5:41
Rael stands slowly, still cradling a weak and trembling Jin against him, and looks up at the two espers.
His face is ashen. His body is still weak. But his eyes… they burn with a fire that could turn the world to ash.
> "Tell me what you know," he whispers—and both L and Mira shiver at the *heat* in his voice.
Mira swallows.
> "We don't know much… but we'll tell you everything we can."
6:00
Mira and L lead him down rain-drenched streets. The city is empty now, all lights out. In the distance, there are sounds of screams and inhuman growls… and above it all, a voice echoes on the wind…
> *"Let them all feed…."*
Mira shivers, looking around. Then looks at Rael—studying him in silence—before finally asking:
> "How—how much strength do you have left?"
6:05
Rael's expression is grim.
> "Not much…" he mutters. "The fight took a lot out of me. I don't know how much I can use my powers again in this state."
L glances over his shoulder, scanning the shadows as they walk.
> "How long will it take you to recover? Hours? Days?"
6:10
Rael sighs, looking down at Jin in his arms.
> "Days… weeks, maybe. Espers are fragile… especially after an all-out fight like that. It takes time to heal."
Mira frowns, eyes searching the darkness.
> "In other words… we're on our own."
6:15
L's voice cuts in, low and urgent.
> "Then we move fast."
> "There's a lab under the city—the Black Vault. It was built to contain high-level espers… *and* to suppress their powers."
Mira nods.
> "They used it during the Purge War. If we can get Jin inside… they might be able to slow the transformation—maybe even reverse it before he loses himself completely."
Rael tightens his grip on Jin—feels his heartbeat, still too fast, too hot beneath pale skin.
His jaw clenches.
> **"Then we go now."**
6:22
The lab is deep under the city—in the ruins of a subway network long abandoned. Only a few emergency lamps still glow. The halls are empty, the air humid and heavy with the stench of something rotting—but not alive or human.
Mira leads them through a half-open door, and inside…
is a *catacomb*.
Rows and rows of old padded cells stretching away into the dark. Rael shivers. It feels wrong here—like death breathing on the skin.
6:34
Rael follows L and Mira down the long, echoing hall.
Mira glances back at him every few steps, studying him through half-lidded eyes.
Finally, she breaks the silence:
> "May I ask you a question?"
6:40
Rael glances at her.
> "What?"
Mira looks forward again, staring down the endless darkness of the hall:
> "Are you in love with Jin?"
6:45
Surprise flashes across Rael's face.
> "What… why would you ask that?"
Mira just shrugs, still not looking back at him this time.
> "I've seen you together," she murmurs. "The way you look at him… touch him… it goes deeper than friendship. Doesn't it?"
6:52
Rael looks away, cheeks flushing—partly from embarrassment, and partly because of a warmth in his chest not at all to do with embarrassment.
He can't deny it.
> "…yeah. I love him. He means more to me than anything."
Mira doesn't look surprised. Actually, he hears a subtle smile in her voice when she replies:
> "Does he know?"
6:58
Rael doesn't hesitate.
> "Yes. He knows."
His voice is quiet—but firm. His eyes stay on Jin, face soft despite the ruin around them.
> "And he loves me too. We've said it… in whispers, in touches… when the world wasn't burning."
A faint smile tugs at his lips—sad, but real.
> "That's why I won't lose him to this darkness. Because love isn't just words—it's *proof*. Proof that he's still here… and I'm not letting go."
7:03
Mira stops walking. For the first time, she turns fully to face him—eyes sharp, searching.
> "Then you know what you have to do if it comes down to it… don't you?"
Rael looks up at her slowly.
> "...Yes."
His voice is quiet—but solid. Like steel buried beneath snow.
> "If Jin loses himself… and becomes a threat…"
>
>
>
"...I'll be the one to stop him."
He pulls Jin closer, pressing his forehead gently against his lover's cold temple.
> "But not yet."
> **"He's still fighting."**
7:09
Mira stares at him a moment more, then nods once.
> "I hope you're right."
Without another word, she turns and starts walking again. Rael follows, trying not to tremble as he holds Jin tighter.
The hall is cold, empty… and so, so silent.
Each breath, each step… each beat of Jin's heart in his chest.
But beneath that—a whisper too faint to hear. As if something lurks within those echoing walls… a secret as old as the shadows, and as hungry as the darkness.
7:15
The hall narrows, forcing the three of them to walk in a single file.
The silence gets heavier.
Then, in the distance…
A faint, rhythmic sound—softly *thud*… *thud*… *thud*…
Mira turns her head towards it, ears pricked.
> "Can you hear it?" she murmurs, staring down the dark.
Rael's breathing catches.
> "Yes," he whispers. "What is that..?"
7:20
The three of them stand, frozen, and listen.
The sound comes again—soft, but constant—as if something large is *pacing* down below…
> *"Like a heartbeat…*"
Rael whispers—he glances down at Jin in his arms again, listening to the sound and the weak rhythm of his own lover's pulse—and a cold shiver runs down his spine.
Another sound creeps in then, on top of that steady rhythm.
Scraping against stone. Like claws.
7:23
Rael grips tighter to Jin, staring down the hallway.
> *"What the hell is down there?"*
The sound gets louder. It's close. Mira's eyes widen as she stares forward, unblinking.
> *"I don't know…"*
L's face is dark.
> *"But it sounds big. And hungry."*
For the first time in hours… Jin moves. Eyes still closed, he shifts, whimpering softly and burying his face against Rael's chest.
7:26
Rael's heart jumps. He cups Jin's face in his hands, looking down at him.
> *"Hey… hey, *hey*," he whispers, stroking a thumb across Jin's pale cheeks. "Shh… it's okay."*
Jin's hands weakly grab at Rael's shirt, like he's afraid to let go. His brow knits together as if he's trying to speak, struggling to get the words out.
> *"What is it?" Rael murmurs, stroking his hair softly like a lover. "Tell me."*
7:30
Slowly, Jin's eyes flicker open. They're dull, hazy… but not lost yet.
> *"Rael…"*
His voice is barely a whisper, throat dry.
Rael swallows.
> *"I'm here,"* he whispers back, cradling him closer. "I'm right here, love."
7:35
Rael brings his hand up to Jin's face again, gently cupping his cheek. He leans his face down, resting his forehead against his lover's.
> *"Talk to me,"* he murmurs, almost pleading.
Jin takes a deep—though shaky—breath, as if trying to ground himself.
> *"I… I'm so tired,"* he finally whispers.
7:40
Rael can hear the exhaustion in how laboured Jin's voice is.
> *"I know…"* he whispers, stroking his hair again. "You've been fighting for days. You're so strong… so brave.. But you need to keep going, okay?"
Jin nods faintly, closing his eyes again as if trying to gather what strength is left in him.
The creature is closer. Scrape… scrape… scrape…
And then something *else*—the sound of a *growl*.
7:45
The growl rumbles through the walls—low, guttural, like stone grinding against bone.
Jin flinches in Rael's arms. His fangs glint as he whimpers, voice barely a thread:
> *"Don't let it take me…"*
Rael tightens his hold—pressing their foreheads together.
> *"Never. I'd burn this whole world before I let go."*
Mira steps forward, staff glowing faintly in the dark. Her voice is steady—but urgent.
> *"We're almost at the vault chamber. Just a little further."*
L scans the shadows ahead—eyes sharp.
> *"But something's waiting for us down there."*
And then—
a single word echoes from beyond the dark… not from a monster…
but from Jin's own lips—soft, trembling… yet certain:
> *"Run…"*