Tick. Tick. Tick. 

Jongho wasn't sure how long he had been perched at the same spot that allowed him to see the entrance to the cells secretly but his legs had already long gone numb. He was counting the time each guard would exchange places and the duration that they would stand there for too, trying to find a pattern. He counted 20 minutes before each rotation and roughly 5 minutes for every switch. He stretched his legs and wondered where Seonghwa was since he hadn't heard from the other ever since they went their own way and it had already been a day. He was about to leave when he heard a scoff followed by stomps. Jongho raised his brows curiously when he saw the Overseer and the taller vampire walking towards the entrance. He wished he could go closer but he didn't have a sneaky ability nor a small enough stature. 

The Overseer looked unhappy, of course while the other didn't have much expression on his face. 

"What a waste of time. They must've had already moved locations after the attack," the Overseer scoffed as they entered the cells, beelining straight for Yunho's cell. Yunho looked up from the cold, hard bed he was laying on and looked at Mingi worriedly rather than paying any heed to the Overseer. "You. You will tell us where Wooyoung is." 

Yunho sighed and shrugged. "I've been here for 2 days. How would I know anything about their whereabouts?" 

"Obviously because you have a connection to him. Talk to him. Ask him."

Yunho knew the other meant telepathically but he didn't feel like it. He had not seen what the inside of Wooyoung's mind was like yet and the first time was always unpleasant, especially for the unsuspecting party. "I don't think I will."

"I didn't think you would either," the Overseer sighed. "Why does no one ever like to cooperate? It would make your lives much easier if you just do that." 

"And put my... friend at risk? I don't think so." 

"Then let's see which friendship of yours is stronger," the Overseer said with a thin smile. Mingi stepped forward and Yunho gulped. He knew this would happen too and he thought hard about what decision he should make but couldn't come to a conclusion. "I don't think using Mingi to threaten you is a nice thing to do but you're leaving me not much of a choice. Unless you want me to capture Jongho and torture him instead, I'm sure it would hurt you more than him." 

Yunho stood up from the mention of his brother and gritted his teeth. "Leave Wooyoung and Jongho alone and let Mingi go. You stand to gain nothing from this. So what if you had a prophecy about it? You're doing nothing but destroying lives now. Does this bring you joy, Overseer?" 

"What I need in my life is not joy. I've never seeked that. All I need is fulfillment in my duties as an Overseer." 

Yunho knew what the other meant since Seonghwa had told him before what it meant to be an Overseer. He was born for this purpose and only this. This was the Overseer's role. To have a prophecy and to carry it out. They couldn't go against it nor could they ignore it. And even if the Overseer dies, they would be reincarnated again as the same person with a different prophecy but a duty all the same. Even if Yunho couldn't fully understand why such a role exists, he did not feel like selling out Wooyoung. 

"I'm sorry... I still can't tell you." 

"Then let's try this a different way," the Overseer sighed and opened his palm. A black orb floated above it before it moved towards the cage and seeped into the ground. Tendril-like shadows stretched out towards Mingi and Yunho before it connected to their own shadow. Yunho gasped as the tendrils shot up from under him, pulling him down onto the ground and he felt it wrapping around him tightly before he could move out of the way. He tried to break free of it but its grip was as if an eagle had wrapped its talons around its prey. It did the same to Mingi who didn't make a sound. "You see, I couldn't find a mind user but I did find this little plaything. It has the ability to connect minds together much like telepathy but it doesn't require a blood connection. All it needs are shadows and a little bit of help. Mingi." 

Yunho grunted when he felt a sharp pain in his head as if someone was trying to rip it open. He tried to fight against it but it only hurt more especially when he heard a voice he hadn't in a long time. 

Yunho. 

He knew right away what the black orb was capable of and he wished he could rip it away but his mind became crippled the moment he heard Mingi's scared voice. He knew the other all too well. Despite how serious he looked on the outside, he was a soft scaredy cat on the inside. 

"Mingi," he whispered and couldn't bear to fight back so he let him in. So many thoughts and emotions flooded Yunho's mind as Mingi's mind connected with his. He tried his best to stay calm so he wouldn't overload the other's mind with his own emotions and it was easier than he thought since Mingi's mind was already overwhelming his with anxiety and fear. 

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. 

It's fine. Stop apologising. 

He took away my voice. I don't know what to do! I can't do anything! I'm scared! 

Relax, Mingi. Calm down. Your feelings are overwhelming me right now. 

I'm sorry. I just haven't spoken to anyone for months. I'm scared... 

I know. I know you are. 

I don't want him to hurt you. 

I know you don't. That's why you left me alone in the first place. 

How did you-

I've known for a long time. I just couldn't bear to face the truth alone... so I ignored it. 

I'm sorry, Yunho... 

"Mingi, you're in, aren't you?" the Overseer asked and Mingi nodded. Yunho felt horrible even though he knew more than half of those emotions belonged to Mingi. The other was afraid and frightened. Yunho just wanted to embrace his friend and reassure him that everything will be fine but he wasn't sure of that himself. The Overseer would stop at nothing to get his prophecy to come true. "Open his mind." 

Mingi gulped and shook his head as an indication that he couldn't. Yunho had learned from Jongho how to put up mental barriers in his mind after all to keep themselves protected from each other's thoughts and emotions. 

"You're tougher than you look. I guess I'll have to take things a step further then."

"Enough. Let us go," Yunho groaned as he felt Mingi tried to claw his way in deeper. 

He's controlling me. I can't stop. I'm sorry. I really am. 

"Mingi." 

Mingi nodded, tears welling in his eyes slightly as he pulled out a silver knife from his leg strap. Yunho gaped at him and shook his head, breath shaking a little. 

"It'll really hurt him if he were to.... Stab his own heart, wouldn't it?" 

"Stop," Yunho whispered and shut his eyes. He could hear Mingi sobbing in his mind clearly as if the other was just right beside him instead of the other side of the cage and it broke his heart. 

Help me. 

I can't... 

Yunho, please. I don't want to die. 

He won't kill you. He wouldn't... 

Yunho knew that and yet his heart ached as he had to watch Mingi bring the knife up to his chest. 

"Stop it. Don't do it," Yunho whispered as he felt drained by everything he was being forced to feel and look at now. He turned to look at the Overseer who merely gazed at them with uninterested eyes. "You won't kill Mingi. Doing this to me... and him... Won't benefit you." 

"You're right. I won't kill him but he can heal. Over and over again. No matter how many times he gets hurt."

Yunho gulped as he knew what the other meant. He was just going to keep torturing Mingi until he gave in. The knife cut through the shirt and touched Mingi's skin. Yunho flinched even though he wasn't experiencing it himself but he could hear Mingi hiss. 

Mingi... stop. 

I can't. Do you really think I would hurt myself?! You know I hate pain. I hate doing this to you too but I can't stop it. 

Mingi... 

Yunho bit his lip when the knife pierced his skin and Mingi's hand moved it lower to leave a mark but before he could leave anything permanent, Yunho let his lip go and lifted a hand. 

"Stop, stop. I'll do it. I'll give you what you want," Yunho said in an airy tone. He couldn't bear to see Mingi get hurt. 

"Stop, Mingi," the Overseer said and Mingi let out a silent, relieved breath. "Do it then. Stop wasting my time." 

"Okay... hah... sorry, Wooyoung." 

Yunho shut his eyes and tried to reach out to Wooyoung. He could feel the other just barely there but what he wasn't expecting was how open Wooyoung's mind was. He almost felt himself being dragged right into it if it hadn't been for Mingi's mind still keeping him rooted. He took a deep breath and connected their minds. Just like Mingi's earlier, Yunho felt his mind being flooded by fear and anxiety as well but there was also warmth and hope. 

It was just what Yunho needed now but the same couldn't be said for Wooyoung as he gasped and stopped walking, his body twitching from the discomforts of having his mind felt like it was hijacked. It was different from having Seonghwa enter a dream but more akin to someone kicking the door down and inviting themselves in. 

"Wooyoung? What's wrong?" 

"My head feels like it's splitting," Wooyoung hissed and San held his arm worriedly. 

"Do you need to take a breather?" 

"No, I-" 

Wooyoung. 

"Huh?" Wooyoung looked up and for a moment, he didn't feel like he was himself anymore. He was in pitch darkness and he could see Yunho looking back at him. "Yunho?" 

I'm sorry. I have to do this for Mingi. 

"Who is Mingi?" Wooyoung squeaked when he felt his body move on its own, looking around the area as if he was being controlled instead. "W-what's going on?" 

"Woah, Wooyoung. Is this an attack? What's happening?" San panicked and held onto both his arms. 

"I don't know but Yunho is in my head!" 

"Yunho?" 

Wooyoung tried to run to Yunho in his mind but couldn't reach him. Instead he saw a figure behind him, one almost as tall or just as tall as him. 

So this is where you are. 

Yunho glanced at Mingi behind him and pursed his lips. 

He will let you go now, right? 

I'm sorry, Yunho and thank you for doing this for me. 

"What the hell is going on?!" Wooyoung hissed as he watched Yunho fade, leaving only the other tall vampire behind. He felt as if he was being held all of a sudden. He looked down at his body and noticed black tendrils climbing onto him. He yelped and tried to get away. 

Run, Wooyoung! 

"Wooyoung!" San shouted and the other snapped back into reality. 

"San.... We have to run. Yunho told me to run," Wooyoung gasped as he held onto San. "They found us through Yunho somehow."

"Calm down. It's already late. We shouldn't be running wildly in the open." 

"What do we do.... Didn't Seonghwa sshi and Jongho go there to save Yunho?" 

"First things first, we have to find a place to hide." 

"Did you find him?" the Overseer asked and Mingi opened his eyes. He nodded and slowly stood up as the tendrils retracted from Yunho back to the Overseer in the form of the orb. "Wonderful. Thank you for your cooperation, Yunho sshi. Another thing. Unlike my predecessors, I prefer to go by the name Yeosang. We will meet again in the future but for now, let's take our leave, Mingi." 

Mingi nodded stoically and followed Yeosang who started to head out without glancing at Yunho who pushed himself up from the ground. He placed his hands on his face and sighed deeply. 

"Mingi... I'll definitely find a way to save you."