Chapter 39: 14:11 – A Countdown to Second Death [09:48am]

 [TIME REMAINING: 5 MINUTES]

G.O POV

“You think I’m the wolf?” the words spilled out of my mouth, incredulity loosening my tongue.

“Then tell me Byunghee,” Mir gave me a plaintive, pleading gaze. “Why are you trying to kill me?”

Because I need you to realize something.

I shook my head. “I thought we had this clear. Because Thunder and Seungho are up in those cages and-“

“Lies.” Mir interrupted bluntly. “I know you Byunghee. Enough to know that you’re not that sort of person. You would fight, but you would never kill. Not without a reason.”

“And saving Thunder and Seungho isn’t good enough of a reason?” I asked archly.

“Stop repeating yourself,” Mir shrugged. “You know what I mean. A real reason. One justified by your heart, not your head. One that I can’t figure out. The Byunghee I’ve grown to know would get angry, would get annoyed, but he wouldn’t give into death that easily.”

“Who says I plan to die?”

Mir glared at me.

[TIME REMAINING: 4 MINUTES]

A loud beep drew out attention to the flashing red words. 4 minutes. 4 minutes to finish this off. 4 minutes to settle the score.

Mir was still staring at the clock as I zeroed in on him, knife swinging so viciously fast that he only had time to tilt his head a fraction before his knife flew from his loosened right hand grip and went spinning into the shadows.

Mir stared with wide eyes, defenseless, to see me spin, aim for his throat and-

And he grabbed the blade with one hand, the silver sinking into soft flesh. For a few seconds we were both froze in that position, me with my knife aimed at his throat and Mir with his hands as the final shield. Then blood seeped out from the creases of his palm and trickled down the blade, staining it crimson. We both watched its journey down to the hilt where it shuddered and trembled and fell in one perfect droplet to the sandy floor beneath us.

It was like a trigger.

Mir let go of the knife and shoved me backwards, leaving a blood imprint right over my heart. I stumbled, twisted and lunged again, aiming for his waist. Mir saw me coming. He ducked, rolled in the opposite direction and came up on his knees, his own knife flashing white against my red.

And he threw it. It soared true through the air and I barely had time to drop to the left before it carved a trajectory across my left cheek. I felt the slice like a cold kiss. I didn’t need to touch it to feel the blood that seeped out.

A blow for a blow. And eye for an eye. Blood for blood.

Mir POV

Byunghee didn’t smile for long.

I was on him before he even got back onto two feet, hands outstretched. One palm, still bloody from defending from his knife, smeared a pretty streak across his throat, like an executioners target line.

Byunghee rolled away from me and I didn’t look back. I snatched my fallen knife off the ground, turning just in time to see Byunghee charge forwards in a low crouch. It was a messy fight, our knives clashing and metal ringing through the air, blood from our numerous cuts smearing everywhere and the sounds of our pants echoing.

The world had shrunk down to this one battle and a ticking clock.

“Where did you find your resolve?” Byunghee asked between heavy breaths. He had a wicked grin spread over his face.

“You handed it to me,” I replied, panting. My mouth felt dusty. “I was overthinking this whole thing. Who should live and who should die. I thought –“ I drew in a deep breath. “I thought maybe dying wouldn’t be so bad. It would mean being with Changsun.”

Byunghee’s eyes looked stony. He examined his blood encrusted knife with deliberation.

“Changsun was so afraid back then, that he had misunderstood everything and nearly killed you in the process. If he had killed you and then discovered it, I don’t think he would ever forgive himself.”

Byunghee remained silent.

“And it made me realize just how important living is.” It sounded mad what I was saying. It wasn’t making sense, and I was babbling, that I knew, but I didn’t know what else to say. “And that Changsun would never forgive me for throwing away my life so callously.”

“So what do you want Mir?” Byunghee spoke rustily. He was staring at me, his knife limp at his side.

I my lips. “I’ll fight. And if I win, then I live. And if I die, then at least I can meet Changsun with my head held high.”

“Are you saying you can kill me?”

“Yes.”

“And if you do kill me then you’ll continue living, and you’ll do so without any regrets, any doubts?”

I exhaled heavily. “Yes.”

“Even if Changsun isn't in that would, you would continue living?" 

I swallowed. “Yes.”

The curves of Byunghee’s lips lifted. “Good,” he murmured. “Then we can fight properly.”

[BUT CAN YOU?] came a much-forgotten voice. We both spun to see the Ringmaster swirl out of the darkness and appear next to the clock. [BUT YOU DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT]

[TIME REMAINING: 45 SECONDS]

What?! Where had all the time gone?!

I whirled to stare up at the two cages. No! Time was running out and in under a minute one of the two cages would come crashing to the ground. I stared at the white faces of Seungho and Thunder, both yelling something indistinguishable. No, no, no! They couldn’t die, they couldn’t.

“Mir,” Byunghee spoke calmly. “Look at me.”

I turned.

G.O POV

Mir had found his resolve, his will to live, even if it was in a world without Changsun.

There was beauty in this world, even if it was a desperate and cruelly dangerous world. People died every day, in horrible and countless manners, many to remain forgotten for all of time. But it was because of that that we humans learn to appreciate what we are given. It is because of that that we humans learn the meaning of resolves and develop the will to fight. It is because of that that we humans can live.

Mir had found his resolve, and so he would appreciate, he would fight, and he would live.

“Byunghee?” Mir probed.

I inhaled. Exhaled.

Changsun would be happy. He would want Mir to live, even if it was in such a desperate and cruelly dangerous world. He would want Mir to have the chance to laugh and cry and love.

I’m sorry my brother that I could not do more.

Especially for you, for when you were alive.

But this is all I can manage for now.

[TIME REMAINING: 28 SECONDS]

“Mir,” I said. “Listen to me.”

“We don’t have time for this Byunghee!” he said frantically, gesturing wildly at the clock. I watched the numbers tick down with a strange sense of calmness. It washed over me like the sea at low tide, froth spilling gently over your toes, caressing it in the only way the enigmatic ocean can.

27.

26.

25.

24.

“Mir,” I said again. “Listen.”

“No!”

“Listen!” I barked, and this time he turned.

23.

22.

21.

My gaze softened. “Mir,” I said throatily. “No matter what, make sure you live.”

“W-what?”

This is what you would have wanted right, Changsun?

I looked up at the sky, at the cages with Thunder and Seungho both pressed against the bars. Down at Mir who still looked puzzled. Left, to the blinking clock as it counted down 14, 13, 12, 11… And then to the Ringmaster who stood, silently smirking next to it.

“You don’t get to win,” I said with my knife pointed at him. He raised his eyebrows in soft amusement. "See you on the other side brother," I whispered, then twisted the silver blade and plunged it straight into my heart.