The Deeper The Night, The Brighter The Starlight

Chapter Twelve

~ Twenty Six Years Ago ~

The heavens crackled with lightning and thunder in ominous waves. A storm brewing on the horizon of a blood red sky that made it seem like it was raining blood rather than water. With every crash of the raging cosmos, and flash of angry blue fire against the ground, the inhabitants of a small farm on the edge of mountain village quivered in their homes. A man and a woman sat clutching at each other, a sense of foreboding doom etched onto their downcast faces as the candles in their sconces flickered in threat of burning out before it was time.

What sounded like the footsteps of a giant growled into the wind as the earth shook with a vengeance. And the couple could only kneel there in worry and fear.

They were coming.

The Gods were coming.

And they would kill them all.

At least... that's what the priests and priestesses had told them. The sacrifice had not only escaped but had returned. Claiming things that went against all that they knew. And now...

Now they all were going to suffer.

Louder and louder the ominous stomping grew. It sounding like it would be at their door at any moment. When what sounded like a banshee's wail howled into the air and shook the very foundation of their small home. It was earsplitting. The sound rattling their brains as they had no choice but to clutch at their ears and watch in wide eyed horror as a horrific shadow fell over the entirety of their home. Their farm falling into a sort of mist before suddenly, it was gone.

The storm no longer raged.

A stillness seeming to take over everything that the rage had once touched.

When out of nowhere, there was a sound. A small sound. One that could barely be heard in their still ringing ears. But one that was recognized none-the-less. And when the woman stood on shaky legs and dragged herself with a tremble to the front door towards it... she knew before even opening it what she would find. The sound as familiar as breathing as she cracked it open and looked at the squirming basket at her feet. A blanket made of gold was wrapped snug around a babe that looked no more than a few months old. Their hair and eyes glowing just as brightly as the blanket snuggled around them protectively. And on top was a simple medallion with a name etched into its center.

Kneeling down, she gulped before stealing herself and taking a deep breath read out the name. "Jungkook." The babe seemed to recognize what she said instantly and gave her a wide gummy smile. "Is that who you are?" And without thinking, she scooped him from the basket and held him tightly within her protective arms. In an instant, a spark of magic washed over the both of them, and no longer did the babes eyes and hair glow as gold as their blanket. But were instead a matching black to her own. His features shifting slightly to make him appear as if he had come from her and not what she secretly feared.

Taking one last look out into the farmland she saw nothing. Nothing appeared to be disturbed in the slightest. And it was eerie how peaceful and silent it had become. "I don't know why you were given to us. But..." Looking down at the smiling babe she couldn't help but grin, "I promise to take care of you. Whoever you are." And like that, she stood up with the babe in her arms and went inside to show the new addition to their family to her husband. Never seeing the golden ethereal figure hiding in the shadows of the now moonlit sky.