King of Stars Volume 1 (An interstellar ATEEZ Hongjoong fanfiction)

Part Twenty Four: In Which The Odds Are Stacked Against The Crew

~Hongjoong's POV~

The universe outside the ATEEZ had begun to warp from where I stood watching. Super novas, planets, black holes and all things hidden within the fabric of our plane shifted and melded together into one unending bend of color until all at once we were swallowed up into the deep black. It was so complete that it didn't just blanket us but smothered every bit of light that dared filter through. I strained to see anything outside of the ship even though I knew it was completely useless to try. We were in the in between, the most dangerous place we could possibly be. A bend was a dangerous but necessary risk if we wanted to reach Jongho in time.

The in between is an endless dimension that's parallel to our own plane. It serves as a realm, where all manner of bloodthirsty beasts and shapeless Gods, are allowed to exist. One of these Gods in particular, a three headed serpent whose body is a roiling mass of tendons and scales, has been confined there for years lying in wait for the moment we let down our guard, an opportunity to take back what he believes is rightfully his.

I breathed a sigh of relief when space suddenly reappeared outside. The spinning slowed and our surroundings took on permanent shapes as the ship stopped. We were safe for now.

My head snapped up when I heard faint footsteps heading in my direction. Yeosang finally emerged from behind the doors of command and locked eyes with mine, giving me a hesitant smile even though he trembled with exhaustion. "Are you doing alright?" I asked. He looked pale but gave me a small nod as he leaned against the door.

"Y-yes," He breathed. Sweat travelled in rivulets down his forehead and he swiped a hand over his forehead, smearing the moisture into his hair. "I've gotten us to Andromeda and as close as we can be to the military base without detection." He answered as we both looked out of the hull into deep space. We were now millions upon millions of light years away from where we had been just minutes before.

"Did you feel him out there?" I inquired, noting how he had suddenly tensed at my question. Worry filled my mind as I watched my navigator. "Did you feel him while we were in the in between?"

Yeosang felt so far away for a moment as his eyes clouded over. I could feel him trapped somewhere in his dark past. A past I'm sure he'd much rather forget. He inhaled sharply and met my eyes. "You want to know if I can still feel Chronos?"

I scratched my head and looked away feeling horrible about bringing him up all of a sudden. "It's okay if you don't want to tell me—"

"I do," Yeosang answered turning back to look outside of the hull. "Every time I pull us through I can feel him out there," His last words were full of bitterness. "he's never going to stop looking for me Joong, not if he thinks I'm still useful."

"I won't let him take you," I vowed and Yeosang looked up at me startled. His fear bolstered my own bravery as I leveled a look of determination at him. "That bastard is sealed away forever and as long as I'm alive I will keep you safe. I'll keep all of you safe."

Yeosang gave me a sad smile as if he wanted desperately to believe in my words but was too afraid to let himself. "I hope so." He scratched at the fresh bandage on his head from his fight and I exhaled.

"Thank you Sangie," I told him quietly. "I'm sorry for the position I put you in back on Aquaceria--"

"Captain don't," Yeosang said blinking away the moisture in his eyes. Within the sag of his shoulders I felt as if I could see the weight of the world. Yeosang had to endure more than one lifetime's worth of pain in an EXO suit but he never let it swallow him up, instead chosing to wear his misfortune like a pair of wings. "I did what I did for Jongho. I want him back just as badly as you do. So don't take on all of this yourself. It's a bad habit of yours you know."