The Restoration: Exo Apply Fic [OFFICIALLY CLOSED]

Part Two: Chapter XVI

ONE DAY SOUTH OF YUSHU, CHINA
JUNE 12, 3065

Jaehwa was worried. Starlight had been missing for two days, and now Jaehwa felt like she might never come back. The whole group was tired and silent as they trudged through the wasteland. They looked so lifeless and without hope. It kinda scared Jaehwa. She looked for signs of Starlight's crossing, but there was nothing.

Finally, the whole company stopped for the night. Fires were lit and makeshift tents set up. A bit of food was passed around, but rations were now short, and there was obviously nothing to hunt or gather in these parts, so they had to be wise about the supplies they used.

Jaehwa watched sadly as they all ate in silence. It was a dismal sight. She looked up when she heard someone coming towards her from behind. It was a tall, strange looking blonde man, with dark markings around his eyes. He was carrying Starlight.

She hung loosely in his arms, obviously passed out. Her whole body was splattered with blood, but from what Jaehwa could tell, she didn't have any injuries.

Jaehwa stood up quickly and glared at the stranger. "What have you done to her?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Nothing," the man replied. "Except save her. I'm afriad I have quite the complicated tale to explain."

Jaehwa narrowed her eyes at him and slowly nodded. She didn't think he looked too threatening, but she kept a hand on her knife just incase. "Alright then. Sit down and tell it."

The man nodded and laid Starlight gently on ground. He smoothed her hair out and gently stroked her cheek. The way he looked at her sleeping form startled Jaehwa. He looked as if he cared about her.

The man then sat down and stared into the fire as he told his story. "First off, my name is Changbum. I don't remember much of my life before I died."

"Wait, died? What do you mean died?"

Changbum looked at her blankly, much differently than he had looked at Starlight, before looking back into the fire. "Yes, I was dead. But I was revived. I don't know how. All I know is that I woke up in a depressing place, surrounded by my dead friends, and Starlight was there."

"HOLD UP!!! How do you know her name?"

"She told me. Now may I continue?" Jaehwa nodded. "Alright then, Starlight was there in the room. She was attempting to fight another girl. The other girl, I know I knew her before I died, but I have no idea who she was. All I know is that she was insane. Deathly insane. Starlight was loosing the fight, and I knew I couldn't let her loose, so I tried to drag the other girl away from Starlight. But in rage, Starlight took the chance of the girl being held down and sliced the head off the insane girl."

"What? Starlight wouldn't do that! Would she?"

"I don't know. But after she did it, Starlight fell to her knees and started sobbing. She screamed and was about to destroy herself, but I stopped her. She cried herself to sleep in my arms as I prevented her from harming herself. And then I carried her to you. Well, actually, I was carrying her, and then I saw you, and I hoped, that because you had a lot of women in your company, that you might have some new clothes for Starlight that aren't soiled by blood. How do you know Starlight?"

Jaehwa looked down sadly, shocked that Starlight would actually kill someone in cold blood like that. "She was our protector and our scout. She went missing a few days ago."

"Then I am glad I brought her to you. Perhaps I can take her place until she is recovered?"

"How can I trust you?"

"My new life has just begun. I don't know who I was before I died, so I can't go back to being whoever that was. I am a new person. And I have not had the chance to do wrong yet, so there is no reason for you to doubt my motives." Changbum looked at the sleeping Starlight with the same look as before.

"You care about her, don't you?"

"Perhaps. It's too soon to tell. But I have a feeling that she will remain to be an important factor in my new life."

Jaehwa sighed. "Fine. You can be our protector. But only until she's fit again."

"I accept this duty." Changbum bowed and then looked at Jaehwa with a slightly confused expression. "But what must I call you?"

"Your queen."