I thought I was gonna die. My body is aching with pain and fresh wounds. They burn. They bleed. They make me go crazy. They make me weak. I opened my eyes to find the dark sky right above me. It is so quiet. This place was filled with screams, wails and fear. Now, everything has quiet down. Everything has become still. I tried to lift my upper body but it was too much pain in my back and ribs that I fell with my head hitting against the ground. I let out a groan of pain as I tried to breathe. My eyes losing their vision. My hands soaked in my blood. I tried hard to keep myself alive.
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My eyes open to the darkness of my room. The warm blanket indicated that it was cold outside. My arms wrapped around a familiar figure as I breathe in the scent of the shampoo of her hair. I kissed her as I pulled her closer to the warmth of my body. She loved to feel a body against her. I didn't realize if the time passed too quickly or was it only my heart that let go of the warmth. I slowly slid my arms away from her as I place my feet against the cold floor. I rose and tucked her inside the blanket to keep her from waking up. I got dressed in one of my trench coat and layered it with a vest and long sleeve t-shirt. Put on my boots and kissed her lips before walking out of the room.
I climbed the stairs and visited everyone's room. They all were sleeping in their respective rooms soundly except for Jin who was up. It caught me a bit off guard. He looked at me, confused by my visit.
" Oh! you are awake ?" I asked.
" Yeah. Why are you here? You need something ?" he asked.
" I.."
" You going somewhere? You are dressed ?" he threw another question at me.
" Yeah. I was not getting some sleep so I decided to take a walk in the woods." I replied.
" Alright."
" Get some sleep, Jin," I said closing the door.
I walked downstairs, entering the big wide living room. As soon as I set my foot in the living room, she turned to look at me as her back was facing at me. She was dressed in a black blouse with hair open, falling on her shoulder perfectly.
" You're leaving ?" she asked arms crossed at chest.
I nodded in response.
" Good." She walked past me.
" Hazel," I called her out as her steps take a halt.
" Take care of them," I said looking at her back. She let out a sigh.
" ..and also of yourself." she walked away, climbing the steps without even turning to look back at me.
I turned around to walk away as I held my breath because I was very uncertain about what was gonna happen next. I believed in Hazel but I don't know if this will go down well. I need to be strong enough to take the wrath of not one but six of them. I will let nothing stop me. I will fight till my last breath. This no longer a mere fight between them and me. This ground has turned into a battlefield now. Here, every breath counts for another minute of life.
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I coughed as my lungs cleared the knots and the air seeped in through my nose. My eyes shot open, giving me a clear vision of the moon above in the sky. The moon was bigger than usual and shone brighter than on any other days. I continued to cough as the air gave me new strength and everything that once resided in dark, came to life with moonlight. I pushed myself to sit up and this time, I was able to sit up. I looked around, still feeling drowsy in my head. My eyes fell on the staff of mine. I reached out my hand to it as it drew back to my hand like a magnet. I stood up with the help of my staff. In front of my eyes laid the bodies that died and the souls that have been trapped on this land. I raised my staff high in the sky. Thunders were rumbling could be seen in the dark sky as the wind moved every dust particle on the ground.
I swirled the staff before making it stand as tall as I was on that ground. The strong winds stopped and the sky let out its loudest scream as it echo in the far off land. My eyes set straight ahead of me. My thoughts came to a halt. My hands gripped tightly around the lean body of the staff. My legs no longer seems to be wobbly. My wounds seem to heal gradually. I gulped as I brought this chapter to an end.
" I, Bael..." my voice echoed in the ruins of this place. ' ... declares that this place will no longer ...be in ruins. Every soul.. that trapped ...in this soil will be free. Prosperity and life will be here again! Life will be found on this land again !"
The darkness around seems to lessen as the foggy air gets clear and the land seems to rejuvenate its soil. The dried trees seems to slowly regain their brown healthy trunks. I could see the changes taking place. Life getting back on this piece of land. My ears caught movement and I shifted the gaze to Jin. He struggled to get up while holding onto his head. I grinned at the sight.
He was just becoming aware of his surrounding. A log appeared in my hands as I stepped down towards the abbreviation of Jin. Jin who has hardly collected himself, looked at me and I swung the log right at him, hitting him in the head. His body fell to the other side like a sack. I kicked him in the ribs, making him curl his body in the pain. I lifted the log in the air to attack him again and he got hold of my ankle. He made me trip back and climbed on me with the log in his hand. His eyes glowed bright bloody red as he stared back at my eyes. He hissed at me which made me grin the widest.
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I stood in front of the gigantic white gates. They were open and welcomed everyone. Souls were going in now and then. The greenery inside those gates were in full bloom. Trees, flowers and shrubs were green and fresh. The morning dews appeared on some of them. The birds chirped, flying around freely. Smiles on souls' faces and feeling contented were in their hearts. The surrounding seems nothing less than a dream. A dreamland everyone want to feel at peace. An apple rolls down towards me, I picked it up. I saw a small boy run after it. I offered him the apple as he has chased it from inside the gates of Paradise.
" Here." I smiled my brightest but before he could even hold the apple in his small hands. His mother took him away.
" I'm sorry." she smiled as she took the boy inside, leaving the apple in my hand. The boy wanted to take it from me but his mother didn't let him.
" I want my apple !" The boy sobbed.
" No! He is a fallen angel !" His mother whispered to him but I heard her.
My hands tighten around the round shape of the apple. I gritted my teeth as I felt a strong anger towards that statement. I could see the souls that entered the gate of Paradise, look at me as if I was an outsider. I lowered my head, gulping those waves of anger that boiled inside me.
" Jin." A sweet voice called me and I calmed down instantly.
" Father." I greeted him as I bowed down. He stood in front of me with a welcoming smile. The aura around him was calming and bright. His eyes shone with hope and love. His hands carried consolation and warmth.
" You grew up well. " He ruffled my hair lightly, making me feel better and draining all the negative emotions out of my body.
" I have a task for you, my child," he told me as he put an arm around my shoulder as we walked away.
" What is it ?" I asked curiously.
" You have to pay for your karma in the past life. You can't escape it. Looking at your past life, You have deal with him." he said.
" Who is he, Father ?" I asked.
" You will know." He smiled as he continued " He is not what he seems so you have to be on alert. Be careful around him. He is good at misleading people, leading them astray from their goals."
" What do I have to do ?" I got ready for the task as I spoke with determination.
" Stop him from diminishing humankind. Protect those who are gonna face his wrath. He wants revenge for his dead wife and nothing else."
" His wife ?"
" Yes. She resides in Paradise now." I looked back at the gate of Paradise.
" I will give a part of your memory from past life to help you understand better. Don't worry, these things are ought to happen. They are already written in the destiny of every soul involved in this journey. "
" I won't let you down." I nodded, taking mental note of his words.
" But remember, If future changes from what it should've been. The time will change too. For you, it might seem like today whereas, in reality, the day has already passed."
" Every time the future changes, you will face this problem. It has no cure. You have to deal with it. "
" But don't use it for your disadvantage! Use it in your favour! Things will work smoothly. You will succeed in your task." I nodded at his advice.
" Father, what if I succeed in this task ?" I asked.
" I will be very proud." He smiled.
" Can I.. ask for a reward then ?" I looked at him hopefully to which he nodded.
" What is it ?"
" A gateway to Paradise."
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His pupils dilated and his bloody red eyes turned to black as his grip on me got lighter. His head is dizzy as he tries to regain his vision by blinking his eyes. I took this chance and punched him across his face, making him fall on the side. I stood up but my head was dizzy just like his. He stayed laid down on the ground and I made my way away from him. I held my head because the dizziness was taking over my head and I needed to sit down or lie down. I shook my head to clear my vision. The heaviness in my head making me lean my body on my side and making my steps unstable. ' I don't wanna appear weak.' I thought to myself as I held my head and turned around.
" So you think you can win, Jin?" I asked sternly. I didn't get a reply because he was trying to regain his vision.
" You aren't getting away with this !" I told him as he sits up, still trying to regain.
" You think switching to your darker side will make you more powerful than me? " I asked him, annoyed at him.
"...Then let me tell you, Nobody has ever been able to defeat me and you, mere fallen angel won't even be able to last for a minute !"
" You are here for a reason, aren't you? " I asked him to which he gazed at me.
JIN'S P.O.V.
" You are here for a reason, aren't you ?" He said as his eyes fixed on me.
My eyes squint as the burn in my heart felt a lot more painful. I looked away as inside of my heart felt like ripping its wall. A slight groan left from my lips as I tried to stand up but could only be kneeled in front of him. The veins in my body feels like expanding and contracting, giving me pangs of pain which makes me flinch a bit.
" You have a reason. Just like me, don't you ?" his voice hissed like it was spoken right in my ear. A tear escapes from the corner of my eye as the pain worsens. I wasn't even able to reply as I could only groan and try to lessen the pain somehow.
" You know, Jin. You were right about me," he said as his silhouette towers in the distance. " Everything you said about me is true but partially. Do you think I'm that easy to read ?" I could feel his grin that formed on his lips.
" You know, you were right. My intentions were really to take revenge on all of you. I wanted all of you dead! If it could've been in my hands, I would've trapped all of you in Hell for centuries! But you and your mere human soul saved you in last life but not in this one ! " his words were deeper and I could feel his teeth gritting when he speaks these words.
" Yes! I appointed Yoongi to search for the girls. I know it too well that they will be anywhere near when there is Taehyung, Jungkook or even me !"
_____________________________
" Where did they go ?"
" I don't know but I know that the other two girls, leaving my prey were not mere humans. They were able to move when everyone was frozen in their place. "
I walked over to the table which now was left empty. I picked up the ring and kept it in my pocket. I noticed the third girl forgot her coat.
I smirked at the sight.
" I'll find you soon." As I took a sniff of the coat to take in her sweet scent which was similar to my prey.
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" I made Yoongi this dangerous and hungry for blood so he could prove harmful to the girls and he did !" He lets out a victory snicker. " He targeted Hazel on my orders."
" When Yoongi came home from that night, I made up an excuse to find the location of Hazel through which I can reach out to Eva and Ashley."
_____________________________________
The night fell and I walked inside my study room followed by Yoongi. I locked the door and walked towards the left corner where a secret room would open. I kept my magical things inside this secret room. We stood in front of the mirror looking at our reflection. The mirror was old with only a sink filled with water. There were no drawers in it. It was a magical mirror.
" This is the magic mirror. We can step into a different place through this mirror. We just need to provide something which belonged to the owner of the other side of the mirror. Do you have anything which belonged to that girl ?" I asked.
___________________________________
" When I saw Ashley for the first time, I thought she was Zia just because that pendant of her turned red which would only happen if she was Zia." He laughed at himself. " For a second, I felt a ray of hope that Zia was back. "
" But I was wrong, I thought the pendant belonged to Zia whereas it belonged to Maya. No wonder that pendant turned red when Ashley touched it." He sighed.
" I only came across the truth after that fire accident in the restaurant. I started that fire so it could kill all of you but then I thought it was better to kill each one of you, one by one."
" My first target was Hazel but she got saved because of your ring."
_____________________
" Ring? " I asked.
" It was the white Armour ring, Master. My dark powers were useless in front of it."
" White Armour ring? Witches don't have those ring !"
" I know, Master. But she was wearing one. I won't dare lie to you."
________________________
" Once I realized my mistake, I knew I have to fix it. What's a better way to fix it than changing my ways and the predicted future. " He laughed.
" I knew you would be following the predictions closely so I changed it. That night, when Eva was in the library with Jungkook and Ashely. Yoongi was supposed to show up to quench his thirst and Ashley was supposed to fight him, right ?" He looked at me for an answer but I didn't give him a reply.
"To stop them, Hazel was supposed to use her powers but she would've overused them, letting everyone know about it, right? Isn't this what was supposed to happen ? " he asked so innocently as he opened one secret after another.
" But if this didn't happened then what did in its place ?" He pretended to think.
___________________________________
" Oh! Kookie, You scared me! Stop playing! Sit down here. I knew you won't be able to find the book." she said thinking it was Kookie but Yoongi didn't even moved from his place.
" Kookie, What's wrong ?" She asked.
That's when she saw him.
Red eyes.
Pointed teeth.
A smirk on his face.
" Who are you ?" she asked in fear.
I stood behind Yoongi as my red eyes glowed in the dark. Yoongi was getting impatient with the smell of her blood. I kept my hand on his shoulder and he collapsed on the floor. I walked over to Eva who was shaking in fear. I leaned in to whisper in her ear.
" I am your puppeteer and you are my puppet."
She lost her consciousness as I placed my palm on her chest, taking away her soul. I gave it away to my servant to replace Eva on Earth whereas I take her body to the dungeon.
___________________________________________
" Eva aka my servant made things a lot easier for me. She got rid of Hazel for me and got me Jungkook to just simply divide you all into smaller groups which made it easier for me to hunt you all down." He grinned.
_______________________________
" Seems like y'all are forever ready to save the other, huh ?" I said in my mind with a smirk.
" If so, I'll make sure that you become each other's enemy. Let's see how will y'all stick together if the bond is filled with envy and jealousy."
" Jungkook? Please, come over. Ashley is in a really bad state." Eva cried over the phone.
" What? Don't worry, I will be there." Jungkook rushed down the stairs when I met him in the living room.
" Where are you going, Jungkook ?" I asked.
" Hyung, I will be back! My friend needs my help so I have to go !" He didn't even wait for my reply.
I laughed to myself as I saw him ran out into the dark to help Eva. I loved this so much! They all are walking right into my trap. I checked on Jin and he was still in his sleep, wrapping in the time. It will be quite some time until he wakes up. Till then, I can deal with Jungkook.
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" Just as expected, you came to rescue Jungkook but took my slave with you in Jungkook's form who was following my orders."
" I told my slaves to lure Hoseok into the cliff so you can think that the game was played in your favour but was it?" He raised a eyebrow and left a roaring laughter.
" You pushed my slaves back into the gates of Hell but I knew that one of you or other would be attached to Hazel, Eva or Jungkook. I could simply use it against you but I knew you weren't that foolish to let me do it. "
"You had me by surprise when you threw Hoseok off the cliff. I couldn't put my finger on you until I realized your next target was Ashley. I did my research and got to know about your little secret."
" Usually fallen angels choose to be bad and more on their darker side but fallen angels who decides to stay on the good side seems to have an advantage. They could easily switch back from being bad to good. While switching sides, fallen angels can become more powerful on their darker side and that is why, you switched from being their saviour to killing them, right ?"
" You are wrong! It was my way to save them !" I answered.
" Save them ?" He looked at me, horrified. " Are you sure about that, Jin? I bet you didn't save them."
" Instead you killed them !" He laughed.
" What ?" My body froze as I heard those words.
" Oh! It's my fault! I didn't give you time to look around. Have a look around." He smiled evilly. I looked sideways but I didn't catch anything off in the surroundings.
" Don't be such a coward! Look behind as well !"
Slowly, I turned around and the first thing my eyes fell on was a pair of legs as I moved my eyes to the upper body. Ashley's face came into view and I looked away because her eyes were open and her face seeping out blood in a huge amount. Her eyes seem to match your fear and ask for your help. I couldn't see it anymore. I looked away only to meet with Jimin with a log through his forehead.
" Jimin !" I rushed over to him and my eyes fell on the burned hand.
My arms that had almost wrapped around Jimin loosen as I scooted back in fear. The bigger picture came into view. The bigger my fear grew . Seven bodies laid against the ground. Each bearing a different wounds. My fingers coating themselves with the dust on the ground. My lips and throat went dry. My fingertips touched something cool and sharp.
" Guess you didn't like that view !" I heard Namjoon's voice. " Maybe you aren't believing that you did it!? Let me make it easier for you." The air filled with familiar voices that filled with terror and pain.
" What has gotten into you, hyung ?" Taehyung screamed through his pain.
" Not him. Leave him, Jin." Hoseok spoke his last words.
" Stop! You need to get back to your senses." Jimin tried to stop him from attacking him but got stabbed instead.
" Hyung, it's me, Jungkook! Hyung, I won't let you hurt anyone of them." Jungkook cried as tears threatened to fall from his eyes but he didn't let it show in his voice.
" Hyung, s-stop! It's h-hurting me !" Yoongi gasped for air while staring right at Jin.
" Ashley! Please, save me !" Eva pleaded helplessly.
" Argh! Stop this madness, Jin !" Ashley shouted at the top of her voice.
I covered my ears with my hands, trying to quiet down the screaming.
" You didn't even realize I took advantage of your darker side for my benefit. "
" They say you should never use something that you don't have power on. "
" Wanna know how you killed your friends ? "
" No."
" Lucky for you, I am giving you time for the denial phase." he laughed.
" Ask yourself, Jin."
" Why are there spots of blood on your jacket ?"
" Why are your hands colored in red ?"
" Ask Yourself."
" You think you can outwit me, Jin ?" He giggled.
" You can't...
because...
you are a part of me now."