“What do you mean?”

“You heard me.”

“Yes... And it makes no sense at all.”

Jimin released a gush of air, shaking his head. “Taehyung... Be the reason for... Jungkook’s death... No.”

“It’s going to happen, Jimin.” Sehun whispered. 
Jimin looked up at him and saw that his face was white, like a block of stone. He couldn’t help but be surprised by the look he saw on Sehun’s face. This was the first time he was watching Sehun look what could be described as just one thing – “Scared.”

“What the hell do you mean?!”

Sehun looked down and sighed. He was suddenly looking like a ghost, pale and lifeless. He trudged over to an old heavy chair and lowered himself onto the handle.

“I saw it happen.” Sehun said. “Just too late. I wish I’d known before. I pushed Kookie to his death. In my thirst for revenge. I sent him to that boy...”

“Sehun, I hate these darned riddles that you warlocks talk in. Tell me the truth. In a language I will understand. Just ing tell me.” Jimin said, his voice rising. “No ing shield in the world will save you from me if you hide the truth from me.”

“I already told you, Jimin. I saw it happen. Taehyung will be the reason why Jungkook dies.” Sehun said.

“Just like you saw in Jungkook’s childhood that he’d be betrayed by Seokjin. You saw it because you were the one who would make it happen! So, is it going to be you this time as well?” Jimin shouted. 

Sehun looked up at him and met his eyes but didn’t say anything. 

“Are you going to make this happen this time too? You’re going to kill Jungkook-...”

Jimin could not finish his sentence. He found himself thrown against the wall behind him, some glass shattering around him. He stood up the next moment and his eyes were level with Sehun’s, who was just in front of him. 

“Say that again. You won’t walk out of here alive.” Sehun whispered. On his sides, his palms were surrounded by dancing red flames. 

Jimin snarled and bared his canines. “Thanks for letting your shield down.”
Sehun’s eyes widened and he realised that Jimin was right. He was barely an inch away from Jimin. Before he could react, Jimins arms closed around his throat and he found himself pinned against a pillar. Sehun gasped for breath as his jaw seemed to be breaking under Jimin’s fingers. He coughed and gasped for air, clasping Jimin’s wrists. 
“I’ve always wanted to do this. Give you a good punishment for everything you’ve done.” Jimin said. 

“Too... B-b-ba-... Bad...” Sehun coughed. Jimin screamed and released Sehun’s throat stepping away from him. 

He looked down at his arms and realised his skin had been burnt away, a crimson imprint of fingers on them where Sehun’s hands had gripped them. 
Jimin looked up in time to dodge a blast of orange red flames that lashed out at his face. He fell on his side and looked up in shock. 

“You scheming devil!” Jimin screamed. He was up on his feet the next moment, dodging the next shower of flames. He was behind Sehun the next moment, grasping his wrists and crossing them behind his back, twisting them hard.

“Aaaaarg! You spoilt arrogant brat!” Sehun screamed, trying to free his arms in vain. 

“You are the root of everything bad that has happened in our family. You’re the reason for this mess!” Jimin shouted. “You -... Aaaaaargh!!!”
Jimin screamed in pain, under the effect of Sehun’s magic. Jimin’s grip loosened a bit, but Sehun was not able to break free yet. 

“I am the reason?! Really?! Your so called family deserved everything. You have destroyed life after life!”
Jimin screamed in pain again but didn’t let Sehun go. 

“What are you both doing?” 

Sehun and Jimin, both stopped struggling. They looked at the source of the voice and their eyes went wide in shock. Jimin’s eyes were watering from the pain and he was panting in exhaustion. Sehun broke free from him and put some distance with Jimin, and turned to stare at the source of the voice. 

Jimin made a shocked noise beside Sehun. "."

"You both. Why are you both fighting-..." The kid who had spoken looked about 6 years old. He scratched his head, looking from Jimin to Sehun in confusion. "-with each other?!" The little boy completed. 

Sehun and Jimin both stared at him completely dumbfounded, like a pair of puppets. 

They realised there were around ten to twelve other toddlers behind this little boy. Each with identical judgemental stares directed at Sehun and Jimin. 

Another little girl with long ponytails at the sides of her cherubic face came up to the little boy's side, rubbing her eyes. "Yeah...you're friendsh. You're on the sheme shide." She spoke in a confused voice. "You reshcued ush that day."

Sehun and Jimin turned their heads to each other, exchanging glares. They both turned their eyes back to the children and went silent again. 

"Umm... Uh... No, we weren't fighting! We were just-..."Sehun gulped, looking around at the children. "Um... Play fighting."

"You're bleeding." The little boy, who had spoken first, said. "And we're small, we're not stupid."

Jimin coughed a few times before speaking." Kids! Th-there's nothing to worry about! We're just playing around." Jimin glanced at Sehun with an awkward laugh. "You kids just go right back to sleep!" 

"No!" Another little girl said from amongst the little crowd gathered in front of them. "You're going to hit each other again. Luhan hyung says friends don't hit each other."

"Oh Lord!" Sehun said, covering his face.

"Yeah! Make up. Shay Shorry." 

"To HIM?!" Never." Jimin said and scoffed. 

Sehun shot an incredulous look at Jimin. "How old are you?"  He whispered. 

"Hyungs! Say sorry and make up with each other." One of the chidlren said and the others all joined in, nodding their heads and making a commotion of a small voices all speaking together. 

"I TOLD you not to wake them up." Sehun said, through gritted teeth, shutting his eyes with his hands. 

Jimin stared at the children for some time, his face red and abashed. 

"Okay okay!  We will!  We'll apologise to each other. And we won't hit each other again." Jimin said, walking up to the children and kneeling in front of them. 

"Yeah, we won't. Now please go back to sleep! Your Luhan hyung will kill me if he finds you awake." Sehun said. 

"You hyungsh are the only onesh who came to help ush." The girl with the ponytails said.  "Noone elsh did. If you fight with each other... And if the bad guysh come again, who will protect ush? We're shcared."

Sehun and Jimin were silent. 

Jimin’s cheeks felt hot with embarrassment as he faced the little girl, who was now pouting with a red nose, looking on the verge of tears.
“Hey…” Jimin said in a soft voice, placing his hands on the tiny shoulders of the little girl. “That’s never going to happen again, alright? You’ve got nothing to be scared of anymore.”

“Yeah…” Sehun said, kneeling and facing the children. “We’re not gonna let anyone get to you again.” 

Jimin nodded at his words. The little girl gave a small sob and moved closer to Jimin, wrapping her arms around his neck and snuggling close to his chest. Jimin smiled and wrapped an arm around her tiny frame.

“But you are fighting with each other.” The little girl said.
Jimin’s face fell. He glanced at Sehun once, whose eyes were wide and he looked like he wanted to run out of this situation.

“That-…hahaha-…that was nothing!” Jimin said, faking a casual laugh.

“Yeah! That was nothing!” Sehun nodded vigorously. 

“Promish?” The little girl asked in a small voice. “Promish you’ll protect ush together?”

Jimin gulped. “Hey…there’s nothing to be scared of any more. There is no danger to you guys anymore.”

“What about others?” A little boy said from amongst the huddle of children.

"Wha-..??" Sehun made a confused sound.

“Yesh…” The little girl said. “The bad guysh are shtill out there, right? Sho who will shave other people from them?”

Sehun sighed and sat down on the ground. “This is why I avoid children.” He whispered.

“The king’s men will protect them. You don’t have to worry about that stuff!” Jimin said, laughing lightly, trying to seem cheerful.

“Then why didn’t they come for us?...When the bad guys took us…” The little boy, who had spoken first, said.

Jimin sighed. He lowered his eyes, not knowing what to say. 

“They tried.” Sehun said. Jimin looked at him, surprised. “They just couldn’t get there on time…they tried to help you guys, but-…”

“You hyungs are the best. You have to save everyone else. You must!” The little boy said. The others behind him nodded.

"Only you three can do it! You both and the bunny hyung!"

“Uh…” Jimin was unsure what to say.

“You have to fight like that every time. The way you three fought those bad guys that day! Then no bad guy can ever hurt anyone!” 

Jimin and Sehun remained silent.

“Yesh. Fight the bad guysh. Don’t fight each other.” Jimin looked up at the little girl’s face and she gave him a disappointed look.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Taehyung couldn’t move his arms anymore. He was slumped against the wall behind him. He fought against the fatigue, trying hard not to lose consciousness completely.

He wouldn’t be able to hold on for much longer. He was slowly slipping away. The silver against his skin had weakened him terribly, the effect seeming to get worse with every passing minute. He tried to remember how much time had passed after he had been brought here, but he couldn’t understand as his consciousness seemed to be slipping in and out.

A loud sound shook him into awareness again. His ears seemed to pick up only a fraction of the sound, but he felt the huge vibration of something that seemed to land on the ground somewhere close enough. He tried to sit up straight, to try to hear what was happening, but he was far too weak. He felt a faint sense of fear. There was a succession of sounds and what seemed like a scream. 

What’s happening?
I don’t understand…

Taehyung soon felt a cool pair of hands on his arms and he felt a sense of panic, trying, in vain to jerk his arms away. He couldn’t move his arms even an inch. To his surprise, within a few seconds, he could not feel the cold metal against his wrists anymore. His arms, now free, fell to on his lap.

“Prince Taehyung!” A familiar voice spoke. Taehyung couldn’t remember whose voice it was. The person sounded panicked. 
Soon enough, he felt his blindfold being removed. 
“Hey…Prince Taehyung, are you okay?...Please look at me!”

Taehyung opened his eyes and found that his vision was completely blurred. He could make out the figure of a boy in front of his eyes, a blonde h