○ Our Predicament ○
Contest Fan-fictions: ○ Circle of a Life Time ○ & ● Commuted Singularities ●
Descending from the narrow stairs, Jonghyun wondered how he got in this situation. He remembered waking up refreshed and happy to know Key was looking over him… although he was a bit self-conscious dressing in his new clothes the maid had lain on the beige bedside table.
He still felt pretty guilty over not saving his love, but he couldn’t change the past.
When he had opened the door there was a maid outside is courters. He guessed that she was the one that gave him his clothes. He had asked her for breakfast and she immediately left to get it.
After some time the maid came back with his food and he couldn’t help but dig in the moment it was set on the table. He had felt a soft pat on his head and was certain that it was Key telling him to stop scarfing down the food before he got a stomachache.
Then the door opened without a knock and interrupted their sweet moment. It was Taemin, the chief’s son that stood in the opening. He had a very condescending attitude towards Jonghyun, and the latter didn’t like it at all. It was very disrespectful.
The boy had mumbled something about his father wanting to meet Jonghyun so they could talk about something. The brunette had agreed and followed him.
When they entered the room –which seemed to be a war room-, Jonghyun saw Minho standing next to a chair and gesturing him to take a seat. He did so with a strange feeling in his gut. There was something wrong and he didn’t know what it was.
Taemin took his place next to his father, his face serious. Jonghyun had guessed that even if he looked like a little kid or even like a woman, he would never let other’s judge him by this. So he had this sober side to make up for that.
It wasn’t long before the chief started talking about their lives in the city, and how they were in a grievous state of affairs. Apparently they lived because of the tree that held everything balance. But this tree had been poisoned by something or someone and it was slowly killing the populous of the world. The old man had implored Jonghyun you help them search for the fiend that did such a horrible thing or find the source of the poison and eliminate it.
Now Jonghyun wasn’t the noblest of people. On the contrary, he knew many that were much more qualified to handle this problem. He was only a simple soldier and scientist – more of a soldier though- and he didn’t feel that he could be of any help. Therefore, he had asked Key whether he should do it or not. The blonde had told him through physical contact that he should… and so he did.
He told the chief he would help in any way that was possible, but first he had to see this tree and determine if it had been poisoned or if it was a natural cause.
And so, the chief had taken Jonghyun to see the tree and that was how he ended up on this narrow staircase that was spiraling downward. He wondered how many steps there still were before they were at the bottom, because it felt like they had been walking down it for more than an hour already. Moreover, the annoying spider webs entangling his face didn’t help with govern his restraint either.
“Here we are” The chief spoke as he set his foot on the lowest floor, “Excuse me for not keeping this place from becoming a total mess. It’s just a lot of upkeep.”
Jonghyun blew a strand of hair out of his eyes and nodded, still annoyed by the spiders. He swore to god, if the was a spider in his hair… he was going to kill someone.
However, all of his thoughts ceased when he saw the scene in front of him. A double door stood proudly in the room, covered with a large lock, gilded in shining gold. There were green carvings in the doors in the shape of a tree.
It was only when he saw the diamonds in the frame that his magpie senses surfaced. He had always had a thing for Bling Bling. He gave a frustrated sigh when he knew he couldn’t possibly take all this majesty with him… not that he was a thief…
Key gazed down at Jonghyun and chuckled as he rolled his eyes. He knew exactly what was going around in that idiotic mind if his… that little scavenger…
In the moment of amazement, Jonghyun hadn’t noticed the chief unlocking the door and opening. Though he discovered pretty quickly when the door made a high squeaking noise. He covered his ear at the earsplitting sound and already felt a headache surfacing. He gazed through the opening of the door but saw only darkness, there was really noting to be seen in the distance. That was until the chief conjured up a little blue light on his staff and brightened the pathway. Well at least they could see now, but he still couldn’t see the tree.
Jonghyun hastily caught up with the old man and wonder how someone of his age was still so healthy and had a son that barely seemed eighteen. The man lit up the stone rings -that much resembled roman craftsmanship-, and cleared up the rest of the shadows looming over the room.
It was then that the brunette saw what the chief meant with poisoned.
The tree was grand, the roots extending deep into the world’s earth crust Jonghyun guessed. However, there were disgusting black blobs stuck to the tree and it looked as if they were the life right out of the poor organism. There were also purple arteries visible on the stem and branches. It was a sad sight to be seen…
However what Key felt was not sadness, it was something much more horrible. It wasn’t as if the poison was the life out of the tree, it was in fact really the exact thing. It was some kind of life draining poison or something. It felt incredibly weird to the blonde’s body.
He knew that he couldn’t be drained of life because he was dead, but it really felt like that. What was more, he could almost hear the tree screaming in pain.
Shivers ran up his spine. What or who did this was unrelenting and evil…
Approaching the tree, Jonghyun scanned around for some kind of evidence that it had been poisoned, but found none. So that could only mean one thing… the tree was poisoned by some other life form. Maybe that organism saw the tree as a threat to its own life and attacked.
“The poison is very serious, but I don’t think that it was poison by someone. I think it’s rather some other life form that is doing this because it feels threatened.” Jonghyun explained to the chief next to him.
The old man hummed in agreement. “Yes, this was my first guess as well. I just cannot see why any of my people would want to hurt the being that they owe their lives to. In addition, there is no way into this chamber if you don’t have the key. And the only one that exists is in my possession.”
Jonghyun nodded and skimmed the tree, head to toe. It was really bad, not a leave or branch was untouched by the poison. There had to be some antidote to it. Something that could help these people live on.
“Have ever taken a sample of the poison?” He asked while strolling around.
“We have tried, but every time we punctured a bubble it would burst and more people would die. They just dissolve… melt like ice.” The old man sighed while he ran a hand through his hair.
It must be terrible to be a leader sometimes. Sending your people of to battle or other situations that could lead to their death. The knowledge of people melting was actually very helpful. That meant that the poison had an acidotic characteristic. This in term meant, no touching it!
“Where have these samples occurred? Can you point at a place?” The soldier inquired curiously.
The chief directed to a place not far from the brunette with his crooked finger. Jonghyun walked over to the site and squatted. He rummaged around in his forgotten rucksack and got out some cotton swabs. He put on some anti acid liquid and swabbed up the goo on the ground. There was a soft hissing sound as the anti acid fought with its enemy.
Quickly Jonghyun got out his sterilized flask and scrapped the goo off on the neck. Glass had always been good against acid, but the flask was one of the most special ones. It was made from diamond flakes. Nothing could get through it.
He put a cap on the flask and returned it in his bag. Then he stood up and walked towards the chief.
“We can go now. I will look at this poison, but I can’t guarantee anything. I am not an expert in this field.” He evened out his clothes and beckoned the chief back to the gigantic door, which he still felt the need to rob of its magnificence. They walked back to the -the almost unending- stairs and ascended it.
“Very well, I hope to see results soon.” The old man responded thoughtfully while he climbed up the steps.
When they were back in the war room, Jonghyun retreated to his room and immerse himself into the little scientific knowledge he had. He got his necessary equipment out of his military bag and sighed.
“Let’s do this. Can’t be that hard… right Key?” He asked the ghost lingering around him…
The blonde chuckled, placed a soft kiss on the idiot’s mouth, and winged to the bed.
“You’re certainly an idiot. But a very sweet idiot… my sweet idiot. I believe in you love.”
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