Part Twelve

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30 minutes ago

Baekhyun gritted his teeth as he waited there, stood at a spot as his eyes scanned far off the distance. He saw them but they didn't see him yet. He saw the torches they held, the weapons they brought and the amount of people that joined. He counted until more than 30 people, all were men with one woman hidden behind them all. He felt the magic in the air, the smell of the fire from their torches and the yells of orders. 

They eventually stopped walking

As all eyes were on him

He took a deep breath, tried to control his breath and himself but when he made eye contact with the same boy he fought hours ago that had made him lost control, his body froze. His eyes scanned the men around him. He also saw the other man who were with him, the man who took Junhee away from him at the library. Baekhyun could not help but to swallow. His throat shaking, his palms heating up and his heart pounding faster. There's more of him...no...

Someone shouted out a cry. At once the villagers move with their weapons up. With their pounding feet on the ground heading towards him, Baekhyun looked up at the sky. The last image he had at that moment was the moment of him and Junhee together on the bed earlier. He felt his throat clenching before he gasped with his eyes turned black and his darkness burst out. 

30 minutes later, the present

"Junhee look..." 

She looks up from her wrist. She was confused when the rope had disappeared and she didn't know where to head to. However when she heard Kyungsoo called her out, she raised her head and look towards at what Kyungsoo had pointed to. Seeing black smoke up in the air. But it is not Baekhyun's smoke. Her eyes wide. "Fire...The forest is on fire" She gasps before she takes off running towards it with Kyungsoo right behind her. She have a feeling the man she is searching for will be where the fire is.

It is worse than she thought. They arrived at the scene and the area is on fire with people still fighting. They can see some people on the ground, probably unconscious. Junhee does not want to think of anything worse than that. 

Her eyes sweep the area to look for the man she is searching for and it does not take much effort to find him because he gathers all the attention. With his black cloak, his black hair and even his black eyes. 

He lost control

Her mind tells her before her legs straight on sprint towards him. 

"Junhee!" She hears Kyungsoo calling out to him with his footsteps following her. "Junhee, you're crazy?!" He yells before he manages to grab hold of her arm before she could run more. 

"Kyungsoo I need to stop Hyun!" Her eyes wide as she turns to him. 

"What are you gonna do?! Do you have a plan?! It's hot here!" He proceeds to shout over the loud noises from the fight and the fire. He looks around the area, swallowing in fear because of the fire. 

"I have to snap Baekhyun out! He's not himself" She told him and glances at the man she mentioned. "There's people here who wants to get the pearl, that's why he's like that" 

"I can see Joon!" Kyungsoo said when his eyes spotted the said man. "His friends are here too" he adds, watching more men he recognized head on with the feral Baekhyun. "Your boyfriend's out of his mind" 

She purses her lips, "I know" 

"You know what you're doing?" He stares at Junhee, really looking at her, to see how she is doing right now. He spots panic, fear but most of all she looks confident. She gives him a nod. 

"I have to stop Baekhyun. I don't know how but...but I have to try. He won't want this to happen too" 

Kyungsoo takes a breath before he nods back, "Then you go. I'll help with what I could--"

"Kyungsoo!!" 

Both of Kyungsoo and Junhee turn their heads at the incoming people. Her eyes widen when she sees all of Kyungsoo's friends are here. Chanyeol, Sehun, Jongin and Jongdae are here. They couldn't let a word out when Jongdae and Jongin went to hug Junhee and Kyungsoo respectively. 

"Oh my god we found you!!" Jongdae hugs Junhee, his arms tightly around her. The girl goes stiff. A second later he moves back and checks her for any injuries. "Are you two ok?!"

"We're fine Jongdae but I hav--"

"Let's get you out of here! We came because we wanted to go rescue you two! Let's go before the madman sees yo--Junhee!!" Jongdae said but before he could finish his words, Junhee moves away from him to go running towards the centre man of the fight. When he wants to chase her, he gets pulled back by a hand. His eyes wide when he turns around, seeing Kyungsoo who was the one who pulled him back. "What the hell Kyungsoo she--"

"Leave her be" 

"WHAT" All four of them shrieked

Kyungsoo purses his lips, "She's going to stop him" 

There is an audible scoff from Sehun when he said that. "Stop him? How she's going to stop him? Just look at the freak!" He points his hand to Baekhyun wielding his power around people. "She's gonna get kill!" 

"She won't" Kyungsoo said it, a bit unsure but he feels that he could trust her and Baekhyun. 

Jongdae looks at him in disbelief, "Kyungsoo, are you out of your mind?! That's the monster who kidnapped you!" 

"He's not a monster!!" Kyungsoo shouted back. All four of them shut their mouth at the hard glare they received. "That's a man with a very unfortunate fate. Now, I don't have time to explain it to you but just trust me. He is not a monster" 

Sehun scoffs again, breaking the silence between them. "Oh yeah then how do you explain all the bodies he injured and killed?" He said mockingly, vaguely show the bodies on the ground which Kyungsoo and Junhee had noticed earlier on. "Just look at him Soo! He's unstoppable even with 30 of us!" 

"Are you sure what you're doing, Soo" It was Chanyeol who asked. Unlike Sehun, Chanyeol is calm, the only calmer one in the group. He holds his shoulder, looking straight at him questioningly. Kyungsoo stares and nods, "I've been with him and I've learned a lot. Some of them are crazy s. Trust me he is much more than a monster. Junhee also aware of this, they've been together longer than me. She trusts him" He told him. Chanyeol purses his lips before he eventually nods. 

The taller man glances around at his friends before he looks back at Kyungsoo. "So, what should we do now?"

The shorter man sighs, glancing back to search for Junhee. He sees her there, head on fighting with Baekhyun and it seems the man does not aware he is fighting with the girl he loves. He turns back to his friends. "Leave Junhee with him. Help her if she needs it and stops anyone who looks suspicious like Joon" 

"Joon?" Jongdae voice out

Kyungsoo turns to him. "Yes Joon. Him and his friends are bad news. They need to be stop. It's what making Hyun--the cloak man acting like this" He said before he looks back at Chanyeol. "Heal the wounded as much as you can, Yeol. Jongin, Sehun, you guys pull the unconscious ones to the side where it is safe" he said as he starts ordering them. 

Jongin stares head on at him, worry evidence in his eyes. "And what are you going to do?" 

At the question, Kyungsoo looks up at the burning trees. "I will try to stop the fire from spreading. It's really bad" He told them before he stares at Jongdae. "Dae, use your power to put out the fire as much as you can" Jongdae purses his lips before he gives a nod.

They all give each other one last look before everyone move to their respective orders.

🍁🍁🍁

Baekhyun is not himself

His eyes are dark as the night and his aura grew ten folds. Is this really the man she fell in love with?

Yes

Junhee watches Baekhyun with confident steps after she ran away from Kyungsoo's friends. Even though she felt bad, her mind is on something else. On a certain man that is not in his right mind. "Wake up, Hyun" she said under her breath as she tries to closely get herself to him. "Fight the pearl, Hyun. You're not its puppet. Please wake up" she said more to herself but it seems like the man heard her. He has stopped attacking a man to turn his head to her. Round black eyes staring back at her. 

She gulps before she shakes her arms. How will she wakes up Baekhyun if he is not in his right mind? This man in front of her is not Baekhyun, it's the pearl. "Ok pearl, you want to fight me? Then come and get me" Goosebumps crawl on her skin when she sees him smirking. 

The first blast of smoke to her was predictable. She jumped, moved to the side before it could hit her but for the second and third attack she was not prepared. She got thrown down onto the ground twice. "Urgh" She grunts before she quickly gets up on her feet. At the corner of her eyes she can see the incoming black wisps approaching her fast. With a gasp, she shuts her eyes while raise her arms up in an X form and wait for the incoming pain but nothing came. 

She blinks and opens her eyes. Her eyes widen when she stares at the white barrier in front of her. "Oh my god...I made it again" Her heart soared, in anxiety and excitement after what she had done. She had conjured the same light barrier she made when they were at the library. At this achievement, she feels herself bouncing in newfound energy as she stares back at Baekhyun who is still looking at her while fighting off with the other men. 

She waves her hand and the barrier vanishes. When it did, she quickly runs towards the man. She dodged, moved away whenever he shoots something at her. "Hyun wake up!! Snap out of it!" She shouts as she runs to him, trying to get her voice into his head. With that shout comes another attack and she was ready. She raises her arm and deflect the darkness with a shield she made out of light. It goes on repeat until she is near him. 

When he swings his hand, his cloak moving to his movement, smoke comes out from the ground and expands around Junhee. Her eyes gone wide. Her head going in panic but she still sees Baekhyun through the smoke. She pushes her panic down and sprint forward to throw herself at him. 

She watches how his eyes go wide as she wraps her arms around him. The impact of her body had them fall down. The smoke disappeared when his back hits the ground. "Wake up, Hyun!!" She shakes his shoulders and even go to the extend of slapping him in the face. "Wake up--Woah"

Junhee gets pushed away, her body went flying up in the air. She almost hit the ground when someone threw himself at her, saving her at the last minute. "Jongdae!" She calls him out and immediately move away from his body as the man had cushioned her fall. "What are you doing here!" 

"Saving you" He grunts, sitting up from the ground before he reaches to grab her hand. Junhee glances down at his hand. "Junhee, please it's not too late to go. Please, let me bring you home. You can escape from this man. Look at the destruction he made" he said, borderline soft yet commanding at the same time. His hand squeezing hers in a gentle way. 

Hearing that makes Junhee takes her hand away from him. She sees the change of expression on his face. "I can't...I don't want to" she said as she gets up from the ground. He quickly followed. "He's not a monster, Jongdae. Not in my eyes, I hope you understand that" 

"He killed people"

"He didn't have a choice. He's being controlled" She stares hard at him. "I know what he did is wrong but I also know his story. You might not know anything about him but I do. I do, Jongdae. I've lived with him for days now and I know him. He's not a monster so please, if you want to drag me out of here then I have to say no" she added before she moves away from him. 

"Junhee--"

"If you don't want to help then leave me alone" she resists another hand that reached out to her. "I have to snap him out. He's not himself" That was the last words she said to him before she starts running again towards Baekhyun.

"Junhee! Junhe--" He flinches when someone had pulled on his arm. He turns his head around to stare wide eyed at the person. "Imo, what are you--"

"Let her go" His aunt gives him a look. She glances at the girl who bravely runs towards the man in the black cloak before she looks back at her nephew. "Just leave her be"

"But Imo, she's!--"

"She can do it, she'll be fine. Leave him with her"  

Jongdae stares in disbelief and confusion at her. "Imo, he's a bad man. Look at what he's done!" He yelled, eyes wide, as he showed his hand at the bodies at the side where Jongin and Sehun had helped out. "Kyungsoo and Junhee said he's not a monster but look at them, look at us! How can we trust him?!" 

His aunt stares back at him, poised and calm. "You trust Kyungsoo and you trust Junhee. Put your trust on them, dear. They know about the man that none of you brave enough to seek" 

He frowns, "Do you...know him?" 

She raises her eyebrows and shakes her head. "I don't"

"Then why are you letting this. Why are you letting Junhee go to him? She should be in town. I have to bring her back to town, not letting her go back to him" 

She stares, not reply to it but said something else instead. "Jongdae, look at her" she said, looking over at Junhee. The girl is remarkably using her powers she had never seen her do. "Did she ever say that she wants to go back? Look at how much she wants to help the man. Jongdae, Junhee is not weak. She has a strong heart and mind. Don't you see how much she wants to be with him?" She sighs and touch his nephew's shoulder. "Jongdae, you have to let go of her. I know your feelings for her but I'm sorry, she's not the one for you" 

Jongdae's hard expression fall

She purses her lips, give him a small smile before she pats his head. "Let's go help the others. If she needs help, you'll know what to do" she gently pulls his arm and Jongdae takes one last glance behind him, to watch Junhee fighting off with the man before he follows his aunt. 

🍁🍁🍁

Junhee

Baekhyun is still being controlled. No matter how I shouted for him to wake up, he doesn't respond. He only attacks back. Why though? I frown, thinking, as I look around at the men who are still trying to take him down. I can see Joon and he is having a crazy expression on his face which undoubtly suspicious. He must be in the pearl's pull. My head wonders if there are more of him here? Then how many? Is that why Baekhyun couldn't have any control over the pearl's command because there is so many men that gravitates towards it? 

This is so messed up and it is frustrating

There's more than one person who wants the pearl. They feel the pull of the pearl. Even I can feel it too. It's very strong and very inviting. I am not going to lie. I remembered that time when Baekhyun showed me (or let me feel) the pearl. And Baekhyun had attacked me too. Sort of, but he managed to snap out of it rather quicker. However, this is no different except Baekhyun couldn't have a slight grasp of his body because there is so many people at once that wants it. 

And I couldn't help but wonder how is Baekhyun in there

He must be sad and angry and desperate in there. Trying to gain control of his body. 

I cannot let the pearl take over him. Baekhyun is not a mindless being you can control. "Please get out of him!" I direct my frustration to Baekhyun as I shoot a light beam at him and he dodged it.

Other than feeling utterly desperate and angry towards the pearl, I can't believe I can fight him or anyone with my power. I had never used my light in this form, in a form of an attack. As much as it is shocking to me, I come to realize it is energy draining as well. My hands turned hot and my body is shaking every time I used it but I have to endure it.

I can't stop...I won't stop

Baekhyun needs to be save and I have to knock him out of the pearl's command. Urghhh I hate that pearl. I just want to get it and kill it if I could. It's so frustrating that because of that evil stupid black stone, me and Baekhyun cannot be together.

My heart is pounding as I run. I run as fast as I can and head towards him again. He anticipated my moves and lets out a mass wisps in my direction before he goes on blast his power to make every other standing men down to the ground or hitting the trees. I can feel the wisps getting in my vision and my head starts to pound as well as my chest. I raise my hand, shot another beam in his direction, hoping it would hit him. It did, it hits directly to his face. This time he didn't manage to move away, he hisses and glares at me.

But I couldn't see him, my head is so heavy and it is so painful. My knees feel weak and without me realizing, I hit the ground with my chest moves up and down trying to breath. 

"Junhee!" 

I heard a voice or two or maybe more before I can feel wind suddenly sweep through the area. A second later, there is a loud shout that sounded so near yet so far to my ears.

I feel hands on me but my body couldn't move, my throat clenching to breath through my mouth. More voices filtered through my ears before I can feel the restrictions in my body and throat slowly going away. I gasp out for air when I could breath again.

"Junhee, you're alright?!"

"C-Chanyeol..."

I see Chanyeol leaning over my body, his hands on my head as he is kneeling on the ground. "Hold on" he said and I feel his power surge and transfer inside me. I don't know how long time passed but my head is getting clearer and the pain gradually disappeared until there were none. 

My eyes blink up at him with a grateful relief smile. "Thank you Chanyeol" 

He smiles back, ruffles