“Zitao-hyung?!” Sehun gasped.

He couldn’t believe his own eyes. But there was Zitao, sitting on a bed, dressed in khaki pants and loose sweater. He looked slightly thinner than before, and the dark circles around his eyes had summed up dangerously.

Before Zitao could even react, Sehun had ran forward to hug him, almost forgetting to send his signal in the process. “Where have you been?! We’ve been worried sick about you, we’ve been looking for you around Korea!”

Zitao stared blankly at Sehun, and for once, he didn’t return the hug. “I was here this whole time.”

“So, we’re here to take you home,” Luhan, who had just arrived along with Baekhyun and Jongin said.

“I won’t go home.”

That very sentence successfully sent everyone’s eyes on him.

“Sorry?” Kris said after a few seconds of silence. “I think I just misheard. You can’t possibly say you’re not going to come home.”

“I said it, and I meant it,” Zitao said, face stoic. “I will never, ever, go home.”

“But why?” Joonmyun asked, anger flashed in his eyes. “Is this those wizards’ work?! Did they brainwash you or something?”

Zitao laughed humorlessly, which was so different than his usual laugh. “No, they didn’t. They simply told me the truth.”

Kris’ gaze was fixed at Zitao. “How much do you know?”

The Chinese maknae shrugged. “Everything.”

“Everything?!” Sehun repeated.

“Yeah,” Zitao said. “About my true parentage, how my biological father is actually the greatest dark wizard ever alive who dreams to rule the world under his thumb.” His eyes went cold as he stared at s one by one. “And how the eleven of you are his minions who were sent to protect me, to keep me alive.”

He spat those words as if they were venomous.

“We are,” Kris said, seeing there’s no way to lie anymore. “But what’s wrong with that? You must be thankful that we’re here to protect you.”

Zitao’s eyebrows twitched. “Thankful?! Are you kidding me?! Well, let’s say you do protect me, but from what, or who?”

“Of course from the Order of the Phoenix,” Joonmyun said.

Slowly Zitao shook his head. “You really are all naive,” he said. “Do you even know who my father is? Do you even understand what kind of man you’re serving?”

Suddenly the EXO members were all interested in their socks.

“So, you do know,” Zitao whispered, noticing the change of expression on the members’ faces. “Yet you still choose to serve him.”

“We had no choice,” Baekhyun snapped. “We joined his forces because the options were that, or death. We were tied by a stupid vow. We couldn’t back away even if we wanted to.”

There’s a strange flash inside Zitao’s eyes. “Then if he’s gone....everything will be alright, won’t it? All of you will be released from your vow, and the world will be safe.”

“Yeah....” Luhan admitted unsurely. “But he can’t be killed.”

“Actually, he can,” Zitao approached his bedside table and opened one of the drawers. “And I actually know how to.”

He pulled out a dagger from the drawer.

“Zitao-yah,” Joonmyun said slowly, eyes wide as a 100-won coin, “don’t tell me you’re going to do what I’m thinking you’re gonna do.”

Zitao smiled sadly. “All of you have been good hyungs and dongsaengs for me,” he said, “though you’re most likely to be here because of my father, but still, I appreciate that very much. If it’s not for you, I would never enjoy the best years in my life.”

“Zitao, don’t....” Joonmyun pleaded.

“I never know my biological father personally....but I’ve known enough to hate him, and for that reason I need to stop him,” Zitao said, eyes staring into space. “For days, I’ve been contemplating to do this....but now you give me a reason to.”

“STOP HIM!” Joonmyun screamed, and s lunged forward to grab the dagger from Zitao.

Suddenly, everything was stopped. Joonmyun’s shout, EXO’s movements, even every single dust floating on the air, they were all frozen, unmoving. Zitao looked around in surprise and awe. He had exactly no idea who or what caused this, probably himself as he’s the only thing that could move, but for now he couldn’t care less about that. Taking a deep breath, he plunged the dagger to the left part of his chest.

-

Deep down in his lair, the Dark Lord was sitting on his throne, waiting for good news from his Death Eaters, Nagini slithering comfortably around him.

He knew, because Joonmyun had informed him, that they had found the headquarter of the Order of the Phoenix, and how they expected that Zitao was hidden there. Well, he truly expected that, because the Dark Lord knew no mercy and he would blast them all into pieces if they failed to save Zitao this time.

Thinking about EXO made him think about Zitao as well. The Dark Lord didn’t love him, as EXO believed he did, in fact he would gladly finish him off once he came out from his mother’s womb. But Zitao was different. He had no magic, but he’s still powerful in his own way. And the Dark Lord knew, if only he could steer Zitao to the right way, the power could be very useful. That was the exact reason why he granted Zitao something since his birth.

The Dark Lord frowned. What the hell was he thinking? He didn’t even need to steer Zitao. Even if his son refused to help him, he wouldn’t be able to get away from his Imperius Curse. Then, the Dark Lord would take full control of Zitao’s power and use it to assist him in ruling the world.

Satisfied with his conclusion, the Dark Lord leaned back on his throne, again waiting for his Death Eaters and EXO.

Suddenly a sharp pain hit him on the chest. The Dark Lord’s eyes widened as he fell on the ground, clutching his chest. What was this pain? He was the Dark Lord, he’s not supposed to feel pain! The only explanation for this was....

“Zitao,” the Dark Lord hissed. “He....how could he....”

But he knew, what he stored inside Zitao wasn’t really a secret anymore. Joonmyun had accidentally found out about that, it’s not impossible that Order of the Phoenix knew as well. And now, somehow, they made Zitao do it....

The Dark Lord tried to stand up and Apparate to the Order’s headquarter to stop Zitao, but his power had failed him. He could only let out a dreadful scream as his skin started to crumble into pieces, leaving only a pile of dust on the stone floor....

-

The hardest chapter for me to write *sobs*

I'm sorry for you Tao stans.

Comments and feedbacks please?