𝖧𝗂𝗋𝖺𝖾𝗍𝗁 | 𝖳𝖷𝖳

𝗂𝗏. 𝖬𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗈𝗅𝖽 𝖧𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗌

"What do you mean there's another me in your world?" Yeonjun's voice reverberated through the woods. "Don't kid me, Ria."

"I'm not."

The four of them had managed to spot the exit, all thanks to the hunter for leading the way. Ria paced beside the cotton candy-haired man. Kai and Taehyun marched behind. The healer made sure that his peer felt better as he could've sworn that his wee enchantment wasn't enough to fix his broken rib. Ria glanced over her shoulder to check on the mage. He met her gaze and flashed her a weak smile.

"You sure you're alright?" She worriedly inquired. "Your posture's a little odd, Taehyun."

"I can handle myself just fine, darling."

"You two a couple?" Yeonjun judged, hands behind his head. "Why's he calling you that?"

"No idea." The girl shrugged. "But we sure aren't dating."

"Can't I call my friends names now?" Taehyun sighed. "Addressing Ria like that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm into her."

"Damn," Ria silently mumbled. "That kinda hurt."

"So, you hunt for a living?" Kai croaked, pertaining to Yeonjun. "How? Why?"

"Weren't you the only one who didn't charge earlier?" Yeonjun pointed to the boy. "There's no wonder why. You seem like an embodiment of a complete coward."

"I shouldn't have caught you." Kai seethed. "You should be grateful you ended up alright, otherwise-"

"Ksh. Like I need your help."

"Why are you so aggressive?" Ria questioned. "Were you raised in a tight household?"

"Correction," Yeonjun rolled his eyes. "I raised myself."

"Where's your family?" Taehyun prodded.

"Gone like the wind, never knew where they went. Been alone since the tragedy happened. I've worked as a mercenary, guarded boutiques, and-"

"Wait," Ria cut him off. "You've worked as a what?"

Kai cluelessly blinked. "What's a mercenary?"

"A person who does anything for money." Taehyun darkly muttered. "Anything."

"Pronto," Yeonjun snapped his fingers. "But don't worry, I left after three months. Figured it wasn't for me."

"Now that explains your personality." Ria commented. "An internally fragile man who lacked parental love and support, thus his bitterness."

"I threw away my past afterwards; thought my fire charm was easy to forget." The hunter added. "And then I heard of the Sleepy Hollow. I offered to slaughter beasts for tradesmen and earned fair knickels. See? Not so tough."

"He sounds so arrogant." Kai whispered to Taehyun.

The blonde nodded. "I agree."

"Don't think I didn't catch that, wingman." Yeonjun scoffed. "You're merely right behind me."

"Hey, Kai?" Ria shifted the topic. "You still haven't named your phoenix yet."

"Oh, for the love of Gaia." Taehyun mumbled, scratching his forearm. "Can't we talk about something else?"

"Mmm," Kai ignored him. "Does Cielo sound good?"

"Ay, mi cielo." Ria cooed, clasping her hands together in awe. "It suits her. She's a little piece of heaven indeed."

With a soft chirp, Cielo peeked from the healer's pouch. Her blazing head casted yellow luminance throughout the way, inflicting warmth and comfort to the group. Yeonjun blinked at the bird and held his waist.

"You've got a pet?"

Kai's brows furrowed. "What's the matter with that?"

"Nothing. Keep feeding her. She'd make a great meal in case we run out of food."

Kai's face went pale as he held onto the phoenix tightly. Ria's mood dropped upon Yeonjun's insensitivity. Taehyun rubbed his temple, clearly unimpressed. As if she understood what he said, Cielo hid herself once again. Darkness enveloped them as her glow diminished. Cold air touched their skins and eerie whispers lingered behind the trees. Ria shuddered, desperate to reach the exit as soon as possible.

"We're supposed to pass by a village after this." Taehyun informed them. "Marigold Hills is what it is; not too far from here."

"I've never been past this area before." Yeonjun admitted. "I'm curious as to what the other side has to offer."

"Me too." Kai squeaked.

"Speaking of which," the hunter turned to Ria. "Tell me more about my alter-ego."

"Choi Yeonjun is the eldest among all members. He's talented- he can sing, dance, and act. A lot of ladies swoon over his striking physique and attitude. We dub him the 4th Gen It-Boy."

Taehyun huffed. "What does that mean?"

"Not sure." Ria shrugged. "He's probably the new standard in terms of visuals, skills, and persona."

"Good Lord, that could've been me!" Yeonjun seethed. "Damn, that wrench had it easier. Imagine all the women I could've gotten!"

"But you're literally him."

"Stuck in this realm, chasing Lucifer's spawns, of course!"

"Choi Yeonjun's quite a scaredy cat though." Ria snickered. "So, I guess he'd be proud of you for being such a badass."

"What's a badass?" Kai chirped.

"A brave savage? I think that's it."

The four of them blabbered until they were able to escape the suffocating darkness. The sun was already setting when they tasted the breath of fresh air. The vibrant sky showcased hues of red, orange, pink, and purple. A gaggle of geese flew overhead, squawking. Kai and Ria rejoiced. They sprinted towards the vast meadows and into a small village residing in the middle of two hills. Yeonjun sighed, offering Taehyun a helping hand. The mage bluntly took his aid and limped, catching up with the jubilant pair.

Marigold Hills seemed a lot more different than Briar's Willow. The houses were taller. Streets were lined up with clay bricks. Lanterns were brighter and fancier. No vendor wandered the sidewalk as each merchant owned a small boutique. It was a growing and wealthy community, with distinct gentlemen strutting with class and fair maidens chatting with heavenly giggles. Ria tugged on her cloak, feeling a little insecure. Taehyun appeared on her left and soothed her shoulder. Kai aimlessly lazed his vision, admiring the details. Yeonjun remained unfazed.

A sudden waft of roasted beef tickled their nostrils. An array of shops and restaurants greeted them. Doors were widely open, exposing the hungry visitors feasting on soup, turkey, mutton, and fish. Yeonjun covered his mouth. He was drooling.

"We.." Kai fumbled inside his bag. "..still have a few loaves left. I've also packed a jar of jam."

"What about the berries?"

"Oh, I forgot."

Taehyun sharply inhaled. "I should've known."

"That will do for tonight." Ria tiredly ceased the arguement. "All we need to do is find a suitable place to ea-"

CRASH!

Taehyun instinctively shoved Ria aside. A hollering plate had almost hit her from a random window. Shrill voices erupted, breaking the serene atmosphere. The group looked up to see a bakery's sign. Without a warning, a rolling pin flew, shattering the display glass. Kai hid behind Yeonjun while Ria clutched onto Taehyun's hands in shock. Her life had almost flashed before her eyes. Two grown men emerged out of the heavy, oak doors. One was old and stout, while the other was tall and seemed fairly young, with mesmerizing blue hair.

"HOW HARD IS IT FOR YOU TO ACT NORMAL IN FRONT OF OUR GUESTS, YOUNG MAN?!"

"I'm sorry, father! I'm sorry!" The lad recoiled, dodging the elder's attacks. "It was a mistake, please!"

"TOMORROW!" The baker raged and swished his casserole. "I'M WARNING YOU, SOOBIN! ONE MORE FUNNY ACT AND YOU'LL NO LONGER HAVE A FAMILY TO ACKNOWLEDGE!"

"I understand! I'm really sorry!"

"I NEVER PRAYED FOR A DYSFUNCTIONAL SON, GRACIOUS GOD!"

BLAG!

Although his father had already gone inside, they could still hear his loud rampage supported by a few trays clanging. Soobin hung his head low in shame. He faced the stunned four, took off his dusty apron, and bowed.

"Forgive us for the ruckus." He mumbled. "We sure didn't intend to have you witness any of that."

"Choi Soobin.." Ria whispered, nudging Taehyun. "..I know him."

Yeonjun clicked his tongue. "And here I thought I was having a rough day."

"Were any of you hurt?" Soobin anxiously inquired. "Tell me, so I could compensate."

"Yeah, a plate almost knocked our friend unconscious." Yeonjun blabbered. "Free dinner will do. Where's the table? This way? Alright, thanks."

"Wait-"

The red-haired didn't spare the stranger a second to refuse. Embarrassed, his peers followed him. Taehyun fished a small pouch from his pocket and tossed it onto Soobin's palms. It had a few gold coins inside. Defeated, the blue-haired beauty led them to the corner of his father's establishment. There weren't any other customers at the moment, so he was able to cater the four.

"I want two bagels, a steamed pork bun, some peach jam, and a cup of tea." Yeonjun ordered, settling on his seat. "Oh and could you get me a glass of cold water too?"

Ria facepalmed. "I can't deal with this man."

"You pulled me into this fiasco, woman."

Soobin fiddled with his fingers. "Err.."

"Ignore the ill-mannered guy." Taehyun beamed. "Get us anything worth 12 silvers and 5 gold, thank you."

"What?!" Yeonjun slammed a palm on the surface. "You paid him?!"

"Quick question," Kai sighed. "How shameless can you be?"

"He offered a compensation, you shallow-minded fools!" The elder ranted. "How could you miss the opportunity?!"

"This man just had a terrible afternoon," Ria defended. "Besides, you don't get to decide on my behalf, dickhead."

Kai flinched. "What's a dickhead?"

"I'll grab you a fresh set of rolls.." Soobin excused himself and disappeared behind a counter.

"Great." Yeonjun raked his hair, glaring at Taehyun. "What a brilliant way to waste your money, blonde freak."

"Can you shut your mouth for a minute?" Ria snapped.

Kai ignored the commotion and doted on Cielo. The phoenix meekly peeked from the hem of his pouch, beak snacking on a piece of plum. Her flaming feathers didn't cause damage to the fabric nor hurt the boy's hands. After a short while, Soobin came back with a plateful of cream-filled bread. Yeonjun snatched one and gobbled.

"Care to sit with us?" Ria invited the baker. "We'd like to speak to you about something."

Kai hummed. "We do?"

"Ria believes so." Taehyun shrugged. "Your name's Soobin, right?"

"Yes," the shy lad sat. "What's the matter? Look, I'm really sorry about my father's temp-"

"No, no." Ria shushed him. "He's out of the situation."

"Oh," Soobin relaxed. "Alright."

"We need you to come with us."

He jerked. "Huh?"

"Way to go, Ria." Yeonjun chewed. "Kill him with your straightforwardness."

Kai elbowed him. "Shut up."

"Soobin, I know you're gifted too." Ria urged. "I'm guessing that you're a guardian just because. Embrace me if I'm wrong though- wait, no."

"How did you know?" Soobin's face went pale. "I'm a water guardian."

"Hah! Cliché!"

"Don't worry," Taehyun smiled. "We're just like you. I'm a common mage and these other two are guardians of their own elements."

Kai waved, creating a mini tornado in his palm to showcase his power. Yeonjun lit up his thumb and smirked. Ria sat still, grinning. Soobin blinked.

"What about the girl?"

"Me?" Ria wheezed. "No, nothing. I have nothing. Pfft. Just this magical pouch, that's all."

"Listen, buddy," Yeonjun wiped his lips. "It's either you dip your toes into this business or stand still in this old bakehouse, enduring your father's rants."

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Ria questioned. "What's holding you back, caro?"

"I don't want to leave them behind," Soobin gulped. "My adoptive family."

"After all that?" Taehyun raised a brow. "Open your eyes, fellow. You deserve a better life."

"But-"

"Think about your people, Soobin." Ria reminded. "Their fate relies on your hands. Our hands."

She held out an arm for him to touch. The blue-haired guardian glanced down her wrist and froze. He awkwardly shifted on his cushion, his mind a ticking bomb as he stared at the mark.

"You.." Soobin trailed. "..where did you come from?"

"Somewhere over the rainbow," Ria lazily responded. "Mira, I don't belong here, okay? I don't know, life is but a chaotic dream. Blame the cat."

"What cat?"

"The Odd-Eyed Cat."

Soobin flinched. "Graceful Gaia."

"Who the fuck is Gaia?"

"Please," Taehyun chirped. "Come with us."

"We badly need your help." Kai added. "Take it as an escape. I swear it'll be worth it."

Soobin gazed at the back door. His father's silhouette could be seen pacing around. He felt a terrible weight on his shoulders. His adoptive parents were never considerate and understanding. They only saw him as a potential worker; an addition to their small number of employees. His step-siblings were better off inheriting his family's chain of career. He had no one to share his dreams with. He had no one to impress. He definitely didn't want to be a baker either. Ria sympathized.

"Well? What's your verdict?"