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A little shadow footprint

I was walking alone

following your memories

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20 years later

.......

Current Time

Namjoon felt strange as he was hurled into the portal. There was a mix of colors around him, that became very fuzzy, weird audible sounds and a spinning sensation went through him. Like a tornado, he felt his body getting stretched and squished. 

Suddenly Namjoon found him floating in the air and he land with a audible thud in a open and very rough field with a descending hill.

He felt a sharp pain in his head when it collided with a very rough area. He experienced utter disoriention, dazed and utterly perplexity. Namjoon struggled to find understanding of where he suddenly landed.

He squinted his eyes because his vision became blurry against the blinding light of the sun.
He furrowed his brows as he tried to stand up, just to fall over a rock again. His head was spinning and when he touched his forehead he winced, a warm sticky liquid was on his fingers-  a red liquid - blood.

The environment doesn't look familiar. Where was he? He looked awed when he looked over the side, there were ancient buildings , with intricate tiled roofs. He saw people from afar clothed in unfamiliar clothes. They were just strolling around relaxed. He immediately started to became panicky. It seems he was in an unfamiliar place, far from home. A different time and place.

He held his sore head and looked around, feeling more and more confused. Was this some kind of joke or a scary dream? But everything felt too real for that. He was all alone, hurt, and stuck in a time he didn't know. A sudden  scary emotion overtook  and a sense of lost, wondering how he could ever get back home.

As Namjoon struggled to get up, his vision blurred with pain from his fall. Namjoon looked around with a painful expression. Something was off here. He looked down on himself as shock rendered him speechless. On his body, his casual clothing waz replaced with a totally cultural attire. A silky bluepurple handbok. It felt so strange on his body. What the hell!

Everything felt strangely off, the atmosphere had a magical feel even. Ishe in a fantasy world?
Suddenly he heard footsteps that sounded like an army in his hearing. Seems they were on a wild chase.

Namjoons'heart was erractically thumping in his chest.His gaze squinted as he tried to get his bearing.

He tried to jump up but fell back again. He felt an eerily presence that surrounded  him.

A sudden tuck on his arm got his attention as he was abruptly help on his feet. His eyes moved frightened up to the eyes of his savior. He had to take a double take because the man before him looked so familiar. Even some of the faces in front of him, look shockingly familiar. As if he knew each one from a time passed. How is it possible?

A voice with an unexpected urgency shouted out,"Oh my word! Nam-joon are you okay!" He was the one who pulled him up. He was dressed also in darker handbok.

Namjoon felt the heaviness of the traditional clothing, it felt like lots of fabric on his body, but it still has that comforting feel.

He was looking around in awe.

But his awe more surreal when he saw the very warm and friendly  museum curator standing in front of him..Oh, my goodness. Mr Park? He was also dressed in a very striking hanbok in black and white flowery print fabric. But his demeanour surprised Nam-joon.  Mr Park was very stern and serious.

Things became eerily surreal.

Namjoon gazed at the people around him. He had to take a second look. Was this  his best friend? Hoseok...Hobi from uni? What was so strange was that he had platinum blond hair instead of his glorious black curls.

His sunny disposition was absent, and that smile was replaced with a stoic expression. The atmosphere was different, like an urgency that made his mind reel with millions of questions. The whole situation was baffling and confusing. What happened? Some of the men looked familiar, but in these strange attires, they were unrecognizable. The question was, how did they all end up in this realm?

He started to groan loudly because his head was robbing severely with the confusion as well.

Namjoon face looked strangely up to each of the men in front of him.
"Can you please be so gracious and tell me where are we?"

It was almost night. The men looked at him strangely.

"Nam-joon are you really try to be funny on a very night like this. We thought you are seriously hurt from your clumsy fall."

One mage was laughing," We are in Daeho, near the training center of Songrim."

Namjoon looked flabbergasted. Daeho? Songrim. He can't recall any places called like that.

Maybe he meant Deagu; it was a very prominent city in the region, but he never heard of Daeho. 

Daeho? Namjoon racked his brain, but he couldn't recall ever hearing of such a place, not even in his extensive studies of Joseon history for his doctorate. And as far as he knew,

Than another one of the men interjected, "Looks like he had a concussion. I think he hits his head thus the memory loss. "

He gestured to another man, who looked very worried,  few feet away,"Do you know this man?" He asked . Namjoons eyes widen, the man in front of him looked like the curator. What was his role in this period?

" I...I don't think so,"Namjoon admitted after a moment.

What was Mr Parks significance in this era.

"Our Mr Park is the head if Songrim, the mages training centre. He is a key figure and very important, "one of the young mages quickly respond.

Namjoon felt apprehension in his body. The situation is worse than what he was expected.
He was filled  with confusion and disbelief. Namjoon almost stumbled when he saw what is in front of him. These people looked so strange. They seemed to know him even if he can't remember them in this era.

His sudden pained face made the man looked at him in concern.
"Seo Nam-joon seems really hurt Mr Park. It looked like his forehead is bleeding profusely. And he seems confused of his surroundings. " one of the mages said, he tried to touch Namjoon's face, but the latter winced away. It truly hurt.

'Omg! It hurts, "Namjoon whimper at the painful sensitive area on his forehead.When he stood there he sudden realized how surreal this situation was, he was in a different time and space, but still finely connected. 

He looked around with awe and childlike wonder. A new journey awaits him.

It was definitely only the beginning.

He wondered if most of these people looked somewhat familiar, what are the chances of Arin finding herself in this realm also. His mind was reeling with questions.

If she happened to be here, he needs to find her and soon.

Mr Park turned to the men with a serious expression." We have to go...we cant let the shadow assassin  get out if our sight. Yul and the rest went after her."

He looked at Nam-joon concerned laced on his face," Nam joon, can you walked on your own? Back at Songrim I'll let Mr Heo take a look at your wound, so that it can't be infected."

In the meantime,  the mages was fast trailing the shadow assassin who was trying to outsmart them, she was killing everyone in her path, leaving bloody trails behind.

.....

......

The group was in a hurry to go help the other mages trailing the shadow assassin, but Nam-joon is hurt and they can't leave him in his injured state. Namjoon looked disheveled in his appearance,  he told them he fell and rolled down a cliff.

Mr Park  then summoned some  men to go help Yul.

There was a man, looking fierce like a ninja, handed him a small cloth to pressed against bleeding forehead, Namjoon's looked at him, thanked him gratefully and took the cloth and dab it on his head.

Namjoon  notice some shiny weapons like swords protruding at the men's sides. Are mages like soldiers?

Namjoon sense something beyond his comprehension is busy happening. He quietly followed the remaining guys and he was falling behind, but he tried to keep up with 'Hobi' who doesn't behave like his 'real 'best friend.

He was so different and very stoic and expressionless.

"Er...excuse me, Hobi.," he tried to get his attention, still confuse,'Where are we going in such a frenzy."

The guy'Hobi' turned around and he was told that his name was not Hobi but Ho-seok.," The shadow assassin fled, she killed a lot of mages. You don't know that? This assassin is the most feared .  Word went out that she was hiding in a local tavern. We saw her getting injured so it will be easy to trap her in. And for the love of sunshine...my name is not Hobi okay! It's Ho-seok....Hoooo-seook." He smiled flatly, with a deadpan expression. Namjoon couldn't help but to suppressed snort because this Hobi has an aura of severe haughtiness.

He tried to smile amid the probbing pain,"Well understood Ho-seok"
"
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This was a shocking turn of events, when he realized Hobi sunny disposition and outgoing traits are nothing alike this stoic and serious version.

" Can you walk faster, your brother is fighting that assasin and he might be in trouble doing so.We need all the mages help," Ho-seok try to urge him on to hurry. It makes Namjoon feel more confused.

"I have a brother? ..." He muttered, now he became more perplexed.

"Seriously! You forgot your own elders brother. Yul is your brother. Omg! Really...Jeez Nam-joon. You are very intelligent and super clumsy." He clicked his tongue as he abruptly turned around.

Namjoon mind was racing with millions if questions. How strange. He was clumsy in his realm also. Did he just became a time traveler,  how exciting? Not!

He was still contemplating when he didn't sense Ho-seoks presence. He was walking further away and Namjoon started to sprint. The handbok was a big struggle to get around too.

Amid the painful headache,  Namjoon  made sure he wasn't far behind Ho-seok. He was utterly distracted by the historical streets at night. The air was alive and vibrant.
He was awestruck and captivated.

The streets was adorned with illuminated flickering lanterns that was casting a warm light over the cobblestone areas and sandy pathways.

His senses was heightening as he smell the rich tantalized aroma of the street food,. Vendors at their stalls was selling their goods screaming for customers to come and try their products.

He was lost, fascinated by the sensory overload. His attention was more fixated on the vendors tables, the interesting goodies. He couldn't even hear Ho-seoks frantic calls. He was to absentmindedly enthralled.
He quickly run up to Ho-seok who waved at him in front of a  Tarvern, with a shop sign in hangul characters

Namjoon didn't feel like fighting an assassin's but rather enjoy the new thrill of being in the ancient period. He truly valued his life, he was also unarmed maybe he was lacking those skills of the mages.

Namjoons attention is merely on all the people dressed in colorful handboks. There were laughter in the streets, he could hear the wooden sandals, clacking on the cobble stones. It was mesmerizing. 

He started to wonder if in this Joseon period, it was everyday life. The musicians that were playing traditional  instruments and people dancing. The atmosphere was lively.

He didn't wanted to agitate Ho-Seok, so he rush to the Tavern. Two giggling ladies with beautiful flowery handboks  and cute hair adornments on their very long hair, passed him.

The air in the tavern was dull with the smell of fermented rice wine that was flowing. The room was dimly lit and small chatter was heard. The patrons faces was illuminated by the glow of those oil lamps on the tables. Casting shadows on the wooden tables and the wooden floor.

Amid the noisy atmosphere,  there was suddenly a silence in the room. The mages were standing around a figure which lies motionless on the ground. He quickly pressed through the silent crowd to see better. He stood next to Ho-seok,  staring wide eyed at the dead girl lying in front of him.

He whispered to Ho-seok,  with furrowed brows, still holding the cloth on his forehead," is she the feared assassin?"

A mage to Ho-seok  answered solemly," seems like it. Her name is Naksu. It looked like she died trying to get away.  Her sword wound was severe."

Namjoons attention was drawn to the unfamiliar faces of the mages. He was curious and wonder if he would be able to adapt to this ancient time.How will he survive without his watches, the laptops, cell phones or even handburgers?

The mages looked solemn! From curiosity to utter shock , when their attention was drawn to the blue mark on the dead girl collarbone. Which clearly shows that the assassin soul left her dead body.

They quickly fill Mr Park in who just came in the tavern. The mages expressions shifting from curiosity to shock as they noticed a blue mark on the girl's collarbone, indicating that her soul had left her body. They informed Mr. Park Jin.

The head of Sogrims eyes looked filled with unanswered questions. He looked with furrowed brows at the mages. Their eyes followed a quivering and very frightened girl, she worked at the tavern. Everybody thought Naksu shifted in this girl's body.

When he felt the assassin neck , she was declared death by a mage.

Everyone exchange bewildered stares, with reeling minds, making sense of this happening.

How could one of the most feared assassin,  known by her stealth, skill and wit , meet her fate like this, which caused her soul to depart like this?

The frightened girl was grabbed by one of the mages, and her shirt was opened to see her  collarbone.

"No  blue mark", the mage exclaimed. The people all seem fearful for these powerful mages.

"Whenever a soul transferred bodies, a blue mark will be found , but it might be that she failed to transfer her soul," Mr Park said, with furrowed brows. It was a great possibility.

What was so confusing for Namjoon. Did he transported into a realm of the magical fantastical world of witchcraft. Namjoon filled with fear in his mind.

 The mages looked conflicted as Mr Park stare at them.
"The body must go with us to Songrim. Mr Heo Yeom can check it out for us. Mr Heo can also looked at Namjoons injury. I'm a little concern about his memories though."

The unnaturally quiet and disbelief in the Tarvern was a stark contrast with the excitement and joy of friendly bantering.

Back at  Songrim

Inside the prestigious mage school there was the best medical institution in Daeho,  Sejukwon , located inside Songrim.The Park family was the governing body in Songrim with Mr Park as the head of the training centre.

The group take their departure through the dense forest. Namjoon filled with confusion and dread followed silently behind the serious mages.

They followed a small path through until they reached a large opening  with pillars, but what so noticeable it was the large  opening that was protected by a glorious force field. It almost looked like a magical portal protecting Songrim from enemy forces..

His surprise was so evident when he saw what was used to enter the entrance. He was utterly flabbergasted. When he noticed something peculiar. In the hands of the mage was the shiny green gold object , the plaque from the museum that was the reason for him being transported into this realm.

The evil lost relic!

A/n : Namjoon time travelled and he met people he knew in his world.

Thank you to all the Joonie-stans. Please vote, comment or share this story.

1. Do you think Namjoon will be able to adapt?

2.If he finds Arin, will she remember him?

3. What do you think about the new Hobi?