Taehyung could still remember the exact moment when the gem took over his body— regrettably, with his permission. He could still vividly recall the other him fading into dark mist and entering his body. He felt the slight pain convulse through him as the darkness formed within him.

And then Taehyung felt it— undeniable power. Truly, the gem kept its promise. He could still feel his blood burning in his veins. Suddenly, nothing else mattered. He finally had the strength he was looking for all his life. With it, he could overthrow King Michael and take over the universe himself.

Taehyung could feel his soul slowly chip away. It felt like he and the gem were slowly merging into a sadistic and merciless being. It was something that brought him both pleasure and pain. He was sure that he spluttered out blood from his mouth more than once.

When thoughts of regret crossed Taehyung's mind, they were only eaten up by his pride and he fell deeper into the darkness. The gem whispered one thing to him— Kill them. Kill anyone who gets in your way of proving your worth to the universe.

At one point, Taehyung partially gained control of his mind. When he did, he was outside. Doused by the cold rain, the prince realized that he was choking you with purple mist. You were screaming something about lesson three.

At that moment, Taehyung realized how wrong his decision was but no matter how much he wanted to break free from the gem, it only sucked more of his soul. Now he realized how bad this situation was— he was dying. The darkness was killing him.

But then Taehyung heard Jungkook call his name and thought to himself— Was there a place in heaven for demons like him? Was he hallucinating his deceased best friend's voice? Then he got to hold the Hemelian's face in his hands and realized something, he was alive.

Taehyung didn't know how but despite the gem literally hanging his life in between its fingers, he broke out of its control. He cried onto Jungkook's shoulder in agony, both because of pain and relief.

Not having any recollection of anything he did prior to the battle outside the tower, Taehyung didn't bother to ask. He figured that nobody wanted to relive those horrible memories anyway.

Taehyung looked down at the darkness gem, which was now a solid purple color. He stared at in confusion. Something felt different but he couldn't put his finger on it. The whispering in his mind was gone and even though this should have been relieving, it made him wary.

"Taehyung," Jin's voice snapped Taehyung out of his thoughts. The water gem bearer's eyes were glowing blue. "Stay still."

Despite not knowing Jin's intentions, Taehyung complied. He flinched a bit in pain when the water gem bearer suddenly pressed his hand over the wounded eye. The prince instinctively reached out and grabbed the hand of whoever was next to him.

Taehyung only realized that he grabbed your hand when you suddenly spoke from next to him with a worried tone. "Jin, what are you doing?"

"Sorry, forgot to warn you," Jin smiled sheepishly. Taehyung squinted his one non-injured eye at him discretely. "Taehyung, I'm going to bring your eye back."

Taehyung was a bit stunned by Jin's proclamation. Since his right eye had been blinded for days, he didn't think it was possible. After all, Hoseok's injury was never healed.

"Can you do it?," You questioned slowly. Taehyung realized that he was still gripping your hand and attempted to slip it off. Instead, you held his wrist and halted his actions.

So the two made brief eye contact. Taehyung stared as you gave him a small smile. He felt the heat slightly rush to his cheeks as he turned towards Jin, who was completely oblivious of what just transpired.

"Sky, you're looking at the man who slammed an angel's soul back into his half-dead body," Jin had a proud smile on his face, both his eyebrows arched high. He thumped his chest with his free hand. "Healing that eye will be a piece of cake."

"I never thanked you for that," Taehyung spoke quietly, his gaze directed right at Jin, whose expression became one of shock. "Thank you... for bringing Jungkook back."

Jin glanced to his side. Taehyung realized that the water gem bearer was looking at you and you had the same stunned expression on your face. When he turned back towards the prince, there was an awkward smile on his face.

"It's nothing really," Jin smiled sincerely before he cleared his throat. His expression turned into a stern one. "Brace yourself. This might hurt a bit."

Taehyung wanted to tell Jin that whatever was coming was nothing compared to all the pain he felt throughout his life but decided not to. But when the water gem bearer started healing his eye, which felt like his whole eyeball was on fire, the prince nearly yelped out loud.

You squeezed Taehyung's hand tighter, the touch surprisingly comforting for the Helian prince. Jin whispered another apology as his eye continued to sting. When it ended, the darkness gem bearer released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Jin stared at Taehyung for a few seconds before he spoke with a small voice. "So... can you see?"

Taehyung shut his eyes out of instinct. He blinked multiple times as his vision turned blotchy. Then he realized that his peripheral sight widened and now he could fully see through his right eye.

Amazed at Jin's healing abilities, Taehyung cracked a smile. You stared at his face in amazement. "Yeah, I can. Thanks, Jin."

"You're welcome," Jin grinned and ran a hand through his still wet blonde hair. "Sorry about the scars though... I think those are permanent."

Taehyung gently ran his hands down his now healed right eye and felt three scratch marks running across it. Sighing, he was just glad that he could finally see with it. "It's fine."

Jin smiled as a short silence fell amongst the three. The water gem bearer was about to speak but was halted when Emily called out his name. He made a small gesture towards you and Taehyung before he jogged lightly towards the protector.

This left you and Taehyung standing next to each other with intertwined hands. He glanced at a teary eyed Jungkook, who was having a conversation with the other members of the Single Men Club. Noticing that Jimin was hugging the angel tightly, he laughed a bit.

Taehyung thought about what would have happened if Jungkook was never revived. Since the Hemelian was definitely the main reason why he broke out of the gem's control, he couldn't even imagine the possibility of having his soul fully consumed by it.

At the same time, Taehyung once again wondered why his gem was so quiet. He stared at it and watched as faint purple mist swirled around his hand. There was an inscription on its core but it was too faded for him to read.

Before any more thoughts could fill Taehyung's mind, you spoke from next to him. "Hey, Taehyung?"

Taehyung turned around. You were staring back at him with big yet glassy eyes. He studied your smooth face for a moment and realized that if he didn't break out of the corruption in time, he could have lost you.

"I'm really sorry about Kiana," Your words made Taehyung look at down at the ground sorrowfully. After a pause, you continued. "She was a great person."

Taehyung teared up at the memory of Kiana's departure but blinked before any tears could fall. "She really was, huh? Jungkook and I were lucky to have her."

Glancing at Jungkook, who now had his doe eyes widened in front of a blushing Jimin and Namjoon, Taehyung exhaled loudly through his nose. You were still staring at him, obviously anticipating his next words.

"Jungkook... Kiana was the love of his life," Taehyung's words trailed off. He half expected Kiana to pop up next to him and say a snarky comment. "I don't... know how horrible he must be feeling."

Taehyung secretly glanced at you. Love of his life, huh? He remembered how jealous he was the first time he found about Jungkook and Kiana— especially because he couldn't imagine himself spending the rest of his life with someone.

But now that Taehyung took a good look at your beauty, he figured that maybe his thoughts would change.

"Kiana always knew what was best for everyone," Your grip on Taehyung's hand tightened in even more. The darkness gem bearer hesitated before returning the grip. "Even at her own expense."

Taehyung's eyes widened when he noticed how teary your eyes were and the way your trembled told him that you could sob any second. But instead, you sucked in a shaky breath and composed yourself.

"Kiana has literally been in my mind for so long that when she left...," You paused, which made Taehyung realize how intimate your bond with Kiana really was. "I felt empty."

It took a while until Taehyung realized that you were crying, the tears flowing down your cheeks silently. Glancing at your still intertwined hands, the Helian prince gulped before pulling you closer.

You yelped in shocked when Taehyung suddenly engulfed you in a hug. Both his arms had a tight grip around you, one on your waist and another around your back.

"It's okay," Taehyung whispered and dug his face into your shoulder. He could smell the fruity scent of your silver hair. "Kiana... she's in a much better place now."

You ended up crying a bit into Taehyung's shoulder for a while. He too had the urge to cry but felt like his eyes were already out of tears. Instead, he massaged your back in silence. When he opened his eyes, he spotted Jungkook giving him a thumbs up from far away and smiled.

Taehyung was surprised when you pulled away from the hug first. You used the back of your hand to wipe away the tears on your cheeks before smiling up at him.

"Thank you... for coming back."

Your words made Taehyung smile, his grip on your arms tight. The two of you just stared at each other silently and the Helian prince wondered if this was the right time to lean in and plant a soft kiss on your lips or not.

But before either of them could make a move, a third voice spoke from out of Taehyung's view. "So, uh, guys?"

Taehyung released a small sigh of frustration before he turned around. His gaze fell on Yoongi, who was awkwardly rubbing his hands together with his lips pursed into a tight line. Holly was laying on his shoulders in a relaxed position.

"I can tell that I interrupted something," Yoongi shrugged and crossed his arms, a small smile on his face. Holly hummed and tilted its head. "But we need to go. Bogum mentioned something about a portal, didn't he?"

Taehyung's expression fell when he recalled Bogum's demise. Chanting yet another prayer to Macht in his mind, the darkness gem bearer slowly released his grip on your arms.

"He did," Taehyung reached into his pocket to take out his phone but paused when he realized it was gone. Sighing, he continued. "Father is developing a portal that can lead him directly to Earth. He plans to conquer your planet."

"But we can stop him, right?," Jimin walked in with cold sweat dripping down his forehead. Or maybe it was the leftover rainwater, Taehyung wasn't really sure.

"Of course we can," Namjoon replied confidently before Taehyung could. He noticed the earth gem bearer's purple clawed arm and stared at it discreetly. "All we have to do is destroy the portal."

"It isn't that simple," Jungkook was rubbing his wrist for some reason. Taehyung eyed him gratefully. "I'm pretty sure Hel is guarding that portal with their whole military population. Isn't that right, Tae?"

"Definitely," Taehyung nodded. He noticed that everyone was gathered around to listen to him now. "Father will expect our arrival. We must prepare a counterattack."

"Do you have a plan?," Emily asked from next to Jin, her bow slung across her back.

Taehyung pondered for a moment. He recalled all the times King Michael dragged him to political meetings in order to observe the responsibilities of a king. Instead, what he picked up at that young age were numerous battle strategies.

"I do," Taehyung paused as everyone leaned in to listen. Although Namjoon was the team leader, he felt like one in times like these. "And—"

Squinting his eyes, Taehyung scanned each of his friends. Everyone looked dead tired with the exception of Jungkook, who looked fresh and alive. The Helian could hear you taking deep and heavy breaths from next to him.

Taehyung sighed knowingly. "We have to rest."

"What?," Jungkook squeaked in disbelief. The little wings on his head flapped as he stepped forward with his doe blue eyes widened. "Tae, we can't rest. For all we know, your Father could finish the portal by tonight and—"

"The Helian engineers will take five days at most to finish it, Kook," Taehyung's stern tone made Jungkook purse his lips together. He glanced at the others and caught their confused looks. "We'll get there in time."

At that moment, Taehyung realized how tired he felt too. His legs were sore, his feet barely able to keep him standing. For some reason, his wrist was aching badly too and there was a slight throbbing in his head. Based on the expression you had on, the prince figured that it had something to do with the battle.

"Besides," Taehyung almost yawned at his thoughts but he swallowed it harshly before he could. "I'm sure we all need a nap."

"A nap?," Yoongi spoke softly, his eyes glazing over as he stared into space. Holly snapped its teeth happily. "Wow... it's been centuries since I've had a good night's sleep."

"Are you sure this is okay?," Emily raised an eyebrow, a skeptical expression on her face. "I mean, what if we get stabbed in our sleep?"

Taehyung considered the possibility and didn't like the mental image that formed in his mind. Still, as he stared at all eight people standing before him, the prince knew that he'd protect all of them with his life.

"We've wiped out everyone who knows that we're alive. We'll be—"

Suddenly, Taehyung came upon a realization. Not everyone was wiped out. He knew that the rest of the Great Six were killed in battle but there was one person he hadn't seen after being corrupted by the darkness gem— his younger sister, Shay.

Taehyung was suddenly filled with dread. He glanced at Yoongi, who already looked half-asleep. Not having asked the fire gem bearer about the state of his sister, the Helian prince was horrified. He couldn't even bear the thought of Shay being dead.

"Taehyung?," Your tone was filled with worry as you looked up at Taehyung with scrunched eyebrows. "What's wrong?"

Taehyung glanced at his confused friends. He wasn't sure how to word his worries, especially since Shay has attempted to murder nearly everyone on the team. The prince wasn't sure if they'd really like the fact that he was worried sick.

But no matter what Shay had become due to King Michael's influence, she was still Taehyung's sweet little sister.

"Are you worried about Shay?"

Taehyung turned towards Namjoon, who was now standing in front of the two of you with a dimpled smile. The Helian prince, no matter how much he tried not to, stared at the earth gem bearer's purple clawed arm. It reminded him of Kern-mutated soldiers— oh.

"How did you—"

"Call it an older brother's instinct," Namjoon suddenly hid his purple arm behind his back. Taehyung sighed. "You should go check on her."

Taehyung stared at Namjoon. He wanted to tell him that he was afraid to check. He wanted to say that the possibility of losing Shay terrified him to the core. Instead, he swallowed his fears and put on a stern expression.

"What would the others think?," Taehyung whispered quietly. He could your strong gaze on his face.

"What do you mean?," Namjoon asked, confused. He tilted his head and put on small smile. "Enemy or not, Shay is still your sister. I know that everyone will understand."

"Besides, Shay kind of left in the heat of the battle," Your words made Taehyung's eyes widen. Rubbing your nape sheepishly, you grinned at the stunned Helian prince. "So I'm pretty sure she's around here somewhere. I doubt that she'd leave just like that."

Taehyung was suddenly filled with gratitude. He wanted to engulf these two in a hug. He never knew that there were actually were existing people who were as understanding as them. However, he composed himself instead and ended up tapping both of them on the shoulders.

"Thank you," Taehyung smiled genuinely with a rare boxy grin. You and Namjoon stared in astonishment. "I'll be right back."

Taehyung ran towards the tower. Glancing behind him, he saw you and Namjoon's figures slowly disappear out of his view. As he pressed on and headed to the entrance, a lump formed in his throat. He was hoping that Shay was okay, that he'd see her alive and well.

When Taehyung reached the tower's entrance and had a hand hovering over the door, he paused. His ears picked up a sound, a certain wailing that was oddly familiar to him. It was faint, yet the prince could tell that it was closeby.

Taehyung's mood fell when he realized that he was hearing Shay's cries. Stepping away from the door, he followed the sound and circled the tower. His footsteps were heavy, each one crunching against the rocky ground. He could feel his palms sweating as he drew closer and closer.

Then Taehyung spotted Shay. She was knelt down on the ground, her back facing him as she continued to sob. Her dark hair was dry, which told him that she had been hidden inside the tower all this time. Sighing in relief, he was glad to see her.

Taehyung stepped closer and paused once again when he saw the rows of bodies lined up in front of Shay. Spotting the white and pink hair of the female corpses, he swallowed dryly. He wanted to speak, to reach out to his sister— but his voice failed him.

Shay suddenly raised her head, her sobs coming into a halt. Slowly, she turned around. Taehyung could see her swollen yet dark eyes piercing back at him.

"What?," Shay spat, her voice hoarse. She wiped her tears and turned back to the bodies. "Are you planning on taking their bodies too?"

Taehyung didn't say anything— rather he didn't know what to say. He watched silently as Shay stood up and turned towards him completely. Her cheeks were puffed and tearstained, eyes red and swollen.

This made Taehyung feel extremely conflicted. First of all, he was extremely glad to see Shay in one piece. He wanted to just give her a big old hug and tell her how worried he was. At the same time, the prince didn't think that his sister was up for a conversation.

Still, Taehyung followed his guts. He stepped forward with an awkward smile, which made Shay narrow her eyes at him. "Hey sis, I'm really glad that you're—"

"No," Shay hissed as more tears streamed down her face. "Just— don't."

Taehyung stood frozen. Shay was surely seething with anger but her figure was calm. She had no clenched fists, no burning eyes, no signs of fury it all. Instead, the princess stared back at him in bland disappointment.

And that hurt Taehyung even more.

"You dare show yourself to me," Shay's voice was small yet Taehyung could hear her broken tone perfectly. "Even after you came back to get your title, earn Father's favor like you always have, then leave me again just to return to your stupid guardian?"

Each word Shay spoke felt like an arrow through Taehyung's chest. He himself was angry— not at Shay or Animo— but at himself. He wished that he had somehow let his sister know about his motivations without the use of pen and paper. He wished to show her that he truly loved her.

Taehyung felt like it was too late for that now. Shay wasn't even angry at him anymore. She was dried out, empty— all because of him.

"If you've planned on leaving from the very beginning," Shay glanced at the bodies behind her. She shut her eyes tight and shook her head. "Then you should have never returned."

"Shay," Taehyung didn't care how desperate he sounded. "Please, that is not what I—"

"Stop it," Shay's voice cracked. She turned away. Taehyung could hear her sob quietly out of view. "Please just leave... before you take anything else from me."

Taehyung felt a sharp pain in his chest. It wasn't the darkness gem chipping his soul away, instead it was his heart shattering into tiny pieces. Shay was standing right in front of him, just a few feet away, yet it felt like he'd never reach her no matter how much he'd try.

Glancing down at his wrist, Taehyung eyed the small number one etched on his skin. He whispered an enchantment under his breath as purple mist swirled over his palms. When it faded, it revealed a framed family photo.

Taehyung stared at it for a moment. He smiled at the happy faces on both his and Shay's faces. Then he glanced at Queen Loriza. In times like these, he wished his mother was still present. He yearned to be held tightly in her loving arms. He wanted to hear her voice tell him that it was fine— he was fine.

With a shaky breath, Taehyung placed the framed photo on the ground. He placed a rock behind it, the smiling faces of his beloved family facing Shay's back. Then, slowly, he turned around and walked away.

Taehyung hated this feeling of leaving Shay behind. He wanted to turn around and stay by her side— but she herself didn't want that. It made him wonder if this whole plan to save the universe was worth it. What was the use if he couldn't even get along with his own sister?

Looking up at the dark sky, Taehyung recalled Queen Loriza's last words. Protect your sister at all costs. He imagined his mother sitting on a cloud from up in heaven. Was she scowling at him in disgust? Was he unworthy of being her beloved son?

"Mother," Taehyung whispered, his gaze still fixated upwards. "I'm sorry... I couldn't keep my promise."

-

"Taehyung," You groaned. "You make it sound way too easy."

Truthfully, when Taehyung first told you that he wanted to train you to control your newfound Helian powers, you wanted to tell him that you'd rather sleep instead. But, knowing how important it was, you complied.

"That's because it is," Taehyung gave you a cocky grin, which made you laugh and roll your eyes at him. "Just concentrate and you'll be fine."

Slightly amused by Taehyung's cockiness, you raised your hands again and stared at the giant wooden log, courtesy of the prince, resting a few feet ahead. With gritted teeth, purple mist encircled your wrists as you tried to make it float.

When the log merely fell back on the ground with a thud, you grunted in frustration and rubbed your hands together. "God— Taehyung, what kind of thoughts cross your mind when you use your powers?"

Taehyung just stared at you, making you wonder if there was anything wrong with what you said. Then, he started to laugh silently, that boxy smile appearing on his face once again. You just watched in confusion but at the back of your mind, you thought that smile of his was cute.

"You think I use my head for my powers?," Taehyung spoke in between his laughter as he cocked his head to one side.

A bit weirded out by how Taehyung was all smiley, you nodded slowly. "Well, yeah? How else would you use it?"

Taehyung's expression shifted into a stern one when he realized that you were being completely serious with your words. He exhaled loudly through his nose and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Sky, when you and I were... in a battle," Taehyung made a considerate pause, one that gave you horrible flashbacks of the corrupted prince. "What were you thinking?"

You thought about Taehyung's question for a moment, your eyes widening when you realized what the answer was. "Nothing? I wasn't—"

"Exactly," Taehyung deadpanned, his eyes suddenly glowing a powerful purple. "When using magic, you don't think."

Taehyung raised a hand. Purple mist shot across the air and formed the shape of a blade. At the same time, the log rose high up in the air. You watched in awe as the wood was instantly split into two before falling to the ground.

"You feel," Taehyung simply turned around and gestured towards the now split log. "Go ahead, try it."

For a moment, you wondered what Taehyung was feeling at that exact time. The way he sliced the log in half almost made him look like he was angry— but why?

Closing your eyes, you took deep breaths and tried to garner all your emotions within. The first thought that entered your mind was your battle with Taehyung, along with the words that escaped his lips due to the darkness gem's influence.

You clenched your teeth and was suddenly boiling with anger. The fact that such a small gem could control someone as strong as Taehyung made you furious. You remembered King Michael's abuse and felt even angrier.

Then you recalled that house back in the dead garden— your house. You thought about your parents, about where and who they were. You thought about Jiyang, that mysterious man mentioned back in Hemel.

You didn't know anything about anyone. That was enough to fuel your rage. And when you opened your eyes, you expected the wooden slabs to be in the air but instead— you were.

"What the—," Your face paled at how high up you were and you flailed your limbs. One of the trees was leveled to your face. "Oh my God!"

Taehyung's smug expression was instantly washed away when you started to spin around in the air. "Sky, don't panic! Or you're going to—"

At that moment, the purple mist around your body suddenly disappeared. You started to fall and screamed as you headed dangerously straight towards the ground. Fortunately, you landed in a pair of arms instead.

However, Taehyung lost his balance the moment he caught you and the two of you fell on the ground anyways. You grunted at the prince's weight on top of you and gagged slightly at the dirt in your mouth.

Taehyung rubbed his head as pushed himself upwards until he was in a seated. He immediately grabbed your hand and pulled you up, which caused you to have an identical position. "You okay?"

"Yeah," You used your sleeve to wipe off the soil on your face and laughed. This made Taehyung chuckled. "I'm... fine."

Pausing, you realized the current position you and Taehyung were currently in. The two of you were seated in front of one another, mere inches separating your faces. It was silent in the forest, not even the sound of chirping birds or a blowing breeze was present. Instead, all you could hear was the beating of your own heart.

You weren't sure if it was you or Taehyung who leaned in first. Still, you shivered a bit when the Helian prince snaked a hand up your neck then to your cheek, his huge palm nearly cupping your entire face.

Feeling the hot breath fanning your cheeks, you closed your eyes as Taehyung pulled you closer. You felt sparks jolt throughout your body as your lips finally touched.

The feeling was warm and comforting. Taehyung was gentle, his each movement soft and careful. His long fingers caressed your cheek as your lips moved in sync. You slid your hands around his neck in a tight grip.

You and Taehyung pulled away at the same time. A dead silence rang between the two of you, both gazes boring into one another. You just exhaled deeply, completely speechless at the situation. What just happened?

Taehyung turned away first. He slipped his hand away from your face and stood up. You were surprised when he suddenly grabbed your arms and pulled you up to your feet. A small whisper of thanks left your lips.

Since Taehyung was avoiding all eye contact with you, it was obvious how awkward the whole situation had become. "Let's continue our training tomorrow. You should get some rest."

And just like that, Taehyung walked away— at least, you thought he did. Instead, he grabbed your hand and now the two of you were walking across the field with intertwined fingers. Again, there was silence, only the crunching of leaves present.

You didn't know what to think. The feeling of Taehyung's lips on your lingered and you found yourself blushing at the thought. The prince didn't glance at you, his gaze fixated ahead.

Soon, the campsite came into view. Just like the first one, it was located outside the forest and away from the singing trees but close enough to gather wood and food. A bonfire was lit in the center courtesy of Yoongi. He was laying dangerously close to the flames and snored quietly as he hugged a sleeping Holly.

The rest of Single Men Club were gathered at one corner. Jungkook was sitting on a rock, a feather duster comb thing in his hands as he brushed one of his wings. Jimin and Namjoon sat on each of his side, both holding the same brush as the angel handed them instructions.

Wait, were Jimin and Namjoon still in the Single Men Club? By the looks of it, they still were. It didn't bother you, rather it made sense since after all, their love flourished through the club. Well, maybe— you still didn't have much details about them.

Hoseok and Jin weren't in your line of sight, which made you assume that they were out looking for food. You then spotted Emily, who was carving circles on a nearby tree with an arrowhead.

Taehyung slowly slipped his hand out of yours. You turned towards him and caught his glance before he quietly walked towards Jungkook. Honestly, you weren't bothered by his silence. In fact, you thought the best thing to do right now was to say nothing.

Your steps were heavy against the pebbled ground, low crunching resounding under the soles of your shoes as you made your way towards Emily. She was still carving those circles on the tree.

"Uh, hey Em," You spoke awkwardly and realized how strained your voice actually was.

Emily paused and turned towards you with a smile. "Hey, Sky! How was training?"

Your cheeks flared instantly at the mention of the training. Placing a hand over your face, you released a deep sigh. "Well, about that..."

Emily's expression darkened instantly. She glanced around cautiously before she whispered in your ear. "What's wrong? Did he hurt you?"

"Hurt me?"

You questioned loudly, which caused you to slap a hand over your own mouth. Glancing behind, you were glad to see that Taehyung was engrossed in a conversation with Jungkook. Jimin and Namjoon were now seated in a different area.

"Em, he didn't hurt me."

Emily didn't say anything. Instead, she walked passed you and made a considerable amount of distance between the tree and herself. You trailed behind your best friend silently.

You nearly jumped in your skin when Emily swooped up the bow slung across her back and shot an arrow in one clean action. It stabbed right in the middle of the tree's carved circle.

"Then what did he do?," Emily asked quietly and shot another arrow. Bullseye on the second circle.

A lump formed in your throat as you struggled to find the right words to say. The kiss replayed in your mind over and over again like a loop and you found yourself out of breath every time you thought about it. Emily glanced at you in anticipation.

"We kind of, uh—," You scratched your cheek a bit. Emily pulled the string of her bow back, an arrow in hand. "Kissed."

Emily's eyes widened as she released the arrow, which flew passed the carved trunk and stabbed into a tree behind it. The protector slowly turned towards you with that stunned expression.

"Did I hear that right?," Emily whispered and grabbed your shoulders tightly. "You and Taehyung kissed?"

You nodded sheepishly with a small smile, the feeling on your lips still lingering a bit. It made you realize how much you enjoyed and longed for Taehyung's kiss. It sounded cheesy... but it was true.

"Yeah... I guess we did."

Emily scrunched her eyebrows together. The two of you sat on a huge rock as your best friend grabbed your hands. "How did this even happen?"

You chewed on your bottom lip and inhaled sharply as the memories played in your mind once again. "I... don't know? I was training then we fell. We were staring at each other and—"

At that moment, you realized something. In the silence that lead to kiss, there was something that sparked between you and Taehyung. The way he looked at you was different, sort of like he wanted to tell you a thousand things through his eyes alone.

You wondered if you looked at him the same way too. No matter the case, the kiss made you realize that deep down, it was something you hoped for.

"And just like that," Emily's soft tone snapped you out of your thoughts. "He kissed you?"

"Taehyung didn't kiss me," You gazed at the ground and felt Emily's grips on your hands tightened. "We kissed each other."

A short silence passed. This gave you time to think some more. You glanced behind you for a bit and was stunned when you caught Taehyung looking back. Sighing, you instantly whipped your head around.

"Well," Emily didn't say anything about the eye contact and you were glad. "What exactly did you feel during the kiss?"

A billion answers popped up in your head but none of them made sense. What did you feel? And if you did feel something, was it real? You hated how confused you were. You hated how you couldn't figure yourself out.

"I— I don't want to assume anything, Em," You slipped your hands out of Emily's grip and rubbed your temples in frustration. "I don't want to make the same mistakes again."

"Sky, listen," Emily sat next to you. She squeezed your shoulder in a comforting manner. "You don't have to assume anything. You just have to be sure."

"How?," You shook your head and ran a hand through your silver hair. "How will I know when I'm sure?"

Emily sighed loudly and licked her lips before slapping them together, a habit you noticed she had when she felt stressed. "How about we put it this way? Think about your first kiss with Yoongi."

The mention of Yoongi made you turn towards him. The fire gem bearer was still asleep on the ground, Holly now laying straight across his chest. He wasn't snoring anymore but his mouth was hanging open.

"Then think about your first kiss with Taehyung," Emily's words baffled you so stared at her scrunched eyebrows and a tilted head. "And compare them."

You tried your hardest to compare the them, which honestly felt like two completely different experiences on its own. Not really sure how to answer that, especially with the anticipation written all over Emily's face, you just spoke out the first thoughts that popped up in your head.

"Honestly, I can't tell," You felt like you were literally exposing the contents of your heart to Emily, which didn't bother you, but made you slightly uncomfortable. "I know that with Taehyung, it was a lot different. I just... don't know why."

Emily put on a small smile and suddenly slapped your back. It was a strong swing, one that nearly made you fall over, but the protector didn't seem to notice this.

"Emotions are complicated, you can't figure it all out in one go," Emily gave you a toothy grin, that familiar one she'd always show you back in the orphanage. "Don't force yourself. It will come to you eventually."

You nodded at Emily gratefully and heard the flames of the bonfire crackle behind you. In times like these, you were glad to have a best friend who was willing understanding every single thing about you, including your own flaws.

And at that moment, you made a decision. Whatever you were feeling towards Taehyung was almost as mysterious as your parents' background. Your personal mission was to figure out what both of them really are.

-

"Hey, Joonie?"

Namjoon turned towards Jimin, who was laying on his chest, round cheek squished and puffy. The earth gem bearer showed a dimpled smile and pulled up his jacket, which served as the younger's blanket.

"Yes, Chim?," Namjoon whispered softly to ensure that he wouldn't wake his sleeping friends.

Jimin shifted a bit, his warm cheek rubbing against Namjoon's shirt. His grip around the tall man's waist tightened. Yet, his hooded has eyes seemed solemn as a slight frown formed on his face.

"What will happen to us after all this?," Jimin's thick lips formed a pout as he spoke slowly. "When we go rule our kingdoms..."

Jimin didn't need to finish his sentence for Namjoon to know exactly he meant. He sighed meaningfully and scooted downwards carefully. The thunder gem bearer adjusted his position until they were laying face to face.

"Hey," Namjoon grabbed Jimin's hands with both of his. He was careful to not scratch him with his sharp talons. "It's okay. Since phones exist in Vrede too, we'll be able to call each other every day."

Jimin still had that pout on his face. His cheeks were flushed slightly, the redness nearly concealed by the darkness of the night. "But that won't be the same as seeing each other in person."

Namjoon thought about it. He knew that separating to rule their respective kingdoms was inevitable. Then something flashed in his mind, three simple words that made him smile.

"Let's get married."

Jimin looked up at a smirking Namjoon with a confused expression. When the thunder gem bearer fully processed his words, his cheeks flared so much that it stood out even in the absence of light.

"Joonie!," Jimin giggled and thumped Namjoon's chest with his little fist. "You— don't just say things like that!"

Namjoon couldn't help but laugh at how adorable Jimin looked as he punched his chest with red cheeks and an evident pout. "I meant our kingdoms!"

Jimin looked up at Namjoon with big eyes and tilted his head. He retracted his hands and curled them into one another. The earth gem bearer wanted to mewl at how he resembled a tiny little kitten. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we can always develop a union law between Aarde and Bliksem," Namjoon paused and took a moment to think about it. "I mean, merge our kingdoms you know? That way we'd always have to be with each other. And, uh, not to mention that my country's manpower and your country's cultural richness will make everyone happy!"

Jimim just stared at Namjoon with a meaningful smile as the latter started to babble. Not aware of this, the earth gem bearer continued to speak as he swung around one of his hands animatedly.

"Besides, marriage? We're too young," Namjoon laughed dryly because deep down, marrying Jimin sounded like the best thing in the world. "We should go at a pace suitable for us bo—"

Jimin cut off Namjoon by pecking him on the lips. He giggled at the flabbergasted expression on the earth gem bearer's face. "It's okay, Namjoon. We can take our time."

Namjoon smiled before he erupted into laughter. Jimin followed suit so the couple ended up laughing in the silent night. It was such a good feeling, to be able to lay in front of the thunder gem bearer without the pressure of one of them dying.

Take our time, huh. At first, Namjoon wasn't really fond of the concept of time. Back in prison, he just wished that time would speed up until his untimely death but now? He had a reason to live, his reason being a cute thick-lipped boy who could control electricity.

"Do you still remember when we first met?," Jimin tucked his face into the crook of Namjoon's neck.

"Of course I do," Namjoon smiled and leaned his face on the crown of Jimin's head. He could feel orange strands of hair tickle his face. "The Single Men Club was born that day. We're still members, right?"

"Why wouldn't we be?," Jimin drummed his fingers on Namjoon's chest, which made the latter shiver slightly at the touch. "The club basically brought us together."

"Perhaps you made a point."

"Mhm, thinking of assigning another leader though."

"Really?," Namjoon gave Jimin a stunned expression. "Who are you planning to assign?"

Both men fell into deep thought as the question was raised. Namjoon suddenly had a mental image of light beams and flames flying around whilst Jungkook and Yoongi fought for the spot as the club's leader. It was both an amusing and terrifying thing to imagine.

"You know what?," Jimin's exasperated expression told Namjoon that he was thinking of the same thing. "I'm keeping the role. Those two are going to end up tearing each other's scalps off."

Namjoon could still vividly see himself sitting on that bench as he controlled sand with Jimin sitting next to him in awe. It was like that day was implanted into his long term memory, something he would never forget until his last breath.

"I can't believe you outright asked me if I was single even though you've known me for five minutes that time."

"Well, you did call me Pork Jumin."

Namjoon grinned at the memory then he realized that Jimin was actually frowning. "Oh come on, Chim. I literally had no idea who you were!"

"That's just it," Jimin continued to speak in pout, which made Namjoon just want to kiss those lips for the rest of his life. "Even though you didn't know about my celebrity status, you still..."

Jimin trailed off. Somehow, even without words, Namjoon knew what was on his mind. He continued to think about their conversation on that bench in front of Jin's vacation house and laughed when he recalled some of his words.

"Why are you laughing, Joonie?," Jimin still had that pout but he smiled a bit upon spotting Namjoon's dimples.

"It's just," Namjoon stifled in his laughter and shook his head. "Didn't I say that I wasn't gay that time?"

Jimin paused momentarily before breaking out into loud laughter. He laid flat on his back, his orange hair falling backwards to reveal his forehead. Namjoon knew that he had on a frozen smile.

"Guess I changed that, didn't I?," Jimin leaned on his side. He had a teasing tone as he stared at Namjoon with big puppy eyes.

Namjoon nearly exploded at all the cuteness in front of him. He squished Jimin's cheeks, which caused the thunder gem bearer's lips to resembled that of a little chick's. He shut his eyes tight, lips forming a thin line as he cooed.

"God, I love you and your round cheeks so much," Namjoon continued to squeeze Jimin's cheeks and noticed that he unconsciously withdrew his claws.

Jimin giggled before he reached his hands out and poked Namjoon's dimples with his fingers. "Well, I love you and your cute little dimples too."

The two continued to giggle as Namjoon playfully pinched Jimin's cheeks. For some reason, at that moment, the earth gem bearer thought about Kaeva. He suddenly felt bad for her, thinking that she was back in Bliksem waiting for the thunder gem bearer's return.

"Hey, Chim," Namjoon sprawled next to Jimin and hooked an arm around his waist. "I know that you're, uh, my boyfriend and all that but— what about Kaeva? Isn't she waiting for you?"

"Kaeva?," Jimin just giggled, which was the last reaction Namjoon expected from him. He leaned in to plant a short kiss on the tall boy's nose. "I sorted out things with her long ago, silly."

Namjoon blinked in both gratitude and disbelief. "Wait, really?"

"Of course!," Jimin giggled again. It was a sound that brought instant joy to Namjoon. "I used Jungkookie's phone and called her up some time back."

"What did you tell her?," Namjoon couldn't hold back his curiosity. Leaning upwards, he cupped his chin with his hand.

Jimin's cheeks instantly flushed red. Despite that, the thunder gem bearer put on a confident grin. "I-I told Kaeva that although I did feel something for her before, what I felt towards you was stronger."

Namjoon ended up blushing slightly at those words. He ended up tackling Jimin in a big hug whilst rubbing their cheeks together. "God, Jimin, you're so cute."

Jimin was about to respond but he ended up yawning loudly instead. His eyes fluttered closed as he laid on his side and pulled down Namjoon's arm to make it his pillow. "I know."

Namjoon smiled and tucked Jimin in under the jacket. The thunder gem bearer yawned loudly again and curled into a fetal position.

"Sorry, Joonie," Jimin mumbled into Namjoon's neck. "Guess I'm going to clock out now."

"It's alright, Chim," Namjoon brushed some of Jimin's hair away from his face before he gently kissed his forehead. "Get some rest."

Jimin hummed and nuzzled himself closer. Namjoon could tell by the way his mouth parted slightly that he had fallen deep into his slumber. He gently caressed the thunder gem bearer's cheek as light snores escaped his lips.

Truthfully, Namjoon never thought he'd be in this point in his life. He never knew that he had the chance to lay with Jimin in the evening, no longer accompanied by the fear of loss and death, but instead only with the comfort of each other's presence.

Namjoon wanted this moment in time to last forever. He knew that when they wake up tomorrow, everyone will once again be constantly threatened by King Michael and his evil motivations. Everyone was going to be alert for ambushes— anyone can die.

So Namjoon held Jimin close and hummed as he pressed their foreheads together. He didn't know what was in store for them tomorrow but he knew one thing— He loved Park Jimin. And whatever happens, he always will.

-

King Michael stared at his crown in silence. Among the seven stones engraved in the gold, only one of them was shining bright. The purple color that represented Hel was flickering, whilst the rest remained in a dead grey color. He seethed in anger and nearly crushed the crown in his hand.

Standing in front of his throne, King Michael turned around and glanced at the large family portrait above him. His eyes scanned the smiling face of his wife then down to his young children sitting over their laps.

King Michael sighed and turned back around. This time he eyed the Helian general, who had been silently kneeling before him for the past few minutes. "General Jisoo?"

"Yes, Your Highness?," General Jisoo spoke softly, her purple eyes piercing as she glanced back at the king. Her hair was a similar color, except it was a dark hue that faded to red at its curled tips.

King Michael turned to the painting again, his eyes glued at Shay's young figure. "Is there any word from my daughter?"

"Unfortunately, we have received no messages from any of the Great Six," General Jisoo spoke, her eyes now fixated to the ground. One of her arms was crossed over her chest.

King Michael pondered for a moment and pulled off his crown. He ran a hand through his hair as his teeth gritted in frustration. Both Shay and Taehyung's painted smiles seemed to be mocking him.

"Rise, General Jisoo," King Michael's voice boomed in the empty throne room. His hands were clasped behind his back. "What about the information I asked for?"

A momentary pause made King Michael face General Jisoo with a raised eyebrow. She was just standing there silently with a frozen smile on her face. Her double-edged spear was strapped across her back as both of its blades glinted.

"All of Hel's best researchers worked day and night for this, Your Highness," General Jisoo snapped her fingers. Purple mist swirled and faded to reveal a folder with Hel's logo stamped on the front. "This is all we could gather from the vaults."

"Just one folder?," King Michael grimaced. He stepped down the stairs leading to his throne and grabbed the folder in one swift movement.

"There is nothing about the guardian in our citizen records, Your Highness," General Jisoo watched as King Michael paced back and forth, his veiny hands tightly gripping the folder. "But we believe that this file is the closest thing we have."

King Michael flipped open the folder and was instantly greeted with the photo of a woman who looked no older than himself. She had curly silver hair that led to her shoulders and a pair of bright purple eyes. Next to the photo was a name— Xu Suyin, Helian magical and former palace weaponry head.

"Before you question the file's presence, Your Highness," General Jisoo spoke with a stern tone before King Michael could start talking. "We believe that Miss Xu Suyin could be the guardian's mother."

King Michael continued to flip through the folder. "And where is the evidence to back up your claims?"

"According to the file, Miss Suyin fell out of Hel's radar a few years back," General Jisoo explained, both of her hands intertwined over her stomach. "If we take the different time zones of Earth into consideration, her disappearance and the guardian's presumed age match."

King Michael snapped the folder closed and sat on his throne, sighing as he planted a palm over his forehead. "Why exactly is this an important detail?"

"Because, Your Highness," General Jisoo put on a toothy yet mischievous grin. "Her husband is of utmost interest."

King Michael curiously peeked into the last few pages of Suyin's file. A smirk slowly grew on his face as he read through the information. "General, we have a change of plans."

"Your Highness?"

"Why don't we invite my dear son and the guardian over for a little chat?"

-

A/N - OOF 8.5k words of mystery, angst and (minjoon) fluff!!!!! I cleared the Kaeva thing for y'all AND FINALLY A TAESKY KISS I'VE BEEN DYING to write this scene yes

also introduced a new character, General Jisoo (from Blackpink oho) watch out for her cos might have an important role in the story hmm and Xu Suyin whomst are u

Awa T7W is close to capping i'm both sad and happy?? mostly sad cos i really love this story and all the characters;; but don't worry cos i'll have a ton of post-ending chapters!!! mainly because i love them too much lol

next week i have two more exams so yeah not rlly sure if i can update 🤔 will see i guess but most probably not im sorry ;;

Hope you guys enjoyed and see y'all in chap 88!