Horizon | Choi San

8

"I can't believe you all went camping while we were out scouring the entire continent for the damned black hole!" Hongjoong was furious.

"I haven't slept in days," Yunho sighed.

"I used an army of spirits to row us and spent all my energy there!" Yeosang pointed at Wooyoung, shaking his head.

"You used an army?" Mingi asked.

"Two's a company, three's an army-"

"Three is a crowd, Yeosang," Jongho pointed out and he only stuck his tongue out.

"So, Mingi," Wooyoung looked at the red-haired Prince. "What contribution have you made? Do you wanna yell it out like the rest of them?"

"I-" Mingi started to shout but then calmed down, "I did nothing, just kept them awake."

Gaeul, who was hiding behind Wooyoung, giggled at that and Mingi grinned back.

The four had been bombarded with this the minute they got back from their camping trip. Gaeul had been greeted with not one but four princes, all looking very pissed and tired and she instinctively hid behind Wooyoung, who she believed was the only one loud and gutsy enough to challenge them. She was absolutely right.

"Now can we settle down like civil people and exchange introductions so this poor soul can stop hiding behind me?" Wooyoung put his hands on his hips and Gaeul made a face- she didn't realise Wooyoung knew she was hiding. She guessed he knew her well now.

"This poor soul," Yeosang began, "is anything but poor and-"

"Shut up, Yeosang," San put an arm around his shoulder, muttering something in his ear that made him shut up and slap San's arm.

"Maybe you should all get some sleep before we settle down because frankly, it looks like you're the ones who came back from the dead, not her-" Jongho was interrupted when Gaeul glared at him.

"Okay, I'll scold you all later. I just can't believe it. We portalled here only to find out you're all on a little trip with your new friend." Hongjoong slumped on the couch and Wooyoung watched how all of them settled in his living room like they owned the place, leaving a chair for him. He shook his head, making Gaeul sit next to him and San.

"This hotheaded one is Hongjoong," Wooyoung told Gaeul and she bowed, earning laughter from everyone. "She's gonna do that, get used to it. That tall one is Yunho. That's Mingi, and the angry one's Yeosang."

"Got it," Gaeul bowed again before sitting down. "It's an honour to meet you all, I never thought I'd see this many of you in one place-"

"She sounds like Yena when she didn't know who she was," Yunho laughed. San nodded, smiling.

"Gaeul, it's... a pleasure to meet you," Hongjoong looked pained.

"I know it's not," Gaeul laughed, "but thank you anyway."

"I like her," Mingi approved.

"Tell us your story- all of it," Hongjoong looked serious, his ginger hair glowing in the warm sunlight that illuminated the room, his blue eyes fierce. "We need to piece together what we have."

"Okay," Gaeul breathed. "I am from the yin-yang bloodline of the nature element- do you know of it?"

Hongjoong paled and San noticed how his eyes dashed across the room to look at him before he looked back at Gaeul. "Yes... I've heard a few stories, though I'd suggest you refresh it."

"The yin-yang bloodline of nature element is different from other nature wielders," Gaeul looked at Jongho and he nodded. "Usually, a faerie possessing nature magic holds power over one associated element- like earth, water, air, and so on. It can be two as well, if you're very lucky and blessed, it can be three, but we've never heard of a case with more than three. Anyways, the faeries of yin-yang can usually control two. But they have a secret- they believe that when they connect with their counterpart, or their soulmate as you call it, they can share their power. For example, I could already control nature and earth magic- if my counterpart has water magic, I can share their power through them and control water too, and they, in return, can control my nature and earth magic."