102 Live On!

Arriving back at the front of the guild mansion, the group in the chariot witnessed how a sea of Shadows is currently trying to brute force their way through the diamond barriers that Ji Soo erected from the ground. Dangerously coughing up more and more blood, Ji Soo gritted his teeth as he held his hands forward, making sure that the only protection that they have won't collapse. The very wall of diamond, that's the only thing keeping everyone in the guild mansion from being over run by Shadows.

As soon as the chariot lowered to the ground, everyone onboard immediately jumped out of the chariot and rushed to their friends' rescue. But try as they might, unfortunately, there were just too many Shadows, forcing all of them to retreat.

"What are you doing?! You have to go back and retreat!" Ji Soo shouted at the young man beside him who just kept standing by his side while the others retreats into the mansion.

"I'm not leaving you behind!" Bobby shouted back as he whacks at the in coming Shadows.

"ARGGGG!!! Why are you so stubborn?! Just leave me already! You guys have to live! YOU have to live!" Ji Soo shouted in frustration, before coughing another fresh batch of blood.

"What am I supposed to do with my life if you're not it, huh?! I'd rather die with you that live a life without you at all!" Bobby argued, steeling his resolve with his decision.

"Bobby, please! You have to get out of here. Just leave me here, please!" Ji Soo begged, as tears started streaming down his face. Ji Soo finally found someone special in his life. Ji Soo knew in his heart and mind that Bobby is someone very important to him, even to say that his very presence is just as important as breathing itself. And seeing that person die in front of him, Ji Soo will be damned if he will ever let that happened.

"You have to go! I can't hold the wall much longer." Ji Soo pleaded with Bobby once again, as blood now mixed in with his tears. Holding on for so long, Ji Soo has pushed his body to its absolute literal limit. Exhausting and squeezing out every ounce of power that he has, Ji Soo held on. He ignored the excruciating pain that he felt all over his body, even if the result of him, sacrificing his life would be for his friends and family to live on.

Cracks began to slowly appear on the diamond wall, evidence that Ji Soo's already on his final droplets of power before being completely drained clean.

Instead of doing as Ji Soo has begged, to Ji Soo's surprise, Bobby stepped in front of him and wrapped both his arms around him and enveloped him in a very warm and tight embrace.

"It's okay now Ji Soo, you've done you're best. You can let go now." Bobby spoke with a tender voice, as few tears shed from his eyes. "I'll always be right here, standing beside you. We'll always be together."

Hearing the words that just came out from Bobby, Ji Soo completely broke down as he slowly lowered both of his arms. Knowing that the bond that they have is something that transcends life itself. Cliché as it may seem, but both Ji Soo and Bobby are literal soulmates. Finally being whole after finding the other. Even when facing death's door, both would rather die together than live a life without the other.

Wrapping both his arms around Bobby, Ji Soo said

"Bobby I lo-" Just as the diamond wall shattered, producing a loud noise that drowned out the rest of what Ji Soo was saying. But even when he didn't hear the rest, Bobby understood what Ji Soo wanted to say.

"I know. And I to you as well. So much!" Booby said as he kissed the top of Ji Soo's head.

As the hoard of Shadows were about to run over the two, tightly locked in an embrace, water flowed around them and formed a water sphere, encasing the two in it.

"HURRY! RUN!" Kai shouted in urgency, getting Ji Soo and Bobby's attention.

Not wasting even a single second, Bobby carried Ji Soo in his arms and began running towards the guild mansion. Charging his legs with kinetic energy, Bobby sprinted towards the mansion. But as he was sprinting, he saw a shadowy tendril zipped into the air at a high speed. The next thing Bobby knew, blood started flowing out of Kai's mouth as that very same tendril pierced him straight in the chest. Kai was then flung into the air by the tendril and was tossed over a hoard of Shadows awaiting excitedly for their next meal.

"KAIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!" Bobby screamed at the top of his lungs, as he saw one of friends about to get feasted on by Shadows.

"Keep running!" Kai shouted as a defying smirk appeared on his face, giving off a sense of freedom. Even as his body was being devoured by Shadows, he still pushed and encouraged his family.

With a nod, Bobby turned away and began running once again.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!" Letting out a wail on the top of his lungs, Bobby kept running as fast as his two feet can take him.

Nearing the guild mansion, all of a sudden, a gigantic flower erupted from beneath Bobby and Ji Soo, and encased both of them into a bud. Still having strong emotions raging from both within them, Bobby and Ji Soo weren't able to react and cope quickly as sleeping gas filled the bud, knocking them both unconscious instantly.

Kai on the other hand clearly saw what happened. The moment, Ji Soo and Bobby were encased inside the bud, the flower immediately sunk back to the ground, just as fast when it appeared.

Not knowing where they will end up, Kai hoped nothing but the best for everyone in the guild. The people who became his family and accepted him for who he is as a person. He was always the shy and timid guy when he first entered the guild. But the people in it opened him up to a person he never imagined he could be. He truly cherished everyone in the guild that genuinely treated him as family and not some kind of immortal deity, like the locals from where he's from. The time he had with everyone at the guild was but a short time, but Kai could confidently say that it was the best time of his life.

Using his Gift to protect his family until the very end, Kai didn't have any regrets as a peaceful smile formed on his face

"Live on!" Kai said with a soft voice, before his head was bitten of by a huge Alpha Shadow.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh great 'Leader' *giggle* It's far from over *giggle*"

Everyone turned to the new comer, revealing a man cladded in black. With flamboyant attitude, the man stood on air, as ravens encircled him. The man's eyes glinted with wicked joy, as a wave of dark energy oozed out of him.

Seeing the new comer, everyone knew that the man is not someone to be trifled with. Just from the aura that the man exuded, the four brothers felt heavy pressure weigh on them like a huge mountain looming over them.

"You know what's my greatest pet peeve is 'Leader'? Actors who goes off-script and improve till kingdom come." The man said with a sneer "And what do you know, exhibit A" The man pointed in front of him. "The perfect examples of said actors, who can't follow scripts for sh*beep*!"

Then, as if realizing what he just said, the man cleared his throat before saying "Apologies for the crass language. I'm not normally like this."

"Well then 'Leader', as someone who oversee this play. I say, with your constant improving, I will have to kindly eliminate you, for the sake of the rest of the play." The man said as he tidies the lapels of his suit.

"Any last words? oh wait, you don't deserve last words. Well, then goodbye 'Leader'."

With a flick of his wrist, the ravens circling him suddenly divebombed towards June and his brothers.

Beyond exhausted and completely squeezed dry of energy, June, Andrew, Jordan and Halberd stood in place, immobilized. While June tried to somehow squeeze any amount of power left in him, it only led him to dropping to his knees, heaving and wheezing after vomiting out blood.

The three remaining brothers rushed to June with the remaining strength and tightly wrapped their arms around each other. With Halberd being the oldest one, he cocooned his three younger brothers in his embrace and used his body as a shield for his brothers.

Seconds away from entering death's door, multiple shadow clawed hands erupted from the shadows and launched themselves towards the flock of raven.

"I will not allow you to harm these kids any longer!" Maria said as she stepped out of the shadows.

"Old hag, I'm surprised you're still alive" The man sarcastically remarked "Not that it will last long"

As thousands of jet black ravens continuously materialized out of thin air with the sole purpose eliminating said 'Leader', Maria matched the man's pace and also continuously summoned shadow clawed hand after shadow clawed hand. The battle was at a standstill, but it was obvious that the man in black had the upper hand all this time. The mysterious man looked like he was enjoying the despair in the eyes and hearts of his enemies.

June didn't know how long the battle was going, when suddenly a gigantic flower erupted from beneath them.

"It's Lily!" Jordan said, immediately realizing who's Gift it belonged to.

"Uh-Uh-Uh. Trying to Escape are we?" The man said with a raised eye brow, as he swished an index finger in the air.

Suddenly more and more ravens began materializing, which began filling the sky above. With another swish of his finger, ravens started raining down like a raging storm.

Realizing that the man had every intention of destroying their way of escape, Maria stepped out of the flower just it was about to close.

"Maria what are you doing?!" June shouted in panic.

"Halberd this is an order. Do not allow your brothers to do anything reckless." Maria said with a calm motherly voice, making Halberd break down, completely understanding what she intended to do.

"Understood Lady Maria" Halberd replied, his voice cracking as tears started streaming down his face.

"Halberd, what are you doing, we have to get Maria in here!" Jordan yelled as he struggled out of his brothers arms, as tears flowed on his face like a broken dam.

The most drained out of all of them, Andrew couldn't even speak and just cried as he looked at Maria with begging eyes, for her to return inside the flower.

Halberd steeled his heart and tighten his arms around his brothers. No longer having the strength nor energy left to move, June watched in horror as the last glimpse of Maria's motherly smile disappeared from their sight as the flower complete closed.

"MARIA!" June was able to scream on the top of his lungs before sleeping gas began filling the closed flower, slowly knocking the brothers into unconsciousness.

Watching the flower immediately sunk back to the ground, just as fast when it appeared. Maria let out a smile and spoke with a tender voice "Live on!"