solis | svt au

18

Chan quickly packed up all the gear he could find, including Vernon's weapons and rations and Seokmin's herbs, medicines, and crystals. They were about to embark on a very long journey, and they needed all the supplies they could get.

He glanced at Soonyoung for a brief moment, who was methodically straightening out the blankets on the beds for lack of anything better to do. The other had claimed to have multiple useful connections interspersed all throughout Solis, and Chan didn't doubt him with how social he was, so that was another resource they could use if they needed help.

Still, the ship, their most efficient mode of transportation, was rendered almost useless - only Vernon and Seokmin knew how to operate it. Would Soonyoung know?

Chan focused his attention back to packing. Vernon's crossbow case was quite bulky and fit awkwardly inside one pack along with copious amounts of dried meat, fruits, nuts, and empty water skins. The other pack was filled with neatly organized herbs, some fresh ones carefully packaged. That left them with one more pack that was just. Empty. Chan could only assume that it was meant for anything the pair found on their way or any rewards they received at the end. Not that it was his business.

He looked up at Soonyoung again, who was now sitting with a bored expression on one bed.

"Oh, are you finished?" Soonyoung asked, meeting his eye. "Do you need anymore help?"

"I'm good." Chan replied with a strained smile. "Do you mind taking a pack?"

"Of course!" was Soonyoung's enthusiastic answer. He quickly shouldered the pack containing the majority of Vernon's supplies, and stood up with a grunt. "Let's go!"

With that, the two of them walked downstairs and to the inn's common room. Only to find it still completely devoid of life. That was really starting to creep him out, Chan thought, giving the room another precursory glance. He was quick to exit, holding the door open for Soonyoung who followed close behind.

Finally outside, the two sighed for a moment. The inn was surprisingly stifling, and the fresh air was nice.

"I think we should go back to Astrum - where you, Seokmin, and Vernon started out from." Soonyoung was the first to speak as the two of them stood in silence. The street in front of them was bustling with activity, carts and people moving in a loud stream. "I know someone there who sells information. I'm sure he would've heard some clue or at least a rumor of where the Library is, right?"

Chan hummed a bit as he thought. "Yeah! That sounds like a plan,"

"Great!"

The two then joined the stream of people and started heading toward the docks. "By the way," Chan spoke up, "Do you know how to operate a boat?"

"Kind of," was Soonyoung's slightly terrifying answer. "It should be fine. Don't worry!"

Chan was, in fact worried. Very worried for his safety and life because Soonyoung seemed like the kind of person who would race a fishing boat.

"If you're sure..." he finally said after a short pause. "Please don't race any fishing boats."

"Aw man!"

~*~

Seungkwan stared in shock at the equally shocked faces of Joshua and Wonwoo.

How the heck did he end up back in Astrum of all places?? he thought, recognizing both of the people in front of him.

Wonwoo looked down at the handmade journal in his hands and then back up at Seungkwan. "I can explain," he said, like an automatic response. A pause. A sigh. "Actually I don't think I can."

Seungkwan switched his attention to Joshua who looked like he had eaten a lemon for some reason. Joshua kind of shrugged in a strained 'I don't know' pose.

Seungkwan groaned. He was going to get scolded again once he got home, he just knew it. There were far more urgent matters at hand though. "Do you at least have a clue as to how I got here?" he asked Wonwoo, who was avoiding eye contact.

"I think it was because of this book," he finally said, "I read a word written at the end of it and then suddenly vwoop! you were here."

"Uh huh that makes sense," Seunkwan sighed, taking a random chair and sitting down. "No that doesn't make sense at all. How did that teleport me here?"

"It's probably the language it was written in or something," Wonwoo replied, looking helplessly at Joshua and then back to Seungkwan. "It's quite an old one, dating back to the Shattering of the Sky and the times of the Mage King."

"Okay, I guess that makes sense." Seungkwan's tone was less sarcastic but remained skeptical. "Could I borrow some supplies from you guys? I need to head back as soon as I can."

"That's fair," Joshua said, "You can take anything you need. It's kind of our fault that you ended up here in the first place."

"Alright, thank you."

~*~

Jeonghan held the key in his hand, feeling its cool metal weight in his palm. The library, huh?

How wonderfully vague.

The library in his father's estate was absolutely enormous, and the book held no further clues for the location of the next key (if there was one at all).

However, upon further inspection, he noticed something engraved into the handle of the key. "The history of our world is what you must seek," it said, "Tales of the strong defending the weak."

Well. That cleared things up immensely. There was one book that immediately came to mind. The Legend of the Mage King. And he knew exactly where it was.

a/n

heyo it's been a hot minute, huh?

randomly got motivation and inspiration, sure hope it lasts lmao

hope y'all enjoyed reading! :D