Defy The Earth

Chapter 12

Baekhyun felt like he was floating, which was funny, since he was just sinking deeper, letting his control go. His heart felt light, barely there. His head was not in its place – he was floating, light-headed. Soft voices coaxed him in deeper. They welcomed him home. He wanted to laugh but he knew tears would flow out instead. There was a serene sadness that came with the knowledge of giving up. Baekhyun had thought he would never give up, but he was wrong – completely wrong because there were some things in him that he lost to. How was he supposed to fight against Nature?

He was weak, sinking, his head losing all control. He was going in. He could feel his last heartbeats.

Home.

Beat.

The Earth.

Beat.

It seemed so off, calling the Earth his home.

Beat – slower this time, as his chest expanded and burned due to suffocation, but it was still serene and calm.

Why did it seem so off?

Beat – just a few more than it probably won't beat again.

Who was his home?

His body burned as the beating of his heart got slower. It seemed like he was burning, fire spreading inside out.

Fire.

He was burning.

Huge ears, a hand tugging at them.

He was sinking, but he suddenly wanted to stop.

Park Chanyeol.

Baekhyun's eyes opened, and he saw mud and the ground around him. The sky could still be seen – the rainy sky up above – where Chanyeol was. It should be useless to try. He was already a good distance away from the ground, from the world. The heavy weight of branches and roots draped around him, covering his chest, bound around his legs, slowly, slowly, creeping up to his eyes – he would not see the world after a few seconds. He sank deeper.

Chanyeol!

Tears gathered in his eyes. No, he didn't want to die – didn't want to give up. His home wasn't the Earth. He struggled, in vain. He couldn't even move a finger with how the trees and the mud were wrapped around him and weighing him down. It was never done before – defying the Earth. It was ever done. He couldn't possibly survive. The Earth sensed his struggle and started pulling him faster, harder.

His airways constricted even more and he felt he would die.

No! Chanyeol!

He wanted to sob, but he couldn't. His eyes wanted to close. He wanted to give up and give in...but he was a bit twisted inside. He knew defying the Earth was something never done before – he just wanted to do it.

Chanyeol.

With the name in his tongue, in his mind, in his heart, engraved on him, filled with longing to go back to his home, to his Chanyeol, he called upon his light. It was funny – half-dead, injured, buried and not even breathing properly, but summoning his light. He wanted to shout, but he couldn't. His body shouted for him though. The familiar tingle ran down his skin, except this time it was way stronger. It warmed him up, powered him. The branches encased him more but he was NOT going to lose. He wanted to see Chanyeol, even if it would be the last time he saw him – he wanted to fight together one last time.

Light radiated from his skin, from his heart, from him. The roots and branches tightened in a death grip. They were strong – it was their home. But he needed to go back – he needed to! He burned brighter, his body burning even more die to lack of oxygen and usage of his power when he was so dead. The light within him shone brighter in the dark, musky nature – a candle in the dark. He won't give up. Ever.