Namjoon swallowed dryly, a loud gulping sound rumbling from his throat. The past few hours have been hell — no pun intended — for him and the rest. The one time exquisite was food was served to them, it ended up being poisoned and they were thrown in jail. After breaking out, Jungkook went berserk and nearly killed both Taehyung and the King of Hemel.

Now Hel had broken their so called peace treaty with Hemel and are sparking another war.

Namjoon wondered if it could get any worse.

Loud alarms blared, the sharp noise piercing through Namjoon like a bolt of lightning. Instead of the standard red color alarms had back on Earth, bright gold beams flashed across the throne room.

Feeling a grip tighten around his arm, Namjoon looked down and saw Jimin next to him, lips trembling and a complicated mixture of emotions in his hooded eyes. He stared at the thunder gem bearer, the sight seemingly angering him. He hated it when he was sad.

Maybe the day could actually get worse — Namjoon thought.

"Jimin, what's wrong?," Namjoon whispered softly and rubbed Jimin's shoulder as the throne room's doors slammed open, rows of Hemelian guards stomping inside.

Namjoon stared at Jimin, who was still too lost in his own thoughts to reply. Staring at the orange haired wonder, he pursed his lips into a thin line and scanned his uneasy expression. It seemed like time was in slow motion at this very moment. What was he thinking? Was he worried the Helians? Or his friends? Or was he thinking about something else?

"Jimin?," Namjoon asked again, this time with a more gentle tone.

Jimin blinked, his plump lips unconsciously forming a pout. He flicked his eyes towards Namjoon before smiling, eyes turning into crescents, although it was obvious that something was hidden behind that grin.

"I'm fine, Joonie," Jimin whispered, the sound of the guards' voices and alarm turning into static noise in Namjoon's ears. "I was just... thinking about some stuff, you know?"

Namjoon frowned. He knew that something was bothering Jimin and had the strongest urge to ask about it. At the same time, he didn't want to force the club leader to open up when he wasn't ready.

Not really sure when or how it started, Namjoon suddenly gained a personal goal of protecting Jimin at all costs. He didn't know why he was so overprotective when it came to Bliksem's king but he would fight anyone or anything that was at least threatening to the thunder gem bearer.

Namjoon looked down at Jimin again and stared at his face. Although he wore a frown, the smooth skin of his cheeks still glowed, thick lips red and succulent, resembling a fresh round cherry. There were a few freckles below his eyes, one that ran down to his cheeks. His eyes were hooded, yet they sparkled.

In that moment, Namjoon wondered why Jimin wasn't a Hemelian. After all, he was angelic.

Hoseok stared at the duo, a hand palmed over his forehead.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness and Crowned Prince," A Hemelian lieutenant spoke suddenly, snapping Namjoon out of his thoughts. A bunch of guards were circled around the royal family. He couldn't help but notice the seemingly invisible brick wall between the king and queen. "We must take you to the shelter. Men, take the wonders as well."

Namjoon could tell that this Hemelian lieutenant was sided with the queen. Still, he didn't like the idea of being locked up again.

"We're staying," You said, voice laced with determination. Stepping backwards, you dodged a guard attempting to grab you and spun the katana in your hand. "We won't sit back and relax while a war is raging out there."

"Cloud's right," Yoongi spoke as he stretched a hand upwards and pet Holly, who purred against his palm. His eyes were burning. "If there's nothing we can do to stop this war then we'll fight on Hemel's side."

Namjoon wanted to say that he wouldn't want to defend a kingdom that almost killed them all but his logical side told him otherwise. "I agree. We don't know why Hel decided to break their peace treaty with Hemel but one thing is for sure — we know what side we're supposed to be fighting on."

Nobody said anything at the mention of the treaty since Jungkook was in the room. Joy had already told Namjoon and the rest about it. The tension in the air thickened.

"Mother," Jungkook broke the silence, the mini wings on his head flapping. "I will fight by their side."

"Jungkook, it's too dangerous. It will be safer for you to stay in the shelter with your mother and I," King Lucius deadpanned, arms crossed over his chest. Namjoon could feel the tension around them thickening. Wrong words, man.

"Father."

Jungkook was hissing through gritted teeth. King Lucius flinched when his eye color started to shift again but thanks to Queen Miranda's reassuring tone, he calmed down.

Oh, thank the gods. Namjoon knew that he wasn't prepared to see Jungkook going berserk again. The sight was terrifying enough to see once, what more a second time?

"I will not continue to be a bystander while our kingdom is continuously threatened by Hel's forces," Jungkook straightened his back, all six wings folding behind him. "I am Hemel's crowned prince and the bearer of the light gem. I will fight with my friends and will protect the kingdom with my life. There's nothing you can say that can stop me, Father."

A silence. Namjoon showed off a dimpled smile, happy that Jungkook had finally stood up for himself. Jimin was smiling too. So was Taehyung, but he was trying to hide it by looking away.

"I see," King Lucius said simply. Jungkook looked a bit stunned at how his father didn't retort. Everyone was. "If that is your decision then I cannot do anything to change it. Guards?"

The Hemelian soldiers instantly shuffled into a row, making a loud hut! as they slammed their spears to the floor. Namjoon whispered to Jimin that they reminded him of football players. He let out a squeaky laugh.

"Protect my son at all costs."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Be careful, dear," Queen Miranda cupped Jungkook's face, the prince smiling widely. The sight made Namjoon think of his own mother, his chest tightening at the thought.

"Of course, Mother," Jungkook slowly removed Queen Miranda's hands from his face as the Hemelian soldiers split into two groups. Namjoon watched as the prince and his parents separated. "I love you."

Queen Miranda paused and turned towards King Lucius, who was already looking away. She sighed and faced Jungkook. "I love you too, dear."

Namjoon stared as the soldiers surrounded Hemel's king and queen before disappearing out of the throne room. He then faced Jungkook, who was rubbing one of his head's wings in between his fingers, yet a stern expression was on his face.

"General," Jungkook's tone was sharp, making the general stiffen in his position. Namjoon would admit the Hemelian prince looked a lot more intimidating in his Seraphim form. "Lead us to the army's base, yeah?"

The General nodded. Jungkook faced the three Hemelians standing behind the group, Namjoon following his gaze to stare at them as well. Irene was staring at her hands. Mingyu still had the sword on his shoulder. Joy had a frozen smile on her face with both hands folded over her stomach.

"Mingyu, Irene, Joy," Jungkook spoke, each Hemelian reacting differently to their names being called. Namjoon noticed that Irene's face was flushed. Huh. "We'll need your help."

-

Thanks to the Hemelian general and his sharp navigating skills, it didn't take long until Jungkook and the others reached Hemel's army base. It was a domed fortress separated from the castle, positioned near the town square — the kingdom's only open field. Located near the edge of the floating city, the prince could feel the cold breeze fanning his cheeks.

They were standing in front of a tall spiral building, one that reminded Jungkook of Bliksem's Tower of Life. Truthfully, he wasn't sure whether Hemel actually had an army base or not, since they never really did prepare for war. He assumed that they had taken over the building in the last second, making him wonder where the real tenants went.

Then again, Jungkook had been away from Hemel for quite a while. Maybe his mother prepared a fortress without his father's knowledge.

Behind Jungkook, his friends were squabbling. He sighed and recalled Jimin's question of Is your head a separate entity? in which he replied flatly with a small No.

"So your head can't fly off your body?," Jimin asked with a raised brow, hooded eyes staring back at Jungkook with disappointment. He pouted. "Well that sucks."

"You sound like you actually want to see Jungkook decapitate himself," Yoongi muttered, Holly curled in his arms like a little dog.

Yeah, I do. Jungkook scrunched his nose at Jimin's thoughts. He was sure that if he had that ability, he would have been long dead. The thunder gem bearer scratched one of his puffed cheeks. "Well, what else would they be for?"

"I believe that Jungkook has those little wings on his head for aesthetic purposes," Hoseok said proudly, Jimin looking at him with a mixture of amusement and disgust.

"But Jungkookie can control them," Jimin beamed. "Right?"

Jungkook flapped the wings on his head, which just felt like he was moving his eyebrows. Jimin cooed loudly.

"That's cute."

"Did the Min Yoongi just call Jungkook cute?"

"Shut up."

Jungkook smiled as the general continued to lead the group through the hallway of Hemel's castle. The single men club members (plus Hoseok) were bickering, a cheerful atmosphere surrounding them despite the situation. He was glad that his friends didn't think of him as strange — after all he did look a bit different. And more intimidating, according to Namjoon's thoughts.

According to Joy, unlike other kinds of angels, Seraphims would permanently keep their forms after unleashing it. In other words, Jungkook was going to have six wings on his back and another pair on his calves and head for the rest of his life. It wasn't that bothersome, really, except he had to worry about accidentally breaking his calve wings every second of the day. Also meant more wing maintenance. Ugh.

Still, Jungkook knew that there were other downsides of being a Seraphim. There was still that power surging within him and it took all his strength to prevent himself from exploding. He didn't want to lose control of himself again.

Although, Jungkook would admit that he enjoyed seeing the fear and cautiousness in King Lucius' eyes. He just wished that he hadn't almost killed him.

Suddenly hit with a sensation of eyes boring into his skull, Jungkook turned towards Taehyung, who kept a straight face throughout it all. He wondered what was going on in the darkness gem bearer's head, after all his "home" kingdom was currently sparking another war and against Hemel too.

Jungkook stiffened a bit when Taehyung shifted his dark orbs towards him. He didn't say anything and only continued to stare at the angel.

Somehow, Jungkook could see that Taehyung was trying to relay a message to him through his eyes. The Hemelian couldn't understand it though, yet, it almost looked like he was pleading for something.

But what?

The screeching sound of an opening door snapped Jungkook out of his thoughts. He saw the Hemelian general holding the door open, a hand over his chest as he bowed slightly. The prince gulped before stepping inside the fortress.

Jungkook squinted his eyes at the brightness that came from inside. When his vision finally adjusted, he saw groups of Hemelian soldiers, all armed with different weapons.

On the right side, Hemelian spearmen were in rows, each one sharpening their bladed spears with spinning circular rocks. Red and gold sparks flew, reminding Jungkook of Yoongi's flames.

On the left side, Hemelian archers practiced their aim by shooting at round wooden targets strangely dipped in purple paint. Emily strummed the string of her bow from behind the group.

Jungkook heard Taehyung scoff behind him.

The fortress itself had stairs that spiraled to the top, which opened up to make a circular ray of sunlight fall to the center of the area. In between every ten stone steps was an open window and each had a Hemelian soldier patrolling it.

On the center of the building was a large rectangular wooden table, a paper map sprawled across it. Standing behind it was a Hemelian general — Jungkook could tell by the star on his breastplate. He had an eyepatch over one of his eyes as he studied the map before him. The armor wrapped tightly around his buff muscles yet his limbs still resembled frail sticks.

Jungkook heard someone step forward from next to him. He turned and saw Joy smiling as she walked towards the general with her white wings flapping furiously. "Sungjae!"

Sungjae looked up with arched eyebrows but his blue eyes sparkled the moment he spotted Joy literally flying towards him. Smiling, he flew over the table and dove towards the Hemelian magical, engulfing her in a big hug before giving her a peck on the lips.

Can I barf? Jungkook wasn't sure who the owner of that though was. Still, he felt a bit uncomfortable since the scene reminded him of Kiana.

"Thank God you're alright," Sungjae sighed in relief as he pulled away from the hug. He cupped Joy's face. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine, Sungjae," Joy smiled it, her voice still as soft as ever. She flicked her blue eyes towards Jungkook, who was sure that he had an awkward smile on his face. "But I think you should pay more attention to the Crowned Prince."

"Wha—," Sungjae stopped himself, eyes widening when he saw Jungkook waving at him. His jaw dropped, then a squeak came out of his throat instead of words. Joy palmed her face.

Sungjae recovered quickly. Turning on his heel, he turned away from Jungkook and the rest before speaking in a booming voice.

"Hemelians!," Every single Hemelian soldier turned upon hearing their general's voice. He placed a hand over his chest. "Stand your ground for you are in the presence of the Crowned Prince."

Sungjae looked at Jungkook. Then the angel realized at he was looking at the row of people behind him — at his friends.

"And the Kings of Vrede."

One by one, each Hemelian soldier dropped their weapons and fell to their knees. Jungkook watched the domino effect closely. He was already used to the people fawning over him at his mere presence but the sight of the entire army bowing down to him still made him a bit uneasy.

The others weren't doing much better. Jimin stuttered as he spoke, fingers digging into his choker. He swallowed loudly. "Uhm, I'm flattered?"

"We all are," Hoseok's voice trembled.

"Yeah," Namjoon had an unsure tone. At least Jin was smiling brightly.

"I'll never get used to this," Yoongi whispered as Holly glanced around. He blinked at Sky, Emily and Taehyung, eyes glazing over the sight of the three bowing. "I take back what I said. I'll never get used to that."

Jungkook raised an eyebrow at Taehyung, mouthing a why are you bowing at him.

The darkness gem bearer gave him a glare. Then the Hemelian realized that nobody apart from him knew his identity of Hel's prince.

"Rise," Sungjae commanded the army and they followed without question. The trio rose to their feet as well. The general smiled at Jungkook, then nodded in acknowledgment. "Crowned Prince."

Jungkook smiled at Sungjae's cheerful premise. If it wasn't for his uniform, he would have never guessed that he was a general for Hemel. "General. What's the situation with Hel as of now?"

Sungjae glanced up at Joy, who gave him a nod. Jungkook was a bit stunned by the drastic change in expression because now he had a tight smile and burning eyes. He watched the general stand as he gestured for them to come closer.

Jungkook stared at Hemel's map, its paper glowing with a soft white hue. He examined it for a while, realizing how big the kingdom actually was. It made sense, after all the royal walk to the palace took about an hour.

"Right now, Hel has pierced through the gates' defense," Sungjae tapped the map, pointing at the open sky in between Hemel's town square and the main gates. A small purple dot appeared on the paper. "Our sources say that their fighting ships are here. With the current pace they're going, they'll reach the city in about thirty minutes."

"Fighting ships," Jin spoke with crossed arms. "They really planned this out, huh?"

"Unfortunately, they did," General Sungjae sighed. He whizzed his finger across the map, creating a line from the slowly moving purple dot to the town square — Hemel's only open field. "Our fortress is located right in the heart of the square but thanks to Joy and the other magicals, it's concealed in mist."

"So the plan is an ambush," Hoseok chimed in, goggles whirring over his eyes. He cupped his chin, a stern expression on his face. "Right?"

"Yes, exactly," Sungjae nodded. "They'll never see us coming."

"No offense, General, but this is arrows and spears versus huge fighting ships," Namjoon chided. His chin was protruded, eyes squinted as he studied the map. "Even if the magicals help us, Hel's forces still have a big chance of overpowering us. Trust me, we know by experience."

"We have you guys," Sungjae squeaked. Jungkook couldn't tell if he was using a tone of uneasiness or if his voice just cracked. "The seven wonders of Vrede, their guardian and the protector. Hemel has the nine individuals destined to save the worlds by their side. I don't think any number of forces Hel sends can top that, right?"

"You're way too cocky."

Jungkook turned towards Taehyung, just as everyone else did. The darkness gem bearer was leaning on his snake head staff, eyes blank as he stared ahead. He had a finger in the air, purple mist flying around it in a circle. It was ironic, since he looked like the cockiest one in the room.

"That attitude of yours will get you killed someday, General," The last word came out with a mocking tone. Taehyung smirked slyly, his eyes flashing a shade of dark black, then to a purple hue.

Jungkook squinted his eyes. Something was wrong.

"Who gave that Helian the right to talk that way to me?," Sungjae snapped and reached for the spear strapped across his back.

"Sungjae, stop," Joy hissed and placed her hand over Sungjae's breastplate. The Hemelian magical sighed loudly. "Taehyung is a comrade."

"And a friend," Jungkook said. He was still staring at Taehyung, who was chuckling to himself and inspecting his black nails. Everyone else was looking at him questionably as well. "Right, Tae?"

Taehyung shifted his eyes towards Jungkook, who flinched at the darkness swirling in his purple orbs. He was still smirking but the angel could tell that something sinister was behind it.

Jungkook stiffened then he gulped. His stomach stirred. Something was definitely wrong.

Then Taehyung blinked. In that split second, his eyes went back to their usual color and an expression of bafflement crossed his face. He hid it well though. Nobody had noticed it. Well, almost nobody. Jungkook was still worried.

"Yeah, what Jungkook said," Taehyung sighed. He plucked his staff from the ground and spun it in his hand as he stepped forward. He slammed the snake head to the table, its yellow eyes glaring at the drawing of Hemel's castle. Jimin jumped. "You don't understand, General. Hel doesn't blindly charge into a war like a bunch of impulsive idiots. They plan things out. They study their enemies. They make sure that they know everything about them before they attack."

Taehyung shifted his position. Now the staff was resting on his shoulder. All were silent as they listened to the only Helian in the room.

Jungkook, on the other hand, was both annoyed and amazed at Taehyung's confidence. It was something his old friend would rarely show and whenever he did, it would always leave an impression on him.

"I'm from Hel. I know how they strategize. They give their opponents the confidence of advantage them shoot them down. It's most probable that they are already aware of this fortress' location, mist or not," Taehyung continued, his tone dead serious. "They'll attack us without mercy. The army will eliminate anything that looks weak in their eyes."

"Do you mean," Jungkook sucked in a breath, his fists balled. "They'll attack the people?"

Taehyung went silent for a whole count of five. "They will."

"Then we have to get them away," Emily stepped forward and slammed her fist on the table. Jimin jumped again, making Namjoon eye him. "Round up the civilians and get them as far away from the battle as possible."

"I'll do it," Joy suggested. Sungjae gave her a look to which she nodded as a response. He then turned towards the two Hemelians standing behind the group silently. "Irene and Mingyu will assist me."

"We will?," Irene grunted when Mingyu nudged her side with his elbow. She saluted and almost stabbed herself in the head. "I mean— Of course we will! But... where will we bring them?"

A silence came. Jungkook thought about it for a while. Due to a princely duty of attending geographical classes, he knew Hemel like the back of his hand. All he had to do was find the perfect structure in the kingdom that was big enough to house the Hemelians and keep them safe at the same time.

Jungkook's eyes lit up when a thought crossed his mind. He recalled a room of marble statues and him loathing the arrogance of his ancestors.

"The Hall of Legacy," Jungkook gasped out loud, his chin resting on one of his hands.

"The Hall of... Legos?"

"Marmalade, are you sure you don't have any hearing problems or something?"

"The Hall of Legacy!," Sungjae shrieked, ignoring Yoongi and Jimin's small quarrel. He tapped the image of a large rectangular building in the heart of Hemel's city, just in front of the castle. A hologram appeared over the table, showing the a short summary of the hall and its area dynamics.

"Wow, this building is pretty huge," You said in awe and swiped your fingers across the hologram. The image of the Hall of Legacy spun crazily, making you stifle in your laughter. "It's made of enchanted unbreakable marble too. I think we hit the jackpot."

"It's settled then," Jungkook spoke before Sungjae could. He faced Irene, Mingyu and Joy with a determined expression. "You three take some soldiers and round up the civilians. Take them to the Hall of Legacy and guard them until the Helians leave. Go now. Every second that passes means more danger for Hemel and its people. Prioritize their safety at all costs."

"Yes, Crowned Prince," Only Joy replied with a bow since Irene and Mingyu were too stunned by Jungkook's tone to say anything. She glanced lovingly at Sungjae before disappearing out of the fortress with the chef, butler and a group of soldiers.

Jungkook felt his friends eyes boring into the back of his head. He wondered if his tone was that intimidating.

"Taehyung," Namjoon's deep voice rumbled, chin still protruded. His bright brown eyes were glowing behind his purple fringe. "You were saying?"

Taehyung coughed. He strapped his staff across his back before pressing his hands to the table. "The mere fact that the fighting ships have a slow pace is suspicious. The Helian army, they feed on destruction. If I knew better, they would have attacked right away."

"Then why didn't they just attack us?," Jimin tilted his head. Jungkook cringed at Namjoon's small cute before he focused again.

"Because they're not here to destroy Hemel," Namjoon tapped his cheek with a finger, hand resting on his palm and eyebrows scrunched together as he focused (for real). "They're—"

"—Here because of us," Hoseok continued, his now green eyes widened with realization. A cold breeze was spinning around his feet. "Hel is here because of us."

"Hoseok and Namjoon are right," Taehyung said before anyone could question it. His eyes were a mixture of black and purple. Teeth were gritted, jaw clenched tightly. Jungkook frowned at the obvious pain. "Do you think them attacking Hemel while we're here is a coincidence? It isn't. They want us. More frankly, they want to kill us."

"How reassuring," Emily whispered as she strummed the string of her bow.

"So that means," You paused as you carefully selected your words. "Hel will only attack after we show ourselves?"

"Yes and no," Hoseok replied with a nod. He was tapping the lens of his goggles, cheeks puffed as he went deep in thought. "If there's something I noticed about Helians, it's that they're impatient as fuck. No offense, Taehyung."

Taehyung waved off Hoseok's words. He tapped the purple dot on the map, which viewed a hologram of pictures of Hel's fleet, ones taken by some Hemelian soldiers, Jungkook assumed. He wondered if they made it out alive.

Pinching his fingers and then spreading them, Taehyung zoomed into the pictures. Jungkook stared at the intimidating fighting ships, all dark and seeping with both death and pain. There were about five of them flying side by side, all proudly decorated with a Helian flag.

There was something else behind the fighting ship that looked different. Instead of a round dome-shaped back, it had a structure similar to that of a flatbed truck. It had more propellers to support it. On its platform was a huge catapult, rows of metal balls positioned behind it.

A catapult. Hel really did come prepared.

"Neuken," Taehyung whispered after he zoomed into one of the ships. He spotted five figures on the deck. "They sent the Great Six."

Nobody said anything. Jungkook knew what everyone's question was, he could hear them chanting it like a prayer. Taehyung sighed.

"The Great Six are the most powerful magicals in all of Hel, grouped together to become f— the King's personal assassination team," Taehyung trailed off, sorrow suddenly flashing in his eyes. It left as soon as it came. "You guys see only five because the sixth member was Illusia."

"...The illusion magical Jimin and Kaeva defeated back in Bliksem," Namjoon smiled proudly and turned towards Jimin, whose jaw was dropped. Jungkook noticed how the earth gem bearer's smile faltered at the mention of Kaeva.

Yikes. Jungkook went through both Namjoon and Jimin's thoughts. He could smell the incoming drama from miles away.

"Wow, Jimin!," Hoseok cheered with his heart-shaped smile. He slapped Jimin in the back with some wind, which blew some air to Jungkook's face. "You defeated one of the Great Six!"

"Save the celebrations for later," Taehyung snapped as Jimin's cheeks flared into a deep red color. "The Great Six's presence tells us one thing — unless we come up with something, we're fucked."

"Then we need to come up with a plan," Jin had a straight face, something Jungkook rarely saw on the water gem bearer. "Say— why don't we fight fire with fire?"

"Sounds like you've got something in mind," Sungjae said. He nodded at Jin, who was smiling at him cheekily. "Speak your thoughts."

"Well," Jin rubbed his nape awkwardly, blonde bangs falling over one of his eyes. "I kind of pulled this out from one of Jimin's movies—"

"One of my movies?," Jimin exclaimed loudly. Then he blinked and put on a cocky smirk as his eyes sparkled. "Of course! One of my movies! The great Park Jimin, ha!"

"...Right," Jin said slowly and gave Jimin, who was stuck in self-praise mode, a strange look. "As I was saying, in that movie there was this concept executed by the hero's team — ambush the ambush. They basically reversed the attack. If Hel thinks we're here then we'll trick them into it. We'll bait them to attack the fortress and strike them from behind. Taunt them, you know?"

"That's a great idea, Jin!," Emily grinned and playfully punched Jin's shoulders. The water gem bearer winced. "Oops, sorry."

"I like the way you think, water boy," Jin grimaced loudly at the nickname. Sungjae glanced at Taehyung, who was staring at the map blankly. The purple dot was coming closer. "Helian? What's your say on this?"

Taehyung licked his lips. "It sounds stupid but smart. If the Great Six are still as impulsive as they were then it just might work but... something is missing."

Jungkook arched an eyebrow. "Which is?"

Taehyung smirked. This time, his eyes didn't flash dark black. "An attack plan."

-

Hoseok tapped the earpiece as it buzzed sharply in his left ear. Sungjae had provided it to him and the rest of the team. He was glad since he knew that they'd eventually get separated in the middle of this battle. The last thing he wanted was to be cornered in a place where he couldn't call for help.

"Hoseok, status?," Namjoon's voice rumbled in the earpiece along with static, as if the earth gem bearer was whispering right into his ear.

Hoseok pressed a button at the side of his goggles. A small beep came from the lenses as white circles appeared, along with distance measurements and data analytics. He rubbed the button in a circular motion, his lens zooming in to the blue skies.

It was as if Hoseok was standing right in front of Hel's fighting ships. He scanned the one in the center and eyed the caped woman standing tall and proud on the deck. His goggles identified the woman. Shay, leader of the Great Six and Princess of Hel.

Hoseok wasn't sure whether this was a piece of information that the others deserved to know. Still, Namjoon asked for the status. He zoomed out and read the distance measurements. "Five minutes, Joon."

"Is everyone ready?," Jungkook's voice came with an authoritative tone. Everyone replied with a mix of yeahs and yeps. Hoseok even heard Holly snap its jaws.

Hoseok looked around. To his right, Jimin was standing tall and proud with balled fists, electricity sparking around him. To his left, Jin stood elegantly with a foot stepped in front of the other and both hands in the pockets of his black leather pants. He was whistling.

Then Hoseok recalled the plan. He and the rest were standing on the top of the fortress, all positioned to take up each angle. You, Emily, Taehyung and Jungkook were behind him. Namjoon was in between Jimin and Jungkook. Each window of the fortress was occupied by a Hemelian archer and spearman. Sungjae was on the ground with a team of more soldiers.

The plan was simple. Like Jin said, ambush the ambush. He, Namjoon, Sungjae, Taehyung and Hemel's strategists came to together to form this plan.

Hemel's magicals were the most crucial part of this plan. Their job was to perform illusion magic that Joy had used to conceal the tower. This time, however, they had to combine their magic and create an identical fortress a a few yards away from them. Hoseok zoomed onto one of the houses below and saw their leader — Yeri, Joy's sister, with her eyes shut tightly and wings straightened behind her back.

Hoseok looked behind him. In between you and Emily's figures was the fake and very empty looking fortress. He hoped that the Helians wouldn't literally see through the illusion.

We can't beat Hel's army in terms of firepower but we can push them into wasting their resources — Taehyung had said during their meeting a few minutes ago — After they waste bullets and magic on the fake fortress, that's when we attack them from behind.

"Are you guys sure it will work?," Jimin asked with a shaky voice, as if he had read Hoseok's thoughts.

"It will," Taehyung deadpanned. Hoseok heard loud whirring from above. His next words came in a low whisper. "It has to."

Hoseok gulped. A feeling of dread was slowly stirring at the bottom of his gut. He had a strong intuitive feeling that somehow, something would go wrong in this plan. The air gem bearer didn't know what or how but he felt like there was a bomb hidden within the seams of this plan, just waiting for the right time to explode at their faces.

The whirring sound returned. Hoseok looked up, just as a shadow casted over his face.

"Everyone," Namjoon whispered softly, not being able to conceal the uneasiness in his voice. "Don't make a sound."

Hoseok wanted to punch himself for suggesting the possibility of Hel spotting them through their movements because now they had to stay still while huge fighter ships passed above them.

Taking a deep breath, Hoseok felt a drop of sweat drip down the side of his face. Strong wind was being blown at them from the propellers of the fighting ship, which weirdly gave him the urge to sneeze. He had to grab his nose.

Hoseok could feel the tension that radiated from all nine of them. The fighting ships were still overhead, basking them in darkness. He hoped that a Helian wouldn't spot him and decide to literally drop a bomb on his head.

Then the ship holding the catapult passed by. Hoseok blinked. No bombs. His head was still attached to his body. Looking behind him, he saw the Helian army heading towards the fake fortress.

"It worked!," You exclaimed through the earpiece and raised your katana. Hoseok could hear your smile.

Hoseok saw everyone, including him, release a breath they had held in. He nearly jumped in place when loud gunfire suddenly erupted.

All five of the Helian fighting ships were shooting directly at the fake fortress. Hoseok regained his composure and watched as merely dust spread all over the town square.

"They're shooting like mad dogs," Jin laughed, his voice sounding robotic due to the static.

"Idiots," Taehyung chuckled. It was a sound Hoseok wasn't used to hearing. "They fell for it so easily."

The continuous gunfire started to sound like pounding in Hoseok's ears. He tapped his earpiece as he recalled the other half of the plan. "Hey guys, we should get ready."

"Yeah," Emily replied. Hoseok heard the string of her bow snap and saw her pull it back. The signal. All the other Hemelian archers took an arrow out of their quivers. "On three."

You unsheathed your katana from its scabbard. The second signal. The Hemelian spearmen prepared their weapons.

"One."

Water circles under Jin's feet. Flames coated Yoongi's hands as Holly flew just above him. Electricity was crackling all around Jimin, his hair flying. Taehyung and Jungkook both had balls of light and darkness floating around them.

"Two."

Emily took an arrow with a glowing red dot on its tip and aimed for one of the fighter ships. Hoseok pressed the button of his goggles and zoomed in. Namjoon snapped his face mask on.

"Three."

A breeze passed as Emily released an arrow. All was silent. Hoseok watched the arrow fly as it made a soft thud sound and stuck to the rear end of one of Hel's fighter ships.

Then it exploded. Flames licked the rear of the fighting ship as it spiraled downwards, barely missing the real fortress, which was no longer coated in enchanted mist.

Jungkook's screeching filled Hoseok's ears.

"For Hemel! Attack!"

-

A/N - 6k unedited words : D How did y'all like my new writing technique?? My aim was shorter and more concise paragraphs! I hope this helped with details and an easier way of reading heh

Anyways this chap is full of strategizing! Next chapter will be FULL of action so please anticipate it!! My holy week break is coming too so yay!!

I hope you guys aren't disappointed with this chap ;; Anyways TaeSky's arc is coming and I am literally so excited!!

I'm going out in a few minutes so I don't have much time lol I'll probs edit this a/n later sooo see y'all in the next chap!

Bye!