Triangle. |Stray Kids

Fifty-One.

Hell.

That was the least to say about what happened once they uttered the words. It didn't take them long to form the triangles with the heads -the two females- pointing towards the two gates. They held each other's hands and closed their eyes to start reading the talisman's words, part two of the rituals.

'Eodum-eul samkigo sesang-eul kkaekkeushage mandeusibsio,

Boiji anhge namgyeoya haessdeon geos-eul bohohada'

They uttered the words in unison, not knowing what was waiting for them. Those words meant 'Swallow the darkness and render the world clean, shield what had to be left unseen', but why did they feel like their souls were being swallowed?

Tightness wrapped their chests, leaving them breathless without any obvious reason. Their voices got trapped inside their throats. Their bodies started to shiver as coldness crept up their spines. Strong wind attacked their already shaking bodies, making it almost impossible to stay rooted to their ground. They didn't even know how they stayed up on their feet.

'Eodum-eul samkigo sesang-eul kkaekkeushage mandeusibsio,

Boiji anhge namgyeoya haessdeon geos-eul bohohada'

They repeated.

This time, the effect was external. A very loud noise of a creaking door echoed around them. It was more like an animalistic growl, sending terror and fear into their hearts. Instead of the freezing wind from earlier, they felt a very hot wind blowing around them. The wind started howling as if it was passing through different passages, mixing its sounds with the terrifying roars of the creaking gates.

Their energy was fading away as time passed in this dark bubble. One more time. They had to utter those words one more time before they would be able to open their eyes and see whatever was happening around them.

'Eodum-eul samkigo sesang-eul kkaekkeushage mandeusibsio,

Boiji anhge namgyeoya haessdeon geos-eul bohohada'

They growled the words with their last ounces of energy.

It was only a few seconds, very few short seconds, and the wind was twirling them. No. That wasn't wind. Wind can't hit someone. They were being hit. They were being attacked. Various objects from various directions were attacking their already weak bodies. Alana lost all of her strength and fell to her knees, screaming in pain. Chan didn't hesitate to open his eyes when he felt her hand slipping out of his. He looked to find Alana balled up and hugging herself while still screaming in fear. He quickly let go of Minho's hand and dropped to the ground to hover over her and protect her from what was attacking them.

Minho too was quick to move and join them, throwing his arms around them too to shield them. With a glance at the other three, he found them already in the same position, huddled to each other in front of the other gate.

Around them, the scene was unreal. Dark shadows were flying around them everywhere. Those shadows were screaming in agony. Their screams were sharp and high-pitched. The sounds were very far from being humane. The shadows were not just flying, they were being swallowed in the widely opened gates that by then, had the triangles carved in them illuminating.

"Gather up!" Minho yelled. "They are being swallowed. Let's stay close." He growled his words the loudest he could ever do, to be heard over the noise. Minho tried to pull his friends to their feet but failed drastically. So, he started dragging the curled-up Chan and Alana, away from the gate.