Apocalypse | BTS ✓

38

Reine's eyes glide across the faded words on the yellowed paper, her senses on edge at the idea that she is reading through the life of the First Queen - the one who built this entire kingdom from the ashes of the war between the Archangels and the Horsemen.

She is in awe that she is reading the true conception of her kingdom through the eyes of the person who created it. Reine's hands are visibly trembling as she slowly turns the pages, being careful not to rip the fragile parchment as she searches for anything important that could help her take back control of her kingdom and her life.

She has felt out of control of everything for so long, and the fact that she is so close to regaining her foothold is something she refuses to let get out of her grasp ever again. She has felt so lost - so, so alone - and she is finally finding her way again. This is the moment where she can right her wrongs and save her kingdom from the wrath of the Horsemen that she freed in a moment of weakness.

"Read it out loud," Jungkook says, all eyes on Reine as she picks the book off the table to hold it in her grasp.

"There's no time for us to read the entire thing," she explains as her eyes quickly scan the pages. "I will read aloud once I find something relevant to our search. There is so much here; if I read out every word, we would be here for hours."

"Smart," Hoseok says, nodding and Jungkook rolls his eyes.

"Smart," he says in a mocking tone, glaring at Hoseok.

Hoseok glances over at Jungkook with an eyebrow raised, and the two silently challenge each other while Namjoon sits in the middle of them and tries his best to ignore the staring contest.

"Here," Reine says, her eyes widening as she places the book back onto the table more heavily than she intends, causing a loud thump to echo in the room. She scans over the words again, trying to convince herself that this is real - that she has finally taken a big step in the right direction by finding something useful that could bring the odds into their favor.

"What is it?" Hoseok asks as the three men around Reine lean in closer to see the words written on the page.

Reine clears her throat, leaning over the book so she can make out the aged words more clearly. She reads aloud, trying her best to keep her voice from trembling with anticipation.

"The winter has been brutal, and our crops suffered for it. I did what I could, but sometimes one needs to accept the loss of what cannot be saved. Looking at my dirt-stained hands proved to myself that I did my best, and I walked away from the barren land with my head held high knowing this.

"I never expected to be met with three unfamiliar faces in my home when I entered. From first glance, I could tell they were something more than human. The way their bodies glowed before me nearly brought me to my knees in disbelief. I had never witnessed something so beautiful before, much less in my own home. The look in their eyes told me of their power; it told me of their strength and sincerity in what their morals are. I like to think that I am a strong judge of character; while these three strangers trespassed into my home, I could tell from the look in their eyes that the reasoning behind it was something much beyond taking things that did not belong to them as a trio of thieves would.

"They spoke of many things to me; they praised my strength and my resilience that they could so strongly sense, telling me of how the energy within my soul drew them to me. My soul beckoned them forward, they said, and the role that they needed to fill required a soul much like mine.

"My heart felt many emotions as the three strangers waited for my answer after they explained everything about who they were and what they needed from me. I knew I had to do it; what other choice did I have if the fate of the world rested on my shoulders? I knew that leaving my home would leave a sadness etched into my heart that would always leave a residual ache moving forward."