Mixed Blood

50: Greener Pastures

Immediately after class dismissal, all thirteen rushed back to the palace, knowing that the Mystics will be there anytime soon. Of course, Mingyu was dying to know exactly what his power could be. Finally, after minutes of agony, the royal limousine entered the royal premises.

"Where's father?" Seungcheol asked as soon as he stepped inside the palace.

"He had some official business to do," the palace helper answered. "A group of people arrived in the palace earlier. From what I heard they were from the Kingdom of Hallyu. They were asking your father about some magical artifact that was entrusted to this kingdom that they needed. Your father seemed to know since he personally escorted the guests himself together with the Mystics."

"Really? They needed that artifact? What could possibly have gone wrong in the Kingdom of Hallyu," Seungcheol muttered.

"What is it, hyung?" Chan asked.

"Decades ago, during the second magic convention organized by the HallyuKingdom, a total of nine dignitaries were present," Seungcheol narrated. "During theconvention, the secondrulers of Hallyu back then entrusted each ofthe attendees an important magical artifact to guard."

"What is this artifact?" Chan questioned.

"Only father knows. He was the one who attended during the second magic convention," Jun answered. "It is said that when the time comes that Hallyu will be in great danger, someone will be sent in and recover the artifacts back to Hallyu. As to what the effects of the artifact are or what great danger it is or who will be sent in, I don't know. It's all father told us back then."

"Of course, as part of the agreement, the artifact will be returned to their respective guardians as soon as they finished using the artifact," Soonyoung added to the story to make everything clear to their soulmates.

"Since someone came and asked for the artifact, does that mean..." Jihoon trailed off.

"I guess a great tragedy has befallen on Hallyu," Wonwoo stated with his deep voice.

"I hope they are alright. They are one of the most powerful kingdoms in existence," Seungcheol hoped.

The grim atmosphere was replaced with excitement when the Mystics arrived in the throne room.

"Sorry. We took a while," JR greeted.

"Great, you're here," Wonwoo greeted back. "I need you to assess what is Mingyu's power."

"Mingyu's power has manifested?" Baekho told Mingyu.

"Congratulations!" Minki said.

"Ok, let me open the book," Minhyun placed the book on the nearest available surface. "From what you have told me earlier, Mingyu made the whole university garden bloom with flowers even in autumn. He even made a tree grow different fruits."

Minhyun and the other Mystics scanned the book until they finally found what they have been searching for.

"Aha! Here it is," Aron exclaimed.

"What is it? Please tell me before I combust," Mingyu urged. "I hope it's something cool and very helpful."

"Miingyu's power is Phyllokinesis," Minhyun read. "Phyllokinesis, or Plant Manipulation, is the ability to generate plants and manipulate plant life."

"My power sounds so lame. I knew it," Mingyu sulked. The explanation not quite reaching his expectations.

"Wait until you hear about this," Minhyun mentioned. "It is primarily used to grow and rejuvenate plants and flowers, though some skilled users may use it offensively."

"My power has offensive capabilities?" Mingyu's expression began to lighten up. The fact that his power could be something more promising cheered Mingyu up.

"At high-levels, the ability may deal a series of offensive techniques on a target. Using plants as weapons enables users to grasp and strike continuously with vines and roots, project thorns at a distance, manipulate tree branches to use them as whip-like weapons, control spores and pollen, release damaging toxin and pheromones. They can grow vines to entangle enemies, or make it to climb around a target's neck, causing choking, or strike with plants. Users may even shoot thorns or sharp razor leaves to the target."

"Wow, my power sounds very versatile," Mingyu mumbled.

"Every power is versatile. It all comes down to how well you are able to use it," Minhyun stated.

"Take Photokinesis for example. If you think about light simply, it seems very harmless. But do you know that Baekhyun from ERI can cut steel using light? He can attack, defend and even support his team using his power," JR revealed. "Even teleportation powers have been utilized by for offensive and defensive purposes. Kuanlin of WANNABLE, for example, could use his teleportation powers to redirect magical projectiles and hurl weapons at a target. The utilization and effectivity of powers solely depends on the skill of the user."

"Wow," Minghao's eyes widened.

"With a little practice, your power could be very potent, Mingyu," Aron commented. "Just by hearing the entry about your power, it sounds dangerous especially if you could utilize your spores, pollens, toxins and pheromones. Those could defeat an enemy without them knowing what hit them."

"Really?" Mingyu became ecstatic. "I am so happy with my power."

With Mingyu bursting with happiness, the throne room was unintentionally filled with sunflowers in full bloom.

"Uhm... what is going on?" the King suddenly spoke as he entered the throne room. "Who is the kind enough person to gift me a whole field of sunflowers in the evening?"

"Me?" Mingyu reluctantly answered. "It was all an unintentional."

"Based on your answer, I assume you got your powers already?" the King was excitedly asking. After all, it was Mingyu who was the most enthusiastic about receiving and manifesting his power.

"Yes, dad," Mingyu shyly answered. "It's Phyllokinesis according to the book."

The King took a glance at the entry in the Codex, "Hmmm... that's a very suitable for you. Unassuming yet with hidden fierceness."

"Can you use your powers to remove these flowers in the throne room?" Wonwoo asked his father.

"You do know that Power Negation has its limits too," the King answered. "And while it can reverse most magical effects. It can't possibly reverse this. There is no such thing as 'ungrowing' a plant, now, is there?"

"One more problem, though," Minki blurted out. "Who will train Mingyu? None of the Royal Defense Force, as far as I know, has similar powers."

"Yeah. We run into some similar trouble before," the King chuckled.

"On who?" Joshua inquired.

"Junhui," the King said. "It was difficult to find a trainer for him since no one of the Royal Defense Force has his power of Umbrakinesis."

"So, how did Junnie train?" Minghao was curious.

"Thankfully, Kris, Yixing, Tao and Jongin of ERI accepted the challenge of teaching him," the King remembered.

"Begs the same question. Who will train Mingyu?" Minki returned to the important question.

"I guess I will have Yoongi, Hoseok, Jimin and Taehyung of ARMY train him," the King ultimately decided. "That should give everyone a person to train with."

With things finally settled on Mingyu's powers and who would he train with, the soulmates left the palace to return to their respective homes just in time for dinner.