way.
Sharper. More in sync. They're starting to read each other in the middle of the chaos, almost like they're moving as one organism now. It should've been satisfying to watch. But when the siblings finally stagger off to the side, chests heaving, faces slick with sweat… they don't look victorious. They looked haunted.
Minho frowns. The air around them feels heavy, wrong. Their movements were fine in the early session, but slowly, something has corroded their mobility, creating dissension, as if they are trying to physically shake something awful from beneath their skin.Not to mention the ride here was quiet, too quiet, particularly considering Si-woo's new bond with a Whiteblood.
He walks over slowly. "Hey. What happened at the academy today?" No answer. The two pairs of eyes were downcast in a silence so thick it hurt.
Ha-yoon's fists were clenched so hard her knuckles had gone white. Si-woo was staring somewhere far away, gone to a distant floating land on the horizon.
Minho sighs. "Alright. That's enough for today." His voice came out firmer than he felt. "But-," Ha-yoon starts, voice rough from exhaustion.
"No." He cuts her off, softer this time. "Whatever's stifling you two, you need to deal with it first. You can't train properly when your mind's somewhere else."
Ha-yoon opens her mouth again, then closes it. She knew he was right. The anger and fear from earlier were still sitting in her chest like a fist, squeezing tighter every time she breathed. She just… nods. Shoulders dropped. Defeated.
Later, soaring on Lemmy's back, Si-woo stares up at the endless blue.
Minho's right, he thought quietly. After they stepped through the portal, he and Ha-yoon walked home under the moonlight in total silence.
Only when they reached the front door, warm light spilling out from inside, did Si-woo finally speak. A heavy, cracked sigh.
"I'm sorry, Ha-yoon. I wasn't strong enough. I couldn't stop them."
She looks up at him, eyes glistening wet in the dark. "It's not your fault," she whispers. "My Dad used to say… people like that are just scared. And stupid. They don't understand anything."
Si-woo swallows hard. "But I'm supposed to be the big brother. I'm supposed to protect you. And I didn't. I couldn't even-"
His voice breaks. Tears finally slip down Ha-yoon's face. She stares at her shoes. "But who protects you?" she asks so softly. "You're always trying to carry everything… but who's carrying you?"
Si-woo didn't have an answer. The question just sat there, heavy between them.
Then Ha-woon takes a shaky breath and lifts her head. Her eyes were suddenly fierce. "I want to get stronger, too." Her voice grew steadier with every word. "I want to protect you the same way you always try to protect me. I'm done letting people look down on us. I'm done."
Si-woo stares at her. I've never seen this look on her face before, pure, burning resolve. And in that second, something clicks inside him. They weren't just surviving anymore. They were choosing to fight.
He reaches out and grabs her hand, squeezing tight. "Then we'll do it together," he says, voice rough but certain.
"We train harder. We learn everything we can about this place, about serein, about all of it. We become the kind of protectors we both deserve."
...
The next day, away from the academy, the siblings wander into the heart of Ondur instead. Floating shops drift lazily overhead. Colors and smells wash over them, sweet exotic fruit, blooming dark flowers, warm bread, distant salt wind from the hovering islands. Eyes and whispers follow them as they walk hand in hand, not saying much, just breathing it all in.
Ha-yoon suddenly stops. Her eyes lit up. "Si-woo, wait." She digs into her backpack and pulls out a small pouch.
She grins, small, but real. "Look what I found."
Si-woo's eyes practically pop out of his head when Ha-yoon hauls out afat little pouch. "Whoa, what's that?"
"Minho slipped it to me yesterday before we left," she said, grinning as if she'd just won the lottery. "Said it's for us to treat ourselves." She gave the pouch a little shake, coins clinked together, sounding ridiculously satisfying.
The two of them had never really had "treat yourself" money. Not since the earthquake turned their old life into rubble. Spending on something just because it felt good? That was basically science fiction. But right now, staring at each other with identical mischievous looks, they both silently agreed: today was allowed to be a little ridiculous.
"Oof," A cloaked individual bumps into Ha-yoon, the pouch dropping from her hands.
"Hey, watch it," she says, picking up the pouch."
Si-woo stares at the individual. He's tall, a bit slim, and I can't see much of his face. He pulls Ha-yoon to his side.
"I'm so sorry, sir, my sis is a bit of a-"
"Where am I?"
Those ghostly words sent a shiver down his spine. He stares at the cloaked man, making out the eyes.
"He needs to watch where he's going," Ha-yoon says, skimming the area for lost change," and what do you mean 'where are you?'" she asks, trying to make out the man's face.
He reaches out to Si-woo, "I-uh-...where's Min-" upon touching Si-woo's shoulder, Are his eyes completely white? The air suddenly changes, and the man quickly turns his head to a nearby skyisland.
Ha-yoon smacks the man's hand away, stepping in front of Si-woo. "Get away from us, you weirdo!"
By now, people are beginning to gather around the small scene, murmurs accumulating.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I seem to have the wrong person," The man says before walking off.
Si-woo stares in distraught, not sure what to make of the encounter.
"Let's go, Si-woo, before there are any more interruptions."
"Yeah... let's go."
They follow their noses to the nearest pastry stall. The smell hit them like a warm hug, fresh dough, melted sugar, hints of spice they couldn't even name. The display case is insane: towers of glistening tarts, pastel swirls, things that looked half dessert, half magic spell.
Ha-yoon's jaw drops. "I want… one of everything," she announced to the vendor, dead serious.
The older woman behind the counter blinked, then glanced at the bulging pouch like she wasn't sure whether to laugh or call security.
Before Ha-yoon could start pointing at every single tray, Si-woo steps forward, fighting a smirk. "Nope. Just two Yoani cakes, please."
Ha-yoon whips her head toward him, betrayed. "Two?!"
The vendor let out a low, amused chuckle, her eyes crinkling. "Smart boy. Yoani cakes it is, it'll be fifteen sel."
Si-woo plucks the pouch from Ha-yoon's hands with exaggerated care.
"This much money is dangerous in your hands," he teases. "You'd bankrupt the floating islands in one afternoon."
Ha-yoon crosses her arms and pouts dramatically. "Those cakes better be life-changing, then."
Si-woo looks in the pouch. I remember reading that there are three types of coins here: jels, sels, and mels. One hundred copper colored mels is equal to one silver sel and so on. So why are there so many Jels in here? There's barely any mels, let alone sels.
The woman, plump, with hair the exact color of a clear Ondur afternoon sky, wrapped two perfect Yoani cakes in some kind of faintly glowing leaf that somehow trapped the smell until you opened it. She slides them across the counter with a wink.
"On the house," she says quietly. "Welcome to this side of the world, you two."
Mumbling about a dozen thank-yous, faces warm, they escape to a bench beneath the swaying branches of an enormous, lazy tree. The city hums around them, music drifting from somewhere, vendors calling, the soft whoosh of floating carts overhead.
Ha-yoon takes the first bite and immediately makes the most ridiculous, blissful noise. "Oh my goodness! These are stupid good."
Si-woo watches her melt for a second before taking his own bite. Rich cream, bright tart berries, a whisper of something floral he couldn't place. Yeah. Worth it.
He licks a smear of cream off his thumb. "Library after this?"
"Mmhmm," Ha-yoon mumbles around another mouthful, eyes still closed like she was having a sacred experience.
In the distance, Si-woo notices a group of four young fae approaching, bringing a cloud of laughter.
"Hey, it's them, look, it's them," a blond, hazel-eyed female fae expresses, coming toward them.
"Oh, it is them!" Another adds.
Ha-yoon remains focused on her Yoani cake, lost to the outside world.
Si-woo sighs. They look at least five years older than me,but they're the first ones to approach us today. He'd thought the fae might avoid them entirely-but instead, they'd come straight over.
"Hey there," the blond fae says with a heart-warming smile. "I'm Stess, and these are my friends."
"Hello," the fae say collectively, their beautiful features tinted in every shade of spring.
"My, they're so cuuuute," a fae with indigo eyes matching her hair says, closing in on Ha-yoon's Yoani cake.
"Ooooo, can I have so-"
Ha-yoon immediately smacks her hand away, side-eyeing her to death.
"Who are these people, Si-woo?" Ha-yoon asks, agitation creeping into her voice.
The group laughs, Si-woo included.
"One thing she doesn't joke about is her food," Si-woo warns.
"My name is Si-woo, and this is my sister Ha-yoon. Nice to meet you."
Ha-yoon keeps her blank stare, clearly waiting for an answer.
A fae with sand-colored eyes and grape-hued hair steps forward. "I heard what happened to your world, and I'm so sorry-OW!"
Stess punches him. "We're not here to talk about that." She glares before turning back to Si-woo. "Drui is insensitive at times, but he's a good person. And so is Dolly, even if she's a bit of a glutton."
Si-woo glances at Dolly, who's rubbing the back of her left hand, where Ha-yoon smacked her.
"It's fine," Si-woo says. "Do you guys go to the intermediate academy then?"
"Yep! We're fifth-echelon seniors, all except Remedy." She gestures to the final fae, her long hair flowing like a crystal-clear river, eyes as blue as sapphire. Remedy gives a small wave.
"She's a bit reclusive," Stess adds, pulling her into a tight hug. "Our shut-in."
"Are you going to finish that?" Dolly asks, eyes glazed as she stares at Si-woo's cake.
Si-woo smiles. "Go ah-"
In a blink, Ha-yoon snatches his half-eaten Yoani cake and retreats into her own world.
Absolutely dumbfounded, Dolly stares as Ha-yoon indifferently enjoys every bite.
Drui immediately collapses into laughter, falling to the ground. Onlookers pass by, rubbernecking the scene.
"They're going to be good friends later on," Remedy mumbles. "I can already see it."
"I think so too," Stess says. "I was hoping meet you two and see the whiteblood wyvern people have been talking about, but it seems I've brought nothing but trouble here...So, how about I give you my print?"
Theyre not afraid of whitebloods, but interested? and this is my first print, Si-woo realizes. They just need to place their thumb on the Cheg, right?
He pulls the device from his pocket.
Remedy and Stess press their thumbs to it. A faint glow confirms the process before Stess grabs Dolly's thumb, then Drui's, pressing them down as well.
"Alright, let's leave them alone," Stess says. "We've got things to do today."
She drags Dolly, still staring at Ha-yoon, and Drui, who can't stop laughing, away.
"Contact us anytime you want or need something! Nice meeting you two!" Stess calls back.
Si-woo giggles as he slips the Cheg into his pocket. "Those were some strange people, huh?"
"Strange isn't even the beginning," Ha-yoon replies. "Especially that girl, Dolly."
...
Through the Cheg device, they find the Ondurian library. Through the grand brown doors, the ceiling soars so high it is as if the sky had moved indoors. Books float in lazy rows, turning slowly as if they were breathing. The whole place smelled like old paper and ink.
Ha-yoon stops dead in the entrance. "Holy crap. This is… insane."
"Yeah," Si-woo says softly, already scanning the endless shelves.
"We could live here and still die before we've read it all. But we gotta start somewhere."
They split up without really discussing it. Ha-yoon drifts toward the serein history shelves like a moth to flame, while Si-woo heads for the bestiary section, hunting for anything on whiteblood wyverns.
He wandered for a while, feeling smaller with every step. There are too many books. I'm gonna die of old age before I find the right one.
A light tap on his shoulder makes him jump.
He turns to find Mai standing there, smiling like sunshine breaking through clouds.
"Didn't expect to see you in the wild," she said, laughing quietly.
Si-woo rubs the back of his neck, sheepish. "Yeah… I'm kinda lost. Again."
Mai's laugh is soft and warm, the kind that makes the quiet library feel less intimidating. "You're consistent, I'll give you that."
He felt his face heat up a little. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She tilted her head, eyes sparkling. "You always look like you're searching for something. So what are you hunting for today?"
"Anything on whiteblood wyverns," he admits. "There's… just so much, I don't even know where to begin."
Mai smiles in delight, "Oh, I should've known, congratulations on the bond by the way." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, mechanical trinket with small brown gears that rotated around a stone.
"The librarian gives these to people who get swallowed by the shelves. It's called a Calcryst. Tell it what you're looking for, and it'll guide you."
She holds it out to him with a grin. "Go on. Try it."
She slips the smooth little device into his palm, her fingers brushing his for just a second longer than they needed to. Si-woo feels the warmth of it immediately, as the gears turn, a small vibration courses through the outer protective rings.
"Hold it tight," Mai says, voice soft but clear. "Picture exactly what you want, the title or category, how many books, whatever, and just… call it out loud."
Si-woo curls his fingers around the object and takes a slow breath. The library noise fades to a distant hum. "Whiteblood wyvern," he whispers.
"Just one book."
The device buzzes gently against his skin, a tiny heartbeat. Then "whoosh," a single volume drifted down from somewhere high above, settling right in front of him as if it had been waiting for permission. The cover is dark leather that caught the light like polished dragon scales, gold letters spelling out Chronicles of Beastiary.
Mai leans in close enough that he catches the faint citrusy scent of whatever shampoo she used. "Ooh, that one looks promising," she says, her deep blue eyes bright.
"And the author is none other than..." She turns the book to look at the spine, "Coraline, an associate of the knowledge familia, she's known for her series of books surrounding history."
"Oh, then this must be good, then, but what do I do when I want to read a different book?"
"That's not a problem, the person in charge of the system is extremely skilled and smart, you won't get spammed with duplicates unless you really need to reread something."
Si-woo stares at the cover of the book, amazed by the technology.
"Thanks, Mai. Seriously."
She gives him a quick, sunny smile, cheeks going a little pink. "Anytime. I'll leave you to it, see you at the academy, okay?"
She waves once and melts back into the rows of floating shelves. Si-woo watches her disappear, a weird flutter in his chest he didn't quite know what to do with.
She's so nice...wait, does Ha-yoon know- just as he sits, he views Ha-yoon reading in the far left of the common area next to a window, the Calcryst on her table. I guess shes more adapted to this than I am. He sits at the nearest table by a tall arched window and cracks the book open.
The pages smell of old rain. The text is in flowing Hoken, but the symbols clicked into meaning almost instantly, the way they'd started doing in class. He read the opening lines under his breath.
"The whiteblood, wyvern so rare it lives mostly in children's bedtime stories. Said to carry a serenity deep enough to clean the very air. Their breath… a violet blaze that could begin the end worlds if they chose. Alongside the Ancient Mu, they were named guardians of the balance of Yohen."
He turns pages slowly. Gorgeous illustrations showed them in flight—massive wings edged in silver, eyes like liquid moonlight. Proud. Wise. Loyal to the bone.
Then the tone shifts.
"The Nebulose Eclipse," he murmurs, " A habitual environmental migration for the Whiteblood Wyverns, but during The Great Mu War, a whole month of darkness occurred, suns gone, cold that bit straight to the marrow. The wyverns… changed. Their purifying breath formed into a weapon for frightened people. Suspicion spread fast. Reverence flipped to fear, and the whitebloods began to decimate the lands,"
"They were hunted," he read quietly, stomach twisting. "Driven from the skies by the same souls they'd sworn to shield. Extinction followed. Most believe they're gone now, legends, nothing more."
Si-woo's pulse thumped in his ears. He was holding proof that at least one had survived. And it had chosen him. The weight of that landed harder than he expected. Not just a cool bondmate. A last-of-its-kind survivor. A creature that had betrayed the world it swore to protect.
He keeps reading, lost in the tragedy of it. The wyverns weren't pets or servants. They didn't bow. They partnered, only with Mu who'd earned it through respect, through trust. Si-woo felt an unexpected pang of recognition. He knew what it was like to be the outsider everyone whispered about, the one who didn't quite fit.
Hours slipped away. His neck ached, his eyes burned a little, but he couldn't stop.
"Si-woo!"
Ha-yoon's voice cut through the haze. She was standing a few tables away, arms full of books, looking equal parts amused and impatient.
"You planning to live here now?"
He blinked hard, reality rushing back. "Uh… yeah, time got weird." He rubbed his face.
"What'd you find?"
"Serein stuff. Way more than I expected." She hefted the stack proudly.
"But my brain's full. Let's get out before the sun drops; we still haven't seen half the city."
"Yeah, good call." He closes the book gently, almost reluctantly, he pulls the Calcryst.
"Return book,"
The tome lifted off the table, zipped upward in a perfect arc, and slid back into its spot high on the shelf without a sound.
Ha-yoon starts putting the books in her bag. "Guess what, the librarian said there's no need to make a card, we can just grab what we can carry and go."
"Si-woo stared at the now-dim Calcrystal in his hand. "This place is unreal," he said, half laughing. "I'm never getting over how smooth everything works here."
He leaves the device on the table, stands up, stretches until his spine pops, and falls into step beside his sister as they head for the towering doors. The library's hush follows them out, while the excited buzz in his chest stays.
As they step out of the library, Si-woo feels the city hit him all at once. Ondur is alive, floating lanterns drift overhead, their soft glow reflecting off the glass windows of the local shops. He and Ha-yoon walk hand in hand, heads swiveling at every new thing: a vendor juggling glowing orbs, a group of kids chasing a tiny afloat creature that looked half-dragon, half-puppy.
Music flows from somewhere, horns, strings, and a beautiful voice, with the sound of wind chimes. Street performers are out in force: a troupe of acrobats flipping and twisting mid-air, their light robes flashing under the lanterns.
"Look!" Ha-yoon grabs his sleeve, pointing. "They're like those circus guys back home, but… way cooler."
Si-woo watches them spin and land without a sound. "Yeah," he murmurs, still half-lost in thoughts of wyverns and ancient betrayals. "Way cooler."
They wandered on, laughing at a person who was "trapped" in an invisible box, upside down, bouncing from left to right, pretending to be trapped until they turned down a narrow alley that dead-ended at a brick wall.
"HUHHH, Seriously?" Ha-yoon groans. "Where even are we?"
Before he could answer, a shadow peeled off the wall. Minho stood there, grinning like he'd caught them stealing cookies.
"Lost already?" he says, not waiting for a reply. He grabs both their arms and started pulling. "Come on, I've got something better than getting turned around."
They barely had time to protest before he was dragging them through the crowds. The next thing they knew, Lemmy was swooping down, wings wide, and they were airborne.
"Eiiiiiiii," Ha-yoon clings to her with a half-scream, half-yell, while Si-woo couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous it all felt.
They touch down on a wide stone platform in the royal palace training grounds. The suns hang high in the sky, with few clouds among the skylands. Minho let go of them, still grinning, but his eyes were sharp.
"What the heck, Minho?" Ha-yoon snaps, brushing her hair out of her face.
"You can't just kidnap us!"
"Training," he said simply.
"Danger prowls around like a beast, always searching for its next victim. It's best to be ready for anything, anytime."
Ha-yoon opened her mouth to argue, but Minho just chuckled and tossed them each a rubber ball, the same kind from yesterday.
"Ready?"
Si-woo caught his, already feeling the familiar weight. Ha-yoon glares, but she caught hers, too.
The balls come in fast, Minho starts throwing, hard, fast, no warning.
Si-woo instinctively separates from Ha-yoon. He's using serein to heat the balls again, all I can do is dodge and weave. Deflecting is practically impossible, and most of these are impossible to avoid completely, but I think the trick is knocking them aside with the other balls so I don't get scorched.
The air fills with the sharp smell of burning rubber. Si-woo's focus narrowed to the next throw, the next angle. His body moves before his brain catches up. Duck, twist, smack the ball away with his forearm. He could feel the rhythm settling in, the panic fading into something sharper.
Ha-yoon is still scrambling at first, mumbling under her breath as she misses one and it singes her sleeve. But she kept going, eyes narrowing, starting to read the arcs.
Minho watches them, nodding once. Then he ramps it up, faster throws, more at once. The balls bounced off the stone, leaving smoky trails. Sweat drips into Si-woo's eyes, his arms burn, but every successful deflection feels like a small victory.
Ha-yoon finally got one clean, caught it mid-air, and flung it back at Minho. He sidestepped with a laugh.
"There she is."
The suns sank lower, shadows stretching long across the lawn. They were both gasping now, muscles screaming, but neither stopped. Every dodge, every block chipped away at the fear and grief that had been weighing them down since they got here. Up here, with the wind in their faces and Minho pushing them harder than they thought they could go, it felt like they were finally starting to fight back.
Si-woo glances at his sister mid-dodge. She met his eyes, cheeks flushed, a tiny grin breaking through. They weren't just surviving anymore.
They were getting stronger.
"Alright, that's enough," Minho calls, lowering his arm. The rubber balls in his hand stopped glowing, cooling back to plain old bouncy junk. He looks at them with his heart, a mix of a proud grin and a worried frown forms on his face.
"Good job, you two."
Si-woo and Ha-yoon are doubled over, hands on knees, sucking in air like they'd run a marathon. Sweat drips off their noses, shirts stuck to their backs, hearts still slamming against their ribs. They catch each other's eye and crack a tired, goofy smile. Whatever wall had been between them before? Gone. Smashed.
"Training's done for today," Minho says, voice echoing off the empty palace grounds.
"But remember, we're just getting started."
Si-woo straightens up first, wiping his face with his sleeve. "We're not done, though, right?"
Ha-yoon shoots him a look. Are you actually insane? But Minho just chuckles, eyes sparkling.
These kids are progressing fast...way too fast.Were all humans like this? How are they endangered?At this rate, they're gonna turn into absolute monsters. Minhoshakes his head.
"Oh, you're nowhere near done. But tomorrow morning, at the royal palace, there will be an announcement. Be there."
"Announcement?" Ha-yoon echoed, eyebrows shooting up. "Like… mandatory?"
Minho nods once. "The whole land of Ondur will be there around a little earlier than noon. Important news will be conveyed."
Si-woo's stomach did a little flip. An assembly? at the palace? His brain was already spinning questions, but he knew pushing Minho for details was pointless, since he would have already told them if he wanted to.
"We'll be there," he says instead,
"I'm curious about something, Minho," Ha-yoon begins, grabbing her backpack. "I've read some fae don't need sleep. Is it because of their serein mastery?"
"Do you sleep?" Si-woo intrudes.
"No, no i dont." Minho explains, "As us fae are naturally eternal beings, we don't need much to survive due to our biological autonomy, but that in itself isn't sufficient enough to compensate for the amount of expanse energy produced by our high metabolism, unless you've cultivated your meridian tree to a mature degree."
A pity looks forms on Ha-yoons face, "I can't imagine a life with no sleep."
Si-woo stares toward the horizon, "I can. With how much you move every night, I'm practically a vampire,"
"Not true, I don't move that much! I sleep like a princess,"
"But snore like a beast," Si-woo adds, eyes still toward the horizon.
Ha-yoon runs up and drop kicks Si-woo from behind, engaging in a fight.
Minho laughs out loud, his voice diminishing the fire between the two. "It's going to be a long journey for you two, isn't it? Though referring back to your previous inquiry, even masters of serein may still choose to sleep, but I find no value in it anymore to the point that if I were to sleep, something is terribly wrong...Now, let's get you home."
He raises his arms, and Lemmy swoops in, dark scales catching the last of the sunset like oil on water. They climb on, Ha-yoon still grumbling about the way she sleeps and surprise kidnappings, and seconds later, they are gliding back through the portal, wind whipping past.
...
Back in their little house, they took turns showering. Hot water felt like heaven, rinsing off the sweat, the rubber smell, the weird tension of the day. They scarfed down bread and cheese, nothing fancy, just enough to stop the stomach growling. Neither of them was super hungry; too wired.
Ha-yoon disappears into their room first, flopping onto her bed and staring at the ceiling. All those passages in the serein books were still buzzing in her head, skills, power, history she never even knew existed. She traced cracks in the plaster with her eyes, mind racing.
Si-yoo couldn't sleep either. He lay there in the dark, replaying the wyvern information, Minho's words, everything. Eventually, his eyes drift shut…
In a wide field of tall grass, Si-woo gazes at his surroundings, the wind making it ripple like water. A man stood a little ways off, with long dark hair, face frustratingly blurry no matter how hard Si-woo squints. The man's voice came low, almost gentle, but the most notable aspect of this man was his missing left arm.
"Ever think about the most valuable part of living?"
Si-woo couldn't move, couldn't answer. The silence stretches, heavy.
"Death," the man says. "It's the only step that really matters. The conclusion of the fickleness of one's life."
Si-woo's chest tightens.
The figure takes a step closer. "What if you saw it coming? Watched everything you built burn away, like it never even happened. What would you do?"
The fog around the man thins for a second, sharp eyes, something familiar, but then it closes back in.
"If you knew how it ends," the voice drops softer, urgent, "would you still chase your meaningless goals as if they hold a light to the vast scale of time? Still hold on to hope when it's constantly slipping through your fingers?"
Si-woo tried to reach out. The man dissolves into mist, reappearing farther away.
"Time to wake up, Si-woo."
"Wake up!"
He jolts upright, gasping. The room is skylit. Ha-yoon was standing over him, face pale in the faint morning light coming through the window.
"What's wrong?" he croaked, throat dry.
"Let's get ready," she says, voice low and serious.
"Remember the assembly we gotta go to?"
The dream clings to him like damp clothes, but her words snap him awake. He nods, swings his legs out of bed.
...
They step through the portal and make it to the westerngate entrance. The Palace spires glitter in the early sun. Fae everywhere, some stare with open disgust, some curiosity, a few even nod in acknowledgment of them. Ha-yoon squeezes Si-woo's hand tighter, chin up. Pride flickering in her chest; they were walking in together, side by side.
Tall banners snapped above the stone plaza - every flagstone held a body - voices rose in a restless surf. On the raised stage at the far end, officials of the high court stood shoulder to shoulder in their different tinted robes. Their long ears, sharp, delicate, pale, catch the sun like polished glass. Static hums over the square, a charge born of hushed rumors and sudden stillness.
They ease past a cluster of merchants, both gazes sweeping the sea of strangers. Ha-yoon had never seen this many fae and animals in one spot. Wings, tails, glowing skin, every color of hair, it was overwhelming in the best way. The murmurs grew louder the closer they got to the front, a rolling wave of what's this about? and did you hear…?
They found a spot near enough to see the podium clearly. Ha-yoon leaned in close to Si-woo.
"Whatever this is," she mutters, "feels big."
He nods, dream still echoing in the back of his head.
"Yeah, and I think it's about the migration."
Si-woo tugs at Ha-yoon's hand, nodding toward the podium. "Look," he whispers.
"Those have gotta be the heads of the royal families."
Ha-yoon follows his eyes, breath catching. They stand in a perfect line, every single one of them radiating this quiet, scary kind of power. The first woman, in a beautiful prasine robe, had short green hair curling at her neck, skin so pale it almost shimmered in the morning light. Her eyes are an intense green, as if they could stare straight through you.
"That's Lady Somin," Ha-yoon murmurs. "Agriculture family, right?"
Next to her in a tangerine-tinted robe, a guy with silver hair that looked like moonlight, deep tan skin, piercing blue eyes. He stands like he owns the ground under him.
"Lord Haneul," Si-woo said under his breath. "Economy. Minho talked about him once."
They edge a bit closer, weaving through the crowd. Then they spotted Lady Luna in her light blue attire, long black hair flowing like ink down her back, eyes like starlight caught in a bottle. She looked like she'd stepped out of the night sky itself. Market and sales family. Elegant didn't even cover it.
And there, Minho is not in his usual maroon robe, but in one as pure white as snow. Long black hair, midnight-blue eyes, standing tall right beside them. He caught their eyes across the square and gave this tiny, quick nod. Just that small thing made Si-woo's chest puff up a little. Ha-yoon squeezed his hand harder, grinning.
Right next to Minho is Princess Deane in the same robe as Minho, truly stunning, with a grace befitting of the next future queen of Ondur. Light blue eyes with little green spots, her beautiful sea green gemstone earrings hanging from her sharp ears. Knowledge family head. The way she stood there, calm and bright, made the whole square feel a bit less overwhelming.
The chairs behind the leaders were empty, like they were saving spots for someone big. Or maybe just waiting.
The whispers and cheers are getting louder, buzzing like bees, then wings. Heavy, rhythmic beating cut through the noise. Everyone looked up.
A whole swarm of masters on wyverns poured out from the palace roof, scales flashing gold, red, silver in the sun. Perfect V formation, wings slicing the air like they were dancing. At the tip, riding the biggest one, were King Morey and Queen Elara.
Queen Elara's white hair whips in the wind like a banner. Upon landing, King Morey's deep blue eyes sweep the crowd, steady, taking in every face. The square explodes, cheers, whistles, people shouting his name, a continuous heavy wave.
King Morey raised one hand. The noise dropped fast.
"Citizens of Ondur," his voice booms, deep and clear, carrying without shouting.
"We stand here today for something significant."
He pauses, letting it sink in.
"You've all felt it, heard of it, the conjunction singularity, the tear in our realm. The disturbance. We've been working around the clock to understand it, to contain it."
Murmurs ripple, but he kept going.
"We all know the rift connects us to another world, one once called Earth. We've scouted the other side," the king continues. "The land's been torn apart, calamities, shifts, almost all inhabitants of the land have gone extinct. Though we've surveyed it. Rebuilt parts. And we found something valuable."
He smiles, just a little.
"Orichalcum, a new breathtaking metal, and other resources that will advance Ondur's economy into a new age."
Cheers erupted again. People yelling "We love you, King Morey!" and clapping like crazy.
Ha-yoon leans into Si-woo. "Well, it's not like we can do anything either, Earth would probably go to waste if no one else but us were there. "
Si-woo could only nod, throat tight.
The king went on. "When traveling through the land, Earth is in ruins. However, we've made progress lately. A consensus has been reached."
Some faces lit up with hope. Others stayed skeptical, arms crossed.
"The headmasters of the royal families and I have decided: an immigration poll. If procedures commence without errors, in about eighty days… we migrate. Each of you, same homes, new homes, whatever fits. Of course, many of you will not be willing to depart, and that's acceptable, after all, Ondur extends. Earth mends."
The square goes wild, some cheering, some whispering furiously. Eyes start sliding toward Si-woo and Ha-yoon. Pointing. Some stares that weren't friendly. Whispers about "Earthlings" and "bringing ruin."
A gruff voice cuts through. "Your Highness! What guarantee do we have that these outsiders won't drag their disasters here?"
Ha-yoon's stomach drops. Felt like a punch.
King Morey didn't flinch. "We've taken precautions. Our seers have examined their intentions, pure. We've concluded that the human race in no way correlates to the devastation of the conjunction singularity. And they share bonds with our Ancient Mu. We trust that."
Some nodded slowly. Others still looked doubtful, muttering to neighbors.
Si-woo felt the weight of every stare. Ha-yoon gripped his hand so hard it hurt.
But under the fear, something else flickered, excitement. There's hope. If this is real…maybe they will accept us…He squeezes back. Whatever comes next, we're in it together.
King Morey's voice rolls out again, steady and warm, cutting through the lingering buzz.
"Ondur's future is promising," he says, faith illuminating his eyes with every word.
"Though isn't our role as adults to construct and ensure our youths' future is even brighter? The land of Earth possesses resources we can utilize, resources that'll create a more substantial environment for our young ones. And by welcoming its survivors, we will convey the true nature of fae. Share our history, traditions, and aid just as they've done for us. Through this integration, new revolutionary concepts will arise, unique ways of thinking. Innovation we've never had before."
The square goes quiet for a beat. Everyone is digesting, contemplating the king's speech. Then the nods start, slow at first, then spreading like ripples in a pond. Ha-yoon feels this little spark in her chest. Hope. Real hope. Maybe this could actually work.
The king's tone softened, but it still carried.
"I get the worries," he says, looking out over all the faces.
"I really do. But we've taken every step we can to make this smooth. Our seers have looked ahead; only everlasting prosperity is on our path. A world where our children grow up without fear, without unforeseen calamity. Free."
Murmurs picked up again, some excited, some still grumbling. Ha-yoon leaned close to Si-woo.
"You think they'll actually accept us?" she whispers.
He squeezed her hand back, firm.
"We've gotta believe in ourselves," he says quietly.
"We're here for a reason."
"Our tech, unique advancements, will provide our people, our little ones, better security," the king goes on. He lifted his hand; a dagger caught the light, crystals embedded in the hilt flashing like tiny stars. "We've made a blood pact with the sprits. They obtain a sanctum in our lands. In return, they keep the peace. No harm, no chaos brought to Ondur."
A wave of reactions hit, gasps, some cheers, a few angry mutters. The sprits? The ones everyone used to fear? Now allies? Ha-yoon's eyes went wide.
"That's… insane," she breathed to Si-woo.
"In a good way."
He nods, still staring up at the podium. "Yeah, it's going to be interesting."
The king glances around, reading the crowd's energy.
"The family headmasters are to stay and answer questions," he says.
"Please talk to them. Request what is needed."
He and Queen Elara step back, and respectful applause follows them out. Si-woo's eyes stayed glued to their retreating figures.
"I know," he murmurs. "This is massive. But not everyone's gonna be happy about it."
They start weaving through the crowd of questions and raised hands.
*Sniff* Hold on, Ha-yoon scours their surroundings *Sniff Sniff*
The air smells sweet, sugared fruits? Mmmm...yeah, and what's that... fresh-baked stuff wafting from nearby stands? Ha-yoon's stomach growls loud enough for both of them to hear.
"You're starving," Si-woo said, already digging coins out of his pocket.
"Here. Grab something. I'm heading to the library."
"Library?" Ha-yoon's eyebrows shot up. "For the pre-mid-term placement test?"
"Yeah," he says, nodding. "Gotta get ahead. Time's short."
He gave her a quick half-smile and melted into the crowd before she could argue.
Ha-yoon stands there a second, breathing in the mix of flower scents and roasting meat. She wanders to the nearest food stand. The vendor, a cheerful fae with a pointed nose and bright emerald eyes, grins and holds out a skewer of sugared berries.
"Sample?" he asks.
"Don't mind if I do." She takes one. The flavor explodes, sweet, tangy, perfect.
"Mmm. Okay, yeah. One more… then I'll go study too. Definitely."
She smiles despite everything.
I don't know if Ha-yoon has noticed, Si-woo pushes through the streets toward the library, dodging students left and right, but I'm pretty sure Minho's sent soldiers to protect us every time we enter Ondur. I've been able to sense them a little since I've started meditation. Laughter and chatter bounce around him, but his head is full of test panic, pages of stuff he still needs to cram. He kept his eyes forward, steps quick.
Then, bam. He walks straight into an oncoming wall of bodies.
Three older fae kids, around the fourth echelon, loom over him. The one in the middle has spiky brown hair gelled to perfection with sharp eyes to match, smirking as if he owned the street.
"Watch it, greenie," he sneered.
Si-woo's jaw tightens. He takes a small step back, face pink from embarrassment.
"Sorry," he mutters.
The lackey on his left laughs. "Lucky you ran into us, fourth echelon seniors. We'll let it slide… if you beg. On your knees, filthy otherworlder."
They crack up. Si-woo feels the heat crawl up his neck.
"There are three of you," he says, voice low, "and even with six eyes, you're blind to the obvious."
Laughter cut off like someone flipped a switch.
The spiky-haired one snarled. "You want me to break your leg?"
The middle guy steps closer, towering. "Say one more word without permission. I dare you. Now beg."
Si-woo's pulse hammers. Anger boils in his chest, then a heavy thud. The middle guy yelps, doubling over.
Si-woo blinks. A blur of silver and white lands between them, Mai. She hit the ground light as a cat, eyes blazing.
"Leave him alone," she says. Voice ice-cold.
The other two froze. Spiky-hair stammers, "Wh-what th-"
Mai didn't wait. She grabbed Si-woo's hand, grip tight, almost bruising, and yanked him away. She didn't slow down until they rounded a corner and ducked into the shadow of an old stone building. Moss climbed the walls; the place looked half-forgotten.
She finally let go, breathing hard, still glaring back the way they came.
"You okay? I know you don't like others getting involved, but it really looked like you needed help," she asks, turning to him. Her eyes softened a fraction.
Si-woo nods, rubbing his wrist. "It's whatever, that… did escalate fast."
Mai huffs a short laugh, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Jerks like that think their echelon means they can do whatever. Next time, don't talk back. Just walk away."
She gave him a quick once-over, checking for damage.
"Come on," she says. "Library's this way. You're not going alone after that."