Dive Into You

Chapter 9: Legends Come Alive

Tae-il blinks awake, finding himself in a rocky cavernous space. In the center is a glowing red ball of energy. There is an arc on the far side that looks out at a rocky platform of sorts. It's all very movie-like and very creepy.

Where...? Tae-il begins to think to himself. He stops, remembering the boat and the creepy creatures.

At that thought, he gasps and his eyes fling open wide. He can feel rough rope binding his wrists together above his head. A quick glance down, shows him that his ankles are bound together with more rope.

Panic floods through him. WHERE IS HAECHAN?! Why didn't he stop them? Why didn't he save him? WHY?!

"I wouldn't try to scream if I were you," a foreign deep voice bellows out. "Why? For one, no one will be able to hear you and for another, gags do wonders for villains holding hostages, Moon Tae-il."

How does he know my name? Villains!

Tae-il shakes his head and then tries to look in the direction of the voice's origins. He can see the faint figure in the shadows, a tall man with horns...and wings protruding from his back. It's him! It's Jin Yong-sun, the dragon lord!

Tae-il's blood runs cold and his heart skips a beat. This isn't good.

Yong-sun brushes fingers across the glowing red ball in the center as he strides over to where Tae-il is. Before long, he's reaching those same fingers up and pulling away a white cloth gag from Tae-il mouth.

"What-what do you want with me?!"

"Do you people really not pay ANY attention to the words spoken to you?" Yong-sun demands. "Need I recite the curse again for you?"

"No!" Tae-il gasps and swivels his wrists in the rope. "Let me go!"

"Yeah, that's a classic line, Moon. I'd save my breath if I were you though," Yong-sun snarls. "Tell me this though, have you heard of any Korean legends before?"

"No."

"Oh my, oh my, my precious children, each of you should fill Mr Moon in on your story. He must know it!" Yong-sun exclaims. "But why are YOU so important?"

Tae-il gasps as the dragon guy stabs a finger into his chest.

"Moon Tae-il, you were born under a blood moon, possessing the last name 'moon,' a member of NCT and the perfect sacrifice to end a lengthy curse," Yong-sun smirks at him. "That is why you must be sacrificed under the next blood moon in a few days!"

"Donghyuckie will save me!" Tae-il screams.

"Donghyuckie, this! Donghyuckie, that! Why don't you grow a pair and save yourself - or, you know, accept being sacrificed soon," Yong-sun sneers. "Anyway, I'll allow my friends to fill you in on their stories to give you some culture, before shit hits the fan so-to-say."

Tae-il watches him turn on his heels and head back toward the shadows with which he'd come from.

In his place, four creatures emerge: the Gumiho, Daltokki, Bulgae and Dokkaebi.