Chapter Text
Chapter 1
It had been over 1000 years since Sempter had last walked along this creek, honestly she didn’t think she would ever walk along this path again. Sneaking in the back way to Seadain as she had so many times before that horrible night that everything had gone so wrong.
Sempter sighed heavily as she bent down and picked up another stone from the creek bed, this one was larger than the others she had already picked up, about the size of her palm and a clear smokey grey color. The color muted by the predawn light of the waxing moon.
She could feel the magic energy emanating from the simple stone, a bi-product of being steeped in the magic water from the singing lakes. She tucked the stone into her hip pouch where several others where already tucked into. She smiled softly thinking about how excited Namjoon would be to get a hold of these and use them in his charms. The look on his face would almost make this trip worth it, almost.
As Sempter continued to drag her feet, slowly making her way against the current, picking more stones up from the creek bed for Namjoon, she heard footsteps and froze. She was still too far from the main city or even the farm lands for it to be an ordinary citizen.
She crouched down lower in the creek, bringing the scarf wrapped around her neck to cover her mouth and nose, the magic sigils embroidered into her clothes making her invisible. She tapped the flat grey stone rune that was strapped to her right hip and summoned her Shepard's hook holding it out and ready.
"I can feel someone here" a voice called out as the footsteps got closer and Sempter was immediately confused as she recognized the voice.
“I promise I’m here to help, I can get you out and to safety, if you stay here even hidden they will find you and you will die. Please let me help you.”
The last words were said with such desperation that Sempter was unsettled, with her left hand she brought down her hood and scarf, breaking the invisibility spell. “Grim what are you doing here?”
“Oh thank the Heavens you are here! I was hoping Jungkook would get you to come and help, though I am surprised you came alone, I thought your husbands would be with you.” Grim said as she leaned against the handle of her giant scythe.
Sempter knew that Grim’s appearance was supposed to be intimidating. Being the god of death’s second in command and top bounty hunter was intimidating enough, let alone the stark black armor she wore and giant sickle she carried and used with ease.
But to Sempter she was just her mother in law, a kind loving soul who spent many nights being the mother Sempter was desperately missing. But today something was off, her long straight black hair, usually in a neat braided bun on top of her head was frizzled and limply hanging down her back. Her golden skin was smeared slightly with soot and her dark eyes had a hint of fear in them.
Sempter stood and sloshed over to Grim, tapping her hook to the rune on her hip making it transport back to her rack of hooks at home. Confusion was clear on her face.
“Die? Jungkook said I simply needed to sneak some of the younger gods out, he didn’t say anything about them dying, has it really gotten that bad up here?” It was now Grim’s turn to be confused.
“There is a coup going on, they are slaughtering everyone. Si-Woo and Minah are already dead strung up on their balcony for everyone to see.” Sempter felt her face pale as Grim’s words sunk in, a sickening dread slowly filling her stomachs and a nervous bleet fighting its way up her throat.
“But with you here now, we can get the rest of the gods out to safety and after that we can regroup then mount a counter attack, Jeong should still be weak enough to not be able to stand against a full assault.”
At the mention of Jeong the bleet that Sempter had been trying to keep in was let out as her worst fears were confirmed. Sempter slapped a hand over her mouth stifling the other bleets of alarm she couldn’t help but make as she realized she was about to face Jeong again.
Grim’s eye furrowed then flashed a ghostly green in frustration. “Did Jungkook not tell you? Please tell me you have God Killer out of that box and ready to be called for.”
Sempter shook her head, her black long ears flopping slightly with the motion as she finally dropped her shaking hand from her mouth again.
“He said it was a simple in and out, get the ones on the list he gave me then go” Her tone slightly panicked and pleading.
A low growl emanated from Grim “I’m going to kill him, he sent you into a war unknowing and unprepared.”
"I’m pretty sure killing your son would upset Death.” Sempter joked weakly as she slowly got herself calmed down.
Grim let go of her sickle where it stood perfectly balanced and gently grasped Sempter’s hands squeezing them comfortingly. She met Sempter's eyes and kept eye contact her eyes flashing the ghostly green again.
“I know this isn’t your flock anymore, but they are surrounded by predators now, they are panicked and helpless. They need to be protected and guided. They need you right now. So are you ready Shepherdess?”
Sempter took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. It had been more than a thousand years since she had last seen Jeong, she had heard from Grim that he had been thrown into the Seadian jail about four hundred years ago, she had hoped that would keep him, but deep down she knew better.
He wanted Seadian, he wanted the Human realm, He wanted everything. His thirst for power was unquenchable and no prison would be able to keep him from it. She knew she would have to face him again, knew she would have to go against him…. she just wasn’t expecting that day to be today.
As she exhaled she opened her eyes and gave Grim a smirk. “What’s the plan?”
Grim lets go of her hands “We going to follow the creek for a little longer, there is a tunnel up ahead it feeds into a bakery in the main square, we split up go through house by house, people are hunkered down trying to fend off Jeong’s followers. How many transport ribbons did you bring?”
“Only 8, Sorry” Sempter ducked her head apologetically.
“Don’t be, here” She hands her a pouch full of coins made out of malachite.
“This should be plenty they transport to the underworld but Death is aware and ready. Not much is known of Jeong followers, some are gods but most seem to be a mix of magic beings and demons.
"Demons? Lance is still groveling at his feet for attention then?” Grim gave a dark smile.
"Death is certainly not pleased and has given a generous bounty for his head."
Grim starts forward grabbing her scythe and resting the handle on her shoulder. Sempter walks beside her, pulling out two honey glazed Reed sticks and handing one to Grim, she takes it and rests at the corner of her mouth slowly sucking off the glaze, Sempter began to actively chew on hers as she tapped her palm to the rune on her hip thinking of the Shepherds hook she wanted to use.
A hook made of stone and rose quarts appeared in her hand she looked down at the runes and sigils etched into every inch of the surface, thinking back to the day that Namjoon had gifted Quake to her and Jungkook a matching pair of daggers. It had taken him years to hand craft each one. Holding it made her feel like he was by her side, that she wasn’t having to face Jeong alone.
Grim led them into the tunnel, a small pendent she pulled out of her pocket lit the way enough for them both. Sempter ducked her head as her obsidian horns scraped the top. The tunnel was certainly a short cut because all to soon it was starting to incline towards the bakery. They carefully climbed out of the hidden passage into the cellar of the bakery. Making their way upstairs as the sounds of fighting and the faint smell of smoke met them.
“You go right I’ll go left” Grim said as they made their way to the front door, tucking themselves against the wall to the right of it.
“Stay hidden unless absolutely necessary and if you see Jeong, just run, without God Killer you can’t do anything permanent to him, and anything less will just piss him off. Get the people off your list and anyone else you see. We’ll meet at the town square and then get out of here ok? ”
Grim waited for her nod of understanding before giving her hand a final squeeze of comfort and then she was off. With a final deep breathe Sempter slid her hood and scarf back in to place disappearing against the cream colored wall and took off down the cobblestone street.
“Hoseok! They are breaking through the Barricade!!” The piercing scream was heard throughout the room, as women and children held on to each other sobbing and huddled near the back wall. Emi and Eli stood in front of them heads together quickly strategizing.
“Steam the room, a wall of steam right at the front as soon as they get in they can’t see a thing!” Eli said to Emi
“Frost the floors! They can’t see and the floors will be slick. Once they start falling we can pull them out one by one, I’ll steam their eyes make them blind so they can’t fight back.” Emi said quickly to Eli
“Then I’ll bash them with one of your rocks till they stop moving” Eli said grimly
“We got this” They said together as they bumped heads and turned towards the barricade that Hoseok and another god desperately tried to reinforce with what was left in the room.
“You guys move! It is about to get uncomfortable up their!” Emi calls as she begins to pump thick steam into the front half of the room.
Hoseok runs out of it just as Eli crouches and puts his palms on the floor building a thick layer of frost underneath the steam. Emi quickly fills the other two into their plan. As they hear the last of the barricade give way they square their shoulders and get ready to fight.
The blue wisps of fire still sizzled what was left of the harpies as Yoongi stepped over them leading his mother gently through the carnage that used to be their home.
“We have to find hoseok, he is going to be are best chance of getting through this alive.” Yoongi said absently as he lifted his mother over what used to be a wall. Gyeong stops him with a hand on his forearm
“Your father wants both of us dead, going to anyone for help will just put them in his direct path of fury. We need to just run and hide.” Yoongi looks at his mother incredulously
“Hide!? Hide where mother!? He knows every place we could go, we are as good as dead if we stay alone, we need help!”
“I just thin-AHH!”Gyeongs words turned into screams as a harpy swoops in and digs its claws into her back lifting her into the air.
Before Yoongi could react he was swept off his feet his back hitting the dirt with a dull thud and was being dragged away, his mother’s screams fading slowly away.
Dayo held Leal and her newborn in her arms as they huddled in the basement of their home. Leaving feather light kisses to her hairline and whispering words of comfort as she rocked the both of them gently in her arms.
“We could try to make it to the singing lakes, it is far enough away that they might not be there yet. We could hide there until we figured out how to get to the human realm.” Jimin was whispering to Taehyung as they secured the small cellar door.
“We don’t have the slightest clue how to get out of Seadian, only Si-Woo knows how- well knew how” Taehyung ended darkly as he remembered Si-Woo’s body strung up like tinsel on his balcony.
“Well I’m not going to just sit down here and wait for something to come kill you and my daughter!” Jimin said hotly his voice rising slightly. Teahyung winced as the sound of jimin’s voice carried through the small room.
Leal let out a muffled sob and Dayo held her closer as she ran her fingers through her long hair, sending a glare towards Jimin.
“Baby” Teahyung gathered Jimin up in his arms kissing his temple softly. “We are not going to die down here, I promise you that.”
Jimin lifted his head up offering his lips to Taehyung, and who was he to deny him? He softly touched their lips together once, twice, over and over again pulling away slightly to whisper I love yous before returning again unable to stay away.
“How about less kissing and more planning, hmm?” Dayo grumbled but there was hardly any bite to her words. Jimin gave a giggle between their kisses and finally broke away hiding his face in Taehyung's neck peppering small kisses down his neck and to his exposed shoulder.
“She’s right Jimin, so stop tempting me with your perfection!” He teasingly pushes him away. Jimin’s smile turning into a scream of pain is the last thing Taehyung sees as the door is blown apart and both men are thrown to the back of the room.
Sempter flipped one of the Malachite coins into the air, the five gods huddled by her gasped in amazement when the coin expanded in mid air creating a green portal the size of a large wheelbarrow. She quickly ushered them through then snapped her fingers.
The coin quickly shrunk back down then crumbled into dust mixing in with the ash scattered along the cobblestone. She lifted back up her hood glancing around to see where she needed to go to next when she heard the tell tale sound of a fireball shattering wood just three houses down.
She ran down the street to the third house where a plume of smoke could be seen to the side of it, she turned into a small alleyway between the third and fourth house just in time to see four gods being dragged out from what was left of a cellar door, the edges still smoking and smouldering from the fire ball.
The demons carrying them were tall and spindly, with dark red scaly skin and twisted yellow horns, their bloodshot beady eyes were trained on the gods they carried as they struggled in their grasps reaching out to one another until they were dumped unceremoniously onto the cobblestone of the alley. With the demons looming over them in a broad circle.
Sempter called forth Steelwing, running a finger down one of the many metal feathers hanging off the grip of the staff. As it lit up a strong wind caught her and launched her into the air. She angled herself to fall between the four demons, who were now looking at the edge of the house curiously wondering where the wind had come from.
She hooked the neck of one demon planting her feet and swinging her hook with both hands, her arm muscles bulging from the strain. The crack of the first demons neck is quickly drowned out by the dull thuds and screeches of the other three demons as Sempter slings the first demon's body in a circle crashing into the others sending them into the side of the house, shaking it to it's foundation as they slump into a pile either dead or too broken to move.
Sempter pulled down her hood and stood pantly lightly as the gods eyed her warily. She took a closer look at them noticing how the two males were still only semi conscious banged up and bleeding. One with peach hair holding onto his right shoulder were a piece of wood had lodged itself.
The two women looked to be in better shape, but the screaming bundle being rocked and hushed by the smaller one was going to bring more demons on them fast. She carefully walked forward as they all became rigid waiting to see what she would do.
"My name is Sempter, we don't have a lot of time, so I need to get that piece of wood out of your shoulder so we can get you all out of here."
She crouched down by the peach haired boy. " I won't hurt you, well I mean this WILL hurt, but I'm not doing it intentionally…. well no- I am doing it intentionally but not for a bad purpose.. It is for a good purpose…. I'm good."
She internally groaned. Out of all her traits and skills. Charisma? That just simply wasn't one of them. But luck was on her side today, because peach haired boy just gave a week giggle saying his name was Jimin then motioned with his good arm to go ahead. She first grabbed an empty cloth pouch from her belt and rolled it up, having him bite down on it gently.
"Ok, deep breathes and try not to move." Sempter said gently as she laid him on his back.
Bracing her left hand on his shoulder as she quickly grabbed the protruding piece of wood with her right hand and without hesitation quickly pulled the piece out. Jimin's scream was muffled by the pouch in his mouth as his legs kicked out in pain. Sempter held her right hand down hard on the wound, stopping the flow of blood but increasing Jimin’s screams.
“I know, I know but just a few more moments and it will start to heal I promise!” She said hurriedly as Jimin continued to wreath in pain underneath her.
A growl was the only notice she had before she was yanked back by her horns and slammed to the ground. She didn’t know what was worse the sharp pain on top of her head from her horns almost being yanked from her skull or the dull throbbing ache in the back of her head from hitting the ground.
Nope, the worst feeling was definitely the boot that was now pressing down on her throat cutting off her airway, yep that one was definitely the worst.
“You are supposed to be dead” Said a male voice that Sempter had hoped she would never have to hear again.
“I don’t die Lance you know that, you failed enough times” Sempter wheezed out, she needed him angry, he always made mistakes when he was angry.
Lance gave a guttural growl bending down grabbing Sempter by the throat lifting her up to eye level. Her feet dangling useless in the air as he brought her closer to his face.
His eyes were pure black and smoking, his long red hair shaved on the sides was flaming, his runic black tattoos scrolling down both sides of his head and sprawling down his neck, back, and arms pulsed with sickly power. His claw like black nails dug into the side of her neck as if the asphyxia wasn’t bad enough.
“Everyone dies” He said sadistically as he summoned his sword and skewered her straight through the gut. Dropping her onto the ground without even bothering to take out his sword.
“That will distract her for a little bit until I can take her back to Jeong. Now what should I do with you all?” He questioned darkly as he finally turned away from Sempter’s limp body and faced the small group.
Jimin whimpered as he crawled backwards with one arm, putting himself between Lance and Leal and the baby. Taehyung and Dayo shielding the other three with their own bodies.
“Oh! Isn’t that cute, but bravery gets you nowhere, ask Sempter” Lance sneered and he began to laugh wildly at the panicked looks of the gods below him but his laughing was cut short as the ground below him became like water quickly sinking him to his waist before hardening to solid stone.
He roared in anger as he tried to claw his way out of the stone his nails screeching against the rocks, his eyes smoking in rage.
A Shepard hook covered in ice looped around his neck. As the ice touched his skin it began to spread freezing his arms in place , his jaw stayed open in a frozen howl as the ice extinguished his smoking eyes and burning hair.
Once he was frozen solid the hook around his neck disappeared as Sempter limped around him. Holding the hilt of Lance's sword still stuck through her body to try and stabilize it some.
"That- won't-hah!-ho-hold-him-ah!-for-long" Sempter panted out in between gasps of pain. As she stumbled forward towards the group.
She shakily slipped out a transport tag from a hidden pocket in her poncho. She kissed it then threw it up in the air as it summoned a silver door which opened upon a rolling field of wildflowers with a large red Barn in the background.
Her husbands stood in front of the door waiting as the wild flowers slowly swished against their knees. Both were tall and muscular, Namjoon had snow white hair the sides cut close and the top grown out but slicked back, black rimmed glasses sat atop his nose. He wore simple black pants and long cream heavily embroidered coat over a simple shirt. His neck was adorned in several necklaces holding curious pendants and charms. A grey woven book bag slung over his wide chest, he was smiling which made his dimples pop out.
Jungkook had long black hair currently pinned back from his face, his doe like eyes framed beautifully with a dark smokey eye shadow, multiple silver hoops and chains adorned his ears, and one loop in his lip. His worn black leather armor was shining dully in the midday sun. His signature dark blue cloak was hanging off his left shoulder, a silver brooch in the shape of a shield holding it in place.
Their smiles dropped as soon as they saw Sempter's state. Namjoon lurched forward as if to run through the door to her but Jungkook held him back. It was obvious they were now fighting, though no sound could be heard through the door, Sempter could see Namjoon struggling to get free to get to her, gesturing wildly to her as Jungkook held on trying to calm him down.
Sempter knew she looked a mess, the sword still in her belly, her poncho soaked with her blood, her throat bruised and bleeding where Lance’s nails had dug in, but she was ok, would be ok, gods could only be killed with metal found in Seadian or the underworld, everything else no matter how severe looking was non-fatal it just hurt. She turned to the group of gods. They were sitting on the ground look at the door in awe.
"Go-"a wet cough broke through, blood spilling out onto the alley floor before she could stop it. "Go through the door, need to get you out of here quickly before he breaks out." She slowly said keeping her voice as steady as she could.
The girls quickly stood up and while holding hands scurried through the door. Once on the other side they touched the wild flowers in gleeful relief smiling softly to one another. The baby cooing softly in their blankets.
The boys were next, practically running through the door. Jimin’s shoulder, now free of the debris, was almost fully healed as he tackle hugged the taller boy. The taller boy spun him around in the field his feet brushing against the top of the flowers kissing the top of his head as Jimin giggled.
Sempter's eyes met her husband's eyes again smiling softly as she watched the four celebrate being rescued. Her smile drops as a searing pain radiates from her hips as she was dragged back by claws dripping with acid burning through her poncho and pants and blistering her skin.
She bleeted out in pain her eyes bulging and tongue lolling out as another clawed hand reached around and yanked out the sword from her stomach.Her vision blurred and sounds went fuzzy as she fought off unconsciousness. She blinked rapidly as her hearing came back to horrendous screeches and lance’s guttural yell and the dinging of his sword as he swung it against the stone trying to cut his bottom half out of the stone.
As she looked back up at the door, three giant fur covered demons with two heads and long protruding teeth shuffled their way towards the door. Jungkook stepped forward pulling two daggers out of sheaths on his thighs as he prepared for the attack. Namjoon ushered the others up towards the barn but stayed behind was unwilling to leave Jungkook on his own.
She locked eyes with her husbands and mouthed “I love you” as she snapped her fingers. The door snapped closed and disappeared the last thing she saw was their shocked faces, tears streaking down Namjoon’s face.
Hoseok was feeling optimistic. Thanks to the twins they had not only fought off the intruders but had been able to rally and push out of the one room they had been hiding in. They were able to push forward while gathering more people and more weapons. Instead of rocks and table legs they now had daggers and swords and spears.
They were close to twenty now. Slowly making their way to the town square moving from house to house not wanting to stay out in the open for long.
Jungkook had told him to stay as close to the square as he could, that he would send someone for him and his allies. He worried that whoever came for him wouldn’t help everyone else he had gathered, but he kept pushing that thought to the back of his mind. If they didn’t want to help he would just convince them. There was no use worrying about it till it happened he had plenty of other things to worry about first.
“Hobi, two houses over 2 demons and a Minotaur have 3 children pinned in a closet, they are currently playing with what is left of the parents but once they get bored…” Emi whispered quickly as they crouched at the doorway looking out seeing what is the best way to get to the house without being seen.
It seemed as if every moment that passed more demons and monsters flooded Seadian. If they weren’t hunting on the streets in packs they were flying in the skies, razor sharp claws ready to swoop up any prize they saw.
“I wish we had found Dayo, we could really use some fog right about now.” Emi whispered wistfully
“Your steam has worked great so far Emi, don’t sell yourself short” Hobi bumped her shoulder and gave her a dazzling smile.
"Yeah, but steam can be conspicuous when someone is walking through and all of a sudden they step into an outside sauna."Emi took a deep breath as she began to pump more steam out of her hands laying down more cover for them. Once she was satisfied she grabbed the spear that was leaning against the door jam.
“Ready?” She whispered as Hobi grabbed a sword and held it tightly. “Let’s go”
The first thing Yoongi thought of as he groggily came back to consciousness was his mother. He thrashed violently as he tried to free himself, his legs chained together as he was strung upside down from a rafter.
His whole body felt chilled, stiff, and empty like he was hollowed out and filled back up with ice. He tried to use his power, call his fire back to him, but the call wasn’t answered his fire remained silent. He wasn’t sure how long he was stuck hanging in the dark. He slipped in and out of consciousness, his body slowly losing the battle to stay awake.
The feeling of cold water splashing his body rouses him, the sound of his father's voice makes him wish he could be unconscious again.
“Come on little one, I know you are a weak thing but really just three siphon crystals shouldn’t take this much out of you, seven crystals barely held me down.” Yoongi groaned, that explained the hollow feeling and weakness he was feeling.
He lifted his gaze towards the sound of his father’s voice, blinking uncomfortably as the light of a lantern his father brought in stung his eyes.“I really couldn’t care less Jeong, if anyone would have listened to me you would be dead and we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”
"True, but no one would listen to you would they? That is what happens when you are a worthless god, the others will only listen to someone who has proved themselves. But you don’t have to worry about that any more, most of them are dead now or wish they could die. You and your mother will be joining them soon enough as soon as I find where little miss Grim has whisked her away to.”
Jeong crouched down to meet Yoongi’s eyes giving him a smile that shot fear straight to his heart. “See I want to kill you both facing each other. You first so your mother can feel what it is like to fail to save not only one child but two, and then when she is a broken sobbing mess, I’ll kill her too, because by then she won’t be any use to me any more.”
Yoongi roared and tried to reach for his father, wanting to tear him apart with his bare hands. His father just grinned whooped in sadistic glee as he stayed a safe distance away from Yoongi’s trashing.
The door flew open flooding the room with light until it was blacked out by a mountain of a man charging through. “That stupid little half-breed is back!!” Lance roared the flames cascading down his hair singeing the ceiling. Jeong tilted his head to look at Lance.
"Sempter is…. Alive?"
"Yeah, and still a massive pain! Had me buried in stone up to my hips! Took out ten of my best demons with a sword stuck through the gut. And was still able to save a handful of gods, teleported them through a door to some farm. Ahhhh!!" He slammed his fist into the wall repeatedly the wood cracking and splintering under the onslaught
"THAT STUPID HALF BREED- SO FULL-OF HERSELF-- GONNA TEAR HER TO SHREDS!!!" He roared as he continued to pound the wall so hard the roof shook and Yoongi dropped a couple inches.
"Enough Lance" Jeong said as Lance ignored him continuing on his fit of rage, screaming unmentionable things he wanted to do to Sempter while kicking what was left of the wall.
"I SAID ENOUGH!!" Jeong roared as he launched a ball of molten fire at Lance's back.
The lava stuck and slid down like mud sending Lance to his knees. The smell of burning flesh made Yoongi gag as his father stalked forward and grabbed Lance's hair yanking his head back at an unpleasant angle.
"She is mine, she is the perfect plaything and you won't lay a finger on her unless I tell you to, is that clear?" Jeong said in a deadly soft voice, but it still carried in the silent room.
Lance visibly gulped and uttered a soft ascent. Jeong let his hair go and patted it softly "Good boy, now gather up my little one for me, we need to go find both my wives."
He turned around and headed towards the door humming happily. Yoongi only got to wonder what his father was talking about for a moment until Lance severed the chain holding him suspended in the air and he crashed down head first on the floor blacking out once again.
Sempter whimpered softly as she wiped away the remaining acid from her burnt and blistered skin with what remained of her poncho. The beautiful multi colored threads burning and snapping apart as it came into contact with the acid.
Once she was finally able to escape from the alley, luckily Lance had still been buried in the stone. She was able to hide herself away in an abandoned house to give her time to heal. The stomach wound was now just oozing, most of the shallow claw marks where already gone, and now that the acid was off her skin the blisters would fade too. She sighed as she stretched gingerly making her sore muscles ache and sat up a little straighter. She took quick assessment of her attire and equipment and grimaced.
Her scarf and poncho were gone mere scraps now. Her creme sleeveless under shirt was riddled with holes and dyed crimson with her blood now stiff and sticky on her skin. Her pants where fairing no better barely being held up any more by her belt.
The enchanted wool braid around her neck holding several charms from Namjoon was still intact. She pulled the charms from out of her shirt where she usually kept them tucked and gently stroked them with her thumb smiling softly. The light orange Lily that looked to be made of glass had been her savior today, she just hoped the burn resistance charm would hold.
Only two pouches had survived, the river stones for Namjoon, and her pouch of reed sticks. The transport coins were gone scattered and crushed in the alley floor, and none of her ribbons had survived the acid.
Her summoning rune was still intact in it’s chained harness on her hip, she needed to thank Grimm for the birthday gift again if she made it out of this. WHEN her mind corrected her. Not IF, WHEN.
She choked back a sob and pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes willing the tears to not fall. She thought back to this morning when she woke up to Namjoon's roaming hands caressing her hips and Jungkook's hair tickling her chin as he placed lazy kisses on her throat. How she so stupidly slipped out of their grasps giggling at their whines and wrapping Namjoon around Jungkook instead. Watching with such fondness when Namjoon's sighs became moans as Jungkook's lips trailed lower and lower...smiling softly and backing away as Namjoon trailed fingertips up her thigh whining for her to come back. How she just giggled told them how she didn't have the time.
A sob breaks through her control, it completely breaks her apart to know that if she dies here the last moment she had with them she squandered because she was "too busy" too busy rushing to her death in the hands of her murderous ex-husband.
She thought of them still waiting in the field for a door to appear that never will. Her saying she was too busy ringing in their heads. That thought broke her, she pressed both of her hands to her mouth hard to stop the sobs from being heard as they raked through her chest, her whole body shaking and her lungs burning.
Her mind kept her trapped in a barrage of worst case scenarios, being burned alive for eternity by Jeong, Her husband’s withering away as they waited in vain, Namjoon tearing Jungkook apart for sending her here in the first place, each thought swirling and sticking in her brain like tar.
A memory came to the surface of her brain like a shining light in the middle of the tar, Jungkook singing in her ear holding her so gently running his fingers slowly through her hair over and over again as she sobbed and trembled in his hold.
He never held her too tight but never let her go, singing so gently as she began to count her breaths. Inhale 1-2-3-4 exhale 1-2-3-4, inhale 1-2-3-4 exhale 1-2-3-4.
She closed her eyes sinking into the memory beginning to count her breathes again. Inhale 1-2-3-4 exhale 1-2-3-4, Inhale 1-2-3-4 exhale 1-2-3-4.
She wasn’t sure how long she huddled in the corner of that room, willing the panic away as she got her breathing under control. She began to move her fingers and toes, which had fallen asleep from her curling them up so tightly in her panic. Her muscles were sore before her panic but now they were screaming as she gingerly began to stretch.
She scrubbed her face roughly with her hands, rubbing away her tear tracks and getting feeling back into her cheeks and nose. She needed to think about how she would finish this, she didn’t have Jungkook’s list anymore, not that it mattered, she needed to save anyone she could, she couldn’t leave anyone here to be torn apart by demons.
Her last stop on the list was the town square, so she just needed to collect any survivors along the way to the square, meet with Grim and get everyone out to the underworld, easy peasy.
“Ok Sempter, you are not going to die here, you will make it out and you will spend the next 3 weeks in bed with your absolutely stunning husbands forgetting about this horrible day!” She said to herself out loud as she gathered what was left of her supplies and headed to the door.
Eli tiredly rubbed his bloodshot eyes as he looks out the window into the inky blackness of their latest hiding area, everyone is trying to get some rest before the final push to the town square. Hoseok and Emi curled close to him as everyone else was snuggled up together further back in the house.
He was thankful for the functioning sunstone lanterns that made it easier to be lookout, a little less strain on his poor eyes, if only he could keep his eyes open now. He rubbed his eyes again and looked back out the window. He cocked his head confusedly, was that stone gargoyle there on the ledge of the house opposite of them before?
He shook his head ruefully and adjusted in his spot again silently laughing at his own jumpy behavior. He couldn't wait for his shift change, obviously he was becoming loopy from stress and lack of sleep. He had been up for over 36 hours trying to survive, of course he would be loopy, he reasoned with himself. He rubbed his eyes again while yawning and looked back up, now there were three gargoyles perched on the house opposite and all were staring directly at him.
“Hoseok! Hoseok! Hoseok!” He whispered urgently patting around for Hoseok blindly, too frightened to break eye contact with the monsters.
“What, what is it?” Hoseok crawled over all hints of sleepiness gone and back on high alert.
“The gargoyles up on the roof in front of us!” He whispered to Hoseok urgently his eyes already beginning to sting from being open too long
“What about the ones to the right of us” Emi whispers from her perch at the door. Hobi snaps his head to the left to see five more frozen mid crawl through the street towards them. Their mouths open in hungry smiles showing off rows of sharp granite teeth.
A noise on the roof made all three look up in fear for a second until the sound of scraping stone brought their gazes’s back. Emi muffled a scream as she brought her gaze back to the door to see a granite clawed hand not but four inches in front of her face. The other three gargoyles were frozen on the stairs their front claws digging into the wood their forked tongues raking over their teeth in triumphant grins, it made Emi’s stomach roll to look at them but she didn’t dare look away.
The screeching up on the roof became louder but the three didn’t dare move their eyes away from the creatures in front of them. Hoseak dug into his front pocket grabbing a perfectly round stone and holding it close to his mouth.
"Gargoyles up front have to hold eye contact otherwise they move, get eight people up here now" with that he dropped the stone as it immediately set off for the back of the house glowing faintly.
"My eyes are burning" Eli whimpered out softly as tears began pooling at the corner of his eyes he tried wiping them away with shaking fingers but they kept streaming down.
His eyes burned, his eyelids feeling like 10 pound weights were attached to them trying to drag them down. "I don't think I can keep them open much longer" He choked out softly
"Yes you can, just a little bit longer" Hoseak whispered back urgently. "They were smart, they positioned themselves so no one person can see multiple groups. Are counting on our bodies failing us, but they won't, not today right?"
Eli felt Hobi's hand slide into his giving it an encouraging squeeze."We'll be ok, we are so close to getting out of this we will be ok"
Eli thought of the people in the back defenseless and sleeping counting on them to keep them safe, but he couldn't do it. He choked back another sob and squeezed Hoseok’s hand hard as his eyes burned to the point of pain.
“Just a little longer Eely I promise.” Emi tried to reassure with a shaky voice. Why had she let him take first watch? She thought bitterly as he struggled so hard, he had been up the longest, up before dawn to get stupid Si-Woo’s pre-breakfast robes ready.
“You haven’t called me Eely in ages Em-Em, said it was too childish and we needed to grow up” Eli whispered with a little laugh
“I’ll call you that every day and we can make blanket forts and stay up all night reading stories to one other where they always get a happy ending just like we used to, you just have to keep your eyes open for me ok?” She beseeched desperately.
"Where are they?" Hoseok growled out squeezing Eli's hand again. He took in a breath to shout out to the back to get them to hurry but Eli cut him off.
"Don't you dare Hobi, we will have a hundred different demons on top of us in seconds!" Eli whispered harshly just as a demonic scream cut through their muted conversation, they all held their breath as the screams slowly faded away.
They waited in tense silence as the minutes drew painstakingly on. Eli dug his nails into his palm until he bled, stiflingly sobs as his eyes became unbearable.
The gargoyle's faces, which had long gone blurry in his vision snapped back to clarity as their hungry maws shone in the lantern light streaming in. He hoped getting torn apart and eaten by those mouths wasn't going to hurt as much as he thinks it will.
He let go of Hobi’s hand "I can't hold on for very much longer, you two start backing up towards the hallway, once I close my eyes these ones will be all over me, you guys will have a small window while they are preoccupied with me to get through the hallway to the door in the back."
"No! Just hold on a little more please Eely!" His sister begs tears falling down her face.
"We are so close to getting out of this Eli just hold on a little longer ok!?" Hoseok tried to convince him.
"I'm sorry, I'm so so so sorry but I can't anymore-"
"You can! You really can! Just a little bit longer and-"
"And what Em-Em!? They aren't coming either the message didn't get to them or they had some sense and ran in the opposite direction, letting us take the fall for them and buy them time. But I'm out of time!"
He gulped down air and sighed feeling a lump form in his throat. "Em-Em go please, there is no reason for you to get eaten for eternity too." He whispers softly " I love you"
She begins to step, but instead of stepping back towards the hallway and potential safety she takes a step closer to her brother. Keep her eyes trained on the gargoyle's climbing over themselves to rip her apart. It isn't time to let them loose, not yet.
She reaches out for his hand fumbling around slightly until finding Eli’s curled fist. He shook his head slightly still unwilling to break eye contact, but he still opened up his hand and laced his fingers together with hers.
"Where you go, I go remember?" She said smiling softly, her eyes drying as she makes peace with her decision.
"Hoseok, start moving back. They will be distracted by us for enough time for you to get to the back."
Hoseok hesitated making a noise of protest low in his throat. He hated this! He hated this so much, these two that had been with him since the beginning of all this, who has fought tooth and nail by his side to stay alive and rescue all these people and here they were willing to sacrifice themselves to give him a chance. This isn't fair..
"It's ok Hobi, you need to stay alive. You need to rebuild this place after all this is over, better than before." Emi said convincingly
"Think of us fondly" Eli said with a small chuckle grabbing his hand again and giving it one last comforting squeeze before he let it go. And Hoseok began to reluctantly step back.
“So you think he will make a statue of us once this mess gets sorted out?” Eli Whispered softly to his sister as she slowly backs up closer to him until her back grazes against his side.
“Most definitely, we better look majestic.” Emi joked lightly.
Eli sighed as he squeezed his sisters hand tighter his eyelids finally giving up his fight “I love you Em-Em”
“I love you Eely”
Together they closed their eyes.
Hobi heard the screeching of moving stone but refused to look back. He would remember them as they would want to be remembered whole and standing side by side.
He wiped his tears away as he locked and closed the door. The others looked up at him, one of them hold his message in his hands.
"Is it over?" He whispered to Hoseok still not daring to move.
Hoseok gave a growl and strode over to the window lifting it up easily and peeking out to the alley below. After making sure it was clear he pointed to the man still holding his message.
"You get to be point now since your cowardice has lost us two of our best people." The man had enough sense to not argue and quickly hopped through the window as the others soon joined him
Hoseok looked back at the building one last time before darting off with the others ready to get to the square and be over this nightmare.
"Hurry! Quietly and quickly please!" Sempter whispered out as she motioned for the small group of gods to make their way through the small tunnel.
"At the end turn right and make your way to the small smithy on the left hand side" she called out quietly as she brought up the rear double checking for any stragglers or any demonic stalkers.
She hurriedly made it to the smithy and closed and barred the steel door behind her. She turned around and slid down the door tiredly as she watched everyone else curling up to rest, some handing out what little food they had left, others pumping out water in buckets to pass around.
A small brown haired girl came over to her holding out a roll filled with veggies to Sempter. Sempter smiled softly and shook her head.
"No my little kid you eat that, I still have some food in a pouch here" she pats one of her few remaining pouches with the reed sticks still in it.
"Whatchu have?" The girls asked curiously as she hunkered down in front of Sempter hungrily gnawing on the roll.
“Honey glazed reed sticks, they are my favorite, I always keep these and a couple flower crowns in my pouch for a quick pick me up” She pulled out a reed stick, taking a long swig from the water bucket before she began to munch on it. The sweet glaze a welcome taste after having nothing but smoke, dirt, and blood cover her tongue.
"Those look icky” the little girl shrugs as she finishes off her rolls “but I guess goats like different things”
Sempter laughs gently "I guess we do" as she popped another reed stick in her mouth.
She slowly stretched her muscles protesting being mindful of not opening back up her slowly healing cuts. She needed to get home soon so she could properly eat and rest.
She stood up, motioning for everyone to stay seated, it wasn't time to move yet, they still needed to rest. She walked to a weapons rack hanging on the wall, a couple swords, morningstar, and a hatchet hung from them. They all had a thick layer of dust on them but they all looked brand new.
She began bringing them down and setting them on a table in the center. "Anyone who has used a weapon before come and grab what you'd like" she said absently as she carefully laid out all the weapons.
No one gets up, no one even moves. They all look at the weapons on the table in a mix of fear and awe. Sempter rubs her face tiredly scratching at the stubble on her chin.
"No one but the guard was allowed weapons and trained in combat. Si-Woo said we didn't need it, he and council would protect us" one of the goddesses said anger simmering under the surface as she held onto her crying daughter. "Look at how well that went" she muttered angrily.
"Well we have a little bit until we should head out again. Would anyone like a crash course in weapon use?"
The goddess who had spoken up earlier shifted her crying daughter to the man next to her. She then stood and strode over to the table. She grabbed the hatchet then turned to Sempter.
"I'm a butcher, and I might not know how to fight but I know how to use one of these to separate the shoulders and elbow joints of Midnight Buffalo."
"Actually that is good, really all I need to teach you is how to weaken the demons a tiny bit to make it easier to separate their limbs"
The crash course is weapon handling was crude but it would give the group an additional fighter and for that Sempter was very grateful.
"Ok everyone gather up your things time to head out, we are going to keep going down this road to the mill then turn right and we should have a straight shot to the square. We will find a store there to hunker down in until Grim arrives, understood?"
The small group all nodded quietly and huddled near the door preparing themselves to sprint until they heard a faint scratching on the metal door and voices on the other side.
The group had just enough time to run away from the door getting behind Sempter, as she summoned her weapon, before the door was blasted open. A flash of light temporarily blind her as a searing pain shot through her stomach again, busting open her still healing sword wound.
She bleeted out in pain as she swung her elbow blindly, the crunch and corresponding grunt showed she had made impact. She pivoted on her feet knocking the person back with her hook. She hit the but of her hook to the stone floor sending sparks towards the attackers.
“Let them go, and we might not tear you apart” the intruder hissed, blood streaming down his face from his nose.
Sempter groaned as she clutched her stomach, the blood now free flowing from her abdomen.
“I’m not a monster you absolute blockhead! I'm here to actually save you unlike your precious little council!” She growled out as she stepped closer to him getting into his face.
“Now either get your little pack in here before demons see them or get out of the way, cause I have done too much, to let these people get killed because of more Seadian stupidity.”
Shock then realization covered the intruders face “Jungkook didn’t send you did he?” The intruder asked hesitantly.
“Yes he did, now are you coming inside?” She moved out of the way as they all scurried inside. She poked her head out taking a look outside to make sure the coast was clear before shutting and barring the door once more.
She leaned her head against the cool metal door as she struggled to keep consciousness. Her body was struggling to keep up healing all the numerous wounds she had taken so far. With little rest, hardly any food, and no healing potions it was no surprise that her body was starting to slow. Her last lucid thought as she looked down at the ground at the growing puddle of blood at her feet, was of her two husband's smiles standing out in their field soaking up the sunlight.
Gentle hands running through her sweat soaked hair brought her back to the realm of the conscious. She smiled sleepily mumbling and trying to snuggle closer to her lovers. A throbbing pain in her abdomen made her gasp and shoot her eyes open, the last of her sleep burned away by her pain.
"Shh-shh it is ok." Said a voice that was not one of her husband's. She blinked as reality came crashing down around her. Groaning she slowly began trying to sit up, being helped by the black haired man from before.
"Easy, easy Jungkook is going to kill me when he finds out I burned a hole through his wife's abdomen. Sorry about that by the way, he told me about you before but it just didn’t click until you spoke" He said uneasily as he gently helped her to a sitting position against a wall.
“You didn't burn a hole through me, simply opened up a healing wound. I got impaled by Lance's greatsword earlier." She said quietly as she finished getting herself adjusted.
"His flaming greatsword!? How are you even functioning right now?" He asked incredulously, anyone else he knew that would have them immobile in pain for hours if not days. How was she still able to roam the city fighting off demons to get all these people to safety?
"Well it wasn't on fire going in, and I can't remember if it was on fire when the demons ripped it back out… I was more worried about the pain, and the acid they were pouring on to me." She said absently as she thought back trying to recall if the sword was on fire… it was such a blur at the time though.
He whistled lowly. "I would have been a puddle of tears and blood on the ground honestly. How are you even functioning right now?"
"My husbands, the last thing they saw of me after I got Jimin and his group through a portal to them was me impaled and being dragged down by demons with Lance not but five feet away from me. I have to get back to them" her voice cracked and tears sprang up from her eyes.
"Let them know I'm still alive" she finished in a whisper the tears falling down her dirty face.
"You will, you got half the names on the list with Jimin so you only have four more… well two now, Emi and Eli didn't make it" He trailed off sadly as he swallowed down the sadness and guilt once again.
"So really all you have is me, I'm Hoseok by the way but you can call me Hobi and Yoongi left to grab! Then you can make another portal and off you go!" His smile was as bright as the sun itself.
"Not quite, all my transport tokens and tags have been crushed or burned. So we have to get to the square and wait for Grim to come with hers, also no offense at all but I haven’t cared about the list since I found out what was going on. I need to get everyone out I possibly can.”
She peeled her ruined shirt up looking at the slowly healing wound. She would need another half hour at least to be in any sort of shape to defend the group the rest of the way to the square.
Hoseok smiled even bigger with this news and sighed in relief. “Oh good! I will admit I was a bit worried that whoever Jungkook sent would only take me and not everyone with me. Which speaking of why did he send you? I just mean he always spoke so softly of you and Namjoon I wouldn’t think he would want to risk your safety is all” he said as he tapped his chin in thought.
Sempter gave a little grunt in irritation “Honestly I would love to know myself, he didn’t tell me what I was walking into at all. When I get back and after I let them both know how much I love them and how thankful I am to have them in my life, I’m going to hit that man so hard upside his head he will be able to taste my palm!” Her angry scowl was quickly replaced by a wince of pain.
“Easy there, save the beat down for when you get back ok?” Hoseok chuckled lightly as he began to run his fingers through her hair again calming her down. “You need to rest some more, I hate to rely on you so heavily but very few of us know how to fight or even use our powers anymore.”
Sempter sighed and leaned into him a little bit giving him better access to her hair. “So much has changed since I was here last, no one knows me I ever existed up here, most of the people I saved first attacked me or screamed thinking I was a demon too. What was Si-woo and the council thinking?”
“I don’t know when it started but my dad become twisted, more worried about his chosen few then anyone else. And after everything Jeong did my father still counted him as one of his favorites” Hoseok shakes his head sadly “He didn’t even fight back when Jeong killed him”
“Hobi...” she said softly as she heard the sadness in his voice, “I’m so so sorry you had to see that.” She sat up and twisted gently to face him cupping his face in her hands and gently moving her thumbs under his eyes catching the unshed tears in his lashes.
“Jungkook told me what happened, what Jeong and my dad did to you. I’m sorry-“
“No, nope nope nope. There is absolutely nothing you have to be sorry for, your fathers sins do not transfer to you. You are a good person Hoseok, want to know how I can tell?” Hoseok nodded slightly his eyes were so sad and so loaded with guilt it broke her heart.
“First Jungkook trusts you, and Jungkook is an amazing judge of character. Second you are here fighting and protecting people instead of hiding away protecting yourself, and third you sat with me running your fingers through my hair when you could have easily left me to the demons. After we get through this and get back to the barn we will spend more time together and I will tell you everything good about you till you believe it yourself ok?”
“That will take a long time Sempter I have so much to make up for” He said softly
“Good thing we are immortal then isn’t it?” She said softly as she rested their heads together.
And they stayed like that tangled together resting and getting strength from each other until Sempter’s wounds finally healed. They got up slowly and stretched gathering everyone else up for the last push to the square. They quickly went over the plan once more before opening the door and stepping out into the night.
They were able to make their way to the square with no problems, the streets and skies silent and deserted. They had found a shop with the windows and doors were still intact and had got everyone inside and settled without a problem.
“I don’t like this, it is too quiet too peaceful, we have been here for almost two hours now and I haven’t seen a single demon not even one in the sky in the distance.” Hobi muttered next to Sempter as they did another round of the square looking out for Grim or any incoming demons.
“I don’t like it either, they are gathering somewhere and for some reason, there is no way they would just destroy here and then leave. Let’s just hope Grim gets here before we find out what they are planning.”
They got back into the store settling down in a nook that used to hold a bookcase until they had moved it to bar the front window. Sempter flung her legs over Hoseok’s and curling up leaning her head down on his shoulder, careful not to hit him with her horns.
“You get cuddly when your tired don’t you?” Hoseok laughed softly as he threw an arm around her shoulders and leaned his head back against the wall.
“Whiny too, at home I usually make Namjoon or Jungkook carry me to bed.”
Hosoek laughed again “You sound like a little terror at home.”
Sempter chuckled quietly “Oh Absolutely!”
Sempter closed her eyes and relaxed, beginning to doze off again. A faint scent made her eyes snap open, Hobi's tense stare mirroring hers as they both sniffed at the air again as the scent of smoke hit their nostrils.
They quickly stood as they heard footsteps rushing from the back of the building. "They're burning through the back!" Called one of the other gods as he rushed past tripping himself in his haste to get up front to safety.
"Everyone up front! We're gonna move to the other side of the square hurry!" Hoseok called out to the frantic gods as they rushed out of the now quickly burning building.
They made it to the middle of the square as dozens of demons poured out of buildings on the far side. Frog like demons jumping out of windows quickly eating up the distance between them and the gods.
“Head towards the back!” Sempter shouted as they broke out in an all out run for the back of the town square where two small streets led out to the southern section of Seadian.
The ground quaked and shifted, halting their movement as the ground opened up near the streets a large serpentine Demon with metallic blue fins launching out of the chasm collapsing the nearest buildings and blocking their southern escape.
“We’re getting surrounded!!” Hoseok shouted as Sempter spun around looking to the northern side, their last way out in dismay as a six hulking brutes stomped their way down the street with their giant wooden clubs dragging behind them. As a swarm of flying demons crest over the northern buildings heading straight towards them.
Sempter panicked for just a moment as the realization of being surrounded and a breath away from being overtaken washed over her. But as she heard hushed goodbyes and I love you’s from the group of gods behind her, seeming to have already accepted their defeat, a fast sweeping furry spread through her body. They did not make it this far just to die here, she was the Shedpardess for goodness sakes! and she would not let her flock perish tonight not like this.
“Everyone to the gazebo, those who can’t fight inside, those who can surround it!” She shouted as she summoned Quake once again.
Everyone hurried into the gazebo the children huddled in the middle as the adults blanketed them for extra safety, eight gods willing to fight stood outside the small stone structure. Sempter ran around the gazebo in as large of a circle as she could, dragging the hook of quake on the cobblestone as she went. Everywhere Quake’s hook touched large crystal spikes erupted from the ground slightly angled out towards the Demons.
Once the circle was completed she ran back to the Gods outside of the gazebo. She quickly summoned several of her hooks laying them down before them.
“Touch the center rune on the grip to launch a magical attack. First one is water, second is ice, third is lighting, fourth is thorns, fifth is crystal spikes. Now hold them tight and brace yourselves they can have some kick back. Now anyone that can’t use a power grab one and blast any demon that gets past the crystals. I’ll take care of the flying ones. Remember we just need to defend until Grim gets here, easy peasy” She Rambled off quickly watching the gods as they nervously nodded their heads in agreement.
She summoned another hook this one a pure black braided iron hook. She extended the hook into the sky as it launched a green flame high into the air where it stuck and lingered illuminating the square in a green flickering light.
Hoseok looked at her questioning as she dismissed that hook in favor of Steelwing again. "Flare, so she gets here quicker"
Hoseok looked as if he was about to say something when a fire ball came careening towards him from above. Sempter pushed them both down as the fireball hit the side of the gazebo shaking it slightly as the gods inside screamed.
"You ok!?" Sempter shouts as she jumps back up sending a blade of air up in the sky cutting the wing of the bloated demon bat that had hurled the fireball.
It screams as it hurtles down towards them taking out two others in it's desperate throes to stay in the air. Just as they are about to land Hoseok shoots a small solar flare at them incinerating them in an instant. He looks at Sempter as he brushes the ash off of his shoulder and nods as he let's lose another flare on three toads trying to hop over the crystals.
Sempter swings herself up onto the gazebo roof and jumps into the air. Hooking the nearest giant bat and swinging upwards using it's momentum to get up higher as it gets sent crashing to the ground with a sickening crack. She spins midair sending a blade of wind in a circle outwards cutting down at least five more.
A bird-like demon swooped in claws ready to grab and tear Sempter apart but she was too quick for it hooking it's neck and swinging on top of it. Using a gust of wind to launch herself still higher in the air as she sent straight down onto the quartz spikes down below.
As she began to fall back to the ground she risked a quick glance below smiling as she watched Hoseok take out four demons single handedly. A claw wrapped around her right wrist and dragged her higher with a cry of triumph. Sempter reached up and grabbed right above the claw with her other hand her still healing core muscles screaming as she curled up lifting her feet above her head as began kicking the bird in the chest and neck with all her might.
As one kick landed with a crunch the bird screamed in agony and loosening its grip on her wrist. She pried it out of it's hold and swung on top of it as it quickly began to lose altitude unable to use it's left wing. Sempter hastily jumped onto a roof skidding to the edge and falling off rolling to a stop on the ground. The bird toppled to the ground taking out almost a dozen demons in its wake until it hit the flaming buildings on the far side quickly catching fire and burning the demons trapped beneath it.
Sempter had little time to celebrate as she quickly got swarmed by demons as they kept flowing in like a terrifying tidal wave. She sent blades of air out slicing and pushing the demons back giving herself space until a club as big as her came rocketing towards her. She had just enough time to slam her staff end onto the ground, all the feather charms lighting up as one, creating a windwall to buffer herself from the blow.
The snap and crack of the wooden club as it made impact was heard throughout the square. Shards of wood went flying throughout the area clanging off the crystal barrier and impaling unlucky demons. The hulk roared and fell to the ground squashing smaller demons as it flailed in pain it's legs littered with wounds from the wood.
Sempter was saved from shrapnel thanks to her windwall but the impact still sent her flying back against the stone wall of a building. Steelwing falling from her grasp and rolling away. The crack of broken her ribs was drowned out by her pained bleet as she slumped to the ground. Her vision darkened and tunneled as she felt blood flow down the back her head where it had met the stone wall.
Distantly she heard Hoseok shout her name call out something to her but she was too busy trying to remember to breath and not pass out right at that moment. A hand on throat pulling her up on her feet and pinning her to the wall brings her sharply back to the present as she locked eyes with Jeong.
"Miss me precious?" He simpered as his hand around her throat slicked up with a layer of molten lava burning a handprint into her skin. Her charm not strong enough to completely negate the heat of the lava. Sempter wailed in pain kicking her feet desperately trying to bring her hand down to her hip to summon another hook, anything to get him off her.
"Ah ah ah, behave yourself. It is not the time to play." Jeong reprimanded as he harshly pinned her right wrist to the wall burning a hand-print into her skin there as well.
Lance's laughter echoed throughout the square as he dragged a still chained Yoongi towards them his back hitting the rubble on the street painfully. "Look at that! The little abomination finally got caught! It is going to music to my ears hearing you scream for eternity." He smirked wickedly his hair flaming up again.
Yoongi thrashed in his bindings "Let go of her you son of a-" his angry roaring was cut short by Lance's large boot stomping in to his stomach making Yoongi dry heave and wheeze from pain.
"Language! I'm sorry my precious, his mother was an absolute failure when it came to raising my offspring" He simpered again to Sempter. His eyes raked over her until his eyes stopped at her left hand. The pleasant mask he had been wearing slipped as he stared at the three rings wrapping around her ring finger.
A low growl reverberated in his chest as his grasp on Sempter's throat and wrist became like super heated steel, cutting off her oxygen while the burning continued, her little charm becoming non-effective.
"Please my precious do tell me why I see another man's ring on what is clearly mine?" His calm voice contrasting with his violent actions.
Sempter thrashed in his hold, kicking with all her might, swinging wild punches with her left hand, anything to try and escape. Jeong stood seemingly unaffected by her actions, eyes trained on her face as her lips slowly grew blue, and the blood vessels in her eyes began to pop. Not paying attention to the thick steam starting to envelope the gazebo or pale green light that can barely escape the steam.
He doesn't pay attention to Lance who notices the steam and drags Yoongi towards it. Looking at it curiously as steps closer, not noticing the heavy frost on the ground until it is too late.
He doesn't pay attention to the short cry of surprise or the shuffling of chains. As he stares unblinkingly at Sempter who is still trying to desperately fight back as her consciousness begins to slip from her. He doesn't notice as the steam creeps up towards them, wraps around them cutting them off from the other demons around them.
He notices too late as the scythe blade soars over his head and cuts through his arms at the elbow joints. The pressure immediately abates from Sempter's throat and she gulped in air despite the protest from her broken ribs. Grim kicked Jeong away as he roared in pain and anger as she scooped up Sempter one handed and began running to the gazebo.
"YOU'RE MINE SEMPTER!!! YOU'RE MINE!!!" Jeong's roar rang through the area Grim easily vaulting over the crystals. Hobi is helping the last of the Gods through the portal, Emi and Eli looking worse for wear but alive stationed by either side of the portal pumping out steam and frost to keep demons at bay.
As soon as they see Grim rushing through the steam towards them, Emi and Eli immediately cut off their powers, grab Hobi just as he helps the last God through and leaps through themselves.
Sempter feels the squeezing effect as she gets tossed through the portal before Grim hops in after her. She tumbles out of the portal falling face first into the dark soil of the underworld.
She smiles finally feeling relief for being safe, as she closes her eyes and passes out.