Horizon | Choi San

14

(i wish i saw this yeosang pic before i wrote take me home lmao)

Gaeul couldn't hear the waves of the sea crashing at the sand.

She couldn't even feel her feet get wet as she walked along the shore.

Soulmate. That's what San was. Her soulmate, and she didn't know. Or she did, but wasn't aware.

She had felt San before she had seen him, that night he had arrived in Rukbat. She had immediately been drawn to him. His touch... the way it messed with her new magic, the way it was a drug that was both keeping her alive and killing her-

Why had the darkling killed her? Had he known too? How? Why was she the only person who did not know?

San thought she would hate him after knowing the truth- he knew. She hated the fact that he knew and didn't tell her- but then... would it have made a difference?

Gaeul found herself going to the caves where she hid whenever she felt overwhelmed. She marched towards the cave, climbing the rocks and scratching her hands in the process but not caring. She went inside one and made way to the little corner that she used to cry in as a kid and felt just like one as she brought her knees to her chest and buried her face in between.

She really would have liked to meet San under normal circumstances- her, with her nature magic, with her innocence. As a faerie- she wasn't sure she was even that anymore.

She didn't notice her breath quickening but soon she was sobbing as various thoughts attacked her- why did she come back to life? Why was the soulmate connection still alive? Had it perhaps brought her back? Was it the only thing keeping her alive then? Her magic was killing her- that was a fact, but something was also keeping her alive and if it was this bond... this was all so messed up.

"Gaeul."

For a second she thought she had heard this voice in her head- she had, but San was here. And when she raised her head-

She almost screamed in surprise- the cave was covered in white... snow. Or ashes.

Cold fire.

Gaeul put her head back, slumping against the wall as she put a hand over her mouth and started crying again, this time because she was so, so done. One surprise after another. She couldn't meet eyes with San who was standing cautiously near her.

"I'm sorry, Gaeul," he sank down beside her, mirroring her position. "I'm so, so sorry."

Gaeul wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault, but she couldn't control her sobs at that moment. The ash started floating in the air, making San feel like he was inside a snow globe. It was both dangerous but beautiful- that's what Gaeul was. San didn't look at her as he said, "I wasn't expecting it to be true, if you can believe me. I just thought it was unbelievable, and if it really was true, the thought that Kieran killed my soulmate... you have no idea how angry that makes me."

Gaeul's stomach swooped despite herself- she hadn't expected this side of San, but she supposed he, too, had a right to be angry.

"The fact that I didn't feel you before, that makes sense, but I know I would have felt my soulmate... die. There's no way I wouldn't have- and I think that's what's so twisted about all that happened," he let out a short laugh. "That Kieran must have somehow known and masked it with his magic. Truly the Prince of Illusions, that bastard was. I don't know if he understood that you would come back, but if he didn't... both of these thoughts make me want to go find him and bury him alive."

"It's... it's not your fault," Gaeul managed to say but his head was down as he shook it in denial.

"That's even sadder. That none of this is my fault, and none of this is your fault either," San finally turned to her. "We just got involved in this mess. Gaeul... don't let Kieran win with this."