Mortal Masks

Chapter Twenty Three

Drunk on power, the gemstone buzzes, and having a life of its own, flings itself towards the kitchen door.

Acting only upon reflexes, Jaemin's hands fly up to cover his face, to cushion the stone that is on track towards him. And just as his hands close around the stone, advancing towards him at full force--

Jaemin gasps, feeling a shockwave travel through his body.

The familiarity of the sensation causes his heart to still.

The stone is only in his hands for a moment, but that mere second is enough for a cloud of darkness to blind him, a chilling coldness setting its roots spiralling into Jaemin's core. It latches onto him, the cool talons of darkness ripping into him.

'Jaemin? Jaemin you came back!'

His eyes fly wide open hearing the voice he's grown so accustomed to- only, in the next moment, the stone is falling from his hands, clattering to the floor, and light and warmth floods Jaemin's senses.

His knees buckle, overwhelmed by the whiplash of both sights and temperatures, but before he too could hit the floor, Yuta is rushing towards him, cushioning him in his arms.

"Jaemin?"

Gaping up at Yuta, feeling like all of the air had been knocked from his lungs, Jaemin heaves, his eyes blinking rapidly as he tries to understand what had just happened.

"W-What..?"

That scene laid before his eyes, what the stone had shown him- what it is... The coldness, the shadows... It was as though he had retreated into his own mind, as if the stone was showing him fragments of his own imagination...

This stone was once a gateway to the spirit realm... if what Jaemin saw in the stone is the same as what he can see in his mind-- Jaemin shivered. 

It was all too much.

"I've never seen the stone like that" Yuta mumbles, his eyebrows furrowed into a deep frown. Just by looking into his eyes, Jaemin could tell his father was running through every memory, every piece of information he has on the stone, and then his eyes widen, "Apart from when..."

He reaches for the stone, now a dull blue colour, laying discarded next to the pair of them.

Yuta's body jolts slightly- it's cold to touch.

"I need to make a few calls..."

And he rises to his feet with speed Jaemin can't remember ever seeing from his father, before he's retreating back up the stairs- all sorts of mutterings falling from his lips, and Jaemin is left on sprawled out on the floor to the kitchen- even more confused by all of this supernatural talk than before.

— • —

His eyes glance over the board, his face neutral and unfeeling.

Perhaps before he would've felt his heart drop, perhaps before his lip would've wobbled, a wave of terror and sadness would've wiped him off his feet.

But now, he just stares at the board before him- a grief counsellor's number, the same number Yuta has tried to get him to ring, staring back at him.

"With the four attacks that happened over the last two days, I understand how frightening and confusing it must be..."

Jaemin drowns out their teacher's voice.

Four attacks in two days, the 'rogue' pack are accelerating.

Jaemin closes his eyes, searching for a moment of peace.