Random Rambles: *Cries a river* 99 chapters OTL and this one is a bit long guys, sorry ^^; Wah it's so weird but this story is really gonna end soon, it may be a little confusing still, but further (few??) chapters will give out all the explanations. As usual, thank you so much for your love and support. Your feedback and encouraging words mean the world to me! I'll update as soon as I can, thank you <3 (P.S. Sorry if there are some mistakes in here, I didn't properly proofread it again because tired lol xD I'll be more diligent with next chapters ^^;)

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The tense silence was interrupted by someone clapping hands. While the others turned around to see who broke the silence, D.O. still watched in disbelief at Jae staring incredulously at Mr. Tabi. He found that he couldn’t quite take his gaze from the biology teacher as well. Maybe it was still the shock of having nearly drowned and being brought back to life that got him shook up, but D.O. knew that the numbness he felt now was that of betrayal. 

He had never seen the cold look in Mr. Tabi’s eyes before, how colder they seemed with that grim grin on his face. It couldn’t be… he still thought. Not him… he still doubted. Was this a trick? Did that woman have Mr. Tabi under some kind of smell?

D.O. nearly felt his heart harden when he saw the violet glow, the blue hair, the clarity in his eyes. No. This was all him.

Familiar anger seeped through his veins as his brain slowly progressed the situation and by the time he had turned around to the man who had entered the chamber, his eyes were glowing fiercely red. 

“What a beautiful performance! I must commend you all, such splendid entertainment!” the voice was chilling enough to send a shiver down his spine, but that only caused his body to tense up in a state of heightened alertness. There he was, the Black Imoogi in the flesh. His stomach turned when he saw Mr. Tabi walk slowly towards the man, with the dagger he had easily took from an unsuspecting Jae.

“Mr. Tabi! What are you doing?!” Suho exclaimed and D.O. was too late to respond himself when he saw that Kai had moved from behind him, attempting to stop the teacher from handing the dagger to that man. 

“Kai, wait-,” his warning came too late. Out of the blue, D.O. felt like snakes had slithered around his ankles and arms. He tried to escape but the bonds held him down and he saw that they were vines. Thick, strong vines that coiled easily around them, holding them in place. D.O. felt the muscle beneath his eye twitch when he saw the violet glow around Mr. Tabi’s hands and knew that he was the one that summoned the vines. Magic, like us? He frowned deeply as he struggled in the tight grasp of the vines. Who is he? Why can’t I remember him? 

“I’m sorry, boys,” Mr. Tabi apologized soullessly. “Let’s face it, you would’ve found out one way or the other,” he spoke calmly, which only angered D.O. more. He didn’t understand how the man was able to bow before the black snake as if he revered it. He grunted when the teacher gave the dagger to the black snake, none of them being able to do anything about it. 

“You traitor,” Jae spoke softly, voicing his own thoughts. “You traitor!” she yelled, her dark hair turning to cyan green tresses as her eyes shone golden when she leapt towards Mr. Tabi. D.O. could nearly feel her growl reverberate in his own chest. He watched breathlessly, seeing Jae leap towards Mr. Tabi, but was startled when he saw the lead pipes from the dark walls move on their own, shooting towards her at great speed. None of them even had time to tell her to watch out as they grasped her, leaving her dangling in mid-air like a helpless puppet on a string. 

D.O. grunted as he pulled and pushed, but the vines were too strong. He smelled something burning nearby and noticed Chanyeol trying to sear the plants, but more only came in their stead. 

Mr. Tabi smiled in amusement at Jae, giving a small wave of the hand when she was pulled back by the metal bonds and D.O. cringed at hearing her slam against the wall. He witnessed how she snapped her head towards the only remaining scientist that had stood idly by until now. He exchanged glances with Baekhyun, who was closest to him, the expression on his face mimicking his own shock. 

“Mianhe, Miss Jae,” Mr. Kang muttered ruefully as he used one hand to keep the bonds tight around Jae’s limbs, his eyes glowing a pallid yellow. With his free hand he smoothed over his blonde hair, turning it a silver white as he did so. He’s also one of them?! What’s going on?! 

“What- Mr. Kang…?” Jae breathed in disbelief. Kumiho appeared by the young scientist’s side, leaning casually on his shoulder as if they’ve known each other for years. 

“See? I told you a bleeding heart is useless, Tweedle Dee,” she chuckled, blowing a green mist in his direction while he turned away from her. 

“Stop it, Kumiho,” he said, with a face that signaled regret, though D.O. couldn’t come up with a reason why. All he felt right now was anger more than confusion, though, the bitter sting of betrayal still piercing his heart. He turned his focus towards Mr. Tabi then, and that bitterness and anger only grew. 

“How can you just stand there and grin?!” he yelled. “We trusted you! All these years, all this time- and you knew?!” I trusted you, was what he really wanted to say. All those years of you looking out for us, taking the time to get to know us as people not just students, all of it was a lie? 

Perhaps Mr. Tabi could hear his thoughts. If he was truly like them, it wouldn’t surprise him at all if the teacher did hear him. Frankly, he didn’t care. He wanted Mr. Tabi to feel the hurt he caused. Why even bother saving my life? 

D.O. thought he saw a flash of remorse come and go just as easily when Mr. Tabi turned to look at him. 

“Ah, Kyungsoo-ah,” he started, “boys,” he said, “I never quite told you to trust me, did I?” 

D.O. couldn’t believe what he was hearing. None of them probably could. Was it that easy for their teacher to betray them? And for what? That snake? If they came from Exo planet too, then how come he had no memories of these three?

“You traitor,” Kai spat out. “Liar!” he yelled. 

“Liar?” Mr. Tabi repeated, chuckling. “Are you mad that I lied, Jongin, or are you mad that you believed those lies?” he asked without remorse at all this time. 

“Now, now, Seunghyun, there is no need to be so cold to these little cubs,” Mr. Yok suddenly interjected and D.O. hated how that man made him feel. Now that he thought about it, this was probably the first time he saw the black snake don the appearance of the one thing he loathed and deemed unworthy in the entire world: a human. At first glance, he didn’t seem like an extraordinary person at all. He was middle-aged, had properly groomed dark hair and wore glasses. But, D.O. noted, his eyes were cold. His eyes were dark. His smile was sly and conniving, like that of a true serpent. And when he spoke, the atmosphere chilled. The air seemed thicker, darker and colder, as if all happiness and hope had vanished.

Snarling softly when Mr. Yok turned to glance at them, he openly bared his teeth towards him, though he doubted the man would notice. 

“And you,” he pointed out, “shouldn’t be so harsh on your revered teacher,” he mocked whilst patting Mr. Tabi on the shoulder. “He taught you a most important lesson; listening to teacher is not always good for you. Consider it a free life lesson, boys!” The black snake looked at them in mirth, wringing his hands together in delight as he put the dagger in the inner pocket of his jacket. D.O. continued to feel his anger growing. 

“It’s been quite a while, boys,” the man breathed, his smile wide. “How long has it been? It seems like ages have passed, and I see you haven’t changed at all, though I doubt you fully remember. I was so surprised when I sent Seunghyun to find you and to hear from him that your memories seem to have been lost. Scattered, obliterated,” he gestured, grinning evilly. “Very much like your previous world.”

“You bastard!” Kris scolded loudly, while D.O grunted at feeling the vines tighten around him. Mr. Yok turned his head slowly towards Kris as he walked towards him, the way he moved reminiscent of a snake slithering over the ground. 

“So, your memories have returned… But not completely,” he spoke, grabbing Kris’ face, arching his eyebrows in amusement when he saw his gleaming red eyes. “The Guardian who flies,” he mused, a sneer on his face. “The blasphemous fraud that dared compare himself to mighty dragons, and yet, lacks the ability to even spit fire.” 

Kris growled. “At least I know how to fly. Tell me, what’s it like to wade around in the mud all day amongst the worms, hm?” he exclaimed when the vines tightened further and Kris glared at Mr. Tabi, who was responsible for ensnaring them like this. “Tighten the vines all you want, you traitor! Just wait until I get out of this!” 

Don’t you dare, Kris! D.O. thought, prompting his brothers to glance at him if their bonds allowed it. This guy’s mine. 

“Yes, I’m curious to see how you’ll be flying around in circles around my head, I’m sure that will show me,” Mr. Tabi mocked. 

“And what do you plan to do, huh? Bore me to death with your biology lessons?!” Kris retaliated. 

“You really don’t want to piss me off, son,” he then threatened.

“Don’t you dare call me son,” Kris said viciously. 

“Kris, enough,” Suho tried to calm him down, though the fury in his voice was evident as well. D.O. noticed how Jae was trying to get out of the metal bonds that Mr. Kang had placed on her, but he didn’t want her to get herself into trouble. Just when he wanted to warn her telepathically, he overheard her speaking to Mr. Kang instead. D.O. was aware how the scientist seemed to be the only one that behaved differently from the others. He couldn’t quite look Jae straight in the eyes as he kept her trapped. 

Everyone has their reasons for being the way they are, for doing the things they do. I meant it when I said those words to you, Miss Jae. Don’t take this personal, Mr. Kang said, which irked D.O..

Don’t take this personally?! He startled at hearing Jae yell like that, but he couldn’t help but feel a little proud as well. 

Are you out of your mind? You worked beside my father all this time, you’ve spoken to us as though we could rely on you! You won our trust, our sympathy, and you go around stabbing people in the back! And now you expect us to just accept the fact that everything you do is for your so-called reasons and that validates your actions? You’ve lost your mind! 

Jae was right, D.O. thought, they couldn’t just let them get away with this without a fight. 

“You know,” Mr. Yok interjected as he looked at them. “You are not the same guardians I once knew, but I suppose that’s a consequence of getting rid of the Great Tree. You’re weaker than you used to be.” He eyed them all like an eagle encircling its prey, stopping briefly upon seeing Chanyeol trying his best to scorch off the vines. But each time he turned them to dust, more vines came in its place. Mr. Yok grinned in jest at him. 

“I remember you,” he mused in a mere whisper, but Chanyeol was wise not to even grace him with a reply. His flames only grew hotter, grew bigger. His attention was then caught by a fiercely struggling Kai, who was riddled in black smoke. He tried to teleport away, but the vines held him back each time. 

“Careful with this one, Seunghyun. His fighting spirit is valuable. I don’t want you to damage him. He’s the traveling Guardian, always riddled in smoke,” he said as he leaned towards Kai who openly growled at him. “Darkness becomes you, my boy,” he murmured. “Why are you still fighting a battle you’ve already lost?” 

“What is that supposed to mean, sir?” Miss Kumiho suddenly spoke, looking anxious at seeing her master speak like this. 

Mr. Yok laughed. “So territorial! Calm down, my love, I’m merely getting reacquainted with these boys. It’s been so long.”

Mr. Tabi smirked as he watched the interaction and D.O. kept his gaze on the teacher then. He remembered things he didn’t want to at that moment. Remembered how he was the first teacher to take notice of him. The first one to take the time to talk to him and to get to know him. The only teacher that understood his situation, who taught him not to pay any attention to the bullies and that he was actually worth something. Mr. Tabi had always been encouraging and understanding, but D.O. knew now that none of that had meant anything. It was a game from the start, a ruse for the teacher to get close to him, to get close to all of them. All this time, he’s been working for the black snake…

He felt his body tense even further, felt himself trembling out of rage despite being held down by the powerful vines. At that moment, something inside of him snapped. 

“Why?!” he yelled out of the blue. He must’ve been interrupting Mr. Yok while he spoke since the latter focused his attention on him. D.O. only kept looking at Mr. Tabi. 

“Why are you doing this?!” he asked the man, without so much as granting Mr. Yok a glance. “You know what he plans to do to this world and you help him?!” Mr. Tabi’s eyebrows arched briefly as D.O. glared at him, sending him daggers with his gaze. “Why are you doing this?!” he repeated, the earth trembling beneath his feet. “You’re like us, aren’t you? So why are you fighting on his side?!”

Mr. Tabi blinked slightly, though he shifted his gaze towards his master as if he was asking him for permission to answer. It made D.O.’s eye twitch at seeing it. Was he no more than a dog then? One who obeyed his master?

“You want to know why I fight for him, Kyungsoo-ah?” he then started, violet eyes glowing as he scanned over his former pupils. “Allow me to answer with another question,” he mused with a lopsided grin. 

“Why did you fight for the Tree back home?” he questioned, tilting his chin slightly. The question startled D.O., as he hadn’t expected him to pose it. He knew about the Tree? He has similar powers to us… Who is he? He swallowed hard. He had a feeling that he should remember Mr. Tabi from Exo planet, but there was a gap where that memory should’ve been. 

“The Tree protects life. It doesn’t take it away,” it was Luhan that answered in his stead while he was racking his brain. 

“The Tree takes care of the world, takes care of the living creatures living in it! It doesn’t kill, it doesn’t allow itself to be guided by greed and power, and it certainly doesn’t betray anything or anyone!” 

“Doesn’t betray, says you?!” Miss Kumiho suddenly interrupted as she clacked her heels while she walked towards Luhan, sliding her nail over the side of his face without cutting him. “Can I play with this pretty face to punish him for his annoying ignorance?”

“Kumiho,” Mr. Tabi warned as the woman hissed and backed away from Luhan, standing next to her master. 

“So you claim to fight for the Tree for those reasons,” he summed up. “They are why you are so filial,” he stated rather than asked, smirking when none of them spoke. 

“These were my reasons, all our reasons, too, once upon a time,” he then revealed as D.O. felt like he got punched in the stomach all over again. All our reasons? Their reasons?! 

“Wha-y-you?! You’re guardians?!” Suho exclaimed in shock. 

“Were guardians,” Miss Kumiho corrected with a bored, icy tone. 

Guardians? Them? No, there were twelve of us! If they were guardians we would’ve remembered… D.O. found it difficult to breathe. But, you didn’t remember Jae, either, did you? 

“Did you really think you were the only ones? Did you blatantly forget that there were others before you?” It was Mr. Tabi’s turn to sound angry this time. “We’re your sunbaenim, you should be more respectful! The White Imoogi chose us first. We were there since the beginning of the world, by his side, always protecting the world he held dear. But do you know what he did to repay us for that loyalty?”

White Imoogi… D.O.’s eyes flashed towards Mr. Yok, how darkly he smirked as Mr. Tabi elaborated. Of course, how could I forget? They were brothers. The White Imoogi and the Black Imoogi. They balanced the world, but something changed. D.O. remembered how the White Snake and the Black Snake would always fight for dominance. It was the White Imoogi that ruled the world, but his devious brother was always watching, always trying to attack. He had weakened his own brother and then…What happened next? The White Imoogi was replaced, but not by this guy, not by Mr. Yok. 

D.O. blinked. The voice…

“We were discarded,” Mr. Tabi continued as D.O. tried his best to focus again. Though his mind was racing a hundred miles a minute. 

“The white snake, that chose to shed his scales and magnificent wings to don a coat of fur, to be closer to the people he cared for, or so he said - had no longer need for us,” Mr. Tabi elaborated bitterly. 

“He betrayed us,” Miss Kumiho then added, glaring at Luhan for emphasis. 

“Replaced us, with younger models. As though we were nothing, as if centuries of service didn’t mean anything!” 

D.O. crushed his eyes shut a moment when Mr. Tabi’s vines tightened themselves again, more snaking around his arms and legs, even around his torso and neck to keep him from moving. As if having drowned wasn’t enough impact for his lungs, now they were being crushed by a bunch of vines. 

“That’s why I’m on his side,” Mr. Tabi gestured towards Mr. Yok. “Your Tree of Life is gone. There is no great guardian left to protect anything anymore!”

“So you choose to destroy alongside of this guy because it’s easier?!” Kris grunted with strained voice. 

“I follow him because he has kept his promises thus far. I follow him because he doesn’t delude my mind with dreams and wishes that can never come true!” Mr. Tabi’s voice was loud and deep as he yelled. “The white wolf filled our heads with silly dreams of light and hope, of a perfect world which the ugliness of darkness could never touch. A world where all our desires would be fulfilled. A balanced world of peace…” there was a slight tremble in his voice before he hardened himself again. “There is no such thing. It doesn’t exist!” he exclaimed. “And he lied about the darkness. Made us loathe it. But darkness, as we found out, was most welcoming. It didn’t cover the world with beautiful lies, no, darkness showed the world as it truly was. An ugly truth, but an honest one.” 

D.O. would’ve probably felt a hint of sympathy towards his former teacher, had he not still been seething with anger. He had to admit, however, that there was a certain sadness about Mr. Tabi when he explained, but all he concentrated on in the end, was what he was saying. He still needed to make sense of everything, but D.O. couldn’t think straight at the moment. The vines were suffocating him along with the new information he had to process. 

As he tried to sigh, he noticed that a certain feisty she-wolf was moving on the wall she was pinned on. His hope reignited when he saw that Jae had managed to wriggle herself loose from the bonds. Mr. Kang wasn’t paying attention to her, but D.O. was worried. What is she doing? Doesn’t she see that if she does something stupid, we can’t protect her?! He honestly didn’t need the additional stress at the moment, but what else could he do?

Jae, be careful, warned subtly, trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible, not knowing whether the girl could actually hear him or not. If anyone sees you- 

Relax, D.O., rang her gentle voice in his head, soothing over the worries and concerns that resided there. I got this, and I won’t leave you guys hanging. We’ll figure something out. 

D.O. risked glancing up to look at her, not looking away until she had seen him and had given him an assuring nod. He didn’t like it at all to be unable to do anything to help her or help himself, for that matter. He hated being helpless. It fuelled his rage further, but the instinct to want to protect Jae was still greater. Perhaps that girl got under his skin a lot deeper than he initially thought. 

Be careful, Jae, he added again for good measure. Or I’ll be the one that kills you. All he got in return was wan laughter. 

“This world is cold, and there is no one that cares,” Mr. Tabi was still talking and D.O. hesitated on whether he should try to signal the others about what Jae was trying to do. He decided against it since he saw that they were being watched carefully now. 

“You’re wrong,” Suho suddenly answered very softly. His body was stiff and had more vines coiled over him than the others. Still, the unwavering determination in the leader’s eyes was more than admirable. Stupid, but admirable. 

“A balanced world filled with light and goodness will always exist if there are people around willing to fight for it. To despair and let yourself fall into darkness is to throw away hope itself.” At any given day, D.O. would’ve thought that Suho was being a dramatic sap, but not now. He felt exactly the same way. 

“You were a guardian once. You of all people, should’ve known this,” the leader commented, angering their former teacher. 

“Argh, kid, wake up!” he boomed. “Look at you! Your precious Tree is dead and you still aim to defend it! You don’t know what it’s like, having dedicated your entire life protecting something, putting the entire world before yourself, not having a real life of your own! Only to find out later that you get cast aside like garbage for your trouble, that you would be replaced by others!” he growled. “Mr. Yok gives credit where credit’s due. Rewards those that are loyal to him. That is all a guardian could ask for,” he added quietly, but the tension was clear. Suho bore a look of utter disgust and disappointment on his face. 

“You’ve really fallen, Mr. Tabi,” was his calm response, letting out another pained gasp as the vines became even tighter. The vines traveled up his leg, slithered over his chest and coiled itself around his neck. The leader gasped and grunted, body twitching but unable to move. D.O. watched in shock as Suho’s eyes started to roll back, his face turning blue. 

“Stop it! You’re killing him!” it was Kris that shouted before he could, earning the taller teen the same vines that coiled around his neck. Mr. Tabi was doing this. D.O. saw how violet his eyes were, how stark its contrast was compared to his blue hair. It didn’t look like he was going to stop anytime soon. 

“That is enough, Seunghyun,” Mr. Yok suddenly warned, placing his hand on the man’s shoulder as the violet glow in his eyes slowly dimmed. 

Suho and Kris coughed and gasped for air, but the vines didn’t leave their necks. D.O. felt them around his neck, as well. 

“Why?” Miss Kumiho then asked in obvious disdain. “Why not kill them now? You have what you want, sir. We don’t need them anymore,” she hissed. 

“My little fox,” Mr. Yok shushed. “Have you forgotten that we still require them to supply the dagger of the proper energy until I can create my own Tree?” he asked derivatively. 

“But they were about to make another Tree with the dagger in its current condition!” she protested heavily, nearly hysterically. She really wants us dead, doesn’t she? 

“All you need to do is connect the dagger with the natural leylines of the earth and we’ll have succeeded! You don’t need these mongrels anymore. All you need is us,” she argued, sounding desperate. 

“Of course I need you,” the man replied, caressing her cheek as her eyes fluttered shut and D.O. frowned deeply. Why does he keep calling her little fox? Argh! Why can’t I remember?! 

We need to escape, Luhan’s voice suddenly sounded in his head, but D.O. was unable to turn his head to look at his brother. 

No , Lu-hyung! Kai cussed as Suho clacked his tongue. If you’re gonna tell me to watch my language, Suho-hyung, I’ll bite you first before I’ll get to any one of them! 

Guys, focus! We need to distract them and get out of here, said Xiumin as his frost did nothing to stop the vines. 

You don’t honestly think that there’s anything you could do to escape, do you? The black snake smirked at them, his eyes glowing with delight. The boys froze upon hearing his icy voice in their minds, how it slithered inside like an unwanted guest. 

“I hear everything, boys,” he spoke. “Don’t insult me,” he added for good measure. “There is nothing you can do to escape, nothing you can do to stop me. You are Guardians without anything to guard, why do you persist on fighting me? Accept your defeat, don’t make it harder than it already is,” he tried to coax with a voice as smooth as velvet. “Tell me all of the dagger’s secrets and I promise I will spare this world you’ve grown to love,” he stated. “You were closest to the Tree. It must’ve told you how to revive it when the time was right. Tell me.” 

Silence fell. No one spoke. Mr. Yok continued looking at all of them, his face contorting into angered dismay when none of them answered. 

“Is this how you wish to play, boys?” he asked. “Do you know nothing of the gravity of the situation you’re in? Do you truly need me to show you how serious I am?” 

“Show them,” Miss Kumiho whispered, her eyes already lighting up. “Show them, master,” she coaxed him in a breathy whisper. 

“B-but, we need them, don’t we?” Mr. Kang interjected in a quiet voice. “I-if you harm them, sir…” he trailed off, the words falling silent on his tongue when Mr. Yok glared at him. The atmosphere in the chamber was heavy, filled with foreboding. 

“There’s no need to worry, Mr. Kang,” said the black snake. “We have our very own healer, right here!” he grabbed Lay by the chin as the healer struggled in his grasp. “Of course there is very much reason to worry, if I decide to make an example out of him.” 

D.O. winced visibly at hearing Lay yelp in pain. “Yah! Leave him alone!” he yelled, his brothers protesting while trying to escape. 

“Must this truly be the way each time, boys? Must I hurt you first before I get what I want?” Mr. Yok asked as he tortured Lay, leaving angry marks on his skin, causing the healer’s eyes to glow a dangerous red as if the pain seared through his entire being. 

“Stop it!” 

“Lay-hyung!” 

“Let him go!” 

The earth beneath them trembled and D.O. could feel the energy rising. This was him, and they needed to know that. The lights flickered overhead and he could sense Baekhyun everywhere. Mr. Tabi showed concern when he noticed the shift in energy as his vines multiplied and tightened their grip. 

“That’s it, boys, unleash your full powers,” Mr. Yok laughed. The bastard laughed! D.O. tried to turn his head to check up on Lay, but he couldn’t see him. Hold on, Lay-hyung, he thought hard. Hold on. Hold on- D.O. startled when he noticed movement behind the distracted Mr. Kang and he nearly groaned out loud when he saw Jae wriggling herself loose from her metal bonds, one by one. Her movements became more erratic when her eyes moved towards Lay, pulling on her legs frantically to get loose. 

What is she doing? 

“Enough!” Kris screamed. 

“Don’t hurt him!” Suho added, the leader cringing when Lay gasped sharply for breath. 

“No? Shall I put him out of his misery instead then?” Mr. Yok mocked to which the pack replied with a resounding ‘no!’, causing him to laugh. “Then will you tell me what I need to know?” he asked, waiting for someone to reply. At this point the boys probably realized that he was going to want to get his way one way or the other, but they knew about as much as he did where the dagger was concerned. 

He wouldn’t believe us, though. D.O. tried to think on his feet, but he was barely recovering from everything and his body, as much as he disliked it, was tired. His eyes darted towards Jae now, how she managed to free her leg and was busy trying to get the other one out. 

“Just tell us what we want to know, boys,” Mr. Tabi said. “It’ll be better that way.” 

D.O. sneered. “We don’t know anything,” he spat out. “You said it yourself, our memories aren’t what they used to be. We know as much as you do, so good luck figuring it out on your own!” 

He didn’t look away when Mr. Yok glanced at him and held his gaze. The man approached him steadily, but D.O. didn’t even blink. He wasn’t afraid of him and he wanted to make sure the black snake was aware of that. He definitely wanted Mr. Tabi to know that as well. He expected for Mr. Yok to say something, the way he approached him, but there came no smart remark, no sassy retort. 

“Very well,” was all the man said before his hand shot towards D.O.’s throat, squeezing tightly, but the pain he felt wasn’t that of suffocation. The man’s touch alone burned. It seared. It singed. D.O. felt the most horrid pain seep through his skin into his blood, running towards his brain, plaguing his mind with nightmarish imageries of memories he never thought he had. 

“I can’t quite recall,” Mr. Yok suddenly mused. “Was their healer able to heal someone near death?” he threatened, chuckling out loud as he squeezed harder. “Shall we find out, my boy?” he asked and D.O. widened his eyes at the sharp pain that shot throughout his body. His surroundings died down as he felt himself slipping away no matter how hard he was trying to fight. As he was teetering between consciousness and certain death, he was surprised to see Mr. Yok’s head bob forward a bit as if it was hit by something. The grasp he had on him released and D.O. in the sweet air, the pain slipping away from him. 

As he recovered, he saw a sneaker near his own feet and he blinked, looking up in disbelief as he saw a panting Jae, holding another, similar sneaker in her hand, standing in her socks. D.O. didn’t know why he noticed that she wore Totoro socks or why he thought it was cute at a moment like this, but he wasn’t the only one that was taken aback by her standing there. Mr. Kang was gaping at her as he was probably wondering how she managed to escape his metal bonds. Mr. Tabi looked like he was still trying to process what he was seeing, with Miss Kumiho looking on indignantly, but obviously startled. 

As for the black snake himself, his shock was masked by a look of irritation, the kind of expression someone would have when they saw a fly in their soup. His eyebrow twitched when he saw Jae standing there, turning his attention away from the pack. 

Jae, what are you doing? Get out of here, run! D.O. yelled at her, and the only sign of her having heard him was when she glanced towards him briefly before fixating her gaze on Mr. Yok again. 

“What do you think you’re-,”

Mr. Yok wasn’t given a chance to even finish his sentence as Jae blatantly threw her other sneaker at his head. He was so surprised at the audacity that he didn’t even deflect it. It landed against his face, bounced down his chest and landed on the ground with a sad thud. 

“You little-!” Miss Kumiho screeched, about to charge towards her. 

“Kumiho!” Mr. Yok’s voice bouldered throughout the chamber, stopping her, eyes glaring at Jae. D.O. didn’t like how he was appraising her, sizing her up as she stood as straight as possible, standing her ground. 

You idiot, run away! he grunted at her, but she stood unmoving. 

“And who are you, child?” Mr. Yok then asked as he kept staring at Jae. 

She breathed. “You know who I am.” 

“I meant, who were you then,” he corrected in annoyance. “A little fox claimed that there was a thirteenth member in a pack for a dozen and that doesn’t add up for me. I don’t like it when my careful calculations turn out wrong, my dear,” he said, and it was D.O. who growled when the man dared to skim his hand lightly over Jae’s cheek. 

“I feel like I should know you…” he peered at her as her angry expression never changed. Mr. Yok caught sight of one of the sneakers and something in his eyes shifted. 

“There was only one creature I recall that had the blatant audacity to defy me,” he hissed at her. “A scrawny, little peasant girl who threw away my Yeouiju, setting me back many years until I found it again,” he spoke threateningly, holding up her chin as he inspected her, and D.O. knew that his brothers were just as angry as he was when the man leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. 

Whatever he said startled Jae, the shock evident on her face when he pulled away. Then, the anger came. The look on her face was one that he had the misfortune of seeing once or twice, but this time he regretted it that there weren’t enough twigs or stones around for her to throw. 

“Let them go,” she demanded. “You have your dagger, what more do you need?” 

“May I please have permission to kill at least this one, sir?” Kumiho interrupted, her eyes already set on Jae. “She has no use for us.” 

“Is that so?” Mr. Yok questioned, his gaze moving back and forth between Jae and the rest of the pack. “Perhaps you should take care of this little, feisty cub, my little fox. Perhaps that will make these stubborn guardians talk.” 

“They won’t, though,” Jae replied before Kumiho could touch her. “And if they would answer you, they’d lie to tell you what you want to hear only so that they’ll save me from whatever atrocities this crazy chick has planned for me.” 

What are you doing, Jae? D.O. asked in suspicion, since there was something in her eyes that he didn’t like. He blinked in confusion when he saw her dart her eyes his way, but as he thought about it, it didn’t seem like she was actually looking at him. She heard him, that much was certain, but she hadn’t been making eye contact with him. Was she looking at Baekhyun? Sehun, perhaps? What’s behind us? What was she planning?

“How refreshing,” the black snake mused. “You told me how fascinating she was, Seunghyun, but I hadn’t quite expected this. What am I to do with this one?” he wondered out loud. 

“Give her to me, sir,” Kumiho urged, ready to sink her poisonous nails into Jae’s skin. 

“I can help,” Jae suddenly spoke, surprising Mr. Yok, and the pack too, for that matter. 

“Jae,” Suho hissed at her, and she looked at their direction again, but she wasn’t actually looking at them. D.O. wished that he could turn his neck to see what she kept glancing at, but the vines were still too tight. What was obvious though, was that she was planning something. 

“I know what you need to create a Tree of Life- or Death, whichever suits your sick preference,” she elaborated, not afraid to show her disdain towards him. 

Mr. Yok blasted out a throaty laugh. “She’s funny! Neither of you mentioned that,” he said to his lackeys. “And tell me, my dear, how is it that someone like you knows what to do when even the twelve guardians of Exo planet have not a single clue?” 

Jae shrugged as coolly as she could, but she was nervous. “Guess I’m the only one who’s smart in this room then.” 

She was bluffing. And lying terribly, enough to make D.O. wince. Why does she keep looking this way? he pondered.

“She’s lying, sir!” Kumiho argued fiercely, but Jae wouldn’t allow herself to be dismissed so easily. 

“I can show you how. But you have to let them go first,” she negotiated, though Mr. Yok only laughed harder at her demands and who could blame him? Surely even Jae had to be aware of how she was at a disadvantage. 

“Do you take me for a fool?” the man replied with a vicious voice. 

“Fine then,” she conceded. “Then show me the dagger. I can’t show you unless I see the dagger.” 

“You will tell me what I need to know right here, right now. That’s it,” Mr. Yok clarified as Jae swallowed hard. Again her eyes flashed over them and it was then that D.O. realized that she was actually looking at the massive hole in the wall that lead towards the fake forest. Why would she do that? Was she trying to signal the rest of them to escape through there? Or did she see something there? 

“I can’t explain it without the dagger,” she persisted. 

“Don’t believe her, sir, she’s trying to trick you!” Kumiho intervened. 

“Not everyone is as sly as a fox,” Jae shot back, causing the woman to stalk towards Jae as she roughly grabbed the girl’s hair and pulled her head back so she could look down on her. 

“Go on then. Say something else, I dare you,” Kumiho whispered, her hands caressing Jae’s skin. 

“Play nice, Kumiho, let the girl go,” Mr. Yok suddenly ordered, which obviously startled the woman. 

“But, sir-,” 

“You disobey me?” 

Kumiho breathed in defeat and roughly let go of Jae. Mr. Yok then stepped towards her again until they were standing in front of each other. 

“Show me,” he said. Jae glanced at him and waited a moment, her eyes darting again to the hole in the wall. 

“The dagger,” she replied. “Or we can do this all day,” she added for good measure.

After a moment’s pondering, Mr. Yok finally moved, alarming Kumiho greatly. “Very well,” he conceded, “but you don’t touch it.”

“Naturally,” said Jae as he reached to his inner pocket for the dagger. She turned her head again this time, but now she was actually looking at them. 

Trust me. Get ready.

D.O. loathed those sentences. Why would she, for the love of all that is good and holy in this world, say those two sentences? This smelled of trouble. 

His heart thumped loudly in his chest when Mr. Yok revealed the dagger towards her, though he didn’t allow her to touch it. He seemed truly desperate enough to not see through the fact that this was a set up. Or is he doing this on purpose as well? 

“Show me,” he demanded, voice void of earlier pleasantries. What would Jae do? Biting his lip, D.O. watched her move towards the black snake, though she obviously kept her distance. Seeing her nervous made him nervous as well. What are you up to? 

“Well, y-you see,” she cleared , seemingly recovering, pointing at the dagger. “Even though it’s technically recharged with energy, there’s still one thing missing,” she tried to explain, making stuff up. “Here, you see this?” she pointed at the hilt as it meant something, which D.O. highly doubted to begin with. 

“Well, the main problem with this is quite simple, the issue with this is mostly the fact that... You are the one who owns the dagger,” she suddenly finished her sentence, looking straight up at him, her hand around the blade, face unflinching. “Let’s remedy that,” she said, grabbing the dagger from a raging black snake as she made a run for it towards the hole in the wall. 

“Guys, if you were waiting for a cue this is it!” she squealed as she ran past them, shrieking upon seeing over a dozen vines shooting towards her, attempting to catch her. 

“Get her! Do not let her escape! I want that dagger!” Mr. Yok exclaimed in outrage as Kumiho was the first to respond, running after Jae. Meanwhile, the pack resorted to trying their best to escape Mr. Tabi’s vines, but finding it difficult to do so.

“Jae-noona, watch out!” Tao screamed and in the chaos, D.O. managed to loosen the vines slightly so it was possible for him to turn around. Jae was pinned against the wall by a furious Miss Kumiho who was bearing her teeth at her. 

“I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, darling,” she mused holding Jae down. “This is the end for you, you insolent mongrel,” she whispered into her ear. 

“Get rid of her, Kumiho!” the black snake yelled impatiently. 

“I’d be honored, sir,” the woman replied. 

D.O.’s entire body was trembling as he desperately tried to make his escape. 

“Jae! NO!” he yelled, his brothers echoing him. 

“End of the line, darling,” Kumiho spoke as she lifted her arm to strike Jae with her venom. Jae crushed her eyes shut when Kumiho brought her hand down, but what happened next- even D.O. wasn’t sure. 

Out from the hole in the wall, from the fake forest on the other side, emerged a roar he had never heard in his entire life. So mighty and frightening it nearly shocked him into a heart attack. 

A white wolf leapt from the wall, so big in its stature it resembled a bear and pushed Kumiho forcefully down before heading to his next target; Mr. Tabi. 

The startled teacher responded by slithering more of his vines towards the white beast, but with one simple snap of the jaw and the vines were cut. All of them were. 

D.O. never felt more relief at feeling his own arms and legs again as he made the earth tremble to make Mr. Yok lose his balance. The white wolf growled as it started its attack, but for some reason, Jae nodded in response. 

“Kai!” she called out in the chaos as the white wolf was facing Mr. Tabi and Mr. Kang now. “We have to get out of here!”

“No! Kumiho, stop them!” Mr. Yok yelled as shadows emerged and grew, coming to life as they rushed towards the pack. Kumiho pushed herself off the ground, still in a daze. She heard her master’s command and quickly tried to get to her feet, but was stopped, the moment the white wolf turned around to roar at her. The woman was so shocked she froze in place. 

D.O. would be lying if he said that the beast didn’t frighten him at all. Without thinking, he gathered a pair of lost sneakers from the floor and joined his brothers and Jae as they fled from shadows and angry black snakes. Kai’s smoke surrounded them, but his eyes were still fixed on the white beast and how startled Mr. Yok looked when he saw it. 

D.O. was probably mistaken when he thought he heard the black snake call the white wolf ‘brother’ before the black smoke engulfed them completely.