"No..." Seonghwa whispered, and the breeze carried his voice to the stars; it was so faint. It was broken beyond all strength and his fingers trembled when nausea hit him so abruptly.

As if he was frozen in time, he couldn't take his eyes away. His father's expression was distorted in death, eternalised in shock and betrayal about the son he never stopped loving. Once so warm and glinting eyes had died out to an everlasting chill.

Seonghwa couldn't breathe. He trembled atop his mount and a moment later, Hongjoong overcame his stupor and lurched forward to hide the head from the elf's eyes.

But before he got that far, Seonghwa swayed atop the wild cat. Exposed to the horde of wickedly grinning orcs and demons led by his brother, the emperor waned and slipped out of his saddle.

Jongho was there first, and his solid shoulder cushioned Seonghwa's fall. He made a warning noise but a glance at Yeosang's mute shock by his side figured how awful of a sight this was to them.

After making sure Seonghwa wasn't tumbling, Hongjoong snatched off his cloak to engulf the former emperor's head in it. He wrapped it in the dark fabric to maintain his dignity, but it felt so wrong to see him stand and pick up the leftovers of Seonghwa's father so easily. Where was the rest of him? Seonghwa's strong, kind father, who had lived for many hundred years?

Dark spots danced before Seonghwa's eyes, and his stomach lurched. He barely choked out Jongho's name when the bile already fought its way up his throat and he gagged it out next to Jongho's watchful shoulder. Seonghwa held onto him with trembling hands as tears dripped into his pool of sick. He was a mess, but no one dared shame him for it. The dark cloth in Hongjoong's arms was the worst of all reminders and even the sorcerer had paled.

Then, laughter. Pearly and warm, like rays of light playing with the leaves of an oak tree. It once delighted fairies far and wide, but it was so wrong in this place of gore. So malicious.

"What a sight you make. Haven't you looked forward to this day? The brothers reunited? I am almost moved to tears as well."

"You monster," Yunho hissed as he worriedly patted Yeosang's shoulder. The loss of the former emperor hit them all hard, but Yeosang and Seonghwa were utterly defenceless in their midst.

Still, Yongguk didn't attack. He relished their agony.

Trembling hands stretched out for the blanket in Hongjoong's arms. Envisioned his father's kind smile and wise eyes.

"It can't be true..." Seonghwa whispered, again and again, once he took in a shuddering gasp.

"Father, no- No-"

Jongho caught his wails and helped Seonghwa sit when the elf crumbled. His insides were torn and his soul ached worse than ever before. As his head seemed to slam into his skull, his companions were stunned into silence by their emperor's suffering.

"How could you?" Seonghwa sobbed and fresh tears bedazzled his cheeks. Yongguk grinned lazily when Seonghwa's lip wobbled. Gone was the mighty elf at their tip.

As if he had come for an afternoon chat, Yongguk waved a dismissive hand. The same hand that killed their father.

"Did you think I was merely threatening you, hoping you would be kind enough to hand over the throne? To learn how to rule? You made the mistake of having mercy on me, Seonghwa. And that kindness will be the end of you. I told you often enough. Perhaps it's about time you learn from the advice others give you." His eyes flashed sinisterly, but Seonghwa didn't care about his threats. Didn't care if his kindness meant his end.

"He was also your father!"

Yongguk scoffed. His boar rustled below him with horrifying tusks that yearned for blood, but it didn't attack yet. The demons and orcs hovered, waiting for permission to rip the elf to shreds.

"He was a weak old man who couldn't protect his empire or make the right decisions. A kingdom isn't ruled by mercy. You need determination. Respect from your enemies. To punish as criminals belong punished and to defend your people. Otherwise, the first war will sweep it from below your feet."

In a way so horrible, he was right. But not in this empire. This empire strived off of peace. Of the elves' harmony. How could he betray everything he was?

Jealousy. And anger at a father who never chose him.

Seonghwa shook his head, still weeping. He didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to hear Yongguk's mouth say such words.

His brother nodded at the head in Hongjoong's arms.

"You can keep it as a memory. The treacherous father who would take only one son's side until the bitter end. Share your rotting grave with him. I don't need his miserable weakness once I rule this empire tomorrow. Finally, as it deserves to be ruled."

No appeal would work on him. No offer for a truce. Not even sacrificing the throne. Yongguk beckoned to his allies, and they readied their weapons.

Hongjoong tensed.

"So many will die. Your friends and mine. Can we not fight honourably, brother?" Seonghwa begged because he was weak. Because even now, he hoped he could fix everything and that his empire wouldn't be destroyed.

With another crude smirk, Yongguk unsheathed his blade. He pointed its tip at Seonghwa and his allies drew in on the vulnerable group, ready to kill.

"Your head is the only one left to fell, Seonghwa."

Before the first blade could connect to them, the entirety of their little elite was teleported away from that place. Hongjoong mobilised his entire strength and a moment later, they roughly hit the floor of the throne room back in the Crystal Palace. Seonghwa rolled off with a groan when his cat scrambled away and Hongjoong bellowed a yell of shock when he saw him go down.

Everything hurt. It hurt so much. The betrayal, the loss, the ghastly sights. Seonghwa sobbed uncontrollably, curling around his legs like a child. His husbands fretted over him, handling him with delicate fingers, but their touch felt cold.

Seonghwa couldn't do this. He wasn't made for war. Every second of despair ripped him apart.

The guards scrambled away to barricade the palace and ready for a siege. Seonghwa stayed where he was while every sound reached him, as if through water. He could only see the dark heap of Hongjoong's cloak and the shape beneath. The most despicable gift.

"Father," Seonghwa sobbed. "Father-" He choked, gasping to himself when his hands found the cold head Yongguk left for him. He cradled it against his chest, hoping to share his soul so his father would come back to life, but no miracles happened.

One cruel twist and an unforgiving son was all it took.

He was gone forever.

His husbands momentarily left him to his mourning to buzz around him. San and Wooyoung were here, which meant everyone had gathered to protect Seonghwa.

He couldn't demand that of them. They needed to flee, far away. He needed to protect their precious lives. If he lost anyone else...

Warm magic seeped into him and shoved out the icy fear robbing Seonghwa's breath. He hadn't realised he was wailing again and weak fingers cramped into Hongjoong's clothes when the sorcerer held him. Muttered praises soothed him and soon, Seonghwa could breathe. He yelled, almost hysterically, when his father's head was taken away from him, but the darkness of a hand sealed his vision. It momentarily distracted him, blocking out all the overwhelming visions. And then, a blissful numbness came. Hongjoong had no other choice but to relieve him of this pain, and while it felt unnatural and bizarre, Seonghwa embraced the feeling.

His father deserved to be mourned. But if he lost himself now, then the empire was also lost.

With a shuddering breath, Seonghwa found back to himself. The darkness lifted and his father's head was gone, as if it had never been there. Had it been? Or was all this a cruel trick of Seonghwa's mind?

Relieved to find some clarity in his eyes, Hongjoong sat back on his haunches. His exhaustion showed, but so far, he was still doing fine. An agitated hand ruffled through his hair.

"That bastard. I want to feed him his innards..." The sorcerer muttered to himself. He didn't leave Seonghwa's side as the elf wiped at his face. He didn't care about the disgusting stickiness on his sleeve as he looked around.

By their side, Yeosang sat like a sunken doll. The light in his eyes had died out. His vision tugged with more pain inside Seonghwa, but Hongjoong shook his head.

"You two have to snap out of it. I know this feels harrowing, but the orcs are marching for our location right now. If you let this consume you, the very thing Yongguk hoped to achieve is going to happen. You will fall to your compassion and he will rule." The sorcerer snapped flaming fingertips before Yeosang's eyes and the dryad slowly focused back on their reality, lifting his eyes.

Seonghwa bit his lip. His hands trembled by his sides and clutched into his blood-flecked skirt to gain some hold.

"What am I supposed to do? How could I save my people when they come from everywhere? Where would I flee when he knows how to haunt me?" He despaired and Hongjoong looked close to tugging on his hair.

"I don't care what you do or in which order!" He barked. "But you will get up and you will fight, otherwise he will slaughter every person dear to you in front of you. You hate war, I get it. But unless you end it here, it will only get worse." The sorcerer looked livid and was about to shove Seonghwa into submission when San entered the room behind him. At his sight, something inside Seonghwa stirred, but he had no time to celebrate his husband's wellbeing.

Hongjoong was right. If he wallowed in misery now, everything would be too late.

"We have a couple hours, but they move at mad speed. We are trying to hold them back, but there is no clear leadership down there and it has turned into blind slaughter against our foes. Without a strategy, the rulers will tire out their soldiers before the titans arrive and can stomp everything down," he reported, and Hongjoong backed off from Seonghwa to pace the room.

"The golems have started their work already, so the flow from the Cavern of Nightfall will soon cease. They might go around, but that buys us time to group up and get rid of the forces trapped inside here."

They weren't ready for something of this calibre. For so many brutal fighters with expert weapons.

Unless a miracle happened, the empire would sink into the sorrow while the moon hid from sight.

San knelt next to Seonghwa and carefully felt his cheeks and forehead. His strained eyes were patient. If Seonghwa couldn't make this call, they would.

But the elf could never send them out there by themselves and sit idle.

"Can you gather yourself for long enough to see this through with us? We can take over when it's about killing, but we need your guidance. Your advisors can be at the ready and we got your back," San muttered and Seonghwa hung his head. He felt powerless, but he was so glad for their support even when he was no more but a hollow shell at the moment.

"The golems and the titans are our turning leaf," Seonghwa whispered against his parched throat. His voice made Yeosang perk up and everyone listened with bated breath as the emperor whispered his orders.

"If we can kill Yongguk, they will suffer even more disorientation. Then we can either chase them out or kill them all."

The words sounded awful from Seonghwa's lips, but their frost was needed.

"If we find a way to access him, I would be more than happy," Hongjoong offered himself and Seonghwa nodded like a doll drawn on strings.

His brother needed to die. Wherever he went, misfortune spread its poisonous tendrils.

San's hand caressed down Seonghwa's back and some peace returned to his soul when he felt the heat of his palm. Suddenly, he wanted to see Mingi and his babies. Wanted to kiss his family even when he was covered in blood.

Wanted to tell them how happy he was by their sides and how fortunate to have them.

Hongjoong turned when Seonghwa's body instinctively leaned into San's touch. The butterflies in his stomach were weak against all this suffering, but they gave him strength. Assured him he still had things to save.

"We will get through this," the sorcerer promised when he left the grand halls. "I promise you that, Seonghwa."