Stay Gold

The Third Path

3rd person's pov

Jin, Jungkook, and Taehyung walked down the entrance of the third path and were immediately met with walls covered in strange mods that had a strange odor to them. Jin and Jungkook both grimaced at the smell, not liking what could be giving off such an odor. Taehyung kept on high alert, he didn't trust what they could come across in this part of the cave they chose to venture down. There was something about this path that the three of them didn't like and it wasn't the smell, "Anyone else feel something off about this path?" Jin asked, finally breaking the silence between the three. "Yeah, I do too." Taehyung spoke, "Same. I thought I was the only one." Jungkook looked at Jin, who shook his head. "No, you're not, Jungkook." Jin said, "I don't know what is causing this feeling but I don't think we're alone in this part of the cave. Something tells me we are being watched." Taehyung spoke, making Jin shiver slightly. "Don't tell me you're scared of a little cave dweller, hyung?" Jungkook smiled at Jin teasingly, "No, I am not. Why would I be scared? If anything pops out I can use my siren call and have powers to protect myself. I know how to fight, Jungkook." Jin snapped, not appreciating the teasing tone Jungkook took with him.

"Oh come on, hyung. I was just teasing."

"Yeah, you do that a lot, don't you?" Jin snapped.

Before Jungkook said anything in response, a loud howling sound echoed through the cave path. The three immediately went alert, Jin trying his best not to show that he was freaked out by whatever made that noise. Taehyung was ready to take on anything that they came across and the same could be said for Jungkook, though he felt more cautious. "What the hell was that?" Jin questioned, "I don't know but it didn't sound too friendly. We'll have to keep our guard up." Taehyung said, walking ahead of the two. As much as Jin wanted to turn around and leave the cave, they needed to stay on this path as they had been asked to.

"Let's just hope it's not another one of those giant wolves." Jungkook brushed back his hair, "You mean the Lycaonia?" Jin asked, furrowing his eyebrow at Jungkook in confusion.

"Yeah, that thing."

"I have a feeling that it might not be. But who knows? It could be another one, the one we encountered was female. She could have had pups or a mate so it's not far-fetched that there could be another one running around here." Taehyung nonchalantly said, shrugging his shoulders. As the three continued walking, they came across a huge tree that had beautiful leaves colored purple, blue, and red. Jin looked around the tree noticing a small river running around the tree, it was like a barrier of some sort. As if the river was there to keep people from getting to that tree, behind it was another opening and path.

"Wow," Jungkook stared in complete awe. Taehyung heard whispers softly calling Jungkook's name, which made him tense up. Jin also could hear the whispers and it panicked him, he looked over to Taehyung and the two shared a look. They both knew something was wrong and that they needed to get Jungkook away from the area, Jungkook heard his name called by a familiar voice.

"Jungkook, help!"

"Mom?" Jungkook's eyes widened and his feet moved towards the tree without thinking much.

"Jungkook?" Taehyung eyes widened, both he and Jin heard something moving in the water and with how fast Jungkook was moving, it was only a matter of time before something grabbed him.

"Jungkook help!!"

"MOM!!"

"Jungkook, no!!" Jin shouted, he immediately ran after Jungkook hoping to reach him before he could reach the river surrounding the tree. Panic surged through Taehyung as he saw something in the water moving faster, he was suddenly sucked into a memory he hadn't let resurface in years. Jin managed to catch up with Jungkook, wrapping the young man in a bear hug and pulled him away from the water. "Tae, don't just stand there! Do something about whatever is in that river!!" Jin shouted, snapping Taehyung out of his daze.

"No, hyung! Let me go!! I have to save my Mom!! I have to help her!" Jungkook screamed, kicking his legs wildly as Jin dragged him away.

"No can do, Kook! Your mom's not in that lake!! She's home!!" Jin struggled to keep Jungkook at bay, after all, this young vampire was stronger than most of the group members.

"I heard her!! She's in trouble!! Let me go!!"

"No, I can't!!"

"Hyung please!! My mother is calling for me!"

A loud screech resounded through the cave, echoing all the way into the other paths. Jin cringed as Taehyung covered his ears, Jungkook becoming weak in the knees at the sound of the screech. Jin felt Jungkook start to droop in his arms which concerned him, whatever was making that noise was targeting Jungkook. "Taehyung, we need to get out of here!!" Jin shouted over the noise, "Right!" Taehyung nodded, cringing as the screech slowly started to die down. A figure shot out of the water, hoping to grab Jungkook but Taehyung threw himself forward and kicked the figure harshly in the chest. The figure flew back, landing in the water, splashing water everywhere.

"Hyung, let's go!" Taehyung shouted.

"No!!! Mom!!! Hyung, let me go!!!" Jungkook screamed, Jin struggled but followed Taehyung quickly away from the tree. No matter how much Jungkook pleaded for Jin to let him go, Jin remained vigilant and didn't let him go. He knew it was a trap, Taehyung watched Jin's back as they kept running trying to get further and further away from the tree. The figure once again shot out of the water, hoping to catch Jungkook but Taehyung wasn't having it. It let out a screech making Jin and Jungkook cringe, "Not today, Satan. Not today!" Taehyung shot off a dark ball of energy at the figure, hitting it square in the chest. The impact caused the figure to fly back, it hit the tree and fell into the water with a splash as Taehyung put up a force field to keep to creature trapped. He caught up to Jin who had stopped a little farther up, Jungkook still trying to get out of his hold.

"Hyung, put him down."

"What? No way! I'm not taking any chances, he could run back that way."

"He won't. I incapacitated the creature and put up a force field, he can't go back there." Taehyung explained, Jin nodded and slowly placed Jungkook on his feet.

"You have to let me help her!" Jungkook pleaded.

"Snap out of it, Kook! She's not in danger! Your mom is fine!" Taehyung grabbed Jungkook by the face, looking directly into his eyes. "She's safe!! She's back at home with your younger brother." He softened his tone as his eyes started to glow, Jungkook snapped out of his daze and blinked rapidly. His breathing slowed and his body started to relax, Taehyung nodded and a smile started to form.

"There we go," Taehyung removed his hands from Jungkook's face and took a step back, seemingly relieved.

"What happened?" Jungkook asked, Jin let out a sigh of relief. "You got caught up in the magic of the tree. It made you think your mother was in trouble." Jin explained, "She's at home. Last time I checked she was safe."

"Yeah, we know that. But that magic tricked you into thinking she wasn't. We got you out of there because there was a creature coming after you. Possibly a siren, it would have pulled you in." Taehyung said.

"Thanks.."

"No problem,"

"Let's keep going, I'm sure we'll find a way to an opening." With that, Jin, Jungkook and Taehyung all headed on their way, putting what had just happened behind them.