Chapter 21.

Mark had already begun descending the stairs when Chenle came out, running so fast he slid to a stop. His eyes squinting out upon the view that now was taken up by the large dark smoke that crawled up towards the sky. Chenle’s eyes shone, for a moment Mark noticed the horror cross his face but then he grinned wickedly.

  “Time to kick some !” He yelled in glee and even managed to pass Mark on his way down.
 

There were people on the streets, watching the tent go up in flames. Mark pushed the bodies away hearing curses thrown at him, but he didn’t care. He didn’t want to lose more people. Chenle was swift at getting through the crowd while Mark managed to be knocked into too many times to count.
When they arrived they ran into an open circle. People had created enough distance so that they weren’t hit by the flames, but close enough to see the action. Mark dug his heels in the ground coming to a stop in front of the entrance where the smoke gushed out of the opening, rising up dark as the night. Flames ate away at the tent and the poles. Mark didn’t see Taeyong anywhere.

As soon as he had thought of him he saw a shadow come through the smoke and Taeyong stumbled out of the smoke, holding a body in his arms and falling to his knees. He was coughing and trying to heave in breaths. Mark ran over to them, taking the body into his arms only to see Yuta’s face being full of dark smudge. He was breathing and that was enough. Mark lifted him up and Chenle was threatening the crowd, chasing them away. Some of the Damned who got provoked attempted to scare Chenle too. That was their mistake because he was quick and sending them rolling into the crowd.

  “You’ve seen enough!” He yelled. “Now off!”

Taeyong was still on his knees. Chenle hurried over and pulled the other up. “Time to go, big guy.” He said and Taeyong nodded weakly. He followed Mark who felt Yuta’s breath against his neck. Now the Damned were burning each other’s homes. They really needed Lord Win to do something soon. Where was he?

As predicted somebody had snuck up on their cave while Taeyong, Mark and Chenle had gone to save Yuta. It was all to get them away from the cave, to send the strongest away and leave the vulnerable behind.

They were wrong though. Renjun and Jisung were fighting off a group of Damned. Johnny stood with a sword as well as Haechan. Jaehyun stood behind them, glaring at the attackers with no fear in his eyes. Mark almost dropped Yuta at the sight. Taeyong seemed to have forgotten the smoke in his lungs because he was growling something before charging up.

It was too late though. Renjun suddenly screamed, “no!” He stepped up by the edge, reaching out his arms when Jisung was thrown. Instead of flying over the edge he tumbled into Renjun and Renjun slid off. Mark watched with his heart in his throat as Renjun’s feet were pushed off the cliff. His small form fell and Jisung lying at the very edge reached out and grabbed around his arm. Chenle knocked one of the Damned nearing the two away, hissing at them with pure anger.

  “I’ll tear your throat open. Don’t even think about it.” He said, standing on top of Jisung, one leg on each side of him as Jisung tried to pull Renjun back up. Mark walked closer, only to see a horrific sight. How they had gotten to him… Mark hadn’t known. He wondered if he had stepped out of the cave or maybe they had gone past Johnny and Haechan, but suddenly Mark noticed Taeyong freeze in the middle of struggling with one Damned. There he was. Ten. In the arms of a silver haired Damned who held a dagger to Ten’s long throat. Ten was gripping onto the arm around his neck. He was leaning his head back and away from the sharp object against his skin. Mark noticed Haechan still slice through the air, barely missing a Damned that sprang back and away from his attack. They’d tried to get to Jaehyun. They wouldn’t get through Johnny or Haechan. Jeno stood with Jaehyun, but he was being held back by the other. Jisung finally got Renjun up and the two stood up behind Chenle. Mark tried to walk towards their side, but there were Damned separating him from his friends. Taeyong was now held in a chokehold, the other was not fighting back because of Ten.

  “I knew it.” Said the silver haired Damned. “It was this guy.” He told one of the others who had long blond hair. Mark for a moment thought he was a girl. The guy rolled his eyes. The silver  haired one grinned. “Now now, my friends. I was only curious. I’ve been paying close attention to our favorite, The Blue Eyed Damned, and I noticed that he had been gone immediately. Taeyong… you were smart to try to divert my attention but, I can’t help myself. Had to see what he had been up to. So he’s brought more of the Healthy back with him? And a new one, I can see.”

Mark felt Yuta stir in his arms.

  “Well, I got one of your group once. Lost a bunch of my own because of that. Sad.” He said and Mark almost dropped Yuta. Hansol.

  “Just wante-”

  “Leave.” Mark said through gritted teeth. His voice was loud and clear. He didn’t want to hear the other’s speech. He’d heard enough. “Let go of him. I don’t need any threats from you to understand your purpose. You can leave us now.”

The Damned’s eyes widened. His eyes had already been big, but now they were even bigger. He laughed. “I can’t believe it! Look at him! So calm and collected, thinking much farther than us!” Mark knew who it was. Taeyong had mentioned him. Coups.

  “So ing perfect.” He grinned. “Well, Lord Win hasn’t announced it yet, the upcoming rebellion he’s been planning. Free us Damned… Well maybe it’s because if we take one step outside we’ll get killed.” Coups looked down at Ten. “Ain’t that right beautiful?” He asked, lips close to Ten’s ear and neck. Taeyong growled. A tall Damned with a piercing gaze held him still. Mark looked up at Haechan, the other was staring at him. Johnny was slowly going towards the edge, stepping closer to Coups.

Mark went over to the side and slowly lowered Yuta. He grabbed his dagger and unsheathed it. “Do you want a fight?” He asked. “Or do you want answers?”

  “Answers!” Coups growled. He looked satisfied for a moment. “You impress me.” He said and then without saying anything threw Ten aside towards the edge. Johnny was close enough. Ten who twirled through the air with a scream was caught by Johnny and pulled back from the edge. He crashed into Johnny’s chest but clutched onto the other for a moment. Coups kept looking at the taller one holding Taeyong. “I want him with me.”
  “If you want Taeyong, you won’t get answers.”

  “Ah…” Coups sighed. “I can also just,” Coups stepped closer to Chenle who was guarding Jisung and Renjun. Coups put his arm behind himself. Mark noticed Jeno run forwards. He looked back to Coups who’s arm shot forwards. Chenle didn’t move out of the way. Jeno yelled his name. Mark saw a flash as the sun’s light reflected in the blade. It was quick. Coups kept his gaze on Mark when his dagger pierced Chenle’s stomach. The other bent over just slightly, releasing a small cry. Chenle gripped onto Coups’ dagger and grinned up at him.

  “I’ll kill you.” He told him. Jisung and Renjun were gripping Chenle, voices crying out his name. Coups brought back his blade, blood drops fell from it and onto the ground. Chenle curled forwards. Mark stepped aside to shield Yuta.

  “You’re coming with me.” He told Mark and Mark eyed the rest of the group. Jisung was pressing down on Chenle’s wound.

  “No, no, no!” He cried. Renjun closed his eyes, one hand gripping onto Chenle’s. Taeyong was dragged along and Mark followed without fighting back. Ten dropped to his knees, crying out Mark’s name. Johnny was loosely holding onto Ten now, eyes fixed on Chenle who was on the ground breathing in shallow breaths. Jaehyun had his hands curled into fists he was looking at Mark. He spoke under his breath and Haechan nodded before looking over at Mark as well. There was a look in his eyes, one Mark hadn’t seen anyone ever give him. Maybe… it was a bit similar to Jaehyun’s when Mark figured out he had problems with his heart. A vulnerability, yearning and sorrow. Mark slapped a hand away from him, somebody had tried to grab onto him. He looked away from his friends and at the road ahead of them. The smoke was less thick, but it still filled the space with its heavy scent.

Mark walked beside Coups now. He eyed the tent of Lord Win’s when they passed it. Kun stood at the edge of it. Arms crossed over his chest and a sad look on his face. Kun’s eyes scanned the area and quickly noticed the group. His eyes connected with Mark’s. One of Kun’s brows flew up, but Mark didn’t see any further reaction because a tent came in the way and he wondered if Kun could do something.
 

Coups had a large cave in the cliffs that had their roots going into the lake. They walked up some stairs that ended at the mouth of the cave. Then they found themselves leaving the cave and facing a green area that was behind the cliff. Mark wondered if they still were within the Land of the Damned’s borders.

Coups made a loose wave with the flick of his wrists and the Damned around him moved into seats that were put in a half moon. Coups took seat in a chair that was in the middle of the half moon. The tall Damned holding Taeyong didn’t let go of him. Mark had to stop himself from ripping his hands off of Taeyong.

Taeyong inhaled a strangled breath of air before he dove down and pulled back, throwing the Damned over his shoulder. Most of the Damned around them stood in shock. Mark counted all the chairs around him. There were 17.

The tall Damned got up and kicked out after Taeyong who stepped back with a defiant look on his face. Coups raised his hand and two of the Damned seized the member of their group and forced him to sit. He was struggling against their hold, hissing and cursing at Taeyong but one of the Damned stepped in front of him, he was tall too, with a long straight nose and narrow eyes. He lowered his face so that he was on eye-level with the other, gazes connecting and talking in a low voice.

  “The grass grows from the dirt below our feet. It reaches up to the sky,” his sentences were calm yet strained at times when his friend fought back. He continued. “The sky that is so blue and so wide.”

The Damned in the seat was now looking into his friends eyes. He stopped struggling. “… So wide.” He joined in on the chant. “With clouds of all shapes crossing it, and the colors fading and appearing. It has the golden sun and the pale moon, that sometimes shares the sky. The lights in the sky shines down upon us who walks the earth. Beneath roofs of wood and stone. We live here to be a part of the world, not above it.”

The two finished and Mark even noticed some of the others joining in. Mark eyed the people outside of the circle. There was one female Damned who was looking straight at him. Mark didn’t see hatred in her eyes nor amusement. He wondered what she was thinking.

  “You’ve probably guessed it.” Coups said, his chin raised high. “Most of us are from the 6^th Clan.”

Taeyong rolled his eyes. “Obviously.” He muttered and Mark wanted to reach over and squeeze the other’s arm so he shut up. They couldn’t risk being attacked when they were just two. Chenle… Chenle was wounded and Yuta unconscious. Mark didn’t like their odds.

  “I asked your dear Ten some quick questions, which he was eager to answer.” Coups smiled innocently with a tilt of his head and both Taeyong and Mark growled. To Mark’s surprise none of the other members of the half circle seemed to chuckle or participate in Coups’ taunting. They were all just watching. “He gave me only one answer. I asked him how the hell you managed to go out and bring more people in. He said because you’re better than me.” – Mark smirked, but tried to keep a straight face. – “I asked him why he would even return and Ten said this. ‘Because they will kill you at first sight.’” Few of the Damned surrounding them gasped. “What the does this mean?” Coups asked anger blossoming in his voice and Mark closed his eyes for a moment.

  “If you wanted answers to this you could’ve ing come to me; not attack!” Mark couldn’t stop himself from getting angry. This was ridiculous.

  “No. I like attacking.” Coups said but that didn’t sound right. “I have to.” He then added and that sounded more true. “People are angry and restless. With the 1^st Clan coming to our door and bargaining, showing us how many soldiers they have and also on the same time running from us? Isn’t it time we fight back? That we rebel against the Commander and tell him that we’re not more of a monster than he is? Is it because we’re better? Is it because they fear us? We need to get out there, we have families that sent us here, they were forced to! Don’t you feel angry too? Don’t you want something to happen soon?”

Mark wanted to nod. It all sounded very reasonable, it was just performed very untactful. If he wanted to seem like somebody they could follow, how about not attacking people?

  “Yes, they’ve made a new rule. If you see a Damned - glowing eyes and all that - you’re allowed to kill them. If somebody is ill you can be punished for not telling it to your chief or master.”

People around them muttered. Mark heard a few ‘That’s crazy’. Coups looked even angrier.

  “And we’re waiting for Lord Win to do something? This is insane!”

  “I know it is!” Mark agreed, raising his voice to come above all the upset voices. “Lord Win has a plan!” He then said. “But it’s kept secret, we can’t allow the 1^st Clan to know about it. Believe in him. He’ll get us out of here!”

Taeyong frowned, eyeing Mark but he didn’t protest. Mark really just wished Lord Win could be there himself to speak. He imagined the other lying in his bed, not waking up; Kun begging him to open his eyes, and the Damned getting restless and finding new leaders.

  “But can you stop attacking us?” Mark pleaded. “We mean no harm.”

Coups looked like a kid that had just been scolded. He was looking at his hands, avoiding Mark’s gaze. “Let me talk to you in private.” Coups said and stood. Mark nodded immediately. Coups came walking over, eyes downcast. Mark sighed in relief, ready to go away from the other’s ear reach when Coups suddenly shot out an arm. He pressed it to Mark’s throat and directed him to the wall. Mark was pinned against the wall of the cliff. Mark knocked his head into the wall, feeling pain shoot up his spine. Taeyong was about to charge but the blond Damned stepped in his way.

  “You’re untrustworthy, Blue.” Coups hissed at him, warm breath dancing over Mark’s face. Mark looked down at the dagger that was put to his throat. “You don’t get angry, you don’t lash out. Could be a spy for all I think. How did they make your eyes glow? Or were you one of the first Damned? Trained by the 1^st Clan, who could know?”

  “I’m – not – a – spy.” Mark insisted.

Coups grinned. “Prove it.” Coups almost spat and Mark blinked.

  “I will.” Mark said before gripping the arm holding the dagger and pushing Coups away from him. “Proof number one: I won’t kill you right now.” He growled and Coups gritted his teeth but then the female Damned that Mark had shared a gaze with appeared.

  “You’ve done enough, Coups.” She said. She had a slim face, an upturned nose and wide eyes. Her hair was brown and stopped at her shoulders and she looked frail but was still strong enough to hold Coups back. “We’ve seen what he can do, remember?” She reminded Coups and Mark tried not to let the flashes of the fight come back to him. The woman looked at him and then to Taeyong. Taeyong had wide eyes, staring at her in horror. “Let them go to their friend. He needs them. We’ve left our mark.”
 

Mark rushed out of there. Taeyong followed immediately, the two of them running down the stairs and away from the lake. It was getting dark now.

  “I know her.” Taeyong growled as they ran. “It’s Jiwon.”

  “The one… the one who recruited you in the beginning of your time… here?” Mark asked as they ran through the streets.

  “Yup. Didn’t ing see her, of course she hid amongst the others. Having Coups be in front, so people won’t know who they really follow.”

  “Is she bad?”

  “She’s angry.”

  “She didn’t look angry?”

Taeyong inhaled through gritted teeth and tilted his head to the right shortly. “She’s so ing sly.”

Mark frowned. Jiwon.

Now he had someone to blame for Hansol’s death. And maybe… another death too.

A/N:

Happy New Year everybody! Last day of 2017 is soon gonna be over, and this year has really been an adventure for me. I've seen so much.

Like I've seen NCT 127 perform and they were close enough for me to see the details of their faces. They were all so beautiful!! 
I've been to an EXO concert and guys I've been a fan since their 2nd teaser haha. 

Such a journey. 2018 will be one with new beginnings as well. I'm going to move away and start on my studies. Crazy.

I hope you've had a good year and that next year will have some amazing moments. <3

Thank you for reading this, and let's continue the journey of this story in 2018! <3

Love,
Emma <3