The feeling of silver dagger pierced right through a burning throat has always felt wonderful for Junmyeon. He likes it. He likes how the body of his kills shrivel as it screams, dying growls escaping from wide open mouths as the body turns from ember to ashes in seconds. It's his job, although he isn't paid to do this, at least in human's technical definition of pay. And although this has become routinary, dragging at some moments, he still enjoys it. It of course is fun for somebody who is meant to kill demons.

 

Junmyeon is an angel, a heavenly being. But he's half-human, a result of the Third Heaven's only method for them to touch mortal soil without destroying it. They're too holy and gracious, and any contact on anything mortal can be destructive. But infusing mortals within their bodies contain their powers within human shells, letting them walk on earth without destruction. The Third Heavens has sent them to save mankind, a holy task ordered by God himself. Demons have grown too fast that all Heavens have decided to intervene. Mankind is their creation and they want to keep them alive and righteous enough to get them to paradise when they exhaust life.

 

It's almost three in the morning, a perfect time to be awake. It's the time when the wall between Hades and Earth becomes thin, an easy venue for demons to move dimensions. And this happens everyday.

 

Junmyeon stares at his tablet, a map of his city covering the whole screen. Three blue dots blink on three different points, a few kilometers away from each other. They form a triangle, if connected by an invisible line, and the area of the shape is what they call their Rule. Any demon within it is their kill.

 

"Junmyeon," somebody speaks and the blue dot on the northwest pops a bubble. Jongdae's face appears. "Baekhyun senses movement near his point. No new sightings yet. Probably a portal opening soon. For information."

 

Junmyeon nods as he looks at the Baekhyun's northwest position. It remains silent and he likes the suspense. He looks at his clock, twenty seconds to three o'clock. Nineteen. Eighteen. Seventeen...

 

And a red dot finally appears, a small circle close to Baekhyun. Junmyeon smiles. It's finally began. "2:59 a.m. of March 16, 2015. 236th Rule Cleansing begins," he says, a standard operating procedure. But before he can grab his jacket and press the "Start" button on his screen, he feels a chill down his spine when the single red dot grows larger, twice its first size in seconds. Another dot appears, then two more, three, four. Soon, seven circles start to surround Baekhyun and Junmyeon's eyes grow wide in confusion. Baekhyun can't take them down all, not when the first dot apparently is a strong demon.

 

"Junmyeon, move to northwest. We're moving to northwest!" Junmyeon hears Jongdae speak from his tablet and Junmyeon responds with a quick "Got it."

 

Junmyeon grabs his jacket and puts it on, jumping straight off his window. He plunges into the air in a steep downward fall before the fluttering edges of his jacket turn into wings, sticking to his body as he flies back up. He slices through the cold air, a rapid sweep across roof and city lights beneath him. He checks his wrist watch, pressing a button on its side. The small screen shows a blue dot, surrounded by red dots. Two blue dots appear, one from the south, which must be him, and another from the east, which must be Jongdae. He pulls his watch near his mouth and speaks.

 

"Baekhyun, Baekhyun? Can you hear me?"

 

Junmyeon hears a grunt before Baekhyun speaks. "Yes. Four Luvarts, two Oliviers. I need help. I got a Carnivale."

 

"On our way," Junmyeon says. He isn't sure if the chill down his spine is caused by the freezing spring wind or the fact that they are, for the first time, dealing with a Carnivale. So far, there has been only three kinds of demons that have surfaced within their Rule. They call it the third sphere demons—Luvart, Olivier, Verrier—the lowest of them. They're the easy kills, sometimes at par with angels, especially Verriers. But a Carnivale is a different story. It's stronger, more powerful than all the third spheres. Baekhyun may be a powerful and swift angel but dealing with Luvarts, Oliviers, and a Carnivale all at the same time may be too much for him.

 

"I'm here," Jongdae speaks and Junmyeon looks at his watch. "Baekhyun got a cut. Three Luvarts down. One Olivier left."

 

"The Carnivale?"

 

"Almost there. He's weak. Where are you?"

 

"One minute. Hang on, please tell Baekhyun," Junmyeon says. He drops the call and zooms past skyscrapers, flying closer to where the two are. He's close to it, he can sense the Carnivale's presence, too strong he can't even feel Jongdae's, or even Baekhyun's. This is bad.

 

"What's happening?" Junmyeon speaks on his wrist again.

 

"Carnivale...left," Jongdae answers but in a heavy voice, low as if he's struggling to catch air. Junmyeon stops mid-air though when a quick, flash of light shoots up the sky, breaking the clouds hovering above until the light is swallowed back into the darkness. Ascension, when an angel on earth dies and is sent straight back to the Third Heaven. Baekhyun's blue dot disappears.

 

"Baekhyun? Where is Baekhyun?" Junmyeon asks, panicking as he moves again, pushing his speed to his limits. He doesn't get an answer. Seconds later, another Ascension happens. Jongdae's dot disappears. The remaining red dot vanishes right after and it drains the energy out of Junmyeon. One archangel down, another angel dead. One angel left. One Carnivale to battle. He's going to lose this.

 

He reaches the Range, the place where they'd battle demons, a little too late. It's a park, an old, unused park at the outskirt of the city overgrown with shrubs, bushes and tall grass. His feet touches the ground softly, carefully, totally ignoring the crisp sound of fresh leaves crumpling under his soles. He counts the pile of ashes a few feet from him: seven. Baekhyun and Jongdae managed to kill all demons but it doesn't make Junmyeon feel any happy at all.

 

Just as he is about to fly back home, he hears a loud groan from behind him. He jumps, surprised that he almost trips backward. The sound stops, then he realizes it's a moan. It grows louder until it's a scream—a pained scream. He's clueless where it's coming from but it doesn't stop. So he follows it. Breathing hitches in between screams and it's scary. It's the sound of extreme pain and Junmyeon feels a lot more compelled to look for this person than any second earlier.

 

Junmyeon rushes to the woods just close to where he landed. It shouldn't be too deep inside otherwise he wouldn't hear the sound. He looks around, pushing himself into shrubs after shrubs all overgrown under trees until he finds a small piece of flat grassland not too far from where he got in. A human figure lies on the ground and it isn't until he squints that Junmyeon realizes it is actually a person. He runs toward the stranger and lays a hand on his face. He is immobile, except for the mouth that is gaping for air and chest heaving up and down. Half of the stranger's face is burned—heavily burned—and his arms are covered in blood. It's either he screams or he catches air to breathe.

 

His eyes meet Junmyeon and the latter freezes in shock. What is he doing here? And what exactly did happen to him?

 

"H-help..." The stranger shifts his head towards Junmyeon but without hissing in agony. "Please..."

 

The stranger's face looks horrible when his skin has almost melted. "This may hurt a bit," Junmyeon says. He doesn't wait for an answer, or any reaction, because he doesn't like the hissing sound the stranger does. It sounds horrible. It sounds like death by the doorstep.

 

Junmyeon begins mumbling prayers. Small beams of light start to spill from his fingertips. The bright glow spreads to his palm and it starts to feel warm for Junmyeon, burning for the stranger. There is pained noise from him again. "Hang on a bit please," Junmyeon whispers as he keeps his palm centimeters away from the burned skin.

 

Junmyeon doesn't count how long he's been crouching next to the almost dying person he hardly even knows. It's quite confusing, too, that he finds a human being within the Range. But he doesn't really complain. He exists on Earth for Earth anyway and healing isn't really far from what he's supposed to do. This earns favor from God, although rewards aren't honestly at the top of his goals.

 

The burned skin soon fades, the bad brown and bloodied wrinkles smoothing out back to normal. The stranger stops wheezing as his breathing eases, too, eyes closing as he slowly dozes off. Junmyeon pulls his hand away, the light fading out back in his palm. He sits down on the ground with an exasperated sigh. Without the ugly burns, the stranger looks young. And the serenity of his sleep is a huge contrast to the pitiful agony he was in earlier.

 

Junmyeon doesn't realize he's been staring at the boy for a really long time that he forgets about submitting reports and getting updates, which probably includes acquiring better, stronger weapons from the Third Heavens, especially now that a Carnivale has appeared. It then dawns on him that his two buddies are gone, too, which means he has to request for new buddies. He stands up, dusting his pants. He turns around but stops to crane his neck back and look at the sleeping lad behind him.

 

He could leave him here. But his conscience tells him he shouldn't. And it's stronger than his flight urges. He spends a minute standing, arms across his chest, as he purses his lips and contemplates. He smiles to himself and shakes his head. He's already started the Good Samaritan act. Why not make the most of it.

 

He looks at his watch, pressing another button before pulling his wrist close to his mouth. He speaks in a weak voice. "3:17 a.m. of March 16, 2015. 236th Rule Cleansing success. Number of deaths, nine: Four Luvarts. Two Oliviers. One Carnivale," Junmyeon closes his eyes before he continues. "One archangel. One angel."

 

He omits the part where he saves an almost dying stranger.

 

 

 

The boy wakes up at six in the evening. Junmyeon is just about to finish his second bowl of tuna salad when the boy wakes up. It's six in the evening, fifteen hours since Junmyeon's brought him into his flat. The boy grunts as he pushes himself up the bed, rubbing his temples as an obvious nausea hits him.

 

"Water?"

 

The boy looks up. Junmyeon is next to the bed, an arm extended to hand him a glass of water. It's an exchange of stares, one confused, the other blank. Junmyeon sits on the bed. "Water," he repeats.

 

The boy nods as he takes the glass. He empties it in one gulp and sighs.

 

"Uh...what's your name?" Junmyeon asks before the stranger can even ask first. He gets a confused look once again.

 

"Can... you speak?" Junmyeon puts a hand on his mouth. Then to his ear. "Can you hear?"

 

The stranger nods. "M-minseok. Who are you?"

 

"Junmyeon." It's a quick answer and he somehow regrets giving a prompt answer because he shouldn't be doing it. For self-imposed security purposes. But he's already done it. "I saved you from last night."

 

"Saved me? Last night?"

 

Junmyeon looks at him, brows raised. His reaction doesn't change the still perplexed expression on Minseok's face.

 

"You don't remember?"

 

Minseok breaks his gaze and stares at the other half of his body still under the bed sheet. "I...can't remember anything," he whispers. "I know my name. But I can't remember anything."

 

Minseok's eyes grow wide as he puts both palms on his forehead, rubbing it quick before carding his fingers through his hair. He pulls it out slowly. "I...can't remember anything," he repeats. Then he gasps for air. "Why can't I remember anything?"

 

His voice grows louder. Junmyeon knows Minseok is going to be in hysterics soon and if he doesn't do anything, who knows what might happen. A human being he hardly knows going berserk for losing his memory is one of the last things he want to see. And feel. He sometimes wonder if he should start hating his strong empathy.

 

"Calm down. Minseok," Junmyeon says as he inches closer to Minseok, holding him by the shoulder. "It's okay. You're safe here. I'll tell you what happened last night but please calm down. I... I'm, uh, I'm not a bad guy. I assure you. Just... just... calm down."

 

Minseok is in tears, wide eyes staring right at Junmyeon's with fear. His heavy breathing is slowing down but he still has his fingers clenched tightly on his hair. Junmyeon reaches for the latter's hands, slowly and calmly. "It's okay. We'll get it back. Your, uh...memory. It'll take time but we'll get it back. Okay?"

 

A small nod. Hesitant, uncertain. But still a nod. Junmyeon smiles, the most reassuring one he can possibly give right now. He isn't entirely sure how he is too easy, too fast to alter his supposed treatment towards Minseok. He's supposed to be wary, vigilant, but he knows he's always quick to change hearts.

 

Junmyeon knows what a lie is, can tell truth apart from not. He always sees how a black cloud falls on somebody's head, swallowing one up to the chest at every lie a person does. But he doesn't see it in Minseok. It doesn't happen. He waits a few seconds more just to be sure but the fear and confusion in Minseok's eyes are just as pure as how his words feel. So Junmyeon gives in. He succumbs to the innate desire of his kind to help. He runs a short prayer in his head. This shouldn't hurt, should it?

 

"Rest more," Junmyeon says. "I'll prepare food. I'll tell everything when you wake up."

 

Minseok doesn't answer this time. He slides down back to the bed until he's lying down on his back, pulling the sheets to his chest. He dozes off the moment he closes his eyes.

 

 

 

 

Three hours later and Minseok finally wakes up. Junmyeon lets him have dinner first. He isn't even surprised when Minseok takes bowl after bowl of rice and a whole huge bowl of ramyeon all to himself. Junmyeon sneakily to himself as he watches, highly amused and Minseok is just too hungry to notice.

 

"So, last night," Junmyeon begins as Minseok finishes his third bowl of rice. "Your face was burned and—"

 

Minseok stops eating, his cheeks puffed with all the rice in his mouth. He stares at Junmyeon with his usual confused eyes. He blinks as if he didn't get what Junmyeon has said. Then he drops his bowl and chopsticks to the table and touches his face.

 

Junmyeon forgets about how unusual it must be for a human being to hear what exactly he did last night to Minseok's face and he panics for a second before composing back with an awkward grin. "I kid."

 

Minseok gives him another blink. He silently goes back to eating to Junmyeon's amusement again. The latter shakes his head. "You were... You fainted. At Beauregard Park."

 

"I was...at Beauregard?"

 

Images of the park flashes in Junmyeon's eyes and he halts at Minseok lying almost lifeless on the ground, wheezing as he helplessly keeps himself alive. Junmyeon snaps back to present and nods. "As to why you can't remember anything, I don't know what happened. You...probably hit something hard before you passed out."

 

Junmyeon wonders if his last words can pass as a white lie. If yes, he must wait for a punishment. If not, then good for him. But right now, he's just too anxious to care. Especially when Minseok doesn't stop giving him innocent, round eyes.

 

"I don't know where I live," Minseok says. He's done with his bowl of rice, which could be his sixth already. Junmyeon has lost count.

 

"Uh...parents? Friends? Brothers? Sisters?" Junmyeon asks. Minseok shakes his head promptly.

 

It's not like Junmyeon doesn't want Minseok to stay with him until he's okay, at least until he remembers significant things about himself, but he can't always be in the flat to guide Minseok. And he can't be busted. Humans aren't allowed to know. Minseok shouldn't know who he really is, what he does for a living.

 

Junmyeon sighs as he pushes himself away from the table, the chair's legs screeching against the marble tiles. "Once you're done, you can leave them on the sink. There are towels in the shower room, if you want to wash. I can lend you some clothes. And I bought you undies, too."

 

Minseok chokes on noodles and Junmyeon panics, shoving the nearest glass of water to him. It unfortunately hits the edge of a larger bowl and it spills all over Minseok's chest. Minseok stands up, a string of noodle hanging from the edge of his lips. Junmyeon on the other hand is frozen, bent over the table as he looks at Minseok's wet chest and astonished face. He knows he's supposed to apologize but he's surprised, too, at the unfortunate events.

 

"I...I guess I'll shower," Minseok says as he swallows the remaining food in his mouth.

 

Junmyeon nods, pulling back to his chair and sits with red cheeks. "I'm...sorry," he mumbles.

 

"I-it's okay," Minseok mutters, just as flushed as Junmyeon. He turns on his heels and walks toward the washroom.

 

Junmyeon doesn't move until he hears the door lock click. He buries his face in his palms and shakes his head with a groan. He never knew making acquaintances, with humans at least, could be this hard.

 

He hears a beep from his tablet and runs to it. A message from the Third Heavens pops from the top right side of his screen. It's quite long but it isn't something that he's surprised to see. A long list of things to do, warnings, current developments in other Rules, and a bit of adjustments in Range creation. A picture of Jongdae and Baekhyun appears in their white robes. For a moment Junmyeon missed wearing them, but he can't simply just let himself be killed so he can go back.

 

He skims the message and finally reaches the part about his new archangels. Chanyeol, from the 78th Rule before it was cleansed. Jongin, from the 103rd Rule before Carnivales took over it and Second Heaven actually had to cleanse it. Junmyeon knows them, not as close as Jongdae and Baekhyun, but he knows how they work. They may be a little too rigid and unforgiving but they are just want Junmyeon needs. And besides, he's an angel. They're archangels. They know better on how to deal with stronger demons. He'll learn from them.

 

"They will arrive on the 17th," Junmyeon reads, a little too loud to himself.

 

"Sorry? You were...saying something?"

 

Junmyeon almost flips his tablet in surprise and nearly falls off his seat when Minseok comes out of the shower. He prepares for an answer but chokes on his own spit when Minseok appears only with a towel around his waist, water still dripping from his hair. Junmyeon opens his mouth but he realizes it's dry before he can even speak.

 

"Sh-shirt! Wear a shirt!" Junmyeon quickly turns around, head bowed down. Minseok, thankfully, is quick to discern Junmyeon's discomfort and he mumbles an apology as he runs to the bed, grabs his shirt, and goes back to the shower room.

 

It's exactly this reason why Junmyeon dislikes being partly human. Not that he's tried going beyond what his brain is trying to make him do but he knows human needs. He gently slaps his cheeks, knowing how warm they probably have become. He focuses on his tablet and he does successfully.

 

Two days from now. He wishes there isn't any Carnivale to appear tonight.

 

 

 

 

It's the same time, 2:30 in the morning, when Junmyeon wakes up, holding his tablet as he waits by the window. Minseok's fast asleep on the futon and Junmyeon is a lot extra careful not to wake him up. He looks at his tablet, green grid lines against a dark outline of the city map. At the bottom is a blinking blue dot, his ping. Two more dots are supposed to appear but he knows he has to wait for another night before it happens. As for tonight, it's just him.

 

"3:01 a.m., March 17," Junmyeon murmurs to his wrist. "No movements detect—hold on."

 

Junmyeon clenches his fist and holds on his jacket tight. He squints when a red dot appears a few meters away from his coordinate. It's close, and small, probably a Luvart. "Moving. Luvart. Close to 14.552342, 121.043724 by three meters. 237th Rule Cleansing begins in—holy—!"

 

He doesn't finish when a Luvart—a human-like creature with black wings, red eyes, long fingers, and fanged mouth—appears right in front of him. Junmyeon almost knocks himself off backward. His reflexes are quick to react and he sends his place to the Range dimension. Aside from locking a demon within a closed space, it's a precautionary measure to keep out everything that should be on Earth out of possible destruction.

 

A staff appears in Junmyeon's hand out of thin air. He makes a quick swish, hitting the Luvart in the head when it tries to enter the flat through the window. When Junmyeon trips on the bed, it's only at that point he realizes Minseok is within the range. Everything that owned by Earth should turn green in a Range. But Minseok remains as he is, sleeping in flesh, in bright yellow shirt and grey pants. Junmyeon is confused. He stands up when the Luvart pushes itself up. He opens his hand and his staff turns into a dagger. He lunges himself into the Luvart, hand aiming for the dagger, and successfully hits the throat, slashing it quick.

 

"Be gone," Junmyeon whispers. The Luvart, mouth open in a silent scream, disintegrates. It burns red first, until its body becomes gray and it falls to the floor in nothing but ashes.

 

"3:12 a.m. of March 17, 2015. 237th Rule Cleansing success. Number of deaths, one: one Luvart," Junmyeon whispers onto his wrist. The Range disappears and everything goes back to normal. He looks at Minseok, who seem to be undisturbed in his still deep sleep.

 

Junmyeon contemplates on whether he should report this Range glitch. As far as he knows, only demons and heavenly beings are allowed to stay in Ranges. Technically, humans aren't supposed to stay in Ranges—they shouldn't survived a closed dimension with no air. The concentration of Third Heaven elements is enough to cause a human being to incinerate his body without doing anything.

 

Which gives Junmyeon only two possible answers: Minseok is a heavenly being...or a demon. How he lost his memory is a big question with still no answers but the possibility of Minseok being an enemy sends a shiver down his spine.

 

"Also, human found in Range. Still breathing. Location..." Junmyeon sighs as he looks at Minseok. "14.552342, 121.043724. Advice requested."

 

 

 

 

Junmyeon stays up all night yet he doesn't get an immediate response. But still he remains awake, especially after the Rule cleansing, until Minseok opens his eyes. He doesn't deny the suspicion but he reminds himself of how he can't seem to find any tinge of lie in Minseok. And it just confuses him more. He grows a little impatient because the Third Heavens isn't giving him any answers and he has to wait until later if he has to get something from his archangels. The time between now and later is enough for Minseok to wreak havoc—should he be a demon.

 

Giving Minseok the benefit of the doubt, Junmyeon pushes through with his Good Samaritan plan and cooks bacon and egg and brews coffee for two. He prepares Minseok's bath, too, and asks him if he's feeling a lot better than last night. Aside from still not remembering a bit about himself, he looks totally fine. And then in a snap, Junmyeon remembers Minseok only in white towel and that gives another meaning to totally fine. He gulps and finishes a quick glass of water. He shouldn't be thinking of things that can ruin his concentration early in the morning.

 

"You're not a bad guy are you?" Junmyeon blurts out after his meal. One last try but a really dumb attempt. He just needs reassurance. Chanyeol and Jongin will be arriving in a few hours and he has to meet them. So, should Minseok remain pure in his intentions then he supposes he can leave Minseok alone in his flat. A bit of black cloud is enough to make Junmyeon decide to put Minseok somewhere else until he comes back.

 

"I'm not," Minseok answers only after he gives Junmyeon a worried look that sends the latter to a difficult resistance to squish the other's face. He can't be cute and hot at the same time, can he?

 

Junmyeon stares at him and as much as a positive person he is, he still expects a dark cloud to hang over Minseok's head. And of course it doesn't happen. To his relief.

 

"Alright," Junmyeon says. "I'll be out to meet a couple of friends later. So you stay here and wait for me. Keep the flat intact and don't touch anything you think is mine."

 

Minseok blinks, a little surprised. "You're leaving me alone. Here? Are you...sure about that? I mean I'm a stranger—"

 

"You said you aren't a bad guy," Junmyeon cuts him off and Minseok nods slowly. Still pure.

 

"I'll leave at 2:30. If you want snacks, there's salad and juice in the fridge. Crackers and cookies there," Junmyeon says, pointing at the fridge then at the cupboard.

 

Minseok nods again. "What time will you be back?"

 

There is an apparent worry in his voice. Junmyeon smiles, wondering why this feels like baby-sitting. The slant of Minseok's brows doesn't disappear. "It's gonna be real quick. Five? I'll bring take-out for dinner. Pasta?"

 

"Alright."

 

 

 

"Alright," Junmyeon tells Minseok as he straightens the creases on his jeans. "Movies! I got movies in my external."

 

"C-come back quick okay?" Minseok mumbles and he looks so fragile and shy and adorable and Junmyeon doesn't realize he's already patting Minseok's cheeks gently that he pulls his hand back when it dawns on him.

 

"I will. Keep the door locked," Junmyeon closes the door. He can still sense Minseok stand right behind it but Junmyeon cannot do any more comforts. Otherwise he'll be running late. And he knows how Chanyeol will probably hate him late. He wants to leave a good impression.

 

Thankfully, he reaches their meet-up place ten minutes earlier than scheduled. They agreed to meet at Beauregard, as much as to Junmyeon's disappointment, but Chanyeol and Jongin have insisted an inspection of the place.

 

Chanyeol is the first to come, quickly enclosing the park in a Range as soon as he arrives. Jongin comes next, appearing from dust, landing on ground with grace. Junmyeon bows at them and he's greeted with hugs that felt more formal than warm.

 

"Welcome?" Junmyeon says with a smile but Chanyeol doesn't seem to find it the slightest funny. Jongin looks at Junmyeon and shrugs.

 

"Sorry, he's kind of itchy to get on hand with the Carnivale," he says. At least Jongin is making him find a comfortable company. Junmyeon isn't sure if he's supposed to find that amusing, too, but he feels a little uneasy with Chanyeol's character. He decides to let it pass.

 

"So what's the story again?" Chanyeol begins when he turns around to look at the two. Junyeon promptly retells the whole thing.

 

He retells about the red dots. Then he tells how the Carnivale appears and how Baekhyun and Jongdae finish off the Luvarts, the Oliviers. Then he tells how Jongdae manages to kill the Carnivale but at his expense.

 

Chanyeol nods. In the middle of Junmyeon's story he interrupts. "The Carnivale. Did you find it?"

 

Junmyeon stops. "I'm sorry?"

 

"The Carnivale. How sure are you that it's dead?"

 

"There were seven mounts of ashes. One of them larger than the rest," Junmyeon answers.

 

Jongin nods, giving Chanyeol an I-told-you-the-reports-are-right look. Chanyeol crouches on the ground, extending his arm so his hand touches the dry soil. He hums, as if mumbling a prayer to himself. When he opens his eyes, he looks at Junmyeon. "I think we were wrong about the Carnivale."

 

Junmyeon raises a brow. Jongin shakes his head with a light chuckle. "So we're pushing with your theory now?"

 

"What theory?"

 

Jongin sighs, as if he's heard too much of it, although he obviously is giving it a shot with the way his eyes look sharper, brighter. "That wasn't a Carnivale, or at least what Chanyeol thinks. It's possible that it's higher, stronger than we initially thought."

 

Junmyeon doesn't interrupt, listening intently although he begins to feel uneasy. The chills are starting to creep on him. "Belias? Oiellet?"

 

Chanyeol shakes his head. "Astaroth."

 

Junmyeon doesn't hold in a gasp of surprise. Astaroths are first sphere demons, the third strongest to exist. The hair on his back stand on its end. "I'm... I'm pretty sure the... the pings were of a Carnivale. It shouldn't be that small?"

 

The hum Chanyeol makes is a complete negation and Junmyeon doesn't like the way it sounds. "It's an Astaroth but it's taken a shell, a host. It's the same mechanism as ours. We're stronger in our full form, weaker—but still strong—in a human shell. The Astaroth has probably found a human host."

 

Junmyeon's eyes grow in disbelief, a hand over his mouth. His heart beats fast. He's starting to infer things...things that sound bad.

 

"Jongdae and Baekhyun," Chanyeol continues. "They probably have caused enough damage on the Astaroth to burn a portion of it. But it's not killed. It's healing inside its host. They heal quick by the way."

 

Junmyeon is shaking. His heartbeat is racing against his chest and he's pale. An Astaroth in a human shell. He's picking all the pieces, putting them altogether like a puzzle. The probability of him actually finding the demon is high.

 

And he's keeping it in his own home.

 

"Junmyeon, are you alright?" Jongin calls, holding the other by the shoulder. His touch feels too cold, seeping through his jacket.

 

"I...I gotta go."

 

Junmyeon pretends he doesn't hear Chanyeol calling him, or Jongin's footsteps running after him. He passes through the boundary of the Range, the edge of the dimension hitting his face like a soft thin line of gel. It slows him down but he manages to pass right through it. Soon he's breathing fresh air again. He pulls his jacket and jumps, its edges turning into wings. He's gliding through air fast.

 

 

 

 

His chest feels heavy, unsettled, disturbed. Right now, he wants to see Minseok. He wants the truth spoken out of Minseok's own mouth. He can't believe he's let himself be fooled with human innocence.

 

He lands on the roof deck and runs to the staircase, three floors down until he reaches his door. He opens it and finds Minseok eating a bowl of chips while watching the news.

 

"Hi!" Minseok greets, lips curling to a smile. But it disappears in a second when Junmyeon charges at him, holding him by the face. The bowl falls off Minseok's hand, spilling its contents on the floor. Junmyeon is too mad to care.

 

"Tell me you're human," Junmyeon says, still holding Minseok's face with both hands.

 

Minseok is trembling, his eyes wide with confusion and fear, more of the latter. "What..."

 

"Tell me!"

 

"I am human!"

 

Minseok shouts in fear. Junmyeon pulls a dagger from his belt and points it at Minseok's throat. At the sight of the blade, Minseok's eyes gets filled with tears, speechless, lips shaking as much as his hands are.

 

Not a single black cloud appears. Minseok isn't lying. He's human. But Junmyeon's guts tell him he shouldn't be satisfied with what he assumes could be tricks. Demons aren't dumb. They can be wise, even wiser than angels.

 

"Please...don't kill me," Minseok pleads. A tear rolls down his cheeks, words almost incomprehensible from so much shaking. His cold hands are wrapped tight around Junmyeon's wrist, desperate and afraid.

 

Junmyeon drops the blade and it disappears in dusts. He pulls Minseok into a hug, the latter's face buried onto Junmyeon's chest. And at that moment Minseok sobs, hands curled on Junmyeon's jacket as he cries, his whole body still trembling

 

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I was...I panicked. I thought you were... forget it. I'm sorry," Junmyeon repeats, keeping Minseok in a tight embrace.

 

"Junmyeon."

 

Somebody speaks from behind him and he turns around. Jongin and Chanyeol has caught up on him, both standing by the door. He's forgotten to close it as soon as he arrived.

 

Chanyeol is the first to step inside. "Who is he?"

 

Junmyeon, all of a sudden, feels protective of Minseok. He stands up but stays close to Minseok.

 

"I...helped him. He was...unconscious. Memory lost," Junmyeon says. "Letting him stay here until he remembers—"

 

"Where did you find him? Is he the human you reported?" Chanyeol asks, not letting Junmyeon finish his words. Junmyeon doesn't answer. He takes a defensive stance. He isn't even sure if the two won't take notice of it but they do.

 

Jongin snaps his fingers in the air and the flat turns black and green. He's put the flat in a Range. Chanyeol's eyes grow wide when Minseok doesn't fade out into green and remains in flesh within the dimension.

 

"What is happening?" Minseok asks, holding Junmyeon's wrist tighter.

 

"Why is he in the Range?" Jongin points at Minseok, voice loud and frantic. He stretches his hand in the air and a sword forms, fingers wrapping quick on its grip.

 

"I can explain!" Junmyeon yells. Minseok holds on his wrist tighter that it almost hurt. It's cold.

 

"Where did you find him?" Chanyeol repeats, this time in a louder, agitated voice.

 

"Beauregard! He was at Beauregard!" Junmyeon responds. "After...the cleansing."

 

It's enough for the two to move in flashes. Before Junmyeon can do anything, Jongin swiftly runs and holds him by the wrists, locking his arms. He grunts and tries to budge off Jongin's hold but stops when Chanyeol gets hold of Minseok, dragging the latter to the floor.

 

"Junmyeon! Help!"

 

"He doesn't remember anything!" Junmyeon yells as he helplessly watches Minseok getting pushed onto the floor, on his knees. He knows his appeal to pity won't work but he still tries. Chanyeol raises his hand and mumbles a familiar prayer. Junmyeon's never done it but he knows what it is: exorcism.

 

"I'll make him remember," Chanyeol whispers.

 

"Hold on! Stop! He's human—"

 

Jongin holds him tight, almost painful when his fingers dig on Junmyeon's flesh. "Sorry. Stay still."

 

Minseok doesn't move, frozen on his spot in fear. He has his eyes stuck on Junmyeon, as if begging to save him for whatever is to happen. But there's nothing Junmyeon can do, not when he's stuck in Jongin's grip. A bright circle appears right where Minseok is kneeling. Chanyeol keeps on reciting prayers, too fast that Junmyeon barely understands what he's saying.

 

He sure has seen everyone exorcise possessed beings but the one Chanyeol's doing is different. It looks a lot more complex, a lot more powerful. And Junmyeon doesn't deny that it scares him as much as Minseok is already. The circle locks Minseok in place. His attempts to stand up seem futile—he always ends up dropping back to the circle. Minseok gives Junmyeon one last desperate look and then he's screaming. Junmyeon yells, telling Chanyeol to stop but not even Jongin listens to him. He's held tight on his place.

 

Minseok's screams grow louder. It's deeper, stronger, more terrifying than it was earlier. It's dark, as if it isn't Minseok. Chanyeol takes a defensive stance, his prayers just as loud as Minseok's voice. A hand is stretched out towards Minseok while the other is summoning his weapon, white dust slowly forming a white staff.

 

"Draw your weapon," Jongin whispers and lets go of Junmyeon. The latter obeys and soon he has daggers on both hands.

 

A dark cloud comes out of Minseok's mouth. It starts grey, like a thin smoke, until it condenses and becomes like a black viscous fluid. His lips stretch wide, as if he's puking it off. It smells horrible that they have to cover their noses. It carries on for seconds until it covers Minseok wholly. Chanyeol doesn't stop with his prayers.

 

"What is that?" Junmyeon asks, holding his daggers tighter. "Is that...the Astaroth?"

 

Jongin nods. He steps a foot back and bends his knees, holding his sword properly as if preparing for an attack. "It's near its form. Get ready."

 

The black cloud forms a human figure, a red gem appearing on its head. It's basically faceless, except for a mouth, wide and fanged. Chanyeol raises his voice, the end of his incantations loud, echoing into the emptiness of the Range. When he stops, it's silent, only his heavy breathing. The Astaroth doesn't move, its mouth tweaked to a menacing grin. Junmyeon doesn't like how it looks like. He notices though that it's missing an arm. There are no more black clouds surrounding it to complete its human form.

 

"Is Minseok inside this?" Junmyeon asks.

 

"We have to kill this to figure out," Jongin answers. "Chanyeol will count. At three, try to be alive."

 

Try to be alive. There's no time to think about what Jongin has said because Chanyeol begins counting.

 

One.

 

Junmyeon holds onto his daggers. He bends his knees and prepares to charge.

 

Two.

 

Chanyeol points his staff at the Astaroth. He wears the same stance as the two.

 

Three.

 

It's a synchronized move. They lunge at the demon at the same time. Chanyeol manages to hit it with his staff on the head. Junmyeon takes one dagger into its side but is thrown quickly to the wall too hard that it almost breaks. The demon shields itself from Jongin's stab when one of its legs becomes as hard as steel.

 

Chanyeol and Jongin bounces back. Junmyeon stands up and massages his neck, concentrating to ease the pain away quickly. He looks at the Astaroth as it flails, trying to pull the silver dagger off its side. Jongin comes to Junmyeon, an arm extended to help him up and Junmyeon takes it.

 

The Astaroth looks at the two and its mouth opens, a dark red light forming inside it which he aims at Jongin. Junmyeon pushes Jongin away and he rolls to the opposite side before the red beam hits them. The explosion causes enough dust to disperse in the air and Chanyeol takes this as an opportunity to attack again. He twists his staff and the edge becomes pointy, like a spear, and he charges. The Astaroth seems to have noticed the movement, managing to dodge the attack.

 

It makes another red beam, this time hitting Chanyeol's arm. Junmyeon charges, taking a vulnerable spot. He pulls the dagger off the demon's side, sending it to a writhing growl. Jongin jumps, stabbing the demon on the shoulder, missing the chest. Junmyeon runs to Chanyeol to help him up.

 

"Are you alright?" Junmyeon asks as Jongin tries to battle out the Astaroth on his own. Chanyeol hisses in pain though, holding his left shoulder which is already doused in scarlet.

 

"It's okay. Just a cut," Chanyeol says. "This one's weak. We can take it down," he continues, sounding confident.

 

"Stab him on both sides," Chanyeol tells Junmyeon when he notices that he already has both his daggers back. "I'll catch him in the chest. Jongin, take it from the head down. But only until the chest. Don't go beyond my hit."

 

Junmyeon looks at Chanyeol and the latter smiles at him. "We'll try to save the human."

 

There is a small pang in Junmyeon's chest. Excitement? Fear? He doesn't have enough time to discern what exactly it is. He's focusing on the instructions because that's what he has to do right now if he wants to save Minseok.

 

"Jongin, you've heard me?"

 

"Yes!"

 

Chanyeol grins as he stands up. "At the count of three. One,"

 

Junmyeon holds his daggers again.

 

"Two. Three."

 

Junmyeon jumps and stabs both daggers onto the demon's sides. The pain sends the demon growling without movement. Chanyeol comes next, running with his staff piercing right through the middle. Jongin takes his cue and jumps with his sword above his head. Its edge hits the gem on the demon's face, shattering it to pieces before the blade slices through the head. It goes down but without struggle, when the demon's sharp hand tries to hold the sword from slicing further. Junmyeon twists his daggers and Jongin finally takes the blade lower until it hits Chanyeol's spears.

 

"Off!"

 

They jump away all at once, leaving their weapons stuck on the Astaroth. It screeches, its arm unsure which blade it should start pulling out. Chanyeol chants a prayer when its hand finds the grip of a dagger. Junmyeon and Jongin follow. White light forms at the tip of their fingers and they point it at the demon. It starts to smoke, as if burning, then it melts. The dark flesh becomes grey as it turns to ashes.

 

It's finally over.

 

 

 

 

 

Chanyeol drops to his knees and Jongin rushes toward him, healing him quick on the still bloodied shoulder. Junmyeon on the other hand runs toward the pile of ashes.

 

It covers an apparent human figure. Junmyeon puts a hand on the body, his palm glowing, and in a snap, the ashes are blown away, sent outside the circle that once marked the demon's spot.

 

Minseok lies there, his face burnt in almost the same state when Junmyeon first found him.

 

"Hold on," Junmyeon whispers, putting the his hand on Minseok's face. He pulls Minseok towards his lap but he feels unusually heavy. He calls out his name once, twice, but Minseok doesn't answer.

 

"Hey, Minseok?" Junmyeon repeats, gently shaking Minseok's body. He touches the burnt face, rough on his skin. "Wake up. It's done. You weren't really bad you know. It wasn't your fault."

 

Minseok remains silent. Jongin kneels next to Junmyeon and touches his hand. "Junmyeon," he shakes his head. "It's okay." A small bright white light, like a soft dancing flame, comes out of Minseok's mouth. It stays there, as if wanting to be noticed. Junmyeon reaches for it and it follows his hand, staying in his palm.

 

Junmyeon's chest clenches, like it's collapsing on its own. The next thing he knows he's crying. It sounds ridiculous He's crying because he was Minseok's hope. He was too young to leave even if Junmyeon knows he'd be better off in the heavens.

 

The light feels warm on Junmyeon's hand. It lowers itself, as if planting a soft kiss on Junmyeon's palm, before it floats away. It moves higher, passing through the edge of the Range, before shooting up into the heavens. The clouds part, and a portion of the Third Heavens comes into view, engulfing the small light before the clouds close it again.

 

Chanyeol puts an arm over Junmyeon's shoulder. "I'm sorry," he whispers.

 

Junmyeon nods, wiping his tears with his hand. He chuckles awkwardly and tries to keep his lips to a smile. He tries to smile even if he tries to defy the truth that he's seen human death, felt how it is to see human death. It's glorious when they were angels, when they welcomed souls in the Third Heavens, but it is sure too different when they're on Earth, when they feel things as human beings.

 

"It's okay," Junmyeon says. It's okay because he'll see Minseok again when he goes back to heaven.