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@✦ Kris [h] If the other had not stopped his attack in time, Minho had to admit he would have gotten badly hurt. He was all about science and knowledge and even though Minho knew how to fight, combat was not his best asset. So he was lucky, once again, and Minho was more than glad the other had not only fast reflexes but also fast enough reflexes to stop himself from accidentally harming someone who was clearly not here to hurt anyone. "Well, get me one and I might consider it," Minho snorted amused, almost unfazed by the situation. He was not, he was just simply used to getting into his danger, especially with who his parents were. Getting into trouble was clearly nothing new at all. "Thanks for not killing me," he then added as he could see that it had clearly stressed the other.

A sogt sigh left his lips and he nodded. "Nothing, huh?" He hummed and tilted his head. "Since when are we a team? This is my map after all," he said and looked almost challenging at the other. Kris, if he remembered the name right. "But maybe I will be so kind sharing with you," he then said amused. But then the other sat on a rock and Minho sat next to him, frowning a little at how miserable he looked. "Let me see," he then said offering his map to the other. He had another copy if the other decided to run of with it but frankly this was not about any treasure he would find but more about the adventure. "You figured out quite a lot," Minho said, an almost soft smile on his lips as he looked at a few parts. "You are one clever one. You only got a few things wrong so it leads you in the wrong direction but-" Minho grabbed the pen and corrected the other's mistakes. "There. That should be better now."

"Oh," Minho said and pulled down the light, frowning. "I didn't even notice, thanks," he said and looked around. "I wish we had some magical light that would not damage the ruins but, well, I don't have any kind of powers so there is that." He shrugged and got up, stretching a bit. "So, wanna keep going?" he then asked, wondering if they would be considering each other a team from this on. After all it was pretty clear that the other was not a sage as he had tried to act like.

@✧ Minho Kris was in deep thought in his hand a not book in the other a pen when ever he encountered some of these runes he would stop comparer their order size and other things to the ones he found before measuring them and then drawing them scale accurate into his little note book marking down where he found them what special information were given and other things that could give a hint. He was probably the most lazy and superficial person in most parts of his life but with things like this he was meticulous and thorough. When any kind of mystery or puzzle was involved, he wouldn’t spare any trouble to solve it and so he was moving slowly through the ruins making notes of everything. It was soon getting clear that the symbols were writings in a different language meant to guide or warn those coming through. He still wasn’t sure at all what it meant but he knew that deciphering these would probably be the key to finding the treasure. With a sigh he sat down his nose buried in the book looking at the different drawings in his note book when suddenly a voice sounded behind him.

One quick movement his foot only stopping seconds before colliding with the boy’s face turning in direction, he kicked the knife he had thrown instead so it wouldn’t injure the boy. “Damn ….” He cursed glaring at the other. “Get a bell around your neck or something I could have ing killed you.” He turned back around to his note book determent to ignore the guy. His reactions were long trained reflexes his body reacting before his brain even processed the information so he had thought of the boy as danger before he realized who it was. With a long sigh he turned back around seeing the map Minho was waving. With a bright smile he shook his head. “Nothing at all but I’m sure with that map of yours you should be able to lead us to the hidden treasure.” He shrugs his shoulder making a rather lost but hopeful expression.

Kris wasn’t even lying when he said he had nothing. All he had were some drawings that made no sense and a loose hunch to their meaning so before giving up any information he would rather see what the other had. With a deep sigh he sat on a rock looking miserable as he looked at his notebook that looked like a total helpless mess to anyone but him. “You see that’s all I have and I’m not even sure any of it would be important.” He shook his head again looking up at the light up face above him. Kris himself did have a small light but it was weak more like a soft candle light. He was worried that strong light might damage the ruins and make it impossible to decipher them. “Would you mind lowering your light? The intensity could damage the old bridle stone since it hasn’t been exposed to light for quite a long time.” He finally spoke up.

@✦ Kris Minho decided to not comment on the path topic. The other knew how to talk his way around and it bothered Minho. There was something odd and he could not exactly tell what it was but he let it slide. He shook his head slightly. “Not exactly good, but yes, I am a descendent of a, well, hero.” At least people saw his parents as heroes. Something Minho could not care less about after all the peace still had to be kept and sometimes it was not as easy as people were hoping for. He shrugged slightly. But that the other knew about it showed him that he had information. He wondered how much the guy might know but for now that would be a mystery he was not here to discover, after all he was on a mission. More or less at least.

“Stay safe,” Minho told the other as well as he kept walking. It would be a long journey after all, the map still held so many secrets and he would make sure to make his way to find whatever the map was hiding. Even if it was nothing but sand.


Outside a sandstorm had slowly formed and Minho was glad he had reached the ruins just in time. He had covered his face with a cloth so the sand would not rip his skin into pieces and he was glad once he was inside the ruins. Luckily he had a device that would light up the inside of the ruins – it was covered with different symbols Minho had never really seen before. He was noting down some of them, recording some others with his phone that had not connection but at least the camera worked and that was all he needed right now. He would figure out what those symbols meant later. He almost stumbled over his own feet from time to time when the ground was uneven.

And then he heard footsteps. For a moment he froze but then he recognized the guy from before and a snort left his lips. Oh he had known that dude was on his way to somewhere. For a bit Minho silently followed the guy, wondering if he had different information than Minho but most seemed to be the same. So eventually he stepped forward. “I knew I would find you here,” the smaller male said amused, taking of the cloth from his face. “So we had the same goal all along, mh?” He smiled amused and held his map, the device lighting up their faces and the walls around them. “Have you figured out what dangers we should be worried about?” Until know Minho had not encountered anything dangerous but he knew that it could be hidden in the shadows or anywhere else. Or time had taken it away, that might be possible as well.

@✧ Minho Kris laughed to himself nodding. “Of course, I have a goal. I just don’t know what it is jet. I’m not that stupid to walk around the dessert without a place to go. This morning I woke up with a thought that I needed to go here and that after everything would fall into place. So, as you see even if I don’t know my path, I still have one.” He said his voice softly scolding slightly ridiculing the other as the old sages would do when every they got caught in some verbal corner. He did give a pretty good performance at least in his eyes. “Euphoria? Oh, the city of good? You must be a decedent of good then.” He only replied not really getting into detail about the whole gate opening and going or not going think not really wanting to talk about it or interested in it. For him Euphoria was just one more playground to have fun in. Information to gather and secrets to uncover.

Kris retuned the greeting with a smile. “Be on your way. I hope you are prepared for what you will find.” He gave his best old sage greeting with an absolute straight face only laughing when the other was out of hearing distance. He was hitting his thigh nearly falling over laughing. He was sure that the other saw through him but it still was just way too much fun to not play the part especially since he really did play it rather well. He took a few more minutes rolling in self praise before taking off in a different direction. The map the boy had and the map he had were different. Sure, enough at first, they looked the same so Kris was sure they were showing the same thing but they still were slight differences in the maps. He didn’t know if it was a good or a bad thing or if it meant anything but since he found his map, he would follow it rather than the boy.

Half a day was spent traveling trough nothing but sand and heat following his map one step at a time he hadn’t meet the young man again even though he was sure that they were heading to the same direction. Kris was thinking that either the boy lost his way or that his map was sending him the long way around and that’s why they didn’t meet again. Now he was standing in front of an old ruin half covered in sand looking like nothing special but then again, the map leads him here so they must be a reason. But he couldn’t figure it out. All the map said was that it was a dangerous place and that something was needed to find the treasure but what was needed wasn’t said. In thoughts Kris walked around looking at different buildings and symbols that were everywhere hoping they would give a hint. Some of the symbols were drawn on the back of the map but it was incomplete so he didn’t know what it was supposed to mean. With his mind clouded in thoughts he didn’t even register the other person walking the ruins just like him.

@✦ Kris At first Minho wasn’t one hundred percent sure if the other was playing him. He believed in magic, yes, but he did not believe in such words. The stranger wasn’t entirely wrong but it just didn’t really agree with what Minho believed in and if he was not entirely wrong, the words sounded fake. Maybe Minho was interpreting too much into it, but he didn’t really mind so all he did was shrug. “Yeah, I prefer to know where I’m going,” he admitted amused by the other’s words. He liked having a plan and knowing what he was doing but he knew there were enough people being extremely carefree.

A small snort left the younger’s lips when he heard the other’s words. “Maybe but even if I am not lost, I usually still have a goal. Doesn’t have to be a town. Or place. But you usually have something in mind, even if you wander around... In a dessert.” He smiled amused. Yeah, wandering around well-prepared in a dessert did look like the other had a goal in mind, a destination. But Minho wouldn’t pressure him on that. If the other did not want to talk, that was okay. He might not be the most talkactive himself after all. “Nice to meet you, Kris,” he then said and nodded before his eyes drifted back to the map. A frown was seen on his face when he mentioned a far away land. Minho wasn’t to sure about that but the other did not like to give away who he was or why he was here and he preferred to not get into any trouble while being on his adventure so he just let it slide. “I hope your hometown is a nice place. If not, you are always welcome in Euphoria.” Especially now that the gate was open. Minho had had to beg his parents to even consider that idea but now that the gate was open, it was overall a good thing and he had barely had anything negative reported. Which was great, if he was honest. He had been worried it might go wrong and even though he was not responsible for anything, he just was worried.

Shortly Minho stretched before he put the map away. “It was fancy chatting with you but I’ll keep going now,” he said and bowed slightly before waving to the other as he kept making his way to the instructions on the map. Though he had the feeling that he would see the other again soon. It seemed like they were on the same path to look for something – or maybe Minho was just paranoid. Why would anyone else have the same idea as Minho on the same day? Possible but unlikely, definitely. Though it didn’t matter, Kris didn’t seem like he wanted company and Minho would surely not push himself onto a stranger he had just met.

@✧ Minho “The path it taking me were ever it wants to take me. Not like I have any particular goal in mind I just follow the path that is given to me.” Kris tried his best to sound like one of those traveling sage or oracle that weren’t bad nor good always talking in riddles and always pushing you to your path in history by making cryptic prophecies. But most of all he tried not to laugh. Of course, he had a goal and of course he was heading in a specific direction he just wasn’t ready to admit that since the path he was following was a secret treasure map he had found.

“Knowing where you are going and not being lost are two different things.” He stated as he looked in the direction of the oasis before looking back in the direction, they were walking still keeping up the weird traveling sage vibe. “Thank you I’m fine.” Kris kindly rejected the offered water. He had more then enough for himself and didn’t want the other to end up without any when the time came. “I’m Kris and you are right I’m not from here.” He spoke the last part while opening his arms gesturing to the sand around them. “I come from a different far away land.” After that he closed his arms giving the boy a look as if saying don’t ask any more, I won’t tell imitating how he imaged traveling oracle would behave. He had never actually meet any only heard about them in the old legends and folk lore.

It really took a lot out of Kris to not laugh through out the whole interaction. He was having a lot of fun for himself as he played the roll of the eccentric weird a little too laid-back traveller and sage. It was only to mess with the other since they were on the same path at the moment and the boy maybe even had the same map as him and he didn’t want to admit it since he really wanted to do this alone. So, by playing this role he was having fun messing with the boy and hiding his true intend at the same time. Five stars for multi-tasking he thought to himself giving the other a smile trying to look as if he knew more then he let on. While trying to keep a mysterious look in his eyes trying to not let the laughter break through just jet.

@✦ Kris "Oh I know," Minho said amused as he heard the male's words, telling him where the next oasis and the next village was. But Minho was actually fine, he was not lost. He had a backpack full of water and snacks, he even had used enough suncream to keep away from a good sunburn and his body was covered so the sun would not easily get to his skin. Not that he would mind getting a good sunburn for this adventure but he also knew his parents would be highly disapporving of it so Minho had made sure to prepare well. After all he had a lot of time on his hands despite the fact he was still studying and working as well. But knowledge was so much better and it kept him entertained for most pats.

"Thank you, though I am not lost either," The younger said and looked at the male in front of him, checking him out. He had not seen him before, clearly, and that despite the fact that Minho usually knew most faces. He knew his way around, he knew the people of Euphoria and this guy seemed not to be one of them. Though he did not seem unfrieldy at all. He had a curious expression and seemed as eager to figure something out. Perhaps they were even on the same track but Minho could not risk to easily give that away, could he? Not everyone was friendly and despite the other not seeming to be danger, no one could exactly know, right? What if he ended up recognising who he was and either mugged him or murdered him. His parents were well known and while Minho knew how to stay safe and sound, he had often encountered people who wanted to harm him, no matter if in Euphoria or not.

"Where is your path taking you, though?" Minho asked curiously, looking around. "There is not much around here but sand and sun," he added and took his bottle out of his backpack, taking a sip. For a moment he hesitated before he offered the bottle to the stranger. "I'm Minho," he then said, not only offering the bottle but also his name. After all he surely seemed rather strange to the male in front of him as well and if he wanted someone to be friendly he should probably offer friendliness as well. "You aren't from here, are you?" No, the other did not look like he knew the area - neither Euphoria not the desert. He did not look too prepared for a day out in the sand and heat but that did not mean Minho might be too right.

@✧ Minho It had been a glorious day for Kris the second his eyes had laid on the paper, in the old run-down antiques store he visited frequently to find something entertaining, he had know it was something special something old. It’s hadn’t taken more then a few sentences to barge the owner of the store down to just a small price. Clearly the man had no idea what he was sitting on but Kris did. The next few days had been a blast even filled with a feeling of euphoria as his pen never rested his mind never let go biting itself into the puzzle until he had found the first clue as to how to solve it. And a few days later he was gone. Once more ready for an adventure and for the long draining hunt that was right in front of him in just this small piece of parchment paper. That day he had left Malum with a slight spring in his steps.

Said spring was now gone replaced by a slight stickiness in every step as he fought to get away from the sand and the sweat was filling up hi boots. Of course, he didn’t plan that far a head not that the riddle wasn’t clear on sending him to the dessert it was rather the fact that he didn’t think he would need to prepare this far ahead. He had taken along on of his trusted little machines to help him cope with the heat and the sun but he didn’t expect to be out here this long. With out the sliver of a doubt he knew he was on the right track but still why would this riddle need to send him this far into the dessert? It was just unsightly. But even so he was definitely not ready to give up. So, with his head held high and his trusty book in one hand he marched on thinking he was alone in this valley of death.

Hearing the voice of someone really startled him. Kris had been aware of the boy that had been close before but then they had parted ways and he didn’t realize he appeared again. With a slight cough he covered up his startled expression shaking his head. “Not at all. I’m exactly on the path I want to be on.” With out much more of an answer he returned his attention back to were he was going or at least he wanted to do so when suddenly his eyes fell on the paper the boy was carrying. “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have been that rude. You must be lost.” He said now showing interest. “There is an oasis if you go east for here with a small village from there you can find your way.” He kept talking without even waiting for a reply from the boy wanting to send him off to a different direction so he could continue on without havening to bump into him over and over again.

@✦ Kris A small groan left Minho's lips as his technological device was slowly giving up on him. It was hot while he was walking through the rocky desert he was probably not supposed to wander alone. If his parents knew about this, they would be pretty pissed after all - but luckily his parents did not know about this and would not figure out about this anytime soon. Hopefully.

He had found a map with a riddle in one of his parents archives, something that was definitely not from Euphoria - or at least not how it was currently existing. It must have been older than the two sides and Minho was curious, after all as far as he managed to figure it out, it was somewhere here in the desert. Brushing through his hair, he put his device away and grabbed the copies he had made before he had left - in case the technology he had with him would malfunction. Like it just did in the heat.

Looking around he frowned, for a moment wondering if he was just seeing things but not too far away from him was a male he had yet not seen before - maybe from Malum? Probably as Minho usually knew almost every face of Euphoria and while he had tried his best to study who was living in Euphoria, he had of course not been able to get intel about everyone. He tilted his head a bit, asking himself if he should approach or rather just stay away. Eventually he had decided to turn a blind eye on the man, only to spot him a few minutes later again, when he had followed the hints on the copies. And while it was not too rare to go the same direction, Minho had climbed up a few rocks in a rather weird path but the guy was still there. So now ignoring was probably not the best way.

"Excuse me, are you lost?" Minho asked and looked at the male when he got a little closer, turning around and looking at the man in front of him. He looked young but older than Minho, clearly. Just then Minho wondered if the man was maybe danger for him and despite his big brain he usually liked to use when he was working, it clearly was not good with self-preservation. Oh well, now it was too late anyways.