Kim Wonshik stepped between his boyfriend and the charging form that was Daehwan, determined that, no matter what happened, Jaehwan would remain safe. Taking the full force of the attack, he stumbled slightly before repelling the assailant with a wall of fire. Their leader could be heard pleading with the other man off to his side but he was too busy protecting Jaehwan to help as Daehwan readied another attack.

“Don’t hurt him!” Jaehwan surprised Wonshik by pushing him out of the way to face his friend on his own. “Dae... I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t. Please.” For a moment, he thought he saw the possessed man pause before making another lunge at them.

“Jae!” Without thinking, he spun, his foot colliding with Daehwan’s chest, sending him skidding into the stone around the door.

“It isn’t their fault!” Hakyeon shouted before letting out a groan of pain. “Whatever you do, do not kill them. We want them unconscious but safe.”

“Got it.” Taking a deep breath he charged to meet the next attack head on. The impact caused his shoulder to make an ungodly noise, a flare of pain searing through his arm. Ignoring it, he merely tried to keep the other man from overpowering him as they struggled for dominance.

“Wonshik!” Jaehwan screeched as Daehwan managed to knock him off balance with a leg sweep. Letting out a curse, he coughed, feeling the air displaced from his lungs. Gasping for breath, he reached out in time to stop Daehwan from stomping on his neck, catching his foot with his hands. Arms shaking from the effort of keeping the other man from his attack, he silently just hoped Jaehwan would run and not look back.

“!” Screaming, Hakyeon seemed to be having an equally difficult time with his own battle. Suddenly, Daehwan was crashing off to the side and it took Wonshik a moment to realize that Jaehwan had tackled him. Relieved to be free, he got up, looking for anything he could to use as a weapon. Hakyeon was pulling himself up from a pile of rocks, a gash dripping blood above his eye. Already, things were going downhill.

Lee Jaehwan rolled on the ground as he and his best friend fought, clawing and hitting and fighting for their lives. He didn't want to hurt Daehwan, nor anyone else for that matter, and being forced to do so was among the worst things he had ever had to do. Looking up at the man that was slowly wrapping his fingers around his throat, he just hoped it would be over quickly. Eyes meeting, he could see something inside of Daehwan, a flicker of who he really was, suffering as much as he was, struggling to take control of himself.

“ off!” Wonshik hissed from near them. A solid noise sounded before Daehwan fell away from him, motionless. Standing over him, Wonshik held a branch in his hands, breathing heavily.

“Thanks...” Taking the hand extended to him, he allowed his boyfriend to help him to his feet before he turned to nervously examine Daehwan. A lump was forming on the back of his skull but he was breathing steadily. Unconscious, but alive. Sighing in relief, he embraced Wonshik as tears began to stream down his cheeks. Despite his desires to help, it was becoming painfully clear that he was only making the task at hand harder.

“Are you alright?” Holding him back slightly, Wonshik looked him over, searching for injury.

“I’m fine... I just... These are our friends...” Letting out a small sob, he covered his face with his hands.

“!” Crying out in pain, Hakyeon brought him out of his crisis. Turning, he watched as Byungjun held their leader by his throat, lifting him off the ground. Struggling, Hakyeon clawed at his ex’s hand and wrist, kicking at him to no avail.

“Wonshik...” Jaehwan stepped forward, prepared to help their friend, but was stopped by the man beside him. Confused, he turned to protest before realizing why. Byungjun’s grip began to loosen and Hakyeon fell to the ground, breathing heavily and holding his neck. Watching as their leader looked up at the taller man, he tried to step forward again.

Cha Hakyeon shook in fear as Byungjun loomed over him. Their eyes met and a change came over the other man. Somehow, the man he had once loved was coming forward, pushing through the curse. Tears filled Byungjun’s eyes as he pulled the hunting knife from it’s sheath in his boot.

“Byungjun... No...” Begging, Hakyeon scrambled to his feet in an attempt to stop what he knew was to come. “Don’t do this... Please...”

“Hakyeon... I... I can’t fight it much longer...” Byungjun gave him the saddest smile he had ever seen and his heart dropped. “Tell Daehwan I loved him... But I... I can’t hurt you... I can’t...” Before he could close the gap between them, the other man screamed, driving the blade into his chest.

“NO!” Leaping forward, Hakyeon tried to catch him as he fell to the ground, blood already pooling around him. “Byungjun... Byungjun!” No answer came as he held the other man, watching the light fading slowly from his eyes.

“Hakyeon... We have to keep going...” Wonshik’s hands were gently pulling him away from the body he frantically tried to cling to. “He’s gone...”

“He... Byungjun...” Between heavy sobs, he tried to tell them that it was his fault. Wanting to tell his companions to go, to get as far away from his as possible, he merely succeeded in turning to cry against Wonshik’s chest.

“We still have to save the others.” Wonshik held him tightly, rubbing his back gently. “You need to save Taekwoon...” Nodding, he straightened himself, wiping at his cheeks. It wasn’t the time for breakdowns, only for action. Taking stock of his shell shocked friends, he tried to steady himself enough to continue on. Wonshik looked fine enough but Jaehwan was faring about as well as he was.

“Jaehwan... Stay out here with Daehwan okay? Make sure his vitals stay even and if they start to slip, take him to a hospital.” Beginning to rise back into his position of leadership, he turned to Wonshik. “You ready to go inside?”

“Ready if you are.” The fire wielder shrugged and Hakyeon bit his lip. Truthfully, he didn’t think he’d ever be ready, but he knew it was something he had to do nonetheless.

“Let’s go.” Stepping forward, he pushed open the heavy gold door to find a dark chamber beyond. With a flick of his wrist, Wonshik illuminated the candles ringing the walls, casting the room in a flickering glow and revealing the two new obstacles in their path. Door slamming behind them, the two men on the other end of the chamber looked up at them slowly, twisted grins spreading across their lips. Nakhun and Yoonchul let out cold chuckles and Hakyeon knew, there would be more bloodshed to come.