From the corner of your eye, the two princes disappeared in the darkness. You could see Taehyung staring bacm with an obvious expression of worry whilst Jungkook just glanced at them. Although the angel was putting on a cold expression, the fire gem bearer could see a bit of anxiousness in his face.

Turning around, you quietly scanned Yoongi. He was staring at Shay, orange eyes literally burning as his hands balled tightly into fists. Bright red flames were burning over his arms and back. Holly was perched on his shoulders, wings straightened, and was growling angrily at the princess.

You tried to remember the last time the last time the two of you fought side by side. Recalling your first meeting in Seoul, you smiled, the expression soon fading when you had a flashback of Yoongi stealing your watch, along with the monster from the pawn shop you both had to fight.

But you didn't let those thoughts flush down your mood, especially not when you were about to brawl against one of Hel's most powerful magicals.

"Pawn shop all over again, huh?," Yoongi smirked as he glanced at you, a rather teasing tone in his voice.

You turned towards Yoongi, a bit at surprised at his similar train of thought. Then, you released a light laugh as you shook your head. "Yoongi, I'm pretty sure that you and I remember the pawn shop very differently."

A presence dark enough to start suffocating you made you turn around. Glancing ahead, your eyes met Shay's, which were burning with both anger and disgust. With a closer look at Hel's princess, you realized that she indeed had features similar to Taehyung's. Both had fierce eyes, identical lip shape and a breathtakingly structured face.

Your eyes widened. Looking at Shay, it was almost felt like you were about to fight against Taehyung's twin. Even though that wasn't the case, the newfound information of them being related made this situation strangely uncomfortable.

It seemed that Yoongi had different thoughts. The flames around engulfing had turned blue with his fangs slightly poking his bottom lip. Holly was flying overhead now, a low growl still in its throat.

"Come at us, bitch," Yoongi snarled, his eyes burning brightly.

The dark expression on Shay's face slowly shifted into a neutral one. You watched nervously as the Helian woman raised an eyebrow at Yoongi, whose stern look remained the same.

"As you wish," Shay spoke calmly, her eyes turning dark once again.

You watched closely as Shay slammed the bottom of her staff on the ground, rock shattering upon impact. A large boulder rose from the ground as purple mist circled around it. Then, the princess pointed her staff forward.

The boulder charged forward in a speed that would definitely kill upon impact. You immediately pounced out of the way. From the corner of your eye, you saw Yoongi dodge by jumping to the opposite direction. Holly simply flew higher.

You rolled on the ground as the large boulder crashed into the wall, leaving a gaping hole in its wake. Seeing Yoongi safe on the other side, you released a sigh of relief.

Shay stomped her foot, which made you turn towards her. More rocks levitated off the ground, this time forming big spikes. Eyes widening, you looked down at your shield then at the defenseless Yoongi who, despite knowing that his flames will do nothing against the rock, was summoning balls of fire over his palms.

The rock spikes flew forward and without hesitation, you threw your shield towards Yoongi. Due to the force of the metal, it stuck into the wall and blocked the fire gem bearer from harm. The spikes simply crushed as they impacted the shield.

However, this had left you defenseless— and you only realized this when one spike cut through the calf of your leg, the other stabbing you in the shoulder. You crumpled to the ground, which conveniently made you dodge all the other pointed rocks.

"Sky!," Yoongi screamed from behind your shield. He turned towards Shay angrily, his blue flames burning brighter. "You're going to regret that!"

From your view on the floor, you saw Yoongi charge forward, flame dragon wings forming behind him. He bared his pointed teeth as his nails grew to claws, red scales forming over his cheeks and hands. Holly screeched and tailed behind him.

Despite this, Shay merely laughed. She simply made a weird gesture with her hands as her eyes flashed purple. Then, a portal appeared before the princess. Your breath hitched, especially because you could hear growling from the other side.

"No," You breathed, realizing what was about to happen. "Yoongi, slow down!"

Yoongi's eyes widened at the portal before him. He angled his feet forward, his flame wings flapping in an attempt to slow down, but they were too near. Holly bit into the shoulder of his jacket to halt.

However, the combined efforts of Yoongi and Holly weren't enough. They ended up flying right into the portal as Shay closed it.

"Yoongi!," You screamed loudly and felt tears brim in your eyes. Nails scraping against the wall, you ignored the throbbing on your leg and pulled the rock spike out of your shoulder. "No..."

"Not so strong without your fiery friend, are you guardian?," Shay cackled darkly and casually placed her staff on her shoulder. "Take away your friends and shield— what are you? A weakling. Nothing but a weakling who cowers behind others!"

You glanced at your shield, which was still stuck into the wall. Then, you secretly peeked at your metal wristband, the magnet glistening a bit. Slowly, an idea formed in your head.

"The mere fact that you have garnered Taehyung's interest is a disgrace to all Vredeian kind!," Shay's mention of Taehyung made you look up at her in surprise. You wondered if the princess' eyes really were glassy with tears. "How could you— a mere coward— have all the love and attention he couldn't even give to his own—"

Shay stopped herself before she could finish her sentence, which made the gears of your mind continue to spin. It seemed like in that moment, you realized why Taehyung's sister felt so angry towards you, to the point that she had murderous intent.

"Taehyung," You spoke slowly, Shay's burning eyes still boring through you. Wincing, you felt blood pour down your leg. "He cares about you a lot."

Shay kept her silence, which was something that surprised. Still, you put your hand behind you and activated the magnet on your wristband. The shield trembled slightly from within the wall.

"He was willing to leave behind us— his team," You rubbed your shoulder, which was still throbbing due to the open wound. A menacing squish resounded as you squeezed your hand over the blood soaked cloth. "For you."

Shay just stared at you, her eyes now widened in shock. It seemed that she was considering your words, at least you hoped so. Your shield was almost out of the wall by now, some pebbles falling to the floor as it continued to vibrate.

"Lies," Shay whispered slowly and you were stunned to see a single tear flow down her face. "Lies! Taehyung only returned to solidify his position as the heir! He never cared for anyone else but himself!"

"That's not—"

"And he left me again for you!," Shay was full on crying now, her tears running free, but she still had on that hateful expression. "Taehyung, he— he gives more importance to idiots like you than his own flesh and blood!"

The more you listened, the more you realized how much pain Shay was going through. You understood what it felt like to be left behind in a toxic environment, where you felt like your life was threatened every second. Although Emily never intended to leave, especially because it was Hel's plan to separate you both, the feeling of abandonment still left a hole in your heart.

Now it made sense. To Shay, Taehyung had abandoned her and seeing him with a new team made her one think— Betrayal. Replacement.

You wanted to comfort Shay, to tell her that Taehyung was doing everything for her sake. But one look on that Helian princess' face told you that there was nothing to say that could console her. Glancing one last time, your shield was nearly out of the wall.

"I wanted to greet my brother when I saw him," Although Shay sounded sweet, you knew the true meaning behind those words. "But I figured that he'd appreciate it more if I brought your corpse along with me!"

With that, Shay ran forward, the staff in her hands turning into a sword. You drew out your katana from its scabbard and waited until she was near enough. Gritting your teeth, you returned the glare that the Helian was still giving you.

Once Shay was merely a foot away, you raised your hand. The magnet of your wristband activated with loud beeping and the shield came flying across the air.

Shay attempted to decapitate you with her sword but before she could, you swung your arm away. In an attempt to follow the magnet, your shield zipped by and slammed the princess on the face.

You spun on one foot as your shield finally stuck to your wristband. Before Shay could stand, you hit her across the face with your metal shield once again. The Helian crumpled to the ground and spat blood on the floor.

Spinning the katana in your hand, you pointed the tip of your blade at Shay's face and struck downwards. The princess crossed her hands over face and created a thick purple forcefield.

Shay smirked before pushing the forcefield forward. This made the blunt edge of your katana hit your forehead, which made you stumble backwards slightly. Head spinning, you nearly lost your balance and struggled to stay upright.

However, during this moment of distraction, Shay had slashed her sword forward. Despite your disoriented state, you barely dodged the blade and winced as it made a small cut on your neck.

Before Shay could slice your head clean off, you raised your katana and clashed it against the princess' sword, angling it so that both blades were pointing to the ground. You then slammed your forehead against hers, the force making you both wobble.

"Enough!," Shay screamed suddenly, a blast of purple exploding around her. This caused you to fly towards the wall, pain shooting up your back as you crashed against it. "I am the Crowned Princess of Hel! I will not be made a fool by the likes of—"

Shay was cut off by a large fireball that suddenly flew towards her. Your eyes ached due to the sudden brightness of the flames and you watched as the Helian princess fell, fire licking her clothes and cape.

"Guess I interrupted something."

Turning around, you saw Yoongi standing on the doorway. He was clutching his bleeding arm, scratch marks littering his sleeves and legs, grey hair disheveled with drops of blood dotting the corners of his lips. Holly was flying overhead. You noticed that the dragon had no sorts of injuries whatsoever.

"Yoongi!," You screamed happily and ran towards Yoongi before engulfing him in a big hug. "Thank goodness you're okay."

Yoongi stayed silent for a bit and just stayed frozen in the hug. Holly stared at him with a little smile. He then awkwardly cleared his throat before tapping your shoulders, urging you to release him.

"I'm fine, Cloud," Yoongi put on a smirk and you couldn't help but laugh at his smug expression. "A dark pit filled with carnivorous monsters isn't enough to put out this flame."

Remembering Shay, you turned around once more and saw her on the ground. The princess was wiping her face with the back of her hand, eyes fixated on the ground. Next to her was her sword, which was slowly turning back into a staff.

"Yoongi, we have to separate Shay from her staff," You whispered slowly at Yoongi and tightly gripped your katana. The metallic taste of blood was in your mouth. "It's the only way we can win against her."

Yoongi glanced at Shay, his eyes still burning a bright orange. He then nodded with a stern expression. "I'll distract her for you. Be careful, okay?"

You nodded back at Yoongi before he released pillars of fire from his arms. Knowing that this would block Shay's view, you ran around the area and held the shield next to your head just in case.

The flames soon cleared and revealed that Shay was having a fist fight with Yoongi, leaving her staff on the ground. Perfect. Sliding on the floor, you attempted to grab the staff but paused when it flew across the air and landed right in the princess' hand.

Without looking, Shay simply pointed the staff at you as a purple laser beam shot out. You deflected it with your shield. If Yoongi didn't dodge by sliding downwards, the laser would have pierced right through his head.

Holly suddenly clamped its claws on Shay's staff, which made the laser beam move upwards and leave gaping holes on the walls and ceiling. Yoongi took this chance to move away from the princess.

"Stupid dragon!," Shay hissed and swung her staff around. Holly screeched and flapped its wings, claws still clamped onto the metal body. "Let go!"

Shay slammed her staff against the wall, a loud cry resounding from Holly as it crumpled to the ground in pain. Yoongi's eyes twitched, flames instantly lighting up on his arms.

You gasped a bit when Yoongi grabbed your katana, his blood dripping down slowly. Then, the blade turned hot orange as he heated it up, smoke rising from his wounded palm as it sizzled.

No words were needed. You completely understood what Yoongi was trying to say. Once the fire gem bearer let go of the blade, you threw your katana towards Shay, who was already aiming her staff towards Holly.

Shay screamed as your katana went through her wrist and stabbed into the wall. Although she still had her hand, the way the hot blade sizzled in her wound made the princess scream in pain. The staff clattered to the ground.

Holly slowly stood up and flapped its wings before shaking its whole body like a dog. Then it snatched the staff with its claws and flew towards Yoongi.

"Good boy, Holly!," Yoongi revealed a big gummy smile and pet Holly as the staff dropped in your hands. The dragon purred and rubbed its snout against the fire gem bearer's cheek.

You stared at the staff in your hands and watched as purple mist circled around its metal body. For some reason, you felt strange, that sensation of yourself bursting coming back once again. Somehow, holding this Helian weapon made you feel strong.

"Uh, Cloud," Yoongi's hesitant tone snapped you out of your thoughts. You looked up at him, your glowing purple eyes rendering him speechless for a moment. "You feeling okay?"

"Never better," You smiled and spun the staff in your hands before pointing it at Shay, who was still pinned to the wall by your katana.

However, before you could shoot out a laser beam from the staff, there was a loud cracking sound from above. You looked up, eyes widening when you realized that the ceiling, which had been struck by a laser a few moments ago, was now cracking and breaking.

Soon enough, rubble started to fall and the ceiling broke completely. Abandoning all intentions of attacking Shay, you dove towards Yoongi and Holly. You raised your shield overhead just as the boulders fell.

-

Namjoon snapped his eyes open. Grunting, his fingers dug into the rocky ground as he pushed himself upwards. The earth gem bearer rubbed his throbbing head as he slowly recalled what had happened— the poison dagger, Belladonna, the vines... Jimin.

"Jimin," Namjoon breathed with wide eyes once he completely remembered it all. He quickly stood up, which caused a wave of dizziness to wash over him for a few seconds. "Jimin!"

Expecting to be right in the area where Jimin and the others were, Namjoon paused when he realized where he was. Looking around, he noticed that he was now standing far away from the tower's entrance, the war between his friends and the Helian army no longer in sight.

Namjoon was right in the middle of what seemed like the park area of the tower. He could see broken and rotten benches scattered around the area, along with bent lampposts and a shattered stone fountain in the center.

Remembering that District Drie's tower used to be Hel's tourist attraction, Namjoon tried to imagine how bright and lively this place had been before the war. Shaking his head, the earth gem bearer knew he had more important things to think about— his team.

Namjoon looked ahead and gulped, especially because he could vaguely see the silhouette of Belladonna's vines, along with Jimin's sparkling electricity. Balling his hands to fists, he attempted to run towards the thunder gem bearer's aid.

However, Namjoon was halted by a huge albino snake that slithered into his way, its thick scaly body blocking his path to Jimin. He stared at the reptile's yellow eyes, which strangely reminded him of Taehyung.

Namjoon swallowed dryly. The snake just slithered in place but he felt like one small movement would cause the reptile to lunge at him. Not wanting to lose his head, the earth gem bearer stood frozen.

"Do not fear Snow, King of Aarde."

Hearing the foreign voice, Namjoon turned around to face the woman. Standing behind him was none other than Medusa. She looked casual in her get-up; a long sleeved purple jacket that cut at her waist and pants that ended right at her ankles. The enchantress had long straight white hair that matched the snake's skin, along with reptilian eyes and scales dotting her face.

"She won't bite," Medusa spoke calmly, snake tongue flicking as she chuckled. "That is, if I don't tell her to."

Assuming that Snow was the reptile's name, Namjoon eyed the albino snake that slithered around him in a circle. Swallowing his fear, he put on a stern expression. "Taking on the seven wonders... isn't that a big risk for you? We won't lose."

"That depends, actually," Medusa tapped her chin, her nail sharp and tinted in a dark purple hue, finger green and scaly. Snow continued to slither around Namjoon. "The Crowned Prince did give us a bit of... interesting information regarding the weaknesses of you and your team."

Namjoon smirked, although cold sweat was dripping down his forehead due to the large albino snake close by. "How are you so sure that he was telling the truth?"

"How are you?," Medusa chuckled as she slowly stepped forward and twirled some strands of her white hair around her fingers. "Taehyung is sly, just as much as the King is. What if he's playing with you again, hm? He has loyalty. How do you know he's not working for Hel?"

Namjoon squinted his eyes and clenched his teeth. Although he trusted Taehyung and wanted to believe in him, he couldn't help but wonder what exactly he had said, especially because he didn't witness it with his own eyes.

For a moment, Namjoon thought about the possibility of Taehyung still being on Hel's side. Everyone already had delicate trust issues when it came to the darkness gem bearer due to the first betrayal, although done with good motives. Another would just officially deem him an enemy, not only of the team but of the universe as well.

Whether Medusa was telling the truth or was playing mind games on him, Namjoon couldn't tell. Despite that, he knew that he should only listen to his instincts— which told him to trust Taehyung.

"You're right about Taehyung," Namjoon's words made Medusa tilt her head at him, an amusing expression splattered on her face. "He's loyal."

Recalling his conversation with Taehyung, Namjoon knew that he was being sincere about everything. All he had done was for the sake of everyone he cared about, so much so that he had decided to leave himself behind.

"And I trust Taehyung enough to know," Namjoon's words were heavy but he spoke it out with his heart. "That he's more than loyal to the team."

"A bold statement coming from a man who draws weakness from another," Medusa laughed lightly at the baffled expression on Namjoon's face. "Oh dear, no clue at all. Would you like me to elaborate?"

Namjoon released a breath he didn't know he was holding when Snow slithered towards Medusa and coiled around her feet. The enchantress gently stroked the albino snake's head, both their pointed tongues flicking in a seemingly mocking manner.

"Our dear Crowned Prince mentioned that your weakness was a person," Although Medusa hasn't finished, Namjoon felt a pit of dread pool at the bottom of his gut. The snake enchantress merely gave him a smug look. "It is truly convenient that Belladonna is so intent on avenging Illusia... now we have a reason to kill Jimin."

Stunned, Namjoon couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did Taehyung really tell the Great Six and King Michael that the way to defeat him was through Jimin? For a moment, he felt a wave of disappointment wash over him but soon enough, it was replaced by anger.

Namjoon's eyes twitched as they shifted into a dark brown color. His hands balled into fists, the rocks scattered on the ground around him. "Don't you dare lay a finger on him."

"No promises," Medusa smirked before pointing her hand forward. Snow charged ahead at he gesture.

Namjoon gulped at the sight of a giant albino snake slithering towards him with its purple tinted fangs bared. Jumping high in the air, the earth gem bearer barely dodged a fatal bite from Snow. From the corner of his eye, he saw Medusa casually tying her long white hair into a ponytail.

Contrary to what Namjoon expected due to a terrible miscalculation on his part, he landed right on top of Snow's body. He clung onto the scaly white reptile as it continued to slither, fearing that he would be crushed by it if he let go.

Snow then lifted its body and Namjoon realized that he had actually been clinging onto the snake's tail. Now he was dangling upright, fingers desperately digging into the slippery scales of the reptile. Below him, Snow opened its mouth wide open, as if inviting him.

Namjoon struggled as Snow shook its tail in hopes of him falling right into its mouth. Glancing at the side, he saw Medusa still staring at him silently, pointed nails tapping onto her arm in a rhythm. She looked bored.

At that moment, Namjoon's fingers slipped. He instinctively spread his legs, feet landing on either side of Snow's mouth, fangs scraping the soles of his shoes. The albino snake tried hard to swallow him up but the earth gem bearer used his strength to prevent the mouth from closing.

Namjoon suddenly came up with a plan. He balled his fists, just as the ground trembled once more. Maintaining eye contact with snow, he summoned identical rock hands that erupted from the soil. They simultaneously punched the snake's head as he jumped, a sickening crunch echoing.

Rolling on the ground to his feet, Namjoon eyed the snake, which was now covered in rubble. He was about to sigh in relief when Snow slithered itself out of the rocks. The albino snake's head was crushed, blood caking its white scales with one of its eyes popped. Yet, it was staring at the earth gem bearer angrily.

"Uhm," Namjoon stuttered. Shiveres ran down his spine at the way Snow was staring at him hungrily whilst flicking it's tongue. "I'm sorry."

Namjoon figured that Snow didn't accept his apology since it lunged at him with bare teeth, one of its fangs bent awkwardly. Taking deep breaths, the earth gem bearer composed himself as he thought of Jimin, the man he desperately needed to protect.

Stomping his foot on the ground and shattering the floor, rocks crawled up Namjoon's feet to hold in him in place. He then extended his arm backwards and felt pieces of rock slowly stick to his hands to form a large glove.

Once Snow was near enough, Namjoon swung his boulder coated fist. A strong uppercut collided with the snake's jaw, which caused yet another crunch to resonate across the area. Thanks to the support on his foot, he stayed upright.

Namjoon glanced at his fist and noticed that his glove had cracked slightly and was coated in dark blood. He then eyed Snow, who took quick breaths as its long thick body twitched on the ground. Then it became still.

Sighing in relief, Namjoon let the rocks around his hand and foot clatter to the ground. He took deep breaths before checking himself for any bites. None. Thank God.

"Oh dear, how unfortunate."

Namjoon paused when he heard Medusa from behind. He turned around to see her slowly clapping her hands together in a rhythm, that same smug look still on her face. Despite what she had just witnessed, she didn't have the slightest bit of sorrow on her.

"Impressive," Medusa smiled and elongated the s sound as she spoke. Her clapping ceased and she lowered her hands to her abdomen. "Snow is the strongest out of all the snakes I have trained. Despite that, I knew she was no match for you."

Namjoon stood there with all senses alert as Medusa walked towards him. Eyes glowing brown, he raised his fists next to his head and braced himself. He was stunned when the snake enchantress merely walked passed him.

"Such a shame," Medusa kneeled down next to Snow and stroked the dead snake's head. She turned towards Namjoon with a small smile. "Albino snakes are rare because they are a product of genetic defects, both in your world and mine. What a waste."

Namjoon was a bit taken aback by how calm Medusa was throughout everything. She slowly stood up and glanced at her purple tinted nails with a small smile. The green scales on her face glistened as she blinked, eyelids closing horizontally instead of the usual vertical pattern. A shiver ran down the earth gem bearer's spine.

"I myself am a result of this so called genetic mutation, more on the intentional side at least," Medusa laughed. Namjoon concluded that she was a result of Hel's experiments, which again gave him chills. "But you know what the scientists have taught me?"

Medusa smirked as the pointed nails of her hands turned longer, into talons even. Her reptilians grew a bright purple as she smiled widely, fangs poking her bottom lip. She hissed, her tongue flicking in between her lips.

"If there's something you really want," Medusa squinted her eyes at Namjoon, who once again raised his fists next to his head. "You have to work for it."

Medusa charged ahead with her sharp talons pointing forward, a big smile on her face as she bared her teeth. Namjoon didn't like how purple her nails look and, remembering Belladonna's poison dagger, decided that he would dodge them at all costs.

Namjoon knelt down and ducked just as Medusa slashed the air above him. The earth gem bearer tried to grab her legs but since she was too far, he ended up curling his fingers around her long white hair instead.

Of course, this halted Medusa mid-jump. She slammed into the ground with a loud thud and yelped as Namjoon unintentionally pulled her by the hair, since his fingers were dangled in them. The snake enchantress then swiped her claws, cutting the white hair.

This time, Namjoon fell on the ground. He stared at the long strands of white hair on his lap before pushing them aside. He looked up at Medusa, who was running her hands up and down her now shoulder length hair with wide eyes.

"Three years," Medusa spoke slowly, her expression suddenly darkening as she hissed loudly. "It took me three years to grow that out, you twat!"

Medusa charged once again but this time her speed was enough for her to become a blur in Namjoon's eyes. Following his instincts, he crossed his arms over his face and formed a wall of rock before him. There was a loud thump from the other side, followed by cracking.

Namjoon's eyes widened at the sight of Medusa literally punching through his wall. Her gaze was wide-eyed and crazy, a malicious smirk now replacing the stoic expression he was so used to seeing. Elongated claws were aimed right at his face.

The two collided and fell to the ground. To avoid possible poisoning, Namjoon grabbed Medusa's wrists before her claws could scrape his cheeks. With the enchantress hissing on top of him, the earth gem bearer used his brute strength to push her hands away and nearly snapped her wrists in half.

Namjoon then kneed Medusa in the gut, which caused her to choke slightly at the pain. Taking this opportunity, the earth gem bearer flipped and switched their positions. With gritted teeth and anger drawn from the thought of Jimin hurting, he continuously punched her in the face.

A few punches and a bloody nose later, Namjoon paused when Medusa grabbed his fist. He tried to use his strength but was baffled because the enchantress was just as strong as he was. She was smirking at him, the scaly skin of her face cracking, even peeling at some areas.

"Checkmate," Medusa hissed and ran her fingers down Namjoon's fist, her purple tinted nails leaving scratch marks on his hand.

Namjoon yelped at the sudden pain and jumped backwards. Grabbing his trembling hand, he stared wide eyed at the three identical scratches running from his knuckles down to his wrist. The wounds were purple instead of the usual red and he could see the veins underneath the skin of his hand turn dark.

Dread instantly filled Namjoon's system as his hand twitched, especially because he wasn't trying to move it. He watched in pure shock and grief as his fingers wriggled on their own, skin turning dark purple and nails growing long and sharp. His bones cracked as they shifted, the pain making him clench his teeth.

"Unlike Belladonna's, my poison doesn't kill," Medusa was just sitting on the ground with her legs crossed, drops of blood dotting her chin and cheeks. She drew out her talons again. "But, oh, does it do so much more."

"You—," Namjoon attempted to stand but paused when his knees buckled instead. He crumpled to the ground, baffled at how he suddenly had no control over his body. No matter how much he tried to move, he couldn't. "What have you—"

"Shush, shush, the more you struggle, the more painful it will be," Medusa sang and walked towards Namjoon. She knelt down and raised up his arm, which was now turning just as purple as his hand. His fingers continued to crack and wriggle. "Look at that, the Kern venom is close to consuming you!"

Namjoon felt like his insides were on fire and wanted to scream out, both in pain and for help. However, every time he tried, his throat would end up closing and he'd only release a garbled noise. His limbs trembled as the venom continued to flow throughout his body.

"Once the venom has spread to your entire body, you will be my own personal puppet," Medusa cackled darkly and placed a hand over her mouth. A mischievous smirk slowly spread across her face. "Oh, don't you worry about Jimin. I won't bother him."

Puppet. Namjoon thought about he was a mere puppet to his father, a slave that could nothing but produce cash for his selfish needs. He thought about Jimin, who very similarly was a puppet of Manager Kang, forced to follow his every order for the sake of an image.

No longer having control over his body, Namjoon felt his teeth sharpen into fangs. Sharp nails dug into the rocky ground as he shriveled in agony. His bones cracked and shifted until he felt an excruciating tear of flesh from his back.

Black spots were filling Namjoon's vision. He couldn't feel anything yet he could see his arms and legs move until he was standing up. Head throbbing, it seemed that his voice had completely disappeared. His bones cracked and shifted. Both of his arms were purple.

"You'll be doing all the work for me," Medusa cupped her face with her hand and smiled at Namjoon, who was just staring at her silently. "After all... you are his weakness."

Namjoon could do nothing but bow at Medusa and head towards the direction she pointed at. Each footstep felt heavy. The sight of flinging vines and crackling electricity was nearby. He had no idea what he was going to do to overcome this but he knew one thing—

If Namjoon was going to hurt Jimin, he'd rather die instead.

-

Out of all the Great Six members he and Jungkook could battle, Taehyung couldn't believe that it had to be him. Thanks to his observations during training, he already mapped out strategies to defeat Medusa, Belladonna, Massimo and even Shay— but Animo? The prince had no idea how to overpower someone who could transfer their soul into another body.

And then there was Jungkook. The angel was just cluelessly staring at Animo, having absolutely no knowledge of how dangerous the man was. Taehyung couldn't stand the idea of losing his best friend, especially because of this Helian fossil.

"Tae?," Jungkook squeaked and shifted his big baby blue eyes towards Taehyung, who looked unnaturally distraught. "Who's that?"

Taehyung turned towards Jungkook, his innocent expression making him feel like the biggest idiot in the universe. Why did he have to bring the Hemelian with him, even when he knew that he himself was one of the Great Six's main targets? It was like he had tossed the angel right into a pit of hungry lions.

"Jungkook," Taehyung hissed and faced Jungkook with a stern expression. His teeth were gritted, each word said with a strong tone. "Whatever you do, don't let him get close to you."

Blinking, Jungkook simply tilted his head at Taehyung before wriggling his arm. It took the darkness gem bearer a while for him to realize that he had grabbed the angel's wrist in a death grip. "What do you mean?"

"Maybe I can answer that question for you, Hemelian."

Taehyung balled his hands to fists and turned around. A still confused yet more alert Jungkook followed his gaze. Their eyes landed on Animo, who was just watching them with squinted eyes and arms crossed over his chest. The darkness gem bearer instinctively stepped in front of the Hemelian protectively.

"My name is Animo," Animo sounded proud as he cracked his knuckles together. His eyes were still squinted, dark and mischievous as they bored right through Taehyung. "And I am the eldest member of the Great Six."

Jungkook gulped behind Taehyung, all six of his wings curling behind him. The Helian prince understood this reaction, especially because he was sure that they could both see the dark aura surrounding Animo. It was like a thin layer of black was floating around the man, something that seemed like a shield— but also a warning.

"Crowned Prince, I have witnessed your family's reign for centuries," Animo's words made Taehyung ponder for a bit. He continued to walk forward and Jungkook's grip on his jacket tightened. "Despite all the Kings and Queens that ruled the kingdom... none were as wise and just as your father."

For a moment, Taehyung wondered how old Animo really was. The way he spoke sounded he was a being that surpassed life itself. It made sense, after all Hel did have a belief that although the body has tarnished, the soul would remain and pass on— all with the exception of Animo, he figured.

The secret to immortality was something nothing even the great King Gabriel could figure out. Taehyung tried to fathom why Animo, who had achieved a feat as seemingly impossible as that, wasted his immense power by serving the most rotten man in all the universe.

However, this also made Taehyung realize that out of all the great rulers Animo had seen, he decided to ally with King Michael out of all people. To him, it didn't make sense— Why would anyone side with such a merciless dictator?

Taehyung's eye twitched as his gem flickered slightly. Jungkook glanced at him with an expression of worry plastered on his face. "Father was never wise or just. He has only— always been a ruthless monster."

"Sometimes people have to be monsters in order to do the right thing," Animo stood in place and Taehyung heaved a sigh of relief at the big distance in between them. "Isn't that right, Taehyung?"

Taehyung paused, both due to the sudden honorific drop and Animo's implication. Before he could speak, however, Jungkook held his shoulder and took a step forward.

"Taehyung is not a monster and he will never be. He did what he had to do," Jungkook glanced at Taehyung with a grin and gave him a nod. The darkness gem returned a grateful smile. He then turned towards Animo with a growl. "And nothing can ever justify King Michael's actions."

Animo chuckled at Jungkook's words and shook his head, as if it all was amusing to him. Taehyung's grip on his staff tightened. "I find you Hemelians interesting. You are all for peace and serenity, even at the cost of another's."

Jungkook looked taken aback by Animo's words and ended up looking away with a large frown. Taehyung angrily spun the staff in his hands before slamming it against the ground. "What do you want, Animo?"

"Isn't it obvious, Crowned Prince?," Animo turned and walked towards the control panel. He ghosted his fingers over the dusty buttons. Taehyung eyed him cautiously. "Operation Apocalypse was designed by Vrede's rulers for a purpose greater than yours. King Michael will not let it be put to waste, even by his own son."

Taehyung glanced at Jungkook, who was still giving him that confused expression. He pursed his lips into a thing line and whispered that he'd explain everything to angel after dealing with Animo.

"Besides," Animo gave Taehyung a plastic smile, both hands clasped behind his back. His squinted eyes were full of malice. "Why would the kingdoms follow your word? You are a Helian, the most hated race in the planet."

"You're right," Taehyung snapped as his eyes glowed a powerful purple. Jungkook noticed that he was in an offensive position, so he slowly raised both of his fists. "But me being Helian is exactly why they would listen."

Animo flicked his eyes up and down, scanning both Taehyung and Jungkook's figures. The two were in an offensive pose, the darkness gem bearer with the tip of his staff glowing and the angel with all six of his wings straightened behind him.

Despite how intimidating they looked, Animo merely laughed and tilted his head slightly to the side. "Going up against two of Vrede's most powerful princes... I consider this an honor."

Animo made the first move. He made a gesture with his hands and smirked as his eyes glowed a powerful purple. Dark mist swirled around him and formed tendrils that swung behind his back. Taehyung remembered how you had described what had happened to Jin's butler way back before he left for Hel.

Taehyung immediately formed a large forcefield but was stunned when it was merely shattered by Animo's dark tendrils. Head spinning, he stared ahead blankly as Jungkook hooked his arms under his armpits and flew upwards.

Animo's tendrils followed and rose upwards as well. After analyzing the situation, Jungkook quickly tossed Taehyung away before the angel was pinned to the ceiling.

Taehyung landed roughly on the ground before he rolled to his feet. Looking up at Jungkook, his eyes widened at the sight of the angel coughing out blood whilst struggling in between the tendrils. "Jungkook!"

"I'm fine!," Jungkook screamed loudly and flicked his eyes towards the control panel. Somehow, Taehyung got exactly what he was trying to say. "Go!"

Gripping the staff tightly, Taehyung turned towards Animo and gritted his teeth. Hel's Crowned released a battle cry before he ran forward, purple mist swirling around him. The elder merely scoffed before shooting more tendrils towards the prince.

Taehyung jumped, his body turning sideways as he spun in the air, the tendrils barely dodging him. Animo's eyes widened and the darkness gem bearer screamed in fury before tackling him to the ground. Jungkook fell to the ground as he was released.

With Animo underneath him, Taehyung used his staff and pushed it down at the other's neck as he reached for the control panel, which was only a few inches away from his fingertips. Before the prince could reach it, however, he was grabbed by the face and was slammed to the ground.

Taehyung grunted at the pain that shot up his back like a bolt of electricity. The two rolled down the steps leading to the control panel, the prince's snake head staff sliding out of reach. Once they landed, Animo angrily grabbed the young Helian by the throat.

"You really think you can redeem yourself?," Animo tightened his grip around Taehyung's neck as the prince desperately wheezed for air. "You really think that attempting to save the world would make you a hero?"

Taehyung clawed on Animo's hand and felt lightheaded at the lack of oxygen intake. His vision was already turning blurry but he could clearly see the mischievous smirk on the other's face.

"No matter what you do, your wrongdoings will never be forgotten," Animo hissed and released a sarcastic laugh. "I was imprisoned for centuries after accidentally taking over King Francis' body for a few seconds. They said I was too dangerous."

Despite dangling in between life and death, Taehyung processed Animo's words and realized that King Francis was Hel's king from nearly four centuries ago. He wriggled his fingers and his staff trembled on the ground.

"King Michael... he was the one who released me," Animo spoke slowly, each word said in a soft yet firm tone. "All I had to was work for him and I'd get my freedom. So what was I going to do? Say no?"

"—diot," Taehyung laughed, which sounded like he was choking on air. Animo stared at him with a raised eyebrow. "Do you— really think Father deems you worthy? He'll— kill you when he has the chance. He— he only took you in because— he's afraid of you."

"Silence," Animo raised one of his hands, dark mist circling over his palm and forming a ball of energy. "I am impressed by your confidence, Crowned Pri—"

Animo was cut off by Jungkook, who literally swooped into the scene and tackled the Helian away from Taehyung, who coughed loudly and took deep breaths.

"Tae!," Jungkook's scream made Taehyung face him. The angel had an arm around Animo's neck and was in the air, all six of his wings flapping wildly. "Operation Apocalypse!"

Taehyung went through a sudden internal battle. He knew that leaving Jungkook with Animo was the most dangerous and stupidest thing to do in this situation. However, the Hemelian was giving him a strange look, as if he was handing over his full trust him— Do it, I'll be fine.

Going against every single instinct in his body, Taehyung turned around and wobbled towards the control panel. Rubbing his aching throat, he still took deep breaths as he finally reached it. He stared at the keypad of ancient Vredeian letters then at the empty circular hole in the center.

Taehyung dug into his pocket and fished out his spare log recorder, which he had brought along with him to Hel. He placed it in the hole and turned it, which made every button light up and a loud whir to ring from behind.

"No!," Animo screamed from behind. He was still in the air and was struggling in Jungkook's arms.

Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth in anger, it took all the power in Taehyung to stop himself from turning around. Jungkook release a loud cry and he just wanted to jump in and help his best friend.

But Taehyung knew what he had to do. Staring down at the keypad, he knew that Jungkook was relying on him. So the prince quickly typed in the codes he memorized from Operation Apocalypse's file and made sure that he was doing everything right.

Taehyung glanced up at the screen and briefly watched the recording he had installed before pressing send. He watched as the video multiplied into six versions before fading away. The tower trembled slightly as a beam of light shot up from the roof's tip.

Wasting no time, Taehyung immediately ran away from the control panel and grabbed his staff, which was lying next to the stairs. He then paused as confusion struck him— Why was it so quiet?

Taehyung looked around, dread filling his system since he couldn't see any sign of Jungkook anywhere. Just when he was about to give up, he heard a loud voice from afar.

"Taehyung! Over here!"

Releasing a sigh of relief, Taehyung ran towards Jungkook, who was sitting on the floor at the far right side of the room. The angel was grabbing his wounded shoulder, one of his wings' feathers coated in a bit of blood.

Taehyung stopped when he saw Animo's body lying next to Jungkook. The old Helian's body was limp, arms sprawled to each side and blood dripping down his forehead. He knelt down and stared at the man for a few seconds of silence.

"What happened?," Taehyung asked softly and turned towards Jungkook.

"I slammed him against the wall and fell hard on my back," Jungkook explained, his eyes glued to Animo's body, blonde hair matted on his forehead and cheeks. "He didn't wake up after that."

Taehyung held his knees and stood up, now understanding why Jungkook was injured the way he was. Glancing at the angel, he ran a hand through his hair, both in relief and frustration. "He's most probably alive... but we should go before he wakes up."

Jungkook shifted his gaze towards Taehyung, his light blue eyes bright and lively. Smiling, he stood up as well. "Yeah, we probably should."

Taehyung stared at Jungkook and felt himself shiver, as if he was suddenly overcome by a fiery emotion. He was just so glad that the angel was alive and unharmed. Stepping forward, he grabbed the Hemelian's arm and pulled him into a hug.

"Jungkook," Taehyung held Jungkook tightly and felt the angel's blonde hair tickle his cheeks. "Thank Macht, you're okay."

Instead of replying, Jungkook returned the hug and slowly rubbed circles on Taehyung's back. A moment of silence passed as the two remained in each other's embrace. However, despite how light and glorious the situation was— something didn't feel right to the Helian prince.

Taehyung's instincts were soon proven to be right when he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. With the metallic taste of blood in his mouth, he looked down to see a blade made out of pure light sticking right through him.

"Jung—," Taehyung crumpled to the ground and spat out blood. His hands shook as he stared at the gaping wound in his stomach. "Why—"

When Taehyung took a good look at Jungkook's face, he felt his heart drop and shatter in his chest. The blue eyes he had grown to be familiar with were gone, now replaced by a dark and menacing purple hue.

Jungkook— no, this wasn't him— stepped towards Taehyung slowly with a big and disturbing grin on his face. The blade of light was in his hands with fresh red blood dripping down on the floor.

"You know," Jungkook spoke with his own voice, which made Taehyung sick to the core because he knew who it really was. "I never thought I'd have to use a Hemelian's body one day, especially the prince's... and I find it really interesting."

Jungkook— Animo tilted his head at Taehyung, his eyes dripping with mischief. The darkness gem bearer felt himself tremble at the sight before him. He clutched his abdomen as blood seeped through his fingers.

"Do you, Crowned Prince?"

-

A/N — i told y'all to prepare yourselves for angst oof nobody will be spared-

ANYWAYS have 8k unedited words of action, villain backgrounds and heavy angst! namjoon under medusa's control and being ordered to fight jimin.......... tae vs kook........ haha h

I don't really have much to say since this chapter speaks for itself// so please anticipate the next chapter, which has even more angst yay!

ARMYs while watching IDOL bye