#And I will laugh as I turn around and enter hell in heaven's stead

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I eat raw mushrooms simply for the fact that I enjoy it

Have I weirded you out yet?

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Sacrifice

Summary: Jinyoung had been sacrificed to the Gods in hopes to help the struggles below in Hell. Although he hated being back in Heaven, it’s where he found you, the only solace within such a crooked world.

Pairing: Park Jinyoung x reader

Genre: demon au / heaven and hell / angst / somewhat dark?

A/N: This is a spinoff from the series King of Demons. It is recommended you read the others in the series first to understand a few of the people/situations in this story, and you can find the links to those just below. This is the prelude to the sequel coming very soon as well, and an important piece to the build up of what’s to come.

This story is pretty intense in a way of facing topics that might not be suited to all people. King of Demons has already shown some difference in opinions of Heaven and Hell, and Sacrifice will be blatant about it. Please keep in mind this is a story and isn’t intentionally aimed to offend anyone and their beliefs.  

Word count: 5713

King of Demons series: Havoc // King of Demons // Unfathomable // Sacrifice // King of Demons: The Return // In The Night // Identity // Prophecy // Someone // The Devil Contained // The Monsters Witch

Jinyoung hated his brother for sending him to Heaven. He missed the warmth of the eternal fire in Hell and the familiarity of his land. He had once lived up here before both he and Jaebum had been cast aside for not following God’s plans for the world. He had vowed he would never end up in such a wicked place again.

Yet he had been here now longer than he could remember. As Jinyoung stared at the pearly gates of Heaven that he watched from the window of his room, he wondered how he had grown accustomed to seeing them. How the once mockingly beautiful world now seemed just that to him.

Still, he didn’t like the way this world worked no matter how beautiful it was. In every story of Heaven and Hell, you would hear countless anecdotes of how cruel Hell was. It was a place of sin and the Devil himself would beat you for eternal damnation. Jinyoung would always laugh at that point. He had never seen Jaebum so much as lift a finger at anyone who didn’t warrant it. And as Jaebum’s strategy commander, Jinyoung had ensured that unlike the experience of Heaven where ideals could change depending on how they suited new laws, down in Sheol it was kept fair. Those who committed crimes would work for the rest of their lives in atonement. Those who didn’t belong there would be moved onto another realm of their existence. And the demons who governed it would try to listen and judge fairly. It had worked for centuries until the pressures from above started.

At first, Jaebum listened. After all, he was the only one who couldn’t leave the underworld. He had been bound to this world for the justice he had sought after in Heaven. Everyone else, including Jinyoung, could move through the different realms of life and death with ease. Jaebum could only go to Earth once every two years. And this had only been granted because of the trade in valuable information Jinyoung had given the Gods about a plague prophecy far greater than every realm in itself. It had the Heavens intrigued but not enough to end their madness.

Perhaps, the prophecy had driven them insane further than both Jaebum and Jinyoung had anticipated. Soon, more entities were cast down for them to deal with to make room up in Heaven, and the stress of governing some of them made Jaebum struggle. He was tired; there was nothing he could do towards the unjust nature of the Gods. They had claimed these beings belonged in Hell for their sins. But there wasn’t enough to hold them there. Jinyoung had seen to it that they were moved on to someplace more suited.

The Heavens called betrayal and Jinyoung had laughed. However, Jaebum sighed heavily. Looking back on it, Jinyoung hadn’t realised just how exhausted his brother truly was.

“We need to make sure we don’t ruin our relationship with them, brother,” Jaebum had warned, rubbing at his temples repeatedly to ease some tension. “They rule over us as well, you know.”

“How funny, the Devil himself answering to mere Gods. What outcry there would be with your followers if they learned of such a preposterous thought! You do not need to follow those Gods anymore. We escaped them.”

“We were banished, brother. We had no choice but to come to this land of damnation.”

Jinyoung had stared at Jaebum, angry at how weak he had become. He had always been a leader, a man who held immense power and wisdom. He now looked like a little boy who had had enough playing a role in a game. Jinyoung had never thought so lowly of him before in his entire existence. He had followed Jaebum here willingly when their strategies to keep God’s children on Earth away from sin had been denied. He had accepted that their fall from piety was seen as an act of sin in itself. And he had accepted the concept of being sinful as well. There was more honesty within the emotion than being pious.

Jinyoung wondered if Jaebum wished to be back up there governing deities instead.

Their arguments continued for days, and eventually, Jaebum’s temper had called for him to leave him alone entirely. Jinyoung had done so, retiring to his chambers and avidly working on a plan that would save Sheol. If his brother had no energy to fight those who felt they could weigh in on the happenings down here, then he would do so in his stead. The plan was almost perfect and yet when he presented it to Jaebum, it was far too late.

“You will go up there instead.”

“What?” Jinyoung uttered, his mouth falling ajar. He was confused, had Jaebum not listened to anything he had just spilled from his mouth? His calmness soon was erased and Jinyoung felt out of control. A feeling he despised the most. “I am the Prince of Sheol, hardly the Prince of above. My place is here at your side, brother.”

“The Gods require you and in return, they will put an end to their sending of so many people. The balance will be made right with this sacrifice.”

Jinyoung hadn’t replied and Jaebum smiled weakly before turning to face the roaring fire.

It was the last time he had seen his brother.

Before leaving Hell, Jinyoung had paid a visit to the prophet of these lands. He was a tall and lumbering looking fellow, and because of this many feared him. It worked in his favour because Yugyeom preferred to be alone. For the first time since knowing him, Jinyoung had seen Yugyeom smile. “And so he sacrificed you instead.”

Jinyoung knew what that meant. It had been between him or Yugyeom. After all, the prophecy Yugyeom had insisted on sharing with the Gods hadn’t come true yet. It made more sense for Jaebum to keep Yugyeom here, safe and within his powers, than let him travel to the Heavens where he would be used for everything.

Those Gods had little knowledge of anything.

“You must be thrilled,” Jinyoung finally spoke, and Yugyeom shook his head wistfully. His reaction made Jinyoung bitter. “You get to keep your home. I do not.”

“The plague will still hit no matter whether they believe in it or not.” Yugyeom looked at the cup of tea he was sipping on and sighed. “There is nothing good in this trade my Lord, nothing at all.”

It was the one thing Jinyoung could agree with entirely.

Thirty years passed by easily. Jinyoung had joined in with the dealings of Heaven and was seen as a traitor to those in Hell. He had bought with him only one other, and between him and Youngjae, they assisted the Gods with their planning and attempted to make change through cleverly thought out strategies. For some time, they both lived in harmony up there, an abundance of food and favours offered to them daily. They helped heal those who had lost loved ones and ensured the people of Heaven were heard of. Any complaints they turned into new strategies to assist the peace of these lands. For demons, they were pretty well respected due to their generosity of help.

And even though Jinyoung was exceptional at solving all these issues, there was nothing fulfilling about it. Day in and out, he was expected to do so much good in a world that had so many loopholes. He was prone to headaches and retired to his chambers early each night, watching the moon illuminate the darkened world below and fantasising of the fiery flames that warmed his soul licking up the walls of everything around him.

His mind was destructive and soon Earth was as well. The plague Yugyeom had foreseen, despite the Heavens proclaiming it would not come true, happened. Masses of people were displaced, the pearly white gates now guarded heavily to prevent them from entering.

“This is madness, open the gates!” Jinyoung had cried to the faces of the astute sitting on their thrones. “The people seek refuge!”

“They will not find it here.”

Jinyoung gaped at the older man incredulously. “These people are innocent and the only crime they face is that their lives were wiped out by something you could have prevented! You were given the prophecy I handed it to you myself. It wasn’t a lie!”

“Yet it didn’t come true until-”

“There was no date, to ignore it was futile. We must fix our mistakes!”

When the Gods said nothing in return, Jinyoung had raced out there himself and used his powers to open the gates. He allowed hundreds in before he was detained and everyone was sent to Hell.

He could only imagine how Jaebum was handling the influx of people all because Heaven’s abundance couldn’t be shared with them all. Jinyoung had never hated this realm so much until now.

For some time, Jinyoung was noncompliant, refusing to help anyone. And because of this, he was stripped of his powers, left in his home to watch the world exist below, witnessing the endless parties and parades all held to honour the great Gods who had let so many die. It made him bitter, not understanding why God claimed he cherished all his children and yet so many had suffered. What confused Jinyoung further was how accepting the people of this realm were. To celebrate when so many others who belonged here were not let in. The itch to improve this unfair environment continued to grow until he finally went back out there, Youngjae relieved at his reappearance by his side.

Jinyoung was a cursed being; he couldn’t help himself even if he was angered by everything around him.

“I’ve heard of something,” Youngjae mentioned one night, more quietly than his usual boom of a voice. Jinyoung glanced in the direction of the man, his eyes alight with mischief. It confused him to see such an expression in Youngjae’s angelic features. No one had ever looked twice at his friend. He was friendly and bright all the time. Jinyoung knew, however, that underneath all that laid such wickedness that would be highly frowned upon in these peaceful lands. Youngjae grinned. “There has been another prophecy.”

“What?” Jinyoung sat up then, alert. Yugyeom hadn’t spoken of any true prophecies in years. When Jinyoung had last checked in with the gatekeeper, BamBam, at their meeting spot on Earth, Yugyeom had simply been slumbering for many years. It was common for him to do that, envisioning all the potential occurrences as he slept. Not many would go near Yugyeom’s lair in fear of being killed. He had a bit of a temper if anyone disturbed his slumber unnecessarily.

“It’s greater than the last, too.”

“What is it about?” Jinyoung inquired and Youngjae shrugged. “You don’t know?”

“It is said Jaebum is trying to use it to barter with the Gods.”

“What does he need now?” The bitterness was evident in his tone and it irked Jinyoung to even think of his brother.

“He wants you to come home.”

Jinyoung scoffed. “I don’t have a home. And the Gods will surely never allow such a thing.”

And he had been correct. Jaebum’s terms were refuted and Jinyoung remained in Heaven. The prophecy was ignored yet again, and the Gods instead tried to get him to calculate any future disasters that may happen on Earth. Jinyoung was sent to survey the world in between the two realms, assessing the condition of human life for an entire month.

It was when he met with Mark, Jaebum’s right-hand commander. “Situations are dire, Jinyoung.”

“Aren’t they everywhere?” he mentioned, though his interests piqued the longer Mark spoke. Yugyeom was sitting on a revelation, and the Gods would greatly love to acquire something so grand if they knew about it. Jinyoung decided his time for justice had arrived.

In the grand hearing held upon Jinyoung’s return, he spoke of the concerns he had over Hell holding onto Yugyeom so tightly. The Heavens could benefit from having such a prophet. The deities agreed, and the Gods were intrigued. He stopped there, withholding any further information, Jinyoung claiming that they needed to do something to help Hell first.

“Sheol isn’t in our jurisdiction to care about. You have been displaced from that world for so long, yet you still wish to be its Prince? Your brother traded you for mere sanctuary. Shouldn’t your loyalties remain with us instead? We have looked after you so well,” they had told him and so Jinyoung remained tight-lipped. He wasn’t prepared to offer them the key they could utilise without some kind of payoff. He might have been practising goodness up in Heaven, but Jinyoung was still one of the fallen after all. His heart would always burn for the fires down below no matter where he was located.

And the Gods knew they couldn’t trust him entirely.

You had been assigned to crack Jinyoung’s psyche. He knew as soon as you arrived that you weren’t coming into his office simply because you sought knowledge of listening to the concerns of the people. As an Angel of Truth, Jinyoung understood all too well your interest came as orders from higher up. It made him laugh, you expected the truth from him, yet you had an innate ability to withhold your real reasoning from him.

Jinyoung humoured you, of course, playing out his part in your scheme as if he was none the wiser. And for the subsequent weeks of you at his side, he showed you all he had to offer, except the prophecy. It frustrated you and sent him to bed every night grinning over how adorable you had been at his lack of sharing. It made Jinyoung wish to continue seeing you every day, wondering just how long he’d have before you were deemed unsuccessful.

He had to admit, if there was anyone they could send to try and break him down, they had picked well with you. The way you thought excited him more than he had initially expected, and being an angel, well, you were as beautiful as can be. At least, in his eyes you were. The purity of your thoughts and your growth in understanding of why he did what he accomplished every day made Jinyoung fall further for you. He had tried, with little success, to avoid feeling something for you. But it came with the role. You were sent to charm him, and even as a wicked demon, he could easily succumb to such a thing. If you played your cards well, there would be nothing in time that he would be able to keep from you. And that simultaneously bothered and excited him.

Jinyoung wanted to claim you as his own but he knew such a relationship would be deemed taboo. You hadn’t had your wings ripped away like he had and he would never want such a thing to happen to you. He knew what it felt like firsthand and you were different from him. Although you could understand his way of thinking and became increasingly encouraged by his ideas, your place was in this realm.

The mere image of you surrounded by jagged rocks and pools of lava made Jinyoung shudder in disgust.

For some time, he wondered if it would be all that bad though. He could tell you craved him physically and mentally as well. And, he was sentenced to this place for the unforeseen future. He had already spent three decades here and Jinyoung didn’t see himself being freed any time soon. Would it be so dangerous for an angel to fall in love with a demon trapped in the same world?

He fantasised of being able to hold your hand and run his hand through your silken locks every day.

The reality, however, remained the same as usual. You would turn up to see what he and Youngjae were doing each day and attempted to find out more about the prophecy. Youngjae so far had remained as tight-lipped as Jinyoung was, though he had been known to let things slip out in the past. It made Jinyoung watch your reactions with his friend with high interest. He didn’t need another repeat of Youngjae proclaiming to the world their inner secrets – whether it was by accident or not. Mark might have laughed it off last time, but Jinyoung wasn’t prepared to lose the upper hand in this situation until it was absolutely necessary.

“Jinyoung.”

He turned at the way you called his name and smiled at you. “Yes, Y/N?”

“We have been at this for seven weeks now, are you really not aware of why I’m here?” you asked, dropping the papers on his desk that he had given you to look through. “I thought you were smarter than this.”

“I feel the same about you.” He smirked. “You ask a question you already know the answer to. And you continue to follow the lead of those who are more willing to lie than I. You’re too clever for such a naïve way of thinking.”

You didn’t respond immediately, your eyes guarded. Slowly though, you relaxed and even smiled. “You’re right.”

“About everything?”

“I’m not so sure about everything though I do feel I question more about this world since meeting you. It bothers me.”

“I’m glad it does.”

You shared a smile and Jinyoung got up, rounding his desk and pointed to the large balcony of the office. Stepping out onto it, you followed him and sighed in content as you watched the second sunset for the night. It was still strange to Jinyoung how this world could have so many sunsets and sunrises. Heaven was a beautiful place and he could only leave it to these occurrences being seen as so magical that in this realm, one was simply not enough. His gaze then shifted to the problem that had troubled him for three days now and Jinyoung felt his frustrations build again.

He looked up at you imploringly. “You sigh happily at the sky and yet you fail to look below.”

You frowned, glancing at Jinyoung before tearing your eyes from his. He pointed to where a hoard of people waited on the other side of the gates, once again finding them firmly shut. “Does it not bother you, Y/N?”

“That the gates are closed?” you questioned and he nodded. “I suppose there are times where they need to be.”

“Why? Isn’t God supposed to be all accepting of his children? And the other Gods who rule at his side are also deemed as generous and open. They closed the gates yet again to ensure only the best enter into utopia. Why is there so much selection?”

“Isn’t that the best way to keep this place pure?” you wondered and Jinyoung sighed heavily. You had been around him so long now and yet you still viewed Heaven as idyllic. It was these small glimpses of the training you had received that reminded Jinyoung you were two very different beings after all. His silence irked you and you groaned. “Are you trying to teach me again?”

“No. It’s not up to me to train you, you’re here to simply understand what Youngjae and I offer. Surely you have a vast knowledge now? Perhaps it’s time for you to return to your other tasks.”

He stared down at the people struggling to get through the gates and then nodded his head slowly.

You both were a match made in Heaven, yet separated entirely by Hell.

Despite his desire for you to leave, you persisted in remaining at Jinyoung’s side. You continued with your duties in the office and you were relentless in asking questions. Though your usual approach towards getting answers seemed to lose its focus. You no longer generated sentences that only pertained to the seeking out the prophecy. You asked of his background, of his past and even asked about Hell itself. Jinyoung felt at ease to tell you it all, sometimes the pair of you sitting out on his balcony until the moon was high up in the sky that was littered with stars. It was during these sessions where Jinyoung found himself unable to resist you the most. You looked so ethereal in the moonlight that he would often reach over to affectionately run his hand through your hair, and then caress your cheek. You were beautiful with the slight tinge of pink to your cheeks in response to his actions, and your hands would mindlessly reach out to touch him as well, his breathing hitched in his throat whenever you stared at him in a way that made him feel naked, vulnerable. You had bewitched him so much that he wondered if he had made the wrong assumption by referring to you as pure. You definitely had a wickedness to you that enchanted him further each day that passed by. Jinyoung wondered if his influence on you was one that brought out these qualities in you.

It was definitely his influence that enabled you to open yourself to him fully, only to lose it immediately after it was done.

“They can’t keep doing this!” you cried, flinging yourself away from the balcony’s marble rail and marching towards the exit. “Enough is enough; the people are suffering out there!”

His chest swelled with pride at your reaction. It was only a few months on from when you had little regard about the pearly gates of Heaven. Now, you focused over there almost as often as he did. Jinyoung stopped you at the exit though, shaking his head. He angered you. “Why would you block me, you want them open as well!”

“Not tonight, there are too many guards down there.”

“So, you once went down there, a mere man, and took on all the guards! Why can’t we both do so now?”

Jinyoung grinned, cupping your agitated face in his hands and kissed your lips for the first time. You were stunned when he pulled away, blinking slowly. “A mere man?”

“Well, are you not a man?” you asked shakily, your blinking now frequent. You chewed at your lips distractedly. “Jinyoung, I really-”

He cut your sentence off again, kissing you with more demand. This time, you didn’t hesitate to kiss him back, winding your arms around his neck and falling captive to the desire building between you. Jinyoung hoisted you up into his arms and blindly made his way through the office to the door that led to his bedroom upstairs, stopping several times along the way to kiss and explore you when he couldn’t balance the urge for more. Finally, after laying you down in his bed, Jinyoung smiled devilishly down at you, seeing the flames of arousal deeply embedded in your eyes.

Heaven collided with Hell multiple times that night.

Even he wasn’t ready for the outcome of your union. Instead of waking up with your body in his arms, you were gone and Jinyoung felt an immediate dread fill his stomach. Thrusting his limbs through clothing hastily before racing down to the gates you had been fixated on yesterday, he found you, wrestling with the truth of the situation.

You weren’t fighting as he had; instead, you were on your knees, crying helplessly.

“Y/N, what are you doing?” he asked of you and you looked up at him, broken. It tore Jinyoung apart to see you so destroyed and he glared up at the guards nearby, wondering what they had said or done to crumble you like this. He dropped to his knees beside you and watched as you shook your head.

“Everything I believed in is wrong. This world isn’t generous at all.”

“It’s not all bad,” he murmured and you looked up at him, offended.

“You defend a world where we let the innocent suffer outside of it? Those souls are all displaced and the Gods would rather them be that way than letting them in to enjoy the comforts of this place!”

It was a double-edged sword. He agreed with you, of course. He had fought this problem for years. But coming from an angel, it seemed intrinsically wrong to see you doubt where you came from. Even though he had centuries ago spoken his mind with Jaebum when the formation of Earth happened, it wasn’t your fight. This was a problem that you had never considered until you meddled with a demon.

He felt the undoing of the months of guidance, the climatic actions of last night now dulling with the pain so very evident in your gaze. You glanced up at him, lost.

Jinyoung had no idea how to help you.

Your pain continued and being weighted with the reality only depressed you further as each day went by. You disregarded your charges, merely laying in Jinyoung’s bed day in and out or staring out at the gates from his window. Although you sought the truth in every aspect of your life, now knowing it all wore you down until you were barely recognisable.

You would have spurts of racing out to the gates and trying to solve the issue but it only ever ended in Jinyoung and Youngjae dragging you away before you got in trouble. Your fits of rage would peter off until you went eerily silent again, and Jinyoung had no idea how to deal with you for some time. Everything he suggested seemed fruitless compared to the anger within your heart that your home was crooked. And those who he asked to assist you only claimed that he had corrupted you.

“She’s broken by you, demon. Angels who mix with your kind only suffer entirely,” a deity had chortled and he sullenly walked back to his home, cursing the day where he thought it was okay for his heart to be accepted by yours.

Jinyoung didn’t want to believe in her words. He had done a lot of good for this world, and for you, despite being a demon. But, he had also led you down this path as well. Your new outlook stemmed from his desires for more equality. It hadn’t existed to you before you met him.

And thus, he wanted to change that.

“You ask a lot of us when you do not share what we seek, demon.”

He nodded his head softly, unable to look up tonight. He felt vulnerable in front of the Gods, especially as he had chosen to kneel. A small part of his mind wandered back to chastising his brother for bending to the will of those in front of him and he felt misplaced grief for how little he had regarded Jaebum in the past. He was no better than his brother at all.

“You brothers and your troublesome love,” one of the astute boomed and Jinyoung glanced up then, confused. “One falls in love with a human who is dangerously trying to get to Hell for the Devil himself, and the other falls in love with an angel and breaks her. Must everyone be burdened by your problems?”

Jaebum was in love? The idea seemed almost unfathomable to Jinyoung.

“You ask us to erase her memories of you?”

Jinyoung nodded.

“Then what will you give us in return?”

He could not barter the prophecy yet. Jinyoung lifted his head again and stared at the men on their thrones. “What is it that you require?”

“The problem with your brother is a bigger nuisance than we hoped for. His lover is causing havoc, especially with a demi-demon at her side.”

“We have Mark now though, do we not, brother? That should have settled these women down.” Another spoke and the first sighed heavily.

“It is chaos and we are not in the position to prevent them from reconnecting.”

“I can, I work with chaos very well,” Jinyoung managed, his mind reeling with all the new facts. He had no idea Mark had been captured either. Just what were his brother and fellow demon clan doing down there?

Jinyoung realised his own situation had greatly blinded him. Standing up as he felt conviction surge through him, Jinyoung smiled determinedly with his newly formed plan. “Is there not another in this existence that hates my brother more than I? If you assist in helping my angel, I will ensure this chaos you speak of is resolved.”

The Gods deliberated and nodded in return. You would be freed from your troubles.

Mark appeared in front of Youngjae when Jinyoung had been contemplating how to help you. They made plans to assist the return of the troublesome party to Hell that way. Youngjae had concluded that it would be easy to slip them in when the Gods were preoccupied with something else, and the fellow demon showed no remorse in using your suffering as a way to speed the situation along. Jinyoung’s offering six months ago put the brakes on that plan, and now the Gods were too aware of their endeavours. Youngjae was pacing in their office after the day was over, trying to figure a way forward. He glanced over at Jinyoung in annoyance before slamming a hand down on a stack of papers.

“You ruined it all, have you gone soft from love, Jinyoung?”

He nodded slowly. “Perhaps.”

“And yet you prevent your brother’s own happiness just so your angel could forget about you? Does it not hurt you with her gone from your side? It’s so quiet without Y/N here now. She might be out there living again with ease, but we are not. Your mood is impossible to help anyone!”

Jinyoung remained silent, his gaze casting to your empty desk. It had been that way for too long now and yet he envisioned you sitting there for the umpteenth time, a mournful smile crossing his face.

“You’re all mad. You by working with the Gods, a human risking herself for the Devil and an angel who finally understands how this world works is now living life without her memories, what more is to come?” Youngjae listed off, shaking his head incredulously. “Ah, Mark being captured for turning a human half-demon. That’s what came next. Who will bother to cause trouble now? Jackson and BamBam for once are the only two demons of this clan not causing havoc. And me of course, since you stopped me from doing so.”

Youngjae made no effort to hide his bitterness. Jinyoung smiled wistfully. “What of our prophet?”

“Yugyeom slumbers continuously. He will no doubt add to his prophecy soon. And when he does, I hope it’s enough to get us out of this hellish place.”

Jinyoung laughed and nodded his head softly. He wanted to return to Sheol now. Without you at his side, Heaven wasn’t as beautiful. “We must make plans to escape.”

“With Mark?”

“Why would we need to use him when we have the gift of a human trying to find us repeatedly?” Jinyoung asked and Youngjae smirked.

“You never planned to stop your brother from reconnecting with her, did you? This is just a ploy to fool the Gods, isn’t it?” Youngjae asked, his grin growing rather wicked. It faltered though, his gaze going out of the window. “What of your angel, will you leave her here?”

“She is better off without knowing such a demon like I.”

“Really?” a familiar voice asked, and they both turned to see you standing in the doorway, your eyes scanning the office space as if you had seen it before in a past life. You then looked at Jinyoung, a faint smile pursing your lips together. “Are you the demon who I worked with extensively until my memory was erased?”

Jinyoung didn’t respond, though he felt he didn’t need to. The flames emanating from your eyes indicated that you held more truths than he could argue with. You smiled properly now and it excited him. “I met another demon within the Truth Bureau who was held for questioning. I don’t think you thought things through well, considering how much information he had to offer me.”

“Mark?” Youngjae asked and you nodded.

“He even told me of the prophecy.”

Jinyoung now watched you carefully. “Why are you standing here and not racing to the Gods to fulfil your destiny? You must know that you were around us to seek the truth.”

“And that I did,” you agreed, stepping closer. You eyed the books on his desk mindlessly, in attempts to settle some of your emotions. “The truth is a heavy burden to carry.”

“One I tried to remove from you,” he reminded, his hands hovering around your body, itching to grab a hold of you, but also hesitating. It had been too long since he held you and he was scared of the fall if this didn’t amount to anything. “Why are you back?”

“Don’t you miss me?” you asked, and you smiled at Youngjae who snorted before leaving the room to give you both privacy. Not that it mattered. Jinyoung was only focused on you. “Sending me away and making me forget you, is that all you could think to do?”

“You were miserable,” he noted and you nodded. “You weren’t happy with me.”

“I wasn’t happy,” you corrected, and now you were so close that he could smell the delicious scent of your body. “But I was with you.”

“How do you know, I had them erase all of that.”

“I dream of you. Of the fire you built within me. It took some time, and of course, another demon, but I’m finally here again.”

“Risking everything for what?” he asked, sizing up your lips hungrily. “We are both prisoners of this realm. You by the knowledge you hold, and I by the Gods. The deities themselves claim I ruined you.”

“Do you always listen to what everyone else says?” you wondered and Jinyoung bit his lip at the strength of your statement. You grinned, sliding your hands up his body until you could link them behind his head. “What is it that you dream of?”

“You.”

“Then that’s worth sacrificing my destiny for.”

_________________

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[awakeningofthedeath]

Awakening of the Death: Chapter #30

A day and a half passed on as the Swift and Armor train cars that contained the two rouge assassins in one of the empty cattle cars. Jack and Hellen spent most of the travel time in nothing but the sound of the tracks clanking and the feel of their beating hearts. Hellen loved to have Jack close to her. She never minded every scar and flaw that he felt upon her. She wanted to be nothing but close to him without interruptions; yet the mile markers indicated to them that they would be approaching Kansas City as soon as the sun set.

As the miles gotten closer to the stockyards stations, Jack and Hellen had to put on their clothes and hide behind the giant hay pile in case of any rail inspectors, which had happened before in several stations along the way. None of the inspectors were harmed or killed whilst the couple hid. The only bloodshed the had one time was when a train hopper tried to load in the car and saw the naked couple. Jack only had to push the hobo off to where the man fell too close to the rail and the sound of cracking bones and a dying man’s screams made both Jack and Hellen shiver to the core. They both kept quiet holding each other until they saw the sight Hellen had not seen in years. The observatory buildings of the Kansas City stockyards were of a mass that Jack had never seen, with the rich smell of livestock and smokes from the factories around the city area across the river.

When the train ceased to a halt, Hellen and Jack took several seconds to grip their sacks before darting towards the exit, and barely got off intone before the men would see them before lowering the loading ramp. Seeing their breaths in the chilled air, Jack followed Hellen through a labyrinth of wooden panels and fences, the smell of cattle laced thick in the air, a scent Jack found it surprisingly strong. His only experience with cattle was during his stay in India, where the cattle were worshiped, decorated, and respected. These cattle, to which Jack passed by as he and Hellen traveled towards the observatory docks, were larger and more muscular than any he’d seen. Some of them had horns as thick and as long as Jack’s arms stretched out. Hellen climbed upon one of the beams to the deck, with Jack following behind. The wood creaked as they snuck across.

“This place has gotten bigger since I was last here.” Hellen commented on the expanse viewpoint of pens where cattle cried out to one another

“So if this were the cattle area, the horses can’t be too far.” Hellen made a turn to where other panels were set.

“Kansas City here is the biggest in the horse and mule market, My pa used to come here to buy horses to train them, only to sell them again for more than what he paid for. I went with him a few times. First time I was possibly 5 to 8 when I snuck away for a bit and road an ass bare assed. Surprised my pa never gained a grey hair with all the hell I’d given him.”

Jack chuckled, which surprised Hellen.

“Seems to me you tried to be Lady Godiva.”

“Never heard of her.”

“She was a noblewoman from long ago who stood for what was right against her husband’s poor decision making on taxes by riding in the streets naked upon her horse. Legend even said that a man named Thomas watched her ride and was struck blind or dead.”

Hellen gave a cheerful laugh. “Oh I like her! She’d be good company. Maybe perhaps, I could be your lady bare upon a horse when away from the bull’s viewpoint.” Jack gave a signature smirk, thinking the beautiful image of Hellen on a horse’s back. 

The couple found the horse and mule area where the equines munched upon what hay remained in each of the pens. Some of them contained a maximum of four to five in each pen. Jack watched as Hellen observed each pen looking upon the animals. He could hear Hellen’s frustration as she failed to find a stead that would possibly carry both of them. Whilst she searched, Jack’s eyes wondered to the pens behind him, where there in a large pen with only by it’s self was a beautiful buckskin mare with a white sock on it’s left hind contrasting against the other three blackened legs. It’s eyes meet Jack’s as she walked towards his position. 

“Seems to me I have competition Jackass.” Hellen’s chuckled as Jack turned to face her.

“I don’t suppose this one could work.”

Hellen slipped between the fence gaps as she examined the mare. She lifted her hooves, checked her teeth, and examined her back. “This one is well conditioned. Probably one of the handler’s horses. Still, we’re going to need a saddle and the gear. I’m going to check the tack area. I’ll be back.” And Hellen pecked a kiss on Jack’s lips as she went towards the building again. Seeing that Jack was alone with the horse, he leaned on the fence, his mind thinking about the recent few months he and Hellen had been together, and asking himself, why is he here? Why didn’t she come home sooner? 

Minutes later, Hellen came back carrying a saddle with a bridle with a snaffle bit on top of the saddle’s horn. An old red blanket was held from underneath the saddle as well. Jack managed to grab the woolen horse blanket as it slipped in between when Hellen hoisted the saddle upon a railing to keep in shape. She slipped back into the pen and grabbed first the blanket and the bridal. Wraping the mare’s neck with one of the split rings, Hellen kept her in control as she gently pushed the head down to have her thumb into the corner of it’s mouth, where the horse’s mouth opened and Hellen snuck the snaffle into the mouth and positioned the bridal. Testing the horse’s ability to ground tie, to which was successful, Hellen took the woolen blanket, folded it around to a half as big as the saddle and positioned it onto the horse’s wither’s in the correct position. She then grabbed the saddle and placed it upon the blanketed back. Hellen first handled the front chinch before the rear, and to finally finish bu adjusting the breast collar. Hellen then took each of the strips, measured them by comparison to her arm, and fixed them to the correct length. Hellen patted the mare’s neck, she led her to the gate. Jack opened the gate allowing them to walk through. The sound of the horse’s shoes echoed on the brick pathway. 

Hellen grabbed the horse’s mane and hoisted herself into the saddle. “I suppose you’d never rode a horse before.” Hellen asked.

“Only when I needed to. A few times while I was in India. Knew how to drive a carriage though.” Jack answered, feeling slightly embarrassed. 

“Get on the fence, I’ll side pass this horse to you so you can rise double. Thank the heavens above she’s a strong looking mustang. Big for her average height.” Hellen used her legs and slight in and out of the pressure on the reins to have the mare’s legs cross over each other as Jack climbed the fence. As Jackcarefully packed himself behind Hellen, he wrapped his arms around her waist, making her sink into his chest. 

“Better not tempt me Jackass, or we both will fall off this...”

“Oy! Jesse! Marcus is dead! And the tack storage was opened! Check the horse pens!” 

The sound of a man’s shouting echoed into the darkness. Lanterns were lite, and moving towards the area.

“Hold on tight Jack. Not sure how fast this gal can go with the two of us, but we have no choice.”

Hellen soured the mare into a short trot transitioning into a gallop. The sound of hooves on brick echoed in a familiar pattern Jack knew in London at times when Jacob would drive. The difference being feeling the moment of this valiant’s beasts mussels as she left those behind the dust. Then suddenly, without warning, he felt Hellen leaning forward with him following as the mare jumped over a broken part of a vacant pen. Hellen steamed past other workers, with Jack kicking some of them whop tried climbing onto the beast. When they escaped the area, Hellen ran the horse for a good distance for a mile, until they stopped at the base of the Missouri River. 

The River looked so peaceful and still, that it never seemed to have a current. Hellen later explained to Jack that the Missouri was actually more deadly when entering in, known for the under toes and deadly looking driftwoods. As Hellen guided the horse towards the docks of a farrier rafts, Hellen pointed towards the upper part of the river. “Collin told me a story once of how he and my pa almost got a rich templar on a mission on a steamboat called the Arabia back in ‘56. Unfortunately, the Templar escaped due to a stuck of bad luck on his part when the boat struck a tree stump floating in the river, Sad that the only victim in that was a mule. That and loads of cargo meant for many towns. Might be a kings fortune.”

When Hellen halted the mare, Jack slipped off, feeling rather tender in the thighs, but managed to stand upright. He turned and held the horse for Hellen as she dismounted. They walked to the assumed farrier, an older gentleman with a grizzled beard and blue eyes the color of ice. “What can I do for you kind folks?” He asked in a southern accent.

Hellen pulled out some silver dollars and handed it over to the man. “We need to cross to the Missouri side as soon as possible!”

The man looked at the money then back to the couple. “Funny for the woman to talk matters of sales instead of your man here.”

Before Jack could say anything, Hellen slightly tabbed his boot with her own, signaling him to keep quiet. “He can’t speak sir. His tongue was cut off during the war with the red skins.” 

“Is that so?” The man asked, looking at Jack with a questioning look. “What she say is true boy?” Jack nodded. “Did you lose it before or after this lovely bride of your allowed her horse out of the barn?”

 Jack gave a glare and gave him a hard punch, causing the man to tumble into the banks of the river. He stood back up, blood and water dripping. Hellen held Jack back with her hand, giving a secret wink. “Now darling, you know the man is possibly a loose canon on the tongue. Oh!” Hellen gave a gasp. “Jack I’m so sorry, that was uncalled for! Forgive me?” Jack smiled, and gave her a gentle kiss. This kiss was the softest Hellen experience, not that it was for the facade, but genuine in tenderness. When they parted, the man was pressing a handkerchief on a blood spot on his cheekbone. 

“I begin your pardon ma’am, and to you sir. Your very blessed to have a gal to speak for you.”

Jack responded with a nod.

“So yes. I can get you two and your Hoss to the other side. I can tell you two must of just took the train in order to buy a horse.”

“Yes we did. And I must say, she’s worth a steal.” 

Jack smiled at the joke Hellen made secretly for their situation.

The couple lead the mare to the large raft big enough for a covered wagon and a team, and the man guided them through the currents. Hellen left a little uneasy in the stomach as they made the passes, but ignored the small discomfort as they grew closer to the Missouri shores. 

Home.

For the first time in over thirteen years. She was back in her home state