Yunho knocked Donghae on his back, pressing his body on the ground. He pushed Donghae’s shoulder with one hand while his other hand roughly yanked the stringed amulet off his neck, his strength lifting Donghae’s body along with the pull.

Donghae was caught off guard with the sudden shift in Yunho’s actions. One moment he was saying sweet words and the next moment he was pushed to the ground.

“Yunho”, Donghae struggled against his grip. “What are you doing?”

Yunho dangled the amulet in front of Donghae’s eyes, “This is precious to you, isn’t it?” Donghae didn’t answer, just stared at his friend’s face in shock. “I’ve never seen you without it.” He got off Donghae’s body, twirling the red stringed amulet between his fingers, his back now facing Donghae.

Donghae was in a daze, unsure of why Yunho is suddenly interested in his necklace that even he doesn’t pay much heed to. “I-I don’t think it’s precious. I just didn’t think of it much.” He slowly sat upright, still looking at Yunho’s retreating back in confusion.

“You didn’t think of it much”, Yunho scoffed. “It stands out the most against your pale body. It was the first thing I took notice of when I met you”, he stopped midway turning back to look at Donghae, “after your face that is. Can’t miss a pretty face”, he laughed aloud.

“Yunho” Donghae shouted angrily, “Stop with your remarks, they are not funny.” He stood up and walked towards Yunho, “Give it back. Don’t you have your ‘important’ stuff to do tonight?” Donghae could see Yunho’s face clearly now that he was standing closer to him. The usual friendly tender eyes looked aggrieved.

“I need this”, Yunho replied in a quiet tone. “This is the important thing that I need tonight.”

Donghae backed a couple of steps, clenching his fists, “Huh, who would have thought, it was right beneath our nose. My nose to be exact.” He remembered how when Jungsoo took him in, he spent his days waiting for his family, thinking that what was hung on his neck was a last piece of them. A proof that someone out there had given him a souvenir, something to keep in memory. Donghae breathed out and said calmly “If this is what you really need then take it”.

Yunho was baffled by Donghae’s acquiescence, “That easy?” “Yeah, it was that easy, as simple as asking for it”, Donghae replied.

Yunho quickly cast his eyes down on the necklace in his hand, avoiding Donghae’s gaze. He untied the string and took it out of the amulet, dropping the string on the ground. He walked to the bonfire and flicked his wrist to create a small ball of air slowly turning it into a ball of fire. Donghae was amazed by his new trick and shuffled near to see properly, still maintaining distance as he looked over Yunho’s shoulder from behind.
“I’ve been practicing my skills. Although the source couldn’t help me with much, I figured this out through trial and error.” Yunho unknowingly found himself explaining to Donghae.

Before Donghae could reply, Yunho dropped the coin in the levitating ball of fire. As soon as the coin was engulfed by fire, Donghae collapsed down gasping in pain.

Yunho turned around to see Donghae whimpering on the ground, his hand clutching at his chest, eyes glistening with tears. Yunho quickly put out the ball of fire and the coin fell on the ground, its engravings looking pronounced after being scorched in fire. 

Donghae gasped in pain, his hand still over his chest as Yunho came in his line of view. “What happened to you?” Yunho kneeled beside Donghae and peeled his hand off his chest inspecting his body. It was hard to see in the dark of the night, so he deftly flicked another ball of fire and hovered it over Donghae’s body. Donghae shrunk back in reflex, his chest still aching. Yunho’s eyes turned aggrieved again as he noted the deeper red mark on his friend’s chest.
‘This is it’, he thought.
“You have finally found it”, a strange woman’s voice interrupted them.

“You”, Yunho stood up, with Donghae following him, trying to stand upright. “You show up now after so many years”.

“I didn’t think you would need my help”, the old woman replied. “I had done what I needed to do”.

“Who is she”, Donghae asked Yunho. “Nobody”, Yunho answered.
The old woman chuckled, “I’m the one because of who he can wield powers. I lend him the ancient book of spells that contains knowledge surpassing centuries.”

“Well I could make work of only one spell. The rest seemed gibberish.” Yunho said with ire.

“But you found the most important ingredient for the Immortality spell”, she replied, “the seal of death”.

Donghae’s confused eyes widened upon hearing the old woman’s words. “Immortality? Seal of death? What does she mean Yunho?”
Yunho walked around the majestic tree, touching it lightly with his fingers. “Justice. All that I’m doing is to deliver justice.” He stood in front of Donghae, “And for that I need power. If I can’t be killed, if I can live forever then I can do anything I want and however I want.” 

The look on Yunho’s face changed to an arrogant smirk when he spoke about it. “That is impossible. No one can be an immortal”, Donghae was troubled upon seeing such a foreign expression on his friend’s face.

“Not impossible”, the old lady interrupted. “Absorb the essence of the seal of death and”, the lady made a poof sound, opening up her closed fist, “you are an Immortal.” Yunho stayed mute even when the old woman chattered on about the spell, slightly afraid that she would reveal his dark actions.

The woman glanced at Yunho wickedly before she continued, “After taking thirty-six lives for 12 moons that is.” In the dark of the night the amulet that had been dropped on the ground slowly started levitating. Unaware the old woman prattled on, “Done with that right Yunho?”

Donghae gasped when realization dawned on him, “Those disappearances these past months, you-you were behind it.”

“They deserved it”, Yunho said casually.

“No”, Donghae said firmly, “A twenty year something person doesn’t get to judge