(Credits to the rightful owner.)
Author's P.O.V
Nerve wracking, skin crawling shivers ran through Hyunjin's body as he stood in the roof of the highest tower of the Moon palace. Alarmed words were being exchanged as soldiers lined up in their positions with their bows and arrows at edges, as the golden haired male's eyes scanned through the green cluster of forest trees.
The surrounding atmosphere was a stark contrast to Hyunjin's own racing heart. Everything outside just seemed calm. Almost too calm. The leaves didn't flutter in the wind, there was no sound of the birds flapping their wings, no animals howled or roared. The jungle seemed almost lifeless.
Suddenly just as the third flamethrower was being set up, a subtle movement caught Hyunjin's wary gaze. A rustle in the bushes far ahead, so unnoticeable that Hyunjin doubted if it was merely his anxious mind playing tricks on him.
Maybe it was just the sun's rays, too bright, making his head hurt and neck almost...burn. His nausea wasn't helping either. He moved the golden hair strands fallen on his cheeks away, tying his hair in a messy half bun. His hair had grown even longer in these fews months he'd spent in the Moon Empire.
Months...that's right. It feels so much longer than that. So much has happened over this short period of time. He regained everything he had lost 9 years ago. And here he was, standing on a ground made of a thin fragile string, at the risk of loosing balance and falling into a dark endless pit of loss all over again.
Cold fingers of his left hand clasped the hot railing of the roof, tightly till his knuckles turned white while the other hand subconsciously went to cover his belly. He took in a heavy breath but he felt the air get stuck in his throat before it could reach his lungs, suffocating him as unwanted but familiar voices invaded his mind.
"Weak. A worthless whore."
"Pathetic little omega."
"You are nothing but a tool to serve me."
"How dare you call for another alpha! Let's see if you can even remember that name after a week of no food and water."
"Dare say anything to anyone and I will make sure your appa will never wake up from his coma."
"I will kill the trueblood first."
"The darkest hour has returned...History shall repeat itself...the moon shall be tainted red again..."
*Flashback to an hour ago*
The Moons and the Baeks and their guests or allies all gathered in the throne room. The curtains were drawn on the high windows, restricting light from seeping into the room and illuminating it's tensed dreary air.
The Moon crown prince with Lisa and Jungkook's assistance informed the rest about the news they had just received about the Kangs.
Hyunjin's felt his soul stamped over a million times when he heard the cruelties Llongwook had laid upon his own people. So many innocent people demolished, so many omegas like him and his brothers and even younger enslaved and tortured, so many kids trapped in the chaos of it all. The golden haired male felt dread rise up in his chest and trample his heart at the thought of so many more lives at stake because of a war they didn't even cause or ask for. All because of him. He couldn't help but feel that it was all his fau-
Chan quickly enveloped the younger's hand in his own warm ones.
"None of it is your fault." The ravenette's voice pulled Hyunjin out of the quicksand of guilt he was slowly drowing in.
The older's voice though stern, his lips held a smile gentle smile for his mate. It calmed Hyunjin down, almost magically. Well, it was truely magical how Chan always saw right through him. Sometimes, Hyunjin even questioned if the older could read his mind.
Hyunjin returned his smile.
"Priest Hwa, you seem disturbed. What is it? Our kids said that everything is in our favor. There is nothing to worry about right?"
The soulmates turned their attention to the High Priest who stood in front of the royals, his eyes closed, brow furrowed and cane softly but repeatedly tapping on the ground.
Everyone held their breaths as they waited for him to respond to King Jinyoung's query.
And when he finally did, Hyunjin felt his breath snatched away from him in horror.
"The outcome of wars and the alignment of starts can never be predicted beforehand my child. Time is in no one's favor. It is as fickle as waves. It might disappear into harmless ripples and soon get forgotten, or it may rise into tsunamis to become the symbol of ruination. And I am afraid this time the waves might bring destruction yet again. For the darkest hour has returned."
"Destruction...darkest hour? What do you mean?" Changbin questioned in utter worry.
"History shall repeat itself." The High Priest finally opened his eyes, and his eyes held the truth of every word he spoke.
"Priest Hwa Ro we don't understand. We are prepared, so...all of sudden-"
"No preparation can stand against Fate Minlee. Destiny has once again designed for the evil to turn the blessing of our Goddess into blood. And with that blood the moon shall be tainted red again."
"Blood moon." The words slip out of Hyunjin's quivering lips in a whisper, as he clenched his fingers tighter around Chan's hand.
"But the red Moon is not supposed to appear in at least a few more months! How is this possible?" Jisung exclaimed.
"The evil always finds a way to twist the course of fate my dear. The red moon wasn't supposed to appear 9 years ago as well. Your parents must have told you about the Kangs utilising some dark ancient scriptures to bring about the bloody hour before its time on that ill-fated night?"
"Yes we are aware about that. But what is hidden within those scriptures that has power even against the Moon Goddess?" Chan asked.
"We all are the Goddess's children. She loves us all dearly and our souls make up particles of her divine light. And when hundreds of her beloved children are put through great suffering, the shine of that light diminshes and looses its strength as well. Those scriptures, written within its dark pages are the words that state that the evil who brings about darkness on its own kind, that not only surpasses cruetly but redefines it, shall taint his own eyes cunning, vicious green and taint the beauty of the moon red with the blood of her own children. The Empire of the Kangs have always been ruled by tyrants. Their people had always been their slaves not citizens. And with the voices of their victims silenced, their crime had been hidden from the rest of the world for many years until recently. The ruthless killings of their own people preformed by the Kang King then and the Kang prince now is all a part of their wicked ploy." Priest Hwa Ro explained.
"When...when will the b-blood moon strike?" Hyunjin finally spoke through the shakiness evident in his voice.
"Tonight." The Priest replied.
Suddenly, the door of the court room burst open making everyone turn around in surprise.
A young man with crumpled uniform and dirt covered face stood at the entrace, his hand clutching onto the door knob as his chest heaved as if struggling to intake air. He attire gave away the fact that he was neither a guard or soldier nor a servant.
"He's one of our spies who had disappeared." Jungkook said, shocked.
Chan cautiously moved forward towards the said spy, pulling Hyunjin along with him due to their interlocked hands.
Before the Moon crown prince could question the young man, gasps erupted in the room as the man fell down on his knees with a thud. Blood trickled down from his hair on his face.
"Kang P-Prince sent message...they're here...they have the wolfsbane."
He fell face down completely, exposing the arrow pierced into his back. The arrow was made of silver.
*End of flashback*
A warm hand once again grabbed his own, as Hyunjin found his breaths finally become stable and heart become decongested.
He unclenched his eyelids as his gaze was automatically pulled towards his mate, who was looking back at him with soft worried eyes.
"Love..."
"Hyung, I...I just keep thinking...what if I'd surrendered? So many lives would have been saved. I know I told you I will try not to blame myself. I don't want to let you down. I am trying...but is it all worth it? Am I?" Chan's heart broke at hearing the sheer pain lacing Hyunjin's voice and words.
"I know you are trying. And I am proud of you for that. You aren't letting me down at all. You can't just heal all of your scars in a snap. It takes time, love. And you are worth the time, you are worth all of it. Do you really think that bastard would have stopped after he got you? No. Those hungry for power, they never stop till they are made to. We finally have the opportunity to help countless innocent people be freed after years and generations of oppression by their so called rulers. We all will be free. You will be free."
Their conversation gets interrupted as one of the generals screams from veranda of the floor just beneath the roof, "The gates have been secured Your Higness."
"Good job. And keep in mind, the flamethrowers should only be used when highly necessary. The forest and its inhabitants are our responsibility to protect. There should not be fire in the jungle." Chan instructed the soldiers who listened attentively.
The ravenette turned back to Hyunjin, caressing the pretty little mole beneath his eye with his thumb.
"It will all be okay. We know now that united we both are much more powerful. As those powers have mingled like the colour of our eyes upon our union. We will overcome this. Together." Chan assured but the younger still seemed doubtful...of himself.
"But...I don't know how control those powers."
"Hyunjin, do have faith in me?" Chan asked.
"More than anything." The younger answered at once.
"Do you have faith in our bond?"
"More than my life."
"Then you must have faith in yourself as well. The rest of us already do."
The golden haired male felt taken aback by the strong emotions the eyes of his mate held, they were shining with sincerity.
Hyunjin smiled.
"Let's do this. Together." He said.
"Together." Chan repeats.
Suddenly Minho's voice drew their attention. The Prince was standing at the entrance of the roof, in his armour.
"The Kings and Queen of the Moon and Baek Empires have stationed outside the palace gates. The towns have been guarded. The Princes shall now set off towards the borders." He announced, and turned to look directly at Chan before continuing, "And the future Moon King will lead the army."
Chan nodded.
The ravenette looked at golden haired again who was already looking back at him.
An unexplainable warmth rose in their necks, where they carried each other's marks and blue and red flickered through their orbs when their eyes locked with each other.
They didn't need to exchange another word of affirmation or love. Their eyes already conveyed it all better than their mouths ever could.
They intertwined their fingers as tightly as possible and walked towards the door where Minho was waiting for them. The soldiers cheered for their future Kings who were about to fight the greatest battle of their lives.
This is it.
______________
P.s. Hope you enjoyed reading!
See you in the next chapter <3