I don't have a lot of background on this one. It is very far in the story after Junhong has met/recruited everyone. I have absolutely no idea where this takes place, when exactly, and I'm not certain why, but here it is ?? I guess ??? Enjoy, regardless!!

“You're wicked,” he said. His hand was held tight to his abdomen. He was clutching the broken skin, holding in the blood, hanging on to his life.

“I feel like that's my shtick,” the eye roll was in his voice. The arrogance came across in full clarity. “Why are you being so stupid about this? You're supposed to be smart, aren't you? Yongguk, the Witch that travelled the world learning ancient secrets. The man who holes himself up in a trashy temple and tattoos spells onto himself. You're a legend, aren't you? Old, wise, all that . I never would have pictured you a hero, especially when all you do is hide from everyone else.”

There was silence. Yongguk was testing his words, timing his responses. If he lost here, everyone was doomed.

“Did I break a few heartstrings, Old Man?” Azazel laughed. It was a horrible sound, to the point where it crossed menacing and entered horrific. “Hey, hey. What about this? We can make a deal.”

“Only an idiot would make a deal with you.” Yongguk snapped back. He was dealing out the last bit of aggression he had.

“Didn't I just say you were an idiot? Jesus, you all never listen to me.” Another eye roll. “But the deal? What if, follow me here, you give up the kid and I won't kill you in front of him. Spare him some of the heartache, you know? You still die, but a cute little sad face won't be the last thing you see. I'm being really generous here. It'll probably save him some harm, too. Only a few broken bones.” Azazel chewed on his lip, thinking. “Hey, wonder if your prophet saw this and didn't tell you. I never trusted Daehyun, you know. That says a lot, I think.”

“You act like you don't know my answer.”

“You're right. In all honesty, I thought it'd be funny. It is, don't you think?”

“The only thing that's funny is your arrogance. Did you think you could turn us against each other with a comment like that?”

“Planting the seed of doubt, Old Man. He's listening. He'll never be able to get it out of his head. I figured you'd at least be smart enough to bring the dog boy. Though he is a bit unstable.”

Yongguk coughed again. It was a horrible hacking that rattled the thin wooden boards of the house. He was dying, but he'd fight until his last damn breath.

“I'm bored of you.” Azazel shrugged and didn't even bother to flash a manic smile. “Hey, kid, are you listening right now? Unplug your ears, this is for you.”

“Don't-” Yongguk choked out. If was laboured, desperate. Junhong listened anyway.

“I'm not going to ask you. You're not going to join me to wreak havoc on the world or whatever. I'm going to kill all of your friends, one by one, and then you'll be mine. We're not a team; you're my key to that stupid book. I'm not your friend, I'm not your partner, and I sure as hell am not your enemy. I'm your master, and soon enough you'll come crawling back home like the complacent little you know you are.” There was a crack. Horrendous, loud, panic-inducing. “Just remember that. Don't be the hero. Your friends will die no matter what timeline you choose.”

Silence.