“We’re screwed, aren’t we?”

Sooyoung mumbled after Byung Hee finished his report. Because of the Other World shutting down, all the reapers capable of taking down the new demon threat were trapped inside and couldn’t come and help. Most of their armed forces in This World were search parties or reapers trained to collect information fast and then tell the waiting legions of the enemy’s number, weaknesses and strengths. After explaining those technical details, we all frowned.

As much as Sooyoung hated reapers, she looked annoyed for not being able to use them.

Yuri continued afterwards with exactly how fast the new demon infestation grew. News of the fallen city hadn’t travelled enough to reach the borders and start a human war between who could conquer the exposed area. It was good for us, bad for the possessed people.

 “Even if we get a way in the Other World, Jaejoong’s forces will slow us down.”

Byung Hee concluded after Yuri said everything she could remember. It was the first time the others had heard that name, except for Sooyoung, Jessica, Daesung and I who kept our composure and waited for someone to clarify what had been going on.

“What do you mean?”

That is how another hour had gone by. Byung Hee explained everything he knew and even gave away classified information that could make a fairy like Yoona use it against them in the future. For a moment, we all forgot we were different creatures with a long history of strained relationships and several murder attempts.  

Basically, Jaejoong was after revenge and screwing with everybody couldn’t fail him.

Silence covered us once more, each lost in their thoughts.

“For now,” Yuri tapped her fingers on the table “we need to make sure demons don’t go too far.”

“To find a way inside the Other World too,” Byung Hee added with his arms and legs crossed, uncomfortable with everything. I hadn’t known the Keeper for long, yet it was obvious the highest fell the hardest.

“What about the Dragon?” Sooyoung inquired as she peeled another apple stolen from a greedy merchant a few kilometers from us “…hungry.”

What about the Dragon indeed, what about him… what had De--- Junsu meant. Where had he hid the Dragon? Why hadn’t he used his powers? He could have still been the ruler of the Other World if he used the Dragon the same way he used Jaejoong.

Another hour compiled mostly of the humans eating, Yoona trying to fix her sword and us reapers watching them with innocent curiosity. We craved food from time to time, yet never felt its taste. Even the carrots Sooyoung often offered me were bland. I had to lie every single time how delicious they are and how kind of her to take a minute out of her life and offer some food to the dead.

Finally, after Yoona startled us all with her victory cry and a whole sword waved left and right, Daesung had a revelation.

“When exactly did the world close?”

Byung Hee stood there watching Daesung squirm in happiness before he shook his head and muttered a few sentences that made no sense whatsoever. Guess he had lost it too.

“Not long after I sent Seungri to you. My team left seconds before it closed down.”

“Yoona,” Daesung pointed his finger to the fairy with the sword back at her chest and who glared one thousand curses in the blond’s direction “Those weird fairies, they were from the Other World, right?”

“Do not speak of the Elders that way!” he cursed him some more in a broken language. Sooyoung stared at the scene with a mild amusement clear in her eyes.

“...you’re a genius.” She patted Daesung’s back. “I know how we can get back to the Other World. Yoona, think you can help us?”

The plan, elaborated this time by Daesung, wasn’t complicated at all: get inside the Azure Palace, break into the circle thing they had seen while Yoona sought advice and use the portal to bring back the strongest line of defense the Other World had.

Thinking about those ancient Keepers scared me.

Byung Hee consumed too much of his energy while he walked among humans. Those Keepers on the other hand had never stepped out of the Other World since their creation. They were secluded in parts only Death could access. It was insane to believe Byung Hee could take lead and contact them in time.

Either way, we had no choice. The fairy, the Keeper and Jessica would take care of that – Yoona should safely infiltrate them and protect both reapers from the miasma effects, risking her own kind to forever hate her. I found out Jessica had a missing wing – as suspected – and would have to get back to the Other World too if she wanted to remain a reaper and not turn into something worse.

“What about the demons? Even if help comes, Jaejoong’s reapers are still powered up and harder to take down.”

“Spirits,” Yuri got up from the table and wrapped the veil back around her head “Never doubt their power. If I gather enough, I can form an army to keep the demons inside the Capital City.”

“The forest ghosts disappeared,” I reminded her.

She smacked me over the head.

“Spirits!” she howled at my ear and smacked me again, “Calling them ghosts is disrespectful. And I’ll just have to go inside the in Between and send my message across.”

“Are you mad?!’ Sooyoung exploded and thankfully stopped Yuri’s torture over my fragile head. “That place will drive you crazy before you can do a thing!”

Yuri snorted. She wrapped the last portion of the veil around her face, only her dark eyes with a hint of red visible between the fabric.

“Never doubt me either.”

“Waiiiiiiiiiiit!” Daesung ran at the door before anybody could leave. “How are we going to communicate?”

“Yo, Byung Hee,” Sooyoung nodded at him “use the blue eyes trick.”

“What?”

I sighed.

“She wants you to synchronize our energy signatures and see through each other’s eyes like last time.”

Daesung told me everything about their little adventure while I had gone missing in the snow. I hadn’t told him back that I was busy partying with Jaejoong and doing a few errands to show my new brainwashed abilities.

“Yeah, that thing,” Sooyoung waved her hand “one eye for me and one for Yuri, how about that?”

“Seems fair.”

---

Three pairs of connected eyes later – I have to admit, Yuri was darn pretty with the smoky make-up and the baby blue orbs – the two teams scattered while we gathered at the table, trying to figure out what to do next.

“Where’s that apple…” Daesung mumbled as he searched around.

I for one again wondered what Junsu meant. It was bugging me.

“In front of your nose, moron.”

Daesung let out a small laugh after he realized the apple had never left his sight.

What an idi---

Wait.

That’s it.

“I know where the Dragon is,” Sooyoung and Daesung lifted their heads at the same time “the Black Ocean towers. The Dragon is where Jaejoong is.”

Of course, where else could Junsu hide the Dragon but right beside the enemy?

It might as well be the grizzled haired man or somebody within Jaejoong’s henchmen.

We will find the Dragon and end it.

OTL there are 2 cases left (14 and 15), but since I'm too tired with everything and I want to get over with it, there will only be a case 14, an epilogue and a bonus chapter. Sorry.