52. return
"Go fish", One of the men stationed at the entrance of Lloth says with a loud laugh as he held his cards close to his chest. His head thrown back and eyes watching the other guard with amusement. His shoulder length snowy white hair pulled back in a loose Dutch braid and a faint stubble on his chin.
"Oh shut up. Asshole" The other guard grunts as he reaches for the deck of cards and grabs one. This one a little younger and his mid back length hair was left loose and fell over his shoulder, wisps of the white bangs brushing his forehead.
"Oh don't pout, Iren. I'm sure if you keep trying one of these days you'll be able to have me beat" The man with the stubble comments as he throws out one of his cards, his lips fighting back more laughter.
"You guys still going at it?" A female guard walks into the little hut the two men were seated at. She grins when she sees the intense look on Iren's face as he stared at his cards, trying to decide which to lay down next.
She then peeks at Iren's card deck and scoffs. "Damn, you're fucked" She says with a laugh after seeing what he had and Iren scowls at her. "If I were you I'd play this one" She whispers to him and taps the top of one of the cards he had held up and shielded from the guard with the stubble.
"Elvanka, no fair. That's cheating" Stubble man complains.
"Yeah yeah, he hasn't won a single round give him some slack will ya, Tobias" She mutters through the cigarette she places between her lips. Then she whips out her match box, takes out a stick, strikes the box then lights up the cigarette.
She goes to sit down at the small round table with them as she releases a big puff of smoke. Her long hair tied up into a white silky waterfall. Tattoo covered biceps exposed, earrings adorned along her elongated elf ears. Thick eyeliner on her upper lid and drawing attention to her light blue eyes. "So what do ya guys think about those vampire princes in town. You trust em?" She starts then takes another drag, holding the cigarette loosely between her fingers.
Tobias grins triumphantly as he throws forth another card after Iren. Then he glances at her. "Hell no. Left for me I'd use them both as bait and lure Jaejoong out. Then kill the son of a bitch. Can't believe we're supposed to work with those demons. Makes my skin crawl just thinking about it" He shudders.
"I dunno" Iren jumps in, leaning back in his chair. "What reason do we have not to trust them? I mean did you hear what one of them said? The one that's supposed to be dead? Apparently Jaejoong imprisoned him all this time-"
"Oh don't tell me you buy that" Tobias cuts him. "You sure are naive. That's probably why you've never won a round against me. I wouldn't be surprised if this was all just a plan concocted by Jaejoong himself. He keeps his son hidden all this time meanwhile everyone thinks he's dead. Then sends him here to try and get us from the inside. It's all bullshit I tell ya!" He reaches for Elvanka's cigarette and grabs it to take a drag himself.
"Well what about San? You think he's in on it?" She asks. She watches as he breathes out smoke from his nose.
"San died in action 4 years ago" Tobias says grimly. "Whoever that.. thing is, it's not San"
The room falls quiet in thought.
"Ivanka, There's someone coming up at the gates!" A man yells in from the entrance of the hut.
"Someone passing by?" She questions as she takes her cig back from Tobias.
"No. A drow. It l-looks like Yunho. Though we're not sure-" Ivanka puts away the cigarette and quickly shot up to her feet then sped out, the other two men hot behind her.
At the top of the massive gates she snatches one of the binoculars from the soldiers. And sure enough, far at a distance, was Yunho limping slightly towards them. He had blood on his shirt and pants but other than he seemed ok. "Oh thank Lloth.." She whispers once she spotted him, voice laced with relief. "Well what the hell are ya waiting for? Head out and help him!" She turns to the other men in disbelief.
"Yes ma'am" They scatter. Tobias takes the binoculars from her and Iren takes a different pair.
"By the gods... he's really okay. But why's he covered in blood?" Tobias mumbles as he held the black binoculars up to his eyes.
"That's what I wanna know. Someone go find Ioda. He's probably off, day drinking with his husband again" She mumbles at the other men up there with them and made for the stairs down the tall watch tower.
"But he's off duty today" Iren calls after her.
"Does it look like I give a shit!" Her boots stomping down the concrete steps echoes after her voice.
"Do you know what you are?" Jaejoong's voice echoes and rings in the darkness. The empty space going on and on forever. And in the middle of it, Yunho. His feet not touching the ground and his hands grasps at nothing.
"Do you know how important you are?" His voice echoes again. It was so chilling, so frightening it made his skin crawl. He tries to run but there was no way to go. Everywhere was one big void.
"You can run and hide for as long as you wish Yunho, but your mind belongs to me. You belong to me! I'm the only one in this accursed world that can give you a purpose. The only one. So wake up. Look at the faces of all the people you claim to love, because it will be the last time" A strong vacuum like hole begins sucking him in from behind and he's clawing at air trying to pull himself away.
His eyes snaps open and he abruptly sits up with a gasp. "Easy. Take it easy" Sehyoon says in a calm voice beside him and he pulls himself off the mattress. His eyes were blown open and chills ran down his spine as Jaejoong's voice kept replaying in his head. His breathing was harsh.
"Here have some water, so I can properly yell at you for running off like that" He reaches for the side table and retrieve the small wooden cup of water he kept ready for whenever Yunho woke up.
Yunho shakily takes the cup and brings it up to his lips. "What the hell were you thinking, seriously. Lying to your squad then running off to who knows where. Then you appear at the entrance covered in animal blood. Just what did you think you were doing anyhow?" Sehyoon grunts, his brows deeply furrowed with annoyance. He was trying really hard to control showing the younger male just how pissed he was.
After Yunho takes a sip and brings his hands and cup down to his thighs. He quietly watches the water as it swirled and danced, reflecting light ever so slightly. Yunho's pupils shook as he thought hard and realized the last thing he remembered was waking up in the middle of the forest. Then before that was when he was with his squad.
His breathing picks up and his shuts his eyes. There were unusual and unexplainable gaps in his memory. One second he would be one place and the next he'd be in another. "Hey, it's ok" Sehyoon says after noticing the distresssd look on his little brother's face. He quickly places a hand over Yunho's shaking ones as he held the cup on his thighs. "Just take it easy. And rest for a bit. Here.." He takes the cup away from him and has him lay down.
"There's someone you'll want to see later" Sehyoon says with a small knowing smile and Yunho simply glances at him, not taking his words all that seriously. He was too busy trying not to panic.
There was something seriously wrong and he afraid. From the dreams about Jaejoong, to hearing that awful heretic's voice in his head to him blacking out and waking up in places he had no idea how he arrived at in the first place. He was terrified. But he didn't want to tell Sehyoon. He couldn't. Because he knew he'd worry and would do just about anything reckless to make it stop.
This was something he wanted to figure out on his own.
"He was covered in what?" San's brows were deeply furrowed and a bewildered look on his face. He didn't mean for his voice to come out so loud but how else does one react at news that your missing friend returns back home covered in blood.
"It was animal blood. He didn't kill anyone... I think" Sehyoon adds as he sits down and runs his hand through his hair, his forehead creasing with worry.
San looks down in deep thought and then looks up after a few seconds of silence, a determined look on his face. "I wanna see him"
Sehyoon sighs. "Later. He just woke up and looked really distressed. Just let him calm down" He pleads with San, his eyes watching him and San saw a bit of that brotherly tenderness in his gaze that Sehyoon used to have when they were younger. San nods in understanding.
"Ok" He says with a shrug.
"I just wonder if it's because of whatever that witch did to him. Do you think she's still messing with his head?"
"That's not possible" Wooyoung speaks up, making his presence known for the first time. "She's dead. We watched her die" He says while glancing at San who nods quickly to confirm Wooyoung's words.
Sehyoon shrugs weakly. "I don't know" His eyes softens and places both hands over his face as he leans forward on his elbows, digging them onto his knees. "I don't know what to do anymore. The witch doctors are completely helpless. No one knows much of anything about druids. All I can do is just watch, powerless, as my little brother spirals-"
"Wait" San cuts him off. "Did you say druid?" His eyes widens ever so slightly. He knew Jaejoong wanted Yunho for some reason but he could never figure out why.
"Yeah. Yunho's part druid. His father disappeared decades ago. Probably dead, who knows" Sehyoon says off handedly.
"We ran into a druid in Naex" Wooyoung beats San to it. "He's the one that told us to come here"
Sehyoon sits up slowly and warily. "What do you mean you 'ran into a druid'? How do you just run into a druid? They're all dead"
"Yeah well not all" San adds solemnly.
Before anyone could say anything else, a soft knock sounds on the door. "Come in" Sehyoon says with a grunt.
"Pardon the intrusion, sir. I was asked to bring San" The soldier then looks at San. "Asa would like to see you"
San frowns and glances back at Sehyoon who only shrugs. Wooyoung was the first to speak. "Asa?"
"The witch doctor" San clarifies. "Why would she want to see me?"
"She only requested I come get you. Alone" He emphasizes when he sees Wooyoung pull up to his feet to go with them. Wooyoung didn't like the sound of that. He snaps his gaze to San who simply flashes him a weak smile and steps closer to him, taking his hand and gently squeezing it.
"I'll be fine. We can talk later, I'll let know why she wanted to see me" He whispers in a soft voice before quickly placing a peck on his lips. A kiss that wasn't nearly long enough. But he nods begrudgingly with a pout and a frown. His grey eyes trained on San's hazel ones.
"Let me know everything" He mutters in response and San chuckles and turns to follow the guard out leaving Wooyoung alone with Sehyoon.
A small silence settles and Wooyoung begins walking towards the door to leave as well due to the discomfort caused by the drow practically staring holes into his skull. "I'm gonna be honest-" Sehyoon starts and Wooyoung pauses in his tracks, his back to the dark elf.
"-I don't trust you. Or your brothers. Not for a second. Because no matter how much you claim to hate Jaejoong he's still your father. You still have his blood running through your veins" He says in a voice so calm, yet so threatening it sent a chill down Wooyoung's spine. He turns around to meet Sehyoon's eyes, watching him with his own relaxed expression.
"I'm only going along with all this because of San. He may be a vampire now but I still care about him. I always will" He steps up to Wooyoung's face. "I don't really care for whatever it is you have for him. Whether it's genuine or you're just using him for some plan you and Jaejoong have cooking up. But if I sense that either one of you or your brothers poses a threat to Lloth, I won't hesitate to run a stake right through your heart. Am I clear?" He mutters in his face.
Wooyoung couldn't help the grin that dances on his lips. He pats Sehyoon on the shoulder and sighs loudly. "The man daggered me and put me in a box for years. Left me to starve and collect dust until he felt like taking me out which, let's face it, could've been never. And you think that's all part of some plan to destroy Lloth?"
"See but that's the thing. I don't know that anything you're saying is true" Sehyoon scoffs.
"Hm... I suppose you're right" Wooyoung smiles wistfully. "Guess you'll just have to take my word for it" He turns to leave.
"Oh and-" He stops again and looks back at Sehyoon. "-you can threaten me all you want but don't ever accuse my feelings for San as being disingenuous" His tone was dark. Serious. Then he walks out of the hut, leaving Sehyoon alone with a blank look on his face and his thoughts.
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