The group began to pack essentials like blood, food and water. Lu Han had felt that something was very wrong with the empty hospital and Lay had accompanied him to scout the area. There was nobody in the vicinity at all. They treaded further and saw a few human corpses that have been dry and had bite marks on their necks. That was when they sensed the Bloodsuckers – the vampires that Savant had entrapped in nothingness. They hurried back because it was not safe at the hospital anymore. Bloodsuckers do not only attack humans, they attack vampires that were not on their side as well. Lay had no idea what was going on and Lu Han simply cursed under his breath.

When they had barged into the office, they had noticed the weird tension. Baekhyun’s look of relief had not escaped the duo either. However, they did not question. Now was not the time to.

When they stepped out of the office, clattering sounds resonated in the corridor. The Bloodsuckers were near. Chanyeol had masked their scents and presences so that they could escape unnoticed. However, the moment they stepped out of the hospital, the Bloodsuckers were hot on their heels.

“Crap! It must be the blood we’re carrying!” Lu Han cursed aloud.

The Bloodsuckers speeded towards the group, ravenous and savage from being entrapped for 18 years. Their hair was long and wild. Their eyes were completely blood red. Their fangs were dirty yellow and their saliva dripped from their lips, flying in the air as they zoomed towards irresistible blood. Chanyeol could not keep up with his non-human companions. He stopped in front of the raging Bloodsucker group and casted,

“Venire Flamma!”

A wall of fire lighted up between the group and the Bloodsuckers. Lay whistled a compliment. The Bloodsuckers did not dare to cross the wall because to be burnt to death was the most painful death a vampire could ever have. They screeched loudly, calling for reinforcements. The group stopped for awhile for Chanyeol to catch up with them and Baekhyun asked,

“Lu, what’s the plan? Where are we running to?”

Lu Han looked around worriedly, the Bloodsuckers were coming in on them and he had no idea where they should hide.

The group stopped in front of one of the many forests on Jeju. For some odd reason they could not enter it. An invisible force was preventing them from stepping into the forest. Hae Ri suddenly entered into a trance mode again. Her eyes blank, fixated on a point straight in front of her. She moved through the invisible force field easily. The rest tried again but only Chanyeol could make it through. The three vampires were left behind. A middle-aged lady jumped down from the tree, the branch of the tree hovering around her protectively lest she falls.

“The forest has called for you,” she murmured.

Her companions who were hiding in the crown of the tree jumped down as well and stood around her protectively.

“Mother Nature will protect you,” the same lady said. She looked towards Chanyeol.

“And because you are a fellow human being, you as well,” she nodded at Chanyeol.

“Those three outside are not of our kind. It seems like She is very hesitant in inviting them in,” the lady concluded.

Even though there was not much trust between Hae Ri and the three other vampires yet, the truth is they were the ones who have saved her life. They have also revealed to her the truth. They are who she is part of now.

“I will speak to Her,” Hae Ri simply said.

Though that was what she said, Hae Ri had no idea how she was going to do so. Trying her luck, she went to the nearest tree and formed a connection. A pulse of energy went through her body and she went into another trance. In her mind’s eye, she could vaguely see a figure of a woman standing before her.

“Please let them in,” Hae Ri requested.

“It seems like you have made your decision, the decision to accept your roots,” the figure whispered.

Hae Ri remained quiet.

“I will protect you and all the other human beings to the best of my abilities but it is all up to you and 3 others to stop this war…” the figure said as she started to fade away.

“3 others? War?”

Hae Ri was about to ask what she meant by those words but the figure was already gone and Hae Ri felt herself returning back to reality. A surge of energy went through the forest and the force field gave way for the 3 vampires.

“It seems like the 3 of you are different from those savages,” the lady spoke directly towards the 3 vampires.

“And it seems like you are no ordinary human as well,” Baekhyun remarked.

One of her companions spoke up,

“If Mother Nature has allowed you 3 into our sanctuary, I’m sure you guys do not pose a threat to us…Kyung Rim has always had a strong affinity with Nature. When we were forced to evacuate, we chose to believe in Mother Nature’s protection than those officers from NSA.”

“NSA?!” Chanyeol blurted out. Hae Ri looked equally shocked.

Another one of the companions replied,

“Yes, they said that there will be an impending supernatural attack and we had to get to certain allocated shelters. They were right. We saw some humans who were drank to death by those vampires. If it was not for Kyung Rim, we would not have survived.”

“What has the NSA got to do with all these?!” both Hae Ri and Chanyeol thought.

“A war has begun, a war not between the vampires and the humans but a war between the Bloodsuckers and the humans,” Lu Han said grimly.

The people gasped and they stared at Lu Han with frightened eyes. It was not something as simple as an attack, it was a full-fledged war. The word sounded way too familiar to Hae Ri.

“War? How do you know?” she demanded.

Lu Han hesitated. If he revealed the source of his news, it would be as good as revealing Chanyeol’s identity. During these past few days, he had developed a soft spot for the guy and he felt that he deserved better, he deserved to find out the truth directly from his parents.

“It doesn’t matter but I need all of you to trust me on this. I suspect that the attack by the shadow like creatures was a ploy. They were only trying to fatally injure Hae Ri so that we will be forced to conduct the Unblock. It was all for the Unlocking Blood Ritual,” Lu Han explained.

Baekhyun felt that things were starting to make sense. The royals all knew of the Unblocking Blood Ritual, it was something they had to be careful about after Savant had entrapped the Bloodsuckers. He murmured,

“Of course…the Unlocking Blood Ritual to free the Bloodsuckers from their entrapment…It would require the blood of the 3 royal members…With Ra Ae dead it would have been impossible but with Hae Ri’s Block mostly removed, there was a chance. Even so, the ritual is not carried out yet…Someone must have used some strong magic to try and crack the Lock on the Bloodsuckers. I’m sure the shadow like things have something to do with this.”

“The 3 of us…but she said 3 others, who is the final one?” Hae Ri was still confused.

“There must be something we can do to stop the catastrophe right?” Chanyeol asked, uncertain. He felt somewhat frightened. It seemed like they have fallen for a couple of traps already. It felt like his whole world was turned upside down. NSA, the organisation that he had pledged his trust and loyalty to knew of an impending supernatural attack?! Something was terribly screwed up.

“I’m sure if there is an Unlocking Blood Ritual, there should be some way to reverse it. Savant had lost a big part of his powers after he had damned the Bloodsuckers, I think he would need some of our help. We need to get to him,” Lu Han said.

“And with that we need the help of the Keepers,” he mentally added.

“I know there is a lot to do,” Lay began gently.

“But all of you, important figures, are in terrible conditions. Lu Han and Baekhyun, it’s been too long since you two have used your powers, you guys are too rusty and Hae Ri still has to learn to control her powers. Chanyeol…” Lay stopped himself in time before he exposed Chanyeol’s identity.

Chanyeol threw him a questioning gaze.

“Why am I an important figure?” he wondered.

“Chanyeol, we need your magic. You will have to work on strengthening your abilities,” Lay lied.

“You will all be safe here. This will be an ideal place for your preparations. Though there are other groups of humans taking refuge here, I am sure they will not be frightened of you all because Mother Nature has accepted you into our forest,” Kyung Rim commented.

The group thanked her and her companions and they went to find a spot in the forest where they could settle down. They needed a detailed plan desperately.

Woots! Another chapter up~ 

Wow it's getting harder to write because there are so many thingsssss haha.

I used to be able to take 2 hours for each chapter, now each is like taking way longer than expected :O

But oh well I hope you guys have fun reading it :D

Thank you TiaraSecretz for subscribing and for the upvote!! <3 It was a nice Christmas surprise! (the upvote I mean hehe)

And omg today's EXO Showtime featured another derppy Chanyeol

Ok this gif is way way disturbing, I mean why is he staring at Chen chen like that?! 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO his image just went down the drain LOL.