#witch!exo

~

the snow on the ground was slowly starting to become patchy as the winter chill shifted into spring life. this was Minseok’s least favorite time of year. he felt as though his very energy was melting and drowning the newly growing grass.

as winter melted into spring, a part of him died as the flowers bloomed from his corpse. his magic slowly faded until he felt powerless.

he was on his last walk, he could feel it. once the sun returned to the sky, it would melt the last of the ice and he would crawl back into hiding in the cool air conditioning.

Minseok had walked this earth for a very long time. much longer then even his brothers knew. while he loved his coven and their brotherhood, there was a feeling of loneliness that followed him like a shadow.

he found his eyes raised to the heavens, where the moonlight glowed behind the clouds.

“winter is dying once again mother, but you haven’t come to see me.” he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. “without your guidance, i will not survive the summer.”

Minseok’s eyes shot open as he heard a whimpering sound from within the forest. he looked back to the moon again, the waning crescent smirking down at him.

“thank you, mother.” he bowed his head in respect as he continued on, following the small whimpers.

hidden in the underbrush, he found the small shivering feline.

“how long have you been out here alone, little one?” his question was soft as he leaned down to the creature. your ears perked at his voice, slowly raising your head from your arm.

“p-please, please don’t hurt me! i haven’t done anything! i-i’m so sorry...” you sniffled as you tried to back away from the man before you. he held out his hands as not to frighten you.

“shh, it’s okay. i don’t want to hurt you.” his voice was cool and calm as he leaned down towards you. you felt a calm come over you as he spoke. this man, he seemed familiar.

“w-who are you?” you tilted your head as you watched him carefully.

“my name is Minseok.” he replied, sitting down on the cold ground before you.

“Minseok...” you wondered. he studied you, how small you were curled up, your tail tucked under your chin and your ears lay back towards your hair.

“if you stay out here, you may freeze before the sun comes up.” his voice was laced with concern.

“...its okay.” you voice was small as you pulled your legs closer to your chest.

“you want to die out here in these woods, alone?” he raised a brow.

“i do not want to, but if it happens, then so be it.” your voice was still small, but it showed no hint of fear. Minseok was taken aback by this. “she told me to stay and wait. to prove myself.” you muttered.

“who told you that?” he asked.

“My Lady. she told me.” you raised your head slightly, and Minseok caught a glimpse of the crescent and snowflake charms on the collar around your neck.

‘thank you, mother.’ Minseok thought once more.

“come along Snowflake, let’s get you home.” Minseok stood, shrugging off the light jacket he wore, and offering it to you.

“...home?” you asked, looking up at the man in puzzlement. he smiled at you, helping guide you to your feet.

“yes little one, home. mother has never left me a gift before, and i can’t have you freezing to death.” he helped wrap you in his jacket. “if you want to stay, i won’t force you, but,” he paused for a moment.

“Minseok...” you repeated his name once more. you felt you should be remembering something that had slipped your mind.

“maybe she told you to wait for, Xiumin?” your ears perked up as he spoke the name, recognition sparking in your eyes.

“yes! that’s who My Lady told me to wait for.” a soft chuckle came from Minseok as he trucked your small frame under his arm and began helping you back towards the coven.

~

“you had better have a good explanation for this.” her words dripped with a familiar venom. he held back a flinch as he met her gaze.

“i am at a loss. i don’t know what i should do.” he admitted. it pulled hard at his pride, but he knew that stretch would be far more bearable than failure before her.

she tisked. standing there, Tao felt his confidence drain from his body through his fine leather shoes. she stood, small in stature in comparison to him, but with only one look he felt her eyes punch him in his chest and knock the air from his lungs.

“i thought you had grown out of that helpless little boy.” he bit his tongue at her words, tasting ion in his mouth. she let out a sigh, crossing her arms. “regardless of your foolishness, you have a job to do, Z.”

“i know, but she’s stubborn. i came to you because-”

“because i had to deal with you.” she lifted her head, a smirk on her lips. “oh how amusing. the rebel child meets his successor. and she possesses a stronger will then even him.”

“i do not know how to convince her. i thought that, by losing someone she cared about, she would see the inescapable reality of her gifts. but she didn’t even flinch.” Tao gritted his teeth, his nails digging into his palms.

“she isn’t as sensitive as you.” she blankly stated. “a male Delphi is always pushed to his limits when he must train his successor.”

another bite on his cheek and another coating of blood in his mouth.

why must she always speak like this. like she is better than i am, simply because of her sex. she treats me like an idiot, but i am not a fool.

“the curse of the women of Delphi, is our lack of empathy. well, the men of old called it a curse.” Tao resisted rolling his eyes as she spoke. he could no longer count the amount of times he’d heard this speech from her. “however,”

she ran a hand over her head. a habit she had when she was thinking. the surface of her shaved head pricking at her ideas. she closed her eyes, letting her hands fall back to the pockets of her suit jacket. slowly, her eyes opened, glowing like a purple fire.

“i trained you Tao, you are the man i created. but this child is going to change you. do not let her crack you. you must have her believing you are always five steps ahead.” the unnatural pigment of her eyes faded and she stepped forwards.

Tao let out a gasp as she grabbed a hold of him by his shirt, pilling him down to look her in the eyes.

“do not let her do anything without your knowledge. and absolutely do not, let her over power you.” every one of her words rung in his ears.

she released him and stepped back. “for so very long, the Clan Of Delphi has held the same destiny. you have to train her, she is your successor, and you are her mentor. just as i was yours, and S was mine.”

“i know this.” Tao let out a huff, quickly flinching back as she stuck him with a hard glare. he felt her eyes pierce his flesh with spikes, slicing holes through his skin.

“this is your battle to fight, Z.” she turned her back to him, tugging on the high collar of her turtleneck. “i hope that rebel will of yours can produce a good enough strategy to earn your successor.” she taunted him.

“you’re not going to help me?” he felt a panic crawl into his throat. he couldn't fail, that was not an option.

“i received no help when i trained you.” she bit at him as she turned to glare at him over her shoulder. “M cannot meet myself or S until after you have trained her.”

“i know that, but-”

“there is no ‘but’ Z. this is your reality now.” she turned back forward once more. “get creative, boy. bond with her about that black kohl you like to rub on your eyes.” she left as a last taunt, before disappearing from his view.

“my reality now...” Tao’s gaze fell to the floor, his shoulders tensing at her mocking words. “bond with her...”

the man fell to his knees, holding his head in his hands.

“why must you be such a bitch Q? some mentor you were.” he held his arms around him, throwing mental curse after curse at the woman who had stood before him just moments ago. “some mentor...”

Tao’s head shot up. ...mentor.

“i’m plenty creative, thank you very much.” Tao brushed off his shoulders as he stood to his feet once more. “i think a rebel will and back eyeliner may do me well yet to convince her.”