Mist {BTSxReader}

Chapter 19: Mirrors II

Jungkook hesitated, his eyes darting to the ground swiftly.

"The Box of Mist." He mumbled, "How did you find out about that box?"

You shrugged your shoulders, drinking in his nervous reaction.

"That's what it's called then," You acknowledged. "I heard tales of it. Answer the question."

"Unspeakable horrors." He gritted, reluctant to even speak about it. "In the wrong hands, it will bring death and ruin. Sailing towards it is foolish."

You inhaled.

"Is that why it's surrounded by monsters?" You asked. "To be kept safe from 'the wrong hands'?"

Jungkook nodded his head.

"My brothers and I hid it away for a reason." He said, eyes raising to meet yours. "Man is not wise enough to understand it's power. They soiled the seas and killed one another for the power of that box. My brothers gave their lives to hide it away."

You were slightly taken aback by that comment. His brothers were dead? Interesting.

"So you were angry with man?" You asked. "Is that why The Great Loss happened?"

"The Great Loss?' He repeated, brows furrowing, "Whatever you know of that event has been fed to you by men. Lying men who would rather make us the enemy than admit their wrongs."

You leaned closer.

"Then tell me." You pushed. "Tell me what really happened to all those people."

Jungkook hesitated, clenching his jaw before finally opening his mouth in explanation.

"When you give a precious gift--when you are forced to take it back, there will be war and with war, casualties."

You sat patiently, waiting for him to continue.

"The humans wouldn't relinquish the power we'd given them," He continued. "They were polluting the sea and killing creatures for their own benefit...When we tried to retake the box, they attacked my brothers and I."

He raised his hands, staring at his palms.

"Those humans," He paused. "The ones that they say we stole...They wanted to forget-They wanted to become one with the sea. Women who had lost their babies or husbands...they wanted to forget their life...and so, we let them. Man say that we stole half of humanity, but that is only foolish nonsense. Humanity came to us for refuge...But, as time went by, the humans we'd turned began to long for the land again...so, I gave them a way to trade places with a willing human....one who was as heartbroken as they once were when they begged for the sea."

"So, that's why sirens can only mark heartbroken people?" You pondered aloud, watching as Jungkook nodded.

"Over time, some sirens forgot they were human and began to truly despise man," He sighed. "We call those mermaids as they have lost their song...maybe they had forgotten it, or became more of a noise...but, they lost it none the less...and with loosing their song, they lost their humanity."

"These mermaids," You started. "Will they be waiting for us en route to the box?"

He nodded his head.

"They will appear beautiful to the human eye, so be wary of the men as they will be the first target. Mermaids may have lost their songs, but their words still have the power of persuasion. They will go to any lengths to see that you all die."

You tilted your chin upwards, standing to your feet.

"And what of you?" You asked. "Can you protect us from these monsters?"