As San and Wooyoung ran towards Jongho's hut everything seemed to be burning around them. Bodies layed across the streets, both drows and vampires but mostly drows.

Buildings on fire. The night sky was enveloped in smoke. Whenever they ran into vampires they'd effectively kill them together and when they ran into scares civilians they'd direct them to the emergency exits.

Jongho's hut was in one of the tree houses up in extremely tall leaves of the giant sequoia trees. Everything around the tree was burning and San coughs profusely as he waved the smoke from his face.

Up in the tree hut the wooden floor boards between the door and where Jongho and Junkyu were stood had given way, creating a long strip of emptiness in the ground and leading to certain death below. If a fall from that height didn't kill a person, the burning flames below certainly would. Even to a vampire.

Hongjoong stood at the door coughing and as the fume of smoke made it hard to breathe. The room around them was burning, the flame licking the walls and causing the hut to collapse around them. Junkyu screams and clings to Jongho when another floorboard gives out and falls.

"You guys have to jump!" Hongjoong yells out. "Jongho, c'mon!" His eyes wide with panic as he stretches his arm out.

"No, Junkyu goes first!" Jongho shakes his head. "Jun, you're gonna have to jump ok?" He says to the merman who seemed to be just about ready to pass out. The fire was drying him out and dehydrating his much quicker than normal. But despite how weak he felt, he refused.

"You go first, prince Jongho. I'm supposed to be the one protecting you" He wheezes.

Jongho stares at him like he's lost it. "Junkyu, fucking hell... now is not the time for this" He grips the male by his shoulders. "I swear to God I will throw you to Hongjoong right now, stop playing around and jump" His throat was dry and scratchy from inhaling all the smoke around them. But he didn't care. As long as Junkyu was safe.

The floor boards beneath the bed gives out and the mattress goes falling into the burning flames below. "Guys! Come on!" Hongjoong calls out.

"Damn it! Hongjoong I'm throw him, get ready to catch him" He attempts to pick Junkyu up but the floor board breaks beneath them but Jongho was quick to grab unto a side panel with one hand and held Junkyu by the hand with the other. The merman cries out in panic holding onto to Jongho's hand tight.

"Fuck!" He cries out in pain when his shoulder dislocates. "H-hang on Jun!" He tries pulling Junkyu up but curses out again when the pain from his dislocated shoulder nearly knocked him out.

"Jongho! Shit! Holy shit" Hongjoong calls out to him, tears beading at his eyes and he felt himself slowly panic. He looked around for something he could use. Something he could do.

"Jongho" Junkyu cries out, tears running down his cheeks. Jongho meets his eyes and saw how absolutely terrified he was. Jongho's eyes bead with tears as well.

"You're ok. You're ok. I've got you" He says to the merman. "Just hang on" He nods with a weak pained smile.

Junkyu took in several steady breathes in order to control his breathing. But he just couldn't stop the tears. He bit his lip and quickly grabbed the dagger that he'd always kept on him in his belt loop because he knew how important it was to Wooyoung.

"Jongho, let me go" He says in a shaky voice and Jongho looks at him in complete disbelief that he'd even suggest that.

"No! I won't!" Jongho cries, his tears finally falling and wetting his cheeks mixing with the beads of sweat on his skin from the heat of the flames. "I won't let you go, just hang on. We're gonna get out of here"

Junkyu knew it'd be impossible for both of them to survive this. And deep down Jongho knew it too. The building was crumbling around them. And if he didn't let go now, they would both die.

The merman would not allow that. He lived and existed for the royal family. To protect them and risk his life for them. That was his purpose. And he was going to fulfill it. He used to fear death, but dying in the place of someone he loved. In the place of Jongho, well, death didn't really sound so bad.

He takes the dagger and tries to hand it to Jongho. "Give this to prince W-wooyoung, please" He rasps out in a weak voice.

"No give him yourself! Dammit, just- please don't leave me" Jongho cries.

"Let me go. It's ok Jongho" Junkyu smiles weakly at him. He was no longer crying and had come to peace with how this would end. He was content. He releases his grip around Jongho's hand but the prince held his hand tight.

"Junkyu!" Jongho sobs. "No! Don't-"

"T-thank you for.. allowing me to.. fall in love with you, Jongho" He whispers. Then pulls his hand out of Jongho's grip. And everything seemed to move in slow motion. Jongho held unto the dagger but watched with horror as Junkyu slowly fell. The merman slowly closes his eyes as the flames envelope him and his body disappears in the inferno.

Jongho's chest rises and falls quickly and eyes were wide with shock. He couldn't cry. Couldn't speak. Even the fact that he was currently holding on to a collapsing building over a fiery pit didn't faze him anymore. He felt numb.

"Jongho!"

"Fuck! Jongho snap out it!!" The young prince looks at the entrance where Wooyoung and San stood as well. "Give me your hand!" Wooyoung stretches his hand out with San and Hongjoong holding him on either side.

Jongho weakly reaches for Wooyoung's hand and Wooyoung grabs him then pulls him towards the exit. Once he was safe with them Hongjoong was the first to pull him against his chest. A hug saying he was glad he made it and one of consolation.

Finally they make it to the ground and away from the fire. And the whole time Jongho clutched the dagger against his chest as the Junkyu's last words repeated in his head over and over and over again. He loved me. He loves me.

He was weak. It felt like all the strength had sucked from him and he crumbles to the floor and cried. He cried so hard his head hurt. His hands shook as he gripped the blade so tightly, it sliced at his palms and drew blood.

"Jongho" Hongjoong crumbled beside him, hugging him as he cried.

"I never- I n-never got to s-say- I love you too" He held Hongjoong's arm tight. The older vampire held him tight, allowing him to cry.

San stood beside Wooyoung, a hand over his mouth at the realization that Junkyu died. His eyes watering up as well. It was becoming hard to breathe. He heaved loudly and he turns around hands pressing against his forehead. He was having a panic attack.

"Hey hey, you're ok" Wooyoung places both hands on both his cheeks. "Deep breaths. Ok. In- out-" He instructs and San follows but tears slide down his cheeks slowly, one after another. "Make it stop, Woo. Please make it stop. Everyone keeps dying" He cries.

"Shh, it's ok" Wooyoung pulls him into his chest where he clung to his body for comfort. He wanted this nightmare to be over.

Just then a wolf comes charging towards them with someone riding on it's back. As they neared San realized it was Sehyoon and Seonghwa. "Sehyoon, Seonghwa... you guys are ok" He breathes a sigh of relief and rushes to them as the older drow gets off the wolf's back.

"Ok good, you're all here. There's a barrier around the entire town. Drows can't leave. Me and some other soldiers have managed to get as much civilians as we could in the underground bunkers. Not even Jaejoong knows about them. We need to find a way to lift the barrier" He says over the sound of a burning tree branch falling behind them.

"He must have another witch working for him. We killed the last one" San speaks, wiping the tears away from his cheeks. Wooyoung's mind immediately begins putting the pieces together. He had an idea of who the witch could be.. but he wasn't sure.

"That's the assumption. The witch doctor said that for a spell as powerful as a barrier over an entire town the witch must have used some sort of channel which has to be *inside the barrier. If we can find that channel and cut it off, the spell will be stopped"

"Can't we just kill witch?" Wooyoung asks.

"No, killing the original caster doesn't stop it. The best thing we can do is split up, we can cover more ground that way" Sehyoon glances at all 4 males and even down at the wolf who was seated on his hind legs and listening in on their plan.

"How do we even know what to look for?" Split up? San didn't like the sound of that. He wanted to stick to Wooyoung's side and keep him within armsreach at all times so he could protect him when shit hits the fan. Again.

The entire world could burn and everyone dying around him and he wouldn't be affected much, but losing Wooyoung again would absolutely destroy him. He wasn't sure he could live through the pain for a second time.

"It will very likely be some sort of celestial object. I already have a couple men looking" He takes out some clothes from the bag he was carrying then he tosses them to the wolf who was already shifting back to human.

"The werewolf is our best tracker right now-"

"I have a name y'know" Seonghwa says with annoyance as he shimmies his pants on.

"I have flare guns" Sehyoon ignores his complaint and takes out 4 flair guns and hands it San, Wooyoung, Seonghwa and Hongjoong. "If anyone finds something you fire twice. And we'll all rendezvous. If you're in trouble, fire once"

"What about Jongho?" Hongjoong asks as he pulls a disoriented Jongho to his feet.

"I don't think he's in the right state of mind to do any searching. I'll take him to the nearest bunker" Sehyoon says calmly. It was something San had always admired about him. His ability to stay calm in every situation. A natural born leader.

"Wooyoung" Jongho croaks out weakly, his cheeks wet with tears and his eyes held so much pain. Wooyoung immediately pulls him in for a comforting hug, biting the inside of his cheek to stay strong himself. Jongho stands, numb, in Wooyoung's arms. Not hugging him back but not pulling away either.

"I'm so sorry, Jjong. Just go stay in a bunker. I promise, we'll end this"

"Here" Jongho whispers in a small voice and lifts the dagger hilt for Wooyoung to take. The older male looks wide eyed at the weapon, remembering Junkyu was holding on it for him. He gently takes it from his younger brother. "Please, make him suffer Wooyoung" Jongho says with a fierce voice, in reference to Jaejoongand when he looks up to meet Wooyoung's gaze the older male was taken back by the pure unadulterated hatred in his teary eyes.

"Make him pay for everything he's done" The young prince grits out. And Wooyoung squeezes his arm in reassurance but he doesn't say anything. He didn't need to. The look Wooyoung gave him in return was plenty enough.

They give their final farewells before they split. San had kept repeating to Wooyoung not to get himself killed. And Wooyoung repeated it right back at him. They both wanted each other to stay alive so badly.

And so they were off searching individually.

Hongjoong grunts in annoyance as he slams one of Jaejoong's vampires against the wall by the neck. Hard. The man felt his skull ring and winces and groans in pain. "What's the witch using to keep the barrier up? What are they channeling?" He yells in the man's face, menacingly.

The man coughs up blood and simply smiles weakly at the prince, his fangs and lips dripping with not only his blood but blood from all the innocent lived he'd taken that night  "I have no idea what you're talking about and even if I did, i wouldn't tell you. You're a traitor and disgrace to the royal family of Naex. Go.. fuck yourself" The soldier spits at him.

Hongjoong grits his teeth and tries to control his anger. His gaze cold and expression muted. Before the soldier could utter out another word Hongjoong rips his throat out using his bare hands. The blood spurting on his face but he doesn't even flinch. He grabs a random piece long piece of wood and he brakes it, making a stake. Then he rams into the soldiers chest, killing him for real.

He stands over the body, staring down at the grey skinned carcass. His mind was racing as he thought of about a billion things all at once. This was all so messed up. So many innocent lives had been lost tonight and for what?

He looks around at all dead drows laying on the streets. The doors to a few huts were broken. Dead bodies laying in the stairs. Walls splattered with blood. He felt his chest tighten and he grits his teeth. How had he been so blind to what his father truly was all this time. How could he have been so naive? He blamed himself and hated himself for it. It never should've gotten to this point...

He was caught in his thoughts he didn't notice when a vampire ducks behind a wall in an abandoned home and picks up a large wooden stake. And just when he swings his arm back to throw it to Hongjoong's back Seonghwa jumps in and tackled him out of the way. "Watch out!"

The stake just barely misses him and instead lodged into the wall right where Hongjoong was standing only a moment ago.

Seonghwa immediately gets up, whipping his head around to look for the vampire. His eyes glowed ever so slightly and a luminescent grey stood out in darkness of the night. His wolf fangs bared and nose scrunched up.

Before he could even lunge at the soldier the man vampire speeds away, escaping once realizing he'd be outmatched if he tried fighting both Hongjoong and Seonghwa.

"Damn" Seonghwa curses under his breath when he loses the man's scent. He turns around with deeply furrowed brows to look at Hongjoong who was still sprawled on the ground, dirt and sand now staining his black clothing. The prince had a surprised look on his face at what just happened.

"What the hell were you even doing just standing there, day dreaming while we're on a clock?" Seonghwa demands, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. "If I hadn't jumped in and saved your ass-"

"Oh please spare me" Hongjoong cuts him off after quickly getting over his shock. He slowly stands up, dusting himself off gently.

"What?" Seonghwa asks, completely appalled at his attitude despite clearly being in the wrong and owing him a thanks.

"I didn't ask you to save me, idiot. I don't like you and it's clear that you don't like me so why didn't you just let it hit me? Huh? I know if the roles were reversed I wouldn't have cared. So just spare me the 'I saved your life' talk" Hongjoong says in a harsh tone, resentful tone. His frosty grey eyes watches Seonghwa silently, waiting for him to snap back. Seonghwa bit the inside of his cheek at his words, his fist clenching by his side.

"I'm not a cold blooded selfish piece of shit. And unlike you I will always choose to help someone who needs me" The werewolf says with just as much venom while stepping up to his face, knowing he stood a good couple inches taller than him.

Hongjoong scoffs. "Are you insinuating I need you? Don't fucking piss me off. What, were you following me? How would you have even seen him anyways?" He doesn't back down.

Seonghwa nearly burst out laughing at his accusation. Instead he snorts. "Following you? I was doing my fucking job and trying to track him and he happened to lead me here where if I hadn't intervened you could've been killed. So you're welcome" His voice was hostile. Cold.

Hongjoong laughs bitterly and turns to leave. "I'm not entertaining this right now. Leave me the fuck alone" He begins walking off.

Seonghwa couldn't say anything. Just watch as Hongjoong walked in a different direction, his small frame retreating in the thick fog caused by all the explosions from earlier and fires.

And with him goes that sickly sweet scent of his pheromones.

He grits his teeth out of frustration and and slaps his forehead with the heel of his palm. Everything about that vampire frustrated him. The way he talks to him like a piece of dog shit underneath his shoe. The way he despises him for just simply existing. He hated it so much.

And what's worse, he couldn't help but be attracted to him despite how clear it is the prince doesn't like him. He couldn't help but find him pretty and even find himself admiring his features whenever Hongjoong wasn't looking at him. Or glaring at him rather.

His long perfect perfect lashes, straight nose and pink fleshy lips with just enough plumpness to them. Yeah, so what he was attracted to a vampire who basically confessed to him a moment ago that he'd willingly let him die if given the chance? Crazier things happen everyday.

Perhaps it's the mating bond that plays a big factor in the whole thing. He couldn't say for certain and he wasn't sure if he'd ever really get an answer.

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Rip Junkyu 🙏🏾 🥲
Kinda needed to kill him off for jongsang 😭