“Kris!” Chanyeol yelled so loud that he probably damaged his throat but it was useless, he was powerless to do anything and he just watched Kris fall, until something slowed him down.

Sehun manipulated the wind to slow his fall and Luhan also acted to help stop his fall with his telekinesis, he was too far away to stop it completely but with Sehun’s help they delivered him to the ground safely, but that didn’t mean that Kris was safe… the explosion had already got him.

“Is he alright?!” asked a really concerned Chanyeol.

“Well, he’s not dead” said Lay, who could sense that he was still alive with his powers “But we better get to him quickly, he can’t last long alone and there might be more red forces around here”

“That means Suho and Kai could still be in danger” said Baekhyun worried and they all heard a noise on their right, like something moving between the woods ominously and fast.

“They’re going towards our head quarters” said Sehun, anxious.

“I’ll go get them” said Luhan and started running their way without anything else; he just needed to save Kai…

“Tao, Xiumin, follow him!” asked Lay as he didn’t want Luhan alone with all that was going on. “I’ll get Kris but I’ll need D.O and Chen to help me locate him”

“I need to get to Kris too” said Chanyeol, still feeling shocked. He really thought that Kris was dead.

“Fine, let’s just move now!” said Lay as he followed Chen and D.O through the forest with Chanyeol trailing behind them desperately.

They ran through the forest but they had to go through half a mile before they reached Kris. He was on the floor, still in his ceremonial tunic but there was a huge blood stain in his torso as it was ripped open.

Chanyeol grimaced at the sight; he was never one to cope with blood, the others also gulped when Lay lifted his tunic to reveal the horrible wound he had; they were sure that no normal doctor would have been able to cure it. Luckily they had Lay, the person's whose own being was life.

Lay put his hands on the wound, unfazed. He, more than anyone, knew that the world was full of pain and violence but he was the one that could change it so he just started to work, as a slightly white, thin mist engulfed Kris and the healing began.

“Watch my back” said Lay without looking at anyone in particular “This is going to take a while, but he’ll be okay” to be honest, he had never seen any wound as bad as this one, it had ripped open his chest and damaged some vital organs, Kris’ heart was barely beating… But he didn’t want to worry them even more so he didn’t say it, he didn't say that maybe he couldn't save him...

D.O, worried about their safety started building an earth barrier around them, to give Lay more time in case anyone came to disturb his work. Chen and Chanyeol intently guarded, not turning to look at Lay and Kris.

They couldn’t risk looking away from the forest even for a second and besides, they were worried about what they could see if they did turn back.

=====

Sehun and Baekhyun went with the others to find Suho and Kai. Suho wouldn’t be able to protect Kai on his own against the whole might of the red forces… they ran as fast as they could but when they arrived it was too late.

They saw their dear headquarters, the place where they had lived since forever, completely destroyed. It didn’t even resemble a house anymore, the walls they had built had become piles of rock and the ceilings that had protected them had crumbled and fallen. The furniture they once used was nowhere to be found and, briefly, Xiumin wondered what had become of that unicorn painting Lay holded so dear.

“Where are they?!” asked Xiumin, remembering suddenly that the red forces could be anywhere at the moment.

“They’re gone” said Baekhyun, who could sense no more darkness in this place.

“The important question right now is… where are Suho and Kai?” asked Sehun looking around, they couldn’t be buried underneath, could they?

“…” said Tao thinking the same thing as Sehun as they both stared at the pile of rocks.

“You can’t be serious” said Baekhyun and Luhan didn’t say anything at all but started to frantically remove rocks with his telekinesis. His face showed all of his feelings: fear, regret, anger… but there was nothing that could be done.

“Luhan…” said Tao, concerned. Even if they were underneath all of it there would be nothing left of them to save. What Luhan was doing was futile.

“Shut up!” yelled Xiumin, who felt the same way as Luhan and started moving the rocks manually. Their counterparts were there, those other halves of them that they couldn’t meet until today and now… they could be dead, under stone and metal. “You can’t even begin to understand.”

Xiumin’s hands bruised and cut, because he wasn’t careful at all while he threw away rocks; he just did. One after the other the same way Luhan moved the biggest and heaviest ones out of the way.

Sehun, Baekhyun and Sehun just stared, unable to feel their pain and unable to understand their suffering, that until Sehun heard something.

“Wait, stop! There’s something there!” yelled Sehun, alert turning to look at their left side where the fallen leaves were crushed by feet.

Tao adopted a fighting stance, ready to beat up anyone who came out of the forest while the others also prepared to use their powers in case it was a threat. It wasn’t, it was Suho, carrying Kai on his back.

Luhan and Xiumin were frozen for a moment, assessing the fact that those were indeed Suho and Kai: alive, not dead. Xiumin immediately dropped the rock that he was carrying and went to help Suho who seemed tired and wasn’t entirely okay, it seemed like he was cut in various places, luckily the wounds weren’t deep.

Luhan also took Kai so that Suho didn’t have to carry him. Kai was also hurt but it wasn’t serious so they wondered what happened.

“We’re okay. When the first explosion occurred some of the glass was blown towards us but I took Kai away immediately and we hid until they left.” Said Suho with his usual smile, acting as if nothing was wrong but Sehun could sense that he was in pain. Suho turned to look at their home, the place that he couldn’t protect. “I couldn’t do anything; they destroyed all of it…” It wasn't okay. How could he, a leader, be constantly filled with regrets? Not protecting Kai, not protecting their home, wasn't he the guardian?

“Don’t worry about that now! I can’t believe you say things like this when you’re the one all beaten up” said Baekhyun with a slight smile, he knew their leader quite well but still, sometimes he was unbelievable.

“I suggest we get together with the others. Now we don’t have a shelter so it’s better if we stick together. We can’t stay here out in the open.” Said Tao, who still felt anxious without the rest of the team members; the red forces could be anywhere.

“You’re right. Let’s move.” Said Suho, still bitter and Xiumin helped him walk back to the others with Luhan on the rearguard carrying Kai. 

====

When they made it back to the place where Kris had fallen, they were almost attacked by Chanyeol’s fire until he realized that it was just them.

“You gave me a shock, I almost burnt you to a crisp” said Chanyeol, breathing deeply as he settled again after seeing that Suho, Kai and everyone were okay.

“Lucky you guys got to them in time” said Chen from the other side.

“Yes… lucky” said Tao who couldn’t help but feel pained at the loss of their head quarters. “Hyung, the head quarters are gone.” He said, like if he was announcing someone’s death and everyone there gasped.

That place was more than their head quarters; they had lived there their whole lives. Laughed there, cried there, fought against the other and then reconciled there. It wasn’t just head quarters or a house, it was their home. The mirrors they used to communicate where there, just like Lay's painting and the window with the view to the forest or the chair where D.O sat to sing. Everything was gone...

“How’s Kris?” asked Luhan as he laid Kai down inside of the barrier that D.O had created.

“Better” said Lay without taking his eyes off of Kris, as he was still healing him. The damage had been too much at the beginning but he had managed to keep him stable. He still had a deep wound but his vital organs were all safe now. “But I need more time” He said.

“He’ll live, right?” asked a worried Xiumin, who felt like he had had his fill of anxiousness for a life time.

“Yes… but if we had gotten to him any later he wouldn’t be alive.” Said Lay, still not looking away from Kris. “This isn’t right, I don’t know if we can survive another attack in our current condition.”

“Plus, we no longer have a place to hide…” added Luhan, certainly not helping their morale.

“Man, we’re in some deep ” concluded Chanyeol running a hand through his curly hair.

“No , Sherlock” said D.O raising his eyebrows.

“This isn’t the time for this” said Suho who could take the occasional swearing but disliked it when there was too much. He was honestly worried about their future.

“I don’t think you get the point” said Sehun out of nowhere and everyone turned to look at him, curious. “I know why they attacked. Before we weren’t a threat, so they didn’t bother us--- but now that we’re together we’re stronger than ever and they know.” He declared looking at everyone and all of them knew that he was dead serious.

“Now we’re a threat, now we can win.” said Baekhyun whose eyes expanded greatly at the realization; like he couldn’t believe his own words just yet.

Just then Kai stirred in his sleep and groaned, slightly opening his eyes. Luhan went to his side immediately but Kai just drifted off to sleep again.

“That’s right."said Tao looking at Kai breifly "When they attacked we were all separated, there was nothing we could do.” he continued, getting Sehun’s point of view almost instantly. “Kris fought alone and Kai was out, we weren’t truly all together.”

Chen nodded, linking the pieces together in his mind.

“You’re right. I mean, look at what D.O and Chen achieved together” said Lay.

“So maybe if we fought together…” ventured Xiumin.

“We’d win” said Chen, amazed by the sole thought. He had never, ever thought that they had a chance.

“As long as we stay together, we have a chance.” Said the deepest voice and they all turned to look at Kris who was opening his eyes just barely.

“Kris!” yelled a mix of everyone’s voices, but Chanyeol’s deep one stood out the most.

“You shouldn’t move in your current state” said Lay worried trying to hold him down so he wouldn’t try to sit.

“We’ll just need to find another place…” he said weakly, turning to look in the direction of their old, head quarters. “But it'll be alright. As Luhan once said, anywhere we walk together, will be paradise.”

___________

I’m sooooo sorry for the huge delay, readers! >< I had my final exams and then I failed a subject so I’m attending summer school and I’m sort of grounded -__- but I’ve been writing when my parents don’t see me kekeke :D

I thank you all again for all your lovely comments and subscriptions, they keep me going even in my really boring summer school! <3<3 tharanghae (like our Sehunnie would say) *throws free exo members to anyone*

I’ll reply to the comments later because of the reasons stated above but once again, I love you all <3 I’ll write lots when I can!!

Question of the day: What’s your favorite thing about EXO?

Next Chapter: Agreement