nothing ever changes, xu minghao

55

song:
cold as hell - taeyeon

THE FINAL
MOMENTS BEFORE WAR

The day of the Blood Moon

Everyone was on edge, how could they not be? With the demons standing, watching, and acting as if they approved of the lavish atmosphere for unnecessary killings. They all waited as guards began to file in the half-bloods, their eyes skimming for Minghao and Idalia.

While the demons sat at the forefront, in the shadows unknown to anyone was where the angels hid. Anticipating their moment to strike. Equally as intensely watching the rows of half-bloods in chains fill up the courtyard.

Some were more on edge than others. Seungcheol although face as stern as always was anxiously hoping for the best, even a part of his mind wondering if Jeonghan was okay, praying that he would fly down at the perfect time.

Likewise, Joshua hid but wasn't sure with how fast his heart was beating that he is undetectable.

But while most worried, anticipating what would be the fight of a millennium, one was teetering between sanity and utter chaos of the opposition; insanity.

Soonyoung with his hands clenched to his sides, his jaw tightened, and fangs aching for blood. Soonyoung was about to snap. His anger was misplaced, it had been growing as he had kept everything under wrap. Guilt and misery but also freeing, Soonyoung was not expert in navigating and heeling his emotions.

It was disheartening but he understood why no one noticed or asked where his anger came from. He knew they were busy. But with so much blood thirst, and so many targets he didn't know when or if his thinning band of sanity would snap.

And he was scared that it would because then he would be out of control.

Being out of control might make things worse, so he placed his lips in a straight line. Pushing past aching feelings and haunting images that racked his brain. He hid the blood spill, the fire burning, and the corpse of his mother; the mother that he killed in a corner of his mind. Needing for that to be enough.

"You have the evidence right because we haven't seen Jeonghan in hours," Wonwoo asked, needing reassurance because, at the end of the day, they needed proof and reason for their declaration of war.

Seungcheol nodded, gazing around the room, his gaze lazy as if he had no care in the world but it was somehow equally as intimidating.

A plethora of demons was there actually. For some reason, the idea of mass murder brought them to the courtyard not caring that some of the demons on the killing floor were ones they grew up with.

Knowing the truth, knowing how complacent everyone is, Mingyu's eyebrows scrunched, shaking his head as he looked towards the ground.

In the shadows, in darkness such a drastic comparison to the angels, but oddly, they fit in. Seokmin was twiddling his fingers unknown to him. His eyes were hawk-like anticipating to see Idalia.

"Jihoon, any word from Jeonghan?" Beside Seokmin, Seungkwan whispered.

With a painful shake of his head, Jihoon replied. He was checking his messages constantly but no matter every time he looked there was no response. "We must continue no matter what though."

"I'm worried about Idalia, what if she's hurt." Chan, cowered behind some of the others, a part of him twisting in nerves not sure if he was ready to do this.

"She's strong you know that." Seungkwan tried to calm him down, a rub to his shoulder, in hopes it would ease Chan's and his nerves.

As they marched, the guards and their hellhounds led the half-bloods who looked dehydrated and sickly followed. The shackles of their chains clanked in the wispy silence.