When Chanyeol awoke some time later he was surprised to see that the darkness was still hanging over the island, those dark smoky clouds still spiraled above them. The photographer had never seen such a storm before, his eyes widening at the sight of them outside his bedroom's window. He rose up from the bed, the covers gathering in a heap behind him as he walked over to the window ledge. His fingers stung from the sharp cold metal handle, applying just the right amount of weight the handle dipped and the window opened. Almost instantly the smell of the salt water from the ocean surrounding the village hit Chanyeol's nostrils, causing him to crinkle his nose in surprise. The bitterness of the air sent a horrible shiver down his spine, the wind slapping his skin with such vigor that it made Chanyeol's breath catch in his throat.

Chanyeol had grown up on the island long enough to know the difference between storms and whatever that was happening above him was nothing he had seen before. He could hear the harsh crashing of the waves from the coastline. A seagull's cry pulled Chanyeol's attention, his eyes following the bird as it swirled around the island before finally coming to a rest on the perch by the town hall. The photographer had seen the nest before but he swore that there weren't that many birds there before, that's when he realised that even the animals were heading for shelter.

"What the hell is happening today?" Chanyeol whispered, leaning away from the window. He his heel, facing his room. His gaze found his bedside table where a picture of his mother and father sat smiling at the camera, the baby between them had barely any teeth in his mouth and yet even Chanyeol had to admit that he was a cute kid, even though he knew that a lot of time had passed since the scene was captured. The navy blue walls felt like they were creeping closer to him, the crashing waves outside his window getting louder the longer he stood watching the room. His bedroom door was wide open, the hallway light was flickering, casting shadows all along the floor and the walls. Chanyeol figured that the electricity running throughout the island was struggling to keep up with the incoming storm, there was no doubt in his mind that the whole town would be suffering a blackout at any moment.

Before he could even register what was happening, his legs began moving on their own bringing him out of the comfort of his room and out into the blinking lit hallway. He could hear how the sound of the waves crashing against the shore slowly faded into the background, his ears picking up the shaking sound of the island's weather woman from the television in the living-room. Chanyeol expected to find his mother standing beside the couch watching it like she always did when there was a storm on the way, but instead he found no-one.

The weather woman on the television grabbed Chanyeol's attention, her bright orange raincoat looked out of place surrounded by the dark clouds behind her. The photographer could see the anxiety in her face, her eyes were wide while her hands shook with the microphone in her hand. He turned towards the closed window in the room which looked out in another direction from the one in his bedroom. He didn't even think about going over, instead he walked towards the kitchen. His eyes gazed over the fridge, his fingers itching to search it so he did. He pulled opened the door and peered inside, his eyes instantly catching the sight of the brand new packet of bottled water. Against his inner voice telling him to forget it Chanyeol's arm reached out and grabbed it, pulling it to his chest without even a moment's hesitance.

In a last minute decision Chanyeol had collected his school bag and had emptied its contents out onto the kitchen counter, his mind going into overdrive as it quickly gathered everything it deemed necessary, the photographer merely on autopilot as his body led him to all he needed. Water bottles, snacks, tissues, another hoodie, a notebook and a pen, a torch and batteries, cash and (for some unknown reason) water-prove zip-lock bags all got thrown into the bag, organisation was never really Chanyeol's thing anyway. He didn't have any patience when it came to things like that.

A loud rumble tore Chanyeol's attention away from his backpack, his brows furrowed in the centre of his forehead when he realised that the sound hadn't come from the sky. When one hears a rumble coming from outside their house, their natural expectation would be that thunder had settled just above them. But like Chanyeol had claimed earlier, he knew storms. This wasn't a thunder storm coming towards the island. Every hair on Chanyeol's body stood on end, his hands rushing to get his bag over his shoulder. He didn't even bother throwing a glance over his shoulder as he left through the front door, his destination already in sight.

Chanyeol could see that everyone in the entire village was crowded around the library up on the hill directly opposite to where the photographer was going, the bright lights coming from inside the building allowed him to see just how large the crowd was. The islander's elders and youngsters were all surrounding the building most likely talking about the monster that Chanyeol had killed (that was going to take some time getting used to), although he couldn't exactly hear what they were speaking about. But he figured that since nothing else had happened on the island apart from that, he had a pretty high percent chance that that was exactly what they were talking about.

Thankfully the town meeting in the library gave Chanyeol the perfect excuse to escape to his destination, no one being able to stop him in his actions just like he had hoped. He felt his lips curl upwards as he glanced back at the people on the hill, they looked like smaller versions of themselves and Chanyeol was the giant that he had killed however long ago. Glancing down at his wristwatch (that had been a gift from his father before he died) Chanyeol was able to tell that it had just struck four pm on the dot.

The slight strain in his legs as he climbed the peak was easily looked over as Chanyeol had grown used to the pull from all the times that he had snuck up here before, his body was used to being overworked whenever it was on Mountain Peak. The photographer let out a content sigh when he finally reached the top of the eak, the chilly air greeting him like an old friend. From here Chanyeol had the perfect view of the entire island as well as the vast ocean ahead of him, he stood on higher ground from those on the library building. He knew that one wandering eye would see him and alert the others but he didn't care, it would take them a while to get there anyway since no one had cars on the island (it was too small for such a thing).

"Now what have I told you?" his father wondered, holding on tightly to Chanyeol's shoulders. The boy smiled as he remembered his mother's face when she realised that her husband had taken their child to the most taboo place on the island.

"You said that if there is ever a time where the sky mirrors the ocean I have to come here straight away, I just don't understand why!"

"And I hope one day that you won't have to..." his father had sighed, hanging his head between his shoulders. Chanyeol recalled how he didn't like the heartbroken look in his father's eyes. So he had done the one thing that he knew would bring a smile to his father's lips. Chanyeol had stepped further into his father's personal space grateful that the man was already on his knees as he gently placed his forehead against his, the child grinning large and wide as the deep chuckle from his father took up the silent air. "I am sorry when that time happens Chanyeol. It means that I wasn't able to protect you."

"That's okay daddy!" Chanyeol recalls saying with the brightest smile that he could muster. "I'll be an adult by then! I'll be able to protect you!"

So here he was. Standing on top of Mountain Peak looking out into the vastness of the ocean, the waters reflecting the dark and harshness that the sky was covered with. The rumbling was gradually getting louder and louder, Chanyeol couldn't help but glance over the side of the cliff. His eyes studied the waves that crashed against the bottom, they were getting harsher, like there was a force driving them closer and closer. Chanyeol strangely found himself sitting down on the large boulder just a stone-throw away from the edge, naturally he thought that his heart rate would have spiked or to feel at least somewhat scared. But he didn't. In fact it felt like he was simply waiting for Sehun or Jongin to arrive. Call him crazy, but Chanyeol honestly didn't feel the slightest bit of fear and it was concerning.

The rumbling continued for a little while longer, the waves continuing to crash harshly against the bottom of the cliff. Chanyeol stayed rooted in his seat on the boulder, his fingers playing around with the pen he had taken from his bag. He clicked the tip again and again, listening to the beat as it went with the deep rumbles. His lips puckered as he gently blew through his teeth, the melody of his whistle bouncing out into the void before him. If only he had his computer, maybe then he would have been able to make a song using these sounds as the background. Ms Choi would have loved it.

Chanyeol's eyes snapped upwards, his gaze narrowing as it tried to look through the fog that had come along with the dark clouds that were now stretching out towards the horizon (or at least where the horizon was earlier that day). The boy watched as his eyes finally became accustomed to the dark, the dark blob before him was finally starting to take a form.

Chanyeol slowly rose up from his position on the bolder, his feet carrying him towards the edge of the cliff. The sudden sight of beady red eyes blinking back at him, had the college student heaving out a breath. The logical side of his brain figured that the red dots staring back at him were the red lights of the weather helicopter that the island launched out sometimes in order to collect data but the more he looked the more he realised that these red dots were in fact eyes, eyes that belonged to something so tall that it was able to glide through the ocean.

The rumble was the loudest that it had ever been, Chanyeol wincing through the sudden pain in his ears. The photographer stood his ground, his hands continuing to click the pen up and down. The sound dull but surprisingly loud enough to Chanyeol's ears, his attention being pulled back from the rumble and onto this tiny object in his hand. He cast it a glance before turning back to the boulder where his bag was placed down beside it. He knew that he could go to it and retrieve the flashlight, maybe use it to shine a little light on the subject but yet again his body and mind betrayed him keeping him in place by the cliff's edge.

"Jasper Cove," A deep rumbling voice rang through Chanyeol's ears, the ground beneath his feet shaking ever so slightly from the sound. The student blinked in surprise, his legs having moved on their own to stabilize himself from going over the side of the cliff. "it's been awhile.."

"Um.. excuse me?" Chanyeol spoke out, his voice steady as he took one more step forward. His eyes were narrowed but all he could see were the bright red eyes, everything else was clouded with the fog of the storm. "As the captain of the welcoming committee here I feel like it would be rude to go straight to the village before introductions were made, can I have your name for my visitors log?"

"A welcoming committee?" The deep voice sounded surprised, drawing a small smile onto Chanyeol's lips as he nodded his head.

"Yes the welcoming committee, our island has been receiving visitors for the past couple days and it's only fair that we take your name for our records." Chanyeol clicked the pen in his hand again. "In fact I believe that you are a little late to our welcoming party."

"A party?"

"I had the pleasure of meeting someone else here today, but he never gave me his name although he claimed to be a Bilops, oh wait no that's not what it was.." Chanyeol allowed his voice to trail off. He clicked the pen up and crossed his arms, dramatically resting his palm on the underside of his chin. "Was it a cyclist? No that wasn't it either! Do you see my problem when people don't give their name for the visitors log?"

"I didn't know that there was a welcoming committee or a party!" The voice scoffed, Chanyeol holding his breath when the stale air was cast in his direction. Oh that was really bad, Chanyeol couldn't even distinguish what was within this creature's breath. Not that he was wanting to find out.

"It was organised when the first guy came here," Chanyeol explained while continuing to play around with the pen in his fingers. "He wanted you to have a nice welcome after all you did send him ahead to wreck our village? Or did he fail you?"

"I know nothing about what you speak!"

"And that's exactly why I need your name, it would be a little awkward if I allowed you to pass into our welcoming party if you weren't the honoured guest now wouldn't it?" The silence that followed had Chanyeol's clicking pen ring through the air, the college student looking at it in interest before turning back to the creature. "I have a gift for the honoured guest you see and I have been waiting quite patiently to give it to them!"

"Your gift is your life!"

"Obviously," Chanyeol huffed out, rolling his eyes. He took another step towards the edge, he could feel the ground disappear below the tip of his sneakers. "as are the lives of the rest of the people in the village. But the cyclops oh! He was a cyclops!" Chanyeol cheered, happy that he was able to remember the name of the creature he had the pleasure of the killing earlier. When he realised that the other creature before him was staying silent in hopes that he would continue speaking had him blabbering through the rest of his words. "Anyway, he said that I should offer you a gift before you kill me!"

"Aren't you supposed to be running right now?"

Technically yes, Chanyeol thought. "I suppose I should be," he admitted, nodding his head. "but where exactly do you wish for me to go? I mean, come on... I live on an island-"

"What is this gift?" The creature questioned, the beady eyes that Chanyeol had been communicating with this entire time came closer and finally he had a good view on the creature he had been speaking with. A shiver ran down the boy's back as he stared at the wiggling tentacles that began just below the creature's beady red eyes, they appeared to be as long as a small fishing vessel.

"A pen." The student admitted, turning his gaze back to the red orbs blinking back at him. Chanyeol offered the writing device with his hand outstretched, a bright smile peeling itself onto his lips.

"What is this object?" The creature Chanyeol didn't know the name of commented, it's eyes narrowing in suspicion.

The photographer's lips pressed into a thin line, okay maybe he hadn't thought this thing through until the end. He had no idea that he was communicating with a giant squid who appeared to have the body of a very large giant male, judging by the huge hand that was pushing itself through the fog right now. Chanyeol coughed back the laugh in his throat, inhaling a breath before dropping the pen down on the creature's index finger.

"It allows you to write on things, with ink." he nearly choked on the irony but managed to hold himself back. "The cyclops dude said that you would find it amusing although I thought he was being quite rude and inconsiderate."

"You speak very well for a human," the giant squid hybrid man thing spoke, his eyes leaving Chanyeol's in order to inspect the pen he had been playing with the entire time. "I will accept this gift from my friend. Where is this cyclops, you speak so much about?"

"In the cave directly below us," Chanyeol smiled, using his own index finger to direct the giant squid towards the bottom of the cliff. "he told me that he would be waiting for you there."

The rumbling took up the air yet again, the photographer kept the smile on his lips the entire time the creature let out his noises. He shifted the watch on his arm behind his back, hoping that the creature wouldn't see him and think too much into it. Thankfully the creature was walking backwards into the fog, Chanyeol watching as the creature's face disappeared until only it's red eyes were visible through the fog.

"This is for you son," his father's voice came into his mind yet again. Chanyeol slowly brought his right hand around to face him, the face of the clock staring back at him. "as you can see it has two very important dials on the side of it." Chanyeol's wrist twisted and his eyes fell on the dials running along the side of the device. "One controls the time, you pop it out and turn it so that it will show the correct time all the time. You will never have to change the battery inside it so it will run on its own for you. The other dial is the most important one, are you listening?"

The creature rumbled, Chanyeol's eyes watching it as it slowly got onto its knees that were lost in the waves of the ocean. Its actions sent a wave so large upwards that it splashed Chanyeol's face with freezing cold water, the shock pulling him back into the memory.

"You are not allowed to push this button until the moment you need it the most. Do you remember when I brought you to the peak and told you about the water reflecting the sky? You will know when the moment is needed, but don't press it too early. Promise me Chanyeol, this is very important."

The creature's red eyes were gone from directly ahead of him, the student glancing down and realising that the creature was crouching down and looking into the cave where Yuri had seen the mermaid all those years ago.

"Chanyeol!" The student turned and watched as Baekhyun was making his way up the hill, his eyes wide in horror and fear. He didn't look to see if there was anyone else following him, instead he offered the boy a bright smile before he stepped forward again. His entire body going over the edge of the cliff.

His fingers found the second dial on the side of the watch his father had gifted him all those years ago, and pushed it into the device. The face of the clock slipped over the band around his wrist until it stopped dead directly below his palm, a large blade shot out from the top of the clock's face, while a large handle travelled up his forearm stopping at his elbow. Chanyeol had just enough time to push his elbow into the hilt, sending the handle into the palm of his hand, just in time for his body to hit against the monster squid's head. He didn't think twice as he drove the metal so deep into the skin of the creature before him, a loud wail of a cry filling his ears as the creature screamed in agony.

Chanyeol slid against its skin, the wet exterior was quickly covered in blood as the photographer used the sword to slice through the skin as he continued his free fall into the ocean. He braced himself for the bitter cold that awaited him below, his feet coming together in hopes to allow him easy access into the ocean.

Finally he was submerged into the water, bubbles cushioning him and the blade still in his hand. The monster he had hoped to have at least wounded slipped into the ocean after him, its blood tainting the grey waters making them almost black in colour. He was surprised to see it crystal clear in the water. It's head was massive, the beady red eyes were wide but the deep gash between them caught and held Chanyeol's attention. His impulsive actions had caused the death of yet another monster, only this one had stood an even larger chance of killing his entire village.

The sword from the watch in his hand was heavy now that it was underwater, but Chanyeol's body was too weak to try and kick himself to the surface. The water was cold but it was embracing him like an old friend who he hadn't seen in years. The photographer couldn't help it as he welcomed the embrace and allowed it to completely overcome him. His eyes were able to make out a colourful tail swimming towards him just before he closed them again.

He needed rest.