The room was dark, no light anywhere. Ryujin stared ahead, her body not able to move. She was tied down, she assumed to a table or something similar.

She heard voices and footsteps from above, all of the voices were male. She couldn’t suppress the tears forming in her eyes.

Woozi sat back in his chair after another episode of the show he and Seongchul were watching ended.

”That my good friend is the end of season one.” Seongchul said, closing out of the show. “What did you think?”

”Very funny. I relate with the sister so much.”

Seongchul chuckled “I knew you would.”

Woozi rose from his chair and grabbed his phone. He just know noticed Ryujin’s attempts to contact him. He read the last text, showing an address and the word “magical” in the message. He sent Ryujin a text, asking if she was okay. There was no response immediately.

Seongchul eyed Woozi, seeing his worried state. “Everything okay?”

Woozi looked up, putting his phone away “Yeah, sorry. I have to go.”

”Well your shift did end two hours ago.”

”It did?!” Woozi checked the time and his jaw dropped. 

“Well I’m glad we got to spend more time together. Aren’t you?”

Woozi couldn’t hide the red color appearing on his checks “Of course.”

Seongchul shooed him with his hand “Now go. I have to actually do my job now.”

Woozi smiled and said goodbye. Seongchul nodded. Woozi ran out of the board room and to his desk to gather his belongings before deciding to head to where Ryujin said she’d be.

Woozi pulled into the campus’ parking lot. He noticed Ryujin’s car almost immediately, then panic set in.

Woozi took out his phone and called Yoongi while crossing the street, looking for the apartment complex.

Yoongi answered, half-awake “Hello?”

”Yoongi! It’s Woozi. Have you heard from Ryujin?”

”She’s downstairs, or with the girl. She’s somewhere in the house.”

”Are you sure because she texted me saying she’s driving to this apartment complex, and her car is still here and she isn’t answering my calls.”

”I’m on my way.” Yoongi replied, sounding fully alert. 

Woozi hung up and finally found the complex. He ran to it, his heart starting to beat faster. He entered into the center, looking around for any sign of Ryujin. 

Woozi’s phone suddenly went off, it was Yoongi. 

“I just talked to the girl-“

”Ryujin?!”

”No, the girl I found near the complex.”

”No idea what you’re talking about, but okay.” Woozi said as he turned around to look behind him. 

“She said she ran away from some sort of cult. Masked men, she believes them to be frat boys.”

”Was she being hazed? Do girls gets hazed? Obviously I don’t know anything about college since I only spent one semester at one. Is hazed the right word to use?”

”Shut up,” Yoongi sounded like he was talking to the girl. “She says there are two frat houses surrounding the apartment complex.”

Woozi’s eyes widened. Appearing from the shadows from under the staircases, masked men in different animal masks appeared. “Yoongi?”

”What?”

”Are they animal masks?” 

“What?” 

The masked men started to walk towards Woozi, weapons in hand.

”Do these masked men wear animal masks!”

Yoongi was quiet for a second then responded “She said yes. Why? Woozi, I’m almost there. Don’t do anything stupid!”

”Too late. Gotta go.” Woozi hung up and put his phone away.

The fox mask man raised his baseball bat at Woozi and started to wildly swing it. The wolf mask man appeared to his right, slashing his knife in the air. A snake mask was to his left, holding a machete. 

“He’ll be a good sacrifice to Drelas.”

”Drelas loves feminine guys. Loves to-“

”Okay, I heard enough!” Woozi interjected, he rose his hands and gestured them towards the masked men. They all froze. He didn’t need to keep an eye on all of them, which made him sigh with relief.

Yoongi and the girl, who said her name is Mina, exited his car. Yoongi turned to her.

”Stay here, okay?”

Mina nodded. Yoongi nodded back and ran to the apartment complex. Woozi was just freezing the men again when Yoongi arrived. Woozi smiled and ran to him. 

Yoongi looked at the frozen masked men “Look at you, told you it wasn’t just luck.” He received a swat to the stomach in response.

”To the frat houses.” Woozi said, Yoongi stopped him by grabbing his wrist. “What?”

”What about them?”

”Okay, plan b. I’ll stay here and keep freezing, and you go find Ryujin.” 

Yoongi nodded and ran off to the frat houses. He spotted Mina peering into one of the windows of the right house.

”I told you to stay at the car.”

Mina jumped, then bowed her head. “Sorry.”

”Just stay close to me, okay.” Yoongi said, taking out his lighter.

Yoongi went to try to door handle, but found it locked. Mina tapped his shoulder, “I escaped through the cellar door. It’s in the back.”

Yoongi nodded and followed Mina to the back of the house. She pointed at a small white door, which has begun to chip paint. 

“That’s not foreboding at all.” Yoongi said as he stepped closer to the door. He turned to Mina, “go hide nearby. I’ll take it from here.”

”What if-“

”Please.”

Mina nodded and scurried away to hide. Yoongi tried the handle, finding the door to be unlocked. 

Inside, Yoongi used the lighter’s flame to illuminate the dark area. The light was seen by Ryujin, but it was very faint.

”Hello?” Ryujin called out.

Yoongi perked up when hearing his friend’s voice. He took off running down the dimly light area. He almost would have passed the tied up Ryujin if it wasn’t for her calling out to him.

The room was small, moist from the recent rainfall this morning. Ryujin was tied down to a carved table, a dagger plunged into the table just beside her bare stomach. She was only wearing underwear. Yoongi averted his eyes and went to her side.

”I don’t want to hear it. Got it?”

Yoongi raised his hands in defense before setting her free. 

“Well, what do we have here?” A rough voice asked.

Ryujin and Yoongi turned to see a cloaked man smirking at them. The three masked men from earlier right behind him. 

“Who are you?” Ryujin asked.

”Me?” The cloaked man pointed at himself, then chuckled “I’m Drelas.”

Ryujin turned to Yoongi “Well he’s friendly.”

”Sweetheart, I don’t mind telling you my name. You won’t be breathing much longer.” As soon as Drelas finished his sentence, he snapped his finger and a ball of fire shot at the two. The two dodged the attack.

”Gut them.” Drelas said to his goons.

The masked men walked menacingly at the two. Suddenly, everything froze. In ran Woozi, frantically joining the two. 

“Hi.” Woozi said.

”Nice to see you.” Ryujin added.

”What’s with this guy? Is this Drelas?”

”Bingo,” Yoongi said. “He throws fireballs too.”

”That’s nice.” Woozi replied, studying the situation. “Can you redirect the fireball back at him, Yoongi?”

”I’d rather not.”

Suddenly, Drelas unfroze. He shaked his body then eyed the three. 

“Surprising.” Drelas said before hurling another fireball at the group. Yoongi reached out his hand, trying to control the fire but failed. Woozi pulled him out of the way as they dodged. 

“See! I can’t!”

Woozi froze Drelas again. 

“Try harder. Focus.” Ryujin interjected.

Woozi unfroze Drelas, which caused him to throw another fireball. Yoongi tried again, nothing happened.

The group dodged again. Woozi tried to freeze Drelas again, but his attempt failed seeing Drelas shake off the attempt.

”Oh, poo.”

Drelas gestured his hand at Woozi, sending him crashing against the wall. Woozi passed out on impact.

”, Woozi!”

Ryujin was next, Drelas sent her flying backwards into the table, destroying it. 

Yoongi looked at his two unconscious friends, both definitely beginning to bleed from their wounds. 

“Now for you.” Drelas said, summoning a fireball in the palm of his hand.

The fireball began to grow in size, the heat reaching Yoongi. Drelas eyed his prey before smiling.

”How about you join me?” Drelas offered, twirling the massive fireball in his hand.

”What?”

”I can tell you’re the strongest of the three of you. What are you, a witch? Sorcerer? Alchemist?”

Yoongi eyed the fireball, contemplating trying his luck of controlling it. Drelas motioned his head towards Ryujin and Woozi.

”They are holding you back. Firestarters are highly coveted in the magical world, their abilities wanted by so many. You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

”How do you know I can control fire

”I can see it in your eyes. Fire doesn’t scare you, you look at it like it’s part of you.” Drelas stared at the fireball and smiled “It’s like a servant, one to do your bidding.”

Yoongi eyed the fireball again. Trying to urge it to consume Drelas, immolate him. Nothing was happening.

”Your friends don’t have long left to live. Maybe an hour before they bleed out to death. Less maybe, hopefully.”

”Maybe you let us go. We won’t bother you.” Yoongi said. Drelas looked over at the boy and chuckled. “I’m serious! You can continue your mission, and you let us go.”

”I don’t think so. I can feel the good oozing out of each of you. I don’t like good. So,” Drelas directed the fireball in front of you, holding it steady. “I’ll just kill you now.”

The fireball shot at Yoongi. Yoongi raised his hands, closing his eyes. However, no heat came to him, no burning pain, nothing. Yoongi opened his eyes to see the fireball settled in the palm of his hand, spinning wildly in place. He could feel the strength it held within.”

”Impossible!” Drelas shouted. Yoongi had to lean over to view the surprised warlock. Drelas didn’t waste a moment, hurling another fireball at Yoongi.

The ball of fire was no match for Yoongi’s fireball. It was eaten, adding to the size of his fireball.

”This is for my friends, asshat.” Yoongi said before flinging the massive ball of fire at Drelas.

Drelas chuckled then looked like he was about to snap his fingers when he suddenly froze. Woozi dropped his hands, smiling before succumbing to unconsciousness again. The fireball connected with Drelas, engulfing him inside. All that was left after the explosion was a burnt scrap of his cloak. 

Yoongi let out a sigh of relief before turning to tend to his dying friends. 

The next day was bright. Birds chirping in the background. Yoongi awoke to a hand caressing his cheek. It was Mina. The two were in his bed, the sheets on the floor.

”Yoongi, I have a question.” Woozi said as he walked into the bedroom, holding a notebook in his hand. 

Woozi looked up from the notebook and his eyes widened. Yoongi immediately covered his private area. Mina snatched the sheets and covered herself. 

“It can wait.” Woozi said before leaving, redness blooming onto his cheeks. 

Ryujin held a platter of breakfast, set on surprising Yoongi for his heroic achievement of killing Drelas. Woozi didn’t have time to stop her. She walked into the room. 

There was a loud crash, then screaming, then Yoongi crying out in pain.