The group’s next step was obvious. They still had time—they had spent around one-and-a-half hours in the caves. If they set off now, they’d be able to reach the Red Side in around fifty minutes. That would leave them ample time to rescue Namjoon before their three hours were up.
That was if they could make the whole journey without running into any trouble, of course. Taehyung prayed that this would be the case, prayed that their little piece of peace could last just a bit longer, but they had barely left the chamber they were in before his prayers were proven unanswered.
They were ambushed. The remaining members of the Warmongers had been lying in wait and launched attack as soon as the group emerged from the chamber opening.
Amidst the chaos, Taehyung counted four silver-clad enemies. So out of the six, four were left. Two of them were partner-less, flying free without being connected with a rope. Perhaps the partner of the poor guy who got swarmed by bats had severed the rope for his own survival. Or perhaps both members of that pair were devoured, and one of the other two pairs cut their rope for their own personal reasons.
It didn’t matter now anyway—cutting the rope only disqualified them from rescuing the hostage, not from attacking the opponents. And right now it was crystal clear that none of this team had any interest in rescuing their hostage anyway. Maybe the poor victim gave them a really stupid clue, or maybe Yoongi found a really obscure place to hide him.
Or maybe the team was simply more interested in killing than saving. It seemed to be the case, Taehyung thought, as he dodged one flying knife after another, all the while trying to hit back with his own few projectile weapons.
Around him, everything was a mess. Hoseok, Yoonji and Jimin were the best fighters out of them all, agile and quick-handed and with great aim, but they were hindered by the fact that the source of light was behind them instead of behind the opponents, making them open and vulnerable while the enemies were cloaked in darkness. It didn’t help that their assailants were completely silent.
It also didn’t help that half of the assailants flew free, but all of Taehyung’s team were tied to someone. Taehyung did his best to read Hoseok’s every move so that he wouldn’t hold him back from whatever attack he was planning, but it was simply impossible to observe Hoseok while dodging knives at the same time. Just how many knives did those guys have? Taehyung’s own dozen of weapons were all gone now and he was essentially deadweight, not being able to do anything but dodge. He would have willingly cut the rope connecting Hoseok and himself so he wouldn’t hold the latter down—but he didn’t have anything sharp on him left so he couldn’t do even that!
Beside him, Jungkook was out of weapons as well, though Yoonji was still going strong. Jungkook’s eyes met Taehyung’s own, round and wild, and Taehyung’s heart broke for the younger boy because he belonged in his nice, safe bedroom with his videogames, not here, in a tunnel of death, dancing amongst a flurry of flying knives.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Jungkook tug at Jin’s shirt, teary eyes full of terror. Jin cursed. “Everyone, back into the chamber!”
Taehyung obeyed, shoving Jungkook along, and they tumbled back into the chamber where they just left, lit by gleaming gemstones. After a quick headcount, Jin flicked his wrist and his hoverboard expanded—expanded so wide and long that it covered the entire narrow opening, effectively barricading everyone inside.
The Warmongers were still throwing stuff at them out there, judging from the loud clangs on Jin’s hoverboard, but the sounds soon ceased. Jin’s hoverboard seemed to be made of a sturdy material, and they’d have to conserve weapons too, after all, no matter how many they had.
