"Additionally, when your mate is in danger, the symbol in your wrist glows a deep crimson. Keep this; you will be able to communicate with me." Minji remarked, offering Chan a crystal.

"Thanks,"

"OH MY GOD," the grey-haired boy shouted.

"What happened, Jisung?" Chan asked.

"Bbama," he said.

"Who's that?"

"He is my pet dog. I haven't fed him for weeks." Jisung replied, "My poor boy might die of starvation."

"KKAMI!?"

"MY CATS!?"

"THOSE STRAY CATS!?"

"Stay calm, guys; I have someone to care for your pets. "Don't worry."

"I don't believe you in this," Minho remarked.

Minji giggled before waving her hand, and a photo of someone taking care of the pets emerged.

Jisung grinned and proceeded to touch Bbama, but his hand went through the image. 

"You guys really love your pets, don't you?" Minji smiled.

"More than anything, he's the only one I have." Jisung stated this while looking at Bbama with adoring eyes.

"Yeah, he's my only world after my parents." Hyunjin stated.

"They are the only ones who love me the way I am," Minho went on to say.

"They make me feel like myself," Felix explained.

"I am going to cry," Chan remarked.

"You have a pet too right, Chan?" Changbin stated.

"Yes, her name is Berry. She stays with my mother and father, but I'll take her with me occasionally."

Minji smiled at the eight and thought.
They still have a long way to go. I wonder what fate has chosen for them, please be something good. I just hope they don't end up like the others.

A tear slipped her eyes, and she swiftly brushed it away, believing no one would see. But she was mistaken. 

Everyone spotted it and rushed to hug her.

Chan responded, "We saw that, noona."

"Okay. I am not a heartless person." she remarked.

"Now, go and rest; you have a very long tour ahead of you," she remarked, sending everyone to their rooms.

Their journey begins tomorrow. They'll learn about the cycle of every life. Love, sadness, wrath, happiness, and many more.

The next day, they left early after breakfast. Each of them had horses.

They went and journeyed, but all they could see was forest behind them and grasslands around them.

After miles of exploring, they came to a village. They decided to call it a day and stay in the village for the night. 

The eight hopped down from their horses' backs and entered the village. They moved farther into it, and everyone stared at them as if they were disgusting creatures.

None of them approached the guys, even when they attempted to converse.
One did, and he appeared helpful.

"Hello, how may I help you?" He said.

"Hello, we're a few passers-by. We were wondering whether you could let us rest for the night anywhere. And I ensure that we cause no harm." Chan stated.

The man examined Chan until his gaze rested on the water symbol. He quickly bowed, which made the boys look at each other in confusion.

"Uhm, sir." "Why are you bowing?" Hyunjin asked.

"You are the eight warriors, right?" 

"Yeah," everyone in the room who heard them began whispering to one another.

"Please come this way." "My name is Lim JaeBeom." He stated, guiding the guys to his home.

It became fairly dark outside before they got to his house.

"Why did you suddenly bow down?" Changbin asked.

"Just some due respect," JaeBeom said, embarrassed.

They entered the house and sat on the couch, while JaeBeom walked into the kitchen.

He brought two guys with him.

"These are my friends, Bambam and Yugyeom." He grinned, and they both bowed. The eight also bowed to ease the discomfort.

"Hyung, did you keep the flower?" Yugyeom asked.

"Oh my, I forgot." JaeBeom spoke.

He pulled Bambam alongside him and asked the eight, "Uhm, would you guys like to join?"

"Sure?" Chan answered.

They proceeded to a beautifully decorated room and found four sculptures.

"Who are they?" Jeongin asked.

"These are my friends, the curse turned them like this."

The eight felt their hearts sinking, especially Seungmin.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Seungmin stated.

They kept the flowers in their hands and returned to the main room.

"Why do you keep the flowers, though?" When Hyunjin questioned, the seven glanced at him with a 'So done' expression.

Hyunjin responded with a 'What?' expression.

"Oh, our friends used to love flowers so much. We would spend a lot of time in the flower fields. After they became statues, we decided to keep a flower on each of their hands. That even their favourite ones." JaeBeom responded.

"Do you think we would be able to break the curse?" Minho asked.

"Uh, that question was unexpected." He responded.

"Yeah you can." Bambam responded.

"Just have faith, patience and be open-minded." Yugyeom continued.

"Thanks," 

They ate dinner and left to their rooms in groups of two.

The next morning, they left as soon as the sun rose. They said their goodbyes and resumed their trek.

"Innie, what would have happened if I haven't decided to join," Seungmin asked, wondering about it since the last night.  

"Ask for it from yourself, Hyung. What would you do if someone close to you became a statue and you couldn't do anything," Jeongin responded. 

Seungmin pondered the question for a long before smiling at the boy with light pink hair.

They continued their journey, pausing for a few minutes.

Minjo handed them a map. The immortal man resided atop snow-covered mountains, and the path to the elemental gods and goddesses lay beyond them.

Although everything appeared to be too easy, the guys have to face several hurdles. This includes getting to know each other. Because the way they glared at each other indicated that they were prepared for a fist fight. 

∗ ࣪ ˖༺ ♡ ༻˖ ࣪ ∗

BTW.. the statue pose is smth like this..