song:
if i could tell you -
taemin, taeyeon
STIGMA
At the gate of Hell, Jun returned home, if you could call it that, unscathed. The rivers glistened with blood as soul-keepers and hellhounds were on boats with newly entered souls, taking them to their newest torment. Many demons and other hell creatures walked the blood-seeped blackened ground, all bowing as the son of satan walked past him apathetically.
Arriving at one of many abandoned caves in Hell. Jun rolled back his long sleeve revealing a bracelet adorning his wrist, black obsidian at the center, its magic glowing onto his skin.
With a simple swipe over the cave with his hand, what was once a dull cold cave opening became a door. It was tall and eery. As he pushed the door open, mysterious black fog spilled out as he trailed in.
"Did you awaken his transformation?" A voice called out. The place was not a cave but a tiny civilization. The figure to match the voice appeared. The woman was older than he was, her hair a bright red and eyes with swirls of a pristine admiral blue in them.
"Yes, I did," Jun said simply.
"Good, he'll have more time. I'll assume the obsidian did its job pretty well, considering you came back in one piece." She said, getting closer to inspect the man in front of him whom she's known since he was a young boy.
"They had a witch. She tried to take my memories away. I don't know how she didn't notice it," He replied, lifting his wrist to point to the obsidian.
"Well, likely she's never practiced sorcery in order to notice it. That's what I spelled it with. I doubt a witch on earth would practice something considered wicked." She smirked, and although the woman was warm to Jun, her sorcery was anything but.
He nodded understanding, "Thank you for helping me, Minyoung."
"Of course. My coven will help you, for Hua... and Biyu." She reminisced at the troubled man, patting his shoulder.
"So, what's next?" He asked, the demon ready for whatever was next in their plan.
Idalia was shaken, rattled to hear what Eunji suggested, and even as more and more piled onto her, she never became numb. She was hoping. Wanting for the next chapter of pain to hurt less than the one before, but as her story of self continued to be written, her future was unbearable.
In the back of her mind, past the fog and bliss and painful memories intertwined, she kept asking why. Why her? She knew everything was fate. Her life as an angel is supposed to end in misery and not contentment, but even knowing that her own memoir was written this way, she couldn't help but despise it.
"The safest way for you to be alive is to die. And allow Minghao to use your soulmate bond to resurrect you."
She was in a daze. In order to live, she must die? It was morbid, electrifying her core in anxiousness and worry. The hand that never left hers attempted to squeeze hers, trying to ease her pain. But nothing seemed to clam down her ocean's storm, the waves relentlessly hitting the sand, ruining her self-made citadel.
"The only thing is... whatever form Minghao is in is what you'll become." Eunji finished, and everyone noticed the shift in the atmosphere. Even in the soulmate bond, there would be a loss. For them, it would be Idalia and who she was because she wouldn't be the same after the fact.
"So you're saying if he's still a half-blood by the time I die, then I'll be a half-blood as well?" Idalia asked.
"Yes," She replied, looking back towards Jeonghan for a moment like Eunji was looking for a sign. To confirm that what she was saying was valuable. That it wouldn't hurt the two.
Idalia looked down at her feet, almost feeling like she was sinking to the ground. It was great news. Well, at least better than death, but was it wrong for her to be uneasy about it?
Idalia was an angel. She's always been an angel and could never see it any other way. She didn't hate half-bloods or demons, it was evident. She just didn't know if she could be one, especially so abruptly. Would she be able to handle it?
It felt hypocritical, as she was adamant about Minghao feeling okay about changing and not losing who he was before. But for herself, she was numb to those words, her own advice not sticking to her. She knew she'd be okay, but by no means was the woman excited to die and be reborn as a half-blood or a demon. Hopefully, it was okay to feel like that, but for now, all she felt was a sheen layer of guilt wrapping around her heart.
Without fail, another figure knocked on the now-closed balcony door, "Hey, Minghao, are you ready to train with Jihoon and me?" He asked, not understanding what was just spoken into existence.
Minghao looked at Idalia, not having said anything previously, knowing to let her stay in her thoughts instead of interrupting them. In the previous moment, when Eunji admitted the ultimatum he could almost see himself in Idalia, the force of change she'll have to go through if she wants to live.
But even Minghao knew somehow it was different because besides some physical changes and the tenderness that developed when his angel and demon side merged. Everything was innocuous. He truly felt the same.
He didn't think it would be the same for her. At least have a part of her be a demon. That would mean a set of fangs, insatiable hunger for blood, and, even worse, a distilled version of humanity that she could so simply turn off and become immoral.
Minghao wasn't even sure if he could put her through that. Although he is a demon, he knew that it would be much easier not to be one, Not to be detached naturally.
With another non-verbal conversation, she looked at him and smiled with a tight line smile, telling him through the gesture to go, "We'll figure this out later," She signaled him out the door.
He did as so, but walking off the balcony felt somehow like a loss. Like their sliver-linings were dim, that good news was never entirely good. His heart ached, walking behind Wonwoo, not knowing what was in store for him next.
No one knew what was in store for the group. All they can do is fight for a happy ending.
thoughts? i don't rlly have much to say after this chapt :)