Lovers in the Night | Yang Jungwon

XXXVII

"This place looks haunted," Sunoo gulps as they all stood before the menacing cave that was apparently Rose's lair.

It was outside the empire and in a remote area which meant they had to travel by bat. Jungwon carried Danah all the way there.

"My body tells me it's here," Minji claims, sighing. Everyone naturally trusted her because it was her superpower after all.

"Hey, hyung. Are we clear over there?" Jay sends telepathy to Heeseung who was left to keep guard over the palace.

"Clear," Heeseung responds shortly after.

"I guess we're going in," Jungwon leads. He places a hand on Danah's shoulder, "You ready?"

Danah nods, "Yes." That was all he needed to hear. With that, he motions everyone to sneak in.

"I'm ready. Are you? Why, yes! Thanks for asking, Jay. Not a problem, Jay!" Jay lowly re-enacts the scene he just witnessed, a bit jealous of the concerned couple.

Danah felt a heightened state of adrenaline in her body. She didn't know what would happen and she didn't know what to expect.

She was carrying a bow and arrow while rest had close-ranged weapons. It wasn't like she had to directly battle anyone, but she still felt uneasy.

Jungwon assuringly stood close to her, ready to kill whatever came in their way. It was dark, so they had Jake lead the way with his fire manipulation, using his hand as a dim torch.

The place seemed awfully empty with only a few of Rose's minions circulating the area. "Hey, Minji. You sure that this is the right place?" Sunghoon queries, his faith failing a bit.

"It has to be," Minji was too stubborn to doubt herself. "Her energy is here, I can feel it."

After she says this, she leads them to giant stray Vampire guarding a room. "It would help a lot if you could feel how to get through that guy," Niki sarcastically emphasizes to mock Minji.

"I can feel— Whatever! I know that Rose is somewhere on the other side of that door," Minji was a bit annoyed at Niki but tried to act rational.

"Okay, so how do we get through him—" Jake gets cut off when Danah shoots the giant in the head with her bow and arrow. Her aim was efficient, instantly killing him. "Never mind."

"Nice," Jungwon praises her. He plants a kiss on the side of her head as a reward.

Minji pretends to vomit, "Let's keep going."

It is when they finally find a little corner where someone was in front of a pot, mixing some sort of liquid. "That is definitely Rose," Jake assumes. "She's the witchiest witch."

Jungwon eyes Sunoo and they nod at each other. Sunoo uses his gravitational skills and climbs up the ceiling, double-checking. When he's able to confirm that it was Rose, he signals to go.

With that, Jungwon uses his super speed to charge at Rose, pushing her against the wall. She gasps. Jungwon smirks victoriously, "Rose, you are under arrest."

Rose's eyes widen. Everyone instantly celebrates except for Danah. Something felt off.

Jake takes the handcuffs out, "The acts you've committed are treason, we'll have you sentenced to court in no time."

Rose doesn't say anything. "Cat caught your tongue?" Jungwon taunts.

Rose was completely silent, like she was letting all of this happen. Danah couldn't believe it, Rose was a chatty person; She talked to her nonstop when she kidnapped her, so why was she biting her tongue all of a sudden?

This Rose obviously had something more in mind that they should be on guard for. Danah realizes that she had to be the party-pooper. "Guys, this is too good to be true."

Everyone eyes her, wondering why she'd say such a thing. "What makes you think so?" Minji asks.

"It's because it is," an unfamiliar voice comes out of "Rose." Jungwon's eyes narrow, wondering why Rose sounded like a man all of a sudden.

"Rose" suddenly shape-shifts into a different stray Vampire, and it hits everyone. Jungwon is taken aback, instantly letting go of him. The Stray simply smirks at Jungwon.

"It's a Stray with the ability to shape-shift?!" Minji shrieks. She felt betrayed by her own power. How could she get fooled by such a thing?!

"Where is the real Rose?!" Jungwon shouts, pushing the Stray back and threatening a knife to the his neck.

The stray evilly snickers before answering, "At the Royal Palace. She's going to destroy the bond of the two realms."

"It's okay, Heeseung hyung is there. He can stop her," Sunoo tries to be on the more positive side.

Everyone frantically looked at each other. "How did she know we were coming?!" Jay yells.

"Looks like you guys have a little traitor~" he sings. The six boys couldn't believe it — They didn't want to.

"He would never..." Sunoo drops his weapon, covering his mouth with hands.

"No..."

Heeseung sends a telepathic message to everyone in the cave:

"I'm sorry, guys. I have to let her do this."

"Thanks again for letting me know about their plan to sabotage me beforehand," Rose sweetly smiles at the boy.

Heeseung, who his brothers' trusted to keep guard of the palace, had let Rose in to the chamber of the magic jar. "Just get it over with," he rolls his eyes.

Rose picks up her hammer and eyes the magic jar. "After milleniums of tolerating the Yang dynasty, I finally have the power to destroy their magic."

She eyes it in awe. Inside it's translucent frame was a solution that looked of a galaxy. It was powerful and wise, centuries years old.

Watching her, Heeseung takes a step forward, almost regretting it. She had always been an opponent to the Yang dynasty. So, as their follower, he naturally felt the urge to stop her.

But she was here because of him.
Instead, he closes his eyes, affirming himself that this was for a good cause.

"Future King Jungwon would be devastated," Rose snickers. The fact this act would hurt them feuled her even more.

Without saying any else, she smashes the magic jar. Heeseung winces a bit at what he had just let happen, but it was done.

As the glass shatters into the pieces and falls into the ground, the galaxy-like solution rapidly disperses into the air, creating a change in the ambience.

"My plan is fulfilled," Rose exhales out, basking in the refreshment of destroying what she saw as a curse.

With that, Heeseung shoots an arrow into her head with his bow. "And mine is too," he coldly says as her body drops dead.

In his eyes, what he was doing felt right. Severing ties with Humans meant that all Vampires may live in peace with each other again.

The whole civil war started because the Royals wanted to ally with Humans. Humans were no good to Heeseung anymore and were only a burden.

If it meant hurting his best friend, he would. Hurting him now would save him for the rest of his life.

Heeseung was only half-right, however. Although he did save his people from further war, his action promised an eternity of heartbreak to Jungwon.