~Chapter 59~

­­­­­The Army Arrived, the Battle has Begun

No One’s POV~

            Onew rubs his thumb over his engagement ring and admires it. I wonder what Taemin would think if he were to find out that Joon and I are going to get married? Although he is not as emotion as before when he thinks about Taemin’s death, he can’t help but remember his adorable dongsaeng once in a while. With Taemin’s coming back to life being a secret, Onew still not in the loop. He claps his hands together and prays, exactly like how Taemin used to whenever he was alone. Taemin-ah, if you are watching over me from above, I hope you will be able to witness our marriage. I really miss you. You’ve always been with us, right?

            Onew feels a pair of strong arms wrap around his waist that pulls him closer. Joon has returned to the room and greeted him with a warm hug from behind. He rests his chin on Onew’s shoulder and pecks him on his cheek. “Miss me?” Joon asks, although he was simply separate from Onew for merely a couple hours. When he woke up for duty earlier, he saw how sleepy Onew was and left quietly so he could rest longer. Onew Joon’s face and turns around to embrace him himself.

            “How can I not?” Onew gently kisses Joon’s lips which curves up to a warm smile. “How was it?”

            “The army departed smoothly,” Joon confirms. “They should be at Minho and the White Masked Hero’s territory in a few days’ time,” A look of concern flashes on Onew’s face and Joon quickly reassures him, “Don’t worry, Kai set off much before the army, so he should be able to warn them before the attack.”

            “We aren’t the only warriors in this entire palace, but the emperor loves sending us on missions,” Onew sighs out of frustration. “Of course, he has to keep his supporters protected and at his feet while he throws us to the front line like pawns.”

            “Shh, someone might hear you,” Joon warns softly as he brushes his hand through Onew’s tangled hair. Chuckling to himself, he grabs a comb and gently detangles his lover’s messy hair.

            “Since when were you afraid of speaking your mind?” Onew tilts his head. Joon continues brushing Onew’s hair and pats it tenderly.

            “I can’t have my wife die before our wedding, now can I?” Joon hums. Onew’s face grows rosy and he immediately hides behind his hands.

            “Hey, why can’t you be the wife? I want to be the husband~”

            “Hmm,” Joon nudges Onew’s cheeks. “What’s wrong with being my wife?”

            “My socially ingrained fragile sense of masculinity is telling me I should be the husband to assert my dominance~” Onew jokes.

            “Oh? But in the monster realm, the wife is the one that has the power,” Joon explains.

            “You’re just lying to make me feel better,” Onew puffs his cheeks.

            “I swear I’m not,” Joon pokes Onew’s adorable cheek and gives it a quick peck. “Fine, then let’s change the terminology.”

            “To what?”

            “You’re my partner,” Joon says lovingly.

            “I guess that does help,” Onew nods. “Where did that come from?”

            “Oh, you know how monsters and cultivators are able to have an extended life and supply of power because of the bead we harness?” Onew nods. “Well, when someone is able to find the one they want to be with for the rest of their life, they become cultivation partners. It essentially means you are married to that person and you will continue to grow and work together for the rest of your life. It makes that person your equal. It’s more than just playing a husband or wife role. That person completes you.”

            “That’s beautiful,” Onew says with a bright smile. “I’m glad you can be my cultivation partner.” Seeing how adorably pleased Onew was, Joon can’t help but blush himself. As a general, he rarely shows his emotions and can easily keep an expressionless face. However, Onew managed to overwhelmed him with his love. No matter how much Joon tries, he could no longer keep his cool. With a quick swoop, he lifts Onew up and spins him in a few circles out of pure joy.

            “Eh hem,” Thunder clears his throat. Joon immediately freezes, almost like someone pressed ‘pause’ on the remote control. He shoots Onew a look of embarrassment as he puts him down. Joon was too happy to check his surroundings and did not notice Thunder coming their way. “Sorry to interrupt,” he says, holding back a snicker. You don’t sound sorry, Joon scolds him internally. “The Crown Prince requested to meet with you,” he says to Onew.

            “Why didn’t he just summon me? He’s the crown prince after all.”

            “He must be trying to not alert anyone,” Joon says. “Taehyung and you rarely talk. It’s odd that he is having a secret discussion with you. If anything seems off, tell me immediately.” Onew nods and gets up.

            “I’ll be back soon.”

            “You went to talk to the empress?!” Onew can’t help but to be baffled by Taehyung’s statement. “You’re crazy. If anyone were to find out, the king would—”

            “I know, but I had to, and I was very careful. Out of everyone we know, she is the only one that might know something that can benefit us.”

            “Well, did you find out anything useful?” Onew asks with earnest. Taehyung has risked getting caught by the emperor to get them information. If they were to act first, they may finally have an upper hand.

            “He has been looking for the Dagger of Resentment. Turns out, it is the only weapon that may pose a threat to him.”

            “How can we get it? Has he found where it is?!” Onew stands up, ready to run out and get the dagger himself. Taehyung hesitates for a bit before he continues.

            “It’s in Minho hyung’s possession now…that’s why he sent an army for them. He sent two of Key hyung’s cousins to find it, but after such a long wait, he is getting impatient.”

            “Gah, if only they knew that the dagger can be his weakness. At this rate, it may be too late for me to rush over to find them to deliver the news.”

            “Well, even if they have the dagger, it’s not like they can use it,” Taehyung says softly, almost like he was afraid to utter his next words. “The dagger can only be wielded by its owner.”

            “Then where is its owner!? We need to find that person, give them the dagger, kill the king and end this once and for all. It’s to save this country from a terrible king. I’m sure they won’t hesitate to help us. Do you know who it could be?”

            “I-it’s…it’s me…” Taehyung mutters, his voice slightly shaky.

            “Oh,” Onew blurts out, at loss of what he should feel. Should he be happy that they found the dagger’s owner? But why is Taehyung’s reaction so worrisome? Is he hiding something? Why did the empress not tell me this last time I talked to her? Onew thinks. “Does the king know?”

            “Yes,” Taehyung replies. “He’s been keeping me and my brother by his side for this exact reason.”

            “Why would he keep you if you are his threat?” Onew stops himself from saying what he was thinking, why doesn’t he just kill you?  

            “The dagger is very particular with its owner. If I were to die, it would adopt someone else as its owner. After he possesses the dagger and destroys it, he then would not hesitate to kill me…just like how he killed my family.”

            “W-what?” Onew once again failed to hold back his thoughts. Taehyung has caught him off guard too many times in one conversation.

            “He killed my father and my family so he could adopt me as the crown prince. This way, I would be by his side and he can watch my every move.”

            “Is that why he keeps you so protected? Even sending fighters from the martial realm to shield you…he was very afraid you would die,” Taehyung nods. “But your brother? Why didn’t he…” why didn’t he kill him too? He killed your family after all…

            “Because he can potentially be his shell.”

            Taemin quickly changes into his battle gear and summons his double-bladed spear (A/N: I used to write ‘double-edged spear’ but I realized I meant double-bladed lol whoops…I was thinking that usually like a javelin it has one blade but Taemin’s spear has a blade on each end of the spear). He stands on the highest tree and examines the area. His eyes narrow to a bunch of trees that are shaking slightly more than the rest. The wind is not strong so the leaves should not be shaking, but to the northeast area, the tree are rusting. The army must be coming from that location, Taemin decides and descends from the tree. He lands in front of the monsters and civilians that have gathered. The monsters are creating a protective barrier to hide the civilians and are retreating to a safer and thicker location of the forest.

            Taemin has set up many traps beyond their homes and dug up large pits thanks to the monsters’ help. Of course, none of them are lethal, but he hopes that it would slow the army down or scare them off. Since Minho and Mr. Dragon are gone while the Peacekeepers are in seclusion, Taemin is on his own. He hopes that he can face the army, but if a battle breaks out, he will have enough traps and arrays to give the monsters and civilians enough time to escape.

            Taemin turns to look at Wonshik and Moonkyu who are nice and clean, ready to be given back to the royal army as peace offerings. Wonshik looks at his ‘Little Fairy’ from head to toe. The White Masked Hero disguise is as graceful as ever. The radiating white clothing was soft and well kept. The multiple layers made Taemin look broader than he really is, and the silver lining of his clothing added a layer of thickness. His weapon and mask radiated a killing intent, contrasting his majestic look. He did not simply look like a beautiful fairy, but a godly warrior.

            Wonshik can’t help but smile while looking at Taemin in his battle mode. Taemin usually is very slim and likes to act like a playful person around Minho, so his current façade is strangely alluring. Although he may seem delicate and small, anyone that sets their eyes on him knows that he cannot be easily taken down. With a quick twirl of his spear, a large line was cut into the ground in front of him, almost like a barrier.

            Kai comes running in and stands next to Taemin. He gives his hyung a nod, indicating that the civilians and monsters are ahead a great distance. Kai has set up an energy barrier with his spiritual energy to keep them protected as Taemin advised. Taemin gestures for Kai to turn around and pulls out another mask. He quickly fastens the mask for Kai and adjusts his disguise for him. Since Kai has ran away to alert him about the army, if he was discovered, he would be deemed a traitor. Taemin hopes that Kai’s disguise would help him escape without much trouble.

            “Hyung, they’re almost here,” Kai says, sensing their presence. Taemin nods, aware of their location as well. “It’s Jimin and Jong Kook hyungnim and a few hundred soldiers. Only a few of them actually have spiritual energy.”

            “Great, it means we can take them down if needed. Jong Kook hyungnim is my biggest concern. I don’t think I can beat him if I were to fight him head on. He is a celestial beast after all,” Taemin says.

            “Not to mention that your spiritual energy just returned, and your physical injuries are not fully healed,” Moonkyu says. “The Peacekeepers and the Dagger of Resentment are not here, so they will definitely fight their way to them.”

            “He’s right,” Wonshik nods. “Little Fairy, I am willing to hold off the army and help you escape. It’s not too late for you to join the others.”

            “This is my home. I’m going to defend it,” Taemin says. “If anything, you join the others. I’m sure you don’t want to face the king after failing his mission.” Wonshik and Moonkyu exchange worried expressions but shake it off. The king owes their father a favor after all and their family have been loyal to him. He would not risk losing loyal subjects because of a failed mission.

            The army has done a great job keeping their feet light and movements soundless, but as they get closer, it is hard to mask the sound. Jong Kook raises his arm up and signals for them to stop. He looks at Jimin who nods, also sensing that something is off. If this was a regular day, the area would be bustling with monsters and civilians, but there is not even one person in sight. “There are four people ahead,” Jong Kook says. He can sense that two of the people are powerful and have spiritual energy, whereas the other two are regular fighters. With the forest nearly vacant, he can tell that they knew the army was going to come. “They may be outnumbered, but do not let your guard down.” He signals for the army to follow through and they make way toward the four people.

            “Welcome back, Jong Kook hyungnim, Jimin,” Taemin greets them as the White Masked Hero. “Here to take back the two so soon?”

            “Not quite,” Jong Kook says. “Seeing that it’s just your four, I’m sure you already know what we are here for.”

            “Hyung,” Jimin says softly. He looks down for a bit before looking at Taemin. “How are your injuries?”

            “Hmm, I’m quite well,” Taemin lies. He cannot expose that he is still weak. He must make them think he is in his best condition to scare them off if needed. “I just thought you wanted to catch up and bond a little. Oh, and of course to take the two back for the king. You even kindly brought my ol’ friend Jimin along. If you’re not here for that, then please enlighten me,” Taemin says nonchalantly.

            “Hmm, if you thought we were here to catch up, then where is Minho and who is that one?” he says, gesturing to Kai in his disguise.

            “Minho hyung is not here and that’s a new friend,” Taemin says.

            “Oh? How can it be that you are here, and Minho isn’t?” Jong Kook asks.

            “Why do you sound so surprised? Minho hyung doesn’t have to be here, now does he?” Taemin says.

            “He…he isn’t off with the Peacekeepers, now is he?” Jimin asks. “We…we hope that isn’t the case.”

            “You see, White Masked Hero, we have returned with a royal decree,” Jong Kook says and pulls out a scroll. “Bow down to receive His Majesty’s orders,” Taemin gives a look of annoyance before he and everyone present obliges. “The Peacekeepers have conspired against the king and seduced the lost prince to harming the empress and princess. With their dark magic, they have controlled monsters to harm civilians and take over land. The Dagger of Resentment is a dark weapon that will harm the innocent if it were in wrong hands. The members of the Forbidden Forest must hand over the Dagger of Resentment and the Peacekeepers to be charged for their crimes. Anyone that wishes to protect the Peacekeepers or keep the weapon shall be seen as an accomplice and murdered on the spot.”

            “You heard the decree, hyung, it’s best you hand them over before we resort to violence. I do not want to harm you or anyone else. The Peacekeepers were your enemy too, don’t forget,” Jimin says. Taemin stands up and wipes the dirt off his white clothes before he stops and stares at Jimin’s sword. A dark aura is coming out of the weapon and Taemin can’t help but wonder what has gotten Jimin to this state.

            “Jimin-ah, have you been killing innocent monsters? That’s sure a lot of resentful energy coming from your weapon,” Taemin states. Jimin’s eyes widen as he looks at the sword’s blade.

            “I…” Jimin holds back his next words, almost like he was afraid of admitting what he has been doing. The king has sent him on killing sprees to collect monster beads. He has been keeping this from Taehyung this whole time, but now that the White Masked Hero called him out, he couldn’t help but feel a bit more guilty.

            “We can discuss this later. White Masked Hero, hand over the dagger and the traitors,” Jong Kook says.

            “So how does this work?” Taemin asks with a spark of thrill in his eyes. “If we take down the two leaders, would the army run away and deem us the victors?”

            “Sounds about right,” Wonshik agrees. “No one from the army can possibly defeat you after all. If they were to fight you, they would simply be asking for a quick end to their lives.” Kai looks at Wonshik in approval. Since he is not used to disguising his voice like Taemin, he is afraid that if he were to speak up, he would be discovered. Luckily, Wonshik said what he wanted to.

            Taemin quickly tests his spiritual energy by sending it to his spear which glows in response. The army quickly brace themselves as Jong Kook and Jimin pull out their weapons. Fight first, think later, Taemin tells himself. If I win, great. If I lose, we will retreat and play it by the ear. With all the arrays and traps, there’s no way we won’t make it out alive.

            With a quick flick, Taemin sends his spear toward Jong Kook who takes control of his own weapon. As the hammer and spear spar, Kai charges Jimin and fights him head on. Wonshik and Moonkyu on the other hand are standing with their swords, not sure if they should help or stay out. The army is cheering for Jong Kook and Jimin as they are not in the fight. Without a command from Jong Kook, they cannot take action.

            The two spiritual weapons cause sparks to fly around as they clash together. Since Jong Kook is physically stronger than Taemin, Taemin thought it would be safer for him to challenge him in an energy battle. Unfortunately for Taemin, he is much weaker due to the recent burden on him from the chains. If he were to battle against anyone his age, he would have a high chance of winning, but this is against Jong Kook after all. The celestial beast has fought countless battles and has a connection with nature itself. His source of energy is still replenishing him whereas Taemin’s source is hindering.

            Kai on the other hand is overpowering Jimin, as it is wolf-monster verses human after all. Jimin is a very strong human, but Kai is a wolf. Even without a full bead, Kai is much stronger. With a slash, Kai’s claws hurt Jimin. Jimin drops his sword as the numbness travels up his arm from the cut. Like any monster, Kai’s claws have a poison that can harm anyone weaker than the monster. Luckily for Jimin, Kai’s poison only paralyzes his arm, not any lethal damage. Jimin falls back while Jong Kook continues to face Taemin.

            Cold sweat begins to soak the inner layer of Taemin’s clothes and even drips off his chin. Seeing his body trembling slightly from the strain, Kai immediately gets behind Taemin, puts two palms on his back, and sends his spiritual energy to give him a boost. The spear noticeably gets stronger as it hits the hammer. Jong Kook struggles a bit before he once again regains the upper hand to the battle. Taemin throws up a mouthful of blood before his spiritual energy fails him. Without its master’s guide, the spear is sadly overpowered by the hammer which smashes it onto the ground.

            Kai rushes forward and attacks Jong Kook as Wonshik and Moonkyu help Taemin up. Not even bothered by the potential stain on his luxurious clothing, Wonshik takes his sleeve and wipes the blood off Taemin’s mask. Taemin clutches his chest as he feels another mouthful of blood threatening to come out. He lifts his other hand and summons his spear back. “Stop!” he shouts. Kai and Jong Kook pause, looking at him. “You want the Peacekeepers and the dagger, right? Fine, I’ll take you to them.”

~Comments are loved~