PART TWO

“Chen,” Kyungsoo clenched his fist, weariness gripping at him, “I don’t know what’s going on, but if you’re going to take us in, leave Baekhyun out of it.”

Chen frowned, his head tilted to the side - pale eyes darting from Kyungsoo to Sehun and vice versa.

His lips pulled to one side.

“And who do you think you are? Telling me what to do?” his pale eyes narrowed.

Kyungsoo bit the inside of his cheek, a gulp of saliva down his throat.

“Besides,” Chen gestured towards the oak doors, “Shouldn’t you be worried about the rest of your party right now?”

Kyungsoos’ eyes widened.

Chen sniggered. “You didn’t think the King just sent us two did you?”

Sehun grimaced, fear building in the pit of his stomach as the stone beneath them suddenly cracked - the whole cathedral set into a course of vibrations.

Kyungsoo was livid.

“Reeeelaaaaxxxxx,” Chen mouthed, clearly not impressed by the show of anger, “They’re fine. Now if you’ll stop barring your teeth at us, we need to go.”

“Where?” Sehun asked, patting his heaving friend to calm down.

“To meet Orixe,” Xiumin answered.

Both Sehun and Kyungsoo’s faces blanched.

“He…he’s here?” Sehun stuttered.

Chen laughed. “Of course. Oh, you poor bunnies. Scared?”

“Shut up!” Sehun spouted, trying to control his faltering voice. He peeked to his side. Kyungsoo was unnerved, his anger suddenly replaced by pure fear.

This was worse than they thought.

“Well then, after you,” Chen gestured flamboyantly. The oak doors were now cracked open, ice bursting through splinters of the torn wood frame.

Kyungsoo and Sehun walked forward, cautiously eyeing the two Zeros as Xiumin carried the unconscious Baekhyun on his back.

“Soo,” Sehun whispered between themselves, “If Orixe is here that means the rest of the Zeros are too. We won’t be able to fight them all.”

“I know.”

“What do we do?”

“I don’t know,” Kyungsoo hissed back, his lips bruised and tongue bitter from the taste of blood. He was annoyed - frustrated by their bad luck and helplessness.

The thought of losing Jongin flashed through his mind - his hand unconsciously hovered over his heart. He could feel the beat pulsing faster - a fever striking against his chest and leaving him cold.

Flashback, Chanyeol’s POV

A few years back…

“Jongin!!!!!” Chanyeol called frantically as he ran through the streets - his damp hair slapping against his face and eyes squinting through the morning fog.

His breath heaved, chest tightening as minutes passed, then hours. He blew warm breaths into his hands, skin shivering from the cool air.

He had been searching all morning - ever since Baekhyun had burst into his home, wounded, crying that his little brother had ran away.

Something bad had happened.

It felt wrong, strange. The fear lodged in the back of his throat and he could sense the tremor of the earth, the taste of blood lingering in the air.

The thickness of the fog hindered his pace - every step taking him farther away from the city walls until his feet crushed into the sea of tall and wild grass.

He had to find him. He knew. If anywhere, he would be there.

He stopped - lungs released into a deep sigh as his sight locked onto the missing boy. He ran.

Jongin was sitting, surrounded by the tall grass - his arms pulling around his legs and head cradled in between. Chanyeol could hear the silent sobs as he got closer.

He could hear the quivering breaths as he sat beside him, his palm slowly resting on Jongin’s back for comfort.

“Jong,” he whispered softly - a gasp when he finally noticed the splotches of red covering his friend’s shirt and bruises covering frail arms.

“What happened?” he asked.

It took a while, but Jongin lifted his head - cheeks glazed, eyes red and swollen. He shook his head.

Chanyeol sighed. “You’re cold. How long have you been here?”

“I….I dunno….didn’t want to go back…” Jongin muttered, rubbing his eyes.

Chanyeol nodded. “Your brother’s looking for you. Everyone is.”

“I don’t care,” Jongin muttered, pulling his arms tighter around himself.

Chanyeol waited silently. When the fog began to clear, it was easier to see the severity of Jongin’s wounds. A large bruise now formed on his lips and a deep gash to the side of his neck.

It wasn’t odd - he had seen from time to time the abuse that Jongin had taken from the guards, but not to this extent.

Never to this extent.

Every time he would bring it up, Jongin would either smile or laugh it off calling them ‘growing wounds’. But not this time. No, this time Jongin was broken.

“Yeol…” Jongin murmured, his wet eyes searching into the distance, “Do you think Roe and Vana really wanted me?”

“Of course they did! Why would you even think that?”

Jongin shrugged, his jaw clenched.

“….the guards, they said we’re dangerous, Baek and I. They said Roe and Vana only took us in so they could sell us later for our powers…”

Chanyeol frowned and pulled him into an embrace, his arms wrapping tight - somehow he could dull away the pain.

“Jong, don’t believe those stupid guards,” he consoled, “You’re different and they fear that.”

“They were trying to make us use it, our powers,” Jongin whimpered.

Chanyeol grit his teeth. Using powers without passing the exam was illegal - by law, the guards could’ve killed them if caught.

“Are….are you scared of me too?” Jongin sobbed, his eyes pleading.

“No,” Chanyeol smiled, “You’re as scary as that old gramps down the street.”

A faded smile broke the corners of Jongin’s lips. His breath slowed as he leaned his head into Chanyeol’s shoulder.

“Is…is Baek okay?”

C