Act 12 “Enlighten”

The sun was shining so bright and it hurt his eyes a bit. Covering them with his palm, he walked pass the palace garden and stopped when suddenly his name was called. He turned back with light steps as he wasn’t wearing his armor like when he’s leading a battle.  His dark blue robe made a contrast with the person in green robe that approached him.

“General Kwan,” the green robe man in his thirties, who’s about in same age as him, approached,” I need to…talk to…you…”

“Slow down, General Han,” Kwan smiled,” What’s wrong?”

“Can we get somewhere more private?”

So both general walked pass the hallway and eventually reached Kwan’s private chamber. Both of them entered as Kwan gave a gesture for Han to get in; they’re long last friend and their bond was strong as their trust for each other made them breath in the same room peacefully.

“What’s so important?” Kwan asked as he poured a cup of tea and gave it to Han.

“First, this,” Han smiled as he returned a book to Kwan; he borrowed it few days ago,” I’ve finished reading it. Thanks for sharing this beautiful war art book with me.”

“You’re very welcome, anything else?” Kwan asked,” You wouldn’t bother talking me in private just for this.”

“Oh! Would you mind lending me the other books I mentioned before?”

Kwan got up as he searched his bookshelves and selected few books. He gave it Han as the other man thanked him once again.

“Hmm, I think I forgot the most important reason I need to see you…”

Han had never changed, Kwan sighed. He never got whether his childhood friend was really forgettable or just so innocent and ignorance.

“Han, don’t joke around, I know the King has to send you here…”

“Oh! Forgive me, he wants us to him to the cave tonight; it’s because something big will happen,”

It was enough as Kwan knew he needed to get ready. Han excused himself and both of them prepared themselves. They knew the king had changed ever since their empress died, murdered. The king summoned a shaman to help him bring the empress back. They thought the king had lost his sane mind and the experiment would end in failure anyway but they might be wrong; it’s proved by the king summoned them tonight.

The sun set and eventually Kwan met with Han to the king’s chamber. They escorted the man in red and gold embroidered robe to a cave near the palace garden and got it. They spotted the alive yet soulless patients were still there, lying or sitting on the stone bed. Then they reached the tomb in the middle altar. They’re shocked when the king opened the content and let them saw the empress was awaken; alive and breathing once again.

Not long after that, the prince came and met his beloved mother. It was almost a tear jerking scene but everything turned into nightmare as the queen suddenly bit the king on the neck and caused pool of blood splashed, painting the cold ground all over.

Kwan took his sword as he pierced it through the empress’s heart, only to get himself knocked out with tremendous power. Meanwhile, Han tried his best to stop the king’s bleeding but it was futile effort as the king died few seconds later. Han screamed hysterically as other undead attacked him from behind. He took his sword and Kwan moved right to his side. They fought bravely but they’re outnumbered.

Their last effort was to make sure the prince got out safe from the cave and used themselves as the baits. Pain attacked their body as they felt how their flesh was torn apart harshly, little by little. Their swords couldn’t protect them at all. Both of the general fell on the floor as the undead enveloped them.

---

“Get away from meeee!!!” Junsu shouted hysterically as he woke up from the nightmare. What was that? It felt so real as he still could sense the pain all around his body. It was like it wasn’t a dream at all.

“Jun…su…” Yoochun’s weak voice startled him as turned his sight to his right. There, he saw Yoochun breathing hard; lying with blood covered the right side of his body. Junsu wanted to rush into Yoochun’s side as fast as he could but the chain on his both legs prevented him. He struggled but it was useless; he saw Yoochun was also locked on his feet as well.

“Chunnie…Please hang in there, I’ll get us out,” Junsu looked around and discovered they’re in some kind of underground prison. The bar was made by solid metal as the ground, wall, and ceiling were from clay; somehow it reminded him of the cave he saw in his dreams.

“Su…I…I was…” Yoochun couldn’t talk because the coldness and pain were killing him; Junsu asked him to stop talking but Yoochun didn’t listen as he continued,” I was bitten and…so were you…”

Junsu froze; he looked deeply into Yoochun’s tired eyes. Yoochun’s breathing was labored and even Junsu couldn’t touch Yoochun’s vein; he knew the heart beat was either so fast or weak. Meanwhile, Junsu was totally fine and he could say he’s healthy, even better than before. Junsu looked at his watch as he realized it had over an hour since he saw it in the forest before losing consciousness. He should turn into a zombie now, or at least half-dead.

“I don’t get it…” Junsu almost cried because he was so confused and scared. He and Yoochun were out of nowhere, bitten and might be dying. They couldn’t get in touch with Changmin as the younger man seemed to vanish. Yunho and Jaejoong also might be dying somewhere or maybe killed already.

“You…screamed…a lot, Junsu,” Yoochun spoke between his hard breathes,” You had nightmare and the pain…attacked you endlessly…”

Then, Junsu started to remember a little bit. He shivered as the sensation of the deadly killing pain almost got him again; but it was his hallucination.

“You’re…like them, Junsu…turned out to be…one…can’t be infected---“ Yoochun grinned in pain as he couldn’t continue his talk. Junsu ran to Yoochun; just to get himself thrown on the cold ground. The chain wouldn’t break no matter how hard Junsu struggled; even bleed himself

Yoochun’s screams filled the silenced air, aching the entire living being’s soul, including Junsu’s. He couldn’t bear it; seeing Yoochun broken bits by bits in front of him and he couldn’t do any damn thing! The terror didn’t stop, it even got worst as Yoochun’s struggle made his wound on the shoulder opened up again and blood started to soak out. Junsu was in horror but then he realized it.

Yoochun could survive, no, Yoochun had to survive or Junsu would kill him. The process, the pain, the screams, everything seemed so perfect like when a broken one awakened. The only question now was, could Yoochun make it? Could Yoochun win against it? Junsu could only curl up like ball as he prayed Yoochun would be fine.

Second, minute, maybe hour passed till finally Yoochun stopped screaming. He fell on the cold ground; breathing heavily, sweating so much. Junsu was still trembling so badly but he managed to get a thing out from his pocket. It was a small bottle filled with infected blood; they originally bought it to give it to Yunho and Jaejoong when they saved them but the plan changed.

“Chunnie…here…” Junsu rolled the bottle to Yoochun’s direction as the other man succeeded catch it. It took few seconds till Yoochun opened the bottle and drank it. He stayed like that for another minute before he got up and pulled the chain off his feet.

“Chunnie?” Junsu was startled as Yoochun gave some the bottle back to Junsu and there’s half left. Junsu drank it without questioning as he felt his body fueled up. He tore up the chain in the next second as he rushed to examine Yoochun’s wound. They’re all healed; Yoochun was totally fine.

“Chunnie, God! You made me sick worried!” Junsu cried as he hugged his childhood friend.

“It was the same for me, when you started screaming…Worst of all, I was hurt so bad and couldn’t think clearly what to do,” Yoochun spoke, hugging Junsu’s tightly,” I thought I would lose you again, Junsu…”

Junsu frowned; he didn’t get what Yoochun meat. He looked into Yoochun’s eyes deeply; asking without any spoke words.

“You remember, right?” Yoochun started,” The things that happened in the nightmare weren’t fake; they are our real memories from our previous life decades ago. We were the one who started this, well, at least, the king was, I mean, Yunho. That’s why we need to put the end for all this madness.”

Junsu couldn’t think for a second till he digested the news. He looked at Yoochun and realized how Yoochun resembled Kwan on his nightmares. Then he realized he had Han’s figure, so that meant…

“You’re the reincarnation from General Han decades ago, Junsu. I was General Kwan, your childhood friend from previous life and even our life now. I think that ‘bishop’ did magic us so we can remember everything when we’re awakened so we can protect the king, I mean, Yunho,” Yoochun explained.

“Bishop? What are you talk---Aaahh!” Junsu gasped as he clearly remembered everything. Things were crystal clear now; how Yunho, used to be obsessed to bring back his beloved wife in his precious life and summoned a shaman; how the shaman tricked Yunho and killed the entire kingdom folk; how Changmin, the prince and both of them, the general got killed by the undead; how in the end, their last hope, the priest or they called him the ‘bishop’ managed to seal the shaman along with all the undead folks for decades by sacrificing himself. It was Jaejoong; he’s the bishop.

“But then, how can Yunho hyung and Jaejoong hyung didn’t remember anything after they’re awakened?” Junsu asked as he broke the prison key and they managed to get out from the cage; they walked in cautious and slowly, ready to kill any zombies they might encountered.

“I bet because the one who awakened them was the evil shaman; he had few black magic he could use to manipulate their memories from the previous life after all,” Yoochun explained,” Which means, someone else awakened us…”

They spoke no more as they walked deeper into the cave. A light was spotted from the end of the tunnel as they rushed there. They thought they found the exit but they’re wrong. They ended up in a square room with a broken big stone in the middle. Slowly, they approached it till suddenly a light blinded their sight.  

Both of them were ready to crush anything they encountered as they pointed their guns to the light. Few seconds past as finally the light died out and a figure was sitting on the top of the broken stone. Yoochun and Junsu froze; they even let their guns fell on the ground as they didn’t know what’s really happening. They knew the figure too well.

“Finally, you two awakened, I’ve waited for too long,” she smiled,” I’m sorry to let you suffer like that but the only thing I could do was to control some of those inhuman beings till they infected you with their filthy curse so you would be full awakened with full memories of your previous life…”

“Please forgive me to tie you two up because it’s the only thing I could do to make sure you didn’t hurt each other when the pain came…It was my entire fault for being just an useless spirit; unable to touch any of living things physically…But now, the time has come for the five of you to rise up once again and put an end to this nightmare; the one my beloved one, Yunho, started.”

Yoochun and Junsu still froze; all they knew was their beloved empress was still beautiful as ever and she’s right in front of them; shinning and dazzling.