earthquake // txt;;yeonbin

ten /

Fire surrounded the buildings all around, burning to ashes which so many people found valuable. The screams of fleeing village residents filled his ears, sitting cross-legged on a nearby hill as he watched everything burn. Kai chuckled, changing his gaze to the girl beside him. "The sacrifice of the people is a necessary one."

"You monster...! How could you kill hundreds of people?!" Bahiyyih yelled at her brother. "The fall you make will do more than kill you, brother. What you have become is more than the fear of the people — you've become the hatred of your sister."

Kai's cheeky smile fell immediately. "Hatred? Have I not protected you well enough, dear sister? I have done nought but care for you, yet... you proclaim hatred."

"The Kai I knew wouldn't murder for sport," Bahiyyih spat, her eyes filled with tears. "You're not my brother. I love my brother. I hate you — the Cleaver of Bergfried. Kai is not a murderer — the Judgement is."

"If the Cleaver of Bergfried decides you are not worthy of your life, then so be it. They did not deserve to live," Kai said. "They brought suffering amongst themselves. Pain. There was no love within their spaces. To rid the world of such imperfections, you must kill them quickly."

"Nonsense."

"Stop trying to be a being of peace, humanity has long since met its demise," Kai scoffed. "My next goal is to kill the other Signet bearers. Blasphemous to possess the power which I alone deserve. A fallen sky, and the heroes to fall with it. How perfect — don't you think, dear sister?"

"You will never hear of me until you change your ways," Bahiyyih said, turning around. She was met with her brother's standing figure immediately as she tried to walk away — he had appeared before her, his expression as unreadable as ever.

"Leaving already? But who will care for you? The outside world is filled with monsters and beasts — most of which would not bow at your feet as they did to me," he told her. "You will be all alone. The fear you feel would grow."

"But so will my relief. I would rather assist those heroes in defeating you than be by the side of a villain," Bahiyyih firmly said to him. "If I am by their side, they will show mercy and not kill you."

"Careful, sister — if the Judgement decides your life has been well-lived, I will not hesitate to prove its judgement to be true."

"That just proves that this man is not my brother."

With a huff, she walked past him, making her way into the forest. Kai simply watched as his sister left. He sighed, turning to face the burning village once more. "What a shame. A worthy heir to Bergfried she would have been. Such a shame that she has chosen death."

All the while, the real Kai inside him was begging to be let out.

"Yeonjun, bearer of the first Signet of Helix... born of the World Tree. The beginning and end of all that is, seen and unseen. He is much more powerful than me. With his ability to feel anything revoked, he has gained the power of the first Signet. I must be vigilant, for if I am not, my dear host's life may be lost — not only to time, but to reality."

▢▢▢

"I suppose you'd like to know the histories of your Signets."

Beomgyu seemed uninterested, while Taehyun nodded eagerly. The day's journey past the border into the Northern lands had awoken the duo to have joined them. While Hiera remained wary, Andrius had relaxed as he made conversation with Soobin, Yeonjun and their guide Lugdum the Orc.

"This Signet somehow spoke to me one day, promising me power and protection — yet to this day, I am unsure of what I had agreed to," Taehyun told her. "Please, enlighten me about it."

Hiera gestured to Beomgyu's Signet, which had been visible the entire time thus far. "The 3rd Signet of Eris, as Soobin's Signet — is also known by its affinity to its first user, Wynstar of South. He was a mighty hero, blessed by the World Tree with the ability to control the 3rd Signet of Eris. However, he was slain after returning to the land he was exiled from — an unfortunate way to meet your end, I'm sure. The Eris Signets aren't well-versed with a good name — almost all users have met unfortunate ends to their lives, and undoubtedly you shall too."

Taehyun glanced at his friend with worried eyes. Beomgyu remained silent, affected by the words but replied with nothing. He smiled slightly, clearing his throat. "H-how about Taehyun's, huh? His is probably one of good luck, isn't it?"

"I'm not entirely sure what Signet he could have, to be honest," Hiera shook her head, humming in thought to herself. "Soobin, you've studied the Signets, correct? What Signet does this boy have?"

"Taehyun?" Soobin asked, looking back to confirm. "Not too sure. Perhaps a second Signet of some sort given its protective properties. Many Signets have yet to be found and observed by the Witches of Starfall, and perhaps his has been lost to time. Some Signets are being discovered across the lands as the tales of Chasers surface and are known to the public ear."

Taehyun raised an eyebrow. "Chaser?"

"The title given to the first individuals to have the Signets as power," Soobin explained. "The Signets sprout of the Imaginary Tree, better known as the World Tree to most. However. Some are formed of the Chaos Realms, such as the Signet of Bergfriend. A gateway towards Dirac — one of the many Chaos Realms — exists beyond the Northern Lands on an unmarked island, but due to the nature of the realms, no one can enter."

Beomgyu made a face as he sighed. "This has become unnecessarily complicated..."

"It's important to know the nature of your power, young one," Hiera chuckled. "No matter, they're not crucial to know. Soobin loves studying the nature of every Signet known to man, and has quite the reputation for simply sitting within the libraries of Vaundy and reading his days away. At night, he becomes a nameless vigilante of justice, as no one seems to remember his name."

"Strange — how have I done this far regarding your name, friend?" Taehyun asked with a cheeky smile at the other. "Because I think you have a beautiful name.."

Yeonjun frowned, putting his arms around Soobin's waist almost protectively. "Vixen, don't flirt with him! His name is mine, the one of his heart and mind. If Soobin falls for your word, my life will probably fall apart."

Hiera chuckled, glancing between the boys. "Relax, dear Yeonjun. I'm sure Soobin shall remain your own until time ends."

"Obviously — we're in love."