^{mini A/N: There's a small surprise for you at the A/N on the bottom! carry on!}

Previously...

Lay was acting weird like he was bipolar or something or maybe even worse; possessed. I also find out that he owns one of the lockets. He apparently remembers that day but not my face which is sad.

I had a dream of choosing between Kevin, Jun, D.O, Kris and Lay.

Somebody woke me up saying that something happened to Lay.

-----

I didn’t care if I was in my pyjamas. I didn’t care if my hair looked like Medusa. I didn’t care if I looked like a crazy woman running in the streets. All I cared about was getting to Yixing as fast as possible.

“Lay!” I called out as soon as I opened the door.

“Bomin! Don’t!” Xiumin held my back my holding my shoulders in place.

“I need to see Lay! He’s my friend!”

“NO! He’s uncontrollable now!”

“I don’t care!” With strength I never knew I had, I roughly pushed pass Xiumin and ran towards Lay’s room. I didn’t even notice the other members standing there, looking lost.

I tugged on the door knob, knowing that Luhan was inside with Lay.

“Luhan! Open the ing door!”

I could feel his struggle to answer me. That’s why I kicked down the door and rushed in.

“Lay! Stop this!”

He was pinned on the wall with his limbs spread out. His brown hair turned black with streaks of red cutting through it and his eyes were purple. There was clothing and paper strewn about everywhere. The desks and furniture all upturned and shattered. Wood splinters were all over the place. It was all trashed. I flinched when I saw a small piece of wood protruding out of Luhan's back. But he didn’t seem to be in any sort of pain.

The monster squirmed on the wall, wanting to get out. “No! I must have her!” He roared. The walls shook for a spilt second.

I was strangely clam when I saw Lay on the wall. I stepped towards him.

“Yixing, you are not yourself!” Luhan groaned out with his hands clenched into fists.

I couldn’t bear the sight of Lay in so much pain. He looked so vulnerable and weak.

“H-help. Make the pain go away, Bomin.”

“Luhan!”

I stepped closer to him and saw something shining in his shirt. His eyes were closed. He must be unconscious. But his mouth was moving.

I heard him whisper strange words before his eyes flew open. He tugged on Luhan's force, trying to get to me and growling in fury. I gaze directly into his purple eyes as he bared his teeth and spat out incoherent words. Why did they look so beautiful even in this form of his?

“What do you want?” I asked him quietly.

He was still staring into my eyes with his own wide ones. I couldn’t read them. He didn’t answer back so I took the locket out of his shirt and his key from my neck.

“Lay, do you remember this?” I held both of them up so he can see clearly what they are.

“You’re her?”

“Yes.”

“No! You lie!” The veins on his neck and arms showed as he struggled to be free.

“I speak the truth,” I said, still terrifyingly clam. “Here, I’ll open it.”

Yixing quietened down when he see saw me inch the key closer to his locket. He looked like a little child, staring at his Mum doing something of importance. I stared at his face, searching for any signs of resistance as the locket connected with the key. I heard something thump to the ground when golden light appeared from the two connected objects. I didn’t know what was happening to us. My body started to feel lighter. I felt this great feeling surging inside of me like a boundless power that I was never made aware of. I could see Luhan looking up at me with an expression I didn’t know. I was holding two warm hands and there was a hand cupping my left cheek. I didn’t have to see; I already knew who they were.

“We’ll always stick together, Min-Eh.”

My heart fluttered pleasurably when I heard them using my childhood nickname.

“Xinggie, Fanying and Wantan… We’ll forever be by each other’s sides.”

“Bomin… You’ve done it,” Luhan softly said.

Then it was all gone.

***

I ran down the road, laughing with the three little boys. Mother was always unhappy when I ask her if I can play with Xinggie and Fanying with my brother but Dad didn’t say anything and pushed my small shoulders to them with a smiley face.

“Go on.” That’s what Dad would say and Mum would cross her arms and look at Dad in a weird way. But she let us play with each other in the end.

When the four of us came to the end of the road, we arrived at our park. Why is it so empty? Yixing, Yifan and Bowan stood in a line in front of the sand box but they left a space that I think is for me so I stood in between Yixing and Bowan.

I looked around and with a slight pain in my stomach; I find out that the colourful little park we used to play in is now grey and dying. I can feel everything slowly going away. The metal swing rope grew red and the seats have fallen off. The slide was like how I broke my own toys; there was a crack in the middle and there were red streams of water flowing down it. All the wooden parts of the cubby house turned black and broke too. The grass became grey dirt with no life in it. There were no insects that chirped and no birds to sing songs for me and no trees to hide behind for our games. I put my nose between my fingers and squeezed it. There was a yucky smell in the air. It smelt like Mum’s best cooked meat and something bad burning at the same time. I don’t want to be here. I tugged on Yixing’s shirt and asked if we could leave and go back home. My voice sounded funny because my fingers were holding my nose. I would have laughed only if there wasn’t a weird thing that I can’t see moving the air. He moved his head from side to side.

Why can’t we leave?

I felt my eyes get wet and my bottom lip shook. I want to go home. I want to see Mummy. I want to see Daddy. I don’t want to be here.

“Oh, you will see them soon enough when I'm done here.”

I nearly stopped crying at the sound of a human voice. But I cowered behind my brother’s figure and cried harder. Make him go away. He’s scaring me.

A figure… a figure with a black dressy thing and a hat that covered his face was coming towards us. I was eyeing the silhouette in such hard concentration that I didn’t notice my brother in front of me was going away.

“Bowan! Where are you going?” I grabbed his shirt to make him stay still but he was now a transparent figure.

His face looked so much younger and older at the same time. “Sorry, Bomin.”

“We’ll see each other soon.”

“Yixing! Yifan! Where are you all going? I want to go with you!” I tried to take hold of them all but I was too slow.

“Seems like you friends abandoned you; even your brother.”

I crouched on the ground and hid my head in my arms and I sobbed, the waves of tears shaking my body. There’s no way that they would abandon me. It was our last day together. They wouldn’t go without saying good bye to me. As I wouldn’t too.

“Now it’s my turn.”

I screamed when I saw his ugly face in front of me. The teeth ripping his lips apart and his eyes that had red lines going through them and his sick yellow face… I want it all to go away.

“Min-Eh!”

Xinggie? Fanying? Wantan? Is that them I see?

---

“Bomin!” I felt somebody shake my shoulders violently. I gasped a breath of air into my lungs as my eyes shot open and I sit up on the bed.

“Thank God, you’re alright. You were screaming in your sleep.”

I don’t remember…

“Kevin?”

“We were all worried about you.” It wasn’t until he said that, did I notice all the faces around the bed. But three weren’t there. And I couldn’t feel the presence of one of them in my body.

“Are they okay?” I asked, knowing that Luhan and Xiumin would know who I'm talking about.

“They’re resting.” I nodded at Xiumin for answering me. I saw Luhan standing next to him as always but he had a deathly look as well as a proud one. Strange man.

I was just about to ask where they are when Xiumin took my hand in his. “Can you stand?”

“Yeah. Probably.”

“That’s good because remember we have an errand to do for the Principal.”

At that note, I immediately rip the blanket off and rushed to the door but not before my arm was held back by Jessica.

“They sure have taken a liking to you,” she said with a slight crinkle in her eyes. I knew she was referring to Luhan, Xiumin, Lay and Kris.

 I answered her with my own smile and left the room pushing the many bodies away while muttering sorry to them. I was surprised that no one stopped me from getting off the bed in the first place.

“What was that before?” was the first thing that came out of my mouth when I closed the door behind me.

“You mean before you fainted or after you fainted?” Luhan somehow managed to adopt that nerdy tone.

“Before I fainted, dimwit.” It’s not usual for me to start hitting guys on the head but recently it just became a habit for me. And of course, I bashed Luhan on the head with my hard fist. I didn’t expect it to hurt so much and Xiumin to start laughing.

Luhan winced from the pain and said, “I think it’ll sound more convincing if it comes from the Principal.”

I cocked an eyebrow at him and nodded slowly. “Okay.”

We were silent as we made our way to the office. No mumbling, no telepathic conversations… Just silence… a comfortable one. We didn’t need to knock on the door because the man behind it had already opened it when we were only five metres away from it.

“What is it this time?” he said with a welcoming voice as the three of us took a seat in front of his desk.

“Oh, dear.”

I could feel Luhan using my brain to show the Principal what happened in that room. Probably because I had the best angle. Now that I think about what happened in that room, I remembered the injury on Luhan’s back. I turned around in my chair to see his back but Luhan smiled at me, telling me he’s fine. I breathed a sigh of relief and focused on the task at hand. How does he even do it? The telepathy thing? I really want to know. After some time, I felt a headache come up when Luhan showed the part where I fainted. I was getting lightheaded too. I fell off the chair and clutched my head. It was splitting apart. I felt somebody grab my hand. I whimpered in pain. It really hurt.

“I’m so sorry Bomin! I didn’t mean to go that far!” Luhan took hold of my arms and checked if I was okay, immediately breaking his connection with my mind. Almost instantly, the headache faded away.

“It’s fine. T-that needed to be showed.” I groaned as I shook my head to rid my body of the nausea.

“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again without your consent.”

I chuckled lively at Luhan’s continuous apologising for the incident even though I felt fine now.

“Sir? What do you think?” Xiumin said after Luhan was finally quiet. The Principal had his eyes closed.

He sighed with his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. After a few seconds of thinking, he said, “This is both bad and good. Bomin is showing signs of it but it also means that she is in greater danger than before.”

“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. What is this about me?” I leaned forward in my chair to emphasise my curiosity and not my s. I glared at him when I caught JeongKi staring at my chest.

Men.

He quickly looked away and cleared his throat then made eye contact with me again. This time with a more composed face.

“Yes, this is about you, Bomin. In fact, it’s about your life.”

“Then could you elaborate on that? Why am I in great danger?”

“Bomin,” Luhan called me as he placed his hand on my shoulder.

“Yes?”

“There’s something you need to know first before we can tell you anything.” His eyes looked like he was sympathising something. Xiumin and the Principal had the same look.

I was clueless as to why the atmosphere suddenly declined sharply. “What is it?”

“Just don’t be surprised or scared.”

“Okay.”

Luhan heaved a deep and slow sigh that only raised the tension in my body. “You have a unique power.” Whoa.  I knew he was speaking the truth that’s why my head reeled back slightly at what he said. “With this power you have the potential to rule over the Netherworld with your brother who is your other half.”

“Just back up a minute there. I have a power?” I asked while holding my two hands up like I was blocking something. They nodded. “And my brother and I have the potential to become some sort of ruler of some sort of world, right?” They nodded again.

“What the hell,” I breathed out and leaned back in my chair with no energy let. “Can you at least tell me what I am?” I’ve given up all hope as a human. I figured out I wasn’t at least a normal human in Lay’s room when the golden light appeared. How could an average human transport three other people into a room? I was scared because I wasn’t perturbed from all this information. It was like I was always expecting it.

“It’s hard to explain. It’s like your one of us but not exactly one of us,” Luhan said.

That strikes me as odd. I’m like Luhan and Xiumin but not like them?

“So I'm a Zangrythe? Just a different one?”

They all nodded at me.

“Whoa. That. Is. Awesome.” All the things that they can do, I can. Why I find this wonderful; I don’t know. It’s pretty cool if you were in my shoes.

“But if I am not one of you than what am I exactly?”

“That I shall answer.” JeongKi stood up from his chair and told us to get off ours and move them away.

I think I was the only who was in the darkness because both Xiumin and Luhan were talking amongst themselves and cuddling with each other as if this is a normal routine for them which would most likely be the case. JeongKi removed the mat that I never notice until now. He revealed an odd looking door under it. I nearly slapped myself in the face because of course there would be a hidden door under the mat. I snapped myself out of the overwhelming urge to start laughing sadly at my unintelligent mind to stare at the door. It was like a typical wooden door but it had weird scratches on it. At least that’s what they looked like to me.

“Those are charms to keep them out,” the Principal explained when he sensed my curiosity.

By them I knew he was talking about them. That didn’t help did it? I still can’t take on the fact that they are dangerous. Dayoung, Vicki, Sara, Jia and Mihyun… Just why? I always felt guilty whenever I remember the Principal saying that he was sure there were no souls who knew about the guys being in school. That hurt me the most; when I knew that they were a creature of a kind. But I shook the pain away.

“You never told me what you and they are.” I took a look at his face to see if he was uncomfortable with the topic.

He fiddled around with the door. “They and I are Zanlamias. You have to be alert now because we hate the thought of a ruler apart from me obviously. For many millenniums, it was a free for all rule. We only lived by that. Groups formed and gained power but we never had a ruler, a person with complete power and complete command over us all. But I’d love for you to be my ruler, regardless of you gender or age.”

The whole thing was really stressing as awesome as it sounds. My brother and I ruling over a world as one… the other world part I have accepted but not the being in power and commanding everybody part. It was really kind for JeongKi to say that but he must not really want a person way younger than him to have more power. It goes against the universal rule of monarchy or whatever it is. The thing is what if I don’t to become one?

Don’t worry, Bomin. You won’t regret it after you start learning about yourself.

Thanks, Luhan. But shouldn’t my brother be here too?

Right, I nearly forgot about him.

You mean little deer. How could you forget my own beloved twin brother!?

Sorry.

“Alright, enough chatting. Let’s go down now. He’s waiting for us.” Xiumin led us down the stairs to the waiting man.

I stared in awe around the spacious room. There were statues of various creatures I didn’t know. Some I don’t want to ever know. But they golden plates underneath so I couldn’t help but read them. They had very weird names that I can’t even start to pronounce. 

Some looked like they would shower you with gifts when you wronged them. Others looked like they would love to drag you into Hell as many times that can fit in your whole lifetime. I tore my gaze away from those heavenly-devilish objects and focused on the room itself. Many old antiques dotted the floor, protected in display cases in a very decorative manner; though some were not appealing to my eyes. There were, I would say millions upon millions of bookshelves lined up against the walls but that would be a very offensive understatement because JeongKi opened up a door that showed yet another room full of books. We all followed him in silence. I eyed a particular book that was placed in a blue sort of white glass case.

I heard a gasp emit somewhere behind me which I can only presume came from Xiumin’s mouth.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you guys were visiting the office?”

I jumped with a weak yelp at the voice of my brother right by my ear. “You cannot.” Pant. ”be anymore.” Pant. “Creepier than that.” Dying pant. Because of my own drumming heart, I didn’t notice that all the guys were guffawing at me in a not so handsome way.

“Stop being ist!” I yelled to the heavens while throwing my arms up in almost insanity. Almost.

“What has that got to do with laughing at you?” Bowan said, trying to contain his stupid little giggles but failing miserably.

“Whatever! Let’s just start!” They are hopeless I swear.

“Alright. So has Luhan summarised everything to you, Bowan?” After those words left the Principal’s mouth, the three guys’ laughter died down and they become more serious.

“He told me everything. It’s all pretty interesting but the thing is.” Bowan gestured between us. “How are we going to work out?”

“Well, you would start by becoming a member in a gym.”

“Shut up, Luhan.” Everybody could hear the dull thud resonating through his head as Xiumin decided to give his hand a proper workout. Not in that way. Please.

JeongKi politely ignored the commotion next to him and answered Bowan’s question, “You’ll find out soon enough.”

There was a small pause when the couple have finished fighting in the corner over there. My eyes landed on every object that seemed remotely interesting. But most particularly the old book in the blue in the blue glass case. It looked like it holds every secret in the world. The tattered open pages, the pictures, the words; it just felt like it was so wise for a book. That must be why I'm so drawn to it.

“I think it’s time.” I felt a hand on the small of my back, encouraging me forward along with my brother. “Go to the Uvoxiuma and open it.”

Somehow my hands were wrapped tightly around my brother’s and it felt so warm. We shared a glance of curiosity and step by step, toddled closer to the Uvoxiuma.

“Wow.”

The wind bellowed its voice around us, his deep breaths ghosting over our skin. My hair softly whipped my cheeks as it sought to fly in the air. My body welcomed the surging sensation that surrounded us both. The book laid out in front of us began to glow with an unknown power. I tensed my hold on his hand at the same time he did.

Red.

It was all I could see. Red fire. Red sky. Red land. Red beings. There was only one thing that wasn’t red. A building perched in the middle of all the crimson. It was blue. A beautiful blue. The contrast in colour took my breath away. The way the shapes of the sculpture wound around its walls, the glistening ligh reflecting off the crystals; it was a land of beauty.

I saw two people standing next to each other on the top of it. I in a breath of shock. It was my brother and I. We were holding our hands and staring into each other’s eyes. If I was drinking water, I would’ve have spat it out like a whale because Lee Junyoung came out from an unseen door. I saw myself let go of my brother’s hand and face him.

“Are you ready, my love?”

 ∙•∙•∙•∙•∙ 

Haiiz!! Right now it’s assessment period. Why am I even writing this? How do I even find the time to type this chapter? I have no idea. Literally. Anyways, I really want feedback from youse guys. I don’t know how I'm going. Am I relating the characters to the readers well? Is my writing okay or spot on?
Anyways... Check out my other co-authored story called Stepping Stone. It's a Xiumin x OC centered fic. 

Here's yo link: Stepping Stone

If you're wondering about Lay... I photoshopped a picture of him. See look? I'm so nice and kind to y'all.
You should comment or upvote in exchange. Like seriously. I haven't had a comment since chapt 14..
Anyways, here it is:

Before:

After:

Gosh that Photoshopped Picture Level: Suho + Asian + Money (Jokes)

That's all for now! I'll see you Conflictors in Chapter 19. 

Your Author-Nim,

kevinoppa

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