A strong earthquake began and Kai held up to the bench not to lose his balance.

-Baekhyun, we have to go to the shelter! – He yelled at his hyung. - Pick up some clothes and let’s go!

-Where is Sehun? - Asked Baekhyun, clinging to the wall.

-I don’t know, but he should be in the castle by now. He is the commander of the army, isn’t he? - Kai said more to convince himself than Baekhyun. - He must already be there. Come, I'll take you.

-No, you will teleport there and find Sehun. - Baekhyun ran to grab his things as the ground stopped shaking. - If he is not there, you have to look for him, Kai.

A thunder exploded in the sky and large drops of rain began to crash against the roof. Kai shook his head, following his hyung to his room.

-I will not leave you. Going out there by yourself is suicide!

-Good, so I’ll be the only one dying instead of both of us.

-Stop that Baekhyunie, nobody will die! – Kai reprimanded.

Another thunder burst even more powerful this time and Baekhyun pointed upward, indicating the sky.

-Are you sure? - He sounded sarcastic.

-Okay, there is a small possibility that we get hurt a little...

Baekhyun shook his head in resignation. They heard the living room's door being opened and ran into the hallway.

-Sehun? – Kai called, his heart pounding hopefully in his chest.

-No, it’s me. – Yunho came in, soaked by the rain. - I came to see if Baekhyun was okay... Are you guys going to the fort? I have a horse...

-I’m coming. - Said Baekhyun, throwing his small bag on his back. - See Kai, I'm not alone, Yunho is taking me to the fort. Now go look for Sehun!

Kai looked at Yunho doubtfully and the man nodded.

-I’ll take him, you can go. – He assured the younger.

-Please, look after him. - Kai asked, placing a hand on Yunho’s shoulder. - He's like a brother to me. It's the only family I have...

-Don’t worry. - Smiled the man. - He will arrive safe and sound.

Kai nodded and thanked the man before turning to Baekhyun and holding him in a tight hug.

-I see you there in the fort. - He smiled a little.

-Of course, hyung. – Kai said, trying to hold back the goodbye tears. - I see you there.

And, without further delays, the man disappeared with his usual snap of the fingers.

><><><><><><><><><

Kai arrived at the castle and, in less than 10 seconds, was surrounded by soldiers who bombed him with questions which, due to his concern with Sehun, he barely even heard.

Suho approached and the men gave passage to the king.

-Sehun should be here by now to lead the army! – He sounded troubled. – Where is he, Kai?

-I don’t know! – Kai felt exasperated. – I thought he was here, that’s why I came!

Suho shook his head. - No, and we can’t wait any longer. There are civilians fighting against the army of M and I cannot let this happen to my people. Jonghyun and I will lead the army to the border of the city. If you find him, Kai, tell him we're waiting for him.

-Yes sir. - Kai agreed and he heard Jonghyun yelling for the troops to line up, so he got ready to leave.

-Wait! Kai! - Kyungsoo struggled to open his way to the young. - Where is Baekhyun?

-He is in his way here from our house. He is riding with Yunho. - Kai answered, and he could hear when Kyungsoo thanked him and Suho’s shout of "onward" to his troops before disappearing again.

><><><><><><><><><

Sehun kept the army on the left side of the walls of K, where he knew the city's defense was more effective. If the army of M circumvent the wall they would find a mountainous area, in which it was easy to gain access into the fortress.

If he could keep the army there the soldiers would soon get tired and have to take a temporary truce to restore their powers, since most of the weapons could no longer be used.

The commander's plan of attack was the worst plan ever run on a battlefield and the soldiers were confused by the obviously controversial and useless orders given by their commander. But if Kris had placed him there was for some reason, after all, Sehun had lived in K for 6 months, studying the tree of life and the city's defenses, so he probably knew what he was doing. Perhaps that was the reason the men blindly followed what Sehun commanded without even questioning it.

Sehun was satisfied that the attacks were weak and not damaging K’s walls that much, but that wouldn’t be enough and he had to think of another way to end that war before people started to get seriously hurt.

><><><><><><><><><><><

Tao approached his lover with some trepidation. The humor of the man was very varied in recent days and was almost impossible to predict the actions of the king or when he would be angry and annoyed.

He gently kissed the curve of the man's neck, resting his hands on his broad shoulders. The king raised a hand and held the young’s dearly.

-Are you leaving again? - Tao asked in a low and soft voice.

-Yes. – Kris sounded annoyed. -  For some reason we are not able to invade K, despite of Sehun’s ongoing efforts. He doesn’t want to leave the troops even for a minute, it was the right decision to place him in front of the army as a commander.

-Kris... - Tao began caressing the soft skin of the man. - You have to stop this war now. You promised me that nobody would get hurt...

-I said if they handed me over the tree no one would get hurt. But they didn’t, did they?

-You are changed, Kris... - Tao said, keeping his head down. - Warring and killing for your own benefit... This is not the man I fell in love with.

-I am the same man, Tao. The difference is that now you know another side of me.

Tao shook his head, refusing to accept that reality.

-No. - He said. - You were always good and...

-I'm sorry, Tao. - The man stood up, reaching for his sword. - But I do not have time for this.

And, ignoring his lover’s pleadings to not go, the king went back to the battle where, he was sure, his commander would lead them to victory.

><><><><><><><><><><           

The piebald horse ran swiftly between the trees of the forest taking Yunho and Baekhyun on its back. They were going through the forest near the right wall of K and suddenly there was a sort of whistle coming from the other side of the wall. Yunho recognized that sound and stopped the horse.

-Jaejoong? - He whispered.

But it could not be. Jaejoong disappeared many years ago and Yunho had already given up hope of ever meeting him again. The whistle, however, was getting stronger and Yunho quickly turned his horse and fanned it on the opposite direction.

When the sound was unbearably loud, he turned and grabbed Baekhyun, shielding the small body with his own.

-GET DOWN! - He shouted and an explosion blew a piece of the wall, throwing rocks into the air and creating an impact strong enough to topple Yunho and Baekhyun from the horse.

The animal, startled, stumbled around while the men slowly put themselves back on their feet, temporarily deaf by the explosion.

-Are you okay? - Yunho asked Baekhyun once his ear uncapped.

The smaller was shocked by the impact, but otherwise he seemed fine and he shook his head up and down to show it. Another scream was heard from the direction in which the burst occurred.

-NO! Stop, please, I did what you asked me to, now let me go!

-Jaejoong! - Yunho could recognize that voice anywhere, no matter how much time passed. He ran in the direction where the voice came, his heart pounding in his chest in hopes of finding his long lost love.

Jaejoong fell to his knees in the dirt, exhausted after using so much of his power at once. The soldier next to him, however, ordered him to get up, pulling on the chain between the cuffs that bound Jaejoong’s hands together.

-No, please... - He begged, his eyes shedding bitter tears. - I don’t want to hurt anyone...

Yunho approached, but when the soldiers noticed his presence it was already too late, because the man launched an electric stream that passed from one to another until everyone was passed out on the floor.

-Y-Yunho?! - Jaejoong asked in disbelief. - Is it really you?

The man approached and knelt in front of Jaejoong holding his face in his hands.

-I can’t believe I finally found you again. - Yunho said, emotional. - I thought you were dead!

-They locked us up and enslaved us; me, Yoochun, Junsu and many others. - Jaejoong explained. - They forced us to come to the war, but we don’t want to hurt anyone...

-So it really were you who opened this hole in the wall.

Jaejoong nodded his head, his eyes lowered in shame.

-They have Junsu and Yoochun and said that if I didn’t obey, they would kill them...  They depend on me, I couldn’t leave them...

-Do not worry, we'll find a way to rescue them.

Jaejoong nodded, wiping his tears with his hands. Yunho brought a cloth he had on his pocket and dried his cheeks.

-I'm sorry for running away like that. - Jaejoong finally spoke. - What I did to you wasn’t right. Believe me, I regretted it. - Jaejoong lifted his handcuffs to prove what he said.

-It’s past no. You surely have forgotten me...

-I never forgot, ever! Forgive me, please.

-I don’t know, Jaejoong. You just left me at the altar with everyone staring at me, judging me...

-I didn’t want to get married, it wasn’t the right time... But I've never even kissed another man, because I love you, Yunho, I always loved you. – He confessed, and then he glanced over to Baekhyun. - Contrary to what you did, I believe.

When he heard Jaejoong’s words Baekhyun almost dropped the little ball of light he produced to enlighten them in the dark night.

-No, we're not together! - He shook his head vehemently. – I am with... With...

-With me. – Said a deep and imposing voice, and they turned around to see Chanyeol arise between the trees with his black horse.

The man came down from his mount and Baekhyun ran to him and threw himself into his arms, the tightness in his chest diminishing considerably.

-Thank God, you are all right. – He whispered, relieved. – I saw your fire Phoenix on the sky and I thought you were in trouble...

Chanyeol shook his head lightly, holding Baekhyun the closest he could. – I was looking for you

-I’m fine. – Baekhyun smiled for a brief second. – But they opened a hole on the wall, we have to get out of here before more troops arrive.

-Let’s go. - Chanyeol took Baekhyun in his arms and placed him on the horse’s back, climbing behind him.

-Jaejoong, come with me. - Yunho climbed on his own horse and pulled the man up as well.

Jaejoong hesitated. -But Junso and Yoochun...

-We'll do something about them later, now we have to take care of you. - Yunho shook the reins and patted the horse's belly with his feet, following the prince's horse back to the castle.

><><><><><><><><><><

Taemin finally awakened from his nightmares and now he and Minho were busy helping the guards to accommodate