Till That Strange Spring || A BTS Fantasy Story

38. DARKNESS?

Oliver looked around the artificial forest, the fauna was similar to real ones but... so different. The green pigmentation on the plants amused him every time he saw it. The brown soil's smell was so calming and the land was so different, yet, so lovable. He went on his usual rounds, especially being careful tonight because of the new company that they had. He stopped abruptly when he found two figures cuddling there, his heart warmed at the sight of them. He turned away, not wanting to disturb the two sleeping figures.

He checked that nothing was out of place and walked towards his hut. He paused a second, seeing three people standing there. He walked towards them with a smile, "All right there you lot?"

Namjoon nodded at him with a grateful smile, his dimples showing out as he did so. "We could never thank you enough, Oliver." Oliver just waved it off, his eyes crinkling behind the fatherly smile. He turned to Taehyung whose shoulder was bound in a neatly clothed dressing.

"You seem so much familiar. Do I know you, son?" Taehyung shifted under his gaze, gnawing on his lip while weighing the question.

"Namjoon?" He said and the Sebran immediately caught on to it. He waved his hand, the silver dust glittered in the blue light. Oliver felt a light ache in his head, but his eyes widened at the memory.

"Ah," he squinted his eyes, "I should have known." A sad smile formed on his lips, "you look just like him. I still remember the day how Emma asked me to get you three out of the town into safety."

Taehyung's eyes widened, he barely remembered it. Now that he thought about it, there was a man, a young one who took them away from the town.

The soldiers were hot on their trail as they ran through the forest, having tear traces on their faces. "Run along kids. Fast!" He helped Luane up, who fell down, sobbing as she moved ahead. Jungkook and Taehyung stopped and helped her up as they ran along as fast as they could.

"This is the Dark King's command! Surrender and we will not harm you!" Oliver turned around and gave a rather rude gesture with his finger, hurrying along with the kids. His face was covered by a dark cloth that hid his face from them. The kids ran without looking back, not daring to stop. They didn't want to think about what had happened to their parents. The mere thought made them weak in their knees.

He pulled the three and hid behind a huge trunk, his breath came out in white clouds. "Listen, you're father wanted you to have this!" He panted, looking for the sign of soldiers. "Taehyung, Jungkook, and Luane, your parents would be so proud of you." His bottle-green eyes glittered with tears as the moonlight fell on them. "You guys are so brave, yeah?" The hooves of the horses clicking neared them. "We can't get out of here if we run together. I'll run the other way, okay? They'll follow me and you, you guys run through the forest straight. When you see a clearance, find any people who could help you, but don't say who you are. You understand, kids."

Young Taehyung's finger wrapped around the swords. Oliver had their parents' swords... How did they fight? Or... Taehyung didn't want to think about it. He nodded at the Verde through thick tears. Jungkook held Luane closer. She was shaking after seeing the two swords. He ruffled Taehyung's hair, "Make your father proud." His bottle-green eyes stared at Taehyung lovingly.

"I will." Oliver never expected that confident answer from an almost fourteen-year-old boy. He nodded one last time and ran the other way.

"WASSUPFUCKERS? SEARCHING FOR US?!" That was the last time the children heard Oliver as they ran as he said. His sudden disrespectful tone against the Dark Palace soldiers made the kids laugh through the tears...