Moonlight Flower: Book III

Chapter II

"You're not just the Star of Prophecy. You are the Flower and the Crown's Heir. You are the direct descendant of the Goddess of Creation, and you are the equilibrium," Yugyeom gasped, blood trickling from his mouth. "You are homeostasis."

Sunoo stood transfixed, his entire being reverberating with the weight of Yugyeom's words. Each syllable crashed against him like waves against a cliff, threatening to erode the very foundation of his identity. The revelation thundered through his mind, unravelling the carefully constructed fabric of his existence. He wasn't just Sunoo, the orphaned boy wandering through life's uncertainties. No, he was the elusive Flower, the keystone of a kingdom's destiny, the heir to a legacy steeped in mystery and power.

The truth struck him with the force of a tempest, tearing away the veil of ignorance that had shrouded his past. He was Yien and Jiaer's child, a prince in a realm he had only dared to dream of. Every moment spent in his father's presence, every shared breath, every unspoken bond—all now took on new significance, laden with the weight of unfulfilled destiny.

Tears welled in Sunoo's eyes, a cascade of emotion cascading down his cheeks as he grappled with the magnitude of his newfound truth. Relief washed over him in a torrent, the relief of belonging soothing the wounds of a lifetime spent in loneliness. Yet, beneath the surface, a current of pain and sadness surged, mingling with the tumult of conflicting emotions that roiled within him.

But amidst the tumult of his revelation, a voice pierced through the haze of his thoughts, dragging him back to the present. Yugyeom's urgent warning cut through the air like a knife, snapping Sunoo from his reverie.

"You need to leave, now!" Yugyeom's voice trembled with urgency, his strength faltering as consciousness slipped from his grasp.

"No! We won't abandon you!" Sunoo's voice wavered, his resolve unyielding despite the chaos unfolding around them.

Jae's mirror... the whispered words hung in the air, a lifeline amidst the turmoil. But before Sunoo could grasp its meaning, Yugyeom's form crumpled, leaving Sunoo to watch helplessly as darkness claimed him.

Desperation clawed at Sunoo's heart as he knelt beside Yugyeom's still form, his pleas falling on deaf ears. Jay's comforting hand on his shoulder offered little solace as Sunoo buried his face against his chest, seeking refuge in the warmth of his embrace.

Meanwhile, Heeseung's turmoil festered beneath the surface, his loyalty to Sunoo warring with the nagging doubts that gnawed at his conscience. But amidst the chaos, there was no room for doubt, only action.

With resolve hardening in his heart, Sunoo turned to Jiaer's unconscious form, his voice quivering as he reached out to his newfound father.

"F-father..." His trembling words hung in the air, laden with the weight of years of longing and loss.

Jake's voice shattered the silence, placing Jae's mirror in Sunoo's trembling hands. As the mirror's surface shimmered with latent power, a powerful shock wave rippled through Etherea, heralding the arrival of an unseen threat.

As tremors shook the very foundations of Etherea, Jungwon fought to maintain his balance amidst the chaos, his senses keenly attuned to the impending threat. Jun's words echoed through the chamber, a grim portent of the danger hurtling toward them with alarming speed.

"It's coming, and it's coming fast!" Jun's voice carried a note of urgency, a warning amidst the mounting turmoil.

The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on them, the air thick with foreboding as they grappled with the looming spectre of destruction. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, Soobin's voice cut through the tension like a beacon of hope, his words a clarion call to action.