nemesism : the act of expressing frustration as aggression directed inward against oneself.

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Death seemed to loom over the place, a thick feeling enveloping the winds, cold and cruel. The angels of death thriving within the landscapes of Amagi were here to slaughter, the air raid sirens screaming, piercing through the nocturnal monotony of the sky.

An eerie, high-pitched wail cut through the space, signaling an imminent attack. Panic swelled within both Hongjoong and Wooyoung, instantly surging up their veins as they looked at each other in dread and fear, given that it was close to midnight and not a soul lingered within the region.

They wouldn't be able to locate the exact placements of Amagi's planes, which was pure horror.

The sirens wavered distantly, gradually rising and lowering in pitch and volume, creating a mass urgency. Over the hill, the two lads could hear distant cries from their camp, lights flickering and increasing in number as seconds transformed into minutes.

To their utter dismay, they were way too far away to run up there, and at last had no choice other than to run into the woods. Quickly wrapping his fingers around the shorter's wrist, Wooyoung made immediate haste, both sprinting into the dark shadowy thickets.

Having no source of natural light or even artificial illumination made it extremely tough to navigate through the thick marshes and groves, branches and leaves hanging low, slapping upon their faces with mud splashing all over their army boots.

Despite the uneven circumstances, they ran forward, even though their directions were quite random. They desperately hoped to find a shelter, or atleast, some space within any sort of rubble or ruination, which the city bore in abundance.

But to think it through, it was quite tough to find one, since they were currently in pitch black, with no source of luminosity to aid their way.

Soon they heard the clear sounds of a warplane, the signature signal of the deep, thunderous roar of its engines. It reverberated across the area, indicating that they were close to ground, which instantly meant that the two boys needed to find a shelter as sound as possible before they were within the closest vicinity of the attacks.

As they ran deeper into the forest, having no idea where they were, they realized how thicker their path was turning into, mud and bushes densing and so was the darkness.

This was getting scary now.

Breathing hard, chest tightening and mind lost in a daze of confusion, Hongjoong grabbed Wooyoung's arm tightly, almost hurting him, "Wooyoung, we cannot run any further," he panted, "I believe we are running into a swamp-" he struggled to take in deeper breaths, sweat damping his forehead, a few cascading down his temples and neck, parts of his clothings already drenched in his perspiration.

"H-Hongjoong!" the other cried, widening his eyes in horror, "We cannot stop. We have to keep running," he shook his arm with a violent force, making Hongjoong's grip on his sleeve loosen as he hastily pulled him and continued, "Who cares if there's a swamp? If you want to see the light of tomorrow, then keep running."

There was harshness in his voice, mingled with suppressed yet prominent tinges of panic. Hongjoong didn't know how to reply to that, his own heart palpitating faster at the realisation of the horrors that the other had mentioned earlier.

Keeping his lips pressed and shaking his head in agreement to the Lieutenant's words, they began sprinting down the path once again.

"W-Wooyoung! We might get trapped in the mud- slow down-" Hongjoong cried, trying to reason out with the other while observing the upcoming situation.

But Wooyoung did not listen to his words, owing to his panicked state. He continued stomping through the mud and slush, his brows creasing and facial features scrunching due to slight pain as his companion's warnings finally hit him, the path now becoming increasingly difficult to walk through.

The mud waters soaked into their clothes, causing their uniforms to get wet and heavy, sweat contributing to some extent as well. Limbs aching and his respiratory passages lack of breath, Hongjoong could feel his body crumble.

He was reluctant to proceed further.

With a finally attempt, Hongjoong caught hold of Wooyoung's arm and spoke, his voice barely in whispers, "P-Please Woo. T-There's no shelter out here and we c-can't even see where we are g-going. It's pitch black all around, lets go back-" there was extreme desperation in Hongjoong's urges that edged Wooyoung, the Lieutenant now realising the plight of the situation even though he knew not where they could go and reach safety.

His lips trembled as adrenaline rushed through his veins, unable to think clearly. But truthfully, there wasn't a longer point to walk in this muddy swamp. They were lost within the thickets, without any hopes of finding shelters from the blasts.

Moreover, their knowledge about this particular forest was not too keen, so if there were any kinds of venomous reptiles or carnivores lurking around, they had no ways to defend or protect themselves.

Wooyoung looked around frantically, his gaze travelling further through the tree trunks. He squinted his eyes, narrowing his vision and finally, spotted a faint glimmer. It truly indicated the fact that they weren't that deep into the woods, which made the boy heave a short sigh of relief.

Without any word, he grabbed Hongjoong and dragged him along, jogging down the path. The latter was confused but after realising that all his queries were being ignored by the former, he chose to keep quiet and follow his steps.

They moved up, feeling the ground beneath getting lense denser, vegetation slipping away from the sole of their shoes. There was a ditch nearby and they had to go through it in order to reach the other side.

It felt slippery, the amount of mud increasing and soon, they formulated the thought that getting on their hands and knees as aids for mobility would be comparatively better.

The thought was immediately put into action as they crawled into the narrow pathway of the ditch.

"You see that light?" Wooyoung's voice came in a whisper, "Seems like a shelter. We must reach there," his suggestion sank within the other as they continued using their arms and legs to move forward, mud splashing all over their clothings.

Finally, with a lot of effort, they were out of the ditch. Once again, they had no idea where they were, but soon realised that they were standing by some sort of a pavement, which clearly meant that they were on a road.

A rural route, covered in mud and dirt, nothing different that their current state.

Hongjoong and Wooyoung panted heavily, trying to catch a breather, the rumble of the warplanes becoming increasingly loud. They looked around, standing for a while, thoughts in a disarray, destiny unsettled. Hongjoong looked at his companion, the latter lost in his own train of thoughts. He seemed like he was thinking of an idea and soon, turned to face Hongjoong.

But before he could say a word, an unexpected event took place.

A blast. A loud deafening sound echoed throughout the place, piercing the air without any mercy. A thunderous boom following sooner, shaking the ground beneath, and a dazzling spark of light, brightening up the place akin to daylight for a span of seconds. A thousand masses of debris and light aerosols occupied the midnight air, the explosion being not too far from where the two lost soldiers stood.

"Hongjoong! Quick! We need to-" Wooyoung cried, not completing his sentence as he sprinted down the path, running straight towards the place with the dim flicker of light that he had spotted earlier from the woods.

Hearts pounding within their chest, the sounds clear in their ears, they kept running, gradually getting closer to the light. A faint ray of hope invaded their thoughts, a subtle sense of relief when suddenly, Hongjoong noticed the dim lights of a warplane fly right over the lighted spot.

His eyes wided in horror.

With a high-pitched whine echoing within the region non stop, the jet was nearing to dive in for the strike. Hongjoong sensed the plight of the situation and was about to warn the running boy in front of him but before he could stop Wooyoung, the building with the light exploded, the boom sabotaging their ear drums, the sound of concerte shattering and the lingering rumble seeming extreme, huge flames of fire lighting up the place, the once spec of luminosity providing a sense of safety to the two now morphed into a dangerous and gruesome scene.

The impact was tremendous and being so close to the blast, the sheer force of the wave threw the two boys several paces away, falling on their backs. The debris flung all around, some dropping on the ground and some right upon their bodies.

Hongjoong landed on a safe side, mild scratches and light muscle injuries inflicted on him. Yet, his brain felt foggy, his breathing ragged and heartbeats erratic. As time went by and he still struggled to hear the surroundings properly owing to previous blast, he slowly got up from the ground and looked around in the dark, his vision weavering as his head pounded more and more, including the several injuries which were now aching and creating further pain.

"Wooyoung," he muttered, staggering forward, the darkness not helping him in his search. A sudden wave of fear hit him as he couldn't find his friend around. He blinked several times, trying his best to deal with his pains while calling out for the other soldier, his voice getting louder yet quivering underneath a strong sense of dread.

"Wooyoung!" he cried again, looking deeper at the ground that was around when finally, he found him and quickly reached by his side. Wooyoung lay limp on the ground, unconsciousness, no sense of movement from his body. Hongjoong immediately grabbed him and placed his body in his arms, shaking him several times in order to wake him up.

But, to no avail.

"Wooyoung! Please! Wake up!" he cried, suddenly feeling a strange sense of warmth upon his pants. He placed his hands beneath Wooyoung's head and upon realising the source of the warmth, he brought his palm forward and took a closer look at the surface.

He gasped in horror.

Blood.

The back of Wooyoung's head was severely injured, a palour of black soot covering his face, making him almost unrecognizable.

"W-Wooyoung," Hongjoong whispered close to him, his voice getting choked with tears, his mind still in a daze from all the earlier impacts.

"I'll save you Woo," he mumbled, quickly securing his grip around his abdomen and legs and lifting him up from the pavement. The blood from the back of his head dripped upon Hongjoong's attires, some coloring the pavement as well. Hongjoong couldn't afford to waste any more minute, the deadweight of Wooyoung already making him feel numb, his entire form shivering in dread, fear and severe worry.

He had to find immediate help, no matter what.

As he walked forward, his body felt numb and tingly, barely able to make out anything in the pitch black. His steps were uncoordinated, his mind empty, his body aching and his emotions smashed. The weight of his unconscious companion made him feel terrible, any thought crossing his mind at that time instantly indicating negation even if he tried not to think that way.

There was nothing around and Hongjoong felt extremely helpless. With tears streaming down his eyes and lips muttering incoherent words, he continued to stumble down the path, still not knowing where to go.

Just when he was about to fall from an improper balance, Hongjoong felt a hand grab Wooyoung, the contact prominent upon his own hands which made him shiver and utter a cry of surprise.

"Don't worry," a voice too close to him spoke, providing assurance, "I've got you."

"No!" Hongjoong immediately protested, "H-How will-"

"Trust me, I mean no harm," the voice spoke again, raspy and low but bearing a sense of softness and truth, showcasing the fact that their intentions weren't anything bad.

Hongjoong did not know what to do, and even though he was reluctant, he chose to give in. He didn't have the strength to question further and therefore, allowed the anonymous helper to carry Wooyoung, him following close behind.

They walked towards the ruins of a long abandoned building close by, carefully stepping through the debris and finally entering the place through an entrance whose coverage was still intact. The stranger set Wooyoung's body down and laid him gently against the wall, with Hongjoong instantly dropping to the floor by his side.

With his eyes partly closed, he watched the mysterious man walk up to the heavy door and close it, the sound of it closing reverberating throughout the place, empty darkness filling the region within.

The muffling sound of airstrikes outdoors added a disturbing feeling, the ruins of the structure they were currently underneath shaking under its effect. The stranger pulled out a box from the depths of his coat and struck a match, lightning a nearby candle. He knelt down upon the floor, bringing it close to Wooyoung and placed it beside him but at a safe distance.

The small glow and the mere sense of warmth glistening upon the surroundings made Hongjoong feel slightly relaxed. He watched the man examine Wooyoung's injury with utmost care, his head resting on his lap, the stranger taking in every detail with keen attention.

"Is he okay?" Hongjoong's voice was unstable, his gaze never leaving the numb body of his friend. He slowly raised a finger, sluggishly pointing towards Wooyoung. The stranger sighed as he looked back at the unconscious boy, touching the back of head, the blood layering his fingertips. He looked at it for moment before wiping it off on his pants.

"His breath is extremely low but he's still in a daze, almost unconsciousness," the stranger stated, "He suffered a head injury and even though it seems something not too serious, he needs proper examination. Lack of medical care might result in fatal conditions and force him to slip into a state of coma."

The words pierced through Hongjoong's ears, the effect causing tears to prick his eyes, "W-Will he s-survive untill the morning?" he mumbled, praying for a positive response.

"Only if the heavens allow," the stranger breathed, "Until now, we must wait for the strike to end. Its far too dangerous to look for a hospital now. The raid has just begun. All we can do now is to sit tight and pray. But let me try something."

The man gripped a portion of his clothing and tore a piece off, his lower stomach now being revealed.

He tightly wrapped it around Wooyoung's head, tying it in place and examining it further, "This should help to pause the bleeding for now," he laid the boy on the ground, and once he was laying still, the stranger grabbed some pieces of fabric from nearby, bundled them up and placed it beneath the injured's head like a pillow.

"Now, let me examine you," he declared as he walked up to Hongjoong, the latter in a state of daze, close to pass out any moment.

Fingers hovered around his head, face and other parts of his body. "Mild head injuries and scratches included, seems like you hurt your muscles too eh?"

The listener responded with a meek 'hm'.
Due to the absence of sufficient light, Hongjoong could not see anything of the stranger's features. But he was curious. The wounded soldier slowly raised his gaze to meet that of the stranger's while taking in deep breaths through his mouth.

"You- Who-Who are you?" he asked, barely in a whisper.

"Your savior," came the reply and Hongjoong could swear that it sounded harsh. The weak flame of the candle revealed a covered face, no feature in display. The stranger noticed his ragged military uniform, eyes lingering therein for a moment as he pulled lightly at the fabric.

"What are two soldiers doing outdoors, that too, this late at night?' he questioned and Hongjoong remained silent.

He couldn't answer.

A tingling sensation travelled up his head, the pain increasing, compelling him to press a hand on the side of his head and massage it, as if to ease the pain.

Thinking was always exhausting and now, it was painful as well.
"You are have a concussion, mild yes but effective," the stranger added as he noticed the other's actions, "Stay awake, you understand? And don't think too much. It'll only make it worse. You'll have wait till the morning for treatment."

Hongjoong nodded in reply, not wanting to contribute much in the conversation, "It's going to a very long night," he heard the stranger mumble, "But we'll be safe here."

"Wh-What's your name?" Hongjoong whispered the question, feeling the need to participate in the conversation in order to remain awake. He leaned his head against the cold concrete wall, his vision lingering upon the stranger who sat at a distance neither too far and nor too close.

"It's not important here, you'll never see me again after this," the reply had prominent harshness within, making the listener flinch slightly, "Get settled and stop thinking too much," the stranger ordered, his voice heavy and carrying a baritone undertone.

"H-How old are you?" Hongjoong questioned again, determined to know atleast something about his savior.

The man looked towards his direction for a moment and then sighed.

"Twenty three," was his short reply.
Hongjoong managed to crack a small smile, "I-I'm twenty three as well."

Silence fell once again, that being their final conversation for the night. It could have been a serene region, other than the sound of their heartbeats, complete with the low rumbling of booming striking through the nocturnal black, their sources being the continuous airstrikes.

Soon the distant cries of the inhabitants around were heard, each scream ringing in Hongjoong's ears and making spontaneous pulses of ache shoot up his head, including the twisting pain brewing within his chest.

Hongjoong had no idea about how long they would be there. The stranger was completely silent, every now and then relighting the candle, once replacing the burnt out with a new one. He had not spoke a word since their last interaction.

As his gaze travelled to look out of an old window that was boarded up, observing the night sky occasionally lightning up owing to the distant blast, everything felt surreal to Hongjoong, as if the world now moved in a slow motion, staggering at steps and not fluent.

He didn't know exactly when but after what seemed like several hours, the rumblings had almost died down and once again, the tranquility of the night had been restored.

* * *

Sunlight blossomed within the old building, catching Hongjoong's attention, his drooping eyelids slowly opening to focus on the daylight. The shine revealed the building's grotesque stance, paint peeling off the walls, several regions broken and bricks coming into view, bunches of wild ivy growing in the very corners, the floors filled with dust and debris.

A generous amount of light filtered through the cracks in the walls, casting eerie shadows here and there as the early morning shone over the decay of the outside world.

Finally! It's morning.

Hongjoong's symptoms had been slightly eased, compared to what it was a few hours ago. The pain hadn't subsided entirely, but now he had clearer consciousness and therefore, he lightly presumed that might not require professional's help. His senses were slowly returning, as he picked up a distant smell of mildew and rot. Though his body was undeniably stiff from having remained in the very tight position all night, he felt a lot better presently.

The stranger looked over at Hongjoong, the former now sitting upright upon the dusty ground. The light revealed his dirty hands and all the filth across his body, the quality of his clothings extremely poor, his entire form showing weariness.

Even though his facial features weren't displayed well, Hongjoong could finally look at his true self in rich colors.

"It is morning. I'm sure the troops are looking for you and your soldier friend," he commented in a low voice, "Therefore, I must leave now," he got up from the floor, his knees popping at it. Without looking back, he walked towards the door but just as he was about to open it, he heard a voice behind.

"W-Wait- Allow me to thank you," Hongjoong urged, struggling to get up on his feet, his knees wobbling. As he stood straight, his body stretched under the impact, the ache within his limbs still prominent. Even in that state, he limped over to the man and gave him a proper bow, a sign of respect and deep gratitude for whatever the latter had done for them throughout the perilous night.

You don't need to thank me. I was just doing the right thing," the man replied, opening the door and walking out of it, leaving it partially open. Hongjoong looked at the direction towards which the anonymous youth walked, slowly fading into the distance and then completely disappearing. Everything about the man left Hongjoong in a confused daze. A sudden help, a safety providence, and a thorough check up complete with genuine care.

Who is this man?

Hongjoong sighed, and looked behind his shoulder towards the slouched body of Wooyoung. The ripped piece of shirt from the stranger had stopped the bleeding, and Hongjoong was glad about it. Though he himself was not in any great position, he somehow managed to limp over to Wooyoung and sit by his side, eyes scanning the latter's pale face, a strong sense of fear and worry engulfing him.

He knew, he had to carry him out of this place no matter how weak he himself was.

It was his duty, towards his companion.

And he wouldn't fail.

Hongjoong grunted as he pulled Wooyoung up, putting his arm around him, his uniforms stained with dried blood, which added more to the filth that was already all over his clothings. He picked him up with a great effort, his own limbs on the verge of cracking, as he finally got a stable hold of his balance and walked forward towards the open door.

Limping away from the abandoned building which now looked like some ancient church under the morning rays, Hongjoong desperately strived to keep his paces stable. He knew, the scene that he would see further would make his stomach churn in the most violent ways, almost regurgitating.

The remains and ruins from the destruction that prevailed the night earlier.

The prominent smell of rot hit his nostrils first, the ground no longer bearing its soft brown shade but now, it was heavily pigmented with the color of blood seeping into nearly everything, dismantled corpses spread all around, guts and organs splattered everywhere, swarms of flies buzzing and swarming around them, feasting on the remains.

The sight made Hongjoong sick.

This was the blood bath of war, the slaughter of the innocents, dying simply because they had been birthed in such a place. A deep sense of sorrow mingled with extreme wrath swirled within Hongjoong as he slowly walked through the plethora of the countless dead, his friend laying motionless in his arms, flies and other insects eating their cold flesh away.

Amidst the conflict of his emotions, Hongjoong faintly sensed that they were somewhere familiar. They were currently at a spot in the outskirts of the main town, the region being quote close to their camp, separated by thick forests and marshes on the other side wherein they got lost the previous night.

The town close by was small, having a few churches, small medical centers and stores scattered at places and having huge fields as intermissions that were mostly used for harvesting.

That was the only town which lay extremely close to the border, and it once had a well reputation of being the main factory town and having the only railways that connected most of Icarus and travel across the border to Amagi but now they had been closed. However, this town has long fallen from its past glories, due to over thirteen years of war which made it lose almost every aspect of its ever growing legacy.

The outskirts smelled horrible, everything in utter dismay and down the street, Hongjoong could hear the loud sobs, one quite distinct, screams of a woman, shaking the body of perhaps someone close to her, cursing the gods above for the repercussions of sins they had never commited. The voices and calls detached Hongjoong from the surroundings for a moment and the heaviness of a deep sorrow and immense regret filled his heart.

Soon he heard the march of troops, shouting and calling out names. Hongjoong shuddered, visibly panicking, as he tightened his grip around Wooyoung. He knew he would get punished by General San for their lack of obedience, but nonetheless, they needed medical attention, especially Wooyoung.

Limping over while following the loud calls of the men, Hongjoong immediately realized they had been yelling for them.

"Hongjoong!"

"Wooyoung!"

His pace grew faster as he staggered down the pathway to finally meet the clan as they rushed towards them. The first thing that met Hongjoong's gaze were the stern glares from General Choi San, but once his vision fell on the unconscious body of Wooyoung, his gaze immediately morphed into something between soft and worrying.

"Over here!" General San pointed at them, several officers running towards the two.

"What happened to him?" General San demanded an instant reply, his voice loud and clear, making the other soldier tremble in fear.

"We- We got caught in a blast." Hongjoong muttered, his head bowed low. Quickly, arrangements for a stretch bed was made as two men swiftly grabbed the boy away from Hongjoong's grasp, almost pushing him out of the way, and placed him upon the bed. Hongjoong's eyes were reluctant to leave the sight of Wooyoung being carried away, a strong feeling of guilt gnawing at him from within.

Everybody went silent, exchanging glances and occasional whispers. Amidst the pandemonium, what caught General's Choi San attention was the merciless bloodbath that was behind Hongjoong, the long stretches of empty fields now layered in blood, his eyes widening, lower lips trembling, fury burning within his eyes.

He slowly took off his cap and placed it on his chest as a sign of respect for the gone. The rest of the troop stood still, a silent prayer in their minds. Hongjoong could only do the same, standing still and still gasping for breath.

"Men," General San spoke in a solemn voice, "Look around, for the reason of our fight. Look what those barbians did." his voice bore grief, a sense of emptiness growing within.

"They slaughter our people!" he yelled, his voice echoing within the void.

"We must fight. Our Supreme Leader wants us to fight, to avenge these innocents," he cried again, "We must prepare for revenge."

The troop cried back in response, their voice together creating a resonance that hovered in the air for a while and once again, it was all silent.

General San's gaze travelled back to the fields of the dead, silence prevailing within. No one spoke further, everyone's attention etched upon the region before them, reminiscing whatever had happened a few hours earlier.

A wind blew, the sunshine diminishing as clouds veiled its glory. It wouldn't rain, they weren't rain clouds. But, their presence added further gloom to the situation, making it a poignant view of the immense loss that Icarus suffered the night before.

Hongjoong felt a deep sense of pain within himself, something that he probably had never felt before. An increasing ache twisting within his chest, eyes brimming with tears, his vision gradually dilating. His tears were for the people, for the liberty of the innocents and for their justice, the sacrifices that they made, that which must not be forgotten.

Hongjoong could've easily been of those cadavers, including his comrades or his bosom friend Wooyoung. While watching the scene before, he felt slightly grateful as well as a strong urge to fight for the deceased and to strive to bring forth an everlasting peace.

A new sense of rage bloomed in the hearts of men, realizing how precious life truly is and how they must protect it. Soon, they left for work, a heap of tasks left to be executed.

Tomorrow would be the start of a new change.

Tomorrow would be start of new haven, where the future would lie in their hands instead of their oppressors for once and for all.

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Thoughts?