Briar Rose - Taekook

Chapter 41

Enjoy!! It took me so long to write this, and it's still probably still shitty

EDIT: I had to change this chapter, because something was wrong with wattpad, so all the comments were deleted. Sorry. 

XLI: Jungkook

Before I can get up, Jimin and Hoseok jump in front of me, their scims drawn. Even in their exhausted state, it's clear that they still have enough energy to fight.

"Show yourself!" Jimin snarls, dropping into a fighter's stance. "Or we attack." A muted laugh comes from the trees, and Hoseok's hand tightens on the hilt of his scim.

"No need for the sword, Jimin," The voice comes again, and this time, a hooded figure steps out from the shadow of the trees. A black cloak covers everything down to his feet, and a hood hides his face. I think I catch a glimpse of silver underneath, but it's gone before I can be sure. "We are friends, are we not?"

The figure drops back his hood, and Jimin chokes, stumbling backwards. Hoseok's sword falls to the ground, and my fears are confirmed.

Taehyung stands there, his face expressionless underneath the silver of his mask. He's wearing a black tunic underneath his cloak, and the dangerous looking scim that dangles from his belt is the same one that Xian had gifted him five years ago. Everything about him appears unchanged, but when I look up at his face, I can feel my heart stop.

His eyes are black.

Completely black.

And yet, to call them black is a horrible understatement. They are the color you see in the depth of night, when even ghosts take their rest. A type of vivid, barely controlled darkness that swirls like whirlpools. Filled with ancient malevolence, they glint with the hard luster of black diamonds.

"T-Taehyung!" Jimin gasps out. "You're here! You're alive! We almost thought you had―" His voice dies away as he too realizes the strangeness of Taehyung's eyes. His voice. The scim that had dropped to his side cautiously comes back up.

"Taehyung?" Hoseok whispers warily. "Is that you?"

"Of course it is." Taehyung smiles, though I notice his eyes remain cold. "Who else could it be?"

"Why are you wearing that mask?" Jimin asks. "You hate it."

"I've found it gives me a nice edge in combat. I've had to do a lot of that this week, unfortunately." He touches the liquid silver, making it ripple beneath his fingers. For the first time, I see the traces of dried blood on his scim. I back away, feeling sick.

"You're not Taehyung," Hoseok says slowly, his gaze not wavering from the silver mask. "Your eyes are different. I've only ever seen such black eyes in one other person." He draws himself to his full height, which is still a good two inches shorter than Taehyung. "Nice try, monster, but you can't fool me. I know it's you."

"Perceptive as always, Hoseok." Taehyung's smile suddenly turns chilling, and his eyes grow darker, if possible. "I wondered how long it would take you. Very impressive. It's almost worth the effort of putting a whole castle on fire to have you all here. To be honest, I didn't think you would show up."

"You set the fire?" Jimin asks, aghast. "But―but why? Armad was your home! How could you bear to see it destroyed like that?"

Taehyung, no, the monster, tilts his head. "There are many types of homes, Jimin. In this instance, Armad Castle was Taehyung's home. It was never mine. It looks much better surrounded by flames, don't you think? A nice touch of decor to add to that obsidian." As if to prove his point, a small flame ignites in his palm, lazily flickering in the fast approaching darkness. I shiver, looking away. I didn't want to see any fire after being nearly burned to death. The monster notices.