Jung Hoseok let out a cry of joy as he succeeded but soon nausea caught up to him and he stumbled in place trying to maintain his balance. The power was still foreign to him. It'd take a while to get used to but right now, his objective was another.
Sia paused in her tracks as she spotted Hoseok appear right in front of her.
"Sia Winters," Hoseok called, a little irritation oozing into his tone at the way Sia remained unfazed.
"H-hi, Hoseok," Sia muttered out weakly before she made to go around him but he blocked her path. "I want answers." He ordered.
"Hoseok, can we do this some other time? I'm not feeling well." She replied.
"Why?" He snapped, not liking the way she remained so... emotionless. He fought and he won a battle. A battle in which she was a part of and he expected her to be happy about it. He didn't like that his expectations were crushed.
"I just— I don't know, Hoseok. I just can't be okay with this. I stabbed you. I almost killed you and I—"
Hoseok made a face, "You didn't stab me. It wasn't me."
"But how was I to know? How could I ever be completely sure that you weren't there? And I— I didn't even hesitate, Hoseok. I didn't look to see. I thought I lost you..." Sia's voice quivered as if she were on the verge of breaking down. It puzzled Hoseok. "But you knew I was gone. I wasn't there..."
Sia shook her head, denying his reassurance. "I wasn't completely sure. But still I stabbed you! I almost killed you, Hoseok! Don't you hate me? Don't you see? I hurt you!"
Hoseok's bewilderment grew listening to Sia's rebuttals. It didn't make sense. What the girl was spewing out was complete nonsense and the Sia he knew was never the kind to obsessively dwell on it. Even if some part of her did feel tortured by it, she made sure to hide it. Or keep it out of her thoughts.
"You're not Sia." Hoseok accidentally blurted out the thought that crossed his mind.
"Tch." Sia shoved her hand into her mane, irritatedly, "Whoops. You're clever."
Huh?
Something wasn't right. The way Sia eyed him with malice she didn't own, the way her lips curled to a cold grin, the way she inclined her head to gaze through her lashes felt gravely wrong.
No. It was not her. His heart raced at an inhumane pace as a sinister silence settled around them, engulfing them in abnormal darkness, even silencing the crickets and the things that go bump in the night. A low chuckle rumbled out of her lips as her eyes suddenly burned two rings of fire. A thick cloud of shadows collapsed over her in swirls, engulfing her form as it transformed her into something she absolutely wasn't and Hoseok choked.
The Darkness stroked her hair, brushing them to morph to the beautiful hues of fiery bluebell flames. A cloak of onyx blue flowed down from over her shoulders. Sia sauntered forward, patting specks of dust off her little dress of shadows that hugged her curves and came to a luring climax just above her knees. There was a strange allure in her poise or even the subtlest movements that entranced anyone's eyes and when she looked at him, he knew. It wasn't her. Flashing him a sly smile that was just so wrong, she posed, "Why leech? Why do you look so surprised?"
"Sia... What did you do to her?" He asked, his voice shaking as his fingers clenched.
Her giggle of delight felt so out of place before it morphed to that of absolute loathing, "Did you really think I'd let you live after you stole my body and my life from me, leech? Did you think that you could end me so easily?"
The Vile One was right. He should have known it wouldn't have been that easy to defeat one of the strongest evil of the time. A defier of fate that escaped hell at that. He should have known and if he had, maybe he could have at least saved her.
The Vile One quirked her eyebrow before she sniggered, "Oh, don't worry. She's still here." She placed an arm to her chest, "Deep inside. Dying. So weak. So pathetically weak!"
She hung her head down with a pout, "Such a pity. We had such good chemistry. We could have done so many great things together. I could have given her anything she ever wanted. Far more than you." She mocked but suddenly, her teeth clenched, "But she made a choice."
The Vile One's eyes burned, the flames of her eyes turning a terrific shade of blue as she spat, "She chose you!"
She scoffed, "Heh! Haha! Hahahaha..." Hoseok failed to see the hilarity of the situation as he panicked inside, watching the sorceress go mad with laughter as she wiped tears of levity from her eyes. It was terrifying. Her laughter was so horridly beautiful, taunting his senses in a way that made his skin crawl as it resonated in the silent night.
The laughter ceased and the Vile One gazed at him, a sneer creeping across her lips, "Pushed me out of my own body, didn't ya? Defeated the Vile One, didn't ya? Now, why don't you laugh? Rejoice! You won! Hahaha..." She stalked forth, closing the distance between them, "So weak she was. So pathetically frail when she realized that you were gone. Tut, tut, tut... That was all I needed to anchor myself to this realm. To her. The same way you did, leech. I guess I have you to thank in a sense."
She chuckled, "Oh, I love that look on your face. But I would love it even more when she departs." Her countenance suddenly morphed into that of pain as her slender fingers came to rest on his shoulders. "She's dying inside, Hoseok. She's in so much pain. And she's crying. Hoseok, Hoseok, please help me..." The Vile One whispered pitifully.
Hoseok's jaws clenched, "How dare you! I will kill you!"
"You will hurt her?" The Vile One asked, placing a hand to her heart before she shook her head,
"Oh no, you won't. You can't." She whispered in his ear, "I know all that you feel for her."
Her grin was one of pure evil. "You stole my body so I will steal your heart..."
The back of her knuckles stroked his cheeks, "You know the story of a fae prince and his beloved human queen, don't you? You remember how he begged at my feet, how he cried. 'I won't let you take her!' Hahaha— but I'm going to take Andrea anyway after I'm done with you."
She wrapped her arms around his neck, "So why don't you beg too? Beg at my feet. Maybe I'll let her go."
At Hoseok's tortured silence, she giggled, "You know me so well! You know I won't do that!" Her hands went to cup his cheeks as she gazed bad back at him sympathetically, "But then what will you do now? Huh? What will you do? She's dying. Tick tock! Tick tock!"
Hoseok squeezed his eyes shut, helpless, unwilling to hurt Sia for he knew the devil would use her against him the moment he raised his powers to fight. Dread settled in the pit of his stomach. The time was running out. He had to do something. Anything. But what?! He can't lose her... Not after all that she went through for him. Not before he could... say the things he wanted to say.
As if triggered by the mere strength of his desperation, a foreign power materialized in his hands taking the form of a longsword as it sparked and collided against the manner of his angelic power, repelling and attracting in some intricate fusion before a glowing phrase came to life on its handle: Magis Aeternum.
"Now, remember this. The second time's the charm. Don't forget."
Suddenly, the cryptic message of the Great Sorcerer V all made sense. It was all a part of the plan. Some huge plan that had already successfully played out in the powerful sorcerer's mind. There was just one thing he must do if it all had to end. He must do the thing absolutely couldn't do. Hurt Sia.
The Vile One's eyes snapped to the longsword that had made an appearance and her grin morphed into that of mockery. She stepped away from him just as his fingers gripped the handle so hard his knuckles appeared white and ground his teeth in a fierce resolve to end this once and for all. Even if it meant he had to hurt the one he could never ever hurt. His amber eyes burned with determination as they found Sia. Golden tendrils of his power fused with the power of the sword and it began to buzz with a heavenly glow.
The Vile One only presented him with a grin before she challenged, "I dare you."
The next thing Hoseok knew, Sia was back, her eyes no longer burning blue or her hair no longer a dark gradient of azure but the familiar lion's mane he was so fond of. Her oversize white shirt stuck to her body as she shivered against the chill of the night.
Sia's eyes narrowed as she watched who stood in front of her. "H-hoseok?"
His heart clenched. This wasn't going to be easy and he knew that was exactly what the Vile One wanted. He gritted his teeth, remaining silent. For if he talked, he didn't know what he'd do.
"Hoseok, you are back?" Sia asked sweet relief pouring into her voice as she watched him with such admiration in her eyes. God, he hated himself. It was no better even when he was a half-angel.
"W-why aren't you saying anything?" Sia implored, her voice so fragile that it cracked. Hoseok squeezed his eyes shut before he forced it open, trying to reign in his control. This was hard. Way harder than he thought and he felt his resolve weaken.
Sia's eyes trailed down his arm and she saw the weapon he clutched in his hands. Her eyes snapped back to him. "Hoseok?"
His prolonged silence seemed to do something to her. She slowly stepped back. "Y-you're Hoseok, right? Jung Hoseok?"
Hoseok exhaled, his eyes downcast. He knew this wasn't going to be easy but he had to do what he had to do. Even if it pained him beyond death. Sia stumbled back as he stepped forward, her eyes searching his emotionless countenance for an answer. "You're not Hoseok?"
At his silence, she gasped, drawing back as he closed in on her. "No." She shook her head, "No."
Immediately Sia turned back and ran, her bare feet splashing against the puddles and the wet mud as she went, eyes wide in fear. He hated the fact that he didn't even need to try to appear right in front of her. He hated that he didn't let her run away. Everything in him screamed in protest as Sia slid to a halt with a horrified scream. She backtracked, her lower lips trembling but the wet mud was her foe tonight. Her heels slipped against it and she fell to the ground. Sia gulped down in terror, "Hoseok, don't. It's— It's me! Sia! Hoseok, please! Come out! You have to be in there!"
Hoseok's steps faltered at the waver in her voice and his eyes found hers. Tears streamed down her eyes as she clutched her shirt and cried, "Hoseok, please... urgh—it's me. P-please, Hoseok... Come to your senses, don't do this."
Sia's cries turned to wails as he inched closer to her. "Don't! Please let me go! Let me go! I promise I won't ever—"
A blade swished through the air and the sickening sound of it plunging into human flesh echoed through the hauntingly silent night. Crimson blood stained the ground as the one who caused it crouched down to his victim, his hands still gripped around the handle of the weapon.
"You went overboard there with your acting," Hoseok whispered menacingly. "Should have done your research before you tried to pretend to be her."
The Vile One scowled in unadulterated hatred, blood dripping down from her parted lips as his soul slowly began to degenerate.
"You see?" Hoseok spoke with a certain calmness as his eyes shone with contempt, "Sia doesn't like to cry. She'd rather die." The blade drove deeper into her heart and the Vile One choked on her blood which guzzled out of her lips. But her loathing eyes still found him, "You think I'll let you win? I WILL CURSE YO—"
A palm slammed into her throat, trapping her voice so that she never finished what she began. Hoseok's gaze was unyielding, "You know, I learned a thing or two from you." He leaned to her ear as he whispered.
"Die for me."
And the devil broke.
Crumbled bit by bit into swirls of smoke and ashes and the sword vanished as the darkened sky slowly invited the early rays of the sun. The unnerving silence, a product of the Vile One's powers slowly died down as the wild light went out of Sia's eyes. She collapsed into his arms and as he watched her feebly writhe in pain, he knew that it was her. She was the only one in her body and that the vile sorcerer was no more.
Sia groaned as the wound on her chest remained and Hoseok quickly pressed his arms down on it preventing further blood loss as he cried desperately for help hoping for someone to hear. His phone wasn't with him and he was too afraid to release his hands from the sword wound on her chest. The blood that painted his fingers in red made his eyes water and his throat constrict. Please. Someone help. I need to save—
"AAaah, seriously that damned Angel of Time! Park Jimin, you a$$hole, you better pay me— Where is he? He's not even here, that sneaky little son of a—"
Hoseok looked up at the sudden commotion, desperate eyes looking to see if he could ask for help when they fell on an unfamiliar guy who had just then spotted him. The guy was an angel. The way he glowed in the dim light of the early morning was too inhuman for him to be not. Upon seeing Hoseok, the angel pointed at the girl on his lap.
"Is she the patient?"
"Huh?" Before Hoseok could comprehend the question, the angel rushed forward, "She is! Look at the poor thing bleeding to her death."
Quickly settling beside her, he ordered, "Set her on the ground. I'm an Angel of Healing. I'll handle this."
Hoseok followed as he was ordered, watching the angel fuss with her hands and her face, assessing her for her condition. "Hmm, low pulse... a good sign... Wizard's magic and angel magic combined? I've never seen that one before...Interesting. Traces of Possession?! My, my, this girl's been through a lot..."
The angel placed a palm over her wound and fished out a bloodred gem from within the folds of his shirt that was hooked to a chain around his neck. Eyes closed to concentrate on the task at hand, he slowly muttered an incantation under his breath, transferring wisps of golden power through his hand to her wound, instantly healing it within a matter of seconds. The angel opened his eyes and relaxed. "So yeah. She'll live."
The Healer angel's eyes turned to assess Hoseok who waited for Sia to open her eyes. "Hmm now that I'm seeing you...you're a halfling, ain't ya?"
"W-what?" Hoseok muttered distractedly but the angel grinned, "You are! I've never seen a half-angel before. Tell me who your parents are."
The angel edged closer to Hoseok, flashing him a smile as he waited eagerly for what he considered top-class gossip material. Relationships between angels and humans were strictly forbidden and those who broke the rule, although rare, were extremely reprimanded. But after the current Queen came into reign, he wouldn't be much surprised if there was an upward rise in halfling babies. He was actually more intrigued that the human realm wasn't already crawling with superhumans.
At Hoseok's unresponsiveness, the angel blinked, "Oh, where are my manners? I am Angel Know Lee. Lee Minho. Angel of Healing. Nice to meet you. Now tell me, who's the guy or gal that broke the rule? Don't worry, I promise I won't tell anyone."
But his respondent simply gazed questioningly at the angel's hand that was still on top of Sia's chest, wondering why she hadn't woken up yet and the angel sighed. "She'll wake up soon. She's just exhausted. I'm doing a simple energy transfusion to replenish her blood and other essentials."
Hoseok nodded in understanding, "Ah, thank you."
"You still haven't answered my question. Just give me the name of the angel. I don't need to know the human's name. Just out of curiosity, hmm?" The angel pestered.
Tired of being pelted with unnecessary questions, Hoseok muttered out, "NJ."
"NJ?! Whoa, that Mr. Can't-touch-this Guardian of Thresholds?! Who would have thought?" The angel gushed, squealing as he touched up the final few bruises on his patient.
"There." He gave a fond pat to his sleeping patient's shoulder, "All done! I'll help you guys get back home."
"I will take care of it," Hoseok dismissed, not wanting to remain still for a second, and the angel Lee Know covered his mouth admiringly, "Oh? The halfling can teleport?!"
Hoseok was already preparing to get a move on with Sia when the angel stopped him, "But are you going to go back home in that?"
Hoseok hadn't realized how wet and sticky he was and how gruesome he looked covered in blood along with Sia until the angel pointed it out to him. Lee Know was right. They looked like they walked right out of a crime scene. If he neared anywhere near human civilization looking like that, the people would call the cops on him and if he teleported to her home, he would give her parents a heart attack.
Lee Know seemed to know what he was thinking, "Fear not, brave halfling! This angel uncle will help you!"
Before Hoseok could inquire how the angel snapped his fingers and in an instant Hoseok felt less sticky and cleaner. He looked down to see that his previous attire was gone only to be replaced with a flowing white shirt too similar to the one he had seen NJ wear.
"Like father, like son!" The angel wiped feigned tears from his eyes, looking seemingly moved by his handiwork. "You look exactly like him. Why hadn't I noticed before?"
Hoseok was getting a little annoyed with the Healer Angel though he was grateful that he got Sia out of her drenched and bloodied clothes that clung to her body like a second skin and probably made her cold. The angel sighed as he watched Sia, "My powers of recreation are still as magnificent as ever. Even my Love Angel Jisoo can't pull off that Venus white dress like your girlfriend right there."
Hoseok didn't bother to correct him. He gave the angel a brief bow of gratitude, "Thank you for everything that you have done. I'll be taking my leave now."
"Ah-ah, don't mention it. What else are angel brethren for? It is all in the conduct of us angels to seek when in need and help those in need. I totally didn't ask Park Jimin anything in return for this kindness cuz you see, kindness can't be returned. So half-angel, look here—"
The angel blinked in confusion to find the halfling he was conversing with gone, the only trace of him ever being there being the wisp of white smoke that was left behind.
"He really just left like that..."
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A/n: There it was. Did y'all miss it? Imma just go ahead and try to end this rn. Enjoy.