Fallen Lightbringers’ Return - Chapter 58: Tonights Plans
Hassan shrunk back, his eyebrows shooting up. “Wait, how do you know that?”
Lee Dojin stepped forward. He had to lift his head just to look him in his eyes. This guy was really tall. “I suppose we have a lot to talk about,” he said.
Kim Heeson watched from the side. He asked, “Do you know that guy?”
“Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that.” Lee Dojin scratched his cheek.
If he really had to answer, then it would be a no. However, just like Baek Ji-ah and Do Jiwoon, The Prophet Hassan would later be a famous person within the apocalypse. Just as his title suggested, this Saudi Prince had the ability of Future Sight, and he was one of the few Lee Dojin did not know the Affinity of. There were many different rumors going around—Future, Oracle, and even Divinity; But Dojin never believed them.
In the first place, he had little to do with this guy in his past life. He only knew Hassan from his trademark ability: Worlds Eye.
Whatever ability that was, it allowed the prince to project himself up the sky and watch over everything happening on earth, his sight passing through obstacles, corners, and magic. He still remembered it clearly an elegant but ruthless tan man, now in his early thirties, his long black hair flowing down his face, and the cold eyes of a tyrant, as if watching his subjects.
The current Hassan did not have that appearance. Instead, he even looked a little goofy, as his mouth failed to close, still astonished by Lee Dojin’s accurate guess. “Are you also a Soothsayer? Or am I that famous already?”
Lee Dojin ignored his question. He sighed. “What’s with all these big names gathering around me even before the apocalypse?” The Mother of Ravens, The Son of The Morning, and now The Prophet. What a wild, yet incredible line-up. Well, though these names all paled in comparison to The Lightbringer Lee Dojin (even though he was loath to admit so). “By the way, your Korean is great.”
“Thanks, learning languages is my hobby,” Hassan said with a smile. “Wait, that’s beside the point. Since you know who I am, we can just move to the important stuff, right?”
“Fine. I know a good place around here.” Lee Dojin slicked his hair back. He looked at Kim Heeson. “I guess this is goodbye for now. Take care.”
“Uh, yes, sure.” He nodded absentmindedly. The current Dojin was always mysterious, thus he didn’t question it, but even as he walked back home, the last sentence remained in his head, as if a long farewell. Though he did not quite understand it until a long while later.
Lee Dojin stepped into the van with Hassan. Frankly speaking, he had never been in a car with this much space, but that was of little essence.
Hassan talked. “I’m right, am I? You are the Inheritor of the Universe, right?”
“You are,” Dojin answered succinctly. The two of them sat in the back, their words only for each other to hear.
The man’s face brightened up. “I knew it, I knew it! See, I saw you in my dreams, you know.”
“Hold up, you are moving too fast.” Lee Dojin stopped him. “Shouldn’t you introduce yourself first? I’ll start. My name is Lee Dojin, or as you may know it, the Inheritor of the Universe. I was born and currently live in Korea. Currently, I’m in the last year of High-school, soon starting University. What about you?”
“Sorry, you are right. I was a bit too excited there. No matter how many times I hear this title, I can’t help but shiver.” He clenched his fist. “Well, but I am Hassan, and as you said, I go by The Prophet. I’m currently 22, though, in Korean age, that’d be 23. My favorite fruit is oranges, my blood type is O- and I like long walks down the beach.” He paused, thinking. “Oh, and you may have heard from the news, I’m a prince from Saudi Arabia.”
The car continued driving to Lee Dojin’s recommended spot until they quietly left Gangnam without anyone noticing. The whole ride, Dojin watched the Seoul scenery, his hair fluttering in from the outside wind, and his thoughts remained unknown.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it,” he asked Hassan.
“I suppose so,” the latter answered, though he hadn’t paid much heed to the scenic.
“Well, compared to the place you are from, this may look a little too grey, but I do think it has its charms.” He rested his head on his fist. “You know, I’ve traveled through a lot of places, many much more beautiful than this, but there is just something magical about this city. The way it pulls you in.. . it would be a shame for it all to disappear.”
Hassan did not reply. For the whole ride, he looked at Lee Dojin, trying to decipher what he was thinking.
Arriving at the designated location, they came to the national museum of history, a spot that Lee Dojin had only visited yesterday. Naturally, nothing much had changed, though, ironically, a historical event had occurred here. However, now there were an entire set of new people here. As they walked around (and the passerby’s eyed the bodyguards with curiosity), Dojin could still see the little smudges of blood on the ground.
“As much as you endear Seoul,” Hassan said. “You didn’t really plan on taking me sightseeing now, do you?”
“I like not only Seoul and Korea but the entire Earth too. Which is why I’d be willing to sacrifice anything for humanity,” Lee Dojin told him. “But that’s not why we are here. I just thought this place would be a familiar one for another guest I am inviting.” He glanced at Hassan. “If you don’t mind, of course.”
Hassan nodded. “Knock yourself out.”
“Meanwhile, there’s a nice cafe nearby, would you like to lounge there?”
“Sure, I always wanted to try the famous Iced Americano in Korea,” he said. “Say, why do Koreans always order these?”
…
Lee Dojin swirled his drink, while observing the bodyguards sitting at another table. They looked out of place with their muscular bodies on a tiny chair. “Do these goons follow you around all day without saying anything? It’s kind of creepy.” He drank his Iced Americano. “Your security is tighter than the presidents.”
“.. . Have you been listening to me the past hour?” Hassan’s brows furrowed though he kept an enigmatic smile. “I told you the world is going to end.”
“I heard you,” Lee Dojin said nonchalantly. “You know you aren’t the first one to tell me that? Is it a trend these days?”
“Why are you messing around? I’m being serious,” Hassan whispered. “You are 1st place on the rankings list, right? Do you know what that means? You don’t expect this to be the end right? No, No, this is just the beginning. I’ve caught a glimpse of the future through my abilitie—oh, wait, I’m not done with that,” he turned to the waitress and said, taking the half-eaten cake out of her hands. “Anyways, I’m the first to find you right?”
“That is correct.”
“Yes!” Hassan pumped his fist in the air. “I knew my ability would come in handy. See, my brothers were talking behind my back, calling it useless, but this ought to show them.”
Lee Dojin placed his cup down. “That’s good for you. So what now?”
Hassan tilted his head. “.. . Honestly, I didn’t think I’d get this far.”
“Okay, we are done here.” Lee Dojin took his jacket and stood up. As soon as he did so, the guards at the other table did too, staring Lee Dojin down, almost daring him to leave. He smiled in surprise. “Oh, what’s this?”
“Wait, wait, no, you are misunderstanding, they do this all the time, I’m sorry! ” Hassan said nervously. He glared at the guards, urging them to stand down. This man was Rank 1 on the leaderboard. Even higher than that Bodhisattva whom he had met with his brothers. Even now, thinking back, his sweat ran backward. Not even his father was that terrifying. And this guy in front of him stood even higher. It would be unwise to anger him. “I will be honest. I am here for a favor.” He placed his head down.
“Oh, a favor? From me? You don’t even know me.”
“But you are strong, right?” Hassan looked up. “I can tell you are. I have an eye for such things, and now meeting you, I am certain. Never in my life have I seen someone this powerful.” He gulped. How was he to formulate this sentence? He lowered his head even more. “Dojin, please, I want to be strong too.” He clenched his fist, veins popping out. “Strong enough to beat my brothers, strong enough to impress my father, and strong enough to drive out this eternal insecurity in my heart. Please.”
Lee Dojin crossed his arms, thinking. “Hmm. OK.”
Hassan’s eyes glimmered. “Wait, really?”
“But I need your help too.” He lifted a finger. “And quite urgently.”
“No problem at all.” The prince took Lee Dojin’s hands and shook them vigorously. “Tell me, what do you need? Money? Women? Influence? Whatever it is, I can give it to you.”
“Well, let’s wait first. The other person has just arrived.” He turned around, looking at the door, and in came a young woman with long black hair and red lips. The woman possessed an ephemeral beauty as if the world’s light existed only to illuminate her. Lee Dojin waved. “We are here.”
Baek Ji-ah looked around and her face lit up. She took a seat with the two of them, though she stopped midway. “Wait, I saw you on TV! That Saudi Prince!”
“Finally someone that knows me.” Hassan nodded in satisfaction. “So, with everyone here, why don’t you tell me what you need?” His heart beat incessantly, awaiting the order.
“It’s simple, really. A non-issue. Ji-ah already knows it too.” Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulders. Carefree chatter and melodious tableware resounded through the cafe. A scent of baked almonds wafted through the air. The last sunray shone through the window, illuminating his face. “Tonight I am ending the world. Wanna join?”