A Beautiful Exchange [18/?]
Chapter: 18
Title: A Beautiful Exchange Genre: Romance/ Fantasy / Fiction Characters: Infinite [Main = Myungsoo] Warnings; Swearing, mature content. Cameos; Kazuya Kamanashi [Kat-tun] Summery: Myungsoo has a messed up past, that much is obvious. Being over a hundred years old brings a lot of baggage. His friends struggle to understand his past and help him find himself in the cursed life he lives.
Chapter 18 Beginning of the End.
The League wasn’t simply an overlord; no they were much more complicated then that. There were levels, which layered so thoroughly on top of one another that one never knew how many there really were and one would never really understand until they’d been reaped. Woohyun had been ripped from his home after three hundred and twenty-eight years of being a vampire and, with a set of talents that The League found useful, had immediately ascended many levels.
But he had never received respect for his job. Charming vampires into The Leagues hands earned him as much love as taxpayers received in the human world. Sunggyu had been different; he’d climbed the ranks relentlessly based on a lie. Desperate to stand beside Changmin and Yunho he’d wasted away 538 years only to be disappointed.
He’d been treated kindly, how could he not be, the ability to literally scammer around in someone’s mind without their knowledge was rare, most could only peek inside. Sunggyu had been used, alongside Woohyun for… negotiation, with other leading vampire clans in distant countries. He’d been responsible for the major destruction of four leading country clans in Britain, Germany, France and Romania. His reward had been nothing more than a pat on the shoulder. And when everything had come down to it he’d been cast aside like off-milk.
They used all kinds of weapons, false hope, armies and powers but the worst, and the one they used most commonly, was fear.
Fear - one of the most powerful weapons. Fear was something Jieun learnt early on. Fear could cripple you and, left to boil you, knock you over the edge into insanity. She’d always thought she was scared of heights until someone actually pushed her off a tree in her village. That’s when she’d realized she wasn’t scared of heights and she wasn’t scared of falling; she was scared of what would happen when she stopped falling.
Jieun wasn’t scared of the invasion. She wasn’t scared of the fear that lined her father’s eyes from the vision Kazuya had given her. She was terrified of loosing him – because it would mean no more small smiles when he thought the other elves weren’t looking. It would mean no more tight hugs and eyes shining with tears when they had a moment alone. It would mean that all those moments wouldn’t become potential anymore – but simply memories that no one but her knew.
And, most importantly, it would mean the loss of her only family and the one person she loved with all her heart.
Something Jieun hadn’t known was that with fear came anger. At the moment her vision was blurred in red and the desire to rip open the necks of the other vampires ran strongly through her. Even Woohyun’s calm hand on her back was little comfort.
In the background the setting sun that was being swallowed by the earth illuminated the arguing figures of Sunggyu and Kazuya. Their voices were in hushed whispers but it was obvious what they were arguing about. Sunggyu wanted to intervene – Kazuya was against it.
‘They’ll kill you, Sunggyu.’ Kazuya implored, hands rising to try and grasp his friends tense shoulders, ‘You think they would spare you again?’
The friendly hands were shrugged off, ‘They didn’t spare me, they made a mockery of me.’
‘So you have to survive off rotten blood and be made a spectacle of every year, you’re alive.’ Kazuya moved forward again, trying to grasp his friend’s shoulders again, ‘Sungg-’
‘I’m no move alive than Uee is,’ was the harsh response. Kazuya’s jaw snapped shut in silent defeat for a moment. Sunggyu was only two steps away when Kazuya’s voice rang out, carrying its message to everyone in the house, ‘then what about the legend?’
Sunggyu’s eyes frosted over. Jieun watched as his hands balled into fists at his sides before releasing. A large sigh fell from his lips. Briefly Jieun caught sight of Iris shrugging off Myungsoo only to be hurled back towards him. With their faces inches apart their lips moved in quick argument, the knuckles on Myungsoo’s hands were white with tension.
‘You can’t!’ his voice ripped out harshly, pulling her forward again. Her chest rose and fell heavily with harsh breaths.
‘Why not! I caused this!’ Iris’s eyes briefly met Jieun’s. ‘I should take responsibility.’
Myungsoo gripped her chin forcefully; directing her gaze back to his, ‘Know your place.’ Iris slapped his hand away.
‘Know yours,’ she spat back. Desperate feet stumbled towards Sunggyu who was watching with curiosity only to be dragged back. Myungsoo’s arms wrapped around her waist tightly lifting her right off her feet and dragging her back.
‘It’s not your decision to make!’ With a sharp kick in his shin she fell loose from his arms and managed to make one step before he pull her back again. ‘I’ll decide,’ her hands came out, pushing his arm off harshly again. ‘Not you.’
‘Iris… just,’ her elbow jabbed into his stomach painfully and fury shot through him. ‘Stop!’
As if his shout set her off a scream violently rippled from Iris’s throat, slashing the air harshly. With her hands clasped tightly over her ears she slipped to the ground, the only thing keeping her from falling like a brick were Myungsoo’s strong arms.
‘Iris…’ Myungsoo moved one hand to cup her cheek. Not a moment later, as if suddenly realizing his actions, he snapped his hand back.
‘Why,’ she whispered softly, tears threatening to fall from where they’d caught on her lashes.
‘Iris-’ she cut of his words with a rough shove at his chest which did nothing to remove his presence.
‘Why only me?’ Iris screamed, thumping at his chest angrily, ‘Why can everyone else do whatever but you keep me under locks?’ angry tears burned a trail down her face. Just as suddenly, as if her anger made her want to force everyone away from her Myungsoo was flung from her side and Jieun, who’d been a little too close was hurled back into Woohyun’s arms.
When shock had settled away and eyes had collected back on Iris a collected gasp echoed through the room. The loud smack of a chair hitting the floor echoed loudly but no eye fell away from Iris. Even Myungsoo stumbled back in surprise, falling over the footrest to lie in a bundle of the floor – eyes still locked on the girl. ‘Iris…’ he whispered shocked.
The pink eyes were glowing menacingly, narrowing into slits at Myungsoo. A scream rattled from Jieun as the large mirror on the wall rippled and smashed – sending glass fragments flying everywhere. With quick thinking Hoya paused the moment and the mirror pieces simply floated around the room, reflecting pink and worried faces. Slowly pieces of her skin peeled away, transforming into pink petals that floated around her softly. Gradually her body fell apart until they only visible evidence she was in front of them was the personification of a human body the petals made.
Apart from those petals others floated around her, some venturing out towards the others in the room like snakes ready to strike at any moment. With a shaky hand Myungsoo raised his hand to touch one and flinched back. As if danger was suddenly present the petals withdrew – fluttering harshly around her body. Shocked Myungsoo pulled his finger back, his thumb smearing the blood the petal had withdrawn.
‘Iris…’ Jieun gasped, stumbling a step forward only to freeze when she was suddenly encased with menacing petals. A small squeak of surprise escaped through the fluttering petals. Almost instantly the room shifted into motion. Hoya’s hand flew up – pausing the fluttering petals in motion.
‘Iris what are you doing?’ Myungsoo was up in a moment, reaching out a hand to remove the petals only to retract it in shock when they cut through his skin like razor blades. Furious he turned to her. ‘Iris!’
Dongwoo rushed forward, gripping Myungsoo’s tense shoulders and pulling him away from Iris, ‘you can’t do anything.’
‘Damnit! Iris!’ His shout echoed across the room and, for the briefest of seconds the petals shifted. A pained gasp escaped from the petal prison. The scent of Jieun’s blood drifted through the air.
‘Hoya, what the hell are you doing?’ Woohyun suddenly exploded, moving forward to the petals only to pause, knowing he could do nothing.
One glance at Hoya and you could tell he was struggling. His face was wet with sweat, brows drawn together in frustration, ‘she’s... kinda pissed off.’ He gasped, letting a smirk fall over his lips for a moment he muttered, ‘in case you didn’t… realize.’
‘Sunggyu,’ Woohyun growled but the elder just shook his head, ‘I can’t get into her unless Hoya lets go and it’s too risky with Jieun.’
Woohyun managed to calm himself for a moment until he caught Jieun’s eye for a moment as the petals fluttered again. Dark with pain and, worse than that, glimmering with tears of fear. Just like that he broke, already too steps forward it was only Dongwoo’s hand over Woohyun’s chest that stopped him. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments, ‘wait.’ A cool breath fluttered through the room. It drifted around, almost hugging each person it passed before. With it came the whitest of cheery blossom petals. Unlike the pink petals they were peaceful, gliding around playfully before roaming around the frozen form of Iris. Petal by petal they melted over the pink ones, turning everything white and slowly withdrew in on themselves, forming Iris’s body form again. Every now and then a glimmer of pink would shimmer through the white.
The instance the last petal floated away from Jieun she was bundled up into Woohyun’s arms and swiftly carried to the lounge. Her arms and legs were scratched with small marks – her face marred lightly along one cheek.
‘Jieun?’ Carefully Woohyun’s large hand cupped her face in concern. A small smile flickered over his face when her eyes opened gently. ‘You okay?’
‘I’m sorry,’ the voice of Iris whispered. ‘Fear can do powerful things…’
Woohyun’s hand curled into a tight fist, already half on his feet he began to advance towards Iris’s petal form, ‘How dare you-’ he began until Sunggyu’s calm voice interrupted.
‘Siri.’
The petals created a soft shifting sound as they turned. The body of Siri bowed deeply, before rising just as gracefully, ‘It’s good to see you again – Sunggyu.’ She turned briefly to smile at Jieun, ‘Forgive me, I should have come sooner.’
‘Siri.’ Turning the flower woman met Myungsoo’s dark gaze, ‘What have you done to Iris?’
Don’t interrupt. Sunggyu’s voice bellowed in Myungsoo’s head. I’ll explain later.
‘Don’t worry, she’s safe.’ A chocked gasp escaped Siri, and the petals fluttered aggressively for a moment. Her voice grew urgent. ‘I can’t stay long.’
Hoya stepped forward, ‘Why are you here?’
A brief smile lifted the petals around Siri’s lips, ‘I have some news…’ She turned to Sunggyu, ‘lend me your eyes.’
To anyone other then Siri and Sunggyu the room stayed exactly the same, but for the two their minds separated from their bodies, flying across mountains and rivers to arrive at a new destination.
Fire. Ash. The stench of death lingered heavily in the air. The old buildings that use to be decorated with ancient carvings and golden petals were burning, pieces of broken roofs falling in on the old homes.
What is this Siri?
For a moment the scenery whirled, snaking and turning into something new. Slowly figures blurred into existence, fighting figures. Some adored in pure black, others in the bright colours of nature. Slowly, one by one, what Sunggyu came to recognize as the elves began to fall.
It’s too late, Sunggyu. Siri’s voice whispered, pain smothering the words, I’m sorry…