Aurora - You are my light (Ateez x reader)

FORTYONE

The first lights of Dune appeared on the horizon as the sun sank behind us, and the sky transitioned into a deep, violet blue. A shiver ran down my spine, and I couldn't tell if it was the cool evening breeze or the growing tension in the air. Dune. Finally.

Except for Yeosang and Mingi, who stayed back with San, everyone was on deck of the Treasure, eagerly awaiting help for San once we reached Dune. I stood at the ship's railing, feeling the wind on my face as the magical city drew closer. In the distance, I saw unnaturally bright lights shining from countless crystals perched atop tall towers. A shimmer hung over the city, almost like a constant veil of light and magic, wrapping the surroundings in something dreamlike.

"Looks incredible, doesn't it?" Yunho came up beside me, his eyes glowing almost as brightly as the lights of Dune. "Did I promise too much?"

For days, Yunho had tried to satisfy my curiosity about Dune by answering my endless questions after our training sessions. But nothing could have prepared me for the sight unfolding before my eyes.

I could only nod in silence. Words weren't enough to describe the feeling this city stirred in me. As we sailed closer, I began to notice details. Towers of shimmering stone reached into the sky, each one bathed in a different color—some deep emerald green, others radiant silver, and still others a dark ruby red. Bridges made of glowing crystals spanned between the buildings, and in the air, small lights danced like fireflies, flickering in every color of the rainbow against the night's darkness.

"I've never seen anything like this," I murmured, more to myself than to Yunho. The place felt alive—I could sense it. It was as if the city itself was breathing, as if it were a being made of pure magic.

"Wait until you're walking through the streets," Yunho grinned. "That's when things get really interesting."

A sense of awe washed over me as we got closer. The buildings grew before my eyes, and I could now make out the silhouettes of massive statues guarding the city's entrance. Each statue was made of stone, yet they radiated something unnatural—like they could come to life at any moment. Their eyes glowed faintly in the twilight, as if they were watchers from another time.

"Have you ever heard of these statues?" I asked quietly, still mesmerized by the sight.

"Yeah, they're the guardians of Dune. It's said they were crafted from ancient magic to protect the city. No one knows exactly who built them—or when," Yunho replied, his gaze also lingering on the stone giants. "So, you'd better be nice to them."

A nervous laugh escaped me. Be nice to living statues—sure. It felt like I was stepping into another reality, one far removed from the rules and limits of the world I knew.

Hongjoong skillfully maneuvered the Treasure towards a pier made of dark wood, pulsing with magical energy. We docked. Even the planks of the wide pier seemed to glow, as if something lived beneath the surface.

The air was filled with a sweet, spicy scent, almost like burnt magic. I'd caught a faint whiff of it before, when I trained with Yunho. Strange plants curled around the pier's supports, moving as if they were sentient.

Hongjoong gave orders to the crew, who helped him secure the Treasure to the pier with quick, practiced movements. Wooyoung informed Yeosang and Mingi of our arrival, and soon they came on deck with San. I gasped when I saw San's motionless body, held by Yeosang and Mingi. His skin was chalk-white, and his lips were a dull gray. Nothing about him indicated he was still alive. But thankfully, he was. For now.

"Get the handcart. San can't be seen in this condition in Dune." Jongho and Seonghwa hurried below deck to carry out the captain's order.

"Why can't he be seen?" I asked Yunho, who had returned to my side after securing some thick ropes around the pier's bollards.