Apocalypse ✦ Nomin

09

⊱ ───── { Jaemin } ───── ⊰

"Where are we going, exactly?" Jaemin asks as he follows Mark down a set of stairs.

"There's a lower level filled with a bunch of rooms we use for serious training, such as your own. The level also kind of doubles as a place for bunkers in an emergency, but they've never been used," Mark explains, "Unfortunately, some teams have had to start supplying them and getting them prepared for the apocalypse."

"So...Jeno really has a shot of destroying everything, doesn't he?"

"Like Taeyong keeps telling me: it depends on what timeline we're in," Mark tilts his head back and forth, "Which, unless Taeyong gets another vision showing otherwise...yes, Jeno is uh...going to try to kill us all."

As the two reach the bottom of the stairs, they are met with the sight of a vast hallway that is particularly wide. Jaemin immediately notes to himself that this is most likely due to the very likely possibility of crowds pushing and shoving to get to their rooms. Something about this thought makes his stomach turn. The grim visualization that comes to his head of people pushing and shoving as they scream in terror, hoping that they could spare their souls by finding a room to lock themselves away in before demons reach them. And Jaemin couldn't stop it from happening.

Jaemin tried to shake the thought, but the guilt looms over him like a storm cloud drifting above his head.

"When can I see Renjun?" Jaemin tries to change the subject.

"After training," Mark confirms, "He's currently sedated in his own room. Taeyong told me not to tell you where. Not until you're finished for the day."

Jaemin grumbles, but accepts the terms. Meeting him later was better than not being able to see him at all.

The two stop in front of a door to their right, and Mark pulls out a silver key from his pocket. He unlocks it and opens it to reveal a vast white room, covered top to bottom with padding.

"Here's your golden boy," Mark announces as he ushers Jaemin inside.

"Wait, what about-"

"Byeeeee," Mark waves at Jaemin with a grin as he hastily shuts the door and locks it with a click.

Jaemin sighs deeply.

"Nice to finally meet you," a soft voice speaks to Jaemin.

He spins on his heel and finds a man with a cute smile sitting with his legs crossed in the middle of the floor. Jaemin cocks his head and stares curiously at him.

"Chenle?" Jaemin speaks out as a sort of inquisitive statement, "Haven't we met bef-"

"No, absolutely not," Chenle dismisses him immediately, "Xiaojun captured me and sent an incubus in my place. Please, come sit with me."

Jaemin hesitantly walks towards Chenle and sits down in front of him. He crosses his legs as well and slouches forward as he tries to mentally wrap his head around the idea of Chenle having not actually been Chenle.

"Hopefully you come to like me a lot better than the fake one," Chenle says with a bit of a smile, somehow causing Jaemin's mood to lighten just a bit, "How about we start training, though, yeah?"

"Yeah," Jaemin agrees with a small nod.

"Great," Chenle hums as he continues to sit calmly on the floor. He shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath.

"Aren't we going to get up and fight?" Jaemin inquires, causing Chenle to burst out laughing.

"No, we're not doing that," he practically cackles.

"Then how else are we going to prepare to fight Jeno?" Jaemin exclaims wildly.

"You're trying time reach step twenty before you've even mastered the basics," Chenle points out, "If you try to rush things, you'll set yourself up for failure."

"Then what are we doing?" Jaemin asks.

Chenle opens his eyes and smiles faintly at Jaemin.

"We're starting with your abilities," Chenle states.

"What do you mean?"

"If you want to know what you need to focus on the most, you need to know what it is that you can do."

"What does that mean?"

"We're going to figure out what your strongest power is."