Luhan blinked.

He couldn’t really comprehend what’s happening. For a second he was lunging forward, trying to slap the dagger away with his telekinesis, but the next second, Zitao was already lying on the floor with bloody dagger on his chest, though Luhan didn’t see when the younger stabbed himself.

Beside him, Sehun slowly dropped on his knees. “Zi-Zitao-hyung....” he gasped, tears streaking his eyes. “Y-you can’t....”

“NO!” Kris shouted, shaking Zitao’s limp body. “ZITAO! DON’T DIE!”

But despite Kris’ begging, Zitao’s closed eyes and pale face had told them everything.

Sehun hugged Zitao’s body and cried his heart out. He didn’t see, and probably wouldn’t care even if he did, how his clothes were stained with Zitao’s blood. Kris knelt beside him, and though he was looking downside, everyone could see tears dropping from his eyes, one by one. Luhan grabbed Zitao’s cold hands, tears pouring from his eyes as he felt the nonexistent pulse. Jongin and Baekhyun immediately turned into two blubbering messes, while the others simply turned around in a vain attempt to hide their tears.

“H-how....how could it happen....?” Luhan choked out, his hands still on Zitao’s.

“He’s the Dark Lord’s Ultimate Horcrux,” Joonmyun managed to explain, though his voice broke in every syllable. “A part of the Dark Lord’s soul was sealed inside him. Meaning, if he dies, the Dark Lord will die too.”

“Zi-Zitao-yah....M-mianhae....” Baekhyun whispered. “I....I have failed to protect you....”

Due to all the tears, no one noticed how Yixing had quietly approached Zitao. For a few seconds, the healer only stared at him with unreadable expression on his face. Then he knelt and placed his palms upon Zitao’s chest.

Luhan was the first one to notice the light emanating from Yixing’s palms. “Yixing, what are you doing?!” he shouted.

Yixing didn’t seem like he heard Luhan’s words.

“Yixing, stop it. This is an order. You’ll only kill yourself if you do that!” Kris exclaimed.

Still no reaction.

“Yixing-hyung, please stop!” Jongin cried desperately and tried to push Yixing away from Zitao.

“Don’t.”

Everyone blinked at the sound of Yixing’s voice.

“Don’t stop me,” Yixing repeated, eyes still glued at Zitao. “I know what I’m doing, and I won’t stop. I know we didn’t serve our Lord by our own will, but a mission is still a mission and we can’t fail that. This is the least thing I can do.”

Joonmyun took a deep breath. “Step back, guys.”

Everyone turned around and stared at the Korean leader in shock. “But hyung,” Jongdae started, “if he do so, wouldn’t he....”

“This is Yixing’s choice,” Joonmyun said, voice slightly shaky but firm. “We have to respect that.”

Tears were streaking once more in their eyes, but this time they obeyed. They stepped back and watched as Zitao’s body was wrapped in layers and layers of light, until it became so bright that they had to look away.

This is for you, Zitao, Yixing thought as the light started to clear and he could feel Zitao’s heart beating again under his palms.

And I’m sorry.

The sight of Zitao’s eyes fluttering behind his eyelids was the last thing he saw before he out.

-

I'm sorry.

I'm not a Zitao bias so I can't kill him completely.

Yeah, I'm weird that way.

Anyway, the "Ultimate Horcrux" thing came from my friend (who encouraged me to write this story).

Comments and feedbacks please? :)