The Night Belongs to the Moon | Taeyong

42 | Ruins of a City

The sound of cloaks echoed harshly in the still air as Taeyong, Dal-ae, Doyoung, Jaehyun and Taeil found themselves standing knee deep in snow at the entrance of what seemed like a forest, untouched and quiet as though it had been sleeping away quietly under a blanket of white for centuries.

Some metres ahead they could make out a narrow stream of water that remained unfrozen despite the cold and on either side of it were trees reaching the height of the grey sky with their dead branches twisting wildly above it.

'Where are we?' Jaehyun asked, softly, not wanting to disturb the calm but his voice reverberated nonetheless through the expanse.

Dal-ae stepped forward, her black cloak shuffling through the snow and her long silver hair sliding across it behind her.

'Do you not recognize it?' she asked, her eyes searching for something.

Jaehyun shook his head slowly, waiting for an answer which came, but not from Dal-ae.

'We are standing amidst the ruins of the Water City,' Taeyong spoke.

None of the vampires had ever visited the Water City when the Patriarch still walked the land and none of them dared to come here after the massacre as it was considered a bad omen to visit a place that had witnessed the death of so many.

'These are the ruins?' Jaehyun asked. 'But... it's so...'

'The snow makes it beautiful,' Taeyong helped him. 'But what you are seeing are merely veils. They still exist but now they cover no houses, they are casted upon the ruins that remain.'

'There,' Dal-ae said and pointed towards a cramped path lined with trees on their left. 'We will walk that trail.'

'Why can't we use our cloaks to travel?' Doyoung asked but turned to Taeyong for answer instead.

Dal-ae had already sensed the reservation in Doyoung's demeanour towards her. Whether he liked to admit it or not, she knew he felt betrayed. It was not that she did not want to speak to him, but it was apparent that he did not wish to bring it up, not yet.

'All incantations and charms have been shut out of the Water City till it is rehabilitated,' Taeyong replied. 'We cannot use our cloaks.'

Onwards Dal-ae walked and the rest followed behind. The path was laden with thicker snow and covered completely in branches; to a naked eye, it was completely invisible. The further they walked, the more intertwined those branches became, closing in on them almost in a death grip. Water City had always been harsh on its visitors and even now the place remained as ruthless as before.

It was after some time they found a clearing and continued forward by turning down a path by the stream flowing beside them. Dal-ae led, Taeyong followed close after. At the very back was Doyoung, who kept a lookout, and Jaehyun walked with Taeil to assist him through the snow.

Taeyong had not uttered a word in all this time. He just walked silently behind her, watching the back of her head. And this was enough. This was more than enough, just being where she was.

'Do you love me that much?' Dal-ae asked, feeling his eyes on her.

'Are you still unsure?' he said.

Dal-ae smiled and turned around, and oh, how life had blossomed in the gloom. Her smile halted him for a moment before he caught up to her.

'I missed you,' she whispered, then looked up at him. Her eyes were hesitant and reserved. She had been meaning to say it but it always got caught up on her tongue.

'I am sorry,' she breathed out. 'I didn't know.'

Taeyong took her hand in his and pressed it to his chest. 'It's not your fault,' he said quietly. 'None of this is, so I don't want you to apologise.'