While waiting for the late Yoochun hyung in the back alley, something just had to happen.

And I pray that this is not the end because I am already starting to regret all the things I’ve done!

Taemin’s POV

I still could not accept what had happened.

Onew had only just recovered recently and this had to happen.

Watching her lying on the bed motionlessly makes me angry. Angry as to why I have not done more. I could have protected her better.

- Flashback –

We were making our way to the back alley of the shopping center to wait for Yoochun hyung after three full hours of extremely intensive shopping. I have never went shopping for such a long time before. Haish.. This is exhausting.

“Aish! Chun hyung is late again!” Key exclaimed when we reached the back alley with no one in sight.

I sighed realizing we will have to wait longer, “We have got no choice but to wait. Let me just give hyung a call, he could have forgotten about the time.”

As I press the numbers to dial hyung’s number I felt my tired legs ready to give way anytime. I am just too tired from all that walking around with the girls. I wonder how they do it and still do not feel tired.

Ring ring ~ Ring ring ~ Ring ring ~

The phone went dead and hyung still have not pick up after two tries. That is weird. Maybe hyung is busy but I am dying from tiredness down here. Hyung better get here soon! I decided to just drop hyung a message, hoping that he will see it.

“Is Yoochun not picking up yet?” Jaeny asked.

I shake my head and sighed again.

“Chun hyung is so gonna get it from me!” Key rattled on and on.

Already tired, I feel like it will really help if Key just shut himself up! Annoyance is not what I need right now.

Just as I was about to suggest taking a ride home via public transport, we heard someone screamed for help.

“What was that!?” Aphrocy asked with her eyes wide with alarm.

“SOMEBODY! PLEASE HELP ME!” a young voice screamed again.

I whipped my head to the direction of the voice, “It sounds close by. Somebody needs help!”

“Are you dumb Cuzz? Isn’t it obvious someone needs help!? I think it is coming from there!” Key pointed to the direction further behind the alley.

All of us dashed towards where the voice was coming from.

A young girl’s bloodied body slowly came into view and she was trying to reach her weak, trembling hands out to us when she saw us running towards her direction.

The girls immediately rushed to the side of the young girl to check on her.

“Now we really need Yoochun hyung’s help to heal her! She looks terrible! I am calling hyung now!” Key exclaimed and walked away with his phone in his hand.

“You will be fine little girl, we are here now,” Amber tried to calm down the crying girl while holding her in her arms.

I couldn’t blame Key, but who could be so inhumane to do this to a little girl? She had terrible claw marks that looked like an animal had clawed all around her body. She is even spitting black colored blood. Just who the hell did this to her in Sacrosanct town!?

Key looked frustrated as came towards me, “I can’t reach Yoochun hyung at all! Not even Jaejoong, Yunho, Changmin and Junsu hyung!”

“Can we get Minho? Maybe he could come and bring the girl home immediately for treatments with his super speed!”

“Aish! This day is just getting wors-“ before Key could finish his sentences, he froze as if he was hit by his own ice power.

His eyes started darting around in fear and that makes me nervous because Key is hardly ever scared by anything.

“What is the matter Cuzz?” I asked. He is making me feel really uneasy.

“Something is here,” he whispered softly, eyes still looking all around our surroundings as if looking out for a hunter.

I started looking around as well feeling extremely uncomfortable, “What is here?”

“Some being with power not like any that I’ve ever sense before,” he said and took my arms, slowly backing towards the girls.

“Are you sure there is something around, cause I don’t seems to see anything at all.” I asked to reconfirm.

Key looked annoyed for a moment and snapped, “My power senses have never fail me Cuzz!”

I turned towards the girls to check on them and saw Jaeny leaning down towards the little girl’s lips which seems as if she is mumbling something.

Jaeny looked up at us with teary eyes, “She said her name is Aae and she is an Aristocrater. Her family was attacked by some creatures at their home nearby the woods. Her parents had stayed back to fend the creatures off and ask her to go into hiding with her younger brother. She recognizes you both, Taemin and Key from the royal Aristocraters family. She wants us to find her younger brother who she had left in the woods while she distracts the creatures that were after them. Her brother’s name is called Bee.”

I feel myself choked at what Jaeny had said. This little girl is from our clan. She is dying and we could not help her. More importantly, what kinda creatures dare attack people of our clan!?

“Taemin, get prepared. That power that I am sensing is coming near us!” Key warned as he took his stance and prepared ice shards in both his hands.

Key has always been about his almightiness, but seeing him this serious is starting to frighten me.

“Girls, please take Aae to the corner in case if things gets rough, and call anyone from back home for help!” I instructed.

“Please be careful Tae and Key,” Aphrocy said with trembling words.

I started generating electric balls on my hands preparing for any incoming attack. I must protect my family and friends.

“Are they here yet Key?”

“No, but soon.”

“How soon?”

“Now!” Key shouted and threw one of his ice shards at the side of the wall.

A bright red lizard like creature with four dark eyes by the side of its face, a whole row of razor sharp yellow fangs and a huge tail suddenly became visible as it hissed at us while charging towards us at full speed. What the heck!? I have never seen any creature like that!

The creature leaped from the side of the walls and I took the chance to hit it with an electric ball. It gave out a painful cry before falling backwards on the floor and hissed even louder. Key tried freezing the creature while it was down on the floor but as quickly as the ice forms, it melts as if the creature have a resistance to ice.

The creature recovered and I kept taking shots at it with as many electric balls as I could generate. The electric balls and ice shards seems to be working well for a moment when the creature started backing away a little before it let out a loud cry. It didn’t took long before it started dodging almost every single one of our moves and came extremely close to us.

“Taemin!” I heard Aphrocy screamed in fear as I saw the creature dashing towards both Key and I with its left arm raising, aiming to claw at either one of us.

It’s now or never! I thought to myself as I tried my best at what I have failed recently at training – my Electric shield.

I place my hand with palm facing forward and electricity started building up rapidly. I feel the power building from within me and course through my hands. I closed my eyes and imagine the shield forming, urging the powers to quickly surge. Blue electric sparks flew and formed a giant shield right in front of us, just in time before the creature lands its claws on us.

Realizing that the shield was in place, I heaved a sigh of relieve but dare not loosen any control in fear that the shield will cease. The creature tried banging on it and clawing it to get through the shield. It didn’t work but by only keeping the electric shield going, I felt more and more energy being drained from me. I am not sure how much longer I could keep this up. Is this perhaps how Onew felt like when he used his powers on Nyx back at home?

More hissing were then heard coming from behind the creature. I heard the girls gasps and two more similar lizard creatures appeared and join in the first, trying to break through my electric shield.

“I don’t think I can hold on much longer Key, do something!” I shouted as I tried my best to bring out all the strength and power that is left in me.

Key tried shooting ice shards at the creatures again but it does not seems to affect them much, “Ice don’t seems to work well on them. Maybe we might have a chance if we run!”

“We can’t! They are too fast for us! Any luck reaching anyone yet!?” I shouted as I feel my limits reaching.

“I just managed to get Minho! He is trying to get everyone else here as soon as possible!” Amber said with voice filled of anxiety.

“That..That’s great,” I stuttered as I started feeling dizzy.

“Taemin your nose is bleeding! You gotta stop right now!” Key exclaimed.

Did he say bleeding? I looked down at the floor and saw red drops dripping on the floor. Gods, I am really bleeding? I took one step forward and summon all of my last remaining strength that is left to hold up the shield. I got to hold on till Minho arrives with the rest.

“I-i can’t. I can’t l-let anyone of-f you get h-hurt,” I said with all that is left of me and felt like I could collapse any moment.

“Look at me my dears. Don’t you want to stop what you are doing and relax for a moment with me?” A voice so beautiful said that almost made me really want to stop the electric shield.

Jaeny walked in between both Key and I before continuing, “Don’t you want to hear me sing?”

The creatures seems to have a thing for music, because when Jaeny started singing, they stopped banging on the shield and retreated a few steps. Their eyes were totally on Jaeny, almost as if they were mesmerized by her voice and beauty.

Key pulled my hands away as soon as the creatures stop moving and my electric shield came down. I dropped down on the floor trying to catch my breath while whipping away the blood dripping down my nose with my sleeves, “Where are the rest?”

“I am not sure, let me just try to call again,” Amber replied.

“Are you okay Tae? I was afraid that I would lose you!” Aphrocy rushed to my side and hugged me.

“Of cause I am. I still gotta protect you for the rest of my life,” I replied with a small smile.

A tear rolled down her cheek as she started sobbing. I wiped her tears and hugged her even tighter. Not to worry love, I will always protect you and my family. Even at the cost of my life.

“Somebody called for help?” Minho suddenly appeared with the wind blowing heavy.

“There!” Key pointed towards Jaeny who was still trying her best to distract the creatures.

“What the is that? Did they do this to Taemin?” He exclaimed.

“Who the hell knows, just get rid of them!” Key replied anxiously, “I will try throwing ice shards at them while you use your speed and strength to tie them down or knock them out alright?”

“Deal.”

Key walked slightly in front of Jaeny and before he could throw an ice shard, a forth lizard creature appeared and somehow broke the distraction that Jaeny was causing.

Key shouted in fear as the creature tried to attack him. Everything happened like slow motion then. Yoochun hyung had just orbed in with Jaejoong hyung by our side. Jaeny screamed in horror when she saw the creature’s claws reaching Key as she turned her back to face the creature and pushed Key towards the floor and got slashed on her back.

Yoochun hyung and Jaejoong hyung dash towards Jaeny’s direction as Jaejoong hyung blasted fire balls at the creatures. Yoochun hyung caught hold of Jaeny as she was hitting the ground.

Flashlight speed circled around the creatures while they were being hit with the fire balls and the creatures were knocked unconscious one by one before they finally went down.

“No.. Jaeny..” I heard Aphrocy mumbled.

Yoochung hyung tried healing her but it was to no avail, “WAKE UP JAENY!” Yoochun hyung shouted in grief, “WAKE UP!”

“Why did you have to do that!? Don’t die on me you seafood!” Key said as he grabbed Jaeny’s hand.

“Minho, go get Yunho back home quick! Yoochun you need to orb us all back home immediately now!” Jaejoong hyung instructed.

Minho nodded and dash off in the speed of light.

Where did these unidentifiable creatures came from and why does bad things never seems to stop happening to us?

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Personally enjoyed this chapter though I know it may not be good enough. A long one cause I am hoping to have this story completed not exceeding 40 - 45 chapters if possible. As usual, any critics are highly welcome! (: