~ Chapter Hundred: No Time to Breathe ~

The Fallen

Random Rambles: HOLY POOP GUYS CHPT 100 IS UP! GAH I'm starting to see the finish line, but gotta keep on trucking a little more. The reason why I hadn't been able to update this sooner was because I thought I could fit in a lot of stuff in just one chapter, but it became way too long, so this is actually sort of a part one to the next chapter that I'll hopefully be able to put up somewhere today as well. So, I apologize if the end of this chapter seems weirdly cut off lol. Whew, see you guys in chapter 101 ^^; May I also applaud all of you that managed to get this far by reading this story? Honestly, when I say that I think y'all are awesome, I am not lying! You are awesome, thank you and I hope you find money that you can spend on whatever you wish ^3^ saranghaeyo! 

***

There was only one creature I recall that had the blatant audacity to defy me. A scrawny, little peasant girl who threw away my Yeouiju, setting me back many years until I found it again.

But she couldn’t have been you…I crushed the life out of her. Slowly, diligently, until she was no more but a sack of human skin that contained crushed bones and squished entrails.

Yeah… I remember. Not that I told him that, of course, but I had relived the memory in my head again the moment he spoke about what he had done to the peasant girl. To me, apparently. Perhaps he knew that, though it did appear, just for the moment, that the great black snake had no idea who I was. I wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not, but I guess surprising him by doing the unexpected worked well. I still wasn’t sure how all of that had worked out the way it did. 

I remember feeling strange, as if there was someone there watching us. I was feeling paranoid the moment I stepped foot in the building to begin with, but that feeling grew while I was plastered against the wall, trapped by metal pipes. There was something about the story Mr. Tabi told, about the White Imoogi they used to serve that made me feel uneasy. I heard voices in my head like I had before, a feeling of queasiness, and then- flashes of white coming from the hole in the wall. 

What do you think you’re doing? asked the voice in my head. It wasn’t one of the boys. This voice was ethereal, and very familiar. 

I’m trying to escape, do you mind?! I replied, seeing a pair of deep green eyes peek at me from the hole in the wall. I must be seeing things, right? I caught a cold, or my brain was scrambled by getting my head slammed against the wall just now. But, no. There it was; the ghost wolf, peering at me- glaring at me. 

How did you get here? I asked, what are you doing here? I thought you said you didn’t have enough energy left… 

I’ve been saving my remaining energy for this. I must say it’s highly disappointing to continue to see you mucking around like this. Is everything a game to you?

I couldn’t believe that I was being told off by a wolf. Hey, I’m trying, okay! The least you can do is actually be helpful, for once! I had shouted back as I finally managed to get one arm loose. 

Everything I did thus far has been only to help you, Jae, the wolf spoke and I blinked a moment. I couldn’t recall the last time he called me by my name. In fact, this was probably the first time I distinctly heard a male voice coming from him, instead of the myriad of voices I was used to hearing. We both flinched when Mr. Tabi shouted at Suho. “Argh, wake up, kid!” 

Hm. Perhaps not such a bad piece of advice, the wolf said in a bored tone of voice, gazing at me, appearing and reappearing from the hole in the wall so others probably won’t notice him. 

Shut up, I hissed, trying to pry my hand free. Why are you even here? 

The wolf didn’t reply at first, only watched me fumble in trying to get free. I caught sight of it as it briefly showed his head in the light and I startled. I didn’t remember the ghost wolf being so big before. My focus shifted towards Suho and Kris then, as I tried harder to get free at seeing them being strangled by the vines. It was here that the black snake told Mr. Tabi to stop. It was here that Miss Kumiho stepped forward to ask why they shouldn’t kill us now, and it was here that the ghost wolf had looked away from me for the first time, in order to look at her. 

Why are you here? I asked again, trying to read the glimmer in his dark green eyes, not looking away when the wolf stared back at me. 

You have never once asked me this. After all this time this is the first time you’ve asked me why I’m here. 

It never occurred to me to ask you before. You never really answered the questions I asked you anyway, and along the way I just presumed that you were here to help, but now, I’m not so sure… I shrugged. So, why are you here?

I am always here to help you, he replied, cryptical as usual. You have to escape. Grab the dagger and run. 

Why are you here? I repeated, sick and tired of having my questions unanswered. 

I heard the ghost wolf sigh ever so deeply, his eyes shining at me. Atonement, was his short reply. Now stop asking questions and do something! You have to retrieve the dagger!

How?! It’s in the man’s inner pocket! I’m a magical she-wolf not the invisible ninja woman! I protested. 

You’ll think of something. Just get it done. I’ll help you. 

What, like you did the time we met in Exo planet after you made me faint? I replied sarcastically, earning a snarl. 

Just do it! 

“That’s how I knew the wolf would be there, what gave me the courage I needed to do what I did,” I looked at the pack as we were hiding in a laboratory, somewhere on the third floor. Kai hadn’t been able to teleport us out of the building, as there was a some kind of barrier holding him back. The Black Imoogi was most likely responsible for that. For now we were still trapped, but at least we had more time to think about our next move. I was already glad that I had the dagger in my hand, though, at least it was something positive that came out of this gigantic mess we were in. 

The boys were silent for a moment after hearing me explain until D.O. moved forward holding up the pair of sneakers I had thrown at Mr. Yok. There was nothing for us at that moment to laugh about, but this got a hearty chuckle out of me. 

“Thank you, D.O.,” I said, slowly putting them on again. This broke the ice somewhat as the boys managed to smile and chuckle lightly as well. Before I knew it, Chen had found a lab coat and placed it over my shoulders while Sehun got me a towel. Lay, looking tired, squatted in front of me to heal me while I shook my head. 

“Yah, what’s with all this pampering? Take care of yourselves first, will you?” I protested while Lay purposely kept me in place so he could properly heal me. 

“You know we’re fine as long as you are, Jae-yah,” Lay whispered, though his voice was hoarse. I heard his bone-chilling scream the moment Mr. Yok touched him and it bothered me that Lay had been behaving apologetically towards us after it. As if it was his fault that the man had hurt him, as if he didn’t mean to burden us just because we heard him scream out of pain. 

He looked up in surprise when I ruffled his damp hair, connecting with him to heal him, too. “Are you okay?” I asked, Lay blinking blankly at me, his mouth slightly agape. 

“Of course, Jae-yah, why wouldn’t I be?” 

I chuckled and pushed his head back good-naturedly. “It’s okay if you’re not always okay, you know. Trust me, I speak out of experience,” I winked, speaking softly as the boys were busy with exploring the laboratory, looking for things that they can use. 

“Well, maybe I have a little bit of pain, here,” he confessed, pointing at his chest. I placed my hand there, familiar with the soft glow that came out of it. I felt the source of the pain and removed it as gently as Lay would otherwise. 

“Is that better?” I asked to which he smiled shyly and pointed at the side of his face which still had some angry marks. “Neck?” I asked and Lay nodded like a little boy, tilting his head slightly so I could heal him there. I hovered my hand over the wounds that were inflicted on him on that heartless Mr. Yok, seeing the skin improving, luckily. When the marks were healed, Lay suddenly leaned in towards my hand, closing his eyes as his movement made me cup his cheek. There was a smile on his lips when he opened his eyes again, soft brown orbs looking at me. 

“Thank you, Jae-yah,” he murmured and I smiled back caressing his cheek with my thumb in response. 

“Oh?!” Baekhyun suddenly exclaimed as he walked towards us. I startled and withdrew my hand while Lay stood up. “What’s this, eh?” he asked loudly, wanting an explanation. 

“Will you relax? I was healing his neck,” I said, though it was suddenly quite warm in the room. 

“You were healing Lay-hyung’s neck, noona?” asked Chanyeol, joining us. 

“Yes,” I nodded, with Lay doing the same thing, though he scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed. 

“Ah, but noona, don’t you know?” Baekhyun s his arm around his hyung’s shoulders, pulling him closer. “That’s not how you heal Lay-hyungie’s neck!” he sounded, tsking at me. 

“I-it’s not?” I asked, while Lay looked at his younger brother in confusion as well. Baekhyun smiled mischievously and signaled Chanyeol who stood next to Lay on the other side. 

“Nope! This is how you heal Lay-hyungie’s neck!” 

Before I processed what I was looking at, Baekhyun and Chanyeol attacked Lay’s neck by blowing at it, the young man in question letting out something that resembled a squeak and high-pitched giggle, sinking down on his knees as he ducked his head into his shoulders, squirming at his brothers’ relentless attack. 

Chen’s laughter rang in the air then as he pointed at the ridiculous sight, Lay already floored as he still struggled, Baekhyun and Chanyeol randomly blowing near his neck. I couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled from my throat either, shaking my head at the boys. The mood felt elated for the moment, with everyone clapping their hands or laughing at the sight. But not everyone could appreciate the moment of relaxation. 

“Yah! Hey! That’s enough, guys, stop it, please,” Suho warned, walking towards them, had he been standing watch by the door a few seconds ago. No one listened to him, or they didn’t hear him. 

“Get his stomach, too, he can’t stand that,” Luhan encouraged, laughing at seeing his younger brother writhing with laughter on the floor. 

“Hey! No, Chanyeol, put Lay’s shirt down!” Suho warned, trying to push his way past Sehun and Chen. “Kris, you’re not helping by tickling his armpits- guys! Stop, come on!” 

I was starting to feel a little sorry for Suho since no one seemed to be paying him any attention, but as I was about to help him by telling the guys to stop, Suho himself beat me to it. 

“YAH! I SAID STOP IT!” he yelled, startling us. The ruckus in the room died down immediately, while startled faces gazed at the leader in shock. “Stop,” he repeated taking a deep breath, the agitation obvious on his face. “Honestly, we’re trapped inside of a building with people that want us dead and all of your are-,” he paused a moment, letting out a sigh of frustration. “You’re all acting like a bunch of children,” he breathed as if he hadn’t actually wanted to say it. “So just- stop. Nothing about the situation we’re in is funny. Stop it.” 

The brothers had the grace to look ashamed, as did I, while Baekhyun and Chanyeol got up from the floor, helping a red-faced Lay up as well. 

“We’re sorry, Suho,” Kris started, rubbing the back of his neck. “We were just fooling around, you know? Relieving tension,” he tried. 

“Yeah. I don’t mind them teasing me, Su-hyung,” Lay added for good measure, straightening up his clothes a bit. 

“That’s not the point, Lay,” Suho replied far more gentle this time. “I just don’t understand you sometimes. Which- ,” he said, looking like he genuinely had trouble saying something that could nearly be counted as cussing, which was strangely endearing, I suppose. He’s such a nerd, I smirked. 

“I’m the leader and I don’t understand my own brothers sometimes,” he huffed. “How can all of you be so relaxed, joking around, while we’re literally being hunted down? Do any of you realize that beyond these walls there are people out there that are out for our heads? That there’s danger lurking there, not just for us, but for the people we care for, for the world we’re trying to defend? Do any of you grasp the situation we’re in?” he asked, sincerely confused as he looked at his brothers. 

“We know that, Suho,” Luhan started. 

“Do you really?” the leader interjected. “Look, I know you always tell me that I should relax and lighten up, that I’m a stiff with a stick up his , and you know what? That’s okay. I know it’s true. And scenes like this is the reason why I’m the way I am. I worry a lot because it doesn’t seem like any of you are. I nag because I need you to understand that what we’re about to face is no game.” 

“We know, Suho, you don’t have to worry about us, we know,” Kris tried, but Suho shook his head. 

“But you don’t. I need my brothers to understand. I need my brothers to be focused and to stand with me while facing what we have to face out there. Our memories came back for a reason, and I don’t know about you but I don’t want what happened at Exo planet to happen here as well again,” the leader explained patiently but with a certain persistence behind his words. 

“I can’t have my brothers joking around while death could await us behind those doors,” Suho was panting now, having held in his pent up feelings and emotions. “Lay nearly died moments ago. D.O. actually did! I don’t -,” he his lips, swallowing hard. He couldn’t even look at us. “I don’t want that to happen again. I don’t want anything bad to happen again. So, please,” he implored, “I know I’m not the best leader out there- I know I can’t protect all of you, that’s why I’m asking you to help me protect you by standing with me. Focus.” Suho said, looking at us. “Please,” he added again. 

Suho had never looked so vulnerable before, and I think he realized that as well, the way he twirled his fingers, played around with his shirt, unable to keep a steady gaze with any of us. I guess this was his way of asking us whether he could trust in us as he hoped that we trusted in him, but that silly dork of a leader should know better, right? 

“You can depend on us, Su-hyung,” Tao said, breaking the silence. “They can’t touch us,” he added with a smug grin on his face as he walked over to swing his arm over the leader’s shoulders and Suho’s smile widened at seeing his brothers comforting him and assuring him that they’d stick together. 

“Thank you,” he murmured in relief, taking another deep breath to calm down before he looked at me. “Okay. So, the white wolf,” he started, going back to business. “That was the ghost wolf?”

I nodded. “I don’t know how he got there, but yeah. That was the ghost wolf,” I confirmed. 

“You never mentioned how big he was,” Kris noted. 

“This was honestly the first time I saw him in that size. Usually he’s just the size of a common wolf,” I shrugged. “Does it really matter, though? The ghost wolf is here to help us.” 

“But where did he come from? I mean, why emerge to help us now if it could have done so sooner? Does it want anything from us?” Suho asked continuously, as if I was the one with all the answers. 

“How should I know? The wolf barely tells me anything,” I said. “He does seem genuinely concerned about us taking the dagger and saving this world.”

“Then, does it mean that he knows what we have to do to recreate the Tree, noona?” asked Sehun with hope in his voice. 

“I wish I knew, Sehunnie. I barely understand what’s going on in the first place. I mean, with Mr. Kang and Mr. Tabi-,”

“Don’t mention that man’s name,” D.O. grumbled with clenched teeth. “If that white wolf didn’t get him yet, I will.”

A chill tickled my spine at hearing the threat, but I couldn’t blame D.O. for thinking like that about the ex-biology teacher. Talk about feeling played…

“They said they were former guardians, that they were like us,” Luhan then said. “You think they’re telling the truth?” 

“Do you have another explanation, hyung?” asked Chanyeol. “Personally, I don’t see why they would lie about that, even though it’s so unbelievable.” 

“That means that they really did serve the White Imoogi before he left, but…Aish,” Baekhyun shook his head in frustration. “I can’t remember!” 

My heart thumped in my chest as I tried to put the puzzle pieces together. How did they all fit in with one another? How did the keys turn in their locks? What is the role everyone plays in this insane story? 

“I thought I heard the black snake call the white wolf his brother,” D.O. suddenly interjected quietly, looking at us. “Do you think that means something?” 

“What, that the ghost wolf Jae-noona has been seeing was the White Imoogi all this time?!” Chen asked in utter disbelief. “That’s impossible!” 

“And you heard what Mr.- eh, that guy-, said. The White Imoogi vanished, didn’t it? I mean, we were chosen to become guardians after them,” added Chanyeol. 

“Ugh! My head hurts,” Sehun whined. “Does it really matter who the white wolf is? We should think up a plan to just recreate another freaking Tree already. If the white wolf is somehow involved in all of this, then we’ll find that out along the way.” 

“Sehun is right. We have to think about how we’re going to get that dagger reconnected to the leylines,” said Xiumin. “I mean, it soaked up our blood, great, but apparently that’s not enough…”

“You sure the white wolf doesn’t know, noona?” Tao asked for good measure. 

“I wouldn’t count on it. The only thing he keeps nagging about is wanting me to wake up,” I shrugged whilst looking at the dagger. “Though I don’t know why that’s so important now, with everything else that’s been going on.” 

“Maybe that’s exactly why it’s important,” Luhan said thoughtfully, looking up. “We didn’t get our memories back without the dagger, but wasn’t it Jae that served as a mediator between us and it?” he asked, bright eyes glancing at me worriedly. 

Why would I see you in my dream? he asked.

I blinked at him as Luhan gazed at me, but I didn’t have an answer for him. 

“Anyway,” Kai suddenly interrupted, appearing in between us, breaking our eye contact. “I think we should worry about how we’re supposed to get to that forest behind the hole in the wall,” he cleared his throat, sounding impatient as ever. “With all of those people there, I doubt we’d get an easy access.” 

We jumped simultaneously when there was a loud bang outside. I got up to my feet, looking at the closed doors. With all those shadow-things Mr. Yok had conjured, I doubted that we would be safe here for long. Suho turned to us, his finger placed against his mouth. He signaled the boys and they automatically knew what to do. I decided not to be annoyed when Lay, Luhan and Sehun stood protectively before me, the others standing in formation while Suho went to slowly check on what was making the noise outside, with Tao and Kai flanking him. 

I strained to listen myself, seeing shadows move frantically underneath the gap of the doors. I held the dagger near my chest when I heard growling. 

“Suho, be careful,” said Kris while he was slowly leading the rest of us to step back. The room was deathly still when the leader leaned his ear towards the door, jumping lightly at hearing a shriek and a splattering sound. Then, silence. 

There was a look of slight terror on his face as he strained to listen. His eyes suddenly widened and he pushed Kai and Tao back at him in the nick of time when a shadow creature was flung through the door and landed on the other side of the laboratory, smashed against a rack of equipments. The creature twitched horribly before letting out a hiss and falling still. 

Our attention was drawn by a single, ferocious growl as the big head of the white wolf appeared through the doorway. His eyes were menacing, lip twitched upward as though he was sneering down at all of us. There were streaks of black goo and red on his soft coat of fur, tainting the white purity. 

Why are all of you still here?! he barked, startling the pack. 

“We can’t get out of the building,” I told it, the boys looking up as I spoke. Didn’t they hear the wolf? The ghost wolf snarled, breezing through his nostrils as he straightened itself. 

That’s because you’re not supposed to get out of the building! What part of ‘you’re running out of time’ do you not comprehend?! he growled again.

“Jae, what’s going on?” asked Suho, their cautiousness level high. 

“You can’t hear him?” I asked. 

“I can,” Luhan whispered, eyes wide as the wolf turned to look at him. Luhan looked scared at first and then extremely humbled, like a wolf who recognized that he was standing before the ultimate alpha. 

Do you have the dagger? The ghost wolf directed his attention towards me again. I held it up for him to see. 

Good. Follow me. The Black Snake is looking for you as well, we don’t have much time- I don’t have much time left! The creature left before I had a chance to ask anything, and I scoffed, running after it. 

“Come on,” I told the others. 

“Jae, wait! What did it say?” Kris asked as they moved along with me. 

“He wanted us to follow him,” Luhan replied instead, letting out a startled gasp when we got out into the hallway. It was smeared with black goop and former remnants of what I presumed were those shadow-things. 

Hurry up! 

I jumped at hearing him yell in my head and it seemed Luhan was surprised as well. The wolf waited at the end of the hallway but it was obvious that he wouldn’t wait long. 

“Quickly,” I said as we ran after it, in perfect formation of course. Suho would see to that. I kept up with the boys while trying not to look around too much, nor slip over the goop that was draped over the floors. I was afraid to ask the ghost wolf what he had done to Mr. Tabi and Mr. Kang, whether Miss Kumiho was still alive as well, or whether he had - well… The Black Imoogi was still alive. At least that much was clear. It was lucky that the white wolf found us before the snake did, though. 

“Jae,” Luhan called, speaking quietly so the wolf wouldn’t hear, but the others still could. “What did he mean when he said that he doesn’t have much time left?” 

“I don’t know,” I replied. “He’s been saying that a lot. I don’t know,” I repeated. “He needed the energy to be here, he said that he’s been saving it up just to be here, right now.” The ghost wolf was a consistent presence throughout everything that’s been happening, but I’ve only now just realized it. Now that I think about it, the day I arrived on the island of Ookami Shinro, I had seen him. I thought he was just a wild wolf, but now I know that he’s been there since the beginning. 

“Maybe he doesn’t really belong in this world. Maybe he’s not supposed to be here, and he’s here on borrowed time,” I mused, feeling a sudden ache in my chest. 

You need to get down to the basement. Get to the forest there, the wolf said, stopping in another laboratory. Tell the traveler to transport us back. It’s right underneath this room. I’ve taken care of most of the shadows there, so we should be fine. 

“Luhan,” I called and he nodded, telling the others what the wolf just said while I stepped towards the animal. I don’t understand, I told the wolf, still amazed by its size. What are you doing here, really? You’ve never actively helped us like this. 

There was something stoic about the wolf when he regarded me, but there was gentleness there too. If you do not wake up before the blood of the moon is drained, then all of this has been for naught. 

I rolled my eyes while Sehun grabbed my hand tightly and I carefully touched the side of the wolf’s neck. You know, I’ve just noticed that you talk like a grandfather. You’re old, aren’t you? I might’ve been mistaken, but amidst Kai’s dark smoke, I thought I saw those pair of green eyes smile. 

You lost your memories, lost your sense of being, but it pleases me you've not lost your sense of humor. Promise to hold on to that until the end. 

I couldn't ask him what he meant to say in his annoyingly cryptic way, but his words made me shudder nevertheless. Unfortunately for him, by the time we were back in the chamber where I undoubtedly contracted PTSD, I had forgotten what he said. 

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Nin-Nin
Hi guys~ my first original ebook is available on Amazon and I'm having a lot of feels. If you have the time, check out my previous blog post for more details - I'd appreciate the support <3 Thank you and have a lovely weekend! Love, Nin-Nin

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Wanderer_bj
#1
I don't even know how many times I have read this.😍
BeckyBooGirl
#2
Chapter 4: This is one of my favorite exo fanfic. I have read this story 5 or 6 times already and still love it like i did when I first read it❤
InspiritCarolyn
#3
This is one of those fics I can come back to again and again without getting tired of re-reading it. Each time I read it, I love it the same as the first time.
aonani_k
#4
Chapter 109: I finished it once again and as before, I enjoyed reading such a great story. Hope all is well. :)
aonani_k
#5
Chapter 2: It's been years since I read the story and today I just felt like re-reading it! Glad it's still here. :)
Sehixneeo
#6
Chapter 109: Argh, I will never ever forget this story. Ever. 🥺💛
Jaerin
#7
Chapter 109: This story will always be one of my favorite, a masterpiece 🤧💞❤️
Pxnellyxq #8
Chapter 107: WHAT IM LEGITIMATELY SHOCKED AND TEARING UP
Pxnellyxq #9
Chapter 100: why is the white wolf making me feel emotional :///
Pxnellyxq #10
Chapter 61: Stinky kumiho