Unveil | Choi Yeonjun

09 - IN FLAMES

Kai extends his large feathery wings to block my way. "Please stay here. It's too dangerous, especially since you're human."

I cross my arms. "I know that I'm weak compared to you guardian fae, but I want to help. I saw what the darkness did to your village. I can't bear to see it happen again."

The faerie winces but keeps his stance. "It's already happening. Please, Y/N. I care about you and I don't want you to get hurt. Besides, this is our problem." He waves a hand to encompass my room, eyes conveying a hint of sadness. "You have a life to live here."

Anguish grips me at the sight of a dejected Kai. I get where he's coming from, but the thought of carrying on with my life while the friends I know are suffering breaks my heart.

I'm scared to confront that darkness again, but courage is not the absence of fear—it's the ability to act despite it being present.

And so, I force myself to meet Kai's gaze. "I'm coming, whether you like it or not," I demand, eyes hard. "I can't just sit back and let your realm suffer. I'm not some princess that needs to be saved. I'm doing the saving." I keep my features stern, trying to look intimidating but in reality, I probably look more like a constipated goat.

Torn between granting or dismissing my wish, Kai's brows clash against each other like soldiers in conflict, warring on the battlefield that is his face. Then, he lets out a long sigh of resignation. "I guess I can't stop you, can I?"

Relief pours into me, sending a momentary grin to my lips. "You really can't."

Kai shakes his head with a smile, turning to face the portal.

Taking a deep breath, I follow him, praying that I'll be back before Aunt Yona notices I'm gone.

On the other side, I'm surprised to find solid, grassy earth beneath me unlike last time. A balmy scent greets me once again, wrapping me in a familiar embrace—tinged with the bitter taste of smoke and ash.

Emerging through the trees, the sight of a half burning village sets my heart pounding to an erratic, terror-filled beat.

Clouds of smoke tinge the distant sky, rolling up from wooden huts ablaze with scorching red flames. Blackened bits of wood and rope lay strewn across the ground, injured faeries wailing in ear-screeching agony.

Kai was right. The damage has already happened.

I swallow around the lump of heaviness in my throat, blinking back tears. I was too late. Not that I could have done anything to save the village.

"Y/N!" a voice tears through the hazy air, turning my attention to the edge of the brook. Beomgyu dashes up to me with alarm lining his sweaty, dirt-stained face. "What are you doing here?! It's too dangerous!"

"I—"

"She knows that, but she still wanted to come," Kai says with a grimace. Ignoring Beomgyu's look of disbelief, he turns to me. "Can you help me carry injured faeries to the sanctuary?"