You'll get a double update in a few hours since I'm not here tomorrow. The Monday update will be late but it will come ^^

********

The group began the long trek up the Wool Mountains after breakfast. Their towering height was nauseating, and once at the bottom of the endless slopes, Seonghwa stared up at the tips in awe. The tallest peaks disappeared in the bleak grey clouds as if impaling the very skies. They gave the mountain range its uncanny name since they looked as if covered in the softest wool.

Snow greeted Seonghwa's eyes the higher the hills rose. Undoubtedly, they would roam through a blizzard for a while, and the thought alone had Seonghwa's heart throb pitifully. His legs were shaky, and he didn't know if he would make it that far, but he didn't lose hope. The witch was near now and the massive mountains were their final obstacle.

With his backpack strapped to his back and his shawl wrapped cosily around his frame, Seonghwa followed behind Wooyoung's red hat as the lutin led their long ascend. His walking staff supported his unsteady knees, and he kept his eyes on the path, for he knew a fall would be difficult to recover from.

Jongho was by Seonghwa's side in case of an emergency. His left hand hovered around the priest constantly to seize him if faintness overcame him. On other days, Seonghwa would have rolled fond eyes at the mothering, but he wasn't so sure anymore whether he would need it.

Since someone had to have an eye on their darkness-touched companion, Yunho aligned his steps with Hongjoong's. The gargoyle followed behind the group with his hellish eyes trained on their surrounding. He didn't scowl at Yunho's monitoring, but he also refused to partake in his mirthful conversation. Unperturbed by the gruff demon, Yunho tended to Perie on his shoulder instead.

Seonghwa didn't want Wooyoung to be introduced to their group - however momentarily he was around because of his gluttony - in awkward silence, so he directed his curiosity at the extraordinary lutin. He had heard of Wooyoung's kin before, but they were material of myth and folklore. Tricksters, who cheated wanderers out of their money, names, and luck.

Fairy folk.

"Where are you from, Wooyoung?"

The lutin glanced over his shoulder. His secure step up the winding paths took them past wilted flowers and thorny bushes that raked around each other as if attempting to throttle the rest so they would emerge triumphant.

"I am from the mountains in the north and grew up on my own. In my community, I am an honorary leader of an established group of bandits. Some of those lutins are my best friends." Proud of himself, he tipped his chin up. Fascinated, Seonghwa stared at his ears. Hongjoong's ears were also pointed, but not as tall as Wooyoung's. When Seonghwa peered at Hongjoong to compare, he met the burning eyes of the demon. Shuddering, he moved his examination to a later time.

"What about you, human? May I have your name?" A mischievous grin spread on Wooyoung's lips and Seonghwa shook his head with a huff.

"You imp. No, not if you ask like that."

"You seem to be the leader here. I expected it to be the gargoyle." In awe, Wooyoung studied Hongjoong's intimidating frame. Then he turned to walk the paths backwards while his eyes trained on Seonghwa.

"But he is just your pet, isn't he?"

Seonghwa lost his smile.

"He isn't. I can't call him a friend, but he is my companion." Even when Seonghwa's hatred for Hongjoong couldn't ever put him on the same pedestal as the other two.

Wooyoung caressed his chin with his hand. The glint in his eyes never meant something good.

"You don't seem averse to me, so it's not about him being inhuman. What did he do to deserve your disappointment, priest? Did he do something naughty?"

Before Seonghwa could open his mouth to reply, Hongjoong's voice called from behind him.

"Stop yapping, gnome. Mind your words while I listen."

Wooyoung's eyes widened, then he nodded quickly. His pranks were risky, but even a lutin didn't want to end up between a gargoyle's fangs.

"Hongjoong protects me. I got cursed and must meet with a witch to break the spell, so he helps me find her."

The mention of a witch had Wooyoung perk up.

"A witch? I know a witch!"

Seonghwa almost halted his steps in surprise.

"You do? Where?"

Wooyoung's smirk broadened. He skipped up to Seonghwa's side and garnered a warning glare from Jongho when he hooked his arm around Seonghwa's unoccupied one.

"Let me get this straight. You are cursed with a sickness that pains your heart from what I saw. It's terminal, yes?"

Wary of his intentions, Seonghwa nodded. Wooyoung's teeth looked uncannily sharp in his mouth. Seonghwa was sure if he counted them, he would discover more than ordinary.

Seonghwa purposefully didn't hand out any more information than needed.

"Sounds like you could really need my help then to save your life, hm? How much worth do you have? I could request a lot from you." Wooyoung eyed Seonghwa from head to toe with the gaze of one looking to sell ware. His devious smile unsettled Seonghwa's gut. He ignored the ache so he wouldn't expose its frailty.

"I-"

Hongjoong interrupted before Seonghwa said something he might have regretted. His hand shot out by Seonghwa's side, where he had appeared without notice. Clawed, black fingers wrapped around Wooyoung's neck and plucked him from Seonghwa's flank as if he were a child.

Spluttering, Wooyoung dug his nails into Hongjoong's fingers as the group came to a shocked standstill. Seonghwa panicked when Wooyoung gasped for air. His kicking feet reminded Seonghwa of the day they had met Jongho.

"Hongjoong!" When Seonghwa hurried to Hongjoong's side, he tripped over his own feet. He stumbled into Hongjoong when his legs gave out and crumpled as if made of paper. Two matching noises of alarm sounded behind him when Yunho and Jongho dashed to support him, but Hongjoong was closer. His free arm wrapped around Seonghwa's waist before he could cave in and yanked him closer. Faint, Seonghwa collided with the demon's chest. He had to rest his head against his shoulder when his head wouldn't stop spinning. Lethargic hands tugged on Hongjoong's hold on him to convey his urgency, while Seonghwa fought not to throw up. The pain in his chest took his breath away.

From the position where Wooyoung floated, a gargled chuckle sounded.

"Are you in any position to make demands, gargoyle? He's dying."

Seonghwa whimpered when Hongjoong's hold around him tightened. His skin burnt wherever Hongjoong touched him. His foggy brain lost all reason apart from seeking Hongjoong's sturdy and warm protection.

It was yet another trap.

"We don't make deals with the likes of you. Your wicked folk cursed him," Hongjoong snarled. His blazing eyes pinned Wooyoung without mercy as the lutin's struggling feet hung above the ground.

Tense, Yunho and Jongho waited when Hongjoong made no move to kill the kobold.

"So I would know best where to find the witch you seek, no?" Wooyoung got out a mocking laugh despite his situation.

The world stopped spinning for Seonghwa. He squinted until his eyes focused on an ant on the ground, then he looked up at Wooyoung. Hongjoong's firm hand was still draped around his waist as he encircled all of Seonghwa in one arm.

Wooyoung met his eyes with a slick grin.

"How desperate are you, priest?"

Hongjoong looked at Seonghwa with those glowing eyes. He waited for a reply.

"You're wrong, Wooyoung. My life isn't worth as much as you might think. I'm saving it out of instinct, but if the Lord calls for me, I won't deny him."

"Yet your guard dog barks at me so vigorously."

Hongjoong's hand tightened and Seonghwa reached for his arm. Bony hands so light they weighed no touch settled on his grey skin. They were mindful not to brush the scabbed wound at his waist.

"Hongjoong, please..." Seonghwa was too fragile to argue. Everything was pain.

Hongjoong released Wooyoung. He stepped back from Seonghwa a moment later and brooded in the distance while Yunho meticulously dusted off Seonghwa's shoulders and Jongho pressed his staff back into his hands.

Wooyoung sat on the ground, groaning. With a heavy heart, Seonghwa stared at his displeased form.

"Perhaps you can't help us, after all. Whatever it is you seek to loot, my life isn't worth as much. We can't trust you."

No more mishaps. Hongjoong got hurt because of this, even if he didn't acknowledge it. They didn't have abundant time to estimate Wooyoung's games.

Seonghwa turned to his friends.

"Let's move on."

They left Wooyoung behind, and the lutin didn't follow. The reward he would get from tricking Seonghwa wasn't worth the charades.

His guilt ate at Seonghwa as they scaled the mountains. They got lost several times without navigation, and night fell before they reached the frozen passages.

They found a small space tucked into the less windy side of the mountain. Hidden between shrubs, Jongho set up their camp. When Seonghwa settled on his furs, he fell rather than he lowered himself. For a brief minute, he didn't hear or see anything as he rested his strained body.

Yunho made a fire in sombre silence. Their solution was so close, but none of them could trust Wooyoung to deal at fair prices. It wasn't worth the risk. Yet, would they find the witch on time if not for him? Or was this their only chance?

Plagued by the lack of answers, Seonghwa curled up. Only when Jongho brought a bowl of food over, his eyes batted open.

"You need to eat," Jongho muttered as he pushed the bowl across the sandy ground. With bleak eyes, Seonghwa stared at it. He had no interest. No hunger beleaguered his stomach and its desolation was overshadowed by his misery.

The long break put a frown on Jongho's features.

"I'm not hungry," Seonghwa whispered. He wanted to shut his eyes from their worried expressions, wanted this to stop. He fought alone, but each second disappointed those who worked so hard to save him.

Should they have accepted Wooyoung's bargain?

Jongho got his slender knife out and pulled a loose branch from the thicket behind him. As he carved away, his plush lips opened to talk to Seonghwa.

"It's death's embrace you feel. As you prepare to die, you don't want to do what living people do any longer."

Seonghwa cushioned his head with his arm. His bowl remained untouched as he concentrated on Jongho's round features as he talked. Serene fondness eased Seonghwa's heart as he watched the man heal.

"It's best if you fight against it just to show death you aren't his yet. For as long as you can."

Chips of wood collected in a pile under Jongho's hands. Seonghwa couldn't tell yet what he was creating, only that the knight's work-hardened fingers were talented at such detailed craft.

"I shouldn't let him win," Seonghwa hummed and Jongho nodded. He didn't urge Seonghwa, but he smiled when the priest sat up to force himself to eat. Each gulp weighed like a brick in his throat, but he gagged it all down.

When he was done, Jongho put the tiny sculpture into his hand. It was a sword with a winged grip, small as a finger. Chuckling, Seonghwa marvelled at it from all sides.

A low hiss from Hongjoong had the two look up. Yunho sat with Perie in his lap as they played with a stick, and Hongjoong guarded the camp in his crouched position.

Just outside the circle of light their fire cast, Wooyoung had appeared. He fiddled with his hands as he studied their camp apprehensively.

So he had followed them. Invisible, or else Hongjoong would have noticed him.

The lutin cleared his throat when Hongjoong tried to murder him with his scowling.

"I reflected about it. You promised me something to join you, and I won't get that if you die. Perhaps if I come along, I find something else worthwhile."

"So you're bringing us to the witch?" Seonghwa asked. The toy sword dug into his hand when he clutched it full of hope.

Wooyoung nodded.

"I once got fooled out of a massive treasure by a wandering monk, and I don't want that to happen again. If you demand I don't betray you, you better also don't betray me."

Even smiling was a strain, but Seonghwa urged himself to uphold his grin.

"Is that the custom of you lutins?"

"It is." Huffy, Wooyoung crossed his arms.

After a glance at his friends, who sported matching expressions of vigilant accord, Seonghwa nodded.

They needed Wooyoung to find the witch. He could save Seonghwa's life.

"Sit with us. My name is Seonghwa."

Wooyoung slumped down next to Yunho and got a grin as a reward.

"Nice to travel with you. I shall bring you to the witch. Past Briar Glen and down at the Sinking Forest, we will find a hut in a swamp. Healing awaits you there."

Endless relief flooded Seonghwa's heart, and he almost passed out anew. He smiled so big that not even Hongjoong's glower deterred him.

"Thank you, Wooyoung."

In pretence not to be flattered, Wooyoung waved it off with red cheeks.

"You owe me a big coin for that. I hate witches."