prologue

The pungent smell of rotting blood dripping eerily from the vast stalactites above him, and smearing over his cheeks was what woke Hoseok from his frenzied slumber.

Every breath he took made his entire body twitch uncomfortably, reminding him of his heavily injured state. The uneven ground beneath him only added to this discomfort. His head was already becoming lightheaded from all the energy it took just to keep his eyes open.

Hoseok outstretched his fingers agonisingly slowly, feeling the bones in his right arm creak all over. It was uncomfortable, feeling his usually healthy body be a mangled mess, but what he could not bear was the disappointment. The disappointment pooled in his heart as he noted the absence of the hand that should've been holding onto him tightly.

Just where had he gone wrong?

As he sat up after what felt like aeons of hard work and leaned on the boulder behind him, Hoseok scrutinised his surroundings. Or at least tried to. His vision was blocked by a veil of dark smoke hovering around him that he had failed to notice before. He attempted to stand up hurriedly forgetting his state, only to double down in pain. He clutched his ribs as they throbbed with pain. Even so, he persisted and stood on his two legs, though his body hunched over. Broken ribs were painful regardless of how familiar it was after all.

Bringing his bare and blood-splattered feet forward took all his will. Hoseok hobbled a few steps ahead and barely passed by a clutter of bones when his vision, which had adapted to the darkness, started getting better. Just as he tried to straighten by feeling for the walls of the cave, his blood ran cold.

He wasn't alone.

Hoseok peered over his back, behind the boulder where he was previously lying down. All he could see was pitch black, yet he knew that he was being watched. His acquired skills were useful in such situations. Hoseok clutched his hands, preparing to be confronted with blows any second...

...any minute?

Just as he nearly relaxed, the air around him suddenly filled with static.

Hoseok whipped around to face what he believed to be the entrance to the cave. A gust of wind blew over, strong enough to nearly blow him over, and wiped out the stench of blood as well as cleared the atmosphere of any smoke. He felt uneasy even though his sight was clearer.

It was foreboding knowing it was them. Because as far as he knew, only one group could freely, so easily and dare he say, dramatically trespass the cavern in which he was enclosed.

His mind was still fresh from the slow betrayal he had felt from what, hours ago? Days? Maybe even weeks, he wasn't sure. Try as much, he couldn't help but recall all the times he had spent with them. His mind grew wistful recalling how they had promised to be with each other forever, supporting each other's silly dreams and endeavours while their days passed by with playful banters accompanied by hard work and lessons. He found it funny how he could recall these, considering that he was going to face his end.

And all because of them.

The traitors.

Hoseok wanted to run somewhere and hide, just like a mouse would under the preying eyes of a cat. He was already devastated enough at the memories. Anymore and his whole heart would break. Unlike how it would be in the past, he was unwilling to meet them again. Despised the very thought of it. They were merciless to just dump him at the entrance of the deepest region of the underworld, Tartarus. Who knew what else they were plotting to drag him through misery?

His inner monologue was interrupted when by the swish of one of their hands, he was flung back from his feet. Crashing on the boulder, Hoseok felt his breath get knocked over.

He let out a strangled cough as blood slowly dribbled out of his mouth. The lightheaded feeling was back all over again. His back felt as if there were a thousand swords stabbing it. But if his muddled head was functioning properly, he would've identified it as a severely broken spine.

When Hoseok could finally open his eyes after starting to labour his breath better than before, he raised his neck as much as his body would allow through the pain and faced the towering figures around him. However, he kept his eyes downcast. He didn't feel like he could endure looking at them without screaming all the anguish they had presented to him.

"Aw, look at him being shy", an all too familiar raspy voice drawled out. "Should we recast the yell energy again and see him writhe in pain? I couldn't enjoy it properly since we had gagged him before." He remained quiet as he awaited Hoseok's response.

Hoseok, in an effort to look unbothered, unconsciously ceased breathing. His lungs screamed. It was too hard to resist reacting. He couldn't, not even if he wanted to.

His inner battle went awry when the voice grew closer and more sinister as he crouched down before Hoseok, "Or should we dispose of him right now?"

Hoseok allowed his tears to slide down his already moist cheeks and choked out a breath, only realising his mistake when laughter erupted close by. His vision should have been cleared considering that the air was clean, but the situation and his injury decided otherwise.

In the stiff atmosphere, the rustling of clothes swept the air. A hand gently lifted Hoseok's surrendered head. He didn't hesitate in meeting the pair of elegantly curved dragon eyes before him. He was too accustomed to gazing at them when he was given life advice back then. Back then when they were still good friends and betrayal was as unfamiliar as luxury.

Hoseok's face stung as hands met with his cheeks.

"Ha! Just because I treated you so comfortably back then, did you think a filthy lowborn like you deserved my companionship?" Namjoon's disgust with Hoseok was as clear as day. He had forgotten that meeting eyes with someone of the high class was forbidden for those like him.

"Hyung, we don't have time to spare if we want to start removing his traces before the entrance to the pit closes for another eternity." A meek but brave voice interrupted them, sparing Hoseok from giving any sort of response. Not that his weakening body would allow it anyway.

Namjoon glanced at Taehyung with annoyance, picking up his expensive and plush robes as he stood and gave way to him. "You could've just said you were eager to kill him, what a way to ruin the fun."

Namjoon kicked the back of Taehyung's knees to get him to crouch down before Hoseok. Taehyung, however, did not seem fazed by the lack of proper treatment he was receiving. But rather tried his best to not meet Hoseok's eyes. Taehyung ripped the right sleeve of Hoseok's clothes off and grazed his fingers on his wrist, hesitating.

"Why Taehyung-ah, you don't want to prove yourself to me anymore?" Hoseok felt the hair at the back of his neck stand as Namjoon's unfamiliar and sickly sweet voice entered his ears, making Taehyung latch onto his wrist tightly.

It wasn't a test for Taehyung but a cover-up for Namjoon's lack of balencia. Hoseok was sure of that. But knowing it only made him think less of Namjoon.

As Taehyung let black swirls envelop his wrists, he winced. In order to distract himself, he felt himself observing the boy before him. Though it was not the time, he was saddened to notice how pale and thin Taehyung had gotten from when he had previously seen him, as ironic as it was. Taehyung bit his lip upon noticing Hoseok's fading attention and pressed his wrist more tightly. Maybe he had already known things would end up like this, Hoseok thought.

Even so, he felt thankful to the boy seeing that he had rescued him from being further humiliated. He had never been that close with him, to begin with, since he always seemed to avoid him at all costs.

That and he was of course another puppet noble of his family.

Talking about Taehyung's family, Hoseok was reminded of Yoongi who was probably busy with state affairs at the moment. As he usually would be. This meant that Hoseok wouldn't be seeing his close friend anytime soon. That was if he wasn't into this and covering for them from the higher-ups.

And even if he wasn't, it was too late to rescue Hoseok now. His right arm felt completely numb. That wasn't a shock considering how his entire right arm was a pale shade of black. But it was indeed odd how painless it was, considering how chaotic Taehyung's energy should've felt. He lifted his vision to Taehyung's face and found him looking directly into his eyes.

Taehyung scrunched his eyebrows, helplessly looking at him. If making the process less painful was Taehyung's way of apologising then so be it. Hoseok accepted the unsaid apology. There was nothing else he could do anyway. Not even if he wished revenge on him and the others. And the realisation only made Hoseok feel queasy.

He wanted to fade quickly, and let all of these painful feelings stop. If his dying body hadn't made him want to give up, his unending thoughts sure did. The glare he was receiving from behind Namjoon only added to this thought. His head however refused, still holding on. Through his clammy hair, he saw Jin's usually cheerful face glare at him. One of his hands held a horse whip, rather unusual for him. Beside him stood Jungkook indifferently, polishing the sword that Hoseok had crafted for him.

Undisciplined brat. At least respect someone when they're dying. Have I not taught you that?!

Time seemed to drift slowly, yet through Hoseok's fading conscience his ears captured Namjoon commanding Jin and Jungkook to ready the carriage for their departure. In his peripheral vision, he saw Jungkook swiftly sheathing his sword, sweeping the hair falling from his eyes and going behind Jin's haughty steps.

Namjoon clapped Taehyung's back in mock appreciation as he too rose, sending him behind the other two. Other two? Hoseok had failed to notice Jimin's absence in his injured state. He wondered what the boy was up to. He felt his heart grow calm, perhaps he was training in the field, that shielded him from his brother's eyes. Like he always did, and then Hoseok would catch him cheekily. Perhaps he was unaware of this.

"You still have the energy to think about other things while you're disintegrating into dust?" Namjoon's voice sounded close for the second time that day.

Hoseok couldn't see anything anymore, or feel anything for that matter. But if what Namjoon was saying was true, then he was truly being sacrificed to the underworld according to the forbidden ancient ritual. The ritual that Namjoon had always seemed peculiarly interested in.

Oh, how much of a moron he was to not realise his demise sooner. He had gone too soft on them and had failed to remember the consequences of working closely among the high class. Never again would he be so trusting of people. And if he ever became a human again, Hoseok thought, he wished he wouldn't be close to anyone.

Whatever was left of Hoseok disintegrated and the ash swirled in the air for mere moments and was sucked to the back of the cavern.

The smirk that had adorned Namjoon's face vanished as he stared at the boulder where Hoseok had been resting only a moment before. An unsettling expression adorning his features instead. His throat felt strangely dry. However, he did not have time to spare for emotions. There were more important matters on hand that required his attention.

Namjoon turned around and strutted to the dark entrance of the dim cavern, glancing back at Hoseok's spot once more.

"So long, dear friend."