The four elements | Seongjoong

Oh shit wrong turn

Seonghwa woke to feel stinging pain in the back of his head. He was held by chains, knees folded, his head felt too heavy to hold up. Seonghwa looked up, causing immense pain in his neck by doing so. He realised he was chained in a corner of a large room. Larger because of the absence of furniture. A vulgar flaring paper adorned the walls, blotched at places here and there. There was a door at the end, made of old wood and held closed metal chains. There was a fireplace, mounted by a mantelpiece of marble. The solitary window was so dirty that the light that filtered through it was hazy and uncertain, giving a dull grey tinge to everything. The effect was intensified by the thick layer of dust which coated the hall.

Seonghwa could only think a thing or two, and then, it was all dark.

Seonghwa woke up to murmured sounds. He looked up, his neck hurt again. He looked up, a lot of feet were shuffling here and there, no one seemed to notice him, they all minded their own work. The people wore old tattered clothes, shades of grey and black were more prominent. They all looked dirty, but all the faces were quite lively, some were laughing quite humorously. Seonghwa looked to his right, where another man was chained, his eyes widened when he realised it was someone from the camp, from the Air house. Seonghwa was sure he'd seen them before, he didn't know their name. The man was unconscious, his skinny body hanging from the chains.

Seonghwa scanned the faces in the hall, none of them looked familiar. Until when his eyes landed on a short figure. Seonghwa was struck, Hongjoong? Hongjoong was there, looking all fresh and tidy among the dirty people. His golden hair shined a dull glow, his green crown was missing. He was wearing the camp robes, one sleeve folded, while the other hung beneath his fist. He was talking to someone, a shorter but older man, they both had a humorous smile on their faces. What was Hongjoong doing here? Seonghwa struggled in his chains, he tried calling him over, but he couldn't make any sound, his voice failed him. He watched Hongjoong laugh with the old man, completely unaware. What was going on? Seonghwa could make no sense of it, until the door opened, letting in bright light.

A tall lady stepped in, wearing a dark red gown that swept the floor as she walked. Her hair was golden, same as Hongjoong, except that they were in messy curls all the way down to her back. Her dress folds changed colour as she walked, looking like flames of fire, she held herself gracefully and exhibited power. It was all enough to make her look like a villain in some movie, if she wasn't wearing a crazy smile, that was so crazy it almost looked like a lively one.

Everyone in the room went silent as she halted at the centre. She looked at the chained man beside Seonghwa.
"Is this the one?" She asked, pointing a finger at the unconscious man.
A small lady came ahead, "Yes, highness."
"Aww look at him." She spoke, her voice incredibly sweet.
"Poor guy thought it would be okay to play games with Damyeong. Didn't he?" For a split second, the smile left her face and Seonghwa saw how scary she actually was, "Wake him up, let's play with him." She smiled again.

The lady went over to the chained man, shook him hard. The man whimpered, opened his eyes and winced at the hands of the lady. He stood up, pinned himself to the wall behind him.

Meanwhile, Seonghwa stole a glance of Hongjoong, who looked more serious and alert now. The lady in the gown made her way towards another man in the crowd. "How many hands do I have?" She asked.
"T-two, highness." The man stuttered.
"How many knives can the fit?" She asked, the smile not leaving her face.
"T-two."
She gave the man a smile and a nod, then walked away to the centre.
"Two knives please?" She asked in a sweet tone.
There was a shuffle at the right side of the room.
Another man came ahead, handed the lady two knives, bowed and stepped back.
"Hongjoong sweetie, let's heat the knives up. It'll be fun!" She said.
Hongjoong came ahead, he held a torch in his hand, he moved his hand across the torch, and Seonghwa couldn't believe his eyes. Hongjoong lit up the torch, with his hand, without any other aid.
Seonghwa thought about the prophecy, there were supposed to be two elemental magicians. How come Hongjoong never told him that he could control fire.
Damyeong giggled watching her son light up the torch.

She traced the blade of the daggers she was handed, then placed one of them above the torch, among the flames. She occasionally switched the sides. She continued the process for a few minutes. Seonghwa had enough time to think properly, think worse thoughts. Why was Hongjoong helping this woman? Was he on his mother's side? Seonghwa listed down all the worst possibilities. Then it struck him, the line from the prophecy: the one you call your friend, shall betray you in the end.
No, no, no.

Without a warning, Damyeong threw the knife at the chained man. The man let out a scared gasp as he was barely able to respond, the knife landed just beside his face, pinned into the wall.
"Oh! Did I miss?" Damyeong laughed, "You're one lucky player."
She snorted, then laughed, and laughed again, it was unceasing.
This continued for a while, her laugh was contagious, her alleys started chuckling at the pity of the chained man. She encouraged the people laughing at him, they laughed louder. Seonghwa looked at his camp mate, the man was looking at him, eyes bloodshot, he mouthed, escape. Seonghwa looked away, too scared.
He looked at Hongjoong, who was looking at the floor, Seonghwa expected him to laugh as well. Seonghwa looked down, attempting to shut down the sounds of laughter.

The crazy laughter suddenly stopped all at once, Seonghwa looked up, the chained man had a dagger on his chest, blood spurting out. His breath hitched and soon stopped. His dead eyes seemed to be looking at Seonghwa. Seonghwa shuddered and looked down.

Damyeong took a step towards the man, she watched the blood form a pool around him, tilting her head, she let out a giggle. Seonghwa looked at Hongjoong, who looked breathless. He looked as if he was horrified but was trying to hide it.
Seonghwa saw him turn, as if he was about to walk away, and he would have, if Damyeong hadn't called him.
"Hongjoong sweetie, also this one here, you know him?" She asked, pointing at Seonghwa.
"No, mom." Hongjoong said.
"Not having friends is alright. You at least gotta know their names, come on." Damyeong persisted.
"I have no idea." Hongjoong said, looking at Seonghwa straight in the eyes.
Damyeong walked towards Seonghwa, he hated that he had to kneel in front of her because of chains.
"Hi!" She said, giving him a smile.
Seonghwa did not respond, struggling in the chains.
"Oh, another rude one." Damyeong sighed.
"Hongjoong, treat him until he gives some useful information." Damyeong said.
"Um, mom, I have to look after the weapon making, can someone else-" Hongjoong started saying.
"Oh don't worry about that, I will myself look over it, please get this man speak something." Damyeong told him.
Hongjoong hesitated but nodded.
"Great! Everyone can get started with work." Damyeong said and walked away.
Seonghwa saw Hongjoong take a shaky breath, and then he walked towards him.
Seonghwa looked at him, "Was anything between us ever real?"
Hongjoong did not respond, his jaw clenched as he tightened Seonghwa's chains. Seonghwa groaned at the pain as his arms were forced even higher. "They're searching for you, Hongjoong. We thought you were in danger, you know about the days I've spent worrying about you?" Seonghwa could barely speak.
"I am not coming back, stop searching." Hongjoong said in monotone.
Seonghwa held back tears, he had trusted him.
"You're not like this." Seonghwa told him.
In response, Seonghwa got lashed at, his back burned at the spot, this was the same person who'd said he'd never hurt him.
A few more burns, "I know you've no useful information. I will just tell mom." Hongjoong said, face blank.
Seonghwa hate him, "Hongjoong, no." He pleaded.
Hongjoong walked away.
Seonghwa cried, his burning back hurt like hell. But what Hongjoong was doing hurt more, how could he betray him? Moreover, how could he betray the camp, it had served like a home all these years. Where was Damyeong then? How could she just claim him again when she had not cared about him all these years. And why would Hongjoong side with her. It hurt, it hurt that everything Hongjoong said was lies, he probably never was in love with him. And the facts he'd hid all these years, he was an elemental magician, he could control fire and he told no one. Seonghwa broke down once again as he thought of the line from the prophecy, the one you call your friend, shall betray you in the end.

A/n: yO folks. It's vacation time for me! Now no more loneliness at school!