One: The Legend of EXO (Chapter Seven)
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 Seven
Lay sat in the car, his head resting against the tinted window. The surface was cool against his forehead and he wished that the same sensation could enter his chaotic brain.
Emotion is the death of reason. It was the first time his tumultuous feelings were so strong that they threatened to overcome logic. He closed his eyes as he began to pull apart the mess and examine each piece, one by one. First, there was the fear. He could still vividly recall the glowing red eyes that had bore into his, the razor-sharp fangs that had been inches from his throat. Then there was the self-loathing. Paralyzed by fear, he had stood by uselessly as the others had subdued the creature. Plus, he had allowed his rattled nerves to get the better of him, and had screwed up his speech. It was his own stupid fault that he had let the student council presidency slip through his fingers. And unlike the last election, he couldn't even blame Xiumin for sabotaging his ascension. In fact, Xiumin was the whole reason he was sitting here, rather than lying half-dead on a hospital bed.
No wonder he was so confused. He was feeling grateful towards someone he had hated since kindergarten.
Outside, trees gave way to chrome skyscrapers and bustling streets. The car passed by a block of banks, from which streamed serious-looking businessmen, leather briefcases in their hands and cell phones pressed to their ears. They were in the heart of the financial district.
"Where are we going?" Lay asked his chauffeur. He already knew the answer, but he dreaded it all the same.
"To pick up President Zhang."
Lay clenched his fist, his stomach knotting in worry. He was in no shape to speak to his father, what with his mind so bogged down by his conflicting emotions.
Within minutes, the car glided before a tall, stern-faced man whose perfectly-tailored suite stretched across wide shoulders. Even standing still, he was the picture of power and influence. Both respected and feared, he was a man who could read your heart and pass judgement with a single sweep of his piercing eyes.
His father slid into the leather seat beside him, slamming the car door shut with a bang.
"You failed."
Excuses bubbled to the tip of his tongue but he bit them back; they would undoubtedly fall upon deaf ears. Instead, he merely looked down into his lap, shamefaced.
"You are an utter disappointment," his father said in a hard, clipped voice. Lay snuck a sideways peek. His father's neck was becoming red with tell-tale anger. He had expected a lecture, maybe a cold look of displeasure, but the fury blazing in his father's eyes was disturbing (and just a little terrifying).
"Useless," his father continued, seething. "Absolutely useless. You have laid waste to my reputation and have made me a laughingstock of the Board. How can I expect to rule the Board when my own son can't do the same for the student council?"
Lay doubted that anyone on the school's Board of Governors would dare oppose his formidable father, but he knew better than to voice the thought aloud. It was times like these that he envied Xiumin for his fearlessness. He spoke his mind with no regard to rules or social convention, and certainly wouldn't remain meek and silent if he were in Lay's place.
Then again, he was pretty sure Xiumin had never faced a man like his father.
***
It had been a long time since Tao had last felt the cold grips of fear.
He stood in the inner courtyard of the Huang estate, forcing his breath to even as he slowly raised his practice sword. The weight of the blade in his hand was a reminder of discipline and inner peace, both of which he would need to banish the icy feeling in his chest. Yet, in his mind's eye, he could still see the red-eyed creature who had evaded his power.
He let out a calming breath and released hot energy from his palms. The courtyard now stood frozen. Gone were the whisper of wind through grass and the murmur of water sliding over rock. Even the cherry blossoms were still, delicate pink petals hanging in free-fall.
His power was just as effective as before, if not more. He could now hold time for as long as three-and-a-half minutes before the dizziness hit. So why had he been unable to restrain the creature? He had felt the thing strain against the strands of time he had woven. It had almost succeeded, and would have escaped were it not for Xiumin and Luhan.
What would have happened if the thing had broken free? Its aura was like nothing Tao had ever seen, an impenetrable black streaked red with a bloodlust that was beyond mere hunger or survival. No, it was more sinister, fueled by an energy that was dark, unnatural, and not of this world. And the moment before it had disappeared, Tao was sure that it had opened its mouth and let out a soundless scream of vengeance.
With a gasp, Tao withdrew his power, his concentration broken by a sick feeling of dread at the pit of his stomach. As the petals fluttered to the ground, his sword, too, slipped from his shaking hands. The clatter of steel echoed in the courtyard.
"What's the matter, child?"
It was his grandfather, whose wooden cane clunked against the stone path like a third limb as he approached. Tao bit his quivering lip. He couldn't involve his grandfather in his new, dangerous world, yet who else could he confide in but the wisest man he knew?
"Grandfather," he said finally. "There's something I want to tell you."
They sat on the stone bench beneath the fragrant blossoms as Tao let out all that had been troubling him for the past three weeks.
"I'm scared," he ended, swallowing back the lump in his throat. "What do I do if we're attacked again?"
His grandfather stroked his silvery beard, eyes gazing into the distance in thought. He had listened quietly throughout Tao's narration, his lined face unreadable.
"Your power, could you show me?"
Tao nodded eagerly. He grasped his grandfather's wrinkled hand in his own, and aimed his other palm towards the evening sky. He could see amazement in his father's eyes, as time lulled to a stop in their little corner of the world.
"So it has finally happened," his grandfather said softly. "I had suspected since the day you were born that the Huang spirit was strong within you."
"Grandfather, do you know something?" His heart pounded with hope. His grandfather nodded, his gnarled fingers twisting the pommel of his walking stick.
"Firstly, the creature you encountered is a demon," he said. "Lower tier, by your description." As his grandfather pulled the two pieces of his cane apart, Tao could hear the unmistakable whisper of steel. .
"Secondly, your duty as a Huang Warrior as just begun."
And as the swordstick came free, Tao could see a familiar double-triangle engraved on the tip of the blade.
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 Seven
Lay sat in the car, his head resting against the tinted window. The surface was cool against his forehead and he wished that the same sensation could enter his chaotic brain.
Emotion is the death of reason. It was the first time his tumultuous feelings were so strong that they threatened to overcome logic. He closed his eyes as he began to pull apart the mess and examine each piece, one by one. First, there was the fear. He could still vividly recall the glowing red eyes that had bore into his, the razor-sharp fangs that had been inches from his throat. Then there was the self-loathing. Paralyzed by fear, he had stood by uselessly as the others had subdued the creature. Plus, he had allowed his rattled nerves to get the better of him, and had screwed up his speech. It was his own stupid fault that he had let the student council presidency slip through his fingers. And unlike the last election, he couldn't even blame Xiumin for sabotaging his ascension. In fact, Xiumin was the whole reason he was sitting here, rather than lying half-dead on a hospital bed.
No wonder he was so confused. He was feeling grateful towards someone he had hated since kindergarten.
Outside, trees gave way to chrome skyscrapers and bustling streets. The car passed by a block of banks, from which streamed serious-looking businessmen, leather briefcases in their hands and cell phones pressed to their ears. They were in the heart of the financial district.
"Where are we going?" Lay asked his chauffeur. He already knew the answer, but he dreaded it all the same.
"To pick up President Zhang."
Lay clenched his fist, his stomach knotting in worry. He was in no shape to speak to his father, what with his mind so bogged down by his conflicting emotions.
Within minutes, the car glided before a tall, stern-faced man whose perfectly-tailored suite stretched across wide shoulders. Even standing still, he was the picture of power and influence. Both respected and feared, he was a man who could read your heart and pass judgement with a single sweep of his piercing eyes.
His father slid into the leather seat beside him, slamming the car door shut with a bang.
"You failed."
Excuses bubbled to the tip of his tongue but he bit them back; they would undoubtedly fall upon deaf ears. Instead, he merely looked down into his lap, shamefaced.
"You are an utter disappointment," his father said in a hard, clipped voice. Lay snuck a sideways peek. His father's neck was becoming red with tell-tale anger. He had expected a lecture, maybe a cold look of displeasure, but the fury blazing in his father's eyes was disturbing (and just a little terrifying).
"Useless," his father continued, seething. "Absolutely useless. You have laid waste to my reputation and have made me a laughingstock of the Board. How can I expect to rule the Board when my own son can't do the same for the student council?"
Lay doubted that anyone on the school's Board of Governors would dare oppose his formidable father, but he knew better than to voice the thought aloud. It was times like these that he envied Xiumin for his fearlessness. He spoke his mind with no regard to rules or social convention, and certainly wouldn't remain meek and silent if he were in Lay's place.
Then again, he was pretty sure Xiumin had never faced a man like his father.
***
It had been a long time since Tao had last felt the cold grips of fear.
He stood in the inner courtyard of the Huang estate, forcing his breath to even as he slowly raised his practice sword. The weight of the blade in his hand was a reminder of discipline and inner peace, both of which he would need to banish the icy feeling in his chest. Yet, in his mind's eye, he could still see the red-eyed creature who had evaded his power.
He let out a calming breath and released hot energy from his palms. The courtyard now stood frozen. Gone were the whisper of wind through grass and the murmur of water sliding over rock. Even the cherry blossoms were still, delicate pink petals hanging in free-fall.
His power was just as effective as before, if not more. He could now hold time for as long as three-and-a-half minutes before the dizziness hit. So why had he been unable to restrain the creature? He had felt the thing strain against the strands of time he had woven. It had almost succeeded, and would have escaped were it not for Xiumin and Luhan.
What would have happened if the thing had broken free? Its aura was like nothing Tao had ever seen, an impenetrable black streaked red with a bloodlust that was beyond mere hunger or survival. No, it was more sinister, fueled by an energy that was dark, unnatural, and not of this world. And the moment before it had disappeared, Tao was sure that it had opened its mouth and let out a soundless scream of vengeance.
With a gasp, Tao withdrew his power, his concentration broken by a sick feeling of dread at the pit of his stomach. As the petals fluttered to the ground, his sword, too, slipped from his shaking hands. The clatter of steel echoed in the courtyard.
"What's the matter, child?"
It was his grandfather, whose wooden cane clunked against the stone path like a third limb as he approached. Tao bit his quivering lip. He couldn't involve his grandfather in his new, dangerous world, yet who else could he confide in but the wisest man he knew?
"Grandfather," he said finally. "There's something I want to tell you."
They sat on the stone bench beneath the fragrant blossoms as Tao let out all that had been troubling him for the past three weeks.
"I'm scared," he ended, swallowing back the lump in his throat. "What do I do if we're attacked again?"
His grandfather stroked his silvery beard, eyes gazing into the distance in thought. He had listened quietly throughout Tao's narration, his lined face unreadable.
"Your power, could you show me?"
Tao nodded eagerly. He grasped his grandfather's wrinkled hand in his own, and aimed his other palm towards the evening sky. He could see amazement in his father's eyes, as time lulled to a stop in their little corner of the world.
"So it has finally happened," his grandfather said softly. "I had suspected since the day you were born that the Huang spirit was strong within you."
"Grandfather, do you know something?" His heart pounded with hope. His grandfather nodded, his gnarled fingers twisting the pommel of his walking stick.
"Firstly, the creature you encountered is a demon," he said. "Lower tier, by your description." As his grandfather pulled the two pieces of his cane apart, Tao could hear the unmistakable whisper of steel. .
"Secondly, your duty as a Huang Warrior as just begun."
And as the swordstick came free, Tao could see a familiar double-triangle engraved on the tip of the blade.
Continue