“Baekhyun’s on fire!” Suho shouted, pointing at the smoke and flames rising from Baekhyun’s sleeve.

And that is how their trip to the surface ended. With Baekhyun being thrown to the ground and rolled around to extinguish his flaming shirtsleeves, and everyone else being herded back into the elevator by Ryohei. Once Baekhyun was extinguished the elevator doors slammed shut, the lift descending.

“Are you guys going to tell me why I suddenly burst into flames?” Baekhyun patted his scorched sleeve, thankfully the fire was extinguished before it had burnt his skin. He was more annoyed than injured.

“Don’t be so dramatic, you didn’t burst into flames.” Sehun shook his head at his arch nemesis “Sissy.”

“At least I wasn’t convinced I was dying from lack of oxygen, drama queen!” Baekhyun slapped his hand towards Sehun’s arm. It was an ineffective gesture, they were packed into the elevator so tightly his arm couldn’t reach Sehun’s form, squished in the back corner.

The lift stopped, the door opening quickly. They followed Ryohei back to the large room. Once they were all seated at the table, Ryohei sitting at the head of the large table, he began to speak. His voice, Luhan noticed, was quiet, even keeled – the tone didn’t seem to change much. It was oddly soothing.

“As I mentioned, the planet you are on is very, very far away from Earth. Through space and through dimensions – we are very far away from what you have known.” gauging the room’s reaction, Ryohei continued “This planet is known for having an extremely strong electromagnetic field emanating from its core. In simple terms this planet has enough electromagnetic radiation to make it of interest to others.”

“Elect-ro-ma…” Chanyeol tried to say the word, failing “What is that?”

Ryohei looked confused. He thought for sure they would know what electromagnetism was. “Well, it is-”

“Space magic!” Joon Hyung shouted, his laughter stifled by Ryohei shooting him the evil eye.

“It is not space magic. Electromagnetism refers to a magnetic field that is produced by the current of electricity.” Ryohei noticed that Chanyeol still looked confused.

Sighing heavily, Ryohei resigned himself to Joon Hyung’s rustic terminology “Okay, think of it as powerful space magic. Now, this space magic is so strong here that through the centuries a lot of people have come here looking for it.”

“Bad guys?” Chanyeol asked.

Ryohei nodded slowly, wondering what the education system on earth was like “Yes, and occasionally good guys.”

“Electromagnetic fields- they can be light or radio waves, right?” Suho looked proud of himself for remembering. All of the time he had spent alone in Kris’s room through the years had given him plenty of time to listen to books on tape.

Ryohei was ecstatic one of the young men knew something about what he was talking about, even if Suho’s understanding was on a basic level “Yes! X-rays, gamma rays, and a few rays you have probably never heard of are all electromagnetic fields. From these fields, radiation is emitted.”

“And what does that have to do with us?” Kris asked, picking at his nails in a show of boredom.

They were an impatient lot, Ryohei noticed “I am getting to that. So, bad people” Ryohei looked at Chanyeol as he said the words, earning a smile from the younger man “figured out how to harness these fields, from this planet and others like it. They did so for the first time thousands of years ago. What they used them for was initially seen as self-defense. Through thousands of years this self-defense mechanism morphed into a very powerful weapon – one that is – has been –threatening to end life as we know it.”

“What does the weapon do?” Tao was frightened, he didn’t like the sound of all of this space electro evil weapon nonsense.

“It can do a lot of things, depending on how it is used. At its worse it can destroy planets, entire galaxies, and potentially universes in the blink of an eye.”

“Oh, .” Tao didn’t like that answer.

“Is that why the surface is like that? Charred…rubble?” Sehun asked quietly. He had been shocked at what he had witnessed, even as the strong winds coursed around him. Destruction – it looked like utter destruction. His fear of suffocating being replaced with an awareness of the desolation around him.

“A very long time ago, when this planet started to be used for destructive purposes, the people who live here were subjected to a form of what you would call slavery. Eventually, after many, many centuries, they rebelled. That is why there is so much destruction on the surface.”

“Our ancestors, our brothers, found refuge underground, in structures like this. Protected from the strong field, they were able to survive, free.” Joon Hyung explained, his tone uncharacteristically serious.

“Before we went underground, our people were able to harness the fields, in an effort to find a new home.” Ryohei looked around the room, hoping some of what he was saying was sinking in.

“Earth.” Minseok blurted out. He clapped his hand over his mouth as soon as he said it, shocked he had been brave enough to add his opinion to the discussion.

“Bingo. And that, my friend, is how your buddy came to be.” Joon Hyung pointed to Luhan, then to Kris, Tao, and Chanyeol “You are descended from the first of our people who came to earth.”

“Wait! I am an…alien?” Tao did not like where this was going at all. Sehun, tired of Tao’s accusations towards his own alien status, pointed at his friend and laughed.

Ryohei hated the term alien, “You are descended from our people, who were stranded shortly after they arrived on earth. You carry a mixture of human DNA and that of our people. This is important, because only with our genetic structure- certain sections of our DNA- can you fully reach your potential.”

“What potential?” Baekhyun leaned forward in his chair “And why in the hell was I in a pod?”

“You ask too many questions. Yo -you were in stasis projection. Low energy projection and all that cool stuff. Oh and you have super powers.” Joon Hyung stood up, holding both of his hands up, palms facing the room “High fives anyone?! They are free today!”

The room was silent, the boys stared blankly as Joon Hyung continued to stand with his hands held up high.

Chanyeol broke the silence, “I still think he smokes dope. A lot of dope.”

***

“Do you believe any of it?” Minseok stared into the small pond, marveling at the things he had seen in the last few hours.

After Ryohei’s explanation and Joon Hyung’s awkward high fives they had been led into the city.

“Rest your bodies, kids. There is tomorrow for more words, just take it easy.” Joon Hyung had shooed them forward, leaving the serious, mind-blowing stuff behind in the meeting room.

They had been taken to what Ryohei referred to as “The City”.  The city, it turned out, was an oddly familiar underground complex, with a structure that was eerily familiar to a dozen of the largest metropolises on earth. Buildings rose along bustling streets, people mulled about. The glaring difference was the sky – or lack of it. They were underground, and that fact could not be forgotten as the metal “sky” loomed above them.

Seho and Joon Hyung led them to a small structure, set behind a tall fence. The house was built with a courtyard in the middle complete with foliage. There were several bedrooms, a kitchen, even a living room. And guards – there were guards stationed outside the house, giving off a slightly bad vibe. Joon Hyung assured the boys it was for their own protection.

 “Your bodies have been through a lot brothers. Rest, you can try to understand more tomorrow.” Doctor Park had shooed them into the house, pointing out where they could find the bedrooms, the bathroom, the kitchen.

Before Doctor Park left Chanyeol had asked the loaded question that was on everyone’s mind- were they ever going home? Joon Hyung had assured them they would return to earth, soon. No one really believed him, partially because they were not exactly sure what to believe. All they knew is that some very strange had happened. They were shell shocked from the volume of unbelievable happenings that had occurred in such a short period of time.

After Doctor Park left the eight young men dispersed through the house, for the most part sticking by their friends. Even if they had been through everything together, as a group of eight, they needed some time to process the events of the last few hours in the company of those they trusted the most.

Minseok and Luhan had wondered out to the courtyard, barely speaking as they found a seat on a small bench. Sitting by the small pond they both stared at the green waters, deep in thought.

When Luhan didn’t answer his question, Minseok asked again “Do you believe any of it? What that Ryohei guy said?”

“Let’s see-“Luhan held up his hand, bending each finger as he counted down “We jumped dimensions and space, found out we were alien descendants or something, that we have super powers, and that there is some kind of super evil space weapon that is going to destroy everything that was created ever….yeah, I don’t exactly believe all of it.”

Minseok laughed. It made Luhan smile. If there was anything in this whole experience that was beneficial and not frightening it was having Minseok – a touchable Minseok next to him.

“But super powers that only work if we are above ground, you can’t forget that part.” Minseok reminded Luhan. Ryohei had explained it as such – that underground they were protected from the field that would awaken their powers. Something about the structure they were in being protected from the field. Underground their powers had no effect, only above ground could they be used – or awakened, or whatever such nonsense was being spouted.

“Of course! How could I forget?” Luhan shook his head in disbelief “Do you think I can control time or something?”

“Maybe. What power do you want?” Minseok was genuinely curious and extremely skeptical of everything going on. He was more apt to think that this was all some sort of hallucination than he was to believe he was walking around with super powers.

“I want to fly.” Luhan decided “All of the good super heroes can fly.”

“Fly? Really?! What about the ability to shapeshift?”

“Ohhhh that would be handy.” Luhan started thinking of the millions of different ways he would get into trouble if he could shapeshift. His wild train of thought was interrupted by Minseok.

“Hey, what do you think happened to the defendant at the trial? Didn’t he run towards the portal too?” Minseok suddenly remembered seeing the man run towards the side entrance of the courtroom, only a minute or so before Tao did.

“Good question…we haven’t seen him at all.” Luhan was curious, but there was a lot he was curious about at the moment. Too many things to shun sleep for the multitude of unanswered questions floating through his brain “Min, are you tired?”

“A little.”

“Min, do you think we are actually dead?” Luhan considered the possibility again.

Minseok smiled, that gummy crooked smile “No. If we were dead wouldn’t we be at a soccer game?”

“Good point. Let’s go sleep.” Luhan smiled and reached for Minseok’s hand. “I have a feeling is only going to get weirder.”

***

The fist collided with his jaw, hard. He heard a crack. Spitting violently, blood and a part of a tooth came flying out of his mouth with force.

“I didn’t want to, but you asked for it.” Yixing glared at Jongin, at the hurt he had wrought. He hated Jongin, but he hated violence just as much.

“Do it again” Jongin tapped his finger on his face, making a clicking sound with his tongue as his finger hit his left cheek in quick iterations, begging for another punch.

“Stop!” Kyungsoo wanted the whole thing to end, but he knew better than to step in between Yixing and Jongin. Not now anyway.

“Jongin…” Yixing looked sad. Jongdae stood in the corner, watching, not speaking. It wouldn’t do any good, not now.

“You said you hate me. Then do it. Hit me again. I am a murderer, right?” Jongin teased, his eyes wide.

Before Yixing could act one way or another the door to the room opened. Ryohei strode in, Joon Hyung trailing behind him.

“Brothers, brothers. “ Joon Hyung darted forward, pulling Jongin and Yixing into a hug. Both men struggled to escape the embrace.

“I see that you guys are getting along now.” Ryohei’s words were tinged with sarcasm.

“He murdered my Dad! Do you guys want to pretend like that didn’t ing happen?” Yixing spat, his face contorted with rage.

“You know that isn’t true, Yixing.” Ryohei approached the young man. “You know they killed him.”

“No- I don’t know that!” Yixing strode towards the far end of the room, pounding the wall with his fist “You think this is real! You think this isn’t some sick falsity? Huh?”

Jongin remained silent, blood still trickling down his chin. Kyungsoo had moved closer to him, slipping his hand in Jongin’s and squeezing reassuringly.

“You haven’t been here for how long – five years? Seven? Ten? And you still think it was all a joke?!” Ryohei walked towards Yixing, slapping him cross the cheek. Yixing flinched, rubbing his stinging cheek.

“Yah, you don’t need to do that man.” Joon Hyung was uncomfortable when Ryohei exerted force. It seemed so wrong in the face of all of the things that Yixing and Jongin – hell, all of the boys – had been through.

Yixing rubbed his red cheek, “If you need us, like you said you do, then why do you do this, huh? Where were you when my Dad was murdered? Where were you when you unleashed them” Yixing pointed at Jongin and Kyungsoo “on the world?”

“If you are unable to accept your duty, I have no problem putting you both in stasis – permanently.” Ryohei could be fierce, intimidating, when he wanted to be.

“Ha! I was in prison, you think stasis is a threat?” Jongin laughed “Do it.”

“Hey, hey guys. Let’s settle down.” Joon Hyung tried to play peace maker “You guys aren’t alone any more. Do you know that? I found the rest of them.”

Jongin and Kyungsoo were surprised. They had gone through the portal first, they had no idea anyone other than Yixing and Jongdae had followed.

“Which means we need to get this all together, because the fight isn’t going to be easy and it isn’t going to be too much longer before it happens. Yo-there are two forces against us now.” Joon Hyung pleaded with the four young men, his eyes wide “We need to work together brothers.”

“I don’t think I can trust you.” Yixing stood firm.

“Please, we need too.” Jongdae grabbed Yixing’s arm, “I am awake now. Isn’t that better than the last time? Doesn’t that mean something?”

Yixing softened at his friend’s words, but quickly regained his harsh front in the face of the others in the room “Thank you for waking up Jongdae. But I still don’t trust you.”

“Then we have no choice.” Ryohei pushed his watch, projecting a digital keypad. Typing for a split second, he began to speak, his voice firm and resolute “Room 88EPS -Exile them to the surface.”

Jongdae braced himself, Yixing shut his eyes tightly for a moment. Was it regret? Jongdae wasn’t sure. It didn’t really matter, not any more.

It wasn’t more than five seconds later that the doors opened, six men walking into the room. Without a word they grabbed ahold of Jongin, Kyungsoo, Jongdae and Yixing, hauling them out of the room.

Joon Hyung watched the four men being dragged away, remaining unusually quiet as he took in the scene.

“I was hoping we didn’t have to do this.” Ryohei put a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“I know…this is the only way.” Joon Hyung hated it though, even if he saw the logic in it.

“They will come back better, healthier.” Ryohei tried to assure Joon Hyung, he knew that his friend needed that reassurance. Especially where these four were concerned.

“If they come back at all.” Joon Hyung muttered, considering his own time on the surface. He stalked out of the room, Ryohei watching him go.

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a/n-There is a lot to take in here in terms of setup/plot. I hope I didn’t make your head hurt, writing this it kind of made my head hurt. ^^ But LayChen and Kaisoo are back! Huzzah! Forgive me for the short, setup heavy update ^-^

Thanks as always for reading, subscribing, commenting, and voting! I appreciate it more than you know. ~LC