One: The Legend of EXO (Chapter Four)
Title: One: The Legend of EXO
Rating: PG-13
When darkness descends the Dragon shall rise,
Along with twin moons and the Thief, King of Lies.
When Phoenix takes flight and sun covers sun,
When evil is vanquished, the Twelve become One.
Chapter Four
Kris stepped through the heavy oak door, his footsteps echoing on the polished wood floor. Bookcases laden with bounded tomes lined the office walls from floor to ceiling. Upon the desk before him sat a golden plaque inscribed with the word Director. The noontime sun streamed in through the windows, lighting up the flecks of dust drifting in the air.
"You wanted to see me, Father?"
Director Wu turned around to face him. He was a distinguished man with his impressive height and intelligent eyes, but time had worn away at his features, streaking grey his once-raven hair.
"Have you spoken with your mother?" he asked, his tone detached. Both knew it was an empty inquiry.
Kris shrugged. His father continued.
"We signed the divorce papers this morning, before she left."
He had been expecting the blow, had known for the past two years that it was inevitable but the pain still cut to his core. Deep down, there was a minuscule part of him that still hoped for their broken family to be miraculously mended. But there were just some things in life that could never be fixed, no matter how hard you tried.
"So who has custody?" Kris said, struggling to his voice neutral. He was not going to fall apart, not here.
"I do, but only on paper. You're welcome to visit her anytime." Kris snorted. As if he was going to fly all the way to Canada to see a mother who wanted only to forget.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Enter."
The boy who walked in looked no older than fifteen, with side-swept bangs and a pointed chin. Despite his hooded eyes and the black studs that lined his ears, there was a bright, child-like innocence to him.
"Ah, Miss Liu, come on in. Welcome to SM Academy."
As his father droned on about the school's prestige and history, Kris studied the strange girl beside him. He could see it now, the long lashes and slight built that hinted at the femininity behind the boyish exterior. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, evidently amused by his confusion.
"Kris here will be your guide today." His father looked sternly towards him. For whatever reason, this girl was important enough that the Director himself had personally greeted her. Kris almost laughed out loud; his father was an idiot for entrusting her with him.
The girl grinned up at him. "Nice to meet you. I'm Amber."
He nodded curtly in response. Then, ignoring his father completely, he turned on his heels and left. She followed, struggling to keep up with his long strides but Kris could care less. He had to get away.
"Fuck," he swore, slamming a fist against the wall. He didn't know what he hated more, his father's indifference or his own stupid self for giving a shit.
He could feel Amber's eyes on him. She probably thought he was crazy. Actually it was better if she did; maybe then she would leave him and let him deal with the chaos raging through his mind.
"Here."
Kris stared dumbly at the glossy brochure she held out for him.
"Rip it apart. You can still get it all out of your system without permanently maiming yourself."
It was a moronic idea but his knuckles were already throbbing in protest. He grabbed the booklet from her hand, flipped to the school faculty page and tore it down the middle, right through his father's smiling face. Within seconds, he had reduced the brochure to a pile of shredded paper before his feet.
"Feeling better?" Slowly he nodded, surprised by the quiet calm that had settled in his heart. Amber smiled softly, not a trace of judgement or false sympathy in her clear, honest eyes.
For a split second, Amber looked exactly like her.
***
Lay knew he was getting desperate.
He stared at the poster on the wall, identical to fifty others he had taped around the school. The words Leave it to Lay were printed in bold beneath a picture of himself. The election was on Friday and pre-poll results had declared him in second place, behind the good-for-nothing Hangeng. He refused to lose again and would do almost anything (within the rules, that is) that would guarantee his victory.
The gym door finally opened as his target walked out.
"Tao, can I have a word?"
The freshman looked at him in surprise.
"Listen, I have a proposal that would benefit the both of us..." Lay began. Ten minutes later, he found himself in an empty classroom with the others.
"All I'm asking is that you wear these for the next week." He handed everyone a "Vote Lay for President" pin, pausing before Luhan. "Especially you." He had long realized the need for star power in his campaign and with Luhan's support, he was guaranteed at least a third of the female population.
"So we put on your stupid pins and you'll do what, buy us cookies?" Xiumin said sarcastically.
"I'll join you and promise to participate in all the activities that this...club will hold." It would no doubt be a phenomenal waste of his time, but well worth it if he won the election. He held up his right hand. "I swear it."
Suddenly, a pinprick of green light appeared in the air above them, expanding like a balloon with every passing second. Wind howled around them as the light grew bigger, brighter, stretching to every corner of the room.
Knights, awaken. It was the same voice he had heard in the bathroom.
Arrows of green light shot out from the centre, aimed straight at their hearts. Lay felt a rush of power flow through him, the roar of some ancient creature ringing in his ear. Never had he felt so alive, so free, his body weightless yet strong.
With a pop, the light disappeared, taking with it the sweet euphoria that had enveloped him. It had left something behind, a tangible reminder of the phenomenon.
There, on the linoleum floor was a small scroll of brown paper. Lay reached for it with trembling hands, unrolling it. Faded words were inked onto the parchment:
When darkness descends the Dragon shall rise,
Along with twin moons and the Thief, King of Lies.
When Phoenix takes flight and sun covers sun,
When evil is vanquished, the Twelve become One.
Continue
Rating: PG-13
When darkness descends the Dragon shall rise,
Along with twin moons and the Thief, King of Lies.
When Phoenix takes flight and sun covers sun,
When evil is vanquished, the Twelve become One.
Chapter Four
Kris stepped through the heavy oak door, his footsteps echoing on the polished wood floor. Bookcases laden with bounded tomes lined the office walls from floor to ceiling. Upon the desk before him sat a golden plaque inscribed with the word Director. The noontime sun streamed in through the windows, lighting up the flecks of dust drifting in the air.
"You wanted to see me, Father?"
Director Wu turned around to face him. He was a distinguished man with his impressive height and intelligent eyes, but time had worn away at his features, streaking grey his once-raven hair.
"Have you spoken with your mother?" he asked, his tone detached. Both knew it was an empty inquiry.
Kris shrugged. His father continued.
"We signed the divorce papers this morning, before she left."
He had been expecting the blow, had known for the past two years that it was inevitable but the pain still cut to his core. Deep down, there was a minuscule part of him that still hoped for their broken family to be miraculously mended. But there were just some things in life that could never be fixed, no matter how hard you tried.
"So who has custody?" Kris said, struggling to his voice neutral. He was not going to fall apart, not here.
"I do, but only on paper. You're welcome to visit her anytime." Kris snorted. As if he was going to fly all the way to Canada to see a mother who wanted only to forget.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Enter."
The boy who walked in looked no older than fifteen, with side-swept bangs and a pointed chin. Despite his hooded eyes and the black studs that lined his ears, there was a bright, child-like innocence to him.
"Ah, Miss Liu, come on in. Welcome to SM Academy."
As his father droned on about the school's prestige and history, Kris studied the strange girl beside him. He could see it now, the long lashes and slight built that hinted at the femininity behind the boyish exterior. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, evidently amused by his confusion.
"Kris here will be your guide today." His father looked sternly towards him. For whatever reason, this girl was important enough that the Director himself had personally greeted her. Kris almost laughed out loud; his father was an idiot for entrusting her with him.
The girl grinned up at him. "Nice to meet you. I'm Amber."
He nodded curtly in response. Then, ignoring his father completely, he turned on his heels and left. She followed, struggling to keep up with his long strides but Kris could care less. He had to get away.
"Fuck," he swore, slamming a fist against the wall. He didn't know what he hated more, his father's indifference or his own stupid self for giving a shit.
He could feel Amber's eyes on him. She probably thought he was crazy. Actually it was better if she did; maybe then she would leave him and let him deal with the chaos raging through his mind.
"Here."
Kris stared dumbly at the glossy brochure she held out for him.
"Rip it apart. You can still get it all out of your system without permanently maiming yourself."
It was a moronic idea but his knuckles were already throbbing in protest. He grabbed the booklet from her hand, flipped to the school faculty page and tore it down the middle, right through his father's smiling face. Within seconds, he had reduced the brochure to a pile of shredded paper before his feet.
"Feeling better?" Slowly he nodded, surprised by the quiet calm that had settled in his heart. Amber smiled softly, not a trace of judgement or false sympathy in her clear, honest eyes.
For a split second, Amber looked exactly like her.
***
Lay knew he was getting desperate.
He stared at the poster on the wall, identical to fifty others he had taped around the school. The words Leave it to Lay were printed in bold beneath a picture of himself. The election was on Friday and pre-poll results had declared him in second place, behind the good-for-nothing Hangeng. He refused to lose again and would do almost anything (within the rules, that is) that would guarantee his victory.
The gym door finally opened as his target walked out.
"Tao, can I have a word?"
The freshman looked at him in surprise.
"Listen, I have a proposal that would benefit the both of us..." Lay began. Ten minutes later, he found himself in an empty classroom with the others.
"All I'm asking is that you wear these for the next week." He handed everyone a "Vote Lay for President" pin, pausing before Luhan. "Especially you." He had long realized the need for star power in his campaign and with Luhan's support, he was guaranteed at least a third of the female population.
"So we put on your stupid pins and you'll do what, buy us cookies?" Xiumin said sarcastically.
"I'll join you and promise to participate in all the activities that this...club will hold." It would no doubt be a phenomenal waste of his time, but well worth it if he won the election. He held up his right hand. "I swear it."
Suddenly, a pinprick of green light appeared in the air above them, expanding like a balloon with every passing second. Wind howled around them as the light grew bigger, brighter, stretching to every corner of the room.
Knights, awaken. It was the same voice he had heard in the bathroom.
Arrows of green light shot out from the centre, aimed straight at their hearts. Lay felt a rush of power flow through him, the roar of some ancient creature ringing in his ear. Never had he felt so alive, so free, his body weightless yet strong.
With a pop, the light disappeared, taking with it the sweet euphoria that had enveloped him. It had left something behind, a tangible reminder of the phenomenon.
There, on the linoleum floor was a small scroll of brown paper. Lay reached for it with trembling hands, unrolling it. Faded words were inked onto the parchment:
When darkness descends the Dragon shall rise,
Along with twin moons and the Thief, King of Lies.
When Phoenix takes flight and sun covers sun,
When evil is vanquished, the Twelve become One.
Continue