A Deal with the Devil || K.TH

33: Preyed

"Another general is down, Your Highness!"

Taehyung cursed as another lieutenant had come to report another incapacitated general. He had lost nearly a quarter of his generals in the past month since this war had begun. He had had many lieutenants and brigadier generals hastily promoted to generals, but even that seemed to be no use. He currently led another brigade of soldiers as they lost men by the hundreds every passing day.

"Send in another lieutenant. I'm not losing this war." He practically spat out, growling a bit at the end. The lieutenant bowed before leaving. He cursed as he adjusted his armor. He had been living like a soldier for the past month; barely bathing or sleeping, only eating a few rations a day, and worst of all, he was away from his sweet Aurora.

At first, he just wanted this war to end quietly and be back at his palace. But all that changed when he had lost a staggering amount of his men in a sneak attack upon a vulnerable brigade of soldiers to a small band of ruthless angels. Soon, only revenge drove him to keep fighting this war, he would fight until the angels understood the pain of all the demons that had been lost in that massacre.

"Don't think I'll surrender so quickly."

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"He's what?!"

Daehyun looked at his older sister in shock as Irene nodded wearily. Daehyun, after losing his brother, exiled himself down to Earth in heartache, living as a human man. After centuries of being away from his family, he decided to come back; back home to where a war was in full force.

"It's true; he's fighting against us again." Irene said as she stared out to the distance to see cannonballs fly and screams and yells echoed through the air. Daehyun looked at his sister in horror before shaking his head.

"Aniyo, this ain't the Taehyung I remember! This isn't who he is!" He exclaimed. Irene swallowed as she looked down guiltily.

"And I can't even check if he's still alive or not; they won't let women or children out to the battlefield." She said as she hid her face in her hands. Daehyun lifted her head up and gave her a hopeful look.

"Let's go to our brother then. Together." He said with a weak smile.

"How?" Irene asked. Daehyun grabbed her arm and pulled her to his room, where he slammed his foot on the ground and a rack of armor and weapons lay hidden.

"My days as general are far from over, Noona."

Irene smiled at him as he grabbed a set of armor and handed it to her.

"Get dressed. We have a war to attend to." He said urgently. Irene nodded as she went off to change. Minutes later, both siblings were ready for battle, Irene wearing a helmet to cover her face and Daehyun sporting his old uniform decorated with medals and a long red cape.

"Take me to the commanding general's office." He said as they headed out the door.

"That would Baekhyun." She said as she looked around for any enemies. Daehyun scoffed softly as they headed up and down the streets.

"That bastard's the commanding general? Huh, he actually made something of himself."

The two entered Baekhyun's office and the general couldn't have looked more relieved to see his old rival.

"Daehyun! Thank goodness you're here!" He exclaimed as he hurried the two in.

"What happened to you vowing revenge on me?" He said with a hand on his hip. Baekhyun waved it off as he led Daehyun over to his maps.

"We can get back to fighting each other later. Right now, we have a war at hand."

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"I wish you men good luck. Once you enter the outer rim; there's no heading back."

Baekhyun bid the two siblings farewell as he headed back to his office, leaving them in the inner rim, where everything was in already in disarray. Daehyun sighed as he took in the chaos; if the inner rim was this bad, then he couldn't imagine the outer rim. Irene rested a hand on his shoulder in reassurance.

"It's for Taehyung." She said as Daehyun nodded.

"For Taehyung."

The two ran quickly through the battlefield, trying to dodge most demons and angels, but even they were not spared of blood shed by their swords. Irene stopped at the edge of the outer rim to catch her breath.

"You alright?" Daehyun asked as he supported his elder sister. Irene nodded as she stood up once again. The two looked at the bloodshed below; cannonballs and arrows flying left and right, screams echoing as more men below were killed, and just the sound of chaos below. Daehyun scanned the battlefield until he spotted his younger brother, leading a brigade of men on a black steed.

"Charge!" He yelled and his soldiers complied, running to attack. Daehyun pointed to him as Irene's eyes followed his finger.

"There. We have to stop him before he does something he regrets."

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"Charge!"

The demons followed his command and charged into battle. He watched on top of his horse, one hand on the reins and the other on his sword. Meanwhile, in the shadows, a shadowed figure cocked an arrow and aimed it for the king. Taehyung was about to turn the other way when the arrow flew.

The figure cursed as the arrow hit the steed below the king, the horse crying out in pain as it fell, the king falling with it. Taehyung cursed as he hit the ground, his steed wounded by a arrow sprouting from it's back leg. He got up and pulled out his sword, prepared for anyone who was to attack him. The figure soon emerged from the shadows, revealing itself as Chanyeol.

He shouldered his bow before pulling out his sword, Taehyung's back to him. The king was vulnerable to his attack and he'd be able to kill him in one swift stab. He brought his sword and prepared it for his fatal strike. Taehyung felt something behind him and prepared to turn when something absolutely horrifying surprised him.

"AURORA!"