As the group continued on, it slowly became harder for Jia to breathe. She knew it was because of the poison but Haewon definitely caught onto how her breaths became more labored.
"You okay? We don't have much farther to go, just hold on a little longer." Haewon nudged her. Jia gave a faint smile "I don't know, it feels like it's spreading." she huffed. "If you need help just say it. We are all literally here to help you." Haewon looked at Jia worriedly. "No, no, I'll make it. I swear I'm okay." Jia pushed the pain and fatigue away and focused on walking.
"How do we fix the whole uh, poison thing?" Jia asked, her breaths slightly labored.
"I can make it go away."
"Who said that?" Jia asked, looking around. "Who said what? I didn't say anything?" Haewon asked, confused.
"I can fix all your problems."
"Who are you? What do you want?" Jia asked. "Hey? What's happening? Who are you talking to?" Haewon asked, grabbing Jia by the shoulders.
"Just come to my friend cerberus, he withholds an antidote."
"Why should I trust you?" Jia continued. "Jia! Wake up!" Haewon shook her.
At this point, all eyes were on the two girls.
"Well, I was the one that put the poison in you."
Jias heart sank. "What do you want with me?" Jia asked. "Jia, you gotta come back to me!" Haewon began to worry as Jia was showing no signs of comprehension.
"I want to take your heart from inside you. You hold my key."
"I would rather die than give you anything." Jia snapped. "Jia, hey! Time to quit, you gotta come back now!" Renjun had taken Haewons place, attempting to bring the girl back from her trance.
"That can be arranged."
Jias eyes rolled back in her head and the whites of her eyes turned pitch black. "No, No, No! Hey! Jia, come back! We are almost there we can't lose you now!" Renjun tried shaking her again.
When Jia opened her eyes she found herself in nothing but pitch black. She was alone, standing in the only shred of light she could see.
"You are my key. My way to the top."
Jia looked around for the voice. "Show yourself, coward!" She called out.
"And I won't let you slip away. Not without a fight."
"Who are you?" Jia asked.
"The last piece of my puzzle. Yang Jia."
"Get out here you psychotic freak!" Jia shouted. In the blink of an eye she was met face to face with the only being that made her freeze on the spot and not be able to move.
The destroyer
"Abaddon." Jia barely managed to get the name out, it was as if someone was applying pressure to her throat. "Yang Jia." Abaddon smiled menacingly, a snake like tongue slipping out of his mouth as a gag to freak Jia out even more.
"Let me go." Jia built up enough to push more words out. "Bold choice of tone to use with the devil himself." He seethed in amusement.
"Alas, I'll let you go. However, if you don't go to cerberus like I said, the poison in your veins will kill you at the snap-"
He partially snapped his fingers, making Jia fall to her knees as she felt a wave of unbearable pain rush over and engulf her whole body. She screamed out in pain. She never felt so close to dying.
"- of my finger. You cannot and will not outrun me. I am your god now." He whispered close to her ear, making a horrifying shiver crawl up Jias spine before he let her go.
Jia snapped back to reality, falling to the floor and choking out coughs and gasping for air. Everyone worriedly crowded around her. "Jia! Oh god are you okay?" Haewon asked frantically.
"Cerberus." Jia choked out quietly, just too quiet for anyone to hear. "What?" Renjun asked. "Cerberus, we need to get to cerberus." Jia forced the words out. "That three headed death machine? No thank you I already had my near death experience with that thing, you guys have fun." Jisung shut it down immediately.
"Why Cerberus?" Renjun asked Jia. "It has the antidote to the poison, if I don't get it I will die. You have to trust me on this." Jia stated. Renjun sensed something off, looking up and out at the lining of the woods to see a shadowy figure he knew too well.
"Oh shit." He muttered.
"Everyone run! Now! Get to Cerberus!" He shouted frantically to everyone. "Haewon take Jia. I have to buy us time." Renjun instructed the girl. "I'm not leaving you!" Jia said stubbornly, watching the shadowed figure stalk closer to them. "Yang Jia you are half dead already! I am not risking losing you completely!" He snapped. She had never seen him look so serious.
With that, they ran. Mark stayed behind, knowing exactly what Renjun was doing. "I said go!" Renjun called out to Mark. "You cant form the helix on your own!" Mark replied. Renjun knew he was right. Mark looked out to see the shadow getting closer.
"Now or never!" He shouted to Renjun. With that, the two held out their hands, waves of black magic surging out of them. Within the circles of waves, two crystals formed. Their crystal hearts. Renjuns shined a firey orange, contrast to Marks which shined a neon blue. The two stood back and shot the streams of black magic together, a double helix forming.
The waves grew stronger, shooting into the air and forming a protective barrier. "Just a little more!" Renjun shouted as the barrier almost touched the ground. The two put as much force as possible, finally getting the barrier to hit the ground.
They knew it wouldn't last long, both sprinting away as soon as they finished. "We don't have a lot of time." Renjun panted as he ran. "This is not good." Mark added.
"Nothing is ever good with him!" Renjun responded. After a moment, they finally reached the rest of the group. "What is going on?" Donghyuck asked immediately. "It's Abaddon." Renjun said grimly.
"He's back."
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Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays !
pls i'm so sorry this took me so long to update but i hope you all have been doing well.
i'll try to update again today as a lil holiday present to you all.
Also I'm doing a little q&a about the book or if you just have some other questions for me. :) So drop any questions here !!
Anyways see you in the next chapter bye
xoxo
