#padrius encilion

[my-intrusive-stories]

Undine! Padrius Encilion (Bishop) x Reader: The Spark in His Eyes

Word Count ~ 745 Warnings: None Notes: Alrighty, I'm tryna get back on schedule, but I'm behind by one fic, so bear with me please. Anyway, tried a new writing format for this one. Might use it again later idk.

Undine! Padrius, who first sees you dipping your feet into his lake. How dare a human defile his lake? He honestly considers drowning you until you smile and wave at him.

Undine! Padrius becomes curious about the odd human who doesn’t fear Supernaturals. For his own amusement, he approaches you. Quickly, the undine discovers that you’re far too smiley for his tastes. It’s as if you were crafted from pure sunshine.

Undine! Padrius, who tells you to leave his lake. Humans only bring trouble. Much to his annoyance, you’re back the next day. You grin and say he was good company the day prior. Padrius seriously reconsiders drowning you.

Undine! Padrius slowly gets used to your daily visits. His biting remarks soften as he shifts to teasing you instead. In retaliation, you start calling him Pade. You could have sworn you saw pink on his ears the first time you did so, but the splash of water that quickly followed distracted you.

Undine! Padrius later divulges that undines have no soul. It’s why his eyes are pitch black. Despite being Supernaturals, the eyes of an undine do not glow when they feel extreme emotion. Upon learning this information, you smile and state that his lack of a soul doesn’t change a thing.

Undine! Padrius, who falls for you first. He never expected to fall in love with a human. They feared his fellow Supernaturals and hunted them. You were different, though. There was no disgust in your eyes when you saw the scales that littered his body. In fact, you were in awe of his beauty.

Undine! Padrius, who becomes worried when you don’t show up one day. For more than a year, you’d shown up without fail. Multiple times, you’d visited during thunderstorms and other torrential weather. What could have happened to you?

Undine! Padrius had prepared the lecture of a lifetime for when you returned, but the words died on his lips when he saw the ring on your finger. You barely finished saying you’d gotten engaged when the dark-haired man disappeared into the water. Swirling emotions raged through the undine as he tried to process this new information.

Undine! Padrius, who begins to ignore you when you visit. It’s frustrating knowing that Pade is avoiding you, but you persist in your attempts to speak to him. None of them work, though, depriving you of the person you adored more than anything.

Undine! Padrius tries to block out the sound of your voice, but water carries sound efficiently. He hoped that if you left him alone, the pain in his chest would subside. When your trips do start to dwindle, the pain gets worse. He’s made a grave mistake.

Undine! Padrius, who frustrates you so much that the day before your wedding (to some person you don’t even love), you jump into his lake and swim toward the bottom. Water pressure squeezes your body and restricts your lungs, but you keep swimming downward. Your vision begins to tunnel, and your heart rate dips dangerously. If you don’t get to the surface soon, you’ll die.

Undine! Padrius is aware of every movement in his lake, so he knows of the predicament you’re in. Using his powers, he creates a pocket of air and raises you toward the surface. As you’re spat back onto shore by the water, Padrius takes this opportunity to scold you for being reckless. Unable to contain your frustration, you retaliate by raising your voice and chastising him.

Undine! Padrius isn’t shocked by your anger. He deserves it. What stuns him is that you reveal your engagement was arranged. All of his petty childishness had been misplaced. If he had listened to your explanation earlier, you’d have never been driven to these extremes. It’s a struggle, but Pade swallows his pride and apologizes. He’d rather have you in his life than his ego.

Undine! Padrius, who you smile at and confess your love to despite everything. Every negative emotion he felt in the past few weeks washes away instantly.

Undine! Padrius, who pulls you under the water and kisses you until you’re breathless. As he does this, he removes the ring from your previous engagement and replaces it with another. You accepted the golden band happily.

Undine! Padrius, whose eyes are glowing for the first time in his life. You’re so mesmerized that you fail to realize that you’re breathing underwater. All that mattered was the captivating spark in his eyes.   

Thanks for reading!

- Mis

[my-intrusive-stories]

Who Fell First, and Who Fell Harder?

Engen - You Fell First, and You Fell Harder

People describe Engen as many things–terrifying, powerful, obsessive–but throughout the years of being his subordinate, you saw what others couldn’t. Engen’s occasional dry humor, rigid work ethic, and determination were aspects of the villain’s personality that others never experienced. Every day, you felt your admiration for Engen grow. It was only a matter of time before you fell for your handsome leader.

When you finally fell in love with Engen, you fell hard. The mere sight of him would cause your heart rate to increase abnormally fast. It soon became difficult to form coherent sentences around the man, often resulting in you running away while trying to hide your embarrassment. Unbeknownst to you, Engen reciprocated your feelings but was waiting for you, his cute little subordinate, to muster the courage to confess.

Chaos - You Fell First, and He Fell Harder

It’s not hard to fall for Jeremy Bernstein. He’s a bit chaotic (hence his hero name), but Jeremy is still charming. What’s not to like about his bright smile and dedication to justice? As you carefully treated his wounds, you imagined a future with the hero. Maybe if he had someone to come home to, he’d take better care of his health.

Not long after you caught feelings for Chaos, he found his eyes straying toward you at every opportunity. Jeremy loved everything about you, from how you executed your work professionally to how you weren’t afraid to tell him off. The happiest moment in his life was when you scolded him for being so reckless and let it slip that you loved him. As he kissed you sweetly, Jeremy realized he would do anything to keep you safe.

Bishop (Padrius Encilion) - He Fell First, and You Fell Harder

Surprisingly, Padrius was the first to be struck by Cupid’s arrow. You were always a reliable assistant, whether filling out paperwork or playing chess with him. Little by little, the Elder found himself seeking your companionship. Soon, teasing remarks became a staple of your conversations with Padrius. His ultimate goal was to see your flustered face.

One day, you realized your boss was intentionally teasing you. At first, you were wary. Bishop liked to pick on most people, so his words weren’t out of character. What was strange, though, was his accompanying actions. He’d brush against your hand, pull out your chair, or even whisper lowly in your ear. It wasn’t good for your heart. On the outside, you managed to stay stoic, but on the inside, you were a mess. You were in love with the ruler of Cloud Garden. Everything came together when Padrius saved your life from a rogue assassin. He teasingly said he deserved a reward, so with a racing heart, you went to kiss his cheek, but he turned so your lips met instead.

Yushin - He Fell First, and You Fell Harder

You’d been by Yushin’s side for most of his life, so it was no wonder he adored you. The way you dedicated yourself to training and confidently carried yourself was undoubtedly attractive to him. You were a force of nature. Having committed to training, Yushin thought you wouldn’t be interested in a relationship, so he tried not to burden you with his feelings.

Years later, after the Skysword defeated Yushin, you took care of your lifelong friend. You were his pillar of support. Something in your heart changed during that period. Over time, you realized that the warm feeling in your chest was love. Ever attentive, Yushin noticed the sudden changes in your mannerisms. Why did you, someone who could stand up to the Skysword, seem so nervous around him? To his surprise, you blurted out you were deeply in love with him. A smile adorned the swordsman’s face. The feelings he buried long ago were finally reciprocated.

Jintae Yang - You Fell First, and He Fell Harder

Life is unexpected. You never thought you’d become a villain, yet you became a follower of Jintae Yang. His charisma and ambition drew you in. Perhaps that’s why you soon found yourself pining over your leader. If Jintae wanted to reshape the world according to his vision, you’d be by his side working towards it.

Jintae first discovered his fondness for you after you took a blow meant for him. The sight of your bloodied body filled him with panic and rage. After dispatching the assailant and healing your wounds, Jintae demanded to know why you got injured in his stead. You simply smiled and said your body moved on its own. Later, when you jumped in front of the Executioner, Jintae willingly sacrificed his eyes to ensure your survival. You were frantic, trying to figure out why he’d do such a thing, but the young swordsman opted to kiss you instead of explaining. 

Bagna - He Fell First, and He Fell Harder

Bagna isn’t the brightest in terms of emotions. Rachel easily tricked him into thinking he was in love with Ihwa and Engen (he was just scared). So when he starts to grow feelings for you, he isn’t sure what they are. His first impression is that he’s sick. After all, why would his palms become sweaty and his heartbeat accelerate? Luckily, Vector helped the fire wielder understand his feelings.

When you’re happy, Bagna is happy. He goes out of his way to help you with every problem you face, even if the methods are unconventional (burning the couch you stubbed your toe on was some of his proudest work). The slightest praise from you fills him with satisfaction. It’s like there’s a flame-lobbing puppy at your beck and call. Of course, the young man’s sweet gestures don’t go unnoticed. After you confess, Bagna realizes he has two goals now: to ignite the hottest flame and to protect you.

[my-intrusive-stories]

Bishop (Padrius Encilion) Headcanons: Domestic Bliss

Padrius has already admitted that he can no longer view the world through the eyes of ordinary human beings. That doesn’t mean he can’t feel like one, though. There’s no Hero Clan bureaucracy or talk of power struggles with you. Instead, there are stolen kisses and sweet gestures. Days like this, where he wakes up to your smile and the smell of freshly brewed tea, may not last, but as Padrius rests his head on your lap, he vows to protect these moments.

[my-intrusive-stories]

Bishop (Padrius Encilion) Headcanons: Teasing You

Most people regard Padrius Encilion (more commonly known as Bishop) as a gentleman. While that isn’t entirely untrue, you know of his more devious side. There’s nothing he loves more in this world than trying to fluster you. As his lover, you’re constantly subject to suggestive questions, unexpected kisses, and other spontaneous affection. Padrius knows he’s succeeded when you bury your burning face in your hands. And every time, he’ll ask, “What’s wrong,” with an innocent smile, as if he isn’t the problem.

[my-intrusive-stories]

Bishop (Padrius Encilion) Headcanons: Lazy Days

Most days with Bishop are lazy days. When he’s avoiding paperwork (much to Madam Fullmoon’s dismay), he’ll take you to his garden to play chess. The issue is that he’s so skilled he always wins. Despite your gap in skills, Padrius will always demand a reward for winning– usually a kiss. As much as you grumble about the imbalance, you’re always happy to oblige your needy lover with his prize (and he’s always pleased to receive it).

[my-intrusive-stories]

Yushin x Reader: Evermore

Word Count ~ 4375 Warnings: Canon-typical blood Note: Tried to follow canon, but it's def not 100% accurate cause I got lost in the sauce. Anyway, this was a trip and a half to make, but I hope you enjoy me simping for an old dude. I'd let Yushin hit it any day of the week.

Countless years. That was how long you've known Yushin, the ruler of Yerim. Throughout those years, you were his closest attendant and friend. Anything you could do to help the Elder, you did.

How did that happen? Well, it all started on the day of a foul blizzard. No sane person would have traversed the land on such a day, but the people of your village were determined to reach Yerim. The settlement they formerly lived in was prosperous yet not large enough to be considered a district. Naturally, this brought unwanted attention from District Lords who coveted their land. Many lords offered to take the villagers and their land as part of their district, but the conditions were ultimately unfavorable. Loss of autonomy, taxes, and the conscription of those with gifts were just some terms included in every deal. Knowing they couldn't survive a battle for their freedom, your village decided to go where no rational lord would touch: an Elder's domain.

Padrius Encilion wasn't known for his sympathy, meaning Cloud Garden wasn't an option, and Reagan Sinclair didn't allow outsiders into Castle Gray. Other districts, such as Rhodos or Crystal Line, would have been ideal, but they were too far away. That left Yerim. There wasn't extensive information about its ruler, Yushin, but his character didn't seem questionable. With that information, your people set out to seek asylum in Yerim. It was a risk they were willing to take. It's why an entire village was traveling through a storm.

Unfortunately, not everything goes as planned. Bandits were lurking in the forest. Not many journeyed through the area, so they were low on supplies. Such a large gathering of people walking through their land seemed like a blessing to them. Within minutes, an ambush descended on your people. Screams of horror were swallowed by the roaring wind as the bandits indiscriminately slaughtered everyone they could.

As one of the two gift users, you immediately jumped to action. You levitated above the battleground using your telekinetic powers to identify each threat's location. Daggers made of snow formed and flew toward bandits with each flick of your hand. Despite the cold weather, sweat trickled down your face. This was the first real battle you'd participated in, so your control of EST was shaky at best.

Quickly, the outlaws who had avoided being skewered turned their attention towards you. An arrow narrowly missed embedding itself in your throat, causing you to lose focus and drop to the ground. The other gift user, Ellis, saw this and screamed to join him and the others inside his force field. With every passing second, more people rushed towards the safety provided by Ellis, but he couldn't maintain it for long. As soon as his EST ran out, the bandits would finish off the rest of the villagers. It had to end now.

Pushing yourself out of the snow, you regained focus and sent waves of snow toward the remaining outlaws. The force knocked them outside of the forest and into a clearing. You rushed over to finish them off, but as you raised your hands to attack, your gift didn't work. No more EST.

Shit.

The bandits kept their distance, but it wouldn't be long before they realized you were defenseless. Slowly, they formed a circle and began to close in. With nowhere to go and no weapon in hand, you hoped you could outclass them physically. One of the more daring criminals took a swipe at you with his sword. By some miracle, you dodged and landed a punch on his face, but he shrugged it off. A bloody nose wasn't enough to deter him. That's when an arrow pierced your leg.

The pain took a second to process, but when the sensation hit, it brought you to your knees. Everything around you started to blur into the flurry of snow. A figure approached with what seemed to be a sword, so with the last bit of strength in your body, you ripped the arrow out of your leg and slammed it into their body. They slumped over, presumably dead. There were still several other bandits, though. In your woozy state, they would have no trouble ending your life.

The crunch of snow nearing signified that the end of your life was near. Just as you'd given up, a sharp whistle cut through the air. Soon after, the sound of bodies dropping followed. As your eyes fluttered shut from exhaustion, you saw a man with two red swords.

Days later, you regained consciousness. Ellis, ever a loyal friend, was sleeping next to your bed. But wait, whose room was it? This was far too luxurious. You shifted, trying to get up, but there was no strength in your limbs to support you. All your rustling did succeed in waking Ellis, though.

"(Y/N), you're awake," he beamed. It was clear Ellis wasn't taking care of himself from his deep eyebags and disheveled appearance. He'd probably been run ragged trying to take care of everyone.

"Ellis, you've been losing sleep for others again," you scolded. The man suddenly couldn't meet your eyes. "While I appreciate you, it's okay to be selfish."

"Shhh. I'm fine. And isn't it hypocritical to say that, considering you almost…" Ellis trailed off, his attention taken by the man who had just entered the room. Everything fell silent.

It was the man with two swords.

Grey hair brushed his shoulders, yet he was more acute than any youth you'd seen. Confidence and power radiated from him as his gaze fell upon you. His eyes were piercing, as if he could see right through anyone. A shiver ran through your spine despite the well-insulated room.

"I see you're awake. Feel free to recover as long as needed," the man spoke before leaving as abruptly as he came.

Both you and Ellis released the breaths you didn't know you were holding. The pressure exuding from the swordsman was suffocating. But wait, you didn't thank him for saving your life yet.

"Ellis," you whispered, "could you take me to that swordsman? I need to speak with him." The man opened his mouth to protest, but you cut him off. "Never mind, I'll do it myself."

With a wave of your hands, you began to levitate. Rushing out the door, you tried to catch up with the mysterious man. He was already far away, but that wasn't a deterrent.

"Excuse me, sir," you shouted. The man stopped and turned, giving you enough time to catch up. "My name is (Y/N). I just wanted to say thank you for saving me and the rest of my village."

As you spoke, a wave of nausea overtook you. It broke your focus, causing your gift to fail. Since it was the only thing keeping you upright, you started to fall towards the ground. You braced for an impact that never came. Instead, the swordsman had caught you in his arms. Ellis rushed over to help.

"I can carry (Y/N) back, sir." The grey-haired man shook his head and started towards the room you were just in. Despite the relatively short distance to the room, your poor condition caused you to drift to sleep. As he laid you on the bed, you murmured a quiet "thank you."

The next day, Ellis gave you a recap of what had happened. Heat flooded your face. How embarrassing.

"Oh, and I couldn't mention this yesterday, but that man who saved us is the ruler of Yerim, Yushin." You blinked at the information. You'd been carried by an Elder.

"Oh gosh," you cried into the pillow. "I don't know if I can ever show my face again."

Ellis patted your back soothingly. "It's okay, (Y/N). Once we get settled, it's not as if we'll see an Elder on the streets."

That gave you some peace of mind.

Two days later, you trudged grumpily through Yerim's snow-covered roads. The damned snow made it near impossible to conduct business. Blacksmiths were low on coal and lumber because of the frigid conditions, mines collapsed due to the weight of snow, and god knows where wool could be bought. It was a wonder that people sustained themselves like this.

During your internal grumbling session, a loud noise crashed through the town. Swinging your head towards the source, you saw it most likely came from the forest. Was it a fight, more bandits, or an avalanche? Curiosity overtook you, causing you to dash toward the source. Strangely enough, none of the townspeople seemed perturbed by the noise.

Once you arrived at the origin of the sound, you realized why none of the residents were bothered by the racket. Right in the middle of the snow-covered field was Yushin practicing his swordsmanship. It was stunning. The glint of the two blades as they sliced through the air, the contrast of the red hilt against the snow--absolutely gorgeous. You watched the sword dance, entranced. Before you realized it, he was done.

"Beautiful," you breathed out. Never before had you seen something so exquisite in your life.

"Is that so?" Yushin, who was now behind you, questioned. Your heart leapt as you jumped away from the Elder. How did he get there so fast?

Not knowing how to respond, you crouched and covered your face with your hands. This was so embarrassing. Yushin merely chuckled at your awkwardness.

"What brings you here, (Y/N)?"

You took a second to compose yourself (as best as someone socially inept could) before answering, "I was trying to do errands when I heard a loud noise and wanted to check it out. Sorry to disturb you, sir."

"It's of no issue. I was finishing anyway. However, your hands are quite empty for someone running errands."

The mere mention of errands brought a tic to your eye as you remembered your multitude of hindrances. "Well," you started, "there have been a few roadblocks."

Yushin escorted you back to the small cottage you shared with other villagers while listening to your passionate ramblings about issues in Yerim. Considering how meek you tended to be, this was an intriguing side of you. It was also interesting to hear about matters regarding his land from the perspective of a new resident.

By the time you finished your tirade, you'd arrived back home. The realization that you just spent half an hour complaining to an Elder of all people dawned on you. Warmth flooded your face as you quickly amended your rant. "Not that Yerim is a bad place to be or anything. I only think some small problems need fixing, my lord."

Yushin resisted the urge to laugh at your sudden change in tone. Instead, he said, "I'd be interested in what approach you'd take to solving these issues, (Y/N). Would you care to discuss it in further detail later?"

All you could do was nod dumbly at the invitation.

"I'll see you soon, then." With that, the swordsman left. Ellis rushed out to ask what just happened, but he couldn't elicit a response--your brain was malfunctioning.

One week after the encounter, you found yourself in Yushin's office with a plethora of material you'd compiled. In your arms were testimonials from townsfolk, copies of public records, and diagrams. After exchanging greetings, you got straight to the point: the snow made it too difficult to live during the winter. There weren't enough wool-producing animals to meet the demand, so people had to rely on merchants. The merchants were aware of this, so they raised prices, knowing that the people of Yerim would have to pay or freeze. Scarce and expensive winter clothing meant that outdoor laborers such as lumberers struggled. Miners were the only people to benefit from the frozen ground but were over reliant on the presumed stability, causing the mine to collapse when it warmed up.

As you explained all of this and provided potential reforms, Yushin listened to your words attentively. You were amazing. In a short period, you came up with practical solutions for the problems plaguing Yerim. Perhaps it was selfish, but he wanted your prowess.

"(Y/N)," Yushin said after you finished presenting, "what would you think about becoming my advisor? You-"

"I'd love that! When do I start, my lord?"

And that was how you became Yushin's trusted advisor. For every annoyance the Elder faced, you were there to fix it. Nothing was too large of a challenge to take on for the man who saved your life. Slowly but surely, Yerim was transformed. It was still frigid, but it felt warmer.

On a particularly restless night, you wandered into the training grounds allocated for Yerim's guards. Moonlight bathed the cold soil in its pale glow. A wall full of swords caught your attention. Perhaps it was the way the light reflected off them or the memory of Yushin's sword dance, but you were drawn to the gleaming blades.

An experimental lift of a sword proved to be effortless; the physical strength from being a gift user was beneficial. Swinging the sword, though, was an entirely different task. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't recreate a fraction of the grace you'd seen on that snowy field.

"Adjust your grip and stance like this," a voice from behind spoke. Panic surged through your body before you recognized the voice. Rather than question what Yushin was doing here at this time, you nodded and tried to emulate his form as instructed.

"Close, but not quite." He carefully adjusted your posture by moving your limbs manually. You hoped he couldn't feel the heat radiating off your body.

"Are you interested in learning swordsmanship (Y/N)?"

"I'd love to, but--"

"Then let's begin."

Shock covered your face before it morphed into a bright smile. That smile was dangerous. The unfamiliar feeling it gave Yushin compelled him to fulfill your every whim. Even if you knew you had an Elder at your beck and call, you'd never ask anything of him, and it made him favor you all the same. Shaking his head, Yushin buried the intrusive thoughts and continued to teach you.

Years flew by in Yerim. During this time, your proficiency with the blade increased exponentially. Paired with your telekinesis, it was clear that Yushin's close tutelage had paid off. He'd even given you your own sword. Besides the growth in strength, you'd also grown feelings for the feelings for the grey-haired man. How could you not? Not once had he undermined your ideas when it came to reform. He was flexible and willing to discuss things rationally. Despite being an Elder, he diligently taught you swordsmanship. Most of all, he was easy to be around. As someone who suffered in social situations, Yushin never made you uncomfortable. Sure, you'd get embarrassed when he got close, but it wasn't his fault for being handsome.

A poke to your side broke you from your thoughts. It was Ellis. He looked concerned. Understandably so, considering this was the fourth time you'd spaced out within an hour.

"Are you okay, (Y/N)? You've been out of it for the past week."

You muttered something unintelligible into your hands. The only word Ellis could make out was Yushin.

"What was that? What about him? Is he bothering you?"

"It's nothing like that. I just," you paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "I think I love Yushin."

It was Ellis' turn to be gobsmacked. In retrospect, he should have foreseen this outcome, but he'd never put too much thought into it. All the time spent with the Elder outside of work, the private training, and the fondness of which you spoke of him. Everything pointed toward your adoration of the swordsman. Yushin's heavy favoritism toward you was rather evident, as well.

"I think you should just tell him. Knowing you, you'll continue to internalize your feelings until they eat you from the inside. Honestly, it's probably started to happen already. You're a damn good person (Y/N). If you confess and it goes wrong, you can always come back here to live with me and the rest of the villagers. There'll never be an occasion where you're not welcome."

Tears pricked at your eyes at Ellis' kind words. For years, you'd been far removed from the daily activities of your people--only visiting occasionally to make sure they were healthy and safe. They were your motivation to improve Yerim and grow stronger. Knowing you'd be accepted with open arms made your heart feel full.

"Thank you," you choked out. Unshed tears were blinked back. Ellis smiled and hugged you gently. A comfortable silence filled the room before it was broken by a knock on the door. You dashed over to open it and saw Yushin. Before you could question what he was doing here, he spoke.

"You're late for training." A quick glance at the position of the sun confirmed this. Adrenaline coursed through you as you scrambled to collect your things. How could you have lost track of time? As you flew out the door, you quickly bid farewell to your friend with a hug.

"Sorry for being late, my lord," you said anxiously. In your panic and haste to get to the training grounds, you unconsciously grabbed Yushin's hand and began to drag him with you.

The Elder frowned slightly and stopped, forcing you to stop as well. His sudden action made you realize his fingers were intertwined with yours. You tried to pull away before your heart exploded, but Yushin gently yanked you toward him.

"I thought I told you to call me by my name." After that, it was honestly a miracle you were still alive. Your palms felt clammy, and your heart was beating abnormally fast. Yushin took notice of your condition and asked, "Are you alright, (Y/N)? If you're unwell, you don't have to train today. Just rest."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

You took a deep breath and steeled your nerves before half-shouting, "It's because I lo--"

Before you could finish, your blood suddenly ran cold. A man with long white hair was nearing, and his aura was as suffocating as Yushin's, if not more. To make things worse, he held a sword. It was apparent that he was the swordsman from the rumors who'd been killing District Lords. Seemingly out of lords to kill, he'd come looking for stronger prey.

Yushin's face hardened, and he released his grip on your hand. "Go and evacuate the civilians," he ordered.

"But--"

"Go!" His demand left no room for questions. You grit your teeth but heed his command. A clash between the two would devastate much of the territory and any souls unlucky enough to be nearby. Civilians had to vacate the premises no matter what.

One flick of your wrist, and you shot into the sky. "By order of the Elder, Yushin, all civilians evacuate your homes and seek shelter far from the east outskirts." Your voice ripped through the territory as you used your gift to manipulate the sound waves. "Bring what you need only."

Confusion filled the streets as people rushed to vacate their homes. It was utter chaos. There was no choice but to intervene and provide assistance. You wanted to go back and help Yushin, but he could hold his own… hopefully.

Pushing the doubt out of your head, you swooped down in time to stop a man from accidentally trampling a child. The sight of Yushin's advisor helped the crowd settle down. Good. That made it easier to give instructions. Once that was settled, you moved on to a different area that needed assistance. After repeating this process several times, you came across Ellis and the other villagers trying to evacuate.

Using your gift, you brought Ellis toward you to explain the situation. His face looked grim as he processed the information given. It'd been years since the village moved to settle in Yerim. Should anything happen to Yushin, there was no guarantee that the new ruler would be as good as him.

"There isn't much we can do in this situation," Ellis concluded. "If that swordsman is as strong as he seemed, we won't be able to help in any way. For now, let's focus on the evacuation. Once everyone is safe, he won't have to worry about going all out."

You nodded and directed your focus back to the people below. Children were crying, and adults were screaming. The sight burned into your eyes and strengthened your will to protect everyone.

"Let's go."

Even with your gift and the assistance of others, setting up accommodations was a challenge. Making sure they had food was also demanding, but preparations you'd made beforehand in case of an emergency made things easier. Overall, it took five days to complete. And each of those days, you worried about Yushin's health. The only thing that reassured you was the tumultuous noises from the battle.

Ellis caught you staring in the direction of the battle the morning after everything was complete. He knew you wanted to be there but were held back by your responsibility of caring for the civilians.

"Go to him. I'll take care of everything. Don't feel burdened for once. All that I ask is that you stay safe… please."

You found yourself choking back tears again as you spoke. "There's a vault that contains my assets. Should anything go wrong, you should be able to access it. Thank you for everything, Ellis. You're the greatest friend I could ask for."

With those words and a hug, you steeled your heart and flicked your wrist to activate your gift. The wind slashed at your face as you pushed yourself to fly faster than ever. Every second felt like an eternity. Every small period of silence gave rise to anxiety. Your heart fought to escape your chest.

Finally, you arrived. Relief filled your body when you saw a figure in brown dart across the snow. Yushin was alive. Alarm slowly replaced your temporary solace when you noticed Yushin no longer had his dual swords. Instead, he was wielding his Elder Star. Just how strong was the white-haired man to force Yushin into this position? Your question was soon answered when you saw the two cross blades. The challenger was insanely powerful.

There was no place for you in this battle. Trying to intervene would only result in death. So you watched and prayed to whatever universal power might exist--hoping they would smile upon the man you loved and grant him victory.

On the seventh day of the vicious fight, when the sun was at its peak, your heart sank to the bottom of your feet. Yushin's blood painted the snow as he knelt supported by his sword. Assured of his imminent victory, the white-haired man walked over slowly, preparing to land the final blow.

Time slowed down to a crawl. Yushin was going to die. No. No, no, no. Over your cold, dead body.

Using your gift, you surpassed any speed you'd previously reached. With the sword Yushin bestowed upon you, you swung upwards with all your might. The impact rang through your body, but you stood firm until the assailant relented.

"So your loyal little lapdog has finally revealed itself, Yushin." The condescending tone of the swordsman irked you. It also irritated Yushin, who growled at the way he insulted you. "Tell them to step aside, or they shall perish, too."

"I will not stand down. If you want my lord's head, mine must roll on the ground first."

"So be it."

Your life flashed before your eyes as the man swung with the intent to sever your head. Every happy memory with the villagers, Ellis, and Yushin gave you the resilience to ignore the scream of your body as it surpassed its limits. Just as your swords were about to clash, Yushin's voice rang through the clearing. The descending blade stopped millimeters from yours.

"You want my Elder Star, correct? Then take it. Don't touch (Y/N)."

The sword was thrown at the feet of the challenger, who seemed to contemplate the deal. That moment of hesitation was all you needed to flick your wrist and escape into the forest with Yushin in tow.

Hours passed as you hurled through the thick snow-covered trees. Only then did you feel secure enough to stop at a stream and rest your body. Sweat dripped down your forehead and into your eyes. Your chest felt like it was filled with burning coal. And to top it off, blood poured out of your nose from overexertion of your gift.

Yushin was placed on a tree he could lean on. Blood stained his clothing from wounds he'd sustained during battle. Noticing this, you ripped strips of cloth from your garments and attempted to bandage his injuries. All of this was done in silence. Only nature dared to make noise in the solemn aftermath of the battle.

Soon, you joined Yushin in leaning on the tree. Exhaustion was about to take over, but the wounded man beside you spoke.

"Why, (Y/N)? You could have lived a happy life with your people had you not interfered. You should have left me to die."

That certainly woke you up.

"Left you to die?" you sputtered. "How could you even suggest that? In what world would I have been able to live a happy life in which you died? I'd have spent every day regretting that decision."

"And why is that?"

"Because I love you," you exploded. The echo of your words hung in the air like drifting snow. Yushin looked at you in surprise. You loved him. You sincerely loved him.

Using what little strength he had in his body, Yushin cupped your face and pressed his lips to yours. His hair tickled your nose, and his mouth tasted of blood, but you could've lived in that moment for eternity.

"Will you stay by my side, my loyal advisor?"

You pecked his lips softly and replied, "Through every trial, I'll be there. For every mistake, I'll have a solution. I'll stay with you forever, Yushin."

"And I shall do the same for you."

There, a promise was made that could not be broken by sword or time. The two would be together evermore.