Sacrifice?

"Tell me again, why are we on a ventilator?" Irkan asked angrily, as both he and Chungyong crawled furthermore. Chungyong replied in a very bored tone, "I have told you before we even started this."

Irkan couldn't help but release a frustrated sigh, he said, "But you said that we're gonna spy on them."

Chungyong crawled on his forearms as space was too less to move, he replied, "This is the best way we can hide and go most near to them and still not get recognized. I have used the sky element to remove our aura around us."

Irkan, who was behind him asked in a curious tone, "Wait, you're an air and earth element, don't tell me you can use sky too."

Chungyong chuckled at his honesty and replied, "Don't worry I am just earth and air. I used the sky element when I sprayed that perfume at you, before climbing in the ventilators."

Then Irkan remembered that before when they were fighting to find a route, (Irkan shouting and Chung Yong replying) Chungyong sprayed something on himself and on him. He asked, "So, you made the spray?"

Chungyong hummed replying, "There are few plants capable of doing elemental protection, so I used one of my old techniques."

Irkan replied slightly amused, "Sure you're known as the most intelligent one in our school." Chungyong just chuckled in reply but Irkan asked, "But why don't you score more than the fifth rank in our school? I mean we all know you hold back, but why?"

Chungyong replied, "I try to hold back because I don't need marks. Orlee stands first for her reasons, Lucious stands second because his parents want perfection and wouldn't tolerate anything lower than that. Gabriel, we all know she is just too competitive, if she comes any less than the third she would go crazy over it. You study to prove yourself not only to your own self but also to the universe that you are no less than a royal. So I stand a bit back not to pressure you guys more than you already are."

Irkan never knew Chungyong was this smart to observe everyone's secrets so easily. He never thought of him that way, but now as he says Irkan understood why Chungyong is known to be way more mature than his age. Sure no one was able to understand their deep secrets so easily as he did, plus he respected everyone's privacy. He didn't barge in or showed off the sacrifice he was doing for everyone. Respect for Chungyong not only grew but also fledged to a new extent in Irkan's heart.

Irkan was now thankful to him and also sore in his head to pay him back for sure. As they were crawling forward, Irkan hit his head with Chungyong's shoes, but before he could shout at him, Chungyong whispered, "They are down here."

Irkan hummed lowly and started to listen to the sound that was going on. A male voice said, "You can't keep going like this."

The voice was heavy and authoritative, it seemed like it was King Julio's. And then a similar voice added, "He's right Kaal, we have to go."

They sure were trying to say something but Kaal, being himself was ignoring them and Irkan can clearly make his ignored face's image in his head. But before anyone could say something a female voice which was way more dominant than anything else kinda like King Julio, said, "We have company here."

Irkan understood at once and both he and Chungyong started to crawl back, but before they could they felt the ground below them getting jelly and jelly. They started to sink in, they tried their hardest but weren't able to come out and before they could even react they were out of the ventilators and they fell on the ground.

As Chungyong hit his butt and Irkan his face, Chungyong couldn't help but let out a whimper like a child. They both were busy getting their posture back and soothing their pain when they heard chuckles. Both of them looked in front of them, only to find four pairs of eyes on them. Chungyong hides behind Irkan's large body as Irkan looks ahead of them.

He laughed nervously and said, "We were just checking if ventilators are best to hide or not. We checked it, it's too tight to be comfortable, now we should leave."

Saying that he turned to exit, only to hear, "Who are you?"

They looked back only to find an angry King giving them a death glare. They both shrank to their places, but Noah said, "Chungyong and Irkan if am not mistaken?"

He asked to which both boys nodded like good boys. Julio asked again this time more irritated, "What are you doing here?"

To which Queen said, "They're here to find out about Kaal, aren't you?"

They looked in her direction, the beauty and aura she was radiating were of another level. Her sharp yet soft eyes, filled with compassion. Her black off-shoulder sleeves reached the ground as the turtle neck wrapped around her neck gave her a very subtle look. Her skirt which was lousing over her waist drapped to her ankle and her perfect high heels complimented her.

Both boys were awestruck with her beauty yet power. Irkan snapped first and nodded his head like a lost child. Julio asked with his brow raised, "Do you really?"

He started to change his eye colour from light blue and they started to get more violet. Before he could burst them with his anger, Anika said, "He is a black-hole born."

Julio to one extent was shocked but both boys were out of even shock. They had wide eyes like a doe caught in headlights. Chungyong was the one to cut his curiosity with, "H-How? I mean which element? Which cord? Why isn't he radiating aura? Is it why he felt empty like you? Is it why he had black tentacles coming out of the ground?"

She narrowed her eyes on his last sentence and asked, "Black tentacles?"

He nodded and replied in a most innocent voice, "When he attacked Lucious."

She looked over to Kaal who looked down trying to avoid his mother's gaze. For the first time, they saw Kaal avoiding eye contact. Anika's lips stretched in a thin line as she asked, "Is it true?"

Without saying anything Kaal only nodded and she looked at Chungyong asking, "How's the boy now?"

Chungyong shook his head, "He didn't harm him, he's alright."

Anika only nodded and asked, "What else you wanna know?"

But before he can ask, Noah interrupted, "Aren't you being too friendly milady? I mean they got to know what they have come for, isn't it better that they leave now?"

Anika smirked and said, "I don't know about the other one, but Chungyong here is one of my favourite people. He's the child I have ever wanted to teach personally."

Chungyong's eyes shine brightly as he heard the queen saying such words for him. He felt so blessed as he bowed down saying, "Thank you so much for this much respect milady."

Anika smiled and replied, "You're most welcome, I would love to talk to you personally." He nodded, but Julio asked, "So, he's your student now?"

She shook her head and said, "Not yet, let him complete graduation. But as for Kaal here, I want him to attend classes."

She looked at Kaal who still kept his gaze down, showing his disapproval to his mother, she frowned asking, "Are you listening or not?"

Then Kaal looked up and said, "I don't feel good attending classes. What they teach here I already know. Plus there is comparatively no one who can fight against me. I would be more than interested in sleeping than to go out."

'So he does talk' thought both Irkan and Chungyong at the same time and Noah said, "Maybe you could participate in matches for some fun?"

Kaal rolled his eyes and replied in a most bored tone, "Why? To beat everyone and become the leader of those stupid kids?"

Irkan got offended and couldn't control himself saying, "Why not try these kids if they could beat your ass up?"

When he realized what he had done, Chungyong gave him a look that said, 'Do you brother and sister have a habit of skipping words outta your mouth unknowingly?'

But Anika started to laugh and said, "You are one hella angry child."

Irkan looked down trying to stop his words from skipping his tongue anymore but Anika looked at Kaal saying, "But the kid's right. If you can just go out and become their leader you don't have to attend classes anyway. The leader of the pillars just needs to pass the exam. None of the pillars attends classes anyway."

Kaal's eyes glistened at this and he smirked, revealing the most devilish smirk that made both Irkan and Chungyong shudder visibly. He said, "If it's that great, lemme try my strength."

Anika nodded and said, "Well then it's decided, now, Chungyong come with me."

He only nodded and started to follow the dark queen like a good puppy. As they left Irkan started to leave too but Julio asked, "Which kingdom?"

Irkan looked at him with a confused face and Julio asked again, "You're Prince but to which kingdom?"

Irkan was a bit taken back, but he replied, "Shirken Kingdom. But you're mistaken, I am no prince. I am just another royal."

Julio chuckled lightly making it awkward for Irkan as he felt he said something silly, but Julio said, "Do you know how to use air?"

Irkan nodded replying, "It's my element."

Julio nodded and asked, "Do you know how to use all five of them?"

Irkan was but taken back and asked, "You mean five elements? Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and Sky?"

Julio nodded and Irkan shook his head feeling embarrassed. Instead of some snarky comment which Irkan was expecting, Julio said, "Don't worry I'll teach you, these holidays report me in the royal castle."

Saying that he left the room too, leaving behind an overwhelmed Irkan. He was busy sinking all the information but Noah said, "You're lucky, you know?"

This took him outta his trance and Noah added, "He didn't teach even me. But I guess you deserve this much."

Irkan simply nodded and went away to a meeting room to report what just happened.

---In the Royal Quarter of Dark Queen---

Chungyong fidged in his seat uncomfortably as he waited for Dark Queen to return. He looked down the railing and saw the huge campus of LOONA. The greenery spread to the vast forest of campus. The whole campus was designed to be more natural, as Anika believed that no one can teach better than nature itself.

When she established this school no one agreed with her that it would actually work, but with her efforts and her hard work, the school was a huge success in its first batch. All the students trained in Loona were selected to the highest posts of different kingdoms and they passed certainly most examinations. After that school faced no downfall which made Loona the best school in the whole universe.

His thought-train was interrupted by Anika as she asked, taking her seat, "What're you thinking about?"

Chungyong looked at her and asked, "How? Why? When?"

Anika smiled and asked, "Loona?"

He nodded and she said, "Loona was the girl very close to me, you may not know about her but she was from earth. I have never faced such a strong and powerful woman ever in life like hers, that's why I named it Loona after her name.

As you have known LOONA is a university for learning how to control elements of the universe, which include five elements; fire, water, earth, air and sky. So I thought that living in them would be the best way to start with. That's why I made the castle for school in the middle of this huge forest Island.

I grew the most scared to most common plants here, I made the huge two grounds with safety fields to fight in. I made the special chamber of fire to work with the fire element with the help of Jurgen Kingdom. I made the deep tunnel of mystery to restore the water element since it's most rare. I made the cosmos room for sky elements to release their power or recharge them as they tend to drain more energy than others.

I made the void-stadium, where soon your matches will be held, with the agreement of my daughter, Aura.

I did all this over years and years. People think having a kingdom is enough to change the world, but I think having a school is more accurate here."

When she ended Chungyong was out of words and Anika chuckled at his surprise. She smiled and asked, "Anything else?"

He nodded and asked, "What's up with dark stone? What the hell is the red stone? What is-"

But she cut him saying, "I'll answer these questions when I'll take you as my student. Right now, I wanted to discuss something with you."

He nodded and she continued, "Kaal is born from a black hole. I have contained all the blackhole's power in one body made out of the universe's hardest fibres. His only body cost like a hundred normal bodies. But I never intended to make him alive. As you know a body is the best container for any power, so I thought I would make a body and trap its powers in it, but when Kaal moved I realized that this black hole does have a conscious mind. Which made Kaal a living being."

Chungyong asked, "So you never intended to give birth to him?" She nodded and he asked, "Do king Julio...?"

Anika only shook her head replying, "No, he doesn't know and neither do Kaal or anyone else know I never intended to give birth to him. You're the first one."

He nodded and asked, "So it means if a collective consciousness is put in a body along with certain powers it would give birth to a life?"

She nodded and said, "I have talked to Kaal if he knows anything before he was a breathing person but he told me he didn't remember anything other than some lost visions of a person and their smile."

Chungyong nodded and asked, "But if Kaal's a black hole wouldn't it affect his current state?"

She nodded replying, "That's the exact reason I had asked you to be here."

He nodded understanding and she continued, "Kaal has a problem controlling his powers. Not when he fights someone or something. But only a certain time, but I don't know if they're triggered or not. I had to control him at the right time or else he can transform back to its original form and this time bigger and stronger."

Chungyong nodded digesting the whole information and she said, "So, I want you to keep an eye on him for me, will you do that?"

Chungyong thought for a moment, as he knew he couldn't refuse to Anika but still something inside him said to wait, but he said, "What exactly I had to do?"

She said with the most serious voice, "Make a daily report on my son and send it to me."

He nodded understanding her very well, saying, "That's not a problem now."

She smiled at him showing her gratitude and he said, "I know I am in no position to explain you, but still I want to tell you that I don't assume you as a bad mother. I can understand that this is as hard for you as it is for Kaal. You may never intend to give him birth, but you love him just like you loved Aura. I know because I can feel it, I can feel the change in your aura as you surround Kaal or talk about him which only shows how much you love him. People may fear you for their death, but I love you. People say you're powerful and that's why you're given so much respect, but I think haters have some dysfunctional diseases to live in their own dream world, because trust me there are a lot of people who love you. They don't fear your power, we believe in you."

Hearing such beautiful words Anika's eyes glistened as she only nodded not knowing how to respond. Chungyong said, "So if that's all, may I take leave my queen?"

Anika smiled at his words and said, "I am not your queen, your mother is. You're a Prince Chungyong."

He passed his signature smile as he said, "You made me a prince, my queen."

She lightly shook her head and said, "I am sure you have a fanbase?"

He only giggled shaking his head, "I hardly talk."

She nodded saying, "You are my favourite student."

He passed her one last smile before going out of her room. As he walked down the empty halls. Since it was near dark queen's quarter and no one dares step their feet there assuming it too dangerous, taking the stairs to his floor, he was thinking about what Anika said and he started thinking how he should follow Kaal or should he place paid spies on him. Thinking about his reputation in school, anyone would agree to do so.

He was going long in his thought-train when he heard in a voice very familiar to him, "Chungyong...?"