Ishihara // ATEEZ ✔

25 Rescue

All of them give the same initial reactions - they frown as they register every word from the riddle. Mingi's eyes look up to the sky, pointing his index finger, his mouth muttering something - trying to come up with an answer. Akira tries to de-structure the sentence, taking the riddle part by part. Seonghwa's eyes flick from his companions to the keeper, and his face turns sour as the realization dawns on him. It takes him only a few seconds to come up with an answer; there is a chance that he could be wrong, but something deep in him tells that what he's thinking of is the right one. He challenges the keeper with a stare, and there is a playful gleam in her eyes. Her lips lift upwards, showing that she knows that the answer to her riddle will bring forth despair, a secret that is no longer fit to be kept.

He's debating on whether it is worth to answer and bear the consequences later on. The truth that he has been trying to hide... just might come undone at this very moment.

"Akira Hwang," he says definitely.

Akira looks towards him, puzzled on why he's calling out her name. But he's not looking at her; instead he is focused on the keeper, whose face breaks off into a much bigger smile - more radiant, more mesmerizing. She juts out her chin, staring straight at Seonghwa.

"You are a very wise man, I must add. It must be hard sacrificing one thing for the sake of the other." She looks satisfied. "All of you may pass, and good luck on your journey. The path may not be easy, but it will be all worth it in the end. I do hope that you will be able to save your friend." She turns to Akira, a knowing look in her eyes. She morphs back into the tiger, before her figure swirls into a mist and is gone with the cold night air.

They release their breaths. The bizarreness of the situation still hasn't registered in Akira and Mingi's heads, but it seems that Seonghwa has already snapped out of the trance. He quietly goes over to his horse, heaving himself up. He doesn't offer any explanation to his answer, and although she feels the need to ask, she knows now is not the time. Thousands of questions swim in her mind. As he plods forward, Akira stops him. He looks down, but tries to avoid her sharp gaze.

"I need an explanation, but not now. You better explain to me about everything when we get back to Nyla. I need answers."

He looks away. "If we get back to Nyla. We don't have anymore time to waste, so we better get going." He leaves her, leading the way as if he knows where to go. She looks at his back and if there is one word to describe him is that he's now... broken.

"Let's get going, shall we," Mingi tries to fake his cheerfulness, but none of the other two give any responses. They move in a single line, one looking at the back of another. Seeing this situation, he quickly overtakes Seonghwa's horse, forcing the latter to halt his horse. They stare at each other for a good minute before Mingi softens his posture. After mulling over the riddle, he figures out why Seonghwa is acting that way.

It's because her blood is different. Seonghwa has been trying to protect her from knowing the truth about her blood. But why wouldn't she know? She has been injured countless of times... she has seen her own blood... how could she not know?

"Unless," he says to Seonghwa. Akira is too far back to be able to hear their conversation. Even she doesn't have the energy to spit out the question on why they still aren't moving. She only allows herself to get lost in her thoughts. The answer to the riddle already took a toll on her. "She doesn't know about it, does she? Her blood, we all know it's different. For us, it's not something weird. But for someone from Lucida to have that kind of blood..."

"She doesn't," he utters, bringing their horses side by side so that their conversation only stays among the two of them. "She can't see colours. She has no idea that she is a living proof of a tradition that has been held on so dearly for centuries has been broken."