Dedicated to Neon_J and AngryCya 💜

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A spell gone wrong. A new curse that would haunt this town for centuries. Who knew a single charm would cause so much turmoil? One hundred years ago, the apprentice of the lord of Crescent, a witch town in the depths of the forest, casted a spell meant to amply the powers of the town's citizens. Yet it did quite the opposite.

One by one, witches felt their magic, their life force, drain right before their very eyes. Leaving nothing but a husk behind. For his crimes, the apprentice was exiled, left to fend for himself in the hands of fate and the uncertain terrors of the word.

It is said that he had a library dedicated to his witchcraft and inside, the cure to his curse. Yet no one was ever able to find it. For years, Crescent suffered. Losing a new witch every day. When one was born it felt as though another would die and they simply couldn't deal with the loss.

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Mingi caressed the knuckles of his lover's cold hands. Even though tears stained the younger witch's cheeks, Yunho made sure to keep a smile on his face, just for him. "You're not really going to cry over me, are you?" He asked, his weak voice laced with tease to uplift his friend's spirits.

"Save your strength, please..." An airy chuckle was all Mingi heard from his partner. What was once boisterous and joyful was reduced to such a feeble state. It made Mingi's heart clench. He was fading, and he was fading fast. No matter how hard Yunho tried to fight it, he couldn't escape his fate as one of the many witches destined to be drained of their life force.

"There's a map," He whispered hoarsely. "I found it in my father's study years ago...It's the location of the secret library."

"Yunho...Why are you telling me this?" The other witch broke out into a fit of coughs, clutching his chest for dear life. Mingi held his hand tighter, frantically reaching for the water resting by his bed, but Yunho pushed it away.

"L-Listen to me," He rasped out. "Please, find the library...Save the ones left. Even if I won't be one of them."

"Yunho..." Yet again, tears fell down his face, trickling onto his lover's hand that he kept close. Mingi felt the other hand slip from his grasp, moving to stroke his face gently.

"Don't cry princess, please don't cry," Mingi wiped his tears. Moving closer, he just wanted to feel what little warmth was left in the older's body. "If I die today, the very last thing I want to see is your perfect smile..." The blunette sniffed, forcing himself to grin just for Yunho. Of course, the older male knew it wasn't genuine and leaned over to place a soft kiss on his lips.

It was only then that Mingi giggled, his face brightening from such a simple yet sweet act. That was all Yunho wanted. "Thank you Mingi..." Was the final thing that left his lips before his hands went limp.

Mingi heard nothing but his fading heartbeat as he laid against his chest. He sighed heavily, letting his head drop. Then across the town, the agonising sobs of the mage echoed. That was when everyone knew they had lost the lord's son. Heavy tears of anguish drowned both Mingi and his lost partner's clothes. There were no words to describe the pain he felt.

Slowly, the bedroom door creaked open. Too distraught, Mingi didn't bother turning to face whoever was there, so they came to him. He felt something furry brush against his leg, glancing down to see a blonde cat rubbing against him. The feline backed away, its body transforming in a swirl of sparkles to reveal a tall man, with wavy, blonde locks and bright silver eyes. "Yeosang h-he..."

"I know...I know..."

A memorial was held a day later in Yunho's honour. As the only child to the lord of Crescent, this death hit the town greatly. Truly, they were all beginning to lose hope. If he died then no one was safe. Mingi looked down at the flowers surrounding his love's grave. Purple roses rested around a portrait of Yunho's face. Such a beautiful painting, now synonymous with grief.

A single tear fell from his eyes as he gazed at them. "I promise Yunho, I won't let this happen to anyone else..."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Inquired Yeosang, the cat coming behind him to jump to his shoulder. He nestled into Mingi's shoulder, making himself comfortable. The mage grinned at him then reached into his pocket, only to pull out an old map. Its edges were torn and its paper brown, but it was readable.

He dangled it in the cats face, earning an obviously questionable look on his face. "I couldn't save Yunho, but I can try to save the others."

"And if you don't?"

"Then I'll die trying." Yeosang hopped off Mingi's shoulder. The mage watched the shapeshifter turn back to his human form, dusting himself off.

"Then I'm coming with you. I won't let you go on a suicide mission on your own."

"Silly kitten, you think you have a choice? You're basically my familiar. You go where I go." Such a statement made Yeosang grumble under his breath. Either way, it didn't stop him from packing a small bag for Mingi to carry on their journey.

Neither of them had ever left Crescent, nor had most witches there. They lived a secluded life with next to no contact or knowledge of the world outside their forest. Yet based on the map, the apprentice's library was a week away. Through the thick forests of the giants, ancient ruins of the mystics and villages of humans who had hunted witches for centuries. All of which would be travelled by foot.

It was no wonder most didn't dare to attempt such a journey. Yet there they were, sneaking out in the dead of night on a mission that risked their lives. Carrying only the bare essentials - the map, water and a few remedies for possible injuries; the duo set off before anyone could catch them at such an ungodly hour.

Crisp breezes of the night flew through Mingi's turquoise hair, an oddly comforting feeling. The stars were out as well, shining brightly above them. His eyes trailed north. According to the map, that was where they were headed. Yeosang rested on the mage's shoulder, his favourite place to perch, and glanced at the sky. "Mingi, look." His little paw pointed towards the moon. The mage squinted in its direction, eyes welling with tears almost immediately at what he saw.

Right there, shimmering so beautifully was a new star. "Yunho..." They say that when a witch dies, they find their place among the stars, left to float in the comforting arms of space with all their ancestors, watching the ones down below. You don't need to hurt anymore Yunho...I'll find the cure so no one else will.

The journey was rough from the start. Truth be told, Mingi wasn't the bravest of souls, and though Crescent was blessed with all sorts of odd and wonderfully strange creatures, in the dead of night everything seemed terrifying. Bushes rustled, vines came to life and eyes monitored them from every corner of this unknown part of the forest. Nevertheless, Mingi gulped, fist tightening around his backpack straps for some semblance of comfort.

When morning arrived the next day, Mingi hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Constantly, his eyes kept flickering around the forest in search of whatever danger lay around them. His head went from side to side at every possible sound. Every rustle, breath and godforsaken growl made his head spin. All while Yeosang slept soundly on his shoulder.

So it wasn't much of a surprise when the shifter woke up well-rested and full of energy. "At least you're nice and relaxed," Muttered the exhausted mage.

"And pretty hungry too. Bring out the snacks would you? I'm ravenous."

"Food...?"

...

"I forgot to bring food..." The pure disappointment on Yeosang's face, even in cat form, was immeasurable. So much so, that he switched to his human body, if only to hit Mingi across the head.

"Ow! Hyung!" Cried the younger, shrinking as the shifter continuously smacked his frame. Yeosang did nothing but bang his fists on the poor mage while shouting about how much of an idiot he was. In Mingi's defence, he was so focused on grabbing the map that he didn't necessarily think about much else.

"Well you'd better hope you can conjure up some food witch boy! Because I'm not about to starve to death because you were too busy filling your sack with useless weeds!" The shifter huffed, Mingi whimpering once he was finished assaulting the poor boy. While he fixed himself, Yeosang snatched the map from his pocket to search for somewhere they could find a decent meal.

"There," He said, pointing to a town that seemed to be just ahead, less than a mile away. "We can fill that bag of yours with something useful. I'm sure they'll have something." Mingi furrowed his brow at the image on the map. It was a human town. It certainly wasn't the wisest place to stop but Yeosang insisted that as long as they kept a low profile they would be fine.

So off they went, a simple pitstop that shouldn't cause them too much trouble. Right?

When they arrived at the village, Yeosang was immediately captivated by the delicious smells from the various food stalls. Once again in his cat form, the shifter leapt from Mingi's shoulder to race towards the one that smelt the best. "Yeosang!" He shouted to his companion. Yet he was simply ignored by his starving friend. The mage then groaned to himself and rushed after him. Though he slowed his stride when he noticed the odd looks from the locals.

He sure did stand out. His turquoise hair and shining blue eyes were something one would catch a mile away in a place like this - so bland and mundane, as humans often were. A fruity male and a bright blonde feline running about were certain to catch anyone's attention.

Eventually, the mage located his companion. Yeosang was sitting in front of a meat stand, licking his lips at the chicken being cooked. "Quite the kitten you've got there," Chuckled the man manning the stall, his laugh deep and burly. "I've never seen a cat run so fast. Don't you feed this little fella?"

"I would like to..." Mingi took out his coin pouch, face falling at the minimal savings. His silence and grim expression had the older man chuckling yet again. Clearly, he had picked up on the situation. So while Yeosang glared up at Mingi, silently scolding his companion and his lack of funds, the butcher shoved several strips of meat in a tiny bag to hand to the mage.

"For your journey. It's dry so it surely won't sour." His large smile was met with an adorable cheer from the turquoise-haired male, who took the bag graciously, bowing humbly to him.

"Thank you so much, sir! My companion and I appreciate it greatly!" Grinning brightly, Mingi tore part of the meat in half, crouching down so that Yeosang would have easier access to his shoulder. As he slipped the treat to the feline, Mingi waved goodbye to the friendly salesmen and figured it would be best if they went on their way.

He chuckled as the cat munched happily on the meat, savouring each bite of the delectable food. "Satisfied, Yeosang?"

"Very much so! That human sure knows how to season his meats. You bunch could learn a thing or two from him." Though Mingi chuckled, he failed to notice how people had caught onto their little conversation. He simply carried on, oblivious to the men now trailing behind them.

Finally, the duo were interrupted when someone called out to the mage. Mingi turned around, shocked to see he was faced with a small group of people. "You, boy!" A man shouted. "Whereabouts are you from?" The slight hostility in his voice didn't go unnoticed by Yeosang, as the shifter arched his back, hissing at the stranger and those around him.

With soft strokes to the creatures back, Mingi did his best to keep the feline calm. "Easy Yeosang," He whispered, though it did little to ease him. "We're mere travellers. We will be out of your hair in no time."

A straightforward answer that Mingi hoped would be satisfactory. However, the crowd didn't let up. In fact, they drew closer. Yeosang could sense the mage's worry, as a bead of sweat began to fall down the side of his face. "And you feline," Another spoke. "Rather peculiar. One may say it's even the work of witchcraft." This statement earned murmurs from the other humans surrounding them.

The silence from Mingi only made their suspicions grow. Just out of the corner of his eye, Yeosang could see a sword inching towards his friend, mere moments away from impaling him. So with a harsh growl, the shapeshifter didn't hesitate to leap from the witch's shoulder, body encasing itself in a wave of sparkles and when it cleared, a furious feline, twice the size of any man, appeared.

His hands now alight with a blazing turquoise, the mage's cape flowed as the aggressive magic emitting from his hands changed the pattern of the air around them. None of the humans skipped a beat in rushing towards the supernaturals, weapons in hand. Yeosang snarled, immediately racing to knock them back. His large paws tore at their weak bodies, sending them to the ground with harsh attacks. Teeth digging into the penetrable flesh of anyone foolish enough to get close to him.

Mingi, on the other hand, did his best to keep damage minimal. His magic was purely defensive, keen on keeping his conscious clean of blood. Each spell simply propelled his attackers away, letting their bodies fly where they must as long as they were away from him and the enormous lion sinking its teeth into the locals.

Yet they just kept coming.

Yeosang, determined to beat any foe in his way, wouldn't rest for a second. But Mingi could see they would be outmatched. His eyes went wide when he heard the feline howl in pain, whipping around to see a sword buried deep in his leg. Wincing, Yeosang didn't let it keep him down and used his powerful tail to swat his offenders away.

Mingi raced towards, hand flying up to create a field around them. "Yeosang, we need to go. Now." He squirmed at the uncomfortable pain of the humans banging against his forcefield. The spell wouldn't last very long. Knowing this, Yeosang nodded at him. He allowed his body to fall into the form of a light blonde pegasus, wings spanning to allow Mingi to hop on his back.

Though he grimaced at throbbing pain in his back leg, Yeosang assured the mage that he would be alright and instructed him to let their protection fade away. The second it was gone, the pegasus shot into the air, the violent gust of his wings sending their pursuers back in the process.

As they flew, Mingi brought the map out, scanning it for where they would need to go next. "I hate humans..." Grumbled Yeosang.

"It's alright Sangie, I'll treat you when we land. Bet you're glad I brought all these 'useless weeds' huh?" He was met with nothing but an eye roll and annoyed huff from the flying horse, who did his best to ignore his urge to let Mingi fall mid-air. A sentiment greatly appreciated by his non-winged friend.

Just up ahead, a new set of trees came into view. Only this forest was different. Much different. Trees so tall they reached past the clouds were all that met their eyes. In fact, it seemed never-ending. Nervously, Mingi glanced back down at the map. There was no way around it. When asking Yeosang if they could simply fly above it, the shifter simply shook his head.

"Not unless you want to fly for a whole month." What he thought was an exaggerated response began to make complete sense once they landed. Each tree towered above them. So tall not even the largest of towers could compete. Their trunks were enormous, more akin to the size of a mountain if you asked them.

Seconds after touching the ground, Yeosang switched back to his cat form, as it was the most comfortable for him. His light whimper caught Mingi's attention instantly, as he scooped the feline onto his shoulder and began their journey through the vast woods.

His eyes scanned the area cautiously. Though it seemed mostly desolate, one could never be too sure when in unfamiliar territory. The two felt like ants in a place such as this, where everything in sight so easily towered over them. Who would've thought that the most intimidating thing in a vast, mysterious forest would be the trees?

Mingi didn't want to waste too much time gawking at the strange oddity of the vegetation, as he could feel the warm liquid of Yeosang's wound dripping down his sleeve. He cursed. He was losing a lot of blood. Without a second thought, the witch rushed into the forest. Running a decent distance, avoiding the draping vines and inconvenient boulders, he searched for a clear spot to treat his wound.

There was a modestclearing a good while into the forest and as far as Mingi could tell, it was safe. Gently, he placed his wounded friend on his cloak, which he sprawled just beneath the feline. As unbothered as Yeosang tried to be, Mingi could see that he was avoiding eye contact with the gnash, wincing every time he so much as bent his leg.

The mage fished around in his bag, pulling out a few ferns and placing them by the feline. "I know you hate anything that isn't chicken," He started, earning an almost inaudible grumble from Yeosang. "But you're going to have to eat them before I can start the spell."

He held the plants by Yeosang's face, patiently waiting for them to be eaten. The shifter looked as though he had been shown the most disgusting thing in the world, his furry face laced with disapproval. Despite his sour expression, he took them in his mouth, chewing reluctantly but still at a decent pace. Once Mingi was sure they were down, and not held in his mouth to be spat out later, he lifted his hands and placed them just above Yeosang's wound.

The blue magic flowing from the mage encased itself around the shapeshifter's leg, covering it in a beautiful turquoise that sent a tingle down his spine. Mingi kept his eyes closed as he did his best to focus on healing his friend and block out the sounds around him. Granted, he wasn't the most skilled of witches, but when it came to healing he was an ace.

His powers had never failed anyone, except for Yunho. That thought made his hands quiver, pride and sentiments trembling at the thought of his lost love. With his fading breaths, slowing heartbeat and cold hands, Mingi still refused to believe any of it had really happened.

It was only when Yeosang whined at the unstable magic on his body did Mingi reel himself in. Lips quirking to contain the emotions threatening to spill. The mage muttered an apology, eyes remaining closed to keep from losing any more focus than he already had. Even still, the image of Yunho didn't leave his mind. His wonderful laugh and beautiful smile replaying in his head. A scene Mingi would never get to see again.

Yeosang found himself sulking with boredom. Usually, the mage wouldn't have taken nearly as long but judging by his shivering tips, it was clear he was distracted. Yet that didn't make the shifter feel like this was any less tedious. With not much else to do other than sit and watch his friend tend to his scar, Yeosang began to glance around the vast forest.

The moss just under the cloak offered a comfortable spot to rest, the earthy and fresh smell of the vibrant plants surrounding the duo. Despite the immense height of the trees, the sun still shined brightly through the canopies, offering a light shadow when it hit the trunks.

The atmosphere was quiet, peaceful even, and Yeosang found himself ready to doze off any moment now. That is until he felt the ground tremble. A tremor that, although light, surely didn't belong to a creature of their size. "Mingi..." Peeped the shifter, eyes widening and mouth falling agape.

"I hear it Yeosang," Was his nonchalant reply. Mingi kept his focus on his magic, not at all phased by the massive shadow now casting over them. Either that, or he just didn't notice it.

"Mingi..."

"Give me a moment."

"We don't have a moment!" A deep snarl echoed behind them, finally drawing Mingi's attention. Slowly, his eyes creaked open as his body twisted around.

A creature of stone stood behind them, taller than any living being either of them had ever seen. With soulless eyes and a build of unbreakable rock, the monster stomped towards them, each pounding footstep shaking the ground. "W-What do we do...?" Whispered Mingi, completely frozen under the beast's gaze.

"What do you think? Run!" Without a second thought, Mingi collected Yeosang in his cloak, simply tossing it over his shoulder and sprinting to his feet. The creature roared the moment he moved, heavy body rampaging towards him.

Mingi wasn't sure where to go, he just let his legs take him away as far as possible. Despite this, he could practically feel that monster breathing down his neck, each step he took followed by a tremor that would knock him down. His heart beat rapidly beneath his chest, violently enough to make him grimace as he kept his quick pace.

Frantic breaths and grotesque roars were all that travelled through the forest until Mingi found himself stuck in front of a dead mass of wood. Surely he would never be able to climb over it. He was cornered.

The stone cretin towered over them, knees of the mage shaking in place. He had no clue what to do. He used so much energy on healing Yeosang and couldn't think of a single spell to get them out of this situation.

"Whoa there!" A voice shouted from above them. Their saviour had arrived, swinging down from a long vine and dropping down in front of Mingi.

The stranger didn't spare any of his focus onto the witch, looking instead to the rock monster. Slowly, he approached it, keeping focussed on its face. He pressed his palm to its rough exterior and then his head, stroking coarse skin as he whispered. "Relax, I'll deal with it, okay? Just calm down." His gentle tone seemed to do the trick, as the creature seemed to soften in a way. Letting out a simple huff before it marched away.

For a moment, it was silent between everyone, the odd man watching the stone monstrosity storm away for a bit while Mingi and Yeosang were left to gaze at one another. "Well, thank you so much. I don't know what I would do if-" He cut himself off at the sharp sheen of the man's sword when it was drawn and pointed in his direction.

"Who are you?" Were the first words he spoke to the mage. Yeosang poked his head out from the bundle of cloth he was wrapped in to get a better look at him, wondering if now would be a good time to strike. Pitch black hair that parted to the right, with deep brown eyes held in a firm stare. Though his face seemed soft, it was clear he could do some serious damage if he so chose.

So did Yeosang strike?

Quite the opposite. He found himself dazed at the mere presence of this man. A look that didn't go unnoticed by Mingi, though he quickly turned his attention back towards the sword being held at his neck. "Please, we're just passing through." He tried his best to assure. Yet all it earned was a harsh look of scepticism from the younger.

"No one just passes through the Mystic Woods. State your real purpose before I lose my patience!"

Feisty... Thought the shapeshifter. As captivated as he was, he finally realised that a weapon was pointed towards his friend, switching his entire mood from intrigued to a hissing fit. With a simple look, Mingi was able to tell him that he would handle this. "Believe me, we'll be out of here soon." This answer, judging by his scornful expression, did not satisfy the man. So Mingi chose to elaborate further. "We're looking for a library. There's a curse haunting my home town and I must find the spell to reverse the hex."

Hearing this, the man slowly lowered his weapon. "The library of Eden?" He inquired. Mingi, shocked that he knew its official name, nodded. "What makes you think you'll be able to find it? Do you know how many have searched for that place? How are you any different?"

"Well, we have a map," Such a detail sounded useless to the young man's ears, yet his intrigue spiked when the mage pulled out the worn page. "It's a week's journey, so I promise you, we won't be here long."

"This...This is real!" Gasped the younger. He examined every piece of the paper, recounting all of its familiar aspects under his breath. "So many have entered with false information but this is the real map! And because of that, I can promise you it will take more than a week. I estimate about three." Shock was the only expression on Mingi's face. He glanced down at the map in disbelief, earning a frown from the younger. "It'll take days to get through the Whomping Willows, let alone the other side of the forest. Maybe even longer if you're on your own."

His nonchalant way of stating this made Mingi frantic, and desperately, and called. "Then guide us!" Having the other man paused dead in his tracks. For just a moment, he examined Mingi's face, the panic resting on his face causing him to burst out laughing. Both the mage and his familiar glanced between each other, while the stranger continued to chuckle before it came to a grinding halt.

"No," Was all he said.

"Please! We can't make it through this place alone and you clearly know your way around. What if we get lost?"

"Remind me why that would be my problem?"

"Well, what if one of those creatures-"

"Don't call them that," He demanded, a sharp tone accompanying his now glowering expression. "How about this, I'll help you halfway. You'll perish in the end anyway, just like all the other no good scavengers that come here. Might as well get it over with now." The man said nothing else. All he did was slide his sword back into his black scabbard and turn around. Mingi grinned to himself. At least now they had some sort of guide, even if said guide had wished death upon them. It was someone to help nonetheless.

Hastily, the witch followed after the younger male. He did his best to engage in some sort of conversation while they travelled across the thick and winding roots of the trees, yet all attempts were met with silence.

"Can I at least get your name?" The other didn't bother to stop walking, yet still replied.

"Jongho." And kept on his way.

"Jongho..." Yeosang repeated to himself quietly. The shifter grinned ever so slightly, a look that Mingi managed to catch.

"I thought you didn't like humans?" He inquired, teasing smirk resting on his lips.

"I don't. But I like this one."

For a good while, there was silence amongst the three. As Yeosang had dozed off on Mingi's shoulder, and the mage was reluctant to strike up a discussion with Jongho. Something he seemed completely fine with. Eventually, the trio landed at a large clearing, boulders of various sizes lying about. Mingi recognised them as the rock creatures from earlier and quickly tried to grab Jongho and warn him.

However, the younger was concerned in the slightest. He took two fingers to his lips, a loud whistle leaving his mouth. In an instant, the ground trembled with movement, the monsters slowly uncurling, deep groans emitting from their mouths.

While Mingi's eyes went wide, Jongho remained unfazed. In fact, he smiled. The witch watched him jump to the ground, sliding down to greet the rock creatures and wrap his arms, which were tiny in comparison, around one of their legs.

After much explaining, it turned out that this was Jongho's family. Years ago, a group of travellers had ventured from far away and landed in this very forest. They didn't plan to stay for long, but after a misunderstanding with the Mystics, the group was cursed, transforming into the boulder-like before them.

Jongho was the only one that wasn't affected by the hex, as he was hidden away just as the Mystics arrived. Since then he made it his duty to protect them until he found a reversal for the damages done to his family.

"Why not come with us?" Jongho glanced up at this question, briefly looking towards the male sitting across from him until focussing back on the blazing fire he had made. "When we find the library, I'm sure there may be something on how to reverse all of this." There was silence. With the only sounds being the crackling of the flames and relaxing chirps from the animals in the forest. Yeosang rested on Jongho's lap, facing no protest from the human, as he stroked the blonde hairs on the feline's head.

"You've been awfully quiet since we got here, any reason why Yeosang?" Such a murmur was only met with a light hiss from the cat, who only shifted to lay more comfortably in Jongho's grasp.

"Do you usually talk to your cat like that?" He questioned. "That's weird..."

A light chuckle came from the blunette. "Yes, I guess it is..." Surprisingly, there was a lack of silence between this time around, as Jongho immediately followed up the conversation.

"I'll go with you," He stated simply. Before Mingi had the chance to cheer, the human continued on. "Every person that's ever come in here has had a fake map. But I'm willing to trust you...And your cat I suppose."

Hearing this, Yeosang curled closer to Jongho, purring in satisfaction when he trailed his finger down his spine. Mingi smiled to himself. He looked towards the sky, the stars above them shimmering brightly. Yunho was right there, and Mingi could feel grinning from all the way up there.

We're getting closer Yunnie.