The Ninth Circle of Hell

The king is dead!

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Jongdae watch as the arrow float in the air, the fire fighting with the air, not wanting to go out. It was nearing the boat, and the world stopped for the prince. A scream got out of his lips, his eyes turned violent purple, and the sky turned black. Within half a second a calm morning turned into what felt like a middle of a storm. The wind came, disturbing the waters, and breaking trees at the side of the shore. The temperature dropped, waters became uneasy. And lightning struck twice from the sky.

Junmyeon was running as fast as he could, with Yixing just a few steps behind him. His heart was beating fastly, adrenaline was running through his veins. He had to make it.

When he ran outside, at first, he was blinded by light, but only a second later dark clouds covered the sky. ‘Jongdae.’ He started looking for his parents, but he couldn’t find them amongst the endless amount of Hyades.

“Yixing!” he yelled, his voice desperate.

“Here, Junmyeon, they’re here!” Yixing quickly shouted back, standing a few meters away from his love, looking down at the bridge.

The prince quickly moved towards him, and then passing his fiancé, he ran towards his parents.

“No!” he shouted, “you cannot! You’ll kill him!”

The queen turned back, her face stained with tears, “he’s already dead, my darling.”

“No! You don’t understand!” he yelled again, and then two lightning struck down from the sky, right into the boat, on which Minseok laid.

Junmyeon was fascinated. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

One lightning hit the boat, then another, and suddenly, a massive wall of force emerged from the boat, covering every single thing around in ice.

The water in the bay froze. The trees around started cracking. Snow started falling from the sky. The ground around the castle were covered in ice. The eastern side of the royal residency looked like a frozen waterfall, massive amounts of ice covering the walls, forming terrifying shapes. The bridge on which the royal family stood looked as if built from snow.

And when Junmyeon turned around, all the Hyades were frozen to death. His heart stopped, as he looked for his fiancé. He was about to scream, when Yixing emerged from behind one of the frozen women. Junmyeon let out a sigh of relief and turned into the direction of the boat. There he saw the previously burning arrow fall to the ground and break into pieces, and then a black smoke appeared on the boat, just to disappear seconds later.

“Jongin,” Junmyeon mumbled, quickly turning back, “Yixing!” he exclaimed and started running.

“Junmyeon!” he heard his mother voice, “Junmyeon, stop right now!”

“Go find Jongdae and Baekhyun. Find Minseok, I’ll join you in a moment,” he quickly whispered to his lover, and turned int his mother’s direction.

“Junmyeon!” she repeated, nearing him.

“This is the end, Mother,” he said, “trust me, and you might get your son back.”

“Junnie – “

“No,” he took a step back, “you don’t understand anything. This thing is much greater than just your petty issue with the West. I will not allow another war. I know you don’t trust prince Jongdae, but please, trust me,” he begged, holding the woman’s hands. She looked taken aback. Junmyeon couldn’t wait. So without waiting for a reply, he took off, running in the same direction as Yixing, looking for everyone else.

Breath was knocked out of Jongdae’s lungs, as the massive wave of energy hit him. He felt blood in his veins freeze, air around him turning into ice, his hair being covered with snow. He fell to the ground, hitting his head against the stone. When he got up and looked around, he saw the archer frozen to death. The wind blew, and the man’s figure fell to the ground, breaking in half. Without looking anywhere else, on shaking legs, he turned back and ran down the stairs, back to the hallway, where he last seen Baekhyun and Jongin. He found the two with barely breathing Minseok.

“It worked,” he whispered, falling to his knees and putting his hand on Minseok’s chest.

“We need to move, we’re not safe here!” Baekhyun exclaimed, pulling Jongdae up. “we have to get the corps somewhere else!”

“These are not corps!” Jongdae spat, narrowing his eyes.

“Yes, yes, of course,” Baekhyun rolled his eyes, “just get your lover up, we gotta act quickly, or we’ll all be frozen corps in a moment!”

“Baekhyun!” they heard a voice, and when they looked up, they saw Yixing running their way, his form covered in frost.

“Here, Yixing!” the Light Guardian waved in his direction, “quickly! Where can we take Minseok, to have some time?”

“I don’t know,” Yixing ran a hand through his hair, “let’s take him to Junmyeon’s chambers!”

Jongdae carefully placed Minseok’s body in his arms, and straightening his back, he looked at the healer.

“We need to hurry. His heart will not keep up much longer.”

“I understand. Let’s go then. The guards will be here soon. The queen was not…”

“This woman needs to chill, I swear,” Jongdae mumbled, following the healer.

“If you’re taking him to the prince’s chambers, I’ll wait here for him, and bring him as soon as possible,” Baekhyun said, stopping.

“Jongin, keep close,” Jongdae ordered, nodding at Baekhyun.

The Northern castle was a terrible place, Jongdae realized. He always thought that his home resembled hell, but this one. This was the ninth circle*.

The walls were tall, disappearing in darkness up above, and empty. There were nearly no paintings on them, only massive windows on one side. From underneath the dark ceiling hanged ice crystals, looking as if they were to fall down any minute, stabbing whoever passes. Every corner, crook, and end were filled with shadows, which seemed to be trying to set free, cover everything around, swallow the long corridors, rule over the castle. Everything seemed rough, primitive, dangerous. But there was one more thing that made Jongdae feel uncomfortable. The castle seemed to be emitting with energy, magic.

“How can you live here,” he mumbled, looking around, “this place feels like hell.”

“Coming from your mouth, it truly must then,” Yixing replied, not looking around, “you see prince, this castle is just like its people – it belongs to the North. I suggest doing some research, next time you go somewhere. Maybe that would spare you many troubles. And death sentence.”

Jongdae glared at the older’s back, “when I last checked the West and the North were not friends. I suggest you realized they do not teach you about your customs. They teach us how to open you up and skin you alive,” he spat.

“Jongdae!” Jongin growled behind him.

Yixing suddenly turned around, making the brothers almost bump into him, “you may be a great warrior, my prince. You may have a great power. But remember, storm bringer,” Yixing whispered quietly, his eyes darkening, “I saw your mind. I know.” He looked down at Minseo then, and mumbled something in a language Jongdae did not understand. He then turned again, and opened a massive, oak door.

The inside was very similar to the rest of the castle, however seemed slightly more welcoming. There was a small fire in a fireplace, a massive bed with a number of blankets and sheets on it, all of them made of animals’ skin.

Jongin took a deep breath, realizing the fact.

“Are you alright?” Jongdae asked, turning to his brother.

“The bed,” Jongin whispered, “these are all animals.”

“This is the North at its best, my prince,” Yixing explained.

“This is barbaric!” Jongin exclaimed.

Yixing turned into his direction, and smiled politely, “the Northerners are hunters, fighting for survival, prince Jongin. They are not barbarians. We do not have time right now, but when this is all over,” Yixing neared the boy, “I would gladly explain the two of you what North means.”

“Are you not a northerner as well?” Jongdae asked, placing Minseok on a ground, next to the fireplace.

“I am not,” Yixing replied shortly, and knelt down next to the fragile body, “how do we do it?”

Jongdae quickly looked around, looking for something sharp. He found it at his brother’s belt.

“Jongin,” he quickly said, “give me your knife!”

Suddenly the door opened wide, and panting Junmyeon and Baekhyun stepped inside, quickly barricading the door.

“The guards are here; we have no time!” Baekhyun exclaimed.

“QUICKLY!” Jongdae yelled, and his brother did as he was told.

“What are you doing?!” Junmyeon shouted, looking as Jongdae cuts the fabric of Minseok’s ropes, and then uncovers his chest. The Northern Prince eyes widened the moment he saw the other prince raise the knife, and brings it to his brother’s heart, “Yixing stop him! He’ll kill him!” he yelled, panicked.

“Open the door!” the heard voice from the outside, “Queen’s orders!”

“YIXING!” Junmyeon shouted.

Jongdae placed the knife on Minseok’s chest, in the same place where there was the scar – half snowflake, half-moon – and ran the knife over it, cutting the skin in two.

“Junmyeon! Open the door!” the queen’s voice came though the wood, “or I will open it on my own!”

“Mother! Don –“

But it was too late. A cold blow of wind rushed through the room, Baekhyun and Junmyeon fell to the ground, and the door burst open.

Jongin quickly moved to stand in front of his brother, covering him, as Jongdae made another cut.

“You sick bastard!” the queen yelled, “take him! Both of them! All of them!” she was screaming.

Jongdae made one more cut, and then another. Finally, black blood with gold crystals in it started floating out of Minseok’s chest.

“Minseok,” Jongdae whispered, his hands shaking slightly, “Xiumin, wake up,” he begged, and then felt a pair of strong arms wrap around his, and pull his up, “No!” he yelled, “let me go! Leave me!” he struggled.

“Jongdae!” he heard his brother scream for him, but then a massive wave of pain shot though his back, and he felt to his knees, tasting blood in his mouth.

“Wake up, come on,” he whispered quietly, looking at the boy in front of him, his chest covered in black.

The queen neared the body, and then passed it, and looked at Jongdae, kneeling in front of her.

“You shall pay for your sins,” she said, “you shall pay for the sins of the West, son of a witch.”

Jongdae looked up at the queen, hatered in his eyes evident, “look who’s talking.”

The queen raised her hand, and slapped Jongdae across the face, “you are an abomination. You should not be alive. Do you think I would not know?” she blew a raspberry, “the mighty storm bringer, and the winter boy,” she laughed.

“Mother!” Junmyeon yelled from across the room, being held by a guard himself.

“Be quiet!” the woman yelled, and turned to Jongdae, “I will watch you burn, Prince. You will burn, and with you will burn the West!”

“If I burn, then my flames will melt the whole North,” he replied, and was slapped again.

Suddenly, Baekhyun gasped, “Minseok!”

But at the same time the window to the room broke into pieces, as a massive, white bear jumped inside. Jongdae’s eyes widen, and he was beyond confused.

“Koda?” he whispered, recognizing the animal’s eyes.

“How do you know him?” the queen yelled, terrified but what was happening, “the magic was broken! He should not be here!”

The animal moved quickly, standing between Jongdae and the queen, baring its teeth.

“Minseok!” Baekhyun yelled, trying to bring someone’s attention to the boy on the ground, as he himself was held by a guard.

Jongdae’s and the queen’s heads turned in the direction of a body lying on the ground, and the queen gasped.

The dying prince’s hair was no longer white, but jet black instead, and there was no scar on his heart anymore. The wound stopped bleeding, and Yixing kept his hand over the cuts, sealing them, as red blood started streaming down the boy’s body.

Minseok’s chest started falling and rising, at a very slow, but steady pace, and his fingers moved, as he looking for something to hold on to.

Then, he started coughing. Yixing, who was quickly let go by the guard, moved towards the prince, and helped him slightly up, so he would not suffocate. When the attack ended, Minseok raised his head slowly, and his eyes landed on the one person he knew.

“Jongdae,” he mumbled, exhausted.

Jongdae gasped, when the older’s eyes landed on him. They were no longer icy blue. Not both of them. One of Minseok’s eyes was not black, while the other stayed the same.

“You are alive,” he mumbled, and looked at the others. Everyone was silent, observing the scene.

Suddenly, someone yelled, and before Jongdae could react, he lost consciousness.

Xiumin woke up hours later, lying amongst many cushions, pillows, and blankets. To his confusion, he had no idea where he was. It was warm, it was comfortable, nothing hurt him. He started panicking.

“Everything is alright, prince,” he heard a soft voice next to him, and quickly sat up, looking around. There, on the edge of the bed sat a tall, dark haired boy, with a soft, dimpled smile. There was something in his aura that made Xiumin calm down. He looked around once again.

“You are home,” the boy spoke again, and Xiumin frowned, “how do you feel, prince?”

“Why do you call me that?” Xiumin whispered, slightly moving away.

“You do not need to feel threatened here, prince, no one will do any harm to you.”

“Stop calling me that,” Xiumin whispered again.

The boy only smiled, “my name is Yixing, I am a healer. Is there anything that hurts you, pri –,“ he started, but quickly stopped, smiling at Xiumin apologetically.

Xiumin shook his head, weirded out by the fact that nothing hurt him. And then he remembered.

“I died,” he mumbled, his eyes growing wide, as looked straight ahead of him.

“Yes.”

“How am I… why am I… what is happening? Where is Jongdae?” Xiumin whispered the last question very quietly, not sure whether he truly saw Jongdae before, or if it was his dream.

“How do they call you?” Yixing asked.

“Xiumin.”

Yixing thought for a moment, “I am going to tell you something very important right now, Xiumin, alright? Do you think you can listen to me?”

“Where am I?”

“You are in the castle of the King and the Queen of the North.”

Xiumin looked around, and his hands started shaking. But he swallowed, and nodded at Yixing to start his story.

“Do you know the story of the missing prince of the North?”

Xiumin nodded.

“Are you hungry? It may be a rather long story,” Yixing smiled softly again, giving Xiumin a bowl full of dry fruit. The boy looked at it suspiciously, having never seen such food before, “these are fruit. Only dry. But very good. Imported from the south, the prince’s favourite,” Yixing smiled brightly at the mentioning of Junmyeon. Xiumin nodded slowly, and hesitantly took the bowl, examining the fruit, before eating one.

When the fruit touched his tongue, Xiumin’s eyes widened. Never before had he eaten such a delicious thing. The texture was a bit rough, but the inside was soft and fluffy. At first, he thought it tasted weird, but a moment later sweetness spread over his tongue, and he closed his eyes, humming.

The sight made Yixing sad. He kept watching as the prince in front of him slowly eats the fruit, as if the bowl of a few dry mangos, pineapples, bananas and pumps was the most delicious dish on the planet. He looked at the boy’s hollowed cheeks, visible collarbones, and sticking ribs. His complexion was whiter than snow, dark circles underneath his eyes.

“Do you like it?” the healer asked, trying to smile.

“It is really good, I have never tried anything so sweet, and fresh,” he smiled, and his eyes were shining.

“Then, I will continue with the story, alright?” Yixing asked, and when Xiumin nodded, he cleared his throat, and told Xiumin the story of a lost prince, and what might have happened to him, and about the spell the queen put on him, something Yixing found written in diaries in the archives of the library of light, and then about Jongdae, the prince of the West who came to visit for the wedding, and the problems and troubles he brought with him.

“That sounds like Jongdae,” Xiumin chuckled in the middle of the story, and Yixing only grinned, enjoyed the smile on the prince’s lips. Then he continued, until he got to the part about the revelation they made in the archives, around the time of Xiumin’s death.

A few fruits that Xiumin planned on eating fell down from his hand, as he looked at Yixing.

“Are you,” he started, “are you suggesting that I am the prince of the North?”

Yixing shook his head, indicating that that was exactly what everyone believed. Xiumin’s breath hitched.

“You have a wrong person,” he mumbled, “I am no prince. I am –“

“Xiumin,” Yixing spoke softly, “if the evidence provided in not enough, maybe this one will convince you: when the drop from the tree was put into the prince’s system, he was marked,” Yixing smiled, “on his chest, above his heart, was a small mark. A mix of a snowflake, and a half-moon,” he whispered, and Xiumin froze. His head quickly moved to his chest, but when he tried to touch his scar, which he knew was there, his skin felt smooth. “Prince Jongdae cut the scar, to get the poison out of your system. The skin was ripped in the place, and when I healed it, the scar disappeared. There was no more moonlight droop in your veins, I guess the mark was not needed. But we all know it was there. You know it was there.”

“What are the chances,” Xiumin started, his voice shaking, “that more than one person had the mark?”

“The chances are zero.”

“This is impossible.”

Yixing placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder, “I wish things were different, that it would have never happened to you, prince, and that maybe for you to learn in a differ – ah!” Yixing exclaimed suddenly, quickly taking his hand from Minseok’s body, as it staretd freezing.

“Oh!” Minseok exclaimed, “I am so sorry! I did not think I could still –“

“Control snow?” Yixing finished, as the prince never finished, “now, my prince, you do much more than before, as the drop is out of your system. It was blocking your abilities. Now, you are free to do whatever you wish.”

“Yixing,” Minseok swallowed, “if I am not Xiumin than who am I?”

The healer smiled, “you are Prince Minseok of the North,” he replied, and bowed his head.

“Please, please do not bow to me,” he shook his head, finding it hard to take everything in, “two days ago, I was a salve. Yesterday, I was dead. And now, I am a prince?”

“I will leave you for a moment, to let you think it all through. There is, however, someone, who would like to talk to you.”

“Who?” Minseok whispered.

“Your brother.”

Yixing neared the door, and before he grabbed the knob, his name was called once again.

“What about Jongdae?” the prince asked again, and Yixing bit his bottom lip.

“Rest, my prince. I will come back in a bit,” he answered only, disappearing behind the door.

“How was it?” Junmyeon asked in a hushed voice, munching on his sweater.

“Love, stop it,” Yixing placed a hand over his lover’s hand, and took it in his, “it went,” he started and then took a deep breath, “it could have been worse,” Yixing smiled reassuringly.

Junmyeon bit on his bottom lip, “did he ask –“ he whispered, “did he asked about Jongdae?”

Yixing sighed, “he did.”

The prince neared the window, and looked outside, “the execution will start shortly.”

“We cannot let it happen!” Yixing whisper-yelled, knowing very well they were being watched.

“We are not allowed outside, Yixing, we are not allowed anywhere further than this corridor!” Junmyeon whispered back angrily, looking at two guards standing on each end of the corridor, looking at them all the time.

“He cannot die. He does not deserve it, you need to talk to your mother, Jun!”

“She does not want to see me.”

“Than your father! We have to do something!” Yixing yelled, and one of the guards moved towards them. Yixing quickly took a step back from the prince, and ran a hand through his hair.

“It’s alright, stay where you are,” Junmyeon ordered the man, and turned into his fiancé’s direction. He placed his hands on the other’s cheeks, and rested his forehead against the his love’s, “I don’t know what to do, Yixing,” Junmyeon grabbed on the other boy’s shirt, “do we let him die? I mean, he does deserve it –“

“He deserves it?!” Yixing exclaimed, “why would he deserve to die like this?”

Junmyeon narrowed his eyes, and took a step back, “I do understand you are not from here, Yixing, and I would never expect you to understand it, but this conflict between us and them runs deep and far into our past,” the prince exclaimed, “he deserves to die just for a pure fact that is is a Westerner! He deserves to die because he is an abomination, he deserves to die –“

“Then you deserve to die just as much as he does,” Yixing spat, and Junmyeon gasped, “this stupid rivalry between your two nations is as stupid as both you and Jongdae!” Yixing yelled, “what is the purpose?!”

“Blood!” Junmyeon yelled back, “the blood of my people, slaughtered, skinned, left like animals! Blood is the purpose, Yixing!”

The door behind them flew open, and Junmyeon’s eyes landed on his brother. He stood in white, loose shirt and dark trousers; barefoot. They stared at each other for a few moments, before Minseok spoke,

“Where is Jongdae?” he demanded, having overheard bits and pieces of the conversation.

“Do not bother with him, Minseok,” Junmyeon spoke.

Minseok clenched his fists, and the temperature around them fell.

“I asked, where is Jongdae,” he repeated again, his voice quiet and low but dripping with authority.

Yixing smirked, looking at Junmyeon, “he is a true northerner, isn’t he?” he chuckled, and then turned towards the older prince, “Prince Jongdae is about to be executed,” he said, stepping aside to let Minseok look outside. The older frowned, and neared the window. A gasp left his lips, as his eyes landed on a form being chained to a wooden stake, situated on a platform. Hay was being distributed around, and the person – Jongdae – was being poured with olive.

“Why?” Minseok exclaimed, looking between the two boys next to him.

“Because he killed you,” Junmyeon replied.

“You are unbelievable!” Yixing yelled, “he also saved him!”

“Yixing!” Junmyeon snapped, but the healer had none of it.

“The Queen believes he was responsible for your death, that the West was responsible for kidnapping you, and facing the truth, she just kills him for he is a Westerner.”

“She punishes him for everything he has done, Yixing, you know it!”

“And what exactly is that?!”

“Almost burning the library! Almost blinding us! Hiding the truth about Minseok! Let’s not forget that is performing black magic!”

“Your bother is alive, the Queen has her son back, and all of this because of Jongdae! He does not deserve to be burnt, Junmyeon! Open your eyes!”

“Stop it!” Minseok yelled, “he is not the one dying tonight.”

“Not the one?!” both of the boys yelled, alarmed by the older’s words.

“If the Queen wants someone to burn so much, she will be the one to light up the sky,” Minseok whispered.

“She is your mother!” Junmyeon screamed, terrified by the other’s words.

Minseok looked at him, one eyebrow raised, “is she, though?”

Junmyeon looked at Yixing, and the other did the same.

“You cannot hurt the Queen, Prince!” the healer said.

“Do not call me that!” Minseok yelled, and his eyes shone, “I am going there, to get him back, do not try to stop me.”

He turned around and started walking down the corridor.

“No one is allowed to leave, my Prince,” a guard said, stopping in front of Minseok. The boy only narrowed his eyes, and his fist covered in ice. He grabbed the man’s throat and tightened his grip. The soldier started chocking, and a moment later stopped breathing. Minseok threw his body to the side, and passed the corps.

“Stop!” he heard other guard’s scream. Without turning back, he cracked his neck, and all of the guards fell dead to the ground.

“You were right, Yixing,” he called to the boy, “I truly can do whatever I wish.”

“Yixing,” Junmyeon whispered, as Minseok’s shadow disappeared around the corner, “Yixing, what have we done?”

The healer only swallowed, grabbing his fiancé’s hand, “we need to get Jongdae. Minseok is lost. He grew up as a slave, Jun, in the woods. He follows his instincts, and right now, the instincts tell him to defend himself. We need to get Jongdae, maybe he will be able to talk to him.”

“Minseok will get Jongdae himself, Yixing,” Junmyeon mumbled as they followed the older, “we need to make sure he does not get anyone else. We need to save mother.”

Yixing nodded, and they ran down the stairs.

“Where is the exacution, again?” Yixing mumbled, never being too good with directions.

Junmyeon chuckled, pulling his lover behind him, “the central patio, darling.”

A few stairs and turns later, they saw a wooden arch, the entrance to the patio.

A gasped escaped their lips, as their watched the scene unfold in front of him.

“Jongdae,” Jongin mumbled, “Dae, wake up!”

Jongdae groaned, feeling a terrible pain in the back of his head. When he opened his eyes, he was back in the dungeons, with Jongin at his side, “what happened?” he mumbled, sitting up.

“The queen knocked you out –“

“She what?!” Jongdae exclaimed surprised, “this woman really needs to chill, or go out more. What have I even done?!”

“Jongdae,” Jongin repeated, “Jongdae, they will burn you on a stake tonight,” he cried.

The prince’s eyes widened, “you have to run away,” he ordered.

“What?! I cannot leave you!”

“No, you have to go! Jongin, you do not understand. If I am here again, and she wanted to kill me again, she might do it this time. And then, you will be next. You have to run.”

“Jongdae, stop it, I am not leave you, you can go with me! I will just teleport the two of us!”

“No,” the older shook his head, “she will be on our case forever. Plus, I have to do one last thing in the castle –“

“Minseok?” Jongin asked, “do you really want to risk your life for the sake of finding that boy?”

“Yes.”

“Jongdae, do not do it… you cannot!”

“I can do whatever I want, Jongin. Do not worry about me. I mean it. I know how to take care of myself. They will not get rid of me so easily. Go to Kyungsoo. He is waiting for you. Find him, and run away somewhere far. Go to the East. You are not safe here, anymore. Hyuna knows you ran with me, she will want to punish you, and the Queen may later turn to you, as well. Go to the East, and wait there for me.” Jongdae ordered.

“No, Jongdae! I will not leave you!”

“Yes, you will,” the prince smiled at his brother, “I will find you. I will. Trust me, Jongin.”

They heard a bang and an echo of the opening door.

“Jongdae, come with me!”

“No, Jongin, no! I cannot always run! Find Kyungsoo! Find him and go to the East! Wait there!”

“Princling, princling!” They heard guards’ voices. “Where is our little torch?!”

“Jongdae –“

“Go, Jongin!” Jongdae yelled, and pushed this brother back. The younger disappeared into nothingness the moment the guards came into view.

“Where is your little brother?” one of them asked, but Jongdae stayed quiet.

“I always knew the Westerners were cowards,” the other laughed, opening the bars. Jongdae growled, but kept his tongue behind his teeth.

“I cannot wait to see how the Westerner burns. And a storm bringer! That shall be entertaining!”

“Oh, I bet you,” Jongdae mumbled, desperately trying to figure how to escape this time.

“Elsa,” Jack placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder, “please, think it through.”

“There is nothing to think about, Jack. He dies tonight, and nothing will help him. There shall never be peace between the North and the West. We have been cursed from the stars, Jack. I will not bow down.”

“He gave us back Minseok.”

“Only after he killed him.”

“You do not know that.”

“I know enough.”

“Elsa –“

“No, Jack!” the queen yelled, turning around, “I want him dead! I want the West to know! They cannot mess with us! No one is to mess with the North!”

“Do not kill an innocent child for that!”

“He is not innocent. There is nothing innocent about him! Dark magic runs in his veins, Jack! He is the son of storm and thunder! He is the storm bringer the legends talk about. He is the one that should not have been born! There was a reason my ancestors put a curse of the West, Jack!” she screamed.

“A curse?” the man asked, “was the West not supposed to be already cursed?”

“By Raitoningu?” the woman laughed, “Jack, this stupid legend is something only Westerners believe in. The stupid prophecy? Over my dead body! However, the issues between us and the West truly have their beginning in ancient times. Then, more people believed the Lost Prophecy. But for so many centuries nothing happened, that people simply started forgetting. Nevertheless, my family truly hated the Kim dynasty of the West. My grandmother, a powerful witch, put a curse on the West. That is why Hyeoyeon could not get pregnant. That is why Jongdae is nothing but a child of a demon. He is a demon. No one knows about it, but it was planned long ago that Hyeoyeon would be given to Hansol. Their faith was decided by our ancients. Centuries ago. They were supposed to be the last ones to rule over the West. The Kims have done enough wrong to this world. They brought the Ravens. But no. Hyuna had to come and settle in the West,” she gritted her teeth, “she ruined everything.”

“Elsa,” Jack whispered, not believing what he was hearing, “Elsa, do you even hear yourself? You are just as good as Hyuna!”

“Do not ever!” she yelled, pinning her husband to the wall with an icy stake, “say that again!”

“Who are you?” he asked, breaking the ice in half, and exiting the room.

“My Queen,” a guard walked in, “the prisoner is ready.”

“I’m on my way!”

“By the right given me by the high gods!” Elsa spoke, “I sentence Kim Jongdae, the Prince of the West, to death by burning on a stake!” she looked at the gathered people. Most of them were royal officials, elders, who sat with smug smiles on their faces.

“What are the charges, my Queen?” Jongdae’s voice rang in the small patio.

“Treason, murder, attempted arson, profaning the Prince’s remains.”

Jongdae laughed, “murder? Profaning remains? My dear Queen, your long lost son has returned, and is alive, and it is all thanks to me!”

“Dead is supposed to stay dead, Prince Jongdae. Bad things happen to those, who break the laws of nature.”

“Bad things happen to those who happen to have the pleasure of meeting you,” he mumbled quietly.

“Shall we began?!” the Queen said, “bring the fire! Let the flames of the North purify your spirit, Storm Bringer!”

Jongdae started tugging at the chains, desperately trying to break them, as he watched a masked man near the hay and set it on fire.

The fire was catching fast, as everything was covered in olive. Within only seconds, Jongdae felt warm flames kiss his legs and arms. He started panicking. He tried to bring the storm, but he could not focus enough. Small whimpers started escaping his lips, as a familiar scene started playing in his mind. As if he had a Deja-vu. And then he remembered the legend of Raitiningu and Seoli. The legendary storm bringer, who died the same way, burning on the stake; who’s lover died the same way Minseok had, being poisoned.

Jongdae gasped at the realization, and a loud yell escaped his lips, as the fire caught on his skin, smacking his face.

And suddenly, out of nowhere, instead of a burning warmth, he felt coldness. When he opened his eyes, he saw the hay and wooden stage, on which he stood being covered in ice. A bit further, on the ground, stood panting Minseok, and in front of him was a massive, tall, crystal clear ice wall.

“Minseok,” he whispered, and the dark hair boy turned to look at him. He looked terrible.

“Thank you,” Minseok whispered, smiling at the prince.

“Thank you,” Jongdae repeated, nodding his head.

“Out of the way, son!” the Queen yelled, her voice sounding mad.

Minseok’s ice walls encircled them, protecting Jongdae from everyone else. The prince smirked, deciding he could allow to be saved once. After all, there is a first time for everything.

“Let him go!” Minseok yelled, and Jongdae raised is eyebrows at how authoritative the boy’s voice sounded.

“Get out of the way, son!”

“I am not your son!” Minseok yelled over the wall, however it was so clean it looked almost transparent. Jongdae felt sudden coldness around his wrists, and when he tugged on the chains, they broke into pieces. The prince chuckled, and leant against the stake, watching the show.

The queen stepped down, and neared the wall.

“Stay out of this, Minseok. Get back to your chamber, and rest. That abomination behind your back has to die.”

Minseok’s eyes darkened, “the only one dying tonight is you,” he growled, and Jongdae’s eyes widened.

“Jongdae!” he heard his name being called from outside the wall. When he looked to the side, he was Junmyeon and Yixing.

“Stop him!” the prince called, pointing at Minseok, “he’s out of his mind!”

But Jongdae only looked at Minseok, then at the Queen, and shrugged. The woman wanted to burn him alive, she almost did, why would he care.

“Cannot do, Suho,” he shrugged, smirking, “your mother just gave me a lesson on your tradition! Apparently, it is some extended and improved version of “an eye for an eye.” I think I am going to keep to that, since Yixing accused me of not respecting your culture!”

“That is enough, you stupid carrion!” the woman yelled, and everyone looked at her shocked. She raised her hands, and the ground inside of the wall covered in ice stakes, some of which stabbed Jongdae in the legs, arms, and cut his face.

Minseok managed to destroy most around him, saving himself from any injuries.

“You wanted to see fire,” the prince of the North whispered, “then you shall.”

His eyes turned grey, as if covered by mist; the sky covered in black clouds, and ice started creeping down the stone walls, into the center where the queen stood. Heavy ice balls started falling from the sky, forming a circle around the woman. Minseok raised his arms, whispered something, and the wind came. The dark clouds started circulating, slowly turning into a tornado.

Jongdae watched amazed, never having seen anything like that before. When he looked at Minseok, he realized the boy’s legs did not touch the ground.

“Minseok!” Junmyeon shouted, “Minseok, I beg you, stop it!”

But Minseok did not hear anything.

He whispered a few more words, and white fire fell from the sky, hitting the ice balls around the queen, which automatically started burning.

“I told you, Prince!” the queen shouted, looking at Jongdae, “what is dead, should stay dead!” and then she looked at her son. Minseok yelled, and his back arched. Jongdae had to turn his head, terrified by the look on the other’s almos dead-like face.

But Minseok quickly straightened again, whining from the pain, and smirking, did someone no one expected.

“MINSEOK!” Junmyeon yelled, rushing towards his mother.

Yixing stood frozen in place, pale from fear.

Jongdae’s eyes widened, and his heart started beating faster.

“Minseok,” he whispered, “what have you done?” he asked, looking at a massive, sharp, ice stake, sunk into Elsa’s chest, stained red from blood streaming down from the queen’s chest.

The queen was dead.

 

Hello ! Here we are! With another update!

Yes, so bascially, I did not want to mix the chapter too much, that is why I decided to wrap everything up in the next one :) And that will be it, for Black Magic. The rest will be included in the sequel ! :)

AND! I have one more information - during the summer, I am planning on re-writing this! Especially the first chapters. I am nto entariely happy with how this story unfolded. I will make it darked, and well developed. Especially Xiuchen. Yes, I will make the first chapter include more proper Xiuchen, because I feel ashemed at what you guys had to read. 

Anyway, enjoy! 

P.S this is not proof read, thank you, bye :)

~badblood~