NO TURNING BACK

NO ONE'S POV

"Mi-mianhe" Lay stuttered. He surprised the guardians when he abruptly stopped. They thought that Lay sensed danger and immediately brought their defenses up. Tao chuckled which earned a glare from the older. It was just new to him- seeing Lay out of composure.

"We're here"  Kris muttered under his breath. Chen raked his eyes towards where the leader was standing. Above him, was the most magnificent tree he had ever seen. 

For once that night, LuHan's thoughts had been not about her . He was too mesmerized by that one enormous tree that stood proud beofre him. It was more than beautiful and he had to stop himself from rubbing his eyes- it was so beautiful that he could have sworn it was a dream. 

 But different to the other guardian's reactions , Tao's smile immediately faded. 

This is where- he glumly thought- we  die. 

He had seen it before- back when his mei-mei was still alive. Melissa had shown it to them out of nowhere. But right now, Tao bitterly thought- it didn't seem random at all. 

She had told them the process, no matter how they say they wouldn't hear of it- her dying that is. But it is Melissa we are talking about. She always gets what she wants. So it is not a surprise that Tao together witth the other five guardians despite of the arguments found themselves listening very carefully to her words. 

"When I die-" everybody grimaced. But Melissa just smiled gently as if she was already expecting their reactions."When I die, she continued I want you to come to me- as one" She put great emphasis to those last two words. 

"When the right time comes, you have to link yourselves with each other. This way, your mind and soul will be connected. What happens to one will happen to another. One will assume the role of the center. He will have to drink from each one of you, and using one of this tree's branch- the tree of life, the center will have to kill himself. Once he dies, all of you die."

Lay had known of this process with all of this heart. He had known what he had to do to be with her. 

But now everything has become foreign. His face scrunched up when he saw Kris tilting XiuMin's head. 

Kris before sinking his fangs deep into the elder's neck muttered- It's time.

It had taken all of Kris's will to stop thinking of XiuMin's taste. Really. Just holding him like this is plain awkward. He thought to himself. This is just one however. Boy he still had  to taste four  more.He frowned at the thought.  

Lay averted his gaze  This is too...uh... intimate? He shivered. It is as if we're blood bonding. Dear Lord,doing that with Duizhang?  that was just gross. 

He met eyes with LuHan, and at  that instant he had remembered his dilemna- their dilemna. For a moment he thought Luhan had already changed his mind, but he was wrong. He was absolutely wrong.

It is when LuHan grabbed Kris and practically shoved his neck towards the latter's bloody fangs that Lay realized, Luhan had accepted his fate. He had chosen to die. 

"Duizhang" LuHan muttered, tilting his neck towards the surprised leader " Kris. Do.It.Now. ." he growled

Kris didn't have to be asked twice. He sunk his fangs towards LuHan's flesh and let his blood flow freely into his system. 

Lay was now officially ashamed. LuHan had practically offered himself there despite his doubts, while he- he can't still make up his mind. 

With the only courage left in him he deperately called,  "Duizhang". Kris raised his head from LuHan's neck. He his fangs. "Drink from me." Lay held his wrist towards the leader. "Do it fast.Before I change my mind." 

Kris's head was spinning. His breathing was uneven. His heart was palpitating. He had too much blood in his system. Moreover, he could hear everyone's thoughts- aside from XiuMin who was unconscious, and aside from Tao who he hasn't drank from yet. 

Doubts.Is. Right. Choices. Fear. Love. New Born. Melissa. "God, will you please stop thinking?" Kris groaned as he retracted his fangs from Chen's wrist. It was insane, hearing what everybody thinks, feeling what everybody feels.

He had to shut it off. Now. 

Before it even occured to everyone, how terrible Kris was feeling or rather what was happening to him, he had already slammed Tao in to the nearest tree that he could. 

"K-kris ge" Tao's eyes widened. He surely did not expect this.

"Tao" Kris was shocked as well. He just wanted to be done with this linking thing. He never intented to hurt the latter. "M-Mianhe."  He was about to explain what the hell just happened, when Tao stopped him.

"Just Do it." He said.

And  even before the maknae could  blink, Kris had already punctured his pale neck, drinking from him, completing the link.