Chapter 28.

It was a grey morning. Everyone was quiet after most of their group had left. Johnny, Haechan, Jaehyun, Jeno and Ten had all gone to the 4^th Clan to look for the “True Commander”. Ten and Jeno didn’t know that Johnny, Haechan and Jaehyun had a plan of finding a boy and then inking his back with a simple symbol and bringing him to the others. They’d ask him first, but Mark wondered who would go against them. He didn’t like bringing a random boy into this mess as bait, but he needed to make sure it was safe to reveal who the real commander was.

Now as the fire crackled on new wood Mark, Jisung, Chenle, Renjun, Doyoung, Yuta and Kun all sat in different spots, doing nothing more useful than just staring at the flames.

  “I hate waiting.” Chenle groaned and Jisung nodded.

  “Can’t we just lie and say we’re blind?” He suggested and not only Mark but everyone else around the fire cocked a brow at him. Jisung raised his hand in defense. “I know. Stupid. Sorry.”

Renjun was fixing a jacket that had ripped by sewing it together again. It wasn’t very pretty but it would hold. Mark noticed Yuta was watching Renjun with interest.

  “Nice pattern.” He complimented the other and Renjun frowned lightly but also smiled, accepting the compliment. Kun was using a knife to carve a figure out of some wood. Mark and Doyoung were the only ones not occupying themselves after an hour had gone by. Mark looked at Doyoung, or maybe he was wrong. Doyoung seemed to be thinking. His eyes were fixed on a random spot and his eyebrows twitched a little while his lips seemed to move from time to time. So Mark could say he was the only one not getting something done. He decided to get up to go around and patrol the area.
When he stood he jumped when Doyoung did too. Mark gave him a look of disbelief. Doyoung grinned bashfully. “You’re going for a walk?” He asked.

Mark nodded half-heartedly. “Well. Now I am.” He said and the two of them left the others to their boredom.

The mist left them all with wet hair and as they walked, Mark had to wipe his nose and face off multiple times. Doyoung was quiet for a while and Mark noticed the other had been quite a lot.

  “Are you okay?” Mark decided to ask as they turned down a path that led them a little lower. Their footsteps echoed through the woods. There was no wind.

Doyoung blinked and looked up from the ground. “Oh yeah.” He answered immediately and Mark looked at him doubtfully. Doyoung laughed nervously. “Well. My dream was just really intense last night and I’m trying to decipher it. Jaehyun left early with the others and I didn’t have a chance to talk with him about it.”

  “You can… talk to me. I can do my best.” Mark assured the other and Doyoung chuckled. A sense of purpose appeared in his eyes and they were focused as he began to speak. Explaining this dream he had and Mark listened while his mind imagined the scenes the other described.

  “It was odd. Because it wasn’t just things that I saw this time, it was like I was a part of the dream?

It all started out with a scream. I woke up at the bottom of the woods and saw people look down at me from above. They were on a platform like the one we camp on. I didn’t really recognize the people, but as I lied there I realized I had probably fallen down from the platform. I got up and then noticed one of them stand up as well. His eyes glowed red and he raised a bow, arrow ready to fly towards me. I felt so betrayed, so sad. I knew this meant that I had been pushed out of the group and I ran away.

Then as I walked I saw tents appear amongst the trees. It was quiet, but then I heard the cackling of a fire and when I went towards the light it was one of the tents that were burning. The flames suddenly burst out of the entrance and up the whole tent. All around me the tents were eloped in flames. I backed off, I couldn’t be in that place I knew I would burn.

Something landed on my nose from above, a drop. I thought it might be rain but… it was just one drop falling down the same place. When I looked at it I saw that it was red.

It was blood.

I almost didn’t dare to look up but when I did I was horrified. Bodies were strung up in the trees all around me, Mark. All their faces weren’t visible but I somehow knew them. When I looked ahead again a throne was in front of me. I felt anger. So I grabbed a branch that was burning and set fire to it. Somebody came up beside me and I looked at them but… they were all blurry. The person took my hand and held it. They started to pull me out of the place and I felt like I had purpose.”

Doyoung and Mark stopped walking. Mark looked at Doyoung with reading eyes, trying to drink in every word the other spoke. Trying to understand him.

  “My dream yesterday was odd too. Jaehyun looked awkward when I told him about it.

I first saw the image of the three stacks of stones. Like I had seen before but this time one of them looked like somebody had just been buried. The other had a hole, as if it was ready to embrace the new person who would be buried there. I tried to move closer. I wanted to see who was lying in it, but I was ripped away from it.

I saw darkness and in that darkness a set of royal purple eyes were looking at me. I had never seen that color before. They seemed familiar, but I just knew I wasn’t afraid of them. Then it shifted to Jaehyun. He was standing in the middle of a glade. Green grass around him, trees reaching up towards a blue sky. He looked back at me, wearing a black robe that looked almost like a cape. He smiled and I wanted to just watch that image but then Jaehyun lowered his eyes, wearing a knowing smile. Everything that was green changed to grey, the sky above growing dark and Jaehyun turned to face me with his body, but his clothes were red and yet he just kept on smiling. Then his smile vanished and he was jerked backwards falling onto the ground…

I was back to the stones and I neared the hole in the ground once again.

Jaehyun was in there, Mark.”

Mark shook his head. “No.” He pleaded and Doyoung reached out to hold Mark’s hand but Mark pulled his hand away as if Doyoung’s touch would burn him. “I don’t believe you.”

Doyoung had tears in his eyes. “Tell me what that means. Help me interpret what this means.”

Mark looked at the ground. Would Jaehyun be murdered? Or would his heart give in? Who had the purple eyes? Was it the killer? The burning tents and the burning throne… it was all too much for him. He couldn’t make sense of any of it.

  “I’m sorry.” Mark told Doyoung. “I can’t help you.” He said and slipped past Doyoung to return back to the camp.

Mark walked with long steps, his mind racing. He had disconnected his mind from his body and his limps moved across the bridges, turning when needed, raising a foot when needed, but he weren’t in control. Instead he just stared into space, mind elsewhere. He had let Jaehyun go… He was out there without Mark near. Would he be okay?

Mark needed to be extra careful. He couldn’t let Jaehyun be the second to die. Not on his watch.

Mark ran into Chenle and Jisung. The two were climbing in a tree that was right beside the bridge. When they called his name his feet stopped and he looked up at them without really registering that it was them.

To his surprise they weren’t alone. Chenle and Jisung had the company of Renjun too, and Mark felt himself slowly greet reality, as if coming up to the surface after being under water for a long time. The three of them seemed to have been having fun, but Mark watched each of their faces change into looks of worry.

  “What is it?” Jisung asked and Mark looked in the direction of where he had left Doyoung. He looked at the tree before jumping up upon a branch and finding his way up to their level. The three of them shared looks before everyone waited for Mark to speak.

  “I’m just worrying.” Mark replied and Renjun nodded in understanding.

  “My best friend is with them too.” He reminded Mark. Mark had forgotten that Renjun had much to worry about too. Mark went quiet and it seemed as if the others let the silence linger for his sake. He then looked up at Chenle who was sitting in a spot that was between two branches creating a y.

  “How are you doing?” Mark asked the other and Chenle looked up at him.

  “Much better.” Chenle assured the other. “Ready to kick some if needed.” He grinned excitedly. Renjun gave him a look, a look that thought that Chenle was mad.

  “Good,” Mark smiled, he felt happy for Chenle. The other boy felt better and looked more like himself. Also that meant Mark had an extra warrior on his side.


Jisung was kicking his feet back and forth in the air, he looked like he was comfortable in the trees. “Mark.” He began and looked at the other. “When we find the commander. What do we do?” He asked and Mark almost wanted to laugh.

  “Lord Win told us that we should travel towards the 1^st Clan. We need to bring the True Commander back to where he belongs.” Mark smiled. “I’m sure the True Commander will know what to do too. He’s probably eager to fulfill his role.”

Chenle was grinning. “You sure? What if he’s living a real comfortable life? I’m not sure I wanted to rule the clans, so much responsibility. Imagine me as a leader!”

Jisung tilted his head to the side. “Well, you’re not stupid. (“Thank you, Jisung.” Chenle smiled. Jisung rolled his eyes.) “But I bet you won’t have much peace.”

Chenle laughed. “Mark would be a good Commander.” He said honestly and Mark felt flattered.

Jisung nodded. “Yeah! Mark, if we don’t find the Commander you should just take the role.”

Renjun frowned. “What about your Lord Win?” He asked with squinted eyes.

Chenle slapped his forehead for his own forgetfulness. “Well, Lord Win could do it. If he doesn’t fall into purgatory all the time, then yes.”

The other three looked at Chenle in confusion. “Purgatory?” Mark repeated.

Chenle nodded. “You know the state of neither dead or alive. Between life and death? I haven’t tried it yet, but it’s supposed to be really scary.” 

  “I never knew that there was a name for it?”

Chenle made finger-guns at Mark. “Well, now you know.”

Renjun shook his head. “So you’re saying…”

  “We’re not really safe.” Jisung finished Renjun’s sentence. “Maybe we could die.”

  “It’s called an infection for a reason. Damned for a reason. We didn’t defeat death, but… I guess you could call being Damned a state of Purgatory as well.” Chenle explained. “We’re not dead but we’re not alive either.”

Renjun shook his head. “But we’re alive!” He insisted.

Mark nodded. “We are.” He agreed.

Jisung looked grim. “But not to our clans.” He said and they all fell into silence once again. Jisung was right.
 

Mark had been waiting for them in a tree away from the camp and closer to the 4^th Clan. He heard them move through the woods and then climb the ladder closest to Mark. He listened quietly. Then he saw them on one of the bridges. Johnny walked in the front. Mark noticed the other’s demeanor. Johnny looked dangerous.

Behind him walked Jaehyun who turned his head to smile at someone new. He was tall and had a pretty face. Mark felt a little mesmerized, for a moment he thought that boy could be a prince. Mark noticed Ten was supporting someone and his heart dropped when he noticed it was Haechan. Jeno had his sword out. They all seemed so unnerved. But why?

Mark was back before them. He wanted to slap Jisung’s shoulder to get him to wake up but ended up slapping the back of his head. Mark wanted to apologize but he was too worried and couldn’t really bother. Jisung gave him a glare.

  “The was that for-” Jisung seemed to notice the atmosphere. Kun was leaning against one of the poles; he was nearly finished with his third wooden figure. Yuta got onto his feet. Doyoung was fidgeting anxiously. Chenle and Renjun just stood close to Jisung, ready to meet the True Commander.

If only they knew that they’d been with him for all this time.

Mark took in their expressions when they arrived. Johnny gave Mark a look. Behind him appeared Jaehyun and Mark felt more at ease to see him there. Mark’s eyes met Jaehyun’s and he frowned. Jaehyun looked much paler than he’d ever done. He looked so tried too and he didn’t seem to bother with the boy behind him anymore, he just walked over to Mark and stood beside him. The boy stood in the middle, he looked nervous, his eyes scanned them all. Mark noticed Ten and Haechan stop beside Johnny and Mark searched Haechan’s body for any wounds. Haechan kept his head lowered and Mark wondered what that meant. Jeno stepped forwards cautiously.

  “We were followed.” Johnny explained to them all. “He had guards and they didn’t trust us. Luckily we fought them off and convinced him to join us.”

The guy looked at Johnny, still with that nervous gaze, but he gave a stern nod. “I’m tired of being hunted.” He said, voice still sounding young but fresh. “I’m sure you are too.” He added and Mark was pretty sure the other had him fooled too. It sounded a little forced, Mark must admit, but to someone who didn’t know better, it was convincing.

  “We’ll head towards the 1^st Clan tomorrow and meet Lord Win.” Mark announced and then walked over to shake the boy’s hand. “Welcome, Commander, it’s an honor.” He smiled and Jisung, Chenle and Renjun came over to greet him too. Doyoung made a deep bow and the boy chuckled, his eyes lit up at the sight of Doyoung. The two already clicked and Mark was happy somebody made the other feel good.

Mark noticed Jeno share a smile with the boy and it made Mark frown at the other. Jeno didn’t like anyone else than Renjun, and now he was smiling at the new kid? Mark hoped Renjun didn’t notice, but at the sight of Renjun’s narrowed eyes, he did.

Then came the moment most of them anticipated and some of them didn’t think was important. Kun stepped forward, he had put his dagger into his sheath again. Kun flicked his brown hair out of his face, revealing his thick brows, and eyed the others around him. Mark stepped forward, pretending that he was facing Ten, when he was holding a hand on his sword. Kun’s lips stretched into his mischievous grin and Mark felt the moment slow down. Kun reached out his hand, his fingers passing by the dagger on his belt. Mark inhaled sharply and then felt his breath catch in his throat.

Kun grabbed the boy’s hand and shook it. “An honor to meet you.” He said and Mark exhaled deeply in relief. Kun turned around and Mark looked at Jaehyun. The other smiled and nodded. They could tell everyone now. Kun was safe.

Mark looked back to Kun who had taken a step away from the boy. Kun’s gaze moved from the ground and up. Mark stepped forward to talk to the other when Kun’s eyes met his. The other smiled apologetically and Mark frowned.

  “Actually,” Kun spoke and everyone looked to him. He winked at Mark. Then he spun around and Mark heard people shout. The blade of Kun’s dagger caught the light and Kun stabbed it forwards towards the heart, Renjun pushed Mark aside and stormed forwards. The boy’s scream filled the air and Mark’s blood ran cold.

A/N:

Damn today has been hard. I'm applying for schools and had a mental breakdown but I'm good again. I'm excited for tomorrow when I'm finally going to a party. Hopefully I'm going to have fun. But I won't have too many expectations, because you-know, they're never met.

Ten's new teaser has me SHOOK. Ten and Taeyong are really back to challenge Johnten who I've come to settle for in many of my stories, but nooo, a canon coupe in NCT?? ?? Not very likely.

Also I'm working on a new story inspired by the BOSS MV, but you know, I'll probably not post it anytime soon, but here's a sneak peek:

(just click on the poster and it will take you to a blog post (BUT IN THE SAME ING TAB SO BE AWARE))

Also I'm going crazy on tumblr as always if you guys hang out there: @tenlion

Love,
Emma <3

(my LORD Win because this boy is a gift from the gods and deserves more respect, sm)