One: The Legend of EXO (Chapter Five)
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 Five Surreal.
Chen had never thought he would one day use the word to describe his life. His existence had been so ordinary, so mundane that he could never have imagined himself in a situation as grand and exciting as this. No scientific theory could explain the appearance of the green light or the tiny electrical currents between his fingertips that had followed. For the first time, he had felt that he had power beyond the world of music, that he could literally do anything.
He mounted the dormitory's sweeping staircase and entered his single room. Larger than his own bedroom back home with a beautiful view of the picture-perfect campus, the place was so spacious that it felt almost...lonely. It wasn't just the room; he had felt like an outsider ever since coming to the city. Well, at least until now.
We'll figure this out together Tao had said when they had all parted ways after helping Lay put up election posters. Luhan had flashed him a reassuring smile and even Xiumin had clapped him on the back in encouragement. It had been one of those rare moments when he felt like he actually belonged. Though they were little more than acquaintances, they were bonded by something stronger than friendship: a quest for truth. (He liked to think whatever was happening was more than joint hallucination).
He ran his fingers lightly over the scroll he had been given the task of safekeeping. There was nothing special about the thick parchment or the faded ink, so the only clue that remained was the cryptic rhyme. Having studied lyrics in all sorts of languages, Chen liked to think his analytical skills were above average. Yet, he could work nothing out.
The Dragon and Phoenix could represent a clash of opposites or, given the fantastical nature of everything that had happened, it could literally mean two mythical beasts of unimaginable power. It was just as hard to believe in the existence of two moons and two suns, and he could not even begin to guess the number of liars that roamed the hallways of SM Academy, a breeding ground for people who hid truths behind wealth and status.
It was the last line, however, that caused his brows to knit in not confusion, but fear. Tao had insisted that he could not sense more people with the same strange aura they all possessed, which left the head count at six, not twelve. If the scroll really was referring to them, they were responsible for preventing something terrible from happening.
Though the message was practically undecipherable, there was one thing that was crystal clear: their latest discovery had pushed them one step closer on the path to danger.
***
Dangerous.
It was exactly what Luhan had become within the past twenty-four hours. He had been uncharacteristically irritated all day. Doors had slammed without warning, small objects had flown across the classroom at random and one of his stalker fan girls had been shoved in the back by an invisible force, leaving her with scraped knees and a broken camera.
Though there was no evidence, Luhan knew that he had been the culprit. Moments before her tumble, his annoyance had spiked and his subconscious had willed her to go away. And she had gone away; the girl had landed more than a metre from where she had been originally, far outside his personal bubble. The realization of the link between his thoughts and his reality was gut-wrenchingly terrifying.
But it was nothing compared to what he had done at the dinner table.
"Your guidance counsellor called," his mother said as she daintily lifted her fork to her mouth, still red with lipstick. She had just returned from some high-profile fashion show in Milan and had insisted on a "family" meal even thought half the family wasn't even in the country.
Luhan shrugged wordlessly, but she pressed on. "I don't understand what's so difficult. You're picking a university for heaven's sake, not a wife. There's no point being indecisive when you can change your mind whenever you'd like. Honestly, you should learn to be more like me..."
And on and on went the one-sided conversation. Usually, Luhan just nodded and feigned interest whenever his mother began one of her self-righteous speeches. It was her way of educating him, he supposed, but for some reason, her every word scraped at his already raw nerves.
As he pushed back his chair, the high-ceilinged dining room suddenly rung with the sound of exploding glass. Luhan gazed across the table in shock. His wineglass had flown through the air and shattered against the opposite wall, tiny shards raining onto the carpet. Yet, his hands remained balled into fists at his side; he had not lifted a finger.
Luhan had hurried out and had stayed in his room ever since. He lay on his bed with an uneasy heart, eyes trained on the ceiling. What if his glass had flown in another direction, towards his mother? Would he hurt someone, perhaps enough to kill them, the next time he lost his temper?
He stared up at the model airplane his sister had given him for his eighth birthday. He remembered marvelling at aircrafts as a child, delighted by the speed with which they had zoomed across the sky. Maybe his new-found power was just like a plane. A lethal force on its own but relatively safe in the hands of an experienced pilot.
Luhan focused on the wooden plane and imagined it soaring through the air. The toy swayed slightly in response. He pictured an engine roaring to life, a gust of wind beneath wings and-
The strings snapped as the little aircraft hurled across the room towards his dresser.
No!
It turned sharply, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision. Luhan took slow, steadying breaths as he urged the plane to lose speed, guiding it in a wide circle above him. Gradually it drifted lower and lower until it glided smoothly into his outstretched palms. A perfect landing.
Luhan let out a hoot of joy and relief. Maybe he wasn't so dangerous after all.
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 Five Surreal.
Chen had never thought he would one day use the word to describe his life. His existence had been so ordinary, so mundane that he could never have imagined himself in a situation as grand and exciting as this. No scientific theory could explain the appearance of the green light or the tiny electrical currents between his fingertips that had followed. For the first time, he had felt that he had power beyond the world of music, that he could literally do anything.
He mounted the dormitory's sweeping staircase and entered his single room. Larger than his own bedroom back home with a beautiful view of the picture-perfect campus, the place was so spacious that it felt almost...lonely. It wasn't just the room; he had felt like an outsider ever since coming to the city. Well, at least until now.
We'll figure this out together Tao had said when they had all parted ways after helping Lay put up election posters. Luhan had flashed him a reassuring smile and even Xiumin had clapped him on the back in encouragement. It had been one of those rare moments when he felt like he actually belonged. Though they were little more than acquaintances, they were bonded by something stronger than friendship: a quest for truth. (He liked to think whatever was happening was more than joint hallucination).
He ran his fingers lightly over the scroll he had been given the task of safekeeping. There was nothing special about the thick parchment or the faded ink, so the only clue that remained was the cryptic rhyme. Having studied lyrics in all sorts of languages, Chen liked to think his analytical skills were above average. Yet, he could work nothing out.
The Dragon and Phoenix could represent a clash of opposites or, given the fantastical nature of everything that had happened, it could literally mean two mythical beasts of unimaginable power. It was just as hard to believe in the existence of two moons and two suns, and he could not even begin to guess the number of liars that roamed the hallways of SM Academy, a breeding ground for people who hid truths behind wealth and status.
It was the last line, however, that caused his brows to knit in not confusion, but fear. Tao had insisted that he could not sense more people with the same strange aura they all possessed, which left the head count at six, not twelve. If the scroll really was referring to them, they were responsible for preventing something terrible from happening.
Though the message was practically undecipherable, there was one thing that was crystal clear: their latest discovery had pushed them one step closer on the path to danger.
***
Dangerous.
It was exactly what Luhan had become within the past twenty-four hours. He had been uncharacteristically irritated all day. Doors had slammed without warning, small objects had flown across the classroom at random and one of his stalker fan girls had been shoved in the back by an invisible force, leaving her with scraped knees and a broken camera.
Though there was no evidence, Luhan knew that he had been the culprit. Moments before her tumble, his annoyance had spiked and his subconscious had willed her to go away. And she had gone away; the girl had landed more than a metre from where she had been originally, far outside his personal bubble. The realization of the link between his thoughts and his reality was gut-wrenchingly terrifying.
But it was nothing compared to what he had done at the dinner table.
"Your guidance counsellor called," his mother said as she daintily lifted her fork to her mouth, still red with lipstick. She had just returned from some high-profile fashion show in Milan and had insisted on a "family" meal even thought half the family wasn't even in the country.
Luhan shrugged wordlessly, but she pressed on. "I don't understand what's so difficult. You're picking a university for heaven's sake, not a wife. There's no point being indecisive when you can change your mind whenever you'd like. Honestly, you should learn to be more like me..."
And on and on went the one-sided conversation. Usually, Luhan just nodded and feigned interest whenever his mother began one of her self-righteous speeches. It was her way of educating him, he supposed, but for some reason, her every word scraped at his already raw nerves.
As he pushed back his chair, the high-ceilinged dining room suddenly rung with the sound of exploding glass. Luhan gazed across the table in shock. His wineglass had flown through the air and shattered against the opposite wall, tiny shards raining onto the carpet. Yet, his hands remained balled into fists at his side; he had not lifted a finger.
Luhan had hurried out and had stayed in his room ever since. He lay on his bed with an uneasy heart, eyes trained on the ceiling. What if his glass had flown in another direction, towards his mother? Would he hurt someone, perhaps enough to kill them, the next time he lost his temper?
He stared up at the model airplane his sister had given him for his eighth birthday. He remembered marvelling at aircrafts as a child, delighted by the speed with which they had zoomed across the sky. Maybe his new-found power was just like a plane. A lethal force on its own but relatively safe in the hands of an experienced pilot.
Luhan focused on the wooden plane and imagined it soaring through the air. The toy swayed slightly in response. He pictured an engine roaring to life, a gust of wind beneath wings and-
The strings snapped as the little aircraft hurled across the room towards his dresser.
No!
It turned sharply, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision. Luhan took slow, steadying breaths as he urged the plane to lose speed, guiding it in a wide circle above him. Gradually it drifted lower and lower until it glided smoothly into his outstretched palms. A perfect landing.
Luhan let out a hoot of joy and relief. Maybe he wasn't so dangerous after all.
Continue