„Race you to the Southern Gate!“ Chanyeol shouted, trying to make himself heard over the deafening sound of wind they were ploughing through and the whizzing sound of giant leathery wings being dragged up and down smoothly, hurling the heavy, sturdy bodies of their dragons forward. Not waiting for a response, he spurred Red on and the crimson scaled dragon answered by accelerating rapidly and shooting through the air towards the horizon whilst letting out an earsplitting roar.

„No you don’t!“ Baekhyun cried and Gold soon caught up with Red, colliding with her to stop her from winning the race. The two massive bodies got smashed together and separated again, each thrown in a completely different direction. The two expert riders standing on their backs and grasping the reins got them back on track in no time, urging them forward while jokingly screaming insults at each other and laughing their heads off. Jongin grinned mischeviously and propelled Grey past them, taking the lead while enjoying the pressure of wind against his face and the pace at which the landscape around and under him was going by.

With Jongin in the lead, Baekhyun and Chanyeol stopped fooling around and only concentrated on overtaking the youngest of their group, but in vain as usual since Grey was not only the most reliable, but also the fastest dragon amongst the pack and the margin Jongin had gained while they were busy arguing was considerable.

„You had a head start!“ Baekhyun yelled at the tanned boy’s back and said boy only laughed in response and urged Grey to go even faster, because there was nothing better in the world than the feeling of going fast, faster than any other living creature on earth, together with his dragon. This high up in the air he was untouchable.

„Speed up, Byun!“ he cried back at the smaller boy, who was now fuming and complaining loudly to Chanyeol. The poor boy tried to keep up next to him until Gold, Baekhyun's dragon, presumably annoyed by his rider’s whining, did an unexpected aileron roll, effectively shutting Baekhyun up and making Chanyeol and Jongin burst into laughter. With Jongin distracted, the tallest of the trio immediately made use of the situation and reduced the margin in no time, finally getting ahead of the smaller dragon. Grey roared and tried to slash Red’s scaley tail, but with no avail. If anything, the sudden attack only threw him off the balance and sent him flying to the left. It was then easy for Gold to catch up and push him even farther, both Baekhyun and Chanyeol cheering at their dragons‘ cooperation.

„Try to catch us now, er!“ Baekhyun guffawed and Gold answered by another aileron roll.

Jongin chuckled and Grey’s side: „Full speed, little fella.“ His dragon snorted and let out another roar, shooting forward. After that, Jongin could only vaguely see a few forest animals running away in panic underneath until everything became a blur, the ground, the sky, Baekhyun, Chanyeol and their dragons, everything but Grey and him. Jongin whooped in wild joy and Grey answered by spouting a huge ball of fire.

Too soon, the first watchtower of the southern frontier zone appeared in sight and Jongin had to regretfully slow his dragon down. He rose his hands in the sign of victory, to which the other two reacted unenthusiasticly as expected. Chanyeol then pointed to a forest on their left and Jongin nodded, turning Grey in its direction.

They all soon caught up with each other, gliding in the air side by side in silence until Baekhyun spotted a meadow big enough for all three of their dragons to land. They touched down with a deafening crash, scaring everything in the range of a few miles.

„They are so unpractical,“ Chanyeol complained whilst jumping off of his dragon, „It’s impossible to be stealthy with them.“

„Like we ever need to be stealthy,“ sniffed Baekhyun, straightening carefully his brand new hunting jacket, and started walking towards the sunny part of the meadow that was not occupied by their dragons.

„Cheaters, pushing me like that,“ Jongin grumbled from behind him and the shortest rider only smirked at him in return, answering with a provocative: „It’s all about experience.“

Jongin was just about to say something insulting back, when Chanyeol quickly interwened by hugging him around shoulders and clasping a hand around his mouth. Jongin frowned at him, iritated, but the taller only grinned at him in return.

„I got some of my mum’s mince pie this morning, Baek! She told me to say hi to you for her too.“

„She did?“ Baekhyun immediately turned to them, eyes wide with excitement. Chaneyol chuckled at his sudden mood change and handed him a wicker basket he pulled out of who knows where filled with horrifying attempts at cooking by Mrs Park herself.

„Your mum’s the best,“ Baekhyun exclaimed with mouth full of pie and Chanyeol smiled in return and proceeded to retreat and search in a bag attached to Red’s saddle for a meat steak to feed her.

Jongin kind of wanted to stay angry at Baekhyun, but soon forgot all about his irritation at the brunet, too busy shaking his head at the shorter enjoying the pie. To everyone else Mrs Park’s cooking was a nightmare, yet Baekhyun seemed to genuinely like it. Maybe that was the reason why she loved him so much and insisted on constantly inviting him over.

Jongin turned his attention to her son, busy feeding his dragon lady. Once again, he managed to evade a potentionally dangerous situation. Times like these was when Jongin was sincerely glad for Chanyeol. The tall fellow rider was the only reason he hadn’t attempted to kill Baekhyun yet. And he could too, had he wanted too. It was strange how Chanyeol brought peace to their little company, even though he was easily one of the craziest, most insane people Jongin had ever encountered.

„Pie?“ Baekhyun’s muffled voice interrupted Jongin’s train of thought, making him look up at the shorter. He had a mouth full of pie, little bits of jam scattered all over his face and that brand new jacket. He was extending a hand towards Jongin and in that hand was a half squashed mince pie, looking especially miserable and burned. There was, however, a hopeful gleam in Baekhyun’s eyes and Jongin sighed, taking the pie from him and having a bite. He was instantly rewarded with a dazzling smile. Their friendship had been renewed, their little fight forgotten.

„Close your mouth when you chew, Baek,“ Jongin couldn’t deny himself one last jab and Baekhyun’s smile turned into a death glare in the matter of seconds.

„I think there might be something wrong with Red,“ Chanyeol announced as he sat down and the other two immediately joined him, each from one side.

„What’s wrong with her?“ asked Jongin, because Baekhyun was still too preoccupied with eating.

„I have no idea. She is constantly resteless and fidgety and she keeps trying too get away from Grey and Gold. It worries me.“ Jongin turned to their dragons and he could indeed see that Red was trying hard to move as far as she could away from the other two dragons.

„Maybe she’s coming into season,“ suggested Baekhyun, laying down on the hard ground, still cold after long winter. The other two joined him, Chanyeol with a crease on his forehead.

„But I don’t want her to!“ he muttered.

„Just take her to Kris, he’ll find her a mate. Didn’t he recently say something about looking for a fertile female anyway?“ Baekhyun shrugged, not really interested in the subject.

„I am not letting her become one of Kris‘ experiments. And it’s beside the point anyway, I don’t want her to breed,“ Chanyeol said decisively. Jongin looked up at him in surprise.

„Why not? They would go extinct if everyone had the same attitude as you.“

„But if she gets gravid, I’ll have to stop flying with her and even after she gives birth, she’ll be way too busy taking care of the young ones to spend time with me,“ Chanyeol pouted and Baekhyun laughed, mocking him.

„Told you getting a female dragon was a bad idea.“

„Well I don’t think she wants to have little dragons either!“ Chanyeol blurted out defensively and Jongin settled comfortably on the ground with his back stretched and eyes closed, as he listened to his friends arguing.

„Everyone wants offsprings, Yeol. And honestly, baby dragons are the cutest.“

„But she’s still so young! She’s not yet ready for the responsibilities of parenthood.“

„She’s a dragon, Yeol. Yes, they are intelligent, but it’s not like she needs to finish school first.“

„You guys, I’m gonna go take a piss,“ Jongin announced and stood up, feeling a bit awkward about interrupting their conversation, but they didn’t let him disturb them and continued their heated discussion.

When Jongin came back, it was quiet. Way too quiet. The dragons were no longer in the meadow, probably racing somewhere around the area and Chanyeol and Baekhyun were lying next to each other, eyes closed and mouths shut, which was weird.

Jongin shook Chanyeol’s shoulder lightly to let him know he was back, but the taller didn’t react.

Jongin laughed, this obviously one of those pranks he didn’t understand but still always got involved in somehow. But neither of the boys moved.

„Guys, not funny,“ Jongin said, but his voice sounded way too loud in the mute meadow. It scared him a bit. He looked around and then back at his two friends. Hesitantly, he lowered himself ear first and froze when he heard no breathing. Panicking slightly, he shifted to Baekhyun, but the shorter didn’t appear to be breathing either. Letting go of Chanyeol’s hand, Jongin grabbed his hand instead and got a horrible feeling in his gut because the skin was cold, way colder than it should and no matter how frantically Jongin was searching, he could not find Chanyeol’s pulse.

Letting go of his friend’s hand, Jongin rashly stood up, eyes darting around the meadow. This was bad, very bad.

„VENI!“ he yelled and screamed, because something hit him in the right thigh and it hurt. He collapsed on the ground, clutching his injured leg, the pain was so intense he could not move properly.

„Quick, finish him!“ someone cried and Jongin looked up to see an indefinite number of hooded people running towards him with blades drawn.

Despite the pain, Jongin drew his own blade and sucessfuly parried and dodged the first couple of attacks. He bloodied his sword but so did his attackers. And there were too many and Jongin was injured. It didn’t matter how many he managed to disarm or kill, there were always new ones to take the old ones‘ places.

„Veni!“ he cried again, weakly this time, because he was losing hope. Why wasn’t Grey coming? Where was he?

His friends were most likely dead. According to the books he read, that should fuel him with defiant energy and give his arm swinging the sword more strength. But those books were wrong, his loss only made him confused and numb. He felt horribly detached as he took one hit after another and handed out death sentence to his attackers.

And then, everything came to a halt. His attackers stepped away from him as if he had cholera and Jongin fell down on his healthy knee, exhausted.

„I see you are still alive, Kim.“

His head snapped up, because he knew this voice. If only he remembered where from, though.

In front of him stood a hooded figure, clothed in the traditional robe of priests, but Jongin knew this was not a priest. That person was now getting closer to him and Jongin’s vision was clouding quickly. There was blood spraying our of his thigh and he was exhausted. Yet he knew, he had to do something.

The figure was now right in front of him and even though he could not see their eyes, he knew they were watching him intently.

„It is truly pity a fighter like you has to be executed.“

The figure yanked him to his feet and Jongin gasped at the pain, stumbling forward. The person was still holding him upright, though.

„Any last words?“ they asked and Jongin could not believe it. He could not believe this was actually it. It felt so sudden and fast and… Unjustified.

„Why?“ he got out of himself, because that was all he could think of at the moment.

„Why?“ the figure repeated, surprised.

„Why do I have to die?“ Jongin asked and in that moment, it was all he wanted to know. And the realisation hurt him. He had nothing else to ask about, no one else to ask about. He didn’t want to know who it was that was going to end his life and he didn’t want to know what would happen after. He didn’t have anyone to plea for. Yes, he felt like a failure but as a Head Rider, he always expected not to live for too long. None of the other had lived for long. He wouldn’t have regrets dying in a battle or by order of his superiors. But it looked like he was not worthy such fate.

So in the end, he just needed to know why. Why was his life cut short and how did he contribute to his end.

„Because knowledgable servants are bad servants, Kim,“ the figure finally answered. Jongin didn’t get a chance to ask anymore questions after that, because the figure drew him closer.

„Mors,“ it whispered and stabbed him.

***

Kyungsoo woke up to crackling fire and inexplicable rustling. On the verge of waking up, he did not yet want to give up the dreamworld and so he kept his eyes closed and body motionless. Even though the only thing shileding him from the roughness and bumpiness of the uneven floor were thin rugs, he had not slept as comfortable in as long as he could remember. The sounds around him were so soothing and he let himself fall into that comfortable state between sleep and consciousness and allowed his mind to wander freely. He was so exhausted, that he would fall asleep again, had his stream of thought not wandered in an unwanted direction.

Because why was he so exhausted actually? What had drained him so much, that he couldn’t even get up? It was something about a shack, and an injury. An injured person, definitely a male. A ghost or a spirit of some kind and… Jongin… Jongin!

Kyungsoo’s eyes snapped open and he launched himself up, wide awake. When he tried to get up, the exhaustion and disorientation however took their toll and only allowed Kyungsoo to toss a few times around aimlessly. With the phantom still on his mind, Kyungsoo panicked and started squirming frantically. The rustling stopped and in a flash, two strong hands gripped his shoulders and firmly held him down.

„Calm down, Kyungsoo!“ Jongin yelled, his voice full of worry and Kyungsoo blinked several times, focusing on the person in facing him. The image of the other man violently trashing around, mutilating his own body still vivid in his memory, it surprised the shorter to see Jongin in one piece and seemingly alright. There was actually no indication of anything horrible happening in the shack. There was no blood, no gore. Kyungsoo’s pot was firmly set above fire with something that appeared to be a stew being cooked in it, its delicious smell reaching Kyungsoo’s nostrils and making the air surrounding him smell of home and plentitude, rather than battle and suffering. Fiery light iluminated Jongin’s face as he leaned closer to Kyungsoo, concerned by his frightened expression.

„I-I am fine. It was just a bad dream,“ Kyungsoo shakily exhaled, trying to calm himself down, because everything seemed peaceful and safe, especially with Jongin so serene. The pale boy’s chest was still rapidly inflating and deflating as he took fast, shallow breaths and his hands were still shaking, but he could feel himself becoming calmer by the second. Jongin then pulled the shorter’s arms and helped him sit up straight.

It was then when Kyungsoo finally took a good look at the man in front of him and he couldn’t surpress a surprised gaso when he did. The Jongin he remembered was sick, pale and plagued by an ilness that made him look like death itself. The Jongin he remembered was limp, miserable and inert, reacting with a great delay.

But this Jongin that Kyungsoo could see now looked nothing like a living corpse. His skin got a lovely bronze tint. His face got coloured with a healthy shade of pink and his eyes a twinkle previously absent, which seemed to brighten the whole room. Especially now, that Jongin was smiling at him, all white teeth and full cheeks.

„Is it gone?“ Kyungsoo grinned, asking a question with an obvious answer. Jongin nodded zealously and lifted his linen shirt to show Kyungsoo now almost healed wound on his shoudler. The pale boy couldn’t help but reciprocate a smile, happy about the result of his little experiment.

„It is gone! And all because of you!“ Jongin exclaimed glowingly. Still laughing, he reached forward and enveloped Kyungsoo in a tight hug, which the other after a brief moment of hesitation returned.

Jongin’s body was warm and his hands around Kyungsoo’s back comforting and the shorter felt strangely content and full of joy all of the sudden, relishing in the sudden feeling of being in such a proximity to someone else, basking in the body heat englufing him. The feeling strangely lasted even after they let go of each other and Kyungsoo was sat back down on the rough rugs with Jongin seating himself cross legged opposite of him and smirking at the other boy. Kyungsoo quickly averted his gaze.

„What about the other injuries, though?“ he asked, concerned, because there was still a limp visible in Jongin’s movement.

„Those stayed the same,“ the taller answered, a frown substituting his earlier smile as he shifted in his seating position.

„Those will heal quickly,“ Kyungsoo shrugged, because he thought it was really the would be fatal shoulder wound that was dangerous to the tanned boy. Other injuries could heal, slowly, but naturally, without the intrusion of magic.

„Not quickly enough,“ muttered said boy and Kyungsoo lifted an eyebrow at that but let it slide and instead rested his back against one of the wooden walls of the shack covered by splinters that immediately dug into his clothed back, so that it felt like a thousand of extremely blunt needles was trying to pierce his skin. They sat like that, in complete silence, for a bit. Kyungsoo couldn’t stop fidgeting and Jongin stared somewhere in the fire with a distant look on his face. The pale boy just wanted to say something to break the ice and hopefully get some answers to his questions, when a loud owl hoot was heard from the outside, making Kyungsoo snap his head up. He looked out of one the lousily planted windows, shocked to see that hours must have passed by since he passed out. The sun had long set and it was now pitch dark outside. Kyungsoo’s entire body jolted up in panic when he realised just in how much trouble he could be in. He hastily grabbed his backpack and stuffed everything he brought with him inside of it.

„I have to leave,“ he told Jongin curtly, swinging the backpack onto one shoulder.

„Why are you always in such a hurry?“ Jongin called after him still from his seating position and Kyungsoo barely turned around, heading for the door.

„It’s my job,“ he answered and Jongin answered with a confused, oddly disappointed chuckle.

„Sure. It’s a goodbye then, Kyungsoo.“

Kyungsoo stopped in his tracks, one foot already out of the door, before retracing a few steps.

„I will come back, Jongin,“ he asserted firmly and Jongin shrugged.

„I’ll be glad if you will.“

Confused by the other’s behaviour, Kyungsoo didn’t wait for anything else and he left the cabin, unaware of the sad pair of eyes watching him retreat.

***

When Kyungsoo got to his watch point, he immediately sensed something was wrong. He could see the light from a torch between branches long before he got to the clearing he was supposed to be watching at but only when he got closer did he recognise the two people waiting for him. General Yong and Oh Sehun. Kyungsoo sighed and slowed down in an attemp to delay the inevitable crash, but the general had already seen him, thwarting his intentions.

„Take your time, Do! We’ve only been waiting for the last hour, no hassle waiting a bit more,“ the general called out, his voice colder than a glacier, sending shivers down Kyungsoo’s spine. The short boy sped up, approaching the the two warily.

Once he was in general’s reach, the older man yanked him forward, raised his arm and brought it down with force, his first colliding hard with Kyungsoo’s left cheek. Kyungsoo let out a yelp and clutched his face, before he was yanked forward again and then both sides of his face stung. And again and again, the general hit and kicked him until Kyungsoo let out a loud sob and the general released him from his iron hold, a lot calmer than before, his anger almost extinguished, leaving angry and humiliated Kyungsoo a minute to compose himself. But that was easier said than done and Kyungsoo found himself fighting back bitter tears. Not only was he enraged at being absolutely helpless and unjustly manhandled, but it was all in front of Oh Sehun and that was the worst punishment of them all, the conceited brat undoubtedly laughing at him now. Kyungsoo was never going to live this down.

However, when he dared to take a look at the younger, he noticed his cheeks were red too and so were his eyes, little trails of dried tears still visible. Kyungsoo wasn’t used to men crying so openly, but he knew Sehun couldn’t withstand pain or embarrassment very well.

The general was now watching both of them with such a disdain and disgust it scared Kyungsoo, because the expression on the general’s face was not one of a friend. It was a face of an enemy, of someone who hated both of them with passion.

„I am so sorry,“ Kyungsoo whispered and hunched under general’s hateful glare directed at him.

„You,“ the general spat, „and you,“ he continued, shifting his gaze towards Sehun, „are the two most worthless people I have ever had the misfortune of knowing. If it wasn’t for your parents, I would just kill you both now and save society the trouble.“

„We only missed a watch, so what?“ Sehun protested weakly, his voice trembling. The general turned to him, looking at him as if he was talking to a carrion.

„It’s not only missing a watch. It’s you being a burden, a talentless parasite freeloading on your parents‘ generosity. It’s you being an insufferable brat that everyone wants to get away from. Even Do!“ the general laughed, but it was a cheerless, cruel laugh, „Even Do, who is not much better than you are doesn’t want to associate himself with you. Everything would honestly be better off without you existing.“

Kyungsoo stood there with a mouth open, staring at the exchange between the general and Sehun. He could only watch as Sehun’s eyes filled with tears and his whole body started shaking like a leaf, unknowingly taking little steps away from general, who meanwhile turned his attention to Kyungsoo, seemingly satisfied with the effect his words had on the mayor’s son.

„You disappointed me, Do. But it is not like I expected more from you. We all knew you were a useless, irresponsible nit already.“

„You can’t talk to me like that!“ Kyungsoo shouted, angry and hurt, „You are being unfair!“

„I am?“ general queried, lifting an eyebrow, „Mind showing me your sword then?“

Kyungsoo shrugged and confidently reached for it. He then froze when his fingers only brushed against the leather overlay of his belt, the holder designed to keep his sword in place undone.

„I-I don’t have it, sir,“ he finally responded shakily, defeated.

„Of course you don’t,“ came a sharp reply. Kyungsoo didn’t dare to look up, choosing to look at his two feet instead.

„You only cost us money.“

„You only cost my father money!“ Another general’s tirade was interrupted by Sehun, the boy’s face twisted in anger and voice hoarse because of the crying. The tiny shiver of bravery was however immediately extinguished.

The general didn’t flip out like Kyungsoo expected him to. Instead, he continued speaking, his voice quiet, cold and terrifying:

„I am not stupid, Sehun. I know why you desperatey wring all that money out of your father just so you can be part of the guard. You think it makes you important.You think it makes you someone people will miss when you die and your occupation and life achievements turn into an inscription on a tombstone and everything else fades away in the ashes along with you. You think people will forget who you really were and will only remember what you did, because you know that no one could ever appreciate you based on your character alone. But here is a wake up call for you, no one likes you whatever you do, Sehun.“

Kyungsoo kept looking at the younger, waiting for him to do, to say something, to defend himself, to stand up for himself, because no matter how many watches Sehun had missed, what the general was saying was completely uncalled for. But Sehun just kept standing there, taking general’s words without any restraint, his eyes gradually filling with tears, until there were too many and first few started trickling down his red, swollen cheeks. It was then when Kyungsoo started wondering just how often this kind of thing happened between Sehun and general Yong.

The string of insults and put-downs kept going on and on until finally, it seemed that the general tired himself out.

„Just get out of my sight now, Oh, before I puke.“

Kyungsoo expected anything from a retort to a faint objection, but it took him absolutely by surprise when Sehun simply turned around and obediently left with shoulders hunched and head bowed.

„This is how you have to handle people these days,“ the general stated proudly from his place next to Kyungsoo, eyeing the retreating figure of the young heir.

„You shouldn’t have spoken to him like that. He’s just a kid,“ Kyungsoo said firmly, glaring at the taller man.

„Kids are the worst. They grow up to be arrogant and conceited, pampered by luxury that they can only be provided with by living at a great distance from war. Someone has to show them what real world is like,“ the general asnwered, hard look in his eyes and Kyungsoo thought that he ought to really hate them.

„And what makes you entitled to be the one to show them?“ he demanded nevertheless. Immediately after asking, he knew he stepped one step to far.

„Once again, Do, I can see right through you kids. You took this watch, because you think you are better than everyone else. You think we are somehow worse, less intelligent, below you.“

Kyungsoo opened his mouth to protest but was immediately shushed and left with no other option but to listen.

„Even now, you look down on me for what I’ve said to Sehun. But come on, Do, you know Sehun. You know he is unreliable, lazy and immature. You know he never shows up when he’s supposed to and you know he thinks he’s better than anyone else just because he once stepped foot into that damned capital. You dislike his company. So why do you keep defending him now? Nothing I said was wrong.“

Kyungsoo tried to find the right words to explain why he felt so sorry for Sehun and angry at the general, but couldn’t find any and so instead opted for a simple: „I guess so.“

„I only try to repair the damage his parents had caused by spoiling him. He should be thankful. And as for you, Do, I think a little reraising might be in order too.“

Kyungsoo looked at the taller man wide eyed. Nothing good could follow after these words.

„Your increasing unreliability concerns me, this bussiness with the sword doesn’t even begin to cover it.“

„I will pay for it, I swear!“ Kyungsoo quickly squeaked.

„That you will. But with what? Hm?“ the general lifted his eyebrows, giving Kyungsoo a quizzical look, „You don’t have a job.“

„I work for the Healer!“ Kyungsoo objected, feeling at least a little bit on the safe ground now. That was quickly taken away from him.

„I will make sure to speak to the Healer about your misbehaviour when he gets back. Meanwhile, I suggest you start looking for a new apprenticeship.“

That silenced Kyungsoo effectively. His job, no matter how lousy it was, was the only connection he had to things at least a little bit extraordinary. It was the only thing that mattered enough to wake up in the mornings to attend to. It was his life and his future. He couldn’t lose this job.

„Please,“ he started, his voice raising a little bit, but the general silenced him with a wave of a hand.

„I am sorry, Do, but you have to pay for your irresponsibility. And work on the way you handle people.“

Kyungsoo closed his eyes in silent defeat. This day could not get any worse.

„You can start tomorrow. On your first watch with Sehun.“

Hi there!

 This the first part of the fifth chapter and another one I am reaally not sure about at all. I loved writing the Jongin POV part but it was painful to write the confrontation between Kyungsoo, Sehun and general Yong. It is, however, one of those parts that cannot be left out and so I decided to just post it as it is.

 In other news, my computer broke. That worries me a bit in terms of when and where will I write the next chapter, but hopefully it will all work out in the end and there will be another update next week.

I really, really hope that you like this story guys and that you enjoyed this chapter.

Love, Onion