Chapter 4.

Mark felt chills run down his body. It was as if he could imagine himself in Kun and Lord Win’s place, caught by tall silhouettes that were looking down at him with glowing eyes. One of them held a blade and brought it closer to his face with a long black arm that Mark could not get away from.

  “Do tell,” Mark instructed and tried to keep his expression calm. A smirk spread on Yang’s face as if he saw right through Mark.

Yang still had the dagger pointed at Doyoung’s throat, but his free hand grabbed a rolled-up parchment and threw it to Mark. It landed at Mark’s feet, and he crouched down to pick it up. Doyoung seemed less afraid now; he looked curious.

“My dear Blue.

Our travel did not take long. My determination has kept me out of Purgatory for a while now. I will continue to write on this letter until the time comes. I do not think we will return. We’ve barely managed through the land and now the camps are beginning. They are mostly Damned, few healthy people, but they live in a different balance than we do. It is the opposite.

There is an Emperor called Hendery. He is Damned or as they call it… Gifted. He sounds too good to be true. People worship or fear him.
 

My time as a free man has come to an end.

I get to finish this letter in what I would call a cell. We were caught as we neared their capitol. It is built inside a bunker. We will meet the Emperor soon, and I bet I won’t get to tell you all about him but let me tell you a few things you need to know.

They are reckless here. They worship the “Gift” and they want it. They think you have it in the North.

You need to be ready. Their numbers are large, and they know much more about you than what you do about them. They need the Gift… Something is coming, and they need it… they’re desperate, Mark.

You know what desperate people do.

Yangyang owes Kun a favor. Let him leave but don’t tell him anything.

We won’t say a word,

Lord Win & Kun.

Ps. If you come here; look for Jungwoo… and take him hostage. Hendery has a soft spot for him and Lucas. Use that to your advantage.

Don’t let the spy get across the border. If you will have to kill him; do that.

Mark folded the letter before anyone could get a good look at it. Yuta who had come up to his side gave him a look. Mark eyed him, but he could not say anything. He did not want Yangyang to know.

  “Are they dead?” He asked and Yangyang grinned.

  “If Hendery cain’t git a word out of them ya. A little torture at first, but from what A know about Kun, he doesn’t break.” Yangyang reached up to grab the back of Doyoung’s shirt. “Time to leave.” He then said without wanting to stick around for much longer. Chenle stepped forward.

  “You’re just going to leave?” He asked a little hurt.

  “A’ve done the deed, now let me leave.” Yangyang’s voice came from behind Doyoung who took up the doorframe. Doyoung was back to looking at Mark pleadingly.

  “And you don’t owe me one?” Chenle asked and they all heard a deep sigh come from behind Doyoung.

  “Ya’ll want me to daa?” He asked but Mark noticed the fingers holding onto the dagger re-adjust their grip. “If the Emperor finds out, A’m gone.”

  “Chenle save your favor for later.” Mark found himself asking and Chenle turned around to look at Mark. Mark recognized something in Chenle’s eyes, but the kid looked far too vulnerable to be the crazy warrior that he knew. “We’ll meet him again.” He promised and Yangyang hummed in a tone that wanted to disagree.

  “Alright,” Chenle replied.

  “Chenle and Jisung take Yangyang to a safe passage out of here and bring Doyoung back alive.” Doyoung looked at Mark pleadingly as he was dragged back and out into the hallway.

  “Mark!” He called, and Mark squeezed his eyes shut. He needed to remain calm and collected. That was the South’s first meeting with him. If Lucas did not count.

Mark wanted to make sure Lucas couldn’t speak when he got over the border. If Hendery took the lives of Mark’s people, Mark couldn’t care less about Hendery’s people.

  “Mark, you should show the letter to Jaehyun.” Yuta encouraged the other and Mark huffed.

  “I won’t lie to him again.” He took himself in almost snapping at Yut