Broken Glass - Taekook

53

We fall asleep early that night, exhausted, and somewhat comforted by the presence of Aphelia and the kelpies watching over us, keeping us safe for the night. I still don't fully trust the kelpies, but it's nice to have their presence, somehow. They're intelligent, and even I can sense that. 

Added to all of that, I'm slowly beginning to feel like something is changing. It's just a feeling, an instinct, nothing more. But in the very core of my being, I can sense a faint shifting of some inner core, though I have no way to prove that it's not just my mind playing tricks on me.

Part of me expects to have another vision, a message from the golden river, some indication of where to go or who to turn to. Something, anything, confirmation that I'm doing the right thing. I'm almost dreaming of having that familiar voice in my head, stating a promise that I'll be granted the privilege of power, and the knowledge of how and when to use it. 

But I know I'll have to work for it, at least in part. I know that life could never be that easy, that things don't just get given to you, no matter how much you ask for it. There's nothing wrong with asking for help, but there are some things I need to put some work into myself. I can't just expect skill to come to me without practice. And it'll be hard, especially to start with, but I'm okay with that. There are some things that are worth working towards, some things that matter more than foolish pride. 

We wake up with the sun, to a clear early morning. The water before us is glimmering in the golden light, to the point that I confuse it with the energy flow that runs below the earth for a moment. The trees rustle with a gentle breeze that just picks up the very edges of hair, lifts those loose strands and then lays them down gently, almost imperceptibly. Somewhere, a bird is singing, a low lilting melody that twists and turns with the swaying branches. A masterpiece, improvised just for the sake of it, just for the love of the music.

Even as we wake up, Namjoon's expression is already thoughtful, and part of me wonders if he's already trying to work out how to show me the ropes in using the golden river. There's something about the determination in his face as he ensures that we're all okay and awake, as Seokjin hands round a slice of bread for breakfast. Something about the way he consults his notes before standing up and heading in my direction, squaring his shoulders. 

"We don't know exactly what abilities you can expect to have, so I don't know what your strengths are yet," Namjoon starts, snapping the journal shut and meeting my eyes. "But I do have an idea that could help us. It's been a while since we've actively listened to the Saviour's Prophecy, and it's possible that the words used are hiding some secret we haven't considered yet." 

I tilt my head at him. "What do you mean?" 
"Think about it. These words were the only indication of your presence, before Tae found you floating down the Unekadi River in Hazelpoint. Until that point, you were a legend, a possibility. If we can learn anything about you, and what you might be able to do, it will come from that Prophecy, or from your visions," Namjoon explains. 

I nod in understanding, something about that making perfect sense to me. "So we're going to look at the Saviour's Prophecy again?" 
"Exactly." He takes a deep breath. "I'll be doing it the same way I did in Hazelpoint. For some reason, my mind is telling me that we have to do it like that. I don't really know why, but I'm assuming that the instinct comes from somewhere." 

"The golden river?" I guess, and he snaps his fingers, pointing in my direction. 
"That's what I'm thinking, Kook." 

I chuckle a little, self conscious, as I watch him sit down, roll back his shoulders again. He takes a deep, steadying breath, and then his eyes begin to glow a deep emerald green, the lines that trace down his arms and fingers lighting up a similar shade. He blinks a few times, before his magic-infused gaze fixes solely on me.