YOONA

“I’m sorry your highness, but Prince Stefan couldn’t make it. The blow caused by your sister’s powers took a toll inside of him and, h-he can’t be cured by any medication.”

With my tear-stained eyes and pale body, I watched my own mother fall to the floor in shock. I wiped the forming tears from my eyes when she suddenly cried in despair.

“N-no, not my husband. Stefan, STEFAN!”

I flinched when mother suddenly stood up and went towards the door where my father is. Her doctor was taken aback and tried to calm her down, but to no avail.

Mother kept on slamming the door, creating noise that’s echoing in the entire hallway. I took the time to look around the place, admiring each structure and furniture found. A small but mocking smile slowly appeared on my face.

The palace is indeed huge and beautiful, but the beauty is useless when everyone only feels sadness.

“Any news about my sister, Shin-sshi?”

I winced in pain as the scene in front of me changed again, this time showing my mother on her bed, and a young-looking lady guard standing by her side.

I noticed the guard’s hands clamming behind her hand, shaking furiously as if she was nervous. I looked at her carefully and something inside me felt weird.

I felt scared all of sudden.

“Sh-she was b-being taken to the r-royal court, y-your highness. She’s being t-tes-tested by the h-high officials a-and I h-heard that they’re p-planning t-t-to take h-her to—”

“Stop stuttering and answer me properly!!”

I looked at mother in shock when she suddenly shouted at the lady guard. The lady guard also was surprised to the point she stumbled backwards and hurt herself when her back bumped to the table behind her. She apologized quietly and bowed down afterwards.

“I-I’m sorry, your highness!”

I gulped my nervousness down harshly and took steps forward towards my mother. The youth found in her face is still visible, but also the stress that she’s been feeling. It hurts my heart to know that something like this actually happened to her.

And to think that I was currently inside her womb for the later months of it, she had it going for her harshly.

“Speak calmly, Shin Eunmi. Don’t be scared of me, please?”

Mother asked softly as she lend out a hand towards the lady guard, smiling a bit.

“I’m sorry for suddenly acting that way. You know that I’m a 6-month-old pregnant lady. I may act too emotional sometimes.”

“I’m not scared of your sudden act, your majesty. I-it’s just the news about your sister that f-frightened me a bit.”

“What do you mean, Shin-sshi?”

“Princess Hildigar was thrown to Oblivion, your highness. She’s never coming back.”

~~~~~

THIRD PERSON POV

“How do we get in the Kingdom when we can’t even see it? It’s called hidden for a reason.” Kris asked, his voice laced with obvious despair. His fellow royalties were the same in his state, as they continue to wander through the wilderness.

“This Lami girl might be just playing with us. We can’t trust her!” He added, as he glared at the young lady who avoided his gaze and continued to hold onto Mark’s hand.

“Kris hyung, don’t be like this to her please. She’s already sorry about what she did.” Mark reasoned out as he clasped his hands to Lami’s cold ones. “She knew what she did wrong.”

“But her sorry can’t help us in our current situation.” Suho interfered, cutting down the tall grasses that are blocking his way. “I appreciate the apology, but I’m concerned as to where the kingdom is right now. It’s been 3 hours since we left Natural Kingdom and we still got nothing.”

“And time is gold,” Jessica agreed. She then slapped Kris’ back without warning, making the poor man groan in pain. “So you better stop complaining about her being with us and keep your ass focus on something.”

“Jessica!” Kris wanted to say something back, but he was only met with her girlfriend’s glare and with that, he decided to stop. He’d rather stay quiet than to listen to her ramble.

“This is going nowhere.” Taeyeon exclaimed, looking around. “I don’t feel any magic presences except ours.”

“Lami-sshi, are you sure this is the right way?” Baekhyun turned around to face the nervous lady behind him. “Because if it is, there has to be some changes in this place. The only changes I could feel are everyone being restless, the sun becoming too hot and my sweat flowing down too fast.”

“Y-yes, your majesty. We are going the right way.” Lami’s answer came out as a stutter, but it was clear for everyone. They halted their steps and looked at her, as if they couldn’t believe her. Despite the stares that made her want to melt down and let the ground swallow her, she tried to open her mouth.

“I-I’m not sure if any of you noticed, but there is a faint magical presence from nearby. Its faint, but you could feel that it’s powerful.” She breathed in for a second and continued to talk.

But Luhan beat her to it.

“I feel it.” He mumbled in shock. Afterwards, the rest felt the same. Luhan broke his gaze with Lami and looked upfront. He squinted his eyes when he saw something glow in the distance.

“That’s the former king’s magic.” Lami slowly told them, the others are quietly listening as they too, also looked upfront. “The magical presence is in a golden color, the brightest color for a royalty. Whatever presence you’re feeling right now, that’s the magic of the barrier.”

After what she said, the group of royalties then started to move in sync, running towards the presence. In each second as they got closer, the presence was starting to get noticeable, and also stronger. They could feel its immense power and how its different from their own.

But Luhan was confused.

Lami said that it’s golden in color, and very strong. But that’s not the only thing that I felt.

Luhan pondered on his thoughts, his legs focused on running to catch up with the others.

I felt two presences from the same direction, but neither of them was gold.

Luhan looked up and huffed out a tired breath.

One was yellow.

Luhan closed his eyes as adrenaline rushed inside of him.

The other was black.

~~~~~

YOONA

“Congratulations for Carnation Kingdom’s new princess!”

“For baby Princess Yoona!”

“To Princess Yoona!”

I touched my stomach as I try to ignore the hunger that’s forming inside of me while I watch another scene of what seems to be a party for me, back when I was a baby.

Everyone’s in their best attires and everyone seem to be happy, even though they know what my mother has gone through. I think they’re trying to lift up the tension in this place, I guess?

All that I’ve seen so far, I’m surprised I haven’t broken down yet in tears. I still don’t understand why I have to see the past, but this made me realize all the hardships mother has done just to help me survive. I feel so proud to have her as my mother.

But there’s something I’ve wanted to see after that scene with mother’s sister.

Where did Hildigar get her powers?

“Well, well, well, would you look at that.”

I could feel my own breathing stop for a whole minute, shivers going down my spine when I heard that familiar sickening voice. I looked to my right, and to my horror, I see Jezzy in a blue slim dress, her hair straightened out to hide some of her features, drinking wine from her glass while smirking.

“After everything I’ve done to make them suffer, they still have the audacity to party? The king is underestimating my abilities.”

I could only look in horror as I watch Jezzy snicker to herself, as if enjoying the party. Didn’t mother notice her in her disguise? She’s practically out in the open! Everyone could see her.

I checked my mother to see if she has noticed. I let out a sigh of relief when I see her busy talking to other people. I noticed the little kids with them but I ignored them, not minding them.

I see mother looking around, probably searching for someone. I felt like my whole world broke down when I noticed her locking gazes with the hideous woman beside me. And worst of it all, mother smiled at her. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Mother knows Jezzy, but why is she acting so friendly?

“Unnie! Come here for a sec.”

Mother then happily gestured her to come closer. I panicked. Hysterically, I tried to stop Jezzy from walking towards mother.

“Oh no, you witch. You’re not killing my mother just yet! Move back, move back you beast!” I screamed and practically tried to push her away. But of course, I can’t change the past.

Despite all my efforts, the witch just passed through me, and I could only painfully watch my mother hug her as if she’s someone dear to her. And probably no one did, but only I could see the mischievous glint in that witch’s eyes.

I don’t get it. How were the two of them friends?

“Jezzy unnie, what’s the meaning of this?”

The scene changed once again, but what I feared the most was now happening. The once beautiful palace was a complete mess, all of the curtains torn, and the floor’s painted with scratches and blood.

I see mother and the witch, a distance between them, hands on each side as if waiting for the right moment to strike.

Mother’s drastic change of facial expression was clearly seen, and seeing how she looked so hurt, it took a toll in me.

It pained me to see her like this.

I might break down.

“Cassey, don’t you still get it? Everything was just a façade, a fake show! Are you that dense to figure them all out?”

Jezzy snickered mockingly, as she continues to look down on mother, enjoying the sight. I clenched my fists tightly, not liking any of this.

“Y-you’re my friend, unnie.”

“There is a saying that goes ‘keep your friends close, and your enemies closer’.”

~~~~~

THIRD PERSON POV

“Is this it?”

“Yep, it is.”

All of the royalties were in awe as they gaze at the barrier that has glitches in front of them. If you’ll look at it as a whole, it’s like a continuous path of the forest but basing on the glitches found on it—take note that the glitches seem to be slowly getting bigger in each second—there are different houses found inside.

The royalties, no doubt, finally found it.

Carnation Kingdom.

“How are we going to get in?” Baekhyun asked Lami, thinking that she knows the way. He looked a bit confused when Lami suddenly looked nervous, her gaze wavering a bit as she stares at the barrier in front of her.

“Just walk right onto it.” She said, in a nervous tone. “The barrier’s supposed to look like the forest, but there are glitches. I-I have a feeling something’s wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Tiffany asked, feeling nervous.

“To get in, all royalties are supposed to combine their powers together to make a temporary entrance. Luck is probably in our hands, I think.” Lami explained carefully, as she slowly let go of Mark’s hand and walked forward.

Everyone watched her with expecting eyes. As Lami stood face to face with the barrier’s glitches, she slowly extended her arm in. She expected that her theory would go wrong, and that she’ll feel unexplainable heat that the barrier is supposed to give to outsiders.

But no, her hand was safely in. Her hand didn’t get any scratches.

This is bad.  Lami thought.

“Looks like the odds are on our side. Come on guys, let’s go!” Suho led the group, and together, the royalties went in the barrier one by one, wasting no time.

“What’s wrong Lami?” Lami looked up to see Mark’s concerned face. The young man noticed her nervous figure and decided to stop by her side. Lami could only feel the tension as she puts pieces of a puzzle inside her mind.

“It might be too late to save Princess Yoona now, Mark.” The young lady said in a defeated tone, much to Mark’s surprise.

“What? We’re already here! Let’s not waste our time—”

“It’s all part of her plan, Mark. She knows that we’re here. She probably did something to the barrier. It’s not supposed to be easy to get in.”

The young lady grabbed hold of Mark’s hands, the man in returned noticed the coldness in them. Lami continues to stare at him with fear in her eyes, scared of something only she knows.

“We’re playing right into her hands! This barrier is already visible and can let anyone, even the beasts of this forest, in it! W-We have to think about this thoroughly—”

“We will, Lami. Have faith.”

The two young teenagers turned around to see a smiling Luhan from behind. The man walked towards them and patted their shoulders.

“If the witch is playing with us, then we have no choice but to play back. It’s all already been planned out in the beginning, that to gain peace and freedom, we have to fight.” Luhan looks at them with a reassuring smile. He then slowly walked towards the barrier and gazed at it.

“Don’t fear of what’s behind this barrier, Lami, Mark. Have brave hearts instead. Tell you what; this is going to be our last battle for freedom. And we have to win this, or else,” Luhan glanced at the both of them, a serious expression written on his face.

“We’re all doomed.”

~~~~~

YOONA

“The time has finally come. The prophecy is coming true.”

I broke my gaze from my mother and Jezzy towards an old man. I was a bit taken aback at the sudden intrusion.

“W-Wait, you can see me?” I asked, surprised. The old man smiled, and in return, he opened his arms, as if inviting me for a hug.

“Yes, I can, Yoona. Now give your old grandpa a hug.” He exclaimed happily, little tears forming in his eyes. I could only look at him, still stoned-shock.

“Grandpa?”  Was the first thing that came out from my lips. After that, our surroundings suddenly paused.

My eyes widen at the still sight. I looked around in awe. How did this happen?

“Yes, Yoona, grandpa. Or you can just address me as your grandfather.” I heard the old man replied as he chuckled, as if he was enjoying my clueless state. He slowly put his hands down and walked towards me.

“My, you have grown so much.”

“Y-You’re still alive?” I asked, my breath still in a ditch. I can’t seem to process everything that’s currently happening. My mind’s in a haze after seeing my own father die, seeing Jezzy and my mother were actually friends before, and now my grandfather suddenly appears right in front of me?

I need time to relax, please!

“Of course I am. That’s why I’m in front of you right now.” He answered and chuckled again, obviously amused.

“B-But General Lee didn’t tell me that.” I mumbled, still in shock. I looked up at him in shock, and quickly aimed my hand towards him. He sees this, but he doesn’t seem to be afraid by it.

“If you’re created by Jezzy just to trick me well, hell no, boy, better give up now.”

“Wait, wait, hold up. Is that how the new generation speaks today? I’m not informed.” He states and chuckles again. I glared at him.

This man thinks I’m easy! How dare he?!

“Hey, I know that look. I’m not the villain here, Yoona. I really am your grandpa.” He said, after noticing that I was serious. Well, heck, I am dead serious.

“Then prove it, mister.” I told him, still aiming my hand at him. He chuckled at how I look and shook his head.

He then looked up front, looking at the scene before us. I noticed how his eyes seem to soften when he gazed at mother. The softness was only for a little while though, when he suddenly raised his right arm up and slowly, he waved, creating a change in the scene.

I watched in shock as our surroundings suddenly started to move fast, as if they were being fast forward by a remote. Only, the remote is done by this man’s magic.

After for a few minutes of fast forwarding scenes, he stopped it at a particular moment. We’re already outside the palace, his magic showing a still picture of my mother carrying a baby wrapped in a white cloth, probably me, and a man hugging her. I walked closer to them and see the man’s face.

“But father, I can’t just leave you here! Jezzy will kill you!”

I flinched a bit in surprise when mother suddenly spoke, the scene suddenly unfolding as if someone just pressed play.

“I have to stay here, Cassandra. I need to watch over my kingdom. Don’t worry about me. Focus on Yoona. She’s your first priority right now.”

“But father—”

“Now go!”

The man in front of her then opened up a portal and gently pushed her towards it. My mother’s tears and look of worry were the last things I saw as the portal swallowed her in, disappearing right after.

“It’s just sad to see a poor father sending her poor daughter and poor granddaughter towards a poor place. Oh, such a shame.”

Jezzy suddenly appeared from behind him, a sickening face of obvious evil is painted on her features. I clenched my fists tight, hating how she just addressed my whole family.

“This is really exciting! Right after I kill you, the mighty king of Carnation Kingdom, I’ll start the hunt for your poor daughter and granddaughter, and kill them the same way!”

“Why are you doing this Jezzy? I told you this a lot of times, move on! You know that I could never love you.”

The sudden words from my grandpa’s young self rang a bell inside me. Shock suddenly overwhelmed inside of me, as the pieces of the puzzle starts to makes sense.

“Please stop your recklessness! You’ve already killed my wife, cursed my youngest daughter and used her to kill my son-in-law, and now you want to do the same to my daughter and granddaughter? Don’t you have any mercy? You’re crossing the line!”

“You crossed the line first by marrying your sick excuse of a wife! I’ve been there for you ever since we were kids, and yet you never paid any attention to me. How could you?!”

“I’m sorry for not returning your feelings, but Jezzy, I’ve been apologizing since decades ago. Are you that mad at me? You’re being unreasonable!”

“Once you make a revengeful witch angry, any unreasonable reason is still a reason to give vengeance.”

“Now do you believe that it’s me?” I looked up to grandpa with tears falling from my eyes, which surprised him. I quickly hugged him, which made him stumble.

“Woah Yoona,” He exclaimed, but I ignored it and hugged him even tighter. I can’t believe that old hag! She made my entire family suffer, just because of a broken heart? That’s something else!

“I’m sorry for not believing you, grandpa. I-I’m a bad granddaughter.” I apologized, my face buried in his chest. My breathing went ragged, and I’m still yet in the process to understand all of this.

There’s too much information to digest.

I hate it so much.

“There, there, my child. Just cry it all out. I know you’ve been through a lot.” Grandpa said as he comforted me, his hand caressing my hair. I continued to cry and cry, letting all of these heavy emotions out.

This might be the only time where I can be my small self, the me who wanted nothing of this and the me who’s tired of it all.

I have to use this opportunity to just, let them all go out.

“I didn’t know you had to go through a lot. You’re so strong to be able to withstand it all.” I told him in admiration. He chuckled and ruffled my hair.

“I have to Yoona. I’m a king, I can’t act weak in front of my people.” He said. I broke the hug and looked at him in the eyes.

“You’re still a person, someone who has feelings.” I reasoned out, and grandpa could only smile.

“Now that you know the reason why Jezzy is this intent on ruining our family, are you determined to crush her?” He asked me, to which I find it absurd.

“Crush her? I don’t like the idea of that.” I spoke, softly. “She suffered from a broken heart, and just because she’s the revenging kind of witch, it’s like she has to avenge for her pride. It makes me want to help her.”

“But she killed almost our entire family, Yoona. What makes you think like that?”

“I know how it feels to be alone, grandpa. Being hated by everyone and feeling like you don’t belong here, I’ve felt that. She probably did too, she just decided to use that reason to give revenge.” I looked down to wipe the remaining tears from my eyes before looking back up again to meet grandpa’s gaze.

“I will make her pay for what she did wrong, but I also want to make her realize that everything she’s been doing is pointless. She’s a witch that needs to be taught, but if ever she agrees to change, I’ll let her.”

Grandpa smiled a big one, and ruffled my hair.

“You know, I think you got this kindness from your father. He was really a kind man, a gentleman even.” He chuckled at the sudden thought.

He slowly broke our hug, and the next thing I knew, our surroundings suddenly turned white. As if we were in a big white room. Grandpa then raised both of his arms, and out came what seemed to be a scroll. I looked at him, clueless as to what he’s about to do.

The scroll suddenly opened, a voice suddenly reciting the words coming out of it and images of familiar scenes. I watch in surprise as the scroll started its piece.

“A sound of a sleeping child is heard
A mother’s cry is at alert
A curse made by a witch of the west
Now is within the mother’s nest.”

Images of mother’s last encounter with Jezzy was then shown. They were both fighting and screaming words at each other. The place that shows where they were was familiar, but I couldn’t point out where.

“Mourning now can be seen
Because of an incident,
The child disappears from the scene.”

The burning town which was caused by me was shown. I looked in shock as memories from before came crashing inside my mind.

Why is this scroll showing my past?

“Earth became hard for them to stay,
But a risk to keep her daughter safe anyway.”

Everything that happened when we first arrived on SMTown was next. I then realized how awful my childhood was.

“The light has gone, darkness arise
Tears from thirteen, she started to be alone.
But slowly she entered beginning
As her isolation came to an ending.”

The next scenes started with mother dying, then to those times when I first met the royalties and after a lot of persuading, I became friends with them.

“Being confused about her feelings
Became one tragic believing
A plan has been made
Which causes everything to fade.”

I blushed as soon as Luhan suddenly appeared, along with Kai and Shawn. A lot happened with those three. Slowly, it shifted to those times when Kai started acting weird, and when everything went astray, I was taken by Jezzy after killing him.

“The last man standing helps the other
But later forgets on the next encounter
Emotions now being forgotten
Destiny begins once again.”

The scene from the convenience store was shown, when Luhan and the rest finally found me but I don’t know any of them. It really was like as if destiny was trying to build up the sad relationships.

“Now a princess, later a queen
The west comes back, for a meeting
A battle is coming, she said
They now train ahead.”

It then shows when I finally remembered everything, and how we got to Natural Kingdom and how for months, we trained to prepare for this.

And now, here we are.

“The prophecy is almost complete.” I looked at grandpa as he folded the scroll and made it disappear with his magic. “Only one set left, and Late Queen Rein’s prophecy will be fulfilled.”

“That was the prophecy?” I asked, surprised.

“Yes, and I’m glad that everything’s coming true. Destiny is on our side. This scroll is the mere reason why I’m here, hidden.” Grandpa explained as I continued to listen to him.

“Jezzy knew about the prophecy, since she also keeps her own copy. But since hers is only a copy, she wanted to get the original from me. Thus, I hid the kingdom with a barrier and prevented her from entering.”

“She’s really determined to destroy me, but to do so, she has to prevent the prophecy from coming true. But no matter how she tries to prevent it, everything is just going accordingly.”

“So all I have to do is to make this prophecy come true?” I asked, with high hopes. Grandpa smiled and nodded as an answer.

Suddenly, a wave of relief and determination poured all over me. I squealed in joy, finally happy for such good news.

“You have to take me back now, grandpa. I have to win our kingdom back.” I said with confidence. He smiled and gestured me his hand.

“To know if you really succeeded, I’ll come out from this hidden place. Remember that.” He told me. I nodded in understanding.

I placed both my hands on his, and smiled reassuringly to him.

“I’ll not let you down, grandpa.” I assured him, to which he happily replied.

“I know you won’t.” And his magic was poured all over me, slowly drifting me back to where I was before.

I’m going to end all of this chaos, once and for all.

This is for my family, my friends, and my kingdom.

~~~~~

“Hmm? What the—?”

The scroll suddenly appeared on his hands and opened by itself. He notices black magic that was surrounding it.

He stared in shock when suddenly, new words were forming.

“Now it begins, Fate makes a twist,
A new chapter made, a perfect list.”

“Did something go wrong? Why is there black magic?” He asked, to no one in particular.

“Why did the prophecy suddenly changed its track?"

~~~~~

A/N

I’m late for one day, I know. I had to edit some parts.

Oh my gosh 4.5 K words, can you believe it?! Finally some long ass chapter for you all.

Next week will be the epilogue. Thanks for reading!