eighteen

The sky darkened, black clouds rolling in from the west to blot out the sun, plunging the world into grey. Rain began to fall as the clouds above rumbled, a dark looming mass that covered the sky from horizon to horizon. People began to rush for shelter from the pelting drops, wondering how the weather could have changed so suddenly, from a moderately cool day nearing the end of winter to this heavy rain storm.

Sure, the weather seemed unusual but then again, it wasn’t entirely uncommon. Rain often came during the end of winter instead of snow; it wasn’t cold enough for the crystals to form.

As the people ducked under cover, staring up at the sky and wondering when the weather will clear up, a lone figure stands at the top of a skyscraper, watching the ant-sized population disappear into buildings, and cars moving along the rain-slicked roads.

The figure lets the rain pelt him, not caring how soaked he is getting as he continues to observe. All that seems to be on his mind is the thought of those storm clouds, pregnant with rain, and how clearly out of place they looked in the sky above a city that seems to be full of life and the clear signs of Spring arriving. A thought occurs to him that there is a very clear reason but he doesn’t yet want to acknowledge it. It isn’t time yet. Poseidon shakes his head and with a snap of his fingers, the water that has him drenched, evaporates off his clothes, leaving him dry.

“What is going on?” he murmurs, turning away from the scene below and walking off, disappearing through a door on the rooftop. He presses a finger to his temple as he strides down the emergency staircase, and begins speaking hurriedly, “Zeus, we’re out of time.”

***

Chanyeol is there by Kai’s side as I watch on, my feet rooted to the ground, heavy as lead. He’s picking Kai’s head up into his lap as my mind registers Kai’s limp form and my body finally decides to move robotically toward them. All I can think about is how Kai cannot be dead, there’s absolutely no way he can be, because after all, he is the God of the Underworld – he’s practically unbeatable.

Yet, here he lies in his own blood, unmoving and lifeless, pale skin and barely a breath in him. I kneel down on the other side of Kai as Chanyeol checks over Kai for the source of all the blood. I nearly gag at the heavy metallic tang hanging in the air.

With a trembling hand, I reach out to touch Kai’s face. His skin is cold to the touch, no longer the same warmth I remember it to be when we hold hands sometimes. I look up at Chanyeol but find that my vision is blurry. “H-huh?” The tears that have gathered drip one by one onto my hand.

I see the blurred outline of Chanyeol moving when I hear his flustered voice say, “Ah! D-Don’t cry! Kai’s not dead, he’s fine, Seph, uh, I mean, uhm!” The confusion in his voice brings me back to reality from imagining the worst that could happen and I wipe away my tears. Kai’s not dead. Yet, even so, I cannot seem to stop the flow of tears. A shaky sob escapes.

“So, he really is alright?” I ask shakily, taking one of Kai's hands into my own. I press my palm against his and pray that I can warm even just one part of him. I can barely feel a pulse from him. “He isn’t… dead, is he? Kai isn’t –”

Chanyeol nods vigorously and begins to explain quickly, “Yeah, his injury missed all his vital organs, so despite all this blood, he’ll be patched up in no time. He’s probably fainted from blood loss, so with time to recover, he’ll be up and back to his grumpy old self again.” I nod along and relief floods my chest like fresh air filling my lungs from the breath I hadn’t realised I was holding.

After doing some emergency first aid on Kai's wound in the form of some rags torn off Chanyeol’s cloak much to his dismay, Chanyeol picks him up and we hurry inside. Tia meets us halfway down the hallway as she carries an armful of laundry; seeing the sight of a bloodied Kai sends her running off, calling out behind her that she'll go find a proper first aid kit.

Chanyeol carries Kai all the way up to Kai’s room; the one room I haven’t been inside. He pushes open the door without hesitation, striding inside like it is any other room. I take a moment to glance around, noting the dark oak furniture and the luxurious black bed sheets that match with the black canopy of Kai’s four-poster bed. I realise Chanyeol is about to place Kai on the bed but quickly stop him.

“Wait!” I say, hastening to his side, “We’ll get blood all over his sheets. I grab a few towels and put that down first.” Chanyeol nods and waits as I turn to find Kai’s bathroom. Inside, I find black towels (it’s his favourite colour, isn’t it?) and grab the stack, running back out to spread them on the bed before Chanyeol lays Kai down.

Tia comes in at that moment with a first aid kit – although it looks far more professional and hospital-grade than any I have ever seen – and begins pulling out bandages and gauze, alcohol wipes, a saline solution, tweezers, plastic gloves and just about everything you could possibly find in a first aid kit and more. Standing back to give them space, I watch as the two peel away Kai’s shirt to reveal a large gash on his abdomen, the blood already clotting around it, turning dark and sticky. They clean the wound with the saline solution then slowly apply a cream.

“Hold on, I think I can do something that’ll help,” I murmur, moving closer.

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol asks, as he unravels the gauze.

“I mean, I’m not Apollo but I can try something. Just… watch,” I reply, and hold my hands just above Kai’s gash. I close my eyes and concentrate, remembering the training I had in my dream with Persephone. I remember that she said because I have her powers as the Goddess of Spring, I can harness Nature’s powers and that meant being able to renew almost anything living. Maybe I could use this and help speed up Kai’s recovery.

My palms begin to tingle, just like that one other time I had seemingly used my power because Kai had helped to awaken it, and I concentrate it on healing Kai. All I can think of is Kai, Kai, Kai.