Jonghyun felt as if he was moving through water trying to make his way to a dying Kibum. There were whispers all around him, like a wind passing through leaves, and someone was shouting somewhere, but his only focus was Kibum. Everything else simply faded away bit by bit, colours, sound, feeling. It wasn’t until Jinki materialised at his side and pulled him into his arms that everything rushed back in an enormous wave and he realised he was the one yelling, repeating the word ‘no’ over and over in disbelief.

This was not supposed to happen. Kibum couldn’t die. Not now.

“Jonghyun,” Jinki murmured in his ear. “You cannot go to him. My brother might not be in control of himself and strike you in his grief.”

Jonghyun began shaking, his entire body convulsing with heaving sobs, and Jinki's arms around him tightened, his lips pressing into his hair.

Taemin seemed to be in as much disbelief as Jonghyun, because he simply stared down at Kibum, having caught him as he fell and sunk to the floor with him in his lap. Kibum blinked his eyes back at him drowsily, looking a little confused.

“Kibum,” Taemin whispered, gently cradling his body in his arms, and everyone fell silent again, watching the scene with rapt attention. “Why did you do that?”

Kibum's expression smoothed out and he actually gave a tiny shrug. Jonghyun didn’t know if he should laugh or scream. Leave it to Kibum to go on impulse. There were a few surprised gasps here and there when Taemin pulled him to his chest and buried his face in the crook of his neck.

“I am sorry,” he apologised in a broken murmur. “I am so incredibly sorry.”

Kibum must have whispered something only Taemin could hear, because he stiffened for a moment. Then he drew back to give him a look of anguished wonder which turned to unadultered horror as Kibum's entire body went lax.

Jonghyun would never forget the way Kibum closed his eyes tiredly and let out his last breath, as if he were simply falling asleep. His heart broke, cold and warmth washing over him in intervals as if his body couldn’t decide if he should be ignited with livid fury or crumbling with deep despair. Jinki let out a small distressed sound, and Jonghyun gripped his arm, trying to ground himself and not break down completely.

Taemin began trembling then, and tears spilled down his cheeks. Jonghyun's body grew completely numb. He was not able to feel anything anymore. The immeasurable sorrow burning through him drowned everything out. He could only watch as Taemin pressed his forehead against Kibum's and held him close, his tears curiously forming into little crystals once they dropped onto Kibum's face.

Suddenly Jinki was beside them. Jonghyun hadn’t even noticed he had left. In a daze, he watched him gently pry Kibum from Taemin's death grip and lay him on the ground before bringing Taemin into a hug. Somewhere behind him he vaguely heard Minho order everyone away, demanding privacy. There were no protests and soon Minho was by Jonghyun's side, looking onto the scene as well.

“When a god cries, you know something has gone terribly wrong in the world,” he said softly after a moment of them both silently watching Jinki, Taemin and Kibum.

Jonghyun didn’t even have the energy to acknowledge him or ask about why the tears crystallised. He was sure Kibum knew. An intense ache gripped his heart when he realised he couldn’t ask him anything ever again.

“I have been a fool,” Minho continued in the same quiet voice. “You were correct. I have not spoken with my brother in a proper manner. And this is the result. An innocent life was taken.”

Jonghyun's vision grew blurry and he took a shuddering breath, biting his lip so hard to keep from screaming in agony the taste of iron filled his mouth. His legs gave out and he sank to the ground, curling in on himself. Minho crouched down beside him and hesitantly put a hand on his back.

“I-isn’t there an-ything we can d-do?” Jonghyun hiccupped, finally finding his voice. “You’re a… g-god. Can’t you u-undo this?”

Minho's face turned grim and he shook his head.

“I may be powerful,” he said. “But I do not have that sort of power. Only the three Fates do, and they are not easily persuaded to reconstruct the life threads they have woven, taken care of and, at last, cut.”

Jonghyun closed his eyes briefly, letting the knowledge of having to leave Kibum behind settle like a vice grip around his insides. What would he tell Kibum's parents? What would he tell his own parents? Their friends?

“Will Kibum go to the Land of Souls?” he whispered, opening his eyes to meet Minho's grave gaze. His tears had slowed down.

Minho nodded and Jonghyun looked back at Taemin, watching his tight grip on Jinki and his shaking shoulders.

“And gods can’t go there,” he stated, remembering what Jinki had told him what felt like eons ago.

This time, Minho shook his head.

“Our presence would be too strong for normal human souls and, as they have no body to contain them any longer, they would cease to exist by combusting,” he explained.

Jonghyun dried his tears and on his still bleeding lip in thought, breath shaky and limbs trembling. He needed to do something. He needed to give Kibum a chance at a better ending than disappearing in the masses of souls that were bound to be residing in the Land of Souls.

A thought struck him; something Kibum had told him years ago about brave soldiers and people and how they were rewarded for their actions by the gods. He had only listened with half an ear, too occupied scribbling music notes since he was behind on his homework. He wasn’t even sure he remembered what Kibum had been talking about exactly, but it wouldn’t hurt to try.

“Don’t… you gods reward humans?” Jonghyun asked quietly as he dried his cheeks and Minho threw him a bewildered look. “Brave humans, who did something selfless or fought for a good cause?”

Minho frowned and looked down at the ground.

“We did,” he answered slowly. “However, it has not been done for centuries. Less people believe in us and pray to us. We have not had the need to bestow such privilege upon anyone in recent centuries.”

“But Kibum believed in you,” Jonghyun insisted. “He read all about you and devoted all his free time to research about Greek gods and even died for Taemin. I don’t know if he prayed, but shouldn’t it mean something?”

Minho looked up at him again and then to Kibum's still form.

“I suppose it does,” he said.

Jonghyun drew in a shaky breath.

“What would happen to him if you gave him that privilege?” he asked.

Minho appraised him, his head tilted as if trying to figure out where this conversation was going exactly. It was obvious, really.

“He would be accepted into our realm as a consultant, living side by side with us gods for eternity along with the handful other humans we have accepted.”

A little light of hope ignited in Jonghyun. If anyone deserved something like that, it was Kibum. And if he was accepted into the realm of gods Jonghyun would know his friend was happy at least, living with the gods he had read so much about.

“Will you do it then?” he pressed on. “He gave his life to save a god, to save your brother. He deserves it more than anyone.”

Minho sat quiet for a minute, contemplating, and Jonghyun watched him, fumbling with his fingers anxiously. He wanted this. He really wanted Kibum to have this. If he couldn’t bring him back to life, the least he could do was give him this.

Suddenly Minho stood, determination set on his face, and Jonghyun's hope rose. He would do it! He would let Kibum live with them! He scrambled to his feet as well and followed Minho as he approached Jinki, Taemin and Kibum. They only managed to take a few steps before there was a screech somewhere in the distance and sounds of alarmed voices closed in. Then a group of three men rounded a bush, anxious and urgent.

“What is the matter?” Minho demanded as they rushed up to him, holding what looked like a polished, black marble jar, the lid on it clattering.

Jinki looked up, brow furrowed, but Taemin was still grieving too much to care.

“It has opened,” one of the men said. “Your brother placed the jar of Pandora in our main temple to keep it safe. Unfortunately, it already imprinted on him and the human’s death broke the seal.”

Minho grabbed the jar and Jinki shot to his feet, pulling Taemin with him and gingerly picking Kibum's limp body up in his arms.

“Brother, we need to find a safe place,” Jinki said as he ran up to Minho's side.

“The temple was the safest place,” Minho answered.

He dismissed the three men and turned his eyes back to the jar. It took Jonghyun a second to realise it had to be Pandora’s box and fear settled like a heavy stone in his stomach.

“What do we do?” he asked. “Is it going to open?”

Minho gave him a dark look and Jinki sighed. Taemin just stood beside them listlessly.

“As of now,” Jinki said, pausing when the lid clattered again. “I believe it is gathering power for a full release of destruction. It has not been opened for millennia.”

Jonghyun flinched. This was not good. It would kill everyone and everything he loved: his parents, his sister, Roo, his friends back home, Jinki. It was bad enough Kibum was already gone. He couldn’t fail anyone else.

“How do we stop it?!” he said, sounding as desperate as he felt.

Minho gave him another searching look, but this time as if he was trying to see past his skin and into his very soul. Then his gaze abruptly snapped to Jinki, who raised his eyebrows at him.

“Give Kibum to Hades,” Minho ordered.

Jinki's eyebrows drew together in confusion, but he did as he was told and gently placed Kibum in Taemin's arms. Taemin looked just as confused, but something seemed to dawn on him as Minho shoved the jar into Jinki's now empty hands.

“I fail to understand,” Jinki said, confusion clear on his face.

“I will explain shortly, but first,” he turned to Taemin, placing one hand on Kibum's chest and the other on his head.

Taemin watched wide-eyed, along with Jonghyun who was holding his breath and Jinki whose face softened in realisation, as there was a faint glow taking over Kibum's body, making it look like he vibrated faintly.

Something changed. Jonghyun couldn’t pinpoint what exactly, but he knew Kibum was no longer Kibum. Or he was Kibum, but at the same time he was something else, something ethereal. A wave of relief washed over Jonghyun, letting him forget for a moment about the impending doom that was Pandora’s box, and he let go of the breath he had been holding. Jinki looked over at him and grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together. Jonghyun squeezed his hand gently. Kibum would be all right. He would be happy. If only they found a way to stop the jar.

“I have tethered his soul to this realm,” Minho said once he was done. “Bring him to Aceso at once, she will stabilise his condition. Tell the council I will stand trial for taking action without consulting them after we have dealt with the jar of Pandora.”

Taemin simply stared at him, his mouth open in disbelief, and Minho made an impatient noise in his throat.

“Go!” he said.

Taemin's jaw snapped closed and he hurried away after a quiet ‘thank you’. They all watched him go in silence and when he was out of sight Minho turned to Jonghyun and Jinki with an air of urgency so heavy it was nearly tangible.

“Now, the two of you need to listen very closely,” he said. “Once the lid of the jar opens this time it cannot be sealed. It is too strong.”

Both of them nodded.

“I hope you realise we have to seal it again, then, with the strongest seal we will ever have at our disposal. Preferably now,” Minho continued. “Which means I will need you two to re-seal it.”

Both Jonghyun and Jinki gaped at him in utter bewilderment.

“Excuse me, I don’t think I heard you right,” Jonghyun said. “You need Jinki and me to seal it?”

Minho's foot tapped in agitated frustration. They all threw a glance at the jar, which clattered again.

“Are you hard of hearing?” he asked. “Was that not what I said?”

Jonghyun glared at him.

“No, it’s just… I understand Jinki, but me?” he said. “What can I do?”

“Your strength is needed,” Minho answered simply, as if that cleared everything up.

“Oh yeah,” Jonghyun scoffed. “Because I can just sit and press the lid down for an eternity, is that it?”

“I do not mean physical strength,” Minho growled. “I mean the strength of you, as an entity, a being.” He sighed at Jonghyun's blank look. “I would have thought your soul to be weak by now, with how many deaths you have lived through and how many of your lifetimes have been cut short. I expected you to be without enough life energy to even withstand being bound and ripped from my brother one last time.”

Jonghyun opened his mouth to protest, because he was not going to leave Jinki if that was what Minho was suggesting, but Minho put up a hand to stop him.

“However, surprisingly, you have not shown the weakness I expected,” he continued, throwing another glance at the clattering jar. “Instead, you grew stronger the more time you and my brother spent together, the more intimate you became, which goes against our previous experience. So, you do understand you two are needed to close the jar.”

Jonghyun and Jinki exchanged a look.

“Are you sure?” Jonghyun asked, because Jinki looked as bewildered as he felt. “What can we even do?”

“I am sure as I have witnessed it before with the first pair of soulmates that ever existed. The bond and energy between two soulmates is stronger than even the power we gods wield and can seal the jar more efficiently than anything else. I will need to merge your souls completely for the seal to be successful…” Minho glanced at Jinki, hesitating. “Which means I will need to separate you from your physical form in order to create the seal.”

“No,” Jinki growled immediately, taking a protective step in front of Jonghyun.

Minho sighed and reached out to placate him.

“Brother–”

“Approach any further and I will end you,” Jinki snarled. “Separating Jonghyun from his corporeal body will kill him.”

Minho scowled.

“Have you not listened?” he asked. “Jonghyun is stronger than he has ever been.”

“It does not guarantee a thing!” Jinki shouted.

“Jinki.” Jonghyun put a hand on his shoulder and he turned his head to look at him. “It’s okay.”

All fire and anger washed away from Jinki's eyes, replaced by the beginnings of terror. Jonghyun slid his hand down his arm to interlace their fingers again before turning to Minho.

“Is there any other way at all?” he asked, already knowing the answer by the way Minho pressed his lips together.

“There might be,” he answered. “Though, sealing it through you and my brother is the strongest, most secure seal there is. And time is short, we might not have the means for the other seals.”

There were so many questions Jonghyun wanted to ask. So many new things he needed to know. Why was he stronger? How did the soulmate stuff even work? Would he ever be able to actually be with Jinki without pain and fear and unavoidable separation?

However, Minho was right. Time was running out and Jonghyun would rather stop the jar and keep his loved one’s safe than get the answers he so desperately wanted.

He took a deep breath and glanced at Jinki, who was staring down at their connected hands without blinking, as if his mind was somewhere far away. Then he nodded.

“Okay,” he nearly whispered, his stomach rolling and his limbs beginning to tremble with fear and anticipation. “Let’s do it, then.”

Minho returned the nod, his expression grave as he took the clattering jar back from Jinki and put it on the ground. Then he motioned for both of them to kneel down side by side in front of it. Jinki went through the motions almost mechanically, eyes still far away, and Jonghyun nearly fell on the jar, his legs and arms trembling so hard he must have looked like he was vibrating.

“I will not lie,” Minho said, as he took his place in front of them, and looked at Jonghyun, “it will be unpleasant, more so for you than my brother. However, you have my word I will do my best to keep you alive.”

That didn’t sound reassuring at all, but Jonghyun nodded anyway. He swallowed harshly as Minho took a moment to gather himself and turned his eyes to Jinki. As if he felt the weight of his gaze, Jinki snapped out of his momentary apathy and his eyes locked with Jonghyun's, travelling over his face as if he was imprinting it to memory. And maybe he was. Maybe that’s how all the paintings in his underwater castle had been made.

Then Minho raised his hands, each of them hovering above their hearts. Jonghyun shot Jinki a tiny smile and faced forward again, closing his eyes. Something tugged at his chest and he bit his lip, frowning at the uncomfortable feeling but bearing it, trying to think of positive things. His family would be safe, Kibum would live happily, Jinki would–

“Wait!” Jinki exclaimed.

The tugging stopped abruptly and Jonghyun opened his eyes again. Minho's arms fell back to his sides and both of them gave Jinki inquiring looks. He swallowed a few times, glancing between them. Jonghyun noticed his hands were shaking.

“May I speak to Jonghyun?” he asked softly. “Privately?”

Minho considered him for a moment, and then glanced at the jar, which gave another clatter. He nodded and disappeared. Jinki took a shuddering breath and raised his gaze to Jonghyun's, looking absolutely terrified.

“What is it?” Jonghyun whispered, turning to him fully.

Jinki was tense and fidgety as he looked around.

“This–,” his voice broke and he cleared his throat. “This may be the very last time I ever see you.”

Jonghyun's heart clenched painfully at the devastated look in his eyes.

“Jonghyun, you have no obligation to do this,” Jinki continued, almost pleaded, and turned as well. “Please. There are other methods.”

Jonghyun swallowed and thought it over for a second. It would have been nice if they could find another way. To be certain he would survive. But then, would that seal be as safe or strong? It hadn’t sounded like it. He shook his head reluctantly.

“Wasn’t this the most secure way to seal the jar?” he asked.

Jinki looked as if his heart broke as he nodded.

“Then, I kind of do have an obligation,” Jonghyun murmured. “I need to know that my family and friends won’t be in danger. That you won’t be in danger.”

“Jonghyun… Jonghyun, please…”

Jonghyun grabbed Jinki's jaw and pulled him into a searing kiss, stopping his plea short. He could feel him shaking and pulled him in closer, caressing his face, combing through his hair, lacing their fingers together. Jinki grabbed his shoulders, his hands his shirt and nearly pulling him onto his lap as he kissed back, desperation and fear in every press of his lips.

When they pulled apart to breathe, Jinki pressed their foreheads together, his hands cupping Jonghyun's throat while his thumbs rubbed his jawbone. Then he tilted his head in for another kiss, then another, again and again as if he couldn’t get enough. Jonghyun met each kiss, soft and pliant in Jinki's hands as they caressed down his arms before moving to his waist, trailing down to his hips and resting there.

“I love you, Jonghyun,” Jinki whispered between kisses. “I love you so endlessly, and I cannot apologise enough for being your soulmate. It has brought you nothing but pain.”

A tear rolled down Jonghyun's cheek and his lips trembled as he smiled and shook his head. He blinked to clear his vision, which forced more tears to fall. Jinki kissed them away, his grip on Jonghyun's hips tightening as his lips travelled across his cheek, along his jaw and down his throat, where he buried his face. Jonghyun moved his arms around Jinki's neck and turned his head to press a kiss to his temple, resting his lips there.

“I love you too, Jinki,” he murmured into his hair, hugging him closer. “And I’d rather you be my soulmate than not at all.”

A sound Jonghyun never ever wanted to hear escaped Jinki; a trembling sob. Jonghyun's arms tightened around his neck and he pressed his body closer.

“Don’t cry,” he whispered, which wasn’t fair of him since his own tears ran unhindered. “Please, Jinki. Don’t cry.”

He pulled back to cup Jinki's face and dry his tears, kissing him softly after watching a few tears roll down his cheeks and drop into his lap where they crystallised and slid to the floor.

“I promise,” he vowed quietly. “I promise that whatever happens I will always come back to you. I will stay alive. We’re not soulmates for nothing.”

Jinki let out another shuddering sob and closed his eyes, tears rolling, dropping and crystallising. Then he drew in a deep, shaky breath and nodded.

“I believe you,” he whispered and gave the faintest of smiles.

Jonghyun managed his own back at him. They kissed again and didn’t break apart until the jar clattered loudly and more urgently than it had before. Jinki left a last soft press of lips against lips and pulled back, his hands finding Jonghyun's and squeezing them tightly.

“Brother,” he called softly, his voice shaking and his eyes never leaving Jonghyun's.

Minho appeared again, looking between them somberly. His eyes fell to the crystals on the floor in-between them and his expression grew agonised.

“Brother, perhaps you are right–,” he began but Jinki shook his head.

“Jonghyun has promised he will survive and I believe him,” he said determinedly and Jonghyun smiled at him.

Minho hesitated for a moment more, then sighed heavily and put his hands over their hearts again.

The tugging was back, followed by a rush going through Jonghyun's body, leaving him all tingly at first. Then a horrible pulling sensation crawled under his skin, as if his every cell strived to go in different directions. There was a crackling noise in his ears, which turned into a howling wind, though he couldn’t feel any breeze or shift in the air. Then he realised he couldn’t feel anything at all. His fingers weren’t there when he tried to flex them, his eyes weren’t moving or even seeing, his knees didn’t seem to be touching anything anymore. His entire body was disconnected and he would have worried more if there wasn’t a sudden pressure on his brain, turning his thoughts into scrambled syllables and disconnected letters.

Then everything went white and quiet, and Jonghyun didn't fight as his consciousness slipped away.

A/N: So before any of you panic, remember I did promise happy endings for everyone involved. And we're getting there, but... supsense is nice isn't it? :P

Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! Some things might not make sense, but they should be explained in the next chapter.

Love you all!<3

Bye~!