Chanyeol could feel the blade seep into his chest, except it didn’t escape from his back either. Then he realized that the black goo wasn’t planning on skewering him alive with the blade-like arm, it was merging with him. Chanyeol tried to let out a shout, either for pain or for help but nothing came out of his mouth. He fell back on the ground, his eyes wide open, staring straight at the white eyes of his attacker.

“At last...” The black goo sneered. “All of this power...!”

Chanyeol watched in horror as the blade was close to disappearing completely. Then, he convulsed, his heart rocking at his ribs. His whole body tensed and his mouth hung open, yet nothing came out. It was like he was being choked by some invisible force. He pulled his head back as the black goo screamed with glee.

Kris...!

The angel pushed back shrubs, branches and even whole trees to get to Chanyeol. Kris ran like his whole immortal life depended on it. He was desperate especially since he wasn’t hearing Chanyeol anymore.

“Chanyeol..!” Kris gasped as he looked around, catching on evidences like broken branches and footprints that signalled where to go. He ran till he saw an opening and prayed that Chanyeol was right there. Then, he heard a shrill scream and knew instantly that it was the black goo. He was right there!

“CHANYEOL!”

Kris jumped out into the scene and froze. Chanyeol lay still close to the edge of the cliff – not a black goo in sight. Kris panted, catching his breath and almost as if cold water was splashed at his face, he blinked himself awake. Immediately, he ran towards the almost lifeless body of the human he swore to protect.

“Chanyeol! CHANYEOL!” Kris called out, running to his side. He loomed over the human, turning him so that he could hold his cheeks. He was still warm, which was comforting to the angel but he wasn’t moving nor was he opening his eyes. “Chanyeol, wake up!”

Chanyeol’s head lolled to one side as Kris moved one hand to check his heartbeat. The human still had one but it was faint. Kris pulled him closer, placing his head beside Chanyeol’s to check if he was breathing. The human let out a soft breath which led Kris to embrace him as tightly as possible.

He’s still alive..! Kris thought as he tried to rouse him up again. “Chanyeol! Wake up!”

Chanyeol was not moving, responding or opening his eyes back at the elder. Kris’s panicky state slowly resurfaced. Not only that but the other half of the black goo was nowhere in sight. He had to make sure that Chanyeol was safe somewhere else. As he placed Chanyeol back down to look for another refuge, he hadn’t realized the younger male’s hand slowly move, inching its way closer to Kris’s ankle.

“I should probably bring him back to the cave.” Kris muttered to himself and then, something grabbed him on the ankle. He turned around, confused as to how Chanyeol grabbed him when he couldn’t even see him! “Chanyeo--”

Chanyeol’s eyes flashed open and Kris shuddered. Total white – white eyes like that of the black goo.

“BASTARD!” Kris pulled away, gritting his teeth. “You... You...!”

“Ugh...!” Chanyeol slowly rose up, almost in an eerie fashion, like gravity had no effect on him. He threw his head back and grunted, “Nn...”

Kris narrowed his eyes, not understanding the situation. Chanyeol looked like he was in pain, like he was being constricted by something. “Chanyeol?!”

“Ah... Ahh..!” Chanyeol, whose voice was similar to the black goo’s, screamed as he held the sides of his head – a throbbing pain reverberating throughout his entire body. He groaned and grunted painfully as he convulsed. “It can’t... be...!”

What the...? Kris was lost. He didn’t know what to do.

“The lake...!”

Kris’s eyes widened in a second. The lake? Is the black goo talking about the lake in the secluded forest? But..! Kris gasped as Chanyeol fell back on the ground.

“Urgh... Ah...” Chanyeol grunted, his own voice returning. “Ah...”

“Chanyeol!”

“K... ris...?” Chanyeol croaked, hearing but not seeing the elder. He looked up, his eyes sunken and tired but no longer white like the black goo’s. He coughed again. It was a horrible cough, like he was terminally ill.

Chanyeol grabbed onto the ground below, his nails digging into earthy dirt and mud. He was in excruciating pain. He didn’t know why. He knew that the black goo had successfully merged with him and that for a few minutes, he was just completely immobile – like he was dead. He felt nothing at all. Suddenly, he found himself gaining full control over his body with the black goo inside it and it was the worst feeling ever. It felt like someone was trying to take hold of you while you’re being conscious of everything.

“AGH!” Chanyeol shouted, sweat pouring out of his face. As if the blood gushing out from his wounds wasn’t enough of a pain, his whole insides felt like they were being tied up together forcefully. He was in immense agony and he didn’t know what to do. “Uh... uhh...”

Kris stared on as Chanyeol knelt on the ground, hands digging into the ground. He took a step and then froze. Something was happening, he could feel it.

The black goo... knew Chanyeol had drunk the water from the lake. That water... was it special? Kris thought to himself when one, excruciating shout kn