Random Rambles: Omo freaking chapter 80 already?! It's another long one guys, I guess I just never learn ^^" Enjoy sweeties, and as usual, your support means the world to me, so thank you for sticking with me so far, kamsahamnida & sarangheyo ~ <3

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It was a day like any other. 

There really wasn’t another way to describe it. The world was quiet, and peaceful. The sun shone brightly and the breeze was warm and mellow. It drifted through the shiny green leaves of the trees, gently bended the soft grass and pushed away the clouds that would keep the sun from shining on the earth. 

The sky was an amazing azure blue, where the birds flew and chirped their happy songs. 

And still… 

Something felt off. The serenity of the world seemed too quiet, too still, as if everything was holding in its breath, anticipating something. 

Twelve young men had gathered near the base of a most sacred tree. It made them look so small in comparison to the majestic behemoth. They seemed to be discussing something. Their faces stood grave and on alert. 

“Why are you telling us this?” Suho asked, though it was clear that he was speaking to the tree. 

“What do you mean, ‘precautions’? We’re here, aren’t we? I mean, why else would you have chosen us?” Kai interjected, standing on one of the tree’s roots. 

“The black snake? You’ve seen it?!” Suho exclaimed in alarm, which brought the others to their feet as well. 

“That’s impossible, the black snake is gone,” Kris said, still coolly leaning against the bark of the tree, one knee pulled up, his arms crossed over his chest. 

“Imoogi…” Luhan murmured, shaking his head. “We won’t allow anything bad to happen. We’ll stop it.” 

The twelve guardians nodded their heads resolutely at this and for the moment, everything seemed fine. 

Until…

It was dark. Really dark. It had started with a simple downpour of rain, and then the thunder came, the lightning flashed, and the winds picked up. The silence of the world was broken, and the crimson sky was filled with outcries of fear and pain. 

Exo planet was burning. 

Kai ran. There never had been more fear in his eyes than there was now. He ran through the forest, not caring a damn if branches slammed against his face or cut his arms and legs. He only stopped when the person he was dragging along had tripped and fell. 

“Come on, hyung! We have to hurry, there isn’t any time!” Kai helped D.O. get to his feet as they continued running. D.O. had been injured but he still did his best to keep at it, trying not to cling to Kai too much. 

“Can’t you just teleport us? All those people- our home, Kai,” D.O. breathed, grimacing in pain. 

“I can’t, hyung,” Kai said helplessly, the both of them flinching when something flew overhead and an explosion sounded not too far off. “There’s something wrong with the Tree. I think the Black Imoogi might’ve…” he trailed off and shook his head, supporting D.O. as they continued their track. “I just hope Suho-hyung has an answer, or we’re all-,” 

“Dead. There were so many- we- we couldn’t save them all,” Suho breathed, holding back his tears. He had made it to the Tree, looking for guidance, but what could they do? The attack had been unexpectedly fierce and so utterly devastating. None of them had seen such careless malice and destruction. They needed a miracle to get them out alive, to save the people- it was too late for the world they called home. 

“Where is everyone?” Suho sought shelter by the Tree when a tornado of fire and ice blasted by. 

“What are you talking about? We can’t do that!” Luhan suddenly yelled from behind him, but Suho knew that he was talking to the Tree. “How am I even supposed to-,” he was cut off as he listened to the Tree’s voice. 

“How can you be sure that that is the only way?” Luhan questioned, his eyes wet with unshed tears. 

“L-Lu-ge,” Lay called out to him, groaning out of pain as he tried his best to stand straight. “The people, all those animals, I need to get to them,” he said, but Luhan kept him in place. 

“It’s too late, Lay,” Luhan explained gently, trying not to look all too worried at seeing the mean wound on the boy’s waist. 

“N-no, we can’t- we can’t just abandon them. W-we’re their guardians. Who-who will protect them if not us?” Lay panted heavily, the side of his clothing wet with blood. 

Luhan looked over at Suho in concern before the two of them looked at the Tree. Luhan backed away when the roots gently covered Lay in protection and the two guardians nodded. 

“Sehun and Tao? I’m not sure where they are,” Suho said as Luhan tried to track his brothers so he could tell them to get to the Tree as fast as possible. He did as the Tree instructed and told Sehun to remember a silver weapon. He would be responsible to look after it. 

“Come on, guys. Where are you? We don’t have much time left,” Suho said worriedly, gasping when he felt vines creep over his hands and legs.

“Tao! Tao! Did you hear that?” Sehun blasted a whirlwind towards entities in the shadows as Tao grabbed his hand to make a run for it. 

“I heard it. We have to hurry!” Tao twirled his staff to slam the creatures in the shadows away, buying some time. 

“Can’t you do something? Freeze time! We need time!” Sehun pleaded, though Tao shook his head. 

“I can’t, Sehun, I don’t think I’ll be able to reach so far. Where are Kris-ge and Chanyeol-hyung?” he searched the sky in desperation and startled when he saw how red it was. Like blood, muddled with black and grey clouds that carried thunderstorms with them. His chest tightened when he saw a distinct figure in the sky, doing his best to stay afloat.

“Hold on, Chanyeol!” Kris bouldered, his eyes gleaming as red as the sky. He was holding onto an unconscious Chanyeol with every bit of strength he could muster. He tried not to look down on the destruction of his home too much, didn’t want to see how many people they failed to save. Everything was red to him, the ugly color of blood covering the world. 

How did it come to this? How had they allowed this to happen? How could they have known that the darkness festered and grew during the quiet period of peace they so foolishly thought would last for an eternity? All this careless death and devastation, and for what? Power?

Kris grunted as he carried Chanyeol through the sky, worried that he hadn’t heard anything from the boy for a while. 

“Chanyeol? Hey, Yeollie, come on stay awake, we’re almost at the Tree,” he tried, but Chanyeol didn’t move, didn’t respond. 

Kris tried to stay as calm as possible, biting down on his lips to prevent from crying out loud, yelling out all of his pain and anger and frustration. 

“Yeollie, hey, come on. You always said you wanted to fly like a real phoenix, right? I know the view is a bit bad right now, but you gotta stay awake. Chanyeol?” Kris called, holding onto the boy tighter when there came no response. 

“Chen, which way are you going? The Tree is the other way!” Xiumin yelled, shifting an unconscious Baekhyun on his shoulder. Chen’s face was covered in soot, dirt, and blood. He pushed his wet hair from his face as he looked around frantically. 

“No, but- hyung, this is the path we usually take!” Chen called out, quickly running towards Xiumin when he saw that his older brother was about to collapse out of exhaustion. 

“Come on, we’ll carry Baekhyun together,” Chen offered and Xiumin gladly accepted. 

“We’re not getting out of this one, are we?” Xiumin wondered as they made their way back as best as they could. 

“We have to keep on trying, hyung. Baekhyun tried his best protecting us, we can’t just give up now. The others are waiting for us,” Chen said.

“Chen,” Xiumin called out. “I…I don’t recognize this part of the forest,” he breathed. “I haven’t heard anything from Luhan for a while either,” he swallowed. 

“No worries, hyung. I know which way to go. We’ll get out of here, all of us,” Chen looked at Xiumin and waited until his older brother would meet his gaze. Then, he smiled the brightest smile he could muster and Xiumin held back his emotions when he saw his younger brother like that. He would never forget how much he admired Chen in that moment and it gave him the strength he needed to keep going. 

A black snake slithered over the earth, reveling in the power of destruction that he had created. He needed to consume this world in order to rule it, but before he could satisfy his appetite, he needed one more thing. A yeouiju, a black pearl, to ensure his reign and his power. 

He laughed a horrendous laugh, the sound of it echoing through the dying lands, a terrible last lament for many that lay waiting for death on the scorched earth. 

The sacred Tree of Life broke and withered away, the sound of its branches and mighty bark cracking mimicked the breaking of the earth beneath their very feet. 

It was heartbreaking to see such a majestic giant topple and fall, its leaves blown away like ash in the cold, harsh winds. The branches blackening and turning to dust… 

I watched with tear stained cheeks at the world ending. This world that was my home as well, I had to witness it die while I was helpless to prevent its demise. I lay wounded in the middle of a field, without a mother, without a father, looking up at the terrifying red sky.

When I had closed my eyes to sleep, this world was at peace. I never thought I would open them to see that I was left with nothing. 

The world around me was so loud, but I heard nothing. There was deafening silence as I looked at my surroundings. I was alone. There was nobody left. My grief and pain were the only things that kept me company in the dark. I had a home before I slept, and now I wish I had never fallen asleep at all. 

I tried to sit up, in this abandoned meadow, shadows creeping up around me… Then, suddenly- They were there. Twelve beautiful lights that graced the sky. The chosen ones that once guarded this world, the chosen ones that the Tree had chosen to save so that maybe- just maybe - they could come back and save our home as well.

Twelve stars floating in the sky above me, they were the hope I thought had died when this world had. 

I gasped when I felt the cold steel of a blade prick my foot and I picked up a dagger, so pure and untainted it looked like a shining jewel, rather than a weapon. It appeared to be the only thing left that was beautiful and I hugged it tight to my chest. 

The light shifted and shadows were formed. I looked up at the sky and a sob escaped my lips. The stars of hope, the guardians of my home, had started to fall, and they slowly disappeared from sight. The dagger in my hands gleamed and glowed and I perked my head up at seeing a creature, made of darkness, slither towards me, hissing menacingly. 

Swallowing, I saw the last bits of the stars leave and with all the strength I had left, I threw away the dagger, so high it had become a star itself and followed its fallen brothers. 

The black snake, the Imoogi of darkness, roared, I think. So outraged at the last act of defiance, it had made use of its rage and rushed towards me. The giant snake’s filthy body coiled around my broken body and squeezed the air from my lungs. 

I had already lost everything. What would it matter, if I lost my life as well? 

I had wished that the last moments of my life had been better. I wished that I didn’t have to feel my body break one bone at a time, wished I didn’t have to hear the nauseating sound of broken vertebrae or the horrendous popping of my veins. I wished I had looked at those shining stars longer, instead of gazing helplessly at the ugly face of death, bearing its slimy, poisonous fangs at me. 

It’s so hard to breathe…

So…hard…to…-

I woke up with a start, trying desperately to gasp for air. I didn’t even have the time to properly panic as a pair of hands had found their way to my neck and I coughed and moaned in alarm at seeing a terrifying woman on top of me. She seemed to be half human and half monster, resembling a demon fox from Hell. Was I still dreaming, or reliving a horrendous memory? No- the forest, the fog, the pain! This was real!

I looked up at my assailant with wide eyes, my brain trying to make sense of everything. Where had she come from? How did she find me? I gasped again as I struggled underneath her weight while I attempted to identify the attacker. I felt another surge of panic when I finally realized who she was. If it weren’t for her green eyes and ruby lips, I probably wouldn’t have recognized her. 

That woman! How did she even get here?! How did she know where to look?!

Finding strength in my body again, I started punching her arms and gripping her wrists in a poor attempt to make her stop, but this only tightened her grip on my neck and I wheezed to desperately in some air. 

Oh my God, I’m going to die! 

“Did you really think that I wouldn’t find out?” Miss Kumiho hissed as she squeezed my throat even tighter, not at all fazed at me trying to kick her off, not showing a hint of pain when I scratched her hands, pinching her. 

“I had hoped to have a little bit more fun with you before I kill you, but I must say that there’s something very exhilarating about seeing the life slowly leave your eyes,” her voice was a nightmare to listen to. I whimpered when she leaned her face forward, resenting the fact that I couldn’t do anything else. She smiled. 

The smiled!

“This is a lot more personal, isn’t it?” 

I tried to turn my face away when I saw the elongated fangs from both the upper and bottom corners of . The upper fangs crossed the bottom ones so it would look like the corners of were sewn shut. I wriggled weakly underneath her, feeling lightheaded.

Where were the boys? Were they still unconscious? 

I felt the cold, relentless grip of fear overwhelm me when the thought entered my mind that perhaps she had already killed them. The idea alone made me numb for a split second until pure and utter rage took over. I surprised her by fighting back, pushing as hard as I could. I scratched her arms and wrists until my nails drew blood and had her cursing. 

My momentary outburst was stopped when she raised a hand to strike me across the face. 

Her shrill laughter rang through the air until she suddenly released the grip around my neck and pulled me up by my collar. The sudden influx of oxygen hurt my lungs, but it didn’t prevent me from gasping for air. I coughed and gagged, tears stinging my eyes. 

“Where is it?” she asked harshly, striking me across the face again when I wasn’t fast enough to answer her. 

“Where is the dagger?” she demanded to know as I tasted my own blood. I turned to look at her and spat right in her face. She shrieked out of anger and knocked me back down on the hardened ground. 

The back of my head throbbed and her hands were secured around my neck again, choking me. 

“Do not make me ask again,” she hissed. “Where is it?!” she screamed as my eyes rolled back and the world became a haze. 

I wasn’t sure what happened next. That woman was choking me the one moment and the next she had suddenly been knocked over. It took me a few more seconds to realize that D.O. had come out of nowhere and tackled her. He was wrestling her and changed into a wolf, biting her shoulder so hard it made her scream. 

“D.O.?” I blinked my eyes, taking shallow breaths as I watched him fight her off. Despite of everything, there was a moment of relief and happiness to see that D.O. was alright. 

Jae! Get out of here! Run! he warned, yelping when she punched him in the stomach and threw him off of her. 

“D.O.!” I cried out, seeing him on the ground, wincing in pain. He quickly changed back to his human form, breathing heavily. 

“You little mongrel, you honestly think you have a chance when fighting me?!” that woman boomed, getting to her feet, her eyes shining a lime green. “You can’t even com-,”

She was cut off when balls of fire and ice simultaneously hit her against the head and she fell down, unmoving for a moment. I used the opportunity to sit up straight, feeling an immense gratitude at seeing Xiumin and Chanyeol appear from the fog. 

I startled when Chen and Lay had appeared beside me, and Kris had risen nearby. 

“Guys,” I started, but was silenced again. 

“No time, noona,” Sehun appeared, holding something in his hand. “We have to run,” he said, as the others helped me up. 

“Where are the others? Is everyone safe?” my voice cracked and sounded hoarse, but that was the least of my concerns right now. 

“We’re fine, despite current circumstances,” Suho replied, as he and Baekhyun helped D.O. get to his feet. “Come on, let’s get out of here!” 

We ran through the dissipating mists, trying to put distance between us, the crazy lady, and the dead forest. 

“You insolent little mutts! You dare defy me?!” that woman shouted from behind us, and honestly, she truly scared me. Especially when she emerged from the fog out of the blue, pouncing like a wild animal, hungry for its prey. 

Kai reacted first, shift shaping into a wolf as he jumped at her, growling viciously as he attacked her. She shrieked as she fought him, eventually overpowering him and casting him aside. The boys were ready to fight her, all of them standing in front of me to protect me. 

That woman had a wild look in her eyes, insanity, I believe was the correct term. She tilted her head to the side, cracking her neck. 

“Where is the dagger, boys?” she asked, a crazy-looking smirk on her face. 

I tried to stay collected when Sehun subtly slipped the dagger into my hands. 

“Don’t know what you’re talking about. Care to be more specific?” Luhan replied with an obvious bite to his words, and she smiled mockingly in return. 

“Well, well, well. Look who found their courage to speak up! Very manly. Do you feel you’ve proven anything?” I cringed when she raised the tone of her voice as she uttered the question. 

“Hand over the dagger, and I can assure you that you come out of this alive, boys. Scathed, but alive,” she cooed. 

“As if! You just tried to kill Jae!” D.O. shouted angrily at her and she pretended like her nose was bleeding. 

“Who? Me, kill precious, little Jae? No! Preposterous!” she feigned, straightening her hair. “Though, I had every right to do so considering that she has stolen property in her possession,” she added darkly. “Choice is yours, boys. Hand her and the dagger over and we’ll never speak of this unpleasantry ever again. Refuse- well, you don’t really have the choice to refuse,” she shrugged, letting out a giggle. 

“Lady, your cheese didn’t just slid off your cracker, it flew off, didn’t it?!” I yelled at her, tightening the grip on the dagger when I heard her laughing. 

“We will never give up Jae, nor the dagger to the likes of you,” Suho stated. 

“Yeah!” Tao shouted, standing at the ready to Wushu the bejesus out of her. 

“Ah, very well,” she replied. “I tried asking, but I guess we’ll have to do this the hard way,” she whispered and moved her hand forward. From her nails flew out thin needles that appeared to be drenched in poison. We scattered at the attack, and the boys went on offensive in the blink of an eye. 

I hated to say this, but that woman wasn’t playing around. She fought off the attacks the boys sent her way, and even though they landed a few good hits, it didn’t prevent her from locating me and barging straight towards me. 

“Jae, run!” Suho shouted at me as he encased her in a water bubble. I did as he said and turned the other way. The fog was slowly dispersing, but to me it still looked thick. I was only just in time to prevent myself from running off a cliff. I stopped and turned around, only to see that that woman had somehow escaped Suho’s attack and was running straight towards me. 

Luhan appeared behind her and with a wave of his hand she flew against a nearby tree, but she picked herself up again, pushing Luhan away. 

“Oh, little darling Jae,” she sang provocatively. “Why are you running, darling? All I want is that shiny dagger in your hands, and perhaps, your life as an added bonus,” she sang. Her voice echoed around me as I continued running along side of the cliff, making sure I wouldn’t fall in by accident. I could even hear the sea rushing, the waves crashing wildly against the wall of the cliff. 

“Ah!” I screamed when I tripped and from the mist appeared the ragged, fuming figure of that woman, her hell green eyes gleaming at me before it darted to something beside me. The dagger had slipped from my hand and I crawled to retrieve it again. My body was driven by adrenaline at this point and I wasn’t even scared or being careful when I got close to the edge of the cliff. 

I screamed again when that woman was ready to pounce on me at seeing me attaining the dagger again and holding it tightly to my chest. 

“Jae, watch out!” Sehun sent a gust of wind her way, making her lose her balance. D.O. stomped the earth as hard as he could and I heard it quake and crack beneath me. The woman fell and attacked them with more needles, but none hit their target, as Lay had put up a protective shield around all of us. 

“You filthy, little street rats! How dare you stand in my way?! I will make you suffer in ways you cannot possibly imagine,” she threatened, though it frightened me to see a certain desperation in her eyes as well. I knew that desperate people would do desperate things to get what they wanted, nothing would go too far. 

“I’ve had just about enough of you, lady!” Kai remarked when he jumped her, grabbing hold of her and disappearing in a cloud of smoke. 

I jumped and blinked, mouth agape and chest heaving. 

“Oh my God! W-where did he-? Kai?!” I yelled, touching my throat as it was still sore. 

“. Kai!” Kris cursed, his voice echoing through the silent forest, bouncing off the walls of the cliff below. 

We all startled when a few seconds later, Kai reappeared, looking exhausted but relieved at the same time. 

“Are you okay?” Chen helped him up as Kai nodded, taking a deep breath. 

“Where the heck did you put her?” Baekhyun managed to chuckle. 

“I could go as far as the other side of the island. The remote part. That should buy us some time,” Kai answered out of breath, though he managed to smirk, and I - freaking finally - got a moment to just breathe. 

I sunk down to the ground, still clutching the dagger as though my life depended on it- and I guess it sort of does - while huffing out some air. I tilted my head back and saw how the grey skies had darkened further and I felt the first drops of rain fall on my face. A soft rumble sounded, and the wind had picked up slightly, warning us from another impending storm.

“Are you okay, noona?” asked Tao, looking worriedly at me from his place on the ground a few feet further away. 

I sighed. “Have I ever told you guys how my life used to be dull and boring before I met you?” I asked, seeing some of them smirk already. “Boy, those were good times,” I joked, chuckling out of relief as they laughed as well. 

“We should probably figure out what to do next in case Lady Crazypants comes back,” Xiumin suggested after we took a break. 

“You’re right. We should recap and process everything,” Suho agreed, getting to his feet. I nodded when he looked at me, but when I stood up, something felt off. Was I- Was I shrinking? 

I gasped audibly when I looked at the earth beneath my feet as it cracked and started to crumble. With the cliff behind me, I was guessing that this was not going to end well. 

I didn’t know who was the first to notice my predicament, but all of them startled as they saw the ground disappear beneath my feet. 

“Guys!” I screamed in alarm. 

“Jae, watch out!” Luhan yelled. 

“Noona!” Chanyeol called out. He reached out his hand and I went to grab it, but my fingers missed his by a hair. I felt myself plummeting down, screaming in shock when Chanyeol dove in after me. His arms around me, we soared through the air. Of course it started raining then. An entire waterfall plummeted down on us. I caught a glimpse of Kris going after us, but a gust of wind knocked him away, as the storm started mercilessly. 

The ocean below us was wild and all I could do was brace for impact and hope that I’d survive it. 

“Chanyeol…” I trembled.

“Hold in your breath, noona, and don’t let go!” he instructed, yelling over the wind. I did as he said.

Chanyeol’s face was the last thing I saw before I slammed into the water and drifted away.