[Novel] The Mirror [Chapter 6 (3/4)]

Joochan is walking alone inside a dark forest named Morindare Grove. On his hand, he grabs a lantern which contains an eternal fire made by Bonhwa. He isn't scared of how dark the forest is, but Sungmi reminded him about the creature living inside the forest: minotaurs - is a monster of half human and half bull, their weapon is a spike and they are living by eating human flesh - sounds so bad for Joochan, Sungmi said they usually lived in the labyrinth but this forest is one of their habitats too; and a dark druid - is simply a magician, but as they are the dark one, they usually captured human as the sacrifice for the demon - Joochan also has no good feelings towards it. He looks up to the firefly - Prince Bialaer sent Joochan a firefly as his guide, this firefly will show the way to the nearest injured creature, but it won't show Joochan if there is an enemy nearby. Joochan just needs to be extra careful while walking. There are only nine creatures I should save, and after I save them, I'll accomplish the mission, Joochan thought, I'll be okay. He follows the firefly as it brings Joochan deeper into the forest, but to more open space. There, he found an injured chimera. His heart is pounding fast as he walks closer to the chimera which lay on the ground. Its legs are bleeding. He walks closer carefully, he knows chimera isn't a friendly creature. The chimera's eyes are focusing on Joochan's. Joochan tries to keep eye contact with the chimera.

"It's okay... it's okay, I'm not here to hurt you... trust me... I'm here to help you... to heal you..."

Joochan is whispering while he steps closer to the creature. The chimera blinks once and lays its head to the ground again. Joochan thinks it might be a good sign, so he bravely steps closer without making a sound. Joochan kneels on the ground, praying hard that the chimera won't go berserk in sudden, his right hand reaches for the chimera's legs... Joochan is holding his breath... then his palm touches the chimera's legs. The chimera is still laying its head to the ground even after Joochan touches it. Joochan shut his eyes and let his energy flow through his palms to the wound. After a while, when he opened his eyes, the wound disappeared. The chimera raises its head and groans softly to Joochan.

"Is that a thank you?" he smiled.

"OH MY GOD, JOOCHAN HYEONG SUCCEED!"

Minsook is screaming and everyone's focus is back to the crystal ball in the middle of the ground. Prince Bialaer made a crystal ball to supervise Joochan's condition. There were nine red shining dots flying inside the crystal ball, but just now, one dot just turned into white color, which means Joochan had healed one creature. 

"At least the crystal ball doesn't turn into black color," said Kichul while finally sitting facing the crystal ball again.

Kichul and Bonhwa keep walking around anxiously ever since Joochan left them while Minsook never takes his eyes off the crystal ball. Myungwoo is sitting side by side with Sungmi, sometimes his eyes looking at the crystal ball, sometimes to the things around him, busily thinking hard while praying Joochan will get back to them unscratched. Kichul is right, as long as the crystal ball doesn't turn into black color, which means Joochan encountered an enemy, everything sounds okay for Myungwoo. 

"I trust that he will do well," said Bonhwa while nodding his head.

"You were the one who worried the most, hyeong."

"Don't you too, Kichul?"

Myungwoo chuckles. At least, he isn't alone now. Joochan is alone... but he will be okay, right?

But Daesun doesn't fall hard to the ground. He falls lightly to the ground as his body moves in slow motion.

"Daesun hyeong!"

He can see Do Daejoon is running from the distance, he raises up his sword and a transparent wave whip around. Daesun is standing up, still in slow motion - his waist is still hurt and bleeding, making him feel really weird, while Daejoon is running full speed until he stands up beside Daesun. Then the waves disappear. Daesun is staring at his hands as he can move at normal speed again. Eunkyung is screaming as she runs towards the two men. 

"Daesun! I'm glad you're okay! And you are..." Eunkyung touches Daesun's waist with her palm while her eyes keep focusing on Daejoon's face, "Do... Daejoon?"

Daejoon is smiling at Eunkyung, "hello, nice to meet you."

"Daejoon, how did you come here? And you should've become a guard alongside Sikyung!"

"I take a picture of you fighting with that bird," said Eunkyung, when she lifted her palms from Daesun's waist, he got healed, "you left your phone and there is this Sikyung girl message you. I didn't know what got into me, I just feel that you may be hanging out with her lately, I just sent the picture to her."

Daejoon is exchanging stares with Daesun.

"What a wise decision," said Daejoon, followed by Daesun's nod.

The man in black cloak senses danger, so he quickly turns around and jumps away fast.

"No, wait, where are you going!" screamed Eunkyung.

Daejoon raises up his sword again to do time control to the man, but when the wave almost hits his back, the man disappears - but a second later, a black cat runs from behind the fallen cloak.

"A black cat? He can change into an animal just like Minseong and Bonhwa hyeong?" asked Daejoon in confusion.

"Let's go catch him!" ordered Daesun, jumping towards the cat's direction.

I'm being followed.

"Wait."

"What happened, Daejoon?" asked Eunkyung, confused.

Eunkyung and Daesun stop jumping when Daejoon stops.

Ever since I walked out of my dorm, I can feel it. Someone is following me.

"Minseong?"

"There is no Minseong here," said Daesun.

"I mean, did you guys hear Minseong just talked... but wait. Yeah. Minseong isn't here, but I can hear his voice."

"Maybe there is some kind of ability that makes you hear Minseong's voice?"

"It could be... you guys go first, don't lose the cat, I'll try to find out what it is and I'll join you guys shortly."

"Let's go, Daesun!"

Eunkyung and Daesun resumed their jumping speed. Daejoon shut his eyes. He is sure he can hear Minseong. How can that happen? He is now focusing on Minseong's face. And try...

Minseong.

Minseong stopped his steps. He is looking around. There is no one on the road at this hour, but he is sure someone called him. He knows someone is stalking him right now but there is no way that person is calling his name if he or she wants to stalk him. So whose voice is that?

Minseong. Minseong, can you hear me?

Minseong widens his eyes as he knows who is the owner of this beautiful voice.

Daejoon hyeong? Is that you?

You really... can you really hear me?

I do! But what is happening? Why can we communicate like this?

I don't know. I heard your voice. You said you're being followed. How's your condition there?

I'm sure I'm being followed.

We are now currently chasing an evil guardian. Do you wanna lure your stalker to our spot? If both of them are evil guardians, maybe we can catch them together. There are two of them, while there will be four of us here if you join us.

Who are you with, hyeong?

Daesun hyeong and a woman, I don't know who she is but she looks like a healer with javelin as her weapon.

Hyeong, listen, this is weird, but I can feel you. I mean, I might know where you are now.

I can feel your position too, Minseong. If you run forward along the small road, we'll meet in less than 10 minutes, if the evil guardian is still in his first direction.

Let's do that, hyeong.

Minseong walked forward faster. He knows it's weird to communicate with Daejoon just now, but he is sure he really talks with him using his brain. He decided to ask Sungmi when he met her later. But now he needs to go to the meeting point. Daejoon hyeong is right, thought Minseong as he suddenly jumps far, better stay with the three of them rather than being alone. And he can hear light steps behind him, also jumping. Maybe they can catch both of the guardians tonight.

Joochan has healed three creatures until now: two unicorns in different locations were injured. He just needs to heal six more, he better do it faster. Then he can hear steps which come from in front of him. He raised his lantern higher to see what's in front of him - rather than the firefly - but he can see nothing. He steps forward a few steps, then he hears the steps getting closer to him. He steps backward, feeling terrified. He is looking down to watch on his steps while keeping steps backward as he looks up to check again what or who is coming to him. The firefly kept flying in front of him.

"Ah, damn it!"

He accidentally steps on a big root and he falls down backward. He can feel his left palm stings because it hits the uneven ground. But the steps in front of him are getting closer, and it's too late for him to run now. There is nothing he can do as he finally sees a glimpse of the thing in front of him as his lantern lights on it: a bull's head.

"No... no way..."

Kichul's voice sounds trembling as the crystal ball turns into black color.

"Joochan..." Sungmi is kneeling in front of the crystal ball.

"So he meets him faster than he should be," said Prince Bialaer, more to himself than the others.

"Who do you mean?"

"The minotaurs general, Soulling."

"You made Joochan meet him?" asked Sungmi, her voice's tone going higher, "you know he is living there and you expected this thing to happen?"

Sungmi is standing up quickly facing Prince Bialaer. She made her morning star appear on her right hand. The situation was intense all of a sudden. Myungwoo can't feel the peace this forest brings to him, now the forest is being more quiet and he can't see the fireflies around them anymore.

"Princess Sungmi, you know the rules in my forest."

"Prince Bialaer, I don't need you to remind me but you tested on my patience."

"Princess, please calm down. Joochan hyeong might pass this danger... I guess..." said Minsook, his voice doesn't sound so sure.

"You don't understand. Soulling is a very famous minotaur. Around almost one hundred years ago, he alone attacked a village and killed more than 50 souls just for him having party with the human flesh. Now you know why I'm worried? Joochan is alone, he can't fight. And this person," everyone can see fire in Sungmi's eyes as she points at Prince Bialaer with her morning star, "tricks us to let Joochan go there alone. Are you sacrificing him in exchange for the Elves' safety?"

"Watch your mouth and act, Prince Sungmi. The elves aren't scared of the minotaurs," replied Prince Bialaer, now his voice doesn't sound that calm anymore.

The tense is getting higher, Myungwoo thought.

"The history can't prove your words, Prince Bialaer."

"Don't talk about history!"

"No no, please. Please don't fight," begged Kichul who was standing in the middle of them.

"There will be blood shed here," said Sungmi, her voice sounding trembling but sharp at the same time, "if Joochan is killed."

"Maybe there will be no one's blood shed tonight," said Myungwoo, his voice sounding so calm, "Joochan won and he healed one more creature."

Myungwoo pointed to the crystal ball, which just changed into transparent color again, just a minute ago. Joochan miraculously wins over Soulling?

"You can kill me," said Joochan with his trembling voice as he see Soulling raised up his spike in front of the defendless Joochan on the ground, "but let me heal you first."

Soulling replied with his deep voice, "I don't make a deal with a human. Thus, why would a human care about a minotaur? We are the human flesh's eater since a long time ago."

"First, I just learned about the relationship between humans and minotaurs around half an hour ago. Second, I can't refuse my nature as a healer. It might sound weird, but when Princess Sungmi met me in my dream, I felt so excited when he told me that I will be a warrior to help guardians with their mission."

"Princess Sungmi? Guardians? Are you talking about Element Guardians?"

Joochan widens his eyes as this minotaur seems to know about Sungmi and the Guardians.

"Right. So I'm just an ordinary human who isn't from this world. Princess Sungmi said that the Darkness Lord will be awakened so she needs all of the Guardians to lock him again. And me and some other people become warriors, let's say, we are the guardians' helper. So that's why I'm here."

"We haven't heard anything about the Darkness Lord. I thought Prince Bialaer was the one who sent you here."

"He was. I'm on a mission to get the elixir of life. Princess Sungmi and the other Guardians are there in his place."

"Interesting. What is your mission?"

"I need to heal nine creatures," replied Joochan, "and apparently you are one of them."

Joochan pointed to the firefly at the top of Soulling's head.

"Fine, you can heal me and you also can have me as your guard to finish up the mission. But you have to do me a favor."

Joochan is quickly standing up, his bravery is back to his soul again.

"What is that? Tell me!"