Kibum ran at top speed. Never in his life had he run that fast. But he still caught glimpses here and there although everything passed in a blur and his heart clenched at what he saw.

The corridors, which usually had at least ten people walking through them, were now empty except for one or two maids standing still by the walls, staring into space and slowly turning more and more transparent until they would disappear. Kibum wanted so badly to stop beside each one of them and tell them that he was going to end this, that they shouldn’t look so devastated, but he had to continue on. Otherwise there’d never be an end. The warm, comfortable and inviting air that had managed to gather during the past few days in the mansion had gone as well, and it was now cold, dark and hostile again. Feeling slightly sick, Kibum turned a corner on the second floor, almost seeing his door, when he skidded to a stop, almost on autopilot, in front of a more familiar figure that he just couldn’t pass.

“Minho.” He breathed and the other looked up at him.

Kibum saw the fright the taller so badly tried to hide flash by his eyes and he reached out without a second thought to put a comforting hand on his arm. His heart skipped a beat and a lump formed in his throat as it passed right through and connected with the wall on the other side, making him wobble slightly with the unexpected fall forward.

“You can’t touch me.” Minho said, despair lacing his voice and Kibum pulled his hand back hastily.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered thickly, trying to swallow his tears. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“Taemin, he…” Minho's voice broke and he had to swallow, making Kibum's already fast heartbeat speed up even more with dread. “He’s gone.”

Tears pooled in Kibum's eyes and he sniffled, trying with all his might not to cry.

“And h-he wanted me t-to tell you,” Minho continued in a shaky voice, his figure slowly becoming more transparent, “that he l-loves you.”

A sob escaped Kibum's lips and tears started streaming down his face. He rubbed at his face furiously but before he could say anything to Minho the other was gone, disappearing into something unknown that was making Kibum heave with the pain he felt in his chest and crumble to the ground.

“Dammit!” He yelled drying his tears but more kept on coming with throat hurting sobs. “Goddamn it all!”

Even if Kibum knew he had to get up as fast as he could and get to his room, he ended up sitting and crying for a while shouting out random words angrily. After determinedly calming down enough to continue, he picked himself up from the floor and started running again. He slammed the door to his room open and stepped inside with as much authority as he could muster, not wanting to give Lightwood the satisfaction of seeing him devastated.

To his surprise the room was empty. It didn’t look the least bit disturbed and he took another step forward, his courage getting a little boost. However, that courage quickly disappeared as the door slammed shut behind him and he suddenly was enveloped in blackness, a creepy chuckle vibrating through the room and his body.

“I was expecting you.”

Kibum swirled around and came face to face with the living image of the man from the stone bust, black shadows welling around him and giving him a sinister look with his ghost pale skin and glowing yellow eyes. He was slightly taller than Kibum but looked about the same age. The air around them became ice-cold and Kibum had the sudden realization that it was because Lightwood the energy out of everything he came in contact with. A small shiver of horror went up his spine and his breaths came out in small clouds.

“I’m sure you were.” Kibum growled and tried to compose himself, glaring at the person in front of him and trying not to show him how scared he was.

Lightwood let out another chuckle and looked Kibum up and down with raised eyebrows. “You are just like that of Jonghyun's, if not even worse.”

Kibum narrowed his eyes. “Where is he?”

“Oh, somewhere you won’t be able to reach.” Lightwood said nonchalantly, going over to the window with the shadows trailing behind.

“Let him go!” He demanded and stepped forward, amazed at his own courage. “You can’t control him!”

Suddenly Lightwood disappeared and Kibum froze a little in shock. He tried to concentrate on the anger he was feeling not to let fright take over his emotions.

“But I can.” Lightwood’s voice said in Kibum's ear a second after he had disappeared and Kibum was in the center of the cold all of a sudden, his view obscured by the shadows, as he felt his energy being drained.

He turned around quickly, ready to punch the other in the face but Lightwood only laughed and disappeared again, reappearing by the fireplace. Kibum's legs shook slightly and his breaths came in small gasps.

“It was almost complete, before you came.” He shot a burning look at Kibum. “I had tortured myself to put those romantic shackles on him, then you come along and destroy my hard work.” He scoffed. “Well, I cannot say you do not have my linage in your blood.”

Lightwood lunged at him in a surprise attack, with his arms outstretched and Kibum involuntarily squeezed his eyes shut and covered. To his bewilderment he didn’t feel the impact he was expecting and squinted them open again with a wildly racing heart, discovering Lightwood backing away on his own accord and looking down at his hands with a slightly shocked expression.

“That damned brat!” He hissed. He looked up at Kibum again and glared at the pendant around his neck before sneering. “Does he really think that will help?”

Relief flooded Kibum's chest, but it was short-lived as Lightwood’s sneer didn’t disappear and the man seemed to grow, his shadows welling out from his body in fast waves and raising up in swirls, turning the temperature in the room beyond the freezing point. Kibum took a frightened step backwards, trying not to heave as his lungs started to hurt with the cold air. Something in another language spilled from Lightwood’s lips and suddenly what seemed like a thousand pins and needles pressed into Kibum's body, forcing a scream from his lips and drawing a delighted hiss from Lightwood. Kibum racked his brain to find the song he had only heard fully one time to use it against Lightwood, but realized to his immense horror that he didn’t remember a single word.

“Don’t worry!” Lightwood laughed devilishly. “Jonghyun, is going to be safe and secure with me! Let me just take your energy to make my full comeback and he will be safe again!”

Kibum growled and grabbed the pendant unconsciously for protection, refusing defeat. He gasped in surprise as an unexplainable warmth travelled from his fingertips and continued up his arm, spreading to the rest of his body and reheating it. Suddenly the prickling on his skin disappeared. He looked up at Lightwood, breathing heavily after trying not to succumb to the pain, and realized something.

“You…” He breathed venomously as Lightwood staggered backwards slightly. “This is not about cleaning the world anymore is it?”

Lightwood managed to compose himself and Kibum straightened up, feeling lighter with the crystal still clutched tightly in his hand.

“This is all about Jonghyun.” He continued in a steadier voice trying to look as intimidating as he could. “You can’t let him go.”

Lightwood got a dangerous expression on his face and glared at Kibum.

“I was his best friend!” He shouted. “Why does he defy me? I know what is best for him!”

Kibum stood his ground as the other took a threatening step forward.

“I thought he was finally mine!” Lightwood continued. “Then he found that stupid piano spell, enabling him to keep a part of him human. Although it was never much of a problem until you came along, returning him fully to the human side! I wanted to obliterate you the moment he gave in to his desire in the library.”

Kibum let out a laugh that he didn’t know he had in him and glared right back at Lightwood with every ounce of hate he could muster.

“I regret nothing.”

Lightwood screamed in rage and lunged for him the second time. Kibum's body froze and he cursed himself for being scared at such a moment. A shadow flew past Kibum's head and suddenly Jin was in Lightwood’s face, hissing and clawing. He felt a momentary pride over his cat before Lightwood slung him across the room and into a wall. Kibum's heart broke as he heard Jin give out a small, hurt sound and he turned to Lightwood with so much rage that he thought he would explode.

And somehow he did. The energy building up from his fury felt like it was bubbling and pushing under his skin until it finally exploded out of his pores. Kibum didn’t have the time to feel confused as found himself levitating for a moment before collapsing on the floor. Lightwood collapsed a few feet away from him in a heap of black and Kibum felt a slight hope light in his chest until the man moved slowly. Their gazes met and Kibum saw with satisfaction a flickering of horror in Lightwood’s eyes before he retreated, disappearing to somewhere Kibum couldn’t reach.

Kibum leaned his head back and let out a long breath, his whole body feeling sore. Then he stood up with a groan and rushed over to his cat. Jin was breathing heavily, but he was alright. Tears of relief ran down Kibum's cheeks and he cradled the cat in his arms, murmuring soothing words to him. He couldn’t stand loosing Jin too. Kibum put him down on the bed gently, laying down beside him and his fur softly for a moment to make sure the cat felt protected and safe. When he was sure Jin could manage himself he sat up onto his knees, a sudden idea striking him.

I have to get Jonghyun back.

Clutching the pendant tightly once more, he concentrated all his willpower on Jonghyun. Kibum had no idea of what he was doing, but somehow the pendant made him do the things he did. He scrunched up his face as images of the mansion started to flood his head, looking for Jonghyun but being unable to control what he was doing. Then he suddenly found him in a room he had never seen, surrounded and pressed into a corner by black shadows. It looked like they were imprisoning him and protecting him at the same time. Kibum found himself trying to force those shadows away with his willpower and somehow they drew back a few centimeters, liberating the man they held imprisoned slightly. Jonghyun looked up wide-eyed and for some reason Kibum knew that he knew he was looking for him.

“Jonghyun.” He whispered.

Jonghyun gave a small nod and disappeared and at the same time Kibum felt a rustle of air in the room. He squinted his eyes open and found Jonghyun standing right in front of him at the foot of the bed. Wasting no time he flung himself at the other and hugged him tightly.

“Jonghyun.” He breathed as he felt him put his arms around his waist. “Jonghyun, thank God.”

Jonghyun pulled back to look Kibum in the face, eyes full of concern. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

Kibum shook his head and suddenly sobs were spilling out of him.

“Don’t cry.” Jonghyun whispered and pulled him to his chest. “You did well, Kibum.”

“I-I… don’t e-even know… what h-happened…” Kibum hiccupped.

“It was the pendant.” Jonghyun murmured and his arms tightened around him. “Since you are the descendant of Lightwood’s brother I figured you have some magical blood in you and the pendant helped pull that out.”

Kibum grabbed the back of Jonghyun's shirt tightly.

“J-Jonghyun.” Kibum sniffled. “I’m so… s-so sorry…”

“I know,” he hushed, “I know.”

Leading him to the bed and laying down, Jonghyun once again let Kibum cry himself out into his chest until he calmed down.

“I couldn’t remember Sekyung’s song.” Kibum said a few minutes after his sobs had quieted down, sounding devastated.

Jonghyun his hair lightly. “It doesn’t matter.”

He wanted to grab his collar and shake him.

It did matter!

Kibum was about to protest when Jonghyun pulled back to look at him and his words got caught in his throat. He looked so serious and sad that Kibum felt his breath disappear.

“Kibum do you know,” Jonghyun whispered and his cheek, “that the things we value the most is the very thing that can make our lives miserable?”

Kibum blinked at him, not really understanding. Jonghyun examined his eyes.

“I don’t want him to do that to you.”

Kibum swallowed the lump that formed in his throat.

“He won’t.” He choked out.

Jonghyun smiled a small smile but Kibum saw that he didn’t believe him for a second. Then he leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together.

“You know, I’m glad that you’re here and I’m glad that I met you.” Jonghyun whispered with a sincere expression. “And I’m glad that I lost my control for a moment and kissed you when we bumped into each other in the library.”

“Me too.” Kibum sighed and closed his eyes. It was a little hard to keep up with the change of topic.

Suddenly he felt Jonghyun's lips softly pressed against his own and he opened his eyes again slightly. Jonghyun met his gaze steadily and Kibum could see all the thousands of emotions and thoughts pass behind his brown ones before he closed them and leaned closer to deepen the kiss. Frowning a little, Kibum put his arms around his neck as they rolled over and Jonghyun hovered above him. Kibum felt love, hurt, hope, fright, devastation and happiness flow out of Jonghyun as their breaths became more labored and their limbs more entangled. He tried so badly to give Jonghyun as much love and hope he could back by softly caressing his cheek, pulling his hair gently and putting his arms around him in a hug every now and then but it felt like it was useless. Jonghyun's lips were moving against his desperately and somehow it seemed like a goodbye, although he couldn’t figure out why.

When they finally broke away from each other for some much needed air Jonghyun smiled down at Kibum who naturally blushed. He brushed his fingertips against Kibum's forehead gently, lovingly and Kibum felt his eyelids become heavier.

“Kibum, I love you.” He heard Jonghyun whisper in his ear before he fell asleep.

A/N: This chapter is soooo not well done, I'm sorry :( I might edit it later when I have the time... -.- But right now I have a cold and since my brain's all fuzzy from it yeah... Who gets a cold in the summer anyway?!

And folks, I'm sorry to say this, but the next chapter is the final one so... I hope you won't be too disappointed with how this turns out :/

I hope you enjoyed this (badly written) chapter and if you didn't I understand >_<

Thanks to all subscribers, readers, commenters! You make my day! ^_^

Bye~! <3