Healing Castle | TXT Fantasy Novel ft. BTS

33 - Huening Kai

Huening Kai awakens to a new text message. His heart quickens when reading the name of the sender, and he pauses for a few deep breaths before unlocking his phone. Nothing could've prepared him for the definitive pixels on his screen.

Kai, I'm sorry I have to do this to you and the boys.

Know that Beomgyu is safe in our hands.

But there's only one way you will be able to see him again—

You must perform with me in the Olympic Arena. It'll be a ceremony of our alliance forming. BTS and TOMORROW X TOGETHER can take over the world, but in a way that'll spread peace. You see, the Black Mage isn't purely evil. He'll use his magic to fortify an empire where humans are free of their emotions. We'll talk more about this later.

But for now, meet me in the Arena tomorrow. The performance starts at 6 pm, so come early.

—Seokjin

Kai feels as though someone's punched his chest and then impaled it with a harpoon. With a heavy spirit, he heads into the living room where Taehyun is trying to summon the magic door again.

"It takes too much of my energy," Taehyun says. "And even then...."

"It'll take a lot more than an ability to break those chains," Yeonjun continues.

Soobin is making breakfast, oatmeal paired with fried eggs. "It's our only option, guys. But if you have to take a break, Taehyun, you should. Let's eat soon."

Huening Kai hates that he has to pile on bad news, but he clears his throat and goes on. His words are like a hammer driving into already-shattered glass. "Seokjin-hyung sent a message just now. All of our worst fears are true—BTS has been leading us on all along. They were never on our side. Seokjin said we won't see Beomgyu again unless we perform with them in the Olympic Arena."

"That's right." Soobin sighs, running a hand through his messy bangs. "I almost forgot. Their performance is tomorrow."

"We agreed to perform before," Taehyun says. "Who would've known they'd become our worst enemies? I can't believe they'd ask us that again, especially when they have Beomgyu locked up in some house in Henesys!"

Yeonjun nods. "I don't think we should agree when we were so close to rescuing Beomgyu last time."

"By sunset." Taehyun stands, clenching a fist as if he could punch the magic door right out of the air. "If we don't get Beomgyu back by then, we're agreeing to BTS."

No one voices a differing opinion, so Huening Kai sits on the couch and watches as Taehyun continues to work. The boy's eyes open and close, and his hands clench as he tries to make the magic door appear. The air in the center of his palms hovers from warm energy, but the blue essence doesn't materialize. Breakfast passes, and for lunch Yeonjun orders in street food and tells the delivery man to leave it at the door. They can't trust anyone anymore.

"Maybe it's on cooldown," Huening Kai says. "There were skills in Maple where we couldn't use them again unless we waited a bit."

Taehyun nods, collapsing on the couch next to Kai. "I think that's the case too. I'll try again in an hour."

Kai's eyes are drawn to the window, where the sun is slowly sinking below a high rise. "Let's hope we're right."

A meow suddenly sounds behind the apartment's entrance.

Kai remembers the attack in the Castle, how the boys were threatened by an army of Suga's black cats running wild throughout the underground tunnels. He views those cats in a new light now, with images sketched in overgrown claws and teeth. He doesn't want to admit it... but he might be a little scared of wild cats now, even the smallest kitten begging for food outside convenience stores.

But he faces his new fear today, getting up and taking timid steps to the front door.

Soobin stops him on his way, tugging on his forearm. "What are you doing? They could have sent another cat to threaten us."

But Hueningkai shakes his head. "We have to face our fears. Besides, we're more powerful now. Cats aren't innately evil—they can be changed."

He imagines seeing Sesame after a long day of dance practice. Sesame, named after one of his favorite paste-filled buns, is always a comforting image for him. Those images drive him to open the door, where a small calico awaits. The black, orange, and white patches are dirtied with car oil, and its eyes are a bit crusty on the inner and outer corners.

Unlike the cats that infiltrated the castle, this one seems tame.

"Come inside," Kai whispers. "Come inside, we're pretty friendly."

The calico is tentative, leaning on its hind legs.

"C'mon," Kai continues. "We're way too exhausted to do anything but cuddle with you, anyways."

The calico seems convinced, coming inside. After setting out a bowl of water and leftover eggs, Kai joins Taehyun and the others, who are pacing throughout the apartment as if their lives depend on adding to their daily steps.

"It's sunset," Taehyun says.

Kai looks outside. He didn't even notice the lights turning from neutral to orange and gold.

He takes one look at the calico. The cat is so different from the ones that attacked the Castle, and for Kai he represents an unexpected blessing. Sure, maybe they'll have to perform alongside BTS soon, while the threat of death hangs over them and one of their members can't fight with them. Maybe the Mage will try to convince them to forage an alliance.

But like the calico, hope might knock on their door. There's always a way out, even in the darkest moments of life. Isn't that what he learned through training for his whole adolescence? Alongside the four boys who shaped him?

"I'll text Seokjin," Hueningkai says. "And I'm using my angriest emojis. We're going to perform, so lets start practicing our setlist!"

A/N: I hope you're all enjoying Castle Healing! It's almost Christmas Day, so lets celebrate and continue to enjoy the magic of TXT :).