FATED TO SEVEN DRAGONS

TEN

Seokjin stared straight ahead at the small open space where but a single gravestone stood in the distance, giving it the appearance of shrinking yet it stood strong, erect, and ready to last a hundred years or more.

His eyes moved from side to side scanning the forest that surrounded the small land, for he knew not what yet. He had felt a presence following them from the moment they stepped out of the house up until now before it disappeared. He couldn't sense them anymore, but he was certain whoever or whatever it was would be back with more succours. He'll have to keep an eye out.

He moves to stand by Michelle's side a bouquet of flowers in one hand, her gaze fixed on the gravestone in the distance. Seokjin's eyes scan the land again, it wasn't a graveyard, it looked like private property only the single gravestone stood there.

"When my parents died, nothing of them was left..." She began, "...Dragon fire burns everything, y'know?" Here she laughed a little, but it was a strange laugh; breathy and not all happy-sounding. "How silly of me, of course, you know...it destroys everything in its wake leaving nothing but smoke and ash...that's what their bodies had been reduced to...ash. My parents' bodies were burnt to ash, not even their bones were left for me to bury. That's how powerful I discovered a breath weapon can be." She continued.

"The dragon fire had sweep through our family home reducing it to ash and it became their grave, but I couldn't visit them there anymore because I had to leave my birthplace and come here to start afresh with my new family... The Myungs gifted the land to me when they adopted me and were kind enough to build a gravestone here so I could have a place to come and visit my parents whenever I wanted...but I haven't visited in the past five years. Jaehyun didn't allow it... I don't think he liked my mom very much."

Seokjin rubbed her back comfortingly, that was all he could do right now and cursed himself for not knowing how to comfort a grieving person.

Michelle glanced up at the sky where the dark storm clouds were low and moving slowly. It was noon but the dark clouds made the sky as dark as early evening. "It looks like it's going to rain soon." She says while watching the massive storm clouds loom over the field.

Seokjin smiles sheepishly as he rubs the back of his neck, "Yeah, and I forgot to bring an umbrella." The clouds rumbled in the distance. "I hope you don't mind a little rain." Michelle turns to look at him offers a small smile shaking her head.

They walk the small distance toward the slab of white granite that stood out amid the beautiful greenery of the field. The gravestone was as white as the crystalline snow, unmarred by the years of weathering. Seokjin stood a few feet from Michelle, his eyes musing on the stone that gave off a steady glow seeming to have an aura of its own. Michelle looked fixedly at the cold stone as if it can make permanent what can never be. 

The stone was something she could visit when she could no longer bear the separation... It was something tangible and dependable when all else in her life was in turmoil, her beloved parents may have departed but the stone stays, where she would visit like any other soul who has lost a piece of themselves.

She reached out to touch the marble and run her fingers over the gold engraved lettering. "I had only one headstone made...it seemed befitting to have them close together. Maybe their souls can unite—will unite in the hereafter." Her voice came out breathy as she suppressed her urge to cry.

Her eyes glimmered with tears as every memory of her parents played like a song in her head. She had lost a big part of her that she couldn't get back and wanted back so bad but it was all gone, vanished into thin air...or should she say ash.

A single tear slid down her from warm, hazel eyes, followed by another one and another one, until a steady stream of salty tears flowed its way down her pale cheeks, releasing the sadness and sorrow that had been held inside of her for all this time but still she did not make a sound. Slowly releasing her emotions within herself with silent tears making no attempt to conceal or even wipe them away.