Chapter 4.

Mark woke up when Ten grabbed him. For a split second he imagined Ten gripping onto him because Taeyong had come for him, but when he sat up, he noticed that Doyoung was in the room, talking to Taeyong. Mark sighed in relief. Ten was safe.

Doyoung’s wide eyes were fixed on Taeyong as he spoke in a low voice, they were grabbing each other’s arms. Mark got up and the others followed him as they neared the two. Doyoung turned to look at Mark and then his eyes flickered to the others.

  “I didn’t have much time.” He warned them. “But my dreams were clear. The sky is not only red above this place, the change reaches beyond these borders. I see three sets of stacked stones under a gloomy shadow and I see the river run over its tides. I heard a voice call out a name and I saw someone fall. I heard whimpers, and something that cannot be undone was done. You are tied… but you will not be able to hold onto each other if you can’t forgive each other. And some things cannot be forgiven.” Doyoung was looking at Ten, the other pressed his lips into a thin line. Doyoung had a look of pity. Mark leaned forward and shielded Ten from the other’s gaze. Doyoung looked at him. “We need you.” He then said. “The whole world needs this.” He looked in the way of the entrance. “It’s time for things to change.” He said at last and then he left. Mark guessed it had been a hell of a nightmare that he had had.

Taeyong looked guilty. Then he eyed Hansol who was wearing his leather armor. “He’s on his way isn’t he?”

Hansol looked up at nodded. Mark knew who they were talking about.

Kun.

Ten was beautiful. Everyone said that. When the sun’s rays shone down upon them as they crossed the yellow fields, his smile almost seemed brighter than the sun. Mark was the sky, the one who brought you the sun, because everywhere that Mark went, Ten went too. They were brothers, connected by a stronger bond than just friendship. When Mark fell Ten caught him and when Ten was lonely he heard the steps outside his house and knew they would come to visit him.

Ten found love in Mark’s parents, but he still kept on living in the house of his family. He practiced fighting with Mark’s father, while Mark still learned how to jump from branch to branch. Ten was 3 years older, but he always told Mark that time had been standing still and the sky had been gray until Mark appeared. Even as a small child he never wept, he released the sounds the trees made when slightly waving in the wind. Creaking softly and reaching out for Ten with his pale hands. Ten greeted him as his older brother and Mark always saw him as that.

When Mark was heading into their village with Ten and his father, after having been in the field, it was then they heard the sound. It brought fear forward as soon as it ended, it’s not a roar or a howl, it was something in between. Wicked wolves they were called by a southerner.

  “Get up in the trees.” His father commanded and Ten sprang up, but the trees were low and they didn’t have time. Mark’s leg was caught by jaws that took him with them. Ten had spun around, dark eyes wide and hand reaching out for Mark’s. His farther pulled out his sword and Ten his bow and arrows. The wrous never walked alone, but they always around 5, but never less. Mark fell to the ground and raised his dagger and cut across the face of the wrou which long snout had turned to give him the deathly bite. It winced but it tried again and Mark defended himself once more. The blade went up through the roof of the creature’s mouth. The blood sprayed out and colored Mark’s face and chest red. Mark pushed the creature’s large head aside only to see yellow eyes head straight for him. He couldn’t stand; his leg brought him in too much agony. His father stepped in the way and Ten’s feet met the ground.

When everything calmed and 4 wrous lied dead upon the ground, Mark’s farther helped him up into the tree they always use for safe passage. Ten got Mark onto his back and crawled upwards. Mark looked back to see his father pull himself up, but then Mark counted inside his head. Only 4 bodies… Weren’t they always 5? He had never seen a group of wrous more than 5 and never less. Mark opened his mouth to speak but quick heavy steps were louder than his words. The creature sprang and its jaws locked around his father’s head and they fell backwards. Ten froze when Mark screamed and he turned around to glance back. Then he sped up. Mark remembered knocking his fist to Ten’s shoulder. “We have to help him!”

  “We can’t.” Ten had said and for the first time, the sky was grey and the sun weren’t there. For a long while both of them were caught in sorrow and shock, but the village helped them through it.

Now they were without their clan, and they had a different enemy. They didn’t know anything about them, but Mark hated the fact that he could be the last wrou that the other three boys seemed to have forgotten.
 

1. Taeyong.
2. Hansol
3. The Lord
4. Kun.

Kun was the 4^th wrou. He walked in with a speed and such a posture that it immediately made everyone step back, except Taeyong who stubbornly kept his ground.

  “Taeyong.” He said with a smirk and Taeyong copied the smirk.

  “Kun.” He greeted the other in his deep voice. “I see you came as fast as possible.”

Kun’s gaze didn’t leave Taeyong. “Yeah, when I heard of this Blue Eyed Damned and his live followers I had to come take a look.” As he finished his sentence he turned to look at them and Mark straightened his back and raised his chin. Kun cocked a brow. “Ah he has bruises.” He said stepping a bit closer. “Care if I give him some more?” He asked and Taeyong rolled his eyes and stepped in between the two.

  “He’s going to meet the Lord first and then you can try him out if you want.”

Kun laughed. “Oh but I want to give him a few kicks now, see if he’s a worthy soldier.”

Mark grinned and Kun titled his head smiling. Taeyong turned around to see what Kun was staring at but his eyes landed on Ten who was pulling at Mark’s sleeve. Mark’s grin dropped and he turned to look at Ten. “What?” He asked and Ten spoke through gritted teeth.

  “Don’t fight now.” He told him and then stepped behind Mark avoiding Taeyong’s eyes that instead landed on Jaehyun. Jaehyun glared at him and Taeyong sighed and faced Kun.

  “You heard him.” He said. “Mark won’t fight you now.” Taeyong then gave Hansol a sign with his hand and Hansol walked over to push the group forward. Kun was smirking as he followed them. Mark didn’t like any of this.

Seeing this leader with the deep voice made Mark want to cover his eyes once more; he was absolutely intimidating. He wasn’t a bulky fat man but had a lanky figure and a beautiful face. It was dark inside his tent as if he purposely wanted his eyes to constantly glow. Sitting upon a throne of bones and horns of the creatures in the land around them, his eyes shone green. They looked poisonous and his hair was long, still there was something really off, in his forehead two horns stuck out and Mark didn’t even want to know how they got there.

  “Hello, Mark.” He said in his calm voice and Mark was about to wonder where he had heard his name, but then he noticed Doyoung by his side. “I’m Lord Win.” He said and nodded once and Mark stepped forward, Hansol having one hand on his shoulder and pressing down, telling him to kneel. Mark did as told and noticed Hansol stepping away.

Mark glanced up and then fixed his gaze on Lord Win’ shoes. “I wa- am… was from the 7^th clan and didn’t die of the decease. There’s nothing special about me.” He said honestly.

Lord Win chuckled. “Oh there is.” He said. “You see new Damned stay to themselves the first months because they lash out at the smallest thing. You’re surrounded by some of the most provoking Damned and you aren’t dead nor are any of them.” Mark’s eyes widened and he raised his head and looked up at Lord Win.

  “What could possibly be the use of me?” He asked and noticed Doyoung smile. Lord Win smiled too.      

  “There’s a war coming. We are fed up with being Outlanders. We are fed up with being cast away when we’re actually victims.” Lord Win’ voice was deep and Mark frowned.

  “Victims?” He muttered and Lord Win stood and took slow steps towards him. Mark wanted to scramble backwards but stayed put.

  “When did the decease hit your village?” He asked and Mark thought hard.

His father was the Master of the village, but when he died his uncle took over and did a great job. The 7^th clan was brooding with life. Their children survived birth and their mothers too. His uncle did a great job as Master and they were thinking of extending their village. By this they had to get wood somewhere other than their own forest because they needed the trees. They started trading with the 5^th clan and the 6^th clan, but also with a nearby clan who wasn’t united under the commander yet. Mark remembered the other Masters or Lords visiting and being amazed by the bridges and the houses they had managed to build. The 5^th clan wanted more bridges and Mark watched some of the boys of Ten’s age leave to help the 5^th clan.

Mark frowned. They had been rising in popularity. The decease though took a great deal of them after a group of travelers had slept at their village. One of them must’ve been carrying it without telling. Mark sighed. Most young children and women were infected. Luckily most of the strong young men were out getting wood or helping the nearby clans. The epidemic was fading when Mark suddenly felt sick. Ten was separated from him and Mark’s house was not to be entered. They were given food and herbs every day, but Mark’s mother wasn’t strong. She was getting old. Mark though was hit with so much sorrow that he forgot to eat and he became weak. He remembered leaning against the wall and talking with Ten who sat on the other side. Then he passed out and Mark wasn’t sure if he died or if he went into the state of unconsciousness right before dying, but when he woke up it was in the box. How he got there or where they realized he hadn’t died… Mark didn’t know. The only thing he knew was that one other boy from his village was taken away in a box some weeks before him. He actually hadn’t seen him yet.
Mark felt that there was something bad about all of it, the way Lord Win spoke was as if the epidemic wasn’t what he thought it was.

Mark looked up. “Not long ago, it had been there for a month’s time, I think I was the last victim of it.”

Ten nodded with a hum to backup what Mark said. Mark turned to look at him and noticed Taeyong stand beside Ten. Mark wanted to walk over and separate them and nearly did when he noticed Lord Win suddenly crouch down.

  “How did it come? Did something happen before the first of your clan got sick?”

Mark bit his lip. “Some travelers went through our village.”

  “And where did they come from.”

  “The 1^st clan.” Ten said when Mark didn’t answer immediately.

  “And who rules the first clan?”

Mark looked up and met Lord Win’ gaze. “The Commander.”

  “Called?”

  “Commander Hun.” Mark answered frantically looking from side to side as he felt panic rise inside of him. What was Lord Win telling him?

Mark stood and backed away from Lord Win. No, Commander Hun protected the clans; he wasn’t someone to spread a decease like that? Mark stared at Lord Win while shaking his head. “What are you telling me?”

Lord Win smiled. “You’ll figure it out, you’re a smart one, Mark.”

Mark rather wanted to be thick-headed for once and not understand, because his whole world was crumbling.

A/N:

Sorry for taking so long with updating, as I wrote (which I had forgotten to send oops) I was contemplating the character that I at first called Lord Aris, because I wanted him to be someone from NCT or SMRookies. Winwin, who I'm starting to like a lot (same with Kun that sunflower), got that role and I kind of like calling him Lord Win.
Do you like the poster? I made it before I made a choice to see if he fitted the role and he really did. (Now I can make some winkun too because I'm a mess)

Thank you for commenting and please leave a comment <3

I'll be back with another update next week!

Love,
Emma. <3