The Curse
To Destroy the World
That night, Chaejin could not sleep. His mind kept returning to Zelo, and he had decided to go through with plan B. Writing a note, he slipped down to the prison quietly. Punching the one creature that was watching the door, he used all his strength, and it fell to the ground. Ellister had made a mistake when he had created these powers and gave them to him. He could take down these demon creatures. He then smiled at Zelo. "I'm sorry they locked you up, but just play it cool for now, and I have a plan. Here." He handed a paper through the bars, along with a protein bar. He thought that Zelo looked terrible, with his pale complexion and the dark circles under his eyes. At least they hadn’t beaten him, as they had beaten Chae up years ago. That had been his breaking point, and he had done everything they wanted. He had not been as strong as Zelo. "If you are quiet, they will let you out soon." He squeezed the younger boy's hand, wishing he could touch his face. "You said the other night that you trusted me, and I hope that still stands. We need each other. Just stay strong, okay, love?"
Zelo's eyes widened at the last word, but he nodded. "Okay. Whatever you have planned, I trust you. I hope we can get out of here soon."
Chaejin nodded. "I hope so. Just hang in there, okay? You CAN trust me, baby."
"I know," Zelo smiled at him weakly.
Chaejin glared at the guard, who was still sound asleep. He would not remember what had happened, because Chaejin had wiped his memory of the event. He smiled at Zelo, then left.
Once he was gone, Zelo opened the note, reading it carefully.
‘You have the power to help me take them all out. It will take strength and determination, but we both have that. They are planning on using you to end the world. If they still have you here by your 18th birthday, the curse that is on you will cause you to make the world crumble. That was the payment to your father for not agreeing with their plans. I am sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but they were always around. You will be eighteen next year, so your power will be strong. We need to get out of here before then. Do not let them turn you into a killer, or they will have you where they want you. We can turn the plan around on them and kill the leader. If we do that, all the demons here die, we are free, and the curse is broken. That is why he fears us. Love, you have the power to do this, so do not fear. When you finish with this note and drop it on the ground, it will turn into dust. Trust me. I love you, babe.’
Zelo sighed, placing the paper on the floor. He watched as it turned to dust. Looking more closely at the dust, he noticed that it was shining golden, instead of grey. Smiling, he watched as it blew it away.
***********************************
The creatures let Zelo out the next day, but he still refused to kill for them. They were angry, but did not press it. Instead, they began to train him, as Chaejin had said they would. Ellister was acting different toward him, also, viewing him as a disobedient child, and it was nerve-wracking.
A week later, Chaejin approached Zelo. "They are planning on taking us into the city so they can show us what humans are supposedly really like. Last time, it was a whore house, which made me want to puke."
Zelo laughed. "Isn't that supposed to make you happy?"
Chaejin cringed. "It was gross. Those women are not there because they want to do that with their lives. They are slaves to their own bodies...it's horrible."
"Why are they taking us to the city?" Zelo smiled at him. "I really do hope they don't take us to a whorehouse."
Chaejin grinned. "But I thought you would enjoy it." He looked tired, which was expected, after all they had been through.
Zelo glared at him mockingly. "Not after you put it that way, smart ass. Besides, I don’t want them. I want you, and only you."
Chaejin kissed him lightly. "We need to get ready to go, babe."
"Chae, how long now?" Zelo looked suddenly serious.
"Not long, love. They still think we are on their side, and they can't get into out heads," Chaejin smiled at him softly. "I will let you know when we will strike."
Zelo nodded, kissing him. "Okay. I guess we should go see where there are taking us, huh?"
Chaejin winced. "Yeah." He did not sound enthusiastic.
***********************************
The creatures took them to an underground fight, where there were not limits on the damage. This meant that they were killing each other. It was supposed to make the young men see that killing was normal, but it just made them hate the demons more.
When they got back to the house, Chaejin and Zelo retreated to their room. They did not feel like being around the demons any longer and they were getting restless. At least they had each other.
***********************************
The next morning, Ellister called for Chaejin. He moved carefully so he would not wake Zelo up and took his undetectable dagger with him, just in case the creature tried anything.
When he entered Ellister’s chamber, he noticed that the master did not seem happy.
"Have a seat, child. I need to speak with you about recent events," Ellister took a sip of his drink, then offered it to the teen. When Chaejin refused, he glared at the teen. "As you know, Junhong will be eighteen next year. You also know about what will happen at that time. The world will end, and we will leave this terrible planet. Junhong, on the other hand, will die a very painful death, along with the rest of the planet. There is no way to reverse this. We are very happy to have him here with us, as he is the key to it all. His father did us a favor. If you do not start helping us again, you will die with him...do you understand? You knew this would be happening, and you befriended the child, anyway. I told you to keep a distance, and you have come close to him. He now thinks he needs to defy us. Not good."
Chaejin bit his lip, worried. If he had been wrong about the curse, Zelo would die and the plan would be blown. If that happened, he wanted the demons to kill him along with Zelo. He just hoped that was not the case.
"Do you have nothing to say for yourself, Chaejin?" The leader looked intimidating, which was what he had been going for.
Chaejin sighed deeply, looking into the eyes he hated with his whole heart. "Fine. I will cut off contact with him, then watch him die...is that good enough for you?" Those had been very painful words for him to utter, since he cared deeply for Zelo.
The creature studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Yes. Just be sure to do that. That way, you will be spared his fate."
Chaejin looked defeated and just stared at him. Their plan may not work, after all. The demons just might be too strong to overcome, and that was worrying him.
"You may leave," the leader smiled at him, which made Chaejin feel sick to his stomach. The demon’s thought he was on their side.
Chaejin left quietly, but as soon as he was outside, he took off running as far and as fast as he could, which was quite a way with his power. He was angry with himself for not being strong, and he felt like a failure. He had failed Zelo, and now he would be used against him to destroy the world. Zelo did not know of his fate, because Chaejin had been trying to change it. it scared him that time was running out, and they may not be able to overturn the curse.
He finally stopped, and felt a presence close to him. When he turned around, he saw Zelo standing near him. Closing the distance quickly, the younger teen held him as he broke down. Sobbing into Zelo's shoulder, Chaejin did not want to let go. He had finally broken.
"I heard what the leader said. I won't let that happen. You said we just have to kill him, and this ends, right? Then we can leave and be done with this mess," he looked down at Chaejin, who still had his face buried in his shoulder. "I will end this soon. What do I do?"
Chaejin pulled away, taking a deep breath. "I have a plan. I don't know if I have the strength, though. If they win..." He realized that Zelo had heard his conversation with Ellister, so he knew what they had been planning on doing to him. He also trusted Chae enough to hear him lie to the horned creature’s face and know it was not true.
"They won't. We are stronger than them together, and they fear us," Zelo smiled at him.
"We have to play on that fear and just concentrate our powers on the leader. You already said that if he dies, they all do. That is what we have to do. We should do it soon. Within the next few weeks, at least. Then we can disappear and go find a life away from this prison. Are you up to it?"
Chaejin stared at the younger boy for a long moment, then nodded. "You're right." He kissed Zelo's hair. 'Thank you for pulling me back. You are stronger than I am."
"No, I’m not. I didn’t grow up in this hell, like you did," Zelo smiled. “You’re not as weak as you think.”
Chae kissed him lightly. “I love you, Junhong.” Zelo smiled again. That was the first time the other boy had used his real name.
Zelo's eyes widened at the last word, but he nodded. "Okay. Whatever you have planned, I trust you. I hope we can get out of here soon."
Chaejin nodded. "I hope so. Just hang in there, okay? You CAN trust me, baby."
"I know," Zelo smiled at him weakly.
Chaejin glared at the guard, who was still sound asleep. He would not remember what had happened, because Chaejin had wiped his memory of the event. He smiled at Zelo, then left.
Once he was gone, Zelo opened the note, reading it carefully.
‘You have the power to help me take them all out. It will take strength and determination, but we both have that. They are planning on using you to end the world. If they still have you here by your 18th birthday, the curse that is on you will cause you to make the world crumble. That was the payment to your father for not agreeing with their plans. I am sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but they were always around. You will be eighteen next year, so your power will be strong. We need to get out of here before then. Do not let them turn you into a killer, or they will have you where they want you. We can turn the plan around on them and kill the leader. If we do that, all the demons here die, we are free, and the curse is broken. That is why he fears us. Love, you have the power to do this, so do not fear. When you finish with this note and drop it on the ground, it will turn into dust. Trust me. I love you, babe.’
Zelo sighed, placing the paper on the floor. He watched as it turned to dust. Looking more closely at the dust, he noticed that it was shining golden, instead of grey. Smiling, he watched as it blew it away.
***********************************
The creatures let Zelo out the next day, but he still refused to kill for them. They were angry, but did not press it. Instead, they began to train him, as Chaejin had said they would. Ellister was acting different toward him, also, viewing him as a disobedient child, and it was nerve-wracking.
A week later, Chaejin approached Zelo. "They are planning on taking us into the city so they can show us what humans are supposedly really like. Last time, it was a whore house, which made me want to puke."
Zelo laughed. "Isn't that supposed to make you happy?"
Chaejin cringed. "It was gross. Those women are not there because they want to do that with their lives. They are slaves to their own bodies...it's horrible."
"Why are they taking us to the city?" Zelo smiled at him. "I really do hope they don't take us to a whorehouse."
Chaejin grinned. "But I thought you would enjoy it." He looked tired, which was expected, after all they had been through.
Zelo glared at him mockingly. "Not after you put it that way, smart ass. Besides, I don’t want them. I want you, and only you."
Chaejin kissed him lightly. "We need to get ready to go, babe."
"Chae, how long now?" Zelo looked suddenly serious.
"Not long, love. They still think we are on their side, and they can't get into out heads," Chaejin smiled at him softly. "I will let you know when we will strike."
Zelo nodded, kissing him. "Okay. I guess we should go see where there are taking us, huh?"
Chaejin winced. "Yeah." He did not sound enthusiastic.
***********************************
The creatures took them to an underground fight, where there were not limits on the damage. This meant that they were killing each other. It was supposed to make the young men see that killing was normal, but it just made them hate the demons more.
When they got back to the house, Chaejin and Zelo retreated to their room. They did not feel like being around the demons any longer and they were getting restless. At least they had each other.
***********************************
The next morning, Ellister called for Chaejin. He moved carefully so he would not wake Zelo up and took his undetectable dagger with him, just in case the creature tried anything.
When he entered Ellister’s chamber, he noticed that the master did not seem happy.
"Have a seat, child. I need to speak with you about recent events," Ellister took a sip of his drink, then offered it to the teen. When Chaejin refused, he glared at the teen. "As you know, Junhong will be eighteen next year. You also know about what will happen at that time. The world will end, and we will leave this terrible planet. Junhong, on the other hand, will die a very painful death, along with the rest of the planet. There is no way to reverse this. We are very happy to have him here with us, as he is the key to it all. His father did us a favor. If you do not start helping us again, you will die with him...do you understand? You knew this would be happening, and you befriended the child, anyway. I told you to keep a distance, and you have come close to him. He now thinks he needs to defy us. Not good."
Chaejin bit his lip, worried. If he had been wrong about the curse, Zelo would die and the plan would be blown. If that happened, he wanted the demons to kill him along with Zelo. He just hoped that was not the case.
"Do you have nothing to say for yourself, Chaejin?" The leader looked intimidating, which was what he had been going for.
Chaejin sighed deeply, looking into the eyes he hated with his whole heart. "Fine. I will cut off contact with him, then watch him die...is that good enough for you?" Those had been very painful words for him to utter, since he cared deeply for Zelo.
The creature studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Yes. Just be sure to do that. That way, you will be spared his fate."
Chaejin looked defeated and just stared at him. Their plan may not work, after all. The demons just might be too strong to overcome, and that was worrying him.
"You may leave," the leader smiled at him, which made Chaejin feel sick to his stomach. The demon’s thought he was on their side.
Chaejin left quietly, but as soon as he was outside, he took off running as far and as fast as he could, which was quite a way with his power. He was angry with himself for not being strong, and he felt like a failure. He had failed Zelo, and now he would be used against him to destroy the world. Zelo did not know of his fate, because Chaejin had been trying to change it. it scared him that time was running out, and they may not be able to overturn the curse.
He finally stopped, and felt a presence close to him. When he turned around, he saw Zelo standing near him. Closing the distance quickly, the younger teen held him as he broke down. Sobbing into Zelo's shoulder, Chaejin did not want to let go. He had finally broken.
"I heard what the leader said. I won't let that happen. You said we just have to kill him, and this ends, right? Then we can leave and be done with this mess," he looked down at Chaejin, who still had his face buried in his shoulder. "I will end this soon. What do I do?"
Chaejin pulled away, taking a deep breath. "I have a plan. I don't know if I have the strength, though. If they win..." He realized that Zelo had heard his conversation with Ellister, so he knew what they had been planning on doing to him. He also trusted Chae enough to hear him lie to the horned creature’s face and know it was not true.
"They won't. We are stronger than them together, and they fear us," Zelo smiled at him.
"We have to play on that fear and just concentrate our powers on the leader. You already said that if he dies, they all do. That is what we have to do. We should do it soon. Within the next few weeks, at least. Then we can disappear and go find a life away from this prison. Are you up to it?"
Chaejin stared at the younger boy for a long moment, then nodded. "You're right." He kissed Zelo's hair. 'Thank you for pulling me back. You are stronger than I am."
"No, I’m not. I didn’t grow up in this hell, like you did," Zelo smiled. “You’re not as weak as you think.”
Chae kissed him lightly. “I love you, Junhong.” Zelo smiled again. That was the first time the other boy had used his real name.
11/5/13