3 am.

Mocking of the Holy Christian trinity.
 

The devil's hour.
 

A time in which spirits are said to roam free and the darkest of all demons is at its strongest, crime peaks and blood-soaked rituals summon tormentors from another dimension. An entire hour where the name of man's greatest protector has no effect and all are victim to the curse of the night.
 

I am not Christian, I don't know what I am, therefore the so-called devil's hour does not scare me nor does the visage of a tall half-goat man dripping with red body paint wake me from slumber.
 

No. What wakes me is a bright flash of light, not dissimilar to lightning, followed by a searing wave of heat and a blood-curdling scream.
I bolt up in bed, Lay's arms falling from their steel-tight grip around my waist, hand grasping desperately at my chest in a feeble attempt to stop my rapid heart from beating through my ribcage. As I overcome the initial shock, I pull the covers over my still sleeping Warrior and creep my way to the door of my bedroom as quietly as possible, intentionally hopping around the notoriously squeaky floorboard by my desk and hesitantly open the door.
 

My first reaction is to slam the door shut again and run, scream for my Warriors and let them take care of the dark figure standing in the middle of the upstairs living room, but I beat down the urge and open the door a crack more as my eyes adjust and the figure becomes more than a haunting silhouette.
 

I breathe a sigh of relief and place my hand on my chest again as I fully open the door and approach the figure with light footsteps.
 

"What the dude? Why'd you scream? Please don't tell me it was a spider..." I trail off as I receive no response, worry growing like a cancer in my heart.
 

He doesn't move. His eyes are shut and I momentarily believe he is sleep-walking, but his muscles are tensed and his breathing is uneven, rapid and short. His face and bare chest are covered in a light sheen of sweat that appears to shine in the minimal glow of the street lights outside, his pants are torn at the knees and his bare feet are covered in what looks to be black and blue bruises.
 

The heat that rolls off him is enough to make me instantly sweat and the floor beneath him is charred as if someone built a campfire in that exact spot. A field of electricity covers his entire body, the crackling white energy flowing rapidly up and down his limbs, snapping and occasionally flickering out as if to try and touch objects near him.
 

I don't fully discard my observations but they are pushed away at the sight of worn leather and yellow paper.
 

That ing book.
 

But it is not my priority right now, Chen is.
 

"Is everything okay? what was that scream?" Chanyeol asks as he enters the room, scratching the side of his face as his bleary eyes try and assess the situation.

"You need to get Lay," I whisper to myself or Chanyeol I have no idea, all I know is that someone needs to get Lay and they need to get him now.
 

"Huh?"
 

"Get Lay, now!" I yell, spinning to face the drowsy fire Warrior with panic written on my face. He backs up a step before nodding and sprinting down the hall to wake the healer with heavy steps, not caring who he wakes with his elephant feet. He runs past again only a few seconds later, disappearing into my room upon discovering the healer's room empty of life.
 

They're probably all awake now anyway.
 

I hear several sets of feet as I try and fail to urge a response from my frozen Warrior. A loud gasp from the hall alerts me to the arrival of several people, one of which gently pulls me from where I stand to let Lay through as he runs over.
 

"So that's who screamed," Luhan murmurs, rubbing his temples in pain, obviously having heard Chen's scream not only physically but mentally.
 

"What's going on?"
"Why is he not moving?"

"Lay?"

"Avery?"

I don't answer any of the questions thrown my way, instead, watching as Lay examines Chen, trying to get a response of any kind. As he lays a green glowing hand on the younger's chest he seems to get a response but it isn't the one he wanted.
 

"Someone help me move him to his bed," Lay orders, already moving behind Chen and wrapping his arms under the younger Warriors to take the full weight of his torso, internally thankful that he chose to wear a long sleeve top to bed to not worry about the skin contact.
Kai jumps forward and at Lay's count lifts Chen's feet while K