He breathed in and out so rapidly he thought that his lungs would break. This was it. This would be the end. And what if it wasn't?

His uncle had insisted that this was the right thing to do even when the keeper of the castle had protested so vehemently. He had no memory of this place even though Kenneth had (pretty much) told him that he'd been born here and had spent his first 6 years here. It was nothing to him. The life he had lived with his caring parents, and the year in which he'd been happy with Yixing was what stuck in his mind.

But now, as he was situated in front of the big double doors he became more afraid than he'd ever felt. He looked to Zitao for comfort but he was rewarded with a straight-ahead stare.

"You can't..." Kenneth's voice echoed across the room. But Minseok had made up his mind. He would be strong like he needed to be. Sure he killed instead of revived like Yixing did. And he was not really the one that he would have expected to do whatever the hell this was. But it was in fact his destiny.

So he spoke: "I am allowed to, or... I mean, I have to. You know that more than anyone."

Kenneth sighed. "Well because... Well, because your father was there..."

What? Because my father was there, what?

But there was no more than a shakily draw of breath. That helped Minseok turn back to the task he had to perform. He didn't look at all into his uncle's eyes. It was clear that this was the right thing to do. So he pressed the tip if the blade into his thumb and cringed. He really didn't like blood but it always made him feel relieved when he did bleed. Warm like a warm winter's night.

He looked over at Zitao. The tall, younger man slit a gash across his hand without flinching with a large silver sword. And they pressed the wounds against the platforms on either side of the large dark and dilapidated wooden carved doors.

Down in this dingy basement that smelled of rust and dust and the copper scent of blood, their lives ended. And all at once began as they glimpsed their first breathtaking moments of Mama before she broke through the confines of her underground hiding place. Taking them all with her.