Whalien 52 || Vkook Mermaid au

Ch/: 13

The people dressed in bundles of thick jackets huddled like penguins around the port, murmuring quietly as they watched with eyes like a hawk. They wore masks that covered certain parts of their face, concealing the identity of their other half. The masks came in different colors and sizes, depicting creatures with additional horns or eyes.

Jiwhoon and Jungkook secured the ship to one of the docks, anchoring it as they fastened the heavy ropes to the studs. Namjoon was busy grabbing his belongings, trying to figure out where exactly were they are. Jin helped Taehyung descend down the ship, accompanied by Jungkook and Jiwhoon.

They shivered with clattering teeth, foggy clouds puffing out as they exhaled. The air was cold, numbing their bodies as the rags failed to keep them warm.

The crowd of people stop murmuring, parting in the middle to let a figure pass through.

The figure was tall and big, his face shadowed by a mask that adorned his face that gave off a sense of unease. It stopped in front of Jungkook, looming over him.

"Welcome, travelersss." It spoke, it's deep voice as powerful as a wave from the sea.
"What bringsss you to my humble island?"

Namjoon scurried down the ship, huffing for a breath of air as he held a box wedged in his arm.
"Chief Estregon, it is to my upmost apology that we have stepped foot upon your island. Take this, a gift as an apology." He bowed deeply, holding out the box. With his other hand, he signaled the others to do the same, forcing Jungkook to follow along.

"Namjoon, tell me what the fuck are you doing?" Jungkook hissed, only to get pinched in return.

The giant on the other hand, chuckled deeply, lifting up his mask to show a human-like face, adorned with blotches of discolor and wrinkles.
"There is no need, we forgive you humans, and have changed our ways. We only have to blame the sirens, for it is them who ravaged through our territory."

"Actually, if you don't mind, we ha-" Jin elbowed Jungkook's side harshly, shooting a glare towards him. Taehyung trembled, clutching onto his sleeves tightly as he looked down with fear, unable to look up.

"Introductions aside, we shall show you where you'll be residing in." Estregon turned around, walking into the village with the group trailing behind like little ducklings. The rest of the villagers followed silently, whispering their foreign language with sharp tongues.

A lone figure, perched atop a building like snow, watched the newcomers with a pitiful gaze. It shivered, tightly gripping onto its thick jacket as hot air seeped through its pale lips. Standing up, it slid down the roof, disappearing into the hidden pathways.

+

"This, is our most finest inn in our village. I apologize if it gets too cold here, we're expecting a snowstorm soon." Estregon sighed, shaking his head.

"No, no! It is our apologies for suddenly coming upon here without notice." Namjoon gave a sheepish smile.

The inn sure did look cozy, wooden logs tightly sealing the warmth inside from the atrocious cold. The fire blazed and crackled in the corner, surrounded by fur-coated chairs. A cinnamon vanilla scent wafted through the air, giving the place a sense of home.

"Here's your keys! You'll be staying in rooms 128, 129, and 130! We would've loved to give you more rooms, but unfortunately we're all booked for the night." The bellman chirped with a cheerful tone, handing the keys to Namjoon.

"Thank you, we are thankful for these accommodations." Jin bowed slightly.

"The pleasure is ours, we haven't had any...visitors in a while." Estregon smiled, waving off before exiting the inn.

"Let's go now, I need to explain something." Namjoon lowly-whispered, dragging Jungkook as the rest followed without a word to spare.

Estregon stopped just outside the inn, looking down at the security guards with a threatening glare,
"Do not let those visitors get away, or you'll be in their places. Understood?" The guards nodded hastily, not wanting to be near the frightening chief any longer.

+

Jiwhoon shut the door behind him, the lock clicking it shut. He joined the others in the small room, leaning against the wall while tension seeped through the thick atmosphere.

"First things first, we need to get out of here." Namjoon fiddled with his fingers.

"Why? They look so nice!" Jiwhoon recalled the chirpy worker.

"Don't let that fool you, we need to leave. As soon as possible." Namjoon sighed.

"First off, tell us why we have to leave." Jin raised a brow at Namjoon's serious attitude.

"We will be sacrificed, either tomorrow, or the day after. I bet they're already planning to keep us here for as long as they can."

"Bullshit." Jungkook spoke, brushing his bangs away from his eyes. "What the fuck have you been reading? No one does cannibalism these days."

"Its not bullshit, and it isn't cannibalism either. They're demons, and they'll eat and sacrifice just about anything but themselves." Namjoon explained.

"Then...why didn't we leave earlier?" Jiwhoon asked.

"They would've killed us on the spot. We're lucky to make it this far."

"You know what? It's late, lets all split up and get some rest. We'll figure out what we're gonna do tomorrow." Jin grabbed two of the keys, handing each one to Jiwhoon and Jungkook, shoving them into their respective rooms.
"Where do you want to sleep Tae?" He asked softly, seeing the younger shaken up.

"I'll...go with Jungkook." Taehyung left the room, with Jin's puzzled gaze fixated on the closed door.

Thank you for 800+!
Idk, I have so much work to do 😭
I want to update again, as soon as I can :)