JUNGKOOK

Danger.

Danger.

This is terrible. Jimin hyung is not even himself right now, still thinking firmly about Rell's death. And my Blessing is gone— nullified by these damn chains.

"Isn't that Scythe Arel? And who's that man behind him?"

"What's Scythe doing up there?"

"He's been missing since the Empress' death— was he part of the murder?"

I can hear my name everywhere, feel hundreds of pairs of eyes on me and hyung. That man— the new damn Empress or whatever the heck he was supposed to be— had ordered public punishment.

Which was basically saying getting humiliated in front of everyone else in more fancier words.

"Jimin hyung...." I hiss under my breath, risking a glance behind me. He's still out of it, staring at his hands.

Dammit.

Biting my lip, I stare daggers at the man coming up the platform with a wicked smile.

I'd seen him do this before.

And he usually didn't stop anything before there were at least five somethings broken.

Clenching my teeth, I get to my feet.

My jaw flexes as I stare him straight, both my hands bound behind my back. But my legs were free at least, and I could do a heck lot of damage with those.

The man smiles like he'd expected this.

"Scythe." He hisses, and I spread my feet shoulder-length, with Jimin hyung behind me. His tongue flicks out underneath his mask.

"I've heard of you."

"Am I supposed to be thankful?" I spit back, voice hard. My head snaps towards hyung. "Don't touch him."

His grin gets wider.

"Why should I not?"

"I know how you do this kind of stuff." I say lightly, my voice cheeky when everything is but. "I'll let you do anything to me if you don't touch him."

He tilts his head to the side, making me bite down hard on my lip. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean," I growl, my voice low in my throat. "Is that I'm letting you break the Arena rules on me."

That seals it.

He grins, and a knife appears in his palm. I breathe evenly, trying to keep a calm expression as everyone watches with silence. I'd just let the monster out, and I knew every single one of them were horrified.

Only the rules kept a person from hell, and I'd just allowed him to break it.

He spins the weapon in his hand, expression psychotic.

"It's a deal then, Scythe of Arel."

_________________________

The sound of soft crying wakes me up. I can feel coldness, and pain— and nothing else. And I can hear someone crying.

"Hyung.....is that you?"

My voice is thick, and it hurts to talk. The sound of tears suddenly stops, and I open my eyes to darkness. I'm confused, because I'm pretty sure I've opened my eyes.

And I can't see anything, except clouds of black.

"Oh my God, Jungkook. Oh my God." The voice is light and stuttering, and I immediately know it's hyung. It's cold, and I wince.

"Hyung, I can't see."

"He—" The voice suddenly cuts off, before it continues again. "Jungkook, you let him... you let him break it. You let him break the rules. Why would you do that?!"

I've never heard him sound this bad, so then I know.

I've been blinded. In both eyes.

"S-Stay still." He says, and I barely press down the panic attacking me in waves. "I'm t-trying to get you all bandaged, okay? Y-you're bleeding a lot."

Then I hear the sound of cloth ripping, and soft cursing that follows after.

"Dammit... these damn chains..." He whispers, and I blink my useless eyes. Everything's just darkness, and I tighten my fingers around anything I can find for comfort.

"I'm going to kill them all." He whispers, and for a second I don't think it's him because of how hateful it sounds.

"Every single one of them. I'm going to make them fucking pay."

This doesn't sound like Jimin hyung. The Jimin I knew couldn't kill a fly without hesitating— I could still remember how Morning Noona had to take care of it instead, a single fly.

"Hyung...."

"Shh." He suddenly whispers, voice worlds different from before. "Don't talk. Save your strength."

His voice trembles, seconds before breaking. It's the only thing that I can hear.

"I don't want to lose anyone else."

"I'm not gonna die." I say firmly, puffing out my chest a bit. "You think I'm gonna die from something like this? Because no way—"

"Jungkook, please."

That makes me shut up, and I just lie there not moving an inch. Everything feels cold and painful, except for the small bit of warmth where he's holding me.

Then I hear him start to cry again, muffled sobs against his hand. My fingers hesitantly reach for where my eyes are supposed to be, and I bite down on my tongue when I don't feel anything but dried blood.

"I'm sorry." He cries, and there's wetness where his tears meet my skin. "I couldn't protect you. I just sat there like a damn idiot— and I—"

I don't know what to do. I've never really comforted anyone before, and it feels like I should be doing something right now instead of nothing.

"It's fine, hyung."

"It isn't fine." He hisses, and I hear a harsh breath followed by the sound of more cloth ripping. "I'm going to burn this place down to the ground the moment I get you out of here."

"You mean freeze it?" I say jokingly, and I don't need eyes to see that he's glaring at me.

"Jungkook, this isn't funny."

Then I feel his hand suddenly tighten on me, and hear the click of metal against metal. My eyes flicker uselessly as I hear hyung's furious hiss and the mocking laughter of a man.

"Blind now, is he?"

I struggle to sit up as I hear Jimin roar, and the air suddenly gets freezing. He'd used his Blessing— but my heart sinks when I hear the crash of a body.

"Stay down, you weakling." The stranger says, and I finally find the wall with my hand.

I steady myself.

"What do you want." I feel suffocated, not being able to see a single thing. I've always relied on my eyes, and now that they're gone, it feels so frustrating.

"I've been ordered to take you both to the Emperor."

"You're not taking him anywhere."

Jimin hyung's voice lashes out, sharp and angry. My fingers clasp around a ridge in the wall, and I stand myself up with heavy legs.

Only then I realize I'm breathing like someone has their hands around my neck.

"It's okay." I say, trying to calm my pounding head. "We'll do what—"

"Jungkook, no."

But then I manage to find his shoulder, and I tighten my hand around it. He's shaking, and the corners of my lips soften when I realize he's afraid, too.

He's just trying to be strong for me.

"That's what I thought." The man grunts, and I feel Jimin tense underneath my hand. "Follow me. And make sure that blind one doesn't wander off."

________________________

WHITE

"Rell, you need to stay here."

She just keeps on shaking her head, and I sigh deeply, my cloak already tight around my shoulders. I bend down to my knees, expression serious.

"You can't come with me. The others will be back soon— and you have to stay to tell them what happened, okay?"

She pouts, tears in her eyes. "Y-You just want to keep me safe. We can leave a letter or something."

"Rell, please listen to me." She was right— I wanted to keep her safe, as long as I could.

Which is why I couldn't let her come.

"You need to be a good girl. The others will come back— and then you can come with them, okay? Please."

She chews on her lip.

"F-Fine."

A relieved breath escapes my throat, and I hug her tightly. "Thank you. You need to stay here, okay? Don't go anywhere. Don't come after me."

She gives a small nod, still looking unhappy.

"I'll see you soon, baby girl." Kissing the top of her head, I throw one leg over the horse's saddled body.

Amber Palace was a day and night on horseback.