PART TWO

Present.

“Are you okay?”

Baekhyun swayed, startled as a touch of warmth wrapped around his waist. It had happened once or twice, ever since they had reunited with the Zeros. It started with a quick spell of dizziness and then a lightness to his body that was unsettling.

He blinked as his eyes settled on the Zero that caught his fall.

“I’m fine,” Baekhyun muttered and distanced himself quickly.

“You didn’t eat anything last night,” Luhan voiced with concern as he passed on a container of cool water.

Baekhyun accepted it gratefully, gulping the last bits of fresh water as if his throat was parched with thirst.

He sighed as the dizziness began to fade.

“What are you tracking everything I eat?” He remarked sarcastically. He wasn’t sure why he snapped. It had left his lips before he had a chance to retract it.

Luhan clenched his jaw but bit back any words that he might have wanted to say.

“No… I just want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”

“I’m fine,” Baekhyun repeated, “Go mother someone else.”

Luhan frowned at the sharp tone, but a part of him also knew that this was how Baekhyun guarded himself, to distance himself with words. He wasn’t any different than how he was as Nameless.

He sighed, a touch of frustration in his breath.

“Don’t worry about Chen,” he assured the other, “He’ll get over it. He just… got too caught up in his emotions last night.”

Baekhyun kept silent, cautiously eyeing the other.

“He took it the hardest out of all of us,” Luhan continued, “when we thought you were killed.”

Baekhyun sighed, rubbing at the tension now building in his head.

“How far to Krell?” he quickly changed the subject.

“Half a days walk if we’re quick,” Luhan answered.

Baekhyun nodded.

“I’ll get the others ready. Tell Kris we’ll leave soon.”

Luhan bowed his head, but as he turned to leave, a pair of thin fingers lightly pulled at his tunic.

He turned, surprised to find a certain sadness in Baekhyun’s eyes.

“Lu,” Baekhyun whispered, “I do regret it, you know. Leaving all of you.”

“I know,” Luhan smiled, his deer-like eyes glazed as the warmth of the morning sun washed onto his skin.

The group left their camp in a rush, mostly under the barking supervision of Chen who was still tightly wound from the night before. According to him, they would reach the city of Krell by early evening.

Ever since they had been forcefully taken from Alor, Jongin silently questioned Joonmyun’s sudden disappearance. From what he could remember, he had seen him last in Alor with Luhan and Yixing. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo both suspected that Joonmyun had something to do with the Zero’s arrival, otherwise how else would they have known the group’s exact location?

“Do you think he’s okay?” Jongin questioned, worried that something bad might have happened to the man.

He walked alongside Sehun to his left and Chanyeol to his right. They were walking farther ahead, keeping a slight distance from the Zeros.

Sehun shrugged. “Does it matter?”

“Don’t worry,” Chanyeol narrowed his gaze on the other, “Wherever Joonmyun is, I’m sure he can take care of himself.”

“But what if he’s in trouble?” Jongin sighed in frustration.

“Stop worrying,” Chanyeol squeezed Jongin’s arm, “or you’ll get wrinkles,” he teased.

Sehun rolled his eyes, gagging at the sight.

“Anyone else curious about the story from last night?” he asked.

“I talked a little with Baek after,” Jongin replied, “I’m sure he’ll tell us more once we reach Krell.”

“Doesn’t it make you uneasy though?” Sehun raised his brow, “I mean he had this whole other life before that you had no idea about.”

Jongin pressed his lips. Of course, it had bothered him, but would he admit it to his friends then? No.

“Let’s not talk about this,” Chanyeol consoled nervously, casting dagger eyes at Sehun. “Have you guys ever heard of the legend of Krell?”

The other two shook their heads.

“It's an old tale really. I guess they don’t even share it in school anymore?”

“Not really,” Jongin pondered out loud, “All I can remember reading is that Krell used to be a major trading port before the War.”

“That’s true,” Chanyeol nodded, “In fact, traders from all over the world would meet there and exchange rare items.”

“Have you both ever been there? I mean have you ---ah!” Jongin hissed - quickly grabbing onto Sehun’s arm as he tripped on a few loose rocks.

“Be careful,” Sehun chuckled, lighting guiding the other’s elbow and pulling him up. “And no, this would be my first time.”

“I have,” Chanyeol’s brow was pulled together in a pensive concentration, “It was a different city then.”

Jongin cocked his head to the side, curious about what his friend truly meant.

“You’ll see when we get there,” Chanyeol continued, “But stay close, both of you. People there are…” he hesitated slightly, “they’re not as pleasant as what you experienced in Manoa or Alor.”

“I”m sure I’ve seen worse,“ Sehun bragged.

“No,” Chanyeol shook his head, “You’ll see.”

As they continued to walk, the sun slowly edged closer to the horizon - their steps grew weary as time passed on. Jongin would occasionally turn around to check on Kyungsoo who was busy keeping his brother engaged. Meanwhile, the Zeros would take turns cautiously making sure that Baekhyun could climb over the fallen trees or that he was aware of the slippery paths ahead.

“Yeol?” Jongin called.

“Hm?”

“You said something about Krell’s legend?”

“Oh, right. So before the War, there were rumors about Krell’s King - I think his name was Othos. Apparently, Othos had a vision one night where a beautiful fairy chastised him for ignoring his people’s poverty. When Othos woke up, he couldn’t hear anything anymore.”

“He lost his hearing?” Jongin doubted with shock.

Chanyeol nodded, grinning at the other two’s slacked jaws.

“Anyways, the fairy also told him that if Othos would change his ways, she would send him a young child who could sing with the voice of angels.”

“At first, fearful that the fairy was a demon in disguise - Othos went on a rampage commanding his guards to capture anyone who could sing. But when none of them could cure his illness, he killed them.”

“So then what happened?” Jongin asked eagerly.

“Near the end of his life, Othos finally found a child with the voice of angels but his hearing was never cured. So, I guess it was never the one. He had failed to change his ways and ended up committing even worse acts against his own people. When the War began, the city was destroyed but there is a rumor that from time to time, whenever the moon takes its full shape, the city streets echo with the sound of angels.”

Chanyeol grinned widely, cheeks plump as he watched the other’s face beam in wonder.

“…wow.” Jongin paused, “Do you think we’ll hear it? when we get there?”

Chanyeol chuckled, his large hands ruffling through Jongin’s dark hair.

“It’s just an old tale, Jongin. I doubt it’s true.”

But as sure as Chanyeol’s warning, Krell was a city of different nature altogether. The location of Krell evoked peril as it sat on the edge of an immense cliff overlooking the vastness of the deep sea.

Their soon dirt path shifted into paved stones with an array of long spears caging the sides. The tips of the spears were painted a nauseating red.

It also did not help Jongin’s state of mind when they were confronted with enormous stone walls that were smeared with ash. It was a forewarning - Chanyeol had explained - to visitors of the danger of death that lay beyond.

Jongin grew nervous with every step, his previous excitement suddenly diminished by the overwhelming smell of something rancid.

“Whatever you see there,” Chanyeol whispered, “Ignore it.”

“What do you mean?” Jongin questioned.

“Just keep to yourself and stay near me, okay?”

Jongin flinched slightly as Chanyeol’s calloused fingers wrapped under his wrist. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Luhan and Kyungsoo also slightly on guard with his brother in the middle.

“Hey - you okay?” Kyungsoo approached as soon as they exchanged glances.

Jongin smiled nervously.

“Nothing like the books, huh?” Jongin nodded towards the city.

Kyungsoo nodded. “Worse than I expected.”

“Mhm…” Jongin glanced behind, distracted.

“He’s fine.”

“Hm?”

“Baek. He’s fine, don’t worry. I doubt the Zeros would let anything happen to him.”

“Oh,” Jongin turned back to the other, “right… he’s been having these dizzy spells…”

“Yeah, I noticed. We’ll have Yixing take a look at him, don’t worry.”

Jongin nodded with a breath of relief.

“You’re alike, you two.”

Baekhyun stiffened at the sound of Orixe’s voice beside him. He kept his gaze towards his brother who was now busy chatting with Kyungsoo.

“Alike, but different in a way,” Orixe continued, “Also, some things never change. How long are you going to continue ignoring me?”

Baekhyun glanced down at the ground, gulping as his eyes locked onto Orixe’s tall shade overshadowing his own. He subconsciously touched the silver band latched around his wrist.

“You’re still wearing it,” Orixe noted, a slight hint of amusement in his voice, “I thought you’d throw it out of spite.”

Baekhyun stopped walking, finally matching eyes with the dreadful icy-blue irises.

“What are you doing, Kris?”

“Isn’t this what humans do?” Orixe scoffed, “Make light conversation?”

Baekhyun snorted, rolling his eyes.

“You’re not human,” he replied coldly, returning to his hasty pace.

Orxie easily caught up to his stride. Annoyingly so.

“Neither are you,” Orixe retorted.

“I’d rather not do this right now. I’m not in the mood.”

Orixe frowned, his face slowly warping into the first signs of his anger.

“You’re still a child, saying the first thing that comes to your mind,” he growled.

“And you’re still quick to anger,” Baekhyun snided, increasing his pace.

“You really think you can outwalk me?” Orixe snickered, “With those short legs of yours?”

“At least I’m not an overgrown mountain giant,” Baekhyun glared, his eyes fixed as Orixe studied back. He gulped as Orixe’s lips parted to a smile.

“See?” the tall Zero commented, “Some things haven’t changed.”

Jongin’s chest grew heavy, his shoulder brushing against Kyungsoo as the city’s dark gates creaked open.

“Stay close, Soo,” Jongin cautioned as he reached for Kyungsoo’s arm, “Chanyeol said this place is dangerous.”

The Balkan soldier smirked, rolling his eyes, but he closed his palm around Jongin’s warm hands, feeling the pulse of their fear coursing through their skin.

If Alor was vibrant and bustling, then Krell was nothing of that sort.

The view in front of them as the gates opened wide was so shocking that Jongin stood frozen in time. He had expected a rush of color, the overlapping voices of market vendors, and the beauty of the unexpecte