ethereal ;; jakehoon

❀···8···❀

*Sunghoon's pov*

S: "GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY! WAKE UP, WE HAVE A MISSION TO ACCOMPLISH!" shouts Sunoo from the corridor
J: "COULD YOU KINDLY EXPLAIN WHY YOU'RE SCREAMING AT THIS HOUR?!" yells the bodyguard back
S: "IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP IDIOT, NOW RAISE YOUR ASS FROM THAT BED AND GET READY" replies the boy

I laugh. Those two are really like a cat and a dog. After getting up and getting ready, I go down in the dining room for breakfast where I find everybody already eating. I sit in the middle between Heeseung and Riki and I start eating too.

ME: "You could have woken us up in a normal way Sunoo, why shouting?" I say jokingly
J: "He has a point!"
S: "I shouted because I was sure that was the only way to wake you all lazy asses up" sasses the black-haired boy back
JK: "Bet you woke Riki up differently" scoffs Jake
R: "What are you talking about? I woke up to his sweet screaming too" replies Riki
H: "Yeah, yeah, screaming" says Heeseung wriggling his eyebrows
S: "Oh shut up"
JW: "Ok everyone, have you finished here? So we can go to the cave and listen to what Arlyn has to tell us"
H: "Yes we're ready"
JW: "Let's go then"

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We rush as fast as possible to the cave, and as soon as we enter, we find the old shaman already waiting for us.

A: "My dear brave boys! I was waiting for you, how are you?" greets the woman
H: "Kinda stressed, not going to lie" replies Heeseung smiling
A: "I can imagine" says Arlyn giggling "Now follow me"

We follow her to the same curtain of yesterday, but this time, instead of the forest, we find ourselves in a sort of underground temple: the walls are made of shimmering amethyst, which casts violet glows throughout the room. Then, from the four corners of the cave, there are four columns of dazzling diamond that converge in the center, joining the roof of the altar in the middle of the room. The altar is also made of diamond and everything seems to shine with its own light.
The shaman, with a decisive step, goes towards the altar, kneels, murmurs a few words in an unknown language, gets up and finally turns towards us with sparkling eyes.

A: "They accepted to see you guys" announces the woman
ME: "Uhm..."they" who?" I ask
A: "The Three Gods of course" replies her as if it was obvious "Now come here"

Confused, we all approach the altar.

A: "Now I will make you fall into a magical sleep that will bring you in their presence. What you need to do is listen to what they say and if you have any questions choose a spokesperson to ask what you did not understand. Please, no more than one person can speak at a time" she explains
J: "But exactly what they want from us?" asks Jay
A: "They want to know if you are worthy for the mission, and if you are, they will give you more information and...some extra help" says Arlyn winking at us "I can't tell you more. Just trust me. Now come here, lay down"

We look at each other a little in disbelief, but in the end we approach the shaman and lie down next to each other on the cold floor. Arlyn looks at us reassuringly, then closes her eyes and begins to utter words in the same mysterious language as before. From a bag she takes out a blue powder and tells us:

A: "Close your eyes, my heroes. See you again in a while"

We obey and, suddenly, I feel like I am being carried away, away from the world and the time we know. I am thrown violently by a raging wind and I can see flashes of colored light coming from my closed eyelids. My stomach tightens, my nose is completely stuffy and my lungs are screaming for oxygen. Then, as it began, suddenly everything ends and a deep, rough as rock and ancient voice commands: