The Originals

Crushed Under the Past

The vines snapped taut, hoisting Jayeon back to his feet. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, which he wiped with the back of his hand, smirking.

"Cute," Jayeon mocked, his voice dripping with disdain. The vines around him writhed, preparing to strike again.

"Isn't it?" Taka's smile was calm, but his eyes burned with intensity as he extended his palm toward Jayeon. A crimson shimmer appeared in the air as blood began to drain from Jayeon's body.

The shift in power stunned Jayeon, his cocky expression faltering as he sputtered, watching his own blood seep from his mouth.

"Water isn't my only ability, friend," Taka said coldly. The vines lashed out, but they bounced harmlessly off Taka's armor. The water swirling around him darkened as Jayeon's blood mingled with it.

Taka's gaze sharpened, his tone turning calculating. "It would appear this blood isn't just yours, huh?"

Those words stopped Taka short. He paused the flow of blood, turning his focus to the red stains smeared across his armor. His hand trembled as he tried to wash them away with a torrent of water.

"NO!" Taka roared, panic overtaking his composure.

Jayeon coughed violently, using the moment of reprieve to steady himself. Blood dripped from his lips, but his grin returned, sharp and predatory.

"Yes." Jayeon's voice was a taunt as he pointed at Taka. His finger then dropped, aiming toward the ground.

Taka slammed into the floor with bone-jarring force. The weight was suffocating, pressing him down as though the earth itself was swallowing him whole.

"While I'll admit I was baffled to see you manipulate blood," Jayeon said, approaching with measured steps, "I can't say I wasn't prepared for everything."

Each step felt heavier than the last as Taka strained to lift even a finger. His body felt like lead, his mind scrambling for answers.

"That's... gravity manipulation," Taka growled through clenched teeth. "That's Yeon's ability..."

Jayeon chuckled. "Correct. Fluid does wonders, doesn't it?"

Those words hit Taka like a second blow. The weight pinning him to the ground suddenly pulled at a memory—a conversation from years ago, one that now seemed all too relevant.

"Fluid," Yeon had said, his tone calm but heavy with implication. He stood by the window in Taka's office, his white hair catching the light of the midday sun. Taka sat behind his desk, arms crossed, his expression guarded. Claire and Yumida were nearby, exchanging uneasy glances.

"Fluid?" Claire had asked, tilting her head with curiosity, though her voice carried an edge of worry.

"It's a drug, more or less," Yumida had interjected dismissively. "A crutch for people who'll never be anything close to us."

"That's an oversimplification," Yeon had said sharply, turning from the window. "Fluid is derived from our blood, but its effects vary depending on the recipient. For those with powers, it's an amplifier—a way to push their abilities far beyond their natural limits. But for ordinary humans..." He had paused, his gaze darkening. "It's just a drug. One that's highly addictive and dangerously unpredictable."

Claire's eyes had widened. "Unpredictable? How?"

"For Humans," Yeon had explained, his voice low and deliberate, "it's like gambling with their own biology. Temporary bursts of strength, speed, or endurance—enough to be dangerous, but not supernatural. But the side effects are catastrophic. Addiction is almost immediate. Withdrawals? Fatal for most."

"And for those with powers?" Taka had asked.

"That's where it gets dangerous," Yeon had replied. "Fluid doesn't just enhance abilities—it amplifies them exponentially. The stronger the natural gift, the more potent the results. It doesn't make them Originals, but it makes them... close."

"What about the Council?" Claire had asked, her voice trembling.

Yeon's expression had darkened. "They see it as a tool to control us. More enhanced Gifted means less reliance on the Originals. To them, we're a threat. Fluid is their way of leveling the field."

"Why do they need our blood?" Taka asked, his tone suspicious.

"Because it uses our power," Yeon replied without hesitation, his voice steady.

Claire had frowned. "Does that mean it gives the user our abilities?"

"Not entirely," Yeon had clarified. "But they can mimic them to an extent. The stronger the Original, the more potent the result."

The memory snapped back to the present as Taka struggled against the crushing weight.

"You're a Fluid user," Taka grunted, realization dawning.

"Correct," Jayeon said, leaning down to meet Taka's strained glare.

"You're no fucking Original."

Jayeon sneered, the vines around him writhing like serpents. "You call yourselves the pinnacle, but I surpassed you the moment I embraced what you were too scared to face. Fluid doesn't just make us equal. It makes us better."

Taka growled, his rage boiling over as he fought against the gravity pinning him down. The ground cracked beneath him, his armor straining under the force.

"You could never beat Yeon," Jayeon hissed, his grin widening. "And since it's his blood coursing through me, you'll never beat me."

"Yeon would never!" Taka roared, though doubt crept into his voice. His thoughts raced. Would he?

Jayeon's grin faltered momentarily. "Believe what you want," he spat. "But you Originals? You're relics. I'm the future. And I'm going to bury you with the past."

Taka's trembling hand clenched into a fist, his eyes blazing with a sudden, fiery determination.

"Bury me?" Taka growled, his voice low and seething. The ground beneath him began to quake, fissures spreading outward as the weight pressed harder. "We'll see who gets buried first."