Vanished [ATEEZ]

ashes and dust

« I love you too big brother »

Wooyoung quickly turned around and before everything faded away he saw a young boy with one of the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. The boy waved at him and everything became white, just like someone had placed a spot right in front of his eyes. Then what happened in the real world started coming back to his ears. He started to ear again, to see again, to feel again. His friend in front of him shouting at the captain still behind him, still grabbing his hair, still talking. He wasn't kneel down as he was when Wooyoung closed his eyes. Wooyoung started getting his breath back to normal, not trembling anymore.

-... you're gonna die, the two of you and your entire crew with you. The voice of the Captain was firm but still said with a grin. And your captain is gonna see every single one of y...

It was enough for Wooyoung. Just like the moment before, he couldn't hear the captain, but not for the same reasons.

Hope.
Hope started growing in him. The words of his family came back to his mind. He looked up and met Seonghwa's gaze. For a second Seonghwa asked himself if the person in front of him was still the same than before, still the same weak man at the edge of breaking down, crying. His eyes were dark, full of determination, and without a warned he hardly knocked the captain's knee with his free hand. The captain let out an horrible scream as his knee bent in a direction contrary to the norm. He fell to the ground but quickly got up ready to throw his sword in Wooyoung's heart. Wooyoung tried to cover himself with his arm but he felt the man grabbing his wrist hardly. Insanity had taken over him. Without a single second the saber was in front of Wooyoung's eyes. He closed them by reflex. But he felt the grip of the man let go. He opened his eyes and found the man on the ground, a thin flow of blood dripping from his temple as he probably got knocked out. He turned to face his friend. Seonghwa sighted and his knees let go, dropping him right in front of Wooyoung. And for the first time in ten years the two friends fell into a warm hug surrounded by their own tears.

-I'm so sorry, sobbed Seonghwa, I should've had protect you...

-You already did hyung. You saved me.

The two looked at each other for a good minute. It felt like a dream. Ten years.
Ten years that Wooyoung persuaded himself that his friend had died and ten years that every single day Seonghwa hoped it was the last. But they knew that deep down their heart their hope of seeing each other again had never faded.

Seonghwa studied every inch of Wooyoung's face. He had grew up. He was now a man but he still had that infant sparkle in the eyes. One last tear rolled down Wooyoung's cheek and Seonghwa wiped it letting a gentle kiss on his forehead.

-Now let's get out of here...

❈───────•✦•❅•✦•──────❈

Hongjoong had reached the end of the tunnel but he wasn't home yet. He kept on running, escaping from those men who attacked them. He was now close to the village but the trees still blocked his view. There was a lot of noises flying through the air, they seemed like screams. He could see that the landscape had became a lot more orange than before. He got out of the forest, still running with his saber in hand. When he reached the edge of the woods he saw a landscape that he only imagined seeing in his worst nightmare. His eyes widened as he looked at what was standing in front of him.
Fire. Fire everywhere. And screams of terror.
His childhood village was burning. Everything was burning, every houses, none of them had survive the fire. People were running, screaming, crying, while some others were laying on the ground probably already dead by the flames or the smoke. A lot of people were running to the forest, trying to reach the sea probably trying to go collect water or running as far as possible from the chaos. Hongjoong was fast enough to intercept one of them.

-Hey what happened here! He nearly screamed so that the woman would be able to understand.

-I can't explained... she mumbled, I never seen something like that... She stumbled a bit before being caught by the young man. A lot of men attacked all of us, they had swords and old muskets. They killed everyone without caring if they were males or females, adults or children... and they set fire in the houses . They keep on screaming things that doesn't make any sense!

-What did they screamed? Asked Hongjoong holding the weak woman by the shoulders.

-« Long live Royalty », replied the woman, but what is wrong with them, they literally looked like they were coming from another century!

"If only you'd know" thought Hongjoong but he simply thanked the woman and ran straight between the burning houses. His friends... he needed to find them, now. They needed to get out of here before those men really find them and finish what they started. He ran as fast as his leg could go, passing next to the poor people he had grown with being on the ground crying the lost of their loved ones. He looked away and continued running. Each steps were so painful for him. He wanted to help all of them but he knew that he couldn't. He had to make a decision.

A pirate does not bat an eyelash even by looking at innocents people being taken down. He can't, he need to stay strong and not show any sign of fear.
A captain need to protect the lives of his crew at all cost.
Even if the price is his own life.

Hongjoong finally saw the house where he use to live with his friends. It was nothing more than ashes and dust, and for a moment fear started growing in him.
His friends. Did he failed to save his friends, his crew, his only real family? He began to run toward the house but he stopped right away when a blade came into his field of view. He yanked himself to the back, dodging the sword.

A white masked man. He wore an iron thorns mask revealing absolutely nothing of his face. Hongjoong remembered where he had heard about him. When Yunho talked about what happened to them ten years ago, he mentioned that man.
He was in front of him, firmly holding his saber, pointing it at Hongjoong. He rapidly attacked the young man but he was fast enough to ward of the sword with his own.
A fierce fight ensued.
Hongjoong sword skills were worthy of a master. It looked like he had fight for his entire life. The young man himself couldn't explain how he was doing it. His body was working alone. He adorned each of the man's attacks and defended himself like a true swordsman.
But the smoke around him started to get to him. He felt his head started to spin.
He fell to the ground, his throat was hurting him like crazy. He felt like every single one of his breath burned him from inside.
The man approach him slowly.
He caught him by the collar and punched him hardly in the face making him fell to his back while letting a groan of pain. The man went on top of Hongjoong holding his wrists upon his head, punching him again and again.

-C~Come on just kill me already... tried to say Hongjoong.

For the first time in his entire life the man spoke, revealing a voice as deep as the abyss.

-No boy, I need you alive.

And without a warn he knocked him out. Hongjoong was now defenceless. The man got up and put the young man on his shoulder. He walked through the fire and disappeared behind it taking the worthiest treasure with him.