Lilith came back from grabbing her shoes in some furry pink pumps and attire that was better suited for the outside. She turned up her chin and waved her girls off, “I’m ready,” she walked over to Seunghyun and narrowed her eyes then folded her arms, “There is one thing you must know first, I do not walk.”

Jiyong rolled his eyes, “If I knew getting you to help us would be this much of a hassle, I would have gone somewhere else.”

“Shush honey, you love my company,” Lilith let out a small laugh and put a hand on her hips, “Have you ever ridden ?” she asked Seunghyun and winked.

“Uhm,” Seunghyun cleared his throat from the awkward question. When it came to Lilith he didn’t know the context of it, though he had a feeling that she was just messing with him.

She placed a hand over to stifle a giggle and smiled, “A horse Seunghyun, have you ever ridden ?”

“Oh, uh, no.”

“Well then, I guess you two will have to ride together. Unless you would rather ride with me?”

“No thank you,” Seunghyun didn’t want to be closer to Lilith than he had to, she really unnerved him.

She shrugged, “Suit yourself.”

Jiyong pat Seunghyun’s shoulder and smiled a knowing smile, “Yeah she takes some getting used to,” he took Seunghyun by the hand and walked with him to where Lilith kept her horses. Jiyong couldn’t actually remember when he rode a horse, but he supposed he would still remember.

Seunghyun had a hard time getting onto the horse, almost falling face first on the other side before getting it right. When he finally got himself situated he gingerly placed his hands on Jiyong’s waist, and looked up at the sky, Jiyong had a nice waist.

Jiyong sighed, took Seunghyun’s hands and placed them firmly around him, “We don’t want you falling off, hold me tightly.”

“Right,” Seunghyun held tightly, and let out a shaky breath, he figured this was going to be a long ride.

Lilith looked back at the two with a wide smile, “Ready boys?” she laughed heartily and took the horse by reigns, “And we’re off!”

Seunghyun had only wished that he could see the look on Jiyong’s face as they rode. He had never ridden a horse. The closest he had ever gotten to a horse was riding in the back of the wagon that was going a snail’s pace to his home. That was the only time his village grower had let him ride.

Being on a fast horse was something he had never experienced, the wind through his hair excited him, and the smell of pine rushed past him. Everything seemed to be amplified, yet it was all just a blur.

Jiyong felt Seunghyun’s grin against his back, his chest felt tight from the small gesture. This was a feeling he hadn’t had in a long time, and Jiyong was almost afraid of feeling anything for Seunghyun because there was still the matter of that little deal they made, and Jiyong wondered at the end of the year, would Seunghyun even want to stay with him? No one ever had, Jiyong supposed it was his fault, but he had never been this close to being liked, let alone kissed!

He wondered if his worries were absurd, and that maybe he could be happy being a demon if Seunghyun was there with him. Jiyong chewed on his lip, there was just so much he had to think about. He almost thanked this conflict, a war, it had brought him closer to Seunghyun, something that he didn’t know he even wanted.

 Lilith put her hand up, signaling that she wanted to stop. She whipped her hair from her shoulder and looked back at the boys, “We’re here,” she got down and waited for them to walk over to her while she checked her nails.

“Where are we?” Seunghyun looked around, there was a small dilapidated place situated in a clearing surrounded by people quietly talking to themselves and tables everywhere.

“It’s a place where all demons alike come to hang out. It’s where all the gossip is,” Lilith twirled her black hair around her finger and sighed, “I come here often, the gossip is quite interesting.”

Jiyong smirked, “Deeming that you can pretty much talk anyone into telling you something, I get why you’d be here a lot.”

“Don’t look at me like that, some people have social lives besides working all the time,” she pursed lips for a second then placed her hand on her hip, “I heard about you and this one,” she motioned toward Seunghyun, “Had been going around mucking things up for demons lately. I knew you were going to come to me soon.,” she pouted, “Though I hoped I would have had more fun with you two,” she gave Seunghyun a look and tilted her head to the side like she was sizing him up, “I’m still perplexed, how did you resist my spell.”

Seunghyun groaned and looked up toward the sky to himself strength, “I don’t know Lilith. Is it really that much of a big deal?”

She scoffed, “Of course it is,” she turned to Jiyong, “If he’s some type of threat you have to tell me. These demons don’t like threats.”

“What am I chopped liver?”

“Jiyong honey, nobody is frightened of you. Despite all the rumors the demons all know you keep to yourself and never start the trouble, and there won’t be any trouble. My problem is, they don’t know Seunghyun, and if he’s a threat…” she lowered her voice, “We’ll have a problem.”

Seunghyun put his hands up, “Hey I’m not all that powerful or whatever you’re worried about. There isn’t anything about me that’s threatening in this environment.”

Lilith walked up to Seunghyun and took him by the chin and lifted his chin, almost like she was examining him, “A lady never reveals her age, but I must admit that I’m old, very old,” she paused for a second, “Though I do age like wine, but that’s beside the point. I know when someone is a threat even if they don’t know it. You’ve got something in you,” she looked at Jiyong, and for the first time Jiyong didn’t see her as a silly woman anymore, but the old being that she was, “There’s something in the works between you two, and it’s big.”

“Lilith,” Jiyong took Lilith by the arm and gave her a look that mainly told her to shut up, “Now isn’t the time.”

She faltered, her eyes glancing between the two before she stubbornly tore her arm away from Jiyong’s grip and set her stance, “They’ll smell the tension in the air if you don’t calm down.”

“I am calm Lilith.”

Seunghyun had no idea what they were talking about, but what he did know was that he was getting frustrated, he was tired of all the secrecy, and tired of not knowing what was going to happen in the future. He didn’t want to find out that Jiyong knew more than what he let on because it hurt and frustrated him that he couldn’t even know about his own future.

“Stop,” Seunghyun shoved his hands in his pockets to keep his hands occupied, “You know something Lilith if you do, tell me.”

Lilith hmphed and ran a hand through her hair, “I don’t know anything about you, but I have a feeling. I’ve lived on this earth a very long time. I’ve seen it come from nothing to what is now, so when I tell you that there is something up with you I mean it,” she stretched her hand forward and placed it on his chest, “Right there, there’s something there. You are strong, you just don’t know it yet.”

Seunghyun nodded his head and took that in. He had no idea what the meant, or what it had in store for him, but it almost made him feel better. Seunghyun didn’t like feeling useless, because he never was, and he hated that feeling now, “All right then, what are we doing standing here. We have to get some answers.”

Jiyong gave Seunghyun a wary look and nodded his head, taking him by the arm and guiding him to the group of demons situated outside and inside the decrepit building. There was a mild ruckus that stopped when the three of them walked in. Lilith raised her hand to keep them from walking any further, “I’ll handle this.”

“Hi boys!” she cheerfully greeted the group of demons that were eying the newcomers warily.

“Lilith,” a man warned with a childlike voice, “You know we only like peace in these parts.”

“Speak for yourself Phenex!” a random demon yelled from the back, itching for a fight.

Phenex sighed, “Are they cool?”

“Well of course they are cool. You know Jiyong, and this is his companion Seunghyun.”

Phenex raised an eyebrow, “Another companion Jiyong? I hope this one likes you,” Phenex motioned for them to sit with him at his table, “Come on now, I expect y’all are here for a reason.”

Lilith smiled and sat down at the table, “You know me well,” she walked her fingers over to Phenex and let her lips turn up in a seductive smile, “We’re looking for answers.”

“You are always looking for answers,” Phenex tore his hand away from Lilith’s and gave Seunghyun a side eye, “What’s up with him?”

Lilith blocked Phenex’s view, trying to keep her smile on her face as she kept Phenex’s attention on her, “Nothing, he’s a nobody, look Jiyong has some questions for you, can you answer them.”

“Can’t answer a question I haven’t heard,” Phenex moved Lilith out of his line of vision and again focused his attention on Seunghyun, “I’m a man of science Seunghyun, do you like science?”

Seunghyun faltered, he didn’t understand what science had to do with anything, “I never really dabbled in the sciences, why?”

“Ah, I thought so, no really does,” he leaned forward and narrowed his eyes when he looked at Seunghyun as if he was trying to figure out his secrets, “Do you like Jiyong, Seunghyun?”

Seunghyun couldn’t figure what that had to do with anything, more so he was too embarrassed to say in front of a stranger and a harlot. It was his personal business how he felt about Jiyong, except of course if he was asking if only liked him rather than liked him, “What do you mean?”

“I mean do you enjoy Jiyong’s company is all?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Good for you Jiyong,” he winked at Jiyong, then his face turned serious as he looked at all of them, “Where’d you find him Jiyong?”

“What?” Jiyong was a little surprised, what was this Phenex trying to do? Fish out information before he would spill anything? “In a small village through a forest.”

“How lucky,” Phenex his chin, “I suppose the stupider demons you have come across couldn’t see it, but I would bet money Lilith noticed it, and I would bet money you noticed it too and never said anything,” Phenex laughed quietly, “You boys are looking for answers, when you find them you’re going to need more help than yourselves, and you both will need to be at your strongest.”

Seunghyun turned to Jiyong, a perplexed look on his face, “Jiyong what’s he talking about?” Phenex was getting on his nerves and so was his voice, he sounded like a child, but he spoke like a grown man, and the secrets irritated him as well.

Jiyong waved his hand, trying to dismiss this conversation. He did not need to hear this, not now, or ever, “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

“This is the second time this has been brought up Jiyong!” Seunghyun stood up angrily, “What haven’t you been telling me?”

The chatter stopped as everyone turned toward Seunghyun, they were intrigued now and fiending for blood. Though most were unsure they were going to get it at all.

Jiyong grabbed Seunghyun’s sleeves and tugged on them for him to sit down, “Please Seunghyun, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jiyong begged, hoping Seunghyun would listen to him. Jiyong did not want to cause any attention toward them than they already have, and Phenex riling up Seunghyun wasn’t helping.

“I don’t know because you aren’t telling me? What is it Jiyong?”

Jiyong was on the verge of a panic, he did not need things to come to light just yet, in truth he had planned on spilling some of his secrets to Seunghyun when the time was right, but in the light of recent events, he hadn’t wanted to, “I can’t,” Jiyong spoke sullenly, “The truth will hurt you.”

Seunghyun pulled Jiyong up, “We need to talk, now.”

Jiyong mouthed toward Lilith, his eyes screaming help, and his body rigid from confrontation, “Wait a minute this isn’t what we’re here for.”

Phenex sat back in his chair, “I’m not willing to help till he knows what he is. A man must know the true extent of his situation before he should help others. If you send him out there without any knowledge of self, he will fail.”

“Exactly,” Seunghyun pulled Jiyong by the arm and dragged him outside and away from the crowd. It was hard finding a secluded area where he could talk to Jiyong alone, but he did eventually find one to talk out his frustrations, “What are you hiding from me?”

Jiyong looked down at the floor, he didn’t like being interrogated, especially not by Seunghyun, “If I tell you, you’ll want,” Jiyong looked up at the sky, he didn’t want to say it, “I can’t tell you because then you’ll want to do it.”

“What is it?” Seunghyun hissed, trying to keep his voice down.

“I told you that you were a lot more special than you thought, right?”

“Yeah, what of it?”

Jiyong tugged Seunghyun a little deeper into the forest, he didn’t want anyone eavesdropping into their conversation, “I knew all along,” Jiyong placed his hand on Seunghyun’s chest and spoke cautiously, “You were chosen for a reason, we both know that. I promise you I do not know exactly what for, but I do know you are special. I was waiting for the right time to tell you.”

“If you were waiting for the right time then why not tell me now?”

Jiyong leaned into Seunghyun, hoping he wouldn’t push him away and laid his head on his chest and sighed heavily, “I was going to until…” Jiyong trailed off.

Seunghyun’s gaze softened and he lifted Jiyong’s chin up so he could look him in the eye, “Until what?”

Jiyong groaned in Seunghyun’s chest and squeezed his eyes shut, “Until you made me care about you,” he huffed, squeezing Seunghyun’s shirt in his fist and sighing heavily, “I’m sorry, I just I’ve never, well I mean I have…”

“You’re blabbering Jiyong.”

Jiyong wrapped his arms around Seunghyun and closed his eyes, “Just don’t make me tell you, I don’t want you to get hurt. You’re the first person in a long time that I’ve ever cared about. I can’t handle pain.”

“Tell me,” Seunghyun asked again, whatever it was Jiyong was afraid of, he would have to get over it now or else they would not be able to move forward.

“Okay,” Jiyong paused, taking a deep breath before telling Seunghyun something he was extremely adverse in saying, “Humans are all born the same, but sometimes someone is born differently. These people go on to become beloved Kings, reviled scientists, courageous fighters. Though some never utilize their potential, yours is different Seunghyun,” Jiyong placed his hands up Seunghyun’s spine, feeling him, mapping out the parts that he deemed the most special, “Those people I talked about are all random, but you have been handpicked for something greater.”

Seunghyun shuttered, taking in a small breath at Jiyong’s tentative touches, “And what does that mean?”

“When you were born something very strong and powerful placed something inside of you. You have something in your heart Seunghyun, I don’t know what it is for, but it’s strong.”

“What’s so bad about telling me that? Did you think I would freak out?”

“No,” Jiyong said quietly before clearing his throat, “There are ways to bring it out prematurely, this, whatever you have in you, usually manifests when you die.”

Seunghyun’s eyes widened, and he subconsciously wrapped his arms around Jiyong, almost like he was going trying to keep himself grounded, as if he let go he would disappear just from the sheer magnitude of Jiyong’s words, “So I have to die, to bring it out?”

“No, not exactly, you can bring it out now. I just don’t know what exactly is inside of you, how strong it is, and it could kill you. A human body is not meant to harbor these type of powers, it could rip you apart.”

Seunghyun was quiet as he thought about it, and then he gave Jiyong a look that Jiyong was fearing. This was why Jiyong was afraid of telling him, because he was afraid of losing him, “I want to do it. I’m no use to you like this.”

“I knew you were going to say that,” Jiyong knew Seunghyun did not like feeling like he was useless, like he could do nothing when they were in danger, and he knew that Seunghyun would do anything to stop feeling that way, “I-I can protect you, and your power you don’t need it to manifest so quickly. You know I can protect you, don’t you?”

In a perfect world Seunghyun would sweep Jiyong in his arms and kiss him and tell him that he could live with Jiyong protecting him till the day he died, but he couldn’t. there was too much at stake to let Jiyong do this by himself. He didn’t know what would come up in the future, and he wanted to be able to do the protecting himself, “I know you have the strength, and I know you can protect me, but I can’t let you do it alone. So please, tell me how this can be done.”

Jiyong blinked a few times before sighing heavily and taking Seunghyun by the hand, “Come on, Lilith will tell you.”

Seunghyun saw the sadness in Jiyong’s eyes, it was like he was gone before they even started, but Seunghyun refused to be scared. He was tired of being scared.

They walked over to the small building, and Jiyong walked over to Lilith, his lips placed in a large frown as he looked at her. In his heart, it was her fault, and it was Phenex’s fault. He didn’t want to go through with it, because he just couldn’t handle seeing anyone he cared about in pain, “He wants to release it.”

Lilith knew exactly what Jiyong was talking about when he said it, “Does he know the implications of doing such a thing?”

“Yes,” Jiyong angrily said as he clenched his fists, “And I’m sure you want to watch,” he spat at Phenex, giving him the dirtiest look he could muster.

Phenex seemed unfazed, “You’ll realize this is the right choice. You’ve never had an opportunity to mature Jiyong, you’ll realize it one day.”

“Where can we do this?” Jiyong ignored Phenex and directed his attention toward Lilith.

“There’s a backroom, once he starts screaming it won’t be so private though.”

Seunghyun gulped, he guessed there would be pain, lots of it.

There was a lump in Jiyong’s throat from hearing that and he just simply nodded his head. He was giving the okay to start, if it was what Seunghyun wanted, he couldn’t stop him.

“All right Seunghyun, come with me,” Lilith beckoned Seunghyun to follow her, and Jiyong and Phenex followed as well. Once they were situated in the backroom Lilith put on a grave look, “You’ll need to take off your shirt Seunghyun.”

Seunghyun didn’t ask any questions and lifted his shirt over his head and then through it on the floor, “Now what?”

“Phenex and I will use our strength to draw whatever this is out of you. Seunghyun you must know it’s going to be very painful, and you might not survive.”

“I know, I still want to do it.”

“Okay then, let’s get started.”

Jiyong stood on the sidelines, he didn’t want any part of what they were doing. He had seen this ritual once before, performed by amateurs, it was messy, bloody, and the person went through agony only to die in the end. Jiyong didn’t know if he could handle something like that if it happened to Seunghyun. He almost wished he hated Seunghyun so he wouldn’t feel anything about the whole situation, but he didn’t, and he hurt thinking about it, and it hasn’t even started.

He watched slowly as Lilith removed a knife from her hip, these things always dealt with blood. Jiyong almost covered his eyes, they were going to mark Seunghyun’s skin with ancient symbols that Jiyong couldn’t even remember. He swallowed down a lump in his throat as Seunghyun winced in pain. Jiyong didn’t even know why he was standing in the room to begin with, he knew he couldn’t handle this, but some part of him couldn’t leave Seunghyun alone with them.

Lilith took Phenex by the hand after she had finished drawing more symbols on the ground and looked at him to start chanting.

What they spoke was a language lost, only the oldest demons knew it, and only the smartest could decipher it. A human’s body wasn’t to be tampered with this way, and that is why most have died trying to do this. At the end of the chanting, there was no going back, the body will be set in motion and the spirit within will scream in agony as the magic in their soul is practically ripped out.

Seunghyun gave Jiyong a tentative smile before his ears couldn’t hear the chanting anymore and everything seemed to be white noise. His senses dulled, till all he could feel was pain like he was being ripped apart and he could barely stand up from the feeling. It almost indescribable.

Jiyong covered his mouth and looked away, he couldn’t watch Seunghyun go through this. Jiyong choked back a sob when Seunghyun started letting out screams that he had never heard before. He turned to Lilith, burying his face into her shoulder and holding her tight, it was the only thing he could to keep himself from running out of the room.

Lilith Jiyong hair, she hadn’t met a demon that felt so much. To her, if Seunghyun died it would be another human loss that was meant to be for either foolishness or a higher power. She had no emotion to show, and neither did Phenex. Jiyong had always been an odd demon, he refused to let go of his emotions, and Lilith wondered why? He was crying for the human, and Lilith couldn’t even understand the emotion. She was perplexed, but she would hold him as they waited to see if Seunghyun would even survive this, or if Jiyong would break again.