Act 17 “Windup”

“WHAT…HAVE YOU DONE…” the voice echoed through the air in horrifying tone; sending creep to everyone in the dark room. It took them few seconds more to adjust their sight and they could see their surrounding clearly. To Yunho’s surprise, the shaman was few meters away from him cursing in pain and Jaejoong was wide awake.

The man mumbled few words but not so loud; it ended only as whispers as he broke away from the cuff. Jaejoong forced himself to get up as he whispered few words to the cage in the middle as the door opened; Yoochun and Junsu stormed out immediately. They rushed to Yunho’s side and freed the man without any difficulties.

“Jae, I thought I lost you,” Yunho hugged Jaejoong tightly as he felt his energy suddenly out slowly; he noticed Yoochun and Junsu were having same expression like him.

“I can overcome him now, just lend me your energy for another minute,” Jaejoong spoke as he concentrated on battling with the shaman’s mind. It was not an attack spell at all; Jaejoong was hoping, asking the shaman to know what he had done. He should know what he did was evil. That’s why the shaman didn’t detect him when he approached his mind.

Surprisingly for Yunho, Junsu, and Yoochun; they knew what Jaejoong had done as their thoughts mixed together, fighting the shaman. To Jaejoong’s surprise, somehow the others managed to add more effect to his spell. Not only knowing what he had done; they made the shaman experienced the feelings. The sadness, pain, and havoc the shaman had caused flew out from their mind and flooded the shaman’s mind.

“CURSE YOU!” the shaman shouted madly as tears started to stream out from his eyes. The shaman shouted for the pain to stop as he marched forward to the four men that were paralyzed because they’re too accompanied to attack the shaman. Junsu was the first one to realize the shaman marched to him as he let go of Jaejoong and pulled his sword to block the attack. As the result, Jaejoong lost Junsu as his energy source as he began to feel dizzy. Yoochun got the sign as he pulled Junsu back to Jaejoong.

All of them were exhausted; Jaejoong could barely continue the spell and the energy from his friends. He didn’t dare to absorb much from Yunho as the man was wounded badly. Yoochun and Junsu were fine mentally but they’re psychically exhausted.

“Jaejoong, my energy as much as you need fast,” Yoochun gave his signal as Jaejoong did the request.  After few second, Yoochun let go of Jaejoong as he felt great deal of power had left him. Almost limping, he marched to the shaman and blocked the mad attack. Junsu and Yunho could only watch in horror, hoping Yoochun could hold the shaman long enough for them to make the old man went crazy.

“Blast you!” the shaman cursed as he kicked Yoochun on the stomach and then threw him away; Yoochun crushed the wall behind him as he spat blood.

“Yoochun!!!” Junsu cried out and before he could do much; the shaman was right in front of them. It didn’t take more than a second for the shaman to tear all of them apart. He kicked Yunho to the left and pushed Junsu away; leaving Jaejoong alone.

Jaejoong almost fainted when he lost his grasp of Yunho and Junsu. His spell immediately stopped as he fell flat on the ground. He couldn’t feel anything; he even didn’t know whether he was breathing or not. The shaman laughed like hell but then he stopped as his face strengthened in horror.

“BLAST YOU!” the shaman shouted as he landed a kick on Jaejoong’s stomach,” WHAT DID YOU DO? WHY THE PAIN WON’T GO AWAY?!”

Jaejoong smiled in pain as he looked at the shaman on eyes; mocking him. He somehow made the spell stayed with another spell he mutteredd silently before the shaman tore them apart. It was the worst pain the shaman could imagine. He saw images and felt pain; guilty of all the evil deeds he had done. Tears started to flood from his eyes as he screamed in horror. The shaman succeeded to kick Jaejoong few times as he went mad, then he collapsed on his knees; still screaming like there’s no tomorrow.

Yunho wanted to get up and rushed to Jaejoong’s side but he couldn’t move any damn finger. He looked at Yoochun and found the man was unconscious. He tried to call Junsu but his mouth betrayed him; he couldn’t speak. He could only saw Junsu’s back few feet away and his guess was Junsu also unconscious. The attack they did to the shaman was wasting too much energy from them.

“NO! I WON’T LET YOU WIN AGAIN! IF I CAN’T WIN SO DO YOU!!!” the shaman screamed as he took a dagger out from his robe and was ready to pierce Jaejoong on the neck. Yunho screamed in horror but nothing came out.

Blood splashed, soaking the cloth. The smell of the room worsened as the blood wet the ground and a figure fell dead coldly. It turned into ashes as it touched the ground. Yunho thought they would once again lose but he was wrong. Just before the shaman’s dagger touched Jaejoong’s skin, Changmin came out of nowhere, took an abandoned sword on the ground, and pierced the shaman right on the heart from behind.

“Jaejoong hyung!” Changmin rushed to Jaejoong’s side as he examined the wound. Then, everything became blurry for Yunho to see. He spotted a light next to Changmin; he thought it was an enemy but he couldn’t warm Changmin at all. He closed his eyelids as he hoped everything would end right. His last sensation was the ground shook violently beneath him and he could feel huge stones started to fall over; the cave started to destroy itself.

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When he opened his eyes; he could see green and dim light. He stirred up a little bit, just to be greeted by pain on his whole joints. He turned his head left and saw Changmin was talking to a device, calling help maybe. Turning his head right; he saw Yoochun and Junsu, both were unconscious but they seemed fine.

“Jaejoong hyung, your’re awake!” he heard Changmin spoke as the younger man approached him. He tried to look around once again but he couldn’t find the other person.

“Where’s Yunho?” he asked.

“He’s…out there, finishing the stuff he couldn’t,” Changmin’s answer was enough for Jaejoong to get the meaning,” Don’t worry, I’ll make sure all of us get back safe and sound.”

Few couple meters from a swallow alley where Changmin and the others were resting, Yunho stood as he breathed in and out. Next to him, stood a figure he knew too well in his past life; he didn’t know how to start.

“Finally everything ends,” she said as he looked to Yunho.

“…I’m sorry,” Yunho finally spoke,” I’m sorry for being a fool, I’m sorry I can’t save you, I’m sorry I can only make thing worse…”

“…Silly, you’re not,” she hugged Yunho in friendly hug as she continued,” Thanks for coming back and putting an end of this curse. Now I can rest in peace.”

“…Thank for waiting,” Yunho answered. Deep inside, there’s part of him longing for her touch but he knew he couldn’t. She’s only a spirit now.

“I guess, it’s time for me for leaving,” she spoke,” Take a good care of them.”

“I promise I’ll,” Yunho promised as she walked few steps away. Few seconds later yellowish light started to shine from the east and made Yunho’s sight blurred a little. She smiled once again to Yunho before finally her figure started to become transparent and then lost from Yunho’s sight. She’s gone, once again; like back then when the king lost his empress. The only different now was Yunho wouldn’t make the same mistake again. He wouldn’t fight the fate to bring the undead because he knew nothing good would come from it.

Binding his last goodbye, Yunho walked back to the alley. It wasn’t that far but it seemed so for him. It was like he had, no, all of them had overcome a very long journey, and now they could finally smile in relief.

Changmin was the first one he spotted as the man hugged him. He saw Jaejoong was awake but the other men were still asleep. That second he realized he knew his life couldn’t get any better. His past and previous live might be nightmare and chaos but the present time and the future, he couldn’t help but to grin to himself imagining he spending time with these precious friends like family.

“Did you just do something naughty with my mom-in-the-past?” Changmin frowned as he saw Yunho’s grin.

“Yaaa..I can’t even touch her. Stop your corrupted imagination,” Yunho commanded as he sat next to Jaejoong, who smiled to him.

“Can’t touch her doesn’t mean you don’t want to,” Jaejoong added as Yunho sighed his defeat.

“Just wait and see, when we get back, I’ll teach all of you how to behave!” Yunho spoke his ultimatum as Jaejoong and Changmin laughed. They felt like the old Yunho was finally back.

The three of them eventually stopped laughing as Junsu opened his eyes. He looked around for a few seconds before he got up and discovered Yoochun next to him. Junsu thought something bad happened to his childhood and that’s why he shook Yoochun violently as he shouted the name,

“Yaaa! Junsu hyung, are you trying to kill Yoochun hyung?!” Changmin was the first one to react as he pulled Junsu away from the almost-killed Yoochun. The man opened his eyes in horror after a few seconds as he stared at Junsu; confused and shocked.

“Stupid Chunnie!” Junsu cried out as he hugged Yoochun. The other one just stared blankly as he wondered why he felt like tremendous threat had just past; it was like he was almost killed or something. The rest could only laugh as they saw Yoochun’s face.

“Oh my, I’m so keeping this image! Chunface!” Jaejoong took a photo with his phone that he got somewhere inside his pocket.

“I’ll surely frame it!” Changmin added.

“YooSu moment!” Yunho butted in.

“Yaaaa!” Junsu shouted as he got up and ready to chase them. To their surprise, Changmin was the only one ran and chased by Junsu. The rest could only laugh as Jaejoong took endless photo at the cute scene. He never knew Junsu and Changmin could act like children playing around.

“Changmin ah,” Yoochun finally spoke, a bit shouting so Changmin could hear it from few meters away,” You better prepare yourself because Junsu isn’t a type to get tired of running; he has a very good stamina.”

“Ehhh?!” Changmin could feel he began to feel tired,” Save me hyung!!!”

The rest laughed again as the two youngest kept chasing each other. Yoochun eventually got up and stood next to Yunho and Jaejoong. They watched the ‘attraction’ with smile on their face. Changmin wasn’t that stupid after all as he jumped above a mud pool; Junsu didn’t see it and landed on the mud with his . His pants soaked with the brownies liquid.

“You’re so dead, SHIM CHANGMIN!!!” Junsu cried out as Yoochun saw some images. It was from their precious life when the Prince Sunjong was being chased General Kwan because the prince skipped his practice by playing at the town. Well, his guess they’re not that different from the past even though he had to admit they had learnt many valuable things.

“Let’s get back,” finally Yunho said as the three of them departed to the wood exit. Changmin called for them desperately but no one helped him. In the end, Changmin followed the rest with Junsu on his tail.