chapter five         
✧✦The Oath✦✧

"Hurry, hurry! We might miss him!"

"Hyung, it's midnight on a work day. He's probably asleep."

"No way, superheroes don't sleep!"

There was a flash of gold in the moonlight as someone jumped across the rooftops. Behind him, the shadow following was almost indistinguishable from the darkness.

"Hyung, if you're not going to give this up, at least slow down so I can hide you. You're going to get yourself shot."

A crackle of electricity rolled up an antenna on the rooftop nearby, KyuHyun appearing at the base of the antenna. "God you two are such amateurs. I could hear you half a mile away shouting at each other, you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Oh, you're here!" Goldfish brightened. "See, I told you the rooftops would work!" he tossed over his shoulder at Shade, who rolled his eyes but didn't comment.

"We wanted to talk to you, about the Sworn," Goldfish continued.

"Good, so did I," KyuHyun said, crossing his arms over his chest. "We want to set up a meeting. This wasn't my idea at all, just so you know."

"Oh cool!" Goldfish beamed.

Shade looked unimpressed. "I thought the other members were inactive. Who are we meeting?"

"Does it matter?" KyuHyun huffed. "I'm doing my part in telling you to come, it's up to you now. So yes or no?"

"Not until—"

"Yes!" Goldfish cut in. "Of course, of course we'll come! When's the meeting? Right now?" Shade covered his face with one hand, a long-suffering sigh escaping past the bandana.

"..." KyuHyun looked between the two, not sure what that crazy hobo had got them all in to but it had better be good. "Yes, right now. Think you can keep up?"

"Watch us," Goldfish grinned, stretching. "We'll be right behind you." Shade shook his head and disappeared into the shadows. "Oh fine, cheater," Goldfish huffed at where he'd been standing.

"If you're sure," KyuHyun snorted. "Just follow the sparks," he said, touching his hand to the antenna again. The antenna instantly crackled with electricity and KyuHyun disappeared in it. Seconds later, a shower of sparks blew from a street lamp a block away.

"I hate you people with teleporting powers," Goldfish huffed, taking off after the shower of sparks. He heard Shade chuckle by his ear. "And that includes you, by the way!"

By the time he caught up with the rematerialized KyuHyun, they were halfway across the city. "Okay, I'm tired," Goldfish panted, trying to catch his breath. Shade reappeared beside him.

"Next time you can take the bus then," KyuHyun shrugged. Dropping down off the rooftop to a fire escape and then down to the street below, KyuHyun glanced around before starting up the stairs to JungMin's place. He didn't particularly care if the other two were following or not, he'd done his part and brought them this far.

Goldfish followed him the same way, while Shade seemed to prefer disappearing entirely again. "So, where are we?" the man with the winged costume asked as he caught up to KyuHyun, looking around the area.

"You two want to be part of the Sworn right?" KyuHyun said, knocking on JungMin's door before looking back at the other two... or one as it were. "Well here's your chance."

The door opened a slight crack, an eye peering out at them before the door was opened completely and KyuJong was standing in the doorway. "You could have called or something," he said, but he stepped out of the way. "Who is this?"

"I sent his grumpiness an email, guess he didn't get it," KyuHyun said, stepping inside. "This is the Blowfish."

"Goldfish!" Goldfish bowed deeply before straightening, eyes bright. "Does this mean... oh, you're one of the others, right? We get to meet the Swo—!" He was cut off by a band of shadows over his mouth.

"What's going on?" JungMin looked out into the hallway behind KyuJong, seeing KyuHyun and a strange guy dressed up like an anime character trying to remove a band of black from his mouth.

"I found them, like I was told to, and brought them here," KyuHyun said, dumping his coat on the floor and heading into the house.

"Oh, right, come in," KyuJong said, smiling a little nervously. "We wanted to talk to you two." KyuJong was startled by a loud thump from the second floor and the sound of something breaking. "... Min, go get YoungSaeng."

"What did he do now," JungMin grumbled, turning around and heading back up the stairs.

Goldfish stepped in, the shadows over his face disappearing as the door closed. "Hi! I don't know if I should, uh...take this off or not." He had to stand sideways so the clockwork wings wouldn't bang into the walls of the narrow hallway.

"... Why do you even have wings?" KyuHyun called from the living room. "It's not like you can really fly."

"Be nice KyuHyun," KyuJong sighed, giving the Goldfish a smile. "You're not going to be comfortable like that, so you probably should. And no masks either."

"Oh," Goldfish blinked before reaching up and pulling his mask off. He was a young man with soft brown eyes, his brown hair slightly spiky. Mask off, he struggled to get out of the costume.

"You might want to stand back," Shade said quietly from where he'd appeared behind KyuJong, pulling the bandana down from his lower face. "Those wings have sharp edges."

KyuJong didn't appear startled at the sudden appearance of someone behind him, glancing over his shoulder and nodding. "I'll be in the living room, you can join us there when you're ready," he said, smiling a little as he looked the man up and down before leaving them in the hall.

The two arrived in the living room a moment later. Goldfish had taken off the wings, shoulder plates and cape to his costume, leaving just his gold-black vest and black pants. Shade hadn't needed to remove more than his hat and bandana, his costume far less complicated than his partner's.

JungMin was herding YoungSaeng down the stairs ahead of him. "Next time you decide to stand on top of stuff, make sure it's not going to fall on you," he huffed.

"Wasn't supposed to fall, the fish and shadow are here," YoungSaeng said with a pout. "Was supposed to fly."

"Okay, now that we're all here," KyuJong said, giving JungMin a sympathetic smile before turning to the newcomers. "Let's start with your names? Your real names."

Goldfish opened his mouth, but this time Shade beat him to the draw, holding one hand out to the other man to keep him quiet. "I think we should know who you are first," he said calmly.

"Yah, who are you to be demanding anything?" KyuHyun retorted, arms crossed over his chest.

"It's okay KyuHyun, the order doesn't matter that much," KyuJong said. "My name is KyuJong, though you may know me by Fractal. This is KyuHyun, who you've had the pleasure of meeting already. Over here is JungMin, who used to go by ShatterWave, and then YoungSaeng."

"Oh, cool," Goldfish beamed, before blinking at YoungSaeng. "Just YoungSaeng?"

"He's not part of the Sworn," JungMin said, looking between the two new arrivals. "Well? You know who we are."

Goldfish looked at Shade, and when the other man nodded he turned back towards them. "My name's DongHae, it's great to finally meet you! And this is KiBum."

"Great, welcome to the house of chaos," KyuHyun said, slumping down in his chair. "Now what?"

"The oath, must take the oath," YoungSaeng, who was wiggling a little in his seat. "Now."

"So impatient," JungMin snorted. DongHae seemed to brighten even more at that.

KiBum folded his arms over his chest. "It was our understanding we were not welcome in the Sworn, why the change of heart?" He glanced at KyuHyun.

"Don't look at me, this is not my idea," KyuHyun said.

"The oath can wait just a minute, okay Saeng?" KyuJong said with a sigh. "We need to tell them what's going on, what it is we know. If they still want to join, then they take the oath."

"Have to join, have to be complete," YoungSaeng said. "Have to be six again."

Seeing KiBum eyeing YoungSaeng, JungMin sighed. "He's a precog, and not always right in the head, so you're going to have to cut him some slack."

DongHae was counting on his fingers. "Six...right, where are the others?" he blinked looking to the three Sworn members. "Nova, Dust, and Maximum, right?"

KyuJong looked a little uncomfortable, glancing at JungMin out of the corner of his eyes. "No longer active, and won't be joining us."

"Wait, how can there be six," KyuHyun said. "With these two clowns that's still only five. There someone else we don't know about?"

"Always six," YoungSaeng said, tilting his head. "Have to be six. Can't win if not six... The talking head... so confused, so wrapped up... doesn't know backwards or forewards."

JungMin, looking down, pressed one hand lightly against YoungSaeng's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, we'll figure it out," he murmured.

"Hey, we're not clowns," DongHae frowned at KyuHyun. "We're doing a good job out there."

"Yeah, good job pretending to be something you aren't," KyuHyun sneered.

"Not yet anyway," KyuJong interjected, hoping to stave off an argument. "Like JungMin said, YoungSaeng is a precog. I found him a few weeks ago and he's told me some very bad things are going to happen. In order to win, he says we need you two."

Blinking, DongHae nodded. "Okay. Of course we'll help, that's what heroes do! So we'll take the oath and be part of the Sworn, right?"

"What sort of 'bad things'," KiBum inquired.

"We're not sure yet," JungMin shook his head. "We need more information."

"The darkness," YoungSaeng said sagely, his hands curling around JungMin's and scooting closer towards him in his chair. "The darkness will bleed the light dry, swallow the stars but not the gold."

"... Yeah that's all we know so far," KyuJong sighed. "Do you two know anything about a darkness?"

"...If he's talking about people with 'dark' something in their hero names, we might be outnumbered," DongHae said, though he looked uncomfortable, glancing at KiBum every now and then.

"What is it?" JungMin frowned. "Speak up."

"We don't know anything about a darkness," KiBum said quietly. "But we do know that at least six different heroes have disappeared in the last two weeks. Four turned up dead, and two haven't been found yet."

That did startle KyuJong, who sat up straighter. "Who? Do you have names?" he asked.

"Wait a minute, heroes are being killed and you two idiots were out there yelling loud enough the whole city could hear you?" KyuHyun said. "Were you two trying to get killed?"

"Not the time KyuHyun," KyuJong said, holding up his hand to silence the younger. "How are they being killed?"

DongHae automatically looked at KiBum for the answer. "Most hero groups are keeping quiet, but one of them was definitely shot," KiBum replied. "I heard a whisper about the most recent one found with a playing card embedded in his throat, it's unconfirmed."

"So someone is killing heroes," KyuHyun said, sitting down slowly into a chair.

"The stars..." YoungSaeng said quietly, turning his head into JungMin's arm.

"The stars?" JungMin frowned, looking down at YoungSaeng. "'Swallow the stars', huh? It's already happening then."

"What do we do then?" DongHae asked, looking between them. "We have to stop whoever it is, right?"

"Right, but we don't know who it is yet," KyuJong said, watching JungMin and YoungSaeng for a moment. "Which is why we'll need your help. So, if you're willing, we would like for you to take the oath and join us."

"Of course we're willing," DongHae smiled widely, standing up and nearly stabbing KiBum with one of his wings. The other man took the pile off of him and placed it on the floor to one side where it could do no damage. "What do we have to say?"

"Raise your hand and repeat after me," KyuJong said. "I promise to protect this city, her inhabitants. To do good in the face of terrible evil. I promise to break no laws unless innocent lives are at stake. I promise to watch over my brethren, to keep them safe and lay down my life in the pursuit of justice. I swear to keep this oath, until my final day."

JungMin watched as DongHae and KiBum repeated after KyuJong, reciting each line with absolute seriousness. He wasn't sure what to feel about others joining the group they made years ago, when they were so convinced they could save the world from evil. At the very least, it meant they wouldn't be alone to deal with this problem. And if KyuHyun could stand them, he would have allies for the future.

"Congratulations," he said when they were done. "You're now official members of the Sworn."

"I think this calls for a little celebration?" KyuJong said, smiling warmly around the room. "I think JungMin has some champagne he's been saving for a special occasion."

"Celebration!" YoungSaeng perked up at that, tugging on JungMin's arm. "Good champagne. Open it now, next week it's going to roll out of the cupboard and break."

"See, precognition can be useful," JungMin rolled his eyes, standing. "Come on, help me bring glasses."

"This is so cool!" DongHae beamed around the room, dropping back into a seat. "We've never been part of a team before."

"Probably better off without it," KyuHyun said, clearly unhappy.

"Quit being such a grump," KyuJong said, throwing a pillow at KyuHyun's head. "I guess this would be considered our unofficial headquarters. So if something happens you know where to look for one of us."

"Got it," DongHae nodded, smile unaffected by KyuHyun's grumpiness. KiBum was watching KyuHyun with one eyebrow raised.

"Why is my house the unofficial headquarters," JungMin could be heard complaining in the kitchen.

"Because you're the heart," YoungSaeng said, smiling up at him. "And... biggest house."

"Of course," JungMin snorted. He finished getting down the glasses and passed some to YoungSaeng, picking up the champagne bottle. "Let's get back out there before Sparky takes one of their heads off."

"He won't," YoungSaeng said, holding the glasses carefully and following JungMin into the living room.

JungMin distributed the glasses he was holding before stepping back to open the champagne. Popping the cork, he poured it into everyone's glasses. "Well, here's to the Sworn."

"For however long we're together," KyuJong said, tapping his glass against the others.

"A long time," YoungSaeng said, eyeing the glass of champagne. "Or not so long..."

"No, you know what? We don't need a premonition of the future every time we say something," KyuHyun said, pointing a finger at YoungSaeng. "Can we put a muzzle on him or something?"

"KiBum can make a muzzle," DongHae piped up.

JungMin shook his head, patting YoungSaeng's shoulder. "How about we lay off the premonitions until we're done celebrating?"

"Sorry," YoungSaeng said, hiding behind his cup. "Hard to control sometimes, it just comes out."

"I think we understand, but understanding can go so far," KyuJong said. "KyuHyun, if anyone needs a muzzle around here it's you, at least he isn't snapping at everyone."

"Yeah well," KyuHyun trailed off, downing his glass of champagne like a shot.

"You're still pissed about letting new people in, give them a chance will you?" JungMin said, drinking from his glass. "Everyone was in that spot once. So, what is it you both can do?"

"Oh, I can climb walls!" DongHae brightened, wiggling his fingers. "Sticky fingers."

"He's also impossible to kill, which is helpful when he keeps falling from rooftops," KiBum mumbled.

"Oh, great," KyuHyun muttered to himself, ignoring the reproving looks he was getting.

"So you'd make a useful decoy then," KyuJong said, nodding in approval. "And what about you... KiBum was it?" he asked, smiling at the other man.

KiBum looked up from the table to KyuJong, lips quirking slightly. He lifted one hand, a tendril of shadow uncoiling itself from behind KyuJong and wrapping around his glass, easily stealing it out of his hand. "Shadow manipulator."

"How interesting," KyuJong grinned at that, reaching to take his glass back. "So, I know KyuHyun already asked you, though in a less than pleasant way, but why use the Sworn name? Why not come up with your own?"

"Hyung's idea," KiBum shrugged, taking a swallow of champagne.

DongHae laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, well...out of all the groups, I always liked your group the most. You were just so cool."

"... So we let a fanboy join us, awesome," KyuHyun snorted. "That still doesn't give you any right to go and thieve our name."

"KyuHyun, shut up," KyuJong sighed, finishing off his glass. "You had to know it would get our attention though, right?"

"Was hoping on it," DongHae beamed at KyuJong before looking at KyuHyun. "I...you all were part of the reason I wanted to be a hero. Sworn to protect, right? I want to protect people."

"Well then you picked the wrong group to idolize," KyuHyun said, looking away. "One active member out of five. Some heroes we are. Excuse me, I need some air." Getting up, he headed for the kitchen to go out the back door.

Eyes narrowing, JungMin frowned as he watched KyuHyun go. He sighed loudly, getting up and picking up the empty glasses before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Five?" DongHae asked quietly, looking at KyuJong in confusion. "I don't get it, I thought there was six? Why did everyone drop out of the active force, anyways?"

KyuJong's lips thinned, looking down at his hands. "I don't really know if it's the right time to say anything... but you'll need to know. A couple of years ago there was an accident... involving Maximum and ShatterWave. Maximum didn't survive. JungMin retired, as did I. Nova and Dust just wanted to go on with their lives. KyuHyun's the only one who didn't want to give up."

DongHae's eyes saddened. "Oh...that's horrible. So that's why he's so grumpy. I never heard anything about this, I guess it makes sense. Some people thought the Sworn abandoned the city, but I knew that wasn't it."

"Some people forget heroes are human too," KiBum murmured, looking down at the glass he turned over in his hands.

"I don't think any of us meant to abandon the city," KyuJong said. "But when tragedies happen, they make us reevaluate what it is we're doing. JungMin doesn't want to hurt people, and he did. He hurt one of his closest friends and that's not something he's over yet." He looked up at movement out of the corner of his eye, YoungSaeng getting up and following JungMin into the kitchen.

There was silence for a long moment, the two newest members thinking over what KyuJong had said. KiBum leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes.

"What about you?" DongHae asked after a pause, looking at KyuJong with a sad gaze. "Why did you stop?"

KyuJong smiled a little sadly, looking towards the kitchen. "I didn't want to continue if he wasn't going to. It just wasn't the same without him."

DongHae nodded slowly, following his gaze.

In the kitchen, JungMin leaned back against the counter with his eyes closed and arms folded over his chest. He could hear KyuJong talking, and couldn't bring himself to walk back into the room after that.

"It still hurts," YoungSaeng said, leaning up against the wall just inside the doorway. "I cried for you that day... the whole world cried for you."

JungMin's eyes snapped open, looking to YoungSaeng before he turned away. "...I'm not the one anyone should be crying for. I'm not the one who's dead," he murmured.

"But you never moved on... you live in that moment," YoungSaeng said. "We grieve for the dead, how do we grieve for you?"

"I don't need grieving. I need to be left alone so no one else gets hurt," JungMin replied. "Or killed."

YoungSaeng frowned, looking down at the flooring. "It isn't your fault... it's my fault it happened."

"What?" JungMin looked over his shoulder at YoungSaeng, frowning. "You lost me again."

"There are fixed moments, things that must happen," YoungSaeng said. "KyuJong finding me is one of those moments... so was the accident. It had to happen, because I needed a safe place to be once KyuJong found me. If it weren't for me, it could have been avoided. It's my fault so many have died, and you're in so much pain."

"No...no, YoungSaeng," JungMin shook his head, slumping against the counter. "We would have helped you anyways...whether that...happened or not. The accident wouldn't have happened if I hadn't made a stupid, stupid suggestion...it shouldn't have happened. It wouldn't have changed anything about this...except we'd have one more person working with us," he looked down.

"But it was going to happen, there was no avoiding it," YoungSaeng said, stepping closer. "There are some things you can't change... as much as I wish I could."

JungMin couldn't look at YoungSaeng. "I could have changed it though...so easily. For two years I've thought about it, all the things I could have done that would have saved him and all those people. But I screwed up. I should be dead for that, not him. Not ChangMin."

"No," YoungSaeng stepped closer, getting into JungMin's line of sight. "No, JungMin. You're needed here more than you know right now."

The redhead's lips twisted slightly, and it didn't look like he believed what YoungSaeng was saying. He looked up at the older man, unable to avoid looking at him when he was standing that close. "You used my name this time."

YoungSaeng nodded, though his expression was impassive. "You stand at a crossroads... one path leads to failure, one to salvation. I use your name because it's your choice now who you want to be."

JungMin looked down at YoungSaeng for a long moment, lips thinned. "You're wrong. It's always my choice who I want to be. And what I want to be, isn't a killer." He pushed away from the counter and moved away from YoungSaeng.

"No one said you had to be, or that you were," YoungSaeng said. "But you would kill to protect those you love."

"Not anymore," JungMin said quietly. "I don't want to talk about this anymore, YoungSaeng."

"...I'm sorry," YoungSaeng replied. "Need to stop... Let you find your own... excuse me," he whispered, going to the door to the outside and stepping out. He nearly ran KyuHyun down in his haste, the younger looking confused.

"Where's he going?"

JungMin mumbled something in reply, not looking their way. He turned and headed up the stairs in the hallway instead, disappearing.

"What's going on?" DongHae blinked, craning his head from the couch to try and see down the hallway.

"... I'm not sure, but it isn't good," KyuJong sighed, getting up. "Excuse me.. KyuHyun, get YoungSaeng before he tries to cross the street and gets hit by a car or something," he said, following JungMin up the stairs. He knocked lightly on his friend's door. "Min? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," JungMin's voice was muffled through the door. "Just go away!"

"... Okay," KyuJong frowned, knowing it was no use to get JungMin to talk if he didn't want to.

"KyuJong!" KyuHyun called up the stairs. "The little bastard gave me the slip, I can't find him!"

"...Uh oh," DongHae blinked at KiBum beside him. KiBum frowned before shadows rose up around his seat and he disappeared into them.

Scrambling for his mask (it would take too long to get the wing and cape set back on), DongHae jogged towards the back door. "We can help find him!" he called towards the stairs.

"Great," KyuHyun groaned. Not even bothering to grab his coat, he touched his finger to one of the electrical outlets, the power flickering momentarily.

"... Min I'm going to go help them find YoungSaeng," KyuJong said, feeling like he was talking to a wall at this point. "Please come downstairs in case he comes back here first."

There was no reply from inside the room. Downstairs, DongHae had bolted out the back room, slipping on his mask and looking around. The neighboring building's wall was within easy reach, and with a running leap he latched onto the bricks and climbed up to the roof. KiBum was nowhere to be seen, but with the darkness night brought he had probably stolen far ahead looking for the missing precog.

YoungSaeng's run off on his own...could only spell trouble~

Hope everyone liked this update of the Sworn :) Comment, vote and subscribe if you did!