Wowderful world ☆ [Wow (A.C.E) fanfiction]

[Chapter 10]

Droplets falling on your face. Rain drops mixed with tears, you have fallen to the ground, sitting on your knees, broken. Yet his lips still linger. His gentle and passionate touch. Your mind is blank. You don't even know why you're crying anymore. It just hurts. What now? The sun sets and the rain stops. You haven't moved an inch. After a while you lay down and just close your eyes, falling asleep in an instant. Something between tiredness and fainting. Something between sleeping and being unconscious. Maybe it's because of how you're sensitive to rain or just hurting.

***

When you wake you don't know where you are. It's soft and warm, you're probably on a bed. You look around and see Sehyoon holding your hand, sleeping with his arms on your bed. Instanlty tears start stream, you don't know why. You're just glad that he's okay. I missed him. You look down at your locked hands and tighten the grip, afraid that he would leave you again. It wakes him. Sleepily he lifts his head. When he sees you awake, looking at him with a smile, he jumps up and hugs you.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Are you feeling well?" He pulls away and looks at you worried.
"I'm fine. Just... don't leave me." He goes sit again. "Where's the rest? Are they okay?"
"They're fine. Byeongkwan healed most of the wounds. They're resting now."
"And the soldiers?"
"The soldiers are gone. We're at the oracle village right now." You look down nodding, glad that everything is okay now.
"How did I get here?"
"Once all the soldiers were defeated, I ran back to get you and carried you here." You stare in his eyes for a moment. "I was really worried about you, I'm so glad you're awake." He hesitates for a moment, but then kisses your forehead. "I'm so sorry I left you. But it really was too dangerous. I didn't want to leave you, but I didn't want you to get hurt either." You understand now. It hurt him just as much as it hurt me. "I meant what I said back then." You look into each others eyes. But before anything can happen, Donghun comes in.
DH: "Y/n, are you okay?" You nod with a soft smile. "We were all so worried about you." Donghun then looks at Sehyoon. "Sehyoon, Byeongkwan wants to do a last check up on you." He nods and squeezes your hand looking into your eyes saying: I'll be back. Sehyoon leaves the room and Donghun goes sit on his spot.
"It's good that you weren't there. It was a big chaos. Many creatures fought among us. Eventually we were able to defeat most and the rest fled. Out of the five of us, Sehyoon fought the hardest. He was determined. I've never seen him like that." You just let the words flow into your head, not saying anything. "I was really impressed by him. He fought really well, no hesitation in his eyes. Of course he was also the one who got hurt the most... and yet... After the fight was done, he ran back into the forest... after you. Despite all his wounds and how hard he fought, he still carried you here." Nothing. Not a word. Just shocked eyes looking at Donghun. When he looks up, he gives you a smile. "He really cares about you, Y/n." Sehyoon comes back in.
"And?"
"Everything's fine. I just need some proper rest."
"Today we'll all rest," Donghun tells you. He stands up, "I'll leave you two alone now." Donghun closes the door behind him and Sehyoon goes back to his seat.
"Donghun told me how you fought."
"He did?" Sehyoon asks a little awkwardly.
"Eung... thank you."
"For what?"
"For fighting for my people. It really means a lot to me. Thanks... Sehyoon." He looks a little surprised. It's like he hears his name for the first time. "Are you sure you're fine? You look tired."
"I am," he chuckles.
"I know it's a little selfish but... could you stay with me tonight?"
"Eung." Sehyoon asks for an extra bed and places it next to yours. It's the same height. The sun has already almost set. Only a little bit of pink light shines through the window. You roll to your side so you can face Sehyoon.
"Goodnight," you say softly, lovingly.
"Goodnight," his smile making you melt. He shuffles a little closer and gives you another kiss on the forehead. Both of you fall asleep quite quickly.

Everyone sleeps until lunch, getting the sleep and rest everyone needed. When the sun is already high in the sky, you head out to the last Main Temple. The village is quite big. It might even be bigger than the fire village. Although it still seems in a very good state, very peaceful. A lot of cherry blossoms and ponds. It's satisfying to watch while walking. You enter the temple that looks old but clean. The searching takes long, but eventually you find the clue under a loose floorboard. You read it out loud:
°•~ What shines in the night will be his downfall. ~•°
CH: "The moon will be Kazangan's downfall? Or maybe the stars? How does that even work?"
BK: "We can't just take the moon and slap it in his face. It doesn't make any sense."
DH: "None of the riddles do."
"I might help with that," an old woman's voice comes from the entrance of the temple. Everyone turns around to see who it is.
"Eliya!" You run to her and give her a hug.
"How have you been, sweety?"
"I'm fine. Safe. Thanks to the guys."
"That's good." She turns around and starts walking, "follow me." You automatically follow, so the guys just go along with it.
"That's Eliya, also known as the Oracle. She's a little bit the leader in this town. Very wise and she does fortune telling. Her words have never been wrong. She always talks in riddles, which is very confusing sometimes. But in time you figure out what she means."
DH: "Great... more riddles," he says sarcastically.
You arrive at a big house. You go up a few stairs until you reach a room. The room fills the whole floor. It's dark inside the house. Many candles are lit. The boys see you hesitate before you go inside.
"Can we all come in?"
"Yes," Eliya answers, "for now." Everyone enters and the door closes. "Sit." You all go sit on the floor cross-legged. "Now. Read the riddles to me one by one and I will tell you what I know." Jun reads the first one: On a forgotten path a flower will bloom that takes the appearance of the night.
"Hmm. Once you guys go on your journey to Kul Tamar you will enter a forest first. Just behind the walls of this village lays a forest. A quite dark one. Any connections or pathways between Shae Loya and Kul Tamar have been destroyed. There was once a stone laid path to Star village. It wasn't the main path. A small one, that travellers would take once Kazangan started to rise. I think it might be that path that the riddle is talking about."
SY: "But if it was destroyed. How will we be able to follow it?"
"I think the path wasn't actually destroyed, but forgotten. Grass and nature started to cover the path until it was almost invisible.
J: "So it might still be slightly visible?"
"I'm not sure. But when it is too hard to spot, that's when the flower comes in."
DH: "How does one flower help us find a path?"
"There used to bloom flowers all over the stone path. In between the cracks of the path there would be... my memory seems to fail me what colour the flowers were. Well, it was a special colour. But even now there might still be a few flowers left. Those will help you to stick to the path. Thats all I can tell you about this riddle."
"Thank you so much. It's already a lot of information." Now Sehyoon reads: It's name was once known differently. Follow what is most similar. The grandma thinks for a while.
"Well... you'll have to figure that one out by yourselves. All I can say about this riddle is that once the path ends, you'll have to follow what the riddle indicates."
DH: "Wait so the path doesn't go to Kul Tamar?"
"No, the path ends where the forest ends. It would stand out too much in an open field. First you have to find your way through the forest, then the open field and then the mountain.
BK: "But I thought Kul Tamar was on top of the mountain."
"It is. But the mountain is very big and you can easily get lost." Chan reads the next clue: There where people see him the most, is where you will find your way home through the untouchable object.
" 'Where people see him the most.' Maybe it's some sort of public room inside his palace. I'm not sure. I can't help much with this one either."
CH: "And the untouchable object?"
"I don't think it's about the twin box itself. It's probably a place where the box is. But what the untouchable could mean, I don't know. You'll have to find out yourself." You read the next one: What shines in the night will be his downfall.
"I'm sorry, my brain isn't as fit as it used to be. I can't help you much with that one either," she chuckles. "Now!" Everyone jumps up. "Time for the real thing. Chan will go first. Then Byeongkwan, then Donghun, then Jun and then Sehyoon. And as last Y/n." You nod.
"Come on guys," you command. "Chan you stay here." The four members leave the room and close the door.
J: "What's going on?"
"I told you. She's a fortune teller. She'll tell each of you something you guys need on your journey." Inside the room Eliya tells Chan that it is his best characteristic and that he should use it well, keeping the group together. He will always make sure that everyone stays together, no matter what. He thanks the old lady for her wise words and leaves the room.
"Ow and guys... no one speaks of what they hear from Eliya. What she tells you is something for you and not others." Chan comes out.
BK: "You okay?"
CH: "Yeah."
BK: "Who's next?"
"It's you! Didn't you hear the order she told?" You giggle.
BK: "Right...," he gulps. He wants to enter but hesitates and turns around. "She won't brainwash me or something, will she?"
"No. Just go already!"
BK: "Okay, okay." Eliya gives him some advice on healing and also hands him a special healing herb. He comes out of the room and Donghun enters. She reveals him a secret about the plants in this world. That way it will be easier for him to command them. He leaves the room and Jun enters.
DH: "That was a lot easier than I thought. I thought she was going to tell me one of those riddles that you can't solve."
This time Eliya reveals how Jun can use a fire attack from his enemy against him. After Jun, Sehyoon goes into the room. As he closes the door behind him, he feels nervous.
"Sit, boy. Sit." He goes to sit on a cushion, cross-legged. "I don't have much to tell you." Instead of revealing a tip on how to use his power, she reveals something else. "Holding hands is how to keep your most precious one." Sehyoon doesn't understand a word of what she said. His face is all confusion. "Repeat the sentence a few times a day in your head. Don't forget it. You will understand when the time comes." Sehyoon leaves, more confused than when he entered. Everyone notices his look.
BK: "Bro, are you okay? You look devastated."
SY: "I have no idea what she said." The boys all burst out laughing.
DH: "I guess you were lucky." You're the last one to go in. You sit down and she takes your hands.
"Make sure to stay safe. The boys will protect you. Trust them."
"I do."
"I know. Stay by their side. Don't leave them."
"But-"
"Sehyoon won't repeat what he did. Don't worry." You nod. "Now, that's actually not what you came here for. Here goes." She looks you in the eyes. "Your true form is the key." You look at her confused. "I have no idea what it means, it just came to me. You'll have to solve it yourself. I wish you the best of luck, sweety."
"Thank you." You stand up and go to the doors.
"Oh, and you can stay here for tonight!" She calls out. You leave the room and sigh.
CH: "Another riddle?"
"Yup. Anyways. We can sleep here for tonight."
J: "That's kind of her. Let's go get some sleep. We'll need it for tomorrow."

You get woken up by Eliya and are brought to an old traveller that still remembers where the path started.
"He knows where exactly the path starts. From there you'll be on your own. Take care and be brave," Eliya is holding your hands once again.
"Thank you," you turn to the traveller who shows you the way.
"It starts here. The path is pretty straight. Only at one point does it bend a little." You nod that you understand and the traveller leaves. With your fists clenched, you stand there. It's going to be dangerous. Very dangerous. You have no idea what will come on your path. What will await you. But you feel like it is your mission to bring the boys back home safely. Suddenly you feel someone take your hand. You look up to see Sehyoon giving you a reassuring smile.
SY: "We'll get there, don't worry. I'll protect you." Safe. Trust. With your hand in his you feel like everything will be okay.