Alright, hi!

I'd like to say, by FAR this is my longest chapter. It's a total of 23 pages and I just couldn't bear to break it into two parts. So, take a break in the chapter if you'd like, just please don't lose interest with how long it is!

Thanks guys for making it this far with me! c:

  "There's guards."

Onew held his arm out to stop everyone from advancing in front of him. Taemin held on to Minho's hand even harder and Minho felt his hand was on the brink of exploding. He knew Taemin would be nervous, but not to the point he'd start breaking bones.He carefully pulled his hand away and wrapped it around his waist, but it didn't stop Taemin from still grabbing on to his hand again. As much as Minho wanted to be happy Taemin was showing he was okay, he never knew a bit of happiness could be so painful.

They all just came from the emptied lobby where they met Trinity again. They dropped off most of their bags to fit into her confined room to pick them up later. They didn't need weight to drag them down. Trinity spoke few words to Luna before she was off running, telling them all to run out before they would get caught in there. Now, they made it into the area of the elevator door.

Onew peeked around the corner to the elevator again. The guards were looking for the other workers, expressing concern about not knowing where anyone was.

  "They're SangJung loyalists," Onew whispered, looking back at Luna.

Luna shrugged and slightly shook her head, "Trinity never said she got rid of them, Onew."

Onew's eyes shifted to the floor before looking back at the loyalists again. When he turned back around, he looked at Taemin briefly, not a word said.

And Taemin stared back as if Onew was going to do something crazy.

Blinking, Onew took off his bags and set it by Luna's feet. He straightened up his uniform and was about to set out around the corner.

  "Hey!" Luna hissed, grabbing his arm, "What are you doing? Be a little nice to know what you're planning than leave us out."

  "I'm just getting them out," Onew held on to her hand to make her let go of him, "I'll be back, just stay right here and be quiet."

When no one responded to Onew, he turned from them all and quickly turned the corner, "There you guys are!"

When Onew left, Minho carefully drew Taemin close instinctively. The younger slightly flinched and almost pushed away, but stopped and let Minho do what he wanted.

  "I'm not going to hurt you," Minho whispered, "But if you don't want to get close, just do what you need to do." Minho started letting go of Taemin, but the younger held back on to Minho.

  "Sorry," he mumbled, "I'm good, though. It looks like you need to be held rather than I do. If you just realized how scared you look."

When Taemin held back strongly, Minho let himself feel a little more at ease. He really was scared and didn't think he was showing it. But of course Taemin could see it. So he let Taemin hold him.

  "We'll . . . be okay," Taemin whispered comforting words to him.

  "Higher ranks have a meeting! They've been looking for both of you to attend," Onew walked up to the guards.

One of them expressed shock, "Oh . . . Okay then, let's go."

Jonghyun's head whipped to the corner and tensed, starting to draw Luna back from the corner. Seeing what Jonghyun was doing, Minho started doing the same with Taemin.

  "Whoa, wait!" Onew objected, the sound of his boots sliding on the concrete floor close to them.

The other guards cleared his throat in annoyance, "Excuse yourself, kid. Touch me again and I might beat you."

  "I'm sorry, sir," Onew rushed an apology, "But you're going the wrong way."

  "You just came from the east, kid," the other one responded.

Onew explained, "They told me to go looking for you. So I was looking in the east because someone said you guys might be there, but obviously she was wrong. The meeting's in the south."

The guards mumbled a few things, and Minho could hear the pitiful insults towards Onew, before they responded blandly and headed the other way from the corner they hid behind.

  "Aren't I supposed to be the scared one?" Taemin chuckled to Minho.

Minho hadn't realized how much he tensed up when the guards were closer than comfort distance. He wanted to laugh at himself, but the humor wouldn't express. He held Taemin away from him and let him hold back on to his hand, starting to move forward.

Onew jogged around the corner with a reassuring nod and grabbed his bags, leading them all out into the open to the elevator. They all fit themselves into the glass box and with Onew pressing a combination of buttons, the doors closed and they started down. There was no light source and became pitch black as they dropped below the floor. Minho held back on to Taemin again, his vision watching his straight face stare forward before letting himself bury into Minho's neck. Minho could just feel how tired he was after all of this.

He looked at Jonghyun and Jonghyun looked back at him with a flash of an over-confident smile and a thumbs up. Minho rolled his eyes, but watched as Luna searched for Onew and ended up grasping on to Jonghyun's hand. Jonghyun stopped smiling and looked to find Onew's hand, taking Luna's and joining the two human's together.

  "Thanks, Jjong," Luna chuckled, grasping on to Onew.

Jonghyun hummed a reply and winked at Minho.

When the elevator dropped to floor where creatures dug their way to nowhere, the light returned. It was just barely empty, a few creature huddled in corners and casually talking. When the elevator dropped, they all stared at it, but showed no hostility.

To Minho's surprise, even the hostile creatures remained calm. They all faced the elevator from all around and stared. They held their hands up and used their pointer finger to point to the ceiling, Minho finding hints of hope on the faces he could see.

  "What are they doing?" Onew asked, watching the hands go up.

  "They're thanking us," Jonghyun answered, looking around the area of what they could see, "They're all ready to move on from here."

Taemin let go from Minho and looked around. He froze and pressed his hand against the glass at someone he saw.

  "She tried attacking me, once," Taemin stared at a woman who walked a few steps from the creatures she was with, staring back at Taemin, "She's a shifter. She . . ."

Minho's head snapped to the woman with dirty blonde hair and watched her as she stopped walking towards the elevator, still so far away. Minho wanted to break her.

But Taemin watched her without fear.

  "I'm sorry!" she yelled out, her face contorting to guilt, "I'm so sorry!"

Taemin stared at her until he smiled, mouthing "It's okay" before they went under the ground floor.

  "She attacked you," Onew gravely said, "And yet you forgive her."

Taemin sighed, staring straight into the dark, "Yeah. It's what she grew up doing, Hyung. And now she sees the reality in it. Why would you hate someone who learned good?"

Minho watched as Onew opened his mouth to retort, but shut it and shook his head disdainfully. But Minho was more so surprised at Taemin and the confidence he showed. It seemed so quick that Taemin got used to the creatures even though it almost took a year. Taemin was still frightened, no doubt, but he was too strong-willed to keep letting that show.

Minho wrapped his arms around Taemin and laid his forehead on his shoulder. He felt at content knowing he could do it.

  "You're so dramatic sometimes," Taemin chuckled.

  "At least I'm not the heroin of this epidemic," Minho playfully retorted.

Taemin tsked and lightly shoved his elbow into Minho's chest, "When we get out, I'm going to kill you myself."

  "Looking forward to that," Minho smiled.

Daesung stirred inside of him, his presence clear inside of Minho's mind. There was excitement contained and Minho smiled bigger in place of Daesung. Daesung was getting ready to see Bom again. He was ready to finally put his power to use and free Minho from him. 

I have been waiting years, Daesung whispered, I am ready to move on. Minho, I trust, that with the right creatures, you will be great. I bestow my faith upon you dearly. I thank you.

Minho held his head up, the seriousness surfacing again, I'm glad to have been your shelter.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened, welcoming the unwelcomed heat in the air. Onew and Luna stepped out first and the rest followed behind. The halls seemed to never end, splitting in all directions. Dingy metal doors were lined parallel on each side of the dirt packed walls, but none in sight were the door they were looking for.

  "Are you sure no one's down here?" Onew asked as they all put down all their bags at the elevator entrance.

Minho and Jonghyun let the silence fill as the used their senses to try scouting out any possible company. For Minho, he felt absolutely nothing. Not even a mouse was down here, let alone any threat.

The two creatures looked at each other, and Minho found the same expression on Jonghyun's face. It was clear, "No one's down here. It's empty."

Onew breathed and held on to Luna's hand loosely, pulling them into another hallway direction after another. The lights on the dirt ceiling flickered at some points and it made Taemin go slightly rigid. Taemin wasn't afraid of the dark, but he always found flickering lights as creepy.

  "We're not in a haunted house, Tae," he squeezed Taemin's hand.

Taemin didn't speak, but kept looking at the doors on both sides, trying to find the door they wanted. Minho just smiled.

They walked on and it seemed like they weren't getting anywhere. Minho saw the numbers split up by letters, right then walking in the N's, and grew concerned with how much time it may take to find the door, "Onew, the doors are split by letters."

  "I know that," Onew kept going.

  "Then how do you know where to go?" Minho incredulously asked.

  "Two-one-nine is a secret. In the hall barely anyone goes in," Onew looked back and lifted his brows, "The Z's. Two-one-nine-Z. That's why I didn't find it before and was stupid enough to think it wouldn't be in there when clearly it was a perfect hiding spot."

They continued walking, making progress in a considerable amount of time. They still had a while to go and everyone was tense and focused. That was, until Jonghyun broke the silence.

  "So, Taemin," he casually looked over.

Taemin responded with looking at him.

  "Was Minho always this ugly?" Jonghyun joked with him.

Taemin smiled and chuckled. Minho scrunched up his mouth, wanting to insult the dog, but it made Taemin feel at ease, so he let it slide.

  "Yep," Taemin answered, shaking his head.

Jonghyun laughed in return, seemingly Onew and Luna smiling up ahead.

  "Hey, Taemin?" Onew looked back at him.

  "Yeah, Jinki?" he smiled brightly at his brother.

Onew looked at Minho for a moment, "How long have you two been together?"

  "Since high school. Let me tell you, he was an annoying little , too," Taemin looked back at Jonghyun.

Onew nodded, "And have you two . . . uh."

Luna hit him, almost crazy look on her face, "Shut up. You don't need to know!"

Minho started growing a shade of pink, catching on, ". . . Would you kill me if we did?"

The older brother whipped his head back to Minho, ". . . N-no. I don't think so. I just . . . wanted to know if . . ."

  "Hyung, shush," Taemin laughed, "Focus. Save this for later."

Onew abruptly started nodding and looked forward, "Curosity . . ."

Jonghyun shook his head with amusement, patting Minho on the shoulder with good nature. Minho lightly smacked his stomach with a fake annoyed face.

  "You two are precious, you know?" Jonghyun said quietly enough for only Minho to hear.

Minho looked over to him, seeing the sincere face that had this twinge of pain, "Hyung . . ."

  "I'm gonna miss messing with you . . ." Jonghyun just barely nudged him with his elbow before backing off and keeping a bit of distance from him. His face fell and he couldn't look at any of them.

  "Jjong, what's that supposed to mean—"

Onew stopped when he looked at a number and started for the very door, "Hey, it's here." They all looked up to see the combination two-one-nine-Z on top of the door.

Onew and Luna turned around and faced the rest of their party. They all looked around the people they were with and silently unified to this moment.

  "Alright," Onew nodded, "Let's go get freedom." He turned to open the grungy door. The all stepped inside finding an old style furnace unlit and sitting there with age.

All of them looked confused, Jonghyun speaking up, "I thought this was a staircase?"

Minho nodded, looking around the room, "But it's not here?"

Onew went outside the door and checked the number again before entering again, searching. There weren't stairs anywhere, let alone any other way out to the room.

The furnace, Daesung whispered in the midst of everyone searching for something secret in the walls.

Minho looked at the furnace and went to open its latch, finding nothing inside but leftover burnmarks.

Beneath it, Minho, Bom said.

Minho furrowed his brows, taking a good grip on the furnace and started lifting it with some effort. He snapped his Daegrent side's strength and started lifting it with ease, lifting it out of the way.

  "Whoa," Taemin stood by Onew, "Holy ."

Minho put it down and looked at the space that was under the furnace, "The latch."

Jonghyun walked up next to Minho, not questioning how he knew, but smiled and slapped him on the back, "Well, at least we won't waste time anymore."

Jonghyun opened the latch door, seeing there was a floor down below in a narrow space. He looked up at the humans with an excited smile and jumped down.

Onew looked down at Jonghyun before jumping and Luna followed behind. Taemin stood next to Minho and looked down briefly, "Next time we go camping, you're hauling all our stuff with me on top. Damn."

Minho chuckled and nodded his head, gesturing for Taemin to go first. Without a pause, Taemin headed in and Minho followed suit.

The narrow space was cramped with all of them in their and they slowly formed a line, "I'll go first," Minho offered, "I got the light."

Minho held out his right hand, a white fire forming from his palm. The path before them was a hardened-clay staircase that had slightly decayed. Minho warned them to be careful as he grabbed Taemin's hand with his other one and started leading them down.

The darkness seemed to last on forever, as so did the small sounds of their footsteps. None of them spoke as miles would go by and time would last on. They moved on and on where as their travel wouldn't end. Surely it would be quicker to use creature-speed to get them all down, but the path was too narrow and someone could get injured in the process.

  "Once this is over, we're heading back to Namwon," Minho made small talk with Taemin, but as well as the rest of the group.

  "We've been missing for almost a year," Taemin responded in worry, "Won't they all be worrying or be shocked we returned? My parents would go ballistic and your dad will be furious."

Minho looked back with a partially guilty look on his face, "Seunghyun isn't my father. My parents died when I was born. Seunghyun is a different creature from me, but had a bond with my dad. He's supposed to be my guardian."

Taemin's mouth slightly dropped, "I can't believe I had to call him your dad all these years. Why didn't you just tell me . . ." Taemin paused, "Never mind, don't answer that. That was a stupid question."

Onew cleared his throat and spoke up, "Our parents?"

Taemin slightly looked at Onew but to the stairs, "No. A while after you left, they abandoned me in Seoul. My . . . Mom found me and took me in. That's why I live in Namwon. I have other siblings, now, too. But yeah, I've . . . been living with them since," Taemin looked back to the guilty look on his brother's face and hastily explained more, "It's not your fault Hyung! I got away from them, and that's all that matters. My family is amazing, you'll love it when you meet them. I'm absolutely positive they'll welcome you with open arms!"

  "Hey," Luna nudged Onew, "Listen to him, Jinki. He has a good life, you can't be upset about that. It's not your fault."

  "It would have happened either way," Taemin said, "Whether you stayed or not. It's okay."

Onew stared at the walls and said nothing. It made Taemin let go of Minho and Luna moved back to Jonghyun, allowing Taemin to hold his brother's hand, "Hyuuuuung."

They pressed forward and the staircase went lower until the ground became a solid rock floor. They all stopped when they noticed, the smiles on their faces looking victorious already.

The narrow walls started widening and becoming circular. In the distance there was light and Minho clenched his hand to put out the fire, the group running for what they were looking for. The walls finally subsided into a large room, where they were on a higher level ground than below.

Minho set his eyes on the calm, clear, light-blue waters that sparkled to the light shone above. It was a large area of water in almost a circular shape into the ground. Above the middle of the water was what Minho needed, and they were beautiful. The sight brought a feeling of familiarity, like home. Minho felt emotions overwhelm him and Daesung let go, Minho feeling nonexistent tears on his face, wiping them away. Daesung was happy.

  "Let's go," he said to Daesung.

The group carefully made their way down on boulders and rocks stacked and stuck together. To think, the land they were stepping on was old, sacred ground that Royals once stood on.

  "It's beautiful," Luna stared, "To think, something so radiant can be so perilous. . ."

The group made it down in one piece, and Jonghyun, who stood back on the higher ground, just jumped to the lower level. He provided a smile to Minho as he walked up to them, "I took the easy way."

Together, they walked up to the Prophecy, finding Bom sitting next to a rock and facing away from them in attire— rather lack of attire— foreign to Minho. It was as if she were only wearing a clear body suit with light blue surrounding areas of her body. Flowing material connected to the top as flowing sleeves and the same material connected to the below of her waist and flowed down. The small of her back was left open to view her mark of a Warrant. It was unusual attire, but with Daesung, Minho knew it was one of her traditional attires she wore underneath her uniform.

She turned to see them and stood, a small smile on her face as she walked towards Minho and hugged him, "I'm glad you're all here," she spoke softly.

Minho held her back before they pulled away. Bom greeted the rest of the group, especially Taemin very politely, before grabbing Minho's hand and bringing him close to the water.

  "This is the Royal Prophecy," she introduced, "The large body of water brought from another dimension into this one. The Prophecy's purpose is exactly calamity. In the history of our creatures, The Prophecy was naturally created for when peril strikes our kind as well as the place we live in. The Prophecy's power stretches as far as it wants to, to destroy peril and make room for new creation. Safety is put at risk, but it is a risk creatures must sacrifice to make wrongs into rights."

Bom gestured to the light, "And right there . . . Is Daesung's physically appearance."

Minho looked at Daesung's white, angelic wings in the middle of the Prophecy with great admiration. The wings looked as if age were not a factor in life. They kept still, the feathers slightly shifting from an unknown source of breeze. The beauty of this place was stunning Minho over and over while Daesung was taking in the familiarity once more. His hopes grew higher and his will grew stronger. All he needed was for Minho to take them.

  "Don't go in," Bom stopped Minho from moving towards them, "You need to see something first, Minho."

Bom lead Minho away from the water and to the large stone. Now in front of it, Minho realized it was a grave.

  "The King wrote on it for you. Then the Queen wrote on it for you, too," Bom looked at him sympathetically, "Especially and only for you."

The carving of symbols was very small to fit the large amount of words on the stone. Minho slowly kneeled in front of it, reading what he was meant to see.

A time in history, our creatures had peace of this land. The land we thank for allowing us salvation in our time of need to move and live our eternal, delicate lives. And though, Our Future Child, we have fallen and become desperate of survival, hope will continue down our bloodline to you. The life you should have is obligated to you, Our Child. To bestow the burden upon you to be the savior of our creatures is a fault of my own, but unavoidable. But your ancestors have chosen you, and only you, to bring us all to peace. Because you, Our Child, are the strongest of us and born to be greater than us, with only a struggle that lasts momentarily. Our Child, my many greats of a nephew, you have made it this far and you will make it even farther without any of us lurking on your back to save us all. Apologies are not enough to suit you, but it is what I give to the day the suffering ends. I look forward to meeting you in quite some time, Our Child. You are of great importance to us, not only to save us, but because as Our Child, we are most proud of you even as we have not met you yet. Our Child, do many great things because we know you can do it. Do not fear of anything, for you have love behind you to help you.

King Daesung

Minho looked up from the stone and looked at Daesung's wings. He could feel the tears just rising in his eyes and he pursed his lips. Even without knowing who he was, Daesung still believed in him and knew he would accomplish something such as this. Not because the Prophecy said so, but because he just . . . he believed.

You hadn't even known who I was, and yet you just . . . Minho trailed off, After all of this coming-into-me, I'm glad it happened. You showed me things I would've never known. That you're a real being, just like everyone else. That you've . . . you've tried so hard until you found out it had to be me . . .

The silence kept still as Minho stared on at his wings. Bom put a hand on his shoulder, but never spoke in any way.

You're Our Child.

And I am eternally glad I was able to personally love you, Our Child.

Daesung said.

Minho stopped himself from crying hard, but Bom let go as she listened. She sat beside Minho and cried, holding his hand and nodding her head, whispering the same words to Minho.

The rest of the group saw them crying and walked their way. Jonghyun kneeled next to Bom and held her hand, as Taemin did with Minho, Onew and Luna behind them. They all read together what was on the stone and started comforting the two.

  "You're not done, Minho," Bom sniffed, "Read your many greats of a grandmother's note to you."

Minho wiped his eyes, breathing steadily through his mouth as he moved on to The Queen's message.

Oh, My Child. How I can see you in my eyes as I wither to my place. You are quite handsome, My Child, and how fearless you look in your eyes. I can feel you now without your arrival, and the strength, wisdom, and courage displays within you. Even as you are not born, I am already a proud grandparent towards you and I so very much wish I could be there in body to love you and tell you how proud I am of you. As you know, we have fallen, My Child, and I am quite certain you are the creature we all look upon for greatness. My Child, our ancestors have chosen you, because they know you display the perfect creature among creatures of the future. It is not because they chose randomly for a savior to our kinds, but of one who deals great courage in times that may last forever, such as the King and I. You are not born into greatness, My Child, you make yourself who you are, and I am forever to bow down in your presence in debt of your gift that is given to the world and our beings.

My Child, I do see your birth, and I do not see an explanation given to you about your wonderful parents. My Child, your mother was a poisoned Daegrent. After the bloodline continued passing down, came your mother. One of her parents was a long-living-elder that survived the poisoning and had lived in our Second Empire. The poison continues down the bloodstream of one child, in which is your mother's place. She was dying the moment she was birthed, and by our creatures, she was to die giving birth to her own child. As you know, our bonds are in the neck, My Child. Your parents shared that together, in which damned both of them to a deathly fate. You were not born because you had to, My Child, they wanted you. And to die is the only consequence they were willing to take, despite how awful they felt to leave you. But they will watch with me every day of your life. All of our generations will watch over you.

My Child, I love you even though I can only see you in my mind right now. And know, you will always be My Child, whom I love and will always find great respect in. Your face makes me smile, your despair I try to repair from above, your happiness I bask in. I love you, My Child, and it will continue on for the rest of your eternal life.

We are proud of you, My Child.

We are proud of you, Minho.

Queen Minji

  "She knew . . ." Minho faced the ground finally starting to cry, ". . . She knew who I would be."

Taemin turned Minho and grabbed a hold of him as Minho broke down, "It's okay."

Minho hid himself away in Taemin and cried. This was real. This was too real. He finally knew things that were unknown to him and was spoken to by great people that had loved him before the start. After all the years of his life of being in the dark, treated blandly by Seunghyun, not knowing a single thing about himself, he was now shown the light he needed. He was loved even more than he could imagine. He was important because he was himself, not just some kind of hero. 

He had a family that loved him. He had more than Seunghyun.

And they were all proud of him.

  "I know I have a family," Minho cried a little more into Taemin's shoulder, "But even before I was born, they believed in me."

Taemin patted Minho's head and shushed him, watching as Bom found comfort into Jonghyun's arms as she watched Minho. Everyone was choked up in some slightest way. It didn't even matter how much time had passed, fear couldn't be found. Only the joy for Minho was there.

Minho knew there had to be someone watching over him, and even though he knew he was of bloodline with the Queen, it was still something to take in and handle. Especially because she knew him already. He was too lucky of a creature.

  "I'm fine," Minho moved back and wiped his eyes, looking back at the stone then to Bom, "At least I have one of my great Aunts with me."

Bom scoffed and moved to Minho and hugged him, muttering, "Stupid kid."

They all stood back up and they composed themselves. To stop them all from crying, Jonghyun handed out a few jokes and nice words, which seemed to work pretty well for them all. Each one of them would take a turn to ruffle his hair or jab him in the side. Minho went back to Taemin and held on to him, both of them looking at their group. The two noticed the rest of the group looked at Jonghyun almost somberly, as if something was wrong.

  "Jonghyun, what's going on?" Minho finally asked.

Jonghyun perked up and shook his head, "Nothing . . . Just Kibum," he said, picking up a decently sized, old looking stone that was on the ground next to the large tombstone, "She said she'd bring his old tombstone and now I have it in my hands after a long time. . ."

Jonghyun shook his head and started smiling again, yet the same three in the group still looked at him differently, "Come on. We got a place to blow."

Minho looked back at the wings that now seemed to taunt him. As much as he was alright with who he was and came from, taking a large power to become a high authority was something he still didn't want. He didn't want it alone. He didn't deserve all of that power no matter how much Daesung kept nudging at him that it was rightfully his and alright. Even though being King was a high title, it didn't make him higher than everyone else, necessarily. Everyone was still equal as long as they followed the rule of creatures. The peaceful rules that disappeared over time, but would now be renewed.

  "Alright," Minho slowly let himself go of Taemin, "Alright."

Minho walked up to the edge of the water, staring down at it nervously before he braved through it and started walking in, letting the water start covering his ankles and getting higher the closer he got to the middle. He could hear whispers and the voices of Daesung and Minji the closer he drew to the wings. They were singing the small song of the creatures over and over. Daesung started buzzing inside of Minho like a rush of adrenaline he couldn't contain. Daesung anticipated this for a long time and was overly-ready.

Minho stood in front and below the wings, staring up at what was left of Daesung.

  "I still don't want all this power," Minho said to the wings, "It's not made for one person. You showed me once. It's you and the Queen's combined. It's not for one person to take . . ."

Minho looked away from the wings, looking for something to save him from becoming what he didn't want. He looked at everyone watching him with hopeful eyes. 

Then he set his gaze on Bom.

  "Hey, Bom?" Minho called over, "Can you come here?"

She looked at him lost, "Are you sure about that?"

Minho nodded, holding out his hand, "Come here?"

She furrowed her brows and slowly let herself into the Prophecy, the water just above her waist when she met Minho, "What is this?"

  "Here," Minho maneuvered her in front of him, "Stand right . . .here, yeah."

She looked back at him, "Minho, what are you doing?"

  "Trying something," he answered simply, his hands joining hers and lacing their fingers, "I think Daesung likes this idea, too."

She opened slightly, in question about what he was doing but he cut her off with a smile.

  "Sing it with me, Bom," he said to her, drawing closer to her, moving them a little closer to Daesung's wings, "Sing our creature's song."

Bom turned back towards the wings, giving a short hum of an "Okay," understanding what Minho was possibly up to.

  "I know he'd want this, too, Bom," Minho spoke in her ear, "Sing with me. . ."

Bom started singing the creature song all the way through on her own. After she finished, Minho made his attempt of singing the song through. Then, the two of them began singing the song of their kinds over and over again together.

There was a small shake that came off of Daesung's wings, the light around them growing brighter and brighter.

Minho suddenly snapped into Daegrent form, his vision growing to black and white and his marks crawling around him. He could see Bom's skin crawl with his Daegrent marks as they touched her skin, joining them together. There was a ferocious energy pushing on the two of them, but they resisted.

Both of them stopped singing, but chanted out the words. Minho's voice then overpowered Bom's.

  "When dawn rises, so do our creatures!

Good or bad, all the sorts!

But no matter who we are, our kinds stand as one!

In respect, wisdom, and courageous forms!

Our legacy will be passed down to another!

Our legacy is passed down to you!

We are proud of your future as a creature among this world!

You are our living legacy!

  "I am our living legacy!" Minho finally chanted out, their joined right hands outreaching and touching a part of Daesung's soft wing.

After touching the wing, everything started to shake. Just barely could Minho hear the other four yell out things over sounds of grumbling of the ground, wind, and whispers of the song of different voices.

Both Bom and Minho squinted as the light grew brighter and the water started surrounding the two of them and the wings.

You are our living legacy!

You are our living legacy!

You are our living legacy!

The two of them lifted from the ground as the voices of ancestors mixed with the water that surrounded their beings. They chanted the words over and over again as they lifted. Daesung's wings flapped rapidly and quickly situated themselves behind Minho and connect to him.

Minho yelled out as his own wings forced themselves out and touched Daesung's. Back to back the wings touched and soon, there was a glow over Daesung's wings, engulfing Minho's as they merged.

Minho yelled out again at the pain of connecting. He wouldn't have thought it was painful at all. But he felt his insides tense and squeeze him all over. He almost let go of Bom until she held back on to him.

  "Your bloodline is changing Minho!" she shouted out, trying to look behind her, "Your DNA is shifting around! It'll be over quickly!"

Minho held tightly on to Bom as he endured the pain in his body. The ancestors whirled around in their ears and Bom was saying things but Minho couldn't hear her at all. Electric pulsed through his body, heat danced on his skin. He suddenly felt an internal snap and it was all gone and he could move. The wings merged together; Minho could feel the heat of the glow on his back. Minho looked up and found Daesung in front of them in the midst of all the chaos. Bom was speaking to him, forcing one of Minho's hands to let go as she reached out for him.

Daesung took her hand and she gasped, "You are real, Daesung!"

Daesung smiled at her and they grew close for seconds. Daesung spoke in her ear, "The Daegrent lies inside of you, love. I am always here." He pulled away and looked at Minho, "I am happy to have personally met you," he truly spoke.

Minho blinked, unable to speak for a moment, "Y-yeah. Thanks for everything."

  "I am happy to be related to you. You are a great child, Minho. Do not lose that courage you have. You will not be your true self without it. You overcome deep sorrow and now you beat it. You are grand, Minho. Thank you for taking me in.

  "I must go, now," he looked at Bom. Her face fell, but he held it back up, "Do not cry, love. Do what you must. Join me if you feel so. But we are always here with all of you," he kissed her.

Daesung looked over next to Minho, and Minho looked to see Minji was there, too. She smiled at Minho, taking his other hand away from Bom's and faced her. She spoke with a clear ring in her voice, "My Child. My very Child. You are amazing."

Despite being in the air, she got down on her knees and bowed to Minho, Daesung following her. 

  "My King. My Queen." They both said together.

Minho shook his head and his hands, "D-Don't bow down!"

The two past Royals slowly moved to their feet. Daesung returned to Bom and Minji held on to Minho's right hand and held it wrist-up, the white scar showing, "Seunghyun was protecting you by burning it. You had to be concealed for your safety, and I am truly sorry," she held her other hand over his wrist and brought him close, kissing him on the cheek, "But you are free now."

She kissed his cheek once more before taking off her hand, showing Minho the mark of his kind. It glowed white with a haze of light blue. The mark was a swirl that continued into a line to the right with two circles on both side of the line.

  "That is the mark of Daegrents," Minji proudly said, "It is your mark."

Minho ran his hand down the sign he was finally able to see and looked at Minji, "Thank you."

Minji smiled wider and nodded, taking a step back from Minho, just as Daesung had at the same time.

The two of them joined hands and took a short bow once more before waving and fading into small sparkles, rushing up into the unknown source of light.

Before Bom and Minho could even look at each other, the light grew too bright again, and they could no longer see.

  "Minho! Minho, wake up!"

  "Bom! Come on, Bom, please!"

Minho breathed out calmly as the watered voices filled his ears. He scrunched his nose, getting feeling into his face and opened his eyes slowly. Taemin was in his top view on the side and looked at him first.

  "Guys, he's awake!" Taemin shouted, "He . . . he has white eyes . . ." Taemin started backing up.

Luna rushed as fast as she could over to Minho and started lifting him up, "Minho? Minho are you okay?!" she looked all over his body, "That light just tore off your shirt or you just decided it would be a good time to show off?"

Minho blinked and finally settled into reality, wiggling is fingers and trying to sit up. He sunk right into the water and Luna hoisted him up again, "You're floating, don't do that."

Minho got settled on his feet and scratched his head. He looked to see Onew and Jonghyun over Bom as she floated on the surface of the Prophecy and made his way over, slightly moving Onew out of the way.

  "A-ah, Minho, you're a Daegrent right now . . ." Onew cautiously spoke.

Jonghyun looked up to Taemin, Minho assumed, "It's okay, Taemin. He's not a hostile creature, this is just the way he looks."

Minho didn't realize it until he saw how everything was in black and white. But he still looked over Bom, holding on to her hand and getting close to her ear on instinct.

  "Minho why does she have . . . marks like yours all over her?" Onew asked.

  "It's temporary," Minho nodded, "I had her join with me. That power was not for one person. It was created by two and always meant for two, not one. Bom had a connection with the Royals just as much as I had, so she was entitled to the power, too. She bonded with Daesung. I bonded with her. She had the right. For now, the Daegrent genetic is within her, allowing her the power. It'll go away once the power resides into her. She's still her own kind."

Jonghyun held up his hand, "Damn, I would've never thought of that."

Minho chuckled and high-fived him, "Never thought I would, either." He returned his attention to Bom and moved to her ear again, "Bom, wake up. You're sleeping in pretty late. Let's go."

Bom's mouth scrunched up and she breathed deeply, opening one eye and slowly looking around, "I thought it was going to be bright," she opened her other eye, "But it looks like their light's gone now. The Prophecy is the only light source now . . ." she noted, making notice the the water itself was actually glowing light.

Minho helped Bom to her feet and she looked around herself, noticing the black marks crawling under her attire, "I hope this doesn't stay for too long."

Minho chuckled again and nodded, seeing as to how Bom was okay now, they could move on.

  "Your wings are a brilliant white, Minho," Luna noted, "They look like they're glowing, even."

Minho nodded once more and started heading out of the Prophecy, "It hurt like hell, too."

They were making it out of the water when Minho heard Onew from behind, "It's okay. He's not going to do anything, I promise. I was near him almost every single day, even as a Daegrent, and he didn't do anything."

Minho turned around, seeing Taemin staring at him, as he moved out. Minho felt bad again.

  "I'm fine," Taemin huffed, looking away, "It's not something I can get used to in seconds, Jinki."

Minho looked down and moved a bit further away as Taemin surfaced from the water, "I can't change back right now. I have to light the water, I'm sorry."

  "Don't. Apologize." Taemin said roughly as he walked up to Minho, standing next to him, "See? I'm fine, jeez. If I punch you, would you do something?"

  "No—"

Taemin punched him on the side.

  "What was that for?!"

  "Startling me."

Minho stumbled over words but then groaned and gave up. He moved away from them to the northern side of the water and outstretched his new wings, "Are we all ready?"

  "What if it doesn't work?" Taemin asked.

  "We wait here until it does," Minho answered, "But let's not focus on that."

Minho snapped fire into his hand, looking at his mark, "Oh, look, too. She gave me my mark," he showed his wrist to them, "But now . . ."

The group moved beside Minho and watched.

Minho got down on one knee, breathing in, and slowly dipping his hand into the Prophecy.

Instantly the water started being engulfed in his flames, spreading around the blue waters and steam filling the air.

( Escape to Redemption )

  "We gotta go now!" Jonghyun warned, already pushing Taemin along, "We've got to go now!"

  " . . . it worked," Minho watched the flames become the water's surface.

Bom grabbed him, "Minho, we've got to go now!"

Minho's senses grew sharper, and he grabbed Bom first before everyone else, Jonghyun and Taemin being situated on his back as he immediately started flying towards the exit in a rush, "When we get to the entrance, run!"

Minho flew at his inhuman speed and made it to the entrance in seconds, forcing everyone off and standing in front of them, "Jonghyun, stand at the end and grab whoever's hand is near you. Whoever's near me grab my hand, middle, grab the other's. Form a line, we're gonna go fast."

The Prophecy made rumbling sounds and started shaking until what sounded like fireworks was going off.

Minho grabbed on to Bom, Bom was grabbed by Luna, Luna was grabbed by Taemin, Taemin was grabbed by Onew and Jonghyun was at the end. Minho's Daegrent speed kicked in and he started them up the stairs going as fast as he could, but trying not to get anyone injured in the process. The humans started screaming how it was too fast, but Minho didn't need to hear anymore. His speed before wasn't as fast as the Royals, but now that he had that power, they got to the beginning in just a minute.

  "Catch your breath quickly," Minho informed, jumping up and out the latch, "We need to go."

Minho could see the hall was red and flashing. Trinity pulled the trigger. People were escaping.

He started reaching down to pull everyone out, the humans' hair almost all over the place and patting it down. Jonghyun was pulled up last and picking at his clothes, "I'm just gonna . . ." Jonghyun took off the shirt, "Yeah."

Minho rolled his eyes, but opened the door and started urgently rushing everyone out, "Out, out, out!"

Everyone left and started running back down the halls they came from, desperately grabbing their bags and going into the elevator, Onew punching multiple buttons. The elevator door closed just as the ground shook hard, everyone holding on to something to keep themselves up. The elevator started moving up at a painful pace and the group was left tense in the dark.

The digging floor arrived and the creatures were still huddled in their corners, their hands going up again when they saw the elevator, shouts and yells coming from every which corner.

The floor passed and they continued up. Minho pushed himself against one of the walls to prevent from anyone getting hit by his wings. He wasn't going to put them away now and neither put away his form in case anyone was coming and they had to resort in flying once they stopped moving up.

The elevator doors opened and they quickly filed out and headed north. They crossed the first courtyard with multiple creatures and humans running for their lives. Other humans had weapons out and started firing at other creatures. Some were lying dead on the ground.

Everyone was screaming and shouting, pushing at one another or carrying others along, trying to avoid the shots being fired.

They were making it to another wall that took them into another courtyard. It was safe in the area of the wall, but everyone stopped when Luna shouted.

  "Jonghyun!"

Minho whipped his head around, seeing Jonghyun had stopped running, his body looking ready to turn around.

  "Jonghyun, we don't have time for this, come on!" Minho shouted.

Jonghyun looked at the group, a devastated look on his face before he shook his head.

Minho's eyes widened and he went back, taking Jonghyun by his shoulders, trying to press him towards the way he wants, "Let's go!"

Jonghyun looked at Bom and Minho followed him.

Bom nodded, "Let him go."

  "What?!" Minho shouted with his human formed snapped back and the ground shook viciously, "What are you saying?!" The grave look on Bom's face gave Minho the daunting idea. Onew and Luna had the same look on their faces, "You both knew?!"

Jonghyun held on to Minho, "Minho, I've been waiting for this day since my forever started!" he spoke quickly, "I've been waiting for the day I could welcome death!"

Minho shook his head, "No, no, you're insane right now, we have to get going!" he started trying to push Jonghyun along.

  "You," Jonghyun's face started turning red, "You've given me the chance to see Kibum again! I've waited so long, Minho! Now I can finally go do this! I want him back, Minho! I need to go! I want to go!"

  "Jonghyun, please think just another second," Onew begged, "It can get better out there, we can show you!"

  "Please!" Minho begged.

Let him go, Minho. He's wished for this since the beginning. Minho, I promised him I'd let this happen, let him go!

  "You promised him?!" Minho shouted at Bom, "What the  is wrong with you?!"

Jonghyun hugged on to Minho, "You've been the greatest friend I've ever found here! You've given me so much and I have yet to repay you, but I'll repay you in the next life with your bloodline! God, please Minho, you have to get out!" Jonghyun started crying, holding on to Minho's face, "You are made to be a king, Minho. So honor me as my king and best friend. Let me have my dying wish!"

There was a great boom in the distance, and Minho held back on to Jonghyun, "You're my only good friend, Jjong, please."

Jonghyun hastily went into his pocket as he cried, taking out string with something on the end, being a necklace, "Back with K-Kibum, he wanted to know if I pulled my fang out, it would heal and re-grow," he put it in Minho's hands, "The theory was right, and I was always left with a spare fang. Keep that for me. And let my story move on in the living. Tell them about how a creature can fall in love with a human! How it's possible!" he looked at Taemin, "Go! They're all in trouble! Go!"

Minho clenched his jaw, his tears falling to Jonghyun's as he hugged him once more time before letting him go and so slowly turning from him. Luna ran up to Jonghyun and hugged him so desperately and screamed, "You're the best Taerant I'll ever love! Don't forget that when you go!"

  "Sun Young . . ." Jonghyun whispered.

Onew and Bom ran up, taking their turns. Onew sniffed and grabbed Jonghyun's face, kissing his forehead, "God damn it. Kibum better be happy about this. I love you, man!" 

  "Jinki . . ." Jonghyun whispered again.

Jonghyun cried even harder and Bom, the calmest of everyone hugged him and soothed him quickly, "You've fought hard, Jonghyun. The Royals note your honorable life and grant you your wish." she kissed his cheek, "Follow into your dreams. You are your own legacy."

Minho saw Taemin slightly red-eyed and embraced him. Taemin gave out a shaky breath, "I barely knew him, but he seems too amazing to let go."

Minho's tears fell faster and he let go of Taemin.

  "Get out!" Jonghyun shouted, wiping his eyes but still crying, his arm flailing forward, "Get out—" there was another boom, "—Now!"

After he screamed, everyone started back for the wall and all huddled close for it. 

Jonghyun stood there, the brightest smile on his face and waved to them with all his tears dropping, starting to step back, "I love all of you guys!"

Minho pushed everyone through the wall and stopped himself from pausing, "We all love you, too, Jonghyun."

And through the wall Minho went with his last goodbye to his best friend.

Minho had other responsibilities. He had to get everyone out safely. As much as he wanted to go back for Jonghyun, that would put everyone at risk.

  "Let's go," Minho said gruffly, taking Taemin by the hand and rushing them at a speed they could all keep up with.

  "Wait, Minho!" Bom shouted, "I need to go the other way! Trinity's calling me!"

  "You can hear her?" Minho shouted, still running.

  "Vaguely, but I have to! You all go on!"

Minho protested, "Bom, no!"

He turned around but she already went into the other hallway into a wall. Minho swore, but pushed the remaining group along.

No one objected and continued running, making it out to another courtyard filled with countless bodies on the ground and many still running.

  "It's quieter," Luna observed, trying to keep her voice low.

Minho looked around. There had to be a reason for how quiet it was. There were too many running beings to be this quiet; there was a reason.

They continued through half of the courtyard, preparing to take the next wall to the entrance, until suddenly Luna and Onew shouted in struggle.

Minho and Taemin turned around, finding the two being hoisted away by a Taerant with a saddle on its back.

  "Whoa, whoa, put them down!" Minho shouted at it, his hand out with power to stop the Taerant from moving.

  "In . . . jured," The Taerant choked out, "Mother . . . Injured."

Luna swore out loud, but couldn't help it, "Onew go with them and I'll go fix this—"

  "Hell no, I'm coming with you!" Onew objected.

Taemin ran forward, "Jinki, wait!"

  "What matters most is that you get out!" Onew yelled after another boom followed with a shake, "That was the main goal, so Minho, get him out! We'll meet you out there at the top of the hill we brought you in from!"

  "Jinki, NO—" Taemin protested.

The Taerant was off in another direction into the building and Taemin yelled out.

Minho held on to Taemin, "We have to go—!"

  "Bring him back, Minho!" Taemin desperately held on to him, "Bring him back!"

  "He'll be back!" he shook Taemin, "Trust him, he knows what to do!"

Taemin shouted curses and almost fell when the most powerful shake moved along the ground if Minho hadn't help him up. Minho forced them both forward making it through the other half of the courtyard and almost to the wall.

Before they could get close to the wall, Minho's ear heard the of a gun and forced Taemin down on the ground as the shot fired.

  “You’re not getting out of here, boy!”

----~Note~----

LONGEST CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF MY CHAPTERS.

My bad for making this chapter super long, but I said I was craming things that were supposed to be in the last chapter that I cut off and combined to this chapter. I have literally been writing this for a full day.

So, I inserted one of Bom's traditional attires because my visual descrptions aren't well done. And I also did the Daegrent mark with henna even though the henna aged. Yes, I know it's on my left wrist but I couldn't draw with my left hand. >.>

Can I please cosplay my own characters.

But yeah, I hoped people were shocked Minho didn't take all the power.

But I'm MORE concerned about what you think about Jonghyun. Yep. This was planned from the start too. I'M SO SORRY. I actually AM killing people off on purpose, eh? I'm sorry, but I hope you see a little romantic factor about Kibum in it. I'm gonna write a bts chapter about what happens when the party leaves Jonghyun so stick for that.

And I ended it with a wall in front of you face, didn't I?

Yep. This chapter got too lengthy, so I'm splitting up the end of this chapter and putting it in the LAST ESCAPE TO REDEMPTION CHAPTER!

(I suggest subbing or viewing the bts daily because I have four left and bts has the EXTRA 2 endings)

I want to say, thank you thank you thank you thank you to every subscribe, comment, view, upvote, ANYTHING. I'm your biggest fan! The support I get is amazing and I hope it continues!

And yet again, thank you and see you next time!

~FlaMinhoe