Eyes widening, the warrior reached forward just in time to catch his master in his embrace as she collapsed. Heaving a soft sigh, he looked around to take in the situation as well as the shocked expressions of the group surrounding them. He looked down to see the bloodied child grasped within the woman’s arms. I’m not my younger brother and neither he nor myself can bring the dead back to life, he thought with a saddened expression. Hearing a shuffle coming from behind him, the warrior snapped his head around as a barrier appeared around the trio and he glared at the male who tried to get close. “Calm down warrior, I won’t hurt her. I’m her friend, Hyeonsik. I need to get the child to be cleaned properly so a burial can be held,” the male softly said with hands raised in a surrender motion so that he wouldn’t spook the newly arrived warrior.

“I know who you are, human. You failed her. Now that I am here, you have no further use,” the warrior stated coldly. A shudder ran down Hyeonsik’s spine at the look he was receiving from the warrior. It was as if he was looking death straight in the eye and he knew that this warrior would not let anyone hurt her any further. “At least let me get Boyeong cleaned up. I’m not sure if Misun will be able to handle it,” Hyeonsik whispered out as he looked at the child, pain filling his heart. A soft moan filled the air and the two looked down as Misun began to stir. Lashes fluttered before a glimpse of her dark blue eyes peeked out before opening fully. The warrior could easily see that the light was no longer in her eyes and she felt dead within herself. Looking up, Misun could feel multiple pairs of eyes boring into her. Glancing down, she felt herself tense seeing Boyeong in her arms no longer breathing. Feeling her breath hitch and hold, she felt another set of arms wrapped around her as well.

Gazing up she met a pair of soft deer like honey brown eyes that seemed to capture her attention. “Breathe master,” the male murmured softly. With his words alone, she felt a rush of air refill her starving lungs and she shuddered in his grasp feeling the arms tighten and pull her close to his chest. “There is a male who wishes to have the child cleaned for a proper burial. Do you consent to his assistance master,” the warrior murmured close to her ear causing a shudder of pleasure to crawl down her spine as she relaxed within a males grasp for the first time in eighteen years. Meeting his gaze, she looked over his shoulder to a worried Hyeonsik standing there before giving a faint nod. Leaning back, the warrior turned to look at the other human and let his barrier down briefly so that Hyeonsik could get closer. Kneeling before them, he met Misun’s eyes with tears in his eyes. “I’m so sorry Misun, I was held back from helping the both of you. The least I can do is cleanse her and help you give her a proper burial,” he murmured as he took the child within his own grasp. Nodding before hiding her face in her warriors’ neck, Misun felt more sobs wrack her body as she couldn’t bear to look at Boyeongs misused body. Tears soon began to fall from her eyes, soaking the warriors’ shirt which he didn’t mind.

Hyeonsik soon left the duo and as soon as he was away, the barrier snapped back into place. He looked over to see the distraught form of his friend. With a sigh he walked away but not before looking around to see where those traitors had disappeared to. Not seeing them at all, he became frustrated and vowed that he would help Misun destroy them. With the male gone, the warrior gazed tenderly at the distraught woman in his grasp. He then heard multiple voices around them before gazing at the group of children and guards. Feeling his eyes glow a faint purple, he easily used his power upon the masses to have them return to their own quarters without a recollection of what had just transpired. “Come master, lets’ get you cleaned up,” he murmured to the woman. With a nod Misun started to stand only to collapse as the strength had left her body. Feeling frustrated at her weakness, a gasp of surprise escaped her as her body was easily lifted in a bridal carry by the warrior.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she let the male carry her feeling at peace. Now she knew what having a warrior was all about. She had witnessed their misusage over the years and in her heart she had vowed to never act that way if ever she received one. Now that she had one, her initial fear of the cards was slowly diminishing with each tender act this male did for her. Feeling her heated stare upon his face, the warrior looked down into his masters’ eyes and knew that he would give his life to protect her. She was the one he had been waiting for, for years. It had been hundreds of years since the last time he and his brothers had been claimed. Both within their own thoughts, it didn’t take long before they reached her cabin. Bringing her inside, the warrior helped her to the bathroom where he left her alone to clean up.  Hearing the running water, he started to look around taking the room in and seeing how she had lived her life. He was angry that it had taken him this long to be found by her and only because of the promise he and his brothers had made years ago.

~Twenty years ago~

Twelve men gazed at each other in surprise as their cards formed one by one as an infant of three years sat before them in wonder with her tiny hands grasping the cards. Eyes of the darkest blue met all twelve of theirs as they were surprised. “A child is to be our master?” a deep voice murmured among them in shock. A deep chuckle resonated through the room and the twelve immediately tensed looking up to see a male towering over all of them enter the room and swiftly lifting the child up into his arms. “So the prophecy is about my little girl,” he chuckled while the child began tugging at his beard causing him to wince. “Misunnie, that’s Papa’s beard. It hurts if you pull,” he grumbled to his daughter as she giggled in delight. Hearing the sweet peals of laughter, the twelve men felt their hearts melt at the sight. Letting his daughter down onto the ground after she began to squirm around, the men watched with baited breath as she wobbled slightly before waddling like a penguin toward one of the men whose eyes were slightly larger than the rest.

Just as she was about to reach him, she stumbled almost falling when several hands reached down catching her just in time so that she wouldn’t fall. Laughing in glee, she then looked up at the male she was waddling toward and reached her hands out toward him making a grabby motion with her tiny hands. Stiffening, the male wasn’t sure what to do, but when he still didn’t pick her up, Misun’s lower lip began to tremble and tears filling her eyes. Seeing the tears about to fall, he felt guilt fill him up before reaching down and swooping her into his arms. With the motion it caused another peal of delightful laughter to escape her small chubby cheeks. Not sure how he should hold the child, the male looked at his brothers with a look that screamed help but it wasn’t until he felt tiny hands patting his cheek gently that he met eyes with the child and became surprised when she gave him a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

If possible, his eyes widened even further before she snuggled up close to his neck and immediately fell asleep in content. “Looks like she has taken to you boy,” the male chuckled heartily at the sight. He knew that these men would take great care of his darling little dove. “I don’t understand how we could come to her when she is at such a young age,” one of the males murmured as he reached out and caressed her little tufts of hair and smiled when she gave a small murmur of content at his touch. “That’s the thing boys, I can already guess from the powers I’m sensing from you that all of you belong to the EXO deck, am I correct?” he responded and with that sentence every single one of them tensed up. “You don’t have to hide it from me boys, all I ask is that you take good care of my daughter. I won’t be around for much longer; I have a feeling something will happen to me when the government comes for her in two years’ time. Seeing as how she is part of the prophecy that will end the governments rule, all I ask is that you leave her for now to protect her identity, and when the time comes where she will need you the most is when you will return to her side,” he said softly.

Hearing his request, the two leaders glanced at each other with a nod before the shorter of the two pulled a necklace out of a pocket and began to infuse a small portion of his power within a small cube that held a blue stone with intricate designs to look like a tree all held dangling from a crescent moon. He passed it to each of his brothers and watched as they each infused their own powers within. Once completed he passed it to the burly male before them. “When the day comes that you will no longer be with her, give her this necklace and it shall protect her until the day we will return to our masters’ side,” the male said seriously. Nodding, the father took the gift graciously before plucking his sleeping child from the warriors’ arms. Having felt her body being moved, she began to whimper in complaint only to snuggle up against the chest whose scent of spices lulled her back into sleep. “I’ll do that boys, in the meantime take care,” he said softly and watched as each warrior collected their card and disappeared from his sight.

~Present~

The warrior felt a fondness grow within him at the memories from twenty years ago of when he initially met his master. He knew that she wouldn’t remember since she was so young at the time, but a part of him wished with all of his heart that she did remember. After we had left, and the years passed, most of my brothers gave up the hope of ever getting to see you again. Now that it’s twenty years later, I know with time, each of my brothers will be back and we can resume where we initially started, he thought to himself as he sat upon one of the chairs near the window. Hearing the water turn off, it was moments later that Misun walked out wearing loose fitting pants and shirt as well as a familiar necklace. Seeing the necklace, the warrior felt warmth fill him to know that she had worn it after all this time.

Feeling his gaze, Misun looked up and met his stare before sitting down upon her cot and placing her head in her hands. She was still in shock that the child who called her mama was no longer with her. Thinking of the incident, she felt tears beginning to stream down her eyes and her body shaking when a comforting as well as slightly familiar scent seemed to surround her when she felt herself pulled against a chest and arms encircling her. Letting her hands drop, she looked up through her tear filled lashes to meet with the deer like eyes. Just by meeting his gaze, she felt herself become enraptured by them and could feel like all of her pain and sorrow would melt away with him by her side. Quickly rubbing her eyes, she leaned back away from his touch to confront him. “So, you’re my card?” she asked quietly very unlike her public persona. “That’s correct master,” he replied easily. Hearing the word master, she flinched causing the male to tilt his head in wonder.

“Please don’t ever call me that. My name is Misun,” she stated before meeting his gaze once again. “What’s your name?” she asked running her eyes over his appearance. “It is traditional for you to name us,” he responded and watched in amusement as her glare made an appearance toward him. “To hell with tradition. It can go screw itself for all I care. After today, I never want to follow tradition ever again,” she snarled in response. A light chuckle escaped from his lips at her response and he liked how she was feisty in her own way. “If that’s the case then, my name is Luhan,” he stated with a quaint smile upon his lips. Hearing his name, she began to test it out and liked how it sounded upon her lips. “Luhan,” she murmured before a small smile appeared.

Just as they were about to continue to talk, a loud knock sounded upon her door causing the duo to immediately tense and Luhan sprang into action, easily maneuvering her behind him to protect her. “Luhan,” she whispered in surprise at his action. Another knock resounded through the cabin before a muffled voice filled the air. “Misun, everything’s ready when you are,” came the muffled voice of Hyeonsik. Hearing his voice, she felt a shudder go down her spine before ducking around her warrior and reaching to open the door. With a slight groan from the old hardware upon the door, she opened it to see the grief stricken face of Hyeonsik standing there not looking like he normally would. Hearing the door as well, Hyeonsik looked up to see Misun standing there with still wet hair and a frail look about her. Without thinking he immediately pulled her into his grasp and hugged her as she became stiff in his arms. Seeing the scene, Luhan let out a snarl of annoyance before pulling the woman away and into his own and glaring at the other male.

Authors Note:

Hello everyone! I'm glad I could update early! I initially want to update this story only once a week since I work two jobs and have a full set of courses in college, but this chapter would not let me ignore it and I just kept writing until I was done. I'm not complaining, and I'm sure a lot of you aren't either! lol. Anyways, thank you once again for following my story and please upvote, subscribe, and comment your thoughts below! I hope everyone has a great week and I'll see y'all next time!!!

XOXO

Zoe_bug