To The Edge Of The Sky| VMinKook

Chapter 20

Taehyung pov

"We're almost there, Taehyung," Seojoon said, his voice filled with a mix of anticipation and caution as we paused at the edge of the steep trail. Below us, the dense forest spread out like a vast green carpet, its towering trees swaying gently in the breeze. I peered over the edge, a sense of something inexplicably familiar washing over me.

"What is this forest, Hyung?" I inquired, curiosity tinged with trepidation, stealing glances at Seojoon. His expression was serious as if he was about to unveil a secret that lay deep within our clan's history.

"This is the hunter's village," he revealed, his gaze fixed on the treetops below. "We are on the border of the Night Pack's territory." His words hung in the air, and I could feel the weight of their significance as I struggled to piece together the feeling that tugged at me—a haunting sense of recognition.

"What are we doing here?" Soo-Ho chimed in, his tone skeptical and wary, clearly not fond of the idea of trespassing on territory that belonged to our foes. "You know they aren't our allies; they won't take kindly to us stepping into their land."

Seojoon turned, a determined glint in his eyes that contrasted with Soo-Ho's apprehension. "Yes, but we're here to change that," he stated, the conviction in his voice hinting at a larger plan that he hadn't yet revealed.

"What do you mean by that?" Yeo-wool asked, his brow furrowed in confusion, clearly eager to understand the full extent of this perilous endeavor we were embarking on. The atmosphere was thick with tension and uncertainty as we awaited Seojoon's explanation, each of us holding our breath for what might unfold next.

"Where are you here to ask them to become our allies to help us against Jiyong?" Jineheung Hyung asks, his tone heavy with disbelief as he studies the shocked expressions on the others' faces. 

"You must be joking. Do you have any idea what this could mean for us?" Banryu Hyung retorts angrily, his eyes narrowing as he processes the gravity of the situation.

"We understand the risks involved," I interject, trying to maintain a calm demeanor despite the tension in the air. "But we need them to stand by us before Jiyong has a chance to move against them."

Just then, we turn to see more of our Hyungs approaching, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern. 

"Let me guess: this is all you're doing?" Banryu Hyung eyes Suho Hyung with suspicion, who merely shrugs, an unbothered expression etched on his face.

"Quite the opposite, if I may say," Suho replies coolly, his gaze steady as it meets Banryu's. "I don't think this is the wisest course of action, but we find ourselves with little choice now, do we?" His words, sharp as a blade, cut through the haze of uncertainty that surrounds us.

I let out a deep sigh, acutely aware that this conversation is poised to spiral into something even messier. My gaze drifts upward, scanning the dense canopy of leaves above us. Suddenly, a faint ticking sound punctuates the stillness of the air, catching everyone's attention.

"What is that sound?" Baekhyun Hyung asks, his brow furrowing as we all begin to look around, trying to locate the source of the mysterious noise.

"Taehyung, what's glowing on your neck?" Sehun Hyung suddenly points, his voice laced with curiosity and concern as he directs our focus to my neck.

I instinctively reach up to touch the necklace—a peculiar piece given to me by a stranger during that fateful night. As I slowly take it off, I notice it emanating a brilliant blue light, illuminating my surroundings with an otherworldly glow. I lean in closer and, to my astonishment, watch as stars within the pendant begin to shift and swirl across the surface of what resembles a map.