MILKY WAY TIME: 5 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS SINCE NAMJOON AND SEHUN WENT MISSING

SEHUN'S TIME: 48.5 HOURS SINCE HE WENT MISSING

Jungkook feels like he's floating.

Stale air sticks to his long, disheveled locks that curtain his battered face. He knows he has cuts and bruises lining every inch of available skin. He grunts and attempts to move, but the dark void he's floating in refuses to let him go.

What bothers him most is the silence. Not a single noise or smell drifts by, which makes him wonder if he's even alive. Is this what comes after life? An endless blackness that goes on forever?

Jungkook darts his eyes around but finds nothing of value. No lights, no noises, no scents. He doesn't even feel anything. Four of his five senses are left blind. The only sense that works is his taste. His tongue picks up on a bitter flavor, and after a beat, Jungkook recognizes it as blood.

Okay, he's bleeding. That means he's probably not dead.

Probably.

Jungkook does a swimming motion, but nothing propels him in any direction. All he can do is wait and hope an answer will come. His senses are useless, his arms are numb, and his head feels fuzzy from the warm liquid dripping down his forehead. Jungkook counts sheep in his head and keeps trying to move to no avail.

Not even a minute later, a small breeze passes by his cheek, and his feet hit solid ground. Rocky ground. He bends his knees and observes the new terrain, but the lack of light makes it impossible to spot where he is.

Jungkook is about to give up when he hears a soft voice in the distance. It's faint but recognizable; it's a deep voice that reminds him of home. That's when his eyes almost burst out of his head.

"Taehyung!" Jungkook calls. His voice echoes through the black space. "Tae! Where are you?!"

Light soars into the vicinity, illuminating what looks to be a cave. Jungkook originally thought it was massive, but the cave is cramped to the point where only five people can fit in it.

The dark rocks have a jagged formation that make it look like a mountain range, and there's shimmering crystals hanging from off the ceiling to light up the space. Jungkook's boot hits a tiny puddle of what he hopes is water, and he sloshes it around to confirm that nothing dangerous is lurking inside.

As soon as he clears the cave, he takes a moment to search for Taehyung, but he's not present. If he is, he's invisible to the eye-

"Hey Kook."

Jungkook whips around in time to see his husband there. He looks exactly like Jungkook remembers. Little bread cheeks, soft eyes, lips with too much chapstick. He has his favorite thick winter overcoat on that's made out of a delicate chestnut-colored fabric, and his feet are covered by Timberland boots. Boots Jungkook gifted him for one of their many anniversaries.

"You've been working so hard," Taehyung whispers as he approaches.

Jungkook's cheeks burn with a glimmering red that changes the lighting from white to a deep scarlet. His hand searches for his pistol, but by the time he can move to his belt, Taehyung is coming closer.

"You're not real," Jungkook says, and Taehyung stalls but keeps a smile on his face.

"I am."

Jungkook staggers back. His voice is a hitch thanks to his tight throat and numb tongue. Without thinking, he fires out his answer. "Taehyung's overcoat is black."

Just like that, Taehyung falters. His smile disappears and his face fades away to reveal a creature like the one he and Namjoon saw before. Its beady eyes glare, and its deformed mouth parts to hiss.

"Your memory says it was brown," it says.

Jungkook grabs his pistol and aims it at the creature's head. "I lied."

One bullet later, the creature falls to the ground with a navy blue liquid pouring out of the steaming hole replacing its brain. The cave blurs, and the next time Jungkook opens his eyes, he finds himself surrounded by a sphere-shaped opening with mirrors covering the rocky terrain. However, he can't identify if it's a mirror or a foreign mineral. He kneels and places his hand on the gravel, which is the only part of the cave without a glassy substance on it, other than the top that's made of a mix of glass and gravel.

There are a few rocks on the floor. He takes one and tosses it at the closest wall.

When nothing happens, he deems it safe to approach. At least, safe enough to gain a few more meters of ground. It's too dark to make out how wide the space is, but his enhancements shine to give him a general idea of where he is. His enhanced hearing can't pick up on any sounds. A suffocating silence contaminates the air that tastes of ash.

Although he feels like a cliche horror movie character, he clears his throat and forces out a meek, "Hello?"

The single word bounces around the dome, but no creatures come. Taehyung doesn't come, either. That gives Jungkook a moment to count his bullets and prepare for the next battle.

Upon closer inspection of himself, he has bruised ribs and blood pouring out of random spots on his body. He isn't sure how he got half of his injuries. It doesn't help that he's trapped in a sphere of mirrors reflecting his battered form. Grime covers his once-tan face that had a honey-like shade; almost as if his skin was always in the golden hour.

Crimson hues originating from his cheeks and eyes echo throughout the chasm and burrow themselves in any open slot they can find. Jungkook clings to the slivers of light he receives from his body. As much as he despises the enhancements, at least they're making themselves useful in his time of need.

Jungkook reloads his weapon and sets his feet. His knees stay loose in case he needs to move fast, and his pupils dart around to devour every sight in his proximity.

The creature he fought wasn't Ziègla. That means there are more monsters like Ziègla waiting out there to play with their minds. Jungkook needs to get back to Namjoon before Ziègla touches a hair on his head.

Bile rises to the back of his throat, and he isn't sure if it's from the surge of unwanted panic he receives or another medical issue. No matter what it is, it'll have to be addressed later.

Jungkook inspects the "room" and finds nothing of note. The mirrors are solid. He thought maybe they were like a fantasy novel, where the main character can waltz through them and end up in a magical universe. Jungkook doesn't have such luck.

He can try digging, but he's working with an unknown time frame-

"You were easier to trick all those years ago," a breathy voice says. Jungkook can't identify the gender, if these creatures even have those types of things.

"I was in my twenties." Jungkook raises his weapon to eye-level and whips around, locating the beady-eyed creature. He places his finger on the trigger. "I'm not so young anymore."

The creature waves him off with one of its clawed hands. "I wouldn't suggest killing me."

It has a giant body, but nowhere near the size of Ziègla. It's at least two feet smaller and slimmer. Along with that, it has navy blue stripes down its thin arms. It has a stray antennae hanging off the side of its boney head.

"If you ever want to see your family again, you need me. You pull that trigger, you're trapped in here forever."

"You're bluffing. You're keeping me in a mental prison. If you die, my cell gets unlocked and I walk free."

The creature makes a 'tsk' sound that makes it appear too human for comfort. "Do you want to test that theory?"

Jungkook's clammy hands almost drop the pistol. He takes his finger off the trigger and slowly slides the weapon back into its holster.

"Is this a test?" Jungkook asks. It feels like a rhetorical question.

"No, no test. Ziègla instructed me to keep you here until he's done with the Kim."

Jungkook plants his feet. Bits of dust spark off the sides of his boots as his eyes bulge and his posture stiffens. His mouth falls open to speak, but the only thing that comes out is a pathetic whimper of a response.

"What the fuck is that thing doing with Namjoon?"

The creature shoots out its long, snake-like tongue and laps it around the corners of what it calls a mouth. When the tongue returns, it makes a sound that resembles a human sigh. It's almost as though the monster before him is a personification of what the crew has noticed about this world: multiple things spliced together. It has the body of a praying mantis, the eyes of a fly, the tongue of a snake, the colors of a vibrant parrot, and the list goes on and on.

"Ziègla has no intention of harming him, you have my word. We need him if we are to continue our plan. The voice of Park Jimin's son would work wonders for our cause. Everyone would listen to him, maybe even you."

Jungkook rolls his eyes. "Let's try this again: give me one good reason I shouldn't shoot you." He already decided the creature needed to die the second it showed up; however, killing it so fast deprives Jungkook of answers. Yes, the creature is "distracting" Jungkook, but seeing as Jungkook doesn't know how to get out of the cave, his best chance is keeping it alive for now.

"Again: do you know the way out?"

At Jungkook's lack of an answer, the creature makes another tsk noise. It sits back and doesn't speak again, which leaves Jungkook to attempt to find a way out. With his gun by his side, he scours every inch of the cave, but there are no openings, not even above him where he came in.

Frustration nibbles on his veins as if they are a sour candy, and he plops down in the middle of it all. The ground is moist, but there are no sources of water. He rubs his free hand on the terrain beneath him. It doesn't feel as rocky as he initially thought. It's almost soft.

Like it's mud.

"Can you at least explain how I fell down here but there's no hole back up?" Jungkook asks.

The creature nods. "Time works differently here. In the time you were against the ground, recovering from your fall, I sealed it back up with the same substance you're sitting in. You are welcome to try to dig your way out."

Jungkook freezes. "How did you..."

The creature taps the side of its head. "I read minds, remember? You're thinking about how soft the ground is despite how it looks. You're thinking you can shoot me and climb your way out by poking at the ceiling and hoping something works."

"Well, would something work?"

The creature does what Jungkook imagines is its version of a shrug. "Perhaps. I am not your species, I do not know how well you can climb, or if you can even reach the top well enough to dig."

Digging upwards doesn't sound like a good idea, but Jungkook's out of options. He stands and sees no purpose in shooting the entity. After all, it isn't hurting him. If he's remembering his time in the Ring correctly, he only got hurt because he attacked first. He attacked Ziègla, which inflicted harm on him. Seeing as this is a more fucked-up version of the Ring, he's willing to bet it's the same here.

"You're correct," the creature says.

Jungkook grumbles a curse. "I'm gonna think about fucking my husband just to make you uncomfortable."

"We have no concept of embarrassment as we are a much higher species than your primitive humankind. But go ahead, do give yourself a distracting rush of blood to your reproductive parts. I would love to see you try to escape like that."

Jungkook huffs and gets up. He's tall enough to skim his fingers by the top of the cave, but he isn't sure if he's tall enough to dig. That gives him one option: use his enhancements to speed up his movements and bang his gun against the muddy top until it falls. It isn't a foolproof plan considering he isn't sure how long it will take or which part of the ceiling the creature sealed up.

Ignoring his doubts, Jungkook uses the butt of his pistol as a sledgehammer. He jumps up and rams it against the top. Nothing. He moves over and tries again. Nothing. He moves over and tries for a third time. Nothing.

Jungkook narrows his eyes and observes the way the top of the cave appears. There are tiny cracks along the rocks, and as soon as Jungkook finds the most uneven one, he lights up and steps toward it. Before he can attack, the creature makes an 'ahem' sound.

"Jeon Jungkook," it says in a low tone. For a moment, it sounds remorseful. Jungkook doesn't bother turning around to gaze at it. "You've been a soldier your entire life. Experimented on, tortured, given a death sentence for no proper reason... yet you persevere. From what I can tell, you're wise. I hope that means you know we want Namjoon to join us."

Jungkook rubs his lips together. "I know."

"And if he chooses to, you need to let him."

Jungkook sucks in a breath between his teeth. Taehyung always said Jungkook's front teeth made him look like a cute, innocent bunny. Jungkook always disagreed. At least until now.

"I know," he says, slowly, as if trying it on. He spits on the ground, and the echo of the words come out. "I won't harm your kind as long as they don't harm my friends."

"I hope that is true, Executive Jeon."

Jungkook can't wait any longer: he hops up and slams his pistol against the crack. It shatters, and an opening is revealed. Jungkook doesn't have climbing tools, but he's practically carrying an arsenal. He checks his utility belt and finds extra ammo, grenades, and even two daggers.

After holstering his weapon, Jungkook grabs the daggers and jumps up. He buries the blades into the dirt on the side of the hole. He manages to hoist himself up thanks to the strength his enhancements provide him. As soon as he's inside, the creature comes over and begins packing up the hole again. Well, so much for going back down. Not that Jungkook wanted to, but if this ends up being a dead end, he'll have to break his way through the seal again.

Using the blades and his strength, Jungkook climbs. With every step, he hears more. The faint whispers become conversations, and he recognizes Namjoon's voice. The other creature, Ziègla, is there too, but its voice is much harder to make out. Jungkook opts to focus on climbing and worry about gathering intel later.

By the time he reaches the top of the hole, the conversation is as clear as his eyesight. He hops out and puts his blades back in favor of his pistol. When the adrenaline from climbing fades away in favor of analyzing his surroundings, the entire ever-changing ecosystem of the Ring seems to come to a halt.

Ziègla is hurting Namjoon.

Namjoon is on the ground and groaning in pain, almost as if he's trying to stop himself from screaming. Ziègla is on top of him with all its legs holding him down. For a moment, it seems as though Namjoon's getting his soul sucked out of him, but upon closer inspection, Jungkook realizes he's getting crushed.

Jungkook has the element of surprise since it seems Ziègla is out of it. It has its head tilted back and its eyes shut. Jungkook doesn't know what killing it will do, so he chooses to clear his throat.

"No!" he shouts, which snaps Ziègla out of whatever it was doing. Ziègla jumps closer to Jungkook, which gives Namjoon the chance he needs to roll out from under it.

"Excuse me?" Ziègla asks with a snarl. It flares up and looks as though it's about to enter battle mode.

Jungkook clicks off the safety of his pistol. "I don't fear death, and I sure as hell don't fear you."

Bullets fly. They spark free from Jungkook's pistol and land in the side of Ziègla's flesh. It howls and scatters. Its insect-like legs squirm as it rushes to flee the scene. As soon as Jungkook stomps forward to get a better shot, Ziègla cowers away. It leaps, exiting the cave in a hurry. It doesn't bother looking back.

Jungkook rushes to Namjoon's side. Although he has blood coming out of his arms, he otherwise seems okay. Jungkook helps him to his feet and pats his back.

"I just..." Namjoon trails off and coughs. "Jungkook, what's happening to me? Why did it do that to me?"

"Do what?" Jungkook asks, wrapping his arm around Namjoon to steady him.

"It showed me all of Kim Namjoon's memories. It was like... it was trying to merge me to be Kim Namjoon."

Jungkook doesn't bother asking for more information. The others could be in danger, and they've been there for too long. He doesn't want to know how much time has passed. Instead, he leads Namjoon out in time to see monsters waiting for him. They're the same monsters Jungkook ran past in order to find Namjoon in the first place.

They're dog-like creatures with arched backs and spikes littering their skin. Drooling, open jaws reveal a set of sharp, shark-like teeth. They have glowing green eyes that contrast their black fur with patches of gray stripes running along their four legs. They're not large, but they have sharp enough claws and teeth to make Jungkook worry.

Jungkook murmurs to himself, counting. There's only six, but he isn't sure if wasting ammo here is a good idea when Ziègla is out there, not to mention they don't know what creatures await them. If he can take the dogs with his knives, that would be infinitely better.

"Have I ever told you I hate this place?" Namjoon asks in a pant.

Jungkook sighs as he raises his pistol in one hand and holds a knife in the other. He spits out more blood and sets his feet as the monsters prepare to attack.

"Yeah, kid. I hate this place too."

~~~

A/N: There aren't too many chapters left, so buckle in, we're in the endgame now!