A loud sound came from his front door. An unknown tube rolled to the living room. Both Dongwan and Minwoo looked at each other, glancing at the tube. “Run!” Dongwan shouted but the tube blew thick smoke, limiting their vision.

“Find the guy! And don’t kill anyone you find!”

Minwoo panicked as he heard someone shouting away giving an order. He saw flashlights moving around in the thick grey smoke. Dongwan-ah! Where are you?! He tried his telepathy to Dongwan but the other did not reply to him. Blindly he walked to a window in the living room, but his steps stopped as he remembered he had left someone.

He wanted to shout the name but that was not the best choice. These unknown people will know his position after that. He felt a little bit grateful when he heard a voice together with a door open.

“Minwoo hyung! What the hell is that—”

A slamming sound can be heard by Minwoo, cutting Andy’s word. Minwoo right away turned his body to Andy’s room. He heard groans from his room until the sound was gone. He got a bad feeling, Andy may have been hit until unconscious.

But when he took two steps, someone hit his back hard until he fell to the floor. Groaned in pain that unknown person keeps hitting his back. Hands slithered to Minwoo’s neck and gripped it hard. The pressure those hands put on Minwoo choke until he falls unconscious.

 

 

When Minwoo opened his eyes, he could not remember anything. He saw a white ceiling, feeling confused because the ceiling does not look like his apartment. He sits up looking around. His clothes changed into a white jumpsuit. Not only that, his room was also white-colored. The bedsheets, blanket that covered him, floor, all in white color. He shifted his sight as he realized the wall surrounding him was not a brick wall, but a glass wall instead.

Minwoo stood up then he walked to his left. He saw other people in the same format of a room. He thought it seemed like a prison based on one person in one room and everyone wore the same outfit as him. Wait, a prison?!

Hands hitting hard the glass wall in hope of breaking it into pieces. He shouted angrily asking to release him. Eyes from people around looking at his way. Minwoo looked at them one by one but none of them looked at him intimidatingly looking down at him. Their eyes, rather than that, look more devastating. Minwoo got more confused about why they were looking at him like that until two people in black clothes stopped in front of his room.

“Shut up or we going to kill you!”

It seems that they are the guards here. Minwoo growled as he stared at them, focusing his mind to be able to control both. “Hey, shortie! What are you looking at?” one of the guards smirked. Minwoo got pissed realizing his ability unable to use at them, so he clenches his hand hard.

That guard who smirked at him knocks at the wall. “Weakass, don’t make a ruckus.” Then both walked away.

In the room, there was a table that looked pretty sturdy and strong enough. Minwoo went to the table, lifting it as he walked to the wall facing a hallway. He threw the table to the glass wall but rather than breaking the wall, the table only hit the wall and fell instead with zero scratches on both of it.

“The wall is sturdy enough and unable to collapse. Also, your attempt to mind control those guards is fruitless as long as you’re in this building,” said a male in a room across from Minwoo’s.

That male stared at Minwoo’s eyes. “Why so?” Minwoo asked raising one of his eyebrows, arms crossed in front of his chest.

“That’s because they have a device making specific aegises unable to use their ability. Not only that, items in here are pretty much impenetrable. Not only you who did that before, everyone I saw also trying to get out from here.” He stood up facing Minwoo. That male was obviously taller than Minwoo. With hair shorter than Minwoo, eyes sharp looking at him, broad shoulder, and handsome face. It made Minwoo jealous of that male face and height.

Although he looked like he was telling the truth, Minwoo was still not sure to believe him yet. Especially when he knew he tried to control the guards’ minds. Is it so obvious even though Minwoo tried hard not to make it look obvious?

“I’m Eric and I have pyrokinesis as my ability.”

The taller male smiled. Minwoo looked hesitated causing Eric to continue, “if you don’t believe me then it’s okay to not tell your name.”

Eric’s hand raised to somewhere on his right. “Jin-ah!! I have a new friend!” he shouted. Not long another tale male who in two chambers away showed up. In Minwoo’s eyes, they seem like brothers but this ‘Jin’ male has thicker eyebrows rather than Eric’s.

But wait, new friend?! Hey! Minwoo does not approve of that!

When Minwoo opened his mouth to disagree with Eric’s words, the other taller male grinned, “Ooh, really hyung? Hello! I’m Junjin!!” Junjin’s hand waving at Minwoo.

“Well, Junjin is…… well he has a pretty strange ability. It’s not like you who a mind control or me who an element user. He has enhanced physical like his reflexes, agility, combat is amazing not like other aegises or humans. Wait. No, no, his ability isn’t strange but… meh just not that cool like us.”

Junjin on the other side protested, he pouted looking at Eric. Eric giggled at the younger.

“Ha…. the name is Minwoo. So, how to get out from here?” asked Minwoo as he moved, searching for the probably unseen switch that release him from this cube glass prison.

Eric smirked at the fact that Minwoo told him his name, he shook his head as an answer for the shorter male’s question, “there is no way to get out. Except if you have someone out there infiltrate this building.”

‘Outside……. Outside….’

Minwoo remembers now what happened to him. He went to the wall, facing Eric. “Did they bring me here alone?” he asked in a serious tone.

Eric’s finger pointed to a glass room across from Junjin’s, “nah, there was someone too. That brown-haired dude in front of Junjin’s cell. It seems his sedation isn’t worn off yet?”

Minwoo shifted his gaze, looking at where Eric pointed at. His gaze met a male laying on a bed, both eyes closed but he can see there are scratches on his face. “Oh no. Andy!!” he called out his name walking to the glass wall. Unconsciously, he hit the wall, making loud banging sounds, hoping Andy would wake up soon.

The banging sound went too loud, even worry appeared on Junjin’s face as he slowly gave signs to Eric to make the shorter male stop. His neighbor who stays beside him gave a dark look, telling Minwoo to stop his stupid act. “Minwoo-ya, we don’t want any guards coming—oh .” Eric knocked his wall to give Minwoo a reminder until he glanced at his side, two same guards walking down the hallway. Eric had to step back and act like nothing happened to avoid the guards’ rage.

One of them pulled out a black card then touched it to Minwoo’s wall, creating a door which opened by them. They walked inside Minwoo’s cell. Minwoo on the other side who noticed it swing his fist to the first guard came inside. Unfortunately, his fit did not hit the guard. The guard was more flexible rather than Minwoo, so he avoided Minwoo’s attack and kick him on the stomach instead which made Minwoo fall.

That guard grabbed Minwoo’s collar, pulling him up then beat him by hitting his pretty face a dozen times. Minwoo groaned in pain as he got a hand lingering on his head, grabbing his hair, and pulling it down making his face go up. His eyes glared down at the guard who smirked at him. The guard turned Minwoo around then slammed his face down to the floor. People can hear a cracking sound around indicating something from Minwoo’s face broken, and the thing that broken was Minwoo’s nose.

The other guard watched everything while leaning his back on the wall. Eric in across the cell only sighed as he saw Minwoo beaten up by the guard, he knew that would happen since Minwoo stubbornly made a ruckus. That was the guards’ warning for entire people in the cell if they are making ruckus inside their cell. Beating them down mercilessly.

“S…Stop! Ple-please!”

Minwoo cried out. His visions started blurry, but he still noticed some red stains on his floor and wet feelings from his forehead and nose. His head ringing. Everything felt hurt, his head, his chest, his abdomen. The guard looked at Minwoo’s hands flailing around so he decided to stomp down one of his hands with their heavy boots.

“Aaargghhh!!!”

“Okay, that’s enough. Boss wouldn’t like to see one of the captives dying because of us.” The other guard who just watching the incident walked closer, putting a hand on the other’s shoulder. The guard who beat Minwoo blew a last kick at his abdomen. They came out from Minwoo’s cell but before leaving, one of them turned their head to Minwoo, “this is only a warning, better to not do it again shortie,” that person said then walked away.

Minwoo who sprawled on the floor does not have any energy to stand up. He just stays like that trying to get his breathing proper as he has a hard time to breath before.

Eric keeps staring at the shorter male. He felt sorry for him as he was unable to help him around which made him clench his fist.

For two hours Minwoo stayed in the same position until he began pushing himself away from the floor, crawling to the nearest wall turning his body so he can sit and lean on the wall. “, that hurts……” he murmured as his hand rubbed the abdomen area.

Across him, Eric noticed Minwoo started to look fine. Cuts on his forehead started to heal even though bruises and bloodstains were still on there. The broken nose still looked bad, but it doesn’t like before, his bleeding had already stopped as he flinched while wiping blood from the area around his nose. His broken fingers still left dark purple bruises on its skin but Minwoo cracking his knuckles made Eric realize something is not right with Minwoo.

Glancing at Andy who was still on his bed. When the male came with Minwoo, he has scars on his face and those scars insisted until now. But on the other side, Minwoo came looking fresh without any cuts. It was possible if he did not get any blows on his face but remembering people who took them -kidnap them- are part of the adamants made Eric sure Minwoo supposed got some bruises. Supposed to be just like his bruises when they took him and Junjin back then. And then those scars on Minwoo healed as Minwoo was on the way to this building. That was Eric's assumption.

If Minwoo has healing ability, is it possible when they are under a device that suppresses their power? Even Eric was unable to use his pyrokinetic and Junjin was unable to hit the wall until it was broken.

‘What the hell he is?’ Eric thought as he keeps looking at Minwoo curious.

Days passed, Andy finally woke up. Minwoo had to check up on him to see if he was okay. Luckily, everything is fine on Andy’s side except he complained about his head keeping getting hurt every time he accidentally used his power.  Eric was right about their power always being interrupted while they are in this confinement since Andy was the proof.

Days by days Minwoo also gets used to known Eric and Junjin –also Andy. Eric told him everything he knew about the building.

The building is adamants’ center quarry. Looking around, probably they are on the basement level since there was no sign of windows around.

It would be really hard to penetrate the building without proper gear and plans.

While taking his food, Minwoo realized something, which annoyed him in some kind of a way, Dongwan was not getting caught by the adamant. Minwoo knew Dongwan was able to move, blended with the air, but he did not expect that jerk running away by himself not helping Minwoo or Andy at all.

‘Kim Dongwan, where the hell are you?’ Minwoo thought at himself putting a piece of ham into his mouth.

‘Miss me?’

A voice came to his head which made Minwoo choke his food. “What the ?” he murmured.

‘Turn around you fool.’

Minwoo turned his body to the hallway, eyes meeting at a guard who covered their face with a hat. The guard took off his hat and showed Dongwan’s face. The younger male smirked at Minwoo, grabbing out a card then tapping it to the glass wall. A door appeared and it was opened by Dongwan, waiting for Minwoo to come outside.

“Let’s go, I’ve cleared the exit way and we only have around 15 minutes.”

Minwoo put down his chopstick and walked out from his confinement. “Andy, Wan-ah,” said Minwoo as he pointed at Andy’s room, giving him a signal to open his confinement too.

When Dongwan opened the confinement, Andy looked at him in shock. He was wondering how Dongwan was able to go inside the building. Andy also noticed that he able to use his kinetic power again. As he followed Dongwan, he halted, “wait! How about Junjin and Eric hyung?”

Minwoo looked at Dongwan giving him a look of ‘you should help them too’. Dongwan sighed as he opened the cell of those two.

Eric and Junjin hugged when they get released. Junjin even showered Eric with affection words like ‘hyung, I miss you so much’. When Junjin did that, Eric sneak a hand to hold Dongwan’s wrist. “We also need to help the others,” said Eric.

For Dongwan, he can help the other, but it will take a longer time than he managed to get. There were a lot of people being confined here, and yet to release them they can shut down the power but waiting for that many people to run away from the building is basically a waste of time since the building itself is guarded by dozens of adamant guards. “No way, we don’t have enough time.”

“How much left?”

“Around 10 minutes now.”

“Enough to burn down the system, did you shut the power off to do this?”

Dongwan nodded his head.

“Then you must know where the room which they make as the center of the system. Lead the way,” Eric ordered.

Dongwan almost protested with Eric’s plan, but Minwoo holds him down. Minwoo gave Dongwan a pleading look for Dongwan agreeing with Eric. “Dongwan-ah, please, just this one,” begged Minwoo. Dongwan sighed since he had no choice, he was weak enough when Minwoo begged him for something.

“If this failed, it means all of us are going to hell,” said Dongwan walking away.

The five of them gone adventuring the building. To go to the center, they had to pass some guards. Dongwan might be able to hide into the wind but his ability to do that has a weakness which he can’t help hiding anyone except himself. Feeling thankful for Dongwan’s job shutting down the anti-aegis system earlier, Junjin beat guards they met on the way easily. Andy also helped by throwing them in multiple directions and getting finished by Junjin’s blows. Eric didn’t really do anything to the enemies, only sometimes he felt want to tease them by throwing sudden little fireballs to shock them then let Andy and Junjin do the rest. Meanwhile, Minwoo used his mind to locate enemies.

They arrived in front of a steel-made double door. “This is it, we only have 3 minutes,” said Dongwan looking at the door.

“If we turn off the electricity, the computers are able to have emergency state and revive the electricity and the system back on just in 20 minutes. So, rather than doing that, let’s blow things up. Moving faster is better.” Eric stepped forward.

“I sensed 4-5 people inside, I’ll weaken them then all of you do the rest,” Minwoo warned.

Eric nodded. Then Eric opened the door which made the guards inside turn their heads to the suddenly opened door. Minwoo started to control the guards’ minds until they fell to the floor unconscious. Eric ran to a device, it looks like a pc but bigger with a lot of wires connected to it. A screen was attached to the device. Eric did something to the device while the rest were watching him confused. Eric’s hand rapidly tapped at the keyboard under the screen.

“What are you doing?” Andy looked at the screen.

“I’m trying to get the data.”

Dongwan scrunched his forehead, “for what?”

“Their technology isn’t a joke. We are going to learn about this. Now, you wind controller, I need your help. Please blow a strong wind to the device.” Eric seems finished his task, “now everyone steps back, or get ready to run. Once this thing gets blown up, the security alarm will turn on automatically also the door of everyone’s confinement will be opened for a fire warning. It will be alerting guards, but since the system is down, they have their power back to fight those guards,” he continued.

Following Eric’s instruction, the rest of the team prepared themselves meanwhile Dongwan controlled the wind as Eric wanted. Then Eric extended his hand to the device and released fire. With Dongwan’s wind, Eric’s fire was getting bigger and stronger, even the fire started making a weird shape. The fire ate the device, burning it down. Eric stepped back then he pulled Dongwan since the fire started being uncontrollable. Just like what Eric said before, the alarm started ringing out.

“Now we’ll walk on separated path from here, three of you can go,” said Eric while walking to Junjin, he gave the younger a nod and unexpectedly Junjin understood it.

“We’ll meet again later, Minwoo, Andy, and Mr. Wind!” Junjin smiled following Eric who was already walking in the direction of the confinement area.

Minwoo chuckled at Dongwan’s new nickname while the other male seems confused.

Andy wondered if they would go back to help the others, he also wanted to help but get tugged by Minwoo.

“Let’s go back, shall we?”

 

 

“Are you crazy pulling a stunt like that?! They caught you and put you in jail for like 2 months! You even bring Jinnie together to your crazy plan!” A male with light-colored hair with bangs covered his forehead, slamming down the table in front of him while glaring at Eric who sat down behind the table.

Eric chuckled, “calm down, Hyesung-ah. At least we finally get the anti-aegis system which can help the uppers shut down the adamant.”

Hyesung, the male who slam Eric’s table, massaged his forehead. A sigh escaped from his mouth. “That system is more dangerous in the government’s hand. They can erase us whenever they want if they have it,” said Hyesung.

“Us? It’s me and the others, not you.”

Right. Hyesung was so used to aegis presence every day, so he forgot that he is a human, a normal one without any special abilities. He even doesn’t understand why Eric was forcing him to join the aegis project by the government while he is a human.

“Hyung, don’t worry, Eric hyung will save it only for us. He’ll not give it to the uppers.” Junjin who was watching Hyesung’s rage soothe the older down.

Hyesung threw himself to the chair across from Eric. “It still doesn’t explain the connection between that and this team's purpose. You said the Shinhwa team was made to hunt down the ringleader.”

“One small thing down, it means we can track the leader better.”

Junjin sat beside Hyesung with a grin, he passed a clipboard with papers to Eric while facing in Hyesung's direction, “with that system down, we bait the leader out of the cave. The only thing we need to do is to wait, Hyesungie hyung.”

Hyesung huffed. He still disagrees with both Eric and Junjin. He knew how dangerous their job is but still, at least those two can prevent it by doing something not stupid. Especially when Junjin told him the story that Eric had to bring some people outside their team to burn the device. But now Eric’s expression while reading the papers given by Junjin intrigued him. Confuse written on his face. Hyesung asked if something wrong with whatever Junjin gave to him.

“It’s weird….” Eric murmured, flipping the papers back and forth.

“What’s weird???” Hyesung tried to peek at the clipboard.

“Sure you heard his name right?” asked Eric facing Junjin.

Junjin nodded in reply.

“Yah! What are you two talking about?” Hyesung crossed both his arms in annoyance.

“The guys who helped us before, the three commoner aegis, they are named Minwoo, Andy, and Mr. Wind, uh–I mean Dongwon? Dengwan?". Junjin corrected the name, "Eric hyung, it's Dongwan. Dong-wan." Eric grinned confusedly, "right, whatever his name, I asked Junjin to search the civil registration, especially the aegis list…. Hyesung-ie you must know how civil registration works for aegis right?” with face at Hyesung's direction.

Hyesung tilted his head, “yeah, every aegis should submit their data to the government. Basically, the government has the list of aegis living in the whole nation,” he answered.

Eric blinked in disbelief with the things written in his paper. “Well, only one of them got listed here. Only Andy is recorded in the national data. Minwoo and Dongwan aren’t listed.”

Hyesung stood up in shock, “no way! How can someone–some people weren’t registered? It’s something impossible to do!” He turned to Junjin asking the younger if he really searching for their data correctly. Junjin said that he already searching every data that he could find. Junjin even searched list members of the aegis project and he found nothing about those two.

Junjin expressed that he felt weird about Dongwan and Minwoo. He also noticed the difference between Minwoo and Andy when the anti-aegis device system was still on, only Minwoo showed up slow healing ability meanwhile Andy needed days to get healed. And then Dongwan only listens to Minwoo’s words. When Minwoo told him to help Eric, he listened to him.

“Then what are you going to do with this illegal aegis?” asked Hyesung watching Eric put down the clipboard.

Eric smiled coyly, looking at the birds duo -Hyesung and Junjin- then standing up and walking away. “I don’t know. I have both good and bad feelings on this,” said Eric leaving the two looking at each other worried about him.

His legs bring him to the camp’s training center. He intended to use one of the special training rooms for the rest of the day. Eric’s mind just can’t stop thinking about Minwoo and Dongwan who are not listed under national data. He wants to recruit those three. Recruiting Andy must be easy to do since Andy didn’t hide, not like those two who hiding their identity.

But maybe the Goddess of fortune on his side because when Eric walked into the training hall, which the top rank agents used, someone passed him walking in a different direction. Eric was surprised to see the person he was thinking about so he had to turn then grab their wrist to stop them.

“Mr. Wind!”