The next day Taehyung had not waited for the park family to wake up. He left the house early in the morning packed with a meal, sword and his royal knight wear. He felt like he could use the extra protection today. And he also felt he will not come back before dinner today either.

"this guy is so hard to find..." he said to himself.  He had a plan. He was going to follow him, if this jungkook got anything to do with the disappearance then he will lead him right to it.

But he had already spent an hour trying to figure out where he was staying. He assumed it was somewhere here. But not a single home had a sign that he might be there.

Well, not a sign. But he found something even better. There was the inn, a light always burning inside. And through the door came a very on guard Jungkook(?)  he looked left and right before walking off towards the big central plaza of the city.

"so that's where you're hiding..." Taehyung muttered to himself and silently followed after him. He had to get him by surprise. It was his best shot at getting the upper hand. So far it seems that the wizard was going to follow this road so the Prince tried to pull a smart move andenter the street next to it and run ahead.

From the next alley corner he could hear Jungkook(?)'s footsteps. He pressed his back against the wall and took deep breaths. "calm calm..You got this, think of Jungkook..." he whispered, trying to not freak out and run away in fear. It wasn't like he wasn't scared to get absolutely destroyed by some magic. He was frightened for his life right now. But he should be strong. At least pretend he was. Jungkook would have done the same. He would have been proud....

Time was up.

Jungkook(?) was two steps away from him. It was time. Quickly in a fast move Taehyung stepped around the corner and drew his one handed sword holding the tip at Jungkook(?)'s throat. The raven immediately froze in his steps and raised his hands. But his lips were grinning at him.

"You sure don't like to follow orders....." he said.

"no, I don't." Taehyung replied. "You are going to tell me where Jungkook is. Because i know you have something to do with this"

"You said that last time. And i gave you my reply" Jungkook(?)'s eyes darkened and his arms lowered a little. "...and a warning)

(you don't scare me. Nor can you fool me anymore. Jungkook left me a message, he showed me a sign of him. So, don't play dumb"

"that's im- oh....I see how it is. You're trying to play me, oh dearie. That won't work." Jungkook(?) grinned and he reached for the blade at his neck. But Taehyung wasn't going to let him. He pushed the tip forward again with a warningly expression on his face.

Jungkook(?)'s smile faded and he let his arms hang. "I don't think I'm even a little bit afraid of you. I just think Its less satisfying to kill you a second time."

That took Taehyung by surprise. He had expected it, but still... hearing it...

Did he just....Confess..

"oh, oh little prince. You look surprised. You are a little slow. Anyway, there is nothing for you here. Go home" Jungkook stepped back and walked off.

Taehyung stood there. Watching the man leave. Slowly he lowered his sword and put it back in its sheath. "i'm still alive...That's...Good" he let out a relieved breath and collected himself for a second time. He had one more step to do. Follow this Jungkook to see where he was going now. Figure out what he is up to everyday.

-

The trail of Jungkook led him outside of the city walls to the nearby abandoned farmer village. Broken down houses and overgrown fields. A spot he saw when he and Jungkook were flying in the air with Zuzu.

Zuzu....He missed her. He wondered where she was, how she was doing..

He will think of that later. Now it was time to get to action again.
He knelt behind a broken wall and peeked over the edge. The wizard was approaching the crack. But when he stood on the edge he suddenly turned around right in the human's direction.

Taehyung quickly ducked away and held his heart. "Please dont see me......" he muttered to himself and squeezed his eyes shut.

After a few seconds a distant shuffle was heard followed by silence. Taehyung peeked around the corner cautiously and saw that Jungkook disappeared. Most likely he jumped down there.

But why? What is down there? He thought the cracks were just a gap into nothingness or just a fall to your death.
Why would he go down there?

He waited another twenty seconds before coming from his hiding spot and approaching the edge of the crack. Its purple glow reflected in his eyes. He couldn't see what was down there. There was some sort of fog blocking his sight.

"oh, god...." Taehyung said, he already knew he was going to be climbing down there. Jungkook went this way so there has to be something. With shaky hands the Prince slowly lowered himself over the edge while holding on to the rocks. Taking deep breaths with each move of his limbs.

This is going to be put in the list of most scary things he did ever.

The climb felt like it went on forever. He had been shined on by the sun, engulfed by fog and now  he was being greeted by a purple glow and a steady foothold beneath him.

He reached the end.

Taehyung couldn't see the entrance anymore. Realizing he was on the ground again he began to look around him. He had arrived in some sort of cave. Purple glowing crystals were growing from the ground and walls, tearing apart the stone it pierced through. So that is what's causing these cracks?

"wow..." he whispered while walking further into the cave. Aside from the fact that it was freezing cold down here the air also felt heavy. It felt harder to breathe here.

Suddenly the sound of a voice was heard. It sounded like Jungkook's. So he really went down here. Time to find out why. Cautiously taehyung moved further. The voice became louder and clearer until he could make out the words.

"if i catch you managing to get out another word with your...Magic things i will cut out your eyes. You won't need those where we are going."

"...Heh...."

"you're not better than me. I was the first and I will always be the first. When it's over i will be the only one."

Then it went silent and footsteps began to come his way.

"shit shit" taehyung scurried backwards and pressed himself into a small gap in the wall, holding his breath when he saw the shadow of Jungkook on the wall.
As he came closer the air got heavier and heavier. As if the oxygen was being pulled away from him.

When it became almost impossible to breathe Jungkook passed by him and disappeared behind the corner. His footsteps echoing away in the distance.

Taehyung gasped for his air while he quickly made his way further into the cave. Jungkook might have left but he doesn't know for how long, so he better be quick and find out the cave's secret.

While he neared a dead end he could hear soft coughing and heavy breathing. There was someone else down here...

The prince drew his sword without making too much noise and jumped around the corner. He was ready to defend himself when he was left in surprise.

He definitely wasn't alone, but he did not expect to see who it was.

"Jungkook?" he said questioningly. There in front of him sat a man on his knees, chained up to the wall. He looked horrible, dried blood on his skin, pale and bags under his eyes. He looked sick.

Taehyung feared that this was another fake Jungkook. He couldn't be certain, he had to check him but he didn't dare to step closer.

"T-Tae? How......'' Jungkook's eyes went soft and surprised. A look that immediately let him know that this was the one.

This was HIS jungkook.

"it's really you, oh my-" he didn't get to finish when he was overwhelmed by a heavy weight on his lungs.

He could hear footsteps behind him. Taehyung felt the fear strike inside of him and slowly turned around.

"i told you. ..To leave this world...."

---

Action scenes like this was so hard to write. I hope it wasnt too bad and you still enjoyed it. It spend way to long trying to get a good beginning... Im still not really satistfied but i couldn't think of anything else.

I really hope it was alright and i will see you in the next chapter!

🌼🌼🌼