edelweiss - &team

34

After the oldest of the group were turned, as the other children grew and matured, they too were granted abilities from Life and Death. Life was selective in the immortals she took under her wing, while Death was able to accept all the others. As more and more of the children were turned into immortals, the sharper ones of the group started to realise something.

"Jo, can I talk to you about something?"

Jo shifted from his position lounging on a window sill to turn to Euijoo, who had his hands tightly clasped, anxious, as he stood before Jo. The two were now no longer the innocent, young children they used to be, now were matured into young men.

"Sure," Jo replied, dropping down. "Can we do this...privately?"

The most private place they could possibly be in a house full of about twenty people, was outside. So they strolled along a stone path marked out in the dusty ground, not speaking as Euijoo collected his thoughts. "I'm not sure if you noticed," Euijoo suddenly said, "But Life has only turned four of us. Me, you, Fuma and Riki. She's supposedly working really hard on something special for Harua."

Jo was listening carefully, so Euijoo continued, "And, interestingly, merely three days after I received mine, Gaku was given his power. Necromancy."

Jo cocked his head, "I did. He seemed pretty pleased with it. Raising the dead, it's quite solid."

Euijoo nodded, "At first, I didn't think much of it, I mean, it was pretty cool, but whatever, you know? Then...I found out Death made Hikaru and Yejun into immortals, but didn't give them any powers."

That got Jo jerking his head up to frown at Euijoo, "You mean-"

"And I heard something very, very fascinating just now." Euijoo's eyes were fixed on the horizon, the thin, trembling line where the tan sand of the ground clashed with the blue of the sky.

"Death requested the two of them channel all their energy into one specific thing. Then I walked in on them, so he shut up at once. But I have a bad feeling about this. I can't put my finger on it, but..." Euijoo trailed off, helpless, now looking at Jo, wondering if the other could make sense of the situation.

Deep in thought, Jo took some time before he answered, "I came across something recently as well. Out of all people, Death turned Minhyung yesterday."

"That's news to me," Euijoo remarked, "But he's running out of options. All the older members have been turned, Life has dibs on Harua. Out of all the kids, Minhyung is probably the oldest."

Jo shrugged, "That's not the point. What I wanted to say is, Minhyung's ability is something like...invincibility? No, it's not quite that. Death only said one thing. That now, poisons will never harm him."

Absorbing the information, Euijoo came to a realisation, connecting the dots, "You mean to say-"

Nodding slowly, Jo turned to look at Euijoo dead in the eye as the duo finally came to a stop, now quite a distance away from their home. "I thought I was being overly paranoid when I was with Minhyung, but with your information, I think I can confidently say it. Death is trying to make counters to all of Life's immortals."

That was a chilling statement. The two were silent, mulling over that highly plausible suggestion. After a bit, Euijoo spoke, "You think Minhyung is meant to counter Fuma. If perhaps, Gaku is meant to counter me, that leaves you and Riki."

"But Hikaru and Yejun, especially with no powers...what could they do with their energy alone? I'm not trying to brag but, my illusions have managed to convince even Yixiang to think twice before he pranks me. And Riki, even within such a short span of time, has already developed a really sophisticated energy technique."

"I don't know. But we have to find out."

-

Since he was trying to conserve as much energy as possible, Euijoo moved through the labyrinth slowly and cautiously. It was, as expected, confusing and twisting, making him turn corners after corners and retrace his steps when he was met with a dead end. Thanks to the tall stone walls, hardly any light filtered through, making it a damp, dim environment.

But he figured he was progressing further into the maze, perhaps it was mapped out in rings that had differing degrees of difficulty or challenges. He quickly realised that now, the walls above started to curve towards each other, blocking out more and more light, until they practically formed a roof over his head.

And now it was completely dark, but Kyungmin had been so lovely to arrange flaming torches lined in ten metre intervals along the walls.

Euijoo realised the tunnel had expanded slightly into a small, rounded space. Upon approaching, Euijoo noticed two flaming torches on either side of the room, and nothing else. It was damp, dark and the ceiling was uncomfortably low, his head mere centimetres from brushing it.

He stepped up to the centre of the centre of he room, moving as slowly as a snail out of apprehension. Euijoo stopped to take a careful look around the space, before an echoing, hissing laughter flooded the room. Goosebumps ran over Euijoo's skin as he became painfully aware of his solitude. Then he felt something pressing at his neck, and he remembered he wasn't really alone. His beautiful, gentle snake, sensing his increasing anxiety, comforted him with a light nudge.

And the voice returned.

"It's been a long time, Euijoo." The voice venerated within the confines of the circular chamber, drumming into his ears.

"Death," Euijoo said simply, steeling his voice to be as cold and composed as possible.

"I don't have anything to say to you. The only thing I want you to know is something you have to feel."

Euijoo's heart raced, his eyes flew to the corridor at the other side of the room. There was a faint glimmer of light illuminating the stone walls.

"I want you to suffer the way I did. I want you to feel utter loneliness and confinement," Death's disembodied voice drawled out.

Euijoo sucked in a breath, his snake's scales cool against burning skin. He tried not to think of how his pet was directly curled around his neck.

"Will it give you peace?" Euijoo asked shakily. That question could be the one to end his life, he was well aware. But that was the only thought running through his brain, not an escape plan or perhaps a clever way to trick Death. But that question did take Death by surprise, as he was silent for a beat.

"We'll see," Death said, soft and almost pensieve rather than threatening. Euijoo realised the tunnel behind him had merged completely into the stone circular wall.

And before Euijoo could sprint towards the tunnel before him, the ground below him gave out, as though he had been standing over a trap door. Then down, down, down he went.