The first thing KyuJong felt as he slowly came to was a wet something against his arm. Groaning quietly, he tossed his head from side to side before his eyes cracked open. As his vision focused Pantera’s head came into view, resting against the bed beside him with her nose pressed against KyuJong’s arm.

“Pantera?” He whispered, voice a little ragged. Coughing, he slowly sat up.

“Oh, you’re awake.” A relieved voice spoke. Looking around, KyuJong saw KiBum sitting off to one side with his laptop. He closed the portable and placed it on the nearest table, standing. “How are you feeling? You really gave us a scare.”

“KiBum…I feel better than before,” KyuJong winced, rubbing his eyes. The numbing pain that had knocked him out was gone, leaving just a steady ache in his bones. “What happened?”

“We were actually hoping you could answer that question,” KiBum looked down at him with worry. “Pantera said that you were in trouble, and led me to you…you were passed out with some other Keeper in the alley.”

Another Keeper…KyuJong’s eyes widened as he recalled just what had happened before he passed out. “The Keeper, is he okay?”

“I called SungMin and KyuHyun, KyuHyun took the guy to the hospital and SungMin brought you back here,” KiBum replied. “Last I heard, he still hadn’t woken up.”

KyuJong shut his eyes, forcing himself to remember the silhouette of the wolf and the disappearing lights of the lizard spirit. “…I have to talk to SungMin. I saw…I’m not sure what I saw, but he needs to know about it.” He needed an experienced Keeper to know what exactly he saw. Maybe SungMin would know what was going on. He could still hear the lizard’s screams for help in the back of his head, and it sent chills down his spine.

“Right now?” KiBum blinked. “You’re still recovering. It’s not even morning yet.”

KyuJong glanced out the window and saw KiBum was right. It had to be the middle of the night, maybe a couple hours until dawn. “…It can’t wait.” No more waiting. This was serious, he could feel it. And if that Keeper still hadn’t woken up…

KiBum stared at KyuJong, chewing his lower lip worriedly. The young Keeper looked tired, like he’d kept himself from falling asleep so he could watch over KyuJong. “…Okay, I’ll call him,” he said quietly. “Meeting where, here?”

“Here’s fine,” KyuJong nodded. He didn’t want anyone overhearing what he had to say.

As KiBum got out his phone and dialed SungMin’s number, Pantera nudged KyuJong’s arm with her nose again. KyuJong gave her a strained smile, absently brushing a hand through her soft fur. The simple motion helped calm down his strained nerves, pushed to their limit with everything that had happened in the past 12 hours.

“Okay, he’s on his way here,” KiBum sighed finally, closing his phone. “It’s really that serious, huh?”

“Yeah,” KyuJong nodded, frowning down at his bedsheets.

They waited fifteen minutes before there was a knock on the door. Standing and insisting KyuJong stayed in bed, KiBum unlocked the door and opened it. Standing on the other side was a very sleepy-looking SungMin, who looked like he’d tossed on whatever clothes he could find and headed straight out. KyuJong decided it was probably best to ignore the fact that he’d seen KyuHyun wearing that exact same shirt several times.

“What’s going on?” he mumbled, stepping into the apartment. KiBum closed the door behind him. “It’s the middle of the night guys, it better be an emergency.”

“It’s about how you found me earlier,” KyuJong’s lips thinned, and he felt more awake than before. As guilty as he felt about getting SungMin out of bed and all the way over here, something told him he was making the best possible choice. He’d spent far too long ignoring whenever he felt compelled to make a decision. Maybe if he hadn’t ignored the pulls, that lizard spirit wouldn’t have…whatever happened to him.

“Oh? It couldn’t wait until morning?” SungMin dropped down into a chair, rubbing at his face. Yuetu appeared in his lap with a poof.

“It might be too late by morning,” KyuJong wrung his hands in his lap before squaring his shoulders. “Remember I told you I heard a spirit beast calling to me while in class? It happened again.”

That caught both Keepers’ attention. “What do you mean, you heard a spirit beast calling you?” KiBum blinked; he had no idea what was going on with KyuJong. “You’re not a Keeper.”

“I remember,” SungMin murmured, expression serious. “And?”

“I felt…pulled towards who it was, so I went looking for them. And when I got there…” KyuJong swallowed, goosebumps rising as he remembered the wolf. “The lizard spirit calling me had just been defeated by a wolf spirit.”

“Asena?” SungMin asked, frowning when KyuJong nodded. “I’d heard from DongHae about her and that Hunter. So they’re still going around picking us off, huh?”

“There’s more.” KyuJong looked down at his lap before lifting his gaze to the two watching him again. Even Yuetu and Pantera watched him, the spirits silent. “I’ve seen before how when a Keeper’s defeated, the spirit beast turns into light and disappears. But…it didn’t happen like that this time.”

“What do you mean?” SungMin asked slowly.

KyuJong did his best to explain what he’d seen…how the darkness had expanded from Asena and engulfed both spirit and Keeper, the spirit’s light into the wolf. “The Keeper you found me with still hasn’t woken up, has he?”

“No…no he hasn’t.” SungMin’s eyes had narrowed dangerously as he took in KyuJong’s words. “His name’s KiSeop, and he was one of the more…laid-back Keepers. He and Kawako…his gecko spirit…wouldn’t have taken a challenge unless he was forced into it. Daniel’s said he’s in the same kind of coma as the others.”

“So…what happened to him and his spirit beast?” KiBum asked quietly, looking between them in worry. “What does it mean?”

“I don’t know, but I intend to find out.” Standing, SungMin gathered Yuetu in his arms.

“What?” KiBum stood as well. “How?”

“KyuHyun and I tailed one of the Hunters the other day, we know where they’re staying,” SungMin said, and KyuJong had never seen the usually light-hearted man this pissed-off before. “It’s time we had a chat with Zitao. Searching for the Spirit King is one thing…he’s putting our Keepers into comas and doing who knows what with the spirit beasts. It’s destroying the whole world order.”

“I’m coming with you,” KyuJong pushed the blankets off his legs, staggering to his feet. After the initial dizziness, he was able to stand straight.

SungMin watched him. “You sure you’re up for this? It could get very ugly.” KyuJong nodded.

“Guess I better come along too,” KiBum looked at Pantera, biting his lower lip. “I’m not very strong yet, but I wouldn’t feel right sitting behind and waiting for you to come back.”

Glancing at the younger Keeper, SungMin nodded after a moment. “…I’m going to call KyuHyun and DongHae for backup, just in case. Let’s go.” He turned towards the apartment door, phone already out and pressed to one ear as he carried Yuetu with his other arm.

KiBum smiled nervously at KyuJong. “Confronting coma-causing Hunters…not exactly what I thought I’d be doing this semester.”

“That makes two of us,” KyuJong returned the smile with a tense one of his own, heading out after SungMin.

The walk was silent, the streets almost empty at this time at night. KyuJong and KiBum walked behind SungMin, Pantera following in the shadows surrounding them. Though KyuJong couldn’t see her, he knew exactly where she was at all times. He wondered if KiBum did too. Something about how the younger Kim brother’s eyes roamed the street made KyuJong believe KiBum wasn’t fully synced to his spirit beast yet.

Of course, he was only noticing this because he was trying to avoid thinking of what they were going to do. There was no telling how this confrontation could go. If KyuHyun and DongHae didn’t get there in time, how long could SungMin and KiBum last against a group of experienced Hunters? Everyone said SungMin was a powerful Keeper, but KyuJong had yet to see him fight and KiBum was still very new.

They arrived outside a small hostel, SungMin not hesitating before he stepped inside. The rabbit Keeper was pissed, it showed in the line of his shoulders and his clenched jaw. “They have half the floor to themselves,” SungMin told the other two as they stepped into the elevator, pressing the fourth button.

“How do you know that?” KiBum blinked.

“Anansi followed them inside. I told you, there’s many advantages to having a small spirit beast.” SungMin glanced between them. “You ready?”

Not really, KyuJong thought to himself, but he exhaled slowly and nodded. “Yeah.” KiBum echoed his response, leaning back out of the way and staring up at the numbers displayed above the elevator door. With a soft ding the elevator opened, and they stepped out into the hallway. There were two doors, one on each side of the hallway, dividing the floor in half. SungMin stepped up to one and knocked loudly.

It was a long, heartpounding minute before the door unlocked and opened, a single light on inside the room beyond. “Hello?” KyuJong recognized the voice of MinSeok, the Korean Hunter. He sounded sleepy. “Do you know what time it is?”

“Yes we do, and we’re here to speak with Zitao,” SungMin said, voice level and calm for someone who had been beyond angry a minute ago.

“Zitao?” MinSeok blinked at them blearily. “Can’t this wait until morning? Everyone’s asleep.” KyuJong watched his eyes go from one person to the other, pausing on Yuetu in SungMin’s arms and Pantera by KiBum’s feet. His gaze found KyuJong next, and a small frown crossed his lips.

“It’s not waiting till morning,” SungMin replied, voice leaving no room for argument. “We aren’t leaving until we speak to him, even if it means breaking in this door.”

MinSeok eyed them before nodding slowly. “…The door to the roof’s unlocked. He’ll meet you there in five minutes.” He closed the door before any of them could argue.

“What now?” KiBum asked quietly.

“Now we go to the roof,” SungMin replied, turning to the elevator again. “Better to…talk up there anyways. KyuHyun and DongHae can reach us faster if something goes wrong.”

They made their way to the rooftop, and waited. Five minutes later, the door opened again and Zitao stepped out, black hair messy and clothes slightly rumpled. He wasn’t alone. Following him out onto the roof were the other Hunters…all of them.

“Good morning,” Zhou Mi’s smile was bright, as if he hadn’t just been rudely woken up. “A little early for social calls?”

“Why are you here?” Zitao asked slowly, watching them. KyuJong had thought the darkness under his eyes was makeup, but now he saw they were really shadows from lack of sleep.

“We have a bone to pick with you,” SungMin said lowly, choosing to ignore the other Hunters for now. “Coming here and challenging half our Keepers was one thing…annoying, but tolerable. Screening all the older Keepers for the Spirit King, only mildly frustrating. But putting our Keepers into comas…that stops right now. And don’t think we won’t deport your asses back to China.”

Zitao frowned at SungMin, before looking at Zhou Mi. The look Zhou Mi gave the other Hunter was confused, and he looked at MinSeok on Zitao’s other side. “…Could you translate for us? I’m afraid something might have been lost, because I don’t understand.”

“Oh I don’t think you lost anything, because I don’t understand either,” MinSeok frowned, watching SungMin. “What are you talking about?”

“I saw Asena fighting against a lizard spirit earlier in the night,” KyuJong spoke up then. “The other spirit’s Keeper still hasn’t woken up, he’s in the same coma as all the others. What did you do?” He directed the question at Zitao, anger still burning under his skin for when the teen had injured HyungJoon. “Why would you do that do someone, and where’s his spirit beast?”

Zitao opened and closed his mouth, brow furrowed. “Don’t…understand,” he said slowly in faltering Korean.

“You can play dumb all you want, but we’re not leaving without answers for what’s going on,” SungMin stepped forward.

Instantly two of the Hunters stepped in front of Zitao: MinSeok, and a taller man with a long face who KyuJong hadn’t seen before. “Hey, no one’s playing dumb,” MinSeok said. “We have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“And no one threatens Zitao,” spoke the other Hunter, lifting his arm to one side. There was a burst of golden light, and a magnificent buck appeared beside him, it’s large golden horns glowing brighter than the rest of its body.

“Yixing lengjing xialai,” Zhou Mi said in hurried Mandarin. “We’re not looking for a fight here. Just explain to us what is going on.”

SungMin had stepped forward again when the Hunter’s spirit beast appeared, half in front of KiBum to protect him. Opening his mouth, whatever he had been about to say was cut off by a chorus of loud screeches.

Large black animals flooded the rooftop they were on, leather wings beating at them and loud screeches making KyuJong’s ears ring. Shouting in alarm, he hit the roof hard to avoid being pushed right off. Claws dug into the material of his shirt, half-dragging him before the animal let go with a screech of pain.

Pantera stood between KyuJong and her Keeper, snarling. KyuJong risked a look up, heart pounding as he looked around the roof. Bats, dozens of them each as large as a human, attacked both his friends and the Hunters. They were clearly spirit beasts, only outlines of color against the night sky. One had gotten it’s claws into the back of Henry’s shirt and was lifting the young Hunter up off the roof, Henry shouting and struggling. A bolt of lightning struck the bat and the animal let Henry go with a screech. The Hunter dropping back onto the roof painfully, curling up and favoring the arm he’d landed on. A weasel spirit appeared beside him in a burst of lightning, hissing at the bats.

That was all KyuJong could see because the bats were after him again, claws grabbing at both his and KiBum’s shirt. Pantera went after the bat trying to lift her Keeper off the roof, fangs and claws tearing through it’s wing.

Fighting to get the bat to release him, KyuJong struggled to call out to it the same way he’d spoken to Pantera. When that didn’t work, he managed to grab one ear and pull hard. Shrieking, the bat tossed him away. His moment of relief was short-lived, KyuJong shouting in alarm as he hit the roof and rolled right off the edge.

Hands grabbed his arm, stopping him from falling to his death several stories down. Gasping for breath, KyuJong made the mistake of looking down and everything spun. He was really high up.

“Ni mei shi ba?”

Forcing his eyes to stay open, KyuJong looked up to see Zitao holding onto his arm tightly. The younger man’s face was scrunched up with the effort of holding onto him, arms shaking. With a soft grunt he tried to brace his feet against the roof edge for leverage as he shouted something in Mandarin.

“Give me your other hand!” Another figure had come up beside Zitao. MinSeok dropped onto his stomach and reached down to KyuJong, bracing himself against the roof. Panting, KyuJong managed to swing his arm up high enough to reach MinSeok’s, heart jumping back into his throat when he missed. Trying again, he felt MinSeok’s hand close around his.

Together Zitao and MinSeok pulled him back up onto the rooftop. Dropping onto his side, KyuJong tried to regain his breath and stop shaking. When he saw Asena standing right in front of him, he gasped and shot back up, Zitao’s arms stopping him from falling off again. Asena had taken a protective stance, guarding them from the attacking bats while they’d pulled KyuJong back up out of danger.

The rest of the roof was chaos. SungMin and Zhou Mi seemed to have called a temporary truce and joined forces; Yuetu fought alongside a raccoon spirit KyuJong had never seen before. The rabbit moved in a blur of pink sparks before slamming full-force into one of the bats. The attacking animal was enveloped in the sparks, sending it crashing to the roof before…disappearing?

“They’re just illusions!” SungMin shouted over the chaos. “Find the real one!”

The real one? KyuJong’s eyes searched the dozens of bats attacking, but couldn’t see any visible difference between them. A shout of alarm caught his attention, and his eyes widened.

KiBum and Pantera had been backed into a corner of the roof away from them, Pantera struggling to keep the bats away from her Keeper. KiBum looked like he didn’t know what to do, trying to calm down enough to sync to Pantera but unable to. No one was close enough to help; SungMin and Zhou Mi were totally surrounded, Yixing and Henry had taken their fight to another rooftop to avoid being knocked off, and Zitao, MinSeok, and KyuJong himself were quickly being walled in by bats again.

“We have to help him,” KyuJong breathed, eyes wide. KiBum was going to get knocked off the roof at this rate.

MinSeok looked to see what KyuJong was talking about. He leapt to his feet. “Glashtyn!” He called, and a horse spirit appeared beside him. The horse looked like it was made entirely out of water, snorting and rearing at a bat who ventured too close. All four hooves hit the rooftop and the horse charged towards the bats surrounding KiBum and Pantera.

Glashtyn wasn’t going to make it in time, KyuJong realized. Pantera was being swarmed, forced away from her Keeper, and the horse spirit had to free her instead of helping KiBum who had been pushed right up to the edge.

Seeing a bat spirit sneak up behind KiBum, claws extended to pull his friend off the roof and to his death, something inside KyuJong snapped. Pantera! He yelled as loud as he could, finding that connection to her in his head. That feeling from the first time he’d synched to her was right there, and he grasped it with all his strength.

Power flooded through his veins as his consciousness fused with Pantera’s. Their sight, hearing, voice, everything became shared as he felt the pain of many claws trying to sink into his fur. But there was no time to worry about that. His cub was in danger, and through the wavering link between Keeper and spirit KyuJong could feel KiBum’s fear as claws sank into the back of his shirt.

A second later Glashtyn had trampled over the bats pinning him down, and he was free again. The shadows were all around him, and those shadows were his greatest strength. Disappearing into them, Pantera/KyuJong reappeared to sink his claws into the wings of the bat trying to pull KiBum away. Rage pulsed at this illusion that dared to attack his cub, and within seconds the bat was shredded to pieces, disappearing.

KiBum staggered, falling to his hands and knees. “ing hell,” he swore, panting at the close call. KyuJong wanted to check on him, but the danger was still there. Snarling, he whirled around to take on the other bats only to find their attention had shifted.

Nearly a third of the bats had been wrapped up in a massive spider’s web stretching from one rooftop to another, Yuetu and the raccoon spirit herding them into the web. The crackle of sparks signaled Abaia’s arrival, the eel teaming up with Henry’s weasel spirit to send electricity up the strands of the spider’s web. With screeches the bats disappeared one by one. Glashtyn and Yixing’s buck spirit took care of the ones who avoided Anansi’s web, wielding dangerous hooves.

“There it is!” Zhou Mi shouted, pointing. A lone bat was flying away, disappearing between buildings. Abaia broke away from the fight to chase after it.

Center, you must let go now, Pantera’s voice spoke gently.

KyuJong didn’t understand, too caught up in the fight and the sudden rush of power. What? he asked, feeling a dizzy sensation creeping up from far away.

He felt himself move, gaze directed farther down the rooftop. It was then he saw himself, collapsed farther away. Zitao was shaking his shoulder in an effort to revive him as Asena guarded them both.

You’ve outdone yourself, little one, Pantera told him. But now it’s time to rest. Thank you.

The sync broke, and KyuJong coughed as he opened his eyes to Zitao’s frowning face. The Chinese Hunter exclaimed in surprise, and SungMin hurried over to his side. “KyuJong! Are you okay?”

Everything hurt, but KyuJong smiled nonetheless. “Couldn’t be better,” he whispered, closing his eyes. 

Update, as promised =D Hope it was worth the wait~~

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I'm also working on a master story for this AU, with character info and lore stuff \o/ It's not a high priority at the moment, but hopefully it'll be completed in the next one or two months...lol. Maybe by the time I have it done, I'll have enough Karma to advertise it? Who am I kidding, I only have 160 points .___.;;

Oh, I've decided I'm doing National Novel Writing Month this November, for the first time in two years. Woot! And it's gonna be the sequel to this fic. Even better! So my goal is to get this completed (or at least 90% of the way done) before November 1st, with enough written to update once a week per usual while I write the sequel.

@ping501: Awww since when is it that easy in my stuff to tell who's behind everything ;) Do you still think Panda Tao's the bad guy? And Kyu's not just a helpless bystander anymore. Being Center is much more than hearing and listening, he just has to build up to that point~~ Like going from walking to running.

@forest_pixi: Don't strangle the panda! He saved Kyu! xD;;; And don't worry...Kyu'll have some help being Center ^^~ And how was SungMin to know HyungJoon's a snoop? XD;; He has other things to worry about than nosey best friends. And don't worry about Hyukkie ^^ Kekeke

@Forever5501: Joonie's too snoopy for his own good =P But in his defense, he's a worried guy with-a-crush-on-his-best-friend xD;;;

@curionenene: Lol it's so creepy when you say it that wayyyyy =P