Summary: While recovering after crossing the ravine, Jungkook and Taehyung encounter an unexpected ally—a mysterious traveler named Sungho who claims to have knowledge of the prophecy. However, their temporary reprieve is shattered when Ryujin’s mercenaries ambush them. In a desperate bid to protect Jungkook and Taehyung, Sungho sacrifices himself, leaving behind cryptic advice that deepens the mystery of their fate.
The forest ahead felt strangely serene, the oppressive shadows of earlier giving way to soft light filtering through the trees. Jungkook and Taehyung walked side by side, their pace slower than before as they recovered from the ordeal of the bridge.
The tension between them had eased slightly, replaced by a quiet understanding.
“You know,” Taehyung said after a while, “for someone who claims to hate company, you’re surprisingly good at not letting me die.”
Jungkook glanced at him, his lips quirking in the faintest of smirks. “You’re useful. For now.”
Taehyung snorted. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Before Jungkook could respond, a figure emerged from the trees ahead, startling them both. The man was tall and broad-shouldered, with graying hair and a weathered face that spoke of years spent surviving in harsh conditions. He carried a staff slung across his back and wore a patchwork cloak made of various animal pelts.
“Easy,” the man said, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. “I mean no harm.”
Jungkook’s hand went to the hilt of his sword, his stance defensive. “Who are you?”
“Just a traveler,” the man said, his voice calm and measured. “Name’s Sungho. And if I’m not mistaken, you two are the ones Ryujin’s been hunting.”
Taehyung’s eyes widened. “How do you know about that?”
Sungho chuckled. “Word travels fast in the Forbidden Forest. Especially when it involves a prophecy as old as time.”
Jungkook’s grip on his sword tightened. “What do you know about the prophecy?”
Sungho’s expression grew serious. “More than most. And if you’ll allow it, I’d like to help you.”
Taehyung frowned, his gaze flicking to Jungkook. “Can we trust him?”
“Not yet,” Jungkook said bluntly. “But we’ll hear him out.”
They settled in a small glade, the sunlight filtering through the trees casting dappled patterns on the ground. Sungho sat cross-legged, his staff resting across his lap as he spoke.
“The prophecy speaks of two forces—the shadow and the flame—destined to reshape the world,” Sungho explained. “It doesn’t say whether that change will be for better or worse, but it’s clear that your bond is at the center of it.”
Taehyung’s brow furrowed. “But why us? What makes us so special?”
Sungho’s gaze softened. “Because you embody balance. One cannot exist without the other. The shadow needs the flame, just as the flame needs the shadow. Together, you have the power to tip the scales of the world.”
Jungkook’s jaw tightened. “And what happens if the balance is broken?”
Sungho hesitated, his expression darkening. “Then everything burns. Or worse.”
The weight of his words settled heavily on them, but before they could ask more, the sound of rustling leaves interrupted the conversation.
Jungkook was on his feet in an instant, his sword drawn. “We’re not alone.”
Taehyung grabbed his dagger, his heart racing as the shadows around them seemed to deepen.
From the trees, Ryujin emerged, her bow already nocked with an arrow. Behind her, half a dozen mercenaries stepped into the glade, their weapons gleaming in the sunlight.
“Didn’t think you’d get away so easily, did you?” Ryujin said, her voice dripping with mockery.
Jungkook stepped in front of Taehyung, his blade glinting. “I told you before—if you want him, you’ll have to go through me.”
Ryujin smirked. “Gladly.”
The fight was brutal and chaotic. The mercenaries rushed forward, their weapons clashing with Jungkook’s sword as he moved with lethal precision. Taehyung stayed close, his dagger flashing as he fended off an attacker who had gotten too close.
Sungho joined the fray, his staff spinning in a blur as he knocked a mercenary unconscious with a well-placed strike.
“Behind you!” Sungho shouted, warning Taehyung of an incoming attack.
Taehyung turned just in time to block a sword aimed at his chest, gritting his teeth as the force of the blow pushed him back.
Jungkook cut down another mercenary, his movements efficient and deadly. But for every one they took down, it seemed two more appeared, their ranks seemingly endless.
“We’re outnumbered,” Jungkook muttered, his voice grim.
“We’ve faced worse,” Taehyung shot back, though his breathing was labored.
As the fight raged on, Ryujin moved with predatory grace, her arrows flying with deadly accuracy. One struck Sungho in the shoulder, sending him stumbling back with a grunt of pain.
“Sungho!” Taehyung shouted, rushing to his side.
“I’m fine,” Sungho said through gritted teeth, his hand clutching the arrow. “But you need to go. Now.”
“What? No!” Taehyung protested. “We’re not leaving you!”
Sungho’s gaze hardened. “This isn’t your fight to win. It’s mine to hold.”
Before Taehyung could argue, Sungho surged to his feet, his staff glowing faintly as he began chanting in a low, resonant voice.
The ground beneath the mercenaries trembled, cracks spreading as vines erupted from the earth, ensnaring their legs and arms. Ryujin cursed, struggling against the writhing tendrils.
“Go!” Sungho shouted, his voice filled with urgency.
Jungkook grabbed Taehyung’s arm, pulling him away. “He’s buying us time. Don’t waste it.”
Taehyung hesitated, his heart twisting as he looked back at Sungho. The older man met his gaze, his expression calm despite the chaos around him.
“Remember what I said,” Sungho called out, his voice steady even as the vines tightened around him. “The shadow and the flame. Together.”
Then the vines surged upward, engulfing Sungho and the mercenaries in a tangle of earth and greenery. The last thing Taehyung saw was Ryujin’s furious face before the vines completely consumed the glade.
Jungkook and Taehyung ran until their legs burned, the forest a blur around them. When they finally stopped, both were gasping for air, their faces pale.
“He—he didn’t have to do that,” Taehyung said, his voice breaking.
Jungkook placed a hand on his shoulder, his grip firm. “He made his choice. And now we have to honor it.”
Taehyung nodded, though the grief in his chest felt like a stone weighing him down.
“Together,” he whispered, the word a promise as much as a reminder.
Jungkook met his gaze, the fire in his eyes unwavering. “Together.”
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