𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏 𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 (𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒇𝒔 𝒊𝒕) ~ ᴍɪɴsᴜɴɢ

Chapter Eight

Minho descends the rickety staircase, the bustle from the kitchen filtering its way to him on the rays of morning sunshine. Seungmin sits at one of the chairs, legs folded underneath him as he leafs through one of Hyunjin's magical books.

"Nothing." He informs Hyunjin, tone laced with boredom and fatigue. He stacks the book on top of half a dozen others beside him.

Minho shoots him a puzzled look and he gives him one in return that tells him not to ask.

Hyunjin is stood on a chair, trying to reach the books on the highest shelf of his book case that stands at the kitchen's furthest end. Minho can feel the nervous energy radiating off their oracle friend.

"Did you get any sleep?" Minho asks him, sinking into one of the kitchen chairs and picking at the bowl of dried nuts in the centre.

"Sleep is for the wicked." Hyunjin responds, not even looking at him. Minho manages a clipped laugh.

"Well, that explains why I was knocked out for sixteen hours."

Seungmin laughs at his comment, still flipping through the seemingly endless volumes.

Minho wonders how many books Hyunjin owns and how he stores them in this tiny cottage. Not for the first time he's left wondering if there's a secret magic room somewhere.

"Tywyllwch, Tywyllwch, Tywyllwch!" Hyunjin yells, throwing volume after volume of leather bound book behind him.

Minho ducks, actually quite upset when one sends the bowl of nuts flying.

"What the fuck Hyunjin?" Seungmin remarks, lifting a hand in exasperation at the outburst.

"All night! All night I have been searching for Majentus, there is nothing here!" He's down off his chair now and pacing the floor like a madman who hasn't slept for more than 24 hours.

"Do you know how many magic books I own?!" He shouts at Minho now.

"Um, a lot?" Minho guesses, still half asleep. He's trying to tidy up the scattered nuts and salvage his breakfast.

"Too many! Too many for there to be no mention of Majentus at all." Hyunjin responds, it's alarming how Minho can see his magic bubbling over the more angry he gets. He's genuinely worried he might explode and the cottage is a tinder box.

Minho sighs, leans back in his seat. "Well, technically it is mentioned, just as Tywyllwch." He tries to diffuse the situation.

"It's not the same thing." Hyunjin almost sulks like a petulant child.

Minho realises he's probably not used to being clueless and it's probably scary. The all seeing oracle for once is just as in the dark as the rest of them.

"It is though." Minho argues, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back in his chair. "Tywyllwch is just Majentus through the eyes of darkness. Stop being afraid of what you might find. It's just a tool, a magical tool, Hyunjin. Don't fear it because someone used it for evil once. Don't become what the Silurian's want you to be. Don't be a coward."

Hyunjin stares at Minho for a long moment, silent. Minho worries he spoke to frankly, said the wrong thing. But the oracle smiles, soft and maybe even a little impressed.

"Lee Minho." He reaches for one of the books and dusts off its cover. "You might be a magical prodigy, after all."

Minho doesn't know what to do with that, so he looks away and clears his throat, suddenly the kitchen floor is fascinating.

"Well this is cheerful," Seungmin mutters, flipping a page. "Says here when the king was born, a witch prophesied he'd be the bringer of death and stealer of souls."