magic in the space for souls

Prologue:

The young woman rubbed at her stomach, still flat and barely showing hints of swelling. What would her husband think? They couldn't afford another child, not when the son they had was still so young and they barely made enough to live in a small apartment in the middle of a smaller city in the country. Her husband was still earning his doctorate degree, working late hours just to finish his research and make ends meet. Her own business and career were starting to grow and she just couldn't cut it short either to care for another baby.

Her son ran up to her, black hair wet from his bath, and she scooped him up into her arms. “Baby, would you want a younger sibling? Someone you can play with instead of Mommy?”

The boy shook his head. “Then the baby will get all of Mommy’s attention.” He pouted. Her heart sank. Her son must have felt neglected with his father always out working and his mother always on the phone trying to do business. She worried that he was lonely but having a sibling was not the answer for him. But even as she tucked her son into bed, she imagined another child laying next to him and her heart hurt at the image.

When her husband returned from work late at night, he shrugged off his coat, hung his lab coat, and kissed her goodnight, exhausted. In bed, they laid together, facing each other. She traced the long slope of her husband’s nose and noted the dark circles that seemed like permanent etchings under his eyes. They couldn't support another child, not when they struggled so hard supporting one and trying to keep their marriage afloat. She fell asleep to thoughts of shy smiles and the soft laughter of a child.

In the morning, she told her husband that she was pregnant. He put down the newspaper, headlined Mage Council Passes Clan Edict , and looked at her with confused eyes. She saw his face flicker between joy and distress. He had come to the same conclusion too, that they couldn't afford another child right now no matter how much they wanted one. She saved him the decision.

“We'll continue like we always have. One doctor’s appointment for options. If this child lives or dies before it’s born, it is as it is. We’ll leave fate to decide for us.”

So they continued. Her husband went to work early and arrived home late. Her business was starting to get busy and she was constantly running around meeting new people. The bump on her stomach grew, but much slower than during her previous pregnancy. She was so busy that she did not worry about her health or the child’s health. She ate for one, not two, ignoring the cravings as she got swept away with business and building the career she so longed for. The few doctor’s appointments she attended often came with criticism and chiding that she wasn’t doing enough to care for the being inside of her. Her chemical balance was off and if she kept as she was, she could lose the baby. But she kept going, never heeding the doctor’s words. Only thinking that if the baby was meant to be born, it would survive the neglect.

Then it happened. On her walk home, she crossed a woman holding a young child, maybe a year old, still at the stage where thumb-sucking was cute and not a bad habit. As she passed, the little boy grabbed at the blue handkerchief tied around her bag. Her bag pulled against her arm and she lost her balance, falling to the ground. The child’s mother apologized but before the mother could help her up, the baby started wailing and in distress, the mother and her baby left, disappearing into the city landscape.

She stood back up and brushed herself off. But then a blinding pain ripped through her stomach and she staggered. Leaning against the wall of a nearby building, she slid down to the floor and inhaled heavily, trying to soothe away the pain. The pain only intensified and she could feel her underwear start to soak with what she knew was likely blood. Miscarriage . It was suddenly terrifying, sitting there against a brick wall with no one in sight as the sun slowly set.

She couldn't bring herself to be happy, even when she knew she had purposely neglected both her health and her child’s health in the hopes that this might have happened, in the hopes that fate would say that another child was not meant to be. She knew that no child could withstand the stress she had put on her body, on the child inside of her. And finally, fate had come to claim the unborn child.

She supposed that was her fault for trying to manipulate fate. Holding her stomach, she sobbed, tears for losing a child in such a way, and begged for forgiveness from the baby she would no longer have.

Then a tall man, dressed all in black, appeared, kneeling down before her. His wide-brimmed fedora hid his eyes. He pushed the hat up and the sincerity in his eyes made her tears stop in awe. “Do you wish to keep your son?” He uttered, in a deep voice, calm and gentle, but firm.

“Excuse me?” She moved to wipe the tear tracks from her face.

“Do you wish to keep your son?” He repeated, voice never changing its tone or inflection, but still hypnotizing in quality.

“Son?”

He pointed at her stomach, and repeated the question a third time. “Do you wish to keep your son?”

And as if a trance had come over her, she knew the truth. “Yes,” she admitted. “Yes, please, save him.”

His eyes flashed for a moment and he pulled his hat back over, the brim once again hiding his eyes. “Your son has been blessed by a Grim Reaper. This is your punishment and your reward. You should do well to keep him alive till the time comes.”

Panic gripped her heart. “What do you mean when the time comes?”

“You will know,” the man said calmly. Then the man turned away and disappeared in a plume of black smoke.

The young woman sat there for a little longer, dazed at the fact that she had just met a deity. Magic was not unheard of, in a world of mages and mortals, but the two populations were often separated. Mages born to non-magic parents never stayed for long with their families. She rubbed the swell of her stomach, the only remaining proof of her encounter with the Grim Reaper. She got up and went home.

Several months later, she lay in the hospital bed, sweaty and tired, holding a baby boy with soft strands of black hair that lay wispy across his forehead. The child stirred in his sleep, small and weak in her arms. His tiny fragile body, smaller than what his brother’s had been, was a reminder that she had once almost lost the child, that she had once attempted to deny fate.

Her husband stood by the bed, watching his wife and their newborn son. “What will we name him?”

“Changkyun. His name is Lim Changkyun.”

Unknown to the young couple and their newborn, they had a visitor. In the corner, not visible to the human eye, a man in a black trench coat and hat disappeared from the room.

Chapter 1: A Sort of Beginning

Changkyun scratched absent-mindedly at the back of his hand, empty of any marks. He supposed he knew this was coming. The looming building stood in front of him, the gothic architecture standing out amongst the sleek, modern buildings of the capital city.

He remembered when he first heard the news. Immediately, he had been brought to the town hall and had been registered as a mage. Although there had been uproar surrounding the mandatory registration of mages, the government reasoned that it was no different than the census used to ensure mandatory military service. The mage population was only about 1% of the country anyways. Furthermore, it was to ensure the safety of the majority of the population because, as the new law quoted, “Mages are powerful and that makes them dangerous.”

Changkyun entered the hall, the waiting room full of other mages, many much older than him. He was eighteen now, almost nineteen, and he had half a year of wandering as a lone mage before the new law had been passed. The poster in the waiting room’s bulletin board only reminded Changkyun of his loss of freedom.

Mage Council Edict: After recent investigations surrounding the benefits of clans to mages and coinciding investigations of the disproportionate number of casualties from destructive soul fragments in dark magic mages, the Council decrees that all dark magic mages be placed into a clan, effective immediately.

Changkyun looked around and sighed. The room was far too full for them to call him anytime soon. He put in his earphones, closed his eyes, and let the music carry him through his memories that led to where he was now.

-- --

From his early childhood, his mother would read the ancient fairytales to him, of deities greater than mankind itself. His favorite stories were that of the Grim Reaper, a character that he felt drawn to for an unknown reason. His mother would only smile mysteriously and reread him the stories until he could recite them by heart.

When strange things started happening to Changkyun, he discovered that his mother’s mysterious smile had a reason. It started when Changkyun kept losing his pencils, the special kind that his father would bring home for him from the university. It was just pencils but it was really annoying, especially for seven years old Changkyun who cherished the pencils with a childish innocence. He had thrown a tantrum alone in his room, and the angrier he had gotten, the darker and colder the room became. He didn’t lose anymore pencils after that.

Then Changkyun began to see people that no one else could see. Sometimes he would wave to a person in the street, but when he turned around, he would see his mother staring at him with almost fright present in her eyes. Changkyun would grab her hand and she would stiffen before relaxing and granting him a sad smile. Once, he had asked his brother to play basketball with him because he saw some kids playing in the park, but when he returned with his brother a few minutes later, no one was there.

Finally, on his thirteenth birthday, the mark appeared. The soul mark that deemed one a mage was an empty circle with an embellished border. Changkyun had traced the circle and followed the chain-like design. That day, his father returned from the university library and gave him a simplified book of the historical lore of the mages for him to study and learn the truth of his now confirmed status.

As such, fairy tales came from a place of truth. The stories detailing the lives and powers of mages more often that not coincided with the stories of the deities’ beloved mortals. In the book his father gave him, there were illustrations of different soul marks: wave-like patterns of water mages, the vine-like pattern of garden mages, the glittery style of light mages. Yet Changkyun could not find his mark in the book. When he reached the end, all he knew was that he was a mage.

But Changkyun truly was his father’s son. Instead of playing basketball like other kids his age, he visited the university library and found the full version of the book his father had given to him. Although it was written at a level far too advanced for a thirteen years old, Changkyun was far too smart and quite determined for his age. He sat in the library almost every day for hours reading through the book and trying to understand this community he was suddenly apart of.

Most of the book was relegated to the myths and powers of elemental mages. How certain deities had blessed these children to go and change the world. That part was only a more detailed version of the book he had received. The next section was where he found answers.

Dark magic . The chapter was short, only about a few pages compared to the hundreds of pages of stories for the other types of magic. In there, he found his soul mark, his perfectly matching the chain pattern denoting the soul mark for necromancers.

Necromancers , he read, are one of the only natural dark mages. Necromancers are said to bring only bad luck and death to those who love them. Everyone who loves a necromancer will die.

He paused. Reread the line a few times. A strange sense of fear took over him. He tried reading a few more lines but it only made things worse. The few stories in the book were of necromancers that had appeared in towns and marked a sudden wave of deaths and violence. Others of those that had given up their souls to raise the dead only to lose their loved one again. Never any good stories.

The final line stuck with Changkyun, even till now. To be loved by a necromancer is a punishment worse than death. But to return his love is a blessing that not even heaven can give.

It had shaken him for a few days, and he refused to return to the library and the book until he felt like himself again. His mother and father noticed that he had been quiet and solemn, much broodier than he already was as a teen that just hit puberty.

His distress at the revelation that his magic would outcast him caused the dark magic inside of him to lash out. Changkyun’s dark aura became more tangible and stranger things followed. The spirits that once only ever waved when they noticed Changkyun looking at them begun to follow him, and their voices, once silent, threatened to drown out his thoughts with their pleas for help.

After a week of refusing to leave his room, Changkyun finally let himself rationalize things out. He needed to figure out how to control his powers and what he needed to do to protect his family before his distress caused even more damage, not just to him but to everyone around him. He may have been young but he wasn’t stupid.

Conveniently opened on the family computer was his father’s account into the university archive, which included access to books that Changkyun did not have access to. He typed in dark magic into the search bar and then downloaded and sent as many resources as he could to himself so that he wouldn’t be caught before his father returned home.

Oddly enough, the next day, a new book appeared in his room, a thick volume with the stamp of the university that his father worked at, solely about dark magic. It was titled Monsta . He wasn’t sure how his parents had gotten into his room because he had learned to lock his door when puberty hit. He left that thought for another time.

The myths and legends were still scarily similar to the few that the other book had, many with sad endings or the necromancer as the villain. His soul mark appeared in the pages on identifying a dark mage along with the fact that dark mages would only be revealed in periods of distress, that dark mages had two systems of magic that they used. He learned that dark magic could also be obtained unnaturally, but the book made no clear mention of how, only that it was the most common way a dark mage was made.

There was a section on powers and while some he recognized, like talking to spirits, some he tried to attempt but couldn't do, and some he didn’t really want to try out. One of the powers listed was raising the dead, which succeeded an entire chapter on the process of selling your soul. Apparently there was a lot of bureaucracy in selling your soul, lots of contracts to sign, lots of hoops to jump through, a requirement for a law degree, and yeah, Changkyun was not about that life.

After joining his first clan, he learned why mages and humans often lived separately. Magic was very personal and had to be constrained. Overuse of magic led to soul cracks and although Changkyun had never experienced one, he had seen a mage from his old clan go through a soul crack. Changkyun could remember the burst of energy that felt like getting slapped across the face and the long thin line that appeared on the other mage’s soul mark. The small burst of energy that occurred when a soul cracked was still powerful enough to injure a human, so many mages moved to live in more open areas with other mages to allow their magic to roam free and to train to better control their abilities. Some returned to the city, but mostly only for business and never stayed for over a few years.

-- --

“Lim Changkyun?”

Changkyun’s eyes shot up and he stood up and followed the administrator into the courtroom. Staffed by high ranking mages in the Council, the courtroom was an open circle surrounded by high-rising chairs. The middle seat was the highest and then decreased in altitude outwards for a total of nine seats. On the ground were pentagram marks, imbued with magic.

“Lim Changkyun,” the oldest man sitting in the highest seat spoke, his wrinkled face stern and cold, “Your file says that you have been in a clan before but it only lasted a year. Is that true?”

“Yes, sir.” Changkyun’s deep voice reverberated through the room, leaving an echoing silence in its wake.

A shrill voice followed. “Why did it only last a year?”

Changkyun turned to face the woman on the far right, a pinched face that looked like she was permanently eating a lemon. He snorted inside his head.  “I don’t know,” he said quietly. “Just one day our leader didn’t want to be a part of the clan anymore. Said he didn’t feel the bond. After his clan mark disappeared, the rest of us stopped trying and our marks went away too.”

The woman to the immediate left of the center cleared her throat before speaking. “Changkyun, do you understand the benefits of a clan, especially for a necromancer like you?” She waited for him to react, eyes patient and gentle, and when he nodded slowly, she continued. “The reason we’re doing this is to ensure that you will be placed into a clan that will not break up like your last one. The spell will match you with a clan. Please step into the field.”

The room darkened and Changkyun exhaled, trying to calm his racing heart. On the floor, the sigils burned a bright blue, surrounding Changkyun with a wall of light. He tensed. His magic that naturally floated around him seemed to retreat from the barrier, searching for a way to escape.

He gritted his teeth, beginning to feel discomfort as his magic started to turn away from the barrier. He could feel the magic start to thicken around him and his heart picked up its pace. The heaviness surrounding him made it hard to breathe and a feeling of claustrophobia set it but it made no sense since he never had a fear of closed spaces. Changkyun knew he had to stay calm, and it was clear that the spell was affecting his magic and his psyche. But the longer he remained entrapped within the magical wall, the more strain his body undertook and the more scared he became.

The magic around him slowly became imbued with the dark magic released from his distress, as it pushed against the barrier. Changkyun inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to calm down and to stop the dark aura that he emitted but it was suffocating, the magic swirling and trapped, unable to roam freely.

The pressure was excruciating. Even in the half year after leaving his first clan, his magic had never turned against him like this. He gasped in pain and fell to his knees, feeling the area around his heart fill with pain and-

It ended. Changkyun’s magic found an opening and burst through the wall, causing the blue barrier to collapse around him. The room relit and the nine Council judges came into view.

“Please stand up for further instructions,” a quiet man said on the far left, round coke-bottle glasses hiding a mousy face. Changkyun could only muster a glare, still gathering his bearings from the ordeal.

“Your clan will be notified of your joining. A representative will send you their contact information. Move in as soon as possible.” The man in the center said, eyes devoid of warmth. “Please bring in the next mage.”

-- --

Changkyun blinked at the man in front of him. The man blinked right back at him. Changkyun turned around to see if maybe the man was waiting for someone else but no one else was there but himself.

In front of the mage hostel that Changkyun was staying at, the man stood, tall and tan, the broad set of his shoulders still visible in the thick jacket that he wore to combat the early January morning cold. He seemed to be waiting for someone and had just so happened to make eye contact with Changkyun.

Changkyun stood there awkwardly. He nodded his head slightly at the man, then turned away, unsure on who he was and why he was here. Suddenly, the man approached Changkyun, standing right in front of him, Changkyun eye level with the man’s chest.

The man bowed. Changkyun awkwardly bowed back, a little unbalanced by his backpack. They three stood there in silence: Changkyun, the unknown man, and the awkwardness. Changkyun shifted a little, watching the man who seemed to be lost in thought.

Finally the man moved and reached for the suitcase next to Changkyun. “Are you Lim Changkyun?” Changkyun blinked, surprised at the man’s low and smooth drawling voice.

“Yes? And you are?” Changkyun wrung his hands nervously, unsure if that was the right question to ask.

The man blinked and then seemed to come to a realization. He dried his hands on his jeans and held one out to Changkyun. “Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Son Hyunwoo. I’m part of the X-Clan. I was sent to come get you. It’s nice to meet you.”

That’s when Changkyun looked down and noticed the X mark on the man’s hand. It was blockier and had a three-dimensional design compared to Changkyun’s two-dimensional circuit board design.

Flustered, Changkyun let go of the man’s hand, Hyunwoo he reminded himself, wiped his own hands against his pants, and bowed again. He fumbled with his words, unsure of what to say. “Please take care of me,” was what he decided on.

Hyunwoo did not say much more, only grabbed Changkyun’s suitcase and gestured for Changkyun to follow him. Changkyun followed, his duffle bag hitting the back of his knees and one hand wrapped tightly around the straps of his backpack.

In the car, as Hyunwoo drove, Changkyun could not help but notice the toned musculature of the man’s arms. He did not realize he was staring until Hyunwoo spoke up. “How old are you, Changkyun?” When Changkyun hesitated to reply, he added, “I am twenty-two, if that will help you speak more comfortably with me.”

“Eighteen,” Changkyun whispered. Hyunwoo leaned his head slightly over to indicate that he had not heard him. “I’m eighteen,” he said louder.

Hyunwoo’s eyes widened. “You’re only eighteen?”

“Is that a problem? I’ll be nineteen soon.” Changkyun squirmed in his seat a little, not daring to look at Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo seemed to realize that Changkyun was uncomfortable. He tried for a wry smile. “No, it’s not a problem. I just didn’t realize how young you were. You’ll be the youngest in the clan.”

Changkyun was unsure on how to respond to that. He ventured, “Could you tell me about the other members? The Council didn’t tell me much about you guys.” They didn’t say anything at all , he thought inwardly.

The other man chuckled. “Well, I’m the oldest. The second oldest is Hoseok. Then there’s Minhyukie and Kihyunie. Then Hyungwonie. Jooheon is our current youngest but he turned twenty a few months ago.”

“Ah,” Changkyun said. He faltered and let the silence filter through the air. “What types of mages are you all?” He paused and blushed a little. “I guess that’s a little personal. I’m sorry.”

Hyunwoo laughed warmly. “It’s okay, you’re going to be a new clan member anyways. You’ll just have to wait and find out. What about you, Changkyun?”

Changkyun’s blood ran cold although his face showed no outward change. He didn’t say anything, trying to figure out if he should reveal that he was a necromancer or not. Many mages that he had met before were often not so friendly with necromancers and amongst the few that were, some were only interested in attaining dark magic. And even those that were friendly eventually turned cold. He was not sure how the older would react.

His silence must have been too long because Hyunwoo looked concerned. “Changkyun?”

The younger smiled back weakly. “I’ll guess you’ll just have to wait and find out.”

He chuckled. “Alright, it seems like you’re tired. Go to sleep, it’s a long ride back home.”

-- --

The clan’s home was on the edge of a little town in the woods. Just a ways off was a river, the water flowing lazily. From the front, the house looked neat, clean brick walls and lots of windows. The ground was not paved but distinct areas were clear of plants and formed a distinct pathway. Another building stood next to it, which Changkyun assumed to be a type of garage when Hyunwoo parked in front of it.

“Ah, home. I wonder if Kihyun has made dinner yet. I’m hungry.” Changkyun silently agreed, feeling the beginnings of an ache in his stomach. His stomach grumbled and he flushed a little when Hyunwoo turned an amused smile at him. “I guess I’m not the only one.”

Changkyun followed Hyunwoo to the door, trying to rub the last dregs of sleep out of his eyes. Not noticing that Hyunwoo had stopped, he bumped into the man’s broad back. He looked curiously at the man.

“Before I forget, Changkyun,” Hyunwoo started, turning around. “Welcome to the X-Clan.”

The taller man’s sincerity made Changkyun laugh. It was so awkward but so genuine that it had eased the discomfort that Changkyun didn’t even realize he had been feeling. Hyunwoo’s satisfied smile made him relax.

“Also,” he added, then hesitated, as if trying to find the right words to not scare Changkyun away. “The guys can be a little… loud but they all mean well.”

Changkyun didn’t even have time to wonder what that meant before he found out the answer. A loud boom! rang out, shaking the ground and sending a flock of birds screeching out of the trees. Changkyun jumped back from the door, shocked, but Hyunwoo only sighed and opened the door, ushering Changkyun in.

Hyunwoo sat Changkyun’s suitcase down before immediately being smothered by a thin body with bright white hair. “Hyung! You’re back!” The new mage turned to look at Changkyun, who was hanging awkwardly next to the door, fiddling with the straps on his bag. “Is this the new guy?”

“Min-,” Hyunwoo started, before another boy appeared.

“Hyung! We need you outside. Minhyuk scared Jooheon when he was helping me with the cooking and now everything’s on fire.” A smaller man appeared, glaring at the white-haired man.

Hyunwoo sighed and gave Changkyun a long-suffering look, to which Changkyun awkwardly smiled back. He dislodged the white-haired mage from the octopus grasp on his body. “Kihyun-ah, Minhyuk-ah, this is our new member.” Both mages turned to stare at Changkyun and Changkyun cowered at their sharp looks. “Be nice,” Hyunwoo warned before a loud shout was heard and he ran off to the back, leaving Changkyun with the two other mages.

The smaller mage, with chestnut colored hair, approached Changkyun first. “Hello, I’m Yoo Kihyun and this idiot is Lee Minhyuk.”

Changkyun bowed in response. “Please take care of me.” He paused and blushed, realizing that Hyunwoo had not introduced him to the others. “Lim Changkyun,” he rushed to add, holding out his hand. The other man stared at his hand carefully before chuckling and shaking it.

Minhyuk continued to stare at Changkyun and Changkyun shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to make of the other man’s sharp stare. “It’s nice to meet you,” he said, bowing again, trying to avert his eyes from Minhyuk’s direct look.

“Oh my god, he’s so cute.” Changkyun blinked, confused. Another man had appeared from the door hall that Hyunwoo had disappeared from. He had blond hair and Changkyun could tell he was just as muscular as Hyunwoo. “Kihyun, can we keep him?”

Kihyun sighed. “He’s not a dog, hyung.” The soft pout on the blond’s face made Changkyun wonder if this man was really older than Kihyun.

“Oh yeah, the fire’s finally out,” he informed Kihyun. Kihyun sighed in relief and then turned his glare to Minhyuk, who put of his hands and pretended to be innocent. However, that didn’t stop Kihyun from bodily dragging the taller mage with him, grumbling what Changkyun was pretty sure were curses under his breath.

“Changkyun, right?” The other man held out his hand. “Shin Hoseok.”

Changkyun shook his hand and then bowed. “Nice to meet you. Please take care of me.” When he looked up, he immediately became flustered. Hoseok had moved closer giving Changkyun an eyeful of defined pecs peeking through a low cut shirt. He looked appraisingly at Changkyun, before smiling and reaching to ruffle Changkyun’s hair.

“Do you want to go meet the others?” Changkyun nodded slowly and at that, Hoseok’s smile brightened. “Great! Follow me.”

Changkyun looked around, gesturing to the bag in his hand. “Um… where should I put these?”

Hoseok glanced back, finally noticing that Changkyun was holding a dufflebag and a big backpack. He smiled sheepishly. “Just put them on the couch. We can figure out where you’ll sleep after you meet everyone.”

After setting down his bags, Changkyun followed Hoseok down the hallway. In the back, the kitchen led to an open backyard. On the stove in the kitchen, a pot of soup was cooking. Hoseok opened the sliding door and led Changkyun through. At the far end was a greenhouse, and inside, Changkyun could see rows and rows of blooming plants. The other side, the group of mages were sitting around a wooden table, the corner edge charred black. Just off in the distance, Changkyun could make out the winding river through the trees.

At the table, there were four mages. Changkyun recognized Hyunwoo and Minhyuk, the two eating from a plate full of meat hot off the grill. He did not know the other two, one tall and skinny with thick lips and black hair and the other a little shorter and thicker with round cheeks and small eyes and light brown hair hidden by a cap, but he assumed that they were Hyungwon and Jooheon, the only other members he hadn’t met yet. Kihyun stood at the grill, cooking and the smell made Changkyun’s mouth water.

“Ah, Changkyun, just in time! Lunch is almost ready,” Kihyun said. He checked his watch. “The soup is almost done. I’ll go get it.”

Hoseok had joined the others at the table. When he noticed Changkyun standing awkwardly, he waved him over. “Come on, sit down. We don’t bite." 

As Changkyun moved to sit, the shorter of the two he had yet to meet held out his hand. “Hey, what’s up, man? Name’s Jooheon.”

Jooheon’s energy made Changkyun relax. He grabbed the hand. “Changkyun, nice to meet you.”

“Welcome to the clan, man.”

“Thanks dude.”

The taller mage snorted in his seat. Changkyun stiffened, beginning to feel uncomfortable. He withdrew his hand and brought it to fiddle with the strings of his hoodie. Jooheon turned to glare at the older mage. “Hyung! Be nice.” He turned back to Changkyun. “Ignore him. He’s just grumpy because we had to wake him up to help us put out the fire.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Hyungwon.” Changkyun bowed before sitting next to Jooheon. The other boy started talking cheerfully with Changkyun, and he was pleasantly surprised to see that they shared many interests.

Kihyun appeared with a steaming bowl of soup. “Alright guys, dig in.” As they ate, Changkyun listened to the soft chatter around him. It felt comfortable. He wondered how long that would last. Minhyuk and Hyungwon seemed to be the ones that had the most problems with him there, although he wasn’t sure why. Did they know? He squirmed, uncomfortable at the thought.

Once everyone finished and the table was cleared, the seven mages sat around the table. Changkyun let his guard down, tried to find comfort in the friendly atmosphere. Then Minhyuk turned his sharp gaze to Changkyun and frowned. Everything went silent. Nervously, Changkyun lifted his head.

“So Changkyun, tell us about yourself.”

Changkyun liked to think that he could handle tough situations, but when it came to people, he had no idea. He stared blankly at Minhyuk, trying to discern if the white-haired mage was up to something.

“Um…” he mumbled, “What do you want to know?”

Minhyuk looked at him strangely. Changkyun squirmed a little under his gaze. Taking pity on the boy, Kihyun cut in. “Well, how old are you, Changkyun? You’ve been talking with us pretty informally, so you’re maybe 22? 23?”

In the corner of his eye, Changkyun could see Hyunwoo lost in thought, as if reviewing all the times that Changkyun slipped up and ignored the age hierarchy. “I’m eighteen,” he said under his breath. Kihyun tilted his head. “I’m eighteen,” he repeated louder, feeling a sense of deja vu. The others gasped in shock.

“No way.” Changkyun turned to look Jooheon. His face was unreadable and Changkyun felt his heart sink. He really thought that Jooheon would be his friend. “YES!” Changkyun looked up in surprise.

Hyunwoo chuckled from off to the side. “Jooheon’s really happy not to be the youngest anymore.”

“Oh.” Changkyun bent his head and smiled, relieved. That is until he felt a hand chop his head. “Oww! What was that for?”

“Yah, you’ve been speaking to us informally when you’re the youngest here? At least call us hyung, you brat.”

Changkyun laughed while rubbing his head. “You got it, Kihyun-” he flinched from Kihyun’s threatening gesture, “-hyung.”

“Are you normally this rude?” Hyungwon drawled, and Changkyun’s laughter trailed off. He made eye contact with Hyunwoo and Hyunwoo only gave him a pointed glance. He sighed.

“I haven’t actually lived in the country for too long. My dad was a scientist so my family traveled a lot when I was younger. I’m sorry, I’m not used to using honorifics. Please be patient with me.” Changkyun could feel his ears heat up, embarrassed.

Jooheon patted his shoulder. “It’s alright, man. Not a big deal. Just remember from now on. Cool?”

Changkyun nodded. “Cool.”

Minhyuk cleared his throat and interrupted. “Now that we’ve got that cleared up, let’s get onto more important business. Why are you here, Changkyun?” If there was one thing Changkyun couldn’t fault Minhyuk for was that he wasn’t subtle at all.

Jooheon protested. “I’m sorry, Changkyun, I don’t know why hyung’s acting like this. He’s usually not like this. I don’t know what’s come over him.”

“What’s come over me? I just want to know why we have a new guy after we’ve been a clan for over a year! Why am I the one in the wrong for wanting to protect the clan? Isn’t that what we promised?”

Over the shouting that devolved around him, Changkyun came to his own realizations. He figured that Minhyuk was upset that he had joined an already established clan and messing with already established clan dynamics. Personally, he was surprised that the Council did not put him in an newly formed clan, as they often did. Mages that were registered and that wanted to be in a clan were often arbitrarily placed together in new clans. New members in established clans usually ruined the dynamics and the balance formed from when the clan was initially made.

“I’m sorry,” he said, voice almost too soft to be heard. “I didn’t mean to…” His voice trailed off.

Kihyun whacked Minhyuk in the head. “Ignore him, Changkyun. He's just annoyed because Gunhee left us.”

“Gunhee?” Changkyun questioned. “Who…?” He trailed off, unsure on what he wanted to ask.

“He was a mage that was going to be in our clan,” Jooheon said. “He was actually my close friend. It was hard on all of us.”

“Did he… die?” Changkyun asked nervously. He didn’t want to step on already hurt feelings.

Jooheon laughed. “No, no, it’s nothing like that. Just some things happened, problems with clan dynamics. He’s in a different clan now and he’s a lot happier there.”

“Minhyuk’s just being a dick. Give him a few days, he’s usually very clingy,” Hoseok said, patting Minhyuk’s head. Minhyuk whined in response.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Kihyun said. “Does anyone else have questions?”

“I do,” Minhyuk started, before he was silenced by Hyunwoo’s sharp look. Hyunwoo sighed when Minhyuk pouted and gestured for him to go ahead. “What type of mage are you? I’d think it’s important for us to know how well you’d fit into group dynamics.”

Changkyun froze. He knew that the question would come up but he hoped he would have had more time to prepare. He didn’t say anything, trying to run through the best way to reveal the truth.

Hyunwoo groaned when Kihyun elbowed him in the ribs. “Would you like us to tell you what kind of mages we are? Would that make you more comfortable?”

Changkyun let out a sigh of relief. “Yes, please.” Jooheon patted his shoulder comfortingly.

“Well, I’m an earth mage,” Hyunwoo said.

“He’s not just an earth mage,” Kihyun added, “Hyunwoo-hyung is also the leader of the X-Clan. He basically built this house from the ground up.”

Changkyun gasped. “Hyung, you never told me!” Hyunwoo only shrugged.

“He always forgets.” Kihyun chuckled fondly. “As for me, I’m a plant mage. That greenhouse over there,” he pointed, “is mine. All the plants in there were grown by me.” He gave a nonchalant shrug. “If you get sick, hit me up. I also dabble in potion-making. You could say I’m the clan’s magic pharmacist.” The way Kihyun talked made Changkyun laugh. It was so exaggeratedly confident.

Jooheon added in next. “I’m a fire mage. I’m still young so don’t scare me when I’m doing my thing and we won’t have any problems.” He turned to glare at Minhyuk who only smiled innocently, as if he had no idea what Jooheon was talking about.

Changkyun looked around. Hyungwon did not seem to be paying attention to the conversation and didn’t seem like he would offer an answer anytime soon. Minhyuk looked like he wanted to say something. “Minhyuk… shi?”

“Just because I’m revealing this to you doesn’t mean I’ve decided anything about you,” Minhyuk warned. Changkyun nodded in reply. He understood the distrust that Minhyuk felt. “I’m a light mage.” At Changkyun’s confused face, he laughed. “You probably haven’t seen a lot around. We’re a special breed from the rest of you elemental mages.”

Changkyun froze. Minhyuk’s stare turned sharp, as if he could sense Changkyun’s discomfort. Changkyun rushed to clarify, before Minhyuk could catch on. “I just haven’t met any light mages before. I guess I didn’t know what to expect.” He looked up shyly. “I think that’s really cool.”

The rate that Minhyuk’s expression changed from cold to obnoxiously happy gave Changkyun whiplash. His eyes seemed to sparkle and that left a soft tingling in Changkyun’s stomach, relieved that the one member most vocal against his joining was slowly warming up to him.

Hyungwon yawned and blinked slowly. “Are we introducing ourselves?” He spoke slowly and slurred his words as if he had just woken up from a nap. “Chae Hyungwon, water mage.” His eyes drooped. Changkyun smiled nervously.

“Is that everybody?” Kihyun asked. “Ah, hyung! You didn’t say anything.”

“Yeah, I was waiting for everyone else.” Hoseok smiled widely, like he had the best plan in the world. The others groaned. “Instead of telling you, I’ll show you. Come with me.”

He led them to the building that Changkyun had assumed was a garage. It was not. Inside were tons a wires and tools. Hoseok walked over to a table in the middle, filled with large rolls of paper and scrap metal. He picked up a chunk of scrap metal and squeezed. Changkyun watched in awe as the metal crumpled like paper.

“Ah, hold on. This part’s the hard part.” The muscles in Hoseok’s shirt seemed to bulge against his shirt. When he opened his hand, the piece of scrap metal had been formed into a perfect sphere. He dropped it onto the table, where it landed with a thunk! leaving a dent in the table.

“What…?” Changkyun trailed off, amazed. “So you’re a metal mage, Hoseok-shi?”

“Just call me hyung, Changkyun. And yeah, pretty cool, right?”

“That’s amazing, hyung!” Hoseok smiled bashfully, surprising Changkyun who had seen Hoseok as someone with a lot of confidence. “Is this your workshop then?”

Hoseok nodded. “Hyunwoo and I share this place but he prefers to work outside when he’s building. I’m working on a few projects right now-” Changkyun opened his mouth to ask about them, “but you’ll just have to wait and see what they are.”

“Yah, hyung, don’t tease the poor kid like that,” Kihyun said, smacking Hoseok against the arm. He winced from the pain and gave an apologetic look.

As Kihyun was about to say something, Minhyuk cut in. “Now that everyone’s told him what mages we are, it’s only fair he tells us, right?”

Kihyun looked at Minhyuk steadily and Minhyuk stared back, as if they were having a silent conversation. The shorter mage sighed. “If you’re uncomfortable, Changkyun, you don’t have to.” He paused to let the words sink in before hitting Changkyun with the fatal blow. “But we hope that you could trust us enough to tell us since we trusted you.”

Changkyun mentally groaned. They were guilt tripping him. He knew he should have suspected that there was something fishy about the garden mage. He seemed to know exactly how to get what he wanted.

There was no escaping, not with Hyunwoo standing behind him and Jooheon looking kindly at him, like he would accept anything Changkyun said.

Changkyun took a deep breath. Exhaled. “I, uh, I’m a…” His breath caught in his throat. He cursed mentally. Why was this so hard? He needed to calm down before he accidentally revealed himself before he was ready.

He closed his eyes and blurted it out. “I'm a necromancer.” He cringed, realizing that his voice cracked at the end and cursed that his low voice made those cracks so much more obvious.

He opened one eye and felt the blood drain from his face. The others looked the same, like they had been punched across the face. Even Hyungwon, who Changkyun thought hadn't been paying attention, looked shocked.

The most surprising reaction was Jooheon, who looked downright murderous. Changkyun’s heart sank. The one person that he thought might accept him, did not. Changkyun didn't even dare to turn around and look at Hyunwoo’s reaction, scared of seeing the leader’s anger.

No one said a word. Changkyun didn't allow himself to cry.

Changkyun tossed and turned in the small bed, unable to sleep. He kept thinking of the afternoon reveal and the silent reactions that he has dreaded. Dinner had been quiet.

At the end of the meal, everyone had gotten up and left, leaving Changkyun alone, not wanting to bump into the others when he returned to his assigned room. Jooheon, who was in charge of the dishes that night, had ignored him. He had sighed, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but there with Changkyun.

“Look,” Jooheon had finally said, resignation in his voice, “just give us some time. We all have something we’re trying to get through with you being what you are.”

“I’m sorry,” Changkyun had said, unable to say more.

Jooheon had softened. “Just bear through it for now. I'm trying hard to understand but with what happened with my friend… it's a bit hard.”

Changkyun didn't try to ask what had happened with Jooheon’s friend. He knew that it was probably why Jooheon had looked like he had wanted to murder him when he revealed that he was necromancer. There was no need to relive bad memories.

Changkyun groaned. It was too hard to fall asleep, not with so many thoughts running through his head. He got up and snuck down to the kitchen for a glass of water.

As he filled the porcelain mug with water, he felt a cold breeze blow by him. He ignored it, thinking someone must have left the window open. Then he felt an uncomfortable sensation, as if someone was leaning over his shoulder.

A sudden chill ran through his body as what felt like cold fingers touched the back of his neck.

He startled, dropping the mug to the floor, where it shattered and formed a puddle. Changkyun looked mournfully down at the bottom of his pajama pants that were now soaked. He turned around, but was unable to see anything in the dark.

He sighed. Of course this was happening. “Look,” he whispered, not raising his voice above the bare minimum to prevent the others from waking up, if they hadn't already from earlier, “I can't do this right now. It's like-” he checked the clock on the wall, “4AM. Everyone is sleeping.”

It was quiet. He groaned inside his head. “Can’t this wait until the morning?”

More silence. The things Changkyun did for others. “You’ve seriously been haunting this house and no one has noticed?”

A boy materialized in front of Changkyun. Changkyun didn’t flinch, just stared evenly at the boy. He looked to be about Changkyun’s age, maybe a little younger. He was tall and handsome. The spirit was wearing a hoodie underneath his school uniform and sneakers.

“Can you speak?” The spirit shook its head, pointed at its throat then made an X. “What’s your name?”

The spirit traced out the name. “Noh Yoonho?” It nodded. “Alright, so what can I help you with.”

He pointed outside at the backyard and made a wave motion with his hand. “The river?” The spirit, or Yoonho, because Changkyun wanted to at least give the dead some respect, nodded again. He held up a V sign. “Peace out?” Yoonho looked at him strangely. “Um… two?”

Through a series of hand motions and charades, Changkyun finally deciphered what Yoonho wanted to tell him. “So let me get this straight. Correct me if I’m wrong. A few months ago, on your way back from school, you and your friend went to explore in the woods.” He paused to check Yoonho’s reaction. “Then you died?” Yoonho nodded. “Somewhere near the river?”

Yoonho nodded again. “But you don’t think someone killed you. You just want me to find your friend?” The spirit boy gave Changkyun a thumbs up. Changkyun rubbed the temples of his forehead. By now, it was 5AM. Hopefully no one else would notice that he had left the house.

Quickly throwing on a thick coat over his sleeping hoodie, changing his pajama pants to dry sweatpants and putting on his shoes, grateful that they had given him a room to himself, he followed the ghost out through the back door and into the forest surrounding the river.

‘It’s going to be hard to find his body,” the mage warned. The ghost only shrugged and kept moving. They reached the bank of the river. It was still dark, the only light coming from the half moon and the stars. Changkyun took his phone out and turned on the flashlight.

Together, the two walked along the river’s bank, looking for any clues. “Do you remember where you died?” Yoonho nodded and walked further along. Changkyun didn’t see any particular markers that would denote a decomposing corpse but by then, the sun had started to rise. He turned off his phone, running low on battery, and slid it into his back pocket.

Yoonho stopped in a clearing along the bank and turned around, waiting for Changkyun to catch up. As he approached the clearing, a bad feeling came over Changkyun. “Are you-” he didn’t have time to finish the sentence when he tripped. He fell to the ground barely catching himself on his hands.

When he looked back, his foot had been caught in a vine. He reached over to tear the vine off, then stood up, only to realize that the vines were everywhere around his feet. “What’s going on?” he muttered before the vines underneath his feet were suddenly pulled backwards, sending him flying to the ground. He groaned in pain.

“What?” He stood back up, wary. Although the sun was starting to rise, it was still dark and the trees made the ground hard to see. He approached Yoonho again, mindful of the ground.

Once he reached the clearing, Yoonho gestured to him, making a sweeping arm motion. Changkyun looked around, confused. Nothing was there. There wasn't even a presence of a spirit.

“Yoonho, there's nothing here.” The spirit frowned and made the same gesture again, emphasizing the other edge of the clearing. Changkyun approached slowly.

The other side was covered in thick vines and branches, obscuring whatever was behind it. He pushed them aside and made his way through, the ghost trailing behind him.

Behind the branches stood a makeshift gravestone with Yoonho’s portrait smiling back, and a bouquet of flowers, starting to wilt but fairly fresh. Changkyun turned around, when he heard the spirit make a strangled sound. He stepped closer to the stone to read the words.

Noh Yoonho

1996-2015

“Is this yours?” The spirit nodded, but he seemed confused. Changkyun frowned. The memorial was fairly upkept, meaning someone had visited within the last few weeks. He suspected that it was the friend Yoonho had wanted to find.

He thought back to why Yoonho didn't speak. Most spirits had their voices. “Yoonho, why can't you speak?”

The spirit wrapped his hand around his own throat and squeezed, imitating suffocation. Changkyun was concerned. Spirits remaining in the mortal world did not often carry their wounds from death. “Try speaking. Even if it's only a whisper, that's enough.”

Yoonho opened his mouth and a soft sound made its way out. Both of them made a frustrated sound. Then Changkyun had an idea. He held his hand out to Yoonho.

“Let me try something. Hold my hand.” The spirit hesitated before grabbing his hand. Changkyun felt a chill settle through his body and he shivered a little, both from the early morning weather and the ghost’s touch. He imagined his magic acting as a speaker, letting it surround Yoonho’s throat and mouth. “Try now.”

Yoonho tested it. “Hello?” They both smiled. “It worked!” Yoonho cheered.

Changkyun immediately turned serious. “Yoonho, you need to tell me everything on how you died.”

The ghost hesitated, turning sad eyes to Changkyun. “I’ll try.” He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, although he did not need to.

“Seokwon, that's my friend, the one I want to find, and I usually walked along the river after school. We’ve known each other since we were born, basically.” The ghost paused. “When I turned sixteen, my powers started to manifest.”

Changkyun was surprised, not expecting Yoonho to have been a mage. Sixteen was late to develop powers but it was not unheard of.

“Seokwon was human though. Our town has a thing against mages, so I was scared of telling him. Even my parents were a little estranged when they found out. I kept it hidden for as long as I could. Once I turned 19, I was going to ask to join the clan that lived in the house where I found you.”

“Did you know what type of mage you were?”

“I think I was a water mage. I had always been drawn to the river. But I never really had a chance to develop my powers.”

The spirit seemed to be agitated as he moved to the next part of his story. Changkyun shivered, his body temperature starting to become lower and lower even as the sun continued to rise.

“On our graduation day, we went on a walk like we normally did. I was going to reveal the truth but he kept changing the subject whenever I tried to bring it up. That day, we walked further than we normally did, till we reached here.” Yoonho frowned. “It was a narrow opening so Seokwon went first. I followed after but it's hard to remember the rest. I remember something grabbing me and choking me and I know it didn't feel human, so it couldn't have been Seokwon. When I came to, I was dead and couldn't speak. I never found out what happened to Seokwon but I guess it's probably similar to what happened to me. It’s probably why I’m still here.”

Changkyun frowned, body feeling numb from the cold. He couldn't figure out what had killed Yoonho and possibly his friend Seokwon. He let go of the spirit’s hand, feeling a little warmth filter through his body.

Yoonho moved back towards the clearing. The branches and vines had all moved back in place. Alarms lit up in Changkyun’s head. The spirit easily moved through the plant barrier.

When Changkyun moved his hand to clear the barrier, he knew he was screwed. The vine had wrapped around his hand, tight and secure. He pulled against it but his strength had been sapped from the cold. His gut tightened with fear, although he maintained a calm face.

“Yoonho,” he called out. “I think I figured it out.” The ghost turned back to him. “Seokwon’s still alive. He's the one visiting your grave to put flowers down. This area,” he gestured with his free hand, “is a Pluto Mage Trap.”

He struggled again, trying to free himself but the vine only tightened. “They're plants that are activated by magic energy. They trap mages and essentially eat them. Your friend walked through unscathed because he has no magic. But when you did, your magic must have activated the trap.” He sighed and held up his trapped hand as far as he could to show Yoonho. “Looks like mine did too.”

Changkyun used his free hand to search for his phone. He groaned when he realized that it must have fallen out of his pocket when the trap had tripped him. From what he remembered in the books he read about magic, he tried to stay calm. The more magic there was, the quicker the trap would consume him. And none of his powers would be effective against the plant. Necromancy wasn’t really useful in a lot of situations.

“I'm sorry I couldn't help you,” he apologized. The spirit looked at him oddly, questioning why he was apologizing rather than being upset that he was about to die. By now, the sun was completely out, and in the clearing, the spirit was almost invisible. Changkyun closed his eyes and sighed, trying to minimize his magic and to think of a solution. He didn’t know how long he stood there, only that his legs began to feel numb from the winter chill.

Without warning, the vines wrapped around him, one encircling his neck and pulling him up so that his feet no longer touched the floor. Changkyun panicked, surprised at the sudden strength of the plant.

As the vines tightened around his neck, slowly suffocating him, Changkyun could feel his magic energy struggle against his control. The dark aura in him swirled in agitation, fighting against Changkyun’s hold on it. The more it fought against Changkyun, the more magic poured out of the necromancer, and the quicker the plant squeezed, in a horrible cycle that could only end in Changkyun’s death.

Just as he became too lightheaded from the decreased flow of air, the vines seemed to randomly tighten, strangling Changkyun for a mere moment before falling to the ground limp. Changkyun fell to the floor, gasping for air before coming to his senses and rushing into the clearing where Yoonho was still standing. “What the hell just happened?”

Yoonho only shrugged and pointed to the opposite end of the clearing, away from the vines that had almost killed Changkyun. Still a little dizzy, Changkyun could not make anyone out. He blinked a few times, hoping to clear his vision.

Finally, he made out three figures that seemed to be approaching him. “Who…?”

The three mages stepped out into the clearing. Changkyun blinked, surprised to see Hoseok, Kihyun, and Jooheon there. It made sense on why the plant had suddenly increased in strength. Four mages had a lot of magic power. But why were they here? He must have looked as confused as he felt because the metal mage was quick to clear his confusion.

“Kihyun normally wakes up at dawn to take care of his plants,” Hoseok explained. “You didn't clean up the broken mug so he went in to scold you but you weren't there.”

Jooheon yawned. “He woke everyone up but the other hyungs are still in bed.”

“But why did you go looking for me?”

“We weren't at first,” Kihyun admitted. “I thought you had just left to go clear your head.”

Jooheon nodded. “We get it’s been a few tough days for you. I wouldn't have been surprised if you didn't want to be around us.”

“But you were gone for a while. So we got worried. It's almost noon.”

When Changkyun registered what Kihyun had said, he suddenly felt the ache in his stomach from skipping breakfast. Had it really been that long?

“How did you find me?” He asked faintly, dizzy from the strangulation, hunger, and cold.

“To be honest, I have no idea. You were a tricky one to find.” Hoseok rummaged through his pockets and handed Changkyun back his phone. “It took a while for me to track your phone. Good thing you kept location on or I wouldn't have been able to.”

“Well, thank you for saving me.” He bowed. “Now if you excuse me…” He moved to sidestep the three mages. “I have something to do.”

Kihyun grabbed his wrist, pulling the younger towards them. “Look, I get we haven't been the most,” he hesitated, unsure exactly how to say what he wanted to say, “inviting, but you're still a kid, Changkyun. You just can't wander off on your own and get yourself killed. If I hadn’t been here, you would have hanged yourself on those vines.”

“Look, I get it. I'll be more careful. But I have something to do.” Changkyun wrestled his hand from Kihyun’s grip, only to stumble backwards into Hoseok, who caught him around the waist and held him in place.

Changkyun struggled against the blond mage, but his exhausted state could not break him free from Hoseok’s muscular arms. “We could help you!” Hoseok said, not at all winded from Changkyun’s struggles. Changkyun tried not to feel offended.

“This isn't something you guys can help me with.”

Jooheon caught on first. “Is this a necromancer thing?” Changkyun’s silence answered the question for him. “Changkyun,” Jooheon’s voice turned stern and almost cold, “what have you been doing.”

“No- nothing!” He said, struggling a bit more before sagging into Hoseok’s grasp, exhausted. He looked up to see Jooheon’s icy stare and Kihyun’s impatient look and sighed. He was too tired for this.

“A spirit needed my help finding his friend,” he rushed out, hoping they would leave him alone.

“A spirit? As in a ghost?” Jooheon went pale.

Changkyun nodded. “Yeah. His name is Yoonho.” Yoonho, who had been standing nearby waved. Changkyun mentally face-palmed. Only necromancers could see ghosts.

Kihyun looked deep in thought. “Would his name happen to be Noh Yoonho?”

“Yeah, but how…?”

“We know a lot of people in town, Changkyun. They may not always like us but we help them out sometimes. Yoonho died a few months ago, if I remember correctly. No one knows what happened to him.” Kihyun paused and looked around. “But I guess you do.”

“That thing,” Changkyun pointed to the wall of vines and branches, “is a Pluto mage trap and it killed him. Yoonho was a mage.”

The other three mages looked disturbed. Hoseok let go of Changkyun. Jooheon stretched his arms and walked towards the plant. “I’ve heard of those.” He shrugged, jumping up and down like he was getting ready to do something. “Well, if that's the case.”

“Wait, you have to be careful!”

Kihyun placed a hand on Changkyun’s shoulder to stop him from running after Jooheon. When Changkyun looked questioningly back at him, he only smiled and pointed at Jooheon. “Just watch.”

The sheer amount of magical energy Jooheon was releasing and the combined energy from the other three mages in the clearing caused the vines to whip out. Just as they were about to reach Jooheon, they froze in place. From the corner of Changkyun’s eye, he could see Kihyun holding out his hand. His eyes glowed a dark green.

With a smirk, Jooheon touched the plant and it caught on fire. The vines writhed away, burning. More and more vines shot out but they never touched Jooheon. Every time Jooheon touched a vine, it withered away into smoke and ashes. Before Changkyun knew it, the barrier had been burnt away, leaving only the charred remains on the outside edge with flickering flames left lingering.

Jooheon easily pressed his hand over the small fires and extinguished them. With the barrier gone, the grave marker could be seen clearly.

“Right, plant mage and fire mage.” Changkyun sighed.

“So, I guess we’re helping you,” Hoseok quipped nonchalantly. Changkyun could only nod. He was tired to even try denying them.

“Yoonho wants to find a guy named Seokwon? Do you know him?”

“Choi Seokwon?” Hoseok seemed like he recognized the name, voice laced with surprise. Behind Hoseok, Yoonho nodded.

“Yoonho says that’s him.”

Hoseok hesitated. “Seokwonie… is going through some things right now. After he lost Yoonho, it was… hard for him. He's actually preparing to go for his mandatory military service today, I think. To get away from everything.”

“When is he leaving? We need to find him!”

“Today at two? Maybe earlier.”

“What time is it?” Changkyun patted his pockets looking for his phone. It read 12:34.

“Where does he live? We have to hurry.”  Yoonho nodded, face lighting up with the prospect of finding his friend. “Yoonho, do you know the way?”

The spirit nodded. But before the two could leave, Changkyun was stopped. He turned. “Wait, Changkyun, Seokwon moved after Yoonho died.”

He turned and looked at Kihyun. “Then how is Yoonho supposed to find him?”

Hoseok grinned. “We’ll show you the way.”

It took almost an hour to return home, get the keys, and for Hoseok to drive the mages and the ghost out to the town. As the clock ticked, Yoonho seemed to become more nervous. Changkyun smiled comfortingly at the spirit, trying to convey that things would be alright.

Just as Hoseok pulled up to a plain apartment building, a young man in a military uniform walked out, heading towards the parking lot. Yoonho tugged at Changkyun’s arm and pointed at the man with urgency. Changkyun jumped out of the car and ran as fast as he could.

“Wait, hold up!” The man turned around. He was tall and handsome as well with a rounded nose and ears that stuck out.

“Who are you?”

Changkyun huffed, trying to catch his breath. “Not important right now. Just a friend of a friend.”

“What do you want?” Changkyun couldn't blame the other male for being guarded. He probably looked a little crazy, dressed in dirty sweats with leaves still stuck in his hair.

Yoonho appeared beside Changkyun. He moved to grab Changkyun's hand. Changkyun shivered. “That’s Seokwon,” Yoonho said. “Thank you for finding him.” The ghost gave a watery smile. “I really missed him. Can you tell him one last thing for me?”

Changkyun nodded. “Tell him I’m sorry. That I don't blame him for what happened. Only that I wish we had more time together. And that I loved him. I really did.”

Seokwon looked impatient. He tapped his foot, waiting.

Changkyun let go of Yoonho’s hand. “Yoonho says he's sorry.”

Seokwon’s eyes widened and he took a step back. “How did you know…?” He trailed off.

Changkyun took a deep breath. “He says he doesn't blame you. He just wishes you guys had more time together.”

“Please stop,” the tall male said. His voice was shaky and his eyes watery.

“Just-.” Changkyun paused, gauging Yoonho’s and Seokwon’s reactions. “-one last thing.” He took a deep breath and hoped he could convey Yoonho’s affections the way Yoonho would have wanted them to be said. “He wants me to tell you that he loved you.” With that, Seokwon burst into tears.

Changkyun didn't know what to do. He could only pat the man’s shoulder awkwardly. Yoonho stood beside him, sadness written across his face, like he wanted to reach out and comfort Seokwon although he knew he couldn’t.

“I'm sorry, Yoonho,” Seokwon cried. “I shouldn't have ignored you when you tried to tell me you were a mage. I'm so sorry. I was wrong and I regret it so much. I’m so so sorry.” He gasped out, tears slipping down his face the more he talked.

Yoonho motioned to Changkyun. “He forgives you.”

Seokwon sniffed, drying his tears after a short while. “Thank you for telling me. Tell him that I have to go now but I hope he's happy.” He paused before deciding. “And that I loved him too.”

Changkyun nodded. Seokwon turned around and went to his car, before driving away. Yoonho smiled at Changkyun. “Thank you,” he whispered. Changkyun could barely make out the spirit now, his body fading into the light.

“I hope you can move on now.” He bowed and the spirit bowed back before vanishing.

Changkyun’s stomach grumbled.

The door swung open, leading into a large foyer. It was dark, the curtains drawn and dust layering the furniture. Every step they took meant the floorboards squeaked and groaned from their weight. The room was empty, clear of furniture except for a few hanging pictures that had been left behind.

Changkyun supposed he should have guessed that this would happen. Once Hyunwoo had found out that Changkyun could see spirits, he had immediately been assigned a mission. Missions, the others had said, were how the clan made money for food and other necessities, like wifi. Since they had such a broad range of powers, they were hired for nearly every type of job, from making healing potions for the sick to solving detective cases to anything dealing with the supernatural.

In this case, there was a property on the sea coast that a family wanted to sell but couldn’t. The deed to the house was in the house but not on file for some reason. Whenever someone went in to look for it, terrible things would happen, a total mystery from what was supposed to be an empty house. The mission had been on file for the last year and had laid there gathering dust. It had been offered to multiple clans but no one could figure out what was wrong and not many were willing to risk taking the job considering the family could not afford to pay much. Hyunwoo suspected it might have been haunted. The family was adamant on selling the house. Too many bad memories, they had said.

And so that’s how Changkyun found himself with Jooheon and Hyungwon at an abandoned house by the ocean. He wondered why Hyunwoo had sent Jooheon because it seemed like Jooheon was extremely scared of ghosts and the supernatural. He had screamed in Changkyun’s ear the moment Changkyun had opened the door and it had squeaked. Hyungwon also seemed frightened, although he was less jumpy than Jooheon.

Changkyun sighed. This was going to be a long mission. Not only were the two other mages still wary of him, he was pretty sure that they wouldn’t hesitate to leave him alone and run screaming if something did happen. Changkyun prayed nothing would but he wasn’t exactly known for his good luck.

“I think we should split up,” he suggested, gesturing to the expanse of the house. “It's pretty big and we’ll be able to cover more ground this way.”

Jooheon paled even more. “You're kidding, right? That's like the first rule in horror movies! You never split up!” Hyungwon nodded behind him. Changkyun internally groaned.

Changkyun tried to reason, exasperated. “But those are movies . If we split up, the faster we’ll find the deed and the faster we can leave.”

“But-” Jooheon started.

Hyungwon cut him off. “Changkyun does have a point,” he mused, albeit a little reluctantly. “This house is pretty big and it would take awhile for us to go through each room together.”

“But-” Jooheon began again before being cut off.

“Then it’s decided,” Changkyun said. “It’s two against one Jooheon-shi. Majority wins.” Hyungwon nodded sagely behind him. Jooheon looked ready to protest but he acquiesced.

“It seems like the first floor is a lot bigger than the second. Changkyun, you take the second floor. Jooheon and I will take the first.”

“Who made you leader?” Jooheon grumbled but didn’t argue.

“I did. Hyunwoo-hyung actually wanted Jooheon to be the leader but I convinced- I mean, he changed his mind.” Jooheon’s jaw dropped. Ignoring the fire mage, Hyungwon continued. “Anyways, we got a plan?”

“Phones are working, right?” Jooheon asked. “Make sure that we still have signal. Once the signal goes out, that’s when shit goes down in the movies.”

Hyungwon nodded. “Good point.” The two other mages then proceeded to ignore Jooheon’s other quips about horror movies. They did not have enough time throw salt over their shoulder and knock on wood every 6 minutes. By then, it was just ridiculous.

Finally, they moved to go their separate ways but Hyungwon gripped Changkyun by the shoulder just as he was about to climb the stairs. Changkyun turned back confusedly. “Yes, Hyungwon-shi?”

Hyungwon hesitated, the momentary falter in his thoughts manifesting in the relaxed grip on Changkyun’s shoulder. “Just… if you need help, you know you can call on us, right?”

Jooheon stopped too and added in, “Yeah, Changkyun, this isn’t something we were meant to do alone. That’s why Hyunwoo-hyung sent three of us.”

Changkyun nodded, just a tad bit doubtful. “I’ll try.” Hyungwon patted his shoulder and left with Jooheon, leaving Changkyun alone with his thoughts. He sighed lightly and tried not to think too deeply about the other mages’ words.

There were three rooms that Changkyun had to check. Two of them were empty, like the foyer, clear of all furniture except for a few hanging pictures. He made a clean sweep through them, checking behind the paintings and tapping the walls for any hidden openings. Nothing.

The last room was different. It was fully furnished. A large canopy bed covered in red sheets with two large dressers and a tall bookshelf stood in the room. There were distinct burn marks over everything. Opposite the bed was a mirror, cracked along the middle. Everything was covered in ash, except the mirror.

Changkyun opened all the drawers first but they were empty. The bookshelf also looked inconspicuously empty. Changkyun checked underneath the bed. As he got to his knees to look, he heard the door squeak. He ignored it.

He instantly regretted ignoring it because when trying to see below the bed, the door swung shut and the distinct click of the door locking was heard. He startled, only to hit his head on the bed frame. The resounding sound was only muted by the pain. He rubbed the sore spot and slipped out from under the bed and headed to the door.

Changkyun frowned. When he tried to open the door, the doorknob only jiggled. Someone had locked him in. Had the other two finished already and come to play a prank on him?

His question was answered when he heard screams from downstairs. “What's going on?” He moved to check his cellphone to tell the others to let him out but there was no signal. How odd. There had been signal when they had arrived earlier. Jooheon had made them check in case anything happened. Changkyun sighed. He seemed to be doing that a lot nowadays.

Suddenly, Changkyun felt a chill. For the nth time that day, he sighed before turning around. He guessed Hyunwoo had been right. Behind him, a spirit of a middle-aged man stood, tall and heavyset, with a protruding stomach and a weak chin. Changkyun thought about ignoring him but a gut feeling told him this was the ghost causing all the problems.

“Can I help you?”

The spirit startled, surprised that someone could see him. “You can see me?” Changkyun tried not to wince at the ugly nasal and scratchy quality of the man’s voice.

“Yeah. So… are you going to let me out or…?” The ghost laughed, as if Changkyun had told the funniest joke in the world. Changkyun immediately decided that the bad feeling in his gut was right.

“You're kidding, right?” The man laughed again, before his smile turned maniacal. The bad feeling only intensified. “You fucking kids coming into my house like you own the fucking place,” the man cursed. “This place is mine. It's always been mine and whatever that whore of a wife and those pieces of shit called children say, they're fucking wrong.”

Changkyun stood there, shocked. He could guess a few reasons now why the family had been so quick to leave. Why they didn't want the house anymore. The knowledge made him angry. This spirit didn't even deserve to be called by name.

The man leered. “This is the first time someone’s seen me. I’ll make a deal with you, pretty boy.”

“No thanks,” Changkyun said firmly, knowing that he would be getting the short end of the stick. Deals with malicious spirits were also a no in horror movies, he thought with a slight twitch of his lips.

“You may want to rethink that,” the ghost sneered. He tapped the mirror and the reflection distorted to show Jooheon and Hyungwon. Changkyun’s blood ran cold. Jooheon appeared to be in a bathroom, the window open. He was soaking wet and shivering as water fell all around him. In the other half, Hyungwon was in the kitchen, a huge fire on the stove looming. Whenever he tried to douse it with water, the fire only grew. Oil fire , Changkyun realized.

“What the hell are you doing to them?” Changkyun demanded.

“I’m sure you read my file, pretty boy,” the spirit taunted. “I died in a fire, didn’t you know? That ungrateful bitch decided I needed to go so she lit me on fire. Died here in this very room. Then she threw my body into the sea. But now I have all these powers,” he said, spreading his arms out. “Revenge is sweet, is it not?”

Changkyun gritted his teeth. He needed to think of a solution fast. Jooheon and Hyungwon could only last so long. There was a reason the spirit was still here. Although he must have felt resentment for dying, he was an abuser, Changkyun could easily see that. The wicked always received their punishment in death. Ghosts were usually of the good or ordinary with regrets. He had to be tied to something in the house, but what?

Changkyun tried to concentrate to see if he could find the spirit trace. Most spirit traces led back to bodies but for those whose bodies had been destroyed, they could be tied to something else. However, the spirit trace seemed dispersed, no perfect point where it could be severed by destroying the object. Could it be?

Suddenly, it clicked. The malicious spirit was tied to the house or something in the house at least. Houses were not good objects to tether a soul because they were so big. The tie might have been created from the ghost’s quest for revenge or the family’s regrets. Either way, his family couldn’t move on until they got rid of the house and him. It was why they were so desperate to retrieve the deed but none of them could return to the house themselves.

Changkyun took the chance. “I’ll make a deal with you.” The ghost smirked, looking delighted. “But first you have to let my friends go.” Changkyun said friends hesitantly, unsure if that was the proper word for their relationship with him.

The man waved his hand. “Done,” he said nonchalantly. In the mirror, the fire went out and the water went still, splashing to the ground. Hyungwon and Jooheon looked surprised.

“I’ve figured out why you’re still here.”

The ghost cooed. “Oh, do tell me. I would love to know.” The sarcasm was palpable. He then sneered at Changkyun. “Fucking idiot. Do you think I don’t know why I’m here? I’m here because of dumbasses like you! If I could burn all of you down with me, I would.”

Changkyun knew now how to trap him. The ghost was arrogant. He had an insufferable need for dominance and that was how Changkyun was going to win. It would be too easy to trick the ghost into unintentionally giving hints on where the deed was. The spirit had just confirmed that he was tied to this house. He couldn’t let it burn down unless he wanted to go too. This could only work out in his favor. Changkyun breathed in deeply, pulling at his courage.

“I’ll make a bet with you.” The ghost looked interested. “You’re powerful, right? You could win against three measly mages.” Changkyun watched the spirit huff with pride. Got him.

“If we win, we get the deed to the house. If you win, you-” Changkyun hesitated. This was a huge bluff and he knew he couldn’t trust the spirit to keep to his word. He could only rely on Jooheon and Hyungwon and that was a reach on its own. “You can keep me.”

The man snorted. “Why would I want to keep you. You’re just a scrawny punk. I’d rather have the tall one. He would look lovely in my mirrors.”

“No!” Changkyun said quickly. “You said it yourself, I’m pretty. And I’m the first person that can see you. Aren’t you,” he choked it out, swallowing back down the bile that dared to rise up in his throat, “lonely?”

The man seemed thoughtful, looking at Changkyun with dirty eyes. A shiver of disgust ran through his body. The ghost smirked. “You got yourself a deal, pretty boy.” Changkyun sighed in relief but the next words made him tense up again. “But I get to make the rules.”

-- -- 

Hyungwon was tired. No, he was exhausted. For the thousandth time that hour, he cursed Hyunwoo for sending him on this trip. Damn him and his muscles and his leadership. To be fair, he had just battled a random kitchen fire and had a piece of hair burn off before he realized he needed to smother the flames instead of using water. Then he had almost cut himself on a piece of glass when the fire magically vanished.

Hyungwon almost felt bad for feeling a little happy that Jooheon had just as hard a time as he did when they met up in the foyer. He didn’t even get a chance to comment before he was silenced with a glare that held the possibility of another fire starting in his still smoking hair. If his lips seemed poutier than usual, Hyungwon would deny it.

When Changkyun came barreling down the staircase like he was on fire (Hyungwon snorted internally, ha, good one ), Hyungwon knew nothing good could come out of it. Changkyun did not prove him wrong.

“I made a deal with the ghost haunting this place,” Changkyun said in a rush. Jooheon gaped. Hyungwon sighed. Children these days .

“Ghost?” Jooheon repeated, eyes widening.

Changkyun nodded. “We have to find the deed. In an hour. Then we win.”

“And if we lose?” Hyungwon returned, trying to figure out what Changkyun had done to make a deal with the ghost. Games had a winner and a loser but they also had a catch. When the boy flinched, Hyungwon knew he was right to question. The necromancer looked uncomfortable, reaching to scratch his nose and then his neck as if he didn’t know what to do with his hands.

“Please, trust me on this,” Changkyun begged, “we can’t win alone.”

“So,” Hyungwon drawled out, ready to confirm his suspicions, “what’s the catch?” The youngest’s face flickered from confused to incredulous to terrified before settling on confused. Hyungwon smiled slightly. Cute . They huddled together to discuss.

“Wait, time time.” Jooheon made a T motion with his hands. “You made a deal with a ghost.” Changkyun nodded. “And we only have an hour.” Changkyun nodded again only to be met with the increasing dismay on Jooheon’s face. “To find the deed that we have so far unsuccessfully not found.” Again, Changkyun nodded, letting a small sheepish half-smile grace his face. “Changkyun, what the fuck?”

Hyungwon listened to the dark mage stutter over a few excuses, all too mumbled for him to interpret clearly with the fucks he had left to give. Before it could devolve into an argument, he drawled out, “So how much time do we have left?” He held up his wrist and pointed to his watch. 4:25 PM.

The younger two turned to look at him as it dawned on them that they were wasting time arguing. He smiled at them primly and looked at Changkyun with impatient eyes. Changkyun froze for a moment and seemed to focus a little past him. “49 minutes,” he finally replied.

He knew he wasn’t the only one that guessed that Changkyun was looking at the ghost that haunted this house judging from Jooheon’s tight grip on his arm. He reached over and rubbed his thumb in gentle circles over Jooheon’s hands clutched tight around his bicep. Changkyun blinked and returned his gaze to the two mages across from him, just barely avoiding meeting their eyes. He looked pale.

Hyungwon frowned. It was obvious that the boy was hiding something. But what?

“So how are we going to find the deed?” Jooheon said, breaking the momentary silence that had fallen amongst them. “I checked pretty much everywhere. The family’s moved out most of their stuff. It’s just a lot of empty space.”

“Same. Everything’s pretty much gone. There’s not a lot we can do.”

“What about the bathroom and the kitchen?” Changkyun ventured. “Didn’t you guys have a hard time looking through those rooms?” The alarms in Hyungwon’s head rang loud and clear.

“How did you know?” he asked suspiciously, keeping a steady control of his magic in case of any danger. He didn’t want to believe Changkyun had any bad intentions but that it was too strange for him to know.

The youngest boy’s eyes widened and he wrung his hands together like he had been caught doing something wrong. His eyes couldn’t seem to focus on anything until they suddenly paused. “Just,” he mumbled, “Jooheon was wet when we came here and your hair was still smoking.”

Hyungwon mournfully patted his hair where the strands were burnt, the hard fried tips falling out as he brushed his hand through. He sighed and relaxed his hold around his magic. He couldn’t fault Changkyun for being observant.

“What about you? Were you able to check all your rooms?”

Changkyun shook his head. “The second floor was mostly empty, ex-” He paused. “Except for one room.”

“Hmm,” Jooheon hummed, resting his chin on his hand. “That means the deed has got to be in one of those three rooms.”

“We could split-”

“No.”

“But-”

“No. I don’t think we should split up, Changkyun. It was hard enough when we were searching on our own. And now we have a ghost playing some game where we don’t know what’s going on. We’re sticking together.”

“I agree with Hyungwon-hyung,” Jooheon nodded, gripping Hyungwon’s arm tighter. Changkyun sighed. Hyungwon almost felt bad for the boy.

Hyungwon looked down at his watch. 45 minutes left. He picked his head back up when Changkyun and Jooheon began to move towards the bathroom. Wordlessly, he followed behind the two younger mages. They reached the bathroom that Jooheon had checked first.

“Changkyun,” Jooheon started, “would you like to do the honors?” The expression on Changkyun’s face said no but he reluctantly nodded and reached for the door. Jooheon seemed to remember something. “Ah, be careful, it can get-” Jooheon didn’t even get the chance to finish before Changkyun opened the door and was met with a giant wave of water, “-wet” Jooheon finished. The door was quickly shut.

Changkyun was completely soaked. His bangs dripped with water and his clothes clung to his skin. All three mages had been caught in the aftermath of the wave as water pooled around their feet. Hyungwon grimaced at the squelching sound in his shoe. Eww.

“Thanks for the warning,” Changkyun spluttered, glaring at Jooheon. On his part, Jooheon looked apologetic.

Lightly, Hyungwon stepped forward. “I’ll do it. Step back.” The two boys simultaneously took a step back and peered at Hyungwon. The water mage drew in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and pushed the door open. As soon as the wave that attacked Changkyun appeared, Hyungwon opened his eyes, now a deep sea blue, and froze the wave in its place.

“Wah,” Changkyun breathed out, amazed. He stepped forward and ran his hand through the water, eyes widening as it rippled. He turned back to Hyungwon. “This is amazing!” Hyungwon felt a smile creep onto his face at the childish innocence that Changkyun had unintentionally let out.

Inside the bathroom, the two younger mages rifled through the cabinets and behind the tub. Hyungwon held the wave at bay. For a moment, he allowed himself to relax only to tense up again when he felt something push against his magic. “What?” he mumbled, tightening his magic over the water again. “Guys, hurry up,” he urged them, feeling the strain settle in his arms.

Hyungwon groaned as the invisible force that counteracted his magic over the water returned. He released more magic in the attempt to keep it under control but he was getting exhausted quickly. His body screamed in pain, the slow ache of magic overuse starting to set in. By then, the two mages had flung open every cabinet and drawer. As Jooheon moved past Changkyun, he brushed against the framed mirror and it slid out of place before returning to position. “Check the mirror,” Hyungwon gritted out.

In the corner of his eye, he saw Changkyun take down the hanging mirror and turn it around. There was nothing on the wall. However, Jooheon spotted a thin sliver of paper sticking out from the back of the mirror. Together, Jooheon and Changkyun undid the frame and lifted the backing.

“We found it!” Jooheon and Changkyun exclaimed together, grabbing each other in their excitement. Hyungwon chuckled and then groaned, feeling the stress of his magic begin to become too much.

“Guys, we need to leave. Now,” he managed to get out, struggling with control his magic. The boys nodded and rushed out. Slowly, Hyungwon backed out of the room. As soon as he was out, Changkyun swung the door shut and Hyungwon collapsed to the floor, out of breath and exhausted. He patted his chest carefully, searching for the signs of a soul crack. It seemed fine. He sighed in relief.

“Please tell me this is it,” he said as he flopped down to the ground in starfish position. He was met with silence. “Don’t tell me,” he groaned, throwing his arm over his face.

“It’s just page two of the deed,” Changkyun replied quietly. “We’re missing another two pages.”

“How much time do we have left, Changkyun?” Hyungwon looked at his watch and turned to Jooheon. “It's 4:44. We have 30 minutes left.”

Jooheon sighed. In the back, Hyungwon could see Changkyun hitting his head against the wall and groaning. “Can we take a break?” Hyungwon suggested before plopping to the ground. “I’m tired.”

The two looked at him, then at each other, then back at him. For a moment, there was silence. “You know what,” Jooheon finally said, “why don’t we go ahead to the kitchen. Meet us whenever you’re done.”

They left Hyungwon sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall. He closed his eyes and breathed in slowly, letting the magic within him settle. It hadn’t even been a full minute before Jooheon started screeching. Hyungwon sighed. Just five more minutes.

-- --

“Jooheon-hyung,” Changkyun started as the two walked towards the kitchen, “I think you should be the one to enter first.”

“Why?” Jooheon returned, eyes narrowing.

“Because if the ghost has power in the kitchen, it probably has power over fire? And you’re a fire mage. Plus I went first the last time.”

“Oh right.” Jooheon blinked. “Right… the ghost…” he trailed off, speed slowing. “Aww man, Changkyun,” he wailed, “why did you remind me that there was a ghost?” Taken aback, Changkyun apologized confusedly. Jooheon grinned a little. “Now you have to take responsibility.”

“What? Responsibility?”

Jooheon simply held out his hand and waited. He tilted his head a little to gesture towards his open palm. Changkyun looked down at the hand then back at Jooheon. He didn’t get a chance to respond before the kitchen door slammed shut and Jooheon jumped three feet in the air and grabbed Changkyun’s hand on his own, screaming nonsense words like his life depended on it.

Changkyun had to drag a clinging Jooheon to the kitchen entrance. “Jooheon-hyung,” he said, trying to loosen the tight grip on his hand, “you need to go in first in case a fire starts.”

Jooheon looked forlornly at the door and turned to Changkyun with pleading eyes, lower lip quivering. Changkyun held his gaze steady, trying to resist the puppy eyes, before he sighed. “We’ll go in together, how about that?”

Still holding hands, they both pushed the kitchen doors. Changkyun barely got a chance to feel the warmth heat his wet, shivering body before (“Changkyun! Watch out!”) he was pushed down to the ground, Jooheon standing over him protectively.

He looked up to Jooheon’s back, who stood in front of him, arms crossed like he was bracing against something. “Jooheon-hyung! Are you okay?”

“Just give me a minute,” Jooheon gritted out. From Changkyun’s viewpoint, he saw the flames licking around Jooheon’s arms. “Stay down,” he barked when he saw Changkyun move to stand up. “I’ve got this.”

Holding his stance, he braced forward and swung his arms apart. The fire split apart and disappeared into nothing. Jooheon was breathing heavily as he bent over and huffed. Changkyun got up and reached for the fire mage.

“So what did I miss?” Changkyun startled and turned around, surprised to see Hyungwon leaning against the kitchen door frame.

Changkyun shrugged. “Nothing much.”

“Figured.”

Jooheon finally straightened out. He jumped a little, like he was getting himself ready for something. His eyes, now a fiery gold, flickered around the room, on high alert. “We need to find the deed fast before another fire starts.”

Together, the rummaged as quickly as they could through the cabinets and drawers. Nearly everything was empty. As Changkyun walked around, he noticed a flicker of light. A mirror hung over the gas oven, almost inconspicuously. Something told him that the deed was there. He approached it quickly and reached over the stove to take down the mirror.

Before he could even reach it, he was pulled back by the shirt collar. Just as he went flying backwards, a fire roared to life right where his head had been previously. Thin, gangly arms wrapped around him. He shrugged them off. “The deed’s got to be in the mirror.”

“Wait for Jooheon to take care of it,” Hyungwon replied, reaching a hand out to keep Changkyun in place. “Jooheon!”

“On it.” The flames spread out fiercely, hungry to burn anything and everything in its path. Hot embers scattered on the floor. Jooheon took a deep breath and blew, eyes a startling shade of gold. The fire went out with a whoosh.

“Not bad. But you missed some,” Hyungwon commented, before flicking his fingers to draw out the water from Changkyun’s clothes and their shoes and dousing the remaining embers on the floor. “Nine out of ten.”

Jooheon scoffed. He turned to Changkyun letting his eyes soften back to dark brown. “Are you okay?” Changkyun nodded. “Alright, let’s get that deed.”

This time, just as the fire was about to come back to life, Joohon snuffed it out before it even could ignite. Changkyun easily reached over and removed the mirror from where it was hanging. Hyungwon and him quickly undid the backing and pulled out the first page of the deed.

“We need one more. Hyungwon-shi, how much more time do we have?”

Hyungwon looked down at his watch. “13 minutes.”

“Okay, we just need to get to the last one. Jooheon-hyung, are you okay?” Changkyun reached out to grab Jooheon’s shoulder. Jooheon stepped back, narrowly avoiding Changkyun’s hand. Changkyun tried not to let the twinge in his chest mean something.

“Yeah, it’s good,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “So where’s the last page?”

Changkyun closed his eyes and tried to remember what he saw upstairs. “It’s upstairs. One of the bedrooms wasn’t empty. It had a mirror in it.”

“So we’re sticking with the mirror thing?” Hyungwon asked. “I mean, yeah, we found two of three pages in mirrors, but what makes you think it’s going to be in a mirror when it could be hidden somewhere else? The only reason we guessed it was in the mirror was because that might have been the only place to hide it.”

Changkyun looked down dejectedly. “You’re right,” he mumbled. “But why would a mirror be in a kitchen if it wasn’t important?”

“Feng shui?” They both turned to stare at Jooheon who raised his hands in surrender. “I’m just saying.”

Silently, they moved on. As they trekked up the stairs, Changkyun some ways ahead, he wondered to himself if there was something more in store.

When the ghost appeared before him as they approached the room, he knew he had reason to worry. The spirit’s smile was strained, like it was taking more than his spiritual body could handle to not spontaneously combust into profanities. Changkyun stopped in front of the room, stumbling a little when Jooheon bumped into his back.

“Changkyun? What’s wrong?”

“Huh?” he stuttered out, “no- nothing, Jooheon-hyung.” He hesitated. “Just thought I saw something. It was probably nothing.”

“Okay,” Jooheon said doubtfully. “Let’s hurry and finish. This place is seriously giving me the creeps.”

One by one, they entered the room. Just as Hyungwon walked past the entry, the door slammed shut and the lock clicked, the sound echoing in the silence. Changkyun’s heart raced in time with Jooheon’s fast-pace rapping and screaming. The spirit materialized in front of Changkyun, almost unnervingly close. He held his ground, not willing to show a reaction to frighten the others or give the ghost what he wanted.

“I admit,” the ghost started, lip upturned into a sneer, “you measly punks did a lot better than I expected. I don’t know how you did it but you did.” Changkyun swallowed thickly. “I guess I was going too easy on you.”

With that, the spirit vanished. The longer it took for something to happen, the more antsy Changkyun became. He almost jumped out of his skin when a hand came down on his shoulder. “Changkyun, you okay? You’ve just been standing there for a while.”

He brushed Jooheon’s hand off his shoulder. “I’m fine. Let’s finish this quickly. I have a bad feeling.” Jooheon nodded.

Together, he and Jooheon went to the mirror while Hyungwon searched any remaining nook and crannies in the room. The mirror was heavy and perfectly smooth, no cracks on its surface. To Changkyun’s dismay, the mirror wasn’t easily removed but rather attached to the wall and far too heavy for someone to take down by themselves. They moved apart, hoping to lift it carefully.

“Hey guys, it’s 5:09. We’ve got five more minutes left.”

As soon as Hyungwon said that, the room caught on fire. Changkyun staggered part, trying to avoid the flames. “Changkyun, watch out,” Jooheon warned, trying to keep the fire controlled. The flames roared higher, effectively blocking the others from sight. “What the hell is going on?” he shouted in frustration.

From behind, Changkyun heard chuckling. “Tick tock tick tock,” the ghost taunted. “Time’s running out.”

“Hyung! You need to clear the path so I can get through to the mirror. I’m going to try and break it.”

“Gotcha.”

Picking up a paperweight from the desk next to him, Changkyun ran to the mirror. Just as he was about to slam it into the mirror, a blast of water sent him careening into the nearest flame.

“Changkyun!” Jooheon screamed, diverting his attention to the fire that was about to burn Changkyun alive. The necromancer landed on the ground, thankfully unscathed. He staggered up, a little dizzy from being thrown.

“Jooheon-hyung, get Hyungwon-hyung here.” Jooheon nodded. Changkyun called out, “Hyungwon-hyung, I need you to stop any random blasts of water from hitting me.”

Hyungwon grunted in acknowledgement. By then he was beside Jooheon. Changkyun took a deep breath and braced himself. Running as hard as he could, he held the paperweight over his head and brought it down onto the mirror. Pieces of glass shattered around him.

Immediately the fires disappeared. Jooheon and Hyungwon relaxed, eyes turning from gold and blue respectively back to brown. Changkyun reached for the piece of paper, careful to avoid the broken glass, and pulled it out from the mirror’s frame.

“We won,” he called out, looking down at his watch. 5:14. Holding the last page of the deed, he stared at the spirit. “A deal’s a deal. Let us go.”

The ghost reappeared, a snarl lacing his lips. “Fine, you got the deed. Whoopdedoo. But I never agreed to let you guys leave. I just said if you guys won, you would get the deed. And you did. Congratulations,” he mocked. “This is my house and these are my rules. In the end, I’ll have you anyways,” he sneered.

“Changkyun, the door is still locked!” Hyungwon yelled. The ghost grinned. Changkyun tried not to panic. He knew that this was going to happen. But what was his plan?

“We need to break down the door, hyungs!” He rushed over to the other mages as the spirit cackled behind him. The three of them frantically kicked at the door.

“On three,” Jooheon commanded. “One. Two. Three!” All of them brought their foot sharply against the door and it flung open.

“Hurry!” Changkyun yelled. The spirit’s cackling became outraged screaming. The three mages raced out of the room and down the stairs towards the front door.

From behind, the ghost yelled with rage, “Don’t think this is over. I’ve still got my mirrors and I’ve still got my powers. Try and see what happens if anyone comes here. I’ll fucking kill them.”

That slowed Changkyun down. “Mirrors?” he murmured, trying to piece the ghost’s hysteric ramblings together. “Mirrors…” Then it hit him.

He stopped, just a few feet from the house. “Hyungs, we need to go back.”

“Changkyun, what are you talking about? We finished the mission and we got the deed. Why do we need to go back?”

“The spirit is malicious. And I think I know how to stop him from hurting anyone else again.”

Hyungwon sighed and put his palm to his face. Changkyun looked at him nervously. “Look,” he started, “as noble as that sounds, we don’t know what we’re getting into.”

“Please, just trust me on this.”

“No. You made a bet with the ghost and we won so why can’t we leave it at that? We almost died and now you want us to go back and risk our lives? We don’t even know what was at stake. For all we know, you could have bet our lives. And now you want us to go back because of some maybe misguided notion that the ghost is causing all these problems? How are we supposed trust you if you can't be completely honest with us?”

Changkyun was quiet after Hyungwon’s outburst. Hyungwon sighed. “I’m sorry.”

Changkyun shook his head. He mumbled, “It’s okay.”

“Look, Changkyun. We’re not mad,” Jooheon cut in. “I just want you to be honest with us. Tell us what's wrong instead of trying to figure it out yourself. We can't help you if you're hiding things from us.”

Changkyun looked down, trying to stop the tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled out.

“Hey, why are you crying?”

“I-I'm not,” he denied. He wiped the tear that had fallen from his face. “I-it's just that I didn't know what to say. I-I'm not very good at this.” Changkyun sniffed.

Jooheon rubbed Changkyun’s shoulder. He smiled softly. “It's okay. Just be more open now, okay?”

“Okay.”

Hyungwon looked down fondly at the two boys. “So why do you think you know how the ghost has its powers?”

“The mirrors. When we were escaping, he was screaming about still having his mirrors. And I remembered that when I destroyed the mirror to get the last page, everything stopped. He wasn't able to start fires or send water jets.”

Hyungwon looked contemplative. “That sounds… plausible. But the kitchen mirror was already broken. I almost cut myself on a shard of glass from it.”

“Can a ghost, like, fix mirrors?” Jooheon asked. “This may be a little out there but if he has power over the mirrors, he could fix them and regain his powers.”

Changkyun nodded along to that. “Jooheon-hyung, I think you're on to something. I remember the mirror wasn't broken when I took it off the wall, but Hyungwon-hyung said there was broken glass. What does that mean though? And the bedroom mirror was cracked before but it wasn’t later.”

“I got it!” Hyungwon exclaimed, hitting his fist against his palm. “The mirrors are somehow connected. As long as he has power over one, he can fix the others.”

Changkyun and Jooheon caught on at the same time. “That means we have to break all of them at once,” they said together, turning to each other and giving high fives.

“But that means we’ll have to split up,” Changkyun said worriedly. “I don't think I can go back in by myself.”

“Why?” Jooheon asked, confused.

“Because,” Changkyun mumbled, looking down at the floor. “I kind of bet myself when making the deal with the ghost?”

Hyungwon exploded. “You did what?” Before Hyungwon could start his rant, Jooheon cut him off.

“Why did you do that?”

“I figured since I was making the deal, I was the best collateral damage. I didn't want to put you guys in any danger.”

Both elemental mages softened at that. “Changkyun, do you trust us?” Jooheon put his hands on Changkyun’s shoulders and stared at him straight in the eyes. The boy nodded. “Then stop worrying and actually trust us. If we break the mirrors together, he can't do anything to hurt you. And if he tries, we’ll come running to protect you.”

Changkyun gave Jooheon a watery smile. “Thanks,” he mumbled before he was wrapped up in a warm hug.

Together they walked back to the house. “You know the plan?”

The two younger mages nodded. “Hyungwon-hyung goes to the bathroom, Jooheon-hyung to the kitchen, and I'll go to the bedroom. We’ll yell when we get there. At the last signal, on the count of three, we’ll break the mirrors.”

“And if anything goes wrong, you know the signal for that.”

“Scream and get out.”

Before they split ways, Jooheon stopped Changkyun. “Hey, don't worry. We got this.” He held out his hand. Changkyun grabbed hold of it and did the high five handshake, bumping their bodies together.

“Let's get it!”

The mages raced off. Before Changkyun opened the door to his room, he heard Hyungwon yell. Jooheon followed as soon as Changkyun entered the room. But before Changkyun could call his signal, the ghost appeared before him, a malicious grin on his face.

“Well look what we have here.” He stepped closer to Changkyun. “It seems like the pretty boy wants to play more. I guess he didn't learn his lesson the first time. What should I do to punish him?”

Changkyun slowly maneuvered himself towards the mirror, now without a crack just as Jooheon guessed, trying not to make it obvious where he was headed. “You think you've caught me?” He snorted. “Death’s made you more arrogant, huh.”

The ghost sneered. “I'm much more powerful than you'll ever be.” Slowly, the ghost approached Changkyun and touched his face. “It would be a shame for this pretty face to be burned to a crisp. Just give up.”

Changkyun shouted, “Never!” and knelt down to pick up the paperweight and destroy the mirror. The sounds of shattering glass echoed around the house.

The spirit howled. “What did you do?” He seemed frantic, shocked that he couldn't start any fires or blast any water. “You little fucker, you'll pay for that. I'll take you out with or without powers.”

Changkyun ran to the door, dodging the ghost’s reach. It was locked. He banged and beat at the door while the ghost laughed as he walked toward the mage. “Do you really think you could beat me?”

Changkyun stepped away from the door and leveled an even stare at the spirit. “I just did,” as the door flung open to reveal Jooheon. He grabbed Changkyun’s hand and together they sprinted out to where Hyungwon held the front door open. Nothing stopped them. Nothing could stop them. Only the ghost’s cursing followed.

When they were a safe distance away, each pulled out their page of the deed. “Mission accomplished!”

They plopped down on the sand and laughed. For a moment, they allowed themselves to relax and enjoy the sunset and the company. Changkyun smiled. “Hey hyungs.” They turned to look at him curiously. “Let’s go home.”

“Shit, what the hell just happened?” Kihyun cursed as the five mages gathered in the kitchen, shocked from the afternoon’s events. “Why did the police come with a warrant to arrest Hyunwoo-hyung and Hoseok-hyung?”

Minhyuk shook his head. “No fucking clue.” They sat there in silence trying to process.

“We need to at least bail them out,” Jooheon said. “That’s how jail works, right?”

Again, they sat in stunned silence when they realized that none of them knew anything about the criminal justice system.

-- --

The police officer stared at Kihyun with a bored expression. He moved his head a little to look at the four other boys behind Kihyun and then back at Kihyun. “Look,” he said, “I don’t know who you are, but we can’t just release private records to just anybody.” Kihyun tapped his foot impatiently and leveled a cold stare at the man. He flinched. “Let me call my supervisor.”

When the police chief exited her office, she didn’t even try to hide her distaste. “Kihyun-shi,” she said slowly, “what are you doing here?”

Kihyun leveled a cold glare at her. She did not flinch. “That’s what I would like to know too,” he bit out, unable to hide the sharpness in his voice. The woman raised an eyebrow. She then noticed the other four at the back.

“It seems like you have a new member of your clan,” she said, ignoring Kihyun’s comment. “I hope he’s not going to be a problem too .”

Kihyun’s glare turned harder. “I wouldn’t worry about him.” The woman stared right back, unwavering. “Why have Hyunwoo-hyung and Hoseok-hyung been arrested? They’ve done nothing wrong.”

The woman mock laughed. “They’ve done nothing wrong? That’s rich. We have a warrant for their arrest because two days again we found the body of Kim Hyungsoo and two witnesses came up to claim that those two were the ones that killed him.”

“Kim Hyungsoo? As in Elder Kim?” Kihyun asked, face paling in shock. The police chief nodded.

“You’re just basing it off of what two witnesses said?” Minhyuk cut in, outraged. “Elder Kim treated Hyunwoo-hyung like a son. Hyunwoo-hyung would have never hurt him.”

She scoffed. “We did our research. We asked around the area and multiple witnesses stated that two men of large builds were last seen with Kim. And he was found buried under a ton of dirt. It’s pretty clear who the only person that could have done it is. And mages are never to be trusted.” She sniffed and upturned her nose.

Hyungwon and Jooheon both rushed forward to hold Minhyuk and Kihyun back. Changkyun felt lost. He knew the negative consensus towards mages that many humans had but it shocked him how blatantly rude the woman was.

“What's the bail?” Kihyun gritted out through his teeth, Jooheon’s soothing hand keeping him calm.

“$455,000. For each of them.”

“Done.”

Changkyun stared incredulously at Kihyun. How the hell could he drop almost a million dollars so easily? The rest of the group followed Kihyun as he stormed out of the police station.

“Hyung, how are you going to pay the bail? That's over $900,000!” Changkyun asked. The older only grinned grimly.

“I have my ways.” Changkyun's expression must have been too disturbed because he chuckled before patting Changkyun’s head and explaining. “After one mission that took half of us out for a month, Hyunwoo-hyung and I decided we needed to start saving in case any emergencies happened. Some of the more dangerous missions pay a lot and we don't have a lot of needs because we’re mostly self-sufficient considering our powers. How do you think we can afford to spend so much money on meals? Hyunwoo-hyung eats like a bear.”

“So… you just have a couple million lying around?” Changkyun’s eyes went wide. “Wow! That’s so cool!”

Kihyun’s smile hardened. “I really was hoping we wouldn’t have to use it on things like this.”

While they waited for Hyunwoo and Hoseok to be released from prison, they gathered together to figure out what to do.

“I know for sure that Hyunwoo-hyung and Hoseok-hyung did not kill him,” Minhyuk said emphatically. They all looked at him with a no shit expression.

“We know that ,” Kihyun said, rolling his eyes. “Captain Obvious here thinks that will work in court.”

Changkyun was deep in thought. “It could,” he finally said, after a moment of silence as the others mulled over their options. “If we can prove their alibi, we can prove they weren’t at the scene of the crime.”

“Changkyun’s right, hyung,” Jooheon added in. He wrapped an arm around Changkyun’s shoulder casually as he talked. “I was on a mission with Hyunwoo-hyung around that time. Shoudn’t that be enough that he didn’t do it?”

Kihyun shook his head. “It’s a piece of evidence, good evidence, but it isn’t enough. It’ll help but they might bring you into the accusation if we don’t handle this carefully.”

Hyungwon cut in. “The only way they’re going to believe their innocence is if we solve who actually did the murder.”

“You mean,” Minhyuk said, catching on to what Hyungwon was saying. “Start our own investigation. As in,” his eyes lit up as he talked hushedly, “take it into our own hands.” The light mage at that point had gotten unnervingly close to Hyungwon’s face only to be met with a big hand pushing his face away. “What was that for?” he pouted.

“It might be…” he shifted his eyes around, wary of even the guards that looked like they were asleep, “illeg-”

“I’m going to cut you off right there,” Kihyun cut in, slapping his hand over Hyungwon’s mouth. “Let’s save the strategy till after we get them home.”

When the door opened and Hyunwoo and Hoseok stepped out, they were immediately crowded by four bodies. Changkyun hung back a little and gave a small wave when they were free. He still felt awkward with the rest of the mages besides Jooheon and Hyungwon.

At the dinner table, in front of all of Hyunwoo’s and Hoseok’s favorite dishes, Hyunwoo revealed the extent of the case.

“Elder Kim,” he started, before he remembered that Changkyun did not know who that was, “he’s one of the town leaders who actually kind of liked us. His grandson was a mage.” Changkyun nodded to show Hyunwoo that he understood.

Hyunwoo sighed heavily, rubbing at his face. “He died just a week ago. How did I not know?” he held his face in his hands and didn’t speak for a little while. Kihyun rubbed at his shoulders soothingly. Finally, he brought his face up and spoke, voice watery but level. “When he didn’t turn up for the weekly town meeting the following day, they claimed him missing and sent a search party. They- they…” Hyunwoo’s voice broke and he buried his face in his hands again.

Hoseok took over. “They found his body in a half-filled grave. The autopsy said he was-” Hoseok choked, trying to keep from getting sick from the image, “buried alive.”

The other mages froze, shocked. “That’s disgusting,” Minhyuk said, barely able to contain the anger in his voice. “Whoever did it deserves whatever the hell we’re going to do to them.”

“Nothing,” Hyunwoo said, deceptively calm. “Elder Kim wouldn’t have wanted us to avenge him. You know how he was like.”

Minhyuk deflated. “Yeah,” he mumbled.

“But,” Hyunwoo started, smiling slightly as Minhyuk perked up, “that doesn’t mean we can’t get justice for him. The trial date is in two weeks. We have till then to figure out who killed him. Otherwise Hoseok and I will have to stand trial without total proof of innocence.”

“And you know how they are.”

Hyunwoo sighed. “Hoseok’s right. You know how they are. Without Elder Kim on our side, we’re fighting this alone.”

“You’re not alone. You’ve got us,” Kihyun said firmly. “But we’re going to need a plan.”

-- --

Changkyun should have gone with Hyungwon or Jooheon. At least then he wouldn’t have had to hide in a cramped gurney pressed tight to Hoseok underneath him. He was only slightly glad that the cloth covering them hid the strange position from Hyunwoo, who was pushing the stretcher.

The gurney hit the threshold and jumped a little. Changkyun felt himself slipping, and he gripped Hoseok’s shirt to keep his balance. The soft smirk that Hoseok had on his face was enough for Changkyun’s face to burn.

Changkyun could hear Hyunwoo lock the door some distance away. He moved to get up, the heat almost too much to handle, but was stopped by one of Hoseok’s arms wrapping around his waist and the other on his back pulling him into Hoseok’s chest once again. “Not yet, Changkyun. We need to disable the camera.” Changkyun stilled, trying not to move even as the hand on his back slid down to his waist.

Wonho let one hand off of Changkyun’s waist and closed his eyes. After a moment, he opened them again, metal gray darkening back to dark brown. He caught Changkyun’s eyes and Changkyun swore he stopped breathing for a moment.

Luckily, right then, Hyunwoo pulled off the sheet and Changkyun’s startling was enough for Hoseok to let him go. He quickly moved down from the gurney, trying to let the redness in his face and neck disappear. Changkyun turned to Hyunwoo, whose mask was pulled down his face.

“Listen Changkyun, it’s okay if you don’t want to do this. We’re not forcing you to.” He paused, trying to find the right words. “But we- I  couldn’t pass up this opportunity. So, I apologize and thank you for everything in advance.”

He smiled, trying to convey his sincerest convictions. Changkyun returned his smile. At least he was nicer about him using his powers than Minhyuk, who had basically forced Changkyun to go with Hyunwoo and Hoseok to the morgue where they were keeping the body. Elder Kim’s family all lived far from the town and they did not plan to hold the funeral until most of them could come back.

Changkyun shivered, the morgue unnaturally cold to preserve the dead. In the corner of his eye, he could see some spirits that wandered aimlessly in and out through the walls, some returning to look at their bodies only to leave them again. None seemed to notice him, and if they did, did not seem to care. Although he didn’t like to put on the spot, he had to admit that Minhyuk wasn’t wrong, that a necromancer would be the best where the dead were.

His oversized sweater wasn’t enough to keep the cold out. He didn’t say anything but only rubbed at his arms to warm up. The morgue wasn’t full of bodies but there was enough that it would take some time to find the right one. Changkyun had worried about Hyunwoo. Seeing someone that had been an important in your life dead, and killed in a gruesomely brutal way was not easy. But Hyunwoo had insisted to go to the morgue so that he could come in terms with what happened. He needed to and the others had agreed.

As he rubbed absentmindedly at his arms trying to keep them warm, a warm hand gripped his bicep. Changkyun turned only to see Hoseok with a terrified expression on his face. Hoseok had been really vocal about not going to the morgue but in the end, he acquiesced because he was needed to dismantle the security cameras and open any metal containers that the bodies were kept in.

Hoseok flinched, almost jumping and screaming, when Changkyun touched his hand. Hoseok managed to stay quiet and didn’t say anything when Changkyun moved Hoseok’s grip down so that they were holding hands.

They followed behind Hyunwoo. Every now and then, Hyunwoo would stop and look at the tag on the locker. This continued until Hyunwoo stopped in front of a locker. There was nothing interesting about it except the name. Kim Hyungsoo.

The locker did not budge when Hyunwoo pulled on it. He turned to Hoseok, who let go of Changkyun’s hand and moved to pull open the locker door. With a small click, Hoseok easily opened the door.  The body inside was covered in a white cloth and smelled of formaldehyde. Hyunwoo pulled the cover back slightly to reveal the face.

He dropped it immediately. The man laying on the board was unmistakably dead. Hoseok and Hyunwoo both stepped back and put their heads down, holding back tears.

Changkyun let them mourn. Although it was sad, he had no emotional connection to the man. Instead, he turned to the open locker door. On the back, a file holder held some papers. He took them out.

Police report: found buried under two feet of soil in private burial ground; witnesses and CCTV report assaulters to be two men, age 20-23, with large statures, 5’9”-5’11”; wore baseball caps and face masks; no footage of the murder taking place

Autopsy: rib fracture resulting in lung puncture, left femoral fracture; signs of struggle indicated by several facial and abdominal contusions; high levels of carbon dioxide in blood indicate suffocation

Cause of death determined to be asphyxiation from forced premature burial.

Changkyun wanted to throw up. How could people be so cruel? After a moment, he brought the papers to Hyunwoo, who read the report with a furrow in his eyebrows.

“It doesn't tell us much,” Hoseok commented, reading over Hyunwoo’s shoulder.

Hyunwoo nodded. “It only tells us that we need to find whoever did this and bring them to justice,” Hyunwoo said, voice barely containing his anger.

It surprised Changkyun, who was so used to seeing Hyunwoo as someone calm, thoughtful, and slow to anger. Hyunwoo breathed in deeply and let it out slowly. Changkyun watched as his shoulders sagged.

“Changkyun-ah, do you have anything? Is his spirit here?”

Changkyun jumped a little, surprised at being addressed. He looked around. None of the spirits that lingered seemed to be connected to this body. “I don't see anything, Hyunwoo-hyung,” he admitted. “I can try something? But I'm not sure if it will work.”

Hyunwoo’s face brightened a little. “Go ahead and try. If it doesn't work, it's okay. We’ll figure something out.”

Holding his breath, Changkyun placed his hand over the body and searched for any trace of the man’s spirit. Spirits that lingered were usually tied to something. If not their bodies, to an object. The trace was hard to find unless you had direct contact with what the spirit was attached to.

“There's nothing there,” he breathed out. “He's moved on. There's no trace of his spirit.”

Hyunwoo chuckled sadly. “He always did tell me to live without regrets. I see he died without any.” He sighed, looking at the corpse again. “Thank you, Changkyun.”

“I’m sorry I couldn't help.”

Hyunwoo seemed surprised at Changkyun’s statement. “No, you've been great help, Changkyun. It makes me feel better that he died without regrets, that he's moved on.”

Hoseok agreed, nodding his head. “We have the autopsy report. As long as the others don't mess up and get the rest of the police report and evidence, this will be easy.”

“Yeah, we can trust Minhyuk,” Hyunwoo said seriously, before they all met eyes and burst into laughter.

They carefully copied the report before returning the body back into the locker. As Hoseok closed and relocked it, Hyunwoo bowed deeply. “Final regards” he said, when Changkyun looked at him questionly.

He nodded, reaching to wrap an arm around Hyunwoo’s shoulders. “You're so cool. Hyunwoo-hyung.” Changkyun beamed when Hyunwoo patted his head.

“Am I not cool, Changkyun,” Hoseok complained behind him.

Changkyun laughed. “You're cool too, Hoseok-hyung.”

Hoseok reached over the ruffle Changkyun’s hair. “Aren't you the cutest thing,” he said, laughing when Changkyun whined about him messing up his hair. “You're like a puppy! I'm going to call you kkukkungie.”

Later, Changkyun tried to blame the flush across his face on the heat, but he could only be grateful that they didn't have to exit the same way they entered the room. Changkyun didn't think he could handle being pressed up against Hoseok, not when Hoseok decided it was okay to be super touchy after sealing Changkyun’s new nickname. Even the mask on Changkyun’s face could not hide the redness in his ears as they walked out of the morgue, Hoseok’s arm firmly planted around Changkyun’s waist.

-- --

“We are not stealing the body from the morgue! No question!”

“But Kihyun!”

“I said no questions, Lee Minhyuk!”

“But-” Minhyuk was silenced by Kihyun’s glare. Changkyun sat at the table awkwardly, looking around at the others who all seemed to be deep in thought. Hyungwon’s hand was absentmindedly running through the hair at the back of Changkyun’s head.

In front of Changkyun was Monsta , the book on dark mages, opened to the section about necromancer powers. The page specified the power to see the last moments of a person’s life. Changkyun had obviously never tried it before but when he had discovered the page, he immediately brought it up to Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo had looked hesitant. Before he could tell Changkyun no, Minhyuk had come sweeping in and immediately thought it was a brilliant idea. One thing lead to another and they were now having an emergency clan meeting.

“Look, we already stole the audio tapes and the CCTV recordings. And knocked out four officers. And I stole the candy jar from their office. What’s stealing one body?” Minhyuk argued.

Kihyun scoffed. “Think this through, dumbass. It’s a lot harder stealing a body than breaking into the morgue. Plus, Changkyun’s never practiced this type of power. Something could go wrong!”

Minhyuk turned to Changkyun, eyes fierce and bright. “You don’t mind, right?”

The hand running through Changkyun’s hair paused as Changkyun stammered out, “Y- yes, I- I don’t mind, hyung.” He looked at Hyunwoo who looked pensive. “If I can help, I would like to help.”

“See? It’s no problem,” Minhyuk said, turning back to Kihyun. “He could do it in the morgue? We don’t have to steal the body.”

Kihyun sighed. “No, we’ll need to. Changkyun’s trying out this power for the first time, and we won’t know what happens. It’s better if we’re together in case something does happen.”

The rest nodded. Hyungwon’s hand moved down from Changkyun’s head and he mourned the loss silently. It must have shown on his face because Jooheon brought his arm around Changkyun’s shoulders. Changkyun smiled, happy with the affection he was receiving from the two members closest to his age.

“So, who’s going to steal the body?”

And that was how Changkyun found himself waiting outside the morgue being clung on to by a freaked out Jooheon. Everyone had to go, they said. Team effort, they said. He rubbed Jooheon’s shoulder comfortingly and decided not to tell Jooheon about the spirit leaning on the wall next to him. If he did, he would probably be squeezed to death by the terrified fire mage and Changkyun liked being alive, thank you very much.

Kihyun waited outside with them, as Hoseok and Hyunwoo were needed to dismantle security measures and to find the body quickly. Minhyuk and Hyungwon acted as the dead bodies this time going in. Even if Hyunwoo and Hoseok were terrifyingly strong, they needed help. Kihyun, they said, was too small. They took one look at Jooheon and Changkyun and immediately discarded them from the options. Changkyun didn’t blame them. Changkyun wasn’t too sure how strong Hyungwon was, as bean-like and floppy as he was, but he did see abs once when he passed Hyungwon’s room while he was changing, so he supposed there was some muscle there.

Lost in thought about how Hyungwon somehow had abs when he slept for most of the day, Changkyun almost did not notice Kihyun pulling on his sleeve to signal him to get ready to move the body into the car and back home. With Jooheon as look out, they loaded the covered body into the back of the truck and raced back. Changkyun sat in the back with the body, feeling only a little grossed out that he was sitting with a corpse. He almost laughed at the image, a necromancer with only the dead as companions.

Safely tucked away in Hoseok’s workshop, they placed the body on one of his worktables and removed the cover to show the old man’s face. The others stepped back. Hoseok and Hyunwoo kept their faces neutral. Changkyun watched as the emotions played out on Hyungwon and Jooheon’s faces, the two that he could read the easiest. He saw when the realization set in that the old man was truly dead. It seemed they needed time to come to terms with it.

“Maybe you four should wait outside,” Hyunwoo suggested, watching the other mages carefully. “It’ll probably be best if it’s just me, Changkyun, and Hoseok. You guys weren’t ready for this. I’m sorry.”

“But hyung,” Kihyun started faintly, “what if something happens?”

“Trust me,” Hyunwoo replied firmly. “If anything happens, I’ll go get you. But right now, you all are too distressed. You won’t be able to do anything.”

Kihyun nodded and pulled Minhyuk and Hyungwon out of the warehouse. Jooheon followed behind, looking a little dazed but not too worse for wear. Hyunwoo sighed. “I should have known that it would be hard for them too. I thought since they weren’t as attached as I was…” He paused. “It’s easy to forget death when you’re still alive.”

“Just give them a few, they’ll be okay,” Hoseok said, rubbing Hyunwoo’s shoulder.

“I know. I just… I just can’t believe I didn’t think about how Elder Kim’s death would affect them too. Like they were never as close as I was but he stilled played such an important role in our lives. I guess I should have known it would be hard for them. I feel selfish.”

“You’re not, hyung,” Changkyun piped up, hating the bend to the earth mage’s spine. “You’re not selfish. You were grieving.”

Hoseok cut Hyunwoo off before he could argue. “It’s fine. You told Kihyun to trust you. So now I’m telling you: trust me.” He held Hyunwoo’s face in his hands, looking at him directly in the eyes. Hyunwoo slowly nodded.

“Thanks,” he breathed out. When Hoseok’s hands fell away, Hyunwoo turned to Changkyun. “Are you ready?”

Changkyun smiled nervously, feeling the fluttering in his racing heart. “Here goes.” He placed his hand over the man’s face and closed his eyes. It wasn’t the same as finding a spirit trace, it was going in much deeper. He breathed in, calming the anxiety building in his stomach.

There was no spirit trace, Changkyun confirmed that. He pushed in deeper, imagining that he was reaching into the mind. Something stopped him. He opened his eyes again and took his hand off the corpse. “Are you okay?” Hoseok asked, reaching for Changkyun’s face.

He blinked. “I think I almost have it. Let me try again.” Hoseok moved back and nodded. Hyunwoo looked unsure but said nothing.

Again, Changkyun closed his eyes and reached back, searching for the block that he had hit. It felt like a wall, protecting the memories. This had to be it. He forced his magic against the block, pushing as hard as he could.

All of sudden, the wall broke through and Changkyun’s stomach dropped. It seemed like the ground had been taken out from right under his feet. And then he was falling, falling, and falling. Everything went black.

-- --

When Changkyun opened his eyes again, he was outside. He didn’t recognize the area. How did he get here? Did the other members leave him here? He frowned.

However, as soon as he heard the crunch of leaves, he moved to hide behind a tree to see who was approaching. From around the trunk of the tree, he could see an old man walking cheerfully down the pathway, carrying a bouquet of flowers and a toolbox. The wide nose and wrinkled countenance that spoke of endless years of cheer made it click in Changkyun’s mind. It was Elder Kim!

Slowly, Changkyun trailed behind him. The old man whistled and didn’t seem to notice him at all. Every now and then, he would stop and pull out a bag of nuts to feed the squirrels and some rice to feed the birds. Changkyun could understand why the other mages were so fond of the man.

Finally, they reached the edge of the woods. Beyond there was a cemetery, rows of gravestones and mausoleums contained in a large-gated area. The old man unlocked the gate and went in. As Changkyun followed, he realized that the gate had not closed behind him.

Every now and then, Elder Kim would stoop over and place a single flower on a grave. He would brush off dust from the gravestones and wipe clean the frames holding pictures of smiling people. He did this until only one flower remained.

At the end of the graveyard, a pile of wood stood next to another large pile of dirt with a shovel sticking out of it. It seemed from where Changkyun was hiding, that Elder Kim was building something. Every now and then, a few people would walk past the man and greet him. They often wore all black and carried their own bouquets.

Eventually, the old man stood up, holding his finished product, a neatly crafted wooden cross. With a strength unexpected for someone his age, he placed it at the top of the hole.

Changkyun felt his eyebrows furrow. What exactly was going on? He approached the newly dug grave as the old man finished saying his prayers. There was a snap and Changkyun cursed internally.The old man’s eyes looked up, right at Changkyun.

No, that wasn’t right. It seemed like he was looking through Changkyun. Changkyun turned in confusion, to see what Elder Kim was looking at. Approaching were two young men, both muscular albeit short, with ugly faces. The shorter one had badly dyed blond hair. The taller had short brown hair that did nothing to flatter his face. They both wore caps and face masks pulled down below their chins. Changkyun braced himself for confrontation only to let out a painful gasp when they walked right through him. The malicious intent seemed to be leaking off of the two boys.

He was in a memory, he remembered. He could only watch. And as much as he wanted to cover his eyes, he needed to pay attention and document who the assailants were and exactly how Elder Kim died.

No matter how much he wanted to scream and interfere, he could only stand there as the shorter of the two grabbed Elder Kim by his shirt and yelled obscenities at him. “Stupid fucking mage lover. You wouldn’t need to be building these graves if there weren’t any mages,” the blond sneered. “Just die already. The town doesn’t need people like you.”

They both punched him across the face. Elder Kim dropped to the ground and coughed. He did not give up without a fight though. Grabbing the hammer he had been using, Elder Kim swung and caught the fingers of the one that held him by the shirt. “Now boys,” he chided, “this is no way to treat an elder.”

The taller snarled at him while he cradled his broken fingers in his hand. “You think you’re all that,” he growled out. “People like you are the reason why mages still exist. We should have gotten rid of them and of you as soon as we could.”

Elder Kim’s face hardened. “Please leave out the mages if your problem is with me. They’ve done nothing wrong.”

The blond exploded. “Nothing wrong? They do everything wrong! They’re dangerous!”

The old man turned pitying eyes towards the blond. “I get that you’re scared, but there’s nothing to be scared of.” He wasn’t able to get out another word before the blond pushed him, making him lose his balance and falling head first into the hole behind him.

The sound that followed was a sickening crack. Changkyun wanted to choke. The two men looked at each other and looked down into the hole. “Shit, is he dead?” Soft coughing sounds were heard followed by wheezing.

“Not yet,” the blond said coldly.

“Shit, shit, what are we going to do?” the taller said frantically. “My mom’s going to kill me.”

“Shut up,” snapped the shorter. “Grab that shovel.”

Changkyun could only watch in horror as the moans of pain were covered as the two threw dirt into the hole. The two kept shoveling until the groans were silenced. Changkyun’s blood ran cold when the blond scoffed and spit into the half-filled grave. “Serves the fucker right.”

The black haired man looked dubious. “We just killed him. How are we going to explain this?” He turned and grabbed the other man, shaking him vigorously. “Fuck! We’re so screwed. Oww fuck, I think I need to go to the hospital for my hand too.”

With a grunt, the blond pushed the other off him. “I got this. Listen closely.” The taller leaned in. “We wait until the police reports him missing. Then we go in as witnesses and say that two of those fucking mages were the culprits. The two big ones. You know who I’m talking about, right?”

“You think that’s going to work? How are we going to explain how we saw them?”

“The same way we explain how you broke your hand, dumbass.”

“Oh,” the taller nodded. “Oh,” he said again, when he realized what the shorter had meant. Changkyun had long caught on by then and the knowledge made him sick to the stomach.

“It's a win-win situation,” the blonde cackled. “The old man and those good-for-nothing mages will get what they deserve.”

Changkyun sat there for some time, long after the two men had left. The sun was starting to set before Changkyun realized that he had no idea how to return back to the real world.

This was sufficient enough reason to panic, he justified to himself as the dark aura within him swirled agitatedly. He tried to find the way out but it was far too disorientating, not a trace of anything holding him to reality to follow.

It was dark by the time Changkyun gave up. The moon hung in the sky and the stars seemed to mock him, as if they were saying we’re right where we should be, what about you. Too tired to care, Changkyun let go of the dark magic inside him, letting it fill the space around him.

Without warning, the sun was up again. Changkyun blinked. What? His magic permeated the air.

Changkyun watched as the sun raced across the sky, the moon chasing after it in a constant cycle. He breathed in, feeling the dark magic recede back inside of him the more times the sun went in and out of the sky. When it finally was contained again, it was cloudy outside.

It must have been about a few days of time fast-forwarded in the memory. In front of him, the half-filled grave remained half-filled. He knelt over the hole.

Changkyun startled when he heard a loud, sharp bark, almost falling face first into the grave. A police dog led a group of police officers to the site.

Before he knew it, the crew had uncovered the body and was lifting it onto the stretcher. Changkyun felt it then, the thread tying him back to the real world. But what was it?

He watched as the investigators examined the crime scene and the body. He got closer to the body, almost choking when he saw the mottled bruising on the ribs and chest and the trail of dried blood around the lips.

Changkyun noticed it then. As he got closer to the body, the pull to reality increased. He stepped back and it decreased.

That was the way back! But then one officer started to close the body bag and Changkyun felt the tie flicker. The officer paused, turning to unzip the bag again. He knelt over and pulled out a long white sheet. Changkyun moved quickly, afraid of losing the way out again.

Right before the police officer pulled the white sheet over Elder Kim’s body, Changkyun reached out and managed to get his hand over the corpse’s forehead. For a moment, he was the corpse, looking up in the air as the white sheet was pulled over his head. The world went black once more.

-- --

The moment Changkyun collapsed, Hyunwoo almost collapsed himself too. The necromancer rested lifelessly on the floor and if not for Hoseok’s proximity, would have been hurt in the fall. With a heavy sigh, Hyunwoo bundled Changkyun’s motionless body into his arms. Only the gentle rise and fall of Changkyun’s chest and the slightest puffs of breath reassured Hyunwoo that the boy was alive.

As he moved towards one of the cots that Hoseok kept in his workshop when they stayed late at night to tinker, he told the metal mage, “Go get Kihyun. Maybe he’ll know what to do.”

He sat by Changkyun’s side, impatiently waiting for the plant mage to arrive. Changkyun gave a soft sigh and his finger twitched. Then it was quiet again, only soft breathing sounds left. Hyunwoo cursed. He cursed at himself for allowing this, for taking a chance that had too many consequences. He did not dare to turn around for his eyes to meet the body of the man that had taught him so well only for him to have abandoned his teachings in a moment of desperation.

His head remained bent over until a firm hand on his shoulder brought him out of his reverie. “Hyunwoo, I got Kihyun.”

Hyunwoo stood up and made way for Kihyun to approach Changkyun. Kihyun moved quickly, first checking for heartbeat and temperature. He pulled one of Changkyun’s eyelids open and saw the rapid movement of his eyes. Carefully, he reached over and pulled a spare blanket over Changkyun’s prone body before turning back to Hyunwoo.

Kihyun’s sharp gaze softened at Hyunwoo’s defeated posture. “He’s fine, hyung.” He rubbed at the older’s shoulder. “We should keep an eye out in case anything happens but I think he’ll be okay.” Seeing the hesitation in Hyunwoo’s eyes, Kihyun frowned.

“I just wish there was something we could do,” Hyunwoo murmured, thanking Kihyun with a short bow before finding his position again of watching over Changkyun. “You go on ahead. I’ll take the first shift.” The other members came and went throughout the night, bringing food to share as they sat together with Hyunwoo.

It was almost dawn when Changkyun’s magic went haywire. At first, Hyunwoo didn’t notice it, not in tune enough with Changkyun to easily detect his magic. Furthermore, he was trying to catch up by flipping through Monsta and the sleep deprivation only further dulled his senses. However, Jooheon who had been sitting next to him when it happened, jolted awake. “Hyung, something’s wrong.”

It took Hyunwoo a moment before he felt the problem. “Go get Kihyun,” he ordered Jooheon. He looked over at Hoseok who was sleeping in the other cot and debated whether to wake him up or not. While he was in the middle of deciding, the magic that had begun to permeate the air became unbearably thick and suffocating. Hoseok woke up with a gasp. This made Hyunwoo frown. Hoseok was always more sensitive to magic than he was.

“Hyunwoo, what’s going on?” Hoseok asked, grabbing Hyunwoo’s upper arm and squeezing.

Hyunwoo didn’t flinch. He only trained his eyes on Changkyun and watched as the necromancer’s expression became even more distressed as the magic surrounding him grew thicker. As the magic lay heavy like honey, Hyunwoo did the first thing he thought he could do. It almost felt compelled, like the magic surrounding Changkyun wanted him to grab the boy’s hand.

Grabbing one of Changkyun’s hands, he put it between his palms and bent his head. Although he was not a religious man, he allowed himself to pray, to hope that Changkyun would pull through the night and into many more mornings to come. Hoseok followed suit, sitting across from Hyunwoo on the opposite of Changkyun.

“Changkyun, please,” he begged.

Then everything stopped. The thick magic permeating the air retreated in and the dark aura that was undoubtedly Changkyun’s (Hyunwoo had learned that only dark mages carried the second magic system of a dark aura) dissipated into thin air. It was quiet for a moment, only the almost imperceptible sounds of breathing left in the stagnant air.

There was a soft knock on the door. It must be Kihyun, Hyunwoo numbly realized. Right as he was about to let go, the small hand between his squeezed gently. Hyunwoo looked down at his hands then quickly up to Changkyun’s face where the boy blinked sleepily, a little dazed.

“Changkyun!” Hoseok exclaimed, before wrapping him into a tight hug. Rightly so, the necromancer looked confused and a little dazed. Hyunwoo coughed indiscretely and motioned for Hoseok to loosen his grip. The pure relief that Changkyun was okay overcame Hyunwoo’s reservations and he reached over to pull Changkyun from Hoseok’s hold into his own warm hug.

Changkyun sighed deeply, inhaling his scent. “Hyung,” he mumbled a little incoherently, “I think I figured it out.” His eyes widened. “Wait, I figured it out. I know what happened.”

A part of Hyunwoo screamed to have the boy divulge as much information as possible. He turned around, when the knocking got louder and saw the body on the table. He sighed then smiled softly at the necromancer. “Get some rest first, Changkyun-ah. We’ll discuss what you know tomorrow. You gave us a big scare and we’re all kind of tired.”

Respectfully nodding and still wrapped in the blanket from the workshop, Changkyun left for his room. When he opened the door, he was met by Kihyun, who looked surprised before immediately whisking the boy away towards the kitchen. Hyunwoo turned to Hoseok. “He’s not going to go to sleep, will he?”

Hoseok only replied with a soft smile and a quiet “Nope.” They sat in silence for a while, watching the sun rise from the little window in the warehouse. Hoseok yawned.

Hyunwoo wrapped his arm around Hoseok’s shoulders. “Go sleep in an actual bed, Hoseok. We’ve had a long day.” Together, they trudged back into the house where Kihyun was cleaning an empty bowl. Hyunwoo motioned for Hoseok to go on ahead.

“How is he?” Hyunwoo asked.

Kihyun shrugged, not even stopping to look at Hyunwoo. “Tired. Using that much magic probably drained him. I got some food in him and sent him off to bed.” He paused, finally turning to look at the earth mage. “You should get some sleep too, hyung. The trial is coming up soon. And we kind of need to-” he made shifty eyes towards the warehouse, “-return the body.”

Hyunwoo only smiled. “It’s fine, Kihyun. I got some sleep last night,” he lied. Kihyun looked doubtful but didn’t comment. “I’ll have the leftovers of what Changkyun had though,” he offered. The plant mage scoffed but only plated the remaining food and gave it to Hyunwoo with a soft smile before leaving to the greenhouse to tend to his plants. Hyunwoo silently finished his meal and washed the plate. He ambled to his room in slow lazy strides, tired from the sleepless night spent watching over Changkyun.

The room across from his had the door closed but light peaked through the edges. Changkyun . He quietly opened the door, hoping to see the boy at least passed out on his bed asleep. Instead, Changkyun sat at his desk typing away on his laptop, face set in concentration. He did not seem to notice Hyunwoo, so engrossed in whatever he was doing. Hyunwoo cleared his throat a little, which finally startled Changkyun.

“Oh hyung,” he said, looking up from his laptop to him then back to his laptop, hands never leaving the keyboard. “What’s up?”

Hyunwoo leant against the doorway. “Shouldn’t you be asleep? You’re probably exhausted from today.” He watched Changkyun carefully, noticing the moment of hesitation on his face and the eye bags that seemed darker illuminated by the laptop’s light.

“I just wanted to get everything down so I don’t accidentally forget anything in my sleep,” Changkyun confessed. “I’m almost done!”

Hyunwoo walked over and took a quick look at what Changkyun had been working on. A sense of elation overcame him before it was quickly replaced by doubt and hesitation. This was enough to find the murderers but it couldn’t be used in court, not without putting Changkyun on the witness stand and potentially accusing him of desecrating the dead. Changkyun was back to typing when Hyunwoo placed a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, Changkyun.”

“Huh? It’s no problem, hyung. It’s the least I could do.” He looked up in earnest at Hyunwoo. The feeling of fondness that came over Hyunwoo was almost too much as it worked its way from the blooming warmth in his chest to a few burning tears in his eyes. He wiped them away quickly, embarrassed. Changkyun looked at him questionly.

Hyunwoo ruffled Changkyun’s hair and chuckled when the dark mage complained about him ruining his hair. “Get some sleep, alright Changkyun?”

“Yes, hyung!” Changkyun mock saluted, bringing a smile to Hyunwoo’s face. He closed the door behind him and left to the clacking sounds of Changkyun’s keyboard.

Deciding he smelt, he took a shower and let the hot water melt away the day’s stresses. As he walked down the hall, lost in thought, he saw Hoseok enter Changkyun’s room, leaving the door ajar. Quietly, he walked by and peered inside, curious.

At the table, Changkyun lay face down, asleep. His laptop was still on and it seemed he had given into exhaustion before finishing. Hyunwoo watched as Hoseok carefully moved Changkyun’s head and saved the file, closing the computer gently, before lifting Changkyun and placing him on his bed. Changkyun hummed softly and sniffled. He rolled over with a soft whump! and entrapped the closest stuffed animal on his bed into his embrace. Hyunwoo walked away before Hoseok could turn around and see that his soft, fond smile done in private had been witnessed.

Hyunwoo only managed a short nap before their daily lives began again. Although he was tired, he tried to not let it show. While a lot had happened, they were still far from finished.

The first order of business was to return the body. It was decided that Kihyun would stay home with the youngest two mages, Changkyun who needed to rest and Jooheon who was useless in weight-lifting and dealing with corpses. In the end, only Hoseok and Hyunwoo were left to return the body. Minhyuk and Hyungwon would act as distraction.

“Hey,” Hoseok started. “What are we going to do about the trial tomorrow?” Hyunwoo paused, thought about it, and shrugged. His nonchalance must have been too outrageous for Hoseok because he reached over and slapped his arm. He winced. Hoseok was just as muscular as, if not more than, Hyunwoo and the slap stung.

“Changkyun knows who did it. But we can’t exactly use him in the trial.”

“Why can’t we-” Hoseok started before pausing and nodding. “Oh.”

“Don’t worry. I have a plan.”

It turned out that Hyunwoo did not have a plan because the plan was “Leave it to Kihyun” as Changkyun found out the morning of the trial.

“I could testify,” he offered. “I’m pretty much the best witness. I was there at the scene of the crime!” They only had to wait a moment for Changkyun to realize why him being involved was a Bad Idea( TM) . He couldn’t exactly reveal that they had broken into the morgue, stole the corpse, used necromantic powers on it, and then returned the body. Not to mention that the jury would not have a good opinion of mages and would try to turn around and convict Changkyun as well.

Hoseok paced around the table, muttering to himself. Hyunwoo looked deep in thought, face blank of any emotion, although Changkyun mused that it wasn’t too different than his normal expression. “We just need to turn the tables without revealing how we know, right?” Hyunwoo hummed in acknowledgement at Changkyun’s question.

Kihyun caught on the Changkyun’s trail of thought. “They’ll probably call on the ‘witnesses’ and that’s when we’ll get them.” He rounded on Hyunwoo and Hoseok who still looked a little confused. “Hyungs just need to know what to say,” he said, with a glint in his eye. “And I know just what to do.”

-- --

And that was how Changkyun discovered the genius of Yoo Kihyun, and to a degree, Lee Minhyuk. Hyunwoo’s plan was to have Kihyun and Minhyuk defend Hyunwoo and Hoseok in a single trial instead of separate trials. Kihyun knew what to do. Together, he and Minhyuk set up a system of signals so that Hyunwoo and Hoseok would know what to say when they were called up on the witness stand. Not only that, he managed to convince the owner of the mission that Jooheon and Hyunwoo had been on when the murder occurred to testify so that Jooheon would not have to go on the witness stand and be grilled by the prosecution.

Minhyuk would act as Kihyun’s assistant during the trial. Changkyun didn’t know how they did it, but they managed to plant a fellow mage into the jury. Furthermore, the trial would be overseen by a judge that the clan had done jobs for before, ensuring that it would not be biased against them. The rest of the mages would be spread out across the court audience and do reactions to emphasize the important parts to convince the jury of Hyunwoo and Hoseok’s innocence.

All in all, it was a good plan. The only thing left was to make sure things went according to plan . As Changkyun had quickly learned, with the X-Clan, that rarely ever happened.

Changkyun sat close to the front next to a young woman who looked at him and smiled mysteriously before turning away. That was weird. In the opposite row across the aisle, Changkyun tensed when he saw the two men that he had watched murder Elder Kim. The blond one now had freshly dyed brown hair and the other had his arm in a cast. The newly-dyed brunette caught Changkyun’s stare and looked directly at him without a trace of recognition. Changkyun looked away, not willing to make himself look suspicious. Of course they wouldn’t know who he was, he reminded himself.

A few rows behind the two murderers, Jooheon sat. When he made eye contact with Jooheon, Changkyun titled his head a little towards the two men and widened his eyes, trying to convey that those two were the perpetrators. Jooheon looked confused before nodding at training a dark glare at the back of their heads. When the taller turned, he looked away and whistled an inconspicuous tune that Changkyun thought just made him more suspicious. At the very back, Hyungwon was slumped over likely sleeping. Changkyun sighed. He’d wake up when he was needed, he hoped.

To be honest, Changkyun didn’t remember much of the proceedings. Although he would never admit it out loud, he probably joined Hyungwon in dreamland a few times. To be fair, he would argue later to Kihyun, he only missed out on the technical stuff and he gave his reactions when they were needed.

“And how do the defendants testify?”

Changkyun watched as Minhyuk mouthed to Hoseok before Kihyun cut in “Not guilty, your honor.” Changkyun didn’t know if he should have worried that Hoseok lit up in realization after Kihyun had spoken like he only just realized what Minhyuk was trying to tell him. Give him the benefit of the doubt, he reminded himself.

The prosecutor started first, calling up the taller of the two murderers first. He swore in, resting his broken hand on the book.

“You were the one that called in as a witness for the murder, am I correct?”

“Yes sir.”

“Can you tell me exactly what you saw?”

“Two men approached Elder Kim while me and my buddy were visiting our friend’s grave.”

The prosecutor hummed. “And how did your friend die? If I may ask.”

“Objection!” Kihyun yelled, slamming his hands on the table as he stood up. “This has nothing to do with the case in question.”

The judge slammed down his gavel. “Objection overruled.” He gestured to the man on the stand. “Please continue.”

“He died in a mage-related incident. Got caught in the crossfire of a magic battle. Both mages ran off without calling for help and he died of his injuries, alone and in pain.”

Chankgyun felt his heart drop when he heard the story but Kihyun’s quiet cough told him that something was up. He paid close attention to how the dark-haired man had told the story. It sounded cold and empty, something that could be attributed to trying to contain deep, sorrowful feelings… or as if someone was feeding him the lines. He whipped his head in the direction of the shorter of the two and realized what was going on. The other man was silently typing out what he wanted the other to say, presumably reading off a story from an article on the cellphone in his hand.

Well, this wouldn’t do. He tapped his foot lightly against the wall in front of him. Minhyuk turned around and looked at him curiously. Changkyun tilted his head in the direction of the criminal and mimicked typing away on a phone. Minhyuk smirked.

He waited patiently for the prosecution to stop talking. They got through several questions about how dangerous mages were and how they could not be trusted, each question with a specific anecdote that sounded all too familiar.

“The prosecution has finished questioning the witness, your honor.”

“Your honor,” Kihyun cut in before the judge could dismiss the man, “the defense would like to cross-examine the witness.” The judge looked strangely at Kihyun who held his stare.

He sighed and waved the gavel. “The defense can cross-examine the witness.” Kihyun only gave a smug smile as the prosecution spluttered their objections. The judge just waved them away and gave the go ahead to Kihyun.

With a sharp smile, Minhyuk interjected. “Your honor, I would like to ask the witness the same questions as before,” Minhyuk said, twirling his pen. “But without him using his cellphone.” Kihyun and Minhyuk’s faces wore matching smirks.

The man in the witness stand sputtered in outrage, accidentally slamming the phone hidden by the bulkiness of his cast on to the floor. The sound was deafening in the courtroom. The judge coughed. “Please handover your phone to the court officer.”

With the phone gone, the man’s answers were much less fluid and even seemed to contradict each other, something the prosecution tried to cover up desperately with screams of objection. From the gleam in Kihyun’s eye and the way the judge looked like he was about to kill anyone that kept interrupting the proceedings, that cover up would not be for long.

“So, you said that you saw the defendants commit the crime, correct?” The man nodded, looking a little lost and scared. “But you also said that the men that committed the murder wore masks and caps. So how did you know who those men were to make such a confident accusation?” The taller gulped. Changkyun could see a thin sheen of sweat appear on his forehead.

“I broke my hand trying to fight them,” he tried, raising his cast. “I got a look at their faces then.”

“Oh really,” Kihyun said, amused. “Did they happen to use their powers when they fought you?” Again, he nodded. “Then pray tell, what powers did they use.”

“I-,” he hesitated. “I think they used earth powers.”

“Both of them?” Kihyun raised an eyebrow.

The witness nodded. He pointed at Hyunwoo. “He crushed my hand with a rock that he made appear out of nowhere.” Then he pointed to Hoseok. “And he made the ground swallow up Elder Kim. That’s why he was buried alive.” To the side, Hyunwoo snorted. He coughed quietly to cover up the sound.

Kihyun nodded exaggeratedly. “Ah, I see. Did you get a good look at their faces when you fought them?” The man nodded. “And may I ask what color were their eyes when they ‘fought’ you?”

“Brown,” he answered immediately.

“What kind of brown?”

“Objection!” the prosecutor called. “We do not see how this has anything to do with the case.”

The judge waved tiredly. “Objection overruled. Please continue, Kihyun-shi.”

“Dark brown?” Kihyun nodded solemnly. “I see.” Behind him, Minhyuk coughed into his hand. Kihyun paused for a bit, his eyebrows furrowing for a moment before a look of realization crossed his features. He turned to the judge. “That will be all your honor.”

As the witness left the stand, Kihyun turned to Minhyuk with a got’em look. Minhyuk returned it with a two finger thumbs up. Changkyun frowned, unsure exactly what they were planning and only knowing that the cards were in place. They just needed to play them. It seemed that Kihyun and Minhyuk were probably good gamers, he mused. Maybe he’d ask to play Overwatch with them after this mess was over.

Finally, the shorter and presumably smarter and eviler of the pair went on the witness stand. He obviously knew what he was doing because he answered the prosecutor’s questions with ease. Not a hint of hesitation could be detected. And the only way that Changkyun knew he was lying was because he was there at the scene. The man answered deftly and vaguely, but it would have been enough to convince an easily swayed jury. He played up the sob stories that the taller had used, making them sound more emotional and real although Changkyun knew it was just copies of media-played national headliners.

Kihyun and Minhyuk exchanged worried looks. This one was going to be a tougher one to crack. Changkyun could see them whispering to each other. Every now and then they would turn to Hyunwoo or Hoseok who would offer a small nod or word of advice.

The man passed through the questioning easily, not a single hair out of place. Changkyun tensed when he gazed out into the audience and settled on Hyunwoo and Hoseok with a dark smile on his face. The jury looked almost convinced despite the mess that had been the previous witness. He had successfully covered up his stupid friend’s mistakes with smooth lies. The tension in the room grew thicker as Kihyun stepped up to the stand.

“I suppose I’ll repeat the same question I asked before. If the men you saw wore face masks and caps, how can you claim that they are the mages in question?”

“I knew they were mages,” the man said simply. “And from their height and build, I knew it had to be those two out of the six mages in the city.”

“How did you know it wasn’t a mage from out of town?”

The man shrugged. “I don’t but it was too obvious that it was those two. Only a local mage would want to attack Elder Kim the way they did. Elder Kim was a good man,” he said, teeth clenched. Changkyun knew it was because he was lying but he made it look like he was trying to control his anger towards the two mages. From the quiet scoffing in the background, even Hyungwon was impressed with his acting. “I just want to bring them to justice.”

Kihyun’s gaze turned sharp. “I’m sure we’ll be able to bring the real criminals to justice.” He took a moment, schooling his face into a neutral expression. “Now, your colleague said that he got into a fight with the defendants. Were you also involved in the altercation?”

“I was not. I had gone to try and help Elder Kim when the fight occurred.”

“Why did you not go help your friend then? I would assume that someone of your moral character would not stand for such injustices. If they hurt your friend, would you not fight back?”

The former blond froze. “I would,” he said slowly.

“So, were you or were you not involved?”

The man hesitated. “I- I was.” His posture deflated, showing that he was slowly losing confidence.

“So why did you lie?”

“I didn’t-,” he tried, keeping his face indignant. “I didn’t think that what I did counted as involvement.” The jury started to whisper amongst each other. The man fidgeted in his seat, uncomfortable from veering away from his cover story. Changkyun shifted around, trying to give off the reaction of restless. Behind him, Hyungwon and Jooheon started to softly murmur with their neighbors, emphasizing that the witness’s story was not adding up.

Kihyun approached the witness stand. “So what did you do?” The venom in his voice was palpable. In front of the tiny plant mage, the man blanched. He avoided Kihyun’s glare, looking at a point behind him.

“I- I got in their way before they could kill my friend. I told them I called the police. They turned tail and ran after that.”

“I see. But if they were really as murderous as you said they were, why did they not just kill you and run later? It seems kind of silly to leave a witness, don’t you think?” If that sentence did not prove Kihyun was an evil mastermind in the making, nothing else would.

“Umm…” the man hesitated, trying to pick his words carefully. Changkyun could see him imagining as many possible scenarios that could explain what had been said so far. He smiled to himself knowing that Kihyun had the man cornered. “I managed to throw dirt in their eyes and that distracted them long enough for us to run away.”

Kihyun hummed. “Impressive,” he said in a decidedly unimpressed tone. “Did you happen to see what color their eyes were when you fought them off?”

“Brown.”

“Are you sure?”

As subtly as possible, the shorter of the murderer pair leaned over to look at Hyunwoo and Hoseok who were sitting behind Kihyun. He nodded in affirmation. Changkyun snorted already knowing where this was going. It would make sense that someone that whole-heartedly believed that mages were dangerous and deserved to die did not know anything about mages. Now all Kihyun had to do was play his hand at the right time and leave the prosecution defenseless.

Kihyun nodded. “So what if I told you that investigators found DNA evidence from a saliva sample found at the crime scene.” The man froze and Changkyun knew he was thinking back to the day of the crime.

His voice cracked. “I wouldn’t know what you were talking about.” Kihyun hummed and nodded to the judge. The witness walked off, noticeably shaken. 

In the audience, Changkyun started whispering to raise suspicions. “He’s totally guilty.” The woman next to him looked at him amusedly. Her smile made him feel like a kid, the kind of smile that was a little fond and a little exasperated despite her being a total stranger.

He shrank back in embarrassment before she chuckled and leant over. “I think so too.” She smiled mysteriously before turning back to the proceedings. Changkyun had to stop himself from staring in amazement.

It seemed like the prosecution knew they were running it close and they did not try to grill Hyunwoo or Hoseok. They asked some questions and tried to make a vague tie to the murder. They went for the inconsistent alibi route, trying to stray away from talk about mage powers. Hyunwoo calmly told them that he had been on a mission outside of the town when the murder occurred. The prosecution tried to make the claim that he was untrustworthy and could not prove that he had not returned to town to commit the crime then leave. Hyunwoo gave a dull stare and said nothing to the chagrin of the increasingly nervous prosecutor.

When Kihyun finally came up, Hyunwoo relaxed. Minhyuk tapped lightly on the table in front of him with one hand and squeezed Hoseok’s thigh with the other. “Now, under the assumption that your alibi does not check out, which I know it does, it was said that you got into a fight with the two witnesses. That you used magic to conjure up a stone and break his hand. I know but the jury may not, but is that possible?”

“No,” Hyunwoo answered, “it’s not. Earth mages cannot create matter, we can only take it from something that already exists. It is not possible to create a rock out of thin air. Any elemental mage will tell you that.” From where Changkyun sat, he could see the other members of the jury turn to the one mage among them who nodded along with Hyunwoo’s words. Minhyuk flashed a thumbs up to Hyunwoo who looked deceptively calm although Changkyun could tell that he had been worried by the rigidness in his shoulders.

“Now let’s say you did use magic and managed to use a stone to break his hand. That’s some impressive magic. Again, I know but the jury may not, but when you use that scale of magic, what color are your eyes?”

“Gray.”

It was silent for a moment, the pieces slowly coming together. Kihyun nodded. “I see. So what do you think may have caused Elder Kim’s death if not by magic.”

Hyunwoo’s face darkened. The stark contrast from his usually calm and gentle demeanor was startling. “What was done to Elder Kim did not have to use magic.” Minhyuk coughed. “I speculate that someone that didn’t agree with Elder Kim’s sympathy towards mages probably decided to take things into their own hands.” His gaze did not leave the two men, who seemed to shrink back in their seats. The anxiety leaking off of them screamed guilt.

“That will be all your honor.” Changkyun was impressed. Kihyun knew Hyunwoo’s greatest strength was his brevity. By keeping the questioning short and sweet and to the point, it would have a huge impact on the jury members.

When Hoseok was called onto the stand, it took all of Changkyun’s self-control to not yell out at the prosecutor, who targeted Hoseok’s weak spots, like his reclusiveness or how he seemed to smile too much. Hoseok had a difficult time proving his alibi because he had been in the workshop and only the rest of the clan could cover for him. Although the metal mage did not waver, the droop to his posture made the other mages tense. Changkyun could sense the disbelief and anger radiating from Hyungwon and Jooheon. In front of him, Hyunwoo had schooled his face into a neutral expression, only the tightly clenched fist and barely restrained magic a sign of his wrath. Kihyun and Minhyuk had more distasteful faces, quietly talking amongst themselves and coughing and shuffling papers whenever Hoseok paused.

The signal system was brilliant, Changkyun mused. The two mages really thought of every possible point that could have been used and made a strong counterargument for Hoseok to wield. Two shuffles, one cough. “I record all the times that I am in my warehouse. The data logs on my computer should confirm my location.” Three foot taps and a scratch behind the ear. “How could the other person be me if Hyunwoo’s alibi checks out? Who else would there be?”

Kihyun pulled out all the stops for Hoseok's cross-examination. “The witness claimed that you used earth magic to bury Elder Kim alive.”

“That's impossible,” Hoseok said calmly. “I’m a metal mage. I only have control over metals. I wouldn't have been able to forcefully bury Elder Kim in dirt unless that dirt was solely made of metal dust.”

“And when you use your magic, what color do your eyes turn?”

“Gray.” The jury squirmed uncomfortably in their seats, a quiet uproar circulating amongst the audience. Inside the jury box, the lone mage only nodded, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

“I see. So, if you and Hyunwoo-hyung weren’t the ones to kill Elder Kim and injure the kind witness’s hand, who did?”

Hoseok frowned. His normal cheerful demeanor darkened so much that a chill ran through Changkyun. “As Hyunwoo said, humans are quite capable of evil.” Minhyuk tapped his fingers on the edge of the desk and stretched. “And that injury? It looks like a hammer injury. Seen plenty of those working in my shop.” Although he didn’t need to, Changkyun sneaked a peek at the two men and smiled in satisfaction at how pale and nervous they appeared.

“Will that be all, Kihyun-shi?” the judge asked after he dismissed Hoseok. Kihyun nodded, shoulders set confidently. Changkyun noted that he didn’t even try to bring in a witness to confirm that Hyunwoo had been on an out-of-town mission. The evidence was too great.

They almost had the case in the bag. The prosecution’s closing statement was vague and tenuous at best, relying on underlying prejudices against mages. When the prosecutor returned to his seat, he put his face in his hands and sighed. Changkyun took that as a good sign.

“Now ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you may be wondering why I did not make any assertions during my questioning. My goal was to lay down all the evidence for you to analyze yourself before I tied it all together so that your opinion would not be biased. I hope that your decision will be fair and just.” Kihyun stared evenly at the jury who tittered in response. The prosecution shuffled their papers nervously.

“The evidence clears any suspicion of the defendant’s whereabouts. It is undeniable that the mages in question where at the crime scene when the crime occurred. If we look at the CCTV footage, it can only be seen that the culprits are two large men. If I dare say so myself, they are of similar statures of our two ‘witnesses’ that called in after the crime was reported. Why did they not report it as it happened?”

The two men exchanged looks and one glanced towards the back of the room. Changkyun shifted, debating whether he should grab Jooheon and Hyungwon to barricade the door in case they tried to make a run for it.

“Furthermore,” Kihyun continued, “I have shown evidence that the witnesses in question have a history of prejudice against mages. It would seem the witnesses have no idea how mage powers work yet they knew exactly how Elder Kim died. This not only confirms that the defendants’ alibis check out as their witness accounts are inaccurate, but it also places the witnesses at the scene of the crime with no actual alibi of their own.”

He paused, letting it sink in. “Now, I did not have access to the autopsy report but I believe the prosecution has included it in the evidence. If for some reason, you see something that may indicate that Elder Kim had been in an altercation, perhaps that is evidence for something else?”

He trailed off, making sure to look at the two criminals with a cool stare. Kihyun took a deep breath. “Of course, I don’t like to point fingers, but I feel like the evidence is undeniable proof. It would best to admit your guilt now while you can still bargain for a plea deal.” He paused. “But that is only a suggestion.”

Changkyun could only hope to be that intimidating with such a tiny stature one day. Kihyun returned to the jury. “I trust that you make the right decision.”

Behind Kihyun, Minhyuk nodded along. He raised his hand. “If I may, your honor,” he said politely. “I, for one, can vouch for Hyunwoo-hyung and Hoseok-hyung. They are two of the best men I have ever met in my life. We all loved Elder Kim and Hyunwoo-hyung was like a son to him. Although this trial is a bit… nonstandard, I hope that the evidence is enough to convince you to convict the correct criminals. Thank you.” He bowed and took his seat again.

The judge coughed. “The jury is dismissed to deliberate.”

As soon as the last member of the jury left, the three mages in the audience rushed towards the remaining four. “Hyung, you were so cool,” Changkyun gushed. Jooheon nodded beside him. Hyungwon yawned and gave a sleepy thumbs up.

Hoseok smiled. “Yeah, you both did great.” Hyunwoo hummed along, sharing the sentiment. They sat in silence for a little bit. Hyungwon reached to squeeze Hoseok’s hand in his while Jooheon rubbed Hyunwoo’s shoulders.

When the jury came back, the three younger mages returned to their seats. Changkyun tapped Jooheon’s shoulder and gestured towards the door. Jooheon looked confused before he nodded and flashed a thumbs up.

“The jury declares the defendants,” a long pause for a deep inhale of air, “not guilty.” Immediately, the courtroom thundered with applause. “Furthermore, we have agreed that it is necessary to look into Yoo Kihyun and Lee Minhyuk’s accusations of the former witness as the possible criminals. Please arrest them.”

As soon as it was said, both men stood and rushed for the back door, only to be stopped the three mages guarding the door. Before they could run them over, the police grabbed them, handcuffed them, and led them away. They screamed profanities the entire way out.

“Good job, Changkyun-ah.”

-- --

Changkyun wondered what he had done to deserve this punishment. He had been a good mage! He helped Kihyun in the kitchen when he needed it and he tried really hard to practice his magic control during clan training sessions.

Although not many clans did one, something not necessary to be a clan but one that helped unite the group better, the X-clan held a clan ceremony. Changkyun had said his oaths perfectly and managed not to fuck up the marking ritual where the government-mandated clan marks became permanently imbued with magic.

And he only accidentally talked down to his hyungs twice today. Twice! And yet, here he was, walking along an empty road behind the bickering Kihyun and Minhyuk.

Kihyun had delegated him to carry the large basket to wherever they were going. Changkyun hadn’t really understood, only that Kihyun had come into his room at the crack of dawn and told him to get ready. For what, Changkyun didn’t know because he had promptly rolled over back into his stuffed animals for some more sleep. Instead of sleep, he was met with a pillow to his face.

So here he was, trailing after Kihyun and a sleepy and annoyed Minhyuk. At this point, he learned not to question anything the two did. They were evil masterminds and if he didn’t want chili pepper in his juice or salt in his candy, he knew not to get involved in any of their antics.

“Hyung, why couldn’t you get Hyunwoo-hyung to drive us to wherever we’re going,” Changkyun complained.

“I couldn’t wake him up,” Kihyun sighed. “It’s fine, it’s not that far. We can get coffee after we’re done. There’s a place I normally go to when I have to come here.”

“Yeah, but why do I have to go too,” Minhyuk butted in. “Don’t you usually go on these by yourself?”

“Yeah, but there’s something going around and I need a lot more than I usually need.” He gestured to the basket in Changkyun’s hand. “Hence the bigger basket.”

“I don’t even know what we’re doing,” Changkyun groaned. He yawned and stretched his arms, unwittingly swinging the basket to hit him in the back of his head. Surreptitiously, he checked to make sure the other two didn’t see. Luckily, they were too busy arguing to notice.

They walked a little longer, past a few stores that Changkyun was surprised to find even existed in the area. The road ended and Kihyun led them down a hiking trail up a mountain slope. Finally, they reached a field full of fresh flowers.

“Only pick the blue flowers,” Kihyun said. “It’s better if you grab them from the root but as long as you also have the flower itself, I can grow them in my greenhouse from the seeds.” He walked forward to show Changkyun and Minhyuk how to pick the flowers. “Oh,” he paused. “Be careful. These flowers can be poisonous.”

Minhyuk gawked. “And you use them for your potions? What the fuck?” Changkyun nodded along in agreement.

Kihyun groaned in exasperation. “Are you the potion maker? No? I thought so.” When Kihyun turned around to finish the demonstration, Minhyuk stuck his tongue out at him. Changkyun laughed only to quickly cover his mouth when Kihyun shot up and glared.

“Chop chop, get to work.”

Together, he and Minhyuk picked as many blue flowers as they could. Kihyun moved along the field, picking different flowers that were decidedly not blue but he didn’t say anything. Kihyun knew what he was doing. After an hour, half the basket was full of blue flowers. The other half was filled with an assortment of herbs and many colorful flowers ranging from pink to yellow.

While Changkyun and Minhyuk lounged in the shade of a nearby tree, Kihyun squatted next to the basket and begin filtering through the flowers. Every now and then, he would snap off some stems and toss them out. A few times, he returned to the field and picked more flowers to add to the basket. When he was done, the basket was almost overflowing with flowers.

“Yah, Minhyuk,” Kihyun snapped, “help me with these.” Changkyun wordlessly tagged along as the two mages each grabbed a basket handle and began to lug it down the trail.

“I could help, hyung,” he offered, noticing that Minhyuk was trying hard to not seem like he was struggling.

Kihyun cut Minhyuk off before he could say anything. “No thanks, Changkyun. I saw you hit yourself with the empty basket and I don’t want to have to pick these flowers off the side of the road too.” Changkyun flushed. At that, Kihyun smiled fondly at him. “But hey, we can go to the little cafe now. Americano?” His grin grew in response to Changkyun’s enthusiastic agreement. “I wonder if Seungwoo is in,” he hummed to himself and when Changkyun turned to look quizzically, he just waved him off.

When they arrived at the little cafe at the base of the mountain, Kihyun walked in and greeted the person behind the bar. Changkyun couldn’t make out who it was because the person had their back turned. Minhyuk flounced in, energetic despite the long walk down. “Hello, Seungwoo!” he greeted. “The usual please,” he said seriously, before breaking into a bright smile. To Changkyun’s surprise, the person that turned around was a young man, possibly younger than Changkyun himself.

He spotted Changkyun. “Ah, who can this be?”

“He’s a new mage in the X-Clan, Seungwoo,” Minhyuk said, wrapping his arm around Changkyun.

Kihyun cut in. “He’ll have an iced Americano.” The boy nodded and turned to the coffee machines. “Let’s go get a table.”

To Changkyun’s surprise, when the man brought them their drinks, he also sat down at the table. “So, Minhyuk tells me you’re a new member of the clan. What’s your name?”

“Changkyun,” he replied quietly, sipping at the iced americano and smiling at the taste. He didn’t get to say anything more before Minhyuk intruded in, drawing his attention away from the necromancer.

Changkyun contented himself with just listening to Kihyun and Minhyuk’s conversation with the boy and drinking his coffee. Before long, his cup was empty and Seungwoo stood up to refill it for him. He frowned and bent over to rummage through the cabinets. “It seems like I’ve run out of coffee.”

“It’s okay,” Changkyun said, not wanting to be burden. “The americano was enough.”

Seungwoo only smiled brightly. “Don’t worry about it! I’ll just go get some more from the storage. Let me grab my keys.” As he opened the door, he called out, “Kihyun-hyung, watch the store for me for a little bit!” Kihyun waved him off and returned to his own drink.

Kihyun barely had the chance to take a sip before the sound of squealing tires was heard. All three mages rushed to the door just in time to see Seungwoo fall to the ground, hand flopping lifelessly in front of him. Someone screamed, but Changkyun did not know who, still in shock as the car that hit Seungwoo drove off without stopping.

The pool of blood reflected the desperate hands that moved over Seungwoo. “He’s alive,” Kihyun cried out. “Seungwoo,” he said, leaning over the boy and holding his cheeks, “you need to stay with me, okay? Come on, stay with me.” Seungwoo groaned in pain but didn’t open his eyes.

“Minhyuk, find where Seungwoo keeps his first aid kit. Changkyun, go get the basket of flowers.”

“Hyung, shouldn’t we call the hospital?”

Kihyun shook his head. “By the time they get here, it will be too late. Not a lot of roads lead here. This is going to need magic.” He huffed in frustration, hands bloody from trying to find where Seungwoo was injured and bleeding from. “Shit,” he cried out, “he’s losing too much blood.” There was a head wound, from what Changkyun could see, that caused most of the bleeding. However, there was a lot of blood on the boy’s shirt. Kihyun lifted it up carefully to check for injuries. The mottled bruising didn’t look as bad as it should have compared to the long gash that ran across Seungwoo’s stomach. Kihyun immediately placed his hands over the wound to slow its bleeding.

Minhyuk ran back with a small first aid kit. “Put pressure on the wound,” he ordered Minhyuk. He seemed to be calculating something in his head.

“Shit, Jooheon isn’t here,” Kihyun cursed. “I have enough flowers but I won’t be able to brew the potion in time.” His hands shook where they were held over Seungwoo’s stomach. “Please, Seungwoo, just hold on a little longer.”

Minhyuk looked down at Seungwoo who grew increasingly pale as the blood loss started to set in. “We need to at least try.” One hand holding down the wound, Minhyuk lifted a bloody hand to gently slap Seungwoo’s face. “Kid, you need to stay awake.” Seungwoo didn’t respond.

“You think I don’t know that? I can only speed up the brewing process by so much. I need a fire somehow.” Kihyun rushed over to help Minhyuk apply pressure.

Minhyuk snapped his fingers. “There’s the kitchen in the cafe. We can use that.”

Kihyun nodded but his face crumpled. “We won’t have enough time. He’s fading fast.” He looked to where Seungwoo lay, still covered in blood. By then, Kihyun’s arms were slick with the red fluid as well.

Changkyun approached cautiously. There was a fluttering sensation inside his chest that he had never felt before. What was it? Kihyun looked up at him and steeled his expression. He lifted his hands and wiped them against his pants. “Changkyun, I need you to help Minhyuk. See if we can keep him alive long enough so that I can finish this potion.” Changkyun nodded and reached over to place his hands over Minhyuk’s, the slippery blood immediately staining his fingers.

Suddenly, Seungwoo’s breathing hitched and his chest rose incrementally slower and slower. “Shit, we’re losing him,” Minhyuk cursed. “Kihyun, hurry!”

With one last look, Kihyun rushed back to the cafe where the basket of flowers lay innocently on the table. Changkyun was going to feel nauseous, the heady scent of blood burning in his nose. “Changkyun, let go. Grab me the bandages.”

He let go and immediately the nausea went away. Quickly, he scrambled to the first aid kit that had been abandoned on the floor. Inside, only a few bandaids, some alcohol wipes, and a small package of antiseptic cream were in it. Changkyun’s heart sank. It wouldn’t be enough.

Quietly, he handed what little was in the kit to Minhyuk who attempted to stick a bandaid over the gash. As expected, it did nothing. Changkyun sighed and placed his hands back over to try and slow the bleeding as much as possible.

With a gasp, he fell backwards. It couldn’t be. Changkyun had never seen this before. Seungwoo’s spirit was separating from his body. Changkyun felt in a daze that he almost didn’t hear Minhyuk’s shouts for Seungwoo to stay with him. “Changkyun! We’re losing him!”

It didn’t take long for the dots to connect. Changkyun knew what to do. During his magic practice, he had scoured Monsta to understand the depths of his powers. Delaying death . That’s what he had to do. “Minhyuk-hyung,” he said faintly, “I know what to do. You can let go.”

“What?” Minhyuk sputtered. “Are you crazy?”

“Just trust me!” Minhyuk sighed, looking very much in an internal debate. Reluctantly, he lifted his hands, ready to return if Changkyun’s plan didn’t work. As the blood dripped down and joined the pool surrounding Seungwoo, the spirit slowly but surely moved further away from the body.

“Changkyun, we’re losing him,” Minhyuk warned. Seungwoo’s breathing slowed to an almost standstill, the quiet inhales and exhales too far apart to be comfortable. “Changkyun!”

With a huff, Changkyun let his magic loose and reached forward and grabbed the spirit’s hand. The world went dull around him. Seungwoo blinked. “Oh, you’re the new mage in the X-clan, right?” He looked down. “Is that my body?” Seungwoo turned wide, horrified eyes towards Changkyun.

Changkyun hesitated. “It is. This is the plane between life and death. I think.”

“Does this mean I’m dead?”

“It means you’re about to die,” Changkyun corrected. “But don't worry. Kihyun-hyung is working on a potion to save you.”

It was quiet for a moment. Changkyun dug his shoe in the ground, awkward. “But why are you here?” Seungwoo finally asked. “I assume you’re still alive.”

“As long as I’m here with you, I can delay your death long enough for Kihyun to save you. I saw your soul mark, so you must understand how magic works. Right now, my magic is keeping us both tied to the mortal realm. But I can only stay for so long. If I leave before you, you'll die.”

Seungwoo frowned. “Thank you. You didn’t have to.”

Changkyun froze. “Why wouldn’t I?” A heavy feeling settled in his chest.

“It’s just not something most people would do,” he shrugged. Seungwoo bounced a little and looked around. “I admit, it’s a little weird being able to see my body and like, not be in it.” He sighed. “I guess all we can do is wait.”

-- --

It was starting to become painful. The dark magic inside of him begged to be released, begged to be let free. Changkyun could feel the strain of maintaining such high level use of magic for too long, breathing becoming long and labored, heart racing like it was attempting to beat outside of his chest.

“Hey, are you okay?” Seungwoo asked when Changkyun stumbled to his knees.

Changkyun waved him off. “Yeah,” he huffed, “just a little tired.” He sat down and tried to focus on his breathing, ignoring the strain of magic and the whirling of the dark aura inside of him. Distantly, he could hear Minhyuk calling for him.

“Hyung,” he tried calling out, watching as the blurry figure of Minhyuk turned towards him. The dark magic inside swirled angrily, a hurricane waiting to be released. “How much longer?”

If Minhyuk responded, it all sounded like a blur to Changkyun as he gasped and the dark magic unfurled around him, slipping from his grasp. Seungwoo, who had been reaching over to help Changkyun, stepped back in shock. Dark magic radiated from Changkyun, spreading out and consuming everything in its path.

Changkyun breathed heavily. He had already exhausted his normal magic and now that the dark magic was unleashed, he did not know if it was possible to last before Kihyun was finished. Dark magic was much more powerful than normal magic but it came at a cost, Changkyun remembered. If it wasn’t properly controlled, it would consume a dark mage’s soul. Soul consumption was not well studied and only myths could be uncovered. But whatever it was, Changkyun did not want to find out.

He could only hope that his magic control practice would pay off. Carefully, he directed the dark magic to maintaining Seungwoo’s connection to his body. Having depleted his normal magic, he could only wonder how much longer it would be before even his dark magic was exhausted too. He steeled himself. He just needed to last long enough for Kihyun to finish the potion.

Distantly, he could hear Minhyuk screaming at him to stop. His magic signature must have been going haywire in the mortal world, something he knew Minhyuk was deeply attuned to. Instead, he ignored it and pressed on, focusing on concentrating his magic to keep Seungwoo alive.

It could have been minutes, it could have been hours, Changkyun didn’t know. Seungwoo remained quietly sitting beside him, only humming softly to fill the silence. By then, Minhyuk had rushed off to help Kihyun, leaving Changkyun with Seungwoo’s spirit and body.

Changkyun struggled to keep his eyes open, exhausting already set in his bones. Even the dark magic that he normally had to fight to keep control over was waning, only mere tendrils left. “Changkyun,” Seungwoo said, breaking the quiet that had settled over them, “your soul is going to crack if you keep this up. Your magic is almost gone.”

“Just a few more minutes, that’s all,” he told Seungwoo. “I can handle it.” He paused. “And it’s one soul crack compared to your life. I’ll survive. You? Not so much.”

Seungwoo looked hesitant. “If you say so,” he said. Changkyun knew soul cracks were dangerous. He had never experienced one himself but it couldn’t have been as bad as death, could it? But he knew it himself, that he could only last for a little longer.

His head drooped in exhaustion only to be shook awake with excitement by Seungwoo. “They’re here.” Changkyun lifted his head. Minhyuk and Kihyun were crossing the street, Kihyun carrying a bottle of bright blue liquid, the color of the flowers that they had picked earlier in the day.

It was already too much, the last bits of magic struggling to maintain the tenuous connection. Changkyun watched as Kihyun knelt down and gently poured the potion down Seungwoo’s throat. He felt Seungwoo’s spirit’s connection to his body reestablish itself before the pain took over.

When Changkyun finally came to, Kihyun and Minhyuk were standing in front of him, in almost startling clarity. Oh, they were just way too close to his face. He flinched back when he came to the realization, only to wince when a twinge of pain pierced through his heart.

“You stupid kid.” Changkyun didn’t even get a chance to process before he was swatted in the back of the head by the tiny plant mage and then wrapped in a huge bear hug from both mages.

“Is Seungwoo okay?”

“Yeah, he’s still in pain but the potion is working. He’ll need a few more doses and a couple weeks of recovery but he’s safe.”

Changkyun sighed in relief. “That’s good.” He rubbed gingerly at his soul mark. “It kind of hurts,” he whined quietly.

He was met with Minhyuk and Kihyun’s incredulous stares. “Your soul fucking cracked. Of course it hurts!” Kihyun knocked Changkyun in the head again while Minhyuk nodded solemnly beside him. He sighed and pushed Changkyun down when the necromancer tried to get up. “Take it easy for now, Changkyun. I called Hyunwoo-hyung to come pick us up.”

Minhyuk settled behind Changkyun and pulled him close so that he was wrapped in Minhyuk’s embrace. Kihyun sat next to them and carefully threaded his hands through Changkyun’s hair. It was soothing. He could feel his eyes closing and warmth spreading throughout his chest.

“I’m so proud of you,” Kihyun said quietly, never stopping in his ministrations. Minhyuk hummed quietly and left soft kisses on the back of Changkyun’s neck.

The warmth filling his chest erased any pain leftover from the soul crack. Changkyun sighed and sunk deeper into Minhyuk’s arms. He did not know how much time had passed only that Hyunwoo had arrived with the truck.

As he settled in the backseat, waiting for Kihyun to finish giving instructions to Seungwoo about using the potion and taking care of his injuries, he realized that there was no longer any pain from the soul crack.

“Hyung, it stopped hurting.”

Hyunwoo looked confused but Minhyuk nodded in understanding, a big relieved smile spreading across his features. “It healed. That’s a relief.”

Changkyun was confused. He had never heard of soul cracks healing. “I thought soul cracks couldn’t heal, hyung.”

Hyunwoo intercepted the question. “It’s rare but when a clan is fully bonded,the bond can mend soul cracks. No one’s sure how since only a few clans have ever fully bonded.  But I guess we just did.” He looked carefully at Changkyun through the rearview mirror. “You probably don’t know how big of a deal clan bonding is but I’m glad you’re here with us, Changkyun.”

That night, before bed, Changkyun looked at his soul mark in the mirror. In the circle, a faded scar shaped like the winding cracks of broken glass but no longer than a fingernail was present. He rubbed at it carefully.

“Changkyun, go to sleep!”

“Yes hyung!”

It took a while for the others to get used to his necromancy. Changkyun had been with them for almost a year now. Once, he was chatting with a ghost about the current international economy when Hyungwon opened the door to his room, looked around, then backed out without a word. That was a weird experience.

But eventually, they got used to it. They learned not to question the times when Changkyun wanted to be alone, tired from dealing with people, both living and dead. When those days happened, they would leave snacks outside his door and slip him song recommendations to help him relax. They learned that Changkyun liked touch, to know who was real and who wasn’t because ghosts couldn’t touch him if he didn’t want them to. It became habit to coddle Changkyun, pat his head and run hands through his hair, rub at the back of his neck, and wrap arms around his waist.

And as sweet as the others were to accommodate his powers, they refused to baby him and taught him how to control his magic. The dark magic inside of him was still difficult to control, something that the others didn’t really have experience dealing with. But the clan bonding helped him balance his magic better. His soul crack mark was barely visible now and only if you knew it was there would you be able to see it.

Of course, Changkyun took the opportunity of their close bond to play around. It was a lot of fun when they played board games because some of the benign spirits passing by would help him (It’s not cheating if everyone used their powers was the general rule but Jooheon wasn’t allowed to burn the cards anymore.) Jooheon was still fun to scare. Changkyun would pretend to talk to a ghost in the room and always cackled with glee when Jooheon grew pale and fled the room with barely constrained screaming. He got scolded by Hyunwoo for that but Kihyun and Minhyuk both sneaked him a high five.

But all in all, Changkyun was happy. He missed his family but he had another family amongst the clan. And Changkyun was always a filial kid. So that was why he found himself in this mess. He cursed his kind nature and Jooheon’s uncharacteristic quietness the past few days. He just wanted to make Jooheon feel better. He did not need this.

This being meeting Jooheon’s friend and allowing her to possess his body, that is. Yeah, her .

-- --

It started like this:

“Hyung, you sure you’re okay?”

Jooheon only hummed in response, the closed door concealing what Changkyun guessed was him being waved off. He turned reluctantly. Jooheon had been broody lately, not as willing to play with Changkyun or even join in on clan movie night. He started playing really sad music all the time and kept locked up in his room. The only time he came out was to eat and to go to the bathroom. If not for the emo music blasting through his door, Changkyun would not have realized he was home.

Rejected, Changkyun trudged away. He debated whether he should return to his room and wallow there or go on a walk. The rest of the hyungs were gone, Kihyun out on his biweekly shopping trips that he normally dragged Hoseok on. Hyungwon and Hyunwoo were practicing the magic in the woods and Minhyuk had gone to visit an informant for a mission. The weather was nice so he decided to get in some extra magic practice.

His magic normally acted as a beacon for spirits although many did not bother him and preferred to keep their distance. Today, one did. It was a girl, small with big eyes and round cheeks. She looked young, no older than Changkyun himself.

“Hey you!” she called out, startling Changkyun from his meditation (read: nap). “I know you! I’ve seen you with Jooheon-oppa.”

That promptly shocked Changkyun to alertness. “How do you know…?”

“Jooheon? He’s my church oppa. Or was at least. I’m dead now.” The spirit shrugged, surprisingly nonchalant. She must have been dead for some time now.

Changkyun’s eyebrows furrowed. “So who…?” He trailed off.

The spirit waved a dismissive hand. “Kim Dahyun, at your service,” she said brightly. Changkyun didn’t get a chance to reply before she launched into her spiel. “So, I’ve been dead for like a year, right? Oh wow, I think it’s a full year today. Anyways. And I was thinking, like oh my god, why am I still here? And of course, it’s probably something like regrets and all that. I thought long and hard about it and I got through most of it but I’m still here so there has to be one more thing I’m regretting.” She didn’t pause for a breath but Changkyun supposed she was dead so she didn’t exactly need to breath.

“Okay?”

“Yeah, so I finally figured it out. I was going to confess to Jooheon-oppa before I died but I never got the chance to. And I really really really want to.” Changkyun blinked in surprise when she turned to him, wide-eyed, face unnervingly close to his. “So you’re going to help me, right?”

He took a step back. “Yeah, just tell me what you want to say to him and I can get your message across.” Jooheon had been super sad lately. Was it because the anniversary of his friend’s, possible crush’s, death was today?

She stomped her foot on the ground. “No, no. That’s not enough! I can’t just have someone tell him for me. I could have done that when I was alive!”

Changkyun stared wordlessly at her, trying to emphasize with his eyes that she was obviously dead. “There’s not really much of an option. Jooheon can’t see ghosts. And if he could, he would probably piss himself.”

Dahyun pouted. “I’m sure you can find a way,” she whined, fists clenched tight. Her eyes lit up. “What about you do it for me?”

Changkyun looked in confusion. “I literally just said I would do that.”

“No, like I could use your body to confess. Ghosts can possess people in movies, if I remember correctly from that movie Jooheon-oppa and I went to watch a few years ago.”

He stared. She stared back at him, expectant. He sighed. She wasn’t wrong, per se. Changkyun didn’t really have experience with possession but he knew that if he allowed it, he could lend his ghost his body for a period of time. No excess magic needed.

Changkyun was almost about to reject her when she turned big watery eyes towards him and a soft pout. He groaned. The puppy-like face brought flashes of a sad and pouty Jooheon. He sighed. “Sure, but we’re laying some grounds rules first if I’m doing this.”

She clapped her hands and jumped in joy, before twirling around and giving him a salute. “Sir. yes, sir!”

-- --

“No, no, no, we are not doing that. Yah, put that down!” Changkyun groaned internally. He should have known better than to let a teenage girl possess his body to confess to her first love. Especially when said teenage girl took one look in the mirror and decided that she didn’t want to confess to Jooheon dressed so shabbily. Not only was that a sting to Changkyun’s fashion pride, he found himself trying to convince Dahyun that no, she did not need to wear a skirt or a pretty dress to confess. Jooheon would like her just the way she was.

He almost kicked her out of his body when she dug through the shared clan closet and pulled out a horrendous plaid skirt and a plain button up shirt. Why it was in the closet and in Changkyun’s size or how she knew it was in there, he did not want to know.

“But this is perfect!” In the mirror, Changkyun’s face contorted into a pout, voice slightly breathy and whiny. Even the way Dahyun moved in Changkyun’s body made him seem more fragile and feminine. She tried puppy dog eyes and on Changkyun’s face, his normally sharp eyes became impossibly round and watery. If only he had control of his hand to facepalm. Changkyun settled for a mental facepalm instead.

“I just want this to be perfect. I only get one chance, you know?”

Changkyun sighed. “Fine. But-”

He didn’t even get a chance to finish before she reached in and pulled out a long wig. Changkyun groaned. He really needed to talk to his hyungs on why they had wigs and schoolgirl uniforms in the closet. It was beginning to concern Changkyun how much material they had for crossdressing when Dahyun went back in and found shoes and socks as well. Please let there not be makeup too, he begged. Unfortunately for Changkyun, they found a whole pile of makeup in Hyunwoo’s room. At this rate, Changkyun would run out of sighs.

It took almost two hours for Dahyun to finish preparing. In the mirror, a convincing girl stared back. The wig had long, curly dark brown hair with a little braided headband and soft bangs. His sharp eyes had been rounded with a thin amount of eyeliner and eyelashes elongated with mascara. Acne scars were covered with pale BB cream and a soft blush was painted on his cheeks giving his face a young and innocent appearance. Dahyun had covered Changkyun’s thin lips with light reddish-pink lipstick making them seem plumper than they actually were.

Luckily, he convinced Dahyun to let him change himself so that her innocent eyes would not look at his half-naked body. He had kicked her out and steeled himself, slipping on the red skirt and tucking in the white button up short-sleeved shirt. Changkyun managed to convince Dahyun that the skirt was long enough for him to wear his usual underwear. He did not want to know if his members for some reason also had women’s underwear in his size too.

When Dahyun got back control, she pulled on knee-high socks and plain sneakers and put on a cute tie that matched the skirt’s plaid pattern. In the mirror, it was almost impossible to tell if Changkyun was a relatively pretty girl or a cross-dressing boy. Only his sharp nose, jawline, broader shoulders, and deep voice would give him away as male.

Dahyun clapped daintily. “Wow, this is perfect! We look so pretty!” He briefly wondered if Dahyun could see Changkyun’s judging expression. “Okay, let’s do this.” She cheered herself quietly and Changkyun let himself relax. Although he didn’t really have too much control over his body, he felt a small smile spread across his face.

Jooheon’s door was closed and the sad music drifted out lazily. Dahyun froze. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered.

“You can,” Changkyun encouraged gently. “This is the last thing you have to do to move on. You don’t want to regret it, right?”

Dahyun seemed lost as she shuffled around. With a determined nod, she knocked on the door.

“Leave me alone.” She froze and looked away, unsure.

“Go on,” Changkyun said. “Just keep trying.”

She knocked again. “Jooheon-oppa.” The music stopped the same time Changkyun groaned. It was already weird enough that he was dressed like a girl but now Dahyun was going to address his hyungs as oppa with his body and his voice. If he didn’t die from the mortification, he would never live it down.

Faint footsteps sounded from the room before the door swung open to reveal Jooheon in sweats and a black hoodie, hair covered with a black snapback. He took a surprised step back when he saw Changkyun. “Changkyun, what are you wear-”

“Oppa, I really like you.”

Jooheon froze. “What?”

Dahyun’s eyes widened and she stepped into the room. “Oppa, it’s me. Dahyun.”

Jooheon’s eyes narrowed in anger and he huffed with barely concealed rage. “Changkyun, stop playing around. Is this supposed to be some type of joke?”

“It’s really me, Jooheon-oppa,” Dahyun cried out.

“Look Changkyun, this isn’t funny.”

Dahyun looked close to tears. Changkyun mentally cursed Jooheon. Why was he being an asshole? It was weird and Changkyun didn’t blame him but still, he could have been nicer. “It’s really me, Jooheon-oppa. I swear. I’ll prove it to you. Ask me anything.”

“How did Dahyun die. Only Dahyun would know the truth.”

“Soul fragment,” she whispered quietly. Changkyun felt his blood run cold. “A member of my clan turned to dark magic and caused the clan’s magic to destabilize. I was right next to her when her soul fragmented. It wiped out the connection between my soul and my body.”

Jooheon looked pale. “Dahyun, it is you. But how…?”

“Changkyun-shi let me borrow his body.” She rubbed at her eyes, careful not to smear the eye makeup. “Jooheon-oppa, I still have one thing left to do before I can move on.”

“It’s been a year, Dahyun.” Jooheon looked at her softly. “Why haven’t you moved on yet? I can’t move on until you do too.”

Dahyun steeled herself, closed her eyes, and clenched her fists. “Jooheon-oppa, I really like you.” She opened one eye and peeked up to see Jooheon’s jaw drop in shock. “I know we can’t be together anymore,” her voice took a sad, melancholy tone, “but I just wanted to say it because I didn’t get to back then.”

“Dahyun-ah,” Jooheon started sadly.

She shook her head. “It’s okay, Jooheon-oppa. I love you but it’s okay. I’m just happy I got to confess.” Dahyun hesitated before stepping closer so that she was almost face to face with Jooheon. “Just… one last thing.”

Before anyone realized what Dahyun was doing, she stood on her tiptoes and pulled Jooheon down. Their lips pressed together in a gentle kiss, both pair of eyes fluttering shut. Changkyun heard a soft giggle and a faint Thank you! He opened his eyes slowly, disoriented from regaining control of his body only to realize that he was still pressed tight to Jooheon, hands clenched in his shirt, on his tiptoes, their lips no longer connected but their foreheads pressed together. Jooheon had his hands placed tightly on Changkyun’s hips.

He almost staggered back in shock. “Jooheon-hyung!”

Jooheon smiled down on him. His smile looked watery, the tears lining his eyelashes easy to see from how close Changkyun was. “Changkyun, thank you,” he whispered before wrapping the necromancer in a tight hug. Changkyun could feel the tears wet his shirt as Jooheon held him. He patted Jooheon’s back lightly, hoping to comfort the distraught fire mage.

When Jooheon finally stepped back, he did a once over on Changkyun and instantly made Changkyun wish he hadn’t tried to make Jooheon feel better. He let out a low whistle. “Wow, Changkyunnie, you’re so cute.”

Changkyun stepped back flustered. “I need to go change before the others see me.”

Hyungwon and Hoseok appeared at the door. When it had been opened, Changkyun didn’t know. Both had cameras out and Changkyun shrieked, trying to swipe their phones out from their hands or close the door. “Aww, kkukungie, you’re so pretty. If you gave Jooheonie a kiss, give Hoseokie-hyung a kiss too,” Hoseok teased, tapping his cheek.

The bright red flush that spread through Changkyun’s face only made a prettier picture it seemed, since Hyungwon and Hoseok just continued to snap pictures. “Yeah, Changkyun-ah,” Hyungwon joked. “You should do this more often.”

Changkyun hid his face in his hands only to hear the clicks of the phone cameras continue to go off. He frowned. With quick strides, he walked over to the two mages by the door and pulled Hyungwon down to place a sweet kiss on his cheek before shoving Hyungwon into the room. Hoseok stared open-mouthed. Changkyun turned to Hoseok with murder in his eyes only to stand on his tiptoes to give Hoseok a soft peck on the cheek only to then send Hoseok stumbling backwards. The three mages’ faces, red and in shock, was the last thing Changkyun saw before he slammed the door shut and ran to his room before the others would see.

Needless to say, by the time Changkyun managed to wipe off the makeup and change into his normal clothes, the clan’s group chat was spammed with pictures of Changkyun in the schoolgirl’s outfit. He groaned and rolled over in his bed.

-- --

X-Clan

wontokki : kkukungie101.jpp

wontokki : kkukungie102.jpg

wontokki : kkukungie103.jpg

wontokki : kkukungie104.jpg

wontokki : kkukungie105.jpg

wontokki : kkukungie106.jpg

h-one: Oh, those are good pics, hyung.

h-one : changkyunnie_cute.jpg

h-one : changkyunnie_pretty.jpg

h-one: I personally like these two a lot. Our Changkyunnie is very cute no matter what he does.

shownubear: um… when was this?

shownubear: changkyun-ah, you okay?

joohoney: today

joohoney: changkyun is cute everyday though

wontokki : kkukungie107.jpg

kihyeomi: hyung, send me those pics please

kihyeomi: you too hyungwon

kihyeomi: i know you have more than just that on your phone

h-one : changkyunnie_kiss . vid

h-one: this good enough?

minmoongi: oh man, i knew buying that outfit for changkyun was a good idea

minmoongi: it fits him so nicely

minmoongi: i am good

wontokki : kkukungie108.jpg

wontokki : kkukungie109.jpg

wontokki : kkukungie110.jpg

iamwhatiam: hyung, pls stop

iamwhatiam: yeah, s’okay hyunwoo-hyung

iamwhatiam: just some necromancer stuff

iamwhatiam: delete that video now, hyungwon-hyung

iamwhatiam: minhyuk-hyung, that was you?!?!?!?!

iamwhatiam: hyung wtf

h-one: no

minmoongi: don’t worry! i got them for everyone

joohoney: you did what

kihyeomi: you did what

h-one: what

shownubear: even for me and Hoseok?

minmoongi: yeah

minmoongi: they were on sale

minmoongi: we’re going to win this year

minmoongi: i’ll make sure of it

kihyeomi: how did you get our measurements?

kihyeomi: actually, don’t answer that

kihyeomi: i don’t wanna know

h-one: …

iamwhatiam: ^^

joohoney: i’m not even going to ask

wontokki : selca497.jpg

wontokki: oh not that one

wontokki : kkukungie149.jpg

wontokki : kkukungie172.jpg

wontokki: oh wait

wontokki : uploaded 126 pictures

kihyeomi: thanks hyung!

iamwhatiam: hyung why

When Minhyuk injured his knee, Changkyun didn’t think much about it. He had hurt his ankle then too on a mission and both he and Minhyuk were out of commission until everything healed. Kihyun’s potions would take care of the worst damage so the two weren’t all that worried.

When they both caught the flu and it spread to every member of the clan, it had been winter. They huddled together under a giant blanket and watched TV together, sharing body heat because it was tiring for Jooheon to keep the fire going when he was sick. Hyungwon and Changkyun’s birthdays passed without incident except for the sneezing and coughing that wracked the clan.

Spring meant new beginnings. Changkyun found out that new beginnings did not always mean good ones.

-- --

“Minhyuk-hyung, are you okay?”

“Just a little under the weather, Changkyun-ah. Maybe allergies or something.”

“If you say so.”

Changkyun walked away reluctantly. Minhyuk had retired to his room early, something the normally bright and energetic light mage rarely did. Heck, the sun was still out! To say he was worried would be an understatement. Minhyuk looked pale and weak. He had barely eaten anything at dinner despite Kihyun cooking his favorite meal.

Night fell. Changkyun sat in bed, trying to focus on controlling his magic. Nighttime was when a necromancer’s magic was the strongest, when there was no light to hinder his dark magic. He had only recently picked up practicing at night when he realized the slight but significant difference in his magic throughout the day. It was interesting to find out. Hyunwoo and Hoseok were fairly steady when it came to their magic but Jooheon’s and Hyungwon’s magic flared with the temperature, Jooheon in the heat and Hyungwon in the cold. Kihyun had more location-based magic. His magic was strongest in areas with lots of plants.

Changkyun had just barely finished calling in his magic when a loud thump! was heard. It echoed through the entire house. He shot up and yanked the door open, trying to find the source of noise. The others must have had the same idea because the doors of every mage but Minhyuk’s was opened and occupied by sleepy mages in various degrees of undress and bedhead.

Hoseok was the first to get to Minhyuk’s door. He knocked gently, hand gripping the door knob. “Minhyuk-ah, you okay?”

No one replied. Only faint sounds of coughing and wheezing could be heard in the silence that settled over them. Kihyun pushed Hoseok aside and opened the door. He gasped and rushed in.

By the time Changkyun had made it to the room, Hoseok and Hyunwoo were lifting Minhyuk up into his bed while Kihyun scurried along and checked his pulse and temperature. When the two mages finally settled Minhyuk down, Kihyun leaned over and lightly slapped Minhyuk’s cheeks. “Yah, Minhyuk-ah,” he whispered, “what’s wrong with you?”

Minhyuk groaned in response and swatted Kihyun away with his free hand, letting his arm flop over his face. “I’m fine,” he moaned out. “Just tired. Go away.”

Kihyun’s eyes narrowed. “If you’re okay, it doesn’t explain why you woke us up in the middle night because you fell out of bed.” From where Changkyun was standing, he could see that half of Kihyun’s hair was squished so it looked like a badly done asymmetrical haircut. Hoseok and Hyunwoo weren’t even wearing shirts. Hoseok had on only a pair of tight underwear that didn’t look like it could contain all of his ass. Changkyun suspected they weren’t his.

“Just a cold or something,” Minhyuk replied, waving them off. “Probably still getting over the last bits of the flu.” Kihyun looked doubtful and Changkyun couldn’t blame him. The rest of them had gotten better weeks ago and while Changkyun still had his own lingering cough, Minhyuk seemed a lot worse than he should have been.

“Minhyuk, you sure you’re okay?” Hyunwoo asked worriedly. “That was a pretty bad fall.”

Minhyuk hummed in response. “S’fine, Hyunwoo-hyung,” he slurred out, likely already exhausted from the ordeal. “Just need some more sleep.” Hyunwoo nodded and signaled for everyone to get out of the room. “Wait, hyung!” He turned around. “Sorry, Hoseok-hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Is that my underwear?”

“Oh, look at the time. Good night, Minhyuk,” Hoseok quickly said. “Take care, don’t hurt yourself, I love you.” He backed out of the room hastily.

Hyunwoo sighed and ushered the rest of them out of the room before closing the door gently behind him. “It’s probably nothing,” he said, rubbing sleepily at his face. “We’ll just keep an eye out in case anything happens.”

No one thought much of it. The next day, Minhyuk was up and energetic again. The tension that lingered slowly dissipated. “See, told you I was fine,” he said, cheer evident in his voice. What made Changkyun remain doubtful was the slight hint of relief that tinged his words, like Minhyuk had believed that things maybe weren’t as fine as he said they were.

Things decidedly became less fine when they gathered together for magic training. Minhyuk had been exempt from these to help speed his recovery and after he recovered, he had been on some solo missions that kept him away during group training sessions.

Hoseok frowned from where he was warming up. “Minhyuk, are you not going to practice with us?”

“No, no, I am. Just give me a moment.”

Hoseok looked at Minhyuk evenly while he waited. “You need to release your magic, Minhyukie. That’s the whole point of training. So you don’t have to keep a constant hold on your magic.”

“Just give me a minute,” Minhyuk gritted out, teeth clenched in frustration. Hoseok began to walk up to Minhyuk when Minhyuk yelled out in pain.

Everyone stopped and turned to stare just as Minhyuk’s magic unfurled around him uncontrollably then vanished without a trace. Changkyun felt the whiplash, Minhyuk’s momentary burst of magic like a blast against his own. “Minhyuk-ah!” Hoseok yelled, rushing to the mage that had fallen on his knees. “Hyunwoo, his magic signature is weak. There’s something wrong! We need to-”

Minhyuk grabbed Hoseok by his arms and Hoseok looked down in confusion. “Hyung,” he said, voice raspy, “there’s something wrong with my magic” before his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he went limp in Hoseok’s grip.

“Minhyuk, Minhyuk!” Hoseok cried, shaking Minhyuk’s body like a limp ragdoll.

“Hyung, stop it. You’re going to hurt him.” Kihyun pushed Hoseok away only to meet resistance as Hoseok held on tightly.

“Hoseok, stop.” Hyunwoo’s gentle command brought Hoseok to let go of Minhyuk slowly, only to reveal deep bruises on the light mage’s arms.

Hoseok looked distraught and confused as he stared at the marks. He looked down at his hands. “What,” he mumbled in quiet disbelief. The metal mage flinched back when a cold hand touched his shoulder. He looked spooked. Hyungwon didn’t say anything, only let Hoseok sit there and stare at his hands trying to come to terms with everything.

Kihyun, who was bent over Minhyuk’s prone body, turned to Hyunwoo. “We should get him back to the house. He seems okay but there has to be something wrong if he just fainted like this.” Hyunwoo nodded and bent down to pick Minhyuk. Silently, they trailed after their leader, Hyungwon calmly guiding Hoseok who looked like he had just saw a ghost, his face pale in shock.

“Hoseok, what happened?” Hyunwoo asked carefully, trying not to frighten the blond sitting at the kitchen table.

Hoseok blinked before turning to Hyunwoo. In a faint whisper, he said, “I don’t know. Minhyuk just collapsed in my arms. There were bruises. I must have held him too tightly.”

Changkyun watched quietly. He knew Hoseok would never willingly hurt someone. Heck, the man couldn’t even kill mosquitos! The fact that he had accidentally injured Minhyuk was likely causing him distress. Hyunwoo seemed to have a different take on it.

“Why couldn’t you control your strength?”

“I don’t know.” Hoseok looked fragile, voice wet with unshed tears. Hyunwoo sighed, causing Hoseok to look away from the rest of the members to the hands in his lap. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

Changkyun felt as speechless as the other members looked when Hoseok sniffled. Hyunwoo only let out another sigh, forehead wrinkled in stress. “Think about it. We need to check on Minhyuk.” He moved to walk out of the kitchen before pausing and turning to Hoseok. “Come on, you have the best magic sense out of all of us. If something is wrong with Minhyuk, we’ll need you there.” Hyunwoo didn’t say anything more, only left the kitchen as the other mages looked around awkwardly.

“Hyung, come on, let’s go,” Jooheon urged gently, reaching over to pull at Hoseok’s arm. Hoseok stood up shakily and followed after Hyunwoo to Minhyuk’s room where Kihyun sat at the bedside, glaring at Minhyuk.

“Yah, Lee Minhyuk,” Kihyun said, voice dangerously low. “I just saw you wake up.”

“Kihyun-hyung?”

“Oh, Jooheon. This kid,” he said, turning back to direct another fiery glare at the lump in bed, “woke up a few minutes ago, took one look at me, and said, I quote, ‘I’m going back to sleep’.” He kicked the bed. “Yah, I know you’re awake.”

“Go away,” Minhyuk groaned.

Before Kihyun could do some damage, Hyunwoo stepped in. “Minhyuk, we just need to check to see if you’re okay.”

“Yeah,” Jooheon piped up, “you did randomly faint during magic training today.”

Before Minhyuk could say anything, Hoseok pushed through Jooheon and Hyungwon who were standing close to the bed, sending them flying, He kneeled to the floor and grabbed Minhyuk’s closest hand in between his own. “Minhyuk-ah,” he blubbered, through relieved tears, “I was so worried. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Minhyuk awkwardly patted Hoseok’s hand, trying to wrench his hand out of Hoseok’s stranglehold. “Hyung,” he said, pulling his hand as surreptitiously as possible, “thank you for worrying about me, but let go.” Hoseok let go of Minhyuk’s hand right as Minhyuk jerked his hand back, almost sending the light mage toppling over the bed. Only Hyunwoo’s sturdy body on the otherside prevented Minhyuk from landing in a nasty heap on the floor, susceptible to Kihyun’s wrath.

Hyunwoo sighed as he steadied Minhyuk. “What happened today, Minhyuk?” he asked, always a man of action, Changkyun mused. “Why did you faint?”

“I don’t know,” Minhyuk responded quietly. “I really don’t know.”

Changkyun’s frown matched the other mages’. “Tell us what happened right before you fainted,” Kihyun suggested, eyes finally softening into gentle relief.

Minhyuk closed his eyes. “I was trying to release my magic for training. But it felt like something was constricting it.” He opened his eyes slowly. “It felt like something was trapping my magic.”

“And then what,” Kihyun prompted.

“Something broke.” They stared at Minhyuk, hoping he would clarify. “It felt like my magic was fading and then there was pain and then nothing.”

Changkyun recognized that feeling. “Hyung, did your soul crack?”

Everyone froze and turned to stare at Changkyun. Minhyuk silently rubbed his soul mark through his loose shirt. “I don’t know,” he finally replied. “I’ll have to check.”

Changkyun nodded slowly. Soul marks were generally private things and not many felt comfortable showing them. Hyunwoo and Hoseok were generally trusting people and had the bodies to walk around without a shirt.

“Does your chest hurt?” Changkyun asked. Minhyuk shook his head. Changkyun sighed in relief. “Then it shouldn’t be too bad.”

Hyunwoo waited for Minhyuk to look down his shirt while the others averted their eyes. “If you’re okay, Minhyuk-ah, then we’ll let you rest.” He looked contemplative. Changkyun guessed that he was still worried, not satisfied with the explanation but unwilling to expect the worse. He silently ushered the rest of the mages outside of the room except Kihyun who stayed by Minhyuk’s bedside resolutely. “Please, if anything happens, let us know,” he said before shutting the door behind him.

Changkyun had barely walked halfway down the hall to his room before Minhyuk started to wail. “HYUNG, THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG.” The five mages looked at each other for a moment before collectively running back to the room.

“Minhyuk, what’s wrong?”

Minhyuk looked frantic. He flicked his hands around the room and in various patterns and when nothing happened, his flailing grew even more distressed and random.

“Minhyuk!” Kihyun shouted, trying to draw Minhyuk out of his stupor. He grabbed the other’s shoulders and shook. “Minhyuk!” He pulled back, took a deep breath, and slapped Minhyuk across the face. The wild light in Minhyuk’s eyes died as he came back into focus.

“Ouch.”

Kihyun turned to glare at Hyungwon who raised his hands in self-defense. He turned back to Minhyuk. “Minhyuk, what’s wrong?”

“M- my ma- magic,” Minhyuk blubbered out. “There’s something wrong with my magic.”

“What’s wrong?” Hyunwoo urged.

“I can’t feel it.”

-- --

It had been two days since Minhyuk lost his magic. Maybe not lost, per se, but Hyunwoo had banned him from trying to practice magic until his magic went back to normal. The ban happened the third time someone had to carry an unconscious Minhyuk back to his bed whenever he tried to practice his magic. No one knew what was wrong.

Minhyuk was moping. His normally high energy was restrained and while he wasn’t one for freely using his magic unlike the elemental mages, he became antsy when he would unconsciously try to use his magic only for it to not work.

At night, his condition worsened. When Minhyuk didn’t come down for dinner, Kihyun sent a timid Jooheon to Minhyuk’s room with a bowl of soup. Changkyun quickly gulped down his bowl and trailed behind Jooheon, unsure of why he felt compelled to check on Minhyuk. It was because it was a beloved hyung, right?

When the two mages arrived at Minhyuk’s room, he was on his tablet reading something. The knocked on the open door to signal that they were coming in. Minhyuk looked up and put aside the tablet to make room for the bowl that they brought with them. He patted the spot next to him, gesturing for one of them to take a seat.

“You feeling okay, hyung?” Jooheon asked, placing the bowl on the nightstand besides Minhyuk’s bed and taking a seat right next to Minhyuk’s legs. Changkyun stood next to him and nodded along to Jooheon’s question.

Minhyuk looked a little downcast. “I’m okay,” he mumbled out. Changkyun frowned the same time Jooheon grabbed Minhyuk’s grab hand.

“Minhyuk-hyung,” he started only to stop when Minhyuk pulled his hand out Jooheon’s grasp. He looked hurt, hands still clasped together before he slowly lowered them back into his lap. His downcast appearance looked like a kicked puppy.

Minhyuk, obviously feeling guilty, reached to place his hands over Jooheon’s clasped ones and rubbed his thumb gently over them. “I’m sorry, Jooheon-ah.” He leaned over to try to look Jooheon in the eyes. “Forgive me, mm?”

Jooheon pulled his hands away and turned away from Minhyuk. “I just wanted to know if you were okay.” He stood up from the bed only to be stopped by Minhyuk grabbing his hand again. With a sigh, he wrenched his hand away and walked to the door. “I’ll tell Kihyun-hyung you’re fine. Goodnight, hyung,” he said before walking out of the door.

Changkyun stood there in awkward silence. Minhyuk looked at the door forlornly, like Jooheon would pop back in with a big smile on his face and a just kidding, hyung! Timidly, Changkyun inched closer to Minhyuk.

“Changkyun-ah, sit, sit.” He quietly took Jooheon’s spot and looked at Minhyuk carefully. The light mage looked pale and his already skinny frame was becoming even skinnier. His cheekbones could be used as knifes.

“Hyung, are you really okay?”

Minhyuk sighed. “I am. Kind of.” He paused, then sighed. “I don’t know.”

Changkyun patted Minhyuk’s leg. “What do you feel right now?”

“Disappointed. Sad. Tired.”

“Those are all… very negative emotions,” Changkyun said awkwardly, not really sure how to deal with it. “What about physically?”

Minhyuk laughed ruefully. “Tired. My knee’s been acting up. I can’t sleep and then I sleep too much.”

Changkyun hummed, feeling even more out of loop. It had only been a few days since Minhyuk lost his magic and he was this bad?

“Hyung, things will get better, I promise.”

Minhyuk smiled back at Changkyun. “I’ll believe you. Now go, I need to finish this. Goodnight Changkyun-ah.”

“Goodnight hyung.” Changkyun closed the door behind him. When he returned to his room, he sat at his desk and researched the symptoms that Minhyuk told him.

619,719 results

Changkyun sighed. He skimmed through a few of them only to groan in frustration when each article talked about something that wasn’t related. He scrolled through a few pages and bookmarked sites that looked promising. He went to bed still confused, unease flitting through his head.

The next day, Changkyun woke up to screaming. He lifted his head and then flopped it back down again. It was barely sunrise. Who was up at this time to be screaming so loudly?  It hit him the same time his head hit the pillow. Changkyun sat straight up and got out of bed, racing downstairs to where Kihyun was causing a racket.

Kihyun was in the kitchen, flinging open drawers and shouting for help. “Hyung, what’s going on?”

The plant mage rounded on Changkyun with a crazed look in his eye, grabbing Changkyun’s shoulders and shaking him. “My plants. They’re all dead.”

“What are you talking about?” By then, Hoseok had come down, dragging a bleary-eyed Hyunwoo with him.

“Kihyun, what’s wrong?” he said, yawning softly behind his hand.

“Hyung, my plants,” Kihyun blubbered out, eyes slowly filling with tears. “They’re all dead. All of them. Dead.”

“You’re kidding right?” Hoseok said, shocked.

Kihyun’s tears turned to an angry glare. “I’ll show you.” He stormed out.

The stench of decay was evident the moment the three mages walked out of the door to follow Kihyun. Changkyun gagged, the scent strong enough to penetrate his nose that was still a little stuffed up from sleep.

“What happened?” Hyunwoo asked, shocked.

Kihyun threw his hands up in frustration. “I don’t know! If I knew, I wouldn’t be having this problem!”

“Hey, hey, calm down,” Hoseok said, putting his hands on Kihyun’s shoulders and rerouting him back to kitchen. Hyunwoo took one last look at the destruction in the greenhouse before following the other two mages back to the house. Something twinged in Changkyun’s chest as he looked at the death emanating from the greenhouse that was once thriving with life. He took one step closer, an enigmatic pull drawing him in, before he stopped himself and went after his hyungs.

At the table, Kihyun sat with a blanket over his shoulders and a steaming cup of tea in front of him. His hands wrapped around the cup and he inhaled, the light flowery aroma drifting to where Changkyun stood by the door that he was closing behind him. Kihyun looked numb.

Hoseok and Hyunwoo sat on each side of Kihyun, calming presences. Changkyun took a seat across from Kihyun and looked at the plant mage carefully, checking for signs of distress. Only the tense hunch of Kihyun’s shoulders and the agitated way his fingers drummed against the tea cup signaled his despair.

“Hyung, are you okay?” Changkyun felt a strange sense of deja vu take over.

Kihyun sighed. “Yeah. It’s nothing I can’t deal with. Plants die all the time.”

“But not like this,” Hoseok protested. Hyunwoo hummed in agreement.

“Look,” Kihyun said, turning to Hoseok, hands leaving the teacup to point at Hoseok’s chest. “I don’t know what’s happened. For all I know, it could have been your fault.”

Hoseok spluttered in disbelief. Hyunwoo sighed and rubbed his forehead, exhausted from the early morning and the argument. “Kihyun, be nice. Hoseok’s just trying to help.” Kihyun turned his glare to Hyunwoo in reply only to meet Hyunwoo’s own steady stare that forced Kihyun to avert his eyes and apologize.

“Thank you,” Hoseok said with some satisfaction apparent in his smug face. Changkyun wanted to warn Hoseok to move from the way Kihyun’s hands clenched into fists.

“What are you going to do about the greenhouse, Kihyun-ah?”

Kihyun sighed and pinched his nose bridge. “I’ll have to replant everything there. I can probably collect seeds from the dead plants and replant them from there.”

Hyunwoo nodded. He stood up and looked at Kihyun. “Do you need help?”

“I can help you, hyung,” Changkyun cut in, looking at Hyunwoo before turning his gaze to Kihyun. Hyunwoo smiled at Changkyun before leaving with a worried glance to Kihyun who remained hunched over. Hoseok finally stood up and patting Kihyun on the back, he left.

The two mages sat in silence for awhile, until Kihyun’s tea went cold and the sound of a shower turning on could be heard. “Come on, Changkyun-ah.”

Obediently, Changkyun followed after Kihyun. In front of the greenhouse was a cobblestone foundation. Kihyun knelt over and tapped a light rhythm into a section of the rocks. It sounded suspiciously like the OST from Kihyun’s latest favorite drama.

When he least expected it (to be fair, the song had passed its climax and any other good points for where the door would open on its own), a rock slid backwards and a handle appeared. Kihyun pulled it open to reveal gardening tools, (were those bow and arrows?), pots and pans, and a variety of other stuff that the clan probably used in their earlier days.

He dug through the supplies and handed Changkyun some gardening gloves and a toy sand bucket with a plastic hoe inside. Kihyun closed the hidden storage and kicked a rock over the handle. Changkyun watched in amazement as the rock formation shifted until it looked like nothing was there.

Kihyun probably saw Changkyun’s awe and laughed quietly. “Hyunwoo-hyung and Hoseok-hyung built the storage for me because Minhyuk and Hyungwon kept getting into my things.”

“They don’t know about it?”

“Oh, they do. They just can’t open it.”

Together, they walked to the greenhouse and Kihyun walked through first. When Changkyun got inside, he saw Kihyun trailing his fingers carefully over the dead plants. He looked sullen, his hands delicately running over each brown leaf and each withered petal.

“Hyung, can’t you revive them if you’re a plant mage?”

Kihyun sighed and turned to look at Changkyun. “Changkyun, these plants are completely dead. They’re not wilted or dying. They’re dead .” He paused. “And that’s not something I have control over.”

Changkyun nodded. “So what do you want me to do?”

“I’ll need to collect as many seeds as I can so I can plant them. I can speed their growth a little but the amount of magic I’ll need for this many plants means it’s going to be a slow process.” He sighed, breaking off a flower from its stem and crumbling it to pieces. He showed Changkyun his hand. “See the little round things? Collect them and put them into the bucket.”

Slowly, they worked through the greenhouse, collecting as many seeds as they could. Jooheon came by to help some time later. By the time Changkyun had reached the end, his bucket was full of tiny seeds. He plopped it down and sat on an overturned pot to rest.

The shadow that loomed over him blocked the mid-afternoon soon, until it moved, that is. Changkyun moans and shifted over, hoping to stay in the shade. He must have leant to far because he felt himself lose his balance and tip over to land disgracefully on the floor. The surprise wasn’t what woke him up. It was the laughter that jolted him awake.

“What, hyung. What’s going on?” Kihyun only laughed harder at Changkyun’s confusion.

“Get up,” Kihyun said through his chuckles. “Hyunwoo-hyung is going to change out the soil in case someone poisoned my plants. Then he’s going to help us plant the seeds. I’ve got Hoseok waking up Hyungwon so he can water them when we’re done.” Behind Kihyun, Hyunwoo waved awkwardly. In the distance, Changkyun could make out a struggling Hoseok drag out a protesting Hyungwon who still looked half asleep.

“Where did Jooheon-hyung go?”

“Went to see if Minhyuk was feeling well enough to help us out.”

Kihyun ordered the other members around, detailing what they should do. By the time Jooheon returned with Minhyuk in tow, the five members had a system going. Hoseok pulled out the dead plants and gave them to Kihyun who tore everything up and mashed them together to make a weird mix that he claimed was fertilizer. In the hole left by the dead plant, Changkyun sprinkled in the seeds from the bucket that Kihyun had sorted using the seed sorter that Hoseok had built him a while ago that separated seeds by weight and shape. After Changkyun, Hyunwoo covered the holes with dirt. Kihyun told him to use a shovel but Changkyun could tell that sometimes he forgot and would just use his magic. Finally, Hyungwon watered the plants when Hyunwoo finished.

“Oh good, you guys are here.” Kihyun handed the bucket of fertilizer to Jooheon who grimaced at the smell. “Jooheon, spread the fertilizer over the areas that are already finished. Minhyuk,” Kihyun said, looking at Minhyuk, “good to see you’re out of bed. You’re in charge of making the fertilizer now. You know what to do.”

Minhyuk groaned. “I should have just stayed in bed.” Kihyun glared at him. “Nothing, nothing,” Minhyuk said, lifting his hands up in surrender. When Kihyun turned away, he muttered under his breath “Curse Jooheon and his puppy dog eyes.”

Changkyun wiped sweat from his forehead. “Hyung, what are you going to do then?”

“I’ll go make something for us to eat.”

By the time Kihyun called them down for lunch, they were almost done. Changkyun sprinkled seeds into the last remaining hole and went off to sit at the table, only for Kihyun to slap his hands and scold him to wash his hands before he ate.

After lunch, Changkyun followed Kihyun back to the greenhouse. Kihyun stood in the center and breathed in slowly. From where Changkyun stood, he could only see Kihyun’s back as the mage prepared. In tiny controlled bursts, like the beat of a song, Kihyun’s magic flared in and out. Changkyun watched in awe as tiny leaves and stems started to poke through the soil in the planting boxes.

Kihyun sighed heavily and his magic presence that floated in the air disappeared. He turned back towards Changkyun and smiled tiredly. “Things should be back to normal in a few days.”

Changkyun nodded.

-- --

“Hey, where did Hyunwoo-hyung go?”

“Hmm? I think he said that he was going on a mission.”

“Another one?”

“Yeah.”

“But he’s been on three in the last week already!”

Jooheon shrugged in response to Kihyun’s exclamation. Changkyun sat beside him, working on his laptop. He looked up in confusion when Kihyun threw his hands up and stomped out of the room.

“Hyung, has Hyunwoo-hyung really been on three missions in the last week?”

Jooheon shrugged again. “I guess so. I know he’s been going in and out a lot lately but I didn’t think it was that often.”

Changkyun frowned in response. “What do you think he’s doing on these missions?” He leant back in his chair and stretched his arms behind him.

“Dunno. For all we know, he could be doing a swimsuit cover shoot. You know how that all-female clan passed by and they all really liked Hyunwoo-hyung?”

“True. Eh. None of them were hyung’s style anyways.”

“It’s probably nothing.” Jooheon frowned a little, straightening up in his chair. “Or at least I hope it’s not.”

The two sat in silence, the sounds of Kihyun yelling at Hyungwon to wake up the only noise between them. Minhyuk padded by the door and looked in. “You guys okay?”

“Yeah. What about you?”

“Dunno. Not really worse, not really better.” Minhyuk shrugged and looked nonchalant but Changkyun could see the tightness in his eyes and the slouch in his back that meant Minhyuk was having a harder time than he let on. He chose not to say anything, to not call attention to the fake appeal at being okay that Minhyuk was trying to put on. Changkyun would let Minhyuk have that, just for now.

Minhyuk walked away only to be replaced by Hyungwon who rested his arm on the doorway and his head on his arm. “Why am I up,” he groaned.

“Because you promised Kihyun that you would do all of Changkyun’s and my chores today,” Jooheon said.

“What? No, I didn’t,” Hyungwon said confusedly. “Yah, don’t mess with your hyung.”

The two mages laughed at Hyungwon’s angry expression. Even as he scolded them, they only giggled at each other. Hyungwon gave up in exasperation.

“It’s because we’re going out to eat today. It’s a thank you present from one of the ladies we did a mission for. Don’t remember who,” Changkyun said, taking pity on the sleepy and confused water mage.

“Was it the lady with the… you know.” Jooheon gestured in a random pattern.

“Nah, not her. I think it’s from that one time. Remember that lady with the what’s it?”

“Oh yeah.”

From the corner of his eye, Changkyun could see Hyungwon look confusedly between the two and leave, shaking his head. He turned back to Jooheon only to jump in shock when Hyungwon suddenly reappeared at the door with an enlightened expression on his face. “That lady with the what’s it. Got it.” He walked off again. Changkyun tried to school his face to not be judging. From Jooheon’s own look, he probably failed. Changkyun sighed. It really wasn’t his fault his clan members were so weird. Truly.

Lunch was barbeque, to everyone’s delight. The meat was fresh and richly marbled. Even Minhyuk, who barely ate nowadays, salivated at the array of dishes presented on the table. The woman who had bought them lunch left early, paying for any extra food if they wanted it later. “Thank you!” they all called after her, the polite boys they were even as they savagely demolished their meal.

“It’s too bad Hyunwoo-hyung is missing this,” Jooheon said around his mouth full of food. The other boys murmured in agreement, busy stuffing their own mouths.

“Hey Jooheon, turn down the flame a little otherwise the meat’s going to burn,” Kihyun said, flipping the beef cuts with tongs.

Jooheon nodded and reached over to turn the dial. He turned it too far and the fire went out. “Oh, whoops.”

Kihyun sighed. “I said turn it down, not off.”

“Just give me a minute.”

“Hyungwon-hyung, are you okay?” Changkyun asked, noticing that Hyungwon had stopped eating and was resting his head against the palm of his hand.

Hyungwon groaned and looked up at Changkyun but before he could reply, he was cut off. “The grill isn’t lighting. There’s gas but no spark.”

“Then light it up yourself,” Kihyun said impatiently.

Hyungwon cried out in pain the same time that the grill fire flared uncontrollably.

“Hyungwon!”

“Jooheon!”

The mages yelled out at the same time. Hyungwon sank in his seat and fell over, grabbing his head and moaning. Jooheon stared at the charred meat on the grill, the fire extinguished before it could hurt anyone.

“Jooheon, what happened?” Kihyun asked, frantic.

“I- I don’t know.” Jooheon looked lost. Everything surrounding the grill was burnt, a neat ring of ash covering the table. Changkyun made to reach over to comfort Jooheon who looked distraught only to be stopped by Hoseok and Minhyuk panicking around Hyungwon.

“Hyungwon, Hyungwon,” Hoseok cried, gently shaking the water mage where he lay in fetal position, his hands clutching his head. “What’s wrong?”

Hyungwon groaned and turned away. “Too much,” he made out.

Kihyun looked over and frowned. “What’s wrong with him?”

Minhyuk turned away from Hyungwon. “I don’t know. But it looks bad.”

“Bring Hyungwon to the car, Hoseok-hyung,” Kihyun ordered. “We need to get him home as soon as possible.” His gaze moved to Jooheon. “You and Minhyuk go with them in case Hyungwon needs help. Changkyun and I will catch up with you guys later.”

Hoseok lifted Hyungwon onto his back, who only groaned and pushed his head into the side of Hoseok’s neck. Minhyuk walked beside them, running long fingers through Hyungwon’s hair in a soothing motion. Jooheon trailed slightly behind, face pulled in discomfort, hands clenching and unclenching.

“Hyung, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know.” Kihyun looked grim. “Wait here,” he commanded Changkyun. Changkyun sat down obediently. From where he sat, he could see the plant mage point to their table and bow to the owner in apology. The owner said something that Changkyun couldn’t hear but judging from the relieved look on Kihyun’s face and his repeated bows, it must have been okay.

“Hyung?”

“Let’s head home. It’s a good thing the owner is a mage herself otherwise we’d be in a lot of trouble.” Kihyun pushed Changkyun out the door. “I don’t know what happened with Jooheon or what’s happening with Hyungwon but this is a mess.”

“It seems like a lot of things are going wrong lately,” Changkyun murmured.

Kihyun stopped to look at him for a moment, a strange expression on his face. “Yeah, it seems they are.”

When the two returned home after catching the bus and trekking through the forest, they found Hyungwon lying on Hoseok’s lap with Jooheon by his feet and Minhyuk in the kitchen. At the revelation that Minhyuk was in the kitchen, Kihyun pushed past Changkyun to prevent Minhyuk from accidentally poisoning their food supply.

“Hyung, you okay?” Changkyun asked softly, approaching the water mage slowly.

Hyungwon grunted in affirmation.

“He’s a little tired,” Hoseok answered for him.

“Do you know what happened?”

Hoseok looked down at Hyungwon, contemplative. Hyungwon rolled over a little to face Changkyun. “Overwhelmed,” he said simply. When Changkyun only stared at him blankly, he elaborated. “Something happened with my magic. One moment, I was listening to Kihyun pour water into my cup, the next, I heard everything. I could sense the dishwashers clean the dishes and the faucets turning on and off. But I could also sense the blood rushing in someone’s veins and the saliva that slid down their throat. I’ve never been able to do that. And with all the people there, it just got… too much.” He paused, trying to regain his bearings. “I was overwhelmed.”

“Are you still sensing it now? The blood and sweat and all that?”

Hyungwon nodded, throwing his arm over his eyes where he rested in Hoseok’s lap. “It’s a little better because there’s less people though.” He sighed. “I don’t know how to control it.”

Changkyun looked curiously at Hyungwon. “What do you mean?”

Hyungwon sighed. Hoseok lightly threaded his hands through Hyungwon’s hair, massaging his head soothingly. “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like,” he held his hands out in front of him, “this is the magic I’m used to managing. And then all of a sudden,” he moved one hand over, “this area suddenly appeared and I couldn’t control it.”

“That’s weird.”

“Yeah,” Hyungwon agreed. He yawned. “I think I’m going to take a nap.”

“Rest well, hyung.” Changkyun left to the sound of Hoseok complaining that he was going to be stuck as Hyungwon’s pillow for the rest of the day because Hyungwon was notorious for taking long naps. Jooheon followed Changkyun out of the room.

“Kyun-ah,” Jooheon started.

“Yeah, hyung?”

“I think that’s what happened today with me too.”

Changkyun looked at Jooheon in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“With the fire.”

“You mean when you burnt the rest of our meat?”

Jooheon sighed impatiently. “Yes Changkyun, when I burned all the meat. Gosh, stop adding salt to the wound.”

Changkyun giggled quietly at Jooheon’s annoyed expression. When the fire mage looked even more annoyed, he schooled his face into a serious expression. “So what about that fire, hyung?”

“I think it’s the same thing that happened to Hyungwon-hyung that happened to me.”

“The sudden appearance of magic that you can’t control?”

Jooheon hesitated. “Kind of. It’s like when I was using my magic, there was suddenly just so much more of it. I didn’t realize until it was too late.”

“I wonder what’s going on.” Changkyun frowned. “You and Hyungwon-hyung have gained magic, Minhyuk has lost his magic.”

“Maybe it’s just coincidence,” Jooheon suggested. He looked uncomfortable.

Changkyun sighed. “Yeah, maybe.”

From the doorway to the backyard, Kihyun called for the two mages. In his hands, he held a batch of flowers in full bloom. “I had to grow these as quickly as I could from the greenhouse. Jooheon, could you start a fire? I’m going to make a potion to help Hyungwon’s headaches.”

Jooheon paled. He stammered out, “Hyung, I don’t know if I can do that.”

Kihyun sighed impatiently. “Jooheon please,” he started angrily only to pause at Jooheon’s uncertain look. He deflated. “Just try. That’s all I’m asking you to do. Go outside if it makes you feel safer.”

Jooheon left. Changkyun made to follow him but Kihyun stopped him first. He looked curiously at Kihyun. “Just be careful,” the plant mage said. “With everything happening, we don’t need you to get hurt too.”

Outside, Jooheon had lit a pile of tinder and was staring at the fire blankly. Minhyuk sat at the lunch table by his side. Both mages looked lost in thought. Not wanting to disturb them, Changkyun quietly walked up to Jooheon and reached out to tap Jooheon’s shoulder.

Changkyun couldn’t remember what exactly happened except as soon as he touched Jooheon’s shoulder with a “hyung,” he had been tackled to the ground in a blur of white and the screams that weren’t his own drowned in the heat.

The heat subsided quickly enough but the deadweight on top of him remained. Changkyun opened his eyes slowly to meet a head of white hair. It moaned.

“Hyung, hyung,” Changkyun called out, trying to carefully dislodge Minhyuk off of him. “Hyung, are you okay?” From where Changkyun was trapped, he could see Jooheon trembling in fear, face drained of all color. “Jooheon-hyung, please help.”

Changkyun only realized how bad it was when he heard Kihyun’s shrill shriek, the sound of his footsteps getting closer and closer. “Jooheon,” Kihyun barked as he pushed Jooheon away, “grab some water and a towel.”

Carefully, Kihyun rolled Minhyuk onto his side off of Changkyun. The light mage groaned. Now that Changkyun could sit up, he could see the slight charred ends of Minhyuk’s hair, a dark black against the pale white. Along Minhyuk’s forearms were bright burns that were already starting to blister.

“Fuck fuck fuck,” Kihyun cursed. “Jooheon, hurry!”

Jooheon came running out, a bowl filled with water and a soft towel in hand. Kihyun grabbed the towel and wet it before placing it under Minhyuk’s arm. He took the bowl and gently poured the water over the burns. “Go get more water,” he ordered, eyes trained on the task at hand. When the last of the water was used, he wrapped the wet towel around the burns until Jooheon returned with more water.

It was a tense twenty minutes as Kihyun continued his ministrations. Finally, Minhyuk sighed and opened his eyes. “It’s okay,” he croaked out.

Kihyun looked down critically at his arm. “You’re going to need a salve. I’ll need to grow a little more aloe then.” He turned with a forlorn expression at his greenhouse that only housed a few fully grown plants. Kihyung sighed and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. “Goddammit, Lee Minhyuk.”

“Hey, hey, it’s not that bad,” Minhyuk tried to comfort, lifting his arm only to wince as the skin pulled.

“Keep your arm elevated. Changkyun, go get some bandages and help Minhyuk put them on. Just don’t wrap the bandages all the way around.”

Changkyun nodded. He helped Minhyuk off the floor and they slowly moved back inside the house. Minhyuk plopped down on the couch where Hyungwon and Hoseok were napping.

Changkyun returned with the bandages and antibiotic cream. “Hyung, are you okay?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah. I’m just glad you’re not hurt.”

The lump in Changkyun’s throat prevented him from speaking. “Thank you,” he managed to croak out, bringing the back of his hand to dab at his eyes.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Minhyuk tried to smile only to wince when he shifted his arm too much. There was a sinking feeling in Changkyun’s chest.

Kihyun appeared with a small bowl of a pale pink paste. “Before you put on the bandages.” Carefully, he slathered the concoction on the burns. Minhyuk let out a soft sigh of relief. Kihyun left as Changkyun slowly placed the bandages over the burns.

“Do you feel better, Minhyuk-hyung?” Changkyun asked cautiously. Minhyuk nodded in reply.

“Hmm, what’s going on?” Changkyun turned around to see Hoseok rub blearily at his eyes. “Did I fall asleep?” He looked closer at the two and suddenly seemed much more alert. “What happened to Minhyuk?”

“Nothing. Just a small burn.” Changkyun turned to stare incredulously at the light mage. “You know how it goes when pranking Jooheonie.”

Hoseok laughed but his face remained ever so suspicious. Why didn’t Minhyuk say the truth, Changkyun wondered.

“Hyung, wha-” Changkyun started before he was cut off with a pinch to his thigh. Minhyuk gave him an empathetic stare. Changkyun said nothing.

Hyungwon groaned a little in his sleep. Hoseok looked down at the water mage in his lap and sighed. “I should get this guy to his room. I think having less people around will help him sleep better. He quietly maneuvered the taller around so that he could slip out. Sliding his arms under Hyungwon’s knees and back, he lifted Hyungwon and hoisted him off to his room, leaving the two mages alone.

“Hyung, why did you lie to Hoseok-hyung?”

Minhyuk smiled softly and it struck Changkyun that this was the first time in a while that Minhyuk had smiled like that to any of them. For a moment, he allowed himself to bask in the sunlight of Minhyuk’s smile.

“Just, a lot of things have gone wrong lately. And Hoseok-hyung doesn’t respond to stress well.” Changkyun only gave Minhyuk a blank stare. “Remember how much he panicked when he accidentally bruised me the day I fainted?” Changkyun nodded. “I think that him losing control of his strength is part of what’s been going on with our powers.”

Changkyun looked skeptical. “It’s possible,” he admitted. “But what does this have to do with lying about your injury?”

“I don’t want Hoseok-hyung to feel like he can’t protect us. He’s going to run himself ragged if he realizes that the problems are coming from the inside.”

Changkyun stared at the light mage a little longer, trying to figure out his motives but Minhyuk’s face remained passive. He sighed. “If you say so, hyung.”

-- --

The next morning, Hyunwoo returned the same time Kihyun discovered that all his plants in the greenhouse had grown uncontrollably overnight so that it was almost impossible to enter the greenhouse, as stuffed full with foliage as it was.

Hyunwoo took one look at the greenhouse and sighed. “What do you need me to do, Kihyun-ah?” he asked sleepily, eyes drooping.

Kihyun frowned. “Go get some sleep. We can deal with this later.” Although Hyunwoo looked unsure, he obeyed orders and crashed as soon as he hit his bed.

Kihyun ended up calling Hoseok and Changkyun down and handed Hoseok a shovel so that they could make their way through the mess. “This is really weird, Kihyun-ah,” Hoseok called out as they walked through.

“We might as well take advantage of the growth while we can. I know there’s some plants in here that we can use to make potions for Hyungwon’s headache and Minhyuk’s burn.” Kihyun made a small motion with his hands and the plants parted around him only to move back together in his wake. Hoseok and Changkyun were left to follow through the small hole left for them.

Hoseok hummed as he whacked some more plants out of the way with his shovel. “Minhyuk should really stop trying to scare Jooheon. He might get hurt worse if he’s not careful.” He paused to wipe his sweat and looked at Changkyun. “Of course, that’s probably not what happened, huh.”

Changkyun groaned internally but put on a smile that he hoped Hoseok wouldn’t notice as fake. “I don’t know what you’re talking about hyung.”

Hoseok stared at him a little longer and Changkyun felt a bead of sweat form on his forehead. The metal mage just hummed thoughtfully and turned back to digging through the leaves to follow after Kihyun.

When they finally got to where Kihyun was, the plant mage was surrounded by several plants that were bent toward him like subjects bowing to their king. The plants bloomed under his touch and wilted away when he was done with them, freed of their flowers. Silently, he handed over the flowers he collected to Changkyun and Hoseok and kept going until he was surrounded by dying plants. The picture was almost morbid, Changkyun thought, the faint scent of death almost eclipsed by the overbearing smell of life.

By the end of it, each mage had an armful of flowers and herbs. They walked through the small pathway that Hoseok had created and as soon as they stepped out of it, the passage closed behind them. Kihyun sighed and slumped over a little, exhausted. He bent over and breathed slowly, blinking a few times.

“Hey, take a break,” Hoseok said soothingly. “Changkyun and I will go put these away.” Easily, he moved his batch of flowers to one arm and lifted Kihyun’s into his other arm. The soft blue of some of the flowers nestled in his hair like a crown. “Changkyun, come on,” he called over his shoulder.

Changkyun nodded stupidly. “Of course, hyung,” he said before he realized what was going on. He cursed internally. Hoseok probably wanted to talk about what happened between Jooheon and Minhyuk. He followed after Hoseok, apprehension in his steps.

“Did you want to talk, hyung?” he asked hesitantly, as they worked in silence on sorting the flowers on the table.

Hoseok sighed and ran a hand across his face and through his hair. “I just need you to tell me the truth, Changkyun. Can you do that?”

“What do you want to know?”

“You’ve noticed that things have been weird lately, right?” Changkyun nodded slowly. “First Minhyuk loses his magic, then I hurt him when I couldn’t control my strength. Changkyun,” he said anguished, “I’m scared to even use my magic now, I don’t know what it’s going to do.”

“What are you trying to say, Hoseok-hyung?” Changkyun asked, his heart sinking with each word he forced out of his mouth.

“It’s just weird. Kihyun’s plants all died and now they’re suddenly overgrowing? Hyungwon developing sensory overload because of powers he’s never had before? Jooheon burning Minhyuk that bad?” Changkyun looked at Hoseok carefully. He couldn’t fault Hoseok for finding all these weird. He too had suspected that something was up.

“I noticed it too. But I don’t know what’s wrong.”

Hoseok hummed. “I caught Hyunwoo before he went to bed and asked why he had been out so much lately. He said a lot of missions he’s going on are to help solve some murders. Apparently, he started sensing the bodies and needs to dig them out without damaging them.” He shook his head in frustration. “I don’t know. Do you have any idea, Changkyun?”

Something tickled in the back of Changkyun’s mind. “I’ll see what I can find,” is what he finally decided on saying.

Hoseok smiled softly. “I’m sure it will be okay,” he said with optimistic finality in his words.

It was not okay.

The next day, all seven mages stood in front of the greenhouse that had become a plant graveyard once more. “How the hell did this happen?” Kihyun cried out. “It was literally overflowing with plants yesterday. How are they all dead?”

Hoseok coughed. “Maybe there’s something wrong with your magic?” Kihyun turned to glare at the metal mage who held his hands up in surrender. “Look, everyone’s magic has been going haywire. There’s something going on.” He paused and looked thoughtful. “Well, everyone else except Changkyun’s, but that’s probably just a matter of time before it starts causing problems.”

Changkyun paled at the words but thankfully the others did not notice how he stepped back as his brain ran a hundred miles per hour trying to process all his thoughts.

“Hey, you okay Changkyun?” Hyungwon said, appearing suddenly behind him and placing a hand on his shoulder.

Changkyun snapped out of his daze and tried to put on a smile. “Yeah, it’s fine. Are you okay, hyung?”

“Mm,” Hyungwon hummed sleepily. “Just tired. I’m still trying to figure out how to control this magic. I feel like death has decided to run me over.”

Alone in his room, Changkyun pulled out his copy of Monsta and looked for anything that may explain what was happening. He had a hunch but he hoped he was wrong.

He was right. Changkyun stared at the page in disbelief. The mythos of dark mages included sudden increases in death ( murdered bodies suddenly showing up ) and leaving death in their wake ( all of Kihyun’s plants dying ). It didn’t explain why everyone’s powers were going haywire but Changkyun knew it had to do something with his powers.

It was decided before Changkyun could even try to rationalize it. And even if he tried, the answer was always the same. To fix things, Changkyun would have to disappear.

Jooheon knocked softly on Changkyun’s door. “Hey, Changkyun, you okay?” he said to the closed door, hand on the doorknob. There was no response, only the sound of soft shuffling of bedsheets moving. He sighed. Changkyun was quiet and liked to be by himself at times but he usually never missed breakfast unless he was really busy. Jooheon looked down at his watch and frowned. It was almost 2:00. Even when Changkyun was super busy, he wouldn’t miss lunch.

“Changkyun, come on, you need to eat,” he called out. When there was no answer, he started to turn the doorknob only to realize it was locked. “Changkyun, this isn’t funny. Stop playing around and come out!”

Hyunwoo appeared behind Jooheon. “What’s going on?”

“Changkyun’s been in his room the whole day, he’s missed lunch, and he won’t let me in. The door’s locked.”

Hyunwoo’s eyebrows furrowed. “He missed lunch?” Carefully, he approached the door and knocked. “Changkyun-ah, open the door,” he called out.

“I tried, hyung. He’s not responding.”

The earth mage looked at the door in contemplation. “It was a long day for him yesterday, trying to figure out everyone’s magic problems. And he did a lot of chores too while everyone else was helping Kihyun with the greenhouse. Give him an hour. If he doesn’t come out, get Hoseok.”

Time ticked slowly by and the only sign of life from Changkyun’s room was the occasional rustling of bed covers and papers. Come an hour, Hoseok and Jooheon stood in front of the door to Changkyun’s room and looked at the locked door with worry in their eyes.

“Do you think something’s wrong with him, hyung?” Jooheon asked, hands gripping the sleeves of his hoodie tightly.

Hoseok stared at the door and shrugged lightly. “One way to find out.” He grabbed the doorknob and with a soft click, the door unlocked itself and Hoseok walked in, Jooheon following quietly behind.

It was quiet, nothing really out of the ordinary from what Jooheon could tell. The closet door was closed and the hamper empty of clothes. Jooheon remembered Changkyun doing laundry the day before. Jooheon sighed when he saw the lump on the bed covered in blankets.

“Changkyun-ah, you okay?” he asked. There was no response. Jooheon frowned and stepped closer to the lump. On closer inspection, the lump didn’t move at all, not even the gentle rise and falls that signified breathing. Panic settled in Jooheon’s chest and he reached over to the lump. “Changkyun, Changkyun,” he called out, trying to keep his voice even although fear laced its way through.

Jooheon’s hand touched the blanket covering the lump and the blanket sank with his weight. He jumped back and looked at his hand and the handprint left on the blanket with horror. He almost screamed when Hoseok appeared behind him.

Suddenly, they heard it. The rustle of papers and the shuffling of bed sheets. Jooheon frowned. “Did you hear that, hyung?”

“Yeah,” Hoseok confirmed.

“Hyung, no one is in the room but us and Changkyun. He’s completely still. How could he make those sound?.”

“What do you mean? Is Changkyun okay?”

“I don’t know, hyung,” Jooheon said shakily. “He’s not moving. At all. I don’t even know if he’s breathing. I can only tell because I can hear faint breathing sounds.”

Hoseok paled too. He rushed over to the lump on the bed and ripped the bed covers off of it. Jooheon gasped in surprise while Hoseok looked forlornly at the lump on the bed. The lump being a pile of pillows, a hoodie, a balloon, and an electronic recorder, that is.

“What the fuck,” Hoseok said in disbelief. “What the hell is going on. Where’s Changkyun?”

Jooheon picked up the recorder and pressed pause. Instantly, the sound of soft breathing and the rustling of sheets stopped. It was almost eerily silent in the room, making Jooheon shiver. He frowned. Wait.

A soft breeze infiltrated the room, lightly ruffling Jooheon and Wonho’s hair and the sheets of paper of Changkyun’s desk. Jooheon moved to the window and looked down. He half expected Changkyun to be waiting outside with a smile on his face but instead he saw a sturdy trellis on the outside that looked significantly battered, like someone had stepped all over the plants as they climbed down.

“Hyung,” Jooheon said solemnly, “I think Changkyun’s run away.”

“No shit.”

-- --

When it was just the six of them gathered in the kitchen for an emergency clan meeting, it felt off. The distinct feeling of someone is missing permeated the air, awkward silence filling in the rest of the space.

“So you’re saying,” Hyungwon started slowly, “that Changkyun ran away.” Hoseok and Jooheon nodded. “And you’re also saying that the only thing he left behind was a hoodie and a notepad with pages ripped out of it.” They nodded again to that. Hyungwon sighed and rested his head in his hands, already exhausted from the day’s events.

“Why would he run away?” Kihyun asked, expression lost. It was silent for a moment, everyone a little hurt that Changkyun would rather take things into his own hands than consult with them.

“I think it has to do something with all the magic mishaps going on,” Hoseok said quietly, drawing everyone’s attention to him. He looked lost in thought before he winced a little and dabbed at his eyes with a tissue. “It’s my fault. I shouldn't have said that it was only a matter of time before Changkyun’s magic would cause problems.”

“It’s not your fault,” Minhyuk protested, wrapping one of Hoseok’s arms in a protective hug. “You know it’s hard to see or understand what Changkyun is thinking.”

“He probably doesn’t want to hurt anyone if his powers develop like ours have,” Hyungwon said contemplatively, the sentence punctuated by a long tired yawn. He waved his hand around lazily. “Necromancer and all that.”

“You’re awfully calm,” Kihyun observed, eyes narrowing at the taller. “You wouldn’t happen to know if that’s why Changkyun ran.”

Hyungwon shrugged. “It’s just a guess.”

Hyunwoo cut in neatly before Kihyun could go off on Hyungwon. “Okay, so if Changkyun has run away, we need to find him before those powers manifest or he can hurt himself or someone else.”

“How are we supposed to do that?” Jooheon groaned. “He’s left a cold trail.”

“Wait,” Minhyuk shouted. “I saw this in a drama. Kihyun, you know that one with the thing and the crime and they do that other thing and they find out it’s that guy?” Kihyun’s eyes widened in recognition. Minhyuk held his hand out. “Hoseok-hyung, go get me a pencil.”

The others stared silently as Minhyuk took the pencil from Hoseok and started scribbling all over the notepad. “What the hell are you doing?” Jooheon finally asked as Minhyuk took his finger and rubbed it over the pencil markings.

“Look,” Minhyuk said, holding up the paper. In the mess of pencil graphite smeared on the page, the indented words stood out.

Hyungwon stepped in and took the paper. “It’s a list of cities. Junggwa, Banus, Chinone, Soule” he read. “I wonder why he numbered them.”

“Do you think this is where he ran off to?” Hoseok asked.

Hyungwon frowned. “Probably. I don’t know. It’s hard to tell.”

Hyunwoo spoke up. “Don’t you think is a little too easy? Changkyun’s a smart kid. He wouldn’t just give away the place he was going to run off too.”

“He was probably in a rush,” Kihyun said, contemplative. “Maybe he didn’t know Minhyuk knew that pencil trick.” He seemed unsure but there wasn’t any other possible explanation he could think of.

Hyunwoo looked doubtful but relented. “We should probably hurry,” he said. “If Changkyun is actually headed to Junggwa, he’s probably already on the way there.” He paused on his way out. “Pack your bags too. I feel like this is going to be a long trip.”

By the time they were all situated in the living room with bags packed, the tension was high.

“Do you think someone should stay at home in case Changkyun comes back on his own? What if he comes back and no one is here?” Kihyun said, foot tapping with anxiety.

“He’s not a dog, Kihyun,” Hyungwon replied. “Nor a child.”

“He just turned 20! He’s still a kid!” Kihyun argued back.

Hyungwon sighed. “He’s old enough to make decisions on his own. Stupid decisions but still his own.”

“It’s better if we go together,” Hyunwoo cut in. “If we do find him and more magic manifests, we may need everyone’s help to stop him before an innocent gets hurt.”

Hoseok laughed quietly, sadly. “We’re treating him like a villain before he’s even done anything bad. No wonder he ran away.”

Hyunwoo flinched back, eyes unsure. “I didn’t mean to,” he said, voice low. “We should go,” he finally said to the silence. “The faster we find him, the faster we can bring him home.”

-- --

“Why did we decide to go to Junggwa first?” Minhyuk grouched. He stretched his arms above his head, tired from the long car ride.

“Cause that was number one on the list,” Hyungwon murmured from the back where he was still laying down.

Kihyun sighed and rubbed his eyes before reaching over to whack Hyungwon with his neck pillow. “Yah, you're the one that knows Junggwa best. Wake up.” He stepped out of the car where Hoseok and Hyunwoo were standing and stretching their muscles.

“It's pretty late,” Hoseok said. “‘Maybe we should find some place to stay for now. We can start looking tomorrow.”

“We need to find Changkyun as soon as possible,” Kihyun shot back. “He could move somewhere else while we’re waiting here.”

“It's late!” Hoseok exclaimed angrily. “Changkyun's probably asleep by now!”

Kihyun glared at Hoseok. “You know just as well as I do that he’s probably still awake.”

Hyunwoo looked between the two arguing mages with exasperation. In the back of the car, Hyungwon and Jooheon had fallen asleep again, resting against each other. Minhyuk had his head thrown back where he was sitting, eyes half open in sleep.

He sighed and turned to the two fighting mages. “Kihyun, I don't think any of us are in any condition to go out and look for Changkyun.” He cut Kihyun off before he could argue. “You're not in any condition either. You had a long day yesterday and you barely slept in the car.”

“But,” Kihyun started before he deflated. “Alright. Let’s call it a night.”

They managed to find a decent hotel in the city where they crashed for the night. The next morning, Kihyun and Hyunwoo woke up early to buy food for the foreseeable future while they searched for Changkyun in Junggwa. The other members mumbled out requests before turning back into their pillows to sleep again.

Over coffee, while the others slept, they poured over the map trying to figure where Changkyun might be. Kihyun sighed and rubbed his eyes. “Junggwa’s huge. If we don't split up, it'll take forever.”

Hyunwoo hummed in agreement. “But Junggwa is still smaller than the other cities on Changkyun’s list. If we don't find him here, I don't know if we'll be able to find him at all.”

“But why did he write down Junggwa? If he didn't want to be found, wouldn't it have been easier to have just gone to Soule?”

Hyunwoo shrugged. “Not sure. Maybe the others will know.” He looked down at his watch. “Should we go wake them up?”

“Yeah,” Kihyun said as he stood up to discard their empty cups. “It’s going to be a long day ahead of us.” He stopped for a moment with a quiet look of contemplation. “Oh my god. We forgot the sweet potatoes.”

Needless to say, Hyungwon, Jooheon, and Minhyuk complained the whole time they were out. The clan had decided to stick together for the first day because none of them knew the city. They couldn't afford to have to search for two missing members, not when everyone was still adjusting to the new magic they had.

The first day proved unfruitful. As they sat in a jokbal restaurant for dinner, they discussed the best plan of action.

“How do we even know if he's still in the city?” Kihyun asked, already frustrated from the day’s events.

“I don't know,” was the answer given by a tired Hyunwoo and echoed by the rest of the mages.

They thanked the waitress when she brought the plates of food and dug in, silent after a long day of failure. In the background, the latest drama played on the TV, the bouncy EDM sounds of the latest hit from the nation’s boy group filtering through the quiet restaurant.

Looking around at the other mages tiredly eating, some lost deep in thought, Hyungwon felt a pang of longing. It felt like a typical evening, eating dinner together and discussing the day’s events. But even with the five mages sitting together next to him, something felt missing. He winced at the twinge in his chest only for it to suddenly change into a comfortable warmth.

The warm feeling spread through his chest and he sighed in relief because of the sense of completeness that filled him. He paused and frowned. That wasn’t right. Across from him, the others seemed confused as well, rubbing at their chests with their eyebrows furrowed.

“Do you guys feel it too?” Hyungwon asked.

Hoseok nodded, hand scratching at his chest. “Yeah, but what is it?”

“This is really weird,” Jooheon commented. “It’s like a sense of completeness but not completely?” He sighed. “I don’t know how to explain it.”

“No, no, that’s what I’m feeling to,” Kihyun said. “Like a part of me is missing but not really.”

Hyungwon closed his eyes, this new feeling adding to the already intense amount of sensory information he was getting from his powers. When he did, the noise died down around him and slowly the feeling became clearer. Like dots on a radar, he could imagine exactly where every member was. Kihyun was pacing back and forth while Hoseok had gone to ask for another drink.

He opened his eyes and everyone was exactly where he knew them to be. It clicked. “The clan bond!” he shouted out, causing the five other mages to turn to him. The warm feeling spread then faded until only a faint tingling remained where his clan mark was branded on his hand.

“What are you talking about?” Minhyuk said. “What does the clan bond have to do with anything?”

Hyungwon shook his head. “We’re feeling the clan bond right now, it’s got to be.”

“How do you know?” Kihyun asked, looking at Hyungwon doubtfully. “Isn’t that a little too simple? We’ve been bonded for a while. Why would we just be feeling the bond now?”

Hyungwon shrugged. “Not sure. But I’m sure that it’s the bond. I don’t know how to explain it but I can feel you guys. Like, I know exactly where you all are.”

Jooheon stared at Hyungwon. “Isn’t that because you can see us?”

Hyungwon sighed exasperatedly. “No, like I can sense you guys.”

“Yeah, sight is a sense,” Minhyuk said, looking at Hyungwon with concern. “Do you need to go outside for a little, Hyungwon? The restaurant is kind of busy.”

“No!” Hyungwon exclaimed, fed up. “I know where everyone is the clan is and if you guys would just take a moment to pay attention to what you’re feeling, you would know too!” He paused and his eyes lit up in realization. “I know where everyone in the clan is! I know where Changkyun is!”

The others stared at him. “What are you talking about? How do you know where Changkyun is?” Kihyun asked.

“The bond,” Hyungwon replied simply. “Just… take a moment and feel for the clan bond. You’ll be able to sense it.”

Hoseok smiled. His voice warbled with tears. “I can feel it. It’s really there.”

“This is so weird,” Jooheon commented, brushing his hand over his clan mark. “I see what you’re talking about Hyungwon-hyung. It makes sense now.”

Both Kihyun and Hyunwoo nodded. Kihyun sighed in relief. “At least we know where Changkyun is now.” He deflated a little and sat down next to Hoseok, who wrapped a strong arm around him. “It’s okay,” he said softly, wiping tears from both his and Hoseok’s eyes. “It’s going to be okay.”

In the midst of it all, something felt missing. Hyunwoo frowned because he accounted for that feeling of Changkyun not being present but something else was amiss. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, not one to be easily attuned to the feelings inside of him.

“Minhyuk, you okay?”

In the corner of the table, Minhyuk sat swirling his straw through his drink. He looked melancholy. Kihyun looked over to where Hyunwoo was staring and slowly moved over to Minhyuk. Hyunwoo nodded in affirmation before replacing Kihyun’s spot next to Hoseok.

“Hey, what’s up?” Kihyun said.

“My magic,” Minhyuk started before trailing off. “How am I supposed to feel the clan bond without my magic?” He sighed. “I’m useless. I should have just stayed at home.”

“Look,” Kihyun said, putting a hand on Minhyuk’s shoulder. “You're not useless. You're just in a slump right now. We’ll figure it out.”

Minhyuk was silent for a moment. He sighed and patted Kihyun’s hand that was resting on his shoulder. “You're right.”

Kihyun hesitated. “You can't feel the bond at all though?”

Minhyuk shook his head. He paused. “A little. Everything's kind of muted.”

Kihyun nodded his head. “But you can feel it.”

“Yeah.” Minhyuk smiled weakly in response to Kihyun’s gentle grin. “Yeah, I guess I can.”

-- --

They were so close. How did they find him? Changkyun peeked through the window from where he was sitting in the corner of the cafe. For a moment, he allowed himself that moment of completeness before he let the panic set in.

Changkyun had felt it during dinner with his family when he looked at his parents and his brother eating with him and a terrible sense of longing overcame him. He imagined the rest of the members beside him and in his mind’s eye, he could feel them close by, a gentle warmth spreading through his chest.

He sighed and kept that feeling close, the comfortable sensation of being part of a group. However, the next day, when the feeling remained, it became discomforting. Was it wrong that he was feeling so okay when he should be missing his members?

But even through that warm feeling, a part of him still ached for the rest of the clan. It was an odd mixture, of longing and satisfaction. He couldn’t put his hand on it.

It was nice though. He knew he couldn’t stay long, that eventually the others would realize he was missing and search for him. Being in a city was still tiring because he had to exert more effort to control his magic. Although easier through the years of magic training, there was just less freedom in a city compared to the quiet outskirts of a small town. He would visit his family and spend a few days before moving on to the next city on his list.

Of course, while he was in town, he could enjoy some of the small city life luxuries that he had missed while living away from his family. He didn’t have much money but his mother had waved him off and gave him some change from her purse before she left to work for the day. It was enough for an americano at the local coffee shop and a light lunch.

Changkyun didn’t get to have that light lunch because he was stuck in the coffee shop with the members just moments away from finding him. He slid out of sight as Jooheon looked through the window. There wasn’t a way out, not with the members standing so close to the exit.

He closed his eyes and sighed, trying to sort through the jumble in his mind. His clan mark itched and the warmth became clearer. He tensed as he felt the members get closer.

No, they couldn’t find him. It had only been two days. He couldn’t be with them anymore, he had made that promise to himself and he was going to keep it. His leaving the clan would make things better, it’s what needed to happen. It's what he wanted to happen.

Changkyun gasped as the warm feeling that his clan mark emitted turned into a scorching fire. He grasped his hand and held it close to his chest, trying to keep his racing heart calm. When he looked at his hand, his mouth dropped in disbelief. The clan mark was fading, the vibrant black turning into a silvery gray that reminded Changkyun of Hoseok’s eyes when he used his magic.

Suddenly, he could no longer sense the others. Only the feeling of disconnect remained, like he was freely floating without any anchors to keep him secure. From where he sat, he could distantly make out Jooheon and the others turn in confusion.

He couldn’t make out what they were saying, the glass thick enough to block out most sounds from the outside. Although he did not need to, he held his breath, waiting for them to pass by. One by one, they walked past his hiding spot.

A sharp bout of disappointment hit him when he saw how okay they looked without him. He scolded himself for feeling like that. Instead, he allowed that to console him, that his running away was not for naught.

He almost choked on his coffee when Minhyuk crossed back again, eyes determined. From his viewpoint, he could see Hyungwon reach to grab Minhyuk and drag him back to where the group was. It seemed like they were arguing.

Suddenly, Minhyuk’s eyes widened. Could it be? He turned his face and pulled his hood over his head, determined to make sure none of them recognized him. When he finally looked back at the window, they were gone and his americano was watered down with melted ice. He let out a sigh of relief.

Changkyun didn't allow himself to miss them until he returned home. He sat on his bed and replayed their faces passing by, the ache of longing sitting heavy in his chest. With a careful finger, he traced the faded clan mark on his hand. If he cried himself to sleep from missing the others too much, he did not remember.

When he woke up, the familiar presence of the others greeted him. He sat up in shock only to be confused when his room was empty. Changkyun frowned. His clan mark tingled.

On his hand, the mark was inked dark black again. He blinked, rubbed his eyes, and checked again. The mark remained, restored to its former glory. With a sigh, he got out of bed. He would have to hurry out of town before the others caught up to him. There was no doubt that they had figured out what was happening with the clan marks and was using that to track him. The members weren't stupid.

Changkyun sighed and rubbed at his clan mark fondly, hoping it could convey that he only wanted the best for the X-Clan. His mother calling him downstairs for breakfast broke him out of his reverie. The others would figure out that his clan bond was active and would come searching for him soon.

But first, he would need to do a little research about the clan bond if he wanted to figure out how to turn of their ability to find him. It was time to pay a visit to the university library. He hummed as he packed the few belongings he kept with him into his bag.

He planned to go to Banus next. Maybe there would be a change of plans. He looked at his mark and sighed. Looked like he would just have to find out.

-- --

“How may I help you boys today?”

“Hi, we were wondering if you've seen a boy named Lim Changkyun? Uh… someone said they saw him here.” Kihyun looked at the university librarian nervously.

With a push of her glasses and the click clack of her long fingernails on the keyboard, she searched the recent library check-outs.

“Sorry sweetie,” she drawled out. “No one by the name Lim Changkyun checked out any books recently.”

“No one?” Their faces must have looked so crestfallen that the librarian coughed nervously and clicked around some more on the screen.

“There's a few Ims that signed in recently on one of the library computers,” she said. “It’s possible that one of them may be who you're looking for?”

Kihyun smiled politely, trying not to let his disappointment seem too obvious. “No, but thank you. We’re not looking for a professor or a student here.”

Before he turned to leave, the librarian stopped him. “Sometimes the professors’ families use their IDs to access the university database if they're not enrolled as students or employees here.” She paused and looked at the young men in front of her. “If I see a picture, maybe I can remember if I've seen him?”

Taken aback, Kihyun turned to the others. “I didn't bring my camera. And there's no good pictures on my phone,” he admitted sullenly.

Hoseok cut in. “I think I have some on mine.” He walked forward and held out his phone to the librarian, who took it, adjusted her glasses, and zoomed in on Changkyun’s face.

“I think I saw him earlier today.” She tapped the photo a little bit. “He looks familiar.” Bringing the phone much closer to her face, her eyes suddenly lit up in recognition. “Oh, this might be Dr. Im’s son. The nose and face shape are the same.”

“Do you know where he could be?” Kihyun asked anxiously.

“Dr. Im should have office hours around this time, I believe. Maybe he went to visit his father?” She grabbed a post-it note and wrote something down. “Here, he should be there right now.”

They found the office quickly as they asked the several college students that had approached Hyunwoo and Hoseok to flirt for directions. When they found the office, they stood outside of the door awkwardly.

“Are you sure we should do this?” Hyunwoo asked. “We don't even know if Changkyun will be here.”

“He has to be,” Minhyuk said firmly. “This was the last place he was before his signal disappeared.”

“Only one way to find out.” Hoseok stepped forward and knocked on the door.

“Wait one minute,” the voice from inside called. “I'll be with you soon.”

“It's not too late to run,” Hyunwoo suggested as they stood there looking at each other. Before Kihyun could scold him, the door opened.

The man in the doorway stepped back, visibly surprised. “How may I help you boys?”

It was quiet for a moment as Kihyun and Hyunwoo stared at each other with piercing gazes as they talked through their glares. Hyunwoo coughed before answering. “Uh hello, Mr…” he coughed again. “Dr. Im. We were wondering if you knew where your son was.”

Kihyun sighed. “Your son is Lim Changkyun, right?”

The professor leant against the doorway and crossed his arms. “He is. May I ask who you are and why you are looking for him?” His face was impassive and cold.

“We are the X-Clan and Changkyun is one of our members. He disappeared so we were hoping you knew where he was, sir.” Hyunwoo spoke quietly and placatingly.

It must have worked because the man’s stern countenance lightened until they could see the soft smile lines on his face. “Ah, my son told me about you lot.”

“Good things only, I hope,” Hoseok quipped.

Dr. Im smiled. “Of course. My son has a very high opinion on all of you. He stopped by earlier to do some research and just hang out with his old man.” He looked at them appraisingly and nodded to himself. “Come in, come in,” he said, ushering the six mages into his little office.

Albeit cramped, it was cozy. There were several pictures of his family lining his desk and any available flat surface. The bookshelf was stuffed full with volumes upon volumes of textbooks and binded theses.

“Is Changkyun still on campus? Do you know?”

“No sorry, Hyunwoo-shi? Changkyun described you as tall, dark, and handsome.”

Hyunwoo blushed. “Ah, I see,” he said, embarrassed. “Do you know where he is?”

“He told me he was heading to the bus station before he left.”

Kihyun cut in. “Did he tell you where he was planning to go next?”

Dr. Im shrugged. “Kihyun, right? Small, cute, hamster-like?” Kihyun nodded slowly. “I think he was hurrying to catch the bus to Ujje. Said he didn't want to stay in the city for too long.”

“Thank you, Dr. Im,” Hyunwoo said, bowing. “We’ll be going on our way now.”

Before they could leave, the professor called out to them. “Here, take this. Changkyun was researching clan bonds. I think this would be helpful for you guys.” He handed a book sitting on his desk to Jooheon who was closest to him.

“And one more thing.” His face softened. “Please take care of my son. It was hard for him being a mage in a family of humans and having his first clan disband. If you're really bonded to him, then I believe I can trust you to watch over him.” He chuckled fondly. “Good luck,” he said, turning to and addressing them individually. “If what I know about clan bonds is true, I’m sure you’ll find him.”

-- --

The only way to get to Ujje was through ferry or airplane. They opted for the ferry figuring that Changkyun would not have enough money for a plane ride to Ujje. Hyungwon suggested that he could make the water push the car in the water so that they could bring it with them but the others had immediately shot down the idea, not trusting the ridiculousness that was Hyungwon attempting to make the car surf on the waves. Nevertheless, they were forced to abandon their car in an empty parking lot for the time being.

Unfortunately, this meant it was much harder to travel around Ujje to search for Changkyun. With Changkyun’s signal turned off, there was no more leads, only the assumption that Changkyun was in Ujje.

The island was big, full of majestic sceneries and towering cliffs with a perfect view of the vast sea before them. There were small towns sparsely scattered across the island, separated by wide stretches of land and forest. It was sufficient to say that it would be very difficult to find Changkyun if he was in Ujje.

“We should split up,” Minhyuk argued. “This island is too big.”

“We shouldn’t,” Hyungwon said. “This island is too big and if someone gets hurt or lost, what are we going to do?”

“It’s fine,” Minhyuk insisted. “Our bonds are still intact. If anything happens, we can call for help.”

“No,” Hyungwon sighed. “Look. Your magic isn’t even back yet. Not fully at least.”

Hyunwoo finally spoke up. “He’s right, Minhyuk-ah. You just got some of your magic back a few days ago. And we had to stop searching for Changkyun because you couldn’t control it.”

“But I got it under control.” Minhyuk looked irate, jaw clenched. “I’m not a kid, I can handle it.”

Hyunwoo and Kihyun shared a look before both sighed. Hyunwoo shook his head as he did, tired. “You read the book, right? The one Dr. Im gave us? You know what it said.”

Minhyuk opened his mouth to argue before Hoseok cut in. “It just said it was a possible case. I think we should split up.” The look of betrayal on Hyunwoo’s face was only undercut by the stoicism that fell over it almost immediately.

“We can go in pairs,” Minhyuk said, looking at Hyunwoo imploringly. “So that no one will really be alone.”

“I’ll go with Minhyuk,” Kihyun said before Hyunwoo could say anything. “If anything happens with Minhyuk, I can handle it.” Hyunwoo looked reluctant before he nodded.

“We’ll only separate once we make it to one of the towns. Then we’ll reconvene at night. Okay?” Hyunwoo said, making the final decision. The others nodded. He sighed and rubbed his forehead.

It was quiet for a moment before Jooheon spoke up, looking at the stars that were blinking lazily. “We should get a place to stay for today. We can search the dock town tomorrow and figure out where to go next.”

Minhyuk and Kihyun left early in the morning, Kihyun dragging Minhyuk out by his ear as Minhyuk grumbled tiredly. They slipped notes through the others’ hotel room doors saying that they would be searching the town center. Jooheon and Hyunwoo left after breakfast, making sure to knock loudly on Hyungwon and Hoseok’s room to tell them that they were going to check out the farms surrounding the town.

That left Hyungwon and Hoseok to the docks when they finally managed to leave around lunchtime. Together, they walked along the beachfront enjoying the view and keeping an eye out for a dark-haired mage.

Hoseok held out a hand to stop Hyungwon for a moment before walking over to a group of girls and flashing them a smile. Hyungwon could not hear what he was saying but he could hear the light giggles the girls emitted.

Hoseok returned. “They haven’t seen anyone that looks like Changkyun.”

In response, Hyungwon frowned. They had already walked quite a bit and stopped by every other store and docked crew to ask if they saw a dark-haired young adult, about 20 years of age. Most of them only shook their heads and wished them luck.

“Hyungwon,” Hoseok said conversationally after they had walked some time in silence, “what do you think of the whole clan bond thing.” Hyungwon stared wordlessly at Hoseok before Hoseok grimaced and tried again. “Like all the crazy stuff that’s been happening with our magic due to the clan bond?”

The taller mage hummed, bringing one too long sleeve up to rub his eyes. “You mean how we’ve suddenly gained ‘new’ powers.” Hoseok nodded.

“It’s kind of strange, huh.”

“Not really. We’re not gaining powers over things we didn’t have control over previously. How did the book explain it? It’s like the bond makes us more in tune with each other so we can sense our own areas of control in places that we once didn’t?”

“It probably explains why my powers haven’t changed much,” Hoseok mumbled. “Not a lot of metal in things that aren’t made of metal.”

Hyungwon hummed. “I can sense the water in humans more, which is probably because of Changkyunnie. I didn’t realize it since it wasn’t as strong but I can also sense it in plants now too and that’s probably because of Kihyunnie. And the underground rivers are easier to sense now too.”

“So far the book isn’t wrong,” Hoseok mused. “I just wish it could explain how to find Changkyun.”

“Yeah,” Hyungwon agreed, looking out to the sea where the sun was just starting to set.

-- --

To some degree, this was a good thing. To some degree, Hyunwoo wondered whether he should be worried that his clan members essentially stole a car and a trailer. Okay, maybe not stole but acquired by sketchy means using their devastating good looks. Hyunwoo sighed and resisted the urge to change his name and leave them all behind.

“I’m telling you the truth,” Hoseok protested. “This is slander!”

“You’re seriously telling me that you offered to help a group of girls out with the truck that wasn’t working and you were going to use your magic to fix it. Then they decided that they didn’t want it anymore and let you have it?”

Hoseok at least had the conscious to look down in shame. “Not exactly that,” he muttered.

Hyunwoo stared at him. “Then what did you say.”

“I really offered to help them fix their car. Then they started talking shit about mages so I told them that it was beyond saving and they decided to leave it on the side of the road and call someone to pick them up. Not my fault they believed me! We stayed and made sure they weren’t alone while they waited,” he tried to defend. “And we technically helped the environment because they would have just left it there!”

When Hoseok got worked up when he talked, his lisp came out more prominently. By the end of his speech, Hyunwoo had stepped back at least five steps to avoid getting his face wet. He sighed and looked at the trailer. It was fully furnished and the truck was large enough to carry all of them comfortably.

“Good work.” He left it at that, not wanting to further incentivize Hoseok and Hyungwon into a life of crime by ripping off bratty rich kids.

“So no one found any sighting of Changkyun?” Kihyun asked, eyebrows furrowed. Jooheon shook his head.

“There’s two more major areas in Ujje we should check,” Minhyuk said. “He might be there instead.”

“What if we don’t find him?” Jooheon asked. “He might not be in Ujje. He could have changed his mind.”

“Then I don’t know!” Minhyuk exploded, throwing his hands up in exasperation. Jooheon stepped back, a little hurt that Minhyuk lost his temper at him.

Hyunwoo stepped in, putting a calm hand on Minhyuk’s shoulder. “Look, if he’s not here, we’ll just keep looking. His signal will appear eventually.”

“What if it doesn’t?” Jooheon mumbled.

“We have to trust that Changkyun loves us as much as we love him,” Hoseok said. “That he wanted to be a part of the clan as much as we did.”

Jooheon looked reluctant but sighed in defeat. “Okay.”

They couldn’t find Changkyun in the next city over. The last place they planned to search stretched far and wide, across forests and fields to a large coastal cliff. One of the rock formations, as told by a local villager, was known as the Gate to the Netherworld. It would only make sense that Changkyun might be there.

“Kihyun and I can take the car,” Minhyuk suggested, looking at the run down old car given to them by the group of elderly women that Hyunwoo and Minhyuk had gone in to ask for directions. Hyunwoo would deny it was because they were dazzled by his muscles and impressive manners.

“It might be better for Hoseok to take it,” Hyunwoo said wearily. “If anything goes wrong, he’s a metal mage. He can stop it.”

“It should be fine,” Minhyuk insisted. “Hoseok-hyung can do a quick inspection, right?”

“Maybe Hyunwoo-hyung is right,” Kihyun said carefully, looking at the car with dents all over it and a long winding crack through the windshield. “Neither of us are really good with cars. I don’t even have a license yet.”

“It’s fine,” Minhyuk insisted. “I’ll drive.”

Hyunwoo sighed. The sun would start setting in a few hours and it had already been a week since they could last sense Changkyun. In the corner of his mind, he feared that Changkyun’s signal would never reappear but he shook off the doubt.

“Just… make sure Hoseok takes a look at it first before you do anything.”

With Minhyuk’s affirmation and Kihyun’s reassurance, Hyunwoo and Jooheon set off to talk with the townspeople on if they had seen the dark-haired necromancer and the meaning of the “Gate to the Netherworld” that may have attracted Changkyun.

“It looks fine. Just make sure you brake with the turns,” Hoseok warned after looking through the car. “Other than that, you should be good.”

Minhyuk and Kihyun waved to Hyungwon and Hoseok, who had decided to search through the outskirts of the town that lay next to the field covered in a thick layer of fog. With a plume of smoke, Minhyuk turned on the engine and pulled out onto the highway.

“There’s a lot of magic energy here,” Kihyun commented quietly, watching the trees pass by in a blur of green and brown. The sky above was cloudy, casting a gloomy gray glow over everything. The plants called out to him and he wanted to ask whether they had seen their youngest member but as usual, the trees remained silent and only answered with their ruffling leaves.

“Ujje is a good place for mages,” Minhyuk agreed.

They drove with light chatter between them, meaningless conversation to distract from their consistently failed quest to find Changkyun. It was almost dusk when the magic that was ever present around them darkened. Dark magic.

“Is this Changkyun’s? It feels different,” Kihyun said hesitantly.

“All our magic changed a little bit since the clan bond started manifesting itself,” Minhyuk argued. “We have to at least check it out.”

“But what if it’s not him and it’s a rogue dark mage? You don’t have your magic and you’ve heard the stories of what dark mages can do. We don’t stand a chance.”

Minhyuk’s hands tightened on the wheel and his jaw clenched. “I’ll be fine. I’m not useless, I can handle my-”

He did not get to finish when Kihyun screamed, “Minhyuk, watch out!” as they approached a bend in the road, brakes squealing before the car rolled over the guardrail and crumbled in a heap at the bottom of the steep hill. A huge burst of magic flared around Minhyuk as they were tossed about, the light blinding, and that was the last thing both of them saw before everything disappeared into nothing.

-- --

Changkyun rubbed at his clan mark carefully, a gray outline that looked more like a scar than a mark, unsure if the flash of light he saw had anything to do with the clan or if it was because the heavy storm clouds outside decided to cast down their rain and lightning.

It felt obvious. The images of a car rolling down a hill flashed through his head and he flinched. The others were on Ujje. How he knew, he wasn’t sure. He couldn’t allow himself to miss them, not yet. He needed to lay down the clues before he could give himself that luxury. It was almost ready. He would lead them to him soon and disappear before they found him. Eventually they would get tired and stop searching or he would stop missing them. Then the clan bond to him would dissolve completely and they would be okay again.

“Please be okay,” he whispered before turning to the old lady running the restaurant to ask for the check. “What’s the point of me leaving if you’re going to get hurt anyways?”

-- --

It was dark when the others found them. Shining flashlights settled on the two, leaning against each other in quiet slumber, dried blood caking their faces. The light aroused Minhyuk, who lifted a hand to see who had appeared.

“Thank god,” Hoseok said before he collapsed next to Minhyuk and wrapped him in a tight hug. Minhyuk winced and patted Hoseok gently on the back before pulling free.

“I’m sor-”

“It’s okay. You guys are okay and that’s all that matters right now,” Hyunwoo said wearily. The guilt that burned in Minhyuk’s gut flared like a raging fire, the long dried blood on his hands like burns.

“Let’s get you guys to the trailer. There should be a first aid kit there. We should go to the hospital too,” Hyunwoo added in. “Kihyun-ah, you okay?”

“Yeah,” was the quiet reply.”No hospital.” Kihyun did not seem willing to say much more, only clenched to Hoseok’s sleeve to help him stand up. He winced and rubbed at his eyes, blinking a few times.

Everyone woke up the next morning when Kihyun started screaming. His crying was loud enough to rouse even Hyungwon from his sleep.

“Kihyun? What’s wrong?” Hyunwoo asked, eyes alert but tiredness still clinging on to his face.

“I can’t see.”

A chill ran through the room. “What do you mean you can’t see?” Hoseok asked cautiously, scared.

“It means I can’t fucking see!”

“Hey, calm down,” Hyunwoo said, trying to intervene. He placed his hands on Kihyun’s shoulders and rubbed them gently, trying to get the plant mage to stop panicking. “Try to explain it better.”

“When I open my eyes, there’s too much light. Everything looks white and it’s painful.”

“Should we go to the hospital?”

Kihyun shook his head, finally calm. “No, it’s okay. It’s just some light sensitivity. Intense light sensitivity.”

Jooheon looked skeptical. “You sure, hyung?”

“It’s fine.”

It was quiet for a moment, only the sound of breathing and the wind daring to shatter the silence. Slowly, they filtered out of the trailer until only Hyungwon and Kihyun were left.

Hyungwon only looked contemplatively at Kihyun before pulling a thin black silk scarf from his bag. “Here,” he said, holding the scarf out to Kihyun. “I don’t think any of us brought sunglasses so you can use this to block out the light.” He snorted when Kihyun turned to him with his hands outstretched, unable to see what Hyungwon was offering.

“Here, I’ll tie it on for you.”

Hyungwon worked slowly, folding the scarf in half before carefully bringing it over Kihyun’s eyes and around his head. Kihyun lifted a hand to trace it. “Why the hell do you have this on you?”

“Changkyun got it for me for my birthday,” he replied nonchalant. His voice was tinged with sadness and regret.

“Where do you think he is?” Kihyun said as they sat down, not ready to go outside and embrace the world just yet.

“I don’t know.” And although Kihyun couldn’t see it, he could imagine the soft, wistful, faraway look in Hyungwon’s eyes.

Shouting could be heard from outside, voices raising in anger, then a soft whump! and the sound of something, or someone, falling to the ground. Hyungwon sighed. Kihyun didn’t say anything, only kept his head down and let his hands play with each other.

“How are we supposed to find Changkyun if we’re fighting amongst ourself?” Hyungwon complained. “We’re supposed to be bonded and we’re just tearing each other apart.” Kihyun could feel the taller stand up and step out of the trailer.

With cautious fingers, he stood and traced along the different objects to find the door. He stepped down and followed the bond to where Minhyuk sat alone. The others must have left.

“I’m sorry,” Minhyuk sobbed out before collapsing into his side. “I’m sorry.”

The only thing Kihyun could do was pat his shoulder in comfort. It wasn’t Minhyuk’s fault, not completely. He suspected the light that blinded him was Minhyuk’s magic and that it saved them from the fall. Light magic was volatile, both too powerful and too weak, something Minhyuk spent long hours on practicing control. The sheer brightness of his magic told Kihyun that his magic had finally fully returned and just like the rest of them, new realms of it needed to be explored and mastered. He couldn’t blame Minhyuk for that.

Kihyun didn’t know when his eyes would return to normal, if they would return to normal but he didn’t dare allow himself to be pessimistic. They didn’t need more infighting. The clan bond was precious and needed to be protected. They needed it to find Changkyun. Kihyun winced at the thought of the possibility that his last sight of Changkyun was his sullen face at the dinner table after Kihyun had scolded him for wasting food the day before he disappeared.

Footsteps were heard. “We should go,” Hyunwoo ’s deep voice said, tired but careful, always the leader. “The last place we wanted to check was the Gate to the Netherworld.”

“It’s not really a gate so I don’t know if he’ll be there. I wish Changkyun hadn’t taken his copy of Monsta but the locals said that people who practice dark magic would find inexplicable power there,” Jooheon said. “Like enough to actually open a gate to the Netherworld and sustain it long enough to bring the dead back to life.”

“That’s insane.”

Jooheon only shrugged at Hoseok. “It’s our best bet.”

The drive was short but nerve-wracking. The members stepped out of the car and turned to face the open cliff that led out to sea.

“Is this it?” Hoseok asked.

Jooheon shook his head and walked to the edge of the cliff and pointed down.

“You’re kidding, right?” A look of fear spread over Hoseok’s face, skin paler than it already was.

The already magic-saturated air filled with earth magic and a large pillar rose from the ground. Around it was a winding staircase. “We’ll use this to get down.”

“Ugh, hyung,” Hyungwon whined. “Why couldn’t you have made it an elevator. Why stairs?” he complained. Hyunwoo only leveled a stare at Hyungwon and gestured towards the stairs. With a sigh, Hyungwon and Minhyuk went down first, followed by Jooheon who turned to look at the remaining three with questioning glance.

Hyunwoo huffed. “You two go down first. I can support the pillar better if I’m up here. I’ll follow after.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Hoseok exclaimed. “I’m not going down that death trap! What happens if someone falls? No, I’m not doing it.”

“It’s alright, hyung. You can hold my hand,” Kihyun said.

“You can’t even see!” Hoseok shrieked, freaked out.

“Yeah, that’s why I need you.” Hoseok frowned but slowly the tension in his shoulders disappeared. Kihyun smiled lightly. If someone needed Hoseok, he would go above and beyond to help despite his own inhibitions.

Finally, the two made it down the stairs a little worse for wear but fine. As soon as Hyunwoo stepped down from the last step, the entire thing crumbled behind him into a pile of rocks and dirt. “Alright, so where is this thing.”

“There.” Everyone’s eyes followed Jooheon’s finger to where a large formation of black rock stood, creating a loop in the middle of the landscape. They walked towards it and the utter stillness was only further added to by the heavy layer of magic that thickened the closer they got.

Just a few steps away, Minhyuk paused. Hoseok turned to look at him questionly. “Minhyuk?”

“Can’t you feel it?” Minhyuk said, frowning. “There’s dark magic here.”

No one moved an inch, hoping the dark mage would show themselves. It was silent, even the ocean waves muted.

“No one’s here,” Hyungwon finally said. “I don’t sense anyone else but us.”

“Then who has dark magic?” Minhyuk lashed out, frustrated. The air grew darker and thicker as the dark magic ran freer around them.

From where Kihyun was sitting, he slowly stood up, untied the scarf and let it fall to the floor. He walked towards Minhyuk. “Let me try something,” he told Minhyuk quietly, taking his hand and placing it over his eyes. “Direct your magic towards me,” he ordered.

“Kihyun, are you sure?” Hoseok asked, nervous. Jooheon and Hyunwoo shared reluctant looks, stances ready to step in if anything went wrong.

“It’s okay,” Kihyun said. “I trust Minhyuk.”

With a furrowed brow, Minhyuk breathed in slowly and the magic that was still unfamiliar to him channeled through his hand into Kihyun’s eyes. The magic surrounding them pulsed with power but it remained sluggish and slow.

Like a lightning bolt out of nowhere, Changkyun’s bond became active and the dark magic that flowed through the air rushed down. It left Minhyuk’s hand like rushing water down a pipeline, Changkyun’s presence a stabilizer to control the flood that it would have been.

Kihyun shuddered and stepped back. Minhyuk’s hands dropped and the stillness settled again over them. Changkyun’s bond flickered on and off before disappearing again.

“Kihyun?”

Slowly, Kihyun’s eyes opened, bright and clear as the sunny sky. “The person with dark magic, it’s you.”

“It’s not exactly dark magic, it just feels like it is because it’s more absence of light magic?”

“Minhyuk, that makes no sense.”

“No, hear me out Hyungwon.” Minhyuk said, leaning in. “The clan bond works through making us more aware of our own abilities within the other’s realms of magic. So light, absence of light, hmm? Get it?”

“That still makes no sense,” Hyungwon groaned. He slouched in his chair and rubbed at his temples.

“Alright, so like I can control light magic. And what does light make? Shadows! And shadow magic is technically a form of dark magic, but not really. I don’t have Changkyun’s back up system. The dark magic is just a part of my normal magic.”

“Speaking of Changkyun,” Kihyun spoke up, “I can’t believe this kid. Purposely lying to his father to mislead us into Ujje when he was actually going to follow his list and go to Banus.”

“Changkyun’s really smart.” Jooheon tapped his phone a little. “He turned off his location so we couldn’t track him, and he manages to turn off his magical signaling right as we get to Banus. I swear, this kid is going to give me gray hairs.”

“Your hair is literally dyed. You’ll lose your hair before you get gray hairs,” Minhyuk said, reaching to ruffle the curly mess of Jooheon’s hair.

“Fuck off. It’s the pot calling the kettle black.”

Minhyuk gasped and collapsed next to Shownu, gripping his arm. “My own child. Turning against me.”

Kihyun scoffed. “Who made you the mom.” Next to him, Jooheon nodded, face crinkled in disgust. Minhyuk stuck his tongue out only to be greeted with the finger next to the ring finger that wasn’t the pinky.

Hoseok stepped in. “The manager confirmed that Changkyun was staying here but he left this morning.”

Everyone groaned. “He was literally right under our noses,” Kihyun complained.

“The manager also said he left this note for us.”

Written in Changkyun’s neat chicken scratch, the note only said: going to soule .

“Chinone was number three on his list,” Hyungwon hummed from where he had returned to his bed.

“So does this mean he’ll be in Soule instead? Or is he trying to trick us again and he’ll actually be in Chinone,” Kihyun said.

Jooheon shrugged in reply. “Soule’s really big. If we did end up trying to search through all of Soule, it would give him at least a few months of time to move on.”

“He’s done this before. It’s more than likely he’s trying to pull the same stunt,” Hoseok added in.

“Hyunwoo-hyung?”

“I don’t know Kihyun. I wouldn’t trust anything Changkyun leaves behind for us because he knows that we’re looking for him and why would he lead us to him if he’s trying so hard to leave us behind? Enough to be able to deactivate his bond signaling? It just doesn’t make sense that this would be true.”

“But what if he misses us? What if he wants to be found?”

“Then his clan bond would have activated and we would have felt him. But he keeps turning it off right before we can find him.” Jooheon sighed. “This clan bond magic is weird and I don’t really understand the book’s explanation of deactivating clan bond signaling.”

Hoseok spoke up. “Changkyun’s smart and we’re going to have to play his game. I think he’s in Chinone. Who agrees?”

Minhyuk and Jooheon both raised their hands. With their hands, Hoseok raised one eyebrow. “Anyone else?” Reluctantly, Hyunwoo lifted his hand.

Trying to defend himself from Kihyun’s betrayed glare, Hyunwoo said, “Chinone is literally on the outskirts of Soule and it’s much smaller. If he’s not there, we waste less time searching Chinone than searching Soule.”

Kihyun sighed. Would Changkyun really make it that easy for them and follow his simple pattern of misleading them? It couldn’t be that simple, right?

-- --

Soule was different from the two previous cities Changkyun had visited. For one, Soule was loud. For another, Soule was modern. Soule was huge . There would be plenty to distract him from missing the other members for too long. The crowds of people that passed could easily conceal someone of his stature and appearance if they did ever make their way here.

Like any major city, the thrum of magic that usually lingered in the air where mages gathered, was quiet. But it did not mean that magic and mages were absent. As Changkyun walked down the busy street of Manggan, little pockets of magic bloomed. Clans , he thought absentmindedly, feeling the unique mix of purely elemental magic, untainted with dark magic, that intertwined with each other in perfect control. But before his thoughts could stray to his own clan, he moved on, falling into the crowd like a raindrop into a river and swept away into the current.

He had gambled with his note. It had been another lonely dinner and without anyone to keep him distracted, his mind had drifted into longing, a quiet wish for the others to appear and to enjoy a meal with them again. The last meal they shared had been a sad affair and he only wished that the next one, in the far distant future, would finish on a better note.

Night had fallen and the ache persisted. When Changkyun woke up the next day, his mark had been restored to its full color and he could sense their movement towards Banus. There was no point in turning off his signal now, they were still a day’s and a half trip away from Banus. He had time. Everything was ready, the train ticket to Soule in his wallet, clothes washed and stuffed into his bag, and the escape route set in stone.

His plans almost fell apart when he woke up in the middle night with a feeling of fullness. In the dark, he could make out the shadows of the sleeping figures and although they were not physically with him, he could almost hear their sleep talking. It was good that he was sensitive to these things.

For a moment, he let himself bask in the feeling of warmth that spread over him, let it intoxicate him with comfort. It was like a drug that he constantly craved but he knew he had to wean himself off of it. It was the only way. Dark mages corrupted clan bonds, spreading their bad luck to the rest of the clan. Changkyun loved his members too much to do that to them.

He suspected that they had found his list and probably thought he was leading them on a wild goose chase. To be fair, he was, but still. He had thought about going to Ujje and his dad must have misinterpreted him and told the rest of the clan that he was going to Ujje instead of Banus.

Knowing this, he jotted down the truth, knowing that it would throw them off if they believed he was purposely trying to throw them off course. It wasn’t a perfect plan. But his hyungs weren’t gullible enough to fall for the same trick twice. So he was playing a different trick.

He had originally decided to stay in Chinone for a while since it was cheaper, but Soule was a better city to disappear in. He could only hope that he predicted what they would decide to do correctly.

If they went to Chinone, it would take at least a week before they realized he wasn’t there. It would buy him enough time to get enough money for the stay in Soule and the next subsequent trips. Changkyun would have to visit Junggwa again soon. The money his parents had given him was still enough for now but if wanted to stay longer in Soule, he would need to find a job or do some missions soon.

Early in the morning, he dragged himself out the door to check out and ask the front desk manager to give them a message that he had written on one of the complimentary notepads if they asked where he was. With a wistful look back, he steeled himself again.

This was for the best, he reminded himself. He didn’t want to be part of the clan, not like this, when his membership would only hurt them. They could not find him. He did not want to be in the clan, he did not want to be in the clan. He repeated those thoughts over and over until the clan mark on his hand faded to a silvery gray, until the warmth in his chest turned cold, until it felt like he could believe it, before he walked to the station and boarded the train to Soule.

It was lonely, being on the run. That was easy to admit. But he had always been good at solitude, good at taking a step back from the world and just being. Sometimes he wanted to let the bond open, to feel them, and he only fell into temptation during the darkest of hours when sleep was still a hair length away and he was sure that they wouldn’t be up to sense it.

He chuckled. He sounded like a drug addict, craving for that feeling that the clan bond provided. Because the truth of the matter was, how could you move on when you didn’t let yourself miss them? The feelings always remained.

Changkyun shook free those thoughts. He did not have to move on, not him at least. As long as the others stopped trying and gave up on him, then he could take those feelings he had harbored so tightly and let them free where it would no longer affect them. He just needed to wait a little longer.

Soule was loud at night, a stark difference from the quiet city life of Junggwa and Banus. The bright LED lights replaced the blinking starlight and the city refused to sleep. It was 3AM by now but the noise never dwindled. He stood out on the balcony of the small room he was renting for the month and let himself imagine that the others were right under the lone star that managed to appear in the light pollution.

They were on the outskirts of Chinone, some distance away from where Changkyun was staying in the middle of Soule. Changkyun smiled internally. He had been right.

With a sigh, he returned to the small mattress left for him in the room. He had gotten his reprieve and now it was time to sleep. He fell into slumber just as the last star disappeared.

It had been a little over a week in Soule and Changkyun’s empty wallet was only paralleled by his empty stomach. He groaned right as his stomach growled, a chorus of sounds that called for pity. If this had been a cartoon, his wallet would have let out a pathetic cough of dust and withered into itself.

But fortunately it was not because at least the lint, the crumpled up dollar bill, and the two pennies that sat in his wallet could not laugh at him.

As he walked down the streets, he saw rows of cafes and shops lined with For Hire signs. He played around with the idea of walking in and begging for a job but he doubted that anyone would hire a boy for just a few weeks. He could stay in Soule a little longer, he supposed. The cost of the place he was staying in was cheap enough.

But the longer he stayed in one place, the more he would feel the ache of the missing clan bond and the more he would long for the rest of the members. He couldn’t afford that just yet. Maybe in another month, he mused, passing by with the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

Changkyun knew what he had to do, but he was reluctant to do it. It was technically illegal, a lone dark mage to take on jobs, but he had taken a black marker to his hand and traced the clan mark and filled it in so that from a distance, it looked complete. Looking at it both eased the feeling of missing the clan and caused anxiety because he would see the mark and feel the warmth settle in only for it to be blocked with the fear that lingered constantly.

He debated whether to ask a local clan for help as he passed a cafe that overflowed with pure magic, each element perfectly intertwined such that it radiated peace and warmth, and the For Hire sign seemed almost inviting. Maybe they had a job that he could do.

Before he could step in, the sign magically changed to a Closed sign. He sighed and stepped back. There was only one option left. Changkyun turned and walked down the street, the lights flickering behind him.

Slowly, the expensive, modern stores became ancient, run-down little shops, smooth pavement into rocky asphalt littered with potholes. The smell of smoke and dust filled the air. Magic lay thickly, just as dark and polluted as the air.

The black mage market.

Changkyun had learned about this place from one of the mages he had met in Banus. Or well… not met. Just listened in on while the mage chatted with his other buddies. It seemed mages from all over, from many clans, originated from Banus, which meant that mages who had run out of luck or who’s clans were in a bad shape and weren’t able to find work could access the Banus black mage market and solicit jobs there. There was one in almost every major city. Including Soule.

It was supposed to be easy. Find some quick jobs and make enough cash to survive another week in one of the wealthiest cities in the country. Repeat if necessary. Keep going until it was time to move on and he could return to Junggwa with some money to spare.

But it seemed fate had something against Changkyun because the first place he slipped into was a bar. The stench of smoke, alcohol, and vomit made bile rise in Changkyun’s throat before he swallowed it down and stepped towards the bartender.

“ID,” the bartender drawled out. Changkyun raised his eyebrows in surprise. Sure, he was young but he had been legal for a year now and he looked well over his age.

“Looking for something, kid,” the man finally said after staring at the ID for some time. Changkyun hastily shoved it back into his pocket (not his wallet, not after he lost it that one time when he was walking along the river).

“Yeah,” he replied. “A job.” He hoped his voice did not waver in its conviction.

The bartender stared at Changkyun with an unreadable face. Although he wanted to avert his eyes and move on, Changkyun held his gaze without wavering. The man across from his cracked a smile. “I like your guts, kid. Follow me.”

He walked around the bar and led Changkyun into a door and down a hallway, the stench of bodily fluids and who knows what else permeating the air like a warning sign. They passed several doors until the bartender stopped at one.

“Wait here,” the bartender instructed before entering and closing the door behind him.

Faintly, Changkyun could hear the man greet someone. The voices were too hushed and muffled for Changkyun to hear anything, even pressed up with his ear against the door. He stepped back right in time as the door swung open and the bartender looked at him.

“Take a seat.”

The lone receptionist in the room looked at Changkyun. “Looking to hire or looking to be hired,” she drawled out, face set in the most absolutely bored expression Changkyun ever had witnessed.

“To-” he hesitated. “To be hired.”

The shock that spread across the woman’s face did nothing to make Changkyun feel better. “Well kid,” she whistled lowly, “we’ve got some jobs for you. Follow me.” She stood up and grabbed a large key ring from behind her desk. It jingled with the many keys that hung off it and each step she took left the tinkling sound of metal in her wake. “I would stick close,” she suggested.

Changkyun didn’t understand why until she opened the door and he saw the line of people lining the halls, haggard and some with wild looks in their eyes despite their defeated postures.

“Who are these people,” he whispered, not wanting to make a scene.

She must have heard him. “Don’t pay attention to them. They’ve given up everything to request services on this market. They’ve got nothing left. They can’t pay you anything.”

“But-” Changkyun started before he was cut off.

“Here. These are the current listings for jobs. Flip through the folders, find out what you can do. Contact the person hiring and you should be good. The high paying jobs are usually taken up first by a regular here so start off small and if you’re any good, you’ll be requested by the higher paying customers.” With a pitying look, she turned and walked back leaving Changkyun alone in front of desk overflowing with folders.

He picked one up gingerly. He immediately put it back down when he saw the request. Another folder. And another. By the time he had gone through half of the folders on file, he had come to understand why these jobs were brought to the black mage market. Arson, kidnapping, brainwashing, memory erasing, revenge murder, homicide, and it only got worse.

The one currently in his hands asked for corpse reanimation . Intrigued, Changkyun read further. Necrophilia kink . He gagged and shut the folder, tossing it as far away as he could from him.

Changkyun groaned. He couldn’t do this. It was one thing being desperate money for money. It was another to murder for a few dollars. These jobs weren’t even paying well for the requests they had. He sighed.

He slowly walked back down, given up from looking through the massive pile of folders of what was undoubtedly jobs that no one wanted to take. No one has died from missing a few meals, he reminded himself. Be true to yourself first and foremost .

Before he could reach the door, he felt tugging on the back of his jacket. He turned around. Behind him, a young girl holding a tattered teddy bear was holding on to the fabric of his jacket. Changkyun slowly grabbed her hand so she could release his jacket and, still holding her hand, kneeled down so that he was eye level with the child. He ignored the stares he was receiving and gave a questioning glance to the child.

“Do you need help?” he asked, keeping his voice light because he knew his originally deep voice could be scary.

She handed him her teddy bear and it held the crumbled remains of a formally written request like the ones he had seen on the table. He unfolded it carefully, the paper brittle and thin. The writing was almost illegible, the ink worn away from all the folding and by age.

“You want me to exorcise your house?”

She nodded. In a tiny voice, she spoke. “We can’t afford to move to another house, we’ve lived there all our lives, but something is trying to scare us away now.”

“How long has this been going on?” he questioned. How long had this child been looking for help and no one was willing to help her?

“Almost a year now,” she replied faintly. “Please help me,” she cried, bowing to Changkyun to plead. “We can’t pay much but you’re the first to not ignore us.” When Changkyun didn’t say anything, she paused and looked unsure. “I thought that you would be different.” She reached for her teddy bear but Changkyun pulled it back before she could grab it.

“I’ll do it. Just,” he hesitated. “Show me the way.”

Her eyes sparkled and she grabbed his hand and dragged him out the door back into outside. Surprisingly, she did not lead him further into the rundown part of town but led to a small house in the middle of the city. It was distinctly different, eye-catching amongst the modern architecture that surrounded it, a quaint little house surrounded by high rises and towering condos. Amongst the gray drabness, the little house was painted brightly and surrounded by plants, a bit of color in an otherwise monochrome space.

She knocked on the door before her eyes lit up and with instructions to wait for her, she dashed off. Changkyun stood there awkwardly, feeling out of place.

Without warning, an older man answered the door and looked at Changkyun with guarded eyes. “I’m sorry, we’re not selling this house,” he said, before trying to close the door on him.

Before he could, the girl returned and the man stopped. “Dayoung-ah, what did you do?” he said with a sigh.

“This oppa is going to help with the ghost in the house!” she exclaimed. “Oh! Before I forget.” She turned to Changkyun and handed him a wrinkled ten dollar bill. “Your payment.”

The man, her father Changkyun presumed, looked at the two with unreadable eyes. “I’m sorry, you came all this way,” he apologized. “We can pay you a little more but Dayoung was saving her money in hopes that someone would come if we could pay more.”

Changkyun shook his head. “No, it’s okay. I need some money but I’m glad to help.

The man hesitated. “If you could help us, that would be great. But I don’t think this is some job for a kid.”

“Your daughter must have thought it was an important job if she has been waiting for someone to take this job at the black mage market for a year now,” Changkyun ventured. “There’s no harm in trying. Can you tell me what’s been going on?”

The older man sighed. “We went to the local clans for help but they couldn’t help us, said it was too dangerous and they didn’t have the right mages for the job, and we couldn’t afford a clan from outside of the city to come in. We put up a listing on the market because there were no other options. We thought since Soule was more open to mages, it would be easier to find someone but I guess we couldn’t pay enough for what we asked.”

“Dayoung said she thinks a ghost is haunting this place and causing problems. Do you happen to know anyone that has died before the problems started happening?”

“My wife and her mother were in a car accident and my wife was hospitalized for some time. Her mother died on impact.” He paused. “But it can’t be her. She loved this place more than anything, wouldn’t sell it no matter what. She spent years working on her garden. She grew all those plants that we have outside. But we almost ran into legal trouble when her lawyers put up the house for sale to pay off some of the debt from the hospital bills but luckily she had it in her will that the house would pass to Dayoung. Since she can’t collect the deed until she turns eighteen and we refused to take it from her, they couldn’t sell the house.”

“So then what happened?” By then, they had moved to the kitchen table and the man was pouring a cup of tea of Changkyun.

The man shook his head. “I don’t know. One day there started to be loud noises that sounded like robbers. When we went to check, nothing was missing, no one had broken in. There’s just been a lot of unexplained things going on. There’s wailing in the middle of the night that prevents us from sleeping. Sometimes the faucets leak sludge so we’ve had to resort to showering in the recreational center showers. Once all the tires on my wife’s car were busted so she had to call a cab to get to work. It’s just a mess.”

Changkyun listened carefully to what he said. He hesitated. “I don’t know if I can do anything about it. But I can try.”

“That’s all we’re asking for.”

“I think it would be better if you and your daughter stayed out of the house for now. I don’t know how magic will affect you guys.”

The man stood up. “Of course, of course. I’m not sure if you can do anything but we’ll be at the library. Please come get us before you leave.”

With a wave, Dayoung and her father were gone leaving Changkyun to the quiet house alone. He sat on the floor in the middle of the living room and closed his eyes, letting his magic loose. Slowly, it spread, wandering through every nook and cranny searching for any sign of the supernatural.

He opened his eyes.

In front of him, a young woman stood. Changkyun could see the faint resemblance to Dayoung in her appearance. “Hello,” he said. “Are you Dayoung’s grandmother?”

She nodded. “Dayoung is my granddaughter,” she confirmed. Changkyun just nodded. Although rare, some spirits preferred their younger forms than the ones they died in.

“Why-” he stopped, unsure exactly what to say. “Why are you haunting this house?

Her face turned indignant. “I’m protecting this house.”

“But what about everything that’s been happening?”

She snarled. “Bastards, all of them. Filthy rich chaebols thinking they’re entitled to everything.” The confusion on Changkyun’s face must have been too much because she sighed. “When I died, my lawyers tried to sell this house to pay for my daughter’s hospital bills. I don’t know what happened to the money I put aside for emergencies but those good-for-nothings probably stole that too. I have more money hidden but I didn’t leave it in the will so that those bastards couldn’t steal it too.”

“Then?” Changkyun prompted. The anger surrounding the spirit was almost tangible.

“Some corporate official wanted to buy the land and build another condominium over here. They almost bought it but my son-in-law was able to find the loophole in my will before they could. Of course, they were angry. They would do anything to get this house.”

The realization dawned on Changkyun. “Are you saying that someone is purposely sabotaging the house?”

With a grim expression, she nodded. “People tried to break in but I scared them off. They attempted to poison the water with cyanide but I managed to turn the water black so that they wouldn’t touch it. They tried to cause another car accident by messing with the brakes of my daughter’s car so I slashed the tires to make sure she wouldn’t drive.”

It was almost dizzying, the capacity for cruelty some people had. Spirits could only do so much and this one was doing the best she could to protect her loved ones. No wonder she hadn’t moved on yet.

“Well, what can I do?” he croaked out. His magic had stopped exploring and was slowly retreating back to float lazily around him.

“My daughter couldn’t file a police report because there’s no proof that there is someone messing with them. I can’t exactly be evidence, can I.”

Changkyun cracked a small smile. “No ma’am.” She smiled ruefully back at him.

“Find the money I left behind and tell my son-in-law to hire a private investigator to gather evidence. Then take them to court. My daughter is a criminal justice lawyer but she does public defense usually so she doesn’t make a lot of money. But she’ll be able to handle the case herself.”

“Can you show me where it is?”

She looked at him and smiled sadly. “I can’t leave the perimeter of this house. I guess I was too attached.” Changkyun nodded. “But, I don’t know if I trust you just yet. You did do this mission because you needed money.”

Changkyun frowned. “That’s true but I wouldn’t- I would never!”

She nodded. “If that’s true, then I’m sure you’ll be able to figure out my riddle.” She paused, watching Changkyun squirm uncomfortably. “Death follows me so,” she sighed. “What must I long most for?”

Then without a word, she vanished.

Changkyun stood up, groaning from sitting on the floor for too long. He stretched his legs and thought of the riddle. Death follows me so. What must I long most for.

She must have referred to herself because she was dead. What did the dead long for? Happiness? Peace? He shook his head. That didn’t make sense.

Changkyun thought back to the spirit. How angry she was that she could not fully protect her family. How she wanted to do something. How she wished she was… alive.

Alive? Death follows me so. I long most for life .

“That’s the answer,” he shouted into the empty house. “Life.” The silence answered back. He took it as confirmation.

Did she give the money to someone? That didn’t make sense. She obviously didn’t trust anyone. A pet? There were no animals inside the house. Maybe… outside?

Changkyun walked out through the front door only to be disappointed when he was met with silence. No barks or meows of any kind. He walked around the perimeter, searching for something, a bird, a hamster, anything that could be considered life.

By the time he made a full lap around the house, it was obvious that pets were not the answer to the question about life. He furrowed his eyebrows. She wouldn’t hide it off the property but it was in a place she couldn’t get to. So it had to be in the area surrounding the house. But what? The only things surrounding the house were the potted plants.

Changkyun facepalmed. Of course! The plants! He looked at them and groaned. There were too many of them, too many to check by himself. They were in all shapes and sizes and colors and Changkyun didn’t want to attempt to identify the plants and correlate them with a meaning. He sighed.

Slowly, he walked along to the plants and touched the leaves of one of them. It wilted in his hand and Changkyun stepped back in shock. He frowned. This was new.

Carefully, he trailed through the plants and each one he touched withered away. After a few too many, he stepped back and looked down at his hands. This couldn’t be happening. It was bad enough that he was a dark mage, it was bad enough that his magic had ruined his clan, but now his powers had manifested into some kind of death touch? This couldn’t be happening.

He needed to get this under control soon before he touched someone and accidentally killed them. Changkyun gulped when he remembered Dayoung holding his hand. This must have been a curse, he decided. Necromancers were not blessings of the gods but cursed beings mocked by cruel deities.

Mournfully, he looked at the plants. There was only one thing left to practice on. He apologized quietly in his head to the spirit of the house and focused his magic in his hand, trying to master some control over whatever was happening. He silently thanked the fact that he had been able to read and witness how new magic control manifested. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to figure out what was going on and could have hurt somebody.

With careful hands, he touched each plant. The first few died instantaneously, empty husks left in place of blooming flowers. But slowly, ever so slowly, they started dying less. Halfway through, at the point where he could sense the magic enough to control it so that the plant would collapse lifelessly and wilt instead of fully dying, one plant didn’t die.

Or better, one plant wasn’t really a plant. It looked like one, felt like one, and even smelled like one, but there was a distinct lifelessness about it. Carefully, he pulled at the flower, its stem thick enough that one hand could barely wrap around it and full of leaves and flowers. The flower fell off to reveal more layers. Changkyun kept pulling until the stem revealed itself.

At the very top, there was a small opening, large enough for a slender finger to fit in. Carefully, he poked his hand and felt a string. He slid it up against the stem’s tube and when enough of it was out, he pulled it. A click was heard and the fake plant was sprung back to reveal a spring-loaded trap box. Inside the box was a hefty envelope and when Changkyun opened it, there were more envelopes inside. How she managed that many envelopes inside the pot was beyond Changkyun although he admired the genius of the trap box.

He opened one envelope and inside was a thick stack of hundred dollar bills. Quickly, he put it away and reset the spring-loaded box inside the pot. He replaced the flowers as best he could. Changkyun made note to tell Dayoung’s father what he had discovered.

That off his chest, he resumed his magic practice. Like the trap box, he could slowly start to sense the hidden areas of magic that had manifested and he focused on bringing those under his reign. At the very last plant, he touched it and nothing happened. Changkyun sighed in relief.

The plant next to it was pitiful when compared to its full bloom neighbor. With gently fingers, he traced the dried out buds and felt his magic respond to its death. For a moment, he thought of Kihyun, thought of him watering his plants and singing to help them grow.

There was warmth in his heart and it spread to his hands and before his eyes, the flower bloomed to life. He gasped.

Behind him, an excited shout of, “Wow, Daddy, did you see that?” surprised him and he jumped when he was tackled in a hug by the small girl.

“Oppa, that’s so cool! Do it again!”

He laughed gently before prying her off of him. She firmly clung on to his leg and he could only look helplessly at her father who had a fond smile on his face.

“I’m sorry about the plants, sir,” he said, gesturing to the rest of the plants that were in a similar state of death and decay.

The man waved it off. “It’s fine. Just do your magic a few more times and it should be okay.”

With a starry-eyed girl watching him, he focused his magic on to the plants and to his surprise, each and everyone returned from the dead. After six more plants though, he found himself exhausted, his magic sluggish and the dark magic inside of him waiting to come out.

The seventh wasn’t dead, just wilted. He held out his hand and forced his magic through but nothing happened. He sighed and collapsed to the ground, exhausted. Changkyun forced himself up and walked into the house where he crashed on the couch.

A glass of water was handed to him. “Thank you,” he said quietly, taking huge gulps until it was empty.

“It’s alright. You’ve been working all day. Were you-” the man stopped before continuing. “Were you able to find anything?”

“I talked to your mother-in-law,” Changkyun said, watching the man’s face go through cycles of surprise and disbelief. “She said that she wants you to hire a private investigator to collect evidence that the owner of the buildings surrounding this house are poisoning your water and attempting to off your family.” Changkyun cursed silently in his head after he said it. That was not the way to break news like that to someone.

The man’s face settled into a hard expression. “Those fucking bastards,” he cursed. Changkyun could only hum in agreement. But then the man’s face fell. “We don’t have the money to do that.”

“Don’t worry, she said she left you money that wasn’t in her will so that her lawyers couldn’t steal it.”

The man laughed. “You’re just revealing all these secrets now, aren’t you kid.”

Changkyun just grinned and motioned to show him where the money was. The man watched in awe as he pulled open the trap box and handed him the envelope. When he opened the contents, his jaw dropped.

“Kid,” he said, voice watery, “thank you. This is more than enough. It’s enough for the private investigator, for the rest of the bills, even for a savings account for Dayoung’s college fund. I- I don’t know how I can repay you.”

Changkyun smiled shyly. “Don’t worry. This,” he said, pulling the ten dollar bill that Dayoung had given him, “is enough.”

Nevertheless, Changkyun walked home with an extra one hundred dollars despite his denial to accept the money. He also was packed dinner by Dayoung’s mother and given a soft toy animal from Dayoung as well in thanks.

That night, he settled in his room and looked down at his clan mark. It was still fully inked. He ran some water and soap over it, hoping to wash out the ink but as he scrubbed, the color did not fade despite how much stained liquid ran down the sink. Before long, the water ran clear but the mark was still completely dark.

Changkyun fell back in panic. He must have gotten so caught up in the job that he didn’t realize his clan bond signal had turned on. Now that he was paying attention, he could feel the rest of the member’s presence. They were still in Chinone, even further away than when he last checked. He let out a sigh of relief. It had been so close to revealing his location.

He shook his head. Changkyun couldn’t allow himself to get comfortable yet. If they didn’t sense him when his clan bond was active, the bond on their side was disappearing. He just needed to make sure they didn’t find him until he knew it was gone.

It wouldn’t be long until it happened. He was sure of it.

-- --

“Where do you think Changkyun could be?” Minhyuk asked Kihyun as they laid side by side. They were sharing a room again, tired from the endless days searching for Changkyun.

“I don’t know,” Kihyun responded groggily. “For some reason, I feel like he’s in Soule.”

“Yeah, same.”

It was silent for a few moments, only soft breathing filling the air.

“Do you- do you think that Changkyun really doesn’t want to be part of the clan anymore? Should we just give up?”

“Minhyuk, go to sleep,” Kihyun groaned. Minhyuk apologized but Kihyun cut him off. “If we give up, we’ll never find him.”

In the stillness, the two laid there and stared up at the ceiling. “I guess you’re right,” Minhyuk said, before rolling over to sleep for the night.

“Aren’t I always?”

-- --

Almost a month in Soule and Changkyun was running low on money again. He had been doing all sorts of odd jobs on the black mage market, mostly helping the poor that really couldn’t afford to pay for the local clans’ help for the type of job they were asking for. He made money but not enough.

Even the bartender had praised him for getting rid of the riff-raff that had littered the halls for months at a time. Changkyun didn’t respond to that, disliking the casual classism that the bartender and the receptionist had for the clients.

But it was true. With Changkyun there, many of the poorer clients had their jobs filled and no longer sat around begging for someone to help. He had helped an old man say goodbye to his wife for $10. He solved the murder of a beloved father and got the stepmother arrested for $20. He helped exact revenge on a corporate business owner who had stolen everything from a small family-run business for $25. It wasn’t a lot of money and he was spending a lot of time on these cases but it made him happy to help.

And some days, he would return back to his little room exhausted but satisfied and look down to see thick inking on his arm, a reminder that he had to be careful about letting his longing grow. It had been weeks. If they hadn’t found him yet when his clan bond was active, they wouldn’t find him anytime soon. He comforted himself with that.

But on days when he’d run into dead ends, when he’d miss dinner or find something that he wanted to share with someone else, the longing welcomed him like a long lost friend. He would allow himself to bask in the comfort of their presence and hold on to his sanity for another day.

Sometimes, he tensed when he realized that the others had arrived in Soule and were looking. But the on and off signaling made it difficult for them to locate exactly where he was but easy for him to know exactly where to avoid.

With time, they would give up, he reminded himself.

Changkyun had just finished a job with a young woman who wanted to say her last words to her fiance that had died in an workplace accident. He was paid a neat sum of $15 and was on his way to buy something to eat.

As he walked down the street, he noticed an inconspicuous black car trail after him. He sped up and the car followed after. Before he could make a run for it, the window rolled down and a deep voice called his name.

“Lim Changkyun.”

Warily, Changkyun stepped towards the car, keeping a safe distance. “Who are you?”

The person in the car pulled out a business card from his suit pocket and tossed it to the floor by Changkyun’s feet. “Kim Shidae.”

“What do you want,” he asked, tense.

“In light of your recent… activities, you came to my attention. I’m offering you a job. I’ll pay you $5000 to finish it.”

“What?”

“It’s not a morally wrong job, if you’re worried about that. I just find it… difficult to hire people of your caliber. And of course, I need this to be done in secret. You’re the best on the market right now.”

Changkyun scratched his head, confused. “If you send me the files, sir, I’ll consider it.”

Shidae nodded. “You’ve caught my eye, Changkyun-shi. I hope you do not let me down.” He rolled up the window and signaled to his driver as Changkyun watched as the car sped away. The card in his hands was tucked away and the thick ink on his clan mark was bared out for all to see.

What Changkyun did not see was the hidden figure in the shadows that clenched its fists and disappeared into the night.

Kim Shidae’s job had been an easy one for the amount of money that he was offering. It was a high-profile murder case of a top government official related to a possible celebrity under Shidae’s entertainment company.

Changkyun’s job was to catch the true murderer and clear the name of the unknown celebrity before paparazzi caught wind. It had taken him three weeks to collect enough evidence with the guidance of the local spirits before he turned in the files to Shidae and was rewarded.

“I’ll keep in contact,” Shidae had said before Changkyun left his office with the cash. “You did well.”

As Changkyun left, Shidae’s driver made eye contact with him and nodded, expression grim, before the driver turned away and walked inside the office. Shaken, Changkyun walked off.

Inside the envelope was enough money to keep Changkyun happy for a good few months. The first thing he spent it on was dinner at an expensive restaurant that promised an authentic Japanese ramen experience, tired after so many weeks of eating instant ramen and microwave meals because he hadn’t been able to take on any other jobs while he was working on Shidae’s case. The instant the rich ramen broth touched his tongue, he moaned in delight, the savory and creamy soup like heaven after months of spiced water.

He hummed as he ate, enjoying the quiet atmosphere of the restaurant. Distantly, he thought of Hoseok and his obsession for ramen, an ache that made him stop eating for a moment to let it settle.

Thinking of the others hurt. It had been months since he had moved to Soule and he wondered how much longer it would be until he had to run again. Changkyun knew the others were in Soule, knew their approximate locations and knew that they had gotten glimpses of where he was before he turned off his signal.

But Soule was much too big for just them and Changkyun was easily lost in the crowds, impossible to find like a specific fish in the big wide ocean. Using that to his advantage, he managed to outrun them every time. It also helped that he rarely interacted with the other clans and while his magic was easy to sense, it was difficult to identify for someone who did not know him.

Still, it was becoming exhausting. Quiet nights alone in his small room were tiring, Changkyun too afraid to spend the money he earned on a bigger room in fears that he would have to leave soon. There was always a constant fear of accidentally running into them and not knowing what to do because he knew the moment he caught sight of them, his clan bond would become active. The burden he carried seemed to multiply until he suffocated under it.

Why were they holding on so tight? They should have given up by now, packed their bags, and headed back home now. If they kept holding on, what was the point?

-- --

It had been a week since Changkyun’s signal was last active. The rest of the clan was tense with anxiety, unsure what it was supposed to mean. Did Changkyun give up on them? Did he refuse the clan bond permanently? Those questions were better than the other ones that ran through their head.

There was no way Changkyun was dead. They had to believe it otherwise the anguish would have ruined them all.

Soule was too huge. The moment they thought they figured out where Changkyun was, by the time they got there, he was someplace else. It was a game of cat and mouse with no clear distinction on who was winning.

Hyungwon and Kihyun sat down while they waited for their drink orders. The magic in the air told them that the cafe was run by a local clan, the barista a mage. It was quiet, only the gentle jazz music that filtered through the air making any noise.

The dark-haired barista put the coffee down at their table, bowed to them, and left to pick up the phone that was now ringing. The two didn’t say anything, only sipped at their drinks and listened the the background music play.

“Sorry sir, we don’t do delivery,” the barista said into the phone. He hummed a little and nodded to whatever the person on the other end of the line was saying.

Hyungwon turned to Kihyun. “It’s been a really long time since Changkyun’s been in Soule,” he said, taking a sip from his iced americano and making a face.

Kihyun stirred his fruit-flavored tea, looking at it with mild disgust. “We’ve been in Soule for a long time too.” He sipped the drink and frowned. “But we still can’t find him.”

“He’s got an advantage on us,” Hyungwon agreed. “We spent over a week in Chinone. Would have spent more if his clan bond hadn’t gone active.”

The shorter hummed, lost in thought as he sipped his drink. “But it means he probably missed us enough that he couldn’t keep the bond turned off. It’s been going on and off lately and it’s driving me crazy.”

“Changkyun-” both Hyungwon and the barista said at the same time. Hyungwon’s mouth snapped shut and they both diverted their attention to where the barista was wrapping up the phone call.

“Lim Changkyun? One medium iced americano, extra shot?” The person on the other end must have confirmed because the barista nodded and wrote something on the cup. “Alright Changkyun-shi, your order will be prepared for you when you come to pay. We’ll make sure the coffee is brewed in time.” There was a slight pause. “Thirty minutes? Alright. Thank you.”

With a sigh, the barista hung up on the phone and wrote something on a clear plastic cup with the cafe’s logo on it.

Kihyun and Hyungwon looked at each other. “Do you think it’s Changkyun?” they asked at the same time.

“Should we call the others?” Kihyun said, opening his phone and pulling up the group message.

Hyungwon looked doubtful. “Would that help? It might just scare him off if he sees all six of us.”

“Or,” Kihyun said, “all six of us have a better chance of capturing him than just the two of us,” as he gestured between the two of them.

Taking another sip, Hyungwon looked doubtful. “I don’t know. When you say capture him , it makes it sound like we’re taking him against his will. What if he hates us more for doing that? What if that causes the clan bond to completely break?”

The face Kihyun made could only be described as helpless. “I don’t know then. We can’t take any chances,” he said.

“But we don’t know what the chances are,” Hyungwon finished.

Kihyun sighed. “The others are a couple blocks away. I’ll message them a few minutes before Changkyun is supposed to arrive. If he runs before then, that means he really doesn’t want to see us.”

Hyungwon nodded. “That’s as good a plan as we’re going to get,” he said with a sigh before drinking the rest of his americano. His nose scrunched in distaste.

“Why do you always get americanos when you don’t like them?”

“Changkyun likes them.”

-- --

The chiming bells welcomed Changkyun into the local coffeeshop. Clan-owned coffee shops were more comfortable to go to, he had discovered. The magic in the air was soothing and most of the workers and patrons were mages themselves, which allowed Changkyun to relax the strict control he had on his magic. A plus was that the coffee was always brewed fresh for each batch, the mages able to control elements that would cost too much for human places.

He stood in front of the counter, tapping his foot while he waited for the barista to ring his order up and prepare his drink. Calling in usually meant the pickup was faster because the coffee was brewed in advance.

The fresh smell of coffee floated through the air as it was poured out. Changkyun closed his eyes and breathed in, let the calming scent soothe his frazzled mind. Kim Shidae had handed him another mission just a few hours earlier and it was already much bigger than anything he had ever done before. That being said, it was a jackpot of a mission. He was offered over a million dollars to finish the case. With that money, Changkyun could live in luxury for years. Of course he said yes.

The barista handed him his drink and Changkyun thanked him before going to a table to sit for a little bit. He closed his eyes and let the soothing jazz song take him away. It was quiet, not many patrons that frequented the cafe, but a nice atmosphere that didn’t remind Changkyun of his clan despite the presence of magic.

He opened one eye when he heard the soft sounds of footsteps approaching him. A shadow fell over the table and a soft cough rang out. Changkyun looked up.

Standing in front of him was the barista, who handed him a small cake. Changkyun looked at him in confusion.

“Someone ordered this for you,” the barista said.

“Who?” Changkyun asked, using his fork to take a bite. He sighed in bliss. The cake was sweet but not cloyingly so, a light cream cake with sweet strawberries mixed in. Within seconds, it was gone.

“Those two over there,” the barista gestured while Changkyun ate. Changkyun turned and his blood ran cold. Kihyun and Hyungwon were engaged in conversation with each other, not looking his way. He sighed and looked mournfully at his coffee.

“I’m sorry, I have to go,” he apologized before he sidestepped the barista and made a beeline towards the door. He had to hurry before Kihyun and Hyungwon realized he had left.

The door chimed as he opened it and he cursed silently when, from the corner of his eye, he saw Kihyun and Hyungwon’s faces pop up from their conversation. He wasn’t a fast runner but he could probably disappear from sight before they managed to get up and run after him.

With a sigh, he took off into a sprint, towards a shortcut through an alley that he normally took on days when the streets were crowded. Tired, he sat down behind a trashcan and waited to catch his breath.

He froze when he felt the trace of magic that floated by. This wasn’t one of the mage enclaves, where magic was easily found. Without trying to reveal himself, he peaked to look who was passing by. The snow white hair and platinum blond hair told him what he already knew: it was Minhyuk and Hoseok that had passed him by.

Again, he cursed silently to himself. These two were one of the best at sensing magic. Even if his clan bond was turned off, his magic might give him away.

“Hyung, did you see what Kihyun and Hyungwon posted in the chat?” Changkyun froze, waiting to hear what the light mage would say. He had removed himself from the group chat in order not to be tracked, or at least that’s what he claimed. Reading the messages made him long for them so he deleted the app and refused to let himself fall back down that hole again.

“They said they saw Changkyun,” Hoseok replied. It was a tense moment, Changkyun holding his breath and hoping they wouldn’t sense his magic and walk past effortlessly.

“Yeah, but they said he ran away,” reminded Minhyuk. “What if he’s nearby?”

Hoseok scoffed. “If he’s nearby, then he must really hate us cause he keeps running away and hiding from us.” His voice broke a little. “What did we do wrong? Does Changkyun really not want to be part of the clan anymore?”

Changkyun groaned internally. He knew the moment that he saw them, it would be hard to stop the feelings of longing from rising. Hearing Hoseok’s fears made Changkyun want to jump out and scream that it wasn’t their fault, it was his, and that they needed to let him go because it was getting hard to protect them from himself.

Quietly, he slipped out from his hiding place and ran to the other opening, where he managed to throw himself into the crowd. He kept his head down, trying to blend in, but he nearly walked into a lamppost that drew more attention to himself anyways.

With a sigh, he made haste towards his little room. The longer he was out and about in the city, the greater the chances they would find him. Hyungwon and Kihyun had already spotted him and he had been within earshot of Hoseok and Minhyuk. If he ran into Jooheon or Hyunwoo, it was time to move on.

He made it back to the hostel in one piece without another encounter with the others. Hastily, he started throwing stuff in his bag before he sat down on the small bad and calmed himself down. Looking around, he frowned when he spotted the case file sitting innocently on his desk.

Changkyun still had some money left over from his last case with Kim Shidae but there was no doubt that the current case was the end all to end all. If he finished this, he wouldn’t have to worry about finding jobs and settling down for a long time. And if the X-clan’s search continued for him, he would need the buffer.

He sighed and slowly unpacked what little he had in his bag. For now, all he could do was pray that he wouldn’t exactly reveal himself before he finished the mission. The rest of the members were too close now and it was only a matter of time before it was all over.

Changkyun frowned as he toyed with the corners of the paper in the mission file. One million dollars to find the murderer of Kim Shidae’s mistress. It had to be done in secret so that his wife would not discover the illicit affair that had been occurring under her nose.

In the case notes, there was a comment that made Changkyun wary on the full extent of what the mission would entail. I’ve only offered this case once before, to a mage much older and much more experienced than you, and he could not finish it. He turned to dark magic but that corrupted him so completely that I was forced to terminate his contract.

It was possible, he knew, for mages to attempt to gain more power by coveting dark magic. Though rare, it was still a common enough phenomenon that rumors spread amongst the inner circles. Although not tested, it was believed that mages that truly wanted dark magic would have to steal it from another dark mage.

But dark magic was unstable in the hands of someone not naturally born a dark mage like Changkyun, which is why the new laws were passed that dark mages must be part of a clan to stabilize the volatile magic they possessed. The immense power it took to steal someone’s magic and not kill them was beyond mortal ability. Murder was the easier option but those who were too young or who lacked well-developed magic control would be unable to contain the magic and lead to a soul fragment, ultimately killing themselves, and maybe others, in the end.

What about this case would have made the person before him so desperate they would turn to dark magic? The young, youthful face of Kim Shidae’s mistress stared back at him and he frowned. The woman could not have been much older than himself.

Changkyun closed the file and sighed. It was going to be a long day tomorrow.

-- --

He barely made it home before he passed out on the floor of his room, door still slightly open. When he came to, he groaned in pain and rubbed at his chest.

In order to figure out what happened to Kim Shidae’s mistress, Changkyun had to travel to the small private cemetery where the CEO had built a small monument in her honor. Changkyun laid down a thick blanket on the grass and sat down. He closed his eyes and let his magic loose, where it penetrated through the ground in search of something.

Distantly, he felt it. Taking a deep breath, he forced his magic through and the feeling of the world disappearing took over.

When he opened his eyes again, he was standing on an empty street at night in the middle of Soule. Behind him, a girl emerged wearing a sheer silk kimono and a tight-fitted black dress. Behind her, another man appeared, holding out his tan jacket to her.

“It’s cold,” he said, draping it across her shoulders. She frowned a little, touching the fabric carefully before pulling it off and handing it back to him.

“It’s fine,” she replied, coldness evident in her voice. “You should go. He’ll be picking me up soon.”

“Who is this he?” the man asked, still uncomfortably close to the woman.

She stepped back. “Someone important,” was all she said before walking away and leaving the man behind. A car rolled up and she got in quickly, shutting the door behind her. The car zoomed away before Changkyun could even think of diving into the car after her.

He sighed and let his magic carry him through time and space of the memory until he opened his eyes and he was in front of an apartment complex. The car that the woman had stepped into stopped and she alighted from the car. Behind her, Changkyun could see the silhouette of what looked like Kim Shidae.

“Thank you, oppa,” she said. Changkyun couldn’t hear what the man in the car was saying, only that she smiled and shut the door. He followed her up to her apartment waiting for something to happen. As she changed clothes, he averted his eyes and looked around to see what could have gone wrong that would have led to this young woman’s death.

Outside, a light patter of rain started before turning into a thundering storm. A fierce crash of lightning lit up the night and when it cleared, everything was dark. Changkyun blinked, unable to see clearly until the light of a phone illuminated the girl’s face. She looked tired and upset.

A knock on the door sounded through the apartment. She frowned and standing up walked to the door, slowly opening it without removing the chain lock. From Changkyun’s vantage point, he could see a dark silhouette holding a candle.

Quietly, she undid the lock and let the mysterious person in. To Changkyun’s surprise, it was the same man from earlier, who she had met before leaving with Kim Shidae.

“What do you want?” she asked. The man was soaking wet and leaving water trails all over the floor. He followed her in and shut the door.

“Someone’s chasing after me. I need a place to hide.”

She frowned. “And you chose here?”

“If I’m going to die, I’d rather die with you, my love,” he said, giving her a dark smile.

It was quiet for a moment. “Go fuck yourself,” she responded finally, walking away from him. He grinned and followed after her.

Right as he grabbed her by the arm, the front door swung open and both turned quickly towards the noise. In the doorway, illuminated by the flashes of lightning, a dark figure stood. Something crawled up Changkyun’s skin, a feeling of discomfort that left him feeling cold.

The man pushed the woman behind him and held a fighting stance. Although it was difficult to tell in the memory, Changkyun recognized the appearance of someone releasing their magic. He was a mage.

It was a tense moment before suddenly both of them were thrown back by an unknown force from the mysterious figure in the doorway. The man staggered up and launched his own attacks. It was too dark for Changkyun to tell what type of mage the man was but he could sense the power as it spread heavily.

From behind, Changkyun could faintly make out the woman crawling away. She seemed to be choking on the heavy magic that permeated the air, too thick for any mage to breathe easily, let alone a human.

The fight between the two mages was intense and Changkyun, although he did not need to, wanted to run for cover. He made his way to the woman and waited for something to happen. The true cause of her death would appear soon.

Finally, the man collapsed to his knees and gasped. The dark figure, face hidden by his black hood, stood in front of him like a towering obstacle that he could not overcome. With a grim smile, he lowered the hood and revealed his face.

Changkyun gasped when something tried to force him out of the memory. He held on, feeling the dark magic unleash itself. Then there was screaming, blinding lights, and pain. Immense pain that it knocked Changkyun out for a brief moment.

When he came to, the lights had returned. The man on the floor lay prone but the light breathing told Changkyun that he was still alive. However, the woman behind him was frozen in death. Her body laid lifelessly against the wall, a thin trail of blood leaking down her lips. She remained in the shadows, covered away from anyone who had not been looking at her.

Changkyun winced when he stood up, feeling a sharp pain run through his chest. Soul crack , he thought. The sheer power of the magic coming off from the two mages must have caused his magic to rebel to protect itself.

He frowned when in the corner of his eye, the dark figure stood and rubbed at his chest. Did he go through a soul crack as well? In front of him, Kim Shidae’s driver stood, blood leaking through his mouth in a morbid grin.

The driver bent down and started to drag the other man’s body down, where he groaned in pain, attempting to turn in on himself to soothe the burning in his chest.

Slowly, the pieces were coming together. But there was one thing that was missing that Changkyun needed to know before he could connect all the pieces together. He walked over to the corpse of the woman, even paler in death, the only color the bright red of blood and her lipstick. Gently, he placed his hand on his forehead and released the remaining magic he had left.

In the real world, it was raining, a soft drizzle that had soaked Changkyun to the bone while he lay unconscious on the ground during his venture into the memory. Luckily, the blanket he was on protected him from being covered completely in mud.

He stood up and started the trek back to his room, shivering as the rain poured around him.

As he heated boiling water to make instant ramen, he waited for Kim Shidae to pick up his phone. In new clothes, he sat down and listened to the ringing of the phone.

“Kim Shidae speaking,” the voice on the other line said.

“Hello sir, this is Lim Changkyun. I had a few questions about the case.” The CEO grunted. Changkyun took that as a sign to continue. “I discovered that your driver was a mage,” he started slowly.

“Ah yes.”

“Why do you not put him on these cases that you give to the black mage market. You obviously trust him.”

“I try to make it so that there’s less obvious connection to my involvement in these cases. He does other jobs for me. And he also tends to be a little less… subtle when he does such cases.”

Changkyun nodded. “I see. And would you happen to know any other mages?”

There was a pause. “I’ve hired a few before,” he admitted. “Why do you ask?”

“One’s that you’ve tried to kill before? Or had your driver kill?”

The tension lingered the longer the silence remained. “Why do you ask?” he repeated, tightness evident in his voice.

“I’d take it that you were planning to file criminal charges against the murderer, right?” There was a sound of affirmation across the line. “It seems you hired the murderer yourself.”

“What do you mean?” If Changkyun had been face to face, he imagined Kim Shidae’s face would have paled.

“The dead was killed in the crossfire of a mage battle,” he said slowly, feeling the distaste in his mouth. “The combined magic power and subsequent soul cracks from both mages were too much for a human. She died from the sheer force of magic around her.”

“No, you’re lying,” Shidae said shakily. “That wouldn’t have had happened.”

“I believe you’d find that it is within the realm of possibility and is what happened,” Changkyun replied calmly. He stuttered over his next few words, not used to giving off long monologues. “But- but there’s some things I’m trying to connect before I can give you the final answer.”

“Ask away,” he said, wearily.

“Why did you send someone to kill that mage?”

Kim Shidae sighed. “I didn’t. The only time I’ve sent my driver to deal with a mage was when one had gotten cocky and attempted to monopolize the black market cases I gave out.”

Changkyun hummed. “Then how did that one know your mistress?”

On the phone, it went silent, not even light breathing or the clicking of pens could be heard. “What?” the CEO breathed out.

“What was the relationship between your mistress and that mage?”

“None,” he said. “The only possible thing I could think of was when I sent him out to investigate her… her death.”

Changkyun frowned. It seemed the CEO did not know there was a prior relationship. “Do you… do you think that’s why he turned to dark magic?”

There was a pause. “Possibly. He was very distraught when he saw the picture.”

“I see. It’s starting to make sense now,” Changkyun said. “I’ll be at your office with the full details tomorrow. Please have the money ready to be transferred.”

There was a quiet “Of course,” before the line cut off. Changkyun frowned and stirred his noodles. Lightly, he rubbed at his chest, feeling the ache where there was no doubtedly a crack on his soul mark.

For a moment, he thought of the X-clan before shutting those thoughts down and turning on the TV. Tomorrow, he would prepare to leave Soule and move on.

-- --

Changkyun walked out with his wallet much heavier and none of his questions answered. Kim Shidae had only given him a wary look as he spoke, detailing what he knew of the crime. After he had finished speaking, the CEO slid him an envelope.

“For your efforts,” he said. “Although I can’t get justice for her, at least there’s no more questions. It seems-” he hesitated, “it seems that I should have been more careful who I chose for missions from the very start.”

“With all due respect, sir,” Changkyun replied, “if you hadn’t given me the opportunity to do jobs for you, I would have starved by now.”

Kim Shidae smiled lightly. “You said you’re moving away from Soule now?”

Changkyun nodded.

“It’s a shame. Who will I go to for missions now?”

A soft smile settled on Changkyun’s face. “If you can’t contact me, may I recommend a group?” The CEO gestured for him to continue. “The X-Clan. They’re quite powerful and I guarantee you will be happy with their work. They’re not exactly from Soule but they’re close enough.”

With that, he bowed and left. He stopped by the bank to deposit the check and to withdraw some money for the road. Changkyun only had his bag and a few possessions that he had grown attached to in his stay in Soule. But it was time to move on.

A part of him mourned leaving everything behind, the same part that missed his hyungs and loathed the loneliness of being a stray mage. It was different now than it was those few years ago after his first clan had disbanded. Having gotten a taste of what clans were supposed to be like made Changkyun crave it more, like an addict searching for his next fix.

He walked down the streets, soaking in the sights, the last he would see for a long while as he traveled the country. Changkyun considered leaving the country, especially now that he had the money to do so, but border rules about unbound dark mages made it difficult to leave easily without proper planning months in advance.

It was a quiet afternoon, he mused. The sun was bright and shiny, the sky a perfect blue. He had just barely missed the morning crowd headed to the subways for the early commute. As he walked past the inner city subways to the trains, it transitioned from a busy crowd to a quiet street where Changkyun’s footsteps echoed off the buildings as he walked.

Streets empty, he closed his eyes and let his feet carry him along. His eyes snapped open when he heard footsteps behind him.

The heavy footfalls seemed to get louder and Changkyun tensed as he sped up, hoping not to run into the other members. How did they know where he was? He headed to an alley, hoping to use it as a hiding spot.

As soon as he turned in, the footsteps disappeared. Changkyun bent over and tried to catch his breath only to look up and be pushed down to the ground and out in the open when a dark-haired man stood in front of him.

This man was a mage, Changkyun could sense his magic because it raged uncontrollably around him. It wasn’t magic he was familiar with. Changkyun winced as he moved his hands, scratched up from scraping the ground when he fell. He looked up, hoping to see who it was.

Changkyun froze. In front of him was the man that he had seen in the memory, the mage that had been taken away. In the back of his head, a faint voice reminded him that this person was the same person that had turned to dark magic when he couldn’t solve the murder of Kim Shidae’s mistress and what he presumed was the mage’s lover.

The mage’s eyes were a dark black, black lines radiating out from the pupils. His face was unnaturally pale, like the life had been sucked out of him and along his neck, spidery black lines spread across, looking like it originated from where his soul mark should be. A long tongue licked grayish-blue lips and Changkyun shivered at the intense smirk that the mage in front of him wore.

He bent down unnervingly close to Changkyun and Changkyun could see the thin black lines that spread across his face, like tiny cracks on the surface of a pot about to break. Changkyun looked down, unable to look at the messed up features without feeling sick.

A thin, spindly finger reached under Changkyun’s chin and pushed his face up to look at the dark mage. “So this is who Shidae decided to replace me with,” the mage mused, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Changkyun said, voice shaky. He slowly tried to back away.

The other mage stood up and laughed hysterically, like a psychopath. Changkyun took the chance to stand up and run as fast he could, hoping to lose the dark mage quickly.

It wasn’t as easy as he hoped it would be. Changkyun could feel the sheer magic power fill the air and something grabbed his ankle sending him toppling over. When he looked back to see what it was, a hand made out of shadows let go of his leg and slithered back into the darkness.

He winced when he stood up, feeling a twinge in his ankle. Behind him, the dark mage walked leisurely, the shadows bending towards him at his will. Changkyun debated what to do. He couldn’t run, not with his bag full and his ankle hurt.

Then there was a shrill scream and Changkyun turned. Just a little off ways was a young woman holding a small child to her chest. Unbidden, the image of Shidae’s mistress appeared in Changkyun’s mind. The sheer force of magic between this battle would kill her if she wasn’t able to get to the safety.

There was no hesitation, no questions asked. He turned to her and barked, “Get out!” Changkyun threw his bag down and stood up, holding back stumbling from the pain.

“Hey,” he shouted, “your fight is with me.”

He turned and ran off away from the train station, hoping to put distance between them and any humans that could be caught in the crossfire. When he turned around, there was a leisurely smile on the other mage’s face as he calmly walked after Changkyun. But his strides were long and it seemed that the shadows propelled him forward because for every stride he took, he got even closer to Changkyun.

The necromancer ran faster, trying to outpace the nameless dark mage. He tumbled to a stop as he got to the large, empty clearing by the river that ambled lazily through the city. Behind him, he could hear the faint steps of the dark mage.

Scanning the vicinity, he sighed in relief when it was completely empty. Changkyun picked himself up and dusted himself off as he turned to glare at the approaching dark mage.

“I thought you wanted to fight, little one,” the man in front of him laughed.

“What do you want,” Changkyun spat out. “I don’t work for Kim Shidae anymore.”

The dark mage’s eyes darkened. “Good choice,” he said, voice tight and bitter. “But that’s not what I want.” His eyes gleamed.

Changkyun resisted the urge to shudder. “Then what do you want,” he gritted out, trying to keep his face expressionless and voice calm.

“Power.” The way the man said it made Changkyun’s blood run cold. The sheer force of the dark magic that leaked out of this man spoke of unbelievable power as it was, power that he could not control nor handle. Why would he want more?

The dark mage laughed at Changkyun’s expression. “Ah, you probably can tell that I already have a lot of power,” he said, gesturing to himself. His expression hardened. “It’s not enough.”

Changkyun stepped back as the magic surrounding the mage grew even more frenzied and thick, dark lines started spreading along the lines that were already visible on the mage’s neck.

“Tell me. What would you do for someone you love?”

Changkyun paused, confused at the question. “Why are you asking,” he said guardedly.

“Just answer the question.”

“Anything.”

With a smile, “Exactly,” the other mage said before all his magic came blasting towards Changkyun. The necromancer was thrown back into the air where he landed with a thud on his back. He groaned in pain, pushing himself to stand up.

Changkyun could feel his own dark magic warring to get out. It seeped out along the crack in his soul mark and the longer he didn’t fight against the other mage, the more it pushed against his control.

“Don’t worry, little mage,” the man cooed, “your magic will be put to good use.”

Before the man could approach him, Changkyun ran to the largest leafy tree and grabbed the trunk. Instantly, death spread throughout the tree, battering the other mage in dead leaves and broken branches, burying him under the yellow and orange foliage. Changkyun grabbed one from the ground and held it out in front of him like a sword.

With a snarl, the dark mage blasted the plants away from him and in a blink of an eye, was in front of Changkyun. He ripped the branch from Changkyun’s hands and grabbed Changkyun by the neck, pinning him to the tree. As Changkyun struggled against the stranglehold, the man leant in with a cold smile.

“Don’t worry,” he said, “It’ll be over in an instant.”

Changkyun’s last thought was I wish I could have said good-bye. I’m sorry hyungs. Then there was immense pain and the world went black.

-- --

“I found his backpack,” Kihyun called out, holding up a dark black bag with a few button pins decorating it. Inside were a few clothes and a wallet that when opened revealed Changkyun’s ID card.

“His signal is somewhere here,” Minhyuk said, frustrated. “It was so strong before. But now it’s really faint. I can’t get a good hold of it.”

Hoseok, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke. “There’s traces of dark magic down here,” he said, pointing down a road.

“Changkyun wouldn’t use dark magic if he didn’t need to,” Jooheon countered.

Hyunwoo’s eyes furrowed. “What if his powers manifested and he lost control?”

“What if he’s in trouble,” Kihyun said, gripping Changkyun’s bag in his hand. “We need to hurry.”

They followed Hoseok, the presence of dark magic becoming thicker and more cloying the closer they got to the river. A human would not have been able to pass, the air so heavy with magic that it lay like a weight on top of them.

Hoseok screamed but was quickly shut off by Hyunwoo putting a hand over his mouth.

Hyungwon, who had been closer to the back, froze when he saw why. In the distance, two figures stood facing off. The tree behind one of them had fallen over, destroyed.

The shorter figure wobbled a little on his feet, like nausea was starting to settle in. He clutched his chest for a moment, trying to balance himself. The taller figure did not seem fazed, only raised his hand to wipe his mouth and spit out some blood to the floor.

Even from where they were, Hyungwon could see the spindly black patterns stretched over the taller’s face. Next to him, Jooheon was tense.

Slowly, they approached, trying not to make the two fighting mages aware of their presence. They hid behind a tree, careful not to make too much noise. As they got closer, they could hear the rasping voice of the taller.

“Stop fighting back, you piece of shit,” he spat out.

“No,” was Changkyun’s quiet reply. A bit of pride swelled in Hyungwon’s chest, admiration for Changkyun’s resilience filling it with warmth.

Hyungwon tensed as the rogue dark mage rushed toward Changkyun, towering over the smaller body. “I need more power!” he roared, reaching for Changkyun’s throat. Hyungwon’s breath hitched as Changkyun did not move and the hand enclosed around it, fitting perfectly across blue bruises already etched in the skin.

“Let the dead stay dead,” he cried out, and the dark mage was thrown back, sending Changkyun to the floor. He looked up and thanked someone that the others couldn’t see, spirits perhaps.

The other man struggled on the floor, the shadows around him wriggling in agitation. If Hyungwon looked closely, his arms and legs were held down by bones that had breached the ground and wrapped themselves around the man like shackles.

Changkyun staggered forward. “She doesn’t want this,” he said quietly, reaching out to touch the man’s forehead. The magic surrounding the two became thicker but cleaner and with a sigh, Changkyun reached down and directed his magic to pull the dark magic out of the man.

The dark mage stopped struggling before letting out a long wail. All the shadows in the area rushed towards the two, causing Changkyun to fall back, stopping him from finishing the extraction of dark magic.

“Changkyun!” Hoseok screamed.

Changkyun turned to them and his eyes widened in shock. He didn’t have time to say anything before the shadows at his feet started wrapping around the prone mage on the floor and bubbling around, pure darkness engulfing everything in its path.

“Get out of the way,” Jooheon screamed, pulling Hoseok back where he was about to run forward. “It’s a soul fragment!”

“No, Changkyun!” Kihyun yelled.

No one was prepared for the seismic amount of magic that was released when a soul fragmented. Instantly, everyone threw up their magic to shield the group. Changkyun stood alone, closest to the detonated magic.

In almost a mess of magic colliding and creating a hazy chaos of mess, a boom! was felt and everyone was thrown backwards. A bright light took over and the world faded into the shadows.

When Hyungwon finally managed to stand up, a giant rock wall had been erected, fortified by a heavy thicket of branches from the tree they had hidden behind. Several of the park benches and metal fences were piled against it too.

He blinked and looked around. The others looked disoriented but fine. He gasped. “Changkyun!”

A painful feeling in his gut brewed. Changkyun hadn’t been protected and he had been closest to the soul fragment when it happened. Was he okay? How could he be?

Slowly, everything fell away as the others put down their shields crafted by their magic. In the dust, Hyungwon saw a prone body and his heart sank. No, it couldn’t be.

As the dust cleared, it became obvious that the body on the ground was not Changkyun but the dark mage that he had been fighting. His face was pale in death and the cracks that littered his body spoke of unspeakable horrors. In the area where his soul mark should have been, a gaping hole that leaked darkness and shadows remained. Soul consumption .

“Where’s Changkyun?” Kihyun asked, voice wobbly. “Where is he?”

“He had to have gotten away,” Jooheon said, shaking his head. “He has to.” The rawness in his voice would haunt Hyungwon’s nightmares for a long time afterwards.

Minhyuk pointed to something. “There’s something there.”

Hyunwoo looked down. “I don’t see anything.”

“Look,” Minhyuk emphasized. “There!”

Hoseok turned his gaze. “No, he’s right. There’s something there.”

Hyunwoo sighed. “Be careful,” he warned. “We don’t know what it is.”

Slowly, they made their ways towards it, each mage holding their magic ready to fight if it came down to that. As they got closer, the magic became clearer, waves of magic bending the light around a certain spot. It looked like… a portal.

In front of them, standing in what seemed like a rip between the human plane, was Changkyun.

“Changkyun! You’re okay.” Jooheon cried out, rushing forward, only to stop when Changkyun took a step back.

“Don’t get closer, hyungs,” he warned. “This is a portal to the Netherworld. Put one finger in and you’ll die.” He coughed, voice shaky and legs weak.

From where Hyungwon stood, he could see the paleness that had settled on Changkyun’s skin and how color continued to leak out of his complexion, making him almost unnaturally ghostly.

“Changkyun, please,” Kihyun begged. “Don’t run away.”

The necromancer shook his head resolutely. “No, this is for the best. I need to do this.” Changkyun swayed on his feet, obviously struggling to stay conscious.

“We need you!” Hoseok exploded. “Whatever is going on in your head, just stop. We’ll work it out!”

In the corner of his eye, Hyungwon caught the edge of the portal inching closer. “Please, Changkyun,” he said. He huffed and reached forward. “If you don’t come out, I’ll come in and get you,” he threatened.

Changkyun’s eyes widened. “You can’t,” he said. “You’ll die.”

“And so will you if you don’t hurry,” Hyungwon countered. He held his hand out.

Hesitantly and ever so slowly, Changkyun reached his hand out across the divide and gripped Hyungwon’s hand. Behind him, the others wrapped their arms around each other and pulled until Changkyun had been lifted out of the portal and back to the real world.

He stumbled to the ground, legs shaky and red starting to filter through his cheeks. He wheezed and with a soft sigh, Changkyun collapsed, a dead weight that dragged all the members down with him.

Luckily, Hyunwoo managed to cushion his fall with his body and Changkyun rolled gently to the ground a few feet away. But before anyone could reach over to the boy to make sure he was okay, a burst of magic sent them flying back.

“It can’t be,” Minhyuk said quietly. “A soul fragment would be much stronger, wouldn’t it?”

Kihyun approached slowly and pushed Changkyun over, where he had been laying in a pile of limbs. He patted Changkyun’s cheek slowly, checking for any responsiveness but Changkyun remained motionless. Only the light rise and fall of his chest through his baggy jacket was any sign of life and it wasn’t necessarily a good one. Soul fragments broke the connection between the soul and the body but it didn’t necessarily mean that the body would die.

“We have to check,” Minhyuk said. Kihyun slowly pulled at the top of Changkyun’s shirt, so that it slipped off his shoulder and revealed the soul mark on his chest.

The circle, surrounded in chains, the sign of a necromancer, was covered in dark lines, cracks that spread out fully throughout the mark. They gathered around and traced each line, hoping that no line would completely connect, signaling a complete soul fragment.

After a long, tedious moment, they stepped back with a sigh of relief. While extensively damaged, Changkyun’s soul was not fragmented, only severely cracked. With enough love and rest, he would be fine.

Hyunwoo gathered Changkyun into his arms and the clan walked back, ready to head home and finally complete.

-- --

Changkyun woke up to a dark room on a soft bed. He touched the bedding carefully only to realize that it was his own back at the clan house. He sighed softly and held up his hand to trace lightly at the clan mark, fully inked and perfect.

“You’re awake,” a voice said. Changkyun jumped and turned around blindly in the dark. The lights flickered on and Hoseok appeared by his side. How Changkyun had missed him, he wasn’t sure. He would blame the disorientation.

“How long was I out?” he asked softly, voice hoarse. Hoseok handed him a water bottle and watched him drink with unreadable eyes.

“About a week,” he finally said. Changkyun choked. What?

“You gave us quite a scare there, kid,” Hoseok said. “We didn’t know when you’d wake up or even if you’d wake up at all.”

“Well, I did,” Changkyun mumbled.

Hoseok gave him a fond smile that made Changkyun’s heart flutter. “Yeah, you did.” He stood up and clapped his hands. “Go to sleep a little more. It’s like 4AM. Kihyun will be up soon but you should rest before he comes in and gives you the ultimatum.”

Changkyun groaned, not pleased about being lectured after almost dying.

But Hoseok was right, that he would need the rest. He sat through Kihyun’s speech, then Hyunwoo’s stern lecture, then Hyungwon’s rants, then Jooheon’s rambling, and Minhyuk’s long-winded monologue. He suffered through their hugs and affection until the warmth that filled in became too much after spending so much time alone.

Finally, they were all gathered around his bedside. “Changkyun, why did you run away?”

He hesitated, unsure of how to answer Hyunwoo. “I- I thought it would be for the best,” he managed to say. “Dark magic corrupts clan bonds and I didn’t want anything to happen to you guys.”

“Don’t you think,” Hyungwon interrupted, “that you should have given us that choice?”

Kihyun hummed in agreement. “We were so worried about you, Changkyun.”

“And in the end, we were okay. You didn’t have to run,” Minhyuk added, rubbing at Changkyun’s shoulder gently.

Changkyun turned his head down and nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Jooheon soothed, voice soft and careful. “You only did what you thought was best. Just,” he said, “just talk to us, okay?”

“Okay,” Changkyun nodded.

And that was the end of that. It took Changkyun another week to recuperate and at least to get back on his feet. Kihyun’s prescription for him was intense love and adoration so that his soul cracks would heal. Slowly and carefully, things returned to normal.

One afternoon, as Changkyun flipped through Monsta , he spotted a small handwritten note at the back of the book.

Changkyun,

It has come to my attention that you are worried about how your powers will affect your clan. I offer this advice to you.

For all good luck, there must be bad luck. Death is not inherently evil nor is it inherently kind. It is neither a punishment nor a blessing. Love is something the heavens do not willingly offer, only what mortals can. And as always, death is the inevitable end. Everything must die, even the gods.

I wish you luck in your endeavors, you who I have blessed with great power. I saw in your soul, greatness, which is why I granted you your magic. Be sure in yourself that the magic you possess is a gift and not a curse.

The Grim Reaper

“Changkyun? Hey, we have to go.”

Changkyun closed the book with a soft smile and looked up to where the six other members of the X-clan were waiting.

“You okay?” Jooheon asked.

“Yeah, I’m okay.”