II 

"Fire !"

I screamed out loud suddenly waking up. I startled Baekhyun who was sleeping peacefully on my stomach, he widened his grey eyes at me in surprise and meowed lightly. I slowly breath in and out trying to catch on my breath, and calm down my heart that was currently beating like crazy, while pices of the dream where lingering through my mind.

I felt a warm hand on my bear shoulder and that's when I realized that Baekhyun took his human form."What happened, you scared me to death." his eyes where worried and puzzled."Sorry, seems like i had a nightmare." I dropped my body on the warm and cozy blanket and scratching my arms in the air. As i saw Baekhyun's confused eyes I sighed and recalled my nightmare.

It's a weird dream...but i remember pitch black surrounding me and suddenly a little flame appeared ,it became bigger and bigger until an imposing fire lit up and revealed the fact that i was outside, somewhere on a field. Right in front of that fire a silhouette began taking shape, that appears to be a man's silhouette. I was only able to see his built back covered by a leather jacket that was beautiful sitting on his broad shoulders. He was tall ,dressed all black with dark brown, ruffled hair.

His hands were dug in his pockets and his dark brown hair slowly falled back as he rised his head to look at the starry sky. I was in a daze and didn't realize the smoke around me ,my lungs were already full of it and i started coughing uncontrollably.The young man slowly turned his head but disappeared in the shadows.That's when I woke up . It was intense and almost real ,like a vision...but no, I never had visions in my dreams , that was impossible."

Baekhyun ,who was my hair gently as I was talking, sighed and shook his head in disapproval ."What if it wasn't a dream ?" I could see it in his eyes, he was afraid and confused, that's when I rubbed my nose on his "Don't worry, we just need to be careful."and as soon as a smile crawled up on his face, I reached for my drawer and yawned "We have to focus on our journey ,that's all it matters right now." I slowly turned to look at him , but he smoothly sneaked behind my back and jumped to the window transforming into a cat once again.

"Don't wander around too much, we have to catch the train in about an hour." I yelled after him, knowing that I couldn't ruin his morning routine of going out hunting. He spun around and shook his head in a cute way, studying me for a few seconds before rushing out the window.I sighed deeply as I grabbed a pair of black jeans and a simple loose tank top and went to the bathroom for a quick shower. I the cold water and relaxed my mind, trying not to overthink my situation.

"Will I succeed this...or die trying ?" once I realized what I said shudders ran down my spine and I shook my head along with that thought.
 What I needed was a calm and empty mind and after 10 minutes I was clean and ready to leave. But the mirror grabbed my attention, it was the reflection of a skinny girl with lips red as blood, hair black as the night and skin as white as the powder , it was my reflection. I was in a daze checking all my imperfections and cringing at them that i didn't realize Baekhyun arrived and he was now standing behind me.

"Are you amazed by how ugly you are, or what ?" he said smirking as i was trying to tie my hair up into a ponytail "At least I don't go out eating rats." Baek's smirk faded and was now placed on my face, but it disappeared as quickly as it comes "Enough of this,we really need to go." I said placing my hand on the sharp draggers fixed on my belt ,i grabbed my eyepatch and placed it on my left eye. "Why are you still using it ?We won't be with our clan." Baekhyun said hazy.

I looked in the mirror at my left eye, the one that holds all my power, the one that sees emotions and induces vizions, my deep purple eye. Even if i didn't need to wear it again, i wasn't confident with it, the people stare at me and wisper about the unusual color.I was looking in the mirror in a daze and suddenly i felt a warmth enveloping me. Baekhyun was hugging me from the back, squeezing me in his arms and placed a small kiss on my head.

"It's ok, you can still use it..also... don't listen the people..it's beautiful so stop worrying." it was usual for us to be like this, Baekhyun is a cat so he loves skinship and i was thankful for that."Thank you" i hugged him back and sighed at his chest "Now it's time ,let's go." I took my leather jacket and my backpack, I checked if the knives i hidden inside my sleeves are still there and in the blink of an eye we were gone.

۞

The ground was wet from the rain and steps could be heard in the distance ,7 black shadows where moving on the ground but they suddenly stopped. "Everything seems alright here." the shortest one said looking around "We are not here for that." said another one playing with his daggers."Shut up you two, we arrived." Once they stopped one of them casted a spell and the huge gates opened .

A crowd of people where waiting them, terror on their face, womans were hugging their child and others where growling deep in their throat .They bowed and regained their posture really quick "Exodus is here..." the leader started "And as you all of you know it's time for us to chose the next one to fight in the arena."he finished his sentence.

"More like die in it.You take us there and let us die." a teenage girl hissed angry while her mother pulled her shoulder "Minah ,are you crazy ?!" she looked disperatelly at her daughter's face but Minah just shook her off "No !! You should be ashamed of this. A king should protect his people ,not let them die."she yelled at Exodus's leader who raised his arm at her, signaling silence.

"And you'll be one of them." he said in a cold-hearted tone "Take her." the knights behind them grabbed the girl and tied her hands "You can't do this !!" she was struggling while her mother was crying in despair."It's actually easy" the blonde boy said "You're weak, you lose. " he finished his sentence smirking and looking for another human.

"Hmmm who should i chose." he said tapping his chin."Do it already Sehun, we need to go." Sehun frowned and let out a sound "Ahh ! I know, let's make this interesting, i'll pick a strong one.Dohyun ," Sehun pointed at the man who took care of them, who was more like a leader  "show me the strongest one." he continued with a mischievous smile.

Dohyun raised his face and looked for one "You !" he locked his eyes with a boy in his twenties ."Come here !" at Dohyuns command he stood in front of Sehun and looked him directly in his eyes ,this was forbidden and Sehun snorted "You have balls young man, i like that...You're coming with us, you and that beautiful woman behind you." the boy's face dropped and his eyes pierced the ground immediately. "P-please, take me ,do anything with me but leave her alone." the boy asked sehun with teary eyes.

"Sehun we only need two people, that's enough. Kai tell him to stop." Lay squeezed sehun's shoulder and Kai looked at the boy and girl holding their hands and snorted "No way , I like Sehun's idea. Wouldn't it be fun to see this young boy protect his love." Lay sighed at Kai's statement and turned around "Whatever, just take them we have to go."

The knights grabbed the two remaining people and Exodus shoot a final glare at the people "We provide your safety for this one requirement. You should be thankful we don't ask for more." Kai speaked in a calm tone "We'll be back ,but for now ...all of you, filthy humans, are safe."

"My lord ." a woman said with shaky voice.Kai turned his head slowly as the woman spoke "We heard the King holds a tournament tomorrow...Are you really going to search for the stones? Will this finally save us from this disaster ?" her eyes pierced the ground as she heard kai sighing "For now, this doesn't concern you humans." he once again tried to leave but the woman continued.

"But that means a lot of other creatures will come in Exoluxion and a lot of our kind are still outside The Crossfire Hall, if you don't do something death will occur them." suddenly pain shoot through all her body and she shouted in pain,all of them knew kai's special power , he could induce pain with one single look, he was the one who spoke right now in a deep growl.

"Those humans don't want to be protected by us, they don't want to be locked in here , they want to be solitary...Why would I care about them ?" kai whispered his last words and released the woman from pain ,she coughed blood and raised her head at the leader "If the creatures get feed by our blood...they become powerful and all of you know that !" she hissed "that's why you keep us here." her words were more like a whisper now "it's not about protection, it's about power." tears ran down her face and she closed her eyes "If Sera was here, this would never happen." they where the woman's last words ,she falled breathless on the ground shortly after.

Kai was trembling in anger ,his mother's name still lingering in his mind and soul."Kai...don't." Tao laid a hand on Kai's shoulder "Take her body as well." Tao stared at the woman until a knight took her in his arms "Until next time, farewell." and the gates closed leaving the humans in despair and fear.

"That was fun." Sehun said stretching his arms tired. Kyungsoo looked at him unamused by his words and then looked at Kai with cold eyes "That was unnecessarily, now we need to burn her body somewhere safe.The king would be angry if he founds out one of them died without his knowledge." Kai shrugged his shoulders and looked in the distance in a daze "Whatever."

۞

" !" The train was already moving when we got there . I looked at Baekhyun and he nodded ,we started running and bumping into people , running side to side with the train trying to get in. Baek was more agile , he caught the door's handle and jumped inside in the bink of an eye. He immediately reached for my hand.

"Gain, come on,the river." he yelled desperately , right in front of me was a river that held the railroad , i had no choice "You better catch me,stupid cat." i said holding my breath and jumped for Baek's hand right at the edge of the cliff. I close my eyes and let myself be lifted by a  powerful force. Baekhyun had enough power to catch me and without any effort he pulled me inside the train. We crashed into the ground, both breathing like crazy.

"You're insane." Baekhyun mumbled. I started laughing at his statement and he followed me shortly after. "It would've been wierd if we wouldn't cause something." i said out loud holding my stomach because of too much laughter "I'm actually tired of the we get into." Baek mumbled again massaging his shoulder and i ruffled his hair laughing again .