Ying

Stop it, Ying. Now is not the time for you to cry! You have to save them. You have to be strong! Remember what you have promised to yourself in the cellar.

I shout loudly at my arising emotions, hoping to control my wellbeing with my rationality. All the decisions I make result in our lives. And I can't let anything worse happen to all of us. I swear!

Taking a deep breath, I step into the lab room and lock the door with my access card. Following my action, a rattling sound can be heard as my sister's cage door opens. She stomps out of the cage with all fours, hissing and growling as she heads towards me. The hem of her torn robe touches the ground as she continues her pace.

Not long after, the exam question appears on the screen.

__________________________________

BY USING THE CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES PREPARED

IN THE LAB, CREATE A SERUM TO UN-SAVAGE THE

EFRET BEFORE THE LAB ROOM IS DESTROYED.

__________________________________

I lead out a startled gasp as Ping smashes her claw onto the roof, leading some of the lights to shimmer and explode. "I know you are desperate for the serum, but please wait for me, Ping." I utter with the hope that my words can calm my sister, which is a little bit naive and silly.

The audience seat is full of laughter right after what I've just said.

"Focus, Ying!" I pull myself back to the situation before looking for suitable chemicals to mix. The shimmering lights are increasing the hardness of this exam. I am now certain that Dr. Kim is trying to kill us through my failure onstage. My rapid heartbeat is uncontrollable, yet I keep reminding myself that I can't fail.

To deal with my sister's current state, my brain eventually tells me to make a large amount of liquid magnesium and a few doses of tranquilliser. However, the former only works when it is consumed instead of injected. Hence, I'm planning to borrow Jimin's strength to force the liquid into Ping's mouth.

Another hard smash has landed on the lab room. This time, Ping punches with all her might on the glass shield, causing it to crack. She tilts her head as we make eye contact. Her action slows down as if her real self is taking control. However, the collar surrounding her neck begins to emit electricity and I can see her struggle with the pain. She tries to destroy the collar but fails. The voltage seems to increase upon her actions, causing an aversive experience on her.

"You may unlock Jimin's cage when necessary, Ying," reminds Dr. Kim with her walkie talkie. Her neutral yet strict voice passes through my earphones. "The button is on your right side. Look up, and you'll see it." I follow her instructions, and there is really a button installed within my reach. Thank god.

"Please help us, Jimin." I pray with a whisper before pressing it. As promised, the cage that holds Jimin captive is unlocked. Jimin, on the other hand, seems to have suppressed his savage self quite successfully. He sends me a short glance of appreciation before charging towards Ping.

This is your chance now, Ying. No failure is allowed!

***

Jimin

Pain, anger, unfairness, hurt.

Pain, due to how the prohibited serum was injected forcefully into my system. Anger triggers due to the pain. Why does such an unfortunate thing keep happening to me? And why Ping? Why her?

I feel like a failure for being her second protector. Since Beomgyu's demise, I've been trying my best to keep her safe from the Red Woods.Yet, seeing Ping in such a state breaks my heart into pieces. The pain of being electrocuted also runs rapidly in my nerves. Physically, it's awful but bearable at this point.

It's not your fault, Jimin. The Queen's voice echoes in my ear, saving me again from losing myself. You have done a good job in becoming Faerie again. My dear Ren spared your life for a reason. You are a survivor, a fighter. That's why I hereby command you to save the sisters. I believe they are precious to both of us, and I can't bear seeing them in danger. This isn't Ren who is speaking. It's his dead sister, Queen Faelyn.

My attention focuses on Ping, who is banging her collar hard onto the lab. As you wish, My Queen. My determination hits as I pounce onto Ping and pin her onto the ground. She growls like an angry wild cat as she struggles. Her sharp teeth are protruded from her gums while her large wings begin to flap. "It's me, Jimin! Wake up!"

She continues to struggle and nudge her head from left to right. Soon, Ping grits her teeth as she speaks in a threatening manner, "Off!" My heart skips a beat as one of her hands is free. "I said OFF!!" Her eyes change from bright to hot pink. The scent of her essence lingers all over the place, driving me dizzy and crazy.

Suddenly, I can feel a hot sensation brushing past the left side of my neck as Ping scratches me so hard with her free hand. Before I can even react, she sends another forceful kick onto my abdomen, leading me to land on my back. "Ouch!" My fingertips are painted pink when I wipe off the blood from my wound. The liquid stains the floor when I brace myself with my hands.

Pink. It reminds me of the time when my blood was mixed with the insam soup. I was trying to bring Ping back from her savageness. The colour reminds me again to protect her well, and now is the golden time. No failure is allowed.

"I don't wanna hurt you!" I shout at her when she casts me more attacks with her ugly wings. A lot of tiny flesh-eating pixies appear from her wings. I've thought the tiny creatures may hurt the audience as I can hear terrified screams and exclamations from downstage. Yet, the tiny Faeries are stuck by an invisible dorm surrounded the stage, which prevents them from hurting anyone but us.

Please help us, milady.

I beg with the hope that the Queen can lend us a hand. But there's no response. It must be the shield that has blocked our communication. I have no choice, but to start imagining the weapon that can kill the vicious pixies. I think of a shield at first. Eventually, they are stuck all over my invisible shield, biting at it. Their screeches are making me nauseous. My vision starts to lace with my pre-unicorn colours - magenta, rose pink and bright yellow ever since I've started using my ability.

My heart punches against my chest so hard until I think I might explode soon. "Please don't make me, Ping!" I threaten defensively when I imagine myself holding a flamethrower. Yes, this weapon will surely wipe the whole swarm away. Indeed, just as the shield is broken, my flamethrower is ready. I let the fire shower the attacking Faeries as a winning smirk forms on my face.

No. No, Jimin. I speak to myself. You're going to turn savage if you don't stop. But the feeling is so good. So powerful. So, so addictive. I think I'm not going to hold back. I just love to slaughter and enjoy the kill.

***

Faelyn

As if she has noticed what my mind is thinking, Heesun creates a shield around the stage before the Faeries begin their fight. Good news is none of us sitting down here will get injured, but the bad news is - all inner talk communication is disabled between Park Jimin and I.

I can't hear his next thoughts, his pleas... I watch as he takes his last glance at me, when I do not make a response or reply, he turns back to his opponent. The efret whom he's destined to protect, is now his opponent. I've understood the surprise that Heesun means. She wants me to watch how the former Head Biologist's daughters die in front of me by accident. I understand the fact that she's trying to make me happy, but it doesn't simply work if the solution involves revenge.

Park Jimin is starting to lose himself. His eyes are the mixture of his pre-savage colours. My Faeries' form is the truest and strongest when their eyes are laced with more than three colours. They can emit so much energy with that form, yet if they can't control their savage sides well, they'll get themselves killed or lose their sanity forever. They'll live on like a heartless killing machine, in which I, as a Faerie Queen, will have to do my job to maintain the peace.

Such a failure, my sister. It's Ren. His voice rings in my pointed ears. You shan't continue spectating what is currently going on, Faelyn. But, I have done as much as I can. That's why your soul has to stay with me. You're weak.

Ren is going to take charge.

My hair colour is changing, and I can't control my hands. My vision turns blurry until everything I can see is black. Please save them, Ren. I'm begging you. Soon, I regain the stage view as Ren allows me to continue watching the ongoing scene.

As you wish, my sister.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ ɴᴇxᴛ?

ᴀ ǫᴜᴇᴇɴ ʀᴇɴ ᴋɪʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴs ᴀɴᴅ sᴀᴠᴇ ᴀʟʟ ғᴀᴇʀɪᴇs ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀʙ.

ʙ ᴊɪᴍɪɴ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀs ʜɪs ᴛʀᴜᴇ ғᴏʀᴍ (ᴜɴɪᴄᴏʀɴ) ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏ ʟᴏɴɢᴇʀ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇs ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇғᴇɴᴅ ʜɪᴍsᴇʟғ.

ᴄ ʏɪɴɢ sᴛᴏᴘs ᴛʜᴇ ғɪɢʜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ᴛʀᴀɴǫᴜɪʟɪᴢᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ғᴇᴇᴅs ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪǫᴜɪᴅ ᴍᴀɢɴᴇsɪᴜᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ sʏsᴛᴇᴍs.