The Darkness cursed ones

-Chapter 19-

The forest feels colder than usual, the kind of cold that creeps under clothes and settles in bones.
Niki tugs his scarf higher as they move down the unfamiliar path. It isn’t their usual route to the cave, but after their last encounter with Jace, they can’t risk being predictable.
“He’ll be waiting for us if we go the same way,”
Niki had said earlier, his eyes scanning the shadows as they veer off the familiar trail. The others agree.
“You think we’ll actually find anything this time?” Shino asks, his voice hushed, as though the trees themselves might be listening.
“We’ll find something,”
Won replies.
“We always do.”
The cave has become almost ritualistic for them. a source of crystals, a source of answers to the curse that binds them all. But today feels different.
The air is thick, and the forest seems too still, as if it’s holding its breath.
Jay leads the group through the dense underbrush, pushing aside branches and vines, eyes darting from tree to tree. The path ahead is unfamiliar, but it’s quieter here, more hidden. The deeper they go, the more oppressive the silence becomes, until it’s almost suffocating.
And then they see it.
A small wooden house, half-buried in the shadows of the trees.
“That wasn’t here before,”
Won says, his voice barely above a whisper.
“No. It wasn’t,”
Jay replies, frowning.
“We’ve never taken this route, but we’ve never seen a house like that in these woods.”
“Maybe we missed it on the usual path?”
Niki suggests, though even he doesn’t sound sure.
“No,” Jay says, voice firm.
“We’ve taken the normal route dozens of times. This house wasn’t here then.”
He hesitates, his gut twisting with unease. But the feeling pulls at him. This house, so out of place, and it might have answers.
Or it might be another trap, another part of Jace’s game.
“We should check it out,”
Heesan says, already stepping toward the house.
“There could be something useful in it.”
The others exchange uneasy glances, but none of them protest.
They all feel it.
The same pull toward the house, the need to uncover whatever secrets it holds.
Jay leads the way, stepping carefully onto the wooden porch. The planks creak under his weight, sending a shiver down his spine. The door is slightly ajar, inviting them in.
“Stay alert,” Jay says, pushing the door open.
The air inside is stale, thick with dust and age. Shadows seem to cling to the corners, making the house feel like it’s been waiting for them. As the group steps over the threshold, the door creaks shut behind them, trapping them in the heavy silence.
And that’s when they realize.
They’re no longer alone.
They all feel an uncomfortable presence.
Like someone is staring at them from the shadows.
Niki clings to Heesans arm as fear rises up his chest.
"Calm down Niki. If someone...or something, is here they will have to fight against all five of us."
Heesan whispers to ease Nikis fear a bit.
In the meantime Jay looks around the house, the desk full with notebooks and Papers catching his eye.
Shino mumbles
"Maybe...this house belongs to Jace? Maybe those are his notes?"
His voice is also laced with a bit of fear and insecurity.
"Possible..."
Jay answers half to himself.
"Be careful Jay! Our bracelets are still broken. We can't risk that we get hit by darkness."
Heesan warns.
Jay opens a little black notebook, a pen lying exactly next to it suggesting that this notebook is the newest one.
Jay reads out some notes to his friends.
"He was supposed to save me, but I dragged him down instead. Sun doesn’t understand. I can’t stop now. Not when I’m this close."
Jay's voice trails of a bit.
He flips the pages back to an older entry
"The curse is a weight that never lifts. I feel its chains tightening with each passing day, dragging me further into madness. But there is a way to break it, I can break it. I just need to reach the heart of it, to harness the power that took our lives. It's the only thing that will set us free. It’s the only thing that will undo the damage I’ve caused. I deserve this freedom.....Jay.
He’s the key, isn’t he? The one thing standing in my way. His existence is the anchor that keeps me tied to this curse. He doesn’t even know it, but every time I see him, I feel the anger rise in my chest. He has everything I don’t. peace, freedom. He doesn’t deserve it. I’m the one who should be free of this prison. I should’ve killed him when I had the chance. But I hesitated.
Why? Because of him?
No. I can’t let my feelings cloud this anymore. I won’t....Jay...has to die. His blood will be the final step in breaking the curse. Once I take his life, nothing will stand between me and the freedom I’ve been fighting for. Nothing."
Jay turns around and looks at his friends.
"He really changed..."
Niki mumbles.
"Or did he? Maybe this psychopath was like this all the time?!"
Won exclaims.
"Maybe isn't bringing us anywhere. The fact is that Jace wants to break the curse and he thinks he needs to kill Jay for that."
Shino explains.
"And that he still cares for Sun."
Heesan adds.
"Have you noticed? Instead of "That took my life" he wrote "Our lives".
And with that he definitely didn't mean us. I am sure he meant Sun and him."
He says.
The others agree.
"Look...this proves it."
Jay says holding an almost burned letter.
Jay reads it out
"I never wanted this for you.”

"If they cared about each other… why would it come to this?”
Niki asks, his voice laced with sympathy.
Won states harsh
"Whatever they were, Sun’s still on his side now.”
Shino gets angry at Wons words.
"Listen Won. Sun is not on Jace side! Jace forces Sun to stay!"
He says in a sharp tone, defending his childhood friend.
"Hey! No arguments right now!"
Jay interrupts.
"Sorry..."
Shino apologizes, surprised by his own harsh behavior.
"Pssht! Did you hear that?"
Niki whispers.
The boys hear a distanced cough.
Suddenly Sun stands in the door
"Sunny!"
Shino exclaims excited wanting to run to him and just hug him tight.
Won holds Shino back.
"Shino no! He is still under Jace' control."
Shino nods
"Right..."
Sun stares at his friends, them being on high alert knowing Sun could attack anytime.
Instead, Sun just speaks up in a soft a little hoarse voice.
"It's not that nice to peek into others stuff you know that guys?"
Then he addresses Jay directly.
"Especially you should understand, Jay. You have atleast double so many notes than Jace. You wouldn't like it either if someone just walks in and reads everything...even personal things."
Suns eyes glimmer red slightly, signaling that it's Jace talking and not Sun.
Suddenly Sun dashes at Jay with a blade.
Heesan quickly shielding Jay with his body.
The blade hits his chest.
"Heesan!"
Niki yells up worried.
Heesan clutches his chest, slight green light appearing under his hands.
"It's alright Niki...don't forget, I'm a healer."
He says assuring to Niki with a small smile.
Sun uses the distraction and wants to cut into Jay's throat.
But then suddenly, Sun stops every movement.
The blade makes a jingling sound as Sun drops it.
"I dont do this on purpose, I swear..."
He mumbles.
"I just.....I wish I could go back to before, where we were happy...eventhough the curse troubled us all..."
Suns voice is thick with tears just like they are filling his eyes.
"Don't....don't give up on me...please?"
He asks before he quickly runs away.
"Sun!"
Shino yells after him, but Sun is already to far away.

"Why did he leave...why didn't he just came home with us..."
Shino mumbles lost in thought of Sun.
"Because he knows that Jace can control him...he doesn't want to put us in danger..."
Jay explains serving Shino a cup of tea.
Shino takes it carefully.
"Thank you..."
He says still mumbling.
Won is sitting on the couch, looking out the window.
"Hey! Shino, it's raining."
Shino looks up and walks to the couch, placing his tea on the coffee table next to it.
Won smiles.
"You really love rain huh?"
Shino just nods, looking at the falling raindrops.
He closes his eyes and just listens to the sound.
Meanwhile Niki sits at the table.
Heesan brings him a hot chocolate with marshmallows since Niki complained to him that he is cold.
"Yayy! My favorite...thanks..."
Niki thanks grateful.
Heesan sighs.
"Mhm. Next time make it yourself again."
Niki rolls his eyes amused.
"Yeah yeah"
"Did anyone tell you how cute you two are together?"
Jay comments with a smirk.
"Whatever"
Niki frowns taking a sip of his chocolate.
"Yeah? When are you planning on making it official to us too, hmmm?"
Won pushes.
Heesan chuckles.
"Hello?! Don't give them approvement Heesan!"
Even Shino chuckles now, distracted of his thoughts now.
Jay sits down at the table as well infront Niki and Heesan.
"No, for real now. When did you plan on telling us?"
"I do not know what you're talking about."
Niki insists.
Heesan decides to answer it.
"If this stubborn child-adult wouldn't mind I would've told you weeks ago."
Niki almost chokes on his hot chocolate.
"HEESAN!"
he exclaims making Heesan laugh.
"See? That's what I mean!"
Jay smiles.
"So you are together now?"
"Yes. We're a couple."
Heesan confirms.
Niki turns away with his hot chocolate.
Jay notices and softly speaks to him.
"Hey? Niki...you know being in a relationship is nothing you have to be shy about. Especially not infront of us. We are like brothers for you and we are happy for you two okay?"
"Mhm...It's just...you always make jokes..."
Jay reaches out and places a comforting hand on Nikis shoulder.
"We maybe make jokes, but it's not like we make fun out of your relationship. We just...joke a bit...entertainment and stuff, you get it?"
Niki nods.
"Okay..."
He mumbles with a little smile.
"That's what I want to see! You should smile more Niki. You have a beautiful smile."
Nikis smile widens.
"Thank you!"

And that's it for Chapter 19 :3
I hope I will
See you in the next chapter <3