* * * * * *

Taekwoon was surprised to see who attacked him suddenly. Surprised to see how furious and foreign Hakyeon looked at him. As if Hakyeon was someone else.

It wasn’t the Cha Hakyeon he knew of.

This one was full of wrath and evil. A full intent to kill him. Charging at him with all his might.

Taekwoon didn’t know what to do except to dodge the latter’s attacks at all cause. He couldn’t find it himself to attack back until he could fully understand what was going on.

The four who had fallen and weak realized that the Moon in which Hakyeon possessed could no longer hold the older back. The sorrows and darkness was too much for Cha Hakyeon to handle alone. Losing Soo-ah became too much for him and he was too tired to fight any longer.

He gave up.

‘Stop Hakyeon-ah! You need to fight back and come to your senses!’ Jaehwan ran up to try to stop the Dark Hakyeon.

But the Hakyeon in front of them could no longer hear their voices. Instead, Hakyeon attacked Jaehwan on sight.

Jaehwan tried to defend against Hakyeon’s attack with his blade in front to guard him but he was only human now and too weak to take on Hakyeon’s powers. He immediately got shot backwards, and landed hard on the marble flooring.

‘Dammit Cha Hakyeon! Don’t make me fight you too!’ Ravi shouted as he saw Jaehwan’s body land across the room. He tried to put a barrier around himself and casted a powerful spell to ward off Hakyeon’s powers but it didn’t work. Instead, Hakyeon absorbed those witch magic and deflected straight back at Ravi.

‘What… is going on?’ Taekwoon still unable to find the answers to the situation and seeing Hakyeon hurt his companions bewildered him even more. ‘Why…’

Since when was Hakyeon this strong? This powerful? And… this evil?

‘Master! Watch out!’ Hyuk pushed Taekwoon aside as he saw Hakyeon launch a powerful lightning attack against his master. Taekwoon managed to get away from the attack but Hyuk took the damage instead.

‘Hyuk-ah!’ Taekwoon shouted out after realizing that his loyal hellhound took the damage for him. Why did Hyuk stand up for him after trying to betray him and brought these unexpected people to interfere with his isolation?

‘You need to stop Hakyeon. He’s being controlled by the darkness and even the Moon can’t hold back his powers anymore.’ Hyuk told Taekwoon.

‘What are you talking about?’

‘He’s a Demigod. He’s only half of a human. His mother was the Goddess of the Moon who guarded the heirloom here in the Underworld before she escaped to the mortal realm. The darkness and evil of the Underworld flows within Hakyeon’s blood. Just like you master.’

Taekwoon was too stunned by the sudden truth that was laid before him. What Hyuk said made sense though. The Cha Hakyeon that was attacking them aimlessly was not the same ‘lifelong’ friend and lover he once knew. He thought he knew everything about the boy but Taekwoon was utterly wrong. Too wrong.

He knew nothing of the boy named Cha Hakyeon.

* * * * * *

Hongbin saw that everyone was getting hurt in the process of trying to stop the evil Hakyeon and Taekwoon was too shocked and weakened by the fact to do anything. He was the only one to remain. He had to be strong. He has to stop Hakyeon before it was too late.

Hongbin took everything within him, every last bit of magic he could bring out in order to fight against Hakyeon.

‘Hyung! Come to your senses please! You’re hurting everyone! Stop! Please!’ He shouted and tried to snap Hakyeon back to normal. But nothing could be heard in the state in which Hakyeon was in right now.

In a split second, Hakyeon caught Hongbin by the throat and triggered a strong serge of lightning throughout the younger’s body.

Hongbin tried to endure the power and fight back but he was already too weak to do anything. He wanted to stop Hakyeon not hurt him.

‘Hakyeon-hyung…’ Hongbin said faintly as he fell to the ground.

Taekwoon saw that even the boy who seemed so close to Hakyeon had fallen to the ground. He didn’t know what was going on anymore except that he had to do something. Not only will Hakyeon hurt everyone else in the room but eventually, he would hurt himself as well. The evil that was engulfing Hakyeon whole was frightening.

Taekwoon took his blades and launched himself to fight against Hakyeon.

The moment they collided against one another, something shook within the Underworld.

The night in which the three worlds were brought into chaos.

* * * * * *

The injured boys could only witness the battle while they were too weak to interfere any longer. Taekwoon who was fighting evenly against Hakyeon was slowly losing himself as well.

Let me out! Let me end him! There should only be one Ruler in this world and that shall be me!!

Taekwoon tried to fight the voices within him but he was too preoccupied with defending and fighting against Hakyeon at the same time to separate his mind and body. Eventually, he lost control of himself to his other half.

Both were now battling against the other’s dark powers. Both fighting to kill and conquer the Underworld. Neither were in their right minds to come to their senses any longer and continuously casting vicious magic at one another. Swords clashing and the worlds were collapsing.

Everything was falling apart around them. And neither could see it.

That their battle brought tears and worries to the others that could only watch…

‘This is bad. This whole place will collapse if we don’t do something!’ Ravi warned the others.

Jaehwan, Hyuk and Hongbin struggled to get back up on their feet but the ground below them was shaking uncontrollably. The powers of darkness whirled around the throne, fighting for the spot.

Even with all four of them trying to attack at the same time, they were too overpowered. They were too weak at their current state to fight not against one but two sources of evil. Both halves of the Moon reacted violently towards one another and chaos was brought around them. Destroying everything in sight.

* * * * * *

Why are we fighting one another? I didn’t come here for this… Taekwoon-ah, why do you look so hurt? So full of pain? Is it because I’ve done you wrong again? Stop me Taekwoon-ah… I can’t hold on much longer… I’m too tired to go on any further.

Hakyeon’s power and will was slowly decreasing and his senses were becoming much more clear. But what stood in front of him, made it almost unbearable to watch or endure. Taekwoon was surrounded by darkness, so much more than he was before, as if it was the result of Hakyeon’s weakness. As he became pushed back by the vengeful Taekwoon, Hakyeon caught glimpses of his surroundings…

The four who stood by his side this entire time, his companions and friend, had fallen. Injured and weak due to their struggles of trying to bring both Taekwoon and Hakyeon back to reality.

What have I done?

He tried to defend himself against Taekwoon’s attacks while trying to gather his senses back from the dark world within him. He’s already broken Taekwoon once before, if he doesn’t stop Taekwoon this time, there will be no return. And the four who laid still on the floor as the ceilings were collapsing, would be in even more danger if Hakyeon didn’t do something quick. He knew he had to prevent the destruction in which he caused but what can he do?

Hakyeon stopped in his tracks. Stopped defending himself from Taekwoon’s powerful attacks…

‘Taekwoon-ah…’ He called out.

In an instant in which he let his guard down, Taekwoon’s blade pierced straight through his body.

‘I’m sorry Taekwoon-ah. For everything…’

If only I didn’t fall in love with you. If only I didn’t fall in love with my own sadness, my own doubts and fantasies… Your world would not have become so burnt and black. So full of hate and sorrows. Let us put an end to this. To this tragedy once and for all.

I’m sorry.

* * * * * *

Are you all ready for the final chapter? I'm not.

Fun Fact #27: The title for this fanfic 'The World of Us' was actually inspired by the video game 'The Last of Us' (first 5 minutes of that game made me cry a river...)

Fun Fact #28: The six asterisk (*) that divides each section per chapter was something I added into the story to make the format a bit cleaner and easier to read. They also represent that six members of VIXX. OT6 powers!

Fun Fact #29: There will be an epilogue that follows right after the final chapter. 

Fun Fact #30: This will be the last and final 'fun fact' for this story but I am already in the process of storyboarding for my next NEO fanfic!