What Lies Beneath ✅

Peal 7

I didn't know how long we had been traveling, but it was at the point everything started to look the same. I found myself falling forward and reopening the cut on my nose. I looked back and saw a tree had gotten ahold of my ankle. I froze it over then smashed the iced over vine.

"Looks like we need to be more careful." Hwanwoong said as he looked around.

"I could just burn them down." Keonhee said while fingering miniature suns.

"Let's not be rash. Just keep moving and we'll be out soon." said Dongju with his voice full of reason.

We kept moving, but trees continued to attack me left and right. The others, not so much. I was getting tired of it.

"Would you just cut it out!?" I said with a raised voice.

Soon everything around us had frozen over. I looked around in astonishment then looked back at them. They had frozen over as well. "Shit, shit, shit. What do I do!?" I hurried over to them then gently tapped them. Nothing happened. "Maybe if I use my body heat...?"

Body heat didn't work either. I calmed myself down then thought. Would what I did before back in Mr. Lee's room work the same here? It was worth a shot. I pressed my entire body against Dongju's frozen one then only thought of freeing him.

"Geonhak." a voice said.

I opened my eyes and saw Dongju glaring at me. I hugged him tight.

"You're okay. I suddenly froze everything and I started panicking because nothing was working-" I said rapidly while wailing a bit.

"How did you learn that?" Dongju asked skeptically.

"Learn what?" I asked confused.

"Magic cancellation. That takes years to learn, and you have to have mastered your basic almost fully." he replied with concern all over his face.

I didn't really know much, but if it was worrying Dongju, then it had to be serious.

"I don't know. It happened back in Mr. Lee's room too..." I said quietly as I looked at my hands.

I was starting to become scared of myself. I had froze everything around me with ease then managed to undo that same thing. I held Dongju's shoulders in hopes it'd calm me.

"Dongju, I'm a freak aren't I? There's something abnormal isn't there?" I said in a panic.

"Geonhak, you're not abnormal. You're not a freak." said Dongju in a soft voice.

He was just trying to calm me down, but it wasn't working. I still felt anxious and weird. Disgusted even. What was I? Who was I?

"Geonhak, look at me." Dongju said while making me look him in the eye. "It's scary, it's different, it's new. That's how magic works. You're completely normal. Everyone has their moments of magic sparking out of control. And some, like me, experience it constantly. Like now."

I looked then noticed we were floating along with a few frozen trees. Seeing it made me feel slightly comforted in a way. I guessed it was comforting to know it was normal to have hiccups.

"However, that magic cancellation was definitely not an out of control spark. I'll have to keep a better eye on you." said Dongju as we eventually landed back into the icy ground.

He let my face go then looked at the others who were still frozen. I pulled him into another hug. He really could be caring towards people.

"Geonhak..." he said in a low voice.

"Just a little longer. Please." I whispered.

He didn't say anything. I soon heard a sigh then felt arms wrap around me. I hid my face in the nape of his neck as my mind had started to slow and calm down.

ㅂㅂㅂㅂ

"I can't believe you actually did that." Keonhee said with obvious surprise. "I couldn't even use my heat to melt it!"

"Knowing that it was just you and not an attack makes me feel better." Youngjo said as he nudged my side.

I apologized for the nth time as we continued on our journey to Eskepaid, if it existed. I silently looked at my hands then noticed someone had held one.

"Don't dwell on it. You'll stress yourself out." Dongju said before letting go.

I smiled softly then looked at the hand Dongju had touched. It felt tingly, but I figured it was a low static shock of some sort.

ㅂㅂㅂㅂ

The forest soon led to a clearing and a simple archway sat in front of us.

"Is this it?" Keonhee asked.

"If the book is telling the truth, yes." replied Dongju who shut the book.

I approached the archway then noticed it disappeared. I stepped back and it soon reappeared.

"So we cant just walk in." Hwanwoong said with a sigh.

Youngjo threw a pearl at it which went onto the other side.

"Magic gets through huh..." Youngjo said in awe.

I decided to try out this magic cancellation thing as it seemed like magic was put on the archway. I raised my hand then closed my eyes.

"What is he doing?" Keonhee said flatly.

"Be quiet." Dongju said.

I thought of the archway staying and allowing entrance to Eskepaid. I eventually opened my eyes then sighed. It had to work. Otherwise. I stepped forward then smiled when it didn't disappear.

"What just happened?" Hwanwoong asked, voice full of surprise.

I looked back at them and smiled.

"Let's go see these 'nowols' that live in Eskepaid." I said cheerfully while looking at Dongju who avoided my gaze.