The Rarae Aves

Chapter 23- I promise

Jungkook went to bed tired. They had no idea where or why Hypnos would take Taehyung. Moreover, the drakon attack had significantly damaged Inez. Eventually, they would have to stop to repair her. They would not find Taehyung anytime soon at this rate.

Jungkook missed Taehyung. He missed his comforting presence beside him. His warm body hugging him whenever he had a bad dream.

Jungkook heard his cabin door open, and saw Jimin standing at the door, a lost expression on his face. Jungkook knew that look. "Can't sleep?"

Jimin nodded.

Jungkook spread out his arms. "C'mere."

Jimin hugged him without hesitation, and Jungkook wrapped his arms around the former's tiny frame. "It's alright. Everything will be alright."

"It's just that I feel that this is somehow my fault, that Taehyung is gone."

"Hey, it's not your fault. It's no one's fault."

"But-"

"No buts, Jimin. I know how you feel. Taehyung was right beside me when Hypnos took him. Imagine what I must be feeling. But Taehyung wouldn't want us blaming ourselves, so don't."

Jimin nodded. "Can I sleep in your room tonight?"

"Sure." Jungkook smiled.

***

Jungkook slept much later than Jimin that night. He'd been having trouble sleeping for the past days now. Taehyung would probably shout at him, except he was the reason Jungkook was losing sleep. Ever since he was kidnapped, Jungkook felt unbalanced, as if a part of him was missing.

He realised they hadn't even reached the Realms, which were supposed to be way more dangerous. If something happened to any of them, not just Taehyung, Jungkook would have to face more than just sleepless nights... No, he would not think like that. They would get out of this alive. Taehyung was alive, and right now, Jungkook had to focus on finding him.

After a lot of restless tossing and turning, Jungkook finally fell asleep. In his dream, he was standing in a cavern, two doors in front of him.

"Jungkook," a voice, Taehyung's voice said.

Hearing Taehyung's voice, Jungkook stepped towards the door in front of him. It was pearly white. Jungkook ran his hand over the smooth surface.

Suddenly, the door opened. Jungkook stepped back, startled. The door opened completely and Jungkook saw two people, Taehyung and Jungkook, kissing in an empty classroom. He recognised the scene immediately. It was their first kiss. The scene shifted, and now they were sitting in a restaurant giggling at something. Their first date. The scene shifted again. They looked older, maybe in the late twenties. They sat on a bed, looking at what seemed to be a photo album, and between them, Jungkook gasped, sat a little girl. She looked no older than three. She was their daughter. Jungkook didn't know how he knew this, he just... knew.

Could it be that this dream showed the future? He wanted it to. Maybe if he stepped inside that door, he could see more.

"Jungkook." He heard Taehyung's voice again and turned in its direction. It came from the other door, the black one. Jungkook took a step towards the black door and heard a creak come from the white one. He realised he had to choose. If he chose the black door, he wouldn't be able to see what was behind the white door, and if he chose the white door, he wouldn't be able to see what was behind the black one.

"Jungkook!" Taehyung sounded desperate now.

Jungkook took one last look at the image in the white door, one last look at his and Taehyung's daughter, and walked towards the black door. The white door closed behind him with a thud.

On a closer look, Jungkook saw that the black door had horns sticking out of it. As he stepped closer, the door opened. Unlike the white door, he could only see pearly white mist.

"This door will lead me to Taehyung," Jungkook said, reassuring himself.

And he stepped inside.

The mist cleared instantly, and Jungkook saw Taehyung lying on the ground, eyes closed.

"Taehyung?"

Taehyung opened his eyes and sat up. "Jungkook! Thank goodness. I was about to give up."

"Tae! You're alive!" Jungkook started sobbing in relief.

"Easy there. I would hug you right now, but this is a dream, so I can't."

Jungkook felt his insides twist. "This isn't real?"

"It is. I'm contacting you through a dream. It is a part of my power."

Jungkook sighed in relief. "How did you know you could do this though?"

Taehyung's expression became wary. "I met the ghost girl again."

"You mean the one who saved you that night?"

Taehyung nodded. "She actually talked this time. She told me how to contact you through a dream. Apparently I'm a descendent of a dream daimon."

"The way I'm a siren," said Jungkook.

Taehyung nodded. "I saw her eyes."

"What?"

"I saw the ghost girl's eyes. She was visible for a moment. I couldn't see her face because she was wearing a hooded robe. But her eyes, they stood out. Blue, but very pale, like ice. I've never seen eyes like that before."

"What else did she say?" Jungkook asked.

"She knew where I was."

"Really? Where are you? Tell me. We'll come to save you."

"It's not that simple, Jungkookie. This place is enchanted. The ghost girl couldn't say my location out loud, so she said it in code."

"What is it?"

"She said I'm in 'Arachne's lair'. Do you have any idea what that means?"

Jungkook shook his head. "No." His eyes lit up with excitement. "But I bet Hoseok does. Don't worry Taehyung, I promise we'll save you, even if I have to make every monster here cut their head off."

Taehyung smiled. "I know you will. Now go."

Jungkook felt as if a force was pulling him behind. He gasped as he woke up. Jimin woke up as well. "Is everything alright?" he asked.

Jungkook took a deep breath before looking at him.

"I know where Taehyung is."