Treasure | Ateez

| 30 |

"Vale et memor sis mei" 

- Farewell, be mindful of me

☾ ☾ ☾

The potion - as Mingi called it - took more than a day to prepare. 

Yeosang oversaw the process with the skill of a man trained to find the wildest of shrubs in the unlikeliest places. It was a tiny island and yet Aeris could feel her feet burn into the sand as she trudged behind a begrudging Yunho and overly excited Yeosang who continued his rant about the very next devils mercy he needed. 

"I-" Wooyoung dragged from behind, sweat glistening off his skin and arms straining from carrying the net full of knick-knacks behind him. "Just-" he pushed another step ahead. "Want-" Another. "To get off this stupid place," 

From the corner of her eye she could see the captain standing knee deep in the water, yet he didn't seem to get wet and she shivered. Her conversations with the two leaders had dropped down to zero- except for backward glances from the opposite ends of the ship and accident brushing of hands as they busied themselves in cleaning whatever they could in the ship. 

"Mmh" Yeosang hummed, "Its almost done" 

"It better be!" San wrinkled his nose as he saw the foul smelling potion in the pot he liked to use for making his favourite broth. "I never want to see this pot again" 

Aeris still couldn't believe what Yeosang had proposed yesterday and now it was coming to an end. A kraken soup- how absurd, yet he was confident. The recipe was one she had never seen, read in a book she had never seen and yet the look that had crossed the captain's face was one she hadn't been expecting when it was revealed. He looked as if he knew it, yet hadn't tried to help. 

"You just have to rub it around the ship and then-"

"Oh no no no" Mingi cut in, hands in the air and astonishment in his voice as he whirled around at that sentence. "We are not touching my beauty with whatever that is."

"Would you rather die?" The silver haired boy muttered irritatedly, "beauty" he mimed as Mingi stalked off with exclamations of complaining to the higher authority- which just happened to be a very confused Seonghwa returning from finding food for dinner- hair tied behind his neck and skin bronze from exposure to the sun. 

"Let's just get it done with" San shuddered, moving another step back as the medic chopped the ferns. "I don't think I can see that any longer" 

☾ ☾ ☾

Hongjoong saved them the trouble of touching the kraken killer soup - as Wooyoung had dubbed it. Flicking his wrist towards the liquid while Mingi wailed with his eyes shut and Seonghwa sighed at the childish act, Wooyoung made his way across towards the ship with his bandana tied across his nose while Yunho walked with ginger steps as if walking across hot coals. 

Aeris watched with an amused expression. To be honest, she didn't know what she felt. Half of her didn't know whether this plan was going to work and the other half not knowing what to feel as she realised she would be seperated soon. 

The last night had been one where she hadn't slept, mind tolling with the possibilities of taking back her stupid words and just going with them- they had said she was important, Hongjoong had said that they couldn't- 

And the other one valued her well being. Going to Aurora was suicide. It was written in the books she had read, it was heard in the myths told to her and yet- 

When did you fear death?

What are we to you mistress? You tried to abandon us

No, they hadn't gone away. She hadn't told them, no why would she? It must have been strange for Yeosang to see his pills disappear every week, even if had just made a new pack. He blamed it on Seonghwa- who supposedly borrowed too many for his well being, despite his protest and berated Aeris to never do the same - and she had smiled. 

But there could be no relapse, no not till she made sure she was far away. Far away where? She didn't know, she'd figure it out. 

"Let us set sail," Hongjoong spoke from the head of the ship, voice carrying back to the shore and she heard Wooyoung whoop with joy. He was no longer in the contemplating phase she had seen him for the past hour, now he was back to his full rigour- hands gripping onto the wheel and eyes flashing with the wicked arrogance that she had seen the first time she had ever seen him. 

"Aurora awaits us." 

And at that sentence, she could have sworn he had looked straight at her. 

☾ ☾ ☾

The night was one of precarious uncertainty.   The nine had not moved from their positions, and Aeris found herself next to Yunho. 

He had his daggers ready, eyes scanning the horizon with a frown encasing his features, the necklace he wore around his neck dangled as he leaned down to tighten his shoelaces, making a gesture of silence towards her and stiffening slightly as she smiled back, waving her hands in a way that once again seemed to eerily remind him of the nobles he had seen years ago. 

The smooth sailing lasted for around forty minutes in the direction as directed by Jongho, who pored over the charts while clutching his bow in his hands. The first person to spot the change in the tide was Hongjoong, raising his hands while his two toned hair stood up in the wind- one hand pointing towards the disturbance about a few hundred metres away from where they continued to sail. 

San slowed down their pace, pulling down the main canvas while Wooyoung clutched harder onto the mast he was on top of.

"Sang, whatever you've made better work or else-" Mingi's deep voice suddenly cut in, making eight harsh shushes greet him as he frowned and muttered a hasty apology. 

The first test was when the tentacle rose next to the hull, scaly and long- tasting the air. Aeris could feel her breath catch against her throat, not letting her breathe as it collapsed back underwater. Whatever they had made seemed to work, the ship sailing silently and she could feel herself pray it would make it across. 

But their luck was not such and it was at the very end of the terrain that suddenly the relaxed motion of the monster suddenly ceased. The surface of the sea calming,except for the rippled cast by the motion of their ship across it and she could see Jongho tense, a sudden look of unease cross Hongjoong's face and then-

"Um-" Mingi began. 

It was all he managed before the first attack threw him straight overboard. 

☾ ☾ ☾