Let There Be Light ✔

Emperor Baekhyun

That is right. Chanyeol will try and stay alive all the while he searches for the Sun. He will only tell Jongin that he is trying to find a way to come back home and never mention about how he will still pursue his search.

He has to do this, by all means possible.

After Chanyeol finishes eating through his meal, he hides away the glass container underneath his bed then goes over to the closet. As he opens the doors, he finds a few clothes hanging on a rod within, robes that seem to be similar to the ones Kyungsoo and Jongin were wearing, but simpler. Taking out one set of the robes and a towel, Chanyeol then proceeds into the bathroom.

Around half an hour later, Chanyeol emerges from within the bathroom, feeling refreshed and with purpose. He hides away the towel then decides to go about with one part of his plan – venturing out of the palace to find a way out of this world.

Going out of his room proves to be painstakingly nerve-wrecking for Chanyeol. The people, probably servants, whom he has passed by all looked down with their heads bowed so they couldn't see how he was not one of them, but it still made Chanyeol feel anxious about getting caught.

He keeps on walking, eyes flickering around in search for a way to the gates. He could not remember the way that he had passed through when Kyungsoo dragged him into the place, but if he sees the hallway, he might be able to recall.

Chanyeol was doing so well hiding his mortal presence from the celestial servants, until someone suddenly grabs him by the shoulder and turns him around.

"Kyungsoo!" Chanyeol whines when he sees that it is just the short guard going about his duty. He massages his chest, heart pounding so fast from fright.

"What are you planning?" Kyungsoo asks as he looks him up and down. "You are not about to do something funny, are you?"

"No," Chanyeol says. "I am trying to find the hallway leading out to the gates."

"And what are you going to do when you find it?"

"Find a way to leave this place."

Kyungsoo gives him an incredulous look. "And what are you going to do when you make your way out?"

"Find a way to go back to my world."

The guard sighs heavily.

"Ah, what a naïve mortal, indeed," he clicks his tongue. "Out there, it is a jungle, Park Chanyeol. The emperor has power and rules over the Solar Empire, but there are no laws that control the celestials. It is not safe. You will die before you can even find a way out of this world."

Chanyeol smiles. "It is okay, I can handle myself."

"Are you sure?"

"I am not exactly just any ordinary mortal, Kyungsoo. I am not weak. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"At least wait for a day before going out, you just got here."

Chanyeol purses his lips. Kyungsoo is right, maybe it is best to wait another day to leave the palace. He does feel kind of unsure if he'd be able to be successful if he ventures out. He might even get lost and never find his way back here, which lessens his chances of surviving before he can be able to bring back the Sun.

"Okay," the mortal answers. "I will not go yet, but allow me to roam around the palace. I will be careful."

Kyungsoo nods. "Alright. Just as you say, be careful. Jongin trusted you, keep your word."

"I will."

After the guard walks away to leave Chanyeol once more, he turns down a hallway, eyes drifting around on alert. The hallway leads out to another hallway overlooking a garden circle within the middle of the palace with a fountain.

Chanyeol finds himself walking further towards the garden, but it is not because of the various vibrant, crystalline flowers found there or the enchanting way the fountain spewed out liquid that seems to have glittery properties.

He is compelled to walk towards the garden because of a singing voice.

Chanyeol has never heard any voice as sorrowful as this. Coated with thick gloom and dolor, the voice translates such a raw expression of melancholy deep in the singer's heart that it brings salty liquid to Chanyeol's eyes. Like a magnet, it pulls him in until he could finally see the owner.

Hiding behind a column, Chanyeol could see that the owner is a lone man who stands motionless among the ruby roses. From where he is, Chanyeol could make out a petite face, with droopy brown eyes, pink lips and a button nose, all framed with blond hair. On his ears hang elaborate golden earrings with drops of sunstone at the very end. He wears regal red and golden robes with patterns signifying majesty. Part of his face also has the same zircon and spinel jeweled patterns that is common among other celestials that he had seen, including Kyungsoo and Jongin. His blonde hair is also sprinkled with stars in them and his skin also has an iridescent sheen that shone in the different colors of the rainbow. On top of his head is a crown made of bright, fiery sphalerite.

Such a beauty to behold...

To Chanyeol's horror, the person stops singing and looks up, his gentle brown eyes sharpening into daggers when he meets his gaze. The soft expression on his face vanishes and is replaced by a scary and stern look that has the mortal shivering on the spot.

Lifting a slender finger up to point at Chanyeol accusingly, he roars angrily, "WHO ALLOWED A MORTAL INTO THE PALACE?!"

Chanyeol wants to run, not wanting to deal with such a beautiful but very terrifying man's wrath. His feet crave to walk a few steps back then turn around to break out into a dash for his life, but as the man stalks up to him in rage, he finds himself rooted on the spot.

"YOU!"

A pained cry rips out of Chanyeol's lips when the man suddenly grabs him by the arm, fingers digging harshly into his flesh.

"You, who are you and why are you in my palace?" he demands briskly.

My palace? So he is the emperor?

Chanyeol tries to find the words to say, but he only manages to stutter out strings of gibberish before the man's eyes blink and widen into horror.

"A-And... w-why do you look so much like him?"

Chanyeol's eyebrows furrow into confusion, wondering who the emperor is talking about.

"Speak, imbecile," the emperor spits at him.

Chanyeol opens his mouth to answer, but he is disrupted by the loud rushed footsteps of someone running down the hallway.

"Your Highness!"

The emperor looks to the side, still stern as he says, "General Jongin, may I know why a mortal is in my palace freely roaming around?"

Chanyeol looks to the side and meets Jongin's fleeting gaze.

"Mortals are crafty creatures, you know it best, Emperor Baekhyun."

Chanyeol's eyes widen, feeling betrayed. Even if he owed Jongin his life for taking him in and even feeding him, it gives him a kind of ache in his heart and a cruel realization that indeed, he is definitely on his own now.

The emperor is silent for a moment. A couple of seconds pass, and he finally releases his visor grip on Chanyeol's arm.

"Very well," he says as he stands up straight, giving Chanyeol a final cold onceover.

"Take him out of the palace."

Jongin reaches out and aggressively whisks Chanyeol away, dragging him down the hallway away from the emperor who looks at his direction with a forlorn look before he turns around and goes back to the garden, breaking out into another song before his voice fades away as they make a turn.

"I'm sorry, Chanyeol," Jongin murmurs. "If Emperor Baekhyun finds out that I am the one who accepted you in, he will execute me."

"But why?"

"He... He is not exactly fond of mortals."

"You will not tell me more about him?"

Jongin smiles at him sadly. "No. You do not need to."

Chanyeol nods.

"Emperor Baekhyun, huh..."