Ch.45
It felt warm. Blissfully so. You took in a deep breath from your nose, allowing your body to relax and sink into the earth. Is this what heaven felt like? You kept your eyes shut, enjoying the sounds of nature playing in the background. It had a soft and repetitive melody. One that gave you so much comfort and nearly made you fall into a deep sleep. The rays of the sunlight touching your skin weren't helping either. They added to your sleepiness which wasn't exactly ideal considering you were laying outside. You don't know what came over you. Normally, you would worry about the bugs in the grass yet for some reason you pushed that out of your mind. You laid back to listen to all the animals in your garden. From the ducks, squirrels, frogs, and even the deer. They roamed peacefully after being fed.
All the animals here in your garden were considered your friends. The only friends you really had if you were being honest. You would always play with them and feed them. They let you pet them and would listen to you sing songs as you did laundry outside. It was fun! There was never a dull moment when you had all these critters running around. Sometimes even stepping outside got them to come out from the forest and head towards you. It was especially fun when the ducks would follow you in a line and you tried to waddle just like them. Also when the raccoons would literally snatch crackers right from your hands! Sneaky little things! But you loved them all so much.
Animals were your only comfort. It took some time to gain their trust, but once you had it, the bond was unbreakable. They visited you at the same hour every day to get fed. You would come out of your cottage to toss food at the ground and watch them eat it all up to their heart's content. They were happy to see you every time. A refreshing change from everyone in the village who couldn't hide their expressions. You couldn't understand why they didn't like you. Not when you were younger. Now that you were fourteen though, you've made some questionable choices...particularly taking up magic. Was it a smart decision? No. Were you known for being smart? Not even close. You were just that girl every parent told their kids to stay away from. You feared you would be the next child hung in front of a cheering crowd, but this time you would actually be guilty. Maybe you deserved it.
No. Those were bad thoughts you needed to shake out of your head. You came outside to have a good time and you weren't about to let it get spoiled by thinking of the village. You're trying to relax! Get your mind off the unbearable anxiety and fear you felt every time you stepped into the village! So on.
It truly was difficult for you. Some of it was out of your control and some of it was directly your fault. No one made you learn magic. It was more so your urge to suddenly 'stick it to the man' and the idea of breaking the curse as if you were the chosen one. If anything, your sudden burst of teenage rebellion was a short lived fiasco that you wished to take back at times. It was too late for that though. You've opened up your soul to the creatures. Even performing one spell made you stand out from other humans. With that in mind, you went down the hole and learned all kinds of spells. Not that you were good at it or anything. Again, the idea of you breaking the curse felt silly. You? Of all people? No way. It would never be someone like you with no backbone and who could barely speak up to people her own age. You should just stay quiet and smile.
CAW
"Oh!" You sat up. Your eyes immediately landed on the raven you've been working on befriending. He's taken notice of you feeding the animals around your home.
Ravens were intelligent animals and this young bird was smart alright. At least when it came to food. He was originally wary about joining to eat the bird food, but he's been getting comfortable these days. Just yesterday he even gave you a gift! An old broken pocket watch that you took and put in a box for safe keeping. Now you were taking your chance to approach this raven. He wasn't a fully grown adult yet. He didn't seem to have a mate yet either which you found interesting. Ravens typically fly with their mate everywhere in comparison to crows who fly in groups. You've been studying up on the little guy. Your determination to make him another friend was working. He wasn't flying away as you got closer. He continued to eat just fine until he noticed you were three feet away. Now he was moving away from you, raising his wings slowly.
"No, wait! Please...let's be friends, yeah? I'm not going to hurt you," you told the bird as if it understood you. The raven stared at you cautiously as you pulled an item from your apron pocket. Your own tiny gift which was a shiny broken necklace you found when walking home one day. You left it on the ground for the raven as you stepped away. It seemed to have caught his interest. Biting your lip, you waited quietly as the raven inspected the present. He pecked at it a few times before taking it into his beak and flying away quickly. "Nice to meet you!!" You waved cheerfully.
Yes!
Your progress on befriending the raven was in the works. Sadly, you couldn't do anything more until tomorrow. The worst part about tomorrow was that you had to go to school. It was something you dreaded. You await the day that you'll no longer be required to go. Not all your classmates were bad. Some were nice...like just the other day! Florian gave you a pencil because you ran out! He must have seen you panicking in your seat. You were thankful, but you did feel bad since Elias teased him for being nice to a girl. Florian just ignored him. To make his life easier, you packed plenty of pencils with you so you wouldn't have to repeat that mistake and burden anyone. You're just going to be a quiet and good student. That was the easier half of school. It sucked when the teachers released you all to play in the courtyard for about fifteen minutes. It felt like an hour every single time.
Despite this not being a new addition to your schedule, you were terrible at it. It was uncomfortable every time and today was no different. Your classmates ran around playing witch or talking to their group of friends. Meanwhile you sat on a tire swing hanging on a tree all by yourself. No one ever bothered to talk to you. It wasn't the worst thing in the world. You were used to being alone. That didn't stop you from wishing things were different though. You swung your feet lightly, holding onto the thick rope as you sighed. You slowly looked up at the sky out of boredom before noticing your raven watching you on top of the school house roof. That was him! It had to be! Without thinking, you excitedly waved to the raven and giggled. An innocent act and yet a teacher standing outside frowned to see it. She didn't hesitate to walk over to you.
"(F/n), dear...what were you just doing?" Her smile was forced.
"...nothing." You looked down. You didn't want to get in trouble.
"Child, that was not nothing!" The teacher raised her voice. "Waving at a raven? Do you realize they are omens of death?"
"..." You didn't say anything. That always frustrated the adults.
They hated it when you would stop talking, but what was the use of doing so when they got angry no matter what? You used to be more difficult to talk to. Just a couple years ago you had refused to speak to anybody. Being selectively mute did you no favors, but neither did talking. You couldn't win. Still...you hoped one day it would get easier. It had to. Right? That's what you continued to hope for even though the teacher had you stay back as a punishment. Other kids got to go home and meet up with their parents. You remained in the classroom, silently accepting the three hard slaps to your wrist from the teacher's ruler. It was only embarrassing when the other parents witnessed it. Whispering to their children once more to avoid you. After the slaps, you had to sit at your desk and write 'I renounce evil' on paper, front and back.
"Hello. I was wondering if you're (F/n) Caeton's teacher?" A voice caused your ears to perk up. Someone's looking for you?
Looking up from your paper, you stared over at the doorway to see Arla Holm. Your teacher was quick to speak with her as she was the head of the council. Most people would bend over backwards to appease her. Something Arla never abused. You only met her once...after Liliya died. The memory haunted you but having Miss Arla comfort you helped. Why was she looking for you? Did you get into more trouble?
Biting your lip, you continued to stare at the tall woman out of curiosity. She had to bend down just to enter the room. That was when she looked over at you and your heart jumped. Right away, you went back to writing the same sentence. You tried to ignore the conversation happening, but it was too hard. Miss Arla asked a lot of questions about how you were doing in school and it flustered your teacher. She finally was telling someone about how well you were doing academically. Not about how she forced you to carry two full buckets of water and stand out in the hall while she taught the rest of the class a lesson without you. You're still not sure what you did wrong then. Eventually, you finished your paper and Miss Arla insisted she walk you home. An offer you were still shocked about.
"Tell me about yourself, (F/n)." Miss Arla smiled at you. She seemed really friendly. She was unable to take her eyes off you as you walked by her side. You felt so small standing next to her. "I know your teachers say one thing, but I want to hear from you."
"Really?" You felt so nervous inside. It was just talking and yet, you worried about your safety. Would you say something she didn't like? Your hands felt sweaty, but you tried to remind yourself of her kindness not too long ago.
"Yes, like why you tried communicating with a raven. I want to hear your side of the story." Miss Arla leaned down to listen.
"...all I did was wave. I didn't know it was bad," you mumbled. Your soft voice got Miss Arla to pout.
"Oh, your poor thing. You didn't deserve to be punished for that." Miss Arla's words surprised you. They were sweet, causing you to hold onto your school bag tighter. "Though I understand her worries. You know, there are stories about ravens who eat the hearts of children. I believe they're called valravns."
"He's just a bird." You whined. You did it without thinking, quickly tensing up. At that point you thought you were going to get scolded. Except Miss Arla gave you a sympathetic smile.
"You're right, I'm sure it was." She nodded, extending her hand out to place it on your back.
She continued to walk with you all the way over to your cottage. It almost surprised her with how far of a walk it was. She even suggested buying you a horse to make the commute easier. Hearing that stunned you and you shook your head. She didn't have to. Though Miss Arla seemed to grow worried when she took a look at your cottage. Was something wrong? Her eyes landed on the pond next to your home, the same one you had got your spell books from. You got nervous all over again as you stood in front of your door. You didn't want to get hanged. Trying your best to hold back tears, you stared down at your old shoes.
"Bye, Miss Arla." You didn't bother to invite her in.
"(F/n)..." Her voice made you tense up. "Do you have enough food to eat?"
"...f-food?" You were so lost.
"Yes. Also, do you need more clothes? I see your shoes are also needing to be replaced. Goodness, I can't believe you live alone. That's not safe at all." Miss Arla frowned. "Really, Sweetie, if there's anything you need at all then just let me know. I'll go to the market first thing in the morning tomorrow and drop off as much food as I can. Then maybe we can go shopping for new dresses too. Whatever you want, I'll pay for. Okay?"
"...did I do something wrong?" You blinked at her.
"No, Sweetie. You never did." Miss Arla gave you her bright smile.
It was hard to believe this moment was real. Hours passed and her words continue to repeat inside your head. Staying cooped up inside your cottage was not helping you. But you also didn't want to cause too much suspicion by going outside. Was Miss Arla someone you could trust? She was so nice that you wanted to. Maybe this was the start of your life getting better. Those were your thoughts as you peered out the window facing your backyard. It was really just an open grassy field before it led to the woods. But as you stared out the window, you noticed that the same raven from before was sitting on a tree and watching you. He may be cute, but he is the reason you got in trouble! With a pout, you opened the window and shoved your head out.
"Rude!" You huffed at it. The raven just stared at you silently before croaking back at you.
"Rude!" It mimicked your voice easily. Your eyes widened immediately and you were quick to shut the window. That was all the adventure you were going to tolerate for today. Not that anything you did was actually an adventure.
That's how your life was slowly starting to look like. Miss Arla was coming around to your cottage more often and determined to take you to and from school. Her questions to get to know you seemed endless. Was she really that curious to know your likes and dislikes? You weren't sure why she would be interested in such things. Of course, you answered all of her questions honestly. Aside from the ones that would end up with you revealing that you knew magic. You bit your tongue on those ones. Other than that, you found yourself enjoying your time with Miss Arla. She kept her promise about buying you food and new dresses. All of it wasn't necessary, but she insisted. How could you ever repay her? You asked about it, though Miss Arla waved it off. In her eyes, she didn't think that this was anything you ever had to repay.
Why?
It was confusing and you tried your hardest to make sense of it. After a while though, you tried not to overthink it. Miss Arla's reoccurring presence was quickly becoming something you looked forward to. Before her, there was no one who really looked out for you. It was strange allowing someone to enter your life like this. Strange in a good way though. It wasn't something you would ever change and you found yourself thinking more like this as weeks went by. You were getting attached to Miss Arla's company pretty fast. Talking to her grew easier in a way. You liked going shopping with her and you would wait for her to pick you up from school if she was late. Miss Arla would always say sweet words to you and make sure you felt safe. It made you wonder if this was what having a mother felt like.
Yet somehow having that thought caused you to cry in your backyard. You were in the middle of feeding all your animals when that popped into your mind. The idea of having a mother was so foreign to you. But if everything you've been experiencing was what you were missing then you could see yourself living a happier life. Someone cared enough to make sure you were safe and well fed. Most importantly, happy. You knew you were scared of this island and of the village, but you refused to lose hope in the good that were in the people. They might not always show it and due to the circumstances they can't always afford to, but Miss Arla was brave enough to take you under her wing. Opening up to someone is never easy. Much less dedicating so much time to them when there was no need to. You felt bad for the mother you never met. Were you too eager to replace her? You just knew that this was what you wanted for so long. To be loved.
"I-I'm okay..." You insisted to the ducks that stared at you weirdly. All the animals continued to eat, occasionally stopping to stare at you. Your sobs were rather loud. It wasn't until that raven suddenly came down onto the table in front of you with a dirty old ribbon that you managed to stop. Blinking at the bird, you were shocked it came so close to you. You wiped away your tears and walked up to the bird. He dropped the ribbon in your hand, causing you to smile. "Is this for me?" You asked as the raven stayed silent. If only you knew what was going on inside that little head of his. "Can I pet you?" You reached out your hand carefully.
The raven almost took a step back but allowed it. You slowly placed your hand on the back of his body, gently stroking him. Your tears were certainly all gone now. This sweet raven had perfect timing and you were relieved he wasn't quick to peck you for touching him. Instead, the raven followed you around the garden. He would fly from one place to another just to be close to you. Did he want more pets? You weren't sure and it got more confusing when he followed you into your cottage. Who said he could enter? Perhaps he wanted more food from you. Since you thought that was the case, you gave him a bowl of blueberries to eat from and boy did he leave the bowl spotless.
"Jeez, you need to slow down." You continued to pet the raven. "Were you hungry?" You tilted your head, but the raven just croaked back as a reply. You leaned down on the table to rest your chin on top of your arms. The raven didn't fly out the open window like you expected him to. He stayed in front of you despite the food being all gone. Did he want more? "...can I be able to understand you?" You began to sat up with an idea in your head. The raven tilted his head at you as you got up and rushed to the attic to get one of the spell books. He followed you up there, causing you to giggle.
"Jeez." The raven mimicked from earlier. He shook his feathers out, perching himself on the back of a chair while you flipped through the old pages of the heavy book you owned. Eventually, you felt like you found the right spell to do the trick. This could be risky...however, it was worth a shot. You grabbed the little wand you made on your desk. It wasn't necessary, but it did help for concentrating. The raven stayed staring at you as you pointed the wand at him.
"Okay...loqui!!" You shouted. A quick zap shot out from the wand, striking the raven. He flew up in panic and you tensed up. Did you do it right?
"What was that for!?" The raven slowly perched itself back down on the chair. He spoke. Sort of. His thoughts were heard in your own mind, almost as if he were speaking out loud.
"...I-I can understand you!" You rushed over to the raven. "I didn't mean to hurt you! I just wanted to know what you were thinking!"
"You...wanted to understand me? You can?" The raven questioned. You nodded, causing the raven to croak and flap his wings. You hopped out of excitement.
"I was unsure if you wanted more food from me. You also began following me." You shrugged.
"I love the food a lot, but you seemed distressed...I felt bad. The other animals like you a lot and I didn't want you to be alone," the raven admitted. It touched your heart to hear. The other animals like you? Releasing a light chuckle, you pet the raven and watched him snuggle up into your hand. He seemed to really enjoy affection. "I know you've been keeping an eye on me. That's why I've been keeping an eye on you too."
"That explains why you're always watching. I had my own little stalker." You laughed. "Do you have a name?"
"A name?"
"Yeah, like my name is (F/n). What's yours? Do you not have one?" You watched the bird shuffle. He was quiet as you hummed in thought. "How about I call you 'Youngjo'? How does that sound?"
"...why name me?"
"Because we'll be seeing each other more often. Or what? Did you just use me for food after all?" You narrowed your eyes on him. You were just teasing though.
"Youngjo...I like the name." He nodded in approval.
That was the start of your friendship with a raven you found undeniably precious. It was an unexpected friendship. One that you had to keep secret from someone you were beginning to consider your mother. Not even a mother figure, she was past that. Miss Arla became so much more in your life and Youngjo could see that. He witnessed every milestone, every new gift, and listened to you admit the feelings you couldn't tell Miss Arla to her face. You were finally feeling some sort of balance in your life. It wasn't perfect by any means. If you had it your way, you wouldn't be sentenced to death if you were caught doing magic. But you told yourself not to get too greedy and to enjoy what you had in the present.
There was more love in your life. It was all thanks to Miss Arla and Youngjo. Your mom made sure that she could provide for you in any way possible. She was also adamant about you never having to repay her. It was all from the heart and because of that you felt like there with so much good in the world. You felt like holding on to hope and wishing on a star wasn't silly. Although there were times when Miss Arla could get overprotective, you cherished it. A sheltered life protected you from any of the previous pain you had to endure growing up.
That was how you saw it at the very least. Youngjo on the other hand had a completely different perspective on it. The two of you laid on the grass outside of your house together. He found you staring up at the sky and was quick to cuddle with you. He snuggled up by your arm, earning himself a few little kisses. Moments like this would have been peaceful except you've come to know your raven's true personality. A quite sassy one and surprisingly an ego came with it too. With him around, things were hardly peaceful.
"I forgot to ask...do you eat children's hearts?" You stared at the clouds. "Because if that's what your after, I'll have you know that I'm a teenager."
"Why on earth would I do that? That's disgusting."
"I'm just making sure." You smiled.
"The only way you'd catch me eating a human body is if they're dead and I'm desperate."
"Okay, gross."
"You asked!!"
And thus, the bickering began. It seemed like that's what the two of you always did when you were together. The playful banter was fun though. It always kept things interesting and when you really thought about it, Youngjo was probably the only person you felt like your true self around. There is no need to hide your magic or any of your secrets with him. Except he wasn't actually a person. That part didn't really matter to you as much as it would to the rest of the village. He knew the deal though. He wasn't allowed to interact with you in front of the other villagers for the sake of your safety. Something he found quite frustrating.
"Why did you even ask anyway?"
"Only because Miss Arla told me a little story about ravens. I got in trouble because of you, you know? Acknowledging you even puts my life at risk." You sighed as Youngjo moved himself around. He adjusted his head to look at you and no longer at the sky. While sometimes you dreamt of flying away from this island, Youngjo was perfectly content to be here on the ground with you.
"Ridiculous. Your entire village needs help."
"You can't blame them, Youngjo. This village has been hurt long ago and the pain is still affecting us today. They just want to protect themselves." You pursed your lips. No matter what, you couldn't bring yourself to hate them. It was exhausting, yes. Though you never wanted to hate them without understanding. What would that accomplish for you? You know what it's like to be ignored, misunderstood, and even loathed at times. If everyone had a little compassion and felt open to talking then that would be wonderful. Hate would only burn bridges that anger sparked. The village has already left you singed in fear and anxiety. You didn't want to give them too much power than they already had over you.
"Too kind. Too kind is what you are and I worry for you because of that." Youngjo rested his head on your chest as you stroked his back.
"I will be okay. Even if I do somehow end up on trial, I'm grateful my life hasn't been all bad. I met Miss Arla and you." You smiled at the sky.
"Don't say things like that. If I ever lose you, I don't think I'll be able to live. I won't." Youngjo buried his head into your chest. He released low croak that sounded like a whimper. Your poor little raven. You hugged him close, taking in a deep breath to enjoy the warm sun on your skin. "You must be careful, (F/n). Otherwise, I will make my nest by your deathbed and starve myself to see you again."
"Now you're the one saying scary things." You frowned at him.
"You're my mate. My mate for life." Youngjo's words got a soft chuckle out of you. He's only been saying such things recently. You didn't know what you did to make him feel this way. Suddenly, Youngjo found himself bonded with you and refused to spare any female ravens a glance. Falling for a human? Silly little bird. But you appreciated his company and treated him well regardless. The two of you had each other for life, indeed.
"I promise, I won't die young."
*~*
A loud eruption came from the water, causing the men on the shore to flinch. They ducked down despite knowing what it was. Their safety finally came. Only Yoongi turned himself into and bat and flew into Hoseok's satchel as quick as possible. The elf held it sealed tight in order to protect their vampiric friend. Golden water was stretching up into the clouds and beginning to curve over the island. Seokjin actually did it. Some of the water droplets came down early before it touched the island. It landed on Hoseok's cheek. Jimin was in complete awe as the water came crashing down. It was beyond bright, flooding every single part of the island with warmth and purifying the territory. It would be hard for any creature of the dark to survive it unless they hid away or escaped.
When it was over, the water evaporated like it never happened. It didn't soak through the clothes of the men. The water had flooded the island and even felt taller than them, but they never drowned. They could always breathe and they never felt more calm. The warmth of the light was refreshing to them. Once the coast was clear, Hoseok opened his satchel for Yoongi to poke his head out. The little bat released a sigh, glad he hadn't burned into ashes. Everything was looking good so far as they watched Seokjin swimming fast to the shore.
The only thing keeping them from staying calm and happy was the fact that you fell from the sky. Yoongi flew out of the satchel to turn himself human again. He was the first to run away from the rest of them to search for you. It left Hoseok and Jimin speechless. Did the vampire think they weren't worried as well? The both of them felt conflicted seeing as Seokjin had absolutely no clue what had just happened. The grin on his face was stretching from ear to ear. This moment couldn't feel any better to the merman yet the expressions of the elf and fairy made him question everything.
Jimin helped pull Seokjin out of the water with Hoseok. They each wrapped an arm around their shoulder quickly before running in the direction where they saw you fall. A ton of questions were leaving Seokjin. They were moving like something was chasing them, yet Seokjin saw nothing. He couldn't be more confused. He only grew more lost once he noticed you were nowhere in sight. No longer were you flying up in the sky like he had seen earlier. Slowly, the realization occurred to Seokjin. His heart began beating faster as he held onto his friends tighter.
No one dared to say a word. There was no telling what the outcome would be. Yoongi was running fast, hating the beach the longer he ran along the empty shore. His feet were sinking in the sand and all he heard were the waves from the ocean. Not your voice calling out to them and saying you were fine. It was getting to Yoongi almost immediately. He worried what Namjoon would say, what Youngjo would think, and Yoongi knew you had unfinished business with a woman you considered your mother! Most of all, Yoongi never felt his heart react so violently in his chest once he saw you lying still on the sand.
It felt like time stopped for him. It didn't feel real in the slightest. Yoongi's legs were no longer pumping him forward. The dragged against the sand as he stopped hearing the sounds of the nature around him. There was a possibility you were just unconscious. Maybe you were okay. But the closer Yoongi got, he couldn't ignore the amount of blood seeping from your body. It stained the sand and the water was tugging it away. Red streaks floated in the water as Yoongi collapsed to his knees. There was a large gash at your side where a majority of the blood came from.
"Yoongi! Did you find her!?" Hoseok shouted. Their footsteps were getting closer, but Yoongi couldn't speak. Words weren't forming despite how hard he was trying. His hands trembled as he reached out to you.
"Yoongi!" Jimin called out louder, but by then they were close enough to see your still form. "No..."
"(F/n)!!" Seokjin yelled. He let go of the other two, dragging himself across the sand desperately. He didn't want any help from Jimin who tried to pick him up again. Meanwhile Hoseok was frozen in place. He couldn't breathe from where he stood. "W-What happened to her!?"
"She fell off her broom because of the sirens and their water magic...but I didn't think..." Jimin felt sick.
"...they will pay!!" Seokjin growled. He faced the ocean, ready to drag himself back in to harm every siren on sight. Seokjin wasn't willing to catch his breath and calm down. How could he? His own kind were killed before him when he was too young do defend them. Now he was more than capable of harming all the sirens in the ocean for killing someone he loved.
"No! Forget them!!" Jimin grabbed onto his arm. Seokjin swung his tail which made it difficult. Still, the fairy refused to let Seokjin disappear into the water on them.
"How could I!? Do you not see (F/n)!? She's dead!!" Seokjin screamed. He was only talking out of pure rage, but saying those last words suddenly stopped him. He lowered his tail as tears came to his eyes. Jimin's own grip weakened on the merman, quick to cry just like Hoseok was on the side.
"N-No, don't say that." Jimin shook his head. "She's not that! Anything but that!"
"But she's not moving! She's not b-breathing and she can't stop bleeding—oh god!" Hoseok brought his hands up to his head. He was panicking as he finally rushed closer to you. This entire time Yoongi hadn't said a word. He only stared at your body in disbelief. He had pushed your wet hair out of your face to see your dull eyes. Your body was completely limp and it made his body feel numb.
"I don't believe she's dead. No, she can't be." Jimin continued to be in refusal of the fact. His own eyes avoided your body in order to believe in his lie. His breathing quickened as they all stayed silent. Seconds passed without anyone speaking a word or moving an inch.
"...what do we do now?" Seokjin finally spoke up. He had to be the one to ask the hardest question.
This was never something they imagined they would have to answer. Never did they imagine losing you during all this. They knew it was a risk and despite all that...somehow, they thought you were invincible. Something they knew you would have laughed at and claimed to be untrue. Well...reality was hitting them harshly. All of them were crying, either heavily or silently like Yoongi. A tear shed without him even realizing it. He would have never done so in front of the others and would have never cried over anything because of his pride. What was the point of it now?
What was the point of anything now?
All of them were so lost without your warm presence. Your sweet voice wasn't reaching their ears, no words of encouragement, or gentle smiles. Although you had suffered your own heartache and trauma, you managed to be a beacon of positivity for them. They had faith in you and were certain you would break the curse. They wouldn't be able to do it without you. While Yoongi almost witnessed you lose yourself to anger, you were back on the right path and heading straight towards your goal. The possibility was on the verge of becoming reality...until now.
"Yoongi...say something. Please." Seokjin frowned. His eyes were on the black haired male in complete worry. Yoongi's throat felt painfully dry, but he had to force his body to work.
"We...we must take (F/n) back to the castle. They must know." Yoongi swallowed hard. That was the only call he felt confident in making.
They needed to take you away from here as fast as possible. Yoongi didn't want anymore sand getting pushed up against your wounds. He was sick of smelling all the blood mixed with the salty sea. He had to have Hoseok hold you in order to pull his brain together. It was scattered due to his emotions and the scent of blood. It was best he kept his distance. Although Hoseok was unsure, he eventually did pick you up in his arms. He was careful to do so and felt his heart crack when you didn't respond once. No movement from you which should have been expected.
It wasn't going to be easy to accept. None of them wanted to accept it as their reality. They thought they were finally getting some progress thanks to the light tsunami and now they were here. All of them in utter disbelief with their chest's aching and tears endless. There was no time to mourn your death. They would have to hold it for later in front of the others. It was everything they dreaded. Nobody wanted to see the other's reaction to your death. They didn't want this to be true to begin with. Hoseok was wishing you were just asleep in his arms.
As soon as Seokjin got his legs back, everyone was hurrying back to the palace. They were running as fast as they possibly could. Their minds were spinning as they entered the forest. Each of them were panting at some point. The ground wasn't easy to go over and it was harder for Hoseok to run with you in his arms. His mind wasn't even focused on the blood that was beginning to drench his own shirt. His own hands were covered in your blood, but he didn't want to think about how much blood you were losing. He wanted to believe there was a possibility you would be okay.
"Don't worry, (F/n). W-We're going straight to the castle and everything is going to be okay." Hoseok promised you. The comfort was more for him though. You couldn't hear Hoseok or respond to him like he wished. He held you tighter, trying not to break down in heavier sobs. "(F-F/n)."
"Don't stop running!" Yoongi grabbed onto Hoseok's shoulder. "We have to get to the castle! Don't you see how much blood she's losing?"
"She's gonna be okay. I know it!" Jimin nodded his head. He couldn't stop fidgeting and the sight of it all got to Seokjin. He wanted to believe there was a chance you would survive, but he couldn't stop himself from having an honest outlook on life.
There was nothing that gave him hope you would survive. Seokjin let out a shaky breath the longer he stared at you in Hoseok's arms. The blood was everywhere. It completely soaked your clothes and your skin was losing its vibrant glow the more they all stood around. Your fingers didn't twitch, you weren't breathing, and no heartbeat! They've all established that and yet what were they doing? Hoseok was becoming lightheaded trying to ignore the fact that you've lost more blood than what was survivable. Jimin was clinging onto delusions and Yoongi seemed to be going down the same route!
"Guys, she's gone!" Seokjin raised his voice to make them all quiet. They looked over at him with shocked and hurt expressions. "It doesn't matter how fast we run, that's it!"
"You shut the f*ck up!" Yoongi yelled at him. He came up to Seokjin, grabbing the man by the collar. None of it intimidated Seokjin though. He saw a man in pain and he felt the exact same way. Seokjin didn't care if Yoongi swung his fists at him or cussed him out. That wouldn't solve anything. You would remain lifeless in Hoseok's arms. Getting upset at each other was pointless in Seokjin's eyes. "We're not going to hear this sh*t from you! She just wanted to help you in the water and this is what you say!?"
That ultimately stung. If Seokjin could have it his way, he would have never had you flying over the ocean. It was too dangerous of a move to make. You could hardly swim from what he remembered and the ocean was much more wild than his old lake or even the fountain back at the castle. He wasn't there to help you. Instead, Seokjin was blinded by his own mission. The success from it wasn't something any of them could celebrate. Seokjin glared at Yoongi with tears still brimming his eyes.
"We can't bring her back to life—"
"The hell we can't!!" Yoongi shoved Seokjin back. "We are going to bring her back and there is going to be some kind of f*cking spell to help her! We are not giving up, do you hear me!?"
"W-We're bringing (F/n) back...yeah." Jimin agreed. His eyes moved over to Seokjin who had his own tear stained cheeks. "We're not losing hope, Seokjin. We have to keep trying and do everything! (F/n) can't die like this!!"
"You think I want her to be dead?" Seokjin tilted his head. The fairy swallowed hard as Seokjin looked around. His shoulders sank as he shook his head. "She means the world to me. She gave me a life outside of that sad f*cking lake! I want her back just like all of you!! But I'm not going to lie to myself and act like I know what I'm doing when it comes to spells! We know nothing about it!"
"We haven't tried—" Jimin started only to be interrupted.
"It took her years to get where she's at and you think we're going to accomplish a spell like that in less than a day?" Seokjin questioned. His words felt like punches to the fairy. The strong and tough exterior that Jimin would always put on had disintegrated. He couldn't handle pain like this. Jimin lowered his head, crying harder as Seokjin lowered his voice. "It's black magic what you're trying to do."
"So what!?" Yoongi's pupils thinned. His temper was out of control at the moment. Seeing the merman make Jimin cry harder and hearing his heartless words spill out only aggravated the vampire. "You think Namjoon is going to be okay with this? What about Youngjo?"
Seokjin had to know the truth to that. The prince would stop at nothing to bring you back to life. He wouldn't care if that delved into black magic. Whatever it took to have you breathing. He would take any chance without thinking. It's been made more than clear to all of them just how passionate the prince was towards you. His feelings wouldn't allow him to accept your death in the slightest. Seokjin would only be having the same argument with the prince and it would be futile. Namjoon would remove Seokjin from the palace just to stay hopeful of seeing you again.
As for Youngjo, the idea pained all of them. Such a loyal raven who loved you dearly. Enough to consider you his mate despite plenty of other female ravens being on the island. He had eyes for you only and cared for your happiness more than his own. Youngjo would typically always be by your side just to make sure you never got into extreme trouble and stayed safe. Your bond with the raven was pure. It wouldn't be easy for Youngjo to accept your death. Now that he's human, they would all be able to hear him vocalize his pain and it stung.
"...what about Jungkook? He healed (F/n) last time and I'm sure he could do it again—" Hoseok suggested. It only irked the vampire as he shot the elf a glare.
"You dare bring up that traitor's name?" Yoongi hissed. "He only cares for himself."
"He betrayed us, I know, but I think—" Hoseok continued.
"Enough!!" Yoongi remained stubborn. "We continue onwards to the castle. There is no more room for discussion on this matter."
Yoongi wasn't going to budge. He may have been speaking harshly to the others, but so much of it was the pain talking. They were all beginning to lash out at each other. Normally, Yoongi would never cling onto something like this. He wouldn't have gotten attached to a human in the first place. He didn't mean to. But this happened and his mind couldn't think straight. He refused to listen to anything leaving Seokjin's mouth. He didn't want to hear any of it nor the possible solution leaving Hoseok's mouth. He can fix it himself. Somehow. Yoongi decided to ignore his senses as he grabbed you out of Hoseok's arms to keep walking towards the castle.
Hoseok was left to sigh. He knew his suggestion would be something no one liked. There were too many complicated feelings towards Jungkook. Overall, everyone seemed to agree he was a traitor. Though the memories of the friendship that felt real bubbled up to the surface for Hoseok. Perhaps because he was desperate for anything to bring you back. He knew his limits unlike Yoongi who kept pushing like a madman. Seokjin patted the elf's back before silently walking behind the vampire. Eventually, Hoseok forced himself to keep walking.
Though it did put a thought in Jimin's mind. He hated Jungkook with all his guts, but he would be lying if he said he didn't think Jungkook was capable of helping you. The man still had angel's blood inside of him. Maybe Jungkook could save you without any of them having to rely on black magic. It was a decent idea, but Jimin bit down on his tongue. Yoongi had made his decision and would not be willing to hear any of them out. So the fairy caught up with them, his quiet gaze landing on the necklace resting on your chest. The white jewel now tinted pink.
The necklace still worked. Not that any of them knew that at the moment. The only one aware was Jungkook as he appeared nearby in his form of light. He didn't want to be spotted by any of them for his own safety. Still, he could see your badly injured form and it hurt him just as much. He was an orb of light as he followed closely behind all of them. Yoongi may not want him to help and possibly neither did the others, but Jungkook couldn't just ignore you.
He was your guardian angel at one point. One that failed you and he hated himself for it. Jungkook came to find you to make things right, yet the necklace called to him violently. He urgently went after you only for the others to find you first. There was no time for him to step in without them wanting to kill him and get away. Jungkook forced himself to stay patient and wait until they arrived at the castle. It will be then he believes they will allow him to save you. He hopelessly wished so.