The Seven Wonders | BTS

67. Broken

"Everyone," Namjoon's deep voice was shaky even through the earpiece's static. "Don't make a sound."

Emily took a deep breath, the cold breeze making her long brown hair flutter as she composed herself. Hel's fighting ships were passing overhead, dark shadows looming over them. She held her breath and heard her heart thump against her ribcage. Chest tightening, it felt as if the air around her had thickened as the tension grew heavier with each passing second.

Closing her eyes, Emily paid attention to the sounds around her in order to calm her nerves. Through the earpiece, she heard eight individual breathing patterns, one being more calm than most. She heard the electricity crackling softly around Jimin's feet. She heard the soft growling Holly was releasing.

Emily held her breath. In the darkness of her vision, the protector saw her trainer, who stood proudly in the center of their training grounds, a patch of grassy fields not so far away from the orphanage.

Opening her eyes, Emily was suddenly a little kid standing in that same field, a wooden staff in her hands. She could feel the cold breeze brush through her, strands of her formerly soft hair tickling her cheeks. She looked around, feeling nostalgic at the sight of the orange sky that only showed itself at breaking dawn. Facing down, the protector recognized her favorite pair of little blue boots. She wondered if they were still out there somewhere, waiting for her.

Emily glanced at her knuckles, which were painted with purple and red bruises. She started to tremble as the pain suddenly shot through her body. Her tiny legs were shaking, cuts and patches of dirt littering her skin.

"Emily," The trainer said, making Emily face him. He was holding a wooden staff as well, his tall and bulky figure towering over the little girl. "Never—"

"—Take your eyes off the enemy," Emily whispered softly to herself, voice barely audible. Opening her eyes for real, she found herself back in Hel and released her breath once she realized that the fighting ships had passed them.

Squinting her eyes, Emily saw all six Helian ships heading towards the fake fortress' illusion that the Hemelian magicals had created with their combined magic. She smiled. It was all going according to plan.

"It worked!," You cheered, your loud voice stunning Emily a bit as you unsheathed your katana.

Truthfully, Emily couldn't believe that the Helian army had fallen for the trick so easily. No matter how the situation she had in mind, she had expected Hel to somehow see through their plan. After all, with each encounter they had so far, it seemed like Hel's army became smarter and smarter with each battle. However, it wasn't the case this time.

Emily thought that was a bit unusual.

It didn't take long for Hel's fighting ships to hover above the fake fortress in a circular formation before shooting at it with a mixture of bullets and magic. She swatted her hands before her face as thick clouds of dust shot towards her and the others.