Beloved, you are forever cursed to love me...

PART ONE

A staccato of short sharp breaths.

Kyungsoo could feel his broken rib pressing against his lung - his heartbeat pulsing slower and slower. He grit his teeth, wheezing as he pushed his body upright and against the wooden pew.

The pain came fast and without mercy; breathing slow and careful as he let out a broken gasp.

Across the room was Sehun, leaning against the marble walls, still trying to catch his breath. To his right, was Baekhyun, unconscious, his body covered by Sehun’s coat.

Despite their strength, the tracers had overtaken them by sheer numbers. Sehun had run ahead, carrying Baekhyun on his back while Kyungsoo fended and distracted as many as he could.

But there were too many, and unlike other battles, Kyungsoo was distracted - distracted by Baekhyun’s wounded state and the fear of tracers discovering Jongin.

He removed his hand from his side, a deep cut now breaking his skin. His palm soaked in the red - he blinked, conscious slipping little by little.

“….soo…Kyungsoo!”

He blinked again. “…Yea,” he answered, forcing himself to focus.

“How bad?” Sehun asked, eyes following the other’s hand as it returned to the wound.

Kyungsoo shook his head. “Can’t tell, but enough to make me useless.”

“You need sleep.”

“No, not now.”

They were lucky - lucky to make it to the cathedral in time but he could hear them still, outside, their screeches drowning in the wind.

He tilted his head back, his eyes searching the dome ceiling - a circle of gold sigils were painted around the rim of the dome. Kyungsoo had read about it in the books - he assumed that was probably why Joonmyun had even suggested the place.

The cathedral of Alor was protected, protected by ancient Celestial magic - nothing born from darkness could enter, which was why the tracers now paced outside, waiting.

“Sleep,” Sehun ordered as he wrapped Kyungsoo’s wound with pieces of his t-shirt arm, “I’ll keep watch. They won’t be able to get in.”

No. Kyungsoo thought. They wouldn’t, but soldiers could.

His hand began to shake - Sehun was right of course, he needed rest to recover. As a Balkan soldier, his body could heal faster than a regular human could. 

He nodded, his eyes instantly closing and he didn’t know for how long, but he fell asleep.

“…if…Jong!”

Kyungsoo gasped awake, groaning as his bandaged wound scraped against the wooden pew.

“Careful.” Warm hands pulled him upright. He blinked to find Baekhyun well and conscious, a grin plastered on his lips.

“You’re awake,” Kyungsoo stated.

“Yep.”

“And your wound?”

Baekhyun smirked, pulling his collar to reveal his scar already half-healed.

“Looks like huh?” he chuckled as Kyungsoo frowned, “but thanks to Sehun I’m not dead.”

Kyungsoo smiled. Leave it to Baekhyun to brighten such a dreary situation.

“How long was I asleep?” he asked.

“An hour,” Sehun walked up, handing him a jar of water, “Found these in the cellars.”

“Thanks,” Kyungsoo sipped in the cool water, sighing as it relieved some of his pain. He set it down, trying to get up, and then instantly regretted his decision as his legs gave away.

He wobbled, clutching the pew next to him.

Sehun and Baekhyun rushed over, both holding him on either side.

“You lost too much blood,” Sehun warned, “Keep your movements slow.”

Kyungsoo nodded - he had underestimated himself.

“Brr….” Baekhyun shivered, rubbing his arms, “Is it just me or did it suddenly get cold in here?”

Kyungsoo blinked, pausing for a moment, and then blew out a strong breath - it turned into frost as it hit the open air.

Sehun cursed, turning his head to scan the room cautiously.

“Do you think he sent them?” he asked the other.

Kyungsoo blew another breath. Baekhyun was right, the air was getting colder - too fast, too rapidly.

Baekhyun caught their exchange of sudden panic, he glanced back and forth between them.

“Baek, stay close to Sehun,” Kyungsoo ordered, his eyes already alert. He turned to face the Cathedral door.

Sehun took a step blocking Baekhyun from sight, his fists curled and whips of wind picking up around his feet.

It was eerie - a quiet moment of something foreboding lurking behind the oak doors. In a matter of seconds, the door burst open - a loud crash of dust as splinters and pieces flew into the air.

Baekhyun held his arms up to block his face, he squinted trying to see past the dust.

Who was it? Tracers? No, Sehun had told him they were safe here.

He glanced at the other two, at the way their stances had grown stiff, their shoulders hunched and brows turned down.

“Well…” a coy voice echoed into the cathedral - two shadows slowly forming at the doorway. “Lookie here, isn’t this a surprise?”

They walked forward as the dust dissipated - the moonlight from the clerestory windows looming over their features. Baekhyun gasped.

Pale.

Pale eyes - white like a smoldering fog.

That was the first thing he noticed.

The man caught him staring - Baekhyun stepped back, unsettled by the scrutiny of those eyes.

“What are you two doing here?” Kyungsoo interrupted, his voice calm and commanding despite his condition.

Pale eyes laughed, the chime bouncing from wall to wall. “Look, Baozi,” he turned to speak to his comrade, “Isn’t it funny? They look like frightened bunnies.”

Sehun stepped forward, the wind growing speedily around his fingers. He was about to attack.

“Uh oh,” Pale eyes sniggered, his gaze focused on the young soldier, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Kyungsoo motioned to his friend to stand down. Sehun stepped back reluctantly, releasing his powers.

Baekhyun gulped, studying the changes in everyone’s demeanor.

Did Kyungsoo and Sehun know them? They didn’t seem like friends.

A sigh.

“Come now,” Pale eyes voiced in a sing-song tone, “Can’t we all be civilized? After all, we traveled all this way to this boring little town.”

Kyungsoo grit his teeth. “Chen, what are you after?”

The one called Chen smiled - a sly curl of his lips.

“Ah! Well, you see we’re on a super special mission.”

Kyungsoo clenched his fist. “The King sent you?”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened in shock.

“Ding Ding!” Chen laughed, his expression immediately changing to something different.

Baekhyun took another step back so that his figure was now fully covered by Sehun’s tall stature.

“But we came willingly, of course,” Chen continued, his head cocked to one