Broken Glass - Taekook

61

There are only four kelpies standing there before us right now, but I know the others are waiting in the water behind us. As they land in front of Namjoon and I, between us and the Karulian Knights, a momentary strength pulses through my entire body. I glance back in the direction of the camp we set up the other night, and I can see our friends heading in our direction. 

They're not quite fully running, because the ground is covered in roots and leaf litter and undergrowth, and it would be dangerous to properly sprint through that. But they're doing their best, in a kind of weird jog-walk that occasionally evolves into something that looks vaguely like running. It's just nice to see them and know they're still alive, and not shackled or severely injured or both. 

"You are not welcome here, traitors," the lead kelpie states calmly the crystalline voice echoing through the trees around the river. "This place is guarded. These people are guarded. This kingdom is guarded. Get out of our forest."

"You have no placce to control uss, water horse," one of the Karulians retorts. The voice comes from the one that I managed to attack with whatever magic I called forth. I can still feel their gaze on me, those furious red eyes trying to infect me with whatever anger or madness rests within that Knight's being. "You sshall be cut down with the hereticss you protect."

"No, you shall be destroyed by those you swore to eradicate," Namjoon returns immediately, his shoulders rolling back, his posture shifting into a more confident one. His eyes flash green once more, and then a thin green line of energy darts from his palms, heading in the direction of the Karulian who spoke.

As the green light strikes the Knight's body, there's a moment of awkward silence. For a fraction of a second, part of me believes that whatever Namjoon was attempting to do has failed. That it was an illusion, or something that the Karulians can resist. After all, we don't know everything about them. 

Then their entire body, including the long black robe, is wrapped in a rope of green light, several times over. The light flashes a little brighter, and then the bindings seem to squeeze in ever so slightly.

The lowest band of green light starts at the feet, and then quickly moves up over the legs, the midsection, the torso, and finally the head. Wherever it passes, the limbs just disappear, and a thin grey dust begins to rain down from where they once were. But this all happens incredibly fast, within a heartbeat.

And then there's just a pile of dust, where that Knight once was.

Taehyung, Seokjin and Yoongi arrive a moment later, panting slightly. Hoseok slides in a second later, his sword glowing faintly, slashing down where a Karulian Knight was, when he planned the manoeuvre. He slides through, and then pauses, seeming to notice that his intended target is gone. Just gone.

"Where the fuck did they go?" he questions, and I just gesture towards the pile of dust on the ground, now scattered amongst the dirt, thanks to his slide through it. He tilts his head at me, disbelieving, and I point at Namjoon. "Joon? How the fuck-"

"New trick," Namjoon responds, a wry smile on his face. He does look visibly tired, at this point. He's also panting a little, swaying where he stands, but there's a certain pride in his eyes. Hoseok shrugs. 
"Nice." He clenches one fist, drawing his sword with the other hand. 

The compass tattoo marks on his arms begin to glow a deep bronze colour, and then his sword lights up with the same energy a moment later. He lifts up the blade, and just waits. At the same time, the lead kelpie tosses back its flowing mane, and then rears up, jumping into an immediate gallop. They circle round, bashing into one of the Karulian Knights from behind. 

The Knight is shoved forward several feet, and Hoseok sees them coming. 

As the Karulian stumbles back, Hoseok leaps forward, grabbing them around where the neck would be, if it were visible through the robe. As he pulls them further forward, his sword slides neatly into their abdomen, just above where the stomach would be. The rest of us watch, a little horrified, as the weapon glides through their body, poking out of the other side a little as it's buried to the hilt.