Jongin was shaking as he climbed down the ladder, and still shaking when he met Taemin at the bottom, where he lay on the floor of the cellar, having yet to get up. He could hear the sounds of the dragon outside, but they were muffled from where they were. The loudest sound down there was of the two of them breathing heavily.

"Are you alright?" Jongin found himself asking yet again.

"I'll live," Taemin replied as he pulled himself to his feet. He felt through the air before finding Jongin and once again clutching onto his shirt.

Jongin could tell that he was also shaking, as he grabbed hold of Taemin's hands, both to comfort him and to give him something a little more secure to hold onto. He seemed to appreciate the gesture, and Jongin was glad, because he knew he wasn't the only one who needed comforting at that moment.

"What now?" he asked.

"Come on." Taemin led him through the darkness, feeling along the wall as they walked the short distance to a table in the corner. After a few seconds of their fumbling, Jongin heard the welcomed sound of a match being struck. A little bit of light entered that damp cellar and Jongin was comforted by the sight of Taemin's face, even if it was marred by fear and sorrow.

He managed to light one of the lamps that was provided from them, and they were blessed by a constant glow in that darkness.

"Now I know why dad had all these tunnels built under the property," Taemin said quietly, while lifting the lamp to get a better idea of what was down there. He immediately went to the chest in the corner and opened it, revealing the set of weapons. Jongin sighed in relief when Taemin handed him one, glad he finally had something with which to defend himself again.

"These are tunnels?" Jongin asked, looking at the door that was down in that room, leading somewhere he didn't know.

"Yes, they're all under the property."

"Do they lead out of here?"

"Yes, they do," he answered thankfully, "There are exits on the east and west."

"Lead the way," Jongin said eagerly, gesturing to the door.

"Grab another lamp."

He did as he said and lit the other lamp just as Taemin pulled open the door that stood before them. He was cautious, not knowing what could be waiting for him on the other side. Luckily, there was nothing but more darkness. Hopefully, Kibum knew nothing about those tunnels and they could get out of there before he discovered where they were.

"It's clear," Taemin said.

Jongin walked a step behind him with his sword drawn, ready for whatever they may find down there. Luckily, there was nothing but spiders and mice - some who were scurrying about, and some who were trapped when the curse was cast. It was a very eerie sight, and closeness of the walls made Jongin even more uncomfortable than he already was.

But he decided he would be strong. For his own sake, and for that of his friend. Because he would be damned if he let them both get killed down there.

After several minutes of silence and dodging rats, they finally made it to the exit on east side. Taemin pulled open the door that would lead out into the untouched forest, only it wasn't open road that stood before them. It was thorns.

"No!" Taemin hissed, angry and afraid. Recklessly, he raised his sword and hacked at the offending plants. Jongin was quick to grab his arm and stay him, before the thorns deprived them of another weapon.

"We'll try the other exit," he suggested, though he knew what Taemin's argument would be.

"There'll be thorns on that side too!"

"Maybe not," he said hopefully, "Maybe...Maybe these ones just overgrew on this side."

"It's no use, Jongin, we're trapped here! We're trapped!"

The two of them sat in silence, across from each other on the cold damp floor. Even inside the tunnels, they could hear the storm continuing to rage outside. Along with it, the occasional screams of the dragon. For the time being, they were safe. They were hidden. They had light.

The lamps burned brightly in the small space, illuminating Taemin's worried expression.

He was still wet and shivering, as was Jongin. Though they didn't speak, they stared directly at one another, with thoughts and fears exchanged between them silently.

"You were right," Taemin said in the end, breaking the hour-long silence. His voice was no more than a whisper, but Jongin could still hear him clearly. "I should have waited for Minho. I should have been patient. I shouldn't have dragged you into this."

"We can't do anything about that now," Jongin replied, "We just need to be patient now. My father will come looking for us."

"How will he get inside? Even if he could, how could he fight Kibum? And a dragon?"

"What about Minho?"

"That man lost his powers long ago," he said almost bitterly. "He'd be no more use than your father."

"Minho mentioned he had another brother. Maybe..."

Jongin had to hope that there was a way out of their predicament. He couldn't just give up. He couldn't accept that he had managed to wake a long-lost friend from a curse, only to be killed shortly after. He refused to accept it.

But he also knew they were powerless.

Another moment of silence came.

"Taemin..."

Taemin's head snapped up, and that time, Jongin heard the whisper as well. He looked around the dark tunnel, but there was no one there but the two of them. Then again, Jongin knew they hadn't heard the whisper with their ears.

"I know you're still here, Taemin," Kibum's voice fluttered through the air, clear and substantial, "Come to me in the courtyard. I only want to speak with you."

Taemin and Jongin met eyes.

"He's trying to lure us out," Jongin said in a whisper, afraid Kibum would be able to hear him, even from where they were.

"I know you couldn't have possibly left this place. Those thorns are impenetrable now. Come and talk to me. I promise, I won't bite."

Taemin remained silent, contemplating what to do. They were alone there and out of options. If they didn't want to die down there, they would have to leave eventually, and Kibum would be waiting for them, whether they took an hour, a day, or a week. They both knew there was no other way to go, as much as Jongin didn't want to admit it.

"I want to go talk to him," Taemin said, "I want to know why he's doing this."

"You need to be more careful this time though," Jongin pointed out, "Don't go attacking him. Maybe we can negotiate a way out of this, but you're going to have to stay calm."

"I will."

Jongin nodded. "Then if you want to go, we'll go."

"I could have killed you already if I wanted to," Kibum continued, with his voice still soft and patient.

Taemin rose from the floor and Jongin followed his example. Together, they back-tracked their path all the way to the trap door of the house they had entered from. Deciding he wanted to go first, Jongin climbed the ladder and carefully lifted the hatch, looking for any danger that might await them in the house. It was quiet and empty, except to the usual sleeping occupants. Satisfied, he opened the door fully and climbed out, helping Taemin up after him.

With a lantern in one hand and a sword in the other, he walked with Taemin out of the house, making sure to stay one step in front of him in case he needed to protect him.

Like he said he would be, Kibum stood in the courtyard. The massive dragon he controlled as also there with him, curled up on the ground as if to sleep. Kibum was right beside it, possessively its scaled head while watching the two of them approach.

The sun was starting to rise, and in the new light, Jongin could see in more detail just how frightening the creature was - and how fragile and slight Kibum looked compared to it. Even compared to them.

"Glad to see you stuck around," Kibum commented.

"What do you want?" Taemin demanded frankly.

"It's very simple really. I want you."

"What do you mean?" Taemin asked, confused.

"It's all I ever wanted, since the moment I knew you were going to be born. I want you. All of you. Every part of you."

His answer did little to alleviate their confusion.

"That's why you did all this? That's why you put my family under this curse?"

"The sleeping spell wasn't my doing," Kibum answered, "You have your loyal Minho to thank for that."

"Minho?" Jongin said, unable to believe it.

"Why would Minho put everyone to sleep?" Taemin demanded.

"I suppose he thought he was protecting you. He was always so rash. I guess he didn't realize he'd be taking six years of your life away from you and everyone here. And leaving this entire place to rot like it is."

"Minho didn't do this," Jongin interjected, "You're lying."

Kibum smiled. It was very unsettling. "Just ask him. Oh wait, he's not here. He left you. Just like he left you six years ago, before setting this thing in motion. For as much as he claimed to love your family, he sure has a way of messing with them. Did you know that he was in love with your mother?"

"Yes, I know he loved her," Taemin snapped, "That was the reason he lost his powers! And he lost his powers long before this curse, there's no way this could be his doing."

"Powers or not, he found a way," Kibum said thoughtfully, the dragon's chin one last time before stepping away from it and pacing the space between them. "But it wasn't me. I never had any reason for putting you to sleep, Taemin."

"You cursed me right after I was born! You cursed me to die!"

"Yes, I did, but that didn't happen. Did it? You're still alive and kicking, and not because of this oaf here either. Because of me. You're still alive because I want you alive. I came to get you. Don't you remember?"

"I don't. I don't remember anything before the curse."

"How convenient."

"Can you undo this curse?" Jongin asked, when their conversation paused enough for him to speak.

"Not the sleeping curse. That has to be broken," Kibum answered.

"How?"

"True love, of course. That can break any curse."

"I tried that, it didn't work."

The mage burst out laughing, very loudly and very inappropriately for the situation. "You think you have an ounce of true love in you? Ha!"

"He had enough to wake me," Taemin snapped.

Kibum's laugh turned into a chuckle. "That wasn't love, Taeminnie. That was magic. Magic woven by my brothers. Magic specifically for you. To break this curse you need something much more...potent."

"Then help me find it," Taemin said, holding his sword threateningly toward him.

Kibum raised a brow. "Why would I do that? I couldn't care less about the state of your house."

"Because if you want me, then you're going to have to help me. That's the only way I'd be willing to cooperate with you."

Kibum chuckled again, and the dragon behind him snorted. Its fiery eyes turned to Jongin, summing him up.

"Oh, Taemin, I already have you. From the moment I cursed you, I had you. My magic is woven inside you. Even now, its claws are in your flesh. You can fight me all you want, but you can't fight magic."

"Watch me," he replied in challenge.

Kibum scoffed, before lifting his hand and tapping the tip of Taemin's sword, which was pointing at his heart. Immediately, Taemin dropped it. It clanged to the ground and he stepped back, stunned and confused.

"I will watch you, and it'll be extremely fun."

Jongin felt the cold fear grip his heart. He stepped forward, putting himself between them, "Stay away from him," he said.

The dragon then rose to its feet, stretching its limbs as it bared its teeth and flicked its tongue, ready for a fire or a taste of dinner.

"Jongin, go," Taemin said, his voice quivering in fear.

He wasn't about to leave him. He would rather face death by a dragon than abandon his friend because of fear. He reached back and grabbed Taemin's arm, before he took off running, pulling him with him. He didn't know where they could possibly hide, but he just knew they had to get away. The dragon roared loudly, before jumping in the air and soaring above them. It landed in front of Jongin, blocking his path.

He stumbled and tried to turn around, but he wasn't fast enough. The scaly hand of the creature grabbed hold of him. Its claws pressed into his flesh and pulled him from his feet, yanking him right out of Taemin's grasp.

Taemin was thrown to the ground as the dragon leaped into the air again, soaring high into the sky, high above Taemin and high above the estate, taking Jongin with him.

He hacked at the creature's arms and chest, but his blade was no good against the dragon's hard scales.

It flew him over the wall, over the gate, and over the thorns, leaving the property. "Taemin!" he screamed, watching the house, and his friend, grow farther and farther away. "Taemin!"

A/N: Comments are appreciated. ;-) And thank you to all my new subscribers.