Hyorin had no idea how to hit Mark when he was moving too fast for her to see, so she focused on defeating Jr. He was someone she could easily take down thanks to her fire. After all, plants were flammable.

“Please be alright,” Hyorin whispered before her arms lit up with flames.

“,” Mark hissed upon noticing the flames that were growing to encompass Hyorin’s whole body like armor.

“Hyorin,” N hissed, wishing that she’d stayed out of it even though he knew that she would never do that upon seeing him in his current state.

He took small comfort in the fact that her fire armor would keep her safe from Mark. At the same time, he wondered how she’d managed to pull off something like that so perfectly. He could remember Chanyeol standing on a battle field like that once or twice, flaming armor burning brightly, but Hyorin hadn’t used her fire like this before. Just where had she learned to do this.

Hyorin rushed forewords, smashing shoulder first into the ball of roots around Leo. When it didn’t burn away like she wanted, she just made the fire burn hotter, the flames changing colour accordingly. It didn’t take her long to figure out why Leo had been having problems when dirt started to fall on her, disturbing her fire. Maybe at another time she would be impressed with Jr’s strategy of dealing with his power’s weakness to fire.

Now, she needed to help Leo and the dirt was a pain in the . The fact that Jr was just adding more roots to repair the damage she’d caused was also a major pain. Hyorin decided to change her strategy to another technique the phoenix had suggested to her two days before when she’d finally gotten to talk to him.

--

So, the massive fire bird seemed to smile, you look more like your mother then any of EXO, but I can see little things that remind me of them.

They say that all the time, Hyorin replied, trying not to be intimidated, I think they like that I look more like mother though.

I bet, the phoenix laughed, they do love your mother dearly after all. Enough to give up their powers and become human if it means keeping her alive and with them. But now onto more serious business.

Like what, Hyorin questioned, curious about what the phoenix wanted to talk to her about that was so important.

Keeping you safe, the beast replied, you have access to your fire powers, so I can help with that. I’m sure when your water powers activate, the serpent will show you how to properly use them as I am going to do.

Alright, Hyorin nodded, then….what do you have to teach me?

Your father Chanyeol had two defensive techniques he liked to use, the fire bird explained, his fire armor and his beast form. I can help you create the perfect armor, help you bend the flames to fit the need and heat them as you require. The beast form……well, I think that I have a way around that.

--

Hyorin recalled doing something similar once, back when she’d first come to live at the boarding house. But back then she hadn’t been in control of her powers enough to use her fire correctly. Besides, her mind had been more on protecting N and Ken and her emotions had then made the flames unstable. This time she would do much better.

This time she was in control.

“Not again,” N whispered as the ball of roots was incinerated by a large burst of fire that looked very similar to a phoenix, “please don’t let her lose control again.”

N couldn’t help but remember the mall. He knew that Hyorin had grown a lot since then, but the sound of her panicked cries as she tried to control the fire wouldn’t stop echoing in his mind. He’d been useless then to help her and he was useless now.

She has this, his beast said, don’t worry. And you aren’t useless just because you can’t help her right now.

I’m her demon, N replied, and I love her. But I can’t do anything to help her. I couldn’t even fight off Mark.

Your power isn’t suited to fighting him, the beast explained, especially when he’s using Hyorin the way that he was.

N bit back any more thoughts of being useless, knowing that the hell hound would just keep dismissing them. Instead, he focused on Hyorin and Leo standing in the middle of the burned remains of the root ball. Well, Hyorin was standing, Leo was leaning against her for support. N took a bit of twisted satisfaction in knowing that he wasn’t the only one who’d had problems fighting Jr and Mark.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Hyorin told Jr and Mark, “but you hurt Leo and N.”

Jr and Mark nodded in understanding, knowing that Hyorin wasn’t lying. She really didn’t want to hurt them, but they’d pushed her into a corner. She had to take them down and protect her demons. If that meant they walked away with some burns, then so be it.

“It’s my contract, by the way,” Jr said, pulling out the paper and hiding it under a rock where it would be safe from Hyorin’s attack, “just mine.”

“Right,” Hyorin nodded, looking over to Mark sadly.

She knew exactly what was going to happen to Mark when he returned to his master alone.

Taking a deep breath, Hyorin launched a wave of fire at the pair who didn’t even bother to dodge it. The pair went down, a small groan escaping from Mark while Jr was already out cold.

“Leo?” Hyorin asked, the fire around her dying out, “can you help carry Jr home? Or……”

“I can carry him,” Leo said, trying to stand by himself only to start to fall.

Hyorin caught him with her telekinesis, struggling slightly to lift N and Jr as well because she hadn’t practiced with his power in a while. After getting the paper and moving Mark someplace safe, Hyorin headed for home.

A/N: poor Mark, still trapped with the evil Nayoung. But at least N and Leo are going to be fine. And Jr is gonna be free!!!